Favor Cakes

As a blushing bride you want your wedding to be unique and memorable, just like you will be as you walk down the isle in your wedding dress.  There is no detail too small to be customized, and it’s the little extras that will make your wedding exceptional for your guests.  When it comes to choosing wedding favors the options can be absolutely overwhelming.  As a bride you want to give out something new that people haven’t seen before and yet what you choose still needs to be affordable and classy.

Favor Divas has a line of some of the most unique wedding favors available.  They’re called “Favor Cakes”, and not only are they wedding favors, but they can double as reception decorations and stunning table centerpieces.  Favor Cakes look like beautiful wedding cakes from afar and are available in two, three, four, and five layers.  It’s when your wedding guests get close to Favor Cakes that they realize there’s something special about them.  These Favor Cakes are not edible cake at all but are unexpectedly wedding favors!  Your guests will be pleasantly surprised to take home their very own slice of your Lavender Turrets of Love Favor Cake.

Two Ways to Have Your Favor Cake

What’s unconventional about Favor Cakes  is that you can choose to have them arrive assembled and ready to go, or unassembled in a do it yourself kit!

• The assembled version arrives with each pearl handled favor box containing Jordan almonds and a sweet love poem.
• The unassembled option comes with colored instructions and everything you need to easily assemble your Favor Cake minus candy.  This  option is great for the bride who went over budget on her dress and is trying to make up for costs where she can, or the bride who just likes to do it herself.

No matter which version you choose, and unlike most other high quality wedding favors, both options are affordable.  From a decoration standpoint the silk flower toppers are elegant and will make your reception feel classy and timeless.  The satin ribbons on each of the pearl handed favor boxes are the icing on the cake and add a stylish dash of color.

While the pressure will be on trying to get last minute preparations finished for your big day, a Favor Cake just may be the answer to your wedding favor prayers.  They’re unique, budget friendly, and will be memorable for your guests.

As the soon-to-be bride, one of your most important accessories, second only to your bridal gown, veil and shoes, is your lingerie – your wedding under garment and your honeymoon lingerie.  I have seen quite a few styles – from the ultra conservative to totally barely there.  I am pro-elegant and prefer tasteful sleepwear and under garments for a bride’s trousseau; something very sensual, soft and fits perfectly like your wedding gown.

While surfing the net to find lingerie that fit those criteria, I came upon a young (three years- young) California company called Lavish Luxe International. The company is operated by three women from Laguna Beach, California.  Each one handles specific areas of the business – from the design to retail fulfillment.

Lavish Luxe’s collection is a mix of classical elegance and modern fashion as seen in fashionable international runways. The lingerie is exquisitely produced in hand sewn styles with subdued colors,  embellished with eyelash lace and adornments.

Each piece of lingerie is made with imported European fabrics, hand-dyed with organic European pigments and conditioned for optimum softness and aesthetics using a proprietary process. The threads and elastic used in the lingerie are also hand-dyed to match the fabric exactly, before one of seven seamstresses makes the piece. Swarovski crystals, feathers and other decorative elements are also imported from Europe.  Each design is limited to about 100 runs or less, affording brides and women like you true exclusivity.  With all these elements, the Lavish Luxe’s lingerie is surprisingly affordable.

Although Lavish Luxe follows a European sizing system, they often will custom-tailor pieces to woman’s measurements – especially for their bridal clients.  So brides, hop on down to your high-end shops, such as Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman, to try on the best lingerie to be worn under your wedding gown and for your honeymoon.

Special thanks to Aroos Magazine and Lavish Luxe.  This article is written without monetary or other compensation from either company. It is a service for soon-to-be brides and fashionable women.

Men's Personalized Gift

Selecting the right gift  for your groom and groomsmen is part of your wedding planning.  It is usually difficult to find  gifts for men compared to choosing gifts for women.  One of the best choices you can make is to give your men personalized gifts that not only show you cared enough to add the personalized touch, but also you’ve given them gifts that are useful and practical.

