JewelMint Giveaway Winner!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm excited to announce that the winner of the JewelMint giveaway is . . .

Sayuri (AKA @atychiphobiax)

Congratulations!!! Please contact me at capecodbride@gmail.com to claim the JewelMint piece of your choice!

Don't forget that if you didn't win but are new to JewelMint, you can use the discount code FASHION70 on your first purchase to buy one, get one at 70% off!

Is anyone else as excited as I am that the new December JewelMint pieces arrive tomorrow?? I'm loving this December sneak peek:

December JewelMint Bracelet

Happy shopping everyone!

JewelMint Giveaway!

I'm so excited that November is all about giveaways on my blog! I recently joined JewelMint and have been obsessed with their chic jewelry designs ever since. Back in October, I wrote a blog post about my recommendations for brides on a budget looking for affordable jewelry for their wedding day. Now, I'm thrilled to announce that I've partnered with JewelMint to do a product review and host a giveaway!

In case you missed my prior post, here are the details on JewelMint: For $29.99 per month, you can purchase a piece from their exclusive collection, designed by Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher. They introduce new pieces each month, and provide recommendations based on your personal preferences after you take their style quiz. Here are some examples of the products they offer:

As you can see, they offer a variety of pieces to suit any personality. The site is free to join, but the only catch is that once you purchase a piece of jewelry, you become automatically enrolled in their club. They charge you $29.99 at the beginning of the month, and you get a credit that can be used towards any pieces of jewelry, or saved for up to a year. If you don't find any pieces you like in a given month, or need to save dough, you can skip being charged $29.99 for that month as long as you select to do so within the first 5 days of the month. Needless to say, this club is best suited for those with good memories (or iPhone alerts), to ensure you don't get charged each month unless you intend to purchase a piece!

Next, onto the product reviews! JewelMint sent me the Mesh Marvel bracelet and Screen Siren earrings, each of which came packaged in a cute mint green box with a black bow.

I chose the Screen Siren earrings because they are simply gorgeous, and thought they would look great during the holidays. I have to say, the pictures do not do them justice. They are super sparkly in person, and although long and a good size, they are not too heavy to wear for the entire evening.

The Mesh Marvel bracelet seems really well-made, and I love how simple and versatile it is. This is a piece that I chose because I am able to wear it to work for a polished look, and then dress it up for an evening out with the hubby or friends.

Finally, onto the best part: the giveaway! First, I have an exclusive code for Cape Cod Bride readers. Buy one piece, get one at 70% off using the code FASHION70.

I'm also really excited to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a JewelMint piece of your choice! Here are the details on how to enter the giveaway: You get 1 entry per item. Make sure you leave a blog comment below for each entry!

1. Go to JewelMint, take the style quiz, and tell me which piece you would choose if you are the winner.
2. Follow A Cape Cod Bride blog with Google Friend Connect.
3. Subscribe to A Cape Cod Bride's RSS feed (on the right side of the page)
4. Follow A Cape Cod Bride by email (enter your email on the right side of the page)
5. Follow @CapeCodBride on Twitter.
6. Follow @jewelmint on Twitter.
7. Like JewelMint on facebook.
8. Tweet about this giveaway using the following statement: I just entered to win @CapeCodBride's #giveaway to #win free jewelry from @jewelmint! Enter here:http://acapecodbride.blogspot.com/2011/11/jewelmint-giveaway.html

You have until 11:59pm CST on Tuesday, November 29th to enter, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 30th. This contest is open to U.S. residents only.

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway to win this gorgeous dress from Shabby Apple! I had lots of entries here, as well as on my post on Get Married, where I am a featured bridal blogger!

Spanish Steps Dress

The winner was chosen randomly (using the site Random.org), and came from an entry on this blog. So without further ado, here's a a big congratulations to:

L.O.A.H. 

Thank you to everyone who entered! If you found a dress you absolutely must have at Shabby Apple, don't forget to use the code capecodbride10off to receive a 10% discount on your purchase! Hurry, because the code expires at the end of November!

I have more giveaways coming up this month and next, so please check back soon :-)

Wedding Recap: Our Cake!

Chicago had it's first snow of the season today, and this event is making me nostalgic for my winter wedding! It's hard to believe that our 2 year anniversary is quickly approaching! I have yet to share pictures of our lovely wedding cake, and decided it was high time to do so, in case any other winter brides are looking for inspiration.

