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Planning a wedding shower? Here is a great menu to get you started!
Watermelon Kiwi Lemonade
Pesto and Roasted-Vegetable Sandwich Loaf
Berry Cheesecake in Chocolate Crust
ANTIQUE GREEN PIN. Beautiful and very dainty and petite. Is round and measures 3/4 of an inch wide. Nine gems all together. One large in the center and eight smaller ones surrounding it. Silver back. Great shape, everything there and working. Nice and clean. You'll love it.
Lovely rhinestone pin, wear with a scarf, on a turtleneck or the lapel of your jacket. Excellent condition. Not a signed WEISS, but has an open back.Rounds, rectangles, and small stones, all sparkle.Slightly smaller then 2 inches in size.
I remember when I was 18 and got engaged I was all about the biggest ring with the most bling! But now that I am older and looking back on the wedding that never happened and the ring I gave back, I am thinking that a smaller more petite ring will be more my style.
I always look at the engagement rings of my clients and most of them are a modest solitaire. Which is gorgeous and a classic look. Recently I have had my eye on the rings with a stone in the middle and little ones around it or some on the bands. But enough about the ring I am no where close to getting!
When you picking your ring, or giving hints to your boyfriend, make sure you pick one that fits your lifestyle. If you work in an office and your digging in files all day you don't want something that sticks far out and will get caught in the papers. It should also fit YOU! Nothing is less satisfying than seeing a casual girl with the big blingy rock on her hand. Not that she can't have it, but it just doesn't fit!
When your shopping for rings, look around. Just because you like it at one store doesn't mean you can't find one similar that might be better priced somewhere else.
Take your time and try them on...don't be in a hurry :)
So I don't normally promote books about planning weddings or receptions since that I what I do! But, I saw this book and I know there are people out there who need some help and can't afford for a consultant or planner.
For those of you who want to plan from books, I found one that I really like! It's called The Best Wedding Reception...Ever! by Peter Merry
Here are some interesting stats about the book:
26 Chapters 208 Pages Over 75,000 Words 104 Photos9 Couple Profile pages featuring real couples and their unique agendas. 3.5 page Bibliography listing all sources for stats, quotes, and creative ideas. In Part III: "Adding Your Personal Style"You wil find 141 Creative ideas for personalizing your Reception and Ceremony.
You can purchase the book at www.thebestweddingreceptionever.com for $24.95
Flowertoss Weddings is a Seattle based company started by Matthew Sumi and is comprised of Matthew and other talented associate photographers and assistants.
At Flowertoss Weddings they believe that wedding photography should not only be beautiful and lasting, but the process should be fun. Their laidback styles puts an emphasis on candid shots, and can be best described as fine-art meets photojournalism. Rather the focus on cookie-cutter posed pictures, they capture images that tell your individual story as the wedding day unfolds.
They limit their numbers of weddings each calendar year in order to ensure that each wedding album is uniquely tailored to match the bride and groom.
Matthew has an amazing eye and I highly reccomend him for your next shoot! Check out his website and blog. Also check out his work at www.matthewsumi.com
Avery silk short cross-back dress. Available at JCrew.com($195) Great for rehersal dinners and showers!
Nanette Lepore Tulsa Embroidery Slinky Dress. Available eLUXURY($340). Great for semi-formal weddings, rehersals, and summer weddings you are attending.
Kay Unger Lace Dress. Available at saks.com ($365). Great for formal weddings and rehersal dinners.
Diane von Furstenberg Revel Dress. Available at shopbop.com. ($298). Great for beach weddings, garden weddings, and showers.
There is a company in California called Bite Catering. Everything they serve you can eat in one bite. I got to thinking, even if you aren't in their catering area, you can use their idea for your reception or bridal shower.
They make tomatoe soup that they serve in a shot glass with a small piece of grilled cheese sandwich on the side. How easy is that? Just purchase some shot glasses, make your soup and pour some into each glass. Then make your whole sandwich and cut it into pieces. Ta-da you have a one bite appatizer for your party!
You can use this same idea for burgers, cakes, cookies, fries, crab cakes, and so much more!
I love flowers! They are so pretty and so much can be done with them. These 3 fall in my top picks for spring weddings. Each one has a great look!
For the traditional wedding:
This arrangement was done by Creative Concepts & Designs in Texas. I like the simplicity of the arrangement for a traditional wedding. Very clean cut and beautiful.
Higher end/ Fancy Wedding:
This arrangement was done by Boston Blooms. With the richer tones and a Cala Lillies this just speaks of romance and sophisication!
