"Please Be Seeded" Cherry Blossom Plantable Seed Place Cards
As a wedding expert, I cringe when I hear brides (or read about them) stating that they want open seating for their reception.
Open seating is every guest’s nightmare and it also will prevent you from having a smooth flowing reception.
But hey if you’re a fan of chaos, disorganization and unhappy guests, this may be the option for you!
Putting my sarcasm aside, I would like you to think about being in a crowded cafeteria looking for your friends or searching for an open table. It’s nearly an impossible feat. Or have you ever been at a table, already seated – when someone comes over and asks everyone to shift their chairs so they can fit? It’s annoying and disrupting – especially if you are already eating.
Now think about your reception – what if you’re groom’s obnoxious fraternity brothers storm in first and snatch up the front tables leaving your grandmother to sit in the back? What if your friends who don’t know anyone – are left to sit at a table alone? It doesn’t make it a fun time for your guests – and your guests’ feelings should be of uptmost importance.
While some couples think open seating is fun – it’s really not. If you leave it to chance you will have half empty tables, overcrowded tables, some guests dining with strangers and some guests dining alone. All of which will disrupt your wedding flow and your wedding feel.
You’re guests are like sheep – they want to be led – by you! Unless you’re having a cocktail reception where there are no seats, it is in good taste to assign tables (you don’t have to assign seats, but tables are mandatory!)
If you don’t want to go through the expense of place card holders or frames – don’t. But do splurge on inexpensive place cards (you can buy bulk packs at most craft stores for pennies). Or you can even puchase inexpensive place cards like the cherry blossom ones above – which also double as your wedding favors.
Paint chips and strips for your wedding colors? Who knew? Get inspired for your wedding color palette by visiting a local paint shop or your friendly big box home store. By selecting a palette of paint chips you can easily see which colors go best with each other, get great ideas for base colors and accent colors, and have really cheap swatches to bring with you to all your bridal appointments.
Shown above is a wonderful and popular fall wedding palette for Fall 2009 weddings. Deep hues of purples are all over – it lends itself to a certain richness and gives a sense of royalty and grandeur! Deep purples can be paired with lovely reds or accents of orange. I can just picture a beautiful fall floral arrangement with purples and oranges – very chic!
So now that you’ve found your colors, grab several of them – drop one off at your florist, one at your catering hall, bring one with you when shopping for dresses and accessories. This way all of your vendors know exactly what colors you are looking for and everything will blend together beautifully! How’s that for a wedding idea?
We’re going back to the beach again! (Can’t you tell summer is on my mind?) Yesterday we visited our customer’s top ten favors and today we’re going to visit my top ten new beach wedding favors which were just released this season – perhaps it will give you some beach themed wedding favor ideas for your upcoming beach wedding.
(By the way, did you know I had a beach / destination wedding as well?)
1. Chrome Starfish Wine Bottle Stopper – I’m a big fan of wine stoppers because there isn’t a household out there that doesn’t have a bottle (these work with any bottle not just wine) that needs to be sealed. Cork tends to break after a while – whereas chrome stays sturdy and strong. I like the fact that these are reasonably priced and have chrome (not resin) tops – which make them more durable. It comes pre-wrapped with attached beach themed tags, so there is no need to do any work! Btw, we have a huge selection of wine stopper wedding favors, so if this design doesn’t work for you check out the 100 + other stoppers we carry.
2. Shell Place Card Favor Boxes With Designer Beach Place Cards – Brand, spanking new and just out of the box (get it? lol). These favor boxes serve double duty – you can use them to hold sweet treats (candy, almonds, mini cookies, jelly beans) while at the same time the tops double as place card holders. When your guests take them home they have a neat looking little wooden trinket box to display in their homes or to use as a jewelry box. A really inventive idea.
