Where we're at: Part 4 - The Theme

I meant to write about this a while ago, cause I know I left you all in the dark about our super inventive "Rustic Chic" wedding theme*.

This is pretty much my perfect rustic chic look
via Style Me Pretty

So before even deciding on our venue, boy/man and I (well, mostly I) started thinking about the general direction we wanted to take with our wedding. Since we knew we wanted something outdoorsy/woodsy and "Canadian" to move away from the typical hotel reception hall wedding, I started searching Google Images for inspiration. 

At first, I started with broad searches, like "outdoor + wedding" and then eventually came up with a number of elements that spoke out to me (and the boy/man, although he didn't know it yet). 

We hesitated about a travel or maps/globe theme (since I am Canadian, he is British, and we met in Brazil). Then we thought we should do only Brazilian. Then we realized we couldn't find the right vendors in Montreal for that.

Then one day, in my web perusing, someone somewhere in the wedding blogging world had an inspiration board they called "rustic chic" and I thought that was exactly what we were trying to achieve.

And, after much obsessive blog scanning, I now have created a mighty huge Word document of all the images I love. So far. (It is 60 pages long, has a table of contents and sections. But I don't have all the sources for the pics, so can't really upload it all here. However, if you want it, just leave me a comment and I will gladly email it to you.) 

These are the elements that make up a rustic chic wedding to me:

Wood
Tree trunks, bark and branches for invitations, decor, and signs

Burlap
For table runners, around the flowers and as bunting and décor

Antiques and vintage finds
Mason jars, milk bottles, old crates and vintage, beat-up suitcases

Romantic-y things

Lace, moss, chiavari chairs, and white hydrangeas, and roses

And LOTS of candles and lighting
Including mason jars (hanging and on tables) and strings of twinkling lights

 Yep - so that's our rustic chic vision. You like?

* I thought it was inventive at the time, but this was before my wedding blog obsession began. I now realize that 90% of weddings these days (at least those features on said wedding blogs) incorporate some or most of what I consider to be "rustic chicness." But I don't care. It still looks good and not everyone is wedding blog obsessed, so they won't know our wedding is un-original.