Need I even comment on how delicious these look? And do I even need to elaborate on how awesome these would be as wedding favors? I didn’t think so.
From Brownie Pops
2008 Wedding Stamps May 8, 2008
Here they are- Dun dun dun dunnnnn
I’m not very impressed, all they did was change the color for the 2007 set. But oh well. So the bigger question is, when will these bad boys be for sale? Well no one really knows at this point, but the gossip is that you can buy them starting in June. I did some hunting and the official release date is June 10th. So if you just have to have them, at least you know if they fit your timeline.
But remember, very few people will even notice your stamps, so use whatever postage is appropriate, don’t worry about having to use bells, or landmarks, or butterflies.
Cash bar? Just say no May 5, 2008
I beg you, if you only heed one word of my advice. Skip a cash bar.
I know it is tradition is certain parts of the country, but truly, it’s not appreciated by your guests. If you are making the choice for financial reasons, there is no shame is just offering beer/wine or forgoing any type of alcohol in favor of soda, mixers, juices, teas etc.
If you are doing it because “that’s how our family does it”… please think about the inconvenience to your guests. Many guests don’t bring wallets/purses to weddings, let alone do guests typically expect to have to shell out $4 for a screwdriver ($4 is on the low end mind you).
I don’t like to judge the brides-to-be because it’s not my place. However, ditch the favors, ditch the custom napkins if you ordered them, and fork off the extra charge from your venue for the bar to be included, whether you choose a full top shelf bar, a selection of wines, or good old Coke and Pepsi.
Your Uncle Stuart might never say anything, but I am a firm believer that he is most definitely a little miffed that he flew across the country for your wedding, got you the All-Clad pan set you registered for, and finds himself going back to his hotel room to get some cash so he can have a drink at your wedding.
Your guests will thank you, at least I as a guest would thank you and I think I speak for most guests-to-be on this topic.
Bamboo Favors April 4, 2008
Wedding favors don’t have to be edible, although they seem to be the most popular, and I would highly recommend them. That being said, there are great alternative to calorie heavy cookies and candy (yes, I know I just posted about Candy Buffets).
What about bamboo, Eastern Leaf has adorable and relatively inexpensive bamboo favors that would be really sweet for some wedding. There are endless options, from the # os stalks, color or lack or rocks/marbles, personalized messages. I give them two thumbs up if you’re in a bamboo favor mood.
All of these can be found online at: Eastern Leaf
Candy Buffet 101 April 4, 2008
This is definitely not a new trend by any means, in fact, I had one at my own wedding. But it seems like people always have a hard time finding the actual containers and advice on how to make it happen. So I thought I’d help.
A great example of a Candy Buffet/Bar
First things first
How many guests are we talking about?
Let’s say an even 100 guests.
How much candy will you need:
Most people say 1/4-1/2 pound PER GUEST. People get greedy when it’s a candy free for all!
So we’re looking at 40-50 pounds of candy to be safe. Yes, I’m serious.
Second
How many type of candy should you buy?
This is really up to you, but I would say somewhere between 8-12 types. Too many varieties and you won’t have enough of anything. Too few varieties, and you’ll likely run out of the “top choices”.
What type of candy should you buy?
Again, this is completely up to you. But to provide some tips: Get candy that is individually wrapped, or has a hard coating (like M&Ms). Gummi items can get
hard if they sit out too long, licorice is too sticky for guests to pull on all night. The most successful candies will be wrapped or hard.
Lastly
Sounds expensive?
Candy Buffets are! I think people don’t take into consideration that it’s going to be a huge expensive before they decide to do one. We had 70 guests, and 10 types of candy. That meant 10 containers, and enough candy to fill them all. Honestly, I don’t know what the weight of all our confections were, but it was alot.
Where do you buy the containers?
There are a ton of great stores, you will need to put on your best shopping shoes because it will take awhile to find everything. I would suggest the following stores as great places to start:
-
Home Goods
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Hobby Lobby
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TJ Maxx
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Old Time Pottery
- Marshalls
Where do you buy the scoops?
