Party Invitations, Party Planning & Event Ideas

Western Style For A Fall Party

There is a chill in the air and the nights are getting shorter, but many of us are not ready to give up our outdoor entertaining. It does not feel right to move into the true "harvest style" entertaining, so why not a western theme! This is a casual way to continue entertaining outside on those cooler days. With a few Western Style Details, great food and friends  you can have a fun and memorable day! Here are a few ideas to get the party started.

1, 3 & 4 Hoedown from Country Living. 2 Wedding from Brides.com. 5 Texas Barbecue from Country Living. 

 

1 & 5 Hoedown from Country Living. 2 Wedding from Brides.com. 3 Texas Barbecue from Country living. 4. Cowgirl Cookies from Bakerella.

Posted by Entertain Exchange.

DIY Recipe: Fortune Cookies

 

 

Am I the only one that likes to take packages and packages of fortune cookies away from my favorite Asian restaurant? I usually end up having to pay extra because they're just that delicious! Well, I found a pretty simple recipe that adds a gourmet spin to this cultural staple. Head on over to No Fuss Fabulous for more. 

More ideas at Sweet Cuddlecakes.  

Vintage Flair For Your Affair

There are many little vintage details turning up in today's celebrations. Sometimes it is the smallest details that catch your eye and make something a little more special...especially when it is treasured keepsake. We all have a few heirloom items around the house...some little treasure that reminds us of someone special. In addition, those who like to search for little gems at flea markets might rethink the purpose of their treasures. Here is a collection of ideas to reinvent some old and treasured things that can add a little charm to your next gathering.

Mixing a few antique items with today's modern pieces brings interest to any table.

1. & 2. Flea market crystals hung on simple bud vases with a single bloom create this simple centerpiece and mix and match dishes to bring a lot of visual interest and texture to the table. From Country Living.

3. & 4. Fill a few vintage teacups with small bunches of flowers as a charming centerpiece from Better Homes and Gardens and use a vintage sugar bowl to hold mismatched teaspoons on the buffet table from Country Living.

5. Napkin rings made of vintage button cards from Country Living. Get the instructions here.

Add a little bit of vintage to your party favors. Here are a few
original ideas.

1. Boxes covered with decorative paper and trim, with a crepe paper medallion and a shell button center. Inside the favor boxes is a pair of vintage salt and pepper shakers. From Once Wed.

2. Create candle favors using copies of treasured photos and vintage images from Country Living.

3. Find these wall pockets from The Vintage Polka Dot at ETSY. Vintage images on muslin, tucked with lavender, make up these lovely pockets to hang around the house.

4. Vintage gloves filled with soaps and lotions create this beautiful and unique party favor from Quill Cottage.

Here a few ways to re-purpose those vintage items that guests are sure to notice.

1. Vintage postcards made into garland can be found at ETSY. This one is made by Cori Kindred found at Once Wed.

2. Vintage typewriter key wine tags - Impress your guests with this elegant solution to mismatched glasses. Find these great wine tags at QA Create at ETSY.

3. & 4. Here is an original idea...how about using a toothbrush holder to hold the silverware and napkin at each place setting. Another beautiful touch is adding a little tulle and a clip on earring to the stemware on the table. These ideas come from Quill Cottage.

Celebrate your special day with vintage charm.

1. A wedding cake topper handmade with vintage sheet music at ETSY by amadalebel.

2. Beautiful vintage hankies stamped as "Save the Date Card" for a wedding. Every guest will receive something special and unique in the mail. From Lucky Luxe.

3. White vases filled with simple flowers and a vintage camera sit on top of old record albums give this table an eclectic feel. From Once Wed.

4. A Dapper couple sits atop a tiered finial. Handcrafted of vintage sheet music and finished with organza ribbon. Bottom tier is lined box, perfect to hold jewelry or mementos. From D Sharp.

