Hello Everyone!!

I’m so excited to announce that we’re doing a free giveaway for this gorgeous Swarovski Elements bracelet!  Swarvoski has launched a new Wedding Directory where you can find all sorts of great wedding inspirations.  Shows you connections to products and vendors that uses Swarovski Elements, so that you can trust their quality in crystals.  You can learn more by going to their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Enter to win this Swarovski Elements Atomic Bracelet now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entries will be accepted through September 27th 12:00am. Open to US residents only.  Once the winner is notified via email, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.  Otherwise a new winner will be chosen!  Good luck!

Oh not only are we giving this bracelet away… Swarovski has more to give!

Enter now to win more bling 😉

These little chalkboard signs would be great for wedding table numbers or place cards.

Chalkboard Party Signs on a Stick by: tricia16designs

A must have photo: sharing an intimate moment by looking into each other’s eyes… their timid smiles are enough to make you hug yourself!

Source.

“For their very first date, photographer Nick Olson took designer Lilah Horwitz on a walk in the mountains of West Virginia. While chatting and getting to know each other during a particularly scenic sunset the two jokingly wondered what it would be like to live in a house where the entire facade was windows, so the sunset would never be contained within a small space.”

This amazing couple left their jobs to go fulfill their dreams of building a house of windows. Read their full story and watch the video of their journey here!

With Autumn just around the corner, we must enjoy the greens before they change! Dark greens with a warm caramel color… what’s not to love?

1. Garden Centerpiece / 2. Bride & Garden Crown / 3. Boutonnieres / 4. Caramel Naked Cake / 5. Tea Mason Jar / 6. Apple Cider / 7. Caramel Pear / 8. Caramel Apples / 9. Garden Arch / 10. Rustic Table Setting / 11. Honey Favor

Another great DIY project for place cards! These film theme place cards would be gorgeous for a vintage movie/film themed wedding!

Find the easy tutorial here.

How cute! Disposable Wooden Flatware with personalized kraft labels by kawaiigoodies. These would be a perfect detail for rustic/outdoor/natural theme weddings!

Branching off of our Natural Nude Inspiration Board… A beautiful simple nude color wedding cake.

Source.

Giving wedding gifts to the couple sometimes be stressful and even pricey, especially if you’re attending all three engagement party, bridal shower and the wedding.  How much are you suppose to spend? Are you suppose to only choose from the registry or find something more personal between you and the couple?  Do you give cash instead of gifts, knowing the couple’s situation?

Here are a few etiquette tips on giving wedding gifts to the couple to ease your mind.

+ There are no minimum or maximum on cash gifts.  You need to look at your personal budget and the relationship to the couple.  Here’s a rough guideline for you if you have no idea how much to spend.  If you are a co-worker or a distant friend $75-100, relatives and friends $100-$125, close relatives and close friends should be $100-$150.

+ If you are invited with a plus one, there’s no traditional rule to this, but it’s customary to give a bigger gift since the couple is now paying for the two guests.

+ If you know you’re a part of all three big events such as the engagement party, bridal shower and the wedding, make sure to budget your financials in advance.  It might feel weird to give them a big gift at the engagement party then bring a small congratulations card to the wedding.  Think about how much you want to spend overall, and budget them 20% engagement party, 20% bridal shower and then 60% wedding gift.

+ It is customary to follow the couple’s wishlist on their registry.  However if your financial situation doesn’t fit with their wishlist, you might look at the registry as a guideline and find something elsewhere.  Don’t get offended though if they have exchanged your gift something else later!

+ If the couple are a really close friend of yours, and you would like to be creative on the wedding gift, there’s no rule saying that you can’t.  I personally loved all the creative gifts our friends got for us, but we’re pretty artsy like that.  One tip I would give you though is to keep it somewhat small.  If it’s a huge painting for them, unless they absolutely love it, it might stay in the attic and will become an awkward subject between you guys.

+ There’s nothing wrong with sending the wedding gifts in advance, or shortly after the wedding.  It’s a hassle for you to bring a big gift to the wedding in your lovely dress, and it is also a hassle for someone at the wedding to move all the gifts to a locked room, and then to the car at the end of the night and then deliver it again to the couple’s home after their honeymoon.  Mailing the gifts is the cool thing to do.

+ There is nothing wrong with cash gifts, as well as giving them a check.  Some couple might even prefer it, to contribute to their new home renovations, honeymoon, baby fund, savings, etc.

+ Please, please, write add a card with your name on the gift.  There’s nothing more awkward in not knowing who sent the gift, and being vague on the thank you card.

+ If you’re attending a destination wedding, it is okay to give a smaller gift since you’re spending much more on the traveling expense.  But make sure you do give a gift.

General rule of gift giving, give something or as much that you are comfortable with.  You don’t want all the weddings you go to be financially stressful every time.  Have fun with gift picking!

I always end up going back to the basics… just love the simplicity of a natural nude color theme.

1. Wedding Dress / 2. Invitation / 3. Nude Heels / 4. Boutonniere / 5. Hand Lettered Tags / 6. Blossom Crown / 7. Bouquet / 8. Favors / 9. Wooden Monogram Guestbook / 10. Table & Centerpiece / 11. Centerpiece with Candle Holders / 12. Dessert Table with Barrels