WOW Factor Love ♡ DIY ideas, inspiration, eye candy, news and more to inspire you and brighten your day.

When it comes to your wedding invitations, do you get excited when you think about choosing just the right stamp to complement the suite?  If you said yes, then we’re probably quite alike, because I LOVE THIS PART.  It’s SO meaningless – I mean, SO – but, for some reason, it’s super important to me that the stamp fits the aesthetic.  Think about it; you put all that effort into creating the perfect invitation suite for your wedding.  And while our nation’s flag is quite beautiful, does it really do your blind embossed, foil stamped, lavender, blue and deep purple 110 lb. card stock recycled wedding invitations justice?

I think not.  No disrespect, of course, to the flag.  When it comes to bill paying, it’s my go-to.

Now, as far as your invitations are concerned, here are some of my picks for that oh-so-perfect finishing touch…

Beginning with the girlie ones.

Okay, with those out of the way (lying- I love them), things are about to get interesting…

Here’s a suggestion: slap Greta Garbo on those envelopes if you want to make your mail truly first class.

Do you and your mate share a love of Little Shop of Horrors?  Or maybe you just really like carnivorous plants?  Well, either way, there’s a stamp for that.

You wouldn’t happen to be getting married on May 5, now would you?

Ballet enthusiast?  These are exquisite…

Laid-back wedding?  LOOOOVE the muppets?  A playful postage solution:

This is just cool.  A correlating wedding theme doesn’t readily come to mind, I just like James Dean.

LOVE the bold colors in this Sugar Ray Robinson stamp.  They really pack a punch!  BAHAHAHA I crack myself up.

Speaking of… are you a funny girl?  Wanna take it too far?  Here’s your stamp:

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Believe it or not, it isn’t all that difficult to get exactly what you want… yes, even if what you want was discontinued long ago.  I found ALL of the above over at Champion Stamp Co., and there’s plenty more where that came from.  Of course, since most of them aren’t current, it means you’ll need to pair them up with varying amounts of additional postage.  No biggie; you can get what you need here.

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Want to read a few more posts on postage?  Well here, here and here you go. 

Ooh, and here’s MY stamp!

Strap in, here we go!  RAPID FIRE

First things first: are you going to the Brooklyn Bridal Fair at BAM this Sunday at 2:00pm?

Jillian (of 100 Layer Cake) will be there, among others, showing off what I suspect will be some ab-fab tablescape ideas.  The ladies over at 100 Layer Cake also clued us in to a pretty sweet discount code (“bambride“) which slices 50% from the ticket price.  Nice!  (Get tickets.)

Speaking of the oh-so-talented Jillian, while perusing her site I clicked into what is truly a dessert table heaven, styled (OF COURSE) by Amy Atlas, and shot by Mel Barlow Photography…

And here’s a wild card photo from Mel that I just HAD to show you.  SO great.  Bet you wish it was yours.

I think we need a little more dessert inspiration…

Thank you, Caroline Tran!

Oh, wait, no she didn’t yes she did.  More cupcake inspiration, comin’ atcha.  This time it’s in the form of a free download from Ruffled, to create THE MOST adorable, teeny weeny pennants… for your teeny weeny treats!  I just won’t be able to get over this.  I won’t.

Go here to download the free love pennants!  Haha, free love.

By the way, you can get this guy over there, too:

FYI: the amazing Carolynn from Two Brunettes made that.  LOVE her.

Oh, hello the most beautiful bouquet I’ve seen in a week.  I didn’t see you there!  So very nice to meet you…

{ via Kiss the Groom }

I’m freaking out over these amazing hand-lettered, blind printed save-the-dates (no, I will not call them stds) that I found over at the always inspiring Oh So Beautiful Paper, and which were created by Sam and Whitney of Gus and Ruby Letterpress.  They are the definition of style and simplicity.

By the way, have I mentioned yet that I LUUUURVE engagement photos in MID-AIR?  ’Cause I do.  I love ‘em.

JUMP!  Fooor my looooove… JUMP IN!

I also love this, by definition.

