Shop for your wedding: At the Mall

image from thelimited.com

Brought to you by Mall everywhere: Your Wedding. From gown selections to skin care, I saw weddings, weddings, weddings all over the Mall.

The Limited is not only selling your work wardrobe but they also sell wedding dresses. What's crazy is the price. Gowns are selling for less than $250. The bridesmaids dresses are selling for $60. Need accessories? They are selling necklaces and bracellets less than $40. But again, what you paid is what you get. The fabric is decent but the color is not applicable to all skin tones. The seams may look like it was done too quick and therefore not giving the feeling of high point in your dress search as "the one". Some brides love it. Some don't. If you are okay with all this, go for it. Otherwise, there are plenty of local bridal shops who would be happy to have you as a customer. And in return, you will be a happy bride as well. I think you will be happy regardless what you choose. You have the man whom you will spend the rest of your life with!

Digging deeper, you would love to look and smell good on your big day, wouldn't you? My favorite skincare - Philosophy - is now offering a range of products for weddings. From the oxygen peel (which I personally use eventhough I'm not getting married again) to the field of flowers shower gel to the unconditional love spray fragrance. You can basically mix and match (and bring to your honeymoon) all these products that work for you. You will feel refreshed and lovely all day on your big day.

images from philosophy.com







Ah, love is in the air! Happy Engagement and Planning!

The Salt Covenant

A new twist on Unity Candle and Sand ceremonies at weddings is the Salt Covenant. When I found out about this, the first thing that came to my mind was: brilliant. The Salt Covenant is not only unique but also brings great meaning to the bride and groom.


(Image and wording below from CenteredCeramics)

~~~~~The Story of the Salt Covenant~~~~~~

The Salt Covenant
During ancient times, agreements and promises were sealed by a salt covenant. Each person would take a pinch of salt from their pouch and place it in the pouch of the other. This agreement could not be broken unless an individual could retrieve their own grains of salt. But this, of course, is impossible.

This raku-fired salt egg has been especially made for you to create a salt covenant with your spouse in the beginning of your new life together.

Both spouses should take a bag of salt and combine the the two bags inside the egg.This a bond that can not be broken... as is a symbol of an unbreakable promise of love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Salt is to add flavor to any meal. Just so, salt in a wedding ceremony is a symbol of adding seasoning to a marriage that will not easily broken.


~~~~~Why do you need salt in your marriage?~~~~~~

(from CenteredCeramics)

Salt is a good preservative. It will help you remember that your love for one another should be preserved for all time.

Salt adds flavor. We all need a little spice in our lives.

Salt melts ice. When your heart begins to grow cold you can melt one another again.

Salt is easily dissolved. You can remember to dissolve your issues and learn to work together.

Now use this salt in your cooking until it's gone, and then each time it needs refilled, refill it together. It is a wonderful way to remember what your marriage is about.

Why an egg? The egg shape symbolizes the full cycle of life, and therefore encompasses all that you will enjoy, create, and love with in your life together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Salt Covenant can be purchased at etsy.com


(image from CenteredCeramics)

Lila Couture

My friend Lisa and I was at Posh Bridal Shop in Semple Mansion a few weekends ago and despite the cold weather outside, we had a BLAST! We laughed, took pictures and guess what ... we met the designer herself! I think Lisa and I were both a bit starstruck when we met Lila as we had never met a gown designer in person. Lila was so down to earth and it was really fun to meet with her.


(from left to right: me (who obviously needed a hair cut), Lisa and Lila, the designer)

And yes, what you see is what you get. Posh will also open a bottle of champagne to celebrate your wedding gown purchase! How lovely!

Serving boxed wine: tacky or savvy?

Image from The Daily Green

As the Blackbox Wine gushes on their website " ... not all great wines end up in a bottle". Sure ... but is it great enough to serve at YOUR wedding?


