Here's some help for writing Thank You notes!

One of the things you will do through out the process of getting engaged to getting married is write a whole bunch of "thank you" notes! A couple will have hosted for them: an engagement party, a bridal shower and then the wedding it self that people will purchase gifts for them and it is customary for a note of thanks be written for each of these gifts.

Thank you notes should be personal and always hand written. So what do you do if you are not a good writer or what about if you are just stumped for what to say after writing your 100th note? One thing you can do is visit Emily Easton's Thank You Notes website. From crockpots to cash, from sheets to salad bowls, Emily has done the work for you. You will find over 70 items she has put words of thanks to and it's all free for brides and grooms to use. Emily doesn't sell stationery and she doesn't actually write the notes for you - she just provides brides words to copy or ideas you can use! Check it out if you are needing some helpful tips on what to say or how to say it!

A glam package giveaway from Bonny Bridal

What's black, cream, full of glam and best of all....free? A wedding giveaway of epic proportions! Bonny Bridal has partnered with some amazing wedding vendors and are hosting a $1250 Vintage Hollywood Glam wedding giveaway - that ends NOVEMBER 30th!

One lucky bride will get all kinds of goodies including: The dress, a vintage handmade brooch bouquet, a Tessa Kim feather fascinator and birdcage veil, 25 couture wedding invitations, paddle signs and a wedding banner! There are only 4 days left to enter this fabulous giveaway! GOOD LUCK!

Free Printable: Photo Booth Props

Oh happy day! Literally. I found the most adorable - FREE - do it yourself photo props over on the blog: Oh Happy Day. Mad props to them for putting these together but, it gets even better! They have an easy to follow DIY tutorial on how to make them! 

Photo Props #1

Photo Props #2

Photo Props #3

I downloaded them myself for future use - one can never have too many photo props sitting around, right? When I opened the first set I was thrilled to see that the images are actual size! Thank you so much to the fab group at Oh Happy Day for this awesome DIY project!

We have a WINNER for our S'mores for Two Giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who entered our November Giveaway: S'mores for Two! We changed things up a bit on this particular giveaway and allowed you to "tweet" every day for an additional entry. It's a good thing Melissa took it seriously....because all that tweet, tweeting paid off and now you will be heatin' things up at home with some ooey-gooey goodness! 

Congrats Melissa...

and thank you for entering!

Please send me an email with all your shipping information and I will get your s'mores kit right out to you! :) Stay tuned....December will be an AMAZING giveaway month! It's the end of the year and we have our elves already gearing up for another round...stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so thankful to everyone who comes by and reads my musings on all things wedding! Sharing the love I have for weddings, deals and steals and how to have a fabulous wedding without breaking the bank gives me great joy! I love the act of "giving" - I get so excited every month when I announce our giveaways! This blog has really been a labor of love so, THANK YOU to everyone who stops by! From my family to yours...have a wonderful day! 

If you haven't entered our November giveaway - stop by today and enter! We are choosing a winner tomorrow!!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thank you to Jessica at Craftily Ever After for providing these 

free printables for Thanksgiving! 

S'more Kit for two giveaway! Last week to enter!

This is the last week to enter our November giveaway! Plan a romantic night in with your sweetie and surprise him with s'mores for two! This s'mores kit offers everything you need - right down to the chocolate and graham crackers! It's a sweet way to end a romantic evening! 

Click here to enter now!

Winner will be announced Friday November 25th

Wedding Shoes - Add a little color at bargain prices!

The idea of adding a little color under the dress has been widely popular. I see a lot of "real wedding" pics with brides showing off their shoes. Having a color shoe that matches your wedding theme makes options endless - and I love shoes! I fell in love with this purple silk shoe from Nine West and what a bargain it is from Amazon's shoe site 6pm.com:

Original Price: $89.00 - On Sale for $27.95

This particular shoe is also offered in Black Silk and Taupe Silk. Add in free shipping and you just scored! 6pm.com offers name brand shoes and sometimes you can score these shoes at deeply discounted prices! It's a great site to shop at and they have (literally) 1000's of shoes! I was browsing the Clearance section and look at these deals:

Regular Price: $69.00 - On Sale: $20.70

HOT! This Martinez Valero shoe is regularly $149 but you can get it for $36.99

It is also available in French Blue, the color shown above which is a pretty popular wedding shoe color!

