Unique Bridal Clutches & Purses

 Tired of the traditional bridal purses?  These unique clutches are not your usual boring bridal bags!  We love the contemporary, chic embellishments, playful pearls, glittering crystals, and ruffles galore.  Make a statement at the head table with any of these awesome bags.  Best yet?  Most of them would look stunning attending a cocktail party after the wedding.

Our favorite new clutches, from the left...

First Row: Raquel Clutch, $82, Beaded Peal Clutch, $169, Metallic Silver Glitter Clutch, $46
Second Row: Clemintine Clutch, $129, Chantilly Lace Wristlet, $120, Jewel double sectioned clutch, $129
Third Row: Crystal Minaudiere Clutch, $219, Monique Clutch, $125, Clementine Clutch, $129
Background: Ruched Pleated Clutch, $109

Not sure you want to carry a clutch?  Check out our previous posts on the reasons you may or may not need one and just what goes in that bridal bag.  Then let us know what you think.  Are you planning on carrying a purse?  Will you opt for one in traditional white, ivory, pearls, or crystals?  Or just picking up one in a coordinating wedding color?  Share your story!

Where to Buy

Reception Essentials

Everyone knows the traditional ceremony items you need for your wedding day...unity candle, garter, etc...but what about the reception?  Here's our list of the items you need to make your wedding reception unique, chic, and totally you.

Card & Envelope Holder
Keep all those cards, gifts, and well wishes organized in style with this ultra bedazzled card holder.  This metal and glitter box is shaped like a present with a fun, sparkly bow.  A great place to keep all your cards during the reception and will look lovely under your tree for your first married holiday season together!  The Princess Box measures 10" by 10" and is available for purchase for $55 or to rent in the Chicago land area for $35 per weekend.  (Call us at the shop for details, 773.929.7422.)

Guest Book
You'll want to remember who was there to watch you tie the knot.  Whether you opt for the traditional lined guest book or something more modern, you'll need a place to put all those well wishes.  Try something fun like a Polaroid Photo Guest Book.  You'll be chic with your new miniature instant photo camera and
petite picture guest book.  Your guests will gladly sign in style while a business card sized photograph of them develops and slides right in.  Comes with 30 acid free, archival pages, photo protectors.  Personalization is available in the black or white album, $68 each (camera not included).

Guest Book Pen
Don't forget pens for your guests to sign with.  Opt for vases full of Sharpie markers in your wedding colors, or choose a contemporary, personalized pen.  My personal favorite, the Optical Crystal Pen comes with a silver pen sitting in a round cut diamond shaped clear base.  Personalize it with your names and wedding date, $36.  Pen base measures 2.25". 

Head Table Vases
You'll want somewhere to put your gorgeous bouquet while you and your bridesmaids are eating dinner.  Why not gift yourself and your girls with personalized centerpieces they can take home afterwords?   Opt for a classic Glass Vase Centerpiece engraved with each girl's initials?  Sold individually for $24, or in a set of three for $52.  Or add some photos to the fun with the Wedding Reception Glass Photo Vase, $32.  Each vase doubles as a frame to hold a 4x6 photo and can be personalized with each girl's name or a line of custom text. 

Cake Topper
Adorn your cake with some bling too!  Chic silver and crystal letters in your new monogram or initials will add a perfect personalized touch to your wedding cake.  Each letter is embellished with Austrian Swarovski crystals flowers.  Sold as a set of three individual letters so you can arrange them on your cake just as you'd like. One Large letter is also available now for $56, small letter is also available now for $46.00.

Toasting Flutes
Personalized toasting flutes are one more keepsake you'll want to use long after the wedding is over.  Opt for simple flutes with your names and wedding date, $26 a pair, or  pick an embellished set that fits the theme of your wedding.  Toasting Flutes in a Vase, $38 set, will echo your "two peas in a pod" feeling as tapered, frosted flutes nestle in a small vase.    Personalization is available.

