Favors...Part Deux

And you know there will be a Part Trois...because this was only the test batch.

Guests of Micah & Patrick's Wedding...

YOU SHALL NOT READ THIS POST!

I took the test batch of cookies out of the freezer for our favors...and...BAM! After a few hours of warming up, they tasted delicious! (Unfortunately, they don't look pretty (thus the lack of pictures), so I'll leave that to our actual favor batches when I make them next month).

Meanwhile, I ordered some Washi tape, from the ever-loving Etsy, and some simple white favor boxes (Michael's - of course). For assembly - I plan on Saran-Wrapping the cookies, then wrapping them with ivory tulle (also, from Micheal's --- best. place. ever!) and then sticking them neatly in the Washi-tape-decorated favor boxes and stamping "Thank You!" on them (Found a stamp with Bridesmaid Abbie at PaperSource - a dangerous place filled with pretty cupcake-y things that it is VERY difficult not to spend your entire paycheck on. Not that I did).

This is the Washi Tape I got! So cute! (Although, I recommend getting two
rolls - the rolls are quite small!)

Rubber stamp from Papersource!

I have a feeling that I'm going to have to summon the 'Maids to help me assemble these babies! I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Best,

Micah

P.S. Just curious, any one else out there making their own favors?

Wedding Favors

--- OH! Guests of the Patrick/Micah wedding, you may not want to read any further! We'd like you to be surprised at the favors!

From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to do edible wedding favors. Don't get me wrong: The magnets of the bride and groom, their date, moniker, etc etc are all cute and well and good. But for me, the best wedding favors I have appreciated the most (IMHO) are ones that I can eat! I've seen really imaginative personalized ones like homemade vanilla extract (BM Abbie's wedding!), and even as simple as the all-loving tulle-wrapped Jordan Almonds. I like that guests can have a delicious piece of the wedding to remember as soon as the ride home!

A couple of months ago, the Holidays were in town and my Grammy bakes these amazingly delicious and addictive cookies each year for our family's celebration of Christmas. They are none other than simple Chocolate Chip Thumbprint cookes with Raspberry preserves as the filling and I've got to tell you, my family hides them from me because I could eat all of them in one SITTING they are so good (and that's really saying something because there is about 3-dozen to each batch of cookies baked)! While I happily munched away at the cookies, a sudden thought came to my head... "OMG I LOVE these things, everyone else must LOVE them so why don't we have them as our FAVORS????!?!!!"

Luckily, Patrick is a sweet man who indulges my sugar-high-induced fancies and agreed that the Thumbprints would be an awesome favor for our guests (he loves the cookies too)! And why not? It would be a special touch to serve them, baked with love from our kitchen and like I said  3-dozen to a batch so at least it won't be too bad a process of baking, right? Here is our plan:

1. Bake a test batch and stick it in the freezer for one month. (I'd like to complete the cookie baking in June so I don't have to be freaking out too close to the wedding). Status: CHECK! I baked some last week and they are waiting in the freezer.

2. After a month of being frozen, take out the test batch and a.) see how long it takes them to thaw, and b.) see how they taste/look. Determine the time frame for baking/packaging the actual batch of favor cookies.

3. Depending on the results of the test batch, bake and freeze 400-500 (whew!) little thumbprint cookies for the favors in June.

4. Unfreeze and package a few days before, then hand em' out at the wedding! Woot!

So far, obvs because it is still really early, we've only made it through the first step of the plan.



Step 1: baking the first test batch!
A little rough looking, but cute enough!

We plan on making little hearts with our thumbs for the actual imprints. The test batch, I'll admit, is not the prettiest thing I've ever done, it'll do for now. The real artistry will come in the baking of the actual favor batches.

So there they are! All wrapped up with no where to go for a month.

I'm actually dying to try them, but alas, I have to wait until 5/20! Boo! At least it gives me time to think about how I'm going to package them!

What are you doing for your favors? What's your stance on the edible v. token wedding favors?

Best,

Micah

P.S. Oh! I promise the recipe when I review how the test batch came out! So hang tight until then (and yes, it is a family recipe)!

Wedding Summer 2011 Begins!

