Workshop Wednesday: DIY Ombre Wedding & Party Decor!

May 22, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

Happy Workshop Wednesday! As you head into your weekend (is it Friday yet??!) we’re excited to feature another adorable and easy DIY project from our gal Rachel at Strawberry Small Works Studio! This week: Ombre hanging party decor: a simple and inexpensive way to

make cute hanging décor to match any style of party or wedding. Seriously, how pretty would the bride and groom’s initials be if cut out of this collaged paper?! We’re also loving this idea for dessert bar or lounge decor or ceremony backdrops too. Thanks, Rachel and happy crafting, Whimsters!

Materials:

Tag board or cardstock
Tissue paper
Glue stick
Modge Podge (optional)
Scissors
Stencils, cookie cutters, or ruler
Hole punch & string to hang!

The easiest way to set up this project is to cut the tissue paper to the same size as your cardstock.

That way when you rip the tissue it is the necessary length of the paper you are gluing it on to and you can focus on the nuances of color and torn edges instead.

Layer the tissue paper on top of each other and start ripping!

Layer the tissue paper, making sure to put glue stick down under each strip. It must be entirely stuck down.

When you are finished a light layer of mod podge can give a sheen to it and make for a longer lasting project. That step can be easily omitted though.

Use a stencil or cookie cutter to trace as many of your shape of choice on the back of the cardstock.

You can also use a ruler and just cut simple squares or rectangles!

String them together, and ta-dah!

For a more complicated silhouette such as block letter initials you might want to use an exacto knife.

Rachel Shuman Armentano is the owner and artist behind Strawberry Small Works Studio in Somerville, Massachusetts. In addition to being wedding and party obsessed she has years of experience as an art educator and believes everyone can make something beautiful!

What other DIY projects are you interested in learning how to do?

Posted in DIY Wedding, Uncategorized, Wedding Inspiration, Workshop Wednesday Tagged boston event design, boston wedding planner, diy wedding boston, diy wedding projects, non-traditional wedding boston, somerville wedding planning, wedding workshop boston, whimsical wedding |

Motivation Monday: Top 5 Things You’ll Need For Your At-Home Wedding Workout!

May 20, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

So maybe the gym just isn’t your cup of tea….That doesn’t mean you can’t have awesome arms for your wedding, or feel amazing in your bikini on your honeymoon. Check out Meera’s TOP 5 essential pieces of exercise equipment to get fit right in the comfort of your own home! You’ll find these essentials at your local sporting good store, Target, and occasionally Marshalls or TJ Maxx. Here’s what you’ll need:

A Good Pair of Sneakers! First and foremost, you can not skimp on this one! Your feet are valuable. Go to a sporting good store to get your feet measured. If you have any issues with your feet, ask your podiatrist what sneakers to buy!

Exercise Ball- An exercise ball is versatile and can be used effectively for stretching, balance and for performing various strength exercises. Be sure to get an exercise ball that has a pump included or is inflatable at home. The size of the ball should be appropriate for your height. See sizes: 55 cm – 4’11″ – 5’4″ , 65 cm – 5’5″ – 5’11, 75 cm – 6’0″ – 6′ 7″.

Exercise Mat- An exercise mat allows you to have a clean and tractioned surface, as well as cushioning during floor exercise You can do yoga, abdominal exercises, strength exercises, and meditation on a mat.

Exercise Bands and/ or Dumbbells- Choose one or the other or get both if you aren’t on a tight budget! They are great portable sources of toning. Because there is constant resistance when you use exercise bands, your body is constantly trying to stabilize. This will improve your coordination, balance, and toning all in one. Execise bands have a different color system for each level of resistance. I suggest getting a package of three resistance colors so you can work up and get stronger. If you decide to get dumbells, you have two good at home options. The first is to buy several pairs of dumbbells in varying weights. For the typical bride, I suggest 5 pounders, 8 pounders, 10 pounders and 12 pounders. You can also get an adjustable dumbbell kit. This comes with two handles and several weight plates to add and secure with a clip or collar. Choose the option that best suits you.

Jump rope- Great for a fast burst of exercise to get your heart rate up! This will rev up your metabolism and burn some great calories! Test out a few jump ropes and decide which material suits your jumping. Typical sizing for jump ropes: 8’ length- Height 4’9”- 5’5”, 9’ length- Height 5’6”- 6’0”, 10’ length- Height 6’1”- 6’6”, 11’ length- Height over 6’6”.

