The Savvy Event

Hosted Birthday Dinner Menu

2011-08-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hosting a party at home is one thing but hosting a party at a bar or restaurant can be a little tricky. You want to treat your guests well and not make them pay, but you also don't want to pay for excessive drinks or wasted food, at least I don't!

A friend of mine was hosting a birthday dinner at a fun burger place for her husband's birthday and wasn't sure how to let people know that she was treating-but only certain things. I came up with a menu for her to set out at the tables and there was no confusion!

We first listed the hosted drinks, then listed the hosted menu with instructions for people to select their favorite choices. At the bottom of the menu, we detailed what came with the burgers and then let people know that for anything else, they are on their own.

Luckily it was all close friends so there were no issues but if you are hosting a larger gathering and want to limit what people order, you can try providing drink tickets or offer only beer and wine. Have you ever hosted an event at a restaurant and had a big surprise when the tab came?

Bachelorette Party Sexy Gift Basket

2011-08-27T06:58:00.001-07:00

One of the many bad things about taking a blog break for over a year is that you forget what you have already posted! I thought I had already posted about this bachelorette party gift basket but after thoroughly searching the blog, I couldn't find the post so here it is.

I put this gift basket together for a soon-to-be-bride for her combo bridal shower/bachelorette party. I have to say this was probably the coolest gift she received (of course I would think so, I gave it to her!).

I included lingerie, candles, champagne, and scented sachets all in my chosen color scheme of black, white, and pink. I placed all the items just right into a big white basket, filled up the extra space with some tissue paper, and then wrapped it up in cellophane (I pull the cellophane all the way over the top and tape it in the back or on the bottom of the basket).

Don't forget to include a recipe for romance-a little bit dorky but right up my alley!

I will say, the bride loved it!

What is your go to bridal shower/bachelorette gift?

2011 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award

2011-08-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Savvy Event received the WeddingWire's 2011 Bride's Choice Award (second year in a row-woo hoo!). Here's what WeddingWire has to say about it:

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce The Savvy Event has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for wedding planning! Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

The Savvy Event stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year. “WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada.

We applaud The Savvy Event for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.” We are happy to announce that The Savvy Event is among the very best wedding planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee.

We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011. For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.weddingwire.com. If you haven't used their site yet to find reviews on vendors, I highly recommend it!!

Owl Themed Baby Shower Downloads

2011-08-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Owl themed baby showers have been SO popular over the last few years (nothing wrong with that-I still can't get enough of them!). The last few posts I did before my hiatus were actually about owl themed baby showers I planned or helped with so I thought I would share the printable file with you since a lot of people asked for them.

I made the below water bottle labels and favor cards for a friend who was hosting an owl baby shower. She lives back in Arizona so I printed everything and mailed it off to her so she could set everything up herself. The shower turned out great (still waiting on pictures!) but here are some of the pictures I took and some FREE downloads if you are looking to host an owl themed shower yourself.

Free Downloadable Owl Baby Shower Water Bottle Labels and Favor Tags

I printed these favor tags on a white cardstock and then cut and layered them on some pretty paper. These were attached to the favors (rock candy in clear cellophane bags).

For the water bottle labels, I used English Essay and Pupcat from dafont, then printed them on cardstock, cut, and ran through my xyron sticker maker (which I LOVE). These wraps go all the way around. You can also print these on label paper or waterproof paper if you want to make things easier on yourself.

Download documents here and personalize for your own event!

Unfortunately, I have no idea what I did with the projects I made for this owl themed baby shower BUT I can tell you I had these owl advice cards printed by Vistaprint for a really great price.

Here are some more options from Vistaprint for owl notecards that you can customize to make into whatever you want:

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Have you had any success with an owl baby shower? I would love to see pictures!

Blogger Hiatus

2011-08-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, has it really been almost a year and a half since my last blog post? The last two years have been a little bit crazy. My husband (Pat) and I moved from Arizona to Illinois, fought through two brutal Chicago winters, and are just starting to adjust to this new city. We did it all in the name of business school-Chicago Booth to be exact. Over the course of the last two years, Pat and I weren't sure where we end up so I was hesitant to put down any event planning roots here in Chicago until we knew for sure. I still flew back to Arizona for weddings (thank you to all my winter brides for getting me out of Chicago during the freezing cold) but was waiting for Pat to accept a job offer before I transitioned to doing events in Chicago.

Well, here we are a few months after graduation, my husband is now working in CHICAGO, and I am officially setting up shop (well not a physical shop) here in the city. Woo hoo! In fact, I've already done some weddings and events here and am booking into next year so starting back up the blog has been on my to do list for quite some time now.

Nothing like being featured in a national bridal magazine to give me the impetus I needed to start blogging again, huh? A few years ago I posted about a bridesmaid newsletter template I created and hoped that maybe a bride or two could use the template or the idea for her own wedding. I never even imagined that the digital content editor from Get Married Magazine would email me about that newsletter and ask to post about it in their Fall 2011 magazine!?! What??!!

Now, before you get too excited, it was just a little mention of my blog address, but still, are you serious?!? So cool!

To any readers who are here from Get Married, I hope you'll hang around awhile and do some reading. If you are having problems downloading the template or want to make some tweaks and can't figure out how, I would love to hear from you!

Owl Baby Shower Pictures

2010-03-02T05:52:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say that the owl themed baby shower I hosted this past weekend was a blast. There was tons of food, great company, and lots of laughs.

We asked all the guests to leave a piece or two of baby advice for the mommy to be:

Advice cards ordered through Vistaprint

We hung up a clothesline with baby gear (one personalized owl onesie coming right up):

Owl bib found at Target, Owl iron-on transfer found at Joann Fabrics

The food-YUM:

As if babies aren't sweet enough, we set up a candy buffet:

Owl mask found at Joann Fabric

The dessert table with mini cheesecakes, mini cupcakes, and a big fat diaper cake adorned with little bows for the baby's hair:

Some pink drinks:

The winners of the games each won a set of handmade owl coasters similar to the ones found here. I wish I would've taken a picture because they were so adorable.

Owl goody bags purchased from Borders Books

Now the only thing left to do is wait for that little baby to get here. What's your favorite thing about baby showers? Mine has to be the cheesy games!

Napkin Flowers for Baby or Bridal Shower

2010-02-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

Aren't these napkin flowers from Parents.com adorable?

These would be so cute for a baby shower or bridal shower. Click here for instructions. I especially like that they look a little bit like frosting-YUM!

Owl Themed Baby Shower

2010-01-27T06:16:00.000-08:00

Baby shower themes. Sometimes they make me nauseous. Other times they make me happy. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the pastels and ducks, I am a much bigger fan of a more modern and trendy baby shower theme.

Owl themed baby showers have been hugely popular over the last year so I thought I would jump on board and use an owl theme for an upcoming baby shower. The mom-to-be is a bit of a modern mom-not too girly, not too frilly, not too cheesy.

So owls it is. Here is a sneak peak of the invitations, hand crafted with excitement and joy by yours truly! Fuzzy pictures taken by me as well.

Supplies used:

White card stock

Pomegranate metallic card stock

Brown card stock

Brown ribbon

Fonts used:

Peach sundress (download here)

American typewriter light (download here)

Squiggly square around registry information:

09 Kut ups (download here)

What to do with Leftover Wine

2010-01-26T05:54:00.000-08:00

I am notorious for opening a bottle of wine, having one glass, and then kicking myself later that week when I realize the rest of the bottle tastes a little bit off.

Well, a few weeks ago, I was craving a glass of wine and realized the only wine I had left in the house (hello, what was I thinking!) was a half full bottle of something I had opened earlier in the week. Darn. I wasn't really in the mood for wine that was bitter and tasted off so I had to think quick.

Enter: Sangria.

Club soda, sugar, oranges, and ice.

I made sangria with the leftover wine and you know what, it turned out great!

I did everything mostly to taste and it was stuff I already had in my fridge:

2 parts Red wine

1 part club soda

Few teaspoons of sugar

Lots of orange slices

Lots of ice

In no time at all, I was relaxing with a tall glass of sangria. You could even swap out the oranges for limes, lemons, or apple slices.

What do you guys do with wine that's a few days old?

2010 Bride's Choice Award Winner

2010-01-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

Woo hoo! I received the 2010 Bride's Choice Award from Wedding Wire. Here's the letter I received from them:

Dear Katie,

Congratulations! We are excited to announce that The Savvy Event has been chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards^™ 2010. This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service and professionalism.

The Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds (brides and grooms) through extensive surveys and reviews, which means your past clients have spoken on our behalf and selected you to receive this honor.

WeddingWire would like to commend you for your excellent service and dedication to the wedding industry.

Best,
The WeddingWire Team

A big thank you to all my previous brides and grooms for speaking on my behalf! You can check out my storefront and reviews here.

Simple and Elegant Christmas Centerpiece

2009-12-10T07:00:00.001-08:00

Check out this simple centerpiece! If you don't have evergreen sprigs, you could use berries, short decorative sticks, herbs, single flower buds or candy canes (the straight kind)-really, the possibilities are endless (and affordable!).

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What's on your dinner table right now?

Tissue Paper Wreaths

2009-12-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

I was chauffeuring my husband around town the other day and passed a skyscraper with an awesome christmas wreath on it. It almost looked like it was a tissue paper wreath which got me thinking how great that would be to make for the holidays. Inexpensive, easy, and quick!

I found a few inspiration pictures and really wish I could have captured a picture of the wreath I saw on the building. It was a deep red color and of course, huge. This would be such a great project for your holiday home decor or for your wedding.

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Aren't these great? What would you use them for?

First Anniversary Gift Ideas: Paper

2009-11-23T08:02:00.000-08:00

Last week when I posted about my first anniversary, I received some great emails and comments about more first anniversary gift ideas. In case you don't read blog comments, I wanted to share the links with you all!

I mentioned the handmade journal my husband bought for me and here are some other great ideas:

Hide-a-Heart

I love this idea! When my husband went to Africa for two weeks (read about it here, here, and here) I tucked little notes into his luggage-his toiletry bag, inside the pockets of his clothing, in his gloves, just about anywhere he would find one. He told me those little notes really got him through the tough days when he was sick and could barely make it up the mountain. These Hide-a-Hearts would have been another cool thing I could have wrapped up and hidden in his luggage. This would also be a great gift to give to your spouse with a handwritten note and it could start a trend for all the years to come of passing it back and forth!

Heidi's Heavenly Cookies

You could get your spouse a box of these bad boys and include a nice love letter about the dozens of ways he makes you happy!

Handmade Paper cuts fromMade by Julene

What a great idea (thanks to Meredith for sending it my way)! One of my previous brides had a personalized paper cut made for her husband for their first anniversary. The paper cut included lyrics from their first song-how romantic! Check out Made by Julene for more info!

