Designer Dessert Tables

A huge thank you to Amanda at Elizabeth Anne for referencing Amy Atlas' AMAZING dessert tables. If you're considering doing a dessert table you absolutely MUST check out her website for inspiration! Getting married in New York, or have the cash for Amy's services... you've got to check it out. Her tables are nothing short of breathtaking!! Look at all those cute details!!

I <3 Ann Wood

So it's not really news, but it's worth another mention... I love Ann Wood's little creations. I love her birds, owls, ships, and all the fantastic little projects she works on. The miniature projects are so detailed and so fantastic that they almost transcend you into a happier, simpler time.

To be even a bit more specific, being a second-time around bride, as I got engaged and began imagining what I wanted for our wedding, I honestly felt a little stuck. As I started to try and put together a vision for the wedding - I found that it was hard to decide upon a theme and identify something that really inspired me. And that's when I stumbled across Ann Wood. I saw a picture of these cute bird cake toppers and thought, WOW... now THAT's something different. I quickly jumped on chat boards and wedding blogs and was able to identify that they were from Ann Wood.

Were they expensive? Yes. Were they WAY over our budget? Yes. Did I still have to have them? Absolutely. I tried looking for alternatives... but NOTHING really compared. So these little birds became the inspiration. Not because I was planning on having a bird themed wedding (yikes), but because I decided that everything I choose for our special day would be carefully chosen, collected, and put together... just like Ann's birds.

So i'm less than three weeks away from our big day and as I stand back and look at all the decisions we've made, and the details we've incorporated into the wedding.. I couldn't be more proud. Each detail is a reflection of 'us' and of the couple we are together... and I couldn't be more excited to share it with our friends and family. So thank you Ann... they may be little, but they sure do mean a lot!

And just in case you're wondering, Ann was kind enough to make a set for my fiancee and I... this cute little couple will be proudly perched upon our wedding cake. And will be a beautiful reminder of our special day.

PS: I just saw this posted on her blog from Design Sponge - a fun sneak peak into her studio! And another about cardboard horses.

(Visit her blog and click on the green button to the right to download the horse template)

A++ for Goose Grease

So in this bad economy it's up to us brides to find creative ways to save money and not go TOO overboard....in fact, blogs these days are buzzing with creative ways to do it yourself, or find cost effective alternatives to pricey bridal items.

Case in point? Our rehearsal dinner cake.

Being that my fiancee is in the Navy, I REALLY wanted to order one of Mike's Amazing Cake's speciality cakes. I mean, look how fabulous this hat cake is! Problem? Yes! For a cake to feed only 20 people, the cost was over $150. Even if I could stomach that, the shipping cost (almost another $175) was enough to set me WELL over my budget.

Cost effective SOLUTION? I worked with Goose Grease (who was featured in this last issue of Martha Stewart Wedding) to create these one of a kind cake toppers. Our venue already provides a cake, so rather than have another 'grooms' cake, we're just going to decorate the existing cake with our fabulous goose grease cake toppers.

I have to give a shout out to the ladies at goose grease... not only did they do a FABULOUS job, but they were SO amazing to work with. I sent them photos of my fiance's uniform, and of what our dog, etc look like and they replicated it almost exactly.

Looking for a cost effective, but incredibly unique cake topper? Be sure to give the ladies at goose grease a call.

PS: they also do miniature cupcake versions... how cute these would be on top of a cupcake-tree.

Battling against cold feeet

So, it's a well known fact that i'm an ETSY addict. But when I came across these gems I actually laughed out loud. THIS is exactly why ETSY is so fabulous... I mean where else can you go to find such unusual and customized gifts that help complete any fab. party/wedding/etc.

So yes, I immediately added these to the cart. I mean, my fiancee couldn't live another second without these funny socks... right? :)

Check out Erin's shop - she's also got customized socks for the father of the bride, and the father-in-law to be.

Happy sock shopping!!

DC Garter-fest

Looking for a fresh take on traditional garters? Check out Julianne Smith's wedding garters at the launch party of her new collection.

When: This Wednesday (May 27) from 7:30-9:00pm

Where: Hello Cupcake (1351 Connecticut Avenue NW, in Washington, DC)

Must: RSVP to info@herpersign.com

Anyone else going, I'm thinking this is a must :)

FINALLY back!

My blog-apologies... i've been gone for SOO long :(

My grandmother died a few weeks ago, and I guess it's just been a bit hard getting back into the swing of things.

But i'm back now and have a few great things to share... more to come.

AHOY Mate'

So I just had to share this... this SERIOUSLY just popped into my inbox. Why get married the 'normal way' when you can get married aboard a floating chapel! I know I'm going to be a Navy wife, but this is taking it a bit too far!

Oh, and just in case you're interested.. the email said they are actually SELLING the boat, so if you're interested in getting into the floating chapel business, be sure to give them a call! :)

Mix and Match.. the more the merrier?

I'm finally back (I'll explain later) and have banked a few fun ideas from fellow bloggers that I wanted to share...