5. Simple DIY cake plate from Vintage Flair - Decorated with vintage ledger paper and clip on earrings.

By Entertain Exchange

Make Your Wedding Eco-Friendly

  Photo by Christopher Cooke of CMC Photography

 

In honor of today being Earth Day, I thought that it would be appropriate to talk about eco-friendly weddings.  Many of the tips can be incorporated into other types of parties and events too.  Just using one or two of these ideas will greatly contribute to helping the world around us!

 

Many wedding couples think that an eco-friendly wedding is difficult to successfully plan or will not look like the fairytale wedding that the bride has dreamed of since she was a little girl.  That is not the case in today’s wedding planning industry.  More people are becoming more conscience of how they can reduce waste in their normal everyday lives, so why not spread your eco-knowledge to your wedding planning?  There are many ways to make your wedding more eco-friendly and in most cases you do not have to give up your fairytale wedding details. 

 

Will you marry me?

From the very beginning of your engagement you can start to add eco-friendly details.  First of all, look for an engagement ring that has a conflict-free diamond.  Companies such as Brilliant Earthoffer these types of items.  Even using your late great-great grandmother’s engagement ring is being environmentally friendly! 

 

Venue

Next, look for a wedding venue that is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building.  Venues that are LEED certified use resources more efficiently.  If you can’t find a LEED certified venue in your area, consider having your wedding in the afternoon either indoors at a building with a lot of windows to let in natural light or consider having an outdoor afternoon wedding where you do not need to use extra electricity for lighting and heating or cooling. 

 

Let them eat cake!

You may also want to search for a caterer that uses organic and sustainable products.  Cakes can even be made with organic ingredients.  There are also organic wines on the market to choose from.  Head over to your local Whole Foods Market to find a wine to compliment your reception meal. 

 

You're Invited

There are many eco-friendly invitations to pick from now-a-days.  Consider using a postcard for RSVP’s to use fewer pieces of paper and also to save on postage. 

 

Decor     

There are many ways to use environmentally friendly decorations as well.  Think about using a local florist that uses organic flowers or use potted plants at the ceremony and reception and guests can take them home at the end of the night.  Candles are a great idea to use instead of floral centerpieces or to add a romantic feel to your wedding.  Soy candles are more environmentally friendly and burn slower.  If you pick a venue with a lot of natural beauty, there is less of a need for decorating.  

  

Say Cheese!

There are even “green” photographers to hire for your special day.  Photographers that use digital equipment help the environment and using an internet gallery for you to view your photo proofs saves paper. 

 

Dance the night away

Other vendors such as DJs can be eco-friendly if they purchase renewable energy credits to offset their electricity use. 

 

Dress the part

You can even go so far as to find wedding attire that is made from organic fabrics, such as help or bamboo.  Even purchasing a dress from a bride on eBay or Craigslist helps the planet, as these dresses are being worn a second time.  Organic make-up lines exist, so the bride and her attendants can help save the planet while looking gorgeous. 

 

Favors

There are many favors out there that are “green.”  Wildflower seeds, donations to charities, and local organic honey are all examples of popular favors. 

 

Registry

 Websites such as www.registerlocally.comlet you register for gifts such as hemp place mats, bamboo cutting boards, and other useful eco-friendly items.

 

Honeymoon

Brides and grooms can end their festivities with a honeymoon to an eco-friendly hotel in locations such as Napa, California, Costa Rica, and Italy. 

 

If none of these items are appealing to you, consider purchasing carbon credits to offset the costs of your guests’ transportation so that you can reduce the carbon footprint that your wedding created. 

 

What are your eco-friendly wedding or event ideas?

 

Kelly Hardin

 

 

Kelly Hardin is a Certified Wedding Consultant and Certified Destination Wedding Coordinator.  She owns Artistic Wedding & Event Planning in California.  

 

 

Love this stuff! Perfectly couture bridal fashions!!

