Our TV Debut!

Joel and Danielle's wedding is going to featured on Amazing Wedding Cakes TOMORROW!! (That is sunday, July 12th). It is on the WE Network- check your local listings for times.

I am so excited/a little nervous. If you get a chance to watch or DVR it, let us know what you think!

ps- another huge Thank You to Leila of Be Inspired PR for setting this up for us!

Renegade Craft Fair

If you are in LA and looking for something fun to do this weekend, you have to swing by the Renegade Craft Fair. It is at the California Market Center on saturday and sunday and is FREE! There are hundreds of artists selling their handcrafted items.

Last month, by pure luck, I happened to be in New York during the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. We met up with a couple of local friends and headed over to check out all of the handmade goodness. Here are a few highlights:

I was thrilled to see wedding blog world favorite Goose Grease showing off their adorable cake toppers:

I loved kindling's super cool wood candle holders and bud vases:

These would be so perfect for a outdoor, very natural wedding!

I bought one of these for my son:

from The Chalk Board Tee 

I really loved looking at how people designed their displays:

up in the air somewhere 

something's hiding in here 

Berd and Bee (where we bought some amazing smelling candles)

I fell in love with these ribbons made by Kindly by Hayley Carmo:

Grabbing lunch midway through the day:

It was such a fun day! I left with a few shirts for Isaiah (and his first pair of little undies!), a beautiful necklace by So It's Gray, a poster for my husband that I then left on the plane and a few other goodies. I totally regret not getting this T-shirt for my son by Hello Banjo Baby:

My friend Clarissa scored a super cute dress, some fabric flowers and even a pillow made out of an 80's concert shirt. 

I wish I could go this weekend but I cannot make it up to LA. If you are going, please please please report back on monday and tell me how it was! There are three more fairs after this weekend: San Francisco, Chicago and a holiday sale in Chicago.

Hurry! Extra 20% J Crew ends tonight

Until midnight tonight, use code EXTRA20 for an extra 20% off of sale prices at JCrew.com. There are some great finds on there! Some of my favorite:

Think Bridesmaids, Rehearsal dinner, Shower dresses:

Some seriously stylish flower girls and ring bearers:

Wedding Day Makeup Tips

No matter what her style, no matter what her budget, every bride wants to look amazing on her wedding day. One of the best ways to ensure that you look your best on your big day is to hire professional hair and makeup stylists that you trust.

Today, I am excited to introduce you to Amanda Peck, a very talented makeup artist out of Orange County. Amanda and I actually were good friends in Jr. High and I was so thrilled to hear that she decided to pursue professional makeup artistry because she has always had such a great artistic eye. Over the past couple of years, Amanda has been at the top of my recommendation list to my brides and today she has offered to share some of her insight and tips with our readers.

*Please tell us a little bit about yourself and why you like doing wedding makeup:

My name is Amanda Peck and I am a professional makeup artist based in Orange County. Makeup has been a passionate practice of mine over the past nine years. It brings me so much joy being able to make a bride feel and look her best on her wedding day.

*How far in advance should brides book a makeup artist? 

Brides should start looking for a makeup artist 3 to 5 months prior to their big day.

*Many brides feel like they can do their own makeup- whether it is to save money or because they want to look like they normally do. Why is it worth it to pay for a makeup artist? 

Even if you are a pro in your daily makeup, booking a professional artist is a must. Your daily makeup will not hold up for hours of photography, bright lights, hugging and tears. Trained artists apply makeup differently.  I use a combination of tricks involving contouring and highlighting which makes my brides appear stunning  in an intimate close-up shot as well as for the guests that are seated far from the altar.

*What is the benefit of having a trail run? When should it be scheduled?

I can’t stress enough the importance of a trial run. The makeup artist you decide to use for your wedding needs to be someone you’re comfortable with and whose results fit your personality and style of wedding. The only way to insure that is to consult an artist or two. I always recommend scheduling your trial on the same day as your engagement photo session. That way you can see exactly what the makeup will look like in professional photography.

*How heavy should the makeup be?

Your wedding day makeup should be about 40% heavier than your typical wear. Even if you are wanting a natural look, full coverage is still necessary for photography and to last through the ceremony and reception. 

*How much time should brides allot for their makeup application on the wedding day?

