Weddings - So Much to Be Thankful For

What a better time than Thanksgiving week to sit down and think about what we are really thankful for!

During the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season, sometimes what we are truly thankful for can seem to get lost amidst the frantic store wide sales, cookie decorating madness and holiday party obligations. It is during this crazed time that even the smallest act of kindness or show of thanks can really make the difference in someones life!

Wedding planning can often seem like you are in the "Holiday Season" 24/7. Sometimes amidst all the planning, store searching, web browsing, party obligations, gift giving and receiving we can loose touch of the big picture.

Here are a few ideas to show some of your love and appreciation to those who matter most!

• Write love letters to your bride or groom throughout the engagement process. Share all the things you love about them, funny memories about the process, excitements, dreams and most importantly why you are so thankful to have him or her by your side!

 

www.weddingdaypin.com

• Sometimes you need a little boost just because. This cute little DIY frame is a great way to let your spouse know that you noticed when they did something sweet. Just use a white board marker to fill in the blank and place the frame somewhere noticeable (i.e. next to where you put your car keys). It will be sure to brighten his or her day!

 www.acontenthousewife.com

•  Don't forget about the Dads! This heartfelt handkerchief is a great way to show thanks to your dad for all of his love and support!

www.everything-pretty.com

Creative Wedding Table Names

Sometimes it’s the littlest touches that make a wedding truly unique to the couple getting married. Creative wedding table numbers or names are a great way to add a unique flare to your wedding and are usually not that difficult to incorporate. Below are a few ideas to get you started:

• Locations: Think of places the two of you have traveled to together or would like to travel to. Then list each table as the names of theses locations, as a picture of these locations or as a picture of the two of you in these locations
• Engagement photos: Add a different engagement photo to each table number
• Hobbies you have together: For example if you both like to garden, name each table a different flower or herb
• Music: List of your favorite songs or artists
• Tie into your theme: For example if you are getting married at a vineyard, name each table a different type of wine or make custom wine bottle labels
• Multilingual Couple?: Write “I Love You” in different languages
• Your Story: For example if you met in college include names of halls, buildings or locations either tied to that school or special to how you met
• Q&A: Label each table with a statement to resemble a question (i.e. First Memory). Then on the table include a picture of each of you. Below each picture state the full question (i.e. What is your first memory of _____?) and then your separate answers. (Give your answers to a third party to make it a surprise for the both of you as well!)

These are just a few of many ideas to give your wedding a more personal touch. You can even take the creativity one step further by adding some DIY crafting to the display of your table names. From picture frames to bedazzling the options are endless!

Bridal Fair 101

The hustle and bustle of the New Year is here and it’s time to set our calendars for the year ahead. If you are planning an upcoming wedding, this could mean fitting in Bridal Fairs into your already busy schedule. Often times these fairs can be very overwhelming with a wide variety of information, special offers & new ideas being thrown at you all at once. Below are a few tips we have found useful to help simplify the process and maximize your bridal fair experience!

Bridal Fair Tips:

1.     Try to Attended at Least Two Bridal Fairs:

Be sure to attend at least one bridal or wedding fair close to your wedding location to help you find great vendors that work in your area. It’s also a good idea to attend a second fair in a nearby big city to see new trends, specialty ideas and of course to enjoy the celebrity status feel!

2.     Bring Contact Information Stickers:

Many vendors offer great show specials and raffle drawings at their booths that are usually only obtainable at the show itself. In order to enter these drawings you are often required to enter some basic contact information, which can be very time consuming. To help streamline this process brings a few sheets of address label stickers with your name, phone number, email* and wedding date. This way you can simply stick on your sticker to their information card and you are ready to go!

*Additional Tip: Create a new email account just for your wedding. This will help you keep everything organized in one area and avoid filling your personal/work email with wedding details.

3.     Attend the Fashion Shows:

Even if you already have your attire set, fashion shows are a great way to get inspiration for other aspects of your wedding (i.e. floral designs from the bouquets they are carrying, color palettes from the bridesmaids dresses, accessories, hair designs…etc).

