Consider Donating your Wedding gown

You have been blessed with a beautiful wedding day. Everything was perfect, the venue, the photographer, the food, the gown. Your gown made your day special, you felt like a princess for a day. Why not share this special feeling with someone else and make a dream come true at the same time.

The Making Memories Foundation works hand in hand with Brides Against Breast CancerTM and hosts the Nationwide Tour of Gowns. This sale continues to be an important fund-raising event for Making Memories. More than 32 yearly shows provide brides-to-be with an opportunity to find their dream gown (at an incredible savings) while making wishes and dreams come true for women and men who are losing their fight against breast cancer; money raised during the sale goes towards their battle.

Help some dreams come true!!!

Making Memories is in need of contemporary gown styles, slips and veils dating from 2005 until the present day. Each gown that arrives at their organization is carefully prepared for the upcoming "Brides Against Breast CancerTM, Nationwide Tour of Gowns" sales. The thousands of generous donations they receive from designers, manufactures, bridal shops, and individuals worldwide, enables Making Memories the ability to grant final wishes to women and men suffering from terminal breast cancer.

Be Inspired to make a dream come true!!

Planning an October Wedding

If you have not read this blog before, I should inform you that Fall is by far my favorite season. The colors that the season brings with it are my favorites. So it should not be a surprise when I fell in love with a stamp...yes I said a stamp.

Zazzle has an "October Wedding" stamp and it is beautiful.

Getting married in October? Stamps from Zazzle.com

Two hearts are the background for a wonderful Love scripture I Corinthians 13

Love is patient, Love is Kind

Remember that your RSVP envelopes should include a stamp for easy mailing. Zazzle has created an RSVP stamp keeping up the autumn theme and colors.

RSVP Fall Wedding Postage Stamp from Zazzle.com

You can choose from 3 different sizes, small (1.8 x 1.3), medium (2.1 x 1.3) and large (2.5 x 1.5). Prices range from $21.10 to $23.80 for a sheet of 20 stamps.



Mailing Tips

When you first receive your invitations, assemble one complete invitation (including the tissue paper, all additional inserts, and the stamp on the return response envelope) and take it to your local Post Office for weight and measurement. Sometimes it's the size and not the weight which may require more postage than one first class stamp.
If you are concerned about any damage to your invitations request that they be hand canceled with a rubber stamp, instead of by a machine. The front of the envelope will be cleaner and more attractive.

Wedding Floor Decals

As you plan your wedding including personalized details will help you plan an event that reflects you both as a couple. When these details are noticed by your guest , you will see the smiles and the nods as they acknowledge that "yes this is definitely a reflection of them".

Ten 23 Designs creates custom dance floor monogram decals. These decals are perfect for rented venues. The decal will pull right up after the event for easy clean up due to the low-grade adhesive used on the vinyl material. Use your personalized decals on floors, walls, windows, mirrors and even stick to some fabrics.

You can begin your personlization with 20 available colors which are all customizable. Custom fonts are also available for every design. From Damask themes to seasonal themes you can find a decal to fit your wedding theme.

Visit Ten 23 Designs for more information on decals, monograms and more.

Earth Friendly Couture

Trying to find ways to save on your wedding is a little intimidating for some. Deciding which areas will be saves and which will be splurges will be on the minds of many brides. Will saving money mean that you will have to sacrifice style? Absolutely not.

I discovered a site online offering new or nearly new bridal gowns. What does this mean to you the bride?

Encore Bridal offers a vast selection of sample wedding dresses and pre-owned new wedding dresses, in addition to gently used wedding dresses. I am a supporter of green practices in wedding planning and choosing this route for your wedding gown selection is an earth friendly decision. Let us not forget that you will be getting a couture gown for a substantial 30% - 70% discount. Gowns range in price from $1000-$7000 with the average price being $2000.

Gowns have been hand selected and thouroughly inspected to insure that you are getting the best quality in your gowns. The easy to navigate website offers excellent descriptions and pictures. They will even You can even find accesories.

To view frequently asked questions visit Encore Bridal

Summer honeymoon wardrobe must haves

Your are busy planning the final details of your summer wedding. If you planned a caribbean or beach honeymoon, you are counting down the days until...relaxation. Unfortunately, you wont be wearing a bathing suit the whole time, so I thought I would share some great pieces that will make your honeymoon wardrobe great.

