Junior Bridesmaid/Ring Bearer Gifts!

Mr. ICS and I have almost all of the bridal party gifts completely finished! The only ones that we had left, were the ones for the Junior Bridesmaids and Ring Bearer. I've already purchased one gift for each of them (see below), but thought it would be nice to get them a little something extra.

Image Via Asterias Bridal Shop on Etsy

Image Via Sock Prints Etsy Shop

The ICS Maids, as you might already know, will be donning beautiful bathrobes. The ICS Men, will be donning handsome wristwatches. In an effort to make the Junior Bridesmaids and Ring Bearer feel more integrated, I decided to purchase them gifts that would somewhat go along with the theme. I felt that purchasing robes and a watch for the youngsters would be a little unconventional, so I tried to think outside of the box.

After searching on Etsy for quite a while, I came across some adorable t-shirts. (See below)

Image Via Designs By Christine Etsy Shop

Image Via Bride and Entourage Etsy Shop

I loved both of the styles that I found. They were super cute and I thought all 3 of them would have really enjoyed receiving them as gifts. The prices for these t-shirts ran for about $15.00, not including shipping. So, last weekend, I decided to venture off to Michaels in search of t-shirt making supplies to hopefully save some money.

I watched a few Youtube videos before I went, to make sure that I was purchasing products that had good reviews. Believe it or not, I've never made a t-shirt before with iron ons. I was super duper nervous, too! I was really hoping the project wouldn't be a total flop and waste of money. While I was there, I couldn't decide which decals to purchase, so, I purchased multiples. Here's what I came home with:

Image Via Michaels.com: Transfer Colored Paper

for $9.99

Image Via Michaels.com: Transfermations Flock Letters

$5.99

Image Via Michaels.com: Black Glitter Letters

$5.99

Image Via Michaels.com: Black Tshirt

$3.99 originally, on sale for $1.99

Image Via Michaels.com: Pink Tshirt

$3.99 originally, on sale for $1.99

So, after purchasing all of my materials, it was time to get to work. First, I took a current t-shirt of mine (that happened to be a kids' size--completely accidental, it was just the only size my company had left), to see the spacing of the letters. I measured both horizontally from the sleeves and vertically from the collar. I laid out the letters on the the t-shirt first, to check the spacing. Then, after my iron was fully heated, I laid an old pillow case over top, and pressed down evenly. I removed the iron from the shirt and letters, and VOILA! I couldn't believe my eyes--it actually worked! No, it wasn't perfect, but it would do! Here are the finished products! Sorry the photos aren't better quality, I didn't have any photo space left on my phone so I had to take them through Snapchat. 

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I'm quite pleased with the result actually. Also, here's the best part: the t-shirts on Etsy were about $15.00, not including shipping (varying in cost from $5.99-$8.99), but the final cost with materials used for these t-shirts was $6.99. Woohoo, over a 50% discount! Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

I hope the kiddos love them!

How about you, Hive? Did you do any DIY projects for your bridal party's gifts? If so, what did you do? If you didn't DIY, what did you buy? Can't wait to hear!

-Ms. Ice Cream Sundae

Ice Cream You Scream: Ice Cream Sundae Invitations!

I knew what I wanted for invitations for quite some time, for the most part. I loved getting wedding invitations in the mail because I liked to see the different spins and variations each couple put on them. I can even remember taking pictures of some invitations family members would get, so that I could mimic those invitations when the big day came. Truth be told, I have no idea where those photos are now, but Pinterest came along and saved the day!

So, choosing the invitations was fairly easy. Here was my Pinspiration:

Image via justinviteme.com

Image via weddinginclude.com

I loved the look of both of these invites. The ivory paper with blush and gold accents fit the color scheme of our wedding perfectly, and I thought these invitations looked extremely elegant. So, needless to say, I was so disheartened when I went to actually order the invitations and the final total came to $950. I honestly didn't know what I was going to do at that point. I didn't know that invitations could cost so much! I feared I would have to go a completely different route and forego my beloved pocket folds (yes, full on dramatic tone used here) for a 2 dimensional invitation (which there is absolutely no problem with, I just had my heart set on the former). Then, to my surprise, enter MOH A. 

