Archive for May, 2010

Play Your Way to the Venue On Time

Monday, May 31st, 2010

What would you say about a wedding invitation that makes the guest play a video game in order to get the details on when and where vows will be exchanged? You could say “It’s been done,” but I hope in an inspired way and not a snarky way since a certain Darina and Niko did it earlier this year, with awesome results.

Prospective guests played as either the bride or the groom, and the goal of the game (other than finding out where and when the wedding was) involved rescuing your significant other while avoiding ninjas and gorilla lasers and barrels.

It wasn’t a difficult game – as you can see in the video – but wedding invitation recipients could station right away that they’d never played a video game before and hopefully unlock all the wedding deets without having to get killed by gorilla lasers 45 times.

You can see the invitation packaging over at Offbeat Bride – and I definitely recommend taking a look since the relevant post also includes a link to a site where you can download the original invite and play it yourself. Fun!

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And the Winner Is…

Monday, May 31st, 2010

bridal jewelry

Can I just tell you that I love announcing contest winners? Maybe more than I love hosting giveaways, even though you can’t have one without the other. I’m happy this morning to announce that the winner of the $50 Gift Certificate to Dejarnette New Orleans is a certain Ray, who I think completed every single extra entry. Big congrats to you, Ray – I and Katherine from Dejarnette New Orleans will be in touch ASAP!

Twistie’s Sunday Caption Madness: The Brawling Bridesmaids Edition

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Hey caption fans! It’s time once again to play Twistie’s Sunday Caption Madness.

You know how this works. I present you with a deathless image in need of a caption or three and you provide said captions via the comments function. Next saturday I will declare a winner and there will be much rejoicing.

Today’s image comes to you from the ‘why can’t we all just get along?’ file and it looks a little like this:
fighting bridesmaids Ready… set… snark!

In-Laws: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Down the decades, one sure-fire source of wedding humor has been the relationship between a newlywed and in-laws. Is this humor justified? As with so many common sources of mirth, yes and no.

There are great in-laws and ones you wish you could divorce without losing your spouse. There are ones that seem to embody every warning tale and ones who defy all the old saws.

It’s been my fortune – both good and bad – to have known in-laws from both ends of the spectrum. Not, I hasten to add, all in my own marriage. By the time I got married, there was only one in-law left on Mr. Twistie’s side. And while Mamasan Twistie could be frustrating sometimes, she was, all in all, a tremendously good egg. Mr. Twistie was equally fond of both my parents, and has always gotten along with my brothers. We’ve been fortunate.

My mother was dead by the time Mr. Twistie and I married, but my father helped make the food, and bought handmade lace-edged handkerchiefs for my bridesmaids just because he was in Belgium and thought they would make nice bridesmaid’s gifts. He and my brothers did all they could to welcome Mr. Twistie into the family.

Mamasan Twistie welcomed me into her family as a beloved daughter. We hadn’t asked it of her, but she appeared at our wedding with a large platter of her homemade sushi. She just wanted to make sure we knew how happy she was for us.

But as I said, in-laws run the gamut.

On the other end of the spectrum, my brother the alpaca rancher wound up with some serious drama queens for in-laws. His mother-in-law showed up to the wedding in a long, lacy, white gown and scowled in every single photograph.

His father-in-law made dozens of demands about how the wedding should be conducted and how my brother and his lady needed to behave themselves if they wanted her father to show up. Then he didn’t show.

We didn’t miss him.

But I’m curious. What about you? Any horror stories about your in-laws? Any happy tales about how wonderful your in-laws are? Tell me the best and the worst.

Your Wedding Is Mostly About You; Your Reception Is Mostly About Others

Friday, May 28th, 2010

donut wedding cake

The lovely Jeannette sent me a link to The 7 Biggest Fattest Wedding Complaints, and I was looking forward to seeing what they were. Now having read them, I’m still not sure what’s fat about them, other than the complain that deals specifically with too much fried food, and I’m kind of disappointed. I was hoping to get some insight into the minds of guests – what are their wedding pet peeves, really? But for the most part, the essay dealt with menu choices and the always contentious cash bar.

All Fried Food
While haute comfort food is whimsical, trendy, and hard-to-resist (Gourmet fried chicken! Sustainably-farmed sliders! Duck fat fries!), try to avoid a menu that’s excessively fatty. Include a few healthful appetizers into the rotation to give your diet-conscious guests a break — and potentially more energy on the dance floor.

No Veggie Option
According to an April 2008 poll, 3.2 percent of Americans claim to be vegetarians, and 10 percent claim to follow a “vegetarian-inclined” diet. So, for the sake of 3-10 percent of your guests, try to incorporate a meat-free entree option or a few hearty veggie-friendly sides and appetizers.

Never-Ending Waits for Food Service
Wedding reception purgatory: We’ve all been there. Standing in a hotel courtyard or milling in front of a church, overdressed, underfed, sneaking a glance at your watch while making pained small talk. While logistics of event planning vary, the bride and groom should take care to ensure that guests are not left waiting for an hour or more with nothing to do, eat, or drink. Low blood sugar is not conducive to celebrating.

I can’t say I disagree with the three pet peeves able, but overall it’s not a particular stirring list. Sure, waiting to eat or worse, watching others eat while you’re still ages away from being served sucks. And while I’d have a field day at an all-fried wedding reception buffet, I know a ton of people whose disgust would equal my excitement.

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LOVE/HATE: The ‘Somewhat Off Center’ Edition

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

If you can get past the freaky alienhead woman wearing the dress – I know, it’s not easy – you’ll see an, er, interesting white dress by Donna Karan from the Spring 2010 collection.

donna karan wedding dress

Would you wear it? Me… I’m not surprised by this dress, considering that the most of the collection is a bit floppy-drapey and, well, the 80s is back, so I’m guessing the model didn’t lose a sleeve between backstage and this moment in time. I’m going to say I wouldn’t wear it. And also I hate it. This dress is what that static cling spray (another 80s child) was invented for. Fashion can be art, but art isn’t always something you want to wear at your wedding.

Craspedia aka Billy Balls – An Unusual But Beautiful Choice

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

For those whose wedding color scheme includes a pretty and happy yellow, craspedia is a wonderful wedding flower option. Craspedia, also called billy balls or billy buttons, are known for their cheery yellow and round flowerheads, and look great whether in a starring or supporting role in your floral arrangements. Their density is striking, with most people never guessing that these blooms are a relative of the common daisy. The flowerheads are also tough and durable, meaning they’ll look as brilliant at end of the wedding reception as they did at the start of the wedding ceremony.

billy balls bridal bouquet

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