Entries from November 2007 ↓

It’s time once again to have the top-5 wedding blog posts of the week!  Since we didn’t  have a top-5 last week I included posts from over the past two weeks.

1.        I’m going to start off with a great post from the Hostess With the Mostess.  This is a sneak peek into some holiday themes that she will be posting.  Unfortunately she will not be posting the actual themes until Dec 23^rd.  But maybe you can get some ideas from these pictures to help you plan your holiday party.  Checkout HWTM Holiday Sneak Peak!

2.       Liene over at Blue Orchid had some great Honeymoon Planning Tips she got from an interview with Shannon Rice from Riso Studio.  So if you want to know what the latest honeymoon trends are and ideas to make your honeymoon different than the standard, check out Honeymoon Planning Tips!

3.       This is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart, Wedding Websites.  I think there will be a day in the future when paper invitations may not be a necessity.  Here’s a story from Ethical Weddings about a couple who did the whole invitation / RSVP thing on the internet.  They saved a lot of paper and money and it seemed to work out well.  Checkout Internet Invites.  Let me know what you think?  Do you like this idea?  Is the world ready for this concept?

4.       Here’s one from my buddy Preston Bailey!  I had a blog about how paper lanterns can transform a tent.  Well, now it’s time to see how Preston Bailey transforms a tent.  But, it might cause a little more than hanging some paper lanterns!  Check out Tent Transition!

5.       And finally, Sandra at planning forever had another great post about wedding traditions.  Namely, what wedding traditions are now out!  So check out “what wedding traditions are OUT!”Hope you enjoyed them!  Let me know if there are any blogs out there that I missed.

Have a great weekend!

Rhonda

I love soft, thick, and plush cotton towels, robes, etc.  When picking them out I have to get the best ones I can find!  Well, one of the benefits of blogging is you sometimes get product samples from different vendors and the folks over at MicroCotton sent me some hand towels and some info about their product. 

If you are interested in having towels on your gift registry you might want to check these out.  Up until last month, MicroCotton towels were only available to luxury hotels but are now available through some retail stores.

Here’s some info about them.  Obviously, they are 100% cotton.  They absorb three times more moisture by weight than the average towel.  Personally, I can say they are one of the softest towels I’ve seen.

They come in bath sheets, bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths, bath robes, bath rugs & mats.

MicroCotton products are available at Macy’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, Dillards, and Belk.

Check them out!

You’ve all seen disposable cameras on the tables at weddings.  Did you ever wonder what happens to all those pictures taken by all the guests?  For most guests they never get to see those pictures.  Sure, the disposable cameras can be great for the bride and groom, but in many cases those great pictures captured by their guests wind up in shoe boxes and are forgotten about. 

Well, here’s a unique idea.  ITheeSnap.com provides premium quality disposable cameras.  After the pictures are taken, you ship the cameras back to them.  They scan and upload the photos onto a secure web photo album that all your guests can visit to view, download, print, and comment on the photos.  They also provide the couple a DVD with all the photos as well as 4X6 prints!

Sounds like a pretty good service! 

Checkout their website for details.

Oprah announced her favorite things for 2007 a few days ago! If you weren’t lucky enough to be in the audience and get all this stuff for free, keep reading.  Want to know what Oprah’s favorite things are and where you can get them? Well you are at the right place!  Here are links to every one of Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2007!

1. Samsung SC-HMX10 8GB Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (SDHC compatible): Oprah said it’s “fantastic” and easy to use!

2. Women’s Classic Crochet Tall UGG Boots: Oprah says her “feet can’t live without” it.

3.  Toywatch Watches:  Evidently these are the latest rage!  Worn by the likes of Madonna to Al Gore and of course Oprah.

4.  PERFECT ENDINGS CUPCAKES FROM WILLIAMS-SONOMA:  Made by Sam Godfrey, the man behind Oprah’s 400-pound 50^th birthday cake.  They can be shipped to all 50 states.  They come in three flavors: red velvet with white icing, chocolate with chocolate sprinkles and coconut.  Oprah’s favorite is cocout.

5. MELAMINE BOWLS, MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS FROM WILLIAMS-SONOMA:  Come in a rainbow of colors have no-spill spouts, and no slip rubber rings on the bottom!