My husband and I knew we wanted a traditional round cake, though square was our second choice, and even that minor detail was a tough decision! We met with Dottie Lovely, aka "The Cake Lady," and she helped turn my vision of a winter-themed cake into reality. I loved that she used snowflakes and pearls, while combining the gorgeous silver, blue, and white flowers we had in our wedding.

I could not have been happier with the final result, but the best part was that the cake tasted amazing! We chose buttercream because it tastes far superior to fondant, and had layers of red velvet, marble, and carrot cake, so there was something to please everyone.

And on to the best part: Cutting the cake!

All photos by Seth Kammueller

Shabby Apple Giveaway

November is a very exciting month for me because I have more giveaways to host! I love using this blog to gift free merchandise to my readers, so I'm excited to announce that I have partnered with Shabby Apple to give away a free dress!

Shabby Apple is an online boutique that specializes in vintage-inspired women's dresses. They also sell adorable frocks for infants and little girls, and flattering maternity wear at their Mama Apple store. I love that their dresses offer a modern spin on the vintage dresses of the 1950's and 60's. Their conservative style makes the dresses appropriate for work or play, yet their very feminine shape shows the world that you do not have to bare all to be sexy. Finally, I like that the website offers a quiz to learn about your body shape and provides recommendations to suit your figure!

 Without further ado, here is the dress that one lucky reader will win:

I love this dress because it is elegant and feminine, while still being fun and flirty. The flower applique detailing is gorgeous, and makes it unique from many other dresses. I also like that the dress appears to be two separate pieces, since I think that makes it very versatile. This is a dress that could easily be dressed up to attend a bridal shower, for example, or dressed down to attend a weekend brunch.

Here are the details on how to enter the giveaway: You get 1 entry per item. Make sure you leave a blog comment below for each entry!

1. Leave a comment stating where you would wear this dress if you are the winner.
2. Follow A Cape Cod Bride blog with Google Friend Connect.
3. Subscribe to A Cape Cod Bride's RSS feed (on the right side of the page)
4. Follow A Cape Cod Bride by email (enter your email on the right side of the page)
5. Follow @CapeCodBride on Twitter.
6. Follow @shabbyapple on Twitter.
7. Like Shabby Apple on facebook.
8. Tweet this giveaway using the following statement: I just entered to win @CapeCodBride's #giveaway to #win a gorgeous dress from @shabbyapple! Enter here: http://acapecodbride.blogspot.com/2011/11/shabby-apple-giveaway.html

You have until 11:59pm CST on Monday November 14th to enter, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday. This contest is open to U.S. residents only. 

Finally, while there can only be one contest winner, Shabby Apple is offering an exclusive discount to all Cape Cod Bride readers! Simply enter capecodbride10off at checkout and you will receive 10% off your purchase. 


Happy shopping!

Wedding Inspiration: Love Birds!

Lately, I've been obsessing with love birds as a wedding theme. The great thing about this idea is it can be customized to your wedding colors, and offers so many different decorating ideas. Plus, the birds are simply adorable!

Since this theme is becoming more popular, there are plenty of affordable ways to incorporate love birds into your big day. From customizable artwork (top left), to cake toppers (center), to personalized stamps for your invites (top right), there are tons of creative ways to use this theme. Searching the term "love birds" on Etsy will offer you a slew of ideas, or come up with your own!

What do you think of love birds as a wedding theme? Would you considering using this for your big day?

Wedding Jewelry on a Budget: JewelMint

Since I started this blog while planning a recessionista wedding, I wanted to get back to my roots with this post and focus on wedding jewelry that is truly budget beautiful. I love browsing JewelMint, which recently celebrated it's 1st anniversary bringing you fab accessories. In case you live under a rock, JewelMint is an online jewelry club. For $29.99 per month, you can purchase a piece from their exclusive collection, designed by Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher. They introduce new pieces each month, and provide recommendations based on your personal preferences after you take their style quiz.

It's free to join, but the only catch is that once you purchase a piece of jewelry, you become automatically enrolled in their club. So if you are making a one-time purchase (like for your wedding) make sure to cancel your account immediately afterwards. If you want to remain a member, you can skip being charged $29.99 for that month as long as you select to do so within the first 5 days of the month. Needless to say, this club is best suited for those with good memories (or iPhone alerts), to ensure you don't get charged each month unless you intend to purchase a piece!

While some may find it to be too much of a hassle, I guarantee that it is worth the effort if you want a piece of statement wedding jewelry for a bargain. So without further ado, here are my top picks this month, based your your bridal style (categories created by me!).

Join JewelMint through my personal link by clicking here!

