Pantone Announced It's 2014 Color -- And A Hint About My Bridesmaid Dresses

I was in New York for a week for Thanksgiving and decided it was the best time to go bridesmaid dress shopping. If we didn't go then, I'm not sure we'd ever go.

I wanted eggplant, but the dress I fell in love with didn't come in eggplant. It only came in a light purple version, which is sort of like lilac, and I'm okay with that.

I was online three days later and saw this ...

That color up top, the 2014 Pantone color of the year Radiant Orchid, that's the exact color I picked for the 

bridemaids dresses.

I had no idea the color was going to be so important in 2014, but now my 2014 wedding looks completely on trend. Oh, the little things.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What color are your bridesmaids' dresses?

Wedding Welcome Bags (Oriental Trading Edition): Full bags for only $1.15 each

I went up north for a wedding two weekends ago, and of course, I was an out of town guest (well, my parents were the out of town guests and I was the person too cheap to pay for a room for myself so I crashed in their extra bed).

When they checked in, they were handed a welcome bag (I used to always call them hotel bags but someone said welcome bag during a recent Bridal Babble and I liked that). Actually, the entire Bridal Babble was about welcome bags a few weeks back. We were chatting about what people like (and don't like). And then, when I was at the wedding earlier this month, I surveyed people there and asked what they did and didn't like.

Call it market research.

I took everyone's ideas and created these welcome bags on a budget.

There's a ton of stuff going on in that bag, so I'll walk you through it little by little.

Start with the actual bag. When I surveyed people, the overwhelming majority said that reusable was better than disposable (although the minority only said disposable because of the additional cost of reusable bags).

I actually found a really great deal on Oriental Trading. You can get a 50-piece tote bag assortment for only $31.50. That's only $.63 a bag, which is actually less than I was finding disposable bags for.

Reusable bags are great, especially in practicality. See, people are coming from out of town and every time I go out of town, I always end up with more than I went there with. But I never end up with any extra bags. This is a great way to actually have that extra bag to pack your souvenirs in.

I wanted to include post cards on the front of every bag, but they were a little out of my budget (I mean, they're 3/$1, which isn't terribly bad, but every penny counts -- especially when you're like me and have to make 100 bags). So what I did was design my own, then I printed them at Walgreens. You can use PicMonkey.com to edit your photos (I edited the coloring and more). Then, you can get great deals on prints (as low as free, which is when I got mine, but usually around 10 cents each on sale).

When I asked people what they wanted most in bags, water and snacks was the best idea. I'm saving all my Walgreens points to get free water (more about that here).

I was thinking about including one bottle per bag, but I was told it should be at least two per bag. People are staying in the hotel room as a couple and you shouldn't expect them to share water.

As far as snacks, I'm planning on heading to Costco to get bags of chips for the bags (although they're not pictured because it's a bit early to pick those up).

I did, however, get some themed candy. I picked up some beach monkey banana candy and tropical-shaped candy fun packs, both from Oriental Trading. Since we're having a beach wedding and everyone we know will be traveling to the beach, these were totally fitting.

The banana candy is $7.25 for 48, so only $.15 each. The tropical candy is $4.99 for 57, so $.08. Add one to each bag and you're spending less than a quarter each. What I'm actually thinking is throwing these two candy packs along with a pack of gum into a plastic bag. That way, the small candies won't get lost in the large tote bag.

We're in November now and it was 82 degrees last I checked. So imagine how hot it'll be for our June wedding. People will need fans. Maybe not at the wedding itself, but this bag is more for their time outside of the wedding. So I figured plastic fans would be great.

If you can see, the purple fan in the middle is closed and the other two are open. This is something a woman can throw in her purse and pull out when she's sightseeing. The fans, you guessed it, are from Oriental Trading. You can pick plain fans, but I picked the hibiscus print fans. The're $3.50 a dozen, so $.29 each.

The other items in the photo (the shampoo, hair spray, and razors), that's all recapped here. If you remember, that's all stuff I got for free after coupons.

Our budget for the bags is $2 per bag. That's $200 total. I know, it seems crazy to think that we'll be able to make that budget ... until you actually recap.

