Archive for 2008

Savable Wedding Reception Worksheet

Oct

WeddingMuseum.com for a long time has had a wedding reception worksheet. Visitors could fill out the form, then print the worksheet to give to wedding reception vendors. Now, members of WeddingMuseum.com can complete the wedding reception worksheet and save it for future editing and printing.

The wedding reception worksheet is a form that bridal couples can complete and give to wedding reception vendors for reference. The worksheet offers a list of the bridal party. This is valuable for reception M.C.’s who must announce the wedding party. All dances are listed from bridal dance, father daughter dance to dollar dance. Sections are given for special announcements and instructions. The worksheet also provides an ordered list for the receiving line. In addition, all contacts and venue locations are referenced for completion so all vendors know what times and where to be.

For today’s bride, Weddingmuseum.com updated many lyrics pages to include song sample widgets offered by Amazon.com. In addition, links were added to musicnotes.com for visitor reference. Visitors now can proceed to musicnotes.com to purchase sheet music of many popular wedding songs. They offer sheet music for more than 80,000 songs.

Another cool new feature is that we now list the most popular downloaded songs of the current month on iTunes and the most popular sheet music song downloads on musicnotes.com on our wedding reception song start page.

Lastly, we’ve made a huge stride in improving our shopping area. Many wedding related purchases can now be made through our WeddingMuseum.com Store. We offer great items like wedding favors, unity candles, wedding flutes and more. We are able to offer such a great feature by partnering with Amazon.com. Let us know if you have any opinions or suggestions.

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Don’t turn into a Bridezilla

Oct

Some useful ways to make sure you stay calm in the run up to the big day.

Photographers ,cakes, musicians, dresses, flowers, menus, decorations…the list of things to organize, source and research for your Wedding day is absolutely endless. Nothing is ever simple and every Bride wants to research and check out all the services available. It takes time, effort and patience and with family and friends often wanting their say too on your choices, it can be very stressful. So how do you stay calm in the run up to the biggest day of your life and how do you make sure you are a serene and most importantly, a HAPPY Bride on your big day.

Here are a few tips to help make sure you arrive looking as truly beautiful as you can be, with your sanity intact.

1. Plan well- Nothing is more important to ensure the smooth running of your day than thorough and careful planning. Research suppliers thoroughly. Seek out different quotes, different companies and compare their services and costs. Keep a file with all your suppliers details and keep a financial spreadsheet to keep a track of spending. Keep in regular touch with all your suppliers and confirm everything with them at least 2 weeks before your big day.

2. Invest in yourself- Take regular time out for a massage or facial or treat. It helps you escape the planning for a few hours and helps keep you calm and happy. Don’t feel guilty about it, the time you spend on yourself will mean you return to the planning process feeling refreshed and more energetic.

3. Enlist help – Turn to a trusted friend or family member to help take some of the pressure off you. It’s very tempting to want to control every single aspect of your day, but sharing some of the chores can really help lighten the load. Having a trusted friend helping you will prove invaluable. No matter how small the task they’ll be pleased to be asked to get involved. Mums are especially keen to offer a helping hand, even if its just tying ribbon to the balloons, accept the offer and use their help to keep you calm.

4. Take time out- Make sure you and your fiance take some regular time away from the planning. It’s easy to let every single spare moment turn into another chance to plan something, but you’ll find just taking a day off a week, to spend time together will really help keep you balanced and focused. You may want to talk about your wedding every second of the day, but it can be exhausting and can actually increase your stress. A little time out can make the planning much more fun.

5. Choose calm and helpful people- On the big day itself surround yourself with calm and sensible people. Chose those who can cope in a crisis, and are practical and understanding. You can afford to be selfish on your big day and only allow those who support and help you to be around as you prepare for the day ahead.

6. Relax and ENJOY- on the day itself, it’s time to really relax and enjoy every second. DON’T waste your time stressing and panicking. The day passes by so incredibly quickly, it is such a shame to waste it worrying and getting stressed. You have hired good suppliers and entrusted responsibility to them, so sit back, allow them to worry for you and have THE most amazing day of your life.

