Wedding Favor Giveaway by Beau-Coup
I thought that I would take a minute to check in with everyone! Today is a great day for me…not only do we have a new baby girl, Audrey Elizabeth (born a week ago Monday), we are also celebrating our 3 year wedding anniversary! My husband, Tait, is incredible and I have fallen in love with him all over again since the birth of our little girl.
So, to celebrate life, love and everything weddings, we thought we would take today to announce our latest giveaway! Together with Beau-coup, the incredible favors company that we are featuring today, we are offering one lucky reader a $500 gift card to buy their favorite favors! All you have to do is answer a couple of questions that will help both SMP and Beau-coup understand what your bridal loves are…
1. In SMP’s honor…what would you like to see MORE of on SMP? Real Weddings, DIY projects, Inspiration Boards or more practical tools like printable checklists and such. Anything goes, we are just looking for good, constructive ideas!
2. And in Beau-coup’s honor…what will you buy with the $500 gift card to Beau-coup? We love to get a feel for what our readers are loving, so spend a minute browsing the Beau-coup site to see what you would put your money towards!
I love, love, love the products that Beau-coup is putting out there. They have a huge selection, and I have to say, a really beautiful array of favor ideas. Here are some of my favorite wedding favor picks…
And, the gift packaging ideas are awesome. LOVE the nests below…
Winnie, of Beau-Coup, will choose the winner over this next weekend so make sure to get your entries in by midnight (PST) on Friday. Both questions must be answered to qualify. We will announce the lucky bride or groom on Monday!
Comment by Adrienne on 27 August 2008:
1) I would have to go with DIY projects, only because I just love them so much and love hearing about new ideas!
2) It is hard to pick just one! I would have to go with either the Espresso set (adorable!) or the luggage tags because we will have a ton of out-of-towners.
Comment by Jody on 27 August 2008:
1. I think printable checklists and other planning tools would be great! I also would like to see more DIY. Even better if you show more real weddings with the DIY projects included.
2. With $500, I would definitely like to buy some of the stampable wine tags. Those are so cute and would be great for tagging wine for bridal party gifts. I also love to have some of the personalized satin ribbon, the bloembox tiny tins, monogrammed card holders and the gourmet cupcake mixes. Ahhh!!! So much to choose from!
Comment by sabrina004 on 27 August 2008:
Congratulations on the new arrival!
1. I love the real weddings and the lowdown given by the brides - Full of inspiration!
2. I would love to give to my guests the silver travel candles or the luggage tags since travel has played a BIG part in our relationship..and I would hope they would take them on all their travels - useful and memorable!
Comment by Jill on 27 August 2008:
1. I love real weddings — more of those please! And maybe some step by steps on how to do DIY stuff.
2. I owould love to have the stampable wine tags - what a great gift - it would fit our personalities!!
I heart SMP!!
Comment by Starry-Eyed Barefoot Bride on 27 August 2008:
1. I think the more practical, the better. If we want impractical and over the top we’d buy wedding magazines.
I love SMP and I think its always the first of my blog stalkings that I go to because its fresh, new, and different from many of the other blogs I can’t tell apart. I love your real weddings (especially the input on details from the brides) and the inspiration boards. Maybe a few more DIYs would just balance it out as a whole. I don’t have any groundbreaking advice because I think its pretty great as is.
2. The flip flop coasters. Our wedding will be on the beach, but we are going for more of a tropical feel as opposed to beachy. The girls and I will all be barefoot and we are providing flip flops for dock and dancing shoes for our guests. We are serving barefoot wine and think the flip flop wine glass coasters would be perfect for our escort cards and favors to blend it all together.
oooh - just found the starfish wine charms. The other aspect to our wedding is stars. (I am an astrophysicist.) Usually I don’t like starfish designs because they are too kitschy, but those are just fun and abstract enough to be perfect. Now I’m torn. Ugh - and they come in flip flops too? How’s a bride to choose!? =)
Comment by Piper on 27 August 2008:
1. I, too, must say Real Weddings - I think they give tons of real-life inspiration and you can really see ideas come to life in their true environment.
2. My favorite thing is the napkin rings that look like solitaire diamond engagement rings! I know, I know, but they are SO adorable. I think they’d look great at my white, winter wedding!
I also loved the sea salts as favors. My family is a bunch of salt-lovers (god help our blood pressure) and they would all die for something truly useful like that!
Comment by Dorothee on 27 August 2008:
Hi, I have just started reading SMP and am really loving it! I already got several good ideas from this blog, so thank you!
As for what I would like to see more of, I would have to go with the DIY projects as I’m trying to have a very small budget wedding and my MOH is very crafty! I would like to see more of dresses ideas as well if possible, wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.
And for the favor from Beau-coup, we are having the wedding in my hometown of Habere-Poche, in the french alps, it’s a very small village and so our wedding will be country style. So the little country cow candles will be perfect favors (they will probably be cows not very far from the meadow where we will be married!) I know my family, and especially my mother, would love it!
Comment by Marianne C on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more inspiration boards & real weddings. I always learn something from seeing how other brides turn those fabulous magazine images & their own creative ideas into reality.
2. Since my fiance & I are both foodies (cooking has played a big role in our relationship), I’d love to give away some creative edibles. I especially love the edible fortune cookies! I also love all the packaging ideas.
Comment by Starry-Eyed Barefoot Bride on 27 August 2008:
1… continued - maybe adding in some pictures of your new baby girl!!! =) CONGRATS!!!!!!!
Comment by Mireya on 27 August 2008:
1. I check SMP first thing every morning and I love-love-love to see real weddings with tips from the bride, inspiration boards with new ideas, and DIY projects. I’m a girl planning a wedding on a budget and all of these have helped me along the way!
2. I would give my bridesmaids (who have all been my best friends since elementary school!) gifts for being a part of our wedding!
Comment by Beka on 27 August 2008:
1. I love SMP and I would like to see more DIY projects and real weddings.
2. My favorite favors are the mini cocktail shakers, the tea tins, and the personalized honey jar.
Comment by Sweet Tooth Bride on 27 August 2008:
1. As a relatively new visitor to the surpisingly huge world of wedding planning I am so thankful that I found your site! I’ve been saying to my friends that I need a ‘Wedding for Dummies’ book to help me navigate through all of the intricacies of planning our special day - luckily on top of the great wedding blogs I have found I also have friends and family who are not shy about offering their opinion, in a loving way of course.
Style Me Pretty has already provided me with so many great ideas. When I visit the site the first place I always go is to the Real Weddings section. I love seeing how different couples have incorporated their own unique styles into their special day, and I must admit, I find myself ‘borrowing’ many, many ideas from this section. So, of course, I would love to see more Real Weddings - various themes, different budgets, and diverse ideas.
2. Wow, what a loaded question: What wedding favour I would pick?!?! I love so many of them! But, when I was reading your post about how it is important for you to select a favour that reflects part of our story - I realized choosing the perfect Beau-coup favour might be easier than I had first though… My fiance and I are a very casual and relaxed couple, what I mean by that is, I wouldn’t describe us as traditionally romantic. To illustrate this, when he proposed, I laughed and jokingly swatted him in the arm… No tears for me!
But, one thing we have always done which I treasure is feed each other’s sweet tooth! Often I will come home from work or running errands and there will be a bag of 5 cent candies waiting for me, with all of my favourites right there for the picking! Because of this I know we would both love to offer our guests some sweet eats as a thank you for attending our wedding!
Comment by Kelly on 27 August 2008:
Congratulations Abby on your new addition. I love the name Audrey!
1.Your site is one of my must-sees every day, and I would love to see more of what you were doing earlier this year, with more inspiration boards and your internet finds and hints. The real weddings are beautiful, but honestly, I think they get kind of boring. I think the reason why your site is so popular is YOU, and your eye for classy, stylish wedding ideas, so I’d love to see more of your ideas and inspirations.
2. From the Beau-coup site I would love to give each of my guests a silver Cosmopoliatan luggage tag. They are the perfect favor because that it something people can actually use and probably will use.
Comment by Claudia Saavedra on 27 August 2008:
SMP truly has given me so many wonderful ideas! I enjoy all the real weddings and inspiration boards the most. Everything on the site is beautiful and creative! Keep up the good work!
At the beginning stages of my wedding planning, I came across the bird mints and labels. I fell in love with this idea and decided to make that my theme. It’s perfect for my outdoor wedding and it is very romantic!
Comment by Leslie on 27 August 2008:
1. I love SMP! I visit everyday! I love the real wedding pictures. They are also great inspiration. I also love the DIY projects. They are a great help to brides on a budget like me and I would love to see more of them.
