Registry Etiquette

I was speaking to my boyfriend yesterday about wedding showers, explaining the details of one to him, and he could not wrap his head around the idea of a registry. He kept asking "Well can you register at Home Depot?", "How about Williams-Sonoma?", "Saint Laurent?" Laughing, I told him I didn't think Saint Laurent had a wedding registry. I thought his inquisitiveness was great. I love sharing information like that with others and to boot, when I went on The Knot this morning to see what was new, they had a piece right on their homepage also explaining registry etiquette. So thanks to them, here are some tips to best utilize your registry!

1. Skip the items that might be on your weekly shopping list

Pick gifts that you’ll want and need for years to come. Your wedding is a major life event, and your guests want to give you something that’s meaningful and that fits your personality. That’s why a vintage bottle of your favorite whiskey is a great gift (because you’ll likely sip it together on special occasions). It’s less about how much the gifts on your registry cost, in fact your gifts should range in price, and more about the reason why your guests are giving you these gifts in the first place.

2. Put a few gift cards on your registry instead

Putting a gift card on your registry lets guests know where you’d like a gift card to and that it’s an option. Having this option will potentially make some guests more comfortable giving you cash as a gift if its in the form of a card you want. You can also allow multiple guests to purchase the same gift card that way if there's an item too expensive for one guest to buy, you now have a surplus of gift cards to put towards this item.

3. Let your friends and family add on the staples themselves

If they know you’re coffee lovers they might pair together a new coffee maker along with coffee beans and a pack of coffee filters so you have everything you need to start brewing right away. Or maybe they pitch-in for an excursion on your honeymoon and also provide you with some sandals and monogrammed beach towels. It's a thoughtful way for them to give a complete wedding gift with lower-priced registry pieces!

4. Know your crowd

In alternative to a registry is a “pounding party”, where guests bring items to help fill the couple’s pantry. Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard’s friends hosted a pounding party for them a few days before their wedding. If that’s the case in your culture, then go for it! Guests will just bring staples they think the couple will need, not necessarily items the couple wants; but it's a fun alternative!

So as you can gather, registering for china, gadgets and 500-thread-count sheets is one of the best perks of your engagement, but deciding what to put on your list isn't as simple as it seems. Our advice? Start with the stuff you love the most, add some necessities, and then turn to different lists of the hottest home and registry ideas to fill in the rest. The Knot provides these top eleven trends for inspiration:

1. Cocktail Party Essentials

2. All White Dinnerware

3. Dressed-Up Flatware

4. Mugs

5. China With Classic Patterns

6.  Fun Accent Plates With Animal Motifs

7. Rimmed Soup Bowls

8. Colored Glassware

9. Charity Registry

Couples who feel like they have everything they need usually end up registering for donations to their favorite charity.

 

10.  Hobby Items

11. Luggage

 

We love devouring the details of wedding registries and hope these tips and trends give you some inspiration before signing-up for your own!

Wedding Wednesdays: Jenna Petrelis Photography

Here at Devour the Details we love to feature people we know! Today we're giving a special Wedding Wednesdays shout-out to an up-and-coming photographer from Medford, MA. If you're looking for a local photographer for your engagement, bridal shower, or wedding photos, look no further; Jenna Petrelis Photography does it all!

At a very reasonable price, you can receive excellent quality photos from an experienced photographer with skill in editing and photo-shopping images that surpass your expectations. Gaining more customers each day, Jenna Petrelis Photography will be a bustling business before we know it! Please jump on Facebook today and like her page, share it with your friends and family, and setup an appointment to meet with her today!

Check out more photos from Jenna Petrelis Photography and how she devours the details of capturing your special day!

5 Blizzard of 2015 Libations

Snowed-in on this chilly Tuesday? Warm-up with these winter-inspired cocktails! These blizzard libations will help you forget the storm outside. So grab a blanket and cheers to the blizzard of 2015!

The Bayside Blizzard

To create this delicious concoction at home, mix equal parts: freshly brewed coffee, kahlua, and heavy cream (or skim milk to reduce the calorie count). Then add a dash of Vodka and Godiva Liqueur to your liking, stir, top with whipped cream.

The Purple Blizzard

The Blizzard Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey or rum
1/2 ounce hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico
1/2 ounce Irish cream liqueur, such as Bailey's
Hot coffee
Dollop of Grand Marnier Whipped Cream

Directions:
In a glass coffee mug, stir together whiskey, hazelnut liqueur, and Irish cream; top with coffee. Garnish cocktail with whipped cream and serve immediately.

