I was doing my wedding search and i found this article kind of within an article. Some wedding vendor lady was super pissed cus she thought the article was giving bad advice.
Here's the Wedding Vendors Comments:
http://lasvegasweddingnetwork.org/2009/04/17/wedding-professionals-unite-against-these-suggestions/
The article is called The Big Wedding Money-Wasters:
http://food.yahoo.com/blog/foxyfestivities/19773/the-big-wedding-money-wasters/
First of all, I think that both sides are sort of right. Wedding vendors DO charge too much MOST times. They do it cause its "your wedding and it must be perfect". Yada yada yada and blah blah. Some would charge for the air your guest breath if they could see it. Wanna read some horror stories of brides getting cleaned out read Bridal Bargains.
However, there is a point when a little DIY turns into all in one super Bridezilla. There some things that a bride should not do Not because we can't do the job (I have been cooking since I was ten, I know how to make a mean dozen of cupcakes)but because its a LUXURY not to have too.
Its part of that one day relax and be pretty thing which is a resounding note in the wedding vendor song. I think its good to take the advice that best suits you.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Wedding money saving tips!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Super cute cake toppers!
So I am on the hunt for cake toppers. Originally I wanted to have a customized cartoon version of us. But after seeing that price tag: $100 and up, I was like "heck no". Don't get me wrong, I think that anyone who has the talent to turn wood or clay into mini mes should get paid in full. I do think that any piece of art that takes more than an hour of some one's time is worth the moola. I just don't have it to spend. So I did some research and I really looked into it. Here's what I found:
I found this one on Etsy. I love this set. Its the same idea of custom cartoon cake topper only with a little less detail. The shop's name? Goosegrease. The price for your very own look alike peg person cake topper? $40. Yup tell the lady about yourself and your baby and you will get your very own peg person. Check them out: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5881530
Next I saw on Save On Crafts, these two doves. I love the cute birdcage veil on the lady dove. The price ? Only $2.99 for the pair. I would put some wax paper underneath them and place them right on my cake.
Of Course I thought of this the crystal monogram cake topper!!!! I love this sparkly idea for an otherwise boring white cake. However the prices for this are out of control from $55 and up. I have seen some that retail for $250! That's on expensive cake topper! So much so alot of brides are getting out their glue guns and doing it for themselves. Want one check out these secrets that I found!
- Yes, I'm a knottie. Why cus I really like the magazine. Any who here is a fellow knotttie/Nester's tips link:
- I found this from another wedding blog ( yea I look at other people's stuff, hey I'm a bride)
- This one is from the Wedding Bee, I heart Wedding Bee.
I also like the idea of not having an "official' cake topper like this cover of Martha Stewart. This is a really cool idea and it could work with anything. Bugs, butterflies, sparkly stars or even footballs if it has a pick and you can stick it on top or all around your cake, it will work!
Posted by africandiva at 10:15 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Me VS The Gut: the battle at Fort Fridge!
Sorry its been taking so long but I am trying to book my venue site over the phone, go to work, register for classes, deal with drama and still perform my duties as a future house wife/current girlfriend. So how's the fight? Honestly I'm losing. The Gut kicked my butt yesterday. I had a show down with the fridge and at the food court! I totally ate like six slices of bread....yuck I'm not proud. At the food court, t I ate just a bowl of oatmeal that morning and hubby's talk of hamburgers get the best of me. The damage: a veggie burger with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and grilled mushrooms, barbecue with a fluffy bun with tons of Five Guys fries. tons. Its funny cus when you are at work and they only give you thirty minutes to eat, it just makes you want to eat more. You think "Darn it, I only have thirty minutes I need to eat as much as I can. Move it sister!" but the reality is that it only takes 1 minute to make a better choice. "greasy yummy veggie burger...no, yummy salad instead." I'm writing this cus I know there are women out there fighting the good fight to maintain a healthy weight. I just hate the women who "pretend" that their lives are so much better and brighter than yours. You know the type that say "I just wake up this thin, pretty, and perfect" when we all know they have trainers, makeup people or what not. so I will not be fake ...I gave in to carbs but dont count me out!
Posted by africandiva at 9:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: Food
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I love Wild Hibiscus Flowers!!!!
Posted by africandiva at 7:48 AM 1 comments
Monday, January 12, 2009
I LOVE COOKING & I LIKE EATING!