Now wondering what exercises to do with this stuff? Check out Whim’s Motivation Monday Blogs and/or send an e-mail to Meera at MotivationalMeera@gmail.com.

Posted in Uncategorized

Workshop Wednesday: DIY Your Wedding Party Gift Wrap in 4 Easy Steps!

May 15, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

Ok friends, we know there is atleast one DIY project you have on your mind for the wedding….We also know you have no idea where to start. (Don’t be ashamed, we get it!) We wanna help! That’s why every Wednesday, our friend, the very talented Rachel from Strawberry Small Works Studio will blog a simple and budget friendly DIY project for you to try! Who’s ready to get crafty?!!!

This week: Check out Rachel’s easy and inexpensive tutorial on how to make decorative papers with hand-printing techniques. Look at all the heart-felt items you can make by printing two stamping tools! This is perfect for your bridesmaids gifts or favors. Seriously, I’m definitely doing this over the weekend. The wrapping paper is to adorable…and all you need is some cardboard and paint? I’m IN!

Step 1: Get Your Supplies:

Toilet paper roll
Masking tape
Mat board or cardboard cut into rectangles
Paint (I used metallic tempera paint from a local craft store)
Paper plate
Newspaper (for less of a mess)
Hole Puncher
String
Colored construction paper, card stock, or for big sheets look for Canson paper in your local art store.

Step 2: Make Your Stamper!A toilet paper roll is the perfect tool to make a heart shape stamper! (Who knew?)

Step 3: Dip!

Step 4: Make a Straight Line Stamper: To make straight lines don’t fuss over drawing it out with a ruler and then painting it with a paintbrush, just use a scrap of board! A straight-line stamping tool can create a pattern of stripes, squares, chevron, even snowflakes.

Ta da!

What DIY projects are on your mind? Leave us a comment and we’re sure Rachel can come up with some magic for you!

Posted in Uncategorized

Motivation Monday: 5 Ways to Kick Start Your Wedding Weight Loss

May 13, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

Brides, we know you want to look and feel amazing on your wedding day. What girl doesn’t? But, first and foremost, if your goals is weight loss, give yourself enough time to lose weight the right way! Don’t crash diet a few weeks prior to your wedding. You will most likely lose water weight and gain it all back a few days after eating normally. Start at least 3 months prior to your day and make these small, steady changes to help you reach your goals…

1. Eat small meals every 2-3 hours: Be sure to eat small meals every few hours so that your metabolism stays revved up. If you go through the day without eating, your body goes into protection mode and stores fat. So brides listen up: Eat regularly even if you are busy! Bring healthy snacks with you for the whole day!

2. Drink Lots of Water: There are many reasons to drink water! Water keeps you full and prevents you from eating excess calories. Often, you may think you are hungry, but try drinking a glass of water first and then decide. Other benefits of drinking enough water throughout the day? H20 keeps your energy levels up and helps your skin look amazing!

3. Decrease Your Carb intake after 3:00 pm: If you eat your carbohydrates in the earlier part of the day, you have a better chance of utilizing them with your daily activities. Otherwise, carbs are stored in the body with water- which increases your chance of bloat & excess water weight.

4. De-stress! When you become stressed (What bride isn’t?) Cortisol is produced in the body, which slows down the muscle building testosterone in our system. The increase in Cortisol can increase the storage of body fat in the belly. Learn new ways to help you de-stress now. Try yoga, meditation or more nights in with the girls! Not only will it help you manage your weight, but your everyday life and relationship.

5. Stick with Real Food! Stay away from processed foods and processed sugars. Stick with real food that energizes your body with vitamins and minerals and stay away from packaged goods with ingredients you have never heard of.

This Week: Try focusing on one tip each day this week and let us know how they work for you!

E-mail Meera at MotivationalMeera@gmail.com with your wedding health and fitness questions and she’ll be sure to post an answer next Monday!

Posted in Uncategorized, WhimFit Tagged boston bridal bootcamp, wedding weight loss, whim fit |

Motivation Monday: 5 Ways to Beat Bloat Before the Big Day… the Healthy Way!

May 6, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

We talk to SO many brides every day who are constantly telling us they want to get fit, eat well, and relieve stress before their wedding day. Not to mention, stick with the routine after the honeymoon! That’s why Team Whim was thrilled when our friend, and personal trainer and fitness instructor Meera Mathur, offered to write a weekly motivation blog for our brides!! Seriously, we’re ready to eat more veggies and go for a run!

