Two Pesos Tuesdayish-Vallarta Favors That Rock

Well, I forgot that yesterday was Tuesday which, uh-hmm, makes today Wednesday but I swear I'll get the hang of writing once a week soon! I did have some bride questions but they came in late so I'll answer one of them next week and be raving about something someone actually asked me for a change, which I do think was the point ;).

VALLARTA FAVORS THAT ROCK

Well, here's my list of favors you can find or have made in Vallarta that I think are worth the pesos - I know, if I were a guest at a wedding, I appreciate getting gifts that are either a) useful or b) artistic or, better yet, c) BOTH. After all, your guests are probably flying-in especially for your day, so it's nice to give them a little memento of appreciation and something they can remember your wedding by (besides a sunburn ;)).

1. Maracas - OF course I LOVE this idea. I know I'm a wee bit prejudiced as, to my knowledge, Omar and I are the originators of the original hand-painted maracas here in Vallarta but, really, it's a GREAT idea - maracas are something you think about when you think "mexico" (well, that and TEQUILA ;), they are great to shake at the kiss or during a fun night of dancing and painted to match your wedding decor they are personalized and look great! Score score!!

2. Fans - OKAY OKAY, I know what you're thinking but obviously I didn't pick doing fans and maracas just because I thought they were cool - there was a need people! Sitting around waiting for a beautiful bride to come down the aisle can be HOT work and having a fan decorated with an accent or your colors to fan myself with and cool down a bit AND I get to take it home and use it or display it or give to Fido to chew on it - well, what could be much better?

3. Picture Frames - Not as popular but I think they are a GREAT idea - I mean, how many times have you had some great picture but not a great frame to put it in? There are some great silver frames (which, yes, are pricey) or you could get ones hand-painted/crafted then double them as place card markers!

4. Talavera - Talvera is the colorful pottery you see that usually comes from Puebla, but there are different styles and colors - some which comes from other parts of Mexico a little more inexpensive because of the difference in craftmanship and style - but still beautiful! You could do glasses, tequila shots, boxes, plates, figures - honestly a sweet favor I would think anyone would be pleased to receive.

5. Artwork - Mexico has a plethora of talented people doing all sorts of talented things - one of which is painting. A small picture painted by a Mexican artist and depicting some part of Vallarta (Los Arcos, our famous church, some of our famous statutes on the Malecon) is a memorable, unique and classy favor... and NOT as expensive as you would think it might be.

6. Knick-Knacks - We have a lot of really cool stuff - it's just a matter of knowing where to go to find it and how much you really should pay for it ;). The sky really is the limit - it just really depends on the theme of your wedding!

7. Themed Gifts - Drawstring purses with beads, embroidered hanker chiefs, silver charms, silver cigar boxes, silver plated mirrors, hand-created party masks, games.... the list goes on and on - all use able or displayable and memorable!

Bride question next week deals with place setting issues and the best way to arrange all the stuff that goes on there so tune-in ....

Two Pesos Tuesday...

Well, I'm late but still on Tuesday and it wasn't all my fault, my dear brides! I had to tackle with immigration today which is, as always, a huge headache. Anyway, I did receive a few interesting questions, but I need more time to really answer them properly, so I'm afraid you're going to be faced with more MD rantings ;).

Todays topic is on ... water bottles! Bet you didn't see that coming! Something I've seen at too many weddings to count is wasted water and wasted water bottles and I think, even if you are not doing a Green Wedding, it's nice to remind guests (and, if you are a guest, to keep in mind!) to be mindful of waste. Usually it happens towards the end of the night, when guests are thirsty (and perhaps a little under the influence) and start asking for water, taking a sip, leaving their bottle someplace and never returning for it. Because it's been opened, the waiters have to throw it - with one guest, maybe not cause for alarm ... but it's not just one guest and, unfortunately, not just one water bottle.

So, I'm sure you're thinking, "what to do?" Well, I've had a few ideas on this - not that anyone's ever asked me before so I have yet to see any of these ideas integrated, mind you!

1. Have black markers available and have guests put their name on their water bottle. That way they can find it again or it can be left for them to pick up at the end of the night - like a favor ;).

2. Give away pretty cups as favors, with guest's name either painted or attached to the cup that can then be used as their water glass through-out the night.

3. Have ice and water in a water jug available for guests to pour into regular glasses. That way, they fill-up when they want something to drink and the glasses get washed at the end of the night - no waste!

