Like all of you, I can't help but get caught up in the excitement of Friday's royal wedding. Somehow, it reminds all of us that dreams really can come true. No matter what your personal dream is, simply believe it can happen--and then, MAKE IT HAPPEN!

After all the speculation, we finally get to see the gown Kate designed herself! Good for you, Kate! Will, you've done your country proud--in more ways than one.

On behalf of everyone at Kate Aspen UK, I'd like to wish the happy couple a lifetime of joy. And you can be sure we'll be watching the wedding from start to finish, so stay tuned for my next post!

Here’s a new one for me—and maybe, for you, too! I just got turned on to steampunk weddings yesterday, and today, I’m into it, probably because it’s so unusually cool.

This extreme wedding theme was born out of the steampunk literary genre, which, from what I’ve been able to gather, is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history and speculative fiction that arose during the 1980s and early 1990s. It harkens back to the era where steam power was still widely used, specifically the 19th century and often Victorian England, and it features anachronistic technology or future innovations as Victorians like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne envisioned.

So how do you incorporate this concept into your wedding? All it takes is Victorian garb, lots of corsetry, brass, gears and springs, like old clock parts.

Here are a few Web sites where you can see photos. I'd love to know what you think!

http://damncoolpics.blogspot.com/2010/09/steampunk-wedding.html
http://www.empblog.com/?p=2295
http://www.tinywaterblog.com/wedding/steampunk-wedding-photos-3/
http://www.disneyweddingblog.com/2011/01/steampunk-wedding-spotlight-cheryl-adam.html

Pub-hopping is always fun, as is a weekend abroad or a costumed event—but let’s see if we can turn the hen party from the everyday expectation to an extraordinary escapade! Here’s not one, but five intriguing ways to celebrate your favorite bride-to-be, and the first idea is truly in the palm of your hand!

• Hire a Psychic
What does tomorrow hold for the future bride and her friends? Have fun finding out during an evening of food, fun and metaphysical forecasting! Tapping into tomorrow can easily be done in someone’s home. Fill a buffet table with party food and beverages, and hire a psychic to perform in-home fortune telling for all the guests. Whether it’s via palm reading, tarot cards, gazing into a crystal ball, or tea-leaf reading, psychic predictions will excite your guests and give them plenty to talk about! The perfect favor for a tea-leaf reading? The “Teacups & Tealights” Porcelain Tealight Holder, of course!

• Visit an Amusement Park
Life is a roller coaster, and you might as well face it head-on, so treat the girls to a day at an amusement park! Get on rides with names like Hyperblaster, Obliterator, Terror Track, The Beast, Volcanic Eruption, Nemesis Inferno and Tidal Wave! If you can finish rides like those intact, you just might be able to overcome anything life throws at you. Snack on park food and spend hours playing like kids again. For favors, our first idea is personalised motion-sickness bags, but the next best favor is “The Cosmopolitan” Manicure Set so everyone can repair the fingernails they bite off while riding the Obliterator!

• Go Skydiving
Can you imagine anything more thrilling? Of course, you’d have to make sure all potential guests—especially the guest of honor—would be onboard with a totally wild time like this. But if your girls are courageous, and a little bit crazy, this will be one of the most memorable events of their lives. After you jump (definitely not before!), go to a restaurant for drinks and dinner. Adrenaline will be pumping from such an exhilarating adventure, so you’ll be partying for hours. To remember the moment, we suggest the sky-blue “Something Blue” Mirror Compact favor. From that day on, every guest will see herself differently when she looks in a mirror!

• Hire a Houseboat
Instead of spending a weekend abroad, hop aboard a houseboat for smooth sailing and powerful partying! Cruise the UK’s canals, rivers and lakes in carefree comfort. Find a houseboat with the number of bedrooms you require. Some houseboats offer Internet access, a washing machine, a dishwasher, catering and more. Dock near a town you’ve never been to tour and explore everything—including the nightlife! Sounds like fun, right? And the perfect parting gift is the “Destination Love” Cruise Ship Luggage Tag!

• Go Camping
Again, make sure your guests are willing to “rough it” for a couple of days. If they know how emancipating, revitalizing and inspiring camping can be, they’ll go for it in a heartbeat! The UK is covered with campgrounds. You can rent an RV or typical camping gear like tents, camping stoves, etc. Another option for the less-outdoorsy, but still adventurous, group is a cabin by a lake or on a mountain. Party in the cabin, hike by the lake or across the mountains, rent canoes, go horseback riding. Depending on where you go, there’s always plenty to do. Thank everyone for their pioneering spirit with “The Kensington” Cosmetic Travel Bag. Hey, just because you’re having a laid-back weekend off the beaten path doesn’t mean you still can’t look gorgeous while gathering wood for a cozy fire!

Let your imagination wander, and you’ll come up with the ideal hen party plan!

Welcome to Kate’s Wedding Blog! We’re as excited about your upcoming wedding as you are! Why? Simple! Our ultimate goal is to help you have the wedding of your dreams, right down to the favours.

That’s why top-tier favour designer Kate Aspen designs, manufactures and brings you the world’s most imaginatively crafted, creatively gift-packaged, affordable wedding favours, hen party favours, rehearsal dinner favours, personalized favours, bridesmaid gifts, and, when the time comes, adorable baby shower favours. And…

Our years of extensive research into the wedding hopes and dreams of brides in every walk of life have made us somewhat expert in all things wedding. Future posts will shower you with information on and unique ideas for wedding themes, color palettes and décor ideas, along with event-planning tips and the hottest wedding trends—including the first peek at our fabulous, new favour designs—all inspired by brides like you who know what they want!

We’d like to kick things off with a special offer! You’re invited to click on the Kate Aspen UK link below and browse through our stunning favours, where you’ll find something to fit the spectrum of wedding styles—from elegant to whimsical and everything in between. When fans of The Wedding Binder find exactly what they’ve been searching for, you’ll receive 10% off your first order. The offer is good until March 1, 2012! Just use coupon code KATEUK at check-out!

Cheers ‘til next time!

Kate

Article by Kate Aspen
For unique wedding favours, bridal shower favours and more, please visit: http://www.kateaspen.co.uk