Peacock Wedding Theme - DIY

I realize that I never uploaded my wedding pictures to facebook.  It's silly, considering everything else I do is in a facebook album.  What had happened was...there were so many pictures to choose from, I could only narrow down to 300.  AND my lovely photographer(Jana Candler) had uploaded some while Jeff and I were honeymooning. So I didn't bother, I just focused on being a married woman.  Well now that we're a little further down the road(1 year, 3 months) I need to share some details.  There have been quite a few people who have asked about our peacock decorations, so I think a blog is the simplest way to share.  They were all DIY except for the bouquets, which were done by a wholesale flower shop - yaaay budget saver!

1.  First and foremost you must have a groom that you are hopelessly in love with.  That makes the day complete before it even begins.  Then you can start the planning.

2. Must have hot, coordinating shoes.  See above.

3. COLOR is important.  This is what shows up in your pictures!  Must I remind you that pictures/video/husband are the only things you'll have left when the day is over?  I went a little on the different side when it came to my flowers to stick with the teal scheme.  Blue Bomb Orchids, green hydrangeas, purple somethings, and fuchsia somethings.  Originally, I wouldn't have chosen the fuchsia, but the combination needed some help.  Peacock feather were dispersed among the flowers.

4. Must employ big brother to move antique couch from house to peach orchard.

4 1/2.  Bridesmaids dresses from Belk = $40 each.  Groomsmen suits from JC Penney = $99 each.  Groomsmen Ties from Burlington Brands = $6 each.

5. A personal touch- I added a locket(Hobby Lobby-jewelry section) that held my Dad's picture.  It was helpful to have that during the day.

6. Groomsmen Boutonnieres- I trimmed the peacock feather to an appropriate size, to keep from making them distracting instead of complementing.  The pearl and silver beads at the base were held on by a silver pin that you can find in any earring/jewelry making store.  Then used floral tape to hold everything together.  They were a little difficult to make, but I had them done 5 months before the wedding.

7. Personalized Guest Book- This was created on Shutterfly.  I made the cover and peacock pages in a separate program(Adobe Photoshop) and uploaded them as a regular picture, set as the background.  Since the wedding, Jeff and I have enjoyed reading our guests' notes.

8. Programs- This peacock feather was stamped on each program.  Stamp & Ink from Hobby Lobby.  The text was designed on Adobe Illustrator.  I also used a "thank you" stamp and the same feather to make all of our thank you stationary.  It took some time, but I enjoyed them being unique.  Basket from Goodwill.

Now to the reception fun.  These lovely ladies did the hard work!  They dealt with the Asparagus Fern...who knew it was prickly??
9. Centerpieces- Tall narrow glass(borrowed).  This brought height to the room and didn't block table conversation.  The glass was filled with fish tank rocks(mom used these in the garden later).  5 peacock feathers and 4 or 5 peacock swords were placed in each glass, then the asparagus fern to droop down.  Oh and some tan squiggly twigs I got at Goodwill.

 Final Product!

10. Legacy "table"-  I've seen legacy tables done before and I always wonder...who are those people?  I labeled mine and told their relation to Jeff & I.  It was helpful, I think.  These frames and the tree twig/glass vase are now used in my home :)  double dipping.

11. Tree- the twigs were bought from hobby lobby and Hobo's Consignment shop.  I printed out collages of us from Picasso and cut the pictures of Jeff & I, then taped them to coordinating card stock.  Tied with 50% off ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  Peacock feathers were dispersed throughout the arrangement and on the table.

12.  All in all, see number 1, because what actually matters is who signs that marriage license.  It's for better or worse, and I'm not talking about decorations here, I'm talking about LIFE.

