Decorative Birdcage - My Current Wish List

If you read my post last Wednesday, you will know I am using a birdcage to place my family wedding photos on -- which will probably take two birdcages because of the amount of people in our family :) Along with that, I will be using birdcages other places too. My current wish list is inspired by just that :)

1) Black/Copper Birdcage/Wedding/Cardholder on Etsy.com - $40 - How cute is this!!
2) Woodland Chic Birdcage on Esty.com - $85 - Something a little different with a longer base, that happens to be from a lamp!
3) Two Round Brass Birdcage on save-on-crafts.com - $18.99 - Set of two for a such a cheap price, bargain!!
4) Vintage Wire Metal Birdcages on save-on-crafts.com - $59 - I LOVE these, they are a unique shape!

WeddingInviteLove Fall 2011 Lookbook

WeddingLovely Blog Post

The WeddingInviteLove Fall 2011 Lookbook is available!!

Be sure to check out my article, The Importance of the Invitation starting on page 10, it features Casey + Josh's and Lexy + Sam's invitation suites :o) Also, swing by baci's feature on page 38 - you'll get a look at Laurinda + Jesse's invitation suite, too!

True Brides {Eric + Jami}

I might be a little bias for this True Bride Feature because it's me and my fiancé, Eric. We are getting married October 8th, 2011 at Saint Michael's Ridge Catholic Church in Defiance, Ohio. 

First things first, did I know about the engagement? "Eric and I had talked about it before, but I wasn't really sure on when it would happen. Then we didn't talk about it for a few months, so I honestly thought he didn't want to (ha!). Little did I know he was purchasing the ring and planning on asking me. So yes, I was surprised!"

Above: A goofy picture of Eric and I taken by our wonderful photographer, Montana of Montography out of Wauseon, Ohio. 

Now to the best part-----wedding questions!!!

One thing you were worried about when planning your wedding?

 One thing I worried about was money, probably like any other bride! I didn't want to make mine or Eric's parents or us pay a fortune for the wedding (and it's kind of working, ha). Another thing I worried about was the guest list because we know so many people....well my parents do :) And that's one thing I am still worrying about. 

What was the easiest vendor to book?

 Easiest vendor is....well a lot of them! Wedding cake vendor because my mom and grandma do this for a living. DJ because my dad has a friend at work that does it. Invitations because that is what my sister does for a living!!

What was the hardest vendor to book?

The hardest vendor was picking and booking a photographer because I am a HUGE critique when it comes to photos, simply because I love looking at them and taking them!! But once I found Montography I knew right then that's who I wanted!

Is there anything special that has been done for your wedding?

We had our own monogram made up by Laura Lavender, which is amazing!! I have also had a few personalized things made, which obviously is special to me and Eric. 

How was wedding dress shopping?

 Wedding dress shopping was an experience within itself. I had picked out about 6 pictures from magazines and had in mind what I wanted, but nothing was set in stone. My bridesmaids came with me and my mom to look at dresses the first time and I tried on SEVERAL different dresses! Well in the end, one of the pictures I picked out in the beginning ended up being my dress :) And it isn't something you would say, "Jami would wear that."

What’s been the most stressful part about the wedding?

 Most stressful...it goes along with the being worried question---the guest list. Oh, and Eric finishing his tasks I gave him for the wedding :) ha

What’s been the best part about the wedding?

Best part about the wedding - the whole planning experience! It's something that is challenging but fun that I get to do for myself and the man I'm going to marry!!! Eric and I get to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity with eachother!

Was choosing your wedding party hard or easy?

 It wasn't really hard at all. But I wish I could have added more people, but my wedding party would have been 50 by then, ha. And Eric had a real easy time picking out his groomsmen and ushers!

Have things gotten any easier as the wedding day approaches?

I wanna say yes, but I feel like there is more things I need to do and wayyyyy less time to do it!!




Amanda here - I just wanted to say a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the Future Mr. & Mrs. Eric Jesse!  We are all so excited for you big day and to see you start your lives together :o)

Wedding Wednesday | Kristie and Dustin's Wedding Invites

My sister, Amanda, (The designer of this wonderful company) has been working really hard on getting everything done with the crazy amount of September and October weddings (yes, even mine, ha!). Did you know October is one of the busiest months for weddings? Totally true, my alterations lady told me that :)

These invitations are for my cousin, Kristie, and her fiance, Dustin :)  Their wedding took place last weekend - it was breathtaking!  We can't wait to see the photos from the big day - we were lucky enough to work with Ace of Images!!

