Favorite Things

{photo credit: Carina Romano of Love Me Do Photography}

In the days after my wedding, I remember looking around my now-empty living room that had previously been filled with boxes and boxes of items that needed to go to the venue, and wondering where all the stuff had gone. I mean, I guess I know where everything had gone. The favors had been taken home by the guests, the programs had been distributed, the seating cards probably thrown out, the centerpieces disassembled and then donated / returned to the rental agency, and on and on. It was just shocking how a room full of Very Important Wedding Things could empty out so abruptly.

That’s when I began to focus on the things that I still had. The husband, for one! And the ring, the ketubah, the shattered remains of the glass, and the chuppah. It was strange how this small collections of items had come to represent such a ginormous, life-changing transition.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that whether these few items are bought, borrowed, or made, they matter and should be chosen with care. I’m always excited to stumble upon new wedding vendors that get it. And Advah Designs is certainly no exception. With their carefully curated collection of original chuppahs and wedding bands created by Endswell Co., they are officially my new favorite online wedding boutique. My favorite thing about their chuppahs is that they are incredible pieces of art independent of their use in weddings. So after your big day, you can hang it on your wall as a tapestry and enjoy it forever.

They were kind enough to let me share a few of their beautiful designs here, but I hope you pop on over to their website to check out the whole collection!

It’s not very often that ketubahs end up on the news. So, when I stumble across a little gem like this, it makes me smile.

This time, it was actress Ginnifer Goodwin on Jimmy Kimmel Live talking about her recent secret wedding to Josh Dallas.

From the Huffington Post Weddings:

“Goodwin appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday night and explained that while her recent, secret wedding was the “most stress-free, relaxing, beautiful day,” there was one big hiccup.

“We hired a wedding planner to help us … and she called me crying on the morning of our wedding,” Goodwin told Kimmel. “She said, ‘My car has been robbed…'”

Be sure to click on over to the Huffington Post to read the rest of the short and sweet story of how their beautiful ketubah was lost and then found.

And Mazel Tov to Ginnifer and Josh!

If you’re gearing up for your wedding, framing your ketubah is probably the last thing on your mind. But I have a couple of tips that might make your life a little easier during the ketubah signing ceremony and beyond.

I sometimes forget that the whole point of signing a ketubah in the first place is so that you can hang the beautiful document in your home for the rest of your lives. Which, of course, means finding just the right frame for your artwork.

As someone who spends quite a lot of time thinking about ketubahs, I’ve developed a few opinions on the topic of framing them. I’m going to share my top four tips for framing your ketubah, and then I’ll post a few of my favorite sources for ketubah frames (which you can bookmark and revisit after the wedding madness dies down).

So lets cut straight to the chase, shall we? Here is my number one tip for ketubah frames:

1. Get a frame for your ketubah BEFORE your wedding.

Here’s a pretty typical scenario. You’ve had your signing ceremony, and your ketubah is resting beautifully back on its display easel for the reception. Then along comes an overjoyed / teary / clumsy / intoxicated guest, and they knock your ketubah to the ground. I’ve heard this story from a large handful of clients and it happened at my own wedding. If your ketubah is in a frame (any frame!), it will be protected from the accidental fall or spill. If you’re not ready to invest in your forever frame, you can pick up a cheap frame on Amazon just for displaying your ketubah at the reception. Below is the frame that I recommend my clients get – it’s inexpensive and it’s sturdy. Also, at $13-$27 (depending on the size), it’s hard to beat the price. Need to know the dimensions of your ketubah? Just check the product listing page and scroll down (it’s below the photos). Personally, I love a simple black frame – it’s classic and elegant – but this frame comes in 11 other colors if you disagree.

16″x20″ – ArtToFrames 16×20 inch Satin Black Picture Frame, WOMFRBW26079-16×20
16″x16″ – ArtToFrames 16×16 inch Satin Black Picture Frame, WOMFRBW26079-16×16
18″x18″ – ArtToFrames 18×18 inch Black Picture Frame, 2WOMFRBW72079-18×18
20″x20″ – ArtToFrames 20×20 inch Satin Black Picture Frame, WOMFRBW26079-20×20
13″x21″ – ArtToFrames 13×21 inch Satin Black Picture Frame, 2WOMFRBW26079-13×21
16″x26″ – ArtToFrames 16×26 inch Satin Black Picture Frame, 2WOMFRBW26079-16×26

2. Spring for a mat board

When you’re getting your ketubah or wedding certificate professionally framed after your wedding, I encourage you to spring for a mat board. They make such a huge difference in how your ketubah looks on your wall, and they don’t add all too much to the price of a frame.

