Add Sparkle to the Bridal Garter

Mother of the Bride, would you like to add some sparkle to your darling daughter’s bridal garter? The traditional ribbons and lace are always feminine and pretty, but why not add another special touch? Why not add some jewels!

As you shop for or create a bridal garter for your sweet bride-to-be, be on the lookout for a small brooch or earring that will make the garter really shine. If you’re making the garter yourself or having it custom-made, you can get as creative as you’d like in your design. I love the look of the dangly earring used in the photo above. Fun and elegant at the same time, right?

So go ahead, MOB—sparkle up the garter. I bet your daughter will be glad you did!

*You might also like to read Turning the Ordinary into KeepsakesBridal Bouquet Idea: Add Some Sparkle with Gemstones, and Wedding Idea That Sparkles: A Brooch Bouquet!

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free! Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Bellafaye GardenCreative Commons License

Rustic Wedding: Ring Bearer Pillow and Flower Girl Basket

Mother of the Bride, if you’re helping your daughter plan a rustic wedding, why not add an extra touch of rustic by using burlap for the ring bearer pillow and flower girl basket?

Chances are you’re already using burlap in some of your décor so a burlap pillow and basket will fit right in. They’ll add the perfect complementing touch, in fact. Like with any color or décor decision, featuring burlap in a variety of places will really help pull the look together.

The photos above and below show how accenting the burlap with lace adds such a pretty and feminine effect. For someone who can sew, the pillow and basket could be fairly easy to make, and if you’re designing and making your own, the possibilities are wide open as to the detail you could use.

So MOB, suggest to your daughter to take rustic a step further and go with burlap on these important ceremony accessories!

*You might also like to read Rustic Wedding Resource, Cake Idea for the Rustic Wedding, Table Décor for Rustic Weddings, Rustic Wedding Bridal Shoes: Boots—What Else?, Wedding Centerpiece With a Rustic Flair, and Rustic Wedding Idea: Boot Bouquets.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo at top by Mannia&TittaCreative Commons License, Flickr photo at bottom by Lori Hartman DesignsCreative Commons License

Chair or Pew Wedding Décor: Sunflowers!

Mother of the Bride, still trying to decide on pew or chair décor for summer or fall weddings? Sometimes décor ideas don’t come together until the last weeks or couple of months before the wedding, so if that’s your case, here’s an idea for you.

Sunflowers make a perfect choice as pew or chair décor for summer or fall weddings, especially if your daughter also wants to incorporate some in her bouquet or in the bridesmaids’ bouquets. Attaching one big sunflower to the chairs or pews along with some greenery as shown in the photo above will add cheer and beauty at the same time. Sunflowers just have a way of brightening up any space, don’t they?

You can also add another accent color with a daisy or two in the pew décor if you’d like. Several color choices could work. You could go with one of your daughter’s other wedding colors or simply go with white to tie in to her gown or the other white bridal décor that is sure to be a part of your sweet girl’s overall decorating plans.

Why not find out, MOB, if sunflowers will get a yes from the bride-to-be? After all, a touch of sunflower sunshine might just be the final piece to her wedding-day decorating puzzle!

*You might also like to read Wedding Décor Tip: Adorn the Church with Pew Bows and Wedding Décor Beauty: Candlelight Works.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early August. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by charamelodyCreative Commons License

Wedding Cake with Beautiful Brooch Accents

Mother of the Bride, here’s a gorgeous wedding cake idea that uses an unusual accent—brooches! Last month I featured some dazzling examples of brooch bouquets, and that same dazzle factor works well on the wedding cake too.

Brooches could be used in a variety of ways on a wedding cake, but one simple way—as shown in the photo above—uses two beautiful matching brooches well-positioned on bows made of ribbon. What perfect accents those brooches and bows make. So elegant! Or the bride might choose brooches that are family heirlooms that will add a sentimental and meaningful touch to the cake plus help create another lasting memory of the big day.

Also think of the possible uses for the brooches after the cake is cut and the guests are served. The bride and groom might want to give them to you and the mother of the groom as a special memento of the day (fun!), or the newlyweds could use them in several different ways as decorative accents in floral arrangements or other décor in their home. Think of all the potential ideas—and they’d each one carry the treasured memory of their wedding day.

So, MOB, see what your daughter thinks of brooch accents for the cake and then have fun brainstorming all the possibilities. Whatever you decide will shine, right?!

*You might also like to read Wedding Cake Trend: Multiple Mini CakesWedding Cake Idea: The Drape Effect, and New Wedding Cake Trend: The Ombre Cake.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by the-icing-on-the-cakeCreative Commons License

Wedding Bouquet That Sparkles: A Brooch Bouquet!

Mother of the Bride, here’s a brilliant (in more ways than one!) idea for the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets—use brooches! If your daughter wants a look that sparkles or somehow stands out from the ordinary, beautiful brooch bouquets may be just what she’s looking for.

I’ve pictured several styles in this post so you can see how versatile brooch bouqets can be. The bride might want to go with a clean elegant look that blends in with her white dress (as pictured above). Or she might want to take the more colorful approach you can see in the photos below. She might even want to go super casual and fun, as in the last photo. And you can see how easy it would be to color coordinate brooch bouquets to match the bridesmaids’ dresses.

A brooch bouquet also affords the opportunity to include a memento or memory of a loved one. Some attach a portrait brooch to the bouquet’s stem in honor of a special loved one who can’t be present. A brooch that has been passed down through the family or that has been given to the bride as a special gift can also easily be incorporated into the bouquet.

And just think of the possibilities for the bouquet after the wedding. The bride could keep it as a gorgeous memento from the big day, or it could be taken apart so the brooches could be worn or even given as special gifts.

MOB, this is an idea worth showing your daughter, isn’t it? Hope you have a sparkling wedding day!

*You might also like to read Bridal Bouquet Idea: Add Some Sparkle with Gemstones, Bridal Bouquet and Boutonniere Sheet Music Idea, Knitted Bridal Bouquet and More, and Wedding Décor: Craft It with Paper.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me. p.s. If you sign up after Jan. 27th, you will be included in all future Life Notes giveaways but not in this current giveaway.

*Photos from top to bottom: Flickr photo by arripayCreative Commons License ; Flickr photo by nparekhcardsCreative Commons License; Flickr photo by emperialduo, Creative Commons License; Flickr photo by KristaCarolynGCreative Commons License