Vintage Butterfly on Paper

Did you know that I design gorgeous things for your home as well as invitations? Well, now ya do! :) One of the new things I'm doing in 2014 is each week I am going to choose a design to highlight with pictures! ooh la la! These are great for your own home or to give as gifts.

This week's feature is this Vintage Butterfly on Scrapbook Paper design. This pretty design called, Vintage Butterfly on Paper, has a cute feminine feel. This design has a cool vintage paper collage background with a grunge effect at the edge. There is a black butterfly outline in the center - modern with a vintage feel. This would be a beautiful addition to your home decor. Personalize it with your name (or leave the customization blank to remove).

Not So White Weddings on the Rise

WHITE weddings will be off-color next year as tying the knot moves from the traditional into the unique.

Wedding experts predict 2014 will see a swing towards color and elaborate personal touches.

"Weddings are becoming the day that shows what people are and who they are, not only as a couple, but individually, so they are really putting a lot of effort, time and money into weddings," Emily Tredrea from Gold Coast bridal boutique A Darling Affair said.

Couples are spending more than ever on elaborate ceremonies and receptions to ensure they have a personal touch.

"What we're finding is that weddings are the one thing people allow themselves to go all out on," she said. "They are spending a lot on their gowns and suits and on styling.

"People really want to create an atmosphere for their guests that's unique to them so they're putting a lot of money into the styling and decorating than they have before, with centerpieces and decorations hanging from the ceiling and altered backdrops."

Flowers will play a big part, with elaborate floral centerpieces and chandeliers making a mark. Industrial-style venues are likely to be popular ahead of conventional reception centers.

The biggest shift, though, will be in wedding fashion.

 

Brides are ditching traditional white and ivory in favor of floral prints and rainbow hues, while blokes are opting for bold colors rather than basic black.

"People are really stepping out of the box and moving a little bit more towards something unique," bridal wear designer Begitta Stolk said.

She said floral frocks and dresses in pale pastel shades were the most popular.

"I think ultimately brides will move into something a bit more unique to their personality that shows more of who they are, rather than feeling like someone else in a white dress," she said.

Sam Abi from men's wear store Urbbana said maroon would be the must-have shade for wedding suits.

"It's still a manly color. It's rich looking and it doesn't have the casual feel of something like light blue or orange. It's nice and classic," he said.

Mr Abi said men were also being more adventurous with their accessories than before, embracing bow ties, pocket squares and suspenders in bright colors.

Aqua and Grey Band Starfish Wedding Announcement

This beautiful and elegant design, called Aqua and Grey Band Starfish and Sand Dollar Wedding, has a grey background. There is an aqua blue band on the left with starfish and sand dollars. This would be perfect for your beach wedding or destination event! This set has invitations, save the date cards, response cards, thank you cards, table number tent cards, envelope seals, wine labels, binders, and return address labels available. Use the envelope seal stickers for any of your DIY gifts - these are available in both large and small sizes!

Aqua and Grey Band Starfish Wedding Personalized Announcement by NoteableExpressions

 

Zebra Heart Valentine Party Invitation

This fun St. Valentine's Day invitation is perfect for anyone you'd like to share your love with. This invitation has a fun zebra pattern background. In the center there is a scalloped inset in white with a red border for your text. At the top there is a heart shaped cut-out so that the zebra stripes show through. Edit the text to fit your party!

Zebra Heart Valentine Party Invitation by NoteableExpressions

10 Things You Must Do At Your Wedding Reception

Eat, drink, and be merry? Yep, that pretty much sums it up! Your wedding reception is the one time–maybe in your whole life–that the universe will truly revolve around you. It’s your 5 hours of fame and you’ll want to use every minute wisely.

Now there are a zillion ways to plan a party, but only a handful of things you really must do at your reception regardless of venue, time of day, season, or style of wedding. Whether you’re going for totally traditional (bouquet toss and all) or completely “you” (bocce ball, a swing band,  belly dancers, fire eaters, and food trucks), don’t underestimate the value of basic expectations. Be sure to include these 10 items at your wedding reception and we promise, you’ll thank your lucky stars you did.

Oh, and by the way, you don’t need a bazillion dollars to have a ridiculously fun reception. Here are 10 ways to save big on your reception but still have the best time ever.

1. Laugh during the speeches. They’re not laughing at you—they’re laughing with you. Oftentimes, images of the bride and groom smiling together during the speeches are some of the more intimate images of the whole day.

2. Cut the cake. This doesn’t have to be a record-scratching “look at us! look at us!” moment. You might even want to carve a few minutes out of your reception to cut the cake secretly and quietly—maybe just the two of you and your photographer (plus a few observant onlookers).

3. Be playful. Your guests will follow your lead. If you’re uptight at your wedding, your guests will feel awkward and anxious. But if you’re letting loose, having fun, and being playful, your guests will be all too willing to get in on the fun.

