Invitation Rivalry from Sincerely Yours

In the spirit of the big game this weekend between the Arkansas Razorbacks and LSU Tigers, I thought this post was fitting!

Amy Hannon of Sincerely Yours Paper, Inc created a fantastic invitation for a bride's rehearsal dinner this past weekend. They had a tailgate themed dinner and because half of the guests are LSU fans and the other half Razorback fans, she designed a two sided invitation that is perfection!
It conveys the fun atmosphere of a tailgate party and relays instructions for the guests to come dressed in their team colors. These invitations were designed with clever wording and a fun design.

If you're looking for something in this style for a rehearsal dinner or for any party, give Amy @ Sincerely Yours a call!

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

Lydia and Joshua are turning 3! And to celebrate, we threw an amazing Where the Wild Things Are party based on the children's book by Maurice Sendak.

To keep the party from being cheesy, we gathered inspiration from the book rather than taking everything directly from it. To accomplish this, we used a jungle background for the invitations and took fonts and quotes straight out of the book. We also used lots of animal prints in the decor and created a jungle like feeling by bringing in trees and plants and draping streamers adorned with fabric leaves over the doorways. It was a truly magical party!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day:

The popcorn bar was a huge hit! We made the display of treat cones trimmed with fabric and ribbon. The kids added to their popcorn a variety of toppings, including M&Ms, caramel, melted butter, grated cheese, and much more!
For a DIY tutorial on the cones, go to our previous post.

The children listened to the classic story at the beginning of the party.

They were each given a paper mask to make them a Wild Thing for the day! "They roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth!"
*Comment with your email address if you'd like the template for these masks.

The adorable Wild Thing Cake from Confectionately Yours.

Along with this Where the Wild Things Are coloring book, each guest took home Hershey Bars with custom "I'll eat you up. I love you so" wrappers.

The kids also played "Pin the Tail On Max" using a fantastic felt display complete with a hand drawn Max and fur tail.

The party was a huge success. The birthday girl and birthday boy wore their very own fur trimmed crowns and fur tails as they ruled over all of the Wild Things for the day! Their friends loved the story and had a great time pinning the tail on Max. It could not have been any more adorable!

To see more pictures from the party, go to the gallery on our website.

"Just Married"

Some of the best photos of the night come from the bride and groom's get away. To make these really special, don't forget the "just married" sign.
For this, there are countless options! Here are a few great examples from Green Wedding Shoes...
Or you can opt for the window decal (Kinko's/FedEx Office makes these for a very good price) which is always elegant:
If you'd like to make your own to go along with your wedding decor, Kelly from Santa Barbara Chic has just posted her "how to" for a simple, but beautiful design.

Instructions:
1. Use the same paper that is used in paper products throughout the wedding, and a ribbon that coordinates with the wedding colors.
2. Simply print one large letter per sheet in the font used for invitations, programs, or monograms.
- the size is up to you, we suggest 5 x 8 inches.
3. Using an x-acto knife, cut a slit approximately 1/2 an inch down from the top and 1/2 an inch from each side.
-The slit should be the same length as the chosen ribbon is wide.
4. Slide each letter onto the ribbon until all are in place.
5. Affix to car.

And, finito....
A classy "just married" sign that fits in perfectly with the rest of your wedding decor!

New Gallery Added: Yuhan & Chris

Thank you to Lori Sparkman for the beautiful images of Yuhan & Chris's October wedding. I've just added their gallery to our website, and you must go look at this beautiful bride!
Here are a few of my favorite photos from the wedding of Yuhan & Chris:

the beautiful Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Conway

My absolute favorite of all of the day's photographs. I love the soft light, the beautiful shapes, the blurry reflection, the black & white. This image is perfection!!

The bride and her father walking down the aisle with the gorgeous vaulted ceiling above.

These sweet moments during the ceremony are priceless.

To honor the bride's heritage, Yuhan & Chris had a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony during their reception. This is the beautiful flowering tea.

For more photos of this gorgeous day, visit our website. And for more information about Yuhan & Chris's vendors and details of their day, check out the previous blog post about their wedding.

Thanks again to Lori Sparkman Photography for the beautiful images!

Invite the President to your wedding!

This fun post comes courtesy of Amy Hannon of Sincerely Yours Paper Inc. She suggests that you invite the President and First Lady to your wedding and I absolutely adore the idea!
No, the Obamas probably will not attend the wedding, but you will receive an official certificate of response from the White House which is a wonderful keepsake! Read Amy's blog post for all of the details on addressing the invitation.

If you haven't chosen your wedding invitation and other paper essentials yet, you should definitely give Sincerely Yours a call. She's incredible!

Alli & Ben's Boston Engagement Session

Finishing Touch will be coordinating Alli & Ben's fall 2010 wedding in Eureka Springs and we couldn't be more excited about it! This Boston couple recently had their engagement photos shot by the amazingly talented Zac Wolf. Here are 2 of my favorites!
Such a great couple! Congratulations again to you both!

....A Very Important Date...