Beach Theme Shell Place Card Favor Boxes with Designer Place Cards
3. “Please Be Seeded” Starfish Eco-Friendly Plantable Place Cards – Let’s face it – you need place cards. People want to know where to sit. If you don’t seat your guests, some people who don’t know your family will be left holding their plates looking for a spot to sit. You don’t want that and neither do we. Here’s a beach themed wedding favor that is eco-friendly (the starfish can be planted), functional (it is used to assign your guests seats), pretty (hey, they are good lookin’), and relatively cheap ($1.10 to $1.60 each depending on quantity). We have these available in different designs too, so hop over to our eco-friendly wedding favors page for more designs.
"Please Be Seeded" Starfish Plantable Seed Place Cards (Set of 12)
4. Natural Selections Shell Candle Wedding Favors – It’s like you just collected a jar full of beautiful shells from the beach and topped it off with a candle. These candle holders are beautiful and packaged in recycled cardboard boxes with natural rattan ties. Eco-friendly as glass is reuseable and renewable. If I go to a wedding this beach season, I would want someone to give me this!
5. Palm Tree Water Globe Beach Wine Stoppers – Yes, I’m back to wine stoppers again, but with good reason - this is the most unique stopper we carry. Have you everr seen a water globe on top of a wine stopper? It’s pretty cool. Not to mention the packaging and display is dynamite.
Palm Tree Water Globe Beach Wine Stopper Wedding Favors
6. Beach Theme Starfish Ice Cream Scoops – Nothing says summer more than the sand, the shore and ice cream! Functional, fun and practical who can’t use an ice cream scoop in their kitchen? Made of resin with a solid chrome scoop these will last for many seasons to come.
7. Elegant Crystal Flower & Starfish Candle – if you want a beach themed favor but don’t want to scream “beach” at your wedding – or if you want to give a gift a bit more upscale – these candles fit the bill. Pretty flowers and starfish in crystal clear color (these are also available in pink or lavender, btw) will charm your guests. Subdued but classy, these are elegant beach wedding favors.
8. “Ocean Breeze” Seashell Scented Soaps – Gorgeously gift boxed, these beach themed soap favors will look beautiful on your reception tables or as your bridal shower favors. Very popular, these guest soaps smell as good as an ocean breeze!
Ocean Breeze Seashell Beach Soap Wedding Favors
9. Personalized Lemonade Wedding Favors – Long days in the sun call for a refreshing summertime treat. Share the sunny love with your guests with these delicious lemonade mixes – available personalized in 58 designs. These are also available in 4 packet lemonade gift packs (great for gift bags!)
Personalized Lemonade Wedding Favors
10. Seaglass Luminary With Beaded Handle – These come as show in assorted beachy colors. Whether you use them as table decorations or give them out as candle wedding favors, these are beautiful and well made lanterns.
“Sea Glass” Luminary with Beaded Handle (Set of 3)
I blogged yesterday about the top selling wedding favors for 2009, so with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend and the official kick off to the summer here, it is a great time to discuss beach wedding favors! Whether you are a beach bride or having a summer wedding here are the Top 10 beach themed wedding favors selected by our customer’s based on popularity and sales.
Mini Buri Fans - Eco-friendly Favors
1. Buri Wedding Fans – they made it to the Top 10 list yesterday and they are #1 on our top beach wedding favors as well. A bestseller for beach and summer weddings – you can keep your guests cool as well as providing them with their seating assignments. Shown here as a DIY project with craft paper, reinforcements and colored favor ribbon. Since these are currently out of stock until 7/30/09, why not try the larger version of these fans – Large Buri Wedding Fans
Sandalwood Fan Wedding Favors in Glass Top White Box
3. Starfish Design Wine Stopper – Great for beach themed weddings, events and parties these chrome, resin and rhinestone accented bottle stoppers are as pretty as they are functional. They come pre-packed in a black box tied with organza ribbon. One of our best sellers for the past two beach wedding seasons.
Beach Theme Luggage Tag Wedding Favors
4. Beach Themed Luggage Tags – What says beach more than summer vactions, sand and shells? These beach themed luggage tags are perfect gender neutral wedding favors which are great for beach weddings here or abroad!
