12 Days of Weddings...A Partridge in a Pear Tree

It is just starting into the fall season here.  The air is crisp and the nights beckon for a warm cup of apple cider.  It's around this time of year that I begin to think of the coming holiday season and long for the sounds Bing Crosby to fill the room.  Since it is way too early to start playing Christmas music (and doing so might send people running for the nearest exit), I will just have to live vicariously through all of you. (cue sly chuckle...hee hee hee)

With that said, we are so excited to announce the start of our 12 Days of Weddings.  Leading up to Christmas, we will present to you our favorite holiday wedding ideas and inspiration for each of the twelve days of Christmas.  Come back next week to see what else we have in store for our 12 Days of Weddings and to see other great holiday ideas.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...A Partridge in a Pear Tree...

Image Credits: Rustic centerpiece from 2 Sisters Blog, Pear cookie via Dessert First, letterpress partridge holiday card from byvik ink, pine tree sapling favors via Nancy Gould Photography, dotted feather fascinator, pear tree from Gumps,  jam wedding favors, presents from BHG, pear shaped earrings from Dalim, champagne lollipop tutorial from Martha Stewart, red chapel via flickr

Tips on Having a Spooktacular Halloween Party

Are you already thinking of fun things to do at your Halloween party this year? I know I am. Halloween is that special time of the year when you can pretend to be someone or something else. Let loose of all your inhibitions and just have some fun with you family and friends. Here are a few tips on how to add some fun and creativity to your Halloween party.

Themes: It is not always necessary but it is a lot of fun to have a themed Halloween party. Choose a theme like the Adam’s Family and have everyone dress up as a character from the movie or television show. My favorite theme idea this year is for the extremely popular HBO series True Blood. Again, have all of the guest dress up like characters from the show. Fill empty bottles with red wine or red punch and attach a True Blood label. Create different areas in your house, like Fangtasia and Merlotte's. Your friends and family will love it! What girl doesn’t want to be Sookie and what guy doesn’t want to be Eric.

Décor: Halloween is my favorite holiday to decorate. I love all the cob webs and hanging spiders. Of course when you are having a Halloween party you should go all out. The more cob webs the better. If you are planning a theme then you should decorate based on that, but if you are having a good old fashioned scare feast then, rent the fog machine and turn on spooky music. When it comes to Halloween parties more is definitely more. Don’t forget to decorate the outside of the house as well. Give you guest the feeling of uncertainty when they are walking up the sidewalk. Weather permitting a Halloween party would be great outside as well.

Food: Now my favorite part. Serving food for a Halloween party is actually simple. You can make dishes that are simple and not scary but give them scary names. Rent a cast iron cauldron from a local party store and fill it will chili. Place the cauldron over a fire in your back yard and call it witches brew. You can also serve chicken wings, barbecue and hot & spicy will be more effective with the red sauce. Add a place card or toothpick label to the dish reading ‘Bat Wings’.  Another fun idea, slice some green olives on top of your devilish eggs and add some paprika to give them the appearance of eyeballs. Desert is the most fun. You can decorate sugar cookie cut outs to look like jack-o-lanterns or tombstones. Cupcakes can be made into spiders by adding some candy eyes and twizzler legs.  Add some fun Halloween napkins and cups to the buffet to give your guest even more to talk about.

Now you have a few short months to get your plan into action. Think scary, creative and fun. Good Luck and don’t forget to go all out.

Trick or Treat Love is Sweet - And So Are These Halloween Desserts!

Many people love the idea of Halloween weddings, but aren't sure how to pull it off without taking away from the I Do's. Our suggestion? Incorporate an elegant Halloween dessert table! Here are our favorite dessert ideas for a spookily styled treat buffet.

Spotlight on vintage soda bottles wrapped in black lace, meringue bone cookies, and cupcakes stenciled with a witchy silhouette. It is so chic your guests will love every macabre mouthful! 

Image Credits: Dessert Buffet designed by Amy Atlas via Hostess Blog, Specimen Viles via Honey Bee Sweeterie, Stenciled Witch Cupcakes and Pumpkin Mousse from Country Living, Bone Cookies, Stenciled Letter Cookies, Pumpkin Spice Cake, and Spider Web Cake Via Martha Stewart, 

Things We Love ~ Fabric Wine Bottle Wraps

Currently trending at weddings right now are miniature wine or champagne bottles as take home favors for your guests. If you think these petite carafes are cute by themselves  just imagine how extremely adorable they will be when you dress them up a little. Another great idea from Martha Stewart Weddings are these fabulously folded fabric wine bottle wraps.

Since all your guests will be dressed up for your big day, shouldn't your favors be too. If you are giving out miniature wine bottles as favors at your wedding, consider wrapping them up in fancy fabric and tying them with an intricate Japanese fold.

Choose a fabric that matches your wedding color scheme or theme. These stylish bottle wraps can be donned with lustrous cloth for a fancy affair or casual denim for a laid back gathering. An elaborately tied Japanese-style knot at the top of your bottle adds interest and flair. 

Set these bottles at each place setting with a thank you message from the bride and groom attached to the knot. These favors can also double as seating place card holders by inserting a tag with the guest's name and table number printed on it. These fabric wraps can be appropriate for all your guests. If you won't be handing out alcohol to everyone at your event, consider wrapping up bottled water or soda bottles.

Here are the step by step instructions for creating these wow-worthy wedding favors! Enjoy!

Ideas for Lighting up your Outdoor Wedding

If you have decided to have an outdoor wedding then you will need to consider how to light the area. Lighting is a must if your wedding is in the evening or if it will continue into the evening hours. Lighting up your wedding venue can be simple and will also add a sense of romance and beauty to any outdoor wedding. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Create a path of lights that will lead the bride to the altar. You can do this with candles placed about every 12 inches down the aisle or you can also string twinkle lights to poles that are placed in the ground. For a beach wedding, tiki torches will make a great path of light. I also love the idea of creating an archway that goes the length of the aisle. With some wooden poles, wire and string lights you can create a breath taking archway that your guests won’t soon forget.

For the reception you will want to add candles or fireless candles to all of the tables. Add floating candles to a bowl of water that also has flowers floating in the water or you can fill the glass bowls with rocks that will accent your wedding colors or theme and then add the floating candles. If floating candles are not your thing then go with several different candle sizes placed strategically on a mirror surface. This will add elegance to any centerpiece. The candles will not only illuminate the tables but they will set the mood for your guest to sit down and enjoy there dinner.

Depending on the outside venue you are using, we recommend adding lights to all of the trees in the area. White twinkle lights on all of the trees will only add to the sense of romance as well as keep the area lit up for your guests. You can also hang candles from the trees. Add tea lights to mason jars and string them into the trees around the reception area to create a sense of whimsy. Whether the reception will be under a tent or under the stars, you will still want to string lights across the dance floor and reception areas. One of our favorite ideas is adding round paper lanterns to the ceiling of your tent or hanging them across the reception area. The round paper lanterns create a subtle yet beautiful light and they came in many different colors to match your wedding theme.

The above ideas are sure to get you started in the right direction. One more tip would be to rent a generator from a local party rental. You wouldn’t want the lights to go out on your wedding guests. Good Luck.