For the classic bride, I love the Forever Audrey earrings, which are glamorous yet simple:



Forever Audrey Earrings



A romantic bride would look wonderful adorned with the nostalgic Gatsby bracelet:

Gatsby Bracelet

I absolutely adore the Versailles earrings, which are perfect for the bride who loves to be the center of attention, and wants to look like a princess on her wedding day!

Versailles Earrings

For the retro bride, my pick is the Savoy bracelet, inspired by the art deco designs of the 1920's.

Savoy Bracelet

Finally, for the outdoor bride looking to incorporate the beauty of nature into her ensemble, my pick is the pearl Calla Lilly earrings.

Calla Lilly Earrings

What type of bride do you identify as, and which piece would you choose to wear on your big day?

Daisy Days Giveaway Winner!

Hello all,

Thank you so much for entering the my contest to win a $25 gift card to Daisy Days! I had a ton of entries and comments, which I always love, on here as well as on Twitter, Wedding Chicks, and Get Married!

I put all of the entries into an electronic list randomizer, the modern day equivalent to drawing a name from a hat. Believe me, I was excited as you guys to see who would be the winner of this awesome gift card!

Since you've been waiting all day for me to announce the winner, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Let's all give a big congrats to . . . Cynthia Lucero!!!

Thanks again to all those who entered and I hope everyone has a great week!

Daisy Days Giveaway!

Hello blog readers! I'm very excited to announce that I'm hosting a new giveaway, starting today. One lucky Cape Cod Bride reader will win a $25 gift card to Daisy Days!

Daisy Days literally has everything you need to plan your big day, from bridal shower goods to bachelorette party favors to reception essentials. I'm so upset they were not around when I was planning my December 2009 wedding! I especially love that this site offers a plethora of wedding items that are eco-friendly, since nothing is more chic than a green wedding!

So you can get an idea of what Daisy Days has to offer, I've perused the site and made an inspiration board for y'all.

Now onto the best part: Here's how to enter:

1. Comment on this post stating how you would spend the $25 gift card if you are the winner.
2. Become a follower of A Cape Cod Bride blog.
3. Tweet this giveaway using this tweet: I just entered @CapeCodBride's giveaway to win a $25 gift card to @DaisyDaysFavors! Enter here: http://acapecodbride.blogspot.com/2011/09/daisy-days-giveaway.html
4. Post this giveaway on your own blog.

Each response will yield you one entry into the drawing, for a total of up to 4 entries. Be sure to comment on my blog, stating which steps you took to enter (e.g. followed my blog, posted the giveaway on your blog), so I give you the correct number of entries.

Finally, act fast, as this contest will only be open until Sunday, September 25, 2011 at midnight CST. The winner will be announced on Monday September 26th!

Good luck to all and have a great week!

BHLDN On A Budget!

Like many women, my heart swoons whenever I step inside Anthropologie. Sadly, I cannot afford to shop there regularly, especially on a grad student budget in the middle of a recession! However, I was thrilled to recently learn that the team behind Anthropologie decided to venture into another one of my passions, the wedding world, with their new store, BHLDN.

A great feature of the BHLDN website is that it offers more than just a shopping experience for brides. It includes free interactive experiences to help inspire you while planning your wedding, and provide another great way to procrastinate ;-) For example, I took a fun quiz called "What Kind of Bride Are You?" and discovered that I am a Romantic Nostalgic bride, which was a very accurate portrayal of my vintage Cape Cod wedding. The website also offers MoodBoards, aka inspiration boards, where you can view their products based on themes or color palettes, or even create your own board!

Disclaimer: I guarantee you will love everything BHLDN offers, but like it's sister store Anthropologie, products from here do not come cheap. Since one of my goals is to provide wedding inspiration for brides on a budget, I have scoured the site and chosen the best wedding attire and accessories for budget-minded brides.

Here are 2 boards featuring my favorite dresses, that are all an amazing steal at $1600 or less!

Finally, another great way to incorporate the romantic, unique, and vintage products BHLDN offers while not breaking the bank is to carefully choose more affordable accessories for your big day. Here are my top picks:

Images from center, then clockwise from top left: Choose a lovely silk hat/birdcage veil for a vintage vibe ($120); Love coasters provide a romantic touch ($14 for 10); Don polka dot gloves for a unique look ($40); Brighten up your fete with colorful straws ($6 a pack); Eat your cake with a pair of engraved love forks ($24 a pair); Serve treats on lovely pedestals ($68-$88); Statement earrings are great bridesmaid's gifts ($66); Accessorize your cocktail hour with love stirrers ($22 for 24); Use adorable mini teapots as escort card holders ($52 for 6); Glam a simple pair of shoes with colorful pom poms! ($25 per pair); Choose simple but sophisticated letterpress invites ($26 for 8); Chalkboard vases make unforgettable table numbers ($18); Faux flowers are a great way to save money without compromising on style ($32 for 5).

