Jean M Blog

Here's a sneak peek at some of the BEAUTIFUL new designs submitted to the Jean M Designer Search!

The creative designs are rolling in to the Jean M Designer Search, and we're loving every minute of going through them! Here are just a few that caught my eye this week...but tell me what YOU think.  Add a comment to this post including your vote using one of the three options below for each design.  And if you have any other thoughts to share - I'd love to hear your opinion! 

* I love it! 

* I like it.

* I'd leave it.  

 1. So delicate and pretty — perfect for a romantic wedding any time of year! Just imagine this in YOUR wedding colors!

 

2.  What a great combination of traditional florals and modern stripes — and I'm loving those sweet little dots!

3.  This has me thinking, "he loves me, he loves me not, HE LOVES ME!" The fresh colors and daisies are a great combination.

 

Keep the entries coming! You have until September 30^th to submit your designs. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

 

Vineyard wedding? Here are my tips for making yours di-vine!

Show your love for each other and the finer things in life with a vineyard-theme wedding. Decorate in shades of grape, orchid, thyme and olive, and accessorize with personalized products to make your wedding a tasty — and tasteful — experience!

Invite guests to your wedding AND set the tone for the event with an invitation that reflects the colors and style of your day. Make sure your wording states clearly that the event will be outdoors so guests can dress appropriately.

 

A nice assortment of cheeses, crackers and wine will be a lovely welcome to your guests as they arrive at your reception. Add special touches like personalized napkins and coasters for a custom look.

 

 

Also serve wine in personalized glasses that guests can take home as mementos of your wedding.

 

 

Choose versatile containers for serving and decorating. Flared little glasses like these are perfect both for holding floral arrangements and serving fruit, olives, desserts and more. Also use them as candle holders and as favors for guests, tied with beautiful ribbon and personalized, leaf-shaped tags.

               

Make your reception tables a reflection of your wedding colors and style with colorful table linens and centerpieces incorporating natural items and textures. Also choose colorful plates and glassware to make your settings pop. And don’t forget printed menu cards detailing all the delicious items that will be served for dinner.

Set the bride’s and groom’s chairs apart with grapevine wreaths adorned with clusters of grapes and wide, grosgrain ribbon in colors that match your décor.

 

Send guests home with bottles of wine to enjoy as they remember your wedding. Personalize the bottles with custom wine labels and a meaningful message to make the gift extra special.

Ask the vineyard staff to save all the corks from the bottles of wine served at your reception and store them in a keepsake vase or make a fun wreath out of them as a great memento to display in your home after the wedding

Enjoy!

Great ideas for collecting cards at your wedding

Wedding gifts are wonderful. All those thoughtfully purchased, beautifully wrapped presents piled on a gorgeously decorated table will be a sight you won't soon forget.

But what to do when guests bring you monetary gifts or cards? You certainly don't want them to get lost in the shuffle of shiny paper and pretty bows. So make sure to have a special place designated at the gift table for guests to place their cards — one that looks beautiful AND coordinates with your wedding theme!

 

Go traditional with a white, satin-covered card box.

 

 


Go romantic with an embroidered, treasure chest-shaped box.
Use the box after the wedding to store mementos.

 

Go unique with a three-tiered box shaped like a wedding cake. Add colorful ribbon to match your decorating scheme. It's also perfect for storing mementos after the wedding.

 

Or go whimsical with a personalized bucket!  Use the bucket after the wedding as a fun beverage chiller.

Need more ideas? Think about your wedding theme and style, and choose a card collector accordingly!

• a large bird cage or terra cotta pot for a garden wedding

• a picnic basket for a casual outdoor celebration

• a small wine barrel for a vineyard theme event

• unique basket you can use for decorating at home after the wedding

• a small, decorative wishing well

Be sure to accent with ribbon and place a printed card beside the container expressing your thanks to guests for their gift.

Enjoy!

What’s hot now? Late summer weddings! Here are some great ideas for keeping your cool.

Late summer is a beautiful time to get married. The sunshine, the outdoors, the surf, the sand — all add to the appeal of your warm-weather celebration.

But while the colors, the atmosphere and the seasonal beauty can make your wedding look hot, you certainly don’t want you or your guests to get overheated. Here are a few ideas for keeping your cool.

Provide chilled bottles of water, juice and soda for guests during the ceremony and reception. Dress up the bottles with personalized seals, favor tags and ribbon.

You can also set up a refreshment stand where guests can help themselves to fresh lemonade. Add your personal touches to the spread with ribbon in your wedding colors, personalized seals, printed cards listing the refreshments served and personalized napkins.

