life according to three j. sisters - weddings, parties, lifestyle.
Sunflowers make me happy, and food makes me happy too, so both of them combined is pure bliss. I love this simple and adorable Sunflower Cupcake Cake idea from Martha Stewart Living magazine, March 2011.
And if your bringing “plants” in to your kitchen (and your belly), these Potted Chocolate Mint Puddings look delicious and fun for the kiddos too.
{images via Martha Stewart}
On May 7, dust off your hats and seersucker suits…this party is for the ladies and the gentlemen. Though most of us will not be sitting on Millionaire’s Row during this year’s Kentucky Derby, we will enjoy the traditions, the fabulous and ridiculous hats and betting against all odds. Though they call it the “greatest two minutes in sports,” with the party ideas below, you’ll be celebrating more than just two minutes.
Color: red, white and green
Decor: DIY Run for the Roses centerpiece following instructions from Hostess with the Mostess. Or, opt for low, white hydrangea arrangements in mint julep style cups and large tall arrangements of red roses in a large trophy. Red Ribbon DIY wreath on the front door to greet guests. Bar of Bourbon and Whiskey for the gentlemen arranged in an antique wagon or box.
Drinks: Mint Juleps, of course, served in the traditional julep cup. Also serve iced tea and lemonade.
Place cards: Pony-size horseshoes (you can purchase from your local horseshoe manufacturer) with a small hang tag with your guest’s name.
Food: Kentucky favorite, fried chicken, Paula Deen-style. Bobby Flay’s Kentucky Hot Browns. If you’re not a fan of the mint julep cocktail, try a mint julep cupcake, courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess. Bourbon Ball French Toast, from Bobby Flay. Derby Cheese Hat and Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie by Southern Living.
Atmosphere: Kentucky Derby on the television. Play My Old Kentucky Home song in the background.
Don’t forget about those fantastic hats. Remind your friends to wear their most fabulous hat accessory. For the best hat, award a DIY prize ribbon to the ladies, and for the best suit or brightest colored shirt, award a DIY trophy boutonniere for the men (by Postcards and Pretties).
{images via Kentucky Derby, Astor and Black, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Social Couture, The Food Network, Southern Living, The Knot, Hostess with the Mostess}
{images via A Day in May Design and 100 Layer Cake}
I’m a total romantic and also a writer at heart, so the more details of how a couple met and fell in love, the better. I am totally smitten after seeing the idea of sharing a couples timeline or courtship via save the date. It’s creative, unique, fun and its a wonderful opportunity for couples to share their love story with guests.
Meet with Jenna at Fleur de Lis to put your love story on paper!
To most women (or at least to me), the royal wedding is equivalent to the Super Bowl… times 10. I am beyond excited to watch the historic events unfold. I’m a sucker for romance, and it’s a true Cinderella story. A commoner (a beautiful one) meets a handsome prince. They date. Fall in love. He proposes with Princess Diana’s gorgeous sapphire ring. She says yes. They are to be wed in front of millions at the Westminster Abbey.
At least for a day, girls everywhere believe, even more than ever, that they too can and will meet their prince charming and be a ‘princess.’
It’s a perfect opportunity for a royal wedding viewing party. Here are my ideas and inspiration board. Invite your girlfriends over…it’s a party fit for royalty.
Cheers!
P.S. Be sure to TiVo the event, as it will be aired either really early in the morning or really late at night, depending on where you live.
Food: Serve blueberry scones with jam. Shortbread cookies with a variety of teas, of course. Strawberry champagne. Assortment of tea sandwiches and strawberries and cream on cake stands and pretty platters. Champagne cupcakes courtesy of With Style and Grace.
Decor: DIY Britain flag table cloth. Floral arrangements in vintage or new tea tins. Tea cups placed on DIY mini cupcake stands (tutorial to arrive soon). DIY or store-bought British flag banner. British cupcake toppers or free printable from The TomKat Studio. For place cards at the table, remove the tags from tea bags, replace them with small handwritten name tags for each one of your friends.
Favors: Each friend receives a pearl necklace wrapped around a napkin (set at each place setting) with a replica diamond sapphire ring on top so she is made to feel like a princess. Or tell your girlfriends to pucker up with royal lip gloss.
Be sure to tell guests to wear their best hat. Ask each guest to bring a vintage tea cup and saucer. You can stack and use as decor, and even swap a tea cup and saucer set with a friend at the end of the party.
{images via Martha Stewart, The Party Dress, People online, The Charm of Home, All Things Nice, HGTV, Food Network, Celebrations at Home}
Jenna and William’s wedding continued…
Nearly 180 guests dined and danced in a ballroom transformed into a black and white wedding extravaganza. A three-piece jazz band serenaded guests during cocktail hour upstairs, looking down upon the decorated venue. Old black and white Audrey Hepburn movies such as Roman Holiday and Love in the Afternoon played silently in the background on the televisions throughout the venue all evening. Two crystal chandeliers greeted guests in the entrance, a gorgeous, 8 foot tall chandelier lit the center of the dance floor and black drapery gracefully adorned the walls. Adding to the vintage ‘look’ was the large feathers and orchids that were beautifully placed in vintage candelabras on the guests’ tables and hundreds of lit candles in mercury glass containers flickered throughout the evening.
The details of the wedding were flawless. Vintage skeleton keys, bought from Etsy seller, Ashbury Lane, served as the escort card for each guest. Our mom, the mother-of-the-bride, covered a large cork board with a black velour fabric. Our aunt Sue stitched Jenna and William’s monogram in the center of the board, and hooks held each vintage key. Guests signed their name and a note to the bride and groom on paper in the bride’s grandparent’s vintage typewriter. Each female guest received a black and white damask print Envirosax bag, and each male guest received a custom hand-rolled cigar made by Clay Carlton, Palma Cigars, both of which both served as a place card and gift. And, the kids enjoyed their black and white colored Sixlets candies in custom round containers with Jenna and William’s monogram.
Custom letterpress menus, which you can find at Fleur de Lis, were set at each place setting. Mercury glass containers spaced along the bar held custom printed match boxes, and custom napkins with the couple’s monogram were neatly placed at each bar.
Jenna and William wanted the guests to feel like they were really a part the wedding, so they asked guests to wear black and white attire. Jenna and William took a trip to New Orleans shortly before their engagement, and really wanted to incorporate a New Orleans flair to their wedding day, and food seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. Epicurean Catering hosted delicious jambalaya and beignets for guests to enjoy.
More important than anything that day was the love that radiated from William and Jenna’s faces. They were both so happy. From the small details to the ‘wow’ factors, and everything in between, they made their wedding day their own…and it was magical.
{images via professional photographer Betsey Holley Photography}
Other fantastic vendors to note.
Make-up: Aldo Celeste, Flirt Salon
Hair: Bobbie Mitchell, Sola Salon Cherry Creek North
Lighting and Decor: Rodd Metcalf, LMD Productions
Linens: Linda Bluhm, Linens Unlimited
Transportation: Ambassador’s Rolls Royce
Jewelry: Madeline O’Connell, Gracious Lupita and Black Poodle