I love these adorable candy jars, which you can fill with candy of course, or anything else… paperclips for an office theme, tea leaves for an Oriental theme, seeds for a garden theme… Then add the finishing touch with a personalized label! Besides being cute,  your guests can take them home and re-purpose them for whatever they desire!

Another pretty yet useful wedding favor are these mini-notebooks and pens. No more rummaging around in your bag or pocket trying to find a scrap of paper and a pen! These tiny notebooks are just the thing if you want something personalized and useful that you’re guests will love!  Choose a color scheme and motif, and then customize the label with your names, the wedding date, and your last name initial.

A mug– now that’s always handy! These personalized glass mugs makes a memorable wedding reception gift for all your guests, whether they’re coffee, tea, or hot cocoa drinkers! They’re made extra special after you choose your own design, icons, colors, font style, name and date! (If you prefer, there are also shot glasses, wine glasses, tumblers, and flutes!)

On their own, or paired with the mugs and tumblers, these little drink packets are a delicious wedding or shower favor–easy to transport home, too! Choose lemonade or hot cocoa, depending on the season, and then personalize them with your choice of exclusive monogram designs. Yum!

Personalized napkins– regular and eco-friendly– are available in 4 sizes (dinner, luncheon, beverage, and hand towels) and an impressive spectrum of 28 lovely colors, 9 ink colors, and 3 type fonts! The eco-friendly, absorbent variety are made from 65% post-consumer material for earth-friendly peace of mind.

Take a look at these and other exclusively designed gifts and favors at American Bridal. You’ll love the great selection and flair they’ll add to your celebration!

After buying some books on the subject, she began making her own silk wedding flower creation from her home. After some time, she took a job with a local florist and fell in love with fresh flowers, and moved on to become the manager of a busy flower shop and the head florist designer…. and the rest is history.

What it all comes down to is that Louann has tons of experience she wants to share with the rest of us about flowers, from ordering them to making gorgeous wedding arrangements. I suggest you check out her site, Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas, for ideas, pictures, advice, and tutorials, to get you started on your own wedding flowers!

Here are a few of my favorite ideas. Your guests will “ooh” and “ahh” over these unique and beautiful designs, in addition to being astounded at your creative genius!

Centerpieces in a Bag!

Something as simple as a brown paper bag, adorned with a cheerful bow can hold a blooming plant as a simple, attractive (but cheap!) wedding centerpiece!

Fish Bowl Centerpieces

Create quick and elegant centerpieces using fish bowls , Oasis florist foam rings, and flowers. You can add colored water and floating candles to the fishbowl, or delight your guests with real goldfish! (Photo courtesy of John Henry.)

Dainty Candle Centerpieces

These small candle centerpieces can be tucked most any where – on supper tables, near dinner reservation cards, bridal showers and more. Here we have a small candle nestled in the center of a rose, (with center petals removed) and an unusually pretty, rustic-looking candle holder made of fresh leaves, such as ficus or lemon, glued to the sides of a candle cup.

Delightful, Fruity Centerpieces

When life hands you lemons… make centerpieces! These over-the-top centerpieces are certainly out of the ordinary! (Photo courtesy of John Henry.)

Black Magic Bouquets and Centerpieces

These dramatic black magic roses create quite an impact, both in your bridal table centerpieces and in your bouquets. When using these flowers, use some bright red or hot pink for contrast.

If you are interested in designing your own flowers, be sure to check out the Easy Tutorial pages and the Supply Store, where you can find all the products you need, from bouquet holders and stands to centerpiece supplies. These products are sometime difficult to find, as they are usually only available to professional florists.

You can also find galleries of inspiration for the following wedding-related themes: Wedding hair styles, bridal bouquets, flower girl baskets, corsage and boutonnieres, wedding cakes, bridal shower ideas, church decorations, weddings by color and season, invitations, and more! Check out Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas for hundreds of photo galleries full of wedding-inspiration!

DIY Wedding Favors, too!

Are you interested in making your own wedding favors to go along with your hand-made centerpieces? Check out American Bridal’s Wedding Favor supplies for incredibly creative, unbelievably cheap wedding favors your guests will love. Whether you’re looking for edible goodies or luxurious aroma beads, American Bridal has an impressive selection of cheap and discounted wedding supplies to create wedding favors that are fun and functional!

