Summertime and the living is easy, especially when it comes to perusing the farmer’s market, enjoying frozen treats, relaxing at BBQs and picnics and relishing in the bounty of fresh summer crops. Raspberries are a summer fruit –usually in season between June and August– that are delicious, bright and best enjoyed fresh. Raspberries can be found in many summer-themed desserts and cocktails, but they can also be enjoyed as fresh favors, decorations and pops of color for your wedding.

If you love raspberries as much as we do – read on for oodles of ways to use this delicious (and gorgeous!) fruit in your wedding!

I’m crazy about DIY wedding favors that are edible, so naturally I love this banana bread in a jar recipe. It’s the perfect favor for a barn wedding – or any rustic wedding!

I’ve made banana bread countless times, but this is the first time I attempted it in a jar. I honestly thought it would be much more difficult than it is. Read on for the recipe and wrapping instructions.

Also, check out Peach Crisp in a Jar.

Banana Bread in a Jar Recipe (adapted from allrecipes.com)

(Makes one dozen 250 ml jars)

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2 2/3 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups mashed bananas
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves (I used half a teaspoon because I didn’t want mine too ‘clovey’.)
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

You will also need:

• 12 250 ml canning jars
• funnel
  Continue Reading Banana Bread In-A-Jar: DIY Favors…

See that pretty floral stationery? It cost a bundle, right?

Nope. In fact, this stationery was printed on a Canon home printer. It’s just one of many fabulous printable wedding stationery designs from e.m. papers.

Along with saving you heaps of cash, e.m. papers printable paper goods are convenient – and fast! You don’t have to wait around for stationery to arrive from an online printer. Simply print it at home with amazing results.

e.m. papers offers 18 complete wedding invitation sets that include the invitation, save-the-date, RSVP, thank you, program, seating list, table numbers, place cards, and menus. Want to see more? Visit e.m. papers

Photos: Benita R Cloward

Sponsored post.

Daisy lollipops? Who knew?

Sibylle from the awesome blog Funkytime (she’s also got her own magazine too!) was kind enough to share this tutorial for making daisy lollipops with IW readers. Wouldn’t these make splendid wedding favors?

Yes, I do tend to use the word ‘awesome’ a great deal since I started this l’il blog. But really there is no better word to describe this wedding. And these videos.

Before you scroll down and hit the play button, you’ve got to get the backstory.

Justin and Dorie have a favorite hiking spot in Washington, Connecticut’s  Steep Rock Preserve. To them the ideal place to get married was the trail summit with no one else around.

“We wanted our wedding day to focus on the life-long commitment we were making to each other, not the frivolous details of the day,” says Dorie.

Even though they knew eloping was right for them, they still wanted to share their day with the people they love. They wanted everyone to feel like they were right there with them. What better way to do that than create a surprise video!

“We decided not to tell a single person until our elopement video was finished. We contacted a good friend of mine who directed the video and hooked us up best videographers we could imagine. They really captured our idea of having our friends and family watch the day unfold before their eyes as they were slowly clued in on the real reason made the video!” explains Dorie.

To make it even more personal, they hand-picked items for the picnic elopement that their families would recognize.

“We included little bits of our family throughout the video. We stole the picnic blanket from my sister, wine glasses from my father, a headband from my mother-in-law, etc,” says Dorie.

The couple even captured all the the reactions on video, and created a video montage.

” A lot of people may fear elopement because they may possibly offend someone, but as you can see, our friends and family were elated,” says Dorie.

According to Dorie, the best thing about eloping was that they got to spend their wedding day doing the things they love most: hiking, swimming in the river, picnicking and being with each other.”

Now go ahead – watch the video! (Video Directors: Justin Matley & Persistent Productions)

Dorie and Justin – The Journey from Dorie on Vimeo.

And the reactions from friends and family:

Surprise Elopement Reactions from Dorie on Vimeo.