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Snappening’s 2012 Snappy Bridal Package of the Year Contest

We want to share the news about an ongoing contest for central Indiana brides and grooms. Our friends at Snappening.com have an amazing contest for central Indiana brides and grooms.

There are more than $6,000 in prizes from some of the best vendors and venues in Indianapolis.

We are excited to join our colleagues and contribute to this fabulous contest. Our letterpress thank you notes are a great way to tell your guests how much you appreciate their presence, love and support on your big day.

Here are some of the participating vendors and prizes for the 2012 Snappy Bridal Package of the Year:

• Circle City 2012 Bridal Show Tour Pass + Magazine Cover Opportunity from Indy Wedding Ideas Magazine ($820 value)
• “Meet the Parents” Chef’s Table Experience from Seasons 52 ($750 value)
• Mancave “Leather & Dice” Setup from Party Time Rental ($500 value)
• Wedding Planning Prize Pack from Ooh La La Events ($500 value)
• Day-After Wedding Family Brunch from Piper’s Catering ($500 value)
• Custom Wedding Cake from Cake Zen – A Couture Confection Studio ($500 value)
• Engagement Announcement Cards Package from Top Hat Photo Booths ($150 value)
• Professional Engagement Photography Session from sara & mallary photography ($400 value)
• Bridal Shower Valet Services from Elite Management Services Valet ($750 value)
• Bridal Shower Rental Offer from The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club ($150 value)
• Bachelorette Party Room Rental Offer from EventzPlus of Carmel ($150 value)
• Bachelorette After-Party Experience from Talbott Street Nightclub ($225 value)
• Engagement Party / Rehearsal Dinner Experience from Park View Banquet Room ($250 value)
• Private Tasting, Cocktails and Jazz from Sullivan’s Steakhouse ($100 value)
• Private Wine Tasting Experience from Mass Ave Wine Shoppe Cafe & Spirits ($150 value)
• Custom Letterpress Thank You Notes from Pink Poppy Ink ($100 value)
• Custom Beverages for the Bridal Party from uFlavor ($50 value)

Pink Poppy Ink is on Pinterest

We finally got our act together and joined the Pinterest community this week. If there’s a slim chance you haven’t heard of it, Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. According to their site, “Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.”

Pink Poppy Ink is using it to showcase our favorite custom wedding invitations, as well as to gather all wedding ideas, from flowers, decorations to honeymoons. We’re also suckers for home decor and handbags, so our interests outside the wedding world will also be ‘pinned’.

If you aren’t already a member, request an invite at pintrest.com and follow us!

Taking the Holiday Plunge

The holiday season is also one of the most popular times for men to give their girlfriends another kind of gift: an engagement ring. But there is (or, at least, there should be) a lot of work that goes into planning a marriage proposal. In fact, some men wait a year or more before popping the question, to make sure they and their girlfriends are ready for marriage.

But not all guys are perceptive enough to pick up on signs that a woman’s ready to tie the knot—and not every woman will send clear signals about her desire to spend the rest of her life with you. For men who might need a little extra help, below are a few tips and tricks on how to lay the foundation for your big day.

Is She Ready?

At this point, you should be positive that you’re ready for marriage, but you might not be clear on your girlfriend’s feelings. If you’ve never talked about marriage before, now is a good time to start—ask her about her plans for the future, if she’s comfortable and happy in her relationship, and if she sees herself with you in the future. Of course, if you’re in a long-term relationship, you’ll already know most of these things—although if you’re in a long-term relationship and you and your girlfriend haven’t discussed marriage at least once or twice, you might want to postpone your proposal. A stable relationship requires constant communication to survive—and if you and your girlfriend aren’t on the same page, getting married won’t make things better.