I love anything and everything made just for me. I especially love that there are shops that will make really cute clothes customized for your wedding. I wish I could have worn "The New Mrs. Big Temp" panties under my wedding gown. What a fun surprise that would have been!

Girl Extraordinaire designs whatever you want, in whatever sizes you need, whatever colors, etc... The stuff is so well made and absolutely adorable! 

Designers Tiffany Bressan-Corbett and Courtney Noelle have created a fabulous product that serves the needs of any bride and her wedding party. Their designs have been worn by Tori Spelling, Adrienne Curry and the designs have been featured in The Knot, OK, Rachel Ray, etc...

 

LOVE this bikini! (and wishing I could wear it as well is this girl!)

Tiffany and Courtney have also published a book! I just ordered 4 copies for myself, my daughter and my friend who just had twins. It is the sweetest book and so inspirational.

So, if you are looking for some really cute, not at all cheesy personalized bridal tees and shorts, etc... Check out Girl Extraordinaire! to find out where you can buy this great line.

and check out my blog!

Stock the Bar Wedding Shower Suggestions?

Sarah has a request, any suggestions?...

"My best friend is getting married, and has requested a couples Stock the Bar Party. I want it to be really memorable. Her wedding is going to be an Event, if you know what I mean, and I want the shower to be on the same level. I'd like to have really fun centerpieces/decor, that go with the theme and also honor the bride and groom. We'd like to send the guests home with a nice favor. We'd like to come up with a Signature Cocktail for the event. Help for everything would be greatly appreciated! Any suggestions?"

Let's help Sarah out! Comment with your fun party suggestions!

The Wedding Guest List…helpful tips to keep your list from growing out of control.

For my wedding, the wedding guest list was one of the hardest tasks to tackle.  Selecting colors for the day, the venue, even picking out my dress was less stressful than deciding who makes the cut and who gets the ax.  Okay, so that may sound a little dramatic, but when you have in-laws and your parents telling you that “Aunt Elsie MUST be invited” or “You can’t exactly leave out Cousin Sam’s 10 children” you start to feel the pressure.

So, when I thought I was going to slightly lose it when selecting my wedding guest list, my then fiancé (now husband) and I devised a strategy that really helped.  I have shared this advice with several of my clients and friends and it has helped them to alleviate some stress when coming up with the guest list.  

 

Now, if you don’t have a budget, then no need to keep reading, but if you can really only afford a certain number, then sit down with your parents and your in-laws and explain the following strategy.   In order to stay within budget for your wedding, you all will need to work together, especially when it comes to the wedding guest list.  Explain that in order to do this, you and your fiancé, your parents and your in-laws can only have a certain number of people that they can invite.  Make it fair…so for instance if you want/can afford about 150 people at your wedding, then split it in thirds.  Your folks and in-laws get to invite 50 people each and you and your fiancé get to invite 50 together.  By setting this parameter, this does a couple of things…it makes the list selective; a wedding guest list that consists of those that mean the most to you (and the parents).  It also makes it much easier to find a venue.  If you know that you are only inviting a certain number, then you can immediately rule out certain locations, especially if they can’t accommodate that large of a crowd. Lastly, it sets limits on expectations that 150 is it…no more.

 

Now, and trust me this will happen, when your parents or in-laws or even your list grows beyond your allotment, then here’s what you do.  You ask everyone to prioritize their list.  The people that mean the most to you are on top and those that are past the cutoff (in this instance those below 50) are ranked by importance.  These folks then become the prioritized “B” list. 

Now, there will be people on your “A” list that will decline, so you can then pull from your “B” list, but you MUST keep this in mind: send out your “A” list invites early (about 3 months early) and give them an “RSVP by” date that is about 2 months from the day of your wedding.  That gives you plenty of time to send out invites to your “B” list.   This will also prevent the “B” list members from knowing they are second tier on your wedding guest list.

As a side note, if you are going to send out save the date cards, then this strategy still works, but you only want to send save the dates out to your “A” list.

