Monday, August 31, 2020

17 Fun, Creative Wedding Exit Ideas...


Courtesy of Amber Lowe

Hi Friends,

On your big day, forget the birdseed and leave the party in style with one of these oh-so-fun send-offs.

Beach Ball Party

Photo by: Emily Crenca Photography

Having a beach wedding? How fun are these colors? Have your guests throw beach balls as the officiant announces you Mr. & Mrs.

Cowbells

From: Amber Lowe

Photo By: Amber Lowe

Is your style burlap? Quilts? Cowboy boots? Then cowbells would be the perfect ending to your big day.

Balloons

Photo by: Jessica Hunt Photography

From LED light-up varieties to gold foil, balloons come in so many different styles, it's easy to make this send-off uniquely yours.

Lavender

Photo By: iStock/KenWiedemann Tie these fragrant blooms up in cute monogrammed muslin bags so your guests can take a little extra home to put in their linen closets. Military Swords & Sabers Photo By: Amber Lowe For those who have served in the military, a sword or saber arch is an honorable, traditional way to exit the wedding ceremony. From: Amber Lowe Ribbon Wands Ribbon wands are another new, fun wedding exit trend. Add a personal touch by writing your last name and wedding date on one piece of ribbon in each wand. Elevator Exit So maybe you don’t want to throw anything or the venue won’t let guests litter their hallways or doorsteps with confetti. An elevator exit still makes a dramatic photograph. Don't forget to kiss!From: Amber Lowe Bubbles A classic — but photo-worthy for sure! From: Amber Lowe Glow Sticks Perfect for a nighttime exit, glow sticks are a fun, off-the-cuff idea that could also double as favors for your guests. From: Amber Lowe Flower Petals If your style is pretty and classy, then this exit is a must. Plus, you can choose petals in a variety of colors to match your wedding theme. Dress them up by pouring them in folded paper cones. Learn how to make paper petal cones >> Smoke Bombs Talk about wow effect! Keep this a surprise and wow all your guests with this dramatic exit. Flower Petals If your style is pretty and classy, then this exit is a must. Plus, you can choose petals in a variety of colors to match your wedding theme. Dress them up by pouring them in folded paper cones. Learn how to make paper petal cones >> Congratulations!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Friday, August 28, 2020

11 Rude Things People Will Do at Your Wedding...


Courtesy of Deanne Revel

Hi Friends,

These days, guests aren't as familiar with wedding etiquette and will likely make one of these faux pas at your wedding. It's not OK, but knowing these ahead of time will help you roll with it on the big day.

Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and rhey may make money from these links.

Instagram the Ceremony

Photo By: GettyImages/GabrielPevide

Now more than ever, couples are choosing to have an unplugged ceremony where guests are asked to turn off their cell phones. We even had a sign at my wedding that specifically said to turn off your phone and be present with us. And yet, some people still had their phones up taking photos as if they were at a concert. And, on top of that, they immediately posted the pictures on social media and tagged us in them. Not cool. We had an intimate wedding for a reason. We didn’t want those moments shared with thousands of people, just the 60 or so people present. If you’re concerned about this happening at your own wedding, you could have the officiant remind everyone before the processional starts that this is an unplugged ceremony.

Not RSVP

From: Abby Larson
Photo By: Style Me Pretty/ Greg Finchk Photography

I vow to cherish the next wedding invitation I get in the mail because I now know the insanity that is designing and ordering and paying $$$$ for pieces of paper that most of your guests will just throw in the trash. But you know what’s more of an insult than chucking my custom, foil-pressed invitation that I spent hours designing? Not responding. Invitations are vital for getting an accurate guest count which impacts rental supplies, food orders and so much more. By not responding by the date listed on the invitation, you’re hindering the couple from making reservations on time. We even had an online option on our private wedding website where people could RSVP if they seriously couldn’t be bothered to drop a (pre-stamped!) envelope in the mail. And yet I still had people Facebook messaging me after the RSVP date saying that they didn’t know if they could make it. True story: I received an RSVP in the mail three days before our wedding with selections for gluten-free and vegan options and then their own food preferences scribbled in the corner. So, I scrambled to adjust our food orders and paid extra money to add more gluten-free options and another vegan entree and this couple didn’t even show up.

