DIY "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?" Box (Featured on GWS)

I still can't get over our happy wedding news! Just in case you missed it, Green Wedding Shoes is chronicling our wedding planning journey with a "real-bride series" on their site. We're sharing on post per month and for our introduction, I chose to share an easy DIY and a fun way to ask my favorite friends to stand by me on our special day. See more from the inaugural post below:

Naturally, the journey starts with assembling our wedding party. Choosing your bridesmaids is such a fun and important step in the planning process! I don’t think I’d be able to juggle all of the frenzy and special moments without my favorite friends by my side. One of my girls recently put it like this and she couldn’t be more right, “Bridesmaids are the people you’re inviting into your marriage. They are the people who hold you accountable, who you can be vulnerable with and who join you in the life you walk.”

I wanted to ask my six closet friends to stand with me in a special way. I created these fun gift boxes and wrote a little note telling each one how much they’ve meant to my fiancé and I during the course of our relationship and how much their participation would mean to us. There are no rules in this DIY and everything is super simple! If you’re on a budget, one thoughtful gift and a note from the heart is just as special!

What You’ll Need:

  • wooden crates
  • dark wood stain
  • paint brush or rag
  • crinkle cut filler
  • a cute card
  • air plants
  • gifts for your girls (I used small-batch beauty products, a candle and a pretty jewelry box)

Steps:

1. Prep your crates by removing any price tags and cleaning off the sticky residue.

2. Next, apply stain with either a brush or rag and allow to dry for 24 hours.

3. While you are waiting for your boxes to dry, work on the cards! I love calligraphy and had the talented Linen & Leaf customized these for my girls!

4. To add height and texture, fill your crate with kraft filler and then add in your gifts!

I chose a selection of small-batch beauty products, a yummy candle and a pretty jewelry box that reminded me of the sweet women in my life. Feel free to tailor the gifts to your bridesmaids. Asking a fashionista to stand by you? Personalized jewelry would be perfect!

Be sure to add a little green. We went with air plants but succulents or a small arrangement would also work. I love how customizable these boxes are!

5. Finally, ask away! Your best friends will be happy to help no matter how you ask them. This is such an exciting time and it’s even better when you can share it with your besties!
hint: If you’re going to be mailing your boxes, don’t forget to account for weight.

styling: Hazel + Scout
photography: Sleepy Fox Photography
hair + makeup: Amber Hudgins
calligraphy + paper: Linen & Leaf

p.s. We're getting swept up in wedding planning (I hope you don't mind following along!) and I'm going to try and share something wedding related each Wednesday. #weddingwednesday?

Gathering Inspiration

brixton hat c/o zappos, h&m tank, forever 21 wrap cardigan, abercrombie denim c/o, frye boots c/o belk

It's been a while since I shared a traditional outfit post (after all, that's where Hazel + Scout got its roots). A few weeks ago Sleepy Fox Photography and I made a trip to Amber Hudgins' salon for a bit of glam and then had a moment to lounge in the grass and peruse back issues of Utterly Engaged. To say this wrap cardigan has become my go-to would be quite the understatement!

shop this outfit

Chelsea Jackson
A Day In Alabama Chanin

I am so excited to finally share these thoughtful images by Sleepy Fox Photography. We recently had the great pleasure to spend a quiet day surrounded with truly stunning and artful Alabama Chanin pieces.

I can't begin to tell you how amazing it is to work with artists that pour their entire souls into their craft! You might remember this incredible brand from a recent "Explore" feature and I was so excited to dream up this beautiful concept using their pieces. We envisioned a woman spending the day in solitude, living at the beautiful Hardy Chambers house and tending to her flock. I am so blown away with the way that everyone's contribution came together to create this serene editorial!

photography by Sleepy Fox Photography
styling & art direction by Hazel + Scout
clothes by Alabama Chanin
location: Hardy Chambers Farmhouse at Fly Creek Farm
hair by Twiggy Romei
makeup by Brittianna J
model: Cardin Lopez