Planning Tip: Avoiding Temptation

When you are in the planning stages for your upcoming nuptials, you may be tempted to go into "shopping mode" where anything wedding-ish ends up in your cart.  To keep your budget in check you should avoid making purchases until you are clear on what you actually need to buy.  One of the side effects of shopping mode is that you end up buying odds and ends which in the end can clash with your overall decor.

DIY Projects are probably the biggest culprit when it comes to blowing your budget because even though the purchases seem small, it adds up in the end and you may not even end up finishing the project or get intended results.

Once you have booked your wedding coordinator, venue, caterer, florist and/or event decor & rental company, you can go down the list of anything that isn't already provided by these vendors and then purchase or rent the remaining items as needed.  Often one vendor may have several services and products under one roof and they may even offer discounts for combining different services or products.

So next time you're tempted to make an impulse buy at Michaels or your local wedding store, make sure that you are sticking to your list. Your budget will thank us!

Posted by Veronica Enns

Real Bride Feature: 50s Housewife Themed Bridal Shower

"From the moment I laid eyes on my 50s inspired tea length wedding gown, I knew I'd eventually have a "housewife" themed bridal shower. Besides that parallel, I love the era, music and clothes. The decade is also perfect for the theme because of its emphasis on cooking,cleaning and appearance, which really lends to the kinds of gifts you receive at a shower. We found invites on Etsy and printed them out on cardstock paper at Mr. Kopy when we did our DIY invites in February and—after a long wait and lots of hard work— we (my mom, maid of honor and I) were able to throw a Pinterest-worthy shower!

The first part in planning this shower was finding a venue I could afford in my $200-250 budget, meaning free.

Pictured at left is our bridal shower VENUE, which is actually a small clubhouse at my great-grandparent's mobile home park in Los Molinos, CA. The tables, chairs, couches and full kitchen were all provided, for free, by the park and it could easily seat 40 people, though only around 20 came.

The decor really already added to the theme, with it's mismatched chairs and floral cushions, but we added checkerboard tablecloths from Party Town (found in the Spring/ Easter section) and strung my mother's apron collection from clothesline around the whole party. We also added baloons (not pictured) outside and the "bride to be" banner is from the dollar store. {Sidenote: I had no idea my mother was such an apron connoisseur. I love it…}

We had really nice engagement pictures gifted by my good friend Chanie (at left), owner of Chanie Bee Photography, that were displayed in my home already. We decided to bring them over to add to the decor and blew up one shot (on top of the display) into a 16x20 at Walmart for SO cheap. It's fake canvas, cost around $20 and we were able to bring it home later to hang. What a deal!!!!

We also used more pictures scattered around centerpieces and table decorations.

All the flowers were bought at the supermarket and cut down by my MOH to fit cute little vases. We had so many extra after that we made a bouquet for my mom to take home.

FOOD AND DRINKS

For drinks we served pink lemonade (with strawberry slices) and ice water (with lemon/ orange slices) in large, 3 gallon, beverage containers I got at Walmart for $20 each. My MOH created little labels for everything out of craft paper to match our theme, which really helped with all the food.

We got quiche lorraine and artichoke/spinish quiche in pie form at Costco and also served crustless chicken salad sandwiches with almonds (my mom's recipe) and tiny cucumber sandwiches. In addition to heavy food we also provided watermelon fruit bowls and spinach dip, which we ordered pre-made from our local Raley's.

The real star of the shower was my AMAZING cake gifted to me by my MOH.

She got it at Cake is the Best Part in Redding and it was strawberry filled in one layer and banana flavored in another (my favorites). I really love the fondant detailing in the cake which featured aprons, necklaces, a sewing machine, heels, cupcakes and a "homemade pie"/ rolling pin.

DECORATIONS

We used a combination of old household items and floral arrangements as centerpieces, which we scored at an antique shop. Among antiques were cookie jars, scales, pots and pans, picnic baskets, timers and handheld mixers. We also had framed "housewife rules" from a real issue of "Better Homes & Garden" from the 50s.

