FCW Favorite Finds: Beauty Posts

In my opinion it is always best to go with professionals on your wedding day for hair & make up.  However, there are so many pre-wedding events (engagement party, engagement photo session, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, etc.) that need extra styling, which could break your budget if you use a professional each time.  Luckily for brides, there are many resources online to help kick your game up a notch.  I've picked a few of my favorite recent beauty posts for brides to experiment with for the big days before the big day.  Enjoy!  

#1. Sweet halo braid.  This look has come a long way from Heidi references thanks to celebrities showing it off lately.  The Wedding Chicks give a great tutorial on how to halo your hair.

#2. False eyelashes.  Offbeat bride posted a great article on demystifying the technique of how to (correctly) apply false eyelashes.  This one gets me everytime and I'm very psyched to try this girl's advice.

Favors Your Guests Will Love (And Actually Take Home)

Favors are a tricky area of wedding planning.  There are not required but have become so mainstream that many couples feel obligated to gift their gifts with something extra... you know, in addition to a lovely ceremony, (free) cocktail hour/ dinner/ dancing, etc.  Because favors are just that, something above and beyond what is expected. 

Now favors are popping up at lots of pre-wedding events too which actually makes more sense to me.  My preference for favors if couples want to give them is to choose either edible items or make a charity donation.  However there are always exceptions to the rule.  I have found a few great ideas for favors outside of my typical guidelines.  Never feel pressured to buy favors, but if you are so inclined, are a few more suggestions.  Enjoy!  

#1. Wedding cake flavored vodka airplane bottles.  While this is not the perfect favor for every guest list, if your nearest and dearest love cocktails, they will love this fun idea.  Pearl Vodka's wedding cake flavor is not just for the wedding though, this would be a great add on to any pre-wedding festivity; engagement party, bridal shower or bachelorette party.

#2. Instagram magnets.  Talk about personal and useful!  Using the instagram app you can make magnets of your favorite photos!  I like this idea much better than save the date magnets which looked dated after the actual wedding has passed.  You can use engagement photos (extra points for holding 'thank you' signs) or any photos that go with your specific theme. 

#3. Personalized lollipops.  No, not lollipops with your beautiful faces on them.  This fabulous idea from I Do Crafts is to use your engagement photos to create the illusion that you and your love are holding a lollipop for each of your guests!  Confused?  Check out this post with a full explanation or just look at the adorable finished product below.  This is taking the edible favor an awesome step farther and I think your guests will really appreciate your creativity and attention to detail.

Thank You, Gracias, Merci

During wedding planning, most couples are focused on the details of the big day.  When you get back from the honeymoon and start to settle into your new lives, there is still one more wedding related task on your plate: writing the thank you's to your guests and vendors. 

Thank you notes may be less common in our normal lives but etiquette is still a large part of weddings.  Save yourself stress by preparing for thank you's along the way.  There are two main divisions of wedding thank you's; pre-wedding and after-wedding.  Starting with pre-wedding, keep an organized guest list (with full addresses) and keep it updated as gifts come in before the wedding.  Although you are expected to send thank you's for all pre-wedding gifts (engagement party, bridal shower, etc.), the pre-wedding thank you's don't have to match the rest of the stationary and you can find great quality ones at Target, WalMart and A.C. Moore to name a few stores.

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For after-wedding thank you's, start to think about the design.  You will need to decide if you want to stay consistent with the rest of your wedding stationary; the invitations, programs, escort cards, menus, etc.  If you do, order your thank you's with your other stationary to save on shipping two separate orders. Wedding Paper Divas posted recently with new ideas for thank you cards.  If you think you may want to use your engagement or wedding photos, you may want to create a special "thank you" sign specifically for your after wedding thank you's cards.   Let your photographer know ahead of time so you can discuss the expected timeline for getting back the professional photos.  Speaking of vendors, it is always nice to sent a note letting your vendors know that your appreciate their hard work on your big day.  And last but not least, make sure to order new return address labels for your newly married selves!  Hope these tips help, enjoy!

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Party Essentials: How to Stock Your Home Bar

One of the quickest ways to jumpstart any party or event is to have a great bar setup.  If it seems impossible to keep a stocked bar at home, you are in luck. If you have an upcoming party and just want the basics down, the geniuses at LifeHacker.com have simplified the task by creating an easy how to list for stocking your home bar for $100.  This article breaks the bar down for a small cocktail party, a 30 person soiree and a 'rager'.  If you are looking to furnish a complete bar, there are a few more guidelines.  Either way, you need to stock alcohol, mixers, glassware, and barware- its just a matter of how much.
   
Here is a list of the basic barware you need for a great cocktail station.  The basic list of alcohol is as follows; Bourbon, Brandy, Canadian Whiskey, Dark or Spiced Rum, Gin, Light Rum, Scotch, Tequila, Vodka, Rye Whiskey.  Obviously if you have a favorite drink or friends that fancy a particular flavored liquor, you might want to keep that in stock as well.  The basic list of liqeuers are as follows; Amaretto, Irish Cream, Creme de Caco, Coffee Liqueur, Dry Vermouth, Sweet Vermouth, Orange Liqeuer.  Mixers are a long list and depending on your preferences, you may need feel the need to stock each one although the most common are light and dark sodas, juices, tonic water, and of course ice.  And last but not least, the list of garnishes ranges from margarita salt to orange slices for a Blue Moon (a personal favorite!). 

Additionally, make sure that you avoid a serious party foul by having enough glasses for the party.  Whether you choose red cups or martini glasses, ideally each guest should keep the same glass for the same type of drink but it is always safe to have extra glasses available.  Wine charms are a great way to identify different people's drinks in a fun way.  If you are having a more formal party, like an engagement party or an upscale birthday dinner, a great idea is to hire a bartender for the event.  Think of your friends' younger-but-of-legal-age siblings who would be willing to learn a few cocktails for some cash.  It will take the stress off the host to know that the bar is in good hands.  Cheers! 

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