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Posts Tagged ‘Keepsake’

Madeleine's Daughter Blog: Wedding Gown Preservation…

You'll never own anything as beautiful and symbolic as your wedding gown! Here at Madeleine's Daughter we offer a special gown preservation service that will takes great pride in caring and preserving your gown as a keepsake or for you. ...

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Wedding Essentials – Looking into Wedding Dress Bridgend Options

Aside from the cards and the giveaways, the Wedding Dresses is the best keepsake of all. Most of women want to keep their wedding gowns forever so they really have to buy one or have some designer do the dress for them. ...

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Shadowbox Frames – Why Every Collector Should Have One | Wedding …

If you have a special souvenir or keepsake that you want to protect while displaying it for all to see, the solution is a shadow box frame.

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Unique Wedding Favors: a Buyer’s Guide

What will your wedding guests remember about your big day? Will it be your dress, the music during the ceremony, the wedding cake, or the dancing? Of course you want them to remember the most important parts you and your fiancé exchanging vows, and visiting with friends and family. However, whether you place importance on them or not, the favors your guests receive are often the most memorable aspect of the occasion. For that reason, it is wise to spend some time locating a unique favor your guests will love, and this buying guide will help you do just that.

What are the Qualities of a Perfect Favor?

There are many factors to consider when buying favors for your wedding. One fact is certain, there are thousands of wonderful, magical, darling, clever favors out there, and you will be enthralled my most of them. If you start the process by looking at samples online, in stores, and in catalogs and magazines, you may lose sight of your vision. For that reason, it is best to make a few decisions before you start looking for the product.

First and foremost, you need to be clear about what you want your favors to convey to your guests. Would you like to say thank you to your guests, perhaps with a gift certificate for a local service or restaurant, or a miniature photo frame; or perhaps give them a symbol of your relationship, such as a small photo album which includes a photo of the bride and groom, or a CD with your favorite music.

Do you want to help your guests by giving them something useful, such as a gardening trowel, cosmetic bag, a tiny sewing kit, or for a truly spectacular favor, spreaders adorned with roses and pearls; or would you like to give a favor that is just for fun, such as brightly colored flip flop place card frames, or a mood ring?

Do you want your guests to enjoy the favor at your wedding, with a box of pretty chocolates, truffles, or Jordan almonds; or would you rather give them a keepsake to take home, such as a silver beaded frame place card holder, which doubles as a miniature photo album? Perhaps you would like to inspire them, with a donation made to your favorite cause; maybe finger paints or a heart-shaped ice cream scoop to bring out the kid in them? Ask yourself these questions, and you will have a better idea of what you need in a favor.

Once you know what type of favor you would like to give your guests, you can consider the various options available. For instance, if you have chosen to give something edible, you now need to decide if you want something sweet or savory; and if you want a bag or box of goodies, or just one item. At this point, you may not be sure what is available, but do jot down any parameters that come to mind.

Start Searching

Now that you have a basic idea of what you need in a favor, you can start to think about what you want. Start your research by looking at online stores, in party, wedding, and specialty stores, and in magazines and gift catalogs. Keep a file of the favors you love, but don’t look at the price right now. You can narrow your choices down later, and you may be able to find similar, less expensive options.

You will find dozens of wedding websites and magazines for your search, but do also consider alternative sources for favors. For example, if you have a favorite bath product store, you may be able to arrange to purchase soaps, small bottles of lotion or bubble bath, or even a small sampler basket designed especially for your wedding. You may also find unique favor options at online stores that specialize in gift baskets, party supplies, or corporate gifts. Another idea is to take purchase favor sample kits, available from most vendors, to help you decide which favor to purchase. You can receive several items in a theme, or even several types of packaging options, usually for under $10 or $15 per set.

Narrow Down Your Choices

Your next step is to come up with a list of top choices, by eliminating some of the options. You can do this by considering three things:

Does it Fit With My Wedding?

You will find many favors designed to work within a theme, “lucky in love” playing card-themed bottle stoppers, or dice-shaped cookies for a wedding in Las Vegas,; or for a wedding in wine country, you might choose a half bottle of wine, or a gel wine glass candle. Consider whether the favors you like will fit in with the theme, décor, or setting of your wedding.

Will Everyone be Able to Enjoy it?

It is perfectly acceptable to give children separate favors, but you will need to find one favor for all of the grown-ups. Ask yourself if the favors on your list would appeal to most people. For example, you may love a set of satin pillow sachets, but it may be more appropriate as a favor for your bridal shower. A fun favor that suits men and women is a “his and hers” golf ball and tee set.

Does it Fit My Budget?

Now is the time to consider what you can afford. Make sure you factor in the price per piece, any additional costs for assembly, tax, and shipping charges. You may want to order a bit extra in case some of them are damaged, so factor that in as well. If you are disappointed because your favorite favors can’t make the cut, brainstorm alternatives. Could you do some of the assembly yourself?

Consider Packaging and Presentation

Most wedding favors have their own special packaging, but you can change the packaging or come up with your own ideas. If you have a favor in mind that is not based on your theme but also does not clash with it, you could choose packaging that would suit the theme. For example, if you would like to give book of poems or a padded silk traveling mirror as a favor, and you are having a beach wedding, you could present it wrapped in blue paper adorned with shells, or in a miniature beach bag.

If budget is a constraint, do-it-yourself packaging is an excellent way to cut costs. Get your best buddies together and make a night of it you’ll have fun and it will be done in no time.

Placing the favor at each seat a table is the traditional way to present favors, but you can also set up a favor table at your reception, where guests can pickup their favors as they leave. Another idea is to place all of the favors for each table on a silver platter, tiered stand, or in a crystal bowl as a centerpiece.

