Handmade wedding favors Mom would love

Handmade weddings have become quite the rage in recent years. So, mindful of Mother's Day just around the corner, I wanted to share some inspiration for DIY wedding favors that Mom would find absolutely charming.

Lucky for me, I chanced upon this photo that could spark ideas for three lovely favors you could make yourself: colored bottle candle holders, cloth-bound journals, and crocheted lace doilies in the most quaint designs!

Source: Whip Up

Butterfly decorations for a spring wedding

Happy Easter, everyone!

This well-loved holiday will be over before we know it, though. So I thought I'd search for other decorating ideas for a springtime wedding, and came up with butterflies! Light and airy, and quite easy to source or craft yourself, butterflies are fabulous used on overhead party decorations, as glass adornments, and even as trimmings on wedding favors!

butterfly-adorned paper lanterns

paper butterfly cutouts perched on party glassware

butterflies fluttering about fresh orchid wedding favors

Fabulous Easter Wedding Cakes!

At the wedding ceremony, the bride takes center stage and all eyes are on her (sorry, dear groom, but this is true!). But when it comes to the reception, it's the venue and table decorations that everyone ooohs and aaahs over--most especially the wedding cake.

Luckily, for today's couples, wedding cake decorators are now nothing short of true artists and magicians! And so a search for some Easter wedding cake inspiration yielded these oh-so-fabulous creations:

Easter bonnet cake from Ideas in Icing

Handpainted spring cake by Natasha Collins of Neviepiecakes

via Manolo for the Brides

Five-tiered multi-colored fondant cake / Yellow-striped cake with fresh daisies

Both from Seattle Flowers

Charming candle ideas for an Easter-time bridal shower

Candles are a must, in my opinion, to make an occasion look really special! But thinking about decorating a bridal shower within the Easter season, I had visions of little more than egg-shaped candles stuck on a holder--and that's that.

Luckily, a quick search proved me soooo wrong! Just see what charming ideas I found. Each one puts a slightly different spin on the whole Easter candle decor concept. The problem now will be choosing just one!

Top left: Pastel egg candles on a vintage cake stand

Top right: Tea light on a gerbera daisy

Bottom left: Spring candle grouping embellished with grass

Bottom right: Hurricane vase with candle and egg-shaped crystals

Decorative Trees for an Easter-time Bridal Shower

In place of the usual floral centerpieces, I was curious about what ideas are out there for focal points at an Easter-time bridal shower. And look what I found! Charming decorative trees that would be fabulous as entryway accents or dessert and favor table attractions.

I just love the sweet little details on each one...

Cherry blossom buds and delicate birds for a 

springtime look with an Oriental air.
Source

Pastel-painted eggs and the cutest paper birds

for a whimsical nod to the Easter holiday.
Source

How would you decorate a tree for your bridal shower?

Adorable Easter Nests

The countdown to Easter has begun! And no matter what they say about not "counting your chicks before they're hatched," I just couldn't resist counting these un-hatched eggs in nests as possible wedding decorations!

For an Easter-themed reception, nests like these would make the most adorable accent pieces. A woodsy wreath adorned with faux quince blossoms and a little nest would make a lovely welcome sign. A scrumptious chocolate cake cake topped with a nest of chocolate shavings and truffle eggs would be a showstopper on the desserts table. And sweet mini-nests like these and these would be delightful place card or menu holders--and of course, wedding favors!

Exotic and Pretty Paisley!

There's just something so exotic and "bohemian" about the paisley pattern! I've always been fascinated by how complex and dynamic it looks, and the rich colors it usually comes in. So I couldn't resist doing a bit of searching for how paisley is used in weddings. And boy, did I find a treasure trove!

These examples in lovely blue tones are just a fraction of the fabulous ideas for using paisley in your wedding. Hope they get you thinking!

Credits

Blue paisley wedding cake

Paisley reception card

Paisley print fabric

Don't forget the flower girls!

With all the attention on the dazzling bride and her lovely bridesmaids, we mustn't forget the little "belles of the ball" -- the darling flower girls! And since spring is just around the corner, and these sweethearts are flower girls after all, I dug up other cute ideas for bringing florals to their look (aside from bouquets or baskets).

Credits

Handmade floral headband

Crystal bead bracelet with engraved sterling silver flower accent

Satin ballet slippers in floral hues

Floral-print ballet flats

Great "Kids Table" Centerpieces

Weddings are family affairs after all. So, it makes perfect sense to make it fun for the kids who come along (and less stressful for the adults who bring them!) by planning a table or two just for them!

And setting the tone for the kids tables are the centerpieces. I came across 2 great approaches for these:

1) keep those little hands busy with...

An "Activity Center"-piece

via Weddingbee

2) offer a healthy alternative to cake and candy with...

An "All Fruit" Arrangement

via Wedding by Color

The effort will be worth it. Recently, a nephew of mine came away from a wedding reception that had a fun kids table, saying, "They forgot to sing Happy Birthday, but that was a great party!"

Bridal Hair Combs

It's been fun seeing what's new in bridal hair adornments this past week! But the classic accessories are still very much around. Take decorative hair combs, for instance. Lovely accents for a bridal chignon or updo, whether you choose to go elegant floral...

Monique bridal hair comb by Velvet Owl, via Events by WE

...or quaint antique style.

Vintage inspired bridal hair comb, via Recycled Bride

These can peer prettily through a sheer veil during the ceremony. Then, once the veil comes off at the reception, voila! These beauties...including the bride, of course...really get a chance to shine!

