Combining Grace and Utility: A Simple Unity Candle

Simple Unity Candle

In a vast online marketplace filled with specialized wedding goods, it can be difficult sometimes to weed through the void to find something simple. A simple unity candle foregoes frills in favor of simple, elegant style. A simple unity candle may have an embellished stand or frame, but the candle itself is a white or cream pillar with two smaller counterparts; simple, straightforward, and not a distraction come wedding day. Brides who favor traditional and/or church weddings will find this simple unity candle to suit their fancies, but that doesn’t mean that a simple unity candle is reserved for grand halls and fancy affairs.

Garden weddings may also find a simple unity candle to fit the feel and décor of the day. Really, any couple who wants the focus of the day away from the implements of the ceremony will find that a simple unity candle is the perfect centerpiece. This accessory suits all décor, all styles and creeds, and will never go out of style if you choose to keep the simple unity candle as a staple on your mantle. These candles mix perfectly with existing décor, and add a touch of class to any household after the vows are said and the cake cut. A simple unity candle works for everyone!

Love your Pair of Bride Yoga Pants

Bride Yoga Pants

When you’re working your hardest to sculpt that perfect beach bod for your wedding, it’s important to stay motivated. When you can match your stylish workout gear to your end goal, a la a pair of amazing bride yoga pants, you can keep your wedding day in mind for every Stairmaster you climb or Zumba class you attend. Bride yoga pants are a sliming black with a beautiful embellished “bride” logo on the leg, and wearing them is sure to keep your heart rate up as you near the end of your run during a rewarding workout session. Bride yoga pants are also wonderful casual wear. Sure, you can eat ice cream in bride yoga pants as easily as you can work it off – just remember to keep those activities balanced!

Bride yoga pants represent only a fraction of the available bridal gear you can add to your closet; bridal jackets, shoes, hats, and even lingerie is necessary for a perfect bridal closet. There are even bits of groom apparel to match your bride yoga pants and otherwise. The best part of bride yoga pants? Even after you’re married, you’re still a bride! Wear your bride yoga pants with pride!

Making Visible and Vibrant Wedding Table Numbers

Wedding Table Numbers

There are several ways couples communicate seating arrangements during their wedding receptions. As ceremonies are generally open seating (aside from the first few rows, which are reserved for immediate family, per generally accepted etiquette), those arrangements are of little concern for a bride hunting for wedding table numbers. No, the wedding table numbers you’re undoubtedly looking for are for the reception part of the day. Without a well-organized seating chart, it’s possible that your reception to devolve into anarchy. Often, guests slide chairs around crowded tables or a few stragglers are left with few or no dining partners when couples eschew seating charts or wedding table numbers. It is in your best interest, and is commonly expected by guests, that wedding table numbers will be a part of the evening.

When you’re chosen a seating chart, you are no doubt now wondering how to organize or present your wedding table numbers. While there are countless ways to do it, there is one rule you should try to follow: make your wedding table numbers easy to see and clear. Literally anything else goes. Wish to name your tables instead of number them? Also fine, though it might get confusing if you have a large banquet hall. Like with wedding table numbers, it is most important that your guests can see them, and that they’re easy to spot across a crowded room.

Though there are many apps aimed at brides who are frantically searching for some organizational tool to make their lives easier, it’s hard to weed out the one-trick ponies from the actually useful. The right Apps, be it for iPhone, Android, or otherwise, can really guide you along during the planning and design process on your march toward the altar, but how will you know what to look for before you know what’s out there for the frazzled couple looking for a break? Instead of googling “Wedding apps”, try these (completely free!):

The WedHappy App
If you want the end-all be-all “wedding organizer” app, make it WedHappy. This simple organizational App keeps your tasks organized, suggests frequently-used wedding tasks you may still need to complete, sets up a general timeline for wedding duties (updated to your calendar, complete with customizable timely reminders), and rounds it all out with a satisfying pie chart of completion that will keep you focused without making you feel overwhelmed. The free version of WedHappy never overloads you with useless novelty crap, and I’m sure most brides will be very thankful for that. The best part is that WedHappy allows you to link up vendors with contacts from your phone to keep everything just a little more organized.

