Jan

30

Fabulous Practical Wedding Favors!

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I asked Ashley of Cherished Gifts & Favors if she would share with us some of the latest trends she is seeing in the wedding industry. Here is what she had to say:

I’m seeing a big trend with couples wanting practical or eco-friendly wedding favors. With the state of the economy right now brides want to make sure they are spending their money wisely. They don’t want to spend money on wedding favors that will get thrown away as soon as guests leave their reception. Many of our best sellers include place card holders that can be reused as photo frames, plantable favors, bookmakers, key chains, kitchen timers, bottle stoppers, and my personal favorite, measuring spoons which I seem to use on a daily basis. These favors can range in price so there is something for a bride with a limitless budget as well as stylish favors for a bride with a limited budget.

Even with wedding budgets tightening up a bit, couples still feel it is very important to give their guest a “thank you” gift as a token of appreciation for their attendance.


These adorable Mini Gumball Dispensers are the *cutest* thing! Oh my goodness, how I adore these. Love them!

Love Beyond Measure Ashley mentioned the measuring spoons in her post above, and they are definitely something your guests could use daily! They have measures of love on one side with traditional measurements on the other. A Pinch of Patience=¼ teaspoon, A Dash of Kindness=½ teaspoon, A Spoonful of Laughter=1 teaspoon, and A Heap of Love=1 tablespoon.


These Bamboo Coasters are something everyone can use, and just imagine how perfect they would be for a beach themed wedding? Bamboo grows so quickly, it is a renewable resource, so you know you’re doing the earth a favor too when you share these with your guests. Did you know that bamboo is a symbol of luck and success because of its strength, resilience and ability to grow quickly? Perfect symbol for your wedding day!

Want more favor ideas? Be sure the check out the Cherished Gifts and Favors blog!

Jan

8

Bridal Shows!!!

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One of the things that I was really excited about when Christine asked me to contribute to this blog was that I now have an excuse to attend all the bridal shows I want and not look or sound like an idiot to my friends. I absolutely love, love, love bridal shows.  There is something buried inside me that just fights to get free when I hear that my hometown of Houston, TX is hosting a Bridal Extravaganza.  I even considered trying to talk hubby into a second wedding for our 10 year anniversary just so I could go to the shows.  So imagine my excitement when I realized I could go to the all the bridal shows I want and not feel guilty or out of place.  I mean, it’s actually “work” right?  

Well this weekend, I get to attend my first official “working” bridal show at the George R. Brown Convention Center here in Houston.  As I was pondering fashion shows and cake samples, it occurred to me that a blog about national bridal show companies and some links on where to find some of these shows in your area would be fitting.

Great Bridal Expo’s lists their touring schedule through early May.  When you click on the venue for the show, a list of venders attending the show comes up.

Bridal Trade Show has their schedule out through April and although the majority of their show are in New Jersey, there are a few more in the upstate area. Details for each show are listed as well as the ability to purchase tickets online.

Bridal Show Producers International (BSPI) is a bridal show trade association and lists bridal shows all over the country.  Just roll your cursor over the shows listed to see where the show is and click to go to the shows own website.

Online Bridal Shows is a neat concept if you happen to live in an area where there are no bridal shows.  It’s a virtual 3D bridal show that happens every Thursday from 12pm-10pm local time.  There is a software download which is free to be able to view the shows but it only takes a few minutes to download and install.  We have super fast techie geek internet access and the program pages take a little time to load so if you have dialup, this may not be the best option for you.  Basically the whole thing runs like a first person video game, using the arrow keys to move through the “show”.  When you enter, there is a map sign that will give you the basic “booth” layout in a sidebar.  Rolling over the booths gives you the basic vendor info and clicking the booth brings you to the vendors virtual booth.  From there, you click on what looks like a tv to start a video presentation and the sidebar turns into full information page about the company compleate with websites.  Although, it lacks the excitement of actually being at a show, (not to mention no cake samples!!) it would be a great way for a bride who has no earthly clue where to begin to at least get some vendor ideas in her area.  Call it the video game geek in me but I like this site.  The more play with it, the more I like it. I mean, who could resist checking out a catering company called Popcorn Lady Productions (Atlanta) who specialized in carnival food and frozen drinks??  

A search for “bridal shows” preceded by your area of the country will also yield a wealth of info as I found out there is more than one bridal show in Houston.  Who knew?

