Canine Wedding Party

Wedding petiquette. (It was only a matter of time.) According to Modern Dog Magazine there are a list of “Doggie I Do's and Don'ts,” to guarantee that canine members of your wedding party “go” where they’re supposed to and don’t OD on scraps of pan fried pork with chorizo and tomatoes. Here are their top ten tips:

1. Check that the venues for the ceremony and the reception allow pets.

2. Discuss Fido's role in the ceremony with other key players such as parents and other members of the retinue to ensure no one is afraid of dogs or allergic to dog hair.

3. It's a good idea to have several practice runs at home before the final wedding rehearsal. Some dogs are well-trained enough to come down the aisle on their own. Otherwise it's a good idea to have them walk on a leash with someone they know.

4. A cute little flower girl and an Old English Sheepdog may make a wonderful Kodak moment, but ensure they match each other in weight otherwise the dog may sweep the child off her feet.

5. If you are planning to entwine fresh flowers on a leash or add a garland around your dog's neck, avoid flowers that are toxic to animals, like lily-of-the-valley, daffodils, narcissus, sweet peas, and tulips.

6. Dogs are very intuitive and sometimes pick up on the nerves and emotions of the moment. Calming sprays like Comfort Zone help to calm doggie nerves.

7. Make sure canine members of the wedding party go for a walk and a bathroom break before the ceremony begins.

8. When the ceremony is in progress, keep treats handy in case you need to distract an exuberant pup.

9. After the wedding vows, an elderly pet may be tired and prefer to be taken home rather than attend the reception. However, if you plan to let your pet be present, ask guests to refrain from slipping any tidbits under the table. When they're excited, dogs tend to overeat and could get sick. Instead, provide special doggie cake and biscuits and lots of fresh water.

10. If you are planning on having several doggie guests at the reception, it's a good idea to have a pet sitter on hand to take charge.

Christmas Holiday Wedding Centerpieces

Tasteful, but sometimes time consuming. I'm not quite ready to create two-tone chocolate faux-bois cupcakes which imitate a wood-grain design (faux-bois means "false wood" in French) for my chocolate-loving family, but I am smitten with Martha Stewart's holiday crafts and even more so when I find fast, affordable and EASY Christmas wedding centerpiece ideas. Download a combination of these festive clip-art decals and turn ordinary dollar store pillars into colorful Christmas candle centerpieces.

With an ink-jet printer, print the designs onto a blank decal sheet. Spray it with 2 coats of clear varnish, letting varnish dry between coats. When decal is dry, cut to desired size and soak in a bowl of water for about 1 minute to loosen the paper backing. Carefully remove decal from water, and apply it to candle, peeling off backing as you go. Smooth decal with a paper towel, eliminating air bubbles and excess water. Let dry for approximately 3 hours.

Australian Brides

Our discount bridal accessories are taking off…literally. United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Israel, Finland, Bulgaria, and just this week to the Czech Republic. As good as that is, a great testimonial is even better. I had been corresponding to an Australian bride who had seemingly as many questions as we had products. Was I confident that it would eventually end up in a sale? No, not really, but every question answered was received with a great big helping of soon-to-be-wed enthusiasm, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise when I received this note:

Dear Kathy,

Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you! Obviously I have received my order and it is perfect! All of the jewelry is absolutely beautiful and I cant wait to show it off! I am driving up to see my sister (maid of honour) after work tonight and she is just as exited as I am to see it! All that I have ordered is just as beautiful as I had hoped for and I can't wait to wear my beautiful set on the big day and I'm sure my bridal party will feel the same when they see what they get to wear! We are all going to feel like princess's. Thank you again for making me such a happy bride to be!

Mellissa Todd
Victoria, Australia

Thank you Mell!

Mother and Daughter Poem

When my oldest daughter was married her younger sister had sought out female friends and relatives to assemble a keepsake of favorite poems, blessings, recipes, advice and all kind things women say to one another at the prospect of marriage and motherhood. They were gathered together, including this poem, in a small homemade parcel and presented to the grateful bride.

SOMETIMES

Sometimes I look at her, and she will
remind me of someone familiar.
Sometimes I’m upset with her,
because she is not enough like me,
then other times I fear she is.
Sometimes I watch her hands,
do things women do and I think
everything is moving too fast.
Sometimes I have a fierce urge
to hold her in my arms,
and try to hold back the future.
Sometimes when I look at her, she takes
my breath away because she is so pretty.
Sometimes I want to cry for this
girl-woman child of mine,
for what might be ahead of her.
Sometimes I’m afraid,
because as she grows I seem
to get smaller, as if her beginning
means my end.
Sometimes I ache for the child she
once was, and other times,
I can’t wait for the woman
she will be…
My Daughter


Christina Keenan

Vintage Inspired Hostess Aprons

Looking for a gift for a vintage-loving bride? Jessie Steele aprons, designed by Helen Steele and her daughter, Claire will make the bride-to-be look flirty and fabulous, like she made those Betty Crocker snickerdoodles from scratch. These cupcake and cherry retro-chic aprons are 100% cotton and measure 30 x 27 inches and hug those curves like a new boyfriend. And if you are a connoisseur of vintage patterns, be sure and check out the vintage apron pattern complete with classic perky 1950s housewife looking bored but beautiful with her clip-on earrings and matching charm bracelet.

Cooking is such a drag, I need a drag!