Wedding Planning Wednesday - Dessert Menu

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I know I have posted about our wedding cake design in the past, but it has changed since then. You will find this happening a lot in wedding planning, especially when it comes to me! New ideas come up all the time and I'm switching things up! When we found out that our wedding planner has a friend who is trying to start his own baking business (He was featured on the Food Network show Cupcake Wars! How fun is that?) we knew we wanted to meet with him to see what flavor combinations and ideas he had. As soon as we met him and his business partner (our wedding planner's brother) we instantly loved them and I knew they would have a fresh perspective for my non-traditional ideas. His presentation was beautiful and we loved all 3 cupcakes he brought for us to taste!

Mando and I weren't sure if an entire dessert table would be in our budget but after talking to Isaac we determined that we could make it work! Instead of doing a gigantic wedding cake, we will be doing a smaller cake for Mando and I to cut into and then individual cupcakes of the same flavor for the guests. This was an easy way to bring the cost down and make more room for the dessert table budget.

I knew I wanted to do a theme for the dessert table, because honey, I'm all about the themes! I almost NEED one when it comes to planning! We thought about our absolute favorite desserts and I came up with the idea of rustic, country fair themed desserts. So, here's what's on the menu... most are being made by Isaac but some things we will be bringing ourselves!

• S'mores cake and cupcakes - these cupcakes are freaking amazing! I totally copied my wedding planner on the flavor, because she had it for her wedding and I fell in love with the idea. It's very different and I think the guests are going to love it.
• Mini cherry and apple pies - I knew if I was going to do a dessert table there would be pie. Because, obviously. Pie is amazing and everything is better in mini form, am I right?!
• Donut holes - A big ol' platter of them. Yum. Enough said.
• Gourmet mini caramel apples - Caramel apples always remind me of my mom because it's one of her favorite desserts. These are kind of dedicated to her and a silly thank you for all the help she's given us while planning the wedding. I think they are going to be so pretty once decorated, I can't wait to see what he comes up with!
• Cotton candy - you can't have a country fair dessert table without cotton candy! I think this will be something all of the kids at the wedding will specially enjoy. And trust me, there will be A LOT of kids there!
• Kettle corn - Mando and I are obsessed with kettle corn and we always get a huge bag when we go to the fair so this was a must on our table! We have a local popcorn shop that we love so we'll be picking it up from there and packaging it into individual bags for the guests!

I'm ridiculously excited about this menu. Like, I can't stop thinking about it. Wedding dress be damned, I will be stuffing my face with a little bit of everything! As for the design, I rented a covered wagon from a local prop house and we'll be using that (without the cover) as the dessert table. Fun stuff! Right now is crunch time, so we are busy working out all the tiny details that go along with planning a wedding. Less than 3 months to go! XOXO

Celebrating handmade, day 3!

This is the 3rd and final post of my celebrating handmade series. Make sure to check out post 1 and 2 for other Etsy shop reviews and fun giveaways!

Hands down, the hardest gifts for us to buy were the gifts for our groomsmen. Men are hard to shop for already and these 3 guys are SO different! We really wanted to give them something sentimental but practical. We went back and forth for weeks and suggested everything from custom converse to cuff links to vintage shaving kits. Finally I took my question to Twitter and a friend of mine suggested pilsner glasses. I was originally hesitant to buy anything to do with alcohol (like a flask or shot glasses) because 2/3 of them aren't big drinkers, but I know all of them drink beer and Mando loved it so I quickly warmed up to the idea! I hopped on Etsy to see if I could find some nice, personalized glasses and I found GlassGirlJen. I was really impressed when I read about her engraving process... She uses an old school technique called stone wheel engraving and it's actually really interesting. Here's how she describes the process:

Stone wheel engraving is an age old art form of glass engraving that is not commonly practiced in the world today. With newer technologies such as laser engraving, sandblasting, acid etching and machine engraving, stone wheel engraving has become a dying art. As a stone wheel engraver I spend time shaping my wheel using diamond and stone dressing tools to create different effects on glass. Some I create for a smooth surface, some thick and some thin depending on what lettering and designs I'm engraving.... As I engrave onto the glassware I make cuts into the glass working by hand both upside down and backwards. I sometimes draw guidelines onto the glass however no stencils or templates are used. There will be variations in the lettering, spacing and designs of stone wheel engraving, this is the beauty and character of the art and the one-of-a- kind original piece of customized glassware.

