Category — Bridal Trends

Let’s face it the traditional wedding guest books are simply a place for your guests to sign-in and that’s about all they do.  Wouldn’t you love a few more lines of  congratulations, advice or words of wisdom from your guests? Wedding guest books are getting a bit more creative, so if not for the words of wisdom from your guests, at least you get a memorable keepsake.

Have your guests sign in on some of these fun alternatives we found from Brides magazine:

1. River Rocks, to display in a glass bowl

2. An album, filled with photos shot during the reception

3. Quilt Squares, to be quilted together later as a keepsake blanket

4. A jeroboam (three-liter) champagne bottle, to be sipped on your first anniversary

5. A poster-sized photo of the reception location (mounted and set on an easel)

6. Cards, to be hung from tree branches

7. A meaningful object to the couple, (a guitar, a globe, a surfboard, etc.)

8. A long scroll of paper that’s been inserted into a typewriter

9. A video, guests won’t be able to sign it, but can leave verbal messages from the heart!

10. A platter, to later display or use at home

Tip: be sure to provide the appropriate writing tools for whatever option you choose!

Whatever style or option you choose, remember, a wedding guest book is only as good as the number of people who sign it. So remember put it somewhere eye-catching!

• Make sure to set your guest book, or alternative to, on a table near the reception-site entrance, this way everyone can see it and send their good wishes your way.
• Grab your guests’ attention by decorating the table with flowers, candles, photos, or whatever fits into your theme and budget.
• If possible, designate a person to carry the guest book from table to table afterward until you’ve gotten all of your guests’ wishes and thoughts!

source: Brides Magazine, March 2010

by Chris Easter

If you’re thinking of popping the question soon, you’ve probably already started to consider what kind of ring you’ll be giving her.  After all that’s been drilled into your head about diamonds being a girl’s best friend, is there any way you can possibly give her an engagement ring that doesn’t include a diamond. Surprisingly, that answer is yes.

We’ve partnered with our friends at Whiteflash.com to identify four of the most popular non-diamond engagement ring styles that grooms and brides are targeting in 2010. Here are some quick descriptions of tanzanite, sapphire, emerald and ruby straight from the experts at Whiteflash:

Tanzanite – a rare gem only found in the Merelani Hills which was discovered in 1967 in Tanzania. This stone is a newcomer to the gemstone market and is referred to as the “Jewel of East Africa.” Tanzanite is typically brown with reddish, orange, yellow, or bronze hues and is a unique variety of the mineral zoisite.

Sapphire – is the ultimate blue gemstone that represents the soul and fidelity. Sapphire is an extremely durable gemstone that comes in a variety of colors, the most common being blue – a color associated with friendship and loyalty as well as harmony. It is known as “The Jewel of the Sky” and is the birthstone for September.

Emerald – an intense green gemstone, its magnificent green color speaks volumes as well as being May’s birthstone. It is known as the “symbol of spring.” In the ancient world this gem was believed to symbolize hope, arrival of spring and rebirth. Emeralds come in various varieties of light and dark shades of green and sometimes having background hues of different colors like yellow, blue, brown of gray. In its finest quality, an emerald is more valuable than a diamond.

Ruby – the birthstone for July is also known as the “King of Gems”. The ruby is considered the ultimate gemstone associated with love and passion and its sometimes referred to as the “blood” gemstone representing courage and bravery. It is rare to find in its top quality which displays all the characteristics of a precious stone: pure brilliance, lasting hardness and stunning color, which is noted as ruby’s most appealing feature.

Non-diamond engagement rings aren’t for every woman. We strongly recommend sitting down and spending some time talking with your fiancé-to-be about what ring styles she likes. She is, after all, going to be the one wearing the ring for the rest of her life.

Brides are loving personal touches on everything for their big day.  From the wedding cake to the photography to the perfect playlist, brides want elements of their personality integrated into each and every detail of their big day.  In fact, we spend so much time finding the perfect stationery, from save-the-dates to invitations to thank you notes, that an oft-overlooked item is one of the first wedding-related details to be seen by the guests: the postage.

Because it’s all in the details, it’s important to find the small elements that needn’t go unnoticed.  Placing a wedding-themed stamp on your invitation adds just a little something special to an otherwise mundane detail.

In case you haven’t seen, there is a plethora of wedding-themed stamps from which to choose.  You have your pick of postage that relays something special about your wedding. Whether it’s a photo of your bouquet flowers, or an image resembling your ring, you can literally put a unique stamp on your day.

Zazzle.com offers an array of wedding-themed stamps, and USPS.com unveiled wedding stamps last year.  At zazzle.com, customers have their pick of Small, Medium, or Large.  Though the stamps cost more than their face value (a sheet of 20 small stamps, for example, costs $20.60), it’s a small price to pay for a unique wedding detail.

And for an easy way to tie everything together, aside from sending matching stationery, purchase the same stamp in bulk.  Use the same style stamp for your save-the-dates, thank you cards, and any other item included in your stationery repertoire.  It’s a simple way to ensure your theme remains constant.  But if you prefer variety, stamps with “RSVP” or “You’re Invited” are also available.

Which stamp will look perfect on your wedding invitation?

The hottest wedding trend as of late has been to go green. What does it mean to go green? In simple terms, it’s the social initiative to conserve and improve the environment. It means making a difference.

Brides may ask: Being environmentally aware is yet ANOTHER thing I have to worry about on my wedding day? Truth be told, your wedding is a fabulous time to be eco-conscious. Being green is in.

Spread the word, along with some eco-cheer, with Weddingish’ fashionable Go Green collection. In fact, the Go Green line is very popular and  the tank tops were most recently featured in the “what’s hot” section in the current issue of Get Married magazine!

So make an eco-fashion statement and take your pick from our organic Go Green line. It’s a fabulous start for your green wedding – and it’s never been more chic to be green.

Other ways of going green are offering your guests environmentally friendly favors. Check our green favors.