Photo Credit: Velvet Owl

Velvet Owl Bridal Couture is back with another great giveaway for WedLoft readers! Tina, owner of Velvet Owl, designs gorgeous veils and hair accessories for the modern bride. Bridal veils, fascinators, headbands… all beautifully handmade with custom touches for your wedding day. Check out the giveaway details below and enter for your chance to win $75 to the Velvet Owl shop!

Photo Credit: Velvet Owl

Photo Credit: Velvet Owl

Photo Credit: Velvet Owl

Photo Credit: Velvet Owl

Giveaway Details: One winner will receive a $75 credit that can be used toward any item(s) in the Velvet Owl shop. For items that exceed that amount, the winner may pay the difference. If item is not ready-made, production time is 3-5 weeks.

To enter for a chance to win, simply comment on this post! You may comment as frequently as once per day through Tuesday, February 14 by 11:59 pm EST. You can ALSO do any of the following to increase your chances of winning:

• Tweet about this giveaway
• Follow @WeddingWindow on Twitter
• Like Wedding Window and/or this giveaway on Facebook
• Like Velvet Owl on Facebook or Follow Velvet Owl on Twitter
• Post about this giveaway on Facebook
• Share this giveaway on StumbleUpon, Digg or Delicious

Make sure to come back and leave a separate comment for EACH action you take. Please include links to your posts, tweets etc. when possible. Good luck!

*Email addresses in comments will ONLY be used to contact the winner.  They will not be shared with the public or used for promotional purposes. It is only necessary to enter your email address into the email field and not in your comment. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 15.

Photo Credit: Tree and Kimball

The winner of the Tree & Kimball giveaway contest is Virginia Jimenez . Congratulations! Her winning comment that was submitted on 02/07/12 and selected in a random drawing is: “such beautiful necklaces!! I love lace <3” Lisa from Tree and Kimball will be in touch with you shortly to discuss your necklace choice and to get your shipping info.

Another exciting giveaway contest is coming up later today.  Check back in to enter for more chances to win!

Photo Credit: Design Sponge

Box up a bottle of wine, small glasses, sweet treats, tea lights and tissue paper flowers… and you have yourself a wonderful little kit for a romantic night with your valentine!

Photo Credit: Design Sponge

Click Here to see all the details on Design Sponge

Another fun DIY Valentine project from Design Sponge is the Valentine Lightbulb!

Photo Credit: Design Sponge

Find the tutorial HERE.

For a more personal touch, create a collage for your valentine!

Photo Credit: Design Sponge

Click here for the tutorial!

For More DIY Valentine ideas (that you can get done over the weekend if you’re honey isn’t home!), check out this list of 101 Handmade Valentine’s Day Ideas from Everything Etsy!

Photo Credit: EverythingEtsy.com

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Congratulations Jenny & Josh!

Photo Credit: Justine Johnson Photography

Vendors
Photographer: Justine Johnson Photography
Jenny’s dress: Vows, Watertown, MA
Bridesmaid dresses: J. Crew
Hair/Makeup: Terry West, Zukas Spa Services
Josh’s suit and groomsmen suits: Men’s Wearhouse
Catering: Zukas Hilltop Barn
Cake: Hillside Cakes
Flowers: Holmes-Shusas Florist
Paper Goods: DIY by the bride, Jenny (Dig My Design)
Centerpiece flowers: LaSalle Florist
DJ: Ron Hernandez, C-Zone Music

Attention Wedding Photographers: If you are interested in sharing your real weddings on WedLoft, we are currently accepting submissions via Two Bright Lights!

Photo Credit: Whipperberry.com

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, this is the perfect occasion to set aside a little time to celebrate your love! Today I thought I’d share a sweet little DIY Valentine from Heather over at Whipperberry.com. This is an adorable project that can be done on a budget with few supplies.

easy valentine tutorial

Photo Credit: Whipperberry.com

For this project you melt crayon bits into little heart-shaped molds and tie them to paper heart cards that read – you color my world. A simple and sweet valentine! Jump over to Whipperberry for the full tutorial! Thanks Heather!

