Flower Alternatives

During winter flowers you love can be a little harder, and more expensive, to come by. Don't fret, there are many non-flower options that are just as gorgeous!

Take a lead from Martha Stewart with tissue paper pom poms:

Sticks are a great option and allow for a lot of creativity. Leave them in their natural state, glam it up with feathers and ribbon, spray paint them, or even hang those great Martha pom's from them!

(learn how here)

(see this and more martha poms here)

Sticks not your thing? try produce instead! slice it, submerge it, pile it...

Don't forget about candles...inexpensive and so romantic! try floating them in water, putting them in vases of varying sizes and colors, using antique holders, or hang them from the lovely stick arrangement you already made (but try not to burn anything down!)

(learn how to make the candle tree here)

The possibilities are truly endless! Get creative, use your imagination, and see where it takes you!

To my wonderful friend and LMV partner in crime

Andrea-

Welcome Home

Welcome Home!

With my boyfriend returning from a 6 month deployment in Afghanistan, I thought it only appropriate to write a post on welcoming your loved one home. Military homecomings are filled with more emotion than you can imagine -- excitement, anxiousness, nervousness, joy, the list goes on. It only seems fitting to throw a big party to celebrate this special day, right? Maybe not. Before you start calling everyone in your phone book here are some things to consider:

-Your loved one has just traveled for 3-5 days to return home and there is a very high possibility that they need a shower, they're tired, and they're hungry. Socializing with a large group of people and playing catch up is probably the last thing on their mind.

-They have been surrounded by the same group of people for the past 6 months to a year (or more!) doing the same thing day in and day out -- reintegrating back into normal life at home might be a little bit of a process and too many people too fast may be overwhelming.

-If your loved one is anything like my boyfriend, all they want to do to is shower and relax on the couch with you and a glass of Jameson. Plus, admit it, you probably want some alone time too!

With that said, consider waiting about a week or so before hosting a Welcome Home event. Try to keep a small and intimate atmosphere by inviting only those nearest and dearest to the both of you for a low key dinner party. Keep decorations simple, consider purchasing a custom banner for the day of the homecoming and reusing it at the party. When it comes to a menu, brainstorm his or her favorite foods -- it has been a long time since they have eaten anything remotely delicious and their appetites will be endless! Lastly, just enjoy yourself! Don't get overwhelmed with details -- in this case, your company is all they really need.

Useful links:

AllRecipes


www.buildasign.com/troops 

Guest Blogger- Andrea!

Every so often, I will feature posts written by Andrea - my wedding and event partner in crime :-) She has a phenomenal eye for design and puts me to shame with the amount of wedding research this girl can do! Without further ado, Enjoy!

Finding color inspiration in your favorite city

Deciding on a color palette is one of the first steps a bride-to-be will take. If you are having trouble thinking of that perfect combination try turning to the city (or small town) you love.

Whether it's Seattle at sunrise,

Yakima during apple season,

or a sunny afternoon in Sequim --

Let the natural beauty inspire you! You will be surprised at how perfectly colors can come together on their own.