Pretty Little Favors

Here are some precious little favor ideas - great for fall/winter parties and weddings.

photo seen on pinterest via s702photobucket.com

S'mores favors, all tied up with twine.  This is an easy and inexpensive DIY favor.

from projectwedding.com

Nothing says "fall" quite like a caramel apple.  Tie these up in clear cello bags and attach a little monogrammed card.  What a sweet way to say "thanks for coming!"  You can even do these yourself pretty easily, as long as you have loads of patience and some free time on your hands.

from brides.com

Send your guests home with a personalized bottle of mini champagne.  You can make your own labels to place on the bottle.  Just be sure to wrap them up with a pretty ribbon!

found on etsy.com

Send your guests home with a slice of cake in a cute box.

from cassandradyane.blogspot.com

Hot cocoa in a bag.  This is a darling favor idea!

seen on stylemepretty.com

Potpuri favors.

from stylemepretty.com

"Spread the Love!"  Fill mason jars with jam and top with a lace or burlap cover!

Hosting Tips & Ideas

Hosting a party soon?  Now that it is officially fall, the holiday season is quickly approaching.  This means parties, parties, parties!  Be the hostess with the mostess this season by getting prepared ahead of time, using a little creativity and thinking outside the box.  Here are some super cute ideas that will set your party apart from others this season.  Regardless of what kind of party you are hosting, use these ideas and expand upon them to dazzle your guests! 

from twigandthistle.com

Most importantly: every good hostess knows how to properly set a table.

seen on tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com

Obviously, buttercups are not fall or winter flowers, but I think this idea is great.  You can substitute the flowers with something bright that is in-season, use the burlap and a matching ribbon, and use a fruit that is in the same color family as the flowers.  I'm thinking red, orange or yellow flowers would look great with an orange ribbon and orange slices in the bottom of the vase!

found on pinterest via tumblr.com

Dress up that typical veggie tray by placing the veggies in clear glass vases.  Pour the dip into martini glasses and arrange down the center of a table.

from i-do-it-yourself.com

Save up empty wine bottles, because they are the perfect fit for candlesticks.  Remove the labels and place a candle in the top and let the wax melt down into the bottle.  It makes for a very pretty and memorable centerpiece when grouped together on a table.

seen on weheartit.com

Here's a fun idea: tie a bunch of helium-filled balloons to the backs of the chairs.  It makes a canopy of balloons!  This would be so cute for a Christmas party if you used red, green and white balloons.  You could really dress it up by using silver or gold balloons for a fancy fall/winter dinner party.

from marthastewart.com

Carve out a big, bright pumpkin and fill with ice.  Creative way to keep the beverages chilled!

from sidebyside.blogspot.com

Host a S'mores bar for dessert.  This is just as much fun for adults as it is for kids!  You can typically get these burners from party supply rental companies.

picture from fetefanatic.blogspot.com

Set up a hot chocolate bar!  Fill a large urn with hot water, and set up dishes filled with cocoa mix, marshmallows, cinnamon, caramels, whipped cream, peppermint sticks etc...  I've held one of these bars at a party before, and I can assure you it is a huge hit!  This can also be done as a hot cider bar instead, just put out cinnamon, spices and apple slices instead.

picture found on vivamore.tumblr.com

When you are attending a party, it is always a good idea to bring a gift to the hostess.  Here is a great idea: buy a bottle of nice wine or champagne, wrap it up in a new, stylish kitchen towel and tie with a pretty ribbon!

Creating Ambiance

Here is an easy way to add some ambiance to your wedding or next party: attach strings of mini white lights to a rod and hang above the windows.  Hang a sheer curtain in front of it and, viola!  You now have a beautiful, romantic glow in the room.

picture found on pinterest, via thecol0rsofmyrainb0w.tumblr.com

Something Old: Part 2

The previous post left me wanting to share my "something old" with you.  When my husband & I first met, we both bought the same necklace by Traci of Plunge Designs, a small Atlanta-based company.  The necklaces are cast in sterling silver and hand-stamped with the latitude and longitude coordinates of the small coastal Georgia town we were living in at the time.  Part of the proceeds from the necklaces Traci sells are donated to a foundation that helps bring clean water to needy families in coastal villages of Africa and South America.

What made the necklaces special to my husband and I is that we bought them together, long before we knew we would be getting married - the necklaces were with us throughout our entire courtship!  After all this time, my husband still wears his every single day.  He says he likes having those special coordinates with him at all times as a reminder of our time together from the very beginning.  Unfortunately, I lost my necklace somewhere along the way. 

