How to Make a Cupcake Stand Display

Throwing a party or celebration may come down to the presentation. If you're serving cupcakes instead of a cake, you can create your own cupcake display. Not only will it present your cupcakes in style, but your guests may think you hired a professional to set it up.

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How to Write Wedding Wishes

Wedding cards are the perfect place to communicate your personal congratulations and words of best wishes to a newly married or soon-to-be married couple. Sometimes, though, the right sentiments can seem difficult to convey. If you find yourself stumped for what to write, here are a few steps to help get you started.

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Techniques for Party Napkin Favors

For any party with food or drink, napkins are a necessity. Some party hosts opt for disposable napkins while others utilize cloth ones. While it may seem as if a napkin is simply a napkin, there are some ways you can turn this useful item into a party favor for your guests.

Coordinate with Theme

Disposable and cloth napkins come in a wide variety of colors, patterns and styles. Visit your local party store or speak with a linen rental company to find out about the patterns and colors they carry. For example, a jungle theme party may have leopard or zebra print napkins. Guests may want to take home an unused sample for their scrapbooks or memory books as a party favor.

You can draw inspiration from perusing party sites online. Parents.com covered a story on Napkins with a Twist on how you can dress up your table and your napkins with daisies, butterflies and starfish to name a few. View some photos for inspirational design ideas.

Personalize

Disposable napkins can be imprinted with the names of the hosts or the reason for the party, along with the date. These make great party favors for those who collect memorabilia of special occasions such as weddings, Sweet 16s and anniversaries. You can order custom imprinted napkins at local stationary and party stores or on a variety of online party stores such as www.foryourparty.com or www.napkinspersonalized.com.

Another way to turn your useful napkins into party favors is to buy linen napkins embroidered with the reason for your party and the date, initials or your guests' names. If you have your guests' names embroidered on the napkins, you triple their use: a napkin, a party favor and a place card. If emroidery is your hobby, you can make the napkins yourself (see http://www.embroideryarts.com/project/napkins1.html for a sample). Specialty gifts stores typically offer personalized linen napkins or you can order online from sites such as http://www.classictablelinen.com/custom_embroidery or http://www.pomegranateinc.com/embroidery.html.
.Napkin Holders

Whether you use cloth napkins or paper napkins, napkin holders are fun and festive party favors. Napkin holders also serve a dual duty if you decorate them to match your party theme and give them as gifts your guests can take home with them. Coordinating napkin holders with your theme is easy to do with a full range of napkin rings available in department stores and online. For example, a tropical wedding event may have palm tree napkin rings to coordinate with small palm tree centerpieces and Key West green bridesmaid dresses.

You can also make your own napkin rings to ensure the design fits your theme. You can even turn it into a small napkin ring craft party with family, friends or your bridal party. For ideas and templates on how to make your own napkin rings, visit http://familycrafts.about.com/od/birthdaypartyprintables/a/printbirthnprin.htm.

Decorate Bridal Gift Boxes

Here is a suggestion on how you can personalize and decorate gift boxes for your bridal party gifts.

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How to Make a Wedding Trellis

Nothing is more romantic than a floral festooned bridal trellis. For brides on a budget, building your own wedding trellis will add to the memorable occasion. With a little planning ahead, you can wrap your trellis in fragrant flowers and create a timeless altar backdrop for exchanging vows.

Supplies

1 4’x8’ Sheet of lattice
2 4” x 4” x 8’ Posts
1 8’ 2 x 4
Nails
Hammer
Saw
Measuring tape
Paint or Stain
Spray paint (optional)

Step 1.

Cut the 2 x 4 into four 2’ pieces. Make a triangle at the base of each of the posts by nailing one of the 2’ sections to the bottom edge of the post. Making a 45 degree angle, nail the other 2’ piece to the post. You should now be able to stand your post upright. Repeat the same process for the second post.

Step 2.

