Favors have evolved from Jordan almonds to almost everything else, depending on the couple’s preferences and their guests’ personalities. Buy them or make them yourself; either way, favors should have a touch of elegance and tastefulness in deference to their distinguished origin.

Trimmings

These include ornamental pieces that your guests could use to decorate their homes. They can be personalized to coordinate with your wedding theme or to suit your guests’ tastes. Refrigerator magnets, frosted glass shades and crystal decorations in various shapes (umbrellas, dolphins, globe, cross, heart, ring, and many others) and sizes are some examples.

Travel accompaniments

A great way to show your thoughtfulness is to give your guests something that they can use when traveling. Going to different places is something that most people count as a happy thought so giving your friends luggage tags and travel candles is a way to remind them that they should go on a trip for that much-deserved break.

Dinner table add-ons

Functional favors are the best kind because your guests will remember and appreciate you every time they use what you gave them. Some of the most common favors are those that can be used during meals. Personalize coasters and place card holders with your guests’ photos and pick out wine pourer and stopper sets, bottle openers, and toasting glasses that reflect your wedding motif. Choose designs that are simple yet stylish.

Candles and Soaps

Candles and soaps are in a category of their own because they can both be useful and decorative. Many use candle wedding favors as ornaments and some use soaps to keep their cupboards and dressers fragrant. They come in different forms and designs so it’s easy to pick out something that will be perfect for your individual guests.

More Options

Edible favors like brownie pops, mini cakes and cookies have also gained popularity but since your guests will probably eat them, they might be left with nothing but memories and plastic wraps. Giveaways like hand fans, mini photo albums, compacts, and favor boxes are great because your guests will find them useful as well as decorative since they usually come in exquisite designs

Many books and online sources cite DIY instructions to those who want to either add a personal touch to the favors or save on the cost of buying ready-made ones. There is no rule on whether you should buy or make your own favors but you have to remember that favors are meant to show your appreciation to your guests. Therefore, make sure that you’re going to give them keepsakes that will show just how thankful you are.

Apple of My Eye Mini-Candle Wedding Favors

Weddings are not just about big things like the wedding venue, bridal gown, or reception program. These are not only about picking your entourage or about choosing flower decorations for the church and reception area. Even the smallest details like the candle wedding favors are an important factor that would contribute to the success of the event. And because times are quite hard these days, it would be a good idea if the bride and groom can find creative ways on how to use these keepsakes on reception tables in such a way that you would be able to maximize your wedding budget. Here are some ideas on how to do that.

Use Candle Favors as the Table Centerpiece

Candle favors can be incorporated into floral arrangements to make a stunning table centerpiece. As you would notice, candles can make any flower bloom glow and look livelier.  You can also arrange the candle favors into a tiered stand, a smaller version of the one used for wedding cupcakes.

Another idea would be to have candles placed on crystal tea light holders floating on a clear vase with a wide opening. Sprinkle in some embellishments such as flower petals, faux gems, pearls, and glitters. It would also be nice to have a mini potted plant surrounded with botanical garden votive candle holders. Just make sure that the guests are informed that the candle decorations used on the reception table are wedding favors so each can take one home.

Garden Glass Gel Candle Wedding Favors

Light up the Table with the Candle Favors

If you are going to hold the reception at night, you would need light sources for the tables. The candle favors can serve this purpose. As mentioned earlier, you can arrange the candles in such a way that they can be the focal point of the wedding table decoration. However, for this purpose, you should also remember to light up the candle favors to provide glow for the tables. Miniature lanterns with hangers are also great for this purpose of lighting up the table and being a wedding favor.

Go for Candle Favors that can double as Table Place Cards

Candles placed in clear vases can be both a souvenir and a table place card. How is that possible? You can have mod “blox” clings with personalized text adhered onto the vases not only to add a modern look to the table but also to give people information regarding guests’ names and corresponding table numbers. The good thing about cling is that it leaves no residue and can adhere to almost any type of glossy smooth surface.

Candles are very beautiful tokens of appreciation that can make your wedding day special and memorable. They give a warm inviting glow, set a romantic mood, and provide an elegant atmosphere to the occasion. But aside from their sheer beauty, they are also very flexible and can be used for a wide variety of things aside from simply being favors. They can be used as sophisticated table centerpieces, bright light source, and efficient table place cards.

