Photo credits from top to bottom, left to right:
1. Vintage bird save the date tag magnets from SunshineandRavioli
2. Goldfinch among the budding maple trees 10×10 print by Raceytay
3. Large yellow tree necklace from JustineJustine
4. Grey and Yellow Rosette Headpiece from Houseoftelsa
5. Little Desert Flowers 5×7 Fine Art Print by Gandolphoto
6. Yellow silk roses bouquet by Patkas

Photo credits from top to bottom, left to right:
1. Mollie Collection Lined in Garnet Silk from Fiazco
2. Cabbage Roses Ribbon in Peony by Memrie Mare
3. Peony letterpress flat notes – set of 5 by Parrott Design Studio
4. Purple Peony Passion Ring Bearer Pillow by Mackensley Designs
5. Peony by jamelah
6. peony-2 by balookey

When I first saw this feature on pop-up decorations from Martha Stewart Weddings, I was pretty skeptical. I just haven’t seen too many pop-up decorations that look really great and although the pictures in Martha Stewart Weddings are always gorgeous, I wasn’t convinced that the concepts could be easily recreated without just a hint of tackiness.

Then I came across this lovely storefront image of the pop-up decorations at Fat Cat Paperie and decided to give the pop-up decorations a second chance.

With the right mix of colors, groupings, and other complementing details, pop-ups can be an inexpensive and beautiful way to add color and texture to your wedding decorations.

I think they look particularly amazing when used in large quantities and when the colors work together to highlight otherwise ordinary details. In the picture above, for instance, several golden and cream pop-up strands bring out the golden in the beverages on the table, and the pink and cream wall contrasts really well with the crisp, white table cloth.

A wall of garlands, as displayed above, would also make a lovely custom photobooth backdrop!

See more ideas and read the original post from Martha Stewart Weddings.

Photo Credits: From top to bottom: 1. Martha Stewart Weddings, 2. Fat Cat Paperie Blog, 3. Fat Cat Paperie Blog, 4. Martha Stewart Weddings, 5. Martha Stewart Weddings, 6. Martha Stewart Weddings.

Today’s Beautiful & Handmade feature is Whimsy & Spice, a Brooklyn husband and wife team who make delicious and beautiful handmade sweets for delivery throughout the US.

They have been featured on television shows and magazines, including Martha Stewart Weddings, the Rachel Ray Show, and Conde Nast Traveler, as wonderful options for baked wedding favors as well as scrumptious treats to try while you’re in the Brooklyn area.

There are several things that make Whimsy & Spice extra special in the world of handmade sweets and edible wedding favors.

• First, they combine his fascination with spices and culinary expertise, with her talent and experience in graphic design to produce beautifully branded and packaged baked goods. Not only do these sweets taste wonderful, they arrive looking gorgeous too.
• Second, I love the fact that they operate their business out of their Brooklyn home. I just love the fact that there are real people making my food – people with consciences who are accountable for what they make. People who care deeply about their products and the services that their businesses can provide. (Edited to change: Please note that while they operate the business out of their home, they bake out of a licensed kitchen. I’m so sorry for the misinformation for those who caught this post earlier!)
• And finally, they’re so transparent about their businesses, and they take time to share their thoughts and lives with their blog readers.

Visit their Etsy shop here and read about what they’ve been making lately here.

Photo credits: Images in this post are from the Whimsy & Spice site.

Do you love the look and feel of letterpress stationary but aren’t sure if you can fit real letterpress into your wedding budget? Now there’s a DIY alternative for those of you who also love crafting and all things paper!

Before I tell you more about this little machine, I need to add that real letterpress printing is an art that requires years (and a lot of very expensive overhead) to master. This machine does not replace that art but it can provide a fun and inexpensive way for the rest of us to play around with the letterpress look.

Lifestyle Crafts recently debuted a DIY Letterpress Machine along with wedding-themed printing plates. They also have an option for you to submit your own design for a custom printing plate so it’s relatively easy to incorporate specific text or designs for all your wedding invitations, programs, menus, favors, and thank you cards. You can view the demo videos on how to use the letterpress machine here and read more about what you can do with the machine on their blog here.

This DIY letterpress machine is available for purchase from the Lifestyle Crafts website and Paper Source stores.

Photo Credits: Images from this post are from the Lifestyle Crafts website.

I love this fabulous idea from Marta Locklear on The Creative Mama from earlier this week! It’s a great way to add a fun splash of color at your wedding, a bridal shower, or just in your own home. In fact, it reminds me a bit of the following Ikea lamps…

And while we’re talking about Ikea, the pendant lamp shades required in this project can also be purchased from Ikea from between $4 to $6 a piece. Great idea if you have and like craft projects (or know someone else who does)!

I came across this neat little feature from Brides Magazine the other day featuring wedding planning tips from celebrity wedding planner, Preston Bailey. (Click on the square pictures to view the tips.)

Some great things that I enjoyed from his tips:
- Once you’ve settled on your budget, decide which parts of your wedding are most important to you – and invest your emotional and financial time on those areas.
- Don’t be afraid to surprise your guests with something slightly untraditional details.
- Trust the people you’re working with, and don’t micromanage work that you’ve delegated. Plan, plan, plan before the big day but be ready to let go so you can enjoy and savor the day.

If you’re looking for more tips from him, he also has another Brides Magazine feature on Wedding Inspiration 101.

Looking for a great place for custom jewelry for your wedding or wedding attendants? Fuss Jewelry at Etsy has some amazing jewelry designs featuring “semi-precious gem-encrusted jewelry in unique arrangements and organic themes.” There are colors for every color palette, and over a hundred different designs to choose from for rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. If you can’t decide which one you want to give someone, you can even order gift certificates from the store!

If you want to learn more about the designer of Fuss Jewelry, and read about how she designs these gorgeous pieces, you can head on over to her blog here.

Recently, I ran across this article form the New York Times about how members of Washington have been using these new, gorgeous online invitations for several parties.

The company that makes these invitations is the Paperless Post, and their online invites distinguish themselves from Evite and other social invitation tools by recreating the look of beautiful, custom stationary online. So not only do you still get to design and experience the perfect invitation for your event, you’re also able to do so in a very environmentally conscious and economical way!

Okay, so maybe you’re thinking that you’d still rather have traditional invitations that you can mail off, hold in your hands, and save for posterity. Well, you can still incorporate online invitations into your wedding planning! For example, you could use them for engagement parties, bridal showers, and even the rehearsal dinner!

I saw this beautiful post by Design Mom today showcasing this sweet baby shower with gorgeous yellow accents. I love how the yellow ties this simple party together. The idea would work fabulously for a bridal shower too! The yellow pom-poms look like how my pom-poms turned out when I tried making them using Martha Stewart’s instructions for pom-poms and luminaries.

I’ve been seeing parties utilizing these pom-poms in several places recently, and I think they look especially great when they’re placed in large clusters together. This doesn’t necessarily mean making a ton of pom-poms, but it does mean covering a larger surface area so that they make a really bold splash of color.