Programs and Favors. Simple and Sweet. Yellow and Gray.

What we made in the studio today:

The simplest ceremony card and the sweetest little box of candy

Paper Bags at a wedding. No I haven't lost my mind.

They're cute, super inexpensive, and the possibilities are endless:
Lumiaries, Take-away bags (candy or late night munchie stations), petals for tossing...

Grey, Yellow and black Paper bag

This is the bag I designed for Photographer Bride's wedding.  Contents are a surprise.
This was super easy to make.  I designed the graphic and then just fed it through my laser printer. Then I just used a color coated paper clip and tied some ribbon on to make it pretty and add a bit more color and dimension.

P.S. Yes, those are the flowers I tweeted about this morning.

Best favor : The girls are back!

The Girl Scouts that is! Last year I posted about using girl scout cookies as wedding favors. Well, we used them at 3 of our 17 weddings last year and they were hands down the fastest to leave the favor tables.
Side note: I prefer favor tables over placing them on dinner tables as I am not a fan of clutter. Also, favor tables make for another focal point opportunity in a blank space or a space taker in a too large room.
If you can't find a girl scout in your neck of the woods, send me an email. Our neighbor, little Amanda, will be more than happy to get you some!

Favors. Sometimes good, sometimes hideous junk I wish had never graced a table.

These mini Key Lime pies were the favor each guest received when reboarding Lady Chadwick. Captivapalooza brides welcome luncheon included a cruise Cabbage Key. As you might imagine, they were quite the hit!

Yesterday I spent some time on the phone with Lucky Bride talking about almost everything under the sun. Mostly because we have just a few weeks left and there's lots left to do. Also because she's just fun to talk to and if you caught my twitter yesterday, it was for sure a procrastination day.
Anyhoo...
So the topic of favors came up. I'm on the fence when it comes to favors. This is totally my personal opinion on them. Do you need them? Nope. Are they nice? Yes, they're nice, if they aren't, ummm, junk. Sorry, no other way to put it.

Here's the thing. If you can't eat it, or use it- don't do it. Put yourself in your guests shoes. Do you want a candle with somebody's name and wedding date on it? Are you seriously going to display that in your house? Doubt it. And if you're having a destination wedding- for goodness sakes remember your guests have to pack this stuff up and get it home.

I must confess, I did this at my wedding and looking back now, oh I am so embarrassed. I'd show you a picture of the tulle wrapped mini pot, but I can't bring myself to do it.

So if you do want to give your guest a favor, give them something they can eat right after the wedding (i.e. cookies, chocolate/candies, donuts, popcorn, coffee) or give them something they will use (i.e. beer/soda koozie, flip flops, stamped postcard & pen). Interactive favors are also great. They are truly my favorite because they create another active memory for the evening. Interactive favors are things like candy buffets, photobooths, donut stations, etc.
Have a cool favor idea? Click the comment link below and tell us all about it.

From Chicago to CaptivaDestination Wedding South SeasCaptivapalooza Bride!

Anoher gorgeous bouquet by Floral Artistry
Each table was named a variety of fish local to the island
Welcome! Lemonade and programs
A local favorite for a guest favor, Captiva blend coffee
Corie had a special sash tie for the ceremony and another for the reception
The groom designed this one of a kind seating list!
Here's the room, all a glow. I love candlelight.
There wasn't a single slice of cake left although it was almost to pretty to eat.
The dance floor stayed packed the entire night
Nick Adams from Impact UK was Captivapalooza brides amazing photographer. He put a slideshow on during the reception of some of the great shots he took earlier that day. As soon as he send them our direction, we'll make sure you get to see them!


And to think it all started like this!

A favor idea I love..to eat.

Favors. Should be so simple, but they can be so hard! There are 5 trillion to choose from and it seems like they've all been done before. You want something different, but you don't want it to be, well, stupid. Here's my rule of thumb when it comes to favors. Only give what you would like to receive. Ask yourself, "Would I be happy if I got one of these?
I had an idea yesterday when Amanda-the-girl-scout came a knocking at my door. I gave her $3.50, and she gave me an entire box of my favorite cookies to eat at my leisure. Ok, so that's a slight lie. I bought 7 boxes. Anyway, can I just tell you how happy I would be of I went to a wedding and found a nicely wrapped box sitting on my chair? And then to open it later and see that I had Thin Mints to eat all the way home? And how happy would I be as a bride to know that my favor purchase also helped a great organization? Very happy!
I think its time for a Tagalong...or six.

Fun in the photobooth

Photobooths are all the craze at weddings these days. And I can honestly see why now. They are ridiculously fun. There are several companies that you can rent them from, but they offer different things, so make sure to do your homework. Some come with operators, some don't. Some upload all the photos to the web to view and purchase additional prints. And some record all the images onto a dvd for the bride & groom to keep.
The one we are using at several of the weddings we're planning at the moment- www.PartyBooths.com, allows for a custom message at the bottom of the print, various background colors, different sized booths, choice of print(color/sepia/black&white), and even 2 printers (keep one/give one). As you can see, I had fun doing quality control.

