Etch A Sketch: Meet The Amazing Etch Man

Today I am excited to share one of the coolest things you can offer at your wedding event. This will blow your mind. I am totally serious! Who remembers the Etch A Sketch from back in the day? Remember when you would draw something fun, and then to erase it, you would shake it? How about if you could have an art piece sketched and then kept forever as a keepsake? Well you can! Yes, let me introduce you to Christoph Brown, The Amazing Etch Man. I had the pleasure of meeting Christoph, and getting my very own Etch A Sketch. It was amazing to watch how quickly he did it. I was stunned and could not believe my eyes. All I kept saying in my head was, ” How the heck is he doing that, and doing it so well?”.  This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen, and it is even more awesome that I get to keep this forever! It sits at my desk while I blog, and I still can not believe how cool it is. Imagine if you had an Etch A Sketch made for each of your guests at your wedding, and use it as a Escort Card. So when they arrive, they will have their very own. Super awesome right? Go ahead and learn more about this fabulous company.

Photo by Bridal Hot List

Photo by Bridal Hot List

 Here are some other amazing sketches:

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Guest with Fashion Sketch

About  Etch U Productions

Christoph Brown: The Amazing Etch Man® , known as the Worlds Fastest Etch A Sketch Artist and founder of Etch U Productions®, is the only known full-time Etch A Sketch Entertainer in the world to make a living off the Etch A Sketch. After retrieving a left behind Etch-A-Sketch, and displaying daily drawings for customers, their reactions conjured a fascinating career. In 2005 Christoph established Etch U Productions® providing entertainment & party favors for public and private events across the country. The Amazing Etch Man® creates astounding personalized Etch A Sketch drawings or caricatures of you or your loved ones in 5 minutes or less on pre preserved not-to-erase pocket Etch A Sketch Magic Screens. That’s twice what traditional portrait artists can do! We pre-drain out all the graphite powder, leaving only one layer of powder behind the screen, giving Christoph only one shot to sketch picture perfect and provide an amazing keepsake item FOREVER!

Etch U Productions® is your one-stop-shop for the most original services in live and recorded Etch A Sketch branding and entertainment for gift commissions and event services for every occasion.

Top Five Social Media Tips for Your Wedding

The wedding’s coming up- you’ve got to be excited! One of the best ways to share that excitement is via social media. Let’s be honest- you are probably in the majority of people who are involved in facebook, twitter, and instagram. Why not use it to your advantage and get all your loved ones amped on your wedding? We’ve got the top five tips to using social media for your wedding, and we’re sure you’ll ‘like’ them all.

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#YourWeddingHere

Create a hashtag and stick to it! Something as simple as #JohnsonWedding2014 on instagram and twitter can create a following, and gives your friends a way to both follow and participate in the wedding countdown. Use the hashtag in your save the dates and invites to really create a following. Use the hashtag when you do wedding things, like creating favors or cake tasting.

Handle It

Back up your wedding’s hashtag with its’ own social media handle! Put your personal account on hold and upload wedding pictures via an account dedicated solely to your wedding. Use it to retweet your friend’s updates on the wedding (if your bridesmaids post pictures of them doing wedding errands, share it!), keep all your wedding ideas together, and connect with vendors. It’s a great way to keep your social media organized.

Tag- You’re It!

Don’t forget to tag! Connect your account and hashtag with your guests and vendors to keep everyone involved. This creates a great community and gets everyone involved. Follow the bridal party so you have a great way of keeping in contact to discuss wedding elements. You can also tag and follow all of your vendors to stay connected to them. Many vendors are big on social media, and showing them a little extra love is always good karma.

Make Your Event an Event

After your invites are out, create a facebook event for it! If you want to use it as your rsvp page, go for it! If you want more formal rsvps, emphasize that the page is only to share wedding information. Update the page with a countdown, link your wedding tweets and instagrams to the facebook page, let people connect before the wedding. You can even take polls on what songs should play (or be banned!) to get the conversation going! For bonus points, have people connect to carpool to the ceremony. You’ll be helping your wedding party bond and get to the party!