2. With a $500 gift card I could think of so many things that my guests and I would like. My wedding is in the fall, so I think the fall wine bottle stoppers would be perfect. I also love the mini martini shakers and all the personalized tags/stickers are so cute! Everything on the site is wonderful!
Comment by Mom Carole on 27 August 2008:
1. My daughter is getting married in a barn next May and she and her fiance are planning the whole thing with help from friends and family. My job will be to create the floral decor: arch, centerpieces, chairs, etc. Style Me Pretty is a wonderful site because of all the photos of other “rustic” weddings. I’ve gotten the best ideas here and I really like that the “sources” are linked. I made “Burma Shave” type signs to put along the country road to the barn based on a photo I saw on your site. In addition to specific ideas, your site inspires me into using my own imagination: I’ll incorporate cowbells into the chair decorations..after all, the venue was a dairy barn! What would I like more of? Well, more real weddings, of course, and I’m having a heck of a time finding some affordable candle lanterns that aren’t “wedding-y” but are classy and rustic. Any sources?
2. What would I buy from Beau-coup? Like everyone else, I love so many of the things: printed ribbon, those personalized triangular tea infusers, the birds nests, etc. But I’m going to have to go with the twig votives…they’re perfect for the barn setting. Whooooo knows, maybe the resident barn owl will love them too.
Comment by Teri Blauer on 27 August 2008:
1) I’d love to see more inspiration boards! Their what made me fall in love with this blog to begin with. I now have a lot of places to look for inspiration boards, but nobody does it like SMP. (PS- how cute you named her Audrey! I think we all know where that came from!)
2)I’d get those adorable “turning leaves” bookmarks. Perfect for our October wedding in the library of a Victorian mansion. They’d look so perfect with our antique book centerpieces. I love usable, gender-neutral wedding favors. I also attended a tea a month ago where they gave away those cute heart-shaped tea strainers as favors, and they really did delight the girls in attendance, I went out and got some loose leaf tea just as an excuse to use mine! But I couldn’t use those as my favors, since too many of my guests would already have one!
Comment by Kirsten Rutherford on 27 August 2008:
First off, welcome to the world Audrey Elizabeth!
Ok, I would LOVE to see more DIY projects. Your site inspires me daily, and DIY segments inspire me to get my hands dirty, or covered with ink, markers, glue or paper cuts!
I get married in Fiji next month and my biggest DIY project has been baking my own cupcakes (yep, in a foreign country, with a foreign oven, the day before I get married!). I’ve also made my own cake stand and spent over 2 years testing flavours on EVERYONE I know! In honour of that, I would love to give my guests a gourmet cupcake mix pack with a set of heart shaped measuring spoons. That way, they’ll remember their sweet time in Fiji every time they cook!
Comment by Heather on 27 August 2008:
1. DIY projects!!! Perhaps instructions from real brides on how they created some of the handmade and personal elements of their wedding? Even if one doesn’t execute a project exactly per instructions, they are great resources for learning new techniques and unexpected ways of crafting a spectacular wedding.
2. Without a doubt I would choose the Monogrammed Petit Fours (in Vanilla-Orange) and the Individual Present Cheese Cakes. They are the height of luxury and whimsy! What a perfect way to pamper your guests! In ivory and burnt orange, they would be an upscale “trick or treat” twist to my Halloween wedding
Comment by koandpo on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more Real Weddings - especially with budget breakdowns. Those are very helpful!
2. I would LOVE the twig votive holders! I think they are perfect for my fall wedding! And perhaps some placecards…or personalized labels…so many great things to choose from!
Comment by Lisa on 27 August 2008:
Let me start by saying “Great giveaway.” I love the idea of favors but the last few wedding favors I’ve received have left me feeling “blah”. Beau-coup is a website with something every wedding couple and guest could enjoy.
On to the questions:
1. Love DIY. I am not a crafty person but seeing the amazing projects on this website inspires me. It’s great to see the creativity. Some of the ideas can be used for everyday projects so please include how-to’s.
2. Beau-coup, what a wonderful selection. Practical favors are the best. I’d choose the picture frames and follow-up with a wedding photo tucked in the thank you notes.
Comment by Autumn on 27 August 2008:
1. I love seeing DIY projects and Real weddings–can’t get enough. It’s why I started looking at wedding blogs and photography blogs in the first place– you’re able to see it as it came all together and I’ve gotten so many ideas. I have loved DIY projects for the wedding because the ability to be creative and personalize it your way with that special homemade touch is priceless! Budget friendly comparisons (showing how to achieve that magazine worthy look with different, more cost-effective components) would also help.
2. I would love to either buy the chinese takeout boxes or bamboo steamers to box up my favors, as well as the lucky bamboo plants! Or the chopsticks! Or monogrammed cookies! There’s too may–I can’t decide but I loooove the packaging options and we’re trying to infuse our wedding with elements of our culture.
Comment by Heidi Yarger on 27 August 2008:
Congratulations Abby & Tait! I hope Audrey Elizabeth (love that name, so charming!) is enjoying her new world!
Comment by Heather on 27 August 2008:
1. I love real weddings, and the DIY. I am getting married in Feb, so I’m obsessed with this blog!
2. I loke a practical gift, that they will use and think of us, so I like the heart measuring spoons, or the love cookie cutters.
Comment by Abbie in CO on 27 August 2008:
1. While I enjoy seeing the real weddings for inspiration, I love hearing about DIY projects! It’s nice to put a little homemade love into your wedding!
2. I would probably go with either the nests or fans. We are incorporating a slight bird theme (not overwhelming though), so it would be perfect! The fans would come in handy for the June ceremony.
What a great giveaway!
Comment by Kari on 27 August 2008:
1. I love seeing real weddings and would like to see more of them but perhaps a special edition of real weddings: real BUDGET weddings limited to those that spend less than $100/guest or less than $15K total. Along those lines, more DIY would be GREAT!
2. I love the ideas and products on Beau-coup but mostly, I love (would buy)the personalized ribbons, those little glass spice jars, and a myriad of packaging items—not just for wedding favors but Christmas! Oooh, and definately an embosser. That alone makes everything more elegant.
Thanks!
Comment by Bertha on 27 August 2008:
1. I absolutely LOVE your blog! It’s so hard to pick what I’d like to see more of, as that would be everything!!!!! But I think that, as someone on a tight budget, and who loves to be creative, your DIY projects and real weddings provides a great source of inspiration! (and eye-candy!!!)
2. I absolutely love all the packaging options. The glass spice jars, the candy jars, the mini salt and pepper shaker candy jars, the square favor tins… they’re gorgeous!!! I’d spend the $500 on them plus some of that gorgeous heathered favor ribbon and the midori organdy ribbon. then fill the jars with either jelly beans or mini-marshmallows in my wedding colors.
Comment by Kristina on 27 August 2008:
I would love to see more DIY projects and more of a focus on fall weddings. My wedding is in November and I’d love some more inspiration!
I love the twig votive candles. I’d buy a bunch of the paper lanterns and kyoto party lanterns.
Comment by Nicki on 27 August 2008:
1. I read SMP daily and am constantly looking for ways to cut on costs, that being said, I love the DIY projects and more.
2. We actually are not having favors because of the cost, so it would be amazing to win $500! Especially from Beau-Coup, their products are darling! I would probably choose the oil & vinegar bottles, since I come from a large Italian family. That would be wonderful!
Comment by Candice on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY projects and printables. I think the printables are such a fun and interactive element for us readers!
2. I would probably purchase the personalized love story notes or maybe the cookies… there are so many options to choose from, though! I love the wine themed favors and items too. My bridal shower is going to be a Tuscan theme, so that would go so nicely together. Between my own wedding and all the parties involved and my best friends wedding, I could find dozens of uses for the gift card!
Comment by Celeste on 27 August 2008:
1- DIY! Being on a tight budget, it is always helpful to see how to carry out a creative, beautiful wedding with thoughtful details while not breaking the bank. I also love the “Little Black Book”- Very helpful!!
2- I would definitely use it to buy the Whole Leaf Tea or the tins of tea to go in our Welcome Baskets… And any other goodies I would find along the way.
Comment by April on 27 August 2008:
1. Is it too hard to say everything, I check the site daily to see what’s new. I can’t pick between two things, the resource pages which are invaluable to finding so many great ideas and the DIY, which are inspirational and easy for brides to be.
2. I would get the personalized glass candy jars and fill them with jelly beans, I am a pharmacist and they remind me of the old style apothecary jars, which would be a great personal touch. My pharmacy friends would get a kick out of it.