Hello all! I know I haven't posted in a long time, but it is for good reason. I have recently returned from somewhat of a destination (read: five hour drive) wedding I was in last week and this week began my 9 to 5, six days a week acting apprenticeship with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. So, needless to say, I have been running around for quite some time. But it was happy running around, for I was a bridesmaid in my dear friends' wedding on June 4th!

The wedding took place around Philly in PA, and to say that it was romantic, beautiful, and a great time would definitely be an understatement. But let me back track a little to the end of May. After my other great friend's shower and bachelorette, we had another one coming up for Abbie, our June 4th bride! I was in charge of decor for the Shower! (Remember those paper flowers I was ranting about before? Put those to good use, but more on that later!!!) Here are a few pics of how it came out. It was held at Finale; Desserterie & Bakery! (Warning: This link will make you crave sweet, sweet desserts....like NOW!)

Lunch buffet decor

"Bride" Bunting

 "Love" Bunting

I'll be sure also to post tutorials for my DIY decorations like the Bunting and the paper flowers I used for table decor, but I'm watching the length of this post so, it will have to wait for a future post. (I promise, not for as long as before). 

The Shower went off splendidly and I created a Ribbon Bouquet that she actually did use in the rehearsal the day before the wedding.

Ribbon Bouquet, the Second

Abbie, the bea-yoo-tiful bride!

For the Bachelorette, we slipped out of our garden party sundresses and into some slinky black dresses. Abbie wore hot pink and a "Bride-To-Be" sash, completed with a glowing crown. She, being lovely as she is of course, rocked it! We got together, just us bridesmaids and Abbie and had a nice dinner in Boston at Lolita's Cocina and Tequila Bar where we shared a lot of laughter, stories, and some delicious guacamole. I think this was especially nice to have some quality time with Abbie before the Wedding and just with us girls. Then we met up with some more friends and headed over to Limelight Karaoke and sang our little hearts out! We of course made a night of it, and had a wonderful time!

Bridesmaids and Bride!

At the Bachelorette Dinner!

A week or so later, it was time to head on down to Philly! We packed our little backpacks and carefully placed my bridesmaid's dress and Patrick's Best Man suit in the car and set off! We arrived to be greeted by the happy couple, their parents and more of our good friends. Wedding Summer begins. We celebrate a successful rehearsal by gathering for some delicious Italian food and touching speeches from family at the rehearsal dinner restaurant. And then, the big day arrived!

Bridesmaid dress and Best Man suit!
Looking snazzy, I might say!

It was a beautiful ceremony, personalized to suit Devin and Abbie perfectly. It was presided over by Abbie's friend, boss and priest from an Episcopal church in Boston. He traveled down to preside over the wedding and both Patrick and I really enjoyed and appreciated and felt connected to what he was saying. (It is something that we will be looking into). It was religious, and also specific to Devin and Abbie, and was meaningful for all. I cannot wait to explore this more for our own wedding!

Not only were we honored enough to be a part of the bridal party, but Patrick composed a piece of music that we, and our friends sang just before they exchanged their vows! It is a letter from Abigail Adams to her husband John set by Patrick to his utterly romantic and compelling music.

I am unable to truly define the beauty of our friends' wedding on June 4th and we are more than happy for them. It was wonderful to eat with our closest friends and dance the night away, but more importantly, it was so powerful to witness our two friends truly come together in the commitment and ceremony of marriage. It was a wonderful time and Patrick and I were so honored to be a part of their special day!

(We love you guys!!!)

A beautiful Shower and Bachelorette for a beautiful bride!

I have been DYING to do this post, but as I'm not sure if the lady in question reads this blog, I didn't want to spoil any surprises! A couple of weekends ago, my friends and I threw a bridal shower/bachelorette party for one of my best friends (and one of my bridesmaids) in the entire world, Erica! 

The hostesses!