Keep an ‘i’ on It

Be sure that you monitor what is posted, tagged, and out there for the world to see! For example, you shouldn’t post pictures of you in your wedding gown until after the wedding. Save the big reveal for big day! You also should be careful with posting your personal address and information on the internet (as you always should be!). You should follow the general rules of being safe on the internet for yourself and the safety of your guests. If you notice anyone is saying not-so-nice things on your pages, go ahead and block them. Keep the negativity out and let the good times roll.

 

Customized Wedding Printed Eyewear from Promovizion

One of the best parts of my job is sharing hot wedding trends with you. Trends come and go and we want to keep you updated with all of the latest ones in the wedding industry. Today’s trend is all about the super fun things to do at weddings. These days, couples are always trying to find ways to incorporate a little bit of playfulness into their wedding day.   I recently attended the Wedding MBA (Merchant Business Academy) conference in Las Vegas, and while I was exploring the grand exhibit hall, my wedding-loving eyes caught a glimpse of a pair of amazing glasses. Not just any glasses, mind you – but a pair of  fun, sassy, and fabulous customized eyewear to make any wedding event a total blast! Just think, you could customize them with your wedding date or names! I am talking stylish, super cute, and fabulous glasses, too. As an admitted lover of wedding fun, I can’t help but get a little giddy when a company like Promovizion stops me in my tracks. Not only does this amazing company deliver the most fabulous customized printed eyewear for couples and their guests, but everything they do is with such detail and professionalism. Oh, and the owners are super sweet too. I enjoyed my short little interview we did with owner Aryel of Promovizion. See all he has to say about the fantastic glasses…

Make sure to check back with us soon for a chance to win yourselves a pair of these fabulous glasses!

Chief Editor Niloufar Gibson with Owner Aryel of Promovizion

BHL Chief Editor Niloufar Gibson with Owner Aryel of Promovizion

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About Promovizion

Promovizion‘s line of personalized, printed wedding glasses are an amazing way to throw some customized swag into your big day. Whether you’re sporting them in your photo booth pics, or handing them out as favors, they’re sure to be a huge hit. Slip on your specs, snap some photos and share away on Instagram and Facebook, so all your friends can see for themselves how truly awesome your Promovizion glasses are!

Fun-Filled Photo Booth from 3D Cheeze

On this Trend Tuesday, it is about to get real fun. As you know, I live for photo booths. I mean LIVE for them. I can spend hours upon hours in a photo booth, just snaping away. Is that strange? Maybe. But when you have silly crazy props, awesome backgrounds, and  cool people to capture it all with, then what is not to love?  So photo booths, you get it, I love them. But when you throw in some 3D magic into the mix, then its is all over. I am just beyond excited. The happy dance is happening now. Yep, I am doing it.  Today I am super excited for today’s feature, introducing 3D CHEEZE.  A photo booth company which offers a very cool, 3D photo which will blow the minds of all. I had the chance to take part of this fabulous experience. When that photo popped out for me preview… I was amazed! I could not believe it. I was shocked in how incredible the photo turned out. Look for this pretty cool trend that will “wow” you and your guests across all wedding receptions.

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About 3D CHEEZE

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3D CHEEZE takes the photo booth to the FUN DIMENSION!!!

We are your ONE-STOP for all your photo entertainment needs, offering everything from “traditional” green screen and wedding photography to our interactive graffiti wall and 3D flip photos.

Flip photos are our most popular photo favor for weddings.  We take two static poses and make them come to life, creating a personalized interactive photo favor that will make your special celebration a memorable one!   After magically morphing the images together, A fun guests receive a hand held picture-show that tells their story: they might blow a kiss, hug their spouse, or dance with a friend. Complete with customized artwork, we then turn the photos into luggage tags, magnets or key chains.

