A New Year's Wedding Resolution(s)

As everyone knows resolutions are either made and kept, or made and forgotten. 2007 brings a new year for setting the right attitude towards planning one's wedding.

And for the groom, this can mean the following:

1. Helping the bride out with the invitations. If it's a small task such as putting stamps on the envelopes of those wedding invitations, then offer some help. Even better - offer to call up or email all those guests who forgot to send their RSPVs.

2. Trying out the food and cake. When looking for a caterer or restaurant, some brides prefer to go all out on their own because getting the groom involved is just too much of a hassle. Let's face it, some guys just don't want to be involved in this process.

3. Compromising on the guest list. If it means that the bride wants her old high school friend at the wedding reception, then just let her invite one more person. Besides, perhaps you might get a nice gift at the same time.

4. Being nice to your future mother in law. Yes, we all know what it is like when you simply cannot stand her, but she is the mother of your future wife, and you must like some quality about her that made you decide to marry their daughter.

5. Getting back in shape. Get that beer belly stomach flat in the next several months. Work out and look the part for your wedding.

And for the bride, what does this mean:

1. Don't get mad at the groom for not helping out. Hey, guys can sometimes be just plain dense. Yes, they can be, and if you don't explain the importance of chooding the right type of icing, then he will never know. Explain and be gentle, though.

2. Don't be too demanding on your wedding planner. She is out there for you and wants the best, so make reasonable requests. If you are a bride with an enormous wedding budget for the wedding planner, then explain things in detail to her, so she knows exactly what you want.

3. Don't settle for something that is cheap or deeply discounted unless you are willing to compromise on something that is bound to come up wrong. This can mean spenidng a little more on items (e.g., good wedding shoes, favors, or gloves), but you will be thankful in the end because you know the saying "you get what you pay for."

4. Do take time to enjoy the planning process with the groom. You can do this by establishing some incentives such as a nice weekend getaway or romantic lunch by the beach.

5. Manage time and expectations. If choosing flowers will probably take up 3-4 hours, perhaps it's best that the groom stay out. If you know it will take that long, be prepared for one bored guy.

Happy New Year to all new bride and grooms!

Ringbearer and Flowergirl - Consider these issues

The debate continues as to whether you should have children at the wedding ceremony. We've all heard about nightmare stories such as the ringbearer tossing the pillow or the flower girl tossing the basket of petals. So, before you consider having kids as part of the wedding entourage, here are some things to consider:

1) How many children do you plan to have? The typical wedding has one ringbearer and one flower girl, but there are some weddings that can have up to three or four children.

2) What should the minimum age be? For a ringbearer, there are some brides that prefer to get kids that are at least 4-5 years old.

3) How much do you plan to spend on their wedding outfits?

4) Will the location and timing of the wedding be an issue?

5) If you don't have children at the ceremony, should you just make your entourage consist of one maid of honor and bestman?

With countless other issues to consider, sometimes there are weddings wherein the bride and groom forego an entire entourage, and just choose to have a flower girl and ringbearer. The choice is really up to you and your sanity!

The Pregnant Bride - Blessing or Dilemma?

You’ve met the man of your dreams. Everything seemingly appears to be blissfully perfect. You’ve found that wedding gown that you’ve been dreaming for since you were a child. Life could not be better except one day – 3 months before your wedding date you find that you are – PREGNANT. Depending on what kind of “circle” you come from, the news can be one of the following:

Excitement – your mother, your father, your aunts, etc. are all happy for you because you’re already at that age wherein it’s about time you had a baby.

Disappointment – you know that feeling when you yourself know that you don’t want to be having a baby, and telling a single soul could be disastrous.

Apathy – this is an unlikely scenario yet it can sometimes happen.

Nevertheless, you decide to do any of the following:

Tell the groom, but nobody else, not even your mother – naturally, you’d probably want to share it with the groom. If you do this, at least somebody else knows beside yourself. Of course, you’d now be planning on how to conceal the fact that you are now an incubator. Therefore, you resort to finding ways of keeping everything under wraps. Literally, you could keep it under wraps by wearing a shawl with your dress. If you have chosen a strapless gown, a shawl or wrap would be just the right way to look the part well. Another option, change the color of your dress – not everyone might like this choice considering that white or ivory is the norm.

