Ideal Favors: Advice, Ideas, and Online Shopping

New Damask Favor Boxes

2010-01-20T15:22:00.000-08:00

We just got finished loading some pretty new favor boxes to Ideal Favors and couldn't wait to share! Take a look at the new Purple Damask Print Favor Box and the new Black and White Damask Print Favor Box now available for only $1.00 each!
Click the photos below to be taken directly to each product page.

These boxes look especially cute finished with personalized satin ribbon or monogrammed favor labels in round or square.

We never get tired of Damask Print around here and love that these little favor boxes are now available in a unique purple combination!

Favor Box Giveaway at Weddingbee.com Today!

2009-12-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

Ideal Favors and Weddingbee have teamed up today for a fun contest!

We love our new patterned favor boxes so much that we're giving 100 of them away to one lucky winner!

The winner can choose from our Cherry Blossom box, Brown Damask box, Blue Floral box and the Garden Party box. Any pattern and any style - pedestal, pillow or cube!!

Head over to Weddingbee.com and enter to win. The contest runs from today to Thursday.

We Love Southern Weddings Magazine!

2009-11-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

We missed out on the first issue of the Southern Weddings magazine, but made sure to special order our copy for the long-awaited second issue. Oh my! We were not disappointed! In fact, a couple of us have read through it cover to cover more than once.

If you haven't picked up your copy, you can order them directly from the SWS site here and the lovely ladies at SWS will ship it out to you right away.

With the news of big budget magazines such as Elegant Bride, Modern Bride and now InStyle Weddings closing down, we think that Southern Weddings is here to stay! This magazine is different than others that are filled with pages upon pages of ads and not much interesting content. From the Real Weddings section, to Bride Tips on the page bottoms, everything we love about wedding magazines is inside of these pages.

Congratulations to Lara and her team for all of their hard work!

Vintage Chocolate & Ivory Damask Wedding

2009-11-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sources from Etsy (clockwise from top left)
Rejenerate, Orange and Blossom, Emici Bridal, Damask Diva, Powder Blue Bijoux, HairbowsWonderworld, Announce Your Day, Ar Design, Modern Romance pdx, 4myangels, bgbjewelry, Ideal Favors

Inspired by our Chocolate Brown and Ivory Flocked Favor Boxes, we dreamed up a vintage damask wedding and turned to Etsy for more image inspiration. Deep chocolate browns, and ivories with little pops of color in the stunning boutonierres by hairbowswonderworld, the light and feathery bouquet by ardesigns, and the colorful ribbon around the favor boxes (by us!). We think it all came together beautifully!

Stay Warm this Winter with Personalized Drink Mix Favors!

2009-10-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Another one of our new favorites at Ideal Favors are the winter drink mix favors. Choose from delicious Hot Cocoa, Hot Apple Cider, Chai Tea or Cappuccino mix, personalize the drink packet label with your choice of two lines of text, slip the drink mix into the printed satin or muslin favor bag, and these favors are ready to gift!

Available in two designs that read "Warm Wishes from the new Mr. and Mrs." with a snowflake logo, or "Love is Brewing" with a sweet mug logo. You can customize the satin bag color and the logo color!

At only $3.10 for the muslin bag and $2.75 for the satin bag, these winter favors are affordable and are truly something that your guests will be happy to take home.

Buy online now at Ideal Favors!

New Damask Favor Boxes

2009-10-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

When new Damask products come into stock at Ideal Favors, we don't expect them to stay on the shelves very long. These stunning new favor boxes are no exception!

Each style of box features a deep brown background with a cream flocked damask pattern on all sides. Choose from a Damask Pedestal Favor Box, Damask Pillow Favor Box or Damask Cube Favor Box all for only $1.00 each!

Shown above with satin ribbon and personalized monogrammed labels sold separately.

Shop now at www.idealfavors.com!

Mass Wedding in South Korea Sets World Record!

2009-10-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

We love to read about wacky weddings, and this one definitely qualifies!

Reverend Sun Myung Moon who founded the Unification Church organized and set a record for the world's largest wedding on Wednesday at the church's Sun Moon University in South Korea.

Some 7,500 couples gathered with brides in white wedding gowns or the traditional dress of their country such as the Korean hanbok or the Japanese kimono. Some of the couples at the ceremony were exchanging vows for the first time, or renewing wedding vows; but others involved in arranged marriages were meeting and exchanging vows for the first time, according to this article on worldamazingrecords.com.

Reverend Moon has presided over mass weddings since the early 1960's and they have only grown in scale since then. Couples from Japan and the US were in attendance at the mass wedding on Wednesday.

Take a look at these photos! I'm not sure it's the way I would want to get married, but it would certainly have been memorable!

Source

Pretty Patterned Favor Boxes

2009-10-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Our newest wedding favor boxes make me want to skip right over fall and winter and dive into spring! The colors and patterns are absolutely perfect for those flowery garden-inspired weddings, and we've got the most adorable favor box for the cherry blossom bride as well!
The new favor boxes come in 3 patterns (Cherry Blossom, Garden Party and Blue Floral) and 2 different styles - the 2 1/4" cube and the modern pedestal and retail for only $1.00 each!

Shown in the photos below with a monogram label which will be up on Ideal Favors later today and 5/8" satin ribbon in coordinating colors. (Ribbon is sold separately).

These little boxes are made from medium weight cardstock and can hold approximately 1 lb of edibles or other small favor. Each box pattern has a coordinating pattern on the inside of the box for a sweet surprise when guests open the box!

We hope you're inspired by these little favor boxes as much as we are! They are available now at www.idealfavors.com.

Farewell Modern Bride

2009-10-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

Conde Nast has announced that it will close several magazines including Modern Bride and Elegant Brides due to a sharp decline in ad page sales. The larger magazine, Brides, which was a bi-monthly publication, will be going monthly as of next month.

Modern Bride was a favorite around here and we loved the glossy pages filled with perfect photos of DIY projects and ideas, and new trends in the wedding world.

Hopefully Conde Nast will retain some of the staff that built the Modern Bride and Elegant Brides brands over the last few years to create a national magazine that is bigger and better than ever!

Two New Personalized Favor Boxes!

2009-09-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

We love adding fabulous new products to the store and we've got two that are not only super cute, but they're also totally budget-friendly!! If they look similar to the Stardream Pyramid Box and the Stardream Cube Box, that's because they are! These favor boxes are the same style, but now available in a new line of cardstock called the Basic Line.
The Basic Line is slightly lighter weight than the Stardream line, but it's still sturdy and can hold the perfect amount of candy or other favor items.

They are available in some bold colors that will make a statement on the tables at your special event. We LOVE the bright orange and lemon especially for Fall.

The Basic Line Pyramid box is available in any of the above colors for only $0.88 including personalization!

The Basic Line Colored Cube box is available in all shades above as well and is only $0.80 including personalization!

More favor boxes are coming soon! Take advantage of these amazing prices for your wedding!

World's Longest Bridal Train?

2009-08-06T19:04:00.001-07:00

That is what this bride and groom are hoping!

A Chinese bride is hoping to make history with her bridal train! Her new husband saw a story about a Romanian bride whose train measured 1.5 km and he decided to have his bride outdo the current record holder.

His new wife, Lin Rong's dress measured 2km and had 9,999 silk red roses pinned to the train. Guests rolled out her gown which took more than 3 hours. The gown cost about $5,856 USD apparently caused some problems between his family members when they heard the price.

I'm pretty sure this will be a very memorable wedding for their guests!

Source (the white background is her train after it had been unrolled)

Source (an aerial view of the unrolled train!)

August Favors

2009-08-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

We have just added some pretty new boxes to Ideal Favors for August!

Our favorites have to be the new Stardream Cube and Pyramid favor boxes. Both are made from premium Stardream cardstock and can be custom printed with any of our designs and your choice of personalized text! With Stardream paper so popular for wedding invitations, these little boxes will perfectly compliment the invitation suite! The paper makes each favor box just a little more special! Available online in a pretty array of colors at www.idealfavors.com.

And for anyone who loves the look of clear favor packaging, these are for you! Clear boxes are ultra modern and are so simple to dress up with colorful candy or other small favors. The large pillow box can be customized with a design and text, and the petite rectangle can be customized with your choice of text! Both boxes are available online at www.idealfavors.com.

These new favors are proving to be very popular and have definitely made our August a little sweeter!

Pretty New Script Font

2009-07-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

We have had many requests to add a script font to the personalization options at Ideal Favors, and it has taken us quite some time to find the perfect one, but all that searching has finally paid off!

Introducing Bank Script - the newest font option for our Design Collection and Personalized packaging at Ideal Favors.

We can't wait to see what this beauty looks like when all 55 lbs arrives early next week, but the orders are already lined up so we'll be sure to post some photos! Stay tuned!

Beach + Baby

2009-06-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, Beach + Baby may not really go together, but they do today! We are excited to launch new six new baby and two new beach designs to our Design Collection!

These designs can be added to our favor boxes, favor bags, cocktail napkins, coasters and more at http://www.idealfavors.com/.

Designs will be ready this week for printing on the products above!! For today, here are the adorable baby designs!

A Dream Wedding

2009-06-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

Many of us have spent time contemplating our dream wedding. And for many of us, a dream wedding is just that - a dream! Maybe it comes down to the budget, or time frame, or geography, but most of us know in the very back of our minds exactly what that dream wedding would look like, down to the smallest detail.

When I came across this wedding by Jonas Peterson, I knew in an instant that this was my dream wedding. I have had a love affair with South East Asia since I was very young and while backpacking across the region years ago, Indonesia was a country that I quickly fell in love with. Bali is exotic, gorgeous, lush and green and the people are some of the most genuine that I have ever encountered.

Matt and Angie's wedding is beautiful and simple, or simply beautiful, which is exactly how I remember Bali to be. Take a look at these images!

If This Doesn't Get People Out of Their Seats...

2009-06-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

I don't know what will!
I have this song on my ipod and every morning when I jump on the elliptical, no matter how tired I am, Jagged Edge gets me going!

Check out the video below, and add it to your playlist for the reception. This is guaranteed to get your guests on the dance floor!

Great Day St. Louis!

2009-06-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we were contacted by the fabulous Nicole, Style Editor of St. Louis Magazine. She was going to be featured on St. Louis' morning show for their Wedding Week Extravaganza and wanted to feature our 2"x2" personalized favor boxes.

We set to work to print Will You Be My Bridesmaid? on the lid of the favor box so that they could be showcased as a packaging idea for bridesmaids gifts. We can't take full credit for the cute idea, however. We recently had a bride purchase these boxes in pink with the Will You Be My Bridesmaid? text in white, also on the lid. She had ordered matching silver charm bracelets for her future bridesmaids and wanted to give each of them the bracelet in the little box. We loved the idea and so did Nicole, so the little boxes made their debut on tv recently.