Remember ... to keep me from ranting, you have to write-in! Put "Two Pesos Tuesday" in the subject line and write to: amishkadesigns@yahoo.com.

B-Limey, Reds and Chocolate Brown!

I had a bride request this color palette and I must admit I wasn't too sure when I started but now I love it too! This is a very unique color palette - it was hard to find anyone who had already done it before - which I thought put that in the "plus" section as it will really help to make this bride's wedding unique and signature. After reviewing so many photos, I do think that this color palette has to be approached with a very delicate hand - the lime green and the red need to be just the right shade to pull this off successfully - I think either a bright, bright approach OR a more subdued look works well - but just be careful not to mix the two or, instead of eye candy, you will have an eye disaster! :)

INSPIRATION BOARD

These were the photos I loved best - they all show-up later so I won't mark them all now! Delightful!!

PRINTED MATERIAL

As you all know, I LOVE graphics and really enjoy incorporating invites, save the dates and other things my brides have already chosen into their wedding decor. In the upper left-hand corner we have a modern brown/green approach found at BG Design Studio. Next to that is the invite I fell in love with which I found at Project Wedding - this is a great example of a more subdued approach to the whole lime green/red/chocolate brown palette. While I admit that the color is not lime green but more an olive, I think it's lovely.

Underneath I'm sure you're wondering what the blue invite is doing on this color palette! Well, when it's hard to find a color palette someone has already done, you have to use your imagination and I just love the idea of changing the blue accents to lime green, and the ribbon in red - Chocolate brown dots in the center of the flowers and still the chocolate brown behind the invites - I think this would be smashing, and the idea was found over at My Seattle Wedding. Next to that we have a fun polka-dotted invite/place card/escort card set found at Faye and Greer.

Two versatile ceremony programs - both found on Flickr - the first a fun, layered look and the second an interesting textured approach - I LOVE that texture. Underneath I really like this brown and red invite I found at Project Wedding and think it would be perfect with a lime green typeset. The middle favor box I would use as a design for a fan or a maraca. Perhaps also utilizing details of it in escort cards/place cards - this idea was at The Knot. The top shades of green and chocolate brown invite was a Flickr find and this elegant menu was found at Project Wedding.

BOUQUETS

I found bouquets in this color combination a trifle challenging because you need to be careful in your use of red in this color palette as it would be very easy to utilize too much and have it completely overwhelm the design. The first bouquet is as close as I could get to my idea of what accents of red would look good - something different and subtle. I found this bouquet at A Perfect Wedding Day. Next to that bouquet we have an orchid, lily pad The Knot arrangement which I think would also look good with a few accents of red mums.

Underneath I love this interesting bouquet I found at Perfectly Pearl - the use of greenery and ribbon I think changes what might be a perfectly ordinary bouquet into something truly original. I also really like this round bouquet combination which would look great with just the right red and chocolate brown ribbon over at Simply Abundant Blooms.

In the bottom row, I know the bouquet on the far left has accents of mango, but I think it could be a lovely bouquet with red accents as well - found at Lotus Haus. Pretty green wrap with a crystal accent at The Wedding Decorator. And last is this rose/orchid combination at Wedding Blogdig.

CENTERPIECES

I found a number of brown/green centerpieces I loved and, with the added accent of red, I think it would really hit the nail on the head.

In the upper far left we have a lime-filled vase center with a brown runner taken by Anne Marlow over at Flickr. Next The Knot's more rustic approach with chocolate tablecloth, green runner and willow inspired center circled by open red roses. I love this hanging fabric with hanging flowers, a great Project Wedding find. These lime green cone centerpieces would be perfect with touches of chocolate brown and red at Glamorous Gowns. For this great red/chocolate brown center over at The Knot, exchange the blue button for a lime green one and, wa-la, beauty! Brown branches with glass candles at Flickr.

I normally try to not utilize photos that we can't replicate here in Vallarta but I really loved this table setting with brown and green dishes - well, we COULD replicate this somewhat but it would be pricey - anyway, table setting found at Project Wedding. Absolutely love love love this fabulous set-up with the brown and green Chinese lanterns found at Project Wedding - add a few accents of red and there you have it! I thought this red centerpiece was interesting - another Lotus Haus find.