If your wedding is at the beach or on an uneven lawn, do your guests a favor by providing flip-flops for them to wear. They’ll appreciate not having their heels dig into the grass or getting sand in their good shoes.

Guests can make their own cool breezes with pretty fans printed with your program wording. Tie a ribbon to the fan handles for a custom look.

  

Enjoy!

Find out all about what I’m loving for fall!

Here are my fresh-picked favorites for fall weddings. They’re sure to become yours, too!

Our uniquely sized “bellaTINA” save the date cards are petite, pretty and perfect for getting guests excited for your wedding! They come in 23 paper colors and include colorful envelopes. Go with a champagne-gold color like we show here for fall, and have it printed in 2 ink colors for a unique look.

 

Our layered “Nicole” invitation allows you to choose two paper colors for your invitation, and select from four slips to insert your invitation card into to set the perfect tone for your celebration. We feature mocha and cream for a fall look; accent with a colorful ink to spice things up!

 

Unique, mocha satin wedge-shaped favor boxes are covered in brown satin for elegant, rich favors. Accent the boxes with ribbon and seals, or arrange them in a circle on cake stands for a great presentation that doubles as a centerpiece!

Create a beautiful look for your ceremony with our gold and cream “Meant to Be” Collection.

The rich colors and subtle shimmer of the fabrics will dazzle your guests.

Remember — warm mocha browns, gold and cream for fall are gorgeous when paired with your favorite accent color. Add in touches of teal, deep red, spice or other rich, saturated colors by accenting with ribbon, coordinating napkins, colorful favor boxes, beautifully printed menu cards and more! You can also bring your accent color into your centerpieces with vases filled with colorful items.

Enjoy!

Autumn decorating ideas you’ll “fall” in love with!

Weddings in autumn have special appeal. The weather is cool and nature practically decorates herself, providing a beautiful backdrop for your celebration of love AND the season! Whether your look is rustic or elegant, there are so many creative ways to accent your décor.

Autumn colors are uniquely beautiful, so be sure to incorporate them into your save the date cards and invitations to give guests a sneak peek at your wedding style and the tone of the event. Opt for rich, soft colors like this “Jean” invitation in cream and mocha paper…  

 

    

 

…or go bold with colors like spice, olive and merlot paper shown on our “Beth” invitation — of course, with beautiful coordinating ribbon!

 

 

Don’t forget the matching items that will make your wedding a stand-out, like printed menu cards, place cards and table number cards. 

They may seem like small items, but don’t overlook the decorating and style impact of personalized napkins.  Choose napkins that coordinate with your wedding colors and have them printed with an autumn design or a monogram in a glistening foil.

 

 

Display your favors, foods and other items creatively incorporating the beautiful things autumn has to offer. Need ideas? Search floral shops or go on a nature walk and collect branches, berries, leaves, nuts and interesting grasses for accents with natural elegance. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Arrange personalized favor boxes in trays lined with nuts…

 

 

…or use colorful leaves to set off the personalized stickers on cellophane bags filled with chocolates.

 

 

Make sure your favors coordinate with your autumn wedding theme! It’s easy to do with the simplest additions. Add a personalized, leaf-shaped tag to favor boxes…

 

 

…accent a cellophane bag filled with mixed nuts with spice ribbon and a personalized, matching favor tag…

 

 

…or give leaf-shaped cookie cutters as a fun, meaningful memento of your fall wedding!

 

Enjoy!

What’s hot now? Having a “candy bar” at your reception! Your guests (and you) will love the special treats.

Looking for a unique, fun and SWEET way to welcome guests to your reception? Set up a “candy bar” for them to enjoy and to get them mingling before dinner!

  

You’ll have a great time setting up your candy bar! All you need to do is…

• ask your reception site to provide a round, square or rectangular table large enough to hold all your treats

• rent or purchase a tablecloth that coordinates with your wedding but also makes the candy bar stand out, like a cloth with a little sparkle or a pretty floral or subtle stripe pattern

• shop for chocolates, candies, mints, lollipops, gumdrops, jawbreakers, gumballs and other sweet favor fillers in your wedding colors (be sure to sample each treat…you know…to make sure they’re delicious!)

• collect a variety of vases, containers and tiered stands to hold all your candy

• also collect pretty scoops guests can use to help themselves to the candy (tie ribbon to the handles for a special coordinating touch!)

