Mismatched China & Other Impossible Things

Mismatched China & Other Impossible Things

November 15th, 2010 @ 4:12 pm by Mrs. Panther
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Y’all, sometimes I think I’m beating my head against the wall—or some other idiom for trying to do the impossible—with all this personalized DIY on a budget stuff.

As I may have mentioned, I aspire to having the kind of wedding that gets featured on one the fantastic wedding blogs I frequent (some of my favorites are Style Me Pretty, OnceWed, Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake and Ruffled). I think these weddings fall into two categories: a) the couple (or the couple’s parents) spent a ton of money getting a professional to create a beautiful event, or b) the bride did it herself. Since I am not loaded, I’ll need to fall into category b.

But ya know what? I’m starting to think it’s not possible to create an intimate, personal, beautiful event with all these crazy DIY details while holding down a full-time job unless the event is small. I mean, really, who has time to make 250 of anything, let alone French macaroons or triple-layer silk-screened menus?!

There are so many things I’d love to include in our wedding. For example, how amazing is mismatched vintage china?

Mismatched China and Other Impossible Things : wedding decor westport 12 1

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Mismatched China and Other Impossible Things : wedding decor westport 22 2

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I also kind of die for pinwheel escort cards.

Mismatched China and Other Impossible Things : wedding decor westport 32 3

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But honey, it ain’t happening. I need to accept that this is not a small affair, and I’m only human. The mission: find SIMPLE personal touches that I can handle, only go crazy with things I need less of (centerpieces, table numbers, display table decor?) and damnit, outsource the rest. I just hope I can stick to this plan and don’t end up losing my damn mind.

Which by the way, I am still doing over these Save the Dates. I’m becoming certain that they’re never going to be finished. It’s fine. I’m past the point where I can even stress about it.

Anyway, have you guys had your reality checks yet? Or were you realistic from the beginning? Come on—I can’t be the only dreamer out there.

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48 Responses to “Mismatched China & Other Impossible Things”

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Member

R.Elliott (message) 1,011 posts, Bumble bee

I LOVE the look of mismatched china, but I can’t convince myself it will be worth it, since a caterer/venue will have plates. Hopefully I can attend the wedding of someone who was willing to shoot for the moon and acquire all the interesting peices from antique shops all over the place. Maybe I can be a bridesmaid in that wedding and help her shop

11/15/10 @ 4:21 pm (reply)

Member

evorce (message) 74 posts, Worker bee

It’s totally true! Barely any of this is as cheap/easy/quick as its made out to be… Halfway through making the favors thinking, and why did I think this was a good idea???

All seems easy in theory…

11/15/10 @ 4:23 pm (reply)

Member

Violet Violet (message) 985 posts, Busy bee

I’m not letting go yet–I thought I would do my flowers and that got shut down. I started designing my invites, and I got halfway through before my little sis took pity on me. There are still a couple projects but yeah, i need a reality check BIG TIME.

11/15/10 @ 4:25 pm (reply)

Member

Charcole2011 (message) 298 posts, Helper bee

ohh yes, I totally hear this! I sooo want to be able to DIY so many of these fun projects, but with 250 people AND planning from a distance, how the heck is that supposed to work? I feel your pain here!

11/15/10 @ 4:25 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Panther (message) 1,046 posts, Bumble bee

@R.Elliott: I’m with you! Mr. Panther wants to have mismatched china as our home china instead, but I can’t seem to let go of the Marchesa china we’re registered for … Oh, well.
@evorce: Haha, it’s always halfway through when you realize it, isn’t it? When it’s too late to stop but not quite far enough to feel like you’ve accomplished anything, right?
@Violet Violet: Gah, good luck!
@Charcole2011: Oh, right — planning from a distance! I always forget I’m doing that, too! Yikes.

11/15/10 @ 4:29 pm (reply)

Guest

aggee

I was thinking about making napkins, but the reality of sitting and sewing for days on end finally seeped through my dreamers haze. Why? because I don’t have the SLIGHTEST clue what to do with a sewing machine. Must be bride brain.

11/15/10 @ 4:34 pm (reply)

Member

evorce (message) 74 posts, Worker bee

I have never touched a sewing machine either and somehow was obsessed with this for a day http://tinyurl.com/38qadb6 Sometimes you gotta just LET IT GO……..

11/15/10 @ 4:38 pm (reply)

Member

aruka11 (message) 615 posts, Busy bee

You read my mind! Distance+not rich+lots of people does not equal lots of intimate details. I’m finally realizing that, with 100 days left. That said, I’m focusing on things people will notice and that are US - things that don’t take too much time. (songs that represent us, crossword puzzles, etc…)

11/15/10 @ 4:40 pm (reply)

Member

shellymarie (message) 41 posts, Newbee

I totally get what you’re saying!! I wanted so many little details and DIY features so bad and it was so stressful to try and do everything….for a 300 person guest list!! Just remember its ok to not have everything….also sometimes when you’re talking about that quantity its cheaper to buy someone else DIY :). Pick the things that really mean a lot and focus on that…. mine was our invites & favors - i really wanted them to be unique and special.

