Here's a great idea for your wedding. From Native Vermont comes these fabulous custom typography boards, perfect for any message you want to relay for your wedding ceremony or reception. Then once the wedding is over, it makes a great art piece in your home.

Production time is approximately two weeks.

This canvas is:
- ready to hang
- made using recycled paper
- signed and dated on the reverse side
- safe for kid's rooms
(no glass, made from non-toxic materials)
- handmade by me – Ryan Fowler
- dimensions are 12” x 24” x 1 ½” thick

Labels: Home, Ideas

It may only be November 6th, but it's never too early to start planning for Christmas. The best part about the holiday season is that all your childhood fantasies get to come true. You get to be a kid again, and in this stressed out, fast paced world, that is pretty darn special.

To get you in the yuletide mood, check out the great holiday goodies and decor from MacKenzie-Childs. If you are a kid, or just a kid at heart, you'll love the dreamlike designs by one of the most original designers of home decor and furnishings around. Yes, her designs are quite expensive, but just a few small items around the house do the trick to get your in the spirit.

Labels: Food and Beverage, holidays, Home, Local Events

One of the fun parts about getting married is imagining what you life will be like in 10, 15, or 30 years. Will you have children? Will you live in your hometown or have moved out of the area? Will you be successful? I'm a firm believer that dreams are healthy. And if you are going to dream, why not dream BIG!

I came across the pictures of this incredible Atlanta house featured in a recent edition of Veranda magazine. And I must admit, it was love at first sight. If I closed my eyes and pictured my dream house, this would be it. In fact, I can see myself curled up with a good book in front of the fire or on the outdoor patio with a grin on my face. Sure it's a lofty dream, but it's not doing anyone any harm. So for now, this girl will keep dreaming...Oh and by the way, it's for sale!

Labels: Home, Travel

This is for all of you who want to move it up a notch on love. Why stop with a wedding? What about your surroundings? We just thought these were too fun, so to inspire the love you have here you go. One of the most interesting of these is the left column middle positions - the Giovannetti love swivel chair. It also is available in red on red. Another is the beautiful "The Heartbreaker Chair by Tonon" top right photo is another stunning style. In the middle is some shower creativity from Colacril called "Musa". The "Edda Eme" love sink at center bottom would spice up any kitchen or bar area. Gruppo Tressa's custom bathtub is an egg shape of love and fun graphics. The irridescent mosaic tile wall is highlighted with the inset of hearts along one side. This is all fun and mean to be just that, so what are your thoughts? Our love to you......

Labels: Home, Ideas, inspired

We think you'll love these memory block tiles hand crafted by Sid Dicken's.


Memory Blocks are hand crafted plaster, 6" x 8" x 1 1/4", finished to a porcelain-like quality, cracked to create an aged look and feel.

Sid Dickens' work is produced by a group of 30 young emerging artists in a studio space in Vancouver, Canada. Each Memory Block is hand poured hydrostone plaster, all tiles are hand painted (the Iron Series requires 3 coats), silver and gold leafing is done by hand, and finally the Memory Blocks are hand stained. We consider each Memory Block a piece of art, there are over 5 people that do work on each one of them. There are many copies on the market, which have the look of being mass produced, as most of them are. The hours of work that go into creating each Memory Block make them each an individual collectible treasure.

There are so many to choose from we can't possibly pick a favorite. So I guess that mean's we'll just have to collect them all, right?

Labels: Home, Trends

Candles and room diffusers are the final touch to personalizing your space. The bonus, well that's a little something called mood enhancement......or thoughts of other things. This is exactly what good candles and diffusers can bring into a specific environment of your choice.

Here are a few ideas from one of our favorite websites called Scents & Sprays.