Today on Meera’s Motivation Monday Blog spot: 5 ways to beat bloat before the big day, the healthy way. No starvation diets or crazy, unhealthy tactics allowed!

1. EXERCISE: Physical activity helps things move along faster and helps get the excess air out of the body! So put on your sneakers and go for a brisk walk. Its good for you!

2. Ditch the Chewing Gum: Decrease activities where you can swallow excess air. This includes chewing gum, smoking, eating and talking, and sipping through a straw. Gum can be doubly bad for you because of the artificial sweeteners in the gum such as sorbitol which can be difficult for some to digest and therefore more bloating could occur.

3. Eat Potassium Rich Foods: Potassium helps regulate the fluids in the body. Eat foods high in Potassium such as bananas, mangoes, spinach, nuts, white mushrooms and make sure to nosh on asparagus which has an extra property that flushes excess fluid out of the body!

4. Say Goodbye to Soda: Carbonation in any drink will create stomach bloat. Instead of grabbing the bubbly, grab the water bottle! Believe it or not the more water you drink the more that will be dispelled! So drink the 8 glasses of water a day!

5. Go Light on the Carbohydrates at Night: Carbohydrates make you retain water, so eat less of them at night when you don’t have much of a chance to get rid of your bloat when sleeping.

Try a tip today and tune in every Monday for a new health tip from Meera!

Have a fitness question for Meera? Leave it in the comment box. She’ll be happy to answer and help you reach your health goals!

Posted in Uncategorized, WhimFit Tagged boston bridal bootcamp, wedding fitness |

Tying the Knot: A DIY Wedding Workshop!
Hosted by Whim Events + Shorthand

April 12, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

Ready to design a DIY wedding that’s completely your own, but feel adrift in a sea of Pinterest boards and wedding blogs? Enter Shorthand, a new project by Whim designer and seasoned crafter, Erin Carlman Weber. Shorthand offers crafting workshops for weddings, parties, and merriment of all sorts! This “creation operation” will simplify, inspire, and enable your handmade wedding aspirations.

We are delighted to announce that Whim is partnering with Shorthand to launch our first DIY wedding workshop next month: “Tying the Knot: A DIY Wedding Session”: two hours of hands-on how-to and inspiration! In this workshop, Erin will cover the reception craft trifecta: placecards, favors, and table numbers. You’ll use the same basic palette of materials to create three versions of each set. Each set will have a distinct look and vibe (think quirky, modern, and rustic). You’ll learn to hone your vision and recognize the versatility and potential of even the most mundane sheet of paper. Dessert is also a distinct possibility. All levels welcome!

Date: May 15th, 2013, 7-9 pm, Joy Street Studios, Somerville, $35.00/pp

Register Now! Space is limited , click here to register.

Adorable Erin, showing me how it’s done!

Oh..hey…ps…!

Shorthand also offers custom crafting parties, a workshop tailored completely to your big day. You’ll work with Erin ahead of time to select and design an assortment of projects. On the day of the party, you bring your crew of bridesmaids, sisters, friends, and anyone else who’d like to have a hand in crafting your celebration, and Erin will provide the materials, tools, guidance, tunes, and cookies. These sessions are designed to get loads of work done in one fell swoop, as you and your helpers will turn out all the crafted details you need for your wedding. Plus, folding, stamping, gluing, glittering, and tying 150 napkin rings, place cards, and programs is a lot more fun when you’ve got your crew by your side.

To talk with Erin about setting up your own custom crafting party, send her a note at shorthandcreates@gmail.com.

Posted in Uncategorized

Wedding Planning: 5 Tips For Being a Chill Bride

February 17, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

Weddings don’t have to be stressful! We have met some really chill brides in our day…and here is what we have learned from them:

BEFORE PLANNING: Prioritize your needs.Then take each task step by step. If you haven’t picked your wedding venue yet, do not spend too much time searching for favors! We know it’s fun, but getting too far ahead leads to more stress.

DURING PLANNING: Vent to someone who is not directly related to the wedding. A coworker or a gym buddy will lighten any situation.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING: Plan to do something before the wedding that relaxes you. Schedule a massage that week. Go for a run or do yoga. Ask a bridesmaid to make a playlist of your favorite songs to listen to when getting ready.

