I fell in love with this unique company I came across, called Modern Bird Studios; Turning your Engagement Pictures (or any photo for that matter) into amazing wood art to have as a special keepsake art piece is really only clicks away... So convenient! I am actually thinking of ordering one for myself, but instead of using our engagement picture (since we already have a large canvas of it) - I'll be ordering a photo of our sweet lil doggie Merlot to be transformed into wood art. The possibilities are endless, but I really wanted to share this unique find with all of you Brides wanting to bring more unique elements into your wedding! Another great idea is to transform your parents or grandparents wedding photos into Modern Bird Studios Wood Art to display at your wedding, or as a gift to loved ones to say thank you for being part of your special day - it's definitely not a gift they'd already have; very original! Check out their site, i'd love to hear what you all think of their unique woodwork.

Pavé Bow and Pearl Drop Stretch Bracelet $68.00 at Ann Taylor
A glamorous stretch bracelet featuring sections of cubic zirconia stones and a shimmery bow detail. Dangling pearl bead. Shiny silvertone backing. Inset elastic for a flexible fit.

There are so many beautiful bridal garters out there these days... I have to say this particular custom garter design caught my eyes pretty quickly as it is very on trend in the bridal high fashion world and has the timeless beauty we all want to wear on our wedding day! For those of you who haven't found the right garter yet, i recommend visiting Bleu Garters to view their collections - enjoy!

I do have to say I am delighted to share this fabulous new vendor out on the Bridal Scene... Chinny Lulu Designs is a creative new Hair Accessory Designer with her store featured on Etsy! I am delighted to call Chinny my friend, she is sweet inside and out; and to top it off she is so talented!! Check out her new store featuring custom pieces for all (she has pieces for Modern Brides, Vintage Brides, Fun Bridal Parties, and pretty much any other occasion and style lovers)~ I just love how on trend each piece is, enjoy:

I'm a sucker for watching Giada with her awesome cooking recipe's/tips and boy do I love shopping at Target! It's with much excitement that I share with all of you who haven't noticed that Giada De Laurentiis now has products at Target (if you are registering at Target, be sure to check out her new products). *Target Tip: Make sure that any items you register for are available both in store & online (don't register online - it's best to register in person at the store). Happy scanning :}

I love these adorable socks from the online etsy shop of Erin Borges...

What a cute gift for your groom to have on your Wedding Day from his lovely Bride - Socks that say "In Case You Get Cold Feet", "Im So Happy You Walked Into My Life", or "By Your Side Every Step of the Way" in custom colored embroidery! All socks are made custom to match your wedding colors. When ordering just specify what color and shade of that color you would like and I will make them just for you! They also offer custom orders per request only. Check em out~

photo by loveandsplendor

Mazel Tov Glass

Tradition
"As part of the Jewish wedding ceremony, it is tradition for the groom to step on the wedding glass. The guests joyously shout "Mazel Tov" which means congratulations and good luck. There is much clapping and cheering as the couple celebrates their marriage moment. It is a hope that the couple's happiness will be as plentiful as the shards of glass.

The breaking of the wedding glass has many interpretations. It is a reminder of the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem; its fragility symbolizes that the couple's love must be cared for. It is a metaphor for the vulnerability of human relationships. It symbolizes the break between single and married life. Some say it is the last time the groom gets to "put his foot down."

Their Story
They "chose to make a colorful brown Mazel Tov wedding glass to be stepped on beneath the chuppah, but a pile of broken glass shards is not a good wedding gift. So they came up with the idea to use the colorful broken pieces to create the first Mazel Tov Glass Heirloom vase."

Their Process
"They hand blow a Mazel Tov Wedding Glass in your choice of color and ship it to you in a velvet Mazel Tov bag, imported from Israel, ready to include in your wedding ceremony.
After the glass is stepped on, you mail the Mazel Tov Wedding Glass shards back to them in the provided shipping container.
They then take the Mazel Tov Wedding Glass pieces from your wedding ceremony, and suspend them with clear molten glass to make a Mazel Tov Glass Heirloom." SOURCE

What a great way to celebrate tradition and be able to transform something so special into a beautiful family heirloom to pass on to future generations! We have also heard of non-Jewish couples integrating the Mazel Tov tradition into their ceremonies as well. If you would like to get your very own Mazel Tov Glass, check out their website!

Check out these amazing rings from Personalized Boutique; the hottest celebrities in town are sporting them and now you can say thank you to your bridesmaids with one of the hottest new trends!

I am a frequent Etsy.com online-window-shopper ;) and could literally spend hours upon hours in fascination at the unique creations the creative wedding and print shops have for sale... Stumbled upon the Belletristics - Aesthetic designs for the DIY Bride storefront and love that all of their items for sale seem to be pretty affordable and help cut down on costs if you visit your local Kelly Paper Company or other discount/wholesale paperies to get beautiful cardstock for lest and choose to print on your own at home (usually it ends up costing less by sending the file to staples since ink is so expensive these days and you may get a good price depending on the size of the bulk order - the only bummer is the price usually includes printing on simple matte cardstock or you just pay for their bulk printing and you supply your own upgraded paper). This shop seems to be flexible with personalizing colors, texts, and some other additions depending on the item and details of the order. Check em out~

'Belletristics is a design shop specializing in high quality, affordable designs for the DIY bride. Using Belletristics' design services will save you time and money while helping you bring together the vision that you have for your wedding. Designs can be created in a variety of file formats, so you can print at home or use a professional printer.'

Here are some of my Favorites from the Belletristics Storefront (Printable Wedding Invitation and Table Number Card Sets):

Paper parasols will help keep the sun out of your guests' eyes and help shade them from the sun and heat. They also offer many paper lanterns and paper fans that are great. I recently saw a Bridal party with the Bride who had a decorative parasol and her Bridesmaids all carried paper hand fans instead of bouquets (the bride only had the parasol as ceremony decor on the side, then used it in after ceremony pictures) and it was truly so pretty and detailed that it really brought a lot of fun and character to their photos!

Save On Crafts is pretty much one of my favorite wholesale wedding, event, and floral supply companies - they offer such a wide range of products at such an affordable price!I came across these beautiful handmade paper parasols and thought i'd shre... They offer many additional styles, but these were just some of my favorites in geisha, japanese, and thai styles. Weather you are of Asian descent or just love the cuteness of paper parasols, these sure add cute details to any wedding photo album, Enjoy!

Japanese Cherry Blossom & Geisha Girl Paper Parasol