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18 Mar |
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6:45 pm Posted by Nicola |
Guests usually have a wide variety of feelings when they receive a bridal shower invitation. There’s Chatty Kathy who jumps at any occasion for a get-together and chance to mingle with new people. There’s Sentimental Susie who just loves everything wedding and adores going to showers. And there’s Busy Barbara who is happy to attend but just wishes the event didn’t take up such a large chunk of her day. With a diverse group of family, friends and colleagues as guests, it’s always a good idea to provide a buffet as a chance for guests to get up and mingle as they serve themselves and discuss the various buffet options. The team at LookLoveSend has already shared its tips for bridal shower gift selection, now it’s time to highlight our favorite bridal shower buffet options.
Salad Buffet. Serve a variety of pasta salads, warm salads, green salads and veggie salads. Choose 4-5 different types of salads for a very fresh and colorful offering along with a selection of fresh breads.
Soup Buffet. Soups aren’t only for the fall and winter. Summertime soups such as gazpacho or carrot ginger soup can be highly refreshing and a great chance to incorporate fresh produce in your menu. Choose 3-4 different soups and provide plenty of small bowls. Serve with warm focaccia or baguette for dipping.
Yogurt Buffet. This is a fun option for a morning shower. Set out parfait glasses and long spoons and offer a variety of yogurt flavors, fresh berries and granola. Also offer bagels or toast points as a savory accompaniment.
High Tea Buffet. A great idea for an afternoon shower. Serve bite size tea sandwiches filled with cucumber, curried chicken salad and smoked salmon and dill. Add strawberry shortcake, petit fours and of course several selections of tea to complete this simple yet elegant menu.
Dessert Buffet. A decadent dessert buffet is a great option for an evening shower or to accompany a sit-down meal at your shower. Make or buy many different types of desserts and cut into small servings so your guests can pick an assortment of chocolate, cheesecake, brownies, fruit tarts and any other sweet treat you choose to share.
Each of these buffet menus is simple to put together but makes a beautifully cohesive presentation that Chatty Kathy, Sentimental Susie, Busy Barbara and all your other guests will enjoy. And for fantastic bridal shower invitations, checkout the fresh selection of designs at LookLoveSend.com. All cards are printed on superior quality paper and your complete satisfaction is guaranteed.
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17 Mar |
Tips to get the Perfect Photo for your Wedding Thank You Card |
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12:19 pm Posted by Nicola |
Did you have a defining photo from your wedding? Perhaps the bride and groom posing in clown glasses and mustaches from the photo booth props. Or an outdoor ceremony shot set against a beautiful orange sunset. Or an aerial view of the massive congo line stretching the length of the dance floor. If you’re lucky enough to have one such photo to define your special day, consider including it in your wedding thank you cards to give your guests a happy flashback when they receive your card.
photo credit: Hartford Wedding Photography
We’ve already shared some strategies to get that great card-worthy photo of your newborn, but read below for some tips to get great wedding photos for your album and wedding thank you cards.
Intimate Moments: Momentarily step away as a newlywed couple and allow the photographer to observe your interactions and snap away. Whether it’s a hand in hand stroll or an intimate glance, these photos will be among the most heartfelt in your album.
Candids. Candids are always a lot of fun. Be sure to let your photographer know that you’d like candid shots, and during your own photo session be sure to point out guests you’d like them to capture.
Angles. Most people don’t look their best straight on so make sure you turn your head a little during posed photographs.
Let your personalities shine. Ask your photographer to encourage the wedding party to show off their personalities so you have the most natural shots possible. Wedding party photos often appear overly stiff and formal. A trick is to pose with toasting glasses or around a bench or tree to allow more natural interaction and to shift the focus to be the party experience.
Be natural. Don’t force a smile just because you see a camera pointed at you. Some of the most beautiful photos can be of a thoughtful expression or a smirk.
Before your wedding, consider the photos you hope to capture and share a list of important guests with your photographer. For spectacular wedding thank you cards that will beautifully showcase your favorite wedding photo, shop the fresh collection at LookLoveSend.com. All cards are printed on superior quality paper stock and order quantities over 50 ship for free.
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16 Mar |
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4:43 pm Posted by Kristy |
Irish Claddagh Wedding Ring
If you’re lucky enough to be planning a St. Patrick’s day wedding, you may be inspired to carry through some Irish wedding traditions. While you might not stamp a shamrock on your wedding invitations or don a green gown, the Irish offer some appealing traditions just like many other wedding cultures around the globe.
For starters, marrying on St. Patrick’s day is considered lucky in Ireland. And, there are a few Irish wedding traditions you could easily include in your special day:
Blue dress
Blue was the traditional color of purity in Ireland, so a very stylish statement could be the palest shade of blue in your gown, a blue sash, or dressing your bridesmaids in blue.
