Yesterday I posted an entry about my unhappiness with Cassiani Collection as a company and that I thought they were unprofessional and unresponsive.

After extensively discussing this with the owner, it was realized that I was at fault in this as well.  I was using their online contact form to communicate with them and I should have been emailing directly or calling them to discuss my issues.

While their contact form DOES work, most of the contacts go to spam because (as online forms always go,) spammers LOVE to enter erroneous contacts.  So my multiple contacts through this form were likely tagged spam as well.  I should have known to at least attempt a telephone call before jumping the gun and discontinuing business with them.

Danny has rectified the issues that I had, in a VERY professional manner, and I feel comfortable putting Cassiani favors back on FavorBonanza.com.  The new selection will be limited to lighter items (sorry, no more olive oil bottles or porcelain vases!) and I’m going to choose favors that I think are of the best quality and value.

Thank you to Danny for contacting me and being so RESPONSIVE once he knew I was trying to contact him.

I have noticed over the years that soap favors don’t seem to sell well.  They do alright for bridal showers, but couples just don’t seem to be selecting them for their weddings.  I decided it might be time to dispell the myth that “soap is just for girls.”

While women put a lot of thought into the soap they buy - from cream body washes to fruity-scented confections from Bath & Body Works or anti-bacterial character soaps for the kids’ bathroom - men tend to just grab the cheapest bar on the grocery store shelf and be done with it.

What you probably don’t realize is how often a man will take home soap from a hotel.  When I first met my husband, he had several hotel soaps in his apartment bathroom.  I chuckled at his frugality and also that he didn’t mind letting the world know where he got them (for free.)

Years later, on our honeymoon, we arrived home with a full suitcase.  As I unpacked, I found ALL of the soap (even the half-used bar,) was packed.  I placed it under the cabinet and forgot about it for a few weeks. Until I went to take a shower and my fruity bath scrub was empty.  I reached for my husband’s soap and BEHOLD - it was the hotel bar.  He had taken it from the cabinet and put it to use.

In jokingly telling a friend, she admitted that her husband did the exact same thing.  And several other friends volunteered the embrassed admission that their boyfriends and husbands also re-used hotel soaps.

My point? Well - if you’re giving away soap - no matter how pretty or trendy it is - a man will likely use it.  While women might take this beautiful little soap as a keepsake, men will take it as a functional gift.  I’d be willing to bet it will end up in their shower shortly after your day.  While you might hope people take it home for display on a shelf in their bathroom, be happy and thankful that some are putting it to good use.   Especially men.  There are some favors that they might not hesitate to toss - but when it comes to fere toiletries - I think they’ll be keeping it around.

One of the key things couples and shower-throwers look for when selecting favors is the pricing.  They typically compare prices across the web, compare features between products within sites, and opt for the best features for the best price. Speed of shipping also plays an important role, as MANY consumers wait until the very last minute to order their favors and then need expedited shipping to ensure it gets to them in time for their event.  While transit times are generally the same, order processing time can make all the difference.

Fashioncraft has recently rolled out new favors with more creative packaging and lower pricing, and in so doing, has created much harder competition for Kate Aspen.  It used to seem that Kate Aspen was the only company putting effort into the way their favors were presented - but Fashioncraft has stepped up above the others to create original packaging that wows the consumer.
For instance - this egg timer for baby showers (released just days ago by Fashioncraft,) is much less expensive than Kate Aspen’s version, and the packaging is suitable for any gender baby, and has adorable little chicks on it.  While Kate Aspen does offer packaging for specific gender, it’s just not as cute - and it’s an awkward cylinder instead of a box.

Even better than the packaging is the price!  While Kate Aspen’s egg timer retails between $2.59 and $4.59 (ouch!,) Fashioncraft’s egg timer retails between $1.75 and $2.65.  Who would opt for Kate Aspen’s in today’s economy?? AND… Fashioncraft ships within 1-3 business days. Wow - that’s fast!

Besides just baby shower favors, Fashioncraft has released fancier packaging for many of their wedding favors, including but not limited to: the Angel Curio Box in deluxe gift packaging which proves it’s not just the favor that can be beautiful, Love Themed Bottle Stoppers in black boxes with white love words imprinted and a fancy heart hang tag, and more.

The only downfall when comparing the two vendors and their products, is that Fashioncraft does require minimum orders on all of their products.  While they DO ship out single samples, they won’t sell 5 of something.  So if you’re looking for a favor to use as a shower game prize, Kate Aspen’s more expensive No-Minimum is the way to go.  However - depending on the minimum, it still may be less expensive to buy the minimum of Fashioncraft’s product as opposed to the 5 at ridiculously inflated retail from Kate Aspen.

You choose.  But I’m “in favor” of Fashioncraft these days.

I was browsing various wedding vendors today and came across some unique wedding gifts.  If you’re looking for original favors or accessories, Personal Creations won’t disappoint. There are no run-of-the-mill-seen-that-on-every-other-site products there!

