September 2008 Archives

Sometimes all you really need in order to help straighten out your mind is a checklist. Checklists actually help me in most areas of my life. I plan to help you with checklists for all aspects of your wedding on here. I'll start with this checklist below for your wedding rehearsal. Here are all of the areas you'll probably want to make sure you have covered before you start the wedding rehearsal:

1. Venue
2. Gifts
3. Gifts for each other
4. Dishes
5. Tables/Chairs
6. Decorations
7. Bar
8. Center pieces
9. Flowers
10. Music
11. Coat Check
12. Custodian
13. Teapot
14. Sound System
15. Parking
16. Glasses
17. Menu
18. Food
19. Permit for space
20. Limo

Whether to include an open bar or a cash bar at your wedding can be a tough call. You want to make sure that all of your guests are happy and have a great time at the wedding. However, you don't want to go way beyond your budget just to make people happy. If you're torn between these two types of bar, here are some things that you should consider:

1. Cash bars are going to cost you a lot less money in the end, but sometimes they seem tacky to guests.

2. Open bars are seen as a nice gesture, but they're very expensive because they include everything.

3. Open bars may lead to a little bit more of rowdy behavior at your wedding since they are, after all, free and encourage drinking more alcohol than usual.

4. If you're going to have a cash bar, you should make sure that you mention it on your invitations so that guests can expect to pay for the alcohol.

At the end of the day, do whatever is best for you!

If you're certain that you've found the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with and you're now ready to marry that person, the next step is to let the people who you care about in your life know that you plan on bringing this person into your family and permanently into your social circle. This can be a huge announcement to make and therefore it should be worded carefully and though out thoroughly before hand. Here are some tips for your announcement:

1. Make a list of who needs to know.
2. Order printed announcements.
3. Make sure to include you and your spouse's last names and the date.
4. These cards are a way to let people know your new address and name, if it changed.
5. Be happy! Shout it to the hills. Even if you can't invite everyone to the wedding, tell everyone in your life about the new life you're starting!

A lot of engaged couples look forward to their wedding reception. With all tradition and formality aside, the wedding reception is the place and time where a couple can really mingle with their friends and family and truly celebrate their union freely. However, in the midst of so much excitement, many couple forget to ask the most important questions when they're viewing possible reception locations.

Here are some questions that you should always ask before officially deciding a wedding reception location:

1. Ask about the rental fee.
Does it include everything? Will there be any additional charges at all? For instance, will you be charged overtime fees, tax, or gratuities?

2. Ask for the details to be in writing.
No matter how much you trust a person's word, you should always get things like this in writing. All details about the date, time, prices, and descriptions of the services provided should be clearly stated in writing.

3. How much will the down payment be?
A lot of venues and other sites will require that you pay a deposit of some sort. Make sure that you know exactly how much this deposit is and be sure that you can afford it.

4. Ask about other nights of the week.
Saturdays are always going to be the most expensive when it comes down to renting any place recreationally. If your budget is tight, ask about the prices for a Monday evening or Sunday afternoon just in case.

Don't let your excitement over your big party ruin your party in the end. Cover your bases!

Wanting your hair to be fuller than usual for the big day is not at all an unrealistic desire. After all, thin and flimsy hair requires much more upkeep than hair with volume and thickness. Here are some tricks for getting your hair thicker for your wedding day.

1. Blow dry with a brush. Believe it or not, it always helps.
2. Use those thickening gels and sprays. You'd be amazed at what they can do.
3. Don't use conditioner. Wait until you see the difference this makes.
4. Have your hair cut in layers. Layers have a way with working wonders.
5. Braid the bottom layers of your hair. This will crimp it and force the rest of your hair to sit out farther from your head.

At the end of the day, you can't change your natural hair texture, but you can definitely manipulate it. Try it!

