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Ring, Ring

  • February 11, 2010 at 2:52 pm

Oh yes, I know what you’re waiting for—the e-ring. You’re curious to know what Mr. Gingham got me, right? Of course you are, everyone always wants to know what the e-Ring looks like! :) I’ll end the suspense now… here you go. My lovely trellis setting, princess cut solitaire with a super-thick band (note – the band thickness was very important to me).

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I picked this puppy out long before Mr. Gingham and I had ever talked about marriage. I don’t have the most dainty of fingers and I’ve always chosen rings with thick bands, and my e-ring wants were no different. I found the ring I wanted a long time ago on Tiffany’s website (who doesn’t browse there, right?). Anyway, I fell in love with the Lucida ring, but not the price tag.

I know many people who have rings from there, but I just didn’t want one. Because I am a bargain hunter I wanted to find a similar looking ring for much less.

After many hours of “interneting” I found out that Costco carries diamond rings and that their diamonds are actually of a very high quality. Read this article from ABC news for more info. So, I headed over to the Costco website and there it was—my dream engagement ring. It looks just like Tiffany’s but at a fraction of what it would cost there. I ended up showing the ring to Mr. Gingham many, many times, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that ring inside the box he proposed to me with. I love my ring. It makes me so happy every day I look at it. And do you know what else? It appraised for double what he paid for it!!! How’s that for a deal? I’ve already found the wedding band I want, and guess where we’ll be buying it from? Costco, of course! By the way, I never actually saw the ring in person so kudos to Costco.com for doing such a great job with their online images (and I’ve heard they have a great return policy).

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Oh, and a little more on Costco (I love that place by the way). We’re the type of members where we get a percentage back from our purchases, so my engagement and wedding rings will actually be making us money that we can use later (I promised Mr. G he gets to buy a new TV after the wedding). We’re also thinking about booking our honeymoon through them. What a place!

Did anyone else bargain shop for their rings, or buy online? Where did you get yours from?


This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Happy Wedding/Anniversary/Christening/Birthday!

  • February 10, 2010 at 11:38 pm

When your wedding date falls on someone else’s birthday or anniversary, there are a few ways you can react:

  1. Pretend like you don’t know. Feign surprise when people toast to them at your wedding.
  2. Ask them to celebrate it on a different day. Feign surprise when people don’t toast to them at your wedding.
  3. Plan a sweet and sneaky surprise like this couple did:

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Source for both photos

We don’t have any special occasions on our exact wedding date, but we do during the week before and after. We’ve chosen to celebrate them at our wedding, because we stink at feigning surprise… and because we love these people!

When we first chose our wedding date, I realized how close it was to my brother and sis-in-law’s wedding date! It will be their third anniversary, and I’ve been planning a little surprise for them since I started planning our wedding. I’m motivated by love and a little twinge of guilt. You see, I was born on my brother’s second birthday, which means he never got a birthday to himself. And now, I’m nearly taking his wedding anniversary! He just can’t get a special day to himself. I want to honor their anniversary at our wedding to thank him for sharing all his celebrations with me so graciously.

When we told my mom our wedding date, she suggested we have my nephew and niece’s christening the following day. Our extended family will be in town, which never happens anymore, and it’ll give people another reason to celebrate! Mr. Parfait and I love this idea—it would make our weekend even richer.

When we told Mr. Parfait’s mom our wedding date, she asked if she could bring a birthday cake for Mr. P’s little sis, who is turning 21 the week before our wedding. Of course, we encouraged her to do so! I’d love to present the cake with Mr. Parfait, like the couple pictured above.

Are you celebrating someone else’s special day during your wedding or wedding weekend?


This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Board #461: Let’s do it, let’s fall in love

  • February 10, 2010 at 6:31 pm

A little more Valentine inspiration for you, with this retro-toned sweetheart inspiration board, inspired by the red heart shoes in this photo by The Alf Memoirs. Grab your honey, some cupcakes, and an instant camera, and have yourselves a fun date. Or a wedding!

