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Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts
Pinterest. n. an amazing online inspiration board that wastes any "free" time i thought i had.
Okay, so maybe the definition above isn't EXACTLY what Pinterest is, but it truly is amazing. In all fairness, it has lead to my family eating (and enjoying) more homemade meals, giving me great craft ideas to do with the girls, and has revolutionized the way i communicate with all of my clients.
Whether you are a coordination client, planning client, or design client, i am now able to share inspirational pictures and boards with all of you and you are able to share your boards and pictures with me. Pinterest will never replace my design proposal, but it is nice to have in addition to.
**WARNING: an account on Pinterest will lead to hours and hours of lost time (or not so "lost" depending on how you look at it; I classify my time on Pinterest as "work") ;)
If you don't have an invite to Pinterest and want one, send me an email!
i am a huge fan of buying gifts off registries. it's a safe bet - you know your gift is wanted and will be used. however, every once in a while something comes along that you can't register for, but is one of the most amazing gifts (and something I wouldn't mind myself). my dearest friend stacy who owns The Gown Shop turned me on to this specific item and i die. behold:
the coolest thing about this item is that 1) you can get any state you want, and 2) you can have the heart put in any city. how amazing!? click here for the link to this awesomeness on etsy - seriously, awesome.
to all my friends and clients getting married - you will likely see this cutting board live and in person...perhaps in the form of a gift (especially if you are attending a bridal shower at Misty Farms on August 28, 2011) *wink wink*
With two kids, a husband, and wedding season in full swing, down time can be few and far between. No matter how busy I am I just cannot seem to stay away from etsy. From headbands and cute accessories for my daughters to all things wedding related - they have amazing things for everyone! About a month ago I came across some amazing calligraphers who offer custom products such as return address stamps, personalized stationery, thank you notes, and custom wedding stationery suites. One of the calligraphers, sparrow nest script, also makes these ADORABLE cards that are perfect for asking your best girl friends to be in your wedding:
More interesting than the actual royal wedding itself, were the hats i.e. fascinators that all the ladies were wearing. I could hardly believe my eyes when I spotted a young lady wearing a fascinator at our first wedding this year. I wonder what we'll see at upcoming weddings this year and next?
Fascinators have been around since the 17th century when the use of wigs was quite common. For women, the addition of feathers and other small trinkets, were usually found adorning their wigs around this time. In the mid to late 1700's, wigs were not in use as much as before, and instead were being replaced by bonnets and mobcaps. Feathers, jewels and and cameo's were used to adorn the bonnets. Hair pieces were used as a flirtatious gesture considering the strict code between men and women that were not yet married. The Victorian era saw an abundance of fascinators and the trend stayed well into the 1960s before it trickled off for a while, just recently making a comeback. The British royal family has a role in the way the public has been viewing fascinators as of late. Fascinators are a lovely addition for a special occasion, and are quite frequently seen at weddings. As for "hats" in general, it's hard to say the moment they began to exist, but history shows that with the fascinators came the great obsession with hats. The 1700's saw the majority of this growth in popularity and it was in this era that the term "milliner" became exceedingly known due to the overwhelming increase of women's fashions and that included hats. Until that point, men had dominated the majority of head fashions, stemming from the beginning of the term "milliner" in the 1500's.
Bridal head coverings originally symbolized wealth and posterity in a community. Before hats and fascinator's though, the wedding vail has been used for quite some time. Originally, a veil would be used to conceal a person's face so that her arranged marriage could withstand the ceremony without the groom knowing what she looked like. Then, they became used to symbolize purity.
Our last post was all about the bridesmaids and their gifts...and this post is dedicated to the groom and his groomsmen. Guys can always be hard to buy for, especially when it comes to wedding gifts. Our advice to to just have fun with it and not put too much thought into it...some of our favorite gifts are...
How awesome is this!? An etsy find that is so funny and perfect for any group of fun loving guys (I'm thinking specifically about my sister's fiance...). If you don't want to go the whole nine yards with the book, you could just buy a flask and have it engraved with each groomsmens initials or name. In addition to or instead of, you could also buy each guy their liquor of choice to personalize the gift even more.
