Welcome Guests!

Brides and Grooms, are you having a lot of out of town guests?  Here is a cute simple idea that will make your guests feel right at home!

A welcome basket made within a small suit case.  Yes the small suit cases can be expensive so you can use an alternative like a basket or gift bag or decorative paper box they can discard or fold up to take back home.

Some things to include are:

Q     A detailed itinerary to make sure everyone knows where to go and at what time

Q     A map or guide book of the area

Q     Bottles of water

Q     Snacks that can save them money from the overpriced hotel gift shop such as crackers, chocolates or other mini favors similar to those for your wedding

Q     Refreshing mints or gum, maybe include your wedding font on the outside tin

Q     A fix me up kit containing a sew kit and spot remover

Q     A small bag of luxury hygiene items

Q     A small scented candle that has a warm and inviting scent, maybe include your wedding font on the outside tin

Q     A fun game or favor that relates to your wedding

These are just a few key pieces to make them feel more at home!



Apple-green mini suitcase, Kate's Paperie, $14, katespaperie.com



Teuscher Champagne Truffles, 4.5 oz., $21.95, teuscherfifthavenue.com; The Fine Cheese Co. Chive Crackers, $4.98, finecheese.co.uk.

Burt’s Bees kits:

http://www.burtsbees.com/other/gift-sets-kits/

Bluewick Pocket Travel Candle, $6, bluewick.com.



Aid kit:

http://www.urbanaid.com/



Mints:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/personalized-black-and-white-wedding-tins-with-mints-a2-47_998.fltr?prodCatId=388621&tabId=1

Tins:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/personalized-two-hearts-silvertone-tins-a2-42_4216.fltr?prodCatId=388627&tabId=1

Welcome gift bags:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/welcome-gift-bags-a2-3_3808.fltr?prodCatId=388686&tabId=1

Waters:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/black-personalized-monogram-bottle-labels-a2-3_3918.fltr?prodCatId=90000&tabId=1

To read the full article and to see more pictures go here:

http://www.brides.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-favors/2010/05/BLM_FW07_WelcomeBasket#slide=1

Themed Weddings

Themes a good or bad idea at weddings?

Weddings are the happiest day of the bride and groom’s lives.  It is the beginning of their wonderful journey together in the world. 

When I was planning for my wedding everyone always asked me what is your theme?  To me I did not have a theme.  If I did I would consider it to be my husband and I but that just sounds odd.  We used a lot of things with two hearts that interlocked with each other so I guess you could say two hearts was our theme. 

Now there are brides with crazy wild themes such as living dead, the Wizard of Oz, butterflies, Las Vegas, eras and decades, Paris France, country western and more. 

I think themes at weddings can be fun but they can also go very wrong by adding too much or make the decorations too costumey.  Weddings are the time to make sure the bride and groom are having the most fun they can and which may mean adding some key pieces to create a wedding and reception how they like it.  It should be done subtly and not too out there and crazy. 

David Tutera of My Fair Weddings also has to tone done the decorations and little favors and sometimes even the attire.  The key to decorating a wedding and reception is to show off the bride and groom with their theme with little subtle hints to bring it all together.  Remember keep it classy and fun!  http://www.davidtutera.com/dt_weddings.php

Wedding Dresses New Fall 2012 Trend!

Hey brides, grooms and fellow bloggers!

The newest trend in wedding dresses has to do with a particular color.  Try to guess is it ivory, crème or a soft pink?  Not even close…it’s black!  Wait a black wedding dress, you’re kidding right?  Nope!  Vera Wang, one of the world’s biggest names in wedding fashion and couture presented a line of 7 black wedding gowns for the fall 2012 bridal season. 

What are your thoughts on this new trend?

I think white should be the color of choice because represents purity and the beginning of a new life (with your husband).  Many women are choosing ivory and crèmes for their bridal gown.  Pink is becoming ever more popular especially on shows like Say Yes to the Dress.  Dresses with splashes of color on the train or sash on the dress are more common now too.  However, this is your big day!  Do you want something every bride is thinking about too?  Think outside the box whether it is a short gown, over the top huge ball gown, colored or even black!  It’s your big day wear something you love!

To read the full article go here: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/vera-wang-s-black-wedding-dresses-unique-or-creepy-2589217/#photoViewer=1

1st Year Wedding Anniversary Gifts

Hey everyone!

Is your first year wedding anniversary coming up like mine is? 

Husbands, do you not know what in the world to get for your wife?

Did you know the traditional first year anniversary wedding gift is paper?

Paper, think about it.  It can be quite boring or can it?

For all my readers out there about to celebrate their first year wedding anniversary check out this creative fun and very memorable paper present idea!

You can upload or email a photo of your wife’s wedding dress and have it sketched and framed for their paper gift!  It is unique and wonderful gift idea.  It is becoming more and more popular among the less rich and famous.  The Hollywood stars are able to have their designer sketch their wedding dress for them as a keepsake and now you can do the same!  There are two websites I found that can make this happen!

One is from an artist in France.

http://www.mydreamlines.com/

The other is an artist that sells her work on etsy.com.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73541050/wedding-dress-sketches-perfect-gift  

Just something I came across and wanted to share with you! 

Wedding Cakes and Toppers Too!

At your wedding you sure can

“Have your cake and eat it too!”

Wedding cake dates back to the Roman Empire where cake was made form whole wheat flower and not so sweet as we know it today.  Back then the cake was broken over the bride’s head for luck and any guests for relatives that ate the crumbs were considered to be a good omen.

In England the guests brought sweet buns to pile and stack in front of the bride and groom to have the pile as high as it could be.  The bride and groom would then attempt to kiss over the tall pile and if they were successful that would bring the bride and groom luck and many children. 