Flip-Flop Luggage Tag Wedding Favors in Beach Themed Box
5. Flip Flop Luggage Tags in Beach Themed Box – In the world of look-alike luggage any distinctive or brightly colored mark can help identify your luggage. These uniquly designed flip flop luggage tags will help your guests easily travel in style. With a cute beach themed box and “For You” beach bucket thank you tag, these beach wedding favors can’t be beat.
"Our Love Shell Last Forever" Personalized Seashells
6. “Our Love Shell Last Forever” Personalized Sea Shells – if you would like to give your guests a truly memorable keepsake favor then these personalized seashells will be perfect for your beach wedding. Each comes with the standard engraving “Our Love Shell Last Forever” and is then engraved with up to 2 lines of your text. Since these are all natural, they are eco-friendly too!
Palm Tree Favor Boxes
7. Palm Tree Favor Boxes – Edible favors are a trend in weddings, so why not have a cute and themed box to display your wedding favor treats in? These charming little pryamid shaped boxed have neat little palm leaves which top off these irrestible boxes. Great for beach and destination weddings.
Starfish Bookmark Beach Wedding Favors
8. Starfish Bookmarks – What’s a day at the beach, or a seaside vacation without a good book to curl up with? They will remember your wedding each time they use these shore inspired place markers. Although these are out of stock until 6/30, we do have two other similar starfish bookmarks to recommend: our Modern Starfish Bookmark and the slightly darker colored Starfish Design Bookmark
"Beach Memories" Miniature Adirondack Chair Place Card / Photo Frame
9. Beach Memories Miniature Adirondack Chair Place Card / Photo Frame – While the concept is great and these are our bestsellers, they hold a VERY small place card or photo. The opening is only 1 1/2″ x 1 1/4″ (who’s wedding photo is that small?) They are designed well, but look at their name – Miniature Adirondack Chairs!! (They don’t call them miniature for no reason). If you are looking for the same item which is bigger, heavier and will really “wow” your guests try our Adirondack Chair Frames (which holds a 2″ x 3″ photo – standard size wallet photo) – I guarantee you will like them! They are slighly more expensive (about .15 cents difference) but they are well worth it.
Starfish Wine Stopper
10. Chrome Starfish Wine Stopper - prettily packaged and made of solid chrome this handsome wine stopper is gender neutral and will serve everyone on your guest list well. Here is an alternate view:
A Southern tradition, the Kentucky derby is a wonderful celebration which usually starts two weeks before the actual Derby. The community surrounding Louisville celebrates with steamboat races, fireworks, and private parties.
If you’ve ever watched the race, you’ll know the press focuses on the wealthy and glamorous in their silks, linens and dramatic hats. It is just as much about the style as it is about the horses. For women, it’s all about red carpet glamour and traditional elegance. The hat is a Derby must with a dress which compliments the hat. Accessories such as pearls, gloves and sunglasses compliment the look. For men, the most important component is that they compliment their dates. The quintessential Derby look for men is a seersucker suit, fedora, and comfortable loafers but you will often see men solid colored suits, patterned ties and occassionally tuxedos. However, her beauty comes first and it is his duty to compliment her beauty!
For wedding favors, party favors and accessories which compliment a Kentucky Derby theme these will go dashingly well with your day:
"Derby Time!" Mint Julep Cup Tea Light Holders
Dating back to the eighteenth century, the mint julep has a rich historical background which began in the Southern part of the United States. Since 1936, the Mint Julep has also been considered the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby.
Treat your guests to a bit of time-honored southern hospitality and enhance your décor with a mint julep cup wedding favors as delightfully southern as a rainy night in Georgia. This versatile cup can hold a tea light, small flowers or candy like Jordan almonds or jelly beans.
