How Many Bridesmaids is too Many?

Is there ever a number that just screams too many bridesmaids?  If you have lots of friends and want them all to be in your wedding, how do you turn one down?  What's great about being the bride is, it's all up to you!  However, there are a few things you may wants to consider before finalizing how many bridesmaids stand up at the alter with you.

The average number of bridesmaids in a wedding is usually between the number of four and six.  That number has began to climb in recent years.  Many women want a big wedding.  Unfortunately, many women regret the decision of having a large wedding party after everything is set in stone.  Why would someone regret having more bridesmaids, you ask?  It may be a hassle.  Even for the most organized person, it is tough to keep a large wedding party in unison.  With lots of bridesmaids, it may mean more difficulty choosing a style of dress that everyone is okay with wearing. 

Also, pick just the right number of bridesmaids that may be proportionate to the wedding ceremony size.  If you have chosen to have a rather small wedding ceremony, consider having just a few bridesmaids.  Imagine having approximately 40 people witness the wedding ceremony and there are 10 bridesmaids along with 10 groomsmen.  It may look a little funny and unproportionate.

Next, should it be even?  It is not necessary to have the same amount of bridesmaids as groomsmen.  It is okay to be uneven, but again, that choice is up to you.  I don't know about you, but having a picture hanging slightly uneven on a wall drives me crazy!  Having one less groomsmen than a bridesmaid would definitely stand out in my mind when looking at the future wedding photos.  Remember, these photos are for life. 

Will having too many bridesmaids affect your budget?  If you are a bride with a lower budget and are requiring the bridesmaids to purchase a dress and shoes, it may be difficult for some people to agree to be in your wedding.  On the other hand, if you are this same bride with a lower budget and really want to purchase your bridesmaids dress, shoes, and accessories, having fewer bridesmaids can really decrease the dent you will put in your wallet.

Last but not least, be sure to pick bridesmaids who have the great characteristics of being reliable, accommodating, and helpful.  These are your right hand chicks.  Be sure they will show up for fittings when scheduled, be on time for the reherseal and ceremony, wear a dress that may not be their ideal choice and not complain, help out with any wedding details or errands, etc.  They should know that accepting to be your bridesmaid means that they are willing to be there for you at your every little need all the way up to your possible minor freak out before you walk down the isle.  These are the girls who will witness it all! 
Picking just a few close bridesmaids is simple and sweet.

Don't put too much stress on how many bridesmaids you should have, just keep in mind you have said "yes" to the man of your dreams.  In my mind, you are doing the lovely ladies you choose as your bridesmaids a favor in letting them be a part of your special day!  It should be an honor, not a hassle on them.

So now I ask you, how many bridesmaids will you have in your wedding?  How did you choose?

Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta

Have any of you ever watched the show, Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta on TLC?  If you haven't, I must say, you are truly missing out!  They show a variety of dresses and give advice to the current bride trying on dresses on how to fit her body style and what may or may not look good on her.  I am a huge fan of the show and actually stayed up a whole hour and a half past my bed time last night just because I couldn't stop watching!  Last night's episode was about the owner, Lori.  Unfortunately, Lori recently became diagnosed with breast cancer.  She had to announce her frightening news to her team members who keep the store running by meeting every brides need.  The team was extremely emotional to learn about her diagnosis.  I can't even emphasize how awesome of an owner Lori is.  She is truly there 110% for the bride.  She knows her inventory forwards and backwards and understands there is a dress that matches a brides personality.  Lori is a great leader and an even better friend.   

As you can see, it would be difficult to see a great leader and a great friend leave the store knowing she wouldn't be back for a while.  Unfortunately, Lori is currently not working in the store in order to receive treatment for her breast cancer.  

The next week a special bride comes into the store searching for a gown for a special reason that touched my heart as well as the workers in the store.  Her husband and a few family members came with her to help her find her next wedding dress.  This couple had been together 25 years and will be celebrating their marriage with another ceremony.  Her husband is the one who is pushing for another ceremony because he strives to give his wife everything she deserves.  Apparently their first wedding she wore a borrowed white prom dress, ha ha!  The story does not stop here.  The reason this story touched my heart so much is because she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  As you can imagine this hit very close to home for all the workers at the store.  What is different about this woman's story is that she survived breast cancer, but recently was diagnosed with the same disease for the second time in her life.  She has breast cancer, again. 

