Dessert Table Inspiration

So I already posted about the cake and cupcake idea, but besides that I also want a dessert table... after all, I always have multiple treats at any other party I throw so why would my wedding be any different?! I want to try and still with colors that are neutral and/or "our colors" when it comes to the bakes goods...

Other dessert ideas:

• chocolate chip cookies
• orange zest cookies (James' mom makes them and they are amazing)
• Mexican wedding cookies (one of my favorites that my mom used to make for Christmas)
• French Macaroons (on our signature colors, of course)
• Coconut Macaroons (James' favorite)
• blonde brownies
• chocolate dipped pretzels

For the next eight or so months I will be on the search for cute stands and trays to display all the delicious treats on... hopefully I can find an antique store with a plethora of adorable cake stands, but if not, I have seen some really cute ideas on Pinterest for some DIY ones! I also really like the idea of using some antique silver serving trays to throw in a little shine!

Along with the edibles, I want to do a pretty flower arrangement, possibly in a large mason jar and some sort of chalkboard list of the desserts...

As for my cupcake research, I have come up with a few recipes that I am going to bake and taste test with my bridesmaids... the flavors I have so far are:

• Strawberry Margarita (with Tequila infused frosting)
• Pink Lemonade
• Double Coconut
• Espresso
• Irish Car Bomb (Chocolate Stout cake with Irish Creme frosting)
• Pink Champagne
• Chai Latte
• Pina Colada

I think I will end up picking 3 or 4 flavors to actually do for the wedding... I am so excited so plan this cupcake testing party! (What ever will I do with all of the extra tequila, Guiness and Bailey's???)

Paper Lanterns

I'm in love with paper lanterns... they give off such a mellow, sexy ambiance and most importantly, they are such a cheap way of decorating, whether it be for a party or permanently in your living room. When I really starting delving into wedding blogs for decor ideas, I knew immediately that I wanted paper lanterns... and obviously, I went on the search for the best deal. I came across Luna Bazaar... and I can pretty confidently say that they are one of the cheapest places to buy paper lanterns on the internet (unless, of course, you are buying in bulk). Not only are they cheap but they have a wide variety of lantern styles, colors and quality of lanterns.

Luna Bazaar's basic "White 12 Inch Round No Frills Paper Lantern" is only $1.25... for a different hue, the cost only goes up to $1.60! They have over 60 colors to choose from so you can match exactly to your wedding colors. I personally can't decide yet if I want to stick with the basic pink and peaches or really spice it up with my accent colors...

Our Engagement Photo Shoot

Even though we got engaged over 3 years ago, I had always wanted to to an engagement photo shoot. It's just a good excuse to get nice pictures taken as a couple without having kids or some other "non-vain" reason. I found an awesome photographer from the area on Facebook who took such cute pictures and I knew immediately I wanted to book her. Tammy Bears of Artistic Photography was awesome to shoot with, she was super easy going and fun and that really helped us to get comfortable in front of the camera. We originally had picked out Apple Hill (a local attraction outside of Placerville) but right when we got there, huge clouds rolled in and it started snowing a horrible (not sure) slushy snow... Tammy was immediately on the phone with one of her many "emergency spots" and within 20 minutes we were on location at a friend's farm-like property. The location actually turned out to be so much more "us" than Apple Hill and we got some really beautiful sunset shots... check them out!

Vibadocious

I don’t know what to call it… theme? Style? Vibe? Well, whatever it is, it sets the mood for the wedding. It’s the colors, the lighting, the centerpieces, the linens, the flowers, the décor. It sets the stage for invitations, my dress and so, so much more.

Throughout the years, I’ve gone back and forth about this, especially colors. For the longest time through my teenage years, I wanted my wedding to my fun and chic… like everything pink and black, with an ice-sculpture-vodka-shoot. Then I wanted a hip, funky theme, with fluorescent aqua’s and bright red and Converse shoes on the groomsmen (yuck, I hate that idea nowadays… for me anyway) But as I got older (and actually got engaged), I finally decided that I needed a wedding whose décor, colors and overall “feeling” was not only ME, but was timeless… as in, I could look back on it in 20 years and still thin, “what a beautiful wedding that is”, rather than “was” (Like those product-of-the-80’s weddings that will never look good again!).