It was 70 degrees. I was freezing. I am a true Floridian. Stop laughing.

Showcase #6 "Ummmm cookies...."

From: Michelle Tortuya of Charning Events

"Here is my favor entry for your showcase. I am in love with Cakesters by Oreo - soooo good. And i'm a number one fan of edible favors. To top it all off, I think the Black/White wedding color combo. is so elegant, and this treat would go so well with that scheme!"



So, I put two cakesters in a cellophane bag, wrapped with ribbon and a black/white tag with a monogram. Yummy!"



From : Danielle at Oh Happy Blog! (One of my favorite reads by the way)

"A friend of mine was having a bridal shower earlier this month. Many of the members of her bridal party are mothers or well into their marital bliss... as she is the baby in her family. She wanted to share in this special occasion with EVERYONE and didn't want to leave any of her loved ones out due to their lack of a babysitter... so she asked if I would come in and save the day. She was having a "Midsummers Night" theme to her wedding and so we created this "fairy tea" tablescape for the younger guests to indulge on cookies and punch at the shower...



We went wild at the local JUSTICE for GIRLS and Target- buying dress-up jewelry and lipglosses... the overall result was so positive - the bridal party was able to relax and enjoy themselves without the worry of rushing home to relieve the sitter... I suppose that I chose to share this because too often I am confronted with brides that do not take the demands of parenthood into account... if it is known that children will be a part of the wedding- be sure to put aside funds to keep them busy ... this will ensure that your guests stay well into the evening and enjoy themselves to the fullest."

Wedding Showcase #5, Oh its a good one!

There is still a week left to submit your photos for the wedding showcase! Remember, you can submit a photo of any tabletop, wedding or shower favor, or welcome bag/guest gift. Here's the latest...

From Martha Browne, a bride of 23 years who has a background in design:



"Although seed packets have been done for bridal showers, they are
often times too feminine for the wedding. But this packet I find to be different. It's a beautiful block print sold at Monticello, Thomas
Jefferson's home and garden. The black and cream color scheme offers any number of possible uses. Here I decided to highlight it against a vintage green plate from eBay. Then I tied it up in simple pink ribbon and tucked in sprigs of Rosemary and Sage."

From: Isha of Isha Foss Events in Chesapeake, VA




These photos are from the open house she had at her new studio last week. Congrats Isha, it looks great!

Showcase #4

From Me: A Big Beach Wedding Weekend Guest Gift. This is a super welcome bag, full of all kinds of goodies. This bag I made specifically for a hypothetical Bridesmaid- single, and in town for 4 full days. A note- if you can, customize the guest gifts for each kind of guest (couples, families, single gals/guys, etc.).

What's in it?
Beach Stuff: A hat, flip flops, beach towel, Seagrass beach mat, Market tote
Spa Stuff: Aromatherapy candle, body mist, and lotion and pajamas
Itinerary & Personal Note: A scrap book with the weekend events/times/locations/attire, a handwritten note welcoming & thanking her for coming
Info & Reads: Area map & brochures and a couple magazines to read by the pool
Drinks & Snacks: A bottle each of bubbly water, flat water & soda and a box each of crackers & cookies

Another showcase submission coming in a bit...

***To answer LouWed's question (see comments) about the bag- It's a market tote. Apparently I got really lucky because I found a couple at TJMaxx for $9.99! You can buy them at Sur La Table or The Container Store for $29.99. Just do a search on Market Tote. Oh, and I also found some on Ebay for $19.99, but the shipping was $10, so it evens out.

Wedding Showcase #1

I am so thrilled about these! And honestly, I didn't realize so many people read this blog. I guess I'll keep it up; thanks everyone.

Enjoy just looking, post a comment, and/or send me an email if you want more info from the creators. I've gotten mucho grande feedback on this project, so there are many more great photos to come. I hope the showcase brings you some inspiration.

From Misty at Forever Weddings in California:

This is a tabletop Misty did for a recent bridal show. She's re-doing her office at the moment and is planning on sending another photo later this month.

From Vane at Brooklyn Bride:

"I did lavender sachets as favors...I've actually been meaning to try these out for a while as gifts for my bridesmaids, but your showcase gave me the push I needed to get my sewing machine out and start crackin. The fabric was from a napkin I bought on sale at Anthropologie, originally $4.00, I got it for $1.95! (note: 1 napkin made 8 sachets for me) The lavender I've had sitting in my closet for MONTHS since my cousin came back from Provence with 2 bags for me, but I'm sure you could find online as well. I would use them in sets of 3 tied with a pretty ribbon and place at each placesetting...your whole venue will smell like the south of France!"

