In the eighties, a white wedding referred to a popular Billy Idol song. Today it signifies a popular color choice for couples look for a chic, modern theme. Why save white only for your dress? White goes with everything and when used consistently adds light and fresh style to your wedding.
Adding a hint of gold or silver transforms a refreshingly white wedding into an elegant affair. Here’s a few invitation design options for couples wanting a white theme.
When I got married, I made the decision to splurge on the “must-haves” and save on all the other stuff. As a result, I spent hours…no, days…hmmm, maybe months?…. of my life scouring eBay for the perfect steal. As a result of my hard work, I scored tons of goodies on the cheap - including all the vases for the candy buffet, votive candles, my flower girl’s dress, my ring bearer’s pillow, bridesmaid gifts, a guest book and more! I was so successful, that etiquette guru and author Leah Ingram wrote about me in her book: Buying & Selling Your Way to a Fabulous Wedding on Ebay.
So, as you can see, I love eBay for finding wedding deals. However, one of the top divas over here at Wedding Paper Divas, recently turned my attention to the shopping site Etsy and I was disappointed that this wasn’t around in my day. Etsy is like eBay, but all the products sold on this site are handmade. This is a great place to look for gifts, jewelery, and decorating accessories. Check out some cute finds that would would go great with one of my favorite stationery designs, Vintage Damask.
From Left to Right: Little Shop of Sparkles Tiara; Violet Necklace; Damask Votive; Purple Envy Tile Necklace
If you’re at the start of your wedding planning, you may not know what your theme will be. I remember when I first got engaged people were constantly asking me what my was theme and what my colors were. I honestly had no idea what they were talking about. Now that I am entrenched in the wedding planning process, I’ve developed a thorough understanding of both. In addition, it has given me a greater appreciation for weddings that I have been a guest at previously.
Using colors throughout your wedding creates a consistent and seamless look. I’ve seen it used successfully at several weddings and have noticed how much more put together the event seems when tied in with color. As for themes, I went to a wedding a few years ago where the couple used peonies in everything from their stationery to the centerpieces to the cake. Here’s a few pictures from the event.
These designs would go perfect with a floral theme like this one.
We’re definitely in the wedding season! With spring and summer at the peak of the wedding season, you might be either planning your own wedding, attending a few or doing both. As for me, it hasn’t stopped raining weddings since fall and I continue to embrace and enjoy every wedding that I get to experience.
Going to weddings are a great way to get ideas for your own. This past weekend it opened my eyes to the beauty of a simple celebration. Held outside near a beautiful river, the couple invited a mere 30 guests. It was an intimate ceremony made special with the beauty of nature and the sounds of a single violinist. Guests signed in on a scroll designed with the couple’s picture and we all got a taste of a light, airy and fruity cake which was perfect for such a sweet celebration. Here’s a few pictures from that day.
These are few invitations that would go great with a simple wedding.
Many brides wonder whether or not they should send save the date cards. While they are not absolutely necessary they are a great way to announce your engagement to friends and family. They are also especially important when you are planning a wedding that falls on a holiday weekend or is considered a “destination” for most of your guests. So, while not required they are a nice touch!
Often sent 4-5 months before your event, save the dates are also the first piece of stationery being sent to your guests. So, your card can really help set the tone for your event. When picking your save the date card, think about the theme that would best reflect your wedding:
Cultural Wedding
On/Near the Ocean
Traditional & Romantic
Modern & Contemporary (this also works for those of you who are undecided)
If you’re having an outdoor wedding like me, you may be spending much of your waking hours envisioning what the weather will be like on your special day. Don’t you wish you could predict things like that? If you’re getting married somewhere where the weather is pretty predictable and you’re not worried, you are very lucky. As for me, getting hitched in San Francisco during the summer is a little bit scary. Unlike other parts of the Bay Area, San Francisco summer’s have once been quoted by Mark Twain as being “the coldest winter [he has] ever spent.”
Wherever you are, check out Weather.com to help you ease some of the unknown. There you can type in your wedding date and see what the average highs and lows will be for your special day. They also offer valuable tips on ways to deal with the weather such as making your programs also function as fans in case of high heat or treading carefully on wet grass. Although you might not be able to control every little thing about your wedding, this site at least gives you the option of being prepared.