Your guests will keep smiling long after the reception is over!

3D Cheeze has been in the event photography industry for more than 10 years and has notched up some pretty impressive A-list events with clients such as Ford, American idol, MTV, Toyota, Disney Cable, Justin Timberlake, and the BlackEyedPeas just to name a few.

Seven Travel Tips for the Traveling Bride and Groom

We love destination weddings and honeymoons. There is something fun and exciting about packing your bags, and traveling to a new place to enjoy your special day, or relaxing days as husband and wife. So if  you a destination bride,  planning your honeymoon, or perhaps you are a travel newbie,  you will want to read on.  Whatever the case, we have seven amazing travel tips for every type of traveler.  It’s important you plan ahead, so you know you will have enough time for all the fun things you want to do, so take these tips to heart, and learn how you can do just that. Share this with your guests and bridal party!

  1. When traveling by air, you need to plan ahead. Many of the major airports are situated in and around big cities, so you need to plan ahead to avoid any delays, especially during heavily congested periods like rush hour. You should have your suitcase packed the day before you leave, so on the day of your trip you are totally ready to go. Complete and execute all of your plans well in advance of your flight. It feels terrible to miss your flight.
  2. Be aware that in some foreign cities many criminals will pose as policemen. Do not let anyone have your passport unless you are sure they are legitimate. If they state you must go to an office, offer to walk the distance with them. Do not get into a vehicle with strangers at home or abroad.
  3. If you have to drive a distance to the port to get on a cruise,drive there the night before and stay at a hotel that has free parking. You may want to contact the hotel administration about potential deals that they offer on parking even if it doesn’t look like any are available.
  4. Keep close track of your belongings while traveling, especially important things like money and identification. If you’ve got a purse, keep it tucked under your arm neatly. Do not use bags with zippers that provide easy access to people near you that could easily take your stuff. Always consider these things before purchasing your travel bags.
  5. Always remember to wear light, comfy shoes for air travel – shoes which you can slip off easily. They will have to be taken off when you reach the security checkpoint. It is important to be comfortable. You are not going to have to do as much walking as you will sitting in most cases, so the heavy-duty support isn’t really that necessary. Sandals and flip-flops are best for traveling.
  6. You will be able to observe incredible animals and plants. Deserts are a special kind of place that everyone should get to experience at some point in their lives.
  7. Start by subscribing to e-newsletters from the major airlines. The airlines use these newsletters to give you opportunities for deals that are not available elsewhere. Even though these e-newsletters can contribute to the congestion in your inbox, the money they can save you is well worth it.

Hopefully you now have a lot of very useful ideas on how to successfully compile a fascinating travel itinerary. One that you and your guests can really enjoy!  Happy traveling!

Eight Maid of Honor Must Haves

Being maid of honor is no easy task. You’re going to be juggling tons of tasks, keeping track of the whole event, and doing it all in heels. After all, the blushing bride needs her right hand lady to keep her glowing! The wedding day is going to be a busy one, so it pays to be prepared. Keeping a survival stash in your bridal bag could save your skin, and maybe even a wedding photo or two.

Mints

These seriously have the potential to save the day. The bride is about to have the most public, photographed, and remembered kiss of her life, so her breath situation is high priority. Altoids come in little tins, so they won’t explode in your purse. Mentos are incredibly refreshing and give the chewy-ness of gum without the unattractive smacking noises.

Lighters

Lighters are a tool, not just something you’ll need if the bride needs to sneak a cigarette. If you catch any frayed strings or anything, a quick pass over with a lighter can typically fix that. Candles go out? No worries, the maid of honor is here to save the day. If the groom and groomsmen are doing cigars to celebrate, you become their go-to girl. You get bonus points for getting one that works with your outfit, or even painting one to match your outfit.