11/15/10 @ 4:51 pm (reply)

10.

Bee

Mrs. Pug (message) 3,753 posts, Honey bee

i think mismatched china is a myth, unless the wedding consists of 15 people. i heartily agree with your strategy to personalize certain details that have a big impact, but don’t require doing it 250+ times. hooray for the revelation!

11/15/10 @ 4:53 pm (reply)

11.

Member

that girl (message) 71 posts, Worker bee

Mismatched china was one of my ‘must haves’ until I spent a few weekends garage sale shopping a realized that everything was ugly and no one was offering a ‘deal’.

It would cost me alot of money and time, so rather then continue my search my MOH and I made a detour to a party supply & rental store and put in my order for my 200+ guests.

I still dream of the mismatch china and may still do that with things like salt & pepper shakers, sugar & creamers, and vases/tins for center pieces.

11/15/10 @ 5:13 pm (reply)

12.

Member

JennyW1 (message) 1,884 posts, Buzzing bee

I reached my reality check when I realized that the people who have their weddings featured in MS Weddings are usually: a) billionaires b) connected to celebrities c) a member of the MS staff.

And SMP just got to be too much. I know it’s supposed to be aspirational, but it was just makin’ me feel blue after a while!

11/15/10 @ 5:17 pm (reply)

13.

Bee

Miss Panther (message) 1,046 posts, Bumble bee

@aggee, @evorce: I’m actually STILL considering making tablecloths for just the sweetheart table, cake table and candy buffet table … How hard can it be, right?!

11/15/10 @ 5:20 pm (reply)

14.

Bee

Miss Panther (message) 1,046 posts, Bumble bee

@aruka11: Oooh, crossword puzzles! That sounds awesome!
@shellymarie: You’re totally right on limiting it to a few important things … must write that down!
@Mrs. Pug, @that girl: I’m convinced that mismatched china is impossible, too! Seriously. HOW can that be doable?!
@JennyW1: I get a little bummed about that stuff, too — all the write-ups are like “This crafty bride spent the entire year before the wedding stitching bowties to use as escort cards and collecting vintage keys to use as place cards and blah blah blah.” Seriously — HOW?

11/15/10 @ 5:23 pm (reply)

15.

Member

Kemi82JP (message) 749 posts, Busy bee

oh lord don’t get me STARTED on all the DIY projects I had to nix cuz i didn’t have the time or patience to deal with it all. i did quite a few tho and loved the results. i collected mix-matched milk glass for the centerpieces, designed all the paper goods (invites, programs, escort cards, candy buffet signs, etc), made jewelry and personalized hand bags for my bridesmaids, and there’s probably some others i’m forgetting. the key is having lots and lots of time lol! the mismatched china would be doable, if you gave yourself like a year to collect it all.

also, i lusted after all the same blogs you linked to above and my wedding WAS featured on SMP!!! check it out: http://www.stylemepretty.com/2010/10/08/kentucky-wedding-at-the-newport-aquarium/

11/15/10 @ 5:46 pm (reply)

16.

Bee

Mrs. Trail Mix (message) 6,328 posts, Bee Keeper

Totally agree! I had to tell myself this over and over during the planning process…The higher the number of guests, the more limited your DIY projects get!

11/15/10 @ 5:46 pm (reply)

17.

Bee

Miss Panther (message) 1,046 posts, Bumble bee

@Kemi82JP: I hate you. OK, not really, but wah. So jealous! You did an amazing job.
@Mrs. Trail Mix: I need a positive, happy mantra or something! “Keep It Simple, Stupid” makes me feel sad.

11/15/10 @ 5:55 pm (reply)

18.

Member

Theresa90405 (message) 1,217 posts, Bumble bee

I love love love the look of mismatched china.

And FYI, that first china pic in your post is actually of a set. It’s called “Sevres” and it’s by Andrea by Sadek.

http://www.distinctive-decor.com/ansepa.html

Incidentally, this is the china that I registered for. It’s so beautiful!

11/15/10 @ 6:12 pm (reply)

19.

Bee

Miss Panther (message) 1,046 posts, Bumble bee

@Theresa90405: WAIT A MINUTE. You can BUY that china?! I knew it wasn’t actually vintage, because I’ve seen it on Party Rental Ltd’s website, but I’ve dug around to see if it was available to buy and was never able to find it! OMG! Have you seen it in person?

11/15/10 @ 6:19 pm (reply)

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