Catherine Marston offers a Bespoke Wedding memoir writing service for Bride and Grooms www.thebigdayreporter.com and is a National Television Journalist.

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Children At Weddings

Oct

DO CHILDREN AND WEDDINGS MIX?

Whether to invite children to your wedding or not is always a controversial issue. Everyone it seems has a view. Many Brides worry that the little ones will disrupt the vows, drown out the speeches and slide around on the dance floor all night. Some guests even refuse to attend the wedding if their children are not invited, because of course childcare can be a really big headache. So if you decide to have children attend your wedding how can you make sure they are not disruptive and distracting, especially during the key moments of the day?

Here are a few ideas to help keep the little people entertained and the grown ups happy.

1. For the Ceremony- disposable cameras. A terrific idea to help keep little ones entertained during the big moment. Ask your ushers to hand out a camera to each child as they arrive for the ceremony. You could even put a little note in your order of service setting up a competition for the best photo of the day, which you and your husband will judge when you get back from honeymoon. Children love the idea of winning something for their efforts.

2. Create a children’s area- Nothing makes kids feel more special than an area just for them filled with games, books, puzzles and things. You can create an area in the grounds of your venue if its a summer wedding, or inside a part of the hotel or venue in inclement weather. Use children’s bunting, posters, and decorations to make them feel it’s their unique space. Keep it within eye line of parents too, then Mums and Dads can keep a watchful eye, at a distance.

3. During the Wedding breakfast- create a menu for children. Think about asking one of your older child guests to even pick the food. This means the small people are likely to enjoy their food and stay happy. Always check with parents about particular requirements. It may seem like an added hassle but if you manage to keep the children happy you will find parents genuinely appreciate your efforts and enjoy the day far more.

4. Goodie bags- Put a goodie bag at the place setting for each child. Vary the contents according to age and a boy or girl, and fill the bags or boxes with games, puzzles and treats. Make sure the contents are things they can use immediately and that will keep them occupied especially during the speeches. Drawing and colouring, puzzles and small games are always winners.

5. Entertainer- If the budget will allow its always worth considering a childrens entertainer for during the speeches. They can take the children to a different part of the venue and do magic tricks or painting etc with them. DO make sure the entertainer you book has a full CRB check and public liability insurance. All reputable entertainers will be able to provide this with ease.

6. Awkward moments- Despite your best efforts, and especially with really tiny children, there maybe some fractious or awkward moments. How to handle these without upsetting parents can be a tad tricky. You can ask your ushers to encourage a parent to take a small screaming person outside, or perhaps to the childrens area, or you could put a little note in the order of service asking parents to make the most of the childrens area if their child becomes upset during the proceedings.

7. Include them- asking some of the children to have a role in your big day can also really help combat boredom. They will take their tasks very seriously and will enjoy feeling special. Anything from carrying the bouquet, rounding people up for photographs and announcing dinner, will make them feel grown up and involved.

8. Be accepting-Children can’t be put in a corner and be expected to be quiet all day. They do want to run

around and have fun. Accept their need to enjoy themselves, provide lots of fun and games for them and relax. Parents will thank you for all your efforts, and you will find having happy contented children around brings a lovely extra to your wedding day.

About the Author: Catherine Marston runs the Bespoke Wedding memoir service The big Day Reporter

and is a UK TV reporter.

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Tips for Creating a Great Slide Show

Oct

Creating a captivating video montage or slide show that you can enjoy for years is not difficult, but by taking a few steps prior to creating a slide show or having one created for you can go along way. Here are some lessons that we’ve learned at DVDPhotographs.com while creating our slide shows.

1. Know who your audience is – Knowing who your intended audience is an obvious, but sometimes overlooked step in the process of developing your slide show. For instance, if you’re showing your slide show at your wedding reception, perhaps you’ll want to include some pictures of the guests, and not just pictures of you and your fiancé.

