Custom Dresses

On your wedding day, everything is personalized to the bride and groom, so why not have the dresses personalized as well?

There is a great website that allows you to chose the bodice style, skirt length & shape, and the color of the dress. Not only can you customize all that, but you can also select detail for your dress and choose the color and fabric for that added touch. Once you complete those steps, just choose the size and you are good to go! See if you like what Olivia Luca has to offer and start designing the dress of your dreams today!

Happy Anniversary: Erin & Justin

Mr & Mrs Kelly celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary on Sunday. I looked back on the memories from their beautiful wedding day and hoped they were doing the same! It was a beautiful May day that came together perfectly for them.

Congratulations Erin & Justin! I wish you many years of love and happiness!

xo

Kasey

Miracle Berry Flavor Tripping Parties Flip the Tongue

Joe Fornabaio for The New York Times

Imagine a teaspoon of lemon juice that tastes as sweet as maple syrup. Guinness that tastes like a chocolate malt. Cheap tequila that goes down as smooth as Patron.

If you think this sounds crazy, you're probably right. But this sensation is possible due to a tiny little berry dubbed the "Miracle Fruit." Once eaten, the Miracle Fruit (or Synsepalum dulcificum) rewires the way taste buds perceive hot and sour tastes, rendering them sweet. One of the hottest new trends in New York City, parties featuring the Miracle Fruit are called "flavor tripping parties." At a typical party, guests eat the berry, then go crazy eating a variety of foods like citrus, cheese, vinegars, pickles, and just about anything else you can think of.

Miracle berries are available online from the website www.miraclefruitman.com. They are also available in a freeze-dried tablet form. At nearly $3 a piece, the berries are not cheap, but they promise to be an unforgettable experience for your next adventurous gathering!

Summer Fair Party Ideas

photo from www.goodlifeinthecity.com

You can celebrate the summer and add some state fair flair to your next cocktail party without going into fried-cheese-on-a-stick territory!

Start things off with a sweet cocktail - try this cotton candy recipe or this caramel candy appletini. Enjoy some funnel cakes, Rachael Ray style. And at the end of the day you can send your guests home with a goldfish in a bag that won't require any fish food - these fish are encased in clear glycerin soap and tied with a cute orange ribbon. Check them out at Spoon Sisters.

Boutonnieres for the men!

We do a lot for the bride on her day...let's face it, we focus so much on the lady that we can sometimes put the gentleman's attire on the back burner. I mean the groom should look handsome as well, after all it is his day too. Here are some really cute boutonniere ideas that I found from a little place called Etsy . You might be surprised that some of these are hand made! If you are the crafty person and like to make flower arrangements then this is a job for you! Many of these boutonnieres are styled to they way you would prefer them to be. So enjoy these for now, and watch for more to come!



The picture shows three custom made boutonnieres. Each one has been made to match the color for the specific wedding they are for. The other really great thing about these is the fact that they can be turned into a corsage for the bridesmaids. How cute would it be if they matched all together! These are really fun to make, but if you are not the crafty kind, then these are made ready to purchase and to your specification.


I hope you enjoyed taking time to look at a couple of these boutonnieres. I will be posting more in the future so please keep checking back!

Stylish Ties for the Guys

We love when the groomsmen get a little creative with their ties. It's a great opportunity to bring a little color and pattern to the wedding palette. So when we saw these we had to share!

Vera Bradley is not just for girls, but they also have great accessories for the guys too! The Vera Bradley ties are designed to add color and pattern to the typical male suit. These ties are made from 100% silk twill and are sold in 29 different patterns making these ties versatile, fun, and very stylish for any occasion! Did you know they are also under $40 each? Love that!

Bridal Shower Centerpieces

It's spring and that means summer wedding season is almost here. In addition to summer weddings we'll also see all of our brides having their bridal showers. Bridal showers can be so fun to theme and decorate for. I saw this adorable strawberry wheat grass centerpiece month or so ago and thought it would make for an adorable summer bridal shower centerpiece. I'm sure your local florist could help create something like this with other fruits like lemons, limes or oranges for your perfectly themed shower! Or for you brave DIY brides, you can tackle this on your own by watching and learning how to create your very own.

p.s. They also make great favors for your guests to take home with them!

Cocktail Thursdays: Jalapeno Martinis

photo credit: www.cbsnews.com

Ah, the simple pleasure of the dirty martini. Crisp vodka combined with nippy olive juice makes a cocktail that is so refreshing amongst the sugary, syrupy cocktails that seem to be everywhere these days. Next time you feel like a martini, try this recipe for one infused with the spice of jalapenos. Making the jalapeno vodka takes a bit of prep work, but a bottle lasts for ages and the taste makes it well worth it!

