Little Things Favors

One of the reasons why I love summer is because the warmer weather and sunshine offer more opportunities to get out of the house – and spend less money.  So grab your boyfriend, girlfriend, fiance, husband or wife for a date that costs little or no cash.

Check out my recent article on free date ideas for some great suggestions for…well, free dates.  I picked my 10 favorite ideas – including Weird NJ and “locking your love,” which Erica suggested after visiting the Bridge of Love upon her last trip to Helsinki, Finland.  Couples engrave or customize their own padlock, attach it to the bridge and throw away the key, symbolizing their everlasting love.  Unfortunately, there aren’t too many bridges or structures in the US that condone this (I guess it’s a European thing), but how cute would it be to do that with your partner at one of your favorite locations?

I was surprised that I found it somewhat difficult to find date ideas that are absolutely free.  It’s quite easy for small spending to go unnoticed (like my beach/boardwalk suggestion where you may have to pay admission, or even the amount of gas it may take to get to your destination).  But I did find a ton of unique and romantic date ideas that are not only great alternatives to the typical “dinner and a movie,” but cheap too!

Arcade
Board Game Night (Good for double or group dating!)
Boardwalk
Bowling
Camping
Carnival
Comedy Club
Darts
Drinks, Appetizers & Dessert
Go-Karts
Haunted Houses
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Laser Tag
Local Play
Local Sports Game
Mini-Golf
Movie in the Park
Movies (Minus the Snacks from the Theatre)
Museum
Open Mic Night
Paintballing
Picnic
Play Pool
Restaurant Tour
Shooting Range
Stargazing
Take a Class Together
Test Drive a Luxury Car
Volunteering
Walk on the Beach or in the Park
Wine Tasting
Zoo

Now, all you need is a date, or even a friend to do all this awesome stuff with!  Have any other ideas?  Share them!

The weekend is almost here – hang in there! <3 Kelsey

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Like typical girls, we here at Little Things love a good pair of shoes.  Erica is the high heel fashionista, Kristi & Jessica have flats in every color, Nikita is the boot fanatic and my closet is full of sneakers and slip-on’s.  Though we have such differing footwear preferences, we can all usually agree on a gorgeous pair of fancy bridal shoes (like some of the ones in the picture).  Then I started wondering about non-traditional bridal footwear:  what about the bride who doesn’t want to be taller than her soon to be husband?  Or the bride with bad feet?  Or the brides who just hate stilettos and heels?  So I organized this list of shoe alternatives for weddings.

TOMS® – If you’re not familiar with TOMS®, check out their website here. They’re for a great cause:  every time you buy a pair, another pair will be donated to a child in need.  A recent discovery for me, and I’m obsessed.  I want a pair to match every outfit because they’re so freakin’ comfy.  They even have wedges if you’re looking for a comfortable heel to wear.

Flip Flops – For the beach wedding, of course!  And I don’t mean the cheap, rubber thong flip flops you can buy from a dollar store.  Our Bride Flip Flops, Personalized Flip Flops or Personalized Flower Flip Flops ensure a safe and comfortable walk down the aisle.  Plus you can give a pair to the girls in your wedding party as the bridesmaid gifts.

Converse – You can’t go wrong with a pair of All-Stars.  They’re available in literally every single color, and you can have so much fun with them.  I was browsing pictures on the web, and I’ve seen the cutest photos of stuff couples did – like writing their vows on the sides of a classic pair of black Chuck high tops.

Vans Shoes® – I’m not exaggerating when I say I live in my Vans.  Like Converses, you can pretty much find them in every color.  Again, I stumbled upon some pretty cool pictures of slip-on’s worn in weddings, including complete artwork drawn in black marker on a white pair.  So cool.

I would definitely consider any of these as wedding shoe alternatives.  Though I probably wouldn’t mind a fancy pair of Louboutins (as long as my rich fiance can afford them).

Any other ideas?  We have three engaged women in the office who are dying to know!

