Green Engagement Party Ideas from Green Bride Guide

So you’re engaged! Now what? Celebrate your future with family and friends at your Green Engagement Event! Find unique and beautiful vintage champagne flutes from local shops and tag sales. Fill them with some lovely bubbly and toast to your love with organic champagne or crisp prosecco poured over ice or homemade fruit pops!

Keep your décor simple and seasonal. Use local fresh fruit and flowers to create effortlessly elegant tablescapes. Any forgotten books in your home?

Hollow them out and place a plant inside! This unique effect creates a whimsical pot and adds a touch of natural beauty to any room or tablescape.

If you are planning a brunch celebration, make bite-sized French toast and croque monsieurs to cut back on waste. Take reducing waste a step further by sending your invitations to guests on personalized tea bags that they can enjoy later!

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by Kate on February 20, 2012 in Engagements, Pre-Party Food & Drink
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A Fantastic At-Home Engagement Brunch from Joy the Baker

If you read a lot of blogs, chances are you have developed a few geeky blog crushes. Joy the Baker is totally mine. If we were in high school, I would vote her homecoming queen. So, when she graciously agreed to guest blog for us, I could barely contain my excitement (wait…is this starting to sound creepy?) and may have let out a giggle. Check out this great post and then scoot on over to her blog so that you can have a crush, too (I will not confirm or deny that I have pre-ordered her cookbook).  Enjoy, friends!

No one can say no to brunch.  There’s something about the enticing smell of potatoes roasted with onions and butter that absolutely no one can deny.  Pair those roasted potatoes with fluffy eggs and homemade Bloody Marys and you’ve got the makings of one fine (and totally inexpensive) engagement brunch…

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by guest blogger on January 11, 2012 in Cocktails, Engagements, Guest Bloggers, Pre-Party Food & Drink
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Sponsored post: Maggiano’s Little Italy

When I was a kid, we had some close family friends, the Manfredas. Mr. & Mrs. Manfreda had come from Italy and settled in San Francisco, finding a home in the North Beach neighborhood and raising their three children. This was a family that was serious about their food. In fact, they converted the entire lower level of their home (which would have ordinarily functioned as their garage) into one giant kitchen and dining room with a massive table where friends and family would gather together for any reason to celebrate over a big meal.

During many a get together, out of this basement kitchen would roll enormous piping hot platters of homemade pastas: spaghetti with fresh marinara sauce, baked ziti, when we were lucky, pasta alla carbonara , and on, and on. Every dish was always delicious, made with love, and with every bite you knew that life, friends,…

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by Bradford on January 11, 2012 in Bachelor Party, Bachelorette Party, Day After, Engagements, Food and Drink, Pre-Wedding Events, Rehearsal Dinner, Rehearsal Dinner Food & Drink, Showers, Sponsored Posts, Venues and Sites, Wedding
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Newly Engaged? Kick Off Your Green Wedding Planning!

5 Things You Should Do First

1. Share
You’re engaged! Congratulations!

Share the news with the most important people in your lives, right away, in the most personal form of communication that the circumstances allow. For great ideas on telling your loved ones, read more from the Green Bride Guide’s Experts blog or check out mywedding’s Etiquette and Planning Guide.

2. Talk
Schedule some time with your parents, and/or anyone else who might be involved in the planning, budgeting or decision-making for your wedding. You don’t have to hammer out too many specifics, but this is your time to get a sense for who wants to be involved in your wedding planning. These important conversations will help you determine what kind of wedding you can have, especially if budget and family contributions to the budget are a consideration.

This is also an especially important time…

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by Kate on October 6, 2011 in Engagements, Guest Bloggers
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Book of Love Inspiration Shoot by Host-It Notes

Whenever I begin planning a party, the first thing I do after brainstorming a theme is take an inventory of my house. What serveware and utensils are a good fit for this theme and color scheme? What decorative items can I repurpose for my table? What pieces can I paint or cover to give them the look I want? You’d be surprised where you find things if you just look—baskets tucked away in cupboards can hold favors, pretty storage boxes can be stacked to make pedestals, that mirror in the hall might look great behind your party’s buffet table. If you shop in your own home first, you’ll not only save a mint, you’ll get a look that’s more unique than picking up a matching set of party supplies at a store.