One of my favorite bridal shoe designers is Pour La Victoire. Gorgeous shoes but, they are not cheap! So, finding them at bargain prices is a big deal! Many white and ivory satin designs feature blue leather soles that read "I DO" in sparkling rhinestones. But, their colored shoes are also trendy, well made shoes you would pick as your go-to favorite! This morning I saw a "Real Wedding" on La Magnifique and the bride was wearing the "Divia" by Pour La Victorie in Royal Blue Satin! I found the same pair, in a pretty Silver satin:

Original Price $166.00 - On Sale for $41.99 (only in select sizes!)

I do love the Royal Blue Satin color though so I had to sneak in these! The "Baylie" is available in 5 colors and lots of sizes are available!

Regular Price: $155.00 - On Sale for $39.99

A $50k Wedding Giveaway? Yes, it's true if you are getting married in Minnesota!

Would you plan a destination wedding to....Minnesota? 

Well, why not if you won this 2012 Twin Cities Wedding Services Giveaway headed by featured photographer Erin Johnson Photography. This giveaway is the ultimate wedding package for one lucky couple. If you’re getting married near the Twin Cities area (like Minneapolis or Saint Paul) or know of someone who will be, this is the perfect contest to take part in. What could be better than winning wedding services now worth over $50,000! The lucky couple will be chosen by Erin Johnson Photography on December 1st, 2011. Check out this awesome list of Twin City Wedding Vendors and find out how to enter after the jump.

Erin Johnson Photography
Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling
Lime Canary Vintage Rental
Rocket Science Weddings & Events
Cocoa & Fig (Cakes & Dessert)
PangCakes
Andrea Holton
Rosann Konieczny Calligraphy
Teaser by Yuli
My Redhead Designs
Elegant Motion Studios
Sykes Keyboard Studio
On Solid Ground Vintage Rentals
Pish Posh Styling
The Wedding Shoppe
Oodles of Color
Rindelaub Family Dental
Renee’s Royal Valet

PLUS:
+ Chowgirls Killer Catering
+ Brides of France

Here's the first step to winning the giveaway: Simply send  an email! 

This is a HUGE giveaway for one very lucky couple getting married in 2012 in the Twin Cities area. Currently, the giveaway is valued at over $45,000! And...they are still adding vendors!
Click here to see what the lucky couple will win if their names are drawn! 

Are you {or someone you know} already participating in our 2012 Wedding Giveaway? 
Well...here's how to earn more chances in the giveaway drawing... 

Here are the details all spelled out:

The winning couple will be determined in a drawing and will be announced on December 1, 2011. Couples receive one entry into the drawing by entering their picture and proposal story.

 Click here to see more about entering this giveaway.

While the couple are entered in the drawing by sending their picture and proposal story, they can earn more chances by having their friends and family "like" a participating vendor's facebook page, and then commenting on the couple's photo in the "2012 Wedding Giveaway" album posted on each of the participating vendor's facebook pages {doing these two things are also known, above in the images, as combos}. Commenting is as vital as "liking" the particpating vendor's page as it is the only way for us to know which couple should benefit from the "like" with an extra entry into the giveaway drawing.

We will can only count the "combos" that happen between 10am {Minnesota Time} on November 1, 2011 and November 30, 2011.

Participating couples are not required to do anything on facebook to be entered into the giveaway. Couples are already entered into the giveaway when they sent their photo and proposal story to mail@erinjohnsonphoto.com.

Now, I'm sure you're thinking: how in the world are they going to keep track? Well, our staff and interns are going to keep track!  Our staff and interns will validate the combos and write your name on the additional entry slips! Thank goodness for our amazing interns!

