3 Tips to Avoid Wedding Planning Burnout

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Andrea

The wedding planning process can often feel like a whirlwind. No matter how large or small your occasion might be, putting it all together can be downright overwhelming, and it can lead to bridal burnout in a flash. Use these three essential tips to avoid burning the candle at both ends.

It’s bound to happen to even the most organized bride—wedding planning burnout. Even brides who have a wedding planner at their disposal experience wedding planning burnout, and even the smallest wedding events can wreak havoc on your stress levels and peace of mind. Between securing vendors and preparing for family visits, there are a number of time-consuming wedding planning tasks that can bog you down.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the wedding planning process, and before you know it, you’re completely exhausted. Running yourself down is never a good idea, especially if you want to feel and look your best on your big day and if you want your event to run smoothly from start to finish.

To avoid wedding planning burnout, use these three tips:

Delegate—Even if you have a wedding planner helping you manage all of your wedding planning tasks, it’s still important to turn to friends and family members to help you relieve some of the wedding planning burden. Friends can help you with simple tasks, such as making additional phone calls or giving you a ride to a cake tasting. Every little bit helps, and you’ll definitely feel the difference as the big day draws near!

Get ahead of the game—Whether you have three months or a year to plan your wedding, one of the best ways to avoid wedding planning burnout is to not only start planning early, but to put together an organized to-do list. Make sure it’s as specific as possible, and start checking tasks off the list as soon as you can. Whatever you do, don’t procrastinate. Putting off tasks or tackling them all at the last minute will lead to wedding planning burnout.

Don’t forget downtime—One reason many brides face wedding planning burnout is because they forget to take time to relax during the wedding planning process. Make it a priority to work some downtime into your schedule as you plan your wedding, and you have a much better chance at avoiding wedding planning burnout.

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Go Cupcake Crazy on Your Wedding Day

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Andrea

Are you looking for decor or theme inspiration for your wedding day? Using sweet treats such as cupcakes is a great way to incorporate fun, feminine touches into your decor, dessert, and more. Here are some reasons to consider going cupcake crazy on your wedding day.

Whether you have a sweet tooth or you simply love to bake, if you’re looking for a fun, colorful theme for your wedding day, using cupcakes is a great way to enhance your wedding’s decor and please your guests’ taste buds. Cupcake decor items are everywhere when it comes to wedding decor. From favors and cupcake-themed wedding cakes to candy shop retro themes, cupcake accents can be used for a number of things on your wedding day.

Here are a few ways you can go cupcake crazy on your wedding day:

Cupcake bars—One popular way to incorporate these sweet treats into your wedding is to have a full-service cupcake bar. You can hire your caterer or baker to set this up according to your needs, and some vendors even provide this as a specialty service. Each guest can help themselves at the “bar” by choosing their own kind of icing, toppings, and cake flavor, much like an ice cream parlor. One thing to keep in mind with this option is price—it can be a hefty, additional expense depending on how elaborate of a setup you choose.

Personalized cupcake favors—An easy way to share something sweet with your guests is to send them home with personalized cupcake favors. This is a fun way to incorporate cupcakes on your wedding day that doesn’t require you to have an all-out cupcake theme. You can simply use cupcake favors to complement your wedding theme or color schemes. Choose wedding favor boxes that can be customized with designs and messages of your choice, and package miniature or full-size cupcakes in the boxes for your guests to take home.

Faux cupcakes—There are plenty of great ways to incorporate a little cupcake madness on your wedding day that don’t involve any calories! Try using accents such as the Sweet Little Cupcake Design Lip Gloss favors, Cupcake Place Card Holders, or Cupcake Candle favors. These items can dress up your reception tables and gift your guests at the same time, giving everyone a chance to go cupcake crazy on your wedding day!

wedding favors

Sweet Little Cupcake Design Lip Gloss Favors

cupcake favors

Cupcake Placecard Holders

wedding favor ideas

Yummy! Cupcake Candle Favors

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Choosing the Right Bridal Boutique

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Andrea

Not sure where to buy your gown and accessories? Having a hard time choosing the best bridal shop in town? Here are some tips for what to look for in a bridal boutique.

Choosing the right bridal boutique for your big day can be a challenge, no matter how fun it is to shop for your special day’s gown and accessories. You’ll be visiting the shop you choose many times during your wedding planning process, so it’s important to choose a store you like and one you feel comfortable visiting. From your initial gown selection to your fitting appointments, the bridal boutique, if chosen well, will be your one-stop shop for all of your bridal attire needs.