While I myself purchased custom stamps using zazzle, how amazing is this idea? Using vintage stamps, mix and match stamps in your wedding colors, creating a a chic rustic effect with a variety of stamps. See 100 layer cake on specific how-to's.

But I loved this idea, not only is it incredibly unique but budget friendly as well. Got to love that!!

Cupcake BLING - DIY Style

I came across a few fantastic ideas for fun ways to decorate cupcakes.. having a cupcake wedding cake, or just love making cupcakes (like I do)? Here are a few fun ways to decorate your cupcakes.

Courtesy of Une-Deux Senses and Wedding Cabaret- here are instructions on how to make your own cupcake flags.

Here's another fantastic idea... Goosgrease has been featured in this month's Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine. In addition their adorable cake toppers, they also do a smaller cupcake topper. How fantastic are these? (ANNND... only $40!)

Another cute cupcake topper (great for birthdays) are Goosegrease's round toppers.. How cute are these? A set of two costs $10 and can be customized to match your color scheme!

Addressing the issue at hand...

Okay, so a quick apology for my absence. Family emergency pulled me away from my beloved laptop for a few days. But I'm back.. and have a few fun things I've found this week...

Check out this vendor (courtesy of from I will to I do) - how fantastic are these address labels?

Have any other fantastic address label websites? Please share! I mean, can you really EVER have enough stationary?

Birds... AGAIN

So, I know I need to stop this crazy thing i've started for birds... but I just can't help it. (AGH!) I saw this post on Once Wed and had to share, such a fantastic DIY project!



See the step by step directions below, and click here to download the template!

What You'll Need:
One Bunch "Million Star" Gypsophilia (AKA Baby's Breath) Generally, a bunch is 10 - 12 stems, with multiple laterals on each stem)
One Spool Fabric Coated Wire
Decorative Paper (3 or so coordinating sheets)
String
A Sheet of Card Stock
Floral Snips
Scissors
Small Hole Punch
Pencil
Computer and Printer


Resources: Gypsophelia is a very common flower and available through any floral wholesale house, flower shop, or grocery store florist. There are many on-line resources as well. Fabric coated wire is available in the floral section of your craft store.

Before you get started on the garland, unwrap your bunch of Gypsophelia, trim the stems and place in warm water. Allow the flowers to drink for a couple of hours before proceeding.

1. Take your floral clippers, and trim all of the flower tufts off the end of the sprays, leaving just a little stem. (see figure 1)

2. Cut a 7 foot length of fabric coated wire. Twist the end of the wire to make a little loop at the end.

3. Take a tuft of Baby's Breath, and lay it on your support wire, just past the loop. Pick up your wire spool, and wrap the wire around the flower stem and support wire. (see figure 2)

4. Add another tuft, this time to the back side of the wire, and wrap again.

5. Keep adding the flower tufts, alternating front and back, and work your way down the wire. (see figure 3)

6. When you reach the end of the wire, cut the spool away and wrap the wire around the garland end several times to secure. Make a loop on the end with your support wire. Trim your flower stems to make the end of the garland tidy. (see figure 4)

To keep your garland fresh, coil it up, mist it lightly with water, and place it inside a plastic garbage bag. Put it in your refrigerator, or in the coolest spot available. It should stay fresh for 24-48 hours depending where you keep it.

7. Print out the bird template(see below) on a sheet of card stock. Cut out the birds, and trace them onto your decorative paper. ( I used 10 pairs for a six foot garland)

8. Cut all of your birds out, and punch a small hole in the middle of each bird's back. (see figure 5)

9. Cut a length of string about 14 inches long, and tie a bird to each end. (see figure 6)

10. Hang your garland from the wire loop ends and hang your birds over the garland, spacing them evenly apart. (see figure 7)

What it Cost: (to make one six foot garland)
1 bunch of Baby's Breath = $8.50 (from a wholesale florist)
3 Sheets of Paper = $1.80
Spool of Fabric Coated Wire = $2
String = $1.50

Vera Wang... Love her, but SERIOUSLY?

So, I don't DARE disrespect Vera Wang. I mean, lets be honest - she is a bridal God. Okay, well not God, but you get my drift . She continually works her fashion magic and has created some of the best gowns of our time. She's well respected, well known and she's what most little girls dream of... wouldn't everyone love a Vera Wang gown? (Fine, now on to the story...) So yesterday I was all pumped to sit down, and finally watch the MARTHA Show that I had DVR-ed. I couldn't wait to see new dresses by Vera, and hopefully learn a tip or two. The show was fun, had some great ideas and over all seemed to be a huge success. UNTIL an audience member (another bride-to-be) asked Vera about how long you should wait until you order your wedding dress? Now keep in mind the normal response here should be umm, maybe 6-8 months (if not MORE!). So anyway, Vera responded... "2 MONTHS!" I mean, no disrespect, but SERIOUSLY Vera? I mean, have you tried ordering one of your OWN dresses? I was practically cheering when Darcy Miller (ED of Martha Stewart Weddings) and of The Bride's Guide, laughed and said.... umm... maybe more like 6 months. I was SO glad she set the record straight. So brides beware, while Vera might think two months is enough... I would in NO way recommend it.

