Friday Favorites

It's the most festive time of the year and we've filled this week's Friday Favorites with all kinds of things to keep you feeling festive!

A delightfully simple (and delicious) Christmas Menu. (blog.relayfoods.com)

Mini bottles of champagne as gifts for your guests. (weddingwire.com)

Gypsy picnic. (sincerelyjani.tumblr.com)

Monogrammed ornaments. (anthropologie.com)

Work out tanks for your New Years resolutions. (etsy.com)

Happy Friday!

xoxo

Cookie Exchange: Wedding Cookies

Get ready for your Holiday Cookie Exchanges and make these Wedding Cookies during your annual Christmas Cookie bake off. Original recipe featured on Saveur.

Ingredients:
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp., plus 1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:
Heat oven to 275 degrees. Whip butter and 6 tbsp. sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Slowly add flour and beat until combined. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway until cookies are set 25-30 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack. Let cool. Place remaining 1 cup sugar in a shallow dish; roll cookies in sugar until completely coated.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful... With the holiday season in full swing, many people are beginning to anticipate the thought of fluffy, white snow. Nothing looks quite as festive as a fresh blanket of snow and nothing can make you feel quite as cozy while you're looking out through your window. We've gathered photos of weddings that have done a wonderful job of capturing all those warm and fuzzy feelings that the first snow fall of the year tends to bring out in us all. For more, visit our Holiday Wedding board on Pinterest.

xoxo

Holiday Themed Wedding Decor

We're really starting to feel festive here at Happily Ever Afterwords! We took a break from trimming the tree to put together this photo montage of Holiday Wedding details to get you in the spirit, too! Visit  us on Pinterest to see more!

Ho ho ho and xoxoxo

Thanksgiving Weekend Weddings

A Thanksgiving Weekend wedding isn't as uncommon as you might believe. Having your wedding over the Holiday weekend provides many perks such as cheaper rates and the ability to easily assemble your family together. Traveling may be easier on your guests as well since many of them already have at least a 4 day weekend and won't have to take additional time off work.

There are two very important factors to keep in mind, however, when planning a Thanksgiving weekend wedding. Make sure to send save the dates out the moment the wedding venue is booked to give your guests a heads up about your holiday weekend wedding so that they are able to plan accordingly. Also, if you choose to get married on Thanksgiving, by all means have the obligatory Turkey Dinner. If you're planning your nuptials for the weekend after, be creative with your menu. People are sick of turkey. As long as you keep these two tips in mind, Thanksgiving may be the perfect time for you to get married.

Wising you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

xoxo

Friday Favorites - Black Friday Edition

We've got turkey on the mind over here at Happily Ever AfterWords and for this week's Friday Favorites, we're going to give you a list of Black Friday must haves.

Stock up on beanies. (urbanoutfitters.com)

Over-the-knee socks are big again this year. (nordstrom.com)

Keep warm with a chunky knit scarf. (downeastbasics.com)

Knuckle Rings. (zady.com)

A pair of leather pants. (madisonlosangelos.com)

See you out shopping.

xoxo

Fenton's Anniversary Box Story

I've given Anniversary Boxes as wedding or shower gifts for a number of weddings, but it was the most recent one where I had the ability to really incorporate the Anniversary Box into the rehearsal dinner and wedding. I was the Mistress of Ceremonies, meaning I didn't have all the responsibilities of a bridesmaid, but still attended the rehearsal dinner and made sure things ran on a certain schedule. I was able to announce the Anniversary Box at the rehearsal dinner and set it out so that the guests were able to fill them out and in between making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be at the wedding, I was able to hand out cards to other guests as well. The reaction that I got was amazing, people were continuously touched by the idea of the Anniversary Box and one of my friends that was a guest at the wedding even asked if I would do one for her wedding, whenever that may be. The bride and groom were both touched with the idea of a gift that would present something new on every Anniversary as well. The feeling of giving something that would become a tradition in their life together is also an added bonus. I've added some pictures from the event below!

Letters ready to be put back in the box.

Me with the lovely bride and groom!

Guests at the rehearsal dinner writing letters.

The first letter to be returned to the box.

Cards and envelopes waiting to be filled out.

Visit www.happilyeverafterwords.com and begin your own Anniversary Box story!

Friday Favorites

Happily start your weekend with this week's Friday Favorites!

Friendsgiving. (thesweetestoccasion.com)

Subscription Boxes. (emmalinebride.com)

DIY Handwarmers. (armommy.com)

Fluffy Wedding Gowns. (ruffledblog.com)

Salted Honey Rice Krispie Treats. (raspberriecupcakes.com)

Happy Friday!

xoxo

Top 5 Wedding Venues

Couples are beginning to move away from traditional hotel ballrooms and banquet halls as their wedding venues and are navigating towards more airy and open spaces. Outdoor weddings have been huge and couples have found a multitude of different scenes to set the right mood. Below are some of the most popular from the past year.

Beach

The Beach has always been a favorite venue for weddings. Something about the tranquility of the sea continues to draw people back.

Barns

The rustic beauty of a barn wedding has been extremely popular throughout the past year. 

Museums

While making a museum your venue may not lead you outside (although it could, some of them have amazing gardens), having notable art or historic artifacts in the background are details that would otherwise be impossible.

Vineyards 

Not to mention you'll be able to serve wine that came straight from the property. Talk about farm-to-table.

Gardens

Gardens always have been and always will be enchanting.

What are your favorite wedding venues? Let us know in the comment section below!

Eloping vs. A Traditional Ceremony

Time and money are two things that seem to run in short supply in our current day and age and planning a wedding can require a copious amount of both. For this reason, many couples are choosing elopement as a viable alternative to a traditional wedding ceremony. Alex Williams’ article in the New York Times states that “Eloping Does Not Mean What It Once Did” and argues how eloping is no longer reserved for the black sheep in the family lacking in family approval, but can now serve as a way to cut down on costs and time and become a moment purely for the marrying lovers to bask in instead of an elaborate show for their guests.  

While it may be wildly exciting and romantic to feel like you’re running away with your betrothed only to return with wedding bands, many people can’t escape the idea of a traditional ceremony for the lack of having their family and friends present—not because they want to put on a show, but because they want those that they are close with to be able to experience the moment along with them. Because of this, it isn’t uncommon for a couple that has eloped to have a delayed reception to announce their marriage to their loved ones. 

However, if spending the moment with only your beloved is truly what you seek, the Anniversary Box can help to share the moment with everyone that you care about without actually being in the presence of others as well as help you to relive that special moment for many years to come. By sending the cards from the Anniversary Box and a self addressed envelope along with your marriage announcements, those that you care about are able to express their feelings of joy to you and you’ll have the pleasure of reliving them year after year on your anniversary.

Friday Favorites

Kick your weekend off with this week's Friday Favorites!

Frye Deborah Studded Boot. (nordstrom.com)

Glam Barn Wedding. (southernweddings.com)

Fern Background. (designlovefest.com)

Champagne Tower. (stylemepretty.com)

Forest Wedding Sign. (storybookhearts.com)

Happy Friday!

xoxo

Autumn Inspired Engagement Rings

There's something incredibly romantic about the fall. The crispness in the air makes you want to cozy up with a loved one by a crackling fire or bundle up and sip spiced hot cider while holding hands on a colorful afternoon walk. An autumn proposal is as magical as they come. What if your engagement ring could reflect that?

Thanks to Brilliant Earth and the release of their new Wisteria Collection, it can.

Brilliant Earth was founded by Beth Gerstein and Eric Grassberg who met at Stanford University in 2005. Prior to becoming engaged to her finance, Alex, Beth had a difficult time finding a conflict free engagement ring that lined up with her values. Through his research at Stanford, Eric found that responsibly sourced jewelry could be an extremely effective tool for social change in developing countries. The two teamed up and Brilliant Earth was born.

The pieces in the Wisteria Collection are inspired by Autumn's rustic, natural beauty. They reflect the romance of falling leaves and the graceful curves of bare autumn branches while adding a dazzling light with their purely sourced diamonds.

Our favorite ring from The Wisteria Collection, the Terra Ring

Brilliant Earth is committed to ethical sourcing, quality, service, and community. They hold their diamonds to high standards, extend excellent customer service, and donate 5% of their profit to communities affected by issues harmed by the jewelry industry, all while working in partnership with advocacy groups to promote awareness of concerns with issues including the environment and labor and mining laws.

Be one of the first to see Brilliant Earth's beautiful Wisteria Collection by clicking here.