As she is looking for a dress, each one she tries on looks amazing on her!  Her husbands only request is that it have something silver on it since 25 years represents their silver anniversary.  Her first dress resembles this perfectly and her family feels she has found the one to say "yes" to.  It was an amazing halter, silky, white gown with two different belts of silver jewelry around the bodice.  So, what could be wrong with it?  Her exact words were, "It's too perfect!"  The workers were floored.  Their eyes were as wide as can be.  They have never once heard a bride comment on a dress saying it is too perfect for their needs.  I was a little stunned myself.  

Why do you think she said this?  It was simple.  That dress didn't resemble her.  That particular dress didn't resemble her life story.  Her thought on the dress is this:  She isn't perfect, her life has been far from perfect, so why would she pick a dress that makes it look like her life has been perfect?!  Are you still struggling to understand?  Don't worry, I was pretty lost at this point too!  Keep in mind, her husband still hasn't heard the explanation either.

The next dress she chose to try on was a strapless gown with tousled sideways layers around the bodice, which led to even bigger cut off layers around the bottom of the dress.  Her husband thought she looks absolutely fabulous, but still didn't understand why she didn't like the first dress, the "perfect" one.  When she began explaining how the dress suited her life, there was not a dry eye in the studio...or my room!  She began with the statement, "I'm not perfect, so why would I want a perfect dress." She explained how the tousled layers showed her life story.  She has had many layers and battles to over come.  The bottom of the dress, with it's many cut up layers, resembled the struggles she has gone through.  The battle she put up against breast cancer, and the next battle that was ahead.  She liked how big and poofy the bottom was simply because when you drew back all the layers it was attached to one smooth piece.  By watching the show and seeing the expression on her face while explaining the smooth piece may have made it her favorite part of the dress.  "At the end of the day", she said, "I have my many layers, but I know that one solid piece underneath will always be there."  That one solid piece was a resemblance of her family and her husband.  Her rock and her backbone.  She couldn't believe how much they all had gone through together, but was so very grateful for all of them being there for her through all of her struggles and layers of imperfectness.  Once the explanation was finished, once again, there was not a dry eye in the studio.  Her husband and family began to understand and saw the beauty of the dress that resembled her life and who she was.  After a few moments, this woman said "Yes" to her dress!

Her dress that she said yes to looked similar to the one below:

disboards.com

I'll leave you all with this, be thankful for what you have and don't always look for what is perfect.  I never knew a wedding dress could tell that big of a story.  Keep this story in mind when you all go dress shopping.  It will make you appreciate the smallest little details.  

Halloween Wedding

How do you get into the spirit of Halloween?  Maybe you set up a few decorations around your house/apartment?  Go to a Haunted house?  Or even, go to a pumpkin patch with your loved ones?  If you are a die hard fan of Halloween, would you even consider planning your wedding around this holiday? 

For those who are extremely involved and intrigued by the spookiness of Halloween, there is a perfect wedding theme for you, Halloween wedding!  Just by searching the web I cannot believe how many people actually throw a Halloween wedding.  Maybe I am more traditional than I thought and simply assumed every woman wanted a white wedding dress.  I have officially been proved wrong.  Some of the wedding dresses shown to go along with a Halloween themed wedding are extremely unique and definitely go along with the theme!  Check these out:

 bestbridalprices.com                                                                               squidoo.com

        myinspiredwedding.com                              weddingdressfantasy.com            

The most popular dress colors include black, orange, and red.  If you are still one who must have her white wedding dress and also love this theme idea, do not panic.  You could wear a white dress and include one of these colors within your dress; or, wear your stunning white dress and incorporate the theme within the bridesmaids and decorations.  Below shows the whole bridal party as an example with the bride remaining in a white wedding dress.

weddingfashiononline.com



I bet you that wedding was one to remember.  I'm loving their masks.  What a perfect accessory for a halloween wedding. 