From me:

I thought I would pull together a pre-wedding breakfast or brunch table. Perhaps something for you and the girls as you wait to get your hair & make-up done. A couple things I want to point out- it doesn't have to be dark to use candles. They always look pretty. Don't be afraid to use a few colors, but don't go overboard. Three is usually a good visual. If something looks flat, layer it for dimension. The napkins looked dreadful just laying there, so I added a tiny bloom set on top of each and it was a 100% improvement. Everything came out of my house except the scones & flowers. The table turned out so pretty that I emailed a couple nearby gals over for coffee tomorrow morning. I'll probably have to replace the scones though. I couldn't help myself.

Wedding showcase: By you.

I had the best idea this afternoon as I was catching up on all my favorite blogs. Half the reason I love to read blogs is for the pictures. I find them very inspiring. Inspiration boards I DO love. But how much fun would it be to show a bunch of tabletops, welcome bags, or favors that you come up with yourself? Let's do it! But you'll have to give me until Friday to post mine, because it'll take me that long to do one and my current to do list is ridiculous.

Here's the info:
1. You don't have to go out and buy everything. Feel free to get creative with stuff you have and save a few bucks.
2. No copycats. Going to West Elm and taking a photo and then just changing the colors won't fly. The whole point is to be creative. Be inspired by- but don't copy. Don't be scared to try. Go way over the top- or don't. I'm always pleasantly surprised by how awesome simple can be on occassion.
3. It doesn't have to be "wedding". Yes, this is a wedding blog, BUT, there is more to getting married than the wedding. There are lots of dinners, showers, parties, etc. So a tabletop or favor for something like that would be fine!
4. No winners. This is a showcase- I'll post every one that comes in. If you can send a few shots of your designs, I might make a board out of it. But 1 or 2 photos (jpeg please) would be fine too.
5. You can do one in each category (tabletop, welcome bag, or favor) or you can do two, or just one- whatever you like. Just be prepared for a rash of questions if everyone loves what you came up with- I might email you for a resource list.
6. In your email, tell me a bit about whats in it and why (if applicable) and if you are a bride, wedding pro, or...

I'll post pictures thru the month of September. Oh I am very excited! My email address is over on the left sidebar. Email me if you have any questions.

Neat idea for a placecard holder

Every once in a while I come across something neat in my junk email folder. Today I noticed these small jeweled boxes in the Pier 1 Imports ad and they immediately screamed, "Click me, click me". So I did. I clicked. Turns out they are only $10 for a set of 3. How pretty would these look on each place setting at your rehearsal dinner or wedding dinner on top of a beautiful rich colored napkin?

In this picture I paired an eggplant lamour napkin and saffron bichon linen from BBJ Linens. I think they would compliment all the jeweled boxes well. And then for the placecard, perhaps a very elaborate deep red ink calligraphy with gold embellishments.

There is generous, and then there is over doing it.

I met with a potential client yesterday who has fantastic ideas for her wedding. It will be a beach wedding, so she wants to have parasols to shade the guests, program fans to cool the guests, and flip flops to keep their feet cool and comfy. Of course, there will also be welcome bags for all the out of town guests, which will include a custom photo cookie. And at the reception, a photobooth so everyone can take a picture home.Then at the end of the night, while everyone is out on the dancefloor, each place setting will be replaced with a mini wedding cake. I love all these things, every last one. So we talk about all the great things we have planned and then she says,

"So what should we do for the favor?"

Nothing. Absolutely nothing is my answer. I understand wanting to give your guests gifts. Me, I'm a big HUGE fan of giving gifts. But there comes a point where enough is enough. So with that said, think before every purchase. You don't want your guests to leave your reception with a shopping bag. Unless of course its a cool monogrammed one from Red Envelope. Just kidding!

Aren't you excited I finally figured out how to make these photo boards? Thank you to some fantabulous direction at Style Me Pretty. Seriously, I love her blog.

Custom Weddings

You all know that I am all about everything being custom. Every wedding is without a doubt different, but making that extra effort to be unique is what makes each wedding unforgettable. Lucky for us the next issue of Martha Stewart Weddings is focusing on customizing your weddings! I can't wait to get my hands on it of course. It will be on newsstands Monday.
This favor is one of my favorites ever. If you have time, you can make them yourself. Or, bring the photo to your local baker and ask for a quote- you might be surprised how inexpensive they can be. To customize them, order extra monogram stickers or seals with your wedding invitations and place them on the top of the box to secure the ribbon.

Cookies for Comments!

"So excited!" Ok, well, maybe I do get excited about alot of things. But today I am really very excited because I just got my 1st batch of Weddings by Socialites Cookies! After 5 years, I really needed a change. So last month I unveiled the new logo. And I have to admit, I love the new look. But I want to know what you think too. SO- if you send me a comment, I will send you a cookie! Make sure your email address is good so that I can email you for your mail address.
I also want to say thank you to Chris Ketchum at Masons Bakery for making these cookies for me. The cookies actually make fabo wedding favors (that's how I found them of course). For my last wedding the couple had 4 different photos made into cookies and gave each guest a set. Their guests just loved them- especially when they found themselves on a cookie!
If you want to get some photo cookies, contact Chris at Masons , and tell him Kelly sent ya.