The color of a wedding dress can give direct insight on the cultural influences of the bride (or groom). In Western cultures, white is the standard color is white. While in China, India and Vietnam the wedding dress is often red, to represent good luck. Before the white fad, brides would wear their Sunday best to the alter. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria was married in a white dress in 1894, making white an option that was not yet considered. The color white was (and is for me) an impractical color and reserved for the elite. Or if a white dress was purchased, it was often dyed to another color after the wedding for more practical reasons.

If you decide to add some color to your dress, be forewarned, you may have some naysayers and traditionalists who are quick to give their opinion.

Branch Out: Increase the drama of the dress by adding a long olive green sash that trails behind. A cuff neckline is the only detail in this simple a-line dress. {David’s Bridal; $349}

Green With Envy:  Stop & drop traffic with a bold and bright halter ball gown in citrus. Dropped waistline is accented with silk satin ruching. {Peter Langner; $3000+}

Au Natural: Unbleached silk chiffon and organic cotton flows naturally on the body. Handmade floral accents the waist and the bubble hem. {Thread Head; $699}

Grass Is Always Greener: V-neckline conforms to the bodice and torso. The revealing back shows off nature’s best feature. {Tara Keely; $1400}

Tulliciously Green: Sweet tulle confection peeks from under the hand tucked skirt. Pleated bodice and springy green sash places an emphasis on the natural waist. {Vera Wang; $4300}

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Colors: pink, orange and pops of lime
Theme: youthful, modern and fun

Top Row: Fluffy Pink Ranunculus Boutonniere; Personalized Jones Soda; Short Silk Bridesmaid Dresses
Middle Row: Rock Candy Decor; Tiered Cake, Groomsmen Ties
Bottom Row: Low key centerpieces; Balloons; Poppies and Grass

Does the rock candy bring you back to your childhood? How about the giant balloons? To create a “ceiling” for the outdoor space, adding balloons will help make an outdoor space feel more intimate. The personalized soda labels are a great way to add a peronal touch to a favor. This can also serve as a escort card. If you don’t want to pay for the customized price, create your own labels, print and adhere with Zots.

These options are a fresh way to bring back elements of your childhood without making it look like a birthday party.

Cheers!

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Colors: olive, cream and brown
Theme: natural and earthy

Table numbers; Floral; Bridesmaid dress; Chocolate Cake; Moss Monogram; Hair Accessory; Wooden Bowls; Invitations; Truffle Favors; DIY Centerpieces

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As mentioned before, the weather was HOT. We invested in a covered cabana in a neutral hue so it can be used for future events. Originally, I was planning on making my own cabana, but I couldn’t stand being outside for more than a few minutes (car to house, house to car etc). Pink chiffon curtains were strung in the background to create a whimsical environment. The curtains fluttered in the cool breeze. Pink, lime green and zebra print paper lanterns were hung around the cabana.

Mmmm. Cake. Vegan Chocolate cupcakes (mini and regular) were featured on my favorite cake plate. A giant round pastry tip help create the perfect mounds of cream cheese frosting. Zebra print cupcake wrappers were used.

The food menu was simple and fresh.

Roasted Vegetable Paninis with goat cheese
Wild Mushroom Crostini
Mini Caprese skewers
Crudite platter: carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, cucumbers
hummus and pan fried onion dip
Spinach Salad in frico cups

Local cherries and strawberries

Cupcake pops (not picture, since they were not as pretty as Bakerella).

A diaper cake made of natural and organic fibers was placed on the gift table. More lanterns flanked the table. Giant wooden letters spelled the baby’s name. Ribbon was tied on the back, so the letters could be used in the bedroom if the parents wished. A zebra onsie for newborns (purchased from Etsy) was a cute reminder of how big Mia will be when she is born. Awww.

Side note: A DIY diaper cake tutorial will be coming soon!

