And this beautiful pair…did just that.

From the beautiful bride…My florist was my cousin, Moira Thompson. She lives in Cambridge, MA and is just starting her career in the floral industry. She’s a genius. She sent us a flower proposal (because I told her she could do whatever she wants and to just go nuts) and it was literally like she had reached into my mind and created a vision that I didn’t even know was there!

The name cards my mom and I hand-wrote. They were all stamped with clovers (Irish), olive branches (Italian), tropical flowers (South Africa), and daisies (Denmark) which are the main countries of Niels and my origin. Instead of favors, we made donations to three charities – The Jacob Riis Settlement House, which Niels’ father is chairman of the board of, The John J. Gale Scholarship, which is named after my grandfather and given to the senior at HPHS who has the highest GPA in U.S. History, and Art Start, which is a non-profit art program for troubled youth that I volunteer at. So, we wrote on all of the name cards “In lieu of a favor, a donation has been made in your name to __________”, alternating with each charity.

Ahhh, so beautiful. So much more on the way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Carla Teneyck, Connecticut, favors, Lavendar, Moss Florals, Rustic, Vintage
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Vintage Chic

photos 2,3,4(above) and 1 (below) courtesy of betsy dunlap

from the beautiful bride, Abby …

It was very important to me that every detail be incredibly personal and well-thought out. Our wedding was the idea of a weekend on Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. It is an area about two hours outside of Washington, D.C. where I have many fond memories of weekends at my grandparent’s summer house on the beach and later on, at my parents home next door. Summers were spent with all of my cousins and sisters enjoying the water and the traditions of the area.

This area of Virginia, called the Northern Neck, is incredibly historic and I would visit Stratford Hall often, knowing that someday this is where I wanted my wedding to be.  How could anyone resist the drama of those steps and having the entire grounds to yourself for your special day?  I didn’t even know if they would allow a wedding!

For our invitation suite we worked with the very talented young calligrapher, Betsy Dunlap who wrote out all of our pieces. We then had her handwriting engraved in a glossy black ink on Crane’s pearl white papers. Betsy also addressed all of the invitations and we used affectionate names for friends and family on the inner envelopes. We also did this with Betsy for our menu cards, programs, escort cards, and other materials.

Our ceremony was on the steps of Stratford’s Great House and guests were seated on the Great Lawn. We incorporated my husband’s Jewish background and my Catholic background and had both a priest and rabbi present, combining wedding traditions from both. During the cocktail hour we had cigar rollers from Tennessee who freshly rolled cigars for our guests. Stratford Hall provided our local Virginia-inspired catering menu. Other than the Virginia peanut soup and salad course, the meal was served on large silver platters so that guests might be more engaged with one another and be able to serve one another family style. We served whole striped bass, filet mignon, vegetable gratin, and following our wedding cake, Stratford’s recipe for ginger cookies. We sent down pounds and pounds of our favorite La Colombe coffee.

We found a local band where all of the members are in gospel choirs and come together on the side to play soul music. We had taken dance lessons at the American Ballroom Dance Studio (of Mad Hot Ballroom fame-Pierre Dulaine) and our first dance was to a Stevie Wonder version of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Father and Daughter first dance was to Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay’. We intermingled speeches, dances, and cake cutting throughout the dinner courses.

After running through a sparkler farewell lining the gardens paths, our official getaway from the party was in my father’s antique military jeep which he has saved since he was a child growing up in Montana. He drove us to a waiting car and we had a giant sign on the back where Betsy had written out “Just Married”. All of our guests then returned to the Tides Inn by waiting coaches and the wedding party in a vintage trolley.

Attire:
Bride’s Gown ~ Oscar de la Renta, “bubble dress” from Bergdorf Goodman
Shoes ~ Christian Louboutin
Bridesmaid’s Dresses ~ Diane von Furstenberg, “Kacia”
Tuxedo ~ Ralph Lauren Purple Label.
Gifts to Groomsmen ~ Ralph Lauren black and ivory pocket squares

All of our flowers, including the two hundred pound fresh magnolia wreath at the top of the steps, were from a local florist, Bridget’s Bouquets. We worked with her throughout the year and she understood the vision perfectly on the day. I sent her ivory and hunter green grosgrain ribbon from a source here in New York I knew about from my friend who owns a successful ribbon belt company. We only used magnolia leaves, tons of ivory roses, and boxwood. She built boxwood topiaries adorned with ivory roses for the rectangular tables in the tent. Our cake table was covered in magnolia leaves.  Our cake was all ivory buttercream in a basketweave design with ivory roses filling the top and again was a local source in Fredericksburg, Virginia called Paul’s Bakery.

