Common sense says you shouldn't wear a t-shirt to a wedding. Or, at the very least, that little voice in your head that sounds suspiciously like your mom's should warn you against this major social faux pas.
But who ever said anything about a t-shirt wedding dress?
That's what you're looking at right here. The dress was created by the mother/daughter duo of Donna and Lauren Kroiz. I found the instructions for this cute recycled t-shirt dress at Craftzine, which has creative & fun DIY wedding projects. Be sure to check out the site for the pretty forget-me-not headpiece.
Get going, you crafty brides out there!
One of my favorite couples (and all-around fun & wonderful people!), Steve and Gizelle, had a fabulous wedding at the Catalyst Ranch a few weeks ago. One of the fun treats they offered their guests was portraits done by local Chicago artist Ellen Lustig.
Ellen created funny caricatures of the guests - and, as you can see here, she did a great drawing of the wedding couple!
If you'd like to more info on hiring Ellen for your wedding, contact her at: ellen@artips.com.
Question: What are some Greek wedding traditions that I can use in my wedding ceremony?
Answer: Greek wedding rituals became more popular with the release of the 2002 movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." (Which I could relate to, having had a semi-big fat German wedding!)
What's great is that more couples have become open to embracing their ethic backgrounds when planning weddings. Not only is it fun, but it can give you a deeper appreciation of family traditions.
There are several Greek rituals than can be incorporate into a ceremony, even if you're not having a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding.
Some Greek brides have bouquets that include ivy, which is a symbol of eternal love.
In Greek Orthodox weddings, the bride and groom are known to exchange crowns, or Stephana, which are flower wreaths, connected by a ribbon.
To conclude the ceremony, the bride and groom are offered honey and walnuts on a silver spoon. The honey represents sweetness and fertility, while the walnut, which can be broken into four parts, represents the bride and groom and each of their families. You may choose to update this tradition by instead sharing a taste of honey walnut cake, or karythopita.
I'm back to soda. But don't get the wrong idea about me, I'm not a huge pop drinker. That being said - I LOVE Jones soda. It could be I'm a sucker for the fun labels, but I also like the quirky flavors.
I became a devoted fan when I discovered the Thanksgiving boxed-sets. These Jones folks have a great sense of humor! I couldn't resist bringing a box along to the in-laws a few years ago, when we went there for Thanksgiving dinner. Most of the guests were too leery to try all the flavors (myself included). My teenage nephew, to his credit, braved them all. His repulsed expression and an exclamation of "Ewww!" were immediately followed by, "Wanna try some?" Surprisingly, his unique sales pitch didn't win over any converts. I tried the cranberry, which was pretty good, but I didn't bother with broccoli casserole or turkey gravy. Just knowing they existed was good enough for me.
And now, the Jones soda people have won my heart all over again! I have discovered their customized Jones sodas for weddings. You simply choose your flavor (Strawberry Manilow, anyone?), add your photo for the label, and create a message to be printed on the bottle. Voila! You now have your very own Jones sodas! It's easy and makes a great wedding favor!
Do you think the Joneses would adopt me?
Anita Jones.... I think it's meant to be.
Instead of the usual Friday Q & A, this week my post is dedicated to my parents, in honor of their 51st anniversary.
I remember when I was first married. Back then, it seemed that our 5th anniversary was so far away. We planned to go back to Europe for that occasion. Well, that milestone came and went, as did our 10th and 15th anniversaries. And we still haven't made it to Europe again! Oh well.
Now, imagine being married for 50 years. My Mom and Dad reached that point last year. Isn't that amazing?
In this photo, I'm with them in my sister's beautiful yard, at a family celebration.
And, of course there was cake. Made by yours truly. I hate to toot my own horn, but I am pretty darn proud of my creation. It was a white cake with lemon filling and white butter cream frosting. I decorated it with fresh sweetheart roses - because I knew that any attempt at decorative frosting would end in tragedy (or comedy, depending on your perspective.) As I've said before, fresh flowers make any dessert look great!
But back to the point - my parents are celebrating their 51st anniversary this 4th of July weekend. They managed to raise three children without losing their minds. They've cared for us and watched us grow up and have families of our own. And now they're grandparents to six grandchildren. Yay, Mom & Dad! Life is good!
Another way-cool idea!
While browsing the Project Wedding website, I came across the fabulous Soda Bar for wedding receptions - and I got all giddy!
Tickled by all the pretty colors, I was even more excited when I noticed bottles of Bubble Up and Faygo in the photo! Whoa - treats from my youth!
Now, if I get this happy from just the picture, imagine how excited your guests would be to see a rainbow of sodas from days gone by. I think this is definitely a brilliant way to get folks chatting and breaking the ice - not to mention that it's also a neat decoration.
Now I need to go find a cold bottle of cream soda!
