Carve Out a Place for Pumpkin Centerpieces!



September has quickly come to a close. For a lot of October and November brides the mad dash to create beautiful fall centerpieces has just begun. Luckily, our latest blog posts have offered many ideas on easy fall decor. I wanted to add to that list by focusing strictly on my favorite - the pumpkin.

I'm not talking about jack-o-lanterns with spooky faces. Of course if you are planning a spookily elegant Halloween wedding, I am all for it! But the pumpkin has much more  to offer than just being the missing head to the headless horseman. It can be carved to create beautiful centerpieces that add a warm glow to a romantically lit reception.  Table numbers and monograms can be scrolled into the pumpkin. Simple designs can also be added for either centerpiece pumpkins or lanterns to light outdoor walkways and aisles. Mini pumpkins can be quickly converted into votive candle holders as well!

Photo Credit:  Pumpkin Monogram from Marry Monograms. Pumpkin Topiary from Southern Living. Poka dots and Flower Pumpkin Trio from Crafty Nest.  Mini Pumpkin Votives from Totally Table Tops Blog. Polka Dot Pumpkin from Lacour Photography via Picasa Web. Lovers Silhouette Pumpkin from Masterpiece Pumpkins. Pumpkin Walkway from Southern Living.

I'm sure at this point, some of you are in love with the idea of carving pumpkins for your wedding or fall dinner party but are not confident about your skill. Don't worry! All lettering, designs, and monogramming can be printed off your computer and easily transferred to the pumpkin using carbon paper or a pattern tracer. This small tool has a spiked wheel that is used to trace around the pattern and will leave a perforated line to guide the carving. These can be purchased either in the sewing aisle (for tracing sewing patterns typically) or in the inexpensive pumpkin carving kits that are almost anywhere this time of year. Once the design is in place, there are a variety of tools that can be used to carve out the image. Get your groom involved by allowing him to take his jigsaw and drill to carefully cut out the image. X-acto knives or utility knives are also great tools for pumpkin carving. A steak knife... not so much. The simplest, yet one of the most beautiful, pumpkins I have seen simply used a drill to create perfectly round polka dots all over the pumpkin. Use a variety of drill bit sizes to create larger and smaller holes.
The gooey mess that is scooped out before carving the pumpkin can actually serve a purpose! Place it all in a strainer and use cold water to rinse away the pulp surrounding the seeds. Bake the seeds following the recipe of your choice and voila! A tasty fall snack that could also serve as a fun favor! Even if only placed in a candy dish on the table, the roasted seeds are sure to be a hit!

Off to the pumpkin patch!
~ Jenna

Personalized Wedding Gifts

As the heat of summer gives way to cooler temperatures, a new season of beautiful autumn colors and fall weddings begins. This fall, finding the perfect gift has been made easier with an abundance of items available that can be personalized as the perfect gift for the wedding couple.

Custom prints are becoming more popular with a wide variety of themes available such as romantic beaches, family names, sports teams, Irish pubs, and tree of love to name a few that are guaranteed to match a couple's personality or home decor.

While wedding gift registries allow insight to the individual tastes of the bride and groom, creating your own personalized gift or ordering from an on-line store is priceless. Have the names of the wedding couple and wedding date engraved, printed or embroidered on a unique gift for a treasured keepsake that they can share with their children and grandchildren for years to come.

Renee'

How to Throw a Fun and Unique Bachelorette Party

Are you tired of the same old bachelorette party, with the same food and games? If you are getting married or you are a maid of honor that needs to plan a bachelorette party, I have some tips on how to make your bridal shower one of the best.

Invitations: Magnets are a great choice when it comes to invitations. There are so many varieties and themes to choose from. Also, they won’t get lost in a pile of mail on someone’s desk; they will be hung on the refrigerator.

Location: This can be tricky depending on the budget but whether you have the party at a beach house, hall or at your home; you can make it the best with good food, friends and fun!

Cocktails: Plan on having a signature drink that you name after the bride to be. Don’t make it complicated, just add a splash of fruit juice or liquor to her favorite drink and make it something special. Of course you are going to need some fun drink glasses to go along with the signature drinks. Personalized cups or koozies are a creative accent to your party but they are also a fun gift for everyone to take home.

Food: I definitely recommend doing an over the top dessert table. This is a great chance for the bride to splurge right before the big day. If you are doing a theme, such as pink, make all of the cupcakes, cookies, candies and cake in different shades of pink. The dessert table will add to the décor of the party. Of course you should also have some real food to eat. Hors D'oeuvres or finger foods are much more fun and allow your guest to munch all night long. Try cutting chicken salad sandwiches out with heart shaped cookie cutters or fruit and cheese kabobs are another fun idea. If you can’t think of fun finger foods you can always serve the food on some fun platters. Add dazzle to appetizers by serving them on mirror or marble tiles.

For the décor: Choose bright and bold colors to make the party that much more fun! Hot pink and lime green or orange. The more color the better. Try to use lots of beads and feathers to give texture to your centerpieces. Go all out. This is the last bash before the wedding day. The more feather boas and rhinestones the better. This will be a party that all your friends and family will talk about for years to come!