2. Shorter is sometimes better – After you’ve determined who your intended audience is you can start to get an idea as to how many pictures you’ll want to include in your slide show. We’ve found that video montages that are between 8 – 12 minutes in length are ideal for wedding receptions. This usually works out to about 3 songs and 75-100 pictures. While you can certainly display more photos during your slide show, you want to be careful not to overdo it. You may want to create two slide shows, one you show at your wedding, and another you keep for yourself.

3. Choose Quality Photographs – While recent advances in digital photo restoration have allowed torn and poorly developed photographs to be brought back to life, there is only so much that the software can do. Pictures that look great printed (correct lighting, framing, developed properly) will also look great while scanned. Pictures that are extremely dark or grainy, while perhaps improved somewhat, will still not appear the best. Make sure to choose a photo montage company that can make digital enhancements to your pictures.

4. Choose a Variety of Photographs – Even though you may love all the pictures of your dog Rusty, the audience may not want to sit through all the pictures of him. Instead of showing 10 pictures of Rusty, perhaps choose the best 2 or 3. Using a variety of photographs can keep your audience interest.

5. Landscape pictures show better than Portrait pictures – Given the standard 4:3 dimensions of television monitors, photographs that are in landscape mode (vertical) as opposed to portrait mode (horizontal) show better on a TV. While portrait photographs certainly can and SHOULD be used, you should be aware that there will typically be a black border that appears around the photograph. It’s best to use these sparingly throughout the slide show and not clump them all together.

6. Give some thought to music – Choose music that has meaning to you, music whose lyrics go well with the pictures. Also pay attention to how long the music you’re choosing is. If you’re only showing 30 pictures, you might not want to choose a 8 minute song. The photo montage company should be able to give you some suggestions as to the number of pictures with your selected songs.

7. Add short video clips – Do you have any home videos sitting around gathering dust? Think about adding perhaps a 10-15 second video clip in the middle of the slide show. The video clip can help break up the video montage and is a great way to keep your audiences interest. Make sure to choose a slide show company that can convert your video clips.

8. Add motion to your slide shows – Slide shows developed on PowerPoint and other consumer level software will typically be just static photos that go from one picture to the next. Consider having your slide shows created with the “Ken Burns” effects that Pan and Zoom on each photograph. This can help bring your pictures to life. Make sure you inquire to see if your photo montage company can create motion with your pictures.

9. Add transitions to your slide shows – Transitions such as fade in/fade out, dissolve, and image peel are also an effective way to move from one photograph to the next. Be careful not to get too carried away with transitions as they too many of them can distract from the overall slide show.

10. Test! Test! Test! – An event as big as your wedding requires that you make sure you test ALL the equipment prior to the big day. Make sure the projector or television, DVD Player or Laptop, and sound is all working.

Creating a captivating slide show or video montage can be done successfully with keeping a few of these tips in mind. Pictures that are preserved to DVD can be enjoyed for years to come. Partnering with an experienced slide show company like DVDPhotographs.com can help create a slide show you’ll be proud of.

About the Author:
Michael Yared is the owner of DVDPhotographs.com, the countries leading wedding slide show photo video montage production company.

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Meaningful Wedding Songs

Jul

How to Select Meaningful Wedding Songs

Wedding songs can make any wedding a memorable event for the bride and groom as well as the guests. Your wedding might feature a live band, a solo pianist, and/or a DJ. Either way, your musical selections will help set the mood for your special day.

Select wedding songs that reflect your personality and relationship. The wedding songs should be songs you both enjoy and that send a message of your love and passion for one another. The guests at your wedding will likely remember the songs, so choose them wisely. Also, for that special song during the lighting of the unity candle, pick one that has words and music to help relay your desire to make a lifelong commitment to your spouse-to-be.

How Many Wedding Songs will You Need?

The number of songs at your wedding really depends on how the ceremony and reception are conducted. During the actual wedding ceremony, there are usually instrumental songs (with piano, guitar, or violin) for the prelude, processional, recessional, and postlude. You might have one or two soloists to sing special love songs during the ceremony as well.

