Showers of Happiness....

I forgot to share some pictures from my bridal shower a week and a half ago in Connecticut... here are some with a bit of family (and life drama) to boot following the photo goodness...

My cake. From a fabulous bakery in NY brought up to CT by Fiance's godmother. FYI, it was as tasty as it looks.

Unopened gifts. I definitely got showered with love!! Our car was JAM PACKED on the drive back to DC.

Two my college besties/bridesmaids and I enjoying the margs. My shower had a theme of Puerto Rico...also known as our honeymoon locale. A pretty awesome theme if I do say so myself!

Me opening one of many gifts - this gift was all for fiance. I don't even like waffles but he INSISTED on registering for a waffle maker. That's okay. One of my bridesmaids got me a shoe wheel off our registry.

It is most certainly a shoe wheel. It fits perfectly in my closet.

My bridal party (including the ring bearer!) minus my bridesmaid E who couldn't make it to CT for the event. S'k, she's apparently got her own tricks up her sleeve for the DC guests. Don't mind my droopy straps on my tank top...I was a little tipsy. Those silly margaritas!

Now here's my question...so my FMIL hosted my shower - well, the bridesmaids hosted it but she helped. No one from my side of the family was invited. Someone told me "all the women invited to the wedding should be invited to the shower..." Is this true?

If so, then I can understand why my step mother (who my mother doesn't really...like) was upset to not be invited but quite frankly, most of my family aren't trekking down here for the wedding so I felt it was unnecessary to extend invitations. Not to mention, my step mom hasn't really been upset about not really being included in the planning till now. Then on Wednesday last week, when I called my father to tell him about the unfortunate event - fiance losing his job - after saying he was sorry he told me that I should send my step mother a note. Apologize for not including her...even though I didn't put together the invitation list. Or any other part of the shower.

Seriously? Aside from my mother, and bridesmaids it was ALL fiance's side of the guest list. No one from my side, sans a couple gal pals in Boston, were invited. Why was he making a stink NOW???

I won't get into my personal feelings about her here but I do run hot/cold toward my step mother, and right now? I can tell you I am icy. As in, unimpressed by these shenanigans.

Who was invited to your bridal shower? Did you invite all the guests invited to the wedding? Did you have a theme? Favorite gift???

Simple Gifts

FI and I have purchased all of our attendants gifts, Kenneth Cole cufflinks for the guys, freshwater pearls for the ladies. We've ordered a doll-sized FG dress for our FG and the doll to go with it, and for our parents we've gotten gifts from Things Remembered, Tara frames for our moms, and a clock for his dad. Hopefully, everyone likes these little tokens of our appreciation. There is just one other gift 'd like to get for the ladies, and it's a simple pair of slippers. Last time I was in a wedding, the bride gave us slippers, and for those who found their bridesmaids shoes a little uncomfortable they were a lifesaver. After standing for a nearly hour long ceremony, we luxuriated in placing our weary feet in the comfort of these simple Dearfoam slippers.
The slippers are non dyeable, but you can't even see them under a long bridesmaid dress. They are so comfy, too. I still wear mine at home sometimes. For 7 bucks a pair at Walmart, you can't go wrong. Certainly, slippers like these will be a thoughtful and appreciated addition to the gifts you give the lovely ladies of your wedding party.

Wedding Gifts

I'm not sure how the idea/custom began of the bride and groom exchanging gifts prior to the wedding, but I kind of like it.

FI - THIS IS WHERE YOU STOP READING. ;o) Thanks, Schnookie!

Ok, so as I was saying, I like this idea. I also have always wanted to give FI a pocketwatch, just a timeless, elegant gift. The problem is it's really tough to find a nice one in stores. I know I want a silver one. I also know that I want to be able to engrave small message on it for him. I also want to be able to see the actual watch movement. I discovered ExecutiveGiftShoppe.com. I'd researched pocketwatch designers, and they carry some of the best that I could find. They also have a wide range of prices. I've narrowed it down to my top 2.

The second one is not engravable, but it's just beautiful. I think FI would love either, but I'm trying to decide which I like better. I want to have it engraved (if possible), "Yours until the end of time."

Adorable Flower Girl Dress

I have been looking for the perfect flower girl dress for way too long. I want something yellow, like the BM dresses. I want to be the only one wearing white one my day. I first saw the FG dress at my boutique in Richmond, but the price was more than I think a FG dress should cost.

The dress is by Dessy, and I recently found the dress at a boutique in Baltimore not far from my job, and I'm thrilled about it. You can even purchase a matching doll dress.