The SNOWmaretto Cocktail

Ingredients:
3 cups snow or ice that has been crushed in a blender
¾ cup amaretto liqueur
¼ cup heavy cream

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a pitcher. Stir well to combine.

The Hawaiian Blizzard

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
2 wedges pineapple
1 cup of rum
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 banana, peeled
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 lime, juiced
2 cups ice
2 cherries, long-stemmed, for garnish
1 spritz whipped cream, for garnish
1 sprinkle shaved coconut, for garnish
2 sprigs mint, for garnish
2 drink umbrellas, for garnish
2 fun straws, for garnish

Directions:
STEP 1
Add frozen pineapple, rum, coconut milk, banana, honey, lime juice and ice cubes into the carafe of a blender. Blend for 1 minute.
STEP 2
Pour into 2 fun glasses and top with a wedge of pineapple, whipped cream, a cherry, shaved coconut, mint and a drink umbrella for garnish.

Drink up and devour the details of the blizzard of 2015 with these 5 fine libations!

Me And My Girlfriends

Love is in the air this Valentine's Day! Don't let not having a beau stop you, share it with those that you share practically everything with, your girlfriends. Mimosas, mascarpone, and more! Brunch with your bests on this heartwarming holiday with a little inspiration from Lauren Conrad.

We love this natural backdrop with the hanging elements and the balloons make a sweet touch!

Show your love with these adorable place-cards!

Our heart flutters for these sequin napkin holders!

Send your girlfriends home with a lovely swag bag filled with a bouquet of flowers!

Now it's time for a feast! Here are some tasty tips and recipes.

Eat Your Heart Out Crepe Cake with Mascarpone Cream Filling

Ingredients:
2 eggs
¾ cup of Milk
½ cup Water
1 cup of Flour
2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
2 Tbsp of Melted Butter
butter, coating the pan

For Mascarpone Cream:
8 oz. heavy cream
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
Combine all of the listed crepe ingredients in a blender and pulse for 1 minute. Place batter in refrigerator for one hour to rest.
Coat hot pan with butter. Pour 1/8 cup of batter in pan and swirl to distribute evenly and create a thin circle. Leave for 30 seconds on one side until golden and then flip on to other side for 10 seconds until golden.
Place crepes to the side and allow to cool. Using either a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until stiff cream forms.
To assemble the cake, lay one crepe down and using a rubber spatula spread on a layer of cream. Continue doing so until your finished product is a layered cake.
Place heart cutout on top of the cake and then using a sifter and powdered sugar, let it snow over your cake. Carefully remove your heart cutout.

Mademoiselle Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:
dough (short dough recipe below or puff pastry)
2 eggs
1/8 cup of milk
pinch of salt + pepper
olive oil
½ cup of mushrooms
½ red onion, fine chop
¼ cup of feta cheese
½ tsp of rosemary, fine chop

Standard Short Dough (prepare in stand mixer):
1 cup flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 stick of cold butter
3 Tbsp ice water

Instructions:
Coat sauté pan with olive oil and bring to high heat. Sauté mushrooms, onions and rosemary together until tender. Set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out your dough and find a circle with approximately a three-inch diameter to cut circles into the dough. Then place them into your muffin tin with a little bit of dough sticking out of each individual mold.
Blind bake the crusts for 5 to 8 minutes (line your dough with some plastic wrap and fill with dried beans or rice, and then place in the oven).
Remove plastic wrapped dried beans from quiche cups. Add some crumbled feta cheese at the bottom and then spoon sautéed vegetables into each individual quiche cup.
Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper and pour into quiche cups.
Bake in oven for approximately 6-10 minutes, until egg is completely cooked and crust has hardened.
Serve with a farmers market salad of arugula, tomatoes, and feta.