My MOH re-configured the images/ text on her laptop and just bought cheap frames.

Some rules were: "While entertaining your husband's friend and colleagues, be sure to keep your home comfortable and inviting. Ask guests if they are too cold or warm and adjust the thermostat accordingly" and "Always be sure your cupboards are stocked with everything you might need to make a savory meal or decadent dessert".

GAMES

We played three games: bridal bingo, toilet paper wedding dress and the "Right Left" game.

The toilet paper wedding dress was untraditional in that we made it a five minute speed game and not the large venture it normally is, to much laughter from the group, as people ran around like mad women to get their dresses done.

We did bridal bingo as I opened my gifts (guests crossed off items on their sheets as I opened the corresponding item) and we played the Right Left game in a circle shortly before.

All game winners got prizes from Maisie Jane's mixed in with fun stuff from the dollar store. All the gifts were on theme and featured unique items."

MAKE US A PART OF YOUR CELEBRATION 

When planning a shower remember to allow proper breathing time to mingle (don't rush games), to bring backup food and drinks for extra guests and relax, it's your day to shine.

To plan YOUR Pinterest-worthy shower contact our offices and ask about  A la Carte Service Packages, which include Bridal Shower coordination and hourly consultations.

We look forward to hearing from you!

By Christina Rafael, Intern/ Assistant Coordinator

You're Invited!

Sometimes it is fun just to get your hands dirty and do something creative & fun! The workshop is suitable for parents, couples, craft enthusiasts & members of the wedding party . We hope you will join us for our first DIY Workshop, and we also welcome requests for topics & future projects so leave us a comment and tell us what you think!

Free DIY Resources

Tackling a do-it-yourself wedding project is a great way to add a personal touch to your event while impressing guests with unique ideas and creativity. Though many DIY projects can save money and are fun to create with bridesmaids, they can also be time consuming. Fortunately many wedding websites offer free resources for visiting brides—in the form of print templates and speedy projects —that bring the fun back to crafting your special day!

Here are a few of our recent finds online that we'd like to share with our 530 brides.

Please make sure to follow any copyright or use instructions on the following websites. 

We would love to see your finished creations and feel free to share the resources you have found along your  journey!

~Happy Planning~

Free Custom Monograms.

A Whole Collection of Adorable Mason Jar Designs.

DIY Fringe Cake Topper.

Free Guestbook Fingerprint Tree Print.

Free Printable Table Numbers.

Free Chevron Patterned Print for Invitations, Save the Dates and Inserts Cards.

Budgeting and The Elusive "Average"

As wedding coordinators we meet with couples who may be planning a very intimate wedding of 40 people or under, or on the other hand couples who are trying to keep the guest list under 300.  After the engagement is official and the couple begins making selections for their venue and vendors, it becomes a question of where to start.  There are many tools and checklists that are helpful, and we offer our assistance for every step of the way during the planning process even if a couple books us for Day of Coordination vs. Full Service.    The biggest question that I hear brides ask is "what is the average cost of _________?" The reason this question isn't always easy to answer is because there are many variables to cost, therefore the photographer or venue for one wedding may not be comparable to another event due to some of these reasons: ♥ Location ♥ Time of Year ♥ No. of Expected Guests ♥ Specific Package Selections ♥ Demand for Service/Product ♥ Level of Experience of Vendor

Watching the Wedding Programs on TV or flipping through a magazine may have skewed your grasp of what a realistic budget is in your area.  While it is important to understand what is realistic, it is even more important to establish your budget based on what you feel comfortable with.  Even if a $2k floral budget is average in some areas, it may not be a number that you can or want to spend for your event.

When clients contact us, we ask them to complete a questionnaire and rate what the most important areas of their budget is.