 

If this strategy won’t work for your wedding guest list, then devise a plan that will work for you.  There would be nothing worse than allowing your guest list to grow beyond your budget and, as a result, create even more stress after your day of celebration is said and done.

Best of luck and happy planning!

Meghann Kopecky

___________________________________________________________________________

Meghann Kopecky is President/Design Director of www.urbanitystudios.com, a three year old stationery design firm.  The company specializes in wedding invitations, birthday party invitations and announcements for all occasions.  See Urbanity's wedding invitations, save the dates and other corresponding pieces.

My Challenge: a Great Wedding Under $5000

so, i am super excited about this post. i know i haven't posted in a while {thanks for reminding me!}, but i have been so busy getting ready for my newest challenge. a fabulous wedding under $5000.

a very good friend of mine got engaged to her long time boyfriend. my girlfriend recently decided to quit her job and go for her master's and PhD, and then she spent her savings on a big down payment for a beautiful old house. all her extra money is going into the new/old house, but she still wants to have a semi-traditional wedding.

so, she called me up to ask me if i could help her. she wants a 'real' wedding, but she only wants to spend about $5000. of course i eagerly accepted the challenge, and the wheels in my mind have not stopped spinning.

research, research, and more research!

so last weekend, laurel and i got inspired to play around with some pretty table-scapes.

she wants her colors to be inspired by the beach. yellow for the sun, blue for the water, and neutrals for the sand. the wedding and reception will be on the beach, so we have so much natural beauty to help us out.

here is what we came up with. i would love to know what you guys think.

allison@occasionsandstyle.com

this first table is more formal. we used plain white cotton tablecloths with a watery blue chiffon fabric layered over the top. white, dotted swiss napkin were placed on top of silver charger plates so the napkins could hang from the table giving the table drape and more volume. my girlfriend has asked if she can use my china, and i of course obliged that request.

the china is a limoges pattern from tiffany&co called moderne. we also used my grandmother's silver and my crystal. the silver is faneuil also by tiffany&co. the crystal is the hampton pattern, again, from tiffany. it's very pretty, but it's not terribly ornate or cut, but heavy enough to be warm and elegant.

we scattered small votive candles in white and pale green.

laurel did these centerpieces. she used floral frogs to create the centerpiece of hydrangea. i bought the flowers from costco for $9!

i think i spent about $12 on this table between the flowers and the candles.

this is the second table we created.

this table was much more casual, but super fun and quite lovely. using the same white tablecloth i found some really sweet seersucker and stripe table runners at Target! i crisscrossed the runners to create 'place mats' instead of charger plates.

laurel, aka miss crafty made napkin rings from seashells i bought while i was at the beach. i think i payed a quarter for each shell, maybe even less! she glued white ric-rac onto a wide tan grosgrain ribbon. she tied the ribbon/shell napkin ring around a plain white cotton napkin. these can be purchased anywhere for any price!

the dinnerware is from Sur la Table. the deep robin's egg blue dinner plates with the pale yellow salad plates really made this table come to life.

we scattered tea lights around the center of the table and under the centerpiece. the flowers, again, Costco!! for $16.

we just basically threw more seashells around the table. i bought these seashells for my daughter and i think i spent about $10 on all of them.

i didn't want to use my formal crystal on this table, so we used some of my everyday wine glasses i found at Pier 1. i think i payed $3-4 per glass.

the sterling champagne bucket was also my grandmother's, and the bottle of perrier jouet in the bucket probably helped give me my late night energy to get this all done! the champagne flutes are the hand painted flutes that come with the perrier jouet gift set. my mother loved perrier jouet, so i have a set of about 20 of these flutes. lucky me!

all in all, i spent maybe $30 on this table. and, i think it's my favorite. i love casual elegance, and this table just makes me feel happy and easy.

if you have pretty china, crystal, and silver or you know someone who does, you can borrow them. if you can't borrow, then you can rent plain white china, and simple flatware and stemware. or, you can opt for a more casual table and use some fun, pretty everyday stuff.

i'm really excited about these tables. i think we can easily create this wedding for $5000!

i can't wait to read your comments!

allison@ occasions&style

An Orange & White Wedding

I'm crazy for orange and white, so was estatic to walk into a chic Pasadina rooftop wedding surrounded by my favorite 2 colors. Enjoy...

