Inspiration for Your Wedding Welcome Gift Bags

If you are having a destination wedding or asking many of your guests to stay in hotel rooms, it's a good idea to include a little something special for those guests traveling to your wedding.  Wedding welcome gift bags are a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding and say a special thank you to those loved ones.  But not every gift bag is created equal.  Many come in the form of baskets, reusable totes, paper bags, and boxes.  And even more different are the items you can put inside of your welcome bags.

Ideas for what to include in your wedding gift bags can range from the hangover helper kit to local souvenirs and everything in between. To help you narrow down the perfect items for your guest gifts bags, we've included some of our favorite ideas.

Local Collectibles - Whether you are having a destination wedding or a backyard wedding, those unfamiliar with the area will love getting local memorabilia to take home with them. Include maps of the area and transportation maps for guests who may be staying the whole weekend.  Don't forget to mark any spots that are of particular interest.  Items that are famous to the area are the perfect complement to an OOT wedding gift bag and help polish the look of a welcome bag.  Hawaii wedding?  Include real flower leis in each gift bag.  Vermont wedding? Small bottles of local maple syrup will add to atmosphere of your wedding.

Don't forget your wedding details.  Your welcome bags are the perfect spot to include all the important details about your wedding.  Be sure to include your itinerary for the weekend and any contact phone numbers for guests that may have questions.  Throw in a personalized koozie or photo of the bride and groom with a hand written message on the back so guests have a small token to remember the day with.

The Hangover Helper Kit has been increasing in popularity throughout the years and typically consists of everything you'll need to fend off the dreaded post-party hangover. To pull off a hangover kit, include items like a bottle of Coca-Cola, Aspirin, Water, gum, and Pepto Bismol or Tums. Add a pair of cheap sunglasses to the kit for a few laughs. A $5.00 gift certificate to Starbucks or McDonalds will be much appreciated for those looking for a coffee fix or greasy relief.

Food, Snacks, and Necessities - Include small snacks like crackers, chips, and cookies in your wedding gift bags for guests to munch on after their long flight or during the transition before your reception. These snacks also come in handy as late night munchies. Add other fun items like local magazines and mini bottles of wine or liquor. If there will be children attending the wedding, include a coloring book with crayons for them to enjoy. Lastly, don't forget toiletry items. While these functional items may be easy to overlook, many times they are the items that get the most appreciation.  Handy mini sewing kits will be a life saver for popped buttons. Other necessities like Chapstick, lint rollers, sunscreen, and mouthwash are just a few must-haves your wedding guests will be thanking you for.

  

Image Credits: Cape Cod beach bag, Kraft wedding gift bag, Honey gift basket, Photo water bottles, Itinerary, Thank you wedding gift bags, Door hangers, Gatorade hangover kit, Sunglasses, Personalized cookies, Maptote, Breakfast for two, Bermuda bag, Damask gift bag, Picnic gift baskets

Websites & Apps to Help You Plan Your Perfect Wedding

While preparing for your wedding day, we know it may be overwhelming to keep all of your information straight.  There will be guest lists, to-do lists, vendor information, contracts, and so much more to keep track of, all while trying to keep focused on your wedding vision.  Luckily, there are countless tools to help you plan for your big day, capture the day itself, and enjoy looking back at your wedding day for years to come.  

When you start to gather inspiration, it is important to have a means to keep it all organized and just a few clicks away.  Gone are the days of sifting through what seems like hundreds of bookmarks, trying to remember which one contains the centerpieces that would be just perfect for your event.  There are now sites that allow you to pull any photo from just about any website and even make notes below the photo for quick reference.  Just a click and you are taken directly to the site you need.  Pinterest and Lover.ly are available to do just this.  Some companies even create Pinterest boards to help inspire you, such as our collection of boards.

When it comes to keeping the endless lists and paperwork organized, there are a lot of great sites that update in real-time every time a file or note is added.  This allows both you and your fiancé access to the most current information from anywhere on any device, be it a computer, tablet, or phone.  Evernote allows you to keep all of your notes, files and images readily available.  Important information can be clipped directly from your favorite websites.  You can even take photos with your phone or tablet, record a short audio clip, and save for future reference.  Google Docs and Dropbox work in a similar manner.

Wedding websites and wedding apps will continue to be popular among brides.  As a bride in today’s world, we need all the help we can get!  Though these may seem like small things to think about in the scheme of planning a wedding, choosing the right wedding planning tools will help you to have a low-stress planning experience.

Image Credit:  Bride at Computer, Smart Phone

Unveiling American Wedding Ceremony Traditions

The tradition of the wedding dates back to as early as prehistoric times.  Back when a groom need only carry a woman away to claim her as his bride.  Today, most of our traditions have developed as a result of changing values, beliefs, and the overall status quo.  No longer is it acceptable for a man to enter a town, throw a woman over his shoulder, and carry her away as his.

While the actual traditions of American wedding ceremonies continue to change and evolve with the times, the overall practice of certain wedding traditions has stuck with brides and grooms throughout the years.