1. Archipelago Monogram B They offer you exceptional value. In many lesser fragrances in candles and soaps and diffusers, it would not be uncommon to buy three or four - which would be necessary to keep the continued fragrance available in your space - that only ONE Archipelago product will give you. You can find these at Anthropologie in Seattle

2. Another Archipelago product exuding quality are their candles - one of the capturing fragrances is the White Sugar Mango Soy candle, shown here for $20.00

3. Archipelago diffuser - what would you say if we told you we iknow several people who have had these particular diffusers and they have lasted over a year and a half? It's true - all you need to do is change the reeds. Quality fragrance blends will do this for you. Available at http://www.archipelago-usa.com/

4. St Moritz Candle collections - these candles refer to their fragrance as Divine. They are absolutely correct. Again - the value in the candle is the quality of the wax and fragrance - and adding to this is the contemporary simplicity of great design.

5. If YOU are the gourmet candle connoisseur - this is the candles collection that is a MUST have - Voluspa Basic Black Votive set of 10. The difficulty is when you are not sure whether to keep them or heaven forbid - give this away as a gift. We know what we would do - Your turn! $48.00 (Available at Nordstrom)

6. There is no doubt nothing much more romantic than walking into a room with the scent and look of candle light. The atmosphere is transformed into that very special personal space you create just for that special moment. Now comes the reality of safety and cost. One can spend a fortune on candles and in this day and age - not the priority you want it to be..... the answer is flameless "wax" candles. These particular candles will give you hours and hours of "mood".... before you even have to even replace the battery. And to set the perfect scene - not to be interrupted - yes a remote is included. Two 6" flameless pillars WITH remote $28.00!. If you want a little variety - try Cypress-Limegrass, Ocean Waters or Pomegranate.

7. Once again we have to include the Voluspa, Vervaine Olive Leaf Reed Diffuser. This is a clean, vibrant fragrance... with the blend of lemon verbena, green olive leaves, pettigrain and cucumber - wow - the fragrance you just sniff and cannot stop wanting to get more!

8. Presented in a beautiful, hand-blown Italian crystal perfume bottle with glass stopper, and decorative tray, Agraria Mission Fig AirEssence™ is filled with a special formulation of Mission Fig fragrance oil. Available on-line at: http://www.beautyexclusive.com

9. Bellissimo cut crystal decanter and home ambiance fragrance reeds made with superior formulations and only the finest natural ingredients in unique combinations. These are available at Caesars online at: http://www.caesarsluxurycollection.com/item.asp?curr_item_id=204&cat_id=4

Labels: Gifts, Home

In honor of Thanksgiving...check out our holiday inspiration board for all you that are hosting the big event.

Theme: Giving Thanks, duh!
Colors: Stick to pale oranges, cranberry reds and sage green

Click image below to enlarge.


Top Row: Oak leave cornucopia from Martha Stewart; Leave outdoor lanterns from Martha Stewart; Fall urn from Martha Stewart
Second Row: Fall leave piecrust cutters from Williams-Sonoma; Decorative straw turkey from Williams-Sonoma; Textured Pillar Candles Cardamom Cedar from Restoration Hardware; Vintage Monopoly game from Restoration Hardware
Third Row: Miracle on 34th Street; Fully-cooked smoked turkey from Honeybaked Ham; Homemade cranberry sauce; Sweet cinnamon pumpkin soap caddy from Bath & Body Works
Bottom Row: Pumpkin home fragrance oil from Bath & Body Works; Caterer plates at Pottery Barn; Della Robbia Topiary from Ballard Designs; Nutty Pecan martini from Rachael Ray; Giving Thanks book by M.J. Ryan



Create the look:

The Decor: We like choosing simple decor items that can also carry you into the Christmas season. So stick with fruits and vegetables and dark greens as your design backdrop.

The Food: When it comes to planning a meal for a large group, don't try to do everything yourself. Ask your guests to bring a side dish, and don't feel like you are backing out of the responsibilities by asking others to help out with the meal. Remember, it is Thanksgiving after all, so let your friends give. Of course, there is always the main staple, the infamous turkey. If you are a Tom Douglas mini-me, go ahead and try to make your own frozen/thawed turkey with all the dressings. But if you are like us, consider a catered turkey or a pre-cooked turkey from Honeybaked Ham. Add your own garnishes, and be sure to throw away any evidence of a "store bought" bird so your guests will never know. And, if nothing else, ditch the canned cranberry sauce for the real thing. It's pretty simple to make and you can gloat that you made it from scratch all night long.


The Entertainment: How often do you have all your friends and family together? Not that often right, so make the most of it. Pull out some "family fun" games and stick Miracle on 34th Street in the dvd player. (Yes, we realize this is a "Christmas" movie, but the movie starts out depicting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, so work with us here).

The Mood: From the moment your guests step inside your welcoming home, make sure they are bombarded (that's right, we said bombarded) with the scent of the holidays. Our pick is the lovely scent of spiced pumpkin, which can also carry you right into the Christmas season. Create the scent with burning oil, candles and room sprays and add extra touches with scented soaps and lotions in the bathroom.

The Booze: Be adventurous and try out a new fall-themed cocktail like spiked hot cider, pecan martini or pomegranate mint mojito. What other time of year can you try something so festive?

Labels: Food and Beverage, Home

It happened just the other day. We were walking outside and could see our breath for the first time this year. The chill is in the air, and that only means one thing. Winter is coming, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. So let's embrace it. Let's take advantage of the cold days and the crisp morning air, by grabbing an extra cup of hot chocolate, a warm wool blanket and an extra pair of socks.

Since we'll be spending a lot more time indoors, it's a great time to winterize your domain to make you feel nice and toasty indoors, even though it's freezing on the other side of the door. We've gathered some hot new looks to help you winterize your home, with charming home accessories that celebrate this time of year and keep the chills outside. These great winter accessories come from West Elm.

{Click image to enlarge}

Labels: Gifts, Home, Ideas

Looking for something ultra unique and fabulous to remember your wedding? How about a custom portrait of you and your new husband?

Kristine Baerlin’s portraits are a contemporary approach to the pop art tradition. Working in New York City as a successful painter for nearly a decade, Baerlin has developed two distinct portrait styles. Baerlin works directly with all of her clients to develop a unique size and color combination. Each portrait, hand-painted by the artist and signed on the back of the canvas, utilizes a signature circular pattern. Baerlin’s portraits guarantee a timeless work of art.

Each portrait is carefully planned directly between Kristine and her clients to best reflect their individual style and taste. Working together, they will swap color ideas, decide on a size and determine the best photograph from which to work. Kristine is always open to special requests and new ideas, as her passion is to make every portrait one-of-a-kind and timeless. This consultative process can be done in person, over the phone, or by email.

To plan your portrait, click here.


**UPDATE! We received the following email from Kristine...

I just want to thank you for posting the feature on my work in your October 13th posting! I haven't seen it until now, as someone just contacted me saying that she is interested in having a portrait done of her fiancé and herself, and using that at the beginning of the wedding, and as the theme for all printed material! This is such a cool idea! I'm so flattered that you put my work out there and that your readers are interested!

I can't thank you enough!
Kristine Baerlin
Brooklyn, NY

Labels: Gifts, Home

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and chances are either you or someone you know has been affected by this disease. As women, it is important for us to be educated in early detection and personal breast health. There are many ways for you to support the efforts of organizations around the nation that are promoting breast health and cancer research. And of course every woman loves to shop, so what better way to support an incredible cause than to purchase a product that donates proceeds to various breast cancer organizations. Check out our favorites below.

This limited-edition Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Lotion comes with a key chain complete with two silvertone charms: a Clinique 'C' and a Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon. Clinique will donate $10 from your purchase to help support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Retail price: $35.00 and available at Nordstrom.

C.O. Bigelow teamed up with cartoonist, author and breast cancer survivor Marisa Acocella Marchetto to create special edition C.O. Bigelow classics with her fashionista activista illustrations. Created in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Cancer Vixen Kit includes all-time favorite C.O. Bigelow formulas: Lemon Cream Body Wash (1.7 oz.), Lemon Body Cream (1.7 oz.), Mentha Lip Tint in Pink Mint (0.5 oz.), Mentha Foot Tingling Foot Cream (2 oz.), and Dr. Hiosous Quince Hand Lotion (2 oz.). Retails for $29.50 and available at Bath & Body Works. Check out more Cancer Vixen products here.

Kick up your cardio workout in the lucy kick it tee. the kickboxing girl graphic at front and center is a lucy original design that really packs a punch. 10% of sales of this tee will be donated to breast cancer network of strength™. Retails for $30 and available online at lucy stores.

For each qualifying pink product purchased, KitchenAid will donate up to $50 to the
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
KitchenAid will also donate $50 for every qualifying major appliance purchased during October—National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. KitchenAid offers a huge selection of kitchenware and utensils in the signature pink colors. Check out their entire offerings here.

Dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer, Privo® is honored to offer the 'Skotch' flip-flop. $2 from each pair sold will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation™ for clinical funding and worldwide research. Retails for $50 and available at Zappos.

Labels: Fashion, Gifts, Home, Social Awareness

Today's modern couple certainly travels to the beat of their own drum...and style is everything. We came across an online gift registry site that satisfied even the most independent trend-setters, Rosanna. Created by Rosanna Bowles, Rosanna offers the modern couple a huge selection of bold tableware that will spark charm and flair to any hosted event.

Always on the hunt for ideas, Rosanna keeps her dinnerware fresh by constantly traveling, reading, observing, listening and being curious about culture, fashion and the world. She often looks to the runway for style suggestions, whether it's the notion of layering, mixing and matching, the newest prints or the hottest hue. And as always, Rosanna savors what's on the table, designing dishes around tasty trends from olive oil tasting to food and wine pairings. And it's no surprise that Rosanna reaches back into her happy childhood for inspiration as well, creating instant heirlooms-fresh, modern takes on her favorites, to be enjoyed in the moment and handed down for generations to come.

For great ideas on table setting for your home or for your wedding, check out Rosanna's blog at www.rosannainc.blogspot.com.

Labels: Food and Beverage, Home

Here's a great read for inspiring ideas to help you plan your wedding. The book is called Entertaining Simple and it's by Matthew Mead, event planner extraordinaire. Whether you're planning an autumn wedding or a get-together for Halloween, you'll find simple tricks of the trade to wow the crowds. The images are spectacular and they are sure to ignite hunger pangs in your belly. Mmmmm.



From The Back Of The Book:
There's nothing better than a relaxed get-together with friends and family. But how do you relax when you're in charge of putting the party together, making sure your décor is just right, and cooking food your guests will love? In Entertaining Simple, lifestyle and entertaining guru Matthew Mead shows you how to say goodbye to party jitters and say hello to stylish, easygoing gatherings. He gives you everything you need for parties that are wonderfully simple—and simply wonderful.

Entertaining Simple is packed with beautiful color photographs, innovative ideas, tasty recipes, and complete game plans for all kinds of get-togethers. The book starts with a rundown of entertaining essentials—the simple white tableware, clear glassware, and basic serving pieces that are a must for any party. The fun part begins when Matthew shows you how to get creative with these essentials—and add a level of casual sophistication to your parties. You'll find great ideas for using old standbys in new ways, like egg cups as bud vases or votive holders as espresso cups. You'll discover how to use printed paper doilies, stamped napkin rings, or stylish vintage flowers to create personalized place settings. And you'll learn fresh ways to add style with stickers, decals, and rubber bands.

To demonstrate how to put his simple entertaining ideas into practice, Matthew gives you complete plans for eight fabulous get-togethers, from a Lazy-Day Brunch and a Summer Barbecue to a Good Spirits Cocktail Party and a Holiday Open House. For each party, he provides inspiring photographs, creative serving ideas, and tempting menus. The 54 recipes included—Herbed Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Lobster and Avocado Salad, Herbed Goat Cheese Bites, and Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling, to name just a few—are as easy to make as they are tasty to eat. Your guests will love the stylish ambiance, delicious food, and relaxed atmosphere. And with lots of do-ahead tips and shortcuts using prepared foods, it's easy for you to get out of the kitchen, join the party, and have fun.

Complete with source listings and savvy tips on everything from setting up a bar to storing linens, Entertaining Simple is simply indispensable if you want to impress your guests with great food and creative table settings—without spending a lot of time or money. Best of all, with Matthew's simple entertaining tips and strategies, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the party yourself!

Labels: Food and Beverage, Gifts, Home, How-Tos

With schools starting in just a couple weeks, days getting just a tad bit shorter, and temperatures starting to fall, that means only one thing....Fall is just around the corner. For many of you, Fall is your favorite time of year anyway, with the beautiful changing leaves and the golden glow in the sky. And for many brides, Fall is the perfect choice for their wedding date.

When decorating for a Fall wedding, we really encourage you to search outside the box and find accent pieces that can help dress up a room, table or entryway. For an abundance of Fall decorative items check out Ballard Designs. Ballard Designs carries stunning furniture and other home accent pieces and their new additions for Fall are no exception. We especially love the white pumpkins that would be perfect sitting on your guestbook table.

Also, now through September 15 everything is 25% off since Ballard Designs is celebrating their 25th anniversary. Take advantage of this offer and also be sure to check out their many items to complete your home in the form of tableware, linens, art, and other various accent pieces.

Labels: Gifts, Home, How-Tos, Ideas, Trends

When you are in love and the birds are singing and the sky is blue, its sometimes easy to forget to talk about the difficult questions that you really need to ask each other BEFORE you actually tie the knot. To help you get the ball rolling, we've outlined some important topics that should come up in your pre-wedding preparations. And remember, pre-marriage counseling is a really good idea when it comes to hashing out these topics. Your counselor/mediator will act a third party to guide you through the toughest questions. Be sure to check out banquetevent.com's counseling section to find a pre-marriage counselor for you.

Financial Questions:

1. What percentage of our income are we prepared to put toward a home (including utilities), food, entertainment, health, insurance, travel, and miscellaneous?

2. What are our long-term financial goals? What will we make in five years? 10 years? 15 years? 30 years?

3. How much time will we be spending working? Does one of us work extra hours or does our job require us to work in the evenings? How will we balance work with our "together" time?

4. If one of us was to lose our job or decide to quit, what would be our next step?

5. Are we comfortable with each other's level of ambition? Do we expect our partner to "move-up" in his/her company and increase income?

Family Questions:

1. What place does the other's family play in our family life? How often do we visit or socialize together? If we have out-of-town relatives, will we ask them to visit us for extended periods? How often?

2. Will we have children and if we will, how many? How important is it for us to have children and when?

3. Will one of us be a stay-at-home parent or will we both go back to work after a certain period?

4. What type of parents will we be? What discipline methods will we use?

5. How will having a child change the way we live now? How will it affect our relationship?

Household Questions:

1. Who will be responsible for the chores around the house including, cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, yard work, fix-its, etc? Will the work be shared or will we have certain jobs?

2. Who will be responsible for paying the bills?

3. Will we require outside help with the maintenance of our home? Will we have a housekeeper or a landscaper?

4. Will we be adding any pets to our family? If so what kind and how many? Who will be responsible for training, feeding, walking, bathing etc.?

Social Life:

1. Are we satisfied with the quality and quantity of friends we currently have? Would we like to be more involved socially? Are we overwhelmed socially and need to cut back on such commitments?

2. What are my partner's needs for cultivating or maintaining friendships outside our relationship? Is it easy for me to support those needs, or do they bother me in any way?

Private Life:

1. Do we share a religion? Do we belong to a church, synagogue, mosque or temple? More than one? If not, would our relationship benefit from such an affiliation?

2. Is each of us happy with the other's approach to health? Does one have habits or tendencies that concern the other (e.g., smoking, excessive dieting, poor diet)?

3. Is there something that one of us would like to change in the other?

4. What makes for a good marriage? Love, passion, money, family life, compatibility, sex, respect, or something else?

Labels: Home, How-Tos

One of the most fun parts about planning a wedding is registering for gifts. Who doesn't love to grab that "registry gun" and select items that will help you build your new life together? It feels like Christmas morning.

Here are some simple guidelines to remember when registering.