Thankfully MOH A.'s best friend, B (HA, I just realized that is the beginning of the alphabet and sounds super cute--ok, full disclosure, I'm writing this post at 6:00 am with very little coffee in my system) has been planning her wedding around the same time that I have. She just got married this past June. She, too, had gold and blush for her wedding colors, and MOH A. was a bridesmaid in her wedding. As I told MOH A. my woes about the extremely expensive invitations, she suggested using B.'s graphic designer. She sent me a picture of her invitations, and they were just beautiful. So, the important question was, "how much?" She didn't remember them being that pricey, so we went ahead and booked an appointment with her. Thankfully, MOH A. and Mama ICS offered to meet with the graphic designer in person and Facetimed me throughout. MOH A. showed her pictures from my Pinterest board, and she laid out a rough draft on the table. I couldn't see the colors too well through the screen, so I had to rely on MOH A. and Mama ICS's keen eyes to make the final decision. She sent me a few mock ups via email so that I could choose the font and the wording, and then sent me my own copy of the invitation in the mail.

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I absolutely loved the final product! They were exactly what I envisioned, and for an even better price! All together, the pocket folds, inserts, addressed envelopes, and response card envelopes came to $195. When she told me the final price, I was beyond excited. I could not believe that I was able to save $755 and still get exactly what I wanted. 

They did not come fully put together, but I was more than ok with that. I waited to pick them up until the weekend of the bachelorette and bridal shower, so that we didn't have to pay an additional fee to have them shipped all the way out to CA from Syracuse. MOH A., Mama ICS, and I had a blast putting them together. We made an assembly line of sorts, and MOH A. shipped them out the next day. 

All in all, I am so happy with how they turned out, and am so thankful for the efforts of MOH A. and Mama ICS! I definitely couldn't have gotten this done without them!

So, hive, what did you do for your invitations? Did you DIY, or have them made? Did you go off of a website for ordering, or did you find someone local by word of mouth?

Can't wait to hear all about your invitation process!

Miss Ice Cream Sundae

Out of the Ordinary Out of Town Bags

I've been prepping for this post for the last 4 weekends. Goodness grief, that's a long time! These out of town bags have really thrown me for a loop. I desperately wanted to give my guests bags, but we are really trying to keep our wedding cost low. I priced some things out, and everything seemed a bit too expensive.

So, I decided to go a different route. As you know by now, I LOVE to bake. That being said, I wanted the guests to be greeted with homemade treats that screamed "Syracuse!" Now, how I was going to pull that off, was the problem.

After brainstorming for a while, I came up with a spin on out of town bags, and instead, went with out of town boxes! Boxes of homemade cookies, that is.

So, this post has been a long time coming because I've been baking up a storm to get the cookies just right. I decided on half moon cookies, because they are native to upstate New York, and are absolutely delicious. Not to mention, they have a black and a white side, which to me, sort of signifies the bride and groom.

I went to Michaels and bought a box I thought might work. It came with a package of 5 for $3.99. This was cheaper than the pack of gift bags I found at the dollar store-score! Then, I went to find some ribbon to tie around the outside of the box. This was more expensive and cost about $3.99 for the spool. I tried it out when I got home, and the ribbon didn't go very far. It only covered about 2 boxes (and the boxes are small). Back to the drawing board I went. Actually, to Target, where I found black and white yarn-not what I was going for, but it actually turned out better than the first! And I only needed one spool, and that cost $2.99! Woohoo! Ok, then to assemble.

Ta-da!

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Now for the inside: I made two different sizes to see how well the cookies would fit. I'm having difficult deciding which I like better. I think the larger cookies look better: more professional, but maybe the medium cookies are more practical. I really can't decide.

This is where you come in, hive! Can you help me choose, please? Pretty please with a cherry on top (so fitting for the Sundaes)?

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Here's a picture of the smaller cookies (pictured above).

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Here's a picture of the larger cookies (pictured above).

So, Hive, did you do the traditional Out of Town Bags, or did you opt for something out of the ordinary? Can't wait to hear all about it!

Miss Ice Cream Sundae

Sundae's Syracuse Derby Shower (Picture Heavy-Beware!)

I have been waiting for this weekend for what has felt like months! All of the planning and Pinteresting that has gone into this, I can't believe it has actually arrived! I must admit, it was difficult not being there in person to view and meet with the venue, but the Ice Cream Sundae maids and mom did an absolutely wonderful job! I couldn't have done it better myself, that's for sure!

