The Pink Book Blog

Aprons!

2008-11-12T17:32:00.002-05:00

Check out these adorable aprons! These are great gifts for any newlywed or a great bridesmaid gift! They come in all sorts of shapes, colors, patterns and sizes. Many places will even embroider them for you! Find all the aprons from above at these great sites: Simply Savvy Aprons, Tulla Belles & Jessie Steele.

Anti-Bridal Bridal Photos, Anyone?

2008-11-11T14:48:00.003-05:00

So I thought you all may be getting tired of the fall themed everything that I keep writing about. (I know I never do!) But I’m going to give you a break this week! I came across a wedding blog that has all the best “Trash the Dress” photos from various photographers in Europe. And while I know it’s Europe, and well that doesn’t help you much, they were too fun not to share and inspire!
The top photo by Alt F’s John Michael Cooper has become iconic with the whole “Trash the Dress” movement, but there are so many other options and so many of the photographers now are offering trash the dress packages. I definitely recommend looking into them!

Special Offer for Pink Book Readers!

2008-11-11T13:50:00.005-05:00

We have posted about Kate Aspen favors before so you may already know how adorable and unique (not to mention affordable) these favors are. We have a a special offer for our readers for the month of November...10% Off!!

Here are a few of my personal favorites below. Look around on the website and you are sure to find something that will complement your wedding or shower theme perfectly!

1. "Olive You!" Glass LOVE Oil Bottle in Signature Tuscan Box
2. “Have a Blast!” Biodegradable, Celebratory Wedding Poppers
3. "Set Sail" Frosted Glass Sailboat Tealight Holders
4. 'Mint to Be' Bride and Groom Slide Mint Tins with Heart Mints
5. “Icing on the Cake” Winter Wedding-Cake Candle
6. "Have a Ball!" Stainless-Steel Melon Baller
7. Petite Merlot Wine Glass Gel Candle with Heart Charm
8. "Love is Brewing" Teapot Timer in Classic Retro Gift Box

Little Pink Card

2008-11-10T13:13:00.007-05:00

We have a fun giveaway today!

The Little Pink Card is a nifty wallet-sized card that assists your husband, boyfriend or significant other in always buying you the perfect gift! No more excuses! The card contains all of your personal info - sizes, favorites, birthstone, anniversary...everything he will need to buy you a gift you actually want!

These also make perfect bridesmaid gifts!

If you would like a Little Pink Card of your own, leave us a comment with the worst gift you ever received from a boyfriend or significant other!

We will be giving away five cards next Monday, November 17. In the meantime, or if you are not one of the five winners, all Pink Book readers will receive free S&H on their order until Friday, November 21! Click here to go to the website...

We look forward to reading your comments - good luck!

Winner Announced!!

2008-11-10T09:50:00.003-05:00

Drum roll please....

Congratulations to Regina! You are the proud new owner of the Flip Video Camera! Email us with your address and we will get the camera in the mail!

Here is her story...

Regina said...

My HTB and I had been dating for almost 3 years and had been talking about getting married, but big trips and holidays came and went without a proposal. He also made it seem that he hadn't bought a ring or even thought of buying one yet, so I was not suspicious when he asked me to meet him at a local art gallery.
When I arrived, HTB was waiting for me at the door and as we walked in, the gallery curator greeted us nonchalantly and briefly talked about the artist that was on display. HTB and I proceeded to walk around the gallery and looked at the art on the walls. We then came upon this small room with a large, modern looking wooden sculpture in the middle of the room and artwork on the walls. I glanced at the sculpture briefly and then proceeded to look at the art on the walls. As we made our way around the room, HTB stopped me at a corner and asked me to look across the room and pointed to the sculpture. I looked and realized that it said "Will U Marry Me?" I then turned around and saw HTB on his knee. I was in disbelief and kept asking "did you make that??", but HTB was already saying his proposal speech and wouldn't stop to answer my question. =)
I cried and tried my best to memorize all the sweet words he was saying (it's all a blur!) and then said yes! after a kiss and a hug, he put his hand behind one of the canvases and presented my with a beautiful Asscher cut ring that he had picked out himself.
Afterwards he told me that he had videotaped the whole event and that the art gallery was in on it. The gallery curators came in and congratulated us and took pictures for us.
I also took the time to look more carefully at the sculpture- It's composed of wooden shapes that when you stand at one certain angle spells out the message. No wonder HTB didn't want me moving from that particular corner! He had worked on it for months with one of his friends. I can't wait to put it on display at my wedding!

Awwww - so sweet!

Thank you to all of you who posted your proposal story! :)

Invitations with Personality!

2008-11-07T15:52:00.002-05:00

With so many invitation choices out there it is a little overwhelming to even think about choosing one. Especially if you can't make decisions like me. An easy way to start making your selection pool smaller is to think about adding personality to your invitations. Make your invitations match the formality and theme of your wedding. Over on Etsy I found a really cool designer, Invited Ink. They have a wide variety of invitations to pick from and they also do some really cool custom invitations as well. I think your invitations are a great way to show off your personality. So don't be afraid to think out of the box and have fun with your invitations!

Smooth as buttah...

2008-11-06T11:12:00.002-05:00

images from Butter by Nadia

The other day I came across these gorgeous dresses from Butter by Nadia. They are all wrap dresses that can be worn an endless number of ways. They have a bridal line in satin fabrics or jersey knits- so you can get this look for a casual or classic wedding. They are totally chic either way- your bridesmaids can wear them all the same way or in different ways- you can mix and match the colors and fabrics, too! Just look at this lovely group of non-matchy-matchy dresses!! They could definitely make for one plum-tastic wedding party. Don't they look delish!? Have any of you ladies used Butter by Nadia dresses for your maids?

MagPies!

2008-11-05T21:08:00.005-05:00

find these great items at MagPies!

So I have to give a quick shout out to a local store. I recently had a chance to taste some of their cupcakes and OMG they were amazing!!! MagPies a local Knoxville bakery can create anything! They can make you your dream wedding cake, grooms cake or cute little cupcakes. Their items not only look great but also taste amazing. Check out some of the great flavors you can choose from!

Classic Vanilla, Vanilla and Chocolate, Chocolate and Vanilla, Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge, Strawberry Cream, Classic Coconut, Italian Cream, Yummy Carrot Cake, Red Velvet, Mocha Mambo, Dulce de Leche, Lemon Heaven, Strawberry “Shortcake“ Lemon Raspberry, Orange Apricot Strawberry, Key Lime Coconut Mango, Chocolate Lovers', Just About Decadent, Chocolate Raspberry Cake...And they even have a favor of the month!!!!

So next time you are in Knoxville you have to stop by and see them and try some of their great cake and if you can't make it make sure you check out their super adorable website!

Pumpkin Luminaries!

2008-11-04T12:16:00.002-05:00

What’s the perfect accoutrement to a fall wedding? Why, pumpkins of course!
I’m constantly impressed by Martha (or the people she hires!!). Check out what she has done this year—luminaries!
Not only that, but her website details how to go about making these yourself. So whether you want to just dress up your home this fall or use this idea for a fall wedding, the full instructions can be found here.

Win a Pink Flip Video Camera!

2008-11-03T11:42:00.004-05:00

Ladies, we have an extra fun contest giveaway today! (Drum roll....)

We are giving away a Flip Video Camera - and it's PINK of course!

We want to hear about something video-worthy - so leave a comment and tell us about your proposal! The sweetest, most inventive and original story wins the camera!

We will announce the winner next Monday - 11-10-08! Good luck!

And the winner is...

2008-11-03T10:55:00.003-05:00

<

Congrats to BamaGirl8217!
We loved her recipe for Tuxedo Brownie Tortes!
She will receive French Toast from Le Viette!

To claim your prize email The Pink Ladies. Make sure to include your
name, address, email and wedding date!

Check out her great recipe.
Tuxedo Brownie Torte

Ingredients:
1 (approximately 22-ounce) package fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup fresh red raspberries
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons white creme de cacao
1 cup vanilla flavored chips, melted
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 tablespoon chocolate candy bar, grated
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare pan as directed on brownie mix package.
In a bowl, combine fudge brownie mix, water, oil, and egg. Blend well then spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool.
Meanwhile, process frozen raspberries in a food processor until pureed. Strain to
remove the seeds.
In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add the raspberry puree and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture is clear, stirring constantly.
Cool for 5 minutes then spread over the brownie mixture to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Garnish with fresh red raspberries then refrigerate.
In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and white creme de cacao; beat until smooth. Stir in melted vanilla chips and beat until smooth. Fold in cream whipped until stiff. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Pipe or spread over the raspberries. Sprinkle with grated chocolate candy bar.

Thank you for all the great reciepes and comments. Make sure and check back with us later today as we have another great prize you could win this week!

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-31T10:10:00.002-04:00

Since today is Halloween, I thought I would talk about superstition. Wedding superstition that is! There are a lot of superstitions and traditions that many brides still follow today. One of the most common is something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe. Another common superstition is saying your vows while the hour hand is turning upwards. If you say them while they are facing down it brings bad luck to your marriage. Many of these superstitious traditions came about because people thought that, on their wedding day, couples were very susceptible to evil spirits and bad luck. So a lot of these came about to help the bride and groom make it through their day with good luck and to escape the evil spirits. The idea of dressing bridesmaids alike and similar to the bride was to trick the evil spirits so they would not know which one was the bride. A veil was worn to disguise the bride from evil spirits as well. One of the most interesting superstitions that I found has to do with the cake. The saying goes that if a single guest takes home a piece of wedding cake and puts it under her pillow that night, they will dream of the man they will marry.

Here are a few things to help you have good luck on your big day.

1. Broaches 2. Veil 3. Clock 4. Car

Are there any interesting superstitions or traditions you are going to follow?

Couple's costumes!

2008-10-30T09:43:00.002-04:00

Images from Anytime Costumes, Halloween Express, Costume Kingdom, Costume Craze

Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year! It's so fun to dress up and play pretend for a night just like when you were a kid! I think it's even more fun if you can get your fiancé to play along and get a matching costume! I found all these costumes online to give you some ideas for couple's costumes! Are you and your fiancé dressing up together for Halloween? If so, what are you going as?

Hello Kitty!

2008-10-29T11:03:00.003-04:00

So I have to start off saying that I am not a huge fan of hello kitty but I am always amazed at the amount of Hello Kitty stuff that is out there! Pink Lady Claire stumbled across a hello kitty cake topper today and it made me wonder just how much wedding Hello Kitty stuff was available to buy. You would not believe what I came across. Not only can you get Hello Kitty wedding favors but you can also get a Hello Kitty wedding dress, bouquet and cake! It is amazing. I also discovered that many women have a Hello Kitty weddings. This means everything is decked out in Hello Kitty! Now that is one heck of a theme for a wedding.

Images courtesy of Romance Fire Blog & Jezebel

So if any of you are Hello Kitty fans you have to check out all of the amazing wedding items you can get!

Halloween Weddings!

2008-10-28T17:05:00.002-04:00

I am so excited about Halloween this year! (So excited that this is me trying to spin my near obsession in a blog.) And so far I’ve found that I’m not the only one. Here are some ideas that while they aren’t blatantly Halloween, still give that dark and sophisticated feel.

(Also, I’ve fallen in love with this designer’s jewelry. Though I would share!)

Win an item from Le Viette!

2008-10-27T16:21:00.003-04:00

Ok ladies you all have to check out this new line of gifts we were just introduced too. The moment I saw them I wanted to go online and buy one of each. This hot new gift was introduced to us by Le Viette. This company takes everyday ordinary towels and assembles them to resemble real desserts! They are great gifts for any wedding event and can also double as table decorations. These gifts start as low $6.99 which is a very reasonable price for such an elegant, cute product which also comes specially gift-wrapped!

find all of these items at Le Viette

Tooooo Cute!

We loved them so much that we are giving one away! All you have to do is comment on this post with your favorite dessert recipe! The best recipe will win French Toast from Le Viette! Post your recipe from Monday, October 27th to Friday, October 31st and we will announce the winner on Monday, November 3rd!

And the winner is...

2008-10-27T10:07:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to the winners of The Wedding Salon tickets in Miami!

only4him
rachel dickens
lovehim
andi
sara

They have each won a ticket to The Wedding Salon- a luxury bridal event taking place in Miami! Each ticket is good for 2 people. (Airfare & Hotel not included)

To claim your prize email The Pink Ladies. Make sure to include your name, address, email and wedding date!