Makeup Removing Q-Tips

Even if you’re not maid of honor, these lil guys are a lifesaver. You crack them at one end, and it releases makeup remover to the tips. These are perfect for touch ups, smudges, smears, and anything else you can think of. They are a little hard to find, but I love the Almay oil-free makeup eraser sticks ($5-$6 for a box of 24, drugstores). A wedding is a beautiful and emotional day, so the maid of honor needs to be prepared for any potential makeup smearing.

Rollerball Perfume

It’s a good idea to have a rollerball in your purse ready to dab on wrists just in case. If your bride has a hair stylist worrying about hair and a makeup artist worrying about makeup, perfume can go overlooked. Stash her favorite scent in your purse just in case. I love Daisy by Marc Jacobs ($22, Sephora & department stores) because it’s light, fresh, and romantic.

Blister Block

Yes, it works. Rub this miracle stick ($4-$5, drugstores and pharmacies) on your heels and dance the night away without worrying about blisters. If the bride isn’t usually in heels, this will save her life. Keep it on hand even if the bride is a stiletto queen- one of your fellow bridesmaids may need a little heel help.

Floss

Not to sound like your dentist (or your mother!) but flossing is important. No one wants to look back on wedding photos and be haunted by food in your teeth. Toothpicks may crack and break in your purse, and you can find minty floss that will leave your mouth feeling extra clean. Plus, it looks a little more chic in your purse than tons of toothpicks.

Midol

Come on ladies, you know why you need to keep a few of these stashed. I like the ones that come in the tabs, not the bottle. Keeping a few tabs in your purse, or even your wallet is much more discreet than toting around a rattly bottle. You never know when cramps or a headache may strike, so it’s great to have a few handy.

For Outdoor Weddings: Nasal Spray

Blushing beauties, you get one bonus tip for all my maids of honor sweating it out under the sun. If you’re heading to a wedding outside, in a field, or generally around pollen, it can be for the better to bring nasal spray. You may look a little dorky for a second, but it’s better than constantly blowing your nose or struggling with your allergies.

Five Tips On Creating A Guest List

Putting together the guest list for your wedding can be the headache you never saw coming, but it doesn’t have to be. The guest list is on the list of the most important things pertaining to your wedding. I mean, what’s a wedding without people to watch you walk down the aisle in your beautiful gown? Let me help you make this a little easier with these five tips on creating a wedding guest list.

Budget- Before you can even begin to put a list together, you must know your budget. Without a budget, there is no way for you and your partner to create a good guest list. Creating a list without first budgeting, means you’ll be recreating the list later.

Share The Responsibility- You don’t have to do this alone. Decide, with your partner, how many guests is ideal to the both of you. When that is decided, you both can create separate lists. Once you have your lists completed,  you can look over both lists together.  Chances are, you’re going to eliminate people from both lists for one reason or another. Sitting down and creating a list together has been known to cause issues, which is why doing it at the same time but separately is great way to go.

No Parents Allowed- Keep your parents as far away from your list as possible. Moms get excited when they hear the word wedding. Some forget that it’s not their wedding, but rather yours. Allowing parents to get involved also means you will end up inviting family members you haven’t spoken to since you were a kid. You also don’t want to see more of your parents’ friends than you see of your own. Of course it’s ok to invite some of their friends, but keep them away from your list.

Categories- Creating lists broken up into three different categories is always great. The first one is must have.  This list is filled with close friends and family that you are going to invite no matter what. The second one is the maybe, probably, yes. This one consists of friends and family you want at the wedding but might not necessarily make the cut. Then there is the I don’t know list. This list may consist of  distant family members, and people you haven’t seen in a while but wouldn’t mind seeing. Once the three lists have been created, you can then get out your trusty red pen and start the process of elimination.

Inviting Kids- It is so important to decide whether or not children are going to be allowed at the wedding. Allowing children means more people. Your guest list can quickly go from fifty to seventy-five. Excluding children also cuts your list down due to the fact that some new mothers might not be ready to be apart with their little one. Think this through and make the right decision for you.

