{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

These vintage Andrew Geller shoes were originally bought at Stefan’s in Atlanta when I was a bridesmaid in Ms. Bode’s wedding. They had sassy hot pink linen rectangular tabs on the toe, but for Stacey’s wedding I pulled them off and replaced them with orange gerbera daisies. Our bridesmaid colors were orange and we carried bouquets of green hydrangeas.

Last year I had them resoled at Peter & Sons in South Windermere shopping center. The insoles and toe embellishments were done by me and the sterling acorn brooches were purchased on eBay. One was a killer deal and the other used up the savings from the first. Of course, I didn’t think there were too many around so I pounced on both auctions. I saw two more about two weeks later for closer to the price of the first brooch but I knew I needed to get them when I could. I used Swarovski hot fix rhinestones in the color olivine. I was tickled green {;)} that the rhinestone arrangement ended up being a hexagon.

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

My shoes before I retired the daisies. I often had people tell me the daisies would bring smiles to their faces. It was a sad moment when I pulled them off.

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

After a resole by Peter & Sons in South Windermere shopping center. Our family has used them for decades!

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

The cats were made from a Martha Stewart punch we purchased at Michael’s last year. The green glitter sticker material is from my Peacock Goddess costume skull ‘extras’. I ordered the sheets from Sam Flax (4 years ago).

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

I pleated both the taffeta and double-side satin ribbon. I chose the taffeta because the pleating was crisper. Doing this project alone took FOREVER! This was close to how I originally envisioned the restoration until I was going through one of my fabric bins and rediscovered a fabric flower garland. I deconstructed a couple of flowers and BAM! The final product came to fruition. I let the process flow by it’s own accord and I couldn’t be happier with the end results.

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{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}
Aileen, ringbearer and friend extraordinaire.

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

About two and a half years ago Michael discovered a nest being built in the side of the warehouse that faced our loft parking lot; just above an electrical juncture. He kept an eye on it because he thought the nest would be abandoned due to it’s precarious location. He was right, as usual, and he waited over a week after they stopped working on it before he brought it inside.

We realized it was just too fragile to use for the wedding and needed to look for something else. The bowl we choose has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. The moss came from Pottery Barn years ago. I know, we live in the land of moss but my mother fell in love with the green.

{Photo credit: Michael Judd}

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

{Photo credit: Michael Judd}

My engagement ring is an estate enameled white gold ring with a peridot center stone surrounded by diamonds. My wedding band is white gold eternity band and was cast from an antique mold.

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

Aileen acquiring last minute wishes from our friends before the ceremony starts.

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Being a native of the Lowcountry, nothing is more quintessentially ‘Lowcountry’ to me than Carew Rice‘s silhouette art (scroll down a bit). This is something of a tribute to his work.

We hoped that making a ‘sandwich board’ style invite would cut down on them either going in a drawer or in the trash. We bought two packs of black poster board, cutting all of the pieces. Michael made the nifty plexiglass cutting template for the top edge of the pocket. Total cost with postage was about $150 for 80 invitations and 70 mailings.

The tie on the left is what we were originally going to use until I came up with the folding tab.You can see the original invitation which shows Old Sheldon Church Ruins. We reserved the ruins for our ceremony until big changes happened in our family, causing us to move 3.5 months before the wedding. We had to change our venue location, adding a lot of work to prepare and make for our guests – our home.

Stamp and wax purchased from Wax-works which is more for custom stuff and Wax Seals is more for peel and stick.

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{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

We crafted the boxes from old fencing we had in a scrap pile. We made them in the shape of a hexagon, which was an important element tying together our incorporation of bees along with our cake and the mead.

Measuring to make the cuts at 30°

Bottoms on with drainage holes and screens:

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

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Lucky Cat favor cards. There are several stories of the origins of the Maneki Neko and the following is the version we choose to share with everyone.

“Japanese legend holds that long ago an emperor was traveling on horseback when he spotted a small cat waving at him. After the emperor dismounted from his horse to get a closer look the horse was struck by lightning and killed. Subsequently, the emperor pronounced that cats in general should be respected as sacred animals and thus was born the legend of the beckoning Maneki Neko. This is just one of several popular tales regarding the origin of Japan’s most famous cat.

The legendary kitty has been transformed from an emperor saving Samaritan to a bringer of money and good fortune to all. ”

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