Here's where to buy these fabulous items.

Written By ~ Kirsten

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Guest Book Wishing Tree
Escort Cards vs. Place Cards
Miniature Wedding Cakes for Receptions

Fun Valentine Placecards

Here's a super cute idea for a February or Valentine's Day wedding!  Valentine Fortune Cards from Paper Source.  What a fabulous way to tap into your inner child and let your guests have fun at the same time.  Let these scratch off fortune cards greet your guests at their table or use them as a fun twist on the traditional escort card.   $14.95 for a box of 20 cards and envelopes.  Available here.

Written by ~ Kirsten

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Escort Cards vs. Place Cards

Happy New Year & a Something Blue Cocktail

Celebrate the new year (and for lot's of ladies, the year of their weddings!!!) with a fabulous Something Blue Cocktail!  A perfect drink to celebrate 2010, engagements, or as a signature cocktail at your reception.  Check out our blue champagne cocktail here, or try another one of our favorites below.

Roq Candy
2 oz Hpnotiq
1 oz Premium Vodka
Spash of Pinneapple Juice
Shake well and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a rock candy stick.






Written by ~ Kirsten

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Unique Ideas for Something Blue
Add Color to Your Bridal Look

Rosette Wedding Purse

Looking for a fabulous clutch to carry at your wedding or next special event?  Look no further than this new design from Sondra Roberts' La Rose Clutch!  Fabric rose petals adorn both sides of this boxy, hard sided purse.  With a faux diamond clasp on top, this chic clutch is perfect for the bride looking for a wedding bag that makes a statement.  You'll love it so much, you'll want to carry it all the time.  Available in ivory, red, and black for $149.

Written by ~ Kirsten

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Escort Cards vs. Place Cards

Photo by 5th Floor Photography

So many cards...what do they all mean?

An escort card lists the guest and their spouse or date and contains their table assignment. Sometimes cards with table numbers are place inside petite envelopes with the guests' names on them for easy switching in case Aunt Winnie sits at table five instead of table nine.

A place card sits at each place setting on the reception tables letting guests know where they should sit at the table.

Don’t care where guests sit after they get to the table? It’s perfectly acceptable to skip the place cards and let them choose their seat at the table. Just make sure the wait staff knows how many place settings each table needs.

Written by ~ Kirsten

Groom's Cake - Guest Blogger

How many fruit tarts and chocolate dipped strawberries can a guest bear after a full dinner and drinks? I say, out with the sweet table and in with the groom’s cake! There's nothing like a piece of edible art that you can view and taste to make a grown groom cry. From the state of Texas, to a hamburger, Harley, or even a large horseshoe, we at TipsyCake LOVE groom's cakes. When your venue includes a run of the mill wedding cake in your package, have some fun and order a quirky cake as a sweet addition.

The cake should be a surprise and should reflect the groom inside and out. Does he love the countryside? Try a cake shaped like a field of corn that tastes like his favorite flavor...even if it's peanut butter and jelly. Can he not live without his golf clubs? Try a golf themed cake. We love to design every cake to be a little different here at TipsyCake, so even if you have your wedding cake booked come on in for a tasting and consultation. You CAN have your cake and eat it too!

Check out these photos and the TipsyCake website for inspiration. The camera cake at the top was Everything But The Dress blog's very own Kirsten Agnello-Dean's Groom's cake. Her photographer husband Chase loved it, and the guests couldn't stop taking photos all night.

Photos courtesy of TipsyCake

Written by ~ Guest Blogger ~ Naomi Levine of TipsyCake Chicago

Personalized Wedding Plates

The Wedding blogs are all a buzz about these fabulous new personalized paper plates!  Available from Hallmark.com, these wedding and engagement dinner plates feature 13 different designs for you to put your photo on.  What a cute idea for a bridal shower, morning after brunch, or casual backyard reception.  A great personalized place to stash your wedding cake!

