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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Unique Valentines Day Heart Jewelry

Hearts are Valentine's Day...and if you are having a Valentines Day wedding, how perfect is this necklace? Its from Morningmist Studio on Etsy.  its real red Swarovski crystal and the artist calls it "Wings Of Love"

Sigh, how romantic!




Friday, January 21, 2011

Wedding Freebie Friday, Free Save the Date Cards

If you haven't discovered Vista Print, then you are missing out on a great company that offers its customers  lots of freebies. This is quality stuff, its not cheap junk.   I've used Vista Print dozens of times for business and personal printing and the quality for the price is unbeatable. They are one of my favorite companies because the product is amazing and the prices are amazing.  Compare and Vista Print wins every time. 

Today's offer is 30 free Save the date cards.  You've got a lot of great choices and the price is...wait for it....FREE!

Here is another offer you'll love: Our Top 10 Products for FREE!  And they'll work for your wedding!  Use them as add ons for your wedding invitations and you'll save money by not having to buy or print them yourself. 

You can score 100 postcards for free to use for your wedding. You can use these for save the date cards, shower invites, thank you's, new address, etc.  You are only limited by your imagination. 

Score a free wedding banner, rubber stamp,  Tshirt (I'm the bride!) , tote bag (wedding stuff)....go now and check it out!  I'm making out my order NOW!



30 FREE Wedding Save-the-Dates

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A Popcorn Buffet For Your Wedding Reception! Today Is National Popcorn Day!

Who doesn't LOVE, LOVE popcorn? Chocolate covered popcorn with caramel and cashews, ranch flavored popcorn, watermelon flavored popcorn, yum...my mouth is watering!

Thought of popcorn for your wedding? Popcorn can be colored to match your wedding colors and served in tins on the reception tables. Popcorn is inexpensive, versatile and yummy and the only limits are your imagination.

Popcorn can be used as favors in popcorn bags tagged with your names and wedding dates, or as popcorn balls wrapped in colored cellophane and tied with a bow and tag. Make the tags on your computer, and voila! Popcorn can go home in Chinese take out boxes, cones, bags, boxes, whatever!


                                  Popcorn cone from I Love Popcorn.

Popcorn can be used as centerpieces, just fill some interesting containers with different flavored popcorn and let your guests pass them around and enjoy.  Love this pic of a popcorn cocktail!



Popcorn can be served at the bar as a munchie snack instead of the more expensive nut mixes.

You can rent a commercial popcorn machine to serve up freshly popped corn. Keep in mind that some guests may not like the overpowering smell of corn popping.  If you have a bar set up in another room at the reception or in a sitting area, you'll minimize the smell wafting in the reception area. 




What about a popcorn bar at your reception instead of the cliche cookie or candy bar?  Austin Cornucopia sells all colors and flavors of popcorn, including dill pickle! They ship nationwide and they have all sorts of great containers, bags and ideas to make your popcorn bar unique. You can add mini pretzels and M & M's to your display.  Serve in glass jars or silver popcorn tins with scoops and have bags or containers so your guests can make up a bag to take home.  Yum!








Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Vintage Wedding Inspiration Boards Retro Wedding Ideas!

Retro Vintage Inspired Weddings are HOT!!

Are you planning a retro wedding theme?  Retro weddings are fun not just for the bride and groom, but for all your wedding guests.  Not only is the planning and researching fun, but so is the wedding!  Don't overlook asking senior family members about their own weddings. 

Most couples pick an era as their theme and build from there.  Popular retro wedding colors were pale pastels like pale pink and pale blue, so here is our inspiration board in those colors. 

The 50's wedding era had brides wearing tea length ballerina skirted dresses with awesome shoes.  Think pearls and big chunky costume jewelry, amazing shoes, and of course, a vintage handbag in a color that matches your bridesmaids.














Put some Sinatra on the turntable and search out vintage, resale stores and flea markets for costume jewelry from a bye gone era. 





Fascinator hat with the face veil is by Erica Koesler. 
How cool are the heart cakes to give that vintage vibe?



