Merry Christmas Everyone

Just wanted to wish everyone a very merry christmas. I'll be taking the next week off to spend with my family! Be back in 2008.

Preppy Winter Wedding Favorites

Just some of my favorite winter wedding ideas via Martha for all you January & February brides.


Use fun extra long bendy straws from for your party in a knot motif for guests.

You know my love for mason jars. I like the pairing of emerald and turquoise. Wouldn't these look great paired together in a night-time ceremony at a country church?


Love, love, love this cake. The garland details really work for a winter wedding.


Last, but not least, this raw bar display is to die for. Bring the ice from outside, inside my friends.

Preppy Cookie Exchange

I promised pics from this year’s cookie exchange so here they are!

The spread -

I love these fun placecards from Pottery Barn (last summer), they are super cute!





I used these placecards from the Martha Stewart collection at Michaels so people could write the names of their cookies.
Here’s the bar. I did champagne and chamboard with blackberries as the signature drink, so yummy.
And the other food table, I made this recipe for pigs in a blanket (one of my favorites). They were all gone by the end of the party.
I also got this awesome cookie box kit (also Martha Stewart Crafts) for everyone to take home their treats in.
All in all, a great party.

And just because I had the camera, here are some shots of the Preppy Wedding House during the holidays.


And Santa’s favorite elf.

Preppy Cookies

Just signing off for the weekend! Today is my Friday.


I'm actually hosting a cookie exchange on Saturday - can't wait it should be lots of fun. I think I am making these lovelies (do you see the peppermint obsession?). If I had married in the winter, we would have totally had this cake.




I'll be sure to post pictures on Monday ...

Preppy Tree Skirt and Decorations on Sale

So, I have something to confess. I have an addiciton to this webpage. I use it to reap the knowledge of lots of stay-at-home mom's trolling the internet for great deals.

And I wanted to share this one with you. Take a look at the post. Basically you re-type the pottery barn kids christmas codes and you can get this super cute tree skirt for 34 dollars and FREE shipping.

There are lots of other super cute Christmas deals there, so take a look. (MMM, I was thinking about you when I found this).

Looking for a good christmas cd ...

Try Mindy Smith's My Christmas. Love it.

Christmas Meme

Saw this over at More, More, More.

I warned you, I'm going all Christmas round here at The Preppy Wedding.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
Tall Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
So glad to see this question. The husband thought our Santa growing up was just lazy. But, when I was a kid, I knew Santa would not have the time to wrap everyone's gift. Instead, he quite obsessive compulsively arranged everything round the fireplace.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Only White - I'm a purist.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, can someone explain where that tradition came from. I'm sure some guy invented it as a way to get lucky.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The weekend after Thanksgiving. It makes me feel ahead of the game.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish:
Does Edy's slow churned peppermint icecream count? Mimosas on Christmas morning (a new tradition).

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Going to see Richmond's legendary Santa at Miller & Rhodes (He's now at the Children's Museum). You got to have tea with Santa and the Snow Queen, Santa called you by name, there was a talking Christmas tree (Bruce the Spruce) and my mom went to see the very same Santa. Favorite holiday memory - minus waiting in line for hours to see Santa.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Age 12. My sister's ghostbuster doll house had a Toys R Us price tag on it. I still subscribed to the thought that Santa made his own toys. Anyone else extremely sheltered as a child?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yep, our Christmas pjs.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Traditional red and green ornaments. These cool initial ornaments from Restoration Hardware for the whole family (including dogs). Old School Pearl White Lights. Big Satin Ribbon on top.

11. Snow: love it or hate it?
Loved it as a child. Hate it now. Especially when I lived in the city. Who likes the look of dirty snow.

12. Can you ice skate?
I fall ... a lot. But, I like the thought of an ice skating outfit.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Cherry red, old school Volkswagen Cabriolet. I was 21. Thanks mom and dad.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Making new traditions.

15.What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Handsdown - Ghirardelli Limited Edition Peppermint Bark.

16. What tops your tree?
A big red bow.

17. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Giving - I like to come up with the really cool gifts.

18. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Silent Night while holding candles sung at the Christmas Eve midnight mass at Church.

19. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
Elf.

20. What would be the best gift you could receive this year?
A Nickelodian circa 1990's style shopping spree at J. Crew (with a big shopping cart and a two minutes to fill it). A real ipod? An SLR digital camera?

12 Days of Christmas

So, I need to come up with a gift for my office's 12 Days of Christmas Celebration. I've already purchased some super cute green and red polka dot bags from the dollar bin at Target, so I'm thinking of doing this for each of the participants. You like?

Update: I am going to try to be crafty and do this one on my own. I did some similar for the dogs in my family last year (and I'll try to remember to take a picture and post this week). All you need is a matte ornament, paint pens, ribbon, patience and good handwriting.

Preppy Gift Wrap

Saw this in the December Country Living and was totally inspired. When you have a cottage (meaning small, older home) you have to maximize your space and this is so cost effective. I'm just thinking this would look so cute in our office and it could double as a craft station?

Also - must apologize for the lack of wedding related posts. It's December, so there will lots of Christmas talk around these parts.