The Wonders of Tissue Paper

Above: Underfunded Heiress

All photos, unless noted, are from Martha Stewart

Diaper Cake via Lucky Baby

When it comes to decorating your event, it's fairly safe to say that you are limited for options. You can go the decorator route and opt for complete and utter amazingness with wall drapings and fancy shmancy everything, or you can go to a local dollar or party store and stock up on all kinds of tacky cheesiness that even a 10 year old would frown at. The lack of pleasing event decor that is somewhere in the middle in terms of budget and accessibility is down right disturbing!

That is why when I came across these pictures of tissue paper pom poms from Martha Stewart I jumped for joy! These are not a new idea, and I must admit I thought they were rather childish when I first saw them a few years ago. However, after giving them a go and making them on my own for the Barbie shower I threw earlier this year, I can't say enough good things about these Martha Stewart "good things". Tissue poms are fun, pretty, unpretentious and generally low maintenance (so in other words pretty much any guy's dream date!).

They are so ridiculously easy to make (don't bother buying the kits, just use tissue paper, floral wire and you're set!) and since you can make them in a variety of colours and sizes, they are perfect decor for pretty much any event (think: baby shower, bridal shower, birthday, engagement party, rehearsal dinner, bridesmaid brunch etc etc). They definitely add a finishing touch to your party, and since you can make them in all sizes they can be used pretty much anywhere. I used pink pom poms in different sizes to fill out the dessert table at the Barbie bridal shower, and another blogger used them to pretty up a diaper cake. Your options are endless and are only limited by your creative prowess. They are a bit time consuming to make, so if you want a bunch of them either start early or round up the ladies for a good ole wine and Martha night! Happy crafting!

For pictorial instructions, check out Imperfectly Beautiful

Modern Bridal Couture by Alex Perry

I've been a long time fan of classic, romantic bridal couture by my favourites Melissa Sweet and Monique Lhuillier. I must say, however, that these edgy and modern inspired bridal frocks by Aussie Alex Perry are pretty drool worthy as well. I think every bride should "dress for the wedding", so if you're having a non-traditional cocktail reception in a funky loft, why wear a cathedral gown? Reflect your modern wedding style with a little Alex Perry!

Beautiful Blooms

Gorgeous bouquet of roses, anemones, tulips, dusty miller and craspedia (aka billy balls). Anemones in season Jan- May and Aug-Dec. Tulips in season Dec-April.

Source: above and below-Lotus Haus and Love and Splendor

Dahlias are absolutely stunning and come in so many colours! Probably one of my all time favourite flowers. In season: summer.

Source: Martha Stewart

Ranunculas are another one of my faves, and are a great alternative to peonies during the off season. In season Feb-May.

Source: Mocha Rose

Source: The Knot

And really, what can top peonies for wedding flowers? They are just SPECTACULAR! So incredibly romantic. In season: Spring (May/June)

Source: The Knot

And I had to post this bouquet because it reminds me so much of my own. The colours and textures are very similar, although I had dahlias and not peonies since I was married in August!

Source: Wedding Flowers

I can't really imagine a wedding without flowers. Of course, it's been done before, and it's been done fairly effectively (using feathers or branches or another alternative). But really, flowers breathe life into a wedding. That same feeling you have when you put fresh flowers in your home is exactly the same effect that flowers have on your wedding, except times a million. In addition to the gorgeous blooms above, I also love orchids of any kind and calla lillies. Flowers definitely should reflect your personal style and overall wedding theme, so make sure to choose flowers that suit you and compliment your wedding vision, not just flowers that everyone else would choose. Be original, mix and match, and make sure to layer textures and colours for the most impact!

Juicy Inspiration: An Ode to Summer

Images from CUSTOM EVENT GROUP,Kristin Vining Photography,Lisa Lefkowitz,Lisa Lefkowitz,Oh How Charming!,Jose Villa Photography,Oh How Charming!,Oh How Charming!,Lisa Lefkowitz,Lisa Lefkowitz

I know the weather stays nice into September, but the end of August has always meant the end of summer for me, most likely due to residual "back to school" emotions.

The end of summer also means the end of the busiest part of my wedding season, which is a bit sad (the planning part, of course never ends!).

Anyways, in celebration of summer I've created this juicy inspiration board for you to enjoy. Perfect for a flirty wedding, an exciting engagement party, or even just an end-of-summer bbq, these colours are sure to make your mouth water! And if you remember an earlier blog where I poo-pooed "in your face" colourful weddings, I was only referring to weddings where the colour is not done right at all. There is definitely a "right" way to do colour, and I think the above board is a perfect example!

Sarah's "Sin City" Shower at Ulounge

This past weekend was jam packed full of fun events. Saturday started off with a truly beautiful wedding at the Fairmont Waterfront for an equally beautiful couple, Mandy and Rupert. Their signature martini was named the "Ruandy" which I totally loved!

After the wedding the hubby whisked me away to Whistler to spend the night at the Hilton and Sunday afternoon was full of spa treats to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary ( wow that year went by so fast!).

Monday came quick, and that evening I hosted a bridal shower for the lovely and beautiful Sarah at Ulounge in South Surrey. Sarah is a Vegas girl all the way, so what better theme for her shower than Sin City itself, and what better venue than Ulounge? Ulounge is about as Vegas as the Fraser Valley gets! The venue was perfect, the drinks and food were delish, and there was plenty of candy and cupcakes for the girlies to enjoy!

Circus Cowboy

All images from Oh So Beautiful Paper courtesy of Wiley Valentine.

Oh how the bloggers over at Oh So Beautiful Paper are after my own heart. Thank god there are people in the world who are more paper obsessed than I am, because frankly I was starting to feel a bit crazy. The new feature on OSBP is too die for. This stunning baby announcement set was designed by Wiley Valentine, and was inspired by a popcorn bag from Trader Joe's (Trader Joe, who are you? And why aren't you in Canada? I have a feeling we would be really great friends!).

I am currently wrapped up in a whirl wind romance with all things "Circus Cowboy". I call this Circus Cowboy, because the design elements are laid out like an old fashioned circus poster, and the fonts used are generally called "Cowboy something or another". I guess the fonts are interchangeably Circus or Western, and since they are generally from the same era I feel completely comfortable merging the two (sorry if I've offended any stationary gods using incorrect terminology!). I also give credit to the one and only Britney Spears and her Circus tour for bringing Circus Cowboy to the forefront of stationary design. Thanks Brit Brit!

Another of my favourite blogs is also featuring a backyard western style baby shower that incorporates some Circus Cowboy. Check out the post on Hostess with the Mostess.

Etsy Tuesdays- Black and White Vintage affair

Black and White Cameo Cookies

Hair Pins with fresh water pearls

Satin and Venice Lace Garter Set

Solid White Chocolate Mini Cake Favour

Ivory and Black Card Box

Vintage clock Hair Piece

Tuesdays make me happy because I get to peruse hundreds of incredible hand crafted items on Etsy.com to share with you all! Although I could post 5 gazillion beautiful items for you to gobble up, I had to trim my list down to a manageable number. I chose to focus only on items that had an ivory/white/cream and black scheme, and without really trying ended up with a beautiful mix of items that alone could make a drool-worthy vintage wedding. Like an item but prefer other colours? The great thing about etsy is that most items are made to order, and thus customizeable! Oh how I love etsy!

Bubbles for the Bridesmaids

Since I've got bridesmaids on the brain, I thought I'd devote another post to your handy sidekicks. I have just found the prettiest DIY gift I think I've ever seen: homemade bubble bath (recipe by Abigail Beal here) in a gorgeous vintage or frosted glass bottle customized with a set of these amazingly adorable and free downloadable templates from Eat, Drink, Chic here. These templates are to die for! Incredibly chic and original, and could also be used for bridal shower favours or guest favours for a small wedding.

DIY Bridesmaid Guide

What is cuter and more practical than a bridesmaid guide? Pretty much nothing, because as soon as you set your sights on these beauties you'll be smitten! Customize the free downloadable template with the details and dates for all of your wedding activities, plus add fabric swatches, ribbon samples and magazine cut-outs of everything you want your wedding and bridesmaids to be. This is especially perfect if your besties live in another city and won't get to do a ton of shopping/sourcing with you. Get the free template here or head over to Project Wedding for full project details and instructions.

Creative and Unique Centerpieces

How cute a way to pretty up floral centerpieces: put them in boxes! This makes for a gorgeous table and I love how the favours blend right in! For details go to Martha Stewart.

Perfect for a summer cocktail party or a beach themed wedding, I love how these centerpieces bring the entire beach to you by including sand, shells and sea grasses. Serve a Blue Hawaiian cocktail with dinner and you've got yourself a tropical vacation!

Source: Total Wedding Planning.

I love these Easter themed centerpieces, perfect for the family Easter dinner or a spring time fete. Source: Thoughtfully Simple

I love these centerpieces because they are able to add height to the room without obstructing the view that your guests will have of each other and their surroundings. A low floral base gives way to a tall, slender body topped with curly willow, greenery and hanging candles, and makes a huge impact on the look and feel of the reception.

Source: In the Details

How cute and easy is this idea? Using mismatched goblets, wine glasses and martini glasses you can whip up a shabby chic table top in no time for an afternoon brunch or bridal shower. Grab some candles that you have lying around your house and pluck some flowers from your garden, and you have instant style that is mucho easy and mucho bonita. Source: Simply Devine

When it comes to reception decor, it all starts with your centerpieces. It is, of course, what your guests will be staring at the majority of the time at your wedding. They set the tone for your reception, they tie in your colours and theme, and they provide an elegant focal point to rest your eyes on. This collection of nifty and creative centerpiece ideas will hopefully inspire you and give you ideas beyond a traditional floral arrangement for your wedding or your next dinner party! Enjoy!

Monogram Giveaway!

Above: "Ella"

Above: "Madison"

Above: "Paris"

Above: "Carolina"

Above: "Whimsy"

This weekend is my 1 year wedding anniversary, and in celebration I am giving away custom monograms for free! Yup, that's right, free! I was having so much fun playing around and designing monograms last night, and thought maybe someone out there might like one for their own use!

It doesn't even have to be for a wedding- if you just want your name for your own stationary, or have a birthday or shower and would like a monogram for it, let me know! To get your custom monogram, email me at jen@hellobella.com and provide me with the name of the monogram you want, the colours and what you want incorporated (names, initials, dates). I'll have the giveaway open until Friday, August 28th and will accept the first 20 entries. I will try and get your monogram to you as soon as I can, but expect it to arrive within a week!