Jaynie has been a busy lady- she just opened her new store Mini’s Cupcakes- and I feel the irresistable desire to take a car trip! Jaynie says, “When the space became available, I knew it would be a better fit for us. We wanted to find a new place that inspires an enriching experience and continues to bring a yummy joy to the community…We are thrilled our customers are enthusiastic about the move and have pleged to follow our shop to its new space.”

My fav is Lemon Drop (pictured above) but I am totally intrigued by the Pineapple Upside Down and the Pistachio Raspberry!

I had to find out the Tucson Bride and Groom Team’s weaknesses:

Fran, our esteemed publisher, goes traditional with Chocolate with Buttercream and a bit adventurous with the Strawberries and Champagne (although she makes it clear that she would not turn down any of them!!)

Jennifer, our beloved Marketing and Sales gal, prefers Pineapple Upside Down, Chocolate Ganache, Carrot, and Strawberries and Champagne ( I asked for her favorite but she couldn’t narrow it down!)

Stephanie, our invaluable Editor, simply cannot choose. She’s spontaneous and decides when she sees them; whichever one is prettiest is her pick!

There is only one problem. What about the perfect way to display your Mini’s? Check out the Cupcake Tower- these are versatile, customizable and re-usable! They are handcrafted, come with matching non-permanent ribbon and you can choose square or round, 2, 3, 4 or 5 tiers!

Cupcakes, meet your throne!

It’s a little bit wrong how much I want a cupcake right now- I hear the treadmill yelling at me! (Speaking of cupcakes, do you know about Bella Cupcake Couture?)

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Thanks to Amanda Rockafellow for her delightful and tempting images of Mini’s new store and cupcakes!

Here’s what you need to know: Mini’s is located at 7051 North Oracle Rd.  Tucson, AZ, call  299-2605 for more information.

They drop your name into the right lap, they slip you a hard to get phone number or they tip you off to a new opportunity. So brides, how does this relate to you?

Well, as an inhabitant of the wedding world, you have to shop A LOT. You have decisions to make and people to thank, not to mention the gifts you must bestow on your guys and gals come wedding time. Sometimes having an inside track is a handy tool to keep in your back pocket.

One such tool is One King’s Lane. This is a site where you sign up for access to “The world’s top home decor brands and designers at up to 70% off retail.”  What’s cool about the site is that the deals change on a rotating basis. You just need to slip online every once in a while and peruse but if you like something you see, act quickly because items do sell out. Here are some of today’s items:

Sure, you can’t complete your gift registry here because the products change often but you can check it out for great deals, unique gift ideas and top notch designers. Stephanie turns to One King’s Lane when she needs to buy a gift for those people who seem to have it all. She wisely advises “While you might not ‘need’ any of the beautiful treasures at One Kings Lane, you will want them all.”

No go find your next treasure!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Needless to say, if I had to do it all over again, I would find a way to make my wedding more charming and personal so when we come across products from companies like Bella Cupcake Couture, I get really excited. Giddy even. This is one of those products that adds a very special touch to your event and will make your guests ooh and ahh all over that place. See what I mean?

The other cool thing about the cupcake wrappers is that they are printed with soy inks on recycled linen paper. Eco-friendly AND pretty??? LOVE! (Visit Bella Cupcake Couture to see more options including customizable wrappers.)

The details are what makes a wedding, or any event, stand out from the others. Clever choices and personalized touches take your event to the next level and these are exactly the kind of thing you can incorporate into your wedding without a ton of extra effort on your part.

Visit the Bella Cupcake Couture blog for the latest custom designs and cupcake news!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

These products have an organic quality to them that whisper authenticity. Maybe it’s the elegant design. Maybe it’s the understated hue. Whatever it is, we are positive you will thank us for sharing Paloma’s Nest with you. Here are some of our favorites:

OK, so now that you’ve seen this, you probably don’t need it but tell a friend’s boyfriend about it so that he can propose in style and you can be a hero!

I’ve been married 10 years and this still produces a tiny lump in my throat.

Sentimental idea, modern approach: Bouquet Text Tile (totally customizable, by the way!)

And can you stand it? These customized hangers are so perfect for a new baby (we’re always thinking ahead)!

Now that you have properly joined us in our adoration, go to Paloma’s Nest- you will probably find something you can’t live without!

Today’s Tip: You will want to clue your photographer in if you have customized details or sentimental trinkets such as these. Sometimes what may seem obviously important to you might not be apparent to those behind the lens. Photographers eat this stuff up so communicate with them!

Chatting soon! Kelly

You threw that little trinket away didn’t you?

It’s OK, we can all agree that finding a bridesmaid gift that will elicit squeals of delight and even a genuine hug or two is a challenge. Lucky for you, we have a solution that is going to make your head spin with possibilities!

Stephanie Johnson has created a line of travel accessories that are the real deal. This is a woman who traveled the world and yearned for accessories that would both complement her obsession with order and efficiency and satisfy her inner fashionista. Kind of like you!

What makes a Stephanie Johnson bag special?

Yes, they are designed with a meticulous eye; removable pouches, beautifully detailed liners and pull-out mirrors are the norm but I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge your inner Hollywood starlet begging to be pacified. Teri Hatcher, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum and Brittney Spears are among the long list of celebs who adore Stephanie’s genius travel accessories. Prices range from $24- $82 so that means the newly gifted bags your girls pack their cosmetics in could be the same as Cameron Diaz’s! How great is that?

Choose from 27 styles and 34 fabrics and with names like “Cancun”, “Mumbai Yellow”, “Vegas Pink” and “Chicago Gold”, you can choose gifts that are perfect for each of your girls. Your MOH will no longer have to use a cosmetic bag that has a peachy hue inside thanks to a broken blush. Bridesmaid #2 will be able to ditch the scary gold tapestry jewelry roll her mother-in-law gave her for her birthday. And no doubt, the hanging toiletry bag bridesmaid #3 received 5 years ago as a gift with purchase can meet the trash can!

Your girls are going to adore you for getting them the perfect gift (they might even forgive you for making them wear the planet’s most uncomfortable shoes) and you can move on to more important things, like choosing your own Stephanie Johnson travel accessories for yourself- Hello Honeymoon!

Chatting soon, Kelly

We have to show off some of the simply fabulous ideas they have for creating custom favors, which is the number one do-it-yourself wedding element.

We have always been a huge fan of the Tiffany blue and chocolate brown color scheme, and Michael’s put this simple set together in a snap. Cute candy jars tied with a simple ribbon. Insert your favorite sweet treat and you are good to go!

We are also quite fond of the personalized votives in the same colors.

Look at this perfectly coordinated flower girl basket and ring bearer pillow. Michael’s of course offers the faux rose petals in a variety of colors too, which is really helpful if you want turquoise petals at your wedding!

We looked in to purchasing candies with a personalized label, and it can be kind of expensive.

Doing it yourself is easier than you’d think. Even a novice can complete the Michael’s projects. In addition to the kits, the website offers instructions, difficulty ratings, and even reader tips. Love that!

Kudos to Michael’s for making a bride’s life easier.

Amy Wahl and her team set us up for some great memory-making with a computer that films and produces these nifty books in about ten minutes.

I can’t stop looking at the two books I made at our party and remembering what fun we had. Ours were imprinted with our 10th anniversary cover–they would look so great with your monogram and wedding date in your wedding colors.