This plantation was the birthplace of Robert E. Lee and the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence who were brothers. There is an elegant history that can be seen in the grounds, the building, and the formal English gardens. We held cocktails and tented a large section of the Cutting Gardens for dinner and dancing. We wanted everything about the wedding day at Stratford to be more of a timeless elegance and to convey an element of the important history, but with our own twist.

Thank you SO much Abby and Matt for sharing your wedding vision and images with us! And a HUGE thanks to Dave Robbins Photography for the fabulous photographs that so elegantly captured the spirit of the day!!

For the full feature, be sure and see Parts I-III of this featured wedding on The Little Black Book Blog.

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Post tags: Betsy Dunlap, Bridget's Bouquets, Calligraphy, Christian Louboutin, Dave Robbins Photography, Diane von Furstenberg, favors, Historic Venue, Oscar De La Renta, Paul's Bakery, Ralph Lauren, Richmond, Sparklers, Stratford Hall, Virginia
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

We LOVE crystals and glitz and so it stands to reason that we would LOVE this wedding …

When it came time to planning their wedding, Jaymie and Carl sought the assistance of Lisa at  The Wedding Planner. Lisa shared many of the cost-saving aspects of this beautiful wedding …

Although their wedding had a fairly small budget – we really focused on putting the money where it would have the greatest impact. Both the ceremony & reception took place at a lovely restaurant called Teatro in Calgary. By choosing a Sunday I was able to negotiate a lower minimum for the evening thus making a venue that would normally have been out of the reach of their budget a possibility. The couple both work as web designers in Chicago and wanted to infuse a mixture of traditional glamour and funky fashion with some elements that really illustrated “them” as a couple.

The restaurant has these beautiful antique iron doors imported from Paris. I had to re-orient the room a bit so that they could stand between them for their wedding vows. The bride incorporated a brooch that had belonged to her grandmother on her bouquet. I had the bride and groom seated at a table by themselves and the groomsmen and bridesmaids were seated at gorgeous damask banquettes which flanked the sweetheart table. The favors were a simple black box filled with chocolate covered almonds (in fun metallic colors) which the bride had decked out with rhinestone buttons & feathers. Another cost saving measure was ordering gorgeous platinum colored raw silk from one of my suppliers and then having one of the bride’s family members hem the edges so we had gorgeous runners down the middle of each long table. Many of the guest tables seated 24 people. I always love an alternative to the traditional sea of round tables. The bronze & crystal trees filled the room in lieu of flowers, which were supplemented with 150 clear votives – so inexpensive but really create both ambiance and sparkle. Two tall bronze & crystal trees flanked the couple during the ceremony and then the smaller trees adorned all the tables during the reception (2-3 per table). The programs, menus, place cards and table numbers were all created by the bride. The cake incorporated the same silver ribbon that wrapped the bouquets and the cake set was the set used by Jaymie’s parents at their wedding (the wedding day was their anniversary).

Congrats to Jaymie & Carl … and Thanks to Lisa at The Wedding Planner for sharing their wedding and your tips on getting the most for the money!

The gorgeous photos are courtesy of f8 photography. Cake is from the Buttercream Bake Shoppe and florals from The Blue Hydrangea Floral Boutique. Thanks everyone!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Brooch, Buttercream Bake Shoppe, Calgary, Canada, Crystals, favors, menu, Table Numbers, Teatro, The Blue Hydrangea, The Wedding Planner
Post categories: Budget Beautiful, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Planners & Designers

Delish!

Just in case you missed the second post … those are drumsticks (above). Mike is a drummer and Julia secretly had them passed out to their guests at the church. When they were leaving the ceremony, much to Mike’s surprise, they were greeted by the clattering of the drumsticks. Pretty darned cute!

