the wedding house wreath

Nothing says "Wedding House" more than a beautiful welcoming wedding wreath gracing the front door!

When my daughter was married this past summer, my sister-in-law made me two grapevine wreaths (below)decorated with white finger starfish, cherry blossoms and white organza ribbon to compliment the wedding's beach theme. I hung one over my daughter's chair at the bridal shower and the other on my front door for the entire summer! It was like a season-long wedding celebration!



Wreaths radiate goodness! They convey celebration and welcome others to celebrate with you, and just like the wedding ring, the circular wreath symbolizes both unity and the promise of regeneration and the cycle of life.


Whether you make your own or purchase one already made, a wedding wreath can be a unique way of announcing your wedding to the world! Hang one on your front door and don't forget the doors of mom's of the bride and the groom!


Wreaths from top to bottom: Two Inspire You, courtesy of my sister-in-law,CM Designs,April Hiler Designs,Two Inspire You

grooming gifts for the groom's men

It's fairly easy to come up with gift ideas for the ladies in your wedding, am I right? But what about the guys? Where do you think that engraved ball point pen is going to end up, and seriously, what guy wants to pull out a sterling silver flask with his initials on it to pass around at a football game?

What about a little guy pampering from Origins? Most guys (not all) are never really sure what to buy when it comes to hair and skin products--they just look for some basic guy packaging. That's what I love about Origins for men! Cool guy names in macho guy packaging: Firefighter After Shave, Skin Diver Charcoal Body Wash, Clear Head Shampoo & Conditioner, Jump Start Body Balm, and our personal favorite, Save the Males Multi-Benefit Moisturizer!

Think guys don't care for these kinds of pampering gifts? Think again! It's all in the packaging and all yours for the giving!

mirror mirror

I just love love love Target! And even though $32.99 seems a bit pricey for a compact mirror from Target, these pretty 2 3/4" vintage ladies are just priceless! There are four chic designs in all and they ship for free. Wouldn't they be the perfect bridesmaid gift, or a fun accessory for the bride to keep in her clutch and touch up her make up throughout the evening? Just love these!

create your own dream dress!

OMG! I've searched the internet far and wide for a gorgeous yet reasonable custom vintage dress and here I am, back at etsy! Is this gown not gorgeous? KT Jean Designs will work with you to create that perfect dream dress for your wedding with prices starting at $1,700. This girl has some beautiful dresses--you really must check out this shop if this is in your price range! Below: love this fall color combo with the vintage gown!

sweet tweet tags!

Look at these sweet vintage bird tags I found at Green a la Cards! A set of 6, hand-cut, with this pretty apple ribbon for just $4.00! Check out this shop--more sets are available! I would love to see these at a bridal tea or as favor tags at a fall wedding!


Or how about these little round love nest tags for that woodland fall wedding? And such a bargain! A set of 8 for only $2.50! Want more? The owner of Pacokeco is open to requests! Each tag is 2 inches round and strung with a straw colored chenille tie! How perfect on pretty apple-green wrapped favors all around the guest tables!

love birds take the cake!

I am not a huge fan of cake toppers but I came across these adorable little love birds in their comfy cozy nest and fell head over heels! This winner is from Red Light Studio on etsy and it sells for $60.00. Although it's sweet just as is, the artist will customize however you like--add a hat, change the colors, add a tie or change the veil!

One always thinks of birds as a spring time theme, but I have to say, I've had just as many birds at my feeders, in my gardens and singing from my trees this September as I had in the spring. And just think of the possibilities if you decide to incorporate birds as part of a woodland or a harvest theme! Hmmm . . . I'll have to come up with an inspiration board for that wedding! Stay tuned.

Why not pay a visit to the Red Light Studio and see for yourself--there are more than 30 different cake toppers to get twitter-pated over! And I LOVE every last one!

wedding photo art!

Want to do something really fun and unique to commemorate your special day? How about a custom-made wedding canvas to grace your wall? At GeeZee's on etsy, shop owner and artist, Stephanie, will take your photo and turn it into a canvas work of art with your text of choice! The example above is 14" x 25", stretched canvas on wood, and costs $159.

But this is just one example--the possibilities are endless and Stephanie is more than happy to work with you to make your canvas special and meaningful! Add your wedding vows or special memories or the lyrics to your wedding song! Whatever you decide, this is sure to be one unique way of turning a wedding photo into a work of art! Think of it as a gift to yourselves as you begin your journey together.

j crew autumn tones

I just love the classic look of J Crew wedding party dresses! And all these great autumn colors to choose from!

September
Check out these silk taffeta dresses in three sweet September hues! Above from L to R: gracen in spiced wine ($215), lorelei in silk floral ($250), and clementine in light sage ($215). Other September shades: barely peach, champagne and papaya.


October
Above: three fabulous styles in a silk tricotine in pine bough green and mediterranean blue--awesome October shades! From L to R:robin ($195), sophia $165) and cecelia ($225). Also available in: deep rose, vintage burgundy, tawny brown and espresso.


November
Or perhaps classic black for that night-time November affair? Above, all in cotton cady, from L to R: serena, sydney, and erica (each $225). Besides black: clover, light caramel and azalea.

I can find pretty comparable knock-off's for most items, but how can I compromise the exquisite beauty of an authentic J Crew dress? I don't know how they do it, but it seems they have a style that can flatter absolutely every figure.

Don't like the price? If your wedding is another year away, consider checking out their sales! My daughter was married this past summer and I purchased the gorgeous sophia dress (retail $165) in January (J Crew has an incredible New Years sale!) in bright rhubarb for $39.99!

For more on my ensemble savings, go to my Mom of the Brides blog where I go into more specifics on how to do J Crew for less!

Thanks for checking in! Check back soon for more fabulous wedding finds and smart ways to save on your favorite wedding attire and decor!

scrabble anyone?

Big points scored with these adorable little pendants from snappypendants on etsy.com made from SCRABBLE TILES! A whole set of classy little pendants (chains sold separately)for all the ladies--the bride, the bridesmaid, the maid of honor and the mom-of-the-bride! For $5.00!

Or how about giving these fun and funky scrabble tile necklaces to your attendants? I chose these pretty autumn hues from calooshi on etsy (did I mention how much I just love etsy?). $6.99--chain included!

clutch this!

I am just crazy about etsy.com! These fabulous clutches, all lined with 100% dupioni silk and all for $65, make the absolute perfect bridesmaid/maid-of-honor gift. Such a fun and colorful way to accessorize the most chic of wedding parties! All from FIAZCO on etsy! And they will even customize for your wedding and include personalized messages for gift-giving--check it out!