Comment by Jamie Cox on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more ways to adapt beautiful weddings with outrageous budgets and turn them into the same beautiful wedding (if not…more beautiful wedding!:) with a smaller budget! Like in magazines, you see the spluge -vs- steal sections. Something just like that only with truly beautiful wedding items. For instance, I ADORE all of these beautiful branch centerpieces, full of blossoms and hanging candle holders but on my budget…it’s not possible. You don’t know how many times I’ve looked at the tree of my front yard and contemplated buying a saw!
2. If I had a $500 gift card (after shrieking, and I’m sure crying a little…I’ve hit the emotional stage of planning) I would get online and purchase the beautiful natural rattan candle favors on beau-coup.com. It would be a fantastic favor and a reminder of our special day every time our family and friends looked at them in their own homes!
Comment by RJ on 27 August 2008:
1. I would like more color palettes. The color palettes on ur site have some great ideas. another vital part is budget weddings and DIY projects. You have some really great budget weddings already featured, like Danielle’s which was featured yesterday again. However it would be a great idea to even incorporate how much the “BUDGET” wedding cost. That would be helpful.
2. I love mint and my favorite at the beau-coup (love that name) would be the personalized mint containers.
Comment by Brianne on 27 August 2008:
1. Real weddings are definitely my Style Me Pretty highlight. I get so much inspiration from couples who put so much work into personalizing their special day that when the day comes, it looks effortless and very “them”.
2. If I won the gift card, I would choose the Personalized Plantable Seed Cards and the Mini Buri Fans. We are having a garden wedding in my fiance’s grandparents’ backyard. These favors fit the charming and natural garden vibe that we are going for. (Plus they’re so cute!!)
Comment by Chrissi on 27 August 2008:
1. I absolutely love the real weddings on SMP and the DIY projects–especially when they are featured together! It is great to see the combination of professionally shot wedding photos with personalized DIY additions.
2. The overall theme for our wedding is a green & brown nature/rustic look, with lots of candles because it will be outdoors in the evening, so the twig votive candle holders would be an amazing favor. As an alternative, the personalized “share and blossom” seed cards are also a favorite item, being able to match to our colors as well as promote planting!
Comment by Eileen on 27 August 2008:
1. Would love to see more real wedding and also DIY projects that the particular real wedding bride created.
2. I would order the personalized mint tins. Love that the tin can be personalized with your colors and be part of the decor. Also, it’s easy enough for the guests to carry home in their bags or pockets and something guests will use.
Comment by Libby on 27 August 2008:
1. Since my biggest hurdle in the wedding planning process was getting started, I would recommend posting more Real Weddings and Inspiration Boards. We could all use some inspiration, and seeing a range of possibilities helps to define your own style!
2. I am having a beach wedding in May, so I would love to give the starfish winestoppers as a favor. They are so pretty, and since we are wine lovers, very much a reflection of our personalities. I am also loving the idea of decorating our “beach deck” with the paper lanterns.
Comment by Taryn on 27 August 2008:
1. I am always drawn to the inspiration boards… so far, they have been the most influential source for my wedding planning. I also love when a great new find is highlighted… such as when a new letterpress company’s work is showcased.
2. For my shower: it would be awesome to get the personalized wedding cake cookies as favors. For part of my bridesmaids’ gifts: I would love to give them each a set of drinking glasses engraved with their monogram. For my rehearsal dinner: I would get the silver ball place card holders. For my reception: I love the idea of personalized cocktail napkins for cocktail hour. I would also like to get white paper lanterns to string above the pool at my venue. The erasable ceramic place cards would be perfect to use as escort cards… and I would definitely like to give out white jordan almonds in the green woven favor boxes!
Comment by Lauren in Chicago on 27 August 2008:
1) I would love to see more DIY projects. As a bride to be with a small budget, I would like inspiration and ideas on how to make my money go farther.
2) I love the website and I’ve seen so many things that it’s hard to choose. I would probably select the personalized tea tins, eco friendly confetti, or the beautiful packaging options.
Comment by Stephanie on 27 August 2008:
1. Love Style Me Pretty and it’s wonderful spotlight choices and idea lists. I would love to see more DIY inspiration, maybe a section of featured projects made by other brides for their own weddings.
2. Oh my goodness Beau Coup has sooo much! I would have to say since my fiance’ and I have been apart now for over a year; and we will have to start cracking as soon as he arrives (we have 90 days to marry once he arrives but we have no idea on exact arrival date!) I would have to say any of the products to make our DIY projects we have planned easier and quicker! LOVE the embosser, the jars, the favor bags, the mint tins to maybe treat our guests with English candies (my fiance’ is from England) etc…I would have to spread it around and buy a little of many things I think as no way could I spend it on just one item when there are so many fantastic things available!
Comment by Jennifer on 27 August 2008:
Congratulations on the arrival of your new baby girl!
1. I just got married in May but keep coming back, because I love the things I see featured on this blog. Even though I’m not longer planning a wedding, I still find unusual colour combinations, photographers’ websites (I love photography), and ideas and sources and a sense of style I just don’t find anywhere else. The whole idea of inspiration boards translates really easily into planning a fall wardrobe, planning a room, etc., and I love anything to do with paper. I don’t know how many others there are like me, but I’ll keep coming back to see more.
2. I don’t think I’m eligible because I’m already married, but I saw lots of great little treasures that could also be used to decorate homes, use as hostess gifts/stocking stuffers/etc.
Comment by Liz on 27 August 2008:
1. I would like to see a Little-Black-Book section for Iowa. Featuring Lovejoy’s Cake Shoppe would be a great first entry since their cake is legendary here.
2. A wedding will have to wait until after I finish school, but a girl can dream! I would put $500 toward petit fours and the designer custom ink stamper. I fell in love with my better half when we studied in France together and he re-created the trip with stories of our travels on our anniversary by sending postcards with a personal stamp. Since we’re in grad school, I would say “Merci beau coup” to the gift of beautiful favors for a future special celebration.
Comment by Myriah on 27 August 2008:
I love, love, love your site! You have a very keen eye for beautiful details and your links to the sources of inspiration always lead me to more and more inspiration and incredible vendors, photographers, cakes, etc. The real weddings are what originally got me hooked on SMP but, along with everyone else, DIY projects are the real gem. Weddings can get so expensive, so DIY projects are are very budget-happy, but I also feel like you connect more with your guests and have a more intimate experience with your wedding if you make elements of it yourself. It truely becomes a labor of love.
The Beau-Coup site was a great find! I really enjoyed scouring page after page of their products and found several that would be a perfect fit with my wedding. I am getting married in a Monet-esque garden at a winery in Napa next summer and I’ve been worrying about how hot it will be, especially for some of the older guests, like my grandmother. I would love to buy several of the paper parasols to have sitting in a large basket for my guests to use during the ceremony. Our wedding is also eco-friendly so I love the idea of having the guests throw the lavender wedding “rice” rather than real rice which is horrible for the environment. I am a designer so I would love to make little homemade muslin pouches with hand embroidery for the lavender to go in, to add a little piece of me to it.
Comment by nileey on 27 August 2008:
1. I really love SMP’s real weddings. It’s really inspiring and helped me during my wedding planning. More DIY features would be great too as I find DIY stuff more meaningful and memorable.
2. I want to surprise the guests by giving them the mini bamboo steamers or the asian brocade favor box, filled with candies or chocolate, and adorned with personalized favor ribbon. They will be delighted!
Do keep up the good work!
Comment by Chandra on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see even more DIY projects on SMP, as I plan to save money with them for my wedding next summer.
2. I would use the gift card to purchase those adorable nests for favors and a custom ink stamp to use for all of my stationery. Love the nests though, and they would go perfect with my wedding theme of “love birds”!
Comment by Kate on 27 August 2008:
1. DIY projects but especially from real weddings featured on SMP. It is super helpful to see the concepts in action. The wedding biz is out of control right now and we need to bring the personal, intimate touches back into these celebrations. We are very excited to do as much as we can, together and with family, incorporating ideas from people who really care about our day.
2. Our wedding is all about celebrating with our friends and family and we are really making an effort to include everyone and make everyone feel special. However… favors - the area where you can really show your appreciation for your guests - are so difficult. The fall bookmarks are adorable but many don’t read, love the cookie cutters but there are few bakers in the crowd and and so it goes. We would purchase the embossed favor bags for warm chocolate chip cookies at the end of the night (who wouldn’t love that!?) and the glass jars to send everyone home with new england maple syrup and homemade pancake mix for a morning-after pick me up.
Thanks for offering such a useful giveaway and I am loving all the other reader suggestions.
Comment by Melissa G. on 27 August 2008:
1) I love inspiration boards and real weddings. Not only do they give great ideas and inspiration, but it’s so fun to see how other people choose to express themselves through their weddings.
2)I would buy the custom wedding truffles or the adorable Tea Forte sachets. I think giving favors from Tea Forte would be so chic!
