Friday, 3 January 2014

How to Create a Vintage Inspired Reception

We are now just over 6 months away from our wedding date! In a previous post, I featured some of my favorite vintage style ideas for our wedding ceremony. I've pulled most of those details together, so I'm now starting to focus on how to carry that vintage style into our wedding reception. I've once again used my Pinterest addiction to help me find some amazing ideas.

Our wedding reception venue in no way offers any kind of vintage or rustic feel. Instead, it boasts beautiful high ceilings, wall to wall glass which overlooks beautiful landscaping and an overall modern decor. My job is to carefully weave in some vintage details! Here are some of my favorite ideas for creating a vintage style at my upcoming summer wedding reception.

Must have #1: A vintage inspired welcome table
http://www.billyknox.com/Everafter/Hailey-Robert/18442088_5sKW5N#!i=1425694776&k=bfnHpgp
When my guests enter my reception hall, one of the first things they will see is our welcome tables. A place where they can put gifts, view family pictures and sign our guest book. I love this simple, rustic white wood table complete with vintage frames and pictures of our parents and grandparents on their wedding day. Ideally, I'd like to find a couple of these and have them placed side by side. I would probably also add a lovely lace or burlap runner to give the tables just a little extra 'pretty'.


Must have #2: A unique guest book
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/320233/real-weddings-jessica-and-greg-winter-park-colorado/@center/272446/real-weddings#316552
I have struggled to find a unique and quite frankly, useful, way to have a guest book at our wedding. I really didn't want to simply have a guest book out that our friends and family would sign - I knew that we would probably end up putting it away after the wedding and never look at it again. Instead, I have fallen in love with this vintage inspired guest book using vintage postcards. Our guests will take a postcard and write a personal note to us on the back. When they are done, we'll ask them to put it in a vintage mailbox or suitcase and then give them to my Maid of Honor at the end of the night. Over the course of our first year of marriage, she will randomly pop them in the mail for us. It's going to be great to get these in the mail - constant reminders of our fabulous wedding and all of our friends and family who shared it with us. I will be spending the next 6 months scouring vintage shops for beautiful postcards!


Must have #3: Vintage inspired signage
http://blog.samuellecouture.com/2012/07/http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/picture/817091/
Vintage styled frames and artwork are a must for my upcoming wedding. I really love the idea of putting a chalkboard in a vintage frame and using it to welcome your guests, list your signature drinks, or introduce your wedding party. I plan to incorporate a few of these into our reception decor. I also love these mini frames to be used as place cards for your guests. Now, if I could only find these mini frames... 


Must have #4: Amazing head table
http://www.colincowieweddings.com/member/michelahattabaugh/235936
I really think this look is what could make my reception stand out and really help to give our modern space a very warm, romantic and timeless feel. I wish I could offer this seating to all of my guests, but unfortunately that's just not in the budget! I think this seating is going to be really great as our head table. I'm currently working on finding just the right combination of vintage chairs and rustic tables.


Must have #5: Unique table settings
http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/picture/1261628/
Love the idea of having vintage plates! Each guest would have a unique plate that would add some colour and let's face it, a wow factor! There are so many companies that rent these out so it makes them very easy to find. Ugh, I just love this...


These are just some of my favorite ideas! If you want to see more, be sure to check out my Pinterest board. Would love to have any experiences that you might have with creating a vintage style for your wedding reception!

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

My fiancee has been craving apple crisp lately, so today I thought I would treat him to one of his favorite deserts. The recipe that I usually use is filled with gluten, so I went on the search for a gluten-free alternative that would please us both. 

This simple but tasty recipe will most definitely be making its way into my regular cook book. The ingredients were easy to find - I had all of it in my pantry already and I liked that it didn't call for cups of sugar (usually makes it too sweet and high on the calorie count). The recipe was sweet, but not too sweet, which I loved. 

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Filling Ingredients:
6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cooking Instructions:
1. Preheat your over to 375 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine your apples, cinnamon, honey, and lemon juice. Stir everything together until apples are coated evenly.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, oats, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Use a fork (or your fingers) to mix in the honey and butter, until the topping has a crumbly consistency.
5. Arrange the apples into a pie or baking dish. Cover with the crumble topping.
6. Bake in the over for 30 - 35 minutes - depending on how dark you like your topping to be. (I only left mine in for 30 minutes)

Cooking notes:
I used small red apples. They were a little old and soft, so the apples were not too bitter. I used a Manuka honey because I really love the flavor. If you wanted to add some crunch to this recipe, you could also add in some pecans (1/4 cup chopped). I think what was missing for me was a huge scoop of ice cream!

This recipe is so simple and fast to make! The dish is already half empty and I'm sure won't last through tomorrow - we love it! Try it today!

 Bon Appetit!

Sunday, 24 November 2013

My Christmas Gift Guide

Well, it is almost time to think about Christmas shopping! For many of you, this may  have already begun, but for the rest of us, we'll be running around for most of the month of December trying to find the perfect gifts. Since next week is Black Friday / Cyber Monday, and when I plan to do a big chunk of my holiday shopping, I thought I would pull together a list of some of my favorite holiday gifts for this year.

Last year, I tried my best to buy as much as I could from local artisans and Etsy shop owners and actually purchased most of my gifts online. Saved me from having the headache of entering the shopping mall which I absolutely loved! This year, my goal again is to try and purchase most of my gifts online - which is why I love Cyber Monday oh so much!

Here are the items that are topping my shopping list this year

1. Infinity Scarf from EcoShag
I absolutely love Tania's scarves. I own several myself and think they make the perfect gift for any women on your shopping list. I wear my scarves almost everyday! Tania offers amazing colour choices, beautifully soft fabrics and if you watch her site, she is always offering great sales!!

2. Leg Warmers from GraceandLaceCo
I have secretly been admiring these leg warmers for months and I think they are also finding their way onto my personal holiday wish list. They would look amazing on their own with a great pair of tights or jeans and just add the right touch to a great pair of boots. Fabulous for the picky teenager or college student.


3. Handmade Cheese Markers by nelledesign
If you have someone on your holiday list who loves to host a great party, then these are an absolute must. I fell in love with these handmade cheese markers a few weeks ago and just knew that they would be a great gift. They are unique, one of kind and handmade - a really amazing gift for a boss, co-worker or that fabulous chef in your family!

 4. Handcrafted Vegan Bath Set by Herbivore Botanicals
Every woman loves to take time to pamper themselves (and if they don't, they need to start!) This shop offers a beautiful selection of handmade, natural plant based products that smell amazing and make you feel fabulous. This gift set is a no brainer!

5. Beautiful Holiday Decorations from Smile Mercantile
This shop offers the most unique and beautiful gifts for the holiday lover on your list. Everything is handmade with care and comes beautifully packaged. I simply adore her creations! 

6. Gourmet BBQ rub kit from purpose design
For the man in your life or the griller in your house, this makes for a wonderful gift. These rubs are fabulous and taste amazing. This Montreal based shop also offers salts, spice kits and organic teas. 


Phew! These are just but a few of my favorites and I hope you'll check them out. As always, for the vintage lover in your life, you can find unique gift ideas in my shop - Coco&Bear Vintage!

If you haven't tried shopping online for the holidays, I strongly suggest you try it this year! Cyber Monday is fast approaching and you can find amazing deals from some fabulous shops. I'll be wearing my pj's for most of my holiday shopping this year - no malls for me!

Happy Shopping and please share some of your favorite holiday gift ideas!