- Kelsey

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We at Little Things, love surfing the web on our downtime (after all there are 3 of us engaged in the office) browsing bridal blogs for ideas, trends and inspiration for our upcoming nuptials and our clients.  While we have our favorite blogs bookmarked and handy – we want to know what your favorite bridal blogs are!  We are looking for nominations, suggestions and ideas.  From a mix of our readers suggestions and our own we will compile a set of 10, top 10 bridal blogs for specific niche areas. Winners will be featured on our blog, our Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter accounts along with receiving a link from our site to theirs on our website and a cool badge to feature on their blog.

Please nominate your favorite blogs by leaving us a comment below, on twitter or on our Facebook page.  We close our our nominations on May 7, 2012 and announce the list shortly thereafter!

When guests attend your wedding, there’s a 99% chance (not a real statistic) that they’re expecting wedding favors they can use – that’s why practical wedding favors are the way to go.  Your guests will leave happy, and you can rest assured the favor won’t be tossed in the trash or stuffed away in a drawer when they get home.  I’m all about practical wedding favors (if you ask me, the only other option besides something useful is a photo booth or donation).  So here’s yet another list of some awesome wedding favor ideas, except this time I’ve listed them in order of best to worst (in my opinion).  Click on the links to be brought directly to each section!

1.  Bookmark Favors – Seriously, we have SO many bookmarks that are best sellers.  They’re cheap and adorable – you can literally find one for every theme.  I am personally a bookworm and bookmarks help keep my nasty “dog-earring the pages” habit at bay.

2.  Playing Card Favors – …are not just for Las Vegas weddings.  First of all, they’re personalized, so guests are certain to love them.  I’ve actually received these as favors before, and kept them in my purse (which I could do, because they come in a handy little plastic case).  And I used them – the host never seems to have playing cards when I attend parties.

3.  Luggage Tag Favors – These are especially suitable if you’re having a destination wedding, but certainly not limited to those only.  Nor are they only going to please the avid travelers:  there’s a good chance that guests will remember it the next time they have to hop on a plane.

4.  Wedding Coasters – Do I even have to elaborate?  Everyone uses coasters; your guests will too.  And if it’s not every day, they’ll need them the next time they have guests over.

5.  Salt & Pepper Shaker Favors – Even though they’re miniscule, they are just so cute.  No one will be able to resist the fun shapes and sizes they come in, so even if they’re not used, they’ll be displayed somewhere in the kitchen.

6.  Kitchen Themed Wedding Favors – This includes anything from our best selling measuring spoon favors to mini whisks, pizza cutters and more.  They’re especially perfect as bridal shower favors…check out our article for ideas:  Kitchen Themed Bridal Shower Ideas.

7.  Pasta & Salad Serving Sets – These are a great choice if you have a little more money to spend, because they can get costly.  Our Murano-inspired ones are especially nice.

8.  Cake Server Favors – Again, these can get costly too.  Keep in mind they probably won’t be used except on birthdays and other parties (unless your guests eat cake or pie every day).

9.  Olive Oil & Cruet Sets – I come from an Italian family, so olive oil is always in the kitchen and constantly being used for cooking.  But they can get expensive unless you’re planning on purchasing miniature versions.

10.  Ice Cream Scoop Favors – You’ll also find ice cream bowls here too.  With a bit more whimsy than elegance, ice cream favors are more suitable as for parties, but they’re always an option for the summer wedding.

11.  Photo Frames & Albums – The only tip I have is this:  buy a larger sized frame in a simple style.  It’s something that people will be displaying in their homes, so be thoughtful when choosing as everyone’s decorating tastes are different and you want something versatile.

12.  Stationary & Pen Favors – Everyone uses pens, but keep in mind that eventually they will run out of ink.  Letter openers are used less frequently, but can be kept forever.

13.  Magnet Wedding Favors – Personally, I like magnets for save the dates…and that’s it.  Memo clip magnets are an exception.

14.  Cookie Cutter Favors – I bake, and I have never used a cookie cutter in my life.  My only advice is to purchase samples first and make sure they are good quality and actually work!

