In Honor of Labor Day, We Have a Labor-free Give Away!

Labor Day is upon us and in honor of relaxing and saving labor, we're having an Etsy giveaway! Like me, I'm sure many of you love the look of handmade weddings, but let's face it, you can't do it ALL! That's where Etsy comes in, right? Exactly!

Therefore it is my pleasure to introduce local Asheville Florist Lissa from Flora Event and Design. Not only does Lissa do amazing floral design, combining modern with whimsical and elegance with rustic in her floral design, she is also an Etsy seller at  Flora's Bees Knees. Perhaps you remember her from an early Etsy Eye Candy Post on Pinwheels. You can also check out her Etsy store for flower girl baskets and adorable thought bubbles.

Anyway, I am excited to announce that Lissa is giving away DIY photo booth props right here on Hindsight Bride!

One lucky follower will get:

• 6 mustaches
• 3 pinwheels, and
• 1 heart chain

Are you excited?!

Here is how you can enter {you MUST leave one comment for each entry. Each time you follow, tweet, FB, or blog will count as an additional entry, just let us know by commenting each time}:

- Must be a follower of my blog {already following? that counts, just let me know}

- Hop on over and follow Flora Design's  {already following that counts}

- Follow each of us on Twitter: @hindsightbride @Flora_Designs

- Like Us each of us on Facebook: Flora  and Hindsightbride

- Blog, tweet, and/or FB about the giveaway

The winner will be drawn randomly using random.org. All entries must me in by Thursday, September 9th by midnight EST. The winner will be announced on Friday September 10th

When I saw this wedding shot by the talented Scott McNamara, I had to share it with you. This simple, low key backyard wedding speaks volumes about what a wedding should be about: a couple in love, and family and friends celebrating that love. The decor and tablescape are both sweet and celebratory without being over-the-top. Now don't get me wrong! Not at all! I love love love over the top weddings with lots of details, both obvious and nuanced. But I'm the type of girl that gets easily carried away with the details. Sometimes I need to be reminded of the marriage part of the wedding, and the love part, and the community part. This wedding is a fresh reminder that weddings can be drool worthy and super sweet and still be intimate and relaxed.

I've been such a bad blogger these past couple of weeks. I have barely poked my head out long enough to say hello and comment on some of my favorite blogs and say hello to my favorite tweeters. Classes have started this week and I've been swamped with prep and work. Still, I have been lurking when I can.

Anyway, in honor of school starting, I wanted to remind you (as if you needed reminding) that there is sooooo much fantastic wedding planning information and inspiration on the web (duh). In fact did most of my own wedding planning online in the wee hours of the morning. I would wake up around 4 a.m. and make the rounds on my favorite blogs, noting ideas I liked and doing lots of bookmarking on delicious. So this week, in honor of the start of school, I encourage you to go out and learn something! Here are some of my favorite resources new and old.

Image from via Grey Likes Wedidngs

Wedding Planning Advice

• Whimical Wonderland Weddings has some wonderful advice for why you should hire a wedding planner. I wholeheartedly agree. Some of the very best hindsight advice I can give you (aside from hiring a professional photographer) is to, at the very least, hire a day-of coordinator. You just don't want to be on your cell phone putting out fires when you should be sipping champagne with your maids. Nor you want your vendors or mother to serve as the ad-hoc coordinator.
• A Mountain Bride has been studiously re-capping her wedding in sweet detail and with lots of great hindsight advice. You will find such gems as her timelime and DIY projects; musing on what worked and what didn't, and lots of insight on how to keep everything in perspective and have have the most wonderful time of your life!
• Elizabeth Ann Designs has a three-part series about "How to plan a wedding without losing your mind."
  • Part One: How to Succeed in Planning a Wedding.
  • Part Two: Planning a Wedding (Without Losing Your Mind): The Dress
  • Part Three: Planning a Wedding (Without Losing Your Mind): The Paper

Image from Katherine Chong via Once Wed

Favorite DIY projects

• DIY Herbal Wedding Boutonnier
• Chiffon and Tulle Flowers
• Hanging Paper Lanterns

Favorite Books

• One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding
• DIY Bride Crafty Countydown
• Anti-Bride Guide

Favorite Podcasts:

• Wedding Podcast Network
• Wedding Planning Audiocast

Image from Kyle Hale via 100 Layer Cake