Comment by Michelle on 27 August 2008:
Abby Loves…Pear and Peony
I love these hanging vases by Pear and Peony. I am always on the lookout for interesting ways to add artistic charm to your wedding style and I think that these little vases do just that. Perfect for single stems, they would add that pretty but simple touch to your wedding decor. Pear and Peony also has a few other fun accoutrements on their site…check out the post that we wrote a few months back!
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Abby Loves…Danielle’s Wedding
I love to look back through the archives at the real weddings that we’ve featured here on SMP. I was looking through the budget beautiful section last night and was reminded of this GORGEOUS wedding sent to us by one of our readers, Danielle. The rustic charm behind this budget friendly wedding is just so lovely and I wanted to share it with all of our new readers!
See the entire wedding here, here and here!
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Abby Loves…Mothball Charlie
I stumbled across Mothball Charlie via Poppytalk Handmade, and I am in love! Her handcrafted tags and other paper goods are so pretty and would make perfect table cards or thank you notes tied to wedding favors. Denise, the artist behind these picture perfect designs, wanted to marry her love of watercolor and illustration with her passion for all things paper…looks like she nailed it!
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Wedding Favor Giveaway by Beau-Coup
August 27th, 2008 • Abby Larson • 48 comments • Related • Filed Under
Wedding Favors by Beau-Coup, II
Wedding Favors by Beau-Coup
Filed Under: Contests
Tags: Beau-Coup • Contests • favors
I thought that I would take a minute to check in with everyone! Today is a great day for me…not only do we have a new baby girl, Audrey Elizabeth (born a week ago Monday), we are also celebrating our 3 year wedding anniversary! My husband, Tait, is incredible and I have fallen in love with him all over again since the birth of our little girl.
So, to celebrate life, love and everything weddings, we thought we would take today to announce our latest giveaway! Together with Beau-coup, the incredible favors company that we are featuring today, we are offering one lucky reader a $500 gift card to buy their favorite favors! All you have to do is answer a couple of questions that will help both SMP and Beau-coup understand what your bridal loves are…
1. In SMP’s honor…what would you like to see MORE of on SMP? Real Weddings, DIY projects, Inspiration Boards or more practical tools like printable checklists and such. Anything goes, we are just looking for good, constructive ideas!
Real weddings & Practical tools/DIY - maybe templates to create programs or more etiquette topic (e.g. what date do you put on your reply card to ensure you get them back in a appropriate timeframe).
2. And in Beau-coup’s honor…what will you buy with the $500 gift card to Beau-coup? We love to get a feel for what our readers are loving, so spend a minute browsing the Beau-coup site to see what you would put your money towards!
I really like their “Unique Bridal Party Gift Ideas” section - custom embosser, cigar flask, anything personlized!
Comment by Kelly bryan on 27 August 2008:
I’m a new reader to SMP, so I love going back through and seeing all of the ideas you’ve previously posted about. My favorite thing is the inspiration boards and real weddings - I love getting ideas from other weddings and seeings how others celebrate their wedding day!
As for Beau Coup - wow, what is there that I don’t want! I would love to purchase the personalized coasters to use during our reception, as well as a favor for the guests. For before-during-and-after wedding purposes, I love the self-inking stamps. All of the thank-you letters would be fabulously adorned with the inking by one of these!
Comment by Gabrielle on 27 August 2008:
1. I love the DIY projects and Ask Abby sections. Especially because I am a clueless bride. That is what I call myself anyway. I am so excited about my wedding and want it to be individualized for me and my FH but I was never a girl who planned out my wedding and as a busy woman who works full time nad goes to school full time I had no idea where to look or how to start out. That being said, the inspiration boards are my all time favorite. I feel gluttonous saying I want more, especially after the recent contest, but they are beautiful and get my wedding planning juices running. Really, what I want more of on SMP is more SMP! I have that kind of job where on certain days I am basically surfing the web all day and I just want more. Congrats on your success and please keep it coming. I am sure that even after my wedding I will check back when it comes to planning parties and even decorating my house. Those inspiration boards are magic for my imagination. Thank you!
2. If I were to winn I would get personalized plantable seed card favors. I love the idea of plants but have crowded tables as is. The sustainability speaks to my sensibilities, and they are pretty too!
Comment by Marni on 27 August 2008:
1. As with everyone else, I love the real weddings, though I would love to see more cocktail style weddings, and maybe loft space weddings. Discussion of music choices could be inspiring as well.
2. Without question, the personalized BBQ sauce! It meets all our criteria: unique, edible, personalized, reflects our personalities (fiance being a year-round griller and me the happy hostess!) and recyclable! Though I really like some of the other favors, I do find it unlikely our guests will want something with our names and wedding date on it for years to come– especially with space issues in NY apartments! It was the first wedding item that I emailed my fiance about where his response was, “LOVE IT! NEED IT!”
Comment by Easter Egg Bride on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY projects featured on SMP, complete with simple, step-by-step instructions. I have a strong desire to add personal elements to our April 11th wedding but am not sure where to start!
2. Because our wedding is taking place on Easter week I was immediately drawn to the mini birds nests. I love that they can act as placecards (as shown on the site) AND favors for our wonderful guests. And even though they’re marketed as a baby shower favor, I really love the baby chick salt & pepper shakers. What a sweet spring favor, not to mention a subtle way to pull in the “Easter” theme. Adorable.
Comment by Lori Workman on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more real weddings and more posts about unique wedding ideas.
2. I would buy the perfect blend coffee favors and give them out at my engagement party brunch!
Comment by Jeana on 27 August 2008:
1. I love this site and I have found so much helpful information here. I would love to see more DIY projects and more real wedding inpirations. I have found so much helpful information from the real weddings you have featured, more please!!! I would also love love love more information on what to ask when hiring a photographer, caterer, wedding planner, etc. something printable would truly be a blessing! Checklists would also be awesome, I’m so organzied and I make myself checklist everyday and I find them extremely helpful.
2.What cute ideas and favors. Our wedding is going to be all about fun and enjoying our family and friends that we have not seen or had time to visit in a while. My fiance and I love mojitos so of course we will be serving those during our coctail hour. That brings me to the great little favors I found on Beau-Coup, if I won the prize I would defiantely get the mojito Cool Bean Jelly Bean Tins (how cute!)I would give those away with the cute little mini shakers and personalized ribbon! I just love the idea, not to mention my wedding colors are lime green, white and black so how perfect! I would also purchase the mini candy bins to make a mini candy buffet for the kiddos at the wedding!
Comment by Beth Tybinka on 27 August 2008:
1. Definitely love the featured real weddings. You can totally get a feel for the couple, setting and the overall feel of the wedding. This leads to so much more inspiration than just seeing pictures of flowers, place settings, dresses and hairstyles. I also love that you can sort the weddings (i.e rustic, classic, etc) so you can zero in on your own personal style.
2. Where to start! First and foremost, the spa slippers with monograms would be purchased for my beyond-wonderful bridesmaids. Going through this whole process has really shown me how lucky I am to have such wonderful women in my life.
Secondly, the custom stamp is a must for the many thank yous I will be writing.
Lastly, the Bride & Groom chocolate covered apples are absolutely perfect for my fall wedding.
Comment by Kimberly on 27 August 2008:
1.SMP is my favorite wedding website; I check obsessively to see if anything new has been added! I LOVE it because it has so many different things to look at. I especially like the DIY projects. Because I am a bride on a budget I will have to do many projects on my own to save money; I don’t want people to look at the different projects (programs, menus, favors etc) and say “oh, how cute, they made these themselves!” I want to fool my guests and SMP has so many great ideas that are beautiful, practical and do-able. I also love the inspiration boards. I found them very useful when I was trying to decide on a color scheme; there was every combination imaginable. The inspiration boards were probably the reason why I have changed my colors about 20 times! I love them all!
2. Beau-Coup seems to have a favor idea for every occassion and price range. For my favors I am looking for a few things. First I want something that is going to look BEAUTIFUL on the tables. If I am going to set them out for guests on the table, I want them to compliment the decor and add to the elegance of our event. I want the favors to look like part of the place setting. I love the different boxes Beau-Coup has, along with the ribbon and monogram stickers; very elegant! If I am spending money on a favor for my guests, I want it to be meaningful and useful. I love the idea of the wine labels and tags (we are having our reception at a winery). I also love the wine charms. Overall, my idea of the perfect favor is something that is beautiful and useful.
Thanks for all the wedding inspiration; I LOVE SMP!
Comment by AshleyP on 27 August 2008:
Congatulations on the birth of your daughter!!