It is important to note that facebook is not at all a partner in this giveaway. We are simply asking you to like the participating vendors’ facebook pages.

Please don't use the word "vote" on facebook. They are very strict about their contest policies and we are being very careful to follow their policies. This is a giveaway and it is only acceptable to facebook for us to ask you to "like" our pages. The commenting under your photo is simply to know which couple the "like" should benefit.

If you have any questions about this contest, than head over to Erin Johnson Photography for the details. Join the 2012 giveaway fray today!

Bridal Gown Blog is happy to help promote this contest and is in no way responsible for this contest or the prizes awarded.

A lot of work? You bet! Totally, awesomely worth it? HECK YEAH! Good luck! :)

Stock up on baking liners and cupcake wrappers from Bake It Pretty!

All Baking Liners & Cupcake Wrappers 50% off for 48 hours   It's a great time to stock up on cupcake liners and wrappers from Bake It Pretty!  Shop early -- popular styles will go fast!  Shopping this sale is easy: just add items from the Baking Cups Categories to your cart and the 1/2-off discount will be reflected at checkout.  Sale ends Wednesday at 5pm EST.   Bake It Pretty has plenty of sales planned for the Holiday season, so stay tuned!  Orders over $50 ship free to US destinations until 2012.  It's a killer deal - what are you waiting for? GO SHOP...and when you are done make sure you bake it pretty! :)

The most personal shoe you will ever own: Figgie Shoes

When you start planning your wedding, one thing you will realize is that there are a lot of things you can personalize to make the day yours. After the big day you will keep certain mementos. You most likely won't pull out your wedding gown and wear it again but, your shoes are a different story. While out shopping yesterday, I stopped in an accessory store and saw this quote:

"I don’t know who invented the high heel, 

but all men owe him a lot."

That is a quote from...Marilyn Monroe. That quote remind me about a site I ran across that I wanted to share: Figgie Shoes. Shoes are personal. Figgie shoes are ridiculously personal—their purpose is to try and explain, in picture and personality, who YOU are, to anyone who happens to be looking.

Figgie Shoes offer custom hand-painted footwear for all occasions and they will tell YOUR one of a kind love story. For information on pricing, shoe styles, and any other questions, you can contact the artist: deborah@figgieshoes.com and if you would like to try and win a pair of your very own Figgie Shoes visit Get Married and register by November 28th!

Giveaway: S'more Cooking Set for Two

Last night, I was having a s'more love fest - and it continued this morning! Even though I didn't rush out and make the s'more cakelettes for breakfast (I did think about it) I am going to work up this post...and maybe then an appetite and head to the kitchen! So, it's Friday - a FABULOUS day to start a new Giveaway!

We are doing things a little differently with this giveaway so, please make sure you read ALL the guidelines for entering! If you have questions...please ask!

What's up for grabs: S’mores Kit for two - it ships with the wooden platter, miniature hibachi and bamboo skewers plus chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers. Everything you need to tear into the box and enjoy s'mores at home!


Unfortunately, shipping restrictions prohibit us from shipping Sterno fuel . Sterno fuel is widely available for purchase at hardware, grocery and party supply stores - and it's clean to cook with so, don't worry about roasting those marshmallows! 

HOW TO ENTER

MANDATORY 

This means you MUST DO ALL THREE ITEMS!

• Get ONE entry for: Following my blog PUBLICLY (which means I can see you are following). Leave a comment to let me know you follow
• Get ONE entry for: Following me on Twitter and sending out a "Tweet" about the giveaway. Your "Tweet" MUST include a link back to this giveaway! Post the link to your "Tweet" in the comment section
• Get ONE entry for: You must "Like" our Fan page on Facebook and you must leave a little message on our wall that you came because of this giveaway

OPTIONAL

Want to increase your odds of winning?

