Fun Bridal Shower...Old Fashioned Quilting Bee!

Thinking bridal shower? Why not have fun and add to your wedding trousseau at the same time! Tie or quilt a blanket for your new home! First decide what size quilt you want to make. You have lots of options here so choose one of the following:

Buy a piece of fabric for the quilt top and bottom and make sure both are big enough for the size bed you want to use it on.
OR
Sew squares of fabric together to make a pieced quilt top and buy a solid or patterned piece of fabric for the bottom side of the quilt.
OR
Buy a two flat bed sheets and use it for a quilt top and quilt bottom.

You will also need a quilt bat to go between the top and bottom fabric layers of the quilt. Borrow some quilting frames, clamps, and tacks. If you don't know how to set up a quilt for your guests to tie or quilt at your shower, then visit your local fabric store and enlist their help or find an avid quilt maker in your area and ask them to help you. Don't be afraid to ask family members or friends to help you set up your quilt. If you prefer, your mom or grandmother would probably jump at the chance to set up a bridal shower like this.

Have the appropriate needles and yarn, embroidery thread, or ribbon for people to use to complete your quilt with.

Voila! You have an old fashioned quilting bee in the makings! This is a great time to relax and visit as you and your guests tie your quilt. (Tying a quilt is relatively easy and quicker than quilting but quilting is such a beautiful art!) You will make memories that last a lifetime! The edge will need to be finished later and you have many options there as well.

One more quick idea: get some fabric pens and have everyone sign the back of the quilt once it is finished. Don't forget the refreshments!

Visit my wedding shop and find beautiful and unique wedding bouquets, wedding garters,
bridal veils, etc... Happy Wedding!

Something Old and Something New

Many brides incorporate "Something old, something new
Something borrowed and something blue..."
into their weddings. If a bride does this, it symbolizes the hope for good luck and happiness in her marriage.

Something old might be an item handed down from a grandmother or mother to her daughter such as earrings, a necklace, or handkerchief. Or perhaps something vintage like a veil that would go with your wedding attire. Jackie Bouvier Kennedy wore her Grandmother's heirloom rose point veil draped from a tiara of orange blossoms when she married John F. Kennedy in 1953. It was gorgeous! You can find lots of pictures online well worth seeing its beauty!

Queen Elizabeth II carried a sprig of myrtle in her wedding bouquet cut from a bush growing at Osborne House, Queen Victoria's home on the Isle of Wight. Myrtle is an herb that signifies love and constancy.

(Use your imagination and you can think of a lot of things you could use at your wedding to represent the "something old".)

Something new could be a pair of shoes, a gift of jewelry, your bridal bouquet, whatever you consider as special for your wedding day. Princess Grace of Monoco carried a book to her wedding entitled, Bride's Manual by Rev, J.M. Lelens. It was a gift given her by a friend of her family.

Something borrowed shouldn't be too hard to come up with an idea for this. Lady Diana Spencer lovingly known as Princess Diana wore a borrowed Spencer family heirloom tiara on her royal wedding day. Legend says the tiara was traced back to Marie Antoinette.

Something blue is usually a wedding garter worn by the bride and has something blue on it. Blue is thought to be worn because of its meaning of love, modesty, and fidelity linked to the ancient Romans.

One more interesting tidbit of bridal lore, there is an old quaint custom of a bride putting a sixpence in her shoe to represent wealth and security. Nowadays, a dime or a copper penny is used in place of the sixpence. It is interesting to note that Princess Grace of Monaco wore a copper penny built into her specially designed wedding shoe (the right shoe) for good luck on her wedding day.

Planning Your Wedding Now!

There is one simple secret to making your wedding a royal one, less stressful, beautiful, and one that you will happily remember" foreverafter" as they say! Plan ahead! Even if you're not engaged or dating anyone special. Now is the time to plan.

"What", you say that's a novel idea! In high school, my Home Econmics teacher gave me the assignment to plan a wedding. I had to choose my wedding dress, bouquet, bridesmaid dresses, rings, wedding decor, etc...This came in handy when my husband and I had only three weeks to plan our wedding. He had to report to two a days football camp when he asked me to marry him.

Because of my school assignment, I knew the style of wedding dress I wanted. One day while shopping with my Mom I saw the dress of my dreams so to speak. She encouraged me to try it on. I ended up buying it. That was five years before I met my husband! It worked out great though because it was one less thing on my wedding list that I had to worry about!

Here is what you do! Make a Wedding Planner Scrapbook. Purchase a notebook. One with paper or put your own card stock in a binder.

Wedding Dress:

Start looking for wedding dress styles that you like. You can look through magazines, take pictures at wedding receptions you are invited to, or go and try some on at a local bridal shop. Ask before taking pictures as some shops won't allow it. You can also look for pictures online.

Once you find a style(s) you like, cut them out or put the photos you have taken in your scrapbook. Do the same for your wedding veil.

Wedding Colors:

What colors do you want your line to wear? How about your wedding decor? Put samples of the colors you think you would like to have at your wedding in your scrapbook.

Wedding Bouquets

Lots of options here! One thing to consider as you put samples in your scrapbook. Many years later I wish I had chosen a lasting bouquet. I went with fresh roses and although I had them preserved, my roses faded from the sun and got crushed and destroyed. If you want a lasting memento that you can use to decorate your new home with, go with silk. They are very real looking these days and the type of flowers and colors are endless!

Don't forget the rest of your wedding line! Find a few ideas for corsages, groom and best man boutineres, and parent wedding flowers.

Wedding Decor

Same idea here. As you attend wedding receptions, bridal showers, anniversary or birthday parties find inspiration for table decor, and other ideas for decorating. look through magazines, online resources, even your local garden nurseries, etc...to find ideas to create a beautiful wedding reception setting.

Bridesmaid and Flower Girl Attire

Get fabric samples in the colors that you would like to use. Also get photos or pictures of the style of dresses you want to use at your wedding. A great online resource for beautiful girls dresses (sizes baby to size 12) to coordinate with your wedding line is at www.Christmas Twigs.com.

Wedding Cake

What kind of a statement do you want to make with your cake? Will it have fresh or silk flowers cascading in a spiral design down your cake? Do you want an elegant or cute cake topper? Gather pictures of cake decor to get an idea of the special cake you want for your wedding day. Will you "Let them eat cake?" at your wedding or will it just be for display? A cake topper is something you can easily purchase now in planning ahead.

You can create whatever sections you want in your Wedding Planner Scrapbook including the food you would like to serve, napkin ideas, beverages, favors, etc... By planning ahead, you won't be disappointed in how your "royal wedding" day turns out! You will have the confidence to put your wedding together when the opportunity comes and be able to truly enjoy your day!

Welcome!

Hello & Welcome!

Here you will find helpful, charming, and inspiring ideas to make your wedding day all that you want it to be! Thanks for visiting!

Visit my etsy shop at http://theweddingcontessa.etsy.com/ to find beautiful wedding bouquets (with the look of real flowers but the lasting quality of silk.) I hand pick the flowers, ribbon, and such for each bouquet. Each is like a work of art and lovingly put together to achieve a unique and original look! Also find many other beautiful accessories for your wedding day!

I can customize items as well so e-mail me at theweddingcontessa@gmail.com Make your wedding dreams come true!