Cupcake vs Cake

Cupcakes have been the trend in recent years when it comes to the topic of desserts.  These perfect sized sugary confections of goodness are no longer plain old vanilla and chocolate desserts.  We're talking flavors like peanut butter and jelly, key lime pie, oreo cookie, caramel apple, and s'mores.  Cupcakes filled with raspberry mousse, custard, buttercream, and marshmallow.  My mouth is drooling just thinking about all the possibilities! 

I love the idea of cupcakes at a wedding. No cutting, no mess, just grab and go.  Not only that, but you can offer your guests several flavors instead of one! Just be sure to have little signs pointing out what the cupcake flavors are.  You don't want anyone to be unpleasantly surprised.  Have you ever been to a wedding reception and bit into a luscious looking piece of vanilla cake only to find out it is banana?  Yuck.  

Worried you might go home with lots of cupcakes? Offer your guests little boxes to take some home in!  And, you can totally stick with the tradition of cutting the cake, just cut a cupcake instead.  

Cupcakes can also be displayed in a grand way, just like a cake.  Check out my friend Nicolle's cupcake display at her wedding. 

These look pretty darn tasty don't they??  I can say first hand, they were yu-u-mmy.  Now go out and taste some cupcakes!

Gray, the new "it" color?

 I wrote this article last summer after seeing a new trend walking down the aisle at a few weddings.  Since we are gearing up summer weddings, I thought I'd share this article again! 


Bridesmaid dresses come in every color imaginable.  As a wedding coordinator at the local university, the most popular color to see year-round is navy blue, but this summer has brought a whole new palette of colors. Canary yellow, black, deep plum, hot pink and charcoal gray.  Whoa, back up.  Gray?? Are you sure it's not silver?  Yep, definitely not silver.  Still scratching your head at the idea of gray dresses?  


Imagine it with a bouquet of bright yellow flowers. Gray suddenly goes from drab to fab! Seriously, it really is a stunning look. Perfect for the bride who wants to be a little "out of the box", a little unique.  Keep in mind that not all flower colors will pop off gray dresses.  Take a color swatch to your florist to compare which colors give you the kind of effect you looking for.  If that look is dramatic try canary yellow, shades of purple, deep red, hot pink, bright green, and white.  For a more subtle look choose softer tones of your favorite colors or mix different colors together in the bouquet instead of having one solid color. Give your girls an added wow factor by incorporating a matching flower of the bouquet into their hairdos.  


Happy dress shopping!

A gorgeous group of ladies

Picture courtesy of Jana Scott Photography in State College, PA www.janascottphotography.com

DIY Bride

In this economy, planning your dream wedding can seem impossible.  Unless you have been saving for this moment your whole life, your budget will stress you out.  So, how can you create the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank?  Get creative by doing things yourself and don't be afraid to call in the troops to help you!  Not only will this give your wedding a very personal touch, but it can be a great way to spend time with your bridesmaids, family and friends, and even your soon-to-be husband. 


If you love scrapbooking or papercrafting, this is a great way to show your talent! Craft your own invitations and programs by researching your favorite loks online and trying to recreate them on your own.  Like the idea of a guest book, but have no idea what you would do with it after the wedding?  Create a mini scrapbook of you and your love with lots of space on each page for guests to sign.  


If decorating is your thing, create your own centerpieces and decor.  Again, do some research to find the looks you like then take a trip to your local craft store to see what you can put together for your own take on a favorite look. 


Is photography your favorite hobby? Incorporate favorite shots by framing ones that represent special memories you've had as a couple.  These can be placed on each table as part of the centerpieces, on the guest book table, gift table, cake table, anywhere you want! 


If you are reading this thinking "I am so not a crafty person" you can still pull off a budget friendly DIY wedding! Many stores carry invitation, program, and seating card kits that are very easy to work with.  Two fantastic sites that offer ideas for beautiful simple decorations that anyone can do are http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/diy-do-it-yourself-weddings.aspx and www.marthastewart.com.  Don't forget to check out www.pinterest.com for ideas as well!


Finally, don't forget coupons! Michael's, JoAnn Fabrics, and A.C. Moore, located throughout Central PA, all offer 40 or 50% off coupons weekly through print ads and/or e-mail. Sign up for all types of mailings to gather several coupons to save the most money.  Also, remember to shop the craft stores during their season change-overs to get items up to 80% off, especially if you are planning a wedding a year or more in advance.  Right now, winter items are on sale/clearance to make room for spring decorations. This is a great time to stock up for your winter wedding!


Happy crafting!

Welcome!

 One fabulous piece of jewelry with a special meaning is quite enchanting.  Most anyone who has had their significant other "put a ring on it" can vouch for the fact that you become dazzled by it.  When my husband proposed with a princess cut diamond in an antique setting, I couldn't stop staring at it.  That sparkle cast a spell on me! Almost 6 years later I still flash it in the sunlight to see it sparkle :-)

I have yet to meet a bride-to-be that has not transformed after having a beautiful piece of bling placed on her finger. There are the physical transformations; an extra bounce in her step, a little wider of a smile, a sparkle in her eye.  Then there are the mental transformations; the bridezilla, the eloper, the anxiety ridden, the super glam, the "I want everything"... this list could go on and on!


So, this, you see, is how I came around to the title of my blog. 

What will you find here? Ideas, advice, trends, and reviews of all things WEDDING!  Having worked as a wedding coordinator for 7 1/2 years and counting, I am chock-full of information that I love to share.  Trust me, anyone who mentions the words "planning" and "wedding" around me can get caught in a very long winded conversation. I can't help it...I'm fascinated by weddings! If I could throw my husband and I a wedding every year, a la Heidi Klum and Seal, I totally would.  But for now, I'm happy sharing my thoughts with you. Enjoy!