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I went for a walk in the woods the other day.  There’s a rail trail near home that’s canopied with huge old oaks and maples.  They’re starting to think about maybe turning color one of these days, but still green and shady.  There wasn’t another soul around.  Just me, my thoughts, the expansive tunnel of trees.  There was a calm to it, but also a thrill of discovery.

That thrill is what draws us into the old stories.  It’s what makes our culture reexamine, reinterpret, and reinvent characters and familiar stories.  Take Snow White.  This year alone there have been three retellings of the tale, each one different, each beautiful, each touching on the themes of the classic.

A fairy tale wedding is the dream of so many brides, but this is one case where less is more.  Touches of apples on the cake, bouquet, and ring.  Bright pops of color far removed from any classic animation.  A beautiful and romantic wedding invitation like Paperwhites Rebecca Wedding Invitation.  And that sweet grace note to seal it all–And they lived happily ever after.

For resources for all these amazing ideas, plus some other great ways to add some fairy tale magic to your day, check out our Pinterest Board! For other great romantic wedding invitations for your own fairy tale, take a look at our Signature collection at our website or our etsy shop.

The produce bins at my local grocery have been loaded with cherries lately.  We’ve been dining on them breakfast, lunch and dinner.  With yogurt, in salad, as dessert.  And every time they taste special and sweet and fresh.  You know what happened next?

Wait.
Let me try that again.

You *know* what happened next.

I started thinking about a cherry themed wedding.  I started with our beautiful and classic Rachel Wedding Invitation. White and gray subdue the red and make it a more sophisticated palette. The cheery red print bridesmaid dresses don’t have the cheeky feel of a rockabilly dress, but they are still undeniably fun and unique.  Grilled cherry cocktail?  Yes, please and thank you!  And one of my very favorite trends–wedding pie.  Pie pops, mini pies, pie favors. Just pie, pie, pie.  If you want a wedding that will make guests leave happy, consider serving pie.  Homey and lovely, but elevated to celebration.  Check out the board for the sources and feel inspired!

I have been on a mint tea kick lately.  I was given these wonderful little gold rimmed tea glasses in jewel bright colors.  I use them for super sweet, super strong, super fresh mint tea.  Drinking out of them feels exotic and glamorous and special.  They look lovely on the shelf, they look lovely in the sunlight or candle light, they look lovely on the table.  And that got me thinking…

All those elements make them perfect for a jewelry-like bit of bling to add to the tablescapes at your reception.  Simple, like shown here with a single bloom (Oh how I wish I could find the artist for this shot–anyone know?  I’d love to credit more than just Pinterest!).  Or maybe flowers in some, tea lights in others?  Maybe on a low tiered runner going down the middle of a long table ?  Maybe just used for a tasting dessert or two?  Or maybe,  just maybe, for tea? The rich colors, the bits of gold, the delicate shapes combine to make them a really beautiful grace note.   I’ve got lots more examples of designs and ideas, as well as some great resources on our Pinterest board.  Come over, brew some mint tea, and check them out!

Best part of my job? I never *actually* have to choose what kind of wedding to go with.  One day I can be all about the whispery pinks and cloudy blues, the next I can focus on the black wedding dress and dramatic black and white flowers.  Today I have a need for a burst of energy to get me going into a busy week.  A no-fail aromatherapy helper for me is always a whiff of citrus.  I love the jolt of energy that lemon or grapefruit can give you.  That sunny smell can bring a bit of brightness to even the cloudiest (Mon)day.

Here I bring you a palette of sunny oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits to add some zest (ha!) to your week.  The inspiration can be literal, like with that fantastic cake with whole fruits or in that centerpiece with the fruit slices accenting the vases.  Or the inspiration can be just taking the aspect of color, like those fantastic Tux and Tulle ties or that amazing ModCloth Dress (sadly, not available, but a good seamstress should be able to help you out if you love it!).  It reminds me of the unlikely combination of candy, Saturday morning cereal, Lily Pulitzer, and fun.  What do you think?  Is this the tone you’d go with for your sweet day?

More sunny and sweet ideas, as well as sources for these images, can be found on our Pinterest Board.

I hope y’all are in the midst of a festive and wonderful holiday, no matter what you are celebrating.  Around here, it’s Christmas with lots of pajama wearing and yummy brunch food.  Which made me think of weddings (I know!)  And it got me thinking about how much fun a brunch reception would  be.  Or even better, a BRINNER reception (Breakfast foods for dinner…we all do it, why did there seem to be no moniker for it until a random episode of “Scrubs”?) I hear the word bubbling up all over the place, usually with a tone of reverence and excitement.

