Cake Toppers

Remember the bride and groom that were proped on top of the cake. They all looked the same, had the same facial expression, same racial make up, no individuality. Fast forward 2009.. the choices are awesome.

These cake topper are another way to personalize your wedding and bring in a touch of whimsy.

I found these on Bonanzle....yes another shopping site that I did not need to know about.

Kissing Comical Couple



Honeymoon Bound Couple




Romantic Couple on beach



Motorcycle Get-Away



Weddingmountain.com had these cake toppers

African American Couple



Ty Wilson Cake Topper




Interracial Couple



Traditional Indian Couple


Golf Fanatic Groom



There are many others to choose from search these sites or do a google search.

Bridesmaids Gifts

Thanking your bridesmaids with a personal gift is a great idea. Selecting something that is specific to each bridesmaid will ensure that your gift will be memorable. Is one or more of your bridesmaids into really great fashionable handbags...then your check out my latest find.

D & D Sales sells fashion Handbags & Accessories at very reasonable prices.

This is my favorite handbag and when I saw the price I added it to my "must buy" list. At $27.00 it is a fabulous find. All the handbags come with a protective cotton storage bag!




They also have a great selection of wallets,



There is even something for the flower girl.

Wedding Day Programs

Wedding programs are a record of your ceremony; they help guests feel included and understand what is happening, and they introduce your bridal party. A ceremony or wedding program becomes a wonderful keepsake for your guests and a guide to the special touches you have includes in your special day. There are very unique and creative ways to create wedding programs; they add that extra special something to your big day. I read about these great sites that can help you create you wedding day programs online. When ordering please remember that you will only need about 75% of your guests list.

Finestationery.com

With over 90 brand names to choose from your options are limitless. Prices range from $125 per 50 to $800 per 50; there are programs for every budget. I found the site easy to navigate and the many filters available made searching a breeze

And of course, they'll look beautiful in your scrapbook!

Polkadotdesign.com

I loved their selection of wedding programs they were really exquisite. Along with the custom wedding programs Polkadot Design also offers DIY Kits. some of the DIY kits Comes with a choice between vellum, cream or white text insert. Vellum insert includes 2 imprintable areas. Cream or white text insert includes 4 imprintable areas.

Crane.com

Crane.com wedding programs add the ultimate touches of elegance to your wedding. There DIY kits include the pre-scored and pre-drilled sheets and cards to make 25 or 100 programs. Each program would include a 64lb. card stock folded cover and 8 pages or 2 sheets of 32lb paper folded, all tied with a matching ribbon. The finished program measures 5 1/4 x 7 1/4 inches folded. Home computer printable. Crane.com also offers two template options for working with DIY Wedding Program Kits.

Aleximanievents.cceasy.com

Aleximani Events carries a wide selection of printable wedding programs in a variety of colors.

Wedding Traditions - Throwing the bouquet

As we take a peek into wedding traditions, I thought I would research the history of throwing the bridal bouquet. Through out history and cultures Brides have been considered particularly lucky people and their wedding dresses were no exception.

With roots in England and going back as far as the 14th century, the single women who attended the wedding believed that carrying away a piece of the wedding dress would bring good luck and love. In pursuit of this good luck wedding guest would chase down the bride and rip pieces of her dress to carry home for good luck.

As you could imagine Brides were not particularly fond of this part of the wedding, since their wedding dresses would end up in shreds. I could not imaging a Bride in her Vera Wang running down Fifth avenue being chased by a mob. So, someone had an idea to distract the crowd by throwing the bouquet and giving the Bride a chance to get away.


Now anyone who has planned a wedding will know that floral budgets can go very high. After months of planning and choosing the right bouquet for your dress, throwing it to a crowd would be the last thing you want to do. Today it is not an absolute must to have this tradition played out at your reception. However, should you choose to continue the tradition, you can have your florist include an additional "Throw Away" bouquet in your wedding package.