Space the two upright posts 4’ apart. Nail the lattice to the posts making sure that they are level and even on both sides.

Step 3.

Carefully apply stain or paint with a paintbrush. If using white paint, be sure to carefully brush all of the open areas of the lattice. Another option is to use a brush to paint the posts and spray paint for the lattice work.

Step 4.

Move the bridal trellis into the appropriate place. You will need to allow enough time for your plant material to mature.

Step 5.

Once the bridal trellis is in place, surround the base with assorted plant material to cover the stands at the back. Either plant the chosen material or use potted plants for a more portable setting. Timing is essential; so, planning ahead for this feature will insure that your bridal trellis is covered in floral material. Allow enough time for the plant material to begin attaching to the trellis. Hint: Several varieties of climbing roses can fill a trellis in a growing season. Check with your local nursery for the best options.

Options:

Another option is artificial plant material. This allows for portability in case weather changes your outdoor wedding plans. By choosing artificial plants and flowers you can also wait until closer to the wedding to build and decorate your bridal trellis.

Wedding Insurance: Is it on Your Wedding Checklist?

You insure your home and you insure your car. Should you also insure your wedding? It’s not a common line item you’ll find on a wedding checklist or in your wedding planner, but maybe it should be. Insurance covers the unforeseen and unexpected events and weddings are events where things can and do go wrong. Some thief walks off with your entire gift table? Wedding insurance covers it. Your bridesmaid steps on your dress at a fitting and you hear a big rip as you walk toward the mirror to admire it? Wedding insurance covers it. Before you dismiss wedding insurance from your wedding planning needs, here’s what you need to know to make an educated decision on whether or not it’s for you.

Wedding Insurance 101

Wedding insurance protects you from unforeseen circumstances that have an ill-effect on your wedding. It covers any money you’ve spent or a loss you incur from the unknown circumstances that can happen leading up to and during the wedding.

The best way to illustrate how wedding insurance can work to your advantage is with examples of things that can and do happen.

• You’re flying off to your destination wedding in Aruba. Your husband-to-be checks his tuxedo in his suitcase. You arrive in Aruba and when the baggage belt for your flight stops, your groom’s luggage is nowhere to be found. That’s right. His suitcase is lost and his wedding tuxedo is lost right along with it. Wedding insurance covers the replacement cost of the lost tuxedo and covers the expense of finding a new outfit for the groom in Aruba.

• You have booked your dream wedding venue for your reception. After nine months of planning, your wedding day is three short months away. Your mom comes into town for a visit and you decide to go by the venue to show her around. When you stroll up to the front door and pull on it, it’s locked. That’s when you notice a huge “Gone out of Business” sign on the front door. Wedding insurance covers the loss of the deposit money you’ve paid to this venue and covers the cost of finding a new one.

• On the way to the reception venue, the van delivering your wedding cake gets rear-ended in a traffic accident. Needless to say, your cake is smashed to smithereens. The sugary creation took three days for the bakery to make and assemble. A substitute dessert can be supplied but what about the $750 you spent on the cake? Wedding insurance covers it.

This is simply a sample of some of the realistic disasters that can cause a financial loss. These are but a few of the scenarios covered when you have wedding insurance.

The Cost of Wedding Insurance

Wedding insurance works similar to other types of insurance you carry. There is a basic wedding insurance policy, which typically covers vendor deposits, presents, wedding rings (not engagement), photos, videos and attire. This basic policy can cost anywhere from $150 to $550—varying according to the amount of coverage you choose. As is the case with almost any policy, the higher your amount of coverage, the more the policy costs and vice versa. For accidental coverage, also known as general liability insurance, you’ll pay in the neighborhood of $185 for a $1,000,000 policy. Considering that a wedding typically costs tens of thousands of dollars, this seems like a small price to pay for coverage and peace of mind on one of the biggest days of your life.

How to Know if You Need Wedding Insurance

Most wedding venues and vendors carry insurance, so do your homework before you buy wedding insurance and ask each of your wedding vendors if they carry insurance and how much it covers. It is within your right to ask for a copy of their policy so you have in writing precisely what it covers rather than go by what the vendor says. Having this information helps you see what is already covered and what may not be covered. Rather than buy a wedding insurance policy that overlaps with what is already covered by your vendors, you only need to consider wedding insurance for what isn’t covered.

The What, When and Where of Wedding Insurance


There are some restrictions and limitations with wedding insurance and there is typically a deductible. Some of what is covered by wedding insurance is the venue, weather conditions, vendors that don’t show up or provide the product or service you paid for, an illness or injury to the bride or groom, postponement because of military duty or corporate employment relocation. Some of the items that may not be covered include wedding cancellation by the bride or groom, jewelry and the engagement ring.

Policy Riders

There are riders you can add as supplements to your base insurance policy. These riders provide added coverage for specific circumstances that may arise. Coverage types include gifts, photography, videography, attire, personal liability, medical and the honeymoon.

Getting wedding insurance when disaster has struck is too late. It’s the same as trying to obtain a hurricane insurance policy after your house has been destroyed by a hurricane. It’s not going to happen. Obtain your wedding insurance policy in the beginning stages of planning—if you can. Check with the wedding insurance provider to see how far in advance it requires you to obtain a policy. Then you’ll have added peace of mind that you’re covered if something goes wrong.

Wedding in the Tropics

If a tropical wedding destination is what you have in mind, there are plenty of options around the world to choose from. From small domestic islands to foreign lands, you can choose a wedding venue that fits your tropical theme. There are some factors you need to consider before booking and planning your wedding destination in the tropics.

Location and Travel

Unless you live in a tropical destination then you and your wedding guests will have to travel to the wedding destination. For you and your groom, you'll probably need to go once or twice before the wedding to take care of the planning details and at least a few days before the wedding date. With the expense of traveling, you may wish to consider how far away the tropical wedding location is and what difficulties your guests may run into getting there such as obtaining a passport and applying for a Visa to visit the country.

Guest List

Some wedding venues in tropical destinations can accommodate hundreds of guests for a sit down meal. Others, however, are located on small islands and may only be able to accommodate small wedding ceremonies and receptions. You either need to make sure that the number of guests works with the venue you choose or scale your guest list according to the amount of guests your venue can comfortably hold.

Attire

Weddings in the tropics also have to take the weather into consideration when choosing attire. While a traditional wedding gown may be fine for a church wedding in your hometown, this type of gown may be too hot for a warm climate. The same holds true for dressing your groom and groomsmen in tuxedos. Loose fitting attire in cool fabrics such as linen and light cotton may be better suited for tropical climates. Also, outdoor weddings require some thought to the bridal attire. You may want to avoid wearing a long veil or dress that is blown by the breeze, but rather choose attire that is wind friendly so it doesn't get in your way when you're walking down the aisle or saying your vows.

Decor

Often times, weddings in the tropics are held in an outdoor setting such as on the beach. In these scenarios, you may not have to worry about adding decorations because you have the backdrop of the ocean or swaying palm trees. There are needs such seating, outdoor friendly centerpieces and linens, lighting (for evening weddings) and linens that don't blow away in the breeze that is different than holding a traditional wedding ceremony and reception.

Marriage License Requirements

Whether you're getting married in a U.S. tropical location or a foreign location or island, you need to find out what the marriage license requirements are for the state or country where you'll be married. For U.S. destinations, you can contact the county clerk's office for the county where the ceremony will take place. For foreign destinations, contact the embassy for the country where the wedding is scheduled to find out what you need to do to apply for a marriage license. Depending on the requirements, you may need to arrive at the destination in advance to have blood tests, supply the appropriate documentation (photo I.D.s, divorce decrees, death certificates for previous spouses, etc.) and pay the marriage license fee.