V is For Vintage!

  Why Grandma’s stuff is cool again…

2011 is shaping up to be the year of yesteryear, as everything old is new. You see it in vintage handbags, antique jewelry, clothing or home décor that reproduces the charm of a bygone era. Tradition and family pieces being incorporated into a brides special day are once again reigning supreme as we saw throughout 2010.

Whether you are looking to create a complete vintage wedding theme from top to bottom or would like to add meaningful touches sprinkled throughout your special day there are many fun and creative ways to do so. 

 The details, oh how they can become overwhelming. The thing to remember when creating a vintage look is keeping it soft, understated and charming. Subtle hues of whites, champagnes, gold & silver with touches of soft colors such as lavender and light blues are a wonderful way to create the Victorian/vintage feel. 

The bridal shower is a great place to start by giving the guests a sneak peek at what they can expect when sharing your special day. A tea party themed bridal shower can begin with the invitation, Victorian era pictures can be found with a simple web search and used to create a to die for look that will be sure to peak everyone’s curiosity. 

The  bridal shower decor can include touches of lace, an array of finger sandwiches presented on ornate trays, a few of Grandma’s great dessert recipes and a delicious selection of teas served in dainty cups from fantastic teapots will bring out the nostalgia in everyone. To further promote the past coming forward ask guests to bring a family dessert recipe to be presented to the bride on a recipe card sent with the shower invitation. We all loved to play tea party when we were little except now the tea is real and rather than your favorite stuffed animal sitting across the table, your best girlfriends and family members will be creating memories with you.

This seasons gowns are a wonderful way to incorporate the vintage look as touches of lace, satin sashes and antique inspired brooches are being incorporated from the bridesmaid dresses all the way to the crowning glory itself, the wedding dress. And where would we be without our accessories? Vintage inspired handbags for your bridal party, headpieces with feathers, brooches or vintage inspired fabric along with classic and understated jewelry complete the soft and elegant look from head to toe. 

 Bouquets can be wrapped in vintage fabric with pearl pin details, ring pillows and other accessories personalized with monograms. Gifts for the bridal party can be items such as engraved silver jewelry boxes for the ladies with a hidden gift of timeless pearls, engraved pocket watches for the men, items that have meaning and will for years to come. The vintage look is about the special details that exuded quality.

 The reception is the place to pull the look together. Centerpieces can be vintage milk glass, tins, cake stands filled with an array of such wonderful flowers as garden roses in soft and creamy hues, hydrangea, veronica's, baby’s breath, greenery, and peony. Each table can hold a different and eclectic feel by using an array of vessels to hold the flower arrangements. 

 Aside from finding ideas online spend an afternoon or two exploring a few antique stores for inspiration, in the process you may find pieces that can fit into your wedding décor as well as be used in your home as a tangible reminder of your special day to be passed down to future generations. The key is to have fun with this theme, layer colors and textures to give the look a personal touch.

Photography:  Brandon Kidd

Jewelry Box: The Favored Bride

Pearls: The Favored Bride

Pocket Watch: The Favored Bride

Love Letters

Love Letters? In this day and age of emails, texts, calls and IM's the term "Love Letters" may seem to be something of the past. The art of letter writing is not something that is prevalent in the 20's, 30's or even the 40's crowd.

One of my fondest memories was when my Grandmother and I took a day to look through family pictures and letters she and my Grandfather had written to each other throughout their marriage that included his time in the Navy. The photos told a story of those who came before me, but the letters and notes gave me an even deeper insight as to who they were.

The letters ranged from daily activity to the depth of love they felt for each other. As we read through the letters and looked at the photo's it was as if my Grandmother was there once again, even though my Grandfather had been gone for quite a few years, he was there with us. I learned so much about my family that day that will be carried through my life and onto my children.

With a wedding a bride and her groom have so many decisions to make and the process itself can sometimes override the beauty of the occasion. The days just prior to the wedding come and go so quickly and can leave anyone hurried in everything they do.

The day of the wedding arrives and photos as taken, video shot and well wishes written on cards from friends as well as quick love notes that accompany the gifts the bride and groom give each other. While the forementioned methods capture wonderful memories and are great ways to relive the day as they years pass, what about what you are feeling for each other, the reason you decided to share your life with your partner?

We have just introduced a product to our website that captures the feelings, the deep feelings that a bride and groom share that goes beyond the hurried events of the wedding day and creates a heartfelt written memory. The process replaces or is in addition to the unity candle or unity sand ceremony. The bride and groom each write love letters to each other, heartfelt words along with your hopes and dreams for the future can be expressed. Your deepest most passionate thoughts will be contained in your individual letters.

The letters are not shared at the time of the wedding, but tucked away in a locked box in front of family and friends during the ceremony to be read at a future date. The time to share the letters is up to you, it can be  your anniversary, celebrating a milestone or renewing your love and commitment to each other. The love letters serve as a reminder of what was in your heart and reveals to future generations who you and your husband are and what you value.

The process itself is somewhat of a time capsule, a tradition that can be carried on as part of your family history. Take it from someone that cherishes that day many years ago with her Grandmother reading letters and looking at pictures, it does matter and can make more of an impact than you may ever know.

http://www.thefavoredbride.com

Black And White Wedding Theme Anyone?

Whimsical or elegant and traditional a black and white wedding theme provides a fantastic way to create a stunning visual statement. From the invitations to the favors guests take with them as a thank you gift you can incorporate you theme in a variety of ways.

Damask Design Invitations

Elegant and formal black, white and silver invitations

The first step after you have decided to go with a black and white color theme is deciding what you love, what makes you smile. It could be inspirations from things around you in your everyday life such a your interior design taste, your signature clothing style or classic movies like Breakfast at Tiffany's all the way to the whimsical Alice In Wonderland.

Have a ton of ideas running through your head and are not seeing a overall cohesive vision? A great way to get the creative juices going and bring everything into focus is to create a wedding inspiration board.

The materials from your wedding inspiration board can be from magazines, printed pages from blogs such as this, fabrics or anything that captures your heart. The key is to take your time and let the process of creating a inspiration board be a fun and relaxing time.

You can bring your theme into all areas of your wedding from the favors and accessories to the bridal party gifts.

Practical And Personalized Coffee Favors

Floral And Fun Black And White Wedding Coaster Favors

Elegant Black Satin Mini Photo Albums

Gorgeous Wedding Party Gifts Your Friends Will Love

 Wedding Collections To Tie The Look Together

The important thing to remember that your vision is just that "yours", keep an open mind to suggestions as those around you can have wonderful ideas but remember to stick to what you want to convey as your wedding is an outward expression of who you and your groom are.

To see the items listed here visit our website at

http://www.thefavoredbride.com