4.     Visit Every Booth:

Take the time to visit every booth for at least 30 seconds, even if you already have booked the service they are offering. They may have new ideas you have not thought of and great give–aways that you can benefit from! Keep in mind what booths stand out to you most. Then after you have “scouted everything out”, return to the booths you were most interested in to ask additional questions and gather more information.

5.     Bring a BIG Bag:

Whether it’s pamphlets, cards, samples, favors or prizes, at the end of the day you will have received a mountain of material from all the different vendors. Bring a large bag with at least TWO pockets to help carry and sort everything. Use one side as the “everything” pocket and the other as the “very interested in” pocket. (If you have three pockets you can use them for “everything, maybe, and must have!”). This process will really help when you are sorting through everything later trying to remember what is what.

6.     Ask Vendors About Other Vendors:

If you are hesitant about using a certain service or vendor (i.e. you are not sure if you want use a wedding planner), ask some of the other vendors at the fair what they think. They work with these professionals every day and know first hand the qualities they can bring to your wedding.

7.     Mark Your Calendar!

Most vendors welcome arranging a time to meet outside of the hustle of the show atmosphere. These are usually no-obligation consultations and can often lead to additional discounts on their services. Bring your calendars so you set these meetings and benefit from these specials. 

Time to Budget for your Wedding – Who Pays for What?

With the New Year quickly approaching it’s time to start thinking about goals for the year. If you are recently engaged, that could mean budgeting for your upcoming big day!

Traditional wedding customs tell us that the bride’s family is financially responsible for the majority of the wedding. Leaving the groom and his family with the rehearsal dinner, bride’s rings, honeymoon and a few other small odds & ends. However, in today’s society these etiquette traditions are seen more as guidelines than rules. Often with couples being more fanatical stable at the time of marriage they end up paying for a lot of the wedding themselves. Another popular option is to have the wedding cost to split into thirds between the bride’s family, groom’s family and the couple.  Whatever you decide, it’s good to remember that every wedding is unique and should reflect the best options for everyone involved.

Below is the Traditional Breakdown of Expenses for your reference:

Bride’s Family Pays For:

·      Engagement Party (optional)

·      Wedding Invitations & Other Stationary (announcements, thank you’s, programs)

·      Wedding Gown & Accessories

·      Wedding Coordinator

·      Décor Flower’s for Ceremony & Reception

·      Bridesmaids Bouquets

·      Music (Ceremony & Reception)

·      Photography

·      Videography

·      Venue Fee’s (Ceremony & Reception)

·      Catering

·      Additional Décor

·      Additional Specialty Vendors

·      Favors

·      Bridal Party Transportation to Ceremony & Reception

·      Bridesmaids Accommodations

·      Their Own Wedding Attire

Groom’s Family Pays for:

·      Engagement Party (optional)

·      Marriage License

·      Officiant’s Fee

·      Rehearsal Dinner

·      Personal Flowers: the bride’s bouquet, boutonnieres for wedding party & fathers, corsages for mother’s & grandmothers

·      Their Own Wedding Attire

·      Honeymoon - Including Travel (in conjunction with groom)

Bride Pays for:

·      Groom’s Ring

·      Bridesmaids Luncheon

·      Gifts for Bridesmaids

·      Wedding-Day gift for the Groom

·      Gift for her Parents

Groom Pays for:

·      The Bride’s Engagement Ring and Wedding Band

·      His Formalwear

·      Groomsmen Accommodations

·      Gifts for Groomsmen

·      Wedding-Day gift for the Bride

·      Gift for his Parents

·      Honeymoon - Including Travel (in conjunction with groom’s family)

Attendant’s Pay for:

·      Bachelor & Bachelorette parties

·      Bridal Shower (Bridesmaids pay for)

·      Gifts for Bride & Groom

·      Wedding Attire and Accessories

·      Transportation to and from Wedding Town