Freebie Friday: Icing on the Cake

If you've been to the Bellingham Farmer's Market you've most likely seen the tasty cucpcakes created by Liz Kovaks of Icing on the Cake. If you've tried them, you know how absolutely and amazingly delicious they are. If you haven't, here's your chance to try them out . . . for FREE! That's right, a gift certificate for four tasty-licious cupcakes is up for grabs. Leave a comment on today's post telling me your favorite wedding cake ideas and you're entered. One winner will be chosen at random one week from today!

DIY: Giving Tree Save the Dates

Simple, natural and reminiscent of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, these save-the-dates could complement a number of simple chic wedding styles. Care to use them for your own soiree? The template to make them is free and complete with step-by-step how to instructions at Merriment Design. Enjoy!

Sneak Peek: Tara+Robert

Tara and Robert are the kind of couple that bring my job so much joy-they're so fun and easy to work with and they're crazy about eachother. Their wedding is only a few short days away and I'm excited to see how it will all come together. Below are a few of their engagement photos taken by Kaylee Eylander of Eylander Photography and based on what I've seen of her work so far, their wedding photos are sure to be nothing short of amazing!

Happy Friday: Bad Bridesmaid Gown Bachelorette

I'm a fan of the bad bridesmaid gowns and ended up finding a FABULOUS bachelorette party idea via the internet. Keep in mind, it's an idea best used for the insanely outgoing-I-have-no-shame bride and her pals and if anyone pursues this avenue, PLEASE send pictures!!!

A Bad Bridesmaid Gown Bachelorette works on this premise: once upon a time you've spent way too much money on those awesome gowns that perhaps should see the light once again... ;) Or better yet, raid your local thrift store, find the best sequined, bedazzled, layered, poof-sleeved number you can get your paws on and strut your stuff with your gal pals for an insane night on the town. Think of the scrapbook pictures afterwards!

While you mull over the possibilities, a few more fabulous gown finds:

As if the gown couldn't get any better, check out the shoes!

Do these dresses remind any one else of Jem

(for those who don't remember Jem think 80's rockstar cartoon icon)

Mrs. Claus wants her gowns back.

. . .words can't express the glory of these gowns. . .

Happy Friday everyone!

Kissing Alternatives

I found these awesome ideas at C Star Events' Blog and LOVED THEM! Had to share! At weddings, it's customary for the guests to clink on their glassware in order to get the newlyweds to kiss. As you can imagine, once the glass starts clinking it tends to go alllllll night-which can get annoying really quickly.

The first option is a kissing menu: it works on the idea that your guests have to earn your PDA.
Place a menu on the guest tables, or at the bar. It lists off what guests need to do in order to get a kiss from the couple-and in return provides a great and active way for guests to have fun at your wedding!

The second is a kissing tree. Tags are hung from a tree and list off activities that guests can take to the DJ who will read them alloud. The guest need to perform the read task and in return the couple will kiss. Activites can be whatever the couple would like-from answering trivia about the couple, to performing a scene from a wedding movie, etc (just a few examples listed from the other post).

Both are super cute and fun ideas to get your guests involved in the day and to avoid the crash of glasses all evening. Get creative with either and you're sure to have a fabulous wedding!

Eco Ideas: No Electricity Wedding

Part of why I love what I do is the challenge. That's why I loved this post from Earth Friendly Weddings. The idea is to go through your entire wedding electricity free. Impossible you say? Definitely not.

Here are the tips that Earth Friendly Weddings suggests:

• Skip the lights. Hold your wedding outside in daylight.
• Hire an acoustic band. Keep the guest list small and intimate so they can hear the music without speakers.
• Although you have no control over how guests actually get to your wedding, have your ceremony and reception in the same place so guests can walk between the events.
• The biggest obstacle is food. It might be tricky (and it might illicit a few choice words from your serious meat eating cousin) but...it can be done! To serve food at a true-zero electricity wedding, thing BIG salad bar. Vegetables, saladas, pasta salads, breads, fruits, cheeses, and cold cuts are just some of the goodies you could offer.
• Another option? Use a gas grill, which emits a lot less CO2 than charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. This will satisfy that meat eating cousin and you could even create some very interesting desserts with a grill-think bananas foster or grilled peaches. . .

Going electricity free doesn't have to mean nixing a classy affair. Hold an early afternoon wedding that fades into a candlelit twighlight by the end of the reception. Choose local gourmet food items to serve your guests-seasonal and organic fruit and bread with wheels of cheese paired with local wines. Opt for grilled vegetables and meats. Keep the guest list intimate so guests can hear everything without the use of a mic and request cocktail attire so everyone in attendance knows that despite the use of the outdoors and the lack of electricity, that your wedding is still a classy fete.

Black and White Beauty

Sometimes keeping things simple can make the biggest impact. For example, this photo spread from Martha Stewart Weddings: the only colors really featured throughout are black, white, gray and a very pale pink background. And yet the pictures and the style are so visually stunning you can't help but think it's all beautiful. At least I do :)


I'm not a fan of table clutter at weddings. I prefer for all of the items on a table to have a purpose-centerpiece for decor, candles for lighting, setmware for wine, etc-and to keep things as clean and minimal as necessary.

That's what I love about these wine bottles. They serve so many purposes it pratically makes me giddy: 1. You get the option of picking affordable wine without your guests knowing because the label has been replaced with 2. the table number that keeps things minimal by being directly on the bottle 3. and the bar line is shorter because you've started guests off with a drink right at their seat 4. in a beautiful and stylized way that still matches your fete! And the tuxedo style is awesome! I love that the labels resemble cuffs! So fun!






The lapel on this groom matches the coat but it still provides some very cool and chic impact. I love how the color blends in, but the texture still makes it noticeable.

A black and white tablescape just screams glamour! By keeping the colors to a minimum, it makes the textures of your decor pieces stand out and any dabs of color that are included really pop in a sophisticated way! Elegant script on a menu card is far from lost because the minimal use of color makes it a dramatic focal point at each guests' setting.

I love that each centerpiece is in a different shade of gray fabric around the vase, and how each one has just the slightest hints of maroon amongst the flowers!

A sweet treat to send guests home with is a lovely way to end the night. Notice how the blooms resemble the groom's lapel? And the alternating between white, grays and blacks for the boxes and the flowers keeps the theme going.

Playing Dress-up!

I was invited by Semiahmoo Resort to be a designer at their Wedding Open House yesterday and had an amazing time! Working within the Loomis Trail Mansion was a fun challenge and I appreciated the opportunity to show off my stuff! Major kudos go out some some pretty fabulous people that worked with me on this project-I could not have done this without them: Kate Fadden from In Bloom Designs put together the flowers for the room and she did a fantastic job, Kerri of Kerri Efendi Designs handled the gorgeous stationery suite, Drew Graham from Wannadance Mobile DJ provided background music, and Jen from Jen Martin Studios shot the beautiful photos you see here. All are exceptional vendors that I would recommend to any bride! Enjoy!

Freebie Friday revealed

Jen, you get a fabulous new tote bag! Thanks for posting!

Stay tuned in a few weeks for the next goodie being given away!