Monday, November 29, 2010

CyberMonday - Ornament

As you are browsing online on this fantastic CyberMonday, make sure to head over to Etsy for these adorable ornaments.  Need an interesting ornament to bring to the annual ornament swap or to give your cousin who got married this year - check these out!

Browsing on Etsy I came across these must have ornaments for Atlantans. 

These locations should look familiar if you are an Atlanta native.  

Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, Marietta and Smyrna First United Methodist Church are local church landmarks in Georgia. 

Songbird & Twig replicates churches all over the city for these precious ornaments. For $20-$30 these make a great gift, especially if you attend or grew up in one of these churches! 

Getting married in one of these churches over the holiday season? Hello favors! And I wonder if you could talk this sweet Smyrna, GA resident making one for your church even if it is not listed...


Monday, November 22, 2010

A Twist On Your Bouquet

A recent bride introduced our team to broach bouquet's and we instantly fell in love! 


This is such a cute idea on so many levels. One, it looks adorable! Also, it is a great idea to incorporate a broach you have that hold significant value, whether passed down from a grandmother or something your spouse to be bought you. 

The bouquet's can be custom designed for specific colors or themes. 
You can order an original from Amanda on Etsy  for around $350. But if you DIY we promise not to  tell, we may even try to create on ourselves!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Gifts for every Hostess

Party season has arrived. Whether you are attending a Thanksgiving meal, holiday party or just a dinner with friends, everyone wants to take an appropriate hostess gift, or host. Here is a run down of the perfect gift for you to take.


For the "Foodie Host" 






Fleur de Sel French Sea Salt

I know what you are thinking, $14 for salt? But trust me, one foodie to another, it is worth every penny.
Macarons $10 for five
I could live off of macarons. These from macaronmacarons.com make it an easy hostess gift that will tast delicious!

For the "Girly Host"
$20 from Cost Plus World Market 
 A real friend would get this monogrammed...
Lolita Glass $24
Also found at Macy's

I have been collecting Lolita Glasses for four years and I LOVE them. They are precious to display, and all have great drink recipes on the bottom! Many of them are themed for holidays or citys, they also have lots of random fun ones!


For a "Go-to Gift"






Wine is always a good go-to gift for a party host. Go with a medium priced wine like a Yellow Tail or Red Truck, both provide nice quality but won't break the bank.
Origins $20
Origins Hand Treatment will rock your world. Smells great, and makes your hands silky smooth. A perfect combo for your host who will spend the night washing dishes.

Delicious fudge from Zara May's 
With the tagline of, "As heathy as fudge can be." I was sold from the get-go. This organic fudge is SO yummy!


For a "Holiday" gift


These rosemary Christmas tree's are the perfect hostess gift during the holiday 
season. A bit smaller than a foot, these sit festively on a counter while being 
beneficial for the cook! These can be found easily at Pike's or your local nursery this time of year. 

$10 on davebarns.com
The Dave Barns Very Merry Christmas CD will get your in the holiday spirit, quick. So do your host a favor and share the spirit. 

Friday, November 12, 2010

A toast to your weekend


As a toast to your weekend, we are going to share some of our favorite adult beverages today. Drinks are something that are so easy to customize just for your party or event! Even by using one of your favorite drinks but by switching the name you can create a festive accent to your event. Here are some of out favorites for you to try this weekend. With festive names, of course!

Tailgate Twister:
6 Beers
1 750ml of Vodka
1 Can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate 
1 liter of Sprite to taste
Mix all in a large cooler and enjoy with friends !

Thanksgiving Thirst Quencher: 
Also know as 
1- 10oz can frozen mojito mix
3/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 tbs orange liqueur
2 tbs fresh lime juice 
Ice
Combine fist 5 ingredients in a blend. Fill blender with ice to 5-cup level, and process until smooth. Serve immediately.