This  brown distressed leatherette men’s grooming kit fits those criteria.  It is a great gift that will keep the gents organized on the road or at home.  With the kit measring 12″x19″ when opened and 12″x8″ when closed, it is perfect for holding full bottles of shampoo, shaving cream, toothpaste, etc.

You have the option to add up to three initials on a gold plate or stamped in gold ink.

The Men’s Grooming Kit may be personalized with up to three initials on a gold plate or stamped in gold ink . Gold plate has adhesive backing for placement of your choice upon arrival.  For more gift choices visit Bridal n’  Beauty online store.

Butterflies Laser-Cut Favor Boxes

Butterfly Favor Box (Click to Enlarge)

Small gifts inside a pastel pink or sage green Butterflies Laser-Cut Favor Box with color-coordinated, satin ribbon and bow accented by a finely detailed, metal, silver-finish butterfly will leave your guests with pleasant memories of an exquisite day.

This “Work of Art” Antique-Finish Place Card Holder/Photo Frame

Antique Frame (Click to Enlarge)

These frames make nice keepsake that can be enjoyed by all.  With the addition of a special word or a numeral, the frames also are a wonderful way to designate tables.  These frames can be used later for a favorite photo.

Theme Wedding Favors

Cherry Blossom Coaster (Click to Enlarge)

Cherry Blossom Candle (Click to Enlarge)

Make up the selection of favors by choosing gifts in assorted styles and uniting them with your wedding theme or color scheme. Like these Cherry blossoms candles and frosted glass coasters.  Cherry blossoms have had many meanings throughout the world, including femininity and spiritual beauty – perfect sentiments for your wedding day.  Your guests will LOVE taking home a set of these glass coasters, complete with padded feet, a rich brown, picture-window gift box decorated with light- and dark-pink cherry blossoms on brances with a little, brown bird on a branch.   The matching mini-pillar Cherry Blossom Elegance candles features finely painted, pink cherry blossoms on brown branches at the front of the wax candle. Clear gift box is accented with chocolate-brown, grosgrain ribbon and bow, with a matching, round “For You” tag.  These unique wedding coasters or candles are an elegant way to mix sassy style with classic elegance, while showing your thoughtful side to boot.

We are so excited! Today, we are introducing our new e-store – CW Bridal Mall.

CW Bridal Mall

CW Bridal Mall offers hundreds of categories and over 4,500 products from our shopping partners. Below are some of our shopping partners:

* Anna Bellagio                  * Arte Bride                        * Ashmont Engraving
* Bellissima Bridal Shoes   * Charmingly Chocolate     * Favors Direct
* Hayden Croft                  * Lola’s Big Day                 * Model Bride
* My Spiritual Wedding     * Orange Blossom Tiaras   * Pick a Petal
* Princessbands               * Ruby Boudoir                   * Shelley George
* That’s My Topper          * Tuxedos Direct

You will also find the link to our online CW Bridal Mall in our top navigation bar. We hope that you will find this service an added convenience for you. Please let us know what you think. We love to hear from you.

Photo Cake Topper

Each wedding item you choose reflects your taste, who you are and your fiance.  Among the wedding items that shout “this is me!” are your wedding gown, your wedding flowers, your wedding ceremony and your wedding reception accessories including your wedding cake and the wedding cake topper that you decide to put on top of your wedding cake.   Your wedding cake is one of the center of attention in your wedding reception.  So, why use a traditional bride and groom wedding cake topper when you can let your love be seen in every detail with a unique Photo Cake Topper.

This heart-shaped topper is crafted with sturdy acrylic that can be decorated with two of your favorite photos. Your engagement photos, perhaps?  Just place the photos back to back and your cake will radiate your love from all angles.  This wedding cake topper is available online at Bridal ‘N Beauty.

Remember that it is all your personal preference, follow your heart’s desire when choosing your wedding cake topper. It is all up to you and what you want on your special day.