Thanks for all the great comments! For those of you who weren't lucky enough to win a ticket, The Wedding Salon is offering a special discount for The Pink Book readers. Just enter the code: pinkbookfl08p at checkout to receive 50% off the ticket price!

You be the designer!

2008-10-24T08:37:00.003-04:00

Have you ever wanted to design your own handbag to match your wedding colors? Well, I found a place that will let you do just that. I had so much fun playing with the different colors and patterns and the different styles of handbags. Freddy&Ma's have so many different patterns to pick from but if you would like them in a different shade all you have to do is send in fabric swatches. If you have a certain vintage pattern that you would like, just send in a swatch and they will match the pattern. Or you can stick with a solid color on the outside and personalize the patterns on the inside which would be a great bridesmaid gift. Have fun designing!

Some of my favorite patterns and styles.

Images from www.freddyandma.com

twigs & honey

2008-10-23T09:30:00.002-04:00

Photos from twigs & honey

If you're a regular follower of wedding blogs or a frequenter of the mecca of all things crafty, Etsy, you've probably heard of the ultra-fabulous hairpieces being snatched up over at Twigs & Honey. Myra Callan is the artistic and stylish creator of these amazing headpieces that brides are 'ooohing and ahhhing' over all across the interwebs. Her pieces are so delicate and lovely and can add so much style to your wedding day ensemble. Check out more of her work over at her Etsy shop!

Soap Anyone?

2008-10-21T20:50:00.005-04:00

Ok so you have to check out these incredible handmade cosmetics from Lush. Their bath and beauty products are 100% vegetarian, made by hand and never tested on animals. They are fresh, natural ingredients that benefit your body. These would be great gifts for any woman!

Lush offers a variety of products including Bath Bombs, Bubble Bars, Bath Melts, Soap, Buttercreams, Shower Gels, Shower Jellies, Emtibombs and so much more!

You have to check them out. They are not only incredible products but they are very affordable!

Find all of these products at lush

1. The Comforter Bubble Bar 2. Emperor of Ice Cream Buttercream
3. Heavenly Bodies Buttercream 4. Quinquereme Of Nineveh Soap
5. Elixir Bubble Bar 6. Aura Suavis Bubble Bar 7. Witches' Ball Bubble Bar
8. (The Great) Pumpkin Soap 9. Too Drunk...Emotibomb
(great after a long night of drinking) 10. Up the Wooden Hill Emotibomb
11. Up You Gets Emotibomb

Coffee Bars...oh my!

2008-10-21T12:14:00.003-04:00

It’s the perfect time of year. The leaves are changing, the air has that constant chill; and no one gives you weird looks for curling up on the couch with a steaming cup of joe.
And for those exact same reasons, it’s also the perfect time for weddings. All those fall leaves as photo backdrops. Guests won't have to sweat out in the summer heat. And you can have a coffee bar at the reception!
As always, I’m suggesting you look locally for a coffee shop or caterer that offers this service. But if you need a launching pad in your search for a local business who offers this, you can start here.

And for more inspiration on how to incorporate coffee into your wedding, check out this wedding!

Win tickets to The Wedding Salon- A Luxury Bridal Showcase in Miami!

2008-10-20T11:36:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone! Today we're going to be giving away 5 tickets to
The Wedding Salon- a luxury bridal event taking place in Miami!!
Each ticket is good for 2 people (airfare and hotel not included).

The Wedding Salon is the world's first luxury wedding showcase, featuring must-have products and services for the sophisticated bride and groom. Meet with the finest companies to help you plan your wedding. See the spectacular display of cakes, gowns, calligraphers, wedding bands, floral arrangements, romantic honeymoon destinations, and more.

To enter to win the tickets, all we're asking is for you to leave a comment on any of our blogs posted this week from Monday, October 20 to Friday, October 24. We will draw for 5 random winners who we will announce on Monday, October 27!!

For those of you who aren't lucky enough to win a ticket, The Wedding Salon is offering a special discount for The Pink Book readers. Just enter the code: pinkbookfl08p at checkout to receive 50% off the ticket price!

click here to pre-register
Monday, November 10, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Avenue
Miami, Florida
212-631-7777

Fall ties!

2008-10-17T12:14:00.002-04:00

In honor of fall I thought I would share with you some of my favorite fall ties! These are great if you are going for the casual look! They encompass all the beautiful browns and yellows of the season. Are any of you having your men wear special ties?

find these great items at Mens Wearhouse & Brooks Brothers

Shoes!!

2008-10-16T15:16:00.002-04:00

Today I thought I would share with you some inspirational shoe finds. Whether you want to go for the traditional style or something a little more bold, have fun looking for your perfect pair of wedding shoes.

1. Guess 2. Guess 3. Steve Madden 4. Kenneth Cole 5. Oh Deer! 6. BCBGirls 7. Steve Madden

Great Gifts

2008-10-15T17:57:00.004-04:00

Hello all! Sorry for the late and short post. The pink ladies have been super busy finding great new items to give away! Make sure you go check out the newest link on The Pink Book site!
You can get great wedding favors straight from our site. We have partnered with kate aspen and have all of her latest and greatest gifts! Make sure you check them out on ThePinkBook.com then click on unforgettable favors!

See more great items here!

Wanna get away?

2008-10-14T13:10:00.004-04:00

Who doesn’t want to get married then ride off into the sunset? But ride what? I know limos seem to be the choice of many. But I’m bored with limos. Sure, they’re classy and sophisticated, but they’re about as vanilla as it gets! When brides spend so much time making their weddings personal, why can’t the transportation too be a little less conventional?

Here’s some inspiration for those of you all who would rather float, fly, ride or plow your way into the sunset.

1. Hot Air Balloon - My all time favorite idea ever! (Future husband, listen up!) 2. Bicycles - Makes some of the cutest pictures! 3. Jet Ski - Doesn't get much cooler than this... 4. Horseback - Especially if your horse wants some accessories too! 5. Tractor - (can't help myself!!) She think's my tractor's sexy. 6. Golf Cart - Catch all 18 holes before you make your getaway. 7. Tandem Bikes - Even more incredible pictures! 8. Horseback - Only this time with that cowboy of your dreams! 9. Carriages - Fairy-tale romance, anyone? 10. Party Bus - Going to the chapel and we're gonna have fun doing it! 11. Vintage car - The good life.

And finally, cutest proposal, no? It could be spun into another great getaway.

And the winner is...

2008-10-13T09:50:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to the winners of The Wedding Salon tickets!

jess
ms. grrrl
lena
jeni from kansas
courtney

They have each won a ticket to The Wedding Salon- a luxury bridal event taking place in New York City!! Each ticket is good for 2 people. (Airfare & Hotel not included)

To claim your prize email The Pink Ladies. Make sure to include your name, address, email and wedding date!

Thanks for all the great comments! For those of you who weren't lucky enough to win a ticket, The Wedding Salon is offering a special discount for The Pink Book readers. Just enter the code: pinkbookny08p at checkout to receive 50% off the ticket price!

Bride to Bride Boutique!!

2008-10-13T08:44:00.003-04:00

Your Wedding Day Came and Went,
Now Get Back the Money You Spent!

For all you brides on a budget out there in blogland, I want to share with you a unique bridal resource called Bride to Bride Boutique! It's a site where past brides can sell their brand new, gently-used, never used, over-ordered, or changed-their-mind wedding stuff and future brides can purchase these same items to help them save money! With the economy being the way it is at the moment, you can bet this will be a valuable resource for anyone with a budget in mind.

Owner and Creator Jenny says that she came up with the idea for the site when she bought a ton of floating candles to use as favors for her wedding, only to decide she wanted to do something else later. She didn't want to just have wasted all of that money on candles and wished she could sell them to another bride who might like to use them instead. And so the idea for Bride to Bride Boutique was born. "You spent a ton of money on the wedding, why not get some back! Don’t let your wedding leftovers sit in the basement collecting dust . . . I mean seriously, when are you ever going you use the twenty 10” mirrors you bought for the centerpieces? What about those placecards you ordered which were totally not what you expected? The only way you could buy your purple and black polka dot candles was in sets of 20, leaving you with 15 extra, unused candles– Now what are you going to do with those??? Give a Bride-to-Be the bargain of her life!"

Buying and selling on Bride to Bride Boutique is easy and is a totally Win-Win situation. You can sell your items, used or new, to a bride-to-be to help her save some cash for her big day, while also making back some of the money you spent on your own wedding to help defray the expense! Have you already bought items for your wedding that you've decided aren't what you really want? Can't return them? Sell them on Bride-to-Bride and get some money back instead of flushing it all down the drain!

The boutique has multiple categories to divide up your items such as wedding attire, decorations, accessories, favors... even unwanted, unreturnable wedding gifts! Let's encourage each other to be thrifty and non-wasteful by participating in this site! Just last week I found a great deal on paper lanterns on Bride-to-Bride Boutique and they should be arriving this week in the mail! I'll be saving a good percentage on what I would have spent if I had ordered them online or bought them in a store. Plus, I get to help out a former bride who wanted to be smart about her spending. It's such a great idea and should be utilized by anyone who is planning a wedding! Sign up today and start making and/or saving your money!! :)

Amazing Dessert Tables!

2008-10-10T11:26:00.003-04:00

I love dessert and when I saw these dessert tables by Amy Atlas Events I fell in love. The color combinations are gorgeous and the whole set-up is just stunning. The treats look so yummy. Whether you are having cake or just having some treats or both, I thought these photos would be awesome inspiration for your cake/dessert table.

If you are looking to create a similar look, here are some cake stands I found on Bauer Pottery Company. They are so pretty and come in several different colors.

Your Questions Answered!

2008-10-08T13:48:00.006-04:00

We received this email yesterday...

"hello, i am planning my sis in laws wedding. i need some help. her fiance wants teal and black (the jacksonville jaguars teal). she is okay with it, but not the black. i say we need another accent color. not just teal and white, or just teal and silver. do you have any ideas on another color. and can you please send me photo ideas if you have some. i think we need another accent color. we are not getting married on the football field, lol. thanks so much, nikki"

Thanks Nikki for the email! Pink Lady Jessica and Pink Lady Anna came up with a couple of choices for you.

First, Teal and Yellow - clean, classy, beautiful...

Next up, Teal and Red/Orange - rich, fun, vibrant...

I hope this helps. Also, we found this little number on etsy - yes - that is a Jacksonville garter set...

Keep us updated Nikki!

If any of our readers have a questions for the Pink Ladies, email us at thepinkladies@thepinkbook.com! We are always excited to hear what is going on in your world and we have lots of ideas!

Faux Furs!

2008-10-08T11:47:00.003-04:00

image courtesy Anna Kuperber Photography

I have to say that I am not a fan of cold weather. I just hate to be cold!!!!!! Still, with winter quickly approaching I thought it would be nice to show you one of my favorite items I have seen at winter weddings. The faux fur wraps and jackets. I think they are so pretty. This is such an elegant way to keep warm. I hate it when I see a beautiful wedding dress covered up with some ordinary every day sweater or even worse a jacket. If you are having a winter wedding you have to purchase one of these great wraps. They don't just keep you warm but are great for creating some unique pictures! Check out these great deals I found at The Skin Secret.

images courtesy The Skin Secret

Customizable Candy - Part 3?

2008-10-07T11:04:00.008-04:00

Hershey's has a new commercial out talking about their customizable kisses--perfect for brides! With short messages on the slip of paper like "Just Married" or "I love you" brides can order this customizable candy for their candy bar as well. Furthermore, many companies offer printing on the bottom of the candy wrapper or stickers that fit on the base of the candy. All just fun little way to make a candy bar personal!
And from personalizing Kisses, some of the Pink Ladies made the mental leap to personalizing M&Ms. There a so many exciting options with these! You can match your wedding colors, include short messages, pictures, logos, monograms, choose your packaging, and so much more!

How much more, you ask? Well...explore the M&M website and you'll find, as we did, the way to make yourself into an M&M!! Below for your viewing pleasure, some of our digressions into pictorial M&M anthropomorphism!

1. Pink Lady Karen 2. Pink Lady Kathleen (the cool M&M version) 3. the nerdy version of Pink Lady Kathleen's Mr. Right (not an actual person, just having fun with this one!!)

Have you made a personal M&M? Show it to us!

Win tickets to The Wedding Salon- A Luxury Bridal Showcase

2008-10-06T10:09:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! Today we're going to be giving away 5 tickets to The Wedding Salon- a luxury bridal event taking place in New York City!! Each ticket is good for 2 people.

The Wedding Salon is the world's first luxury wedding showcase, featuring must-have products and services for the sophisticated bride and groom.

