Alternative to Traditional Save The Dates

If you're like most brides your thinking about 2 things: 1. how can I make our wedding different...you know stand out and be one grade above the next? and 2. how can I be the skinniest I've ever been without starving myself completely. Well ladies, I can't completely help with question 2, but I hope to help with #1!

I saw this cleaver idea on Martha Steward Weddings recently, and it blew (literally) my mind. How brilliant, cute and fun! If you are looking for a cleaver way to wow your guests and set a fun tone, this idea is for you. Custom printed balloons with all your wedding information printed directly on the balloon. Attach them to good quality white card-stock and you are set.

Looking to step into the digital world? How about a video Save the Date? Sync music, important information, pictures and a customized message from the soon-to-be's and you are sure to wow your guests. This is also a wonderful way to save on postage. Here is a great example from Mallory Berry at MGB Photo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhNOb40zUmo&feature=player_embedded

Beauty Sleep

Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. Sleep is also a heightened anabolic state, accentuating the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems. It is recommended that all adults get anywhere from 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly.

Thank you Wikipedia for the definition. Seems pretty straightforward, sleep is necessary, so dont skip it. But, why is this so important, and why is a wedding blogger spending her time telling me to catch some zzz's? Well ladies (and gentlemen), they don't call it 'Beauty Sleep' for nothing! Not only do the optimal seven to nine hours a night leave you looking luminous, but products are most effective overnight because they penetrate better when you're at rest. Skimp on shut-eye and your skin will look dull. As you snooze, your body churns out human growth hormone -- a crucial ingredient for collagen production. All this below-the-surface metabolic activity, however, helps cause skin to lose about 25 percent more water overnight than it does during the day. Overnight, skin cells regenerate and facial muscles that create lines relax.

For the healthiest skin, you need seven to nine hours of zzz's. Here's why.

• First Three Hours - You get the deepest sleep of the night. Your body produces the most human growth hormone, which is crucial to skin and hair repair, during this time
• Middle Two Hours - Deep sleep shortens and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep begins. Melatonin, a hormone that's also a skin-protecting antioxidant, increases.
• Last Three Hours - This is when you get the most REM sleep. Your skin's temperature reaches its lowest point and your muscles relax, giving skin its deepest recovery.

Conclusion, your meeting with the florist, wedding coordinator and caterer are going to have to wait until morning! Turn off your over planning brian and get some shut-eye!

The Perfect 1st Dance

Are you ready for your debut dance as a married couple? Whether your worried about being the center of attention, or your fiancés moves you wouldn’t be alone if this was one of your major concerns for your big day. Ease a little of your anxiety by being prepared. If you opt to have a traditional first dance, consider the following. Most importantly, choose a first dance song that fits your favorite dance moves. If you are comfortable with the two-step, find a two-stepping love song that will bring a smile to the crowd and joy to your heart. It isn't written in stone that your first dance has to be to a slow tune. One thing is for sure, it is important to carefully consider the song's wording. Not all love songs mean well. Secondly, practice your moves before the reception. After the song is chosen, grab your partner and rehearse. Whatever your final song and style choice, move with confidence on the dance floor.

The "Hangover Remedy" Welcome Basket

As most people can relate, weddings are usually an affair where people throw their inhibitions to the wind, and quite frankly make a fool of themselves. If you know your wedding is not going to be a formal affair, why not give your guests a welcome basket they can really use. Put together a welcome basket that will prepare your loved ones to dance the night away at your reception. Stock your goodie box with vitamins, herbal energy boosters and nutrition drinks to fortify your guests for the party to come. Add an eye mask, aspirin, and some recommended steps for post-party recovery to send the message that your wedding will be as much about fun as formality.

Important things to remember for Destination Weddings

Not to be confused with an elopement, a destination wedding is one in which a wedding is hosted, often in a vacation-like setting, at a location to which most of the invited guests must travel and often stay for several days. Destination weddings often take place in tropical areas such as the Caribbean, Mexico, or Hawaii. Others decide to move their celebration a little further across the pond. Places such as Europe, South America, or the South Pacific. The entire wedding party will travel to the destination and enjoy a long weekend - or an entire week - and be on vacation while attending the wedding. Although a destination wedding is both fun for the bride and groom and their guests, there are a couple things that are important to consider before you send out your save the date and request your guests to expedite their passports.

Location, location, location! Make sure to choose a location based on your wedding style and nonnegotiable guest list (if any). Unlike a hometown wedding, you can't assume everyone will be able to spend the money and vacation days to attend, so you'll need to wait to get a read on how many people can come before you choose a venue.

