Beautiful Ornate Stamps- Studio G Designs

Ideally, wedding favors should do more than just remind your guests of the special time you spent with them on your wedding day. The best favors are also items that your family and friends can actually use after the wedding [...]]]>

Beautiful Ornate Stamps- The Perfect Custom Bridesmaid Gifts

Beautiful Ornate Stamps- Studio G Designs

Ideally, wedding favors should do more than just remind your guests of the special time you spent with them on your wedding day. The best favors are also items that your family and friends can actually use after the wedding is over. You'll find some economical options in a number of places, ranging from your local dollar or bulk store to wedding stores online.

Collectible Books

Collectible books come in a variety of styles and themes, making them an excellent “keeper” for a wedding. Many local dollar stores have a book section that regularly stock gift book overruns or lovely photo books. While you may not get enough books in one trip, a bit of planning and shopping over the course of several weeks or months will allow you to stock up on the nicest ones.

Once you've found all the books you want, then wrap them in wedding-style wrapping paper. Adding a personalized sticker or card with your wedding information to the book will help guests commemorate the occasion. Finally, if you opt for the photo book option, be sure to include a thank you note plus a picture of you and your intended inside the book; it's a sweet way to give the book a head start.

Bubbles

These favors have become popular, and for the guests who have kids, these can be a fun wedding favor to take home. To make them visually appealing, choose a number of different styles of bottles in your wedding colors and add some beautiful ribbons to the collar of the bottle. Create hand written tags in fancy script that offers the details of the wedding and set them on a table near the door for guests to pick up as they leave. Or better yet, decorate the dining tables of your reception with them, leaving one at each place.

Stationary - Gifts Your Bridesmaids Will Use- Martha Stewart Magazine....

Stationary

Pretty stationary can be such a guilty pleasure, and oftentimes, people will not buy it for themselves. However, there's no doubt that it can be very useful. Look for stationary that matches your wedding theme in some way, whether it features your wedding colors, a common font, or design.

Stock these wedding favors in a large basket that you've lined with the linens and flowers you've used for your wedding. Tie a fancy ribbon around them, but otherwise leave unwrapped since stationary has a wrapping paper sort of decorative quality on its own. Place the stationary in the basket and give one to your guests as they depart.

Candles

Candles add an inexpensive decorative element to almost any space, and fortunately, they're inexpensive as well. Many of the online wedding favor companies sell them, and these you can get personalized with your wedding information. However, if it's your goal to provide your guests with favors they can use, opt for the candles that you find at specialty shops or at the dollar store. They look lovely and come in a variety of colors and styles, making them more adaptable to life after the reception party so to speak.

Photo Frames

People love to display pictures that are important to them, whether they're pictures that capture a moment in a school play or remind one of a special trip to the beach. A photo frame can be a lovely wedding favor and one that your family and friends will display on their mantels or on a favorite table. Additionally, many wedding companies make these so that they fit a decorative theme like a beach wedding or black tie affair, making them an item that one can easily integrate into the décor.

Conclusion

Wedding favors are nice parting gifts that allow you to express your appreciation to your family and friends for attending your special day. Choosing favors that they can use is not only thoughtful, but ensures that they remember the happy time that they spent with you whenever they use it. Finally, while it's certainly permissible to opt for only type of wedding favor that guests can take home, you can choose any combination of the gifts in the list above and create a favor table. This offers your guests more variety and gives your wedding décor some added visual interest to boot.

Author bio:

Brent  Davies is a brand promotional specialist and avid blogger who writes for Mr. Guitar Scales.

As the economy seems to slow down, more Brides are becoming creative with their reception ideas.  Here you see a humble low cost country wedding reception in a barn, and does it ever look fabulous.  Stuffy weddings are overrated, don't you know?  I can only imagine the party in this [...]]]>

Humble Low Cost Country Wedding Ideas

As the economy seems to slow down, more Brides are becoming creative with their reception ideas.  Here you see a humble low cost country wedding reception in a barn, and does it ever look fabulous.  Stuffy weddings are overrated, don't you know?  I can only imagine the party in this barn going late into the night with good conversations by candlelight.  What a fantastic idea!

<A HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fshatteparadi-20%2F8010%2F61d2a20c-7901-4268-a786-3afe055694c0&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A>

Nothing screams country than distressed painted vases. Many of these vases can be painted to coordinate with the colors of your wedding. When painting metal, you want to use a oil paint for the bottom paint color. Ideally this [...]]]>

Country Cottage Wedding Ideas- Floral Ideas Featured On The Eclectic Revisited Blog

Nothing screams country than distressed painted vases. Many of these vases can be painted to coordinate with the colors of your wedding. When painting metal, you want to use a oil paint for the bottom paint color. Ideally this look works the best when you can see two colors. You never want to distress showing the silver tin. Consider a gray, or a gray green, black or even a dark brown as the base color. Specialty paint stores like Benjamin Moore sell oil paint in satin in a wide range of colors which you can use as your base color. Flat oil paint is recommended, but satin works just as good.  You need something that the top color will easily adhere to. Paint the top color and after it is dry, slightly distress the container using a sponge sander. Then as a final coat, you want to even out the flat look caused by distressing. Your top color should be either an eggshell, or a satin. Dip your paint brush into the paint, and wipe most of the paint of the brush with a paper towel, and slightly go over the entire vase. The top coat will even out many of the stokes that the sandpaper makes. You can also add a monogram with a stencil, or even table numbers on the vases.

French Florist Bucket Starting From $11.99

Galvanized Vase

Home Décor Classic Tin - Flower Vase

Coal Bin Flower Pot - Barn Roof

3 Garden Pots Safari Flower Tin Planters- $7 dollars for 3 containers which can be painted and distressed.

InterDesign Pail , White- This container simply could be spray painted white.

My Painted Waste Basket

Ikea used to sell toilet Paper holders in an aluminum finish.  I had an old one, but my colors aren't really silver, so it has been sitting around my garage for the longest time.  I primed it with an oil paint, and then finished it with a baby blue color.  The blue and gold look terrific.  I had a set of ornate over-sized vintage pulls which I spray painted gold, and I created two holes with my drill on the side of the container and added the hardware on the side of the container to add some extra details.  I then used some lamp parts to create the extra long handle on the lid of the container, so it would be easy to grasp.  The inside was left in the aluminum for easy washing.