Cali’ Love Breakfast Egg Tostadas

Ingredients:
corn tortillas
eggs (1 per tostada)
1 ½ cup of black beans
1 red pepper, small chop
½ red onion, small chop
1 clove of garlic, grated
¼ red cabbage, shredded
½ avocado, sliced
1 bunch cilantro, fine chop (for garnish)
salt + pepper
Savour This Sauce cilantro Thai chile dressing

Instructions:
Shallow fry small corn tortillas in hot oil and then place onto a paper towel to cool and absorb excess oil.
Coat medium sized sauté pan with olive oil. Add red onion, red pepper and garlic. Sauté until tender and incorporate black beans. Season with salt and pepper and then set aside.
In sauté pan, fry four sunny side up eggs, seasoning with salt and pepper. Then, using either a circle cookie cuter or a circular object and a knife, cut perfect circles around each egg yolk.
Using a microplane, fine chop red cabbage and toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Cut avocado into slices. Rough chop fresh cilantro.
Place fried corn tortilla down. Spoon black bean, red pepper, onion and garlic mixture onto middle of the corn tortilla. Place fried egg on top of the bean mixture. Garnish with cabbage, avocado and chopped cilantro. Drizzle with Savour This Sauce Cilantro Thai Chile Dressing or another cilantro dressing.

We are head over heels in love with this flawless Valentine's Day Girlfriends Brunch. Follow Lauren Conrad and check out more ways to devour the details today!

New Hampshire Wine Week

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) will host its 10th Annual NH Wine Week celebration from January 26th to February 1st. A whole week of wine? Count me in! For the past decade, NHLC has turned the last week in January into a week-long celebration of wine featuring appearances by winemakers like Jonathan Emmerich, Cristina Mariani-May, Howard Rossbach and Tondi Bolkan. It comes with no surprise that the "Live Free or Die" state would host a week long celebration dedicated to wine!

If you're from New England, you know that New Hampshire is the place to go to buy alcohol because it is untaxed. This attracts wine drinkers to the state because they are able to purchase quality wines without having to worry about paying extra for tax. In August, Washington Post opinion writer named New Hampshire the best state in the country for wine drinkers. The Post cited New Hampshire’s outstanding accessibility to great wines at affordable prices, noting New Hampshire’s A+ ranking in the American Wine Consumer Coalition Report Card and praising the state’s non-taxed wine, price, availability and regulatory structure.

Wine Week culminates with the 12th Annual Easter Seals Winter Wine Spectacular, the largest wine tasting in northern New England, which takes place at the Radisson Hotel Manchester on Thursday, January 29th, from 6 to 9 p.m. Raising critical funding for Easter Seals New Hampshire and drawing a sold-out crowd of more than 1,200 people each year, the Winter Wine Spectacular boasts more than 1,500 wines, delicious local cuisine, a silent auction and raffle, the Bellman Cellar Select VIP tasting room, and the chance to meet and learn from more than 60 wine personalities. Drinking wine for a good cause always makes us happy. And as you may have guessed, this event is already sold out!

Find out more and buy your tickets to the 10th Annual NH Wine Week here. Devour the wine details and celebrate with the "Live Free or Die" state!

Wedding Wednesdays: Looks We Love

We err on the side of nontraditional here at Devour the Details which is why we are bringing you some extraordinary but out-of-the-ordinary bridesmaid looks! From eye-catching prints to stunning jumpsuits, we love them all. Brides are upping-the-ante as weddings become more modern and fashion-forward, giving their bridesmaids these fun and unique statement pieces! Check out some of our favorite looks for 2015.

I am obsessed with these coral jumpsuits! They scream 'totally 80s' meets modern-day-bridesmaid. We just can't get enough!

These embellishments remind us of the Roaring 20s! We also love the color of these dresses and how they sparkle and shine.

Another to-die-for style is the variation of neutral colors. This helps the bride's gown remain center of attention but pulls your eyes across the alter for a brief and unexpected moment of awe; just gorgeous!

 

We love this shabby and chic champagne look! What ties it all together (besides the sparkles)? The adorable bird-cage veils the flower girls are wearing!

 

Something borrowed and something blue! The ethereal feel to these gowns makes for a fabulous fairytale wedding!

 

Don't be outdated, love the look and devour the details of these nontraditional bridesmaid dresses!

5 Innovative Ways to Ensure Comfort and Creativity

The pressure is on to do something new and fresh at your celebration in 2015. Look at past trends and give them a tweak. From scouring Pinterest to reading blogs, you'll be inundated with creative ideas but always keep in mind the comfort of your guests. Check out these five tips that are sure to wow your guests and help you create a soiree that truly stands out.

