Manolo for the Brides

At my aunt’s wedding in 2006, the individuals charged with decorating the reception space scattered a great many faux rose petals indoors and outdoors. The plastic petals that landed on carpet and tile were easily swept up at the end of the event. As for the fate of those that landed outdoors…who can say? My guess is that they blew away in the wind and found their way into some sorry gutter somewhere.

Not exactly the environmentally friendly choice, eh? For outdoor tossing, you’re better off going with something like fresh or freeze dried rose petals, lavender buds, or “ecofetti,” a biodegradable, water soluble confetti wedding toss created by Ecoparti. The third option flutters gently to the ground like traditional confetti, but can be hosed away or left where it falls to be cleaned up by the next rainfall.

Ecofetti is the new safe and accepted wedding toss with no cleanup worries. Water-soluble and completely biodegradable confetti - either hose it away or let nature help with the cleanup…The perfect alternative to rice or birdseed, no slipping or staining, and ecofetti flutters easily to the ground. The vibrant colors are lighter and fluffier than the pastels - the pastels look more like colored rice!

I’m of the opinion that dried petals are best because they’re natural and relative easy to fish out of one’s bodice after landing in inappropriate places, but if you’re dead set on something more confetti-ish you could do worse than ecofetti.

What did your guests toss at your nuptial celebration?

I officially finished the first draft of my book last night–it was technically already done as of this past Sunday, but then I was reading it over, which meant there was a lot of, “Oh my gosh, what was I thinking using that word” and “This sentence has just got to go.” It has been a looooong two months, but there have been some nice little surprises to lessen the load.

Last week, I was lucky enough to receive some samples from Placetile Designs, which brightened my day considerably as my mail usually consists of nothing but mortgage insurance adverts and coupon booklets. I received some of these:

And one of these:

Company founder Kristin Bowen came up with the wonderfully clever idea of using erasable ceramic tiles as place cards and favors at her own wedding in 1999, and her guests loved them. The concept evolved to include all sorts of neat things, like wine cork place card tiles, menu tiles, napkin ring tiles, table number tiles, tiles for identifying foodstuffs, and a bunch of other lovely stuff you can write on with dry erase markers. So far, the wine stoppers are at the top of my potential book release party favors list.

For bigger, complicated receptions where there will be lots of attendees who don’t know one another, place cards (or at the very least, table numbers) are a must. I’ve always personally preferred place cards that double as favors or are integrated into favors because I like when everything in a tablescape has a definitive purpose. I’m envisioning a table with a erasable table number tile and wine stoppers or tags printed with guests names. If the bride and groom send the table number tile home with a guest, it automatically becomes a to-do list tile. Such is the beauty of being able to erase and rewrite.

On the off chance that the stuff from Placetile Designs is a little out of your price range, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You can decorate your own erasable tile place cards and table numbers using the instructions here. Be aware, however, that you need to find tile that works like a dry erase board because some tile will hold onto the marker permanently. Check to be sure that what goes on can indeed come off before you buy bulk tiles, then go nuts with the paints!

It’s hot and the weather report says it’s only going to get hotter. So why am I stuck inside with nothing but a desk fan and three needy cats to keep me company? Mostly because the money is good. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming about an island paradise somewhere where I can wear a sarong in good conscience and put a flower in my hair. If your perfect wedding sounds something like that, why not get in touch with Island Importer? They will custom make your oh-so-tropical nuptials dreams come true with custom bridal and bridesmaid dresses, menswear, and accessories.

The Day’s Aside: Want to sweeten up your guests on the day of your wedding without spending big bucks? Incorporate Jelly Belly flavors that match your wedding colors into your favors. Me, I would have gone for toasted marshmallow and buttered popcorn, but I’m gross like that.

You surely already know that I am no fan of the ubiquitous Jordan almond. Sometimes, however, presentation is everything. A trio of rock hard candy-coated almonds in a scrap of tulle? No thanks. Rock hard candy-coated almonds sewn into a flower made of ribbon and lace and other dainty things? Well…alright. Confetti Flowers takes its name from the word “confection” and features a goodly selection of fanciful ways to present guests with tooth-bustin’ almonds.

Be warned, however, that some of these faux blooms do not come pre-packaged. While most are assembled as shown by a “bomboniere specialist,” others require a certain amount of cutting, stuffing, sewing, and embellishing.

I think, were I a sweet-toothed guest receiving such an intricate favor, I’d feel rather guilty about tearing it open to get at the candy within!

Ah, DIY. What a pain in the behind, right? I’m not going to lie to you and say that your decision to make your own favors, bouquets, and so forth isn’t going to seem like a huge mistake now and then. But if you gather the right materials and tutorials beforehand, DIY doesn’t have to be entirely painful.

I just picked up a copy of Beaded Weddings: 75+ Fabulous Ideas for Jewelry, Invitations, Reception Decor, Gifts and More and I tell you truthfully that even a klutzy dunce like me can complete the projects in this book. Author Jean Campbell no doubt had people like me in mind while compiling the directions for things like adding beadwork to a plain veil, creating beautiful beaded embellishments for candles and cake cutters, making comb headpieces from scratch, constructing wedding-ready jewelry out of simple components, and prettying-up your nuptial decor with…you guessed it…beads.

