Thursday, January 31, 2013

Adding Sparkle to Your Wedding!


Not to sound like a failed and drunken beauty queen, but I pretty much believe the world would be a better place if it were covered in sprinkles and glitter. Forget world peace, people need more sparkle!

It seems like all that glitters is among the top wedding trends right now! Especially during the holiday season, so it’s high time to bring out the sparkly (as if we ever put it away), especially for those who are about to get married this winter! I've collected for you lots of different ways and ideas how to use the glitter trend wisely and not to overdo it. For example, you can experiment with your dress by adding some sequins and rhinestones to the top of it, decorate your nails or use glitter in table settings décor.



There aren't many rules when it comes to glitter-fying an event, but please, do yourself a favor by not going overboard. You can include a little splash of sparkle here and there or add one fierce focal piece, but if you hit sparkle overload, you run the risk of having your wedding confused for a six year old's birthday party.  

Sparkle On!
Angee 

*All images curisty of Google image search.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Rice Alternatives for Your Wedding Send Off!

What are you planning for your grand exit? Confetti? Sparklers? Ribbon wands? Here we will explore some ‘send off ‘ ideas for your wedding.

Throwing rice has been tradition to wish prosperity and luck to newlyweds, but if it’s ingested by birds it can be deadly. 

Here are some alternatives to rice. 

Confetti, lots of confetti!  It can be made very easily by using colorful paper and a hole punch. There are many different ways to make your confetti unique. Use different shapes and sizes. Add GLITTER, yes glitter really does make everything better! Add confetti packs to the front of your wedding program. Weather you decide to make your confetti or buy it be sure it is big enough and bright enough to show up in your pictures. 
 
 


Cones filled with herbs such as lavender not only smell great, if you include the herb in your bouquet, it will tie your theme together. Birdseed is not only inexpensive but it is the most environment friend option.




 A balloon release is also a fun way to usher in your marriage outside of a place of worship. Present guests with a couple of balloons before they head outside. Then have them released into the sky as you and your new husband walk by.  

By using rose petals you add a romantic feel to your send off and can be purchased in any color to match your theme. Here is a fun DIY project if you choose to go with rose petals.

If you aren’t keen on having something thrown in your face while trying to find your way down the aisle, ribbon wands have become very popular and are easy to make yourself.

If your wedding is at night, glow sticks would be great for guests to wave around. 

End your reception with fireworks (literally!). Just be sure to have this idea approved by your reception venue, and consider hiring pros to set them off. Another similar option? Sparklers! Fireworks in your wedding? See how these real couples did it.




And last but not least, my favorite! I love the idea of using sprinkles as a rice alternative! They are very colorful and will add some fun to your ceremony.

Just remember to make it special and always check your venues guidelines! 

Cheers!
Angee

Sources:
Shine from Yahoo
Lover.ly

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Valentine Love LETTERS



I’ve been working on some fun Valentine's Day projects and decor for my home and I thought I would share my top 10 favorite FREE fonts for Valentine "Love Letters" with you in case you are working on projects from my recent post regarding DIY Valentines or home decor, too! 



3. Fiolex Girls  4. Love Ness Three  5. Love Letters   6.DJ Candy Hearts 
7. HaloHand Letter  8. Jen Luvs Ben  9. Words of Love  10. Janda Happy Day 
 
dafont.com has hundreds of free fonts, it can actually be very overwhelming to sort through, but well worth spending some free time browsing through

There are also gazillions of sites offering free digital paper and overlay downloads, but these 2 are my favorite go to for paper! 

1. Mel Stampz  
2. Katies Wish 

What do you think? Time to write some fun love letters?

Happy Valentine creating!

Love & Hugs,
Angee  

P.S. Please be respectful and abide by each font and digital download terms of use. Some are only free for personal use. 



 


Monday, January 28, 2013

Honoring Deceased Loved Ones During Wedding Celebrations


When a parent or relative passes away before your wedding, it’s important to find a special way of remembering them without ruining the joyous tone of your big day! Need some suggestions?

