S.Mondo was established in 2008, launching her versatile Everyday clutches. This young designer, Sarah Mondo, entered the bridal world in 2010, when her best friend asked her to create purses for her and her bridesmaids; the rest as they say, just fell into place.

“For wedding purses I ask for all details of the wedding day, to get a feel for the bride’s vision, including: location, time of year, colors, themes, etc. If the purses are customized to each bridesmaid, I make sure to find out their individual styles and the designing begins,” noted owner Sarah.

“Many of the bride’s purses are lined with a fabric that is meaningful to them, such as a fabric from their grandmother’s wedding dress or a favorite shirt of the soon-to-be groom. It’s a great way to incorporate the ‘something old, something new…’ tradition, while recycling.

“The Everyday clutches are made from reclaimed leather items, which are handpicked and purchased from a store where proceeds directly benefit Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital. By purchasing an S.Mondo leather clutch, you’re not only directly involved in the recycling process, but also giving back to the Chicago community.”

So, in the midst of your busy planning, remember those exceptional girlfriends who have been there for you throughout the years. To purchase one of these stylish clutches, please send your request through skmondo.com.

We found these very fun Bridal Aprons and thought what a different gift idea! The Give Me Sugar collection ties around the waist with a billowing silky sash and comes adorned with jewel-toned bells or rhinestone balls and festive rickrack.

From the Haute Hostess Apron Bridal Collection, the chic Wedding White, SARAH, is the perfect Shower Gift for the Bride! It also makes a Delicious Bridesmaids Luncheon Gift – tie them on the back of the chairs! Haute Hostess Aprons are the Absolute Hit of the Bachelorette Party Princess Scene! Wear them with a tiara! (Or here’s a thought to make the groom a happy guy – add stockings and stiletto heels to the apron and maybe a bustier, but don’t loose the tiara and a fun time will be had by all!).

Find them at Stanley Korshak in Dallas and several other states. They also have online resources.

(Wedding Shower Favors)

Panna Dolce is the brainchild of three Chicago-based friends and partners, Katharine & Justin Greis and Lauren Robin. Katharine and Lauren run the baking and product development while Justin handles much the technology and marketing. The three friends came together in 2009 after a five year obsession with creating the perfect French Macaron! Their mission was to develop an authentic Laduree-style French Macaron that was true to its classic french roots yet resilient enough to ship cross-country. It took five long years, but they finally figured out the perfect recipe to make the macarons incredibly tender and delicious yet strong enough to handle the shipping process to any corner of the U.S. Each piece of perfect pillowy culinary art explodes with flavor. Flavors such as Key Lime, Almond Butter and Strawberry Jelly, and Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow headline their collection and have drawn a cult following of macaron devotees. Panna Dolce does not skimp on quality. They only use the finest ingredients and bake each macaron to-order to maximize shelf life.

Along the way, Katharine and Lauren invented three cookie recipes (Chocolate  Chip Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cranberry and Toffee Pretzel Peanut Butter Crunch) and a Brownie (called The Brownie to End All Brownies) too good to keep secret.

You can find Panna Dolce online at PannaDolce.com as well as Twitter and Facebook. You can also check out some of their event photos and favor examples on their blog or at Flickr.com. Chicagoans can also find Panna Dolce at your local Goddess and Grocer store in Bucktown, Gold Coast and Elston.

For more information please contact Lauren Robin.