Isn't that the cutest thing you have ever seen?! I just love it, and I'm so happy to have such an awesome little lady in our wedding. I'm so excited to give her a doll with this dress that I may just give it to her for Christmas, so she can look forward to when she gets to wear this adorable dress herself.

amarie by andrea maiolano purses

My housemate and wonderful friend introduced me to these darling bags recently. They are a great idea for a Day-of purse or as gifts to your bridesmaids (someone has to hold your lip gloss!).

Check out her Etsy shop: LoveAMarie. They're so sweet and totally affordable! The top Talia clutch with the fuschia is my favorite!

How Crafty Are You, Part II

All right, so apparently I am obsessed with letterpress printing.

But are these gift cards from Sycamore Street Press not adorable?

These birch bark silver rings from Twigs and Heather would make great wedding bands, especially for men. They're simple but not boring. One of the artists told me her husband wears his as a wedding ring!

Everything at Perch Design is charming, but I thought these shake-a-leg salt and pepper shakers were especially great.

I loved these guys. Why go to Hallmark or Party Town to get your confetti when you can get it handmade to any color, shape, or specification? The nice folks at Confetti System will do it all for you--they also do hats, lanterns, garlands, or whatever you need for a party. Plus, it sounds very scientific and technical, doesn't it? "I had everything taken care of for me by Confetti System." People will know you mean business.

Registering Started!

Over the holiday break fiance and I finally started the registration process. We'd been putting it off because it seemed so daunting. Like most couples we'd probably rather just have money but that's not an appropriate gift for everyone (I know I like to give an actual gift and not just cash).

One of the top things on my list was china, crystal, and nice flatware. I know, I know, most brides aren't registering for this stuff anymore b/c they know they won't use it or will only use it occasionally. Fiance and I are the opposite. Our jobs often require us to entertain at home in a formal fashion and if we tried to buy a set of 12 on our own it would be pretty pricey. No better time then a wedding to ask for china. Besides, we already have casual everyday dining ware and a slightly nicer set as well.

On the advice of a bride on the D.C. Knot board I went to the Macy's Home Store at Montgomery Mall (right off 495). This is a one floor Macys completely devoted to homeware and furniture. I figured this Macys would have the most selection. Really, once you strip away the furniture section I'd say it's comparable in size to most Macys home sections. Take away the "martha stewart" section and it's even smaller. On this trip we were just browsing to see what appealed to us. We also went to the Bloomingdales in Friendship Heights because they have a much larger china selection just to make sure we were seeing all that was out there.

At both stores we ended up liking the below place setting the most. It is called Library Lane and it is a design by Kate Spade for Lenox. It's fine bone china with an inner and outer platinum band. We liked the simplicity of it and the fact that it's neutral enough to be dressed up in different styles. I also like that the pattern won't be outdated in 10 or 20 yrs. We also chose the corresponding flatware. We weren't crazy on the matching crystal so we chose a coordinating set called Sterling from Wedgewood. So did we end up registering at Macys or at Bloomingdales? Well, neither.

Turns out Bed Bath and Beyond has the same china, crystal, and flatware patterns at their online store as Macys and Bloomingdales. They also carry top brand pots/pans like All Clad and the same small kitchen appliance brands (like Krups) as the department stores, Crate and Barrel and Williams and Sonoma.

I went with Bed Bath and Beyond for a number of reasons 1) I wanted as few stores as possible. Macys and Bloomies had some things but they were missing a lot of the other kitchen gadgets we were looking for. I didn't want to register at Macys for one thing and have to register somewhere else for corn holders. 2) Bed Bath and Beyond is everywhere. Neither Macys nor Bloomingdales is in my home state and as much as I like shopping online some people just will not do it. 3) I have heard universally good reviews about Bed Bath and Beyond on my Knot board and their return/exchange program. Whereas I've heard that Macys can be a hassle with returns sometimes and stores like Crate and Barrel are so seasonal that a lot of times things you like get sold out before your wedding. 5) Bed Bath and Beyond is always sending out those 20% off coupons. I'm all for people getting discounts on our gifts.

My only problem now is I haven't found linens at any of the stores we've visited that I've liked. So we my end up registering at a second home type store anyway. Bummer.

K.Amato Discount - 20% Off

K.Amato designs a wonderful line of reasonably priced jewelry that would make great gifts for your bridesmaids or for you to wear. Now they are an even better deal with 20% off. Just use discount code "PEOPLE" at checkout. She has a wedding line as well, but alas, it's special order and not avaliable for sale online.


^The Armitage. Originally $48, now only $38

^The Maple. Originally $60 now only $48

^The Barry. Originally $38 now only $30

^The Surf. Originally $70 now only $56

Treasure Rings from Takohl Design

I think these rings from Takohl Design Ltd. would make a great anniversary gift or a gift for the mothers in the wedding party. They are called Treasure Rings and you can inscribe the inside with anything that you want...wedding date, names, important phrases, inside jokes, even characters such as the heart sig (though I'm not sure why you'd want to do that). You can order a plain sterling silver ring with no stone for $495 or completely bling it out and get it made in a precious metal with a large diamond in the $5,000 + range.

