Sandwiches at Weddings

Having sandwiches at a wedding is not the norm for my culture. We’re a rice and coconut-milk-rich dishes kinda folk. Even our fellow countrymen of different races tend to pile on the rice rather than have sandwiches.

However, a few of my customers have requested sandwiches for their wedding and this has piqued the interest of my other clients. The prevalent question I’ve received lately is “How do I incorporate sandwiches in my wedding?”

Easy Peasy!

Firstly, the best way to serve them is in bite sizes and as Hors d’oeuvre. Hand them out during cocktail hour or while waiting for the event to start. For example, perhaps you could serve these to your guests while you get ready for your Nikah or between church and tea pouring ceremonies.

BLT Mini Sandwiches at a wedding via Style Me Pretty. Photo by Landon Jacob Productions.

Make sure you pick simple and light flavors as you wouldn’t want them to be too full for the main course.

Tomato finger sandwiches as appetizers via Style Me Pretty. Photo by Sean Money & Elizabeth Fay.

Next is to add them alongside the buffet table as a healthier or kid friendly option for your guests. Children prefer fuss free food that can be gobbled up quickly so that they can continue playing. Sandwiches, especially of the finger variety, would be ideal for them.

Sandwiches at the Buffet Table via Style Me Pretty. Photo by Ken Kienow.

Last but not least is to have them as main dish for your picnic/garden/park themed wedding. One of my favorite bloggers, Danni of Oh Hello Friend had her nuptials at a beautiful park where she and her husband had their first date. There were mats laid on the grass, vintage furniture arranged perfectly and the sun cast warm rays throughout the day. The guests were treated with individually wrapped sandwiches right before the ceremony.

Pictures via Oh Hello Friend Blog. Photos by Christian Cruz & Hope Feathers.

Something out of the box but very meaningful for the couple at the same time. Perhaps you could try it! A picnic reception is easy on the pocket and a great way to be closer to your guests.

Hope these three suggestions have given you inspiration to add sandwiches to your wedding.

Any other ways to incorporate sandwiches to a wedding?

Weather Watch Fashion: Capes & Ponchos

It’s raining heavily where I am right now so a healthy dose of Pinterest is due. :)

I came across a new fashion staple for the changing season: capes and ponchos. Perfect for those experiencing fall and for us experiencing torrential downpours that’s a welcome relief from the usual hot balmy weather.

To be honest, at first I couldn’t figure out the difference between the two as both styles were labeled similarly on online catalogs. So, I decided to rummage through my brain back to my elementary school days and I happened to recall that:

Cape: a piece of cloth that’s longer in the back and can be tied or fastened at the neck.

Source: reasonstobreathe.tumblr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

-Classy right? When I’m a yummy mummy I’d wear this. It’s from Lanvin.-

Poncho: a piece of cloth that’s Mexican in history, has a hole in the middle to slip your head through and when worn, has the triangle side in front and at the back.

Isle of Sky Poncho by Wooden Ships via Free People

-Oh SOOOO comfy!-

Yes. I did learn all this in elementary school. Okay maybe it was with the help of Wikipedia. :B

Capes and ponchos serve the purpose of keeping us warm without sacrificing style at the same time. In fact, brides who want a little cover up while being able to show off their stunning dress can opt for a beautiful lacy number, like these ones from The Knot:

 Bridal capes via The Knot

And look! Kim K is looking absolutely hot in hers!

Kim Kardashian via Outfit Identifier

Lastly, the one other thing I like about capes and ponchos is how versatile they can be across the whole year. It just depends on the material they’re made out of. Heavy wool for winter, lighter knits for fall and chiffon or silk for spring and summer. Just like this one:

Source: madamederosa.com via Rocio on Pinterest

-Just GORGEOUS. Perfect to wear over a bikini at the beach.-

Have I converted you yet? Jumping on the bandwagon already? I have. In fact, I have a poncho of my own lying in the pile of clothes I call my closet. I’ll definitely have to pull it out this rainy season. Perhaps I’ll scour the internet for a cape of my own soon too. ;)

Which do you prefer, the cape or the poncho?

Thin Rings

If you’ve ever seen me in real life, you would know I’m pretty small. Petite as they call it. My wrists and fingers are teeny which unfortunately means that I can’t parade them in chunky rings or men style watches. I seriously have a fetish for huge watches like the ones from Nixon but my arms would drown in them. Likewise with chunky rings, my fingers look half their length.

Which is why, I tend to gravitate towards slim rings. I know not many women covet this style as they look somewhat *ahem* inexpensive compared to the standard engagement or wedding bands. Nonetheless, this just means I get to break free from the norm. :D

I fell in love with this one by catbird:

Simple and elegant. It’s in rose gold which makes it even sweeter. Yellow gold reminds me of haughty ladies while white gold tends to be too polished for me.

For a little punch of color, these babies from Tulajewelry would be just perfect:

She uses different types of gold as well as gems. Her diamonds are even conflict free, a criterion I look for in jewels.

These on the other hand, aren’t your standard polished or glamorous rings but they snagged my heart nonetheless. Check out these Hammered Bands by 8CTO:

I think these are my favorite. They come in Copper, Silver, Antique Brass or Gold finish and are stackable. I love how ‘unfinished’ they look. It gives a raw, ancient Greek kind of vibe. As if Hephaestus himself crafted these beauties.

Now…all I need now is to hint to a certain someone about these rings. :D Post Valentine’s gift, yes?

Well actually, I already have one with me that holds such special meaning  hiding in its jewel claws. That’s what’s important to me about rings and jewelry. The story behind each one. Not the price, not the trend but the immense emotional value they hold.

Hope you lovely ladies find your own special piece one day. :)

*all photos are by their respective crafters*

Wedding Cake Toppers

The cake is usually the highlight of most weddings as there are slots dedicated to cutting it in some cultures and customs. I personally think, cakes are never complete unless they’re topped with something that symbolises the couple tying the knot. Some couples may opt for topper free cakes with other beautiful embellishments (and this is absolutely fine too) but I for one think weddings that are more attractive and special are the ones with customised cake toppers.

For example, Exhibit A:

Image of Sarah & Kyle’s Wedding by Jagger Photography found on Green Wedding Shoes.

I absolutely adore wooden toppers and miniature buntings. It’s also so cute how the cake toppers resemble the actual  bride and groom. Those outfits on the dolls are exactly what the newlyweds wore! There are tons of talented artists who can make these customised wooden toppers for you like this one on etsy:

Wedding Cake Toppers at MilkTea by bthanari

But what if you’re having a cupcake tower instead of a cake? Surely you couldn’t fit that onto one cupcake? Fret not, then you can fit it onto TWO cupcakes! Exhibit B:

Bride and Groom Cupcake Toppers at Amber and James’ wedding shot by Feather Love Photography.

Now if you’re feeling a little creative and you want to have a hands on approach to your wedding, the easiest way to start (as opposed to making favours for 200 guests), would be to paint your own toppers. Etsy seller Goose Grease provides custom kits that allows bride-to-bes to unleash their inner artist.

I was contemplating on buying one of these kits and making my own but then I thought of having a totally different kind of cake topper. I’ll fill you in on that next time. Till then, enjoy your weekend!

Personalised Maps

Image from Once Wed.

I fell in love with this personalised map of a wedding. No more misprints or rectangles vaguely resembling buildings to direct your guests to your wedding venue. The colours are nostalgically reminiscent of school days and this adds to the homemade appeal.

To those who are elvish inclined:

Image from: The Offbeat Bride

A little hand-drawn gem inspired from Mr. Tolkien himself.

Not into Middle Earth? How about a trip around the Seven Seas with yer hearties. Who’s with me say Aye!

Image also from The Offbeat Bride.

If you be wanting to have a grog fest with plenty of rum and swaggering pirates and wenches, make sure your mateys know which ship to plunder with these treasure worthy maps.

If I received any of these, I’d go to the event just to find my way there and to put these beauties to the test. :)

Snazzy Decoder STDs

Remember I wrote about the kick-ass STDs awhile back? Well, here’s another Save the Date reminder that breaks the mould of pretty calligraphy and floral motifs.

photo from Kellan Studios

Pretty cool isn’t it? Reminds me of my childhood where I would dig into the cereal box to get my awesome glasses just to solve the puzzles on the back of the box while I finish my breakfast. What I’m imagining now is getting some invites that would utilise those 3-D glasses. Wow, that would certainly be in lieu of all the latest blockbuster movies.

Jeweled Brooch Bouquets

Tired of the same predictable bridal bouquets filled with roses and Hydrangea? Want something that would last forever instead of a few days? Allergic to real flowers but want something classy to dazzle your guests?

Here’s the answer for you:

photos by Alice Hu via Memoirs of a Wedding Planner.

These bejeweled beauties are handcrafted by Amanda Heer of Fantasy Floral Design. Each bouquet is carefully made according to the bride’s preference and they can even opt to pick each piece of jewellery themselves. Some may even choose to insert their own heirlooms to bring a personal and nostalgic touch to their bouquets. Amanda predominantly provides fresh floral bouquets for special occasions. Her work with flowers are just as exquisite as they are with brooches, so go ahead, take a peek. :)

Another place you could secure such elegant floral pieces would be Noaki Jewellery.

image from Noaki Jewellery.

Much like Fantasy Floral Design, Noaki is able to create custom bouquets according to specific requirements from brides. Family heirlooms, foraged treasure, you name it. She also makes gorgeous earrings and necklaces to complement your bouquet. Head on over to her site for more lovely treats!

It would be great and probably more eco-friendly to have brooch bouquets rather than fresh flowers. The fact that you could personalise it with your own jewellery makes it even more special and a nostalgic reminder of the past. I’d definitely consider this as an option for my wedding, not just for the classy factor but also to ensure I can retain something from my special day forever.

An Awesome STD Video!

For those of you who think STDs mean something oozing from your privates, I’d have to dispel that notion by saying it also means Save The Dates. That would be referring to weddings of course.

Usually, couples would send out STD cards about a year or so before their wedding. It’s just a reminder to well, save the date. It’s not really considered a proper invitation. Those will be sent out a few months prior to the actual wedding. That given, I probably would not be spending money on STDs. Unless of course, they’re kickass like THIS:

Now how awesome is that? It’s like an action romance comedy. Love the whole concept of it and I’m pretty sure all their guests would be looking forward to the actual event. Hell, I’m not invited and I’M excited for them!

Congratulations to Jeff and Erin!

[via Offbeat Bride]