Happy Earth Week!

April 22nd is Earth Day so here at Bridal Bubbly we're going to be celebrating all week long! We love eco-friendly wedding ideas so all week we'll be highlighting our favorite green wedding finds.

One of the age-old wedding questions is what to throw as you're leaving the ceremony or reception. Most places don't allow rice or confetti and lots of historic sites around here have nixed sparklers so that leaves you with not much (especially if you don't like the idea of bubbles). And if you're trying to limit your waste (you hate the idea of plastic bubble containers getting tossed into a landfill), things get really tough.



We were in one such predicament with an upcoming wedding until we discovered eco-friendly confetti that is biodegradable and dissolves upon contact with water plus paper cones made out of seed paper that can be planted after the wedding!

We love this eco-friendly (and lovely) idea! Not only can your guests shower you with confetti (great for photos) but they can then take the cones home and plant them in their garden. Love it!

Old Friend, New Venue

Wednesday afternoon, Laura, Amy and I had the pleasure of visiting our fantastic friend Michael Deltette at his new home away from home, the contemporary, sophisticated Park Hyatt. After just over a week on property as Director of Catering, Michael seemed comfortable and excited as he showed us some of the hotel's little know spaces, including a mezzanine level PERFECT for a fun family style rehearsal dinner, and told us about the exciting renovations and upgrades coming to the hotel in 2011.



We had a fantastic lunch at the Blue Duck Tavern where renowned chef Brian McBride concentrates on farm to table service. Everything is organic and one of Laura's favorite features of the menu is that it tells you where in the country everything you will order has come from. It's amazing to think the same preparation we had for our lunch for 4 is what each and every meal produced for an event guest has. Brian personally takes care of every detail in the kitchen.


One of the bonuses of using the Park Hyatt's ballroom space is that the whole floor is yours for the evening. No competing with other receptions going on in the hotel or other rowdy party guests. (Just your own!)


So, if you're around the West End part of town, stop in to the Park Hyatt, check out the stylish reception space, stop into the Blue Duck Tavern for the apple pie and home made ice cream--my favorite!-- and say hello Michael!


Sara

Fluffy Thoughts {Grand Opening!}

Last night, we were lucky enough to join Lara Stuckey of Fluffy Thoughts for the grand opening of her new store in McLean, Virginia. Her new shop is so chic and stylish and is chock full of amazing things to eat. We got to see her sister, the fabulous Carine of Carine's Bridal Atelier, and lots of other wedding industry friends so it was a fun evening!

We have long been fans of Lara's amazing wedding cakes and now she offers cupcakes, coffee and other sweet treats out of her store. Now we can get our fix anytime!



I love her carrot cake and vanilla/vanilla and my husband raved about her chocolate cake. The fun thing about Lara's wedding cake tastings are that she lets couples design their own flavor combinations of cake and fillings. You'd be surprised at what fun creations our couples have come up with: white chocolate cake with blackberry and green tea fillings, chocolate cake with passion fruit, and banana cake with peanut butter and chocolate!

Not only are her cakes delicious but they are works of art. Lara is such a talented artist and every cake is more amazing than the next!



So if you're in the area, be sure to stop by and visit Lara and her talented team at 1320 Old Chain Bridge Road, McLean Virginia. But if you want a wedding cake consultation, be sure to call ahead and make an appointment: 703.942.5538. Now I think I'm going to go find that cupcake I saved from last night!

Equally Wed!

I am loving the online magazine Equally Wed! Aside from featuring gay-friendly vendors around the country (including us), the magazine has great content. From real wedding profiles and ideas on personalizing your wedding to fun fashion reports from Randy Fenoli (from "Say Yes to the Dress"), there is plenty of advice and eye candy.

Plus, they have a fab swag bag giveaway. Enter Equally Wed’s Swag Bag Giveaway contest to win $500 worth of wedding swag, including beauty and grooming goods, fashion accessories, and travel products and services! Good luck!

How Sweet It Is {Cupcake Inspiration Board}

mmm... delicious
row 1: Brides.com and The Knot row 2: Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot row 3: Style Me Pretty, Brides.com, The Knot, Martha Stewart Weddings row 4: Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides.com

You've probably noticed that we love cupcakes. And the cupcake craze has certainly taken D.C. by storm. We now have numerous cupcake bakeries and even a mobile cupcake truck! We've been doing cupcakes at weddings long before the shops showed up, though.

I love when couples offer lots of flavors or present them in a pretty way. I'm a fan of cupcake wrappers and cupcake towers. I also love when the cupcakes are arranged on various cake stands and pedestals. I love when the icing coordinates with the wedding, and I think monogram toppers are fab. I am so into the cupcakes on sticks, too! How cute is that?

There isn't much you can do to make me dislike a cupcake unless it just doesn't taste good. The cake has to be moist but not too spongy and the icing can't leave a waxy coating in my mouth (yuck). We are always on the lookout for new cupcake sources so stay tuned this week for some new reviews of our favorite cupcakes!
Laura and Alison

Inspired by Art {Museum Inspiration Board}

busts (Style Me Pretty), flowers (Martha Stewart Weddings), cake (Snippet &


Ink), couple kissing (Brides.com), framed escort cards (In Style Weddings), live event painter (Wedding Bee), tablescape (Brides.com), bride (Favors in the City)

We love working in museums (and D.C. has a lot of them, although not all will host weddings)! Although you don't have to theme your wedding around art if you choose a museum as your venue, the setting does offer a wonderful background for an elegant and sophisticated affair. 

We're using fabulous white frames like the one shown above to house escort cards for an upcoming museum wedding and creating gorgeous still-life arrangements that echo classic paintings for another. I also love the idea of having guests "paint" wishes on a canvas that you can then hang in your new home (as opposed to the traditional guest book). And you know we're crazy about live painters at weddings! Enjoy the arty inspiration!

Laura and Alison

Amenity Baskets for the Bathrooms

Today's post isn't too glamorous but it is super practical for brides wondering what to put in amenity baskets for the ladies' (and men's) rooms. You can always simplify or embellish but here is a list to get you started. I usually try to find a container to match the decor of the wedding so I've used metal buckets for farm weddings, plexiglass trays for uber-modern weddings and white baskets for garden weddings. I'm famous for clearing out the sample aisle at the drugstore; those mini sizes are perfect for bathroom baskets!

For Men or women:

Combs
Hair gel
Breath mints and breath strips
Dental floss picks
Mouthwash
Prepasted wrapped toothbrushes
Individual packets of aspirin and Advil
Imodium
Chewable antacids
Dr. Scholl's blister treatments
Bandaids
Shout stain remover pads
Lint roller
Kleenex
Lotion
Static Guard
Safety pins
Mini sewing kit with small pair of scissors
Deodorant
Hand sanitizer

Additionally, in the ladies' basket:

Tampons
Pads
Hairspray
Bobby Pins (blond, black and brown)
Clear nail polish
Q-tips
Blotting papers
Lip balm
Powder and individual make-up sponges
Nail files
Replacement earring backs

I've found that people clear out these baskets by the end of the night so don't count on getting anything back! If anyone has ideas for items I've left out, let me know!

Help for Mothers of the Bride (or Groom)!

Truth time. Which is harder to check off your to-do list: finding your dream wedding gown, or finding a dress that's chic, sophisticated, and fabulous for your mom? If you're like most of our brides, mom is harder to outfit than you are!

So grab your mom, future mom-in-law, grandma, aunt – any woman in your life who has vented to you about her frustrating search for a great ensemble to wear to your wedding – and head on over to Hitched for the Modern Trousseau Mother of the Occasion Trunk Show at Hitched on Friday, April 23rd. Designer Callie Tein understands the frustration, and her Mother of the Occasion gowns and separates are anything but cringe-worthy. Instead of frumpy suits, she has fabulous, chic separates and gowns. Instead of gaudy beading, she has elegant and tasteful ruching, embroidery, and lace. Instead of tacky polyester, she has rich 100% silk separates and gowns. And her designs cover the entire spectrum of dress codes, from garden luncheon to black tie affair!

Make an appointment today for this fabulous opportunity to outfit the most important ladies in your life! Please call 202-333-6162, or email appointments@hitchedsalon.com.

Signature Cocktails for Outdoor Weddings

If you're still looking for a fun signature drink for your outdoor spring or summer wedding, look no further. Here are too yummy drink recipes from our favorite mixologist, Natalie Bovis-Nelson of TheLiquidMuse. For more amazing cocktails, be sure to check out her book, The Bubbly Bride. Thanks, as always, to Natalie, for her yummy drinks.

And remember, ladies, you can always rename a cocktail to fit your wedding or your names so your guests enjoy Mary's Mimosa or Robtinis!



Blueberry Lavender Lemonade

1 ounce blueberry vodka
1/2 ounce lemoncello
3/4 ounce Sonoma lavender syrup
3/4 ounce lemon juice
2 ounces prosecco
1 lemon wheel

Shake vodka, lemoncello, lavender syrup and lemon juice with ice. Strain into white wine glass. Add prosecco and stir. Place lemon wheel on edge of glass for garnish.


Fantasy Island Mimosa (perfect for daytime weddings!)

1 lemon wedge
1 package Pop Rocks candy
3/4 ounce pineapple juice
3/4 ounce guava juice
2 ounces champagne
1/2 ounce grenadine

Rub the rim of a champagne flute with a lemon wedge. Pour about two tablespoons of Pop Rocks onto a small, dry plate, Dip glass rim into the candy so that the pieces stick to it. Pour juices and champagne into the flute. Slowly add the grenadine, allowing it to sink to the bottom. If you make and drink it quickly, the candy will still crackle when you bring it to your lips!

Cherry Blossom Inspiration

credits: tablescape (A Delightful Day), bridesmaid dresses (In Style Weddings), centerpieces (In Style Weddings), cakes (Martha Stewart), invitations (Hello Lucky, landscape (Martha Stewart), cupcakes (Martha Stewart), cake slice (Martha Stewart), boutonnieres (Martha Stewart)

Cherry blossom season is one of my very favorite times in D.C., although I'm not crazy about the unbelievable traffic it creates around here. But what is more lovely that those fluffy pink and white blossoms? As you can imagine, we've done many cherry blossom themed weddings with everything from cherry blossom cakes to cherry blossom invitations to cherry blossom branches poking out of the top of hotel welcome bags. Enjoy!