English Lavender
These fragrant, lovely flowers make beautiful bouquets but were commonly included in the bride’s bouquet as well. Lavender symbolized love, loyalty and devotion for the Irish.
Braids
With braids making a stylish comeback for today’s brides, you would not be outdated at all to wear this traditional Irish symbol of feminine power.
Whatever cultural traditions you incorporate into your special day, you will find a huge array of wedding invitations to choose from at www.LookLoveSend.com. Complete wedding invitation suites offer all the components you might need to coordinate with your invitation design, including personalized save the date cards, response cards, menus, ceremony programs and much more. Enter the monthly sweepstakes for the chance to win $500 towards your choice of a complete wedding invitation suite!
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15 Mar |
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12:13 am Posted by Kristy |
How much do you let location influence decisions about your wedding? You probably wouldn’t wear a cathedral length veil walking down the aisle at the country chapel, and you might not set up a seafood bar at your ranch wedding. Then again, you just might! These days when anything goes, just how much you let the location of your wedding influence key planning decisions is entirely up to you.
One area where location can guide wedding planning is shopping wedding invitation designs. Personal style, wedding theme, color preferences, and the overall tone of your wedding are all important, but location is one of the more persuasive considerations when choosing one invitation over another.
City or country, country club or hotel, winery or family farm, beach or castle–these are just some of the possible locations and types of venues where your wedding may take place. These locations suggest differing degrees of formality and have unique characteristics that you can highlight through a well-chosen wedding invitation design. Here are some examples from www.LookLoveSend.com:
City Sophisticate
Either one of the wedding invitation designs below work great for a city wedding, but the latter is more nuanced and works for other venues as well.
 Urban Chic by Sandra Roth |
 Lux Reverse by Yana Beylinson |
Vineyard Ripe
Think vines and scrolls and other organic style imagery to capture the feel of a wedding planned at a vineyard. You don’t have to have grapes to convey the natural beauty you plan to surround yourself with on your special day.
 Leafy Vines by Suling Wang |
 Foliole by Suzanne Cahill |
Country Sweet
A country wedding could take place in a barn, field or church, but the suggestion of country comes through loud and clear in these designs with iconic country images — sunflowers and a tree.
 Sunflower Too by Linda Facci |
 Spring Apple Blossom by Amanda Zoss |
You’ll find many more wedding invitations designs to reflect the location of your special day at www.looklovesend.com. Enter the Wedding Invitation Sweepstakes this month for the chance to win $500 towards your order. You can also order up to six free samples to help you with your decision. Many wedding invitation designs come in more than one color palatte and include save the date cards you can personalize with a photo.
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13 Mar |
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10:04 pm Posted by Kristy |
As soon as the baby shower invitations hit the mail, expecting parents start clearing out space in the nursery for baby’s new threads. And it doesn’t stop there; birth announcements invite the generosity of friends, family and other well wishers who hear the news.
It’s not impossible that half to three-quarters of a first baby’s closet might be filled with clothes. Girls in particular receive a bevy of outfits, and not just in the form of dresses–bonnets, bows, booties, baby bunting….ever tried to not buy something pink for a baby girl? It’s not easy!
But many of these outfits never get worn. Babies come in all sizes, not always fitting into the 0-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-18 month size charts. Throw in variable weather and parents tastes, many outfits just won’t work. In addition, parents develop preferences depending largely on how easy it is to dress baby and perceived comfort (not all cottons are equal!).
All of this leads to the question, what to do with the unworn clothes? You have a few options:
New With Tags
- Return Even without a gift receipt, most stores will give you a store credit for their brand (or brands they carry). Be aware that last season’s clothes will garner a lower price.
- Regift You may be better off wrapping up an item for someone else’s shower. Just be sure to consider the size and season of the new baby so it doesn’t go unworn a second time!
- eBay or Craigslist NWT attracts full price, as long as you’re ready to become a seller in the online resale world.
Washed But Never Worn
- Consign
- LOCAL: Local consignment stores accept clothes limited to specific brands for upcoming seasons during designated time periods. Contact them first before showing up with your bin of clothes or many could be rejected.
- ONLINE: A less limiting option is a new online consignment store called www.thredUP.com. There’s no limits on seasonality or timing, however they aren’t currently accepting clothes sized under 12 months.
Lovingly Worn
- Pass on Consigning certain items may not be an option, depending on the brand, how worn the item is, or other restrictions like seasonality or your timing. If you know of someone who could use them, passing the clothes on may be the best option.
- Donate There are many organizations such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and local women’s and children’s shelters that would be delighted to have your baby’s clothes.
