Thinking of giving jewelry to your bridesmaids? Why not spruce up your packaging using some vintage wallpaper or card stock and pinking shears? Get the full instructions over at Design Sponge.
WeddingFutures.com offers Alternative to Traditional Bridal Registry
September 28, 2010 by
Still not sure where you want to register? Already have linens, china and small appliances?
WeddingFutures.com offers a wedding gift that keeps on giving. At WeddingFutures.com your guests can purchase stocks to help you build a nest egg for the future.
Simply open an account and select your stocks. Let your guests know that you are registered at WeddingFutures.com and instead of running around looking for a wedding gift for you, they simply choose from your list of stocks and pay via Paypal or credit card.
WeddingFutures.com provides the registry and collects the funds. (They charge 5% commission.) The funds are transferred to your brokerage account to be purchased by your brokerage firm. You can use any bank or brokerage firm. When your wedding day finally arrives, the gifts are transferred to your account.
Check out WeddingFutures.com for more info.
*Sponsored Post
Real Weddings: Erika & Christopher’s Intimate New Orleans Wedding
September 27, 2010 by
Erika, 23 & Christopher, 27
New Orleans, LA
Wedding Date: July 10, 2010
Number of Guests: 11
Wedding Cost: $1,205
Wedding Ceremony Location: City Park, New Orleans, LA
Wedding Reception Location: Commander’s Palace
Why did you have an intimate wedding?
We both wanted a wedding that was as stress-free as possible so we could enjoy the day with our immediate families and most importantly ourselves. An intimate wedding allowed us that comfort.
DIY Wedding Day Emergency Kit
September 23, 2010 by
By Jennifer Cox
On the day of your wedding you’ll experience a barrage of emotions, not to mention a few unforeseen curve-balls – maybe your stomach is a tad on the queasy side, you have a slight headache, or you didn’t find time to eat. Enter the DIY Wedding Day Emergency Kit.
Being the anal gal that I am (and having an equally-anal mom, from whom I learned my tricks!), we tried to cover all of our bases and put together a DIY Wedding Day Emergency Kit for the hotel, where I stayed with my parents the night before the wedding.
We included the following key items:
- Medications: Tylenol, cold tablets, Pepto-Bismol, and (blush) anti-diarrhea pills
- First-aid items: Band-aids, cotton balls, and Q-tips
- Snacks: Granola bars, muffins, fruit like bananas and apples, bottles of water, and mints/gum
- Toiletries: Deodorant, oil-blotting sheets, body spray, lotion, tissues, clear nail polish, nail file, etc.
- Odds and ends: Safety pins, bobby pins, lint brush, scotch tape, extra pantyhose
I’ll admit – I took a few swigs of the Pepto-Bismol bottle the morning of the big day, and before heading out to the salon my bridesmaids and I devoured the bag of muffins my mom picked up. The water and Tylenol were definitely used by a few people who were getting ready with us, and a safety pin saved my train when we couldn’t bustle it properly.
Don’t let something like a lose strap, a queasy tummy, or unexpected tears cause you one iota of stress - prepare for the unexpected by putting together your own little survival kit. If you can’t be bothered with another “to-do,” make a list of what you need and call on the help of your mom, mother-in-law, maid-of-honour or bridesmaids to not only assemble your kit but to also be responsible for bringing it on the special day. Pack everything in a fun cosmetic box or canvas bag (maybe even monogrammed with your new initials!).
When you have a just-in-case kit all prepared, you can rest easy knowing every single detail has been taken care of, right down to your own well-being.
First Photo: Bridessentials; Second Photo: Bridal Guide; Third Photo: Project Wedding; Fourth Photo: Sweet Stylings
Jennifer Cox is a Montreal based freelance journalist who loves everything from weddings to foodie news, photography & candy!
DIY Vintage Brooch Bouquet
September 21, 2010 by
Love vintage brooch bouquets? Don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars? Make your own! I found a handy vintage brooch bouquet tutorial over at FancyPants Weddings.
Photo: FancyPants Weddings
Wedding Dress Shopping Checklist
September 20, 2010 by
By Jennifer Cox
When I went wedding dress shopping last spring/summer, I was completely overwhelmed. I didn’t know any of the rules (like no picture-taking – me and my two girlfriends almost got thrown out of a boutique!) and I wasn’t prepared for little Italian and French women to join me in the changing room (so they could literally dress me up).
I also wasn’t expecting to buy my dress on my second shopping trip (it ended up being dress #3 from dress shopping attempt #1). When I came out of the change room in this simple flowy A-line gown and my mother burst into tears, I knew I’d found “the one.” But now it was time for my first fitting, on the spot, and I didn’t have my shoes (I hadn’t even bought them yet) or my wedding jewelery with me.
