Day #2 - Gifting Your Guests

Giving your wedding a guests is not a must anymore.  I mean when you think about it everything you do for the wedding, from invitations to food to the open bar, is a gift.  But should you decide that giving your wedding guests a take home favor...make it edible.  I promise if the favor is edible your wedding planner will not be returning any unused or forgotten favors.

Below are some suggestions of favors that I have not seen go to waste:

• Garrett's Popcorn
• Customized cookies
• Candy and dessert bars with the couple's favorite treats
• Personalized cigars
• Mini wine or champagne bottles
• Chocolate dipped pretzels...heck chocolate dipped anything :)

Until next time...WEDologize

Photo credit - www.RushPhotoVideo.com

Thank You For Attending Our Wedding!

After you have cut the wedding cake and your reception dinner has been served to your guests, ask your photographer to take a "thank you" picture or this can be done during your post-ceremony photos.  This picture can then be inserted into your wedding thank you cards or even designed as a post card to thank your guests for their attendance and gift.

Until next time...WEDologize!


Photography by Rush Productions

CSW: Cues to Kiss

Kisses from the newly married couple during the wedding reception truly gets the guests excited!  So when Chicago Style Weddings asked me to give a few ideas on ways to incorporate this "tradition" into the wedding reception festivities, that was easy. Check out the suggestions I made within the article:

"You will still hear clanking of the glasses at a lot of receptions because that is the known tradition for getting the bride and groom to kiss," says Desiree' Moore Dent of Dejanae Events. But she offers some "alternatives to avoid breaking your water glass," such as ringing mini bells or hiring a "fun DJ that gets the guests involved and randomly stops the music and shouts out 'kiss'!"

You can view the entire article and others in Chicago Style Weddings eMagazine at http://www.chicagostyleweddings.com/emagazine.aspx.
 

Until next time...WEDologize!

Wedding Photo Booth Mania

One of the most popular activities, that can turn into a great guest wedding favor, is the photo booth!  The newlyweds, bridal party, family and friends enjoy this reception activity so much that they go in and out the booth multiple times.  But what truly makes this activity fun are the props.  Some photo both companies provide props, but should you want to go on a DIY quest of your own, consider some of the ideas below:

Make a box (or trunk) of fun props like hats, boas, glasses for your guests.
You can easily grab these items from party stores.

Have fun with this DIY project of creating funny paper props attached to sticks.
Open up a pack of construction paper, glitter, markers and glue...then enjoy!

Add these really cool word bubbles for guests to write you a crazy message in chalk.

And don't forget the scrapbook for the photo print out and for guests to leave you a message.
This makes a GREAT alternative over your traditional guest book.

And should you be creating your own backdrop, jazz it up with sparkle and whimsical garland.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: Photobooth - Photo Booth Rocks; trunk of props - Majestic Photo Booth; Paper Props - OneWed; Word Bubbles - Hello Lucky; scrapbook - Hudson Valley Ceremonies; Backdrop - www.hillaryschuster.tumblr.com)

It's National Donut Day!

It's National Donut Day...well tomorrow, June 1st actually is the day to celebrate, but I decided to make the announcement today since Friday's blogs are held for Pin It Pics.  So in celebration of one of my favorite treats...check out some ways to incorporate the donut into your wedding or event. Enjoy :)

It doesn't get any better than a cupcake + a donut!!!

Add a dessert bar of...DONUTS!

Instead of just hot chocolate, add a mini donut as a treat!

Add the end of the night, bless your guests with donuts or bagels
and a serving of coffee!

 

For the donut loving couple, instead of wedding cake...donut cake!

Add a stick to it and create a donut pop!

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit: cupcakes - www.kirbiecravings.com; bar - http://www.dynamodonut.com;  hot chocolate - www.marthastewartweddings.com; favor - http://blog.myjeanm.com; cake - www.theknot.com; donut holes - http://indulgy.com)

Pop+Corn=Fun! (Day#21)

Now I love a GREAT candy bar or dessert table, but have you ever given thought to a Popcorn Buffet???  One of my July 2011 brides loved the idea and purchased all varieties of Garrett's Popcorn for this fun interactive favor display for her wedding guests...accompanied by personalized popcorn boxes she ordered from an Etsy store.  Guests went wild once the Popcorn Bar was revealed and hovered around it most of the night!  Now that's a favor worth it's weight in gold...or should I say popcorn :)

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits:  from the personal iPhone library of Dejanae Events and www.vsphoto.com.)

