Vintage Charm

 

 

Inevitably, we women find ourselves sifting through our mothers' and grandmothers' closets for a bit of fashion inspiration from time to time. Whether it's rediscovering mom's Jackie O inspired pencil dress with a slimming belt or digging out grandma's long-abandoned but oh-so-graceful cameo ring, fashion statements have a way of wearing out their welcome only to make a resurgence at a later date.

Wedding fashions and trends are no exception. What once was considered passé eventually works its way back into our hearts and breathes fresh air into styles, palettes, and ideas. We call these trappings of yesteryear "vintage." They are timeless and classic, chic and sophisticated, and they are offering some refreshing options for today's bridal couples.

If you've noticed a return to the vintage couture of the '20s, '30s and '40s, you're not alone. Brides have been finding inspiration in the earlier decades of last century for everything from gowns and hairstyles to stationery and jewelry. Period themes are experiencing a resurgence as well, as couples are turning to eras such as the Prohibition and World War II for some creative fun. Think everything from flappers and pearls to seamed stockings and slimmer wartime cuts and hems. There's no end to the creativity that can be employed to bring in some period style.

The brooch is back. Although Great-Gran may have worn it pinned to a modestly high neckline, modern brides are putting these little adornments to creative uses. Brooches have found their way into updo's, clasping waist sashes onto gowns, and even adding some bedazzlement to bridal bouquets. Running the gamut from dainty and demure to grand and glitzy, these little charmers from a bygone era offer some wonderful ways to honor the older generations of women in the bride's family. Have a host of them from which to choose? Bejewel your bridesmaids with a unique piece to add a bit of pizzazz to their dresses.

A warm welcome back to lace is in order as well, as brides are flocking to gowns with beautiful overlays and delicate backs in a host of lacy patterns. Gone for now are the billowing layers of crinoline, cathedral length trains and Cinderella-esque creampuff sleeves as form-flattering sheaths are the style du jour. I love this look. Feminine. Graceful. Elegant. Where were these simple and lovely styles when I was walking down the aisle?

Lace veils are enjoying a renewed popularity as well, and can be found in varying lengths and a wide selection of styles. For brides looking for just a touch of lacy embellishment, luck is on your side. No need to worry about covering your wedding day 'do with heavy lace. Simple veils with delicate lace borders are easy to find and coordinate wonderfully with all manner of gowns.

Brides are incorporating romantic flowers into their bouquets to achieve a vintage feel. The addition of peonies and carnations infuses a bit of shabby chic into standby arrangements of roses, lilies, hydrangeas and other favorites. Popular bouquets of late are a bit more fuss-free, yet are still breathtakingly lovely.

Flattering hairstyles for vintage-inspired weddings are as easy as a softly swept-up 'do or loosely flowing curls. Looking to kick a bit of '20s fun into your big day? Pin curls, finger waves and fun bobs can make for smashing wedding day 'dos. Or, drawing a bit of inspiration from the glamorous golden days of Hollywood might be the ticket. Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner and Ava Gardner are all sources of divine 'do inspiration for retro-looking locks.

As for decorations and favors, everything emanating a nostalgic air is up for grabs. Bird nests, feathers, antique vases and bottles, silver serving sets, candies from yesteryear, stylish cars from the '30s and '40s, and anything else that sets the vintage tone bridal couples are looking for are perfect for setting the scene.

Looking for just the right invite to tie together a vintage theme? Carlson Craft has a wonderful selection of wedding stationery options for vintage-inspired weddings. These lovely styles offer soft and subtle designs, some embossed with lace embellishments. They're utterly sublime and perfect for inviting guests to indulge in a day of antique charm and timeless elegance.

Summertime Splendor

“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside”

~Maud Hart Lovelace

I love this quote by Lovelace. She was a children's book author who grew up in my home town nearly a century before I was born and wrote of young girls finding adventure and mischief in Deep Valley, a fictional name for our home town of Mankato. I would imagine, despite a century of change, the advent of summer for her was just as lovely and promising as it was for me as a girl in that river city of verdant hills and valleys.

Poets and authors have long praised summer's splendor, the long days of warmth, flowers in full bloom, the busy-ness of Earth as crops grow, animals move about in a productive scurry, and humankind springs to life with an ardent need to enjoy the outdoors before winter returns with its cold temperatures and abbreviated daylight.

We live in a part of the world where, even if you don't long for hot weather and sunshine, a moderate dose of the stuff can rejuvenate and lift the spirits. And for summer lovers, these short months are reason to celebrate and grasp every opportunity to revel in the outdoors.

Summer always stirs up memories of my childhood. Picking bowls full of delectable red and blue berries whose colors invoke a particularly patriotic tug on my heartstrings. The gentle sways and rolls of the lake's motion while sitting in my dad's fishing boat. Nighttime at the farm when the crickets would chirp in a full chorus at bedtime.

As kids, summertime was the season when we could check our inhibitions at the screen door and dart outside in bare feet, not stopping to tug on rubber boots or unending layers of snow gear. Dripping popsicles didn't matter on the front lawn and the sprinkler offered a full afternoon of fun with very little cost. When Grandpa was feeling mischievous, nighttime would mean the celebratory glow of sparklers shooting their light in swirls and swoops as we chased around the lawn in a jubilant ruckus.

Summer's most blessed events for me now include my mom's fresh-squeezed lemonade, a trusty porch swing surrounded by vibrant and heavenly-smelling flower gardens, and a real page-turner of a book. As I relax and take in the pleasant peacefulness, the kids are learning and experiencing the fun and freedom that summer holds. Watching a 5-year-old excitedly chase fireflies in the darkening evening while his older sister races to the house for a Mason jar calls to mind my own memories of summer nights and the magic of the world. What childhood would be complete without sailing out across cool lake water on a tire swing? And my husband and I have now passed on the early entrepreneurial torch of setting up lemonade stands to our kids. I'm sure my mom is chuckling inside, now that "what goes around comes around" has found me with the sticky floors and spilled sugar on my countertops. But, alas, this is summer, kids will be kids, and floors and counters are washable.

Picnics, bike rides, watermelon on the front steps – whatever your summer favorites might be, enjoy them! Summer is short and should be savored and experienced to the utmost!

And should the kids ask you to join them running through the sprinkler, do accept. That kid way down deep inside will still appreciate the thrill of racing through that cold swaying spray on a hot summer day.

Destination Weddings: It’s all about Location, Location, Location!

Pinned on the wall above my computer is a calendar with colorful and bewitching photos of castles, beaches, lavender fields, cobblestone streets, and a host of other lovely and exotic destinations. I delight in packing my suitcase, digging out my passport and setting out for new locations. It’s that travel bug that bit me when I was young and just hasn’t let go.

Friends and relatives have been reporting that they’re receiving invites to destination weddings for such hotspots as Cancun, Paris, Hawaii, Jamaica and even Australia. My, oh, my! An excuse to dig out one’s luggage and travel gear in the name of a matrimonial celebration? I like this idea!

More and more couples are forgoing large local weddings for smaller, more intimate nuptials that combine the ceremony and honeymoon all into one upscale travel adventure. This year is projected to be a record-breaking year for destination weddings, with an estimated 60 percent increase in the number of American couples opting for weddings abroad, resulting in nearly one in five couples exchanging vows away from home. Some of the more popular choices include Mexico, the Caribbean, the Greek Islands, Thailand, and Cyprus. Across the pond, British brides and grooms are also packing their suitcases for their big day, with one in ten couples choosing destination weddings. Why are so many soon-to-be newlyweds so eager to say “I Do” on foreign soil? Well, there’s not one simple answer.

Budget has a lot to do with it. Clearly, it would be extremely rare for a couple to foot the bill for a reception of 300 guests if the wedding was in the Greek Isles. Destination weddings typically include a small, intimate gathering of closest family and friends. Colleagues of the bride’s parents surely won’t be in attendance, nor will the groom’s long lost second and third cousins. Not only does a small gathering allow the couple to cut costs, it also allows them to restrict their guest list to only their closest loved ones and friends. Many couples are finding this smaller circle of invitees to be more meaningful.

Furthermore, couples are realizing that combining the wedding and the honeymoon can make for one celebratory trip that includes amazing and exotic pictures of the ceremony plus one extended celebration with close friends and family. If an overseas honeymoon is already being planned, why not extend it a few days and make your dream destination also the locale for your vows?

Many all-inclusive resorts are really ramping up their wedding planning help and options. All-inclusives also make things easier on guests who may not be travel savvy – no worries about logistics or entertainment before and after the wedding. If a resort isn’t in a couple’s plans, there are wedding consultants who specialize in helping brides plan destination weddings, wherever they may be.

Couples need to bear in mind that planning a destination wedding will usually prohibit some family members and friends from attending. As much as we’d all love to travel to the Caribbean to see a loved one marry, sometimes travel expenses just aren’t in the budget. Additionally, couples might want to consider giving guests ample time to plan for an overseas journey. The expense alone calls for a lengthy heads up, and some of the attendees might need to apply for their very first passport, which can take several weeks to receive.

Whether a couple’s dream includes exchanging vows on a white sandy beach, atop a mountain, nestled in a vineyard, or in a centuries-old European church, there is ample help out there to assist with wedding arrangements.

Be sure to check out Carlson Craft’s innovative wedding invitations designed for destination weddings. Remember – there’s quite a bit more information that needs to be conveyed to guests regarding a destination wedding. Carlson Craft has some fabulous options that will captivate invitees, provide them with a clear picture of the wedding plans, and have them scrambling for their passports, flip-flops and sunscreen!

And to my close friends and family, if any of you are anticipating an engagement soon, I’ve always wanted to see the beautiful waters and islands of the Mediterranean!

Peacock Plumes and Beautiful Blues

My daughter’s eighth birthday is coming up, and she has only one theme request: a peacock party. This doesn’t surprise me. Peacocks and peacock colors seem to be the décor de jour as of late. This exotic bird has flown right into the hearts of brides, birthday girls and celebrants far and wide and doesn't seem to be bidding adieu any time soon!

During my college days, burgundies and dark greens were the hot colors for weddings (as eight of the ten bridesmaid dresses stuffed into garment bags in the back of my closet attest!). But as with all things, tastes change. Colors make a bold impact and then quietly drift into the background to make way for the next big color schemes. Currently, teals, blues, and greens are making a splash with brides, all colors found on the peacock color spectrum. For an added punch of contrast, orange is a hopping hue as well.

Creative brides are putting peacock plumes and colors to use in everything from dresses, boutonnieres, floral arrangements, hair adornments, cakes, invites, and programs to anything else that can be embellished with the iridescent blue-green plumes of the proud peacock. The regal splendor of the peacock color combination evokes a rich, elegant air, while offering a cooler alternative to the fall favorites of mochas, browns and plums. And the fanciful feathers themselves, with their stunning blue and gold eyes and long graceful lines, pull together a natural element that is dramatic and, well, pretty!

The blue-green palette coordinates well with ivory or white, purple, gold, lavender, aqua, and black. Browsing the internet, I even came across peacock bouquets that included such accent colors as copper, orange, lime green, pink or fuchsia. It's a fun theme to liven up and make playful.
If you haven't browsed Carlson Craft's albums lately, there are some stunning peacock themed stationery designs that will not only capture the attention of brides, but those looking for some trendy anniversary or birthday invites. Sweet 16'ers will take note, as well! These are designs that aren't pigeon-holed (forgive the bird reference) into being just wedding invites!

My daughter, endeavoring to find just the right decorations for her birthday, sits perched on the couch, mom's laptop plunked down on her lap. "Look at the cakes, mommy!" she gushes as she clicks through pictures online. Her surfing brings her to multi-tiered white, teal and blue wedding cakes with divine silk ribbons and plumes, vintage hair clips, bouquets vibrant with blues, greens, chartreuse, and gold, and the loveliest teal satin pumps with peacock feather clips I've ever seen.
While she asks if dad and I might spring for teal satin chair covers and vases overflowing with long peacock feathers, I gently explain that some fun teal and purple cupcakes might be in order as well as pin the feather on the peacock. For the moment, she's appeased.
{However, deep down, I'm left thinking that if only my sister would hurry up and meet Mr. Right, I could really make this peacock theme soar and reach new heights!}

Save the Dates

Memorial Day hasn’t yet arrived, but our summer calendar is filling up faster than dirty dishes find their way into my sink. Between birthdays, graduations, Father’s Day, neighborhood get-togethers, summer camp, and sundry other events and occasions, we remain busy throughout the summer months. I hesitate to complain; it all means we’re loved and have good friends, relatives and neighbors who desire our fun-loving company at their parties and shin-digs, right? I hope so!

The truth is, we’re your typical family of four with two active kids, full-time jobs, and extended families who enjoy our presence at family functions. And although I’m loath to resort to clichés, times seem to have changed since we were kids. Twenty-first century families just seem to be busier than we were when I was growing up. Maybe that’s just my perspective, but I will say I don’t remember quite so many camps, traveling summer sports teams, etc., when I was young.

Here is where I point out the importance of Save the Dates. I don’t recall these when I was young (but who knows – I was probably far more interested in my Easy Bake Oven to take much notice of impending social engagements), but I feel our family would be lost without them now. My good friend Anna’s Save the Date magnet took up residence front and center on our fridge door for a good number of months before the wedding rolled around. It was penned onto the calendar page well before we had time to commit to a T-ball tournament, assisting friends with a garage sale, or reserving the weekend to go to the cabin. In the lives of hustling and bustling families, Saturdays are high demand calendar real estate, so the sooner we can reserve the spot, the better! And who wants to miss out on a good friend or relative's wedding because reservations are already made for the yearly summer family vacation??

Save the dates typically go out six to twelve months prior to the event and are followed by a formal invitation about eight weeks before the event. Invitees are afforded the opportunity to literally "save the date" well in advance and make any necessary plans to attend the wedding. These become invaluable to guests who must travel lengthy distances, make arrangements for small children, or who simply (like us) have a lot going on.

Save the dates started with weddings, but these little heads-up cards and magnets have found a new calling by announcing up and coming corporate events, anniversary parties, and other fanciful celebrations. Some proud parents-to-be have even employed save the dates to announce they’re expecting and share their due date with family and friends. Carlson Craft even has options to allow parents to kick-start their picture sharing of baby by including an ultrasound image!

Some might argue that save the dates can easily be replaced by an email or Facebook posting, or other such techno-savvy option. Here's where I'm not in complete agreement. A family member of mine recently sent out text message invitations for a party. Imagine my discomfort when, in simple conversation, I asked my brother if he would be attending the following day. His furrowed brow and look of general confusion led me to believe he had no clue what I was talking about. "Didn't you get the text message?" I asked. "I'm horrible at checking my messages," he replied. "I check them about as often as I check my Facebook account." Yikes. I rest my case. Emails get overlooked and text messages can be lost or deleted. But we all seem to look thoroughly through our mail, and who doesn't love getting some happiness among the bills?

I spent a good deal of time perusing Carlson Craft's latest selection of save the dates. They are wonderfully fun and could they be any more creative? What's your style? Traditional and elegant? Modern with a colorful twist? Playful and picture-filled? Story-telling and info-packed? Crisp, clean and to the point? Believe me, you'll find it. Whether brides and grooms are looking to make a statement, set the tone for their nuptials, or simply become the lovely faces adorning the front of large kitchen appliances, Carlson Craft save the dates offer such a wide variety of styles and designs, the only problem couples face will be choosing just one!

Spring Fever

This year has been a doozy! I can't remember the last time March was that beautiful.

Weather-wise, we've run the gamut from putting our air conditioners to use in early March to digging out hats and mittens this past week. The lawn mower has already been employed more than once, and now here I am, wondering if the snowbrush is still in the back seat of the car. The kids are just plain lost, not sure whether they should forage in their dressers for shorts or dig out cardigans and flannel. Ah, well. It's par for the course this time of year in Minnesota.

Although I adore the cozy feeling of winter, when early spring rolls around, I’m usually ready for the cold and snow to be done, and look forward to the green of nature as things spring back to life. To celebrate the impending arrival of warm days, bird chatter, and burgeoning blossoms, we made a family visit to the yearly Macy’s Flower Show in downtown Minneapolis. There, one can take in the sights and smells of beautifully designed flower garden displays and kick start the bug to want to plant and grow lovely things.

Each year boasts a new theme (Brasil, Spring is in the Air, Towers of Flowers, etc.), and the kids and I never fail to be mesmerized. Perhaps it’s that first sensory experience of the year of seeing delicate blooms and smelling the fragrant blossoms, but it’s simply magical. Small carpets of lush flowers in every hue stretch out below wondrous displays. Flowers, plants and small trees are carefully placed to create such wonders as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a colorfully enchanting toucan, a floral Eiffel Tower, and many other blossoming architectural creations that spark the imagination and spur on the drive to plant the very moment the weather cooperates.

Whether you make regular trips to an arboretum or greenhouse during the cold months, or simply make do with enjoying your very own house plants, there’s nothing that quite compares to seeing the season’s first tulips popping through the thawing ground. Flowers seem to have their very own little place in our world. They play a vital role in creating an air of celebration at weddings and festivities, they cheer us up when we’re sick, and they remind the special people in our lives that we love them. Perhaps for those of us living in snowy climates, we become especially excited when spring’s first flowers push through the soil toward the sun. Our limited season of flower gardens and window box displays is rather short, so we embrace it fully when it finally arrives.

As May slips closer, I can’t wait for planting season to start. Dark pink petunias, fuchsia and purple vincas, little white bacopas, orange and pink lantanas, verbena in a host of hues, the adorable painted faces of the pansies… oh, late May can’t come fast enough!

As we endure the rainy, windy, and oh-so-unpredictable weather that comes with April, I wish you a verdant spring, heralding a riot of colorful blossoms, and invite you to enjoy some snapshots from the past few Macy’s Flower Shows.

What do you do in early spring to remedy the itch for warmer weather?

Thoughts on Anniversaries

Weddings are festive occasions that celebrate a new union of two people who are in love and eager to begin a new life together. But after the sun has set on this day of silk, taffeta, flowers, buttercream icing, speeches, toasts and first dances, and has arisen on the first day of happily ever after, a union of two people becomes about teamwork to both enjoy and weather the ups and downs that make up marriage. And while life holds precious moments to be shared and celebrated as a couple, it also holds plenty of challenges. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 83% of couples will make it to their fifth wedding anniversary and 55% will celebrate their fifteenth anniversary. By 25 years, only 35% couples will still be together, and only 6% will ring in their golden anniversary (50 years) as a couple.

But enough with the disheartening statistics. My point? With the rise in divorce rates in the past number of decades, celebrating wedding anniversaries is important. They signify another year of a successful partnership and herald a continuation of the happily ever after a couple set out for on their wedding day. Whether it's year number one or twenty-one, an anniversary is worthy of honoring. So, be it your own special day, or that of loved ones or friends, be sure to commemorate an anniversary with a celebration, even if it's a small one.

My first foray into anniversary parties was planning my parents' 25^th anniversary with the help of an older brother. We were in our teens and had the budget to prove it. The celebration consisted of a family dinner at a nice restaurant, a small vase of red carnations, a cake and a gift of an engraved silver tray we picked out from a local jeweler. It wasn't quite renting a hall and hiring a band to entertain droves of my parents' friends and relatives, but it was special nonetheless. After twenty-five years of marriage and eleven kids, I would surmise my parents just wanted a quiet, peaceful evening anyway, without having to talk over the strains of Peter, Paul and Mary covers emanating from a band. Or so I hope!

My first anniversary found my husband and me sharing a rather frostbitten top tier from our wedding cake we had fished out from the back of the freezer and playing Scrabble. We had recently discovered baby number one was on the way and thought going out to dinner would be frivolous spending that could be put to better use on a crib or stroller. Since then, we've spent anniversaries at parent/teacher conferences, coaching, attending meetings, and running kids to piano lessons. That's the thing about marriage and life – it keeps you busy!

We agreed we'd go to Napa Valley for our 5^th anniversary. And then an unexpected tonsillectomy popped up for our son. We told ourselves the following year would work. Until we were paying for more hospital bills following a broken elbow and surgery after a playground fall. Our anniversaries have thus far been signified by movie nights or dinners, with or without the kids, depending on how our schedules shake out. However, I'm not disappointed or upset. I know that my parents didn't make it 45 years by traveling the globe. Someday we'll celebrate our anniversary in a vineyard. Until then, we'll continue with the everyday journey that will get us through the years of little ones, busy schedules, reallocated finances, and the like. And yes, I know we'll look back on all of this and miss it.

Until then, whether celebrating anniversaries means a whirlwind tour of Europe, a holiday in the surf and sun, or just a quiet dinner amid the hustle and bustle of life, remember that each anniversary translates into successfully continuing a dream. Acknowledging another year of togetherness is reason to celebrate.