Customized toasting glasses are a thoughtful bridal shower gift. Find out the wedding color and style to find the perfect flutes. Couples can choose their own unique ones too for their once-in-a-lifetime toast. After the wedding reception, bring them home to display on a shelf or china cabinet in your new marital home. You can both use the wedding toasting flutes every year to celebrate your anniversary.

Eye-catching glasses set the happy couple apart from everyone else during their toast. Whether you decide to toast with champagne, wine, sparkling water or grape juice, the moment is more magical with specialized ones. Lusterware champagne flutes are simply perfect, etched with the word “Bride” and “Groom” with attractive twisted crystal handles that match any type of wedding décor.

If you prefer simple, streamlined designs, you will appreciate the classic beauty of refined etched flutes with gentle etching. For a more dramatic look, refined elegance champagne flutes with a woven etched design add a slightly contemporary flair to your wedding toast.

Wedding toasting flutes may also be chosen to match the flowers used at your bid day. Popular flowers chosen for bridal bouquets, centerpieces and floral arrangements at weddings including roses and calla lilies. Choose unique toasting flutes embellished with beautiful matching blossoms for a professional, flowery feel throughout your wedding. If you love red roses, the flower of love in romantic red toasting set will become a treasured keepsake long after the wedding reception is over. For the couple who prefers traditional calla lilies, the bridal beauty calla lily toasting set is a lovely choice.

Many couples are choosing a seasonal wedding theme. In the spring, a garden wedding theme with butterflies or flowers is a popular choice. During the summer, many couples have a beach wedding theme. The autumn is a breathtaking season with colorful fall leaves creating a breathtaking backdrop for your nuptials. Silvery snowflakes create magical moments during your winter wedding. A sculptural white tiger lilies toasting set is an eye-catching addition to your spring or summer head table. An autumn splendor toasting set captures the essence of fall with a unique lacy oak leaf preserved in copper. Your winter wedding sparkles even more with a winter wonder toasting set featuring snowflakes.

During the wedding toast, everyone celebrates the union of the happy couple by toasting to a prosperous future together. The joining of two people together as one through matrimony is perfectly expressed by toasting flutes with interlocking stems. Silver plated interlocking heart stems with glass flutes combine the beauty of silver and glass with a heart joining them together. Classic styling interlocking heart stem toasting goblets are a traditional way to express your desire to stay together forever.

Add color and texture to them. A chocolate and strawberry cream set bring the flavor of chocolate to your head table. Even if you don’t serve strawberries and chocolate at your wedding reception, you can include these romantic treats by using a chocolate and strawberry cream toasting set. The purity of white is always associated with weddings. Use a pure elegance in wedding white set to capture the first time pleasure of your nuptials. The bridal tapestry set with tailored chiffon bows and sparkling crystal accents brings texture and glamor to your ceremony.

A footed pilsner glass has a unique shape your guests are sure to admire during your wedding toasting ceremony. These unusual pilsner glasses can be specially monogrammed with your initials, wedding date or anyway you choose to personalize them. Personalized footed pilsner glasses look fabulous at your wedding reception and make wonderful keepsakes of this special toast.

From simple to themed to personalized, wedding toasting flutes express your preferences as a couple during your big moment and look fantastic in all your wedding photos.

4-hair.blogspot.com

Your wedding attire is an all important aspect of your wedding planning. It takes months of gazing at photos and reading articles to hours spent trying on dresses before you make that all important decision.

Your bridal hair style is just as important as your wedding dress and deserves lots of attention and care as well. After all, the hair tops off the dress and really completes the look.

When looking for the right hairstyle for your wedding day, take a moment to consider the few tried and true standards that make bridal hair a classic part of the bride’s appearance.

wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com

For example:

• The bun – a simple construction of the hair pulled back neatly without any loose hair in the face or around the neck.
• The up do – an updated version of the bun, the up do adds more drama and height to the original bun created more curls and a bigger look all around.
• The messy up do – a modern take on both the bun and the up do, the messy counterpart allows for loose strands to break away from the already loose up do, creating a more natural, relaxed and sexier look.
• The French twist – a sleek and polished pulled back look with the hair arranged in a vertical or horizontal twist along the back of the head or on side extending back from the ears.
• The chignon – the French twist’s cousin emerges with the hair pulled tightly back but arranged in a series of knots at the nape of the neck
• The half up do – this is a loose, easy to wear look where only the front portion of the hair is pulled back and arranged at the top of the head. The back of the hair falls loosely.