However you choose to present favors to your guests, make it special. When a favor blends in, it becomes less unique and seems like just a part of the decoration. Try using colors in the packaging that are not present anywhere else at the reception, or use packaging that is tall or unusually shaped. You may want to have your waiters deliver the favors to each guest on trays, or place favors in a series of boxes, so your guests can have fun opening them.

Buying favors for your wedding can be overwhelming, or it can be fun or both! When you follow the tips in this guide, you will surely give favors your guests will be delighted to receive.

Selecting Your Wedding Invitations

When your wedding guest receive your invitation it is the first glimpse they have into what your wedding will be like. Choosing your invitation in important as it is a window into your wedding. Invitations can be simple, elaborate, elegant, trendy, modern, colorful, romantic or formal just as weddings can be. Your invitation should show the guests just what they can expect on your wedding day. Remember a wedding invitation will also serve as a keepsake to many, when they look at your invitation in the years to come they will remember your wedding and the invitation should match their memories.

Now that you are thinking about your wedding theme and colors while you shop, the next thing you need to consider is the prices of the stationery and how much your budget allows. By the time you are ready to choose invitations you should pretty much understand your budget and how much money you have to devote to wedding stationery. The range of money you could spend on wedding stationery is large. Therefore you need to know going in what you can spend now. When looking at prices make sure you note the differences between invitations sold alone (with no inserts) and ones that include matching inserts and extras such as driving directions, reception cards, meal choices selections and thank you cards. Your guests will need to know where they are going and when and you will need to thank everyone after the big day. Keep all this in mind when making your choices.

Next you need to think about the style of the wedding invitation. Again the style of the invitation should match the type of wedding you are having. This is especially important if your wedding is either formal or light, or a grand wedding versus a simple wedding. You wouldn?t want simple wedding invitations for a grand wedding event or overly formal invitations for a lighter wedding. Besides matching your stationery style up to the theme of the day you should also pay attention to the colors in your wedding.

The other question with regards to style you want to answer is whether your wedding will be traditional or modern. If your wedding fits into either type you may want your stationery to match. If you are going to have a traditional wedding you would want to use invitations which are light in color, usually whites and cream colored only. The invitations would have test but that is all, no graphics or pictures would be present. On the other hand if you think you a planning a more modern wedding the invitation colors are pretty much endless. It is not unheard of these days to have wedding invitations which are green, red or even black. Modern wedding invitations may use graphics and pictures, even though it is not necessary.

Finally you need to choose a supplier. The common supplier would be a printer or stationery company local to the area you live in. Of course there is nothing wrong with this if your area has a good supplier available. If you have one in our area you can go in and see samples, find out the type of paper they use and see the finished products they have to display. If you choose not to use them or do not have any suitable suppliers in your area there is always mail order and internet stationery stores that you can use. Mail order and internet suppliers usually have a vivid catalog to choose from with pictures of each style available. Many will give you suggestions on word choices, when to send the invitations and other etiquette matters. Choose the correct supplier by finding the right invitation for you at a cost that you can live with.

Choosing Wedding Invitations

When your wedding guests receive your invitation it is the first glimpse they have into what your wedding will be like. Choosing your invitation in important as it is a window into your wedding. Invitations can be simple, elaborate, elegant, trendy, modern, colorful, romantic or formal just as weddings can be. Your invitation should show the guests just what they can expect on your wedding day. Remember a wedding invitation will also serve as a keepsake to many, when they look at your invitation in the years to come they will remember your wedding and the invitation should match their memories.

Now that you are thinking about your wedding theme and colors while you shop, the next thing you need to consider is the prices of the stationery and how much your budget allows. By the time you are ready to choose invitations you should pretty much understand your budget and how much money you have to devote to wedding stationery. The range of money you could spend on wedding stationery is large. Therefore you need to know going in what you can spend now. When looking at prices make sure you note the differences between invitations sold alone (with no inserts) and ones that include matching inserts and extras such as driving directions, reception cards, meal choices selections and thank you cards. Your guests will need to know where they are going and when and you will need to thank everyone after the big day. Keep all this in mind when making your choices.

Next you need to think about the style of the wedding invitation. Again the style of the invitation should match the type of wedding you are having. This is especially important if your wedding is either formal or light, or a grand wedding versus a simple wedding. You wouldn’t want simple wedding invitations for a grand wedding event or overly formal invitations for a lighter wedding. Besides matching your stationery style up to the theme of the day you should also pay attention to the colors in your wedding.

The other question with regards to style you want to answer is whether your wedding will be traditional or modern. If your wedding fits into either type you may want your stationery to match. If you are going to have a traditional wedding you would want to use invitations which are light in color, usually whites and cream colored only. The invitations would have test but that is all, no graphics or pictures would be present. On the other hand if you think you a planning a more modern wedding the invitation colors are pretty much endless. It is not unheard of these days to have wedding invitations which are green, red or even black. Modern wedding invitations may use graphics and pictures, even though it is not necessary.

Now that you know what type of invitation you want you need to find a supplier. The common supplier would be a printer or stationery company local to the area you live in. Of course there is nothing wrong with this if your area has a good supplier available. If you have one in our area you can go in and see samples, find out the type of paper they use and see the finished products they have to display. If you choose not to use them or do not have any suitable suppliers in your area there is always mail order and internet stationery stores that you can use. Internet and mail order stores will usually have a full colored catalog for you to look through to choose the style you want. Many suppliers will give your helpful suggestions of choice of word, stationery etiquette and when to send out the invitations. Choose the correct supplier by finding the right invitation for you at a cost that you can live with.