I could do away with the “achievements” you unlock when you complete a certain number of tasks, but it doesn’t get in the way enough to be noticeable.

The RedLaser App
Most brides know about the apps provided by some retailers for registry building (think Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Pottery Barn), but RedLaser is different, as it remains unaffiliated. It can not only scan bar codes and give you product information, it also compares prices to nearby retailers and any available online deals, working to find you the best price. It logs away previously viewed items, provides UPC info, and even shares a varied assortment of online reviews.

While this is an all-around helpful tool, it’s particularly awesome for brides looking to save money any way she can during the wedding planning process. When you’re unfamiliar with the world of the products you’re buying, knowledge is power. This app also reads QR codes, if the rest wasn’t enough to sell you.

Color ID
Originally a tool for the color blind or artists looking for a bit of inspiration, Color ID allows you to point and click at any color nearby with your device’s camera. Just focus the shot on the color you like, and it identifies the industry standard color for you. Snap a photo and the image, along with the identifying color, is stored away with the rest of your photos. Artists like this App for inspiration; it serves the same purpose for brides.
This is a great App to use when you’re starting your hunt for color palettes. Log accessories or other items that inspire you and save the colors for building the aesthetic for your big day!

A Stylish Wedding Reception Card Box

Wedding Reception Card Box

If you’re preparing for a wedding, you may be thinking about the necessity of a wedding reception card box. A wedding reception card box generally sits near the front of your reception space for the benefit of your guests, often on or near the wedding gift table. Though many brides think of it as an aesthetic and traditional convenience, a wedding reception card box is also a safety concern. While wedding crashers are rare, especially when you’ve taken the necessary precautions to keep them out, a little peace of mind on the night of your wedding is worth a lot. So what steps should you take to be sure that your secure wedding reception card box is as safe as it could be, especially with the gifts and irreplaceable sentiments given to you by your guests nestled within?

Your best bet is to locate your wedding reception card box in a secure spot within your reception venue. Think of keeping it near the back of the space, rather than the front, or in a place frequented by event staff. There’s no reason that your wedding reception card box shouldn’t be both an aesthetic marvel and a safe place for the cards and sentiments of your wedding guests!

Complimenting your Wedding Signage

Wedding Signage

Though there are many wedding decorations that you will utilize on your big day that send a subtle, non-literal message, sometimes you just want to say it with words. Wedding signage does just that. Whether it’s a banner above your getaway car, an aisle runner, a poster for your ring bearers, or a message in love spelled out in bunting, wedding signage is becoming very popular and is popping up in weddings of all styles all over the country. The trick with wedding signage is to keep it simple and not go overboard. Wedding signage should say what it needs to say in few words, and should be complimented well by less-literal wedding messages, such as complimentary colors and other decorations. Your wedding signage can be DIY or professional, but it’s important to keep it from looking arts-and-craftsy. Wedding signage is a delicate project, so this is one you might want to leave to the printer.

Wedding signage is also wonderful at other wedding-related events, such as bachelorette parties and wedding showers. Present worded bunting or an elegant banner to welcome your guests, just be sure to observe the same stylistic guidelines. You want all of your wedding signage to be sophisticated and chic!

Do it DIY with Easy Invitation Kits

Easy Invitation Kits

No one starts a search for invitation kits looking for a difficult or clumsy experience. The goal is always to find a beautiful invite for the right price, but it’s also important that you won’t go through fifty bucks of stationary before you figure out how to print the damn thing. Easy invitation kits are a must-have in the DIY wedding world, and they key is to do your homework before you buy. Easy invitation kits are only easy in the right hands, and you want to make sure you’re really reading through the materials before you begin on your easy invitation kit adventure. For a really spectacular set of easy invitation kits, consider purchasing a stationary set that features not only easy invitation kits, but save-the-dates, table numbers, programs, menus, and place cards. By bundling these items together, easy invitation kits make your entire wedding, and all of the accompanying stationary, cohesive and stylish.