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Holiday Parties


Holiday parties will be here before you know it. Before you turn around, Thanksgiving will be gone and you will already be getting a late start on your holiday party planning. Here is a great article written by our very own Erica Prewett on Four Ways to Make Your Holiday Party Better Than Ever. 
Perhaps your holiday season will be a little different this year because of current economic weirdness. But you don’t have to compromise on style and fun to uphold holiday traditions, and enjoy the season. Erica Prewett, chief event planner with A Big To Do Event, shares four ways to make this holiday season better than ever.
1. Use what you have. Do you have Grandma’s old milk-glass collection in your attic and have you been wondering what in the world to do with them? Use them on your buffet. Also, instead of renting high-priced specialty linen, consider using a curtain in your “pop” color. I have even used a long dress to brighten my table. Just turn under the edges and fluff the fabric. No one will know.
2. Don’t be too matchy-matchy. It’s perfectly fine to use different patterned plates, different-sized glassware, and even different-colored cloth napkins at your parties especially when the party is in your home. You are inviting your guests into your personal space. What better way to make them feel at home and like family?Planning a party-common mistakes
3. Identify a “Greeter.” We’ve all got a friend who has never met a stranger. Use him/her as your door greeter. His/Her job is to greet guests as they arrive, bring them to the bar, and introduce them to another couple along the way. Everyone feels included and comfortable.
4. Super Woman doesn’t exist. We all want to do it all. Until right before the guests arrive, we still think we can. Prevent panic by allowing friends or a professional to handle the last-minute details. You’ll be glad you were able to mingle with your friends versus kitchen duty.
images via Just Be Splendid

Friday, November 5, 2010

Guest Blogger: Jenny Reed

This week we have a super fun guest blogger, Jenny Reed is a travel agent who is VERY experienced in honeymoons! She has provided us with a few questions to help you and your fiance decide the best honeymoon destination for you. Thanks again Jenny for joining us! Enjoy

What is Your Perfect Honeymoon?
The engagement was a romantic affair, the wedding date has been set and the details of the wedding are being checked off your list daily. The next step?  Planning the honeymoon! 
So where do you start?  What is your “ideal” honeymoon?  There are so many choices as well!   So here is a quick quiz to help you get started and see what destinations you favor. Once the location is decided all you have to worry about it what to pack!

When you think of the perfect getaway, you think of
 White sandy beaches and a crystal clear lagoon
Consider the Caribbean, the Hawaiian Islands or taking a cruise
 Towering mountains and a cooler climate
Consider Alaska, Russia or New Zealand
 A thriving city full of adventure and sights
Consider European cities like Paris and Rome, or Hong Kong or New York City

On your vacations, do you want
 Action and adventure
Consider a destination with lots of tourist attractions and night life, such as France, Britain, Hong Kong, Las Vegas or Mexico
Romance, peace and quiet
Consider a remote island, like Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean, Tahiti or Fiji
 A little of both
Consider cruising to Alaska, visiting the smaller islands of Hawaii, or the Bahamas

On your honeymoon, do you envision
 Meeting fun and new people
Consider cruises, where you get the chance to bond with the people you sail with
Exclusive bonding with your new spouse
Consider small luxury resorts in Mexico or the smaller islands in the Caribbean such as Bonaire or Aruba
 The opportunity to do both
If you would like the opportunity to do both, consider the all-inclusive resorts such as Couples resorts in the Caribbean or the all-inclusive Excellence, Secrets or Dreams resorts in Mexico.

Your estimated total travel budget is
 $3,000
Consider Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Yellowstone National Park, or Yosemite Park
 $5,000
Consider an all inclusive Caribbean or Mexico resort, a Hawaiian adventure or a Mexico or Caribbean cruise or Disney World
 $7,000 or above
Consider touring Europe, such as Italy, France or Spain, a Mediterranean Cruise or an Australian adventure
 Photo's via Susan Stripling
Which of these best describes the travel experience of you and your future spouse?
 Visited parts of the US, never been out of the country
Consider nearby Mexico or Canada, or take the time to see some of the great American landmarks, such as Yellowstone National Park, The Grand Canyon, Hollywood or Disney World
 Visited most of the US, visited some foreign countries
Consider Britain, the European neighbor of America, France, Italy or the Caribbean
 Traveled in the US and abroad extensively
Consider Africa, Australia, Thailand, China, Japan or Dubai

Most of all don’t stress over the planning of the honeymoon!   Being together wherever you decide to go is all that really matters!

Jenny Reed has over 16 years of travel experience at her agency where she plans honeymoons for couples to worldwide destinations.   Ask away as she does not charge a service fee.  Please visit www.OurCruisePlanner.com for more information.

To see more tips for Jenny check out her blog

Monday, November 1, 2010

Handmade Buys

So you guys have seen how much we love Etsy herehere, and here.
But after I stumbled upon ArtFire I knew there was some competition in town. Although, not yet on par with Etsy, Artfire is quickly catching up.
Check out some of the fun items I found while browsing:
How fun is this wood piece to use instead of your generic guest book?

These super cute wedding reception signs!
So be sure to check out these precious crafts, along with much,

Links We love

 
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