What: The Wedding Salon
Where: The Prince George Ballroom- 15 East 27th Street, New York, NY
When: Wednesday, October 22 from 3-8 PM
Price: $50/ticket- each ticket is good for 2 people

Come see the spectacular display of cakes, gowns, calligraphers, wedding bands, floral arrangements, romantic honeymoon destinations, and more. Here's a list of participants who will be at the show:

747 Orchestra
Adorn Brides
Always Bloomin'
Bridal Guide
Bridal Reflections
Ceci New York
Clara Kasavina
Cloth Connection
Crystalline Events, LLC.
EmbroidMe
Face Time Cosmetics
Fusion DL
Glam by Pam
Honeycat Cosmetics
HPNOTIQ
Jana Water
Jersey Street Furniture
Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd.
Levy Lighting NYC

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Little Cigar Factory
Marc Wilson Design, Inc.
Matthew J Wagner
Metamorphosis, You...Only Better!
Montrose Sekrets
My Dove
My M&Ms
Pacific Holidays
Rabbi Andrea Frank
Relais & Chateaux
RJ's Personal Fitness
SLATE
Soho Dance Studio
Suz Andreasen Couture
TearDrop Weddings
The Cayman Islands
The Resort Collection of Colonial Williamsburg
Town & Country Weddings

To enter to win the tickets, all we're asking is for you to leave a comment on any of our blogs posted this week from Monday, October 6 to Friday, October 10. We will draw for 5 random winners who we will announce on Monday, October 13!!

For those of you who aren't lucky enough to win a ticket, The Wedding Salon is offering a special discount for The Pink Book readers. Just enter the code: pinkbookny08p at checkout to receive 50% off the ticket price!

Stylin' Cuff links

2008-10-03T09:19:00.003-04:00

Today I thought I would turn some attention to all the grooms out there. There are many things you can do to personalize your look for your big day. One way is cuff links. There are so many choices when it comes to cuff links these days. You can choose something that will fit with your personality as well as your wedding theme. With all the choices out there you are sure to find something that fits your style. They can also be a great gift for your groomsmen. I found the cuff links above on cufflinks.com.

A Touch of Elegance!

2008-10-01T10:31:00.003-04:00

image courtesy Liz Banfield

I love love love chandeliers! I think they can make any place look elegant. It is a decoration that holds a huge punch! These days they come in all shapes, sizes and colors. You can go for the classic jeweled look or think outside the box and choose something a little more modern. Check out these wonderful Chandeliers I found. Is anyone else using any unique decoration for their wedding?

Classic Chandeliers

find these items at Gallery

Modern Chandeliers

find these items at Chandelier Universe

Bridal Emergency Kits

2008-09-30T17:15:00.009-04:00

For extreme klutzs like me, attending a wedding with out some sort of back up plan is asking for cake on the dress and a bloody nose. And while some accidents are going to happen, and emergency kit could be that photo-saving grace. If you do decide to assemble your own kit, here are 20 essentials that I could think of. If you can think of any others, please let us know!

1. Pain Reliever 2. Makeup – for touch-ups 3. Deodorant 4. Baby Wipes 5. Clear nail polish – stocking runs 6. Miniature sewing kits – for that broken strap or loose bustle 7. Comb/brush, bobby pins, hair bands 8. Tissues 9. Eye-drops/contact lens solution 10. To-go fabric stain removers 11. Antacids 12. Breath mints 13. Tampons and pads 14. Band Aids 15. Double Sided tape 16. Safety Pins 17. Lint Roller 18. Snacks 19. Earring Backs 20. Corsage Pins

An Amazingly Awesome Autumn Affair

2008-09-29T09:36:00.002-04:00

All images from Brides.com, photographer Ross Whitaker

In case you didn't know, I absolutely ADORE alliteration. ;) I just wanted to share this wedding with you that I saw featured over at this site because I think it is the most beautiful fall-themed wedding I've ever laid eyes on! The food, the decor- it's all 'falls' into the most wonderfully cohesive theme. The favors- candied cranberries in the little galvanized pails- they're beautiful and they look DELISH. :) The pumpkin soup shots look absolutely scrumptious as well... and the apple cider in the glass tubs- all so lovely and fall. The smells and sights are my favorite part of fall- and this wedding really incorporated the good stuff! Absolutely gorgeous... :)

Chocolate!!

2008-09-26T14:48:00.002-04:00

Dove chocolates are my one of my favorite chocolate treats. They melt in your mouth and come in different flavors and varieties. (My favorite is the milk chocolate with almonds.) But besides how yummy they are, each one has a little saying inside that always seems to brighten up your day. Well now you can personalize the sayings! How cute would this be as a favor or even a proposal?! The foil wrappings come in seven different colors and can have up to three lines of text. All you have to do is go to MyDoveChocolate.com and create your message, choose your color and pick milk or dark chocolate. You can also pick from a variety of packs. They have favor bags, gift boxes, bowls and more.

Martha Stewart Roundup!

2008-09-25T17:09:00.005-04:00

Pink Lady Jessica and I had an awesome time at the Martha Stewart show in NYC!! We wanted to get our pics from the day together and share our fun experience with all of you!

The show was all about blogs and how they impact our lives. It was really great to get to meet so many different bloggers from around the country... and we even got to meet Mrs. Bee! WeddingBee (as I am sure you all know) is such a great resource for all you brides out there. It was great to meet so many bees in person. Pink Lady Jessica sat next to Mrs. Snow Pea!

Meg from Cute Overload was featured, which is another awesome blog to add to your Blog Reader. I love the daily dose of cuteness! She talked about how her blog was created. She and her husband are severely allergic to animals, so she had this great collection of adorable animal photos, since she couldn't actually have the animals in her house. She posted them on her blog... and the rest is history!

We were given a copy of the book A Year of Mornings by Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes who wrote the blog 3191. These two women decided to post a photo from their respective homes each morning onto their blog, and the results were amazing! The blog is named for the distance between their homes 3,191 miles between Portland, OR and Portland, ME. The book catalogs the photos from one year of the blog. I flipped through it on the train home, and it is soooo inspiring! Check out their amazing NEW blog, A Year of Evenings!

At the end of the show, Martha did a tasting of over 60 hot dogs from the tri-state area to find the best of the best! Afterwards, we were so hungry from watching the tasting that we decided to go to Papaya King on 86th street, because Martha stops there every day on her way home to get a hot dog. We got it with sauerkraut and mustard, because she was raving about how that's her favorite! They... were... delicious!!

We had such an awesome time! It was so amazing to see the actual Martha studio and to get inspired by so many different types of blogs. She talked about political blogs, celebrity blogs (Perez Hilton was there!), gardening blogs, just to name a few! It's great to draw inspiration from all sources, and uplifting to meet people passionate about what they do!

Martha herself has an awesome blog, where you're sure to find crafty inspiration. And of course, there's Martha's wedding blog, done by the fabulous Darcy Miller!

I hope some of these blogs affect you as well, and we hope to continue to try to inspire all of you for your wedding and beyond!

It's Fall Ya'll!

2008-09-24T10:49:00.006-04:00

It's that time of the year. The leaves are changing and the weather is cooling. Fall is here! Ladies this is a great time of the year to get married. The colors are so bold, rich and vibrant. It makes for some beautiful photography! Check out these great ideas I found for any fall wedding.

Find these items at
Hello Lucky , Martha Stewart, Project Wedding & Bill Levkoff

Makeup Mania

2008-09-23T14:44:00.005-04:00

I rarely leave the house wearing just mascara—au natural, never. It’s not because I’m self-conscious or afraid someone may see my un-rouged cheeks. I mostly wear makeup because I like playing with makeup. It’s the finger paint for grown-ups!! So imagine my surprise (and horror!) when I found out that “A 1775 law stated that a wedding was not legal if the bride wore any make-up during the ceremony. Make-up was considered an ensnarement and so the groom would have been trapped by the illusion of make-up.” (www.weddingsgalore.com/traditions.html).

Just hearing this makes me want to run to Sephora and immerse myself in liners, shadows, bronzers and brushes. Or call up my girlfriends and go out after collaborating on our makeup.

And if you’re going for the low-budget wedding and won't have a professional, a great way to get a few makeup tips and maybe a more updated polished look could be inviting some friends over! You could organize some bridesmaid bonding time while getting makeup tips from some of your closest friends!

And help a girl out! If you have any “can’t-live-without” tips, let us know!

FONTastic!

2008-09-22T09:11:00.005-04:00

Images all from Veer.com
L to R: Feel Script, Affair, Burgues Script, Kon Tiki, Marmalade, Buffet Script

Ever wonder where all the lovely lettering comes from for those drool-worthy invitations you see in magazines? Well, chances are those beautiful fonts came from a seller like Veer- they are known for their collection of designer fonts as well as stock imagery. I could spend hours (and have) pouring over their lists and lists of amazing fonts. However, their fonts are a little on the pricey side so for a cheap (free) alternative, check out DaFont.com and find some freebie fonts that are quite fun and lovely as well!

Something Blue

2008-09-19T08:48:00.004-04:00

We have all heard of the tradition something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I began to wonder where and when this tradition started. I have done some digging and found the reasons behind this age old tradition. The tradition dates back to the Victorian era and started in England. Each item the bride carries with her on her wedding day brings her good luck. Something old represents the past and the bride’s family. Something new represents her new life that is ahead of her. Something borrowed is from someone in her family or a friend that is happily married and this is supposed to carry over and bring her a happy marriage. Something blue has long since been associate with weddings. Blue symbolizes love, purity and fidelity.

Here are some something blues that I found on etsy.

The Ladies on Martha... LIVE!

2008-09-17T09:58:00.003-04:00

Hello brides! Pink Lady Claire and Pink Lady Jessica are blogging to you LIVE from the Martha Stewart Show! If you are at your TV, look for us!

We have had an awesome time this morning meeting other bloggers at the show, and we are especially excited to have met many of the Wedding Bees!!

Here are some pics of us at the show right now!

Bling Coverage

2008-09-16T14:20:00.005-04:00

With the recent coverage of stock market woes, everyone is taking a closer look at how to protect their investments. But did you ever think about that investment on your finger. Yes, that small (or large) rock on your finger is a financial and emotional investment. Think about insuring it. Here are a variety of ways:

Homeowner Policies—many policies let you add jewelry to your homeowner’s insurance. This protects your ring from home-related damages like fire and theft, but dies not protect it against scratches or loss.

Replacement Policies—based on the specific piece, this policy will refund the cost of replacing the ring at current market values.

Actual Value Policies—these policies cover the cash value of your ring minus the depreciation. So if you wear the ring for 10 years then lose it, the policy pays for the cost of the ring except for the years of ear and tear. These policies are the most common and least expensive.

Valued At Policies—the rarest and most difficult to find, with this insurance you set the value of the ring, including any heirloom consideration, time and trouble costs, etc. the premium is then adjusted according to this value, even if it is higher than the appraised value of the ring.

The Pink Ladies are going to the Martha Stewart Show!!

2008-09-15T09:13:00.004-04:00

I am happy to announce that The Pink Ladies are headed to NYC to be in the audience of the Martha Stewart blogger's show on Wednesday! We'll be blogging LIVE from the show so make sure you tune in to see if you can spot us- I bet you'll never guess what we'll be wearing! *PINK!* Also, make sure to stop by The Pink Book site to register for your chance to win some cute prizes! Check your local listings for show times! :)

Love, tweet love!

2008-09-11T13:48:00.003-04:00

Following PLK's post yesterday about the amazing finds just waiting to be discovered on Etsy- I wanted to share with you some adorable necklaces and charms I found on the site. Using birds as a theme in weddings is a HUGE trend right now, we're seeing it all over the place! They can look really pretty and vintage or edgy and modern- depends on how you use them! I searched Etsy for "bird necklace" and these are some of the fab finds it came up with! Cute, no? :) Have you ever bought anything on Etsy? I have not taken the plunge yet but I am loving what I'm seeing!

Bridesmaid Gifts...Part III!

2008-09-10T10:06:00.005-04:00

In my search for great bridesmaid gifts I kept coming across all this great jewelry. So I decided I had to share it with you. I mean think about it, what girl doesn't like some new bling? If I had to give some of my favorite girls a gift I know that I couldn't go wrong with new jewelry, especially unique pieces like these.

So check them out and let me know what you think. Does anyone out there have a favorite jewelry designer?

The first jewelry I fell in love with was from Sima's Fine Art Jewelry.

The second jewelry I found that I think is so beautiful and classy is from The Smiling Soul 2.

Adorable Favors!