And a lil o’ this couldn’t hurt…

So good, right?  All five of those above are from Sweet Little Photographs.  Good stuff, and a seriously cute couple of photogs, as well.

… Speaking of couples who snap together, I just had to share this splendid little list from Heather and Grayson of Jagger Photography…

I included this total randomness today because, save for that last one, I’d say I’m pretty much on the same page as these two when it comes down to what I love (and, in the case of no. 11, what I expect I will love), especially enough to list for public consumption on the internets.  Ferrets, though?  Even if I had one, I don’t know that I would love it.  And certainly not sufficiently enough to list the affection on my necessarily brief, highly edited ‘loves’ list.  But today I’m all about celebrating differences.  So case in point.  Just ’cause I think ferrets are kind of icky, that doesn’t mean they are icky.  Let’s hear it for personal preferences!

Oh, and I don’t have a tandem bike.  ):

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One last thing, before I go…

Seriously, don’t. +

Love to everyone!

Alison

So, because of the overwhelming reaction I received to a recent fashion-focused post (which was a bit surprising to me, if I’m honest), I’ve gone ahead and gathered a bevy of beautiful dresses – all of them current favorites in my book and, more importantly, all in the color of night.  I think – no, I KNOW you’re going to LOOOOOVE them.

Recognize that one?  Yep, it’s the one used in Jose Villa’s magnificent photo shoot.  Black gowns are stunning when done right.  And if you’ve been searching (all your life, like me) for that perfect little – or long – black dress, have no fear!  These days, there’s no shortage of great design out there.  Just try a few of these on for size.  They’re all from leading bridal designer, Romona Keveza, a woman who has a firm grasp of the female form… almost as firm a grasp as these gowns do.

Not sure of the style number of this one, which is sucky because it’s my fave of the bunch…

E876:

E872:

E772:

E871:

E878:

So, what do guys think?  Would you wear one of these beauties down the aisle?

Photo credits: Romona Keveza

So, this story dates back to Saturday, February 20 – the day of that fabulous Wedding Party event (about which you can read more here, here, here and, umm, oh yeah here.  I have a lot more content to post on that, by the way.  I’ve just been distracted by other things, like that peanut butter and chocolate sandwich cookie up there, for one.  So stay tuned for more from that amazing day… such as dessert tables, invitations, fabulous crafts and materials, fashion and flowers… I know, I can’t believe I haven’t yet shared any of that remaining stuff with you, either!  I even have KILLER ADVICE straight from the mouth of Colin Cowie!  All coming soon…er or later.)

ANYWAY, back to the Treats Truck.  Thinking the party was over, my friend and I exited the building to grab some coffee or whatever one does on a Saturday afternoon following a wedding extravaganza.  (Sleep?  Maybe a nap would have followed.)  But, almost immediately, my gaze locked on this silvery behemoth.  What was this thing?  We both got a little giddy.

When we met Kim Ima (on the left) the woman behind this dessert-mobile concept, we got really excited…

Because she was giving out little bits of heaven.  Little, edible bits, of heaven.  And because she was nice.  Which is important.

However… nothing prepared us for the delight that was about to meet our lips.  And by the way, we didn’t have all of these.  But if there had been time, we would have.  If only there had been time.

Behold, the Peanut Butter Jamwich:

The Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich Cookie (my FAVE):

The best part?  They do parties.  Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

The Melty Chocolate Chipper:

The Melty Chocolate Chipper, bitten:

The Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcake:

The Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcake, bitten:

A lot of Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcakes:

The Caramel Creme Trucker:

There’s SO MUCH MORE mini goodness to see, to taste and to make disappear.  So, if anyone anticipates an attack of the munchies this week, here are the locations where Kim and her truck of treats plan to be:

Thanks again, Kim, for the amazing desserts!  I haven’t once stopped dreaming about that Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich Cookie, scout’s honor.  These days my dreams are made up of black Romona Keveza gowns and pb cookies.  Not bad, not bad at all.

Image credits:

My camera died before I could capture the treats, so a big thanks to Blondie and Brownie for the fab photos!

The schedule is from Treats Truck.