Photo Credit: Whipperberry.com

Photo Credit: Whipperberry.com

(PS… these would also make super cute wedding favors!)

Wooden Hearts

Photo Credit: DazzlingExpressions

Card Catalog

Photo Credit: Cutthecakedesigns

Wall Art Guest Book

Photo Credit: SuzyShoppe

Wood Ornamets

Photo Credit: LeaJoelleHandmade

Puzzle

Photo Credit: CustomDogBandanas

Traditional

Photo Credit: ModernShabby

Thumbprint Wedding Tree

Photo Credit: Jenniferjdesigns

Wishing Stones

Photo Credit: ThePaperyNook

Message in a Bottle

Photo Credit: GracefullySouthern

What kind of guest book will you be using at your wedding?

Photo Credit: Ben & Mindy

The Concept
Mindy: I’m the writer. Ben, my fiancé, is the creative artist. So when it came to making our Save the Date, we knew it would be unique. My fiancé and I are both in marketing and we tossed around a few ideas, but none that really stuck. We decided to hold off on making a Save the Date, due to a case of “writer’s block.” : ) The idea of a literal “save the date” just hit me one day at work …and I mean, who doesn’t love a good pun? It seemed impossible to convey that story in just a picture, so that’s when this thing really took off and we thought about making a video. I sent my fiancé an email one day at work with an entire script written out about a story line of boy sees girl, girl loses dog, boy saves dog, boy marries girl. But in this case, dog meant date. Our good friend is insanely crafty and made our wedding date numbers almost overnight.

That’s when my fiancé and his production company came into play and turned my elementary idea into something everyone could relate to and love! We filmed it throughout St. Louis one Saturday, and it was important to us to get a lot of different locations shot in this  video, locations that we love in our city.

The Wedding Planning So Far…
This is a wedding, not a funeral. That is the approach Ben and I have taken to planning it. We love each other and want everyone to see that. At the end of the day, it’s not about the center pieces, it’s not about the DJ, and it’s not about coordinating our wedding colors. At the end of the day, all we want is to have our little life together. But we’re totally down for one big party before we get started! When we feel like we’re getting stressed, we stop. We take a time out – we put it off and focus on us. Nothing about this wedding is so important that it should cause a fight. We promised each other the day we got engaged that this wedding would never become more of a priority than our relationship. And we’ve kept our promise.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

What inspired you to start your business?
Although I grew up in NYC, our backyard was full of flowers. As a little girl and with each new season, my mom would walk around with me and would name the little shoots and buds that eagerly pushed up out of the soil. Many of these flowers would be cut for enjoyment indoors and to give as nosegays to our teachers: snowdrops and crocuses, violets and daffodils, wild roses and peonies, and scores of others.

I’ve always had little arrangements when I was little or from wildflowers picked alongside a country road during my college days in Ohio. Although most of my work was in baking, coffee shop tables would be graced with a little arrangement.

As it goes with many folks introduced to the wedding business, my first bridal flowers were for a close friend’s wedding. She and her guests sincerely loved them. After I sold my cafe and decided to hang up my flour-covered apron, I had a long conversation with my parents whilst figuring out my next venture. What have I always loved since I was a child I asked. My father said that was easy: flowers. Although I found myself traveling and living abroad the next few years as a guide and teacher, I held on to that idea.

Several years later, returning to the States with my own wedding to plan, I designed the flowers; I was my second client. Our wedding was recently featured in the Knot Georgia magazine and January of 2011 marked the official beginning of Urban Poppy.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

What options for customization do you offer?
Every bride is unique, therefore, so is every arrangement and bouquet. I explain to brides that I am a wedding floral designer, not a florist. This difference, I believe, allows me to place my full attention on each bride and design around her individual style. So I guess it would be fitting to say that all of Urban Poppy’s flowers are custom.

If you could give one tip to couples who are planning a wedding, what would it be?
A general tip would be try not to change your style and color palette every month. In other words, once you have chosen your look, whether it be modern, romantic or vintage (just a few examples) and the color palette, make sure they are a reflection of you and try to stick with them. There are so many gorgeous ideas and photos out there; like regular candy, too much eye candy can make you feel a little overwhelmed as well. This allows your vendors the time they need to truly capture your look and create a cohesive vision.

Another strong word of advice for any out of town destination bride is to invest in a reputable wedding planner, whether it be year of, month of or day of. They only seem like an unnecessary expense until the bride is running around in her Vera Wang sweating in 100 degree heat trying to arrange chairs and guests and figure out where the band is and are they really in the right historic square? Excellent planners are worth their weight in gold. This day was meant for you, the bride, to enjoy, not to have a nervous breakdown.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

What is something that most people don’t know about your biz/you?
My background is in graphic design. As a designer, I’m not just thinking of whether the flowers are the right colors; I’m thinking of the dress, the cake, the bride’s personality, the color of the table linens and the season. Designing is creative problem solving. I love creating unique and wonderful florals for my brides. I could create the most beautiful arrangement, but if it’s not what my bride was imagining and wanting, I’ve failed as a designer.

What is your one must-have item/product/tool to have on-hand when you’re working?
My clippers and some good tunes.

If you had to choose one word (or phrase) to describe yourself/your business what would it be?
Beauty (not, myself; I’m cute that’s about it, lol). I love being able to create beautiful work in a gorgeous environment. Sometimes the arrangements really shock me when they are finished with how lovely they are. I give all the credit to the flowers

5 Things that make you happy?
Aside from flowers, of course …
A good book in a sunny spot with my cat.
The sunrise and watching baby squirrels wake up and play in the tree outside my sunroom while I’m drinking a yummy cup of coffee.
Traveling and living abroad with my gypsy husband.
Playing soccer with the boys and stealing the ball from under their noses.
The smell of the sea and the distant sound of a ship coming to port. It is the sound of a promised adventure.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
A reminder to brides to enjoy their whole wedding weekend. Many of us women really do have a hard time delegating and relinquishing control. Especially if you are a DIY bride, plan well and delegate tasks early to folks you trust. Work with vendors you trust and like and that really take the time to help you and explain things.

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

Photo Credit: Urban Poppy

The white and ivory lace designs would go lovely with a vintage inspired dress.  Or, if you’re looking for bold pops of color there are plenty of dyed pieces to choose from. Any of these necklaces could be great to wear for wedding events.  Bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner… you name it!  Check out the prize details and enter to win below…

Photo Credit: Tree and Kimball

Photo Credit: Tree and Kimball

Giveaway Details: One winner will be able to choose any (one) necklace available in the T and K’s Shop.

To enter for a chance to win, simply comment on this post! You may comment as frequently as once per day through Tuesday, February 7 by 11:59 pm EST. You can ALSO do any of the following to increase your chances of winning:

• Tweet about this giveaway
• Follow @WeddingWindow on Twitter
• Like Wedding Window and/or this giveaway on Facebook
• Follow TreeandKimball on Twitter or Like TreeandKimball on Facebook
• Post about this giveaway on Facebook
• Share this giveaway on StumbleUpon, Digg or Delicious

Make sure to come back and leave a separate comment for EACH action you take. Please include links to your posts, tweets etc. when possible. Good luck!

*Email addresses in comments will ONLY be used to contact the winner.  They will not be shared with the public or used for promotional purposes. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 8

Photo Credit: Elsie J Prints

Photo Credit: Elsie J Prints

The winner of the set of the Elsie J Prints contest is Stasha . Congratulations! Her winning comment that was submitted on 01/30/12 and selected in a random drawing is: “I followed @WeddingWindow on Twitter. My screen name is @StashaSays” Lindsey from Elsie J Prints will be in touch with you shortly to discuss design choices and to get your shipping info.

Another exciting giveaway contest is coming up later today.  Check back in to enter for more chances to win!