Free Inspiration Board Creator

If you're looking for an easy way to build your own inspiration boards without an art program like Photoshop, you now can! 

I have tradionally made all of my boards using photoshop, but I've seen quite a few people without the means for this type of program and no idea how to use it asking on forums and blogs how to create their own inspiration board.

This is a great tool to share your inspiration and ideas with the world, quickly and easily.

Style Me Pretty now has their own inspiration board builder. I've created two bright and tropical boards just for you! Easily add photos based on color schemes or keywords.

How to:
1. Visit the Style Me Pretty Website and create a username and password.
2. Login and start creating your inspiration boards
3. Save, Name and Tag your boards to share with the world!

Even though this is a great tool, If you're a DIY bride I still highly recommend purchasing Photoshop, Corel or another art program similar to it.

You can edit photos, create invitations, monograms, logos, paper products, iron-ons and more! 

Real Wedding - Stay tuned

Stop by the Posh Parties Blog on Friday July 1st to check out photos from a real wedding.


Sneak Peak details: If you love the outdoors and evening weddings this one will be perfect for you! The ceremony starts at sunset and the party goes all night long!

Sweet Inspiration: Deliciously Different Wedding Menus

Searching for the perfect Menu for my upcoming wedding, I looked for some menus that were different, fun and had a unique flavor all their own. From personalized to pretty, this group of unique menus has it all!

From Top Left to right:

• This surfboard menu is perfect for a west coast wedding.  You could also use a rowboat to display your menu for a nautical or beach-side wedding. (image: brides.com)
• These chopsticks inside a printed menu is as functional as it is perfect for an asian wedding (image: brides.com)
• Chalkboard menus are really hot and trendy right now in displaying a bar, drink, dinner or in this case a Cake Buffet menu. (image:SarahkChen)
• Think outside the box with a round menu printed in the pretty colors of your wedding or event. (image: brides.com) 
• Treat your guests with tropical loveliness by placing a flower on your menu. ( image: mydesignsensations)
• Printing your menu on a natural paper or burlap with a vintage font and image can give your wedding or event a rustic feel.  Complete the look with string or rope. (image: bridalbuds)
• Place goodies, treats and surprises inside a brown paper bag printed with a menu.  Perfect for a rustic wedding! (image: tecpetajaphoto)
• Remember the Cootie Catcher from middle school?  Give guests something fun to do at your table while they're eating! (image: pixelperfectmm)
• Want to give your guests the grand overview of the day?  Try a booklet menu.  They can get all their information in one handy book. (image: Bella Forte)
• For something pretty and functional, try printing your menu on the tablecloth guests will be using.  It will add some interest to a basic white tablecloth.  You can also drop your paper printed tablecloth down to overhang under your plates. (image: marthastewart)
• Want your guests to feel the love?  How better than to give them a heart-shaped menu?  This has a bonus DIY craft for you to follow.  This is also a great craft for a valentine's day party!  (image: ohcrafts)
• How sweet it is when your menu doubles as your favor!  This couple chose to have their menus printed in chocolate.  What a delicious and sweet idea! (image: styleunveiled)
• Birds of a feather will flock to this craft.  If you're having feathers or a peacock themed wedding, add a simple feather to your dinner menu for added flair! (image: eventhouseblog)

I hope the board I've created can inspire brides and event planners everywhere to spruce up their boring menu with a little flair.  It doesn't take a lot to add a little pizazz to a basic menu.  Add your colors, a theme or a personal touch and it can make all the difference.

Ruffled Centerpieces

How cute is this little ruffled tower centerpiece? It would be the perfect piece to add to a sweets table for a birthday party, wedding or other event. You could also use it as an inexpensive centerpiece for tables at a party.

The structure is made from styrofoam "trees" and then covered with cupcake liners. The result is whimsical and pretty.

Check out the DIY instructions here for how to make this lovely little ruffled tree yourself!

Want something more colorful? Try these pink polka dot cupcake liners or these pretty posh black and white cupcake liners!

Design a Perfect Bridal Shower Playlist + Free CD Label and Case Template

 Recently I hosted a lovely Bridal Shower for my good friend.  One of the most important things I created to create a mood and set the tone for the party was to create a playlist.  This is a simple but very important thing that most people would overlook while planning.  It's essential to know your crowd and choose songs accordingly.

In my case we had no budget for a professional DJ and it was hosted at the Bride-to-be's Grandmother's house, which didn't allow for a DJ and probably would've been a bit overkill for such a small crowd.