We ask questions such as:

From 1 -5 in importance (1 being most important) rate the following:

• Abundance of Fresh Flowers
• Extensive Photography and/or Videographer Package (over 6-8 hours of photography and printed images in album)
• Luxury Linens, Centerpieces & Decor
• Venue
• Food & Beverage

If budget was no option we would splurge on: a. Gourmet Food & Premium Drinks for our guests b. Chandeliers, Draping & Up lighting c. Modern Furniture & Lounge areas d. Gift Baskets /Custom Favors e. An over the top Wedding Cake f. Custom Stationary (Invitations, Save The Dates, etc) g. Other(s) ______________________

These types of questions give us insight on helping you establish your budget, and pair you with vendors that can not only provide the products and services you are looking for but also stay on budget.  We can assist clients prioritize the expenses so that all of the major areas are covered and we can identify some of the "extras" to have on standby if budget permits.

We support the DIY Couples in their projects and creativity, and can even help you budget for your DIY projects to estimate your savings and cost effectiveness for each project.  Our goal for the DIY couple is to help you organize all of the projects and elements that you have worked on creating, and put them together into a smooth timeline with tasks and detailed information to keep everyone on the same page.  If you would like information on our packages, or our upcoming DIY Workshop please shoot us an email at info@The530Bride.com

We will be seeing our Northern California Brides at the upcoming Bridal Shows!

Yuba Sutter, January 27th at the Yuba City Fairgrounds Chico Bridal Show, February 24th at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico

Want tickets? Shoot us your information from our contact us page to get on the list for fast pass tickets!

DIY Inspiration

Searching for DIY Resources and Inspiration?  Check out some of these awesome projects on the web! http://justsomethingimade.com/jsim-diy-projects/

http://blog.idoityourself.com.au/2010/09/freebie-cherry-blossom-wishing-tree.html

http://www.betsywhite.com/flightsoffancy/2009/06/diy-download-cello-bag-labels/

http://sprinklesinsprings.com/2012/12/diy-twinkle-star-bobby-pins.html

http://www.ispydiy.com/2012/04/my-diy-heart-ring.html

http://www.ispydiy.com/2012/09/home-diy-metallic-circle-pillow.html

http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/easy-centerpiece-clusters/6

http://www.oncewed.com/514/diy-wedding/decorations/rustic-wedding-cake-stand/

http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/diy-glass-magnets/

Do you have a favorite DIY project? Share links here!

Rock that holiday party!

Holiday parties can go a few different ways: A. You have a fabulous time at your work's holiday party and can't wait for Monday to roll around so that you can all talk about your boss B. You attend your first neighborhood christmas party with your fiance and get grilled about your life story (keep downing every glass of champagne you can get your hands on) C. You found the ugliest sweater that has existed on this earth, matched it perfectly with your santa earrings and are officially the winner of the ugly sweater contest!

Okay, so there are a lot outcomes but overall the holidays are all about being in good spirits and having a good time with family and friends.

If you are being the hostess this year, here are some fun ideas: Maybe start off with a brush up on entertaining ideas and stop by Martha Stewart for some holiday appetizer ideas. Then when you feel up to baking, choose a crowd pleasing holiday cookie recipe, and of course stock the home bar or fridge with beverages.  For some frosty cocktails try:

Ingredients

• 1 shot vodka (recommended: Blue Ice)
• 1 shot blue fruit- and cognac-  liqueur (recommended: Envy)
• 1/2 shot orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Cointreau)
• 1 cup ice cubes

Directions

Add all ingredients to blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into rocks glasses and serve with straw.

Image courtesy of Food Network

Consider organizing some games like the white elephant gift exchange.  We found some other ideas from www.coolest-holiday-parties.com

*Blind Christmas Tree Ripping: For this game you need green construction paper.     Give everyone a chance in attempting to rip a sheet of green construction paper (behind their back) into the shape of a Christmas tree (they mustn’t look at their trees, only when they have finished creating their tree). Once they’ve finished ripping, and before they look, give them little stickers to decorate their tree with. Once all done, hang everyone’s tree up and have everyone judge for the best looking trees.

