#14 – All Things Bridal – Make your ‘maids merry

while the MOH bears most of the responsibility in your wedding, the BM’s are not without accountability – at least not financially.

although it is your day, consider those that you choose to be a part of your wedding party. they must be willing and able to comply with most, if not all, of the time commitments your wedding will entail – dress/shoe shopping and sizing, helping you assemble and mail programs/favors, rehearsals not to mention setting aside an entire day for the ceremony and reception.

most importantly, they must financially bear the cost of being a BM. this timely article from ellybevents helps to shed some light on the true costs to being a BM:

http://ellybevents.com/blog/2011/10/true-cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid/

help them to count the cost!

 

happy planning!

Z

😉

#12 – All Things Bridal – Go Green

No, I’m not talking about Emerald Green, Hunter Green or even Lime Green. I’m talking Sustainable Green!

Your wedding is the perfect place to incorporate your practices and ideas that help our planet. You can also raise awareness to our earth’s problems and help others take notice of some real solutions. For your wedding day, sustainability goes beyond food, drink and wedding favors. According to Treehugger.com, the following are a few simple ideas that you can use to create a Sustainably Green wedding:

1. Watch the numbers No matter what other choices you make, the biggest factor in the ecological and financial impact of your wedding will be its size. The cold hard fact is that each person you invite means more miles traveled, more food consumed, a bigger venue, and more waste when it’s all over. Since this is your big day, invite as many loved ones as you want, but keep an eye on the numbers and be aware that the more the guest list grows, the harder it is to draw the line: “Well, if we’ve invited cousin Jenni then we really should invite uncle Sami…”
2. Source locally Almost anything can be found locally, but some things are more important than others. Food and drinks are a great place to start. If there’s a good micro-brewery down the road, why use up the earth’s precious resources trucking in a keg of your favorite organic ale? For finding local food producers, check out networking sites like Local Harvest in the US, or Big Barn in the UK. And while you’re at it, take a look at our guide to the 100 mile liquid diet. Flowers are also worth sourcing locally – community gardens such as SEEDS in Durham, NC (which this TreeHugger chose for his upcoming wedding) are a good place to start.
3. Source green Everything you buy or rent for your wedding will have an environmental and social impact, so keep this notion high on the list when planning. Can you encourage caterers to use organic produce? What is your dress made of? How was the gold in the rings mined? Did those tasty little gift bags of chocolate involve slave labor? Even if you can’t establish the green credentials of every single supplier, at least by asking questions about such issues you are already making a difference. Remember though, what is green may not always be obvious–while a hemp suit may be a good eco-statement, if it is going to sit in the closet for most of your married life, you could be much better off with a traditional rental service. Similarly, party rentals for things like linens and glasses are a classic example of a product service system–something we are very keen on here at TreeHugger. They provide the perfect means for getting the most use out of minimal resources. And don’t forget your local thrift store–ball jars make excellent vases and a pre-loved wedding dress can get you a classic look at a fraction of the price.
4. Pick your venue Choosing a location that is as close to as many of your guests as possible will reduce your wedding’s impact in a big way. But once you’ve done that, you might also want to consider what type of venue you will be using. If you are not tied to a particular church, synagogue, mosque, or rammed-earth eco-dome, why not consider supporting your local community garden, farmer, LEED certified building, or other worthwhile project? This TreeHugger and his soon to be treehugging wife will be tying the knot at Celebrity Dairy, a local low-impact dairy farm in North Carolina that, conveniently, does excellent green-minded catering. Not only will your wedding serve as a useful source of revenue for the chosen local hosts, it can also raise awareness of their work and send a strongly personal message about the issues that you and your partner care about.
