Category: Sponsored Posts

Sweet Sponsor } UncommonGoods
Greetings sweet readers,
I have been getting a lot of emails about this last post and having an artist at your wedding. So I wanted to take a few minutes to elaborate on that. First the idea came from the most special collaborative effort for the lavender inspired shoot. We asked a local artist that we found on a local art education site and the idea went on from there.
I was also thinking that there might be another way to incorporate this concept at your wedding and create a memorable piece that will adorn the newlyweds walls for years to come. If you are anything like me and my Hubby we had 2 pictures on our wall when we got married….. both wedding gifts! They still hang on our wall and we adore them!
I like gifts that last and are useful that’s why I love UncommonGoods. They have great home-brew gifts, I got my hubby this last year and he loved it!
But back to the wedding idea. A while back Aisle Candy featured these posters. UncommonGoods has them here and they are totally custom! So cute! This is my favorite… I love it when my hubby dances with me.
Or lets say you lived in two different states, this one would be so cute as decor for your reception and after.
They are lots more ideas and super cute wedding things here at UncommonGoods. Check it out I know you will love it!
xoxo
Sara

Sweet Sponsor } Wedding Rings Direct
Greetings sweet readers,
My hubby spent the last 2 years getting healthy. Eating right, working out and ridding mountain bikes has helped him loose over 100lbs! I am so proud of him….there is one thing no one warned us about…. His wedding band no longer fits! I mean it flies off when he waves hello to someone! So now we get to go wedding ring shopping all over again. SO Much Fun!!
So we have started our hunt to get him a new band. In our search we found Wedding Rings Direct. I love that you can get samples and have them sent to you so you can make sure it’s the correct size as well as the feel of the ring. After all you want to make sure your wedding ring looks as good as it feels. I think that is so rad that they give you that option!
Wedding Rings Direct has a TON of wedding rings to choose from (read: so many choices you are guaranteed to find what you want). However if you want something completely custom they have that too. Highly skilled craftsman will take your sketch, idea or image and crate a bespoke ring just for you! And usually around 3 weeks to create a bespoke ring is great!
I am totally smitten with these manly beauties. I love the wood inlay. I also did a wee bit of poking around for myself.
What!?
Can you blame me
I can’t get over these amazing cluster rings! I cant wait to get hubby a ring that fits and share what he picked with you. So I would love to know what you picked? Are you going for classic, modern, something totally custom? What I love is that Wedding Rings Direct has all these options! Happy shopping!
Xoxo
Sara

Brides Live Wedding!
Greetings sweet readers,
Amazing luxury beach wedding planned and paid for by Brides!! Uh, YES please! As part of the Brides Live Wedding program, one lucky couple will win a dream wedding at the luxury St Regis Monarch Beach Resort in California.
Photo credit: St. Regis Monarch Beach ResortsPerhaps best of all, is that this event’s details will be chosen for the winning bride and groom by Brides’ Facebook fans! Bridal gown, wedding shoes, and bridesmaid dresses from David’s Bridal, Rings from Simon G., a one-of-a kind cake from Buddy “The Cake Boss” Valastro of Carlo’s Bakery, Honeymoon in the Cayman Islands, and a Target registry are all included! Once the winning couple is chosen, fans will be voting on every detail!
Photo credit: Esther Sun PhotographyAnd when its time to walk down the aisle on your big day, extended friends and family can watch Live on Facebook. Ok, seriously that sounds like a dream to me! I actually think the best part of all this is that a donation to the winning couple’s charity of choice will be made. What a way to start off your married life; by giving back!
Enter to win the first ever Brides Live Wedding. Oh my, I hope you win! Click here to enter before January 10th! Hurry friends!!
xoxo
Sara