Red and White Bridal Accessories

It’s no surprise that most brides immediately picture a white or at least off-white gown when they set out to find their wedding dress. However, with many traditions and formalities falling to the wayside, a pristine and snowy wedding gown is no longer mandatory. For brides who are looking to add a little spark and feisty personality to their attire, a gorgeous red dress may be just the way to go.

I received emails from my blog readers who commented favorably on my past post about the Red Wedding Theme.  They loved the gowns, the cake, and the reception table all decked in beautiful red and white linens, red chairs and red flowers.

Red can be a stunning and beautiful wedding color. This bold, vibrant hue speaks of romance and passion. Marketing professionals know that bright, warm colors like this induce a feeling of excitement and make the pulse increase. Red may be the perfect accompaniment to the couple’s outgoing personality, or it can highlight a holiday wedding.

To get started exploring your options with a fiery red and white theme, explore these bridal accessories to match the theme – Lillian Rose’s Red and White Wedding Collections.

Breast Cancer Lunch Tote

October is the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM).  NBCAM is an annual health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure.   Since our blog is dedicated to brides-to-be, Completely Weddings in partnership with Bridal ‘N Beauty has chosen to donate all the profits proceeding from the sale of Breast Cancer Lunch Tote for the whole month of October instead of Bridal ‘N Beauty‘s annual 10% of the net proceeds donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, to aid in the fight of breast cancer.

Show your concern for a cure for cancer with this fashionable lunch tote embroidered with bright pink ribbon when you are on the go.  This tote is also a practical bridal gift to give to your bridesmaids.  Crafted in polyester exterior and insulated vinyl interior, it is not only great for packing lunches, but it is also good for transporting temperature regulated medicine.

Join us in the prevention and cure of breast cancer.  Doesn’t it feel great to give a gift to yourself, your bridesmaids or girlfriend and to womanhood.

Small note cards with matching envelopes – Choose card colors and/or design that match your wedding theme.   Stack these cards and envelopes on a table outside your reception hall and ask your guests to share their thoughts, “marriage wisdom” or simply congratulatory note on these cards.  The cards will be placed inside the matching envelopes and simply dropped into a decorated wish glass jar, like the one shown from www.kindnotes.com .  These private messages can then be opened later to be enjoyed by you and your new husband.

Guest book frame – Leave a picture frame with mat on a table or stand at the entrance of your reception and have your guests sign the mat around your engagement picture.  Pick a mat that is big enough to accommodate all the signatures of your guests.  A frame that holds up to 250 signatures is pictured below.  This Guest Book Frame is made of black wood veneer and measures 18 1/2″ by 22 1/2 inches. Provide your guests with an acid free fine point pen to preserve their signatures for years to come. The frame will make a cherished keepsake for your new family.

For the Do-it-yourself bride, here is a list of products that you may collect and pack into an organza or silk bag big enough to hold all of the products.  You can also use a good sized make-up train case to carry all your wedding day emergency products.

• Cosmetics: For make-up touch ups, pack oil-absorbing blotting papers, lip gloss, baby powder cotton swabs and a compact mirror. For your hair, carry a comb, hair brush, bobby pins in your hair color, and hair spray to put those unruly curls in place. A clear nail polish to stop a run in pantyhose
• Hygiene: Keep these supplies handy: dental floss, hand lotion, minipads, deodorant, tampons, maxi pads, tooth brush, toothpaste and breath mints.
• Medications:Don’t forget your prescription drugs, Tylenol, Advil or other pain relievers for headaches, band-aids, chewable antacids, allergy pills, diarrhea or constipation medication.
• Sundries: Miscellaneous items that you might need: hem tape, safety pins, stain remover pads, Kleenex pack, lint roller, sewing kit with thread, needle and scissor, snaps, super glue, static guard and mini snacks.

With your bridal survival kit packed, you are ready for those wedding day emergencies.