5. Green your transportation So, you’ve picked the venue, now how will you and your guests get there? Try to provide as much information on transport options as possible. Let them know that you’d really appreciate it if they arrived by train, bus, bike, or at least by carpool. You could even include a link to travel guides like Seat61 in the invitations. If you are a little ways out of town, why not provide shuttle buses–that way you don’t have to worry about drunk driving either. It may also be a good time to educate your guests about alternative fuels: “what do you mean this bus is running on used veggie oil?” And while your own transport is likely to be a small part of the overall footprint, it certainly sends a big message. Pictures of the happy couple arriving on a Christiania Bike or G-Wiz electric car will preserve the eco-propaganda value of your wedding for some time to come.
6. Make it personal While you’ve definitely got to throw a good party, it doesn’t need to feel like ancient Rome (or the Playboy mansion). What you lack in material decadence, you can make up for in personal touches. Why not ask friends to grow and bring flowers? You’ll end up with the most fabulous flower (un)arrangements ever seen, and your guests will appreciate being involved. Or why not create a scrap book to which friends and relatives can add poems, drawings, pictures, or anecdotes. These are the things that most folks remember most fondly–not the chocolate fountain or the cut-glass chandeliers.
7. The perfect eco-invites An invitation sets the scene for a party, so you don’t want to look cheap or tacky, but you also don’t want to compromise your principles. Fortunately, there is an increasing number of suppliers of recycled, handmade, or tree-free invitations out there–check the bottom of this guide for a list of suppliers. Some may offer a self-assembly option, which saves on money but can take considerable work, others will put the whole thing together for you. If you are happy breaking from tradition, then electronic invites like Evites are worth considering, too.
8. Gifts of conscience There are almost too many retailers of green gifts to mention these days, and many offer registry services. So why not ask for that solar cooker you’ve always wanted? Popular eco-choices for gift registries include Viva Terra, Branch, and Gaiam. Many local craft stores may also do registries, and even mainstream retailers now have many eco-options, such as organic linens, etc. Remember though, less is almost always more when it comes to being green–so think carefully about how many bamboo yoga mats you really want or need. If you have all you need, why not create an online donation registry to a worthy cause instead?
9. Offsetting the rest To be truly green, make every effort to cut emissions, waste, and other negative impacts of your wedding at the source. However, the thing is still likely to create a significant impact. Offsetting can be a means of taking responsibility for that impact and channeling funds into some positive projects–as long as you pick your offset provider carefully. Popular choices include Terrapass, Native Energy, and MyClimate in the US, and Climate Care in Europe. Native Energy even has an online wedding offset calculator. If you can’t afford offsets for the whole wedding, then why not offset a portion and ask guests to contribute to the rest? You can at least include information on offset providers on the invites so guests can choose whether to offset their travel. Be aware though, that some see offsetting as fundamentally flawed, no matter which provider you choose–so make sure it fits with your version of what’s green.
10. Communicate Whatever you do to green your wedding, make sure you tell people about it. Screening An Inconvenient Truth during the ceremony is probably over the top, but you can still take advantage of having your friends and family gathered in one place to do a little friendly education. Tell them about yourselves and about what is important to you. If you can create a wonderful, magical celebration that treads a little lighter on the planet, then people will remember it. Too many folks still believe environmentalism is all doom and gloom–this is the perfect opportunity to prove them wrong!

Think about it. If we all just change one thing that we are doing now, it will make a difference.

Go Green!

‘Til next time,

z

😉

#11 – All Things Bridal – Fascinate Them

Your wedding is one very important day where you want to sparkle and shine. And why not, since you are truly the center of attention.

Some brides have opted to wear a fascinator instead of a traditional veil. A fascinator is a head covering worn on formal occasions, as was prevalent during the Royal Wedding of Will and Kate. The fascinator can take the form of a traditional hat covering most of the head or it can be a simple clip or comb with a floral or feather theme. Some brides have even chosen to include a birdcage veil which covers the face or just the eyes as a nod, of sorts, to the traditional veil.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you FASCINATE them!

Until next time,

z

😉

#10 – All Things Bridal – Make your list and check it twice…

Creating an itinerary/checklist for the “Day Of” and even the “Week Of” your wedding is essential for a successful day.