1. This site has provided me great inspiration in my planning process. One of the features I really like is when you spotlight vendors, like you did recently with Peculiar Pair Press. I’ve really enjoyed becoming aware of some of these companies that produce such beautiful work! I’d love to see more!
2. I would spend the gift on the personalized beach themed cookies as my favors.
They would be personal to my fiance and I because I first realized I was in love with my fiance when he brought me my favorite cookies after I had a rough day. We were just friends at the time, and I was so impressed by his thoughfulness I knew then we would become more than friends.
We are getting married on the beach, and we are planning a laid back, whimsical reception. These cookies would really fit into the style of the day! I would be excited to receive one as a favor…who doesn’t love cookies? Especially adorable iced cookies!
Comment by rischa on 27 August 2008:
1. It would be great to see more DIY projects on SMP, as they’re such a fun and practical way of including personal and unique elements in a wedding - and it doesn’t matter if you have used the same DIY project as someone else, because they always turn out differently once infused with your own personality!
2. If I won I would select the personalised mini tins, because they’re so cute and would look great filled with a selection of colourful sweets. There are so many lovely products though, I’m sure I will change my mind a dozen times
Comment by Molly on 27 August 2008:
(Congratulations on your anniversary and new addition!)
1. SMP has been an invaluable resource over the past month as I orient myself to wedding web resources (We were engaged in late July, and hosting the wedding, so the planning is a bit daunting). The site has been a one-stop-shop for inspiration (I love the boards and would definitely not complain if there were more!), creative diy, and an organized way to get started on a theme (the Real Wedding tab has been a life saver in helping me find some direction). I would love to see more information on traditions (and creative ways to make it personal and modern), as well as etiquette relative to general weddings (every corner I turn seems to have another issue that risks offending someone). Honestly it’s hard to come up with anything to improve the site, but I do find myself searching other blogs for information on those two topics.
2. I have to be honest - I am having a hard time figuring out a theme that rolls over into favors. My fiance and I have things in common, but it’s mostly our shared values and similar personalities that brought us together - so a clever favor idea has been hard for me to create. I have browsed the beaucoup site plenty of times for ideas (and am confident something will come together!), and have been intrigued by the personalized tags, topiary place card holder, organza ribbon, meaningful charms, mini magnet picture frames, mini favor pails (would be perfect for the candy bar I want)….and the list could go on. I’m sure I would put a gift certificate to beaucoup to good use for our wedding - it’s just a matter of finding some clarity and direction!
Comment by Ellie on 27 August 2008:
1. I’d love to see more casual, real weddings on SMP!
2. If I win I would select the wrapped almonds, in the white pinstripe box, with yellow ribbons. And I’m envisioning little hang tags on them, with our names and the date….!
Comment by Sarah on 27 August 2008:
1. My favorite posts include lots and lots of pictures — I’m in the imagining stage (I’ve still got a year until my wedding) and I just want to gather as many ideas as possible. I LOVE the real weddings that you post on this site as well as the inspiration boards.
2. And in Beau-Coup’s honor… I would put my money towards buying lots and lots and lots of paper lanterns to decorate my barn wedding along with enough mini buri fans for all of my guests since we’ll be having the ceremony outside in the hot Massachusetts August air.
Comment by amy botkin on 27 August 2008:
I check your blog everyday for new inspiration for everyday ideas..I like when you offer other websites to find things..I have just found you and have just begun to plan a wedding for my daughter and allready you have inspired me
I would buy the iced cookies..the wedding cake shape, and wedding gown, dresses and bride and groom shapes..they are so cute..second I would want boxes and stickers for our candy bar for take away favors
thanks for all your hard work
Comment by Melanie Hall on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY and real weddings. I especially love the weddings you feature that are budget friendly. I love to see the beautiful weddings that your readers put together that aren’t going to put them in debt before the I Do’s!
2. I love the chinese fans and the mini cherry blossom dish. We are having our wedding at an Oriental Garden and Tea house. I would love to send the guests home with something to remember our unique venue by.
Comment by Caroline Peterson on 27 August 2008:
1. I love the real weddings! It’s so great to get inspiration from other brides who are on a real budget! I also love the links you provide…your website is so great I know the links you provide are worth checking out!
2. I would probably help out my fiance with some groomsmen gifts and pick up those great monogrammed coolers- so manly! haha. He has been a little stumped about what to get them and I think that’s a great idea! We would probably have to pick up one for ourselves too!!!
Comment by Crystal on 27 August 2008:
I would first like to say thanks for offering this fabulous giveaway! I know whoever wins is going to be very lucky!
1. I would like to see more DIY projects because I’m a very artsy person and I like to design a lot of my own things. I’ve really searched high and low for unique DIY ideas and I’m coming up empty handed.
2. WOW! Tough decision on what I would want from Beaucoup, but I would have to say I would go with the ribbon and mesh envelopes!
Comment by Bridget on 27 August 2008:
1. I’m a big fan of SMP. One thing I’ve always wanted to see on a wedding website, but have yet to find, are similar ideas at different price points. So for example, say I want to have a damask wedding. Show me three ways to get that look for different budgets. I think it would be really useful, kind of a mix between real weddings and inspiration. It would help people figure out when they should splurge and when they could save a bit.
2. My wedding is coming up shortly and we’ve got everything planned. If I won, I would probably gift my prize to the next of my friends to get married. (OK, and I’d probably get a groovy personalized stamp to use on our thank you notes.)
Comment by SarahG on 27 August 2008:
1. I LOVE the real weddings, but I am most impressed/ inspired/ energized by the color palettes.
It gets so overwhelming to figure out colors and inspiration on my own, but being able to see your inspiration boards and be able to pull what I love and combine it with my own ideas is fantastic. Its also nice to have more to show my fiance than just paint swatches from Home Depot. He “gets it” more when I have actual images to show him. And they’re just plain gorgeous and fun to look at. I’ll keep looking long after the wedding.
2. The fall favors section of Beau- coup’s website is SO GREAT! Do you know how hard it is to find favors that reflect our autumn wedding that don’t make me gag? The leaf wine stoppers are great (my order is going in IMMEDIATELY!) and the Turning Leaves bookmarks are also beautiful! I love the “green”, eco- friendly favors. They’re cute without looking like we’re giving away bags of granola and oatmeal. Green can be beautiful. Who knew???
Comment by Holly Goshorn on 27 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY instructions. So many of the posts on SMP are gorgeous, thoughtful and personalized. I think that the important thing to do in a wedding is to make it your own, and have it represent a part of yourself. Most the brides I see on here have something new and different to offer, that speaks to who they are as a person. A wine lover will hold an event in a vineyard, and a butterfly collector in a garden, and so on. Now, if we got more from the actual bride on “step by step” instructions, on how they created that perfect centerpiece, I would love that. I would love reading more of their own commentary on DIY projects as well, as there are bound to be lessons learned and additional advice.
2. I would create gift baskets for my 50 guests, as I am having a (somewhat larger then originally planned) destination wedding, and I want to welcome them to the area. As the ceremony is on the beach, I would have folding fans and/or paper parasols (Key West, FL is HOT). I would also put in their “welcome favor basket” some wine-related items, as we are both wine lovers and many of our family and friends are as well, so some wine stoppers, wine charms, and personalized wine glasses. I am known as a crazy shoe-a-holic, so I couldn’t resist the shoe bottle openers. And since my fiance is an artist, we would have to include those nifty tree-branch pencils. We are both very earth loving folk, and have a houseful of plants, so we’d want to welcome all our guests with a lucky bamboo plant. Some of these items would be per person, and some per household, but since we would be doing a big basket per “group” we thought about a whole bunch of neat things to welcome them to Key West. We would love to welcome our guests in such style, as their seems to be endless choices, the decision to pick the items would be tough. Either way, the items will reflect us and tie back to our interests and who we are, and would be the ultimate thank you to the people we love.
Comment by Meghan on 27 August 2008:
1) Firstly, I so wish I had found SMP sooner! My love affair with SMP began, most unfortunately, after I had done a lot of my planning. The color and inspiration boards would have really helped. More than that though, I love when you feature different vendors and pick out your favorite things from them, especially the Etsy sellers. I have bookmarked countless websites that I keep referencing for bridesmaid gifts, jewelry, etc. Keep them coming!
2) I am officially OBSESSED with Beau Coup’s mini Dubble Bubble gumball machines!!! I adore them! I think they are such a fun and whimsical favor idea that kids and adults would love!
Comment by Samantha Carney on 27 August 2008:
1. I love SMP the way it is, but if I had to choose I think I would like to see both more real weddings and DIY projects. In terms of real weddings, I think it would be wonderful to do segments on weddings in all of the various regions of the U.S. as well as destination weddings. As New England bride planning a destination wedding in South Carolina, I am constantly amazed at the wonderful nuances in weddings between regions. When I stumble upon a fantastic wedding site in another state (last night was Minnesota!), it’s like falling in love with weddings all over again. It would be so nice to hear more discussion about what makes each region unique and wonderful in the way the celebration of a wedding is approached.