*Relay with Kisses: This can also be played with all ages. Insert lots of Hershey Chocolate Kisses into a bowl on a table. Divide your group into two teams and have them line up around 10-15 feet away from the table. Give the first people in the row mittens that are slightly larger than they would ever need. On the mark of “Go”, the first player of each team runs to the table (with their mittens on), takes a Hershey’s kiss out from the bowl and tries unwrapping it with the large mittens. After they unwrap it they have to run down and pop it into the next person’s mouth. The next person takes the mittens and runs to the bowl to do the same.

*Blind Christmas Drawing: This game can be played with all ages. Someone needs to be chosen to be the leader. Everyone sits in a circle and has a few pieces of paper, a hard book or tray to draw on, a marker, and optionally some Christmas stickers.

On the call of ‘Go’, everyone puts their book or tray on their head and a blank piece of paper on top of that. The leader has to guide them to draw something, for example “Draw a fireplace, then draw 4 stockings hanging on the fireplace, then draw candy-canes in a basket on the floor, then stick a candy sticker as closest as you can onto one of the stockings”, etc.

Then, when the leader finishes describing the imagined drawing, everyone takes their papers off their head; these pictures can be very funny to look at. The way the points go – the leader offers points. For example, 3 points for every sticker touching any stocking, 2 points if the candy-canes are in the basket, 2 points for any line that crosses, one point for each stocking that is put on the mantel, etc. You can continue doing this a few times, with the leader imaging a Christmas tree, Santa Claus, basically anything having to do with Christmas. The person with most points is then the winner.

Holiday Favor Ideas

~Happy Holidays from The 530 Bride~

Does it pay to be a DIY bride?

Some of our most popular pages are related to Manzanita Branches, Wishing Trees and DIY Decor.  If you are considering going the DIY route, make sure to consider the pros and cons of purchasing vs renting and make sure you are making budget friendly decisions.  Some items can easily be resold after your event such as mason jars, tea lights, manzanita branches and linens etc.  Purchasing your own linens and spending the time to hem and sew all of them may be biting off more than you can chew so-to-speak. We recommend meeting with a wedding coordinator and discussing your budget.  Focus on the areas that you feel are most important for you to personalize with a DIY project, for instance if you can't stand the idea of using store-bought escort cards then you should have that on your list of DIY must haves.  Other projects such as cocktail menus or table numbers might not be as much of a priority to you personally, so decide if it would be best to purchase or rent those.  Your coordinator may have some items that he or she includes with their service so it doesn't hurt to ask ahead of time!

A DIY Bride can find items and make things from scratch, or find easy projects to purchase the items and assemble them herself (or hopefully with the help of a small army!) Choose projects that are worthwhile and that will have the most impact on your event.  Making personalized programs, welcome baskets or favors is always a nice touch or focus your efforts on making an awesome DIY photobooth or wishing tree.  The options are endless!

If you want to price things out, Koyal Wholesale is a great place to get started:

Table Settings 10.25" Bulk Dinner Plates - Black from: Koyal Wholesale

PLASTIC CUTLERY - Assorted Fork/Spoon/Knife (288 Pieces) Shimmering Silver from: Koyal Wholesale Comes in other fun colors like magenta, school bus yellow, tropical teal, apple red & more!

Cupcake Stands Laila Large Round Cupcake Tower (Holds 100 Cupcakes!) BEST SELLER! - $29.99 from: Koyal Wholesale

Branches REAL Manzanita Branches (Natural Brown) - 5 Sizes - $13.96 Retail Price: $23.96 You Save: $10.00 from: Koyal Wholesale

Curly Willow Burnt Oak 3-5ft BULK (144 branches) BEST SELLER! - $99.99 Retail Price: $109.99 You Save: $10.00 from: Koyal Wholesale

Centerpieces & Decor 12" Clear Cylinder Pillar Centerpiece Vase (Case of 12 = $13.22/Vase) BEST SELLER! from: Koyal Wholesale