Welcome bags:

Tote bag: $.63

Shampoo/conditioner: free after coupons

John Frieda hair spray: free after coupons

Personal postcard: free at Walgreens

Trident gum: free after coupons

Mens/womens razors: free after coupons

Tropical candy: $.08

Banana candy: $.15

Fan: $.29

Water: free with Walgreens Balance Rewards

Total so far: $1.15

Ideally, I'm going to add chips to this (but that'll be less than $.85 for two bags when I go to Costco) as well as area maps and information. I can get the maps and info free at the chamber (I've already asked and they will give me 100 of each, for free ... and more if I need it). So my $2 per bag budget is completely possible. And that bag is awesome and looks like it's more than $2. You just have to know how to spend your money.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What else do you think this bag needs?

Oriental Trading provided some of these products for this post. Additional items were purchased out of pocket by A Bride On A Budget.

Virtual Engagement Party: Wood Wedding Collection From Night Owl Paper Goods

I went to a wedding last weekend and the table cards were so cute. They had leaves cut from card stock and each person's name and table number on them.

The leaves were a variety of colors and were either on a table or hung on strings with mini clothespins.

So cute.

That's the kind of stuff that really makes a difference at your wedding. All these small details add up.

Night Owl Paper Goods has an easy way to bring small details into your wedding.

At Night Owl Paper Goods, you can order a sample pack of the Wood Wedding Collection items, which arrives with a thank you card, invitation, RSVP card, and table card sample.

The table cards are my favorite.

The table cards come with a variety of images printed on them. For me, personally, I was most excited about the starfish and sand dollar cards, since we are having a beach wedding. This small touch will make a huge difference. Plus, these are made of wood, which is sustainable, and it just makes me feel a lot better.

If you know us, you know we try to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible. And we try to incorporate bamboo into our lives because of its sustainability. Bamboo can grow at rates of 98 inches in 24 hours. So using it, it makes us feel better.

So it's nice to incorporate this small bit of our lifestyle into our wedding.

Your wedding should be a reflection of you, after all.

You can use write directly onto the cards, but I prefer to affix something onto it. If you're looking to save a little, you can just use clear tape. If you have a few extra dollars, you can purchase clear labels, print on them, and affix those to the cards.

What's good about tape is that if you realize everyone at one table has a sand dollar card and you just stuck someone at that table with a starfish, you can just lift the tape ...

... and stick it on a different card. Simple.

My plan is to use these for our wedding and stand them in a mini sandbox. I guess we could lay them out on their own, but I just think they would do well standing up since they are quite thick. I'm planning on burying their bottoms of them in the sand so they stand, and organizing them alphabetically by last name rather than arbitrarily standing them up. Makes it a lot easier for people to find them.

Night Owl Paper Goods makes a ton of items, including wedding cards. That wedding I referenced above, I actually gave them a wedding congratulations card from Night Owl Paper Goods.

You can get 15% off right now with the code STAR2013 and free shipping on orders over $49. Speaking of ordering, I want to give you a heads up. If you head to the site and look at the prices for the table cards, it says $1. However, that is an arbitrary price. The price starts at $3.95 if you order 25 cards and only drops to $1 if you order 200 cards. The price will drop again to $.69 if you order 1,000. Since the main page says $1, I thought they were all $1 no matter what but that is not the case. I actually discussed this with Night Owl Paper Goods and the pricing was to be removed from the main page, but since it hasn't happened yet, I wanted to let you know so you are not shocked at checkout.

BRIDAL BABBLE: How are you planning on doing your place cards?

A Bride On A Budget was provided these cards for this review.

Virtual Engagement Party: Brix Chocolate For Wine

I'm obsessed with chocolate. My dad is always eating the chocolate my grandma puts out in her room, so I figured my sweet tooth came from him. And then I found Brix Chocolate for Wine. I shared it with my mom and she was obsessed so I gave her a piece to take home over the summer. She did and shared with my grandma. And then my grandma became obsessed. So when Brix Chocolate was amazing and sent a gift box with four 4oz. bars, I gave it to my grandma.

The Brix Collection 4 variety gift box set come in a gorgeous "book" containing milk, smooth dark, medium dark, and extra dark 4oz. bars. The box is closed with a Brix Chocolate for Wine wax stamp. 

When you open the box, you're greeted with four chocolate bricks and a bit of an explanation of each. You are told what wine pairs with each bar and a few tasting notes.

The sweeter chocolate pairs with sweeter wines (like milk chocolate with a riesling).

My 92-year-old grandma opened the box and was so excited. She couldn't wait to tear into it.

You're supposed to cut into it. You can pick up a gift set that comes with a cutting board and knife or you can just use what you have at home. The four-piece gift set comes with an explanation about how to cut the block (basically shove a knife into a bar that is resting on a cutting board.