Wine in a box is certainly not a new idea to bring up to the table, yet I wonder if there are couples out there who would be brave enough to be inside-the-box by choosing a type of wine container that would imply their out-of-the-box thinking. Aside from the taste quality, having boxed wines is convenient, more value to the dollar, and not to mention eco-friendly. According to The Daily Green, "Boxed wine packaging amounts to just 4% of its total weight, compared to 70% for traditional bottles. That all adds up to a smaller carbon footprint". Which also means you can transport more wine to your party with less fuel because boxes are lighter and the square shape means less wasted space than that of the normal wine bottles. To top it off, most boxes are recyclable, while most bottles ... not so much. Well, I guess I have seen vintage wine bottles turned chandelier sold by Pottery Barn.













I digress.

The point is: would YOU serve boxed wine at your wedding? Is it tacky or savvy?
Here are some great contenders to the beloved bottled wines:



1. Blackbox Wine
Equal to 4 boxes of 750ml at about $30 - which means about $7.50 per bottle. The value can't be beat. According to greenfaucet.com, "their Merlot was a Gold Medal recipient at the San Francisco International Wine Competition [as well as] their 2003 Paso Robles Cabernet won a gold medal at the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition. Other wines include the Napa Valley Chardonnay Reserve, Pinot Grigio and the Black Box Shiraz".







2. Yellow and Blue
From the color standpoint, they would look absolutely adorable at a wedding with yellow and blue theme. With only $12 per box, this boxed wine is not only keeping the "green" in your pocket but is also a true "green" in a sense of using organic grapes and Tetra Pak Carton (made from 75% responsibly managed forest trees). Yes, BIG HORRAY to all!










3. BOHO
Well, the name is very chic - but wait till you see the packaging. O.M.G. My head is spinning with all new ideas. Actually, it inspired me to create an inspiration board, totally from this box. Boxed with 95% recycled material, printed with soy-based ink, and at $24 per 3-litter box, this wine is worthy of an Oscar.

Bedazzled by Buttons

The weather has been unseasonably warm lately in winter wonderland world, so I am skipping Fall and going ahead to Spring colors. Vintage and pastels go hand-in-hand beautifully, especially when it comes to buttons!

Buttons are certainly not new in the wedding world, but I found some that I totally adore! Plus, there is a "green" element to this - by reusing vintage buttons that are chic and pleasing to the eyes! Oh, I have been wanting to go to the nearest Fabric Store to find all kinds of buttons but haven't had a chance to go yet. So here are my inspirations - in hope that I will be able to post some of my own creations some day (FYI - I have not confirmed the images below are using vintage buttons, but one can only inspire using those for her own productions):










Images from Zazzle, Jodeli Bakery, jessicaclaire.net,Martha Stewart Weddings, Two Brunettes Shop, Design*Sponge.

Tips on Choosing A Bridal Shop

Most brides's number one priority is THE DRESS. Yes, of course. That's a no brainer. But what if after you have spent hours searching online and scouring bridal magazine to select a few gowns that you liked, only to find out that you had no idea on how to choose a bridal shop that not only carries the designer that you like but is also able to deliver the best customer service that you expect?

There are a few things that brides-to-be need to know when selecting a bridal shop:

1. Customer Service
The consultants at the shop must be knowledgable about the style and fit on your body type. No bride is created equal. Each consultant must take their time to identify your needs as well as your wants and should be able to present options that you can choose from. My latest experience with my bride lately that she fell in love with a gown that she saw on a magazine. The bridal shop had the gown flown in from New York (see their name on my #1 recommendation below) only to find that it did not fit as well as it looks on the magazine. The shop's owner proceeded with other gowns that would fit the likings of my bride and with additional embelishments, she got exactly what she wanted! This level of customer service is hardly found in many of the shop around Twin Cities anymore. With confidence, I highly recommend this store to brides who are looking for a special treatment in their journey to find their dress.

2. Alteration
Once the dress is ordered, it is the alteration time. The dress must fit you like a glove, so good alteration must be a match-made on earth. The timing of the alteration is also crucial. You must ask in advance how long would it take for the shop to alter your dress. Or whether you must bring the dress to another independent alteration shop. A good bridal shop must have their own seamstress who can do just about any kinds of hems imaginable. Final fitting should be around 4 weeks before your wedding date.

