Our brides have so many decisions to make – who to invite, what to wear, wedding colors, shoes (oh the shoes), flowers, food, venues, seating charts – the list is endless!

So, I thought it might be helpful if I gave you a peek inside our Brides survey, where brides tell us what they want and what they love!.  (Over 3,200 this year alone!)  Here are the Top Ten Wedding Favors for 2009 (so far this year) as decided by our ever-helpfull survey brides …

   Incredible Edibles!

“Edibles” is the best way I can think of to categorize cookies and candy and wine (but that might be drinkables?).  Brides love to give their guests a little “edible love” as a wedding day thank you.

While I don’t have any specific cookie or wine suggestions, I can tell you that our Mint To Be’s are a huge hit at receptions!

  Soaps!

Seriously!  Not a bar of Irish Spring at every place – but cute ones (like ours ) Your guests will love them!

 Things to grow!

Plants, flowers, seedling trees and a favorite of mine – seeds!  Have you seen our plantables?  (these are particularly close to my heart) 

  Kitchen Items

I know, you’re thinking an engraved soup spoon or something like that.  But listen to a quote from a bride when we asked her for an idea of the perfect favor …”Since we are known for our cooking and love of fine food, a kitchen gadget would be ideal!”

It’s not a “gadget”, but we think this idea’s pretty practical, and pretty clever, too!  Also a perfect number seven on our Top Ten Wedding Favors survey results.

     Garden/Outdoor Themed Favors

 We know that Outdoor/Garden Theme Favor Favorites make little spike in popularity during the warmer months.  And as usual, we are always thinking up new ways to satisfy your wishes!

  Seasonal Favors

 If you’re getting married in a season (and you know you are – tee hee), then you might want to look around for something unique and memorable that evokes your chosen wedding season.  Search our online catalog and you’ll find a category called “Theme Favors” – that’s where you’ll find the perfect seasonal keepsake for your wedding. 

  Place Card Holders

Nope, not just for placecards any more.  Our place card holders multi-task!  Use one of our memory albums as a place card holder, then slip in a thank you note on the first page, and include a few photos of you and your fiance on the inside.  The golf ball place card holder is perfect for country club weddings, and it hides a tealight!  Beach wedding?  Adirondack Chair – and slip an engagement picture behind the place card in the frame for happy thoughts later on down the line.   OK, I’ll stop.  But I just get so excited! 

   Favor Boxes

Coming in at number three among our brides in the Top Ten Wedding Favors list is an old standard, the favor box.  One center plate, holding a sweet treat, a wonderful thought, a thank you from the heart.  (You know, this makes me think I need to write a post about what to put in favor boxes.  Hmm….idea!)

  Wine and bar accessories

Aha!  I know why this one is such a big favorite – we have so much fun designing cute and clever little things in this category – and everyone can use them!  We always add a dash of practical into our cuteness factor!

   Candles!

I don’t need to say anything more about the Number One favorite favor for the first half of 2009.  We all love candles.  Enough said.

So did that help some?  I hope so!  Happy planning! 

Brooke’s pictures are in – yes!  I’m so excited to finally share the joy of our other June bride with you!

Brooke and Trent chose a beautiful destination venue in the North Georgia mountains at Waters Mill.  Waters Mill is quite the unique event facility, created around the dreams and memories of an ancestral family farm in the rolling green hills (under a clear blue sky – truly – this place is ethereal!).

An excellent choice for an outdoor June wedding – and I must say, the venue was exquisitely enhanced by the bride’s personal attention to the details!

Hot pink and green were the theme colors du jour  - with exciting pops of bright orange and oh was that ever just exquisitely lovely in the rolling green countryside?

After the wedding, guests adjourned to tables under ancient oak trees with delightful, cold beverages and some of the best lobster-stuffed mushrooms I’ve ever had in my life!  (shh…I embarrassed myself I had so many)   And once the wedding party joined us in the dining room, the celebration began.