You can see segment right here! This is a 7 minute video but has some fantastic ideas for brides!

http://www.kmov.com/greatday/video/?nvid=368264&shu=1

Treasure Hunt for an "Unlucky" Ring

2009-06-03T08:16:00.001-07:00

We were a bit sad to hear of the 29 year old New Zealand man who was turned down by his girlfriend after proposing to her with a $5,000 ring. Stuck with the ring, since it was purchased in Hong Kong, and not wanting to sell it, Anthony Gardiner has decided on a creative way to get rid of the so called "unlucky" ring. The ring is hidden somewhere in New Zealand and Gardiner will be posting clues as to its whereabouts on his Twitter account beginning on Saturday. He said he wants the winner to be someone who has found that special person and wouldn't normally be able to afford the ring.

Hopefully this story will have a happy ending for some deserving man or woman in New Zealand.

We'll definitely be following along on Saturday!

Read the full story here.

Baby It's Hot Outside...

2009-06-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

...but we've got you covered at Ideal Favors.

With a line of pretty paper parasols and paper fans, we've got the perfect colors for your outdoor wedding or special event!

Paper parasols are ideal to shield your guests from the hot sun at your outdoor ceremony or reception. From a delicate white, to a bold mango orange or hot pink, these paper parasols will really make a statement. We love them displayed in baskets so that guests can help themselves when they arrive. Or place parasols on individual chairs to add color to a ceremony site.

Add a special touch to the parasols with a personalized favor tag which can be tied around the bamboo handle with ribbon, rafia or string. We happen to be partial to this square 2"x2" tag with the text "Stay Cool...baby it's hot outside". So cute for a hot, summery day!

Save 10% Until June 30th

2009-05-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

From now until June 30th, 2009, you can save 10% on select personalized favors and packaging at http://www.idealfavors.com/.

Design and Personalize your choice (or all!) of the following favors and packaging, and simply enter promo code personalized10 upon checkout to receive your immediate discount of 10% off each item!

Clockwise from Top Right:
Personalized Muslin Bag , Design Collection Muslin Bag
Personalized 2 Piece Favor Box
Personalized Pillow Box, Design Collection Pillow Box
Personalized Ivory Tab Front Box
Design Collection Clear One Piece Favor Box
Design Collection Two Piece Favor Box
Personalized One Piece Clear Favor Box
Design Collection Coaster, Personalized Coasters
Design Collection Party Bag, Personalized Party Bag
Design Collection Satin Bag, Personalized Satin Bag
Design Collection One Piece White Favor Box, Personalized One Piece White Favor Box
Design Collection Napkins, Personalized Napkins

Bridal Shower Planning

2009-05-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

For some fantastic ideas on how to create the ultimate bridal shower, take a look at this article on Woman's Day online entitled: "Plan the Best Bridal Shower Ever" by Bunny Wong.

Follow some or all of her suggestions such as taking a class as a group, or creating a dessert or candy buffet, and brainstorming a theme to tie the decor, games, favors and food together. After reading this article and you will be on your way to hosting a shower that the bride-to-be and guests will enjoy.

We are especially thrilled that our personalized napkins were featured in the article. Not just for a bridal shower, our personalized napkins can be customized with a design, text or both for only $0.35 each, or $0.28 each when you order 100. Seen here: http://www.idealfavors.com/design-collection-personalized-beverage-cocktail-napkins-npk01004.aspx. Perfect for a bridal shower, baby shower, graduation, anniversary or just about any special date or even you can think of!

We're Taking a Break!

2009-05-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

We have a notice on our homepage to say that we will be closed from May 11th to May 20th inclusive, so make sure that you have your orders in by today or tomorrow at the latest so that we can ship on Friday.

Orders will not be printed or processed while we are closed, but you can feel free to place an order during this time and they will be printed, packed and shipped in the order that we received them, starting on May 21st.

You can always reach us by email during this time and we will do our best to respond to you quickly. We will not be able to respond to voice messages until May 21st.

Thank you for your patience!!

The Long Awaited Montag / Pratt Wedding

2009-04-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

Image: Feather Love Photography Blog

As a self-confessed Hills junkie, I am a little ashamed to say that I was all over the photos of Heidi and Spencer's wedding that the girls over at The Wedding Chicks put up yesterday. That post led me to the blog of one of the wedding photographers - Noa of Feather Love Photography.

First of all, I'm pretty smitten with her photography style. It seems vintage, stylish, moody and romantic all in one. The way that the light is captured in every shot is so beautiful.

The infamous Speidi wedding reception, as captured by Feather Love, seemed to be a casual, yet dressy affair with stunning florals with punches of yellows and greens, a simple white 5-tier wedding cake, a guest-list of gorgeous young Hollywood types, and of course a bride who looked like she was straight out of a magazine shoot. As for the groom, my mom always told me "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all." :)

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at this reception! Head over to Feather Love's blog at http://www.featherlove.com/blog/ to see the rest of the Speidi wedding.

The Twitter Phenomenon

2009-04-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Twitter seems to be the new Facebook these days, and everywhere you look, there are articles telling business owners why they should jump on board. We can't resist a new fad, so we've been Tweeting for a few months now and are so glad we did! We have "met", virtually of course, some amazing brides, wedding vendors, stationers etc. from all over the world.

We're definitely not fanatics about updating our status every few minutes, or every hour, but if you don't have time to keep up with blogs, this is truly a great way to see what your Twitter friends are up to on a daily basis.

So what have we learned from Twitter so far?
The most important thing we have learned is that Twitter is an invaluable resource for a new business or a business in a competitive market to help spread the word, get noticed, and join forces with other like-minded individuals. We can't think of a better way to instantly market your product and services to hundreds or thousands of followers daily, or hourly for that matter.

A member can Tweet for a service recommendation and within seconds they will have replies from their followers.
You can Tweet about anything your heart desires! From press that you received in an upcoming magazine, to your fabulous morning workout, to needing help with a blog topic - we've seen it all.

In a time where networking is everything, and building relationships is so important to businesses large or small, not making the most of a free resource no longer makes sense!
So pick your Twitter name, create your account and start Tweeting with the rest of the masses!

You can follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/idealfavors.

New Square Glass Vase!!

2009-04-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Square glass vases continue to be one of our bestsellers at Ideal Favors, and we just got new stock of a 4.75" x 4.75" heavy glass cube that is only $6.00!!
The product is up on our site and ready to be shipped. They are not packaged individually so we must sell them as a set of 12 in order to avoid breakage during shipping. But we think that 12 vases for $72.00 is a steal!

These vases are a little different than the other square glass vase that we sell in a 4" and 5" cube seen here: http://www.idealfavors.com/square-glass-vase-vse09003.aspx.

Our new ones are slightly rounded on the sides and have a thick rounded base. The top of the vase is similar to the top of a mason jar - rounded with no sharp edges.

In stock while quantities last, so take advantage of our free shipping on orders over $150.00 offer and get yours now!

Design Collection Photos

2009-03-30T11:15:00.001-07:00

These photos are going to be up on our homepage this week to showcase how pretty our new wedding favor packaging designs are. Aren't they fabulous!!!

"Vineyard Grapes"
Shown here printed on our Design Collection Coasters, Napkins & Glossy White Favor Box

"Lucky Bamboo"
Shown here printed on our Design Collection Coasters, Napkins, and Glossy White Favor Box

Sweet Cupcake
Shown here printed on our Design Collection Clear 1 piece Favor Box, Napkins, and Glassine Party Bag

"The Perfect Pair"
Shown here printed on our Design Collection Coasters, Napkins and Glossy White Favor Box

All products can be ordered with the design of your choice and text, or the design only. These small details are a great way to carry through your wedding theme!

Brand New Designs Have Arrived!

2009-03-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

We have been anxiously awaiting the day that we could post the latest Design Collection designs, and they have finally arrived! If you haven't seen our existing designs, you are missing out on some fabulous wedding favor packaging including, wedding favor boxes and wedding favor bags, coasters and napkins. (More new favor packaging will be arriving soon!)

The Perfect Pair

Vineyard Grapes

Decadent Cupcake

Lucky Bamboo

These new designs will be available from Monday, March 30th, and we'll be adding more to the collection in early April. We hope you like them!!

Mandy Moore Married!

2009-03-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

MARRIED!!

Photo Source

While getting my daily does of Perez this morning, I discovered the news that Mandy Moore is now a married woman! It was only a few weeks ago that we heard about her indecisiveness between Ryan Adams and DJ AM - but I guess she's made her choice!

According to Perez, (you can read the article here) they wed in a simple ceremony in Savannah, Georgia.

We can't wait for photos and more details!!

Personalized Coaster Photos

2009-03-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Whew! February flew by and we've found ourselves almost in the middle of March! We have been busy printing and filling your orders, finalizing new designs for our exclusive Design Collection, searching for new products, and getting to talk to fabulous brides and wedding planners.

Today we wanted to show a few examples of our Design Collection Personalized Coasters. These are some recent orders that have just shipped out.

Our coasters are available with personalized text only, or with a design plus personalized text for only $0.20 each! Visit our site for more information, www.idealfavors.com.

Valentine's Contest!!

2009-02-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again - you either love it or you hate it. We're talking about Valentine's Day! And whether you're the type of person who loves the meaning and the romance of the day, or you choose to boycott it and wear black, we want to make Valentine's Day a little more special this year!

We're giving away 100 small Design Collection Muslin Favor Bags to a lucky winner! Just leave a comment and tell us why you love or hate V-Day, and we will select a winner on Monday, February 16th.

If you haven't discovered our new Design Collection line of favor packaging, we think you're missing out! From muslin favor bags, satin favor bags, and great little favor boxes, we print our fantastic (and exclusive) designs in your choice of colors and font, and nearly all for under $1.00 per piece.

**Make sure you check back with us often, because we'll be having monthly contests throughout 2009!

Where Will Your Flowers End Up?

2009-02-05T08:48:00.001-08:00

When we heard about the organization called FlowerPower Foundation, we just had to write about it. And why we haven't heard about it until now, I don't know! It is so inspiring to know that a simple act of kindness can do wonders for someone in need.

The FlowerPower Foundation accepts donated flowers, re-assembles them and then distributes them to the elderly, sick and terminally ill in both NYC and Los Angeles. We have all been to weddings where the gorgeous (and expensive!) floral arrangements are still sitting on the tables at the end of the reception. What happens to all of those flowers if guests don't want to take them, or cannot travel with them? It's awful to think that after all of the dreaming, planning, cost and labor that goes into each arrangement, they can just be tossed into the garbage.

Why not make sure that your flowers brighten someone else's day? All you have to do is send an email to the FlowerPower Foundation and let them know that you would like to make a flower donation and they will arrange a pick-up for you. It may be one more detail to take care of when planning your wedding, but we think that for the extra 2 or 3 minutes it takes to send an email, the result will be a smile on the face of someone who may not be as fortunate as you.

Visit their website: http://www.flowerpowerfoundation.org/

Nothing Says Spring Like....

2009-02-04T10:58:00.000-08:00

PRETTY FLORALS!!

It may only be February, but on the West Coast, we've caught a glimpse of elusive spring and it's got us dreaming of vibrant colors and fabulous florals!
Of course, it's also got us thinking that our new Design Collection floral line is so perfect for a Spring wedding or floral themed wedding!

If you have yet to peruse our Design Collection favors, head over to http://www.idealfavors.com/ to see the entire line! Our floral designs are so fresh and modern and you choose the packaging and the colors to suit your wedding!