Start researching and planning your destination wedding as soon as possible. Give your guests the most notice possible, so they have time to plan and make the decision as to whether they will be able to make it or not. Not only do you have to reserve your venue, but fulfilling the marriage requirements of the country in which you are to be wed may take a few months.

If you've chosen a cross country locale, make sure each guest have more than enough time to fulfill passport requirements. With this being said, make sure you go easy on their bank accounts: Consider an all-ages, all-inclusive resort or cruise during low season (generally May through November at resorts in the Caribbean or Mexico), to keep costs down and provide the most built-in activity options possible. Since guests are still required to pay all their own expenses, make sure you insist they not buy you gifts, and ask your travel agent or wedding coordinator about group discounts on air and hotels.

Ok, now to the kids “issue”. If you're asking people to travel for your wedding and they have children, chances are they will want to travel with their kids. I think the best thing to do would be to offer to pay for a sitter or a kids camp for the reception portion of the wedding. Most other pre-wedding activities can accommodate children. No matter what, make sure you give them plenty of time to figure out an alternative and definitely give them options. I think it would be really hard to find childcare in a city you're not familiar with, so make sure you help them relieve some anxiety by sending a special email to those guests with children outlining activities, accommodations and options. These guests with small children in-tow will be very appreciative!

Working with a bridal consultant who specializes in destination weddings and/or a wedding planner based in the area where you'll be married to help you navigate a city's marriage requirements.

Destination weddings are a great way to celebrate with your guests. But, like all other weddings they take a lot of preparation and planning. Make sure you plan well so you can enjoy your wedding day! Whether it be in Hawaii, Aruba, Florence or any other exotic location, the purpose of your wedding is still the same…to share in your wedding day with your closest friends and family!

Important things to remember for out-of-towners

One of the most charming aspect of your wedding is how loved ones come together from the four corners of the world to celebrate you and your fiancé. Your guests are investing their time and money to be there for you so its important to make them feel appreciated and taken care for. By adding a few thoughtful details to your wedding festivities, you can return the favor and make your out-of-towners feel like VIPs.

You can start making your guests feel appreciated even before they arrive in town by reserving a block of rooms at a local hotel. Many hotels offer reduced group rates. If you limit your choices to three neighboring hotels (one high-end, one moderately priced, and a budget option), then larger groups of guests can conveniently meet and mingle. When recommending accommodations to your guests, consider choosing a hotel that will arrange a hospitality room that you can stock with snacks and beverages. That way, out-of-towners can gather and get to know one another before the wedding.

The ever-so-popular gift basket is another way you can personalize a special gift for your wedding attendees. Consider gift baskets stocked with wine, water, snacks and local goodies to give your guests a taste of the area. Call the hotel ahead of time to work out with the front desk or concierge the best way to get the gifts into your guests' rooms before they arrive, as well as when you should drop them off.

For those of your guests who will be traveling from afar and are planning to do some sightseeing while in town for your wedding its always nice to get them started on the right foot. You can help by providing: directions to local attractions, menus from local restaurants, a list of taxi and car services (including phone numbers), brochures for local amusements, maps and guides for local public transportation, directions to the nearest same-day dry cleaners (accidents happen) and driving instructions from hotel to wedding location and back again. At our wedding my mother-in-law asked the local Chamber of Commerce to send brochures of area attractions to our visiting guests so they can plan their activities during their stay.

Welcome gifts are a wonderful way to extend a special thank-you to your out-of-towners who have traveled long distances to join you on your big day. With a little extra time and energy, you'll not only be able to help your guests find comfortable lodging, but pull together a nice welcome gift that brings a smile to your travelers' faces.

Bamboo Coasters

No detail is too small in the wedding planning world. Especially when it is the one way to thank you guests for taking them time out of their busy lives to share in your most special day. If you are searching for a perfect mix of personalization and gratitude, look no further! I have a great suggestion for you.

A Bamboo coaster set. Bamboo is a symbol of success and luck because of its resilience, strength and ability to grow quickly (just like your love!). It is also said that bamboo is luckiest when you receive it as a gift, which makes these beautiful, Natural & eco-friendly Bamboo Coasters a thoughtful, beautiful and very useful favor!

Facials

Let’s face it, most brides would do just about anything for glowing skin on their wedding day (myself included!). Getting a facial is a good way to relieve stress and detoxify the skin. But before you book your last minute facial appointment here are a few things to consider. Facial scrubs, masks and expensive moisturizers can only do so much. On the other hand, a good facial will help to rejuvenate the skin through skin analysis, steam cleaning, extractions, mild exfoliation, a mask, toner and moisturizer targeted for your skin type.

