Two of my favorite things, in one tiny little package, in honor of Cinco de Mayo!

(Source)

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant milk powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 c. margarita mix (or any basic sweet and sour mixer)
5 egg whites, at room temperature

4 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 c. powdered sugar

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.
-In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, instant milk, baking powder and salt and set aside.
-In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light (about 3 mins).
-Beat in the vanilla extract, then margarita mix.
-Reduce the speed to low and beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.
-In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
-Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorporated.
-Divide the batter between the cupcake molds.
-Bake about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
-Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer combine cream cheese, butter, lime juice, and zest, vanilla extract and beat on high until light and fluffy.
-Slowly add in salt and sugar mixing until combined thoroughly.
-Place bowl in fridge until cupcakes are cooled and ready to frost.
-Once cupcakes have cooled completely, remove icing from fridge, frost, and decorate to your liking.

Makes about 24 cupcakes

Dinner Parties are usually a fun time for everyone involved, but sometimes you get a guest who just doesn’t want to open up, relax and enjoy the festivities. Here are a few of The Bliss Blog’s favorite ways to spice up a dinner party.

• Know Your Place. A Seat At The Table creates the perfect little Posh Placecards  to get everyone chatting. With notes like “If you were granted three wishes, what would your wishes be?”, these little conversation sparkers are bound to get everyone’s motor running. These could easily be a DIY project, too!

• Hidden Messages. This is a fun one! Before your guests arrive, place a piece of paper with a funny message under their plates. Just before dinner is served, ask your guests to read their message to themselves and casually work their message into the conversation. These messages could be anything! Think outside-the-box with messages like “I am a space cowboy!” or “Did you know that Mary really did have a little lamb?”. Your guests will think it is riot to guess what everyone’s messages really said! You can even turn it into a race, where the last person to use their message loses!
• Things. The board game called “Things” is one of my own personal favorites, but beware! This game can go in many different directions. If you have friends whose minds are always in the gutter, this is bound to get a little racy. Which, to me, is half the fun! The goal is to guess who answered what to topics like “Things that make you sick” or “Things that don’t smell good”. If you have kids at the table, this is easily a family friendly game, too.

Now, if I could just get everyone to dress like this when they come to dinner…

This week’s Real Wedding was submitted by Hollie Marie Photography, based out of Farmington Hills, MI. I am absolutely in love with Rebecca’s wedding day style! The birdcage veil, the flower and THAT DRESS! Everything works together perfectly. Enough of my gushing, on to the details and a few words from Hollie.

The couple:  Jay and Rebecca Brodie

Location:  Outdoor shots taken in Mill Race Village and surrounding downtown Northville, Plymouth Manor in downtown Plymouth for ceremony and reception.

Their wedding day was wonderful, starting with preparation shots at their home in Northville.  Even Rebecca and Jay’s two dogs were involved.  The highlight of the day for me was being able to take the couple to the exact spot where Jay proposed.  We took advantage of the awesome downtown area of Northville where the proposal happened. Just being in that spot brought out expressions on them both that I never could have reached without being there. Their wedding was truly a joy, I was always having fun with their easy going attitudes, even while posing a group of 30+ relatives!  From the personal vows spoken, to taking pictures the Northville fire station, to the last dance of the night Jay and Rebecca had a picturesque wedding!

My little labor of love, Bliss Accessories, has a bunch of brand new items and new pictures! Please support Bliss efforts and visit the Etsy page when you have a minute. I hope you like them! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much!

The Final Round is here! Our judges have narrowed all three photo categories down to the top ten of each category. I have revised the timing a bit to make sure that every section gets a solid amount of time for voting. Make sure you follow the directions below exactly, to ensure proper submission of votes. Only one vote per person! No cheating! :)

Voting for the Homegrown Michigan Category will end at 7PM on Friday February 19th. I will be giving each category a full 5 days of voting. So, make sure to check back on Monday the 22nd for The Engaged category, Monday the 1st for The Around The World category and then the final results will be announced on March 8th, 2010! Best of luck to all of our participants and congratulations on making it this far! There were over 400 submissions this year!

There are so many ways to create a very unique atmosphere, starting with the decor. Pairing up eclectic pieces is always the quickest route, but you can also group similar items at the center if a table. Below are some of my favorite Anthropolgie Home pieces, that can easily be used for a wedding or event and leave everything looking fabulous.

Photos (Left to Right): Analiese Taper Holder $24, Tea Party Candelabra $398, Analiese Taper Holder $24, Night Lights $58, Checkmate $28, Cigarette Pants – - – Many of these come in sets, so be sure to check out each item.

Shoes are my favorite way to accessorize any ensemble. Whether you like pumps or flats, peep toes or t-straps, your girls will love the idea of a cute shoe to set everything off on the right foot. And what pairs with adorable shoes more than an equally adorable handbag? Anthropologie is an excellent resource for all things girly.

Photos (Left to Right): Stacked Smoke $388, Midnight Sky $395, No Place Like Home Flats $138, Evergreen $418, Bette Wedges $98, Sewing Notions $178

Photos (left to Right): Dazzling Display $98, Sarana Clutch $178, Iced Rosettes $298, Speck and a Smidge $46, Great and Small $28, Roses Underwater $98

I would be willing to bet my money that 99.9% of the time, a bridesmaid gown cannot be worn again. Typical dresses for your ladies are much too formal and always look like a bridesmaid gown, no matter what. Why not do them a favor and open up the box a little. Let them pick a style or color that they like (within reason, if you must control it). Anthropologie has a wide variety of adorable style that will perfectly compliment your wedding style.