Some other ideas:

Custom photo album

Maybe you could use your one anniversary as the time to finally get all your photos organized and into an album (I STILL have not done this!) or better yet you could spice things up by having a boudoir photo shoot and making a sexy album for your hubby!

Tickets to "fill-in-the-blank"

Your one year anniversary would be a great time to embark on a new hobby together. Maybe give tickets for your first local play together, an invitation to a cooking class, a gift certificate for dance lessons together, or a menu from a local wine bar that hosts weekly wine tastings (with the promise to go!).

All these ideas make me want to go shopping for my next year anniversary gifts (which is cotton by the way). Better slow down!

Cool Drink Accessories: Stir Sticks, Straws, & Garnishes

2009-11-19T06:13:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge fan of dressing up my drinks so today's post gives you some great ideas for adding some flair to your next cocktail party.

Preppy Drink Flags:

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Cranberry Stir Stick:

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Candy Cane Stir Stick:

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Candy Cane Stir Stick:

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Best Wishes Drink Flag:

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Monogram Drink Stirrers:

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Striped Straws:

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More Striped Straws:

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What's your favorite garnish? Mine used to be green olives but now it is pretty much anything sweet!

The Man Cold

2009-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else's husband/fiance/boyfriend do this? Pat is going to hate that I am saying this but he can be quite the baby when he isn't feeling well!

First Anniversary Gift Ideas

2009-11-13T05:46:00.001-08:00

Like I said in yesterday's post about my first anniversary, I want to share with you the wonderful gift my husband gave me to celebrate our first year of marriage.

I had been dropping hints all month that since year one is paper, technically anything could be given if he paid in cash or check (geez, I sound so greedy!). I mentioned paper gift cards to spas, plane tickets to a beach resort, wads of money. You know, things I need.

Pat has always been a great gift giver (well, except for the first year we were dating when he gave me an apron and a gift card to the grocery store for a gift...ummm, what do you think I am?) so when our anniversary night rolled around, I knew whatever the gift, it would rock.

And it did. I cried (well, I'm a crybaby anyway) and I was blown away by how incredibly sweet it was.

Here goes.

Going with the paper theme, he got me a beautiful leather handmade journal. He included a note with the journal that he would like us to write little facts of life and advice in this journal throughout the years so that our children can have it when they are older. Maybe lessons we have learned, things that made us happy, or just anything at all.

I even thought that it would be soooo cool if we had a daughter and she carried this little leather journal down the aisle on the day she gets married. So you can see why I was in tears when I read the note.

I don't know how Pat has the time to come up with great gift ideas when he is busy studying and going to recruiting events for 80+ hours per week but all I can say is I am pretty lucky. Here is a picture of the journal Pat bought from Jenni Bick Bookbinding (stock photo from the Jenni Bick website)

Here's another beautiful option:

Check out the site for more journal ideas. If you have already celebrated your first anniversary, what gifts did you exchange with your spouse?

My First Anniversary

2009-11-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

My husband and I celebrated our first anniversary last month. It's crazy to remember back to the day I met him. It was the summer of 69. Haha just kidding. It was June of 2004 and he was living alone in my best friend's 4 bedroom 3 bath rental property in Chandler. I had a falling out with my current roommate and was desperate for new digs so when my BFFL (pronounced biffle) told me I could rent a room in her Chandler house for free until I found something else, I was in. Hook line and sinker.

I rolled out of bed, threw on my nastiest moving sweats, loaded up my car, and headed to Chandler, excited to meet my new roomy and see the house.

I pulled into the driveway just as Pat was getting home from work. I'd seen him before but never actually met him so I couldn't really remember what he looked like and didn't know anything else about him. When he stepped out of his car and I had a good look at him, I immediately regretted the ridiculous outfit I was wearing. Cut off sweatpants, sneakers, a wife beater, and greasy hair. Add some Arizona summer sweat to that and you've got a scary scene. Damn it. I wanted to get back in the car, drive away, get dolled up, and then come back in a fashionable sundress and heels-duh, isn't that how everyone dresses when they are moving?

Well, that wasn't an option so I had to roll with it. Anyway, Pat must not have been too put off by it because 3 years later, he flew to Iowa while I was visiting my mom and surprise proposed to me in front of my whole family. Wow.

It's no surprise that when he showed up to surprise me, I was dressed like a bum. No makeup. Had just finished eating red onions. Had been crying all morning because we had a death in the family. Was exhausted. He must have been having flashbacks to the day we met.

Here are a few pictures from that day. Looking like this, I'm lucky he didn't change his mind! (And yes, those are bangs. Not my best look)

My blurry ring shot, the first time taking a picture of it

Us out celebrating that night. I could not believe we were engaged! That's my goofy brother in the background.

Who would have thought that after all these years we would end up in Chicago, at business school, in a totally different situation than we ever could have imagined.

Up next, our first anniversary gifts...

Free Printable "Gettin Hitched" door hanger

2009-11-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

I came across this free download and thought you might enjoy. They are from Benign Objects(a small design company in Minnesota) and would look adorable hanging from your wedding day suite!

Download here.

Halloween Costume Ideas

2009-10-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

Pat and I are going to a Halloween party tomorrow night and we are struggling with what to wear! Truth is, in the whole time we have been together, we have never celebrated Halloween or dressed up for it. We usually opt to host a murder party every fall and that makes up for it (more on that later) and is way more our style (at home, good food, small group of friends, funny characters).

So you can see where I'm coming from when the task of finding costumes has been left to me! I don't want to spend much on stuff I'm never going to wear again and I would really prefer it if our costumes were somewhat warm.

Here are some of the ideas I've come up with so far. If you have any better suggestions, please share!!!

Kanye West and Taylor Swift at the VMAs-

Pat could wear some big sunglasses, lots of bracelets, big baggy pants, and hold a microphone. Maybe we could even write on his shirt "Beyonce should have been number one video...". I could wear a silver sparkly dress, some big dangly earrings, bright red lipstick and hold a little trophy. But, is that identifiable enough?

1950's Dorky Couple-

Pat could wear a slicked down side part, some slacks, a tie, a cardigan and some black rimmed glasses and I could wear a puffy skirt, a ruffled shirt, and an apron and maybe carry around a spatula or a duster.

Beach bums-we could both wear flip flops, swimsuit cover ups or touristy type shirts, use makeup to draw on tan lines and sun burns, big sunglasses, beach bag, and carry around a drink with an umbrella in it.

Or, we could dress up as something that is a play on words. Examples:

Sexual harassment suit-Pat could wear a suit and then pin little sexual harassment type emails/notes on himself.

Blackmail-wear all black and then print out big sized postage stamps and put them on your outfit

Shot in the dark-wear all black and hang a shot glass around your neck

Little white lies-wear all white and then pin lies to yourself

See you guys??? I need help! What are you being for Halloween?!? Do you have any ideas for me and Pat?

Great Gift Idea: Wine in a Box

2009-10-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

I recently had some guests stay at my house for a long weekend while Pat and I were out of town. A few weeks later, I opened my door to find this package:

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They sent us three bottles of french red wine in a cool gift box-totally unexpected and very cool! Don't let the title of this post throw you-the wine was delivered in a box, not poured from a box! The gift set was from Wine.com and last night we uncorked the first bottle. Pretty tasty.

This would be a great gift idea for your bridal party, parents, or anyone else who loves drinking wine! You could put together your own selections of wine or you can purchase one of Wine.com's preselected gift sets. Even better, they have gifts under $40 (plus shipping).

Another cool thing is the wines come with little tags to hang around the neck of the bottle to indicate when you opened it, what it can be paired with, and any other little notes about the wine so you can remember if you liked it or not. What are some of the best gifts you've ever received?

Alternative Songs for Walking Down the Aisle

2009-10-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

As much as I love traditional ceremony music, I realize that Pachelbel is not for everyone. Don't be afraid to use different music-it's your wedding!

Here are a few alternative song ideas for when you walk down the aisle:

Enya-Flora's Secret
Hans Zimmer-You're so Cool
Enya-Wild Child
Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack-The Kiss (I walked down the aisle to this song)
The Verve-Bittersweet Symphony

Any other ideas? What did you walk down the aisle to?

Mason Jar Table Numbers

2009-10-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

I have a gift certificate for Pottery Barn that I've been holding onto for almost a year now so I've been checking out there site to see if there is anything I can use it for. I came across these numbered mason jars and thought these would work great as table numbers for your wedding (and you could reuse them later for spices, baking goods, or other small household items):

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After you number them, you could fill them with candles, colored stones, submerged flowers, or personal mementos that tell the story of you and your significant other. Here are a few easy (and cheap) ways to DIY this project:

Use a Cricut machine to make the numbers and then glue them onto the jars
Cut out iron on numbers and use Modge Podge to glue them onto the jars
Use self adhesive vinyl numbers (you can find these at your hardware store)
Cut out numbers and run them through your Xyron to give them a sticky back

Any other easy tips for how to paint on glass?

Escort Card Display Inspiration from Pottery Barn

2009-10-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but sometimes the internet just sucks me in. I'll log on to check my email and then next thing you know I'm reading reviews about the top BYOB bars in my neighborhood and filling my online shopping cart with rain boots and mittens.

Today I received my "Real Simple Daily Thought" which lead me to an article on how to organize your bills which had me google "letter rack" (you know, to organize my bills) which directed me to Pottery Barn. As I was cruising through their site looking at all their office organizational tools, I came across this large linen pinboard that would be gorgeous as an escort card display:

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Wouldn't this be a great way to display your escort cards? I love the various shades of each color! It makes me think of paint swatches-you could hand write your guests names and table numbers on each swatch. So cute!

You could then incorporate that into your table numbers by using a small pinboard and pinning numbers or letters to them to indicate the table number:

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Does the internet ever suck you in like it does me? How do you avoid the temptation? Speaking of which, I should be getting prepared for a wedding this weekend in beautiful Lake Geneva but instead, I'm scouring the net. See what I mean?

Evolution of the Wedding Dance

2009-10-14T06:39:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if you guys have seen this wedding video yet but it is super fun!

Baby Clothing Bouquets

2009-10-12T05:19:00.001-07:00

This morning I am feeling refreshed and full of energy. I had an incredible wedding in Phoenix this weekend and loved being able to leave the cold Chicago weather (47 degrees and raining) and enjoy the warm AZ sun for a few days. When I was on the plane reading the ever so interesting Skymall Magazine I came across these bouquets made from baby clothing:

Wouldn't this be a great gift for any mom to be? Stuff it with onesies, baby socks, burp cloths-like I said in my my last post about double duty favors, I love anything that serves more than one purpose and this is one-a centerpiece at a baby shower AND much needed baby clothes!

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Or, change it up a bit and make a lingerie bouquet for the bride-to-be:

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If you want to try this yourself, I found a tutorial with pictures here. What's the cutest baby gift you've ever seen?

