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Wedding Trends: Colorful Weddings
weddings are fading, color is hot! Adding a splash of color will
take your wedding from ordinary to extraordinary. Add a contrasting
color to your wedding scheme to make your wedding pictures
pop and come alive with life, love and excitement.
come alive with coral and orange roses and unusual jewelry.
The red roses on a lime green cake make it picture perfect.
There are also touches of aqua blue and orchids with white.
Pink roses embroidered on tablecloths with lime green,
kelly green, fuschia and golds just work together.
Add unusual colors and tones of the same colors
to achieve the WOW! impact.
adding pastels of blues, lavenders and oranges make
it perfect for spring or summer. Aren't the glasses
unusual?
Reds with brown and colorful berries can work year round.
Picture this bouquet against mocha, gold, lime or tiffany blue
for some great contrast and great photos.
Look at the main color which is the coral color at the base
of the centerpiece. The vase is inset with limes and the flowers
are unexpected with pinks, reds and greens. Set against
the all white linens and chair colors.. this rocks!
For more ideas and color trends, read the article
on 2009 wedding trends.
Destination Weddings
Reasons are varied from wanting a more low key wedding, avoiding family stress, saving money, don't want the traditional wedding, second marriages or the desire to marry on a tropical beach.
Here are some tips to make your destination wedding planning easier:
Visit the place you are going to marry in advance to check out your options.
All inclusive resorts offer weddings and honeymoons in one spot, including your lodging, food and entertainment. If you marry at the resort, the services of their wedding coordinator are included.
Hire a wedding coordinator in the location as your contact person to arrange all the details. Ask for references and check out the references of the coordinator, the resort and the vendors BEFORE you sign. You can find travelers opinions of resorts and hotels by going to Trip Advisor. Find the best deal, compare prices and read what other travelers have to say about hotels in Caribbean
I live by what the actual travelers report on their travels, these are real people reviewing the locations and you'll find wedding reports on there, too.
Know the marriage license requirements and assemble all the legal documents they require like birth certificates, etc.
Apply for a passport if you are marrying outside the USA.
Send out your save the date cards 6 to 9 months in advance so your guests will have time to arrange travel, get their finances in order and get time off work. The rule of thumb is about a third you invite will actually travel to your destination wedding.
Arrange for your guests to get discounted room rates by having the hotel, resort or wedding coordinator block off rooms for the wedding.
Keep your guests in the loop by having a web site such as wedsimple.com. to give your guests up to the minute details on your wedding. Include links to travel sites or a travel agency where they can get airfare. Give them an overview of the area of the wedding and the things to do in that location so they can plan some excursions of their own during their free time. Its your wedding, but its also their vacation!
Go to Beach Bride To Be for more destination wedding planning tips and ideas! You'll find destination information, marriage license information and how to pack and travel with your wedding dress. Have a happy wedding in paradise!
Positive Affirmations For The Bride
Positive affirmations are a way to use
positive thinking to your advantage to cause
positive changes in your life. What you think
is what you become. If you think negative
thoughts you will give off negative vibes.
When you think positive thoughts, you channel
the energy of the universe to bring about positive
and good into your life.
Since today is New Years Day, its time to wipe the
slate clean. Every bride needs to spend a few minutes
each day channeling good thoughts. Positive thoughts
are the backbone of success in life, happiness and
love.
Wedding planning is stressful. You can choose to have a
stress free wedding or you can be a Bridezilla. You
have the option to enjoy the planning process or
make mountains out of molehills. You can choose to
be happy with what you have or you can be jealous and
envious of others weddings. Its your choice.
Give the affirmations a try. Its better than alienating
your friends, family and taking medications. Put the
wedding into perspective and start affirming today!
I trust in my decisions.
I am loved.
I am open to love and give love in return.
I am deserving of a loving long term relationship.
My partner is loving and we are in loving,
peaceful relationship.
I can handle anything that comes my way.
If I make a mistake, I am able to learn from
it and forgive myself.
I am living a healthy lifestyle and it shows
on my face and body.
I will have a joyful wedding.
I am blessed with health, love and friends.
I love and accept myself the way I am.
I am unique, special and a good person who
accepts myself as such.
I challenge my mind and my body for my health.
I give love to my friends and get it back multiplied.
I believe in myself and my decisions.
I trust myself always.
I have unique talents.
I can handle whatever life puts in my way.
I can handle challenges and I can triumph over them.
I choose to stay calm under pressure.
I choose to be calm and let the stress leave
my body.