Originally, while in the planning stages, I hoped to have more of a hand in the planning of the bridal shower. I wanted to decide on the theme, pick out the decor, bake the dessert, make the favors, and plan the menu. The ICS maids really tried to urge me not to have such a say, because they wanted to make the day special by planning several surprises. So, we came to a compromise. I told them that I really wanted to do the derby theme, because Mr. ICS is from Kentucky, and I wanted him to be a part of it in some way. I also really wanted to bake the dessert and make the favors. The compromise was that they could take care of the rest. For me, that was a BIG compromise. Let me tell you, in the long run, I was SO thankful for that. Looking back, there's absolutely NO way that I could've gone shopping for flowers, decor, and odds and ends while being halfway across the country. It was all that I could do to fit some small incidentals in my suitcase for the wedding. I can only imagine what it would've been like or cost to ship everything!

Fast forward now to last weekend. I was absolutely blown away when I stepped into the restaurant. It looked like something out of a magazine. I couldn't believe what a spectacular job they did. I tried my best to take pictures so that I could have them to show you, Hive, but these photos just don't do it justice.

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 The girls put together a candy bar, a beautiful floral arrangement, and some adorable signage! I was blown away by this display. The flowers were absolutely breathtaking, the signage was too cute for words, and the candy bar blew me away!

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This adorable display was for one of the games! The ICS maids put together some spectacular derby hats for those people that thought they could get away with not wearing one (hehehe). This hat tree was so fantastic and easily a highlight of the day!

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This table housed the recipe cards and gifts. I love love love to cook and bake, so the ICS maids asked every guest to include a recipe, put it on a card, and place it in the recipe book provided. I had SO much fun reading though them after the shower, and I can't wait to start cooking and baking from them!

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This table is where the mimosa bar was. Oh my goodness, this was such a pleasant surprise. Not only did the girls include different types of juices, but they also included adorable gold paper straws which added such a cute touch!

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Here's a close up of the vanilla almond dessert cupcakes and milk chocolate horseshoe favors that I made. MOH ICS found an adorable printable tag online that we tied to the favors (wrapped in cellophane bags).

Looking through all of these pictures really makes me appreciate just how much each of the girls really did for this day. I'm currently scheming and brainstorming different ideas for how I can repay them. I continue to be blown away by the outcome, and am so thankful to have such amazing women by my side. 

So, that being said, I'm dedicating this post to you ICS Maids and mom. This couldn't have happened without you! Thanks a million! 

              

(personal photos)

Planning for the Weekend: Bachelorette and Bridal Shower

The Ice Cream Sundaes are in full wedding swing! With only 2 months left to go, we are furiously trying to make sure we have everything in order. This past weekend has brought me a particular amount of stress, because I'm only going to be in town (Syracuse) for 3 days, and I have so much to cram in. Here's the itinerary:

Thursday

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Friday

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Saturday

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Done? That can't be right. Well, I guess we'll find out. I've been planning this weekend for what feels like months. There've been so many things that have fallen into place, and so many things that have fallen through.

Take the Bachelorette for example, I invited 5 people and 5 confirmed. Hooray! We booked the boat, found transportation, decided on outfits, and all was well! But then...2 backed out last minute. I was so sad and disheartened, but I have come to realize something- those that want to share this day with me, are making every effort to do so, and that's all that matters. I know we will have so much fun, but I'm human, and sometimes my feelings get the better of me. So, here's to having an extremely fun weekend with a great group of gals! Stay tuned for the next post, where I share how the weekend actually went! Was I able to stick to my itinerary? Did I self-destruct because I crammed too much in in too short of time?! You'll just have to wait and see!

Until next time!
Miss Ice Cream Sundae

[Banana] Split Decision: Kids' Condundrom

I've been questioning the idea of having an adult only reception for a while now. I've asked several family members and friends what their opinions were on an adult only reception was, and the end result: split completely down the middle.

Since I can remember, I've envisioned my younger cousins being a part of my wedding day. I've asked them to be in the wedding as Junior Bridesmaids and Ring Bearer/Page. I truly feel in my heart, because I'm asking them to be in the wedding, they should also have the opportunity to attend the reception afterwards. They will likely be the only children there, as the majority of the people coming are either older and/or do not yet have children. But thankfully, they have each other. I just really want the experience to be enjoyable for their parents as well, as neither really get to have date nights or time to themselves.