There were laughs all around. We only played one game, which was appreciated by everyone. The game was Famous Babies. Match the famous baby (Brad Pitt, Princess Diana, the new parents, etc) to the picture. Before the shower, I did a test run on my husband and he guested the dad was Kate Hudson. Too cute. The last picture is the mother-to-be and me.

Money Saving Tips: Renting tables and chairs can be costly. Since most rental companies let you rent from Thursday-Monday, share the resources. Weddings are held on all days. Find a local bride and split the costs.

Cheers to the new parents!! Mia should be coming any day now. For everyone else, I hope you enjoyed the recap. Now on to the next event! A wedding in October in Omaha, Nebraska.

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If you don’t remember the original post, be sure to click here for my party inspiration and mood board. This post kept me on track with my ideas and guided me through the process. If you want a free mood board or detailed mood board: Head here! The next few posts will reflect on the party and go through the details as I originally planned.

The party was held outside in the backyard. The weather in Portland (a few days earlier) almost beat our record (of 107 degrees). It was 106 degrees. It was unbelievably hot. All I could do is pray and do a cool weather dance in hopes the weather would cool down, so our guests wouldn’t cook in the sun. I made sure the drink station was continuously stocked with ice cold beverages and ice.

Paper lanterns are from Luna Bazaar and the mini pom pom garland is from my Etsy shop.

Watermelon Cooler (1 whole seedless watermelon, 1/2 cup of water, juice of 2 limes, blend until frothy), stir before serving.

The Beverage Dispenser (Amazon) housed the ice water with sliced limes, ready to quench the guests thirst.

Stemless wine glasses were from World Market and the beverage tubs were from Target. The two tubs held color coordinated drinks (Pink drinks: Juice Squeeze and Fuzes; Green Drinks: green tea, Jamaican ginger beer and Peregrino).

Chocolate kisses and hugs were placed in mini favor boxes with shredded lime paper and wrapped with zebra wrapping paper and finished with monogram tags. Thanks for my Cricut for the letters and circles.

Freshly dyed DIY cloth napkins in Fuchsia #12 worked well with the lime green napkins from Jessica’s Wedding were perfect on the table.

A few months a go, my husband and I bought 25 plates from Ikea, so we can avoid buy paper and throw away products for our parties. We entertain so often, it was worth the cost. Plus, at .79 cents a plate AND being green, who can beat that?

Diana, the mother-in-law, wanted to contribute by donating 18 boxes of Double Chocolate Espresso and Chewy Nut Chocolate chip favor boxes. I couldn’t say no! Each box had 4 cookies! Oh my. Send A Cookie Card is her business and she bakes these scrumptious cookies and sends them in the mail. I rather get this in the mail than a Thank you. What a sweeter way to say thank you? Needless to say, I inhaled two cookies as soon as the last guest left.

Trader Joe’s Pink Lemonade served as prizes and sat on the gift table. If you plan on doing prizes for games. I suggest getting edible gifts. Unlike personalized items (shot glasses), strong candles or bath products, edible gifts are affordable and can be enjoyed by most people. Tied with ribbon and zebra print curling ribbon tie the gifts with the theme.

Fresh cut locals dahlias from Swan Island (Gitt’s Attention, White Lightning, Tiny Treasures, Sugar Lips and Herbert Smith) created pops of pink in the wire hurricanes.

Zebra print fabric were cut into customized table runners. They were a snap to make and no sewing was needed! A little bit of pressing from a hot iron and an even fold made this table runner simple and snazzy.

Come back soon! More details to come!