15.  Notebook Favors – I have an addiction to Post-Its, so anything of that sort would be helpful to me.  However, I can’t say that I’d put too much use to a pen that barely fits in my hand and tiny notebook paper that has no adhesive.

Happy shopping! <3 Kelsey aka “Little Miss Opinion”

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Although place card holders may not be your first priority when you begin your wedding planning, keep in mind that it’s the little things that matter! Place card holders are a must for every wedding and should reflect your personal style or the theme or colors of your wedding. Whether you want a place card holder that is elegant, whimsical or even completely personalized, there’s a wide array of styles to compliment any bride’s taste.

Contrary to many beliefs, the wedding card holders do not lose their purpose after directing the guests their seats.  After helping to maintain order at your wedding reception, they can serve as table décor or be used to hold photos or memos in your office, at work or around your home. Your guests will be sure to appreciate these trinkets during and after your wedding.

One of our most popular place card holders are these Small Chalkboard Frames (Pack of 5) which can double up as a writing board after the wedding.  Also popular are more traditional card holders, such as the Chic Silver Place Card / Photo Frame that can later hold a picture. Whichever style you choose, these favors will add lovely accents to your wedding tables.

And to be sure you’re not breaking the bank, check out our place card holders under $1!

Happy wedding planning and remember it’s the small details that count!  Be sure to check out all of the wedding favors we have to offer!

Anna

Summer is one of the most popular times for weddings.  Whether the ceremony is on the beach or the reception is outdoors, there are a lot of factors that go unnoticed by guests and couples during outdoor beach or summer weddings.  Have no fear – we are here to help!  Here’s a list of summer and beach wedding tips you’ll want to check out if you’re exchanging nuptials or attending a wedding in the warmer months.

1.  Consider your shoes!  Ladies, this is especially for you:  stiletto heels are not for the sand or grass!

2.  Wear sunscreen!  Or, give your guests personalized sunscreen as their wedding favors!

3.  Wedding fans will be cherished by some guests, especially during an outdoor ceremony where there’s no breeze.  Kill two birds with one stone by purchasing wedding program fans.

4.  If you think the sun is going to be beating down on your guests, consider paper parasols to keep them in the shade.

5.  Dress accordingly.  Thick suits and long, flowy dresses are definitely a no-no in the warm weather, especially if you’ll be dancing the night away!

6.  Avoid chocolate or candy wedding favors or desserts which are likely to melt in the heat.

7.  Consider using a sand ceremony set rather than candles for the unity ceremony, which may not stay lit.

8.  Lay off the alcohol, or serve wine only. Drinking too much will dehydrate you – and obviously will be more effective in the heat.

9.  Always have a backup plan for your reception and ceremony.  Mother Nature may decide to not cooperate that day.

10.  Food – especially sugar and sweets – will attract bugs, so keep everything covered when possible.  This will also help any debris from blowing into your food.  Make sure all garbage is cleaned up immediately and put out of the way.

11.  Talk to your band or DJ about microphones during the ceremony if it’s outside.  The wind or sound of the ocean can easily drown out the vows!

12.  If the party will continue into the evening, light citronella candles to keep away those pesky mosquitoes.  And if you have an outdoor tent up, see if you can hang netting around it.

13.  If the sun’s out, make sure your guests are facing away from it.  The sun should be behind them so it’s not in their eyes!

14.  Choose your hairstyle carefully, or talk to your stylist about what styles will hold up in the wind.

15.  Plan carefully.  Since summer holds holidays like Memorial, Labor and Independence Day, try to avoid choosing a date around them where guests may have vacation plans, therefore being unable to attend.

Be sure to check out all of our beach wedding favors to commemorate your special day!

<3 Kelsey

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…and you know what that means:  it’s wedding season!  Brides everywhere are bustling about and tying up loose ends.  And purchasing last minute wedding favors too, it seems, because we’re getting busy as bees!  Spring and summer favors are hot and popular right now, and we’ve got a list of the newest and trendiest favors and supplies.

