2 Pesos - Undies...

Hello my dear brides! I'm sure you are probably wondering what on earth I'm talking about NOW ... I PROMISE when the holidays are over I will be back to my old wedding and event self, but first I wanted to tell you about a tradition we do over here on New Year's Eve, that actually I started doing when I lived up top, i.e. the good US of A!

UnderWear

So, it's related to your undies, i.e. underwear, i.e. in Spanish "calzones" (you should have heard everyone laugh when I told them one time I wanted to make calzones for dinner ... whole other meaning over here!). I don't know who started this tradition, but it goes like this: on New Year's Eve you wear either yellow underwear for work, red underwear for love, green for money and white underwear for luck. They must be a gift given to you (you don't buy it yourself), so hubby and I usually give each other our theme for the year in our stockings :). I know it sounds CRAZY but I've been doing it since the first year I met my husband (and the next year we tied the knot, so to speak!). Now, I'm not saying it's the underwear for sure but I figure it can't hurt!

Juicy Couture

GRAPES

The other tradition is related to grapes. Each guest gets 12 grapes to represent each month and, at midnight, you eat each one and make a wish for the upcoming year. We have a full house this year so we will be buying oodles of grapes!

Los Miller Blogspot

So, if you want to incorporate a little Latin flavor into your New Year's Eve tomorrow, I say go for it and I wish you all the best, most beautiful upcoming year (and weddings!).

Again, any questions or comments re: weddings, anything wedding or Puerto Vallarta related, just post me a line to amishkadesigns@yahoo.com with "two pesos" in the subject heading!

2 Pesos - Posadas, etc....

Well, one of you did write me re: a topic and I PROMISE to get to it because it's a good one ... but this time of year my head is full of three things - upcoming weddings, maracas AND CHRISTMAS! I Love Love Love Love (did I say "Love"?!) Christmas. And Vallarta, IMHO, is THE place to be at Christmas time. I already told you about the Virgin de Guadalupe (which we just finished - I went downtown 3 times to eat my fill of tamales and atole - yum yum!!). So, now I wanted to tell you about Posadas!

Technically, the Posada is a Catholic tradition here in Mexico and Latin America. I participated in a traditional one when I lived in Mexico City. So, what the Posada is suppose to be is a representation of the troubles the biblical Mary and Joseph had in finding an inn - children go from house to house asking for lodging and being refused until they get to the house where the party is. There's a bunch of recitation that goes back and forth and, then, finally they let the kids in, they swing at a pinata and everyone eats tamales and "punche" (some sort of fruit punch with a wee bit of "spike" to it). If you want the whole lowdown, this has a great breakdown of the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Posadas.

In Vallarta, however, Posada, for the most part, stands for "Christmas Party." I know North Americans have somewhat of a tradition of returning to the family for Christmas but here it's taken super seriously. So, in order to celebrate with your friends and co-workers there is the Posada! Starting from Dec 12th onward Vallarta is a crazy, crazy whirlwind of Posadas and Christmas Cocktails. Just this week alone we've been invited to 4!! Anyway, because of that, it's hard to find anybody to do anything - everyone is in a festive, merry spirit and most of the coordinators will tell you that business pretty much comes to a halt until after Jan 2nd.

I thought I would just share with you some of the photos of the street decor I saw while out and about (which I took just for you, btw!) as well as the Santa set-up in our one and only "mall", Liverpool.

If you were here, I would be making you cookies like I will be doing this weekend - here's a photo to show you up what my kitchen will look like this weekend!

I AM working on the regular blog - just so much to do! But I will get it up tonight or tomorrow, I promise!! Again, any questions re: weddings, wedding decor, etiquette, Puerto Vallarta, etc. just send me an email with "2 pesos" in the subject line and I promise to get to it! amishkadesigns@yahoo.com.

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.

Beach Weddings Every Which Way!!

I think we saw two days so far this month with some sun - but I'm sure you all were as okay with that as I was, because at least it kept the first part of this month a little cooler!

