Weddingbee

But, I’m not thrilled about paying for a passport that will become obsolete once I change my name. I thought about waiting until after the wedding and applying for an expedited passport with my new name– multiple people have assured me that I would receive it by the trip. And then I wouldn’t have to worry about getting another passport later on with my new name.

However, my plane ticket is in my maiden name. The airline representative I spoke to assured me that I should be fine if I bring along certified copies of my marriage license. But I’m a little nervous!

What sayeth the hive? Should I risk flying with a different name on my ticket than is on my passport? Or should I just suck it up and (eventually) pay for two passports?

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The Indian bridal look, on the other hand, is much different. The Indian bridal look is actually a little sexy — think dark, smoky eyes with thick false eyelashes, rouged cheeks, and red/pink lips:




It’s very dramatic and it’s going to be a huge change for me since I don’t usually wear much makeup. But I’m excited to have a totally new look and I’m putting my faith in the fabulous Couture Beauty Bridal Service.Couture Beauty is a hair and makeup team that specializes in South Asian weddings. They know the traditional South Asian bridal look and can also help dress brides. This is huge for me since draping my bridal lehnga can be complicated and I know they’ll be able to drape it really beautifully.

What bridal look are you going for on the big day?

top images courtesy of my fabulous photographer, marisa holmes
top indian bridal image courtesy of couture bridal
bottom indian bridal images courtesy of andrena photo
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Originally $355, on sale for $60! And there was only one left– in my size. It was completely meant to bee :)I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend! Share what great finds you’ve bought recently (and what your bachelorette plans are!)
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She used the template she created to cut votive wraps from vellum. She was able to fit 4 wraps per sheet. We used beautifully shimmery gold vellum from Paper Source.

Then my mom decided to give the wraps some texture by running them through the Cuttlebug machine. She used a paisley folder to create a gorgeous paisley design on each wrap. Because the Cuttlebug can only take lengths of 6 inches at a time, she had to do the embossing in two parts.

I love the design because it’s a little bit Indian inspired and I think the texture adds such a luxe touch.

Then she set about wrapping each votive with the vellum wraps. She initally used vellum tape, but for some reason, it came apart after a few hours! So she tried an adhesive spray with better results.

And here they are all lit up!

We’re going to have about 5-6 on each table and I think they’re going to look so pretty. Thanks Mom!** I promise I’m not a bossy crafts task-master. My mom loves doing these projects and excitedly volunteers to do them « Hide it

Anyway, when she volunteered to make a cardbox for our wedding, I was super excited because I knew she’d come up with something really lovely. And she did! She found this perfectly nice hatbox from Ross– we loved the pattern and great price ($5!), but the colors were much more muted than our color scheme of burgundy, deep dark pinks, and gold.
 

But my mom had a great idea for punching it up. First, she used a knife to cut a slit in the top of the box. She used a file to sand down the edges and make it a nice, smooth cut.

Then she spray-painted the top gold and let it dry overnight.

She then rubbed an embossing buddy all over the box itself. For those who don’t know, an embossing buddy is a small bag filled with a non-static powder like cornstarch. It prevents embossing powder and glitter from sticking where it shouldn’t. She painstakingly went over the design with the Martha Stewart glue pen and added Martha Stewart fuschia and gold fine glitter over the glue. She said this process took awhile because you had to add glue to a small portion of the design, then add glitter before the glue dried, and repeat.

When she was finished with the outside of the box, she glued burgundy velvet ribbon around the edge and fashioned a lovely bow. She glued a dazzling rhinestone to the front.

Ta-da! A beautiful, homemade cardbox for less than $10. And one I’ll probably use to store mementos after the wedding. What are you using to hold your cards?
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I used the popular wrap-around template from Martha Stewart, which somehow manages to elevate an ordinary mailing label into something special.

After filling in the addresses, I printed out the sheets on Pageant Rose paper from Kinkos (thank you for the recommendation Mrs. Lovebug!). Then, I put them through my brand-new Xyron machine.