Amazon.com Widgets <A HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fshatteparadi-20%2F8010%2F21dcc649-ef4a-4322-a392-a8be6a2f4c38&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A>Transparente Clear Favor Boxes That Look like a Slice of Cake

8.5" CHARISMA SILVER SQUARE BOWL WITH HANDLES

Square Bowl, 12"

Small Vases, Set of 3

Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (1 Pound Bag)

Milk Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears (1 Pound Bag)

Jelly [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas: Chocolate By The Pound : Gift Favors or Wedding Table Decor

Transparente Clear Favor Boxes That Look like a Slice of Cake

8.5" CHARISMA SILVER SQUARE BOWL WITH HANDLES

Square Bowl, 12"

Small Vases, Set of 3

Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (1 Pound Bag)

Milk Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears (1 Pound Bag)

Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn jelly beans (1 Pound Bag)

Raw Oregon Hazelnuts / Filberts (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries (1 Pound Bag)

White Jordan Almonds (1 Pound Bag)

Yogurt Covered Raisins (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Peanuts (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries (1 Pound Bag)

Milk Chocolate Covered Blueberries (1 Pound Bag)

Yellow Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds (1 Pound Bag)

Assorted Jordan Almonds (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Banana Chips (1 Pound Bag)

Chocolate Covered Pecans (1 Pound Bag) - Sugar Free

Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Brazils (1 Pound Bag)

Jelly Belly Licorice jelly beans (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Raspberries (1 Pound Bag)

Brown Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries (1 Pound Bag)

Milk Chocolate Covered Cherries (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Pretzels (14 oz Bag)

Dark Chocolate Dipped Orange Peels

Blue Chocolate Covered Blueberries (1 Pound Bag)

Dark Chocolate Covered Kona Beans (10 Pound Case)

Amazon.com Widgets There always needs to be a bit of sparkle at a wedding reception, especially when the lights are turned out and the whispering romantic music fills the air. Lighting and music always plays a huge part of creating a romantic mood. [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas: The Norton Museum of Art hosted Beautiful Table Settings

There always needs to be a bit of sparkle at a wedding reception, especially when the lights are turned out and the whispering romantic music fills the air. Lighting and music always plays a huge part of creating a romantic mood. Instead of creating ONE buffet dessert table, why not scatter a few tables through out the wedding reception? Most wedding guests come to receptions and only get acquainted with the area in which they are seated.  Seating arrangements grouped by the brides family should be mixed within the grooms family allowing people to step outside their comfort zone and strike up conversations with strangers.  Creating small dessert or drink tables through out the reception can give people the opportunity to experience all angles of the room, and talk with people they don't know.  In addition it allows you to stage food in such a way that it can be a showcase in it's self.  Consider staging  appetizers or finger foods on tiered trays on round tables which can be displayed from all angles.  The Nostalgia Lighted Party Fountain is certainly a centerpiece that deserves its own table.  It features a three tiered fountain that gives a soft coloful glow depending on the color of the drink you decide to fill the fountain with.  Fill it with punch and scatter fresh CUT colorful kiwi and strawberries on a tray beside the fountain.  Consider stacking plastic champagne flutes on a side round table using clear plastic trays to anchor them down.  You can also stack glasses upside down.  The champagne glasses give enough room at both the bottom and top for stacking.  This certainly will draw your guests from their tables and into conversation.

The Norton Museum of Art hosted Beautiful Table Settings , and the above picture shows you the power of choosing the right table cloth and coordinating accessories.

3 TIER TRAY For Snacks, Desserts, and Crackers Nickleplated

3 TIER Server in A Floral Design.  Add some color to Your Food

Silver Finish Serving Tray

CreativeWare Unbreakable Wine Glass Set of 8

Plastic Wine Cups 5 Ounces, 6 per Package

Case of 120 Plastic Pedestal Wine Mini Desert Cups

240 count Clear wine glasses

Martini Shaker and 12 Wine Glasses All Plastic

Windsome Wood produces a lovely 42 inch round table for only $129.  If you don't have a company in which you can rent tables from, this table could be the best buy.  It is wood, and not plastic, which gives it a better chance of being sold for a higher price once your wedding is complete, compared to the white plastic metal tables which most people wouldn't want in their kitchen.  They also produce a tall pub table with a 33 inch diameter for $131which is still lower in price than all the fold able plastic and metal tables.  The wine glasses could be stationed under the table.

Cotton Candy can really be a memorable wedding idea that guests will remember for years.  The fluffy candy is unique, fun, tasty and exciting.  Most people don't have access to cotton candy except at the state fairs or carnivals that come around every year, which is why it is a GREAT [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas - Serve Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy can really be a memorable wedding idea that guests will remember for years.  The fluffy candy is unique, fun, tasty and exciting.  Most people don't have access to cotton candy except at the state fairs or carnivals that come around every year, which is why it is a GREAT idea.  It is the perfect idea to roll out when the dinner is done, and the dancing is about to begin.  You can buy a cotton candy machine at the lowest $45 dollars from Nostalgia Electrics Antique Cotton Candy Cart .  This machine is certainly affordable, although the reviews are not great.  It is perfect for a family who is wanting cotton candy every once in a while.  Many reviews say it makes very little candy, and takes forever to make one stick of candy.  The last thing you want at a wedding is to start making cotton candy and then have people wait 15 minutes for one stick.  For an investment of $340, you can get a top quality machine with a professional pink rolling cart that can make a garbage full of candy within 5- 7 minutes.  Interestingly enough, many people who tried the table top candy machine, upgraded to the Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine, and they rave about how easy it is to make cotton candy, and how quick it is to produce a stick of the yummy cotton sugar treat. Consider adding a cotton candy machine to your wedding reception.

Some Ideas To Think About:

- Use branches as your centerpieces, and the cotton candy as the flower buds, and bring out the machine when the music for the dancing begins.  People won't even realize the centerpieces are made from cotton candy,  until someone clues in, and sparks the conversation from table to table. 

- Make tall centerpieces out of cotton candy and spread out the cotton.  It will look like pink clouds!  Be sure the vases are tall enough for your guests to see each other.  

