Sunglass Wedding Favors

One of the biggest challenges with summer weddings is undeniably the sun. Will it be too hot? Where will we find shade? Will the shadows ruin our photos?

Never fear, we have the perfect solution for your guests to save their eyes from the oh-too-common "squint into the sun" photo! These sunglasses make for great favors and double as super fun photo booth props for guests at your wedding!

Photo Credit: Tip Junkie
 

 

So grab a pair of shades and strike your best pose- GQ, pensive man chewing on end of glasses stance, raised eyebrows-the possibilities are endless! Whatever you do, just "Don't get blinded by all the love!"

Florida Gator Tablescape

Well here in Gainesville we're a week away from one of the most celebrated occasions in town-the start of football season. Where the girls are the fairest and the boys are the squarest, this town is breaking out their tents and setting up for tail-gator season!

In honor of this momentous occasion here in town, we want to share a tablescape we did for Gainesville Magazine's August-September issue back in 2010.

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

How many of you are there are getting excited for football season to kickoff???

Sno-Cone Cupcakes

As summer is drawing to a close, it's important to cherish every last warm moment before we break out the jackets for Fall! One of the staples of summer is the snow cone. I'd bet that virtually everyone has a snow cone memory that brings a smile to their face. Carnivals, concerts, lounging poolside....the cool treat is perfect for any outdoor occasion!

That being said, how adorable are these snow cone cupcakes?!?

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

1. Place the cupcake, sans wrapper, inside a Styrofoam cup.

2.  Pour pink sugar in to a small bowl. While holding the base of your cupcake, gently roll the frosting around in the sprinkles until it is thoroughly coated.

3. Add straws or spoons to your cupcake to make it even more festive!

Would these not be perfect for your end-of-summer bash?!?

Rice Crispy Treat Cake

When choosing a cake for your party, be it a birthday, anniversary, wedding, and more, there are some important decisions to be made. Chocolate, vanilla, ice cream? Butter cream frosting, fondant, and oh, how to decorate....

We love this nontraditional take on the cake!

Photo Credit: Ruffled

An entire cake of rice crispy treats??!? Yes, please!

How do you think guests would enjoy a slice of this gooey snack at your next celebration??

M & Ms

There are several things in life you can't go wrong with. Candy happens to be one of those things. In the vast realm of sweet treats, M & M's will be a timeless classic. Aside from being irresistibly delicious, and c'mon, tell me you can eat just one....they are also a great addition to any wedding or party!

With all of the different customizable options, you can get just the right treat for your next get together or celebration!  

Fun jars and bags make for the perfect favor for guests to walk away with at the end of the party!

M & Ms

They make great favor options for weddings too! Put your faces or your date and get them in your wedding's colors!

M & Ms

And for all you sport's fans out there, make them the perfect snack at your next playoff game party or tailgate!

MLB M & Ms

NBA M & Ms

  

How would you personalize your M & Ms?

Making entertaining more fun!

If you plan everything out before hand eliminating any stress, entertaining can be fun! Decorations, themed desserts, spending time with all your family/friends...what's not to love?  With this being said, there are a few ways to make entertaining a bit for fun for you!

Zhush.com is a super fun website has tons of fun tools for pulling off an amazing party with some personal flare!

Country Inspired Dessert Servers

Golden Leaf Serving Tray

Monogrammed Pillows make any couch cozier!

Fun Zebra-print Ice Bucket!

Don't forget about your hostess! So much of what they have would make great thank-you-for-having-us gifts for the next time you spend the evening at your friend's party! Bottles of wine are great but wouldn't you love if someone brought you something you could use again and again??

Bride Tip! Line for a Song

There are so many things that you have to think about when planning a wedding. For people like us, making sure your guests are having a good time, no, a great time, is high on the priority list.

So....for our bride-tip-Friday....

Photo Credit: Contemporary Bride

Disclaimer: Preview this list before you send it on to your DJ. You distant Aunt Ellen may love folk music but that doesn't mean you'll be able to sit though the banjos yourself and not all your friends may be familiar with the square dance!

What songs are must-have dance songs with your group of friends?? After all...."Girls, just wanna have fu-un. Ohh girls just wanna have fun!" 

Fruit-Infused Ice Cubes

Favorite fruit-go! Mine is strawberries. Whatever yours is-think about how perfect it could fit into your next cocktail or fun summer thirst quencher....

These fruit-infused ice cubes we spotted on The Party Dress are SO perfect for a quick refresher on one of the hottt summer days!

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

Simply slice your fruit of choice into small pieces, drop into a square in your ice tray, fill with water, and freeze!