Bridal Caps, Anyone?

While we're on the subject of bridal hair adornments, bridal caps can't be overlooked! Another hot trend on the bridal scene in recent months, these stylish accessories set a definite period look for a wedding.

These two gorgeous examples from Twigs & Honey (again!you can tell I just adore their stuff), for instance, I can just see on the bride at a dreamy Art Deco inspired wedding!

Eyelash lace trim bridal cap

Vintage inspired lace trim bridal cap

both via Luna and Chloe Weddings

Besides being just so beautiful, these lovely creations combine the practicality of a cap with the lacy romance of a veil.

Bridal Hair Adornments Go Vintage

With bridal bouquets going totally creative and innovative (as our recent posts show), bridal hair accessories are definitely keeping pace, too! While the classic lace-trimmed full veil will never totally disappear, look what precious creations designers have been coming up with as alternatives.

In the area of vintage weddings alone, I stumbled upon the absolutely lovely 2011 collection of bridal hair adornments by Myra Callan of Twigs & Honey. Whether you're the dainty and demure feathery accent type...

or the more daring and dramatic bejeweled head band type...

you've go to admit brides today are sooooooo lucky to have heavenly choices like these!

Foliage and Feathers Bouquets

What will they think of next?! Want something truly unique (and fragrant) for your bridal bouquet? Go with a charming all-foliage arrangement of  herbs!

Or for something truly show-stopping at a vintage-inspired wedding, why not a feather bouquet?

Credits: Herb bouquet / Feather bouquet

Seashells and Succulents Bouquets

The options for bridal bouquets just keep getting more creative and innovative. Here are two more gorgeous ones to add to your "how will I ever choose" list!

White seashell bouquet by Kimberly Aurora (via Bouquet Chic)

Succulents and roses bouquet by FlowerDuet.com 

(via Hearts and Flowers)

Butterflies and Bows Bouquets

Two more fabulous non-floral wedding bouquets for brides to consider! This time they're made with butterflies and bows. Lovely!

Artificial butterfly bouquet by Martha Stewart

Bouquet crafted from fabric ribbons 

(both via Helen Carter Weddings)

A Sweetly Heart Inspired Wedding Cake

Love this cute heart-inspired wedding cake! Makes you want to get married on Valentine's Day.

source: D'Pasteles Cake Shop and Cafe

Brooch and Button Bouquets

You've surely noticed that weddings today are incorporating more and more handmade elements. You see it in the decor, in guest favors, and even in the bridal party's attire and accessories--such as some ultra-creative, non-floral bouquets. This idea isn't exactly new. But it still continues to amaze me at what fabulous arrangements designers (and even brides themselves) have created from all sorts of materials!

Today's "Take Two" reminds us of what gorgeous wedding bouquets have been made from fancy brooches (both vintage and not) and decorative buttons. From sophisticated and elegant, to sweet and whimsical--you can choose a style for every type of wedding!

1. Two stunning bouquets (top) made entirely of floral brooches from Fantasy Floral Designs 
2. "Pretty in pink" all-button nosegay from RBK Creations via Helen Carter Weddings
3. Whimsical felt and button arrangement from Princess Lasertron via Wedding Bee Pro
4. Unstructured bouquet of brooches and buttons from Simply Stephy

"Take Two" Kickoff

Announcing! Here's my attempt at organizing my blog for the new year, by offering you two nuggets of wedding inspiration to take away with you per post. Hence, "take two"!

At the moment, I'm still suffering from "pre-spring fever." So anything with an air of freshness that has been worked into a wedding is sure to catch my eye. Take these two lovely ideas: an elegant cake embraced by wildflower vines and berry clusters, and fresh fruit centerpieces in the most irresistible colors. Now, aren't you just dying to work these into your spring wedding?

1. Fruit and flower adorned wedding cake from Wildflower Custom Cakes (via Paper Olive Blog)
2. Luscious green apple centerpiece from Simply Stated, A Real Simple Blog; and cheery lemon centerpiece from The Knot (both via The White Petal)

A Wedding Show for the Contemporary Bride

Exciting news! I happened to stumble across what should be a great experience for all you brides-to-be and wedding planners out there. If you can make it to Grand Rapids, Michigan next month, this is what Pearls Events and Paper Nest Designs have in store for you...

Following on the success of GRunveiled 2010, the organizers are now in the thick of preparing what promises to be an even more exciting show this year. They graciously offer a sneak peek of what they've got planned, plus of course allow you to register immediately. Wish I could go myself! But even if I can't, there no reason why I shouldn't pass on such great news, right? Happy GRunveiling!

More Flowers on My Mind

With the fashion and events worlds all abuzz about honeysuckle as Pantone's Color of the Year, can't help it if I've got more flowers on my mind! Or should I say, on the wrist?

It may seem a bit "Victorian" but I always thought those little nosegays worn on the wrist were so charming. Not to mention practical, too. At weddings, bridesmaids have to worry about keeping their formal purses safely at hand and holding up their skirts to avoid stepping on the hem. So a bouquet could be somewhat of a bother. Enter these mini, hands-free creations!

Wrist corsages like these make lovely bridal party accessories - serving the purpose of both floral accent and jewelry at the same time:

1. A lace-and-flowers cuff features honeysuckle blooms
2. Roses and berries create a bold red statement
3. Orchids and tiny asters make a refined combination
4. A pearl bracelet is adorned with purple orchids