In terms of DIY, it might be fun to approach projects with different levels of difficulty, like “Simple as pie,” “Requires a little Elbow Grease,” and “Get down and dirty” or something like that, and have them differentiated in terms of cost of materials, time spent, etc. Just a thought!
2. I thought this would be hard looking at all the options until I found the Mini Cocktail Shakers, which would be PERFECT for our Art Deco, old-Hollywood themed wedding. Imagining these wrapped with a satin bow, with a recipe for our favorite drinks tucked inside (Sidecars! Old fashioneds! Gimlets!), at each setting in the romantic ballroom is almost too much to bear. Absolutely love them!
Comment by lisabagisa on 27 August 2008:
1. I’d like to see real weddings, along with the inspiration boards the brides used during the planning process. I’m planning my own wedding, and I get new ideas at each stage. I started with a color scheme and theme that were completely different from those I have now. All the boards I’ve made and all the images I’ve amassed show a real progression towards what I currently have. It’s so interesting to see how the final wedding “look” transpired.
2. Umm…what WOULDN’T I purchase with this gift certificate. Every little trinket is incredibly luxurious, adorable and original. If I had to choose, I’d go with the mini bamboo steamers. When my fiance and I got engaged, we sent out engagement notices that included a few original fortune cookies with a fortune, “Confucious says: Congratulations to Lisa and John on their engagement.” I’d like to continue this concept for the wedding and the bamboo steamers would be a perfect, lovely container. It would also be a great precursor to the day after brunch at our favorite dim sum restaurant.
Comment by Elleanne on 27 August 2008:
Congratulations Abby! Audrey Elizabeth is a beautiful name!
Gosh I am already head over heels for SMP. It’s the only site I visit everyday!
1. I would enjoy more creative DIY ideas and instructions. My wedding is very low budget. I am really interested in finding ideas I can do myself to keep costs down without sarificing “the look” I’m trying to acheive.
2. There are so many great products! After browsing their site my favorites are: freeze dried rose petals, lavender wedding rice (I just started an eco-friendly cleaning service - love how green that is! It would be perfect for my outdoor eco friendy/vintage/shabby chic wedding!)personalized compact mirrors, custom embosser, custom labels, mini personalized tea tins (I’m using my Old Country Roses China/tea set for the reception), personalized tote bags, mini birds nests (*perfect* for my spring wedding!), and organza ribbon.
Someone is going to be a very happy winner!!!
Comment by Sweet & Saucy on 27 August 2008:
Congratulations on everything!!!
1. As for your fabulous site, I would love to see more real weddings! I get so inspired by seeing what actual people choose for their special day.
2. As for Beau Coup, I love the to get their personalized mint tins! The designs they have one them are adorable!
Thanks so much!
Comment by Samantha Darr, soireebliss! on 27 August 2008:
I wanted to send you a heart-felt “Congratulations” on your new baby and three year anniversary. What an incredibly blessed way to celebrate but with a new addition to your family.
Comment by ljcadv on 27 August 2008:
1. I love all aspects that are presented and discussed on SMP but I have to say my favorite are the DIY pieces. I may be a little biased as I am a DIY bride and I am always looking for good ideas for my own wedding. But beyond that I am always amazed at some of the things that brides come up with! What amazing talent and creativity!
2. I have always felt that wedding favors either need to be practical, or edible. Considering how much I love to eat yummy food I would opt for an edible favor and being from Texas I think the BBQ suace favors would be the perfect choice for my wedding! Where else do you get the best BBQ? Texas!
Comment by Diana on 27 August 2008:
1. DIY Projects!!!
2. I love the little gumball machines! I need them!
Comment by Rebeca on 27 August 2008:
1. I love the DIY projects and the real weddings!! love to see more of that!
2. well, i’m getting married in january and because of my very large family my wedding party will consist of 10 guys and 10 girls!! I don’t think can can afford to buy them all gifts so with this gift certificate that’s what i would do because they sooo deserve it! - personalized compacts for the girls and custom cuff links for the boys
Comment by Megan on 27 August 2008:
1. I’d love to see more step-by-step DIY projects to allow your readers to recreate the beautiful, yet expensive details that I come to SMP to be inspired by, but can’t necessarily fit into my budget.
2. I would love to purchase the stylish silver luggage tags for my guests. My fiance is French and we met in his home country. As a result, a major theme of our relationship has been travel – across the Atlantic and elsewhere – to see each other and keep our romance alive! Half of our guests will be coming from France so these would be the perfect practical and memorable gift.
Comment by Rebecca on 27 August 2008:
Let me say first off that SMP is my fave wedding blog. It was the first one I bookmarked when we got engaged, and it is still one of the only ones I read daily.
1) I love *love* all of the inspiration boards, but I especially like them when they are paired with real weddings - it allows me to see the evolution of the style and ideas. DIY projects are also amazing, as I’m a big DIYer!
2) Beau Coup has so many wonderful favors, but I have to say that my favorite items on the site are all of the wonderful options to package the favors in! I love the embossed bags, which look so great with the designer labels, and I love the assortment of boxes and tins and jars. We want to give edible favors, so half of the fun is the packaging!
Comment by Jennifer on 28 August 2008:
First, I would love to see more destination wedding inspiration!!!!! Everything from real weddings, DIY’s, planning resources, ask and answer posts, featured destinations and of course, reader inspiration boards. I speak for one out of every ten brides this year who are planning a destination wedding when I say, “SMP, we need you!” After nine LONG years, my fiance and I are FINALLY getting married and in the last month we decided to throw caution to the wind and get married in Mexico?!?!?! There goes all my YEARS of planning, out the window. While I am excited about the decision, I am finding that most sites geared towards destination weddings are either extremely cheesy or focused on weddings with celebrity budgets. I am not suggesting all destination weddings-all the time. Just a few more posts here and there with the insight, beauty and style that I have come to love from SMP.
Second, there is no question, I would use a Beau-Coup gift certificate to put together fantastic OOT bags for our guests when they arrive to the resort. I would definitely include their bottles of water with customized labels, personalized multi-colored luggage tags, and chocolate lollipops for the kids. Also, we are getting ready to send out save the dates, and my fiance and I are in LOVE with the caricature magnets available from Beau-Coup. I could go on and on….
Thanks to Abby and Beau-Coup!
Comment by Stef on 28 August 2008:
1. I’d love to see some more DIY and planning tools. DIY projects always inspire me to create something new! I’d love to see some step by step invitation or STD DIYs, because often you don’t find anything with super specific details. Planning tools are always a good resource to offer as well.
2. I adore the personalized labels - how useful would they be? You can put them on everything, from favors to programs to placecards! But really, I would have such a hard time narrowing it down, I love Beau-Coup!
Comment by Fabulously Lizy on 28 August 2008:
1. More fabulous real weddings!
2. I love the trio of chocolates!
Comment by Jennifer on 28 August 2008:
1. Real weddings with DIY (why only one!). Personally i have found it hard to find groomsmen wear in suits. We are doing a destination wedding and the standard tux is more difficult to procure or adds to the luggage!
2. I would use the gift card for personalize ice tea infuser, mini bird nests (for jordan almonds), personalized slippers or totes!!
This was fun! thank you and congratulations.
Comment by Marsbars on 28 August 2008:
1. For me, I turn to SMP because of all the beautiful pictures! While I think checklists and such would be useful, I think they would detract from all the prettiness. I think adding DIY instructions (with pictures!) would be great to help us figure out how to make our own weddings as beautiful as all the ones on SMP.
2. The personalized decks of cards are perfect for us! We are having our wedding in an old, historic Casino, so they tie into the theme, and both of our families always plays card games at our get-togethers, so I know they’d love them and use them!
Comment by Lisa N. on 28 August 2008:
1. What would be neat to see are interviews and insider tips from industry professionals, e.g., photographers, florists, etc. Or perhaps “Pick of the Week” voted by the readers, where you place up 3 or so ideas/photos/bouquet/invitation/hors d’oeuvres/etc (may be submitted by readers too) and we vote for the coolest one! Lastly, step-by-step instructions, templates and DIY projects.
2. wow, just so many from which to choose!! i love the customized business card holders, the mini shakers (so adorable!), the custom stamps and embossers and ribbon!