If you’re a newcomer to the world of facials, it’s good to try one out several months before your wedding day. This will give you ample time to see how well your skin reacts to a facial. It also helps to get monthly facials about three to four months before your special day to prepare your skin. Make sure you leave some time between having your facial and your wedding day, no closer than one week prior is usually recommended.

Light chemical peels, laser treatments or micro-dermabrasion are another consideration. However, these more abrasive treatments should be left till after your wedding if your skin is unfamiliar or sensitive to such harsh treatments.

And while we’re on the subject, why not consider having a back facial, too. This is a wonderful idea especially if you’re wearing a wedding gown that exposes your back!

Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend!

For this post I simply wanted to share some amazing pictures of diamonds. Gentlemen, I think Madonna says it best, Diamonds are definitely a girls best friend!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Some traditions are rooted in superstition and closely connected with good and bad luck. The most familiar of wedding-related sayings dates back to Victorian times and goes like this, "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”

“Something Old" represents the connection the bride will maintain to her family heritage. Many brides will wear an heirloom piece of family jewelry or the wedding gown belonging to a relative. An ideal token for this category would be an item that has been passed down through the generations, or something she has inherited directly.


"Something New" connotes hope and success in the bride's new life. It's generally quite easy to find something to fit this category. Your wedding dress, a new pair of shoes, your hair accessories, or a new piece of jewelry from your husband to be can all fall into this category.

"Something Borrowed" serves to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her whenever she may need their support or assistance. Great emphasis is placed on borrowing from a happily married woman, as the good fortune is said to pass on to the new bride in her own marriage. Frequently, brides choose to borrow a piece of jewelry, a handkerchief, your grandmother's diamond earrings, or your sister's wedding shoes. Anything may be borrowed, just don't forget to return it afterwards!

"Something Blue" represents faithfulness, purity and loyalty. The symbolism dates back to biblical times when blue represented virginity and fidelity. Brides often choose to wear a blue garter, sapphire jewelry or blue ribbons in their hair.

It is said that if a bride follows these traditions, the couple will lead a long lasting and happy marriage!

Sentimental Guest Book

Back in the day, the wedding guest book was a necessity. Everyone who attended a wedding was considered a witness and was required to sign the marriage document, or guest book. Today, even though the legal requirements have changed, the concept of a guest book remains as a wonderful sentiment for the wedding couple. Whether it be for your wedding, engagement party, or bridal shower, creating a unique guest book is a special way for guests to share their feelings and encouragement with the couple.

Recently, I had been asked to help create a special Engagement Party guest book for a wonderful couple who is very dear to my families heart. Here is how I helped create something that I hope they will cherish forever:

Materials: beautifully bound 50 page leather book from Italy, 38 pictures, 12 Beatles song lyric quotes, some thick brown cardstock and some good picture glue.

The process is simple, after a little organizing and some gluing and cutting, my dear friends had a unique, one of a kind guest book that is full of loving sentiments and pictures chronicling their relationship. (Tip: put the invitation to the event on the front page of the book, that way the couple can remember which event the book relates to.) The most beautiful part was the fact that everyone got to share in progress of their relationship through the pictures. It is very nostalgic sentiment and really unites everyone around the couple.

There is nothing more beautiful than helping a couple celebrate their love!

Eyeglasses on your Wedding Day

Which is more important, appearance or comfort? When it comes to those who could use some help in the vision department, this is a tough choice to make. Here’s my take.

Are contacts even an option for you? If not then your problem is solved. You are a glasses-wearer through and through and it should be no different on your wedding day!

If glasses will be incorporated into your wedding accessories, get an anti-reflective coating. This will keep the reflection from the flash off your glasses in your wedding pictures but still allow you to see where the photographer is and land your first kiss appropriately!

Tell your makeup artist you’re wearing your glasses and make sure that your makeup is designed with your glasses in mind, so it flatters you as much as possible. The makeup you wear should put more emphasis on your eyes, not less, as many people might think. People are looking at you on your wedding day, not your glasses!

Above all, make sure you look like yourself! If you try out contacts prior to your wedding, start incorporating them into your look. If you like them and are comfortable, contacts might be the way to go. But, don't only wear your contacts on your wedding day. Your husband-to-be fell in love with you, glasses and all, and he wants to see YOU on your wedding day, not some weird version of you. Be true to yourself and be authentic!

Kids vs. No Kids

Want to get a whole lot of mixed and very opinioned views, well, bring up the subject of kids of no kids at your wedding and you are destined for a very heated conversation! I along with many other brides struggled with this decision. For some couples, one of the easiest ways to trim the guest list is to have a ‘no children allowed’ rule. For others, not allowing children would be unthinkable.

