iHEART brides: March 2011

Customized One of a Kind Gift Ideas

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Something Old, Something New, Something…Personal

Written by Brandi Klingerman

Every bride wants her wedding to stand apart from all the others. But how? My cousin, now Halee Williams, recently got married and she really knew how to tie in personal elements from her and her husband’s relationship and her family traditions to make the wedding memorable.

Chocolate Eruption Cake from
Beef O'Brady's

From dining at the rehearsal dinner to dancing at the reception there was a little touch of Halee and Frank everywhere. Halee took advantage of a favorite dessert she and Frank have always loved: Chocolate Eruption Cake from Beef O’Brady’s. The cake is delicious and at the rehearsal dinner Halee and Frank had a slice served to each member of the wedding party. They even explained what the cake meant to them.

These small elements make the day all the more fun for the guests and all the more special for the bride. It takes all the special moments of the bride and groom together for the guests to see. Adding personal touches can enhance the entire experience for everyone at the wedding, the bride, the groom and the guests.

We've got some ideas for you to inspire and encourage you to add some personal touches for your upcoming wedding.

The Groom Cake

Boxed slices of a groom's cake can be used as a wedding favor for your guests. If you do this, make sure that the box has a little something extra. Decorate the box to match a moment of you and your new husband.

Music

When making wedding favors or for music at the wedding make sure to choose songs that both you and your fiancé love. Remember to ask your parents or relatives to see if there are any wedding or music traditions for the reception. You can even burn CDs for favors so the guests can have music enjoyed at the wedding and music loved by the bride and groom.

Center Pieces

When picking containers or vases, put flowers in containers that are special to you and your fiancé for the wedding. Perhaps you both love wine, then use wine bottles as vases. Use proposal elements to influence your reception. Perhaps your fiancé proposed using M&M’s that said, ‘will you marry me?’ If so you could use M&M’s as a favor or as centerpieces.

Pictures

If you have taken pictures with your fiancé that are not just engagement photos but instead fun or interesting, place those on the table or even frame them for centerpieces. If you went on vacation together or have pictures with each other at certain places, pull elements from the photos to the wedding. If you both went to the beach together, perhaps use a few photos of the two of you, place those, sand, shells, and flowers as an addition as center pieces or as decoration. Take advantage of these captured moments.

Flowers

The bouquet is always pretty traditional with beautiful flowers. Why not add some baubles or trinkets to liven up your bouquet. With tiny charms that remind you of an event or a loved one, your bouquet will mean so much more. Be creative and see if your bridesmaids or relatives can help you with some ideas.

Readings and Vows

Perhaps you have a special religious reading that means something to you or your fiancé; of course the wedding is the perfect place to share this. But have you or your significant other ever shared a song lyric with each other? Have either of you written a poem or written a song (silly or serious) for one another? If so, incorporate something like this into your wedding or read them at the reception. Your wedding may even be able to be themed around this shared moment.

Food

As said above about my cousin Halee, her husband and she shared a cake with all their guests at the rehearsal dinner. Maybe you could take this a step further. Take desserts or candy that you and your fiancé have a weakness create a sweets & treats bar. This small element will be fun for people to see. Make this even sweeter by maybe framing a little note that explains why you picked the sweets you picked for the bar. If you’re not into candy but maybe you enjoy ice cream sundaes, do a sundae bar. If you love mixed drinks each of you pick your favorite and have them be the specialty bar drinks. Pick fun bottles and glasses to play up these sweet little ideas.

Opportunities with all these ideas are endless and I am sure you and brides can come up with more. Play with this idea and let your wedding have some fun. Truly make it an event that you and your guests will always remember.

Corky Idea

What a great idea for a table name placeholder! We found this from a wedding blog called www.weddingbee.com. It has a lot of do-it-yourself DIY ideas for the wedding planner. Check out the site for more information. And, for step by step instructions on how to make this cork thingy, click here >

Cutting In To The Groom Cake

The groom cake.

They always prove to give the guests something to talk about. If you have been to a wedding with a grooms cake, you most assured will remember it. The armadillo cake made of red velvet was a famous grooms cake from the movie Steel Magnolias.

A groom cake allows the groom to have an item to express himself to the guests. It can reflect his favorite hobby or occupation. There are no hard rules of etiquette written on this tradition.

Servings of Cake

The groom cake can be presented and served in a variety of ways. Some brides and grooms use them as dessert for guests to enjoy after the rehearsal dinner. Some cakes are displayed next to the multi tiered wedding cake during the reception. These cakes can be cut and boxed for guests to take home as a wedding favor. As a momentum to the bride and groom, it can be preserved in the newlywed's freezer and shared together on their first anniversary. In fact, some wedding cakes' top tiers will be created just for the bride and groom to share for this purpose.

The Legend of the Groom Cake

Some legendary groom cake tales say that all the single ladies can sleep with the groom's cake under their pillows after the wedding. The cake will the give the mistress dreams of her future husband. Considering many grooms cakes are made with dark contrasting colors and flavors opposed to the traditional fluffy white wedding cakes, perhaps there is a bit of mystical powers. Some groom cakes are drenched in brandy or other liqueur.

New Trends of the Groom Cake

Nowadays, groom cakes have gone to a new level. Brides and grooms are expressing their sense of humor and really giving the guests something to talk about! Cakewalk owner and designer Alexis Davis Because iHEART Brides is always in search of interesting stories and photos of wedding fun, we thought we would share some images that have made us smile. We hope they will inspire you and make you smile too! Feel free to add comments below of other links to pages with photos of beyond-ordinary grooms cakes!