Free wedding books? Sweet!

The lovely Jennie! (And I’m not just calling her lovely because she said she wanted my book, mind you…) Her favorite flavor of wedding cake is classic vanilla, but she’s not averse to wackier options like Funfetti. Which I, too, would happily eat at a wedding or otherwise.

And P.S. – Speaking of contests, if you’re feeling kindly and would like to help a totally deserving couple win the Disney fairytale wedding of their dreams, this couple (who had micro-preemie twins and lost one soon after birth) could really use your votes!

Free wedding books? Sweet!

With this four pack, you pretty much have everything you need to plan a wedding and start off married life right. Or you have a free gift to give to someone who’s planning a wedding and poised to entered the world of the marrieds. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Win the Wedding Planning Book Four Pack!
I’ve got copies of How I Planned Your Wedding by Susan Wiggs, Something New by Elise Mac Adam, Help! I’m a Newlywed by Lorraine Sanabria Robertson (not strictly a wedding book, but close enough), and a signed copy of my own book iDo waiting for one lucky reader. To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite flavor of wedding cake (with cookies or pie being acceptable answers).

For additional entries, do any of the following (and leave a comment for each additional entry):

1. As always, you can score one additional entry when you add Manolo for the Brides to your blogroll, or let us know we’re already on your blogroll so we can link back to you

2. Score two additional entries when you like Manolo for the Brides on Facebook

3. And you can pick up a whopping three additional entries when you tweet this giveaway or post about it on your own blog!

This giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, April 8, and the winner – chosen via your friend and mine, the trusty random number generator – will be announced on the following Monday. Good luck!

…the generous Charli, of Two Bad Dogs Quilling. In response to the question I posed, the oh-so-sweet Charli said:

I will give the box to my wonderful MIL who is 84 and will be gone soon. She loves all things chocolate.

While I would surely love to be eating a whole box of delish dipped madeleines myself, I certainly can’t think of someone I’d rather see eating them in my stead. Congrats, Charli! I or someone from Donsuemor will be in touch soon!

You *could*give these sweet madeleines to your sweetie if you win the giveaway, but as someone who ended up having to share with a cookie-loving toddler, I recommend keeping them. And eating them all at once while watching a series of wedding-themed movies. You know, to de-stress!

Win It!
The nice people at Donsuemor are offering one lucky commenter a sample box of their delish heart-shaped madeleines – chocolate, chocolate dipped original, and white chocolate dipped chocolate. To enter, just leave a comment telling us whether you plan to share your madeleines or eat them all yourself! I think you know my preference.

For additional entries, do any of the following (and leave a comment for each additional entry):

1. As always, you can score one additional entry when you add Manolo for the Brides to your blogroll, or let us know we’re already on your blogroll so we can link back to you

2. Score two additional entries when you like both Donsuemor and Manolo for the Brides on Facebook

3. And you can pick up a whopping three additional entries when you tweet this giveaway or post about it on your own blog!

This giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 3, and the winner – chosen via your friend and mine, the trusty random number generator – will be announced on Friday. Good luck!

Big congrats, Emily – I or someone from Lulu will be in touch soon with details on how you can redeem your prize!

P.S. – I am so, so sorry that the contest winner wasn’t announced sooner. Long story short, my family suffered a loss recently that made it very hard for me to keep up with certain things. Needless to say, future contest winners will be announced on time.

How about a book of your engagement portraits, or a book that highlights special moments from your relationship up until now? Or a photo book full of vacation memories? The possibilities are endless! And the prices are reasonable, too. With Christmas right around the corner, this can be the perfect time to start thinking about a project for the new year, and if you’re the winner of this latest giveaway, it won’t cost you a cent.

Win It!
The lovely people at Lulu.com are offering one lucky Manolo for the Brides reader a chance to win one of their beautiful 8.5″ x 8.5″ square hardcover 20-page photo books! To enter, visit Lulu.com and then leave a comment here telling me what you’d include in your custom photo book you’d make if you win. Me? I’d be torn between making a wedding book for myself and The Beard and making a ‘my first two years’ book for La Paloma.

For additional entries, do any of the following (and leave a comment for each additional entry):

1. As always, you can score one additional entry when you add Manolo for the Brides to your blogroll, or let us know we’re already on your blogroll so we can link back to you

2. Score two additional entries when you like both Lulu.com and Manolo for the Brides on Facebook

3. And you can pick up a whopping three additional entries when you tweet this giveaway or post about it on your own blog!

This giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 17, and the winner – chosen via your friend and mine, the trusty random number generator – will be announced the following Monday. Good luck!

Congratulations, Jessica S.! Either myself or someone from Polli – or both – will be in touch soon soon soon to iron out the details.

P.S. – Have you heard that McDonalds will begin offering deep fried McWeddings at three Hong Kong locations? Uh, yay?

Isn’t that adorable? When Polli got in touch, I was just squeeing my head off. Why? More often than not, when I wear my engagement ring, I wear it on a chain around my neck! But I hate the way it sticks out – I look at this pendant and see the perfect, though admittedly cheeky, solution to my problem.

Win it!

Polli is offering Manolo for the Brides readers a chance to win a gorgeous and fun “diamond ring” pendant! To enter, visit Polli and tell me what you’d choose if you could have anything at all from their sweet jewelry, accessories, and housewares. I, for example, would love to get a Fractal Eco Clock for my birthday! So just let me know what Polli product you dig, and you’ll have one entry to your name.

For additional entries, do any of the following (and leave a comment for each additional entry):

1. As always, you can score one additional entry when you add Manolo for the Brides to your blogroll or let us know we’re already on your blogroll so we can link back to you

2. Score two additional entries when you sign up for the Polli newsletter

3. And you can pick up a whopping three additional entries when you tweet this giveaway or post about it on your own blog!

This giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, October 31, and the winner – chosen via your friend and mine, the trusty random number generator – will be announced the next day. Good luck!

I’m absolutely to delighted to announce that the winner of the Nordstrom Bow Flap Silk Clutch is the lovely Sharon of Sharon & Greg’s wedding bonanza (seriously, aren’t they an adorable couple?). Big congrats, Sharon! Myself and someone from Designer Apparel will be in touch tout de suite!

You can start right out with your save the dates.
These buttons from Zazzle run from $2.89 each down to $1.89 each, depending on how many you buy. Not wild about this one? There are other iris-themed save the date items available.

Of course, the most expected way to use a flower is in a bouquet. This one made me smile when I saw it:
The bold colors speak volumes to me, and I’m a complete sucker for an elegantly organized, simply tied bouquet.

I’m not certain I really like this cake from Cakes by Mez, but I do find it intriguing.
What? I’ve never seen the stems of flowers used as part of the design like that.
This simple yet elegant centerpiece would be easy to DIY. Seriously, do you even need instructions? And yet your table would look gorgeous.

Tables do not live by centerpieces alone, you know. Your and your new spouse will probably want to make a toast or two. If you want to carry the theme on and have a fabulous pair of glasses to keep afterwards, you might be interested in these gorgeous ones from Art of Glass.

Whether you concentrate more on color, shape, or literal use of the flower, iris is a great inspiration for a wedding.

(Hey kids, remember there’s one more day to enter the contest for this fabulous silk clutch here at Manolo for the Brides! Hurry up and give it a go!