Brilliant Blog

Alternative Wedding Bouquets

May 30, 2012

Gone are the days when a bouquet of white roses was the only choice for a bride.  Brides are foregoing traditional floral bouquets in favor of bouquets made out of brooches, vegetables, and even…doorknobs!  If a traditional floral bouquet isn’t your thing, check out these alternatives.

Colorful brooch bouquet by Jasmine Photography,  Gold brooch bouquet,  Doorknob bouquet, Artichoke bouquet.

Wedding Ceremony Exit Tips

April 19, 2012

We’ve all seen those incredible photos of couples exiting their ceremony or reception with sparklers, bubbles, confetti or rice.  What you may not know is that those moments have usually been carefully orchestrated behind-the-scenes!  Here are a few tips:

• -Before you order anything, make sure your venue allows it.  Many venues restrict confetti or sparklers for clean-up reasons or fire hazard reasons.
• -If you’re tossing something outside, make sure it’s environmentally friendly.  Rice can be very hazardous to birds.  A better alternative is bird seed or a special type of rice that crushes underfoot and dissolves in water.
• -Recruit some “ringers” to start the trend of the bubbles/confetti/etc. Otherwise you’ll be down the aisle before anyone has tossed their confetti!
• -Check everything beforehand and unwrap it or open up any seals.  Many times bubbles come with a silver seal that will impede timely bubble-making as you head down the aisle.

Photos courtesy of  Snippet & Ink, ZLynn, Violet & Earnest.

Non-Traditional Chuppah

February 20, 2012

I was pretty sure this would always be my favorite chuppah (or mandap, or canopy depending on your religious affiliation). But when I saw this little gem on Style Me Pretty today, I thought it was the prettiest non-traditional chuppah ever and had to share.

Photo by Elizabeth Lloyd.

Late Night Snacks

January 24, 2011

Late-night snacks are the perfect way to treat your guests after a long night of dancing! They can be a sweet nightcap like churros, or milk and cookies – a crunchy antidote to all the alcohol. Or, send them home with coffee and donuts for breakfast the next morning. Prefer something savory? How about mini grilled-cheese sandwiches with tomato soup shooters, bagels and cream cheese or a hot dog cart with all the fixings!

Photos courtesy of the Knot via Wish and Martha Stewart.

Unique Favor Ideas

January 16, 2011

Photos like these make me think that every wedding should serve ribs just so guests can wear rib bibs! More photos of this delightful wedding here.

Photos courtesy of the fantastic Photo by Aubrey.

Candy Bar Alternative

December 3, 2010

Don’t get us wrong, we love a good candy display at any event.  But, we also love the colors and creativity of this Old Fashioned Soda Bar that our friends at Project Wedding came up with! The color and unique design of each bottle really makes for a real eye-catcher and will transport your guests back to when they were kids. Perfect for a large event like a wedding to a smaller, more intimate baby or bridal shower!

We think this would be an amazing idea for escort cards! What guest wouldn’t want to sit at the Orange Crush table or the Dad’s Cream Soda table?

A Wrinkle in Your Gift Bags

September 14, 2010

When you’re picking out the bag for your Welcome Bags, keep in mind that paper bags will get smashed during transport.  Moving gift bags from one location to another is a lot of work and they will inevitably get banged up and bruised. Even if you personally carry them one-by-one, many times the hotel employees delivering the bags won’t have as much finesse.

Some great, non-smashable options that we’ve used in the past are: reuseable grocery bags, tied handkerchiefs or bandanas and mini beverage coolers. Not only will your gifts arrive to your guests in pristine condition, they’ll also be something they can use in the future as well. And, they can be just as affordable as paper ones!

Flower Girl Headpiece Alternative

July 5, 2010

Love the look of a flowery headpiece for your adorable flower girl but can’t stomach the price? Check out the lovely headpiece alternative below, courtesy of our friends at 100 Layer Cake.

Photo by Garret Grove and James Moes.

Dream Dessert on a Stick

May 18, 2010

Cheesecake lollipops are the latest trend in decadent desserts.  They’re a great addition to a “dessert tapas” table for large-scale events, or as finger food for a baby or bridal shower.  For those DIY hosts out there, click on the photo for the step-by-step instructions on how to make your own cheesecake lollipops.  Feast your eyes on these!

Photo Credit: PoshPosh.com

Avoid a DIY Disaster

April 22, 2010

Before you take on any DIY projects you should check out this decision flow chart from Heart of Light via 100 Layer Cake.  Not just funny & cute, the message is absolutely right on the money.  Click here to download the full version.  Instead of planning DIY for everything, pick and choose a few elements you want to do yourself and purchase the others ready-made.  Your sanity will thank you.