The first 3 florals of our collection are Cherry Blossom (for the cherry blossom themed bride), Daisies (for the spring bride) and Hibiscus (for the tropical destination wedding bride). You can order adorable favor boxes or bags (which are so cute displayed at a candy buffet table), or buy an entire party set of coasters, napkins and the favor packaging with the design tying it all together!

We love how creative our brides and customers are getting with their Design Collection favors, and can't wait to show some of them soon.

In the meantime, here are some photos to inspire you this spring!

THE DESIGN COLLECTION IS HERE!

2009-01-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

As you can tell by the all caps in the title, we're so very excited about our brand new product line - The Design Collection! We have been working hard to create a line of favor packaging that is modern, colorful, unique AND affordable for any bride.

Brides will tell you that favors are one of the first things to go when planning a wedding on a budget. With this in mind, The Design Collection idea was born and we got to work creating designs that would work with our smaller packaging such as our satin bags, muslin bags and white favor boxes.

We're thrilled with the results and hope that you will be too! Today, in conjunction with one of our favorite sites, Weddingbee, we are giving away 150 custom printed favor boxes. The winner can choose the box, the design and the colors and we'll create a fabulous favor box that you can't find on any other site. All you have to do is tell us what your wedding colors or theme are and you'll be automatically entered to win. Go here to enter: http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/01/26/ideal-favors-favor-box-giveaway/. You have until 9pm tomorrow.

If you're not the lucky winner, don't worry! We're offering 10% off all Design Collection orders this week. Simply enter coupon code BEE10 at checkout to receive the automatic discount.

Wedding Flower Alternatives

2009-01-19T11:35:00.000-08:00

Many brides consider flowers to be an important part of the wedding ceremony and reception. Many wedding planning books tell the bride to plan for 5% or 10% of the wedding budget to be spent on florals. If your wedding budget is $20,000, 5% would be only $1000.00 for flowers. Is it just me or does that not seem doable at all?
At most of the weddings I have attended, the couples spent closer to $2500 (or more) for beautiful bouquets and arrangements that were certainly not over the top. These brides followed the "rules" in order to keep costs down and went with flowers that were in season in the months that they were getting married, and went with low centerpieces that would hold small arrangements.

We wanted to offer some of our own ideas for saving money on wedding flowers.

Cube vases are a fantastic option for table centerpieces for a couple of reasons. Clear glass cube vases have a clean, modern look and work well with virtually any flower and table shape. They can make a bold statement when arranged with vibrant flowers, but sit low enough on tables that guests can easily see over or around them. Check out our 4" and 5" glass cube vases at Ideal Favors.
Tiny bud vases can also make a big impact on any table, and we love the way they look lining rectangular tables in rows, or grouped together in bunches on round tables. Bud vases are a great option because they can hold only a couple of small buds and greenery, which can save a great deal of money! We have a couple of great and inexpensive options for bud vases starting at $1.80 each.
If floral centerpieces are just not in your budget, or your vision, consider topiary trees. Floral topiaries can vary greatly in price depending on the quality and quantity of silk flowers. We carry a line of fruit toparies that are brightly colored, lightly scented, and realistic looking. They are perfect as small centerpieces at only 7" high, but you can also group them with scented votives or arrangements of faux fruit at the base of the topiary.
Display wedding favors in lieu of floral centerpieces. This is a really creative way to scale your costs back, and present wedding favors in a stylish way. We love the idea of stacking small favor boxes on a cake stand or tiered cupcake stand and guests can help themselves to their favor at the reception. We have a great selection of favor boxes that can also be personalized!
Finally, for the Eco Bride, a biodegradable vase is an option that you can feel good about purchasing and using at the wedding. Grow your own flowers for pennies such as bright daisies, or arrange fresh field-picked flowers such as fragrant lavender for an organic look.
Bouquets can be quite costly and in the last couple of years, many brides are choosing to forego the bouquet for a paper parasol, which is totally modern and just as colorful as flowers. At only $8.75 each, this is a completely affordable option when the girls walk down the aisle, and paper parasols make fun props in wedding photos.

We hope that these tips have inspired a little bit of creativity and thinking outside the box. We really believe that there are so many ways to style a wedding that is within a realistic budget and that is still you! Happy Planning!

Thank you to Everything Green!

2009-01-15T11:55:00.002-08:00

We're a little late, but wanted to thank Everything Green Weddings for featuring Ideal Favors and some of our Eco Favors and decor on their blog this month.

Everything Green Weddings is a fantastic resource for the bride who is planning an eco-wedding, and Wenona and her book (The Everything Green Wedding Book) and blog can help you get as close to eco-perfection as possible. Wenona covers everything from favors to eco wedding gowns to a fabulous idea for an eco-wine tasting bridal shower! You can find her at www.everythinggreenweddings.blogspot.com.

And if you haven't seen our Eco-Friendly Favors and Vases yet, check them out at Ideal Favors.

Etsy Wedding Dresses

2009-01-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

These days you can outfit your entire wedding through the power of Etsy - even the bride and wedding party! I don't know why I'm so surprised that you can buy a gorgeous one-of-a-kind wedding dress on Etsy, I mean, people have been buying dresses on ebay for years!

But what I'm really surprised about are the prices! A custom gown for $600.00? You can find a wedding dress for any style of wedding and any type of bride. Here are some unique gowns that I found for amazing prices! If you are a bride on a budget, or are just looking for something different, have a look at Etsy! Some of these designers have perfect feedback so you know you're going to be happy with your purchase.

Top Left: AmyZ on Etsy

Top Right: IsadoraClothing on Etsy

Bottom Left: Cici Bridal on Etsy

Bottom Right: AidaCoronado on Etsy

So Close!!!

2009-01-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

If you have seen our homepage today, then you will have noticed a sneak peek at our newest project - the Design Collection Favor Packaging series.

We are incredibly excited to debut this line early next week so make sure you check back on Ideal Favors for all the details!!
Wedding favor packaging has been one our our favorite products to sell over the past couple of years, but we also wanted to find a way to make it more exciting and modern. And we did just that! We will be printing our custom designs directly on a line of favor boxes and bags, which is perfect if you're a bride who is not into personalization, but still wants something unique.

Next week, we'll be debuting 6 designs - the first of our Design Collection series. You'll be able to pick a product, pick the design that you want printed AND pick the color of the design. The BEST part is that almost every single favor box and favor bag is under $1.00 each including the printing!!

And so, until next week, we will leave you with a few teasers of our first two designs, the Lovebirds and Cherry Blossoms.

Noone Has to Know....

2008-12-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

Noone has to know that you planned a wedding on a tight budget! With the worrisome state of the economy being felt all over the world, there is no better time to rethink your priorities going into 2009, especially if you're planning your wedding!

There are ways to incorporate budget-friendly elements into your wedding that will make a big impact, and contribute to the overall theme and color palette. Custom or personalized wedding items have a fresh look that can be either modern or more "wedding traditional" depending on your color choices and font choices. We recently posted that we had lowered prices on many of our personalized wedding and event items, so now is a great time to buy custom wedding favors and personalized decorative accessories from Ideal Favors!

Muslin Bag
Outdoor Garden Inspired Wedding
We love the idea of these little muslin bags used as wedding favors filled with something organic and natural such as freshly baked cookies, simple homemade individually wrapped caramels (this recipe for caramels is so delicious and quick and easy!), or a lightly scented bar of French milled soap. (this set of 9 soaps comes in a pretty array of subtle colors. They work out to only $1.78 per bar). At only $0.65 for a small personalized bag, or $1.00 for a large personalized bag, you can easily give a wedding favor that is under $3.00 per person.

Satin Bag
Elegant Formal Wedding
Another favor bag option is the personalized satin favor bag, that works so well with a formal theme because of its silky texture and shine. These bags come in a wide range of colors and our personal fave is a black satin bag with crisp white personalized text. Edible favors are a favorite these days, so why not fill these little bags with two or three chocolate truffles, or cute designer chocolates? These designer truffles are not only adorable, they are so so delicious! At about $1.50 per piecefor the chocolate, and at $0.75 per personalized bag, here is a simple yet stunning wedding favor that is under $4.00 per person.

Colored Two Piece Favor Box
Contemporary Wedding with Traditional Elements
The beauty of the linen texture 2 piece favor box is that it works for both a contemporary wedding as well as a traditional wedding. These little favor boxes look pretty at each place setting to add a bit of color to tabletops. For a more modern look, stack the favor boxes on cupcake or cake stands and turn them into centerpieces, eliminating the need for expensive floral arrangements. Guests can help themselves, and will love the personalized text on the top of the box. Fill with traditional jordan almonds (5 almonds are symbolic at wedding), or fill with brightly colored Jelly Belly Beans or other favorites.

Paper Napkins
You really can't beat $28.00 for 100 personalized beverage or cocktail napkins! These are high quality 3-ply napkins with any text you like! These are perfect for cocktail hour if you plan to have passed or displayed hors d'oeuvres. Count on 2 napkins per person for a short cocktail reception. Napkins can also be stacked at the bar, and are a great option at dinner and dessert buffets. We can print your names and wedding date, or something fun that will delight guests.

Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and energy, but it doesn't have to take a LOT of money. Personalized wedding favors and accessories are just one way that you can decorate your accessorize your wedding for very little cost.

Would you like your photos featured here?

2008-12-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

If you are an Ideal Favors customer who purchased one or some of our products and used them in your wedding or other special event, we would love to feature your photos on our blog!

Beginning in the New Year, we will be starting a weekly feature showcasing your photos of our products, along with a description of the event. Professional and non-pro pics are invited, and of course, we will give full credit to the photographer and anyone else you would like to mention.

Contact us at info(at)idealfavors(dot)com for more information, or to send photos our way. We're excited to see what you came up with!!

Perfect Personalized Packaging

2008-12-10T14:29:00.000-08:00

We mentioned that we had some exciting new products in the works and we have just finished adding them to our site at http://www.idealfavors.com/!

Please stop by to check out our brand new line of personalized boxes, bags and totes exclusive to Ideal Favors. This favor packaging is truly lovely. And modern. And different! And cheap!! Almost all of the boxes are under $1.00 per piece. We're so excited to be offering these products and we'll be adding more font styles and pretty designs very soon.

Hilarious Wedding Commercial

2008-12-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

I'm one of the few people in the world who loves commercials. Clever commercials, that is. I love the 30 second tear-jerkers, the thought-provoking...and the just plain funny. You know, the ones where you remember how funny the commercial was but you have no idea what they were selling? This wedding commercial is one of the best that I have seen in a while! I had to watch it twice because I didn't remember that it was actually for DIY wedding invitations.

Enjoy!

Personalize Your Parasol

2008-12-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

We are often asked by customers whether we can personalize our paper parasols with a custom design or monogram for their wedding day. Unfortunately, the answer is no. We just don't have the manpower to be able to offer that service. It takes a great deal of patience and many hours to handpaint a paper parsol, but we have seen some absolutely gorgeous results from brides who took the time to add this special detail to their wedding.

