GIVEAWAY: Shabby Apple 90 Words Per Minute Dress

GIVEAWAY: Win one of Shabby Apple's gorgeous dresses. The one up for grabs-the beautiful 90 Words Per Minute Dress in size SMALL. (The dress shown is the actual dress you will be getting!) We are huge fans of Shabby Apple and for good reason-their vintage-y, romantic dresses are perfect for almost everything-wear this dress to Sunday brunch then to church then out for drinks with the girls. Its versatile and cute!

Up for Grabs: The Shabby Apple 90 Words Per Minute Dress in Small. Shown above.

To enter: Follow us on Google Friend Connect-this MUST be done to enter.

For all entries: Leave a comment. Be sure to leave an e-mail address in your comment if there is none in your profile.  

For more entries:
Be sure to leave a comment for EACH additional entry that you complete.
 
1 extra entry-Join Swagbucks. If you haven't already heard of Swagbucks, it's a great site where you can search online and get "bucks" redeemable for Amazon giftcards, real cash, & much more!

1 extra entry-Sign up for Groupon. If you've never tried Groupon, it's an awesome money-saving site where one deal a day is offered at discounts of 50 to 80% off attractions, restaurants, salons, & more in a ton of cities ranging from NYC to Knoxville to Tulsa.  


1 extra entry-Join Ideeli. Ideeli is a members-only shopping site with designer names at 50 to 80% off. Recently, you could have scored designer duds & merchandise from French Connection, Bill Blass, Cuisinart, L.A.M.B., & so many more! There's items for women, men, kids, and the home as well as travel packages.

1 extra entry-Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post. (You may do this up to 3 times!)

This sweepstakes is seen on Cashnet Sweeps, Online-Sweepstakes, Contest Hound, and Prizey!

Disclosure: We have not received any monetary compensation for this review or giveaway. We supplied the dress. Shabby Apple is not affiliated and/or connected with this post at all.

The Legal:

• Contest begins  July 30, 2010  and ends on August 12, 2010 at midnight EST. All entries must be posted by midnight to qualify.
• You must include your email address or your entries will not be counted. (Or check to see if your e-mail is included in your blogger profile.)
• US residents only-lower 48 states too please!
• 18 and over only.
• Void where prohibited/where illegal. Winner is responsible for any and all taxes and fees that result from winning this.  

Alfred Angelo Girls Night Out Party-Save $$

Wedding designer Alfred Angelo is hosting a Girls Night Out on Thursday July 29th from 6 to 8 pm. The first 50 shoppers at every location will receive free gifts, as well as treats and beauty services.  It looks like it's only at Alfred Angelo locations.  If you bring the printable coupon, every bridesmaid can get $20 off the bridesmaid dress so if your bride is dead-set on Alfred Angelo dresses this might be a chance to save!

DIY Chocolate Bridal Shower Favors

We scoured the web for the best chocolate bridal shower favors that you could do yourself. Chocolate? Saving money? Who wouldn't want these to be front and center at the next bridal shower.  Just be sure to read the instructions thoroughly and plan some time for making them.

1) DIY Chocolate Covered Pretzels from Style Me Pretty-Yum! These pretzels look so good-the guests may not be able to wait until the end of the shower to enjoy them.  Get the step by step instructions here.

2) DIY Custom Chocolate Bars from Wedding Window-Find out how to take regular candy bars and jazzy them up for bridal shower favors. Customize the wrappers to say anything!  Easy step by step instructions can be found here.

3) Dark Chocolate Drizzled Mints-Taking Altoids and covering them in chocolate? Our first thought was how unusual and refreshing.  Get the instructions here.

4) Chocolate Gobbler Cobbler Recipe-Send your guests home with a recipe and the ingredients for a tasty cobbler. (We love the idea of doing this for your favorite recipes too!) Guests get to make a tasty treat at home and you did the prep work for it.  Find the template and instruction here.

5) Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookies-From Martha, learn how to make chocolate covered fortune cookies.  Fill the cookies with sayings or thank-yous from the bride for attending the bridal shower.

(All photos are copyrighted from their respective blog.)

Bridal Shower Games: Couples Games

Whose Kiss?

What You Need 

• Blindfold
• Guests!

How to Play 

• Blindfold the bride.
• Have each male guest kiss the bride on the cheek-announce a number for each guy so the bride can keep track.
• The bride has to guess which male is her groom!

Variation: Reverse the game and have the girls kiss the groom.

Who What?

What You Need

• Bride & Groom
• Drinks/Signs

How to Play

• Ask the bride and groom who is going to handle several household chores or who is more likely to do certain things. Have them sit back to back so they can't see each other.
• The bride and groom have to each have 2 signs-one that says her, one that says me and one that says him, one that says me. As an alternative, you can give each of them 2 drinks-one standing for themselves and one being for their partner. (Think beer for him, martini for her.)
• Ask a variety of questions like:
  Who is going to take out the trash?
  Who is doing the dishes?
  Who is most likely to be late to dinner?
  Who would rather stay home on a Saturday night than go out?
  Who will mow the lawn?
• If the couple both get the answer right (i.e. they both answer the groom will do it,) the couple gets a point. If not, they each have to take a drink or do something embarrassing if you're using signs.

Almost Newlywed Game

What You Need

• Guests!

How to Play

• Before the shower, ask the bride and groom questions about each other like Who is doing the dishes?
  
• At the shower, split the group into teams.
  