Announcing My New Company: Viator Gear!

Hi blog readers! Today's blog post is very exciting for me. My husband, Toby, and his friend Nolan have created a new company called Viator Gear, of which I am officially Vice President of Public Relations!

Toby and Nolan have collectively traveled over 1 million miles by land, air and sea. They know how difficult traveling can be, especially these days. That's why they decided to make a new website that sells products that they know are essential to improving your travel experience. 

So how does this pertain to all you brides out there? Well most brides I know travel for their honeymoon, and have several out-of-town guests/bridal party members attend their nuptials. With all the stresses associated with planning your wedding, worrying about traveling should not be one of them. I can fully support this statement having planned a destination wedding myself!

Check out this nifty mosaic I made featuring some of the products our new site sells. Some of these products would also be great in a gift basket for out-of-town guests, or as attendant favors!

Photos from center, then clockwise from top left: Ladies, nothing is more exhausting than your wedding day, trust me. When you arrive at the airport and grab your post-wedding cup of joe, don't worry about spilling on your cute honeymoon outfit. Put in a convenient luggage cup holder. All you germaphobic couples will love a toothbrush sanitizer. A colorful jewelry organizer is a must for your honeymoon, and also makes a great bridesmaid gift! A travel steamer is a must for keeping your date night outfits wrinkle-free, while saving precious time to spend with your new spouse! Also, don't forget to weight your luggage before heading to the airport, so you don't get slammed with extra baggage fees!

The green wallet is not your average wallet, it actually blocks RFID's, protecting you from people trying to scan your personal information off your license/passport. Protect your iPad/latop with a cute white patent case. Gift your new hubby with a trendy monochromatic passport case. No these, are not coloful light bulbs. They are 3 ounces containers, perfect for carrying on your fave shampoos, body washes, etc. Hotel rooms never having enough outlets is no longer a problem with this USB Power Pirate.

Finally, a tolietry organizer is a must for ensuring that your essential beauty products do not spill all over your suitcase. Ever notice how planes are freezing? Nothing is better than a microbial fleece blanket to help you arrive warm and healthy to your destination! If you're going out of the country for your wedding or honeymoon, don't forget electronic converters, so you can use all your devices without frying them!

New Color Combo: Charcoal & Emerald

I'm going to be a bridesmaid in a September wedding in which one of the wedding colors is charcoal. While the bride is doing a lovely combination of charcoal against soft pastels, I also love when this dark neutral is expressed with bright pops of color, such as canary yellow, featured in the image below.

However, lately I prefer unexpected color combinations. So I came up with an emerald green and charcoal palette, offset by the cool crispness of white.

What are your favorite unexpected color combinations for a wedding?

Engagement Rings With A Conscience

A friend of mine recently became engaged. When I saw her to celebrate this milestone, she showed me her lovely ring. What made it so fabulous was that she chose an eco-friendly, uncut, natural diamond for her stone. Not only is it really unique and fits her personality, but she can feel good knowing that she did not select a "blood diamond."

Her ring inspired the present post on conflict-free engagement rings and wedding bands. All of the rings below were found on Etsy using the search term "conflict free engagement rings." While some are a bit pricey, most are quite affordable, another benefit of going green in your engagement ring selection!

I also chose a wide variety of stones in an array of settings. While not all of them are diamonds, there still are some "classic" engagement ring styles for the more traditional bride (e.g. large center picture).

Now aren't these something you can feel good about?!

The Best Wedding Decision I Made

This week, I decided to take a break on doing inspiration boards and give some wedding advice to those in need (but don't worry, I will be back with plenty more boards soon!).

I was recently reminiscing about my wedding with a friend who is soon to be married. She asked me for advice on how to deal with the pressures of the big day. I told her that the best decision I made was getting a good night's sleep the night before my wedding.

It sounds simple and quite practical, really. But I almost passed up my chance to get a peaceful slumber due to what I thought I "should" be doing as a bride. Our original plan was to keep with tradition and spend the night before the wedding apart. My groom would stay at our swanky hotel, and I would stay at my parent's house.

