Check out bridal magazines and websites to get an idea of what you like before heading to the bridal salon.
Make appointments with two or three salons to try to find the best one for you. If you find the gowns are out of your price range, the customer service is poor, or just don’t get a good vibe from the salon … move on. You bridal gown may be one of your biggest wedding purchases. Therefore, you should take your time and make sure you are totally satisfied before making your final choice.
Bring your sister or girlfriends with you while shopping. They’ll be able to help you get in and out of the gowns, and of course, give their opinion on your selections. But remember, the final decision is yours.
Whether you want to design your bouquet yourself, or you plan to have it made for you, you’ll definitely want to know what your options are. After all, you’re not the only one carrying a bouquet!
You have the ultimate say in what type of bouquet your bridesmaids will be carrying too. So whatever the situation may be for your wedding, here’s some basic bouquet-arrangement terminology that’s bound to help you out:
Cascade: Every bride has seen or at least heard of this bouquet style! The cascade is a round of flowers trailing into a long, thin V-shape at the front. The length of the cascade can vary, from just long enough to cover the hands to reaching as far down as the floor.
Nosegay: A nosegay is a small, compact bouquet that usually consists of one type of flower with no greenery between the blooms.
Hand-Tied: The hand-tied consists of a cluster of flowers tied at the stems, usually with the exposed stems showing beneath the point where they are held. This is a very contemporary styled bouquet used in many weddings today.
Round: The round is a more traditional bouquet made up of flowers, greenery, and filler with no trailing elements. Rounds can also be made of just flowers and filler, with no greenery, or of a single type of flower, like a cluster of roses for a more contemporary look.
Presentation: The presentation bouquet (also called an arm bouquet or arm sheaf) is usually made of long-stemmed flowers that are held in the crook of the arm. It’s not very traditional, but it can look beautiful.
Tussy-Mussy: A Victorian-style bouquet in that accentuates a decorative holder. Generally, the holder is made of metal (and might very well be antique), and the bouquet is designed to show the holder rather than trail in front and cover it.
Now you’re all set! Head out to the florist of your choice and impress everyone with your extensive knowledge about flower arrangements while you pick out the perfect bouquet for you!
Have you ever thought of making your own wedding invitations?
I never would have even considered it until I saw this video.
Melissa Nyssen, owner of FormalInvitations.com, explains how you can create very unique, expensive-looking wedding invitations for less than a dollar each.
You select a background card and printable overlay paper, then connect it together with embellishments like sheer ribbon, a minature silk flower, or a cute metal charm. You can buy all the supplies you need to make the invitations from FormalInvitations.com.
Another plus is these invitations are eco-friendly. The handmade petal and silk papers from Formal Invitations are from recycled cotton, while their other papers use post-consumer fibers and are processed chlorine free.
Watch this video to learn more how to make the invitations, it’s very cool.
You’re always going to want to remember your wedding day. Well, hopefully anyway. And while pictures and videos are great, they certainly aren’t all-encompassing.
As silly as it may seem at the time to have all your guests sign their names to your guestbook, you’ll be glad to look back and remember all the people that were there to share your special day with you. Pictures are great, but there’s no way to be sure you’ll capture every guest who attends your event, especially with everyone so into getting pictures of you.
Guest books are the traditional method for guests to sign good wishes to the bride and groom. And just like no wedding album would be complete without photos, no wedding guestbook would be complete without words.
But just like everything wedding these days, wedding guest books are very often given a modern twist, so just for you, we’ve found out the most creative ways to have your guests sign in at your wedding. Check out the following ideas to turn this time-honored tradition into something that suits your contemporary style:
Combine your efforts: I’m a big fan of Adesso Albums because they allow you to fit your pictures and guest signatures all in one book! This is a convenient, classy solution if you want to keep everything together.
Make it all about you: Have a picture printed of you and your husband-to-be. Choose an overly large frame and matte the photo to fit the frame; then, have guests sign all around your picture. This will become a unique memento of your big day, and will always remind you of those who care about you.