Your “Week Of” checklist will include activities such as: 1) checking with any guests who haven’t RSVP’d so you will be able to, 2) provide a final head count to the caterer; 3) pack for your honeymoon and wedding night; 4) confirm beauty appointments, for example. Any last minute things that come up or still need to be handled must appear on this list. Provide a copy to your MOH or LIW (Lady in Waiting) so that they will be able to assist you with checking items off the list quickly.

The itinerary for the “Day Of” will have an hourly schedule of the day’s events to ensure that you stay on track. This list will also be provided to your LIW, as this is her main responsibility. She is your personal assistant (although, your MOH may also serve in this capacity.) Some brides have even created a separate itinerary for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to help keep things orderly.

Both of these lists help to keep your day orderly and stress-free. Utilize them as much or as little as you need them.

See ya next time,

z

🙂

#9 – All Things Bridal – Check ’em Out

Business License courtesy of http://richardstreeservice.net/Gallery/album01/Business_License

Planning a wedding is probably one of the few times where you will have to deal with various vendors to ensure that the event is a success. You may have to utilize a caterer, a venue, a seamstress, a wedding planner, a DJ, etc. Prevent potential frustrations by:

• asking friends for referrals to reputable vendors
• asking the vendor for referrals from previous clients
• ask yourself – Are they late to your appointments? Do they return your calls when promised? Do they have a professional appearance? Could you see yourself befriending this person? (Yes OR No will be an appropriate response, depending on the nature of the relationship you foster with them)
• check them out: BBB

If they are new in business, and you feel comfortable working with them, it is still be a good idea to:

• ask if you can watch them work
• observe how they treat other people
• talk to their employees or other associates

A wedding can be a stressful time, help yourself eliminate some of that stress by carefully selecting your vendors.

Check them out, before you sign!

See ya next time!

😉

z

#8 – All Things Bridal – Maid/Matron of Honor

I am so sorry for the delay in getting these to you. It’s been pretty ridiculous around here. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Without further ado, the series continues here…

Maid or Matron of Honor

This position in the wedding party carries much honor but also a lot of responsibility. Among other things, the MOH is responsible for the bachelorette party, help the bride in choosing the details (dress, color scheme, theme, location, etc), planning the bridal shower, and the list goes on and on!

When choosing someone to fill this weighty role, some of these tips may be helpful:

• Are they old enough and responsible enough to fulfill all of the duties – Accompanying you to find a dress and shoes is one thing, but can she plan a bridal shower – complete with sending invitations, helping you register and purchasing food (costs can be split with other BM’s)? Does she handle pressure well? As the days get closer and closer to the wedding, you will need to rely on her more than ever. If she stresses easily, you will become stressed. Is she organized? She will be helping you to keep track of most of the goings-on of your wedding. Does she have the time? Is her calendar already full? Most of us have jobs and family obligations not to mention other things that we are involved with. She should be available or be able to make herself available to assist you with whatever you need.
• The MOH does not have to be a close friend or family member – It is customary to want to honor your friend, your sister or best cousin. But if they can’t fulfill all of the obligations of the MOH position, there is nothing wrong with considering someone else. If you feel as if you have to include that close friend or sister, there is nothing wrong with having more than 1 MOH, if necessary.
• The MOH must be supportive of your decisions but tactful when necessary – The MOH is your right-hand-girl to help you with all aspects of planning and executing your wedding day and other events leading up to that day. She must help you make decisions but also support and, sometimes, communicate your decisions to the rest of the bridal party. There may be times, however, when she will need to kind of, rein you in, so to speak, if you may be getting close to your budget or don’t have enough time to complete some task, for example. Since the planning and the day itself can be stressful, the MOH should help to remind you of your obligations firmly but tactfully.
• What is her disposition? – Is she friendly and cooperative? Or can she sometimes be a complainer or even jealous of you? Let’s be real, just because you’ve been friends, like, forever, doesn’t mean that she’s going to be the best choice when it comes to having someone who will do whatever is necessary to help you on your day. Ultimately, your MOH is cooperative, willing to do the job, can criticize without being critical, trustworthy, not selfish, knows when to compromise, and, among other things is truly happy for you even though she might not be in a relationship.