Double Duty Wedding Favors!

2009-10-06T05:25:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for ways to cut costs at your wedding or event but still want to have all the goodies and details, consider doubling up on your items. For example, make your favors double as escort cards. Make your bridesmaid bouquets double as centerpieces for the cocktail hour. Make the cute groomsmen double as eye candy....you get the idea!

Here are a few of my favorite double duty escort cards and wedding favors:

Candy Apples:

Jars of candy:

Cookies:

Boxed goodies:

More boxed goodies:

Rock Candy:

Jars of syrup:

Bags of candy:

Jars of honey:

Spice Jars:

These would all be great DIY options as well. Are you making any of your wedding items do double duty?

DIY Boutonnieres

2009-09-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

Just because spelling the word "boutonniere" can be tricky doesn't mean making them has to be! I have a bride who is contemplating making her own boutonnieres and found a couple great tutorials showing how easy it can be.

Wedding Leaf Boutonniere from OnceWed

DIY Silk Flower Boutonniere from WeddingBee

DIY Vintage Boutonnieres from Love & Lace

DIY Paper Flower boutonniere from Project Wedding

Any tips you'd like to share for making your own boutonnieres?

Short Bridal Hairstyles

2009-09-29T07:12:00.001-07:00

You always hear of the brides who do the post wedding chop-well I have a bride who just did a pre-wedding day chop! With her new short do, she is stressed out about finding a pretty style for her wedding day.

Here are some great wedding day hairstyles for brides with short hair:

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Are you planning on doing a post-wedding day chop? I am still playing around with this idea!

Self Tanner for your Wedding Day? To do or not to do?

2009-09-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

I always hear a lot of back and forth from brides when it comes to fake baking vs using a spray tanner for their big day. I usually recommend against using the self tanning spray tanners because they can leave streaks, they stink, and they sometimes rub off on your clothes-even after you've showered.

Though I wouldn't use a self tanner around my wedding day, I have had some pretty good luck with self tanners and spray tans in the past-I LOVE L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Lotion-it goes on easy, smells decent, and gives a good light color.

I also recommend having a person spray you rather than a machine-it goes on more evenly, gets in all the right nooks and crannies, and is a better overall experience.

So what happens if you just can't stand your pale skin anymore and you impulsively go to the first spray tan place you can find? (I actually recently did this!) You come out smelling like a fresh baked loaf of bread and are feeling pretty pumped, only to wait a few more hours to find streaks around your feet, orange around your nails, and unnatural tan lines under your arms.

What do you do?!?

Here are some great tips from Ehow.com on how to remove streaks from sunless tanner:

Exfoliate with warm water and a sponge-this is the least invasive method and will probably only work on light streaks
Apply moistened baking soda to a washcloth and rub it in a circular motion on your streaks. Do NOT use on your face
Use rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball and wipe along the streaks (do NOT use near eyes)
Use lemon juice and a cotton ball and rub on the streaks

Aren't these some great easy options? Have you ever had a self tanner mishap?

Cute Address Labels

2009-09-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

Since the big move to Chicago almost two months ago, I am in desperate need of some new return address labels. Though I'm having quite a bit of fun printing them in word, cutting them with my paper cutter, and then running them through my Xyron to make them sticky, it is a bit TOO time consuming and I am ready for some real ones.

Keep these in mind for when you change your last name, move in with your hubs, or even for great bridesmaid gifts.

These round ones are from Invitation Consultants:

These funky guys are from Erin Condren:

And these lovelies are from Wedding Paper Divas:

**From the day I met my husband, he has been telling me he wants to live in New York. These would be perfect if his dream ever came true, huh?

**I think these are adorable!

**Hello!?! How perfect is this one? Windy City address labels? And they are stylish?

Where do you go for your personal stationery needs?

Fall Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

2009-09-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

I just finished up some fall themed rehearsal dinner invitations for an upcoming fall wedding. They wanted fall colors and a little bit of fun.

Here goes:

Ivory lined envelopes

Layered cardstock:

Free Fonts used: Desdemona and Pharmacy

Total Cost of Invitations:

$2.50 for orange card stock

$1.00 for envelopes

Not bad, huh? All other cardstock I already had in stock. Brown patterned card stock is from Michaels.

If you're getting married this fall, show me your fall themed invitations!

Party Basics for New Nesters

2009-09-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

I was at the public library yesterday perusing the aisles and I came across a really fun book by Maria McBride called Party Basics for New Nesters. It's filled with great tips on how to celebrate life at home and how to make simple decorative items to accent your party. She also has a few other wedding related books (must have been her calling with a last name like McBride).

As I was flipping through the book in the library, a few DIY items caught my eye-now I have to go back and get my Chicago library card so I can read more!

Her website has a lot of creative ideas for everyday celebrations, holidays, and weddings. Here are a few of my faves:

Barn Door Entryway

These drapes completely transform the look of this barn-and-they are made of muslin (cheap!) and twine.

Tea Party

These personalized tea bags are so cute. Can't you imagine this at a bridal shower with a tea party theme? Use double stick tape and personalized tea tabs to cover the existing tab. This would be so easy but would definitely make your guests say wow! I am so doing this!

Blue Centerpieces

I think we've all seen this one before. Simple glass vases filled with water, food coloring, and a few floating candles-what a big impact!

What are some of your trusty party basics?

How to Make Champagne Bubbly Again

2009-09-15T05:05:00.000-07:00

In my house, it is a crime to not finish a bottle of champagne once it has been opened. Not that I drink it often but I do enjoy a bottle with my girlfriends whenever I have the chance (hey, we've even done mimosas at an ASU tailgate!) and love to drink it with my husband to celebrate big and small moments.

I was reading over on RealSimple about new uses for old things and saw this great tip on how to make champagne bubbly again. If you ever pop a bottle of champagne only to realize you have to run to the store to grab x, y, and z, you can still bring back the fizz by using this simple trick.

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Here's how:

Drop a raisin into the open bottle a few minutes before pouring and any last minute gasps of carbon dioxide that are left in the wine will stick to the raisin's ridged surface, and then release as tiny bubbles. (RealSimple)

Speaking of champagne, what's your favorite kind? I set up a blind champagne tasting awhile back and my husband and I both determined that our favorite is Korbel Extra Dry or if we are splurging, we like Veuve.

Budget Wedding in Six Weeks: Update

2009-09-14T05:10:00.000-07:00

With less than five weeks to go, the wedding I mentioned a few posts back is coming along quite nicely. In one week, the following items were completed:

Out of town family was notified (personal phone calls take the place of Save the Dates)
Budget was determined
Guest list was finalized
Date was finalized
Venue was booked
Wedding attire was purchased
Invitations were designed, hand addressed, and mailed out
Wedding website was put up
Hotel blocks were made
Wedding weekend events were scheduled (golf, spa)
Food tasting was completed and initial BEO was put together

It was kind of like a wedding blitz. It was a full week of phone calls, emails, web surfing, and lots of hard work. After week one, I told the bride we would need to meet again in about a week to work on round two. She said, "I thought we were done. What else is there to do?". Oy! This is why she hired me!

With five weeks to go, we still have a long list of items to cover. Book vendors, write out ceremony, figure out seating arrangements and centerpieces and songs and the order of events-the list goes on and on. On a good note, the groom is extremely involved and plans to help out, make phone calls, and do anything he can to make this wedding a success. He even wants to track the rsvp cards as they come in. I sent him my trusty Wedding RSVP Tracking spreadsheet that I think is a huge time saver and wedding helper.

Check it out here on Scribd or download it below:

Wedding RSVP Tracking

How did you track all your wedding RSVPs?

Do-it-yourself: Chuppah/Arch/Canopy

2009-09-08T06:51:00.000-07:00

What is a chuppah you might ask? A new burrito from Taco Bell? Some strange little rodent? Nope! According to Wikipedia a chuppah is a canopy traditionally used in Jewish weddings that symbolizes the home the couple will build together. Don't worry though-even if you're not Jewish, you can still use a chuppah/arch/canopy. It can also represent God's presence over your marriage (since you get married under the chuppah).

If you're still confused about what a chuppah is, check out these gorgeous and inspiring pictures:

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You starting to get the idea? Well, I have a couple who wants to use one for their wedding and the groom just so happens to be very handy with power tools, measuring tapes, and anything construction related. He is planning on taking on this project so that he and his bride can say their vows under it-pretty romantic, huh? Especially since he will be building the chuppah/arch that symbolizes the home they will build together-already off to a good start.

I found a few DIY chuppah tutorials online if you are going to tackle a project like this yourself.

Keep in mind when you are building it that if you have to transport it somewhere, it may be easiest to add the final nails/screws at the final destination, rather than build it at home and then have to rent a moving truck to get it to your ceremony spot.

Any tips for building your own chuppah/arch/canopy?

Planning a Budget Wedding in Six Weeks?

2009-09-02T15:06:00.001-07:00

Can it be done? I just had a call from a bride who is getting married in 6 weeks. Yep-that's not a typo. October 17th, 2009 is her wedding date. She got engaged four days ago and wanted to do a small ceremony and no reception, but after talking to her family and her fiance, she was out voted. The guest list is now up to 80. Wow.

That's when she called me. After about a two hour conversation with her and a two hour conversation with her mother, plans were formed, details were discussed, and some progress was made.

If you are planning a wedding with an engagement of less than two months, I would recommend starting off by doing the following:

1. Call your family and any important friends to determine a date that works for everyone

2. Figure out your budget. Are your parents contributing? How much can you put toward it?

3. Put together a guest list

4. Find a location

My bride is working on steps 1-3 as we speak. Since she lives on 7 acres in beautiful Lake Geneva and has the perfect backdrop for an outdoor tented wedding, her location is easy-on her property. Her color scheme is brown and plum with hints of ivory and gold. Isn't this picture gorgeous?

Follow along over the next six weeks to see how her wedding progresses.

How long was your engagement? Do you know anyone who planned their wedding in less than two months? Any pointers?

DIY Cupcake Stand

2009-08-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

I found this awesome do-it-yourself cupcake stand over on Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and wanted to share since I am a lover of all things homemade and handmade.

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This was constructed of 2x4s and fabric. Isn't it great? Check out more pictures here. I also found a full set of instructions and materials needed on Elle Z Designs so be sure to check that out too if you are trying to make something similar. Did you take on any DIY projects for your wedding?

How to Have an Ice Cream Social

2009-08-20T05:34:00.000-07:00

My husband and I recently discovered the coolest ice cream place ever called iCream cafe in Wicker Park where you can create your own custom ice cream on the spot. They have three stations:

1. Pick your base-ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet (you can also make that light, fat free, organic, or soy)

2. Choose your flavor-add one or more flavors to your base (the list goes on and on and on). If you want to have some fun, you can even add a color

3. Add your toppings

Then they whip together your creation in one of the commercialized mixers in their "factory" using liquid nitrogen to turn your base into ice cream. Very cool to watch!

