Sponsor Spotlight: Papeterie

I am happy to report that one of our very lovely sponsors, Papeterie, recently launched their new website! Besides an updated look there is now also a color preview tool for the classic invitations, where you can pick your own color combinations (even down to the text color!) I am not even in the market for invitations and I spent a half an hour playing around with all the different colors. And because they're great, between now and October 21,2009 if you enter the coupon code "wtrweb" you'll get 10% off your order!

Happenings...

Have I told you that I am in the midst of designing a brand new With This Ring? Well, I am certainly not skilled enough to do the actual designing (leaving that to the talented ladies of d*lsh Design) but I am definitely in the midst of it. There will be easier navigation, more categories, and a brand new logo! I am so excited to share it with all of you, I can hardly stand it. There is also going to be a News and Events section where I will finally have a place to share all the emails I get about the fabulous things happening in the wedding world, without disrupting daily posts. But since that News & Events section doesn't exist quite yet and I have a lot of things I think you'll be interested in, I am just going to share them all here:

One of my favorite places, Viv & Ingrid is currently having a 25% off sale on jewelry, hair accessories, and Bonbon keepsake boxes. Just enter code "vifall25" at checkout!

If you haven't already, you have to go check out Orange & Blossom. They are an online wedding boutique featuring handcrafted and exclusive items from vendors and artists across the States. They just launched a vintage section last month and also introduced the first ever virtual wedding consultation! The consultation is for brides who are doing the lion’s share of the planning themselves, but could still use some advice and occasional guidance from a wedding pro. It’s designed to be affordable too, at $299. There are some seriously cute products in their shop and I can tell you that the owner is just one of the nicest people around. Go check it out and use code "WITHTHISRING" to get $5 off your order, no matter how small (helloooo $10 pomander - you could use the code and get one for $5)!

Dabney Lee introduced this adorable new line of wedding and party invitations. There are several preppy styles to choose from!
Goodies is a newly launched custom design studio, specializing in stationery. They also offer Goodievites, which are DIY versions of their custom designs that you can send electronically or print at home. And if you use code "withthisring" you can get 10% off your order!

Belles Lettres Designs is running a contest for 50 free calligraphed envelopes when you buy 75 (so essentially you only have to pay for 25 envelopes). Head to Katie's blog to read about the contest rules and how you can enter!
Coren Moore has launched some new bridal styles for fall that are completely adorable. I really wish that dress on the left was around when I was searching for my own!

Bella Cupcake Couture is a new company offering some really cute cupcake wrappers. You can buy mini-cupcake wrappers as well and they also sell in bulk!
Jessica Rust has launched some lovely new designs - the Love Bug collection is my favorite!

Envelopments is offering a rebate on their Mini Deck (oh the colors). Head over to their site to read all the details.

Last but certainly not least, go check out Broke Ass Bride's Wedding in a Week giveaway! There is some amazing stuff happening over there, people.
Phew! Now I am going to go take a nap...

Let Them Eat Cake

How sweet are these cake stands from Let Them Eat Cake? They are all constructed from vintage china, and in my opinion could easily be used as cupcake stands at a reception. There are several style options and even a bespoke service so that you can choose the style, size and color scheme. Lovely! {Found via Thoughtful Day}

Real Wedding: Megan and Tanner

Megan and Tanner translated their style so beautifully into their wedding - its safe to say that I am a little obsessed with the bridesmaids attire! And as usual, Rebekah Westover did such an amazing job photographing the day. The fourth photo below is something I would absolutely put on a canvas and hang on my wall if I were them! Thank you so much for sharing, Rebekah (you can see more photos from the wedding on her blog)

Engagement Session: Megan & Tanner

It's pretty safe to say that Megan and Tanner have more style in their pinky fingers than I have at all! I am in awe of their engagement session, photographed by the talented Rebekah Westover. Enjoy their engagement photos today and then stay tuned for their wedding tomorrow (which is equally as stylish). Is that first picture not totally amazing? You can see several more from the session on Rebekah's blog.

Photography Series: Both Sides of The Lens

Today marks the end of the Photography Series - I am so glad you all liked it! Your feedback has been great and I am glad to hear that you liked getting a glimpse of some of my favorite photographers weddings as much as I did. And wasn't their advice amazing? Words of wisdom for sure!

I want to give a huge thank you to everyone that participated, and I am wondering if you think we should do something like this again? Maybe more amazing photographers, or even a series of wedding planners own weddings? Let me know what you think and have a great weekend!

{Thanks again to Molly of MThree Studio for the header image for the series!}

Photography Series: Jordana Hazel

Last but most certainly not least in the series - Jordana of Hazelnut Photography! Jordana and I started exchanging emails while we were both planning our weddings, before she was the amazing wedding photographer that she is today. We bonded over a love for damask (which you will see in a few of her pictures below) and its been so fun to watch her turn into such an incredible photographer! Jordana and Chris had such a glamorous wedding, captured by Rob Holley. And even though she worked hard on all the lovely details you see in this post, her advice for all of you so very true:

I’m so excited to be part of this series! I literally did a happy dance in my office when I got the email from Darci. I’ve always found it so interesting to read personal posts and see the everyday images from my favorite photographers. A little glimpse into their lives. I’m so excited to see the other photographers and giggly excited to be one of them!

I think my advice might be a bit counterintuitive to what you’ve always heard. Because I’d always heard it and it totally freaked me out. “Don’t let it pass by too quickly.” You’ve heard that, right? From brides or aunts or friends. “Take it all in.” I wanted to do that. “Savor every single moment.” I wanted to let the day roll by slowly, taking it all in, making every moment count. That’s what I wanted.

But here’s what happened, I got so freaked out that it was going to go by so quickly and that I wouldn’t be able to take it all in that I gave myself a bit of a panic attack. I tried so hard to slow it all down that I don’t think I felt the day as much as I wanted to. As much as I could have.

So, my advice, let the day happen. Relax. Have a cocktail. Let all the details go. Stop worrying. Trust the vendors that you’ve hired to take care of you. Know that there will be parts of the day that you’ll miss, but you’ll be smack dab in the center of the most important moments. Let the most amazing day of your life unfold as it should.

And when it’s all over, you’ll have amazing images, video and memories to help relive the day for the rest of your lives! Our photographer, Rob Holley, and videographer, Joe Rosenberger with Today’s The Day Weddings, captured the day beautifully. We gave them plenty of time to try new things, to be creative and to truly capture us. They were there for things we missed and documented the things we experienced. We couldn’t have been happier!

So very well said, Jordana! Thank you so much for sharing your advice and your wedding with us.