Comment by jen on 28 August 2008:
i would like to see more real weddings because they seem to inspire me the most. i know that everyone looks for something different in a wedding blog, but i think inspiration is important. real weddings, real brides, real creativity and real love are what i get from looking at these layouts. also, from a diy girl, you can never have enough of diy!
i would give the “two of a kind” playing cards. some of our friends would say that me and my guy are “reformed” players and so i think a few would get a kick out of the card. although, the design would have to reflect our diy/southern/mexican/vintage theme!
Comment by Jackie D on 28 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY projects from real brides! I love seeing new and creative ideas that make a wedding more personal and also save money!
2. This website has so many amazing things to choose from! I think I would go for the paper lanterns to hang at the reception site, the personalized totes for my bridesmaids and the mini glass candy jars for my favors!
Comment by kush888 on 28 August 2008:
Just wanted to say Congratulations Abby and Tait on the safe arrival of your little girl! I’m an Australian fan, so I don’t think I can apply for this comp, but I would love to see more real weddings and DIY - they are an everyday inspiration to us as we plan our wedding
And by the way, the Beau-coup site looks fabulous - we need something like this in Australia!
Comment by Stephanie G on 28 August 2008:
I personally would love to see some more chic “real weddings” and the DIY projects. I would also like to see a little more of Dallas, TX. My wedding is Oct 9, 2009 and would love to see some chic “real Dallas weddings”. love your site! Keep on with the tremendous ideas!!
Your second questions. Matt and I are Margarita connoisseurs! I saw the Mini Shaker’s w/ the margarita mix and thought this would be the perfect gift to our guests. We are having a mariachi band at cocktail hour and mexican inspired dishes for dinner
Comment by Kellie on 28 August 2008:
1. I LOVE the DIY projects that are featured on SMP. I have found so many great ideas for my own wedding, and seeing what kinds of projects other brides have put together is so inspiring. I am a huge fan of everything on SMP, but I would have to say the DIY projects are my favorite features.
2. I spent some time browsing the Beau-coup website, and I think their “glass spice jars” may be just what I am looking for. My fiance and I both have a very unique sense of humor, and we want to do something clever and silly for our favors. Here’s what we have come up with - John (my fiance) loves anything jalapeno flavored, and the “theme” of our wedding is lime (limes will be our centerpieces, and we are serving corona and spiked limeade as our “signature cocktails”). What better way to combine John’s love of jalapenos and the theme of our wedding than - Jalapeno and Lime Jelly! We’d like to place a small jar of jelly at our guests’ plate, and each will have the following tag on it:
What do you get when you mix John & Kellie? You get…
JELLIE
Please enjoy this delicious Jalapeno and Lime “Jellie” courtesy of the bride and groom
Comment by Lane on 28 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY projects on SMP. I also love when you feature bridal or baby showers. I have friends who are also getting married and friends who are having babies, so it is nice to get stylish ideas for their showers that I’m hosting.
2. Gosh there are so many great things to choose from. We are doing sweet from a local store, so I would be looking for cute ways of packaging them. I love custom designer self-inking stamps or the custom embosser. The have such a great selection of boxes it would be hard to choose. I also love the lavender wedding rice; it is such a great alternative to traditional rice.
Comment by Shonagh on 28 August 2008:
1. I love that you focus in on the little details that make each wedding different and so personal to the couple. I genuinely believe its the small but special touches that guests will remember.
My favourite current posts are those which feature real life weddings side by side with the couple’s original inspiration board because I think they give you a real insight into what they were trying to achieve and how they did it.
So I’d like to see more of them, oh and the DIY projects always come in handy!
2. Our theme is ‘vintage whimsy’ with a birds nest motif so we would go for the mini birds nest filled with egg shaped candy, and the ‘a perfect perch’ designer soaps for the ladies.
Comment by Maggie on 28 August 2008:
This is such a great contest…
1. I am drawn to the real weddings on SMP, especially beautifully stylish weddings that were put together on a budget. Also showing how the person’s inspiration board translated into the final event!
2. Favors are something we’re planning to forgo for our wedding; they just don’t fit in the budget. So if I were to win this contest I’d be so excited! We’re getting married on a vineyard in August and I’m worried that it will be really hot during the ceremony, so for starters I would order the beautiful mini buri fans to help our guests stay comfortable. Then I’d love to add the wine cork place card holders, which I think would look lovely at our tables nestled among the vines! Though I’d also consider ordering the personalized bottled water to have in the rooms of our out of town guests—all of our family and friends from the east coast are traveling to Oregon for this occasion, so they should have water to carry around during their sightseeing!
Comment by Hallie on 28 August 2008:
1. I always love the “real weddings.” Would love more inspiration board compared with actual event comparisons. I would also love an article about how different people decide on their themes, motifs, or colors–I am more text-oriented than color and design-oriented, and I’m struggling! I love SMP so much–such beautiful ideas.
2. The personalized wedding cake cookies are fabulous and I’d go for those or the pretty green embossed favor boxes.
Thanks for the site!
Comment by Kerry on 28 August 2008:
1. I love love the real weddings. You always feature such unique, personal weddings and I really feel like I have met the couple in person through your blog. Keep highlighting fantastic, creative photographers. Perhaps add some short videography clips too- I feel this is a medium that is underutlized in the wedding world.
2. Definitely the plantable seed papers! What a fantastic way to send your guests home with something that will bring beauty for weeks– much better than a cookie or candy in my opinion!
Comment by Valerie Figueredo on 28 August 2008:
1. I would like to see more real weddings. I find that those provide the most inspiration. In a close second, I would love to see more DIY projects. I’d like to see what other brides are creating for their weddings.
2. I like the idea of giving guests a favor that is linked to the bride/groom’s story. My fiance loves to cook and before we even started dating, he made me cheese (from scratch) and chocolate truffles. The chocolate definitely won me over! So to reflect the fact that he loves to cook, and I love to eat his cooking, I would get either the mini love wisks or the heart-shaped measuring spoons. I also liked the fortune-cookie key chains because our first date was to a chinese restaurant.
Comment by Sara on 28 August 2008:
1. What I would like from SMP is to see beautiful weddings on budgets. To elaborate on my suggestion, think “wedding on a dime”. Suggestions, inspirations, and ideas for brides on a budget that still want the million dollar look. An idea would be to have an inspiration wedding (one that uses all the high end vendors, decorators, etc.) and on the other side re-create that wedding under a certain budget.
2. For the rehersal dinner I would give each couple a personalized jute wine bag with a stampable gift tag. For the wedding i would use the jelly bean cocktail mixers. For the Bridesmaids I like the personalized spa toiletry bag with the flip flop coasters, engraved rhinestone toggle bracelet and mini flask key ring. For the groomsmen I would get the personalized party tub with the engraved drinking glasses and mini flask keyring.
Comment by Vanessa on 28 August 2008:
I just want to take a moment to say Congrats! to Abby on your new baby girl and Happy Anniversary!
1. The main reason I am drawn to SMP is for the Inspiration Boards and the Real Weddings. I love hearing input from real brides sharing their stories and tips on how to pull it off! I think one thing this site is lacking is DIY though. I’m in the beginning of my career and simply cant afford the wedding of my dreams. We only have about a $6,000 budget, but I certainly dont want it to look that way, or be decribed as tacky or cheap looking. That being said I think the only real way to get what you want without sacrificing beauty, style and money is to do it yourself. So please HELP ME with some great DIY project how-tos.
2. I found beau-coup awhile ago and let me just say the first time I came across your site I was floored. I’ve known most favors to be tacky and cheap looking, so originally I was foregoing the idea alltogether, but your stuff is awesome! If I was awarded the $500 gift card I would buy my guests the gourmet cupcake mix with the heart whisk and top it off with a label “Sweets from the sweethearts” cause I’m corny like that, and my FI and I have big sweettoothes.
I’d use the remaining money to buy my paper lanterns so that that part of my original budget could go towards more yummy food.
Comment by Vanessa on 28 August 2008:
P.S. I LOVE Sara’s idea of “weddings on a dime.”
Comment by Jessica on 28 August 2008:
1. I love seeing inspiration boards coupled with real weddings, but I also love new ideas for DIY projects (although I probably already have more of those than I can handle!)
2. I love both the personalized hot chocolate favors and the custom boxed truffles!
Comment by Abby on 28 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY projects on SMP. My mom has taught me so many fun crafts growing up, so I love to make things myself. I feel like making things myself gives me a creative way to add my personal touch to the wedding. I get so inspired looking at the DIY projects on SMP. When I see what other brides have done, it motivates me to get hands-on and make my wedding unique and original. It also teaches me ways to save money and stay in my budget by creating things myself!