The Invitation colors were Cornflower Blue and a Deep, Dark Red!

The inner envelope and wedding invitation :) Delightful!!!

Simple, yet elegant Reply Card. A great idea to put a space for how many guests are attending.

Sunday Funday, #8

I fell in love with this beautiful poster design this week from Every Last Detail by Troy Grover Photography - such a unique and gorgeous way to add fun details to a reception!  You must check out the rest of the INCREDIBLE wedding for more great inspiration :o)

True Brides {Darren + Jamie}

Darren and Jamie are True Bride Feature #4 for baci. They will be getting married at Auglaize Village on September 24, 2011.

The couple picked out cute wedding colors - horizon blue and regency purple!

Wanna know a cute fact about the Future Mr. and Mrs. Osmun. . . September 24th is their 5th year anniversary as a couple, which is why they chose that date to get married!!

What was the easiest vendor to book? 

The photographer. Her name is Brenda Paul. She is a family friend and did both my sister and I’s senior pictures.

What was the hardest vendor to book?

The DJ. This was the hardest because the first one cancelled on us. Then my mom called several more and they were booked and they kept referring her to someone then after about the fifth one she was finally able to find one.

Is there anything special that has been done for your wedding? 

There have been many special things done for us. We have been so blessed through this wedding process. It has been amazing to see to see how giving people have been. One thing is my cousin's wife who bakes cakes offered to make our cake as wedding gift to us.

What’s been the most stressful part about the wedding?

 Booking the church. We were planning on getting married at St. John Lutheran Church in Defiance but many of you might have read in the Cresent news the church is getting renovations this summer.  When we started our marriage counseling sessions at the end of May and the Pastor told us that the renovations would be done by then. Well the starting date for the renovations was pushed back. They still said that we could get married there. About two weeks after I had received the invitations I was told that we could no longer get married in the church. Thankfully the invitations had not gone out yet. Then we decided to get married at Auglaize Village.

What’s been the best part about the wedding?

Knowing that on September 24 I will say I Do to spending the rest of my life with my best friend.

CONGRATULATIONS to the future Mr. and Mrs. Osmun!!  Though times may have been tough for you in planning, it's so wonderful to see you still have a positive view about your wedding day.  It will all be worth it in the end :o)

Wedding Wednesday | Update!

Hello Blog Followers!!!

Sorry, I have been missing in action! Wedding plans have been over powering me lately, and I still have 18 more days of it! I am going to try my hardest on keeping up with posting, but after the honeymoon, I will be FULL force!!!

While I have you here though, let's update you on my wedding plans :)

I have A LOT of things done, but some little things to still do--such as making gifts for people who are helping with the wedding, get our marriage license (which we are doing Friday), finalize the food, collect wedding photos from family members, figure out a first dance song for Eric and I (yes, we still don't have one picked), get programs, and a few more.

I have some cute ideas to use as gifts for people helping in the wedding, but most of them are do it yourself gifts--which I will share later on :) But it mostly has to do with food!

Above: Gifts in a Jar ----This isn't exactly what I am doing, but the same concept. 

We went to go get our marriage license LAST Friday but all Eric and I had on us were our I.D.s and no birth certificates (which you obviously need and we didn't know). So we are going back this Friday with everything we need!

We met with our caterer last Sunday and discussed food choices for the wedding. And let me say everything sounds DELICIOUS!!! However, we have up to 3 days to change our mind about any of the food and the amount of food (because we have a zillion and one people invited, who knows how many will show, ha).

I am collecting wedding photos from all the married couples in our immediate family, from both Eric and I's family, to display at the wedding---on a birdcage :) The birdcage goes along with my vintage/antique themed wedding!

Above: Birdcage on Etsy.Com ---- Just picture wedding photos on a beautiful birdcage.

I have picked out NUMEROUS songs for Eric and I to dance to for our first song. But nothing fits just right for us. I can think of 100's of country songs to dance to that and romantic and have the right lyrics, but because Eric isn't a huge country fan, it's a little bit harder to choose. Picking a first song to dance to is much harder than it seems right now!