Think inside the box: One of the most modern ideas I’ve seen is called the Wish and Prayer box. This contemporary take is a keepsake that allows guests to write a wish for your and your new husband on a blank card and drop it in the box. At the end of your reception, you’ll have a whole box full of memories!
Go practical: If you don’t want your guestbook to sit in a closet for years to come, you still have a few options. Many couples today are getting creative by having their guests sign platters, or even vases, so they can be reminded often of how much they are loved.
Balancing ecology, style, expenses and tradition isn’t always an easy task, but it’s important that couples inquire about the different eco-friendly options that wedding planners, florists, caterers, bakers, and venues have to offer when planning a wedding.
The more questions you ask the better it is for the environment, so why not go green!?
For your decorating and floral decisions DeJuan Stroud, Event & Floral Designer of DeJuan Stroud Inc has offered us these wonderful tips.
Use locally (or regionally) grown and seasonal flowers that can be bought from community markets and don’t have to be shipped from foreign locations.
Incorporate live trees in centerpieces that can be planted later (a great ceremony backdrop) or donated to a local school or charity rather than cut flowers that will be thrown away.
Use products from nature in the theme of your wedding such as sand, rocks, tree limbs and flowers.
Have your wedding locally; destination weddings are expensive and not eco-friendly.
Recycled bamboo-disposable plates are chic, biodegradable, and add a unique touch to table decor.
Incorporate candles of soy, hemp and citronella oils to give a romantic setting, yet earth friendly environment.
Use wooden tables (ex. farm tables, mango slab tables) that can be used over and over and don’t need cloths.
Event décor and floral designer DeJuan Stroud at the top of the industry. DeJuan has created large scale, themed events, parties, weddings and movie premieres for celebrities, socialites, and film producers across the country. DeJuan specializes in custom-designed event décor and floral masterpieces.
With an impressive list of past and present clients, DeJuan has worked on events for celebrity clients such as Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Elizabeth Taylor, Sarah Ferguson, George and Barbara Bush, and the weddings of Robert DeNiro and Grace Hightower and the Weinstein family. In addition, DeJuan has designed large scale, themed after-parties for such blockbusters as The Good Shepherd, King Kong, Cinderella Man, The Producers, The Interpreter, Jarhead and American Gangster. You can learn more about Dejan and his services at dejuanstroud.com.
Seaport Boston, comprised of the Seaport Hotel and Seaport World Trade Center, offers its Green Wedding Package, allowing brides and grooms to honor their commitment to the environment while celebrating their commitment to each other. The package is the latest initiative in the property’s Seaport Saves program, a comprehensive program which allows Seaport to continually source and execute innovative ways to improve its operation in an environmentally responsible manner.
The Green Wedding Package features a customized seasonal menu showcasing a selection of hors d’oeuvres, entrees, and desserts made with fresh and local organic ingredients by Executive Chef Richard Rayment. Each couple will enjoy a private menu planning session with Chef Rayment to determine the finest organic products that will be available during their wedding season.
The delectable courses are printed on chocolate menus situated at each place setting. And the icing on the cake is the wedding cake itself, which is organic and custom designed by Seaport’s own Executive Pastry Chef, Joanne Gregory. In addition to the cuisine, guests are offered a wide selection of organic beer, wine, and soda. All leftovers will be recycled through Seaport’s BioX Decomposing system, which uses microorganisms to eliminate hundreds of pounds of organic waste each day.
“This package is the culmination of months of planning to ensure that we were able to provide our couples with an environmentally friendly wedding that exceeds our extremely high standards of quality,” said Nikki Wescott, Seaport’s Director of Weddings. “It is our ongoing mission to provide couples with the wedding of their dreams, and this package for ecologically conscious couples is a testament of our commitment to that goal. We are thrilled to be able to provide an elegant wedding while limiting the impact to the environment.”