Florida

A little National Park loving for these 3 ladies.  Road Trip!  Millie organized our week trip to visit 3 National Parks in Florida.  Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Biscayne :)  Here's some of the fun.  To see more check out my facebook album title "Flo-rida"

I made them tour Charleston first, had to stop by my side job//Robot Candy

This is the greatest woman in the world.  I'm honored to call her Mommy Dearest!  -Everglades NP

After our mexican food meal we caught a SUNSET

A little giddy about this Key West Sunset

One of the coolest experiences, snorkeling around the fort wall

Coconut heads in Key West

KOA's are everywhere, and so very dear to our hearts

Literally, at the end of the road.

So very fitting for our Panda Express meal

Where are those bubbles coming from?

Biscayne NP

we'll need to practice our landing...

Road Tripping back to Charleston, stopped in Savannah, GA!

Our welcome back to SC dinner with Jefferson

Veggies

With summer comes fresh vegetables.  Jeff and I don't have our own garden, but who needs one when we get crop from the Bridges, Farnham, and Williams gardens!  Since I travel a lot of weekends I frequent these gardens.  Here's some crop I got to bring home from the Bridges and Williams.

With this large amount of veggies and only two mouths to feed we had to get it all eaten before it went bad.  This called for fun experiments and partially following other recipes.  These Bundles were great!  Prepare whatever you like, season it and toss it in tin foil.  I put the bundles in bread pans so we didn't loose any butter or juices.  What's inside? Chicken, corn, tomatoes, squash, onions, carrots, butter, and seasoning.  Oven to 375, bake about 45 minutes.

 

Penne noodles, italian dressing, peppers, Parmesan, tomatoes, and squash.

Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes on a salad!

For a not as healthy option, try squash puppies!  Cook cut squash and onions then mash up.  Mix in with Hush Puppies mix and fry!  They are so moist and tasty.

Here's to summer and all the fun experiences it brings!

Coffee

     Back in June I decided to start drinking coffee.  The mornings are crucial to the rest of my day so a little extra kick was sometimes necessary.  This morning God and I were talking and he helped me make a connection on how I make my coffee and how I live my life.  Stay with me here. . . Jeff and I have joked about my ability to read cooking directions 3 times over and still measure something wrong or put the pasta in before the water boils.  It happens all that time, even when I'm being attentive and careful.  This morning we joked about how it has taken me 2 weeks to figure out how to make coffee even with reading the directions.  Something just didn't click.
     At this point of realization, God gave me the thoughts, "you live your life like you fix your coffee."  whoa.  I can read the instructions all day long and have good intentions, but if I prepare it my way. . .it's still wrong.  It doesn't have the taste or effect that the makers had in mind.  I end up masking it with creamer and sugar(unhealthy).  I've been wasteful with my coffee making, thinking just fix one more cup and I'll figure out the perfect mixture.  Hey, how about you read the directions for what they are and obey them.  Someone has already figured out how to make the coffee just right, try that way! 
     Is this making sense?  God gives us a purpose in life and tasks to complete.  He calls us to trust him.  no fear.  no doubt.  just trust.  We're like "yeah, trust.  I trust God" and then we just keep living our own way, letting our good values lead us instead of letting our God lead us.  I'll tell you one thing, living like that is wasteful and it doesn't glorify God. 
Some things I need to work on.  I'm only writing this down for me to remember and to be held accountable by you.
Luke 10:27
Jesus said. . ."You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
Matthew 28:16
Jesus said. . . "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age."   * This isn't just for missionaries, it's for all Christians
John 15:1-11
"Abide in me. . .as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself."
     Here's another God thing :)  While going to Bible Gateway to get these verses word for word, I came across Jeremiah 17:7-11.  It's old testament and sounds that way, but read it.  Think about it.  Don't just get to the end and be done.
7) The Lord said. . . "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.
8) For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.
9) The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
10) I, the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
11) As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly; In the midst of his days it will forsake him, and in the end he will be a fool."

South Africa Stars

Earlier this year I posted about Stars...here's what we saw in Africa!  This blew our minds and really showed us just how big our creator is!