Next, what creative ways can you decorate for this uniquely themed wedding?  There are many things that go along with the holiday.  Skulls, pumpkins, spider webs, fall leaves, dark roses are just a few.  It is your choice of what to include.  Below are a few examples to get your brains thinking.

                                                                  

 shewalkssoftly.com  

     

        

boards.weddingbee.com 

  

weddings-paradise.com

Are your brains ticking with ideas now or what?  All these pictures are actually making me consider having a Halloween themed wedding!  Is it just me?  I never thought this many people would be into the Halloween theme let alone have this many ideas for it.  So creative and unique.  Truly one of a kind. 

Anyway, enough about how stunned I am.  I bet you all want to know where to begin.  Good question!  Let's begin with a fabulous invitation to show all of your guests when and where you will be celebrating.  However, with a theme like this, you must invite with style! :)

                     

                         

                               impressinprint.com                                 zazzle.com

The best Halloween invitations I found with great designs and a great price were at zazzle.com.  Let me know what you think!

Now that we went over Halloween themed wedding dresses, decorations, and invitations what's left?  It is time for you to begin planning your fabulous Halloween themed wedding with all of these creative ideas for next year!

Happy Halloween everyone :)

Wedding Crashers

True thought...How many people do you think actually do this?:

I bet most of us have seen the movie Wedding Crashers and truly love it!  Although that may be more of an extreme wedding crash, how many people secretly crash a wedding just for free food, alcohol, gifts, and just a fun night out?  How would you ever find out if they are a wedding crasher?  Would you throw them out or let them stay?  So many questions to be considered. 

Last but not least, have any of you actually experienced a wedding being crashed?  What is your epic story?

The Engagement Ring

Do you see a potential engagement in your future? 

Have you thought about what style of ring you want? 

If not, do not panic!  There are a variety of styles and cuts of diamonds that may strike your interest.  Each of these styles and cuts look particularly different while placed on the ring finger.  How exciting does that sound?  "Placed on the ring finger!"  Picking out this ring or hinting to your hubby about what you like is extremely important.  An engagement leads to a wedding, a wedding leads to marriage, and a marriage, with any luck, is for life.  This ring is a symbol to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, and forever.  So what type of ring should you choose?

First be thinking about his budget.  The average amount spent on an engagement ring is about two months of your man's salary!! Good thing we're the ladies and we wear the bigger diamonds ;).  Seems to me guys are not as picky with their rings.  

Since we've already covered cost, next, consider the 4 C's.  These include cut, color, clarity, and carat.  The perfect cut of a diamond makes it sparkle like no other.  Depending on how it is cut, the light makes the diamond look lighter or darker.  The cut is known to be either shallow or deep.  One that is just right is what makes diamonds so unique and rare.  The second 'C' is known as color.  A diamonds color has significant impact on it's value.  Three different colors can be noted, colorless to near colorless, faint to very light yellow, and light yellow to fancy.  Usually the colorless to near colorless has more value and will most likely be more expensive.  However, it may be worth the price, not many women strive for a yellow diamond engagement ring.  The third 'C'is clarity.  Clarity is pretty self explanatory.  The clearer the diamond, the more clarity it has.  Adiamor suggests to look under a 10X magnification in order to detect any blemishes.  Lastly, the fourth 'C' stands for carat.  The carat of a diamond is essentially its weight.  Be careful with this one!  Two diamonds that weigh the exact same could have completely different values depending upon the other three C's.  Generally, however, the heavier the diamond, the greater it's cost will be.

The different shapes of diamonds available include:

Certified Diamonds & Gemstones



I apologize if you cannot read every shape available above.  The different shapes/cuts include round, princess, radiant, emerald, oval, pear, asscher, flanders, heart, cushion, marquise, old minder, and trillion.

Now to find out which shape will look best on your finger. 

