BRONZE BUDGET BRIDE

These beautiful pedestals were created by the husband/wife team, Travis and Laura, who are avid entertainers. They both love the idea of being able to bring family and friends together for an event and host several themselves each year. They needed an outlet for their creative talents, stumbled upon Etsy and Adaura was born.

At www.Adaura.Etsy.com you will find beautifully crafted, unique pedestals in colors ranging from black to white and fun decorations for your next event.



Amongst them you'll see lovely teal blue as well as soft green cake pedestals and romantic red stands like this Heart Shape Cake Stand which would make a nice home for your Valentine's Day cake.



One of my favorite item that sells at Adaura, which I've features here before, is this Black 5 Tier Wooden Cupcake Tower but every piece in the shop is a work of art...beautiful, each and every one of them!



You are so lucky to get the chance to win this White 12" Wooden Cake Pedestal from Adaura during our 2000 Fans Celebration -  Week Of Giveaways, February 20-26th! Isn't it lovely? Yes, yes it is and your wedding cake will look gorgeous sitting on top of it.

Yes, you can find Adaura at www.Adaura.Etsy.com but I'd love for you to become a fan of Adaura here on Facebook and follow on Pinterest as well.

There is so much to be said about Favors By Dorinda and all good, trust me. The talent behind the dynamo Dorinda astonishes time and time again. Her candy creations are by far some of the most amazingly creative and unique you'll see on the market.



Just look this Wedding Satin Candy Cake that is covered in white Satin, beads, pearls, has a bride & groom topper and it sits on a silver base. Oh and how could I forget, it's adorned with delicious Hershey's chocolate dressed in custom wrappers created by, of course, Dorinda.



I love the Tuxedo Candy Cake which is covered in black and white Satin. This candy cake comes with a top hat and a real bow tie. Use it as a groom's cake, a surprise for Father's Day or a gift for any occasion...I know that any man will be thrilled to receive it especially since it's accented with delicious Hershey's miniature chocolates.



The Candy Wrappers you'll find at Favors By Dorinda are one-of-a-kind. They are sure to have your guests smiling from ear to ear and keep in mind that Dorinda is happy to take custom orders.



With Valentine just around the corner Favors By Dorinda have beautifully wrapped chocolate bars and a Valentine Bear Candy Cake that's just $20.



Looking for a Baby shower gift...Favors By Dorinda have got you covered too. Check out this beautiful Hello Kitty Candy Cake, it's soooo cute. You can also find keepsakes, gift baskets and so much more at www.FavorsByDorinda.com!

Want to know where else you can find Favors By Dorinda? On Facebook at Facebook.com/FavorsByDorinda, on Twitter at Twitter.com/FavorsByDorinda and you can visit her blog at FavorsByDorinda.blogspot.com!

For our 2000 Fans Celebration - Week of Giveaways, Dorinda has donated a $50 Gift Certificate that will be up for grabs February 20-27th. Now do you see why you don't want to miss this celebration? The fun begins in just 2 weeks, so mark your calender!

These buttermints are super cute and takes a little work to make but they would make such cute wedding favors...the kind that will have guest talking. So why not give them a try now that you have the recipe?

You'll need:

• Small plastic candy mold, such as a mini peanut butter cup mold or other mold that would make a good cupcake bottom shape
• Piping bag fitted with a small closed star tip

  Candy:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp whipping cream plus 1- 1/2 for thinning batter
• 1/2 tsp mint oil - such as LorAnn (my favorite flavoring oils)
• 2-3 drops liquid green food coloring
• Granulated sugar for rolling candy pieces in
• Nonpareils for decorating

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter well.  Gradually add powdered sugar.  Mixture will be very dry.  When combined, add whipping cream and mint oil and mix again.  The mixture should become smooth and pliable - almost like play-doh.

Divide the candy dough in half.  Return half the dough to mixer and add green food coloring; mix again and cover the candy with plastic wrap.  Set aside.

Pinch off small pieces of white (uncolored) candy and roll in granulated sugar.  Press into candy molds and remove.  Place molded candy on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Repeat process until all candy has been used.  Let candies stand uncovered for 30 minutes.

While waiting for the white candies to dry, remove plastic wrap from green candy portion and mix on low speed in stand mixer. Add 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp whipping cream until candy is of piping consistency. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with star tip.  Pipe green candy on top of cupcake bottoms and sprinkle with nonpareils.

Allow mini cupcake candies to air dry for 1 hour.  After 1 hour drape a large tea towel over them and let them stand overnight.  The next day cupcake butter mints should be dry to the touch.  Display them on reception tables or package them in decorative bags.  Can be frozen for 3 months.

Note: Fruit flavored oils could also be used with this recipe for a "butter cream candy" instead of "butter mint candy". 

Makes 30-40 candy cupcakes

photo credit: Sol Bijou

If you've been searching high and low for the perfect invitation to match the theme, style, colors or vibe of your wedding...stop right now and head on over to Forever Friends! The selection of invitations you will find there is amazing...it's one stunning invitation after the next for brides with budgets large and small.



The selection doesn't stop at invitations though, you can buy ring pillow sets, personalized champagne flutes and so much more.



If you think good...no...great customer service is dead, not at Forever Friends! They wouldn't have won Wedding Wire's Bride Choice Award for 2010, 2011 and 2012 if they weren't doing something right! Also, each year Carlson Craft, the nation's leading wholesale printing company, presents a prestigious award to a few select businesses with outstanding performance as well as exceptional sales achievements and in 2010, guess who won one of those awards...you guessed it, Forever Friends. They won Carlson's Craft EXCELLENCE AWARD for 2010.

These awards come greatly impart to the owner, Beth Fruchtman! The service you get an Forever Friends is truly award worthy and no matter what you are looking for, you can sure that each time will meet with warm, friendly service.



Beth of Forever Friends is so kind that she has donated this Square, Monogram, Unity Candle as a prize for our 2000 Fans Celebration - Week of Giveaways. This beautiful candle can be personalized with up to three Monograms, two names and the date of an event. It's sells for $48.90 so this truly is a prize you want to win.

You can find Forever Friends on Facebook and here on Twitter!

Again, another fabulous reason why you should be here February 20-25th for your chance to win big at our 2000 Fans Celebration. It's not to be missed!

The day I came across My Lemonade Dreans on Etsy was the day I started having lemonade dreams too. The jewelry that you can find in this shop is absolutely stunning and it's own by one of the sweetest ladies I've ever met.



My Lemonade Dreams is truly the place to shop if you are searching for a gift for any female, especially the women in your entire bridal party. Just look at that beautiful cuff bracelet that's so romantically called "Sweet Nothings." As if it's saying, "My lover gently whispered sweet nothings in my ear...." Ooooo. It's the perfect gift for your bridesmaids...the colors alone are amazing.



For the little girls, there are beautiful Floral Bobby Pins that can be given as a gift or used to keep your Flower Girl's hair in place on your wedding day but she'll want to wear them everyday.



Guess what? You will get the chance to win a pair of earrings from My Lemonade Dreams during our 2000 Fans Celebration and if you are not a fan of the My Lemonade Dreams Fanpage, today is the day to become one. You can also follow HERE on Twitter as well.

February 20-26th is the week that you will get your chance to win some fab prizes, so ask your wedding party to join you, so they can all enter to win them too!