If you're planning a wedding and trying to make sure that every aspect of it is color-coordinated, rest assured in knowing that you're not the first person to take on a task like this. It can be stressful to try to find everything you need for the wedding in a color that will match your scheme, but believe me, it is doable. The first thing you need to do, however, is pick out your colors!

Here are some tips if you're unsure of the colors you'd like to use:

1. Think about the venue. If you're venue has a certain color of walls or carpet that stand out, you should consider this before picking a color scheme that will clash with the actual venue.

2. Know exactly what kind of colors you're working with. Saying 'green' just isn't going to cut it-there are way too many shades of each color! Make sure you know specifically what colors you're working with so that you don't end up purchasing things that are in the wrong color.

3. Think about where you'll be using the color. It's quite popular to use color in the invitations, wedding cake, flowers, and favors. Of course you can think outside the box with this, but plan on using your colors here first and foremost.

Make sure you pick colors you love! Have fun!

If you're a girl about to get hitched to the man you love, you may be worried about this one little thing: The Bachelor Party. Sure, you trust your man and you trust his friends, but you are still a little bit worried. You're worried that he and his friends might do something on the night of the party that contradicts the morals that the two of you hold dear. You're worried that he may do something that will make you question whether or not you even know him at all and whether or not he loves you at all. If you're worried, here are some tips I have:

1. Focus on your Bachelorette Party. If you're worried that your man is going to go overboard during his party, stop focusing on him! Focus on how much fun you and your girlfriends are going to have on your night out. Be bold and courageous with what you do and make sure you're excited about it so you don't have to spend your time thinking about his party.

2. Trust him. Even if your man ends up drinking too much or having dancers at a party, that doesn't mean he doesn't love you and it doesn't undermine his devotion to you. Write off the whole night as a guy's thing and be done with it.

3. You're about to be his wife. Remind yourself of that. No matter how crazy he gets during this one night, he's still marrying you the next day.

When you're putting together a menu for a wedding reception meal, you've got a lot of things to think about. From the main courses to special dietary needs of your guests, your mind is likely weighed down with stress over the subject matter. The key is to break the meal down and think about it piece by piece.

Here are some tips for sides for the meal to get you started. These sides tend to appeal to an array of people and should help you narrow down your choices.

Roasted Potatoes
Asparagus
String Beans
Peppers
Herb Rice

Keep your sides healthy and delicious. Everyone who wants to indulge in something decadent will have a great time with the cake!

You know the story. The bride at the wedding throw the flower bouquet. The girl who catches the bouquet is the next girl who will be married. It's an exciting tradition. But..are there any rules? There don't seem to be any. But I do have some tips if you want to catch the bouquet at an upcoming wedding:

1. Change you shoes. Make sure that you have shoes that are comfortable. This means changing out of heels before the flower throw.

2. Size down your competitors. Notice the girls who aren't wearing marriage or engagement rings.

3. Watch the bride to make sure that you don't miss her call for the bouquet toss.

4. Eye down the bouquet and when you catch it, don't let go!

You should be able to secure the bouquet in your hands in no time if you follow these rules. It also may not hurt to encourage the alcohol consumption of your competitors.

Good luck!

If you want to get married outside of your own country, you are not alone. Lots of people dream about weddings in Italy, on beaches in Hawaii and the Bahamas...the list goes on. Your dream place could easily not be in your own country. However, the idea of getting married outside of your own country might seem like an unthinkable difficulty. How do you even begin to plan something like this?

Well, if you're thinking of getting married outside of your own country, here are some things to consider:

1. Can you afford the expenses? You have to consider accommodations, airfare, etc.

2. Are you really wedding to get married away from home? This could easily mean that some of your closest friends and family can't make the wedding.

3. Do you have the time to plan this? You can count on a wedding abroad taking more time to plan than a wedding in your own town.

4. Do you have the documents you're going to need? This includes passports, birth certificates, divorce papers & death certificates (if you were previously married), immunization records, parental consent letters (depending on how young you and your partner are), background checks, and embassy consent letters.

