Wedding Registry to Consider: Williams Sonoma

Mother of the Bride, has your daughter considered setting up a wedding registry at Williams SonomaSince it’s not one of the standard registries that most brides think of, setting up a registry at this amazing cooking (and more!) store might not have occurred to your darling bride-to-be.

Williams Sonoma offers top-of-the-line quality products that any newly married couple would be lucky to own. Since many of the items fall outside the price range most newlyweds’ own purchases, what better way for your sweet girl and her beloved to begin to acquire these wonderful kitchen and home products than by receiving them as wedding gifts?

Like with most other registries, your daughter can create a Williams Sonoma registry online, but if she’d prefer, they also offer free in-store or virtual registry consultations. Even if she doesn’t feel like she needs a consultation, she might like to visit a store to see their products first hand. It always helps to see and handle items in order to choose what we like best, doesn’t it?

MOB, suggest the Williams Sonoma registry to your daughter and offer to visit a store with her. And then do your best not to want to buy everything in sight for yourself!

*You might also like to read Bridal Shower Idea: A Cooking Class!

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and my Wedding Inspiration cards, 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 November. Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*My photo

Make Arrangements With Wedding Caterer for Leftovers

Mother of the Bride, here’s an important tip—make arrangements with your caterer for leftovers and get it in writing. You’re paying dearly for all the food at the wedding reception so you are entitled to take home everything that’s left over.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming the caterer will automatically save the leftovers for you. Some may have a policy of tossing food that has set out for a certain period of time. If that’s the case with your caterer, you’ll need to make plans for the food to be packed up and refrigerated (if needed) before the time limit is reached.

Also, a verbal agreement is not enough. With one of my daughter’s caterers, I verbally mentioned my desire to be given the leftovers but failed to get it in writing. By the time I asked her about the food after the guests had left the reception, she informed me that it had already been thrown out. I was very unhappy but couldn’t do much about it because I had forgotten to get the details in writing.

So, MOB, let the caterer know your desires about this issue in one of your pre-wedding meetings and have them include the details in the contract you sign. Save yourself the disappointment and wasted money by making firm arrangements ahead of time. Learn from my mistake.

*You might also like to read Get It in Writing and Wedding Day Checklist: Containers for Leftover 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, 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.

Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

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

Hungry For More: Ice Cream and God’s Word

Maybe just another bite. That’s what I often think as I’m standing at my kitchen counter eating ice cream straight out of the carton. I usually limit myself to three bites (or one if I’m trying to drop a pound or two), but sometimes it tastes so darn good, I’ve gotta go in for just a little more. Just another bite to satisfy that craving.

I’ve found myself feeling that way as I close my Bible before too. As I start to put it away, I feel compelled to open it again for just another taste. I’m hungry for more. I need just another bite to satisfy my craving for God’s life-giving words.

Maybe it’s because my selected reading was kind of short for that day. Or maybe my spirit is searching for direction about something. But maybe the Word just tastes so darn good, I’ve gotta go in for a little more.

Whatever the reason, I follow the impulse to read a little more. I’m so glad I don’t have to limit myself to three bites of the Word like I do with my ice cream indulgences. In fact, the more I indulge in the Word, the better. And you know what? When I’m hungry for more, God always serves up a heaping portion of satisfaction. And I must say, it tastes awfully good!

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103 NIV

*What part of the Bible have you been reading lately?

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, comes out today. 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.

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

*Flickr photo by Mark BonicaCreative Commons License

Wedding Cake Pops—Pretty and Fun Too!

Mother of the Bride, if your daughter would like to add a dash of fun to her wedding reception, why not include wedding cake pops in the celebration? The very thought of cake pops puts smiles on faces and declarations of “Yum!” on lips. After all, everyone loves a cake pop, right?

Wedding cake pops can also serve several different purposes. You can wrap them in cellophane and tie a bow around them (personalized with the bride’s and groom’s names, of course) and offer them as favors. Or you can display them on trays or towers on a dessert table or they might even serve as the groom’s cake. And if the groom wants to add his own twist to it, instead of the bride and groom designs, he could select something in his area of interest—like golf ball cake pops or baseball cake pops, etc.

So, MOB, try pointing your girl toward some wedding cake pop fun. Believe me, everyone will be glad you did!

*You might also like to read Groom’s Cake Idea: Favorite Team Cake Pops, Fall Wedding Idea: Caramel Apple Favors!, and Edible Favors—Yes, Please!

*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, comes out in early November. One lucky subscriber 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.

*Flickr photo by niner bakesCreative Commons License