A fun, fresh and easy way to put a funky spin on a traditional wedding is to infuse your wedding elements with colorful stripes! I made a mood board to give you an idea of how to incorporate this bold and striking statement into your theme. Creative, DIY brides will surely get a kick out of putting a wedding like this together.

Striped Wedding on Polyvore

Styling the Bride

If you choose to wear an all-white bridal dress, find one with a striped detail like this fun and flirty short dress that features unique satin bands and modern 3D floral appliques.

Available at David’s Bridal

Alternatively, you can choose a simple, belted wedding dress like the one below

Available at David’s Bridal

… and then simply detach the removable sash and replace it with a colorful striped scarf. Here are a few to consider:

Use any of these colorful scarves as a belt! Available at Zappos.com

But if you’re feeling particularly playful, do as this bridesmaid did and don striped socks under your solid-color wedding dress!

Striped bridesmaid socks. Photo shared on Flickr by kisluvkis

Any of these striped hosiery would look great peeking from under an all-white gown.

Available at Zappos.com

Styling the Groom

Styling the groom is fairly easy. He can wear any suit of his choice and then accessorize it with a striped necktie or cravat and pocket handkerchief.

Striped tie and pocket handkerchief for the groom. Photo shared on Flickr by Ottavio Nuccio Gala

The groomsmen can wear matching or contrasting striped neckties in a color that matches your theme.

Groomsmen in matching striped ties. Photo shared on Flickr by MaeGun

Pinstripes are a subtle way of incorporating stripes into your groom’s and his groomsmen’s look.

The suits are from Zappos.com

Styling the Bridal Party

Bridal party in stripes. Photo shared on Flickr by Dr.Ash2k9

Choosing dresses for the bridal party is fun! Ready to wear striped special occasion or party dresses are widely accessible so you can take your pick from all the available styles out there. Here are a few to get you started:

All of these dresses are available at 6pm.com (they’re holding a sale ’til April 30!)

Striped Accessories

Accessorizing is quite tricky – we don’t want your outfits looking too costume-y so be careful not to overdo it. For example, if you’re already wearing striped hosiery, wear a solid colored gown. Have one or two striped accessories for each outfit. Here are shoes for the bride, bridesmaids, groom, and groomsmen.

The striped mens and womens shoes from Paul Smith are available at Raffaelloties.com. Everything else is from 6pm.com

Striped Wedding Invitations

Do check out our striped wedding invitation set. It comes in a medley of pink, mauve and purple stripes and is fully customizable.

Mauve and Melon Striped Wedding Invitation by poptasticbride

Coming up next: Part 2 – Striped Wedding Reception Details

Photo by Katherine O’Brien Photography

This real wedding is published with permission from Kat of RocknRollBride who featured Katie and Kevin in Holga, Music, & DIY A-Plenty

If you’re a crafty bride, here’s something that will definitely inspire you! Katie, a graphic designer (and an amazing one at that) loves crafting and so, naturally, she DIY-ed practically all the elements in her and groom Kevin’s creative, artsy wedding . This wedding is pure eye candy, as you will see in the photos of the brilliantly-coordinated elements in their recent wedding, all beautifully captured by photographer Katherine O’Brien.

An invitation to the rehearsal dinner which the bride Katie designed herself and a bag containing birdseed for guests to throw at the couple (the birdseed, not the bag LOL) as they march out.

A medley of cupcakes! I love how all the colors are coordinated with their wedding’s motif.

The bride wore boots! Felt flowers and a handmade tag adorns the vintage bottle centerpieces.

A great shot of  a cowboy boot clad bridal party.

Handmade escort cards and a table guide

Katie also handmade the table settings including tin can candle holders and wooden framed menus.

Katie and Kevin, the beautiful couple.

(Please see Katie O’Brien’s blog to see more photos of this gorgeous wedding.)

Wait, we’re not done yet! Hi-Fi Weddings, a blog I recently discovered (and adore because they share my passion in music!) featured the very same wedding along with the couple’s wedding playlist. Here’s a teaser:

1. Do You Remember – Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams
2. All I Want Is You – Barry Louis Polisar, Juno Soundtrack
3. You Belong To My Heart – Old 97’s, Wreck Your Life
4. Such Great Heights – Iron & Wine, Garden State Soundtrack
5. The Luckiest – Ben Folds, Ben Folds Live
6. Waste – Phish, Billy Breathes
7. Stickshifts And Safetybelts – Cake, Fashion Nugget
8. Sunshine – Matt Costa, Songs We Sing
9. Lucky [Feat. Colbie Caillat] – Jason Mraz, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
10. Everything To Me – Jackie Greene, Sweet Somewhere Bound

Check out Hi-Fi Weddings to see the rest of the playlist.

