12 Days of Weddings - Eight Maids a Milking - Inspiration Board

It's time for our eighth installment in our 12 Days of Weddings blog series! I can't believe there are only four more episodes to go before Christmas. We have been having so much fun creating wedding inspiration boards based on the famous 12 Days of Christmas carol. This latest version is just as delightful.

We wanted to get creative with our "Eight Maids A Milking" theme, so we decided to pretend that those eight little maids finished their milking, churned the milk into butter, and then did a whole bunch of baking. They then hosted a milk and cookies theme wedding reception with a vintage red and white color scheme. Luckily we were on hand to capture the moment and preserve it for posterity with a lovely image collage.

All make-believe aside, the milk and cookies reception is a favorite theme of ours. The red and white color scheme manages to convey a holiday feeling while still tying in the milk-and-cookies theme. We love the way the striped paper straws accent the glass milk bottles perfectly. Kitschy little favor boxes shaped like old-school milk cartons are another fabulous idea. (You can even download a free printable milk carton box pattern here.) The rest of the theme comes together with vintage accents like metal milk pails, a lovely red barn as part of your venue, and red and white wedding accessories.  

Without further ado, we hope you enjoy the playful interpretation that we like to call "Eight Maids a Milking... and Then Baking Some Cookies."

Image Credits: Bride and Groom from Jared Wilson Photography, Striped Bridesmaids via Stacey Kane Photography, Milk Glasses, Bottles and dessert table from Amy Atlas Events, Red Stripe Tie by La Vie Photography via Kelly OShiro Events , Red Shoes via Style Me Pretty, Milk Carton Favor Boxes by The Sweetest Occasion, Striped Gifts from Country Living, Snow Cake from Tiny White Daisies, Christmas Armoir from Country Living

Ten Great Christmas Gift Ideas for Guys

Another Christmas season is around the corner and it’s time to start planning gift ideas for all the special men in your life. So what do you buy your husband, brother or boyfriend for Christmas? Well we’ve done some of the leg work for you and made a great list below to give you a great starting point for your Holiday season.

1. Mr. Beer Home Brewery Kit with Personalized Pub Glass Set: Perfect for any home bar, the Mr. Beer Home Brewery Kit with personalized pub glass set is the gift that keeps on giving! Completely reusable, the brewing system comes with all you need to make two gallons of beer. Enjoy your brew in the included personalized pub glass set!

2. Personalized Black Leather iPhone Case: This is a great gift for the phone junky in your life. Not only will it keep his phone safe from damage but it is also a beautiful case. This iPhone case is made of genuine leather and sure to be a hit with anyone.

3. Personalized College Football Locker Room Picture with Frame: The perfect gift for the sports fan. How awesome to have a team photo with your boyfriend or husbands last name on the jersey. Also a great gift idea for you son.




4. Sterling Silver Personalized Guitar Pick Necklace: This is a great gift for the music lover or guitar player in your life.  Add your name or your sweethearts name to make it personal keep sake that you with both cherish.




5. Personalized Leather Wallet: You can’t go wrong with an old classic. Get your guy a genuine leather wallet personalized with his initial and this is a gift he will really use for years to come.





6. Personalized Man Cave Canvas Sports Prints: This is great gift for the special man in your life, he will love it and think you are the best for getting it for him but also his friends will be so jealous!




7. Klondike Personalized Lockback Knife with Flashlight: This is a perfect gift for any man, whether he loves to fish or hunt or just needs a good pocket knife for odd jobs around the house. This knife also includes a handy flashlight for those dark hard to reach areas.




8. Personalized Genuine Leather Auto Utility Kit: Everyone could use one of these handy kits in their car. It comes with a pen, tire gauge and flashlight. This is the perfect gift for your son who is getting ready to get his driver’s license.





9. Personalized Soft Sided Picnic Cooler: The sports or fisherman in your life would love this cooler. A great gift for heading out to the football came or heading to the lake to catch come fish.  Also a great cooler for picnics or weekend soccer games with the kids.