Limes are the word here with roses (Project Wedding), or white pillar candles OR mums (The Wedding Decorator)! I thought this pink/green mums was an interesting low center, of course replaced with red buds and red and chocolate brown accents (Project Wedding). Hanging green Chinese lanterns would look great but need to be paired with just the right tone of red (Tickled Pink). And, lastly, tall vases filled with willows (Project Wedding) and orchids (The Knot).

CAKES AND COCKTAILS

I didn't realize how full this blog was until I got to this part! Whew! Nearly finished!! For these great geometric designed cakes I would add a dark red base underneath the cake (Glamorous Gowns). I think this cake on the right (Pink Cake Box) is perfect just the way it is, for the more modern bride.

In the middle row, I LOVE this cake (The Knot) but would make these changes: brown middle design and brown ribbon on top and bottom topped with a small strip of red and lime green - or, perhaps, a patterned red/lime green ribbon on top. Now you might wonder what on earth this next photo has to do with this section - but I love the idea of a signature cocktail table - and in the colors of red, green and champagne - fun (this is an old photo - I don't know where I found it - so, if you recognize it, let me know!)!!

Still with the whole signature drink theme, lime green martini (The Wedding Decorator), a great chocolate cake - with, of course, lime green accents in lieu of the blue (Project Wedding), and this interesting tall cake affair also found at Project Wedding.

STUFF I LIKED

How's that for a design title? I didn't have enough of any of these to make each a separate collage, but loved them anyhow! I know this cut-out with escort cards (The Knot) should have technically been with the printed material, but I like it here, so there - isn't it awesome? The ideas for this are endless - dance lanterns, cocktail candles, centerpieces .... ooo-la-la!

Both of these photo booths I adore - I know we can't rent photo booths here but we CAN make fun photo areas inspired by these two photos - the top red (Event Accomplished) and super fun one down below (Elizabeth Anne Designs).

I liked this chopstick favor with red blossom box underneath (Snippet and Ink). Red flower balls with chocolate brown and white polka-dotted ribbon (imagine lime green!) at Event Accomplished. Green bridal dress - I know it's random - but I liked it in this collage (Blog Kadahan)! Natural green plants along the ceremony aisle with red ribbons at Snippet and Ink, beautiful green umbrella with a great pattern taken by Anne Marlow at Flickr. And, lastly, this would look great on the ceremony aisle chairs with green blossoms (The Knot).

WHEW! That felt like a roller coaster! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did putting it together - I'm not sure what I will tackle last month as I stumbled across a lot of great finds but I'm sure it will be as juicy so tune back in....

A Maraca By Any Other Name...

I hope you are all getting your beauty rest as September winds Vallarta down before gearing back up for next season! I know I've mentioned before that we here at Mishka Designs don't just do an all-over design, but we also handle special favors (i.e. fans, picture frames, magnets, etc.), place cards/escort cards/table markers, etc. Well, Omar and I have a little treat for you - we came up with some ideas of example maracas to show you just a sample of what we are able to do to customize a common favor here in Vallarta to something truly special for your brides!!

PAISLEY

This first maraca was inspired off of a couple of brides I've designed for the in the past who really liked paisley and wanted it incorporated into their wedding - of course, this design can be modified to be darker, other colors, other style of paisley - the sky's the limit!

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

LACY ROMANCE

Inspired by Spanish lace, again this is just an example of what we can do while, at the same time, we can change the colors, change the flower style, whatever it is your bride (or you!) might want!

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

WHITE FLOWERS

Still in the floral theme, this maraca was more inspired from the frequent request of the color combination of orange and fuchsia. On any of these maracas, the bride and groom's name can be placed and date of wedding, or perhaps you would prefer to use the maracas as place markers and we can paint individual names on each one.

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

SEAHORSE

Inspired from that which Vallarta is famous for - the seahorse statue on the Malecon - there are many many different ways to paint a Seahorse and this is just one of them, with a myriad of color choices available.

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

TALAVERA

As we all know real Talavera is expensive but what a great favor! However, for the bride who likes the look of Talavera and might not be able to afford the real thing OR for a bride who just would love to have the look of Talavera in her maracas, here's a Talavera themed maraca. Again, Talavera has many different patterns, many different colors and this is just an example as any and all of them are possible!!

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

CALLA LILYS

Another common favorite, the calla lily, is represented in this image. We wanted to show a more "natural" look to the maraca so we choose a wooden maraca and burned the calla lily artwork into the maraca itself. I love this maraca! Again, any flower or design can be burned into a wooden maraca!

