4th of July Party Decor

We’re only days away from the 4th of July weekend! This 3-day weekend is going to be packed with celebrations, fireworks, and wedding “I Dos”! But if you’re not getting married this weekend, take a look at these inspiration boards for fun ways to throw a rockin’ Independence Day party for 2011!

How cute are those star shaped paper hats and star ice cubes?

Love the mixed patterns here!

From top to bottom: Banner & Paper Hats, Picnic table, Pitcher of Star Ice Cubes, Pinwheel Theme, Napkin Table Setting, Jean Waistband Cake Plate, Tractor Theme, Cake Push Pops and Table Setting

Drink of the Week: Green Flash Cocktail

Just looking at the drink, it begs to be picked up and sipped on! Drinks with pops of color are eye-catching and work well with beach-themed weddings.

Green Flash Cocktail Recipe

1 oz vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1/2 oz Blue Curacao
3 oz orange juice
3 0z sprite
ice

Mix ingredients together, serve over ice. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry
(Courtesy of White on Rice Couple)

Shipwrecked Inspiration

Today’s inspiration board is inspired by the start of summer and dreams of being shipwrecked with Johnny Depp! We took a little bit of ocean colored hues and mixed it in with a classy take on Pirates of the Caribbean. Hope this inspires you!

Map of ocean, Letters, Bed, Dress, Chandelier, Earrings, Cuff

Planning Your Wedding At Costco!

Just because you’re a budget bride doesn’t mean you have to forsake beauty and elegance in your wedding. Costco, the wholesale giant retailer, has made it even easier and more affordable for brides to plan their wedding under budget! The idea of a wholesale wedding might sound a little cheesy or even “cheap” but Costco has partnered up with a well-known wedding dress designer as well as other reputable companies to bring quality products for the budget-friendly or DIY bride in you.

All of these gorgeous wedding dresses were designed by Kirstie Kelly. You may have seen some of her work in her Kirstie Kelly for Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding Collection!

Who knew you could buy an amazing dress from Costco?! If you’re worried about having a mass-produced dress, don’t be because there are only four Costco warehouses offering the dresses and each only carries 108 of the gowns. Your experience will feel just like any other designer boutique salon since you’ll be trying the dresses on in a “private salon-style fitting area with three-way mirrors and experienced bridal consultants!” This bridal event is happening now through August 28, 2011. Visit Costco for more information.

Diamond rings! We’ve all seen the displays every time we visit, but have you actually taken the time to see what Costco actually offers for engagement jewelry? The collection is pretty awesome there. They guarantee their diamonds to have a color of “G” or better and the clarity to be “VS2″ or better. The diamonds you see below range from 1.5 to 5.5 carats and they’re priced between $10,500-$480,000. If you’re willing to look past the warehouse atmosphere, you might end up getting a better rock and price than you would at most name brand jewelers.

The invitation selection at Costco definitely exceeded our expectations! They’ve teamed up with Wedding Paper Divas, a company that specializes in wedding invitations, save the dates, and bridal shower invitations. The designs are all so unique and cute, and you can choose from their signature, letterpress, and thermography collections. Customization is available for all the invitations as well.

Yes, they even have DIY floral kits for your wedding! Ranging between $75-$800 for a kit, they sell personal bridal bouquets to 9 piece / 20 piece /40 piece flower kits that include the bouquets, bouquet toss, boutonnieres, corsages, and centerpieces. With a little time and patience, you could save a lot making your own centerpieces. They offer various types of flowers and colors, for more options, see the floral department at Costco.

Costco might not be the first stop on your wedding plan, but it’s definitely worth considering when you shop around with various vendors. As you can see, wholesale just means more bang for your buck without compromising elegance and class at your wedding. Happy shopping!

engage!11 Day 2 Experience

With so much information and the many famous guest speakers, I had to make TWO blogs about engage!11. The second day was all about new trends and how to turn our business into a force to be reckoned with! From a general session that included speakers like Monique Lhuillier to Todd Fiscus, an informative luncheon with Sylvia Weinstock, to a lovely dessert party to end the night–it was a great summit. I hope these pictures make you feel like you attended the luxury wedding business summit with me!

Those name cards were hand painted and created by

Carley Roney and Monique Lhuillier, just a couple of the great speakers present at engage!11.

Rebecca Grinnals, one of the organizers responsible for putting on this prestigious summit event!

The talented Ms. Sylvia Weinstock!!

Photos courtesy of Jessica Claire Photography