we're loving...wine tags!

We love these cute and personalized wine tags! These would be perfect for a bottle of wine for holiday hosts...but also as gifts for the wedding party, rehearsal dinner or others. This way you can keep the original wine bottle label intact and also have a customized look & perfect gift.

Love them!

Check them all out at bailey bea's website!

more than cake for dessert!

Today…Kelley, the fabulous love, lillian intern is sharing with us some great sweet treats and ideas for couples with a sweet tooth!

Think outside of cake to all of these delicious ideas!

Start off with personalized Candy Bags...an easy way to create wedding favors! Put your names on treat bags and let your guests fill them with their choice of tasty treats.
Check out Bliss Wedding Market for the bags above, or one of our favorites, Beau-Coup. They have many different packaging options. Beau-Coup has some great sticker labels that can be customized, and Martha Stewart Weddings has some label options as well, search under DIY.

Log onto mymms.com to personalize your candy! A creative touch for any occasion…they can be personalized with colors and text. Also, Candy Warehouse & Candy Direct are 2 great online sites to get candy...think any color, any favorite childhood treat and more!

{Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings}

Who can resist a delicious array of gourmet cookies? Don’t limit your sweet tooth on your special day! We love the idea of using family recipes or family favorites, as pictured above.

Can’t decide on just one or two dessert options? Create an assortment of your favorites…sure to be a hit with the guests!

Appetizers aren't the only thing that could be "mini"...add different flavors of mini pies for unique finger foods during desert!

Are you looking to “wow” your guests at the reception? Allow them to create their own dessert with an ice cream bar. Or have a member of the catering staff make coke or root beer floats! Yum!

gift registries...

I've found myself coming across unique gift registries here lately...of course there is always the fabulous crate & barrel, restoration hardware, macy's, target, and more...but some couples might have everything they need to start their life together...

A unique gift registry might be a good option...here are some options that I have come across lately:

Locally:
The IMA in Indianapolis
They have a gift shop that has a wide array of items, and they've started a gift registry!
Some great gift ideas, jewlery, hostess gifts, holiday presents, and more as well.

Different Drummer in Bloomington
Most people in Bloomington are aware of the Different Drummer, the cute little shop just off of College Mall Rd. They have started a gift registry program as well...cute home accessories and more await...

Other online options for different types of gifts:
Donations...
Many couples are couples are choosing not to give favors at their wedding reception, but are instead choosing to give a donation in honor of each guest.
Charity Gift Certificates, gives couples options, as well guests to donate in the couple's honor
Most specific charities have similar giving options as well.
The IDoFoundation also does this...

For the honeymoon...
Honeymoon Wishes...this website is a service that allows you to register for pieces of your honeymoon or destination wedding and guests can purchase them for you (a masssage, champagne, a night on the town, a romantic dinner, car rental, etc).

Send Us Off...this site has a similar idea to Honeymoon Wishes, but it can provide more "outings" and things for you to experience together such as a hot air balloon ride, a guided tour, riding a camel, etc.

You can also consider unusual registries...such at local nursery for plants, trees, and shrubs for a new home or art at a local gallery. Likely, many places wont have registry programs in place, but many will work with you to set something up for you and your guests.

Happy Planning!

A Summer Sale

Beau-Coup, one of my favorite places for tags, boxes, and other items is having a sale! 10% off of an order of $75 or more, but it ends Friday, May 15 at midnight. Enter SUMMERSALE at check-out.

They have some great favors and gifts for this summer:
--BBQ sauce in a jar with a personalized label
--Personalized tote bags
--Monogrammed Petit Fours
--Personalized Cosmetic Bags

And my favorite gift tags, labels, favor boxes and mini-candy jars.
Check it out quick!

Favors: the icing on the cake?

I’m often asked about trends in favors, good resources, or ideas for favors. I think the most important thing to remember is—don’t have favors just to have favors at your reception. They are not a “must have”! A favor should be something meaningful to the couple (think tree seedlings, a donation in guests honor to a meaningful charity, etc.) or perhaps something edible. More and more couples are doing some type of sweet treat late in the night or for guests to take home. You’re giving your guests something yummy to take home with them and not cluttering their life with something they can never use.

Candy buffets have become more and more popular over the past few years—they could be color themed (all white candy for example), include your favorite candy (a good friend of mine’s fiancé loves chewy runts, the perfect start to their candy bar), or nostalgic candy. They are also visually appealing and fun at receptions. Check out this good blog on candy buffets: http://www.favorideas.com/wedding-blog/candy-buffet-ideas/

I also love homemade treats, or having a baker utilize a favorite family recipe to bake cookies, scones, or dessert bars. These treats perfectly packaged with a short and sweet thank you note could be the perfect ending to your perfect day.

Other edible ideas:
Small cupcakes from your baker, chocolate covered coffee beans or small bags of your favorite coffee, or think local. What’s locally popular? Pizza Express breadsticks in Bloomington, jam from Dillman Farms, or chocolates from the Blu Boys. Or are you a gourmet cook or a foodie? What about olive oil with a custom label. Having a fall wedding? What about caramel apples or mini-loaves of pumpkin bread or muffins? the possibilities really are endless. What do you and your fiance love? Start there.

Some good websites:
www.beau-coup.com {I LOVE this site, so many great packaging options and beautiful tags and labels.}
www.marthastewartweddings.com {They have a great feature on favor packaging. Search: “Favors: Think Outside the Box”}
http://stuck.bigcartel.com {Beautiful labels that you can print from your home computer, and you don’t have to order 100 of the same, these could be customized for a candy buffet, a late night treats bar, welcome packages, etc! Their website also has the label templates to download.}

Good candy websites:
www.candywarehouse.com
www.groovycandies.com
www.candyfavorites.com
www.plushpuffs.com {for gourmet marshmallows!}
www.madmacnyc.com {French macaroons! Or try Blu Boy Chocolates in Bloomington for local macaroons!}
http://amyatlas.com/index.php/main/portfolio/ {for all of the candy buffet inspiration you’ll ever need!}

And lastly, I happened upon these cute labels and idea from Betsy White, a great stationary company. Another perfect packaging idea.

I’d love to talk with you about your favor ideas or designing the perfect candy buffet or desert bar for your special event.
xoxo,
Tricia