Having a Rustic Wedding Theme? These featured Wedding Sets from The Wedding Outlet include all the ceremony and reception essentials you will need to add a rustic look and feel to your wedding day.

This rustic Burlap and Lace Collection is beautifully embellished with burlap and lace creating a one-of-a-kind rustic collection. This collection includes matching essentials for your wedding day and is great for a barn or rustic wedding. Your ring bearer and flower girl will look even more adorable carrying matching burlap ring pillows and flower girl baskets. These matching burlap wedding accessories are an easy way to emphasis your rustic wedding theme. {Collection includes: Guest Book, Pen Set, Ring Bearer Pillow, Flower Girl Basket and Bridal Garter}

Each piece in the Rustic Country Collection is wrapped in natural burlap and is accented with beautiful lace and a large ivory satin rosette that has a pearl accent to give it that extra shimmer. This collection is perfect for the bride and groom celebrating a rustic or country theme wedding. {Collection includes: Guest Book, Pen Set, Ring Bearer Pillow, Flower Girl Basket, Unity Candle and Bridal Garter}

Each piece in the Rustic Romance Wedding Collection is covered in natural burlap and is adorned with white, gathered cloth layers, twine and silver-tone hearts. A perfect collection for the country theme wedding. {Collection includes: Guest Book, Pen Set, Ring Bearer Pillow, Flower Girl Basket, Unity Candle and Bridal Garter}

The Love Blooms Collection is such a dainty and quaint collection for your wedding. Each piece is covered in ivory gathered satin with a satin band and layered flower adornment that has a faux pearl and sparkling rhinestone center. A great collection for any style wedding. {Collection includes: Guest Book, Pen Set, Ring Bearer Pillow, Flower Girl Basket, Unity Candle and Bridal Garter}

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I have come across some amazing wedding cakes recently while browsing pinterest and rather than just looking at the cakes at the next event you attend, you can actually enjoy them. How you ask? Well, there a great new at-home workout program that will get you moving around and working off those sweet calories in no time. It's called Crunch Live and it's under $10 a month for access to a huge selection of workouts for men and women {different levels and length of time}. I'll have more on Crunch Live in just a bit, first up - here's the cakes I've had my eye on lately . . .

Black and White Striped Wedding Cake with Brightly Colored Sugar Flowers | from www.wildorchidbaking.com | seen on www.brendasweddingblog.com {found via cakecentral.com}

Nautical Wedding Cake with Stripes and a Yellow Bow, Topped with an Anchor | from sweetdreamconfections.com ~ photo by marie-photography.com | seen on BrendasWeddingBlog.com {found via theperfectpalette.com}

A Berry Covered Wedding Cake | from thekitchenmccabe.com | seen on BrendasWeddingBlog.com

Victorian Themed Wedding Cake with Lace and Beaded Garlands by www.emilyjanecakes.co.uk ~ photo by www.mbishopphotography.co.uk | seen on BrendasWeddingBlog.com {found via english-wedding.com}

Now, it's time to work off all those sweet calories :) If you don't have as much time to spend at the gym as you'd like, then you will love the online platform Crunch Live. I've recently had the privilege of checking the exercise videos from the first national gym brand to roll out a digital extension. And, I have to say . . . I LOVED IT!!!! I was so excited for my next workout to see which one I would choose next. PS: There's also a free trial :)

At Crunch Live you will find workout videos of some of the popular classes their gym has come to be known for like Yoga Body Sculpt, Stiletto Strength, Brazilian Body Blast, Cardio Kickboxing, Aerobics with Attitude and more! It's only $9.99 per month and features real Crunch instructors teaching the class so you can now make time for an authentic fitness experience anywhere. The subscription includes full-length workouts with classes as long as 60 minutes as well as a few "quickie workouts" which are only 15-minutes and perfect for sneaking in a dose of exercise. What I also loved about these workouts is that since we have Apple TV, I was able to have the videos play from my ipad directly onto the tv which made the workouts super easy to do. Ready to have a fun workout in the comfort of your own home? You can try out Crunch Live here and there's even a free trial if you want to give a test run, but I have a feeling you will be back for more.

I have followed Brett Birdsong Photography and his amazing photography for a long time now. When I first started blogging I remember featuring a wedding of Brett's and he then had a couple contact him to book an engagement session and their wedding after seeing his work {you can see the engagement session here}. I LOVE stories like that. Now, onto today's feature . . . Brett has written an open letter to his brides that I just had to share with you - it's about having your wedding, your way.