Because I actually didn't attend my first wedding until I was in my 20s, I wasn't quite sure how the kiddos would feel attending an all-adult "party". I definitely don't want them to be bored. They also don't see each other that often, so they get SUPER excited when they are together, and feed off of each other's energy :) Which can make for a fun situation, but also one that can be tough to curtail midway through. So, I came up with some ideas that I thought might help.

I decided that at their table, I would have 3 buckets with their names on them. Inside the buckets there would be a few goodies to keep them entertained for a portion of the evening (I'm being realistic here--I KNOW this won't keep them entertained long, ha). These items included:

1. Stickers and Washi Tape

2. Markers/colored pencils

3. An intricate coloring book (because they are 10 and 7)

4. An [old] iPhone (yes, I know what you're thinking)

5. A photo scavenger hunt

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Above is a photo of some of the items that I included. I found all of them at target in the Dollar Spot section. It was a pretty good deal. About $10 for everything. What I don't have shown in the photos are the iPhones that I'm planning on placing inside. They are both mine and Mr. ICS' old phones that are no longer connected to any sort of data plan, but still work extremely well for taking pictures. The kiddos ALWAYS steal their parents phones, so I thought, why not give them their own to snap photos with for the evening. And while we're at it, why not make a contest out of it?

I'm planning on using an "I Spy" sheet that I saw on Martha Stewart's website a while back. I think it will work out great, and will keep them busy for a bit :) Because I'm turning this into a contest, I really want to have 2 more contests (at least), so that each of the kiddos has a chance to win (yes, this will be rigged--I don't want anyones feelings getting hurt!) 

For the other contests, I'm deciding between: 1. Quiet as a Church mouse: who can be the best behaved in Church?, 2. Strut your stuff: Who has the best dance moves?, 3. Decor Galore: Who can decorate their bucket the best?, 4. iPhone Scavenger Hunt: Who "found" the best pictures? 

Next on the list? Picking out non-gender specific toys to give at the end of the night that the kiddos will like (and are not too expensive). Honestly, I've put more time and effort into this than I ever thought possible. I just really want them to have fun, but also want to allow their parents to have fun too :) I think this is a good start, though!

So, hive, here's where you come in! Do you have any tips or tricks up your sleeves that helped/will help you keep kiddos entertained on your big day? Any advice/recommendations? I want the day to be enjoyed by all :)

A Sweet Surprise: Mama Sundae Visits San Francisco!

Mama Sundae is here for a visit! I'm SO excited! I'm trying to plan a slew of fun things for us to do, but one of them is essential to wedding planning: finder her a dress. She has been quite hesitant to shop for a dress, although I've been fairly persistent in my requesting for her to do so. I understand where she is coming from, though; she is worried that she will find one that she likes better, closer to the wedding. But, now that the wedding is just about 3 months away, she has agreed to shop! Woohoo! To make this process easier on her, I decided to do a bit of pre-shopping prior to her arrival.
I've gone several times to Nordstrom and Macy's, to see if they had the same dresses in the store as they had online. Unfortunately, this approach did not work. So, last weekend I tried something different. I decided to go based on only what they had in the store.

I asked the employees if I could grab some dresses, hang up them up, take photos, and then make a list of what I picked out. Mama Sundae doesn't love to shop, so I wanted to make it as easy as possible.

Here are the dresses that I chose, all hanging in the dressing room.

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Originally, I was thinking of rose gold for Mama Sundae, but it was extremely hard to find a dress that color! I was really only able to find the one that you see hanging. (The dress all the way over to the left was just one that I thought was cute and wanted to try on to see how it looked). Navy blue was really the go-to color, so it seemed.

I put all of the dresses on hold the Friday that she arrived, and we went back to try them on that Saturday. We didn't waste any time! We even had quite a tough time deciding which ones we liked best. We ended up narrowing it down to two, and called on several people to help us choose. They made it so easy, because their choice was unanimous! The two that we narrowed it down to were: the one all the way to the right (dress with sleeves), and the one in the middle (dress with sequence top).

.....the one that we ended up choosing?

The one in the middle :) It looked absolutely beautiful on her. It was so slimming and went extremely well with her complexion. We did end up shopping for about 5 hours, though, because she was so inspired to find pieces to go with it after purchasing. We knocked out her entire look: earrings, bracelet, and shoes in that one afternoon.

She was so happy with the end result, which in turn made me extremely happy. This was truly the cherry on top of our Sundae Saturday shopping spree.

How did you dress your moms, hive? Did you have them choose a dress, or did you guide them towards one? Can't wait to hear all about it!