32" Tall Venus Square Crystal Chandelier Tree Centerpiece from: Koyal Wholesale

Regal Table Decoration Personalized Vase Centerpiece from: Koyal Wholesale

Peacock Feather Bouquet/Centerpiece Picks (4/Pkg) - $2.68 from: Koyal Wholesale

Moss Moss, Reindeer Moss Spring Green BULK (BEST SELLER!) - $69.98 Retail Price: $79.98 You Save: $10.00 from: Koyal Wholesale

Votives Hanging Votive Candle Holder w/Wire BULK (72 Holders) BEST SELLER! from: Koyal Wholesale

12 Hour Burn White UNSCENTED Votive Candles (30 Pack) BULK - $11.98 from: Koyal Wholesale

Hanging Crystals Hanging Diamond Crystal Teardrops - 1.5" (BULK 35 Pieces) BEST SELLER! - $19.98 Retail Price: $29.98 You Save: $10.00

Table Runner Damask Flocking Table Runner 12" x 108" Long - Red Damask - $9.98 from: Koyal Wholesale

Aisle Runner Personalized Aisle Runners - Regal Wedding Aisle Runner - $95.00 Retail Price: $105.00 You Save: $10.00 from: Koyal Wholesale

Other popular items: rose petals, paper lanterns, Vintage Burlap Ribbon, washi tape diy bride

These are only a few of the fabulous items that you can find at Koyal, you can get a great deal on bulk items. If price matching is your game, then print out what you find online and ask a vendor if they can price match. You may find that it is cheaper to rent, and less of a hassle because you won't have an abundance of wedding items left over to have to either resell or give away.

Did you find a great resource for savings on event supplies? Share with other brides by leaving a comment with your ideas.

Bouquets without flowers

Looking for a way to cut down on your floral expenses? Searching for something a little different for your wedding? Do you love DIY crafts? If you answered yes to all 3, then these non-floral bouquet ideas might be for you!

And if nothing out there quite catches your fancy, you can always make something entirely unique, like this bride did:

Posted by Kendall Arelleis, Event Coordinator with The 530 Bride

DIY Resources on the Web

If projects like embossing, or making your own ceremony programs really gets you excited then check out a few of these great resources for all things DIY! Here we will give you the run down of where to find helpful step-by-step instructions. 1. A cozy winter DIY Wedding Favor created by NotMartha.org gives you the instant warm & fuzzy feeling which would be perfect for a winter wedding!

2.  Message in a Bottle Favors  by Beau-Coup - Set the tone of your tropical or beach theme wedding with these mini bottles!

3. Burlap Coffee Bean Favors by RuffledBlog.com - Write a personalized thank you note, and let the aroma of the coffee beans do the rest!

4.This DIY Rustic Cake Stand gives an instant sense of the outdoors found on OnceWed.com

5.  Rice Crispy Heart Favors by MyOwnLabels.Com

6. DIY Moss Letters by PolkaDotBride.com

7. Fabric Flower for Hair Pins, Sashes and Bridal Shower Favors found on ProjectWedding.com 8.  Save the Date Magnets by Project Wedding, Simple and Adorable!

9. DIY Table Numbers in a Bottle by SavvyCityFarmer.com 

10. DIY Hanging Ornaments "Let It Snow" project featured on UnderTheTableAndDreaming.com

To find step-by-step instructions for the projects above follow these links: 1. Ginger Bread Mug Favors (http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/) 2. Message In A Bottle Favors (http://www.beau-coup.com/message-in-a-bottle-idea.htm) 3.  Burlap Coffee Bean Favors (http://ruffledblog.com/diy-coffee-bag-favors/) 4.  Rustic Chic Cake Stand (http://www.oncewed.com/514/diy-wedding/decorations/rustic-wedding-cake-stand/) 5.  Rice Crispy Hearts (http://www.myownlabels.com/blog/1-wedding-favors/) 6.  DIY Moss Letter (http://www.polkadotbride.com/2010/02/diy-moss-letters-project/) 7.  Fabric Flower (http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/diy-gorgeous-chiffon-and-tulle-flowers/8) 8. Heart-Felt Save The Dates (http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/save-the-date-magnets) 9. DIY Table Numbers (http://www.savvycityfarmer.com/2010/01/take-number-please.html) 10. DIY Hanging Ornaments (http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2010/11/vintage-glitter-snowball-ornaments-by.html)

Have a project that you want to share? Contact us at features@the530bride.com

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Dorenzo!