I love cooking its my favorite thing to do. I mean at first it was a big chore that I didnt see the point in.I am the oldest and only girl in my family and i had to cook for my brother. ( I never learned how to clean up AFTER cooking but that is another blog post).I really hated it but now I'm so in to it, its crazy. I was at Borders today and the FI and I saw this book: "400 Best-Ever Budget Recipes" for only $4.99! SCORE! I was kind of in a cooking rut -its like getting writers block only with your kitchen. Then boom I opened this book and the creative juices went to work. I started really noticing what I had in my fridge...."Blood oranges"? And then I looked at the pictures...."smoothie"? And add some magic of machines..."Blender?" And I was getting the job done..."Orange Rum on The Rocks"! Yup I am eating large and gaining weight baby, oh yea! Yup when everyone is losing weight I'm getting bigger. C'est ma vie.
Posted by africandiva at 8:41 PM 0 comments
Monday, December 15, 2008
Cool secret gifts for your beloved. Girls Edition.
As you know I just finished the guys edition. Well gals need love too!
So lets begin:
Sexy Siren: Is your gal a sexy senorita? Give her gifts that are as unique as they are sexy.
This Personalized Ensemble "Bride" undie set from Customized World.com. Only $25.00!
Treat her like a work of art...literally. Kama Sutra presents Lover's Paintbox. This set "Includes: Jars of Kama Sutra dark, milk and white chocolate body paints, Body paintbrush." Only $36.99.
Hot Sports Fan:
Is your gal a fan too? Let your favorite Mrs. keep her sexy sports style.
This off the shoulder top is from the awesome Bombshellsports at Etsy.com! No more baggy tees and jerseys! Show off her sexy curves in this unique top. Customize with your favorite team and let her know she is a part of your special team! Only $40.00!
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH corset top also a creation from Bombshellsports. Get a custom one in your favorite team for only $55.00!http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6420638
Geek Girl:
Is she your sexy geek by day and super girl by night? Show her you care.
The super cute Crystal Rhinestone USB Optical Scroll Mouse is a great way to incorporate style and geek thus geek is chic! Only $32.99 at computergear.com!
Hoop Earrings with Tiny Circuit Board Charm Blue and Gold are super cute and super cool gift for your tech babe! VioletsNewVintage are the creators of the fab earrings and you can find them on Etsy for only $21.00.
Fashion Diva Is she your stylist? Does she know all the hottest trends? Then give her gifts that are worthy of her love.
Give her Versace! This fab fragrance is inspired by Donatella's favorite smells. Only $48,Versace Bright Crystal is a wonderful gift!Available at Sephora.com!
Also at Sephora is the Limited Edition Dior Dior Chic Palette: Eyeshadow set. Only $49.50!
Marc by Marc Jacobs...wonderful stuff, really. This bag is luxury that is affordable. Under $100, its $98 and available at eluxury.com!
The Gamer Gal Pal: Does she stay up and play video games with you until 3:00 am?
This pretty tee is fun and flirty. Loyal Army Clothing created this tee with the gamer gal in mind and its only $19.50!http://loyalarmy.com/index.php
Let them know your Mrs. Pac has your back with this super cool tee! Vicious Gobbler Women's Tee is an awesome tee from JINX and its only $19.99-$20.99! http://www.jinx.com/
The Romantic Rose: Is she your Cinderella? Prove that you are her Prince Charming with these swoon worthy gifts!
Give her roses, literally.A dozen red roses for $59.99! Available at 1800flowers.com and they deliver nationwide!
Give her chocolate with a personal message.Hersey's Personalized Hearts & Ribbon Chocolate Card with Red Personalization is thoughtful and yummy. Only $24.95!
The Giant Glam Gal: Are diamonds her best friend? Does she like the finer things in life. Give her the best without breaking the bank.
Give her pearls which are very rare and special. This Pink Freshwater Cultured Pearl Bracelet with 14k White Gold (6.0-6.5mm) is available at Blue Nile for $65!
Give her something blue and bright with this 14k White Gold 1/10ct Diamond Blue Topaz Necklace from Overstock.com only $152.99! Enuff said.
The Nature Nymph
She is more likely to recycle and reuse than to shop til she drops. She dreams of saving the planet. Ethical and thoughtful gifts is what she wants.
Give her diamonds just ones that are guilt-free. The Milestones pendant from Diamond Nexus Lab is beautiful and real. Only $145 for 2.05 carats total weight!
I knew I loved this as soon as I saw it. This Jeunebugs Real Birch Leaf Pendant is just beautiful. The artist said this herself " Each leaf is a "Real" item of nature; handpicked, carefully selected, sized and preserved at the peak of it's beauty. A very delicate process has been achieved by trained artisans to protect their natural shape. They are then dipped in iridescent copper, 24K gold or Sterling silver. The step by step procedure usually takes seven days.. The tiny veins are exposed so you can see through the leaf...Beautiful!Each pendant includes a leather cord in Brown or Black in lengths of 16, 18 or 20 inches. . Matching chains available for an additional $9Pendant size: 1 3/4 inches Wide... 3 inches High from top of bail" Whats the price for this treasure? Only $25.00!
