A slice of (paper) cake

It's been awhile since I have checked in on one of my favorite Etsy sellers: ImeonDesigns. In fact, it was in November of last year! You can read the post here. She creates beautiful paper cake boxes that you can order by the slice or as entire cake. Each design is completely handmade - including all the paper roses. Since I last checked in, Noemi has created more stunning designs and I love them all:

You want something unique and breath-taking to hold little thank you gifts for your bridal party, for the bridal shower or for the wedding. And then you see it; a gorgeous chocolate cake with colorful flowers delicately decorating each slice. It’s perfect! Each slice is $4.75 or you can message her for the entire cake!

You mean cakes come in another "flavor"?? Oh yes, they do....this creamy cake slice is a favor box with delicate and lovely blue toned flowers! The price for one slice is $3.50

Each cake slice is cut, pasted and put together by hand. Each flower starts off as a flat piece of paper and is twisted and turned until it comes to full bloom....and they do bloom....beautifully! I just love these. Very different, very special and something your guests will treasure as a thank you! Contact Noemi (her Etsy shop name is her first name backward!) and have a chat! She is a super, duper nice woman! I know this because we had an opportunity last year to do a giveaway with her and it was such a huge success! I think we are going to have to do something similar soon...what do you think Noemi??

March Giveaway is in full swing!

Our March giveaway is in full swing! Have you entered to win yet?! We are giving away a beautiful feather hair fascinator and a 9-inch birdcage veil to a lucky bride! The giveaway will end on March 19th, 2011 and remember that you can get up to 8 ENTIRES! Just follow our instructions on the blog post and make sure you leave ONE COMMENT for EACH item that you do (it makes our job a little easier when we are picking the winner).

Click here to enter now!

Crate and Barrel $100,000 Ultimate Wedding Giveaway

Crate and Barrel's $100,000

Ultimate Wedding Giveaway

Crate and Barrel is doing their $100,000 Ultimate Wedding contest again! To enter the contest you need to create a registry at Crate and Barrel. That shouldn't be too hard - they have everything you need (and I personally LOVE their stuff). If you already have a registry then you just need to: Click here and have ready: 

Three photos to upload of you and your fiancé and answer these three questions in 100 words or less:

1. Tell us your love story.
2. Get down to the nitty-gritty and share three important details of your Ultimate Wedding.
3. Describe how you'd design and decorate your dream home.

The deadline to get this all done is: March 31st, 2011. Then you will need to enlist your entire group of family and friends to vote because the top 100 couples will move on to the next round! The winning couple will be announced in June!

My Little Cupcake

Let me introduce you to my new must have item: My Little Cupcake Pop mold. It's a no-bake mold that allows you to create adorable, sweet treats. The owner, and inventor of My Little Cupcake Pop mold, is Jeannette Facey. She even has her 3 little children show you how to make cupcake pops in a video...could it really be THAT easy? It would be hard to make a lot of these treats with only one mold so, I suggest ordering a few - they are sold individually for $5.95 or you can buy a party pack of 4 for $23.80

Would you wear a black wedding dress?

Oh my DARING brides, where are you? A new color is on the horizon in wedding gowns: black. I actually see enough white wedding gowns to actually LOVE colored wedding gowns! Black is dramatic. Black is bold. In some cultures black is actually worshiped as the color for innocence, new beginning, new life, matrimony, sacredness, purity and chastity....but would you wear it? Could you pull it off? It's the wedding gown runway dream...

Jill Stuart

What do you think? Is too far fetched? Maybe we have to ease into this color...with just using black as an accent color:

Bonny Bridal

Allure

Unforgettable by Bonny Bridal

The Costco Connection

Do you think it's far fetched that Costco would jump into the wedding business? I am not that surprised - when it comes to throwing a big party I know that Costco is on my list to shop at. I will admit to even checking out the engagement rings while shopping at my local Costco - they have some pretty amazing rings!! This Princess Cut 1.5 carat ring is $3299.99

The Association for Wedding Professionals, says that a couple in the United States will spend $19,581 (between $14,686 and $24,476) for their wedding, not including the cost for a honeymoon or an engagement ring. If you are already married you probably already know that. Costs for a wedding add up - quick! So, Costco put out a call to their members and got (according to their article) hundreds of emails and letters about how brides and grooms used Costco services to save on their wedding. One bride even found her groom there (he worked there! haha). Other people sited their invitation prices. Their website states you save 25% off retail prices but, I still think you could get away with doing your own invites for less! 

