{guest post} beer gift guide from well-groomed

 Hello, Ladies! Chris asked me to drop by while she's on vacation and share some groom-centric wedding inspiration with you. Just who the heck am I? I'm Darren, editor of Well-Groomed, which is a wedding blog that focuses on getting guys down the aisle in style. Whether you're stumped on what present to get him for the big day or he's drawing a blank on what to get his groomsmen, this gift guide should point you in several great directions. Just pick one and run with it.

Most guys find "their beer" pretty early in their 20s (and maybe teens), but it's never too late for your beer guzzlin' guy to discover a new favorite or two. A beer taxonomy chart will show him everything he needs to know about the flavor properties of every major ale and lager. If he's ready to branch out, a bottle of Sam Adams' beer/champagne hybrid might be in order. Pair it with a sleek bottle opener and rock-hard slate coasters to give the suds a polished twist. By the way, a mug isn't best for every beer, so encourage him to toss the  college mascot and corporate logo mugs by hooking him up with a grown-up set.

Thanks again for inviting me to P&P, Chris!

Pop Chart Lab beer taxonomy poster, Samuel Adams Infinium, Brooklyn Brew Shop beer kit, Cooper-Hewitt bottle opener, 33 Beers journal,Crate & Barrel slate coasters + beer glasses

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{guest post} cake and cider celebration from luna & chloe weddings

Hello oh so fabulous readers of P&P!  Kristi here from Luna and Chloe Weddings and Over The Moon Vintage Rentals.  I was doing the 'kangaroo hop' when Chris asked me to guest post for her while she is off on vacay.  As if you don't already know, I heart Chris and P&P big time!  I of course, asked her if she could pack me too...goodness, I even offered to pay the over the weight limit fee ~ hehe.  But no, it just wouldn't work...so here I am working away ;-) Anyhoo ~ since I had to stay here and work, I figured I might as well have a little celebration while I was it.  You see, my sister and my birthday's are one day apart, and I thought why not throw a little celebration for us both.  

So without further ado here's a little Happy Birthday (to me and you) Party... I have to tell you my dears ~ that my all time favorite cake is Burnt Almond Cake!  Oh my goodness it is a little piece of heaven, and was the inspiration for this birthday party... I have to tell you that I planned this shoot on the hottest day of the year...eeks!  So these pictures were actually taken at 8 am while it was still bearable outside.  And since it was so early in the morning, I used sparkling apple cider instead of champagne (hence the color).  However, since I ate the piece of cake that early in the morning (you bet your buttons I did), I wish I had poured champagne!  Champagne and cake at 8 am ~ hey it's allowed on your birthday, no? I hope you enjoyed this little birthday celebration shoot I put together just for P&P readers!  I know that this shoot is for a birthday, but all of these details can easily be used at a wedding, bridal shower, engagement party - you get the idea. Cheers to a fabulous week.  ~ k 

 ...vintage rentals by over the moon vintage rentals and custom paper designs by over the moon vintage rentals ~ homemade, photography by luna and chloe weddings

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{guest post} honeymoon essentials from cornflake dreams

hello there, it's jillian from cornflake dreams. i am in the process of planning my 2012 summer wedding. i am SO excited about the big day and i cannot wait to marry my best friend and share that moment with my family and friends. i am also looking forward to the honeymoon!! my fiance and i have decided that we want to go to paris and amsterdam. i spent a month in paris during college and i have been dying to go back ever since. amsterdam will be a new adventure for both of us! for our honeymoon i want to relax and see these two gorgeous cities but i also want to look great. here's where a little strategic packing comes into play! 

i plan to pack a few essential dresses:: a hot damn dress perfect for dinner out on the champs-elysees (pair with killer pumps), a (comfy) pop of color for site-seeing and a picnic in the park, and a classic lwd with polka dots perfect for afternoon lunch at a cafe. {paris print} 

in amsterdam i plan to go a little more casual with my outfits. a bright romper is the perfect pick for an afternoon bike ride, a simple stripe tee + skirt is appropriate for a heineken brewery tour and a pretty floral dress screams darling dutch. {city drawing}

a huge thank you to chris for inviting me to guest post on her lovely blog. stop by cornflake dreams anytime for fashion, travel, design inspiration and more wedding planning!

xo, 

jillian

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{guest post} mediterranean inspiration board from paper garland

Hi Postcards & Pretties readers! 