And this is one of my favorite shots from the day!

… more on the way …

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Post tags: Centerpieces, Cupcakes, Desserts, Drumsticks, favors, Justin Marantz, The Carousel at Lighthouse Point
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Whimsical

Amy and Sean shared this exquisite wedding day with over 200 of their family and friends at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Annie Lee, founder of Daughter of Design assisted them in planning and designing a hugely successful wedding celebration from start to finish!

from Annie …

The invitations and paper suite were designed by Atelier Isabey … with birds, different kinds of Chinese lanterns, the double happiness Chinese Character, and their last names in Chinese characters. Being Chinese American, it was important for Amy and Sean to incorporate as much of their old and new culture into this wedding. Swarovski Crystals were hand applied by family and friends. The edges of the escort cards were carefully stamped with gold shimmer ink. Each table menu also had numbers in Chinese characters printed on them – incorporating more of the east meets west culture.

The gorgeous flowers were designed by Jasmine Blue Flower Shop and that amazing cake was from Susina Bakery & Cafe. All of the beautiful photographs are courtesy of Cherie Foto.

Guests were surprised as members of the USC marching band followed Sean & Amy into the reception!

Dresses – Amy wore three dresses throughout the wedding. It is Chinese tradition to change three times. After wearing her Jim Helm dress for the Ceremony and first dance, she changed to a beige/soft pink silk chi pao (traditional Chinese dress), and then to another red silk, lined with gold chi pao.

Congratulations Amy & Sean! You guys did a fabulous job!

And a huge thank you to Little Black Book members … Daughter of Design, Atelier Isabey and Living Cinema for sharing their wedding with us!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Atelier Isabey, Cherie Foto, Daughter of Design, favors, Jasmine Blue Flower Shop, Labels, Living Cinema, Susina Bakery & Cafe
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Decor, Wedding Invitations & Stationery, Wedding Planners & Designers

Materials

1.    Origami paper (6×6”) or medium-weight textured art paper (12×12” works best)
-Origami paper available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at Paper-tree
-Art paper available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at Scrapbook Paper or The Paper Mill Store

2.    Bamboo skewers or Round basket reed
-Bamboo skewers available at Kroger, Harris Teeter, or online at Chefs Resource
-Basket reed available online at Baskets of Joy

3.    Paintbrush (flat and slightly angled works best)
-Available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at Utrecht Art

4.    Inkpad
-Available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at Rubber Stamps

5.    Hot glue gun
-Available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at Adhesive Solutions

Optional:

6.    Clear polyester resin, like Castin’Craft; and Catalyst for polyester resin
-Available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at ETI-USA

7.    Thin crafting wire
-Available at Michael’s, AC Moore, or online at Artistic Wire

Instructions

1.    If you’ve decided to use art paper instead of origami paper, first cut your sheet into squares using a paper cutter, or a straight-edge and Xacto knife. A 12×12” sheet will divide into four 6-inch squares.

2.    Using illustrated step-by-step instructions and/or videos, fold the square into an origami flower. Excellent how-to guides are available at the following links: Origami Tulip (10 steps; for the novice) and Origami Lily/Iris (14 steps; a bit more advanced). If using heavier paper, it’s useful to keep a credit card handy for making sharp creases. You may also want to utilize the end of a paper-clip to help pop out the tulip and make it three-dimensional (in the last step), and a pencil to help curl down the petals of your flowers. Enlist the help of bridesmaids’ – it’s so fun to do this over snacks and good girly gab – and it gets the job done even faster!

3.    Paint the edges of your flowers. An inkpad distributes just the right pigment and is easy to “brush out” for a soft, faded look. You can experiment with tea-staining flowers by dipping them in a brewed cup of tea and letting them air dry. Or use colored origami/art paper for beautiful solid flowers.

4.    Insert the pointed end of a bamboo skewer into the bottom of each flower and secure with a generous bead of hot glue. Or if you prefer drooping flowers, clip a length of basket reed, insert one end of the piece into the bottom of your flower, and glue into place.

5.    Optional: You can create interesting centerpieces with height by arranging various flowers at different levels and securing them together with craft wire.