Also included in the Green Wedding Package is a wide array of environmentally sensitive features that provide an elegant, dreamlike ambience. Dimmable energy efficient lights allow for the perfect lighting for every moment of the reception. The ballroom of the couple’s choosing is accentuated with soy-based votive candles, potted plants, orchids and silk trees, not to mention the dazzling views of the harbor or skyline from a Seaport ballroom.
Couples who choose the Green Wedding Package will also have their commitment to the environment live on through a contribution in their name to the New England Wind Fund to offset the electricity used during their wedding.
For more information, call (617) 385-4212 or visit seaportboston.com.
More About Seaport Saves:
Seaport Saves is comprised of over 20 comprehensive initiatives including an in-room towel and linen conservation program; an in-room recycling program, the first of its kind in Boston; an energy conservation system including “smart thermostats” in all guestrooms and installation of energy-saving, compact fluorescent bulbs in all guestrooms and public spaces in both Seaport Hotel and Seaport World Trade Center.
Parasol Events, a Hawaiian wedding planning company, has partnered with The Honolulu Advertiser to give away a free upscale wedding package. The lucky couple will win a wedding package for up to 50 guests, including a wedding party of six, on March 31, 2008. The elegant package is valued at more then $30,000. The ceremony and reception will take place at the Kahala Hotel and Resort in Honolulu.
You must be a Hawaii resident to enter!
To win, you must submit an essay of 500 words or less about your romance and why your relationship is meant to last. Their experts will choose four finalists. Then on December 30th, the finalists’ stories, pictures and videos will be posted online at HonoluluAdvertiser.com, where readers will vote for the winner.
You can get more information and details about the contest at ParasolEvents.com.
If you would like to lose weight or get in shape before your wedding, a healthy diet and consistent exercise program can have you on the road to fitness in no time. Stay away from extreme diets or fasts. By drastically restricting your food intake, you will be more stressed out (as if wedding planning isn’t enough!), leading to headaches, mood swings, and even binge eating.
Rather than a quick weight loss diet, instead eat sensibly and establish a workout routine.
Here are some basic tips to help you get into shape before your wedding day.
Drink a lot of water. Water will help you lose weight, as well as improve the appearance of your skin, nails and hair. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day.
Eat several small meals. Many women starve themselves throughout the day, then eat a big dinner. Instead you should eat four or five smaller, balanced meals. Try to get 40-45% of your calories from lean protein sources, 35-40% from complex carbohydrates (avoid white sugar and white bread if possible) and 15-25% from healthy fats.
Eat salad made with leafy green vegetables with a tablespoon of non-fat dressing, along with both your lunch and dinner. A salad is a healthy way to fill up, so that you eat less of other foods.
Choose lean meats and other protein-rich foods, such as skinless chicken, white fish, lean beef, tofu and beans. Don’t fry your food in oil and skip the gravy and sauces.
Eat whole grains, which are low in fat and high in fiber. Avoid carbs that are made with white flour and choose those made with bran, wheatgerm, barley and buckwheat.
Eat healthy fats. Though some women try to avoid fats altogether while dieting, that’s not the wise choice. Instead eat foods containing monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and Omega-3 fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados and most nuts. Eat these foods often, but watch your portion sizes. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in seafood, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, salmon, sardines and tuna. Flaxseed oil, soybean oil and walnuts also contain Omega-3 fatty acids.
Eliminate soda or drink sugar-free soda instead. You should also eat a piece of fruit when you need something sweet rather than a sugary snack.
Learn about portion size. One serving of meat (3 oz.) is the size of a deck of cards. A serving (1/2 cup) of mashed potatoes, rice or pasta is half the size of a baseball. A serving of cheese is the size of four stacked dice. A cup of salad or a medium fruit is about the size of a tennis ball. Are these much smaller than you thought?
Start exercising daily. By adding 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise into your routine every day, you will be well on the road to fitness. Don’t take the elevator when you can take the stairs. Don’t drive when you can walk.
By following these tips, you will be able to develop a sensible diet and fitness plan in order to get in shape for your wedding day. Whatever you do, don’t stress out if you are carrying a little extra weight. After all, beautiful brides come in all shapes and sizes.
