Speaking of deals...

Have you joined Groupon yet? If you haven't, you should! Even if you are not in the wedding planning stages this is still a great buying group. It is set up by cities (you can choose cities you don't live in - sometimes they get deals that are internet deals). They have a different deal every day and you can either choose to buy the deal or ignore it. They often have awesome deals for those amazing canvas photos (they do the pop art photos too, if you missed that post check it out here). The deal for today is TWO Shutterfly wall calendars for $20.00!! Essentially, this is a buy one get one free deal!

These would make an amazing gift for your parents, if you were just married...or if you have kids or just for yourself to organize yourself for 2011! If you purchase the deal you have until Feb. 15th to use it! Click here to join Groupon and purchase this deal...but REMEMBER you only have 24 hrs to purchase!! (yes, I will get a referral credit if you click on this link and set up an account..so thank you!)

I have used Groupon to buy:

• $40 of Edible Arrangements for $20 (I used them this year for my daughters teachers Christmas gifts)
• $35 of fortune cookies from Fancy Fortune Cookie (online store) for $15
• $39 for a 16"x20" Personalized Canvas Photo includes Shipping from CafePress worth $100
• $15 for Patty's Cakes and Desserts (a local bakery that does cake balls!) worth $36

So you can see...you can use Groupon for a lot of deals and steals! It's totally worth it!

Happy Holidays!

I hope you all had a very, merry Christmas! I know I did! Having a little one, who is aware of what is going on, changes your perspective on everything! So, it is the day after and all those "must have" holiday goodies are on sale. If you are having a wedding that has red, green, silver, gold or white as an accent color...boy you can get a lot of deals on things you can use for your wedding! I found these items:

Red Striped Cellophane Gift Bags, Set of 12

On sale at Williams Sonoma right now for $13.99! That is just $1.65 per bag! Great for Candy Buffets!

Monogrammed Gift Boxes

Hot! Hot! Hot! You can get these boxes in a variety of sizes - the cookie size is perfect for a little treat giveaway! The white box has a thin Red Stripe and they are so perfect monogramed! The cookie size box is on sale for set of 6 for $21.99. They also offer a candy size - but act quick! These are selling fast and the cupcake size box is already sold out in white - red is still currently available!

Personalized Ribbons

Here is another hot item! Already the red ribbon with white lettering and red ribbon with gold lettering is sold out! Act fast and you can still get White Satin with Red Lettering or White Satin with Gold Lettering. a 15 yard roll is on sale for $21.99

Waxed Tissue

Available in Polka Dot or Fleur de Lys. $8.99 for Roll of twenty 20" x 30" sheets

Monogrammed Footed Candy Dish

Can you say PERFECT item for a candy buffet?! You could also use this beautiful dish after the wedding - the monogramming just seals it as a perfect deal! On sale for $11.99

I've made my list and checked it twice!

I've made my list...and checked it twice and WE HAVE A WINNER! Well, random.org chose the winner. There was no way that I would be able to choose a winner from all the wonderful comments that were posted. Your "Pay It Forward"stories really touched me - especially during the holiday season. I would like to congratulate BELLA! Your comment was selected as the winning comment! For those who didn't win, stop by tomorrow! I am hosting another fabulous giveaway for all my readers!

Congratulations, Bella! I will be contacting you with all the information you will need to get a hold of Lynne! Thank you EVERYONE....happy holidays and keep on paying it forward...

Dare to dream....and get excited!

I can't believe it! ONE. MORE. DAY. My "Pay It Forward" giveaway is coming to an end. We have one more day for you to get all your entries in. Someone is dreaming of winning this....and they are going to be super excited! I am so excited to just announce the winner! What a great (early) gift to get right before Christmas. This is HUGE. This giveaway will really help someone out and we all know the money that paid for it went to help others....that is why I am so thrilled. Lynne Lucente offered an amazing donation for Wish Upon a Wedding. She is a super nice lady and her flowers are ahhh-mazzing! So, if you have been waiting to enter....now is the time!! You can get up to 8 entries!! Hurry...get your name in and DARE TO DREAM!

