Trendy Wednesday: Crafty Bride

Trendy Wednesday: Jenna Paniccia

Crafty brides never fail to disappoint! Although planning a wedding can be a bit stressful and overwhelming some brides truly enjoy customizing and personalizing aspects of their big day. With prices on the rise, brides are looking for ways to cut costs without cutting the elegance of this spectacular celebration.

By adding DIY projects to your wedding day décor, you are allowing creativity to surface while placing your personal likings on display. DIY projects don’t need to be something extravagant. You can choose how many DIY projects you’d like to invest your time in, and pick projects that will help add character to your wedding without taking away the overall concept.

Favors and place cards are two of my favorite DIY projects. Favors are great because I truly believe the favor should bring out your personality. Sit down with your fiancé and make a list of things you both enjoy. This can be candy, desserts, candles, champagne, hiking, movies … the list goes on and on.  Narrow your list down and think of a DIY project that will help bring your guests into your life.

Here’s the perfect example.  If you both love Macaroon cookies give your guests a few in a DIY box tied with a fabulous ribbon. The thank you tag could read “the sweetest way to end this sweetest day.”

DIY projects are also a wonderful idea for your bridal shower. Walk around a craft store or discount home accent store or even thrift shop. You would be amazed at how many ideas you will stumble across on a budget.

These projects are a great bonding tool for families and bridesmaids as well. If you are making the place cards, or putting together floral arrangements for your bridal shower invite the people you love over to bond and craft! I’m sure you will laugh a lot and get the project done much quicker! Photo Credit: inviteswedding.com, creativeweddingideas.net, fashiondivadesign.com, bargainhoot.com, bugsandfishes.blogspot.com, mostweddingflowerideas.com, weddbook.com, weddingbylily.com

It’s All In The Details: Sweet Favors!

Its All In The Details by Alyssa Aiola

Lets be honest, most brides will spend anywhere from 2-6 dollars per party favor for each guest only for it to be forgotten about, thrown out or lost in clutter. More and more brides are using the idea of an edible favor since its extremely versatile and you know your guests are going to get some use out of it! When choosing your edible treats it is important to keep in mind your overall theme and also the age bracket of your guests attending. Candy bars are a great idea if you know ahead of time you are going to have a lot of kids attending but maybe then you should pass on the candy apple buffet since it could get messy! Also it is important to think about what you want your gifts to look and taste like, as well as what they’ll represent. Any special traditions practiced by your religion, culture, etc. can also be integrated into your favors in some way. Give your guests a bite to remember with these six adorably delish parting gifts:

• Cupcake in a Jar: More and more brides are using this trendy and yet easy idea as favors for their guests! Pick from any flavor of your wildest dreams and get creative with the label! Under The Table and Dreaming  has 50+ recipes on cakes you can put in a jar from S’mores to cheesecake! Guests will be able to bring home a unique gift that looks too good to eat!

• Candy Apple Buffett: This idea for a candy apple buffet is not only delicious, but so fun and interactive for any age. Providing multiple different apple toppings and a customized box, we love Labels For You , guests will be able to take home their wonderful handmade treats as a token from your wedding!

• S’mores Kit: With summer fast approaching, a great idea would be to give your guest the perfect Summer Night BBQ gift of a DIY S’mores kit! Fancy That  has the perfect clear box which you can then customize and fill with graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate!

• Candy Bar: Create a table with a list of both “his” and “her” favorite candy and allow guests to pick and choose which sweets to toss in their bags. You can also use Chinese take out box’s as containers that can be stamped with your monogram!

• Late Night Snack Bar: After the wedding cake has been passed and the last song has been played your guests might need one last pick me up before driving home. Creating a late night snack bar allows your guests to pick and choose from whatever sweets they are craving along with a box of milk to wash it down.

• Breakfast in a Bag: How thoughtful would it be to give your guests a bag full of bagels, cream cheese, butter and orange juice so they have breakfast all set for the next morning! This is a great gift especially for weddings that run late into the night! To go along with the next morning theme, you could throw in Advil and even a newspaper!

Let us know what sweet treats you gave out on your wedding night or if you ever received a delicious gift as a favor by writing on our Facebook wall or tweeting us!