So I present to all you brides-to-be out there the ultimate checklist when going wedding dress shopping:
1- A tape measure. For your hair trial, for example, you may want to know how far down your dress starts from your shoulders/neck. If you’ve chosen a short dress, you might also want to note where the dress ends. You never know what type of measurements you’ll need, so bring a tape measure and jot down a few specifics. Keep it in your wallet so it’s always with you.
2- Wedding shoes. If you’ll be wearing any kind of heel, you want to ensure the dress is hemmed at the right length when you’re in the shoes, not flat-footed. If you haven’t bought your actual wedding shoes yet, bring any pair that has a similar heel.
3- Wedding jewelry. I had a necklace resized, so I had to know the right length I needed in comparison to my dress (another handy reason to have had my tape measure). You also want your other accessories, like earrings, bracelets, and headpieces, to match any detailing on your dress, so it’s best to bring everything with you.
4- A camera. You won’t be allowed to take any pictures of the dresses you try on, but once you’ve committed to one gown and it’s a done deal (i.e. paid for), you’re allowed to snap away. But don’t show too many people the pictures – you want them to have the full affect and see you all dolled up on your actual wedding day.
5- Tissues. My mom went into a complete meltdown when she saw me in my wedding dress, so make sure you tuck a few packs of tissues in your purse (I love wedding-themed tissues!)
First Photo: Best Wedding Dresses; Second Photo: HW Events; Third Photo: Allegro Photography; Fourth Photo: Bridal Buds
Jennifer Cox is a Montreal based freelance journalist who loves everything from weddings to foodie news, photography & candy!
Fairy Bread
September 17, 2010 by
Fairy bread. Never heard of it? If you’re an Aussie you’ll know all about it.
In Australia fairy bread is a popular treat at kids’ birthday parties, or so I’ve read.
Fairy bread consists of fresh, white (the whitest bread you can find!) bread, ‘hundreds and thousands’ aka sprinkles, and butter.
Not likely something you’d serve at a wedding – even to your little guests, but if you’ve got little ones in your life, this would make for a fun surprise. Once a year.
Photo: iatebrisbane
DIY Pinwheels for Your Wedding
September 16, 2010 by
I admit, these do look like they take a boatload of patience – but aren’t they sweet! If you want to make these for your wedding, you’ll probably want to enlist your friends and family.
Here is the full DIY pinwheels tutorial and the pinwheels template.
Things Taste Better on a Stick
September 14, 2010 by
Why do some things taste better when they’re on a stick? Maybe it’s the novelty that makes them fun – or the fact that you don’t have to get your fingers all sticky and buttery.
I rounded up a few good things on sticks for you to drool over. All would be perfect for a wedding – especially if you’re still a kid at heart.
Let’s start with Bakerella’s Poptarts on a stick. As you will see these aren’t like the icky Poptarts you buy at the store; these are more like pie. Yum!
Brownie pops. Here is a divine recipe for brownies that my mother-in-law gave to me:
Cookies on a stick from I am Mommy. Here is a fabulous recipe for sugar cookies that will work wonderfully for cookies on a stick.
Pie on a stick. I must try this one.
Cheesecake on a stick. Lord have mercy.
Real Weddings: Sean & Sarah’s Thanksgiving Wedding
September 13, 2010 by
Sean, 28 & Sarah, 27
North Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada
Wedding Date: October 10, 2009
Number of Guests: 68
Wedding Cost: $25,000 CAD
Wedding Ceremony Location: We had record breaking rain the week before the wedding which included the day of the wedding so we had the ceremony in a beautifully decorated reception tent on Uncle Bill’s and Aunt Sally’s farm.
Wedding Reception Location: In the same tent as the ceremony. Everyone sat at their assigned seats during the ceremony, which worked out well for the reception because everything was already set up. The caterers didn’t need to move anything which I am sure was great for them. It also let the guests have time to mingle (and eat fresh Atlantic salmon and champagne) they didn’t have to go anywhere.
Why did you have an intimate wedding?
Well, the first reason was that we wanted to have it in Wallace at the farm which is a very special place for both of us. However, the farm is well off the beaten track so we knew that only a few people, the people who were very close to us, would be able to come.
Second, because we were married on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend we really wanted to have the feeling of a family thanksgiving in the country and the intimate number of family and friends really made it feel special.
DIY Invites in Fabric Envelopes
September 9, 2010 by
I love these fun DIY shower invitations wrapped in fabric envelopes that are featured on Our Life Right Now! The envelopes would also add a nice handmade touch to save the dates. Learn how to make the fabric envelopes over at Dear Lizzy.