(Updated – See the 2nd posting for more details)

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1) Wet Paint: Chalkboard paint is a fun way to add a touch of “class” to the shower. Using mini terra cotta pots (online, craft or Home Depot) and black chalkboard paint, you can create simple and easy name cards. Paint the entire pot and then write with chalk the name of the guests. It will act as a name card and favor. Buy a flat of flowers and potting soil to add some green to the scene. (Image Source)2) Tree of Life: To add some much needed height to the table, use dried myrtle branches and place in your chemistry beakers. One branch per vase should be enough. Too much will take away from the rest of the décor. If you don’t want to buy online, check out Michael’s for a  huge selection on dried branches and flowers. Just don’t forget their 40% coupon they have in the Sunday paper. (Nettleton Hollow; $18.50)

3) Apples to Apples: To continue the teacher theme, scatter some crisp Granny Smith Apples to tables. In between the stacked books and beaker vases. If you piled them in a glass hurricane, dress it up by add some ribbon. (Source)

4) Pop Quiz: To keep your guests occupied while you greet and direct traffic, create a quiz about the bride-to-be. As an ice-breaker, go over the answers as a group. Be sure to ask a variety of questions so a specific group of friends/family won’t be able to answer them all. (Martha Stewart)

5) Tagged: Write little quotes such as, “Countdown to Gown – 56 Day”, “Blushing Bride”, “Something Old…”, “Going to the Chapel” and place on the back of each chair. You can cut out your own tags or order from your local craft store or buy from an online store. Tie with coordinating ribbon.

6) Turn Tables: Using the white linens from the restaurant will add an uncomplicated base for building your table centerpieces. If the venue has other colors, ask for both white and the color and layer the tablecloths on top of each other.

7) Apple of His Eye: To get the look of customize printed invitations, customize on your home computer and print with your printer. These crisp and green printable invitations and matching green envelopes from Crane Co are perfect for the occasion. A personalized and editable .doc template has been provided. If you don’t want to print at home, take them to Kinko’s for a small fee. (Crane and Co; $15 for 10)

Takes the Cake: Order a simple butter cream cake and decorate yourself. Add a ½ inch satin ribbon to the girth of the cake. If you want to add apple slices, toss with lemon juice so they don’t turn brown.

9) You’ve Been Framed: For simple and budget friendly prizes, buy some frames in lime and black and insert black and white pictures of the couple. Add some ribbon and display the frames near the cake. (CB2; $1.95)

10) Bookworm: For a simple DIY décor project, borrow some thick books and cover with pretty wrapping paper. On the bind of each book, write important locations from their relationship (where they first met, got engaged, first date etc). Place the books in stacks down the length of the table. It was required to cover books in middle school, so if you don’t remember, try watching this video. (It is a bit slow, but it will refresh your memory).

11) Chemistry Class: Beaker-like glass vases add some height to your table. Place on the stacks of books for your centerpieces that won’t obstruct the view for the guests. (CB2; $2.95)

Nicole was also looking for some outfit options. I couldn’t just decide on one dress. With the summer lines coming out, everything looked just too cute.

1) Wrapped Up: A lovely swiss dot paired with a lightweight fabric makes for a great summer dress. (J Crew; $60)

2) Green Theme: Sticking with the green and black theme, this tank style dress with billowy skirt is a match made in heaven. (Anthropologie; $128)

3) Mary Poplins: Simple and sophisicated are two words that decribe this dress. Pleats add a bit of flair to the empire waisted skirt. (Gap; $60)

4) Ray of Sunshine: This no-fuss cotton dress is bright and cheery. The adjustable ties can be tied in the front or in the back. (Nordstrom; $118)

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1) I Need-a ‘Rita: Jamaica (pronounced, “ha-mike-ah) margaritas have a deep red color. The drink is made from dried hibiscus flowers and makes the ‘rita is beyond delicious. You can find dried jamaica online or in your local Mexican store.

2) Break a Leg: If you don’t to reenact your 7th grade birthday party, when you got whacked in the head, a piñata can just be used as a decoration. You can find them at some chain grocery stores (ie. Albertsons, WinCo etc –strange isn’t it?), local Mexican store (seeing a pattern?) or online.

3) High Flyin’: These festive and colorful flags are a great way to incorporate some of color into the celebration. Hang them outside so it will catch a breeze.

4) Main Squeeze: If you are making homemade margaritas or aqua fresca, a lemon/lime this is a must-have. Make sure to catch the loose seeds!

