Butterfly Wing Necklaces Bridal Set by PoPkO

If you are having a spring or summer wedding and haven't decided on gifts for your bridesmaids and attendants, consider this gorgeous set of Real Butterfly Wing necklaces from PoPkO.

This set includes four necklaces made out of real monarch butterfly wings. According to the listing, the butterfly "has long been a symbol of transformation, growth and renewal, souls and spirits."

For vegetarians and vegans concerned with the wing use, these butterfly wings are donated by a local conservatory where butterflies live in a garden until they naturally pass away. This allows for a beautiful preservation of these whimsical creatures!

This bridal set of necklaces is $145. Necklaces retail at $40 each, so there is a discount for purchasing multiple necklaces. The necklaces and settings are sterling silver. These are perfect pieces for a summer or spring wedding, and will be sure to add a unique touch to your bridesmaids. You can even request different colors or types of butterflies to reflect your taste and color scheme. Quanity can also be adjusted.

These necklaces are certainly pieces to be loved and cherised for many years after the wedding has passed!

The Meaning of Flowers

When I started dating my now husband, he was very much interested in the meaning of flowers. For a person who loves symbolism and is planning on incorporating it into a wedding, the meaning of flowers is a personal and intimate way to add some subtle expression. Want to have a passionate inside joke between you and your significant other? The tulip is said to be the symbol of the perfect lover. For those wanting to skip the hooplah and get the job done, the spider flower signifies "elope with me."

Arbutus: Thee only do I love

Azaleas: Fragile and Ephemeral Passion

White Lilacs: My first dream of love

If you are superstitious, there are some flowers you will want to avoid. Not every flower has a pleasant meaning. Flowers like the yellow rose (albeit beautiful) symbolize infidelity and jealousy, and the Carolina rose means "love is dangerous." Other flowers, such as the marigold stand for grief, while the hellebore species stands for scandal. A wedding is a day where many cultures value tradition and superstition, so perhaps considering the meaning of flowers is for you!

Button Bouquets

The Princess Button Bouquet: $80 at Letters4Lilly

Button bouquets are certainly popular, and they are a fun alternative to flowers. They are beautiful, fun to make, and last a lifetime with a little bit of care. Plus, you can incorporate some family history into your button bouquet by using vintage buttons from family members - perhaps grandmother's wedding dress?

There are many tutorials out there for button bouquets, including:

Frugal Living Button Bouquets from about.com
Button Bouquet tutorial from Whimsy Love's blog
Small Button Bouquets from Bella Dia's blog - I love how small and cute these ones are! These would make cute favors and centerpieces.

Admittedly, the first time I saw a button bouquet I thought they were utterly ridiculous! I have clearly warmed up to the idea and would even like to create some of my own.

Be sure to visit Letters4Lilly, the shop mentioned above. It is full of beautiful button bouquets!

Beautiful Handmade Bags for all Budgets

When I got married, the last thing I wanted was a dull purse. I searched high and low for the right one, until I settled on a glittery, ruby slipper style clutch that was the perfect size to carry the items I needed. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of unique and beautiful bags out there to help you lug around the essentials. The bags below represent a variety of styles and price points! This Velvet Peony bag is stunning in scarlet layers of fabric leaves and accented by a rope handle. This purse is quite small, but should be able to hold some small essentials, like makeup and a trial sized deodorant. If you are having peonies as your wedding flower, this bag is a must! $80 at The Other Sister.

This Gothic Rose bag is perfect for a more casual wedding, and a low-maitenance style bride. There are actually 8 individual pockets in this purse. It is designed to travel, and makes a nice accessory for the honeymoon. $13 at Edie Castle.

The stunning color of this Pinch Puff purse is sure to cause talk in the crowd. This can actually be custom made to any color, and is an easy purse to work with in terms of holding your items, because of the wide lip. It is made of smooth satin and goes with nearly any evening style outfit. $55 at Pere Bags.

This Orange Fairy Purse can be customized in a variety of ways. I love the thought of this purse at a lush, garden party styled wedding. This actually comes as a package of three custom purses, enough for a bride and two bridesmaids. The listing has a very easy-to-follow guide on choosing custom wedding bags and how to go about the process, right down to what kind of greenery style you want for the bags. This incredible package is priced at $390 at Fairy Made.

Hanging Pom Kit by ekohdesign

Just when you think poms are leaving the design scene, they pop back up in a beautiful arrangement. I've been seeing these in wedding magazines more and more, especially in the summer months.

These sweet pom arrangements are from ekodesign on Etsy. This Hanging Pom Kit includes four medium poms and 3 large poms. For $29, your poms will arrive hand cut into a round or arrow tipped edge, and include directions for easy opening. Hanging materials are not included, but you can pick a maximum of seven different colors. This is a great option for creating a romantic wedding atmosphere. I love the thought of these at a summery, outdoor wedding reception, perhaps under a canopy!

Fun Favor: Cookie Boxes

photo credits: marthastewart.com

There are so many ways to present favors and sweet treats these days. From fancy, decorated cello bags to romantic boxes like the ones above, it is getting easier and easier to make your own bakery goods and present them nicely. For a bride who loves to bake, or at least one that wants to use an easy and inexpensive party favor, cookies are the way to go.

Supplies:

Enough boxes or bags to hold cookies for guests

Cookie ingredients (depends on guests) OR pre-made cookies, such as fortune cookies or bakery ordered

Ribbons, gift tags, and pens to embellish your bags and boxes

An army of people willing to bake, if going that route!

You can complete this project with any kind of cookie. Most people like chocolate chip, or maybe you can have a variety of cookies in each box, to include peanut butter and oatmeal cookies as well. If you have 20 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, your wedding might be the perfect occasion to use them! Plus, you will be supporting a good cause.

photo credits: weddingfavours.ca

Another great idea is to make your own fortune cookies and put them in appropriately colored take out boxes embellished with ribbons. There is a great tutorial for creating fortune cookies, but you can also buy boxes of pre-made cookies at the store.

Getting together with the bridal party is a great way to make the cookies and spend time with loved ones, or even just you and your future spouse could embark on this fun task together. Either way, your guests are sure to appreciate the hard work and yummy favor.

Snowflake Earrings

It has been quite some time since I posted any bridal pieces from my own shop, but I just listed these this morning! These Snowflake Earrings are beautiful and incredibly lightweight. Made from vintage lucite beads dating back to the 1950s, they are on the larger side, but really elegant. These would look incredible with an updo! The price is nice too: only $10 for one pair (more are available) at relishdress.

Simple and Sweet

Those who adore the simple and sweet will enjoy this post! These earrings are sweet little Swarovski pearl stud earrings on sterling posts. These come in 6, 8, 10 and 12mm sizes, so you can decide whether you would like big and bold or small and sweet! There's also a variety of colors to choose from. You can find these pearls and MORE classic wedding jewelry at kymjewelry. They also work with brides to customize jewelry for the bride and bridal party!