1 year from today, I will marry the love of my life. I can’t believe how lucky I am.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about favors for our wedding that would be fun and different for our guests. Normally guests just write off the favors because they are a bit boring and typical. However your wedding favors can be one of those little details that, if thoughtfully done, can add a little wow element to your day. To get that “wow” try one of these ideas and really THANK your guests-

Flower bulbs- Great for a spring, summer, or fall wedding, flower bulbs can be bought in bulk at incredibly inexpensive prices. (Tulip bulbs can be as cheap as 10 cents or less) They add a fabulous green element to your day and give your guests a burst of color for their gardens, reminding them every year of your beautiful day. If you want to get really crafty, buy the bulbs in your wedding colors. Wrap them in tulle with a cute little poem about your blooming love. Slightly cheesy but it’s a wedding so a bit of cheese is totally acceptable. You can go to any local nursery to find an array of bulbs.

These favors can also double as placecard holders for your guests!

Potted Herbs- Another green idea, if you and your hubby to be are really into cooking or things that smell nice, a small potted herb at each setting can be a lovely touch. You can pick different herbs and label them so that your guests swap if they want. Herbs are also great because they can be planted outside or kept in the pot. These can also be bought in bulk from local farms, grocery stores, or if you’re feeling really ambitious and have the time, you can grow the herbs yourself and re-pot them saving yourself a lot of money.

Wine- This was one of the ideas that Chris and I considered since we got engaged in Napa. There is a wine-making place about 20 minutes from our house. Chose your favorite wine (or 2… or 3…) after a tasting, of course. The owners will then teach you how to make your wine of choice on the premises and since the process takes a few weeks, you stop back at the crucial times to help. Then at the end, you can bottle the wine in half bottles (half the size of normal wine bottles) which helps to stretch your batch. You can then create personalized labels. It’s fun, it’s unique, it’s something you and your fiance can do together, and it’s a definite wow for your guests when they realized you did everything but stomp the grapes!

Cheers to the Bride and Groom!

Local Products- Depending on where your wedding is, there is a plethora of local products your guests would be thrilled to have considering their usefulness. Being from Buffalo, a fun idea might be chicken wing sauce from the Anchor Bar. If you’re from Texas, how about some BBQ sauce? Columbus, OH- buckeyes top the list- which you can buy OR make. There are so many options from expensive to incredibly budget conscious.

Handmade Gifts- Soaps, chocolates, ornaments, sock monkeys, picture frames, candles. Maybe someone in your family owns their own business making specific items? Use these people! They will likely give you a great discount and most likely will be happy to help. It’s even better if you can make it yourself! Personalized gifts are a favorite of guests. Whatever your theme or time of year, you can find a personal homemade favor to go with it. Guests love things that they can tell have meaning to the bride and groom and in which thought was given.

Who Needs Favors?- Though it’s always nice to thank your guests, a new trend is emerging where brides and grooms are forgoing the favors altogether and opting for something less traditional. Try adding a signature cocktail to your bar menu for your guests to enjoy. Or maybe a hot chocolate, coffee, and cordials bar at the end of the night. Make your own ice cream sundaes? Or my personal favorite- a photo booth in which each guests can get their picture taken in that 4 picture strip style and keep one of the sets for themselves and put the other copy in a keepsake book sitting next to the booth for you.

Donate to a Charity- This is what we will be doing for our wedding. I have a deep love for animals and I thought there could be nothing better than giving to the SPCA or Humane Society. Writing a kind note to the guests to tell them you have donated in their honor to the charity of your choice is a wonderful and heartwarming gesture. Great ideas can be anything that you believe in or has touched you in life- Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity, Hospice providers, nursing homes, animal charities, local food kitchens, education funds, AIDS research, etc. Opportunities are endless and you can start your marriage off with a kind gift to people or animals in need.

Please leave other ideas you have for favors! This is a great area where you can get creative with your wedding and give ideas to other brides to be in attendance no matter what your budget may be. Be the one to step away from the jordan almonds and do something really special to celebrate your special day with your family and friends.