5) Holy Guacamole: Tomatoes stuffed with guacamole is an easy way to incorporate guacamole into a party without having the mess. Make a lot, these little bites will disappear fast.

6) Hot Pockets: Much better than hot pockets, these homemade stuffed puffs are savory and are easy to handle when having a conversation. I am not a fan of banana in my empanadas, so you can substitute the banana for the potato and no one is the wiser. Also, I made 9 per sheet, rather than 6. Just roll the dough out another 2 inches and cut into 9 squares.

7) One Tequila, Two Tequila: At each place setting, a mini tequila bottle can play two roles: a party favor and place setting. A small piece of cardstock and ribbon tied around the neck of the bottle will help avoid any confusion for your guests and provide a bit of liquid courage.

Tisket A Tasket: Make sure to have several of these eco-friendly bowls filled with of chips. The saltiness of the chips will go nicely with the sweetness of the margarita.

9) Shake Your Money Maker: Shaking maracas are fun. Place them around your party location to add a bit of noise to the celebration.

10) Pan Dulce: Traditional sweet breads (pan dulce) and donuts that are found on every corner in a pueblito. A display of pan dulce will also provide another focal centerpiece and entice the pickiest of taste buds. You can buy pan dulce at most Mexican specialty shops.

11) Muy Salsa: These bright little bowls will help keep your salsas physically separated, but together in theme. Plus, for 4 dollars, who can beat that?

12). In the limelight: What kind of fiesta doesn’t have limes? Pile them in a clear glass bowl for a simple, cheap and easy centerpiece. Just be sure to have a few sliced and ready for your guests who prefer limes with their corona.

13) On the rocks: You can find these in your local grocer, in the Mexican food aisle or you can order them from Amazon. A delicious ice cold Jarrito or Mexican soda will quench any thirst. Make sure it is made with sugar cane for that real authentic taste.

14) Boat of Bevies: In case your party moves to a different location, pack your drinks in this beverage bin. If you don’t move locations, at least your beverages will look good while chilling.

Don’t forget to have music!

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1) Invite Only: The style of the invite creates the first impression for any event. An invitation with pockets will contain party details and directions. In addition, it will help guests on theme of the party and the level of formality. Use zebra print scrapbook paper or wrapping paper (cut to fit the pocket) to provide a nice background for the invite.

2) Fabric of our lives: Zebra print fabric from our local fabric store can create a runner for your tables. If you do not want to sew the hems, just folding over the edges and using an iron can create a nice crease. Layer several layers of fabric can create a more dramatic pop of color than just one runner. Do what is best for the budget

3) Paint by Letter: The craft store will have large wooden letters, paint and coordinating ribbon to do this project. If the name of the baby is not known, use the last name. Once the baby’s name is known, paint the first name to give as a home welcoming gift. Or if you are strapped for time and prefer to just order your customized set. Here is a store offers customized names. Check around etsy.com and ebay for similar options.

4)Hug a Bunch: A gift box tied with colorful pink and green ribbon is pretty enough. However, when it it is filled with hugs, it is a sweet thank you for your guests. Too bad you can’t package real hugs, I guess chocolate is somewhat of a good substitute.

5) Bright Idea: Using the paper lanterns can really bring the theme together. Check out your local World Market and Luna Bazaar for the zebra, pink and green paper lanterns. Hang them around the area with pink and green ribbon or tring them across the room with white string lights.

6) Pop your Top: Izze Natural fruit drinks is a great way to have the bubbly without the alcohol. Create a bar with various fresh puree, club soda and Izze.

7) Dye Hard: It was hard to find hot pink/magenta/fushia/raspberry colored fabric napkins that did not break the bank. A easy and cheap way to remedy the situation is to use Rit Dye. Fabulous Fuschia 12 is only $2.35 a box and will create the color I need. If you are looking for other colors besides the standard 26, there is a list of color equations for creating “that” color. The dye will transform plain white cotton napkins into my perfect palette. Be sure to follow the instructions!

