I’ve been helping some of my brides search for the perfect shoes.. I just wanted to share with you some of the great shoes I’ve come across in my searches… wouldn’t these look hot on any bride?!
And if you’re not the type of gal to wear shoes with a huge pop of color, but you want to veer away from wedding white.. why not go with one of this season’s trendy colors – blush pink.
(from Bridal Association of America)
Even the brightest, most on-top-of bride or groom can make mistakes during the planning of there wedding. Below are the 10 things you should keep an eye on before saying I do.
1. Blowing off your budget.
It costs a lot of money to throw a wedding. Excited brides start booking vendors and making purchases without having a real budget and then are shocked to discover they’ve already spent all of their money (or parents’ money) and don’t yet have half the things they need. If you bounce checks or don’t have the money to pay your deposits or make your final payments on the wedding day, your wedding will not happen. Trust us — the band is not going to play all night if you don’t pay. Planning a wedding is serious business. Make a budget and keep track of your expenditures so you won’t be walking naked down the aisle.
2. Messing up the marriage license.
There are so many rules surrounding marriage licenses that brides are always botching up this one. For instance, if you get your license 61 days before your wedding in Pennsylvania, you won’t be able to legally marry on your wedding day because a license is valid there for only 60 days. Go to obtain your license the day before your wedding, and you may not get it in time because some states have a three-day waiting period. A common mess-up for those marrying for a second time is not bringing official divorce papers when you go to get the certificate. Don’t let this happen to you — search for marriage license information far in advance
3. Ordering your wedding gown too late.
If your heart is set on a couture gown, be sure to order by the six-month mark since your dress will be custom-made and, many times, made overseas. In addition, most off-the-rack dresses will require alterations, so make certain that you have enough time to get the gown fitted properly. You’ll want to leave plenty of time for shipping and for your fittings. The same goes for the bridesmaid dresses.
4. Booking hotel rooms too late.
Brides often leave blocking out hotel rooms for out-of-town guests until the last minute. If you’re marrying during a busy time and you don’t investigate hotel availability in advance, you can end up with literally not a single room for your guests to stay. Your wedding will go on — but no one will be able attend. Reserve rooms as early as possible. Begin your research up to year in advance, and make sure your block is booked at the eight-month mark. Be sure to include hotel information in your save-the-date cards or invitations. This doesn’t mean you will have to pay for the rooms, you are just setting them aside — your guests can put down their credit cards when they call to book their rooms.
5. Inviting too many guests.
Make sure your guest list and your reception site capacity match up numbers-wise. You can’t invite 400 people assuming only 250 will accept, because if you end up with 300 acceptances, you may have to turn 50 guests away at the door. Most reception sites can’t just add 10 more tables — fire laws limit the maximum number of people allowed in any room at one time. Analyze your guest list from the get-go, assume 80% will respond yes, and limit your guest list accordingly.
6. Partaking in last-minute beauty treatments and crash diets.
Many brides think that scheduling a facial the day before the wedding will leave their skin looking angelic on their big days. Thinking of tanning the day before your wedding? Think again: you may end up with blisters instead of sun-kissed skin. Last-minute beauty treatments can lead to breakouts, mistakes or, even worse, serious infections. Same goes for crash dieting in the weeks leading up to the wedding — after all those gown fittings, your dress may not fit! Stick to a long-term beauty regimen with lots of rest, a good diet, and safe over-the-counter beauty products like sunless tanners. Save the heavy-duty beauty treatments for at least two weeks before the big day or you could risk ruining all the hard work you’ve done to make your wedding — and your photos — perfect (never mind putting your health and happiness at risk for the most important day of your life)!
7. Underpaying invitation postage.
You’d be surprised how many brides just stick a regular stamp on their invites and drop the whole batch into a mailbox. All but a few wedding invitations require additional postage — sometimes up to .55 cents. The postal service will not take pity on you — your invites will be returned, rubber-stamped with that ugly “insufficient postage” sign, and it will take at least three weeks (never mind the additional $$) to get those invitations back out the door. Get one invitation weighed — at the post office — before purchasing your stamps. Note: square invitations require additional postage not only because of the weight but the shape — so don’t try to figure this out by yourself.
8. Ignoring religious restrictions.
Inappropriate attire for the church or temple, or skipping the pre-canae, may keep your officiant from marrying you when the big day comes around. Take your religious restrictions seriously. To avoid any day-of disasters, be sure to meet with your officiant within one month of getting engaged. Your house of worship may perform ceremonies only on specific days, so settle on a date with your clergyman before you start to book vendors and put down deposits. Be sure to ask him or her about religious rules, such as: Do you need to complete a pre-cana course? Can you write your own vows? Do you need to cover your shoulders? Is secular music permitted?