Buying Jewelry on the Sly

Shopping for engagement rings is easy—but hiding your efforts can be hard. If your girlfriend is the curious type, you might have to cover your tracks while you shop for her ring. Browsing jewelry sites online is one of the easiest ways to get ideas on what she might like—but if you and she share a computer, you might consider using your browser’s private mode in order to keep cookies and URL addresses from being recorded in your history. Enlisting your friends and family to help you can also be a quick and easy way to find the right ring—just make sure they don’t drop hints to your girlfriend. Finally, you could use your lunch break and shop the old fashioned way by going to a jewelry store and asking a sales rep to help you.

Prepping Your Proposal

Many women dream of the perfect proposal, but since you can’t ask your girlfriend what she wants, you’re on your own. But you can take your girlfriend’s lead: make a list of her favorite places, her favorite foods, her favorite sports and other activities. And ask yourself a few questions: Does she spend a lot of time with her family and friends, or is she more solitary? Does she have a flair for the theatrical, or is she more of a bookworm? From there, you should be able to build a proposal plan. It can be big and spectacular or small and intimate—but make sure you’re sincere, and she’ll think it’s perfect.

Planning to ask your girlfriend to marry you can be one of the most stressful moments of your life—but with a little planning and a lot of foresight it can be the first of many happy days to come.

Violet Vintage: Vintage Treasures for Events

Need 40 blue Ball mason jars for your wedding? Don’t have time to hunt all over town at thrift shops or your grandma’s basement crossing your fingers hoping you’ll find what you’re looking for?

Look no further. Enter Violet Vintage. Indianapolis’s brand new event rental service that offers everything from depression glassware to vintage love seats.

Finding chic vintage items for use in events and photo shoots can be a time consuming task. Owner Vanessa Grider has an eye for what can make an event.

“Our one-of-a-kind items are thoughtfully chosen for their originality and charm to help complete your day. We provide the Indiana bride, event planner, and photographer with unique pieces they can’t find elsewhere are a reasonable cost.”

Planning an outdoor wedding reception? Dress up your table with napkin holders that add personality to your decor.

You’re having a vintage themed event so don’t overlook the eating utensils! Turn these basic necessities into an opportunity to dress up your table even more.

Fun Ideas for Holiday Parties

A big holiday is approaching and you are thinking about a special kind of party. What does it take to make this year’s celebration extra special?

Jamie Highland writes articles for My Baby Shower Favors, a site that launched by selling baby shower favors and expanded into other special occasions and treats like Christmas cookies. In the article below, Jamie gives a few fun ideas for holiday parties.

Holidays give you a great opportunity to bond with coworkers and acquaintances. Parties are designed especially for that purpose. People are already sensing the holiday spirit and they will all be in the mood for something special and fun.

Unfortunately, all holiday parties tend to be similar. The activities are the same, the decorations look identical and the music happens to be selected by the same people every time. Holiday celebrations are already turning into a major cliché, when they should be a great chance for some quality time together.

You want to organize a holiday celebration but you want it to be special and unique this time. Here are several fun ideas for holiday parties that involve your coworkers or the people you spend your leisure time with.

Corporate Party Ideas
The problem with corporate parties is that they tend to be quite stiff and uncomfortable. Getting drunk in the presence of your boss is certainly far from the best celebration idea.

It is possible to break the ice while keeping the party classy and suitable for people who work with each other on a daily basis. You have various opportunities that will help you bond with your coworkers.

Get a professional team builder to be responsible for party entertainment. These people know the right games and activities that will provoke people to work in a team and to get to know each other better.

It is important to team up people who barely know each other. This is the best way to make more individuals at the company friends.

It’s Picnic Time
Whether you are organizing a party for your coworkers or your friend, an indoor holiday picnic is always a nice alternative to the traditional party. Even if the weather is cold, you can still enjoy picnics and outdoor food during the winter.

Sandwiches or barbecue – it is entirely up to you. Clear out the living room and have colorful blankets placed on the floor and think about some nice games. Picnics tend to create relaxed settings. People will feel at ease and they are more likely to socialize and to start new friendships. Everyone will love getting to enjoy summer food during the winter time.

Movie Marathons!
A movie marathon is another great way to have atypical holiday fun. Each big celebration is connected to specific activities. Instead of getting involved in those, try something different this year.

If you want to create a holiday spirit, choose movies that have been created for the occasion or that have an appropriate theme. You will find so many films that are suitable for Christmas, Halloween or St. Valentine’s Day.

Prepare the popcorn and the drinks and have all of the guests seated comfortably. Now you are ready to begin enjoying the movie magic.

Girls or Boys?
There is something special about a girls’ night out or the time men spend away from their wives and girlfriends.

Organize an all-girls or all-boys gathering. This will be a relaxing and very fun event. Sometimes, we all need a bit of time to relax and to chat. An all-girls or all-boys holiday party is just the right type of event to achieve this goal.

Wedding Faux Pas

While weddings have a lot to do with personal taste in terms of style, venue or food, there are a few basic etiquette faux pas that you should try not to commit.

Whether you’re a bride, guest, bridesmaid, maid of honor — or even a guy — check out the tips below for five wedding etiquette faux pas and how to navigate around them.

Wedding Party: “Yeah, the Ring Bearer was cute, until he started crying.”

From bridesmaids, to the maid of honor to groomsmen and the best man, choosing a wedding party can be tough

stuff. But most people forget about choosing the flower girl and the ring bearer. So, your fiancé’s nephew just learned how to walk and wants to waddle down the aisle with your diamond rings? Not on your watch. He’s cute and all, but you want to make sure to choose a flower girl and ring bearer old enough to walk a straight line and perform the tasks they’ve been asked. Kids aren’t cute if they’re crying and slowing down your wedding. Two years old is usually a good age for kids to be put in the running for the job. Politely let your fiancé know his infant nephew may still be too young and kindly suggest someone older.

Registration: “Cousin Dwayne wants to come to our wedding tomorrow.”

Saying no to straggling family members is hard to do, but at certain point, you’ve got to cut them off. If Cousin Dwyane wanted to go, he should have RSVPed when you sent out the invitations three months ago. Unless you want to upset your delicately balanced wedding numbers, you’ll have to break the news to good old Dwyane. If you’re not directly controlling the RSVP, let your mother-in-law or whomever know that registration is closed and your budget cannot support additional guests. Offer to let Cousin Dwyane come visit sometime after the honeymoon and have a glass of wine instead.

Reception: “We don’t want to spend our reception babysitting.”

Having an adult only wedding and reception is the decision of the bride and groom. For some couples having 20+ kids underfoot on the dance floor screaming and chasing each other isn’t fun for anyone. It is OK to have an adult only wedding. It is NOT OK to write “Adult Only Reception” or “No Children” on your invitation, inserts or wedding web site.

The appropriate way to address this problem is to write each family members name that is invited to your wedding on the outer or inner envelope of your wedding invitation. Want to include your cousins who are older than 12? Then do so! If they have younger siblings, then do not include their names on the invitation. If you’re worried about backlash, calmly explain it is your wishes not to having children under (insert appropriate age here) and offer suggestions of qualified baby-sitters. Your mother and other relatives can also personally call or email other guests who might be offended or think they can go ahead and bring their little ones regardless of what the invitation says (inappropriate !).

Needless to say, this can be a very touchy subject, especially for parents who never want to leave their kids or think they’re children are entertainment for all. If this is the case then the family can always regretfully decline attending your wedding.

Reception: “Who put Lil’ Wayne on here?”

Your guests will want to dance, and we all want to avoid that awkward moment where Lil’ Wayne slips in to the mix and offends grandma. If you don’t personally know your DJ, schedule a time to sit down and go over the types of songs you’d like played. Feel free to make a playlist of exact songs or submit a list of artists you’d like to have played.

Gifts: “Here’s An Envelope Full of Money.”

And lastly, one the biggest faux pas for wedding goers are assorted gift blunders. Wedding gifts can be confusing, but taking hints from the mailings is always key. Do not, for any reason, show up on the day of the wedding with an envelope of money. While the bridge and groom won’t turn you down, per se, they have undoubtedly registered at a specific location or two. Check the wedding invitation or bridal shower invitation for their registry and buy them a gift from the list. Gifts can be brought to the bridal shower, or to the wedding if you weren’t in attendance for the shower. There is typically a table both at the wedding and reception for gift drop off.

It’s That Easy

And there you have it. Avoiding wedding etiquette faux pas isn’t as hard as it seems, right? Soon, you’ll be a wedding pro.

Beauty Product Lovers Unite!

If you live in the Indianapolis area (and even if you don’t) you’ve more than likely heard of Pretty Indy. Beauty product lovers, Tiffany and Kelly united to share their love of lip gloss, mascaras, primers, perfume, hair sprays, exfoliates, skin lighteners (the list is endless, but you get the point) with readers who have similar levels of enthusiasm for anything beauty.

According to Pretty Indy their blog, “is intended to be Indianapolis’ go-to guide for all things beauty + style. We offer fun and fresh information relating to beauty + style, including product reviews, local business spotlights, exclusive deals and new trends in hair, makeup and style.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Tiffany about a month ago and immediately fell in love with her laid back personality and passion for Pretty Indy and everything beauty related. She claims she’s not an expert (even though she has an entire bathroom closet dedicated to bins full of product) but I’m going to have to politely disagree. She knows pretty much everything about every beauty product in every price point. From the most cost effective and efficient facial primers to eye-shadows that won’t leave creases. We talked beauty, and I picked her brain, for a good hour and there was never a lull in conversation.

Articles such as “Objects of Obsession: Tiffany’s Weekly Top 5″ highlight Tiffany’s favorite beauty products, and lets us know she is human too. While reviewing  Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes Tiffany writes, “I admit it.  Sometimes I am too tired to actually wash my face at night and go through the whole song and dance.  When I type that, it seems ridiculous but it’s true.  Enter these facial wipes to save the day (and face)…not only do they smell completely amazing (some kind of refreshing citrus-y goodness), but they take everything off and leave my skin feeling super clean and soft.”

There is also a “Green” section that highlights beauty products that are good for your skin and the environment , and a “Deals” page that lists local Indianapolis and national retailers’ beauty discounts and give-a-ways.

Pretty Indy goes beyond beauty products. The site gives “Style” tips (like how to layer appropriately for the fall) and the latest fashion tips (faux snakeskin totes anyone?).

 

The “Guides” section has great tips on how to pack your gym bag with out carrying your entire bathroom out the door everyday on your way to work. Our friends at Snappening even penned a guest blog, “Birthday Party Ideas You Haven’t Used” such as breaking out the fine China you haven’t seen since it was gifted to you on your wedding day and having your pals over for tea. Or, how to make Green Tea Martinis for a  Moroccan themed party. And, my personal favorite, an excuse to bust out the highlighters and have a grown-up version of a “rave” themed party that’s not in a dorm room or fraternity basement.

Whether you’re a mother to four kids, college co-ed, young professional or all of those wrapped into one, Pretty Indy is a fabulous Indianapolis resource on ways to look and feel your best.

Tips On How to Have A Green Wedding

Many people consider their wedding day to be one of the most important days in their lives. If you’re a person who feels very strongly about the environment, the planet or the working conditions of others, why not incorporate these green principles into your wedding day? Going green may take some effort, but it’s not impossible to accomplish, and it may even help you keep some of your costs down.

For example, there are several green options available when it comes to wedding dresses. Instead of purchasing a brand new dress, why not look into pre-owned wedding dresses? There are many bridal boutique stores that specialize in such gowns. Some of the gowns may only have been worn once and kept in such pristine condition that you would never have guessed they weren’t new, while other gowns may be beautifully preserved vintage pieces that have been passed down through the generations. If you have your heart set on a custom made dress though, there are still ways to achieve your goal and be eco-friendly at the same time. You can have your dress made out of recycled fabrics, or you can take an old gown and have it modified and changed to fit your tastes. You can ask your designer to only use fabric that was created in an environmentally responsible and cruelty free way, such as silk collected from wild cocoons that have been abandoned by moths, or fabric that you know was produced by people who received fair wages.

Another area in which you can go green in is the venue. One great idea is to find a venue that is associated with a cause of which you approve. For example, maybe you can rent out a local museum or location associated with a cultural organization. Check with the people in charge of the location to see if you can arrange to have your fees used in a way that would promote eco-friendliness. Some venues pride themselves on their commitment to being green and doing things like reducing waste, saving water or only serving organic or locally grown food. However, with most venues, no matter how careful you are, some water and energy is going to be used; with that in mind, why not select a venue that eliminates those problems? For example, having your wedding during the day on the beach or in the woods is a great way to cut down on the use of energy.

Jenna Pacht writes for A Beautiful Look by Jenna, which specializes in Denver permanent hair removal. If you’re looking to do electrolysis in Denver, contact Jenna for a free consultation.

Wedding Day Do’s and Don’ts

You’ve probably seen videos online of wedding mishaps, embarrassments, disasters, assorted crises and general blunders.

And your first thought: That will not happen at my wedding!

Okay, fair enough. So, what can you do to make sure your wedding goes off without kinks, sneers or a visit from the fashion police?

DRESSES AND JEWELRY

When it comes to wedding jewelry and dress, remember this one main fact: Less is more.

DON’T: You don’t want a huge, poofy dress with clunky jewelry that makes you look more like a bejeweled wedding cake than a beautiful bride. Avoid wearing loud jewelry, both in terms of style and noise factor. You also shouldn’t wear a super formal dress for an outdoor wedding, or a casual dress for a wedding in a pristine church.

DO: Choose jewelry that’s simple and streamlined. A simple, safe and meaningful way to incorporate a little pizzazz into your look is to wear religious jewelry, especially for church weddings. The silhouettes are gentle and discreet, but the jewelry itself is still powerful and uplifting.

Simple, elegant dresses with unique personal touches are trending right now in the world of weddings.

Choose a dress that fits your venue, but don’t be afraid to mix it up by adding quirky shoes or accessories. Light, flowy materials are great for outdoor weddings while a classic style wedding dress fits well with a more traditional location. Make the dress your own with fun footwear and unexpected accessories like gladiator sandals or an airy scarf with funky nail polish.

HAIR AND MAKE-UP

DON’T: Choose a formal updo for an outdoor wedding with a casual dress, or loose flowing curls with a formal dress in a traditional chapel. Avoid making drastic changes to your hair in style or length within a few weeks of the big day. Don’t bedazzle your hair with jewelry and glitter to the umpteenth degree or go crazy with tendrils and curls. You’re not a toy poodle, after all.

DO: Start early with choosing the right hairstyle for your wedding. Visit the stylist regularly before the wedding to get a feel for her products, her style and how your hair responds to her care. Work your veil or headpiece into your hairstyle and give yourself plenty of time to adjust so that the two work perfectly together on the wedding day. Don’t be afraid to play with a few styles before choosing a final and give each a test run if you can.

DON’T: Your wedding is not the best time to try out the latest make-up fads and trends. Avoid huge, fake eyelashes, eye jewels, super powdery foundations, pink lipsticks with dark lip liners or porcelain doll-esque blush.

DO: Your make-up should be simple, but well-done. Choose a light, powdery bronzer to warm your skin tone, but don’t over do it. A light dusting of blush can help prevent your face from looking washed out by the camera’s flash. Use classic neutral tones to give your eyes smokiness and depth and steer absolutely clear of extreme, trendy eye shadows and eyelash extensions. Choose a warm, bright red for your lips–its been proven to photograph beautifully.

INVITATIONS

DO: Order more invitations than you think you might need and triple check your proofs. You’ll want to see what everyone else will–preferably before, so you can catch any mistakes. Spell out numbers and dates throughout and stay consistent with the formality of your tone and spelling. Plan the best location for response cards to be sent to and give guests plenty of time to RSVP (6-8 weeks is standard). If you’ve sent a ‘save the date’ card, six weeks is an acceptable amount of advance notice, eight weeks if you haven’t. Always double check postage prices and make sure to update your address book before sending invitations out.

DON’T: Avoid listing gift registry on the wedding invitation itself. Your families should circulate this information with shower invitations instead. If you don’t want children at your reception, find a nicer way than simply writing “No Children Allowed” to state your desire. You can be creative with lines about babysitters or be specific in addressing the invitation solely to the parents. Don’t use the stick on return address labels you received for free in the mail last year. Write return addresses yourself, hire a calligrapher, or even use computer calligraphy.

DISASTER FREE!

Remember, your wedding day is all about you and your husband. Don’t stress too much, remember a few do’s and don’ts, and voila–your wedding will absolutely be free of critiques from the in-laws or your husband’s nosy co-workers. But, I can’t make guarantees against best men.

Mr. and Mrs. Catt on their Wedding Day

Ashley and Ryan knew each other from their collegiate days at Ball State University, but their relationship didn’t turn romantic until 5 years later, when Ashley’s sister, Allie, set them up on a date. With a successful matchmaking victory for Allie the two love birds hit it off immediately and on August 26, 2011 the two walked down the aisle at the Monon Center in Carmel, Indiana to become Mr. and Mrs. Catt.

 

Ashley and Ryan are more than just clients to Pink Poppy Ink- they are also good friends! I met Ashely in 2009 at the place where we both worked at the time. We thought each other looked familiar from our days at BSU and quickly hit it off. Her spunky personality and quick wit made those days in the cubicle world more tolerable. Little did I know I would have the honor of being a bridesmaid in her wedding two years later! And little did I also know I would be designing and printing custom invitations as my full-time job at the time of her wedding.

 

Ashley has always like clean lines and traditional colors, so it was only fitting for her to choose ivory, shimmer navy and silver as her wedding palette.

The save-the-date postcard was printed on a thick, ivory, textured card-stock. This is a great, budget-friendly way to tell your friends and family that your wedding date has been selected. No envelopes are needed and postage is only 29¢ if the postcard is standard USPS size.

Her shimmer navy pocketfold wedding invitations complemented the save-the-date Her accent color, silver, was used as a backer. The invitation itself was the same ivory textured paper with a navy pattern that was used throughout the printed ensembles.

The wedding day print pieces carried over the same color schemes. A one sheet wedding program was printed on thick card-stock and also doubled as a fan for guests who attended the outdoor wedding.

Inside the reception hall at the Monon Center the tables were beautifully decorated with white table cloths, gold chargers, navy napkins and tall cylinder vases filled with natural twine balls and other nature-inspired elements. The silver menus (which were backed with shimmer navy) were folded inside the napkins and matching place cards sat at the top of the place setting.

These are by far one of our favorite table numbers we’ve created. Ryan and Ashley wanted to add something personal to their decor and did so by showcasing their engagement photos taken by our friends at Sara and Mallary Photography.

 

We also had the pleasure of having our makeup airbrushed  by the talented Kathy Moberly, owner of Faces by KLM. Sarah Richardson from Meridian Design Group in Carmel created the bride’s and brides maids sleek hair styles.

 

Our friends at BC Productions caught everything on video. Check out their montage of the wedding reception.

Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Catt and thank you for letting me be a part of your special day professionally AND personally!

 

 

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