Long Fingers: Round rings are often the most flattering.  Marquise, pear, and oval shapes make make the finger look longer, which may not be what a woman is looking for.  Therefore, long fingered women, I suggest sticking with the round ring.  Lucky for you, the round diamond is the most classic diamond out there.  It is known to never go out of style.

Short Fingers: Pear or teardrop shapes may be the most flattering for your fingers.  A round shape may make your fingers look even shorter, and big rectangular rings tend to overwhelm short fingers.

Narrow Fingers:Thicker bands with possibly a smaller stone may help make your fingers look a little wider.  However, avoid heart-shaped stones and quite possibly a round stone.

Wide Fingers:  Marquise shape may be the most flattering style for short, wide fingers.  Also, a round stone placed in a larger setting is also flattering for wide fingers.  The idea with this type of finger is not to have too much skin showing on each side of the ring or fingers may look even wider.

Large Hands: Lucky you!  You are the ones that can pull of the massive stones!  Those small stones out there may just look lost on your finger.  Larger rings with a bigger band and stone are perfect for your hand.

Small Hands:  Small heart-shaped, oval, round, or square stones are all flattering for small hands.  Keep the proportion of the ring small.

As you can see, not every shape is mentioned above.  Therefore, one major thing to keep in mind is that these are just guidelines.  Do not get upset if your favorite shape of ring is not listed under your style of finger/hand.  A person with large hands and short fingers may need to find different styles than small hands and short fingers.  Overall, it is really your preference as to what ring style you are most comfortable with wearing every day for the rest of your life.  Personally, I suggest trying each style on your finger to see it for yourself.  You may actually fall in love with a style you never thought you liked.  If you already have your heart set on a particular cut, clarity, carat, and color...well, you're way ahead of me! 

As for me, I have fallen in love with the pictures of the heirloom halo design

and the princess cut design

Tacori

Now I'll turn to you for answers!  What is your dream engagement ring?  Or if you are already engaged, first congratulations, and second, tell me about your ring!  Did you and your hubby go pick it out together or was it a complete surprise?

Also, what do you think is the most popular engagement ring shape? (round, heart-shaped, princess, marquise, etc.)

Cutest Proposal Video

If you have never seen this video...you must watch it now!!  This video pretty much sums up every girls dream on how to be proposed to!  It is a flashmob proposal in Downtown Disney.  Let's see if you tear up :)

Was that awesome or what?  Tell me about your dream proposals or the way you were proposed to! 

To watch more proposal videos visit YouTube.com

To Pay or Not to Pay For Bridesmaids Dresses

Let's be real, not everyone is made of money.  So, how do you decide if you will pay for your bridesmaid dresses or not?  Essentially your bridesmaids are doing you a favor by being present in your wedding.  However, weddings are already expensive enough, can you afford to drop a few more grand (obviously depending on the price of the dress and how many bridesmaids you have) on dresses that you won't even wear?  According to The Wedding Bee 16% of people believe you should pay for the dresses, whereas 84% say you should not.  Do you feel less pressured now?

 

Selecting your bridesmaids is no random process.  You have chosen these women specifically because they have been closest to you for quite some time.  I imagine you have multiple memories together and plan on more memories to come.  They may be your best friends, sisters, etc.  I can tell you from experience, they will be honored to be your bridesmaid, help you with any detail of wedding planning possible, and cannot wait to stand up at the alter to witness you marry the love of your life!  These women have just as much love for you as you do for them.  Having them pay for their bridesmaid dress should not be a problem.

 

So how do you ask?  Don't worry so much!  You're obviously not in danger of being rude if you are worrying about this.  The easiest way to go about asking them to pay is to be open about it.  When you all go dress shopping and find a particular one you all like, it's okay to say to the group, "Do you girls think this one is going to be too expensive for you?"  Some of your bridesmaids may have already been in other weddings and understand the way things work.  If you have a newbie bridesmaid that is on edge about paying, the other bridesmaids can explain that it's the norm for bridesmaids to pay their own way when it comes to dresses (and possibly accessories).  If you are genuinely concerned that being in your wedding may be a financial burden for one of more of your bridesmaids, look for dresses that are relatively inexpensive.  Or, find a color your like and have them select the style, spending as much as they see fit.  This may be the perfect way to select a dress if you would like your bridesmaids to all have different styles, yet the same color.  If you still would like them to all have the same style of dress, be sure to compromise together, making sure they all feel comfortable about the amount being spent on the dress.  Remember they are spending this money for your wedding.  Be sensitive, understanding, and ready to accept the fact that some may not be willing to spend too much.  However, like I said, they are your best friends and will most likely do anything for you.  To be honest, I be they will be too excited to even think about price!