I am head over heels for this fabulous Save the Date! It is perfect for the couple with a sense of playfulness, and your guests will adore it.

via Grey Likes Weddings

The bride's attire is adorable, the clock is perfection, and the white rabbit is genius! I cannot say enough amazing things about this Save the Date! It is a must for anyone building their wedding around an Alice in Wonderland theme.

Meet Ashley & John

As the leaves are changing, so many of our couples are having their engagement photos done. And today I have one more stunning shoot by Benfield Photography to show you...

Ashley and John were friends throughout high school. They started dating during college in Dallas, Texas and eventually broke up, but never fell out of love. In a grand romantic gesture, John proposed to Ashley several months ago (with an incredible ring I might add) while they were not yet back together. She said yes and they've been planning an incredible wedding ever since!

The elegant, romantic wedding in March will be at the downtown Convention Center in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Approximately 600 guests will watch them take their vows in a candle lit ceremony. Then its on to the reception where they will enjoy wine from Ashley's family's winery, dinner, a fabulous band, and much much more!

I love it when the bride and groom have fun! It's so refreshing.

These photos were taken by the amazing Benfield Photography of Fayetteville, Arkansas at the Mount Bethel Winery Vineyards in Altus, Arkansas.
To see more gorgeous photos of Ashley and John, check out the Benfield blog.

Meet Tyler & Kevin

Tyler & Kevin were high school sweethearts. They've known each other their whole lives and after being together for as long as either of them can remember - through the teenage years, high school, love ones lost, and college - they're finally tying the knot!
Finishing Touch is planning a fabulous Vintage Goth (think lots of black and purple accented with vintage lace...gorgeous) wedding for Tyler and Kevin in the couples home town of Greenwood, Arkansas in May 2010. While we cannot wait to see the wedding photos, the fabulous Melissa McCrotty Photography, out of Russelville, Arkansas, has just given us a little fix to hold us over: their amazing engagement photos, shot in downtown Conway, AR...

I'm crazy about the sweet expression on his face.

Talk about dynamic light!

This shot has a sort of vintage, magazine photo feel to it.

And this is my favorite of all! They both look so happy. And you've gotta love the globe lighting in the background.

Congratulations again to Tyler & Kevin on their upcoming marriage! We cannot wait to see the details all come together.
To see more of their engagement photos, check out Melissa McCrotty's blog.

Michelle's Bridal Portrait Bouquet

I've been working on Michelle's bridal portrait bouquet this morning and am thrilled with the finished product! We met this morning at Tipton & Hurst to choose the blooms she wanted to use. And I brought them home and immediately began work.

Materials:
12 pink & white bicolor roses
10 stems green hypericum berries
green floral tape
eggplant fabric used throughout the wedding decor (for wrap)
10 pearl headed straight pens

I think it turned out beautifully! Hopefully Michelle likes it as much as I do.

Finishing Touch will also be doing the flowers for Michelle's wedding in February. Stay tuned for the beautiful designs!

Meet Lauren & Ryan

Lauren & Ryan are getting married on January 2nd in Little Rock. They are an amazing couple who is always laughing. We've been working tirelessly to create a European vintage wedding that will blow everyone away! Until then...Eli Murray has just shot their fabulous engagement pictures and here's a sneak peak.
For more from their engagement session, check out Eli Murray's blog.

Money Saver: Dessert Receptions

With most people pinching pennies these days, having the wedding of your dreams can be difficult. I'm constantly looking for economical suggestions and have found a great one from Little White Book.
They suggest throwing a cocktails and desserts reception in the early afternoon and I absolutely love the idea! The desserts and cocktails are everyone's favorite treat anyway, so why not focus on a fabulous spread of these items? You'll save money and your guests will love it!

This is the perfect opportunity to check out your dessert bar skills a la Amy Atlas! For inspiration, see examples of her work here, here, and here.

Ring, Ring, Ring

I'm on a roll finding adorable ring shots lately! And this is no exception. Billy Balls (aka crespedia) are becoming more and more popular with brides looking for a playful feeling in their wedding. This photographer simply put the rings on 3 of these round blooms for a beautiful effect!
Remember to tell your photographer if you're hoping for a unique ring shot. They'll keep their eyes peeled for the perfect set up.

Inspiration: Ultra Luxe New York Wedding

One of my favorite wedding blogs, Lolliblog, has recently posted this fabulously chic New York City wedding. It is literally drool-worthy! Enjoy the inspiration...

all photos by Luna Photo of San Diego, CA

Obviously, the lighting has transformed this space and taken it from beautiful, to breath-taking! For more photos from this ultra luxe wedding, check out Lolliblog.

Ahhh... Henna.

I absolutely love Indian weddings and this is the main reason...Henna.

via Rock 'n Roll Bride.

What a beautiful tradition?! It is so elaborate and intricate and takes hours upon hours to apply. But the result, is more than worth the time. The Indian bride is truly a work of art!

Many brides now are having Indian themed weddings without a true Indian heritage. This photo is fabulous inspiration! Just from looking at this photo, I see red drapery, hanging lanterns, lots of gold and beaded accents. Gorgeous!