I love that this is a family business and that she is the third generation to continue this art. She worked beside her mother for over 15 years developing her skills. She has a big selection of wine and champagne glasses, mugs, and even trays in her shop. They are all customizable and would make fabulous gifts! Here are a few of my favorites:

 1, 2, 3

Working with Jen was a pleasure. She answered all of my questions about her product quickly and was more than happy to make our custom pilsner glasses. She shipped them quickly and I was beyond excited when I saw them in person. The initial she engraved on each glass is so clear and precise, you'd never guess she did this using an older form of engraving. I love how unique they are and I know the boys are going to go nuts over them!

Now for the good part! One of you lucky readers have the chance to win a pair of gorgeous 21 oz stemless wine glasses with a custom name or monogram, or the cute Mr. and Mrs. pair as shown below. These would make a great wedding or anniversary present, housewarming gift, or something special for the wine enthusiast in your life! Entry is easy, just make sure you follow my blog via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment telling me what you'd do with glasses if you won!

This giveaway is open to US residents only and it will end on Friday, January 13th. You can also find Jen at her website, her blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Good luck!

I hope you all have enjoyed my little celebrating handmade mini-series! As you can tell, it's something that's so important to me and also to our economy. Coming from someone who has their own handmade business and was raised by a woman who owns her own business, I cannot express how important it is to support these companies! Sometimes it can be really easy to run to Target for a last minute gift (I'm guilty of this too!) but next time consider buying local or handmade! You never know what difference you're making in someone's life! XOXO

Celebrating handmade, day 2!

In case you missed yesterday's post, I'm doing 3 days of celebrating handmade and featuring some of the Etsy shops we've been buying from for our wedding! This is day 2. Make sure to check back tomorrow for the third, and final post! You won't want to miss it!

It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to give as gifts for our ring bearers. Since we have 5 (Yes, FIVE! We have a lot of little boys in my family and I didn't want to exclude anyone!) I knew I had to find something that would work for several age groups and also be budget friendly. I wanted to give them something useful too, so I started thinking about what they were going to wear on our wedding day and bowties came to mind. I couldn't get Mando to wear one, so why not my ring bearers? I thought they would be a fun and unique gift and the parents could re-use them after the wedding as well! Once I had the outfit planned out I started my search for the perfect bowties. My sister found Dana Eckert on Etsy for me and I contacted her to see if she was up for the project. Not only was she excited to work with me, but she was very knowledgeable and quick to respond (if you've ever planned a wedding, you know how important that is!).

The ages of our ring bearers will be 15 months, 22 months, 2.5 years, and two 9 year olds. Those are huge age differences so I was excited to learn that Dana's bowties range from sizes 6 months - 9 years. I sent her a photo of the color I was looking for and she found a fabric that matches perfectly and shipped out the bowties in no time! I was so excited when I got them because not only are they adorable, but super well made! I'm pretty sure they'll last a long time even with toddlers wearing them! Here's a picture of how they turned out... I'm obsessed and can't wait to see all my favorite boys rocking these on our wedding day!

Here's a little bit of background info about Dana and how she got started on Etsy:

Growing up in a family with my mother as an artist, it seemed only natural that creativity would be an essential on the daily activity list in our house! I started sewing at a super young age of 9 years old, and have always kept it up. Sewing was a way that I could create and make items that are “just me” and pattern making is a craft that I learned to do through the years. My grandmother and mother were super experienced sewers and taught me the skills needed to make anything as professional and beautiful as your imagine would let you!

How did start up my Etsy Shop? After years of making handcrafted gifts for friends and family, a woman in the grocery store suggested that I start selling my dresses….so I did! It has given me the freedom to work from home, and jump on any new inspiration that may appear!

I reside in a small little town in Ontario, and am so pleased to able to do what I honestly enjoy doing! Having so many wonder and loyal customers has enabled me to continue doing what I love- and be inspired by all requests and feedback that everyone brings to me! I am for sure a lucky girl!

Don't you just love the personal stories behind each Etsy shop? It makes me even more happy to support these small businesses! Now one of you lucky readers will have the opportunity to win one of these adorable Dana Eckert polka dot bowties! The winner can chose whichever of the colors they like below and the size they need! These would be perfect one-of-a-kind gifts or keep them and use them to dress up your little one on Valentines Day! To enter, just make sure you are a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment telling me which color is your favorite!

Follow Dana Eckert Designs on Twitter @DanaEckertDesigns or on like her on Facebook here. The giveaway is open to everyone worldwide and will be open until Friday, January 13th. Good luck everyone! I know you will fall in love with these sweet handmade bowties like I did! XOXO