Dearest you,

Just in case you need a little push in the direction of doing your own thing for your wedding, allow me to remind you that traditions can be started by anyone. They can also be completely avoided by anyone. And a lot of them, in regards to weddings, have absolutely ridiculous and outdated origins that if you Googled for a few minutes, you’d wonder why they’re still around at all.

This bride and groom chose to have their wedding their way when they walked each other down the aisle ... Your Wedding, Your Way | Photo by Brett Birdsong Photography

All that’s technically required is that you’re legally married at the end of the day. What you do with all the time in between is completely and totally up to you.

Some of the happiest brides I’ve ever worked with have thrown tradition to the wind, ignored everyone that said the sky would fall if they dared to be different, and done their own thing. Don’t ever be afraid of that. If you want to have an all day party with a 15 minute ceremony in the middle of it, do that. If you want to hang out with each other before the wedding, do that. If you want to throw a bouquet of gift cards so everyone can participate instead of tossing flowers to the single folk, do that.

This bride and groom got wet after they married ... Your Wedding, Your Way | photo by Brett Birdsong Photography

Your own imagination makes Pinterest look like the recycled garage sale of second hand ideas that it is. It’s your love story. Not anyone else’s.

Be yourselves. Go crazy. It really is your party.

I’m Brett Birdsong and I approve this message.

Do you have plans to have your wedding, your way? If yes, please share. I'd love to hear how you will be making your own wedding traditions.

Even though today is Monday - I figured it would be fun to start the week off with some cocktails and recipes by welcoming VDKA 6100 to my wedding blog {don't forget - it's a holiday weekend coming up for my readers in the US}.

Wedding season is now in full swing and a signature wedding cocktail is the perfect personal touch for the bride and groom to incorporate into their big day. VDKA 6100 is clean, light and easy to mix with an exceptionally smooth taste. VDKA 6100 {which launched in February 2014}, is a premium vodka brand co-created by Hollywood tastemaker Robert De Niro. Here are three VDKA 6100 cocktails that will compliment your upcoming cocktail hour {or party}:

Strawberry Sky
A pink summer drink garnished with refreshing strawberry and cucumber slices

• 3/4 parts lemon juice
• 3/4 parts Simple Syrup
• 3 muddled strawberries
• 2 muddled Cucumber slices

In a shaker, muddle strawberries and cucumbers with simple syrup, add lemon juice and VDKA 6100. Shake over ice and strain into a collins glass over fresh ice. Top with soda water, stir, and garnish with a fresh strawberry and cucumber.

Greener Pastures
A lime, kiwi and basil concoction for every outdoor gathering

• 2 parts VDKA 6100
• 3/4 parts Lime Juice
• 1/2 parts Simple Syrup
• 1/2 parts Sweetened Kiwi Puree*
• 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
*one part simple syrup to four parts fresh kiwi puree.

Gently rub basil in a shaker with a muddler. Combine all remaining ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and shake until extremely cold. Strain into a sour glass over crushed ice and garnish with kiwi slices and fresh basil.

Sunday Morning
A delicious brunch alternative to mimosas paired with celery, lime, pineapple and prosecco

• 1 1/2 parts VDKA 6100
• 1/4 parts celery juice
• 1/2 parts Fresh Lime juice, 
• 1/2 parts Fresh Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 parts Simple Syrup
• Top with Australian Prosecco

Combine all ingredients (except Prosecco) in a shaker and shake until extremely cold. Strain in to a champagne flute, top with Prosecco, and garnish with celery and pineapple.

About VDKA 6100: Crafted in Australia, sculpted in France and designed in New York, VDKA 6100 uses the freshest seasonal whey from grass-fed New Zealand cows and natural spring water, is triple distilled to its purest form and charcoal filtered to eliminate all impurities. 

This three-piece Decanter Wine Ceremony Set is a unique way to celebrate your union during your wedding ceremony. This beautiful wine set makes for a lovely keepsake for the newlyweds. After the wedding, the couple can use it to celebrate holidays, birthdays or any special event that includes wine. The wine set includes a personalized fluted decanter and two personalized toasting flutes, all engraved with a monogram in your choice of font. Shop Other Unique Ceremony Accessories from The Wedding Outlet here.