 I'm Paloma, editor of a lifestyle & inspiration blog called Paper Garland, and there's nothing I love more than whipping up a fresh inspiration board to share with my readers.  So then, you can imagine how excited I was when my favorite curator of gorgeous boards, Chris, asked me to contribute a guest post while she is away on vacation.  Since Chris is off enjoying the beauty of the Mediterranean in Portugal, I was inspired to design a wedding that she might come across on her travels.  I hope you enjoy it!

{colors} Aqua, Poppy, Dusty Neutrals

{description} Fresh, natural beauty is at its best down on the shores of the Mediterranean, and so are the opportunities for inspiration.  I am imagining a "Fish Tale" wedding influenced by all of the gorgeous colors and local offerings you can find between the shore and the streets of a small fishing village.  Bright, vibrant tones of red and aqua are muted by the dusty sand and clear waters, and their liveliness is brought down to Earth with simple findings like fish hooks, antiques, and painted driftwood.  The bride would love to play "mermaid" on her wedding day and I can't think of a better dress for the part than this dip-dyed stunner!

{photos} Aqua-dipped white gown {about to blow} Old door {kim karmark} Mermaid hook {etsy} Chrysanthemum vase {anthropologie} Mermaid on the beach {piccsy} Fresh entree {cannelle et vanille} Fish tail braid {we heart it} Heart hook {sharon pazner} Paper fish {something's hiding in here} Mermaid scale cloth napkins {etsy} Beach beauty {vogue tumblr}

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{guest post} pretty summer signature drinks from dandelion & grey

With Summer in full swing, my thoughts immediately go to sweet backyard weddings, festive barbecues and lazy days. For Summer brides looking to provide a fun & tasty drink for their guests to enjoy, I've included recipes to 3 of my absolute favorites! 

{ Style your cocktail with }

Grey Striped Straws
Pretty Flags
Vintage Apothecary Labels
Cocktail Stirrers
Monogrammed Linen Cocktail Napkins

Sip & Repeat....Cheers!

photo credits:
Grapefruit Cocktail: Once Wed
Drink Menu: Jose Villa
Drinks in Mason Jars with Grey Striped Straws: Sarah Yates Photography
Bride with Citrus Colored Bouquet: Jose Villa via The Blue House
The Bee's Knees Cocktail: Style Me Pretty
Cherry Blossom Garnished Cocktail: Pinterest 
Window Pane Menu: Martha Stewart Weddings
Pitcher & Ladle: Anna Williams
Picnic Table: Kate MacPhearson Via Once Wed

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{guest post} steal worthy bouquets from glamour & grace

Hello wonderful Postcards & Pretties readers! This is Megan from Glamour and Grace and I am honored to guest post while Chris is away! Today I thought I'd share a fabulous Steal Worthy Idea! Fruit is a really great option when wanting to save on florals. I love seeing bright green apples, chic citrus, and rich pomegranates used in wedding decor. It adds such a fun and playful element. When I saw these bouquets, I was blown away! Blackberries used as flowers! It is so completely elegant and unexpected. I love all of the tones, from soft green and pink to a deep purple. Plus, they would be a great little snack during all of the pictures! Totally a steal worthy idea!

[ Corbin Gurkin via Style Me Pretty ]

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{guest post} yellow party palette from the sweetest occasion

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be stopping by while Chris is on vacation. Today I'm sharing a pretty, summer-inspired color palette showcasing Chris's favorite color - yellow! Yellow is seriously such an awesome color. It's joyful and really super versatile - it can be preppy, incredibly sophisticated or really modern depending on how you play it up. Here I paired it with the softest whisper of sky blue and pretty neutrals for a look that is fresh, summery and timeless.

top - Andi Hatch Photography via Style Me Pretty
bottom left - Shabby Apple
bottom right - A Creative Mint 

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{guest post} mini envelope favors from anastasia marie

Hello there! It's Anastasia {Stacey} from Anastasia Marie. I am really happy to be guest blogging here on one of my favorite blogs ever. There's incredible fun to be had here.