5. Plan on having a wedding ceremony when you get back home, too. There will, undoubtedly, be people who want to celebrate with you, but couldn't make it abroad.

Hiring a live singer or band for your wedding is probably going to be part of your wedding planning process. After all, who doesn't like some good live music? Live music at weddings has long been part of the wedding tradition. You may know of a band through word of mouth, your social circle, your family, or perhaps a local or online service. No matter how you find out about live music for your wedding, you're probably going to wonder how much you should pay the musician(s).

The answer is that there is no set answer. For instance, if you want to figure out a way to hire a relatively famous singer for your wedding, you can expect to be paying upwards of $20,000 for the night. If you're hiring talented musicians who are not famous, however, the going rate usually starts around $200.

There are some things you should consider when hiring live music:

-How long will the music last?
-When can the musicians take breaks?
-What are the dimensions of the stage?
-What kind of equipment is already at the venue?
-Which songs would you definitely like to hear?
-How would you like the musicians to dress?
-Is there anything you'd like for them to avoid? (ie, drinking, cursing)
-Will the musicians receive dinner with everyone else?
-Can you afford to tip the musicians?
-Can you provide any guarantee in case something happens to their equipment?

These are just a few things to consider. At the end of the day, live music is fun and it shouldn't stress you out. Have fun and be generous with the musicians! It's difficult for musicians to make steady money in a lot of cases...keep that in mind!

If you're planning a wedding, wedding favors might be one of the last things on your mind. After all, you've got a lot of other things to worry about, right? There are the invitations, the venue, the food....there are so many other things that come before considering what kind of wedding favors you would like to leave out for your guests. Eventually, however, things will calm down and you'll want to find the perfect wedding favors for your guests. When that time does come, here are some things to consider:

1. What is your budget? You want to find something that is meaningful but also affordable.

2. Think in bulk. Some things are simply cheaper in bulk. For instance, tea light candles are cheaper in bulk if a candle and holder are part of your gift set.

3. Think about what you represent as a couple. What is your personality as a couple? If the two of you are funny, you might want to consider having a humorous wedding favor.

4. Consider the environment. Being eco-friendly is more popular than ever these days. If you give out something homemade or 2nd hand, discussing with your friends how your wedding favor is eco-friendly will impress them.

5. Speaking of eco-friendly, seeds always make such a wonderful gift. The most beautiful thing you can give another person is life.

Organic food has progressively become more important in societies everywhere. Whether you're in Europe, America, Asia, or anywhere else, it's becoming easier to find organic food than it has been in the last century. Organic weddings, in turn, are becoming a hit. From wearing only fabrics made with organic materials to making sure the wine is organic, people have truly been stepping out to be healthier even in their weddings lately. If you're planning an organic wedding, you're definitely going to be considering the kind of food that you'll serve at your reception. Organic meals can seem difficult to plan, but they don't have to be! (Especially not if you happen to know a farmer!)

Here are some tips to help make your organic menu become reality:

1. Buy local. Local goods of all kinds are typically much more organic than the kinds of goods that you would buy at a large chain. On top of that, you're also being green by supporting local businesses because you're not demanding the shipping of materials from far distances.

2. Remember that eating organic does not mean eating vegetarian. They are two totally different things. Organic food is just grown naturally. For example, free-range beef is organic because the cows that were farmed were not filled with chemicals.

3. Buying an organic wedding cake can be easy if you buy local. You'd be surprised at how many of your local bakeries use ingredients from your local farmers.

If you're planning a wedding, you probably already know all about stress. The idea of somehow connecting all of the dots in your mind and have them draw out a well-executed event can be intimidating. You might feel as though you need the assistance of others (which you very well may). You may feel as though you don't have the funds or the creativity to plan the kind of wedding that you want to have. But you shouldn't worry. If so many other people across the world can handle this every year, you can too! Here are some tips to make your wedding planning go just a bit more smoothly if you're struggling:

-Create an agenda. Whether this is online or in a big notebook doesn't really make a difference, but you need one place to store all of your thoughts on the many aspects of your wedding.