Nostalgia Electrics Antique Cotton Candy Cart ONLY $46 Dollars

By Donna - Nostalgia Electrics Antique Cotton Candy Cart-  Fun Fun Fun!! Speedy delivery, arrived within 2 days of placing the order..I couldn't wait to try out this darn cute little machine!Purchased the sugar for $7 and 200 cones for $3 (great bargain) at Zurcher's, a local party store. My first 2 attempts resulted in a small amount of candy. But by the 3rd try I mastered it and produced huge and fluffy perfect balls of cotton candy!! Instead of swirling the cone around the bowl try grabbing the webbing at the top and then twirl it around the cone. That worked well for me! Now for the negatives, the cotton candy does not stay fluffy so make sure you eat it right away or they shrink to half the size. The machine does jump around quit a bit after you add the sugar. Not sure why but it is a bit annoying to have to hold on to the machine or wedge it against a heavy object to keep it in place. While clean up is a breeze removing the extractor head is a struggle. It takes my strong hubby to remove it!! And lastly, while wiping around the heating element I sliced my finger on the metal edging..Ouch!!

Other than that I am excited to try this out at our next family party which I'm sure will be a big hit with the kiddies and also the adults!!

By James Whitfield "Bathtubsink" Nostalgia Electrics Antique Cotton Candy Cart- I cringe when the kids say; dad can we make cotton candy!  This is a typical design for all low end toy like cotton candy machines. They are very slow to heat up, if your going to do more than about 3-4 cones plan on cleaning again and again. The floss head is very difficult to clean the burned sugar out of and there is no way to disassemble it (without removing the rivets). Soaking and scrubbing, shaking, plunging, dunking in hot soapy water, CLR, Clorox bleach, oven cleaner, high heat I have tried it all. You will spend more time cleaning than enjoying, but it's not about us it's the kids. 3-4cones = 1+ hrs plus cleaning time (30-45 min)fun fun fun

By Wayne Hendrix - Nostalgia Electrics Antique Cotton Candy CartI received one for Christmas and am not happy with it. Does it make cotton candy, yes, if you want to take fifteen minutes to make one very small cone. It cleans up easy and is simple to operate but it just doesnt work well; as soon as the sugar starts to melt it becomes unbalanced and vibrates all over the table, the sugar capacity is so low that you have to refill it several times to make one decent sized cone, and the production rate is extremely low, even for a home use item, if you were to use this at a party, the party would be over before everyone received cotton candy. The sides of the bowl are also too low and so my entire kitchen is covered with small granules of colored sugar.

By YouthfulTips Nostalgia Electrics Antique Cotton Candy Cart- At first, I couldn't get it to work and I spent over an hour trying to get it to work. I did everything the instructions stated. I don't know why but it seems like if you let it run for a big, five minutes or so, put the cotton candy sugar in, let it run a couple of minutes, shut it off, add a little bit more sugar and turn it back on, it will make the candy. I've had to do it this way the last three times that I've used it. Don't know why it works, but it does for us. When it does work, it's great. Considering the price, it's not bad.

Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine

The Nostalgia Electronics CCM-600 Cotton-candy machine sells for $339, and is big enough to create enough cotton candy for all your wedding guests

. The unit features separate switches for turning on and off the heating element and the motor, and its anti-vibration, hydraulic spinning head ensures perfect, fluffy results. Simply pour sugar into the top, turn the unit on, and instantly make fresh carnival-style cotton candy. The unit works with regular sugar or a variety of flavored sugars that can be found on the Internet and at various local grocery stores.To add a little flavor and color to regular sugar, just mix a pinch of pre-sweetened Kool-Aid to the sugar. Resembling circus-style cotton-candy carts of the early 1900's, the unit provides a convenient tray with a handle bar, a side rack that can hold up to six cones, two smooth-rolling wheels, and an easy-to-clean design. Approved for commercial use, the 600-watt ETL-approved cotton-candy machine measures 34 by 21 by 50-1/2 inches and carries a 90-day limited warranty.

By J. Chipp "honker" Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine  Having had a passion for cotton candy since I think birth, I was goofing around one day and came across this machine, and bought it. It was super easy to put together, good thing cuz the instruction sheet is a rough picture (just use the hex head screws on the bottom, the round heads for the trays, put a washer on everything. Long bolts for wheels, short bolts on front legs 3 screws hold the dome on.). No tools required, they give you everything. Perfect, no parts left over... always a good thing! I plugged the thing in and turned it on empty and everything spun centered. I then poured in the sugar they give me, and turned it back on. Within 2-3 seconds here came the cotton candy and within 20 seconds my wife was gobbling hers down. The machine also came with cones and 2 flavors of sugar so your all set to play right away. Cleanup is super easy too! The bowl is coated so the sugar line falls right off and wipes right out, that's all there is to it, other than run all the sugar out of the spinner. This machine will be allot of fun for many years! It came with an extra set of brushes for the motor, and another set of fuses too. I missed Halloween this year but next year I will start a new tradition for the kids. One down thing is making cotton candy smokes up the house a little, but it's happy sweet smoke, and although you can see it, it smells nice in here.

By SicilyJo Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine
Originally bought the tabletop Nostalgic for less than $50. Product should not be on the market -- no cotton candy after trying for 45 minutes. Then, I saw this Nostalgic cotton candy machine cart and read the mostly positive reviews. I ordered it and am not disappointed. Yaayyy to a no-fat dessert whenever the mood strikes. This machine should not be considered "commercial" as it is definitely more of a family/home machine.
Pros:
--Cotton candy started spinning out almost immediately.
--Good amount of cotton candy on cone
--Easy to use and clean
--Came with 2 packages of pink vanilla floss and 2 pkgs of blue raspberry floss; paper cones
--All tools for assembly provided
--Though it is a cart, doesn't really take up that much space, especially if you leave off the cone holder attachment
--2 spare fuses provided
--Great price in comparison to other cotton candy machines
--Quiet machine when making cotton candy. Was pleasantly surprised!

Cons
--Terrible, awful, horrible directions for assembly. Incomplete information! The worst I have ever seen.
-- Not all bolts fit properly as some of the holes were too small (and, yes, I used the correct bolt) There were enough bolts that did fit O.K., so machine is stable, however, I wouldn't feel comfortable rolling it around here and there.
--A couple of springs were included, which I have no idea where they should go! I also had some left over bolts and screws.
--Some smoking when using it, though not enough to set off any smoke alarms.
--A fair amount of sugar doesn't get spun and ends up wasted and scattered inside the bowl.

By Jarmir Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine
Until very recently if you wanted to purchase a cotton candy machine you had a choice of buying a $40 to $50 model that made very small amounts of cotton candy, or else a large commercial size machine starting at $500 (and the $500 models do not include the cart). Nostalgia has now come out with this great commercial grade machine that is priced just right and includes the cart, machine, and dome. I recently purchased one for my brother's children and they are thrilled. My brother said that it was easy to assemble, the machine looks great, and it makes large amounts of cotton candy very quickly. This is exactly what we have been looking for!

