 As a bride-to-be I am completely smitten with ways to personalize anything and everything about my wedding. While browsing wedding shoes, I stumbled upon these personalized heels with the couples initials and wedding date. I love this idea as a custom way to add a little something blue to the bridal shoes. Phrases are endless, as a bride can easily create her own using flatback rhinestones.
Photo Courtesy of Luster Studios
Personally, I am toying with the idea of changing shoes altogether. To avoid adding length just to my dress to match some outrageously tall bridal shoes, I’m going to settle with shorter heels. Wearing bright colored shoes for a reception creates a personal flair that keeps the guests guessing and unprepared for to expect. These m ake perfect reception shoes with a shorter reception dress.
If you’re anything like me, I tend to take on too many DIY wedding projects so I recommend finding a creative friend or Etsy seller who is willing to detail your shoes for you. (I found these awesome Badgley Mischka customized shoes on Etsy by seller Covette.) This is a great way to find shoes that you love, ie. Steve Madden or Nina and customize them to look couture for your wedding. No bride wants to stand all day in awkward uncomfortable heels!
These shoes would look great with a Glam wedding theme. These rhinestone adhesive sheets would be perfect for creating a coordinating look with vases and reception decor. Decorate your bridal bouquet with some bouquet rhinestones and voila- your shoes match your reception!
Photo Courtesy of Etsy: Covette
 Aishwara Rai, India’s biggest Hindi film actress, is pregnant! Proud grandfather-to-be Amitabh Bachchan, broke the news to the world last week via twitter. This will be the first child for Rai, 37 and her husband, Bollywood actor-producer, Abhishek Bachchan. While this may not be huge news to many in the US, for most people in the world, this is the baby announcement of the century! Rai was dubbed “the most beautiful woman in the world” in a 60 Minutes profile, and has dozens of film credits to her name, including “Taal” and “Pink Panther 2.” She also won the Miss World pageant in 1994, which was the springboard for her future film success. In fact, given Bollywood’s (India’s Hollywood) prominence in the global arena, Rai was profiled by Oprah as being the most popular and well-recognized actress in the world. Her 2007 marriage to Abhishek Bachchan was a safely guarded affair, though images and footage did leak out, to the great delight of her millions of fans. Indeed, it’s safe to say that millions worldwide will be watching her pregnancy and eagerly awaiting the healthy birth of Baby Rai-Bachchan. We’re looking forward to seeing how the mega couple will decorate for the baby shower! We think these darling Personalized Baby Shower Lollipops would make a cute treat for the guests. And if the couple wants to plan a gender reveal party, cupcakes dressed in blue or pink Reusable Glitter Cupcake Wrappers might be just the thing! Congratulations Aishwarya and Abhishek!
 With New York’s historic passage last week of a bill permitting same sex marriage, celebrity couple Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka are making plans to walk down the aisle. Neil Patrick Harris, the star of TV show “How I Met Your Mother” star and Tonys host, became engaged late Friday night to his longtime partner, actor/chef David Burtka. In fact, the couple got engaged nearly five years ago, when each proposed to the other. As Neil Patrick Harris tweeted on Saturday morning: “David and I did propose to each other, but over five years ago! We’ve been wearing engagement rings for ages, waiting for an available date.” The couple, who are parents to fraternal twins, Gideon Scott and Harper Grace, born via surrogate in October 2010, are most likely among the first of several gay New York couples who are now planning their big day. They can easily find appropriate cake toppers, such as the Groom in Traditional Morning Suit, or for lesbian couples planning a wedding, gorgeous female cake toppers in a variety of ethnicities, including Indian, Caucasian, African-American and Hispanic bride wedding cake toppers.
 Being green is increasingly important these days for all of us, and there are so many couples who want to follow eco-friendly principles even when it comes to planning their big day. After all, respecting the environment is a way of life, so it stands to reason that you want to remember that even on this special occasion. But it’s so easy to get caught up in the pomp and show, the glitz and splendor, and forget about keeping things green.