Mood: playful retro sweethearts
Palette: faded polaroid, retro red

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: jumping groom photo by Daniel Kiyoi via Grey Likes Weddings, red sprinkle cupcakes from Martha Stewart Weddings, polaroid photo by The Alf Memoirs via Ritzy Bee
Row 2: red ribbon bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” notecard by Paper Pastries
Row 3: retro car graphics by Stephane Massa-Bidal via A Cup of Jo, white rose and doily table from Project Wedding, striped paper straws* photo by Brooke Schwab via Once Wed

*Find similar straws at fort & field’s Etsy shop.

This article was originally posted onSnippet & Ink.

Creating the Centerpieces

  • February 10, 2010 at 2:44 pm

So, if you’ve been following along, you know that I decided on using baby’s breath for our DIY centerpieces, and that I scoured the stores to find a plethora of vintage-y vases.

Now, it was time to take them on a test run (please try to ignore my end-of-day nasty hairdo if you can)!



I purchased 3 small bunches of baby’s breath from Publix (they sell 3 bunches for $10). Each bunch included 3 stems. First, I cut the stems down (each stem has a number of smaller “branches” splitting off on each side), and then simply placed them in a vase until I achieved something that looked like this:

So simple, yet so pretty! Each vase requires an average of about 3 stems of baby’s breath. I was pleasantly surprised to see how full the vases looked with what seemed like 3 measly stems when I started!

But, we decided that we needed to make the process even easier, since we will have to assemble them ourselves on the day of the wedding. We tried out the method of securing the stems with a twist tie. Easy! We arranged the stems into a “pouf”, wrapped them with a twist tie, and then dropped them into the vase. This will work out well, we hope! The plan is to assemble the poufs the night before/the morning of the wedding. We are starting to collect wine cases; each pouf (and its matching vase) will be placed in a slot for easy travel.

Source

Then, we will simply have to place each pouf into its vase when we arrive at the venue. Hopefully, this will save us time, as we won’t have to hang around the venue to assemble flowers the entire morning!

Did you take on a DIY with flowers? How did you go about transporting/arranging them on the day of the wedding?


This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

The Cutest (Naughty) Shower Gift Ever.

  • February 9, 2010 at 2:42 pm

Last weekend during my shower in Pittsburgh I was given some amazing gifts. We really cleaned up and were reminded how insanely generous our families and friends are! And while I could swoon over the registry gifts we received all day, I wanted to share a little something different with you all.

Ladies, meet the Panty Parfait.

(please notice that there is even a “cherry” on top!)


The Cheeseburger Bridesmaids really wowed me with this one! The entire vase (and what a beautiful Waterford vase it is!) was filled with undies of different colors, materials, and styles, and quite a few of them were accompanied by notes!

And then I found out that these notes told a little story when read in order. Come on, follow along with me:

Panty #1: A beautiful eggplant pair, our wedding purple!

Ooooh a sexy underwear parfait!? I was intrigued…

Panty #2: Beautiful Bride panties from VS for our wedding day!

I was blushing for sure at this point… nothing like announcing to a room full of my great aunts that I’m not so “innocent”. :)

Panty #3: A sexy red pair for our honeymoon!

“The next pair are for your honeymoon

So sexy – red and lace

We hope you leave the hotel room

‘Cause Riviera Maya’s a gorgeous place!”

At this point, I decided to hold off on reading these out loud to 60 family members… I revisited the rest for a smaller group later on in the afternoon

Panty #4: A beautiful black pair, the note reads -

“For your first knock-down, drag out fight

As a married couple

When Dan sees you in this little number

He’ll forgive you on the double!”

Panty #5: A pretty white pair for our first anniversary :)

Panty #6: A pair the same color blue as our scrubs! This one is to signify our graduation from medical school:

“When you and Dan become M.D.s

and begin to wear your “blues”

(they needed something to rhyme, haha )
These will help you keep your sex life

From taking a little snooze”

Panty #6: These are my favorite pairs, hands down… take a look at that poem, too cute!