Backyard/Garden Weddings:
This arragement was shown on Good Housekeeping by using aromatic bells of Ireland in empty olive oil bottles. Great for outdoor weddings and weddings on a budget.
For more ideas or planning help click here
Last summer one of the brides I worked with, Sheila, was having an outdoor wedding in Underwood, WA at a winery. We wanted to do cheaper flowers and try to keep the entire centerpiece cost down.
Sheila decided she wanted to use potted plants and decorate the pots somehow with her wedding colors. We decided to do some color alternating with the base and rims and then wrap ribbon around them.
Sheila and Frank spent their evenings painting the terracota with white paint and then using the pool blue, yellow, and black paint to add the color from the wedding.
Over all they were a great way to keep costs down and she gave them away to people at the wedding!
To see more of Sheila and Frank's wedding visit our website in the gallery!
In honor of NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CARMEL DAY, I wanted to share a great and easy favor you can make yourself to set on reception tables for your guests! They are chocolate Carmel marshmallows...one of my FAVS!!!
How to:
Buy large pkg of marshmallows
You will need two pots of boiling water on your stove top. Once the steam gets going, place two bowls on the top of the pot to close of the entire top. This way your steam is melting the chocolate and the Carmel. Pour a bag of chocolate chips into one bowl and a bag of Carmel's into the other.
Stick a toothpick in the marshmallow and cover it in the melted Carmel. Wait a few seconds and dip into the chocolate and make sure the entire mellow is covered. Then place on a cookie sheet with wax paper on it and remove the toothpick. Let harden before decorating.
To decorate you can drizzle Carmel or chocolate ( why not both!) over the tops with a spoon and do it quickly to make small lines. Finish off with a small initial of your new last name or with a small decor of some eatable type.
They are tasty and pretty!
For more food ideas be sure to visit biteables our blog on treats!
For great food and drink recipes for any party or get together, make sure to check out or Bitables and Cheers! blogs!!!
We update them often so make sure to check back weekly!
Help your guests keep cool for your outdoor weddings this spring and summer!Beau-Coop has great customizable choices for program fans!
Contemporary styling and a modern color palette set these die-cut fan favors apart from traditional folding fans. Choose either our classic solid colored fans or our elegant blossom design. Personalize the front of the fans with the couple’s names, wedding date, ceremony site and location inscribed in crisp white script. For the back of the fans, enter your program information. Layout options are as shown in images for each design. For the solid color fans, a free-form option is provided based on text limits.
People are always asking me about odd things my brides request and how hard is it really to find them! Most of the time I can find what they are looking for and to me they really aren't that odd. The most recent thing I have heard a request for is a photo booth. I instantly thought that would be so freaking expensive and would take up too much of the budget. But I found this company that rents them for $1550 and you get it for 4 hours with black and whitepics! You can do color and they have more add ons, but that was the base price.
How fun to have a way for your guests to remember your night and for you to have some of your own candid pics!
This spring and summer when you go on your honeymoon to that exotic place you have always wanted to go to ( jealous!) wear something spectacular on the beach.
The full coverage bottom has adjustable sliders on each side and reads JUST MARRIED in crystals on the back. The top is a sexy halter style, has removable padding, and ties at the neck and back. $107.00
Newlywed Beach Towel comes in white with luau couple and Newlyweds embroidered on front. 30" x 60". Canvas tote shown on left also available for $45.00.
I was walking through a store the other day and they have all their new spring stuff out for gardens already. I noticed these big rocks with words on them. Some were carved in and some were painted on. So then I got to thinking... why couldn't you buy black rocks and have people write their well wishes for you marriage on them? Then you can place them around your house or yard so you see them all the time! Way better idea then having them write in a book that you don't often pick up and read.
Photo from Jennifer Griffen
You can get river rocks at most craft stores and a couple markers that will write on the rock surface. From there you can spread the rocks out on the guest book table and have a few already written on so people know what to do.
If you have a person you have designated to help with the guest book, have them wait until some rocks are done and dry and then have a nice bowl or vase for them to be set in.
In case your guests think of more things to write for you, you can set a few on each table with a pen so they can add to the collection at the reception!
For more ideas click here!
Planning a wedding takes time and creativity. Most brides have an idea of what they want but need some tips in order to pull it all together and understand the scope of what is needed.
When planning take into consideration the formality of the day and making it all run smoothly. A wedding coordinator is great for helping you smooth out your plans, finding vendors , and helping you the day of the wedding.