Mmmm! Cake!

I was at my favorite bakery in Orange County this weekend, Beverly's Best in Fullerton. We were celebrating a good friends birthday...and every birthday deserves a cake from Beverly's! They had a couple of new mock wedding cakes and I totally fell in love with this one:

Two of my favorite colors for weddings and my favorite wedding flower, the white and black anemone! This size cake would feed about 200 people! Isn't it beautiful?

In Lieu Of...

So, you've seen those three words before - right? In lieu of a gift.... In lieu of flowers... In lieu of is pretty simple to define: In place of or instead of.


Well, on the horizon is a new way of giving - INLU (get it? in lieu?). Yes, it's spelled wrong - yes they know it. What is it? A simple way of getting everyone to go in on a group gift or if you are the wedding couple and do not want gifts but, instead would rather give to a charity - this is one way to do it.

INLU allows the person organizing the party (bachelorette, bridal shower, etc) a place to create an evite invitation and collect funds for one spectacular gift. Maybe, the couple has been living together and really couldn't use a new toaster, towel set or food processor. Maybe, what they really want is a new living room set. Seems pretty easy...that is if the people you are inviting are hip to internet gifting! I happen to like the idea - it's a pretty easy way to take care of gift giving - and I want to give the couple what they really want!

We did something similar for my hubby's 40th surprise birthday party! I had a luau surprise party for him and in lieu of a gift, I asked his friends and our family to chip in for a big surprise gift - a cruise to Hawaii! They all did it and my husband was SHOCKED! It was a lot of fun and easy for the guests...the only thing they had to do was show up for the surprise and have a good time.

I am not opposed to helping a couple with their honeymoon registry either. Times have changed! No longer does the bride have a trousseau when she gets married!

So how easy is it to set up? Pretty easy...

Create an Inlu.

Describe the GIFT.

Spread the word.

Purchase and give!

Lynne Lucente Flower Giveaway - One Week Left!

Calling all Orange County brides!

You have ONE WEEK left to enter our amazing giveaway for a flower package from Lynne Lucente!


* Brides Bouquet
* 2 Bridesmaids Bouquets
* Grooms Boutonniere
* 2 Groomsmen’s Boutonnieres
* 2 Father’s Boutonnieres
* 2 Mothers Corsages
* 2 Alter Pieces
* 6 Centerpieces 


You can learn more about Lynne by either checking out her website or by checking out the OC Wedding Pros Blog! Good luck to all who enter...thank you for making this giveaway one that makes me feel super good! All of your stories and pay it forward moments have really touched me! 

Passionate Purple

I was inspired today by seeing this beautiful picture from Bobbette & Belle, a designer pastry shop located in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Their macaroon towers create a beautiful (and yummy) center piece! 

I remembered this past Spring I was gravitating towards this color palette and highlighted a wedding gown I was in love with - style 021 from the Bonny Classic Collection in my post called The Color Purple.

I absolutely love wedding gowns with color! I remembered the soft little, delicate flowers on the bodice of this wedding gown and I thought how easy this could tie into a dessert table with either cupcakes, petit fours or even small, mini cakes!

Source

Edible Flowers from SweetPetalBakery on Etsy

Purple and green also make a gorgeous bouquet combo! Here are 10 of my favorite wedding flowers in purple: Hydrangea, larkspur, delphinium, lisianthus, lilac, hyacinth, fresh lavender, anemone (these are my favorite flowers in black and white too!), veronica and campanula!

Photo Booth = Fun!

Today, I received an email from Backdrop Outlet - they are having an awesome sale right now! The scenic muslins are regularly $399 but the sale is for $149! I love their Mod Backdrops! They are also on sale (but make sure you note the size!) These are a pretty good deal if you are planning a DIY photobooth! If you are looking for some fun props....here are some ideas!!


Feather boas - almost a must have for a photobooth!  Party Feathers has some pretty cheap boas! Some of the colors are on sale right now...for $0.90 each! Wow!


