Wedding Stamps

These stamps have been out for a while, but it is becoming wedding invitation season for a lot of brides. I thought these were pretty cute.

Wedding Rings (44 cents)

This new one-ounce stamp featuring wedding rings is intended for use on the response envelope enclosed with a wedding invitation. Photographed by Renée Comet of Washington, DC, the rings rest on a small white pillow united by a slender ribbon of white silk.

Wedding Cake (61 cents)

Sure to add a touch of beauty and romance to wedding correspondence, the 2009 Wedding Cake stamp is being issued at the two-ounce mailing rate in order to accommodate the heavier weight of an invitation. In addition, the price covers other mailings such as oversize cards or small gifts that require extra postage. The stamp depicts a three-tier wedding cake topped with white flowers, their green stems and leaves a delightful contrast to the cake’s creamy white frosting. The cake was photographed by Renée Comet of Washington, DC.

Rentable Weddings

Rentable Weddings
by: Emily Shearer

When we originally started research for this blog, we were hoping to find some websites where you could rent items such as wedding dresses for your wedding. After a week long search, we were unable to find any reputable wedding dress rental websites. However, we would still like to let you know the items you can rent.

For all of your wedding rental needs check at The Rental Place…. Ask to speak to Liz or Laura. At The Rental Place you can rent anything from tents to candelabras to all your china, flatware and glassware needs. Sure Grandma has her family’s old china but who has time to get them out of the attic or, heaven forbid, someone breaks one. The Rental Place is perfect for brides who want to have that small backyard wedding because you will need to rent all your ceremony and reception items. The caterer will sometimes provide your flatware but if you want something more attractive The Rental Place can help with that! Another nationwide rental resource to check out if you aren’t in the Atlanta area is Classic Party Rentals.

What you can’t Rent, buy used! SheJustGotMarried.com has a boutique where a newlywed can post items from her wedding that she is willing to sell. There are wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, shoes and even crystals for accent your bouquet. EBay is another resource to find used items or even new items but at a cheaper price. Newlyweds post their used items and stores post their extra inventory for a fraction of the price. I have found dresses, centerpieces and many other wedding items on eBay. If you come across any other websites that sell used wedding items make sure they are credible and don’t seem sketchy! You don’t want to throw away money when you are trying to save!

Top 3 ways to know the website you are looking at is sketchy:

1. A poorly made website. A credible company will have an easy to use, well made website.

2. If they don’t have a detailed “Contact Us” page. Make sure you have plenty of ways to get in contact with them if your order goes wrong.

3. If they require you to submit your credit card number over a non-PayPal type of system or email the credit card number directly to them at a hotmail address. YIKES! Run Away!

Remember buying used or renting is another way to recycle. If it scares you to buy used or rent items for your wedding remember you are helping the earth. Buying used and renting is another way to go green and be eco-friendly! Also, these items have already made it successfully through another wedding and have good karma!

We want to hear from you! Where have you gotten a really good deal or been able to reuse a wedding item? Post your comments here!

Baby Shower

Each event we prepare for our clients touches our heart, however, some of them touch us so deeply we are changed forever. This is one of those events.

Trish and Owen are first time parents. You know the kind. Beaming. Excited. Nervous. The only difference is that Trish and Owen have already seen Baby Asher in person. He's currently living in an orphanage in Ethiopia. The entire family is so excited to see him.

This baby shower was a little different than any we've done in the past. (For the better, in my humble opinion.) No silly "how-many-jelly-beans-are-in-the-bottle" games. No "all-men-drink-from-bottles" games. For which I was glad.

We did, however, allow each guest to write notes of advice to the New Parents. We also took five pictures of Owen as he was growing up, and five pictures of Trish from babyhood until middle school and had the guests guess their ages. The guests and Parents really enjoyed it because it put some of the focus back on the Parents.

Our color scheme was white, tiffany blue, and yellow. Blue hydrangeas were the perfect, budget-friendly centerpiece. Paul Brummer with Rooms In Bloom, did a phenomenal job! As always.

One aspect of the shower that was super important to Paula, Baby Asher's Grandmother, was the cake! She found a picture of a cake online and just fell in love. After going to a local bakery and being told that her wishes were "just not do-able," we made a call to our FAVORITE bakery: Lulu's Bakery in Roswell. Not only did they do it, they exceeded Paula's expectations.

Baby Asher was supposed to come home to America in May. However, there is some corruption in the adoption process in Ethiopia and Baby Asher's adoption has been delayed. Please send this couple your love, thoughts, and prayers that their Baby Asher will come home quickly.

We can't wait to meet you, Mr. Asher!