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wedding blog + planning guide for creative weddings | inspiration for DIY Brides

Brenda's Wedding Blog is your online resource for planning your dream elegant wedding. Helping you find the "wow" in weddings.

Posts in Entertaining & Decor Ideas
Top 10 Trending Wedding Gifts for the 'Hostess with the Mostess'

With wedding season getting ready to be fully underway, it's likely you'll be looking for a wedding gift for a special bride and groom. I'm happy to welcome etiquette expert, Cheryl Seidel to the blog today as she shares her expert advice on the most unique and useful pieces that every hostess should keep on hand. Whether you're a bride that loves to entertain large crowds or prefer small intimate get together's - you will want to add a few of these fun items to your wedding registry. These pieces also make the perfect birthday, housewarming, or holiday gifts for any friends and family that love to entertain.

1. Make a bold statement with this simple, but stunning tiered server from Williams-Sonoma. The 3-Tiered Stand is crafted from rustic mango wood and stands at 24" inches tall, making it perfect for displaying fruit and cheese, cupcakes, cookies and other delicious goodies.

2. Effortlessly move the party to the living room or backyard with this Wine Bottle and Glass Caddy from Crate&Barrel. It’s crafted from beautiful sheesham wood, and would look fabulous on display in a dining room after the party.

3. Soapstone has amazing thermal properties and the Oven-to-Table Entertainment Platter from Uncommon Goods will keep food at the perfect temperature for serving. You can put the soapstone in the freezer for up to an hour and use it to serve fruit or ice cream. You can also heat it up in the oven to serve hot appetizers or dessert. You can even bake directly on the platter.

4. Serve up 7 quarts of your beverage of choice (maybe a sangria!) in this attractive, handmade Glass Beverage Dispenser from CB2.

5. There are certain occasions (i.e. backyard gatherings or ones that include children) that necessitate the use of casual, unbreakable dishes and cups. The Radiance Aqua Melamine Dinnerware and Drinkware from Bed Bath & Beyond features a trendy Moroccan tile pattern in a cool blue color- a fantastic choice for summer entertaining.

6. The Trudeau Duo Tone Floral Wine Charms from Amazon are made of silicone and adjust to fit on any stem glass. There are 12 in the set and they can stay attached to the glass in the dishwasher. Pair these sweet flowers with a bottle of wine for a fun hostess gift.

7. Set up this beautiful Wildon Home Antique Butterfly Tray Table from WayFair anywhere you need a little extra space for food or drinks. Each Tray Table is handcrafted and easy to transport and has a warm patina finish and a removable tray which can be used with or without the metal stand.

8. Fill these eye-catching glass jars with decorative fruit, plants or flowers - or, you could even stock up on your favorite candy! These Voluminous Containers from Pottery Barn come in several sizes and will add a special touch to your décor.

9. A lovely choice for a casual evening with friends is the Acacia Wood Cheese Board from Macy's that features a hidden compartment that swings out to reveal knives for slicing and spreading both soft and hard cheeses.

10. Keep the drinks chilly and the guests happy with the Artland Oasis Copper Oval Party Tub from Kohl's. This large drink station is constructed from durable metal and the stand elevates the drinks to just the right height, making it excellent for both indoor and outdoor entertaining.

If you've added any of these items to your wedding registry, you are well on your way to becoming "hostess with the mostess". Or, you’ve made a loved one very happy if you've gifted them with one of these great pieces.

About the author, Cheryl Seidel:
Seidel is the author of the Ask Cheryl blog where she helps advise readers with handy tips on how much to spend and when gift giving is appropriate. She is also the founder and President of Registry Finder, an intuitive search engine that helps gift givers quickly and easily find online registries for weddings, baby showers, graduations and more.

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6 Unique Decorating Ideas for Wedding Reception Tables

The time for Farmer's Markets has started - and today's post is a blast from that past that I had to re-share again not only because I LOVE incorporating seasonal items into weddings, but because I know I have lots of new followers that may have never seen this post. Here are my top six favorite ideas for unique decorating ideas for your wedding reception tables. Many of these tables incorporate fresh fruits and veggies which is great because not only does it make your tables full of color, it's a cost effective way to decorate. {PS: Want to see many more table decorating ideas? Come see my pinterest Table Settings Board which features over 300 pins}

Want to have have a unique wedding reception table?
Check out these fun ideas . . .