Many brides are concerned about their venue, the décor, and the other arrangements, ensuring that their set-up doesn’t create undue waste, pollution or damage. But going green can be brought down to the smaller details of your day too. Many wonder: how can I maintain the green theme when it comes to my table – the settings, food, favors and centerpieces? Well, the answer is, it’s easy when you have the right products. Here are some ideas…
The first thing you’ll need to work out is the menu, and your best bet is to look for local caterers that offer fresh, locally grown organic produce. Buying locally cuts down on fossil fuels that are used in shipping. It also means you can avoid many of the preservatives that go into packaged food.
 Image from Style Me Pretty
For the table settings, use shades of green and brown, and opt for organic cotton table linens and napkins, accessorizing with leaves, tree bark or bird’s nests. You can create nature-inspired centerpieces using Bird’s Nests, clusters of natural Beeswax Candles, or Hurricane Candle Holders made out of reclaimed wood. Or group together eight or ten miniature potted plants and encourage each guest to take one home as a favor.
In fact, giving eco-friendly favors is easy too. What could be more green than presenting each guest with a Seed Packet for them to do a little green good deed of their own? You could even use similar packets as Place Cards. If you’d like to send your guests off on a sweet note, how about some organic chocolate neatly encased in one of these Mini Linen Drawstring Pouches – or in an Organic Green Woven Favor Box tied with a big ribbon? See, it’s easy going green when you have just a few good ideas to work from…!
 Rocker Noel Gallagher, formerly the guitarist for Oasis, finally tied the knot with his girlfriend of eleven years, Sarah MacDonald. The pair met at an Ibiza nightclub over a decade ago, and have been together ever since, even having two children together. The wedding this weekend was a lavish affair, held at an exclusive hotel in the New Forest National Park. In a nod to his wife’s Scottish roots, Noel apparently hired bagpipe players to serenade his guests. Wouldn’t that be a great idea for a Scottish themed wedding? If you’re looking for ideas for your own Scottish-inspired big day, how about checking out this adorable Scottish Groom Cake Topper Figurine? And for the favors, why not stick with the whole plaid/tartan theme and treat the ladies to a pretty Plaid Mini Purse each?
 Earl Spencer, younger brother of the late Lady Diana and uncle to Prince William, was married today in a small private ceremony at the ancestral family estate. It’s the third wedding for the Earl, who was previously married to Victoria Lockwood (with whom he had four children) and Caroline Freud (who bore him another two children). Bride number three is the very stylish Karen Gordon, a Canadian charity worker whom he got engaged to in February. We hear the wedding was beautiful, but very private, in keeping with the couple’s wishes. Still, a reception at the Spencer stately home must have been fairly grand. Wonder if the decorations and table settings were as ornate as the rest of the house? We think elegant tree centerpieces with Miniature Crystal Garlands and Hanging Glass Ornaments would have looked perfect… glamorous and elegant and very grand – perfect for the Earl and his new bride!
 Looking for a really fun, dynamic theme for a party, birthday, shower, rehearsal dinner, or even a wedding brunch? How about getting your animal instincts going with these fabulous giraffe and zebra print themes? Animal prints are so in right now, and they make a really funky statement even when used for formal occasions. Let your décor reflect the fun, playful side of you!
Whatever your occasion, you can find all the bulk tableware you need right here – wholesale plates and glasses, napkins, guest towels, even tablecovers. Why not give your table the zing of a crisp black and white zebra print, accented with lots of fresh green foliage?
 Images from Koyal Wholesale Animal Print Banquet Plates, Style Me Pretty, Koyal Wholesale Wild Zebra Print Cupcake Wrappers, Style Me Pretty, Koyal Wholesale Animal Print Party Decorations, Style Me Pretty
You can tuck soft Zebra Color Feathers into the table centerpieces, and hang a dazzling Zebra Print Chandelier over the table to really amp up the animal factor.
A soft brown giraffe print is just as funky and goes well with an earthy, safari-style theme. Use tiny animals to accent the décor, and add liberal splashes of animal print!
 Images from Style Me Pretty, Koyal Wholesale Animal Print Party Decorations, Style Me Pretty, Koyal Wholesale Animal Print Banquet Plates, Style Me Pretty
Tips for creating an animal-theme event:
- Avoid overkill. A little animal print goes a long way, so don’t try to wrap everything in the same fabric or finish.