1.  Lemonade and Cocktail Favors – These personalized drink mixes are the perfect and tasty solution for thirsty guests!  Our packets mix up refreshing beverages for the warm weather and are now available in a ton of new designs and colors.

2.  Seed Favors – Can you get any “spring-ier” than with flowers?  Our seed favors are not only cute, but eco-friendly too!  Plus a ton of them can be customized – check out all of them for loose seed packets and even the ever-popular plantable seed cards.

3.  “Beach Party” Mod Party Kit – These party kits are brand spanking new and have everything you need to complete your bridal shower or other event.  The kits feature banners, water bottle labels, stickers, invitations and much more.  Check out the rest of the kits for other fun themes and party ideas.

4.  Personalized Sunscreen with Carabiner – We’ve found that our customers love these, along with other personal care products.  These are especially popular for the warmer weather and destination weddings – they come with a cool carabiner that can be clipped onto bags, key rings and more.

5.  Personalized Beach Wedding Favors – Here you’ll find a ton of customized favors, plus our newest beach designs from Event Blossom on popular favors like drink mixes, jelly bean packs, glass favor jars and more.

6.  Wedding Fans – You can’t go wrong with a hand fan to keep your guests cool at an outdoor or beach wedding.  You can really spruce them up with a cool personalized tag or ribbon, or even double them as your place card holders.

7.  Personalized Stemless Wine Glasses – These are still a best seller, even though we now have them available in a larger size.  But you can’t beat this price, and now for an additional cost, only these are offered with gift boxes!  They’re suitable for any event, with all the designs and colors available – and they can even double as votive candle holders.

8.  Design Your Own Lip Balms – A #1 choice for bridal shower favors!  Practical, cheap and absolutely adorable.

9.  Elite Design Personalized Acrylic Luggage Tags – Luggage tags are popular for a few reasons:  they’re personalized, can double as your seating assignments, reasonably priced, practical, and perfect for beach weddings.  These designs are chic and modern.

10.  “Pop the Top” Flip-Flop Bottle Opener – This is so popular, it’s sold out!  But don’t worry, it’s scheduled to come back on April 12.  So keep yourself posted by signing up for email notifications – this one is a winner!

Shop around our site for other new wedding favors and accessories – we’re constantly adding new stuff.  Happy first day of spring!

- Kelsey

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Happy new year!  We’ve been so busy here at Little Things, we just realized I haven’t had the time to blog in over a month!  The to-do list never seems to end around here, but I’d like to take a quick break from all the hard work to introduce our new wedding favors and new wedding accessories.

It’s about that time:  new year, new trends, which means tons of new stuff in the wedding industry!  What’s hot now?  Damask, fleur de lis, rustic, love birds, and vintage seem to be the key themes to a lot of the new favors and bridal accessories.  Leading manufacturers such as Kate Aspen and Weddingstar know exactly what brides want:  practicality and something unique!

What can you expect?  Chalkboard candle votives, keepsake porcelain gnome statues, tons of different wedding containers and packaging for the DIY brides, and wedding collections and accessories that are to die for.  I can’t get enough of the new guest book alternatives and wishing wells; they’re one of a kind!  In addition to some new Weddingstar cake toppers (these include all of our romantic, whimsical and humorous porcelain bride and groom couples), many of our existing and best selling ones are now offered with different hair and shoe colors.  Plus a unique adhesive veil that can be used on every single one!

Be sure to visit our site often – we literally add new products every single day!  There’s plenty more wedding favors and bridal accessories to come!  Plus, our NJ showroom location is undergoing some “construction.”  Remember, we’re currently not open on Saturdays, but we are open by appointment only Tuesday through Friday!

Happy shopping! – Kelsey

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The world of wedding favors is massive, and a large portion of it consists of personalized wedding favors.  Looking for something that’s thoughtful and will always commemorate your special day?  Then personalized favors are the way to go!

Below I’ve listed some of our bestselling personalized party favors. And remember, even if something isn’t personalized, you can always add a custom stickers, tag or ribbon to it.

