There’s something magical about wintertime, and having a winter bridal shower can be a lot of fun. It’s all about frosted glass and crystals, decorations in pale blues and shimmering silvers, and snowflakes. Lots and lots of snowflakes. If you’re having a bridal shower this winter, why not embrace the season and thank your guests with winter-themed favors? Finding the perfect bridal shower favors can be tricky, but favors that match the season are festive, fun, and will be especially appreciated by your guests. Here are three bridal shower favor themes from American Bridal that have winter written all over them:
1. Crystals- Winter is full of shimmering snow and sparkling icicles, so anything that glitters goes perfectly with a winter bridal shower. Favors that are made out of or decorated with crystals like the crystal engagement ring keychain above are a great way to thank your guests with some bling!
2. Snowflakes- Nothing says wintertime more than snowflakes do. Your favors can be shaped like one, decorated with them, or covered in snowflake prints and patterns. The snowflake shaped wine stopper featured above is cute and useful, making it the perfect winter-themed gift for your guests.
3. Frosted glass- Just like frosty windows on a cold morning, frosted glass screams winter. Frosted glass tea light holders can serve as elegant table decorations that your guests get to bring home with them after the shower. Or frosted glass photo coasters make fun shower favors that can double as place card holders.
If you’re having a bridal shower this winter, pick any one of these themes and you’re guaranteed to have a favor that your guests will love!
Image Source
The following guest post was written by Leah from SmartBride Boutique.
Many couples experience a bit of a sag in spirits after the big day is over. Some brides are not sure what to do with all their free time now that they don’t have a wedding to plan for! If this sounds like you, don’t get blue! We’ve got some tips from SmartBrideBoutique.com to help boost your spirits and ease the transition into your first year as a newlywed.
Be Yourself.
In the lead up to your wedding, you may have stopped some of your regular activities to fit everything else in. Get back to what you love doing, or pick up a new hobby you’ve been waiting to try. Better yet, find something the two of you can enjoy together – whether it’s joining a sports team, taking a wine appreciation course or something else!
Plan a Date Night.
Just because you’re married, doesn’t mean you can’t continue to court each other. Keep things exciting! Take turns planning a special night each week for just the two of you to remind each other of how much you enjoy each other’s company.
How about a Girls’ Getaway?
Get together with your closest friends (some may have even been bridesmaids) to (finally!) talk about something other than your wedding. Plan an at home spa night or some appys and wine to re-establish the bond with friends who you may have neglected in the busy time leading up to your wedding, or overloaded with wedding talk.
Tidy Up Those Wedding To Dos.
You don’t want to start your marriage with a bunch of “to dos” hanging over your head. Get your dress dry cleaned, send out your thank you cards, create your wedding album and tidy up all the loose ends after your big day as soon as possible.
Clean House.
You’ve probably got 15 table centerpieces, a dress, and a pair of white shoes you’re never going to wear again, right? If you don’t want to keep these things for a daughter then check out SmartBrideBoutique.com to sell your items to another local bride.
With this option, they save on their upcoming wedding, and you recover about 50% of what you paid on yours. Everyone wins, including the environment! Don’t forget to pass this tip along to your bridesmaids as well. No one needs 27 dresses!
About SmartBride Boutique:
SmartBride Boutique is a premium wedding classifieds website were brides can buy, sell and save on everything wedding, from wedding dresses and bridesmaids’ dresses, to accessories, decorations, and more!
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!
September is just around the corner, and so is the fall wedding season. Autumn weddings have gained as much popularity as a summertime wedding. This could be because the cooler temperatures are a bit more inviting, and the rich, bold colors of the season are plentiful. Autumn is the perfect backdrop for a wedding, and now is the time for couples to start planning their Fall wedding theme.
What are some ways to incorporate the colors, sights, and smells of this season into your Fall wedding? The solution may be easier than you think. Here are some tips on how to bring the beauty of Autumn to your wedding reception:
· Use Bountiful Table Centerpieces. Many brides choose table centerpieces with colorful, hardy flowers such as mums or sunflowers in rich gold, yellow, burgundy, orange, and red hues. These flowers can be tied with a deep color ribbon and entwined with sprays of fall leaves to add the perfect touch to the centerpiece. Using a cornucopia as a table centerpiece is another seasonal idea to display your flower arrangement. Adding a place card holder in a fall leaf design at each table will also help complete the look.
· Have Fun with Wedding Cake Supplies & Accessories. There are an abundance of wedding cake supplies and accessories to continue the Fall wedding theme at your reception that can be festive and fun. You can choose a cake top painted in rich fall colors to top your wedding cake, or even add a personalized Autumn leaf serving set to cut and serve your wedding cake.
· Give Your Guests a Seasonal Favor. There are many practical Fall wedding favors you can give your guests as a memento of your special day. Some couples choose scented soaps, or elegant Autumn double leaf bookmarks for their guests. Some chose a delicious favor, such as a homemade caramel apple or other tasty seasonal treat wrapped in a clear cellophane gift bag and tied with a maple leaf gift tag and bow.