3. The UV acrylic is worth it

Framing is expensive (especially after you’ve just payed for a whole wedding!) but this is a good area to take the long view. UV acrylic is the best option, and it protects your artwork against damage from the sun which can cause the inks of your ketubah to fade with time. And since this is a document that you’re planning to hang in your home for the rest of your lives, it’s worth it to pay a little extra now so that it remains in tip top condition over the years. Even with UV acrylic though, I recommend you not hang your ketubah in direct sunlight.

4. Add a ketubah frame to your wedding registry!

A nice custom frame can be pricey! But folks love giving them as wedding gifts. They’re meaningful, personal, and last forever, unlike that toaster from Macy’s.

Where to buy a high-quality ketubah frame

Well, luckily you have a bunch of great options! To start, we’ve recently partnered with the high-end, bespoke framing company Simply Framed to offer beautiful and contemporary custom framing options for your ketubah or wedding certificate. These high quality frames are made by hand here in the USA. If you opt to use our framing service, your ketubah or wedding certificate will be delivered already framed. You can remove it from the frame for signing, and then replace it for display during your reception. Each custom frame comes with a 2″ acid-free 4-ply mat in a complimentary shade of white. You can learn more about our optional custom framing service here.

If you’d prefer to look at frames in person, I would recommend going to a local custom framing shop and working with the staff to find the right style frame for your specific ketubah design. Depending on what kind of ketubah you have and the style of decor in your home, you may opt for something rustic/distressed, minimalist/contemporary or ornate/classical. I would encourage you to select a frame that isn’t too visually overwhelming, since you don’t want to detract from the ketubah itself. While you often find low prices at the big box craft / framing stores, the sales people are sometimes not as knowledgeable. Given how important the document is, I encourage you to shop local and small for your frame!

FYI: As of October 2017, this post now contains affiliate links! I’ve been recommending these exact products for years without being an affiliate, and I stand by my recommendations now. As such, Amazon requires me to include the following: “I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

It’s not every day that I bump into a wedding boutique that’s just…different. But the moment I laid eyes on Host and Toast, I knew I’d stumbled across something special. It sometimes feels as though the wedding industry is awash in paper straws, artfully-mismatched stamps, and mason jars (not that I don’t love all of those things). So when I see a wedding shop that focuses on clean, beautiful design, I can’t help but get excited.

What I love about the quirky collection of goods from Host and Toast is that every piece feels special. In fact, I’m tempted to nab that “CAKE” cutout sign to hang in my home, because that’s how much I love it (and cake, obviously). Host and Toast is run by husband and wife team David and Carlen out of their Denver, CO studio. You can read more about how they got started here.

They were kind enough to let me borrow a few of my favorite photos from their etsy shop. I didn’t think it would be appropriate to share all 200+ of their products here on my blog, so I painfully narrowed it down to my favorite seven. Take a look!

I’m obsessed with these geometric gemstone cake toppers!

Don’t you want to show off your old family photos in
these contemporary frames with a pop of color?

This cutout “CAKE” sign.  Must.  Have.  It.

Normally, I’m not crazy about chair signs, but I’m in love with this one!

You could totally use this in your kitchen after the wedding.

Another beautiful and minimalist piece of table decor.  Loving the gold.

The chalkboard reaches a whole new level with this rustic frame.

Thanks so much to Host and Toast for letting me share their incredible goods! You can find Host and Toast on Etsy, facebook, instagram, and pinterest.

Even though I graduated from the wedding planning phase of my life over a year ago, I still find myself occasionally poking through wedding magazines and browsing wedding shops online.  It’s…uh…market research?  Okay, I just have a soft spot for perfectly-crafted artisan wedding products.  In a world full of mass-produced wedding industry tchotchkies, finding that perfect indie-designed bridesmaid gift or that one-of-a-kind vintage centerpiece feels awfully special.

Today, I wanted to share one perfect little item that I stumbled upon on Etsy.  It’s so sweet, and so lovely that I almost wish I could go back in time and redo my wedding just so I could use it.  It’s too late for me, but it’s not too late for you!

{Photo by Paloma’s Nest}

It’s the AHAVA (“LOVE”) ring bearer bowl by Paloma’s Nest, and I am obsessed with it.  It’s everything I love about good design – clean, simple, sweet, and with a purpose.  The best part is that after your wedding you can hang it on your wall as beautiful contemporary decor.

They have a whole website filled with delightful little things, so be sure to check it out!