6.    Optional: If you want to make your blossoms a bit sturdier and give them a high-gloss glassy-like coating, then dip them in polyester resin that’s been mixed with catalyst per the container’s instructions (make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area and on a dry, non-humid day!). Stick the skewers in the ground outside to cure for at least 24 hours.

7.    Arrange your flowers bouquet-style in your favorite vase.

Your flowers can be used throughout your wedding. Wrap a ribbon around the stems and – voila! – beautifully unique bridesmaids’ bouquets for your ceremony. The vase arrangements make great DIY centerpieces for the reception – and they double as the perfect take-home favors for your guests! Consider highlighting your favors by buying cheap bud vases (from thrift stores, Michael’s, or online at Ikea [as low as .79 cents each!]), sticking a single blossom in each one, and putting them at each place-setting.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 264 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors, oragami flowers
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

From the bride…My name is Trish and my fiancé is Luke. and we came up with an idea to do a seed packet and matching pot for our wedding favor. He is an assistant superintendent at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Last summer they held the PGA championship at his course and he got the opportunity to work with such a prestigious event. The golf course is one of the top courses in the country and therefore they have their very own type of grass seed. So we decided to give our guest their very own sample of Oakland Hills Bent grass, something that he is very proud of. Since I’m a graphic designer I got to design the seed packet, which I enjoyed very much also. So our favor is a combination of something we both enjoy.

Materials
White card stock
Small terra-cotta pot
Seeds of your choice
Spray paint
Ribbon
Double sided tape
Scissors/Paper Cutter
All supplies were found at Michael’s Crafts

Instructions
1. We first started out by creating the seed packet design. I basically looked over other packets to get the dimensions. Our packet ended up being about 3” x 4”. I have attached the seed packet template for anyone that would like to use it.

2. Once the packet is finished we printed it on a white card stock, but any color works also. Cut it out.

3. Fold the packet up and use double sided tape to seal the edges. Leave the top open to put seeds inside. Once the seeds are inserted seal the top edge so those seeds can’t fall out.

4. On a covered surface spray paint the terra cotta pot, upside down, whichever color you choose. Let dry for 30 minutes. Set the pot right side up and spray the top and inside as well. Let dry for another 30 minutes.

5. Once everything is dry, you can wrap a ribbon around the pot for decoration.

6. Let your friends and family watch their new flowers, or in our case golf course, grow!

The beauty of this favor is how many ways there are to customize it. You could put seeds in for the flowers that are used at the wedding or any flower that holds particular significance for your relationship. You can also decorate the pot in any way that correlates with your wedding. Ours happens to be a black and gold theme, but if your having a rustic theme your could even leave the pots the original terra cotta color.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 254 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: DIY Favors, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors, Pots, Seeds
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

From the bride…Custom Photo coasters are a great favor for any size wedding. Depending on your budget you can choose how many coasters you’d like to include. They are environmentally friendly because your guests will re-use them in their home for years on end, rather than throwing them away, like so many favors. If you have a photo booth at your wedding, what a great way to tie in that theme – along with your save-the-date cards and even your thank you cards after the fact. Here is the breakdown and instructions…

Materials

Scissors
Tape
Photo Coasters
(www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com, www.favorfavor.com, www.americanbridal.com)
Home Printer & Photo Paper
Ribbon

Instructions

1.    Print Photos of your choice on your home computer in color or black and white. For this project , we chose a theme: “Our Firsts”: First Date, First Kiss, The Engagement and The Wedding and we chose each picture to go along with those firsts.

2.    Using a word processing computer program we crafted tags for the favors and appropriately sized text boxes to tell our story on the back of each coaster. We chose captions that matched our theme, “The Snapshot: Take 1.”

3.    Using a cut-out template to size the photos appropriately to fit in the coasters, cut out each photo and photo story.

4.    Fit each photo in each coaster. Depending on your budget you could choose to do just one, two, three or all four coasters.

5.    Tape the story to the back of the coaster and stack them in chronological order.

6.    Tie them together with a ribbon of your choice that matches your wedding colors or theme.

7.    Tie the tag in with the ribbon that has your wedding emblem, a cute caption and your names and wedding date. Again, we crafted these with “Picture Perfect” to go along with the theme.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Coasters, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Here is the play by play…

From the crafter…I think these favors are appropriate for our current economic situation. With each set of four coasters costing about one dollar (mine were a little less), I think it would be difficult to find favors for this price.