Well this weekend I will be tasting cake samples, viewing fashion shows and interviewing brides-to-be, all in the name of bringing more info for you.  Mmmmm cake…

Happy Planning

Jan

6

Honeymoon In… Costa Rica!

Filed Under Destination Weddings, Planning Tips | 2 Comments

There are certain questions every bride-to-be is asked as soon as she makes the announcement to the world that she is getting married.  Of course, everyone asks to see “The Ring” and if she’s “Set a Date”.   Other questions concern the where and what how of it all as well as the all important focal of the entire wedding, “The Dress”.  One question that is asked though doesn’t concern the wedding at all and actually doesn’t take place until the whole thing is done with:  the honeymoon.  It’s a perfectly normal in-your-business question everyone asks and it seems like everyone I’ve talked to this year all had the same answer: Costa Rica.  

I knew personally three brides this year who all took honeymoons there, I have four friends from work who left today to go for ten days (I would have happily gone along had they not been a rowdy group of boys and although hubby is pretty laid back, that would have been pushing it a little.), and a few weeks ago, hubby asked what I thought about CR as a family vacation destination this year.  Having no knowledge of this little Central American hot spot, I decided to do a little digging and share what I found.

Costa Rica is indeed in Central America (I wasn’t sure at first since I haven’t had Geography in about 25 years) and nestled between Panama and Nicaragua.  It claims coasts on both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean which make it a mecca for beach goers, snorkelers and surfers.  Almost 26% of the country is composed of conservation and nationally protected territory and it is divided into seven political provinces which are unique and diverse, each offering something for everyone.

Costa Rica provinces  San Jose, containing the capital city, is the most populated and located in the Central Plateau.  It includes the Central Mountain Range and is home to national parks, forest reserves, and an abundance of coffee plantations.

Heredia is the smallest province and known for colonial heritage and architecture.  It contains the Barva volcano in Braulio Carrillo National Park near the Central Valley.

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Braulio Carrillo

Guanacaste is known for cattle ranches and beaches and is considered the driest region.  Located on the Pacific Ocean side, it is home to some of the best beach hotels in the world and if travelling between the months of October and March, is also a great place to witness the Leatherback turtle spawning season.

Sunset in Guanacaste

Puntarenas or the “Pearl of the Pacific” is the destination of many Panama Canal cruise ships but with its vast beaches, host some of the countries sweetest surf spots.

Cartago is the considered the Ancient Metropolis and has the most important examples of colonial art.  This humid tropical region is made up of two mountain ranges, the Central and the Talamanca.

Alajuela is one of the most extensive provinces and is known as “The Land of Mangoes”.  It shares a boundary with Nicaragua and is home to two of the most impressive and active volcanoes in the country.

Lastly, Limon is a natural paradise made up of a combination of dense jungles, imposing mountains and paradisiacal beaches.  This area has the highest percentage of protected lands and while most are not “visitor accessible” there are licensed guides for hire who are allowed in certain areas.  It’s Caribbean border is also a gathering spot for snorkelers from all over.

There are a few most asked questions that can be answered here.

Although you do need a passport, a visa is not required from most countries including the US and Canada.  You must purchase a roundtrip ticket to be able to enter the country though.  The currency is the Colon but US currency is widely accepted as well as most major credit cards.  Most of the water is potable (which is okay for a shower) so you may want to drink bottled water while you’re there especially around the coastal areas.  

Thinking about getting married there?  A few things you’ll need to bring along: a birth certificate, an affidavit of single status, police record, valid passport, divorce decree (if applicable) and all documents need to follow an authentication procedure.

This is just a touch of what this wonderful country as to offer.  More information can be found at the tourism website at www.visitcostarica.com  and www.infocostarica.com.

Both websites include more info including hotel information and tour information as well.  In doing a little research for myself, I also found that a family of four can stay at a moderately rated hotel in a suite or bungalow for as little as $200 a night or less.  Some of the resorts offer amenities such as spas, tours, dining, and other activities built into the price including special honeymoon packages.  Search around for the best bang for your buck.  As far as paradise vacations go, this one gives you all without spending all which is one of it’s biggest appeals.  The visitcostarica website also has a search section for where to stay and lists hotels ranked by sustainability and has a certification program for these eco-environmentally-friendly places to stay which I’ll be talking about more on Fresh Friday. 

I’m beginning to understand why so many people are choosing this wonderful place to vacation and especially honeymoon.  I can’t think of anything more romantic than a sunset walk on the Pacific Coast leading back to a candlelit dinner at a private bungalow on the beach.  Happy Honeymooning!!