Pictures courtesy of Rebecca Thuss and Brides.com

I was browsing the Design Sponge web site when I found this adorible cake topper idea. This idea came from two readers named Luke and Brian who were married last October. Luke and Brian were on the search for a unique topper that would look wonderful on a stand of cupcakes. So, they created these little birds that were built to resemble the happy couple. If you ask me, they couldn’t have come up with anything more adorible! If you like these funky little birds, check out the DIY instructions below!

DIY wedding cake toppers

 What you’ll need:

 -paper and pencil to sketch
-white styrofoam
-knife or carving tool to carve the foam
-sand paper
-craft glue
-white tissue
-glitter, beads, pins and decorative details like buttons, fabric covered wire and pipe cleaners

 1. First we sketched out our ideas based on a photo of us, then decided (by making a mock up of the cake) what size we wanted the final piece to be.

 2. We then carved the body and head shapes out of white styrofoam, sanded them smooth with sandpaper and applied a layer of craft glue to harden and gloss.

 3. Then we added a few thin layers of white tissue and craft glue to give a hard smooth surface on which to work.

 [From here on out the decorative details are up to you…]

 4. The bodies were then covered in fine glitter to look like sugar and eyes (made of beads with flathead pins attached) were pinned into the foam forms.

 5. The wings and tails were made of tweed fabric (with a layer of clear glue to shape them and keep from fraying).

 6. The beaks and legs are toothpicks dipped in glue and and glitter.

 7. Brian’s eyeglasses are made of fabric covered wire and Luke’s hat is made from the top of an acorn!

Pictures courtesy of Rebecca Thuss and Brides.com

Pictures courtesy of Martha Stewart and The Knot

If you have a funky chic girl in your group, then you have to check out Twisted Silver. They have a plethora of styles that will please the ultra hip gals. Also you can contact Tina directly at tina@twisted-silver.com and she will give you a quantity discount if you’re ordering gifts for your bridal party!

SERVINGS: 12
TIME: Prep: 20 min. + chilling

Ingredients:

* 2 packages (6 count each) individual graham cracker tart shells
* 2 egg whites, beaten
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 3 cups milk
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, cubed
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 12 medium strawberries, sliced
* 12 blueberries
* 6 tablespoons strawberry jelly, melted

Directions:

Brush insides of tart shells with egg whites. Place on two baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and flour; gradually stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot milk mixture into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled.

Just before serving, spoon custard into shells; top with strawberries and blueberries. Spoon jelly over fruit. Yield: 12 servings.

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A secret message hidden beneath coconut-and-cashew truffles is revealed as the chocolates are devoured. The packaging seems fancy, but this is just a standard box trimmed with scalloping scissors; the tabs are usually tucked in, but we left them out, punched holes, and threaded ribbon through for a unique form.

Tools and Materials
Small lidded folding box (ours was 2 3/4 inches square by 1 3/4 inches high)
Colored card stock
3/8-inch-wide ribbon, cut 23 inches long
Scalloping shears, small hole punch, bone folder, and utility knife

Scalloped Favor Box How-To

Choose a small, square lidded box, just big enough to hold four chocolates.
1. Fold the box into shape. Use scalloping shears to cut decorative edges on the side and front flaps of the box. Punch a hole in the center of each side flap.

2. Cut colored paper for the liner; it should be as wide as the box’s interior and long enough to cover the bottom, one side, and the lid. Use a bone folder to score the paper where it will bend; then fold, and crease with the bone folder. Write one word in each of the four corners of the bottom.

3. For the dividers, cut two more pieces of colored paper to be as wide as the box and twice as high.

4. Score the dividers lengthwise down the center, and fold. Use a utility knife to cut a slit in the center of each divider so they’ll interlock; one should go from the bottom up to the middle, and the other should go from the top down to the middle. Slide the dividers together at the slits.

5. Place paper liner and the interlocked dividers in the box. Wrap the ribbon around the box, and slip the ends through the holes in the flaps.

6. Fill the box with chocolates. Fold the paper liner down and then the lid down to close. Fold the side flaps in over the top. Tie the ribbon snugly over the box.
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While the honeymoon is not part of the actual wedding ceremony, it is important to include it in your planning. You and your fiancé should brainstorm a budget and an idea of were you would like to go. You will also have to figure out if you will need a passport or not. My fiancé and I are currently in this process since we will be heading to Jamaica after the wedding. I am too excited for words! Anyway, if you do need a passport you will need to do all the paperwork a few months ahead of time. But where you want to go is the key thing. This can sometimes be the hardest decision. So…I have compiled a list of the top ten honeymoon destinations for 2008 to make this decision a little easier

1.Hawaii

 1. Jamaica

2. Mexico

3. Tahiti

4. St. Lucia

5. Italy

6. Virgin Islands

7. Aruba

8. Las Vegas

9. Bermuda

Statistics pulled from Info Please.com.

1.Sugar Sugar-The Archies
2.Sweetest Thing-U2
3.How Sweet It Is-James Taylor
4.Cut The Cake-Average White Band
5.Eat It-Weird Al’
6.Recipe For Love-Harry Connick, Jr.
7.All My Life – KC and Jojo
8.Ain’t That A Kick In The Head-Dean Martin
9. I Got You Babe-Sonny and Cher
10.When I’m Sixty-Four-Beetles
11.Little Moments-Brad Paisley
12.Pour Some Sugar On Me-Def Leppard
13.Sweets For My Sweet-CJ Lewis
14. L-O-V-E -Nat King Cole
15.You’re The One That I Want-Grease
16. Ice Cream- Sarah McLachlan
17.I’m A Believer-Smash Mouth
18.Happy Together-Turtles
19.Grow Old With You-Adam Sandler
20. How Sweet It Is-Michael Bublé
21. I Can’t Help Myself-The Four Tops
22. Sweetest Thing-Lauryn Hill
23.You’re My Best Friend-Queen
24.Lets Do It-Alanis Morissette
25.Love and Marriage – Frank Sinatra
26. Sweet Thang- Mary J Blige
27. Sweets For My Sweet-THE SEARCHERS
28.Build Me Up Buttercup-The Foundations
29.Going To The Chapel Of Love- The Shirelles
30.Fruitcakes- Jimmy Buffett

Table design from Rebecca Thuss.
All other pictures are from Brides.com and The Knot.
Ring bearer pillow