{Bright Idea Thursday} Honoring loved one who have passed away

Recently I did a vendor spotlight on a wonderful etsy company who makes personalized charms to put on your bouquet and I love sharing ideas of how you can honor loved ones who have passed away, so when I found a Christmas cookie recipe that was hand written by my grandmother I had to incorporate it into a blog post! I'm also still obsessed with Kate & William so I had to include her too.

This board is dedicated to my grandmothers and illustrates an old fashion traditional elegant wedding with lace and calligraphy and candles. Click here to see more posts on honoring loved one who has passed away.

sources: doilies, lockets, kate middleton wedding dresses, centerpiece, flowers, family photos

Blogcation

Very sad day. I just lost another family member who was my 2nd dad really. RIP Steve Gooding, you're with your best friend and my dad now. Some may know that I lost my dad in 2007 and Steve was his best friend and also helped take care of me when I was a little baby. He also checked in with us all the time after the death of my father even when he lived in the Pacific Northwest. The picture seen below are images of me as a baby and then a teenager with my father. Then there is Steve in front of this red honda, one of the many cars I learned to drive on. I was thankful to go and visit Seattle one year and go with Steve to his cabin in the woods. It was a magical place surrounded by huge trees and away from everything. It was his happy place and I got to go there with him to experience it. I will miss you and find peace knowing that you are now with your best friend and causing a raucous in heaven! -- I will be back to my blog when I calm down and find time to be creative again. 
Love,
Layla

{Vendor Spotlight} Delaney Jewelry Designs

I haven't done a Vendor Spotlight in awhile so when Keri liked my facebook page I had to look at her website and like it back! I have done a few posts about Honoring loved one who has passed away and since my father did pass away before I was married I get really sentimental when I see businesses that can creatively honor those who can't be there for your special day.

Keri's personalized charms tiles are of a very high quality and unlike any you'll find. Your precious images are digitally transferred & baked in clay, then sanded & sealed to a UV proof & waterproof state with a glass-like finish. They are lightweight, ultra smooth, and very scratch resistant. All tiles and jewelry are handmade by Keri, the owner and artist at Delaney Jewelry Designs L.L.C. She is dedicated to providing the highest quality in workmanship and design for each and every order.

visit her here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DelaneyPhotoJewelry
http://www.facebook.com/DelaneyPhotoJewelry/info

{Bright Idea Thursday} Dedicated to my dad - Music List

I am the biggest sap and love listening to romantic cheesy love songs. So when I have my iTunes going while I'm working at home, my husband has to get away since some major girlie music may end up in the shuffle!!

WARNING!! Get your tissues out! One of my favorite most sentimental parts of all weddings is the father daughter dance. When my friend's sister got married in 2006 they had the most amazing live band for her wedding (Night Shift) everyone was about to sit down and eat dinner, when they began to sing "Time After Time", one of my favorite songs. So I tell my dad, "I love this song!" and he says, "Well let's go dance!" but I say, "No one is out there on the dance floor and everyone is about to eat dinner." and he says, "Who cares!" So we go out there and enjoy my favorite song, then everyone starts to join us on the dance floor. The photographer at the wedding captured us dancing in this photo below and I treasure it! Little did I know that this would be my last father daughter dance since he passed away suddenly in 2007 and I was not able to have our father daughter dance when I finally got married in 2009. So now whenever I go to weddings I love to watch the father daughter dance and if I start to cry, I apologize, it just means so much to me! I was definitly daddy's little girl as you can see in the other picture below of me and my dad when I was about 3 yrs old! So here is list of my favorite cheesy love songs for your wedding day, including my husband and I, 1st dance song- Whatever It Is

Cyndi Lauper -"Time After Time" live or Cindy Lauper with Sarah McLachlan - dedicated to my dad 

Shania Twain - Forever and For Always

Bryan Edwards - Right Now or Yours

I recently fell in love with Bryan Edwards music by watching wedding videos created by the amazing Indie Atlantic Films (one of my great Vendors). The cool thing about this wedding video is that the groom is also the musician singing! Enjoy!!

Jessica & Bryan Edwards - St. Pete Florida Wedding 1.1.11 from Indie Atlantic Films on Vimeo.

Ok back to the list.......

Zac Brown Band - Whatever It Is

John Legend - Stay With You

Blake - All of You

Matt White - Best Days
Josh Turner -Would You Go With Me

Jim Brickman - Never Alone featuring Hillary Scott and Lady Antebellum

Brandi Carlile - Closer to You

Keith Urban - Making Memories Of Us

Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

Paul Simon - Father And Daughter
Dave Matthews Band -You & Me

For more music selection ideas check out Moon River Production's list and spend some time reading Colleen's blog Soundtrack to i do:Moon River Productions Vendor - Lists of Popular Wedding Songs

Soundtrack to i do Colleen's site is a source of inspiration for all things musical and matrimonial.

What are your favorites???

