Tie-the-Knot Tip...

Tie-the-Knot Tip...

Traditions can be broken!

let's get lost in these faux floral bouquets for example....

Aren't these unbelievably beautiful? 

Check Out AutumnArt on Etsy!

Tie-the-Knot Tip

Tie-the-Knot Tip: Don't Forget, You Are The Hosts!



"drinks of the day" by elleDESIGNS



         Alot of brides want it to be all about them, and rightfully so! After all, this is the day they have dreamt of since they were little girls wearing pillowcases on their heads. With that said, Brides, let's keep this mind: Yes, this is a day you want to always remember as being wonderful...but you also want YOUR GUESTS to remember it as being wonderful, TOO. This is the first party you and your husband throw as Man and Wife...let it represent what gracious, wonderful people you are!

     One of things I tell my brides is to NEVER, at any time, have a cash bar. Some may try to tell you, "No one is a big drinker in my family.  If they want a drink, they can pay." A cash bar is not a way to show your hospitality and graciousness. If you budget wisely (and if you need help, hire a planner...elleDESIGNS is a good one I hear...{wink}) then you have room for a decent bar. It does not have to extravagant, just decent...as in maybe a few wine and beer selections and some champagne, or a house drink. How about "Drinks of the day," or perhaps just a champagne cocktail.

     Or, another thing you may hear...only beer and 1 or 2 wines because, "No one drinks mixed drinks or hard liquor...everyone drinks wine or beer." Haha, I laugh. No. No. No. News flash: When booze is free, the drinks go down verrrrry easily! In fact, you will go through more gin and tonics, bay breezes, martinis...you get my drift...then beer and wine. At every wedding, I see more high ball glasses then I do beer bottles and wine glasses. Again, you don't need a full, top-shelf bar if you can not afford it, but a drink of the day or 2.

 Bottom Line, budget in the "hospitality" items for your guests. How I would hate for you to hear, "It was nice.... boring, but nice," to describe your wedding. Not to mention, drinks in the hand always equal more feet on the dance floor!

Happy Planning! Any questions click that little contact button in the top right :-)

Tie-the-Knot Tip

You see all those beautiful magazine weddings, where do they find that stuff? It has to be too expensive to buy, do they rent it? Well, as you know I love love love vintage and that is my event style. If you walk in my house, every piece of furniture has a story from stopping in the middle of a busy street because it was on the side of the road or even just walking through my local vintage shops.  



vintage how-to by elleDESIGNS

 

Loving interior design, I like to incorporate these things in my weddings. Sure, I could go rent or buy expensive vintage furniture for the wedding or shower, but instead...how about lets do it under $30? One of the reasons I say if you are a bride on a budget and want to "WOW" your guests, even MORE of a reason to hire a wedding planner!

Any questions? That little contact button at the top right is for you!

Tie-the-Knot Tip

Put yourself in your Maid's & Men's Shoes.

Picture this: You are in your best friend's wedding and how excited are you! Of course, you will be bringing your spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend, or that person you've been out with just a few times to their wedding. Oh, how fun! Then at the rehearsal dinner you find out there is a head table and the whole time you will be sitting across the room from your date? Ugh! Nuts!

 Why do we still continue to abuse our maids and men like this! Please consider this scenario when choosing your dining arrangements at your affair. How about some alternatives:

1. Sweetheart Table: A little table surrounded by candles and flowers where you and your groom can sit, cozy, holding hands, enjoying your first meal as hubby and wifey, all romantical. 

{some objections to this are...}

  "I want to celebrate with my close friends! I don't want to be separated...we have our entire honeymoon to be all cozy-wozy."

-or-

"I want everything to look uniform, not my maids and men scattered around the place."

-ok, read on...don't fret!-

2. Head table with a twist: Have your head table with your maids and men, including a spot for their date besides them. If you have...11 bridesmaids...this may get a little big. Use your judgement and/or have layers. Your bridal party's dates will be so happy they do not have to sit alone with Aunt Bee that I am SURE they will oblige if you asked them to dress in certain colors so they do not stand out. You will get extra kudos from the dates of the groomsmen since girls seem to be more shy then boys.

{some objections to this are...}

"Whoa, way to big, seriously what are you thinking? I have 18 best friends and they are all bridesmaids and my groom has 20 best men...plus our dog is the ring bearer and my parents are mad because they don't get to sit with us and they are paying, and what now, elle!?!"

-ok, read on...don't fret!-

3.  Bride & Groom and the Best Man and his date, Maid/tron of Honor and her date plus/minus the parents.

4.  Sweetheart table  and the two tables beside the bride and groom are the bridal party with their dates. This could be done with #3 also.

Here are some options. Hope you find the right one that fits your wedding! Any questions hit that little contact button in the top right!

Happy Wedding Planning!

Tie the Knot Tip: Wedding Website

There are many things I learned while getting my Wedding Planner certification. Surprisingly enough this wasn't one of them, but I feel one of the most important. I tell all my brides to get one: a Wedding Website (or blog, but most people aren't familiar with blogging yet). It's free and it really gives guests and family a chance to get to know you, him and both as a couple. The groom's side might not know that the bride is an amazing dancer, and the bride's side might not the groom is an award winning chef.  Guests feel involved, up-to-date in the planning, and they feel like they get to know you better which makes them feel more involved at the wedding. It seems more personal to them.

Our wedding website has been updated since, but for an example the address is  http://www.mywedding.com/mikeanddani/ I updated it with wedding pics and honeymoon photos and plan on updating it on any moves, future babies...etc. There were pics of the parents of the groom and bride, maids and men, etc..so everyone could get to know them.  I have photo galleries of our lives, how we met, and our engagement. There was a section on the wedding so everyone knew what to expect, how to dress, etc. Even music playing that set the tone for our wedding. 

I put the link on the save the dates and the invitations. Alot of people looked at it and used it as a resource and I received so many compliments. I say this all the time, and I will say it again, this is the first party you and your husband will be hosting as man and wife, make it a good one! What better way than to make it feel more personal and everyone feel more involved.

Here are some options:

theknot.com

mywedding.com*what I used and loved

weddingwire.com

weddingwindow.com

Happy Wedding Planning!

 

Tie-the-Knot Tip: Wedding Cake...




ooh la la ruffle cake by elleDESIGNS

You know how much I love ruffles, so when the happy couple asked for a black and white Paris meets Shabby Chic wedding cake...I jumped at the chance. 100% edible, including the ribbons!

Tie-the-Knot Tip: ...pssst: A great tip for budget savvy brides instead of adding a 3rd tier! They asked for seperate 2 cupcakes to be displayed with little toppers to freeze for their 1st anniversary

Top & Bottom Tier: Strawberry Cream Cheese filling in Golden Butter Cake for 75 guests.

Happy Wedding!