But suddenly as we thought about leaving each other on the eve of our big day, we thought it was silly to spend the night apart. I knew I would not get a good night's sleep at my parent's house, and we felt that the only person we wanted to share our pre-wedding excitement and jitters with was each other. So instead we both stayed at our lovely hotel, slept in together in the morning, and woke up feeling refreshed and ready for our wedding. It seriously was the best choice we could have made, and I'm so glad we followed our hearts and heads!

Our suite at Chatham Bars Inn

Thus, I now tell brides that the important thing to remember is that your wedding is a special event for you and your hubby-to-be to embark on the rest of your life together as partners. So do what makes you feel comfortable (even if that means going against tradition!) and you will find yourself as stress-free as possible on your  big day!

The Ultimate Prep: A Seersucker Wedding

Nothing says New England preppy like seersucker. This fabric is perfect for summer or beach weddings due to it's breathable, light cotton composition. While it's traditional color is blue, seersucker can now be found in an array of pastels, as well as neutrals such as khaki.

As soon as summer rolls around, I love pulling out my seersucker clothing and accessories, such as my vintage Kate Spade purse (also great for a bride on her wedding day!).

Seersucker would also be great as a wedding theme for brides looking to host a classic, preppy wedding. If you're fiance objects, just tell him that real men wear pastels, and he'll be thanking you when he's not wearing a traditional tux in 90 degree heat!

Finally, find some creative ways to incorporate seersucker into your wedding theme, such as customizing your wedding cake with stripes:

Cake by Cake Girls

Natural Inspiration

For the 4th of July, I was fortunate to spend a long weekend at my in-law's lake house. While there, I felt really inspired by all the earthy colors that surrounded me, such as the bright yellow flowers, deep purple berries, woodsy bark, and forest moss. Here is an inspiration board for brides who want a green, organic, and natural wedding palette :)

Products clockwise from top left: Any outdoor bride must remember sun protection! Stay chic with cute sunglasses by J.Crew. Arrive on your honeymood in style with this canary suitcase (J.Crew). Make a statement with plum heels under your dress (J.Crew). Put nature on your table with topiary centerpieces and placecard holders. Carry a bouquet of colorful wildflowers. Bridesmaids can don a lovely moss green frock (J.Crew). Create a custom logo in your wedding colors. Let guest cool off during your ceremony with a natural woven fan. Have a sunny cake for a pop of color. Instead of a long veil, go for a more practical birdcage veil that won't blow away in the wind, such as this one from Etsy. Use a plum lip tint for a natural, flushed appearance (by Fresh, available at Sephora). Go green with pretty invites printed on recycled paper!

A Pink Palette

Much to my dismay, I am almost out of my favorite perfume, Flowerbomb (which I of course wore on my wedding day). So I decided to turn my obsession with this pink perfume into an inspiration board for all you brides. This board combines a few of my favorite things (J.Crew, peonies, candy, and horses).

Happy weekend everyone!

Hello Again!

I'm sure my readers probably thought I had given up on this blog. Perhaps part of me had. But I decided that this is the only thing in my life that allows me to express and explore my creative side. So I'm not going to give it up! I plan to return with more posts to inspire all you future brides!

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you some tidbits that might help those of you who a) are chronic worrywarts like myself b) have just turned into one since getting engaged or c) can officially label yourself a bridezilla :)

Here is what I've learned in my absence:

• I know everyone says it, but the marriage is much more important than the wedding day! As much as you are stressing about centerpieces and stationary, try to accept the fact that it won't be perfect, but that's what will make it memorable.
• I miss creative blogging. Looking at pictures of pretty things is very relaxing and a good form of stress relief. So current bridal bloggers - don't feel bad about spending so much time blogging/swooning over wedding collages!
• I realized that blogging doesn't have to be all or nothing. I used to be obsessed with ideas for my next post and felt like I constantly had to be an "idea machine." Now I realize it's ok to blog less frequently whenever I'm feeling inspired.
• Nostalgia is nice. I'm glad I created this blog about a major life event. I'm happy I have something tangible that allows me to look back on my journey and reminisce. I think you will feel the same way after your wedding.
• Wedding blogs are like a built in support group. Having a group of women to commisserate with over inane wedding details that no one else cares about is a great form of therapy. The fact that most ladies manage to stay interesting, funny, and kind while planning a wedding is the best reason I can think of to keep blogging!

So to those of you who have gotten married since my last post one year ago - congrats!!! And to the rest - don't stop following wedding blogs, they will help keep you sane :)