Their original offering of wedding favors features item such as personalized golf balls, biscotti cookies, Bride & Groom caricature playing cards, personalized mini champagne bottle favors, and much more! Everything from custom-printed buttermint packages, dinner and cocktail napkins, and can coozies - to photo wine bottle labels, engraved Christmas ornaments, and etched wine bottle stoppers. Don’t think they’re limited to favors, either.  You can get your personalized cake topper, reception table centerpieces, engraved serving set, toasting flutes, unity candles and vases, Bride & Groom bibles, photo keepsake boxes, and even throw blankets!

My absolute favorite wedding favor item is the set of 25 “Wedding Characters Candy Wrappers” featuring cartoon versions of the bride, groom, and the whole wedding party.  You get to pick out a character to match yourselves, your bridesmaids, and your groomsmen, AND you can put their names to each of them! Totally unique and adorable. And most of all - affordable.

Located in Illinois, they have a toll-free customer service number with great hours (open much longer than most other vendors!)  You can buy directly on the web site with confidence - they are verified secure by Verisign and TrustWave, and they have customer testimonials and product ratings to help you make the best choice. They’ve also got a great rating on BizRate, with over 100,000 customers rating them since 1999. Wow!

PersonalCreations.com

Any wedding favor can become a “personalized” favor by simply adding a hang tag!  Favor tags can be affixed to boxes with glue, dangle from bags with string, hang off of coordinating ribbon, or even stuck into place card holders!

Favor Bonanza has recently added unique, “exclusive” favor hang tag designs.  Whether you’re going classy, or retro-biker - there’s a favor tag for every style.

Some of the new designs:

“Brushed Heart” Design Favor Tags - These adorable 1.75 x 1.75″ tags are printed on matte cardstock sheets and have NO PERFORATION MARKS!

“Nouveau Garden” Favor Tags- The 1.75 x 1.75″ matte tag features a green and gold design with bright floral accents. Printed in sheets of 20, you simply peel them from the backing and you have a tag with no perforation marks that can be hole-punched or affixed with glue.

Other designs include tattoo, hawaiin, peachy, and Vegas.

There will be several more new designs added in the coming weeks - including scalloped-edge tags, heart-shaped, favor labels and stickers, and more. Don’t expect to see these anywhere else - they’re exclusive designs!

It’s that time again.  Yey!

Here are the current hot promotions in the wedding industry:

- Shop The JeanM V.I.B Sale & Save 20% On All Orders Thru May 20th!  Use Code 28986 At Checkout.

- 15% Off Any Order When You Shop Ann’s Bridal Bargains Between May 7-13!  Find lots of great deals on invitations, accessories, and more!

- Additional 25% Off Immediate Delivery Wedding Dresses at House Of Brides with coupon code IDW25

-5% Off Orders Over $25  at LittleThingsFavors.com with coupon code Take5

- 5% off coupon when you sign up for free email newsletter at Escape Concepts

- Save $15.00 off purchases of $200+ at Elegant Wedding Impressions with coupon code SAVE15

- On Sale at The Knot Wedding Shop

- Save 20% - 35% OFF on Personalized Bridal T-Shirts at Hanson Ellis.

- $5 Off any order over $100 at InvitationConsultants.com. Order Invitations for any occasion today. Coupon Code CJ34495.

- Enter coupon code TAKE25 to receive $25 off orders over $200 at MyWeddingFavors.com
OR Enter coupon code SAVE10 to receive 10% on orders over $150.

- 25% off All Ribbon at PrintMyRibbon.com, Promo Code: PMR25

- 10% off orders of $105 or more when you shop InvitationsbyDawn.com before May 31st!

- Shop the SPRING SAVINGS SALE at Rexcraft between May 18 and 31 to save 15% on any order!  No minimum purchase! OR Save 20% on all wedding invitation orders over $150 until May 31, 2009!
- 10% off orders of $130 or more when you shop www.now-and-forever.com before June 1. Use coupon code 26392.

- VEGAS: 30% OFF at Circus Circus on Orbitz! Great honeymoon getaway!

That’s it for this month.  Stay tuned for June deals next month.

Wedding cameras are an important wedding day accessory. Many brides don’t realize that even these more functional items can be beautiful and add sparkle and personality to reception tables.

Guests expect to see your run-of-the-mill disposable camera from Walmart on the table.  They know that most couples will want candid shots of guests and moments.  But what they don’t usually expect is something more than just a throw-away camera.  Dazzle them and they’ll be more apt to take the “right” photos.

When my husband and I placed our cameras on the tables, we didn’t really know what to expect.  They were wedding themed, but they looked cheap and they only took 15 pictures.  When we got them back from development, I was appauled at some of the photos my guests took.  One guest took a picture of their dinner plate.  One took a picture of herself with food strategically placed in her teeth. Another went as far as to take a picture of the toilet in the restroom!  And so on. I was so angry that we had spent the money to develop photos such as this, and angry that my guests didn’t “think” before shooting.
In recent years, the cameras have changed - for the better!  And I truly believe that if we had put out classier cameras, people would have taken classier photos. It sounds silly - but it seems in our society, if it looks like you spent money on it, people will respect it more.