If you’re preparing for a baby shower, you can find adorable baby shower invitations on www.looklovesend.com as well as coordinating baby thank you cards and birth announcement cards that can be customized with photos. All invitations and cards are printed on premium quality paper and customer satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
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12 Mar |
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7:37 pm Posted by Nicola |
Last year I received a most unique Save the Date card which featured a photo of the engaged couple on a scenic mountain peak – he on bended knee and she with a surprised look and grin from ear to ear. This fun photo was actually a re-enactment of the actual proposal moment, but a new service in proposal planning may change all of that.
Proposal planner companies such as The Heart Bandits and An Exclusive Engagement have sprung up in response to demand for a unique and spectacular setting to pop the big question. From helicopter rides to museum dining to special serenades, these proposal planners offer to orchestrate the whole event and capture the big moment of ‘yes’ on film on video.
Proposal planners offer a broad range of services. The Heart Bandits offers a $500 option to come up with the proposal idea based on a detailed questionnaire about the couple, their likes and favorite activities of the (hopefully) bride-to-be. Beyond that, varying levels of involvement are available, leading up to full handling of all aspects of planning, logistics, reservations, gifts and other special details – which can run up to $12,000. Not surprisingly, most success stories on the company’s website emphasize romance, from a ‘glittering New York City evening’ to ‘the romance of a morning in Paris’.
Proposal planners have a ways to go before their services can be considered a trend. Many grooms prefer a simple, intimate proposal that is more spontaneous than meticulously planned. But for the groom who wants to create a truly memorable and special wedding proposal, it’s nice to know that there’s some romantic guidance for hire to make that happen. If you are recently engaged and want to share your happy news, shop the fresh collection of Save the Date cards at LookLoveSend.com. All cards are printed on superior quality paper stock and order quantities over 50 ship for free!
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10 Mar |
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9:33 pm Posted by Nicola |
Are you the type to receive a bridal shower invitation and immediately log onto the couples’ registry for the best gift selection possible? Or do you take your time to find a unique gift that is not on the registry but you know the couple will love? Whatever your gift buying style, we always strive for our gift to be memorable – indeed the gift opening is the main event at any shower. Read on for five tips to keep in mind when choosing a bridal shower gift.
How much to spend. The typical range for a shower gift is $25 to $75 but the rule of thumb is to give what you can afford. Homemade gifts are always acceptable if you want to give a beautifully crocheted throw blanket or customized photo album for their wedding photos.
Bridal shower gift AND a wedding gift? Yes. All guests should bring a gift to the bridal shower and either give money or send a gift for the wedding.
Type of gift to buy. If possible, take cues for the bridal shower invitation about what type of gift to buy. For a couples shower, pick registry items such as dinnerware, coffee makers, etc. A ladies-only event is the time to give lingerie if you feel comfortable doing so. Sometimes a theme shower will direct guests to a specific category of gifts. Always consider the option of a group gift – a certificate to the spa or snorkeling lessons for the honeymoon may be greatly appreciated too.
Modesty check. Before you buy any lacy lingerie or other racy items for the bride, remember that her future mother-in-law will probably be at the shower. Might be best to save the most sassy gifts for the bachelorette party.
Wrap your gift beautifully. Consider how much you love to receive a beautifully wrapped gift when you think how your gift will fare in the massive pile on the gift table. Add ribbons or bows in case the bridesmaids are saving those for the ‘trial’ bouquet at the wedding rehearsal. And always include a signed card that can be tucked in with the gift to help the bride keep track for her thank you writing.
'Chic Bridal Shower' by designer Jennifer Pritchard
Most women experience several-year spans during which they attend numerous bridal showers and become well versed in gift registries, wrapping and thank you notes. If you are attending a shower, consider the tips above. If you are hosting a shower, checkout the fresh selection of bridal shower invitations at LookLoveSend.com. The designs are unique and all are printed on superior quality paper with a full satisfaction guarantee.
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9 Mar |
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3:16 pm Posted by Kristy |
Cake–it’s the one thing everyone is in love with at a wedding. Want to be in love with your cake too? Look for something less predictable than the classic white cake with white butter cream frosting. With spring and summer fast approaching, and wedding invitations sent out, it’s time for wedding planners and brides with upcoming weddings to take advantage of the season to create a truly unique cake.
Nothing reflects the season better than the blooms and berries brides can burnish on everything from their wedding invitations to the table arrangements to the cake. We found these beautiful wedding cakes on MyRecipes.com, courtesy of the food editors of Southern Living magazine. What we love about these cakes is that they seem likely to impress as much from what’s on their insides than from their equally stunning outsides. (And isn’t that what all brides hope for in the end anyway?)