By Felix Wilson -Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine This machine does what it says, it makes alot of cotton candy in a short time. Best investment in a long time.

By Mimi Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine
When we purchased this Cotton Candy machine, we had a doubt when it came to the capability of the product; was it good enough or should we purchase the real professional ones. Due to the price and the overall appearance we chose to buy the Nostalgia instead of the Gold Medal, which was way more expensive and you didn't even get the cart. I must say that the machine has not failed. It is a success, especially if you only need it for small occasions like Birthdays etc. It produces good size Cotton Candy quick. Only thing is that is looses a lot of sugar, while spinning. I don't know if this is normal, for all cotton candy machines, but the sugar that is not heated builds up on the inside of the bowl. After using the machine for 10-20 Cotton Candy you need to wash it, otherwise the cotton candy will stick to this sugar buildup. Like other reviews we have read, we also smoked up the house the first time. This is due to some of the cotton candy going back to the heater. But it is something I think you would have to live with, because of the relatively small, but good size bowl. Now we only use the machine outside. It was a good purchase especially if you take the price into consideration. The cart and machine has a good size, and is an eye catcher at every party.

By Donitra - Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine
I bought this cotton candy machine for my sons birthday party and it was a big hit!

By B. Francis Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine And fun too! I purchased this machine after trying the table top Nostalgia Electrics "retro" cotton candy maker. The table top machine simply did not work. After a half-hour of spinning, nothing but scattered sugar. Very disappointing. But this machine. WOW! It simply works GREAT. Just seconds after starting it up... cotton candy! I read the other reviews. And they're right. This machine is lots of fun, and produces great, tasty cotton candy. I can't imagine that a more expensive machine could work any better. So this is definitely worth the price. If you're thinking of buying this -- just do it. You won't regret it.

By R. McDonald Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine -This cotton candy Machine has worked great for us! we use it for all the kids birthday parties. My kids beg me to make it for them and their friends all the time! It makes the candy quickly. we use the paper cones to collect the cotton candy and tie a clear 13 gallon trash bag onto the cart and just put the candy in the bag. It fills a bag up in about 5-7 minutes. The assembly instructions were not good, I managed to get mine together with no extra parts left over, I roll it around from room to room no problem. Its very sturdy, and looks terrific. Its quite large and takes up a lot of space. The bowl is huge, I don't know why other reviewers are saying the bowl isn't big, mine is 2 feet across each way. Its lasted for years, still looks and works like new. There is only one problem with it. (if you want to call it a problem) after making a few batches and having it on a while, you will get some sugar that burns, it sets off my smoke detectors if I don't turn on the ceiling fan and open the window a crack. the cotton candy itself tastes great. If it were not for this minor thing it would be a perfect machine. be warned if you buy it you will have every kid in the neighborhood at your house! (and all your friends will ask to borrow it for their kids parties)

By mo2lg - Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine I have to agree with the reviews that say this was a good investment. While this unit is far from cheap, it is a lot less than most commercial machines on the market. The smaller Nostalgia cotton candy machines are really a waste of money, so if you want a semi-commercial machine that makes a lot of cotton candy quickly - this is the one for you! I have never owned a commercial machine, so I can't compare this unit to a commercial unit, but I can say it does what it is supposed to and the kids get a total kick out of watching the cotton candy form from the sugar and they LOVE that they can make cotton candy in their own backyard! The machine does smoke (it is the sugar burning off of the heating element) but if I know I am making several cotton candy cones, I either move the unit outside, or just open a door. It isn't an excessive amount of smoke, but it will sometimes set off the smoke alarm for a few seconds. It is also pretty easy to clean and SO EASY to use (which I love)! As all of Nostalgia's products, the assembly instructions are useless. You are better off looking at the picture on the box and assembling it yourself. Overall, my family is THRILLED with this machine. We definitely have our money's worth out of it and it is the hit of all my kids' friends! It is our favorite toy!

By Nancy A. Shriver "Nostalgia Electrics CCM-600 Full-Size Cotton-Candy Machine  I like my machine. It looks impressive, makes cotton candy very quickly, and it extremely easy to use. My 15 year old son assembled it for me in 15 minutes. It was easy for him because he had just built a popcorn machine from the same manufacturer.  There were some funky springs that we didn't know what to do with. I called the company, and they are pretty clueless, but at least nice about it. There is some smoke and it does set off alarms if used in a closed area. We have a sunroom with windows, so this alleviates this problem. The instructions say not to use outdoors, yet it says perfect for family picnics. Pretty funny, really. We have used this outside and had no problems.  I use this for my business and love it. Looks are very important in my business so a cute machine that works quickly gets an A+ in my book.  P.S. I never thought I liked cotton candy, but after getting this, I'm addicted. Yummy.

<A HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fshatteparadi-20%2F8010%2F5b958fd7-44eb-4ccf-97d2-ae91a6b26d61&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A>

While it may seem silly, the appearance of a plate of food razzled with carefully molded trimmings can seem to taste better to most people than top quality food served with no garnishes.  It seems like the art of [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas Wedding Garnishes Gold Almonds By Laduree For The Marie Antoinette Film

While it may seem silly, the appearance of a plate of food razzled with carefully molded trimmings can seem to taste better to most people than top quality food served with no garnishes.  It seems like the art of food presentation is rarely seen today, even at weddings themselves.  The concept of edible art is glamorous.   How can anyone deny trying a pretty dessert even if it is small and dainty?  Even the slightest special touches in culinary preparation can change a way a person views a dish.  It becomes a a new experience of excitement and adventure.  Presentation can transform the act of eating into a new experience that cannot be forgotten, even if the taste of the food is just ordinary. Who could forget the 2006 Movie Marie Antoinette, when Ladurée provided luxury cakes and pastries that were seen in the movie, and became some of the most wonderful food presentations we have seen in in film in decades.   Jordan wraps their white almonds in Gold foil to achieve an elegant look.

Instead of having a buffet table of deserts that guests have to cut themselves, why not have deserts already on plates, lined up in rows? Cut strawberries, and and other fruits to line the plates while cake is stacked on top. While many guests wouldn't sample more than 5 or 6 almonds, having 2 on a desert plate would be a luxury that would be memorable. Sprucing up a buffet with simple cut garnishes can be one of the most memorable expressions that will make all the difference. People will be truly dazzled by these extra little touches.