The easiest way to personalize a paper parasol with your monogram is to trace the initials on to paper, paint them with a metallic paint and then use a spray adhesive to glue them to the top of the parasol. Make sure that you have the letters positioned exactly where you want them and start with the middle initial so that you can center the two smaller initials on either side. You can also trace the monogram or phrase onto the parasol and then paint it directly onto the rice paper using a bright or metallic paint so that it stands out.

There are also companies who will do the work for you, but it is not cheap. In fact, if you're a bride on a budget, don't event consider this option! Handpainted parasols will cost anywhere from $50.00 and up.

Below are some fabulous examples of custom monograms on plain white parasols, but they would also look great on a colored parasol as well. If you have the time, this is a worthwhile DIY project that will look amazing in photos.

Source

Pretty Pink Dresses

2008-12-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Pink has always been a hot color when it comes to weddings. Deep fuchsia pink, bubblegum pink, cotton candy pink....the list goes on. But there is something timeless and elegant about blush pink. Soft and subtle, blush is a color that looks gorgeous with ivory, gold, champagne and even copper. We came across some blush colored wedding dresses and LOVED the idea for the bride who doesn't want a traditional white or ivory dress. A light pink option is feminine and soft, and adds a unique touch to your wedding day.

Take a look at some of these beauties below!

Source

NEW LOW PRICES on Personalized Items

2008-11-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

We have got some exciting things in the works over here at Ideal Favors. Yesterday, we lowered the prices on some of our personalized wedding favors. These are permanent low prices, not just for a short period of time. We decided to make a lot of our products more affordable so that all brides can add some special details to their wedding day!

We're soooo excited that we can bring you the same fantastic quality that we have always offered, and on some of our products we have literally slashed prices in half.
This means you can browse and compare with other sites, and you don't have to rush to take advantage of our prices. We are confident that shoppers will find our selection and our prices to be some of the lowest online! So go ahead - add personalized napkins, coasters, and tote bags to your to-do list because now they're more affordable than ever!

And be sure to check back with us next week as we launch an even bigger and better personalized product line. We're dying to spill the beans, but we're sworn to secrecy. These are going to be some of the cutest little favors you've ever seen.

Here are some of our personalized products with their before and after prices.

Personalized Napkins: BEFORE: $0.59 each AFTER: $0.35 each (bulk pricing is available)
Glassine Lined Personalized Goodie Bags BEFORE: $0.62 each AFTER: $0.50 each

Personalized Out Of Town Gift Bag BEFORE: $3.80 AFTER: $2.50

Cherry Blossom Wedding Camera

2008-11-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

In keeping with our love for all things cherry blossom, we were pretty excited when we came across these pretty cherry blossomed themed wedding cameras!

We love the idea of including your guests in the fun and having them take wedding photos with their own personal camera for the day. You'll be amazed to see your wedding through their eyes when the photos are developed. Every bride says that the wedding day was a blur so getting to see the moments that you may have missed is priceless! Including a photo or two with a thank you note is such a personal touch that your friends and family will love.

We're partial to the cherry blossom camera and the pink gingham camera, but these adorable wedding cameras also come in plain colors and are all available at Ideal Favors.

Nature Approved Eco Vases

2008-10-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

These vases are truly something to get excited over! Almost too good to be true, these contemporary looking vases are made 100% from rice hulls and contain absolutely no harmful chemicals. In short, these little vases are about as eco-friendly as you can get!

A perfect organic centerpiece idea for the bride who wants to feel good about every element of her wedding. Each vase will last up to five years, and can literally be scratched into a dust or buried to nourish the earth. They are lightweight and feel like they are made from a durable plastic (but they beauty of them is that they aren't!!), and come with a matching saucer.

Mix and match the bold colors of mocha, ebony, harvest orange and fuchsia for only $6.00 each at www.idealfavors.com. These vases will be added to our Vases & Centerpieces category in the next couple of days and you can email info(at)idealfavors(dot)com with any questions.

New Cube Vases at Ideal Favors!

2008-10-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

We have fallen in love with the newest addition at Ideal Favors. The cutest, most vibrant little cube vases have made their way onto our shelves - but they're not going to stay there for very long.

Made from ceramic, these little 4"x4" cubes are painted on the outside with a bright metallic hue and a matching color on the inside. Now available in Fuchsia, Orange, Gold, Silver and Red, these little beauties are only $6.50 each. Do you know what this means? This means that you can afford to spend a little bit more on those flowers that you have been dreaming of for your big day. Vibrant or subtle, any flower is going to look stunning in these glass vases.

Personalized + Candy = Cute Wedding Favor Idea

2008-10-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

Our personalized products are hot sellers. Brides love them! They are modern, can be personalized, come in a huge array of colors, and are inexpensive.

We personally love the personalized mint boxes and put together a few designs that are fun for Fall and Winter favor ideas. Not only are they sweet to look at, they are filled with colorful flavored candies or white mints - your choice!

Gold Mintbox with Leaf Design

Red Mintbox with Christmas Ornaments

Natural Cocoa Mintbox with Thanksgiving Design

Silver Mintbox with Snowflake Design

Orange Mintbox with Halloween Design
You can have so much fun designing your mintbox and they truly are as cute as they look here. Order at www.idealfavors.com and place your order within the next few days to guarantee delivery for Thanksgiving.

Weddingbee's Big Deal

2008-10-02T15:59:00.001-07:00

We are very avid Weddingbee.com readers and supporters and were wholeheartedly excited for and proud of Bee Kim and her husband when she announced to her readers today that she sold Weddingbee to eHarmony. But I wonder if she knew what was around the corner when she let her readers in on her biggest secret to date. Hundreds of readers left comments on the site, and the majority of them were saddened and angered to read that she had sold to a company that is quite verbal about where they stand when it comes to marriage equality - that is - they do not support gay marriage and only recently began interracial matches across eHarmony.com.

Sadly, the majority of commenters stated that they will be leaving the "hive" or community and that they cannot support or "line the pockets" of a company that so outwardly discriminates and represents such a backwards and negative opinion in this day and age.

We personally believe that Bee put a lot of time, thought and energy into this major decision for her company, and never would have done something that she thought would be detrimental to what she has built from the ground up. We hope that eHarmony stands back and lets the bloggers continue to post about issues and opinions that are important to them, rather than screening and editing.
We have the utmost respect for the LGBT readers and posters and supporters (we're supporters ourselves!) and hope that the marriage between weddingbee, eHarmony and its audience is not lost.
It is difficult to read some of the comments that people have left, personally attacking Bee and her decision, and it must be even more difficult for Bee herself to read those words after everything she has done over the years to grow the site into an extremely valuable resource for anyone in the wedding and special events world. We know that we will continue to support weddingbee and very much look forward to what exciting new projects are in the works to benefit the readers further!

Gently Used Wedding Dresses

2008-09-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Many brides pour over wedding magazines and fall in love with the look, style and quality of a designer wedding dress. If you cannot justify spending thousands on a dress, but dream of Maggie Sottero or Melissa Sweet, then MJM Weddings in BC's Lower Mainland may be the perfect place for you to search out your gown.

I had a chance to visit this adorable shop a few months ago when a girlfriend was shopping for her dress. Myrna, the owner, is extremely friendly and will spend as long as it takes filling the dressing room and pulling from the racks that are brimming with consignment dresses.
On her website www.mjmweddings.com, you can view the available dresses by size, but she has new arrivals regularly.

My friend did find her dress that day. It happened to be the very first one that she tried - a Maggie Sottero that had just arrived in beautiful condition, and it was hers for a fraction of the price of a brand new dress!

True Love - Woman awakens from coma to marry

2008-09-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

We found this article on MSN very bittersweet. The bride may never get to enjoy one day of married life with her longtime sweetheart.

An Italian newspaper says a terminally ill woman was briefly awoken from an induced coma to get married.
La Repubblica reported that the 50-year-old nurse asked doctors to help her marry her longtime partner after being diagnosed in July with a terminal strain of hepatitis.
The Rome daily — which only gave the woman's first name, Giovanna, and her husband's, Enzo — reported that family members and witnesses donned masks and sterilized clothes to attend the ceremony Sunday in the northern city of Padua.
Doctors brought the woman to consciousness for a few minutes — long enough to say "yes" — before she slipped back into the coma, which was induced to relieve pain, the paper said. The couple's son was also at the ceremony, the paper reported, but did not give his age or name.
This is “a last wish that finally became reality,” the paper quoted Enzo as saying. “This is a fairy tale, a dream.”
The woman is only expected to live for a few weeks, according to unidentified doctors cited by the daily.
The newspaper said city hall official Giuseppe Contino married the couple. Contino did not return calls seeking comment and his office said he did not wish to give further interviews.
Hospital officials at the Vincenzo Gallucci cardiac center also declined to discuss the event, citing privacy laws.
The newspaper did not say whether it was following the family's wishes or Italy's strict privacy laws for not giving the couple's full names.

Ellen and Portia's Wedding Day!

2008-09-10T10:57:00.001-07:00

We are big Ellen fans around here! It is refreshing to see someone who is so real in Hollywood these days and we couldn't wait to see photos from her recent wedding to Portia de Rossi.

The photos are stunning, but this video is breathtaking. From their wedding attire to the flowers and large outdoor lanterns, this wedding seemed to be a truly intimate and elegant affair. You can see more photos here on Ellen's website. We are wishing this couple many years of happiness to come!

We're Almost Ready....

2008-09-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a little quiet on the blogging end of things these past couple of weeks, but that is only because we are gearing up to introduce some new products that are fun, really unique and eco-conscious. I wish I could give you all the exciting details right now but I've been sworn to secrecy.

So while we're preparing, we hope that you take a bit of time to enjoy those very last days of summer before we have to pull out the sweaters and umbrellas. Check back with us in one or two weeks to see what we've added - we promise you won't be disappointed!

Outdoorsy is In!

2008-08-22T08:50:00.001-07:00

We were so excited to see one of our favorite votives featured in the September/October issue of Brides Magazine!

They did a fantastic spread that featured great table accessories and decorative accents and our Springtime Candle Votives were the perfect fit for their creative "Into the Woods" theme.

These votives really are a perfect fit for any season and they come packaged as a set of 5 for only $10.00. There are 3 different patterns on the votives. Two with branches, two with the birds, and one with the whole scene. These are glass votives that stand 2.75" tall.

Feel free to buy a sample of these great little votives at http://www.idealfavors.com/ to see for yourself just how adorable they are!

Your Wedding Day Magazine

2008-08-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

Your Wedding Day magazine is a seriously elegant and beautifully put together wedding magazine, and in our opinion, it's one of the best out there! There is just something about this glossy California magazine that is different than all of the others on the shelves. Definitely a magazine worthy of hanging onto long after your wedding! Every page is filled with tons of wedding inspiration from the photographs, colors and ideas.

Ideal Favors is so thrilled to be featured in the Fall 2008 Collector's Edition on the "things we love" pages!!

Check out page 68 to see our Patterned Aloha Paper Lantern, and page 70 to see one of our favorite products, the Fleur de Lis Votive in blue.

Ideal Favors On Junebug Weddings!