My grandma had another idea. She unwrapped the chocolate, held it in her hands, and ate it.

Do you want me to chop it up for you? I asked her, once I started to notice that she had chocolate all down her shirt and all over her face.

No, she said. If you chop it, you're going to waste the crumbs.

Point grandma.

So she put on a bib and stopped herself after she had finished an ounce.

Yes, my love of chocolate must have come from her -- who, mind you, is diabetic. She checked her sugar after eating it and her sugar wasn't high, since she was noshing on the dark chocolate. I'm not a doctor so I can't tell you anything about this chocolate's health benefits but I wanted to add that.

The chocolate is meant to be paired with wine, although my grandma ate hers without any. Brix was incredible and sent a box for my parents as well -- and my mom decided it was too pretty to enjoy herself and has plans to give it away for a gift.

Although I tried to explain to her that it was a gift for her, she wasn't listening. But I definitely get it. The boxes are gorgeous. They are one pound worth of chocolate, but they definitely feel heavier. The boxes are $25.99 and you can purchase them on Brix Chocolate's website.

The presentation of the box is amazing. It looks like you spent more than $26, that's for sure.

And that's why I'm so excited that A Bride On A Budget is giving these away to you. We are giving away five boxes in our final Virtual Engagement Party giveaway.

You can either keep them for yourself, give them with a bottle of wine for an engaged couple, or pair it with wine as a thank you gift for your parents (or whoever else helps you with your wedding).

You can enter for a chance to win one of five Brix Chocolate for Wine gift boxes, but you better do it now. Today is the last day to enter. Good luck.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of the four variants would you like to try most?

Virtual Engagement Party: Bridesmaid Dresses From Shabby Apple

I haven't gone bridesmaid dress shopping with my girls yet. To be honest, I haven't even brainstormed them yet. I want them to wear something nice but still be comfortable. I want them to look special and stand out, but still be comfortable.

And that's exactly what Shabby Apple sells.

In fact, I got a chance to browse Shabby Apple's collection and pick my favorite for review. It was hard. Shabby Apple, which sells gorgeous retro clothing, has a fantastic line of bridesmaid dresses. I was in love with a bunch of them, but my favorite was the Alice.

The Tiffany blue is stunning, and the bit of lace that peeps out the bottom is so fun and romantic*. If I was having my girls wear this, I would probably suggest a belt and have them get it sewn in when they got their dresses altered, just to give it a little more pop.
The dress is really soft and flowy, which is awesome. It's constructed really well, which is great. The fabric is thick and not see-through, which is important. This dress says it has a snug fit and to order one size up. My other Shabby Apple dress is an XS and it fits perfectly, so I ordered a 4 for this dress (as opposed to a 0/2, which would be equivalent to the XS of the other dress) ... but it doesn't fit. It seems to fit, but I can't get it to zip in the back, and I'm scared to pull it because I don't want to tear the lace. I should have ordered two sizes larger. That's the only thing I would caution you about it you order your bridesmaid dresses only. Tell your girls to order two sizes larger because they can easily be altered down but it's very hard to alter and make the dress larger.

My favorite for fall is the Bouquet Toss. The boatneck is stunning and the olive green matches beautifully with the blue heels. Plus, the sleeves are great because reception halls do tend to get a bit cold if you're lacking sleeves or a shawl.
Most of the dresses are around $100, which is half of what I paid for the last two weddings I was in, so it's almost a steal. There are a few with higher price tags, but not many.
You can also pick up shoes and accessories via the website, so it can be one stop shopping. Plus, you get free shipping with $100+ orders so buying everything in a bundle is great.
BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of Shabby Apple's dresses is your fave?

Virtual Engagement Party: Oriental Trading

I wish I could just sit around all day and plan weddings. It wouldn't even have to be mine. Actually, I think I'd prefer it wasn't.

See, we're having a beach wedding and everything is beachy. But right now, it's fall ... and all I want to do is think about falling weddings. All the browns and burlap.

Since no one has hired me to plan their fall wedding (which makes sense since I'm not a wedding planner), I window shop at Oriental Trading's website. Seriously. I open the wedding items and just plan imaginary weddings in my mind.

Oriental Trading has two wedding themes out right now for fall. There's fall and there's love birds.

Each collection has everything from start to finish for your fall wedding.