It was so much fun – there were family and kids and music and dancing and delicious food, perfect entertainment and did you catch the favors on the tables?  Look familiar?  LOL!

Please join us all in wishing the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Trent Plott, a bright and wonderful future together!  We love you guys!

Jennifer Fallon, CEO of The Aspen Brands Company, accepting her award at the Ernst & Young 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards at the Intercontinental Hotel in Atlanta.  Isn’t she just the BEST?  You GO girl!   

All of us here are just so proud of her, and we think this little YouTube clip will give you a peek into just exactly why we think she’s the coolest CEO ever!

Jennifer Fallon, CEO The Aspen Brands Company

Jennifer Fallon, CEO Kate Aspen

Jennifer Fallon, CEO Baby Aspen

Jennifer Fallon, coolest ceo on the planet

coolest ceo on the planet

Best ceos

If you ask any person on the street, they’ll tell you that Summer is the prime time for weddings – June in particular.  And while that’s quite the “high season”, you’d be amazed at the number of brides that choose Fall for their wedding season.  As a matter of fact, 34% in our ongoing Brides survey choose an Autumn wedding – second only to Summer!  Surprised?  I’m not.  Just look at some of the fabulous colors available for Fall weddings …

Isn’t Alfred Angelo just wonderful

And I so love the warm, autumn colors in the bouquets …..

Yes, you know I look at the cakes, too – aren’t these just lovely!

Most of our Autumn brides are shopping around for the perfect favor right this very minute!  With venues booked and dresses altered, bride’s thoughts turn to the most unique and personal favors they can possibly find to say “Thank You for sharing our special day!”.  Brides tell us they want to match their wedding theme and wedding colors, while still keeping practicality in mind.  One perfect wedding favor, center plate, to share a small but lovely memory each time it’s used and treasured.

I’m quite proud of all our wedding favors, of course – but did you know that we have a very nice selection of wedding favors designed specifically with Fall Brides in mind?

I thought I might give you all a little inspiration! 

“Fall in Love”,   “Perfect Pair” - we design the lasting wedding memories you ask us for – your unique, special thank you to send home with your guests.

I love my job!

with two weddings in our Kate Aspen family in June.  Both Brooke and Skip got married within 3 weeks of each other, and oh how we all enjoyed the preparations leading up to both beautiful ceremonies.  Brooke’s pictures aren’t in yet but when they are, I’ll share her simply gorgeous hot pink and clover green-themed destination wedding photos from the North Georgia Mountains.  Skip’s photographer, Pam of Paris Mountain Photography here in Atlanta, is on the ball and oh my!  Just look!

Skip’s meticulously planned wedding venue was a local Country Club in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The guests were seated on the beautiful, rolling greens, decorated with white and hot pink roses - a full path of rose petals carpeted the lawn and the aroma was simply heavenly! Precious little kisses of hot pink and tiffany blue enhanced the scene.

 The bridesmaids were resplendent in aqua, with hot pink roses.

600 roses – yep 600 roses – everywhere!  So perfect!

 After the ceremony we all retired to the clubhouse for drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and there we found our place card holders!  I love watching our favors at work!  Aren’t these just perfect?

We each picked up our golf ball place card and tealight holder and moved into the dining room to our assigned tables where we found …..

Tah Dah!  Another one of our favors doing it’s job - perfect color-coordination!  I’m so proud!

The dining room was beautifully appointed with tiffany blue wrapped chairs and white linen tableclothes, highlighted with hot pink roses surrounding gigantic hurricane globes with candles.  And the cake – oh the cake!  Please drool with me as you look at the pics …

Four delicious tiers – strawberry cake with strawberry filling, vanilla with lemon filling, and chocolate with cookies and creme filling (and if you’re counting, there were two strawberry layers). 

A lovely buffet was followed by toasts and good wishes and dancing late into the evening!  Congratulations to our newlyweds –  Mr. and Mrs. David Warchol – and the very best of wishes for your very bright future together!

PS – here are a couple more of our Tiffany Blue-themed favors if you’re in the market