Arrive Late

Photo By: James G. Stokes

Imagine this: You’re about to walk down the aisle and wedding guests are trying to sneak in the back of the venue or even walk down the aisle behind you! This actually happened at my wedding and my wedding coordinator had to scramble to send them through another entrance. Rule of thumb: If you’re late to a wedding and the ceremony has already started, you should wait and join the guests at the reception. Your FOMO isn’t as important as not disturbing one of the most important 15 minutes of your friend’s life.

Bring a Gift to the Wedding

Photao By: GettyImages/ShyLama Productions

This is a cardinal wedding rule that I feel has been lost over time: You should never bring a wedding gift to the wedding. Etiquette rules say that you should mail the couple a gift within a couple of weeks of receiving the RSVP invitation. Other rules say you have a grace period of one year after the couple is married to mail a gift. But no one says to bring a gift to the wedding. If you don’t understand why, it will make sense to you once you plan your own wedding. On your big day, you have to juggle tons of logistics and many venues have very strict clean-up policies where literally everything has to be removed from the site by the end of the day. The last thing you want to worry about as you drive off to your hotel or the airport is getting that random salad spinner your cousin got you into the trunk of your car. Unfortunately, people are going to keep bringing gifts and cards to weddings, so couples have started to incorporate a gift table and a card box with signage at the reception. It’s a pain and it’s extra money for more rentals and decor, but necessary to contain the stuff. If you’re planning your own wedding, you should designate someone in your wedding party or a close friend to manage gifts and ensure everything is removed from the venue and delivered to you after the wedding.

Not Give a Gift

Photo By: Jitalia17

I was honestly shocked to learn this is a thing. And let me be very clear: I’m not saying that you need to buy the most expensive thing on someone’s registry. A sentimental, handmade card would suffice. But some of our wedding guests gave us nothing. Nothing. They literally came to the wedding, drank a ton of free booze, ate lots of free appetizers, had a nice free dinner, took free portraits, drank more free booze but didn't bother to mail us a measly card.

Disregard Assigned Seating

Photo By: Something Turquoise

Trust me, no one creates a seating chart just for fun. It’s absolutely awful, but super important to ensure that family sits close to the wedding party, that guests with disabilities have close access to things, and many other factors that you won’t understand until you have to make your own seating chart. Your opinion of where you should sit doesn’t matter. You can make small talk with strangers for one (free!) dinner.

Not Wait to be Called for Dinner


If you do a buffet-style dinner reception, it’s common for the DJ or wedding coordinator to let different tables know when it’s their turn to get up and get food. This is done in waves so that a large line doesn’t back up. Typically, elderly people, family and people in the wedding party go through the line first. So, if you cut the line or the table order, you’re basically saying you’re more important than the bride’s octogenarian grandmother. By all means, cut her in line because you had too many drinks during cocktail hour and you’re starving. She won’t mind standing a bit longer even though she has a bad hip. It’s no big deal.

Go Rogue on Their Menu RSVPs

Photo By: GettyImages/LElik83

Most RSVPs have a section for reception food where guests can list food allergies and select an entree option. Those options aren’t just for fun. Couples use RSVP totals to determine how much food to order. So if you’re not really gluten-free but just feel like grabbing the gluten-free option because you read in a magazine that your favorite celebrity is now anti-wheat, you’re preventing someone else in the line who actually has Celiac disease from having that meal. True story: I’ve been in line behind a woman who decided she didn’t like the chicken she requested in her RSVP and thought the steak looked better. The patient caterer tried to explain to her that because she already had chicken on her plate she couldn’t have two entrees but this lady caused a whole scene in the line and the bride had to get involved. That is the type of stress you absolutely don’t need on your big day. Rule of thumb (and I honestly can’t believe this has to be said): stick to your RSVP order.

Complain They're Missing a Sports Game

Photo By: GettyImages/TARIK KIZILKAYA

If you have a wedding on a Saturday in the South in the fall, be prepared for some guy to complain that he’s missing some important college football game. I even had a guest tell me he’s bummed to be here because he’s missing his fraternity’s homecoming alumni mixer for this wedding. I wish I could stop sports people from saying dumb things like this, or worse, streaming games from their phones during a ceremony, but it will happen. Just keep your head up and say "Well, thank you for coming. I’m so glad you chose to prioritize my wedding and I hope you can watch a recording of the game later." And then walk away to a guest who actually prioritized your wedding.