2008-08-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

We're thrilled to have our paper lanterns and paper parasols featured on Junebug Weddings today! If for some reason you have yet to discover this beautiful blog, you MUST visit them now. There are pages and pages of inspiration from the fabulous Real Weddings to the daily posts.

Below is a glimpse of Kristin and Scott's wedding. The details are stunning! Click here to view additional wedding photos.

Today's Real Wedding is the epitome of a bright, happy summertime celebration. Kristin and Son tied the knot last August in the gorgeous sunlit back yard of her parent's house, headed to the beach with photographers Red Fish Blue Fish Photography for fun-filled wedding party photos, and hosted a reception for their friends and family at the scenic Ballard waterfront location, The Canal.

IdealFavors.com has a great selection of richly colored paper lanterns to hang around your outdoor wedding reception and paper parasols for your guests to shade themselves from the sun. Chartreuse, mango, fuchsia and grass green; what great colors!

The Perfect Ending to an Eco Wedding

2008-07-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

All Images from www.elnido.com

For couples planning an eco wedding, or "green" wedding, committment to the environment must be high on your list. Using recycled papers for invitations, working with an organic caterer, organic flowers and linens, and choosing a location that is forward-thinking in terms of recycling practices - these are just some things to take into consideration when planning an eco wedding.

Eco weddings are in and there are a myriad of resources on the internet to help you plan the perfect day. But what about when the wedding day is over and it's time for the honeymoon? A fabulous eco honeymoon is not beyond your reach and can be as affordable as an average honeymoon.

We recently came across El Nido Resorts, a spectacular group of resorts located on Maniloc Island in the Philippines. The entire area is a marine protected by the Philippine government and the resorts balance environment conservation with an upscale operation. They also pride themselves on providing employment for the local community, offering numerous education and training programs. It has been voted one of the world's top Green Hotels based on their practices such as providing biodegradable plastic bags for garbage, and this October, they will open 10 new rooms that will utilize solar panels and natural light.

Beyond the impressive environmental and social policies, El Nido and the surrounding islands are fabulous places for adventure and activity. Diving, sea kayaking, hiking through the rainforest, fishing, cave exploring and rock climbing are just some of the amazing activities that will keep you busy on your honeymoon. And when you're worn out and ready to relax, the untouched white sand beaches and turquoise waters await.

We're looking for a really good excuse to hop on a plane today, but for now, these images will have to do!

Visit their website for more photos: http://www.elnidoresorts.com/

Images above from www.moderngonzo.com. If you haven't heard or read Modern Gonzo, or seen his travel show "Word Travels" then you have some catching up to do. We have been faithful followers of Robin since he set off on his first backpacking adventure. This guy has the best job in the world and is truly a talented writer and photographer.

New Personalized Product Designs

2008-07-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

We have recently launched some new designs that can be added to our line of personalized products! Anything from adorable birds nests, butterflies, cupcakes, daisies and more!
Personalized wedding favors and accessories are extremely economical (ranging from $0.70 for a wedding favor tag, to $2.75 for a personalized tote bag that are perfect for out of town bags!), and they make a bit statement with bright colors and bold fonts.
We also send a complimentary digital proof to your email address so that you can see exactly what your design will look like so that we can ensure you're happy with what you'll get.

TLC's Rock the Reception

2008-07-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

We have to admit that we're pretty excited about TLC's newest guilty pleasure Rock the Reception. Choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon will work with couples to create a unique first dance that will surprise their wedding guests. With so many fun first dance videos posted on YouTube and the internet these days, TLC is the latest network to cash in on this wedding trend.
And for those adventurous couples, you can apply to be on the show and have your first dance turned into an "unforgettable production number".

Rock the ReceptionWant Your 'First Dance' To Be On TV?
We're looking for engaged couples to team up with TOP NOTCH CHOREOGRAPHERS who will turn their first dance into an unforgettable production number!
If you want to surprise your guests with an awesome performance that will make your wedding truly memorable, contact us with the following information:A PICTURE of the Bride & GroomBride's Name, Age, & Contact InfoGroom's Name, Age, & Contact InfoThe DATE of your weddingThe CITY you live inThe CITY your reception will be inHow many people will be in the BRIDAL PARTY?What's your ideal first dance SONG and WHY?Briefly describe yourselves & tell us WHY we should pick you for this amazing experience...

The show premiers on TLC on July 15th at 8:30pm.

Now Offering Free Shipping!

2008-07-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

Who likes to pay shipping charges when you buy online? We sure don't! We search high and low for any type of coupon code before we make a purchase just to save on the cost of shipping. With this in mind, we decided to start offering FREE SHIPPING on every one of our products when you spend $150.00 or more at Ideal Favors.

You can visit our Free Shipping page for more details and for instructions on how to use the coupon code SHIP150.

So if there is something that you just couldn't bring yourself to buy because shipping was going to cost a small fortune, go ahead and get it now! FedEx Ground shipping is on us!

We couldn't go too crazy with this special deal, so our free shipping offer only applies to Ground shipping via FedEx, to either commercial or residential addresses, and is valid in the lower 48 US states only. Rush, Expedited, and International customers will still be charged regular shipping rates.

New Personalized Favor Tags

2008-06-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

Super sweet and simple, these little favor tags are the newest addition at Ideal Favors! Available in 7 different shapes including scalloped edges, ovals, ribbons, circles, squares, rectangles and hearts. Choose your favorite tag color, text color and your own message or monogram - whatever you can dream up!
For only $0.70 each, these tags are a fabulous addition to any wedding favor, or even a paper fan or parasol!

Weddingbee Contest

2008-06-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

We have a fabulous contest going on over at http://www.weddingbee.com/ where we're giving away 5 parasols of any color or pattern!

You have until 8pm tomorrow (Thursday June 26th) to enter by commenting on your favorite color and what you would use them for.

Our parasols are individually handcrafted from rice paper and bamboo, and are available here from $8.75 to $10.00 each. Make sure that you check out our matching paper fans as well! Both are perfect to keep guests cool in the hot summer weather!

Good Luck!

Ideal Favors on the Wedding Chicks

2008-06-23T09:09:00.001-07:00

The Wedding Chicks love Ideal Favors! So many great ideas and products! We always LOVE LOVE LOVE anything blue for a wedding! It’s so bright and happy!
You can’t go wrong with an Asian inspired wedding. There is just something about the colors and patterns, so romantic and feminine. Be sure to stop by Ideal Favors and see what’s in store!
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Thanks so much to the lovely ladies at http://www.weddingchicks.squarespace.com/ for featuring us on their blog! This is a super cute site for modern wedding inspiration, so if you haven't been over to check them out yet, make sure you have a few spare hours! The Wedding Chicks post everything from fabulous wedding venues, vendors and amazing decor ideas for your perfect wedding.

Check us out here: http://weddingchicks.squarespace.com/blog/2008/6/21/ideal-favors.html and check them out here: http://www.weddingchicks.squarespace.com/!

New Personalized Products!

2008-06-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

We have just added some new personalized products to Ideal Favors. We're pretty excited about them and hope you will be too!

Weary travelers love the thoughtfulness behind a personalized "out of town gift bag" when they arrive at their hotel and prepare for a wedding extravaganza!
A pretty tote filled with local goodies and treats, maps and attractions, and of course, directions to the wedding is a fabulous little detail that can be quite economical, and won't go unnoticed!
Totes are also ideal for wedding party gifts, and even to fill with a snack and send guests' on their way when the celebrations have come to a close.

Available here for only $2.75 each including personalization!

Wedding guests adore a colorful candy buffet, and these are the perfect little goodie bags that they can fill to the brim.
Also ideal to present a small edible wedding favor at each place setting. Goodie bags come in a variety of colors and can be personalized with custom text, a wedding monogram or a simple design.

Available here for only $0.62 each including personalization!

These cute little party bags are lined making them perfect for baked goods wedding favors, or even a small slice of cake! Available in black, light pink, hot pink, ivory and white, these bags can be personalized any way you like! Add a monogram, special message or choose a pretty accent like the flower in the photo.

Available here for only $0.62 each including personalization!

Colorful Wedding Fiesta

2008-06-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

A colorful ethnic-inspired fiesta is an incredibly fun wedding theme, whether you're having a destination wedding, or are the type of bride who wants to plan a vibrant wedding with a bit of whimsy!
Guests will remember your day for years to come, and one of the best things about this Fiesta theme is that it is very simple to achieve and is great for a bride on a budget.

Food and Drink
Bypass a traditional sit down dinner and go for a casual dining option. Rent an authentic food stand, where guests can choose their favorite Mexican food. Burritos, tacos...the options are delicious and endless!
In keeping with the theme, serve colorful margaritas and keep it simple again by renting a margarita machine and hire someone to run the machine for you.
Serve chips with salsa and guacamole for a pre-dinner snack option.
Mexican wedding cookies are an adorable wedding favor or a late night snack. There are tons of recipes that can be found online to make these yourself.

Decor
Tall cocktail rounds look fabulous draped in colorful fabric and bright Mexican style blankets. We love the idea of traditional Mexican paper flowers for bouquets or as floral arrangements in antique looking cans. Mexican flowers are simple to make, add tons of color and certainly won't cost a fortune!
Add mini maracas and other little Mexican inspired items that will work with your theme!

Music
Download some music onto your ipod that will have guests dancing all night, or spend a bit of money for some Mexican dancers who will light up your wedding with their traditional costumes and energy!

Little Details
From wedding invitations to your wedding dress, don't be afraid of color! The invitations pictured above really set the tone for your day. Be ravishing in a deep red gown, rather than the traditional white dress.

With any Mexican Fiesta wedding theme, you can be as colorful, vibrant and inspired as you like and it will come together beautifully. Perfect for a small budget and for the bride who wants her wedding to be fun and memorable!

Photo Credits (from top left, clockwise)
Paper Flowers allpop.com/papergoods
Mexican Wedding Cookies pbs.org
Flowers in Can flickr.com/thisvintagechica
Margarita jupiterimages.com
Mexican Dancer www.thedazzlingdetails.com
Maracas www.thedazzlingdetails.com
Paper Flowers flickr.com/talkingsun
Salsa, Chips flickr.com
Wedding Invite birdandbanner.com
Mexican Wedding Venue vallartaweddsplanners.com

Eco Friendly Wedding Fashions

2008-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

While we're on the topic of wedding dresses, we wanted to dedicate a post to a fabulous store that we came across in our search for non traditional wedding attire.

With the trend moving towards eco-friendly or "green" weddings, it has become relatively simple to incorporate flowers, linens, organic food etc. into a wedding without sacrificing style, and without blowing your budget out of the water.

If you're a "green" bride, you'll love this store! Threadhead Creations is an online boutique that offers a line of handcrafted HEMP wedding dresses. We never would have thought that hemp dresses could look as beautiful as what these artists have created. You can buy designs off the rack, or design or customize your own dress.

The three dresses below are examples of Threadhead Creations off the Rack dresses. Not only will you be wearing something socially responsible, but these dresses are also completely affordable!

Non Traditional Wedding Dresses

2008-06-11T09:19:00.001-07:00

If you're like me and you just can't picture yourself gliding down the aisle in a traditional long, heavy and form fitting wedding dress, why not think outside the box and wear something that suits your true style?