Gingerbread Favors

Clever Crafts by Private Receptions

Winter weddings lend themselves perfectly to all sorts of fun themes and DIY projects.  Take this gingerbread favor for example!  What better way to send off your guests than with a delicious holiday treat!  Here’s the how to:

You’ll Need:

4″ gift boxes
kraft paper
one bundle of greens (they used oregonia)
waxed string or baker’s twine

parchment paper (can be found in the baking aisle of your food store)
homemade gingerbread cookies
round Avery labels

 

1.  Stack cookies in four’s and tie with string

2. Place cookies in craft boxes, lined with parchment paper

3. Write or print names, wedding logo or monogram on labels

4. Wrap boxes in kraft paper (If you’re not too handy at wrapping, tissue paper works too and is a bit more forgiving)

5. Tie box with string and tuck in holly or festive greenery

 

This is also a fun project for you and your bridesmaids and mom to work on together.  Plus, it’s versatile enough that you can customize to your own wedding by wrapping boxes in your wedding colors…

Happy baking!

 

Photo courtesy of Project Wedding

Italian Wedding Bombonieres

Fashionable Foodie by Markia Raveau-Violette

Many Italian couples will hand out bomboniere’s, which means “favors.” Bomboniere’s are more commonly known as Jordan almonds, or “confetti.” The tradition of handing out wedding favors dates back to the middle ages. At that time favors symbolized a link between the two families. Bomboniere’s became more popular around the 13th century when Europe was introduced to refined sugar. At that time, sweets were expensive and richer people used it to show off their wealth. But of course, with industrialization came a decline is price, and it became common to give bomboniere’s as favors.

While they has become more popular, bomboniere’s have the same meanings. A bomboniere with three almonds symbolizes the couple and a child. One with five almonds symbolizes happiness, long life, fertility, wealth, and health. And the almond coated in thick sugar? That symbolizes the bittersweet nature of a marriage.

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Flavorful Favors

Fashionable Foodie by Markia Raveau-Violette

I was browsing through some craft blogs and food blogs when I found a few ideas that I thought would be prefect as wedding favors.

1. Package this homemade granola with ribbons and personalized labels.

2. For the couple that’s really into beer, send your guests home with beer bread mix. Put it in a cute container along with your favorite bottled beer.

3. This idea was actually for valentines but cover the boxes to match your wedding theme and fill them up with your favorite candies and voila! You have favors for your guests.

Of course you can always do hot chocolate mixes or candied almonds, but take the chance to have favors that reflect you as a couple.

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It’s Personal

Diary of a Bride to Be by Lauren Cooper

There’s a reason why most weddings feel the same to a lot of people.  There’s a certain formula that works when you have traditions that need to be observed. Cocktails, Bride & Groom Enter, First Dance, Dance Set, Appetizer, Speeches, Dance Set, Entree, Dance Set, Cake…you get it.  So when couples try to deviate from this formula, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.  I’ve seen it both ways.  So how can I make our wedding reflect the two of us?

I really like the idea of substituting table numbers with something that reflects the two of us.  For example, our theme is Vintage Chic and im a big book worm so I’ve thought about using some of my fav classic book titles as table names.  And since the FH is a big wine buff, we could name tables after some of his most loved vintages.  The combo of the two together reminds me of curling up with a good read and a better wine…hot.

Another thing I really want to do is make a donation to charities special to us in lieu of favors.  Alzheimers has affected both of our families so we are considering donating to them.  I also grew up with an artistic background so that might be a good place to donate too.

But I’m still searching for that thing that just screams “that’s SO Us.” Maybe it’s a triva game at the bar in between the ceremony and cocktails or maybe inclusions of our heritage in the menu. Whatever we decide it won’t compare to the joy I’m starting to feel about becoming Mrs Prince Charming.

How To: Simply Elegant Wedding Favors

All Things Weddings by Elizabeth Skogstrom 

Many couples like to provide their guest with a gift for attending their wedding. Coming up with the perfect favor that is unique, fitting to your theme, and something that your guest will enjoy can be quite the task. That is why when I came across, Bellaterra, a company that specializes in creating favor boxes I had to share it! These simple, yet elegant boxes are the perfect accompaniment to any wedding. My personal favorite are the chair boxes. The actual box that holds the favor is the cushion of the chair. Each box has its own label. A perfect place to put your monogram, names, wedding date, or whatever else you wish to share with your guest. The boxes also have  ribbons tied around them, which gives them the perfect finishing touch.