WHEN GETTING READY: Schedule some free time during your wedding day. Hair and makeup could take a few hours, so plan for that. If you’re ceremony is at 5 pm., you should not be sitting in the hair or makeup chair at 4:00 pm. You need some down time.

AT THE WEDDING: Take a quiet & private moment as newlyweds. Spend 5 minutes together for a kiss and take it all in. No, your sweetheart table does not count as a private space! A great time for this is after your couples photos, away from your guests and in a quiet place.

What helped you relax on your wedding day? Feel free to leave a comment:

Posted in Boston Wedding Planner, Uncategorized, Wedding planning Tips Tagged wedding planning tips |

Think Spring: A 10% Discount from our friends at Roseville Designs!

February 8, 2013 by whim6071 | 1 Comment

Happy Friday, friends! Hope you’re staying cozy in this crazy New England blizzard! Either way, we’re pretty sure this sweet exclusive discount from our friends at Roseville Designs will warm you right up. It definitely makes us think spring!

And don’t forget to check out our Warm & Fuzzies Program for more wedding discounts!

Posted in Uncategorized

Gore Place Wedding | Garden Elegance & Food Truck Love for Jess & Patrick

January 25, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

Meeting Jess and Patrick was like a breath of fresh air. They came to our studio at the recommendation of their planner, Kelli from Swank Events . We met in May to talk flowers for their August wedding at Gore Place, in Waltham.

Jess, Patrick and Jess’s mom (who was in from Cali) came to the studio. We instantly loved their laid back vibe. Patrick was such a great sport too, making jokes and sweetly teasing the girls. (Or wait, were we teasing him?) That particular day our studio was s filled with flowers for a wedding, so we “oohed” and “ahhed” over the blooms. The couple wasn’t sure what they wanted for flowers, but they knew they wanted something simple, rustic and fun. They liked the look of Lindsey & Brian’s wedding, with a bit more color. Their ceremony was in a huge field, with cocktail hour in the garden, and reception at the carriage house. And here’s what we loved most – they worked with Kelli to plan alfresco dining outside the carriage house…with a food truck. Moira instantly knew we had to do market lights around the tables and a variety of beautiful garden flowers. Moira took Jess and her mom to the market in July. They had a blast!

Jess and Patrick are such genuine people. A few days before the wedding, Patrick called to ask for another pin-on. At the end of the call, he asked: “Will we get to see you at the wedding? We definitely want you guys to stay for cocktail hour!” On the big day, Moira and I were hesitant to grab a drink in the middle of the party. Until we saw Jess’s mom, who hugged us and said, “Get in there! Get a drink! Jess and Patrick want to see you!” That settled it. We grabbed a drink, not really expecting the couple to have a moment to say hi to us. As soon we walked in, they came over to us as relaxed as ever, gave us big hugs and said,”Thank you so much for coming. And thank you for everything. It is exactly what we wanted!!” Ahh…a breath of fresh air.

(Huge shout out to the Swank crew, who planned & designed the day, with beautiful details: signs, tablescape elements, hanging seating cards, and more!)

Photography by Ars Magna Studio.

Posted in Boston Floral Designer, Boston Wedding, Rustic Wedding, Uncategorized Tagged boston floral design, boston florist, moira thompson, natalie pinney, rustic wedding |

Boston Wedding at the Taj Rooftop | Flowers & Hanging Candles for Alyssa & Andy

January 21, 2013 by whim6071 | Leave a comment

We were just going through the archives, and realized..WHAT? We never blogged about Alyssa and Andy’s wedding at the Taj?! Granted, this wedding happened when Whim was just a wee baby in our first year. We probably didn’t even know how to blog back then. Better late than never, right?

Alyssa and Andy’s wedding was planned by our gal Kelli at Swank Events. and Moira handled the floral design. The bride knew she didn’t want a heavy floral wedding, so Moira suggested going with a more candle heavy look, to create a soft glow without going over the top. She worked with Kelli to come up with the perfect candles/flowers to compliment the style elements Kelli was incorporating. Some tables featured candle centerpieces, others featured smaller centerpieces with bright pops of pink and green. And our personal fav? Moira was able to hang candles from the rafters, which glowed softly as the sun went down in the city. Ahh…perfection.

A big thanks to Kelli at Swank for asking us to be a part of Alyssa & Andy’s big day! We adore these photos by Joe Prezioso Photography