These are a few of the more classic examples of what stylists use as their launch pad for creating the right look for their individual clients. You can accessorize or rearrange these styles to come up with something unique to you. It is your wedding; so, play a little and make it fun from the get go….starting with you.

Christonium

(PRWEB) November 5, 2009 — The old paradigm is still alive and well on the internet. Bride’s are going online to search for information to help them plan their wedding. What they find is outdated wedding planning checklists, vague promises of wedding solution ebooks, online wedding magazines full of beautiful wedding gown pictures, forums where they can get answers from other brides, and funny YouTube entrance dance wedding videos. But none of this gets them any closer to planning their wedding—mostly it gets them more confused and plants the seeds for bridezillas to emerge.

Wedding Planning Membership Site

Angela Fiebelkorn states that the membership site offers a unique combination of cutting edge technology and years of wedding planning expertise.

TheBridalCoach.ca is opening its door as a response to this disfunctionality in the online wedding market. It is the first and only wedding planning membership site in North America. Their stated mission is to provide the modern bride and groom one place on the internet to find everything they need to plan their wedding the right way, in a timely manner, with the least effort and from the comfort of their home. This entrepreneurial group of wedding planners is launching its membership site on November 10, 2009, just at the beginning of the wedding planning season for most brides and grooms.

“The launch is a massive internet marketing event,” says Angela Fiebelkorn, wedding planner and CEO of www.TheBridalCoach.ca. “This membership site offers a unique combination of cutting edge technology and years of wedding planning experience and expertise.”

She further states that “a team of certified wedding planners share their collective wisdom in countless short videos that tell the bride and groom what they need to know each step of the way. The membership site has easy to follow checklists so the bride can just get things done. Additionally, the bride and groom are assisted by professional wedding planners and coaches in the members’ forum and through the weekly coaching calls. They can access these planners at any time for a prompt answer, and all this from the comfort of their home—and, the cost is a fraction of the cost of hiring a wedding planner.”

Read full Press Release here: Wedding Planning Membership Site, TheBridalCoach.ca, Changes the Landscape of the Online Wedding Industry

Red Wedding Dresses

Gone were the days when the only acceptable color for wedding gowns was white (and any shade close to it). Gone were the days when wearing other colors would mean breaking the law. Gone were the days when a red wedding gown was considered taboo.

More and more brides are choosing red wedding gowns for a number of different reasons. Some dare to defy the wedding norms. Some are bored with the usual white color. Some desire to be unique and stand out. Some want to look stunning with this bold color. Others simply intend to follow the latest trend.

Whatever your reason is for wearing this gown, there are several things you have to know about it before you buy one. Here are some of the things you must know about red wedding gowns.

Symbolism of Red

Red is the symbol of color, so it can be the perfect color for wedding gowns. Aside from that, it also symbolizes passion, romance and fiery emotions. If you want to make your wedding symbolic and meaningful, wearing a red wedding gown may be the perfect option for you.

Picture: Photobucket

The two basic options you have for red wedding gowns is a solid red wedding gown and a white wedding gown with a touch of red that may come in the form of a sash, lace, or embroidery. As for the gown’s style, you can go for strapless, tube, mini sleeves, long sleeves, sweetheart cut, empress, turtleneck and many others. Before you decide on a certain style, consider your personal taste and personality. Choose something that would evoke your character and fashion sense.

Confidence: Most Important Accessory for a Red Gown

This is a very important reminder: do not wear a red wedding gown unless you have the guts and confidence to carry it. If you are the meek type, who shies away at people’s hint of dislike, this is not the dress for you. But if you are the daring type who can wear the gown with confidence, go for it! Just remember that you cannot please everybody, especially those people who have conservative views about wedding traditions. Keep in mind that this is your moment and that you should not really care what other people think.

Picture: Photobucket

Red Gown: Is it just a Fad?

Another thing you have to consider is the fact that a red wedding gown may just be a current trend. Ask yourself how you would feel looking at your wedding photos many years from now. Do you think you would be proud enough to say that you were among the first who started this trend? Or do you feel you may end up saying that you made a terrible mistake when you followed a crazy trend that has already long been buried into oblivion?