-Know your budget. Plan out exactly how much money you can spare on this wedding and plan on using about 10%-15% less than that just to be safe. This way you'll have extra money in case of an emergency.

-Have a calendar. You'll need a calendar that you can constantly update just for the wedding. This way you can plan out each precise detailed part of the planning and not miss a beat.

-Know your floor plan. You have to know and understand the kind of space you're working with in order to plan the wedding well. How can you order a certain amount of flowers if you're not sure how large or small the space is that you're using?

For some people, myself included, music is a huge part of life. In my case, music provides a soundtrack to virtually all of my daily activities. I work with music on. I fall asleep with music on. I travel with music on. You get the point. Needless to say, music is also a large part of a wedding. Not only does it set a mood more perfectly than any decoration (in my opinion), but music also can act as a very personal self expression tool for you and your mate. So how do you choose music for this event that is so special?

1. Keep yourselves in mind. You do want something that really represents you and your mate. Think back to songs that have played during your most intimate moments. Think about the kind of music that has helped the two of you develop into the people you are today.

2. Remember that music DOES affect mood. This fact has been proven in countless scientific studies. Music absolutely does affect the mood of the listener. With that said, you might want to steer away from songs with sad or angry tones, even if they do remind you and your mate of a good memory.

3. Keep your guests in mind. Music is a very touchy issue for a lot of people. Many people are very particular about the kind of music that they want to hear and trying to appeal to tons of ears at once can be very difficult. You can, however, make a bunch of people happy by choosing music that is soothing and more or less 'beautiful' and eliminating any songs with curse words.

4. Don't forget that there's a difference between the reception and the ceremony. The kind of music that you would play during a ceremony, particularly if it's being held in a church, should be different than the kind of music held at a reception. Ceremony music should be much more elegant and respectful of the union of marriage while reception music is more celebratory and usually played by a DJ.

At the end of the day, it is your wedding. Choose whatever music you want. However, you should always remember that the music you pick will be engraved in the memory of the wedding forever.

It doesn't quite seem fair. Some people are so articulate and so gifted with words while other people struggle just to get one sentimental word out. This is only a slight problem with relationships pre-marriage. It's a problem that shows up on the occasional family speech (announcing your engagement, for example) and it shows up when you're trying to write out cards. More or less, the fact that you might not be able to speak your mind (and heart) as well as you wish you could to your lover is never as highlighted as it is on your wedding day.

On your wedding day, however, you're really put on the spot. Not only do you have to figure out a way to summarize your love and devotion for your partner in your vows, but you also have to read these thoughts and feeling out loud to your family, friends, and a bunch of people that might as well be perfect strangers to you. It can, clearly, be kind of intense.

If you're one of those people who knows how you feel but isn't all that great at putting it into words, your wedding vow process is probably scaring you. Here are some tips to make your wedding vows meaningful and sincere:

1. Ask yourself some things. Why did you fall in love with your partner? What does marriage and devotion mean to you? How did you dream of your wedding day when you were little?

2. Connect your intro and outro. Connecting the themes in your beginning and end phrases will help to give your vows a concise binding and your audience will remember it, too.

3. Say what you mean. Sincerity in writing is more important than everything else. You can write out your vows precisely how you have been told you should write them out as per tradition and they could easily mean nothing because they lack honesty. Even if your voice quivers, even if you tear up...say what you mean and say it with passion.

Your lover is going to appreciate your vows no matter what. Don't let the idea of vows ruin your wedding for you. Just speak from your heart.

I'm sure you've already realized by this time that lighting can profoundly affect the mood and tone of a room. Think about the connections between lighting and mood that we have already been taught:

Dim/Soft lighting = intimacy. Candlelight dinners are supposed to be quiet and romantic.