• order personalized favor boxes, treat bags and favor envelopes for guests to use to hold their treats

• ask your venue staff or a good friend to set up the candy bar so it’s ready for your guests when they arrive at the reception

Get ready for lots of “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” and lots of fun memories!

Enjoy!

Money-winning and money-saving ideas!

I just wanted to remind you of two great opportunities to win AND save money with Jean M!

Opportunity #1

Our new Designer Search opens today!

We’re looking for creative, fresh, fantastic new invitation designs to be added to the Jean M line — and we want your best ideas. If your invitation design is chosen, you’ll win a cash prize of up to $1,000 PLUS have your invitation featured in the Jean M product line.

Download our application today and start designing!

Download Designer Search Application

Top Design Prize: $1000

First Runner-Up Design Prize: $500

Second Runner-Up Design Prize: $250

All other designs selected will be purchased for $100 each

The Jean M Designer Search runs from July 15, 2009, through September 30, 2009.  

Winners will be contacted by October 15, 2009.

 

Opportunity #2

Our Semi-Annual Sale has been EXTENDED through July 19! Shop now and SAVE 20% on your entire order.

Enjoy!

Create a custom look for EVERY element of your wedding!

What will make your wedding stand out? The personal, custom touches you add throughout that will catch guests’ eyes and let them know you’ve thought of every detail!

Go ahead and customize your…

CANDLES!

You can add a personal touch to your centerpieces by adding your monogram to beautiful, ivory obelisk-shaped candles.

Make your unity candle ceremony even more special by customizing your unity candle with your monogram in your choice of color to coordinate with your wedding.

You can also personalize blended family candles and memorial candles for unforgettable style.

 

GLASSWARE!

Make your wedding toasts — for you AND your wedding party — extra special by raising engraved glassware.  Glasses may be engraved with your monogram or names and wedding date for a custom look.

Also order stylish, personalized stemless glassware to use at home after the wedding!

 

CAKE TOP!

Top your cake with individual style! Personalize your cake top with your names, monogram, a poem, a design — anything that makes a personal statement about YOU!

VASES!

Get personal with your decorations — place floral arrangements, decorative items, candles, favor treats and other creative items inside rectangular vases engraved with your monogram or design choice.

NAPKINS!

Make a custom style statement, right down to the napkins at your tables! Napkins are personalized in a variety of creative ways — names, monograms, designs or combinations of these — to add the perfect touch to your reception.

FAVORS!

How cute will your favors be? It’s up to you and your creativity! Choose your favor (box or bag, envelope or tin, etc.) and your personalization (ink or foil, monogram or names, design, etc.) and then fill them with delicious treats guests will rave about. Don't forget to accent with ribbon and personalized favor tags!

Customize to your heart’s content — and Enjoy!

What’s hot now? Outdoor ceremonies! Here’s how to make yours beautiful.

Getting married outside is so romantic — nature provides the décor, the atmosphere and the beauty for you! But you’ll still want to add your personal touches to your ceremony location, whether it’s in your backyard, a park, a field or a formal garden.

 

First of all, think of your guests’ comfort. If your wedding is in the morning or afternoon, make sure to place chairs or benches in the shade so guests don’t swelter in the sun or get sunburned. If no natural shade is available, provide parasols guests can use, or set up a pole or frame tent to create shade. Also provide guests with programs printed on fans  to keep them cool.

 

Define your ceremony space to create a sense of intimacy in the great outdoors. Make the most of the surrounding trees by hanging beautiful ribbons from their branches. The ribbons blowing in the breeze will look romantic, elegant and welcoming.

Mark your ceremony entrance, light up the surround area or edge your aisle with candles in pretty, wire lanterns. The open design of the lanterns will blend in with your natural surroundings beautifully. Also decorate with candles in glass vases filled with sand to protect the flames from blowing out.

     

Speaking of flames blowing out — have you ever tried to keep an unprotected candle lit outside? It’s almost impossible! That’s why I suggest having a unity sand ceremony instead of lighting a unity candle at an outdoor wedding. The symbolism of two lives joining is just as lovely and meaningful with blended sand as it is with a lit candle. Choose containers and colorful sand that match your wedding colors and theme.

Make a grand entrance — and protect your shoes and dress — with a unique, personalized aisle runner. Your processional will be so memorable!

Let everyone be a “flower girl” at your outdoor wedding! Hang pretty purses filled with petals on your chairs and invite guests to strew them over the aisle before your processional or to toss them over you after the ceremony. Everyone will have fun taking part in your ceremony in such a fun way.

Enjoy!