Funky Hats - Yep! You gotta have some hats! People get silly with them! You can find a few cheap, good hats at Party Feathers - make sure to check them out while looking at the boa's! The hats are on sale as well...most priced at $2.99 - $3.99!
Nerd glasses - Ok...so here is the deal of the day! Not sure how you feel about people having totally weird eyes - but for $0.49 how can you not have a pair of these?

Or you can choose the old standard - the Classic Disguise Glasses for $3.95

The Chalkboard Speech Bubble - Let them leave you a message or share a funny thought! It's a little pricey at $29.00 but, totally worth it! Would be fun to actually have two of them to see what kind of "conversations" you can have! Of course, you and the new hubby can also use them with the words "Mrs" and "Mr"....

This was a fun pick me up post for a Sunday! What other props would you use for some photo booth fun?

Pay It Forward Day

I got an email a couple of hours ago telling me it was National Pay It Forward Day...so I did a little research because this theme ties in perfectly with the giveaway I am doing this month!

I informally dubbed this giveaway my "pay it forward" giveaway...and guess what? It's starting to work out! People are signing up for the giveaway and telling friends about it...that is REALLY cool!! That, in itself is paying it forward, I think! So, I found the website for Pay It Forward Day - I wasn't aware there was a "national day". It looks like their annual date is April 28, 2011. Their website states though that "every day can be a pay it forward day" so, it looks like David Del Mundo has December 1st as his National Pay It Forward Day! He has 604,846 people attending today....err...make that 604,847! :) I agree....there doesn't have to be a "national" day to do a random act of kindness for another...we are presented with opportunities every day we wake up!  So, let's keep the chain going...

Destination: Wedding!

I don't mean a "destination wedding" - did I confuse you? I saw these amazing suitcases...but they aren't really suitcases! They are actually boxes from a paper company called Kate's Paperie. They are made of lightweight but sturdy cardboard and trimmed with metal latches and hinges. I thought they could be an interesting photo prop! They come in three sizes: small, medium or large and the price range is $10 - $15 each.

I browsed around the site awhile and came across something else that inspired me...if you have suitcase in hand....what does that mean?? That you are going somewhere....correct!! (my blog readers are so smart!) Keep all your travel details (so you will never forget a single moment of your vacation/honeymoon) in this:

Once I saw these two items, I was hooked! I stayed just long enough to know that I had to tell everyone about this great site that has unique items that I have not seen! I loved these invitations!

They have some wedding items on sale here and if you are new to the site and sign up to get their newsletter you can get yourself a 20% discount! 

Deals and Steals

Times are tough out there! So many times I hear people saying they are trying to cut costs on their wedding and/or honeymoon. Well, I have good news for you if you are a bride on a budget! Even if you thought you couldn't have some of these things - like a wedding planner, candy buffet, photo booth...well I am thrilled to tell you might be able to add these special "extras" to your wedding day without breaking your budget! How? Read on...


There is an online auction going on now with all kinds of goodies still without bids and rock bottom prices! The auctions are ending in 2 days...so either people are waiting till the last minute to bid OR people are not aware these goods are up for auction! Either way, I think you still might find a great deal on some wedding items! 


Invitations
There are 20 listings for all kinds of invites available! My favorite invitation offer was this one:

175 Letterpress Invitations valued at $1800 - Current Bid $210

Wow! What an amazing price for this kind of invitation! 

Right now, that is LESS THAN $1.20 each!

To make things a little easier (this is a big post!) I have listed all the items available by State and am highlighting a few of my favorites. Even if you are not planning a wedding, there are great deals to be had! You might be planning an anniversary, vow renewal, corporate event or even a birthday party! I am keeping my eye on a couple of the photography auctions - not for a wedding but, for my annual family pictures! The deals are just amazing! Also, check the end of this post because I listed items that are available ANYWHERE!


Arizona
Phoenix
Tucson

California
Los Angeles/OC
San Diego
San Francisco Bay Area

I have been watching (and already bid on) this candy buffet service! 

I would use it at my daughters next birthday party! 

The current high bidder better watch out...

I am planning to bid again before this closes! 

It has a value of $500 and the current bid on it is $110!