2008-09-09T15:03:00.005-04:00

I stumbled upon this adorable website the other day and thought the photos were too cute. Rebecca Thuss is an award winning photo-stylist, a creative director, wedding designer and crafter. On her site she has many examples of the things she has worked on. Just browsing through her photos I got so many ideas. I love the colors and patterns used in all the photos. She has everything from favors to invitations and table settings to fashion. I thought all of you brides-to-be out there could get some great inspiration from these awesome photos. Here are just some of the things I found on her site.

Click here to visit her site.

Groom's attire

2008-09-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

So, as most of you brides have probably realized in your hunt for the perfect wedding gown, there are COUNTLESS options to consider. There comes a point in the search where you just want to curse the men for having it so easy. Well, there are more options out there for men than you might think! From fancy tuxedos to khakis and flip-flops- the guys have quite the array of looks to sport on the big day. Of course, you'll want his look to mesh with yours, and the formality or casualness of the event! Here's some snazzy groom looks captured by some of my favorite photogs!

Formal Looks:

1. Ben Harrison 2. Josh McCullock 3. AHS Photography
4. AHS Photography 5. Amelia Lyon 6. Lauren Wright

Casual Looks:

1. Bethany Jackman 2. CScott Photography 3. [b]ecker
4. CScott Photography 5. Jasmine Star 6. Gabriel Ryan 7. Chenin Boutwell

And the winner is...

2008-09-08T10:09:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to Susan the winner of the iPod NANO!

Check out her great limerick:

I’ll be wed on the beach in the sun.
To my very best friend, he’s the one
Through my laughter and tears;
It’s been nearly four years--
If the rain stays away we’ll have fun!

Thank you for all the wonderful posts. We had a really hard time choosing the winner! Congratulations to all you brides and grooms out there! Be on the lookout for more giveaways to come!

Susan to claim your prize please email The Pink Ladies !

The Healthier, Happier I Do.

2008-09-04T15:00:00.003-04:00

So you’ve joined the gym and are working out to get those last couple of pounds off, then you get married and look fabulous. But then what?
No one wants to regain that weight, but you’re married now. And marriage comes with all kinds of new time-commitments and scheduling disasters. So how do you keep that new healthier you?

My fellow women, I suggest you take up cooking!

Now I know that some women genuinely despise cooking. But if you’re just ambivalent or ignorant of the soul-feeding nature of gastronomy, please hear me out. There are reasons outside of weight-loss to take up cooking. For example:
• Maybe its just the Italian in me, but I love to feed people, especially people I care about. And who best to show you care than your husband? And if you get him in the kitchen with you, there is potential for some very romantic moments!
• It's cheaper. You don’t have to pay a tip, gas to get to a restaurant, or the marked-up prices of restaurant food.
• Need a way to connect with your future mother-in-law. Try asking her for her recipe for your fiance’s favorite dish. Or better yet, as her to show you how to make it. She’s probably a wealth of knowledge and only too happy to share it! Your own mother too could be a very handy resource in cooking crises.
And the health benefits are there too. Cooking gives you the control! You get to decide what goes into your food, so you can make healthier decisions. You can add that extra serving of veggies, or skip the cream. It all adds up! And if you start now, you'll bring your new healthy habits into a healthier relationship.

Check out these 24 tricks to making healthier decisions from my good friends at WeightWatchers.

Bridesmaid Gifts...Part II!

2008-09-03T09:25:00.003-04:00

This week I wanted to feature a well known bridesmaid gift. By now I am sure you all know about personalizing items for your bridal party. These days you can get anything from a dog bags to a jewelry case personalized. Below are items that are very useful, can be used over and over again and can be unique to each girl. This site i found was great! They have anything from laptop bags to picnic baskets to cute little purses. You can give your girls a great item like this and then fill it with all sorts of little goodies!

find all of these great items at AmericanBridal

Wedding day fashion for your furry friend

2008-09-02T16:28:00.003-04:00

Our pets are an important part of who we are- they are like members of our families. Many couples share a special bond with their pups and want to find a way to include them in their special day! So if you're one of those people who can't resist dressing your pooch in little outfits, check out these get ups- ranging from adorable to outrageous- you can find just about any ensemble to style your dog for the big day!

1. Hands N Paws 2. Love My Pet Supply 3. Love My Pet Supply 4. Tea Cups Puppies 5. Love My Pet Supply 6. Love My Pet Supply 7. Posh Pet Glamour Boutique 8. Posh Pet Glamour Boutique 9. Kool Dawg Tees

Are any of you getting your furry friends gussied up for your big day?

Personalized Placecards

2008-08-29T10:05:00.004-04:00

There are numerous ways to create personalized place settings and the more inspirational you are, the more special your guests will feel when they come to sit down at the table.

When you are coming up with ideas for the placecards, try to incorporate elements from the existing setting like these adorable diaper pin placecards for a baby shower setting.
These dress placecard holders are a cute idea for a girl's party whether it be "sweet 16" or a ladies luncheon. They really set the mood.
For the holidays...think festive! We used these black bat placecard holders for Halloween...they are definitely a scream!

Labeled table gifts are a good way to to mark each place like these tiny lauhala boxes accented with an orange clay orchid and filled with shortbread cookies. Placecards can definitely double as favors. Another idea is to tie a placecard to a blooming twig in a tiny terra-cotta pot planted with fresh moss like the ones featured here. Go organic and cut a placecard in the shape of a leaf and pin it on an apple. (Pomegranates are also a great option for summer parties and mini pumpkins are great for fall parties)

Using placecards always are a great touch and add a little extra formality plus it's always so much fun to find out who you are sitting next to for the party. This is a great way to spice things up at your next gathering.

Limerick for the Ladies... and win a NANO!

2008-08-27T22:48:00.016-04:00

There once were the Ladies in Pink,
Who gave one another a wink,
They came up with a plan,
And the contest began,
A bride wins a Nano that's pink!

Interested in winning an 8 GB iPod Nano? We want to see you rhyme! To enter to win the contest, we want you to submit a limerick about your wedding planning experience!

Some of you may be thinking, "what's a limerick?" A limerick is a poem with one couplet and one triplet, where the first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables, and the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables. Get it? You can read more about it here and here and here.

To enter, just leave a comment to this post with your limerick so that everyone can see your hard work, and then email The Pink Ladies your limerick along with your name and wedding date!

The contest will run from today through September 7th, and the winner will be announced on September 8th! So get your feather quills out and get to limericking!

Bridesmaid Gifts...Part I!

2008-08-27T09:15:00.007-04:00

Bridesmaid gifts...I think that this is always a tough thing for brides to figure out. You try to find something that you think everyone will like, and use and you are constantly second guessing yourself as to what you are going to get them. You ask yourself questions like will they all like it? Will they really wear this or use this? Is this to much money? It is a very hard thing for some brides to figure out.
Worry no more as I am here to help you in this time of crisis. Over the past few weeks I have come across some great items that would make incredible bridesmaid gifts. So this week I would like to feature this wonderful jewelry artist Laurel Denise, who makes one of a kind glass pendants. They are not only beautiful pieces of jewelry but are very budget friendly. She has many pendants to choose from so you can choose one that is unique to each of your bridesmaids. This is an item that is well worth the money and something your bridesmaids can hold onto for a very long time!

Laurel Denise Jewelry

Tune in next week for more great gift ideas!

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) Don't get Ripped Off

2008-08-26T08:48:00.000-04:00

It makes me sad to post this, as if somehow I want to believe that the wedding industry is all rainbows, sunshine, and fluffy kittens. Unfortunately there are disasters waiting to happen and people behind companies that are only looking to make a buck.

This article and this one remind us that wedding vendors sometimes are not as honorable as they might seem. In this particular scenario it appears that the vendor's business partner split with all the money and turned the business upside down. It's a terrible situation to begin with but imagine if you were a bride who was suddenly out a deposit? It could happen to you!

Luckily there are a few steps you can take to ensure you pick the right wedding vendors. Here is a short list of things you should always do before signing a contract:

Check reviews on sites like WeddingWire, Yelp, and CityVoter
Use personal referrals from friends and other wedding vendors. Did you know that most magazines and websites only list vendors if they are a paid advertiser?
Ask for more than three references from the company itself
Ask how long they've been in business. A company with less than a year under their belt should be approached with caution. Everyone has to start out sometime but be wary of people who start and close companies frequently.
Ask how many weddings do they do per year? A vendor that does an event every other month would be considered more of a hobbyist than a professional. Be sure you get your terms and expectations in writing.
Ask what all the ways of contacting the person are. Try to get a cell phone number, an office number, the number for their assistant, the address to their studio, and whatever else you can find. If they go MIA, you'll have other ways to reach them.

Of course even brides who know the red flags can still fall into a scam. With the right questions and some due diligence, you can lower your risk towards a successful wedding day. For more on liability and contract issues, check out another article I wrote on the Soiree blog earlier this year.

Green Favors

2008-08-25T11:27:00.003-04:00

There are so many things we can do to help out the environment and many couples want to do their part when it comes to their wedding. When my cousin got married this past spring they decided that instead of doing the usual favors they would give away tree seedlings for their guests to plant. She and her husband are very earth friendly so they wanted to do something that would help the environment and also mean something to them and their guests. This way when the guests planted the trees in their yard they would think of the couple every time they looked at it and could watch it grow same as the couple. I thought that this was a great way to show their love for the environment and it made the wedding that much more personalized.

I found these cute seedlings at www.evergreenmemories.ca and seattletimes.nwsource.com.

Lights, Camera, Action!

2008-08-22T01:00:00.000-04:00

I attended a wedding this weekend where lighting was the key ingredient to the decor. Most of the decorations were very simple and elegant but what really made the decor stand out was the lighting. I couldn't believe how much it changed the way everything looked. So, I started thinking about how we talk a lot about all of the unique decorations you can use to set the ambiance of an event but I think I have neglected to mention that one of the most important ways to set a mood is with lighting. Too bright and you feel like it's an interrogation, too dark and yikes...is that your hand! Turn your room from standard to simply stunning by lighting the way. So my challenge is for you to design a party purely around the lighting, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how great it turns out. Whether it be candles or colored lights do something that really changes the mood of the room. Oh and when you do please send me your pics I would love to see what you did. I am going to plan a party next weekend and focus just on the lighting. I can't wait to share my pictures with all of you. Oh and I guess I should mention that these lighting ideas pictured come from various event planners. Great ideas.

Flowerless Fetes

2008-08-21T10:43:00.010-04:00

I was browsing through other blogs the other day when I came across a link to David Stark’s website. So idly clicking through the options on his site (definitely check out the “Draw" Option!!) I found his picture gallery of events he has hosted or planned.
And I was surprised by the number of events that had no fresh cut flowers or had interesting, but simple DIY ideas.

A few of my favorites:

• wire tree with notes hanging from it—you could really personalize this with some copies of love letters from your special someone, or memories of some of your best dates or the sheet music from your wedding songs alongside of great paper swatches.

• wall of candles—what a classic classy look. Be careful to account for all the heat that magnitude of candles will emit and have your venue well cooled before the reception.

• Paper bouquets—these arrangements are as simple as a Styrofoam ball wooden sticks and paper flowers, but the final result is gorgeous.

• and finally, if you do want fresh flowers but cant afford that many, fill out the arrangements with fresh fruit or ribbons!

Unique Invitations!

2008-08-20T11:24:00.003-04:00

TearDropWeddings.com

It is amazing to me all of the different invitations we have to choose from these days. People are using anything from a very elegant and formal invitation to the whimsical non-traditional invitation. I myself love many of the elegant invitations that are out there right now but have to say that the artist I came across the other day has truly captured my attention. Holly Hatam of Tear Drop Weddings has created a line of invitations, paper and other unique items that seem to capture the fun whimsical side of people. Most of her work includes caricatures of you and your loved one. These little caricatures are such a great and unique way to express yourself and break away form the boring traditional invitations. She makes anything from wedding invitations to wrapping paper! So check out more of her work at Tear Drop Weddings!

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) Cover Me!

2008-08-19T13:14:00.004-04:00

You have the perfect man, the perfect ring, the venue, the photographer, the cake, the catering, the flowers, the limo, the invitations, the string quartet, the programs, the favors, the place cards, the guest book, the videographer, the deejay, and even the sparklers for the sendoff after the reception. What are you missing?

Have you thought about wedding insurance?

Typical brides spend about $25-40,000 on their big day but don't take a minute to insure the investment. You wouldn't purchase a car for that amount then drive it around uninsured, would you? Just think of all the episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos that feature weddings. The maid of honor smacks her face on the dance floor during the bouquet toss...the ring bearer tumbles down the steps...the bride's hair lights on fire from the silly string and nearby candles...the list goes on and on.

Most wedding insurance policies cover things like:

Aunt Mary slipping at the altar and suing you over her broken arm
A new wedding dress when the seamstress accidentally cuts a hole in the train
Replacing wedding gifts that arrive shattered or are stolen from the reception
Your future father-in-law's sudden heart attack and subsequent postponement of the wedding
Re-taking the photograph when the photographer skips town

Of course those types of problems are rare but they certainly are realistic! Imagine the cost of re-scheduling the wedding after all your guests have made their travel plans and each vendor has their non-refundable deposit?

Most insurance companies offer a one-day event rider that can be added to your home owner's insurance policy. You should expect to pay anywhere from $150-350 for this, depending on the size and scale of your wedding. There are also insurance companies that offer policies regardless of whether of not you have a homeowner's or car policy with them. The first and most popular is WedSafe. The second is ProtectMyWedding.com. Both sites make it easy and convenient to get a quote and sign up for the policy. Just be sure to read the fine print and understand exactly what you are purchasing (most policies don't include "change of heart" coverage for cold feet).

If you don't have the budget for insurance or don't think it's necessary, there are some steps you can take to help ensure you have less risk on the big day. They are:

1. Hire vendors you trust. Check references from their former clients as well as other local vendors. Check the Better Business Bureau and sites like Yelp and WeddingWire for any complaints. Read through all the fine print in every contract and be sure you agree with the terms before signing.

2. Lay out a solid plan for each vendor. Be sure you chat with your venue about possible hazards so you can avoid pitfalls. Do not place your cake on the balcony near the dance floor where a drunken guest is likely to push it over the edge. Do not ask the limousine to park in the fire lane at the church even if it is the closest space to the door. Do not tell your stiletto-wearing bridesmaids to carry the extremely heavy cooler full of beer from the hotel to the shuttle bus. By making smart decisions through the planning process and the wedding day, you minimize your potential for disaster.

3. Pay as much as you can on a credit card with good customer service. American Express is known for taking care of their customers' problems. If you put down a deposit for your gown then later find out the shop has gone out of business, you have a better chance at getting some of your money back. If you had paid with cash or a personal check, the money is as good as gone. Save receipts, emails, and all records of any transaction. Be smart about how you make your purchases.

Have you considered wedding insurance? Why or why not?

Cute Cupcakes

2008-08-18T10:14:00.003-04:00

I love the idea of having cupcakes as a wedding cake. It can lower the price a little and can add a unique touch to the wedding. This can allow you to have different flavors and different designs. It is easy for your guests to just grab a cupcake thus eliminating cake cutters or making it easier on them. You can get creative with the liners and some can even be elegant, intricate or simple. They can be decorated in a more casual way or if you want to keep it elegant they can be decorated with the same elegance as a wedding cake. You can also do a lot of creative things with the cake stands to create a tiered look. Some also have the top tier of the cake so they can still cut the cake but the rest are cupcakes. I found these cute cupcakes on justcakes.net.

justcakes.net

Wedding Centerpieces

2008-08-15T10:47:00.004-04:00

The key to a great table is a great centerpiece. Coming up with ideas for centerpieces can be one of the most daunting tasks. When designing your centerpiece keep your theme and colors in mind - Get creative. The centerpiece definitely sets the mood to your event. Ideas can range from fun and casual to elegant and chic so you definitely need to decide in advance what the feel of your wedding will be.

Fill a vase with water and fill it with lemons or mix an artichoke with other traditional flowers...Afterall, artichokes are flowers. Think about seasonal fruits and flowers when designing your centerpiece. This year you are sure to see pomegranates mixed into floral centerpieces since pomegranates are the new "hot" fruit of choice. I love these colorful and unique centerpieces. I got married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico so the theme of my wedding was Mexico so I went with bold colors like hot pink and orange.

My invitations were done in hot pink and gold as well. Everything was very festive. We used this color scheme throughout the whole event. Talk to your florist about what you are thinking and be sure to have a good idea of what you want since this will save your florist time and confusion and in the end eliminate disappointment. If you need ideas comb through magazines, the internet, wedding websites or blogs. No matter what you choose - Make a statement!

Give your bouquet some charm...

2008-08-14T11:57:00.003-04:00

...with an adorable bouquet charm. I just love the idea of commemorating a loved one or your new initials with a cute little dangling charm. You can even have charms for all the bridesmaids, with a cute word or their initials too.

You can find little frames from etsy to put photos inside, or you can get custom frames made for you! Check out these resources below:

Etsy Mini Frames • More Etsy Mini Frames • Even MORE Etsy Mini Frames

Annie Howes Keepsakes • Cathy Penton Designs

Personalize Your Wedding

2008-08-13T15:18:00.003-04:00

Recently I came across this great site that can give you personalized wedding or party items. They have napkins, coasters, bags and so much more! You can use a design that is already created or upload your own. It is great! It even lets you choose from an array of fonts, colors and sizes. It is not only fun but really easy to use. So if you are looking to make your day personal and colorful this is the place for you! Check them out ForYourParty.com

find all of these items at ForYourParty.com

True Life: I Love Bridal Shows

2008-08-12T15:46:00.004-04:00

Recently, TV shows highlighting some or all of the wedding process have had a boom in popularity. Helpful to brides, right? Well, maybe not. Take, for example, WE’s Bridezillas. Has anyone ever seen that show and said, “Gee, that bouquet that she just used to beat her maid-of-honor to death with is exactly what I want.” So maybe its obvious that this Jerry Springer of wedding television shows is not the place too look for planning tips, but shows like “My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding” are only helpful if you have that spare couple of million to throw around. Or how about the bridal boot-camp shows? I can't wait to catch WE’s Bulging Bride. There's some scintillating television! Pass the popcorn, please.

So while wedding shows are not always the most helpful when planning a wedding, they are very entertaining. Something about the nature of getting married brings out the “best” in people, and we gleefully watch as they make fools of themselves. And as unrealistic as these reality shows can be, some of the drama that they capture can show up in our normal weddings. The stress of planning a wedding has brought many to the point of blowing up. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Hire a wedding planner, make a budget that you and your groom can agree on, and take a breather when something really goes wrong. Take a walk or go to the gym; take out that frustration in productive ways. And if all else fails, turn on the TV—it could be worse.

Olympic Weddings

2008-08-11T09:31:00.002-04:00

You may or may not know that the number 8 is considered a lucky number in the Chinese culture- it is said to signify prosperity, happiness and good fortune. This is another reason why the Olympic games in Beijing were set to start at 8:08:08 on 8/08/08. Reportedly, over 16,000 Beijing couples applied for marriage licenses to be registered on Friday!

Images from CNN & MSN

Read the full story here.

Have any of you picked your wedding date for a specific reason, or does your date have an international significance?

Favors, Favors and more Favors

2008-08-08T10:00:00.003-04:00

A favor is a simple gesture that says thank you to your guests. Depending on the favor it can also be another way for your guests to fondly remember the day. Favors at weddings are quickly becoming a real tradition, as brides and grooms look for creative ways to say thank you to their friends and family. From theme favors to practical favors, from favors that feature the elegance of Asia to the romance of the four seasons to the carefree whimsy of the beach - you are sure to find something that says thank you perfectly.

Do something that reflects who you are as a couple. My cousin loves to bake - so she baked everyone shortbread, wrapped the cookies up in cellophane and made her very own label with the date of their wedding on one side and the ingredients on the other side. I got married in Cabo San Lucas so since everyone traveled for the occasion we gave them silver plated luggage tags which also served as our placecards. This is another way you can manage your costs...Use something that doubles as something else. There are so many things you can do. Keep your budget in mine as well when deciding what you want to give as a thank you. Remember you don't have to spend a fortune....Get creative if your budget is tight. People will appreciate the originality in the gift. Have fun with this one.

Eco-Friendly Honeymoons

2008-08-07T11:01:00.003-04:00

I found these very cool honeymoon destinations that are gorgeous but also friendly to the environment. I thought it was pretty cool that you could find an eco-friendly place to go without having to sacrifice all the things a couple wants on a honeymoon.

These are just some of the cool places I found:

The Reserva Amazonica Lodge in Peru is in the middle of a rain forest. They have cabana bungalows that are raised on stilts and have palm roofs. They have filtered water and no electricity or hot water to conserve energy.

The Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch has a private honeymoon cabin. They have lots of activities like hiking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, and biking.

The Mountain Trail Holiday Resort in Delhi, India is a small resort that offers yoga, jungle walks, rock-climbing, and waterfalls. There is tons of wildlife and they use herbal soap and shampoos and recycle their old sheets and towels instead of throwing them away.

Martha at Walmart!

2008-08-06T09:02:00.005-04:00

Martha Stewart at Walmart

Have you heard? Martha Stewart is now at Walmart! She came out with an entire line of wedding items that are sold exclusively at Walmart. Now I know Martha never sells anything ugly, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this line of wedding items. They are so colorful and trendy and you can get anything from decorations to invitations for a fraction of the price. I don't think I saw anything over $25. If you are a diy person you are also going to love this new line. She sells kits that allow to create beautiful paper flower arrangements or elegant wedding favors. So what are you waiting for? Go and check out this great new line from Martha and create a sophisticated budget friendly wedding!

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) How-To Guides

2008-08-05T22:18:00.001-04:00

Over the course of my own company's blog, I've created several practical and useful 'how-to' guides for brides. So far we have:

Where to Hold Your Bouquet
How to Pin a Boutonniere
How to Have a Bubble or Sparkler Sendoff
How to Tip
How to Cut a Wedding Cake
How to Freeze your Cake Top

What else would be helpful? I'd love some more ideas for our How-To series!

Under MY umbrella, ella ella

2008-08-05T16:22:00.005-04:00

When I was little, my family and I drove to Iowa to my cousin’s wedding. While I don’t really remember much of it (mostly boring ceremonies and pinched cheeks), I do remember the reception. The event was held at my uncle’s country club (not so impressive for a five-year-old charged with keeping her dress clean). But the place did have an open bar—with CHERRY COKE! In the prime of childhood, there is nothing greater than a cherry coke, especially if you can ask for extra cherry flavoring; especially if there are real cherries in it; ESPECIALLY IF IT COMES WITH A COCKTAIL UMBRELLA.

My hyper excitement at this discovery was only surpassed by my caffeinated high 10 drinks later.

And today as I was searching for unique favor ideas, I came across a DIY project that will guarantee every five-year-old’s love: custom drink umbrellas.

Method

1. Use wooden skewers a couple of inches longer than your glasses are tall
2. Download the umbrella designs and print them on plain white paper. Or make you own!
3. Cut them out along the dotted lines, then make a slit as marked on each with scissors.
4. Create a cone by overlapping the edges slightly and hold them in place with glue or tape underneath
5. Push a skewer through the point on the inside of the cone
6. Then use a little PVA glue to stick a small bead on top to finish

TIPS
* For an even more exotic look, thread chunks of pineapple and other fruit on the skewer too.
* Use decorative-edged scissors to cut around the edge of the circles for a quirky finish.

This personalized fun favor will excite all your guests, even the over 5 crowd.

Any other interesting favor ideas?

More pretty dresses for your pretty maids...

2008-08-04T10:21:00.002-04:00

all images found at Macys.com

I've been having WAY too much fun looking online for dresses lately. Like I said before, I am LOVING the trend of the non matchy-matchy bridesmaids dresses. Aren't these cute? They are all from Macy's and most of their dresses are on sale right now! All of these dresses are less than $200- and would be cute as a BM dress for your maids, or a rehearsal dinner or shower dress for you! Go to Macy's.com to buy! :) Happy Monday!

Let's Party!!!!

2008-08-01T00:47:00.002-04:00

Something frilly, something sweet, something sexy... Something to knock the groom off his feet. So kick up your heels and paint the town red...it's time for one last whoo-rah with the girls before your stuck at home ironing shirts, preparing dinner and mending his socks...Oh wait, that was my mother...Anyway, it's time to celebrate your favorite bride to be!

A great idea is to host a lingerie shower during the bachelorette weekend. You can host the party in one of the hotel's suites - then order in or you can choose to have one of the local restaurants deliver food and beverages to your room.

Decorate the room as if you were hosting the party in your own home. The best thing about this party will be the clean-up...there is none (Don't forget to leave an extra tip for the maid's). Between the zebra cocktail shaker, marabou bottle slip covers, feather boas and mini disco balls, you will have everything you need to throw a fabulous bachelorette/lingerie party!!! Just add champagne!!!