This week’s indie love song is Up In The Clouds, a track from Darwin Deez’ self-titled debut album whose music has been described as “a determinedly lo-fi blend of puttering drum machines, snappy guitar riffs and lovelorn whimsy“. I obviously don’t know much about this artist yet -- a friend sent me a mix and this track stood out — but from what I’ve heard so far, I think I like his brand of music. Have a listen:

Pretty fantastic, yes? Wait ’til you see him perform it (caution: campy dance moves in da house)

The lyrics, straight from his official site:

up in the clouds
we used to walk up in the sky, up where the air is rarified
went hand in hand from cloud to cloud, but when i slipped up we fell out
and i’m sorry i let you down
down to the ground
but who cares now?

we could be up in the clouds

dizzy from lack of oxygen or from the mood you put me in…?
up in the cloudy stratosphere, gravity’s weaker when you’re near

(pre chorus)
(chorus)

Vintage engagement photo shoots are definitely hot right now (see my first entry about this retro engagement trend) and almost all of these vintage e-sessions I’ve seen floating around in the wedding blogosphere have turned out fantastic. I’ve gathered some favorites that I chanced upon while surfing today for your inspiration.

Photo by Anna Page Photography via Wed.Share Daily

Photo by Sloan Photographers

Photo by Kate Harrison via forget.me.knot.weddings

Photo by L. Renee Studio via forget.me.knot.weddings

Photo by Sloan Photographers

Photo by Simply Bloom

Seriously, arent they all just adorable? Everything works so well together, from concept to fashion styling to photographic execution.

If by chance you are having a vintage engagement photoshoot yourself, I’ve picked out some coats, dresses, skirts and shoes — all with retro flair — that you can wear to your e-session. Everything is from boden, a favorite new online boutique (which I discovered just the other day!) Take a look at these beauties below.

Big Button Jacket, $128	Riviera Jersey Jacket, $68
Funloving Floral Dress, $98	Must Have Shift, $148
Easygoing Silk Dress, $128	Fun Dress, $138
Glam Tunic, $118	Tropical Leaf Tunic, $118
Stripy Hem Skirt, $78	Bubble Chino Skirt, $78
Happy Days Skirt, $78	Colourblock Wedges, $148
Bow Peep Toes, $148	Butterfly Slingback Flats, $118

See more at boden

Have fun at your photoshoot and don’t forget to send me your fabulous retro photos!
 

I have always been fascinated with retro toy robots so I designed a hip wedding invitation suite for couples who share the same interest in these cute, lovable and clunky metal creatures. As always, everything is fully customizable so you can make the wording as personal as you want.

A couple of cute robots (in love, natch) and a mess of colorful gears at the bottom grace this original wedding invite collection so if you don’t want a traditional wedding, may I humbly suggest that you check them out.

Robot Love Save the Date Announcement

Robot Love Postage

Robot Love Wedding Favor Sticker / Envelope Seal

Robot Love Binder

See the rest of the Robot Love Wedding Invite Suite.

Bride in floral hosiery photographed by Ben Blood / Image via 100LayerCake

One really great wedding trend I am noticing is that brides are becoming more and more clued in on how to make their personalities shine through on their special day. Take this creative bride, Hollin, who wore vintage-y floral print tights under her wedding dress. Now just how funky is that?

Like my wedding photographer friend Gracci (of Pelaez Photography) said on Twitter, “this would be cool for the garter toss shots!”

Here’s the overall look. (I love the crafty, folksy look of the bridesmaid dresses which, as it turns out were made by Hollin and her mom! Don’t they all look absolutely darling?)

Hollin and her bridesmaids photographed by Ben Blood / Image via 100LayerCake

The good news is that printed tights are widely available in the online market and you can choose the style that suits you best. I’ve gathered a few for your perusal.

Floral tights from LoveColourTights, £7.95 each (the shop from where Hollin got her tights)

Flocked novelty tights from LoveColourTights, £7.95 each

Peacock Feather Tattoo Knee-High Stockings from Tattoo Socks, $13.00

Butterfly Tattoo Thigh-High Stockings from Tattoo Socks, $18.00

Flora Tattoo Thigh-High Stockings from Tattoo Socks, $18.00

Betsey Johnson – Mexicali Rose Sheer (Black) – Hosiery, $24.00

Kate Spade – Caging Tight (Chili) – Hosiery, $28.00

Betsey Johnson – Starry Night Sheer Tight (Black) – Hosiery, $24

Kate Spade – Couture Lace Tight (Linen Pink) – Hosiery, $28.00

Betsey Johnson – Mexicali Rose Sheer Legging (Cream) – Hosiery, $24

Here’s a great song to play at your reception (or any party, for that matter) -- Sunlight by Brooklyn indie rock quintet Harlem Shakes. It literally bursts of happiness and, yes, sunlight from the moment it starts with an infectious drum machine beat to the dramatic build up towards the chorus.