During the reception, you can have background music as well as special songs for the “cake moment,” your first and last dances, the bouquet toss, the garter toss, etc. If you plan to have a lot of music at the reception, it might be a good idea to hire a professional wedding DJ. This will remove a great burden from your shoulders so you can enjoy your reception without worry.

Tip: If your wedding has a certain theme such as Hawaiian, medieval, tropical, Italian or Asian, choose songs to go along with the theme.

The “First Dance” Wedding Song

The song for your first dance should be carefully picked out by you and your spouse-to-be. Choose a song you both enjoy, one with a beat that’s not too fast or too slow for both of you. Listen to the lyrics carefully to be sure it is fitting for your wedding. Try to find a song that is meaningful for you both, but not necessarily popular in modern music trends. Once you make a selection, practice dancing to the song again and again so you’ll be able to gracefully dance together at the reception.

Restrictions on Wedding Songs

If you plan to hold your wedding ceremony in a church building, be sure to ask what type of wedding music will be allowed. Many churches have strict guidelines as to what type of music they will allow. Some may even restrict “how” the music is played, such as the music must be played on a live instrument and not from a music CD. Ask these questions before selecting your wedding songs and your music methods.

Careful Song Planning

The key to a smooth wedding ceremony and reception is to plan the itinerary and song schedule carefully on paper. Be sure everyone involved with the ceremony and music understands the procedures and when to play certain songs. This is crucial to keep things flowing naturally during every aspect of the wedding.

If you’re not sure what songs are available for weddings, you can easily go online to view wedding song lists and even listen to samples. Wedding websites are available that specialize in wedding planning tips and guides, and these usually provide many helpful suggestions. There are hundreds of traditional songs to choose from as well as more modern wedding songs if you prefer to go that route. The main thing to remember is it’s “your special day,” and you’ll want your songs to be as memorable as the wedding itself.
To learn more about subjects like weddings please visit the web site at: http://www.weddingmuseum.com

For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon’s Family and Children directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Family_and_Children

About the Author

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2007 (Tue Jul 15 2008) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://majon.com

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Wedding Planning Tips for the Bride-to-Be

Jul

Wedding Planning Tips for the Bride-to-Be

With wedding planning, it can get very hectic quickly. That’s why you need a “plan for your wedding planning” as odd as this may sound. You should determine early on what tasks will have to be completed to successfully plan the wedding on time and within budget.

Things to Do Very Early On

There are some things that just can’t wait when it comes to wedding planning. First, secure your photographer of choice with a money deposit. Once you have a wedding date set, you can talk with a photographer and schedule the photo session for your bridal portraits and secure their services for your wedding day. The reason you’ll want to book this very early is because photographers (really good ones) are usually booked months in advance, and many weddings are on weekend days.

Find a wedding dress early on as well so you’ll have time for fitting, ordering, and alterations (if needed). The bridesmaids will need plenty of time for their dresses so keep them informed also. Choose wedding colors and possibly a wedding theme before you start planning. Once you know the colors, you can start shopping for wedding favors and decorations early and possibly find some great bargains when you’re not in a rush.

Choose a Location for Your Wedding

Probably one of the most important things you’ll do is choose a location for your wedding. If having the wedding in a church, consider the types of decorations you will need and where you might hold the reception. If planning a wedding outdoors, you’ll have to take possible weather conditions into consideration – and do have a backup plan! Pick a location with great lighting, or plan to illuminate with additional lighting. The location is important to know how many decorations you will need, depending on the size of the building or area, and how many guests you can invite.

Hire a Wedding Director

A wedding director should be booked early on as well so you can be sure to have one when the day arrives. The director can help with last minute planning and the formalities of the ceremony. You’ll likely consider the director to be a lifesaver when the day finally arrives!

