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Monday, January 27, 2014

For the Crafty Bride - Make your own brooch bouquet!

What do you think of the Brooch Bouquet? In the south, Miranda Lambert is generally credited with started this craze, at least publicly, but what do you think about the brooch bouquet for your wedding? The destination beach wedding is a little less traditional, would you want a bridal bouquet to be less traditional also? Here's an article from WikiHow.com that we ran across that tells you how to make your own brooch bouquet for your wedding!

Here's a photo of Miranda borrowed from Etsy.

and here's a photo Staci's brooch bouquet (our photo)!

How to Make a Brooch Bouquet

Edited by Laura, Adelaide, Connor, Mmishima and 1 other

Make a lasting bouquet that does not require water. You can make and use jewelry flowers, book page flowers or fabric flowers for an unconventional and elegant look. A brooch bouquet is a stylish choice for a wedding bouquet or a flower vase. Learn how to make a brooch bouquet.

tPart 1 of 4: Shop for Brooches

1
Ask your family if you can use brooches that have been inherited from grandmothers, aunts, sisters and cousins. Using some brooches from the family will personalize the project and make it a keepsake.
- If your family members want the brooches back, you can choose to deconstruct the bouquet at a later date.
2
Find low cost brooches at craft stores, like Michael's, JoAnn's or box stores like Target and Walmart.
- Give yourself at least a few months to look for brooches. You can return to the clearance section of these stores and buy recently reduced merchandise to save money.
3
Buy collector's items on Etsy, eBay or Amazon. If you have a special style of brooch, such as enamel, rhinestone or precious stone that you want to feature in your bouquet, it will take a little longer to collect enough brooches.
4
Add clip-on earrings, necklace pendants and hair accessories to your collection of brooches. These items look very similar to brooches when placed in a bouquet.
5
Collect 50 to 80 brooches in total. The number you need will depend upon the diameter of the brooches and the size of the bouquet.

EditPart 2 of 4: Buy Floral Supplies

1
Visit your local craft store and buy several things that you would use to make a fresh flower bouquet.
- Buy long, green floral wire. These will become your brooch stems. Make sure you have enough for each brooch and 2 for larger brooches.
- Find green floral wire. This is used to wrap the wire together.
- Buy a large silk flower, such as a hydrangea, in the color of your choice. Inserting your brooches into the flower will help to fill out the empty space and protect your brooches from rubbing against each other. You can also choose a dozen flowers or several different types of silk flowers to intersperse among the brooches.
- Buy ribbon. You will want to wrap the bouquet stems with ribbon to create an attractive and elegant holder.
- Buy some needle-nosed pliers, wire clippers and a hot glue gun (with glue sticks), if you do not have these things already.
2
Set up a work station at home. Plug in your glue gun and gather all your supplies.
- The glue gun is essential for brooches that break during the bouquet-making process. Low-cost brooches frequently break or lose stones. Glue the pieces on immediately so that you can still use them.

EditPart 3 of 4: Make Brooch Stems

1
Take a brooch. Close the clasp and secure it with a hot glue gun if necessary.
- Decide if your brooch will be secure if you wire it through the clasp. Some brooches break or have unsteady clasps. In this case, try to wrap the wire around the front of the clasp itself, between petals or stones.
2
Thread the green floral wire through the clasp or around the front of the brooch.
3
Pull it through so that the middle of the wire is wrapped around the brooch and the 2 ends are even at the bottom.
- Use your needle-nosed pliers to wrap wire around delicate brooches. Bend the wire at the top with the pliers, so that it is securely attached to the clasp.
4
Start twisting the 2 wires around each other approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) below the point where the wire and brooch are attached.
5
Wrap floral tape around the twisted wire. Floral tape can be flimsy, so make sure it overlaps as you curl it around the wire.
- Press the ends of the floral tape securely so that it sticks well.
6
Repeat the process with each of your brooches. Create a pile of brooch stems, until you feel you have enough to start making the bouquet.
- Making brooch stems can be a time-consuming process. You may need to make 50 to 80 stems in several sessions.