Enlist a live event artist
Here's something few people have seen before: A live event artist who will actually paint your event as it happens, creating a piece of artwork you can cherish for generations to come. Boston-based artist Mark DeSilva specializes in this type of artwork -- check out his website for more information on how you can incorporate this incredible feature into your celebration.

Let guests go hands-free at cocktail hour
Wedding guests always look forward to cocktail hour but they typically have trouble drinking, eating, and mingling at the same time. To keep them comfortable, order personalized wine glass plate clips so that each guests can hold his or her plate and wine glass easily in one hand. This will ensure their comfort as well as incorporate a personalized touch they may have never seen before.

Personalize your photo booth
Having a photo booth at your event is a huge trend that's here to stay. Make yours stand out by personalizing your booth with a custom wrap: You can use an engagement photo for a wedding, a monogram, or even a pattern that coordinates with your event's décor. Then, set up the booth with your event hashtag so you can program the images to upload to Instagram and Facebook with the tag pre-populated in your guest's posts. Photo booths are something guests are now expecting at events, so turn it up a notch with this awesome idea to ensure it continues to be a crowd-pleaser!

Hire a same-day edit videographer
There is nothing as gratifying as same-day edit videography. From interviews with friends and family or event guests, to fun set-up and getting-ready segments, to special moments from the celebration itself, this video can be played at dinner or at the end of your event, allowing everyone to reminisce over the highlights of the day while it's still unfolding. Check with your videographer to see if this is a service he or she can provide for you.

Let your cake tell a story
Cake mapping is a new trend that allows your cake to double as entertainment. Rather than decorating your cake with flowers and elaborate icing, have your baker create a blank slate of white fondant. Then, using a projector (and working with your lighting team), broadcast images or video onto the cake itself--it could tell the story of your event or simply reflect a pretty pattern or animation. Either way, it will look stunning and tie the whole night together. Check out this awesome animated Disney cake as an example!

Devour the innovative details of 2015 with the help of these comforting and creative event ideas!

Double the Fun

During this year's Super Bowl, you can look forward to not just one halftime show but two! Katy Perry step aside, YouTube will be taking some of the spotlight, producing its own show featuring the platform’s own stars and fake ads. Surprised? You shouldn't be. More than 60 million people subscribe to the channels of the participating YouTube creators, some of whom YouTube has been promoting on billboards in major U.S. cities.

YouTube will produce the program with Collective Digital Studio, a Los Angeles online video network that features many of the online stars. They describe the show as counter-programming to what will be on TV, essentially designed to appeal to viewers who care more about the ads than the game. Statistics show that people spent 6.3 million hours watching last year's Super Bowl ads on YouTube after they aired. So YouTube thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give their viewers something to watch simultaneously rather than post-game.

YouTube believes that the combination of these ads with the growing profile of online stars like Freddie Wong, whose main channel has more than 7.4 million subscribers, and Toby Turner, will help them vie for attention with Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz, NBC's halftime performers. We will definitely checkout the YouTube Super Bowl Halftime Show and are excited to see the number of views they get. Great way to devour the game day details!

Premier Designs Jewelry

Oddly enough while vacationing in South Carolina, both my mom and sister were very sick and had to go to an urgent care facility. While there, my mother started chatting with her physician about the necklace she was wearing. The physician began to tell my mom how she is a sales rep for Premier Designs Jewelry. The best part of this story is that the physician is from Haiti and the reason she sells this jewelry as a side job is to send money back to her home country to support different orphanages.

Premier Designs is a direct sales jewelry company founded in 1985 by Joan and Andy Horner in Dallas, Texas. Independent Distributors, called Jewelers (sales rep), market Premier Designs jewelry in homes all across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. For more than 26 years Premier Designs has stayed true to their founding Philosophy, Purpose and Objectives.

The company is full of philanthropists. They drive to support special projects, ministries and missionary families in America and in many countries around the world. The physician my mom saw, Ketura Isidor, helps to give back to the Children of Israel Orphanage. The Orphanage was first opened in 2001 and is named after its founder, Pastor Israel Izidor. It is located on the southwest coast of Haiti, in a city called Les Cayes.

The Children of Israel Orphanage began with just five children. After Pastor Israel’s death, his wife, Leonie Izidor kept his dream going. Leonie, along with the support of her family, now house twenty-seven orphans in the Children of Israel Orphanage. Many children have been adopted over the years, thanks to the orphanage! The Izidors continue every day to live out Pastor Israel’s dream.

