Wedding Favors: Elegance Defined

If your wedding is growing near and you are searching for favors to give to your guests which are as elegant and dignified as your nuptials and reception - you may or may not find what you are searching for. While it is not that the search results are flawed, it is simply because the term elegant and elegance is hard to define; different people have different concepts of what is elegant and what is not. The best practice is to search for terms specific for what you are searching for as the term "elegant favors" will bring you more general ideas.

Elegant as defined, is something that is gracefully refined, luxurious or dignified and of high grade or quality. Based on this definition truly elegant favors will be on the higher end in cost, style and design. Essential components include simplicity and consistency in design focusing on the essential features of the product while showcasing it within beautiful packaging. Don't be fooled, there simply are no cheap ninety-nine cent elegant wedding favors - favors of this class and quality will cost several dollars - if not into the double digit range per piece.

If you are looking for some ideas which will fit into this category of favors and gifts here are a few for you to ponder:

    Truffles or Chocolates from an exclusive chocolatier. Some chocolatier's will custom make chocolates for you to suit your palette, colors and desires. High end gift packaging completes the look

    Espresso Sets, Tea Sets or Cordial Glasses many upper class entertain either for afternoon tea or after dinner with drinks. Larger gift sets of six or more glasses will offer them something they can take home and put to use.

    Fine Crystal Gifts exquisite 24% genuine leaded crystal items such as snowflake ornaments for a winter wedding, crystal candle holders for a black tie event or crystal flowers for a spring event will provide a unique and displayable keepsake for their homes.

    Larger Photo Frames picture frames that hold 4 x 6, 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 photos in finishes such as silver or with crystals is a grand way to thank your guests. Your guests are more likely to display a larger photo frame in their home versus a smaller wallet sized photo frame which is most often given as wedding favors.

    Candy Dishes or Hostess Dishes purchase items that your guests may not normally have in their homes such as candy dishes, decorative cheese boards, olive trays, appetizer platters. Unique salad tongs, pasta servers and cake serving sets would also be considered a generous thank you gift.

With a little imagination and knowing exactly what you would like to give, you will find a range of home items and fine goods that will be readily be welcomed by your guests. When selecting an elegant favor for your event, use this rule to go by: "Give what you would like to receive".

Erica Tevis is the owner of Little Things Wedding Favors and Little Things Baby. Since 2003 they have been helping couples prepare for their big day with unique gifts, accessories and favors. Visit them on the web and check out their large supply of elegant wedding favors, themed favors, invitations, and wedding accessories.

Metallic Wedding Cakes by SweetThings ByFi

We are delighted to welcome SweetThings ByFi to our blog to talk to us about the latest 2012 metallic wedding cake trends. 

Just like Wedding Trends, wedding cake designs are constantly changing.

Designs are heavily influenced by the fashion catwalk, wedding blogs and wedding magazines. Throughout 2011 there were many high profiled weddings, including the Royal weddings in the UK and Monaco, Supermodel Kate Moss, Pop singer Lily Allen and let’s not forget Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in the US. As a result, this has seen an increase in ornate piping and sugar flowers being incorporated into cake designs.

For many brides, 2012 is marking the end of the vintage trend and the beginning of glamorous decor with jewels and sparkles being incorporated into the cake designs, this is resulting in the rise of the ‘Couture’ style wedding cake.

This style of cake makes a strong statement by incorporating accents of the bride’s wedding dress, headpiece or jewellery. Our friends in the US have taken this one step further by introducing metallic wedding cakes which is taking the wedding world by storm for 2012.

We are seeing the use of shimmering tones of silver and gold’s combined with warm pastel or vibrant jewel colours.

When working with Reviva weddings, Laura and I often spend countless hours discussing the wedding designs we are working on together, and both of us are hugely excited about this trend and cannot wait for this to take off here in Spain!

Of course, it is imperative to ensure that your wedding cake design flows with the style or theme of your wedding not just the current wedding trends. For example, if you are getting married here in Spain and want a Spanish themed wedding, then perhaps you feel that a sparkling jewelled cake would not be suitable for your wedding. Thats ok! Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life, so it is vital that your cake design is perfect for your personal taste! Try decorative lacework and textured ruffles with accents of Spanish warm colours or flowers, what is important is that your wedding cake designer designs a cake that is classic and timeless for you.

At Sweet Things, our fashion concious brides are becoming more involved in the design process to create their perfect wedding day, this is resulting in some amazing wedding cake designs which we cannot wait to create!