We first introduced the couple and their engagement story with you in April of this year, and we are excited to congratulate the couple on their marriage and their wedding day on July 3rd 2011.  If you missed our post "On the road to I Do' Melissa & Gavin", Click here to check it out! Melissa is a DIY bride all the way, she arrived at The Palms Pavilion and started decorating at 05:45 a.m on the day of her wedding!

Thinking ahead, Melissa did much of the work before hand such as folding the napkins, creating the programs, and creating personal touches like her picture board featuring many pictures of her and Gavin.

Her table settings included brown table linens with pink runners, which matched her centerpieces that she also created herself. Square Glass Vases filled with glass beads and adorned with different variations of Gerbera Daisy's and Roses.

Melissa made her table number cards and her programs, she was a busy girl!

The lovely head table!

It was a very warm day, but The Palms Pavilion made a beautiful backdrop for Melissa & Gavin's Big Day.

Gavin and his groomsmen had no problem entertaining themselves while his beautiful bride was getting ready!

The Bridesmaids looked lovely in their dresses which were made by the Bride's mother Cathy.

Okay we know you have been waiting to get a glimpse of the bride, and here she is getting ready.

The guests have all arrived and it is time for the ceremony to begin.

It's official everyone, these two have tied the knot!

The Wedding Cake was a beautiful 3 tier cake with paper lanterns hung in the corner, which gave a fun focal point to the room.

The Cocktail Hour gave couples a chance to take some fun and silly pictures in the Photobooth, and then the couple made their grand entrance. Mr. & Mrs Dorenzo walked down the stairs as husband and wife and they got a very warm welcome by all of their guests.

The Reception was kicked off with a great slide-show of pictures of the couple, from all of the their adorable baby pictures up to photos of them when they started dating and of course their engagement pictures. This couple has something magical and it shows! After Dinner, the couple made their way around the room and visited with guests. These love birds were just glowing with happiness. The evening continued with a playful cutting of the cake and of course dancing! The Dance

We want to wish these two the best and may they always smile as brightly as they did on this day!

Summer Weddings

Life is sweet, and a great example of life's sweetness is a fun and casual summer wedding.  Personal touches and thoughtful accents such as hand painted signs, framed photographs and photo-booths make for a great party!  Check out these lovely summer wedding photos shot by the talented Essence Photography.

Glass beverage dispensers and chalk-boards create an effortless and fun display, and can tie into the overall decor. Keeping the theme consistent, the guest tables are adorned with glass jars in the place of traditional water goblets.

The centerpieces perfectly capture the essence of the outdoors, varying from manzanita branches adorned with flowers, candles and green moss, to lanterns also surrounded with moss.

"Spread the Love" Jam favors at each place setting with the couples name and wedding date are a great keepsake and personal touch.

The outdoor seating is nice and open, and mixing up the centerpieces helps the decor flow nicely.

After dinner, its time to head to the dance floor! As you can see this couple chose a simple dance floor decorated with white lights which creates a nice romantic glow and looks great in pictures. Guests can enjoy themselves by hopping in line for the photo booth, using playful props and chalkboards. The photos will make for a great keepsake, and would also be fun to insert a copy of the guests photos within their thank-you cards.

Essence Photography captured some great shots of this fun crowd!

Are you a summer bride? Tell us your engagement story and wedding inspirations by emailing us at features@the530bride.com

To see more great work by Essence Photography who specializes in Wedding, Portrait, Newborn, Family, Maternity, Engagement, Special Event, and Senior Portrait Photography. Priceless Memories, At A Price You Can Afford. Visit www.EssencePhotog.com or call (530) 440-3450.