Jordan Gold Almonds For Your Wedding Presentations - Foil Wrap - Gold, BUY IN BULK!  5 lbs

Wedding Serving Silver Finish Trays

Wedding Ideas From Tavara Merkki Org

Amazon.com Widgets

Feathered bird ornaments are a historical ornament dating back to colonial times before we had mass producing. Ornaments were made by hand in the primitive days out of what was available ( feathers) which were then used to adorn their homes and parties and [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas -Wedding Table Decor -Feathered Birds From A Beautiful Mess Blog

Feathered bird ornaments are a historical ornament dating back to colonial times before we had mass producing. Ornaments were made by hand in the primitive days out of what was available ( feathers) which were then used to adorn their homes and parties and celebrations. Bird replicas can be purchased today in a variety of birds, such as partridges, blue jays, peacocks, and doves.  White doves have been used at weddings for decades.  Their beautiful white color has always represented peace and unity.  The white Dove originated out of Gods word in Genesis when Noah released a dove. The dove returned with a branch signalling there was land to set foot on again.   Again, the dove was seen in Matthew in the bible when Yeshua (God) was baptised by John.  The heavens opened up and the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove.   Birds have been historically used in decoration though the centuries, because of their beauty and innocence.

Surprise your guests with doves on your wedding tables, or mixed into the arrangements.  These stunning birds can be used in both a summer or winter wedding.  There are a large variety of brightly colored birds, which can be incorporated into the decor bringing forth a variety of colors.  Pair yellow, orange and purple together for a brightly colored spring time wedding.  White feathered birds are stunning for a winter wedding.  Today you can find a variety of birds studded with light-catching crystals and beads which are adorned on these birds.  As the candles are lit, the birds will catch the light bringing a festive look for your evening reception.  Many of the birds can be  clipped on to the backs of chairs, or can be a great filler in small floral arrangements on the table.  Pair white, or silver encrusted birds with white winter flowers such as sweet alyssum, white snapdragons, or white narcissus.  Simple white birds can be decorated with white glitter which will really catch the candle light as the evening dinner is over and the sun sets.
These beautiful feathered bird ornaments are ideal for displaying in floral arrangements, garlands in the wedding ceremony or simply on the table as table decorations.  They can also be sporadically placed around food for an extra decor and touch of color.  The decorating possibilities are endless.

Stamps can be a perfect way of dressing up place settings, or directions to your wedding, and the best thing about them, is they cost next to nothing when you factor in how much ink costs compared to getting them professionally printed.  Love Birds Rubber Stamp

These feather birds are so delicately made, with an incrdible amount of detail.  Add a few different varieties to make up your english garden wedding.

Regal Purple Beaded Ornament

Feather Bird-Robin,

Feather Bird-Blue Bird,

 Feather Red Cardinal,

 Feather Eastern Bluebird,

American Goldfinch,

 Set of 12 Red Cardinals,

Feather Birds - Robin,

Feather Birds Eastern Bluebird

Red Birds Set of 2 

Pack of 2 Closed Tail Regal Peacock Feathered Bird
"Pack of 6 Elegant Snow White Beaded Ornaments 8

Amazon.com Widgets

Are you finding your wedding budget is almost to its max, yet your wedding decor looks rather empty? Extra large centerpieces can cost upwards up to $500 dollars a piece which would be out of the budget for most brides.  Consider tree centerpieces, which can [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas - Tree Centerpieces- From Graham and Green

Are you finding your wedding budget is almost to its max, yet your wedding decor looks rather empty? Extra large centerpieces can cost upwards up to $500 dollars a piece which would be out of the budget for most brides.  Consider tree centerpieces, which can create a dramatic presence without costing you a fortune.   Celebrity parties are known for their ultra glam interiors with are often decked out with thousands of dollars of floral arrangements, crystal chandeliers, and lavish furniture.  Often times people are wowed with the sheer amount of decorations they use, which also can be acheived with tree branches, natural or spray painted, and decked out with glass votives, mini white lights, or flowers.  Tall branches can add height to your reception and can go a long way to filling up a giagantic reception space.

Tree branches can be easily dressed up with spray paint.  The most luxurious look for tree branches would be either gold, silver or white for a wedding theme.  Rustoleums Bright Gold and Silver is the best spray paint on the market for a reasonable price point.

Graham and Green  creates an intimate setting by wrapping natural branches in white mini lights.   Mini lights with white wires might work nicer with white painted branches, which might disquise the electrical wiring that powers the lights.

Martha Stewart

White would be the ideal choice for a wedding and could be a great base for adding both crystals and pearls.  Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch Multi-Purpose Spray Paint is a paint I would highly reccomend.  It covers 2 times as much as a regular spray paint.  It costs close to 5 dollars so it is reccemended priming the branches with white paint by hand before using spray which will save you a ton of money.  Hand painting most of the branches to begin will build a white base allowing you to save the cost of additional spray paint.  Think of the spray paint as your final coat.  Your final coat can be either a satin, semigloss, or gloss.  Select the finish you are most attracted to.

Positioning a branch in a vase which it stays on its own can be a challenge.  You will need to find both a tall vase which can be filled up with heavy material and also beautiful enough to be a wedding centerpiece.

My best suggestion to hold your branch centerpieces would be the Asian Palace Porcelain Vase Urn Bowl Five Piece Set which sells for 14 dollars.  This set is one of the few ornate vases available on amazon within a reasonable price, but also rather tall, giving enough room to fill up your vase with heavy rocks, which will keep it from falling over.

Another close comparision is the Romantic Rose Tin Vases Set of 2 w/ Liners Floral.  It is not as high end, but would hold a very large tree, and still look very beautiful. 

When positioning the branch into the vase, fill in some heavy rocks and then anchor this mixture together with expandable foam .   My best suggestion when using this foam is to add a little bit of foam, and then rocks, and keep layering it one after another so the foam works like glue.  Adding the expanding foam at the end will only seal the vase, where as adding it as you go will allow everything to be glued together.  Expandable foam expands, so you will want to layer in the rocks to control the expanding so it doesn't get out of control.  Your foam will expand even more after it sets, so be sure to use the filling up to 75 percent of the vase.  If by chance the foam expands past the vase, you can chip it off with a knife, but it might be a good idea to place a garbage bag around the vase itself so any extra expanding foam would land on the garbage bag, which will make it easier to remove.

Another idea is to add concrete cement to your mixture.  I haven't tried filling up a vase with concrete, but does have some incentives, that being it will add even more weight to the centerpiece which will minimize any tipping if you plan on adding extra decorations to the tree later on.

