Some Important Wedding Traditions Are Dying

Whenever anyone does something kind or thoughtful for someone else, they hope to receive at least an acknowledgement of this act. On an even larger scale a hearty “Thank You” should be offered without hesitation. In any social setting, acknowledging and saying thank you should be automatic. It is the only way to reward the giver for the time and/or thought they put into their good deed.

With this in mind, then whatever happened to the centuries old tradition of sending thank you cards for wedding gifts ? There is a very sad trend started a couple decades ago, of not bothering to send these all important notes to wedding guests who took time out of their busy lives to attend a friend’s or family member’s wedding. Those guests either gave a monetary gift or a gift specifically picked out for the couple. Not only did they deliver this gift of affection, but they marked their calender to be there to share and be a part of this couple’s big day.

There are several styles of notes that are available. Probably the most popular is the cute or formal graphic on the outside cover, and blank inside for your personal message: Blank Thank You’s. There are also photo insert styles where you can include a beautiful photo from your wedding with your personal note to your guests: Photo Thank You Cards .

Being from the “old school” of social manners, the very first thing I would be immediately inclined to do for any thoughtful act, would be to call with a heartfelt “thank you” or to write a note explaining how much I appreciated the gift. If they took the time to do something for me, the very LEAST I could do is take a moment to acknowledge and thank them.

I sincerely don’t know where this thoughtlessness came from. Somewhere in my generation we lost the respect & kindness of going out of our way for others. Thankfully I am not one of that particular mindset. Within one year’s time, I sent out hundreds of thank you cards for my bridal shower, wedding, baby shower, birth of my daughter & her christening. Talk about writers cramp ! But since everyone was there for me during these memorable times, more than anything I wanted to make them feel good. I wrote out the most detailed thank you’s I could and sent them out within a month or so of each event. No matter if I liked the gift or not, it was a generous gesture of the giver, and I appreciated it.

Not having the time is NO excuse. It doesn’t matter if you work one or two jobs, go to school, take care of a family or ALL of these…….spending even a few minutes a day writing out a couple of notes is entirely possible & should be made a priority. Your family & friends are worth those few sincere words. Thank you notes should be hand written and not a generic form letter. It should be directed specifically at the giver with an explanation of how much you liked the gift and what you plan to do with it. Be creative and make the reader feel they are very special to you. It really isn’t very hard.

If you need ideas of how to write out thank you notes, here is a page of suggestions you may find very helpful: Help With Thank You’s

Let’s bring back the old tradition of thank you notes. They make you look good, they make your guest feel good, and there is always a reason why traditions last for centuries……

Exciting New Anniversary Cake Toppers

At this moment in time when everyone is keeping count of their pocket change to make ends meet, weddings & milestone parties are still being celebrated. Sometimes these events just cannot wait for better financial circumstances. If Mom & Dad or Grandma & Grandpa are marking their memorable 50th or 60th anniversary, they deserve something very special as acknowledgement of their life’s accomplishments and all those years of marriage. Tiny, dollar store accessories really aren’t going to make you proud are they ? Something this important needs to be planned in advance….

We have found the most stunning cake topper to date. Sparkling monograms & numbers are all the rage, and some are very pretty while others are plain and somewhat ordinary looking. Our new “Vintage Series” cake toppers will make the grand impression you are looking to achieve when all the family and friends attend this once in a lifetime party. These pieces are covered in clear Swarovski crystals, and with reflected room lighting, gives off an illusion of glittering star shapes from the cake table. Available in 60th, 50th and 25th.

Wedding Cake Toppers….Past & Present

If someone were to ask you what a wedding or anniversary cake topper should look like, how would you describe it ?

More than likely you will call upon your experience of friends or family who have gotten married in recent memory, or having seen your parents cake topper placed lovingly in storage, describe the elements of theirs.  I am going to jump in and guess your response would be a bride and groom figurine with some flowers and/or ribbons.  This brings to mind a very simple, but functional topper that was classic in its time.

When my parents got married in the 50’s, they didn’t even have a reception, nevermind a cake or cake topper.  When my own wedding was being planned in the early 80’s, long before the internet, I looked everywhere possible, and the basic plastic figurine with a couple flowers and ribbons was really all I could find.  I didn’t like any of them, and was delighted when I actually found a topper that featured a couple pink satin bells with ribbons & flowers that matched my color theme.  At the time I felt like a fashion trail blazer for I hadn’t seen one quite like it before.  I still have it packed safely away for memory sake.

If I were to pull out my prized topper & show it to the majority of today’s wedding couples, it would mimic a lesson in prehistoric nuptial culture.  It might even invite a few snickers behind well placed hands when I wasn’t looking.  To say styles have changed is like saying water is actually “wet”.