I’m officially a Xyron addict. I’m frequently embarrassed to be the least-crafty of the Bees, but even someone as clumsy and incompetent as myself can handle the Xyron.Then Mr. Jasmine and I used a craft knife to cut out the labels. Mr. Jasmine gets lots of xoxoxo for his careful, loving handiwork. Surprisingly, it all took much less time than we anticipated.

Since my parents’ return address was already printed on the envelope, we added an ode to our song instead

It kind of amuses me that our save the date envelopes were more formal than our wedding ones, but I think it demonstrates how my thought process about the wedding has evolved. I’ve relaxed about the “rules” a lot more and I’m embracing (or at least trying to embrace) a more go with the flow attitude.

How did you address your envelopes?
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The invitation: The metallic gold paper is so beautifully shimmery and the hand-drawn fuschia letterpressed flowers are gorgeous.


The Arabic at the top translates to “Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim” which means “In the name of God, the most gracious and merciful.” In Islam, the phrase is frequently invoked in moments of thankfulness and joy.

The mehndi card: The night before the wedding, my parents are hosting a mehndi for all of our guests. I love the fonts used on this card. It reads, “An evening of food, music, and mehndi to celebrate the union of families and close friends.” I love that sentiment.

The directions card:

The RSVP card and envelope:

We’ve gotten such a great response from our guests on the invitations and I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out!
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Beshert is a Yiddish word that means destiny. It’s often used in the context of a soulmate. The romantic in me connects with the idea that love is pre-destined; written in the stars. When I think of the special couples I know and the wonderful, random ways in which they met, I always wonder if it was somehow part of a bigger plan and if that love was truly meant to be. Mr. Jasmine and I met in law school– not a particularly unusual way to meet. But we both chose the same law school— far from home and for unusual reasons. I often wonder if we were meant to meet there. If it was somehow pre-ordained that we would attend the same school, fall in love, and share a life together. It’s a beautiful, magical idea.

But the practical side of me acknowledges that in many ways, Mr. Jasmine and I chose to be together. And we make that choice every day in our relationship. Through the blissful times and the awful ones, we continually choose each other and our life together. And there is something beautiful and meaningful about affirmatively making that choice every day.

What are your thoughts on soulmates vs. choosing your mate?

image courtesy of perfect bound. isn’t charlotte the most beautiful bride?
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They are so beautiful and I think my girls are going to be absolutely radiant in them. I’m also happy that I can share a special part of my culture with them.

Are you doing anything special to recognize your friends or introduce them to your culture?
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On the my last day in Los Angeles, my mom and cousin co-hosted an amazing bridal shower for me. It was the most beautiful afternoon and I spent several lovely hours eating some delicious Indian food, hanging out with family and friends, and playing some hilarious games. I couldn’t have asked for a better shower and I was so touched by the love I felt that day.

My mom lovingly made the favors for each guest and they were so adorable that I wanted to feature them here. I definitely didn’t inherit the crafty gene.

Here are step-by-step instructions from my mom:

Supplies Needed:

1. 8 1/2 x 11 inch cardstock (she used 3 different colors)
2. Paper trimmer
3. Bone scorer
4. Craft glue
5. Cuttlebug– I received one as a shower gift!
6. Paisley Cuttlebug folder
7. Cuttlebug flower die-cut
8. Baby mint green ribbon
9. 5/8 inch circular punch
10. Small clear beads for embellishment
11. Corner punch
12. Foam tape

My mom used this tutorial to cut out the boxes:

Then she ran the boxes through the Cuttlebug machine to create the paisley embossed flap.

Then she assembled the boxes and decorated them. You can really decorate them any way your creativity inspires you. She layered complementary colored cardstock on the front of the box and used a mint green ribbon for contrast. Then she used the Cuttlebug’s flower die-cuts to create the beautiful flower in the front of the box. She affixed it to the box using foam tape to give it a 3-D effect and adorned the middle of the flower with a clear bead. Then she tied the front of the box closed with a mint green ribbon.

I think these favors are SO adorable and could be wonderful for any type of shower or even wedding. Yay for my mom and her craftiness. Soon I’ll post about the amazing cardbox she created for our wedding.
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