EditPart 4 of 4: Arrange your Bouquet

1
Choose your bouquet base. You can buy a bouquet holder or foam block to make a wider base with which to hold your bouquet.
- In place of a bouquet base, find a foam noodle bath toy and cut it to the length of your base or vase height. The open center allows you to place the brooch stems inside.
- You do not need to use a bouquet holder. You can add sticks or silk flower stems to make a wider vase. Place them together and wrap them with tape to secure a wider base.
2
Take your large hydrangea stem. Insert your brooch stems into the spaces between the flower petals.
- Make sure to alter the color and size of the brooches that are next to each other.
3
Place other silk flowers amongst the brooch stems, if desired. Gather your brooch stems until you have a full bouquet shape.
4
Wrap the stems with several layers of masking tape, once you have your desired arrangement.
- Clip the wire stems with the wire cutters, if they are too long.
5
Stick the gathered stems into your bouquet holder or foam noodle, if you are using these items.
6
Glue 1 end of the ribbon to the very top of your stem bunch, bouquet holder or foam noodle. Use a hot glue gun. Allow the glue to dry well before you begin wrapping the ribbon.
7
Wrap the ribbon in a circular motion around the bouquet.
- When you get to the bottom, you can wrap the bottom with ribbon vertically and rewrap it horizontally or you can leave the stems showing for 1/2 inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5cm)
8
Place a strip of super glue at the end of your ribbon. Tuck the end of the ribbon inside the other bands of ribbon at the top.
9
Embellish as desired. You can wrap the base with a necklace or sew on pearls.

Ken and Heather Delo

Sunset Beach Weddings

(850) 366-8054

Like us on Facebook for more photos: www.facebook.com/sunsetbeachwed

Twitter: @sunsetbeachwed

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Have you considered Wedding Insurance for your Destination Wedding in Florida?

We get asked the question about wedding insurance from time to time and never quite know what to recommend. Of course, having a safety net always makes you feel better about the unknown, but is the cost of wedding insurance worth it? Here's an article that Yahoo.com posted this week about this very topic and some alternative ideas for getting wedding insurance.

Wedding insurance expands as nuptials get pricier

Planning a wedding? Insurance firms sell policies covering weather, illness, change of heart

By Michael Melia, Associated PressJanuary 20, 2014 5:11 PM

Wedding insurance expands as nuptials get pricier

This Oct. 12, 2013 photo provided by Julia Bailey shows Shannon and Justin Peach, riding in a carriage after their wedding in New Orleans. Shannon's mom, Cheryl Winter, spent $500 for Hartford-based Travelers Insurance to cover her daughter's destination wedding, where her biggest concern was a potential hurricane. The weather cooperated, but after the limousine failed to show they used the insurance policy to claim the deposit money they could not get back from the limo driver. (AP Photo/Julia Bailey

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Worried about the groom getting cold feet? There's an insurance policy for that.

With the cost of the average American wedding reaching about $26,000, insurers have been selling a growing number of policies to protect against losses from extreme weather, illness and, in one firm's case, even a sudden change of heart.

Cheryl Winter spent $500 for Hartford-based Travelers Cos. Inc. to cover her daughter's $50,000 destination wedding last October in New Orleans, where her biggest concern was a potential hurricane. The weather cooperated, but the limousine never showed up. Her daughter took a taxi cab to the church, and they used the insurance policy to claim the deposit money they couldn't get back from the limo driver.

"No one wants to be walking in the French Quarter in a long gown and high heels," said Winter, who lives in the Houston area.

The insurance is offered by a small number of U.S. companies. Insurers declined to provide data on the number of customers beyond saying they are growing steadily. It can cover losses from issues ranging from bankrupt wedding halls to cancelations forced by unexpected military deployments. Travelers says issues with vendors account for about a quarter of the claims, with most of those related to issues with photographers or videographers.

For Travelers, an insurance giant with annual revenue of $26 billion, the policies will not make or break the bottom line. But the wedding insurance it began selling in 2007 is also a way to connect with a couple who might later think of the company for home insurance and other life milestones.

"It could be the beginning of a relationship with a young couple," said Ed Charlebois, a Travelers vice president for personal insurance.

Wedsafe, backed by Aon, also offers wedding insurance, which differs little from the specialty insurance that firms may offer for other kinds of events and celebrations.

For parents concerned about a relationship souring before the exchange of vows, Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. offers change of heart insurance. It's been available since 2007, but the program administrator said the fraud rate soared in the early years as policies were bought for couples who were known to be fighting. That coverage now applies only if the bride or groom calls off the wedding more than nine months beforehand.

"Coverage does not exist once you hit the altar," said administrator Rob Nuccio of R.V. Nuccio & Associates. "The only ones who were buying it were the ones who knew they would have a claim."

Kyle Brown, director of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Bridal Association of America, said he recommends wedding insurance, but he estimates policies are taken out for less than half of 1 percent of the more than 2 million weddings held annually in the U.S.

"Nobody likes to think about the bad side," he said.

Winter said some people told her insurance would be a waste of money for her daughter's wedding, but she read various reviews and decided it was worth protecting the investment. She's planning to buy a policy for another daughter's wedding in 2015.

Ken and Heather Delo

Sunset Beach Weddings

(850) 366-8054

Like us on Facebook for more photos: www.facebook.com/sunsetbeachwed

Twitter: @sunsetbeachwed

Monday, January 13, 2014

A Fun Idea for your Florida Beach Wedding Reception!

The great thing about a destination beach wedding is that you don't have to do things quite so traditionally as you would back home. This of course goes for your reception as well! One idea that we've seen alot of lately is the beach bonfire. Walton County, the next county East of Destin, allows beach bonfires with a permit. The permit is easy to get and only costs $50.

There are some regulations and weather to consider of course. You can pair a bonfire with a catered dinner, shrimp or crawfish boil, cookout, fish fry, you name it! Many of the caterers we recommend will be able to cater to the beach and some of them will handle the entire event, including the fire!

Talk to us about this when you call, but here's an article that 30a.com posted about beach bonfires: http://30a.com/walton-county-beach-fire-permits/

Ken and Heather Delo

Sunset Beach Weddings

(850) 366-8054

Like us on Facebook for more photos: www.facebook.com/sunsetbeachwed

Twitter: @sunsetbeachwed

Friday, January 10, 2014

9 New Wedding Trends for 2014! Your Florida Beach Wedding!

Elise Sole of Yahoo Shine! writes this article on new trends for '14 - I'm sure some of these beach wedding dresses will be seen at beach destination weddings in Florida this year!

Weddings in 2014: Crop-Top Dresses, Instagram Bans, and Parties That Never End

By Elise Solé, Shine Staff | Love + Sex – 17 hours ago

The KnotFuture brides, take note! This year, weddings are getting a major upgrade and everything from dresses to dance floor playlists to photo booths is fair game. According to a new survey published by the wedding planning website The Knot, 9 new trends are on the horizon for 2014. Check them out.

The '90s are baaaack: No, weddings won't resemble a night at "The Peach Pit After Dark," but the 1990s are making a comeback — En Vogue songs on the dance floor, hired break dancing troupes, temporary grunge tattoos as party favors. And this fashion surprise: "Two-piece crop-top wedding gowns will be big," Anja Winikka, site director of theknot.com, tells Yahoo Shine. "Showing a peek of skin can be chic, as long as you have a short torso." Or, opt for a gown with cutout or sheer panels.

Woodland weddings: Never heard of a "Woodland wedding?" Google "Sean Parker" and you'll get the idea. When the Facebook former president got married in June, he threw a multi-million dollar"Lord of the Rings" themed wedding ceremony in Big Sur, Calif., complete with custom-made bridges, an artificial pond, a ruined stone castle, and live bunnies. "Obviously, the average couple won't go so lavish, however, this wedding absolutely kicked off the nature bridal trend," says Winikka. "This year, we'll continue to see dreamy, ethereal, and mystical ceremonies with lots of lush greenery, lace, and floral. " How to exude a fairytale vibe without inflating your budget: Wrap votive candles in birchwood bark, stamp programs and escort cards with woodland animal prints, or use faux-fur table runners (long, thin placemats that run the length of the table) to add texture to your dining room.

Social media bans: "There's been a backlash lately over people overdoing social media at weddings," says Winikka. "Many brides have reported feeling disappointed to look out into a sea of guests who all had their heads down, tweeting and Instagramming." Many couples also want to monitor which photos get posted (no unflattering shots, please!) and post their own favorites later. "There's also this feeling of, 'Hey, we hired a photographer. Relax and enjoy our wedding,'" says Winikka. Some tips for keeping your day insular: "Don't ask the doorman to have people turn off their phones at the door or include a note on your invitations — that might seem aggressive," says Winikka. "It's better to post a polite message on your wedding website or the ceremony programs because that's when people are most likely to reach for their phones."

More on Yahoo Shine: Is This the Perfect Wedding Dress?

Super-charged weddings: "For every couple that wants their privacy, there's another that's itching to broadcast their day," says Winikka. "We call these 'Super charged weddings' because the day is designed to be sharable." To that end, some couples will include a hashtag on their invitations for guests to use when uploading photos (i.e.: #MikeandMelissaWedding") or install cell phone charging stations at tables or behind the bar. "We're also going to see a lot more live-streamed weddings so loved ones abroad can tune in and Tweet buttons installed in photo booths," says Winikka.

The never-ending nuptials: The popularity of destination weddings has given way to the notion of the 24/7 events. "We're going to see more action-packed long wedding weekends," says Winikka. "It makes sense — if guests flew in, you'll want to keep them entertained for as long as possible, be it with a party that ends at 6:00 a.m. or non-stop activities." Give your guests an out, so they don't feel obligated to participate in every organized hike and brunch. "This is important for older folks who may not have the energy to keep up," says Winikka. "You may also want to group all the traditional elements of the ceremony together so no one feels like they're missing out, if they skip an extracurricular activity." And don't forget to arrange for transportation.

More on Yahoo: K im Kardashian, Kanye West Planning Wedding at Palace of Versailles

Blingy necklines: Although jewelry will never go out of style, this year is all about the jeweled neckline. "This type of neckline can replace a necklace altogether," says Winikka. "For brides that want a simple dress but don't want to be boring, a beaded or rhinestone neckline makes your look more eye-catching." One tip: Wearing an up-do or your hair pulled back will accentuate the glitter.

Hello, bright colors! "For the past few years, we've seen a rise in muted tones like ivory, blushes, and gold," says Winikka. "The look was very 'Gone With the Wind.'" Now, color is back in a big way, with inspiration boards boasting bold pops of fuchsia, saturated tangerine, and deep indigo. The key to pulling off color is to avoid going overboard. "Don't pick the entire rainbow," she says. "Choose one muted tone and pair it with one bright color as an accent." Example: Gold and poppy red. And be selective about where you use it: Brighten your tables with Kelly-green napkins or border your invites in cobalt blue.

Explosive flowers: "Flowers are wedding staples, but this year, they're getting bigger and more elaborate," says Winikka. "Think overflowing, cascading arrangements that spill over onto the dance floor and ceremony arches or bouquets with long trains." Florists are increasingly being tasked with serving up wild and unpolished arrangements, even instructed to build flower walls. "A good place to feature flowers is right at the entrance," says Winikka. "People are expecting to be impressed when they walk in and have a tendency to survey their surroundings more in the beginning of the evening."

Dramatic photo booths: Long gone are the days when two people crammed into a booth, made funny faces, and received a simple black-and-white strip of images. This year is all about the slow-mo photo booth. "Guests will start entering booths with videographers inside who will direct their photo sessions," says Winikka. "They'll be handed props like hula-hoops or confetti and be asked to perform for the camera." The session will be edited into a slow-mo mini-movie trailer and projected onto the dance floor. Fun!

Ken and Heather Delo

Sunset Beach Weddings

(850) 366-8054

Like us on Facebook for more photos: www.facebook.com/sunsetbeachwed

Twitter: @sunsetbeachwed

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Monday, January 6, 2014

Google+ Year In Review Video

We just learned about Google+'s cool new feature. On New Year's Day we received an email with a compilation of all our photo posts put automatically into a video slideshow, with music! Go check out our quick "year in review" video here:

Also watch for our yearly photo "Winter Features" coming soon!

Ken and Heather Delo

Sunset Beach Weddings

(850) 366-8054

Like us on Facebook for more photos: www.facebook.com/sunsetbeachwed

Twitter: @sunsetbeachwed