 

My best friend who I have grown up with my entire life recently asked me to be in her wedding.  I can't even explain to you how excited I was when I opened her letter.  If I remember right, I was literally jumping with joy.  I have not found out yet if the bridesmaids purchase their own dresses, but that is not even on my mind.  I am just extremely excited to be there for her and to watch her get married to her man!

 

If you do decide to pay for your bridesmaid dresses, that's wonderful!  They will be extremely appreciative and still be by your side for every event.  Just remember, the price of a wedding escalates extremely fast.  Do what is best for you!  Your bridesmaids will still love you no matter what decision you make.

 

So now I will ask all of you, what do you think?  Will you pay or not pay for your bridesmaid dresses?

 

 

 

Helpful Websites

Dear Readers,

Essentially this blog is all for you!  Giving you all ideas, unique characteristics, as well as the last emotional detail you could possibly imagine, the Wedding Planning 101 blog is there for your every desire.  This is why I want to take the time to pass on to you some of the amazing wedding websites I have come across.  I apologizing for only listing a few, but I believe most information you need to know is within these fantastic websites!


http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/ 

http://www.mywedding.com/

http://www.weddingchannel.com/

http://www.theknot.com/?MsdVisit=1

I sincerely hope you find these helpful!
Happy Wedding Planning :)

Types of Bars to have at your Reception

How do you decide what type of bar to have at your wedding reception?  It really depends on how much you are willing to spend.  If you are inviting guests who tend to consume lots of alochol, your tab for the night will become pretty pricey if you choose to provide an open bar.  There are about five options of bars to have at the reception:

1) Open Bar:
An open bar contains everything from hard liquor, beer, wine, and soft drinks.  The bride and groom pick up the tab from the open bar as the guests drink free.  It is a nice way of saying, "Thank you for coming to our wedding.  Let's celebrate!"  The only way to limit the costs of an open bar is by offering house brands of hard liquor, rather than premium brands.  However, either way you look at it, this is still the priciest option.  If budget is not a restriction in planning your wedding, I say... go for the open bar!  In my opinion, your guests will let loose, feel more comfortable, and you will have more fun creating special memories to last a lifetime.

2) Cash Bar:
A cash bar is the complete opposite of an open bar.  This type of bar is exactly as it sounds, the guests must pay cash in order to receive an alcoholic or soft drink at your reception.  Some people may consider a cash bar to be tacky, as they think it is not appropriate to ask your guests to pay for anything at the reception.  However, if budget is a big issue selecting this type of bar may be in your best interest.  A way to warn your guests and avoiding them being disappointed upon arival of the reception, indicate on your wedding invitation with a phrase such as, "Dinner buffet with cash bar".  Most guests understand the high costs of wedding plannings.

3) Limited Bar:
Just as the name says, you are allowed to limit what types of alcohol are served.  You could choose to only offer beer and wine, or even just a few signature drinks instead.  Signature drinks are actually quite trendy right now and can initially save the bride and groom lots of money.  You select one or two special mixed drinks and those will be the only drinks served at the bar. 

You could potentiallly choose to mix the cash bar and limited bar together.  The bride and groom could pick up the tab for that of the signature drinks, but if some guests decide they would rather drink something else, the cost is on them. 

4) Combination Bars:
These bars grant wedding guests a limited amount of drink tickets.  The tickets are usually sent out with the wedding invitation.  Once the tickets have been used at the reception, the guests are responsible to pay for drinks if they desire more.  Combination bars also include the option of supplying free drinks up until dinner is served.  Afterwards guests are expected to pay for their own drinks. 