Many wedding experts say that the red wedding gown is here to stay. Just like the strapless wedding gown that was unacceptable (even unthinkable) some decades ago, red may become a staple in wedding gowns. But of course, it is still up to you to make the final decision.

Red wedding gowns have been making noises in the wedding fashion industry. If you want to make a fashion statement, if you want to look gorgeous and stunning, if you want to stand out and be unique, consider wearing this vibrant and bold color that would surely turn heads as you make that memorable walk down the aisle.

Wedding Hats

The veil is not only your option when it comes to bridal headwear. You can also choose to don a majestic tiara, a flower headdress, or an intricate headband. For outdoor weddings, wearing a wedding hat has not only become a trend but more of a necessity.

If you are going to have an outdoor wedding whether it is at the beach, at the park, or by the riverside, wearing a wedding hat will surely add a touch of class to your look. Moreover, this can also prevent uneventful circumstances that you would not want to happen on your wedding day.

So what would happen if you do not wear a wedding hat for your outdoor wedding day? There are two possible unfortunate outcomes for not wearing a hat on an outdoor wedding. One would be sunburn and another would be your hair gone wild.

The Stinging Sunburn

If you are having a summer wedding, wearing a hat can give you optimal protection against the scorching heat of the sun. If you do not want to end up with stinging sunburn on your face, make sure you wear a wedding hat with a brim wide enough to protect your face. Moreover, do not forget to wear sunscreen that has a strong SPF for effective sun shielding.

Bad Hair Day

Since the wedding is held outdoors, you can expect that it may be a little windy. Unless you would restrain your hair into a tight classic bun, your next best option to avoid a bad hair day would be to wear a hat. This way, you do not have to worry about your hair going frizzy because of the windy conditions. A hat would also be an efficient way to protect your face against dust and debris.

How to Choose a Wedding Hat

Now that you are convinced that a wedding hat is necessary for your outdoor wedding, you need to start shopping for one. Here are some tips on how to help you find the perfect wedding hat for this glorious occasion:

1. Search online. The Internet is overflowing with online bridal shops that sell different kinds of wedding hats.
2. Choose a wide brimmed hat that will be able to give you maximum protection against the sun.
3. Do not overspend. Set a budget and make sure you stick to it. You can find a beautiful wedding hat without having to spend an enormous fortune.
4. Pick a wedding hat that complements the wedding theme. For example, if you are going to have a classic 60’s themed wedding, a wedding with a net veil may be a nice choice.
5. Make sure the hat fits. If the hat keeps falling off your head or if it is too tight on you, you may be better off not wearing it.
6. Do not choose a hat that would cover your entire face. Remember, guests would want to catch a glimpse of the bride so do not deprive them off that by wearing a larger than life hat that masks your face.

An outdoor wedding is a fabulous event but elements like heat and wind can pose as a challenge for most brides. Overcome these difficulties by wearing a wonderful wedding hat to complete your bridal look.

One probable reason for their popularity is the fact that wedding sets are now available in a wider variety of styles and designs. Before, couples have limited options on wedding sets and most of them would prefer to buy individual engagement rings and wedding bands.

Today, the range of styles and designs on wedding sets has increased significantly. Moreover, there are many advantages to buying wedding ring sets. Here are the top reasons why couples prefer wedding sets:

1. This makes it easy to achieve a unified look.
Since you are going to buy an engagement and wedding ring that match in designs, you do not have to worry about things like slight difference in color shades or finishing. You can be guaranteed that the rings will look exactly same. This would be to your advantage if you and your spouse-to-be want to have matching wedding bands.

2. This can save you shopping time.
Shopping for wedding rings can be a long tedious process. It would definitely take you a lot more time if you have to purchase single rings. Buying a wedding set can save you so much time, which you can use in other more important aspects of the wedding planning. As they say, time is gold and the amount of time you save on shopping for wedding sets can truly be priceless.

3. This can save you money.
Time is not the only thing a couple can save when buying a wedding set. They would also be able to save money. This is because wedding sets usually come at a lower price than when you buy rings separately. Jewelers give discount on the prices, after all, you are buying two or more rings at once.