But for now, here are some of our favourite metallic wedding cakes!

Design Sources from Pinterest and Martha Stewart

Romantic Blossom Cupcake Class by Sweet Things by Fi

We are delighted to introduce our first cupcake decorating class hosted by Sweet Things by Fi at our wedding studio on the 8th February. 

If anyone does not know Fi's work or indeed has not eaten one of her cakes they are truly missing something and life is not worth living until you do! 

Fi is one of our favourite wedding cake designers, whose creations continue to amaze our clients and us, plus she buys me creme eggs so I am heavily blackmailed!

Fi's first cupcake decorating class will be held at our shop, based in Elviria, on the 8th February from 3pm until 5pm.

The theme of our first cupcake decorating course is Romantic Blossom Cupcakes.

Fi will bring the freshly baked cupcakes and each student will be provided with 6 cupcakes each, 3 chocolate and 3 vanilla along with all the decorating materials to create beautiful cupcakes ready for you to take home. 

You will learn the art of creating sugar craft roses, pearl and bows as in our photo above and get to take them home.

Fi's cupcake course is 60 euros per head and this includes tea, coffee and cakes to test along with a lot of fun plus 6 fabulous cupcakes unless we have eaten them first! 

This cupcake decorating course is limited to 6 people with a minimum of 4 people so first come first served but there will be more classses to follow.

If you would like to book this class please contact Fi on 697228088 or email her on mail@sweetthingsbyfi.com

To view Fi's website and see her amazing creations visit

http://www.sweetthingsbyfi.com/

A Statement from Reviva Weddings

It has been bought to our attention that another company, based here on the Costa Del Sol, has been sending out libelous emails to clients about our company.

Reviva Weddings have consulted lawyers who have confirmed that we have a good case to take this company to court based on libelous and malicious information being sent out.

It will be our intention to issue a denuncia against this company in the event that they do not make a public apology shortly.

Should we see that further emails are being sent out, we will then proceed through the courts to sue them.

We will publish their identity and ask for legal costs and damages to be awarded to us.

Romance and Sparkle at the Marbella Club

All of us, of course, love romance and sparkle and this beautiful wedding in September was certainly a romantic story.

Karen and Taghi had been together 25 years and finally decided to tie the knot in the hugely romantic and stylish Marbella Club synonomous with romance of the rich and famous in the golden era.

Moira at Perfect Spanish weddings organised this delightful wedding and contacted us to help with the coordination, decoration and flowers and we were thrilled to be involved in the wedding of such a delightful and charming couple.

We created the bridal flowers and decorations based on the bright pinks of bouganvillea here along with the paler pinks to soften the bridal flowers. Karen wanted to keep it toned down for the ceremony but to use the bouganvillea pinks for the reception area to create a wow factor.

The table centrepieces were tall glass flutes filled with orchids and set on mirrors decorated with bouganvillea, crystals and tealights. We dressed the chairs with pink sashes and decorated the fabulous gardens, set right on the beach, with fairy lights, lanterns and candles.

The table seating plan was written on a white shabby chic mirror and the table names were given a flower name as the top table was named after their daughter Lili which we thought was a lovely touch. Mirrors always work well at the Marbella Club as they have them set in the walls within the beautiful Andalucian patio.

We gave the mirror as a gift to Karen and Taghi which we understand now is hanging in their bedroom having managed to get it home with apparently very helpful airline staff!

It was a beautiful day and the weather could not have been more perfect for this stunning day at the Marbella Club. Our thanks to David Toms, the photographer, Moira and Karen & Taghi for allowing us to share this delightful wedding with you.

Comments from Wedding Planners in Marbella

As expected I have received many responses to my recent blog posts and today was no exception as it is such a contraversial subject.

Lisa from Bella Weddings sent us her comments and felt by blogging about this subject, that we were damaging the reputation of many honest wedding planners that are working hard to bring integrity to the wedding industry here on the Costa Del Sol.

This is not the case at all and there are many fabulous wedding planners here, including Lisa, that offer a fantastic service to her clients.

Lisa also felt that as we were not in her suppliers list that she was insinuated as being one of those planners.

There are so many talented people here all offering a wide range of services for weddings and parties that it would be short sighted to think if a supplier is not on a wedding planner´s preferred list of vendors is purely based on the commission policy.

