Ode to Etsy

When I started planning our wedding, I had no idea how many do-it-yourself projects we’d undertake (and Courtney had no idea what a do-it-yourself project was).  But like many brides I became obsessed with making our wedding beautiful and unique, in making our guests think “this is so Courtney and Jo.”  Still, you can’t do everything yourself and maintain a full-time job and a normal sleep cycle.

Luckily, Etsy is a bride’s best friend.  With the amount of options on Etsy, I felt that I could be selective about the CourtneyandJoness of my purchases and many of the vendors were willing to work with me, letting me personalize the items to my very vision.  I also had very good luck with the vendors I bought from being very talented, and with only one exception very honest and timely with communication.  Here’s a look at our Etsy selections:

Train Ticket Wedding Invites:
These handmade invitations were perfect for our Rail Road Museum Reception.  Sugar sent me numerous proofs to make sure they looked exactly how I wanted them to, and when they arrived they looked even better!

Adorable Birdie Cake Topper:
I looked at lots of bird cake toppers, but this one was a clear favorite for both of us. It had a unique and folksy feel that was just perfect.

Vintage Trunk Card Box:
After looking all over for a vintage suitcase, my mom found this adorable vintage trunk to hold our cards.

Chapel Length Mantilla Veil:
I loved the lace mantilla veil that I tried on at Carine’s (the bridal salon where I bought my dress), but I literally LOL’d when she told me the price: $2,000.  I kindly explained that I’d rather have an extra week on my honeymoon.  ” Next I headed to trimmings shop in New York with my wonderful bridesmaid Alice (and her very patient fiance Tom) to see about having a similar one made.  They quoted it at $700, which was better but still felt like too much.  Next stop: Etsy. I was a bit nervous about buying a veil without trying it on or seeing it in person, but I had been having such good luck with Etsy, and for $235 I had to give it a try.  Lonnie was wonderful, letting me choose my length and lace and answering all my questions about just how to measure the exact length I needed.  When it arrived, I was in awe: it was far more beautiful than either of the others I’d seen.

Einstein Cufflinks, a Gift for the Groom:Why shouldn’t he marry me with his hero on his cuff?

Flower Fascinator Hair Piece:
I knew I wouldn’t want to wear a veil all night, and this simple fascinator was exactly what I was looking for.  After I decided the first purchase didn’t match well with my dress, Janae had this to me within a day or so.

Garter Set, One to Keep and One to Throw:
This was also thanks to Jenae, who rush delivered this gorgeous handmade garter straight to Savannah after another shop failed to send me the one I’d ordered.

Johanna