Things to keep in mind while building your playlist:
- Know your crowd.  Is everyone invited young, old or a mix or ages?
- Is this a female only crowd or a jack and jill?

 We had a big mix in age and the group was all female.  We chose two games.  The first was a guessing game for the bride to see how much she knows about the groom.  The second was the toilet paper dress game where the 4 bridesmaids broke up into teams of guests and the guests in their team then dressed the BM's up in toilet paper.  The BM's then did a runway show for the bride (to I'm too sexy) and the bride then choose which dress she liked best.  The team that won each got a bottle of wine.

How I built my list:
I tried to start with happy low key music and build to very girly and fun music in the middle of the cd (I want candy, etc.) For when the bride opened up her gifts.  The CD slowly descends into mellower music (with exception for the last song).  I positioned the last song to be the "runway music" to easily find the song we were looking for.  You could bump a song like this to the top as well.


My Playlist
Abba - Take a Chance on Me
Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole lotta shaking going on
Going to the Chapel
We're having a party
Ain't too proud to beg
Uptight (everything's alright)
Mama loves mambo
Kool & the Gang - ladies night
Lollipop
Bangles - I want candy
Cindi Lauper - Girls just wanna have fun
Queen - Crazy little thing called love
You can't hurry love
Sugar, Sugar
Neil Young - Cherry, Cherry
Robert Palmer - Addicted to Love
Grease - You're the one that I want
Twisting the night away
Sam Cook - Cupid
Madonna - Crazy for you
Stop! in the name of love
Righteous Brothers - You've lost that loving feeling
Monkey's - Daydream believer
Right Said Fred - I'm too sexy (last song for runway show)



To finish off your wonderful playlist, you could make a copy for all the guests and give it as a favor or just take the 1 copy you made and give it to the Bride.  If you so choose to do either, it's nice to make your CD more presentable by decorating the Jewel Case, the CD label or both!

You can find a wonderful template here for the CD labels. It covers most any CD you may have on hand.

Win Free Bridesmaid Convertible dresses for your Wedding!

I found out today about this wonderful contest and it starts in a few minutes!

visit this link to become part of the contest!


If you don't have an account with ideeli, join today in order to register for this wonderful promotion!

Post-Wedding Brunch

See below for image sources

While we would have loved to have a post-wedding brunch at the same place we're having the Reception, unfortunately his brunch prices were crazy. He wanted $30 per person for eggs, pancakes and bagels. Pahh-leeze. What do you think this is? The The Bristol Lounge in Boston? At least they'll serve you a more upscale meal with things like crab cake benedict for the same price.

Since we had to rule out our reception location, I considered the elks club down the road. I'll have to price out rental for the morning. If it's all included with food, it might be worth it. If not, I might have to DIY breakfast which means a very limited menu to things that can be pre-prepared.

Image Sources from left to right:
fruit-and-veggie-table
Drink dispenser
cinnamon roll lollipops
Waffle bread pudding with strawberry sauce
yogurt granola fruit martini
Apple & Cinnamon Strata

DIY personalized tealight holders

Want to spruce up basic tealight holders or personalize them for your next event? Here's a quick little how-to video on just that.   This is also a very budget friendly project and something for beginning DIY crafters!

What you'll need:

• tealight holders
• ribbon
• glue dots, double sided tape or a glue gun
• buttons, jewelry findings or your monogram

Directions:

• Make sure your tealight holder is prepped and clean.
• Wrap your desired ribbon around the tealight and mark off the diameter.  Cut subsequent ribbons the same length.
• To attach either use glue dots or double sided tape.  For a permanent hold use super glue or a glue gun.
• You will have seams after wrapping the ribbon around.  To hide these either add some cute detail like buttons, jewelry findings or a paper monogram.  I printed a sheet of monograms I created and attached with double sided tape.

DIY Wine Bottle Labels - It's freebie time!

We just celebrated my friends Bridal Shower a couple of weeks ago.  I had several DIY projects going on including tissue paper flower balls, wine labels and a Best Wishes Display.

I created the above labels in Adobe Illustrator with the Date of the shower.  We gave away the wine bottles as gifts to guests that won the "toilet paper dress" game and the "guess how well the bride knows the groom" game.

I simply printed them out on plain letter paper and cut them out, peeled or soaked off the current label on the wine bottles and taped the labels onto the bottle with clear tape.

If you want the labels, I've created a .pdf that you can edit with your own name and date.  Please remember that this is free for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  Please do not resell or use this for commercial purposes. You can download the PDF here.