Colored lighting=cool and sexy. Red, Yellow, Blue, Purple, you name it! Colored lighting has a way of presenting a cool and sexy vibe.

Bright lighting=organized and collected. Bright lights are at offices. Bright lights are at schools and hospitals. Bright lights, in a lot of ways, represent traditional organizations.

These are just a few things to keep in mind.

When you're planning your own wedding, lighting will be an important aspect of it. Think about your lighting carefully and never underestimate the power of the candle! However, if you do plan on using candles, make sure that you are very safe about them. The last thing that you're going to want is for your wedding to go up in smoke!

I'm sure you've already realized by this time that lighting can profoundly affect the mood and tone of a room. Think about the connections between lighting and mood that we have already been taught:

Dim/Soft lighting = intimacy. Candlelight dinners are supposed to be quiet and romantic.

Colored lighting=cool and sexy. Red, Yellow, Blue, Purple, you name it! Colored lighting has a way of presenting a cool and sexy vibe.

Bright lighting=organized and collected. Bright lights are at offices. Bright lights are at schools and hospitals. Bright lights, in a lot of ways, represent traditional organizations.

These are just a few things to keep in mind.

When you're planning your own wedding, lighting will be an important aspect of it. Think about your lighting carefully and never underestimate the power of the candle! However, if you do plan on using candles, make sure that you are very safe about them. The last thing that you're going to want is for your wedding to go up in smoke!

In case you haven't heard yet, this great little company called Sandals orchestrates amazing weddings and honeymoons. The company offers destination spots in breathtaking places all over the country. Curious about what the spots are? Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, and the Bahamas. They truly know how to treat their guests right, too. Here's what they offer all of their guests:

Free meals and fine dining
Scuba diving and water sports
Championship golf
Unlimited drinks
Airport transfers, tips, etc.
Accommodations

And a lot more! Isn't this a great deal? Any takers?

Recently, I discovered somewhat of a lifesaver online. It's a virtual salon. Lots of websites offer them, but many of them make you pay a fee in order to try on hair styles and hair colors. The Clairol website, however, doesn't ask you to do anything other than to register with their site. What you can do from there is absolutely amazing and it could really help you out in the long run when you're trying to decide exactly how you want to change your hair for the big day. You upload a picture of yourself and from there you can try on all sorts of hair styles, from short to long and straight to curly, and you can try them on in every color, too. This little tool on their website is so helpful that it might help you to avoid making a terrible hair decision for your wedding and help you to make a great decision. Check it out!

Sometimes we all need a little bit of help with understanding the role of the bridesmaid and how exactly she fits into a wedding. This awesome video we've got helps with all of these questions that come up. It provides a great source of history of the bridesmaid in countries from all over the world and it ties in their role in history at weddings to their role now. This little video is so cute and helpful that even Martha Stewart felt inclined to feature it on her own bridal blog on August 13. Cool, right?

Lots of women out there love the idea of having a fresh new look by the time they arrive at the wedding on the big day. For many women, including myself, this often times means having a bright new hair color. However, not every woman is equipped with the experience of dying their hair at home. If you're one of these women and you're set on having a new color for the big day, here are some tips you should probably try to follow:

1. USE A SEMI-PERM/TEMPORARY
If you're not sure, try one of these less permanent hair colors. I just dyed my sister's hair yesterday with a semi-perm and she loves it! She was comfortable doing it finally because she knew that it would wash out eventually. It's really hard to mess up a semi-perm hair color as you can wash much of it out with some elbow grease if you don't like it.

2. DO THE TEST!
A lot of home hair dye kits suggest that you test just a swab of your hair first so that you can make sure you like the way that dye interacts with your natural color. They suggest this for a reason! It's important that you can gauge the actual look of the hair before the dye.

3. GO PRO
One way to be more sure of avoiding any mess ups with your hair before a big event would be to go pro. Granted, it cost a lot more money to get your hair dyed professionally than it does to do it yourself at home, but at least you can be sure, right?