Well thats it for now.love ya!Posted by africandiva at 10:15 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
DIY Catering 101: How to do it Yourself!
- Amy's- I think having two boxes of vegan pizza is a great way to keep all veggie people happy. Also the Texas burger is awesome!!!
- Alternative Baking Concepts. The best VEGAN cookies EVER! Its good to have an alternate desert available too. http://www.alternativebaking.com/index4.cfm
- Morning Star- meat alternative.
- Sticky Fingers Bakery-I haven't tried it yet but I love the idea of this mail order shop.http://www.stickyfingersbakery.com/index.php
here's a link that has a list of vegan food and clothing products: http://www.vrg.org/links/products.htm#retailer
6. Put out Fancy Appetizers: Appetizers are your friends if you know what you are doing. A finger food platter is great affordable option and easy to find at any supermarket or make at home.
7. Shop in Season: Don't look for coconuts in December or pineapples in January. Shopping in season is a quick way to save money on foods.
8. Shop Organic: Trader Joes, Wholefoods and other organic markets are great places to find fresh foods.The fresher your foods are the better.
9. Go for the visuals: Add variety into the menu. Having a wide assortment makes sure there is something for everyone. Use bright color vegetables and fruits, like carrots, lettuce, blueberries, red peppers etc to garnish dishes. Add elevation to your display by taking sturdy boxes and placing the dish on top.
10. Keep the Bar simple: No one will notice if you don't have a full bar. Have a beer selection, a wine selection, water, and soft drinks or juice. If you really want to be cost effective than have a signature cocktail/drink, water, soft drink.
11. Wow with fancy sauces: Sometimes you can turn something simple like grilled chicken or tofu into something with dazzle just by adding a special sauce. Remember to heat sauces that go onto meat or meat alternatives. Also adding sauce/ preservatives on simple cake slices makes them awesome. Mint chocolate fudge on chocolate cake, anyone?
12. Have Help: No one can do it all by themselves. We all need help. Hire people who have experience with food ( an experienced waiter, a trusted volunteer) to man the buffet lines or help send the food out to the people. They shouldn't be family and they should have a list of guidelines. Food should be already made. Also pay them well.
Posted by africandiva at 6:03 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Holy Crazy Cute Couture Classy Cakes, Batman!
Everyone loves cakes. Its not only a free desert that pleases everyone especially kids its a showstopper that gets center prize at a majority of weddings.
3. If you go into a pricey bakery or cafe avoid the word wedding. Alot of vendors charge more for "wedding" stuff than regular stuff. Also avoid the fancy stuff. the more work they have to do, the more you will pay. Exotic flavors + Tiny edible flowers = Hefty Bills!
4. Stick a simple shape (round). Also stick with simple colors, a plain cake in white or pastel or a favorite color can be decorated with flowers.
Posted by africandiva at 4:36 PM 0 comments
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Fancy Shamacy! Red Carpet Edition.
Diamonds Darling!
Once again Ann's Bridal Bargains to the rescue! The Classic Frame is the only way to go for invites. "Three bands of pearl foil and two embossed panels create an elegant, classic frame on this natural white invitation.(Folded size: 5 1/8" x 7 1/4")" Invites $82 for 100. Outer Envelope with Printed Return Address for Invitation $21.00 for 100.
Music to My Ears!
The best music for a red carpet event is jazz, classical and a pop mix. Mozart, Bach, Cassandra Wilson, Frank Sinatra, Sade, Seal, U2, Joss Stone, Norah Jones and Christina Aguileria.
Go to the church or ceremony location in your car and leave your reception in a limo.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Fancy Shamancy!
When you are having a bad day...I mean nothing is going right. I mean you get out of the bed, cant find your slippers, cant find your tooth brush, cant find the tooth paste. Out of milk, so no cereal (to me this is a big thing), misplaced your keys, scarred your glasses, missed your train, cant get change to ride the bus.....the list goes on. When you have those days...take a breath, relax, and remember today is just one day so enjoy it. yup I know its hard but you must try. So whats the point and where is the wedding stuff?
I talk to my friends who are getting married, or are married, or know crazy brides and they all talk about money...some even cry about it. So I want to share some tips I found out about just because I love weddings, wedding magazines, the whole nine yards.
Today's topic is catering/party foods:
I do believe that IF you have the money you should ALWAYS go with the wedding help. Seriously, they really make your day easier its their job. The main purpose of my blog is to help those who dont have or dont want to spend the money. I think that wedding foods are really costly. But here are some ways to feed guest fancy style without the sticker shock.