4. Do something special with just your bridal party. Give your best friends some TLC with a special “something” just for you and them. We love the idea of a balloon release. How cute that someone many moons away will stumble upon a personalized “I Do” balloon?!

5. Entertain the kiddos. Kid-free receptions are a thing of the past. But you need to make sure young ones are properly entertained (and closely supervised!). Hire a magician, play a movie, or have a room full of dress-up clothes. And book a ridiculously fun and responsible sitter with a whole lot of energy!

6. Try your signature cocktail. You selected it so be sure to taste it.

7. Eat something! Please eat something. Really. No one wants to party with a cranky bride. Seriously, if the issue is not wanting to pop buttons off your gown, you need to rethink that dress you’re squeezing yourself into. And if the issue is time-management (must-make-rounds-now), we can help! Seat yourselves WITH your guests, family-style, and you’ll be able to partake in at least part of dinner guilt-free.

8. Dance with your dad. Even if you had a totally non-traditional wedding (Dad didn’t walk you down the aisle, for example), you’ll still want the customary Daddy-Daughter dance. Trust us—it’s THAT important to him. Surprise him with his favorite song.

9. Thank your guests for coming. You can thank each guest for coming to your wedding by going table-to-table during dinner. Or you can deliver a heartfelt, thoughtful, and personalized speech to all your guests in between courses.

10. Spend time alone with your groom. Pick a time when your guests are having so much fun that they won’t even notice you’ve slipped away. Hold hands and go for a stroll, have your own private toast or do a quiet dance under the stars. You need those “regrouping” moments to remember what this day is really all about.

Vintage Butterfly Garden Home Decor

Did you know that I design gorgeous things for your home as well as invitations? Well, now ya do! :) One of the new things I'm doing in 2014 is each week I am going to choose a design to highlight with pictures! ooh la la! These are great for your own home or to give as gifts.

This week's feature is this Vintage Butterfly Garden design. This pretty design called, Vintage Butterfly Garden, has a cute feminine feel. This design has a pretty light blue background with a soft grid pattern. There are colorful illustrations of flowers and leaves and pink and yellow butterflies. This would be a beautiful addition to your home decor. Personalize it with your name (or leave the customization blank to remove).

DIY Wedding Tips: The Dos and Don’ts!

We think the internet and having inspiration instantly at the touch of a button is why we are all loving (possible obsessing over) DIY weddings. Yes, they are entirely personal to the couple, usually awesome and always interesting, but if arts and crafts aren’t your ‘thing’ we suggest you read our DIY wedding tips to help you through the process…

Do be realistic with your ideas and your timescale.

As we said, if DIY is totally alien to you, try to keep your projects within your comfort zone. Now is not the time to practice! You may find that it will take you a few attempts to get your pieces exactly as you want them, so don’t be surprised if it takes twice as long as you first thought.

Do ask for and accept help from friends and family.

If you have set yourself the challenge of making all your wedding stationery, this will take a long time to get through. Why not set up a few crafting nights with your mam and bridesmaids, and create a stationery production line? If each invite takes three steps and you have 100 invites to make, that’s 300 individuale elements. Remember, many hands make light work!

Do check with your venue/wedding planner about set-up of DIY props.

If you want to be relaxed and have nothing to worry about on the day, make sure you have all elements covered. Who is going to set your items up before the wedding? Can you do it the day before? When can you leave your items at the venue? Where will they be stored? You should get answers to all of these questions to make sure there is no fretting on the day.

 
Do go for DIY packs – it’s not cheating!

Several stationery stores and online sites offer printables and stationery packs which include everything you will need to make your invites. Why make things difficult for yourself?

Don’t leave things to the last minute.

The last few weeks before your wedding are frantic enough and you really don’t want to add to this pressure anymore, therefore plenty of planning and doing during your engagement is a must!

Don’t forget about setting your items up.

If you have spend hours and hours making items for your decor, you probably have a particular image in mind of how they will be arranged in your venue. If you have time the day before the wedding, check with your venue to see if you can set them up yourself. If not, leave detailed instructions as to your wishes, with pictures if possible.

Don’t think your DIY will save you loads of money – it won’t!

Purchasing raw materials won’t be as expensive as going directly to suppliers, because you won’t be paying for the expert’s time, but be prepared to spend on materials none the less. To help save along the way, make sure you have a clear list of what you need and visit charity and antique shops, car boot sales and auctions to unearth any hidden gems.

Don’t be annoyed with yourself if things don’t work out.

No one will know! If you are a beginner, you will soon find that some things will work, others won’t. Don’t be disheartened, taking on DIY projects for your wedding are tough, not everybody is brave enough!!

One final DO – Enjoy it! When you are knee deep in glue, tissue paper and lengths of ribbon, remember it will all be worth it – no one else will have a wedding like yours!

Good luck!