3. Reputation
Never thought that a reputation of a company can play a significant role in choosing a bridal shop? Think again. Your wedding planner/coordinator can help you in recommending a shop that is solid in business and management. You don't want to be trapped in finding THE dress and then found out that the shop had closed. This certainly must be a nightmare that you never want to experience. So, yes. A shop with a good reputation will help you make your journey in planning a wedding as sweet or as sour as you want it to be.

So, here are a couple of bridal shops that I PERSONALLY have experienced and would recommend them to you. I try to stay away from the big national chain shops, because I just love small businesses and supporting each other in the industry is my way to support the local economy.

1. THE LOFT BRIDAL & DESIGN
Sara is the woman to meet. She is very fun and will never pressure you to buy the gown from her. She is very down to earth and very easy to talk to. I highly recommend The LOFT Bridal.

2. POSH Bridal Couture
What I love about POSH is they carry many eco-friendly bridal gowns that are sophisticated and yes, couture! Their location at the Semple Mansion is also strategic for many brides.

So before you find your dress, make sure you have the right shop to buy it from!

Happy Dress Shopping!

Larry & Elizabeth's Wedding

I had the honor of helping Larry & Elizabeth on their Minnesota wedding last weekend and it was the best one yet! I thoroughly enjoyed planning this wedding from start to finish and this had really cemented my passion in creating and designing the look of a wedding that suited the taste of both the bride & the groom. They trusted me with all the details in the wedding and I couldn't be more honored to deliver what was expected and beyond.



The wedding was customized to the couple's West African's background with the song "Golden" played during the bride's processional which was ethereal and breathtaking. I could not even described when "the moment" we opened the sanctuary door and Elizabeth and her father walked down the aisle. It was so beautiful. I was about to cry myself!

We planned this wedding in under 2.5 months. It was the fastest in my record of planning a wedding of 150 people. This is a "destination" wedding for both Larry & Elizabeth as they actually live out of state, but decided to have the wedding in Minnesota. There were a lot of late night phone calls in order to accommodate their needs but in the end, they were all worth it!

Here are the details of the wedding:

We use origami papers to make the escort cards. A white paper insert has the guest's name and a table number will appear as the insert is being pulled out. With their wedding theme double hearts, we were able to combine the Fall colors and the theme seamlessly here.



The table centerpiece was created based on the couple's request of Fall Elegance. Flowers from Luna Vinca - www.lunavinca.com




The cake was created by Queen of Cakes - www.queen-of-cakes.com



The reception room was transformed into a warm and beautiful colors of copper and white with gold accents.






There were two kinds of wedding favors. For the adults, the couple opted a stemless wine glass with the couple's names and double hearts logo. For the kids, a coloring book with crayons! These came in handy to keep the kids busy throughout the reception.



Every wedding should be unique and I tried to make this one exceptionally personal as two beautiful individuals joined their hearts into one.

Personalized Cake Topper


Personalized Cocktail Napkins


Personalized Champagne Glasses


Personalized Unity Candle


Personalized Guest Book


Check out more pictures from Mycah Schrader Photography on my website: www.beethebuzzevent.com

Not to forget, I also did OOT (Out-of-Town) welcome packages for their guests who came from all over the world! I wanted to showcase Minnesota so I included a couple of Minnesotan products such as Pearson's Candy and Minneapolis/St. Paul City Guide. The Gold Key-Hole Gift Bag was purchased from Target (which is a Minnesota-based company!) and I designed the tag to look like the hotel card key. And of course, a Gold Double-Hearts sticker from Michael's to finish the look and to create uniformity throughout the whole wedding theme.





Ceremony: Grace Point Church, New Brighton, MN
Reception: Shoreview Community Center
Catering: Kane's Catering
Cake: Queen of Cakes
Rental: Midway Party Rental
Photographer: Mycah Schrader Photography
Stationery: Bee The Buzz Event

Amanda & Ted's Wedding

Amanda & Ted's wedding started with a cloudy day but ended up with a very hot & humid one! The wedding had a vintage 1970s feel, with bridesmaids wearing crinolines - which reminded me of the "Grease" movie and the bride was wearing the bird cage veil (she was gorgeous!). The colors were black, white and turqouise. With 16 people in the bridal party, it was a fun crowd! I met the nicest bridemaids and everyone was so easy to get along with. The ceremony was in a small church where Amanda's grandparents used to worship and the reception was at Classic Rides & Rods Event Center in Annandale, MN. For vintage car lovers, this place is certainly heaven for them!
Check out their website: http://www.classicridesandrods.net/classichall/hall/index.htm

I also had the pleasure of working with Cottage Gourmet Catering, Lace/Hanky Photography and Northern Lights Entertainment.