Many couples try to find ways to honor special family and friends who have left this world before their weddings.  Some couples keep it to recent deaths while others honor people with whom they had a close bond.  Here are some tasteful ideas for recognizing those who have gone before us in the course of wedding celebrations.
  
Memorial Candles- Some memorial candles are plain and the purpose is only mentioned in the program. Some candles are placed in engraved holders mentioning the deceased.  Still other memorial candles are simply placed next to a picture of the person they are remembering. Any way they are used, memorial candles are a simple and very symbolic way to remember the people special to the couple who cannot be with them in body on their special day.



Save a Seat- A chair left empty where an important person should have been seated is also a symbolic gesture.  A rose left in the seat as a symbolic gesture is also a simple way to remember the people who have been lost and recognize that they are with the couple in their hearts and minds.


Display a Picture- When the people needing to be remembered are parents, close grandparents or siblings of the couple sometimes a picture will be displayed in remembrance of the missing guest.

Mentioning Names in Petitions or Elsewhere in the Ceremony- In a religious ceremony, a prayer may be said asking everyone to remember those who are deceased.  Sometimes the loved ones may be mentioned by name, but mostly it will be a general prayer.

A Moment of Silence for the Dearly Departed- A moment of silence can also be held at the wedding ceremony or the wedding reception to honor those who have gone before the couple and couldn’t be with them on their special day.


A Remembrance Table- A table of remembrance can be a nice touch.  A small table is set aside at the ceremony or reception.  It can hold candles, pictures or an arrangement in remembrance of the deceased.  A photo of the couple praying or in another pose at the table can make for a beautifully memory in the wedding album.

 
A Remembrance Vase- A vase of flowers (usually roses) where each flower is meant to represent a loved one who is deceased is also a nice touch. You could have the flower girl place the flowers in one by one and have a special mention in the program.



Bouquet Additions- Charms, rosaries and jewelry pieces such as lockets or jewelry belonging to the deceased can be added to the bouquet in remembrance. Cuff links and military pins are often added to remember male family members.  A single flower of a different color in the bouquet can be a silent gesture that only a few people know about to remember someone who is deceased.  The bride can also carry a few roses tied together to remember the deceased instead of a traditional bouquet.
   
Program Mentions- A simple explanation of whatever methods are used to remember loved ones can be placed in the program. A special page in the program can also be the means used to remember those who cannot be in attendance.

Other Remembrance Gestures
Do not honor deceased parents by placing their names on invitations.  The invitations should be sent by the people hosting the event, whether that is surviving parents or the couple themselves.
Remembering loved ones during wedding celebrations can be tricky.  It is important to have it be understated.  The wedding celebration is about joining two lives and two families and is meant to be a happy occasion.  Remembrances that are too over the top will draw more attention towards bittersweet memories and place too much attention on people who aren’t there rather than on the ones who are there.  Honoring those who are gone is important and symbolic but understated gestures are best.  Symbolic gestures tend to accomplish this better than spoken words.  Spoken words should be brief and general if used.

I always ask the bride and groom to make it personal, it should reflect the personality of the deceased. The best way to honor those who have come before us is to live our lives to the fullest while keeping them in our thoughts. 

Regards,
Angee

Friday, January 25, 2013

Rustic Wedding Inspiration

One of the 2012 wedding trends that seems to be firmly embedded in 2013 as well is The Rustic Wedding. I absolutely LOVE this theme and can't wait for a bride to ask me to help stage her magical affair. 

A Rustic Wedding Theme can be put together for bride’s of all personalities, whether you’re laid back and simple or you like all the glitz and glamour that goes along with a traditional wedding. A rustic wedding is also a green and budget friendly wedding idea, with a lot of cost savings in the diy rustic wedding projects and the ability to use elements and decorations strait from nature.

The first, and probably most important thing to consider when planning a rustic wedding, is your Rustic Wedding Location. An outdoor setting is clearly the easiest way to really get that rustic feel, such as a national park with lots of tall trees, a barn, or even an open field! The idea is to incorporate nature and all of it’s beauty into your special day. 