I have options.
I can create positive changes.
Today I choose to live in peaceful harmony with
the universe.
Today I will compromise when faced with disharmony.
Today I will accomplish tasks on my list.
Today I choose calm, peace and laughter.
Today I will be thankful for what I have.
Today I will count my blessings.
New Years Resolutions For the Bride
Its time for the 2009 bride to make new years resolutions for her wedding.
Yeah, I know how hard it is to make resolutions stick. If you follow the resolutions,
you'll have an easier time with your wedding planning and actually have a fun and
enjoyable time planning and executing your wedding. And isn't that what we all want?
Resolve to get organized.
An organized bride is a happy bride. Invest in a wedding planner book or purchase a
software program on the net that keeps track of your progress and leads you to the next step.
Resolve to keep the focus on the marriage and less on the party.
Too many brides forget that the purpose of the wedding is the union of two people in
marriage. If that means going to couples counseling, pre Cana counseling or whatever
your church deems necessary, then just do it! If everyone spent as much time on planning
the marriage as they do planning the wedding,there would be less divorces.
Resolve to treat your bridal/wedding party with respect.
Keep their budget and figure concerns in mind whey you pick out bridesmaid dresses.
Don't demand that they host a shower for you.
Don't demand they host a bachelorette party for you. Accept whatever they plan and enjoy
it. It might be a lot more fun than what you had in mind.
Don't expect your bridesmaids to plan your wedding. Its NOT their job.
Don't expect them to be as excited about your wedding as you are.
Don't expect them to be available every moment for wedding shopping or assembling
invitations. Accept whatever help they are able to give and show your appreciation.
Resolve to treat your parents with respect during the wedding planning process.
Your parents may or may not be paying for the wedding and they will want to give you input
and suggestions. Accept it in the spirit to which it was offered and then make up your
own mind as to what you really want to do. They may be having a hard time with their
"little girl" getting married regardless of how much they love your groom.
Resolve to make a budget and work within your budget.
Budgets aren't fun. I personally hate 'em, but its a fact of life and you have to deal with
the money you have available.
Resolve to have the wedding you can afford.
Don't go into debt for a wedding. If you can only afford a small wedding, have the best
small wedding evah!
Resolve to be happy for what you have instead of stressing over what
you don't have. Count your blessings!
You are marrying the man of your dreams. You have your health. Life is good.
Stress the positives and be happy. Jealousy, envy and wanting what you can't have for
your wedding will eat you alive and make you miserable. Don't go down that path.
Resolve to spend time NOT planning your wedding and to spend
quality time with your fiance.
No one wants to deal with a 24/7 bride, including your fiance. Wedding planning shouldn't
be the focus of your life. Take time to smell the flowers,laugh and have fun with your fiance and friends.
Resolve to hire professionals to service your wedding.
There are great ways to save on wedding services, but you have to hire experienced
wedding professional if you want the job done right. Uncle Joe and his camera won't
capture the moments as well as a professional photographer.You don't get a do over,
just ask anyone who has had their wedding pictures ruined. There are great
professionals in all price ranges. Trust your most important day to a pro and you'll not regret it.
Resolve to read every contract before you sign it.
Make sure you know what you are signing before you sign on the dotted line. And make
sure you get everythingi n writing.
Resolve to follow up with all your vendors in a timely manner.
Follow up and you'll all be on the same page.
Don't follow up and you are heading for disaster.
Resolve to make deposits and payments in a timely manner.
If you don't make a deposit, you'll lose your services. As Elvis would say, Take care of business!
Resolve to follow through.
If you decide to make your own favors, just do it. If you come up with an idea, make it
happen and finish the task. Don't wait until the last minute to get 'er done.
Resolve to take advice in the spirit of which it was intended.
Everyone is going to give you a lot of advice. Don't get ticked off. Take the advice,
tell them that you will take it under advisement and then forget about it.
Every person who has ever been married is going to give you advice. Expect it, accept it and toss it with a smile.
Resolve to enjoy your wedding!
And from Weddingzilla, have a happy wedding and congratulations!
Hard To Find Bras for Your Wedding Day
The hardest part of shopping for your wedding ensemble is finding the perfect bra for your wedding dress. If you are busty, its harder than ever because department stores don't stock bustieres and strapless bras that actually support and are pretty and functional. No one wants to look like they are wearing their grandma's bra especially on their wedding day!