Photos (Left to Right): Spirited Away $128, Sterling $168, Curtain Closer $198, Frozen Crystals $178, Granted Wishes $318, Cosgrove $128

Photos (Left to Right): In A Moment $118,  Horizon Line $138, Skyfall $178, Rosettes and Ruffles $168, Longing For Yellow $158, Fairy Cake $158

Deanna & Cass are two amazingly smart, totally relaxed, and ridiculously adorable people. I don’t think I have ever seen a husband-to-be as excited and affectionate as Cass! There were so many personal details to the day and I was blown away by the love and support of their beautiful families. Enough chitter chatter, take a look at the wonderful moments captured by Lemus Photography! Huge thanks to Amy & Jorge for sharing these photos with us.

We start with my favorite moment of the day! Deanna taking a sneak peek of all of the commotion before the ceremony. Ironically one of the most peaceful photos I have ever seen. :)

Just look at the beautiful newlyweds! (And that beautiful dress!)

The ceremony, held at the Shrine Chapel at St. Mary’s in Orchard Lake, was absolutely beautiful and the reception was the epitome of class at Orchard Lake Country Club.

Deanna is timeless, and who doesn’t LOVE a birdcage veil bride?

The flowers were supplied by Bridgette O’Brien of One Of A Kind Botanical Design and they were some of the most creative I’d seen all year. Can you believe the peacock feathers were Cass’ idea?

Check out the wonderful video created by Days To Remember Media

Deanna and Cass’ Preview from Lee Higginbottom on Vimeo.

Deanna & Cass, Thank you for asking me to be a part of your special day. It was such a joy getting to you and I know that there are many big, amazing things to come for you both. Congratulations and best wishes! XOXO

The Wedding Day dream team: Planning by Bliss Weddings & Events, Photography by Lemus Photography, Ceremony at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Shrine Chapel, Reception at Orchard Lake Country Club, Videography by Days To Remember Media, Flowers by One of a Kind Botanical Design, Music by Tim Hewitt Group, Bagpiper by Bob Droppleman, Cake by Buttercream Bakeshop, Ceremony Music by Go 4 Baroque

Back in late 2008, we created a series called “A Year of Colors”. This series was filled with fun and fresh color ideas, themes and other fabulous tips. Click on the months below to see the details!

I took this photo at the recent rainy day Bliss wedding of Lisa & Matt. They were lucky enough to get all of the colors of a rainbow on their wedding day!

Well, 2009 is right around the corner and to celebrate, we created an entire year of inspiration boards for your big day. Take a look at all of the months and let us know what you think! Did we miss a color or theme that you’d like to see? Let us know! Your’s may be chosen as one of our future inspiration boards.

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Originally Posted in November 2008

Well, engagement “season” is finally here! In the wedding industry, the time between November and February is when most of our clients get engaged. With all of the holidays, it is the perfect time for him to pop the question. So this sparked a thought process. With so many engagements happening, we are bound to come across at least a few of you with questions. There are so many details that go into planning a wedding, so I am going to give you the step-by-step directions and maybe help point you in the right direction.

Tip #1. The first few weeks can be very overwhelming and knowing exactly where to start can be a bit confusing. My advice is to set aside some time to discuss the financial side of the wedding as soon as possible. This can be a bit uncomfortable if you are asking your parents or family members for help paying for you big day, but trust me when I say that they actually want to help. 75% of our clients are paying for majority of the wedding themselves or have worked out a comfortable payment plan where they are pitching in a huge chunk of the cost. Find a budget that works comfortably for everyone included.

Tip #2. The most important discussion you need to have as soon as you start planning, is where your priorities lie and exactly what type of wedding you’d like to have. Do you want a lavish affair with ice sculptures, giant centerpieces and exotic food or do you want a backyard wedding with a tent, down home BBQ, and a live band? These details are what really make your wedding day unique. Consider the following things: Location, Entertainment, Food, Drink and Formality. Everything else will be easier to decide once you get these ideas set in stone.

Tip #3. If you plan on hiring a wedding planner, it is best to do it right off the bat. He/She can help with all of the decision making! From setting a budget, deciding on a style, finding a venue…. if you don’t know what to do or where to start, a planner can be your best resource.

Tip #4. Don’t ask your bridal party right away, unless you plan on getting married two months from now. As sad as it sounds, relationships change, friendships disolve, and bad things can happen. It is always wise to wait a few months before deciding who you want to stand by your side at the altar. Nothing is worse that asking a friend to be your bridesmaid only to find out she disappears in 6 months!

Tip #5. Don’t waste your hard earned money in areas you don’t need to. Majority of Wedding magazines cost between $4 and $8 per issue and most of their material and photos can be found online. I am not saying it is a huge waste of money all the time, but sometimes you can find the same info for free. Bridal Planners & Binders can cost anywhere from $25 to $50 and can be replicated and DIY’d very easily! Please check out our post about DIYing your own planner for instructions and ideas. You do need something to stay organized. You will have a lot of contracts, brochures, business cards and photos to keep track of.

Over the next few days, we will cover all of the basics of planning your big day. If you have questions you’d like to see the answers to or want to share a tip that made planning easier for you, let me know! I’d love to share your ideas with our readers. Leave us a comment!

Photo Credit: Polka Dot Bride, Google Images

Originally posted in March 2009

10 Bright Ideas For Your Spring Wedding

1. Bright Colors

2. Unusual Entertainment

3. Brunch Reception

4. Tents

5. Unique Favor Ideas

6. Tea Length Dresses

7. Fun & Funky Hair

8. Giving Back

9. Fresh Menu

10. Flowers with a punch