Tell everyone, but those everyone would prefer that the rest of the world (i.e., anyone outside of the immediate family where gossip flies faster than the evening news) not know until after the wedding. – This means that you will have to find a way to cover up everything, so using a shawl could work just as fine. Another option, this assumes that you have chosen a dress that can still be altered, is to create more allowance on the waist area of the gown. Proceed with caution because only a professional seamstress can accomplish such a feat.

Tell it like it is – you and everyone around you doesn’t mind that the rest of the world knows about your new status. Then, if this is the case, you could either alter the dress, or decide to be on the safe side and just get a new gown – perhaps one with an empire cut design, or made for a pregnant bride (i.e., maternity wedding gowns). Some places to check out include:

Nicole Michelle



Her Special Time Maternity

Maternity Bride

Venetian Masquerade Ball Wedding Theme

Picture this: a wedding party inspired by 15th Century Italy during the Renaissance. It's not just a step back in time, though. It's a Venetian Carnival masquerade ball. You may be wondering right now, how crazy is that? But, it's an off-beat theme for a bride and groom that want something luxurious and extravagant. Interestingly enough, the carnival season is said to begin on Dec. 26th - (St. Stephen's Day).



There are actually many ideas to planning a masquerade ball. It all depends on how elaborate you want the event to be. Obviously, you'd want to know where to get masks for each of your guests. So, here is an initial list of findings from making them yourself to buying them ready-made. Some are pretty pricey, since they're made by artisans in Venice. You can also check out places that make costumes, and eBay is also a great place to find masks.


Mardi Gras Outlet

Naughty Magpie

Mask Italia

Visions of Venice

DIY

From BBC - how to make a Venetian mask

Apollo's Fire (the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra)

DIY Network - Paper Sculpture Masks


For some educational reads:

Venice Carnival - official site featuring travel, hotel, and event information.

History of the Carnival of Venice

Dahlia's Gift Guidelines

Thoughtful - what exactly does that mean? They say that when you give a gift that is thoughtful, a lot of of care was taken in the selection of the gift. But, is that really all? Yes and no. Care can mean many things to people, but doesn't it all also entail truly understanding how a gift can be appreciated and used by the recipient. After all, why would you want to give a gift just because it's the expected behavior during the holidays? With that said, the following list serves as somewhat of my personal "guidelines" for finding a truly "thoughtful" gift:

1) Know what purpose the gift will serve. Even if it's a vase, what kind of use will it find at a home. Does it make an interesting talking piece for a host or hostess. For instance, is the vase designed with a special feature(s)? Was it inspired by something historical?

2) When giving something edible, do you prefer to find something sinful, healthful, or a little bit of both? In today's trans-fat laden world, people are becoming increasingly aware of rich foods with fats, so even if you've found decadent box of chocolate truffles, you're recipient may feel guilty about consuming it.

3) Don't buy it just because it's on sale. Nowadays, some people are savvy enough to know when a gift was a "saled" item. It's a definite way to make a bad impression.

4) Ah yes, homemade and handmade always seems to add something heartfelt to the occasion. But sometimes, it has its place. For instance, that scarf you've been knitting may be the perfect for Aunt Gina, but think twice because she may not be all that thrilled about your wonderful creation. Perhaps it's a better gift for your mother-in-law? Hmm?

5) Pay attention to packaging. Yes, you may not have all the money in the world to buy expensive or expensive-looking gifts, but you can always make up for it in the way that you present it. Look for quality packaging in the form of special fabrics, or stationary with a pretty pattern or design. You will look good, too. And it's very thoughful, too!

Happy gifting! These same guidelines also apply to any kind of gift - even for weddings and anniversaries.

Unusual yet Fun Bridal Shower

Bridal showers are a tradition usually held in a special place to honor the bride. But how about a different take on it? Say, a travel/shopping shower? And, just where would you go with five of your bridesmaids, if not Hong Kong! Assumming that money is not an issue, a one week trip can be so much fun considering that Hong Kong boasts the world's top designer brands imaginable from a to z. Think Rodeo Drive times 10. The shops also close late unlike in the US. If you love to travel, you may be surprised with Hong Kong's vibrant shopping atmosphere. Be forewarned, Hong Kong is a lot like New York, but more compact to say the least (like Tokyo).