Another story surrounding the wedding cake is the bride’s cake or bride’s pie.  The baker would bake a glass ring inside and the first single female that found it at the reception would be the next to wed.  This is similar to the bouquet toss but messier. J

The cakes are white to symbolize purity, childhood innocence and the purity of the heart.  Today cakes are white or full color, it is up to the bride and groom!

The top of the cake is saved for the first year wedding anniversary of the bride and groom.  I can proudly say mine is less than a month away, November 6!

~~~~

Wedding cake toppers fist began in the late 19^th century which featured a bride and groom in traditional poses.  They were considered ornaments and were saved as treasured mementos of the wedding ceremony.  They are considered to be the symbol of the love, bond and togetherness the bride and groom share.

Wedding cake toppers have come along way since the 1890s.  In the late 1920s, Sears came out with their first line of wedding ornaments (cake toppers) in their catalog.  In the 1900s symbols such as silver bells, love birds, doves, cherubs, cupids, etc became widely acceptable as wedding cake toppers. 

Today there are more than ever to choose from and widely popular today are floral arrangements or the letter of the groom’s last name.  There are humorous ones, hobby-fied ones, sports themed, ethnic and religious themed, personalized and more!  Your only limit for your own unique cake topper is your imagination! 

www.Weddingstar.com has endless cake toppers to choose from!  Including the one from my wedding that my loving and wonderful husband bought me for Christmas a month after we got engaged!  This is truly the perfect wedding topper for us!

From my wedding:

 

To read more visit:

http://www.weddingcaketoppers.com/

http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/cakes/the_history_of_the_wedding_cake_and_cake_toppers.html

http://www.weddingstar.com/

Color Schemes

Hey brides and grooms and bloggers!

Looking for the next hot color scheme?

Here are some color schemes popping up this spring:

o       Aqua & Chartreuse

o       Sage Green & Rose

o       Black & White

Aqua & Chartreuse are great colors for beachy or a laid back themed wedding.  It gives a feel of leisure and relaxation.  You can also glam it up for a more elegant affair.  I think these colors are beautiful together.  They are unexpected to see two similar colors that you may think clash but with the right shades they make a unique and interesting pair.  Check out these wonderful photos I found for favors and cakes using these colors:

Sage Green & Rose make a lovely combination for any type of wedding.  They are soft colors that play off each other in a natural sort of way.  I absolutely love these two colors together partly because they show off the feminine side and I used these colors for my wedding.  The photo of cupcakes is the actual photo from my wedding.  Check out these wonderful photos I found for favors and cakes using these colors:

Black & White is becoming very popular for weddings.  It seems like it is for elegant and grand affairs.  Kim Kardashian used a black and white theme for her wedding.  Black and white is nice for upscale events and home town weddings.  However, I find black and white weddings are a bit boring in the color scheme area.  You should have a pop of color with black and white themes to bring a little something to it.  Red and hot pink is used a lot I find and any bright colors to add some pop to the color scheme would be great.  I love love love this wedding cake how romantic!  It reminds me so much of Audrey Hepburn in the pose and stance of the silhouette of the woman, who is my idol of course!  Check out these wonderful photos I found for favors and cakes using these colors:

Flower Mistakes

Hey brides and grooms and bloggers!

I found an interesting article on florists and the top 5 mistakes to make.

1. Not communicating with your florist.
2. Being close minded
3. Ruling out expensive blooms
4. Trusting your florist
5. Booking your florist last

Communicating with your florist is a must.  If you don’t you will probably pay for something you don’t like or want, pay too much for something or have the wrong colors.  If you know what you want let your florist know and bring lots of pictures of flowers you like and ones you know you don’t like.  This gives a clear view point on what your tastes are.  If you don’t know what you want it is important to keep an open mind when choosing flowers, which brings us to number 2.

If you only want a specific flower and it is in your budget and color scheme than no problem!  For example I absolutely love gerbera daisies and that was the one flower I knew I wanted.  I also love carnations (I’m a simple girl)!  So for my bridesmaids, that had pink gerbera daises with green centers to match their green dresses and I had a white carnation grouping with white gerbera daises placed throughout.  It was what I wanted but even better than I had envisioned. 

However, if you want a specific flower such as lilys or roses and are on a smaller budget that will not work.  So remember to work with the florist for other alternatives that are in your price range by pairing less expensive flowers like carnations or hydrangeas with the pricier flowers like roses or lilys.  Remember florists are experts and sometimes they may know what is best.

This brings us to the next mistake 3: ruling out expensive blooms.  If you give in to the less expensive blooms because you can’t afford the expensive ones keep in mind you can pair and mix and match.  Here is an expert form this article:  Some flower prices might seem out of reach, but keep in mind that flowers like cattleya orchids and peonies, may have a higher ticket price, but they will cover more space and have a much greater impact.

Trusting your florist is important because they have been in the flower business a lot longer than you.  This is why your picked them to create your flower arrangements because you like their work!  So trust them and know they will take good care of you, if they don’t find another better quality florist.

If you book your florist last you are giving up them rights to some flowers you are dying for.  Sometimes with the seasons changing they need to order flowers during specific times of the year.  Make sure you allow plenty of time so you can order the flowers you like and they will be of great quality rather than ordering the flowers you want late with a lower quality flower.

To read the full article visit: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=p4bhldcab&v=0017tAQmPa9WeZj0NzTxNxc3G3Cp7rywPqYvjnjFi38t6H8L9Jx-pQfMCy7glI4YmBk3lSJ6IVDV7LtQIhdUYovKZglP3LVxN6ps8Hb1-qypCXzV21moZ4MqRBBwNIxKe8pvj8w32YOuCepv67mRacGOZaeYwrvGhoB

Some florists I recommend:

http://www.elegantdesignflowers.com/

http://www.beneva.com/

www.scarlettflowers.com/