Each situation is unique and different. However, there is a way to handle this with the least bit of hurt. First, decisions related to children should be handled quickly to avoid awkward questions from parents who need to make plans. If you are not yet a parent you might not understand this, but scheduling for a sitter and getting everything prepared for a night out is exhausting and very time consuming. Make sure to provide plenty of notice and understand that some parents are not going to be ok with this decision.

Secondly, the no-kids decision works best when the majority of the families are local. That way parents can leave their children with familiar sitters without feeling anxious. On the other hand, if you're hosting a destination wedding, it's harder to not invite kids. Asking for a family to travel to another country without their children is limiting and something many families will veto immediately. Allow your guests to make it a vacation for their families as well in this case. Remember, they are spending a good amount of money to be with you on your special day!

Its a topic that can stir up some strong opinions so just a fair warning to beware!

Effects of Coffee on your Skin

Such as the saying goes; ‘The best part of waking up is Foldgers in your cup!’

I along with a good majority of the public genuinely enjoy my morning cup of Joe. However, if you are like many brides you are very aware of the effect just about everything you eat has on your body. If you are looking to avoid any major hiccups in the way of your skin on your big day I truly believe it is best to avoid coffee all together.

My understanding is that the relationship of food to acne is such that food in and of itself will not cause acne, but if you are prone to acne (have the other necessary elements present) food and caffeine can trigger breakouts. Caffeine as well as sugar causes the body to release more androgens (hormones) and have an influence on blood sugar level and your insulin level, which can trigger breakouts.

Water is essential to fresh, glowing skin due to its hydrating and cleansing properties. And consuming a higher amount of caffeine and/or sugar than normal will negatively effect your skin's appearance and health.

Bottom line…caffeine CAN trigger breakouts, so why not eliminate it all together. Take a little hiatus from your coffee and enjoy a healthy and more glowing complexion!

Pure White Wedding Dress

White is the traditional wedding gown color in Western culture, but white did not become a popular option until 1840, after the wedding of Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria had worn a white gown for the event so as to incorporate some lace she owned. The tradition continues today in the form of a white wedding. Although, many people assumed that the color white was intended to symbolize virginity, though this had not been the original intention. (It was the color blue that was connected to purity.) The white gown is in fact a symbolic Christening Gown.

Today the tradition continues as white is worn by more than 95% of brides on their wedding day. However, wedding white comes in many different shades. Whether its pure white, ivory, eggshell, champagne, diamond white, cream, candlelight or something in between, as a bride, you have a wide variety of whites to select from. Many argue that choosing the shade of your wedding gown is almost as challenging as choosing the style of the gown itself.

There is something special to be said for each specific shade of white. Some argue that it’s a balance of your skin tone and your wedding colors and that somehow along the way you discover the perfect white for your wedding. I don’t all together disagree, but there is just something about a pure white that I can never get away from. Pure white is bright, crisp, delicate, fresh and timeless and can be found in many fabrics including cotton, dyed satin and polyester. It’s in my (humble) opinion that any bride, pale skinned or dark would look radiant in a pure white gown. Don’t get me wrong, I love color – bright & soft, cream or ivory, but stark white is, for me, the clear winner in this race.

Grooms Cake

Is a grooms cake necessary? Although opinions vary on the subject, I'll give you a straight-forward easy answer...no, they are definitely not necessary. Appreciated and fun, yes...necessary, no. If you are looking to cut your budget this is definitely something you can omit. However, if you decide like many brides do to include a grooms cake (like I did), your not alone. Many brides find the groom's cake appealing because it's a way to give the groom special recognition on a day when most of the attention seems to center on the bride. The latest trend is brides creating a groom's cake to reflect his interest or hobby.

Legend has it that single women are supposed to sleep with a slice under their pillow the same night they receive it -- and if they do, they'll dream of their future husband.

NYE Wedding

There cannot be a more a romantic way to ring in a new year than with a celebration of marriage! Here are some ideas and tips to help plan your New Years Eve Wedding.

• Most importantly, you’ll need to secure your wedding venue far in advance since most venues will fill up quickly with New Years Eve parties.
• Send out "save the date" cards as soon as you have made the decision for a NYE wedding. Send out your invites three months in advance instead of two just to give your guests plenty of time since it is a holiday.
• Request that your guests wear their most elegant attire by making it a special black tie event.
• The bride would look beautiful wearing a long satin gown...make sure you select something thats festive, fun, and lets not forget sexy!
• Try to make it a late event, starting around 8:00pm. You want your guests to stay through the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year!
• When selecting colors and decor, go glam! You will want to make sure you have lots of sparkle. Here are a few ideas: