Fab * Blog by InvitationConsultants.com

It's Your Wedding Too! TheManRegistry.com

Last week, Chris from themanregistry.com contacted us about our bachelor party invitations. We were so excited to discover his website that caters specifically to grooms and groomsmen. It is a rare treat to see the grooms so involved in the planning of their wedding! Don't get us wrong, we have tons of grooms who call us for advice about their wedding invitations, but I never imagined there could be such a resource for grooms. Themanregistry.com covers everything groom related- from vendors to information on acquiring  marriage licenses and other paperwork. Plus, they do all of this with a sense of humor. Check out their playful 'Man-Up!' YouTube video:

Brides & Grooms-- let us know in a comment below, how much was/is the future husband involved in the planning of your wedding?

My Favorite Tablescapes

I took these photos of events I have had. The tablescapes are simple and really focus on the food. From birthday parties to holiday parties to baby showers. 

For my dad's party I selected navy and silver as the table colors to signify wisdom, maturity and a classy combination.

My friend's chose pink and brown for my baby shower because they are a trendy color combination that is both chic and sweet.

For our holiday parties I always incorporate red into the tablecloths and very often into the partyware. Mixing red with green or gold or silver is a festive choice. 

Choosing two inks for a tablescape is just perfect.

Martini Party: Stir One Up Quickly

Martini Parties are hot especially at this time of year. So stir something up. Here are a few tips for having a stellar martini party on the fly with not much time to plan, it's really just about getting friends together. First send the martini party invitations!

Be creative

Create a martini menu with everything but the kitchen sink. But here's the trick, find items you have in your home to use, in order to keep down the cost. Hopefully you have cranberry juice, other juices, fruits, olives and maybe pumpkin at this time of year. Research seasonal martinis for that fall and holiday feel.

Be thoughtful

If you have non-drinkers and pregnant friends coming, be prepared. Consider dessert martinis, like milk in a martini glass with a chocolate cookie as a garnish. And get creative with juices by simply placing pineapple juice in a martini glass with several small fruits as garnish on a toothpick.

Feed them too

Serving only alcohol may not be the healthiest thing, so use more martini glasses and serve small hors d'oeuvres and mini desserts in these chic glasses. For example, mini chocolates and marshmallows fit in perfectly. A spoonful of hors d'oeuvres fit in these glasses well, like salmon mousse on a small toast point, tomato salsa, and mini arugula salad with walnuts also fit in well and are light bites.

Pretty simple! Now all you have to do is practice saying, "Would you like that shaken or stirred?"

Martini Season, Martini Pop Art, Pumpkin Martini, Vesper Martini made famous by James Bond, dessert in martini, Virgin martinis, Cheap and Dirty Martini.

A Halloween Birthday Bash! Vampires Welcome...

I can hardly contain my excitement anymore, Halloween is TOMORROW! Woo hoo! My friend Carly and I were born a week apart (me on October 24th, and Carly on Halloween itself, lucky girl!), so we often celebrate our birthdays together with a night on the town or a joint shin dig. This year, we are going all out for the party, celebrating a year of big accomplishments and good times. Just to gush for my friend for a moment- this year, Carly got admitted into a masters program in Molecular Medicine. If that's not something to celebrate on your b-day, I don't know what is!

So, on to the party details! I am a huge fan of True Blood. In case you're not familiar, True Blood is a vampire show on HBO. Some may say it's Twilight for grown-ups. I was determined to have a True Blood party and I have incorporated some vampire related elements into the party decor in addition to creepy skull and crown motifs.  I gathered a lot of inspiration from Hostess Blog's Twilight themed party posts, and I even plan on making these vampire martini's and vampire bottle labels.

Last night, I set out a lot of the party materials so I can be ready set to celebrate, and not have any last minute stress. Some of my favorite details are featured above from left to right:

{Fabulous Flashback} It's a Jolly Holiday with a Mary Poppins Tea Party!

'Tis the season to snuggle up with your sweetie, cozy up by the fire, and watch classic movies that remind us of why it is so wonderful to be young at heart and imaginative. This week's post pulls from an old favorite of mine...Mary Poppins! A lot of my friends poke fun at me (and some join in my love) because I adore timeless musicals, Disney movies, and other classic flicks filmed before my time. My parents always exposed me to these films, which I'm certainly grateful for, but there are those that weren't acquainted with classics such as Mary Poppins. So if you're totally confused right now with my favorite-movie-rant, let me expand your imagination with a Mary Poppins Tea Party! If you already familiar with Disney's cinematic genius, you'll find this post "practically perfect in every way!"

A Mary Poppins Tea Party is ideal for a young girl's birthday party or a leisurely ladies day out. With the holidays just around the corner (can you believe it's already almost November?), we've tailored this party to have a festive flair. The caramel apple imagery and adorable tablescape seen above is courtesy of the Party Wishes blog. She has literally pinpointed every detail of the movie and incorporated them into the party's theme. Some favorite ideas are:

• have everyone wear Mary Poppins inspired hats: (perhaps the white tie around the neck number tickles your fancy, or you'd like to be a little more casual with a plain black one adorned with little flowers)
• provide artful activities such as kite decorating (to fly to the highest height of course) and sidewalk chalk (to jump into their drawings)
• play games such as "Tuppins Toss" or "A Spoon Full of Sugar" relay
• set up a photo shoot with a carousel horse

Some other ideas we came up with are:

It's a... Baby! | Stylish Baby Must-Haves

It's been a while since we've seen a baby post here on Fab*Blog, so the time is right for a little baby love! I've put together a pink and blue post with lots of adorable birth announcements and irresistible baby must-haves.

Start out with a colorful birth announcement like the ones shown here (middle column). Each have a unique style and is a great way to inform friends and family of your new bundle of joy. Make it even more special with a picture-perfect photo of your baby, like the ones here (top left, top right), taken by photographer Paula Kennedy.

Then, pick up a handmade onesie from etsy. I found these two (middle left, middle right) from etsy seller CantaloupeCorner. With lots of super-cute options, you're sure to find something just right!

Finish off with a pair of stylish booties from Robeez and you're set! Sure, socks are the go-to for infant footwear, but why not change it up with a great pair of tiny shoesies for your little one?

These are just the beginning to some great shopping options, so get out there and have fun with it. Whether you are out buying for your own little one or for a friend, you can definitely find some cuter than cute and highly unique gifts!

Image Credits:

Baby girl photo, Baby boy photo, Girl onesie, Boy onesie, Girl shoes, Boy shoes.

Birth Announcements:

Sweet Dreamer, Polka Dotted Arrival, Argyle Diaper Pins, Special Delivery in Blue.

Proposing to Your Girlfriend Recessionmista Style

I loved the movie The Proposal and not just because I am a super big Ryan Reynolds fan, but because it was a solid movie. It may have not been the most common way to become engaged, but I do think that not every engagement involves a fancy restaurant with a dozen roses. Some engagements are more practical, while others are more whimsy and some are just plain sweet.

Here are a few ideas for a simple, and recession proof proposal. Some are fictional and ideas to share and others are tried and true:

Propose at a drive-in movie during a chic flick.

Propose on the steps of your high school (if you were high school sweethearts).

Bring a boom box and dress like John Cusack in Say Anything and stand outside her window. Play your "couple" song on the boom box and have her come out and propose.

Put "Will you marry me?" in a fortune cookie. 

Make her dinner and prepare soup, place alphabet pasta in the bowl and spell out, "Marry me."

Put the proposal in baked goods. Inspired by Bakerella.

My fave: sweet and never fails: Propose at a picnic on the beach at sunset.

These are cheap proposal ideas, the ring is another story!

Simply Save the Date, Letter Burst, The Proposal movie stars, Picnic stuff, Say Anything

{Wednesday Trendsday} On TV: GLEE!

My mom typically won't talk to me on the phone on Wednesdays because she thinks I'm grumpy. No one else seems to notice, but my mom has told me that all my life I've disliked Wednesdays in a strange way. Well, I know you're reading mom and you should know I LOVE Wednesdays now! Glee is on FOX on Wednesdays, and it is such a delightful show. It's pretty popular too, and the fashion on the show is becoming trendy. Several of the characters, including the ambitious Glee club lead singer Rachel, don school girl plaid and modest collars. I've heard numerous places that plaid will be all over the place this fall and winter- from runways to the mall. Other characters on the show play into high school staples like nerds, jocks, cheerleaders, goth kids, and fashionistas, but the show blends the line between 'popular' and 'not popular' with all of the archetypes participating in the glee club together. It's campy, it's colorful, and it teaches great lessons, all the while singing and popping-and-locking to show tunes and top 40 hits. I hope this Wednesday Trendsday finds you gleeful and not at all grumpy.