Clink Glasses Until You Kiss

Photo By: Shutterstock/GARP

So, apparently, there’s a thing where guests clink their glasses with knives during the reception and they won’t stop until the couple kisses. This isn’t just rude, it’s downright tacky. You shouldn’t demand a performance from the couple. This is their day. If they want to kiss, they’ll kiss. If this happens to you, I’m so sorry. The only advice I can offer is this: If you give in and do it once, it will likely happen more throughout the evening, especially as people enjoy more cocktails. So, nip it in the bud. The first time it happens, have your wedding coordinator, DJ, or someone from your wedding party explain that the couple won’t be doing on-demand kisses but that they hope everyone will join them for their first dance, cake cutting, etc.

Bring Children

Photo By: Enmrique Ramos Lopez/ EyeEm

Personally, I feel like babies should never be at weddings, especially the ceremony. They are ticking time bombs of crying — bringing that to a wedding ceremony is just plain rude. But these days you have to plainly indicate to people not to bring their baby. Now, here’s where the etiquette for this gets a little passive aggressive. The way you let your guests know that you’re having a child-free wedding is by not addressing all members of a family on an RSVP envelope. So, instead of saying The Smiths, you say Ryan and Ashley Smith, and you do not mention their children’s names. But, this is pretty old school and you shouldn’t assume a guest will understand this anymore. If you have guests with babies or toddlers, you should talk to them and explain that you are having a child-free wedding and that you would be more than happy to help them find babysitting resources should they need help.

Congratulations!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

3 Trendy & Easy Ways to Dress Up a Plain White Wedding Cake...


Courtesy of Heather Baird
Photography by Heather Baird

Hi Friends,

Wedding expenses adding up? Save money without sacrificing style by decorating a plain, store-bought cake in one of this year's hottest looks — no baking skills required.

Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and they may make money from these links.

DIY Wedding Cakes, 3 Ways


Did you know you could save hundreds of dollars on your wedding cake simply by decorating it yourself? Heather Baird from the noteworthy baking blog, SprinkleBakes, shows how to transform three, plain white store-bought cakes into stunning works of art in just a few simple steps and with budget-friendly materials. Read on to learn how to create a DIY Art Deco-inspired cake, watercolor geode cake, and a floral-topped gold leaf buttercream cake.

Design #1: Rose Gold Art Deco Cake


With its Art Deco stenciling and shimmering sequins, this rose gold cake is all dressed up for a glam affair. Rose gold luster dust — available for purchase at many cake specialty shops or online — is mixed with clear vanilla extract to create rose gold paint. Swing into your local craft store to pick up Art Deco stencils and a new pack of soft-hair or sponge artist brushes. You’ll need a kitchen-dedicated set for this project. To create the three-tiered effect, order white fondant-covered cakes in three sizes: small, medium and large.

Step One: Gather Materials for Sequin Tier


You’ll need one medium-sized fondant-covered cake (well-chilled for firmness), small confetti sprinkles and light corn syrup or clear piping gel.

Step 2: Paint on Syrup


Paint light corn syrup or piping gel onto the cake in a thin, even layer using a soft hair or sponge artist brush. Cover the edges of the cake completely.

Step 3: Add Sprinkles


Place the confetti sprinkles on a plate and dip the edges of the cake into the sprinkles. If you have any bare spots, apply more corn syrup and press sprinkles onto the uncovered areas. Refrigerate the cake until sprinkles are well adhered, about an hour.

Step 4: Mix Rose Gold Paint


Tap a little of the rose gold luster dust onto a small plate. To create a cake 'paint', add drops of clear vanilla extract while stirring together with a paint brush. The consistency is correct when you can drag your brush through the mixture and it creates brush tracks. If your mixture runs or pools back into the brush marks, add more luster dust powder to thicken it. If it clumps on your brush, add more drops of extract to thin the mixture.

Step 5: Paint the Cake


Using an artist brush, cover the entire cake with paint. Mix more paint as needed. Use a dabbing motion with your brush to get into all the nooks and crannies between the confetti sprinkles. Lightly brush the top of the cake with paint, blotting the excess with a paper towel.

Step 6: Stencil Bottom Tier


For this tier, you'll need one white fondant-covered cake (larger than the sequin tier), a plastic stencil with Art Deco motif and the rose gold paint used previously. Directions: Gently but firmly hold the stencil to the side of the cake. If you have trouble holding it with one hand, ask a helper to assist you. Dip a 1-inch artist brush in the paint and lightly brush over the stencil. Remove the stencil to reveal the image. Wash and dry the stencil between each use to avoid paint smears. Allow the cake to stand until dry, at least one hour.