• Get ONE additional entry PER DAY for: Send out a "Tweet" about the giveaway. ONLY 1 time PER DAY about the giveaway. Your "Tweet" MUST include a link back to this giveaway! Post the link to your "Tweet" in the comment section (please don't tweet 100 times in a day and then post...that's just ridiculous!)
• Get ONE entry for: Share our S'more giveaway post with your Facebook friends and make sure they say they came to the page because of YOU. 

Example: Your name is "Jenn" and you "Like" our page on Facebook. You leave a little comment "Hey! I love s'mores as much as you!" and then you share the Facebook post with your best friend "Suzie" well, then, Suzie has to come "like" the page and say "Hey! I love s'mores and "Jenn" sent me over here! If "Suzie" wants to try and win she has already done one of the MANDATORY items by liking our page...she just needs to finish!

And...since this part is "new" to the giveaways....guess what? Depending on how it goes I might just give a SECOND DIY at home S'more kit to the person who sends the most people over to "Like" our Facebook page. Sound good???

LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THIS POST LETTING ME KNOW YOU HAVE DONE EACH ITEM

(that means you will post 3x to complete your mandatory entries)

This giveaway will end on: November 25, 2011 at 8pm PST and the winner will be posted and contacted shortly there after! If we do not hear from the winner within 3 days, another winner will be chosen. PLEASE, make sure you leave me a way to contact you!!

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS only!

Good luck to everyone!

Gotta have s'more wedding info!

Give me a cold night, a warm fire and all the gooey goodness to make s'mores and you will have one happy girl. I love s'mores any way I can get them and this isn't the first time I have talked about them! I did share (this past May) about a company who made S'Muffins - and I still dream about those little muffins! 

I have been keeping an eye out to see if they were shipping nationally yet - no such luck (crossing fingers and toes it will be one day soon). So, what prompted this s'more kick tonight, you might ask? I read about a company who offers these desserts table side and luck be a lady...this chain had an Orange County location. The restaurant I am referring to is Cosi. The restaurant is a cross between Corner Bakery and Panera. The food was good - and you should check to see if they have a location near you for a light, romantic dinner. But, lets get back to the dessert! So, they have this cute s'more set for 2 - it comes with the wooden platter, miniature hibachi and bamboo skewers plus chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers.

I think any outdoor wedding would be the perfect setting for a s'more dessert station and, apparently, I am not alone! Here is an adorable s'more set up from Eat Drink Pretty

Digging a little deeper into this topic...you are not going to believe what I found. I hit the s'more jackpot! Are you ready...s'more cakelettes! Mini s'more cakes!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE mini cakes...and a s'more mini cake...it's true and I am in l-o-v-e. Desserts For Breakfast shared the recipe (which will yield 3 mini cakelettes). I would eat that for breakfast!

I almost need to take a little break after seeing that. I wanted to do mini cakes at my wedding and I love that these are actually coming into a little world of their own now. Weddings are about two individuals joining together as one so, there is something about single serving dishes joining the main dish, that seems symbolic to me. So, let's come full circle with what attracted me tonight: the s'more set for two. The key is how to cook the marshmallows when you don't have a roaring campfire. In the gift set from Cosi the focal point is the hibachi burner. So, imagine this...each table has it's own hibachi burner (1 - 3 per table) and then you have a s'mores spread table with all kinds of goodies: graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, oreo cookies, Peanut butter, Bananas, Strawberries, Peanut butter cups, Dark chocolate, White Chocolate, Nutella, Caramel topping - and really anything else you can think of! They grab their goodies and head back to their table to start roasting their marshmallows and making their own s'mores! I love this! So, where to find these hibachi burners you might ask? Done. 

Hibachi Set Aluminum Dragon Pattern with Grill and Fuel Holder - 16.99

Hibachi Set Cast Iron and Wooden Base with Grill and Fuel Holder - 9.99

I am an absolute FAN over this idea - what about you? I hope you are because guess what? I am going to give away a s'more gift set for 2 - maybe you and your sweetie can share a little dessert one night and discuss having a s'more dessert station for your wedding! What do you think? I will be announcing the giveaway a little later today! I hope you all love this as much as I do!