Although the MOH has a lot of responsibility, choosing the right person or persons will make your day even better!

Check out these other resources:

http://www.ourweddingday.com/advice/Traditions/5-Essential-MOH-Responsibilities/1145.aspx

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=169658616413549

http://www.themaidofhonorguide.com/

http://wedding.theknot.com/bridesmaids-mother-of-the-bride/bridesmaids/articles/maid-of-honor-duties-in-detail.aspx

See ya next time,

z

#7 – All Things Bridal – Favorite Web Resources

ok, i’ll admit it…i’m a web addict. i swear i have some type of disorder or something, because when i’m online, it’s nothing for me to have like 30 tabs open on one Mozilla window and 20 or so on the other and i keep switching back and forth. when something interesting pops up, i just have to take a look. so, while planning my own wedding [and ever since then :-))], i’ve compiled a list of some pretty great online resources to use when planning your own fete.

enjoy and share a few of your own, if they’re not here already! LOL

its a pretty long list. take your time to review it, take a break if necessary and come back later…but most importantly, enjoy.

Related to Love

A Huge Collection of Famous Celebrity Romantic Love Letters.url

Romantic Scavenger Hunt

Looking to create a romantic scavenger hunt? Here are our tips and ideas, to help you get started!

Blue Ridge Cabin rentals | North Georgia cabin rentals | Log cabins in Georgia for Rent

Blue Ridge Cabin Rental and North Georgia Cabin Rentals Available in the North Georgia Mountains. on Blue Ridge in North Georgia and the Toccoa River area

Favorite Wedding Photography

Bambi Cantrell – Wedding Photos and Image Gallery – View the beautiful wedding photos and intimate portrait image gallery of Bambi Cantrell.

Jerry Ghionis

Le Love. Montreal Wedding Photography Contemporary photojournalistic wedding photography with an artistic flair by award-winning fine art photographer Irene Suchocki.

D. Park Photography | Orange County Destination Wedding Photographers Based in Orange County, modern classic wedding photographers for the truly original, authentic and timeless love stories.

Kim Mendoza Photography – San Francisco Bay Area Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer Kim Mendoza. Located in Mountain House, California a contemporary Wedding photographer serving the San Francisco Bay Area and All of Northern California with contemporary wedding photography style. Full Service photography with custom budget packaging for smart brides on a budget.

Jasmine Star Photography Blog The Photography Blog of Jasmine Star, an international wedding photographer based in Orange County, California.

David Jay

Mike Colon | Destination Wedding Photographer, Orange County Mike Colon Photography – destination celebrity wedding photographer servicing Newport Beach, Orange County, Los Angeles, New York, Italy, Mauritius and Dubai.

The Blog of Dane Sanders | Destination Wedding Photographer | Newport Beach, California | Photographer – Author – Speaker This is the blog of Destination Wedding Photographer Author and Speaker Dane Sanders based in Newport Beach, California

Jasmine Star – Favorites

South Asian, Multicultural & Interfaith Weddings | Seshu Photography Seshu Photography offers documentary photography services to discerning wedding and portrait clients in New England and anywhere around the world.

Stephanie Fay Photography Blog Wedding photography that has a creative, photojournalistic feel

thebecker.com 949.385.0073 thebecker.com is the home on the web to becker, an internationally acclaimed wedding photographer from orange county in southern california.

Wedding

wedding on a budget-Wedding Shoes and Wedding Cake Topper at Bridal People wedding on a budget : dyeable wedding shoes, wedding cake toppers, wedding favors, wedding gloves, veils, Wedding Shoes and Bridal Accessories

Bridesmaid wedding bouquet – Shop sales, stores & prices at TheFind.com Bridesmaid wedding bouquet – 1,921 results from 435 stores, including Black Bridesmaid Dress Postage, Red Bouquet Bridesmaid T-Shirt Ringer T-Shirt, Bouquet Table Holders, The Bridesmaid Chronicles: First Love, Red Tulip Hand Tie 2 Dozen Tulips – Wedding Bouquet :, The Bride’s Book of Wedding Superstitions, and more…

Christian Louboutin official website. Luxury french shoe and bag designer. Christian Louboutin official web site. Luxury french shoe and bag designer

Gifts International Inc – Tulle Fabrics Bolt Wholesale and Retail Excellent Quality Tulle Fabrics. #1 Organza Bag and Ribbon Source. Huge Selections, Best Quality and Low Prices Guaranteed. Save 5% when you order $300+ of any combined Tulle Fabric.