“When the time is right for you and Dan
And don’t be saying maybe
You’ll wear a little pink or blue
In honor of your baby!”

Panty #7 & 8: For later down the road, some gorgeous pairs!

Panty #9: And lastly, a pair of granny panties… the sexiest ones I’ve seen!

In addition to the ones with notes, I got a bunch of other beautiful pairs! I have to admit, it’s going to be hard to hold off on wearing these, but hey, I think they wanted me to wear them sooner rather than later anyway!

Were you gifted lingerie in a less than traditional way? Anyone going to bust out this gift to a friend or family member?


This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Board #460: Pink Sugar

  • February 9, 2010 at 11:30 am

I was browsing through one of my favorite sources of inspiration last week and came across this photo of pink Depression glass on a backdrop of crinkled white tissue paper. I couldn’t resist it! So here’s a little pink party inspiration board for this week before Valentine’s Day…

Mood: flirty and sweet
Palette: sugar white, sweet pink

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: pink glassware from perfectbound’s flickr, peach and fuchsia peony and sweetpea bouquet and paper garland canopy both from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: white wedding cake from Martha Stewart Weddings, pink macarons photo by Aya Brackett
Row 3: natural makeup from Martha Stewart Weddings, pink invitation by Betsy White*, white lemonade from Amy Atlas, rose photo by Concrete and Honey

*Snippet & Ink sidebar sponsor

This article was originally posted onSnippet & Ink.

Who’s Your Daddy?! (Hamster: 500, Invitations: 2)

  • February 8, 2010 at 11:52 pm

Welcome to the Hamster Show, where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter. Yep, that’s right – if you’re wondering how I am now leading Battle: Invitations by 498 – let’s just say I used a little creative math.

In my last invitation showdown, the Lettra paper was the big winner and I was left cowering in the corner. While I’m still figuring out the main invite cards, I totally whupped some Gocco butt this weekend – take a look!

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Reception Cards

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RSVP Envelopes (Blurred out my address, boo)

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RSVP Cards

While there are tons of actually helpful Gocco tips already on Weddingbee, below are observations for those (like myself) who really have no clue how to use a Gocco.

Hamster’s Obvious Observations for the Gocco-Challenged:

1. Have a friend around to hold your hand!

After my invitation card debacle, my confidence with the Gocco was a bit shaken. I invited a friend over for moral support and some general Gocco figuring-out; we quickly and successfully printed the RSVP envelopes – my confidence was restored! When in fear, ask someone to walk through the Gocco process with you, even if it’s a total amateur like yourself.

2. You will kill trees (sorry trees)

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You will use a ton of paper towels, notebook paper, copy paper, scrap paper that was meant to be invitation paper – the list goes on. I popped these in the recycle bin to assuage my arboreal guilt.

3. It will be slow-going, and you will make a mess.

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This was my living room, at 4AM – I was only halfway done!

4. You will mess up

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There will be some incomplete prints, glops of ink, and mis-aligned cards. It is inevitable – don’t worry! I freaked out at the first one – by the ninth mis-print I was blase about the whole affair. Along those lines, have extra paper around if possible!

5. You will need tons of drying space

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I have two Gocco drying racks, which each hold 20 pieces to dry. However, I printed 240 pieces yesterday, so I had to find some extra space. If you have a ton of floor space, you could lay your printed pieces right there. My overzealous cat would have a field day with that though, so I used the counter, the windowsill, and our medicine cabinet. Be creative!

Any other Gocco observations for the newbees out there?


This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Spring Green

  • February 4, 2010 at 7:00 pm

If you weren’t already itching for spring to arrive, then this gorgeous green shoot from Ariella and Meg will probably do the trick. This understated palette of mostly green – with some accents of pale blue and cream – allows for a variety of mixed patterns, which work well together rather than overwhelm. I’m hoping that when it stops raining here, maybe it will look something like this outside my door…


The model wears a silk chiffon dress from J.Crew. Parasol from Cultural Intrigue.


The bouquet includes annabelle hydrangea, cup-and-saucer vine, ferns and hydrangea foliage.


Cocktail umbrellas and manila tags make for sweet – and very easy – seating cards.


Green bittersweet berries adorn the bistro chairs.


The centerpiece includes annabelle hydrangea, cup-and-saucer vine, clematis tangutica, green bittersweet, nicotiana, ferns, jasmine and quince. Ariella wrapped mint colored ribbon around the glass vase.

So there you are, a touch of spring for your dreary winter day (and if you’re not experiencing a dreary winter day right now, well, I’m jealous). We have one more beautiful shoot from Ariella Chezar and Meg Smith lined up for next week, and in case you’ve missed their previous visits here on Snippet & Ink, you can catch up on all of those lovely shoots here.

This article was originally posted onSnippet & Ink.

Ramada Jarvis launch Winter Wonderland Weddings for 2010 & 2011

  • February 4, 2010 at 12:04 pm

Following the successful launch of Ice White Weddings for winter 2009 Ramada Jarvis has launched Winter Wonderland Weddings for Winter 2010 & 2011 with the opportunity to upgrade free of charge to either an ice white wedding theme or a red tie and tiara theme.

'Our Ice White wedding packages were so popular this year for both Christmas and New Year weddings that we have extended this into 2010 and beyond and added a new Red and Silver theme under the title of Red Tie and Tiaras.' Said Joanna Fisher Director of Conference & Events for Ramada Jarvis.

If you are planning a winter wedding then a Ramada Jarvis wedding reception might be the perfect option.

The Ramada Jarvis group are also offering wedding couples the opportunity to receive a £250 credit towards their bar bill, for weddings more than £3000 +, and £150 credit for weddings booked between £1500 and £3000.

The above offer is valid for any 2010 weddings confirmed and paid for before the 28th of February 2010.

With Valentines Day just around the corner this might be the perfect opportunity to pop the question and start planning your 2010 wedding with Ramada Jarvis.


This article was originally posted onHitched.

Top Celebrity Engagement Rings Styles for V-Day Proposals

  • February 4, 2010 at 1:21 am

Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular engagement days of the year, especially for celebrities and bridezillas. In recent years, Harrison Ford, Vince Vaughn, and even Howard Stern popped the question on Valentine’s Day. With the upcoming romantic comedies “Leap Year” and the aptly named “Valentine’s Day”, Hollywood is buzzing about the perfect engagement ring and hottest proposals.

My ears are perked too. There’s nothing like celebrity engagement bling to get a bridezilla’s heart rate pumping.

And when I say bling, I mean bling. Amy Adams, Rachel Bilson, and Jessica Alba are all dripping in diamonds and platinum, and each one is a showstopper. Naturally-white platinum means diamonds sparkle that much brighter, and it’s durable – all those little celebrity children will have quite the heirloom to look forward to. 

Check out some of my favorites. I’ve even given a couple Bridezilla tips so if you and your man-zilla are craving the celebrity style, you can do so at a slightly lower cost.

You’re welcome.

Penelope Cruz Engagement Ring
I love Ms Cruz’s non-traditional sapphire ring surrounded by pave diamonds. The Kirk Kara look-alike retails for $4,785… without the center stone.

Emily Blunt Engagement Ring

Classic and oh-so shiny, Emily Blunt has a stunner on her ring-finger. Platinum and diamonds (lots and lots of diamonds), Chad Allison’s similar style at around $3,500 (center-stoneless of course).

Carrie Underwood Engagement Ring

Girlie, you are going to tip right over with a rock like that on your hand. Exactly the way it should be. This platinum sparkler features a cushion cut center ensconced in a halo of more diamonds. All this could be yours at a delightful $4,500 (without center stone) courtesy of Mark Patterson.

There you have it. A platinum showdown. I can’t wait to see what other celebrity engagements will abound in only a couple of weeks.

For all of your platinum needs, be sure to check out Precious Platinum . For everything else wedding related, come right back here to Bridezilla. Stay tuned!



This article was originally posted onBridezilla.