- Experiment with other colors. Zebra stripes look fun with hot pink, orange or turquoise. Don’t limit yourself to the monochrome color palette.
- Use big plants and leafy arrangements instead of traditional floral displays to play up the natural element.
- Make the most of a safari theme by using small animals to top cakes or cupcakes, or animal themed napkin holders or favors.
- If using an animal print for the bridal party, stick to trims and accessories. A leopard print sash, clutch or sandal goes down a lot better than a full-on leopard print dress.
- Finally, have fun with it! Animal prints are all about letting your wild side out!
 Superhot star Megan Fox and husband Brian Austin Green are back in Hawaii this weekend, celebrating their one-year anniversary in the same place they got hitched. Sources say the two will renew their vows during the short break, pledging their commitment to each other again exactly one year into the marriage. “Brian’s very sensitive and very emotional,” Megan says about her husband, adding that it is his idea to have a renewal of vows. We think it’s a lovely idea – and how perfect that they are back in Hawaii for the event. There’s nothing prettier than a destination wedding, so a renewal of vows should be just as fabulous. We’re hoping the bride and groom snap some candid shots of each other using something like this Beach Wedding Camera. And after the ceremony, how about toasting each other with these beautiful Seaside Jewels Toasting Flutes? Happy anniversary Megan and Brian!
 With the craze for cupcakes taking over even at weddings, many brides are now wondering: should we have a cake, or just cupcakes? Or a combination of the two? How would they be presented, and how would we serve them? If you’re one of those who just can’t make up their mind about this, consider these points…
Traditionally, cake has always been a part of a wedding. But couples looking for cheaper, more innovative dessert solutions are turning more to cupcakes instead. Small, fun, and great to decorate and personalize, cupcakes offer more variety in terms of flavor and style. They also look gorgeous arrayed on fancy multi-tiered stands! Many caterers also charge a small ‘cake cutting and serving fee’ per slice, which can really add up for a large event. So it’s always worth finding out if opting for cupcakes will help keep your costs down.
 Image from Junebug Weddings
Of course, there’s always the option of several tiers of cupcakes with a small cake at the top for the bride and groom to cut. This is often a great solution because you end up getting the best of both worlds! You can use a simple but sturdy cardboard Cupcake Tower with an 8” top tier for the small cake, or a Large Cupcake Tower that holds up to 100 cupcakes. There are even Metal Cupcake Towers available which you can use again for birthdays or other special occasions, or simple acrylic Cupcake Stands that can be customized with Diamond Rhinestone Ribbon, lace, or whatever other material ties in with your theme.
Then, brides wonder – how should the cupcakes be served? It’s not as simple as dishing out slices of cake. The answer to this question is, guests would be expected to come up to the main table and help themselves. Since cupcakes in big orders are often made in several different flavors, it’s common for guests to want to choose their cupcakes themselves.
 Image from Style Me Pretty
The easiest way to divide different groups of cupcakes is either to have them on different stands, or on different tiers of one Extra Large Cupcake Tower. This kind of stand can accommodate up to 300 cupcakes, and you can always use these sweet Miniature Blackboards to show people what flavors are available, or stick Wooden Blackboard Signs in one cupcake on each tier.
You also have the option of turning your dessert into your centerpiece, by placing one of these fancy Bedazzled Cupcake Trees in the center of each table and filling it will prettily decorated cupcakes. All you need are some stylish wholesale Cupcake Wrappers and your display is complete!
 It’s been the perfect year for the beautiful and talented Natalie Portman, and this must be the icing on the cake: the birth of her first baby, a boy. Natalie is engaged to Benjamin Millepied, a dancer and choreographer whom she met on the set of hit film Black Swan. This was also the film that won her an Oscar for Best Actress in February. What a fantastic start to the year! And things have only gotten better, with her subsequent films doing very well, and now, the addition of a beautiful baby. Wonder what kind of baby announcements Natalie plans to send out? Maybe something along the lines of these adorable ‘Baby Announce-mints’ Premium Mint Tin Favors? We think a little announcement card attached to one of these Crystal Baby Shoes would be even classier. Or maybe these Crystal Kissing Swans would be more appropriate, given the film that brought the two stars together in the first place!
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