The Asian Palace Porcelain Vase Urn Bowl Five Piece Set is featured on two different suppliers, one being Furniture Creations which sells the set for $46.67, and again with Furniture Creations at $13.63 .  I don't understand why they have such a dramatic price difference, but at this time, they have over 10 sets available.  With this set you are looking at 7 dollars per table just on the vase accessories.  The two large vases would be used for the tree branch centerpiece on each table, while one table can feature two tall mini vases with an orchid, and another table can have one bowls which can hold more flowers.  Not only does this set look very high end and expensive, it gives you a lot of opportunity to draw out some of the colors of the vase in selecting flowers that can be glued on to the branches.

One lady leaves her review saying she loved it!

This was bought as a gift for my sister in law, who loved them. The manufacturer packaging is crud so expect to have to contact the seller for replacement parts. The pieces are true to size, larger than I expected which was a nice surprise. Part of me was expecting small to medium sized vases with miniature counterparts, when it's actually a very nice large vase and urn, a nice small pair as well and a medium to large bowl. They are all marked "for decorative use only" which to me means it may contain lead or something so don't serve wine out of it (or let small children lick it repeatedly) More likely it just can't stand up to food acids or something. The painting is quite pretty and true to the picture. The ceramic itself if on the thick side and not very smooth to the touch. For ornamental pieces I think they do the trick.. and you can't beat the price... I think I got a very good deal. I didn't have any guilt in giving them as a gift, and my sister in law was impressed with her gift since she was sure it was over the dollar limit we had for gifts. At that, she didn't get the bowl. It broke in the original shipping box, and our gift exchange happened between then and getting the replacement. I'm holding that piece back for her B-day!

Another Review

Just received my 5 piece Asian Palace vase set today and they look great! It looks like they are all hand painted. Was expecting very thin type porcelain, but they are quite thick. Just can't beat the price! Wish they made more sets like this one so I can order another design!

You simply cannot beat this price, for such an ornate set.  Finding another vase which is quite beautiful while being able to hold a fair bit of rocks to center the tree is quite hard, so I think this 5 piece set does the job while adding extra pieces to your wedding table.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Hong Kong Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Singapore Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

Dollhouse Miniature Set of 5 Vases in Porcelain    US $5.99

5Pieces A Set Excellent Stunning Chinese Famille Porcelain Gilt Vase Dragon    US $1,885.00

Miniature Antique Asian Eggshell Thin Porcelain Vases, (5) Set- SALE    US $49.00

I also see plenty of this exact same set on ebay starting at 1 dollar.

Depending on your theme, you will want to either add light or color to your centerpieces.  Adding some light will create a stunning mood when the lights are turned down.  Everyone wants to dine by candlelight, and the best weddings are those which can create an intimate memorable setting.

It would be ideal to have the centerpiece that has both lights and flowers or crystals.  The best time to shop for christmas mini lights is after Christmas.  Ebay is the very best place to buy in bulk.  Often times manufactures will want to get rid of several boxes, so the more you can get for a lower price the better.  Keep your eye on ebay as it can present the best quanity for the lowest price point, or keep a look out on your local classifieds.  Craigslist is one of my favorite places to look for discounted materials, so don't be afraid to post a "wanted- YOUR Christmas lights"  You can always purchase replacement white bulbs to exchange out the colored ones with.

Ever Glow as a set of 100 lights for only 6 dollars.

You may also want to check out Decorating with Mini-Lights: 40 Sparkling Ideas & Projects for Home & Garden .  Much more economical, safer than candles, mini lights produce beautiful effects indoors and out.  The ideas range from traditional white to colored ideas.

Another brilliant idea is to use tealights in glass holders.

Formally called Votives, they can hold your candles while reducing the risk of fire.

My favorite choices are:

1.  The simple and elegant set of 4 Hanging Votive Holder Set for $27 dollars

As you can see in the Frosted set of three Votive Holders from Danya, the wire could be made on your own, if you find a whole sale lot of deep candle glass holders.  The only stipulation to making them on your own would be finding heavy duty wire that will not sag with the weight of the candle, and finding a candle that would feature a lip in order for the wire not to fall off.

Quick Candles has a lot of  72 candles priced at 32 dollars which has a lip in the glass where the wire could hold on.   You will have to decide if the savings is worth the time invested in creating the wiring.

Hanging crystals and crystal garlands, is another way of brightening up your centerpiece while adding elegance to your wedding.  Diamond Party Confetti features acrylic crystals on strings which can be draped though your tree centerpieces.  Chandelier Prisms would also work on these trees, and can be bought in lots off of ebay.

Chinese exotic florals would be a beautiful choice for a colorful summer wedding, while oversized white peonies would add a very unique look simular to an English garden.  Small delicate white flowers can be hot glued on to the branches creating a very delicate look to your centerpieces.  Artificial butterflies in striking colors can add a bit of interest, while white birds can add an elegant touch to your surroundings.  With white branches, consider a light dusting of white glitter which will give an over all look of shimmer without overdoing it.

Natural Wedding Decor Ideas - Picture From The Style Saloniste

Beautiful Wedding Ideas From The Style Saloniste

Amazon.com Widgets

Many first time brides very much realize that their wedding day will be one of the most important days of their lives, but since they have never gotten married before, many of them have no idea how to actually make their wedding day truly unique and [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas - Christian Oth Photography

Many first time brides very much realize that their wedding day will be one of the most important days of their lives, but since they have never gotten married before, many of them have no idea how to actually make their wedding day truly unique and special.  The truth is that it takes a lot of creativity and hard work.  It pays to get tips and advice from brides who have been there and done that.  Thankfully, thanks to the Internet, it is not hard to find memorable wedding ideas and guides that will help you pull off your dream wedding.  In fact, we have collected quite a few tips, ideas and guides that we think will be very helpful for any bride.

The truth is that planning a wedding can be absolutely overwhelming and it is easy to overlook some important areas that could make a huge difference in your wedding experience.  The following are 10 key areas to consider when planning your dream wedding....

#1) The Engagement Ring

When you first get engaged, everyone is going to want to see the ring.  So don't go boring.  There are a lot of dazzling modern styles that can set your engagement ring apart from all the others, or if you want to do something truly unique you might want to wear an antique engagement ring.

#2) The Engagement Announcement

Most couples really overlook this area.  In fact, many couples end up announcing their engagement to their families and friends in the most boring and unceremonious of ways.  You don't want to announced your engagement on Facebook.  Choosing just the right moment to announce your engagement can really make a huge difference and can really set the tone for your engagement period.