Cut Arts Discount - 25%

Silhouettes have been a recent mini wedding trend. In the last issue of Martha Stewart Weddings she featured a wedding where Karl Johnson, the artist behind Cut Arts, prepared silhouettes for wedding guests. Karl works from photos and can create a silhouette from any scene. If silhouettes are your thing (i have a not so small nose so a profile of myself is the last thing I'd want) then get 25% off you and your beau's sides with discount code DCDEAL. Thanks to DailyCandy.

Adorning Your Maids

If you are looking to coordinate your bridesmaids' jewelry (notice I didn't say match...let everyone be unique!) then you should check out Chemistry Bridal. They have different styles of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings available in 16 different colors. The best part is that prices range from $25-75, so giving these as gifts will not break the bank. The necklaces and bracelets can also be monogrammed with each persons initials. Each piece is made to order. They also carry gold, silver, pearl, and crystal colored jewelry so you might find something that goes with your dress as well.

HOLIDAY & WEDDING GIFTS

CREATE YOUR OWN GIFTS USING MYPUBLISHER PHOTO ALBUM

I recently created a holiday gift for Mr. Military. It’s a collection of our “Best Shots” throughout our years together. The software was easy to use, quick, and relatively inexpensive. I may create a similar gift for the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen.

Include photographs of:

· Key players

· Major events of the day

Here is a sample outline of a wedding album:

· Cover Page

o couple together

· The Dress

o wedding dress on a hanger

o bride getting ready

· The Bride

· The Groom

o staged

o nervous candid shots

· Groomsmen

· Bridesmaids

o flowers

· Flowergirls

o Bride with flower girl

o Groom with flower girl

· Ring Bearer

o With ring pillow

o With couple

· The Mothers

o bride with her mother

o groom with his mother

· The Fathers

o bride with her father

o groom with his father

· Our Guests

o guests signing the guestbook

· Our Wedding Vows

o Program

· Husband and Wife

o bride and groom candid just after the ceremony

· First Dance

· The Reception

o Decorations

o Reception room

· Cutting the Cake

· Tossing the Bouquet

· Tossing the Garter

· Decorating the Car

· The Getaway

· The Beginning

o bride and groom kissing

Here are the 5 steps to creating a PhotoBook:

1- GET PHOTOS

Select the photos you want to put in your book with our easy
to use drag-and-drop software.

2-ORGANIZE

Organize your photos in the order you wish to place them in your book.

3-CREAT

Create your PhotoBook by selecting the number of photos and arrangement of photos on each page. Or, use the one-click Autobuild and let BookMaker™ do the work for you! MyPublisher offers 8 book styles and over 200 page layouts to choose from.

4-PREVIEW 5- PURCHASE

See what your PhotoBook will look like before you place your order!		Click "Purchase" and place your order. Your beautiful, custom PhotoBook usually ships in 4 days or less!

This style of album makes a wonderful gift, but is also a beautiful way to display your own wedding photos in an elegant album fit for display.

Have Your Cake....And Keep It Too!

We all have our priorities and for some that priority is an amazingly ornate cake. The only problem is it's made and then gone in one night. At best you might have some good pictures to remind you of your masterpiece. If you'd like to preserve those memories a little longer consider contacting Richmond native Emily Taylor. Emily is an artist who specializes in porcelain replicas of wedding cakes. She takes a photo of your cake and then painstakingly recreates it in porcelain so you can always have your cake...you just can't eat it too.

All photos below are from Emily Taylor Porcelains and none are real cake! They are all porcelain replicas.

Edition of One

If you are looking for a really unique and one of a kind wedding or 1st anniversary gift (you're supposed to give paper) you should check out Zoey Wagner's business, Editon of One. Basically Zoey takes your relationship story and turns it into a beautiful hand bound and hand illustrated book.

She starts by talking with you by phone and getting details about you, your personalities, your relationship, etc. and collaborates with you on a story and then you can provide her with pictures or any other details so that she can start doing the sketches.

You can makes books for any occasion...birthdays, retirements, graduations, births, etc. And listen up guys (o.k. I know no guys read this) but this would be the most amazing way in the world to propose with a "will you marry me" page on the last page!

The books can be pricey (remember this is art drawn just for you!) so if you aren't able to commit to a full book you can also get framed art, cards, scrolls, and diptychs or triptychs.

All work below from Zoey Wagner - Edition of One