We use Felina and Goddess bras in the bridal salon because they give the most support and shape and are comfortable. Most strapless bras aren't comfortable because of the boning in the sides. Some tend to poke, some tend to hit in the wrong spot for comfort.
We've come across a web site that has bras that fit every body and every size. Not only do they have bras for the larger busted gals, they have bras for everyone. And some are really really pretty!! Up to 75% off during the Mid-Fall sale at BiggerBras.com
Yes, You Can Plan A Wedding During Tough Economic Times!
Yes, You CAN Plan a Wedding During Tough Economic times!
Planning a wedding during hard economic times presents challenges for the couple trying
to host their wedding. It can be done with careful planning and some work. But then again,
all weddings involve work, this just takes some ingenuity and though.
Money is tight for everyone, including your wedding vendors. Its hard economic times for
everyone. You may be able to score a good deal from vendors looking to keep their
employees working during slow economic times. Do not hesitate to ask your vendors
if this is their best price. All they can say is no.
Have the wedding you can afford! If you cannot afford a big fairytale wedding, scale it
down until it becomes affordable. If you just have to have a fairytale wedding, give the
illusion without the expense.
Consider having your wedding on a day other than Saturday. Friday or Sunday weddings
are still on a weekend, but a lot less expensive since halls and venues book up on a Saturday
at a premium price.
Budget, and budget realistically for your wedding. Stay within budget without going over
and do not go into debt for your wedding Do not get talked into taking out a loan for your
wedding. If you save money in one category, roll the extra money into a category that
matters to you. For example, if you save money on invitations, take the savings and put i
t towards the reception or your wedding dress.
Keep the guest list manageable. The more guests you invite, the more you will spend.
Prune the guest list until you come up with a guest list that is affordable.
Cut the frills out of the wedding. You can cut chair covers, expensive favors and engraved
invitations. You can buy or make inexpensive favors and use regular printing on invitations
to save you money. You will have the same look at less expense. Cut the desert bar,
the appetizers and the champagne fountain from the reception. Use the wedding cake for
desert, serve chips and pretzels to your guests before the dinner is served.
An open bar because alcohol will eat up a lot of your wedding budget. A cash bar is tacky
and your guests should not have to pay for anything at your reception. Instead, serve
beer out of a keg or put bottles of good but inexpensive wine at the tables. You can have
a spiked punch for your guests if you just have to serve alcohol.
Consider self catering your reception. Self catering does not mean you have to cook yourself.
Grocery stores and restaurants sell cooked chicken in bulk. You can find stores that sell in
bulk quantity for large groups and purchase the precooked food there. Hire some of the
lunch ladies from the local school to heat it up and serve it if your reception hall has a
kitchen. Party rental stores rent the serving trays and covers. Buy paper plates, glasses
and dinner ware in bulk and you have a decent dinner at a fraction of the price of hiring
a caterer. This involves some work and cooperation from family members, but it can be
done. You do not need to serve three meats, most guests are just
happy to have something to eat. Consider a menu of chicken with a rigatoni, cheesy potato
casserole, green beans, salad and dinner rolls. Good, filling, easy and inexpensive.
Shop for your wedding dress during the slow months of October, November and December.
Bridal salons have the best sales during this time of year because manufacturers discontinue
styles and next years new merchandise is arriving. The salons need to clear their racks.
You can find a dress for hundreds of dollars less than you would normally pay. Do not be
afraid to tell them your budget or ask them if this is the best price they would accept.
They may throw in some freebies to get your sale. Ask them nicely if you pay cash will
they give you a free veil or tiara. You may be pleasantly surprised. And don't forget
eBay for your wedding dress. eBay has many wedding dress
closeouts that are brand new and are way below wholesale cost.
Considering renting reception centerpieces and decorations. You can sometimes rent for less
money than making them yourself. If you decide to make them yourself, make sure you have
the skills and time to finish them. You can also decorate with live green plants instead of
expensive floral arrangements. Some florists will rent them to you and set them up. Or buy
them from a greenhouse and use them in your new home.
Save money on your invitations by surfing the internet. It is sometimes less costly to buy
them online rather than printing them yourself. The simpler the invitation, the less the cost.
Have your reception printed as a footnote instead of having reception cards. Remember
to budget for postage on both the invitation and the response cards. Bows, oversize cards
and other enclosures will increase the price of postage. Here are some great invitations
for 61 cents each, that's less money than if you printed them yourself! Scroll down to see
them all.
Hire the best photographer you can afford. Wedding pictures are priceless and irreplaceable.