1.  Personalized Shot Glasses – Even if your family and friends aren’t drinkers, these can double has a candle holder too!  Check out the rest of our personalized glassware for similar items, such as our ever popular personalized stemless wine glasses, pint glasses, mugs, shooters and more.

2.  Personalized Lip Balm – This is the best bridal shower favor!  I am addicted to lip balm:  I carry one in my pocket, stash extras in my purse, desk, and car.  So receiving this as a favor would be completely practical for me.  And they’re so cheap!

3.  Personalized Playing Cards – Low budget, and cute! Sure, not everyone plays cards all day long, but even if they get stashed in a drawer, they’re bound to come out at some point when guests are over the house.  The best part?  The plastic case keeps them from getting bent.

4.  Personalized Fans – These ones are our photo wedding fans – we love looking at all the pretty pictures of the couples who send them in!  Perfect for outdoor and beach weddings.

5.  Personalized Luggage Tags – Though we have many designs/styles available, the wedding theme one shown is the most popular, with various classic designs to choose from, as well as colors.  Lightweight and practical!

6.  Personalized Seed Packets – Or the popular seeded hearts I listed.  These are a bit more unique than loose seeds in a packet, as you can display these beautifully (perhaps hang them off a tree branch, or use them as your seating assignments).  The heart is plantable!

7.  Personalized Candy Jars – This link will take you directly to our 2nd bestselling favor and top selling candy jar, our personalized apothecary jars.  They’re complete with the silver metal lock.  Stickers come printed separately so you can adhere them where you like.

8.  Personalized Chocolate Favors – I especially love our newest additions: our personalized chocolate covered pretzels and graham crackers!  Who doesn’t love chocolate?

9.  Personalized Lollipop Favors – These are perfect for all ages!  And for every 24 you order, you get a cool display box for the pops.  The white satin ribbon is a lovely touch.

10.  Personalized Hand Sanitizer – Perfect for showers and weddings alike!  Girls can throw them in their purse, guys can keep them in their car or wherever handy.

Be sure to check out our entire selection of personalized wedding favors!  Have a great weekend!

- Kelsey

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Although I love traveling, I can’t personally say that I would have a destination wedding.  I’m extremely close with many members of my extended family, and I feel that destination weddings are not the best choice if you want everyone you care about to come, as they are not only costly for the couple, but for the guests as well.  Of course, I’m sure I won’t be getting married any time soon, so by the time my engagement rolls around I may have changed my mind.  Not wanting to have a destination wedding doesn’t mean I don’t like them though – I think they’re great!

Here I’ve listed a few of the most unique places I think would be suitable for destination weddings (excluding the oh-so last season Hawaii and other places that seem too popular).  Note that I am not a travel agent, nor have I ever been to any of these places – it’s just what I think would be fun!

1.  Paris, France – You can’t go wrong with this destination; it’s the city of romance!  You can even feature Paris wedding favors, such as our unique Eiffel Tower key chains or place card holders.

2.  Australia - This seems to be a great choice if you’re an adventurous couple, and if you’re inviting guests of all ages.  There’s so many different activities to do:  you can hit the beach for surf, sand and snorkeling, or hit the Outback for a unique experience.

3.  Tahiti - Looking at pictures of Tahiti seriously makes me sick; it’s THAT gorgeous.  The huts inside the crystal clear blue-green water is enough to make me drool.  Your guests might want to stay throughout your honeymoon…

4.  Italy - Whether you’re going staying in Rome for the architecture, Milan for the shopping or Venice because you just can’t decide, Italy is just as romantic as France, if you ask me.  You can’t go wrong with Italian food and the beautiful language and scenery.

5.  Fiji - This spot is a close runner up to Tahiti, though is more remote (less tourists for you) and I believe, more expensive.  But it really is a place that is one of a kind and not many people have (or will ever get the chance to) visit.

Any of these places would be a dream for me to visit, wedding or not.  Even if you’re not planning on having a destination wedding, you can always consider these for honeymoon hot spots instead.  And my recommendations for destination favors?  Luggage tag wedding favors, of course!

Where would you have your destination wedding?

<3 Kelsey

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