Obviously, I still have a lot to do before the big day, but I will be keeping you updated along the way :)

From: The Future Mrs. Jesse!!

Handpicked - Ann Taylor 40% Off

In honor of the Ann Taylor Must-Shop Fall Fashion Event - 40% OFF EVERYTHING - I've Handpicked nine perfect pieces for any wardrobe :o)

1)  Snake Print Cuffed Sleeveless Dress - $98

2)  Silk Trench Shirt in Mushroom - $118

3)  Striped Off the Shoulder Top - $48
4)  Kamela Lizard Stamped Leather Wedges in Black - $178
5)  Breast Cancer Ring - $58
6)  Leather Double Wrap Skinny Belt in Black - $78
7)  Ruffle Front Long Sleeve Shirt in Black - $78
8)  Metallic Luxe Scarf - $58
9)  Tropical Wool Pencil Skirt in Black - $118

Sunday Funday, #7

I am in love with today's Sunday Funday image - the beautiful escort card display I found on Elizabeth Anne Designs is the perfect mix of shabby chic, vintage and elegance!  Such a fun idea :o)

A Word to the Bridesmaids of the World

{Source}

No one wants to hear this, or say it for that matter - lol, but someone's gotta do it so here goes nothin' ;o)

I have ladies complain to me all the time about how expensive it is to be in their friend's wedding - the dress is too expensive, the color doesn't look good on me, she wants us to get our nails done, I have to buy new shoes, she wants me to throw her a shower, we're traveling out of town for her bachelorette party, she's making me tan. . . I've literally heard it all!  In fact, I've even been the one on the complaining train before. . . but that doesn't make what I'm about to say any less true.  In fact, it makes it more pertinent because I am admitting my previous wrongdoings - lol!

As a bridesmaid you go in knowing you're going to encounter expenses.  The thing you need to remember though, is this - you didn't have to say yes.  I know, that seems dramatic, but honestly, if you are concerned about the amount of time and money it's going to cost you to be a part of this wedding you should speak up to the bride.  Granted, I know no one is trying to burden a lady planning her big day, but it's much better to bring up a tough situation, whether it's involving time or money, at the beginning than a month before the wedding.  A bride will almost always understand your situation (we've all been there) and sometimes they'll even go the extra mile to help you out because they want you to be a party of their big day no matter how much it costs them out of their own pocket.  All it takes is a word, not a complaint to every person you encounter or a complete neglect of your bridesmaid duties. . . please don't neglect your bridesmaid duties, it makes us sad :o(

So my advice to you, the angry bridesmaids out there - suck it up and know when you become the one in the white dress walking down the aisle you'll ask your bridesmaids to do ridiculous things like buy a $100 pair of shoes because it's just exactly what you envisioned (don't think you won't - lol!).  Your bridesmaids will whine and complain and then do it anyway because it's your day :o)

Help baci Support Wish Upon a Wedding

Bid Your Wish for Wedding Bliss, a charity auction to support Wish Upon a Wedding, a wish granting organization that provides wedding and vow renewal ceremonies for those with terminal illnesses regardless of sexual orientation, is live and ready for your bids!! This nationwide online charity auction offers hundreds of luxury products and services ranging from honeymoon travel to celebrity planning sessions. All proceeds from these items - including baci's donated Custom Designed Thermography Printed Invitation Suites - will help make wedding wishes come true throughout the United States.

Show your support and make your bid now - there's no better way to plan your wedding than doing it while helping out those couples who really need it!

Interview on Something New Entertainment's Blog!

I feel so blessed to have an interview with Something New Entertainment's DJ AJ9 on their blog today!  Be sure to hop on over and check it out :o)  A huge thank you to Anna-Jeannine and Justin for the feature!!

baci's book club - August/September 2011 - Sarah's Key

Sorry for the week delay, but we've just had so many wonderful things to blog about that thought I'd try and spread out the blog love :o)

Our local book club met on Thursday, September 1st at my home and we read Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.  It truly was a wonderful book :o)

{source}

According to the description of the book on Amazon, Sarah's Key ". . . fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested. . . then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself."

WARNING, the following discussions may act as a Spoiler!!