Another AHH-MAZING deal is in San Francisco! Just Cake is offering a wedding cake valued at $1200! The current bid is $235! Do you know how lucky you would be to win this? Just take a look at their website. Your jaw will be on the floor - just like mine!

Colorado
Denver
Other areas

I am keeping my eye on this photography session! The photographer is based in CO but is willing to travel to CA, NV, AZ, UT, NM, WY, NE for this session at no additional cost! 

The package is worth $400 and the opening bid is $75.00

Florida
Central Florida
Miami & South FL


Georgia
Atlanta


Hawaii 


Illinois
Chicago

The best deal in Chicago! A photo booth package worth $1100 The current bid is at $160! Are you kidding me? That is AMAZING. Since going to an event that had a photo booth, I am pretty much under the impression that EVERY event MUST have one! This package gives you 6 HOURS of photo booth fun, someone to run it and a DVD of all the pictures taken. WOW.

Indiana
Indianapolis

Kentucky

Maryland
DC/Baltimore


Massachusetts


Michigan


Minnesota
Minneapolis


Missouri
Kansas City
St. Louis


Nevada
Las Vegas


New Jersey


New York 


North Carolina


Ohio
Cleveland
Cincinnati 
Columbus


Oregon
Portland 


Pennsylvania 
Philadelphia


South Carolina


Texas
Dallas
San Antonio


Washington
Seattle


Wisconsin


Wyoming


There are also 65 auctions listed in the "Anywhere" category! You can bid on items like:
A Wedding gown - valued at $1000 with a current bid of $370, A Brooch Bridal Bouquet - valued at $800 with an opening bid of $70 and this Etsy Wedding Package - valued at $109 with a current bid of $45 (I have my eye on this one!)

Giveaway: Orange County Brides

Where oh where are my orange county brides? Our amazing giveaway for your wedding flowers is still open! Lynne Lucente generously donated a wedding flower package to the Blissful Wishes Ball in November. We bid on, and won, this package at the silent auction so that we could give it away to a lucky bride. All proceeds from our bid went to Wish Upon a Wedding, a charity organization that grants wedding wishes to couples that have a terminal illness or life altering circumstance. This giveaway includes:

* Bridal Bouquet
* 2 Bridesmaids Bouquets
* Grooms Boutonniere
* 2 Groomsman's Boutonnieres
* 2 Father's Boutonnieres
* 2 Mother's Corsages
* 2 Alter pieces
* 6 Centerpieces

Lynne works at several of the most amazing wedding venues in Southern California like: Rancho Las Lomas, Casa Romantica, Japanese Gardens, Hotel Laguna, Laguna Cliffs Marriott, Ritz-Carlton Wedding Locations, St. Regis Hotel and Villa Rockledge.

Here is some of Lynne's recent work:

Broccardo Photography

This giveaway is valued at $1265.00! In order to win you must either live in or be getting married in Orange County, California. Lynne is already booking for 2011 weddings so your date must be open for her to design your wedding flowers! 

Are you ready to enter?!

 Just click here....

Celebration of sweets!

Are you still moaning and groaning from your Thanksgiving feast? Well, if you took the day off of wedding planning....time to get back to it! There are probably several deals out there today on wedding related items! Everyone wants to capture the shoppers on Black Friday! I have found a couple of great candy companies to help you with your candy bar buffet! My favorite was the lollipops from Hammond's! You can not go wrong with a group of the gorgeous lollipops in your candy buffet! They have other fun candies as well and one of the best features - search by color!

 courtesy of Real Simple Magazine

This is a DIY project courtesy of Martha Stewart

You could be a bride like Julia who got married using this lollipop bouquet

Photograph credit: Mira Weddings

I wasn't looking for anything specific when I came upon these two candy companies however, seeing what they had to offer....I sure am glad I stumbled upon them! My creative impulses were in overdrive! From finding Hammond's, I then stumbled upon The Cocoa Room. I came across them by looking for cupcake decorations! The first thing I found were these candy coated sunflower seeds and almonds! I like Jordan Almonds but I love chocolate covered almonds!!