As a child, I was surrounded by beautiful artwork and creative people.  My parents love the art deco period, and collect paintings, drawings and furniture from that time in history.  My mother and aunt were also fashion designers with their own local company, allowing me to wallow in the beautiful fabrics and designs that were a part of my every day life.

Although my dream of becoming a fashion designer died with my lack of drawing skills, I still admire the work of designers, both on the runway and on paper.  I think fashion sketches can be so beautiful and take a certain talent to produce.

Enter Brooke Hagel, an amazing artist that uses photos taken of you on your wedding day to produce beautiful paintings that remind me of the fashion sketches that I so adore. I will definitely be investing in one of the pieces as a way to preserve my wedding dress in a unique and special way.  Finding an old picture of my mother or grandmother and doing the same could be even more amazing.  Visit Brooke’s Etsy store to secure your own piece of art, which could also make a fabulous holiday gift for someone special!

Pretty patterns and prints are making its debut on everything from martini glasses to address labels, great for newlyweds or engaged couples. Take a look at what’s making these Friday Finds so fun!

Modern Toile Address Labels, and Black Damask Martini Glass from Sur La Table.

Guestbooks are one of those things at a wedding that blends in to the background.  Often, people don’t invest much time or through in what the guestbook will look like or how it will be presented.   However, the guestbook is one of the lasting memories that you will have from your big day.  Although most photographers will offer some sort of photo guestbook option, they are usually very expensive.  You can also buy standard guestbooks from any wedding supply store, but they aren’t very memorable.  Here are a couple of DIY ideas that can not only make your guestbook stand out, but will also turn it in to something you’ll want to feature in your home for years to come.

-Visit a website like blurb where you can upload your own photos to put together your very own, very affordable photo book.  As your laying out the book in blurb, remember to leave plenty of white space around your photos.  This will give your guests a place to leave personal notes.  Blurb’s product choices and quality is outstanding, allowing your to have a coffee table book that you can leave out for all to enjoy well after your wedding has passed.

-If you had engagement photos taken, or even if you have a photo of the two of you that you adore, have the photo enlarged and matted with a plain, white matte.  Make sure you have the matte cut much wider than you normally would.  Display the matte at your reception or cocktail hour and allow guests to sign it.  A friend did this at her wedding and now has a gorgeous, framed, personal photo hanging over her fireplace for everyone to enjoy.

From top to bottom, left to right: Seaside inspired candy bar from the Knot, Stylish Stripe Wedding Invitations in Aqua, Banana Republic embossed envelope clutch, Mini cake favors from Brides, Going Nautical Drink also from Brides, Dessert Buffet Chocolate and Cream from Martha Stewart, J. Crew Silk Chiffon Juliet Dress, Amsale White Gown with French Blue Taffeta Sash, Blue bouquet ribbon from Martha Stewart

Get creative with your Save the Date cards! If you’ve decided to send a photo save the date announcement, have fun with it. Whether you hire a professional photographer or decide to have a friend take your photo, here are some unique ways to send your save the dates.

1. Great for Save the Dates or Thank You cards, this photo just requires two plain t-shirts and stick-on vinyl lettering which you can get everywhere from Office Depot to various online stores. (MarthaStewart.com)

2. Another idea is to have your photo taken during certain holidays. Dress up in costumes as a bride and a groom, or dress up your pets (costumes from Buycostumes.com) for a funny and certainly unique Save the Date Card.

3. If you are lucky enough to have your proposal on film, use it in your save the date cards as a creative way to introduce friends and family to your engagement and your upcoming wedding.

Here are a few unique cards to ask that your guests save the date!

When I got married, I am pretty sure I had one of the best maid of honors ever.  Not only was she a great friend, but also an amazing party planner with keen attention to detail.

A few weeks ago, my MOH and I threw her brother an engagement party.  After perusing the Wedding Paper Divas website, we chose the Zebra Stripes Bachelorette Party Invitation, but had it personalized to fit an Engagement party.

Taking the color and design from this invitation, my friend developed the entire theme of the party, carrying the small details through to the centerpieces, decorations, desserts and more.  She managed to transform not only her living room but her garage into a festive, zebra-print atmosphere!

The zebra lanterns above were a great find at World Market and can be purchased online.  The centerpieces were handmade by us and came out so chic!

The bride-to-be even got in on the action with her gorgeous zebra-print heels!

This party is a great example of how any invitation can set the theme, tone, or colors for an event.  Check out the amazing selection on Wedding Paper Divas and find new, innovative color combinations and themes for your wedding or party.

Whether you’re celebrating 1 year or 25, every anniversary should be special. While we were on our honeymoon, my husband and I ran into another couple celebrating their 1 year by traveling all through Italy. What a wonderful way to begin many anniversaries to come. Here are some things you might want to have when planning your wedding anniversary.

Give out mini bottles of sparkling cider so that everyone will have something sweet and sparkling to celebrate your anniversary with. And this Forever Yours Anniversary Party Invitation is perfect for couples with simply modern taste.

I’m not sure if this couple’s genealogy tree counts as “paper,” a traditional 1st wedding anniversary gift, but it’s beautiful, practical and sure to be a winner!

Get out your old cake topper. It’ll look brand new when atop a vintage inspired cake like this one from Martha Stewart.

The garter toss stems from an ancient tradition that said that taking a bride’s clothing would bring good luck. Today, brides often choose to wear a blue garter as a way to add “something blue” to their attire. The garter is often tossed by the groom to his single male friends. The lucky guy who catches it sometimes wins a gift card or money tucked in the garter and like the throwing of the bouquet, symbolizes that he will be next one to get married.

I opted not to do this or have the bouquet toss out of consideration for my single friends. There are definitely pros and cons to sticking with this long-time tradition. If you decide to do it, however, make sure to sit at an angle where you won’t be flashing your guests. And another tip? Either take the garter off yourself or ease it down a bit so its not so high on your leg. And if you have sensitive and conservative guests, I’d say avoid having your groom taking the garter off with his teeth.

Sources: Wikipedia

Blue bow garter from Victoria’s Secret.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and with all of the great stuff to help the cause, it’s easier than ever to make a difference. These pink and stylish products can be added to your wedding registry, used on your wedding day, honeymoon or to complete your new home as newlyweds.

1. Pink Ribbon embroidered silk passport holder from the breast cancer site safely holds your passports on your way to honeymoon heaven.

2. Make at statement on your wedding day with M&M’s Promise Blend, a delicious mix of dark pink and white milk chocolate m&m’s.

3. The Special Edition Oreck XL Power Team Vacuum cleaner makes cleaning beautiful.

4. The couple that cooks together stays together. KitchenAid’s Cook for the Cure program offers a variety of pink cooking products to help the cause. Blend up your margaritas with the KitchenAid Cook for the Cure 5 Speed Blender w/ Poly Jar.

I loved the wedding dress that Project Runway designer Kenley Collins made so much that I had to post it!  What do you think of the feather silhouette?

I also adore the corresponding bridesmaid dress (even though it’s a little too short for the average person):