5) Do-it-yourself Bars:
DIY bars are definitely the choice for money savers, and guests will still receive their drinks for free.  Basic liquor can be purchased from a wholesaler.  This would include vodka, gin, rum, bouron, scotch, a basic red wine and a white wine, one or two brands of popular beers.  Along with these many choices of alcohol, a few popular mixes could be purchased as well.  For example, orange juice, cranberry juice, coke, ginger ale and tonic.  One thing to keep in mind is that most liquor stores will take back unopened containers/bottles as returns.  Therefore, it is clearly better to have too much liquor than not enough.  DIY bars will also require a bartender, bar towels, ice bins, glasses, lemons, limes, and cocktail napkins.  You will also be responsible for contacting your reception venue and receive concent from them in order to supply your own liquor.


Whatever bar option you decide to choose, do not go in debt over it.  Only plan a wedding reception you can truly afford.  It will cause less stress planning it as well as less stress after everything is all over.

So, now I turn to you! What bar option would you choose and why?

Fall Wedding Colors

Hello Autumn! 

The fall season is finally here.  If you are more like me, summer is my favorite time of the year.  However, if I were to pick a perfect wedding date, I would definitely choose a time in either spring or fall.  All brides simply strive for one particular thing on their wedding day.  They wish all their months of planning to pay off and for their day to be a day to remember, it must go perfectly.  Therefore, what bride wants to be profusely sweating on her wedding day?  Believe it or not, fall is the most popular time for weddings to occur.  14% of weddings are held in the month of September, making it the most popular month for weddings.  What are the "in" fall wedding colors you ask? 

The ones listed above came from Wedding 101!  These are the known colors for fall weddings that will be seen in stores from now until winter.  All you brides out there, keep these in mind as you put you wrap up your final finishing touches.  For those planning a wedding for next fall, that is fall of 2013, check out Hub Pages' Top Ten Wedding Color Combinations for next fall. 

Another website to pick out color themes is Better Homes & Garden's Website.  With these many options, I hope you find some that relate to you.  I know I for sure would pick the blue and purple color scheme, but that's just my personality. :)

Keep in mind, this wedding is YOUR day!  Pick the colors that represent who you are.  The wedding photos will be in your picture frames for years to come.  Let no one persuade you into a color scheme you are not too sure about.

Happy Coloring!
  

White vs. Ivory

How do you choose?

Off-white, stark white, bright white, and eggshell? So many different shades of a wedding dress may make saying "yes" to your dress that much more difficult.  Having a bride feel radient, beautiful, and simply comfortable in her gown is extremely important.  Below are all the possible shades available in wedding gowns today.

The Shades

• Stark White
• The brightest, crispest white you could possibly find on the market.  This color looks amazing on dark skin.
• Silk, Diamond, or Natural White
• This shade of white is a little off of stark white.  It looks pretty much the same in photos.  Nonetheless, most people look best in a soft, diamond-white gown rather than a stark white dress, which is known as white-white.
• Ivory
• Also referred to as "eggshell".  This would definitely be your off-white dress, some having yellow undertones making them look creamy.
• Rum or Champagne
• Some may think this is the most uncommon while hearing the name; however, the dress is white with pink undertones.  This dress will look nearly white in photos.

So how do you choose?  It all depends on your skin tone. 

The Selection

If your skin is...

• Fair:  yellow ivory is the color for you.  Steer clear of stark white, it may wash you out.
• Medium with pink undertones:  go for creamier colors such as an ivory or champagne
• Medium with yellow undertones:  try diamond white or champagne
• Dark:  you are the lucky ones!  Most shades of white will compliment your skin.  Take your pick.
• Dark with yellow/olive undertones:  stay away from yellow-ivory dresses.  Try stark white or a rum pink.

Be sure to try on multiple colors of dresses.  A color you thought might not look good on your skin tone may make you glow :)  Last note, when trying on different gowns in a bridal salon, be sure to ask for a clean fabric swatch that you could hold up next to your face.  The dresses you will be trying on could potentially be dirty and the true color may be a shade off.