6. KitchenAid Artisan 5-qt. Stand Mixer: According to Oprah, this is the favorite of cooking superstars like Paula Dean, Emeril Lagasse and Oprah’s own Art Smith. Comes in a variety of colors too!

7.  The Discovery Channel’s Planet Earth DVD Set:  Oprah said its, “the most magnificent series you will lay your eyes on,” the “most awe inspiring”  moments caught on film.

8. Kai Body Buffer and Kai Body Butter - 6.4 oz (SHIPPING DEC. 14TH): Oprah said it’s “clean and fresh” and the body buffer combines an exfoliating loofah and cleansing soap all in one.

9. Clarisonic Skin Care Brush System: Oprah calls it a miracle massage for your face and said it removes 6 times more makeup than soap and water!

10. Claus Porto Soaps: Oprah recommends them as “great hostess gifts.” Check them out! Claus Porto Gift Box - Banho, Lysia and Condessa

11. The Pillars of the Earth (Deluxe Edition) (Oprah’s Book Club): Oprah recommends this as “the book to give for the holidays.”

12. Breville SG820XL Maxi 2-in-1 Panini Press: This is what Oprah uses to make her “love sandwich” for Stedman, so it’s got to be good!

13.  HDTV REFRIGERATOR WITH WEATHER AND INFO CENTER FROM LG ELECTRONICS:  This thing is insane!  To see this $3,800 refrigerator checkout the link!

14.  CIAO BELLA BLOOD ORANGE SORBETTO:  Oprah says “it’s just so refreshing.”  Checkout their website to find out if it’s sold near you!

15. RACHEL PALLY SWING TURTLENECK AND SAILOR PANTS:  These are what Oprah puts on when she wants to slip into something more comfortable.

16. PREMIER WOOD SCRABBLE CROSSWORD GAME - LUXURY EDITION WITH ROTATING BOARD: This is what Stedman gave Oprah on Valentine’s Day. She loved it so much she had to share!

17. UA 90th Anniversary Prestige Collection (90 Titles): This one is for the ultimate movie buff. Contains 90 DVDs of UA’s most popular films.

18.  Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kit:  Filled with eco-friendly high-performance concentrated cleaners and stain removers.

19. O’s Guide to Life: The Best of O, the Oprah Magazine (The Oprah Magazine): A compilation of over 100 of Oprah’s favorite articles from The Oprah Magazine!

20. JOSH GROBAN’S Noel CD: Oprah said “it’s the one Christmas CD every family should have.”

It’s Cyber Monday! For those of you who have been camping out in front of your computer waiting for the clock to strike 12, let me make your life a little easier.

Here are some links to the Cyber Monday Sales that I could find.

Walmart.com is having a big Cyber Monday sale. They have a bunch of stuff on sale! I saw they have an Xbox Starter Bundle on sale too! Check it out!

Gaiam.com has some great Cyber Monday sales on ecofriendly gifts.

Here’s a link to some great discounts on jewelry at Ice.com!

ICE.com CYBER MONDAY SPECIAL - Valid from Nov.23.07 to Nov.30.07

Mondera.com is running a 15% off Cyber Monday Sale. Use Coupon Code: WSJEW

Checkout the Cyber Monday sales at Montgomery Wards:
After Thanksgiving Sale at Montgomery Ward

(1) on sale: holiday decor
(2) 20% off all watches
(3) free shipping on family jewelry
(4) 20% off all jackets/outerwear
(5) free shipping on select electronics

Looking for some wine gifts? Here’s some Cyber Monday sale info for MyWinesDirect.com:

CYBMON - $15 off every order of $125 or more.

Here’s a bunch of great Cyber Monday deals on personalized gifts from Things Remembered!

See all of Things Remembered’s Thanksgiving Offers! Valid through Nov 26th!

Happy Shopping!

Rhonda

In case you missed it, yesterday, November 20th was Queen Elizabeth’s 60th wedding anniversary!

To mark their anniversary, this past Monday the Queen and her husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attended a service at Westminster Abbey where they got married. Also at the service were 30 family members and 2000 guests! Then yesterday, on their anniversary, they traveled to Malta where they lived as a young couple from 1949 – 1951.