Here is the testimonial from the mother of the bride:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for everything you did to make my daughter's wedding such a wonderful event. You were a joy to work with, and you went well above and beyond the call of duty to make sure everything went smoothly. Hiring you to help with the rehearsal and the "day of coordination" was the smartest thing I did. I was able to relax and enjoy the day (as were my guests), and feel confident that all of the tiny details were taken care of. You were very thorough and professional throughout the entire process, and I had many people comment to me on what a great job you did. If I know of anyone that is planning a wedding and would like some assistance, I would certainly not hesitate to recommend you to them. You made the entire process seem effortless! - Mrs. Davidson




See more photos from Lace/Hanky Photography here!

Ceremony: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, French Lake, MN
Reception: Classic Rides & Rods, Annandale, MN
Catering: Cottage Gourmets
Photographer: Lace/Hanky Photography
DJ: Northern Lights
Day-of Coordinator: Bee The Buzz Event

Welcome Packages for a Corporate Function

This weekend Bee The Buzz Event had the pleasure of putting together welcome packages for companions of IEEE-Minnesota conference attendees. We did not have a lot of information about the demographics of the companions, so we made a natural guesstimate based on statistics that we researched as well as incorporating many local Minnesota products. For the adult companion bags, we included the latest issue of Minneapolis/St. Paul magazine, a water bottle (of course, as you know, BBE is all about green products!), a fruit and nut trail mix from Caribou, a creamy wild rice soup from Maggie & Mary's, a Minneapolis/St. Paul map and visitor guide, Ivy Spa Club gift certificate, MACY's fashion show ticket and a Project-7 Mints (another 'green' initiative product) from Caribou. For the kids bags, we included a Whole World Eco Fun Activities Book, Soy-based Crayons, a Juice box, a Fruit strip, a couple of Organic Lollipos, and the Crazy Bands! We had a great time assembling all 115 bags and awaiting for their feedback sometime soon!

The Adult Companion Bag's Content:


The Kids Bag's Content:

Drinking and ... Pedaling?

It was so gorgeous today that my family and I decided to spend the evening out on the Nicollet Island area. We ate at Kikugawa Japanese Restaurant and walked the stroll along the Mississippi River. So, as we walked I spotted, what looked like from a far, a trolley but as I got closer it was a group of people, sat on bicycle seats grouped together, pedaling and drinking at the same time! I thought what a fun idea! Having a great time with your friends, drinking and pedaling (hey, cheers to being green!)your way in a beautiful Minnesota summer day. Check them out:
www.pedalpub.com

Jeanne Beatrice - Handmade Market Basket

I have to admit anything with the name "Beatrice" will grab my attention. First, I was attracted by the name, given that we have the same name but also because it's a not-so-common name these days. In the movies, the "Beatrice" character was usually portrayed as a nerd, geek looking girl. Not so fab! So, I was ever glad when Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson named their daughter Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary, which made me feel like the name is worth for royalty. Well, I think it's meaning is much better, beatrice means she brings joy!
Aside from the name, I found Laura Benson, owner of Jeanne Beatrice, lives in Minnesota and is committed to changing the public's habit from using plastic bags when going shopping to using handmade market baskets for the sake of the environment. Her baskets are imported from French and are called Morrocan baskets for their durability and natural beauty. These bags have been featured in People Style Watch Magazine, VOGUE.com, In-Style Magazine and Coastal Living Magazine.
Aren't these perfect for your bridesmaid's gift? or as a welcome package for your out-of-town guests? or even better, try giving this to your future mother-in-law, I bet she'll love you for it!

These are my absolute favorites:

La Mer - Medium $59


La Vie - Medium $54

La Vie - Orange $44

La Vie Terveer - Small $39