You can choose to use a silk "Throw Away" bouquet or for a unique idea try this bouquet made from crochet roses. I thought this was a unique find.

Wedding Traditions - The Garter

Buy this at Peekb4

Wedding traditions are fun , but how did they start. Here is the history behind the wedding garter courtesy of Mygarter.com

Modern weddings are filled with customs and traditions. One of the most celebrated wedding traditions involves the tossing of the wedding garter. The practice of garter-tossing dates back to as early as the mid-fourteenth century. In order to confirm the union was consummated, it was customary for a family member to retrieve a piece of the bride’s clothing, particularly an undergarment. It was believed that the piece of clothing would bring good luck to the person who received it. Through the years the tradition was altered, as the bride was often rushed and had her clothing torn off as guests fought for the coveted prize.



The "garter," which was a garment used to hold up stockings, became the sought-after item. This tradition evolved as the groom began removing the garter and tossing it to the guests so they would not endanger the bride. Fortunately we still practice this very tradition today. The bride typically wears the garter on her right leg as the groom removes it during the reception. He then tosses the garter to the single men in attendance. The gentleman who catches the garter is the proud recipient of the "good luck" and is said to be the next to be married.

Buy this at Peekb4

While some brides continue with the traditional garter custom, others will wear two garters: one to be removed at the reception for tossing and the other to be kept as a keepsake of her wedding day.





Many brides decide to make their garters blue so they have "something old, something new, something borrowed and something BLUE." However, this isn’t entirely necessary. Any bride can still use traditional white garters and even create garters in colors to match their wedding themes.

See many garter styles at Etsy shop Peekb4

Vintage Glam

Vintage - A group or collection of people or things sharing certain characteristics.
A year or period of origin

We hear the term vintage thrown out in many areas, fashion , jewelry, home decor. Vintage does not have a particular period attached to it, it all depends on the the period of time that you are interested in.

I love the 1920's, particularly because of the Harlem Renaissance which represented a great period in the history of New York.

As I was searching the web I found a unique jewelry shop, EMbridal. The creator of these beautiful pieces also loves vintage style.

Embridal is based in Melbourne, Australia and is made up of a small team dedicated to the design and creation of bridal accessories and bridal jewelry. The team has background in both fashion and jewelry design, what a great combination.





This is a beautiful clip that can be worn on the side or back of your hair.

Absolutely stunning!

-1pendent clip with mixed feather, Russian tulle, metal, crystal and pearl
-Color –crystal, antique silver, ivory and white – also available all white
-size approx 6 inches x 3.5 inches in height (15.5cmx9cm)





A beautiful hair piece that can be worn at the front, draping over your forehead or at the back of your hair.

Absolutely stunning!

-5 pendent drape with clips (1clip on side attachments) with mixed crystal, metal and pearl
-Color –crystal, antique silver and white
-size approx 7 inches x 5.5 inches in height including pearl drops (18cmx13.5cm)



This is a beautiful clip that can be worn on the side, top or back of your hair.

Absolutely stunning!

-2 pendent clip with mixed crystal, metal and pearl
-Color –crystal, antique silver and white
-size approx 3 inches x 2 inches height including pearl drops (9cmx5cm)



This is simply stunning, this cuff is modern, clean and looks absolutely gorgeous. It is solid and throws a lot of sparkle, it adds a touch of vintage glamour.

Be Inspired by vintage design!!!!!!!

Fabulous Finds around the Web

Once again I took a trip around the web to find some fabulous finds for my readers. As usual I was delighted in my finds. Meet Etsy seller Jurgita of Jurgita Handmade, you will be blown away by her beautiful wedding designs. Jurgita says that she "stumbled" onto beading few years ago and fell in love with it! Well her stumble has become our delight. She is passionate about making jewelry and handmade items and tries to reflected this in her shop. She devotes countless hours to procuring all her handmades to get perfect the final product!