Order Decorations, Flowers, Invitations, and Wedding Party Gifts

The little details can cause big headaches if you don’t do these early on. You’ll need invitations early enough to address them and mail them at least a month ahead of the wedding date. Flowers and corsages should be ordered well in advance along with small appreciation gifts for the wedding party including bridesmaids, groomsmen, etc.

To save time and possibly money, you might be able to order many of the small wedding items online. There are thousands of wedding websites that carry almost every decoration, gift, or invitation you can think of at reasonable prices. The wedding websites also usually offer great tips on wedding planning for your benefit.

Don’t forget about the wedding rings, catering, wedding songs, reception decorations, punch, food, and of course, the wedding cake. These are all crucial parts of wedding planning and have to be taken care of early on to minimize stress. If you take care of the wedding planning far in advance, you’ll see things fall into place and be able to enjoy your wedding as it was meant to be!
To learn more about subjects like weddings please visit the web site at: http://www.weddingmuseum.com

About the Author

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Wedding Website to Announce Wedding

Jul

Use a Wedding Website to Announce Your Wedding to Friends and Family

When it comes to wedding planning, it seems to go on for months and months. Nevertheless, that final moment when it all comes together seems to be over within just the blink of an eye. One way to simplify your wedding planning is to create your own wedding website. A wedding website enables you to capture RSVP emails, make announcements about the wedding to friends and relatives, and more.

What is a Wedding Website?

A wedding website is your own Web URL or a certain amount of space hosted on another’s website that announces your wedding and includes some information that possible guests would want to know. The website is dedicated solely to your wedding. It’s a great way to let those nearby or abroad know about your wedding date and details, who will be in the wedding, and what to expect.

The wedding website may contain photos of the bride and groom with special captions to explain each photo, the bride’s and groom’s names, the wedding date, an optional wedding song lyric, and a listing of the bride and groom parties. You can also post personal information about how you met, how the groom proposed, and who you are now. The website may also have a guestbook for visitors to leave comments for you. You can even list links to your bridal registries to make gift giving easy.

Your Own Web Space versus Using Space on Another Site

If you don’t mind paying monthly fees for your own domain name and web hosting, you can get your own wedding website and hire a designer or design it on your own if you have the know-how. This gives you more flexibility as to what you can include, how many photos you can upload, and how long you want to display the website.

If you want to keep costs as low as possible, you might opt to get a free wedding website hosted on another’s website. Some wedding planning websites will offer free space to you for several months before the wedding. They will allow you to upload certain information and a limited number of photos. Also, these types of sites will usually provide design templates for you to choose from to make creating the website easy. If you choose the free wedding website, you might be required to have an ad or two on your website as a sponsor. This is a fair trade since you’re getting your website free of charge.

When seeking a wedding website venue, check out the company thoroughly before entering photos or personal information. Also, take a look at their example sites to get an idea of the quality of design and how yours will look once completed. Be sure you’ll be able to update or delete the wedding site at any time, and find out how many photos you can include. Look at the template designs to be sure there’s one you’ll like.

The benefits of having a wedding website are many. It gives another avenue of reaching guests and helps to personalize your wedding planning. Go online today to start planning your most special event!
To learn more about subjects like weddings please visit the web site at: http://www.weddingmuseum.com

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Wedding Invitations – Creative on the Outside

Jul

Wedding Invitations – How to be Creative Even on the Outside

Wedding invitations are one of the few pieces of mail that people enjoy receiving. It’s fun to open up that envelope knowing there’ a custom invitation inside. But amidst all of today’s junk mail, how can you make your envelope stand out to get your guests’ attention?

There are actually several ways you can make your mailing envelope as unique as your wedding invitation.