Flower of Youth: How lovely are you!? Using your local flower farm is more affordable than ordering fresh flowers or buying them at the store. Luckily, the shower is during dahlia season and Swan Island Dahlias is a close and ridiculously affordable place. You can choose your choice of colors and/or specific flower. This is the “Cha Cha Cha” that blooms to 4-6 inches across and boldly displays bright magenta pinks.

9) Pretty, Pretty Cupcake: You can find anything on the internet. I didn’t even know that zebra cupcake papers even existed. Lo and behold, I found them. Thanks to Bake it Pretty, I will now have black and white zebra papers and pink and white for all my cupcake needs.

10) Monogram Me: If the baby’s name is known, you can use the first letter of the baby’s name throughout the party. The monogram tags can be used to top the cupcakes, the party favors, around the vases of the flowers. Anything you want! Be creative

You don’t have to stick with zebra print, use any animal you want. Bear in mind that certain animal prints are more common, thus easier to find. For example, World Market has leopard and cheetah print lanterns, but they do not have snake skin patterns. What do you think? Do you have any “wild” ideas?

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1) Design wise, my main focus was on the reception. Since the group was small (14 guests), we were able to do one intimate rectangular table. The table runners (turquoise) and cotton napkins (lime green) were ordered from Table Cloths Factory.They were the most affordable in the colors I wanted. Tealights were placed down the center of the runner along the length of the table. Since the ceremony was just before sunset, most of the reception would be in the dark. By providing mood lighting with the tealights and the warmness of the candle light worked well with the cool Caribbean night.

2) I choose the napkins to be a different color than the runners, so you had the pop of color. Since we did not ordering additional flowers for the reception, the green napkins were part of the design. The name cards were created in PowerPoint, then cut individually and glued to a blue cardstock. For cake table banner, this process was the same, but an additional green circle was added behind the blue cardstock. Although, it was not pictured here, a little sweet with a personalized “O” for the couples’ last name was added to the top of each napkin.

3) Again being budget friendly, we did not rent chairs or rent/buy chair covers. By using what is available and ordering chair sashes (which are cheaper than chair covers), it really dressed up a simple plastic chair. The chair sash was also from Table Cloths Factory (in turquoise).

4)The Tissue Poms strike back! I’ve said in one of my earlier posts that I love these poms. To save time, I used the poms from the bridal shower, “depuffed” 40 of them and packed them in my carry on. The night before (after the rehearsal dinner), I enlisted the group to “puff” them out. I was quite pleased with the results. In addition, the restaurant wanted us to leave them (Yay!! No tear down) for another party. The roof of the recption area was pretty high. By using the poms, they brought the roof closer to the party. Thus, creating a more personal space.

Reviews: Being on an island that is 9 miles by 3 miles, we were limited in some of our options. Everything has to be shipped to the island, making costs on everyday items expensive. We did what we could with our budget and try to expand the dollar by bring most of our décor with us on the plane.

Overall, the wedding was a complete success. The ceremony was personal, funny and moving in all the right moments. At the end of the ceremony, a lovely song dedicated to the couple was sung by the group, in perfect harmony with the breeze. The food all week was beyond amazing. Fresh seafood is my favorite!! Most importantly, all the persons involved were unbelievably kind and helpful in assisting me in my endeavors.

And the Mother of the Groom has a surprise song for the Bride and Groom. The musical talent sang “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz and an impromptu jam session started. *Notice the name cards on the ukulele players. Cute!

Beach: Trunk Bay was the gorgeous beach where the ceremony was held. I did not obtain the evening/event permit, but the Mother of the groom did. There is a small fee to use the beach after the beach closes. This worked out well, as the day users had to leave at 4:30 pm, thus, making the beach empty and open for all of our festivities. The beach was very clean and had covered pavilions which were used for pictures while the rain came down.

