This time of the year has been called “the most wonderful time of the year” for decades. Whether it’s because it’s the beginning of the holiday season or because of the refreshing chill that’s in the air, people enjoy the winter season and all of the good and festive things that go along with it.
Studies show that more people get engaged at the holidays than any other time of the year. The sparkling beauty of the season creates the perfect scene for a holiday engagement, or better yet, a winter wedding! Most reception venues decorate elaborately to celebrate the season, so brides may find that little decorating is needed at their reception.
Many brides choose to carry the winter and holiday theme through to their table centerpieces and wedding favors. To do so, create centerpieces that include the blossoms of winter, such as poinsettias, pine cones, and holly and balsam sprays. Mistletoe can even be hung over doorways to add an extra touch of romance for the happy couple and their guests. Winter wedding favors are a festive and fun way to add to the celebration. Snowflake wine bottle stoppers and snow flurry ornament place card holders add to the festive décor.
Gather as many ideas as you can to create your own winter wedding wonderland. A great resource for winter wedding ideas is a visit to a local wedding shop or online wedding store to see the latest wedding trends for ideas to incorporate into your own event. Whatever you decide, one thing will hold true, this will be the most wonderful time of the year – and it’s all yours.
We’ve all seen how Siri assists with text messages, e-mails, weather, and schedule reminders, but Wishpot is adding a new identity to Apple’s new voice assistant. Wishpot.com has essentially made Siri your new Santa Claus by connecting your iPhone 4S with your wish lists. Enabling this connection is simple and fast with the following 5 steps.
1) Connect Wishpot with your iPhone 4S: Go to your Account Settings, followed by your Mobile Settings on Wishpot.com. You will then create a private e-mail address for Siri to connect with.
2) Connect your iPhone 4S with your Wishpot Account: You will then add this private e-mail address to your iPhone 4S contact list and give it a name. For example, Santa or Wishlist.
3) Tell Siri What you Want: Now that your mobile device is connected with your wish list you are able to tell Siri (or Santa) what you want. To do this, you will first say “message”, followed the name you chose for your contact, and finally the thing you want. For example a book or apparel. (To make the search even more specific, shoppers are also able to read aloud UPC or ISBN numbers).
4) Receive an iMessage Reply: Once you have told Siri what you want, Wishpot will search for the best match and lowest price. After finding the best result, you will receive an iMessage with the price and description of the product.
5) The Item is Added to your Wishpot Wish List: Finally, the item you “wanted” will be added to your wish list at Wishpot.com.
While Wishpot.com makes creating lists for Santa as easy as telling Siri what you’re wishing for, this new tool makes shopping simple year round. As simple as it is, why not go to http://www.wishpot.com/siri to add wish list capability to your iPhone?
Fall is a festive and very colorful time of year. Many take advantage of nature’s beautiful backdrop and plan their wedding during these months. Making use of the flowers that are abundant and the treats that are plentiful are sure to make your wedding day a perfect one. Seasonal staples will help make your wedding planning a little easier, but don’t over look the top trends of the fall wedding season.
Vintage Accents – Many brides are choosing wedding dresses with a vintage flair. Whether it is a lace sleeve or added beads and pearls to the wedding dress, the vintage look is coming back.
A Touch of Royalty – The Royal Wedding has set the stage for brides this year. The bridal tiara has made a tremendous come back this season, making every bride feel like a princess. Intricate wedding invitations and announcements for the big day have also gained popularity.
A Little DIY – Despite a tough economy people are still falling in love and getting married! Couples are getting creative and designing and assembling flower arrangements. Some are even baking their own wedding cakes and choosing “wedding cupcakes” as a trendy wedding cake alternative. The simplest of all is selecting your own fall wedding favors and beautifully wrapping them for each guest.
It’s the Shoes – This has to be the trend that is the most fun this season. Brides are hemming those gowns a bit higher to showcase their shoes! The shoes of the season are not the traditional white heels. Brides are showing off their personality and their shoes by wearing blue shoes (for something blue), or any other color all adorned with rhinestones, bows, or even flowers.
Tweet Tweet – Social media is everywhere, and even becomes part of the wedding planning. Twitter and Facebook make it simple to let all your friends and followers know your latest wedding details. It helps to gather everyone together for a celebration, and is it definitely the thing that is quickly updated after you say “I do!”
The thoughts of a Halloween wedding may bring to mind visions of gloomy, candle-lit reception halls, haunting music, and gothic wedding décor. Today more and more couples are incorporating the essence of Halloween into their reception and bringing along all of the fun that goes with it.
A Halloween party reception has become quite popular, and for good reason. There are so many creative and fun ways to fuse Halloween into your event – whether you choose the traditional “scary” route or not.
Some couples are encouraging their guests to dress up in costume for the event, and are even doing so themselves. Brides are choosing a Morticia Addams style bridal gown, and grooms are opting for an all black tuxedo. Bridesmaids are picking dress colors of black, red, or purple to add to the fun.
Here are a few more ideas to bring the festive elements of Halloween to your wedding reception:
1. Choose tiger lilies or orange, red, and black roses for centerpieces and bouquets. Florists are even able to dye flowers if the color you want is not available.