2. I love the mini cocktail shakers at Beau-coup! My favorite wedding favors I’ve seen on SMP are the ones that reflect the couple. At a party, you’ll usually see me with the shaker in my hands, as I’m notorious for making the cocktails. In addition, my fiancé and I love to entertain, so the cocktail shakers would be a great way to represent our fun side, and give our guests a chance to take some of the fun home!
Comment by cari on 28 August 2008:
1. I have been checking SMP several times a day for several months now. SMP has helped me choose my wedding colors and has given me wonderful and unique ideas to include in my June of ‘09 wedding. Although I think SMP is perfect just the way it is, I enjoy viewing real weddings and inspiration boards the most. From these I have begun to build my ideal wedding!
2. I love the mini oil and vinegar bottles with personalized labels! My fiance and I love to cook (he is much better than I) and have our friends and family over for dinner often. Our guests would appreciate and understand these favors : )
Comment by Emily on 28 August 2008:
1. I love the real weddings and the inspriation boards. I’m a creatively challenged person, so I’m always looking for help with inspiration.
2. My fiance loves to grill (what man doesn’t), so I think the personalized BBQ sauce would be a great favor. either that or something with chocolate (I am obsessed). We are actaully not able to give out favors for our wedding, but it would have been a great addition!
Comment by Leasa on 28 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more Budget Beautiful weddings on SMP. I can’t tell you how much inspiration I’ve gotten from the posts in this section. So many wedding magazines and television shows make you feel like you’re not a real bride or that your wedding won’t be special if you don’t spend tens of thousands of dollars. But for those of us having to use our own limited resources, it can be furstrating not knowing where to turn or how to save costs while still having an elegant and memorable event. Bring on the Budget Beautiful weddings, please!!
2. And going along with that, my fiance and I would use the gift certificate to get some really fabulous gifts for our wedding party. For us, our friends are our family and we really want to show how much we appreciate all they have done in our lives. Our budget is very limited, but the gift certificate would allow us splurge on them. We love the cigar flasks, personalized toiletry bags, weekender totes, cuff links and money clips.
Comment by Sara on 28 August 2008:
1. I love seeing the real weddings on SMP, so more of those are always good! Step by step DIY projects are also appreciated - I like making things but am not necessarily crafty myself. I need everything spelled out
2. Since I have a tiny, tiny, budget, I would love to win and be able to buy almost any type of favor or little extra I could get my hands on. We love anything to do with wine or beer, so I would probably pick something alcohol related
Comment by Christine on 28 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more DIY projects with printable templates, checklists, etc. With more and more brides cutting costs and trying to pinch pennies, I think it would be helpful to the majority of people that visit here. Also, perhaps some more budget friendly real weddings. Something attainable to most brides. Not that I don’t like seeing gorgeous weddings but sometimes I feel like they are so out of my league.
2. Oh gosh, EVERYTHING. I love love love Beau-Coup’s website. I have my eye on everything in the beach wedding category. It would help with my beachy chic look without looking tacky or cheap like things from other sites. I love how classy everything from Beau-Coup always is!
Comment by Courtney on 28 August 2008:
1. Style me pretty is a fabulous wedding site. I would love to see more DIY projects and real weddings. This site is so inspiring.
2. If we won the gift card, we would probably purchase the personalized wine bags! They are just so great and who doesn’t need a wine bag?!?!
Comment by Annette on 28 August 2008:
I would have to say w/o a doubt, real weddings. I love seeing couples celebrate their love w/in own their uniques styles and SMP is the first place I come for my inspiration. Even after being married this year, it’s still the first website I view w/ my morning coffee. I now use the boards for many other events in my life, birthday parties, anniversaries…other bride’s weddings..I love SMP.
2.) Def. would buy the gumballs and the candy dispensers to use as favors for my guy’s 45th birthday party this month. I was thinking also, sending out them out as thank you cards would be really great! I just have to decide
Comment by Mary Rose on 28 August 2008:
1) I love having a good place to find DIY projects. Weddings are SO expensive now, and having a fun way to bond with your bridesmaids, be creative, and save a little cash is great. The more ideas the merrier!!
2)I’m torn between the silver heart shaped bookmarks, since we are such bookheads, and the spire glass wine stoppers. His mom has really gotten us into trying new wines, and eating great food. I also happen to like the personalized cocoa, but partly because the little whisk is GREAT for making homemade salad dressings!
Comment by Lauren on 28 August 2008:
1. I would love to see more inspiration boards–they’re absolutely awesome! I get so excited at the possibilities after seeing those and can really picture myself at the wedding they visually describe.
2. Its hard to choose what I would buy, I like so much of it! If I HAD to choose though, I would pick the mini wood pencil favors–I envision a rustic farm-themed wedding, and those paired with a little handmade blank notebook (covered in vintage paper or faux tree bark) would make beautiful (and useful!) favors. The beau and I are both graphic designers, so we would want to inspire the creativity in all of our guests!
Comment by Mimi on 28 August 2008:
1. Although I love SMP just as it is (it’s my favorite wedding blog), in today’s economy and with prices rising, I would like to see more DIY projects to help the bride and her family cut costs wherever possible. Printable checklists would also be advantageous to keep the bride organized. While SMP has always been wonderful for inspiration, it could also be the premier “go to” site for all things bridal, with the addition of practical aspects of wedding planning.
2. As the mother of the bride, I have long been eyeing the faux silver airplane luggage tags Beau Coup offers. My daughter is having a vintage travel theme for their wedding since the groom is a pilot and she loves to travel. We’ve got pretty linens selected for the tables, some small mini globes and a variety of clever boxes with faux leather maps on them (purchased half price at Hobby Lobby) in which the flowers will be designed. We’re hoping to make each table unique so the guests mill around and explore. Each table is being named after the international cities he flies to or they have traveled to. We’ve got the DIY boarding passes and passports to be incorporated, the TV monitor by which guests will find their flight number and destination (table) at the reception…and on and on. For dinner, food stations from Hawaii, Italy, USA and Mexico will provide a variety of interesting items from which to choose. (We have negotiated a ridiculously low price from the golf club for the wedding and reception, thank heaven.) But because my husband, the bride’father, has been out of work since May, the cute favors for her themed wedding will have to be cut. I’ve always felt favors add a great deal and look pretty on the table. So, if we could buy anything from Beau Coup, we would spend $500 on the airplane luggage tags favors.
Comment by Christie (Soon To Be Cannady) Williams on 28 August 2008:
WOO HOO!!! What do you get when you put together my two favorite sites and a fantastic giveaway…………Style Me Pretty’s Wedding Favor Giveaway by Beau-Coup! I almost fell out of my chair when I read this announcement.
First, I must say that I love Style Me Pretty. It is one of my top go to sites for inspiration. If I could include anything else to the site it would probably just be more Real Weddings. They give me to most practical ideas. Plus, I am just a wedding junkie and love to see the beautiful elements that make each wedding special.
Second, I would use the gift certificate on the personalized lemonade packages for our guests at our wedding next year. We are both huge fans of lemonade. Plus, being from the South it is kind of a staple for us.
So, I hope you will consider me for this amazing prize. I would love to use this for my wedding next year!
Christie & Kevin (September 12, 2009)
Comment by Colleen on 28 August 2008:
I absolutely love the inspiration boards on SMP. I’ve been dying to see one on navy and orange and peach. I’m struggling to see how to fit those colors together.
Also, I’m in love with the olive oil bottles! I’ve seen wine bottles, but never this. My Fiance’s italian grandmother would die when she saw this. I also desperately want those custom address stamps. I think you may have changed my mind about giving favors.
Comment by Susan on 28 August 2008:
1. The Real Weddings are the most valuable for me in planning. It takes away from some of the romance, but the most practical improvement would be to give a general idea of how much these amazing vendors and lovely things cost. In planning a wedding, there is often a sense of “If you have to ask you probably can’t afford it.” This isn’t always true, and I think the site would be doing a great service to show brides what is possible within different budgets. I bet your featured vendors would get a few more hits as well!
2. As for Beau-Coup, there is no way I could decide between the gourmet cupcake mix and the personalized tea tins. And nothing (not even free stuff!) can make me!
Comment by Aubrey on 28 August 2008:
1. I absolutely LOOOOOVE reading and seeng the Real Weddings. I have gained so many ideas from seeing the different boards and images from the weddings.
2. I also love everything Beau-Coup, so I would have a hard time choosing… if I had to, I would definitely start with the personalized cocoa!! They are too cute
Comment by Kacey on 28 August 2008:
1. My favorite posts are the Real Weddings. However, I’d love to see more Real Weddings where the couple did not have the luxury of a Wedding Planner and all of the inspiration and ideas were their own and everything was produced by them. I think the best posts are those where the bride and groom were on a budget but we can still see that the event was inspired and gorgeous just the same. Although I do gain inspiration from those wed