That’s why I love the key theme of today’s party shoot: books. I have loads of books…

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by guest blogger on September 26, 2011 in Engagements, Guest Bloggers, Showers
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Engagement Party Inspiration: A Break Out The Bubbly Shoot from Host-it Notes

Erin from Host-It Notes hosts the ultimate party blog, full of ideas, inspiration and DIY tutorials for just about every kind of party. So, you can imagine we’re totally over the moon with the gorgeous, engagement inspiration shoot she’s put together exclusively for Delightfully Engaged! Swoon!

When a couple gets engaged, what’s the first thing you want to do after the initial hugs and congratulations are over? Raise a glass of something fizzy in their honor! Rather than make a beeline for the local bar, use this impulse as inspiration for a fun and fabulous engagement party. I used champagne-themed touches and DIY projects to capture the excitement in a Break Out the Bubbly engagement party shoot for all of you Delightfully Engaged readers. Here’s how to make one happen:

Serve champagne, prosecco, or your favorite sparkling wine. Be sure to offer guests the option of…

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by Kara on April 15, 2011 in Engagements, Guest Bloggers, Showers
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Part 2: Dresses for Your Engagement Parties

On Tuesday we showed you how to turn two of this season’s biggest trends, romance and 70s chic, into engagement party wear. And, we’re not stopping there. Two other big trends we’re in love with right now are preppy chic, which should be tempered with modern accessories (you don’t want to actually look like you’re heading to prep school), and sparkles, which elevate any outfit to Special Occasion status.

Ladylike Preppy
Initial Pendant Necklace by Ryan Ryan; Yellow flats by BC Footwear; Pretty Please Plaid Dress on Ruche; Dipper Square Earrings by Kate Spade; Black clutch by Aldo Shoes; Sparklicity Crystal Flower Ring by Tarina Tarantino

All-Out Sparkle
Crystal Teardrop Earrings on Amazon; Picabia Strappy Heels by Diesel; Celebration Tinsel Town Dress on ModCloth; Street Level Clutch on PiperLime; Elis Bangle Watch by Swarovski

So tell us, what are you wearing to your engagement party?

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by Kara on January 20, 2011 in Engagements, Links Round-up, Pre-wedding events
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Outfit Ideas for Your Upcoming Engagement Parties

Think of your engagement party as the kick-off to a season filled with some of the best outfits you’ll ever wear (between your showers, bachelorette party and wedding dress, you’re going to have multiple opportunities to play dress up). To get the ball rolling, we’ve taken two of our favorite trends from this season – romantic and 70′s chic – and given you a playful, dressy look that would be perfect for a true engagement party and then a more casual yet sophisticated look that would work for a more low-key event.

Make sure to check back later this week for more of our favorite trends from this season and how they can translate into engagement party wear.

Romantic with an Edge
Earrings by Piperlime; Pave Double-band Ring by BCBG; Matt & Nat Distressed Clutch Purse at Urban Outfitters; Lovely…

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by Kara on January 18, 2011 in Engagements, Inspiration Boards, Pre-wedding events
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Engagement Party Gift Ideas

Now that we’re firmly in engagement season the parties and congratulations are going to start. And while there is nothing that says you need to give an engagement gift (here’s a bit more on engagement etiquette), if you are so inclined it can be a really fun, meaningful gift to get your friends’ wedding season started.

Gifts that couples can do together, like dining out, fun activities and spa services are a terrific option, giving the couple a chance to bond during what’s bound to be a crazy time. But, I have to say I also love a present they can share over the years to come (and reminds them of what fantastic gift giver you are…).

Here’s a couple of ideas to get you started. We’d love to hear any gift ideas you have in the comments!

For Their Wall:
Customized heart portrait by Rifle…

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by Kara on January 14, 2011 in Engagements, Links Round-up
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Budget-Friendly, Alternative Engagement Rings from Satomi Kawakita

I have to admit, until today, I was woefully ignorant that there were such things as a gray and brown diamonds (did you know?). And, I’m not sure I would have bought into the idea of wearing one as an engagement ring… That is until I checked out Satomi Kawakita’s line and saw how understated yet totally cool alternative diamonds look in her funky settings.

Having worked in just about every art form (glass blower, wood, metal and textile designer, diamond setter), Satomi settled into jewelry design in 2008, but you can still feel the influence of her other mediums. Every piece has a very organic feel so even the smaller settings stand out in their uniqueness; you can further customize each ring by choosing from white, black, gray, or even pink diamonds. And she has a ton of options for wedding rings as well, including a line…

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by Kara on January 14, 2011 in Engagements, Proposals, Rings and Jewelry
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