Archive for the ‘Wedding Party Gifts’ Category

Typically, at any wedding, the focus is always on the bride and her dress! Everyone wants to see and gush over the highly anticipated dress! I, on the other hand, want to see what’s under the dress! Ok, get your minds out of the gutter; I’m talking about the SHOES people!

For my own wedding, I spent the most time trying to find the perfect bridal shoes. My idea of the ultimate wedding shoes were a little unconventional – I wanted to find the most girly, frilly, shiny, hot-pink, high heels out there. I could only get away with wearing shoes like this on one day, my wedding day!

Low and behold, I found my perfect wedding shoes! Although the shoes were totally “me,” they weren’t exactly very wedding-ish! I needed to do something to make them a little more bridal, if that was at all possible.

I turned to Absolutely Audrey for help and they totally came through for me. Absolutely Audrey has a huge selection of shoe clips that can personalize any shoe or accessory for any occasion. The shoe clips come in every color imaginable and are available in a variety of shapes and materials.

I found the silver, pearl and rhinestone “Melina” shoe clip that matched the brooch on my dress and necklace flawlessly! They were the perfect way to tie my crazy shoes to the rest of my bridal attire.

Absolutely Audrey also suggests getting creative with the shoe clips and adding them to hats, jackets, shirts, scarves, clutches and purses. Just what every girl loves… unlimited options!

Personalize your shoes and check out Absolutely Audrey’s assortment of accessory clips at www.absolutelyaudrey.com

Blog Post by Aimee Carroll, resident Girl Tested, Bride Approved Columnist.

Photos courtesy of Absolutely Audrey and Sarah Maren Photography.

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Ladies, check out this fabulous find of the week…

Same Sky is a fair trade company founded in 2008 whose mission is to empower women worldwide and inspire a movement of women empowering women. The inaugural project was based in Kigali, Rwanda, where Mary Fisher, an author, artist and speaker who travels the world advocating for those who share her HIV-positive status, taught artisan women a style of crocheting used to create beautiful glass bead bracelets.

The company now employs HIV-positive women, who survived the 1994 Genocide, to hand make these lovely creations and help rebuild their lives at the same time. In addition to their wages (which are 15 times higher than the average for women in sub Saharan Africa), the artisans receive a daily stipend that covers transportation and a daily meal to take their medication.

I found this cause especially moving, and I highly suggest reading more about the history behind this effort on their Web site at samesky.com.

The bracelets are crocheted with hand-blown glass beads that come on a non-stretch cord that rolls on the wrist. They come in small and medium and adjust to fit as you wear them. A wonderful palette of colors gives you numerous options to choose from. These would make excellent bridesmaids gifts and would be perfect additions to their wedding ensemble. And if the bracelet wasn’t enough, each comes with a card hand signed by the artisan, creating an even more special connection between maker and buyer.

I love this company, and I think you will to. Though headquartered now in New York, the bracelets can be purchased on their Web site at samesky.com.

Blog Post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist Darren Elms.

Photos courtesy of Same Sky.

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I have a confession…If I could get away with wearing loungewear out of my house 24/7, I would.

I’m addicted to cozy, comfy clothing. So when my friend Susan at Periwinkle Gifts in Folsom told me about the new pajama line from Lolita (of the uber-fab martini and wine glass fame!) I had to try them out.

And, frankly, I’m not sure there are enough superlatives available in the English language to express how much I love these jammies…truly.

If you’re a loungewear-aholic too, definitely check these babies out!

Available in a variety of fun Lolita prints, the set is $50 at Periwinkle Gifts at 404 Blue Ravine Road in Folsom (in the Target shopping center). They make great bridesmaid gifts, and a great gift for yourself, too!

Blog Post by Editor/Publisher Wendy Sipple.

Photos courtesy of Lolita.

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Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!

This week, we have feature Kevin & Kami Arnold from Arnolds for Awards.  (And they’re not just for awards you know! Have you seen the cool stuff that they have? If you’re in need of favors or gifts for your attendants, Arnolds for Awards can help!)  Take it away guys!

Arnolds for Awards

Tell us a little about your company?  We are a family owned and operated business located in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains.

When did you establish your business?  1970

What sets you apart from your competition?  Arnolds for Awards prides itself on providing the best customer service. We realize every project has a deadline and while a lot of them seem to have unrealistic timelines, we do whatever we can to meet and hopefully exceed all expectations the client may have.

Where do you find inspiration?  We find inspiration from our clients on a daily basis. Everyone that walks through our door is coming in for a positive reason. Whether they are rewarding someone for doing something well, beginning a new chapter of their life or welcoming a new life to their family.

When you opened shop, what was your promise to your customers?  Provide a superior product at a reasonable price and deliver on time.

Do you have any hidden talents?  Arnolds for Awards has many hidden talents;  ee can personalize just about anything…from a stainless steel flask to the most delicate crystal flute in our facility. We also offer the large quantity creative event favors for weddings, retirements and anniversary party attendees for any budget and theme.

What trend do you see coming in 2010?  On a business level, I see the trend of streamlining being an overall theme. Business owners are developing their marketing plans and sticking to them.  As for weddings, I think the theme is going to be “biggest bang for your buck.” For years this industry has been about indulgence and while a wedding day is still one of the most important days of the couple lives together, it will also be one of realistic means. Brides and grooms are very well educated when it comes to wedding plans and I think, just like a small business owners facing the challenging economy, they may approach their event as a “Need versus a Want” mentality. Couples are going to be more streamlined and methodical about the planning and expenses for their special day.

Do you regularly blog? What’s your blog site?  We don’t regularly blog, but we would like to.

What’s your favorite local restaurant?  Café Luna in Placerville. It is quaint and friendly and the menu changes monthly. Café Luna offers a great value to the customers. Wino Wednesday is the best.

What’s your favorite local charity or charities?  Marshall Foundation, El Dorado County Western Slope Boys and Girls Club and Rubicon Trail Foundation

What is your favorite fun thing to do locally?  Jeeping and camping in the Sierra during the summer. We are very lucky to have such a beautiful place right in our back yard.

What are you most grateful for in life?  Health and Happiness. As we get older, it becomes more apparent that health and true happiness are things that we never put too much thought into. Then again, maybe it is wisdom that is something that we should be most grateful for…

If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what elements would be most important to you?  In retrospect, if I were to do it all over again, the most important element would be the people attending the wedding. I would make sure that the most important people in my life were there. Next on the list would be thanking those that participated; attendants, family, and those other individual that made the special day “Our Day.”

What advice would you can give to brides and grooms getting married today?  Breathe. This day does not define who you are. Be realistic and open to alternatives should any last minute changes need to be made.

Anything else you’d like to share with Real Weddings Magazine’s brides?  Your wedding day should be enjoyable to you especially as well as your guests, don’t get so caught up in the details. If something doesn’t go exactly the way you had pictured in your mind, don’t let it ruin your special day.

Find out more about Arnolds for Awards for yourself. Visit them at 3971 Durock Road in Shingle Springs, or call them at 530-677-0623 or visit their Web site at arnoldsawards.com.

Photo of Kevin and Kami by Dante Fontana, copyright Style Media Group.

Product photos courtesy of Arnolds for Awards.

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