Since Erica is a spectacular actress and had the female leading role in an amazing musical called "The Light in the Piazza," which is set in Italy....we decided her shower would be Italian-themed because she is our "light" in our lives. :) We had Blushing Bride Bellinis as the signature drink, and had a Chianti wine-tasting with a prize for the winner of the best wine! We shared our favorite moments we've had with Erica and chatted and opened gifts. Instead of the traditional ribbon bouquet, I made her a Ribbon Fascinator (my tutorial will follow this post)! Which, of course she rocked! Here's a few pics from the shower! Hostessing props go to Erin and Lisa for amazing food and good ideas, and Abbie for holding the shower at her place!

Yum Yum! Italian food!

Our wine charm favors!

My Strawberry/Lemon Meringue Spring Cupcakes!

Signature Blushing Bride Bellini!

The other star of the shower...A Cannoli kit!

Chit-Chatting away!

The bachelorette party that ensued after the shower was tons of fun! We headed back to our friend Nikki's for a few games before heading to the ULTIMATE bachelorette destination for this group of girls...DO RE MI Karaoke! Here are a few fun shots from the night!

Dancin' the night away!

Personalized punch bottles

What a great time!

We had such a great time planning the party and an even better time enjoying it! I feel so blessed to have such great friends to hang around. We loved celebrating Erica and can't wait for her wedding!

Best,
Micah

Newly Aquired Wedding...Somethings!

I just wrapped up a WONDERFUL run of the play Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, at the Boston Center for the Arts. It's a wonderful show, kinda out there, but it was so much fun! (Note: In case I have failed to mention before, I am an actress, and ALWAYS looking to do fun, expressive work in theatre, hence moving up to Boston and it's also how I met Patrick)

So yeah, Eurydice happened and it was amazing! I played a "Stone." Before you toss your head back and laugh, let me explain. You may know the myth about Orpheus and Eurydice, when basically a newly wedded couple lose each other as the bride, Eurydice, is killed and descends to the Underworld. Orpheus, not only one of the Argonauts, but a legendary musician also descends to the Underworld and charms even Hades, the Lord of the Underworld with his music. Hades agrees that Orpheus can bring his wife back to life on Earth if he walks all the way to the surface without turning back to see her. Unfortunately, he fails. In the Sarah Ruhl version, amongst many other differences, Eurydice actually calls out to her husband, causing him to look back at her and lose her again. In the Underworld in this play, the Stone characters are the inhabitants of the Underworld. In my director's fantastic vision, we were clowns, and the Underworld was our circus.

ALL of that aside! (The reason why I am even writing this post) Our set was a big tent circus theme with platforms rising to a staggering height of four feet. :) Anyway, another theme in the play is water; it's through line is that it contains the power of forgetting and thus destroying memories and ultimately, love. In the show's Underworld, after death, you would "dip yourself in the river," or drink from one of many glass jars around the stage. Here's where the Wedding Something part of this post comes in!

My many mason jars of various heights and widths.

I am now the proud owner of those jars! There are at least 75 pieces, not including the wine bottles I also snagged (that's for another post!).  So what do you think guys? What can I use them for? I was thinking flowers, maybe even for drinking signature drinks out of with paper straws (like I am loving and seeing a lot lately in the wedding blog universe!). Any other cool ideas? 

Best,

Micah

I Love Paper Flowers!

You all know that I love reading Wedding Bee blogs and boards. I love the supportive community and the creativity that the bloggers and members bring! It's such a great place for brides to come together to support and encourage one another and to get advice. And I have been finding some beautiful inspiration and wonderful craft projects that I really want to incorporate into our wedding.

So this week has been paper flower week for me! I have been folding, cutting and gluing flowers together! Both flower mock-ups I made were from wedding bee bloggers, the first is an inspiration from Miss Cinnamon Bun. I had so much fun trying this tutorial! I'm thinking of using these as some kind of favors, or maybe in the centerpieces...hmm...possibilities! (Anyway, onto the photos!)

 The tutorial is great! And shows pictures step by step. This is my first try, can you tell? Well...it was my first try!

Now THAT'S more like it!

Getting better! Yay!

Now, for my next number! I saw this on Mrs. Button's adorable gift wrapping tutorial: Wax paper peonies!

A little blurry, and it looks like a loofah...
Again, first try..

This flower is super easy to make and is so pretty (once I got the hang of it!) Anyway, here's all of them together! So much fun to make! Don't you love crafting?

Best,

Micah