Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
Now you can drink your dessert. Dessert cocktails are all the rage. At Al Copeland’s Sweet Fire and Ice in New Orleans, one can order a sippable Banana’s Foster dessert called the Sweet Fire and Bananas Foster Cheesecake Martini. At Florida’s 1 Bleu Restaurant, cosmopolitans and pina coladas are transformed into desserts made with alcoholic gels.
This would be perfect for a cocktail wedding, or a dessert reception.
1 3/4 oz. Baileys with a Hint of Caramel
1/3 oz. Smirnoff Twist Green Apple Vodka
1/3oz. Applesauce
Dash of Caramel Syrup
Pour the applesauce into bottom of glass and float dash of caramel. Shake all other ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, strain and float on top of the applesauce and caramel.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
Aside from your ability to really splurge on the things that matter, a small wedding opens up the doors to a variety of venue options.
What better way to have a wow wedding than in a charming setting? Here are five intimate wedding venues that are sure to charm:
Restaurant - Are you a foodie? Do you have a favorite bistro, or fine dining restaurant? Why not find out if the venue can host your wedding? Restaurants and lounges are becoming an increasingly popular choice for couples looking for small wedding venues. Although all restaurants are different, many have intimate surroundings that are ideal for small guest lists. And they can save you money. Having a restaurant reception means not having to rent tables, chairs, tableware and glassware. Some venues will also provide linens. And as far as convenience goes – there’s no need to hire a caterer. The chef is already in the house!
Inn or Bed and Breakfast – Inns and bed and breakfasts are ideal small wedding venues. Whether you want a small decadent indoor wedding or a simple garden wedding on a budget, there’s sure to be an inn or bed and breakfast to suit your needs. Although many couples choose inns that they have previously stayed at to get married, some couples choose small wedding venues they’ve never visited. It might be an inn just a few blocks away, or one on the other side of the country – or even the globe. Read about Gideon and Ashley’s intimate inn wedding.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
Just the other day I was singing the praises of consumable wedding favors. Then, I found these Oreo truffles made with Oreo cookies. Wouldn’t these make divine DIY wedding favors? Place them in a lovely box with ribbon and presto - your guests will love you. I discovered them on Whismy Love, and I’ve been dying to make some of my own. I enjoyed the step-by-step photo tutorial on Whimsy Love (especially the Oreo truffle smile photo). Check it out. The recipe is from Recipeazzar.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
An increasing number of couples are opting for weddings with a conscience. Whether it’s by having an eco-friendly wedding or choosing wedding favor donations in lieu of traditional wedding favors, it’s clear that couples are giving back.
Here are some ways that you can use your wedding as an opportunity to give:
1. Instead of traditional favors, choose wedding favor donations. Simply make a donation in each guest’s name to the charity of your choice. Place a card on each place setting letting guests know about the donation.
2. Donate your flowers to a nursing home or hospital.
3. Donate your leftover food to a local food bank. Make arrangements beforehand for the food bank to pick up food after the reception.
4. After the wedding, have your bridesmaids donate their dresses to Operation Fairy Dust, an organization that takes gently used gowns and gives them to underprivileged teens for proms and graduation.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
Creating the wedding guest list is a breeze for some couples. For others it’s the source of some serious conflict.
The first thing to consider is whether you want a large wedding or one with a more intimate feel. Chances are you’ve chosen the latter and the task of creating your wedding guest list will be a little more challenging. (Can we really leave Aunt Hilda off the list?) However, first think about who you really want at your wedding.
Another factor that will come into play when creating your guest list is who’s footing the bill. If your parents are major financial contributors, then naturally they’ll have more say in who to invite. If you’re paying for the majority of your wedding you will have more control over the guest list.
Some questions to ask yourself when creating your guest list:
- Who are the important people in our lives?
- Is it necessary to invite co-workers?
- Are we including guests simply out of guilt? (i.e. They invited you to their weddings.) Read more…
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
From Christina: One week after Ashley and Gideon’s wedding, Gideon was deployed to Iraq. He will not be back until the fall.
I was moved by Ashley’s words. They really highlight the true meaning of a wedding. So often the meaning gets buried beneath layers of veneer that we call details. But that veneer is stripped away pretty fast when your beloved is about to go to war.
My thoughts are with Ashley and Gideon -wishing Gideon a safe return to his adoring bride.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
The handwritten note is dead. Paved over by pixels. Bludgeoned by bytes. It’s been gone for years. Thrown to the curb like the things found at the back of closets during spring cleaning. Or is it?
According to The NY Times , handwritten typeface is back with a vengeance. Apparently, the word of sleek graphics have left us longing for the DIY approach to lettering. We’ve all seen this trend in the world of weddings too, where calligraphy is all the rage. Heck, you can even turn your own handwriting into a font.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
These DIY wedding favors are simple, delicious and healthy! Who doesn’t love sweet cherries? Simply place in a bag or box with a pretty label, and voila, you have easy peezy DIY wedding favors.
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.
If you’re having children at your wedding, you might want to consider a designated kids’ table, complete with babysitter. (Read this if you’re considering not having children at your wedding).
It doesn’t have to cost a bundle to keep the little ones entertained. Some ideas include:
Christina Friedrichsen, Winsor, Ontario, CanadaVendor: Wedding WriterWebsite: Intimate WeddingsAbout Me: Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com. She wrote Intimate Weddings after planning her own 50-guest wedding. She wants other brides to feel confident in their decision to have an intimate wedding – even if their ideas buck convention. She wants couples to feel a sense of validation and to hear about all the wonderful things a small wedding can offer them. IntimateWeddings.com provides brides with a slew of planning articles, as well as a place to find small wedding venues. The Intimate Weddings Blog is chock full of fresh ideas for planning a small wedding, as well as real weddings and a slew of creative DIY wedding ideas that cut costs without sacrificing quality.