There are many planners here that use the suppliers they know and trust, will deliver a good service and work within their client´s budgets, a good planner will maximise the wedding budget and select the right supplier and gain as much added value as they can for their clients.

Whilst I have covered this sensitive subject, the commission structure that is in place is a dying breed now thanks to the wedding industry recognising it´s professional obligations to clients and the competitive nature of the business.

Etsy in Spain perhaps!

I am very fortunate that, as part of my work, that I am introduced to some hugely talented and creative people. I am always attracted to the people that have that certain style and more importantly are working very hard, are passionate about what they create and are reliable.

Recently a jewellery maker was bought to my attention by Sweet Things by Fi at one of our design meetings in our studio.

Fi had bought some of Sharon´s creations including some gorgeous wine glass charms, bracelets and key rings all made out of beautiful crystal beads. We discussed various ideas of how they could be used for our weddings either as gifts for bridesmaids and favours.

Shortly after this one of my friends was struggling to find a good supplier for a Breast Cancer charity night to provide some pretty gifts for her fundraising.

Having spotted this plea on Facebook, I asked Fi whether Sharon could make up 40 crystal bracelets with 3 days notice and lo and behold a wave of the magic wand produced not just 40 to die for pink and clear crystal bracelets but beautifully presented in pink organza bags and tied with gorgeous tags.

We were delighted, and so was Maryanne, the organiser of this event.

Our thanks to Sharon at Lovelissimo Designs for helping us out at such a short notice and we hope to work with Sharon a lot next year to produce favours, bridesmaids thank you gifts and just general gorgeousness!

Sharon´s new venture can be found on Facebook and her website.

Fabulous Florals at Tikitano

As we reflect on our year we are still receiving some gorgeous photos of our weddings we designed and the wedding of Kirsty and Danny at Tikitano in June brings back so many lovely memories.

Kirsty was a huge flower fan and wanted her wedding completely adorned with flowers, her bouquet was my favourite this year, it was gorgeous.

You cannot go wrong with Tikitano as a beach venue, it is stunning and located right on the beach in a fabulous situation. Scarlett the manager is the hostess with the mostess and manages her weddings there beautifully with complete enthusiasm organising everything from ceremonies to fireworks.

We worked closely with Kirsty in the lead up to her wedding creating all the delightful details that she wanted from white folding chairs for the ceremony dressed with tiny floral buckets to beautifully decorated and decadent silver candelabras.

No detail was left out, all the napkins were finished off with herbs, diamante details, ribbons and hand written name tags, the cake was to die for and we created the table seating plan on a white antique mirror supplied by Kirsty.

It was a beautiful day and perfectly organised by Scarlett including fire jugglers and a late night mini snack bar.

Our congratulations to Kirsty and Danny and to their delightful children, including Maisie who I think was the star of the show and is a budding wedding planner!

Our thanks to Jules at Shoot the Bride for sharing these gorgeous photos with us.

A Destination Flamenco Styled Wedding in Spain

Currently we are working on some gorgeous weddings for next year in Marbella, Sevilla, Jerez and Ronda.

We are really enjoying our flamenco styling using ivories, burnt oranges, blues and purples, colours that are featuring a lot in our designs.

We have travelled Andalucia extensively and now work with some fabulous venues that have not been showcased as wedding venues yet in Spain, from 10th century Moorish farmhouses, beautiful private villas and fabulous monasteries.

As we broaden our horizons, we offer something truly Spanish and unique, not only in Andalucia but in Barcelona, Madrid and the Balearic Islands.

Below is a photo of some invitations that Anoulka has just designed for one of our brides next year. Despite many hours of tea dying lace the end result was definitely worthwhile!

These images are copywrited by Anoulka, so whilst we hope this gives you inspiration please do bear in mind that these are not to be copied.

Above are images from a wedding styled by Lisa Vorce in Northern Spain and we love the rustic appeal of this wedding from the lavender to the baby kumquats, along with the terracotta pots which of course is very reminiscent of Spain and also reflects some of the ideas we are using for next year´s weddings with an eco friendly theme.

I am a great avocate of eco friendly wedding decorations and if I can plant it, it is biodegradable or if it has come from sustainable source then for me this is perfect.

We will be promoting this ethic much more for our weddings and making them as eco friendly as possible.

Albeit most of our weddings use up their carbon footprints for probably about 10 years to fly everyone over here the least we can do is make is sustainable when they get here!