2. Select pumpkins and gourds for table centerpieces and decorations. Carved pumpkins will instantly add Halloween to your reception. Opt to use hollowed out pumpkins as candle holders and simply add votive candles.
3. Infuse apple and pumpkin into your menu. Choose soups, entrees and beverages which incorporate the flavors of these fruits into the dish.
4. Go bobbing for apples. Adults and children alike will have lots of laughs playing this traditional Halloween game.
Finally, add more fun to the wedding reception. Make each of your guests feel like a kid again with a do it yourself wedding favor. Fill trays with an assortment of favorite sugary treats, and supply your guests with a colorful drawstring pouch. Let them go wild by filling a candy bag and creating their own unique wedding favor. If you want to provide your guests with a keepsake favor, you can always supplement your Halloween wedding theme with traditional fall wedding favors as well.
You may decide to choose all or just a few of these Halloween inspired ideas. One thing will be certain; you and your guests will be guaranteed to have a frighteningly good time!
All of our Wishpot brides out there have to agree that throwing a wedding takes a village. What that also means is that you want to show your gratitude for all the help your friends and family have given by saying thank you. If you want the sentiment to be heartfelt then the best way to do so is with a beautiful gift, and what better than a piece of art. It’s the proverbial gift that keeps on giving; after the moment has passed, artwork is there to remind you of the happy memories and special people whose day they were a part of. So whether you’re just looking for a lovely Christmas gift or a meaningful present for your friends, family or spouse, let us suggest some beautiful art pieces for your wish list.
Looking for a gift for her? Choose one of these feminine prints. Every girl would be happy to have something like this hanging on her wall.
Images courtesy of Art.com
But what about the men? We suggest sticking with more classic prints like these. Bold photographs make a statement that feels very masculine.
Images courtesy of Art.com
Looking for more picks like these? Check out the gift guide from Art.com for him and her.
-Caitlin
It can be considered faux pas to have your wedding fall on or near a holiday. The scheduling can often conflict with vacation plans and you may not want your day to be known as “that wedding that ruined our Fourth of July plans” or “that cliche wedding on Valentine’s Day.”
However, if you and your fiance were already considering a fall wedding and really enjoy Halloween, consider a Halloween-themed wedding.
Don’t go screaming in the other direction before you hear all the details! We’re not talking cheap plastic jack-o-lanterns as centerpieces or fake cobwebs over the doorways. Far from it! Think autumn meets edgy. With your special Halloween touches, your fall wedding could be one for the ages.
Plan ahead: If you plan ahead–up to a year in advance–you can find Halloween novelty items on discount after the previous Halloween holiday. Don’t go overboard on the cheesy stuff like plastic coffins or witch broomsticks, but instead look for leaf garlands, scented candles, glitter pine cones, cute pumpkin bowls for a candy bar, fake fall flowers and berries and even antique-looking glasses for toasting!
Cute objects incorporated into a beautiful display. (Photos courtesy of chillipit.co.za & theknot.com)
Color-coordinated: One of the big questions is about the color palette of a Halloween-themed wedding. It is obviously in fine Halloween tradition to stick with the orange and black combo. However, try incorporating orange as the accent color and have black and white be the main color scheme. Also, don’t be scared to experiment with other fall colors like yellow or a deep red. Here’s some inspiration:
Bring nature inside by using trees! (Photos courtesy of chillipit.co.za & perfectweddingguide.com)
Proof your Halloween wedding can be themed but classy. (Photo collage courtesy of fatosoda.seesaa.net)
Photo collage courtesy of mixmingleglow.com
Gorgeous pumpkin ideas! (Photo collage courtesy of mixmingleglow.com)
Other special touches and ideas to consider:
- Don’t require it, but give your guests the option of dressing in costume
- Antique, classic dress for the bride
- Cummerbunds for the groom and groomsmen
- Wrought iron candelabras for centerpieces
- Serve apple cider and pumpkin cake
- Feature a candy bar with a wide variety of sweets including a Halloween favorite, candy corn!
- Choose historic venues, like an old church or mansion
Happy planning & Happy Halloween!
-Stephanie
@wishpotwedding
Have you ever been told that Valentines day is an overrated, over commercialized, completely made up day!? And well in a way it is. But really what isn’t over commercialized today? And the truth is, does it really matter? Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for you to celebrate those you love. Who doesn’t remember being little and getting a little “I chooo choo chooose you Valentine gram.” Or what about cinnamon hearts, or sugar Sweethearts, with all those lovey dovey sayings. It almost didn’t matter who sent them. It just felt good to know that someone cared enough to send them.
And let’s face it, it feels good to be loved. No one knows this better than brides-to-be. So go on and celebrate go on that romantic dinner, send flowers, write cards, drink wine, eat chocolates (one of my personal favorites) light candles, draw the bath water… and celebrate each other.
Really, in my opinion that is the heart (pardon the pun) of Valentines day. Take one day out of the year and tell people you see everyday, that they are special. Why? Because they are part of your life. Valentine day isn’t just for couples instead shower your friends and family with little reminders, post it notes, cards, presents, handmade gems that let others know they matter to you.
Yes Valentines day is commercial but in this fast-paced crazy world we live in we should celebrate each other and the relationships we form; all of them and what better time to do it than on a day dedicated to hearts.
Happy Valentines Day