Why you should register: By registering, you let your family and friends know the gifts you would most like to receive, and will ensure that what you get suits both your tastes and styles. Even if you and your fiance can't imagine using fine china, stemware, and flatware in the near future, someday you will wish you had registered for them. It is very expensive to go out and invest in formal china down the road. Family and guests enjoy giving nice gifts that they know will be treasured and eventually passed on to future generations. By registering, it also makes it easier for you, after the wedding, in case you have items to return.

Unique shops for registry: There are many wonderful stores where you can register. The china, glassware, flatware, and special accessories you select will be with you the rest of your lives. Look at different registry stores, and remember you can register at more than one.

Mixing and matching: Many shops allow you to mix and match your patterns to design your own dishware theme. Ask about ideas they may have. Most important, have fun selecting items that you and your fiance will enjoy using.

When to register: Soon after you become engaged is the best time to register. If your friends want to send engagement gifts, you can tell them where you are registered. Or for showers, your guests can select from a variety of items that you have on your "wish list."

Make sure the items you register for cover the range of affordable to expensive so your family and friends can select something you want in a price range they can afford.

Check with your registry: It is a good idea to check your registry list periodically and keep it up to date with items you have received. Some gift givers will be making purchases in your behalf from other stores or will forget to let the store you are registered at know whom they are buying the gift for. It's nice for your guests to know what items you have or haven't received so they may plan their purchases accordingly.

Damaged items: No business can be responsible for gifts that get broken after they leave their store. If gifts are damaged or broken, it usually happens in shipping. Packages are carefully packed and under normal handling will reach you in perfect condition. However, if you find breakage upon unpacking, please call your delivery carrier (Postal Service or UPS) for an inspection and claim. NOTE: Most shippers require that all packing, boxes, and wrappings be retained for inspection, so be sure to keep everything!

Thank-you notes: It is important and proper etiquette to send thank-you notes immediately after receiving a gift. This way you let the gift giver know that the gift was received. And you can keep up with the many thank-you notes you will need to write rather than waiting until after the honeymoon.

Labels: Gifts, Home, How-Tos

One of our most popular posts of all time was back in April when we presented a peacock theme for your wedding. Since then, we've seen a huge increase in the amount of peacock inspired items for your home and everyday lifestyle. We can't complain. We love the use of peacock feathers as accent pieces, and the combination of peacock inspired colors look good on just about everyone.

Here are just a taste of our fabulous finds...


Top Left: Peacock hand towels from Horchow.com (Source: Team Sugar)
Top Right: Thomas Paul Pillows in Scarlet (Source: Team Sugar)
Bottom Left: Elsewares Peacock Coasters (Source: Team Sugar)
Bottom Right: Peacock Tea Towels from Wrapables (Source: Team Sugar)


Top: Peacock vases from Feathered Nest
Bottom: Peacock feathers from Fabulous Feather


Top Left: Highway Child Feather Earrings from Urban Outfitters
Top Right: Peacock feather earrings from Fred Flare
Bottom: Peacock Lure Earrings from Urban Outfitters

If wearing actual peacock prints just aren't for you, you can still create the same look with your color choices. Think teal, magenta and deep purples. The colors are feminine and look fabulous paired with a dark pair of jeans.


Top: Forever 21 blouse
Bottom Left: Glint 'Kailey' Peep Toe Pump
Bottom Middle: BP. 'Dazzle' Satin Sandal
Bottom Right: Chinese Laundry 'Afina' Platform Sandal

Labels: Fashion, Home, Ideas, Trends

If you pride yourself on your classic and simplistic style, we have a table and dinnerware registry base you're going to love. Meet Heath Ceramics. Heath Ceramics is one of the few remaining mid-century potteries still in existence today, but just because they've been in the business for over half a century doesn't mean that anything that comes out of their shop is outdated. In fact, the reason they have been in the business so long is because of their timeless craftsmanship and their superior designs.

Heath Ceramics offers table and homeware including hundreds of color options in tile selection for you to create a sophisticated oasis in your home's bathroom. Heath Ceramics also offers an online bridal registry so no matter where you live, you can make selection from their store and have them shipped directly to your door.

View just a few samples from their wide stylebase below.

Labels: Food and Beverage, Gifts, Home