Not planning a bridal party?  No worries, there are tons of other categories of party plates to choose from.  Available at Hallmark's website, 9" dinner plate, $10 for a package of 10.  


Written by ~ Kirsten

Reception Table Trend - Miniature Wedding Cake

Here's a reception trend we love....miniature, individual wedding cakes for the table. Make a cute mini for each person, a slightly larger version for two to share, or a jumbo mini for the table to split.

Check out this delightful little cake on a shortbread cookie that was made just for us by the pastry chef's at The Signature Room at 95th.

Need a place to put your cake? Check out these cute personalized plates!

Written, and eaten, by ~ Kirsten

Wedding Guest Book Wishing Tree

Looking for a fun, unique, and "green" alternative to the guest book? Try a wishing tree! Have your florist find you a miniature tree or create a branch sculpture and let guests write their sentiments on a small tag and tie it to the individual branches. This is a great way for all your guests to leave their best wishes and love advice. Even your littlest ring bearer and flower girl guests can scribble something. When the reception is over you have a lovely stack of tags to bind into a small book or tuck into the end pages of your wedding album.

Written by ~ Kirsten

Fancy Silk Wedding Day Hair Flowers

Silk flowers are the perfect romantic touch for your bridal look. Check out these gorgeous silk and organza rosette flowers! They would be perfect tucked behind your ear, wrapped into an updo, or pinned to your bag. Wear one all day for an outdoor wedding or switch out your veil for a fun, flirty reception look. Grab one for you or matching multiples for your bridesmaids.

Dupioni Silk Rosette (left) and Organza Rosette (right). $56 each.

Written by ~ Kirsten

What Else Do I Need For My Wedding Day?

While you’re shopping for your wedding day jewelry at The Left Bank Jewelry, you can totally knock a bunch of other things of your to do list. Here are some other bridal accessories you might need:

*Guest Book
*Ring Bearer Pillow
*Flower Girl Gift Set
*Unity Candle
*Hankie
*Purse
*Envelope Box
*Bridesmaids’ Gifts
*Honeymoon Tote Bag
*Honeymoon Beach Towel
*Travel Candle

Can you think of any other things we might have missed? Any brides with other goodies on their "to get" list? Or any married gals with things you wished you had bought? Leave a comment and let us know!

Written by ~ Kirsten

Something Blue Cocktail

Looking for a totally unique something blue? Try a blue speciality cocktail! Our favorite blue liqueur is Hpnotiq, a speciality blend of premium vodka, tropical fruit juices, and Cognac. When they're mixed together they create a soft and sexy blue color which the company calls a "signature frosted blue." Their slogan is "Blue La La" and we agree, what a perfect way to jazz up your cocktail hour or reception.

Try out this fabulous cocktail recipe in person at our Blog Launch Party, July 22nd, 6:30-9. Hpnotiq will be on hand to mix you a sweet treat and answer all your questions!

Bubbles and Blue ~ Something Blue Speciality Cocktail

2 oz Hpnotiq
2 oz Champagne

Pour chilled Hpnotiq and Champagne into a flute. Enjoy.

Written by ~ Kirsten

Do I Need a Wedding Day Purse?

The great purse debate. Do you need to carry a wedding clutch on your big day? Here are some pros and cons.


"I Don't Need a Purse"
*You must rely on someone else to carry it into the reception.
*It’s one more thing to remember to grab at the end of the night.
*More money to budget.

"I Do Need a Purse"
*It gives you a place to stash your lipstick for post dinner touch ups.
*By stashing a camera you can capture moments your photographer might miss, like in the limo.
*You’re given a fab place to stash your cell phone for any pre-ceremony emergencies.
*It’s a better tissue/hankie holder than your bustier.
*An inexpensive way to look put together.

Decided you do want to carry a clutch?

Shop the Photo:
Top: Rhinestone Studded $64
Middle: Rhinestone Buckle $49, Satin Clutch $52
Bottom: Silver $62, Petite Fleur Clutch $62

Written by ~ Kirsten