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

*Tip* Boil the water before you fill the ice tray with it. This makes sure your ice cubes come out clear so you can see through to your fruity slices!

These would be great to add to your cocktail or to pop in themselves!

Wouldn't this be a great additional to your next tailgate or backyard BBQ????

Just Kid-ding Around!

Paint, crayons, and toys, oh my! While you may not think these things have any place at your wedding or party, you may want to think again if you anticipate or know you may have kids attending your event.

Creating a separate kids table with plenty of things to keep them occupied will give their parents a break from trying to keep them constantly occupied and keep them away from climbing cabinets or trying to lick the cake-hopefully....

Photo Credit: Soiree Events

Photo Credit: Bridal Buds 

Disclaimer: Providing chocolate or other sugar-based substances may result in uncontrollable hyper activity! Proceed with caution.

What ideas have you or another host used at events to keep kids occupied??

What Not To Wear: To a Wedding

A bride can spend hours upon hours searching for her special dress for her special day, but that doesn't mean as a guest you shouldn't treat yourself to something new as well for the big occasion!

With that in mind, we stumbled upon some tips on TLC Weddings we feel should absolutely be kept in mind when picking out your wedding attire in regards to what you should NOT wear to a wedding. 

First things first: No black. Unless you are mourning the union of the said couple, your little black dress should stay at home. And if you are in mourning, maybe you should too! 

Number Two: Something skimpy. It's not nice to try to upstage the bride on her big day! 

Number Three: Jeans. Even if the invitation says "casual" that doesn't mean you get to wear whatever! 

Number Four: Tiaras and other attention-grabbing "statement pieces." You'd be surprised how many people can't let go of being in the limelight, even for a day. 

Don't be the "Princess" that tries to steal the brides thunder!

Number Five: Pant Suits. This isn't an office meeting-it's a wedding, so dress like it! Nix the briefcase for a cute clutch too. You don't need your planner to sit through dinner. 

The Golden Rule: Save white for the bride! A wedding day is a bride's big day and she should stand out wherever she goes. No one should try to be the reason anyone can find her! 

Photo Credit: Events to a T

What are some of the biggest fashion "don'ts" you've seen at weddings or events you've attended??

And For the Groom...

Every girl dreams of what her wedding day will be like from the time she's a little girl. Little boys on the other hand? Not so much. So while the dress hunt, the invitation fonts, and the color schemes may be super exciting to the bride, don't get too upset at your groom if he isn't sharing your same level of excitement.

All is not lost though. There are definitely some things guys will love helping out with- and sharing the excitement and decision making in your wedding process will be great for the both of you! We found this list on TLC Weddings we had to share! 

1.) Arranging Transportation
     It's a proven fact that men love their cars-so if there's a car he's always dreamed about owning or driving, why not pick your big day to make his dreams come true too?

2.) Choosing the Cake & Reception Food
     Two words-Taste. Test. Need we say more?

3.) Planning the honeymoon
     Find us someone who wouldn't love to plan their dream vacation with the person of their dreams!

4.) Registering for Gifts
    It's hard to believe there could be a person out there who doesn't love getting presents-especially things they WANT!

5.) Choose the booze
     If your groom wants to take charge of the drink selection-let him! You don't want him or his buddies to be disappointed if their favorite drinks aren't available!

What are some of the biggest challenges/ success stories you've seen with grooms during the wedding planing?? 

POP-corn Bar

Whenever people plan the menu for an event, desert is always a must. While you can't go wrong with something sweet, why not spring for something with that perfect sweet & salty combo to end your night??

This popcorn bar featured on The Party Dress is the perfect way to add a super fun element to any event!

You can add all your favorite mix-ins for a fun, guaranteed crowd-pleasing snack! 

Does this not just make you POP with excitement?!?

Ice Cream Bar

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!! There is no better time for a fudgesicle or rainbow pop than in the dead heat of the summer.

Cool off your guests at your next summertime get together with this refreshing ice cream bar we saw on Hostess with the Mostess. It's brilliant!

What toppings would be a must at your ice cream bar??

TOMS Shoes Bridal Line

A growing trend in the events industry is the movement to more eco-friendly options. One great way for the Eco-conscious bride and groom is to "green" their wedding is by looking at the new wedding collection by TOMS shoes. TOMS shoes is an organization that donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for every one pair they sell. Their One for One Movement has taken the world by storm.

With the launch of their wedding line, they have fabulous options for the bride! Each step down the aisle is another step towards helping a child in need!

They have shoes for the groom and his best men too! 

Photo Credit: Chelsea Diane Photography

Are these shoes the perfect fit for your wedding?