If you have read my blog before, you know how I feel about a Master at work. We Jurgita is a Master at her craft. I could not fit all of my favorites in this blog so be sure to check out her Etsy shop, Jurgita Handmade.




Cream Swarovski Crystal Pearl pendant , Svarovski Rondelle navette and Swarovski fireball- handmade for an evening out or any special occasion, wedding!



Hand beaded bubbles of 4mm Swarovski Crystals bicones in Golden Shadow with small gold glass beads, 5523 Swarovski Crystal in Golden Shadow ,Swarovski Rondelles , Swarovski fireballs as accents – fits perfect together! They are light, long and beautiful




Beautiful hand beaded bracelet of Swarovski Crystals in Golden Shadow.is a beautiful accessory for a bride to wear on her wedding day and can easily be worn again and again for less formal occasions



This beautiful bracelet is handmade used 8mm White Swarovski crystal Pearls! Swarovski fireballs and Ivory organza tape –beautiful accents !!!!!!
It is great for an evening out or any special occasion, wedding!Wherever you are, these stunning bracelet will keep all eyes on you!

Shopping Extravangaza

I love that the internet has revolutionized the shopping experience. The convenience of shopping at your favorite stores in your pj's is quite appealing. Recently, I have discovered online vendor events and as usual I jumped in at the chance to not only participate but shop, shop, shop. So if you still need some gifts for your attendants, you could find them at this awesome event.

Mark your Calendar and plan to attend:

A Sassy Affair Shopping Extravaganza

Sponsored by Sassy Sisters In Sales

June 27, 2009

11:00- 3:00 pm EST

Various vendors representing a variety of products. There is something for everyone. Games, Prizes, Special Deals, Exclusive Savings! Invite your friends - they won't want to miss this either! All of our guests will be entered for a chance to win fabulous prizes , but you must REGISTER !!!!!!!

Event will take place on Momchats.com. In the menu select Chat rooms, enter your name, no password needed. Once logged in you'll be in "the lounge". At the top of the box click on the arrow & choose the room assigned to a Sassy Affair. Sit back and enjoy the fair! Chime in with questions or comments anytime.

If you are a vendor and are interested in participating, go to Sassy Sister Events and submit a vendor form. This is a free event. Your only requirements are to submit a prize (see terms for more details ) and you must publicize the event on your blog or other social sites.

Come Join The Fun!

Some of the vendors participating include:

Inspiranza Designs. Inspiranza Designs offers sterling silver and gemstone jewelry in styles from traditional to trendy in a fun and exciting home party setting. Explore our jewelry, hostess and consultant opportunities and Discover why .925 is your number for fun!

Jean May Originals offers handmade jewelry, soaps and more.

Satisfy your Senses offers handmade soaps, candles, lotions and well anything to satisfy your senses.

Stop in and see the rest of the vendors and get some fabulous items.

Bridal Shower

Among pre-wedding parties is the bridal shower. A bridal shower is an opportunity for a bride's loved ones to help her stock her new household with the essentials she might need. It's also a time for her to celebrate her happiness with the women she loves.

History of bridal shower

It is always nice to hear stories behind the things that we do. Here is what I found.

Years ago, as the story goes, there lived a young Dutch girl who loved a young Dutch miller. The miller was so generous to the poor that he could never save a fortune for himself. Because the young man was not rich, the maiden's father disapproved of the match and refused to give her a dowry. But the village folks, and the young people, had desired their marriage. To make up the girl's dowry, each villager brought some treasured possession of his own until a chest had been filled with all household goods that a bride should bring to her new home. With these contributions, they 'showered' the maiden until even her father was won over. From that day to this, it has been the custom for the bride's friends and family to present her with gifts for her new life. Don't despair over a bad turn in the weather. An old Roman proverb states, "Rain falls in the lap of the happy bride
Years ago, the rules of etiquette were practically written in stone. Today, this is not the case. While the rules of etiquette can serve as a guide, the wisest course often is to follow your heart – inside, most of us know what the right thing to do. Let the following "rules" serve as suggestions when you are in doubt.

Who host a bridal shower?

Traditionally, the maid/matron of honor or bridesmaids host the bridal shower. But like anything else that was once written in stone, this rule is flexible. Couples are living in cities other than the ones they grew up in. They have built new lives and added a host of friends and colleagues to their lives. So nowadays it is perfectly acceptable to have a shower thrown by aunts, grooms family, college pals or other close family friends. Bridal showers take place two months or less before the wedding date, though usually at least two weeks in advance.





You will probably want to get the invitations out about 4 weeks in advance of the shower date, paper or printed invitations are the norm. However, today you could us sites like Evites for sending invitations. All those invited to the shower should be on the wedding guest list. It is poor etiquette to invite someone to the shower and that is not invited to the wedding itself. I have seen situations where the prospective guest understood why they could not be invited to the wedding and wanted to share with the bride at her shower, in a case like this you should send the invitation since it was initiated by the other party. However, not every woman invited to the wedding needs to be invited to the bridal shower. Even if a guest lives too far to make attending the bridal shower practical, it is still good etiquette to send her an invitation anyway

These are the people that should definitely receive an invitation:

· Mothers of the bride and groom
· Grandmothers/great grandmothers of the bride and groom
· Aunts
· Female Cousins
· Bridesmaids/female attendants
· Close friends of the bride and her family
· Close female business associates of the bride

Formality

You definitely should determine the level of formality when planning the bridal shower. That will determine, the invitaions, the decor and many items for the shower. Think about the bride first and foremost and the location where you wish to hosts the bridal shower .

Bridal Shower Cakes

Today, cakes go above and beyond the call of duty. They are so beautiful and unique that they are more like works of art. Take a look a some that I found.








Be





Be Inspired by unique cakes!!!!!!!!!!!

Tools for the tech savvy Bride

In this fast paced world, we try to find ways to make our workloads easier. This includes our smart phones, PDA's, and any software that help to keeps us organized. So I went in search of technical innovations to help the tech savvy modern couple. Here is what I found and some of my suggestions:


USB drives are a must for modern marriage research, and the Transcend Jet Flash V90 is the perfect wedding planning companion. The gorgeous mother of pearl casing contains just about 2gigabytes, which gives you plenty of safe storage for bachelorette party photos, wedding dress photos, potential first dance ballads, etc. It saves space on your computer and they are portable.



Transcend Jet Flash

Check out this flash drive from ScanDisk




Before the wedding there are many pre-wedding events to attend. What is a busy girl to do when she has no time for shopping for all these special outfits?.....MVM.com. My Virtual Model Community is a site that allows you to create a virtual person and shop for styles, possibly late at night when all of your days activities have come to a close.

If you are not working with an event planner I would suggest investing in a Wedding planning software. There are many on the market, they will help you keep your guests list organize, keep track of RSVP's, table seating charts, and much more.

Getting five star reviews is I Do Couples Edition


Following close behind is My Wedding
Companion



For a list of reviews and comparisons click here.

One last suggestion....get a separate email for your wedding. I would highly recommend signing up for a separate email address. You will be joining many wedding sites, going to bridal expos, meeting with many vendors...opening another website will help you manage all of these emails and prevent your current email from getting overwhelmed.

Great Giveaways

I am sure you will all agree, giveaways are great. I went in search of great giveaways to share with my readers.

Jean May Orginals is hosting a giveaway on their blog. Jean May has just introduced a new line of handmade soaps. This would be great for bridesmaids gifts or a spa day treatment. If you want to get a chance to experience this for free go to Jean May Originals to learn how.



JMJ Creations is hosting a giveaway featured on Unique Women in Business
http://uniquewomeninbusiness.blogspot.com/search/label/blog%20giveaway. To prepare for one of your pre-wedding festivities try out for a chance to win this unique piece.



Check out Infacity.com for a chance to win a beautiful cake topper. There is a winner chosen every month.