The great news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to present a better wedding camera!  In fact, the current wedding cameras available are even less expensive than the ones I bought 4 years ago at Walmart, and they look like they cost at least 3 times as much!

No matter what your theme, there’s likely a camera to match.  There are Asian themed wedding cameras with cherry blossoms, double happiness symbols, and even lucky bamboo cameras.  There are rhinestone-embellished cameras to give that extra “bling” and remind guests of diamonds.  There are pure white cameras to match the wedding dress.  Irish cameras with shamrocks and clovers.  Butterfly cameras.  And the list goes on.  You’re sure to find one that suits your style or matches your wedding theme.

These tasty little treats used to be something you’d only see at Baby Showers, and they were usually shaped like lollipops and made of washcloths.  But today, with brides looking for more creative wedding favor options, they’ve become more elaborate, realistic, and available!

Offering new designs such as Hot Fudge Sundaes, Cheesecakes, Yogurt Parfaits, Swiss Cake Rolls, and more, FavorBonanza has added an entire “Towel Cake Favors” category!

Towel cakes are made when colored hand towels are cleverly rolled into a shape that resembles a food item.  They usually have adornments such as ribbon and fruit.

Ranging in prices from $2-$5, towel cake favors are an affordable and unique gift for your guests. They look good enough to eat, but they’re a practical gift that guests can take home and use in their kitchen or bathroom. They’re fitting for bridal showers, wedding receptions, and baby showers. Guests also like that they’re calorie-free!

As popularity for these adorable treats increases, several vendors have expanded their line, and many wholesale wedding favor distributors are planning to add them to their lineup.  Event Blossom led the trend by offering the “Love Is Sweet” Towel Cake Favor in their new releases for March, 2009.  Another popular Italian favors company added them to their D’Moda Dolci Collection, and other popular vendors are planning to release them later in 2009.  Keep your eyes open for new additions at your favorite retailers!

SAVE BIG! It’s here - the monthly Deals & Steals installment! Here are the sales and promotions going on now in the wedding industry:

1.Save 10% on your wedding invitations now when you shop Ann’s Bridal Bargains before June 1!

2. Get free shipping now when you shop Ann’s Bridal Bargains before June 1 and use coupon code 22378.

3. $10 off orders of $90 or more when you use 27576 at Ann’s Bridal Bargains before June 1.

4. 25% off All Ribbon at PrintMyRibbon.com, Promo Code: PMR25 Sale extended through 4/24.

5. MyJeanM Blowout Sale! Get 10% Off Orders Of $149 Or More When You Shop Before May 31.

6.  10% off orders of $105 or more when you shop InvitationsbyDawn.com before April 30th!

7. BLOWOUT SALE! Get 20% off all wedding invitation and accessory orders at Rexcraft when you spend $150 or more before May 31, 2009!

8. 10% off orders of $130 or more when you shop www.now-and-forever.com before June 1. Use coupon code 26932.

9. Storewide Clearance at The Knot Wedding Shop

10.  Enter coupon code TAKE25 at myweddingfavors.com to receive $25 off orders over $200.

11. Save 20% OFF on Wedding Placecard Holders at Hanson Ellis.

12. $5 Off any order over $100 at InvitationConsultants.com. Order Invitations for any occasion today. Coupon Code CJ34495.

13.  Save 10% off all in-stock Kate Aspen products at Favor Bonanza with coupon code KA10 during checkout. Sale extended until April 30th.

14. Save 5% off Cathy’s Concepts’ Bridesmaid and Groomsmen gifts at AmericanBridal.com for the whole month of April! Coupon code: save5.

15. 5% off purchases of $100.00 or more at ElegantWeddingImpressions.com with coupon code: COUPON871

16. Spend $75 and Save $12, Plus Free Shipping at Bridal Party Tees with coupon code: BPTCJ3

17. FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50 at MyOwnLabels.com

Stay tuned for next month’s edition!

I have spent nearly 2 years trying to figure out who makes a certain group of place card holder favors, to no avail.  At this point, I am desperate to find them and am hoping they read my blog and will let me know who they are!

They make a rhinestone tiara place card holder, some little resin victorian shoe card holders, some pewter purse card holders, buddha’s in red or gold, silver or gold elephants, beach chair card holders, ttle music stands, little musical instruments (horns,) and MANY more.
Their item numbers usually contain L, LA, or LV - which leads me to believe these are the initials of the company - but that hasn’t turned up in my numerous searches. I found a company called Lonson Ltd. with a woman named Linda LV as the contact and this seemed the most promising find - they make wedding figurines and a few favors, but it doesn’t look like they make place card holders. SO another dead end.
Their products can be seen on sites like MyWeddingFavors.com, the Knot, Little Things Favors, full catalog pages scanned in on southbeachgifts.com, and other popular favor sites.  And still, I cannot find the supplier!

Please - if you know who they are, fill me in!  I am going crazy over this! I spend nearly 10 hours per week scouring every resource I can find and come up empty all of the time.

Thanks for any help you can offer!