Now it would not be fair to give a suggestion of a favor box without providing a suggestion of a favor. I personally recommend using delicate chocolates. If you are looking in the New York area for a great chocolate company I recommend either Kee’s Chocolates, which is a chocolate company that uses ingredients from all over the world including, sea salts from France and Saffron from Spain. Another great company is MarieBelle. A chocolate company that makes not only wonderfully tasting chocolates, but possibly the most beautiful chocolates.

Whether you choose to do chocolates, or something a little more unique to your wedding, pick out something that has meaning to you. For that is what your guest will truly appreciate!

Some Like it Dirty.

“I Do” By Jennifer Bueno

Most Like it on the Rocks 😉

With so many drinks to choose from, chances are, no two people will favor the same one.  One thing everyone can agree on, no matter the taste, is how much he or she hates watered down drinks, “Damn you water!”  Thanks to a little thing called Whiskey Stones, we can all stop cringing and enjoy our drink to the very last drop.

Made from soapstone, these wonderful stones chill your drink—without diluting it.  Simply place them in a freezer for a couple of hours, and once you’re feeling nice and thirsty, plop them in and enjoy.  Once you are done, simply rinse and repeat.  Easy as that.

So, when it comes time to pick out favors for your wedding, or gifts for your groomsmen, look no further.  Be the one to change everyone’s drinking experience forever.   Now, everyone will be able to drink their poison on the rocks (literally), at tranquil pace—all thanks to you.

 

Intimate Favors!

Manic Mondays By Lauren Cooper

Find yourself  debating over favors for your wedding guests? Will they be too much? Will your guests enjoy them?

Well stop the questioning. I have the answer!

While stumbling through Etsy, I came across these beauties, and just about shrieked with joy.  They’re perfect! A cute memento that will keep your guests entertained, and amused. Plus, it is a great ice breaker for your guest that may not be familiar with one another. Ok, ok, without further ado, I give you…

Cootie Catchers!

Yes, that’s right! The paper cones you played with as a little girl, the ones that told you who you were going to marry, and how many kids you’d have, are back and better than before!

It’s the same concept, but instead of “fortune telling”  you choose from different themes.  For example, with the wedding question cootie catcher you get two sets of questions, that you customize. Each cootie catcher includes room for 8 questions about you and your new husband, while also having enough room in the centre for a little extra info, like a wordsearch, thank you, etc.

Darling Girl Paper also has other cootie catchers to choose from like a wedding photo scavenger hunt and a wedding word search.  These little pieces of your childhood are sure to give your guests some unexpected fun.  If you’re not completely sure about using them as wedding favors, Darling Girl can also make them for bridal showers to amp up the fun factor while you open gifts.  Be sure to check these out! You won’t be disappointed!

 

 

Fun with Favors!

Manic Mondays by Lauren Cooper

Great weddings turn even the smallest details into a fabulous creation and favors are no exception.  If you’re tired of the same old bubbles and Jordan almond favors check out these fun ideas to leave your guests flipping over. Personalization will make the favors pop even more!

Flowerbomb seeds

• Go Green Buy personalized packets of flower seeds to give back to your guests which will have them rembering your spectacular wedding each time they look at the plants. Get 100 flowerbomber seed bombs for only $60 and place in a wheatgrass arrangement at each guest table to encourage the planting of wild flowers.  Or present all natural handmade soaps in delectable scents like lemongrass and poppy seed olive oil from Etsy.

• Foodie Delight If you and your fiancé are foodies, these favors are perfect for you!  Use ice cream scoops tied with a bow and a hangtag with your monogram, wedding date, and personalized note like “Enjoy your sweets! – Amanda and Mike”. Or try the Love Birds salt and pepper shakers which will look great on your reception table and in your guests home.

• Edible Treats They may not be the longest lasting favors but they’re just as fun and definitely creative!  They’re also a great way to add some of you and your fiance’s personality.  Things such as packets of coffee with your monogram and date or cocktail mixes from Beau Coup are fun, inexpensive, and useful.   Try something sweet like chocolate swirl marshmallows from Etsy, under $6 for a dozen.

• 

  Vintage engraved silverware from Monkeys Always Look

  Go Vintage Vintage favors can be a bit of a challenge–especially when your wedding is larger. But fret not, there’s always a way! Instead of searching for 100 of the same items, choose a theme and run with it. Try vintage herb garden markers. You can buy them in bundles and mix and match different ones at each place setting. Etsy makes it easy to find fab vintage finds without searching through antique shops and yard sales for months. Try these gorgeous engraved vintage silverware garden markers.