Here are just a few things to keep in mind...
Create a “day of schedule”
These are a great tool to make sure all involved in your big day know when to be where and lets your planner know what the day looks like as well. Be sure to include what vendors are coming and when with contact information for your planner.
Too many colors…too busy for the eye
Try to keep it to 2 or 3 main colors for your wedding. When you get more than that it can be too visually distracting for guests.
Outdoor weddings
If you are planning an outdoor wedding be sure to take into account all possible weather conditions when planning your centerpieces and decorations.
Saving money on decorations
If you don’t have a huge budget for your wedding, you can cut costs by cutting the amount of flowers you use. There are so many options for centerpieces you just have to be creative!
Select flowers that are in season and locally available.
If you do, you’ll probably find you can save considerably on cost -- especially if you make it clear with your florist that cutting cost is a high priority.
Schedule your wedding “off-season.”
Nearly 70% of all weddings take place May through October of each year.
Save the Date Etiquette
As the world becomes a busier place, more and more couples are helping their friends and family reserve their wedding date with Save-the-Date announcements.
Wedding Party
Decide ahead of time the order in which the wedding party will proceed down the aisle, as well as who will be escorted, and by whom. You don't want your parents to be lost in the shuffle and seated with regular guests, not given front row seats, or left to find their seats on their own.
Payments
Put your payments for the event, and any other payments for that day, in envelopes and we will give them out that day.
For more ideas... CLICK HERE!!
For you romantics like me who like to have small sayings and love things around you, why not do it at your reception as well? I found some small ideas to give a personal touch to your reception. 
Cocktail napkin, Rexcraft by Artco, 800-635-3898, rexcraft.com. Plate, Jasper Conran for Wedgwood, 800-955-1550, wedgwoodusa.com. Truffle, Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolate, 816-842-1300, elbowchocolates.com.
Quote: from "My Love Is Lost," by Judy Garland
Embroidered linen chair back, Toshiko Tanaka, 212-674-3768. Ring, Cousin Claudine, 718-392-7200, cousinclaudine.com. Bracelet, Odegard, 212-545-0069. Dress, Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier, 212-319-6778, bridalatelier.com.
Quote: from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
Letterpress flags, Lunalux, 612-373-0526, lunalux.com. Glasses and tray, Tyler Florence for Mikasa, 800-833-4681, mikasa.com.
Quote: from "All You Need Is Love," by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
All three of these ideas are great bridal ideas and will give your reception a small standout touch that you don't see at many weddings.
If you want to use diffent quotes there are many websites with love quotes.
I Love Quotes
Best Love Poems
FREAKIN'AWESOME!!!!
I have been part of the car decorating committee a bunch of times and I always feel horrible for the bride and groom having to clean all the writing off the windows and all the other stuff put on their car. It reminds me of senior year when we wrote all over our cars with that liquid chalk stuff and then after graduation I had to wash my car like 5 times and razorblade the wirting off!! REDICULOUS!
Well Martha(whom I don't always admit to as an addiction of mine) has her good things for spring weddings and this one is by far the most amazing of all of them.
You can make the garland with string and tissue paper and then suction cup it to the car so it stays in place and doesn't ruin the vehicle! Plus it's unique and you don't see it much. What is better than being origional!!!
This is an awesome idea! I love the look and the feel these mason jars with dye cut lids have. Perfect for an outdoor or spring themed wedding. 
They are totally adorable and different then what you see at most weddings. You can get the lids in pewter or gold.
You can get bothe the lids and mason jars at one of my favorite sites Candlesoylutions.com.
For cocktail receipes to put in the jars check out ourCheers! Blog. It's update regularly with new drink ideas.
Love Love Love!!!!
Tis' the time of the year to plan spring and summer outdoor weddings!!! LOVE IT!!
Instead of going with the traditional long gown, if your comfortable with a shorter dress .... Rock it! For some girls this look fits their personality and theme. I personally love it because its' different and you stand out. Just pair it with a rockin pair of shoes and head piece. Maybe stay away from the traditional veil if your gonna pull off the look! Here are a few that fit my style!
I was looking at marthastewartweddings and she has a link to the 50 best centerpieces. I pulled a few of my favorite from the site for spring weddings. 
Centerpieces can be expensive or you can fit them into your budget well. Some florists will eat at your budget really quickly and some will work with you on keeping your flowers low in cost. When I work with a bride who doesn't have a ton of money to spend, I like to use different things such as rocks and branches with candles. So simple yet can be very elegant for an outdoor reception.
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