Wedding Wednesdays: Reusable Decorations for the Budget Conscious Bride

Cocktail straws, confetti poppers, and toppers, oh my! Everything you need from the engagement shower to the after-party, that sparkles and shines. Check out these fun decor items that can be on rotation throughout all of your wedding planning. Saving you time and, more importantly, money!

L-O-V-E Balloons

Giant balloons are all the rage, and we love the versatility that comes with them. They're a festive addition to engagement photos and lend whimsical romance to a plain ceremony background. Buying them in bulk means you can play around with monograms or different words for each party.

Cocktail Straws

A seamless way to incorporate your wedding colors into the cocktail bar? Simply add straws—so low-maintenance and fun. Use a few different colors to make it easier for guests to keep track of their drinks.

Confetti Poppers

Whether you're saying “yes" to the dress or making a grand exit, there are so many wedding milestones that merit confetti. These plastic poppers can be reused, so you can re-stuff them from the engagement to the after-party.

Calligraphed Cake Toppers

Calligraphy-style cake toppers have been popping up with so many fun phrases, from “The Best Is Yet to Come" to “Happily Ever After". The calligraphy on your cake topper can also coordinate with signage for table numbers, a guest book station, a cocktail bar or a gift table.

Paper Rosettes

Want to dress up a bare wall but don't have the time (or budget!) for a big installation? A cluster of paper rosettes is the perfect solution. Hang them in a pattern or disperse them like polka dots. If you have trouble sticking them to rough surfaces like a brick wall, suspend them from the ceiling with transparent fishing line instead.

Save more and spend less with these reusable decorations and devour the details of sticking to your budget while planning your perfect wedding!

Tasty Tuesday: Ginger & Lemon Game Changers

Today we're bringing you two recipes that will be a true treat this holiday season. With lemon and ginger as the main ingredients, you can't go wrong. Eat, drink and be merry with these delicious recipes!

Honey & Ginger Cake With Lemon & Honey Buttercream

Ingredients

Cake
500ml vanilla coconut milk icecream, softened
75g gluten free gingernut biscuits, crushed + extra for serving
300g dairy free margarine or coconut oil
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup honey
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups almond meal (can substitute with ground sunflowers)
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
250g coconut yogurt

Lemon & Honey Buttercream
400g dairy-free margarine
zest & juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup honey
4 cups icing sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl add the softened vanilla coconut ice cream along with the crushed gingernuts. Stir briefly to combine and place back into the container and freeze overnight or for at least 2-3 hours until firm. Remove and let it soften slightly and scoop out 3-4 large round scoops of ice cream to decorate the top of the cake. Place these scoops onto a tray or in a container and place back into the freezer to firm up in preparation for decorating.

Ginger Honey Cake
Preheat the oven to 160C (fan bake). Grease and line a 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the honey and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the eggs one at a time with the beaters running on low, beating until combined between each egg.

Combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond meal, baking powder and ground ginger together in a separate bowl. Mix gently to combine. Add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to the batter.

Add half the dry flour mix to the batter along with half the coconut yogurt. Mixing to combine. Repeat with the reaming flour and yogurt and mix on low until combined.

Divide the cake mixture evenly between the three cake pans and place into the oven to bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. Trim the top of the cake if necessary to create three flat layers.

Lemon & Honey Buttercream
In the bowl of an electric mixer add the dairy-free margarine and beat until light and fluffy. Add the honey and beat for a further minute until combined. Sift in the icing sugar and gently mix to combine.

Beat the buttercream mixture for 3-4 minutes and then add the lemon juice and zest and beat for a further minute or so until combined.

Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place into the fridge until needed.

Assembly
Add a dollop of the Lemon & Honey Buttercream to the serving plate or stand and press the bottom layer of cake onto the buttercream to secure in place. Add 1/3 cup of buttercream to the top of the base layer and spread evenly over the top with an offset spatula.

Place the second layer on top and press down gently. Add another 1/3 cup of icing and repeat the process until the top layer is in place and has been covered with icing.

Spread a thin layer of icing around the edges of the cake and place into the freezer to firm up for 15-20 minutes. Add the rest of the icing around the top and edges of the cake.

Just before serving top with the scoops of gingernut icecream to the top of the cake and finish with a sprinkling of extra crushed or whole gingernuts on top of the cake. To finish drizzle the entire top of the cake with honey.

Serve immediately!

Lemon Ginger Bourbon Fizz

Ingredients

4 ounces bourbon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 ounces ginger beer (or ginger ale)
4 ounces chilled club soda
ice
fresh lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

Fill two glasses with ice.

In a shaker, combine the bourbon, lemon juice and some ice.

Divide the lemon/bourbon mixture between the two glasses.

Top the bourbon/lemon mixture with 2 ounces each of the ginger beer and club soda. Stir to combine.

Garnish with a fresh wedge of lemon.

Get the ingredients and devour the details of a ginger and lemon-filled holiday season all winter long! Enjoy!

Monday Mashups: Serving Up Smoothies...From a Gas Pump

Playing off the idea that food is fuel, Daily Harvest, a direct-to-consumer brand that delivers organic, plant-based meals on a subscription basis, was pumping out smoothies and other goodies at its retro-style gas station in New York’s SoHo neighborhood from November 14 to 18. But why you ask?

Because it was time to get to know their consumers. The Refueling Station pop-up by Daily Harvest, which was produced by the Gathery, was the first offline experience by the brand. In order to realize their mission, the pop-up was created to disrupt New Yorkers' overbooked schedules and show them that they can nourish their bodies with good food that won’t slow them down. Also, as is the case with most e-commerce brands that host brick-and-mortar events, Daily Harvest wanted to connect with fans as well as prospective customers who may not be familiar with the brand and allow them to sample and purchase the product. We oblige!

Visitors were able to try samples including smoothies from the “gas pumps” and full-sized breakfast bowls, harvest bowls, smoothies, and more at the interactive “car wash” counter. The freezer aisle was reimagined as an interactive photo booth that featured different agricultural terrains where Daily Harvest's organic produce and ingredients are sourced.

Plus, a giant avocado slice called “the 'Cado Car” served as a twist on the nostalgic kiddie rides often found outside gas stations. The idea behind the retro elements acted as a nostalgic reminder of the past, when food was less processed and we lived life at a slower pace. We like that!

The pop-up’s theme was also inspired by the grab-and-go lifestyle of many folks, especially New Yorkers. Our busy schedules sometimes lead us to make quick and often unhealthy eating choices like grabbing something quickly at a bodega or 7-Eleven. But Daily Harvest proves it doesn’t need to be this way. To showcase this, the company chose one of the most unhealthy places imaginable—a gas station filled with over-processed foods—and turned it on its head to be a food oasis. It’s a physical representation of Daily Harvest's mission: to take care of food so food can take care of you.

Daily Harvest is planning to host its Refueling Station pop-up in more cities in 2019. Keep your eyes peeled and devour the details of a better on-the-go thanks to this green machine!