OK, Now What Bride

Turtle doves, butterflies and other pretty things to send Bride and Groom off

I've been to a number of weddings where rice was tossed at the bride and groom to celebrate the ceremony and send them off at the end of the evening. Problem is, sometimes the bride gets pummeled in the eye (it happened) or the sparklers get just tinge too hot for fingers. In movies people launch doves or open up a box where butterflies take flight. Do those really work? I want to hear from people that have done this. 

I was just visiting the Facebook page for our friends at Rice Butterflies and found this amazing photo. How cool is this?

I wish I had known about them for my wedding. They're made of just rice and rice glue so they dissolve in the rain. How fun! And apparently they "fly" up to eight seconds, which is fantastic for photos. 

For kids, I think it's fun to have something that they can do afterwards. That's why I had poppers sewn up in little paper bags. These are pre-packaged poppers that are filled with bio-degradeable confetti and ready to use. Cute!

Bubbles would be fun too. Here's a steal for under $10 - for 24 a pack. (Or with doves for $14.95, 24 pack). I love that they're plain so you can customize them how you want with your colors and theme. 

What did you use for your wedding day? Send me your ideas! xo

It's a Man's World: Wedding Details that celebrate the Groom

The bride gets so much attention. Really, just about all of it. 

We get to plan the day, choose our dresses, choose our bridesmaids dresses. Heck, sometimes we even get to choose what the groomsmen wear too. What if, for once, the wedding had all the elements of the day but with the groom in mind? Here are a few easy ways to keep groomie in mind during all the festivities.

1. No doubt the groom and his men would appreciate a monogram flask, detailed in luxurious black leather. Just $34.95 each!

2. If you're looking for a traditional, classic cake topper, this is it. $32.95

3. Stand out from the groomsmen and wear a top hat. $56.99

4. From Il Buco in New York City. Would you let your man buy this and put it in your home?

5. Not everything has to come up roses. Wow him with a boutonierre that's dashing and thoughtful. Succulents make all the difference from Ruby Bloom Flowers.

6. A great gift or simple detail, monogrammed handkerchiefs are a classy touch. $23.95

Garter Giveaway from Ivy Lane Design

I'm curious to hear what role a garter played or is going to play on your special day and onward. Are you planning on tossing your garter or keeping it? Will it coordinate with your wedding colors or perhaps it'll be your "something blue."

The folks at Ivy Lane Design are giving away a luxurious satin garter for the three most original garter stories! Maybe something hilarious happened or you have a touching anecdote. 

Whether you're already married and want another one or would would love to choose from their wide array of colors and themes, all you need to do is submit a the best garter story in the comment section. The top three entries (as judged by Ivy Lane Design) will each receive a garter of their choice. 

Simply enter a story in the comment section of this post by 11:59 p.m. of Friday, August  26th, 2011 for your chance to win. No purchase necessary. CHANTILLY LACE GARTER

Love Bouquets from UK: Handmade Crystal and Pearl Bouquets

**This post has been updated with a 10% discount for OKNW readers. Thank you, Love Bouquet!** (mention OKNW when you order).

A while ago I heard from one of my readers, Natalie, that she had made her bouqets and other accessories by hand using beads and crystals. Along with her mother, Sheila, they founded Love Bouquets specializing in creating utterly beautiful bouquets. My curiosity was piqued immediately. When she sent over the photos, I was absolutely floored. From the rich navy blue of her dress to her gorgeous auburn hair, the details of her day looked so luxurious. And to top it off, her bouquet looked like an amazing keepsake, worthy of being handed down for generations to come.

                                                                   

Here Natalie explains how she made the magical pieces. "I made mine from mother of pearl brooches all from Bethlahem, mother of pearl beading, fresh water pearls, Swarovski crystals so the whole bouquet was pearl and had a lovely soft shimmer to it. I made my husband a matching pearl buttonhole with a few seashells in it since we had a beach wedding.

This is our new heart-shaped bouquet, named Heart of Gold. It can be made in many colours but is our hardest design yet."

      

This is an innovative take on anything I've seen before. I can totally see this being handed down for generations to come. Kudos to you, Natalie, for creating such exquisite and priceless keepsakes. And thanks again for sharing! xo 

PHOTOS: McAvoy Photography

 

Floral wedding accessories

I'm loving the Eva collection from Ivy Lane Design. They shared a sneak peek of their 2011 catalog with me and it looks darling. Everything's coordinated but you can pick the pieces you want. My aboslute fav is the flower basket. How adorable is that? If you were trying to think of ways to inject feminine accents into your day, wonder no more! 

 

I also love this romantic lace and frills take on candles for the ceremony. 

If you have some great ideas to inject floral into your day, send them to me. I wanna see!! xo

PHOTOS: PETER HERNANDEZ

 

Lace and Doilies

I saw some insanely gorgeous doilies and it made me think of all the amazing that you could do with them. Like sewing them together and lining a table with them. Or having the baker frost that design onto the cake. There's something lovely and dainty and tradition-filled when you see someone actually using a handkerchief or doily. This week let's look at all the beautiful things that are ruffly, lacy and just plain pretty.

        

UPPER LEFT: MOOD FABRICS, UPPER RIGHT: MOOD FABRICS; CAKES: REAL SIMPLE; BOTTOM LEFT LEFT: HANDKERCHIEFS FROM BRIDAL ELEMENTS; BOTTOM RIGHT: DOILY FROM CROCHET BEAUTY;