SMILE Booths

A new trend to include in your special event is a SMILE Booth. This is a fun staged background to pose in front of - it sometimes includes fun props and always delivers unforgettable photos.  A lot of photography studios are offering this service and most of them include a camera that is operated by the guests, this ensures truely unique, raw photo's.  So much fun for your guests to enjoy and could also be used to include in thank you notes!  LOVE this new trend!!!

Fabric Pom Poms!

Pom poms are a huge decorating craze right now - from tissue paper to cupcake wrappers, people are trying to reinvent these simple stylish decor staples and I think the the fabric versions are super special!  I am helping a friend with her wedding in September and I think these are a MUST.

Wallpaper rebirth...

I stumbled across this European website that has some of the most interesting wallpaper and wall decals.  I found myself getting lost in all of the designs and colors and now i want to redecorate!  When I lived in L.A. I ordered big pink polka dot decals from blik - - I was seriously one of their first orders back in '03 - - to decorate my studio apartment, I love how far the wall decals have come, they are such an easy way to decorate.

                      http://www.tapetenagentur.de/lang-de/Katalog/home.html

my favorite dress right now...

Stunning!  Take a look at the wedding on 100 Layer:

http://100layercake.com/blog/archives/4078

BOOtiful Centerpieces

This is one of the many centerpieces that my sister Beth and I created for a wedding on Halloween night.  We had 30 tables to dress - we used a mixture of painted and glittered pumpkins, handmade candleabra's, and vases of orange lillies.  Our theme was Black, White, and Bling.  We filled the room with candlelight, glamourous decor and a festive atmosphere!  Please visit the Madison blog to see more of our work.  We had so much fun and are working hard to build our event design business.  Our duties for this wedding included centerpieces, cake table decor, bar and bathroom decor, the guest enterance and seating chart, programs and music list.  We were handed the reigns of this wedding after all vendors were booked - and charged to bring it all together to create a memorable event.  What an honor to be trusted with this task - being part of someone's wedding in this capacity is something that my sister Beth and I treasure and respect - it is so rewarding!!

http://thecovingtonmadison.blogspot.com/2009/11/bootiful-centerpieces-ha.html

OLIVE these business cards...

What do you think?  I needed a trendy business card in a jiffy and found this website - they had hundreds of designs to look through and were very affordable. 

http://www.zazzle.com/thespottedolive

'tis the pre-season

Wedding season is here again!  Right now all of the B2B's (bride-to-be's) are hunting for that perfect dress, trying to find the perfect location, and searching for that something special that is going to make her event stand apart from the rest. Here are special things I have found, from hairstyles to invitations - - hope I can inspire!!

H-E-A-R-T this updo.

        

Gorge' birdcage hair accessory - - super trendy right now.

Love the shape, love the style, love the embossed printing!

Valentine Sweet Treats

Iced almond cookie hearts and hot cocoa cakes, 2 of my favorites.   I made these for my friends at work - - note to self, next time keep some at home to enjoy!!  I love to bake!!  See below for the Hot Cocoa Cake recipe:


(instead of spooning onto a cookie sheet, put into a cupcake pan - - the dough makes very thin cookies, the cakes are so much better!!)

3/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup instant milk chocolate hot cocoa mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
24 large marshmallows, cut in half crosswise*

Glaze Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine 3/4 cup butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour, cocoa mix and baking soda. Beat until well mixed.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until set. Remove from oven; top each cookie with marshmallow half, cut-side down. Continue baking for 1 to 2 minutes until marshmallow just begins to puff. Immediately remove cookies to cooling racks. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, place powdered sugar into medium bowl; set aside. Combine all remaining glaze ingredients in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Pour mixture over powdered sugar in bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy.

Immediately spoon glaze over cooled cookies. Store between sheets of waxed paper in a loosely covered container.