As you can imagine, based on the book description, this one was intense - nonetheless, it was so beautifully written that it was hard to put down.  The first half of the book alternates chapters between Julia's time period and Sarah's - it's one of those books where you finish a chapter just to see what happened in the previous one!  The ladies in Book Club didn't enjoy the bits about Julia quite as much as they did the portion about Sarah, but that didn't stop anyone from loving this book.

A common thoughts was that we hated Julia's husband, none of us even understand why she remained married to him - sure he was hot, but that seemed like his only positive trait.  We all loved Julia's daughter Zoe's character - she seemed to serve as a light balance to Bertrand's rudeness.  Zoe is also a shoulder for Julia to lean on as she deals with the mental and physical struggles caused by her search for Sarah - it's almost a coming of age story for Zoe.

Each portion of Sarah's story that we would read became more and more dramatic.  There wasn't a moment when you truly thought the little girl was safe, even after her escape from the concentration camp.  You realize towards the end that those feelings are true, once Julia and Sarah's son, William, realize Sarah committed suicide several years before.  That point in the book was truly traumatic for most of us - we wanted to badly to hear Sarah had led a peaceful and happy life, leaving her awful past behind her.

In the end we were all happy to see Julia with her new child, divorced from low-life Bertrand and living in the US.  We did, however, hope the story would continue on after she meets with Sarah's son, William, and reveals her daughter's name is indeed Sarah.  I guess that's the way it always works with a book you really love though - never wanting it to end :o)

We all really look forward to watching the book unravel as a movie - it's definitely going to be a tear jerker though!!

For next month, we have chosen to read One Day by David Nicholls - also keeping with the book turned movie trend :o)  Super excited about this one, especially the movie, I adore Anne Hathaway!  Our next meeting is scheduled for October 20th so we'll see you then :o)

True Brides {PJ + Natalie}

True Bride Feature # 3 is about PJ and Natalie - a baci designer stationery client (yay!).  Natalie and PJ are the couple behind the invitation suite we showed you a sneak peek of a few weeks ago :o)  They were married September 3rd, 2011 at the Portage Country Club in Akron.  We got caught up in so many wedding plans ourselves that we completely missed posting this before the wedding!  Better late than never though, right?

 Natalie had this to say about their engagement, "At the time, we were together for 4 years, so I knew eventually it was coming but he still managed to surprise me with the actual proposal."  She also said this when asked what the first thing she did as an engaged women was, "Pick out colors and venue.  Decided on our wedding party and asked them to be a part of our wedding."

Time for the wedding questions!!

One thing you were worried about when planning your wedding?

I didn’t want my parents and PJ’s parents to stress over the financial burden of hosting a wedding.  That was my main worry, because I didn’t want the wedding to cause arguments and didn’t want our parents to worry.  Both sets of parents want the best for us and our wedding.  In both families we are the 1^st wedding, so it is easy to say yes when not realizing how much things actually costs. We  just kept an honest and open line of communication and it has limited the amount we all have to worry.

What was the easiest vendor to book?

Honestly, all my vendors were easy to book because of referrals and when I actually met them we had an instant connection and I knew they were the vendor for us. 

What was the hardest vendor to book?

The cake!  We went to multiple cake places before, but once we tasted Leaches Bakery, it was no question we found the perfect cake!

Is there anything special that has been done for your wedding?

I feel like everything has been special to our wedding.  All weddings are a direct reflection of the couple and are all unique to what we want and our vision for our big day.  I tend to be more traditional, however, I put a bit of a spin on all the different elements of our wedding to express PJ and I as a couple and our personalities.

How was wedding dress shopping?

It was really fun and not so difficult.  I tried on so many wedding dresses and I liked all of them.  However when I put on the one that I am wearing for my wedding, I just knew that was the dress.  I thought I wanted a ball gown, but after trying them on, I realized I was lost in the dress (because I am petite) and it didn’t go with my country club theme.  When I was doing serious dress shopping, I took my mom and maid of honor only. It was a special time to spend with my mom and sister.

What’s been the most stressful part about the wedding?

The guest list for sure!  I have a big family and it was difficult where to draw that line on who is invited and who isn’t.  It was difficult to cut some of the people I see every day (co-workers) because family was taking most of the spots.  It caused arguments between myself and my parents, but it all worked out in the end. 

What’s been the best part about the wedding?

