Cute Beach Wedding Paper Napkins

Loving these paper napkins by JINAIJI. Perfect for a beach theme wedding or engagement party!

Stylish Martini Bars

I fell in love with the colors and "coolness" of this martini bar! Let me just say that I live in Palm Springs and the weather is about about 110 degrees outside right now, so yes, the idea of sipping on an ice cold martini at this time is very appealing.

Visit Le Bride for more cool martini bar pictures.

Wedding Cupcakes

Back when I got married, almost 8 blissful years ago, I would have never thought about serving wedding cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake. I would have worried that they would look too childish, or that I would miss out on the iconic cake-cutting picture.
Today, that's a different story. If I could rewind and go back in time #1, I would totally ditch the baker that gave me an orange wedding cake instead of the ivory cake I had requested. Seriously. I had people ask me "So what's with the orange cake?" #2, I would go for the cupcakes! They're so cute and so not childish if you ditch the colorful sprinkles.
As far as the pictures, you can always include a small cake in your display for you to cut together and get those bride and groom cake-cutting pictures that are meant to be in every wedding album. At least that's your momma thinks, right? Mine does. I think. She never says anything, so I don't really know what she thinks, but you know what I mean.
The cupcake tower shown on the left is very pretty indeed, but I'd be afraid of kids running away with the cupcakes before the reception even starts. Instead, I would probably opt for a smaller display such as the one shown on the right, and I would ask the caterer to keep the rest of them in the kitchen for distribution shortly after dinner, or I would put them in a favor box to create a tasty wedding cake/party favor to-go. Yup, that's what I would do.

Eco-Chic Jar Centerpieces

I've been collecting kitchen jars lately and finding many creative uses for them. I use them to store cotton balls, grains, craft items and to store left overs in the fridge. They're so convenient and so darn cute. I've also been gathering them to hold small floral arrangements for our next family party, but never in my mind did I envision a that grouping glass jar and tin can arrangements would this fabulous! I am so inspired by these images of Sara and Ryan's Ace Hotel Wedding, that I may just do something similar to enjoy in my own patio garden at home.
See more pictures of this fabulously eco-chic wedding at Sarah Yates' blog. Her pictures totally rock!

Parisian Cupcake Topper Flags

I just added these new cupcake toppers to my Etsy shop. Actually, they're multi-purpose foodpicks. They look great on cupcakes and pastries - ideal for a Paris theme bridal shower! Or if you're having a wine tasting, these would look great on a cheese platter sitting next a bottle of French wine.
The flags are made from Cavallini paper, attached to a toothpick and accented with a small microbead at the top for a very subtle sparkle. They sell in sets in 12, but if you need other quantities just shoot me an e-mail!

Add a fun "twist" to your reception

Browsing around for winter wedding inspiration I came accross these cute idea (via the preppy wedding blog) on how to liven up the presentation of your drinks. Amazing how such a simple "twist" can add some fun and flair to your beverages and reception!

Peek at a Villa Royale Palm Springs Wedding

This weekend I had a chance to visit and take a few pictures of a wedding setup at the charming 30-room Villa Royale Inn. The resort is located near the heart of Palm Springs, and is available to accommodate small to medium sized events of up to 80 people.

Below: To the right is the view as you enter the area known as The Second Courtyard. The image to the left, is the hallway that leads you out of the Second Courtyard and into the lobby or the reception area, at their award-winning Europa restaurant, which offers indoor or outdoor seating.

Below: Setup for a poolside reception of 50 people. This view is from the hotel lobby towards the restaurant.

Below: The morning paper and coffee, as well as cookies and afternoon tea are a complimentary treat for all Villa Royale guests in this area.

This weekend, however, appetizers were served at the Lanai during the cocktail reception, prior to the sit-down dinner.

For information on wedding packages you can visit their website at VillaRoyale.com

For the kid's table

With a little extra planning and details, having children over at your wedding reception can result in family fun!

All you would need is to plan a few activities to keep them entertained, and either hire or designate a few of your teenage relatives to coordinate an evening of fun and supervision for the little ones.

