Friday, July 29, 2011

Deal of the Day - Flowergirl Dress - Act Fast!

Just saw this "deal of the day" and always you need to ACT FAST if you want to get in on this! Classic neckline, cap sleeves, sweet bows and sequins. This dress would be perfect for your little flowergirl - and at 50% off it's priced at $25.00! You can not beat that price when dressing your little princess! Sizes available are 5 - 12

Girls' Special Occasion Short-Sleeve Peasant Dress - WhiteGirls' Special Occasion Short-Sleeve Peasant Dress - White


Sunday, July 24, 2011

Cheery Cherry Wedding Inspiration

Cheery, cherry wedding inspiration! I am a fan of consumable wedding favors which is why I think having a candy bar or dessert station is a great additional to a wedding! Not only do these dessert tables help in setting the tone for your wedding, they also provide a great memory for your guests! While the vows and the meaning of the wedding are super important to you, having a great time at the wedding is important to your guests! So, on this super nice summer day my thoughts were of cherries! 

Cherry Sugar Cookies from JustCrumbs
 My hubby would go ga-ga for these mini cherry pies
 My favorite baker, Bakerella, made these - but she got the recipe from NotMartha

 Uh oh! I see a serious sidetrack issue going on with these mini-jars! Again this post is from Not Martha (another side track issue). I have just found two new obsessions interests!

I found a great website that has different size jars to use here!

 
 


Saturday, July 9, 2011

Custom Aisle Runners

A simple, yet elegant touch to your wedding is having a custom made aisle runner. Flo, who was married in 2009, was a do it yourself bride and she created her own aisle runner. She had so much fun doing her own, she turned it into a side business! I think most DIY brides come to the realization, after their own weddings, that they love creating things (and they miss it)! Some of my favorite finds have been from former bride-to-be's! Here are some of my favorite aisle runners that Flo has made:


Basic aisle runners start at $125 but, you can upgrade the design for an additional fee. This monogram, for example, has a $85 upgrade fee.

This is another design that has an additional fee. This upgrade fee is $100 - isn't this amazing though? So perfect for a Fall wedding!
I really LOVE the tree designs!


If you are interested in getting a quote for your custom aisle runner, check out Flo's website  or contact her via email!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Maryland: Antrim 1844 Inn and local wedding photographers

One of the things I do every day is surf wedding websites and blogs...it's a tough job, I know. Sometimes, I find myself at sites and I forget how I got there. Such is the case with finding Mr. and Mrs. Adams. It's a blog that was written for (I assume) friends and family to enjoy the musings of a young couple embarking down the aisle. Like I said, I am not sure how I got there but, what kept me there (for a couple of days now) was reading about the venue where "Mr. and Mrs. Adams" (not their real names) were planning their wedding: Antrim 1844. This venue is a neoclassical Civil War plantation that now serves as a nationally recognized bed and breakfast and fine dining restaurant. 




Last summer, when I was visiting my best friend in Maryland, I wrote about this venue, because she was married here! Finding Mr. and Mrs. Adams blog brought back all of the memories from my friend's wedding weekend, which took place in May of 1998! This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and it's a place I would absolutely love to go back to (one day, crossing my fingers!). If you are in the area or even if you are planning a destination wedding - this is definitely a place to check out! Sadly, "Mrs. Adams" never finished her wedding blog...kind of leaving readers, like me, with a feeling of "what ever happened to..." so, I didn't get to read about her big day and how everything came together. From her blog, I found photographers, Procopio Photography (and this is exactly how I get lost in all the sites I visit!!).

Procopio Photography Blog logo

This photography team has gorgeous "eye candy" for you to view! Their latest blog post, the wedding of Michelle and Jason, at the Washington National Cathedral prompted this blog post actually! My thoughts on the images were: double wow! We did not visit the Washington National Cathedral last summer but, another reason to head back to the east coast! During my visit to their website, I did find the real Mr. and Mrs. Adams! My curiosity about how their wedding turned out was finally satisfied and if you are curious you can check out their pictures here!

