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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

New trend in bachelor parties - adventurous weekend outings such as skydiving, kyaking, fishing, etc - forget the girls!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Selecting an Officiant

An easy detail to overlook in planning your wedding might be selecting your officiant. With all the other big decisions to make, it is easy to forget that you have to find someone to actually marry you. Some girls simply assume that it will be the pastor of the church they’ve grown up in; maybe he married her parents and even baptized her as a child. It is important not to forget that you still have to book the pastor – he has a schedule too!
Besides working out the scheduling, there are a few other things that you will want to discuss with your officiant of choice…things that need to be worked out before you book him or her.


~ Will there be a charge for his services? If so, what are they and how will that number fit into your budget?


~ Is experience important to you? How many couples has he married over the years?


~ If you want to personalize your wedding (write your own vows, have someone other than your father walk you down the aisle, etc.), discuss these changes with your officiant. Some will only perform traditional services.


~ Do you and your groom need to attend premarital counseling in order to book your pastor or clergy member? How do you feel about that?


~ Does he have a backup in the event of an emergency?


~ If you are not getting married in his church, will he still perform the wedding? Is he comfortable with the alternate location you’ve chosen?


~ Even if you don’t have an officiant in mind yet, these are things that still need to be talked about. You may be more or less willing to compromise with his preferences depending on how important his presence is to you.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Designing a new e-newsletter and contemplating the new look for our website. Big changes coming soon!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Meet Our Wedding Mascot!

Be sure to say hello to Prince!

First Name: Prince

Last Name: Charming

Physical Characteristics: short and stout with the promise becoming tall, dark, and handsome

Goal in Life: to Live Happily Ever After

Special Gift: Great kisser!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

A great resource for event planners and brides http://ping.fm/2nRzZ
Of course, you'll want to personalize your toast, but here are a few samples to stir your creative juices http://ping.fm/Qb7fi

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I have to admit, I think these are funny http://ping.fm/C3PKo
Favors with a conscience - on the table assignment, let guests know that you donated to a charity in their name

Monday, September 21, 2009

Some mom & pop suppliers will say that they do not use contracts. Protect yourself by typing up a contract listing specifics for your event!
Who's Responsible? A look at wedding party roles. http://ping.fm/F6qoR

Who's Responsible? A Look at Bridal Party Roles

The reason we select our maid of honor and bridesmaids isn’t just because they’re close family or friends…we choose them also because we know we can count on them to fulfill certain responsibilities. The bride and groom have many decisions to make before the wedding day arrives and it should be a comfort to both to know that they can count on those standing up with them to help out in different ways. Some may not be familiar with the traditional roles of various bridal party members. Here’s a quick refresher so that you know what can be expected of your attendants -

1. Maid of Honor – Usually one of the most important and influential people in the bride’s life. She is someone the bride trusts and because of their relationship, the bride may call on her maid of honor to help her make important wedding decisions. Some of her other responsibilities include throwing the bridal shower, deciding and pulling together the gift that the bridal party gives to the bride and groom, walking in the wedding processional, holding the bride’s flowers during the wedding ceremony and the groom’s ring until the bride places it upon his finger, and traditionally, she is also there to witness the signing of the marriage license.

2. Best Man – Also a very important person in the wedding as well as the groom’s life. Generally speaking, the groom is much less involved in the actual planning of the wedding than the maid of honor or the bridesmaids. He is assigned certain duties as well including planning the bachelor party, organizing the gift the groomsmen give the bride and groom, holding the bride’s ring during the ceremony, witnessing the signing of the wedding license, making a toast to the bride and groom at the reception, participate in the receiving line and he is also responsible for making sure that the bride and groom have transportation to their next destination - usually their honeymoon.

3. Bridesmaids – Though less involved in wedding planning than, say, the maid of honor, they still have important roles throughout the planning of the wedding, the wedding itself, and reception. They are expected to attend the bridal shower, help the ushers (or groomsmen) seat wedding guests, participate in the receiving line and to generally help the bride whenever called on throughout the night.

4. Groomsmen – The male equivalent of the bridesmaids, they do much of the same things throughout the wedding and reception. They are expected to attend the bachelor party, help seat guests along with the bridesmaids, participate in the receiving line and assist the groom or bride whenever called on to do so.

Now, we know that this might all seem very complicated and knowing that certain things are to be expected of each member of the bridal party can make it even more difficult to choose each one but keep in mind that these people are your helpers. If you make the right decision, it should ultimately make your life a little easier.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Don't panic at the price! These are stunning and can be placed on every other or every third table. http://ping.fm/7q9qU
Brides - don't forget to eat! Stash an energy or protein bar in your take-along kit and consume it before the ceremony or immediately before the reception.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Create a new email account for wedding-related lists. Delete once you're wed, no more harassing emails!
Is your best friend the best fit? http://ping.fm/RdmD9

Are Your Best Friends the Best Fit?


A girl doesn't need to think too hard when asked who her maid of honor will be. It might be the girl who’s been her best friend since they were five years old or maybe her old college roommate. But how do you choose the other important people that you want to stand up with you in your wedding? Before you make that decision, you need to have a specific number in mind. Your wedding budget will help determine how many will be in your wedding party. Here are some important things to keep in mind when choosing your attendants:

~ Which of your friends are you closest to? Are there certain people who expect to stand up with you on your wedding day?

~ Can these chosen few afford the costs that go along with being a part of the wedding party? (attire, special showers/parties)


~ Will they be able to handle the responsibilities that go along with the honor?


~ Are you financially able to pay for bouquets for the bridesmaids and boutonnieres for the groomsmen?


~ Are you prepared to buy gifts for all attendants?

The general room of thumb is one usher and one bridesmaid for every 50 guests invited. This can be a sensitive process, as some feelings may inevitably be hurt. However, this is your day and while the feelings of your close friends and family are important to consider, don’t forget about your own feelings in the process.




Next blog - Who's Responsible? A Look at Bridal Party Roles

Friday, September 11, 2009

Please keep the memory video at your wedding reception to no more than 10 minutes. Do you want to sit and watch 20 minutes of someone's childhood?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Welcome to our two new part-time staffers Ashley and Erica!
When shopping for a wedding dress, bring inspiration photos to share with clerks. Then, be open to their ideas, too.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Coming Soon!

I hope that you had a wonderfully relaxing and fun Labor Day weekend. We did! Which is why there was not a blog posted on Monday!

We'll be back on again next Monday with some great advice!

Jami

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

What are you doing to cut wedding costs? My recommendations? Trim the guest list, trim the alcohol, adjust day/time.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Keep the party vib and the convos going with the latest trend - small plates of varying appetizers served to guests

Friday, September 4, 2009

New updates! http://ping.fm/GFn7s
Just added to our preferred supplier list - Advanced Entertainment DJ Service - Save the $200 booking fee! http://www.aedj.com/
Looking to cut costs on your wedding flowers? Decorate every third pew or eliminate pew decorations altogether!
Great source of specialty bags and boxes for your event favors! http://ping.fm/ROhU4

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Great deals on vases and candles holders for your decor! http://ping.fm/3fCtz

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Two items to consider when trying to meet the wedding budget - the number of guests on your list and the type of style (dinner, cocktails, brunch, lunch, tea).

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

http://ping.fm/bnliQ How to get the perfect planner.
Check out www.momentville.com which offers free wedding websites with an awesome selection of themes . . . or you can create your own look!