Google "non traditional wedding dress", and there are a surprising number of brides-to-be who are looking for something uncommon. And, it seems, if you're not looking for something completely wild and crazy, you may have to look a little harder for your dream wedding outfit.

Clockwise from Top:
Hate the idea of a wedding dress? Rock the white pantsuit down the aisle, and glam it up a bit by choosing something that has some sheen and style. Photo Credit

Elegant and still formal, this white bubble dress is adorable for the bride who loves short and dressy. Photo Credit

100% simple, and 100% cotton. So cute for a casual beachside wedding. Love the neckline!
Photo Credit

60's inspired couture! Knee-length, crocheted little white dress is not only comfortable, but is the perfect dress for a playful garden affair! Photo Credit

Decor that Does Double Duty

2008-06-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

It is nice to know that you don't have to sacrifice style when you've got your budget on your mind. Incorporating decor that does double duty is a perfect option!
Here are some examples:
These adorable white bud vases double as individual placecard holders. Noone will miss the centerpiece when they see these vases lining the tables. Choose inexpensive, pretty buds such as gerbera daisies in bright colors. For larger flowers, one per vase will do!

Put your calligraphy skills to good use by personalizing matching white cards for each place setting.

These bud vases are available here for $1.80 each. Discounts are available for larger quantities.

Paper parasols are the ideal accessory for bridesmaids to carry down the aisle.

They will add some color to your venue, and at $10.00 each these are a fabulous alternative to a bouquet.

When the wedding portraits are done, these parasols can be used as ceiling decorations at your reception venue. They look fabulous when they are open and hanging by the handles!

When it comes to summer weddings, the heat doesn't agree with everyone. Paper fans are very inexpensive and can be placed on each chair at the ceremony, and by creating a hang tag with the guests name and table number, they can also be used as a placecard!
Available in multiple colors, paper fans can also be personalized with a message for $2.25 each.

Galvanized buckets or vases add charm and a bit of "country chic" to an indoor or outdoor venue. Many brides have a few hours in between their ceremony and reception, so designing florals that can be transported from venue to venue could save you a bundle!
These Fleur-de-Lis buckets are the perfect height to line an aisle with simple country flowers, and can then look amazing as table centerpieces at the reception. Save money creating one arrangement that can be used more than once. Available here for $10.00 each.

June Already???

2008-06-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

Oh dear! June happened upon us rather quickly and we haven't posted our free shipping items for the month!

May was all about the ribbon, so June will be all about the votives.

Click here to go to our free shipping page. Or use this link: http://www.idealfavors.com/FREE-Shipping-Wedding-Party-Favors.aspx

Utilize All of Your Resources to Plan Your Perfect Wedding

2008-06-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine got engaged in April and has set her date for January 2009. Most brides will not even dream of planning their wedding in under one year and so I was eager to hear her ideas for her big day! (We'll call her Nadia to keep some personal information private).

I realized that this bride is doing something that many brides do not. She is using so many resources to her advantage to help her come in under budget while not sacrificing what her ideal wedding is. She has scoured the web for inspiration for invitations, photographers, venues and wedding dresses and she has managed to get amazing deals on everything thus far! So I thought I would go into a bit of detail that can maybe help some future brides out as well.

Venue
There is a restaurant in Vancouver that used to be an historic bank so the detailing on the building is pretty unbelievable. Nadia's fiance saw an old friend downtown a few weeks ago who happens to be the owner of this restaurant. They were invited for dinner and fell in love with the interior and the location. They decided to get serious and ask the owner about holding their wedding at the restaurant, and what he offered them was something that they never even thought possible! The entire venue (2 floors) for both ceremony and reception including setup and takedown, all of the decor including candles, and customized tapas for the entire evening all for under $2000.00. That works out to less than $30.00 per person!

Photographer
Another mutual friend of ours happens to be an amazing photographer who is interested in breaking into the wedding industry. She has graciously offered to be the wedding photographer which will be free for Nadia and at the same time will help her to create a portfolio.

Invitations
Nadia knows exactly how she wants her invitations to look, after spending hours pricing them out locally and online. As an avid scrapbooker, she has decided to make them herself for all 70 guests and was able to purchase enough cardstock, envelopes and embellishments for a total of $143.00 at a store closing sale.

Wedding Dress
Nadia knew that she wanted an off-white dress that was fitted, but she was open minded to the designer, style and all other details. Once again she used the internet to find the right dress and she was able to narrow down the exact style of her dream dress! Rather than spending thousands on the dress, she utilized Craigslist and ebay and then came across a local wedding dress consignment store that carries a huge selection of current dresses. Nadia found THE dress here, which happens to be a Maggie Sottero, for less than $500.00!

These are just some of the ways there are to utilize resources for your benefit! We're not saying to take advantage of people but if you know someone who is genuinely interested in and is happy to help you, then let them! When it comes to wedding planning, sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too!

We're Flattered!

2008-06-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

If you haven't yet discovered Abby's gorgeous website Style Me Pretty, do yourself a favor and head over there today to check out the eye-candy. This website is truly a great resource for brides or anyone involved in the event industry. Abby introduces her readers to fabulous vendors through her informative posts, and her "inspiration boards" are nothing short of inspirational!

She has also created a Little Black Book of wedding vendors that we are thrilled and flattered to be a part of! Check out Ideal Favors in the Little Black book here.

Just make sure you clear your schedule before you open up this site, because we're pretty sure you'll be in front of your computer for the next few hours!

Modern Country Whites

2008-05-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Having been an Event Planner for the past few years, I have had the opportunity to plan some fantastic events. I have been inspired by brides who had a creative vision and were able to implement it perfectly - within budget!
So, for the next few posts, we're going to focus on weddings using color to create a theme that ties together the entire day!

Modern Country Whites

What could be more organic than a reception held in a rustic barn in the country? Take inspiration from the natural beauty of the surroundings by layering soft fabrics in subtle colors. We love the idea of an all white modern country affair, and although the task of modernizing a barn may seem daunting, working with a white color palette actually couldn't be easier!

Choosing Your Tables and Chairs

Rectangular tables work well as many old barns are quite long. After deciding on the seating arrangements, rent inexpensive 8' tables from a local rental company. (You can often negotiate a set up and delivery fee as well). Noone will ever know what they look like so don't worry if they are scratched or don't look that great when you see them in person.

The linens are going to make the tables look spectacular, and there is nothing better than draping the tables in a soft organic white tablecloth. To add some depth to the tables, choose a long runner in a very subtle shade that will not detract from the beauty of the whites. We love the idea of a very pale blue or green runner.

Rental companies have a huge variety of chairs to match any budget and simple white plastic chairs can be rented for as little as $1.00 each these days. But if budget isn't a concern, it would be hard to resist the coveted chivari chair. Spectacular in white, these chairs would be a perfect addition to a modern white setup.

Outfitting the Tables

Now that the tables and seating are taken care of the fun really begins! It's time to outfit the tables.

Will there be flowers? All white flowers with very little greenery in tall, slim vases would be very dramatic. A few small square vases lining each table from end to end, and filled with local white wildflowers would suit a more casual white themed wedding.
For a truly organic look, we love the idea of white birch tree logs, vases or candles clustered on the tables and surrounded by lots of flickering tealight votives.

Petite white bud vases that double as placecard holders are another great tabletop layering element and look charming with a delecate white or pastel bud.

Lighting

Lighting will play an important role especially for an evening wedding reception. We have already mentioned using lots of little glass tealights and other candles on the tables, and a great resource to find inexpensive ones is to scour the local secondhand shops like Salvation Army. You can mix and match clear and frosted glass tumblers, teacups, votive holders and really get creative to create a mismatched yet ecclectic look.

Lanterns are another wonderful idea and the options are endless when it comes to paper, metal or glass lanterns. There are an abundance of dainty white metal lanterns everywhere on the internet that are inexpensive, but are substantial enough to use as centerpieces, or to hang from beams, pillars, branches - you name it! Metal lanterns are especially great if you're planning to set up an outdoor area for guests to spend a bit of time outside throughout the evening. Outdoor lanterns can light up an otherwise dark seating area, and won't get blown out on a breezy evening.

We love the idea of plain white paper lanterns strung from the ceiling as well. Grouped in a variet of different sizes, paper lanterns seem to add a very modern, yet casual touch to any venue. The white in contrast with wooden beams or rafters is striking, whether they are lit or not. Lighting the paper lanterns with battery powered LEDs or power cords would also provide ample lighting for a large barn space.

Little Details

Small details can make a big impact on your guests, so to continue on with the white wedding theme, consider placing a paper fan at each place setting if the evening will be especially warm. Not only are they inexpensive, they are simple to personalize by attaching a favor tag, or having the bamboo frame hotstamped.

Your wedding party can carry white paper parasols which look so fabulous in wedding portraits and photos.

If you will be giving wedding favors, consider a glossy white favor box wrapped in personalized white ribbon. Fill it with your favorite candy or other confection and you won't find any left behind when the party is over.

Maybe you love flowers and want more than a centerpiece at each table. White pomanders hanging with ribbon on the backs of chairs at the reception would be a beautiful option.

It can certainly be overwhelming to try to create the look that you have envisioned for your wedding day, but breaking it down into layering elements can really simplify the process. There are hundreds of blogs and other websites to take bits and pieces from. You'll know when you've got it exactly right. Have fun! You'll only get to do this once!

Photo Credits (Clockwise)
Barn Photos: eventswithdesign Flickr
Chivari Chair: classicpartyrentals.com
White Florals: Michelle Rago Ltd.
Paper Lantern: idealfavors.com
Metal Lantern: idealfavors.com
White Parasol: idealfavors.com
Birch Vases: whitelacewedding.com
Birch Candles: trendir.com
White Fan: idealfavors.com
Clustered Lanterns: lushlighting.com.au
Glass Votives: weddingbee.com

Free Shipping in May

2008-05-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hoping to brighten your Monday, we wanted to showcase our free shipping for May items! If you are looking for organza ribbon, personalized satin ribbon, or the popular saddle stitch ribbon, click here to take advantage of free shipping for the month of May!

Available in assorted colors to perfectly match your wedding colors or theme, we're sure that you'll find the perfect wedding ribbon, and the free shipping can only sweeten the deal!

New Candle Votives at Ideal Favors

2008-04-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

Ever since we started carrying assorted Damask print products at Ideal Favors, we have not been able to keep them on the shelves for longer than a few weeks! The prices have been great, the pattern unique and the product high quality.

We were so happy to discover these bright and boldly colored glass votives that are wrapped in printed rice paper.

These Damask votives will be added to http://www.idealfavors.com/ for purchase this Thursday!

Cherry Blossom Giveaway at WeddingBee!

2008-04-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love walking down a street lined with blooming cherry blossoms on a sunny spring day? We know that many brides choose a cherry blossom theme for their wedding because of the beauty and simplicity of the flower, and because pinks work so well as accent colors! So, we put together a great little giveaway package, in the spirit of spring, and you can enter over at weddingbee.com. The winner will receive: 1 cherry blossom parasol, 9 pink votives, 2 cherry blossom votives, 25 linen texture favor boxes, and 25 yards of chocolate brown saddle stitch ribbon. Hurry on over to www.weddingbee.com and enter before 8pm on April 8th. Good Luck!

