Wedding Tips for Brides

Save the Date Announcements for Every Bride

noreply@blogger.com (Sarra) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:38:00 +0000

Sending out "Save the Date" announcements to your wedding guests has become a must in today's busy society. Where a wedding invitation is bound by more tradition, save the date cards give brides and grooms a chance to have a little bit of fun! The purpose of a "save the date" is to let your wedding guests know what date to put on the calendar and that they should start making plans.

There is a lot of great information that can come from a save the date. Etiquette rules are a lot less strict since these are relatively new ideas. Here are some examples of things it is perfectly acceptable to tell your guests with a "save the date" announcement. You do not have to include ALL of these ideas, of course, but that's the great thing about them: make them what you want them to be.

Date of the wedding
Location of the wedding
Hotel reservation information (phone numbers, website, prices)
Directions and travel information
Your wedding website
The story of how he proposed or how you met and fell in love

A common question is whether or not to include information on your save the date announcements telling guests where you are registered. While there are not as many etiquette rules about these announcements, general wedding / registry etiquette says that the only acceptable place to list your registry is on shower invitations where guests are expected to bring gifts. Otherwise, you risk seeming greedy in many guests' eyes, and that is never your intention or desire. Stick to shower invitations and word of mouth to spread the word about where you are registered for gifts.

If you do have a wedding website, it is also acceptable to list the places where you are registered on a page the lists your upcoming events or details about the wedding. Be careful about listing wedding shower information on your website, however, since you might risk hurting people's feelings if they were not invited. Either way, be SURE to list your website address on your save the date announcements.

Save the Date's should go out typically 4 or 5 months ahead of the wedding date. That will give your guests plenty of time to mark your wedding date on their calendar and make hotel reservations. Destination weddings in places like the Caribbean, where guests will have to make international flight arrangements and possibly get their passports, require a bit more time. Send out Caribbean wedding invitations at least 6 months ahead of time and be very clear about the commitment involved in attending the wedding overseas.

Choosing the right "Save the Date" card for you is all about having fun with it. You can do the traditional, ritzy formal invitation later when you send out your official wedding invitations, but why not do something fun and unique with your Save the Dates! Here are my top 8 Favorite modern ideas for Save The Date Announcements.

Save the Date Cards - If you can't bring yourself to break out of the traditional idea of sending a card, make it fun and pick something that reflects your personality. Choose bold colors and paper patterns. Add elements to your card that let guests know something about your relationship, like this ferris wheel card from Weddingpaperdivas. If you met at a carnival or went to the State Fair on one of your best dates, this is a great way to express your relationship through your save the dates.
Magnets - A very popular idea is to put your wedding date and location on a nice sized magnet guests can place on their refrigerator or magnet board. Rather than a card that can be lost underneath a bunch of papers and junk mail, a magnet will surely find a place of honor somewhere in the house where guests will constantly be reminded of your wedding date. Put your favorite loving photo of the two of you on the front or a photo of where he proposed. Photo magnets can be more expensive and can take more time to process, so if you are on a budget or a time crunch, choose a fun design that gives guests a hint about your wedding theme.
Postcards - Save money and postage by sending a save the date postcard. Much in the same way you would design your regular cards, add bold colors and designs to your postcard. Personalize it with a great photo of you and your groom. Postcards not only save you from having to buy envelopes, they will also capture the attention of your guests as soon as they pull them out of the mailbox!
Save the Date Writing Pens - The ultimate in re-usability, a save the date pen is a great way to give a gift while telling guests your wedding date and location. You can even personalize pens with your photo, wedding date, and a catchy phrase or quote.You can be certain that guests will remember the date, because they will be using the pen for months to come!
Wine Bottles - A very unique idea that will have your guests oooh'ing and ahhh'ing, is a personalized wine bottle with a label that informs them of your wedding date and location. There are several wine label makers online who will make 50 personalized labels for around $25. You can also make up your own labels at home. Buy wine in bulk from a discount wine store, then affix your own personalized label and ship them out to surprise your guests with a very fancy and welcome save the date gift!
Save the Date Tickets - Another unique presentation is to send out save the date tickets. There are many variations on this theme. For example, create a mock-concert ticket that looks just like a ticket to go see your favorite band at a local amphitheater... only replace the band information with your own personalized wedding information. Plane tickets are also a cute way to announce the date, especially when most people will need to fly to arrive at your wedding destination! You know those raffle tickets we've seen a thousand times at various events? Make up some of those like the ones pictured here, only include your wedding date information instead of random numbers.
Save the Date Passport - My favorite fresh idea for a destination wedding save the date is to send out a mock-passport! Include a photo of the bride and groom in a small passport booklet. It is by far one of the most unique and definitely one of the cutest ways to let your guests know that your wedding will take place overseas. Whether you decide to make the passport yourself or send it off to a company that specializes in these things depends completely on your own budget and time constraints, but either choice can turn out fabulously. Also, since Destination weddings often require more information on a save the date, you will have plenty of room in a booklet to let guests know everything they need to know!
Whimsical Save the Dates - The fun thing about Save the Dates is that the only real purpose is to let guests know the date of your wedding so that they can set aside that particular weekend and make sure not to make other plans between now and then. How you do that can be as unique as the bride and groom. If you are a playful and daring couple, think of fun and whimsical ways to notify your guests. Send a container of bubbles with a personalized label. Create a CD of your favorite songs and put a label on the CD that tells guests the date of the wedding. Send a child's pinwheel toy. Getting married in NYC? Send everyone a small replica of the Statue of Liberty with your dates written across the folds of her dress! Is the town where you're getting married famous for their salsa? Buy packages or bottles of their salsa and print your own label for them. Be creative!!!

The bottom line is that Save the Date announcements are much more informal than the wedding invitations, so why not have a good time planning them together? Go all out or go handmade. Try something different and unique. Be bold and most importantly, be yourself!! Guests will smile when they see their Save the Date arrive in the mail, especially if it provides a little window into your personality as a couple.

How to be a Healthy, Beautiful Bride

noreply@blogger.com (Sarra) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Your future husband already knows that you are beautiful. When you walk down the aisle, your cheeks will glow from the happiness you feel as you move forward into this new chapter of your life. While it is important to look beautiful on the outside, you can take steps now to make sure that you are healthy and beautiful inside AND out. Follow these seven tips to become a healthy and beautiful bride while you are enjoying your engagement.

Try not to let stress get you down. - Over the next several months, you will be pulled in a million directions as you begin to plan your wedding. Everyone will come forward with their own opinions and advice, which can become tedious and stressful. Brides soon learn that money worries can play havoc on their health and wellbeing during the planning process. Keep your eye on the man of your dreams and the life you are building together, rather than letting yourself worry about the details of the wedding. Have fun! If you start to feel stressed, take control of your emotions immediately and make changes now before you start to let that stress take a toll on your overall health.
Make sure to get enough sleep. - The average adult needs between six and eight hours of sleep a night. Being consistent is one of the most important things to do in the weeks and months leading up to the big day. Be careful not to run yourself ragged all week and then try to catch up on zzzz's on the weekend. Getting too much sleep can be just as harmful as not getting enough sleep.
Lose weight the right way. - Whether you're looking to lose a couple of pounds or a hundred pounds, every bride needs to be aware of what foods they are using to fuel their bodies. Low-carb diets may help you lose weight, but depriving yourself of all carbs can lead to low energy as well. If you want to cut out harmful foods, give up things like soda and high-fat, high-sugar foods. Balanced is the key to beauty. Strive toward a diet that is balanced in fat, protein, fiber, carbs and calories. Don't overdo it on any of them, but make sure your body is given the nutrients you need to have energy and stay healthy. As long as you control portions and calorie intake, you will lose weight the right way.
Combine types of exercise to maximize results. - Making your body look delicious, toned, and healthy on your wedding day means more than just going for a walk every other day. Mixing cardio and weight / strength training will build muscle and burn fat faster. If you run for an hour today, hit the gym and lift weights tomorrow. Keep in mind what style of dress you will wear as well, and focus your weight training on making those areas look fabulous.
Find a skin / beauty product you like and stick with it. - The months before your wedding is not the time to try lots of new products. In order to get maximum benefit from skin products, you have to use them for at least one month. Most products don't show results overnight, so stay patient and stick with it. Changing your beauty routine with only a week or two before the wedding could lead to unsightly blemishes or unexpectedly dry skin (or oily, yikes!)
Drink lots of water. - Start drinking water instead of soda, caffeinated drinks, and other high-sugar beverages as soon as you can. Water will not only keep you healhty and hydrated on the inside, but it will also keep your skin hydrated.
Take great care of your smile. - Your smile will be the focus on your wedding day, so you want it to be healthy and radiant. Use a whitening toothpaste to get your smile glowing white. Make an early trip to your dentist and make sure that your mouth and your teeth are healthy so that there won't be any last-minute dental work that is needed. Dentists can also make a mouth trey for you to take home and use that will instantly make your teeth white and beautiful.

The joy of your wedding day will be written all over your face, giving you a natural glow and a true beauty. This advice is all about maximizing your health and beauty during your engagement so you can feel and look like the bride you have always dreamed of becoming.

Contemporary Wedding Processional Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Sarra) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:33:00 +0000

In recent years, weddings have broken out of the old fashioned mold of the past to include more contemporary elements. Rather than just having a handful of music choices, today's bride has an endless list of music to choose from. If you are a bride looking for the perfect contemporary wedding processional for your upcoming ceremony, I have some great ideas and guidelines to help you choose the right song.