9. Trying to go it alone.
If you are a bride lucky enough to have been offered help by friends or family members, by all means take it! Too many brides try to do it all — and this isn’t a good idea. Delegate and use all the resources that are available to you (The Knot magazines and books, not to mention our website, offer lots of help and information on different topics.) When people offer to assist — like your mom, your future mother-in-law, or your best friend — find something for them to do, like researching a vendor or addressing invitations. On that note, it’s important to keep in mind that these volunteers are not hired help — be sure that you accept their contributions graciously.
10. Forgetting to focus on what’s important.
Keep in mind that you are getting married and starting a life together, not just planning a wedding. Brides, be good to your grooms. And grooms, be good to your brides! Some tension between the two of you (and among members of your family) is inevitable due to the sticky topics that weddings stir up, but don’t ever let things get out of control. Remember why you decided to take this leap in the first place!
Bonus Tip: Band Vs. DJ
As a general rule, DJs cost less. The songs that they play will sound exactly as you remember them. Also, a DJ can be more versatile — they can go from pop songs right into country, disco, or big band without any problem. If your reception area is on the small side, a DJ may be better than a band because there equipment will take up less room than a band. If the need arises for them to take a break, say for a restroom call, etc. (they, do not as a rule, take breaks!) there won’t be a break in the music! they just pop in a mix CD or program there decks and the party continues without a pause.
A band is very likely to be more expensive — as a rule because there are more people to pay!
You probably will not get to hear every song you want, because most bands may not know everything off the tops of their heads.
Songs will sound different than you remember them, because they are the band’s interpretation.
A band will need to take breaks, so there will be pauses in the action. But as some say, there’s nothing like live music!
If your decision is to go with a band, consider a DJ too! Many have done this on occasion serving as the MC and filling in music during band breaks.
All anyone is talking about is Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech… but, what about the dresses?! I loved all the peach & blush colors this year, and all the women who took a classy risk. My favorite look of the night was Cameron Diaz — that is actually hard for me to admit because I am not her biggest fan, but I thought she totally Wowed! Did anyone else find inspiration from the Academy Awards?
I’ve been meaning to blog about this wedding for a while! My friends Marni & Matt were actually married in June! OK, so I am a little behind. But I’ve kept it on my radar, because I wanted to share the fabulous touches that Marni planned in her wedding that just made it so… her!
First, I just want to show you a beautiful Picture of Marni with her bridesmaids. This picture just exudes classiness. True Marni.
Matt & Marni were married in Florida on a beautiful day! For the ceremony, Marni stayed in all white — dress & shoes.
Then, after she was wed, Marni sassed it up a bit by changing into hot pink shoes! Anyone who knows Marni knows her love of pink (I didn’t realize kitchen appliances actually came in Pink until I went to Marni’s one evening for a dinner party…)
But the creativity doesn’t end there — perhaps one of my favorite moments of this wedding was that Marni & her bridesmaids changed into red dresses (as a surprise) for the last dance — Lady in Red.
There were soooo many great details to this wedding, including the PINK LIMO (outside & inside) and the pink M&M’s (for Matt & Marni). We can tell that this Lady in Red and her dapper man truly wed in style!
all photos from Kenzie Shores Photography
The Limited is practically a staple store in every mall. Girls are hooked on The Limited’s modern style and reasonable prices since the time they were shopping with their mothers in Limited Too. Well, that makes it all the more exciting that Brides.com has announced that The Limited will be debuting their first brides & bridesmaids colletion on their website starting June 3rd. The prices are listed as being quite reasonable starting at $298 for bridal gowns, and starting at $89 for bridesmaids dresses, and the ladies at Brides were very impressed with the fabrics and style! Great news for all the brides on a budget! I can’t wait to see this collection debut!
Read more from Brides.com here
Brides.com has 5 DIY Winter Wedding Hairstyles that are great! There’s one I am particularly fond of — I just passed it along to my bridesmaids in case they are inspired, or love it as much as I do!
PRODUCT PICK Don’t dream of teasing your tresses without first app lying John Frieda Collection Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster. This serum thickens and protects, thanks to fixative polymers and a shot of silicone. $6.50.
I just think this is a super cute photo of the groom & bride…
I LOVE this idea! I have been on the search for months for the perfect cashmere socks for my Fiance and the guys…. this just fuels my energy to keep looking for them!
I love the kiss with the snow falling, and the crowd in the background. So cute and so perfectly captured with the diffused lighting of a winter day.
Love this photo because it’s almost exactly like what my guys will be wearing — groomsmen in black suits with purple/plum (bow)ties with ivory calla lilies, and the groom in a black suit with a white (ivory) tie.
All photos first seen here.