We have been planning for a year and a half, so taking our time and being able to really think about what we want and enjoying all the different components has been really nice.  It has been really great having our 2 families together and getting closer and becoming 1 family.  My shower weekend was a great part of the wedding.  My fiancé’s family came from out of town and we got to spend a lot of time with them and they met my family and it was a really good time.

Was choosing your wedding party hard or easy?

It was really easy to choose our wedding party.  We chose the people we are most close too and decided to keep it small and more intimate.  The bridesmaids consist of my 2 sisters, dearest cousin, and best friend.  Groomsmen are PJ’s brother and 3 of his closest friends.  When it came to the little kids in our wedding, we knew who we wanted, so we just made a position for them.  For example I have an 11 year old brother.  He is too young to be a groomsman, so we made him a junior groomsman along with our little cousin.  Then we have 2 flower girls. 

Have things gotten any easier as the wedding day approaches?

Yes and no.  It was like everything has been planned and booked, and now it is time to meet with all the vendors again and finalize all the details.  Now we are working on our seating charts and that can be difficult.  Another thing that made things more difficult is the fact my fiancé and I do not live together and so we decided to purchase a house to live in after the wedding and that is stressful with looking at tons of houses and the financial burden that brings.  Everything is so exciting but can be so nerve wrecking at the same time, so something I remind myself and fiancé is we are a team and need to work together and not against each other to make it through the stresses of the wedding and house hunt. 

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the now Mr. & Mrs. Lukasewski!!


Stay tuned for more of their gorgeous stationery after the wedding season comes to a close - we'll be playing some serious catch up on showing you what we've been working on :o)

Wedding Wednesday | Christina + Eric 06.09.11

Today I have a beautiful Real Wedding by Alaina Carnahan from Ace of Images with Elizabeth Weddington of Studio Seventy-Nine as the second shooter!  I feel so lucky to have the work of such talented, and sweet :o), ladies!  Bonus:  I get to work with both of them at a wedding next weekend - yay!!!

Christina and Eric were married on July 9th at Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Bryan, Ohio with a beautiful, rustic reception following at the Williams County Veterans Memorial in Montpelier.  Their wedding was extra special because Christina's son, Josh, was the ring bearer :o)

Are you kidding me with that cuteness?!?!  Also, Eric's company Herm-TV Productions did the videography for the day!  It truly was a family affair ;o)

Now a little about the couple from bride, Christina:
We met while working together at a local TV station. We were inseparable and best friends.


He proposed at our new home after we went to check out “construction”. He asked me if I could see myself living there for quite awhile and I said, "yes". He said, "Since we're starting a new life here together. . . do you think you could spend the rest of yours with me?"

And now for the details of the big day:
The wedding was all planned around the ring. It’s beautiful, vintage and classy. We wanted the style to carry throughout the wedding look. The dress was found at David’s Bridal and definitely had a vintage flair.

The centerpieces were all made by us, as well as the cake table's wood platters.  The cake was made by a church friend and the cupcakes were made by a friend of my Mother-in-Law.  For the tall centerpieces, my mother-in-law glued hydrangea pieces to tree limbs then we washed river rock and stuck them in. For the short squares we bought fake hydrangeas and placed them in the river rock. Our florist was Gabe from Wonsetler Flowers in Bryan and he did the amazing pew decorations/bouquets, etc.

All Occasions Plus in Defiance took care of the hall decorations, including the beautiful hand-made chandelier which fit the theme so well. Stella Blue in Archbold was the caterer and Foxtunes Entertainment out of Stryker was the DJ.

Some words from groom, Eric:
The centerpieces were twigs and branches cut from my parents' back yard, Josh helped pick out the ones to cut. The wood planks for the cake table were cut from my grandparents' backyard tree that was a favorite climbing tree when I was growing up.


Jacob Rausch - my cousin - did the grandparents' memorial flowers.  He is an award winning floral designer who is a freshman at University of Toledo. He has fun doing it on the side as a hobby. and has worked for a florist during the summer.

Absolutely beautiful!!  A definite source of inspiration for brides-to-be :o)  Thanks for sharing, Alaina, and congratulations on your new life together Christina and Eric!!

baci's baking - Roasted Red Peppers with Feta

Today's recipe is an original I created for baci's book club a few months ago - it was such a huge hit I made them for a family get together that same week.  Enjoy!