Hong Kong Guide



So, just how do you start planning? A few of these places should be helpful:

Malls
Plan your mall trek strategically - depending on where your hotel is located. When it comes to looking for a bargain, you can find most of them at the shopping centers. However, you can also find great bargains at many of the outdoor markets. If you do decide to shop with outside vendors, be extremely careful about haggling for the best deal - only recommended for the truly experienced bargain hunter. Also, do not buy anything suspected of being a fake.

Below are just a few examples-

Times Square

IFC Mall

Harbour City


Hotels
Choose one that has the most diverse access to the major shopping centers. Also, many of the hotels are located pretty close or right beside many of the malls.

Fodor's List
Among the more popular hotels are Excelsior Mandarin Oriental, Park Lane, and Marco Polo.

Subway and Tram
When selecting a mode of transportation, you can usually take the subway or taxi to get from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. Once within the city proper, it is fairly easy to get around by walking - be prepared to bring some damn good walking shoes.

MTR

HK Tramways

Airport
HK International Airport
From the airport, you can take the Airport Express to the city that will land at a depot with a bus service to all the major hotels. Incidentally, the airport looks much like a mall, too. For those last minute shoppers, the airport has some great shops, too.

Restaurant Guide
There is no shortage of good eats, but be wise and eat at a place that wouldn't have you reaching for some Immodium. You know what I mean. Of course, you'd be nuts not to eat some good Chinese food such as dimsum. Heck, you're already in Hong Kong. How better can that get? Many of the malls also have great restaurants, so check out their listings, as well.

Eat Drink Hong Kong

Frommer's Best Dining Bets

Discover Hong Kong - Gourmet Guide

Travel Tips

Lonely Planet

If all of this seems a bit overwhelming to plan with your bridesmaids, a honeymoon side trip to Hong Kong could look awfully tempting!

A Wedding in the Cayman Islands

Intimate, simple, and memorable. After watching the Travel Channel's new program called "Weddings Away: Cayman Islands", a Carribbean wedding with 30 of your closest friends and family can make for a truly wonderful destination wedding.




If you missed any of the show's episodes, these great sources on the web can also help you get started:

Island Brides

Caymand Islands Tourism

WeddingChannel Planner Picks

Grand Cayman Marriot

Westin Grand Cayman Hotel

Wedding Trends for 2007 from The Knot

According to The Knot's wedding forecast for 2007, orange is the color for the season. I'm totally in love with anything orange because you can match it with warm colors like brown, red, and olive. It's also a beautiful shade for a silk shantung bridesmaid dress. You can also find lovely callas, daisies, and tulips in orange! If you love the color green or anything close, then this is the perfect color to match it with.

To read more about the trends for 2007, click here.

Tux Tux Tux

While dressing in a tux looks superb, finding one that you can afford is turning out to be an "affordable luxury". However, with the sale at Men's Wearhouse should make the process of dressing your wedding party a whole lot cheaper. They're having a sale, too! Don't forget that $20 off coupon.

Caribbean Honeymoon Finds

December is here and so is cold miserable weather. To add a little cheer, this great article from Travel and Leisure magazine features top finds on great hotels and getaways in the Caribbean. Check out their article on "The Ultimate Caribbean Hotel Guide" - a recommended read for anyone planning their honeymoon for the first time. I should also mention that it is a wonderful idea for planning an intimate destination wedding!

Skip the Gift Cards - For A Wedding Gift

Nowadays, when you cannot think of a gift, there seems to be a gift card for everything especially when you're thinking of a wedding gift. After all ,who can discount their convenience and practicality? But, if you're not one of the gift-card giving population and would appreciate something more personal and artistic, then the MoMa store is a great place to find that thoughtful gift such as:

Alvar Aalto Vase


Kissing Candle Holders by Karim Rashid


Snowman Sugar Dispenser by Maxim Vecovsky

Stephanotis - Wedding Flowers

Stephanotis - so beautiful and simple. As a wedding bouquet, it is perfect for the bride that just wants to be sophisticated without being ornate. This white fragrant flower is pretty much available year-round and holds great symbolic meaning: marital happiness. They're are also quite spectacular when constructed with a pearl or diamond studded center as seen here by Bouquet Jewels:

Sephora Beauty Tips

A little bit of vanity always does some boost to one's self-esteem. If you happen to drop by any Sephora store, you will be happily surprised to learn that they offer free makeup consultations, including tips and samples. It's a great feeling when you don't feel like looking in the mirror, and suddenly a little bit of blush, foundation, and lipstick - and you're a new "you." They also have a blog called "Beauty and The blog" that provides some unique insights and news on everything Sephora. Check out their section called "Beauty Central" featuring practical information on the use of their products.