You can really get into some fun rustic DIY projects using items even from your own backyard, such as twigs and tree trunk slices. Some other rustic decoration ideas are with the use of cotton, wheat, burlap, twine, dried flowers, pine cones, hay, fruit, vegetables, and old vintage items like mason jars glasses. How fun is this DIY project from Pocketful of Dreams


Your Rustic Flowers are one of the most important wedding decorations, especially for this theme. They are nature’s most beautiful creation, and are easy to incorporate into everything from the rustic wedding bouquet to the rustic table centerpieces. I like the idea of using burlap & lace to wrap the stems as opposed to traditional ribbon. And, along with the flowers, use lots of herbs and plants, such as rosemary, moss, or wheat. Dried and paper flowers are really big this year as well and would work beautifully in the Rustic Wedding theme.

Everybody loves something sweet, and the best thing about a rustic wedding cake is that you can do it yourself. A lot of the rustic wedding cakes use a simple white buttercream frosting, surround it with things from nature, and then rest it on top of a Rustic Wedding Cake Stand made out of wood. 

I hope you'll find some inspiration here for your Rustic Wedding. However, this theme is very diverse and would work perfectly for a birthday party, anniversary celebration or shower! 

Cheers!
Angee











Thursday, January 24, 2013

Inspiration For Using Pantone's Spring 2013 Color Report

When working on today's post, I had the idea of creating inspiration boards for each of the ten colors featured in the Spring 2013 fashion color report. Why would that be of interest to brides-to-be you might be thinking? The fashion report gives an overview of how designer’s are using the key colors in their upcoming collections. What better source of inspiration for your own color palette?

In the midst of my research for the post I stumbled across The Perfect Palette’s take on the flavors of the month for this Spring and I thought why reinvent the wheel?

Below is a summary of Perfect Palette’s take on the must have colors for the coming season, so if you are currently going in circles about your wedding color palette I highly recommend you check out the Perfect Palette for some expert advice and inspiration…

P.S. My favorite colors together are Tender Shoots with Nectarine and Lemon Zest with Monaco Blue. What are yours? 

Cheers!
Angee 










Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Warm Up With a Soup Exchange!



When the weather turns cold, like it is here in Nashville there’s nothing better than a nice, hot bowl of soup to warm you up. What better way to spend time with friends and/or family then with a ‘Soup Exchange’?


You’ve probably heard of cookie exchanges, but a soup exchange is novel (and more nutritious). It should be small, because it’s a lot more time consuming to make enough soup to pass around, than cookies. But, the small party size creates a nice intimate evening. 

This party really has no planning involved. Just be sure to give your guest at least 2 weeks notice. Invitations can be verbal or via email. Ask guest to RSVP with their soup exchange 1 week before party with be any special toppings you should supply. 


At a recent soup exchange I attended, there were 7 ladies total, and each of us brought six 6-cup freezer containers of our most delicious homemade soup, plus one 1-1/2 cup serving ready to sample. We also enjoyed homemade bread, delicious salad, and wine, plenty of wine. It really was a very nice evening. And super filling. I can’t wait to pull some yummy soup out of the freezer on my next too-overwhelming-to-cook day.


Soups on the menu at the party were Corn Chowder, Tomato Dill, Cheesy Potato, Italian Minestrone, Chicken Tortilla, Red Beans & Rice (my soup), and Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle. What a variety! If you don’t have a favorite soup recipe, there are gazillions on the web. (foodnetwork.com has some of my favorite.) Good homemade soup is even easy to improvise. See a step-by-step guide here


What’s your favorite? 

Friends and family warm your heart; now you have a way to warm their tummies. 

Enjoy!
Angee 



My Husband likes to add more rice to his.
To make my Red Beans & Rice Soup:


2 Large Boxes of Zatarain's Red Beans & Rice

2 Boxes Chicken Stock

1 can Kidney Beans

Cajun Seasoning to taste

1 pound hot sausage

1 pound Hillshire Farm Kielbasa



Cook meats, then combine all ingredients and let simmer.  I made this recipe up so it is a taste and go kinda deal. Just make sure the soup isn’t too thick or thin and add seasoning slowly until it’s flavored to taste.