So how do you spot easy invitation kits? Check for kits that offer complimentary tips and tricks for printing the materials. Make sure you’re always purchasing from a valid source and that all pieces in the kit are accounted for! You can always contact the seller of the easy invitation kits for more specific information.

When your wedding planning gets into full swing, you will learn quickly how frustrating it is to become trapped and entwined in several never-ending games of vendor phone tag. It will often seem like no one is ever around when you need them, and they will only ever call you back when it is least convenient. Games of phone tag usually begin with a few apologetic voicemails with a hasty return number, but can quickly turn irritating when you find that you’ve gone weeks without directly catching the person you need to reach, and you’ve learned nothing that is vital to your planning process. A woman can only handle so many “Sorry I missed you, you can reach me at…” messages before she throws a rock through a print shop window. Don’t do that. Instead, try one or both of the following techniques:

Call and Email

While phones are your best bet for reaching a real live human when you’re trying to rush through wedding tasks, there is something to be said for a good, solid email. Either of these mediums alone often isn’t enough, however. On their own, forgetting to respond to an email or a voicemail is pretty easy, but one of each is harder to miss. One will help to remind your audience about the other. If they receive a voicemail from you, they may or may not remember to call you back. An additional email bumps you back up the priorities list – at least some of the time. Leave a specific voicemail, and follow up with an email that sounds something like “Just following up concerning my call to your business earlier this week; I look forward to hearing from you about…” Short, simple, and friendly. Just don’t overload their inbox!

Employ Specificity
When you don’t reach your hopeful audience after a few phone calls, start leaving more than just your name and number on their machine. If you’re a potential customer, give them a reason to be more eager to reach you – specifics about the service you need and the information you need from them. If anything, you’ll receive a counter message that is more than just their name and number; it may even be pertinent information for you! That way, you may not need to waste any more time chasing them down. If you are already using the services of the audience you’re trying to reach, a specific message helps to guarantee that a return message will contain any of the information you need, such as cake topper pricing or shipping details. Even if you’re both too busy to catch each other, the game of phone tag gets a little more productive with the application of a little specificity. May your game of phone tag reach a swift and satisfying conclusion!

A Bridal Bracelet for Posterity

Bridal Bracelet

Though many brides spend months compiling their outfits and accessories for their big day, the entity that is the bridal bracelet is often ignored. A bridal bracelet makes a wonderful addition to any bride’s wedding attire, and they’re often striking and inexpensive while still maintaining the classy composure that a bride expects of her wedding jewelry. The right bridal bracelet will add to your outfit without distracting from it, and it makes a wonderful keepsake after the fact that you can pass down for generations to come. While styles in dresses, earrings, and even necklaces may come and go, a simple and beautiful bridal bracelet will likely stay in style for years to come. Finding this magical bridal bracelet is easier than you think, and finding pieces to compliment your color scheme is even easier.

The most common color and material combos for the right bridal bracelet are white and silver, be it in pearls, rhinestones, or clasps, and combinations of these things will always produce a memorable but subtle bridal bracelet. Consider a bridal bracelet that will stick with your throughout the day, but will be easy to remove if you need to. A Tiffany’s-style clasp is ideal for this, and most conformers to the typical bridal bracelet style are equipped with it.

Name Your Cake with a Monogram Letter Cake Topper

Letter Cake Topper

A custom monogram is a must-have in the modern wedding scene, and a letter cake topper ties the whole affair together. A letter cake topper is a wonderful way to crown your picturesque wedding pastry, and is a classy, contemporary accessory for weddings of any style and formality. Some letters sell out faster than others when it comes to the right letter cake topper, so be sure to start your shopping early and be open to different styles and designs. A script and silver letter cake topper may find a better home at a swankier affair, while a print letter cake topper in porcelain with a seashell accent would look a little out of place. It’s all about your personal style and what you decide on as a couple.

You aren’t limited to a single letter for your letter cake topper, despite the singular moniker. If the top of your cake allows, craft a custom monogram by combining your first initials with your communal last initial. Many couples are choosing to change names, hyphenate, keep them the same, or come up with entirely new names together – gone are the days of the assumed singular letter cake topper. A one letter cake topper isn’t gone forever, but it’s certainly getting company.