The ideas are endless when it comes to planning an Autumn wedding. The colors, sights, and smells are beautiful and crisp this time of the year. From adding seasonal flowers, to an Autumn leaf motif on your wedding cake, you can incorporate as much or as little of the season into your theme to create a picture perfect, Autumn wedding!
How to throw a girls weekend for the laid back bachelorette.
One of the biggest obstacles on the daunting list of maid of honor duties when brainstorming ideas for the bachelorette party is making sure the tone of the party matches the personality of the bride-to-be.
Sure, it’s easy to throw a wild bachelorette party fully loaded with booze, boys and debauchery–but what do you do when your bride-to-be wants a fun, yet relaxing girls weekend?
Plan a Spa Getaway: Bottom line is all women like to be pampered and your bride-to-be could use the relaxation before the big day. Plan the perfect location, with an atmosphere that fits the personality of your bride-to-be. Plan treatments and amenities that lie within your party budget. For an extra touch provide guests with spa package bridesmaids gifts equipped with lotion, candles and other girly stuff.
Escape to wine country: For the bride-to-be that doesn’t want to escape to Las Vegas but still wants to drink: head to your closest wine country for a weekend of good wine, food and girl talk. Wine is produced in all 50 mainland states so there are options for all bridal parties without having to take a flight!
Throw a fondue party: What woman doesn’t like meat, cheese, fruit and chocolate? This is a great option for the bridal party on budget that also leaves guests feeling like they did something fun, unusual and not cheap. Provide your guests with classy bridal gifts that give that little extra touch and have cocktails and bridal games that help lighten up the mood.
For more great bridal party ideas check out:
http://blogs.wishpot.com/wedding/2008/08/bachelorette-pa.html
Photo’s courtesy of: Affirmative Action Dad, The Mom Reviews, Retirement-merry-go-round
The following post is from @gift_girl’s blog, Girly Wedding.
Harry Potter inspired Wedding Themes. Having a unified wedding theme can go a long way in helping to create a cohesive look and feel to your day. You may not know this about me but I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. And since Deathly Hallows Part II is just about to open in theaters. (I can’t wait.) I decided to see if anyone ever thought of using Harry Potter as inspiration for their wedding day.
I know what you are thinking. Really? Harry Potter? Yes Harry Potter. Even thought I love Harry Potter I wasn’t sure about a Harry Potter Wedding Theme. But after seeing some of these pictures I can see why some people did.
Ok I love this. I love that each of the bridesmaid is holding one of the Harry Potter books. And how fun are the pink and purple baubles instead of flower bouquets? And the black, pink, and purplewedding colors also very Harry Potter.
Ok not gonna lie it would be really cool to use these instead of table numbers. Maybe a litttle geeky but really cool. If you wanna see more of this Harry Potter wedding check out the post by Geoff White. The groom actually looks a little Harry Potter and there is a sorting hat.
This picture is wow. Apparently this couple actually got Harry potter wands as a gift and this was the inspiration for the picture below. It is super creative and testimony to the wonders of photoshop.
If you wanna see more themed pictures check out my post movie inspired wedding pictures.
Anyone else as crazy about Harry Potter? Fess Up. I know you’re out there. 
If you don’t already know her you should. Dana, better known as the Broke Ass Bride is a creative, think out of the box, amazing wedding blogger. She is also a Wishpot wedding expert. One of the wonderful thing about the blogging community is that when someone is in need we join together to help do our part.
We recently learned that Dana has an autoimmune disease. For Dana, this means her immune system randomly attacks her eye sight. There is no cure and will result in blindness if left untreated. Dana has been dealing with this disease since she was 19 years old.
To be able to afford her medical costs Dana is holding an online fundraiser. This will be her 13th eye surgery. I encourage you to participate in her online fundraiser. Everyone who makes a dishing for Dana donation of any amount gets access to an awesome compilation of comfort food recipes from other amazing bloggers. If you are interested in participating or in reading more check out Dana’s story.
A portion of the money raised will go to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association to help others. If you want to read more I also posted about this on my personal blog girlywedding. If you have a blog I encourage you to help spread the word too. Too many people keep silent about the things that really matter.
Dana we want to help. And we want you to get better.
The Holiday’s have always been a romantic time for any love birds wanting to give the gift of love to each other! The air is crisp, Holiday lights set the mood, and a warm embrace not only warms the body but the soul too! So no wonder so many couples get engaged during these wintery months; tis’ the season!
When considering the engagement ring that will set the tone for the rest of your marriage, take a minute and consider what she wants. There are several ways to find out what ‘you think‘ she would like by asking her friends or family, or even by comparing rings to jewelry she already owns, but the best way is by asking her.