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

CLASSIC ROMANCE

Years ago we had a wedding where we utilized this profile image and it was really beautiful! This was Omar's favorite maraca, so I saved it for last - a male/female pair. Again, we can do any sort of graphic, any sort of idea with all different colors, depending on what your bride (or you!) is/are looking for!

Photo by Paulina Ulloa

MADE TO ORDER

As you all know by now, we aren't a cookie-cutter kindof company. So, everything we do is made to order. Even if your bride just knows she wants something in keeping with her wedding but doesn't know what she would like on the maraca, we do that too... we'll just ask a few questions to get a better feel, perhaps ask for some photos of the invites, save the dates or other material, and we can create something which would be perfect and in keeping with the event and will be a delightful surprise for the bride and groom and their guests!

Mid-month I'll be dealing with the color combination of blue and orange, filled with amazing ideas and eye-catching photos, so you won't want to miss it!

Favor ideas especially for Vallarta...

Favor ideas! Who doesn't love that?! What I love about favors is the opportunity to personalize a gift from the bride and groom really specific to them as a couple - the options are endless (and fun!). I really prefer to try to stick to favor ideas which are either a) something the guests will really use or b) something that is more artistic or interesting so that the guests might be more likely to display it. I don't see favors as simply another thing someone has to throw into their suitcase and hide away somewhere!


First, I wanted to address favor ideas which are used often in Vallarta, but I wanted to share a way to look at these with a different "spin" on them! For example, maracas are a crowd favorite but by personalizing them with a hand-painted touch representing the bride and groom, makes them even that more special.

MARACAS

Another popular favorite is the famous Puebla Talavera (or the other various "knock offs" which are still beautiful, but as we know not quite up to Puebla standards). Something I like to do sometimes is to integrate the favors into the design decor. In this example, the water glasses were replaced with talavera favor cups!

TALAVERA FAVORS

On a similar theme of integrating the favors into the design, we've taken logos which are very important to the client (without them knowing it!:) and integrated them into useful favors such as embroidered handkerchiefs, embroidered napkins and hand-painted fans!

EMBROIDERED HANDERKERCHIEFS, NAPKINS AND HAND-PAINTED FANS!

Along with tequilla, sweets are also a fairly common favor requests. For these particular favors, we made specially designed labels with guest's name and dinner seating as well as incorporated it into the cocktail decor of the event itself!

SWEETS

Then there are the more "unusual" favors such as retro Puerto Vallarta t-shirts for a retro wedding, hand-painted carnival masks, silver butterfly charms and artistic scenes of Vallarta from local artists.

ONE-OF-A-KIND FAVORS

OTHER IDEAS
I also wanted to point-out a few favor ideas which I found while visiting two of my favorite websites http://www.favorideas.com and http://www.myweddingfavors.com/. Some of the ideas on these sites are really great ideas that won't break the bank and something which might be useful should it match the personality of your particular bride and groom.

LUGGAGE TAGS
I love the idea of luggage tags! Many's a time when I wished for a fun, creative set of luggage tags to really distinguish my luggage from everyone else when it came time to pick up my luggage. Of course, here in Vallarta, as we have a lot of destination couples, I think luggage tags even make more sense for their guests! Here are two very different ideas for luggage tags which I found online:

FLIP FLOP LUGGAGE TAGS

These luggage tags are under $3.00 a piece! I think, for a laid-back wedding, this might really work.

CRUISESHIP LUGGAGE TAG

This particular set is more at expensive but still comes in at under $4.00 a piece. I think these are pretty elegant and the price isn't ridiculous!

BOOKMARKS
I think bookmarks are also a good idea and there are so many options to choose from. We haven't made any yet, but I have oodles of ideas for just the right bride and groom. Meanwhile, I found these bookmarks with a seashell theme at BySerendipty for under $3.00!

MAGNETS
I know not everyone loves magnets like I do, but I'm sure you'll have some clients who do! I found these magnets at http://www.myweddingfavors.com/ ... of course, these are projects we can do here, but I think, at $2.00 a PACKAGE it's a hard price to beat!

COASTERS
Useful and great, especially if done well! These coasters at http://www.myweddingfavors.com/ are under $3.00 each.

So, that's all for April mid-month ... if you there is something about decor that you're interested in but just don't have the time, just let me know and I'll see what I can find and put it in a subsequent blog!