Fun with Fisheye

2008-07-31T00:28:00.004-04:00

Toy Cameras: Part 2

Another fun find I stumbled upon during my plastic camera search is the Lomography Fisheye camera. At around $50 a pop, these cameras are a MUCH less expensive alternative to a pro lens... and they can be loads of fun to play with!

Personally, I loooove fisheye shots. Especially for the ceremony and location shots. People shots, however (IMHO), don't turn out so well in fisheye images, because of the distortion. But love 'em or hate 'em, fisheye pics are definitely one creative photography avenue.

Like the Holga, fisheye cameras can be used by both professionals and novices. It just depends on what you are looking for. If you want some fun & whimsical distorted pics like the ones below, a friend can certainly tote around the Lomo and get some great shots.

But if you're wanting dramatic, professionally corrected (de-fished) fisheye images like some of the ones seen below (and here and here), it's best to talk to your photographer about his or her experience with fisheye shots using professional lenses and de-fishing software.

For the expert novice wanting to learn more about fun with fisheye cameras and de-fishing images, check out this super informative article from Ken Rockwell.

I'm going to get one of these for my 2nd honeymoon to Antigua next week... I'll post the images when I get them! I think Urban Outfitters carries some of these in their "stuff" section, in case you have one in your area!

Thinking Ice Cream?

2008-07-30T11:09:00.002-04:00

Ok, I know that with all of this ice cream talk you all must be craving some ice cream or even better some ice cream stuff!!! Keeping with the ice cream theme I went in search for some great ice cream items you could register for. Now check out all of these great items that your guest could get you. I mean if you have the ice cream cart and the ice cream treats at your wedding you obviously love ice cream so why not get some of this great stuff for you and your hubby to enjoy all the time!

You can find all of these great items at Bed Bath & Beyond

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) Pantone's Color Picks

2008-07-29T08:37:00.000-04:00

Have you picked out your wedding colors yet? If not, check out Pantone's top hot colors. The stack of colors on the left are from the Fall 2008 Color Report. This season's trendy colors are:

Blue Iris
Royal Lilac
Shady Glade
Caribbean Sea
Aurora Red
Shitake
Withered Rose
Twilight Blue
Burnt Orange
Ochre

I personally like the Blue Iris & Ochre combination and my friend Terrica at the Fabuluxe Blog recently created a gorgeous inspiration board based around Withered Rose & Shitake.

What colors have you picked? If you're having a fall wedding, did you choose any similar color pairings? What do you think will be on the trend list for the spring?

Marry Monograms!

2008-07-28T09:17:00.002-04:00

Example Monograms from Marry Monograms

It is becoming increasingly common for brides to "brand" their wedding stationery, invitations, save-the-dates and programs with a custom wedding monogram. Monograms can consist of the couple's initials or whole names, their wedding date, the city where the wedding is taking place and often a graphical element or symbol that goes along with the theme of the wedding. If you're not the creative type or don't know how to create a logo for yourself, you should check out MarryMonograms. They will create a custom wedding logo for you for around $50- and will give you the file so you can use it where ever you want it! They have lots of options and even partner with sites who can create your invites and such for you with your new monogram! I personally love this idea- it gives your wedding a distinct feel and personalizes things- you could literally put these monograms anywhere! From your paper products like I mentioned before, to napkins, banners, signs, menus- you could even get it embossed on your wedding album cover! There are so many ways to incorporate a custom logo... how do you feel about this trend?

Trunk Shows

2008-07-25T19:51:00.004-04:00

So you found the groom, you have the ring, and you set the date. . .but what you still don't have is THE DRESS! For many brides this is the most exciting part of wedding planning, for others finding the perfect dress is a dreaded test. Whichever bride you are, this is the blog post for you!

Many brides know of a certain designer that they love, or may find a dress in a magazine, but just can't find it in person! Most bridal salons only carry select dresses that they believe will sell best in their store. Well, I was in Saks Fifth Avenue the other day where they were having a Kenneth Pool trunk show. The entire line was on display for brides to look through, including a gorgeous $18,000 gown!!!

With trunk shows you can be among the first to preview the entire line of a designers upcoming collection. Dresses go strait from the runway to trunk shows, traveling around the country to various bridal gown shops. Typically a trunk show will stay at a store from 1-3 days.

The easiest way to find a trunk show in your area is to call around to local bridal salons to see if they have any upcoming shows. The Fall trunk shows are starting now, so be sure to start early, and make an appointment as they go quickly during trunk show time. Although the gown will be at full price, many salons offer unique discounts on accessories during trunk shows that might not otherwise be offered.

Often a brand rep for the bridal gown line will be available to answer any questions. If you find a dress you are in love with, but would want to change a few things, loose the lace here, add buttons here, etc.....be sure to ask if these alterations can be made. Often little changes can be made to the dress so you get a gown custom ordered just for you!

Below are some links to select designers/bridal stores upcoming trunk shows:

Priscilla of Boston/Melissa Sweet

Know of a trunk show near you? Leave us a comment telling us when and where it is to help other brides out in your area!

Top 10 Wedding Complaints

2008-07-25T00:29:00.003-04:00

1. Everyone was done eating by the time I got my meal. The best way to avoid this is to have enough staff to make sure everyone gets fed around the same time. Sometimes brides or grooms haggle with the caterer to lower the per person price and lose a server or two to do so. I wouldn’t suggest this as the last resort. It only causes problems with the food service. I also suggest people sitting furthest from the bridal party table get served first. This way they feel special and don’t feel like they were forgotten out in the back corner.

2. I didn’t know anyone at the table. Seating arrangements are a difficult task for any couple. You are joining two groups of families and friends at one event. Since your goal is for everyone to have a good time make sure they sit with people they know. I recently had a groom who wanted to mix up the friends and family so everyone would get to know each other. That’s not a good idea. It just makes for a quiet and awkward table. Small talk isn’t fun for anyone so put your friends and family together. Most likely they haven’t seen each other since the last wedding so I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.

3. The music was too loud. I find this complaint to be mostly from the older crowd or parents with babies. Some music can be really loud so when arranging your seating assignments make sure your older guests are away from the speakers. If it’s too loud for you please tell the DJ or band to turn it down a notch.

4. I couldn’t hear the toasts or they were too loud. This again is a DJ or Band discussion. I always do a sound check in the front of the room and the back of the room before the event. Please ask your DJ or Band to do the same. Toasts are no fun at all if they can’t be heard.

5. Too much time between the ceremony and reception. Usually this happens with church ceremonies that start at 2 and the bride and groom want an evening reception. I suggest if you need to do this please give your guests a detailed list of things to do for the 2-3 hours before the reception. They won’t be bored and will get to see the town.

6. It was a cash bar and all I brought was my lipstick. Open bars are the most common type of bar. If your budget is an issue just offer beer and wine to save on costs. Another common trend is to offer a specialty drink during cocktail hour such as a martini, champagne cocktail, or favorite drink of the couple. This will save you money on alcohol and servers.

7. The food was average. I recommend tasting at least three different caterers before choosing one. Some specialize in seated meals others are better at doing stations. Make sure their presentation is nice but mostly make sure it tastes good. I recently went to wedding where the stations were left out so long that the food became mushy. It was terrible and not good for the people that were last to arrive at the food stations. Make sure your caterer is turning over food so that it stays fresh.

8. I never spoke to the bride or groom. Always make the rounds through all of your tables to say hello to your guests. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn out conversation just a quick hello and thank you for coming.

9. I was too hot or too cold. Extreme weather conditions are common with California weddings. Many clients want an outdoor reception but don’t want to pay the money to make it comfortable for their guests. Make sure you have a backup plan for a tent and/or heaters if it rains or it’s cold. If it’s too hot make sure you offer parasols and waters for your guests.

10. I was never thanked for my gift. The easiest way to make sure you don’t forget to send a thank you card is to send them out as soon as you get the gift. Keep a note beside your bed and write a few each night. Both you and your husband can write them to speed up the process. And please send them out no later than 3 weeks after the wedding. People who sent the gifts need to know that you received them.

Wedding Cookie Table

2008-07-24T11:53:00.000-04:00

First of all I should start off by saying that I am a huge cookie fan. When I first heard of this idea of having cookies instead of cake or in addition to cake I thought it was a wonderful idea. I had seen it done at a few weddings but had no idea that to some it was a huge tradition, mainly in Western Pennsylvania. When they go to a wedding, they expect to see a big table filled with cookies. The tradition follows as this: family, friends and sometimes caterers make dozens and dozens of cookies in the days before the wedding. Guests can feast on them at the wedding and afterwards take some home in a box. This tradition comes from Eastern European countries and Italy. It was popularized in steel working towns where different ethnic groups were living together so that is why there are such a variety of cookies. So if you choose to have a whole cookie table or just give them out as favors, your guests are sure to be happy.

Some things to think about if you are going to have cookies at your wedding.
Have a big variety of cookies so that your guests can all find something that they enjoy.
Sugar-free cookies are also an option for those who cannot have any sugar.
Decide if you are going to make the cookies yourself or hire a baker. If you hire a baker make sure to order the cookies at least six months ahead of time.

Ice Cream To Go!

2008-07-23T09:32:00.003-04:00

Continuing on with my ice cream theme I wanted to share with all of you this wonderful and fun idea I came across the other day. What about having an ice cream stand at your reception? Many ice cream shops are now offering the option of bringing the ice cream to you and doing it in a classy, fun way. You can rent an ice cream cart or stand that you park at your reception and they can serve any and all kinds of ice cream to your guests. I mean how great is that?! Check out these great companies and the adorable carts you can rent.

1. choomoo 2. kimberly's ice cream 3. thortonhall farmhouse ice cream

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) The Wedding Salon

2008-07-22T08:27:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago I took a day trip to The Wedding Salon bridal show in New Jersey. While I was admittedly slightly disappointed and surprised at the high ticket prices, I did come away with some beautiful photographs and vendor recommendations for brides in the NJ/NYC area.

The event was held at The Palace at Somerset Park. Us wedding planners lovingly call these spaces 'wedding factories.' Apparently New Jersey has a lot of them: Out front, CAT Limousines set out a few of their vehicles:As you enter, there is a registration table with this beautiful piece on it. Flowerful Events provided this one:
Then through the doors you're presented with this stunning display by A Touch of Elegance:Here's the view from aboveThis carnation-encrusted piece ran down the center and displayed the company's business cards:A quick video showing the piece:
To the left was a room set up for the fashion show. At the 'altar' a bride and groom stood under a beautiful crystal chuppah draped with purple orchids:A closeup of the crystal beading:To the right of the lobby, most vendors set up their booths around the edge of the room and there were several tabletop displays around the dance floor. In the center of the room was a model wearing a $100,000 dress on loan from Kleinfeld:This hot pink and orange tabletop was one of my favorites. It reminded me of Christina & Vincent's wedding we coordinated in May:This one was just stunning simply with the sheer volume of flowers:The base was gorgeous too:This one featured an adorable ball of daisies, tall taper candles and pewter-stemmed glassware: Each place setting had a personalized embroidered napkin ring:There were a few wedding cakes (and samples!):Up the stairs were a few wedding gown displays from Kleinfeld:Best of all, The Melting Pot restaurant set up a sampling table! Did you know they host rehearsal dinners at all their locations? One of the vendors was MyMMs.com and MyDoveChocolate.com (both owned by Mars). Did you know you can get individual Dove chocolates with a personalized message inside the wrapper? Check out all the colors of personalized m&ms you can get:
The Wedding Salon has more shows coming up in Los Angeles (September), New York (October), and Miami (November)? If you're in the NYC area and would like to check out the show, use ticket code 'ShowNY08C' for a free ticket! Otherwise, click here to see the show schedules in other cities.

Have you been to any bridal shows lately? Did you find any vendors there or were you disappointed?

Non Matchy-Matchy bridesmaid dresses

2008-07-21T09:16:00.000-04:00

I've seen alot of photos of weddings recently where the bridesmaids are all wearing something different. Either the same dress in a variety of colors to completely different dresses in different shades of a color to completely different dresses in all different colors (a la Jenna Bush's wedding). I personally really like the feel that this look gives- it just seems to make everything a little softer and not so 'matchy-matchy.' And it also gives your maids the chance to choose a dress that flatters their figure and to have a little more control over the price they are willing to spend. There are lots of great dresses to be found in tons of colors! Here's an example of some lovely blue hues- all these dresses I found on Nordstrom.com. :)

all images from Nordstrom

What do you think of this trend? Do you like it?