I alway tell my brides to block out a full 2 hours for makeup application. That amount of time allows for a non-rushed application, false lashes and a 30 minute buffer zone just in case.

*What should brides look for in a makeup artist as they are deciding between companies? 

One of the most important things a bride should look for when researching makeup artists is his/her past work. If you can’t find any photos of previous brides or professional photoshoots, I would recommend looking elsewhere. Check as to  whether or not the artist charges a travel fee, if they offer discounts for large parties, and if their costs fit within your budget. 

*Any tips for brides who decide to do their own makeup? 

If you decide to do your own makeup, I recommend finding a full coverage foundation, a bolder lip color than what you would normally wear and waterproof mascara. The photographer is a great person to consult with to see whether or not the makeup will provide enough coverage.

*Do you have any favorite wedding day makeup/beauty items?

My favorite wedding day items include a lipstick/gloss to match the color you and your artist decided on, translucent powder for touch ups, mints (no gum!), and tissue.  I provide all of these items for every bride I work with as a complimentary touch-up kit.

*Any other tips or insight you would like to share?

Two things I highly recommend:
First, false lashes. They make all the difference in photographs. It’s an extra touch of glamour that can be applied as natural or as dramatic as you desire.

Secondly, I highly recommend treating your bridal party to a makeup and/or hair session the day of the wedding. What could be a better way to thank your bridal party than providing them with a morning of pampering? It de-stresses everyone and is truly a bonding experience.

Thanks so much for your insight Amanda! Be sure to check out her website and blog , and you can also get a peak at her studio and graphic art here. 

Heather and Justin: A Cinderella Themed Wedding

Two weekends ago, Heather and Justin were married on a perfectly beautiful day at the Hyatt Huntington Beach.  This wedding was extra special to me because Heather is my cousin and it was a privilege to help bring her vision to life. Heather and Justin met working at the Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney, got engaged in front of Cinderella's Castle and later returned to Disneyland to take their engagement photos, so it was fitting for Heather to decide on a Cinderella inspired wedding.

Drew B was on hand to capture their day and it was so fun to finally get to work with her. Here are a some of the images that she posted on her blog:

My sister Shannon and I designed the flowers and utilized their engagement photos on the arrangements. I want to give a big thank you to Kristin of The Treasured Petal for letting us borrow her plexiglass stands and some vases. 

Drew summarized some of her favorite aspects of their wedding day and they were definitely highlights for me as well, so I am just going to copy her words!

1)  The ringbearer and flower girl couldn’t quite make it down the aisle (it was a long walk for them!) so Justin had to go get them and walk them down himself.  Too cute!

2)  The couple had one of the groomsmen, Sean, sign their first dance song.  It was so special and a really personal touch.  Besides that, he is super funny and has a great voice!

3)  Heather surprised Justin by singing to him.  She has an amazing voice and it was so emotional.  I loved it!

4)  Another groomsmen (it was a very talented group) did a special tribute to MJ.  The wedding was just two days after he died and it will never be the same hearing a Michael song at a reception.  The groomsmen is an awesome dancer and even incorporated Justin into the dance!

Thanks Drew!

I will post more details and photos once I receive them- lots of fun personal touches in this wedding.

Happy tuesday!

Simple 4th of July Arrangements

Happy 3rd everyone!

I am not the most festive person in the world. I love holidays and I love decor, but after growing up in a household where my mother pulled out boxes and boxes of decorations for every single holiday, I tend to stay on the more simple (or as my mom would say, boring) side for the smaller holidays like 4th of July. If I decorate at all, I stick with a simple centerpiece or a view small accent items.

Here are some of my ideas for festive, simple patriotic decor. I threw these together yesterday using left over flowers from my wedding last weekend, so try to ignore the browning flowers :)

How it started: a tin can and fabric I purchased at Jo-Ann's for $3.50 a yard:

How it ended:

I decided to make it a little more fun and add some fireworks:

Which are really just straws that I purchased at target. I cut the top portion of the straw off and stuck them in the arrangement.