Roasted Red Peppers with Feta

(Printer-friendly Link)

3 large whole roasted red peppers, from the jar is fine :o)
1 package crumbled feta cheese
1/2 package cream cheese, softened
red pepper olive oil (regular olive oil will do)
minced garlic
minced onion
dried oregano
dried basil
freshly crushed black pepper

1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2)  Drain as much of the juice from the roasted red peppers as possible and cut into strips - you'll be "stuffing" the strips later so be sure they're wide enough.  One whole pepper should make about six to eight strips.
3)  Place pepper strips on foil-lined baking sheet.
4)  In a small bowl mix feta and cream cheese together until smooth.
5)  Add a drizzle of olive oil and enough of the seasonings to your liking to the cheese mixture.
6)  Scoop the cheese mixture onto the pepper strips then drizzle with olive oil.
7)  Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.  Serve with crackers or by themselves.

We Will Never Forget. . .

Instead of our traditional Sunday Funday post, we want to take this time to remember those who were lost ten years ago today.  I was getting ready for class in my dorm room that fateful morning.  Just a freshman in college, beginning my adult life, when the world was falling apart and in turn becoming more united than ever.  It truly feels like it was just yesterday.  We will never forget.

My husband and I woke up early this morning to watch the 9|11 Memorial Dedication - I look forward to visiting and paying my respects in person.  Such a beautiful piece of art for so many beautiful people lost.

God Bless America!

Wrap-up :: Handpicked - Fall 201 Trends, Ladylike Bags

It's bittersweet to wrap up the Fall 2011 Handpicked Trends today, but we're going out with a bang with Ladylike Bags!!

1)  Robinson Tote by Tory Burch available at Nordstrom - Dear Lord, I love this bag! - $550

2)  Bixby Baby by Kate Spade available at Piperlime - The framed trend is very apparent here!  Love it! - $495
3)  Ella Framed Satchel by Ivanka Trump available at Piperlime - $125
4)  Lemon Drop Small Framed Lella from Kate Spade - I can't get enough of that adorable little pineapple on top of this clutch! - $225
5)  Heritage Quilt Archer Satchel in Greige by Cole Haan - $398
6)  Merona Tweed Handbag in Cognac from Target - Affordability and beauty! - $44.99
7)  Chelsea Boucle Emerson Satchel in Black Multi from Coach - $498
8)  Vintage Re-issue Satchel by Fossil available at Piperlime - $188
9)  Walker Park Large Tote from Kate Spade - $325


In case you missed any of our Two Week's of Fall 2011 Handpicked Trends - here's the whole list:

Pendants

Midi Skirts + Dresses

Chunky-heeled Boots

'70's Platforms

Capes + Ponchos

Bellbottom Flares

Spicy Tones

Hiker Booties

Tie-neck Blouses

Faux Fur

What was your favorite trend?  Are you ahead of the game and already have some of these pieces in your wardrobe?  We'd love to hear from you {info@bacidesigner.com}!

A huge thank you to Piperlime's Fall 2011 Top 11 Trends for inspiration!!

The Importance of the Wedding Invitation Guest Post on WeddingLovely AND Exciting News!

In case you missed it yesterday, my guest post - The Importance of the Wedding Invitation - went up on the WeddingLovely Blog.  I'm extra excited about this one because it's going to be published in the WeddingInviteLove Look Book!!!  YAY!!

Tracy is honestly one of the biggest supporters of wedding stationery you'll find in the industry and I feel so privileged to have been able to work with her time and time again :o)

Oh, and BONUS - the stationery from Casey + Josh's Valentine's Day Wedding (who are expecting Baby #2 - CONGRATS!!  More baci's babies to come soon!) and Sam + Lexy's Bahamian Wedding are featured in the post!