Featured above: Photos of Glee characters Rachel, Finn, and Emma, all from imdb.  Hit Record Necklace, Rad Plaid Dress, Art History Dress (what a great name!), and Style Coach Necklace, all from Mod Cloth.  Classic Patch Plaid and Savvy Houndstooth invitations from Whitney English. Shop more patterned invitations. Or, music themed invitations.

Preston Bailey Wedding Invitations | Let Color Inspire Your Wedding Story

We are on cloud nine at Invitation Consultants and it's all due to the fabulous new wedding invitations created and inspired by Preston Bailey!

An internationally renown event designer who has crafted beautiful events for so many A-list clients, Preston takes ordinary to extraordinary with his sumptuous and theatrical "art installations."

The purpose of these invitations is to allow the flowers to inspire your wedding and let the colors and bountiful centerpieces act as the basis for your wedding story. For those who dream in color (as I have always done), let these exquisite designs expand your imagination and help guide you through choosing the details of your wedding. We've taken four invitations and built a colorful wedding story around them. Let's take a peek!

The elegant 'Held Dearly' wedding invitation features a green floral background with multiple shades of sages and pops of periwinkle. Green can be translated so many ways from energetic and crisp, to soothing and natural. It is a symbol for growth and renewal, the perfect inspiration as you begin your new life together. Colorful candies, beautiful jewels, and a tropically modern cake are all ideas that we pulled from this wedding invitation.

The whimsical nature of Preston's 'Signature Sweetness' invitation shimmers and blossoms as every bride should do on her special day. She must feel royally special. Purple can be soft and feminine, or bold and noble. It is a color for all seasons - use lavenders for Spring and Summer and deep eggplants and fuchsias for Fall and Winter. We've paired this lovely invite with an extravagant tablescape and chic purple heels.

The sunny 'Sunflower Fantasy' invitation is vibrant and optimistic. You feel instant happiness from these sunflowers and you can't help but fall in love with the modern design. It's clean and refreshing, warm and pure. Parasols, coordinated tie+bout, and zingy lemon-tinis exude cheerfulness on your wedding day.

'Rose Bloom' is a romantic choice of invitation for the elegant bride and groom. It's sheer and simple aesthetic allows the over-sized flower to truly tell a love story. Creamy corals, espressos, pinks, and creams are all seamlessly represented in this unique design. Neapolitan ice cream and a stylishly-sweet creamy gown with coordinating brown sash make your heart skip a beat.

It is easy to see how the lavish and sophisticated designs of Preston Bailey inspired fabulous invitations. Planning a wedding is simple if you have a core idea. Choose your invitations first and let them create a statement for your wedding. It's the first glimpse your guests have at the style of your wedding. With these invitations, the first page of your wedding story will take you all the way to happily ever after. The End.

All wedding invitations are courtesy of Preston Bailey for Invitation Consultants. Inspiration imagery are courtesy of real weddings from Project Wedding and The Knot. 

Where the Wild Things Are | Have a 'Wild' Party!

It's almost here! 3 days till "Where The Wild Things Are" comes out in theaters and we're pumped! I think we all have a memory of this book from sometime in our past, whether it was from our parents reading it to us or ourselves reading it to a little one. The book evokes so much imagination with it's great illustrations of 'wild things' and fearless adventure, it's a little kids' dream! As soon as previews for the movie started coming out, I was hooked. The music from the film (which I've already downloaded) is amazing, the costumes are beyond unbelievable, and the main character seems delightfully lovable!

Already, I've come across lots of 'Wild Things' themed parties. And what's a party without invitations? Jungle Party, Giraffe Linen, and Leopard Green would start off your party just right! All aspects of your party can have the wild theme. Check out the cake made for this birthday party (top left). The mom who threw the party had a pin-the-tail-on-Max game, masks, and a book reading. Or, check out the photos taken by Kristen Eldridge (bottom left) of another 'wild' birthday party. They are so bright and whimsical, it makes me want to have a wild-themed party of my own! Be sure to see the rest of the party photos here. Even adults can get in on the theme with a cute pendant necklace from Etsy (bottom right),or this awesome rustic canopy bed from Anthropologie (top right).

It seems like this movie is going to be quite a hit with children and adults alike! I'll definitely be at the movies this weekend, will you?

Image Credits:

Green Monster Cake, Where the Wild Things Are Official Site, Anthropologie Canopy Bed, Wild Things party, Baby wearing Max costume, Frame Pendant necklace.