Don't be afraid of color for a vintage wedding.  If you aren't bold enough to wear a colored wedding dress, you can wear any shade of white or ivory and wear all colored accessories:  pink pearls, shoes, handbag and of course, flowers!



Vintage Wedding Inspiration Board VIntage Hats, Fascinators & Headpieces

Every great vintage wedding dress needs a great headpiece. Many vintage brides wore hats to the wedding and replaced them at the reception with a large silk flower or feather fascinator.

Several hats are by Erica Koesler.  The hat top right and the extreme bottom photos are by Romancing the Veil on Etsy.










Monday, January 17, 2011

RIP Rosann's Bridals

What a month!  What a wild ride.  I'm still sorting it out and coming to terms with the changes that have happened.  I grew up in a bridal salon, a family business of thirty three years, 5 months and 16 days.  I loved every second of it.  It was my third child, it was my baby.  I loved my brides, I loved my staff.  I loved everything about it, even talking down Bridezilla.   Then my father passed away and as part of our original agreement,  we had to put our building up for sale and split the proceeds between my mother and myself.  Dad didn't want to leave us stressing about building maintenance.

For a year and a half, we had a buyer stinging us along.  Then in November, the buyer got financing and the pressure was on.  They wanted to move their business in the building December 23rd! The date was nonnegotiable.  I had less than a month to make some serious decisions.  I didn't have time to lease new space and move the business.  

I had inspectors and repair men running around the shop. The building passed all the inspections.  We packed, we sent dresses out to friend's bridal shops and specialty resale shops. I spent 14 hour days in the shop.   Every day the buyer had had new ideas and came in with their construction manager to measure and get in my way. I cringed when I heard her voice announcing her arrival.

I spent a lot of money in repairs to satisfy the buyers.  All I wanted to do was "get 'er done" at this point.  It was the holidays and I wasn't  holidaying!  I was melting down and stressing.  I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel,  I couldn't think about Christmas. I didn't have my Christmas shopping done, I didn't have time to bake. I couldn't entertain my family.  All I could think about was packing and  moving. 

Somehow we managed to accomplish the move despite rotten winter weather.  The sidewalks were covered with ice and the temps were in the single digits.  I moved 33 years of accumulated racks, mannequins, sewing machines into the rooms in the basement that were part of my husband's ongoing  DIY project.

The realtors had all the papers drawn up and we were all set to sign.  Then the buyers backed out.  No reason given.  What?  They refused to explain their actions.  I had a meltdown of massive proportions.  Not just crying, but the total meltdown to your soul filled with shock, anger and bewilderment.  Like being left at the altar meltdown.  Like finding out your fiance is gay or cheating meltdown.  Like suddenly losing a family member meltdown.  And today I still have no answers. 

I know that I'm the one who jinxed the sale.  I was going to buy new appliances for my kitchen to replace the crappy builders grade appliances that are in my house.  I mentally was cooking on my new inversion cook top and baking in my convection oven.  And my husband sold the lawnmowers and the other yard tools.  Double jinx! Mea culpa!

I have an empty building that needs heat and commercial utilities paid, insurance and property taxes.  Real estate, especially commercial real estate, isn't a hot commodity in the winter.  I doubt if I can lease the space because of the amount of empty business properties in my area.  I can't reopen because it would be starting all over again. I don't have the inventory and my staff has moved on.  

RIP Rosann's Bridal.  I have the awards, I have the thank you notes and I have the memories and no one can take that away from me.  I have the pride knowing that I made a lot of weddings special.  I have the pride of giving jobs to the community and succeeding for 33 plus years where others have failed.  I went out with my head held high. 

I was stopped by a gal the other day who asked if I was the bridal lady.  I told her I used to be.  She told me my shop was the most special place on earth when she was planning her wedding.   I needed to hear that. She hugged me and we went our separate ways, but I left with a big smile on my face.

I'm going to be more active as Weddingzilla.  I'll be interviewing my friends in the bridal biz, I'll be blogging about the latest trends and more.  Stay tuned, it can only get better from here.