I know, this seems like a lot of work, and it is. However, you should think about it like this: the sooner you finish your guest list, the sooner you can get married to the one you love. In the end, it’ll all be worth it.

Live! Your Wedding Day Recap

The Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach recently hosted ‘Live! Your Wedding Day’- the wedding sensory experience. The sensory experience was an all-inclusive event with wedding vendors on site to provide a taste of what they have to offer on your special day. Vendors included florists, musicians, wedding coordinators. Team Bridal Hot List was there on the scene to report.

The day began with a short mock ceremony accompanied by both a four piece string quartet and an acoustic guitar.  The musicians took turns showcasing different takes on classic wedding songs.

The mock ceremony included a couple doing a quick walk through in full wedding day attire. Even though they weren’t a real couple, they looked fantastic together!

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Following the ceremony, we moved on to a cocktail hour in another reception area the Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach has to offer. The cocktail hour was accompanied by The Marieve Herington Band and a dessert bar provided by the Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach. During this time, several models were on had to showcase trending wedding dress styles.

Lace was a big trend being showcased, as well as beautifully detailed backs. One of my favorite dresses was this short, mod-style wedding dress. The lace and the buttons are a major trend right now, and the detail on this is mesmerizing.

Following the gown showcase were the floral showcases courtesy of Paradise Delight Floral & Event Productions. The arrangements ranged from classic and beautiful to progressive and trendy.

My favorite arrangement was the display of calla lilies in the large flute glasses. The tones of the chevron runner and the flowers were beautiful, and the floating candles made the arrangement perfectly romantic.

This gorgeous reception hall also featured  Undercover Live Entertainment, where they got us dancing, and having a great time. Super high energy and fun!

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There was another reception area set up with a DJ, beautiful floral arrangements, and a 3D photobooth. The arrangements here were provided by White Orchid Productions. Simply stunning!

Live! Your Wedding Day was an absolutely amazing experience and incredibly inspiring. Events like this are an excellent resource for newly engaged looking for inspiration. It was great to be able to window shop different wedding looks in all aspects of the wedding. The Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach was incredibly accommodating, as well as a gorgeous location for events.

Niloufar, Chief Editor of Bridal Hot List Andrea Carter, Contributor of Bridal Hot List

Niloufar, Chief Editor at Bridal Hot List
Andrea Carter, Contributor at Bridal Hot List

For more information on Live! Your Wedding Day, please visit them at: http://liveyourweddingday.com/

 

Top Five Fool Proof Wedding Favors

As a wedding guest, I am always curious as to see what the bride and groom have planned for their wedding favors. Will it be one more useless trinket holder for me to find some empty patch of bookshelf to store it away and gather dust? When planning your wedding favors, it can be tricky to discern what will be appreciated by your guests as cherished mementos from your wedding, and what favors will be added to their stockpile of knick knacks or even just tossed in the trashcan. Favors should be unique, thoughtful, and fit within your theme and budget; and, if it isn’t edible, it should be useful. As a general rule of thumb, think twice before you engrave your initials, names, and wedding date on every favor. No one really wants a picture frame or a wine glass with your initials emblazoned across the front (sorry). Also, it’s a good idea to stay away from favors that are strongly scented, such as candles and soaps—people can be sensitive to certain smells or just plain picky about the aroma of their home. Lastly, keep favors gender neutral; I’ve seen many a man go home with compacts and lip balms, only to mutter to themselves, “I guess I will give this to my girlfriend/wife/neighbor/coworker…”

To help kick start your brainstorming juices, we’ve made of list of our top five fool proof wedding favor ideas!

Seasonal Wedding Favors

To ensure that your wedding favors are useful to your guests, keep in mind the time of year that you are having your wedding. Sunglasses are a fun and fashionable favor for summer weddings, while chapstick or ornaments are great for the winter months. I have recently fallen in love with wildflower papers—these papers will plant beautiful spring flowers, giving your guests a colorful reminder of your wedding.