If you want to recreate something like this on your own (sans the commercial mixers and the liquid nitrogen), here's how:

Put together a station with bowls (maybe even fancy them up by using martini glasses or water goblets), waffle cones, sugar cones, and regular ol' cones
Fill up your kitchen sink with ice and display a few different flavors and types of ice cream/frozen yogurt. I recommend a vanilla, a chocolate, and something fruity. Then maybe a variation of each (light, fat free, fro-yo)
Put together a station for toppings. Some favorites include mini oreos, chocolate chips, caramel, peanuts, sprinkles, Reeses Pieces, fruit chunks (banana, pineapple, strawberry), chocolate syrup, peanut butter-the list is endless

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Try using stations for just anything else. A bloody mary bar, champagne party (with fun mix ins), or even a pizza party. I think interactive events are always the most successful-even if it's just something you're putting together at your home.

What's your favorite ice cream combo? Mine is vanilla with oreo. YUM!

How to Clean your Wedding Ring

2009-08-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

When I first got engaged, I cleaned my engagement ring every other day. Even the tiniest bit of dirt can make your diamond look dingy so having a safe and easy solution for keeping your diamond sparkly is a must.

Here's what was recommended by my jeweler:

1. Use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner with a mixture of 50% ammonia and 50% water. I use mine once a week and can totally tell the difference after I use it (this would also make a great gift for your newly engaged friends!)

2. After running it through the ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, dry it off with a soft polishing cloth and then take a soft bristled toothbrush to lightly brush the diamonds

3. Dry it off again with the soft polishing cloth and your diamond should be as good as new

4. When not wearing your ring, either put it back in the ring box it came in or slip it onto one of these cute little ring holders:

How do you clean your ring?

JetBlue-All You Can Jet Pass-Great for Upcoming Wedding Events

2009-08-13T08:29:00.001-07:00

Do you have out of state bridesmaids who have to fly in for all the wedding festivities? Does your mom want to help with every big DIY project you take on but flying back and forth just isn't in the budget?

Well, check out this unlimited travel offer from JetBlue. You can fly anywhere you want, as often as want between September 8th and October 8th, 2009 for just $599! There are more than fifty cities to choose from so I recommend you check it out.

Read here for restrictions.

How to Pick Colors for your Wedding

2009-08-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

Picking colors for your wedding can be a very big task. The first purchase you make in your chosen color scheme usually means you can't change it. You're stuck. Well, if you are still looking for some inspiration for your wedding day colors, look no further.

Don't limit yourself to the inspiration boards you can find all over the net. Check out these coordinating fabric boards from Fabric.com. These are especially helpful if you want to use a few different patterns throughout your event.

Just a few of my favorites:

What is your favorite color scheme right now?

Using Tin Cans as Party Decor

2009-08-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

I was eating at one of my favorite restaurants (Oreganos) and noticed that they use big tin cans for their wine buckets-how cool and resourceful is that? It got me thinking about how to incorporate that into your next dinner party or event. Here are a few ideas I am going to have to try:

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Or you could use them to elevate food trays, display silverware, chill drinks and more. How do you reuse your tin cans?

Now Blogging from....

2009-08-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

Chicago Illinois! The last few weeks my husband and I spent all of our time packing up our house in Scottsdale, driving across the country, and unpacking at our new place in Chicago. We made the move to the Windy City so my husband can attend business school at University of Chicago, Booth School of Business-the number one ranking business school in the United States. Heck yeah I am proud!!! I would follow that man anywhere!

For any of you readers out there who are getting married in the Chicago or Lake Geneva area, shoot me an email and let's talk about your wedding! I will still be booking events in Arizona as well.

How to Co-Host a Baby Shower (or any party for that matter!)

2009-07-29T09:09:00.001-07:00

When my best friend found out she was pregnant with twin girls (and after I stopped crying and screaming in delight) my first question was "Can I throw your shower?" and my second question was "Who else do you want me to include?". If any of you have ever thrown a shower with multiple other hostesses, you know it can get a little tricky trying to involve everyone equally and throw a cohesive event all the while trying to accommodate everyone and their ideas.

Well, we had huge success with this shower even though we weren't even all in the same state. Check out this video for a few tips on how to co-host a baby shower!

PS-We knew we picked the right theme when the mom-to-be showed up wearing a yellow and white polka dotted dress! Woo hoo!

Do you have any tips on throwing a shower with multiple hosts?

How to Hire a Wedding Photographer or Videographer

2009-07-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

When interviewing wedding photographers and/or videographers, it can get a little confusing. Photographer A might include 6 hours, one assistant, and an album for $2,000 while Photographer B might include 8 hours, no assistant, an engagement session, and a $300 print credit for $2,500.

If you are having a hard time narrowing it down between two photographers whose work you love, comparing what they offer for the price might help seal the deal.

I recommend making a spreadsheet to compare your options. For example, you will probably want to include the following fields:

Hours included, number of photographers, number of assistants, engagement session, photo album, additional albums, disc of photos, number of locations, price, how long for online gallery, number of photos taken, proofs, additional items. For videographers you will want to add number of discs, number of edits, quality (HD or non HD), etc.

You will then want to fill in the data for each photographer/videographer you are interested in hiring for your wedding. Once you fill it out, you will be able to decide which package includes more for the money.

Just for fun, here's a few of my favorite wedding pictures from my wedding.

I had a pretty tough time getting through my vows-especially the part where we said "in sickness and in health". You just never know what's going to get ya' on the wedding day.

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How did you decide on your photographer?

Affordable Wedding Veils

2009-07-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

If you are on a tight budget when it comes to your wedding day beauty (dress, veil, accessories, hair, and makeup) you should check out Occansey Designs for your wedding day veil. They specialize in handmade bridal veils and service brides all over the world. Veils in bridal stores can cost $150 or more (when I say more, I mean way more) while the veils from Occansey Designs start in the low $20s.

They also give great examples of the different types of edging, fullness, and lengths available when customizing your wedding day veil so you know exactly what you are ordering.

Here are some of the options for different edges for your veil:

Cut/Plain Edge Veil

Cut Edge Scalloped Veil

Pencil Edge Veil

Satin Ribbon Edge Veil

Satin Cord Edge Veil

Rippled Edge Veil

Rhinestone Band Veil

Crystal Band Veil

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Where did you buy your veil? Did you find a good deal anywhere online?

Unique Bridesmaid Gift Idea: Makeup Lessons with a Pro

2009-07-24T07:52:00.001-07:00

Are you looking for a unique bridesmaid gift idea? I have the perfect solution! Host a "makeup party" with a pro.

This may not work with any of your makeup savvy maids, but if you have a few who complain about not knowing what they are doing, this one's for them!

How to Host a Makeup Party

1. Find a professional makeup artist who offers makeup lessons and has a ton of their own makeup. I recommend Allison Pynn. Read about how awesome she is right here.

2. Ask the makeup artist how many girls she can work with in a session. It will most likely be about 2-3 girls. If you have a big bridal party, you may want to pay extra for more hours so everyone gets some tips.

3. Set the date (I recommend setting it for a Friday or Saturday afternoon that way you can use all the makeup tips you received and then enjoy a night on the town).

4. Send out the invitations to your bridesmaids. Here are some great ideas:

Invitation Source

5. Put together your theme + menu. For a party like this where your attention will be focused on the makeup artist, I recommend light finger foods and premixed drinks.

Sample Menu:

Mini sandwiches

Fruit kabobs

Veggies with dip

Mini desserts (cookies, cupcakes)

Chilled wine or champagne

**Try to stay away from anything with garlic or onions. You're going to be in close proximity to each other during the makeup lesson and don't want to scare anyone off!

6. Remind all your girls to bring all their makeup with them the day of the party (makeup bags, makeup brushes, everything!) The makeup artist will do a thorough scrub of all your makeup, throwing what is old or not your color and keeping what works for you.

7. On the day of the party, you can set up a spa like atmosphere with robes, face creams, exfoliators, and cucumbers for the eyes. Have your girls clean their faces and get relaxed before the makeup lesson begins.

Your makeup artist will teach you tricks and tips for everyday looks, night looks, or whatever funky look you want! Your girls will leave with a customized face chart listing out any makeup items or brushes they will need to complete their looks (and their makeup bags).

If you want to do even more for your maids, you could give your girls personalized makeup bags, gift cards to the makeup counter, or some makeup brush cleaner.

For more information on throwing a makeup party, contact Allison Pynn. I just had a makeup lesson with her and it was awesome! I cannot wait to finally be doing my makeup right!!!

Have you ever had a makeup lesson? What tips did you learn?

Free Downloadable Fonts

2009-07-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows how much I LOVE using different (and free) fonts. I found this gorgeous blog with a ton of free fonts and of course, had to download them all! You have to check the blog out.

You can even find tips on how to personalize your blog!

New Website for The Savvy Event

2009-07-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

After a year of being up and running, I decided to get myself a new website. I wanted one where I could easily update my content, change pictures, and add/remove pages.

Before:

After:

Check it out! Woo hoo!

Selling your Wedding Items

2009-07-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

While planning a wedding, your house may begin to look like a warehouse. Candles, vases, coordinating paper, accessories-all that stuff starts to pile up and eventually can take over entire rooms. Once the marriage has been sealed, the cake has been cut, and the last dance has been danced, you may find yourself back in that room, feeling overwhelmed by all the "stuff". What to do with it?

Before you just toss everything or give it away, be sure to check out these sites:

The Knot Trash to Treasure boards
Brides post new and used items on this forum. If you post items here, be sure to include pictures and exact measurements. Right now on the this board you can buy slightly used pillar candles, brown table runners, artificial flowers, a white bolero and more!

Project Wedding's For Sale Forum
Right now on this board you can buy bulk candy, manzanita centerpieces, champagne flutes, and lanterns.

Wedding Bee Classifieds
Find discounted calligraphy services, used centerpieces, and more.

The She Just Got Married Boutique

Right now you can buy champagne flutes, wedding dresses, shoes, and more!

A few things to remember

You can also post on these boards if you are looking for particular items (WTB means "want to buy")
Always pay through paypal.com or another third party payment provider
Always figure out shipping costs before quoting someone the shipping and handling expense.

Have you had any luck buying or selling used wedding items? If so, what is your favorite site?

Delicious and Easy Cold Appetizers

2009-07-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

In putting together a menu for an upcoming party, I really wanted to give the host some easy, delicious, and bite sized appetizer options. My mind instantly went to Ztejas and their grilled shrimp tostada bites. YUM!

Lucky for me, I found their recipe online. How often does that happen?

Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites

Guacamole

3 avocados

1 tomato (diced)

1/2 red onion (diced)

1 lime (juiced)

3 T cilantro

1 jalapeno (deseeded + diced)

1/4 C sour cream

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in bowl and mash using a whisk. Salt + pepper to taste.

