Last But Not Least

All the major details of the wedding have been sorted out and are or have been following through wonderfully. It's easy to get caught up in all the festivities and planning that you for the minor but still very important details to make your wedding flawless. This is one list your bridesmaids should have on hand from the start to keep you and the entire wedding from falling apart just before it's time to say "I Do"!

Here is the List... Don't forget it:

Tuxedos: If you don't know already then let me be the one to inform you --> When it comes Wedding procedures, men need a little pushing and shoving to get moving on their duties. So, you'll find yourself pushing your fiance to get his groomsmen to the tuxedo rental shop till the last possible day to do so. I may be over generalizing but for the most part I think even the men will agree, they need the reminder.

Honeymoon: Make sure you've book a hotel room for the wedding night and hashed out all the details of your honeymoon accommodations. This is the time to finally sit back and relax and start enjoying the start of your journey of marriage together, the last thing you want is to hit a road block during this time. Try to sort it all out far before your wedding day (4-6 months).

Invitations: You won't have much of a party without those your guests of honor. Make sure to check your R.S.V.P's and make sure all of your guests received their invitation. Some invitations get lost in the mail and you want to make sure this is not the case. You might have some people expecting an invitation, really upset. Follow through if you have time or summon someone in your wedding party to handle it.

Rehearsal Dinner: In order to get your bridal party well acquainted before the wedding, have a dinner following the rehearsal. The rehearsal is a great place to meet but a dinner afterward will really give everyone a chance to kick back, laugh, and set the mood for a great wedding party to come. 

Love Shoot: Before the wedding get together with your photographer and do a love shoot. It's a great time to capture photos that are fun and funky in casual attire to be used during your wedding on an overhead projector for your guests to look at. They could also be used in the opening of your wedding video once that is put together. Schedule this with your photographer and follow through with him on all your request. Photographs and Videos will be the memories you take with you after your wedding for years and years to come.

Most important is to make sure a list is followed from start to finish. Check off each tasks as they are completed and you'll be sure to have a smooth journey to and through your wedding. 

Last but Not Least on the Day of: LET LOOSE AND HAVE FUN! This is YOUR day!

Bridal Shower To-Do's

A Bridal Shower is a great way to get your guests thinking about your wedding and excited for it as it grows nearer and nearer. Its an event usually thrown for the bride by the maid of honor and the bridal party and/or the mother's of the bride groom. Whoever it is throwing the shower for you, it is nice to chime in and help with the planning (except for the games, that's their job). There are few details that go into planning a bridal shower that should be checked off accordingly. To begin the basics:

1.) Pick the place : Guest must be fed, so whether you host the event at a venue or do it in your own backyard make sure food is included through the venue or a caterer. Most bridal showers are held early in the afternoon, a brunch would be perfect. Also remember, this even is usually ladies only so accounting for food should not be a massive expense.

2.) Register: Guest attending your bridal shower will come barring gifts. Gifts YOU were able to choose... through your Registry.Your registry should typically include household items to fill your new. The items range from kitchenware, fine and casual dinning, cleaning appliances, bedding, and bath items to name a few. Many places that have wedding registry will have consultants to help you find whats right for you and perfect to go on your registry. Don't be shy, the more you register for the better selection your guest have. Go scanner crazy! Popular places to register for your bridal shower:

• Macy's
• Bed, Bath, & Beyond
• Target
• Crate and Barrel
• Pottery Barn
• Khol's 
• Williams-Sonoma 
• Bloomingdale's
• Dillard's 
•  Walmart

- New trends have started with online bridal registries through amazon.com and GiftRegistry360.com where you could register for numerous items from numerous retailers through one website.

3.) Plan Entertainment: Bridal showers usually involve fun games for all the guest to engage in to win prizes. The games are wedding and feminine related. Games involve "Who knows the Bride the Best?" where a paper with questions are passed out and each person test their knowledge of the bride, Wedding word scrabble game, toilet paper bride, "Who has the most items in their purse?", and a game just for fun embarrassment for the bride "How well does she know her Husband to be?". The last game involves prior planning of meeting with the groom to get his answers, for each question the bride gets wrong a piece of gum must be eaten (you can see the potential fun this could bring). There are many games to choose from, it all depends on what you believe your guests would lie. The point is to break the ice with some wedding guests that have yet to meet each other. The more fun they have, the more comfortable they become and the more fun your wedding is bound to be! Click here to sort through what wedding games you want to include at your bridal shower: Bridal Shower Games