Thanksgiving - For Brides

Thanksgiving - a time to get together with family and friends. There's nothing more heartfelt than having a wonderful Thanksgiving Turkey dinner. Did I also say that it's a "carbohydrate bomb." For this reason, if you want to avoid ruining your pre-wedding bod. Have you considered Thanksgiving for two instead? Try Cooking Light's recipes, there's some great dishes that might work out for anyone watching their waistline.

The Wedding of the Year

So, news reports have said that the wedding of the year (i.e., Tomkat Wedding) was a $3 million reception at the 15th- century castle called Odescalchi Castle. Amidst all the coverage, you gotta wonder about one thing. Oddly enough, the Bracciano's mayor has reportedly said that the couple has not applied for a marriage license. But anyways, if you want to read more about this and who isn't curious, here are some great articles:

About the location

What happened at the wedding reception

The wedding dress by Armani

Lynn Lugo Bridal Dresses

Gorgeous with a joyful spirit of elegance. At lynnlugobridal.com, I've fallen in love with this pretty A-line gown with a v-neck. Of course, that pretty contrasting sash is just so cute. Summer is a long way from now, but who can resist this dress.



They also customize so explore their site and have some fun!

Painted wedding cakes

There's a lot to be jolly about at the JollyBe Bakery owned by Ruth Seidler. The artist behind these wonderful works has been painting her wedding cakes like fine art - only these you get to eat and enjoy. Some of her breathtaking creations include:

Shaadi


Persian Style

H & M Bridal Gown by Viktor & Rolf

Finally, they're in Pasadena. Swedish retailer, H & M, has set up shop in Pasadena. Known for their stylish yet affordable clothers, it's not surprising that they have come up with their own line of bridal attire. Starting with the debut of their wedding gown by Dutch designers: Viktor and Rolf. At $349, how can you beat that?



In case you don't plan on wearing a gown, they also carry a black suit/tux:



If you're just as curious as me about who is Viktor & Rolf, this interesting and even humorous article should help.

Wedding Flowers - Learn by Video

For a bride aspiring to do her own bouquet is an admirable feat. But where do you start? Start by checking out the neat videos from Expert Village. This section covers wedding flower arrangements from creating bouquets to corsages:

Celebrity Wedding Planner with the Most Divorces

Question:

Which celebrity wedding planner has managed the most weddings of Hollywood couples that have resulted in divorce?

While I don't know the answer to that yet, I read this morning on The INSIDER that event planner, Edgar Zamora, is in charge of the upcoming wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in Italy. With a little more reading, you will find that he was also the planner of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, as well as Denise Richards's wedding. Hmmm. Oh, what a coincidence! Should we even be superstitious about it, though? You just have to wonder!

The Weddingsphere - More Like Divorces for the Week of Nov 3rd

Since this past week felt more like divorce court than anything else, I've decided to just cover divorces to highlight the ins and outs of the weddingsphere. Between the divorces of Reese and Ryan, and Britney and Kevin, you just have to wonder where did these guys get married. Oh, let's not forget the Paul and Heather Mill's divorce, too.

After some hunting, this is what came up:

The wedding of Reese and Ryan, back on June 5, 1999, took place at the Old Wide Awake Plantation near Charleston, South Carolina.

Britney Spears got married at a friend's house in Studio City. It was more of an intimate event as only 20 or so guests were invited. Just to let you, she wore a strapless bridal gown made by designer Monique L'Huillier.

Paul McCartney's wedding took place at a Castle Leslie, Glaslough, in the Republic of Ireland. Heather Mills wore a gown by Eavis & Brown of London.



Picture of the Week

The Classic Blue Suit

While black is almost always worn as a tuxedo, a groom in a navy blue suit raises the coolness factor a whole notch higher. And where do you go for such a suit, you get a Zegna and keep it. I mean whoever said that the groom can't splurge on his outfit!

via Neiman Marcus

Ice Sculptures for a Cool Wedding

It can be carved into a sculpture, made into a beaded wall, or crafted into a cool table centerpiece. When you think about ice, there's much more that comes into mind. At Ice Sculptures, they can do almost anything with ice (in an artistic sense, of course). If you've run out of cool decorating ideas, an ice sculpture could be just the right idea. How about a swan sculpture?