Yesterday I posted pictures from a vibrant orange and stunningly blue themed wedding. What I didn’t tell you was all the extras they included that really made their wedding stand out. The couple incorporated several surprises in the night that was a big hit with guests. One thing they did was rent a photo booth. A popular trend at weddings these days, guests practically ran over one another to get their pictures taken. Here are a few more pictures and one of Wedding Paper Divas’s own orange and blue creations.
I went to another wedding this past weekend and it really showed me how color can bring energy to an event. The bride chose deep blue with vibrant orange to create a bold, modern look. Orange tones brought a sense of fun and liveliness while the brilliant blue brought a contemporary and formal contrast to everything from the bridal party’s dreamy blue dresses with tangerine sash to the tables decorated with bright orange blooms and sparkling blue napkins topped off with juicy orange daisies. Nothing about this wedding was ordinary. If you’re looking for a way to infuse excitement and liveliness into your wedding day, add this color combo into your decor.
If you have been keeping up with Diva Dialogues and my entries you know that I am a big fan of cupcakes. That’s why I was over the moon with excitement when Kara of Kara’s cupcakes in San Francisco agreed to take time out from her busy schedule to talk with me. So get comfy, grab a sweet snack and enjoy getting to know a little bit about my favorite confection, a cupcake store, and the girl behind it.
Kara’s Cupcakes is so original in that it only sells cupcakes! How did you come up with the idea of having a cupcake store?
Well I always loved sweets. I was deprived of things like candies and cakes growing up because I had a father who was a dentist. I was passionate about sweets and I always, always knew that I wanted to start business. I enrolled at a pastry school with the goal of starting a cupcake business. At that time, cupcakes just started getting popular. It was of course, popular with kids for a long time but then adults started to see it’s a great way to have an indulgent little treat without the guilt.
How did you get started?
I used to be the Northwest Director of sales for Allure magazine where I met with clients such as Gap and worked with their Marketing department. Working in fashion and beauty products was an extension of creating cupcakes. For example, what flavor you pick says to me the owner what kind of style you have. I think designing cupcakes is similar to working with fashion because both start with really cool artistic ideas and are creative outlets.
What inspires you?
I get inspiration from a lot of things in fashion and by what’s in season. For example, our Fleur Del Sel (chocolate cupcake with caramel filling, ganache frosting& fleur del sel) was inspired by chocolate makers that make fleur de sel candies. Our Meyer Lemony (lemon vanilla cupcake with a tart lemon filling and lemon buttercream) was at first seasonal but now year long. Seeing what’s fresh in the market place and observing other confections has brought on a lot of great ideas and flavors as well.
What is your most popular flavor?
Everyone always loves good old fashioned chocolate and vanilla which is why our Chocolate Velvet and Sweet Vanilla are our best-sellers. But it’s also nice to mix things up every once in awhile and add something different. Some days you might feel like trying Passion Fruit and Java.
yummy Sweet Vanilla!
I know you use a lot of local and sometimes organic ingredients in your cupcakes-why is that so important to you?
I think it brings together the community. And the bottom line is that it’s just a great way to keep things close, lowers fuel and energy, keeps relationship going with the community and helps support local businesses.
A lot of couples are opting for cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake. What do you think are the benefits of having cupcakes at your wedding?
Cupcakes are fun. Guests get so excited when they see a tier of cupcakes. They wonder what flavors are there and which ones they will we get. Oftentimes, wedding cakes are never eaten. People think ooh it’s so pretty but don’t experience them. A cupcake is like a little gift or present. They are for you, you don’t have to share it, and you don’t have to wait for it to be cut to eat it.
Any trends you’re noticing in terms of colors or themes?
Cupcakes are a big hit with weddings. Though any celebration is a big factor-baby shower, wedding shower, congratulations. A lot of people like initial cupcakes, teddy bear for baby showers. People generally pick color themes and sometimes requests special fondant flowers on their cupcakes. It’s all about the flavor and tastes for any celebration.
What makes Kara’s cupcakes unique?
Kara’s cupcakes sense of community and our ingredients are important components to making are cupcakes delicious and unique. We bake our cakes every hour making it the freshest cake you can get. Sometimes it’s just minutes from the oven.
What would you like to say to our Diva Dialogues readers about Kara’s Cupcakes?
We’re open 7 days week. Our cupcakes are the best! They’re baked fresh with premium local ingredients. Come and try it! It’s delicious!