New Paper Fan Colors!

2008-04-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

Since summer is creeping up on us, we thought we had better get a head start and add some more rice paper fans to our arsenol to help keep your guests cool! It's difficult to truly enjoy a beautiful wedding when the sun is hot and there is no breeze in sight.
So be sure to stop by our Paper Fans page at Ideal Favors to see our newest additions of chocolate brown, light pink, mango, and bright turquoise! We'll be adding even more colors in about 2 weeks, so make sure to check back with us. (Hint: You'll see a funky chartreuse and a pretty lilac very soon).

These rice paper fans are only $1.40 each, and only $1.20 when you buy 24 or more of the same color!
Stock up now, because we have a hard time keeping them on our shelves when the weather gets warmer!

Bargain Hunters Paradise!

2008-03-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

If you're a bride who loves a great sale, make sure you stop by the Ideal Favors sale page, because we have got pages of discontinued and overstock items that have been drastically marked down.

These colored glass Moroccan Candle Lanterns were $102.00 for a set of 6, and have been discounted to $87.00 for the set.

These miniature birds nests were $13.98 for a set of 12, and are now $10.70 for the set.

One of our favorites, the Magnolia Table Runner is below cost at only $15.00 for a high quality runner with tons of style! There are only 5 runners left in stock. These are perfect to use on a gift or cake table, or even your head table to add a punch of color.

Toile print vases are one of our bestsellers, but sadly this size has been discontinued, so we have reduced the price to clear them out! Now $12.99 each, these galvanized vases are 14.5" tall and are a perfect size to hold parasols or tall floral arrangements.

This isn't all you'll find so spend a few minutes checking out our sale items and take advantage of these great prices before they're gone forever!

Charming Cherry Blossoms

2008-03-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

The simplicity and beauty of the cherry blossom makes them a perfect flower and decorative accessory to use in your spring or summer wedding. It's easy to spend hours online finding inspiration in all things cherry blossom!

At Ideal Favors, we have a few little gems that we hope will inspire you to plan the perfect cherry blossom themed wedding.

Picture how beautiful these rice paper parasols would look in your wedding photos. Have your wedding party walk down the aisle holding a cherry blossom parasol, or provide them for your guests to shelter them from the afternoon sun. Create your own favor tag and hang them from the bamboo handle for a sweet personalized message. Made from rice paper, the design is hand painted and the parasol can be found at http://www.idealfavors.com/ for only $10.00 each.

The cherry blossom design on this candle votive perfectly matches the parasol above. Handpainted on to a delicate rice paper, the motif is then added to the glass votive. A soft, frosted glow is created when a tealight or 2" votive is inserted.

And because good things come in 3's, wecan't leave out our cherry blossom paper lantern. Also, made of rice paper, with a handpainted design, these 14" lanterns are striking when strung from ceilings indoors, or tree branches outdoors.

Here are a few other photos that we fell in love with when we conducted our own cherry blossom search.

Top Lef: hello_naomi flickr stream
Middle Left: martha stewart
Bottom Left: etsy, ArtisticCreations
Right: etsy, SandyPhotoArt

Doing Our Bit for the Environment

2008-03-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of years, Ideal Favors has been careful to pack our orders in crisp new boxes that are still intact when they reach you, the customer. But over the last few months, we've been questioning our reasoning behind this, and have decided to change our practice a little bit.
In an effort to cut down on the waste leaves our warehouse, we will now be recycling the boxes, paper packaging and recycled peanuts that our inventory is delivered to us in. Not to worry, we would never reuse a box that we think will not make it to you in one piece, but most of this packaging is very sturdy - it just doesn't look all that pretty!
We are also printing your invoices and shipping labels on recycled paper from now on, and will continue to incorporate new earth friendly practices into our daily processes. It seems small, but we know that it's the little things that count.

Modernize Your Spring Wedding

2008-02-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

Spring conjures up thoughts of refreshing rainfall, brightly colored tulips beginning to poke through the soil, green grass perking up in anticipation of summer, and little birds happily chirping throughout the day. Everything is fresh and lightly scented and colorful!

We love the idea of incorporating spring into a wedding theme, and what better way to do that than with some modern wedding accents such as votives, birds nests, robins egg candles, and little bird tealights?

We added 5 almond favor candies ($12.00 per pound) to the miniature birds nest ($13.98 for a set of 12) in the photo and the colors work really well together. But you can also stock up on mini chocolate eggs in pastel colors and add them to the nests as well. For a packaging idea, put the nest and candy inside of a 3" clear plastic favor box ($0.80 each) and finish with some color coordinating ribbon or a favor tag. The entire favor can be done for under $2.00 each!

For some accents on your tables, whether they are round or rectangular, the robins egg candles (set of 3 for $8.50) and dove tealight holder ($3.50 each) are adorable and are a perfect springtime wedding detail. We also love both of these paired with a personalized matchbook (only $0.46 each) or personalized matchbox (only $0.96 each) for a unique wedding favor that your guests can use!

And of course, lanterns are another great touch to carry through a wedding theme. These lanterns are a modern birdcage that stand 15" tall so they would make fabulous centerpieces all on their own. They would also look charming hanging from branches whether outdoors or from a large and elegant tabletop wedding centerpiece.

There are many ways to incorporate a spring theme into your wedding but we think that keeping your ideas pretty and tasteful will ensure that you do not have to spend a fortune to capture the look that you're trying to achieve, and your guests will remember your wedding for its simple beauty.

Paper Fans Now On Sale!

2008-02-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

SAA paper fans for only $1.50 each? That's right! In time for the summer wedding season, we have put our paper hand fans on sale. These paper fans are a great way to add color to your wedding ceremony and reception, and they are an elegant way to keep your guests cool in the warm outdoors.

SAA paper is a handmade fibrous paper with a linen texture. These paper fans are thicker than a rice paper fan and have truly vibrant colors. High quality SAA paper is mounted on a bamboo frame and the fans measure 10" when open.

We won't be carrying SAA paper fans when these have sold out, so plan ahead and make sure that you get yours while they are still in stock! On sale only while quantities last.

Spring is in the Air!

2008-02-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

Spring is finally in the air! So, Ideal Favors went in search of the perfect decorations for a pretty springtime wedding. What we managed to find may be our favorite product yet, and since glass candle votives are one of our best sellers, we know that these are going to fly off the shelves.

We saw some gorgeous yellow and black weddings in 2007 and this color trend has carried over to 2008, so these little glass votives would be delightful on a head table, as decorative accents on a cake table or guest tables. Two votives feature a bird motif on one side of the glass, while two other votives feature entwined branches. One single votive features the full motif around the entire votive. They come gift packaged as a set of 5 for only $10.00. A fantastic price for a unique wedding item that you won’t see anywhere else!

These votives will be added to www.idealfavors.com next week, so make sure you check back with us!

Delightful Eco Favors

2008-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

There is always a lot of discussion on the internet about unnecessary wedding favors that your guests secretly don't really want. But they take them home and toss them into a drawer with all the other favors that they have collected from weddings past. Or worse yet, these favors make their way out of the house and into the garbage the day after the wedding.

Well, we're happy to announce arrival of our delightful eco-friendly wedding favors! Many can even be personalized with your names and wedding date. Made from compostable papers and high quality wildflower seeds, you can feel good about giving your special guests a wedding favor that won't create waste. Plant them in a pot or in the ground and follow the care instructions that come with each favor. Wildflowers will bloom at staggered times over several months!

Not only are they an economical wedding favor, but they are also a modern and stylish product that will create beauty without any waste!

You can find them here: http://www.idealfavors.com/Pre-Order-Wedding-Party-Favors.aspx

Lanterns We Love!

2008-01-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

According to our customers, lanterns are a must-have item for 2008! Everyone seems to be looking for lanterns that are great quality but are also not going to cost them a fortune. We aim to please, so we went searching! And we must say that we're pretty pleased with what we found!

We just added some new lanterns to our site this week and you can find them under our "Pre-Order Program" here.

A great way to cut down on costs for your wedding is to have non-floral centerpieces at each table. Use a lantern as your centerpiece and then put a few smaller votives around the base of it to really dress up the look.

You can also use them to light garden pathways, to hang from tree branches at a summery outdoor wedding, or to provide some soft lighting on an outdoor terrace.

Lanterns give off a subtle romantic light that translates so beautifully in photos. And if you happen to have booked a venue that doesn't allow candlelight, you can still make lanterns a part of your wedding decor by using LED lights that look like tealights but are battery operated.

IdealFavors Pre-Buy Program

2008-01-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

We've been pretty excited about our 2008 products for months now, so we decided to launch a Pre-Buy program for these great finds that will allow you to buy now and receive some discounts for doing so!

Most of this new product will ship at the end of February and we're offering you discounts of 10% or more on some items. So place your order before January 31st and we'll notify you as soon as your items are ready to ship out.

Check out all the products at http://www.idealfavors.com/Pre-Order-Wedding-Party-Favors.aspx and here are a few to get you excited!

*****We cannot accommodate rush shipping on these items are they are currently not in stock until February.*****

Beat the Summer Heat with Colorful Fans and Parasols

2008-01-09T10:39:00.000-08:00

Imagine the perfect outdoor summer wedding setting. Rows of chairs placed on freshly manicured green grass; a beautiful monogrammed aisle runner with sprinkles of rose petals; a tall arch decorated with fresh brightly colored flowers and the warm sun......that quickly becomes the hot sun as guests take their seats for the afternoon ceremony.

If you are planning a summer wedding on the beach, at a country club, or in a garden where there will be little to no shade, you may want to offer some handheld fans, paper parasols or even some sunscreen to your wedding guests. They will appreciate the gesture!

We carry a fantastic range of rice paper and SAA paper handheld fans in shades that will match most wedding colors. Here is a small sample of colors for 2008. Place a fan on each chair with a favor tag with a clever message!

Another great idea is to have some galvaniz ed buckets filled with paper parasols that guests can help themselves to when they arrive. Our paper parasols are one of our best sellers because of the excellent quality and beautiful colors that perfectly coordinate with our line of paper fans or even our paper lanterns! Parasols are also a fabulous accessory for your wedding party and for wedding photos.

New stock of parasols and paper fans will be arriving in February, so feel free to contact us for availability.

Party People Rejoice!

2008-01-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

We came across the most fabulous site for party planning and wedding planning called http://www.cleverparties.com/.

If you are looking for theme inspiration or for products to fit into your existing theme, check out this site. All you have to do is create an account and you can begin searching by Category, Occasion or Theme. The site is quite new and is a little lacking in areas such as Stationery & Invitations, but play around and you may come across some products or websites that you wouldn't have found otherwise.

The BEST part of this site, in our opinion, is the access to "The Clever Community" page where you have access to other members public pages. They add their "Clever Party Ideas" and you can view products that they have rated on their individual pages.

Here is a sample from cleverparties of a couple of their theme photos. So pretty it makes us want to throw a party!