This mid-month I want to show you some ideas I found for beach weddings, especially since we are on the beach! I have a doubt that we will ever get by an entire year without someone wishing to focus on our lovely beaches! :)

BOUQUETS

I love these colorful bouquets - the first of which I found at Beach Weddings by the Knot and the second at the Hawaii Wedding Blogspot. Of course, we can't copy these bouquets exactly, as there are a few flowers not available to us here, but we can get the general look and feel. I love the simplicity and tranquil feel of this pink and green bouquet found at Project Wedding as well as this bout found at Beach Weddings by the Knot. Of course, I try to save the best for last, and I think this bouquet wrap is FABULOUS with the mixture of burlap and crystals, found at Style Me Pretty.

CEREMONY

Finding a well-done beach ceremony is a little tricky, but I did find 3 that I found worthy of note. This first design huppah design was found at Project Wedding and I love the use of fabric with the shells - very beach shabby chic! I also thought this heavy seashell laden ceremony set-up was original and could be perfect for the right couple, found at Brides Buzzing and designed by Colin Cowie. Last, but not least, is this seashell ceremony aisle from The Knot.

FAVORS AND ACCENTS

These pretty, yet simple floating candles I found at PhotoLulu. I'm not sure where I found this photo, as I've had it for a while, but I really love the idea of mosquito repellent and sunblock laid-out in a nice way, available for guests to use when they need. I believe I found the cute star fruit at The Knot. This pretty hanging candles were found at Beach Weddings by the Knot and are something we could easily do here, although perhaps not with those exact votives. I love wine glass charms, and this one was found at Hot Ref as were these pretty sailboat favor candles - they were also really cheap!! Last, but definitely not least, was this really nice favor bag found at My Wedding Favors, which could also double as a place card setting!

PLACE CARDS/ESCORT CARDS

Three new place card ideas ... the first is a way of displaying them, which we've seen before, but I like the simple, plain type on these cards which belays the rather casual way of displaying them - these were found at Trista Lerit. I love the calligraphy on these rocks and think they would work great as either place cards or escort cards, found at BPJ Designs. And lastly, I adore these wave escort cards found at Beach Weddings by the Knot.

CENTERPIECES

First, we have this candle with seashells which I think is understated but elegant found at My Dream Wedding, followed by a colorful display of orange roses with beach twigs at Beach Weddings by the Knot. Still colorful, but with a much more casual air, is this centerpiece and place set-up by Social Couture. Back to the elegant side of things we have these submerged orchids and tulips at Project Wedding as well as this really fab coconut shell filled with floating orchids. I love using coconut shells, or scooping out a pineapple and utilizing the pineapple or a watermelon, etc. - I think we have a variety of different textures available in Vallarta which would make a more organic beach side wedding truly unique and fabulous!

CAKES AND CUPCAKES

These simple, yet elegant beach wedding cakes at Budget Dream Weddings and at Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas. I love this cupcake display found at Wedding Ideas and Details.

Well, that's all for this mid-month update. Next month I will focus on bouquet and centerpiece ideas, so check back!!

Dramatic Black and White with Splash of Red!

What a whirlwind couple of weeks! I found some really beautiful things and I can't wait to share it with you, so here it is!

I love the dramatic theme of a black and white wedding, but I do feel like there needs to be a splash of color somewhere to give it some "oomph" ... whether it's red, mango, lime green, yellow ... I chose to go with red for this blog because it feels so Spanish to me and ties in well with a lot of our villa settings.


The Invitations
I fell in love with these invitations when I was designing an event a few months back. These are designed by Kenzie Kate and I think they are absolutely wonderful!

The Bouquet
Black magic roses, crimson calla lilies and feathers ... what's not to love?!! I would add a beautiful beaded trim and wa-la, gorgeous! I found these bouquets at The Knot. Of course, you know I try to stick to things we can actually get here in Vallarta and as you all know, beautiful beaded trim is usually something not readily available, as these are at MJ Trim. However, beads are available, and that's what I would do for this particular bouquet - make some beaded ribbon to accomplish a similar look!

The Ceremony
So much depends on the location, of course. But I love the idea of incorporating some detailed lace with sparkling crystals (Black White Bliss)! And these fans are a wonderful idea that I have every intention of incorporating somehow (found at The Bride's Cafe and created by Oh How Charming).

The Cocktail
For whom, and how I would use this idea, I'm not sure. But in this particular blog of black and white, here's a GREAT idea to recreate an old-fashioned look in a way that we can actually "find" here in Vallarta! These are just fabric covers over boxes but painted to look like furniture, found at Black White Bliss. I love this idea and I'm sure you'll see it one day in one of our designs!

