DIY « One Beautiful Blog

Bridal Fashion, Styling and Unveiling Oh my!

June 8th, 2011

This event is sure to be a fabulous one! Will we see you there?

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Your “Favor”-ite tunes!

April 8th, 2011

Edible Favors are always a crowd pleaser! However, I am the first to admit that I probably already ate the cute little m&m’s with your initials on them before even leaving your wedding. It makes the ride home even more wonderful.

But sometimes, it’s nice to get to take the favor home and think of the couple every time you use it. A gift that can be used for years to come is timeless. That is why, one of my all-time favorite favors is a custom CD with fun music that we danced our shoes off to at the wedding! It is simple, meaningful, and I can upload it into my iTunes program! The best part, it’s easy to do and it gives you a chance to throw in a few of your favorite love songs with your sweetie.

If you’re a DIY bride, it can be easy as pie to do on your computer at home. Or, you can always reach out to a company and have them do it for you. These particular ones are from www.giftcds.com. Put some ribbon on it or wrap it like a present (in your colors of course!) and place it at your guests’ place seating and they’ll be excited to unwrap what’s underneath!

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How to Raise The “Bar”: Q & A

March 29th, 2011

Our bar is turning out to be extremely expensive. What are some ways we can cut back without looking “cheap”?

While a bar at your wedding can be costly let’s go over a few tips that can make it more manageable. The best way to get a bang for your buck when planning you’re wedding bar has been well noted as offering a “Signature” drink. The simple reason for this is that you will pool all of your bar resources into a few simple ingredients. A great example is a Mojito which is traditionally made of five ingredients: mint, rum, sugar, lime juice and sparkling water.

If limiting your bar selection is not your top choice another great option is to purchase the ingredients for a great bar from a local super store. Costco and Sam’s Club offer a great selection and at very fair prices. One of the highlights of purchasing from a wholesale store is the generous return policy. Worrying about the tab during the evening will be a non-issue because you have the ability to return any unopened bubbly and will have predetermined your maximum spent. The same is true with a great non-member wholesale store, BevMo! but with a nice plus they deliver! Again, limiting the selection will save you money and with less options (three hard top shelfs, one red and one white) you can keep your guests interest longer, and keep your overall budget down.

One other pointer that I think is important to keep in mind is the actual bar staff. You can give them guidelines on pouring, for example, a full to-the-brim glass is unnecessary. Also, offer non-alcoholic refreshments when guests arrive and before the ceremony. After the ceremony offer an open cocktail selection and with dinner offer wine. If you are a fan of champagne toast absolutely offer one. However many pre-poured glasses go un-sipped so instead let guests toast with what they are already drinking.

A last sage piece of advice is to only offer what you feel comfortable serving (some brides love tequila but others have seen their guests get rowdy after a round of shots).

Cheers!

Photo credits: Amy and Stuart Photography, Hazelnut Photography

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Get Excited About Guest-books!

March 19th, 2011

Guest-books are a great way for your guests to send you a personal message on your special day. So why not make sure this special message is presented in a special way! There are so many unique and great options , but let us highlight some of our favorites.

The Wedding Yearbook: Using Polaroid cameras your guests can take fun photos of themselves and place them inside your book with a message next to their picture. It might be a good idea to secure the Polaroid camera to your guest book so guests do not become impromptu photographers. Use self-adhesive photo corners so photos are easily placed into your book

Nestbook or Thoughtful Tree: Shown in manzanita above. Cut out doves in colors that match your wedding. Sporadically place nests throughout the tree, using wire to secure them in place. Make sure the vase has a large base to prevent it from tipping over and nests are large enough to hold multiple notes!

Mailbox: There are many postcard options that could resemble something significant about you and your partner, or the location of your wedding. You may even want to consider printing out your own using your favorite photos. The neat thing about this idea, is that your guest will find your postcards on a table, fill them out and drop them off in a mailbox as directed (whether it be in the lobby or collected at the end of the reception). The postcards are mailed to you so you and your partner can enjoy reading them when they are delivered! Keep in mind postage adds up, so make sure this honors your budget.

Typewriter: For a vintage touch, you can rent a typewriter! Guests can continuously keep typing messages to you throughout your special day. Roll up the messages as a scroll and tie it with a ribbon. This makes for a wonderful keepsake.

A fabulous do it yourself (DIY) project is the “20 Questions” guest-book. At each table there will be a book with a different question on the front. Make up your own fun questions to intrigue guests and enjoy reading their answers! Each guest will find a pen on top of their place settng with a ribbon around it, the ribbon should read “don’t forget to sign the booklet”. You can find a template for this DIY project at Marthastewart.com. After your special day has come and gone, your set of books can adorn a shelf in your home!

Photo Credits: Marthastewart.com

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A Cookie or A Cake…

March 18th, 2011

Are you bracing yourself? I don’t really like cake–gasp! I know, it’s a sin! I mean, please understand, I’ll eat cake in order to get my sweet fix, but I prefer other desserts. I’d rather have a gooey chocolate brownie or a soft peanut butter cookie… maybe some fresh strawberries dipped in melted chocolate. I can’t be the only one! So what do I do when I’m “supposed” to have a wedding cake to cut into?!

Tradition, be thrown into the wind! There are plenty of other ways to satisfy my (and my guests) sweet tooth while still maintaining the allure of a beautiful cake. These are some of my favorite creative ideas. Warning: you may get very hungry while looking these over!

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Mirrored Tape

June 22nd, 2009

In Style July 2009

It was a regular weekend of reading, following up with brides and looking for inspiration. Then, I came across something unconventional that I think I might just love! InStyle has a one-pager in their current issue about “Pretty Projects”. It’s in the life section and for brides flipping through a million magazines (admit it girls) it’s easy to miss something new and totally cool. So this stuff comes in rolls just like any packing tape but it’s got a twist that could be prefect for a new cool table, wall or wedding display: mirrored tape. I’m thinking you could incorporate it on tables as framing, maybe the escort display or photo memory. It’s literally out of the box and at $8 a roll could make a standout display, really stand out!

available at www.amazon.com

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A Stitch in Time

July 31st, 2008

I cut this page out from a magazine in the Spring of 2003. I clearly have far too many magazine “pull pages” that I am sorting through. This one still intrigues me and it’s not a “new” idea. Memory Quilting marries the age-old art of quilt making with the modern process of photo transferring. Inspiration from the latest celebrity wedding can be found on any news stand. The 1980′s sign-in books have given way to little notes in glass bowls, photo booth snapshots and signature notes in a beautiful coffee table book (my fav). All good, interactive and novel. If you want to do something special and distinctive consider creating a quilt composed of your guests special notes and wedding photos.

Make a Memory Quilt:

1. Purchase quilting material and cloth pens OR purchase crisp paper

2. Create a simple informative sign for guests to explain this alternative “guestbook”

3. Collect the guests notes and photos from the wedding (scan and print on transfer paper)

4. Build your quilt or take it to a professional who can assemble it for you

…If it’s soft and cuddly this memory will stay out of your treasure chest and on your sofa…

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