Buy a less expensive package or ask if you can upgrade after the wedding to purchase
additional pictures when funds are available. Fewer quality pictures are better than
hundreds of off center or blurred photos.
Save for the wedding by forgoing Starbucks, eating out and going to the movies. Make your
coffee at home, pack your lunch for work, eat dinner at home and rent a movie. The savings
will add up and you will have bonus money to add to your wedding budget.
Use your skills, imagination and budget carefully and you will have a lovely wedding that is
affordable during these hard economic times.
What Does Your Wedding Dress Say About You?
What does your wedding dress say about you? Take the Wedding Dress Test and find out.
Its very cool and the results seem to be true.
I've sold wedding dresses for longer than I care to admit. For freaking evah. I'm in love with
wedding dresses. My friends say that I'm easily distracted by shiny objects. Its no secret
that I love bling, lace andbeading. I am also a card carrying fashionista. But when it came
time to choose my wedding dress, I went directly to my own personality. I had my eye
on a stunning Eve of Milady gown, but when I tried it on it justwasn't me at all. I ended
up choosing a dress that defied fashion rules at the time, it was sleek, it was sophisticated
and it had only minimal bling.
When I took the wedding dress test, I realized that I was expressing my personality in
my wedding dress. I wasn'ta frothy princess, I wasn't a sweet ruffled thing, I was
sophisticated and fashion forward. And I thought I justloved the dress and it made
me look thinner and taller. Whodda thot?
When its time to dress shop for the wedding, shop with yourself in mind. Don't choose
a dress because you friends or your Mom loves it. YOU have to love it! You have to feel
good in it. You have to feel taller, thinner,shorter, sexier, sweeter, bustier, and above
all comfortable in the dress you choose. Don't be railroaded into a dress by a pushy
salesperson on commission. Don't be railroaded by your friends, family or someone
peeking into the dressing room. Assert your self and buy the dress that is YOU!
Slash Your Wedding Costs
SLASH YOUR WEDDING COSTS
by Wedding Loco
With the cost of an average wedding in the USA at $23,687, today's wedding couples are looking for ways to host their dream wedding at an affordable cost. Besides the obvious of working with your budget, it is possible to have an amazing wedding using common sense, cutting the fat, setting priorities, and having a plan.
Set your priorities: What is important to you? A large wedding reception? Dancing? Alcohol? Music? Your dress? A big wedding album? Write down the priorities in order, budget the largest amount to that category and then cut the fat. Have the wedding you can afford without going into debt.
The day of the week and the time of day will raise or lower the cost of your wedding. Saturday evening is the most expensive time to host a reception, since its the most popular day to have a wedding. Scheduling the wedding on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon will significantly lower your costs. If you aren't planning on serving food, don't schedule the reception for meal time or your guests will expect to be fed.
Cut your guest list. You will pay a per head cost per guest, so cutting your guest list to a manageable list will save you thousands.
An open bar will raise your reception costs. Consider instead having a champagne toast, putting bottles of wine on each table, having a spiked punch fountain, or limiting the open bar to one hour only.
A disc jockey will cost you less than a band. Some disc jockeys will also include dinner music and a video in the cost of their fees. A good DJ will keep the party going, ask for references.
A buffet is less expensive than a sit down dinner. Two main dishes will be less expensive than three main dishes.
Wedding flowers in season will be less expensive than just having to have your favorite flower flown in for your bouquet. Ask your florist to substitute your favorite flower in silk. The savings? Priceless, and you still have what you want!
You can save hundreds to thousands of dollars on your wedding dress by buying a dress on sale or on clearance. All bridal salons have clearance sales usually in the summer and inventory reduction sales in December. Ask if there are any discounts available if you take the stock dress. You can also check eBay for bargains on new wedding dresses. If you are having a destination wedding, consider ordering a bridesmaid dress in white, ivory or champagne for huge savings and the look is the same!
Consider a destination wedding. Destination weddings are less expensive and there's no travel time to your honeymoon, you are already there!
Instead of hiring a wedding planner, do it yourself. Use web sites such as Weddingloco.com for tips and help in your wedding planning.
Cut the fat: Ask yourself if you really need certain items such as wedding favors, elaborate invitations with all the enclosures, china or elaborate floral decorations on every table. If the answer is yes, then cut the cost.