Veils

Wedding veils Wedding veils handmade using high quality bridal fabrics

Lingerie

Wedding Dresses, Bridesmaid Gowns and Accessories from PeriDress

GondaluvsGondo’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about GondaluvsGondo’s wedding planning.

kohler44’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about kohler44’s wedding planning.

klovesb’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about klovesb’s wedding planning.

Mosaic Maker: A world of creative photo possibilities. Make a mosaic from a photoset, favorites, tags, or individual digital photographs or images. It’s a whole world of creative photo possibilities — themes, colors, shapes. So, get that digital camera out and shoot some photos!

Do it Yourself Wedding Invitations Our exclusive do-it-yourself wedding invitations feature luxurious papers and unique embellishments for less than $1 each.

Ceremony Arrangements

Thefrenchimport’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about Thefrenchimport’s wedding planning.

d1rtymart1n1’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about d1rtymart1n1’s wedding planning.

Tulle Fabric Tulle,54

Gifts International Inc – Products

Bridal Tulle Illusion 54″ wide 50 yards $39.50 – 108″ wide 50 yards $64 Tulle – Bridal Illusion, Glimmer Tulle & Nylon Netting at discount prices

Premium Nylon Tulle. – Fabric Tulle – BBCrafts.com Premium Quality Nylon Tulle Designed for Wedding Decoration, Tutu, and Draping. Wholesale Available After Registration. Fast Shipping Within 24 Hours. Available in 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 54, 108 inch.

Inspiration Board | Inspire The bride

Wedding reception themes Ideas for wedding reception themes are given to help tie all of the elements of your special day together.

classy’s photos – page 6 – Project Wedding – page 6 These photos were uploaded and saved by classy during wedding planning.

The Bride’s Cafe A blog for the edgy-sophisticated-romantic bride.

Real DC Wedding: Sonya & Janssen – The Bride’s Cafe A blog for the edgy-sophisticated-romantic bride.

Overstocked and Ivory Bridesmaid Dresses | 12k Wedding Blog I think I just decided I want ivory bridesmaid dresses. I found some very nice ones at Overstock.com

Jodi’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about Jodi’s wedding planning.

WMforever’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about WMforever’s wedding planning.

Wedding Favor Ideas | Cheap Party Favors | Unique Reception Favors Unique wedding favor ideas. Whether you are looking for unique, cheap or elaborate wedding favors, you are sure to find the perfect wedding favor ideas for your wedding in our favors planning section. Our favor ideas suit many wedding themes and styles.

cchoi4’s photos – Project Wedding These photos were uploaded and saved by cchoi4 during wedding planning.

Womens Shoes & Accessories at metrostyle.com Womens Shoes & Accessories at metrostyle.com

Dresses, Cakes, Bouquets, Centerpieces, Real Weddings, Color Palettes, Decorations, Favors, Etiquette Tips, Traditions, Wedding Planning Tools, Beauty and Fashion for your Wedding from Martha Stewart Weddings Martha Stewart Weddings — gowns, bouquets, invitations, color palettes, cakes, favors, etiquette, traditions and ideas for the perfect wedding. Find your wedding dress, choose a bridesmaid dress, get inspired by floral centerpieces, use our wedding planning tools, and more. Your online source for planning and designing your big day.

Unique Wedding Ideas, Wedding Favor Ideas Best source for unique wedding ideas and wedding favor ideas. Beau-coup offers popular wedding themes, creative bridal shower ideas, planning tips and much more!

How To Throw A Theme Wedding Beau-coup offers unique ideas and tips to help you select a great theme for your wedding.