Tradition of wedding veils - While the wedding veil has held different meanings for different cultures, one common belief is that wedding veils protected the purity of the bride from evil spirits.  Another source attests that the opaque wedding veils were used to prevent the groom from seeing the bride’s face until after the ceremony was over.  This of course is why brides had to be literally escorted down the aisle by their fathers and given away to their groom.  Wedding veils today are used more as a fashion statement that that of necessity.  From short blusher veils to long cathedral veils, the styles of veils change with each passing year and are based a lot on the personality of the bride and the style of her wedding gown.

Tradition of the aisle runner - It has been a superstition among many cultures that demons lurked underneath the ground and it was bad luck for the bride to come in contact with the ground before the ceremony.  Thus aisle runners acted as a barrier between the ground and those evil spirits.  Traditionally, a white aisle runner has symbolized a pathway of purity.  More so today, the aisle runner is not only used for decoration but as a clean surface for the bride to walk down in her wedding gown.  Bride’s today are breaking the mold on traditional aisle runners opting for personalized runners or alternatives like rose petals or burlap.

Tradition of the flower girl  -  Children have long been associated with weddings and were thought to bring luck and fertility to a wedding.  In Greek times, young girls were used to throw grain and herbs in the bride’s path as a symbol of fruitfulness.  This tradition has not changed much today evolving only through the years into a more romantic nature with traditional flower girls now throwing flower petals from flower girl baskets instead of wheat.  For modern fall brides looking for a unique twist on flower petals, they may be interested in opting for this traditional medium of wheat.

Tradition of the ring bearer - Originally it was tradition for a small boy (or page boy) to carry the bride’s wedding train for the bride. But as wedding gown styles changed, the need for a page boy dwindled and the ring bearer was born. Now typically an American tradition, a young relative of the bride or groom is given the duty of carrying the wedding rings down the aisle on a small ring pillow to present to the bride and groom.

Why a groom’s side and a bride’s side?  In years past, fathers were known to offer their daughters up as a peace offering to resolve a war between tribes.  To eliminate any conflict during the ceremony, the two families would sit on opposite sides of the room.  Today you will still see the bride’s family and groom’s family sitting on opposite sides with the bride’s family typically sitting on the left side of the altar where the bride stands during the ceremony.  Just as noteworthy, brides began to stand to the left of the groom back in Ancient times so that the groom’s fighting hand would be free to ward off anyone who wished his bride harm.

Whichever traditions you decide to incorporate into your wedding day is up to you. Your wedding will show your personality and your hopes and dreams for the future. There really is no right or wrong with today’s weddings.  What do you think of today’s traditions compared to some of these ones of the past? Will you be holding true to superstition and tradition for your own wedding?

Sources:

“A History of the American Wedding.” Random History. May 8, 2007. Web.  Jan 17, 2013.

Hudson, Sandie. “A History of the Wedding Ceremony.” Writing Historical Romance. Sandie Hudson. Oct 23, 2010. Web. Jan 17, 2013.

Stewart, Arlene Hamilton. A Bride’s Book of Wedding Traditions. New York: Hearst Books, 1995. Print.

“Wedding Traditions: The Aisle Runner.” Majestic Gardens. 2013. Web. Jan 18, 2013.

Soft Mint and Sparkling Gold - A Wedding Color Story

The color mint will be increasingly popular in weddings this year, and we couldn't be more excited.  This subtle, yet stunning color can be matched with so many different accent hues and will give a distinct feel to every combination.  

One of the most elegant pairings is that of mint and gold.  We love the way the sparkling gold pops when paired with this soft mint green.  These colors make for such a dreamy match, especially when a few other colors like blush pink, soft coral and ivory are used to finish the look.  The mix of warm and cool tones creates the perfect look for any season, and looks equally dazzling whether used indoors or outdoors.  

 

Image Credits:  Chevron Cake, Reception Table, Teacups, A Bit of Dessert, Bridesmaid Dress, Ring, Place Setting, Mint and Gold Heels, Earrings, Place Card, Patterned Cake, A Soft Colored Wedding Dress

Wedding Trend Alert - Braids & Buns

Time for some much needed beauty inspiration! It's the New Year and with it brings new trends for 2013 weddings influenced by all parts of pop culture including fashion, music, and movies.  A trend that we have seen sweeping the wedding community are effortlessly chic braids and buns.  So easy to pull off and equally as gorgeous, it's no wonder brides this year are leaning towards this no fuss wedding day hairstyle.  Whether styled in a loose fishtail braid or piled high on you head in a chic bun, there are hundreds of different ways to style this wedding trend.  Here we've captured some of our favorite wedding day braids and buns.  To see even more dazzling coifs, visit us on Pinterest.

Credits (top to bottom): Side Part Braided Updo, Hi Bun with Halo Braid, Chic Sock Bun, Braided Headband with Chignon, Braid with Ribbon, Braided Headband, Fishtail Braid with Flowers, Braided Updo with Flowers, French Twist with Braids and Flower, Long Fishtail Braid, Hi Bun with Halo Braid