Hot chocolate on a stick

Welcome back to reality (for those of us who are back to work this glorious Monday). I took a week off but still managed to feel a little frazzled when Christmas Eve came around. Luckily both my husband and I have amazing families, who made the running around and last minute shopping totally worth it. We spent a lot of time visiting and celebrating a really great year together.

I had a list of little projects I wanted to accomplish over Christmas break, and not a single one was completed. That’s okay though, it’s the thought that counts, right? Here’s an easy one that I found over at lil sugar — hot chocolate on a stick! I intended to make these ahead of time and hand them out to all the kids at our family Christmas party, but they could totally fit the wedding favor bill as well!

Pretty these up by wrapping them individually in a little cello bag and tying them with bakers twine or a colorful ribbon.

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Orange & Blossom online boutique

I love Etsy just as much as any other girl, but it seems lately I just don’t have the patience to sift through the good, the bad and the ugly. Basically, Etsy has gotten so big that you can’t find the things your looking for as effortlessly.

Earlier this week I was contacted by Lisa Marie of Orange & Blossom, and she truly opened my eyes to the possibilities out there. Orange & Blossom is a highly edited shop created from a select group of artists, designers and vendors to bring you the best in wedding embellishments without all the digging.

I love the fact that the shop is updated every Thursday with new items, so you know you won’t get overwhelmed with a bunch of unrelated items. You can browse through items like jewelry, stationery, and my personal favorite—vintage items.

Check out some of the amazing items above by visiting the Vintage & Rare collection now, and keep in mind, all vintage pieces include free shipping!

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BRIDES Magazine Top 10 Bridal Blogs

A little birdie told me Bridal Buzz is one of the featured blogs in the January issue of BRIDES Magazine, out on stands today! I haven't had a chance to pick up a copy for myself, but the publisher was kind enough to email me the spread. How exciting! Along with Bridal Buzz you'll find some of my favorite wedding blogs, including 100 Layer Cake,Always a Blogsmaid, Classic Bride, Earth Friendly Weddings, iDIY, Once Wed, Snippet & Ink, Wedding Bee, and Wedded Bits! Congrats everyone, and keep up the great work!

I've been feeling under the weather these last few days, but I promise posts will be back in full force very soon! I'm thinking new inspiration boards, fancy favors and more — stay tuned!

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Etiquette Expert: save-the-dates & holiday cards?

Reading through The Brides Guide a few days ago, Talley Sue Hohlfiend, Etiquette Expert, posted on a question that has been bothering me for some time now.

Can you mail your save-the-dates along with holiday cards?

Here’s what she said:

As the year-end holiday season arrives, the tradition of sending Christmas cards (or holiday/New Year cards, for those who don't celebrate Christmas) is upon us. For brides marrying in the spring, now may be the time to alert family and friends to the exact date of your wedding.

Can you save a stamp (and avoid writer's cramp) by tucking your save-the-date inside your holiday card?

Would it surprise you to hear me say, "Yes"?

I would advise strongly against slipping the rehearsal dinner invite in with the wedding invitation, and thank-you notes for wedding gifts shouldn't be doubled-up with other tasks. But save-the-dates are not "official" wedding correspondence, and so I don't think they should be viewed as anything but casual correspondence. (Save-the-dates occupy this weird territory between "a personal letter" and "a formal invitation" and "a mass-mail flyer." And so the rules for save-the-dates are being written in the here-and-now.)

In fact, in the old days (oh, like more than 15 years ago), people didn't send save-the-dates. They'd simply write in the appropriate Christmas cards, "Our wedding date is June 23rd; mark your calendar!"

I’m happy with this response, especially since I know how painstakingly long both save-the-dates and holiday cards can take. Use this one to your advantage ladies!

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The Key to My Heart: Tiffany & Co.

I’m pretty sure just about any girl who likes jewelry has ventured over to the Tiffany & Co. website for a peek of their sparkly new items. I’m guilty—I’ll admit it. I haven’t made any big purchases over there recently, mainly because I loose jewelry just about as often as my car keys. And somehow the thought of loosing anything worth more than $50 makes me a bit sick.

Aside from that, how beautiful is the new collection of Tiffany Key Pendants! Any of these would be a perfect wedding day gift from your hunny, no? You may just have to drop some hints, maybe leave a few printouts or catalog pages lying around—and then give him the credit for coming up with the line It’s the key to my heart, and I’m forever giving it to you! 

They range dramatically in price and style, so there's something for everyone—my personal favorite being the Petals Key Pendant, the Floral Key Pendant, and the Heart Key Charm.

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