You again, Monday? Back so soon?

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Some of us here hit the movies for the Tim Burton flick Alice in Wonderland; Crystal posted a few fun inspiration boards last week based on the film, and I wanted to see whether the movie did Lewis Carroll justice. I suppose it’s hard living up to such a legacy…cinema has been trying to capture Carroll’s bizarre works of word and logic play for decades. This new attempt combined elements of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, then mish-mashed it with some of Burton’s own creative wackiness and digital cinematic wizardry. I thought the story was a little thin, but it was a fun 3-D ride, colorful and entertaining. My own favorite part of the movie, hands-down, was Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen, without which the movie may have been somewhat lacking.

Speaking of cinematic wizardry--I guess Oscars weekend put me in the mood--here’s a bit of light-hearted and creative fun to start off the week: a video Save-The-Date by Russo Young that I found on the Brooklyn Bride. I’ve said many times before that pulling off a truly memorable wedding depends on how much you are able to infuse it--down to the smallest details--with your own unique personalities to make it stand out. Video is a medium that really lends itself to this; a video save-the-date like this is a fun and creative way to showcase your energy and personalities. Add a soundtrack that means something to both of you--in the case of this video, it’s the score to Where the Wild Things Are--and just have fun with it. Email the video to your guests, post it on your wedding website, or even distribute it on mini-DVDs. I love how this couple weaves in footage from each of their childhoods, too. What a great touch!

There’s a ton of movie-editing software out there these days, so grab a camcorder and some creativity and make a project out of it!

Every now and then, a story comes along where you just have to say…”what the heck??”

This is one of those times. According to Entertainment Weekly, Josh and Ting met at an Apple store, and apparently are big fans of the company’s products. So much so, in fact, that they decided to hold their wedding ceremony in the Apple store at Fifth Avenue in New York. An Apple store employee tweeted the news, alerting the world to the first-ever wedding ceremony in the house Mac built.

“We got to know each other because Ting was looking to buy an iPod,” says Josh, “and I managed to strike up a conversation that way… I used to joke that the Apple Store is my church because I am not religious, and I loved everything Apple.”

Well, smack me with an iPad and call me Steve Jobs. Ain’t that just the cutest thing you ever did see? Thanks to Mashable’s Brenna Ehrlich for posting this geektastic union!

I happened to catch a story today on the exceptionally inspirational Offbeat Bride blog and thought it was such a cool project that I just had to share. Imagine firing up a blowtorch and working metal to create your very own wedding rings! In an article titled Fire! Hot Metal! We made our own wedding rings!, Merry describes how she and her fiance actually rolled up their sleeves and created–not just designed, mind you, but actually worked the hot metal itself to create–their very own wedding rings. You can’t get more personal than that.

Along a similar line, I have a friend who purchased raw gold, from a local prospector here in California who uses eco-friendly methods, and provided the gold to a jeweler for the creation of their wedding rings. Unique, to be certain. But Merry and her fiance take it a step further in fashioning and finishing the metal itself! Under the direction of goldsmith Sam from ring-making studio New York Wedding Rings, they worked two strips of palladium into polished, beautiful rings in 8 hours. What a great idea!

Photo Credits: All photos from merryf at Offbeat Bride

This makes me want to get a blowtorch and an anvil. What a blast this must have been, and how cool to craft these timeless pieces together by hand! To read more about Merry’s and her fiance’s adventure creating their rings, and to see more photos, check out the original blog post at Offbeat Bride.

Have a great week, everyone!

Looking for the perfect bridesmaids’ gift? Consider a Coffee Corset from the crafty Jenn Gee over at Etsy, a sexy and stylish gift for your coffee drinking bridesmaids, and for yourself! These coffee cup corsets are a great eco-friendly alternative to the plain old wasteful cardboard sleeves, since they are made out of fabric that can be reused over and over again. These corsets work for hot or cold drinks and are conveniently small enough to fit in your purse to go everywhere you go. There are over 200 coffee corset designs to choose from, all handcrafted by Jenn; you are bound to find one to fit each one of your bridesmaids’ style or personality. The perfect accessory for a morning latte!

Here are some of my favorites:

{The Surf Bunny & Red and White Paisley}

{Bavarian Basket Weave & Shoots in Pink}

{The Dotty One & The Abigail}

{The Erin & For The Music Lover}

{Calico Fancy & Cool Beans}

{Safari & The Chrissy}

{Simply Leaves In Green & The Kaye}

{Coffee Corset Photo Credits by jenngee via Etsy.com}

I’ve been aticipating the new Twilight movie New Moon, which releases today. I have my tickets for tomorrow, and thus the inspiration for my post.  I just wanted to share the beautiful couple Edward and Bella in fancy attire. I love these shots as they are so romantic but dark at the same time. Some inspiration for your goth wedding…enjoy!