Protection is paramount when it comes to the sun , try locating a great hat.

Get an amazing summer look in this beautiful summer hat made from paper straw. Ribbon Band ML Wide Brim Straw Hat - Light Brown

Light Brown Ribbon Band 5 Inch ML Wide Brim Straw Hat




A pair of flat sandals, choose one that is attractive and comfortable at the same time for any walking that you will do ( especially at the outdoor markets).

try these great sandals at alloy.com. The turquoise gems will go hand in hand with the waters of the caribbean. The reviews are

"Tierra Sandal

Dinner attire need not be so formal , select dress made with light and colorful fabrics to go along with the island jams and breezy atmosphere.

This Amber Dropwaist dress may be the perfect fit for a night out with your spouse



Select a great swimsuit , take time to choose one that is perfect for your body type. Don't worry about any self imposed imperfections just enjoy the sun and waves of your honeymoon location with a great suit

Tankini by Lane Bryant

Table Talk

On Monday I attended the National Stationery Show at the Jacob Javitz Center in NY. I had such a great time, I met some great people and learned about some great products.

Let me introduce you to:

Table Tent Trivia

As a host and a planner I love the idea of getting my guests to engaged in the event. Helping to break an awkward silence amongst guest who may not know each other or simply upgrading the regular conversation starters like the weather is really is made simple and fun with Table Tent Trivia.

Table Tent Trivia packages trivia questions around party themes. The trivia questions are printed on unique table tents that help you continue the personalization of your event. Each package contains five table tents with five questions on each card. You will have 25 unique questions for each events. Each table tent style also has coordinating invitations and napkins, if you should choose to expand on your theme.

How many grapes does it take to produce a bottle of wine?
For a wine theme event try the Wine Table Tents





Shaken or Stirred?

Girls never really need conversation starters but these two styles, Martini and "Just the Girls" are great for a girls night out, bachelorette or bridal shower.





With many summer party plans getting on the way, the Summer Trivia will be a hit at any BBQ or summer fling.

Private Island Honeymoons

Enjoying your honeymoon on a great island can make any stress of planning melt into the scenery. It is a great place for your and your new spouse to enjoy time as a married couple. Don't think about working on thank you cards, or bringing work along just focus on relaxation.

Caribbean Travel and Life magazine shares some great locations to considers for your honeymoon.

Lighthouse Bay Resort in Barbuda

Located on 17 miles of pristine, uninterrupted beach displaying pink sand beaches and crystal blue water, this nine-suite property offers a honeymoon package that includes couple massages, all meals, horseback riding and more. Check out this serene location for your honeymoon.



The Scrub Island resort is located in the British Virgin Islands their all inclusive dream package includes seven nights in ocean view accommodations, complimentary transfers to Trellis Bay, a couples massage, romantic Anegada boat excursion, personal concierge service and all meals.

Conversation Starters

As a party planner my antennas are always up looking for new party ideas and tricks. I came across Donahue Paper on the wonderful world of twitter. I came across these conversation starters which I thought would be hits at any size party. Get rid of the awkward silence with these conversations starters.

Donahue Papers has Table Topics , that range from the 60's to 80's. It covers family gatherings, couples, teens and so much more. I think I would like the 80's pretty well, but these would all be fun.

You could consider using these at your wedding or any of the pre-wedding parties that you will host. If your bridal party and families are meeting for the first time this would be a great way to get everyone talking and laughing.

Donahue Papers has a host of other products that would be helpful during your DIY wedding planning, including handmade paper, envelopes in a variety of colors and shapes and sizes, metallic paper, and pouches perfect for enclosure style invites.



I also found their line of Environsax sold by Donahue Papers would make great gifts for bridesmaids from a Eco-conscious bride.

And the winner is...........

I want to thank all of you who stopped visited and commented on my blog. It is always fun to give away nice things. I want to thank my sponsor Dawn of Doilies and Daisies and Dawncorrespondence, she has added a very creative touch to April's giveaway.

The winner of Inspired's April giveaway is......The Budget Bride. Congratulations I hope that you will be very happy with your prize.


The winner was chosen using Random.org.