You have to have flowers too...and Costco has you covered on that! They have money saving packages! Prices include shipping (but you have to add sales tax!)

40 Piece Wedding Collection fir $749.00 includes:

• 1 Bridal bouquet
• 1 Maid of Honor bouquet
• 4 Brides Maid bouquets
• 1 Toss Away bouquet
• 2 Mothers petite hand-tie
• 12 Corsages
• 12 Attendant boutonnieres
• 6 Centerpieces  (vases not included)
• 10 Rose Petal buds

20 Piece Wedding Collection ranges from $349.99 - $429.99 includes: 

• 1 Bridal bouquet
• 2 Brides Maid bouquets
• 1 Toss Away bouquet
• 6 Corsages
• 6 Attendant boutonnieres
• 3 Centerpieces  (vases not included)
• 1 Rose Petal bud   

9 Piece Wedding Collection for $229.99 includes:

• 1 Bridal bouquet
• 2 Brides Maid bouquets
• 2 Corsages
• 4 Attendant boutonnieres 

And what would a wedding be without a bridal gown? Costco also sells wedding gowns via 

Kirstie Kelly. I have never seen or even heard of one these special events being held at my local Costco....but if you have or if you have been to one LEAVE A COMMENT! I want to know how it went! Special events are held at Costco locations - complete with:



• A private, salon-style fitting area with three-way mirrors and experienced bridal consultants
• Six exclusive styles of gowns in sizes ranging from 2 to 24
• Samples of each dress to try on, with multiple sizes per sample
• Limited selection: Only 108 gowns will be available at each Special Event
• This is a cash-and-carry purchase; buy it when you see it
• Fingertip- and cathedral-style veils will be available
• Appointments are recommended; go to Costco.com and search “wedding dress.”
• Savings start at 40 percent of retail



Check Costco's event schedule to see if this might be your perfect fit! This wouldn't be my cup of tea for a wedding but, I have to admit, I do see the cost savings on using Costco for some wedding things! What are your thoughts?

It's Giveaway Time!

**** ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED!****
March Giveaway Time!

I have had an absolute love of using feathers in weddings for about a year now. Feathers are soft, feminine and are a very elegant way to dress up your wedding. Hair fascinators have become very popular with brides too - and I love the look!  Fascinators were predominately worn by the British but, not any more! Brides everywhere have been leaning towards this look - add a feather fascinator to a birdcage veil and viola! You have a gorgeous headpiece! This month, for our giveaway we chose a gorgeous feather hair clip from Ansonia Bridal Headpieces and Veils:

This dashing hair clip features a spiral of feathers with a three crystal center!

The retail price of this gorgeous feather hair fascinator is $59.00

And since having a fascinator without a birdcage veil is like having hot chocolate without marshmallow's the winner will also receive a 9 inch birdcage veil from Etsy shop Tessa Kim. The price of the birdcage veil is $38.00

We found Tessa on the Etsy Wedding Street team and we love supporting handmade items! Tessa first started creating her handmade bridal accessories and veils for her own August 1, 2009 wedding and since then has launched a full line of accessories for the vintage inspired bride. Her excellent feedback on Etsy speaks for itself - 100% positive feedback from over 700 buyers! Tessa Kim's line includes: birdcage veils, tulle birdcage veils, bridal traditional veils, flower fascinators, feather hair combs, headbands, dress sashes, brooches and much more. 

Ready to enter? We try to keep it pretty simple here...just follow these little rules and we will announce the winner on March 19th, 2011:

HOW TO ENTER:

• You must choose to follow my blog PUBLICLY or leave an email address!
• For a SECOND entry blog about this contest and leave an ADDITIONAL comment to let me know you did that with a link to the post (I will check!)
• For a THIRD entry twitter about this contest and leave an ADDITIONAL comment to let me know you did that with a link to the post! You can find my twitter page here

5 BONUS ENTRIES: Grab my Blog Button and add it to your page (leave an additional post with link to let me know you did this!) and get FIVE bonus entries!

As always, you can get 8 entries into this giveaway! Yay!

(leave one comment for each item you do!)

This giveaway will end on: March 19th, 2011 at 5pm 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!!

What you win: 

• White feather hair fascinator with 3-rhinestone center
• 9-inch white birdcage veil from Tessa Kim

Value of giveaway (including shipping to winner): $106.00

This giveaway is open to US Residents only!