Lesson learned? Don't believe everything you hear (or read:: wink wink::) ...but it's always better to plan ahead than to be cramming things in at the end. Enjoy the experience!

Heard any other wack-a-doole wedding advice? While we don't dare FOLLOW IT.. it's always fun to laugh about ;)

Guilty as charged - I'm a two dress kind of bride!

So, the verdict's in and I'm SO guilty. I'm definitely a two-dress kind of bride. Before I get comments about how wasteful I am in this poor economy - let me explain ;)

So, in my endless search for everything fabulous in the wedding world. I came across a few dressed that exactly fit what I was looking for... romantic and perfect for a garden wedding. With my magazine photos in hand, I went to Priscilla of Boston with one of my bridesmaids (little shout out to LB), and there I found what I thought was 'the' dress. Keep in mind, I was aware that there were similar, maybe even more fabulous, Monique Lhuillier styles - but her dresses were MORE expensive and pretty similar. To be sure, I even went to a different shop and tried on a gown similiar to the one I was looking at at Priscilla of Boston. While Monique's gowns seemed to be silkier and made out of better fabric, it was hard to justify paying almost DOUBLE for a gown that was SO similar. So, with my budget in mind, I decided to purchase the gown at Priscilla of Boston.

Ten months later, my dress arrived, it was pretty, and all was 'okay.' However, in the back of my mind I always had a nagging feeling that I wasn't 100 percent happy with the dress. I am so excited about all of the details of our wedding... but I was still unsettled about my dress. Regardless, I tried to logic that the cost savings was well worth it - and you only wear the dress once, right?

Now, fast forward to last week. I go back to the shop where I tried on the Monique gown (Hannelore's) to pick up my mom's dress that she ordered. Standing there amongst all the fabulous-ness around me, it hit me ... I absolutely was not happy with my dress. It sounds SO silly - I mean, it sounds silly even as I type it- but right there and then I knew I couldn't wear the Priscilla dress. So I spoke with Pamela at Hannelore's - she told me that she could either help me fix my current dress, or work on ordering me a new one, should we need to resort to such drastic measures. I was excited about the idea of altering my dress ... maybe there was something I could do to it to make it more 'me'. So, needless to say, I met her back at her store the VERY NEXT DAY to figure out once and for all.. WHAT was the right dress for me. Long story short... it definitely wasn't my first dress. Despite my attempts, I decided it best to just CONSIDER trying on new dresses.. with the hopes that it would help sway me, finally, one way or the other. And that's when I met my dress. Once I put the dress on, I instantly knew there was no going back...not the Priscilla dress, nor any dress I'd seen could even come close to my new dress. And with that I closed my eyes and PRAYED that Pamela would work some price-voo-doo so that the dress was in my price range. And guess what? It was!!!

As luck would have it, I fit perfectly into the sample, which not only means I have the dress NOW but, I also got the most fabulous deal on the dress! So, while I'm not happy that through this process I've actually purchased two gowns, what I can say is that the pain was well worth the effort. In fact, had I bought my Hannelore's dress originally, I don't think I would have been able to afford it... the 'deal' I got on the sample dress was so fantastic that it made the impossible, possible!

So, what's the moral of the story?

• Take your time to shop for your wedding dress! Don't be rushed into buying something because it's 10 percent off. (PS: they can offer those 'trunk sale deals' anytime - so don't be persuaded by a measly 10 percent!)
• Don't shop for your dress during the weekend. Think bridal madness! When you're buying your dress you want to take your time, enjoy the experience and not feel like bridal road-kill (yes, I said bridal road-kill)
• NEGOTIATE! No prices are 'final' ... work your negotiating magic!
• Take it from me, wedding dresses can't be returned - so think long and hard before you 'show them the money' - it's harder to take it back then to just wait to make the purchase!
• In the end, it's YOUR day. Do what makes you happy and to heck with the rest!

Anyone else have any wedding dress stories???

PS: Anyone in the market for a brand-new, never been worn Priscilla of Boston Nora dress?? Email me! :)

Hang-over

Just a quick fun idea to help spur your thinking on this BLAH tuesday morning. I found these last night on the stylish scribe, and just couldn't wait to share them. How fun is this idea?!?! I'm thinking these are MUST HAVE for my welcome totes!

Happy creative Tuesday!

Daily Candy - wedding style

Living in a major city? Then you should be well aware of Daily Candy - a fabulous daily email that provides listings of sales, new products, things to do in your area and much much more. A few times a year they post information about wedding vendors/trends in your area. While these are fun to read, you what would be more fun? DAILY wedding tips from Daily Candy. Well, our requests have been heard! They have launched their own wedding site. Check it out here~!