BarnHunter - Happily Married!
It was a very windy, but beautiful day in Sonoma. The dress - trashed after the second I stepped into it. My hair - flat after the windy dinner al fresco, but I was the happiest bride ever, shaking a tambourine on my booty and dancing all night long!
We fell in love with Cornerstone the moment we arrived. I first learned of Cornerstone in a NY Times article; describing it as an outdoor museum for landscape architects. We were looking for something both unique and beautiful, and Cornersone was it for us.
Lisa at Good On Paper did an unparalleled job of matching our invitations to the setting. Cornerstone borders an old bi-plane runway and is surrounded by rolling Carneros Valley hills. I basically designed the rest of the wedding around these invitations. She is the best!
The final product, updated 7/6/07
The invitations are letter pressed on Cranes Lettra (100% Cotton Paper) by Paper Monkey Press (~$2,000) Envelopes are from Paper Source.
(Calligraphy: $2.25 for each outer envelope)
Designed by Good on Paper. Inspiration to sew the binding by Knottie Sakegirls
I bought the paper and envelopes from Paper Source and the stamps from Impress Rubber Stamps. I embossed them with embossing powder from PS and a heat gun from a craft store. About 250 TY notes for about $130 total.
We made 4 using Plexiglass, washers, string and "Whirlies" purchased at CB2.com.
First fitting, I plan to wear a much shorter veil
We plan to use three color themes through the wedding. The ceremony will be all in white and green, dinner will be primarily green flowers and succulents on white table cloths, and dancing in the barn/lounge will be all orange. (~$3000)
We will use a green garland to frame the altar area, shown here in this terribly dark picture
Succulents will be used in small bunches on either side of a large floral green and white centerpiece. 1 foral piece and 2 succulent arrangements per each 8' table. The succulent arrangements will be given away as living gifts at the end of the reception.
We plan to use lots of orange Dahlias and whatever else comes in orange!
The barn at Cornerstone will be up-lit in amber lighting throughout with orange votive candles:
Lighting ATL Eevents ($2060)
We will have a fire pit outside the barn with a few lounges (no backs as shown here) from Wine Country Rentals. We will also have a few lounges inside the barn to rest tired feet. They will be in the light cream color shown here with orange blankets and pillows scattered about. ($1200)
Two blankets and a pillow from Ikea ($30 total)
I bought one of these from The Macbeth Collection in Orange to hold the programs ($48)
I bought 3 of these trays ($12) to hold dry rice and the escort cards, I also bought 2 of the vases to go on the same table with flowers in them ($6 each). Jamali Garden
I'm unsure if it stems more from guilt for spending so much money to celebrate ourselves or from a true desire to do something good for the world... probably a bit of both, but we have decided to make our wedding as "green" as possible by taking the following steps that we would like to encourage others to do as well.
These are generally easy requests to make of your vendors. If brides start to ask for green alternatives, the vendors will follow suit. No need to get crazy about it, just do the best you can where possible.