I hope that if any of my readers, or maybe people like me who wander wedding websites and blogs, happen upon this post that you might connect with these two wedding vendors! I feel pretty confident that you would not only be in capable hands but, that you would have the most amazing wedding with them! Sharing things I love with you all is just one of the reasons I love writing this blog! Cheers to a wonderful weekend!


===========Update==========

A reader let me know that Mrs Adams is back and updating her blog once again! She just posted a lovely video of her gorgeous wedding at the Antrim Inn! So lovely. Welcome back! 


Thursday, July 7, 2011

Dessert pedestals for cakes and cupcakes!

I have been saving this "find" from Etsy seller BurlapAndBlue for quite awhile now....I know, I was totally holding out on you guys - right? Linda is the owner of this shop that is filled with beautiful goodies, perfect to accent a wedding or shower dessert table! I just love all the ways you can use this. Linda's lovely pedestals were also featured in the April 2011 Bride's magazine! And guess what? I just found out that Linda is celebrating her 1000th blog follower by giving away a gorgeous summer starfish dessert pedestal! BONUS! You have until the 12th of July to enter so good luck on that...but, if you want to check out these beauties head on over to BurlapAndBlue on Etsy!



Oh! And those awesome embroidery loops I just posted about here? If you are not much of a DIY crafter and would rather purchase handmade items (like me!) another bonus!! Linda makes them! Whoop! For $20 you can have someone else make the Chalkboard Embroidery Hoop for your dessert table!



Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Southern California Brides: A Special Deal For You!

Main

My little blog reaches such a wide audience that I do not usually pass along "local" deals but, this one was too good to pass up! I got a notification that the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens, located in Long Beach, California, was offering an amazing deal: Friday Wedding & Reception Special from 6pm - 10pm for $3300! 


Obviously, Fridays are not the "ideal" day for weddings - which probably prompted this special deal but, with the economy being the way it is, I think bride's are thinking "outside the box" and having a Friday wedding totally makes sense! The Japanese Gardens hold a very special place in my heart! Two very good friends have gotten married here (one held their reception elsewhere and one had their reception there). Also, back in the day, when I owned and operated my bridal store, TenderHeart Bridal, we did a bridal show here. I think it was the only bridal show the gardens have hosted but, it was an amazing, intimate event and we had a strolling fashion show of bridal gowns! Our models would stroll through the gardens...it was really magical! 



The Japanese Gardens is a BEAUTIFUL venue that is tucked away inside California State University at Long Beach. The grounds are amazingly kept! There are tall trees, an arched bridge (where the weddings take place), a koi pond and waterfalls. The garden can accommodate up to 200 guests for a ceremony and up to 165 for a wedding and reception.


So, if you are in the area and you are interested - I urge you to contact them! 

CONTACT INFORMATION
Call: 562.985.8889 for questions or Email: Japanese Garden Coordinators


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Embroidery Hoop Wall Art (and a DIY project)

I have found a clever craft that has been making the rounds. As far as I am concerned, this cute little concept has been flying under the radar! But, no longer! What could I possibly be talking about? Well, it has to do with a little device that has been around since 1902 - the embroidery hoop. At the end of this post, you will find the link to a tutorial on how to make your own DIY: Chalkboard Embroidery Hoop Signs! These are so easy, so adorable and I think you will be running out to get all the items to start making them (thanks to Hostess with the Mostess for the original post!). But, before you do that - check out some of the creations that are already being offered (maybe you will get a few more ideas!):



Each "Little City" Hoop is handcrafted on linen or cotton and incorporates unique hand-cut applique in 100% wool felt. Singly or in a cluster, these pieces make perfect wall art. You must also check out her canvas pieces - they are incredible!



These hoops are small - only 6 inches around! You could probably ask for a larger hoop from the seller to accommodate both names and date. I love the floating heart look though!


Two little love birds singing their song! These cuties are sure to make a statement piece on your wall or shelf. 


If you are ready to try a DIY project - here you go! This one looks easy enough and coming from me, the non-crafter, that says a lot! The possibilities are endless since you are using chalkboard fabric and these can always be reused after the wedding! Leave a comment if you are going to try this project (or any DIY project we blog about!) - love to get your feedback!!