4. You can enjoy unique and exquisite designs.
Many bridal sets are now made with unique designs and styles to cater to couples who are looking for beyond the usual types of jewelry. Unless you have single bands customized for an extra cost, it would be quite difficult to find single rings that exhibit unique designs and styles.

5. Cleaning and insurance are less complicated.
Since you would be buying the rings from the same jeweler, processing the insurance and having the jewelry cleaned will be an easier task.

6. You can enjoy great incentives.
Many jewelers offer excellent rewards and perks for buying wedding sets. You will be able to enjoy discount on their other items or get freebies like other types of jewelry.

Of course, buying single rings also have its own advantages. At the end of the day, it is up to you to make a decision on how you are going to purchase the wedding bands. Just weigh the pros and cons carefully so that it would be easier for you to make an informed choice.

Now would be the perfect time to tip our hats to the Sea Island wedding planner extraordinaire, Melissa Ippensen.  First up on the SW marvel list?  Flowers, flowers, flowers!  The long-stemmed white and green arrangements of tulips, hydrangeas, and calla lillies at Erin + Patrick’s swanky reception in the Cloister Grand Ballroom are over-the-top amazing and the delicate ring of ivory garden roses between the layers of the Sea Island pastry chefs’ five-tiered confection an elegant touch.  While this Georgian affair certainly was a masterpiece, the seafood spread is a work of art in itself.  Considering the newlyweds’ romantic exit in a classic car surrounded by sprays of fireworks was Erin + Patrick’s favorite part of the night, it only seems appropriate that we take a moment to again marvel at Laura Negri Chiders’ talented work behind the camera.  Lara and Emily are hot-footing it to Atlanta as we speak to put on a wedding of their own.  Wish them luck!

Our favorite details of the wedding were: Our entrance and exit were two of our favorite details.  The Sea Island signature bagpiper escorted us into the ballroom and onto the dance floor for our first dance, “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke.  At the conclusion of the reception, the horn section of our band, Bobby and the Aristocats, paraded us out of the ballroom to the music of jazz song “Satin Doll.”  
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? One of my best girlfriends from home purchased a beautiful Belgium lace handkerchief while living in Europe.  Her hope was that the five best friends would each carry it on our wedding day with our new initials monogrammed on the handkerchief in the order that we married.  The girls presented it to me during the wedding week, and I carried it around my bouquet.  Later, we gifted our guests with old-fashioned handkerchiefs that my mother and I had collected throughout the year.  The handkerchiefs were monogrammed with our wedding date and venue as a keepsake for our guests who had traveled to the island to celebrate with us.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking in to the kitchen at 4 a.m. because I could not sleep and finding my father in the kitchen because he couldn’t sleep either!  It was a sweet moment that I will forever cherish.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? Appreciating the many blessings, opportunities, love and support surrounding us and living our lives honoring God, our vows and being a blessing to others.

Wow!  What a wedding!  Congratulations, Erin + Patrick.

RSS news source: http://www.swsmag.net/blog/2009/10/2/southern-wedding-of-the-week-erin-patrick-part-iii.html

Fellow UGA alums Erin + Patrick said their I-Do’s in the quaint Wesley United Methodist Church and, boy, do I love the ceremony pics from Laura Negri Photography!  The bride’s dramatic one-shoulder Romona Keveza gown was timeless and sophisticated while her bridesmaids’ fun, flowy Tibi dresses added a subtle pop of citrus color and flair.  Erin’s hand-tied bouquet of white garden roses and lilies of the valley from the Sea Island florist, Rose Sinclair, is ultra-elegant (and one of my very favorite arrangements) but check out those sleek modern arrangements of calla lilies and hydrangeas!  And yes, brides, the couple’s ring bearer is carrying a seashell ring bowl of lush green moss.  Totally organic and oh-so original.  While Erin + Patrick’s Sea Island ceremony is picture-perfect and sweetly Southern, I think you’ll be blown away by their glitzy reception.