Pizza on Puff Pastry
Why cus everyone loves pizza. Puff pastry makes pizza look fancy. Ingredients like fresh basil, tomato sauce, mozzarella, red peppers, olives, oregano, red tomatoes, spinach...really whatever you want. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. just cut into small square let cool to room temp and tada put it out there. Dont have time try this Real Simple Recipe:
START WITH: A large cheese pizza. (Ask for it unsliced and, if possible, slightly underbaked.) TO MAKE: Avoiding the crust, cut out mini pizzas with round cookie or biscuit cutters. Heat the rounds at 400ยบ F for about 5 minutes. Top with slices of olives, marinated mushrooms, chopped prosciutto, an anchovy fillet, or fresh herbs (such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, thyme, or oregano).
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,674552,00.html
Fruit Kabobs
This is super easy. I do this all the time. Get skewers, tons of them. Cut pineapples, honey dew melons, strawberries, cherries, kiwi anything that doesn't brown so apples and bananas are not good. Put pieces on the skewers and serve.
Shrimp in martini glasses
Put some already cooked shrimp on the sides of cocktail glasses and add a tablespoon cocktail sauce with a lemon wedge. Totally fancy! Get martini glasses from the dollar store...I will.
Bruschetta
The legendary Italian bread snack. Get some Italian bread top it with tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, mozzarella, salt, pepper. The key is to broil it until the cheese melts but stop when it starts to turn golden or when bread begins to blacken. 5 mins to 7 mins is enuff.
Chicken tenders and/ or veggie tenders.
This is the fun part. Go to a warehouse discounter, whole foods grocery store, local grocery store and buy in bulk. Obey the directions and dont use the quicker time. Put Barbue Q sauce, honey mustard sauce, hot sauce and ketchup on the side. Garnish with mint leaves.
Veggie Pasta
I love doing a thai peanut sauce with noodles, add peanuts, peas, yellow pepper, broccoli, coconut flakes. mix and serve. yum!
Walnut Baklava
I love this. Its sweet and alot of people still dont know what it is.
MY RECIPE (VEGAN):
A really cool desert. Get an all fruit preservative ( I love Polaner) get the fruit you wish to use ( if you have strawberry jelly also buy strawberries) buy fancy mini dairy free pastry shells ( http://www.filofactory.com/). Add a table spoon of jelly, fruit, crushed walnuts or pecans, bake for 10 min at 375.
Posted by africandiva at 8:46 PM 0 comments
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A Rosy Outlook on Life!
I am loving the color pink!!!! I'm not girly...I like the Eagles, I love video games, I can eat faster then anyone I know and I can happily hang with only guys for the rest of my life. However, I think there is an inner women in all of us, even in men...(I have seen men run from bugs, so called macho dudes). After fighting with myself ( "I SHOULD want blue and green But I dont") and seeing other folks ( "WOW, I want that!" and "Yea...Its nice, I guess.") I finally decided to embrace my inner glam gal. So Pink and Gold it is! For all of my Past, Present and Future Pink gals this one's for you! Instead of a Inspiration Board...I decided to do an Information article!
Affordable and Just Fab Pink Stuff for Your Shindig!
Ann's Bridal Bargains
Soft Pastel Pink Invitations - $ 78.00 for 100!
Outer Envelope with Printed Return Address and Optional Liner - $37 for 100!
I LOVE ETSY...I FOUND ANOTHER JEWELRY SHOP I LOVE!
Zahour! Made by the fab Nicole Zahour, this rose gold ring is just beautiful.
I love the heart its the best way to wear your heart on your sleeve.
Of course the price is great only $150 with a choice of yellow gold, and silver.
This dress is super fab! Its affordable and beautiful. Its from David's Bridal. Priced at $155, I think its super cute plus its a style that any gal can wear again. I love the bubble hem and the color Azelea.
They have many more dresses and sales at Davids Bridal!
This dress is from Delias. Its super cute with a bow right in front. The Michelle Dress is priced at a mere $54.50! Again its a wearable style.
Vegan Pink Cupcakes. I plan on having pink vegan cupcakes with sprinkles and different kinds of pink. This one is Strawberry Shortcake, YUM!
Get the recipe at: http://thevoraciousvegan.blogspot.com/2008/03/strawberry-shortcake-cupcakes.html
Pink Lemonade is a great way to incorporate your love for pink...I will have pink lemonade at my party please believe it. This recipe is great if you want a signature cocktail.
Get the recipe at :
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1736842_1583520,00.html
This lovely table is a great example of pink decor. The amazing artists at Tic-Tock Couture Florals in Los Angeles made this centerpiece for a wedding. Its so beautiful.
http://www.tictock.com/
Ann Ruthmann is a wonderful photographer.period. As soon as I saw this I had to feature it in my blog. Ann has put the art back into photography. Check her out : http://www.anneruthmann.com/
Thank you and love ya!
Posted by africandiva at 11:02 AM 0 comments