Shape – With so many wedding invitation designs available today, you could easily select a uniquely shaped style such as square or tea length. The mailing envelope will then reflect that same distinctive size to fit the invitation.
Style – Another option is to select a Seal and Send wedding invitation style. This all-in-one invitation is designed to be folded into a self-mailing piece eliminating the need for a mailing envelope. The response card is attached to the invitation so it can be easily detached by your wedding guest along the perforation. This also eliminates the response card return mailing envelope and saves on your postage cost as it only requires a postcard stamp.
Color – How about using color for emphasis? Some wedding invitations now come with colored mailing envelopes. In particular, self-mailer invitations often include a colored envelopment. The envelopment holds your invitation card and has a built-in pocket for keeping any extra enclosures. It is then folded up wrapping around all your invitation pieces to become your mailing envelope.
Decorative Seals – Adding a seal to your wedding invitation envelope could be that extra touch you’ve been looking for. Even though your envelope is sealed, you can choose to place a special seal on the back so it gives the illusion that the seal is actually holding the flap down. There are many seal design choices, from monograms to first names to specific themes. Their appearance can be clear, white, silver, gold, embossed, etc.
Custom Wedding Stamps – There are now websites that offer you the option of creating your own personalized postage stamps using an uploaded photo or choosing from ready-to-use wedding designs. This is a great way to dress up your wedding invitation envelopes to reflect your personal style.

You want to be sure your wedding invitation gets the attention of your guests as soon as it arrives in their mail and that it doesn’t get lost in their sea of junk mail and bills. Using any of the above suggestions will surely accomplish this and will start building their excitement even before they see your actual invitation.

Sara Haese is the owner of www.PrintedCreationsWeddingStore.com where you’ll find a great online selection of both traditional and contemporary wedding invitations. Visitors can also sign up to receive her FREE Wedding Invitation Guide.

Posted in Invitations | 2 Comments »

Tips For Stress Free Wedding Planning

Jul

Stress Free Wedding Planning

written by: Isabel

Organizing a wedding can be daunting, especially if you are working to a budget. No one wants to start married life in debt, and it should be the happiest day of your life.

Many people come to my hotel for advice on organizing and planning their special day, so i have created this article with some advice and tips to help you & your partner plan the perfect wedding.

Firstly make lists of what you need to do, but don’t get carried away with bridal magazine time-frames and their recommendations. In my experience they create panic and are nearly always over detailed. Every wedding is different, so make sure the things you write on your own list are personnel to you, and not because you feel you have to.

Never forget it’s your wedding day, and things should be as you and your partner want. Not your mothers, brothers or even mother-in-law’s way. I can’t stress that enough. Don’t be pressurized into what everyone else wants or suggests, especially when it comes to who to invite and where to sit. So if you don’t want to invite uncle Billy because you don’t know him or have hardly spoken to him, then my suggestion is don’t invite him. Weddings can work out expensive so only invite who you want, as opposed to who you have been told should be there.

Wedding rules and etiquette for some people play a key role in organizing their wedding. However please remember there is no right or wrong way to do things, and again – it’s up to you. So if you don’t want to have a wedding breakfast, just a big buffet then that’s fine. If you don’t want a wedding cake that’s a fruit cake then that’s fine too. You don’t have to wear white, you don’t have to have favours, it’s all up too you.

Be confident, be creative. One of my friends could not afford the wedding stationery invites, so we both came up with a cheaper option. We bought plain cream envelopes and paper, some gold spray, and from a top of a step ladder we sprayed the envelopes and paper. It looked really pretty and cost a fraction of the wedding stationary. As for the writing we chose a nice font on the computer and typed out the invites at work. It was so successful that we have been doing it for friends ever since. Last week a bride came in to show me what she had done. She bought tiny little silver stars and stuck them on the envelopes and paper.

What I am trying to say is always think about what you are spending your money on when it comes to your wedding, especially if you have a tight budget. Know where to cut corners and where to go all out.

Above all else remember:

It’s your wedding
Simple is beautiful

Wishing you every success!

About the Author: My name is Isabel and I’m a wedding planner for a top hotel in Brighton.

Planning and organizing weddings is my job as well as my passion, so if you can’t find what you’re looking for, drop me an email and I will be happy to help.

Visit Isabel’s website.

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Loosing weight for the Groom

Mar

Hello all,

The best thing to share is to share my own experience. Being 50 pounds over weight can be shared by many-a-man around the world. I want to share my story with you as a healthy way to lose weight for your wedding.