Grilled Shrimp

24 shrimp (peeled/deveined)

1 C cilantro pesto (regular pesto but sub cilantro for basil)

Guacamole (from above recipe)

1/4 C chipotle puree

Preparation:

Marinate shrimp with cilantro pesto and place on skewers. Grill approx 2 minutes per side. Using your favorite chip, place a dollop of guac, then chipotle puree, then top with grilled shrimp.

What are some of your favorite appetizers to make?

Wedding at the Waldorf=Astoria in NYC

2009-07-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

I just returned from an action packed three night trip at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. While enjoying the luxurious and historical Waldorf, I passed by the Waldorf weddings room where they hold meetings for wedding consultations (beautiful by the way!). It got me to thinking about weddings of the rich and famous and the open ended price tag that goes with them.

I couldn't even imagine the budget a bride and groom would have to have in order to host their wedding at the Waldorf! What are their f&b minimums?!?

This goes out to anyone who is planning their wedding and wants a Waldorf wedding on a Days Inn budget. While it is always helpful to list out the most important things to you for your wedding day, be sure to list out things that are not important to you. It's kind of a backward way of limiting excessive expenses.

For example, let's say you are coming to the end of your wedding budget and have a few thousand left and a few remaining tasks to complete. Linens, flowers, cake, favors, and programs. I always tell my brides to ask themselves this question: Will I regret not having _____(fill in the blank)? I find once you ask yourself a question like that, it makes it easier to eliminate expenses. So if you are on the fence about whether to do high end floral arrangements on your cocktail tables but that means you might have to have the band for less hours or not serve appetizers during the cocktail hour, think about which item you will regret not having at your wedding. Will you regret not having floral arrangements on your cocktail tables or will you regret ending the band earlier and risking your guests' early departure? See how it starts to make sense?

How did you validate and eliminate certain wedding expenses? Is there anything you eliminated that you now regret?

Cute Silverware Wraps

2009-07-10T18:27:00.001-07:00

Some parties call for plastic silverware-whether it's a kids party, a backyard baby shower, or a relaxed bbq, using plastic cutlery doesn't have to look cheap. Here are a few festive ways to dress up your silverware (plastic or not):

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What's your favorite way to dress up plastic silverware?

Video: How to Make Tissue Paper Pomanders

2009-07-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

Last year I posted a step by step tutorial on how to make tissue paper pomanders and I thought I would put together a quick video as well. Tissue paper pomanders are a great way to inexpensively add color and the wow factor to any party.

Watch the video here or read the step by step tutorial here.

And in case you have no idea what I'm even talking about, here are some good examples:

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Side note: my husband is back from Africa!

2009-07-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

So after giving you all the details of my husband's long trip to Africa, I am happy to share that he is back at home! I knew I would be a wreck when I met him at the gate with all the other wives and family members (and the news!). Just as I turned the corner to his terminal, I saw him talking to his parents and I think at that point I started running (yes, I know, so dramatic) to him crying the whole way there. I didn't care who he was talking to or who I was interrupting!

They are going to be on Channel 3 news today at 7:00 pm (I believe). Read all about their adventures on their blog.

Bulk Candy by Color

2009-07-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

Candy buffets are yet another fun way to surprise your guest, add interesting decor, and thank your friends and family. Though it seems like you just buy some candy, throw it in a jar, and set it out, there is a lot more to it than that. Read on for some more tips on putting together the perfect candy buffet.

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First, come up with a color scheme or theme for your buffet. Do you want it to be modernly monochromatic or fun and vibrant? Is it for a fancy wedding or a laid back baby shower? Incorporate different elements into your candy buffet to fit your theme or style.

Second, how much do you need? This can be the trickiest part of all since it's more a matter of how the candy buffet looks once it's set out rather than how much actual candy there is. Oh Nuts online candy store recommends the following guidelines when purchasing candy:

large events (over 100): 8-10 kinds of candy (10-15 lbs each)
small events (under 100): 5-8 kinds of candy (5-10 lbs each)

A few online resources for buying bulk candy by color are Metro Candy and Oh Nuts.

Next, purchase your containers, scoops, favor bags, and labels.

When purchasing containers, I recommend using clear glass containers in various sizes. Using a colored container can take away from the colored candy you just spent a ton of time obsessing over. Find cheap clear vases at The Dollar Tree, Walmart, and don't forget to look under your friends' kitchen sinks. One friend's cabinet under the sink revealed 10+ various sized and shaped vases! Perfect for a candy buffet!

Make sure your vases are wide enough for your candy scoops!

Last, don't forget to do a trial run! Find a similar sized table to the one you will be using at your party and set out your vases and favor bags. Add the candy to make sure you have plenty and then put the candy back into labeled ziploc bags (coordinate the labeled ziploc bags with labeled vases). Map out your candy buffet so that your wedding coordinator knows exactly how you want it to look.

Here are a few more really cute candy buffets:

Do you have any tips for creating the perfect candy buffet?

How to Make Menu Blocks

2009-07-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

I posted another how-to video over on She Just Got Married about how to make menu blocks. You might be asking, what are menu blocks? Well, they are just another way to display your dinner menus (or table numbers or place cards, etc).

These menu blocks are perfect for any type of event, but would tie in really well with a baby shower (think alphabet blocks). If you don't have any showers coming up, you could use these to display pictures, quotes, recipes, and more. The possibilities are endless.

Supplies Needed:

Cardstock

Pencil

Ruler

Glue dots/glue stick

Scissors

***optional: ribbon, buttons, jewels, other embellishments

Step One:

Figure out the size you want your block. I made mine 4x4. Measure out squares onto your cardstock-4 squares by 3 squares. Don't forget to add a little "lip" to each square so you can glue the sides together more easily.

Step Two:

Cut along the lines you just drew. This would be the best time to glue any pictures, menus, or embellishments to the cube.

Step Three:

Using glue dots or a glue stick, put glue on all the "lips" you cut. Push everything together to make your cube.

Easy Fourth of July Goodies

2009-06-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the Midwest meant that most winter nights were spent trying to stay warm near the fireplace. My older sister always used to tease me because anytime a fire was going, I was right there with my marshmallow, my graham cracker, and my chocolate. You can imagine how excited I was when I first saw the S'mores favor idea! It's like the 100 calorie version of a s'more (well, maybe).

These would be SO easy to put together for this weekend. Grab some marshmallows, graham crackers, individually wrapped mini hershey's bars, and some clear goody bags and you are set.

Aren't these adorable?

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What's your favorite 4th of July tradition?

The Roof of Africa

2009-06-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

Good news for my husband and for the Foundation for Blind Children. I received a one a.m. call last night from my husband who said the entire group made it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro! Wow! They broke two world records: 1-largest group of blind climbers to ever make it to the top and 2-youngest blind climber (13 years old) to ever make it to the top.

Read more about their incredible journey here. They have been blogging from the roof of Africa-crazy, huh?

A picture of part of the team just three weeks before their departure at a charity event.

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A big congratulations to the entire team!

Fruit Infused Water

2009-06-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Whenever I entertain at home, I like to set out multiple carafes of fruit infused water, lemonade, tea, or drink mixers (whatever goes with what I'm serving). I was reading the the Fat Fighter TV blog and an article about Fifteen Ways to Spice up Plain Ol' Water caught my eye. I thought I'd share some of the great ideas with you.

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Add chopped fruit to your water
Add cucumbers (one of my favorites)
Add fresh mint to crushed ice
Make ice cubes out of pureed strained berries and add them to your water
Combine fruit and herbs for a perfect blend

This would be great to put in your fancy drink dispenser and display at your next event. What's your favorite way to spice up your water?

Escort Cards

2009-06-23T07:14:00.001-07:00

I am a firm believer in some form of assigned seating at any event. I've been to bridal showers before with only 20 women who all know each other and the question still comes up-"where should I sit?". I like taking the guess work out of it for my guests. People are most comfortable when they know what to expect next.

When it comes to escort cards, get creative! Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

Attach pre-printed cards to skewers and place in vases with sand/rocks/colored candy:

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Take cues from your venue. Tie your escort cards onto a beautiful fence or metal feature.

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Let your favors do double duty. Tie escort cards to each favor.

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Hang your escort cards from a photo tree.

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Again, take cues from your venue. Rather than competing with the space, add to it by using the natural elements to incorporate your wedding decor.

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Get creative!

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What are the most creative escort cards you've ever seen at an event?

Personalized Cocktail Napkins

2009-06-22T06:44:00.001-07:00

I have been looking high and low for some affordable and cute personalized cocktail napkins for an upcoming wedding I have. The bride and the groom wanted particular sayings that fit with their personalities and their wedding colors.

Here are some sites I found with price range to help you in your search for personalized cocktail napkins:

1. The Knot 200 for $35.98 The bad side to this site is that shipping is expensive (for 200 napkins it was $15 or so) and you have to add a design to your napkins.

2. For Your Party 200 for $58. The good thing about this site is there are a ton of font and layout options. Down side is it is more expensive.

3. Party Favors Plus on Ebay. 200 for $30 and free shipping and handling. I liked this site because you don't have to add a design or monogram and there is no charge for shipping. Down side is limited font options.

Since the napkins for this wedding were just an added bonus and not a necessity for the bride and groom, I went with Party Favors Plus. The napkins showed up in just a few days and I am very happy with how they turned out.

The groom is an attorney so we thought this saying was perfectly appropriate for cocktail napkins:

What's your favorite shop for personalized napkins?

Off to Africa...

2009-06-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me if the next two weeks of posts are sappy, sad, or desperate. I just dropped my husband off at the airport for his two week long trip to Africa. Two weeks! That will be the longest he's ever been away. He is hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro with The Foundation for Blind Children and has been training for this journey for the last year. He will be guiding a blind climber, Max, up the mountain and once Max makes it to the top, he will set the world record for being the youngest blind climber to ever summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Wow!

Because every post is better with a picture, here's one of me and my handsome hubby. He normally doesn't like when I post pictures of him on here but since he's out of the country, too bad!

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As I was driving yesterday, getting teary eyed just thinking about Pat's departure, I stopped behind a car with a bumper sticker that said "Proud Wife of a US Soldier". Talk about a sign from above-I'm worried about my husband's journey through Africa while this woman is making the biggest sacrifice of all. A huge thank you goes out to all the women who go months without seeing their husbands so they can fight for our country. Thank you.

(See, told you things were going to get a little sappy around here)

New Blog Design!

2009-06-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about my new blog design by Rainy Day Templates. I fell in love with a blog template she designed for JL Designs and have been stalking her work ever since. I finally emailed her to put together a new blog for me, and seriously, two days later, here it is!

If you are in need of a blog makeover or just a blog at all, I urge you to check her out! Look at a few of these templates she designed-and-they only cost $25 each! Wow!

Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for some more changes and updates! Lots of exciting stuff going on!

How to Make a Layered Invitation

2009-06-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday which means I posted a how to video over on She Just Got Married. Today's video shows how to make a layered invitation with a ribbon embellishment.

Click here to watch the video or read on for step by step instructions.

Materials Needed:

Paper cutter

Scissors

Card stock in various colors/patterns

Glue stick

Glue dots

Ribbon

Xacto knife

Invitations

Step One:

Design and print your invitation. I designed this baby shower invitation with the help of Blogalicious Designs (they made the pregnant belly in a polka dotted dress for me)

Step Two:

Using your paper cutter, trim your invitations down to size. Figure out how much of each color card stock you want showing and then cut the additional card stock down to size for layering.

Don't you just LOVE the black, white, and yellow colors I used??? (I'm biased!)

Step Three:

Using your Xacto knife, cut small slits where you want to add the ribbon. For these invitations, I cut slits at the waist of the dress so I can add my ribbon there.

Step Four:

Using your Xacto knife again, push the ribbon through the slits from the back, pulling each side through evenly.

Tie a pretty little bow or knot.

Step Five:

Add glue dots and/or glue stick to the back of the invitation. Layer it on card stock #1. Do the same thing to layer it again and again and again depending on how many layers you want.

Seriously, I know I may be biased, but aren't these the cutest invitations ever!!??

Custom Rubber Stamps from Paperwink

2009-06-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon Paperwink the other day and fell in love with all the custom rubber mailing address stamps. The styles range from antique to modern and they also have matching stationery and calling cards to go with them.

At $18 each you could even splurge on some matching notecards or calling cards. What are you doing for your bridesmaid gifts?

DIY Pocketfolds

2009-06-12T07:00:00.001-07:00

Pocketfolds are a great way to package all your wedding paper-invitations, programs, cds, favors, and more. Pocketfolds usually run between $1-2 each which isn't a ton, but if you have 100 guests, that could be almost $200 plus shipping plus the cost of whatever you are adding to the pocketfold.

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I'm a huge fan of saving money so I put together a SUPER easy step by step tutorial on how to make your own pocketfolds-two different ways.

Supplies Needed:

12x12 card stock

X-acto knife or paper cutter

Ruler

Pencil

Glue/glue dots/vellum adhesive runner

Step One:

Find 12x12 card stock in your wedding colors. I have seen this for $.50/sheet before and you can get 2 pocketfolds/sheet so it will cost you about $.25/pocketfold.

Step Two:

Cut the paper in half, leaving yourself with 2 pieces that are 12"x6".

Step Three:

Mark along the paper at the 5" mark and the 10" mark. This is to mark where you need to fold.

Step Four:

Apply your adhesive along the sides of the pocketfold. Be sure not to glue it shut though!

Here is one version of the pocketfold using the steps above. This one completely covers whatever you enclose and has a flap at the top:

This is the second version of the pocketfold and has a smaller flap at the bottom. The top piece folds over (this would create the pocketfold in the very first picture).

See how easy that was? Are you planning on taking on any DIY paper projects?

Free Downloadable Fonts

2009-06-11T05:44:00.000-07:00

Before you go out and spend money on any upgraded font packages, make sure you check out the numerous free font sites out there. I am a fan of Dafont and always find a ton of great fonts on their site. It's so easy too-all you do is download the file, save it to your fonts, and then when you are in your document (word, publisher, powerpoint, etc), go to your dropdown list of fonts and find the one you just downloaded.

Here are a few of my faves:

Aren't they so pretty? Download them here.

How to Make Wine Bottle Labels

2009-06-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

I just posted a how to video on She Just Got Married about how to make wine bottle labels. I am working on this project for an upcoming event and can't get over how easy it is.

Step One:

Get wine bottles. I like tall and skinny ones best (like the first one below) because you have more room for text on your labels.

Step Two:

Remove labels on wine bottles with Goo-B-Gone or something similar

Step Three:

Create labels for the wine bottles. They can be as simple as your monogram or a table number or as detailed as the full dinner menu.

Step Four:

Trim labels down to size. I like to keep the labels about 4" wide and 6" high. Again-this depends on the size of your wine bottle.

Step Five:

Using glue dots or double sided tape, adhere your custom label to the front of the wine bottle.

Picture from my Blackberry

How easy is that!? I think the hardest part is designing the labels you want to use. Keep in mind, if you book an event with The Savvy Event we will help you to personalize your event with custom menus, programs, labels, and more (printing cost not included).

Cupcake Caps

2009-06-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I just saw these edible Cupcake Caps in Brides magazine. All you have to do is bake and lightly frost some cupcakes, then stick the cap on top and voila-you've got party ready cupcakes!

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They have a bunch of different designs and they'll even customize them to your liking. At 100 calories per cap (not including the cupcake), I'd like to try one to see exactly how they taste. What do you think of these?

What to do with your Wedding Rings During the Ceremony

2009-06-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

I recently had one of my brides ask me what to do with her engagement ring before the ceremony. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to wear the ring, give it to her fiance, or leave it off altogether.

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You can have either a ring bearer carry the wedding bands, the best man carry them, or you can have your maid of honor and best man hold onto the bands during the ceremony. If you have an engagement ring, you should wear this on your right hand during the ceremony. Once your husband puts the wedding band on your finger, you can switch the engagement ring back to your left hand, so it sits on top of the wedding band.

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If you are getting your rings sautered together before the ceremony, you would give the whole set to either the best man or the ring bearer. During the ceremony, your husband would put the whole set on your left ring finger.

Don't forget to bring your rings to your getting ready location if you have your photographer there. They can get lots of creative shots with your rings before the ceremony-with the invitation, on a newspaper, on your bouquet, the list goes on. You will also want to wear your wedding rings if you do photos before the ceremony.

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What are you doing with your rings during the wedding ceremony?

Wedding Day Beauty: Eyebrow Threading

2009-06-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

I used to be a fan of getting my eyebrows waxed and then recently for some reason I decided to grow my eyebrows out...you know, like Groucho Marx.

So after a few months of no maintenance, I couldn't take it anymore. I was thinking about getting waxed again at my favorite spot, The Brow Lady, but then my girlfriend started telling me how bad waxing is for the skin above your eyes and how it pulls and stretches the skin. Oy, I'm coming on thirty and the last thing I need is stretched out skin above my eyes!!!

Anyway, I decided to try eyebrow threading because it is supposed to be easier on your skin. Threading is "the ancient method of hair removal that uses a thin cotton thread to remove hair at the follicle level".

Pros:

Super quick, maybe five minutes for both brows

Doesn't pull skin or stretch it

Cheaper than waxing, only $15!

Cons:

If your hairs are grown out, it will be more painful

Well let me just tell you, I have super sensitive skin and boy did that lady get me good! My eyes naturally started watering and by the end of the session, my face was covered with mascara and tears. BUT-I was there for only a few minutes and now I am back to looking like myself. If you want info on the lady who "threaded" me, shoot me an email and I will send you her info!

Have you ever tried threading? Do you think waxing really pulls and stretches your skin?

Wedding Day Makeup Ideas

2009-06-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice to have a professional makeup artist help you get ready every morning? My makeup routine consists of about five minutes of bronzer, blush, eyeliner, and mascara. In other words, I need help! For me, hiring a professional makeup artist (click here to read about one I love) for your big day is a must. You're wearing the most expensive dress of your life-why would you apply your own makeup?

Here are some inspiration pictures of gorgeous makeup to help you find your wedding day makeup style.

Are you hiring a professional to do your wedding day makeup? Would you ever try to do your wedding day makeup yourself?

How to Make a Table Runner

2009-06-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of saving money so it's pretty common to find me browsing the $1/yard fabric aisle at my local fabric store. I have found so much great fabric there that I can no longer bring myself to buy table runners or linen napkins-I prefer to make them (so yes, while you are out at the pool having a margarita, I am inside sewing-haha). At $1-2/yard, you just can't go wrong!

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I posted a brief how to video on how to make a table runner over on She Just Got Married and here are the step by step instructions below:

1. Figure out your measurements. For a standard table, I usually do 15" wide by x+24" for length (x=length of table). This will give you a 12 inch overhang on each side; add more length if you prefer a longer overhang

2. Find your fabric. From my experience, it seems that most fabrics are about 45" wide so take that into account when making table runners. If you just want to make one runner that's 9' long, then you will only need one yard of fabric (sew the three 15" strips together to make 9' long)

3. Measure and mark. Using chalk or a washable marker, measure the width of your runner and mark dots along the fabric. I like to use a washable marker since I always have one laying around and it's easy to see.

4. Connect your dots and cut.

5. If you are sewing your runners, I like to fold the edges over twice to hide any exposed seams. Once I fold them over, I like to press them so that the creases stay and it is easy to see where I need to sew. My 15" width accounts for 1" on each side for a hem-leaving a 13" wide table runner.

One of my DIY Table Runners

Anyone else out there a fan of making their own linens?

Welcome Bags for Out of Town Guests

2009-06-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

Welcome bags for out of town guests are a great way to welcome your guests, give them some information about the area and your wedding, and thank them for traveling to celebrate with you. Welcome bags are completely optional though-don't feel like you have to provide these!

Here are a few basics to include in your welcome bags:

Bottled Water (personalize your labels for even more fun)
Chapstick
Sunscreen or sunscreen wipes
Aspirin
Welcome letter detailing weekend events, local attractions, nearby convenience stores/restaurants
Coupons for local restaurants/golf/shopping

Some Arizona specific items to include would be:

Arizona Iced Tea
Prickly pear anything (tea, candy, jam)
Hot sauce
Southwest style snack food (pretzels, chips)
Cactus anything
AZ postcards

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When doing welcome bags, be sure to ask your hotel ahead of time if they will hand them out to your guests as they check in or if they will place them in their rooms. Be sure to find out if there is a charge for this.

Are you doing welcome bags? If so, what are you including in yours?

Boudoir Photos-Q & A with This Is Life Photography

2009-05-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

If you are searching for the perfect wedding day gift for your husband to be, I highly recommend doing a boudoir photo session.

Marisa, owner of This Is Life Photography, and I did a mini Q&A session in hopes of answering a few common questions below about what boudoir sessions are and how to get comfortable enough to do one!

For starters a boudoir photo session isn't a naked photo session-it's classy and tasteful photos with a touch of sexiness.

Question: What should women wear for their boudoir session?

Marisa: Bring a white lingerie outfit, a black one, and at least one bold color that accents your body, eyes and hair color. Red is always a great choice. Think about items that accentuate your body in the way that makes you feel the most sexy and comfortable in your own skin. You also don't have to limit yourself to lingerie. Sometimes less revealing ensembles are even more sexy! If you have a favorite or sentimental outfit, include that as well. Feel free to also bring fun accessories such as your fiance's favorite tie or work short, a favorite necklace, fun pumps, heels, earrings, etc...