Most everyone loves waffles or pancakes or eggs or bacon (!!!).  A Brinner buffet would work well for vegetarians and carnivores alike.  It would give a sense of whimsy, of fun, of deliciousness.  There’s a mood of relaxed, gracious hospitality to the idea.  You could make it relaxed and homey or the epitome of sophistication all by adjusting the presentation.  If it’s a bit too nontraditional for you, what about as a midnight snack for your revelers?  Some mini cinnamon rolls and ham biscuits and mimosas and coffee and donuts around 11pm as energy is flagging? Why, yes, I do believe I will…

For the sources for these pics, as well as a lot of other amazing brinner ideas, check out our Pinterest Boards!

What a busy week and busy weekend!  I *know* y’all are done with your holiday preparations, right?  Right?? Well, if not, and you have a cook on your list, I would humbly and with greatest reverence recommend the cookbooks by Virginia Willis.  She is simply one of the most amazing and powerful forces in Southern cookery today.  I could name drop all the amazing people she has worked with, I could tell you all the amazing organizations she is involved with…or I could just tell you that the Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls recipe on her website were the.best.I.ever.tasted. Ever.  Put away the Sister Shuberts, these are worth the effort!

Her earlier book, Bon Appetit, Y’all! Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking is a great cookbook for the cook who is looking to build up that list of great recipes and techniques that come from her French training, Southern raisin’ and perfect execution.  The newer book, Basic to Brilliant, Y’all:150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress them Up for Company provides a host of great recipes that are wonderful “plain,” but easy to tweak, add to and fancify for special occasions.  Both are loaded with fantastic pictures, amazing recipes and  What a great gift for a friend who is setting up her household (or even for yourself)!

For other great ideas for gifts or ways to add to your special occasion, check out our Pinterest Boards!

Though we still harbor deep and unabiding love for them, the cupcake trend is on the wane. There’s been much written about what will take the crown. A clear front runner is emerging…Macarons.

Macarons aren’t the yummy little pyramids of coconut (that one has two “oo”s–macaroon). These are delicate puffs of finely ground nuts in merengu, sandwiching buttercream. The array of flavors and colors guarantees there is one to match your festivities. And while they aren’t impossible to make at home, most people leave macaron making to the pros, which makes them all the more special. My favorite so far was a pale green pistachio with raspberry, but every one has been delicious. Have you tried them? Will they be part of a special day in your future?


For more pretty macaron pictures, as well as a link to a great DIY, check out our pinterest board.

One of the things I love about this concept of “Southern Weddings” is that interweaving of familiar and comfortable sights into the special and fantastic wedding.  It definitely highlights the homey hospitality that we crave.  And speaking of craving…anybody up for some chocolate?

Sheet cake is the epitome of hospitality.  Delicious, familiar and comforting, it would make a great groom’s cake, shower cake, unorthodox wedding cake. You get the idea.  Always a welcome addition to the table.  Maybe even for this weekend?  A perfect thing to bring along this very weekend to your potluck/tailgating/friend’s house.

YUM is our Pinterest Board of recipe links.  We have a couple of different Sheet Cake recipe links there.  Or you can try…

Paperwhites Texas Sheet Cake!

Gather up

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 3/4 Cups Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 4 HEAPING Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 2 sticks unsalted Butter
• 1 Cup Boiling Water
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (I like the spice, but you can use plain white vinegar.) + enough milk to make 1/2 cup
• 2 Whole Beaten Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

While you’re at it, get together the icing ingredients:

• 1-3/4 sticks unsalted butter
• 4 HEAPING Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• pinch of kosher salt
• 3 drops of Tabasco*
• 1 pound Powdered Sugar

Mix it all up!

Oooh, Red Velvet Cake.  How I love Red Velvet. Firmly rooted in the South, it’s gained a following across the country.  It conjures up  images of Sunday supper, potlucks, and, of course…groom’s cakes in the shape of an armadillo. (Thank you Steel Magnolias!)

That image is enough to scare off all but the most diehard fans. I started thinking about all the other ways one could approach the deliciousness.  Wedding Cake? Sure.  That springboards to cheesecakes…and brownies…and fudge…and cake pops!  A million ideas started swirling around.

Can you imagine a more stunning combination for a winter wedding?  That bright pop of red against the white makes everything look crisp and glamorous from Christmas to Valentine’s.  At the same time, many of the recipes so simple that you could easily add them to your recipe book to stun your friends at a tailgate party or impress your in-laws at brunch.  Red Velvet is both familiar and special in any form, making it perfect for any occasion.  Here is a roundup of some of the best ideas I found:

1) Red Velvet Donuts, 2) Red Velvet Brownies, 3) Red Velvet Cake Roll, 4) Red Velvet Cheesecake, 5) Red Velvet Cake Balls, 6) Red Velvet Crepes, 7) Red Velvet Macarons, 8) Red Velvet Fudge

Check out these images and lots of others on our Pinterest Board!