3 ounces jalapeño vodka
1 teaspoon dry vermouth
crushed ice

1. Pour the vermouth into a chilled martini glass and swirl to coat the inside of the glass.
2. Dispose of excess vermouth.
3. In a shaker full of ice, gently swirl or stir the vodka before straining into glass.
4. Garnish with thin slices of fresh jalapenos.

Jalapeño Vodka:
1 750-ml bottle best quality vodka
2 fresh red jalapeno, slit in 1/2 lengthwise, stem left intact
2 fresh green jalapeno, slit in 1/2 lengthwise, stem left intact
2 cloves of garlic, peeled

To prepare vodka, pour out a little from the bottle to make room for the jalapenos. Drop peppers and garlic into the bottle. Put cap back on and store in freezer over night, but preferably for a week.

Adorn Brides

I originally posted about Adorn Brides back in October but thought I'd re-post it with an exciting addition. As of today clients, family & friends of Bliss Weddings & Event can receive 20% off any rental with Adorn Brides. You'll need to use this code: CVULS1JJ when checking out to receive the discount.

Happy Shopping!

I am so excited to share this post with you today! I just LOVE my diamonds and was so happy when I found this lovely little company called Adorn Brides. They rent diamond jewelery for wedding day or special occasion. All of the jewelery is real and very affordable to rent for the day. For example a stunning pair of diamond earrings is only $110 to rent. The matching necklace is $380. I only wish Adorn Brides was around when I got married. I tried to do this and no one would even consider something like this.

TOMS Shoes

TOMS shoes are an American shoe company started by Blake Mycoskie, a former contestant on The Amazing Race. For every pair sold, they donate a pair of shoes to people in impoverished villages. Since May of 2006, TOMS has given over 60,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina and South Africa.



Not only are these shoes part of a worthy cause, but they are also cute and super stylish. They are made of natural materials and slide on for a relaxed and comfortable fit. They would make a great pair of traveling shoes or slippers for unfamiliar planes and hotel rooms. They fold up fairly small as well, making them good to tuck in the luggage for a honeymoon. Check them out at www.tomsshoes.com

Classic Cocktail Comeback: The Sidecar

The Sidecar was created in Paris during World War I and enjoyed popularity for many years before seemingly falling off the map in the 70s. Any good bartender should know how to make this classic, but many mix it poorly (probably the reason for its decline in popularity). Recently, however, the Cognac Martini has been making a comeback at trendy bars in New York City. Try this recipe for yourself and see why it's fast becoming a hipster favorite!

• 1 1/2 oz bourbon, Cognac or Armagnac
• 3/4 oz Cointreau
• 1/4 oz lemon juice

1. Pour ingredients in a mixing tin with a scoop full of ice.
2. Shake well (6-8 times or until tin is frosted over).
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon wedge (try pineapple or orange if you're feeling sassy!)

SteamLine Luggage

Have you ever been in the line for the luggage carousel at their airport and stood helplessly as an endless sea of identical black bags parade before you, totally unable to identify your own suitcase?



With a piece of SteamLine Luggage, this may never happen to you again. Styled after the fantastic vintage steamline trunk of days past, they retain a nostalgic charm but with a lightweight and modern twist. Our favorites are the Editor Series, which features trim in pink, mustard, and chocolate, and the Explorer Series, which is cased in bine and features either mustard or chocolate leather straps. They would also make excellent wedding gifts for stylish honeymoon travel. Check out the entire line at www.steamlineluggage.com.

Introducing The Wedding Skills Workshop

Along with my dear friend Emilie from Emilie Duncan Event Planning, I am thrilled to introduce Wedding Skills Workshop!

Wedding Skills Workshop is a new way to learn and interact in the Columbus area. Emilie and I both agree that we have outstanding networking associations in the area but wanted more in depth and directed education. We hope that other vendors will join us in raising the bar and taking their knowledge and service levels to new heights!

Please visit The Wedding Skills Workshop's blog to learn more about our first offering: The Floral Rescue Workshop.

This workshop is perfect for photographers, catering managers, banquet managers, on site coordinators, videographers, wedding planners - anyone who comes into contact with the bride and groom and their flowers will benefit from this hands on, intensive workshop. We are limiting participants to 10 so everyone has a chance to learn and ask questions. We look forward to learning with you!