Our “savvy” WeddingAce, Tara, blogged Wednesday about these adorable reusable bags from RuMe – so cute! I am so happy there is a stylish (and environmentally friendly) alternative to the regular grocery and shopping bags. It’s so easy to help the environment…wouldn’t you want to carry around one of these bags?

I also love the bags from Envirosax, take a look!

And look who else loves them…

Photo Credit: Envirosax Blog

Justin Timberlake…I’m sold!

Any of the bags above would be awesome gifts for your bridal party. You can even use these as welcome bags for out-of-town guests! Read more from Tara, one of our Wedding Planner Aces, at WeddingAces.com!

All too often brides get so involved in wedding planning that they forget one important detail. . . .the groom! Most grooms take a backseat during the wedding planning process, but you can give them several important tasks to complete on their own. One of these is selecting gifts for their groomsmen.

There are many options available for Groomsmen gifts! Some Grooms may opt to get all of the groomsmen the same gift, maybe a monogrammed beer glass. Many gift websites offer suggestions based on the groomsman’s interest. This allows the groom to select various gifts based on each of the groomsmen individually.

Row 1 - www.themanregistry.com; Row 2 - www.groomstand.com; Row 3 - www.cufflinksaficianado.com; Row 4 - www.mygroomsgifts.com

Maybe one of the groomsmen is an avid golfer, why not get him a great set of monogrammed balls and golf tees? For the cigar lover, a nice humidor is just the thing!

I like the idea of getting each groomsmen a gift that is based upon their interests. This is a much more personal thank you gift than something that will end up on a shelf somewhere. Another great idea is to plan a trip as a gift. Maybe all of the groomsmen are golfers, plan a special golf day for everyone. This is a nice treat, and allows for some male bonding time!

Our friends at Wedding Paper Divas and Beau-coup have teamed up and are pleased to announce the launch of Resourceful Brides (www.resourcefulbrides.com). During these uncertain times, brides have found many ways to minimize cost without sacrificing important touches that makes their day special. Resourceful Brides is a great online outlet for brides to share information and real experiences that will help other brides-to-be save time and money for their upcoming nuptials. This exciting new site gives brides-to-be useful ideas for creating a fabulous wedding without an outrageous price tag.

Resourceful Brides is hosting a wedding ideas contest in conjunction with the launch of the site, asking brides and grooms to submit money-saving wedding tips for a chance to win a $1000 grand prize comprised of one $500 gift certificate from each site (Wedding Paper Divas and Beau-coup). Participants can submit their entries between now and July 20, 2009 after which one winner will be selected at random. The winning tip will be featured on www.resourcefulbrides.com. Good luck!

Photo Credits: Martha Stewart Weddings

Besides being delicious, fruit can add a decorative touch to your wedding as well! The vibrant colors will match or accent just about any color palette and, in some cases, may be a lot cheaper than flowers! As you can see in the photos above, fruits can be used in centerpieces, as cake toppers, in beverages, or as placecards and favors. Be creative. Who doesn’t love an edible decoration?!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here are a few wedding-related ways to support the cause:

1. Wedding Favors-There are many favor/gift companies that will give a portion of their proceeds to support breast cancer research. The Republic of Tea has created Sip for the Cure, a special collection of Pink Green Teas, while the team at Mars has developed the My M&Ms Promise Blend, both benefitting Susan G. Komen For the Cure.

2. Wedding Registry-Give a Pink Gift! KitchenAid presents Cook for the Cure, a line of cookware to beneift Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Don’t worry, the men will learn to love pink in the kitchen!

3. Bridal Party Gifts-I found these great gift ideas at Coach.com. These would be perfect gifts for your girls! 

Heidi Kallett, President of The Dandelion Patch, was kind enough to join the WeddingWire Staff for lunch last Friday afternoon. We had a great time learning about the many facets of Heidi’s business and wish her the best of luck in 2009! 

With two locations in the Northern Virginia area, The Dandelion Patch is the perfect place to find beautiful invitations, fine papers, and gifts for any ocassion.

Chocolate covered pretzles could, quite possibly, be my favorite indulgence! I included these sweet and salty treats as favors at my own wedding. I was actually hoping that guests would leave them on the tables and I could bring them all back home for me to eat! Unfortunately, my guests seemed to enjoy them just as much as I did.

I recently stumbled upon the Fretzels by Jill website and immediately thought, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” Besides offering a Fretzel of the Month Club (!), this company also creates custom party favors perfect for any occasion. They will create personalized packaging (inlcuding ribbon and tags) to match your wedding colors and/or theme. Yum!