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I'm so excited to announce that my Jennifer Carroll Designs Note Card collection is now available at the Rockfish Gap Country Store in Afton! This adorable old-timey, country store is filled with wonderful antiques, delicious candies, gourmet foods, toys, tons of gift items and now my cards too!
First, let's remember that Bridesmaids do so much more than just wear pretty outfits (hopefully!) and stand next to you on your wedding day. They provide moral support for you throughout the entire engagement process (and likely did so while you were dating and will do in the future too). These gals have probably dedicated countless hours to go dress shopping with you, look at invitation designs, commented on hundreds of photos of reception flowers, not to mention they have agreed to wear whatever outfit you've selected with a big smile on their face.
So, how do you show your appreciation for all this love and support? By presenting them with a thoughtful and meaningful gift. It doesn't have to be ultra expensive but it should be from the heart and be the kind of gift you would be glad to receive. If you are treating your attendants to manicures & pedicures that's wonderful but do also give them a gift that will be a memento too. Here are a couple of great ideas to consider:
I hope these gift ideas inspire you as you thank the women who support you everyday!
Happy Friday!
Jennifer
It's so hard to believe that June is almost over and the 4th of July is practically upon us! I love the 4th of July - always have. I get a thrill seeing our stars & stripes splashed around the neighborhoods, local shops and of course my home. I'm especially delighted by this collection of adorable vintage decor crafts I found on Country Living.com. They are straight out of "The Music Man" - one of my favorite musicals of all time with Robert Preston & Shirley Jones - Americana at it's best!!
Now with these great ideas and even free clipart you and I can recreate these gems in our own homes! Click here to view directions on how to make these crafts. Thank you Melissa Neufeld for sharing!!
Alcohol can be a significant expense in your reception budget and planning correctly for it can save you money and heartache later. If you are working with a hotel or other venue where you purchase your drinks from them directly, you won't need to worry about this. However, if your venue and caterer will allow you to purchase your own alcohol, you may be able to save a lot of money. But unless you are a bartender by trade, how do you accurately estimate how much beer, wine and liquor to purchase?
Good news - there are many on-line calculators to help you out! One of my favorites is e-vite's drink calculator. Click here to give it a try. Simply enter your number of guests and the number of hours you anticipate serving alcohol. It will then compute how many bottles of beer, wine & liquor that you will need. With this information you can now multiply your quantities by the going rates of your favorite adult beverages and voila, you have an accurate figure to plug in to your wedding budget!
Happy Wednesday!
Jennifer
Just in time for the 4th of July - I've added this stars card to Jennifer Carroll Designs. Perfect for an impromptu BBQ invite or pool party, check it out here!!
Some other summer fun summer cards include these Starfish and Flip flop designs. Especially note the cool cut-out shape of the starfish card, so fun! Best of all at $12.50 for sets of 10 - they're all a deal too!
Today I had the most wonderful pedicure at my mom's new salon, Face Value Studio & Salon in Crozet. It was so pampering and best of all today and tomorrow they are only $25! oh yes, $25!! Luxury at such a bargain. If you have any time tomorrow (Saturday) call and book yours - this special definitely won't last.
Looking for a great gift for the guy in your life? Get him a gift certificate for a HOT SHAVE in their barbershop. Totally old-school and totally cool!!
Happy Friday!
Jennifer
I'm so pleased to share another wedding with you all! Paige & Shawn were married in November and their reception was held at Farmington Country Club. Click here to see this wedding in more detail in my portfolio.
Their storybook wedding was such a delight to be a part of! Filled with accents centered around a color palette of Deep Plum & Gold -- it was an ideal Autumn wedding - a truly gorgeous event!
Thank you to Pat's Floral Designs for the flowers & Jen Fariello for the photos - I love these talented ladies. The papers are by yours truly!
As many of you know, I've been sewing a lot lately. Why I haven't been sewing my entire life is a mystery to me!? I guess I was intimidated and just didn't make the time to learn. But now that I have, (and discovered how easy it is!) it's as if I've been sewing all my life. I love, love, love it! So, naturally I'm seeking out every book & blog on sewing that I can find. My latest fave? Kaari Meng's Home Sewn. In a word: WOW. It is the ideal book for me. It's filled with gorgeous photos - approachable projects - and fabulous vintage chic textiles & notions!! So inspiring!!! Kaari is also the owner of French General in Los Angeles. I am so hoping to visit her shop on my next trip out West! Her website sells wonderful vintage French buttons, glitters, fabric and more. Be sure to visit soon.
Don't you just love these colors for summer? From strawberries to watermelons Poppy Red is just right to me. All the items pictured perfectly represent the season in my mind. I love the casual bunch of poppies in the glass vase at the top and do you see the simply iced cake topped with flowers? With a trip to the bakery and florist counters at your local grocery store and you could recreate this homespun cake for your next party or Sunday dinner!
The jar of punch and the polka dot runners are more sweet reminders to keep it simple.
How about you? What's your favorite item pictured? How does it inspire you?
Summer weddings are here and whether yours is this year or next, here are some fun ideas and tips to keep you and your guests smiling when celebrating in the great outdoors!
1:: To stay fresh as a daisy at your wedding consider purchasing parasols. They not only ward off the sun's rays they are also a colorful decor accent to your wedding. Luna Bazar has parasols in every color - visit their site to find one just right for you!
2:: Keep those uninvited guests (like bugs) from sampling your wedding cake by covering your cake with it's own wedding veil. A 36" or 48" square of tulle will cover most cakes and keep you bug free! Add a few weights to the corners to keep the veil from blowing away.
3:: Speaking of bugs - purchase a couple of bottles of Avon's Skin-so-Soft and place them in the bathrooms for guests to spritz on as needed. This wonderful spray does a great job of keeping bugs at bay and is safe even for infants!
4:: Cocktails hours are never long enough for wedding couples since they are usually off taking photos or chatting with everyone but guests can sometimes get a little bored - hard to believe, but true! - keep them engaged with a friendly croquet competition. This game can easily be played in a suit or dress and will have guests wondering where the time went!
5:: Bottled waters are vital for outdoor events. You can never have to much. I recommend filling big galvanized tubs and having them available all day and night. Guests will happily help themselves and thank you for your thoughtfulness. Toss a few flower blooms into the tubs to add a little color and style!
Photos courtesy: Jen Fariello photography, Eric Kelley photography & Avon.