Help Ketura keep devouring the details of Premier Designs by joining her in supporting the Children of Israel Orphanage today!

Wedding Wednesdays: Kleinfeld Flash Sale on Gilt!

Brides-to-be, please welcome this Wednesday with arms wide open because we have a deal for you! Are you ready to say 'yes to the dress'? How about if it is from the Kleinfeld Bridal Collection? That's right, Pnina Tornai, Badgley Mischka and Temperley, will be available during a flash sale TODAY on Gilt!

Starting at 12pm EST today, Wednesday January 14, Kleinfeld Bridal, the NYC-based salon and home to the TLC show Say Yes To The Dress, is having their first-ever sample sale online. In an opportunity of a lifetime, you’ll be able to buy your favorite designer gowns for half the price! Additionally, to celebrate Kleinfeld’s history, Gilt will offer one Pnina Tornai gown for $19.41 hidden on the online store! This odd price actually reflects the store’s founding year of 1941. How clever!

You can preview the entire collection prior to the start of the sale. Get ready to devour the details and shop till you drop!

Flower Girl and Ring Bearer Say I Do

Minnesota couple Brittney and Briggs who recently tied the knot, had experience walking down the aisle prior to their big day. The couple’s love story began in 1995, when they were both 3 years old, serving as flower girl and ring bearer in a wedding. Brigg's Godmother and Brittney's Mother were friends, leading to the them both being involved in his godmother's wedding.

Both vaguely remember the wedding and did not keep in touch until they were randomly placed in the same government class in ninth grade, many years later. Brittney recognized his unusual name, and asked her mother if it could be the same boy. She then brought a picture of them at the wedding to show Briggs. “When she showed me the picture, I said, I have one just like that on my wall at home,” Briggs said.

To the delight of their friends and family, the couple started dating their junior year of high school.
Briggs says, “My godmother was freaking out about it, taking credit for it." And just last year, the couple got engaged after five years of dating. While planning out their wedding, they considered repeating history, but ended up choosing a ring bearer and flower girl from the same family.

We're still overjoyed for this lucky couple and their fairytale happy ending. And believe that Brigg's Godmother deserves a special devour the details thank you for having a hand in this perfect match!

 

The Golden Globes: Cartoon Edition

We always hear about the stunning looks, speeches, and awards from the Golden Globes and now with social media, you can literally get live updates of what's happening at the show without even watching it on TV. You can gage everyone's reactions to the ceremony by simply logging online. Some people can get creative with their Facebook posts and Tweets by making funny GIFs or memes of the celebrities in attendance. This year, we loved what New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly did to voice the show in her own way.

Liza live-cartooned the 2015 Golden Globes ceremony, Tweeting out her creative caricatures of the presenters and winners. Impressive right? She may be in the running for one of next year's awards. Here are some of our favorites!

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

\

Melissa McCarthy

Jared Leto

Lupita and Colin

What's even funnier, and what most women can probably relate to, is Liza admitting to one major shortcoming in her series:

 

Follow Liza on Twitter @lizadonnelly to see the rest of her awesome caricatures. Get inspired by her take on the ceremony and devour the details of next year's Golden Globes!

Every Great Love, Starts With A Great Story

"Every great love starts with a great story" and that is exactly what Angelo had in mind when planning his marriage proposal to girlfriend Chiara. He drew inspiration from one of the most romantic love stories written, The Notebook. Unbeknownst to Chiara, they recreated the infamous rowboat scene. However, Anthony definitely put a spin on things but they took a ride they'll both never forget, just like in the book.

Different news stations are reporting that Angelo actually rented out London's Alexandra Palace for a series of sweet events leading up to the big moment. First, a lady rowed by to give Chiara flowers. Next another woman came over to give them both some Cosmos for a cute toast. Then, a guitar player emerged to sing Robbie Williams' "She's The One" as origami swans floated around them. Seriously, how romantic!

But it doesn't stop there. Angelo makes the moment even sweeter by incorporating their loved ones. When it finally came time to pop the question the couple's family and friends came out from hiding behind some nearby bushes with signs that read "You're The One" and "Will You Marry Me?" He then goes on to propose to her in a long-winded speech in Italian. You can see the emotion and love between the two of them. And don't worry, she says yes!

Check out the video here for inspiration to devour the details of your very own proposal!