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Slender and delicate, wishbone gifts and accessories like these are another elegant option for couples looking to inspire your guests to send their warm wishes your way.

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Brides, I have the answer!  Enter Wishpot, an online shopping wish list and wedding registry all in one.  The idea is simple–you download a button for your browser’s toolbar.  Each time you see something you want to add to your wish list or registry, simply click the button and voila–item saved!  The same goes for the Wedding Registry, which lets you add items from any store on the web to one central spot for your guests to shop from, all without stepping foot in a mall.

The best part?  Wishpot will let you comparison shop to find the best price on your selected item.  In addition, they’ll alert you any time that item goes on sale, and will even assist in finding coupons for all of your favorite stores.

I may already be married, but that won’t stop me from using Wishpot.  It’s the perfect storm for my shopping addiction!

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Why not share some of this same kind of sentiment with your wedding guests? You can find corked glass bottles for as little as 50 cents each, print out your own sweet messages or words of encouragement and leave them scattered around your tables. You can even adorn them with starfish, sand or other sweet details. It’s the perfect accessory for a summer wedding!

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A friend of mine from college recently got engaged.  I was invited to her wedding, but because I live out of state, I’m unable to attend.  I still want to send her a gift, however, we haven’t been close for a while.  What is the appropriate amount to spend if I’m not attending the wedding and haven’t maintained a close relationships with this girl?  On the same note, what is the appropriate amount to spend if I AM attending a wedding (with a date) of a close friend?  Help!

Gift Gal

Dear Gift Gal,

What a great question!  I think this is something that almost every person has to deal with at one time or another.  Especially in these tough times, digging deep in the pockets for a wedding gift can be rough.  Therefore, it helps to know what proper etiquette states is the correct amount to spend.

Happily, the truth is that you should spend what you can afford.  There is no sense in breaking the bank if you truly can’t afford it . A gift is just that–a gift–and the bride and groom will appreciate anything you can afford to give them.  If you do want some sort of gauge, though, the rule of thumb is to try to spend as much as you think your meal would cost.  If it’s a buffet, a safe guess is around $40-$50 a person.  If it’s a served meal, I’d guess closer to $75-$100 a person.  Again, it’s okay to adjust these numbers to fit YOUR budget!

If you’re not attending the wedding but want to send a gift anyway, any amount really works.  A small token of your congratulations is welcome at any amount.  I tend to spend around $50, however, if they’re close friends I’ll spend more, if they’re more distant, I might even spend less.  You’ll be appreciated for being a thoughtful person in spite of your inability to attend the wedding.

Happy gifting!

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Not only will these favors add eco-friendly heart to your celebration, they also bring a touch of style and elegance that plastic simply can’t touch.

Check out some of these sweet eco-friendly favors:

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Red Envelope

You can find gifts to suit any type of mom at Red Envelope, from chocolate-covered Oreos to jewelry, housewares and fun garden gifts like this Year of Seeds package.

Edible Arrangements

Our staff goes completely nuts whenever an Edible Arrangement gets delivered! If you are sick of sending flowers, mix up your Mother’s Day style with chocolate covered strawberries, pineapple, marshmallows and more.

Tiny Prints Personal Stationery

As the Wedding Paper Divas parent site, Tiny Prints offers a variety of stylish personal stationery that’s perfect for any mom with fashionable flair. Shop now to customize your favorite design, have it reviewed by a professional designer and get it shipped to it’s final destination in no time.

L’Occitane

From bubble bath to luxurious skin care treatments, rich lotion and more, L’Occitane offers a range of products to pamper the moms in your life. Check out their gift sets, or add gift wrapping to any item.

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For the Crafter

Scissor Necklace from Makool Loves You

For the Artist

LittleMoandFriends Journal found on Etsy

For the Brainiac

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, found on Amazon.com

For the Fashionista

Posh Print Thank You Cards from Wedding Paper Divas

For the Techie

Belkin TuneTalk Stereo Voice Recorder for iPods found on Hello My Name is Heather by Heather Bailey

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Here are a few key kitchen appliances that would definitely make my wedding registry wish list:

Wusthof Classic Block Set, Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer, Sanyo Smokeless Indoor Grill, Kuhn Rikon Green Energy Pressure Cooker Set, KitchenAid Pro Line Series Food Processor

If you haven’t heard the latest buzz about pressure cookers, I hear you can dump frozen sausage, uncooked pasta, a can of sauce and a touch of wine in one and get a delicious pasta dish in under 15 minutes! I can’t wait to get one and try it out. I hear the cookbook that comes with this Kuhn Rikon set, titled Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass, is full of fabulous recipes to try as well.

What is on your wedding registry?

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What you’ll need:

Homemade Kettle Corn (without a Kettle Corn Machine!) – recipe below

Small Plastic Bags

Personalized Gift Tag Stickers from Wedding paper Divas

Ribbon or Twine

Instructions:

To start, you’ll have to prepare the kettle corn.  You won’t need a kettle corn maker; This easy recipe makes it east to bring the same salty sweet flavor to popcorn right on your stovetop!

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Oil
1/2cup kernels
1 ½ tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Makes 3 cups

1)    Heat Up 3 TBS of oil and put one kernel in the oil to test when it is hot enough. Once the kernel pops, you will know it is ready for the rest.

2)    Turn the heat down to med-low and pour ½ cup of kernels followed by 1 ½ tsp of sugar

3)    Saturate the kernels in the sugar otherwise the sugar will caramelize in the pan. Make sure you keep the lid on.

4)    Let the kernels pop and kind of shake it around to get even coverage.

5)    Once the popping has stopped, pour the popcorn into a large bowl and add salt to taste. Toss and mix a bit and you’re done!

6) Package the popcorn into the small plastic bags.  Fold the top of the bag over and wrap a ribbon around it.  Complete your package with a personalized gift tag sticker from Wedding Paper Divas.

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