I was first inspired by glass coasters that Martha Stewart featured on her website. When I investigated these, however, each piece of glass was going to cost almost $7. I tried lots of ways to achieve the look without the cost, though this this was my final idea. Enjoy!

Materials

Home Improvement Store:
-Square ceramic tiles (mine were 16 cents each and 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″, although you may find variations in sizes between stores)

Craft Store (Don’t forget about the 40/50% off coupons! S ign up for the email list!)
-Decoupage glue, I used Mod Podge (or craft glue to dilute with water at a 1:1 ratio)
-Paper- can be scrapbook, cardstock, leftover invitations, monogrammed napkins, copies of love letters or song -Foam brushes
-Felt for backing coasters. You can use rolls of thin cork board, which will increase your cost slightly. Cork does make it easier to achieve a clean, professional look.
-Paper cutter
-Heavy-duty glue
-Ribbon or raffia for tying, or small appropriately-sized boxes. Even paper cut into thin strips and glued.
-Waterproof acrylic sealer, in a spray or paint can

A note about what paper you choose:
You can order extra paper from your invitation supplier to make sure that your coasters coordinate. This way, they are clearly associated with your wedding. You can also stamp any logo you may be using onto your paper in waterproof ink. I kept mine black and white so they would match with most people’s home decor, but there are so many amazing patterns available! Scrapbook paper comes in large packs that are all pre-coordinated, which takes the guesswork out of which papers to choose. Finally, you can choose to stamp directly onto your tile with an ink like Staz-On, which you can color with ceramic or glass paints and then cure. This would work especially well if you had a custom stamp made for your wedding.

Instructions

1. Clean the tiles with alcohol to remove smudges/fingerprints. Be sure you’re working on a non-stick surface like plastic or vinyl. The decoupage glue WILL stick to newspaper or cardstock! (That’s it’s intended purpose.)

Optional: The grooves on the sides of each tile can be sanded down. I like the way they look, though. They can be painted, or sponged with waterproof ink before adding your paper. They can be gold-leafed or covered in ribbon at the end of the process.

2. Cut your paper into squares 1/4″ smaller than your tile. Have a stack of these cut to expedite the process.

3. Brush the tile with decoupage glue. Use a generous coat, since you want all parts of your paper to bond permanently. You must work quickly, as it begins drying immediately. Decoupage glue is NOT very forgiving!

4. Center your paper on the tile. Press the paper to the tile firmly, beginning in the middle and working your way outwards, eliminating air bubbles. Pay extra attention to the edges. These must adhere well, otherwise the paper will peel. Allow this layer to dry, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Apply a layer of decoupage glue to the top of the paper. Make sure your brushstrokes are uniform and run in only one direction, as you will be able to see them (lightly) when the glue dries. Allow this layer to dry 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Brush another layer of decoupage glue over the coaster. You can make your brushstrokes in the same direction or the opposite direction (horizontally). The latter will produce a hatchmark effect.

7. Continue adding layers of decoupage glue until you are satisfied with the look. I used three. Then repeat the process of sealing with waterproof acrylic sealer, brushing on a layer and allowing it to dry. If using spray sealant, follow directions on the can. With either, make sure you are in a well ventilated area and you follow the precautions on the product! I wait at least one day before adding the sealer to make sure that my coasters are thoroughly dry. Each sealer has a different curing time; check yours for the appropriate number of hours/days it will take to dry.

8. When the coasters are completely sealed and dry, cut the felt to the appropriate size to match your tiles. Use the heavy-duty glue to affix the felt square to the bottom of the tile. Most heavy-duty glues require adequate ventilation! Again, be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions and precautions. The same process applies to the use of rolled cork board. Wait a few days before packaging to make sure that the adhesive no longer has an odor.

9. Stack and package your coasters. Add a tag with a printed message, or place a larger poster-style message on the table where these will be displayed inviting guests to take a set. “Next drink’s on us!” or some variant of “Coasting through marriage.” A cute or humorous set of instructions would also work.