What was your favorite design element of your big day? Our favorite design elements were the flowers and the lighting at our reception.  We achieved a soft, romantic glow by placing brushed-gold candelabras for the corners of the ballroom and putting clear glass tapered candlesticks with votive toppers on each of the tables.  In addition to the soft lighting, I also really loved the bamboo-wrapped floral arrangements of white orchids, hydrangeas, tulips and bells of Ireland.  These tall arrangements nicely balanced the lower, square containers holding single cluster arrangements of all white callas, tulips, garden roses, hydrangeas and hanging amaranthus.  Of course, food was also at the forefront of our design vision!  The food stations were creatively placed throughout the ballroom.  We had a sushi station and a friend mac-and-cheese station!  Melissa Ippensen and Rose Sinclair of Sea Island really helped make our design vision a reality.
Describe your wedding dress: Romona Keveza was the designer, and I was attracted to the classic and timeless look of the gown.  The one shoulder ivory gown was made of silk taffeta and featured a draped bodice with a soft sweetheart neckline.  The back of the dress was highlighted with a watteau train and fitted ruched skirt.  I finished the look with a classic cathedral length veil and blusher of ivory silk tulle.
Describe your wedding flowers: My hand-tied bouquet was filled with all-white garden roses and lilies of the valley. My Maid and Matron of Honor carried bouquets of all-white hydrangeas and garden roses.  Our flower girl carried a small nosegay of white roses and freesia with a trailing ribbon.  Patrick and our two fathers wore lily of the valley boutonnières.  The other groomsmen wore boutonnières of white dendrobium orchids.  Our ring bearer carried a sea shell filled with green moss.

You’re in for a treat with the reception photos in Part III!

RSS news source: http://www.swsmag.net/blog/2009/10/2/southern-wedding-of-the-week-erin-patrick-part-ii.html

I know we rarely (okay, almost never) share rehearsal dinner pics, but, as our lovely Art Director, Emily, reminds us, one bride’s rehearsal dinner is another’s wedding inspiration.  There sure are plenty of details I’d love to steal from Erin + Patrick’s swanky rehearsal dinner at the Sea Island Beach Club.  Photographer Laura Negri Childers captured the laidback seaside feel of the intimate family gathering while still highlighting the sophisticated Souther details.  I should point out that Erin wore the very same ruffly yellow dress her grandmother wore to the bride’s mother’s wedding in 1975.  Could that sweet sweet couple be any cuter?  I’d tell you a bit about Erin + Patrick’s ceremony and reception but you really need to see the phenom photos for yourself!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. We met at a mutual friend’s wedding in 2004, and Patrick asked me for a date the following week.  It was then that we realized the large number of mutual friends we shared and that we both had attended the University of Georgia.  Our paths had to have crossed 100 times in Athens! The timing must have been finally “right” for us to meet!
Describe the proposal. Patrick called me the morning of Friday, January 23rd and told me he would be coming to pick me up in a few hours and that we would be taking a surprise trip.  He would not reveal the destination, and I must have asked him 20 times in the car, “Where are we headed and how long will it take?”  It was the longest car ride of my life and had to be for him as well with all of my questioning.  Two hours later we arrived at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC.  We were greeted with champagne and I was busy taking pictures of the beautiful scenery and interiors of the hotel.  I had just finished taking a photograph when the next sight I saw was Patrick on his knee.  After I screamed “yes” I took his picture as he was on his knee proposing!  It was too perfect that I had my camera in hand (unplanned) to capture the moment when he asked me to marry him!  Patrick then surprised me with special bottles of wine we had purchased together in Napa the previous fall.  We allowed ourselves one hour to call family and close friends and then turned our phones off to enjoy the beauty of Highlands, NC and CELEBRATE!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Sentimental, Southern and surreal.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding invitation? Simple elegance describes the ecru and brushed-gold card invitations we chose from Crane’s.
Tell us about finding your rehearsal dinner dress: I wore the dress my grandmother wore in my mother’s wedding as her “mother of the bride” gown.  My grandmother is no longer with us and it was very important for me to honor and remember her on that special night.  We had the dress shortened and altered a bit, but otherwise it was in pristine condition and had not been taken out of the cleaner’s bag since 1975!

Stay tuned for ceremony pictures in Part II!

Bought your shoes yet? Bliss Bridal Shoes (BlissBridalShoes.com)has a program going on this month to check out — for every pair of wedding shoes sold in October, a percentage of the proceeds will benefit the Brides Against Breast Cancer Foundation (BridesAgainstBreastCancer.org). Oh right, and the shoes are supercute!

