The Favored Bride Wedding Guide

V is For Vintage!

2011-03-01T00:27:00.002-06:00

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

2010-07-13T11:35:00.003-05:00

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?

2010-05-09T01:05:00.002-05:00

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

Fast Wedding Facts

2010-04-07T14:16:00.000-05:00

Conversation Starters based on Wedding Trivia

• Glynn Wolfe, a former Baptist minister, holds the record for largest number of monogamous marriages - 29! His longest marriage lasted 11 years and his shortest was a mere 19 days.

• Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martinez hold the world record for longest engagement. When they were both 15 years old, Octavio and Adriana got engaged in Mexico, but they didn't marry until they were 82, making their engagement a solid 67 years!

• The longest wedding train ever recorded was worn in Germany. The train measured 515 feet long!

• Possibly providing a reason why wedding receptions take place today, the Roman Empire did not consider a couple legally married until they shared a meal together.

• According to superstition, if a younger sister marries before her old sister, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never finding a man to marry.

• The Wedding March as we know it today was first made famous when Princess Victoria - eldest daughter of Great Britain's Queen Victoria - used it when she wed Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858.

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A New Year.... A New Website!

2010-02-22T14:35:00.000-06:00

2010 is in full swing with the busiest months to come in the wedding world. Spring and Summer weddings will be here before you know it and to answer the call on finding the perfect products to make your vision a reality we have just launched a new website! Be sure to visit our new site for all the latest products for every aspect of your wedding! Free shipping on orders over $99.00!

http://thefavoredbride.com

A Winter Wonderland Wedding

2009-11-06T22:27:00.000-06:00

A winter theme can provide a wonderful backdrop for your dream wedding in tones of icy blues, crisp whites accented with the silver sparkle that comes with freshly fallen snow. The items below range from favors that your guests will love to take home to the accents that will pull together your vision in a unforgettable way!

Picture glittering snowflakes floating to earth from a clear-blue winter sky, then magically becoming an astonishing winter wonderland. That dream-like image comes enchantingly alive in our Snowflake Gel Candle, making it a “must-have” favor for any winter event. The ice-blue gel, sparkling with silver glitter, fills a uniquely shaped glass container with a dazzling, silver-studded snowflake embedded on the front. This 3” x 2.75” x 1.5” gem is an ideal illustration of winter’s majesty and your distinctive style. The clear gift box arrives complete with a lovely silver-and-white organza ribbon and "For You" gift tag.

Remember those glorious snow showers on a chilly winter’s day when you were young, and you’d catch those gently falling snowflakes on the tip of your tongue? Bring that heartwarming ambiance to your beautiful winter wedding reception, Christmas dinner table or holiday party buffet table with “Embossed Elegance” Snowflake Favor Boxes!

• White snowflakes feature a delightful, embossed design
• Fill with gourmet chocolate or other sweet treat
• Snowflake measures 2 ¾” h x 3” w x 1 ¼” d
• Die-Cut favor box measures 1 ¼” square
• Easy assembly

A winter white snowflake with little crystal details brings the snow indoors at a winter wedding. Glazed Porcelain 4 3/4" Tall

Drifting down like delicate bursts of white, winter’s unique gift provides a lovely motif for gifts of the season. The “Snow Flurry” Holiday Ornament Place Card and Photo Holder is a snow-lover’s delight inside and out, making it the perfect favor for your winter wedding or holiday party. Features and facts:
The outside of the clear, snow-globe ornament is adorned with white, flocked snowflakes
Inside the globe is “drifting” snow
Set of six includes matching place cards
Ornament measures 3 ½” high with place card
Without place card, ornament measures approximately 2” high x 1

Like icicles on a crystal clear winter day, these chrome snowflake bottle stoppers bring the essence of the season to any occasion. Imagine the winter wonderland created for your guests at every table when they see this beautiful and practical favor, crowned by an ornately crafted snowflake, just waiting to be taken home. Features and facts:

Stopper is solid chrome, with a notable weight and lasting quality
Bottle stopper measures 4 ½” x 1 ½”
A pearlescent white gift box surrounds the stopper with a shower of silver snowflakes
Gift box is accented with a sheer white organza ribbon and a snowflake-studded "For You" tag

To see these and other items within our store go to

http://stores.ebay.com/The-Favored-Bride

Looking Back

2009-10-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

As you venture forth into your new life as a married couple, there are many ways to look back and honor the past at your wedding. Whether it's an event, a special someone, or a particular piece of your family history that you wish to commemorate.

To honor your culture or your heritage, look to the many different traditional symbols of your culture that can be incorporated in someway into your wedding. Whether it is wearing a piece of clothing or a family heirloom that has special meaning to you, serving a traditional recipe that has been passed down through the ages, or incorporating flowers that are particular to your family's country of origin in your bouquet or centerpieces, you can reflect your culture and heritage throughout many of your wedding accessories and decorations.