Etiquette 101

2008-07-18T12:13:00.004-04:00

Proper etiquette is a question often asked. What are the responsibilities of the wedding party? What is the proper invitation wording? Should I invite people I know cannot attend? These are some of the questions I get asked on a regular basis and yet I feel that basic etiquette seems to be missing these days. Obviously, the major culprit is technology. It’s just made it too easy to reach out to people.

Recently, I had two situations happen that just made me think, “Where had manners gone?” To dive into all the inappropriate things people do when associated with a wedding would be far too long to write about in this post. So I thought I would address two areas of etiquette that people consistently ignore.

Thank you notes: Most everyone knows they are supposed to thank the giver of a gift. A thank you note is a proper way to tell someone how thoughtful it was of him or her to think of you. Below, are all experiences I have had or friends have had after giving a gift. These are all true situations. Here are some things NOT TO DO after receiving a gift.

1) Please, please, please do not send an email. I know it’s easy but that’s exactly the point. A thank you note should not be easy. The person who sent you the gift had to think about the gift, check your registries, buy the gift and send it to you all of which, takes time and thought. Please have enough thought to sit down and write a personalized thank you note. The giver will appreciate it greatly.

2) A shower is not an okay place to get your thank you note addressing out of the way. I can’t believe the amount of showers I have been to recently where the hosts handed out blank envelopes for people to write their address on. If you are a bride and you invited all of your friends and family to your shower to give you hundreds of dollars in gifts you have their addresses to write thank you notes yourself.

3) There is some confusion about the proper time to send out thank-you notes after receiving a wedding gift. Some people think it’s a year. Well that is just not the case. I don't know who made up this rule and that's exactly wha it is. If you receive a gift you should write a thank you note within days of receiving it. It helps the giver know if the gift got to you. If your wedding is right around the corner, within a couple of days or weeks, it is acceptable to send out the thank you notes up to one month after the wedding.

Invitations: Text messaging and email have both really affected this area of party planning. A paper invitation sets the stage for an event. It is a formal and proper way to invite someone to a party. It’s also more meaningful for your guest to receive an invitation through the mail it makes the party seem worth going to. Here are some recent situations I’ve come across.

1) Save the dates. I don’t mind being emailed a “Save the Date” but please follow that up with a proper “Save the Date” or don’t send one at all. If it’s a picnic by all means an emailed invitation is fine. Emailing a “Save the Date” or wedding invitation is not okay. Take the time, even if you have to make them yourself, to send a proper paper invitation to your friends and family. They’ll appreciate it and will remember to put it on their calendar if a piece of paper is staring at them in the face.

2) Do not put registry information on your invitations! This is one of my biggest pet peeves! I know you think it’s important for your guests to know where you are registered. They can pick up the phone and ask the hosts of the bridal shower. By writing it on the invitation, you are simply asking for a gift. It’s also telling people, only shop “here.” Guests should be able to shop where they like. On that same note, if you are host, it is not okay to call guests and request special requirements for gifts. Recently, a friend got a phone call from a host to only buy gift cards for the bride. She went on to explain that she would be traveling to the shower and it would be easier for her to travel with. There is no situation where that is proper to do.

3) Do not invite people to your wedding who you know are not going to be able to attend. This is only soliciting a gift. However, if your parents have a close friend or your Aunt Jill has already planned a trip to Paris on the day of your wedding they would be more than thrilled to see your invitation and are most likely planning to send you a gift anyway. For people who contacted you and said they are not able to attend do not send them invite. A wedding announcement is the perfect solution in this case and do not oblige recipients to send you a wedding gift.

Hopefully, I’ve cleared up some questions of simple wedding etiquette. Thank you for allowing me to vent on the do's and don'ts of wedding planning.

Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch and Hearing

2008-07-18T11:47:00.000-04:00

I am visiting my family and my new little niece, Jaylee, and was talking to my aunt about today's blog. During an intense brainstorming session (expect some great blogs coming up!) my aunt came up with a FABULOUS topic for today!

Use your 5 senses to plan your wedding: sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste! Have you ever noticed how a certain song brings back certain memories? Or maybe the smell of homemade cookies reminds you of your childhood. Use your senses to create lasting wedding memories.

SIGHT

Your color scheme is the easiest way to stimulate you sight. I graduated from the University of Tennessee, and even now when I see the color orange I am flooded by the memories of football games! After spending so much time planning your wedding, and searching for that exact shade of blue, your eye will be trained to gravitate towards that color. Even years down the road, that exact color scheme that you used in your wedding will spark memories from your special day! For color scheme ideas visit Colour Lovers to get pre-made palettes.

SMELL

Smell is one of the most powerful senses linked to memory. I know that I have a variety of perfumes that I have worn over time, and each one reminds me of a different time in my life. One thing I definitely plan to do for my wedding day is have my own custom fragrance mixed. Many places can do this, but I plan on going to Saks Fifth Avenue and get Bond No. 9.

Bond 9 is carried exclusively at Saks, or in their own boutique. You can buy a pre-mixed Bond Fragrance, or have their perfume experts mix your own personal scent for your wedding day! Choose from women's, men's or a unisex fragrance! This could be a fun project for you and your fiance! If you chose a unisex fragrance, you can both wear it on your big day! Then you can wear this fragrance again on anniversaries or any other special day!

TASTE

Tantalize your taste buds with flavors that will remind you of your wedding day! Choose a flavor that can create a link through all of the foods on your wedding day. Pear, pomegranate and coconut are a few examples of flavors that you can tie into a variety of foods. Let's take coconut for example: start the evening with a special coconut infused cocktail, maybe have some coconut shrimp as an hors d'oeuvre, and end with a layer of coconut wedding cake!

HEARING

Certain sounds can definitely trigger certain memories. Select songs to be played throughout the evening that represent you and your fiances. Music plays a large role in your wedding day, from your walk down the aisle, to the first dance, to the garter toss, to the cake cutting. Check out our Pink Lady Playlist for some of our favorite songs for your ceremony! Every time these songs come on the radio you and your husband will be reminded of certain memories from your wedding day.

TOUCH

Touch is a little tricky, but I did come up with an idea as to how to incorporate touches from your wedding into your married life. This may also solve the problem of what to do with your wedding dress after the wedding! You can take parts of your dress or your veil and have decorative pillows made from the lace, beading and silk. This is one way to incorporate your sense of touch from your wedding day into your married life. One other idea, which my mother did with her dress, is to have the train of your dress made into a christening gown for your children and grandchildren to come.

What other ideas do you have to incorporate things that stimulate your senses into your wedding day???

Conflict Free = Guilt Free

2008-07-17T11:59:00.002-04:00

So you’re out shopping for that perfect diamond. Your see one with perfect color, cut, clarity and carat, but there’s another “c” that you should be aware of: conflict.
After dramatized into a major motion picture, the topic of blood diamonds has become cliché but no less relevant. When shopping for the perfect wedding rings, I hope that our pink readers keep “conflict-free” in their minds. These diamonds cost no more than any others but they ensure that their sale is not used to fund bloodshed in the world. So how does one go about finding conflict-free diamonds?
Diamondfact.org says, “As a consumer, you should feel good about your diamond purchase. Ask your friends and family for recommendations to find a jeweler you can trust. Make sure that the jeweler is willing to spend time providing the information you need. A reputable jeweler should:
• Only use suppliers who can provide a guarantee that their diamonds are from sources free of conflict
• Have a conflict diamond policy
• Be able to answer a customer's questions about the topic”
If the jeweler is unwilling to give you this guarantee, go somewhere else. This can be your way to make a difference. Besides, your big day should be guilt-free!

You scream, I scream, We all scream for ice cream!

2008-07-16T09:20:00.001-04:00

images courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

When I was little I guess you could say I was quite the tomboy, so weddings and getting married were never really on my mind. I never was the type that was dreaming of what dress I would be wearing or what colors I would use or the flowers I would be carrying. But one thing I did know was that I was going to have blue ice cream at my wedding! Now I know how odd this sounds but when I was 9 or 10 it sounded like the best idea ever. If you know me, you know exactly how much I LOVE food! It is one of those things that always makes me smile. So back to this ice cream idea... Growing up my family always went to a theme park in Cincinnati called Kings Island. Well every time I went I had to have some of the famous Smurf Ice Cream. It is this bright blue berry ice cream that is incredible. One day I was with my mom and I decided that I didn't want a wedding cake for my wedding just blue Smurf ice cream and of course my mom being the awesome mom that she is told me it was a great idea! Well now that I am older there is not a day that goes by that she lets me forget about my blue ice cream. She still can't wait till I get married so I can have my childhood dream of eating blue ice cream on my wedding day.

So I think this whole ice cream idea is great! I know it is not a normal thing for the wedding reception but what a great idea for your rehearsal dinner or wedding shower. You can do so many fun and unique deserts with this item and they are a great treat in the summer time. I was especially inspired by a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living where they featured many unique ice cream treats. From ice cream cupcakes to ice cream berry pops the choices are endless. These are also great items that you can make custom to match your wedding colors or use as a signature treat. Tune in next week for more great ice cream ideas.

Does anyone else have unique items they are going to serve or have at their wedding?

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) Real Centerpieces

2008-07-15T07:08:00.003-04:00

Last week I talked about some DIY decor resources. For those of us that are slightly less crafty or prefer not to destroy their living room for weeks at a time, I thought I'd also showcase some more centerpiece ideas that you can get from a professional florist. All of these came from weddings we've coordinated over the years.

Here are some tall ones:

Short ones are also popular:

Non-floral centerpieces are getting more popular as the cost of flowers goes up and more brides make eco-friendly decisions:

Have you thought about your centerpieces yet? What will they look like?

My New Wedding Organizer- Planning on the Go!

2008-07-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

So, today is a kind of special day... and although it is kind of special, it is also kind of scary!!! Today is my 3 month engage-aversary!! I have been engaged to my sweetie for 3 months today- I can't believe how fast these few months have flown by! And to be honest, I haven't even gotten around to doing a whole lot of planning yet, so I decided that it's probably a good time to start!

This weekend, the fiance and I planned to go scout out some venue locations. We had a list of 4 or 5 that we were interested in looking at, and my mom made some reservations for us to do so. My FI and I live about 3 hours from our hometowns where we will be getting married, so that's a large amount of potentially productive planning time that would just be wasted in the car! Well ladies- it wasn't wasted for me, because on Friday I went out and purchased a sweet, sweet tool for myself- the new iPhone 3G!

images from Apple.com, and me!

I can't even begin to imagine the possibilities of how this phone will help me in my planning process. It's just a phone, people will say- but NO! They are wrong. It's not just a phone- it's an internet capable device- so it can help you plan on the go! In the car on the way home on Friday evening, I read all the days posts on all of my favorite wedding blogs- complete with photos and everything. I was able to check my email and reply to a potential wedding planner. I emailed myself directions to the locations we were scheduled to check out on Saturday. I downloaded an App called JOTT, which allows you to make a voice recording of a memo to yourself. Then it transcribes your words into a text format and sends it to you in a list that you can check off as you've done each task. It creates your own To Do lists! You can keep track of all your wedding vendors information. View PDF contracts. Remind you of your appointments with the calendar. Keep up with your favorite wedding blogs. Take photos of your venue options, centerpieces, table settings with the camera- then show the photos off to your friends. There are even budgeting Apps to help you keep track of your budget- not specifically for weddings but you could make it that way! And you can do all of this on the go! Seriously, the possibilities are endless! You can even get it in wedding white! :)

I am not the most organized person in the world... My "wedding binder" consists of tearouts from magazines, stacks of paper, swatches, photos and contracts. This one piece of equipment is really going to make me more organized- and I am SO excited about it. What are you using to keep yourself organized? Anyone else have any tips to share?

Gifts from the Groom

2008-07-11T16:41:00.001-04:00

We spend so much time talking about the bride. . . .what the bride wears. . .what the bride gets her bridesmaids. . .how the bride can do her hair. . .but what about the grooms? Although the bride typically does a lot of the planning, there are 2 areas in which the groom has a considerable amount of say: the cake (tasting at least) and the gifts to his groomsmen, parents and bride.

From the Groom is a great website with a ton of gifts for the groom to give! There's a wide variety of cufflinks, some for the bestman, some for the father of the bride, and even some for the groom himself! There is also a lot of categories to choose from: for the golfer, for the executive, for the outdoors man, etc.

