Weddings, Showers and More

DIY - Custom Matchbooks

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Looking for unique wedding favors to make your wedding really stand out? Of course you are! While you can certainly find something beautiful online, have you ever considered making them?

In this entry we will give you instructions on how to make your own custom matchbooks - they add style and a personal touch!

Materials:

Color Printer
Paper Cutter or X-acto Knife with self healing mat
8.5 x 11″ 80lb white card stock
8.5 x 11″ 80lb colored card stock
Permanent Double Sided Tape
Gluestick
Matchbooks

Instructions:

1. Download the Matchbook Cover Template - Print using the highest settings on your color printer to ensure that the text is crisp. There are 32 Matchbook Covers per sheet.

2. Cut each Matchbook cover on the dashed line, making sure to cut off all of the black ink so that the edge of each matchbook cover remains white. The Matchbook cover size should be 1.12” x 1.75”.

3. Cut the colored card stock into 1.4” x 2” size rectangles. (note: matchbooks may vary in size)

4. Glue the matchbook covers to the colored cardstock rectangles.

5. Secure the wrap matchbook covers to the top and bottom of each matchbook using double sided tape.

Tip: You can also use the leftover wedding invitations to make these!

Thanks to: Style Me Pretty

Personalized Wedding Platters

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Instead of having a traditional guest book for guests to sign, why not have a personalized wedding platter for them to sign?

Personalized platters are a great guest book option. Not only are they beautiful, but you will be left with a gorgeous wedding memento that can actually be displayed for years to come – not packed away in a box!

They are typically either ceramic - guests sign with marker or silver, which come with engraving tool.

You can find these personalized wedding platters at thepotteryburn.com

Lottery Tickets as Wedding Favors

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Give guests something unique - lottery tickets! At only $1 each, it is cost effective and guests will love this idea!
Include a note that says 'tickets were chosen because we are so lucky to have our family and friends with us on our wedding day'

Unique Wedding Entrance

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:56:00 +0000

You can go with a traditional wedding ceremony - many couples do.

However, sometimes those really fun and unique ceremonies are the ones that are the mot memorable, like this one; JK's Wedding Entrance Dance on YouTube

Gothic Wedding Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:19:00 +0000

You may not want to label these cakes 'gothic' but they are definitely unique! Not every wedding needs to be white lace and frills, many couples love to mix things up!

“The Corpse Bride” Topsy Turvy Wedding Cake

Nightmare before Christmas Groom’s Cake

You can find these cakes at pinkcakebox.com

If There Are Tears

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:57:00 +0000

Of course people cry at weddings! Usually (hopefully) they are crying tears of joy!

So, you want to provide your guests with something to dry those eyes but tissues are just messy. Why not go with something they can keep as a memento of your special day?

Vintage handkerchiefs! How perfect! They're stylish and look oh so pretty. You can choose colors that match your wedding theme or just go with basic whites, beiges and tans.

I am betting even guests who don't cry with snatch one of these up!

Source

Plan an Affordable Disney World Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:50:00 +0000

Is your dream wedding centered around the most magical place on Earth, Walt Disney World?

Of course, if it is, then I'm sure you know all about the wedding pavilion at Disney's grand Floridian Resort and Spa - it's a lovely location! However, if you're working with a tight budget, the price of a wedding ceremony held there may make you cringe!

However, there are some ways to save lots of money and still have that Disney fairy tale wedding! You may want to opt for a quaint ceremony on the beach of Disney's Polynesian Resort - how beautiful would a a wedding on the South Seas be? Breathtaking! You could opt for one of the countries in Epcot and get married in Italy or France!

Here are some other tips:

Select an off day of the week. Couples can save big if they choose a Thursday or Sunday wedding over the tradition Saturday evening affair.
Because of the number of venues, Disney can host weddings at various times of the day. A mid-morning wedding is a great alternative.
Check out non-traditional reception venues such as themed restaurants.
Couples choosing a destination wedding will likely tighten the guest list.
Select brunch or heavy appetizers instead of sit-down meals. This is not only acceptable but growing in popularity.
Out-of-season floral choices can make a big dent in a wedding budget. McFann suggests working with the florist to determine what flowers are in season. Another tip is to use floral arrangements from the wedding at the reception for added decor.
Get creative with your family or bridal party and design homemade favors.
Take advantage of the current discounts on hotels and wedding packages.

For more information, read the latest press release

The Perfect Baby Gift

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:39:00 +0000

If you've been invited to a baby shower recently then you just may be struggling with what to get.

Do you get something for the mom to be, just for the baby or both? I say both! Mom shouldn't be forgotten! Pick up some tummy honey for mom.

Of course, baby gifts are the main focus but what can you get that isn't too close to what everyone else may get? Look into personalized baby gifts - they're the perfect way to turn a great gift pick into a special gift.