So as far as colors, I definitely know what I want, I’ve had them set in my mind for years know and I’m confident these are “the”colors … and here they are…

 Soft, pale pinks, salmons and peaches... with a few accent colors, especially the soft turquoise/aqua. I think this is a solid color scheme… it's mellow, not too dramatic or crazy. It’s timeless and it will be easy to match to flowers, bridesmaid’s dresses and desserts. Also, I think it will transition nicely from day to night… imagine these colors under the lighting of candles and twinkle lights... they are warm and inviting, and look good for a late summer wedding!

Here is a mini "inspiration board"

DIY: "Will you be my Bridesmaid?" Boxes

I am obsessed with all these super creative, “Kodak-moment” ways that guys are proposing and people are announcing pregnancies, etc. I love it when dudes get imaginative (in any way at all) and I love the super shocked faces of grandparents-to-be when they get caught on camera… it’s all the more better when it gets caught on video and I can get a good solid happy-cry in. I, personally, didn’t get some made-for-t.v. proposal… I didn’t even get to tell my own parents that I was engaged, James asked my father “for my hand” and my mother found out through a friends’ big mouth. I do still have a chance to announce my first pregnancy in a way that will go down in YouTube history, so let’s hope that works out!

But, until then, I always thought it would be fun to ask my bridesmaids in some fun way rather than just asking, “Will you be my bridesmaid?”. Thanks to Pinterest (my savior in the way of floods and floods of wedding ideas galore), I’ve seen lots of cute ideas. I really like the whole ring-pop proposal idea but I did want something that was actually more informative, you know, with info on the venue, colors, dresses, etc. and that how I settled on my “bridesmaid” boxes.

The tutorial that inspired me was found on the Wedding Chicks Blog, but I made a few tweaks of my own along the way. The boxes were wooden cigar boxes that I painted each girls first initial on the lid. I used my Silhouette Cameo craft cutter to cut out each girls initial, then I traced around the letter onto the top of the box. I actually left the letters unpainted, just wood, and painted the negative space around the letters with a pink/peach acrylic. 

Then, after the top of the lids dried, I painted a square onto the inside of the lids with chalkboard paint. Then, I used a chalkboard marker to write “Will you be my bridesmaid?” on the little chalkboards. 

For the inside of the boxes, I printed up a few of my inspiration photos for the décor and their dresses, as well as pictures of our actual venue. I typed up some info on the venue, where we will be staying, their dresses and the bachelorette party and printed them out on little cards to fit in the boxes. Then I went to Lowes and foraged through their paint chips for samples of the colors of the wedding. Each girl got a few different colors to help them out when searching for their bridesmaid dresses, oh and I punched out the paint chips with a heart shaped punch… it was better than the paint chips stating “sunset salmon “. 

The whole lot

the paint chip heart cutouts

everything they need to know

A rough draft of our save the date, can't decide whether or not I want to use this one! (Also, notice the 2012 date, my little sister just pointed this out to me today, good thing I didn't print these! I am such a dork!)

 Finally, I through in a Ring Pop for each of them and called my bridesmaid boxes good. I waited until our annual "friend Christmas party" (that we host) to pass them out and the girls loved them! I got one of them to cry and one of them to scream, but overall, everyone was just super excited... and it was so worth the time and effort just to see the looks on their faces!

Overall Cost:

• The little wooden cigar boxes I found at Michael's for $4.50 each, plus I had a 20% off coupon, therefore my total for 6 boxes was about $22
• The heart punch, also purchased at Michael's, was $9 with a 50% off coupon
• To print the "save the dates" at Target cost about $3
• Ring Pops were 2 for $1.00, equally to $3
• I had paint for the tops as well as chalkboard paint and a chalk marker on hand

Total, I spent about $37 and like I said, it was well worth it!