Carrie

Custom Rubber Return Address Stamps

Add flair to your wedding stationery or everyday letters with a custom rubber return address stamp complete with your name(s), address, monogram and/or design.

I absolutely love this idea because it makes a seemingly tedious task super easy.  You can address your wedding invitations in half the time it would take to do them by hand and yet they still will look elegant and custom made.  (Much prettier than the alternative option of stick-on labels that can sometimes end up looking cheap.)  The best part about rubber stamps is you will never have to worry about your hands cramping up after addressing...oh say....400 wedding invitations or so  (I wish I would have seen these a year ago when sending my wedding invites out.  Alas....).  Better yet, after your wedding you will always have them on hand for all your stationery needs.  From thank you cards and holiday greeting cards to everyday bills.

The beautiful return address stamp above is from Primele of etsy.com.  Featuring a custom calligraphy look, Primele's stamps are priced around $60.  While the price may seem a bit steep, learn from my mistakes and remember to ask yourself..."What am I willing to spend to save myself from carpal tunnel..." To check out this beautiful stationery must-have and more, visit Primele at etsy.com.

For the ultra-creative, you can opt to make your own rubber stamps.   While I would not recommend this project to just any DIY'er, I have faith in our readers.  To learn more, check out these step-by-step tutorials on rubber stamp making here and here.

Happy Planning!

Allie

The Appeal of an Apple Theme Wedding

While most people think pumpkins, leaves, and gourds are the way to go for an autumn theme, apples definitely come to my mind as the perfect autumn fruit! This would be a great way to go for the couple who loves autumn, but doesn't want their fall wedding to be just like all the others. The fun thing about an apple theme is that you can play off red, green, or yellow as your main color!

I, myself, am a fan of red delicious apples. They are the most traditional looking apple and because they are red, would incorporate a more traditionally autumn color scheme. You can pull colors from favorite apple desserts, such as caramel apples and apple pie, by grouping your deep, shiny apple red with a pallette made of caramel, a lighter shade of golden brown (think pie crust),  and a creamy ivory. The inspiration board below, courtesy of TheCakeBlog.Com, is an example of just how lovely an apple red wedding can be. It also shows how red, while typically considered dramatic, can also give a wholesome and earthy feel when used in the right places and combined with more subdued colors.

If you want your autumn wedding to look even more unique, try basing your colors around green and yellow apples. The muted yellow of a golden delicious apple and the vibrant green of a granny smith are both gorgeous shades.  Yellow would be wonderful paired with a September Sky Blue, reminding one of corn fields against a blue sky right before the harvest. Either yellow or green will look fabulous with a rich chocolate brown. If you prefer green, these apples are easy to find and will give the most unexpected color pallette for your fall wedding. These images, also found on TheCakeBlog.Com, show how a green and brown wedding offers an autumn feel with a modern flair.

Just in case you haven't gotten inspired enough, I wanted to offer a few suggestions on favors and decor. Cute apple peelers or boxed caramel apples are wonderful favors. Hot cider mixes or tiny jugs of spiced cidar are also unique ways to thank your guests for joining you. Don't forget about apple butter, mini apple pies, or applesauce - all easily made at home or purchased at bakeries and farmer's markets at this time of year. Of course you'll want to use  fresh apples in your centerpieces and decor. It isn't necessary to go too overboard with them, but clever touches like the adorable apple swag below will make guests smile. Swags can also be made of dried apple slices in all colors. You can use clean wooden sticks taken from nature to create decorative handles for your carmel apples. These ideas will help create a traditionally fall, crafty and wholesome look.  Get started on these delicious projects now! After all, there are only a few months to enjoy the season!

(Photo Credit Clockwise: Apple Swag: FactoryDirectCrafts.Com, Apple Cidar Mix: MyWeddingReceptionIdeas.Com, Apple Cake: TheWeddingWire.Com, Love's A Peel Apple Peeler: MyWeddingReceptionIdeas.Com)

 

~Jenna

Black and White Wedding Themes for the Fall

I do love the fall and all of the beautiful colors of fall, but not all brides want to use oranges, reds and greens for their wedding colors. Black and white fall weddings are becoming more common, even traditional. The black and white trend leans heavily toward old Hollywood and retro wedding themes which is a hot trend for 2010.

The best thing about a black and white wedding theme is the color. It is easy to match napkin colors, linens and accessories to this theme. It is also easy to add a punch of color to a black and white theme as well. Red roses as a wedding bouquet with a black and white theme are stunning. Adding a touch of red or a metallic to this theme will only add to the elegance but don't over do it, this is a black and white theme after all.

Of course the bride in white and the bridesmaids in black. There are also lovely wedding dresses that are available with black accents, that are throwbacks to the stunning dress that Audrey Hepburn wore in the movie Sabrina. This again points back to the old Hollywood style.

For decorations, use white mums and white pumpkins to decorate the tables and reception hall. Tie a black silk ribbon around a white pumpkin and you have created a simple but beautiful centerpiece.