A lot of books of this ilk (I’m talking about the hundreds of craft books out there) are obviously meant for the experienced DIY’er. Beaded Weddings is one of the few exceptions, as it contains step-by-step instructions for making matrimonial schwag that beginners can easily follow. From cake toppers, to centerpieces, to invitations, to tiaras, every project outlined in the book is accompanied by directions so specific even I can follow them. The first sixteen or so pages are dedicated to the why’s and how’s of threading beads, stringing beads, materials, wire cutters, and more.

The illustrations and color photographs are a big help. You wouldn’t know it, but making a pair of earrings or a pearl headband is pretty darn simple when you can consult figure drawings that tell you exactly how to place the beads, which direction to twist the jewelry wire, what knots to use, and how to secure any loose ends. No more paying the big bucks for simple drop earrings!

Now, a while back someone suggested I create a tutorial explaining how to embellish the edging on a veil. And I’ve gotten plenty of e-mails from readers wanting advice regarding DIY projects. Well, let me tell you, you’d be way better off buying this book (or one like it) because I definitely have my limits where handicrafts are concerned.

With all of the destination weddings I keep hearing about, I can’t help but ask myself how I’d feel if I were a guest forced to sit underneath the hot sun in 90 degree weather while waiting for the ceremony to be over and the refreshments to begin. Darn cranky, that’s how I’d feel. To all the brides- and grooms-to-be planning outdoor weddings in the summertime in hot climes, let me be the first to suggest (again) fans as favors. Your loved ones will thank you.

But you shouldn’t settle for just any old fan. Nostalgic Victorian Paper Memories features an array of unique, beautiful, and utterly sentimental “personal cooling devices” that will help your guests avoid succumbing to heatstroke on your big day.

Hey, fans are neat. Apparently, back when carrying a fan was as mandatory as wearing a hat, ladies in the know employed a full range of fan gestures that allowed them to speak their minds while saying nothing at all. According to Nostalgic Victorian Paper Memories, ” The first ‘Language of the Fan’ was registered with the Patent Office in 1879. Eventually advertising booklets, lovers’ manuals, and playing cards carried “secret” codes.” Codes such as:

The fan placed near the heart: “You have won my love.”

Half-opened fan pressed to the lips: “You may kiss me.”

Hiding the eyes behind an open fan: “I love you.”

Opening and closing the fan several time: “You are cruel.”

Fanning slowly: “I am married.”

Fanning quickly (or carrying the fan closed, hanging in the left hand): “I am engaged.”

Twirling the fan in the left hand: “You are being watched.”

Holding it in the right hand: “Yes”

Holding it in the left hand: “I would like to know you”

Dropping the fan: “I would like to be your friend”

Twirling the fan: “Go away”

Twirling the fan in the left hand: You are being watched.

Opening and shutting it: “You have been unkind”

Tapping it with one finger: “My mother (or chaperone) says no”

Opening it wide: “Shall we meet later?”

Touching the fan to the cheek: “I love you”

If the notion of spending about seven bucks per fan doesn’t phase you, the embossed and laminated fan above will give your guests something to chat about while they wait for you to appear at the start of the aisle. Sure, a simple faux sandalwood fan or paper fan will do the job, why not let friends and family cool off in style?

An easy way to get around the need for both place card holders and wedding favors involves combining the two. Pretty pewter picture frames can hold cards with guests’ names. As can some stylized candle holders, though I, for one, would be nervous putting paper so close to fire.

Here’s another cute idea for couples that love to cook. Mountain Woods recipe card holders can hold place cards during the wedding and recipes forever after. I would not say no to one of these if I were a wedding guest…as someone who bakes frequently, I can appreciate the value of recipe cards that do not get soaked in splatters of egg yolk.

Calla lilies are kind of overdone where weddings are concerned, in my humble opinion, but I love them anyway. In art and some religious traditions, they symbolize purity of heart and of you-know-what, as well as virtue. Of course, if you go back a few thousand years, you find that calla lilies were also associated with lustfulness. Legend has it that when the goddess Venus saw the beauty of the lily, she caused the thick yellow stamen (wink) to grow up from its center (wink, wink), marring its perfection.

In the present, calla lilies represent a popular nuptial “theme” flower. Personally, I believe that themes are best applied to wedding decor in moderation, i.e. sparingly. There is only so far a theme will take you before your reception hall will start to look like a grade school classroom.

But, if you do for some odd reason, feel compelled to max out on a theme and your theme just happens to be calla lilies, you will find no shortage of wedding schwag to see you through.

Give your guests a botanical heads up with DIY white calla lilies invitation and note cards.

Then tell ‘em where to sit with calla lily place cards!

If you’re planning to hand out a wedding program–how else are guests supposed to know who the major players in your wedding are?–why not print it on creamy calla lily paper?

Don’t forget the calla lily unity candle! Wouldn’t want anyone to miss your theme, here!

And then finish off your floral look with a calla lily cake topper, like this porcelain design featuring a keepsake bottom.

Here is my new standard disclaimer: Brides and grooms are under no obligation to give their guests favors. That said, I love me a good favor. A good favor, IMHO, is something I will actually use. Like soap, for instance. Everyone gets dirty, so everyone needs it at one point or another. Gettin’ your fall on? How about maple leaf soap leaves?

Of you’ve got kind of a girly thing going (quite common at weddings, I hear) you could opt for lavender scented rose soaps.

Prefer to DIY? Then flip through the pages of Favors with Flair: 75 Easy Designs for Weddings, Parties and Events, which shows brides and grooms (as well as other host-y types) how to make fabulous favors using easy to follow, step by step directions. The projects are easy, so even non crafty types - or clumsy ox types like me - can get into the act!