Tutorial: DIY Wheatgrass Centerpieces

Wheatgrass can be used for so many things, it recently took over a year of my life as I planned to use it in every element of my wedding.  It just so happens it is one of the easiest things to grow and gives such a fun and natural feel to any decor whether it is at a party or in your home.  You can use smaller pots like the picture below as favors for guests or as centerpieces lined up down a long table to keep the look modern and clean.



So the basics to making this lovely little pot of grass goes something like this:

1. Fill your pot about 3/4 of the way with potting soil.  Make sure you do not the fill pot too high because the grass pushes on the soil.

2.  Spread your seeds on top of the soil and then lightly cover the seeds with a little extra soil, just enough to cover them up.

3.  Make sure to keep the soil moist but not soaking wet and in about 4-7 days you will have beautiful green grass.  For all you cat lovers (like me) they will be thrilled to have a nice green plant that is healthy for them to snack on!  Eventually you will need to replant these seeds, as this is not the type of plant that can live for months or years but it grows so fast it will take no time to make new arrangements.

What type of earth friendly decor have you used in your home or for an event?  I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas and if you have pictures to share I would love to see those too!

See you swoon,

Home-style ideas

One of the things I love most about weddings is how different each one is from the next.  I have been to well over 50 weddings (seriously: I counted) and every single one was completely unique.  It is so fun to see how a bride and groom infuse the day with their personalities and their own style.

I think the same is true for homes.  I live in a neighborhood where all of the houses are the same: all were built in 1942, all are brick colonials, all have the same exact footprint.  Yet, the interiors are so very different.  I love to see how my neighbors style up their homes - from the super modern, to the country-quaint, from the breezy cottage (mine!) to a cool eclectic mix.  Each interior tells a story of who that home's occupants are, what they like, and what their style is.

We looooooove home decor here at Swoon.   And we think our clients and readers (hi!) do, too.  Afterall, most, if not all, of you are either starting out (registering for a wedding), starting over (life changes) or starting fresh (moving or redecorating).  We infuse the same DIY spirit that we use when styling events into the home arena too: we love a good project, and we have creative ideas to make totally swoon-worthy before & afters in your (and our) own home, whether you rent or own.

So, what is your current home decorating conundrum? Let us know if you need help or guidance on a project or two. We'd love to blog about it!

See you swoon,

Swoon-Worthy Pros: Doug Burns, Candid Moments Photography

Doug Burns is a photographer that I had the pleasure of working with at my own wedding.  He was incredibly easy work with and so much fun to be around.  I recommend that when you look for a photographer that you not only make sure you love their pictures but that you enjoy their presence and attitude as well.   Doug has a true vision and passion for what he does and it really comes through in his photos.  Weddings are not his only focus, he has an excellent portfolio of kids, maternity, engagement sessions and senior shots as well.  I keep looking for any excuse possible to work with Doug again, his pictures will take your breath away.  Here are a few shots to wet your whistle!

{You can visit Doug Burns at www.candidmomentsphotography.com.  And please take note that we haven't been paid or otherwise comped by Candid Moments Photography for mentioning his photography}

See you swoon,

Surprise Showers, yay or nay?

Surprise parties are one of my favorite things in life, surprises in general are just so much fun...to me at least. Now I realize that surprises are not for everyone and can be difficult to pull off so it is best that you make sure that the guest of honor is OK with not being totally prepared for an event that involves most of their family and friends attending.

A good idea is to make sure that the day of, the party is planned around something that requires the guest of honor to look nice and avoid having them show up in their favorite sweats or deciding not to shower that day (this is a sure fire way to make someone dislike surprises and feel uncomfortable). Due to recent experience, a party may not always end up being a surprise, but the thought that is put into the event and the fact that the guest of honor could sit back and relax is a huge gift in itself and will mean more to them than you could ever imagine.

So if the person you are throwing the party is up for a surprise I say go for it and make sure you have a camera ready to capture the moment!

Let us know about your experiences with surprise events and if you think they are a good idea or not.

See you swoon,

Wearing White to Wedding Events

I love Dos and Don'ts.  Honestly, that is the main reason I read Glamour all those years.  I will do a similar feature on our blog from time-to-time, but I add the "never" in there.  My four year old says "never" a lot when he really wants to emphasize something.  I like it, although I will not say it with as much emotion and drama as he does.

I may not be as well-versed in etiquette as Emily Post is, but I think I have a good sense of what's proper, what's appropriate, what's tactful and what makes sense.  I have been asked many times what my opinion is on wearing white to weddings.  Or white to bridal showers.  Or white to a rehearsal dinner.

Weddings:  I'm of the belief that guests (including mothers of the bride and groom) should leave white to the bride.  Unless a bride invites her guests to wear white, guests should avoid wearing it.  Regardless of whether this advice is outdated, at the end of the day, people (including the bride) will remember the woman who wore the white dress.  An exception to this rule is pairing a chic white blouse with a great looking skirt.  I actually love this look for weddings.  As long as the skirt is more fancy than corporate and is a print or a color, you're good to go.

Do feel free to wear a white dress with a pattern on it.  If white is not the dominant color and there is a pattern, it is fine.  However, if you're in doubt, ask a friend (or email me! I will be honest) or pass.  I have been to many a wedding (including my own) where women wore dresses with white in the pattern, and they looked great.   This orange and white dress from Anthropologie is a Do for a wedding.  Although it is white, the orange print makes it OK.

Don't wear a white dress with a tiny bit of subtle pattern.  It is still a white dress.  Don't wear a light champagne color in a silk or satin fabric.  It will look white and bridal.  This white printed dress from Anthropologie is too white.  It has some grey pattern, but not enough.  It is a Don't for a wedding.

Never wear a dress that looks like it could be a wedding dress.  Nothing plain white, nothing plain ivory.   No one wants to be that girl at a wedding.  This dress from Anthropologie, while lovely, is a Never for a wedding

Bridal Showers & Rehearsal Dinners: The rules are relaxed here.  I don't think there is a thing wrong with wearing white to a bridal shower or a rehearsal dinner.  Brides get one day to corner the market on the color white: they do not get to claim the color for every wedding-related event.

Do wear what you like to bridal showers & rehearsal dinners!

Don't wear the same thing as the bride - if you are in a wedding party and are attending these events, it is a good idea to ask the bride what she plans to wear for the shower or the dinner.

Never go into debt to buy an outfit for one of these pre-wedding parties.  It's not worth it - all eyes will be on the bride.

What is your take on wearing white to weddings? Is the old advice outdated or still wise?

See you swoon,



{note: if not already obvious, we are big fans of Anthropologie here at Swoon}