You can start with the Love Birds Medium Gift Bags for hotel bags (which someone told me they called "welcome bags" and now I want to change my term):

The bags are $7 a dozen, which is under $.60 a bag. That's not bad at all.

Plus, you can decorate your reception hall with matching decorations. That's nice start to finish cohesion.

The tree on left is the Love Birds Wishing Tree Centerpiece. We made something similar for our engagement party (well, I used a box and paper. A tree would have been nicer). The tree comes with 20 hearts and your guests can write their well wishes on them, then hang them back on the tree. I absolutely love this concept. It's such a sweet way to create a guest book. You can leave one on every table and, at $6.25 each, that's a lot cheaper for centerpieces than if you were going to put a floral centerpiece at every table.

And, to hang in front of the sweetheart table, consider the “Love Birds” Garland. It's only $4.25, which is a steal, and it will really just tie everything together.

You can have a banner even if you are just going for fall. You can personalize the Personalized Fall Wedding Banner - Medium for only $25. If you do, keep in mind that a big suggestion in the comment section was to spell out the word "and" instead of using the symbol.

From the looks of the symbol on the aisle runner, I see why. Speaking of aisle runners, they measure 100 feet. It sounds long, but I would call your church just to verify the length of the aisle before you do order. See, my church has the longest aisle in our dioceses, and I'm not sure if 100 feet would be long enough. If I can get a 100 foot aisle runner, I'm getting Oriental Trading's "Today I Marry My Best Friend" aisle runner. But, back to fall weddings ...

If you are having one, I think you absolutely need to get your place cards involved. Sure, you can buy plain white cards at the dollar store, but what's the fun of that? Believe it or not, the ones in the photo above are really easy DIY. And you can get all the materials from Oriental Trading.

Buy the card stock and cut it to size. Glue a piece of ribbon. The pack I linked (which is $3.99 a pack), by the way, is what we used for our DIY favors, except I used purple. One pack should probably do all your table cards. There are 10 different ribbon choices, and each is 2 yards. So that's 20 yards of ribbon, which quick math says is 60 feet of ribbon. No way you will need more than 60 feet of ribbon, no matter how many guests you invite. Then, glue one leaf to the card. The leaves are $6.25 for a pack of 48.

So say you're having about 200 couples. That's about 100 table cards. You can get all the supplies for under $20. That's under $.20 each. And what a big difference it makes.

That's my point about everything on Oriental Trading. It's all coordinated, so it all looks so cohesive. And that makes a big difference. You won't look like you went the cheapest route on everything, but everything will definitely be cheap enough to fit in your budget.

Don't forget: Oriental Trading is giving away a $50 gift card in the Virtual Engagement Party. Be sure to enter.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which theme do you like better: Fall or Love Birds?

Virtual Engagement Party: Party Time (& Prizes time ... win one of five prizes)

Did you get your invitation to the Virtual Engagement Party?

It's here.

All week, I've been posting reviews to products that we have found to really help out with your wedding.

We featured a review on Glass With A Twist, which is a great  gift idea for the new couple. We have reviews from eFavorMart, Oriental Trading, Shabby Apple, and Night Owl Paper Goods. We also featured a veil from Simply Bridal, a personalized Blushbox from BlushBox, and a sixpence in her shoe from Waldo Sluggo and ME.

Five of those brands (Simply Bridal, eFavorMart, BlushBox, Oriental Trading, and Waldo Sluggo & Me) have generously donated prizes for the Virtual Engagement Party. Feel free to enter all the giveaways because you could sweep and win all the prizes.

The giveaways are all live now but bonus entries will be added during the giveaways. There will be two #BridalBabble Twitter chats (Wednesdays at 4pm EST) and a secret word will be announced. For the rest of the day, you can enter the secret word to get a bonus entry (the word will be the same for all giveaways). There will be other bonus entries too, so stay tuned.

The giveaways start now and end at 11:59pm EST on October 31. All entrants must be US residents who are 18 or older. The winners will be selected and contacted via the email address left in the Rafflecopter. The winners will have 24 hours to respond before another winner will be selected.

*NEW* Win a Brix Collection 4-pack of wine paring chocolate (five winners)

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Win a veil from Simply Bridal

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Win a centerpiece prize pack (put together by Lisa at A Bride On  Budget) from eFavorMart (two winners)

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Win the A Bride On A Budget curated BlushBox

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Win a $50 Oriental Trading certificate

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Win a sixpence in her shoe from Waldo Sluggo & Me (two winners)

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