Personalized Silver Plated Mint Julep Cups
For a traditional or Southern style wedding favor, select these silver plated Mint Julep cups. Measuring 3″H x 2-5/8″W each tapers downward with intricate detailing on the rim and bottom of the cup. Serve them during your cocktail or reception in the traditional sense or use them to hold candy at each place setting.
Horseshoe Key Chains
The horseshoe is one of the world’s most relied upon symbols of luck. So give your guests some “good fortune to go” with these dazzling horseshoe key chain favors. Perfect for Kentucky Derby parties,
Lucky In Love - Horseshoe Ring Pillow Alternative
“lucky” events and almost any occasion where Lady Luck is on the guest list, each has a metal key ring and chain attached to a resin pewter colored horseshoe charm lined with alternating rhinestones embedded at its center.
Customers seeking a Western-style wedding, or those looking for a little luck on their wedding day will adore this unique alternative to the ring bearer pillow. The genuine pewter horseshoe hangs from a pretty white satin handle and is engraved with the words “Lucky in Love.” Heart-shaped holes line the horseshoe for a decorative touch and white satin streamers are included for tying the rings. 5 1/2″x6″.
"Western Affection" Horseshoe Pen Set
A silver-tone lucky horseshoe pen set is supported by a Lucite base. This is a great guest book pen for western weddings and Kentucky Derby parties. It also makes a handsome desk pen set.
Our New Jersey Showroom opened in February 2009 and has been a success with brides to be. In March 2009 The Home News Tribune visited us and described us in their April 28th, 2009 article as a “bride’s paradise”. And we couldn’t agree more. Every Saturday we are open to the public from 12 Noon to 6 Pm. Our brides and couples receive top-notch personalized service. Just this past weekend one bride to be lounged with us for over four hours chatting about her wedding, the customs of her country and her future husband. Our relaxed, lounge-like atmoshphere allows brides to shop with comfort and ease. We’ve been described by our brides as “a great place to hang out”!
This past year in a Kate Aspen survey, brides to be told us that the color blue was their top pick for wedding colors. Fashion designers and the runways agree – blue is the top color for fashions next year as well. But just don’t think of your standard blue – beautiful, saturated shades are making the list.
Not only is the fashion world screaming blue, but also the top stylists for America’s leading women also find this color to be fabulous. Take a look at both Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain – both wore shades of blue for speeches during this past Presidential election campaign.
2009 wedding colors think:
Clear Bright Blue
Cobalt Blue
Green Blue
Deep Violet Blue
Turquoise Blue
Palace Blue
Williamsburg Blue
The complimentary colors which are in season for 2009 are:
Cream
Bone
Champagne
Taupe
Shimmering Light Gold
Tan
Beige
Also worth note is gray. Gray has made a comeback and also compliments blue nicely. Think light gray, steel, gunmetal, charcoal and brushed silver.
Blue is universally flattering – there is a shade which will suit everyone in your wedding party. Blue is also, classic, traditional and timeless. If you are considering blue as your wedding colors, why not compliment your wedding by purchasing blue wedding favors to match?
There’s more to your wedding than just the wedding ceremony and reception. Completing your total wedding look is a must – you’ll feel even more confident and beautiful on your special day. Don’t spend a fortune – LittleThingsFavors.com has elegant bridal accessories so you can create a perfect wedding look. Here’s some accessories you need:
Wedding Flip Flops: Ouch, those beautiful white heels you bought are great for the ceremony, but not a night of dancing! Ditch them for equally pretty White Sandal with Crystal Woven Strap Flip Flops.
Bridal Purses: You need a pretty place to stash your lipstick, and maybe a tissue or two for those joyful tears. We like the Ivory Classic Evening Bag.
Oops, maybe we shouldn’t call them cats and dogs, but when they fight, we just can’t help but see the comparison. If you’re lucky, your parents and your husband’s parents will never fight throughout the wedding planning or the actual wedding.
Well, we can’t all be that lucky. Chances are, parents are going to clash. Stress often causes ordinarily calm people to become a tad angry or annoyed, and as you know, wedding planning can be quite stressful.