Alternate ideas/Additional Considerations:
*These look beautiful when they are placed in a grid arrangement next to each other, especially when arranged in the pattern of the original paper. These can be used as a part of your table centerpieces if they are placed under a flower or other arrangement. They would look amazing used as a runner down the center of a long table. You can leave a note for guests instructing them to help themselves to their favorite four if you choose to display them this way.

* Each set doesn’t have to be identical! It actually looks even cuter if you mix and match!

* Consider making each coaster one letter of a four letter word, like LOVE or LIFE. You can use die cuts or stickers over paper.

* Tiles are available in larger and smaller sizes, as is paper. I saw 16″, 12″, 8″ and 6″ square tiles. The same process can be used to personalize these, which can be incorporated into other areas of your wedding. 

* Consider punching paper with various punches to create an eyelet or papel picado look. Some scrapbook paper is cut to look like lace.

* Many craft stores sell rub-on images and letters that can be applied to the tiles and then sealed.

* Don’t forget the elements that personalize the coasters. Use monogrammed initials, stickers, etc. to ensure that they are a coordinating part of your day.

* If you don’t love the unfinished edges, the paper or fabric can be cut long enough to cover the edges. Just fold the paper/fabric over the edges and tuck under the bottom side of the tile. The felt or cork will cover the rough edges.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 264 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Coasters, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Here is the breakdown…

Ingredients
Kosher salt/ Sea Salt (or a mix, your preference)
2 Tangerines, zested
1 Lemon, zested

Tools
lemon grater
food processor

Supplies
Ramekins/small dishes
Small spoons
Glass Spice Jars
1/2 pint cardboard berry containers
paper fill
Ribbon thick and thin
circle tags
Paint chips

Directions:
1. For every 3 cups of salt, you’ll need to zest 2 tangerines and 1 lemon. Let the zest dry on your cutting board or a paper towel for 15 minutes.

2. Place zest and salt in your food processor and pulse until the color is uniform.

3. Funnel into your mixture into your jars.

4. To label the jar I used circular key tags, and tied them on with thin ribbons.

5. Because of the casual nature of our backyard wedding I’m holding the dish, spoon and jar with a strawberry container from the farmers market. You can buy them in bulk online, or j-just buy some off of your local farmer (or they might just give you them!)

6. Arranged the dish, jar of salt and spoon in the box with some white paper fill to cushion them.

7. Then I tied the whole thing up with a ribbon and made a tag from some paint chips from the hardware store, crafting scissors, and a hole puncher.*

That’s it! Pretty simple, and I guarantee your guests will actually USE this favor! I use it all the time, and it’s a mainstay at the top of my stove. I put a little tangerine salt to finish off my poultry and fish dishes. I pinch my salt, but I include a spoon for those not comfortable touching their salt while cooking.

*if you want to double side your tag with two colors, rubber cement two chips together and then cut out the tag.

Resources
Ramekins/Small Dishes, Small Spoons, Glass Spice Jars at Fishs and Eddy. Cardboard Berry Containers from local farm stand or in bulk from Break Room Supplies), Paper Fill and Circle Tags from Container Store (you can also get glass spice jars here), ribbon featured here by Kate’s Paperie, Pain Chips from any hardware store.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors, sea salt
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Here are the step-by-step instructions…

Materials

Small Hand Bells
Color Printer
Paper
Card Stock
Ruler
X-acto Knife
Scissors

Instructions

Step 1: Download Bell Labels and Sign here (Include PDFs) and print onto white paper and card stock as directed. Trim out each label with an x-acto knife ruler and self-healing cutting mat. You can also download the green labels or gray labels.

Step 2: Once the tags have been cut out, snip half way in on either side where indicated by black line. wrap tag around bell handle and secure by interlocking slots.

Step 3: Secure sign in a decorative clip and display!

Here is the finished product…

Resource: Small Hand Bells can be found at Hanson Ellis or Price Wise Favors.

* * *

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

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Post tags: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, farewell bells, favors, hand bells
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

From the bride…I am getting married at my grandmother’s house in Charleston, South Carolina. For both me and my fiance, it is really important to include our grandmothers’ in our wedding. We both have a love for our grandmother’s pound cake. And, they are both from the South, were pound cake is serious business.  So, for our wedding favors we thought giving everyone a miniature version of Grandma Mattie’s pound cake would be perfect! Here’s the process.