Eco-Friendly Weddings

With all of the months or even years that go into planning a wedding, many brides do not really think past their big day.  Making efforts to be eco-friendly as much as possible along the way, can reduce the waste at the end of your event. Paper save-the-dates, wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations, bachelorette party invitations, wedding programs, menus & thank-you cards are the typical stationary that is used throughout the course of an average wedding.  Depending on how many guests you have, that is a significant amount of paper being used.

If you are not planning to rent flatware, plates & glasses you will most likely end up with several garbage cans full of plastic cups and plates from your event.  In the scheme of things, most brides have their minds on "higher priority" issues such as making sure the day goes smoothly, no one forgets the marriage license and that she doesn't trip while walking down the aisle.  All of that is understandable, and that is why companies are creating easy to use products that are still fashionable, yet a little more kind to mother earth.

Here are some of the latest eco-friendly products that will not only help you create a beautiful and thoughtful event, but will also help out the environment.

Compostable Cups, plates, cutlery & more are available as an alternative to plastic.  These clear corn plastic cups are 100% compostable.  With the same look and feel as clear plastic cups, our PLA cups will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days. The great thing about these products is that they are relatively the same price as plastic products, and they are becoming more easily accessible in local stores. (http://www.biodegradablestore.com) (http://www.mrtakeoutbags.com)

Blooming Favors by Cast Paper Art; Guests will first enjoy it as a decoration on their table at your wedding but when they take it home, they can plant it and watch it bloom.  Choose from year round or holiday favors & ornaments or gift tags, which would be great for a bridal shower, or a garden themed wedding.  Buy the gift tags to use for adorning packages, for all sorts of occasions.  The favors and gift tags can be specially ordered, and can have lettering printed on them. Cast Paper Art also carries stationary such as invitations, save the dates, reception cards and more made from 100% recycled cotton and abaca (banana) fibers, both acid and chlorine free. Inclusions are natural plant materials and/or perennial wildflower seeds. The inks are water soluble and natural-based. All envelopes and components are comprised of 100% certified post consumer waste stock.  Visit Cast Paper Art for more great products.

Featured in Bride & Bloom, these dress lines are setting trends for being ecologically aware.  Adele Wechsler, has an Eco Couture Collections, which features dresses made of certified organic hemo or silk, vegetable dyed silks, fair labor practices, and hand-cut elements.  www.adelewechsler.com

PURE by Justin Alexander, is a line that features all organic fabrics without sacrificing fashion and beauty.  The organic fabrics used include cotton, organza, pure silk, cotton sateen and chiffon.  "The laces which adorn the dresses in  the PURE collection are made from organic,cotton sometimes with shells, wooden beads or real pearls sewn within the pattern. " (Bride & Bloom) Check out Justin Alexander's PURE collection. Flowers can eat up a large portion of your budget, and are often thrown away after your event unless your guests decide to take home your extra flowers.  If you have a backyard or access to some good soil, water & sunshine, a great idea is to plant the flowers for your wedding! Certain types of flowers such as hydrangea and peony's can be very expensive to buy from your florist.  But if you buy the flowers from your local garden or hardware store you can simply plant them and watch them grow. The added bonus is you get to enjoy the flowers much longer, and for flower arrangements on the more simple side you can cut the flowers that you need and the plant will continue to produce more buds in the future. Simple Gerbera Daisy Centerpiece

Simple Hydrangea Centerpiece

As favors, set-up a seed station where your guests can select the seeds they would like to plant. Provide a variety of mixed flowers, or even vegetables for them to plant, and you can dress up the seed packages or create your own envelope with your monogram or wedding date filled with seeds.

If you are curious to see what your carbon footprint is for your wedding, check out the Carbonfund.org site where you can enter the number of guests attending your wedding, number of flights taken to attend your wedding and also the number of cars & average miles driven.  If your goal is to have a ZeroCarbon wedding, the website has a link to donate to their fund to offset the C02 emmission from your event.

Check back to find more Eco-Friendly wedding ideas, favors & gifts.  Do you have an eco-friendly idea? Share it with us and other local brides by leaving a comment!

Think Outside the Box~ Paper Flowers!