* Make sure to have gifts for the Winners*

4.) Party Favors: Favors could range from edible to useful to cute and girly. Some ideas include

• Cookies, cupcakes, cakepops, suckers. or candy boxes.
• Mini-manicure travel sets, heart shaped cookie cutters, or Love bookmarks with Sash
• Photo-coasters, wedding candle, or mini photo-frames

5.) Enjoy!: This is the time to kick bake, laugh, and have a good time. Its the kick-off to the festivities involved in your wedding day. You're wedding is not just about one day but about a time of your life you will never forget, spent with people who mean the most to you. In a setting where its all girls how better to live up to the theme "Girls just wanna have Fun!"... If you want to make a romantic ending to your bridal shower and have your guest meet the man of your dreams; have your hubby-to-be show up toward the end (preferably presenting you with flowers) so you could introduce him and break the ice for everyone. Live it and Love it! 

6.) Thank You's: Last but not least are the thank you's. For all your guest make sure you record what they gave you to ensure you thank them for the right thing. It makes your appreciation more personal and thoughtful. Send Thank You cards out individually to their home (incorporate a way to receive their addresses at the bridal shower, maybe on an envelope left on the table). As for the wedding party, especially maid of honor, and mother of the bride and groom; get them special gifts and present them with the gift at the shower (or the rehearsal dinner). This should be an expense you don't fall flat on, the people of your wedding have put in the time to make your wedding events special; thank them in a meaningful way.

Centerpiece Perfection

Finding the color theme of your wedding could be simultaneously done while checking out centerpieces . Centerpieces should be chosen that compliment the theme you've already got envisioned or are may still be looking for. You can gear your centerpiece to fit your color theme or have your choice of centerpiece guide your color pick. Which ever the order, ideas about great centerpieces are abundant. Flowers are always a beautiful choice but even with flowers there are so many options! Flower choices are classy and traditional but if you're looking for creativity here are some options that will make your wedding unique and impress your guests:

TREES

Works great in the Winter season decorated for a frosted snow effect or for Spring weddings with the budding flowers:

 

 LIGHTING

Another unique technique involves focusing on lighting for your centerpieces. If your looking for an intimate/Romantic setting this is the route to take:

 & Floating Candles with submerged flowers

EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS 

For a rustic wedding or something entirely unique sure to please your guests:

Put your creative caps on and make it work for you and your wedding :)

Getting the Right Color Combo

           You've picked the venue, set the date, and even found the dress; all major things are in place. Now lets get on to the details that make your wedding your own; beautiful and unique. Most couples will agree on a color theme they want to have going on their wedding date but it takes some time figuring out exactly what theme you want. Color choices and color combinations are endless and getting exciting about more than one color or color combo is normal. The key is to narrow it down to what matches your personality most, also it is best to stick with colors that are classic so that each time you look at your wedding pictures you don't regret going with colors that were "hip" at the time but instead went with colors that are timeless. Many websites will help you with color combos that "go" and the ones that "don't". Listed are a few that seem to be in this year and the best colors to accompany them.

Blue is a lively color and a favorite of many. It also comes in all different shades and could be styled up to your liking. The most popular colors that still give a classic look are:

Navy Blue - Paired w/ Cream, lemon, silver, plum, or scarlet

Cobalt Blue- Paired w/ Sunshine, hunter green, black or cream

& Ice Blue- Paired w/ Charcoal, black, chartreuse, navy or silver

Purple is a really popular color mainly because it implies Royalty (& who doesn't want to feel like royalty on their wedding?!). Its also girly and soft. Best shades to go with:

Eggplant- Paired w/Slate, black, silver, navy or leaf green

 & Lavender - Paired w/Navy, rose, black, charcoal, tan, mocha

Black is classy and romantic. Perfect for contrasting with many different colors especially ivory for keeping your wedding truly timeless like a black tie affair.

Paired w/Ivory, champagne, pink, charcoal or plum

Gold or Platinum for a elegant and romantic formal wedding are perfect and do not take to much. Adding in roses or hydrangeas will add life to the colors.

Gold gives off a soft Glow 

-Paired w/ lack, chocolate, poppy red, blush, teal

  & Platinum -Paired w/Cream, blush, ice blue,or black

Pretty in Pink! But my how many shades of pink there are. From blush to peach, each changes the style but now matter what its always classy and romantic.

