One of my best friends proposed to his girlfriend last weekend, and I could not be more happy for the two of them!  I remember that feeling of being newly engaged – it is just such a special time for a couple to start envisioning their happily ever after.  Since my friends do not live in Portland I am putting together a little “happy engagement” gift to send to them.  I think the best engagement presents are ones that get the couple excited about starting to plan the wedding – not to overwhelm them with a to-do list, but to get excited about being a Bride and Groom-to-be!

Here is what I am sending them – hopefully they wait to read this post until it arrives :)

If you know someone who is about to be engaged, pop into the store and we will be happy to show you some other fun engagement gifts!

I am sure like most Oregonians out there, I have been craving some sunshine lately.  The idea of being on a beach, needing sunscreen, surrounded by palm trees sounds so good, I am tempted to drive out to the airport and buy a one way ticket to Hawaii!  I am so jealous of all those Brides and Grooms who have their honeymoons coming up!

Most Brides we talk to say that with all the other decisions to make and things to worry about they don’t give much thought to the honeymoon, and I can definitely understand!  I don’t think my husband and I planned a single thing for our honeymoon until we were on it, and it was bliss.  After all the planning, it was refreshing to just wake up and have no plans, and just see where the day would take us.

With Bridal Showers coming up, gifts for the honeymoon are a wonderful and unique alternative to getting something off the registry.  Below are some of my favorites that are sold in the store and many are on our online boutique as well www.shoptheweddingcottage.net

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about your lovely Mom and how you can shower her with gifts and goodies.  Whether it is a sweet card, a bouquet of tulips, a much needed phone call, or a small gift, show her some love!

One of the great things about the store is that we often get to meet the Moms during the planning process.  We get to hear and see their excitement (and stresses) about the big day.  My Mom, like many other Moms we meet, did not have a big wedding.  In fact she had the complete opposite of a big wedding…think City Hall, green jumpsuit, one witness, and a piece of cake with her new hubbie (my dad) before going back to work.  Super Romantic.   She doesn’t even have a photo of her in the green jumpsuit!  Many years ago I made it quite clear that I would not be following in her footsteps!  And while it worked for my Mom and Dad at the time (who have been married for 25 years!) I know she was just as excited as I was to plan a wedding when it was my turn.  So before I share some great Mom gifts that we have at our store, I thought I would share a few pics of me and my Mom when I got married…

Didn’t she look gorgeous!!??

Next up are some cute gifts for your Mom whether she happens to be the Mother of the Bride or the Mother of the Groom…all sold in our store and online at www.shoptheweddingcottage.net

MOB and MOG Totes so your mom can be organized and stylish at all the wedding planning meetings, and of course on the day of!

But what if you are looking for a Mother’s Day gift that doesn’t have anything to do with weddings??  No fear, I have you covered for that as well.  My parent’s own a company called Crosby and Taylor and they have AMAZING products to check out.  Everything is designed by my very own *super* Mom and hand crafted in Eugene, Oregon.  Take a look at their website at www.crosbyandtaylor.com

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there!

This time of year we are ordering lots of products, so it is always fun to see the UPS truck pull up and bring in big boxes of goodies for us.  Yesterday we got in some new cosmetic cases, and this “I love my Wife” shirt (must remember to bring one home for my sweetie to wear) which is one of our favorites for the groom.

These “Bride” and matching “Bridesmaid” cosmetic cases would make for perfect gifts.  I am sucker for all things damask (which you might notice if you have been into the shop), so I especially love the blue damask pattern on the front of these cases.  And if that isn’t enough, when you open the cases, they are coated with blue umbrella striped lining.   Place some jewelery in these cases and voila, a fabulous gift!

We have both of these items available at The Wedding Cottage!

Oh…and here’s a little secret – soon, very soon, we will have these goodies available to purchase online through our website.   We are working hard on the site, and cannot wait to share it with you.  But until then, I hope you will stop into the store and see us!

I saved my favorite gift for the last day of our “12 Days of Stocking Stuffers”.  It is a brand new item at the shop, and I am so excited to “show off” our Christmas ornaments!

These ornaments are made out of Pewter, and are hand designed and created down in Eugene, Oregon.  This ornament is the perfect gift for a newlywed, as it says “Our 1st Christmas Together as Mr. & Mrs.”  How adorable would this look on a tree!?

With its heirloom quality it is sure to be cherished for many Christmases to come!

Sold exclusively at The Wedding Cottage.

This next stocking stuffer is a must have for any Bride-to-Be.  These 52 essential tips will make any Bride just a little more prepared, and realize the wedding of her dreams without losing sleep or her sense of humor!

We are getting down to the last of our “12 Days of Stocking Stuffers”, but I saved some of my favorites for the end.  In fact, I liked this one so much that I made my husband take the test (dont worry, he passed!)

 Do you know your Bride & Do you know your Groom??

Does your Bride prefer her ice cream in a cone or a cup? Do you know how your Groom’s parents met?   Do you know what junk food he couldn’t live without?

Take the test and see how much you know!

In case you think there is something the wedding world hasn’t thought of? Think again!  Up next, Wedding Lip Balm!

This would make for such a cute stocking stuffer for any newlywed on your list!

My favorite part is where it says: 

“Guaranteed wedding bliss when applied before each kiss!” 

 This stocking stuffer is a little different than the others because it doesn’t have anything to do with weddings…BUT this would be such a cute gift!  You are probably wondering what could be in this classy bottle?  I will let the bottle speak for itself:

“Preemptive Bathroom Scent With a Touch of Elegance”    And on the back of the label: “There once was a Prim Debutante, bathroom odor she never did want, now she sprays Lou-Pourri and she sits worry free!”

I know, I know, a little funny.  However, it would be perfect in a guest bathroom for all those family members coming into town for the holidays.

Best of all - we sell it right here at The Wedding Cottage!

With all those wedding decisions to make, don’t forget about the honeymoon!

This little book with give you 101 ideas and places to celebrate – just looking through it makes me want to plan a vacation!