Wishing you all the best of luck in finding your perfect color of wedding dress!

 

 

DIY: Centerpieces

Who wants to spend all their money on a wedding?

*cricket* *cricket*

No one?

Hmm.. Guess I'll have to show you how to make your own awesome centerpieces.  If you happen to be one crafty person, feel free to make them all on your own.  However, call me crazy, but you could begin making wedding memories before the wedding even begins!  Your bridesmaids are there for a reason.  Ask them all over to your house for a day/night full of girl talk, gossip, and more.  They all can help you create the perfect centerpieces in a timely manner.

Depending on what centerpiece you decide to use, you may not even need too much help or preparing.  Below I will show you a few of my favorite finds! :)

Two-In-One

If you are a big fan in saving lots of money, this choice may be for you.  All you need is a few vases and flowers.  The flowers would add color to your reception room as well as add to your personal wedding color scheme.

To begin, group a few big, bold peonies together, and you've got a gorgeous table scape.  But that's not all!!  Invite your guests to take a vase home at the end of your reception, and Voila, you've got your favors covered, too.  In the picture shown above, the flowers are cut at various length.  There are 2-3 flowers included in each vase.  Total cost?  Nearly not as much as getting them done by someone else!

Again, the flower choices is completely up to you!  Choose your favorite flower, or choose a flower to go along with your chosen colors.  Essentially, you're the boss!

Here is a second picture for you to get more of an idea.  These vases are small and slim.  The flower arrangement consists of dahlias, ranunculus, zinnias, nerines, scabiosa, and maiden-hair fern.

Candle Wedding:

At these blossoming tables, lighting from a candle will create a darker, more mystical mood.  Around the square candleholder is scrapbook paper that can be found at any local craft store.  The bottom of the candleholder is trimmed with ribbon to add a finishing touch.

This option allows the candle to be openly seen.  Any glass, tall or short vase will work.  Fill the candle with water and submerge flowers, as shown in the picture.  Purchase round floating candles, make sure they are not wider than the glass/vase you picked out.  To finish, place the candle on top of the submerged flowers and light the candle.

As shown above, you could also get any glass/vase and wrap your choice of ribbon around it.  This ribbon would be an easy way to tie in more of your color scheme, rather than having the flowers submerged or the scrapbooking paper.  Don't feel you need to stop at just the ribbon.  Place the ribbon towards the middle or bottom of the glass/vase and Add a floating candle.  By adding this candle it could make the setting more romantic.

Paper Doily Chanelier

Want to go above and beyond?  If you have the patience, time, and people to help, this DIY centerpiece may be the one for you!  Paper doilies can add a stylish elegance to your reception tables.  Create this waterfall of ruffles out of doilies for a visual high.

How to make:

1. Fold 4-inch doilies in half twice. Open them, and scrunch them up a little at the center to give them the ruffled appearance of flowers.

2. Thread flowers onto yarn to make strands 12 to 16 inches long, and tie to wreath. Attach extra flowers to wire with double-sided tape to fill in gaps.

Create many different strands of different lengths.  You will need to purchase a 12- and 24- inch doublerail wreath rings, available for purchase at your local craft store.  Tie the longer strands to the small wreath form and the smaller strands to the larger wreath form.  Hang with ribbon, placing the smaller ring lower than the larger ring.  Use pushpins or adhesive hooks to secure the chandelier's spot on the ceiling.

Wine Bottle and Table Numbers

 

Have wine bottles as your centerpieces and label them with table numbers. Cover-weight paper printed with large, graphic numerals can be adhered over any existing labels with double-sided tape for a clean, contemporary look.  If you wanted to go even more in depth, decorating the entire bottle would add a uniqueness to your reception.  This clever touch will have your guests drinking to your good taste! 

Hopefully after those four tremendous ideas will get your mind racing!  Good luck!

For more great images and ideas for centerpieces check out Martha Stewarts Wedding Centerpieces from Pinterest!  Also, a big thanks to Martha Stewart and her amazing ideas on her website.  Click Here for more DIY wedding centerpiece photos and how to create them.