And if you’re wondering how this is supposed to be a love song, consider this part of the lyrics:

well I did what I thought I was supposed to do
all I sang so close to true
now I wanna be the one that means the most to you
means the most to you

I doubt if your guests will be concerned about the lyrics once they hear the contagious beat though. Check it out below.

The Knot Wedding Shop is holding a 3-day sale and while I can’t stress enough how important and special handmade wedding paraphernalia is, I can’t deny that we can only do so much with our hands, right? Besides, the shop has some really cool and practical wedding favors and attendant gifts on sale right now. Save for the cameras, all items can be personalized with your or your recipients’ names. See my picks below.

Seed Favors – Bookmark, $8.99/pack of 12 (down from $11.95)

These eco-friendly wedding favors are absolutely adorable, presented in a charming bookmark design.

Seed Favors – Tall, $8.99/pack of 12 (down from $11.95)
Let love bloom long after your nuptials with these seedpaper favors.  Customize them with your names and wedding date and pass them around to your guests to take home and plant.

Seed Favors – Post Card, $8.99/pack of 12 (down from $11.95)
Spread love and joy with these postcard-shaped seed paper favors that actually produce real wildflowers when planted in shallow soil and watered.

Reversible Floral Bucket Tote,  $9.99 (from $14.95)
These fun, floral totes feature a solid exterior and a flowered interior. They’re perfect for wedding welcome bags for your guests or to give as bridesmaid gifts.

Girls Flower Charm Bracelet, $14.99 (down from $21.00)
Your flower girl will be charmed by this multi-colored Swarovski crystal bracelet with an engraved silver-plated flower with her own lowercase initial. Its an appreciative token of her participation that shell love to wear again and again.

Flower Girl Wedding Camera, $6.99 (from $8.25)
Give your flower girl her very own camera for candid shots. Made with kid-safe, brightly–colored pink plastic with a flower lens, it also has a clip to attach to a neck strap or purse. It’s easy-to-use design, which includes a flash, allows for indoor and outdoor shots. The reloadable camera can be used again and again.

This camera comes in a cool clear blue design for little boys too. (see below)

Ring Bearer Wedding Camera, $6.99 (from $8.25)

Cherry Blossom Fan, $1.99 each (down from $2.50 each)
Cherry blossoms signify springtime and an atmosphere of love, and on top of that, they’re just plain pretty. These cherry blossom fans are just the thing for a garden wedding. The colored silk adds rich elegance, while the fans themselves keep your guests stylishly cool.

(On a related note, do check out our cherry blossom-themed invitation suite).

Did you like anything I’ve highlighted on here? Hurry and head on over there while the sale is still on!

I discovered Nora Karen‘s gorgeous hand painted shoes via a Wedding Wednesday tweet by She Just Got Married. Her shoes are painted with beautiful peacock prints in art deco style. These w0uld be great for a peacock theme wedding (or a nature themed wedding) and the best thing about it is that the shoes are stylish enough to be worn even after your big day. Check out some of my favorites below.

Pheasant on the Lake Peep Toes

Painted Peacock on Copper Pumps

Painted Peacock on Medium Heel Satin Shoes

Bridal Shoes with Painted Albino Peacocks in blue and white

Something Blue Art Deco Painted Peacock Feathers

Bridal Wedding Ballerina Flats with painted peacocks in gold and cobalt

Visit Nora Karen’s Shop for more.

By now you should already know how much I love The TreeSpace Studio and Amy’s valiant efforts in uplifting the quality of handmade paper goods design in this computer age.  Here’s a quick plug for her new Illustrated Friday Design Charette.

How does a hand-crafted or artisan business stand out from today’s saturated sea of slick logos and promotional material? Go uniquely rustic and hand-drawn! The TreeSpace Studio would like to help craft or redesign a professional image and brand for your emerging small business that truly reflects the unusual qualities and artistry behind your creations. However, we understand that branding packages are expensive and not always within the price range of the new kid on the block!

Amy’s original sketches will be protected under a Creative Commons license and may not be used directly for official commercial printed or online use but they will be yours to build upon and expand. The great news is that if the entry winners decide that they would like The TreeSpace Studio to take the idea to the next level, they will receive a special 30% off the listed Etsy price!

Read more about this great offer.