• Ask the questions and see if the teams can guess what the couple answered.

FREE Printable Bridal Shower Round-Up

We've added an exciting page to our site-a Printable Bridal Shower Round-up. Everything listed is FREE! What's listed-bridal shower invitations, bridal shower games, and other printables for a shower like menus and favor tags. The list is a work in progress; bookmark it for future reference.

FREE Printable Bridal Shower Game: Purse Scavenger Hunt

Since practically every female carries a purse, this game is an easy one to start off with.

We've made a FREE printable Purse Scavenger Hunt game. Simply download, print it out, and then make copies.  Have a time limit for the game-3 or 5 minutes should be good enough. Download the game here.  Please note that the image is copyrighted-weddingclipart.com

If you choose not to use our game, make your own.  Ahead of time make a list of items that might be carried in a purse. Use some basic items and some unusual ones. As you call out the list, the guests get a point for each item found in their purse. The person with the most points wins!

Sample List

Basics:

Hairbrush

Lipstick

Pen

Keys
Tampon
Photos

Movie ticket

Business Card

Unusual:

Be creative and come up with some unusual ones!
Plane ticket
Battery
Calculator
Baseball cards

Beach Tag
Condom

Carrie Underwood's bridesmaid dresses

Now bridesmaids can wear Carrie Underwood's choice of bridesmaid gowns (or the closest thing to it.) Designer Monique Lhuillier created four different silk chiffon goddess gowns for Carrie’s eight bridesmaids. While those gowns were custom creations, just like Carrie's bridal gown which was also designed by Lhuillier, Monique Lhuillier has a line of bridesmaid dresses that can be purchased in her flagship stores in California and Minnesota, as well as online.

Among the gowns in her collection:

(All photos are copyrighted-Monique Lhuillier)

Take at look at this symmetrically draped column gown made of delicate crinkle chiffon featuring a floor sweeping asymmetrical drape and a sensational side slit. It's definitely a different take on a long formal gown.

Or this racerback bubble dress. Formal enough for the wedding, this dress could easily be worn again for date night. This delicate crinkle chiffon halter neck dress features a hand tufted crinkle chiffon rose detail at front neckline as well as a modern racer back cut.

This dress takes a simple V-neck dress and adds some touches. A deep overlap pleated “v” neck dress with silhouette cinching self tie belt at the waist and overlap pleated tulip skirt lends a sophisticated twist on unique. 

The dresses all start around $315 and come in ten popular bridesmaid dress colors like merlot, navy, robin egg blue, spring (green), camilla (pink), black, white, vanilla creme (off-white), sunflower (yellow), and platinum.  The dresses are available in sizes 2 to 16.  Like mentioned before, they can be ordered online. 
 

Bridesmaid Gripe: The bridesmaid dress is too expensive!

It's every bridesmaid's nightmare-the bride sends you a photo of the bridesmaid dress to be  in all its glory.  Yeah, the strapless layered chiffon gown with gathered bust in cantaloupe is gorgeous but then you see the price. $480!? Is the bride crazy?

What to do:

• If the dress has already been bought, unfortunately it's now best to just keep quiet. With most bridesmaid dresses, they can't be returned or exchanged. It's now best to forever hold your peace. Exception: If the dresses can be returned, then speak up.

• Don't just flat out reject the dress-that will put the bride on the defensive. Instead respond back that while the dress is beautiful/perfect for a beach wedding/just what you were thinking of, the price is more than you had budgeted for a bridesmaid dress. 

• Offer to come up with alternatives. Send her photos of similar dresses stating that while you love the first dress, these dresses are just as nice and are half the cost.

• Be prepared for the bride to be mad about your rejection of the dress. The bride is probably going to bring up your trip to Cabo or new big-screen TV. Be calm.

• Give the bride a specific price point that you had budgeted for. Tell her that you budgeted $200 for the dress and that a dress of $350 is just too much. This allows the bride to search for a dress in the budgeted amount, as well as offer suggestions on how to bring the dress down to the budgeted price. i.e. The bride offers to pay the difference, to pay for alterations, etc.

Cash Only Bridal Showers?

Q:The bride and groom haven't registered anywhere-they don't want any gifts for the wedding and only want cash. Since the bride hasn't registered, should we still have a bridal shower or is it rude?

A: Cash only wedding showers are considered rude. Many guests feel that if the bride doesn't want gifts then she shouldn't have a bridal shower since the bridal shower is the only wedding occasion when guests are EXPECTED to give gifts. Besides the actual shower would be boring-"Thanks Aunt Theresa for the fifty. Thanks Karen for $35. "

• If the couple really don't need anything, then think about a specific theme shower, like stock the bar or lingerie. The bride might not have been thinking of items like that when she didn't register.
• Don't put cash-only on the shower invites. It's incredibly rude-if you decide to throw her a shower anyways, let the guests ask you where the couple is registered and then you can tell them that you think they just want money.
• Don't have a shower at all.  Showers are for gifts-if the couple really don't need or want anything, then skip the shower. 

SALE on Bridesmaid Dresses

This weekend the recessionista gods have heard your plea because many bridesmaid dresses are on sale online and in stores.  Yeah!

Ann Taylor-Save 40% on everything, on-line and in the store! Code is JULY40

Shabby Apple-Get your pick of vintage-inspired dresses at 20% off through July 31st.  Code is summer20

J Crew-Final sale is going on now. Head over to get your picks at great discounts.