I know I know, looking at someone's wedding photos is only slightly more exciting than a family vaca slideshow but Monday is my one year wedding anniversary, or as we like to call it, Schmaniversary, so I'm force-feeding you a few choice pics of my wedding decor. Sorry. A little background: We were married in a wee baby small art gallery, Okay Mountain, on the east side of downtown Austin. I rocked out an over-the-top tacky bird theme (rules: no white birds, no white decor, no white dress) (oh, and no melon mixed in with the fruit, just the good stuff: mango, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, et al). I know the bird thing is a little played out, but I just couldn't resist the bright colors and down-right cheesyness of those fake birds. Plus, I loved the vintage birdcages. Buckle up, here we go.

Where's the Party? Oh there's the party! Painted sign c/o bridesmade Coco.

This picture does not do my centerpieces justice, but it's the best I could find. LOOK at those tacky birds!!! And, ah-ha! GOLD painted birdcages. i also painted a few of the twigs gold and had them mixed in with the natural branches. Oh, another rule: no birds inside cages, I thought it was a bad metaphor.

Look! More cages! I purchased the large one at a flea market only days after my engagement, it sort of kicked off the bird theme.

Did someone say wedding cake? Not gonna happen. How about a choclatini toast instead? Yes, much better.

We also had bird-shaped cookies surrounding little birds in nests, incase the choclatini wasn't enough. Some people want the world. (Did I mention that we had an open, fully stocked bar? And food, lots and lots of amazing food c/o our good friend and chef, Roberto)

More birds. There was also bird-shaped soap on bird trays in the rest room.

OH! AND:

A giant bird cut out painting, which I commissioned from the lovely miss Hope Perkins. It stood next to a birds nest basket of polaroid film for photo ops. PSSSTTT, that's Design Crisis's own Erin and her hubby, Ben. Ben looks scary there, here's another shot:

Did I mention that all the guests got these silly bird masks? Welcome, have a seat:

We got married at the same place as the reception, I also insisted that the bar open before the ceremony, so everyone was comfortably in their seat, bird mask and cocktail in hand.

I know this picture doesn't show of the decor, BUT LISTEN, it totally cracks me up: This is Matt next to his mother, who performed the ceremony, right before everyone came down the aisle. Can you believe that petite Dr. Gregory gave birth to him? ha ha! Also funny: Matt's only request was that I walk down the aisle to the MASH theme song, which I did. Oh, decor note: The only blemish on the venue was the chain-link back fence, which was the only good spot to have the ceremony, so we spray painted (mostly GOLD and a few other metallic colors) these wood boards and hung them from the fence. Another shot:

That dress was off-the-rack and not made for weddings. You would kill me if you knew how little I spent, and it pretty much ruled.

Oh look, it's my cousin, Caroline, who is crazy talented, she made my ring:

Caroline has a badass jewelry website that I encourage you all to visit.

Oh, look at how the sweet bird lamp lights up the sign-in table. I wish I had a photo of the birdcage filled with rolled silverware. The silverware was tied with a bird medallion. Awwwweee.

I know, I know, only a mother likes this stuff, I'll wrap it up:

Quite possibly the best picture ever taken of Matt, he loved his bird mask! Did I mention that this photo was taken by our own Miss Erin? A-huh, she's fantastic photographer who brought her camera (with REAL FILM!) out of the kindness and goodness of her heart. (note the silk-screened bird tie, c/o Etsy seller, Toy Breaker)

Last one:

No birds in site, but that's us. I really hated every picture of me, this is the best I could dig up. Also, isn't my bouquet awesome? I picked out the flowers and ordered it from our local grocery store (no kidding!) for a bargain basement price that you don't even want to hear.

So, that's that. In the words of my wise friend Karl, one year down, forever to go.