 

Source: http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com/

Source: http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com/

 

Food, Nom Nom

If I have to see another tiny pail filled with pastel almonds I will scream. Just because your wedding favor is food doesn’t mean that it can’t also be thoughtful or creative. Gifting your guests something that is local or unique to your town or heritage is always appreciated, such as local honey, preserves, hot sauce, or olive oil. Do you have a favorite family dessert or dish? Package the dry ingredients and attach the recipe. Bonus points for you if you include a vegan or gluten-free option!

Source: inspiringpretty.com

Source: inspiringpretty.com

 

 

Giftable Decorations

If you are struggling to find ways to decorate the tables at your reception, allow your wedding favors to do the job. Succulents in teacups and small flowerpots, as well as vintage picture frames, can serve as table place markers. Personalized miniature flower vases can hold flower arrangements for your table, while also working as a gift for your guests to enjoy at home.

Source: http://www.frolic-blog.com/

Source: http://www.frolic-blog.com/

Wedding Appropriate

Wedding favors that can be used while at the reception are always fun because of their instant gratification factor. A tub filled with flip flops in a variety of sizes are welcome to any guest who wants to kick off their uncomfortable formal shoes and boogie on the dance floor. Classy hangover kits are humorous, and more often that not, incredibly appreciated the morning after! Journals, luggage tags, and reusable nylon bags are great for destination weddings, but can continue to be used and enjoyed at home.

Helping Others

A surefire way to make sure your wedding favor is useful and appreciated is to make a charity donation on behalf of your guest. A simple card with a personal note explaining to your guests that a donation has been made, along with a description of the charity and its work, is a gift that is more meaningful and long lasting than treats or bottle openers or tiny boxes.

Source: http://blog.myjeanm.com/

Source: http://blog.myjeanm.com/

Three Fun Summer Wedding Ideas

Good Morning lovelies, Sunday morning is looking oh so gorgeous today. Hot, but still gorgeous. It is Summer, and that means barbecues, cold drinks, and days at the pool or beach. I am loving summer. What I like even more than summer, are summer weddings. Summer weddings and all the fun that you can have. Here are some fun summer wedding ideas for you and your guests. Ready to jump into some fun goodness? I know I am.

  • Beach BBQ: Treat your guests to a lovely day at the beach and enjoy some burgers, hot dogs, lemonade, and some sweet watermelon. Why not replace this with the traditional rehearsal dinner. Who says you have to have your rehearsal dinner at a fancy restaurant  If you are more of the beach gal and beach guy, why not be at a place which you are most happy? Enjoy the beach, the sun, the soft sand on your feet, and some relaxing too.  One word of caution is to make sure not to get too much sun, or wear that sunblock, so you are not a tomato on your wedding day. You want to make sure you are looking fresh and photo ready. Yes, go ahead and head to the beach, but just make sure to take care of that skin! 
  • Cool off: With gorgeous outdoor weddings comes the summer heat, so it is time to cool off your guests with something cold and delicious. At the ceremony, have a drink station serving cold lemonade, ice tea, or cucumber immersed water. Something besides water can attract your guests to a cold treat without being too boring.  You may not want to serve alcoholic drinks during this time, save that for after the “I Do’s”. Your ceremony is special and the most important part, so you probably want it to be as romantic and sweet as can be.
  • Smoothie/Juice Bar: If you are opt to a more healthier treat for your guests, then try a smoothie/Juice Bar at your summer wedding. There are ice cream bars, s’mores stations, and candy bars, which are oh so amazing and so delicious. However if you are more on the healthier side and your guests may be too, go for the Smoothie/Juice Bar. You can even have a signature juice which can be served to your guests, and make it more personal and fun.  Why not take wheat grass shots? Get energized and ready to party and have a great time!