Cool Cufflinks Find

It's cool, classy, and colorful. Made by IMOOI, these bullseye cufflinks are made of stainless steel - able to withstand the most rugged conditions.

The Weddingsphere - October 30th Weekly Roundup

This past week of Halloween, the weddingsphere became more of a basket of oddities and outrages:

How not to have a low-key wedding
Ruler of poor Burmese country + lavish wedding for daughter = extreme public outrage

Let the Pope Bless your Wedding
If you're royalty, anything is fair game. It also doesn't hurt if you are the child of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. They say that this is the first British royal wedding to take place at the Vatican since the Reformation - after 500 years. This lucky couple even got a blessing from Pope Benedict XVI. He should get a nice party "favor" from the couple.

Make that an animal for my wedding registy
Move aside linens and china, this wedding couple wants animals - exotic ones, please.

Hot Wedding Venue Snatched
It's always disappointing when you've found the perfect wedding venue only for it to be bought out by some celebrity.

"A Hell of a Wedding Theme"
Yes, there is a village called Hell in the state of Michigan. So, being Halloween, one couple decided to go all out on their wedding theme with costumes and all their gore (i.e., trimmings).

A Fourth Wedding
Take the fourth and final wedding of Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson. I guess you can say that they just had to have four weddings to officialy tie the knot. Boy, they must have had one very happy wedding planner.


Picture of the Week
Snow has not fallen yet, but these snowflake cookies sure look good in time for winter! Check out the other great cookies at Dave's Cookie Gallery - pretty amazing stuff, here.

Gold leaf for wedding cakes

Something bright, something golden. An edible gold leaf wedding cake is so decorative and unique. It's a great choice when you have a wedding color palette with gold and ivory. Or, try it with red, orange, and brown. Some of these cakes below feature the different ways that gold leaf can be used to decorate cakes:

as miniature flowers via ww.maisiefantaisie.co.uk


as a box via www.justdessertsobx.com


as pretty flowers and leaves via www.scrumptions.com


Gold leaf is available if you want to use them as cake accents or embellishments such as:

gold sprinkles via www.fancyflours.com

Easy Suggestions for Bridal Hair Struggles

Everyone struggles with their hair..Okay. Correction...Some women tend to struggle with their hair and the situation gets worse when you're getting married. So, just what do you do with your hairstyle? Here are three easy suggestions for the long and short of it, and everything in between:

1) Wear it up
via (weddingtresses.com)



2) Wear it down (you can even use hair extensions, if you have short hair to begin with)
via (instyleweddings.com)



3) Wear it short and sweet
via (brides.com)



Still can't decide what to do? Then try out the cool virtual hairstyle tool on thehairstyler.com, or if it's still an impossibility, perhaps a wig? Maybe not...

An Echo Booming the Wedding Industry

Are you part of the echo boomer generation? You may want to read this article titled "Echo boomers driving wedding business" and understand how the rest of the pack is doing when it comes to weddings.

The Great Pumpkin Wedding

When you think of Halloween, it's almost inevitable that you'll be reminded of the cartoon: "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." So, being the day before Halloween, let's just go all out on pumpkins and hopefully, someone out there who's planning a pumpkin patch themed wedding will find these ideas a little helpful.

First, send an e-card to your bridesmaids, reminding them not to eat too much candy (hehe):



Second, get inspired with this whimsical Snoopy-inspired pumpkin patch wedding cake, (pretty cool idea for a cake):



Third, enjoy a cupcake or two with chocolately pumpkin icing:



Fourth, read my previous post on pumpkin desserts. Do you sense a pumpkin fetish?

Snowflake Glass Cake Topper

At White Crush Wedding, their snowflake glass cake topper pretty much sums up one word "simple", but sometimes something elegantly simple can say so much with very little effort.

Flat Flowers by Suseela Gorter

As with getting married, the subject of home decorating always comes into play. But not everyone has the moola to spend on new plates, accents for the home, etc. So, these inventive stickers by Dutch designer Suseela Gorter are simply pretty enough to put on a window. Whoever said that you have to use real flowers to bring color into the home! These are my favorites that I found through the online shop of Dutch By Design:

Dahlias - of course!