> Need a little something something to perk up your wedding dress? Get wedding day jewelry and accessory ideas

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Back in February, my friend Leila from Be Inspired PR sent an unexpected email asking if I’d like to do a feature for Bride and Bloom magazine.  The catch was that we had two days to produce and shoot it and we had a big wedding the same week. Naturally, we said yes.

I always seem to have different favorite photos than the ones chosen for print, so I wanted to share some more of the photos from the shoot here and want to explain a little about our thought process that went into creating this tablescape.

We were assigned the color yellow (my fave) to work with, so my thoughts immediately went to a light and breezy picnic-type vibe.  I also wanted to create something that could be easily recreated in every day life.  Many times, magazine shoots are over-the-top and opulent and while they are fun to design and create, they tend to be unattainable in real life.  After all, you shouldn’t have to choose between paying your mortgage and throwing a beautiful bridal shower for your best friend.

I enlisted the help of the super talented Kelly Ashworth to design the needed stationery items.  She created the invitations, menus and place cards.  The direction I gave her was basically: yellows and accent colors, picnic-y, cute and left it at that. She decided to do the invitations as mini accordian style books.  They are probably my favorite part of the entire shoot:

Next, Jeannie from White Poppy Floral came up with the flower arrangements and the direction I gave her was basically the same as what I had given Kelly.  She used different vases of varying heights and used flowers she was able to get locally to create simple arrangements:

I opted for a simple table runner because I felt that a full tablecloth would detract from the outdoor look and the table was pretty enough on it’s own.  I originally wanted to do picnic benches with throw pillows for the seating, but given the short time frame, opted for chiavari chairs from Tri-Rentals instead.  The buttercup yellow chair ties are from BBJ Linen (we’re spoiled that Phoenix has one of the warehouses and I can pickup at will call and don’t need to have them shipped) and the table runner is actually a chair tie as well.  Planning tip: most linen companies don’t stock separate table runners, so when you see them in photos or at weddings, they are actually always the chair ties unless they’ve been custom-made.

I am typically not a fan of wedding favors; I cannot tell you how many get left on the tables at the end of the night and I always get a little sick to my stomach when they wind up in the garbage.  I do, however, love the idea of taking the money budgeted for favors and donating it to a charity that is important to you. I serve on the board of directors for Pink Initiative, an organization focused on breast cancer, so I chose to showcase them for the favors needed for the shoot. Kelly made little tags that denoted the gift made in each guest’s name and we tied them to small lemonade bottles.  Instead of setting the bottles at each seat, we grouped them in trifle bowls and incorporated them into the table’s decor.

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, we used a lemon tart that Danielle from Sweet Pea Bakery in downtown Phoenix made for us.  We placed the tart on a cake stand and also incorporated it into the table decor as well.  Sweet Pea is one of my favorite bakeries in the Phoenix area and all of their baked goods are to die for. They are also fantastic to work with on weddings.

Thanks to everyone who helped us pull this together and for being flexible on such short notice.  Also, special thanks to Darby Elizabeth for taking all the photos.

Photos by Darby Elizabeth

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Describe your wedding flowers: I knew I wanted large, ivory and white roses for my bouquet.  For my bridesmaids’ bouquets, I wanted something modern and simple in greens and whites. My only request was that I didn’t want anything traditional or over the top and our florist, Posh Petals, did a fabulous job of interpreting just what I wanted. They did an amazing job and were so fun to work with!
Describe your wedding cake: I am a huge fan of wedding cakes in general, but wanted our cake to help pull all the wedding details together!  The cake itself had three different flavors with butter cream frosting.  The green damask design and black ribbon looked great and tied together all of the colors and damask patterns from the invitations, programs, etc.   
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The photo booth we used in place of individual favors!  It was so much fun and everyone loved it!    Everyone got to take six pictures (in black and white or color) and the photo booth attendant then cut off a strip of the pictures for them to glue into an album for us with a personal message.  The guests got to keep the other strip of pictures for themselves!
Funniest moment? When it came time to throw by bouquet, I accidentally threw it into a large chandelier!  It came right back down and landed about a foot away from me so I had to throw it again! 
What’s next for you as a couple? We just moved to California, so we’re working on getting settled, decorating our new place and meeting new people!

Congratulations to Peyton + Nick, and good luck settling into your new life together!

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