A processional is played as you walk down the isle, so you want it to be a song that represents you and your feelings. Whether your wedding is going to take place in a church or on the beach or in your parents backyard, you can make any contemporary song you choose work for the occasion. Here are some guidelines to follow when picking your contemporary wedding processional.

Choose a song that means something to you. It can be the song you first danced with him to or it can be a song that reminds you of him every time you hear it, but you want to make sure that it is a song that touches your heart and holds a deep meaning for you.

Don't be afraid to rewrite the song to match the occasion. If you love a rock and roll song but the lyrics in some places just don't fit a wedding theme, feel free to sit down and rewrite the words to your purpose. For example, the song “You're Beautiful” by James Blunt is one of the sweetest and most gorgeous contemporary songs to come out on the radio in recent years. However, some of the lyrics like “And I'll never be with you” don't exactly work for a wedding. Change them to “And I'll always be with you.” If you love a song, don't let lyrics or tempo stop you from using it. Simply slow it down and change it to make it work for you.

Use instruments that match the mood of the ceremony. Blasting a CD through the speakers in a gorgeous Catholic Cathedral might not be the best choice, and in some cases, it might not even be allowed. When choosing a contemporary processional for your wedding, make sure to take location, mood and the rules of the venue into consideration. If you have your heart set on “At Last” by Eta James, but the church where you're getting married doesn't allow recorded music played through the sound system, don't worry! Find a piano arrangement or have a string quartet play the song. On the other hand, a string quartet out on the beach might not be the best idea both because they won't want to get sand in their instruments and it will be difficult to hear them, so a beach wedding might do better with a sound system and a recorded song. Take these factors seriously when thinking about your processional choice.

Here are some ideas of songs to use for a contemporary wedding processional:

“You're Beautiful” by James Blunt
“Something In the Way She Moves” by The Beatles
“At Last” by Eta James
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack
“When A Man Loves A Woman” by Percy Sledge
“Endless Love” by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
“All My Life” by KC and JoJo
“From this Moment On” by Shania Twain
Almost any love song by Celine Dion like “Power of Love”
“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts
“Your Song” by Elton John

Wedding Gift Bags for Your Guests

noreply@blogger.com (Sarra) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:29:00 +0000

A wedding is one of the important life events that bring families and friends together despite the miles that separate them. After a day of travel, it will mean so much to your out-of-town guests to receive a gift bag full of fun and refreshing gifts when they check into their hotel room. So what are the things they would most appreciate in a gift bag?

Refreshments

Probably the first thing you should plan on putting in your wedding gift bags is a pair of water bottles. It will be the very first thing your guests pull out of the bag, open, and enjoy! But when it comes to choosing the right type of bottled water (or other drink), there are loads of options that will fit any budget. For the bride and groom with a nice, hefty budget, consider having personalized water bottles made up just for this occasion.

Many wedding supply outlets will help you design a label that matches your wedding style and décor. You can have your names and the date of the wedding printed right on the label for people to use throughout their stay at the hotel. Bottles like this can cost up to $10 per dozen bottles, however, so if you simply don't want to spend that much, buy bottled water in bulk from your grocery store and print out your own labels on the computer!

Snacks will no doubt also be appreciated in any gift bag left in a hotel room. Items like mini bags of potato chips or pretzels will work just fine, but if you want to really get creative, include some local treats. For example, if you are in Georgia, put a few fresh peaches in the bag or even a bag of boiled peanuts. Your guests will appreciate the local flavors, especially if you include an item they might not be able to find back home.

Mints or gum are another great idea for your wedding gift bags. Whether you decide to make it a favor and include a mint tin with your name on them that the guests can take home and enjoy for years to come or if you simply throw in a pack of juicy fruit gum, guests will appreciate having something sweet on hand to freshen their breath just before a big social event.

Local Maps and Information

No matter how big or small the town, someone is bound to get lost! As a good hostess, you may want to include a map of the local area in case your guests have some time to look around. It is also very important to include a map with directions from the hotel to any pertinent location during the wedding festivities such as the church, rehearsal dinner, and reception.

If many of your guests are visiting your city for the first time, include a subway map or numbers for local transportation along with any tourist brochures about local museums, shopping or sightseeing. Call the local chamber of commerce a month or so in advance and they will be glad to provide you with ideas and plenty of brochures to include in your wedding gift bags.

For another fun idea, consider including a local history of the area. Anything from a book about the history of the city to a one-page typed out information sheet on interesting historical facts would be of interest to your guests and will help get conversations rolling once everyone gets together.

Don't forget the wedding itinerary!! Everyone will be wondering what time they need to be ready for the rehearsal dinner and whether or not there are any activities the morning after the wedding! Make sure to include an itinerary of the entire weekend's events in the gift bag so that all of your guests know exactly when to be where and when they have some extra time to get out and see the sights.