Materials

-mini fluted pan that makes 6 cakes ( I bought my from Michael’s) You can also order them online at Amazon
-your favorite pound cake recipe (We used our Grandma Mattie’s!)
-cake boxes found here
-double sided satin ribbon found here (Michael’s sells the ribbon too, but you can get it in bulk online)
-stickers to seal the box (I made one using a design we are using throughout the wedding. I printed it on cream paper and then used a two inch paper circle cutter found at Michael’s . I then ran the stickers through and Xyron machine. You could also just buy stickers and use those)
-Cards to stick inside the box. Our cards say thank your for sharing in our wedding day along with a note about why we were giving them pound cake.  Our cards are printed on cream paper and backed on black cardstock. The cream card is a 2.5 inch square. The black one is 2.75 inches.
-Double sided tape

Instructions

1. Make the cake recipe as instructed. You could use a box cake or homemade. I made the cake recipe as instructed by Grandma Mattie. The recipe made 14 mini cakes.

2. While the cakes are baking assemble the boxes. I used 5 inch boxes, but you might be able to get away with 4 inch ones.

3. Once the boxes are assembled, stick a card on the inside top of each box.

4. Once the cakes cool sprinkle with powdered sugar. Then, put each cake in a box. I put the cakes on a piece of cardboard covered in foil, but it’s not necessary. I also added lemon slices since our cake has lemon flavor, but again, that isn’t necessary.

5. Close the box and seal it with a sticker in the middle.

6.  Cut about 4 feet of ribbon from your spool to wrap the box like a present. Wrap the box and tie the bow.

Overall, this is a pretty easy project. The most time consuming part is baking the cakes. It is definitely worth investing in a few pans to speed the process along. The boxes look great all wrapped up. Plus, it is a great tribute to our Grandma and our love of her cake!

YUM! So much more on the way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 182 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bundt cakes, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

And here is the breakdown. There are lots of components so it’s lengthy…but, you could craft all or just one and still end up with a pretty great gift for your guests!

Step 1

Food:
Peanuts
Sunflower Seeds
Homemade/Favorite BBQ sauce (homemade recipe found here: BBQ Recipes )
Corn seeds
Dried Red Pepper
AND whatever else relates to YOUR culture!

Materials:
Scissors
Bottle with Stopper (one shown found at World Market, also available at stores like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby)
basting brush (walmart)
Brown paper bags: 2.5 x 4 inch bags found at craft store, 4.25 x 7.5 inc bags found here or here
Bandanna cut into 16 pieces
Glue (like rubber cement)
needle and thread / sewing machine
Corn Skewers
DIY Paper Labels for food items (these ones available for purchase here)
Safety pins
Leather thread (found at Walmart / any craft store)

Instructions: This DIY is easy!

Step 2: Fold bandanna into 4 parts, then into 4 parts again, and cut on the folds. Fold the bandanna pieces in half with the brighter side on the inside. Sew the edges (easier with a sewing machine) then turn inside out. Attach label with two safety pins, fill with sunflower seeds, and secure by tying a 3 inch section of leather around the top.

Step 3 and 4: Pour your favorite BBQ sauce into your bottle (the homemade stuff is thin, but you may need a funnel with the thicker stuff from the store). Attach your DIY label to the front of the bottle using glue, and let dry. Then place the brush and red pepper on either side of the bottle, and wrap 8 inch section of leather around 3 or 4 times. Secure by tying a knot at the backside.

Step 5: For the corn skewers, simply poke holes in the DIY label to secure the skewers.

Step 6 & 7: Glue DIY labels for corn seeds and peanuts to bags and let dry. Fold the top of the bags and punch/cut a small hole. Then fill with seeds and peanuts. Secure bag tops by folding and tying a 3 inch section of leather through the holes.

Step 8: Give to your guests!

If you don’t want to make your own labels, they are available for custom design / purchase at Tie That Binds!