Keep Your Jewelry Simple

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:07:00 +0000

It's easy to sucked into all sorts of sparkly bridal jewelry! Seems many brides make the mistake of over-the-top necklaces.

The trick to picking out your wedding day necklace is to compliment your dress without competing with it. Waiting until the last minute to pick your bridal jewelry is not a good idea.

If you are going to pick the perfect jewelry, get something you will want to wear on special occasions in the future.

keep it simple, bridal jewelry should add to your gown, not over power it!

Does Your Wedding Need Fresh Flowers?

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Traditionally, fresh flowers is a must have for a wedding. The area where the nuptials are made is usually decorated with flowers. The reception area usually has flowers as well.

The Bride needs a gorgeous bouquet, those in the bridal party, the parents, the grandparents, musicians, ushers, and anyone else who warrants a mention in the program should have flowers as well.

But...do you NEED fresh flowers? What about something different? I have found some pretty unique designs at RBK - there are certainly some idea I never even thought of!

While fresh flowers are beautiful, there are plenty of reasons why you may not be able to have them. A big reason is cost. Bouquets are expensive. Maybe you want to keep them longer than a day, people have allergies and don't want to be drugged up on the wedding day just because of tradition!

Show the World Your Wedding!

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:10:00 +0000

So, you want to get married somewhere exotic - sounds great, right? Yea, until you begin to realize that most of your guests cannot attend and you know you just can't afford to foot that bill!

Have you thought about utilizing live satellite webcasts to 'broadcast' your big day? This is an excellent way to still have your dream wedding and allow those who cannot attend still be able to witness the event!

For more information, read 'Broadcast Your Dream Wedding'

Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Fri, 22 May 2009 01:22:00 +0000

Planning a wedding is super exciting and at first you might want to tackle it on your own. Why not? Only YOU know what you want - but there just might be some things you don't know you want until you have a wedding planner!

Here are just a few good reasons you should consider having a wedding planner:

stress management - They will manage even the smallest details from the budget to all the different things that will require hiring or contracting wedding vendors. They will do all the leg work for you
Budgeting - Don't waste time and money making bad decisions, a wedding planner can guarantee the services he or she provides through their own reliable vendors
Practical Decision Making - A wedding planner will help you to realize your ideas in a realistic way and also provide you with their own suggestions to polish and shape your ideas all the way to a unique wedding

Some, such as wedding planners Orange County, have a vast amount of information online to help guide you, however, it's definitely best to get the personal one on one help when planning your big day!

Gorgeous Gemstone Bracelets

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Looking for something nice to get your bridesmaids? There is a nice assortment of gemstone bracelets on LaurenKlein.com - what gorgeous jewelry that site has! Anyway, I have a coupon code I'd like to share:

10 percent off for Graduation: coupon code grad09

This might be a good idea to give as a special gift for just your Maid of Honor!

Personalized Baby Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Trying to find the best type of baby gift, whether for a baby shower or to give just because, can sometimes be tough.

There are so many kinds of gifts to get, from the unique to the ordinary to those gifts that are well, needed, like diapers and burp cloths. Sometimes a new mom gets so many of the same tings but as soon as she sees something personalized, it immediately becomes a treasured gift.

Baby gifts, especially personalized baby gifts, can have a significant meaning to the family as they commemorate a special day in a baby's life and can become cherished family heirlooms.

It doesn’t matter if you're a new parent, a grandparent, aunt or uncle, a next-door neighbor or friend of the family, baby gifts are a great way to tangibly demonstrate your love and affection for the baby.

'Shower' the New Couple with Love

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sat, 16 May 2009 19:19:00 +0000

Have you thought about immediately after the ceremony? When you are announced Mr. and Mrs. and you are walking together hand in hand - what do you want your guests to use to celebrate with? Many places don't allow couples to throw rice because of the birds, so bird seed is an option but well, I don't know about you but I don't want to be pegged with bird seed!

So, how about confetti?

Confetti comes in all sizes and you can find eco-friendly confetti called 'Ecofetti' - how cool is that?!

Flower pedals and bubbles are popular as well but what about this? If your wedding is closer to evening, you could give your guests sparklers - they make for gorgeous photos!

The Importance of Bridal Accessories

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Every aspect of a wedding is extremely important. There are so many details to remember, especially when it comes to bridal accessories - you don't want to forget any detail!

If you have an excellent wedding planner, than you can breathe a sigh of relief because they will have it all under control! If not, make sure you check out the best of the best when it comes to online wedding and bridal accessories.

AmericanBridal.com has everything you'll ever need - and more!

Professional Beauty!

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:21:00 +0000

You want to look absolutely stunning on your wedding day and well, you want our bridesmaids to look nice too, right?

