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!

Vendor I (literally) Heart: Stories of Gen

This time, my featured vendor is very near and dear to me, as she is my new sister-in-law! Let me explain:

I don't know about you, but as the bride, I made the majority of the wedding decisions and would consult with Cape Cod Groom for his approval.  But since I wanted Cape Cod Groom to have some aspects of the wedding that were his decision (and take a few things off my plate!), one of the tasks on his to-do list was to choose the gifts for the groomsmen.  Now, I will admit that this was a challenging task, as it's always easier to find pretty things for bridesmaids, so I was not surprised when he turned to our SIL, the creative mind behind Stories of Gen for assistance.

Our SIL started Stories of Gen to create a unique gift giving service to suit any budget.  You provide her with the details on who, what, where, why, and how much you want to spend, and she will send you at least 3 fantastic finds from which to choose.

In our case, we were looking for attendant gifts for two very different groomsmen.  One was a bachelor in his early 20's, the other a married father.  Neither would have been into the traditional monogrammed flask. Stories of Gen found the perfect gifts for both, and since Cape Cod Groom waited until the last minute, she was even able to ship everything to us in time, in stylish packaging no less.

For my cousin, the young bachelor, she found this hip wallet, made of recycled seatbelts (courtesy of interrobang)!

For the best man, she found these Chicago Transit cufflinks, to remind him of his hometown now that he's relocated to Atlanta:

Overall, our Groomsmen could not have been happier with their gifts, and we were thrilled with Stories of Gen's unique and tasteful choices!

With wedding season quickly approaching, I highly recommend you contact her for all of your attendant gift needs.  She also does gifts for any occasion, so don't forget to do something extra special for your parents for Mother's and Father's Day as well (especially if they are helping you out with your wedding)!

Finally, if you are going to be a guest at a wedding and want to give the lucky couple something unexpected, or are attending a wedding without a registry and have no idea what to purchase, here are some really cute items she has found for the bride & groom:

My personal fave, a customized silhouette of the couple:

Solar powered birdhouse to adorn the newlywed's home:

Love jar, also perfect for DIY wedding sand ceremonies!

 

Vendor I Heart: Plum Pretty Sugar

Oh, the wonderful world of Twitter.  I have to thank Cape Cod Groom for recommending I set up a Twitter account for this blog, as it has connected me to so many fabulous vendors in the wedding industry, not to mention the all of the fantastic brides and grooms out there.  I mainly set up the Twitter account for fun, and to follow other bloggers that I admire, but I never imagined that there would be people out there who would start reading this blog because of it.  I have to say, I'm shocked by how many great, creative brides and vendors there are and how quickly I've become connected to them via Twitter!

Thus, you can imagine my surprise when a vendor actually approached me, telling me she admired this blog and hoped to be featured on it!  I was really touched, and decided to check out her work asap, so I headed over to her Etsy shop, Plum Pretty Sugar.  I was shocked to find so many great things in her shop that I really had trouble narrowing down my favorite choices!  I adore her tunic dresses and robes for their ethereal, floral design, but I'm also a huge fan of her accessories.  Her pajama sets, tanks, and matching headbands and pony tail holders are so preppy chic! Any of these items would make great bridesmaids gifts, as they always say you should give your bridesmaids gifts they will actually want to use after your wedding.  I guarantee any lucky lady who receives one of these robes will be wearing them for a long time after your big day.

Lastly, don't get too sidetracked by her great clothing and loungerie.  I thought she only made apparel, but then I discovered that she also designs accessories for the home! Her duvet covers and matching shams are truly hidden gems that are so gorgeous and affordable, I'm just dying to redecorate!  Wouldn't it be great to have a new bedroom set for your first night as a married couple?

(Click on images below to view larger)

Vendor I Heart: Punky Jane

Wow, this is a crazy unique idea that I never would have thought of, but am totally loving (I guess this is why I'm a blogger, not an artist!).  Etsy seller Punky Jane makes custom sterling silver jewelry that commemorates or counts down to important dates in the lives of her clients.  I think these would make great presents for the holiday season, birthdays, anniversaries and, of course, weddings! One idea: give these as bridesmaids gifts, having each one mark a special day in their lives, such as the birth of their child.  After all, they always say the best gift you can give a bridesmaid is one that has nothing to do with your wedding!  While you're at it, how fun would it be to purchase one for yourself to count down to your wedding day, and then wear it afterward for sentimental value?  Lastly, don't think that Punky Jane's cute creations are just for ladies.  You can purchase calendar key chains for the men in your life too!  Bonus: he can never again claim to have forgotten your anniversary :)