First Steps to Planning your Wedding

Everybody has that friend that has been planning her wedding since she was 12, but if you are not that girl, planning a wedding may not be such an easy task.  Believe it or not, there is a specific place to start planning a wedding.  An important aspect to not forget is the level of formality you wish to achieve.  This includes the size of the bridal party and the size of the guest list.  These decisions will have a huge impact on the amount of money spent on the wedding.  For example, a formal evening wedding with a dinner reception and an open bar will be far more expensive than a morning or afternoon wedding with a possible luncheon reception.  The bigger the guest list, the more money will be spent.  More people means more tables, table cloths, chairs, center pieces, decorations, a bigger location for the wedding reception, as well as a big enough church.  The size of the bridal party can also put a big dent in the budget.  It is completely up to you, your family, and your groom as to what you will purchase for the bridal party, such as the bridesmaid dresses.  To be completely honest, this decision varies between every wedding.  If you are on a low budget, paying for half of the dresses could still be an option, as well as a thank you to them for taking part in this special occasion.

The next few steps could become quite stressful.  Attending Bridal Shows is a great place to start, with an array of wedding vendors under one roof, you have the opportunity to meet them personally, view their work, and compare prices.  After reviewing options and having a few ideas in mind, your first contact must be a church or Ceremony Location to save your date.  You will need to meet with the minister/officiant to discuss your plans/wishes.  If you have any special requests, now is the time to address them.  Expect to abide by their rules and regulations, which may include counseling sessions.  If you are considering an outside ceremony, great idea!  Just remember wind, rain and heat can play havoc with the best of plans, so always have a plan B just in case! 

Next, begin contacting the services needed that can only accommodate one wedding.  For example, a florist can book many weddings, whereas a photographer usually can only attend one.  Next, meet with at least two wedding vendors.  The "at least two part" is especially important because you want to have options.  Most wedding officials are 100% excited for you and take pride in their clients, if not...move on.  You can find someone better that will not create any unexpected mishaps or disappointments.

Stated above are the initial steps to get started.  The suggested order to secure wedding services is as follows:

• Ceremony Location
• Reception Location
• Photographer / Videographer
• Ceremony/ Reception Music
• Wedding Gown / Bridesmaids Dresses
• Wedding Cake
• Florist
• Limosines
• Groom / Groomsmen's Attire
• Invitations / Personal Stationery
• All remaining incidentals such as, attendants gifts, camers, guest book, unity candle, favors, bubbles, car decorations, etc!

As you can tell already, every detail counts!  Follow my blog to see as I'll go into detail about the above listed wedding services.  Hope this gave you a place to begin, good luck!

Wedding Invitations: Stylish, Affordable, Customized

Worried about spending too much money?!  The perfect wedding doesn't always mean it needs to be the most expensive.  Invite your guests in style while on a budget.  Check out these great deals for affordable wedding invitations that match any wedding theme or color scheme. Click Here to begin ordering your own customized invitations online and get them sent to your home within days. 

Happy ordering :)

What is a Wedding?

Welcome readers!


Any idea how much time or how many people it takes to put on a wedding? 

A wedding is that one special day for two people who have fallen in love to officially bind them together in marriage that will last a lifetime.  It's their fairy tale those special people thought may never come.  It's having the bride put on her special wedding dress and the groom looking smashing in his tux.  It's attending those weddings and watching that bride walk down the aisle as she can't take her eyes off the groom because they are so deeply in love and so excited say, "I do!".  It's all the details that make that day run smoothly, but most importantly it's the time that must be taken in order to plan these special moments.  To answer the initial question, weddings take LOTS of time.  Depending on when and where the bride and groom decide, the planning could be set at a steady pace or it could be rushed.  It all depends on those very special people that even make that wedding day possible.  This blog will be all about creating that perfect wedding, leaving no bride or groom questioning whether they are doing something wrong. 

Any readers out there just enjoy reading about weddings just to dream about your own someday?  Or possibly readers who are attempting to help out bridezilla? Don't worry, I'll include every detail for every aspect of every different kind of wedding. :)

Stay tuned!