Luxury and Comfort Items

Consider adding a luxury item to your wedding gift bags. Something your guests can use while they are there for the weekend in a hotel room is a great idea. For example, include an array of scented soaps or bath fizzes. Coordinate the colors of the soaps with the wedding colors or theme or just use a plain bar of scented soap and create your own cute covers for them with a fun message for your guests.

Travel candles are also a great idea, and another example of something you can have made with a label of your choice or that you can make your own for less. Include some matches so guests can enjoy a quiet romantic evening in their room after the wedding, just be sure to include a warning on the tin about how long they should allow the candle to burn and to remember to blow it out before they fall asleep!

Many wedding websites are also now selling personalized bags of tea and coffee. These are great luxury items for your guests to enjoy while they are getting up in the morning or getting ready for the wedding. Have your names printed on the front or a small thank you message.

One thing people may enjoy in a wedding gift bag is a commemorative t-shirt. There are many t-shirt printing companies which specialize in making commemorative wedding t-shirts.

Say Thanks!

No matter what else you decide to put into the wedding gift bags for your out-of-town guests, make sure that you say thank you. Traveling to a wedding, buying a gift, and paying for a hotel room are only a few of the expenses your guests have probably taken on by coming to support you on your special day. Don't forget to type up a letter of thanks or to include a small card in the bag to let your guests know just how much it means to you that they are there. It will make them feel special and glad they came.

Choosing the Bag

One last thing... choosing the actual bag you will put all of these goodies into is no small task. Basically, the bag depends solely on your budget. The couple with an unlimited budget could go so far as to personalize travel bags for each of their guests. Bags made of fabric will be much more expensive than paper or plastic bags, so choose the bag that best fits your budget and your style. If you have a limited budget and want to make sure to spend more on the actual contents than the bag itself, choose a simple paper bag and decorate it with ribbon or stamps or even stickers!

A wedding gift bag will be one of the first things your out-of-town guests notice when they walk into their hotel room. Everyone who is there to be a part of your wedding and a witness to your commitment will appreciate your hard work and thoughtfulness.

Traditional Wedding Processional Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Sarra) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:18:00 +0000

The traditional wedding processional is a classical song or instrumental only piece. Of course, the most traditional of all is the “Here Comes the Bride” that everyone knows well. The name of this song is actually “Bridal Chorus” from Lohengrin by Wagner. It can be played by the organist, on the piano, or even by a strong quartet, but it is easily the most recognizable wedding processional of all time.

If you are looking for something traditional for your wedding, but want something a little bit different from the usual “Here comes the Bride”, I have compiled a list of great processionals that are appropriate for a more traditional wedding ceremony.

One of my favorite classical pieces that is often used as a wedding processional is “Trumpet Voluntary in D” by Henry Purcell. As a bride, you will feel as if you are floating down the aisle with this beautiful and joyous tune. If you can find a trumpet player to play along with your church organist, I highly recommend this song. The trumpet brings so much joy to the occasion with its bright cheerful tone.

If you are looking for something a bit softer, another popular choice for the traditional wedding is “Canon in D” by Pachelbel, (also called Pachelbel's Canon). This song is most beautiful when played by a string quartet, but an organ or piano arrangement can also be very sweet. Most people in the congregation will recognize the song and it brings a sweeter, softer mood to the wedding than the previous examples.

Another soft choice is Bach's “Air in G”. I love this song with its beautiful tension and melody. This is a formal and slow choice perfect for a traditional wedding in a church that has a long aisle or a very traditional décor.

In contrast, something like Handel's “Water Music” is more jubilant and fast-paced, suited well to a ceremony that has a lighter mood. I would recommend this for a daytime or morning wedding in the summer or spring months, as it has that very joyful light tone to it.

Mozart's “Andante” from Divertimento No. 1, Bach's “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring”, Handel's “Largo” from Xerxes, and “Spring” from Vivaldi's Four Seasons are also some wonderful choices. My best advice is to start with this list and listen to the music. Try to pick a processional that best matches the mood and setting of your wedding. Don't choose a slow, somber song for a morning wedding on the beach. For that wedding, you would do better to choose a sunny, joyful processional. However, the slower processional might be perfect for an evening wedding in a large church where everyone will be dressed in black tie.

The most important factor in choosing the right traditional wedding processional for your wedding ceremony is to choose music that best reflects the mood and style of your event. Picture the wedding just as you want it to be while you are listening to each choice and try to imagine everything from whether it is light or dark outside down to what everyone sitting down is wearing. If the song seems to fit and you feel beautiful walking to the tempo and rhythm of the song, then set that choice aside in the”keep” pile. But if you feel slightly uncomfortable about the song feeling too fast or too somber, just set that aside in the “no” pile and keep listening. The right wedding processional for you will stand out and feel right when you hear it.