Have her point out the ring she would love to be given! A good way to do this without being so obvious is to take her to a jewelry store while your waiting for the nights events to take place and just browse. When you come across the engagement rings, point out some you think she would like and then ask her if you got it right. She won’t be shy about telling you which one was on her wish list! 
The Bridal Beauty has put together an excellent list of 25 gorgeous engagement rings for under $5000
14k white gold ring with princess-cut solitaire diamond, $499.99 Helzberg
-The Wishpot Team
@wishpotwedding
Planning a wedding is one of the most important things in your life, but it can also be terribly hard to organize. That’s why mybigdayplanner.com is here to save you. Tawsha Connell spent over 7 years planning weddings and developing the My Big Day Planning Kit. She consulted hundreds of brides and their notes on their own weddings and together they created a workbook-style customizable notebook that allows you to plan your wedding the exact way you want to. They offer the “My Big Day Planning Kit” that includes:
· Over 200 workbook-style pages
· 17 sections with custom tabs
· Business card holders
· Contract protectors
· Sticky notes
· My Big Day Planner pen
· Over 200 page flags
· Zippered pen pouch
· 2 white pocket folders
· Portable document holder
· My Big Day Planner clipboard
· My Big Day Planner clipboard
· An eco-friendly tote-bag
They also have different bride survival kits. When your big day is finally upon you, you should know that everything is in order without having to worry about all the details. The My Big Day Planner will help you along with this process to make the biggest day of your life truly memorable.
Every September the Today Show on NBC throws a wedding for a deserving engaged couple. As an avid Today Show watcher, Today’s Modern Love Wedding is one of my absolute favorite segments on the show.
The wedding–pulled together in a month–is located on Today’s Rockefeller Plaza and allows viewers to vote on the couple’s big wedding decisions. A national vote will decide everything from the cake to the wedding bands and even (gasp!) the bride’s gown. While this might be a control-disaster for some, Today’s Modern Love Wedding provides an amazing opportunity for couples who can’t afford their dream wedding. It also allows wedding labels and brands to parade out their latest and greatest to be voted on by a nationwide audience.
This year’s lucky couple is Melissa and Jeremy (also selected by a vote), high school sweethearts from Missouri. The young couple (she’s 21 and he’s 22) are particularly deserving because Jeremy serves overseas in the Middle East for the Army. How cute are they?!
Today's Modern Love Wedding couple, Melissa & Jeremy
So far the couple’s wedding bands (Neil Lane) and reception venue (Hudson Terrace) have been selected, and this week America votes on my favorite decision, the bride’s gown! Yes! Let’s take a look at Melissa’s beautiful options and the dress designers themselves…
Choice #1: Modern Romance
Described as modern romance for its feminine silhouette and faint blush color, this Lela Rose dress is a modern take on a more traditional A-line gown.
Dress by Lela Rose
More Lela Rose looks:
Photo collage courtesy of stylemepretty.com
Stunning detail! (Photos courtesy of somethingoldsomethingsnew.com, bridalguide.com & life.com)
Choice #2: Retro Glam
This 1920s-inspired gown stands out because of the intricate crystal motif embroidered beading and a new hot wedding gown trend, ruffles.
Dress by Lazaro
More Lazaro looks:
A flair for the dramatic. (Photos courtesy of jlmcouture.com, kaboodle.com, bridalguide.com & theweddingday.com)
Choice #3: Classic Elegance
This is a timeless look for a bride that wants simple beauty but still wants to stand out. The keyhole back and ribbon embellishment on the waist modernizes the classic style.
Dress by Paloma Blanca
More looks Paloma Blanca looks:
Modern twists on classic style. (Photos courtesy of getmarried.com, weddingbee.com, couture-threads.com & recycledbride.com)
Choice #4: Sophisticated Drama
Look like you stepped right off the runway in this gown. The fashion-forward gown is red carpet ready with rosette detailing and asymmetrical draping across the bodice.
Dress by Monique Lhuillier
More Monique Lhuillier looks:
Red carpet ready! (Photos courtesy of kleinfeldbridalcom, marieclaire.com & bridepop.com)
Worth a stand-alone shot. Monique Lhuillier at her best. Stunning! (Photo courtesy of moblog.whmsoft.net)
There’s only one week to vote for your favorite dress. Melissa will wear the dress that gets the most votes when she walks down the aisle on Sept. 30!
Voting schedule as Melissa and Jeremy’s wedding comes to life:
- Week 1: Wedding bands
- Week 2: Reception venue
- Week 3: Bride’s gown and groom’s tux
- Week 4: Bridesmaid dresses
- Week 5: Cake
- Week 6: Honeymoon location
As a budding bride, consider these gown styles and wedding ideas for your own ceremony. Take notes about what you like and don’t like as they prepare for the big day. And watch Melissa and Jeremy tie the knot on Sept. 30!
Happy planning!
-Stephanie
@wishpotwedding