Cake: St John Cakes was our cake vendor. They weren’t responsive at the beginning, due to an email problem. However, it was confirmed we would use their services, but then their fax machine didn’t work. They said they would not bring the cake (although it was already paid for) until the contract was given to them. We finally coordinated a PHYSICAL time/place to meet up with them to give them a contract. I am not sure if that is the way the island does it, but it was stressful when we were having trouble contacting them while on the island. In the end, the Chocolate Ganache with Madagascar vanilla filling and frosting was delicious. Cake decorations were from another vendor.

Cake Decorations: I found a cute little vendor, Through the Woods, on Etsy. If you do not know about Etsy, shame on you! It is a fabulous way to find homemade arts, crafts and goods for reasonable prices. It is a good way to support up and coming artists, local artists (search local Etsy) and incorporate a bit of style into any event. I ordered the cupcake medallions (sweet favor on top of each napkin), cake topper and the fondant circles. I was very pleased with all items. My only concern for future orders is the packing/shipping of the medallions (all other items were perfect). These fragile will sweets were jumbled a bit, but packing them in foil or something that cushions the bumping postal ride will help loosing some of the lovely little dots.

bridesmaids and reception table centerpieces: mini green hydrangeas, cymbidium orchids and hypericum berries

Flowers: Ali from East End Flower Shop in St Thomas, was an absolute doll. She was able to ease my worries about the flowers. As much as I love destination weddings, I prefer to see things in person, especially flowers. Through our many email conversations, I was able to convey the look I wanted. Her local flower expertise was very useful when choosing flowers in season that flowers that fit our color and budget. I highly recommend this little shop on St Thomas.

Reception: The reception was held at the Fish Trap Restaurant in St John. Lisa and her husband are the owners of the Fish Trap and Lisa was my main contact. She is so fabulous! She was able to provide everything I needed at a moment’s notice. I am so grateful for her help and assistance. She knew what to expect for a party and made sure our group had their every request fulfilled. Not to mention, but most importantly, the food. O.M.G. The food was amaaaazing. It was an open menu, so the guests were able to order anything off of their extensive and very fresh and local menu. Just like Pavlov’s dogs, my mouth still waters at the thought of my dinner.

Music: We use a speaker system for iPods and use an iPod preloaded with all our favorite songs. It was loud enough to have background music for dinner and music for a bit of dancing.

Villa: Everyone stayed at Chateau Margot, a private villa in the mountains of St John. It was a fabulous place to stay, however I would have preferred a option that was closer to town, as taxis and driving got to be bothersome.

That is it, mon! Hope you enjoyed the whirlwind review.

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Attire Details

1) The bride’s “something borrowed” was one of the bridesmaid’s earrings and the “something old” was the pearl necklace.

2) The bride wore an empire waist dress from Tread, a dress line in NYC. The silk chiffon was a perfect match for the light and airy location. It was ordered from The English Department, a cute boutique in downtown Portland, Oregon.

3) The groom wore a crisp white collared shirt made by Calvin Klein and knee length khaki shorts.

4) The bridesmaids wore a simple strapless cotton dress from J Crew. I love that it had pockets!

Ceremony :: Trunk Bay, St John, USVI

1) A couple of the bridesmaids’ gold braided sandals from Old Navy were left on the nearby rocks.

2) The kiss! After the each of the 14 guests spoke a few words, recited a poem or lyrics from a song, the couple exchanged their personalized vows.

3) The scene for the ceremony was gorgeous enough. I didn’t want to obstruct from the grand view, so fresh cut palms were used in creating the ceremony aisle and circle.

4) Ukuleles and a bass made up the components of the ceremony music. The father and mother of the groom (middle and right) played and sang the couple’s favorite song, “Three Little Birds” as the processional song and recessional song. They were also the ordained ministers and conducted the intimate ceremony.

5) The newlyweds taking their first walk as husband and wife. As you can see the clouds brewing in the background, the warm rains of St John sprinkled down a few moments later.

That is all for now. More to come!!!

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