* * *

Too cute! So much more to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 19 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: BBQ, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors, Peanuts
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Here is the breakdown and instructions…

I am a future bride from Toulouse, France. We’ll marry on May the 9th in Tarbes, a town near Pyrénées, and we have are using purple and anise green as our wedding colors. For favors, we choose crystallised petals of violets because it is a specialty from Toulouse and we wanted our families to discover it!

Materials

- The required number of square pots of glass with cork stopperI
- Some raffia
- A label with your names and wedding date printed on it (you can use microsoft word to set these up and just print them on heavy weight card stock, punching a hole in the top left corner.
- Some petals of crystallized violets and bags of crystallized pinks for variation in color

Instructions

1.  1. Buy square pots of glass with cork stopper from airdeco.fr (I bought them for a total of 115€ for 150 square pots and they offered me the shipping costs)

2.  2. Filled them with petals of crystallized violets and bays of crystallized pinks (I got them in Un décor se crée ’s shop, crystallized violets are about 80€ the kilo, and crystallized pinks about 20€ the kilo)

3.  3. Using a perforator, punch a hole in the corner of the label and pass the raffia in it

4.  4. Then, roll up the raffia around the pot and put the label on the front

Voilà!

* * *

Some of you are probably wondering what the American equivalents are of the pricing and of course, where to buy these products domestically. If you are are interested, leave a comment and I will try to source them here. So much more to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 39 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Crystalized Violet, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Notes and Instructions from Carol…

My fiance and I are having a Regency inspired wedding next January at a beautiful English Manor House in New Zealand.  Our wedding colors are pink, red and burgundy.  For our favors, we want to give our guests something gorgeous to wear during our wedding so that everyone feels like a guest of honor.  We’ve decided to make ribbon wristlets for the ladies, and boutonnières for the men, in a Jane Austin theme … ie, with feathers, pearls and lots of ribbon!  We’re going to present them atop pink gift boxes filled with foil-covered heart chocolates.  Our favors are also doubling for place cards as we’re putting an oval thank you card with each guest’s name on it in front of their gift.  Here’s how we’re doing it:

Materials

(All these items are available at most leading craft stores)
•    22″ lengths of ribbon
•    Small artificial flowers in matching colors
•    Small artificial leaves
•    Range of pearls, beads and small ribbon flowers
•    Feathers in co-ordinating colors
•    Small dried twigs and dried grass (found in your garden)
•    Green floral tape, available from most floral warehouses
•    Co-ordinating ribbon to wrap around the boutonnières
•    Favor boxes
•    Glue gun
•    Scissors

Steps for the Wristlets:

1.    Seal the edges of the ribbon lengths with a lighter so they don’t fray.
2.    Cut several flower heads from their stalks so they’re flat underneath.
3.    Find the center of the ribbon length and start gluing the flower heads on in any pattern you like.
4.    Glue some pearls or beads to the center of the flowers, or to the side, making sure to keep design balanced.
5.    Cut pieces from the feathers and glue them in under the flower heads.
6.    Cut the stalks off the leaves and glue a few in under the flowers.
7.    You can glue several flowers together right in the center of the wristlet (for a more ‘corsage’ look), or spread them over the middle 5 inches.
8.    Make sure to clear the glue ‘whiskers’ away.
9.    Keep adding to heat’s content until you feel the wristlet is finished.

Steps for the Boutonnières:

1.    Cut one of the flowers leaving a 2″ stalk underneath.
2.    Choose a few strands of dried grass and cut the ends off leaving a 2″ stalk, same as the flower.
3.    Do the same with a little twig or a few artificial leaves.
4.    Dab a little hot glue at the base of the flower to semi-secure the grass, twigs and leaves together.
5.    Wind the floral tape around the base of boutonnière, starting at the top just under the flower head.  When using floral tape, stretch it out thin, then wrap, stretch, then wrap, rotating the boutonnière as you work.  You might have to practice this a little bit before you can stretch the tape without breaking it!
6.    Finish off by wrapping a matching colored ribbon around the boutonnière base, dabbing a little hot glue at the start and at the end.
7.    Complete the boutonnière with a pin.

* * *

Love, love, love! So clever to incorporate the gift into the packaging of sweets. Definitely something your guests will cherish!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: boutonnieres, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors, Wristlet
Post categories: DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts