Every woman loves a perfect T. The perfect T is comfortable, versatile, and now it can be stylish, too, thanks to Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen’s newest company known as StyleMint. While you are busy tasting cakes, trying on wedding gowns, and checking out reception venues, you might as well be a comfortable and stylish bride, right? That’s why we think you’ll love StyleMint, an exciting new membership-only, e-commerce site that offers amazing T Shirts styled just for you at the amazingly low price of $29.99. It is a preposterously good deal and perfectly executed, just as we would expect from this high-fashion duo. Read on for more including how you can win a FREE T-shirt!

Find Your Perfect T with StyleMint

If you’re wondering how StyleMint works, it’s easy and free to get started! When you first sign up with StyleMint, you answer a short series of questions about your personal style. Once you complete the StyleProfile, you can choose from one of four T Shirt styles available in multiple colors. Each T Shirt is designed by Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen and the result is a chic collection of super-soft fabrics and amazing fits. If you do not find a T Shirt to buy, no problem; there is no obligation. If you do find a T Shirt you love, act quickly because the T Shirts do sell out quickly. Sign up for StyleMint today: your wardrobe and wallet will thank you!

Join StyleMint today and receive:

• Free membership

• Members-only access to Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen’s exclusively designed and styled T Shirts

• Personalized T Shirts with impeccable design, perfect fit, and new styles to choose from every month

• FREE shipping

Promo Code

Plus, if you join today you can enjoy a special promotion code for 20% off your first T through 2/29 (first time buyers only). Use code WED20 at checkout.

Giveaway for Emmaline Bride Readers

We’ve teamed up with StyleMint to offer one Emmaline Bride reader the chance to win a free T Shirt of their choice! To enter, simply visit StyleMint and sign up for free. Use their unique StyleProfile and select your favorite T Shirt specially selected for you. Then, return to Emmaline Bride and leave a comment below on which T Shirt style is your favorite. Enter by February 29th at 11:59am EST. One winner will be selected randomly on February 29th at 12:00pm EST and announced on our blog. Winner will receive one (1) free T Shirt of her choice. You must be 18 years or older to enter; contest open to US and Canada shoppers only.

Good luck!

♥
-THE EB TEAM

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by StyleMint.

Handmade Wedding Inspiration

Wondering how to give a wedding toast guests will remember long after the wedding day? Want a cheat sheet featuring seven surefire secrets that work? You’re in luck because today we’re showing you how to give a wedding toast with secrets to make your speech memorable. If you’re the Maid / Matron of Honor or Best Man in an upcoming wedding, chances are you’ve already heard the news: you’re responsible for writing and delivering a toast to the bride and groom at the wedding reception. Now, before you head for the hills and ditch the dutiful badge of honor, relax; the key to giving a memorable wedding toast is proper preparation. Read on to find out our seven favorite surefire, tried-and-true secrets to giving a wedding toast whether you’re a public speaking expert or true beginner. And, in keeping with the true Emmaline Bride handmade wedding spirit, we’re also sharing some amazing hand-painted toasting flutes and wine glasses by Judi Painted It, featured artisan in The Marketplace, to get you in the toasting spirit. Cheers!

How to Give a Wedding Toast

1. Keep it short, sweet, and sincere.

The KISS method (keep it simple, stupid) can be applied to nearly every aspect of life for words of wisdom. For wedding speech tips, we think simple (short), sweet, and sincere are also applicable. By tying in all three, you can be assured your words will be heartfelt, honest, and guests will understand every word you say. Make the bride and groom remember why you were selected in the role you were given and make them proud of the speech you have prepared.

2. Be nice.

“One time, in band camp…” might sound like a hilarious start to a speech filled with raucous laughter, but nine times out of ten it is more appropriate for a bachelor or bachelorette party. The bride and groom ought not be embarrassed in front of friends, family, parents, grandparents, children, clergy, co-workers… the list goes on. Even though your story may be hilarious, it’s best to avoid embarrassing the bride or groom with a story certain to turn either of them a bright shade of pink. Also, don’t bring up any exes – ever. They’re an “ex” for a reason. And, a funny story is always welcome in a speech as long as it doesn’t embarrass anyone. If in doubt, run it by the groom or the bride several weeks in advance, just in case. There may be topics that are “off limits” – it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Also, try to tie in a word or two about the bride and/or groom, how they met, or how you met him or her. Personalization, as we discussed yesterday, is a key element to every wedding.

3. Avoid alcohol.

For obvious reasons, avoid any alcohol before giving your wedding toast. If you need one drink to calm the nerves, make it a small one.

4. Rehearse until you feel comfortable with the speech.

Write out the speech on note cards, rehearse it in front of a friend, and read it to yourself a few days before the wedding until it is almost memorized. If you can recite it from memory, even better; keep the note cards in your pocket just in case.

5. Keep it fresh, funny, and down to earth.

Don’t use the same one liners overused in weddings of the past or quotes from ‘Wedding Crashers’ to get you through your three to five minute toast. Keep the content fresh, funny, and interesting and you’ll peak the interest of guests and make it more memorable. Include a funny story about how you met the groom, the bride, or tie in how you know they’ll be together forever. For example, “I knew Amy was perfect for Rick when she let his buddies kidnap him for our annual cabin weekend without complaint. Rick, she’s a keeper.” Or, “I knew Rick was the guy for Amy when she came home from her first date and couldn’t stop smiling. Come to think of it, she hasn’t stopped smiling since.”

If you memorize your speech, this one will be a breeze! Be sure to give guests plenty of eye contact while reading your speech and refer to the bride and groom. Eye contact and successful speeches go hand in hand.

6. Fake out your fears.

Not many people like to give a speech, but don’t let your fear of public speaking equate to ducking out of your speech-giving duties. Even the least experienced public speaker can fake a feared speech with confidence. If you’ve rehearsed, practiced in front of a friend, and prepared the speech on note cards just in case, you’ll rock that mic. Speak slowly, loudly, clearly, and don’t forget to smile! It’s quite an honor to give a speech; be sure to enjoy every minute of it.

7. Tie in a toasting gift for the bride and groom.

Want your speech to be even more memorable? Gift the bride and groom with toasting glasses handmade just for them. When you ask everyone to raise a glass, they’ll have custom glasses just for the occasion and can re-use them after the wedding day. What a sweet idea! Handmade toasting flutes or wine glasses are even more memorable, like these hand-picked favorites by Judi Painted It! These glasses are custom made just for you (or your favorite bride and groom) and are even dishwasher safe. Any of these would be perfect for gifting to the happy couple (or as a bridal party gift from the bride and groom):

These are lovely! I adore the brilliant floral prints just in time for the summer wedding season! To view more from this beautiful collection or to place your order, please visit Judi Painted It and let her know Emmaline Bride sent you!

We hope you enjoyed our tips on how to give a wedding toast. If you have other pointers, be sure to include them below; we’re love to hear from you!

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Happy Planning Toasting!

♥
-E.

P.S. Have a wedding question? Just Ask EB! This week, we launched our new ‘Dear EB’ feature where you can submit questions to be answered in future blog posts. We’ve already had a huge response to our new service (thanks, brides – we love you!) and we want to hear from YOU, too! It’s easy to get started – and, it’s FREE! Simply click here to submit your question. You’ll be able to read real questions from brides just like you here in our blog soon! So, be sure to send us those questions!

Handmade Wedding Inspiration

If you are a bride who loves rustic wedding ideas and delights in barns, hay bales, and mason jars, today’s post is right up your alley! Today, we’re sharing rustic wedding ideas with inspiration by the lovely Jo Blake, featured artisan in The Marketplace at Emmaline Bride. After trading in city life, Jo now resides with her husband in a small town surrounded by thriving local farms, rolling hills, old red barns, and historic homes. The natural beauty around her is the inspiration for her craft, which she has perfected to include plenty of homespun country charm. We’re beginning the list of ten rustic wedding must-haves with one of the cutest rustic banners we’ve ever seen. Enjoy!

10 Rustic Wedding Ideas

1. Hang a festive rustic wedding banner at your reception.

A banner is a must-have for every rustic wedding! This banner is nicely priced under $25 and is personalized with your wedding date. The wedding date and hearts hang sweetly and are crafted from heavy recycled kraft paperboard (so it stays put), ivory cotton canvas fabric for a rustic look, and is attached with twine strung through silver metal eyelets. Display this adorable banner at your ceremony site, reception, cake table, dessert buffet, or at your escort card table for guests to see upon entering the reception. And, you can re-use it on your anniversary!

2. Dress up your wedding cake (or cupcakes) with rustic wedding toppers.

Your cake, one of the most popular must-see wedding items by guests (after your dress, of course), should be decorated with rustic wedding charm. If you’re opting for cupcakes instead of a traditional cake, consider adding these charming rustic wedding cupcake toppers with heart-felt detail:

3. Two words: mason jars.

Mason jars are a signature rustic wedding decor piece. We love the versatility of mason jars. Mason jar centerpieces can be easily created by adding a small bouquet of wildflowers to a jar filled with water. You can create a mason jar drink station where guests can fill them up with freshly squeezed lemonade, or add candlelight to mason jars as lanterns at night.

4. Greet guests with rustic wedding place cards.

When guests reach their seat, be sure they are greeted with adorable rustic place cards. We love the kraft paper, canvas, and stamped ink which tie into the rustic theme perfectly.

5. Gift your guests with rustic wedding favors.

A favor doesn’t have to be overly complicated; simple is always sweet! Check out these apothecary favor bottles featuring handmade tags. Just add flowers! Who wouldn’t love to take home flowers in a tiny vase?

6. Tie favors with rustic tags.

Wrap favor boxes with rustic tags, like these, which can be custom stamped to suit your needs. “Thank you”, the wedding date, and your names are just a few of the options available.

7. Show guests where to sit with personalized escort cards.

Guests typically make a beeline to the escort card table or chart to see where to be seated at the reception. We love the simplicity of escort seating charts, like these, which can be posted at the entrance way of your reception:

8. Use rustic table numbers for guests to find their seats.

Once guests know where to be seated, be sure the tables are easy to find with these charming table numbers! Plus, they come with tiny easels so they’ll stand up straight on any table.

9. Share what’s for dinner with rustic wedding menus.

Tell guest what he or she can expect for the meal with rustic wedding menus! Place one at each table on a small easel.

10. Celebrate the first kiss with rustic confetti.

When the bride and groom process from the ceremony, toss rustic confetti paper hearts instead of rice! Or, scatter these hearts with “love” stamped on it at each table.

To view more rustic wedding ideas or to place an order please visit Jo Blake, featured artisan in The Marketplace. Tell Jo Emmaline Bride sent you!

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Happy Planning!

♥
-E.

P.S. Like this post? Stay connected to Emmaline Bride for daily posts (seven days a week) with our FREE updates straight to your inbox or RSS reader.

The link to the easels above links to Amazon, in which Emmaline Bride is an affiliate. However, this is for viewing purposes; feel free to shop wherever you prefer!

Handmade Wedding Inspiration

At Emmaline Bride, we’re head-over-bridal-heels crazy about handmade wedding details and personalization. We believe the more you personalize, the more memorable your wedding day will be. And, we think the best way to figure out which personalized details will rock your wedding day is through inspiration, particularly from couples with first-hand experience. Today, we’re sharing six little known ways to personalize your wedding with handmade details, all of which are available to order for your own special day (+ customized to suit your style) by Little Woman Design. This talented team is a married couple who fell in love with handmade wedding details while planning their own personalized wedding day. Read on for six clever ways to personalize your wedding through handmade details by Little Woman Design photographed by Emmaline Bride preferred photographer, BG Productions! Enjoy!

6 Ways to Personalize Your Wedding

1. Personalize your wedding with handmade wedding day correspondence.

We love handmade wedding invitations, save the dates, and programs! Your wedding day correspondence is a great way to tie in your color palette and follow through with wedding day details. The invitations and save the date (above) showcase an adorable custom cartoon of the couple for the save the date, while the wedding invitations set a tone for an elegant reception. The ceremony program below ties in the color palette:

2. Personalize your wedding with a monogram or logo.

The back of the save the dates was personalized with their monogram with colors to tie into the wedding palette perfectly. Use a monogram throughout your event to add your own personalized touch, beginning wedding day correspondence.

3. Personalize the bar.

Guests make a beeline to the bar upon entrance, whether to grab a cola, water, or a glass of champagne. You can personalize your wedding by adding personalized, unexpected touches to places like the bar with cocktail napkins! Aren’t these adorable?

4. Personalize the entire venue… even the powder room.

As mentioned above, you can personalize your wedding in unexpected places. Have you considered personalized towels in the powder room? (If adding these towels, we also recommend adding a basket full of essentials like mints, gum, moisturizer, hairspray, bobby pins, etc. This is often overlooked but appreciated by guests.)

5. Personalize the dance floor!

Did you know you can personalize your wedding dance floor? It’s true! This is a custom stencil you can have created just for you. Check out this example…

6. Personalize your wedding… even after the wedding.

Personalization doesn’t end at the last dance! Continue the wedding day personalization with thank you notes.

What a beautiful wedding (and beautiful photographs by BG Productions, a Pennsylvania based wedding photographer). Check out their listing in The Bridal Book here.

To view more, ask questions, and place your custom order, visit Little Woman Design, featured artisan at Emmaline Bride in The Marketplace!

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Speaking of personalization… have you entered this week’s giveaway? You could win a personalized wedding hanger! Click here for details.

Happy Planning!

♥
-E.

Handmade Wedding Inspiration

Do you want to surprise a bride-to-be with a custom wedding hanger featuring her new last name? Want to gift a pretty wedding dress hanger to your best friend with a custom nickname? Or, do you want to win a custom wedding hanger for your upcoming wedding day? This is the giveaway for you! This week, we’ve teamed up with My Amber Coloured World to give away one (1) custom wedding hanger to a lucky Emmaline Bride reader with personalization included! Read on to find out how YOU can win…

Custom Wedding Hanger Giveaway

This custom wedding hanger is handmade by My Amber Coloured World and can be personalized with your name, you and your honey’s name (with a heart in the middle), mrs. _______ (with your future last name), and more! Take a closer look…

Custom Wedding Hanger: How to Enter

Between Monday, February 20th, 2012 and Sunday, February 26th, 2012 (11:59pm EST), enter for a chance to win a custom wedding hanger! To enter, simply visit My Amber Coloured World and view the collection. Return here and comment on which type of personalization you’d request for the hanger if you were the lucky winner. You may enter with a comment up to one (1) time per day. You may also receive an additional one (1) entry by sharing via Twitter (with a link to this giveaway); receive an additional one (1) entry by sharing via Facebook (with a link to this giveaway). In total, you may enter up to three (3) times per day using one method above per day per person. (If you use Twitter or Facebook, please leave additional comments below for each method so we may count your entry appropriately.)

Rules

One (1) lucky Emmaline Bride reader will win and his or her name will be announced on this post on Monday, February 27th. Winner will be randomly selected via random.org and contacted via email. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Standard shipping included for U.S. and Canada residents only ($15 US maximum; $25 CAD maximum); international entrants may enter but will be required to pay difference in shipping. Winner may upgrade parcel to expedited delivery if he or she pays the difference in shipping. Past giveaway winners of the past 30 days not eligible to win. Maximum three entries allowed using one of each method, per person, per day. Additional entries will not be eligible. No purchase necessary.

Good luck!

♥
-THE EB TEAM

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Handmade Wedding Inspiration