Today we're going to be making some sweet wedding favors. You can place these little ones on your guests' place settings, line them up on a separate table, or even pin them up on a line. It's all about how creative you want to get. 

I designed a printable template for you all to make things super easy. This template was made to hold seeds as the gift, but you can customize it even more by just trimming the bottom portion of the base card that speaks of the seeds, and insert whatever you'd like into the mini envelope. No one will ever know...

And honestly, it doesn't even have to be a wedding related favor. These little favors can work for other parties as well, from anniversaries to baby showers.


MATERIALS: 
paper for printables
double sided patterned paper
 scissors
ruler
scoring tool
craft glue
permanent double-sided tape
seeds
 1/4" satin ribbon

STEP ONE: Let's get started!

Download, print, and cut these cute base cards for the favors {the files have crop marks for easy trimming and should come out to be 3.25x4" in size}. Choose from six different colors: blue, orange, purple, gray, dusty pink, or green. You can download the base card template here.

STEP TWO: Choose your paper.

Select pretty patterned paper in the same color category as your chosen base card. Try to choose one that is double sided, so when the little envelope opens, the inner flap is cute as well. I chose to work with the dusty pink card.

STEP THREE: Create your envelope.

Cut out 3x5" rectangles from your chosen pretty paper. Score lines 1/4" in along both long sides of the rectangle, and then across the 2" mark and 4" mark. You should have a 1" flap up on top. Cut out your envelope flap in any shape that you'd like and cut down along the scored lines {along the long sides} until you reach the 2" scored line. 

Fold along your scored lines. You should be left with a bottom base with two flaps, a face and a seal flap.

STEP FOUR:  Assemble your envelope.

Use a little glue on the outer side of your base flaps, folding them in to seal your envelope together. You should be left with a mini envelope with its seal flap open.

STEP FIVE: Attach the two.

Use permanent double-stick tape on the backside of your mini envelope to attach it to the base card.

STEP SIX: Insert the gift.

In you go little seeds! Dab a little glue on the seal flap and seal the envelope so the seeds won't escape.

STEP SEVEN: Tie a bow.

Take a piece of 1/4" satin ribbon in a coordinating color and tie a bow around the base card and envelope. Feel free to tie whatever bow you'd like and place it anywhere you'd like around the envelope.

And you're FINISHED! 

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{guest post} coral crush from lanalou style

Hi there, this is Lana from lanalou style and I'm so happy to be guest posting here today while Chris takes a well deserved break! It was fun to pretend I was a wedding planner for a day and see where my fancy took me. Varying shades of coral, tangerine and pink caught my eye which look beautiful against mint green, dove grey and of course white. I love the idea of using a few soft hues together and then adding just one bolder colour for more of a punch. Can someone please invite me to a wedding inspired by these colours sometime soon?! I hope you enjoy...

Image credits: from Left to right: 1) BHLDN, 2) Think Runway, 3 & 4) Style Me Pretty, 5) Style Me Pretty, 7) Jose Villa, 8) Jose Villa

Image credits: 1) Green Wedding Shoes, 2) Style Me Pretty, 3) Mowielicious, 4) Style Me Pretty

Image Credits: 1) Style Me Pretty, 2) Jose Villa, 3) Jose Villa

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{guest post} custom straw tags

Hello Postcard & Pretties readers!  Thanks so much for having me!  I’m ilene from Come on, ilene! and I’m flattered to be a guest today.   When I  married my best friend seven months ago, I  LOVED getting wedding ideas from all over the web.   Sites like Postcards & Pretties were amazing sources of inspiration to me!  Our wedding was full of fun DIY details and today I am sharing a really simple project but one that got lots of “oohh and ahhhs” at our wedding:  custom straw tags!