This crafty idea has been around for years, but as more brides get hands-on with their wedding decor we are starting to see paper flowers become very popular.   Create beautiful paper flowers for all kinds of events, or for your own home. You can put your own personal touch into your project by adding different colors & textures, plus you will be saving money on your decor by using paper flowers instead of the real thing! Give your guests something to talk about, and use paper flowers as a favor, write your names & wedding date or your monogram on either the petals or on a leaf.  This memento will last much longer than a live flower and it is unique! We have compiled some photos of various floral designs and have included instructions for creating your own paper flowers!

Inspired Yet?

Check out the master Martha Stewarts paper flower bouquet instructions...

Double Leaf To make three double leaves, stack tissue in three hues of green. Cut 2-by-3-inch rectangles through all layers; fold in half. Trim tips into points; unfold. Twist each sheet at center. Fold 18-inch floral wire in half, slip over center of leaf, and twist. Fold tips toward each other, and curl.

Long Leaf Stack tissue in two hues of green. Cut 2-by-3-inch rectangles through both layers. Apply glue along the upper third of a 9-inch piece of floral wire; sandwich between tissue layers. Let dry. Cut a leaf shape. Separate layers of tissue.

Folded Petal Cut several 1 3/4-by-2 3/4-inch and 1 1/4-by-2-inch rectangles from tissue paper; fold each in half lengthwise; cut one end to be rounded, and twist other end to shape. For the center, roll white tissue paper into a tiny ball; cut out a square from white tissue paper, and wrap it around the ball, twisting tissue at its base. Attach the twisted end of the ball to a piece of floral wire by wrapping with green floral tape; add petals one at a time (start with small petals and end with large ones), taping twisted ends onto floral wire. Trim floral tape; spread out petals.

Bubble Petal Each bloom requires 12 (or six pairs) stamens attached to floral wire with floral tape and five 4-by-2 1/4-inch pieces of tissue paper. For each petal, wrap tissue halfway around 1 1/2-inch Styrofoam ball, forming a half-sphere; twist ends, and remove ball. Attach one end of a petal to the base of stamen with floral tape. Add the other petals one at a time. Trim pointy ends. Gently pull petals away from center.

Rolled Petal Cut a 16-by-3 1/2-inch strip of tissue paper; make 2-inch accordion folds. Trim and notch one end of tissue through all layers, as shown; unfold. Insert floral wire into a 1-inch Styrofoam ball; place ball near bottom of tissue strip. Roll tissue around ball; twist bottom. Remove the ball with tweezers. Wrap floral tape around the twisted tissue and wire. Trim the floral tape.

Curly Petal Cut a 16-by-3 1/2-inch strip of tissue paper; make 2-inch-wide accordion folds. Make 3-inch-deep snips in tissue to create fringe. Wrap unfringed end around floral wire. Secure with floral tape. Run scissors blade along pieces of fringe to curl; fluff.

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: Crafted Bouquet

Planning your wedding on a Budget? Do it yourself!

Our lovely Featured Bride Melissa gave us some great tips for lowering your wedding costs by Doing some things yourself! DIY Tips: (ways to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars)

• Buy invitation kits online or at a store like Michael's or Bed Bath and Beyond and print them yourself.
• Use your photographers pictures from the engagement session to make your own Save the dates. Print them somewhere like Walgreens or Walmart
• Buy your linens online for cheaper than renting them through a company
• Find a venue location that is pretty all by itself and save on extra decorating expenses and time you would spend to make your own decor
• Order your flowers from Raley's or Safeway and put them all together yourself one to two days before the wedding
• Have a friend or relative cook your meal and save tons on catering costs
• Make your own centerpieces. Go online and look up wedding centerpieces and find what you like. Then recreate it. Stores like Michaels, Joann's, Ross, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods sell glass vases and products needed to create wonderful centerpieces. (Use their coupons Michael's and Joann's are always having 40 to 50% off one regular priced item or 20% off entire purchase)
• Meet with many vendors to compare prices to find the best fit for your money