Continuing with honoring a loved one who has passed you can read my previous posts:
Honoring loved one who has passed away 
Unique wedding ideas - Doves 
Put a personalized charm on your bouquet by artist Lisa Leonard

Onefabday.com blog post on wedding bouquet charms 

{Vendor Spotlight} Lisa Leonard Designs

Are you looking for a beautifully hand crafted, personalized, and sentimental gift for yourself, friend, family or for your wedding? Lisa Leonard’s designs are the answer!! Each piece is a work of art, hand cut, hammered, polished, drilled and assembled with care. Her custom jewelry is hand-stamped with names or a special phrase or verse.  Lisa mentioned that she loves to touch her necklace throughout the day and reflect on my husband and my sweet boys.  

She uses only lead-free metals! Their jewelry, all of the charms, and chains are either sterling silver or pure silver unless stated otherwise when they use other metals it is noted in the product description! Their home products are made from stainless steel or pewter.  

My favorite is her "in memory" collection:

"Loss changes us and leaves an emptiness in our hearts. Slowly, little bits of beauty begin to break through the sadness. With beauty comes hope and joy can't be too far behind, right? Find the perfect necklace or bracelet to celebrate a precious life and keep that person close to your heart."

To shop online and see more of her beautiful work:

Lisa Leonard Designs Website

Lisa Leonard Designs Facebook

Savannah & Hilton Head Unique Wedding Ideas

Lowcountry Lovebirds

A white dove release is such a breathtaking experience that will lift the spirits and be remembered by all in attendance. White doves have long been a symbol of love, fidelity and peace. Their flight represents togetherness and unity as they join in flight and leave together. Doves mate for life and are committed to their mate and family. This is a very environmentally friendly wedding option.

Packages range from 6 doves released from a basket for $300, 12 doves for $375, 18 doves for $450, or as many as 22 doves for $525. They can also be on display in a beautiful decorative cage for $100.

Now my favorite part of the dove releases are that they can be a symbolic gesture for remembrance of a family member who has passed on along with a lovely poem or prayer. Some people actually use the Lowcountry Lovebirds at funerals since they are such a beautiful expressive act. Tear!! As many people know my father was not at our wedding so we said something during the ceremony, and lit a candle with some words of memory at our reception, but having doves at our outdoor wedding would have been AMAZING!

The coolest part that I found out after talking with Tina, was that after their release they are instinctively drawn to go back home to their mates and offspring, they will circle the area, figure out where they are, then head home, and go right back into their cages!! The doves are able to fly home from several hundred miles away!!!

Contact Tina Harris

(912)429-9708

lowcountrylovebirds@comcast.net

http://lowcountrylovebirds.com

Basket Concepts, Inc.

Premier Custom Designed Theme and Gourmet Gift Basket company located in the Low Country on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. All baskets are custom made and priced accordingly. These can be wonderful for welcome baskets when your out of town guest check into their hotel or for your bridal party.
Call today to order your Custom Designed Gift Basket 843-686-4518
90 Beach City Road, Hilton Head, SC 29926 

basketconceptsinc@yahoo.com 

Basketsonhiltonhead.com

Honoring a loved one who has passed away.

Leaving an empty seat with a flower is just one way of honoring a loved one who has passed away.
When a parent or relative passes away before your wedding, it’s important to find a special way of remembering them without ruining the joyous tone of your big day!

For my wedding our reverend said something really nice during our ceremony, “Many of their deceased relatives and friends are with us in spirit. Mindful of them, of family and friends who cannot be present this day, and of all our families and friends, we rejoice in the love that __ + __ celebrate this day.” Also during the speeches at the reception I lit a candle in memory of my dad and all those who could not be with us. It’s ok to cry too!

Need some suggestions? Rev. Dawn has you covered! Ask the Rev:

"My grandfather recently passed away and I would like to find a way to honor him at my wedding ceremony. Do you have any advice or suggestions?"

"Honoring those who have passed can certainly be a vital and moving component of your ceremony, and there are infinite ways to honor those you love. I always recommend including a specific section in the ceremony simply mentioning, acknowledging, and thanking those who have passed who are closest to you and your fiancé. To specifically honor your grandfather, consider also including one of the following:

1. Lighting a candle in his honor: This can be done before the service even starts and can remain lit throughout (for an indoor ceremony, anyhow), perhaps with a brief explanation in your program of its purpose. Or, the officiant can say a few words in honor of your grandfather as the candle is lit at specific point during the ceremony
2. Saving an empty seat in the front row for your grandfather: You may also consider putting an offering of a flower on his seat.
3. Doing a reading in his honor: Do you know your grandfather’s favorite author or spiritual passage? Do you perhaps have a poem that always makes you think of the moments you spent together? Perhaps you, one of your parents, or another grandchild could read one of these in his honor.
4. Creating an altar in his honor: You could have a small table or an intricate altar set up in the ceremonial area with a candle, a photograph of your grandfather and perhaps a few small reminders of him adorning it."

*image from TOP 5 WAYS TO HONOR A LOVED ONE AT YOUR WEDDING http://bit.ly/mx7cq8