For the next one, I wrapped a vase in paper that I found at Michaels:

I also wrapped a bigger vase in the same fabric as the arrangement above and then made ribbon fireworks to spice it up:

I made the ribbon fireworks by tying 5 three inch pieces of ribbon around the top of a straw:

I also want to show a cute arrangement that my sister put together earlier this week. The blue paper wrapped vase was from our wedding on saturday and she added the ribbon details:

In addition to the arrangements, I whipped up these little babies:

Votive candles wrapped in a baby sock! I found the pair of socks in the $1 section at Target. All you have to do is fold the top of the sock inside so that it is the right height of the candle and slide it on. So so easy. I stole the idea from Hostess with the Mostess, which featured potted plants wrapped in socks a while back.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend everyone!

More Red, White and Blue for you

As usual, Martha Stewart has provided endless inspiration for 4th of July decorating. I have picked out some of my favorite ideas from the MS website and also from the current issue of Better Homes and Gardens. 

First up, some decor from Martha:

I just want to hug those drink umbrellas. So cute and so easy to make!

Better Homes and Gardens had some cute easy DIY ideas:

How cute is that? It just using red, white and blue striped crepe paper.

Such an easy, but cute dessert idea: Using a star cookie cutter, cut out pound cake stars and decorate with strawberries that have also been shaped as stars using a smaller cookie cutter. 

I love these- you can download the template from Martha Stewart here.

Simple parfaits, two ways:

Martha Stewart 

Better Homes and Gardens 

For a little drink inspiration, check out Real Simple's Simply Stated by Hostess with the Mostess.

I think I need to go sit by the pool and do some crafting...

4th of July Decorating Ideas

I cannot believe that it is already July. Let the BBQs and swimming begin!

Some of my favorite 4th of July food and crafting ideas from around the blog world:

Rosettes from the Martha Stewart Crafts Dept Blog:

Twig & Thistle's fun DIY templates:

Star Cupcakes from Inchmark:

Pixy Stix Wand from Elle's Studio (Thanks Jenetta for pointing this out to me!):

Patriotic Posy Pins from the Pleated Poppy (too late to order them, though, unless you are on the central coast)

I will be back tomorrow with some more fun July 4th decorating ideas. Happy July!

Big Paper Source Sale This Week!

If you have read my blog for a while, you probably know about my love for Paper Source. I get lost in the store for hours and always leave inspired and with more than I planned on purchasing.

GOOD NEWS!!!! For all of you paper lovers out there, Paper Source is giving us 20% off of everything- that is right: EVERYTHING! Can you believe that? Now through July 4th, you can get 20% off of your entire purchase online with this code: 20OFF

If you have not discovered the deliciousness that is Paper Source, there is no better time than now. If you are looking for invitations, escort cards, guest books, gift cards, craft goods or random office supplies, hop on over to their site and have fun! Also, they have a fun blog you can read too.

Happy last day of June! (WHAT??)

Looking back: Jill and Harry

This weekend a year ago, Jill and Harry flew over from the UK and got married in a fun and intimate backyard wedding at her mother's house in Fullerton. This wedding has been one of my favorite to date! I realized that I never did a full post of all of the details, other than showing some of Michael Norwood's amazing blog photos.

So, without further ado, here is Jill and Harry's modern geometric wedding:

We pulled the entire decor scheme from the invitations that Jill had selected from Wedding Paper Divas:

We incorporated the W+T (the initials of their nicknames for each other) on many of the details and also pulled inspiration from Bauhaus Designs- very clean, modern and fun,

Half the tables were orange and half were green. The favor boxes contained playing cards printed with the couple's logo, along with personalized pens and pads of paper. Their family is a big game playing family, so they wanted to include that in the wedding somehow. I heard that the family got a lot of use out of them over the next week! They also included Cadbury chocolate bars from England, which Jill frequently stuffs in her luggage when flying to US and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which she sticks in her suitcase when heading back to the UK.

Love the fun style:

(Above photo of the sand ceremony and ring plate, not by Michael Norwood)

For dessert, we had cake (one of my favorite designs ever!), a grooms cake of a traditional British cake, and cookies from Jill's favorite bakery.

Finally, the lovely Jill and Harry:

All of the amazing flowers were crafted by Kristin of The Treasured Petal. We had so much fun designing this wedding- so fresh and different!

The rest of the incredible vendor lineup:
*Photography: Michael Norwood 
*Caterer: TGIS (yummy BBQ!)
*Rentals: Classic Party Rentals  & BBJ Linens
*Lighting: we did it! How much do you love those square lanterns?
*Cake: Erica O'Brien
*All wedding day stationary: Serendipity Designs 
*Sound: Fly By Night