And now for more uber exciting news - I've been hired as the new College Instructor for Lovegevity's The Wedding Planning Institute at The University of Akron!!!  Classes start September 19th so if you're interested in getting your Wedding and Event Planning Certification (remember my Final Project when I took the course?), be sure to sign up as soon as possible.  I am SOOO very excited to start this fun journey ahead :o)


* Note:  Baci's book club post has been postponed to next week.  We've just had so many great things to tell you about this week that we'll save the book love for later :o)

Handpicked - Fall 2011 Trends, Faux Fur

Today's Fall 2011 Handpicked Trend, Faux Fur, was actually a trend for 2010 as well!  Amazingly, things haven't changed too much from this time last year - though I do see a bit more femininity in the picks this time around.  Always a good thing for us ladies that like dressing up :o)

1)  Detachable Fur Leather Jacket by Free People - Not only is the faux fur collar detachable, but the sleeves zip off to make it a cropped look! - $898

2)  Cascading Bouclé Coat by Free People available at Nordstrom - I want this so very badly.  And then I want the model's body so I can wear a leather dress under it. Too much to ask? - $298

3)  Faux Fur Vest from Ann Taylor - This is exactly the look we were seeing in Fall 2010! - $198

4)  Osage Bootie by Guess available at Nordstrom - $158.95

5)  Faux Fur Short Coat by Alice + Oliva available at Saks Fifth Avenue - $330

6)  Bonsoir Indie Bag by Kate Spade - $245

7)  Faux Fur Collar Coat from Ann Taylor - The faux fur is also detachable on this jacket.  Totally waiting for this one to go on sale! - $398

8)  Faux Fur Trim Tweed Coat by Robert Rodriguez available at Nordstrom - Faux Fur + Structured Shoulders + Tweed = Heaven!! - $995

9)  Faux Fur Chubby by MICHAEL Michael Kors - A great price for MICHAEL Michael Kors! - $175

Since today's trends had some pretty hefty price tags, now is a good time to remind you I don't except anyone to go out and spend a thousand dollars on a jacket or three hundred bucks on a handbag ;o)  The Handpicked Feature is simply to provide inspiration for your wardrobe (and mine - lol!).  If I come across an incredible deal that fits into a post, I most certainly include it.

I'm a sucker for designer clothes, but I (and my pocketbook and therefore, my husband) love a great designer-inspired look - if you ever come across a beautiful piece at an exceptional price, by all means let us know {info@bacidesigner.com}.  We might just share it with all of our readers!

Reminder :: baci's searching for an intern

I just wanted to take a minute this happy Friday to remind you all that baci is looking for an intern - yay!!  The deadline for application is Friday, September 16th.

Here's some basic information:
1} This is an unpaid internship.  However, any design work that is done for a paying client by the intern will be compensated.
2} This position will require presence in baci's studio (in Cuyahoga Falls, OH) 2 - 3 days a week.
3} We are interested in stationery design or event planning interns - someone interested and talented in both departments would be AWESOME!!
4} The position will begin in late September and run until mid December.
5} We are looking for someone who's fun and easy to work with who has the following traits:
* Organization Nerd
* Social Networking Guru -- Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Pinterest are just a few we use each day
* Blogger Experience
* Etsy/Wedzu Knowledge
* Must LOVE Weddings!!
* And don't forget you'll get to spend a lot of time with Morris

If you're interested in applying for baci's Fall 2011 Internship - please send your resume and cover letter to info@bacidesigner.com before Friday, September 16th.  We'll begin the interview process the week of September 19th.

And if you know someone who would be perfect for the job, please forward on the information to them - we'd love to have someone recommended by our friends, family or fans.

Thank you so much - have a fabulous weekend!!

Handpicked - Fall 2011 Trends, Tie-neck Blouses

Love, love, love today's Fall 2011 Handpicked Trend - Tie-neck Blouses!  It's the perfect combination of sophistication and the 1970's :o)  Enjoy!

1)  Classiques Entier Sleeveless Tie-neck Blouse from Nordstrom - Beautiful and perfectly feminine. - $148
2)  Graham & Spencer Printed Tie-neck Blouse from Neiman Marcus - The ikat pattern is gorgeous! - $264
3)  Blue Label Long-sleeved Buffy Jabot Shirt by Ralph Lauren - Love this!!! - $225
4)  Autumn Floral Print Silk Blouse by Gemma available at Piperlime - This blouse would be perfect with a cognac motorcycle jacket! - $199
5)  Celline Top by BCBGMAXAZARIA available at Dillard's - $168
6)  Silk Scarf Tank in Floating Rose from J. Crew - $118
7)  Tie-front Polka Dot Top by Bailey 44 available from Piperlime - Perfect for the Spicy Tones Fall Trends!! - $211
8)  Secretary Blouse from J. Crew - This is straight out of Mad Men! - $175
9)  Swiss Dot Secretary Blouse by Daniel Rainn available from Piperlime - I adore the plum color of this blouse! -  $59

True Brides {Derek + Tiffany}

Baci is proud to introduce the second couple for our True Brides Feature: Derek and Tiffany!
They will be getting married this weekend on September 10th (9.10.11!!) in Jackson, Michigan.