Consider having your hair and make-up done professionally. This can be solely for you or your entire bridal party and there are plenty of places locally, such as Newport Rhode Island wedding make-up specialty shops, if you're in that area, that will do a superb job!

Many brides choose to take their bridesmaids along and pay for them to have hair and make-up done, this is usually a gift from the bride to the bridesmaids. Of course, you could just go yourself and truly indulge!

Gemstone Bracelets - the Perfect Accessory

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:05:00 +0000

You're the Bride, you will look absolutely stunning in your gown - you already know this!

It's time to think about what to wear with your gown. Picking from the variety of gemstone bracelets found at Lauren Klein is the perfect way to find your match.

Remember, the jewelry you wear on your big day will carry many many memories, you deserve to have something perfect.

Beautiful Baby Gift Baskets

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:02:00 +0000

Baby showers are fun to attend and even more fun to shop for! If you're looking for a baby shower gift that is cute and has everything baby will need, baby gift baskets are it!

The gift basket featured in this post is courtesy of BabyStuffGifts.com

This gift set includes:

Soft short sleeve cotton onesie – available in two sizes
Two baby burp cloths – beautifully adorned with bows
Infant size twill bucket hat – to keep sun off baby’s delicate skin!
Pink bucket hat may be substituted with white

Made of 100% cotton

The Advantages of At-Home Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:50:00 +0000

More and more couples are opting to have at-home weddings these days.
Here are a few good reasons to have the shindig at your shanti:

* You don't have to worry about not being able to get the reception site when you want it and there are no site fees, time restrictions or regulations to follow. You can party as long as you like!

* You know the location and you can do whatever you want with it -- no working around bizarre color schemes or having to worry about whether the service will be all that you hoped your money would buy.

* It allows you to show your home to your family and friends and it gives you an excuse (or incentive) to fix things up. Remember, residential lighting plays a huge factor when having an event so special!

* There is no traveling from one place to the next. This saves a lot on transportation. It also makes for a relatively hassle free wedding since everything is occurring in one place. Nobody can get lost, get into an accident, or become stuck in traffic.

Compliment Your Wedding Attire

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:26:00 +0000

As the bride to be, you want to make sure you have everything perfect and that includes your gown and the accessories that go along with it. Jewelry is extremely important when complimenting your gown. You want it to be subtle though, so as to not take the spotlight away from your gown.

How about these beautiful white gold anklets - a perfect way to compliment your 'after ceremony' outfit!

Wedding Planners

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:47:00 +0000

It's your big day: you're about marry the person you're planning to spend the rest of your life with! When it comes to planning a wedding, it is certainly understandable that you'd prefer to do everything yourself but sometimes that just isn't an option.

As the bride to be, you will have enough to deal with! From finding that perfect wedding dress for yourself to finding dresses for your bridesmaids. Then, there are things like ordering the wedding cake, signing and sending off the wedding invitations, borrowing something blue, and all the other thousands of little things that come with getting married. If it's all a bit much and you can afford the cost, consider hiring a wedding planner instead. Some can be expensive but you just might find that their services are the best thing you've ever purchased.

Some, such as wedding planners southern California, have a vast amount of information online to help guide you, however, it's definitely best to get the personal one on one help when planning your big day!

"Shells by the Sea" Authentic Shell Placecard Holders

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:29:00 +0000

If you're planning a beach wedding, then you're in luck because there is a wide variety of beach wedding favors to choose from.

These "Shells by the Sea" Authentic Shell Placecard Holders add the perfect touch to any beach wedding reception. Mark each guest’s place with this unique seashell place card holder, and let your guests take them home as favors. They are made from real sea shells so you know each one is one of a kind!

You can get these at AmericanBridal.com

Cute Baby Shower Gift

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Baby showers are fun not only to plan for but to attend as well. Usually the mom to be gets a lot of the basics - diapers, onesies, sleepers, baby wash, etc. This "Love Eweï" Plush Lamb and Lovie Gift Set is sweet and simple - a great gift idea.

"Love Eweï" is a cute play on words - the parents will find it delightful. This is a chenille lamb with a soft 13 ½”-square lovie blanket embroidered with “Everywhere that baby went, the lamb was sure to go” on the satin trim. The lamb and blanket are both machine washable.

Make shopping for baby shower gifts fun - think about not only what mom and baby need but also what they'd want!

Benchmark Tungsten Wedding Bands

noreply@blogger.com (MoonStorm) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Mens wedding bands are becoming more and more stylish. These days, much thought goes into what kind of wedding band a man wants. Benchmark rings have been around for well over 40 years and the company specializes in wedding bands.

The one shown here is a RAVIN Tungsten Ring - it measures 7mm wide and has a really cool concave profile that just grabs your attention. The center part, which is recessed, has a nice soft satin finish. The top edges are high polished.

This ring carries the Benchmark lifetime guarantee against scratching.