If you are looking for a super creative and colorful wedding cake for holiday weddings, this Peppermint Candy Cane and White Chocolate Swirl Cake from Raspberri Cupcakes would definitely be the winner. And, if you're curious about the "swirl" part, it's actually marbled inside for an unexpected surprise. I'm now off for a few days to kick-off the holiday week with my mom today to celebrate her birthday and then finish getting everything ready for Thursday {and our Holiday pretties for church on Wednesday}. Wishing all of my readers a wonderful holiday with family and friends. See you back here very soon . . .

{PS: if you are looking for a little more "peppermint" inspiration, my
red and white holiday wedding inspiration board can be found here}

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I can't believe it - but It's officially time to kick off the holiday season {although holiday music has been playing in our house for a while now}. I'll be taking today off to start the holiday decorating of our house. We're planning to put our tree up while the little one naps so it doesn't turn into an all day project. We'll see if our plan actually works. To help get your holiday season started, I wanted to share with you an inspiration board from the archives. This was probably one of my favorites - I just love the frosted look with the red and white and touches of soft winter green.
original post with images credits can be found here

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The holidays are quickly approaching and Weddings Are Fun sells beautiful Christmas candles. In addition to carrying Christmas Personalized Unity Candles embellished with Swarovski Crystals and Christmas Memorial Candles that are used during the wedding ceremony, they also carry unique Christmas Candle Favors that your guests will love. Christmas Bridesmaid Candles, Christmas Scroll Candles and Christmas Wax Lantern Candles make lovely bridesmaid gifts for your attendants and keepsake gifts for family members, too. They are all made in the USA.

top left: Green Heart Christmas Swarovski Crystal Unity Candle & Matching Tapers - Real Green Fern is shaped in a heart and decorated with genuine Red and Green Swarovski Crystals. Personalization includes the first names of the bride and groom, last name initial and the wedding date.

top right: White Heart Christmas Swarovski Crystal Unity Candle & Matching Tapers - Real White Queen Anne flowers are shaped in a heart and decorated with genuine Red and Green Swarovski Crystals. Personalization includes the first names of the bride and groom, last name initial and the wedding date.

bottom left: Christmas Wreath Candles – Red & Green Font Colors - The Christmas Wreath Candles are made with real Christmas Cedar and faux Holly Berries. These can be personalized with up to 8 lines of your own personal message, and make wonderful bridesmaid gifts or thank you gifts for your family members.

bottom right: Christmas Wreath Keepsake Wax Lantern Candles – Red & Green Font Colors - The Keepsake Wax Lantern Candles are a hallowed out candle shell that never burns because a small votive candle is placed inside and burns instead while making a beautiful glow. Decorations include real Christmas Cedar and faux Holly Berries. These can be personalized with the first names of the bride and groom and wedding date, used as a memorial candle, or make your own 4 line personal message.

top left: Christmas Wreath Scroll Candles – For Gifts or as Memorial Scroll - The scroll candles are decorated with real Christmas Cedar and faux Holly Berries. Scroll candles can be personalized with the first names of the bride and groom and wedding date, or it can be made into a memorial scroll candle honoring loved ones who have passed away, or make your own 4 line personal message.

top right: Christmas Holly Berry Bridesmaid Candles – Thank You Candles - The bridesmaid candles are decorated with real Christmas Cedar and faux Holly Berries, and personalized with up to 4 lines of your own personal message. Bridesmaid candles make wonderful bridesmaid gifts because they let your bridesmaids know how much you appreciate them being there for you on your special day.

bottom left: Christmas Holly Berry Candle Favors – Candle Favors For All Occasions - The candle favors are decorated with real Christmas Cedar and faux Holly Berries, and personalized with the first names of the bride and groom and the wedding date. Candle favors can be personalized for any occasion and make wonderful keepsakes for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, new babies and corporate gifts.

bottom right: Christmas Holly Berry Memorial Candles – In Memory of up to 2 People - The memorial candles are decorated with real Christmas Cedar and faux Holly Berries. Each memorial candle reads, “In Loving Memory of  (Names) who is/are present in our hearts” and can be printed with up to 2 names.

In keeping with today's earlier photo shoot - the holidays are staying alive on my blog for one more day :) Right now I have a beautiful Merry Little Christmas Wedding photo shoot that Marisa of Sassy Mouth Photography in CT put together. Marisa even designed the invitation {don't you love it?}

Marisa used some of her own Christmas items, some new things, and her sister's adorable little girls. Marisa's brother's girlfriend modeled as a bride in her own mom's wedding dress from 30 years ago. I'm in love with this dress - it's the most perfect winter wedding dress and even more perfect for a holiday one.

The gorgeous florals were provided by HGK DESIGNS and the hair and makeup was from Kayle from Salon Alexander in New Britain.

This photo shoot is brimming with inspiration for the holidays - and even some of the ideas can be implemented for Valentine's Day. Thank you so much Marisa for sharing this stunning shoot with my readers today. To see more from Marisa - please visit the Sassy Mouth Photography Blog.

Welcome to 2011. I hope everyone had a terrific holiday and a very Happy New Year. Here's to a wonderful 2011 for all and congratulations to all the newly engaged brides and grooms that have stumbled upon my blog - welcome. Today on the blog, the holidays will be continuing for one more day as I have come across two spectacular winter/holiday photo shoots that I just couldn't pass by. You are going to LOVE them both. First up is a stylized winter wedding shoot from David and Drexelle of D. Park Photography that is brimming with ideas and quite a few of the ideas could even be incorporated into a Valentine's Day wedding.

The bouquet and boutonniere featured varied hues of Christmas red in dahlias, Heart Roses and spray roses with bright white roses accented with mini peppermint Christmas ornaments.

The white wintery tree is adorned with bright red ornaments and peppermint accents.

Silver beaded trim glass chargers were used and the custom invitation suite is called "a modern Christmas", the design was simple but fun with accents of red with striped red and white twine.

A Peppermintini - gotta love that. It's a peppermint martini with crushed peppermints on the rim.

I love the two tier cake. It's covered in white fondant and features a scalloped edge with a fun hand piped red loop design. Inside the chocolate cake is a holiday inspired peppermint butter cream. The flowers on the cake are large red dahlias accented with peppermint centers.

Thank you so much to David and Drexelle of D. Park Photography for sharing this lovely detailed peppermint themed winter shoot with my readers today. To see more from David and Drexelle, please visit their blog. And, stay tuned as another holiday themed shoot is coming up in a little while.

Wedding Vendors:
Photographer: D. Park Photography
Event Designer: Floral Sense LLC
Reception Venue: Fusion Decor
Invitation Designer: Typologie & Co.
Cake Designer: Simply Sweets Cakery
Heirlooms and extras: Petit Plume
Linens and Coverings: Fusion Linens
Makeup Artist: All Made Up Team