10. Personalized Classic Beer Tankards - Set of 4: A great addition to your home bar or to his man cave. These beer tankards make a wonderful gift and can also be personalized with a monogram initial.







I hope we have given you some great ideas to get you on the road to completing your Holiday shopping. Vitis our website to find all of these and more good gifts for guys for Christmas.
Good Luck!

The Perfect End to a Perfect Night - A Getaway Car Inspiration Board

At one time or another, you have surely seen a car or limosine driving down the road with the words 'Just Married' scrawled accross the back window. Inside that car rides the couple who just announced their love to the world and are on their way to start their new life together. This is the final detail of the wedding night and is easy to overlook, but be careful not to miss out on a perfect ending to your perfect night.

Whether you decide to cruise off in a classic or on a motorcycle, be sure to show off your personalities in this and every part of your wedding. Are you having a rustic wedding on the shore of a lake in the summer? Consider a canoe or boat to leave the party. If you are both pretty adventurous, maybe you can take a hot air balloon ride or even go bungee jumping after you take the plunge!

If you are trying to keep things eco-friendly, you could make your great escape on a moped or a tandem bicycle. You can also keep things fun (and budget friendly!) by assigning the groomsmen the task of decorating the car or even a golf cart to ride off into the night in style. Are you having a romantic, storybook wedding? Think about taking a carriage or sleigh ride to finish off your night. If you are planning a country themed wedding, leaving on a

tractor would tie in nicely.

With so many ways to finish off your wonderful wedding night, give your guests something to remember and do something you will love to look back on. Make sure you stay true to who you are, and try to tie in your getaway car with the theme of your wedding.

Image Credits:  Just Married Tractor from Dawn Mealson, Vintage Car by The Wedding Yentas, Moped via Style Me Pretty, Trolley from Siegel Thurston Photography, Canoe by The Pursuit Aesthetic, Hot Air Balloon via Love and Lavender, Sleigh Ride from Black Comb Sleighrides, Golf Cart by Crossed Keys Inn, Fire Truck via Sakura Photography, Bicycle from Grazier Photography, Boat by The Knot, Bungee Jump via Just Weddings, Carriage from Ashley's Bride Guide

12 Days of Weddings - 7 Swans a Swimming Wedding Inspiration Board

We've really outdone ourselves this week...going across the big pond for a little French influence.  Inspired by the 7th chapter in our 12 Days of Weddings, where we are presenting our favorite winter wedding inspiration for each of the 12 Days of Christmas.  This 7 swans a swimming inspiration board oozes romance combining romantic feathery accents with soft shades of French blue, pink, and gold.

The Swan Lake influences married together with the French provincial styling work flawlessly together, don't you think?

Image Credits (left to right):  Bridal headband, Feather handbag, Escorial Manuel Mota wedding dress, Bride with feather headpiece, Bridal heels, Crystal tree, Yellow tulle skirt, Feather necklace, Place setting, Feather headpiece, Wedding table setting, French sitting room

Walking in a Winter Wedding Land

It is hard to contest that there's anything more magical than a winter wedding.  A romantic world covered in white is the perfect backdrop for a love story.  Glittering jewel drops, pine cone accents, and warm and cozy winter-wear make for the most inviting of gatherings. Whether your wedding will take place at a grand wintery lodge or a cozy cabin, the fluttering snow and rustic elements of nature will create a wonderland  that will take anyone's breath away. As the chill of the winter approaches and your wedding draws near, get inspired, cuddle up to your love and take a walk through our Winter Wedding Land.

...Walking in a Winter Wedding Land...

Image Credits: Bride and groom main image from Three Winks Studio, Covered Bridge, Pine cone skates and winter picnic from All the Beautiful Things by Loreta, Hay bale bride and groom from Sparkle and Hay wedding blog, Winter coat bride from the Perfect Palette, Pine cone name card holders, Bride and groom by cabin by Brinton Studios