Cold Feet?

What's worse than being dumped via text message? This.

Cool Winter Themed Wedding Favors

Yes, that was a pun. And, yes, I’m just as bad as Target rolling out my Christmas wares in October – but the truth is that if your wedding is in the Fall, you’ve already made arrangements for your favors. This is for you winter brides looking for the perfect little token of appreciation for your guests:


First up, the Personalized Winter Mint Tins. Recently featured in InStyle Magazine, this adorable favor comes filled with heart-shaped peppermints and is sure to remind your guests of the fabulous time they had at your nuptials. Tins may be customized with your names and wedding date or even for another wedding event (“Audrey’s Bridal Shower”).



Next, these precious Mini Felt Winter Mittens come in a set of 6 and are hand stitched in blue with a tiny silver jingle bell. Obviously, winter wedding are perfect for a Tiffany Blue color scheme, and these favors fir right in! I wouldn’t say that these favors are necessarily useful for anything though, unless your guests hung them as ornaments on their tree.



Finally, these "Icing on the Cake" Winter Wedding-Cake Candles
are also, too cute. They come in a set of 4 and, once again, are perfect for a blue/white/silver theme. Looking good enough to eat, the ice-blue wedding-cake candle, delicately decorated with white snowflakes, rests on a porcelain platter encased in a winter-themed gift box and matching “For You” tag, all accented with a sheer organza bow.

One more thing worth mentioning: if you don’t yet have your guest book, take a peek at this Snowflake Winter Wonder Guest Book and Pen Set
. When I got married, I skipped the guest book altogether, because I HATE having to stand in line and sign my name like I’m there to vote or get my driver’s license…but post-nuptials I learned why it’s so important. There were 250 people at my wedding. I probably had time speak with 75 and recognize an additional 50 faces – so now I have no record of who was kind enough to give up the evening of June 3, 2006 to share with us. Consider yourselves warned ;-)

Wedding Music: Do It Yourself!

DIY projects are all the rage right now, but they can be more trouble than they're worth, especially if you don't have time for hot glue, ribbon, and wax seals. If you can't afford a band and are hesitant about hiring that tacky DJ, give this approach a try.

Expedia - Up to 50% Off Hotels

The husband and I are currently editing our Maui slideshow for its premiere for the parents this weekend. As a little nudge to those of you who are behind on planning your honeymoons (or those who just want summer to last a little bit longer), check out: Expedia Hotel Sale: Up To 50% off Hotels - but hurry! It expires on 9/30/08!

25% Off Your Entire Purchase at Michael's

For those of you with a Michael's nearby, here's a 25% Off coupon good today through September 13th. Sale items are NOT EXCLUDED - so if hurry on over for all your invitation, flower, centerpiece, aisle runner, cake topper, veil, rose petal, bouquet, and wedding favor needs!

For those of you who tied the knot this summer (congrats, by the way!) there is also a 60% off coupon for your custom framing order. What a great time to pick your favorite wedding photos and have them beautifully matted and framed for a fraction of the usual cost!

The Importance of Thank You Cards

OK, here's the deal. Personal Experience #1 from my hiatus: 2 different brides - one sent a thank you card 3 days after her bridal shower and within 2 weeks of returning from her honeymoon. The other has not yet sent ANY thank-you note for her shower or wedding gift. There are a few schools of thought on the acceptable length of time that can pass before your guests begin to wonder if perhaps their $150 blender was lost and you didn't receive it - or worse yet, that you're an ungrateful recipient.

So how long is too long? You've got three months, sweetie. That's straight from Emily Post, Queen of Etiquette. But how, in the afterglow of the wedding & honeymoon are you supposed to find time to write out 200 thank you notes - each one personal and thoughtful?

1. When you buy postage for your wedding invitations, double the amount and purchase enough for your thank you cards as well. You're excited to go to the post office now (don't forget to ask specifically for wedding postage - unless you don't mind assorted fruit or the American flag on your envelopes) - but in a couple of months, when you have to rush to the dry cleaners after work, fly home (across town) and unload the dishwasher before you can start dinner when your hubby gets home in an hour, you're going to find it a little more difficult to swing by the post office for stamps.

2. Send notes for shower gifts within a week of your shower. Your guests will be impressed that you're so "on the ball" even in the midst of your planning - and you'll have fewer cards looming in the future. Plus, since showers can take place months before the wedding, you don't want to forget about thanking your guests altogether. "Well," you think, "what if someone gives me a shower gift and a wedding gift. Can't I just write one note for both presents?" I'm afraid not, dear. This is not a time to cut corners! If someone made the special effort to buy 2 gifts for you and took time out of her schedule to attend a shower and your wedding, the least you can do is take the time to send two separate notes of gratitude.

3. Be organized. I used this easy-as-pie Wedding Gift Listfrom Microsoft Templates to keep track of who gave what gift and when a thank you card was sent. You can use it at showers (have a bridesmaid do the writing) or when you and your hubby open presents! My husband enjoyed the "opening" part, while I took care of jotting down all the particulars. Then, over the next 2 weeks while we would watch television after dinner, I would make it a goal to write 5-10 thank you cards, address the envelopes & slap on a stamp. If this spreadsheet isn't quite your style, there are plenty more to be turned up in a Google search - and they can be printed or downloaded for electronic use, whichever works best for you.