S'More Love (Day#9)

Today's blog will appeal to you visually and it might make you revert back to your childhood...well at least for a moment.  S'Mores during the winter months are soooooo very popular and are now popping up everywhere when considering a favor for your wedding guests.  Or should you just  decide to have a fun friends over for some evening fun, consider these ideas.

Until next time...WEDologize!


(photo credits - www.pamperedchef.com; www.nicolemacaluso.wordpress.com; www.annies-eats.com; www.blogs.babble.com; www.weddingwindow.com; www.creatingcoutureparties.com)

Marshmallows...a Fluffy Delight!

I've been seeing tons of posts and pictures about mini cupcakes and cake pops, but don't forget the newest dessert craze positioned beautifully on dessert buffets and even as favors...the marshmallow!  Now, I'm not speaking about the "Camp Fire" brand, but those delicately created by confection divas hosting a wide range of flavors.  I was so inspired to create this post when one of my favorite confection-ista's just announced that after five years of making wonderfully delicious truffles, she's now bringing out a tasty line of marshmallow treats just in time for the holidays :)  Congratulations Katherine-Anne Confections and check out her blog post for more details!!!


Now onto a little photo inspiration:

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.katherine-anne.com; www.brendasweddingblog.com; www.sweetestoccassion.com; www.veiledhaven.com)

Favoring Your Guests

Although I have been finding a lot of couples making donations to their favorite charities in lew of guest favors, you still have the couples that love that tradition. My biggest suggest is keep it simple and edible! It's amazing how many keys chains and wine bottle stoppers I pick up at the end of the reception and give back to the couple along with their other packed items. But an edible guest favor...WOW...all you see are empty wrappers on the tables. Consider some of these unique suggestions:

Delicious organic truffles from Katherine Anne Confections...and her caramels are to die for, too!

How about Hot chocolate on a stick by http://www.petrossian.com/

A Whoopie Pie by http://www.wannahavacake.com/ that I'm almost sure your guests will eat before they depart!

Caramel or chocolate-dipped fortune cookies from http://www.myluckyfortune.com/

Yummy bag of cotton candy from http://www.flosszone.com/

And my fav absolutely has to be cake bites! Check out my newest Twitter fans of My Cake Bite Delights...you'll love them!

Until next time...WEDologize!

Christmas Ornaments Aren't Just For The Tree

As I'm starting to warm up to the holiday season and accept the fact that Christmas is around the corner, I take notice of all the gorgeous Christmas ornaments throughout the stores. In wanting to be the planner offering advice on how to plan a wedding on a budget, I've planted some suggestions on how to use holiday ornaments to accent your ceremony and reception. So head on out to those after-Christmas sales and purchase all the ornaments you can!!!

A snowflake ornament attached to a wedding invitation or given as a wedding favor.

A whimsical spin on a bride or bridesmaids bouquet using ornaments, crystals and tulle.

Loving the ornament escort card holders that also double as a wonderful favor.

A pretty low centerpiece incorporating ornaments and flowers.


...and you've gotta love what Martha Stewart did with tissue paper decor and ornaments. Can you imagine this hanging over a guest table or framing the dance floor.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits - http://www.w-weddingflowers.com/; http://www.theknot.com/; http://www.bridezilla.com/; http://www.beau-coup.com/; http://www.marthastewart.com/; http://www.weddingideas2.com/)

Sweets! Sweets! And More Sweets!

I just read an article on the New York Times website about a couple in Pittsburgh that had an all cookie dessert station at their reception. I simply love the idea and I'm sure their guest enjoyed it! Today's couples are moving away from the costly wedding favors that are placed at each guest's place setting and opting to give them something that is sure to make them smile. Too many times I've collected extra guest favors and returned them to the couple at the end of the reception. I always wonder what are they going to do with dozens of CD's, wine stoppers, colored boxes or organza pouches..."Tis the Season". Candy Buffets, Dessert Bars and Popcorn Stations are becoming mainstream at receptions just like the signature drink did a few years ago. These interactive stations allow guest to sample some of the couples favorite treats during the festivities or box/bag them up to go. Plus, the variety of offerings available will have your coordinator packaging up EMPTY vases at the end of the evening. And don't think these stations have to color coordinate with your wedding palette, cookies and candy come in too many different colors to limit yourself. Indulge!!

Until next time...WEDologize.