#3) The Location For The Ceremony

Do you really want to get married at city hall or in some local church that you don't even attend?  Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and so you will want to choose a location for the wedding that is unforgettable.

# 4) The Timing Of The Ceremony

Holding the wedding on a holiday or on a day that holds special significance for you or for your family can give a wedding ceremony a really festive feel.

#5) The Wedding Dress

Do you really want to wear a dress that you purchased at a department store during your ceremony?  This is a once in a lifetime event.  Don't be afraid to invest in a designer wedding dress for your wedding.  This is one day that you will never get back again, and you will always remember the dress that you wore on that day.

#6) The Wedding Jewelry

An increasing number of brides are wearing a wedding tiara during their ceremonies.  Choosing a jewelry piece such as a tiara can really help you achieve a formal, elegant look on your wedding day.

#7) The Wedding Vows

Do you really want to repeat the same words that every other couple has uttered?  Look for ways to inject your own personality into the vows that you will exchange with your partner.

#8) The Wedding Songs

The music played during a wedding ceremony and during a wedding reception sets the whole tone for the day.  They are songs that will stay with your forever.  So it is absolutely imperative that you put a lot of thought into picking out just the right music for your special day.

#9) The Reception

The reception is often referred to as the "fun" part of the wedding.  In reality, it is an opportunity to throw a party that nobody will ever forget.  But there are a million things that can go wrong with a reception.  In fact, if you can afford it, a wedding professional can be extremely helpful with planning a reception.  A perfectly planned and executed reception is something that you and your guests will remember for a lifetime.

#10) Wedding Dances

Dance has always been an important part of wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions, but in this decade couples have been taking creativity when it comes to wedding dances to entirely new heights.  Don't be afraid to inject your creative spirit into your wedding dances.

1. Pick out music to be played while guests [...]]]> Music is always the best way to put people at ease and create memories that will last. Here are 16 Wedding Song considerations for your wedding. Each and every part of the wedding is different, and music can signal a reaction or an emotion for each part.

1. Pick out music to be played while guests are being seated

2. Pick out music to be played as the groomsmen & bridesmaids make their way to the front

3. Pick out music to be played as the bride walks up the aisle

4. Pick out music to be played after being pronounced man and wife, & the couple leave the altar

5. Pick out music to be played as people arrive at your wedding reception. Outside or inside the reception

6. Pick out music to be played as you arrive as a couple at the reception.

7. Pick out music to be played as your guests are eating dinner

8. Pick out music to be played at your first dance - as the newly married couple

9. Pick out music to be played at the mother/son dance - usually right after the first dance

10. Pick out music to be played at the father/daughter dance - optional, although many couples now include this as well

11. Pick out music to be played at your cake cutting - soft background music

12. Pick out music to be played at your bouquet toss - lively tune,

13. Pick out music to be played at the garter toss - lively or sexy tune while groom removes the garter and tosses it
dance music - a good variety of music

14. Pick out music to be played at the last dance - before you depart the reception

15 Pick out music to be played for the rest of the night for your guests.

16 Pick out music to be played for winding down your party at the end of the night signaling for guests that the wedding is over

A Day to Remember - Instrumental Music for Your Wedding Day

The Knot Collection of Ceremony and Wedding Music Selected by the Knot's Carley Roney

Wedding Songs

Modern Bride Presents the Wedding Album

A Bride's Guide to Wedding Music

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music

Acoustic Wedding

No. 1 Wedding Album

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music, Vol. II

Wedding Music, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Songs, Bride Music

Wedding Songs

Ultimate Wedding Songs

Ultimate Love Songs: Vision of Love

The Look of Love

Wedding Ideas - Buffet Table Settings

Wedding Ideas - Formal Table Settings

Your guests will be spending a good part of their time at the table talking with other guests, so spending some serious thought and effort into designing the table settings is very important. The flowers, the decor [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas - Buffet Table Settings

Wedding Ideas - Buffet Table Settings

Wedding Ideas - Formal Table Settings

Your guests will be spending a good part of their time at the table talking with other guests, so spending some serious thought and effort into designing the table settings is very important. The flowers, the decor and the dinnerware are all very important. In addition, candlelight can really set the mood for your guests. Also, a very beautiful tablecloth can make the dinner much more classy. There are many ways that you can make your dinner tables truly unique, and in this article we point out some practical tips to keep in mind while decorating them.

Tip 1

The placement of utensils is guided by the menu. The idea is you use utensils in an “outside in” order.

Tip 2

Knife blades are always placed with the cutting edge toward the plate

Tip 3
Knives are always to the right, and forks are always to the left.

Tip 4
Dessert spoons and forks are brought in on the dessert plate just before dessert is served. If you are serving a buffet, consider using a charger plate at your tables.
Tip 5

Be sure to give people enough room when deciding on seating arrangements. People do need their own personal space, as well as have enough space for their elbows to move. Being crowded can make your guests feel very uncomfortable while attending your wedding.

Tip 6

Tips for your Buffet- Flatware and napkins should be the final items to be picked up. Napkins rolled around flatware simplify things. Consider setting up beverages at a separate table. Meats should be pre-sliced. Guests have one hand to work while going through the buffet. When you are offering salads to your guests, place the salad dressing with a ladle, for easy pouring. Pedestal plates are a great way to give the buffet table height and dimension. You can feature beautiful desserts, or pre-cut meat.

It seems as though brides are always looking for unique decorating ideas for their wedding receptions.  One decorating idea that can a lot of flair to your wedding reception is to add fruit topiary to your decorating plan.  One of the best things about topiaries is that you [...]]]>

Wedding Reception Decorations Fruit Topiaries From HGTV

It seems as though brides are always looking for unique decorating ideas for their wedding receptions.  One decorating idea that can a lot of flair to your wedding reception is to add fruit topiary to your decorating plan.  One of the best things about topiaries is that you can buy fake flowers, or fake fruit, and you can make them up months before your wedding begins.  Considering that there are so many things that you can't do until the last minute for your wedding, it is good to have something that you can create and get out of the way months in advance.
Topiaries can be used to create a sense of height on your tables.  In addition, a dessert topiary can add color and ornate detail to your dinner tables or to your dinner buffet.

Preserved Boxwood Double Ball 20"

24" Pre-Lit White Berry Double Ball Topiary Tree With Clear Lights

So how do you create a topiary?

1.Start with an urn or a pot which you think would fit in with your decor. Securely place your styrofoam or floral foam cone into the pot.  Make sure the foam is firmly placed in the container.