Step 7: Paint Top Layer, Assemble


For the top tier, lightly brush a small fondant-cover cake with rose gold paint and tap dry with a paper towel. Using dowel rods for stability, carefully stack each cake layer. Learn how to assemble a wedding cake >>>

Design #2: Buttercream Watercolor & Geode Cake


As much as we all love the beautifully-smooth appearance of rolled fondant, buttercream is arguably more delicious. This technique uses buttercream in various hues to achieve a dreamy watercolor effect. For a large cake, you’ll need 3 cups of vanilla buttercream fondant, food coloring in your favorite hues, an offset spatula and a bench scraper or other frosting smoothing tool. Frosting smoothers can be found at most cake supply shops or in the baking aisle at your local craft store.

Step 1: Add Color to Frosting


Divide your frosting batch into four equal portions. Tint three portions with desired food colors, leaving one portion white. Cover each portion with a damp paper towel so the frosting doesn’t dry out or crust.

Step 2: Add Colors to Cake


Use an offset spatula to randomly place small swipes of color around the outside of the cake. But don’t overdo it! Be sure to leave visible areas of white frosting.

Step 3: Blur the Color


Gently drag a bench scraper or smoothing tool across the frosting, smoothing the surface as you turn the cake. If you find you have too much color on your cake, add dots of the untinted frosting to the cake and smooth again.

Quick Tip


Repeat the process for additional cake layers. Smaller layers can be smoothed with the edge of an offset spatula as shown.

Step 4: Choose Your Geodes


Choose geodes that compliment your color palette. Amethyst crystals are beautiful and widely available. You can find them for purchase in home goods stores and online. Rinse them with water before using.

Step 5: Apply Geodes to Cake


Place a small square of waxed paper or glassine bakery paper onto the cake before applying the geode. Although the geode has been washed, the paper will further ensure that unseen or missed debris will not sully the cake’s surface.

Step 6: Adorn & Adore


Here we’ve used just one geode piece to embellish the cake, but you can use as many as you like.
Design #3: Fruit, Floral & Gold Leaf Buttercream



It’s hard to top the beauty of fresh flowers and gorgeous in-season fruit – unless you add sparkle! Edible gold leaf is a simple way, stunning way to up the interest of a plain buttercream cake. You can find it for purchase online. You won’t need much for this project, only two 4x4 sheets to cover a two-tier (6 and 8-inch) cake. Be sure to use flowers and greenery that are organic and non-toxic. Consult your local florist to source flowers that are safe to use on your wedding cake.

Step 1: Ready Your Supplies


Thoroughly wash and dry flowers and fruit and have a small artist brush and gold leaf on the ready. If you’ve never handled gold leaf before, then use extreme care when opening its package. It is very thin and will waver and blow away with the slightest breath of air from a close HVAC vent.

Step 2: Add Gold Leaf


Make sure the cake you are decorating is well-chilled and the frosting is firm before applying the gold leaf. Use the end of the paintbrush to pick up a small piece of gold leaf and touch it to the cake’s surface — it should naturally adhere to the frosting. Press it flat with a finger or with the end of the paintbrush. Avoid pressing too hard or you’ll pock the surface of the buttercream.

Step 3: Repeat


Continue to place gold leaf sparsely all over the cake using the end of the paintbrush. If you find the paintbrush to be awkward to control, then new (unused) tweezers may also be used to apply the leafing.

Step 4: Prep Flowers


Cover the stems of the greenery and flowers with plastic wrap before inserting them into the cake. This will prevent the plants from seeping moisture into the cake. This is an important step because even though the plants used are non-toxic, their stems could impart a bitter flavor.

Step 5: Adorn With Flowers


Insert greenery and florals into the cake as desired, preferably along the seam of the two tiers and as a beautiful addition to the cake topper.

Step 6: Add Fresh Fruit


Add fresh fruit, like this gorgeous pomegranate half, as a cake topper. Fresh figs, starfruit, and berries are also good choices.

Need-to-Know Tips


Fruit and flowers should be added no more than an hour before the ceremony to ensure freshness. Remove flowers and fruit as needed when slicing the cake for service.

Congratulations!

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Live well,
Yvonne