 

10 tips to ease the wallet when planning your wedding

With all the talk of surging gas prices, nation-wide mortgage crises, increasing food costs, etc., it feels as though EVERYTHING is becoming more and more expensive.  With so many expenses on the rise, the idea of planning a wedding can feel...well, daunting.  However, I am convinced that you don't have to spend a fortune to have a beautiful and stylish wedding, even during the current economic climate.  With a little bit of organization, diligence and creativity, you can create a wedding that is stunning and doesn't break the bank.

The following 10 tips will help you save some cash and create a memorable and stylish event, even in today's world.

Tip #1

When shopping for a dress, choose one that can easily be modified to look designer.  For example, purchase a simple dress and have a tailor add on a color sash.  With a little bit of creativity and a great tailor, you can save $100's of dollars.

Tip #2

Find venues that will allow you to bring in your own liquor while their staff serves it.  This is usually less expensive, even when you offer your guests top shelf liquors.  Furthermore, keep your cocktail hour to one hour and then only offer wine and beer during the dinner and reception.

Watch your local liquor store for sales and purchase your "bar" over time.  For example, red wine may be on sale this week and your favorite champagne may be a holiday special in a couple of months. 

Tip #3

Order your cake from a grocery store.  Many stores can now make really pretty cakes and all you have to do is dress them up.  These cakes were purchased from a local grocery chain and then adorned with blue ribbon and topped with flowers arranged by a local florist.

Tip #4

Order invitations that are flat print.  This is vastly less expensive than embossed, engraved or letterpress invitations and look just as good.

Tip #5

Use your local craft store coupons to purchase various decor items.  For example, Michaels Craft Store usually has a weekly 40% off coupon.  This coupon is great to use on a large box of votive holders, big candles, ribbon, matte boards, frames, etc.

Tip #6

Work with your caterer to have them provide the main table linens and you provide runners  that incorporate your wedding colors.  Have your vendor provide neutral colors (white or black linens) and add in your splash of color with fabric you purchase at a fabric store.

The theme of this wedding was fly fishing.  Blue silk fabric was purchased and was made to look like a river flowing down the middle of the tables.

Tip #7

Hand make (or computer generate) special touches that will make your event really special.  For example, make your own table cards using a photo, a description and a picture frame.  One idea is to name each of your tables a place that you and your fiance have been and in a sentence or two, explain why that place has so much meaning.  Incorporate a picture of the two of you in that location, place your sign in a frame, and you have a wonderful table card.

Tip #8

Purchase a simple veil and embellish it by hand.  For example, I purchased a cathedral length veil that was very simple. Using fabric glue, I adhered tiny crystals to the veil that matched the pattern on my dress. 

Tip #9

Instead of having flowers as centerpieces, use other items that tie your colors and theme together.  For example, you can use big tall vases filled with fruit or a variety of greenery, or use differing heights of pillar candles tied with ribbon that matches your wedding colors.

Tip #10

Make your own wedding favors or buy simple items that are a nice touch to thank guests  for celebrating your special day with you.  For example, if your color palette is light green and red, purchase fresh pears and make a tag that says "thank you for coming...from the perfect pair" and tie the tag with red ribbon. 

Another idea is to give your guests handmade wine charms tied with a tag that says "thank you for celebrating with us...from the charming couple."

Best of luck with your upcoming wedding. 

Meghann Kopecky

President/Design Director of Urbanity, a company specializing in invitations, announcements and fun party ideas.  www.urbanitystudios.com