Question: What should women do to prepare for their session?

Marisa: The biggest preparation is deciding whether you would like the session to take place in the comfort of your home, or in a hotel suite. For your home, make sure you have plenty of natural light spilling in for optimum results. If that is a problem in your home, there are plenty of beautiful hotels that you can also book for the session.

The next best thing to do to prepare is picking those outfits we discussed above. When you are this exposed, you want to pick outfits that accentuate your features and make you feel like a million bucks!

Also think about your hair and make up. Stay away from experimenting with new looks. This is a time for you to feel like you. You may want to hire a hair or make up artist but make sure you feel comfortable with the styles you choose.

Question: What suggestions can you offer to women who are really nervous about taking these pictures? How can they get more in comfortable in front of the camera in their lingerie?

Marisa: For help relaxing in front of the camera, I recommend:

1-Bring a friend along who will help you relax and have fun.

2-Have some champagne on hand. Drinking to help you to relax is perfectly normal but try not to overdue it as you don't want to appear intoxicated in the photos.

3-Play music to help set a calm mood

4-Remember-this is about you and feeling sexy! This is supposed to be fun so just relax and have a good time.

Question: I've actually heard some women talk about taking their own boudoir photos. What are your thoughts on DIY boudoir sessions?

Marisa: Professional photography is just that, professional. Although everyone has a digital camera these days, it takes certain equipment, lighting techniques and posing skills to create flattering images.

Question: What does This is Life Photography offer for boudoir sessions? Can you swap this out with the e-session in the wedding package? Albums? Etc?

Marisa: The most popular way my clients present images from their sessions are through custom designed albums. We also offer standard prints and wall prints.

The e-session is a complimentary session that we include in our wedding packages. We don't substitute this session for other sessions because the e-session gives the couple and myself the chance to get to know each other and for the couple to get used to being in front of the camera for their wedding day. We are very flexible though, and if an e-session won't work for you, we can talk more about substitution.

A huge thank you to Marisa for sharing all the above tips! I highly recommend her for any type of professional photography needs you may have. Below are some great samples of her boudoir work.

All Photos Courtesy of This Is Life Photography

For more information on scheduling your boudoir session, contact Marisa:

Web: www.thisislifephotography.com

Email: thisislifephotography@gmail.com

Phone: 480-710-6135

P.S. You don't need to be getting married to do this-these would be a great surprise gift for that special guy in your life or just a great reward for yourself for kicking butt in the gym!

Back after a long weekend and a few tips for being a relaxed bride

2009-05-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a good three day weekend! I didn't spend as much time enjoying the sun as I would have liked but I did get to break out my brand new sewing machine (if that doesn't tell you how dorky I am I don't know what will). I'm going to post this week about how to make table runners and napkins with or without a sewing machine so stay tuned!

I also posted some tips for alleviating wedding day stress for Burnett Photography so check them out!

Since every blog post should have a picture, here is one of me, from my wedding day-as you can tell, I was pretty stress free and relaxed...nothing a glass of champagne and some great friends can't cure!

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Any tips you'd like to share about how you relaxed on your wedding day?

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred

2009-05-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing all these great things about the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred so you can imagine how excited I was when I saw it FOR FREE on my Cox OnDemand. It has been SO hot in AZ that it makes it a little harder to get to the gym (I know, I know, bad excuse) so finding this free video on TV makes me so happy. I have done it two days in a row now and I am already in so much pain!

Jillian Michaels says she can make big changes in your body in just 30 days if you do her videos religiously. She is pretty hardcore and says she doesn't "allow breaks" but if you want good abs, you've got to work for them. Case in point:

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Hello!?! Look at her body! Wow!!! If her claims are for real, this would be a great way to get in shape for your wedding-toned arms, tight abs-what more could you ask for!?

Have you tried the 30 day shred? Good results?

How to Host a Cooking Party

2009-05-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a great idea for an exciting night in? Hosting a cooking party is a great way to relax with friends, learn some new recipes, and eat a great meal while you're at it. Watch the how-to video at She Just Got Married or read below for some tips for throwing your own!

1. Select a menu ahead of time and print recipe cards for each station. Make sure dishes have similar cooking times so everything is ready at the same time.

(Almond crusted tilapia station)

2. Set stations for each item-include ingredients, mixing bowls, utensils, baking dish, and recipe card.

(Couscous station)

3. Assign two people to a dish. If it's an easy dish, assign them two items.

(Salad station)

4. Have your friends bring mixing bowls, measuring spoons, and cutting boards if you don't have enough for each station.

(Bread pudding station)

5. Don't forget the drinks! For some reason, I find that cooking in someone else's kitchen can be a little intimidating-having a glass of wine can take the edge off!

Oh yeah, and don't forget to bring your aprons! Have you ever hosted a cooking party? Any tips you'd like to share?

Wedding Dress Disappears During Flight to Wedding

2009-05-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

I just read this article on the Consumerist about a girl who packed her wedding dress and checked it-only to find out a few hours later when she landed that her dress had been stolen from her luggage! She was only eight days away from her wedding and according to the story the airline was of zero help to this poor girl.

That being said, here are some tips for flying with your wedding dress.

1. Call your airline ahead of time and ask them if they will hang the dress for you on board in a garment bag. Some airlines may charge an extra fee for this.

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2. Pack it in your carry on bag or a garment bag and carry it on with. Once you get to your wedding location, hang it up and steam out any wrinkles. If you do pack your dress and have to fold it, be sure to roll the dress to minimize wrinkles.

3. OR ship your dress to your wedding location via Fedex or UPS-make sure to insure it and get a tracking number.

Bottom Line: Avoid checking it at all costs! What would you do if your dress disappeared from your checked luggage on the way TO your wedding?!? Have you ever had anything stolen from your checked luggage? Any advice to brides traveling with their dresses?

Custom Digital Portrait Silhouettes

2009-05-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

Arent these custom Digital Portrait Silhouettes on Etsy so adorable? You could use these for invitations and paper products for a party or wedding, you could frame these of your children and hang them as artwork in your home, use the silhouette on stationery-the possibilities are endless.

Images below are from the Etsy store Petit Debutant

Images below are from the Etsy store Pretty Faces

How would you use these custom silhouettes?

DIY Paper Purses

2009-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

These paper purses would be such a great addition to your next girly party-can't you just see these at each place setting with the guest's name, filled with some girly goodies? You could even make bigger ones and use them as centerpieces and decor items throughout your space. Or, use these as a creative way to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding.

I found these pictures and tutorials below and they look super easy!

Picture below and online template can be found at CarlosNmolina.

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The paper purses below can be found at In the Making Design and the tutorial can be found here

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Aren't these adorable? What would you use these for?

How to Host a Guac-Off!

2009-05-14T05:03:00.000-07:00

With Cinco de Mayo a few days behind us and summer close ahead, I am already dreaming of catching some sun out on my patio with a frosty margarita in one hand and chips and guac in the other...ahhhh, can you hear the fountain and birds chirping in the background? Okay, back to reality.

Everyone loves a good competition, especially when it comes to chips and guacamole. I recently put together a guacamole cook-off contest and it was a blast!

Here's how to do a blind guacamole cook off contest:

Put each guacamole in a different bowl and number each bowl. I made these little Mexico flags to put in each bowl-(this way the judges don't know who made what)
Each of the judges gets a score card where they write down notes about the guac (flavor, texture, spicy-ness, overall) and then they have a column for ranking each guac
Total up the rankings for each guacamole and announce your winners

I put all the paper stuff I used into a pdf in case anyone wants to host a similar guac or salsa cook off party.

Guacamole Cook Off Contest Guacamole Cook Off Contest

Publish at Scribd or explore others: How-to-Guides & Manu invitation guacamole contest

Enjoy!

How to Tie a Ribbon (3 ways)

2009-05-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

I put together a short video on how to tie a ribbon a few different ways for She Just Got Married. Be sure to check it out if you are adding ribbon to any of your wedding stuff. These are really easy examples of ways to tie a ribbon to dress up your wedding invitations, vases, programs, favor tags, and more.

If you prefer step by step instructions, I have included them below:

Simple Knot

Step One:

Step Two: Bring top ribbon down

Step Three: Bring bottom ribbon over top ribbon, then pull bottom ribbon through the loop

Step Four: Pull both ends to tighten

Fancy Gift box Bow

Step One: Lay ribbon on top of item

Leave some ribbon hanging off the bottom

Step Two: Bring the top ribbon around the back and then back up the front

Step Three: Cross the ribbon to the left and hold it with your finger.

Step Four: Pull it around the back and then back up onto the right side, crossing over the middle

Step Five: Pull the ribbon you just pulled over under the fold and the ribbon (pull toward top right corner at a diagonal)

Step Six: Tie it off in a knot or a bow

Every now and again when using ribbon, you will probably have to deal with some slight fraying (it is worse depending on the material of the ribbon). When you do have frayed edges, an easy way to clean them up is to use a lighter to quickly heat the edges. This seals the edges and gets rid of the fray:

Before Picture

During Picture (only use the flame for about two seconds)

After Picture

Are you using ribbons on any of your wedding stuff?

Wedding Day Hair and Makeup-Q&A with Allison Pynn

2009-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you are still searching for a hair and makeup artist to make you look amazing for your wedding or event, look no further!

Allison and I did a mini Q & A session in hopes of answering any questions you might have before hiring a professional hair & makeup artist. Read below for some great makeup tips and to learn what to expect at your hair and makeup trial.

K: How long have you been in the business?
A: 8 years

K: What products do you use on your brides?
A: I pull from ALL different lines! No line has the "best" of everything so I have spent thousands of dollars and a lot of trial and error finding the best of the best! I carry Bobbi Brown, Jane Iredale (the best Mineral line there is!), MAC, NARS, Smashbox, Laura Mercier, Mary Kay, Kiehl's, Benefit, etc...

K: Do you travel to your clients for their trial and wedding day?
A: Always! I've done weddings in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Sedona, San Diego and Phoenix!

K: Do you have a team you use for larger wedding parties? Do you offer discounts for large groups?
A: If everyone in the party is wanting makeup AND hair, I can take parties up to 8 by myself (given we have the time, 1 hour per gal). Any more than that and I will bring a hair assistant. If the party is 9 or more and some are wanting "makeup only" or "hair only", I can bring an assistant if necessary. It really depends on how much time we have to get everyone ready too! I do touch-ups on everyone before I go (especially those I do first thing in the morning) and don't leave until everyone looks PERFECT! I offer discounts on parties of 6 or more.

K: How far in advance should a bride book your services?
A: Anywhere from up to 1 year to 1 month in advance. Most brides book me 6 months out so my schedule fills up very quickly!

K: What is the one beauty product you cannot live without?
A: Mascara!