Roses



Chrysanthiums



Yes, these are all flat! Be sure to check out her website of Flat Flowers.

The Weddingsphere - October 27th Weekly Roundup

While news of Tom and Katie's Italian wedding date has been set for Nov. 18th, this week we saw the ugly side of getting married as the bitter divorce of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills is turning into one of the most nasty celebrity breakups. From allegations of abuse and extortion to suing newspapers over news leaks, this divorce is teaching us a lot about what can happen when you don't sign a prenup. In hindsight, anyone who is planning to tie the knot can definitely learn a lot from this divorce and consider the benefits of having a prenup especially if both of you have a lot to lose should things go sour. It's a personal issue, so this may or may not be for everyone. Nevertheless, if you know someone who seemingly appears to be rushing into marriage, a prenup may save them a lot of heartache and sorrow - to the wallet. Enough serious talk, though, let's get back to the week in the weddingsphere:

Kate Moss's Getting Married, Too.
It seems that wedding plans of Kate Moss seems to be somewhat of faint blip on the news scene, but let's not forget that she's pregnant, too.

What Happened to Wedding Venue?
If you have 300 guests coming to your wedding and your venue decides to ditch you, you may want to read this and find out what to do should this unfortunate event happen. Has this happened to you? What would you do?

July 7, 2007 - Guys Remember that Date if you plan to Propose!
The date is becoming hugely popular that some couples have set the wedding date even before getting engaged. Talk about planning ahead! Is this crazy?

A Vase that Made News for Nicole Kidman
When you're a celebrity, anything is fair game even when buying your ex-husband a wedding gift. She was seen shopping at Neiman Marcus for a $2800 Baccarat crystal vase. What a thoughtful gesture! Would you buy your ex a wedding gift? What if you got invited to their wedding, would you go?

The picture of the week is a cute little (ice cream) snowman made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Thaddeus DuBois. What a cutie! It'll make a great dessert for a winter wedding - so inspirational.

(via White House website - be sure to check out the snowflake cookies and petit fours decorated in white and red)

M&M'S New Candy Flavors

They're colorful, cute, and sweet, but did you know that they now come in 8 new flavors. If you're one of those people who plan to have a candy buffet table at your wedding with a display of wonderful M&M'S®, then you'd be pleasantly surprised to know that you can now get them in the following flavors:



- raspberry
- cherry
- peach
- orange
- almond
- mint
- peanut
- dark chocolate with mint

You'll be glad to know that there is a sampler tin available that you can get for $49.99, or you can create your unique mix by selecting individual flavors. Have fun and enjoy!

Wacky Wedding Shoes

There are many ways to make your wedding a truly unique one, so why not start at the bottom - with your shoes. Boots, clogs, and sneakers may sound a bit too unorthodox for the average bride, but for the kooky and unconventional bride who doesn't care about what other people think, then they're just right for her. Who says that you can't be a little wacky on your wedding day!

Wedding Boots



Wedding Clogs



Bridal Sneakers

Delicious,Beautiful, and French Chocolates to Enjoy

Pictures can definitely say more than words especially when you're talking about chocolate. Virginie Duroc-Danner's works of chocolate art are a perfect example. While the whole website is in French, don't let the language barrier stop you from exploring her wonderful chocolate pieces. Take a virtual journey that feels like walking into a French chocolatier shop. As you explore the site, you will soon wonder, how does she make such beautiful and artistic pieces of chocolates?

Wedding Anniversary Cake



Colorful Chocolate Flowers



Abstract Artwork

Wedding Origami Art

If you've loved making origami art as a child, then you'd probably enjoy origami architecture as an adult. This three dimensional art form was created by Japanese architect Masahiro Chatani through a pop-up card he created for friends. The tools are basic and simple to find. You will need a good craft knife and a ruler (preferrably with a metallic edge) so that you slice paper against it. So, you won't ruin your table, you should also have a crafter's cutting mat, or a hard cardboard to cut on. If you can master this art, there are countless designs that you can create such as an invitation. Just look at these lovely wedding designs:

Heart with a bow



A wedding bell



A swan




If you're hooked now and want to see more, check out the Japanese website of "Handmade Papercraft Club":



Also, be sure to check out the craft work done by Selena Kim: