Wedding Ideas That Make Planning Fun

Self inking stamps are a hot item this year, but not for the reasons you may have expected. When we first started offering them, we estimated that brides would get them for their own stationery, do it yourself wedding projects, and things of that nature. Monograms and customization of the little details are big trends right now and that logic seemed to fit right in. That much did happen, some of the time. But the majority of the time, something quite different was happening.

People - not just brides - were buying custom stamps for themselves. Plus, they were getting them for family and friends. In fact, brides were getting them for their bridal party or family/friends just as often as they were getting them for their own use.

All of this leads us to only one conclusion. We were simply wrong. It should have made sense. We were using them for ourselves and had given one as a gift to someone else, too. Anyway, what's the point of all this?

The point is - stamps are a great gift. Taking the time to personalize such an item for someone shows a great deal of thoughtfulness. Plus, it's something that can actually be used in everyday life for years.

You'll find yourself leaving it near that place where you keep pens, papers, mail, and stuff like that. Fairly often, you'll find a reason to stamp your name, monogram, logo, or address on something. Depending on the design, it adds instant sophistication or fun to whatever it lands on.

We're seeing everything from brides giving them to bridesmaids, guests giving them to couples, bosses giving them to coworkers, and friends giving them to friends. It's an easy way to turn the plain and everyday paper, letter, or thing into a customized item with a little flair.

December 10, 2006 - Use These Two Great Wedding Ideas to Dress Up Your Holiday Gatherings

Once you've got the hang of making a big difference with the small details at your wedding reception, you can do the same thing at other events - like those during the holidays. There's usually one problem with this. Time is limited. Everyone is overloaded at the holidays. No one has enough time or money to do everything they'd like. No problem.

You're not putting on a wedding reception, just a little holiday get together with some special touches that make the season that much sweeter. There are two approaches to this that are simple and inexpensive, yet make a big difference. The first one has to do with the five senses. The second has to do with customization.

The Five Senses

An easy way to come up with ideas that help guests have a good time is to think of things in terms of the five senses. A little something for the eyes (decorations), a little something for the ears (music), a nicely scented treat that tastes great takes care of noses and mouths. Finish it off with something for them to wear or take home (favors, pictures, etc.) and you've covered them all.

This is a simple, effective way to plan a get together that's fun for the guests and easy for you.

Customization

Customization is cheaper, easier, and comes in more options than ever. Among the hottest ways to do this at the moment are with self inking stamps, customized labels, and candy or tea tins with custom labels. You can even get treats like edible invitations or cookies with custom text written on them.

Simple labels or stamped stationery adds a level of detail that most people wouldn't bother with, but it's so easy and makes a big difference.

No matter what, enjoy the season. No one will have a good time if you're not having a good time. So if it gets tough, keep it simple so you can keep smiling. This is a great time of year - have fun and we'll talk again soon.

December 21, 2006 - Holiday Updates and Exciting Wedding Ideas for 2007

Hope you're having a great time getting ready for Christmas and the New Year. We are too, and that means it's time for a quick update. First let's talk about how the holidays affect shipping for the things we already offer and then we'll give you a sneak peek at the exciting things coming for 2007.

First and foremost, customer service - we'll have someone available to answer emails and phone messages throughout the holidays except for 12/24 to 12/25 and then again from 12/31 to 1/1.

Next, here's a quick rundown on the items most affected by the holidays:

• You can order at anytime 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. If you send an email or add a question/remarks to the comments section, we'll get back to you within one business day with the exception of the holidays mentioned above.

• Labels - New label orders from 12/21 to 12/27 will begin printing and shipping on 12/28. Proofs can still be sent for your approval in the interim, so your order will be ready to go on the 28th.

• Monogram cake toppers - just remember to factor in the holidays when you're counting business days for processing these popular items. Rush processing is available.

• Most wedding favors and personalized items (cake servers, bridal party gifts, unity candles, personalized napkins, and so on) will begin processing (if personalized) or shipping on 1/2/07.

• Personalized and custom stamps - a new line is on the way, which leads us to our next section…

Exciting New Wedding Ideas for 2007

• New personalized and custom stamps are going to be available starting right after Christmas. We're going to improve our options for impression sizes and shapes. We'll have some options for all budgets. Most of all, we're going to make it easier than ever to customize and tailor your design to your needs. We'll have designs to choose from, but you'll be able to change those to fit your ideas or make totally custom designs. You'll even be able to take the designs from your labels, monogram cake toppers, etc. and add them to the stamps! Oh and two more things - we're adding free proofs and we're stepping up the turnaround time considerably - you'll be able to get them quickly.

• Labels - these have been so popular that we're expanding the line of options considerably, for the same low prices. New colors, new styles, new designs, new custom options - they'll be out starting right after Christmas.

• Wedding favors, stationery, ceremony, and reception items - we always add lots more options at the start of the year. Some are creeping quietly onto the new items page in the store already. By the way, some items usually get discontinued around the new year to make way for the new. If there's something you really want, it's better to get it now before the prices change and before the selection changes.

• Monogram cake toppers - more popular than ever, we're adding a luxe line to round out our selection. Look for 24k gold, silver plated, polished stainless steel, and toppers covered on both sides with the best swarovski crystals. These new toppers are simply awesome. We're sure you'll agree too when they make their debut on 1/1/07.

• Something for you, for free. For a long time, we've struggled with finding a way to integrate all the great ideas from our brides into our site without making it difficult to navigate. That's about to change with a way for you to share your incredible wedding ideas in your own little section on our site, for free. Use it to get ideas from other brides, to help others in their planning, or just to show to friends. Use it however you want - it will be your space. That is just around the corner so stay tuned.

For now, enjoy your family, friends, and Christmas. We'll still be here when you're all done. Then we'll get back to the fun of wedding planning and all the exciting things coming in 2007. Have a great week and Merry Christmas!

December 31, 2006 - Proposing During The Holidays - Some Thoughts From the Other Half

The Christmas present he gave you was too big and too heavy. It couldn't be a ring. And it wasn't. You had tried not to get your hopes up so you could just enjoy Christmas for what it is, but…in the end, you felt a little bit bummed. But he had other plans. Maybe he didn't want to propose in front of family and friends, maybe the schedule surrounding Christmas was too tight too create the perfect setting, maybe he wanted to set everything up so there would be less pressure and more of the two of you, maybe…

Who knows what goes through the mind of a man about to make the biggest decision of his life? As a guy who waited until after Christmas to propose several years ago, I can tell you that I felt as much pressure as I can remember. Guys know how much the proposal means. We're nervous about it. Not so much about the decision - by the time proposing is on the table, every guy knows he can't live without the girl. And he knows that she knows it, too.

But he also knows that the first question everyone is going to ask his new fiancé is, "How did he propose?" and, "Let me see the ring!" or the worst one of all, "How many carats?" Every guy knows that - in addition to the emotion filled moment when he admits he's only half the man he thought he was without you - his commitment, creativity, and pocketbook are about to be on the table for everyone to scrutinize. He probably really doesn't care what others think. But he knows how much it all means to you. Because of that, he feels some pressure. It's not necessarily the standard "fear of commitment" that's causing the delay.

When I proposed to my wife, I had things all arranged for a proposal at a family retreat in a perfect setting. I had already gotten past the obstacles mentioned above, but there were still setbacks. A delayed flight, a borrowed car that broke down on the way, a wrong turn that put us in the wrong state temporarily, and I almost didn't propose that day. But she had been there with me that day through all the hassles and it was as fun as ever just because she was there. In fact, it made the story better in the end.

Being the oldest of seven children that were all at this family vacation spot, I had each of them hiding signs with words on them to hold up on my signal. That way, if I couldn't get the words out, she could just read them. I had a sign, too. When everyone held up their signs, mine was the only one that was upside down. It was that kind of day. Many tears, hugs, and laughs later, it was the perfect day - because it was uniquely ours.

This holiday season, if you know he's close to asking, make it easy on him. Help him realize that any story that involves the two of you being together forever is all you want. No perfection required. You might just be surprised at how quickly you bring him to his knees.