Wedding favors are another great venue for letting your culture or heritage shine through whether it is in the colors of the favor, the imprint or design on the favor boxes, bags, or even the individual favors themselves.

To honor your family, be they biological or part of a step-family dynamic, try digging a little into the history and traditions typical of each family. Choose a location of historical significance to them. Be it in the country where your parents or grandparents came from, the city where you were born or at a family farm or home that has been handed down from generation to generation.

When looking to your past you may also want to look at friendships that deserve honorable mention. Friends who have helped you get to where you are today and those who may no longer be with you, but whose memory is very much alive.

An interesting idea that honors the pasts of all of your guests, is to invite each of your guests to bring their own wedding photo to your reception. Provide simple mason jars or glass tumblers lined up on a table, for guests to insert their photos into and create an instant display that makes a wonderful tribute to the past.

To embrace all that has brought you to your wedding day, look back to your past and honor it as you step forward into your future.

Something Blue

2009-10-15T21:42:00.000-05:00

The color of ocean and sky, blue has served to inspire brides for centuries. Perhaps that is why blue is the colour of choice for the classic wedding rhyme "Something old, something new...".

Introducing the Color Blue

Different shades of blue can affect mood and atmosphere. Choose from Azure, Baby blue, Cobalt blue, Cornflower blue, Dark blue, Denim, Indigo, Light blue, Midnight blue, Navy blue, Periwinkle, Persian blue, Powder blue, Royal blue, Sapphire, Steel blue, and Ultramarine, just to name a few.

Light blue is often associated with the cold. When paired with white and silver, blue is associated with ice and snow. Perfect for a winter wedding.

Brilliant blues become energetic and dramatic, an enchanting colour that expresses joy. Bold enough to stand on its own or blend with other brilliant colors, electric blue creates a perfect expression of your special day.

Gradients of blue are considered calming and soothing, representative of the blue water of the ocean. Blue is a beautiful colour to incorporate into a beach wedding. Mix and match with aqua green, sandy brown and even lemon yellow for a striking effect.

But don't go overboard with your blue! Grey blue shades and too much blue may come across as cold or uncaring. Choose blues that have an uplifting effect.

Add "Something Blue" and Say "I Do"
On your wedding day, carry a bit of blue for luck or wear it for its timeless elegance. Originally the custom of the bride wearing "something blue" dates back to ancient Israel where the bride wore a blue ribbon in her hair to represent fidelity.

There are many creative ways to incorporate the colour blue into your special day.

For the bride that is attending her outdoor winter wedding, rehearsal party, stagette or hen party, a fabulous "Bride" Winter Blue Angora Down Brim Hat will have heads turning.

For those brides that prefer a subtle reference to blue, a "Something Blue" Garter or a "Something Blue" Chiffon Bow is a wonderful choice.

To toast to "something blue", select Classic Styled Interlocking Heart Stem Toasting Goblets that feature a pretty blue crystal detail on the stem.

Give a gift with "something blue" to members of your wedding party. A Tied Bouquet of Something Blue Handkerchief can be embroidered with names, date or monogram as an added touch. Your thoughtfulness will be remembered always!

Share the blue by adding this color to wedding favors. Consider blue ribbon details, aqua blue favor boxes, or a mini blue and white felt winter mitten set. Check out more "something blue" wedding accessories here.
You never know what possibilities you will find "out of the blue".

The Wedding Planner

2009-02-08T21:19:00.000-06:00

As a seasoned professional, well versed in the art of negotiating with caterers, venues and florists, wedding planners can save you valuable time, money and stress by helping you create the wedding you've always dreamed of, on time and on budget.

Before you choose your wedding planner there are a number of factors to review. Take the same care and diligence you would put into choosing any other important wedding accessories, into choosing your planner.

First, do some investigative work. Ask around to learn of other's experiences, visit local trade wedding shows, and extend your search into cyberspace. Joining a local wedding online forum is one of the best ways to find out about the goings on in your community and to learn of the reputation of any particular planner.

Once you have created a shortlist of potential planners, meet with them face-to-face to interview and get to know them better. Defying all logic, there are just some people that you instantly make that important connection with and some you do not. Use that intuition as a guideline to help in your decision making process, but remember to back it up with further investigation.

One of the easiest ways to do so is by asking the important questions. While references are important it is an unlikely event that a planner will put forth the name of anyone that experienced dissatisfaction. Instead do a little sleuthing on your own. Check your local better business bureau to see if any complaints have been lodged against them, check to see if they have any formal credentials, and ask to see a list of events they have previously been hired to cover. A well-rounded planner will have covered more than just weddings.

Another list you should ask for is one of duties they expect to fulfil. Go through this list carefully, adding any areas you feel would be best tailored to you and deleting those you feel unnecessary. By having them provide the list rather than drawing one up yourself, you may be surprised at areas they may include, that in your own inexperience, you would never have dreamed necessary.