Tiffany has her own photography business, so her and Derek's engagement pictures was taken by her company T. Marie Photography.

Let's get down to business. . . Did Tiffany know Derek was proposing? Tiffany said, "I had a hunch, but I wasn't expecting it. I assumed it wouldn't be coming for a while since I was still in school.  So when it was actually happening, it was definitely surprising!" 

Below is a picture of Derek singing to Tiffany, right before he asked her to be his wife. When I asked Derek about the proposal, this is what he had to say, "I planned it so she thought she was just coming to see me perform. I got her family and some of our friends together. I wrote a song for her and the final line was, "Will you marry me?". It took her a second to figure out what was going on. I got on one knee and my best friend, Luke, threw me the ring. I couldn't hold on to it and play guitar at the same time, ha".

This is what Tiffany had to say about what has been the BEST part about the wedding, "Knowing that through all of it, I will get to walk down the aisle and say "I do" to the most amazing man I know. Sappy, but true. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him."

Now for the questions and answers!

One thing you were worried about when planning your wedding?

     That we were going to end up with too many people on the guest list.  We’re

     still near 300, but I had a minor panic attack when we started out.

What was the easiest vendor to book?

     The photographer by far.  We were referred to Michael Metts by Amanda

     Thorne (a previous True Bride) and I loved his work from the beginning.  Being a photography

     student, I knew what I wanted and in Jackson, that’s hard to find without

     giving up an arm or a leg.  His prices were reasonable, his personality fits

     right in so we’re happy to have him!

What was the hardest vendor to book?

     The reception hall was definitely most difficult.  Having a unique wedding

     date sometimes means it’s very difficult to get something because EVERYONE

     else wants it too.  Reception halls were being snatched up left and right as

     we were looking.  We finally managed to get a very nice hall that’s easy to

     get to and provides lots of room. J

Is there anything special that has been done for your wedding?

     Yes, we’re renting real peacocks to go with out peacock theme!!  Just

     kidding!  No, nothing really special has been done.  Something that may be

     more unique though is I created our wedding invitations/RSVPs.   It was

     rough at first because I had only learned how to use Adobe programs

     through an Introduction to Graphic Design Class, but they turned out great

     and I couldn’t be more proud of them!

How was wedding dress shopping?

     Difficult.  Trying to find a dress I loved and stay within a budget was so hard! 

     I’m a girl who’s got champagne taste on a kool-aid budget and it couldn’t

     have been more frusturating.  All those gowns, but all those hefty prices!! 

     We finally found my dress at Patty’s in Quincy, Michigan.  It was at budget

     and was very unique.  I like to be different and I am happy I got what I was

     looking for!

What’s been the most stressful part about the wedding?

     Paying for everything.  The down-payments were easy, but the second half of

     everything is all due within three weeks of each other.  I’m working three

     jobs this summer just to help pay for the wedding.

Was choosing your wedding party hard or easy?

     It was somewhere in the middle.  I am a very social person, so it was hard to

     narrow down my friends.  I wanted an even number. Four didn’t seem like

     enough for how large our guest list is, so I went with six.   Thank goodness

     everyone said “yes!” so that makes things easier when you have friends who

     are excited to be part of your big day.  Derek had it pretty easy as well,

     picking out his line.  His only hard decision now is deciding what groomsmen

     gifts to get!

Have things gotten any easier as the wedding day approaches?

     I’d say yes.  Things are falling into place nicely.  There’s not a lot left for us

     to do except work on table decorations.  We found a couple of websites that

     have helped tremendously in the decorating.  Save-on-crafts is

     probably my favorite helper. 

*** Anything else you would like to share about your wedding?

     Just advice to share… get the big things out of the way as soon as possible.  It makes it easier to focus on the details!  Also, don’t register too soon for your showers.  Things you registered for in March may not be in the store in July for your shower due to being a seasonal item.  (We learned that the hard way with Target) Thank you Jami and Amanda for offering me the opportunity to share!

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the Future Mr. and Mrs. Cornwell!!