So, how do you throw a royal wedding? I can’t give you all the answers but the Queen released 60 facts about her wedding that might give you a few ideas. If not, I still found them to be interesting reading!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

Rhonda

This truly is a rare event. Our partner eInvite is having a 25% off sale on a selection of fine wedding invitations. This sale will only last until November 26, 2008. The following wedding invitations are included.
This beautiful wedding invitation with a pocket is from Carlson Craft!

This is one example of a few Braun and Brown Letterpress Wedding Invitations that are on sale!

This beautiful wedding invitation from Cielo Blu Studios.

They also have a bunch of Christmas Photo cards and invitations for all occasions on sale too! Check them out at this link!

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

I’ll be back Monday!

Rhonda

As you know planning your wedding can be a stressful time.  Well, here’s a unique way to get reinvigorated.  It supposedly will make you look and feel younger as well as exfoliate and help to detoxify your body.   What is this unique therapy I speak of?  It’s Vinotherapy!

It’s all in the polyphenols in the grape seeds.  Some experts say it’s a thousand times more effective than vitamin E in the fight against free radicals.

Here’s a video that tells all about it…

Interested in checking it out?  Well, your lucky!  Two of the top-10 best wine spas worldwide are located in California. 

They are The Kenwood Inn and Spa in Kenwood, Ca and Villagio Inn and Spa in Yountville, Ca.

Anybody ever experience this?  Let’s hear about it!

Rhonda

The editor in chief, Theresa DiMasi, of Brides.com has come out with her top 5 trends in bridal fashion last week. Not only that, Brides.com has made available 20 videos of the latest bridal runway looks from the top bridal gown designers. These videos came from NYC’s Bridal Market, Fall 2008!
Here are the Brides.com Top 5 Trends in Bridal Fashion!

1. A Lighter Touch — lots of free-flowing, ethereal fabrics including
  chiffon and organza with less embellishment, beading or other
  adornments as in season’s past.

2. Color, Color, Color! — beyond the traditional white dress, color is
  not just seen in bursts but in wonderful patterns, rich jewel tones
  or new shades of pastels.

3. Jackets/Sleeves — brides who want options beyond the traditional
strapless gown are thinking more fashion-forward with gowns that
offer more coverage.

4. Emphasis of the Waist — honoring the female form, there were lots of  large flower corsages positioned right at the hip to draw attention
 to an hourglass figure.

5. New Lengths in Gowns — tea length to above-the-knee, there was a
larger variety in gown lengths than ever before.

And here’s one of the videos available from Brides.com.

Checkout http://www.brides.com/video for more!

Rhonda

It’s that time again.  Don’t bother getting dressed yet, stay in your robe, grab a cup of coffee and relax.   Kick back and enjoy the Top 5 Wedding Blog Posts of the Week!

We are going to start off this week with a couple of posts about holiday cards.  It’s time to start getting in the spirit and spread cheer to others. 

1.        First off, DIY Bride passed on some important information about how to pass holiday cheer on to our wounded soldiers who will be stuck in military hospitals over the holidays.  Please check out “PSA: Cards to any Soldier at Walter Reed.”

2.       Here’s a fun idea!  The Brooklyn Bride is running a Bridal Blog Holiday Card Swap.  Want to interact with the wedding blog community outside of this box you wind up staring at for hours everyday?  Then sign up for the holiday card swap!   Check out Bridal Blog Holiday Card Swap.

3.       I love letterpress invitations!  So, I was glad to see Matrimony Inc had a post explaining what goes on behind the scenes to produce those beautiful invitations.  Check out Letterpress 101!

4.       Speaking of invitations are any of you including an accommodations card with your invitations for your out of town guests?  Do you know what an accommodations card is?  Well checkout “Q&A: Verbiage for the Accommodation Card” at Event Ethos!

5.       And finally, Saundra over at Planning…Forever left a comment on last week’s Top-5 so I checked out her site and loved it.  She really has a great blog with a lot of good info.  This week her post about “On Site Wedding Coordinators vs. Wedding Planners” had a lot of great info.  Check it out!

Okay, now you can get on with your day refreshed by all that great information  packed into one blog post!

Check in next week for more wedding ideas.

And, if you haven’t already, make sure you sign up for our Free Newsletter!  Just click the button on the right column.

Rhonda