 Amaretto Cream Cake |
 Dogwood Blossom Cake |
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 Tiered Poppyseed Cake |
 Pansy Wedding Cake |
If you’re still looking to find wedding invitations in as decadent a combination of tastes as these cakes, browse the complete wedding invitation suites at www.LookLoveSend.com. Design styles include traditional, floral, vintage, modern and many blended styles as well. A complete wedding suite includes your choice of components, such as the invitations, menus, programs, directions, thank you cards and much more. Click here to enter the monthly sweepstakes (or click the button below) for the chance to win $500 towards your order with us! 
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8 Mar |
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4:13 am Posted by Kristy |
Wine Stopper Favor from beaucoup.com
The appeal of wedding showers where both bride and groom attend is growing. So more wedding shower invitations these days are inviting single friends and couples. One of the most popular wedding shower themes for couples is wine tasting. You can approach this theme in several ways, depending on your budget and resources. Wine has wide appeal, and the tasting process gives the party structure and involves guests in a more active way–they’re not just sitting around watching the couple tear into gifts.
A Winery Tour
You can plan this if you and most guests live within reasonable distance of a local winery (within an hour or so). Find out if they offer tours, wine tasting, and have a designated area (indoors or outside) to accommodate you. You don’t need to foot the entire bill, either. It’s perfectly appropriate to ask guests to contribute. Your might also suggest that everyone contribute to an ongoing wine club membership for the newlyweds as part of a group gift. Find out if the winery has any giveaways or inexpensive party favors as a way to thank guests. Chances are they will want to offer something to promote their business.
Wine & Cheese Party
Whether you do this shower at a local wine bar or in a private home, make sure you have a wine “expert”–someone equipped with interesting information about the wines and who can keep the party moving along. For a private in-home party, ask guests to bring either a wine or cheese (or one of each) with a separate folded tent-card labeling it. Then have two separate stations where they can put them. You may want to organize ahead of time by assigning types of wine or cheese so that there is some variety.
Stock the Bar Party
This version of the wine tasting shower opens it up to other cocktails. Especially for a mixed group, the guys in particular might like tasting after-dinner “aperitifs” such as brandies, cognacs, etc. Giving the newlyweds barware-related gifts is ideal for this party theme too. Martini and margarita glasses, beer mugs and buckets, shakers, highball glasses, and other bar and cocktail accessories all make great gifts for the newlyweds.
For your party favors, wine notebooks and bottle stoppers are a nice way to thank your guests. For shower invitations that inspire your next wedding shower, browse the wedding collections at www.LookLoveSend.com. You’ll enjoy quality printing and paper, and shipping is free when you order more than 50 invitations.
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6 Mar |
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7:04 pm Posted by Kristy |
Pee Pee Tee-pees from Babies R Us
Alas, Baby No. 2, 3 or 4 doesn’t typically inspire the sending out of baby shower invitations. While repeat baby showers sometimes go on for moms whose babies are far apart (or who know baby is a different gender), you are more likely to be on your own deciding what new stuff to buy or borrow. And five years is like a decade in Baby Product Land–there are more products to sort through than ever before.
So recently, I saw a Top 10 Useless Baby Products list expecting to be glad I didn’t waste my money. To my amused surprise, most items on the list were either personal favorites or already on my shopping list!
Utility Lies in the Eye of the User
Which items would you include in your baby shower registry?
- Baby Care Time If you work from home and get highly involved, this keeps you from losing track of time. We all know that a baby who oversleeps and misses a feeding will make up for it at night!
- Baby Shoes Too traditional to trash, too cute to cut out…though I agree with their uselessness.
- Bedding/Crib Set You may not use all the pieces at once, but they are likely to get used. Also, I don’t care what the baby police say, bumpers keep baby cozy and more importantly, keep them from seeing you leave the room!
- Car Seat Bunting How can you not have this living in New England? In fact, I rank this item high, replacing baby bunting outfits. You don’t have to stuff a crying baby into these or buy up a size as they grow.
- Jumparoo Dangerous, maybe. But oh so much fun. Just don’t use it after baby eats.
- Pacifier Clip I need one of these! More to help me keep track of it, plus it keeps paci off the floor.
- Pacifier Wipes Okay, I agree with this one. Dumb.
- Pee Pee Tee-pees Gimmicky for sure, but I have many friends whose boys whiz on cue at the slightest breeze. Can save many an outfit and changing mat!
- Walker I agree with this one. I don’t know any friends who use these. I am also surprised they still sell them.
- Wipes Warmer A personal favorite. Warms my hands and keeps him from crying out during nighttime diaper changes!
I would consider almost all of these as great gift items for any baby shower, and include them on my own baby gift registry. If you are looking for original baby shower invitations for a second baby shower, check out the adorable collection at www.LookLoveSend.com. Shower invitations are also available in coordinating baby thank you note designs, and when you order more than 50 invitations, shipping is free!