{Photo Credit: BridalBuds.com and LovingRob.Wordpress.com}

{Photo Credit: EdwardBellaCullenLovin.blogspot.com}

{Photo Credit: Ʋɑne Feʀʀeiʀɑ via Flickr.com}

{Photo Credit: InStyle.com}

{Photo Credit: InStyle.com}

{Photo Credit: InStyle.com}

{Photo Credit: InStyle}

{Photo from Vanity Fair via}

{Photo from Harper’s Bazaar via Fanpop.com}

{Photo from Harper’s Bazaar via RobertPattinson-online.com}

{Photo from Harper’s Bazaar via LovingRob.Wordpress.com}

{Photo from Harper’s Bazaar via RobertPattinson-online.com}

{Photo from Harper’s Bazaar via Jared.com}

Today I was inspired by the garlands of papel picado (traditional Mexican cut-paper streamers) hung as decoration in celebration of the Mexican tradition Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Today many Mexican families remember their loved ones who have passed away. Some couples work this special day as their wedding theme and papel picado is always a present detail in this colorful tradition. You can order wedding papel picado in white or a range of other colorful options depending on your wedding colors. Casa Bonampak in San Francisco is my favorite spot for papel picado. You can custom order your wedding papel picado or pick from many themes including the Day of the Dead.

{Photo Credit: Solid Light Blue Wedding Papel Picado by Casa Bonampak}

{Photo Credit: Garlands of Papel Picado by Dasha Wright via Brides.com}

{Photo Credit: Papel Picado Huppah by Mishka Designs’ Blog}

{Photo Credit: Dia de los Muertos Papel Picado by Andy Castro via Flickr.com}

To continue with the theme on Halloween wine and spirits for an October 31 wedding, I’ve searched for my favorite Halloween-themed martini recipes. Choose one or two as your signature drink for a fabulous and fun Halloween wedding. These all sounds so yummy, I’m going to have to try one of these for our Halloween party!

Mad Eye Martini {Photo & Recipe via LegendaryHalloween.com}

Ingredients

Cocktail
½ oz. HPNOTIQ
1 oz. super premium vodka
2 oz. lychee juice

Eyeball
1 canned grade AA lychee in syrup, drained
1/4 teaspoon cherry, strawberry or raspberry preserves
1 blueberry

Preparation

The Martini
Shake Hpnotiq, vodka, and lychee juice with ice, strain into a martini glass.

Lychee Eyeball
Dry the lychee and fill with preserves. Place blueberry, blossomed end facing out, into cavity and skewer.

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Dra-Kahlúa {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Kahlúa TheNibble.com}

Ingredients
1-1/2 part Kahlúa
1/2 part cognac
1/2 part triple sec
3/4 part fresh lemon juice
1/2 part simple syrup
Blood orange wedge for garnish (blood oranges have a dramatic red interior)

Preparation
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled, half sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a blood orange wedge.

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Ghost Smirnoff {Photo & Recipe via TheBar.com}

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka
1/4 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1/4 oz. Half-and-Half
1/4 oz. Simple Syrup
1/4 oz. Shavings of White Chocolate

Preparation
Fill shaker with ice. Add Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, half-and-half, and simple syrup. Shake. Strain into chilled martini glass rimmed with white chocolate. Garnish with white chocolate shavings.

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Blood Orange Lychee Martini {Photo & Recipe via Glam.com}

Ingredients
Stirrings Blood Orange Martini Rimmer
1 part Stirrings Blood Orange Martini Mixer
1 part vodka
Splash of lychee juice
1 lychee
1 large date
Blood orange wedge or plastic spider (optional)

Preparation
Rim a martini glass with Stirrings Blood Orange Martini Rimmer (optional). Combine the mixer, vodka, and lychee juice in an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake and strain into the martini glass. To make the eyeball, stuff the lychee with the date and drop it into bottom of glass. Garnish with a fresh blood orange wedge and plastic spider.

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Kahlúa Cryptini {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Kahlúa via TheNibble.com}

Ingredients
1 part Kahlúa
2-1/2 parts vanilla vodka
1/4 part sambuca
Espresso beans for garnish
Chocolate “shoelace licorice” for garnish (optional)
Drink rimmer for garnish—or try pulverized espresso beans mixed with party sugar (optional)

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with three espresso beans.

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Vampire Kiss Martini {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Finlandia Vodka via Cocktails.About.com}

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz Finlandia Vodka
1 1/2 oz Korbel Champagne
3/4 oz Chambord
Red sugar for rimming

Preparation
Rim the glass with red sugar (use food coloring) or drop in a set of wax vampire teeth for a real surprise. Pour vodka and half of the Chambord in a martini glass. Top with Champagne. Pour the remaining Chambord over the back of a spoon to make it float.

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Trick-or-Tini {Photo & Recipe via Intoxicologist.Wordpress.com}

Ingredients
1 part coconut cream
1 part tangerine flavored mixer (suggested, Stirrings Tangerini)
1 part banana liqueur
Splash of white rum

Preparation
Chill ingredients in fridge or freezer. Once cooled, pour the first three ingredients, in the order listed above, slowly over the back side of a spoon into a martini glass. Top with a splash of white rum.