These monogrammed straws are an easy way to add a custom touch and  some fun and whimsy to your wedding!

Materials: cardstock, hole punch, 2″ circle punch, embosser

Instructions

1. Use the embosser to impress your logo on the cardstock.   (I got my embosser custom made with our initials at The Paper Source but if you don’t have one, you can use rubber stamps, stickers or even print out a logo on your computer.)

2.  Cut out logo with a circle punch:

3.  Use your hole punch to punch two holes, one at the top and one at the bottom of the circle:

4. Thread your straw through the holes and you’re done!!  See?  Super easy!!

We had small buckets full of these straws out at the bar during cocktail hour:

And one at every place setting during dinner:

You can also turn a bunch of these  into stickers with the Xyron sticker machine which we used to secure our cookie favor bags and  petal toss bags:

Thanks for having me here, Chris!  And to all the future brides out there planning weddings- good luck! Enjoy this special time in your life!  Believe it or not, as fun as it is to plan a wedding, life is even better on the other side!

Check out more of my DIY ideas at Come on, ilene!

{guest post} hanging mason jar save-the-date

 Hi Postcards & Pretties readers! 

My name is Lauren, from Lauren Elise Crafted, and I am honored to be here today, guest posting on one of my favorite wedding inspiration blogs.  Awhile back Chris asked me if I wanted to contribute to her beautiful blog and my answer was an oh-so-definite YES!  I love Postcards & Pretties for many reasons (one being Chris’s sweetness!), but I must say the inspiration boards are a favorite of mine.  If there was an Olympic event for picture board making, Chris would win gold…every year…she’d be unstoppable!  I’m not quite sure how she repeatedly wows us with these beautiful boards but every time she puts up a new one I’m blown away.  I cannot thank Chris enough for being such a great resource for not only brides but designers as well. 

 So for our DIY today, I have a crafty save the date that is perfect for all the brides that got engaged over the holidays.  The inspiration: mason jars!  Mason jars are the perfect detail for a rustic wedding and you see them all over the place.  Personally, I love this trend! These vinitage-esque jars are not only adorable but totally functional and can be used after the wedding as well.  So I recommend buying them up and scattering them all over your event!  And if the jars alone aren’t enough than this DIY is for you.  The jar design and the embroidery details together are the perfect handmade touch and your guests will not only love receiving them but also displaying them as a reminder.

Materials::

muslin fabric

mason jar template

pencil

black embroidery floss

needle

scissors

white felt

red twine & red thread

washi tape

printed save-the-date sheets

tacky glue

hot glue

red ribbon

Instructions::

 Get a mason jar template to use for tracing {image A}.  My template was a mason jar stamp by Inkadinkado Stamps.  Cut out a small piece of muslin and trace the jar onto the fabric with a pencil {image B}.  Embroider the outline with black embroidery floss using a simple backstitch {image C}.  Embroider over everything in pencil {image D}.

Cut out a piece of felt the same size as the muslin {image E}.  Set the felt aside for now.  Cut a 6” piece of red twine and stitch the center of the twine to the center of the jar with red thread {image F}.

Print out your save-the-date sheets with all of your information on them {image G}.  Mine were about 2.5” x 5” in size.  Roll up each sheet and hold together with some red-patterned washi tape {image H}. 

Glue the backside of the muslin with tacky glue {image I} and seal together with the felt {image J}.  Allow plenty of time for the fabric to glue together and dry.  I glued mine, placed it under some heavy books, and left it for about an hour.  Once dry, cut off the excess muslin and felt fabric, leaving a thin border around the black embroidery floss {image K & L}. 

Cut a small piece of red ribbon, make a loop, and glue both sides to the back of the mason jar (on the felt side) with hot glue {image M}.  Finally, place the rolled up save-the-date message in the mason jar and tie a bow with the twine to secure it {image N}.  

Send these handmade mason jars to your guests and they will hang it as a reminder for your wedding!   

Thank you so much for having me here today Chris!  I hope you all enjoy the DIY and that it inspires you to get crafty!     

lauren elise crafted
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