Blush Pink - Paired w/ White, charcoal, khaki, gold, brown or black

 & Peach- Paired w/ Tan, cream, seafoam, black, gold, charcoal

To be bold and still Romantic. The color of Love (according to Valentines Day) why not go with Red and keep it classic with red roses... 

Apple Red with edible arrangements (apples, cherries, and berries) 

Paired w/ Chocolate, sky blue, orange, turquoise, white, cream or blush 

For a bright and sunny wedding that brings positive cheer to all your guest go with a sunflower yellow. Include sunflowers and daisies! Perfect for outdoor summer weddings.

 Paired w/ Navy, black, slate, khaki, brown or lime

With all the options available, its rare to go wrong. Key is to key in on you and what best represents your love story. 

 

 

Find the Perfect Wedding Dress for You

You've booked the venue, set the date, and got all details for the ceremony figured out, now where should you gear your focus? As most bridal shops and boutiques will tell you, the most ideal time to order your wedding dress is 8-12 months before your wedding. More frequently 6 months will do just fine but the extra time leaves room for alteration processes and the possibility of having to send back the dress to the manufacturer should there be a mistake. Basically, you need to get to it sista. 

You're first step should be to browse the internet, see what designers and styles suit you and from there find out what bridal shops near you hold those designer wedding gowns. Most designer websites will have a "store locator" option that will guide you to shops nearby after putting in a zip code of your desire.

Every girl wants to look like a princess on her wedding day and nothing will ruin the odds of that more than by picking the wrong dress for your body type. Woman come in all different shapes and sizes as so wedding dresses, so find the one that works best for you by using this guide:

For the Petite Woman: 

You've got a tiny frame, going too big may drown you. The wedding dress will seem like its wearing you rather than you wearing it.

- Go for an A-Line silhouette

-Or Go for a Sheath silhouette 

For a Pear Shaped Woman:

You're small on top and heavy on the bottom, just like the fruit. Go for a dress that will draw attention to your upper half. 

 -Go for a Strapless Ball Gown 

-And a Basque or Empire Waist 

For a Full Figured Woman: 

You're more voluptuous with full breasts, a tummy, round hips and a butt.

-Go for a Ball Gown

-Or Go for an A-line dress

For a Short or Thick Waist Woman

You're perfectly proportioned but the distance from your shoulders to you waist is short or undefined

-Go for a Princess silhouette 

Princess silhouette will elongate the torso and keep you looking slim.

For an Hour-Glass figure woman:

You've got a big chest, big hips, and a small waist. Curves in all the right places.

-Go for an A-line silhouette with a drop waist 

- Or Go for a Fit and Flare Silhouette

- Or if you really want to show off those Curves, Go for a Mermaid silhouette

You want to make sure to bring focus to your most prized assets and gear focus away from those you may not be fond of. Whatever the body figure, whatever your style; there is a wedding dress out there for every bride and yours is waiting to be found. Good Luck!

Budgeting your Wedding

       Congratulations he popped the question and now you're well on your way to planning the wedding of your dreams. Exciting right?!? Ha! Try Ahhhhhh where do I start?!?! To sort out the clutter in your mind and the overwhelming amount of planning to do, the best bet is to find out your budget of course! It may not be only about what you want your wedding to be but about trying to do it without starting off your marriage on the wrong financial foot :-/. There are many websites and wedding planning books that could help you calculate what could be spent on each wedding requirement given your total available budget. The biggest expense of all of course being the venue rental and food for your guest. This being so, how about start with finding a venue and setting that date that will begin the new chapter of your life with you soul-mate?! 

          Before deciding on a venue, it is important to determine roughly the number of guests at your wedding to make sure the venue accommodates to the size. You're wedding could small and elegant or extravagantly large and ethnic, depending on this the venue must be of appropriate size. After searching through local magazines and attending bridal shows to find the best of venues around the area as well as considering weddings that you may have been to or heard of in the passed around your area of interest its important to call those venues to set a date to meet with them so they could talk about pricing and available dates to host your wedding. After setting a date for your reception, it is important to make sure availability for your ceremony could be held on the same day. Otherwise you'll be looking at some confused guests while they read the dates on your wedding invitations, you most likely wont get their attendance for two separate days. My suggestion; stick with one. Your dates for you wedding reception and ceremony are now in perfect harmony and your now ready to get to the fun part of wedding planning, at least for the bride. Picking out the Colors and Dress that is going to make you princess for a day. Tips on this coming soon your Majesty ;)

In the mean time, get an account set up here: 

http://www.theknot.com/