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Kahlúa Black Cat {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Kahlúa via DrinkOfTheWeek.com}

Ingredients
1 oz. Kahlúa
2 1/2 oz. vanilla vodka
1/4 oz. sambuca
Espresso beans for garnish

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with three espresso beans.

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Ghostly-Skyy {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Skyy Infusions Vodka via DrinkOfTheWeek.com}

Ingredients
2 oz. SKYY Vodka
1 tbsp. light cream
½ oz. amaretto

Preparation
Combine all ingredients and shake with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

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Black Widow Martini {Photo & Recipe via DrinkOfTheWeek.com}

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. SKYY Infusions Raspberry
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Pomegranate Juice
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice
Raspberry Syrup

Preparation
Draw a spider web on the inside of a chilled martini glass with raspberry syrup. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with plastic spider.

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Jager After Dark {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Jägermeister via Blisstree.com}

Ingredients
2 parts Tommy Bahama Golden Sunâ„¢ Rum
1 part premium orange liqueur
1 part espresso
1/2 part simple syrup
1 pinch grated nutmeg
Cocoa powder for garnish

Preparation
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a martini glass. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top.

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Bloody-tini {Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Veev Acai via Cocktails.About.com}

Ingredients
2 oz VeeV Acai Spirit
1 oz acai juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
Top with fresh champagne
Lime wedge for garnish

Preparation
Combine VeeV, Acai juice and fresh lime with fresh ice in a cocktail shaker and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass and top with champagne. Serve with a fresh lime wedge.

Crystal posted some Halloween-themed wines yesterday…so I thought I’d add some balance to things with a beer version. I’ve mentioned before that if you’re providing beer at your wedding and want to really treat your guests–especially the beer enthusiasts among them–toss in craft or microbrew selections. There are plenty of options out there, and some delightfully dark ones for weddings or pre-wedding parties that happen to fall around this holiday.

The selections I’ve chosen for today’s post not only fit the season with their themed labels, but are–more importantly–quality beers and nice examples of their respective styles. You should be able to find most or all at a local specialty beverage retailer like Beverages and More.

So have your guests relax. Sit a spell. And enjoy some brew!

From top left to bottom right: Witches’ Brew, an English pale ale by 5 Seasons Brewing Company; Horny Devil, a Belgian strong ale by AleSmith Brewing Co.; Hobgoblin, a red ale by Wychwood Brewery; Dead Reckoning Porter, an unfiltered porter by Troegs Brewing Company; Hop Goblin, a 45 IBU India pale ale by R&B Brewing Company; Black Wych, a traditional English dark stout by Wychwood Brewery; Raven’s Eye, an imperial stout by Eel River Brewing Company; Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, the obligatory pumpkin ale on the list by Elysian Brewing Company; and Halloween Ale, an extra special bitter by Gritty McDuff’s

Top labels: Deathly Pale Ale, Ritual Dark Ale, and Mortality Stout by ReaperAle Brewing Company

If you’re having a Halloween-themed wedding, check out these wicked inspired wine bottles, perfect for your reception tables.  I love these wine labels; there are many to choose from, but these are my favorites!  Cost Plus World Market, BevMo, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market are some of the best places to find these specialty wine bottles. These are also perfect for a Halloween party or your pre-wedding parties if they happen to fall around this time of the year. Have fun with these; I’m sure your guests will enjoy having a sip!

{Photo Credits: Skeleton Hands Toasting by ElkCreekVineyards.com, Armida Winery Poizin Zinfandel by Armida.com, R Wines Evil Cabernet Sauvignon via BevMo.com, Bogle Winery Phantom by BogleWinery.com, Vampire Vineyards Paso Robles, California - Dracula Syrah, Vampire Merlot and TrueBlood Syrah via WickedWinesOnline.com, Elk Creek Vineyards Ghostly White - Sweet Mellow White, Bone Dry Red Cabernet and Ghostly White Chardonnay by ElkCreekVineyards.com, Ghost Pines Wine by GhostPines.com, M.D. Phillips Seven Deadly Zins via BevMo.com, Romania Werewolf Pinot Grigio via HopsAndGrapesOnline.com, Cabernet Sauvignon Casillero del Diablo via WorldMarket.com, 2008 Eye of the Toad Rosé by ToadHollow.com, Skeleton Cellars Decorative Skull Wine Bottle via ZGallerie.com}

A friend sent this over to us today on Twitter and I just couldn’t help myself. Maybe it’s just the dark side of me coming out as we get closer to ye olde All Hallow’s Eve, but I think it’s great. Whether you love it or hate it, this couple is definitely creative and throwing all that hoity-toity wedding formality stuff to the October winds. And that’s what Halloween should be all about, right? Buck the norm and make your wedding your own, especially if it falls on or around this deliciously creepy time of year. And even if you’d like to keep more of a semblance of sanity for your own wedding cake but still remain Halloween-playful, something like this could be an awesome gory groom’s cake.

The cake was ordered by the undead-loving couple from Mike’s Amazing Cakes in Seattle, and it was red velvet; so you can just imagine how that added another wonderfully gory dimension!

Photo Credits: Posted on Flickr by noblerobinette