Once Affectionately Yours was well established offering the average mass produced cake toppers & accessories, there began a quiet frenzy of activity in the corner of my mind that there has to be more to such a keepsake than this. Most porcelain figures featured a blonde bride with a dark brown hair groom. Where in the world did the originators of these figurines get the idea that only blonde girls get married ?  Was it their fantasy of a blonde trophy on their own arm that sparked this trend ?  And what about blonde grooms or those more mature gentlemen with greying hair ?  Forget black or Latino couples…..they just didn’t exist. This stone age standard was due for a much needed change.  And we wanted to be in the forefront of that change……

Old Fashioned Porcelain Blonde Bride Figurine

If you are looking for a wedding, anniversary , or special event cake topper with as many choices as possible, we can certainly help. We offer the option of having your own hair color on the figurine. That has been a very popular idea considering, as I said earlier, not every bride was blonde & not every groom had dark hair. We also offer the option for black or latino couples to order those alterations to existing figurines. Our cake toppers also feature the option of white or ivory for the main part, and the couples choice of accent ribbons or flower color to match your own color theme. Small battery powered lights has been an immensely popular option for that extra sparkle in a darkened reception hall. Knowing how much your topper will be a priceless keepsake, we offer a list of romantic musicbox tunes that have delighted countless brides & grooms. Display domes have also been a tremendously popular item when toppers are ordered. To preserve such a one time keepsake is important to most brides, and making memories are what we are all about. Customized toppers are our specialty at Affectionately Yours and ArtStyle Cake Toppers

What Does A Bride and Groom Look Like?

What would you think if I told you the era of “Until Death Do Us Part” is a thing of the distant past? Now I am not referring to the sad statistics that 1 out of every 2 marriages end in divorce.  My reference is directed at the representation of the bride and groom on contemporary wedding cakes.

Up until a few years ago, finding a “unique” wedding cake topper meant finding something that anyone in your family or circle of friends hadn’t used for their wedding.  ”Unique” wasn’t unique at all really…….it just meant you were lucky to find it first.  Today “unique” is truly a trend….one that may be “eternal”.

When Affectionately Yours and ArtStyle Cake Toppers was declaring their independence from cookie cutter cake toppers, we paid close attention to styles and themes of weddings.  Since we were photographing and videotaping all kinds of weddings at the time, we had our finger on the pulse so to speak. Couples were trying to convey their true personality or include their guests in their life’s interest.  If they were surfers, they held their reception in a location by the ocean.  If they met while working at WalMart, some couples were holding their ceremony…….yup you guessed it……at a WalMart. If their pets meant everything to them, as well they should, often a dog stood in as best ‘man’ or as ring bearer.  I have even heard of a bride who was “given away” by her horse that she rode in on to the ceremony. The more individualized the approach, the more they liked it.  Weddings were becoming fun to plan and attend….

When guests arrive at the reception location, one of the first things they look for out of curiosity, is the wedding cake.  Colors and style tell a lot about a couple. No longer are cakes merely “dessert’.  They are creative expressions that reflect the theme and interests of the wedding couple.  The most tale telling component of the cake is the cake topper.  Often one look at that topper ignites giggles, mouth gaping stares or more often the statement “I should have known!”. Now that they have the freedom to express themselves in such a creative way, it is all the rage.

What does a bride and groom look like…….hmmmmmmm…….that is a tough one.  What would be your response if I told you that one of our most extremely popular cake toppers includes “skeletons” ?  I mean just bones dressed in wedding garb!

Love Never Dies Skeleton Cake Topper

Eternal Ride Skeleton Motorcycle Cake Topper

Right behind our skeletons are our pet & animal couple cake toppers.  We offer everything from dogs & cats to dolphins & horses.  It is so easy to set yourself apart with all the choices there are today.  Imagine the reaction of your guests when they catch sight of this topper:

St Bernards Cake Topper - Our Pedigree Nuptials

Brides & grooms can be represented by almost anything on their cake toppers. We have a hard time keeping up with the interest in sport theme toppers. So many motorcycle, bicycle, camping, golf, football, skiing, fishing, etc. ship out each week to those couples who have found their kindred spirit.

Brides and grooms can appear on their cake topper wearing western hats & the bride holding onto the groom with a lariat.  Others prefer fairy couples, pirates,  medieval knights & ladies, brides dragging the groom by the collar, the bride carrying the groom over her shoulder……and then there are the alternative lifestyle couples.  We try to cover all bases…..

Don’t misunderstand & think that the traditional wedding couples are no longer a part of the cake topper scene…..that simply is not true.  The figurines themselves, for the most part, are no longer the unattractive porcelain of years ago.  They are more often than not made of resin, which allows for more realistic face & hair….all of which can be customized with your hair color.  There are some very unique porcelain pieces available that are very contemporary, and they are stunning.  With a choice of poses, how can a bride be disappointed:

Love In Silhouette Cake Topper

Find something that defines who the two of you are….whether it be dobermans, country ho-down or a simple calla lily topper. This keepsake will be yours to keep long after the flowers have died & the guests have gone home. Make it say “I am who I am….and I LIKE it!”.