As our wedding day was quickly approaching, I knew I wanted to carry that necklace as my "something old."  Although it was not that old, it was something that had been with my husband and I since the very beginning of our relationship - before we even started dating seriously.  I tied my husband's necklace around my bouquet and carried it with me throughout our wedding ceremony and reception.  We no longer live in the town in which we met and first fell in love, so it is special to have those coordinates with us all the time.  Looking at the necklace always evokes such fond memories of the first year of our lives together - from our first few dates to falling in love.

credit.

Traci's necklaces make the perfect gift, as coordinates can be meaningful for a number of reasons.  If you would like to order one with your personal coordinates, be sure to visit her website by clicking here.  Besides necklaces, she also has cuff links and key rings available to be stamped with coordinates.

Do y'all have any "something old" stories or ideas to share??

Something Old

I saw this picture from Style Me Pretty via Pinterest and really wanted to share it with y'all.  I think this is one of the more sentimental "something old" ideas I've ever seen.  I really like how special it is that this Bride is carrying old black & white pictures of people who are special to her.  What a great way to recognize loved ones who have passed away and cannot be with you on your wedding day.  I found this photo to be very touching, as the Bride's bouquet is an important accessory to her throughout the wedding - after all, she carries it almost the whole time.  How great to have such meaning behind the bouquet!

Game Day Love Affairs

In the south, we all have a love-affair with football.  Saturdays (and sometimes Thursday nights) are taken seriously, and team loyalty runs deep.  It is totally normal to see girls in cocktail dresses and high heels and guys in bow ties and brightly colored pants filing into the stadiums.  Tailgating is a social affair - I'm talking chandeliers hanging in large tents, unbelievable food spreads, cocktails, team colors, large flat screen tv's propped-up in the back of trucks (just so nobody misses Game Day), cheering and chanting and team-spirit decorations.  Rain or shine, collegiate or professional, southerners will flock to the games.  Don't get me wrong, I understand there are die-hard football fans in other parts of the country, but in the south, football is a religion.

Since it's Saturday (a.k.a. Gameday), I've decided to post some wedding/engagement pictures of football-loving couples.  To view the photographer's full gallery, click on the picture to be taken to his/her site.  Enjoy!

Jesse Daniels Photography, via OccasionsOnline.com

Dana Elizabeth

Kevin Meyers

Jessica Frey Photography

Meredith Perdue:

Hawaii Honeymoon Paradise

Today I want to showcase a beautiful, romantic honeymoon destination: Maui, Hawaii.  There is a little town in the northern point of Maui called Kapalua, and it is private and secluded - just what you need on your honeymoon.  There is a Ritz Carlton resort in Kapalua, where you can be pampered in the spa, soak up the sunshine by the three-level infinity pool, gaze out over wide expanses of the blue Pacific, and really reconnect with your new spouse in the post-wedding haze.  And let me tell you, the stars over Kapalua are so numerous and bright that you literally feel like you could reach out your hand and catch a fistful of them!  If you are lucky enough to see a shooting star, you will likely never forget it because it will be one of them most amazing things you've ever seen.  Seriously, everything about Kapalua is romantic.

Although many honeymooners opt to relax at a couples-only resort, the Ritz in Kapalua is family-friendly; however, there is so much privacy you will hardly even realize anybody else is at the resort. The plush rooms are decorated in typical Hawaiian style, with hardwood floors, shades of tans and pale greens, white bedding and balconies with sweeping views in every direction. There are tropical flowers blooming all over the property, from hibiscus and gardenias to peace lilies and everything else you can imagine. The landscaping is absolutely breathtaking! The resort is built around the pool area and overlooks the ocean. There is a private section of beach that is accessible only to the guests of the resort. Behind the hotel you see mountains, the tops of which are almost always in the clouds (according to Hawaiian legend, this is the spot where the heavens meet the earth).
As per usual, the Ritz has phenomenal restaurants. There are plenty of dining options, including a sushi restaurant where you can sit on the patio and enjoy the freshest sushi you've ever tasted, all while enjoying an ocean view. I would recommend staying on the club level, as you have access to five complementary food displays daily, including breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, hors d'ouvers and desserts. The club level also offers a complementary full bar during open hours. It really can't be beat. Kapalua is the only Ritz Carlton resort that has its own chef for the club level, and the guest services attendants are outstanding.

 

Boasting a championship golf course and a five-star spa, easy access to some of the best snorkeling, surfing and paddle boarding in Maui, and close proximity to shopping and sightseeing, the Ritz Carlton Kapalua resort has something for everyone.

Photos are credited to the Ritz Carlton.