K: What should brides do to prepare for their hair and makeup trial/wedding day session with you?
A: Trial prep: Freshly clean face, clean dry hair. No dirty hair! Oily hair won't allow me to build volume and most brides don't like the feeling of having dirty hair on their wedding day. Its a win-win to have clean hair. If they have pictures of hair/makeup they'd like me to use for inspiration, have them ready! I love pictures and it gives me a great indication of the bride's style. Just dress comfortably! I have a smock to cover clothes, so if a bride tends to get hot easily, take that into consideration to stay as comfortable as possible. I also carry a personal fan to keep my client nice and cool!

K: What is your number one tip for brides when they are choosing their hair and makeup style for their big day?
A: YOU NEED TO FEEL LIKE YOU! Hair: Don't talk yourself into an updo just because it's traditional. Choose 4 adjectives to describle your style (natural, fun, dramatic, relaxed, feminine, etc..) Once you have these in mind, start flipping through magazines (not necessarily bridal magazines) and see if you spot "the perfect hair" for you. If you don't find any pictures, no worries! That's where I come in! At our trial, I will get a feel for your personal style and the look you're going for. Together, we will create your "perfect hair"! Makeup: Most brides say they want to look "natural" in the makeup department. Just keep in mind, you've hired a professional photographer and you want to look your absolute best! How we look in person is not how we photograph. It may be necessary to pump up your look a few notches to avoid looking washed out in the photos. The idea is to look like YOU, but better!

K: What is the one mistake most women make when it comes to their beauty routine?
A: Wearing foundation is the worst thing you could put on! No one needs foundation! For undereye issues, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, etc... use concealer. For a fresh, evened-out skin tone use a tinted moisturizer. A tinted moisturizer will give a hydrated, clean complextion and you will see YOU, not your makeup. Forget foundation! For more on this, product suggestions & techniques, you can visit my website.

Below are some samples of Allison's work:

From left to right: Source, Diane Wallace, Source

Clockwise from top left: Source, Source, Source, Source, Source

The thing I love about Allison is not only her great style, but also the fact that she does both hair and makeup, and travels to you! This makes your wedding day so much more relaxed-you only have to worry about scheduling one vendor for hair and makeup appointments and get to relax with a mimosa in your getting ready location.

To get rates or more info on Allison Pynn's services:

Email: allisonpynn@gmail.com

Web: www.makeupaz.com

Phone: 602-670-1631

New USPS Postage Rates Effective Today

2009-05-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Effective today, the United States Postal Service has increased the price for First-Class letters from 42 cents to 44 cents.

When putting together your wedding or event budget, don't forget to include postage for your save the dates, invitations, and return RSVP cards. That's at least 3 stamps/couple!

Also, only count one invitation per couple, not per person!

I don't know about you but I cannot keep up with all these postage increases.

Happy Monday!

Win an Alfred Angelo Wedding Dress!

2009-05-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Get Married and Alfred Angelo have teamed up to give one lucky bride the wedding dress of her dreams! All you have to do is play an online wedding dress matching game (similar to Concentration), match the dresses as fast as you can, submit your score, and if you're getting married September 09 or later, you can win your choice of wedding gown from Alfred Angelo or their Sapphire Collection valued up to $1,800.

Click here to play.

Here are a few of my fave dresses from the Alfred Angelo site.

If you won what dress would you get?

What to Do with All That Silverware

2009-05-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

When you sit down to a fancy dinner with your in-laws, the only thing you should be worried about is making a good impression-not which fork to use and what to do with all those spoons. I posted a video about formal table settings and what to do with all that silverware over on She Just Got Married so if you prefer to see me in all my congested and stuffed up glory, head on over there.

If not, keep reading :)

1. Dinner plate

2. Soup bowl

3. Bread plate

4. Napkin

5. Salad fork

6. Dinner fork

7. Butter knife

8. Dessert spoon

9. Cake fork

10. Dinner knife

11. Teaspoon

12. Soup spoon

13. Water glass

14. Red wine glass

15. White wine glass

Some more fun etiquette tips:

If you are the first person at the bread basket, be sure to pass to everyone else first, then serve yourself
Don't butter your bread directly from the butter dish. Using your butter knife, get butter from the dish and put it on your bread plate-then butter bite sized pieces of your bread with the butter
Salt and pepper should never be apart. If someone asks you to pass the salt, pass both the salt and pepper
A huge pet peeve of mine-do NOT salt your food before you eat it. This is RUDE RUDE RUDE. It tells the host/chef that you know before even eating it that it needs something. I can't tell you how much this bugs me.
b & d-make your left hand into a b and right hand into a d-this coordinates with which bread plate (b) is yours and which drink glass (d) is yours

What are some of your dining pet peeves? Any etiquette tips you want to share?

She Just Got Married on GetMarried.Com

2009-05-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

The site where I guest blog, She Just Got Married, was just featured on the "What's HOT" segment of the Lifetime Channel's show Get Married.

Click here for the video.

They briefly mention the DIY videos I post every Wednesday-woo hoo! A huge congratulations to Denee who is the mastermind behind the site!

Gift Idea for Mother's Day: Personalized Calling Cards

2009-05-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

Looking for a gift idea for Mother’s day? I am loving these personalized calling cards for mom. These would be great for stay-at-home moms, moms who are retired, or moms who host a lot of charity events. Even if you don’t work, you still need a business card, right?

I found these personalized calling cards over on Cambria Cove and I am in love!

If your mom has a more simple style, these calling cards from Invitation Consultants would be perfect:

Have you already done your mother's day shopping?

Honeymoon Giveaway-Enter Now!!!

2009-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Preowned Wedding Dresses is having a Honeymoon Giveaway! Starting today, May 1st, through June 30, 2009 you can win a $2,000 Marriott Honeymoon Travel Card redeemable at the Marriott hotel of your choice-anywhere in the world! You can use the $2,000 for your fancy accommodations, relaxing spa treatments, breakfast in bed, or anything else you feel like doing while enjoying your hubby and your honeymoon.

Even better-you can enter once per email address per day. Hello!?!? Get over to their online entry form now to enter and for more details. Good luck!

PS-while you're at it, don't forget to check out the huge selection of preowned wedding dresses available on their site.

Creative (and Affordable) Table Runners

2009-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Can't find the perfect table runner for your party? Don't have the extra cash flow to spend on linens?

Well, table runners don't have to be made from cotton! Think outside the box and I bet you could find a TON of options for table runners right in your very own house:

Fabric
Place mats
Wall paper
Wrapping paper
Cool shopping bags
Scrapbook paper
Trays
Bandannas
Wood
Black foam board

Here are a few examples I found online:

Source

Source

The possibilities are endless. What is your favorite alternative to the linen table runner?

How to Fold a Fancy Dinner Napkin

2009-04-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

Looking for some ways to dress up your dinner table and be eco-friendly at the same time? Use linen napkins at your next meal. I always find great deals on cotton/linen napkins at Target, Pier One, and Tj Maxx/Marshalls. If you stick to darker colors, you can use them forever-no matter how many times your messy husband spills on them!

I put together a how to video showing a few different napkin folds for She Just Got Married so if you learn by watching, check it out.

If not, here are step-by-step instructions:

Fortune Cookie Fold:

1. Fold napkin in half on the diagonal
2. Fold corners in to top of triangle
3. Flip it over with all open points facing you
4/5. Fold bottom corner up to opposite corner, creating a triangle shape
6. Fold the napkin in half again, creating a smaller triangle shape
7. Set the napkin up
8. Put it on your place setting and you've got an easy fortune cookie napkin

(Is it just me or is it really hard to put into words how to actually fold a napkin???)

Diagonal Handkerchief Fold:

1. Fold napkin in half
2. Fold napkin in half again (leaving the two folded edges on the left and bottom side)
3. You'll now have the four loose ends in the top right corner
4. Take the top layer of the napkin and roll it tightly from the top right corner to the center of the napkin
5. Do the same with the second layer
6. Do the same with the third layer
7. Leave the fourth layer alone
8. Fold both sides under to hide the start of each of the rolls
9. Set on your plate, insert menu, flower, etc and you're done!

PS-did you know that when you dine at a fancy restaurant and you're wearing black, the waiter should switch out the white linen dinner napkin with a black one. If they don't ask them-you don't want white lint all over your little black dress!

Coupon Code from Invitation Consultants & Contest

2009-04-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you read my blog regularly, you know I love Invitation Consultants. They have a huge selection of invitations, high quality products, and a wide range of prices for every budget. I just received an email from them about their Invitation Design Contest and had to share-if you think you can design an invite, you should enter the contest!!! Winner gets $1,000 and your design will be sold on the Invitation Consultants website (you will also earn 5% on every sale of your design). Hello?!? How awesome is that!!

Read more details here.

Also, if you are still in need of invitations for your upcoming event, they are offering $10 off your next order of $200 or more with coupon code SPRING2009.

So for all you creative designers out there, you should enter!

Back from the Windy City!

2009-04-27T07:22:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a trip! I am so extremely exhausted from walking everywhere in Chicago. I'm used to living in AZ where you drive everywhere, even if it's just a few blocks away.

In regard to the cupcake post on Friday, my sister found some delicious cupcakes from Sensational Bites in downtown that were so good! I forgot to take pictures but these are some I found online from their store:

Source

Happy Monday everyone!

In Chicago for my Birthday today!

2009-04-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

I'm in Chicago visiting my sister for my birthday and we are on a mission to find the best cupcakes in the city. There are lots out here but I've read pretty good things about Molly's and Phoebe's Cupcakes so we may try to find those places and test them out.

Anyone have any recommendations for the best cupcake in Chicago?

How to Host a Housewarming Party (plus, free downloads)

2009-04-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

One of my past clients recently purchased a home with her new hubby and they called me for help on hosting their housewarming party. Here are a few pointers and free downloads to plan the perfect housewarming party.

1. Determine the theme for your party. Do you prefer a simple "open house" style party or would you rather do a painting party with some of your close friends? Depending on what you select, make sure to fit everything into that theme.

2. Using my downloadable template below, print invitations, signs, place cards, cupcake flags, and more. Click here to watch.

Housewarming Fillable Party Pack

Here's what everything looks like printed out:

3. Get the house ready. It's okay to leave some rooms empty! Use the blank "Future Location of" signs in the above template to let your guests know what each room will be. Hang these on the door of each room. Light a few candles in the commonly used areas (kitchen, bathroom, living room, patio), set out a few framed housewarming quotes (in template above).

I love the idea of using paint cans as centerpieces-these would be perfect even if you aren't doing a painting party. Fill these with flowers, candles, candy, painting materials and you've got an instant centerpiece.

4. Put out the food and drinks-finger foods that are easy to prepare are great.

5. When your guests arrive, you can let them wander through the house on a self guided tour or you can take them through.

Here are a few pictures from the housewarming party I helped with:

Do you have any tips for throwing a great housewarming party?