There are inexpensive wedding favors in the market or make your own. Candy kisses wrapped in tulle make cute inexpensive favors. Buy the candy in bulk, buy the tulle and tie with ribbons from the craft store. You can print tags on your computer with your names and wedding date, put in a hole with a paper punch and tie it on the ribbon. You savings? A lot! These can be done in advance using your family or friends as helpers.
Wedding invitations don't need to be costly. You can buy attractive invitations online for $58 per hundred. This is a significant savings over printing them yourself. Add up the cost of the blank invitation, the printer ink and factor in your time and having them printed can be a big savings. Remember postage costs have gone up, so make sure your invitation will not have oversize or overweight postage. If you invite everyone to the wedding and the reception, you can have your reception printed on the invitation as a footnote. This saves you the cost of reception cards, which is a big savings on the card AND postage.
Flowers at the reception can be a huge budget buster. Every table doesn't need an elaborate floral arrangement to make a statement. Use some ingenuity for your centerpieces and think outside the box. You can float flower heads you buy at the market in a fishbowl from the dollar store and add a floating votive candle. Or order an assortment of 3 to 4 inch blooming potted plants in season from a local grower and have them put in a colored pot cover to match your wedding colors. Group them on tables, varying the heights or put one on each table. You can give them to the guests to take home or take them home and plant them in your own garden after the wedding.
Use bridesmaid bouquets on the head table instead of buying large floral arrangements. Buy large potted ferns for greenery and take them home for your own house after the wedding. Intertwine clear holiday lights at the head table to give the table a festive look without a lot of expense.
Use common sense and don't second guess your choices. There is less chance of going over budget if you keep to your original plan.
Thanks to Wedding Loco for this great article! Email Rose@weddingloco.com for permission to
reprint.
Legal Requirements For a Hawaiian Wedding
Legal requirements to getting married in Hawaii.
Hawaii has no residency, citizenship , blood tests or waiting periods. Witnesses are not required. You must have a copy of your birth certificate if you are 18 and under, over 19 you can use your drivers licence, passport or photo ID. Just to be on the safe side, bring your birth certificate. If you are divorced, you must bring your divorce papers. The legal age to marry in Hawaii is 18, but with written consent of both parents, family court or legal guardians, you can marry at 16 or 17.
Both man and woman must appear in person before the state license agent or the State Department of Health.
You can download the form and take it with you. You MUST have a licence from the state of Hawaii, they won't honor your hometown marriage licence.
The marriage licence is good for 30 days ONLY and you can use it on any of the Hawaiian islands. You need to bring in $60.00 CASH for the licence fee as ATM's are not readily available on the premises. You'll need an additional $10.00 if you want the certificate expedited home to you. Otherwise, you'll have up to a 120 day wait.
To read more about getting married in Hawaii, click here.
Wedding Advice From Friends, Well Intentioned or Not?
Wedding Advice From Friends, Well Intentioned or Not?
Brides are bombarded with wedding advice from
everywhere and everyone. The net is full of
advice, bridal magazines offer advice, bridal shows,
and wedding professionals (moi included). This advice
is the kind you can tuck away for the future or
totally ignore.
Your family and friends are full of advice. This advice
is right in your face, so how do you deal with it?
Its hard to ignore someone who's telling you what
you SHOULD do when they are in your face.
Question: How do you draw the line from well
meaning advice to total annoyance?
What you hear: My wedding...blah, blah, blah.
I did it this way and you should do this..blah, blah.
What you may think they are saying:
My wedding is better than yours will ever be.
What they are really saying: I want to talk
all about my wedding so I can relive it again
and again. I want the spotlight on me.
So, what should you do? Smile, take the advice
with a grain of salt and let it go. There is no
reason to get upset, they may be very well
intentioned and they may really want to help.
They may actually have hit upon an idea that
is worth checking out. Or not.
When it gets to the point of annoyance,
say to them nicely " I haven't firmed up
that area yet and I'll take your suggestion
under consideration." And then change the
subject.
When Mom says " We did it this way" and
"I want it done this way", its time to let her know
that times have changed since her wedding. Things
are done differently, she's had her wedding. Tell her
that you've always dreamed of doing it another way and
would she please spend some time with you going over
your wedding plans?
Some Mom's wont let it go. If that's the case, have someone
she trusts talk to her about the wedding plans. It could
be Dad, . her best friend or it could be the consultant at
the bridal salon.
You are not under obligation to do things
THEIR way. You don't have to take their advice,
patronize their wedding vendors or use their advice.
Ultimately, this is YOUR wedding, and you get
to have your wedding, your way! Their wedding is history,
yours is now. Happy planning!
