Share the spotlight with your parents—and his—and take a spin around the floor to their “first-dance” numbers. {Set it up with everyone ahead of time.} Thanks to brides.com for the tip and pic, happy planning!

Spring into the Season

As the weather is warming up I hope these Spring-themed pictures and colors inspire you. Happy Planning!





















Thanks to brides.com and Inside Wedding s for the pics!

Food & Drink Etiquette...Q&A

Here's a question posed to brides magazine and the answer they gave. I am a FIRM believer guests should be guests at your wedding. As mentioned below there are tasks that can be done by friends/family that would not make them feel like hired help without the pay - but be sensitive to what the task is, how long will take...put yourself in their shoes. Also, be sure to have these pre-arranged. Do not ask a guest the day of your wedding to do something (here goes the beauty of having a coordinator - to think of these things and take care of any last minute details!) Hope this helps and happy planning!
Question:
Is it okay if we ask our families to serve food and tend bar during the reception? We’re trying to keep our costs down.
Answer:
So, you’d like some of your guests (yes, family members are guests) to spend your wedding day carrying platters and pouring beer. Sound like fun? Exactly. It’s fine to have relatives shoulder a few easy jobs (making a quick run for more ice; manning the guest book), but no matter how tiny your budget, you must set aside enough money to hire a few helpers. Cut back on the flowers, skip the favors, but treat your guests like guests.

Your Rehersal Dinner...or BBQ!

Your rehearsal dinner doesn’t have to be fancy, but you can dress it up with some fun elements including great music. Some crowd-pleasing ideas? A New England clambake, designer pizza party, poolside luau or backyard barbecue. It's a great opportunity to bring a different element to your up-coming nuptuals! {Thanks to snippet & ink for the great pics!} Happy Planning!

Printed Material Time Line

Invitation & Wedding Stationery Timeline -- for your convenience!
{Thanks to Lucky Orchid Weddings for the info & great pics!}

6-8 Months Prior to the Wedding:
If many of your guests will be traveling for your wedding, you should send out save the dates by about six months out. Some people choose to send save the dates whether guests are traveling or not – it’s up to you! Now’s a good time to contact your calligrapher to get on his/her schedule in advance. (Keep in mind, many of the best calligraphers do book in advance, so it's good to plan ahead.)
6 Months:
Start looking for your invitations and work on the wording. Be sure to include accommodations information for out of town guests and reception information, preferably on a separate card. Your preferred stationer can probably help with things like this, or check out sites like the knot.com that have suggestions for wording your invites.
3-6 Months:
Finalize your invitations and place the order if you haven't done so already. If you are are having custom invitations designed, it can take several weeks for proofing, printing, and delivery, depending on the company you go with. (This is true even if you aren't having custom invitations designed...plan ahead, so you don't have to rush!) Give your envelopes and address list to your calligrapher. During busy wedding season, it can take 2-4 weeks for addressing. Make sure you thoroughly read their guidelines and policies to avoid any miscommunications (and avoid having to redo your list!).
2-3 Months:
Send out your invitations. Eight weeks in advance is the standard; or even more if you didn’t send out save the dates, but your invites should definitely be dropped in the mail by six weeks out. Be sure you weigh a fully assembled invitation at the post office to get accurate postage. As we mentioned a couple weeks ago, don’t forget to stamp your reply envelopes!
2 Months:
Finalize all other printed materials such as programs, menus, escort and/or place cards and signage (cake displays, drinks at the bar, bride and groom signs). Often, I recommend to my clients to start on this as soon as the invites get dropped in the mail. Even if you don't have all the details nailed down, it's a good idea to place the order in advance.

4-5 Weeks Ahead:
Send out your rehearsal dinner and brunch invitations if you are having a brunch the day after the wedding. Many times we'll have requests from the mother-in-law to be to design a card to match the invitations and be included in the invitation set.
2-4 Weeks Ahead:
You should set your RSVP date for approximately four weeks prior to the wedding date and call guests who have not replied once that date comes and goes. (You'll be surprised how many people will forget to send in their cards, no matter how early you send out the invites).
Give your calligrapher a finalized set of guests/table numbers for your escort cards, menus, etc. A complete list helps prevent any confusion, but additions are common and should be sent all at once if possible.
After the Wedding:
Send out thank you notes (these should be ordered prior to the wedding; you can send a thank you as soon as you receive a gift, even if it’s before the wedding).

Sole Searching

A wedding is more than just one event and, like the rest of you, your feet need to dress the part for every occasion. So, show off a pretty pedi with a cute pair of peep-toes at your shower. Be bold and add a pop of color with daring pumps for your bachelorette party. Then go for comfort and play up you feminine side with dainty ballet flats as you glide down the aisle. It's your moment to shine, step into your style... {Be sure to check out all the various styles here!}

Wedding Day Hair

Whether it's a tiny, sparkly hairpin, a jeweled headband, a fresh or cloth flower, even a ’20s-style plume of feathers, hair accessories can add a lot to your wedding day style. If you're wearing a veil for your ceremony, consider switching into a fun headpiece for the reception to change up your look. {Thanks to brides.com for the tip and Tiffany and Donald Smith for the photo!}

Midnight Snacks

{Thanks to Lucky Orchid for the info.!}
Midnight snacks have become increasingly popular at weddings and other special events. Last week we attended an event by The Broke-Ass Bride, and guess who was there catering - Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt! That's right - Pinkberry now offers catering. The staff was so friendly, and the yogurt is obviously a delicious addition, so we had to share this exciting news. It's a perfect end of the night snack for your wedding, or would be a great addition to any bridal or baby shower.
Pinkberry is known to introduce new flavors and often rotates in seasonal flavors, so be sure to check out their website for updates!
Other fun catering ideas from you favorite food shops? Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, In N Out Burger, and Sprinkles all cater too!

Photo Editing

From the “why didn’t they think of this sooner?” file: Picnik, a photo-editing site, lets you crop and retouch right from your browser. It’s compatible with sites like Facebook, so you can grab your friend’s ultra-unflattering shot of you sweating on the dance floor, fix it up, and have her upload—no one will be the wiser. THanks to BRides.com for the tip!

Lasting Lips

Line lips with a nude lip pencil—the closer to the color of your lips the better for a natural look. To keep color lasting longer, fill in lips with liner before applying lipstick. (It's also a good idea to apply a lip balm an hour or so before you do your makeup- then start the lipliner/lipstick application with dry lips.)