Here are some things to look for in a good bridal boutique:

Attentive staff—No matter what shop you visit or how much money you spend there, the staff will not always be able to shower you with love and compliments. However, you should expect a realistic level of attentiveness when deciding on a bridal boutique. The staff should be able to answer all of your questions, or direct you to someone who can, and shouldn’t make you feel rushed or pressured into anything.

Style that suits your personality—While most bridal shops will carry an array of gown styles, some of them cater to very specific tastes. If you’re after something very modern and trendy, it’s probably not worth the time or trip to visit the vintage-style shop up the road. Before you spend the time and gas money to visit each shop on your list, call around and ask about the styles of gowns each store carries, and don’t forget to visit their websites. Many bridal shops list the designers they carry on their sites and some even have full-blown photo galleries to check out.

Accessory selection—Some bridal shops carry more accessory options than others. If you want to make assembling your outfit more convenient, look for a shop that offers everything from shoes and tiaras to jewelry and veils. This is an important part of choosing the right bridal boutique if you want to avoid any extra hassle.

Wedding Websites available at www.eWedding.com

Posted in Bridal Party, Bridesmaids Dresses, Dress Trains, Hair & Beauty, Veils, Wedding Accessories, Wedding Budget, Wedding Decor, Wedding Gowns, Wedding Looks, Wedding Shoes, Wedding Trends, Wedding Websites | Leave a comment

Looking for Fresh Wedding Dress Color Trends?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Andrea

Does the idea of a white or ivory dress make you cringe? If you’re an unconventional bride who wants to switch things up on your wedding day, here are some wedding dress color trends to consider for your special occasion.

Many brides are on the hunt for fresh wedding dress color trends. For some, a white or ivory gown isn’t the least bit appealing. Even if you want to skip the traditional white gown, you might not be unconventional when it comes to other aspects of the wedding occasion. Whatever your reason for wanting a colored wedding gown, we have some wedding dress color trends to share with you here.

Try some of these ideas on for size:

Dark reds or burgundies—Gowns with wine or cherry red coloring are especially popular in recent years, and no, they are not just for Christmas or Valentine’s Day weddings. While it’s true many brides opt for these colors for a holiday wedding, wine or cherry colors can be worn all year long and work for both formal and informal occasions. You can switch things up even more and have your bridesmaids wear white or ivory dresses instead, ensuring that your dark red wedding gown will be the center of attention.

Black and white—This color combination is a wedding gown trend that is here to stay. Many brides opt for gowns that feature dramatic black and white accents, which work really well with a formal wedding occasion or for a winter wedding.

Mochas and beiges—Various beige and mocha colors also offer fresh wedding dress color trends for the daring bride-to-be. These colors are ideal for a summer or fall wedding and look great if you are having a beach or seashore wedding of some sort. One thing to keep in mind with this wedding dress color trend is that mocha and beige colors don’t complement every skin tone, so make sure you pick a shade that works for you.

These are a few examples of popular wedding dress color trends, but you can be as bold and creative as you’d like.

 

Free wedding websites from www.eWedding.com

Posted in Bridal Party, Bridesmaids Dresses, Dress Trains, Wedding Color Theme, Wedding Gowns, Wedding Looks, Wedding Shoes, Wedding Trends, Wedding Websites | Leave a comment

How to Save Money on Your Wedding Dress

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Andrea

Working with a limited budget? Swooning over a dress that is just a little more than you had anticipated? Here are some tips you can use to help you save money on your wedding dress without sacrificing the look you want.

Looking for ways to save money on your wedding dress? You’re not alone. More and more couples are footing the bill for their weddings, and because of this, budgets tend to be a little lower for everything wedding, including the dress. But having a lower budget doesn’t mean you have to give up the heart-stopping effect you’re hoping for when you walk down the aisle. There are plenty of ways to save money on your wedding dress without sacrificing your jaw-dropping look.

Know When to Shop

Knowing when to shop for your wedding dress is one of the easiest ways to save money on your gown. From January to March, nearly all bridal shops offer huge discounts on last year’s styles. By offering these deep discounts, shops can make room for the new styles, and by taking advantage of this golden opportunity, you could save insurmountable amounts of money on your wedding dress.

Buy From Another Bride

For one reason or another, a bride may offer her wedding dress at a deep discount. Maybe she didn’t go through with her wedding or maybe she got a divorce and doesn’t want to hang on to the dress. Whatever the reason, this provides you with a way to save money on your wedding dress. Some of these dresses have never been worn, or at the very least, only worn for a day.