2. If you are using real flowers, inset the flowers into a wet floral cone.  You will want to wet the cone before fitting the cone into the pot or urn.

3. Arrange the flowers or fruit into the cone.  You can use toothpicks for fruit, or you can glue your fake flowers on with using a hot glue gun, leaving as little space as possible between each piece. After totally covering the Styrofoam cone,  insert “fillers” in the gaps between the flowers or nuts. You can use what ever matchs the particular flower or fruit, such as ivy garland, dried or fresh moss, or other materials.

Wedding Reception Decorations: Fruit Topiaries

Wedding Ideas- Martha Stewart Wedding Cupcakes

Amazon.com Widgets

One of the hot trends in wedding desserts right now is the cupcake.  Seriously!  Long neglected in favor or the more traditional wedding cake, wedding cupcakes are now making a big comeback.  In fact, some large weddings are featuring a [...]]]>

Wedding Ideas -Martha Stewart Wedding Cupcakes

Wedding Ideas- Martha Stewart Wedding Cupcakes

One of the hot trends in wedding desserts right now is the cupcake.  Seriously!  Long neglected in favor or the more traditional wedding cake, wedding cupcakes are now making a big comeback.  In fact, some large weddings are featuring a wedding cake and wedding cupcakes together.  Wedding cupcakes range from the very extravagant to the very simple.  Some brides are choosing them to add a touch of elegance to their wedding, while others are choosing them as a cheaper and simpler alternative.  In any event, wedding cupcakes are here to stay, and in this article we discuss some of the top tips for making wedding cupcakes a success.

1. Ingredients count for more than you think.  Be sure to pick out a good recipe.  Picking cheap flour or using a cheap tasting frosting can ruin the taste.  Test out a batch first before you bake 200 cupcakes.

(Picture Martha Stewart)

2. When measuring your dry ingredients such as flour, sift it first. Even if you're using a cake mix, sift it from the box into the bowl. Sifting makes the batter looser and easier to mix

3. All the ingredients (except milk) should be at room temperature. This makes it easier to mix together.

4. When mixing the batter, make sure to mix well. But, don't over-mix. Believe it or not, over-mixing can actually "damage" the batter and make the cupcakes chewy and taste a little flat.

5. To create truly moist, melt in your mouth cupcakes, try adding some pudding to the batter. Or something a little different- (a moist taste with tang), use a little cream cheese.  For any recipe, use about a 1/2 cup for any  recipe.

6. When you are pouring the batter, fill the cupcake to  2/3 of the cup. If you overfill the cupcake, you will burn the top, or they will turn out slightly uncooked in the middle. Filling the cup to 1/2 full could cause the cupcake to burn as well.

7. Always pre-heat your oven. Not pre-heating your oven to a specific temperature can make the sweets flat, dry, and unevenly cooked.

8. Don't add frosting until the cakes are fully cool. Icing the cake before they cool will just melt the icing.

9.  Another Unique and Interesting idea is to full the cups half way with batter and then fill it with berries, nuts, chocolate chips, then adding batter on top.

Wedding Ideas -Martha Stewart Wedding Cupcakes

10. You can buy specialty cupcake shapes other than round.

11.  Make sure the Frosting and the cake go together. An  apple spice cake with caramel frosting could be very surprising.

12.  Consider Frosting In the centre.  Combining Chocolate in the middle and Vanilla on top could be a big surprise!

Are you expected to give a toast at a wedding?

Here are a few tips that will allow you to get through the speech with ease.

Are you expected to give a toast at a wedding?

Here are a few tips that will allow you to get through the speech with ease.

WHAT SHALL I SAY?

Before you begin writing - Write out a few notes on the couple.

People always enjoy good story to listen to.  Be classy, and always make the couple look great before their friends family and boss.  Don't bring up stories of their night at the bar and spending the night in the bathroom. Some thoughts could include great qualities the couple display in their relationship, how they met, how you know them, their personalities, their happiness.

Once you have some basic reference points, you want to put it into an outline.

Start off by introducing yourself.  This gives guests a point of reference as to who you are in relationship to the bride and groom.  Then you can comment on the occasion. "We're so happy to be here for this joyous occasion." " This has been a day all of us have been looking forward to as soon as Brad and Jennifer met" " Today is a day that you will always remember Brad and Jennifer"

Next, work your way into a funny story or memory about the bride or groom .

Next:

Give your thoughts on love and marriage tell the story of how the couple met - (Whatever you brainstormed before piecing this part together)

Wrap up with a wish, toast, or blessing for the bride and groom. Then raise your glass with a congratulations, cheers, or whatever is most appropriate.

Along with writing the speech, there are also some helpful hints to keep in mind.  things you

QUICK TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND

Write your speech on index cards. They are less distracting than paper, but be sure to number the cards in case they get shuffled around.

Consider using index cards to reference to.  I wouldn't suggest reading it word for word, but general points that will recall what you are meaning to say. (If the speech is long, index cards that are numbered could be helpful) Are your hands shaking? Clasp them in front of you or behind your back or simply hold onto something (like your index cards).

Practice. If you practice out loud, your brain commits it to memory.  It will be a breeze doing it in public when you have rehearsed it out loud several times.

Stand up straight, look confident and make eye contact. Even if you're nervous, it's less likely to show if your body language doesn't give you away.

Speak slowly and clearly. When you take your time, you seem less nervous.  You come across as though you are a pro, than whistling through your speech.

Be sincere. It's an honor to be chosen by the bride and groom to give a speech.

TIPS OF WHAT NOT TO DO

Drink too much before speaking. When you drink you slur your words, even with the smallest alcohol.  You do not want to come across looking drunk.

Talk too long. Nobody wants to hear you ramble, but they will like to hear interesting details or quick stories.

Use humor in poor taste. Avoid stories about ex boyfriends, ex girl friends ect.  Keep your stories tasteful for children and grandmothers who may be in the audience.

Don't bash marriage.  It is a poor tasteless joke.  I once went to three weddings in a row, where one after another they made jokes about the wife ruling the household, and chains on the husband... "this is the last time you get the upper hand Brad" ect ect ect.  Lift up marriage.  I tell you, everyone has heard many of these jokes 50 times or more, don't be another joke half laughed at.

Practice your speech and talk with sincerity, AND you will give a heart felt speech that will be remembered.

Wedding Speech By You Didn't Did You Flicker

This Beautiful picture is from You Didn't Did You? Flicker Stream