These are not only cuff links, these are cuff links for the ultimate sports enthusiast. Each of these cuff links are made out of materials from recycled wood stadium seats. Set in sterling silver, the diamond-shaped cuff links are made from actual seats removed during renovation of New York's Yankee Stadium and Chicago's Wrigley Field, two of the nation's oldest baseball venues. Each one is engraved with the name of the stadium on the back, and each set comes with a certificate of authenticity. The cuff links are available in two colors: Natural wood cut from the core of the chairs of each stadium, and a painted finish from the seats' the outer surface. Yankee Stadium's painted links are blue-green; Wrigley Field's are green. How cool is that???!
We have done a couple of blog posts in the past about grooms socks, but we are also head over heels for these groom shoes!!!! Vans, among other shoe companies, allows you to customize shoes with colors and designs specific to you. The guys will wear these shoes long after the wedding is over. Photo Credit
We are in love with the J.Crew bridal collection, and even more in love with these fun, modern ties. The guys will be able to wear these time and time again. J.Crew is known for clean, classic yet modern and fun colors and lines - we guarantee these ties will not disappoint!
A HUGE thank you to my new intern Lauren for helping with these blog posts! This almost 35 week pregnant lady is so thankful for her help!!!! xoxo
Your bridesmaids have been with you through thick and thin - especially during this wedding planning process. Some have been your friends since childhood, some are family members, and some so close they are practically family. So what do you get for these girls who mean so much to you and have been there for you? Here are a few of our favorite gifts:
Who doesn't love to receive mail these days? And I'm not talking about lame credit card applications, but genuine, handwritten letters - these stationary box sets from Kenzie Kate Invitations ($75) are so fabulous and a gift that just about any bridesmaid would love!
After being on their feet all day and smiling pretty for the camera, any bridesmaid would die over these gorgeous ballet slippers from Beau Coup ($28). They come in 16 different colors, including white for the bride! This gift will last long after the wedding reception is over.
Instead of lugging around a duffel bag and/or purse all day, what better way to treat your bridesmaids than to these adorable Vera Bradley clutches ($42 or $25 for select colors on sale). They come in over two dozen colors and prints so you're sure to find something that not only reflects your wedding, but that the girls will be able to use for years to come! P.S. These also make for some great pics on your wedding day :)
Each one of us has a vice or addiction of some sort. Some of us like to shop, some are addicted to certain coffee shops, and some love to read. No matter who the bridesmaid, or what their lifestyle, a gift card to a place that is "so them" is the perfect way to individualize their gift. Photo Credit
Last, but certainly not least is the infamous hoodie. What better way to show off your bridal party and the fact that it's your wedding day, than by sporting these adorable zip up hoodies. If you go this route, make sure they are a full zip up hoodie so you can easily slip in and out of it after you have your hair and make-up done. So where can you get these...there is a fabulous, local company based out of Ann Arbor called Create My Tee that makes it so easy! Photo Credit
We have seen a lot of photographs taken lately with couples on bikes, bridal parties on bikes, and even photographers on bikes! We love the idea of incorporating bikes into your wedding day, either as a photo opportunity, as transportation, or as decor. They work well with the popular shabby-chic vintage theme, a more modern and colorful theme, or even a romantic-glam theme...take a look at some of the pictures below as inspiration for your wedding day!
My good friend Holly of Sweet Pea Floral Design makes homemade soaps that she sells on Etsy. Her soaps are all organic, smell absolutely heavenly, and are made with love <3. They make great bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts (the rosemary lemon mint if GREAT for shaving), wedding favors, valentines day gifts (hint, hint), or gifts for any other special occassion! The soaps are $4.50/each or 5 for $20. Enjoy!
Every detail counts when it comes to the design of your wedding. Whether your style is shabby-chic, modern elegance or country vintage the details are what will make it stand out from all the other weddings your family & friends will attend.
One of my favorite details is the guest book. Each couple has unique tastes and a different for vision for how to capture the guests who attended the celebration of the best day of their lives. Etsy is a great resource for wedding details and the following guest books can all be found in the "wedding" section.
This 20 page guest book is 11" x 8.5" and is filled with your photos, chosen by you and professionally retouched. It is designed specifically for you with your colors, theme, and story. Price is $165 and it ships within 2 weeks of completion. Guests can sign and/or write messages on the blanks spaces surrounding your pictures and it's a book you will have forever! Perfect for the coffee table :) Click here for the link on Etsy.
