What I'm loving right now...

Just a little post to ease back into blogging...

After a challenging several months it's time to get back out into the world.

And what better way than window shopping for pretty things!


CabinFeverNYC


Summerville



An awesome restaurant treehouse!

Groom Style: Cufflinks

Wood You Love Me Cufflinks

Wooden DEER Cufflinks

How great are these two options for cufflinks? I just adore the way cufflinks look peeking out from under a jacket sleeve. And if you guys are planning on wearing a classic suit, this is a fun way to add a little individuality to your look without pulling grandpa's powder blue tux out of the attic. Or you could go that route as well...

Choosing your registry.

This is the fun part! However, when choosing to provide your guests with a registry list, you may feel overwhelmed. Do you feel like you are pushing your guests to buy you certain items or do you even feel rude assuming they would want to buy these for you? Don't! Friends and relatives will be looking to buy wedding gifts as soon as they hear about your engagement. Really! Take the guesswork out of gift buying by making sure they know what you really want.

Firstly, to decide what you need, take inventory of the things you already have and see where the gaps are. Talk about the style of home you'd both like, and what would fit in with your lifestyle (Do you need a stand mixer? You never bake!). One thing to consider is local shops vs online mega stores. If you are a Target shopper, you may feel comfortable choosing to register there. Target has thousands of options and is accessible to every guest, both in location and in price points. If you have a favorite local shop, go in and ask the owner if they have a gift registry option. You may be pleasantly surprised! Even smaller online shops have them now! It may be a bit more work but will be worth it in the long run, and you could be happily supporting a small business!

Another incentive to look for is discounts from vendors. When S and I were registering, I noticed companies like All-Clad and Le Creuset offer free merchandise when registering for a certain amount of their products.

And don't forget about Etsy! Contact vendors for special registry requests!

A final idea is either a honeymoon fund or having a list of fun things your guests could contribute to for your honeymoon, such as a snorkeling day trip or a couples massage. Contact your hotel or resort to find out about setting up such a registry!

You may also be wondering if you should include your information on your invite. We also pondered over this for quite some time but in the end, decided to add it since it was just easier than having everyone ask us or our parents. Some say it's a big no-no but we just thought it would make the process simpler for everyone!

Good luck!!

Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowls

Husband and I didn't have a ring bearer but we still wanted to have a unique way to display our wedding bands. We found these adorable ceramic bowls from Etsy artist Caroline Colom Vasquez of Paloma's Nest. Caroline belives in "Doing small things with great love." Each piece is custom designed and hand-crafted in her home studio in Austin, Texas, with care, pride, and passion. She use only all natural materials including fine clays, wood, paper, and cloth, knowing that these items will be passed on for many years. Caroline says, "My inspiration lies in the purity of the materials that I use, and the idea that something so simple can be so bold. By adding text, I give written ideas, feelings, and daydreams a place to rest."

S and I thought these little bowls were perfect for the wedding and now we use is as a decorative piece in our home. Caroline will custom design anything you want on the bowl. S and I chose a quote that was part of one of the readings from our wedding. It was really fitting for the day and for every time we happen to glance at it! Following the quote, written out is our wedding date. I would certainly recommend these for your wedding day and beyond! The bowl is quite small so it can easily fit into the little hands of your cutie ring bearer. They also come with a little string so they can also be hung afterwards!

Also, Caroline has just added these beautiful new golden dove bowls. How great are these?!

All photos c/o Paloma's Nest

All of the ceramic items are crafted from either white earthenware clay or porcelain clay.