TheFROCK.com – Vintage wedding dresses, rare evening gowns, antique, designer and couture clothing from Christian Dior, Worth, Cristobal Balenciaga, Fortuny, Pierre Balmain, Paul Poiret, Valentino, Doucet, Givenchy, Madame Mme Gres, Norman Norell, Halston, Ceil Chapman, Courreges, Charles James, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Desses, Lucien Lelong, Hattie Carnegie, Geoffrey Beene, James Galanos, Rudi Gernreich, Jeanne Lanvin, Hanae Mori, Jacques Heim, Jacques Fath, Paco Rabanne, Jean Patou, Adrian, and other important designers and designs from the last 100 years. A broad collection of vintage bridal dresses and wedding gowns, and a rare collection of celebrity garments and memorabilia. Vintage wedding dresses, rare evening gowns, antique, designer and couture clothing from Christian Dior, Worth, Cristobal Balenciaga, Fortuny, Pierre Balmain, Paul Poiret, Valentino, Doucet, Givenchy, Madame Mme Gres, Norman Norell, Halston, Ceil Chapman, Courreges, Charles James, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Desses, Lucien Lelong, Hattie Carnegie, Geoffrey Beene, James Galanos, Rudi Gernreich, Jeanne Lanvin, Hanae Mori, Jacques Heim, Jacques Fath, Paco Rabanne, Jean Patou, Adrian, and other important designers and designs from the last 100 years. A broad collection of vintage bridal dresses and wedding gowns, and a rare collection of celebrity garments and memorabilia.

All Pumps at Spiegel.com Shop our collection of pumps, slingbacks, and other high-heeled shoes at Spiegel.com.

Pumps & Slingbacks at Newport-News.com  Shop the hottest styles and trends in women’s clothing, including shoes, swimwear, perfect wear-to-work looks and accessories.

Free Vector Art – Free damask seamless pattern Vector graphic Free damask seamless pattern for free download, related with tags pattern, floral, ornaments in EPS files.

Team America damask custom wallpaper – Crest and Damask vintage wallpaper Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product. A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown in a single specified year. In certain wines it can denote quality.

Invitation Ideas & Inspiration – GondaluvsGondo’s biography – Project Wedding Invitation Ideas & Inspiration. remoteassistance.commygatsby.compaper-source.comwww.mypersonalartist.com.www.celebrationsinpaper.comwww.liongraphics.comwww.notfromabox.comwww.invitationlane.comwww.. This biography is about GondaluvsGondo’s wedding planning.

TIPS**JDWeddingDay’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about JDWeddingDay’s wedding planning.

Color Tulle Bolts – 53″ x 40 yards (colors) Double Faced Tulle Bolts in colors lavender, orange, turquoise, mint green, peach, gold, black

The DIY Veil – almostSMN’s biography – Project Wedding The DIY Veil. For less than $5 total, I’m very happy with how my veil has turned out. If you are thinking of making your own veil, I hope these instructions help!1. I bought 54

Ghana_Bride’s biography – Project Wedding This biography is about Ghana_Bride’s wedding planning.

DIY Bridal Shower Favors for Under $1ea – its.nicsknack’s biography – Project Wedding DIY Bridal Shower Favors for Under $1ea.   A few months before my own wedding, my MOH was hosting he. This biography is about its.nicsknack’s wedding planning.

WeddingWire – Free Wedding Websites, Wedding Checklists, Wedding Guestlists & Wedding Planning Tools WeddingWire offers free wedding websites, wedding checklists, and wedding planning tools. Easily manage your wedding guestlist, seating chart, wedding vendors, and much more.

Wedding Cakes

WEDDING CAKE PICTURE | Pictures Gallery | Maisie Fantaisie Wedding Cake Picture Gallery – featuring a selection of wedding cake pictures by Maisie Fantaisie.