Step One: Flattery will get you everywhere. Practice exclaiming, “You look beautiful!” in your bathroom mirror. Check your smile. Is it sincere and gracious? Good. Now, make sure the inflection of your voice conveys the proper punctuation. Too much exclamation point and you risk being thought obnoxious (or drunk), too little and you might sound patronizing. Don’t try to fake the sincerity (it’s difficult, not to mention shaky moral ground), just practice selective vision. Even if she has a large mole growing on the side of her face, one that provides a base camp for several luxurious hairs, she can still look nice in a pantsuit. Or macramé vest.
Step Two: Ask questions. People like talking about themselves even more than they like the proverbial smoke up the rear. If you’re subjected to a forty-minute treatise on the state of her bunions, complete with pie chart, so be it. If it’s a dissertation on her many accomplishments as the first female heart surgeon in Michigan - while you’re still working at a bookstore (and not even the good one with the cappuccinos) – accept your lot. Smile, nod, and listen, even if you’re dying a bit inside.
There is always some common ground. Somewhere. Find it and cling. And if you happen to love your mother-in-law, revel in it - especially if you don’t have to ponder the gentle waving of her chin hair.
Every wedding, no matter how small, should have wedding favors. Wedding favors are a little token given to each of your wedding guests to say “thank you.” Though you want to provide your guests with beautiful favors or fun keepsakes, if you are planning your wedding on a tight budget, you also don’t want to break the bank. After all, some guests may leave the favors behind or, worse yet, throw them away.
Here are some simple ideas for wedding favors that are affordable, yet not tacky.
Laminated Bookmarks - You can create personalized bookmarks on your home computer with your favorite love poem, biblical verse or message. After printing the bookmarks on card stock, you can have them laminated at a local print shop for a very little cost.
Candy Favors - Everyone loves candy! Probably the most inexpensive wedding favors can be made by simply placing small candies in a tulle circle or mesh fabric, and wrapping each little bundle with a ribbon. Many couples choose candy mints, Jordan almonds or Hershey’s Kisses for their candy favors. But you can also use more unique candies, such as Red Hots, candy hearts, lemon drops or even gummy bears!
Potpourri - Fill a tulle circle or mini favor bag with potpourri. Add organza ribbon and you are done! This is a very inexpensive favor that is still lovely. You can use different colors of tulle and ribbon to match your wedding colors.
Truly Wedding Favors - At Truly, you can find a wide variety of very affordable wedding favors that don’t skimp on style. When on the site, look for the “Favors By Price” section in the sidebar where you can find favors on clearance or other choices for under $1.00!
Truly Wedding Favors is confident that you will not find better prices on your wedding favors anywhere. The Lowest Price Guarantee allows you to shop around for 30 days after you initial purchase and if you find the same favors offered at a lower price elsewhere, we will pay you the difference.
Truly also offers a No-Hassle Returns/Exchanges policy. If you decide that the favors you ordered aren’t what you want for any reason, you may return any unused item for refund or exchange. It’s truly a no risk situation!
One of the most exciting parts of planning your wedding is trying on dozens of wedding gowns, looking for the perfect one just for you.
Whether you want to design your bouquet yourself, or you plan to have it made for you, you’ll definitely want to know what your options are. After all, you’re not the only one carrying a bouquet!
Have you ever thought of making your own wedding invitations?
You’re always going to want to remember your wedding day. Well, hopefully anyway. And while pictures and videos are great, they certainly aren’t all-encompassing.
Balancing ecology, style, expenses and tradition isn’t always an easy task, but it’s important that couples inquire about the different eco-friendly options that wedding planners, florists, caterers, bakers, and venues have to offer when planning a wedding. 
If you would like to lose weight or get in shape before your wedding, a healthy diet and consistent exercise program can have you on the road to fitness in no time. Stay away from extreme diets or fasts. By drastically restricting your food intake, you will be more stressed out (as if wedding planning isn’t enough!), leading to headaches, mood swings, and even binge eating.
Every wedding, no matter how small, should have