welcome bags…to do or not to do

Weddings are expensive. Plain and simple. Flowers. Photographers. Food and Drink. The Dress. Reception Site. The list goes on and on. So, many ask, “Is it necessary to give guests welcome bags at our wedding?” We are no Emily Post when it comes to etiquette, but having worked in the industry a little, and meeting with brides at Fleur de Lis on a daily basis, here’s our opinion. No, welcome bags are not necessary. It can be another expense, and often a logistical nightmare.

However, if the budget allows, it is a nice gesture, especially when you are having a destination wedding. Plus, we {especially me} are obsessed with the ‘little touches’ at weddings, so we believe a welcome bag is another opportunity for the bride and groom to share their personalities and relationship with their guests, it’s another chance to be creative and its a way of doing something special for your guests who traveled to attend your wedding.

If you’re getting hitched soon, and are contemplating gift bags, here’s some useful tips when putting it together.

IT’S ALL IN THE PACKAGING
Everything looks better and more beautiful when it’s in a pretty or cute package.

{images via destination tote bag: LH Calligraphy, roots wedding tote: Wedding Chicks, Wrapped frame art-print: Martha Stewart}

MAKE IT PERSONAL
Add a personal label to items {hotel door hanger like below}, share your favorite restaurants or things to do in the town of your nuptials, include a personal hand-written note and homemade treats {banana bread and honey butter or vanilla extract with a family tradition recipe like below}.

{images via…door hanger: Fleur de Lis, a paperie, banana bread: Everyday Occasions by Jenny Steffen, vanilla extract and recipe: Snippet and Ink}

INCORPORATE LOCAL FAVORITES
Highlight the towns best treat, and buy from local companies. It will give guests a taste of the town, and a deeper appreciation for it. And, be sure to include items guests will need/enjoy related to the town’s activities and weather.

{images via Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Miami tote: Jesi Haack Weddings, boston: Style Me Pretty}
INCLUDE ‘NECESSITIES’ FOR SURVIVING A FUN WEEKEND
Guests will likely enjoy a cocktail or two, so make sure they stay hydrated and you provide hangover essentials.
{images via…Hangover Kits bags: Jennifers CookiesMartha StewartNewlywish}

INCLUDE THE WEEKEND AGENDA

Make sure to include an itinerary of the weekend, tips on how to stay warm or cool, what to wear, who to call – the who, what, when, where and how of the weekend.

{images via Good Morning Newsletter: Martha Stewart Weddings, Oh So Beautiful Paper}

papier fleurs et vows

As you know, us Tutto Bella gals are paper fanatics. We love seeing brides get creative with their paper products for their weddings.

This Colorado bride took her creativity and inspiration to an entirely new level. She had an extravagant paper chuppah, colorful paper bouquets and white linen paper centerpieces. Everywhere you turned, there was paper. And it was absolutely STUNNING.

With the help of Amy Toltz-Miller and, of course, Pinterest, the beautiful bride planned a uniquely remarkable wedding. We’ve never seen anything quite like it…. and we are loving it!

VENDOR LOVE

Photography: Eric Stephenson Photography
Dress: Felice Bridal
Event Planner: Amy Toltz-Miller Special Events
Venue: History Colorado Center
Decor/Floral: Newberry Brothers Greenhouse & Florist
Cake: Cakes by Dana Pierce
Lighting: LMD Productions

{images via Eric Stephenson Photography}

a favor to share

I’m obsessed with details at weddings, especially when the details are perfectly fitting to the bride and groom’s personalities. Favors, although not officially necessary {and guests often leave behind}, are a wonderful opportunity to incorporate details into a wedding day, and serve as a memento for guests to take home and remember a couple’s wedding day too.

The ideas are endless, but here’s some clever favor ideas I just adore lately, and they can be used at both weddings, parties and showers…

SPRING FAVORS
Honey Dipper at Place Setting
Elizabeth Anne Designs

Honey Dipper in Honey Mojito
Style Me Pretty

Seed Packets
Sunflower Seed Packets {place card and favor} sold here, at Fleur de Lis, a paperie

EDIBLE FAVORS
Peanut Butter and Jelly Favors
Green Wedding Shoes

Old Fashioned Mini Pies, Style Me Pretty

LOCATION SPECIFIC FAVORS
maracas
Green Wedding Shoes

Ornaments
Pinecones were meaningful for this couple because it was significant to the spot where they were engaged, James Christianson

Wood Coasters
“take a piece of Colorado with you” via Ruffled Blog
you can also buy some here

VINTAGE FAVORS
CD of Love Songs
Green Wedding Shoes

Handkerchief Favors
Elizabeth Anne Designs

{images via Style Me Pretty, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Ruffled, Project Wedding, Green Wedding Shoes, James Christianson}

Country Wedding with Sunflowers, part 2

Rustic. Yellow. Elegance. Barn. Romance. These words describe the inspiration for our dream wedding reception.

We took one look at Crooked Willow Farms and knew that it was made for our reception. The big, red barn is tucked in the midst of mountains, farmland and a white, picket fence – a perfect setting for our Colorado wedding celebration.

I have always dreamed of a vibrant yellow wedding with sunflowers. Ever since Drew and I were surrounded by the sunflower fields of Tuscany, Italy, I knew we wanted to be surrounded by the same sunshine and happiness on our wedding day.

We had a lot of country touches at our reception. Guests were greeted with horses and a hayride. Wine barrels served as cocktail tables. Horse shoes were the good luck charms for our guests that hung on a rustic, wood door on display for escort cards. And, our entire wedding party changed into cowboy boots for the reception.

I’m all about details. So, we made sure the DIY projects throughout the wedding reception were one-of-a-kind.

Custom cut and hand painted antique wood signage (made in our garage), were scattered throughout the reception area, pointing guests to reception, cocktails and restrooms, but also reminding them to “dance” and “eat, drink & be married”.

Our table numbers were made with burlap fabric, wood numbers and rustic photo frames.

We created custom sunflower seed packets for place cards. Women received sunflower seeds to ‘plant, love, grow’ in the garden, and men received edible sunflower seeds to ‘crack, chew, enjoy’. They went perfectly with our sunflower theme and gave guests a sweet reminder of our wedding day. 

Kids received sunflower chocolate suckers for their sweet place card.

Drew and I danced to our high school song, ‘Making Memories of Us’ by Keith Urban. I remember listening to that song at only 16 years old and imagining our first dance together on our wedding day, dancing to that song. It was an emotional moment for me – I couldn’t believe my dream of marrying Drew was finally a reality.

From my emotional walk down the aisle with my dad toward man of my dreams, to our first kiss as a married couple, to my gorgeous, handmade bouquet to match my dress, to an unforgettable wedding party entrance, to emotional and hilarious speeches, to amazing sunflower balls and arrangements, to dancing under a beautifully draped tent and rustic chandelier, to a sparkler send-off… our wedding day was everything that I had dreamed of and more – a day that I will never forget.

VENDOR LOVE

Dress: Amsale Bijou from Felice Bridal Salon

Shoes: Jimmy Choo ‘Isabel’, Nordstrom

Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo from Bella Bridesmaid

Groom/Groomsmen Attire Rental: Al’s Formalwear

Planner: Jessica, Tre Sorelle, trejsorelle@gmail.com

Paper Products {Invites/Programs/Menus/Escort Cards/Sunflower Seed Packets}: Fleur de Lis, a paperie

Ceremony: Holy Ghost Catholic Church

Reception: Crooked Willow Farms

Bridal and Bridesmaids Jewelry: Kathryn Giarratano Jewelry

Photographer: Jenna Walker Photography

Guest Book & Escort Door photos: Cori Cook Floral Design

Videographer: Creative Mountain Images {CMI} videography

Caterer: Epicurean Catering

Cake: Intricate Icings Cake Design

Tent: Event Rents

Linens: Kimi Hansen, Après Party and Tent Rental

Floral: Cori Cook Floral Design

Décor/ Lighting: Rodd Metcalf, LMD Productions

MakeUp: Aldo Celeste, Flirt Salon

Hair: Kristina Porreco, 303.313.9791, A New Image Salon

DJ: Jeff  ‘Maestro’ Hughes {violinist} and DJ Q

Cocktails Entertainment: Derek Evilsizor

Transportation: Fox Limo

Horse hayride for guests and wedding party: Gary, Kodiak Ranch

juliet + doug

Zenobia Studios captured the vintage and hand-made beauty of this destination wedding at the fabulous Belle Mer in historic seaside Newport…and we’re happy they shared it with us.

Some of the couple’s DIY details included the creation of their own photo station with a vintage curtain backdrop and vintage props. The bride also found beaded belts and 50’s cat sunglasses on Etsy for her bridesmaids. Invitations, menus, signage and programs were all handmade and stunningly beautiful and vintage chic. And, the bride incorporated her Italian heritage everywhere, including love quotes by Dante printed on cards around the cocktail area.

VENDOR LOVE
Photography: Zenobia Studios
Floral Designer:  Flowers by Semia
Event Venue:  Belle Mer

{images by Zenobia Studios via Two Bright Lights}