Shop Secondhand Stores

Another place to shop for a used dress is a secondhand store. Shopping secondhand stores is one of the most challenging ways to find your wedding dress, but it can also be the biggest money-saving method for buying one. Wedding dresses have been found with tags still attached for under $100. Just be sure to give the dress a really good look-over before spending your cash. This will ensure that saving money on your wedding dress doesn’t ruin your wedding day style.

Posted in Bridal Party, Bridesmaids Dresses, Dress Trains, Veils, Wedding Accessories, Wedding Budget, Wedding Gowns, Wedding Looks, Wedding Trends | Leave a comment

Express Yourself with Your Wedding Centerpieces

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Andrea

Your reception table centerpieces offer an infinite amount of possibilities when it comes to expressing yourself on your wedding day. You wedding decor is an extension of who you are, so why not use your wedding centerpieces to display your bridal personality? 

Wedding centerpieces are a lot of fun to choose, allowing you to complement your wedding decor theme and express yourself at the same time. Whether you plan on using floral centerpieces or you’re bypassing flowers all together, we have some wedding centerpiece ideas that give you the option to express yourself and share your personality with your guests.

Non-floral centerpieces—This is a popular trend for wedding centerpieces. More and more brides are opting to bypass flowers all together for their reception table centerpieces, instead choosing eccentric arrangements made of various decorative elements.

Greenery only—If you aren’t crazy about flower wedding centerpieces but would still like some kind of foliage on your reception tables, consider adding different types of greenery. You can use potted plants, topiary designs, or you can use silk plants instead. Greenery adds a lush, warm touch to your tables without overwhelming them with floral arrangements.

Picture trees—This is another popular idea for wedding centerpieces, and one that can complement just about any wedding decor theme or style you choose. Use stylish picture trees to display pictures of you and the groom or your family and friends. You can find these trees at many home decor stores or you can build your own if you have a knack for arts and crafts.

Candle arrangements—This wedding centerpiece idea has been around for a while, and it’s still a popular choice for many brides and grooms. Candle arrangements are great because they can look extremely modern and abstract or very traditional and romantic, depending on the pillar styles and colors you choose. For example, one current candle arrangement trend is to position bright, neon candles in a variety of pillar lengths over a piece of glass or a mirror to create a stark, modern centerpiece.

Use these ideas for wedding centerpieces to express yourself on your big day.

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Bridal Shoe Options You Haven’t Considered

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Andrea

Having a hard time finding just the right bridal shoes? Do you feel like nothing is really standing out? If you’re struggling with finding the right shoes for your big day, check out some of these bridal shoe options you haven’t considered yet. 

If you’re like most brides, there are some bridal shoe options you haven’t considered. And if you have had trouble finding the right shoes for your wedding, these shoe options might be exactly what you are looking for.

Add a Little Color to Your Wardrobe

Colored pumps may be one of the bridal shoe options you haven’t considered yet, but they are also one of the hottest trends in bridal shoes right now. Red, turquoise, green, black, and hot pink are some of the most sought after colors today. When choosing your color, take your wedding color palette into consideration. All of these colors are also very complementary of the stark white color of your wedding dress. But even if your gown isn’t white, you can still choose colored pumps for your wedding.

Flip Flops

Think flip flops are just for beach weddings? Think again! Manufacturers have started to recognize that a comfortable shoe option for every bride is needed, not just beach brides. So, shoe designers have come up with a full line of flip flop bridal shoes. These bridal flip flops come adorned with crystals, ribbons, flowers, and more. There is a match for almost any theme and any wedding color scheme. And if you’re still a little concerned about what your guests will think, keep in mind that your shoes will probably be covered by your dress anyway. However, you should keep in mind that these bridal shoe options may be perfect for summer and spring weddings, but will probably be too open for winter and fall weddings.

Ballet Flats

Another option that you may not have considered is ballet flats. Like flip flops, ballet flats are designed for comfort, but they still have enough style to complement your wedding day attire. Ballet flats with rhinestones, crystals, ribbons, and other adornments can be found. Unlike flip flops, these comfortable wedding shoe options can be worn during any season.

Posted in Bridal Party, Wedding Accessories, Wedding Location, Wedding Looks, Wedding Reception, Wedding Shoes, Wedding Trends | Leave a comment

Bridal Party Gift Ideas that Won’t Disappoint

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Andrea

Want to gift your bridal party with items that won’t disappoint? Here are some gift ideas that deliver style, sentimentality, and memories to last a lifetime.