To me a black and white wedding is classic and the most elegant. The black and white theme makes me think of top hats and ladies wearing gloves. Candles as far as the eye can see and as much glamour as you can possible stand.

Carrie

5 Quick & Easy Fall Wedding Centerpieces

The cool weather may be right around the corner but don't sweat it!  Creating a beautiful fall wedding table setting is a breeze with these 5 quick and easy fall wedding centerpiece ideas.  Even if you're already putting the finishing touches on your fall wedding, these stunning focal points are a must-see.

1)  Wheat Chic...

 

For an understated elegance, wheat bundles tie into a fall theme flawlessly.  Simple to put together, all you need to pull this look off are bunches of wheat, large rubber bands, scissors, and wide decorative ribbon.  To construct your centerpieces, add individual wheat strands one at a time so they start to gather at an angle.  Secure your bunch in the middle with your rubber band.  Trim the ends with scissors so your bundles stand upright on the table.  Tie with decorative ribbon and voila!  Images courtesy of theknot.com and flickr.com

2)  Rustic Fruit...

Fruit, nuts, and berries can be found nearly everywhere during the fall season.  Making our number 2 pick a great way to save your cash while still creating a beautiful focal point at your wedding.  Fill a wooden box with fall fruits including rustic apples, pears, cherries, and/or figs.  You can add leaves and other foliage to create depth and visual interest or go simple with a display of only assorted colored apples.  Images courtesy of googleimages.com and mattbites.com

3)  Berries and Nuts...

Our number 3 pick takes quick and easy to a new level.  Vases filled with nuts or berries are one of the easiest centerpieces to put together and yet they still look stunning.  Place a single flower or candle in the center for pops of color and lighting.  Images courtesy of celebrations.com and potterybarn.com

4)  Pumpkins and Gourds...

What better way to celebrate the fall season than with pumpkins and gourds?  There is something about them that immediately evokes feelings of the fall season.  Use mini pumpkins as table scatter around one of our other centerpiece ideas or make your pumpkins the main focal point for the whole table.  Get crafty by using a gourd or pumpkin as a vase for holding flowers or simply stack mini pumpkins on a high decorative stand.  Add branches and berries for decoration.  Set small votive candles, leaves, and mini pumpkins around your main focal point to add filler and interest.  Images courtesy of bhg.com and yahoo.americangreetings.com

5)  Rustic Mason Jars...

Fall is commonly known by gardeners as a canning season.  Make use of grandma's canning jars with our number 5 pick...rustic mason jars.  Perfect for adding a subdued fall touch to your wedding.  Gather as many colored or clear mason jars as you can find.  Different heights will add interest so don't be afraid of mini jam jars.  Add flowers to taller jars and candles to smaller ones.

For a unique twist, turn your old canning jars into a picture perfect setting.  All you need is a 4x6 photo cut to size, vegetable oil, and dried herbs (optional).  Cut your photo and place in your jar.  Fill to the top with vegetable oil.  Add your dried herbs on the opposite side of your photo.  Seal the lid tightly and you're done!  You will instantly have a picture perfect centerpiece that has a vintage and aged appeal.  Images and tutorial courtesy of augandeverythingafter.blogspot.com and ali harper of etsy.com

Happy Planning!

Allie

Customize Your Special Day in a Truly Unique Way

There are many times in our lives when we are most definitely not the center of attention. That means that when it comes to weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, and other big life events we get to relish in the fact that it really is our day! What better way to make your day truly reflect your personality, than to personalize bags, napkins, cups, coasters, or favor boxes with not just a name or monogram but your own custom artwork!
Not everyone has access  to a graphic designer, but most people are more creative then they give themselves credit for. One of the cutest custom designs I have seen was just a doodle someone had done. It was drawn on a napkin and saved from the couple's first date. The image was scanned and duplicated on cocktail napkins for the wedding. There are many other easy ways to create a custom look. It is becoming popular for couples to recreate the monogram or design from their invitations to have printed on napkins or coasters for the reception. Also, the couple could sign their own names on paper and scan it to create a fun, modern looking image. Another cute idea for birthdays would be the child's name hand written by the child and scanned. If the party is for an older teen or an over the hill adult, the name could be taken from an old kindergarten paper. This would be such an adorable way to mark the passage of time! Of course, if you do have some artistic ability or know your way around graphic design software, the possibilities are pretty much endless. If that isn't an option for you, you may have luck searching the internet for royalty free line art. True, it won't be your own personal art, but it will most likely be different from what anyone in your social circle has seen or done at their wedding or party.
Custom party supplies are also great for family reunions, company picnics, or promotional events for businesses. Custom logos on cupcake boxes, cake boxes, and caramel apple boxes are a great way for a small bakery to create a more professional look for their packaging. A doodle of a family tree printed on cups or napkins would be an adorable addition to any family gathering.
Whatever the event or reason, we know you will love seeing your creation professionally printed and distributed in a useful, practical way. Most likely your guests will not only use the items you have had printed, but they will also want to take them home as a keepsake!

We can't wait to see what you come up with!

~Jenna