Money Saving Centerpiece Tips

Centerpieces are one way to enhance the theme of your party or wedding is with centerpieces. They can bring a sense of whimsy, an atmosphere of elegance. It is a connecting piece. Centerpieces can be in the form of flowers, balloons, candles, the options are limitless. The wonderful thing about your centerpiece creation is that there isn't a formula or an exact science to it so your imagination is your only limit.Here are some budget friendly tips for creating centerpieces that wont break you budget.

1. Use fruit in your centerpieces

I love fruit in centerpieces. Nature has given us such great and vibrant colors that it would be hard to pass up the opportunity to use them. Use them alone in a unique vessel adorned with ribbon. You can also choose to use with flowers or candles. The vessels that you choose will determine how formal or informal your centerpiece will be. The options are limitless.

My number one fruit choice for centerpieces are lemons, I love the vibrancy that lemons bring to the table.





2. Use Candles

Nothing says romantic like candles and weddings, and romance go hand in hand. Candles come in a variety of colors and shapes which you can choose to enhance your centerpiece. You can use candles alone, with rocks, beads or flowers. It all depends on your particular vision for your event.

I would only recommend that you shy away from scented candles. Some individuals, like myself, suffer from sensitivity to certain scents. It can cause headaches and or nausea, you definitely want your guest to enjoy your wedding.
It may only be one guest at that particular table, but it is still one too much.








If you are going to do your own centerpieces, try practicing to create your centerpiece ideas before your wedding, to make sure that you are happy with it and to test how long your particular flowers will last. Also, to know the ease of creating your centerpieces.

3 Money Saving Reception Tips

The reception is the biggest chunk of your wedding budget; cutting back on some the items or the type of reception you have may help you save money. Celebrating your marriage is wonderful, gathering with family and friends does not mean being in debt for the next 10 years. Here are some tips that you may not considered on your path down the aisle:

1. A Breakfast or Brunch Receptions

This would be great for a morning wedding. A breakfast or brunch wedding will be cheaper than an evening reception. The menu will include lighter foods and your guests will definitely consume less alcohol in the morning. Serving a mimosa or punch will be sufficient. Foods that you will find at a brunch will be breakfast classics like quiche, frittata, and eggs benedict. Having stations will be great for the guests to get made to order omelets, french toast or pancakes. Maybe instead of a specialty drink, you could include a specialty coffee.
Here are some inexpensive favor ideas for this type of reception:

Sold in sets of 6 this “Gra-TEA-Tude” Tea Box with Tea Bag Kit will be a great thank you for your guests. If you purchase 12 - 23 sets which will yield 72 - 138 favors you will spend $1.80 per favor.



“Swee-Tea” Ceramic Tea-Bag Caddy in Black & White Serving-Tray Gift Box


This a unique thank you and practical too. Buying 24-47 favor will be $2.15 per favor.


2. A Dessert reception or Cake and Punch reception

This could also be held in the afternoon possibly in a garden setting. Serve various cakes and desserts and offer champaign, punch, or soft drinks. This will not be a long reception and will simply give the couple a chance to greet and thank their guests. This is even less expensive than a Breakfast/Brunch reception. This may not be a good reception for couples whose family and friends are used to more during weddings.

Here is a favor idea:

“Let's Celebrate!” Champagne Flute Gel Candle (Set of 4)




3. Cocktail Reception

This type of reception will also be a meet and greet type reception. You can have a selection of hors d'ouvers that are passed around or simply beautifully displayed at various tables. This might be good when you are looking at space issues; sometimes venues will give you the capacity of person allowed in a room based on the type of set up you will have. Your guests might drink more at a cocktail reception to try planning for a specialty drink.





“Razzle Dazzle” Raspberry Iced Tea Mix (set of 6) Drink Mix

Whimsical tables

If whimsical is a word that you want mentioned about your wedding, then you should check out this Etsy seller. Timeless Paper is today's featured seller on Etsy has some great products that could bring whimsy to your event tablescapes. Timeless Paper specializes in custom cutout place cards, table numbers, wedding programs, and menu cards for weddings and parties. They will customize your ideal quantity or style to meet the needs of your events. Whether you are using any of their products for a rehearsal dinner or your wedding reception, these place cards are sure to get your guests talking.


Anchor Table Numbers

The themes available can cater to any season or theme. Themes include but are not limited to nautical, autumn, nature or winter. Cost of all place cards are $1.00 and for an additional $100 you can customize with guest name and table number. Not much to pay for a touch of whimsy. True to their name you will add a timeless touch to your party or wedding tablescape.


Pumpkin place cards (tent style)

Snowflake place cards


Butterfly Place Cards

It's Earth Day!!!! Let's have a green wedding!

Today we celebrate Earth Day! Hopefully, you think about our earth more than once a year and practice some green habits.

Weddings can be eco friendly and there many great and chic ways of implementing "green" into your wedding. Making environmentally friendly choices for your wedding will make for a great wedding and reduces the carbon footprint that your special day will leave.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Dresses

Threadhead Creations uses sustainable natural fiber fabrics in production. Threadhead Creations uses not only natural fabrics but uses eco-friendly business techniques.

This beautiful gown is eco and pocket friendly. Great style at a great cost.

Emily $800.00



Conscious Clothing focuses on help silk wedding attire. Working with beautiful fabrics that surpass even traditional bridal fabrics in their beauty.




Find eco -friendly wedding favors at

Beau-Coup favors



See past post on eco-friendly weddings:

Eco-friendly invitations

Eco-friendly Jewelry

Be Inspired! to make eco-friendly choices for your wedding

Don't forget to stop by our giveaway

April Giveaway

My very talented friend, Amanda of Dawn Correspondence decided to take her stationery business to another level by introducing a Whimsical line of Wedding Correspondence on her new shop Doilies and Daisies. It is filled with unique wedding stationery for the non traditional bride. She offers a variety of products that include Invitations, Save the Date Cards, Favor Tags, Menus and more. Amanda will be happy to work with you to create a custom piece unique to you as couple.

I am excited to announce that Doilies and Daisies is sponsoring a giveaway here on Inspired. Exclusive only to our readers is a set of 25 custom invites. The beautiful Humming bird motif would be great as a Rehearsal Dinner Invite, Shower Invitations or basically any event that you want. Printed on premium heavyweight card stock, and paired with a coordinating envelope. This contest will end on May 7, 2010 at 11:59pm. Winner will be announced on Sunday May 9, 2010.


Here is how to enter:


1. Subscribe to this post via RSS Feed or email.

2. Visit our sponsor, DoiliesandDaisies

3. Come back and post a comment about one other item in the shop.

4. End your comment with April giveaway

5. You may enter daily, come back and comment on any other post, end your comment with "April Giveaway"

Every honeymoon should have a Secret

Victoria Secrets bridal collection is in one word....Sexy. Your honeymoon Secrets will be very memorable with these fabulous pieces.



Scalloped bridal babydoll




Halter babydoll



Georgette halter babydoll

Spring Fling Grand Prize

A fabulous Spring Fling is on its way today Tuesday, April 13th and four prizes will be given away every hour on:

SITSgirls

Tip Junkie

Skip to my Lou

Today’s Creative Blog

Over $6,000 in prizes will be given away and it will be EASY to win! To get the party started they are already giving things away. Don’t miss out on all the free stuff!

Aleximani Events is one of the grand prize sponsors on SITS girls, you could comment for a chance to win $150.00 worth of Custom invitations.

Be Inspired by great giveaways!!!

Great Giveaways

I came across a blog that is having a fabulous giveaway and to enter all you have to do is say Happy Birthday. It doesn't get any easier than this. I simply love the cut glass Masterpiece in ruby, pink and green. I entered I found that I already have the matching ring, which happens to be my favorite ring. Giveaway ends on April 12, 2010. Visit Designers DNA to enter


My ring

Reem Acra Dress Giveaway

On one of my trips down blog lane I came across a great giveaway. The Recycled Bride blog and Your Dream Dress are teaming up to bring you a chance to win a fabulous gown. Please visit Recycle Bride for a chance to win this fabulous gown.

Reem Acra is one of the most sought-after couture bridal designers in the world, to win this dress would be a dream come true for any bride.

Dress Details:

Retails for over $4,800
Silk satin
Sweep train
Strapless ballgown silhouette
Reem Acra label inside
Brand New
Ivory with gold detailing
Bridal size 10 / Daywear size 8 (can be altered to fit a size 8 or smaller)
Bust: 36″
Waist: 29″
Hips: N/A
Hollow to Hem: 60″
Enter to Win:

You must be a Recycled Bride member to win, so sign up if you haven’t already (It’s free and takes just a minute).
Go to the Your Dream Dress Giveaway Page and leave a comment telling why you want to win this Reem Acra designer wedding dress.
One comment/entry per person
A panel of wedding experts from RecycledBride.com and Your Dream Dress will choose one lucky winner on April 2nd, 2010.
Winner will be chosen based on the comment that most inspires our panel

Be inspired by a dream giveaway!!!!!!!

Wedding Insurance

Two weeks ago the Northeast was hit with a major storm. I am still not sure what to qualify this storm as, however with all of the overturned oak trees that I saw I would call it a tornado. Did I mention that one of these oak trees (well one half of an oak) ended up on my house? Thankfully, the damage did not leave us exposed to the elements and I have the time to wait for my adjuster who will not be able to get to me until April.

In all of this I could only imagining having my wedding day side tracked by a natural catastrophe; so I thought a post on wedding insurance was appropriate. So much has gone into planning your special day, your time, your heart and your money. Your wedding day should be perfect but when the unforeseen occurs, how do you recover all that you have invested? Wedding Insurance covers anything from sudden cancellation to stolen gifts to a damaged gown. The minimal investment in purchasing wedding insurance cannot be compared with priceless peace of mind.

The sooner that you invest in wedding insurance the better, unforeseen events can happen at anytime during your wedding process. A basic coverage under a wedding insurance policy will cover loss of photos, videos, attire, presents, rings, and deposits. The cost will be based on the amount of coverage that you want. I will usually not exceed $600 and can start as low as $150 General liability insurance, which covers up to $1,000,000 for accidents, costs around $185.

To avoid duplicating coverage, check with each of your vendors to see what type of coverage they have and what it will cover. Ask your vendors for a copy of their policy, and then figure out where you aren't fully covered.


I found some companies that offer wedding insurance.

Wedsafe.com

WedSafe® offers two wedding insurance products that can be purchased individually or as a package to help provide security and protect the wedding of your dreams.

Wedding Event Cancellation / Postponement PlusInsurance – protects your financial investment in your wedding; covers cancellation / postponement, lost deposits, and more.

This policy covers your wedding against extreme situations that might cause postponement (severe weather, accident, sudden illness) and against financial loss if the event goes on but you have a glitch along the way – no-show vendors, lost photographs, damage to the wedding gown, and more.


Wedding Liability Insurance – protects you against financial liability arising from your wedding; required by many venues.

Wedsafe's wedding liability coverage protects you on your wedding day – if you're held responsible for alcohol-related accidents, property damage, or bodily injury at your wedding or arising from it. This type of insurance is now required by many venues.

Protectmywedding.com also offers coverage for as little as $160. They offer this through Traveller's insurance coverage.

The coverage provided by this company is similar to Wedsafe.com including Call of duty insurance geared towards military couples.

Research and decide if wedding insurance is right for you.

Etsy Wedding Treasure Chest -pt 1

Borrowing a concept from Etsy, I decided to do a wedding treasury. My treasury is made from some very interesting shops I found on my Etsy adventure.



Stunning crystal pave pops against beautiful Swarovski pearls! These would be perfect as part of your wedding day jewelry ensemble. I love dangling earrings, if you have an oval, heart, or round shaped face these earrings would be perfect. Check out CarolineMariet's shop for more beautiful jewelry.



There is something about cuff bracelets that I like; there substantial and make quite a statement. This cuff bracelet is approximately 1 inch in width and measures 7 inches (18 cm) in length. It comprises of 274 Swarovski crystals!! Wow Color of the crystal is "Crystal Silver Shade".

If you are after a different color from the one shown here or a different clasp (such as gold instead of silver) or ribbon etc, let the designer and she will be happy to customize your jewelry. Allow up to 5 working days for item to be made. Check out SeDuCe on Etsy. Check out this shop for its large selection of unique jewelry.


Even before I saw the description these earrings reminded me of the phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis. Perfectly named Aura these earrings may not make it to your wedding, but they have made it to my treasury because of their uniqueness..just like its name sake.

These rock crystals are permanently coated with an AB (aurora borealis) finish that makes them absolutely glow!
Two chunky 12mm faceted rock crystal AB briolettes are wire wrapped with non-tarnish silver Artistic wire. Each earring hangs on a sterling silver ear wire.
The Aura earrings measure about 1 1/2 inches long. You could find these on Etsy at beachflowerdesigns

Be Inspired by fabulous jewelry!!!!!!!