Skimming through bridal party gift ideas can be exhausting, especially when you are holding out for that perfect gift idea. Whether you’re shopping for the bridesmaids or groomsmen, not every gift suits all. And depending on how close you are to the maid of honor or best men, you might want to find gifts that are very unique or personal to show them just how much you care. If you give everyone in the bridal party the same generic gift, chances are the gifts will not be very memorable or personal to each individual party member.

Here are some bridal party gift ideas that know how to deliver lasting memories:

Personalized items—One of the best bridal gift ideas is to give everyone a personalized item of some sort. Customized CD mixes or engraved jewelry or flasks make great gifts, as do engraved jewelry boxes and picture frames. Customize the gift of your choice with a special “thank you” message, poem, or phrase.

Entertainment—Another great bridal party gift idea that won’t disappoint is to give everyone a gift card or certificate for their favorite entertainment, such as concert ticket vouchers, movie tickets, or tickets to a dinner theater. Chances are you know the members of your bridal party pretty well so you know what they’ll like, but if you need to get better insight to their tastes and personalities, start by asking your husband-to-be or family members or friends.

Home decor—One bridal party gift idea you can’t go wrong with is home decor. Providing style, practicality, and a keepsake all in one, a piece of home decor is both thoughtful and useful. Consider a photo frame, stylish vase, or candle arrangement for each member of the bridal party. Choose something with a neutral color and stay away from specific decor themes, just in case the piece won’t blend well with the recipient’s existing home decor.

Try any of these bridal party gift ideas to give them something memorable and practical!

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How to Handle the Bridal Speech at Your Wedding

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Andrea

Nervous about your bride and groom speech? Not sure what to say? Want to be certain that the speech you give makes a lasting impression on your guests? Here are some hints that will help make your bridal speech everything you’re hoping for. 

Are you nervous about the bridal speech at your wedding? Are you unsure of what to say or how to deliver a speech that will deliver the gratitude you feel towards your guests? You’re not alone! Countless brides have stressed over their speeches. Some stress because they are nervous about public speaking in general, while others stress because they just don’t know what to say. Whatever the reasons behind your apprehension, there are a few things you can do to make sure the bridal speech at your wedding makes a lasting impression.

Consider Combining the Bride and Groom Speech

One of the easiest ways to curb nervousness during the bridal speech at your wedding is to combine the bride and groom speech into one. While your husband is speaking, you can take the time to regain your composure and prepare for your next set of lines in the speech.

Put a Notebook and Pen in Your Purse

In the weeks before your wedding, place a pen and a notebook in your purse. This will give you somewhere to write down speech ideas or lines when you think of them. The notebook can also provide organizational benefits for other aspects of your wedding besides the bridal speech at your wedding.

Use a Funny Story

A funny story in your speech will help break the ice, loosen your nerves, and give your guests something special to remember. You can share a funny story about the proposal, how you met, or your first date to make the story a little more intimate.

Address Big Contributors Directly

Did your mother make your wedding dress? Did your best friend cater the event? Did your aunt bake the cake? Let them know just how much their contribution meant to you by giving them a special “thank you” during the bridal speech at your wedding.

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Easy Tips for Reducing Camera Weight on Your Wedding Day

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Andrea

While you may know that the camera can add a little weight to your wedding photos, you may not know that there are some age-old tricks for reducing your camera weight that don’t involve dieting. Find out what they are and how you can use them to your benefit.

Reducing camera weight on your wedding day isn’t just about dieting. There are some camera tricks that can also help you cut away unwanted camera pounds instantly. Learn what these tricks are and how you can implement them with your wedding day photos.

Contrasting Colors

If your wedding dress and your wedding bouquet are both the same color, you might be shocked to learn that your bouquet will instantly make you look heavier than you really are. This is because of the way the camera and the human eye perceive the white on white. Instead of separating your bouquet and your dress, they blend into one. So to use this tip for reducing camera weight on your wedding day, make sure that you choose some colors that contrast with your wedding dress. You may also consider doing this for your bridesmaids so that they aren’t the victims of unwanted camera pounds.

Arm Position

In formal wedding photos, there will almost certainly be at least one that has you standing with one shoulder towards the camera. In these photos, it’s almost second nature to hold your arm against your body. Try standing in a mirror and mimic the exact pose. See what happens to your arm? Now, move your arm away from your body just a little. Notice how your upper arm becomes instantly slimmer? Reducing camera weight on your wedding day is as simple as that! Just don’t forget to show your bridesmaids for their photos as well.

Standing Tall

When you slouch, you instantly add weight to your body, both on camera and off. When you stand straight, however, your body is more proportioned. To use this tip for reducing camera weight on your wedding day, practice posture in the months leading up to your wedding day so that your back isn’t hurting by the end of the day.

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