Many family and friends have signed up for Weight Watchers in the past. My wife and I have even done WW in the past. Therefore, we have all the info and books already. We didn’t need to purchase any info. If you have never done WW before, I would recommend at least signing up to get all the documentation. It doesn’t mean you need to go to the weekly meetings and weigh in. However, keeping track and counting points is vital to sticking to the diet.

It took about a month to get used to counting points but keep a journal. That way, you can always refer back to it when you can’t remember how many points a meal was when you have had it once before. In addition, if you like to eat out as much as us, go to Applebee’s. Applebee’s has a special WW menu with the points already on the menu for easy calculations.

The first 2 weeks I lost 10 lbs. The second 2 week, I lost 6 lbs. Then, I lost 4 and 4. Keep in mind that a healthy weight loss is 2 pounds per week! In 2 months, I lost 24 pounds.

One of the most important things during the diet I did was a simple exercise routine. I did cardio 5 days a week for 15-20 minutes per day. The medium is called the “urban rebounder”. The rebounder is a little trampoline I paid $60 for including the videos. When I first started, I couldn’t even get through the warm up. After a month, I can complete the basic workout. Remember, ALWAYS stretch before and after the workout.

In addition to the cardio, I also completed strength training 3 days a week. This included 12 exercises with dumbbells. The exercises included exercises like the shoulder shrug, curls, triceps extensions, military press, push-ups, etc.

So there you have it. If you have the determination to lose weight, you will with the right diet and exercise. I am a testimony to that!

I also wanted to mention….why Weight Watchers? On the diet, you can eat ANYTHING. However, you just need to account for it. WW also teaches everyone portion control.

Oh happy day,

Matt Campbell

Posted in Beauty | 1 Comment »

Groomsmen’s Organized Checklist

Feb

The Groomsmen’s Organized Checklist

Despite some possible financial constraint, the role of groomsman is a worthy honor given out to only a few individuals at most weddings. Groomsmen come from all walks of life and reflect the many stages of the groom’s life: childhood, college, and more.

The role of groomsman is much more involved than simply renting a tux and making a toast at the rehearsal dinner. You’ll be much like the groom’s fixer and troubleshooter from the night of the bachelor party to the wedding reception. You’ll get a cool gift as an honorarium, too.

Here’s a timeline to get you prepared for all your groomsman duties:

Six months before the wedding

Start browsing tuxedos catalogs and retailers, keeping the groom’s specifications in mind.

Begin an exercise routine if necessary, to get yourself in shape for the tuxedo.

Five months before

Have a tailor measure you for the tuxedo. Make final reservations to keep the tux for the whole of the wedding festivities.

Begin browsing hotel and airfare bargains if you’re traveling out of town.

Four months before

Finalize travel plans.

Request time off work, if necessary. The ideal trip is four days one day to fly in, two days for rehearsal and ceremony & reception, and then to fly out on the fourth day.

Three months before

Make arrangements for care of pets, housestitters, et cetera for the time you’ll be away.

Begin browsing for a wedding gift.

Two months before

Purchase the wedding gift. If you’re traveling via air, don’t select a gift with heavy metal or lead crystal content. You’ll likely get jammed up at the security checkpoints.

One month before

Double check travel arrangements.

Enjoy the bachelor party.

Draft the toast you’ll give during the rehearsal party.

Arrange for transportation to and from your hometown airport; finalize transportation details in the destination city.

The week before the ceremony

Pack everything you’ll need for the trip (Don’t forget to bring a suit for the rehearsal dinner.)

Call the groom and check for any last-minute details.

Day of arrival

Check into hotel and join in on the wedding festivities.

Coordinate details and tasks with the best man and/or wedding planner.

Upon returning home

Return tuxedo to rental store.

Send thank you note for the groomsman gift.

Author: Michael Kabel is the senior writer for My Wedding Favors. My Wedding Favors proudly features a complete selection of groomsman gifts and bridesmaids gifts, as well as unique wedding favors, elegant and personalized wedding favors, and wedding favors to fit many styles and themes. Visit us online at www.myweddingfavors.com.

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Picking a Flower Girl

Feb

Picking a Flower Girl

Is the role of the flower girl purely ceremonial? Sure it is! She’s an important part of an important ceremony, and the latest member of a long and proud wedding tradition.

What does the flower girl do?

The flower girl carries a basket of flowers down the aisle, ahead of the maid of honor and escorted by the ring bearer. As she goes, she’ll strew flowers, blow bubbles, or just look pretty for the guests. Upon reaching the aisle, she returns to sit with her parents in the front rows.

Who can be a flower girl?

Tradition calls for a girl between the ages of four and eight to serve as flower girl. This goes back to ancient custom, when the flower girl was required to be a virgin. Today, the part has become a means of including a favorite niece, cousin, or even daughter into the event.

For very large or very formal weddings, it’s also acceptable to have more than one flower girl.

What should the flower girl wear?

Flower girls’ ideal attire is something to complement or match the bridesmaids. Wedding etiquette suggests the bride pay for the flower girl dress, though this is not a hard and fast regulation.

Little girls grow up fast, especially during the flower girl years, so any dress fitting should take place as soon as reasonably possible to the wedding date.

How much should the flower girl participate?

The flower girl should be treated as a full-fledged member of the wedding party. This means inviting her to the rehearsal dinner and bridal shower, and also to the fittings for gowns.

It’s also very important she attend all the rehearsals. In fact, time permitting you should schedule extra rehearsal time to help her get ready for the big performance. The ring bearer should attend these rehearsals, too, so the two can get used to working with one another.

Who else can help the flower girl?

Wedding experts recommend choosing a buddy from among the bridesmaids, someone who won’t mind looking after the flower girl before the ceremony. This buddy can help the flower girl through any last minute stage fright and offer praise once the ceremony concludes.

Author: Michael Kabel is the senior writer for My Wedding Favors. My Wedding Favors offers a complete selection of gifts and keepsakes for the flower girl in your wedding party. We also offer flower themed wedding favors, elegant seed packet wedding favors, and even bridesmaid, groomsmen, and ring bearer gifts, too. Visit us at www.myweddingfavors.com.

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Get a Couture Bridal Look on a Budget

Feb

Get a Couture Bridal Look on a Budget!

The rumors are true you don’t have to spend a fortune on a wedding gown to look like you did!

The details that make couture style so expensive can be recreated on a simple, inexpensive gown. For instance, some of the trends right now are draped fabric, ruching, sashes, broaches, and unique accessories.

You can start with a simple, strapless satin dress with little or no embellishment. (Search online for simple wedding gown or informal wedding dress.) Add a wide satin sash in a fabulous color, tied either in a bow or square knot, and place a broach in the middle of it. Why not dye your favorite heels to match the sash color? Top it off with a matching satin bolero jacket for a little coverage in case the air is chilly at your reception.

If your wedding is going to be held in an informal location such as a beach or garden, consider a dress in a lightweight, flowy fabric such as chiffon. Complete your look with a satin ribbon around the waist in a beachy color like turquoise or coral, and adorn your feet with footless sandals (or foot jewelry) made with pearls or crystal beads. A long veil is always beautiful blowing in the sea breeze. Imagine those gorgeous pictures!

Another idea for an unembellished dress is to keep the focus on your accessories. A sassy birdcage veil (think Reece Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama!) and vintage chandelier earrings give a sophisticated, elegant look to any simple gown.

Remember, your wedding is all about your individual style. So get creative, look for accessories that show off who you are, and make it your own!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Written by: Shanell Bledsoe, owner of Destinations Bridal (www.destinationsbridal.com) and Bledsoe Photography (www.bledsoephoto.com). Shanell has worked in the bridal retail industry for over 7 years. She enjoys photographing destination weddings and helping brides find their dream gowns on any budget. She resides in Nashville, TN with her husband, Philip.

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