1. Using fresh veggies as both the centerpiece and the hors d'oeuvres
2. Presenting the menu as a folded drop-down under the place setting
3. Stamping or painting the table number onto the table runner
4. Using fresh veggies, flowers, ferns, and/or herbs as an accent at each place setting
5. Creating a fresh lemon boat for place cards at summer events
6. Folding napkins as bows with the napkin ring placed in the center

Don't forget, to see many more ideas, please visit my table setting pinterest board.

Image Credits:
intimate weddings, martha stewart, style me pretty, martha stewart weddings, jessica lorren, marie claire idees, country living, laura ashbrook

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festive-fetti™ is Here - It's Colorful, Custom + One-of-a-Kind Confetti

As my daughter would say . . . "I'm nervcited today" - this is her way of saying she's nervous and excited. So, I guess we will both be "nervcited" together today as it's a day of firsts for both of us. I'm launching something totally new and my daughter has her dance recital tonight at a brand new location in a fancy auditorium. So . . . without anymore waiting - I'm thrilled to announce that my very first product launch is officially here and The Festive Shop is now open for business. The first collection launching is cute bags of handmade festive-fetti™ {aka confetti}. These fun bags of custom colored confetti are meant for celebrating any day with because sometimes there’s a reason to party and sometimes we just need a little confetti to make us smile :)

Each festive-fetti™ bag contains at least 100 pieces of confetti and there's even sequins for a little extra sparkle. You can request custom colors and even the bag insert can be personalized. Each festive-fetti™ bag is unique to you . . . making it a one-of-a-kind gift. There's even a special bag just to celebrate the recent engagement of couple or the bride-to-be on her shower day {see below}. I can of course, change the wording to celebrate the wedding day if you wish :)

The ideas for these colorful circles of fun are endless - here's just a few ideas for using festive-fetti™:
• surprise a bride-to-be on her bridal shower day with a little bag inserted into her card
• sprinkle the confetti around the bottom of the bride-to-be's dessert at her bridal shower {ps: festive-fetti™ is not edible - just a fun decoration}
• have the bride-to-be either toss the festive-fetti™ in the air or blow it from her hands at her bridal shower or engagement session for a priceless photo
• place the festive-fetti™ inside of a clear balloon before filling it with air
• use the circles to embellish cards, gift tags or your craft projects
• businesses can even use the confetti as a token of thanks to their customers

Love these Mr & Mrs Wooden Wedding Chair Signs {Rustic Decor}

Aren't these handmade Mr and Mrs Wooden Chair Signs perfect for Rustic Weddings? They will enhance not only your wedding but the photos too. Imagine how cute photos of the bride and groom would be with them sitting in chairs with these signs. They come with natural jute to be strung on or you can use your own colored ribbon, organza or twine. You can even dress the signs up with silk flowers or greens. The embellishment ideas are endless. The Mr and Mrs wooden signs are currently on sale at Jane for 2 more days and are only $13.99 for the set. If you miss the sale, no worries, as you can find these signs on Old New Again on etsy.

Add Sweetness to Weddings + Parties with Colorful Candy

We all know having fun sweets at weddings and parties is something guests love. But, did you know that there's great resources online for not only the candy itself {including The Candy Club, more on that later}, but for the cutest apothecary jars and platters for displaying the sweets too? And, we can't forget about the pretty ribbon to dress up the serving pieces with. Of course, if you happen to be in Canada - you can have the most amazing candy buffet displays created for you like the one's shown below by Madeline's Weddings & Events {they are also a VIP member in my vendor guide}.

Orange and white candy buffet - created by Madeline's Weddings & Events / as seen on www.BrendasWeddingBlog.com

Now, for those that are looking for candy to either fill their jars with or to surprise someone with a gift {maybe your soon-to-be-hubby's birthday or even an anniversary}, the Candy Club is your place to go. They offer fresh premier candies delivered to your door so you can enjoy their brand name candies yourself, share them with your family or send them to a friend. They offer monthly and multi-monthly plans that will save you cash while you sweeten your stash. Each month they ship 3 pounds of your favorite candies and guess what? You can receive $10 Off Your First Order when you click here!

Another place to stock up on candy for your wedding candy buffet is at A Candy Store where you can find bulk candy by color or search thru the popular candy for buffets section of their shop. You will also find the perfect Porcelain Cake Pedestals and Footed Colored Glass Cake Plates in many color choices making for fun and luxurious Wedding Sweet Tables at Classic Hostess. PS: Classic Hostess offers 20% off Mason Jars, Party Supplies, and Cake Stands for Wedding Receptions with a minimum order of $199.99 with coupon code SWedMC20.

cakestands and cupcake stands are the perfect choice for holding the sweets in a candy buffet / as seen on www.BrendasWeddingBlog.com