Reception

Cocktail reception … | Brides.com

Cocktail Wedding Receptions – A Cheap and Classy Alternative to Expensive Wedding Receptions Cocktail Wedding Receptions – A Cheap and Classy Alternative to Expensive Wedding Receptions

Cocktail Wedding Receptions Your Wedding – Cocktail Wedding Receptions. Info on Planning Cocktail Wedding Receptions including Cocktail Party Wedding Receptions & Cocktail Party Ideas

Cocktail Wedding Reception – 7 Tips To Help You Plan Cocktail Wedding Reception – 7 Tips For Your Wedding Reception

Your Fairy Tale Wedding Planner: free Low-Budget Wedding Reception Ideas & printable Save Thousands On An Elegant Wedding sharing | KeepandShare kw020: free Low-Budget Wedding Reception Ideas – click now, it’s free!

Yellow & Orange Wedding Flowers, Tulle and Favor Supplies Discount Silk Roses

Wild Hibiscus Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup, best served as a garnish in Champagne or a good Sparkling wine.

Invitations – Ribbon and Bow Projects – DIY Weddings – MarthaStewart.com

Unique Wedding Reception Idea: Wine Tasting for a Wine Wedding Theme If you are looking for a unique wedding reception idea and especially if you are having a wine wedding theme, consider doing a wine tasting at your wedding reception! Here are complete instructions

DIY Wedding Card Box How to make an amazing tiered wedding card box using hat boxes or other interesting boxes.

Moments that take Our Breathe Away, Wall lettering decal by OffTheWallExpression on Etsy This beautiful design would look wonderful in your home, as a reminder to cherish the special moments in your life!!This decal comes in your choice of two color…

Girl Marries Boy – The Standard in Luxury Bridal Gown Consignment FAQs GMB is the premier choice for brides-to-be looking to purchase pre-owned designer, couture, and custom wedding gowns. Now you can afford the dress of your dreams—not your budget. FAQs

Wedding Invitations that match your style and budget. | Pear Tree Greetings Look through affordable wedding invitations at Pear Tree Greetings and find the perfect match for your wedding.

Complete 12 month wedding checklist, wedding calendar, and wedding timeline The #1 website for weddings featuring wedding gowns, bridal gift registry, wedding etiquette and advice, invitations, bridesmaids dresses, wedding planning ideas, vows, music, photography and much more!

Wedding_Timeline.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Wedding Checklist & Timeline | OneWed.com Use this FREE interactive checklist to manage all your wedding planning details. Add, subtract and edit tasks. Write yourself helpful notes. And definitely, delegate to friends & family.

“Wedding Dream” red-and-yellow Polyvore inspiration board « Weddingbee Gallery

Bridesmaid Dresses: The Dessy Group Bridesmaid dresses and formal dresses from Dessy Creations in New York. View the collection: find a retailer. Find bridesmaid dresses and formal gowns by Dessy as well as evening, bridesmaid and formal dresses by After Six. Elegance for your special occasion!

Gift Registry 360 – Wedding Registry – Bridal Registry – Gift Registry Wedding Registry – Creating your wedding registry? Browse through our large selection of bridal registry items and start creating your gift registry today.

California Wedding Locations, California Wedding Services. Chicago Weddings, DC Wedding Venues. San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego Weddings. Beach Weddings. Find the best California, Chicago and D.C. wedding venues: virtual tours, photos, detailed info. Pre-screened wedding services and dress salons.

Press: Wedding Experts at Here Comes The Guide

please excuse some of the categories and corresponding entries, as previously stated, my mind is moving in a gazillion different places when online. just bear with me, i promise i’ll do it again! LOL

see ya tomorrow,

z

🙂

#6 – All Things Bridal – Saving Money

when it comes to wedding planning, saving money is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. if anything, it’s the opposite. weddings are notorious for costing a lot of money. that is why some have elected to elope or have small ceremonies. however, with a little creativity and flexibility, you can throw a grand bash and still save money.

during your planning stages, you can create two separate lists to figure out what are your “must haves” and what are those things that you “can live without”. if you need to, create a separate “maybe” column for those things that you would like to have and will implement if they fit into the budget.

have you ever considered:

• having your wedding during off-peak/off-season times – daytime or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, anyone? or what about January through March?
• make your own decorations, invitations, favors, etc – Martha Stewart is the queen of DIY and has some great options for low-cost, easy to assemble ideas. (all photos courtesy of marthastewart.com)

• purchasing your dress from a sample sale or getting a pre-owned dress – check out the designer’s site for your local bridal boutique for the dates of their sample sales or trunk shows; the following websites are helpful for pre-owned wedding dresses: 
  www.preownedweddingdresses.com, www.bravobride.com/, www.encorebridal.com/, WoreItOnce.com
• having a cake and punch reception or brunch reception
• presenting a small 1-2 tier cake for display and/or cake cutting and then serving sheet cake (your local grocery can provide sheet cakes for a fraction of the cost of a wedding cake)

these are just a few ideas. here are more resources for other ideas:

http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/weddings/budget/save-money-wedding-00000000006530/index.html

http://weddings.about.com/od/weddingplanningtools/tp/Costcutters.htm

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-budget/articles/30-ways-to-save-money-on-wedding.aspx?MsdVisit=1

happy saving!

til next time,

z

😉

#5 – All Things Bridal – Remaining Stress Free

no matter where you are in your planning, i’m sure you’ve already experienced some level of stress. this is because planning a wedding takes a lot of time and effort. wedding planning coupled with a job or kids is a recipe for anxiety and stress. this is not to say that it is impossible.

if you are taking on the task of planning your wedding, keep in mind the following tips:

• ask for help – your bridesmaids and maid/matron of honor may have already begun to help you organize things; your friends and family members will also be willing to assist you; should you need further help, don’t be afraid to ask
• get organized – use a planner (online or notebook) to help sort everything out; you will have many decisions to make from now up until the wedding day, having some sort of organization will help things not become too overwhelming
• put together a timeline and prioritize tasks – again, there will be many decisions to make; keeping a task list together and setting a deadline on the calendar for those items will help keep you organized; this also helps you to be able to visualize everything that needs to be done and bring in extra help, if necessary
• take time to relax – de-stress whenever you feel the need to; hot bubble baths, listening to music, going for a walk or run, laughing at your favorite comedy, treat yourself to a spa day, whatever works for you; just do something

understand that there will be stress involved and accept it, but don’t let it overtake you. nothing is perfect. ultimately, you are planning a wedding, a celebration of the love between you and your fiancée, but only one day out of many that you will spend with them. focus on the love between the two of you, work through the stress and have fun.

see ya tomorrow,

z

😉

Next Installment – Ways to Save Money on your Wedding

#4 – All Things Bridal – Romantic Gestures

i just got in from a wedding where i was the second shooter for the amazing Atlanta photographer, Zac Long of FengLong Photography. thank you again Zac for giving me the opportunity to shoot along with you. i had a great time, learned a lot and have some great experience under my belt.

during the pre-wedding candid shots, the bride received a special delivery of a long, brown box with a white ribbon around it. she opened the box to find a beautiful diamond bracelet and a note from her soon-to-be husband. his note simply declared how much he loved her and then he reminded her of the 3 words that he used to describe her the day they met. [these words have been kept secret to protect the loved! :-)] of course, there were a lot of ooh’s and awwww’s in the room among the bridal party, and rightfully so. how romantic of a gesture that was!

the marriage ceremony, with its’ traditions and practices, is all about the declaration of one’s love for their fiancee. why not make a special and memorable declaration at your wedding.

you could:

• write your own vows or prepare list of “10 things i love about you” and read it to each other during the reception
• send a short note/video to your fiancee, to be read before the ceremony (the night before or the day of, it’s your choice); you could even make a series of notes leading up to the big day
• read a love poem to your spouse during the ceremony/reception
• if you’re so inclined, write a song or poem about your fiancee and perform or recite it for them on your wedding day

these are a few simple things that come to my mind. try one or two, or come up with your own.

i’d love to hear your ideas.

please share them with me in the comments section.

see ya tomorrow,

z

🙂