American Bridal also has candles and tea lights that you can use as wedding favors or as part of your centerpiece designs!

Many brides search for the ultimate outdoor wedding location to capture the romance of their special day. If you are looking for a wedding spot that’s out of the ordinary, a vineyard may be the perfect destination, adding a touch of sophistication and elegance to your outdoor wedding.  Perfect Outdoor Weddings chose the top five vineyards where you can treat yourselves to beauty, serenity, enjoyable group activities, and fine wines, while celebrating the most wonderful day of your lives.

1. The most popular, Martha’s Vineyard, located in Massachusetts, is known for being remote from the mainland. If you are looking for that private island, Martha’s Vineyard is the ideal wedding destination — only accessible by boat or air. Martha’s Vineyard offers several unique wedding locations, including five lovely lighthouses overlooking the vineyard. Or you can tie the knot in a gorgeous gazebo at one of the local inns or vacation rentals.

2. Located north of San Francisco, another great spot is California’s wine country in Sonoma and Napa Valley. The Vintage Estate in Napa Valley is a 23-acre wedding destination, known for its wine production and lush scenery. Napa Valley is also known for fine art museums and antique shops. Sonoma County is home to beautiful pastures, wineries, and mystical rivers, offering activities such as hot-air balloon rides, surfing, and canoeing.

3. The charismatic Newport Vineyards, located in Middletown, Rhode Island is a delightful place to get married. The private wine garden comes with a wedding package that also includes on-site catering and personal wine tasting. Gansett Cruises offers a unique “Breakfast Sunrise” cruise that all your guests will enjoy.

4. Looking for a dreamy outdoor wedding venue? The Grand River Vineyard, located in Palisade, Colorado will definitely make your heart beat faster. The Wine Country Inn, features a breath-taking view of the vineyard, and has a beautiful gazebo and open patio area, perfect for an outdoor wedding. The whole wedding party can enjoy activities such as horseback riding, fishing and hiking.

5. Finally, Millbrook Vineyard and Winery, located in Millbrook, New York is a diamond in the rough. Millbrook Vineyard allows you to rent out the entire vineyard for your wedding ceremony. Set atop a hill, this quaint vineyard has quite a stunning view. In addition to outdoor activities like hiking and fishing, you and your guests can treat yourselves to an indoor art show.

Add the perfect touch to your vineyard wedding with gorgeous, unique wedding favors! ]]> http://www.bride.net/2008/five-breathtaking-destinations-for-your-vineyard-wedding/feed/ 0 http://www.bride.net/2008/wedding-theme-asian-inspiration/ http://www.bride.net/2008/wedding-theme-asian-inspiration/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:29:24 +0000 dena http://www.bride.net/?p=540 Fusing Asian tradition with Western weddings is a popular, growing trend. Asia is known as a place of multiple cultures, adventure, and mystique, with a history dating back thousands of years. Tying Asian elements into your wedding will add layers of richness and significance as you connect to your heritage.  In Chinese culture, red signifies good luck and is widely used in auspicious events, and gold accents further signify prosperity.

If you want to celebrate your heritage and showcase the beauty of Asian cultures, it can be featured in a wedding that reflects your personal tastes, whether it’s more trendy, classic, or a mixture of both! Incorporate elements like cherry blossoms, brocade, saki cups, and chopsticks, all embellished with Japanese calligraphy or Chinese characters.

The photos above come from Manolo for the Brides. The decor is from Social Couture, but MftB points out that the look can be easily and inexpensively replicated with accessories from the craft store, eBay, the Oriental Trading Company, and Amazon. These favors below are from the Oriental Trading Company:

American Bridal also has a selection of Asian-styled favors such as these, for something a little more upscale:

Paper lanterns, like these pictured at MftB and Paper Lantern Store, add a delicate, colorful touch:

The Paper Lantern Store also sells hand fans and parasols in a variety of colors and patterns. How pretty your bridal party will look in pictures, carrying these lovely accessories! Here are a few of their parasols:

And here are some of their pretty fans (in all colors to match your wedding!):

To put the perfect finishing touch on your Asian styled wedding, you’ll need a cake adorned with cherry blossoms, of course!