Online is the single best place to find them. I got mine for under $2/each. We opted for the 4 ounce size as it was large enough to scoop with, but wasn’t too big that people who decided to take a full scoop would wipe out our buffet. UPDATE: I included a link to a supply store for the scoops in the Candy Buffet #2 post, go to our Weddings 101 category on the right and it should pop up in there.
Good luck, it’s definitely a task to get it accomplished. I don’t know how many times I had everything laid out on our kitchen table, or how many extra trips to target I had to make because we didn’t have enough Hershey’s Kisses. But the end result was much appreciated by our guests.
Unique color combos April 3, 2008
Be adventurous! There are no rules when it comes to your wedding colors, and choosing wedding colors. If you like purple and your spouse-to-be loves orange… do it. I promise that not one single guest will balk at your selections. Be wild, be a little crazy…. there can only be so many weddings in the world that are aqua, peach, blush or other pastel.
or 
Botanical in Lavendar Botanical in Lavendar and Tangerine
Your invitations are a great way to incorporate all your colors into one medium. Test colors, play with them, see how they look together. You just might find that you like orange and fuchsia together.
Botanical in Fuchsia and Tangerine
For the truly adventurous DIYer March 28, 2008
DIY cocktail umbrellas! I kid you not, an article in Handmade magazine from our Aussie friends features a howto article about it. They are super cute, but not sure that I’d have the patience for them. Here is a link to the article: http://www.handmade.com.au/extras/webex_umbrellas.php
Roses roses everywhere March 27, 2008
I have a great flower site I used back during my own planning, for inspiration and color availability. http://www.fiftyflowers.com/ They have a great search feature where you can search flowers by color, or by type. It came in handy when I was talking with our florist and can help if you’re not sure what type of flowers you want/like but now what colors you want to incorporate.
You can also get a TON of rose petals for <$200. You can use them to line your aisle, or as part of your decor. Make sure you check with your venue before ordering and many have “no scatter” policies… mainly because they don’t want to clean them up.
Just what you never needed March 20, 2008
In the way of truly custom favors, we’ve found an off the wall one. This is something you would never have thought you wanted, and will probably never need, but it is our job to share and not to judge. We even made a sample one, we couldn’t resist. Yes, that’s right, custom fruit rollups. You can add pictures, or text. They come in a box of 30 for $29. Fruit rollups are good and all but… a good favor?
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Another taste of coffee March 19, 2008
Another little inspiration for all the coffee bean centerpiece seekers. A gorgeous pumpkiny candle, and great ribbon wrap adds a personal touch.
From The Knot:
or a more Fall themed option
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Coffee bean centerpiece resources March 19, 2008
We at Farfalla have not used any of these sites for coffee beans, so can’t vouch for their service, but their pricing seems fair, and some even offer free shipping. So where do you get the beans?
http://www.wholesalecoffeebeans.com/
http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/
The best bulk deal: http://www.ccmcoffee.com/index.php you can get 25-40lb boxes, instead of 5lb bags.
Love sweet love March 18, 2008
These are adorable sugar cubes. It may be a little too cutesy, but it’s also unique and I think most guests would think they are more sweet than cheesy.
From Sur La Table French heart sugar cubes.
Say what now? March 18, 2008
From NYT.com a timeless article about all the “must do” discussions before tying the knot. Most are common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people you know that never discussed these things before (or even after) they choose to get married. How many have/will you discuss before saying “I Do”?
Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying
Marriage Is Not Built on Surprises (Dec. 17, 2006)
1) Have we discussed whether or not to have children, and if the answer is yes, who is going to be the primary care giver?
2) Do we have a clear idea of each other’s financial obligations and goals, and do our ideas about spending and saving mesh?
3) Have we discussed our expectations for how the household will be maintained, and are we in agreement on who will manage the chores?
4) Have we fully disclosed our health histories, both physical and mental?
5) Is my partner affectionate to the degree that I expect?
6) Can we comfortably and openly discuss our sexual needs, preferences and fears?
7) Will there be a television in the bedroom?
8.) Do we truly listen to each other and fairly consider one another’s ideas and complaints?
9) Have we reached a clear understanding of each other’s spiritual beliefs and needs, and have we discussed when and how our children will be exposed to religious/moral education?