Today I’d like to showcase a gorgeous dress along with some gorgeous photography. The dress is designed by Pronovias and produced in Spain. This particular dress is from the 2009 Collection but a similar dress can be found in the 2010 collection called Gavina. It’s a delicate lace, sheath dress most suited for the tall and lean. It’s difficult to find a wedding dress that isn’t strapless and this dress fits that bill AND is completely gorgeous. The lace has a vintage feeling with a modern style. Another huge plus is that Pronovias gowns are not crazy expensive. Depending on the style, you can expect to spend anywhere from $1,200-2,200. This is a great example of a quality dress without blowing your entire budget. I almost wish I would have known about Pronovias before I purchased my gown!

These photos shown are of an acquaintance of mine. I saw on Facebook this summer that she got married and of course I had to check out her photos. Since we’re from around the same town I decided to ask about her photographer. I thought her photos were beautifully done and she looked simply stunning, as you can see. The photographer is Elisha Orin who resides in Panama, NY which happens to only be an hour and a half away from my wedding location in Buffalo. She also shoots weddings in St. Thomas and loves to travel. Her prices are incredibly reasonable especially for what’s included in her packages as well as the level of attention she gives to each bride. You can also book her husband as a videographer and get an extra deal. Check out Elisha’s blog for more photos. Elisha is experienced in weddings, senior portraits, family sessions, boudoir photos, and baby pictures. She brings such a great eye to her photos and I’m totally in love with her work. That’s probably why we booked her as our photographer for the wedding. (And no FTC she’s not paying me to say any of this.)

With the holidays here, I want to make sure that the little commitment I made to myself a few months ago is still in the forefront of my mind. It’s easy to forget when those delicious pies and treats are staring you in the face. But I promised myself that I’d start working harder to get healthier. After many failed attempts at boring workout plans that drove me nuts, I’ve FINALLY found something that I truly love!! JAZZERCISE!!! It sounds cheesy but I love it and here’s why…

The workouts are hard but fun, the instructors are positive and motivating and the music is engaging and upbeat. Jazzercise is not the grandma aerobics that immediately comes to mind. There are no leg warmers, no sweatbands, and certainly no Olivia Newton John belting out “Let’s Get Physical.” Instead you listen to songs like Britney Spears, “Toxic” or Colbie Callait “Falling” and do workouts that include 40 minutes of cardio, some weight work for your arms, ab exercises, and stretching. The instructors will also show you modified moves for lower impact on your limbs. Especially great for my old gymnastics injuries that have taken their toll on my poor ankles and knees. The instructors are so encouraging and their positive feedback is exactly what I need to hear to keep pushing hard. The routines are repetitive and easy to pick up but not repetitive enough to get boring because they only last the length of the songs. Overall it’s just a great workout that you laugh through AND sweat your butt off.

If you’re like me and haven’t found any exercise you really enjoy doing, I recommend checking out the Jazzercise website and finding a location near you to give it a try. If you want to sign up, there’s a $20 coupon on the website to help with your sign up cost.

Wedding planning is stressful and exercise is the perfect way to beat that stress AND look fabulous in your dress. I can’t wait for my next class tonight!!

What kinds of exercise do you enjoy?

Well… apparently I need to start posting more so that my entire blog doesn’t turn into a collection of wedding dresses. But anyway, I’m adding another beautiful dress to the pile.

I wanted to throw in a traditional ball gown into the mix because I’m generally drawn to the unique and I didn’t want to neglect the more traditional brides who want something glitzy and glamorous.

I give you- Kenneth Pool. With Austin Scarlet from Project Runway success designing for the prestigious line, you get some gowns that are so spectacular they could blind you. Kenneth Pool is also the name behind the dress that Izzie/Meredith wedding dress on Grey’s Anatomy. The style featured here today is called Degas. I’ve personally tried this one on and saw the amazing things it did for my waist. The dropped waist gown is quite heavy (with importance, of course) mostly from the satin fabric and many under layers. This is a much more substantial dress which is most suited for winter or formal weddings. The crystals and beadwork under the bust and at the hipline is incredibly flattering and has that sparkle effect so all eyes will definitely be on you. The dress accentuates and flaunts your curves with that va-va-voom factor. It also does amazing things for your bust lifting your ladies high and proud and the full ball gown skirt has that elegant princess look.

Generally I’ve see the dress run in the mid $4,000 range and up. But I’ve also seen knock offs of this exact dress if the Kenneth Pool isn’t in your budget.