This guest book is so fun and interactive for your guests. Each guests puts their thumb print on one of the branches on this tree along with their name. This vendor makes a variety of different trees (twisty oak, great oak, gnarled elm, cherry blossom, and tall birch) as well as a variety of different sizes, depending on how many guests you will have. Pricing ranges from $55 - $117 and can include various paint colors for your guests to leave their print in. Click here to view the sellers gallery on Etsy.
The three guest books shown above are more traditional by wedding standards, but are unique nonetheless. Each can be customized with various colors to suite your wedding colors. Top book is $28, middle is $76, and bottom is $60.
This guest book alternative is one of my favorites! Guests sign on the matte surrounding the pictures that make up the spelling of your last name. This comes in two sizes 17" x 30" or 11" x 14", there are 2 black frame options, and the matting is white. The larger size is priced at $149 and takes three weeks to create plus additional time to ship. Click here to view this guest book on Etsy.
I recently did a post on some really cool grooms socks - a super cool trend that shows off the personality of the groom and puts a personal touch on the day. Take a look at some of the great ways photographers are able to capture this detail of the day:
I'm a big fan of accessories in general, but an even bigger fan of super cool, unique, one-of-a-kind accessories! I've been following Pixel & Hank on Twitter and I just had the opportunity to check out their Etsy Shop...A-mazing! They have everything from shoe clips, to headbands, to boutonnieres, to hair clips, special order, and of course my favorite...a bridal collection! Here are some pics of my favorite items :) Click here to check out their shop on Etsy.
One of the most important and personal decisions a bride makes during her planning process is choosing her wedding dress. There are so many wedding dress styles to choose from including strapless, beaded, halter, ruffles, lace, sweetheart neckline, ruched, or silky smooth (the list could go on and on). I posted last week about how I look forward to seeing what shoes a bride (and groom) have chosen, and I also love seeing the dress each bride chooses to wear. For your wedding dress inspiration:
notice the buttons all the way up the back and the sweetheart neckline - stunning!
notice the beautiful texture and the v-neckline of her dress - gorgeous!
notice the beautiful stitching and beading and the zippered back of her dress - absolutely beautiful!
love the simplicity of this strapless dress - amazing!
For those of you who follow this blog, or even pop in sometimes to see what we're up to, you know that this post is "off schedule." We typically post on Monday, Wednesday & Friday...however, I couldn't help but share the following with you:
Part of owning a business is building your brand and reputation. I'm also a firm believer that being a business owner means you're not only selling your products and services; you are selling yourself. Especially in our business, we may work with our clients for several weeks or several months - but no matter how long our relationship we end up becoming friends with our clients and getting to know each other on a far deeper level. I like to think we're transparent, and by allowing each of you into our lives, both professional and personal, you can understand our passion for what we do and our passion for our clients.
I was deeply moved today, and I want to share this with all of you. As I was running (I'm training for the Detroit Freepress half marathon...YIKES!), a song started and within the first couple of seconds a shiver went through my body. My first thought was "oh no, I can't be getting sick!" And then I took a minute to focus and realized it was not a sickness, but the amazing lyrics to the song that sent that gave me goosebumps. I want to share the song with you, it's called "Something Beautiful" by the group Need to Breath:
In your ocean, I'm ankle deep
I feel the waves crashin' on my feet
It's like I know where I need to be
But I can't figure out, yeah I can't figure out
Just how much air I will need to breathe
When your tide rushes over me
There's only one way to figure out
Will ya let me drown, will ya let me drown
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I'm in reach
'Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful
And the water is risin' quick
And for years I was scared of it
We can't be sure when it will subside
So I won't leave your side, no I can't leave your side
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I'm in reach
'Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful
In a daydream, I couldn't live like this
I wouldn't stop until I found something beautiful
When I wake up, I know I will have
No, I still won't have what I need
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I'm in reach
'Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful (fade out)
Take a listen for yourself:
I hope this song inspires & moves you as much as it did to me! xoxo
I adore fun little details...especially when it comes to personalizing and customizing your event. A website called Zazzle (http://www.zazzle.com/stamps) allows you to choose custom stamps for all occassions including save the dates, weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties, baby showers, and more! You HAVE to check it out!
I came across this giveaway and HAD to share with all of you! If you click here it will take you to the website where you must leave a comment in order to win!
What do I win you ask?...You win an amazingly beautiful custom designed wedding guest book, card box & pen set by Elegantly Bound.
If you have any problems leaving a comment or entering the contest send us an email and let us know! Good luck to everyone - it's a prize definitely worth winning!! :)