While some brides will choose to hire the services of their wedding planner to take care of their entire event from engagement to gift opening, others will prefer, as a cost saving measure, to hire their planner for a particular portion such as the reception.

When assessing the cost of a wedding planner a number of different fee schedules can be applied. Some planners set one-time basic fees based on the number of guests invited, some base their fee as 15% of the wedding budget, while still others use an hourly rate. Whichever method they choose, make sure you get all of the details in writing, outlining clearly the expectations of both sides, including financial remuneration.

A Wedding Planner is a great asset to a wedding. You may have the dream and the vision, but it is their experience that will turn that dream into a reality.

Hot Wedding Dress Trends for 2009

2009-02-08T20:29:00.000-06:00

Christmas is often a time for engagements, and as the New Year rings in, so too does a new Wedding Season, with many new brides-to-be looking to make their own weddings unique, special and ultimately in-style.

Wedding dress fashion for 2009 will continue with the goddess inspired slim fitting look, but replacing the fashionable corset will be, a looser, more free-flowing Grecian styled dress, with an empire waistline, deep V neckline, and softly draped shoulders replacing the strapless look. Made of softer fabrics such as cotton or tulle, these soft flowing dresses speak to a romantic age, but are generally for those who are tall and slender with a boyish figure.

For those looking to make a bolder statement at their spring or summer-time wedding, and for those who have the legs to get away with it, 2009 will also usher in the shorter wedding dress. From styles that are shorter in the front and longer in the back, the all around mini dress, or the flapper style of the roaring twenties, if you have the gams and the daring, the shorter look may be the one for you.

For decorative accents on wedding gowns, a trend hot off the runaways of Europe is embroidery. An accent that allows brides to still embrace a traditional white dress, while allowing them the splash of color many are looking for, embroidery is a softer more romantic embellishment that replaces last year's popular sashes. Available in dark contrasting colors and embroidered designs that range from simple flowers to more intricate patterns, the embroidery can cover the dress completely, or sit simply and modestly on the bodice or the hem of the dress.

If you are looking for a bolder accent that doesn't involve showing off your legs, bling is back in the form of brocade and beads to add a dash of sparkle. Adorning dresses made of silk, satin and charmeuse, these elegant fabrics are the perfect backdrop to the glamour and grandeur that come from these flashy embellishments.

Still another flashy embellishment adorning dresses in 2009, will be the oversized bow. Added to straight slim-line dresses, these romance boosting accents sit perfectly at the shoulder, at the lower back, or swept to the side in a dramatic effect.

But regardless of what the trend-setters say, if 2009 is the year of your wedding, then the items you wear should be whatever makes you feel as special and beautiful as you should on your special day.

Now What?

2009-02-07T22:24:00.000-06:00

From Engaged to Planning

As the Holiday Season ends and new engagement rings are dazzlingly sparkling off of the fingers of a new set of brides-to-be, many of the newly engaged are left looking at each other saying, "Now what?". For all those newly engaged here's how to get started on planning your wedding.

First of all, before any planning takes place, take the time to just enjoy being engaged. If not all of your friends and family are in the know, your next step will be to boldly announce to all, your newly engaged status.
While print announcements in the paper are a time-honored tradition, the electronic age has inspired a new set of announcements through email or social networking sites. Use a graphic-based program to create an email containing a picture of the proposal, the ring, or simply of yourselves as a newly engaged couple. Another tech-savy idea is to announce you wedding through the creation of a Wedding Website.

If you plan on having a long engagement this is not something that needs to be set until at least a year in advance, although if you have a number of people that will need to travel, giving them as much lead time (more than a year if possible), increases the chances that they will be able to attend.

This is also where "Save The Date" cards or announcements can come in handy. A small notice sent to future guests to let them know in advance of your upcoming nuptials "Save the Date" cards" while an additional expense, gives your guests enough of an advance warning, without you having to have all of your wedding details.

The next step is deciding what kind of wedding you want. Including: how large you want your wedding to be, how formal or casual and how traditional or offbeat. Setting some of those ideas down on paper, can give you both an idea of what kind of budget you many be looking at.

Then comes the budget. This is the time to sit down with all involved and decide on how much each will contribute. This is also a good time to sit down and decide how much input those who are contributing financially will be allowed. The time honored tradition that says "he who pays, has the say" may mean that you might not have the control you wish for. Getting all of this out and in the open at the start, makes for a much more harmonious planning in the future.

Once a budget has been arrived at the next stage involves everything. To keep all of your "everything" organized and on track, you may want to purchase a planning booklet to help you keep everything straight, or again for the more tech savy, invest in some inexpensive wedding planning software.

Above all, enjoy your newly engaged status and every moment of your wedding planning. It is a special time in your life, be sure to have fun with it. Congratulations! Let the fun begin.

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