10) Do we like and respect each other’s friends?
11) Do we value and respect each other’s parents, and is either of us concerned about whether the parents will interfere with the relationship?
12) What does my family do that annoys you?
13) Are there some things that you and I are NOT prepared to give up in the marriage?
14) If one of us were to be offered a career opportunity in a location far from the other’s family, are we prepared to move?
15) Does each of us feel fully confident in the other’s commitment to the marriage and believe that the bond can survive whatever challenges we may face?
More Coffee bean centerpiece ideas March 18, 2008
We’ve been getting emails about our coffee bean centerpiece post, requesting picture ideas, so we went hunting and pulled a few of our favorites. We’ll keep an eye out for some more, but these should get you started.
Choosing wedding colors March 18, 2008
If you need help with choosing wedding colors, check out this site that I LOVE: Color Palette Generator
You upload a photo, click create, and out pops a complete color palette complete with hex key color codes. You can use those codes to match ink colors for invitations, or even paint colors for you house. It’s super cool if you need a specific shade of blue, or green, or pink, or red, or yellow… you get the idea. Here’s an example.
Here is the original picture of some adorable glass table card holders that we used:
and the coordinating palette with a million uses:
Great find! March 16, 2008
Many brides opt to do a few DIY projects, and I just read about a great site, so thought I’d share. Dollar Tree Direct basically it’s THE dollar tree store, but online. If you need any basic glass items, in bulk, I’d definitely check it out. Happy shopping.
Guest bag idea March 13, 2008
We had a Florida themed welcome bag for each of our guests filled with key lime, orange, and coconut goodies (and a little rum), and I think these lollipops would be a great addition for any Florida, beach themed, destination, or otherwise nautical wedding. Wrap them in a small cellophane bag, tied off with some gorgeous ribbon and you have another perfect, inexpensive treat. They would also make great inexpensive favors.
These are from Melville Candy
Sparkle Sparkle March 13, 2008
So the night is over, your feet are tired of dancing, you just want to get out of your dress and relax for 2 minutes…. but there is one last thing to complete, the send off! For years newlyweds have used bubbles, rose petals, and of course rice, but now there are so many more options.
Sparklers: like the Fourth of July kind. Makes for a great picture and more fun for guests. You can find them online at http://www.sparklersonline.com/
Fireworks: ‘go big’ with a full blown fireworks display. They are surprisingly more affordable than you might think. A 4-minute show would be plenty long. Check with your venue to see if they already have a contact. Also, be sure to inform your photographer that it will be part of the evening as they may need to bring a specific lens they don’t normally lug around to weddings.
Old School Fun March 12, 2008
We all remember “cootie catchers” right? You know those little fortune teller things you would make during math class in 7th grade that would end up telling you who you are going to marry, or how many kids you were going to have. Well they’ve now gone wedding related. They really are cute, not sure that I would use them as favors, but a cute, fun little wedding item never hurt anyone.
Grimaldi Chocolate “Chips” March 9, 2008
Another sweet indulgence in the way of potato chips, are Grimaldi Chocolate Covered Potato Chips. They are a chocolatier in Melbourne, FL who makes the most delightful and insanely addictive chocolate covered chips. It doesn’t sound tasty, I completely understand your initial hesitation, but once you try them, they really are good. We used to have a woman who would stop by our offices when we were in FL to drop off a box once in awhile, we hated her for the unnecessary sweets, but loved her for the unnecessary sweets, all at the same time… it was a love/hate thing.
I recommend the dark chocolate.
Ahhhh…. nothing like a vacation. March 8, 2008
I’m getting the itch to travel again, after our honeymoon to Australia we’ve definitely cut back on leisure travel because it so exhausting to do all that flying, and hotel swapping. But it’s definitely been long enough and it’s time for some relaxing in the sun, or touring European museums. So in honor of my craving, I thought I’d share some fabulous honeymoon spots if you feel the need for some inspiration.
Africa and The Seychelles: What a fantastic trip this would be! Either alone would be amazing, but together, it would be a once in a lifetime trip. You can do the safari and wildlife adventures, and then relax on the white sands with a nice drink and spend the days snorkeling. Incredible.