The Reception
I couldn't find anything that really represents in my head when I think about this particular black and white with splashes of red look, but the idea is to print off a piece, such as this tango artwork and wrap it around a hurricane vase to create centerpieces. Then I would add a black tablecloth with white lace runner, similar to the photo (Easy Street Antiques), and some sort of red, white and black printed napkin (Saffron Marigold). I love this burnt number look and would incorporate that into the table numbers as well as the place cards (Black and White Bliss). Then, as the final finishing touches. a couple of filigree red lanterns and clear candles (Illumination) and you're ready to go!

The Dance Floor
I think red hanging lanterns with an arabesque touch would be a great touch and I love the way they are represented in this photo, found once again at the Brides Cafe and created by Oh How Charming. I'm sure you're wondering, "How on earth would you get something that looked like those lanterns here" and all I'm going to say is there are ways! If I gave you all my secrets what would you need us for?? :)

The Cake/Cupcake
I love both this cake (Glass Slipper Gourmet) and this amazing cupcake decor (Black White Bliss) equally, so it would be really hard to make a decision and would have to be up to the bride and groom's preference! But great ideas, nevertheless!

Well, that's it for mid-month. Next month I'm going to tackle the next current and upcoming trend which is vintage, vintage and vintage!

Mexico Chic Wedding!

Wedding Date: May 24, 2008
Location: Villa Crescencia
Wedding Coordinator: Vows Vallarta
Months of work: 4 months

Here it is, the event we've been working months on! The bride wanted her guests to have a true Mexican experience, but not in the "commercial" sense of the word. It was a fun, exciting project! Here is an example of my idea page which I used to inspire me as I created her design:

The Bouquet
The bride wanted calla lilies, but they weren't available. So, we decided on stargazers and roses. My favorite part of the bouquet was her accent ribbon and I was very excited when I found it when I was out shopping!

Bridal Bouquet

Bridesmaids and Bridal Bouquet

The Ceremony

So, we decided to create a papel picado huppah with the bride and grooms names and date of their wedding etched inside, atop a platform built especially for them, so their guests could see them better. We also had sandalwood fan favors with beads in the bride's colors of fuchsia and orange as well as seashell accents and chocolate brown ribbon. The bride and groom weren't real "seashell" people but, when I asked them for their invitation, their invitation had a seashell on it so I knew I needed to have a few accents of seashells spread through-out the wedding.

The Cocktail
After the ceremony, we took the ceremony chairs into the reception area and brought down cocktail tables which were covered with a rich chocolate brown and candles wrapped in orange, fuchsia, gold, chocolate brown and pink chiffon. The villa chairs were alternately covered in chocolate brown or various shades of chiffon. Adobe candles were also spread through-out the cocktail area.

Escort Cards and Drink Sign
The bride wasn't real crazy about fresh flowers, so we made paper flowers! The escort cards were propped-up in a large handmade paper flower rose. Drink Signs were modeled after the bride and groom's invitation, down to the cream and white striped background!

The Reception
Tables were covered with a beautiful sand/fuchsia tinted chiffon fabric and we used ordinary pinata bases for centerpieces but dressed them up with handmade paper rose and lily flowers and rocks. Table signs were various seashell photographs. Surrounding the paper flower centerpieces were adobe candles. I found out a few days before that two children were expected, so we bought and propped-up some toys at their place setting for them to enjoy! Napkins in sunburst orange were placed on the talavera dinnerware with the place cards. Paper flowers in orange, fuchsia and white were wrapped around the wine stems and indicated who was eating meat, fish or vegetarian!

The After Party
After dinner, guests were invited back into the previous cocktail area where we had lit the over 400 candles which were scattered through-out the villa as well as the hand-made beaded lanterns which framed the dance floor. The bride and groom had also supplied party masks which were displayed on the various cocktail tables. Hand-made floating lanterns were aglow in the pool - truly beautiful!

The Cake (cupcake tower!)
The bride and groom actually had a cupcake tower and, while we decorated the cupcake tower itself, the cupcakes were done by Charme! The cupcakes were adorned with the same seashell accent as their invitation and, as promised in a previous blog, the bride and groom cupcake were a dress and suit respectively. They were a big hit!

That's all for now ... mid-month I will tackle the black and white trend. Until then, have a great rest of the month!