Some grooms may want to get all of their groomsmen the same thing, I like it when each groomsmen gets something unique too! Maybe get all the groomsmen the same tie or cufflinks to wear for the wedding, but also get them each something that is personal to them.

Even if you don't order from From the Groom, check it out for some great gift ideas!

Some of my favorites are:

Poker Set
Steak Brander
Golf Towels
"Best Man" cufflinks
Swiss Army Knife

Choosing Great Vendors

2008-07-11T00:03:00.002-04:00

You know the saying, a manager is only as good as the people he has working for him. Well, a wedding is only as good as the people you have working with you.

Most coordinators work with people they know for a reason. They are reliable and they know they do good work. When you are planning a wedding on your own it’s really a shot in the dark. You have to depend on other people’s recommendations and sometimes what they think is good for you isn’t always the case.

When my friend was getting married she was on a very tight budget. A friend of hers recommended another friend, a photojournalist, for their photographer. Now in theory she definitely wanted a photojournalistic quality to her photos but the photographer, who had only shot one wedding before, didn’t know the shots to get. He staged nothing. So her husband’s family is completely missing from their wedding photos. Needless to say, she was very bummed and I know she wished they had spent the additional $1000 to get someone who had real wedding experience.

Here are some things to look for when hiring vendors:

Details, Details, Details. When looking for a specific vendor always make sure you have all the details of the wedding at your fingertips. Keep the timeline, contacts, and even floor schematic available on your computer so you can email it to anyone you're trying to hire. If you're hiring a new photographer send them photos of past weddings you liked. You don’t need to have everything set in stone but it does prevent future confusion if you do end up hiring a particular vendor.

It’s a job interview. Remember this person is going to be working with you side by side for 9 months to a year. Make sure you interview them. Ask them how long they’ve been in the business? Do they do weddings often? How many a year? How many hours are included in their price? Then just chat with them, ask them to tell you about the most difficult wedding they ever encountered. You can tell a lot about a person if they are frantic while telling you the story or are able to cope with stress and everything worked out.

Negotiate. Surprisingly, many people don’t realize that most pricing is negotiable. If you really want to hire someone and they are overpriced for your budget think about why the vendor would want to do your wedding. Maybe you have a lot of single friends and they could get future work. Or maybe you are having your wedding somewhere unique, such as a farm or a roof deck and the photographs will be fantastic for their portfolio. Sometimes it helps to just say, “I really like you but your fee is to much for our wedding.” If they like you they’ll most likely negotiate, at least 10%, if not more.

Go with your gut. What was your first impression of the company or person? Sounds a little ridiculous but a vendor you don’t gel with most likely won’t meet expectations. That can be stressful. If you like the person and they have good references hire him or her.

Kill them with kindness. We always choose vendors we love to work with and the vendors that love us. This is because we have a mutual respect for one another. We truly believe the more positive energy you put into planning your big day the more positive you’ll get back. So when things get stressful and mistakes happen (because they always do) and you feel you need to vent, go easy on your vendors, they’re trying to do their best job possible for you. You will reap the rewards of your kindness and you’ll get to pay back the favor to another friend that recommended the perfect vendor.

Have a Holga Wedding

2008-07-09T22:11:00.005-04:00

What is the Holga? This "toy" camera was first introduced in 1982 as an inexpensive camera in China. What they didn't know then is that this little camera would become revolutionary. At $20 bucks a pop (!!), the Holga has become a staple in many professional photographer's camera bag.

Its unpredictable distortions create unique and sometimes brilliant effects. I spent hours poring through the hundreds of photos on flickr.com and google images. I find them so moving. I think photojournalist John Stanmeyer put it well when he said that the Holga is "a keyhole into the past."

There are tons of websites offering suggestions on modifying your Holga to create amazing results. And in the hands of a true professional, the Holga can create amaaaazing things! I think Erin Antognoli has some great examples on her site.

Here are just a few of the many, many, that I fell in love with (along with a shot of the camera itself).

1. Boutwell Studios 2, 5 & 7. Erin Antognoli 3. Jules Bianchi 6. Jenn Ski

If you can't find a photographer who works with these professionally, get one of your artistic friends to have a whirl at it! What have you got to lose? Holga's rock bottom price means, you can afford to play with it. Heck, you could even use them instead of disposable cameras at each table!

I am going to order one! I will post some images from the next wedding I attend!

Cardboard cake--not required for first-year anniversary

2008-07-09T08:35:00.000-04:00

This past May, I was riding in the back seat of my brother’s car with the frozen top tier of their wedding cake melting in my lap. What I hoped was icing was seeping out of the box and cementing my legs to the car seat. My brother and his wife had decided to save their cake as tradition dictates for their first anniversary; however, noting the ooze dripping out of the box, I can’t imagine that the cake had survived a year at subzero.

And after reading thousands of blogs all describing the horrors of year-old, freezer-burned cake, I realize that this is not an uncommon experience.

The tradition of saving this top layer apparently comes from the historical proximity of a wedding and christening celebration. A layer was saved and eaten at the christening celebration of the first child, often not that far in the future. But as wedding cakes grew more elaborate and the birth of the first child did not always occur within a year, the top tier began to just be eaten at the first anniversary cake.

But even the staunchest supporters of this tradition don’t have to be resigned to eating cardboard cake. There are other options.

If you’re dead set on saving the top tier, most people suggest letting the cake sit in the freezer for about two hours until the frosting sets, then wrapping in many layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil, as airtight as possible. Then placing in another airtight container and placing in the back of the freezer where the temperature remains the most stable.
Other couples decide not to wait a year. Some eat it after returning from their honeymoon; others wait a month and eat it for that anniversary. This minimizes the freezer burn and still keeps some of the tradition alive.
The bakeries themselves present another option. Many are offering a complimentary cake one year after the big day as part of the cake package. This offers you a cake that is like your original wedding cake, yet fresh and delicious!
My favorite tradition though, is when the couple uses this top tier to send cake to the special guests who could not make it to the ceremony. In this way, they can include these people in their celebration and lets these special people know that they were missed. Besides, everyone enjoys getting a little cake in the mail!
And finally, you could make your own anniversary cake. Bring the hubby into the kitchen with you, and it could be a memory-making experience all of its own.

(::Tuesdays with Laura::) DIY Decor Resources

2008-07-08T13:38:00.002-04:00

We often have bridal clients who see photos in a magazine or online and want to recreate the look. The problem is that they don't know where to find the pieces to put it together! We have several everyday resources that are great for DIY decorators.

First up, IKEA and eBay! Do you have an IKEA within an hour's drive? If so, go check it out! Skip the furniture setups and go straight to the kitchen wares and home accessories. You'll find mini jars, funky vases, river rocks, and all sorts of things. Trish's centerpiece incorporates a moss base from the florist, votive candles from IKEA, and a cute lantern from eBay:And how about Michael's, A.C. Moore, Pearl, or Hobby Lobby? Depending on what part of the country you're in, one of these craft stores could be your best friend. Here's a photo of me and Justin, the groom, deciding on which candles to use for the ceremony. The candles and candlesticks both came from Michael's:This dried moss was found at Michael's and used as a bed for Emily's escort cards:Jamali Garden is a garden supply store in New York City but their website is phenomenal. They have tons of decor items. The ribbon used to tie Laura's jam jars (double duty as escort cards and favors) is from there:Heard of the Oriental Trading Company? This website is perfect for ordering things in bulk. You have to dig through the plastic kid's toys but there's a surprising amount of great wedding finds Claire found her parasols there:Laura's parasols came from Oriental Trading too. She tied ribbon from Jamali Garden on the handles and placed them in a basket from Michael's:This image is from a tabletop competition we entered at a bridal show. The sticks in the centerpiece are from Michael's and the lanterns are from a great website called Luna Bazaar. You can get any shape, size, or color of Chinese paper lantern and much more there:What are some of your favorite crafty DIY resources?

Wordle me this, wordle me that!

2008-07-07T09:52:00.002-04:00

Reminder: Don't forget about the 20% off Save-the-Dates discount over at Minted.com, exclusively for Pink Book Blog readers! Use the code "Pink" at checkout!

Welcome back- hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend. If I know one thing about holiday weekends, it's that the Mondays that follow are dreadful. So, here's something fun to play with on this Monday-after-a-holiday! Over the weekend I came across this website, Wordle, via Tiffany over at My Style-ish Destination Wedding. It literally is hours worth of fun! You can input words of your choice and Wordle randomizes it by color, font, layout, etc. Or it also has this great feature where you can input the URL of your blog or a website and it will pick from words used in your blog and randomly put together a word-collage! It is addicting, so beware! Below is a Wordle I created about our beloved Pink Book Blog! Go make yours now!

Organizing the Day is Key!

2008-07-04T12:14:00.000-04:00

Call me crazy, but this is one of our favorite parts of planning. We love creating the timeline and getting everyone organized for their big day.

The idea of a timeline is really simple and keeps all of your vendors on the same page. We get pretty detailed but if you are organizing this yourself, without the help of a coordinator, we would make sure you give the timeline to someone you can trust to keep you on time. The risk is if you run out of time you’ll feel like your wedding just skipped by and you might not talk to all the guests you invited or even dance with your groom. Break down everything from getting your makeup done to your last dance. The more detailed it is the easier it will be to follow and add some pad in there for any surprises. You don’t have to be looking at your watch every minute before moving on to the next thing just make sure your key events start on time, especially the ceremony. Guests don’t like to wait to long to eat and drink.

We usually send the timeline out to each vendor two weeks before the event and follow up with a phone call to make sure they received it and to answer any questions they might have. I also include a contact list of everyone working the event. This will help your vendors in case of any emergencies. Most likely you will not be reachable so they can call other vendors that might be at the event location to contact you. The more everyone knows the more smoothly your wedding day will go.

Here’s a sample timeline to help you on your wedding day:

1-3 pm Hair and makeup at hotel

3:30 pm Arrive at Ceremony Location to dress.

3:30 pm Photographer arrives to set up 4:00 pm Photos (Bride’s family)

5:00 pm Photos (Groom’s family)

6:00 pm Ready for ceremony

6:20 pm Guests seated

6:30 pm Ceremony begins

6:50 pm Ceremony ends

7:00 pm Cocktail hour

7:00 pm Photos with Bride and Groom/family/bridal party

7:30 pm Bridal party joins cocktail hour/Champagne poured and placed on table for toast after cocktail hour

8:00 pm Toast by Best Man and Maid of Honor

8:05 pm Salad served

8:15 pm Dinner served

9:15 pm First Dance

9:20 pm Father/Daughter Dance

9:22 pm Mother/Son Dance

9:25 pm Everyone Dance

9:45 pm Cake cutting/Bride and Groom thank guests

9:50 pm Everyone Dances

10:50 pm Last Dance

11:00 pm End of Reception

Just remember, the difference between a great wedding and a so-so wedding is its use of time management. The best wedding I’ve ever been to was a simple, budget wedding in a church gym. I think the bride would laugh at me now if I told her this but the reception was planned out perfectly. There were no gaps, the toasts were sentimental and to the point. The food came out hot and on time and everyone danced until we waved goodbye to the bride and groom. She created the perfect story with a beginning, middle and an end. If you can make your event flow nicely, just the thought of it will linger with people, as this one did for me for years to come.

4th of July Weddings!

2008-07-04T11:42:00.000-04:00

PLK did a great inspiration board for red, white and blue themed weddings yesterday! I thought I would give you a different version today as well! With 4th of July on a Friday this year, and a Saturday next year, there are bound to be a lot of 4th of July weddings! If you are thinking you might want to have a 4th of July wedding next year, I suggest you start booking EARLY, as this will be a popular day for weddings! Also get you're STD's out early (check out our contest!), as a lot of people tend to plan vacations for the 4th of July holiday!

Bakarella * Martha Stewart * The Knot * JCrew Wedding * Betsey Johnson * Christian Louboutin * Ear Mark Inivitations * Julie Weaver Photography

Pink Lady Claire had a sparkler send off, which I think is a GREAT idea! Especially for a summer wedding! It's also a lot more eco-friendly than throwing rice! Be sure to tell you photographer upfront so they can get a fabulous picture of your and your groom running through!

If you want fireworks for your wedding day be sure to check with your local government for regulations regarding fireworks. Get all the permits you might need ahead of time and be sure to use caution when setting off fireworks! Fireworks are a great way to celebrate your wedding day, but nothing ruins a wedding like a fireworks display gone bad!

Another thing to keep in mind when planning a 4th of July wedding is not to get too carried away with a theme! Keep it simple and incorporate some red and blue into your decorations, without having it scream 4th of July!