Italy: Italy is always a fantastic idea, and a great introduction to any Europe newbies. The food is great, everything is easy to find, cars are not necessary… I would highly recommend it.
Great gift for the husband-to-be March 6, 2008
Cufflinks are a standard gift idea for a wedding day gift, and there are some really cool ones to choose from. These are two beautiful ones..
But, these are by far my favorite, and would be a huge hit for any baseball fan. They are made from actual baseball stadium seats, how cool is that?! These ones are made from Yankee Stadium (blue) and Shea Stadium (red) seats. They also have Fenway Park, Wrigley and a bunch of others. I give them two thumbs up, your guy will love them if they are baseball fans.
Photo book guestbooks March 5, 2008
We got a ton of compliments about our guest book at our wedding. I used all our engagement photos and with the help of photoworks.com, I created our guest book. We made sure to leave plenty of white space for guests to write on and it was great, and a thousand times better than a list of attendees. People drew pictures, wrote little jokes, it is an amazing keepsake, and I highly recommend it. Here is a sample book from their site, granted it’s not wedding related, but they have a ton of options, and helpful layouts, it’s quick and super easy to do.
Adorable Cake Toppers March 5, 2008
Look at these adorable cake toppers, I love the sort of vintagey, handcrafted feel… these are so sweet and unique.
The best part of waking up… March 5, 2008
is Folgers in your cup. Well maybe not really, I can’t imagine grinds mixed with water would be delightful, but you get the idea. I digress…
There is a trend of using coffee beans as decorations. While a little unique, I say go for it. They smell delicious, have a gorgeous espresso brown color, now I can’t say I’m sure how the pricing would fall, but they must be less expensive than a huge flower arrangement if you are watching your pennies. Remember, quality of the bean doesn’t matter in this case, just bulk. You don’t need to spend extra for organic, or some artisan blend. Just the good old cheapest stuff would work well, just skip the Folgers and you’ll be fine.
Some design ideas would be to have a layer of the beans in a beautiful wooden box, and line up your tablecards in the beans. Gorgeous. Use a hurricane vase and fill it with beans, put a candle in the top, or use the beans to support a beautiful tall flower centerpiece. If you want to cut back on the number of beans, without sacrificing the “look”… sneak a tall pillar candle into the center of your hurricane vase, and surround it with beans. The candle with take up the space of at least two pounds of beans and no one will even notice.
If you want to round out the theme, give chocolate covered beans as favors, or a pound of coffee and some great unique mugs to each guest as a thank you.
Postage March 4, 2008
We all know by now that rates will be going up once again with our friends at the USPS. You may also be aware that the new “Wedding Stamps” design has yet to be revealed. While custom postage from various vendors will always be an option, why not consider the wide variety of choices from the USPS? The wedding stamps are cute, but there are tons more to choose from, and may better incorporate your personal wedding style.
Pros for using standard USPS stamps: You aren’t paying a surcharge for stamps. They actually have a lot of great ones. It’s easier and faster to make a trip to the local post office… I hate shipping wait times.
Look at these great stamps that some recent Farfalla Wedding clients have opted to use.
Would a rose by any other name… March 4, 2008
From The Bride’s Guide a fabulous list of meanings for slightly less common flora. Just a little FYI for sentimental brides. Cheers!
- crocus: cheerfulness
- daisy: innocence
- dogwood: duration
- orchid: beauty
- forget-me-not: remember me
- freesia: innocence
- geranium: true friendship
- hellebore: calming
- lady’s mantle: comfort
- lilac: first emotions of love
- pansy: you’re in my thoughts
- peony: bashful
- pink jasmine: I attach myself to you
- ranunculus: radiant with charms
- snowdrop: hope
- sweet pea: delicate pleasures
- tulip: declaration of love
- white jasmine: amiability
A little shade never hurts… February 27, 2008
I love these parasols, when I was in the midst of planning I debated over which exact design I wanted, but then the rush of last minute planning flooded me and they just didn’t get ordered. I surely missed out on some great and fun pictures.
Pamela’s Parasol: www.pamelasparasols.com