Free Shipping in January at Ideal Favors

2007-12-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the holidays, Ideal Favors is offering free shipping on select items throughout January! We know that Christmas bills are starting to add up, and you've still got a wedding to plan, so take advantage of our free shipping offer on wedding favors, modern packaging, trendy votives and more.

The photos above are just a sample of what we're offering and some of them are sale items so you're getting double the savings! Click here to see all of our free shipping items: http://www.idealfavors.com/FREE-Shipping-Wedding-Party-Favors.aspx and we'll be adding more by the end of the week.

Remember this doesn't start until January so save some of the must haves to your wish list and come back on January 1st to do some shopping with the shipping on us.

(NOTE: please read the notice on the shipping page as the shipping charges will be calculated when you check out, but will be refunded to your credit card as soon as the order is placed).

Bridal Makeup on the Cheap

2007-12-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

We've got nothing against make-up artists and the amazing things that they can do to transform your everyday girl on her wedding day. Every bride wants to look stunning when she walks down the aisle, and is captured on film for an entire day, but some brides are forced to consider other options when it comes to their wedding day beauty. If it's not in your budget, or there are no professionals in your area, you're going to have to do it yourself or entrust someone with a steady hand and a good eye to take care of it for you!

One of our favorite sites for inspiring and trendy looks, and of course, for their amazingly low-priced products is e.l.f. (www.eyeslipsface.com). If you haven't visited or shopped this site before, we guarantee that you'll be hooked. They've got a fabulous feature called "Get the Look" that allows you to click on a photo, buy what you need to replicate the look and get application instructions.

Our favorite for a casual, summery wedding is the "Grecian" look, with soft pastel colors and flawless skin.

For a more dramatic evening look, with dark eyes and pale lip color, we love the "new year, new you".

We admit that we were a tiny bit skeptical of makeup that only costs $1.00, but we're true converts now! With prices this low, you can afford to stock up on different looks and play around with the colors and styles to get the exact look that you want before your big day!

Favors for Under $1.00

2007-12-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

Couples have so many options when it comes to choosing wedding favors - which is a good thing! But, the choices can be overwhelming, so here is a list of things to consider before you place your order:

Will you be giving one favor per guest?
What is your total wedding favor budget? If you break that down into a per person price, don't forget to factor in the cost of shipping if you're making an online order.
Your favors should be one of the last things that you order. That way, if you change your mind about your colors or the style of wedding, you're not stuck with something that is no longer fitting.
Give yourself enough time between ordering and your wedding day for any assembly that is required.

If you're searching for the perfect wedding favor that your guests will love, that looks great and can be embellished and most importantly, won't break the bank, then consider these options below:

Personalized Matchbooks and Matchboxes
Priced from $0.46 to $0.96 each, you can choose the colors, font and whatever text you like from the popular "A Perfect Pair" and "Eat, Drink and Be Married", to your own names and dates. With chocolate brown being such a popular wedding color, these matches look really cute with an aqua blue, or lime green or matte pink font. Guests love them and you can get as creative as you want with the message you want printed. If you want to add a little something to go with the matches, consider a votive candle like these for only $1.00 each.

Linen Texture 2 Piece Favor Boxes
Definitely our other best seller, these little favor boxes are made from a high quality cardstock and are imported from Italy. They do require some simply assembly so if you need a lot, make sure you give yourself a few weeks to put them together and fill. It's not a lot of fun to put them together yourself, so take advantage of friends' offers to help out before your wedding and have them all over for a favor box party. They'll be done in no time! What we LOVE about these boxes is that they are only $0.80 each and are available in so many colors including silver and gold (for only $0.10 more). They are the perfect size to fill with candy, chocolates or a homemade treat, and you can embellish them with some personalized ribbon or a hangtag. Whatever you decide to do, your guests are going to love them!

The Art of Eco Friendly Wrapping

2007-12-06T17:54:00.000-08:00

Eco-friendly and sustainable products are on everyone's radar these days and since the gift-giving season is upon us, we thought it was a great time to talk about the modern day "furoshiki". The furoshiki is a piece of printed cloth that was once used in Japan to transport goods. Today it is an eco-friendly and stylish way to wrap and present a gift, with no need to feel guilty about wasting expensive paper. This is one thing that you can feel good about regifting!

You can stock up on inexpensive fabric at your local fabric store and learn how to wrap your gifts in style, or find them online. We fell in love with Jennie Wren's modern Furochic with vibrant designs and color combinations. We especially love the greens and browns in the Forest design found here. Each Furochic comes with wrapping instructions and a matching gift tag for $12.95.

When Your Wedding Vision Doesn't Match the Venue Reality

2007-12-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

We've been hearing from a lot of brides who have settled on their wedding colors, but they're not sure how to tie their theme or colors in with the existing decor and style of the venue. If you don't have a blank canvas to work with (and many brides don't), and you want to add your own style and colors to your venue, here are some things to keep in mind.

1) Take some photos of your venue when the space is empty. If you only see it once or twice throughout your planning stages, you may not remember whether there is artwork on the walls, or other color throughout the room. I think we've all remembered something being much more grand in our minds than it was in realty.....so the pictures are going to save you from the drama when you realize it's not how you remembered it when you fell in love with the venue!

2) Make sure that you really take the time to think about the whole picture. Inspiration boards have become a huge source of inspiration and direction for brides and you can see a bunch of beautiful ones here: http://www.stylemepretty.com/inspiration_boards/index.html. Peruse vendor websites, visit blogs, keep a scrapbook of your favorite magazine photos, but do your best to pull the your vision together before you start shelling out money for something that you may not be happy with down the road.

3) Don't give up on your vision! A venue will look entirely different at night than it will during the day. If you are having an evening wedding with low lighting or soft candlelight, don't worry about the color of the walls or carpet. You can create a beautiful ambiance through some creative decorating and these days, there are so many options when it comes to wedding decor. Consider adding lots of color and lighting to tabletops with candle votives, candle lanterns, or hurricanes. More is always better in our opinion and candlelight always translates beautifully in wedding photos! If you are working with a specific theme, choose decor that will be complimentary.

4) Consider what other elements you will have at each table to tie in with your wedding colors. Some of the most common are centerpieces, colored linens, chair covers and wedding favors. This is where you can find playful accents like these centerpieces, or you can opt for a modern and simple look like these. If your venue has uninspiring linens and the standard boring banquet chair, consider renting colored linens and chair covers. These can be an inexpensive way to dress up the room, especially if what comes with the space is taking away from the look that you're trying to achieve.

5) If you are having a daytime wedding or want to infuse bright colors and texture, there are lots of options. A wedding decorator may or may not be in your budget. We've seen event decorators do amazing things with swags of fabric from ceilings and draping on walls, and fabulously done up head tables. You can literally turn your wedding venue into an unrecognizable space (and we mean that in a good way!). There are always new designers who are looking to build a portfolio and will offer their services at a fraction of the going rate and sometimes Craigslist can be your best friend. If you don't want to go that far, consider hanging pretty patterned or plain paper lanterns. Not only are they economical, but they add elements of whimsy and color. Hanging small chandeliers with crystals would also be stunning at a glamorous formal wedding.

These are just some tips on how to have success with your wedding vision when it doesn't seem like it can be possible with what you have to work with. It isn't easy to pull together the perfect wedding, but it is 100% possible.

Dancing for the Stars

2007-12-06T09:45:00.001-08:00

Each year, personalization hits the wedding industry in a different way. We love that this year, couples all over North America have gotten creative and have choreographed their way onto the dance floor delighting wedding guests and viewers on YouTube. Today, Ellen has invited the couple of this hilarious first wedding dance to her show!
Tune in a 5pm PST.

Get Them Before They're Gone!

2007-12-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

Since winter has made its appearance on the West Coast, it's definitely time to clean out our summer inventory and make room for 2008 products.
We have some exciting things lined up to debut in February, but until then, take advantage of our sale items before they're gone! When an item is sold out, that's it. We will not be restocking anything that you see on the sale page in 2008.

Here are a few of our favorites!

Made from delicate, handblown bubble glass, these bud vases are such a beautiful addtion to any wedding tabletop. Inspired by light summery hues, we picture these clustered together on crisp white linens at an outdoor wedding or party.
IDEA: If you are decorating long rectangular tables, try grouping these by color down the centre of the table. Add a few tealights in between to add depth and cast a soft glow around the room.

We loved these taper holders with crystals when we first laid eyes on them. And judging by the numbers that we have in stock - so did you! Nickel-plated with dangling crystals, they hold a standard taper and add an elegant touch to any wedding.

IDEA: Since they look so pretty in photographs, consider adding a couple in different sizes to your signing table at the ceremony, or to your guest book table.

These votives may seem subdued in the photos, but they are really anything but! We originally thought they would be perfect for a Moroccan or other ethnic-inspired wedding theme, but since Christmas is right around the corner, they are also the perfect decorative accent for this season!

IDEA: Cluster in groups of different sizes on fireplace mantles, dining room and coffee tables. Really any surface where they will bring cozy light and a touch of festive color to the room is perfect.

Check out our sale page to see what other great steals we have. Think about mixing and matching certain items to create the look that you want. And remember, don't wait too long - these items are all clearance to make room for our exciting 2008 stock!

Wedding Favor Ideas

2007-11-23T21:39:00.000-08:00

We love when a bride or groom gets in touch with us to let us know what they thought of our wedding products and how they planned to incorporate them into their wedding.
Here are some ideas that have brides have shared with us and may help you select your favors and decorations.

We decided on these really fun hand fans as wedding favors. They're very colorful, they are very unique, and they're affordable.

Hand Fans
Samantha, Chicago

We've purchased restaurant quality champagne flutes for $1.50 each, and my mother and I are going to paint lilacs on them and put my fiancé and my name on the bottom with our wedding date. The glasses will make a pretty addition to the table and since most people will go as couples, they'll walk away with a pretty pair of flutes! We also purchased a personalized wedding cake topper with our intials on it - it looks fabulous on our cake.

Cake Topper

Kristina, USA

It was important to us to incorporate our new monogram into the wedding. We had it printed on our invitations, on our aisle runner at the church, I even used small crystals and glued the letter M on the bottom of my shoes, so when we saw these monogram favor candles, we knew they were perfect!

Monogram Favor Candle

Jenny Y, San Diego

We were thrilled when we found your site! My DH and I were set on having a candy buffet at our wedding, and we thought that your square glass vases would be the perfect size. We bought the large and small sizes and filled them with different types of our favorite candy. The table of Jelly beans, salt water taffy, chocolate almonds looked so pretty at our wedding reception and these vases were the perfect size to have a small scoop sitting inside so that our guests could help themselves. At the end of the night, we told our guests to take home the vases with any leftover candy. It was a hit!

Square Glass Vase
Deborah, Newark

Our wedding favor doubled as a placecard holder. Your white bud vase placecard holder looked so pretty at each placesetting - I just wanted to tell you that we were thrilled and our wedding guests loved them! We didn't have any left over at the end of the night! We didn't have a big budget for flowers either, so a couple of buds in each vase brought just enough color to tie in with our wedding colors.

Bud Vase Placecard Holder
Pamela, NYC