You can start by designating a seating area for the little ones. This seating area should appeal to the little ones to prevent them from running around. Provide a kid-friendly menu and interactive centerpieces that will keep them entertained as the adults enjoy their meals and mingle.

With summer around the corner, and many beach weddings taking place, I wanted to share this cute centerpiece I found featured in WeddingChannel.com Weddingbells Magazine.

It consists of a pail decorated with fish, marshmallow lollipops stuck in a foam ball, covered with pink candy. The final touch was sailboat shaped votives!

It's not too interactive, but definitely cute and delicious!

HGTV's $5K Loft Wedding Transformation

I'm very excited about my holiday cards this year! I became very inspired after watching HGTV's Design on a Dime wedding special, where they transformed an industrial loft into a glamorous enchanted setting for a fairytale wedding. It was a beautiful loft with bright colors and a highly contemporary feel. Painting the walls was not an option, so the design team had to drape the room, and results were amazing!!!















The designers only had 2 weeks and $5k to transform the loft and setup for 35 guests. Everything, from the seating to the altar was custom designed. Below is a breakdown of the the cost:

Moving budget – $360
Fabric – $725
:: Fabric for walls – Textile Discount Center

Flowers and runner – $512
:: Flowers, $425 – Ashland-Addison Florist
:: Square vases for cocktail table, $4.99 – Jo-Ann Stores
:: Rocks for centerpieces, $2.49 – Jo-Ann Stores
:: Runner, $24.99 – Michaels

Altar and seating – $1,680
:: Branches, $10/bundle – Pier 1
:: Acrylic for altar, $135 – American Acrylic
:: Puck lights for altar, $19.99 – The Home Depot
:: Fur for runner/ottoman covers/bench cushions,
:: $7.99/yard – Textile Discount Center
:: White satin for ottoman covers and bench cushions,
:: $5.96/yard – Textile Discount Center
:: Ottomans, $15.99 each – Ikea

Mood lighting – $948
:: Conduit pipes, $2.18 – The Home Depot
:: Chains, $6.99 – The Home Depot
:: Rice balls, $7.98 each – Ikea

Cake and fondue – $750
:: Cake, $450 – Marked for Dessert

Total — $4,975

You can view more pictures and read more about the details at HGTV.com
As far as my holiday cards, it was their beautiful flower arrangements and color scheme that inspired me.

I've actually already designed my holiday cards, just have to start producing them and getting them out before the holiday rush.

I'll post pictures of them after they've gone out.

Tip of the Week: Wedding Menus & Place Cards

A good way to prevent your reception tables from looking overly cluttered (and save a bit of money) is to combine your wedding menus and place cards. By personalizing the menus, you can combine the budget for each and create a more breathtaking piece, or you can keep the design more on the simple side and put the savings towards a more stunning center piece, linens, etc.

I fell in love during a Palm Springs Rendezvous

This month's Greater Palm Springs Wedding Association mixer was hosted by Jake Cohen, Manager of a 50's Romantic Bed & Breakfast by the name of Rendezvous.

I completely fell in love with this place! I loved the mid-century modern decor, the staff was very friendly, the location was very easy to find and very, very cozy.

We had a chance to go inside most of their uniquely decorated rooms. My personal favorite was the "Honeymoon Hideaway" followed by the "Elvis Room". All the other rooms where just as beautifully decorated, they all have a two person jacuzzi, dual sinks, flat screen TV's, DVD players - everything you need to ensure a comfortable stay!

Each stay includes a gourmet breakfast and nightly happy hour with blue martinis and appetizers!

They specialize in small weddings of up to 50 people, and they offer different wedding and honeymoon packages.

If you're planning a destitation wedding, I would skip the big chain hotels in a heartbeat and stay at the fabulous Rendezvous, in Palm Springs!

Personally, I know this is where I'll be spending my next staycation!

To view more amazing images or for more information, please visit their website at:
PalmSpringsRendezvous.com

Visiting the Spectacular Queen Mary

We took a trip to the historical Queen Mary this weekend. My husband and I loved it, although the girls are still a bit young to appreciate its beauty, history, and the complexity of its construction for the time it was built in.