Sweet Sponsor ~ Honeymoon Pixie
Greetings sweet readers,
Today I just couldn’t wait to share our newest sponsor with you. Honeymoon Pixie! I have been dreaming of a vacation lately, with all the hustle and bustle around here, and just love checking out their site for a little inspiration. Andrew is the CEO and he has put together some amazing secret (read: quite and romantic) honeymoon destinations… go take a look for yourself and prepare to register for your dream trip!
Here are Andrew’s top 5 pics:
“Do you want a honeymoon that’s off the beaten track or a little out of the ordinary? Traditional honeymoon locations can be great, but these five secret honeymoon destinations have much to offer, including magnificent scenery, a sense of adventure, and indulgent romance. Here are our top five places to go if you want an exceptionally romantic honeymoon:
Positano, Italy
Located on the Amalfi Coast, the small fishing village of Positano is built on the side of a mountain with colorful buildings spilling down the rocky hillside to the sea below. Writer John Steinbeck referred to Positano as a “dream place”. Across the village, you can find bright foliage and flowers in bloom. There is an inviting rock beach with the warm Mediterranean Sea at its base to enjoy. Other than amazing scenery and lovely beaches, the town prides itself in not having many tourist attractions. A honeymoon to Positano is all about relaxing and enjoying authentic Italian coastal cuisine.
Positano features two beautiful beaches, Spiaggia Grande and Fornillo. Spiaggia Grandi is a smooth pebbled beach lined with cozy restaurants and cafes. The sunsets from here are noteworthy and not to be missed. Fornillo beach is more private and less traveled, as it can only be reached by a path that starts at Spiaggia Grande.
Marrakesh, Morocco
If you want a truly interesting honeymoon, Marrakech, Morocco is certainly an ideal destination. It’s a city of exotic beauty with an exciting maze of covered market streets. As you explore the streets, you’ll be entertained by a variety of unique street performers like fire jugglers. Don’t forget to visit the lovely Majorelle Gardns and the restored Saadian Tombs. Marrakech is an especially wonderful destination if you’re honeymooning from October through March, when you’ll be rewarded with beautiful weather. If traveling in January or February, skiers can also enjoy the Oukaimden ski resort, less than fifty miles outside of Marrakech.
If you do decide to honeymoon in Marrakech, try to reserve a riad, a traditional Moroccan house in the older part of town. These old houses provide an affordable place to stay and the opportunity to connect with the culture of Marrakech. Many riads feature restaurants or pools in the central courtyard, and some have rooftop terraces with gorgeous views of the city.
Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt is the quintessential Austrian village, and it has all of the quaint buildings, mountain views, and gorgeous church steeples that come to mind when Austria is mentioned. In fact, Hallstatt is the oldest village in Austria, and its history dates back to the 8th century B.C. The village is located in the Salzkammergut Lake Region and nestles between the Dachstein mountain range and Lake Hallstaettersee, which you have to cross by ferry in order to get to the village.
Hallstatt is a great honeymoon location for history and museum lovers. It includes several museums and holds the world’s oldest salt mine. It’s also a fantastic option for an adventure honeymoon as there are many hiking trails to explore. Hallstatt features some top-notch luxury hotels, where you can enjoy wonderful food and hospitality on your honeymoon.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown really does have it all, particularly if you’re looking for an adventurous honeymoon that also includes much-needed rest and relaxation. Remember that the lands “down under” operate on the opposite seasonal schedule as the U.S. and Europe, which means that Queenstown is the perfect destination for skiers and snowboarders who hope to honeymoon in June through September.
In and around Queenstown, you can enjoy adventure activities like jet skiing, quad biking, bungee jumping, climbing, river rafting, and paragliding. The area also features some of New Zealand’s finest wineries, so you can come down from your adrenaline rush with a relaxing winery tour. If you want a greener honeymoon, you should also look at eco-tour options and natural attractions like hiking tours, horseback tours, and kayak tours in and around Queenstown.
Castle Hopping in Scotland
If you both love history and all things medieval, castle hopping in Scotland could be the perfect honeymoon for you. Several UK-based tourism companies offer guided tours, but you can also use the services of these companies to help arrange your own self-driving tour. Castles worth visiting include Edinburgh Castle, Balmoral Castle, Eilean Donan Castle, Floors Castle, Inveraray Castle, and Tantallon Castle. One interesting thing about castle hopping in Scotland is the variety and locations of castles; you’ll find castles in the forest, on rocky outcrops, on the coast, in lakes surrounded by water, and in the capital city of Edinburgh.
There are several castles that operate as hotels. These include Ashford Castle, Carr Hall Castle, and Stonefield Castle. While not all castles will allow overnight visitors, there are excellent hotels or bed and breakfast options nearby to most castles.
In between castles, you can enjoy the scenic countryside throughout Scotland and its many beautiful lochs, with Loch Ness being the most well-known.”
Ok I am ready to pack! And can I jsut say that the people over at Honeymoon Pixie are just the sweetest. Have a great weekend friends!
xoxo
Sara

Best Gowns for You by David’s Bridal
Greetings sweet readers,
So, you are going dress shopping. Most likely you have in tow: your mom, some besties and a book filled with glossy magazine pages showing images of dresses you just have to try on. Or maybe you show up empty-handed with no clue what you want. Well today I wanted to help shed some light on (in the words of Stacy and Clinton from “What not to Wear”) dressing the body you have… aka Not Living in Wedding Dream Land. Just because it’s once in a lifetime dress doesn’t mean the basic principles of fit and design should be ignored in favor of choosing ‘your favorite’. The way a dress looks on you (not the hanger) should always be paramount when selecting The One.
There are 6 basic body types. Honestly, I really don’t like putting people in “categories”; it feels kinda wrong. But we will for the sake of this post. It’s ok if your body is a mixture of two body types; mine is. David’s Bridal has a great feature on their website called “Figure Flattery” They do a great job of breaking it down so you can find the best wedding dress for your figure! BTW, did you know that Vera has a line called White by Vera Wang at David’s Bridal! EEKK! The dresses are everything you’d expect from Vera, but easier on the budget.
If you find yourself lacking in the waist department (like me) then you are a apple shape. Its important to cinch in your waist and give it definition. Here are my picks for you:
For a Pear-shape avoid styles that hugs the hips…. Unless you’re J.Lo – then go for it. For the rest of us here are my picks to camo a well endowed bottom half.
Lets talk about full-figures and girls with ample bosom. Now the biggest thing if you fall into this category is to emphasize the assets. One tip: if you have a large chest please, pretty please don’t get a strapless gown with a straight across neckline. It will make your girls look as if they are out to conquer the world (likely without you). Instead look for (if you must have a strapless gown) sweetheart necklines or a slight dip.
For all you tall gals My best tip is be sure that the gown waist, sleeves (if you have them), and hemline are the appropriate length. Otherwise you will end up looking like you borrowed the gown from your much shorter sister. Invest in a good tailor, its worth it!
Last, but certainly not least, are petites. I think this is a great category to be in if you remember one thing. Don’t let the dress and its details overwhelm you. They should be small, because, well you are. If you are in this category think small intricate details and clean lines. Here are my picks for you.
Ok now I want to go try on dresses for my wedding re-do! Ladies head over to David’s Bridal and check out White by Vera Wang. How can you go wrong!
xoxo
Sara




