As Dr. Dale Atkins, in “Getting Hitched? Tips to Handle the In-laws” notes, “Wedding planning can bring out the best and the worst in people, and understanding what is important, and why it is important to each member of the family is essential.”
Here’s some tips to keep the sanity in your life:
Go in with a good attitude. Just because you’ve rented movies like “Monster In-Law” and heard horror stories about in-laws doesn’t mean that your situation will be the same. Put a smile on your face and hug the new people you’re about to share your life with.
Talk it out. So your in-laws want a light blue theme and you’ve always dreamed of seafoam green. Rather than feeling like they simply have it in for you, explain your side. Chances are, they’re probably just didn’t know what your intentions were anyway. If they still overstep you, be sure to firmly state that this is you and your fiance’s wedding, not theirs.
Pick your battles. Arguing over the wedding theme is one thing, bickering over whether to have pot stickers over potato pancakes is another – don’t fight over little matters, you don’t need the added stress. Be sure to assert your opinion, but don’t go into a screaming match with your mother-in-law over small details. Plus, it’ll show your maturity and calm everyone down.
Don’t take sides. You may be tempted to side with your parents instead of your fiance. Don’t! Remember, you’re about to be married and this is the time you need to be united with your fiance. Don’t bad-mouth your parents and in-laws. Instead, listen objectively, and offer ways to help and find a solution that is agreeable for all parties.
Daughter-in-laws, spend quality time with mother-in-laws. We’re guessing looking at bridal accessories like wedding veils, cute wedding t-shirts, wedding flip flops, and more will have you both excited and looking forward to your wedding! Spend some quality time at LittleThingsFavors.com, have a cup of tea, and check out our fun products!
Hey winter brides, who says everyone has to get married in the summer? Winter weddings are a unique take on the traditional wedding – there’s typically a better chance you’ll be able to choose the exact date you want without having to compete with 20 other brides for the same reception area. Here’s some great winter wedding destinations for brides who enjoy both cold and warm winter weddings.
Vermont – Vermont is absolutely beautiful in the winter. Imagine snowy pine trees, romantic white lights, and gently falling snow. This isn’t just a postcard image – this is really Vermont. Check out VermontWeddings.com.
Hawaii – Hawaii weddings are quite different from the snowy Vermont winter weddings. For warm-weather brides, Hawaii weddings offer tons of sun, relaxation, and oh – those beautiful beaches! BridalDreamHawaii.com has tons of wedding ideas to make Hawaii wedding planning easier.
Colorado – If you’re on the West Coast, a Colorado wedding may be easier for you and your guests over an East Coast Vermont wedding. There are tons of beautiful ski resorts (Aspen! Breckenridge!) that would be ideal for a winter wedding. Colorado weddings are typically relaxed and make for a great time. Just like Vermont, expect beautiful snowy scenes, plus tons of fresh powder. Take a look at TheKnot.com Colorado Weddings Ideas.
Arizona – Think Arizona is just desert? Think again. This pretty state offers palm trees and botanical gardens. There are tons of rolling green golf courses, spas, first class results, and beautiful flowers. ArizonaWeddings.com is great resource for planning your AZ Wedding.
Puerto Rico – Want a wedding that’s really tropical in the middle of the winter? Then Puerto Rico is where you need to be. Gently swaying palm trees and beautiful warm breezes are just a few of the great features Puerto Rico offers. OurPuertoRicoWedding.com has Puerto Rico wedding resources, ideas, and custom packages to make your wedding dreams a reality.
When you’re planning your winter wedding destination, it’s often easier to buy your winter wedding favors online, and have them shipped directly to the reception site (coordinate with the reception site’s wedding planner), or simply pack them up and take them with you. LittleThingsFavors.com has absolutely adorable Winter Wedding Favors for those cold weather destinations, and sunny Beach Wedding Favors for those warm destinations in the middle of winter.
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