The Queen Mary was completed in 1936 in England, it was the largest and most luxurious ship of its time.

During WWII the ship was painted grey and used to transport troops. At one point it carried 16,683 people, the largest amount ever to be transported by ship at once.

The ship became property of Long Beach, California in July of 1967. Since then, The Queen Mary has been a main tourist attraction, and in November of 1972 it also became a hotel, and its many ballrooms now host weddings and special events.

There are rumors that the ship is haunted. Many paranormal experts have gone to study the ship and they believe that in the right corner above the first class swimming pool lies a passage way from this world to the spirit world, otherwise known as a vortex. Up to this day, many Queen Mary employees report to hear voices and have often seen wet footprints appear around the swimming pool, even though it is completely drained.

You can see behind us the view from the ship.

The girls got to play "captain" and navigate little ships in the water.

Whoo-hoo! We survived the "Ghosts & Legends of the Queen Mary" tour!

Despite the unexpected workout (so many stairs to climb) we had a great a time! If you ever plan to visit the Queen Mary, I recommend you wear comfortable shoes.

Click here to view the Queen Mary's wedding gallery.

Centerpieces and Table Accents

All you need is:
A Martini Glass
Square Vase
Expanding Crystals
(available at craft stores)
Pink Dahlia

All you do is:
Assemble as shown and you've just made yourself a beautiful accent piece for your wedding decor.

Cute and easy to make!

Photo from Wedding Channel Wedding Bells, Spring 2005

Wedding Menus with a functional twist

These unique fan-shaped menus are not only beautiful, they're also three times more functional than the traditional style menus.

Your guests will know where they are seated as they arrive to their table and read their names printed on the place cards which embellish each fan, they will read the menu, fan themselves, and as everyone gathers their purses and shoes after a long night of dancing, they can look at the tags and know which fan is theirs to take home.

Image from Brides Receptions Magazine, Special Issue, 2005.

Silkflowers, Real Flowers & More

I've had a couple of people ask me recently where they can purchase ready made silk flower centerpieces, so I went on-line to help them with their search and found Silkflowers.com. I found their website easy to navigate and they had some images of very beautiful arrangements.

Some people prefer to buy silk flower arrangements because guests can take them home and keep them for a long time.

But for those of you who still prefer the real thing, there are a couple of local floral & event designers that are sure to deliver exactly what you envision and beyond.

One of them is Arrangements Floral and Party Design, located in Palm Desert, California. The other is Artisan Event Floral Decor, in Palm Sprngs, California.

Because I usually work with clients before the actual event, I don't always get too see how the final day unfolds. Whenever I can't refer anyone I have personally met, or anyone who's work I've personally seen, I always refer clients to the Greater Palm Springs Wedding Association website. They are a group of previously screened wedding professionals that are able to help with all your special event needs.

Place Card Holders for a Vineyard Wedding

My daughter's birthday is coming up in July, and in looking for some fun, summer, beach themed party favors, I came across these beautiful place card holders - perfect for a vineyard wedding!

My husband is BIG on wine, so of course I have to keep them in mind. Maybe we'll have a wine tasting party one of these days. =)

Photo from myweddingfavors.com

Wedding Guest Book Alternatives

I was looking through my bridal magazines for inspiration and came across an array of ideas for those of you seeking "something different" for your reception and wedding decor.

In place of a traditional guest book, you can set up a table to hold note cards that match the rest of your wedding stationery, a bowl, pens, and a sign that reads: "Write your wishes for the happy couple."

Guests can then write their heartfelt wishes on the note cards, and drop them inside the bowl.

You can use note cards in a variety of colors to match your color scheme, creating a beautiful sea of color inside the bowl.

Images are from Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine.

More tips coming up in the next few days! My goal is to transform this blog into a source of inspiration, a place where my readers can come to find information on stationery, anything wedding related, plus recipes, health and beauty, eco-friendly solutions, travel, and all the neat things I find along the way!