Wedding Tip Tuesday - shop around

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The wedding industry is huge so when planning your big day make sure you shop around. You know you wouldn't try on only one wedding dress, so why only look at only one photographer or one caterer. Look at all your options before deciding which vendors to use.

Shopping around can be especially helpful when you are trying to stay on budget. If you fall in love with a vendor, but they are out of your price range, ask if they can work something out with you. The industry is highly competitive so there is a possibility they will come down a little in price in order to get your business.

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Wedding Tip Tuesday - Involve your Groom

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In the excitement of planning your wedding it's easy to forget about the other person involved; yeah, remember him? Weddings are definitely geared toward the bride but try not to forget your groom when making all the decisions.

In most cases the groom does not care which flowers you choose, or what the bridesmaid dresses look like. He probably hasn't been planning his wedding since he was eleven like you have, but he has at least thought about the big day so make sure you ask him his thoughts. He may want input on a few things like the food and the location so try to keep him up to date and involved in the process.

The day will be much more enjoyable for him if he feels like he had some say.

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Wedding Tip Tuesday - reflect your personality

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When planning your wedding make sure you incorporate your personality. Your wedding should reflect you as a couple so include your hobbies, interests and inside jokes. You can do this in the decor, in the food, in your photography, etc.

Remember, this is your special day and you should make it all about the two of you!

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Wedding Tip Tuesday - Thank You Cards

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Yes, it's a pain but keeping up on your 'thank you' cards is so important when planning a wedding. You will receive hundreds of gifts when all is said and done and sending a note to each gift-giver is just good manners.  And believe me, people definitely remember if they don't receive a 'thank you' note from you.

After each shower I would advise writing 'thank you' cards before your next shower takes place. If you allow the gifts to pile up you will have a mountain of notes to write and it will seem overwhelming. If you do a little at a time it won't seem as bad.

It has become popular to take a photo at your wedding with a 'thank you' sign and then send postcards with that photo.  I think this is a very cute idea and a fun way to say 'thanks' but make sure you include a personal note with the photo because that is what people will remember.

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Wedding Tip Tuesday - set a budget

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One of the most important elements of planning your wedding is setting a budget (unless of course your budget is unlimited and in that case, lucky you!). Before you make any wedding purchases you should set your overall budget and then you can begin to see how much you want to spend on each element: dress, flowers, venue, etc. You will be less likely to overspend if you have a set budget in mind.

And don't let the word 'budget' scare you! You can have a fabulous wedding without spending a fortune. Your wallet, and probably your future husband, will thank you afterward.

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10 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Bridezilla

Planning a wedding is stressful but it is not an excuse for you to yell and scream at everyone around you. Follow these tips to avoid becoming a bridezilla and both you and your family members will be much happier after you have said “I do.”

#10 – Set a Budget

            If you set a budget you will be less likely to go crazy at every vendor and spend extremely large sums of money. A major ‘bridezilla’ move is to spend, spend, spend; especially if you are spending someone else’s money. Be smart with your budget and make sure you stick to it! (see previous post about setting a budget)

#9 – Keep an Open Mind

            Many people will try to offer you their opinions during the wedding planning process. You absolutely do not have to use anyone’s ideas, but you can at least listen and nod politely. Then if you want to scream into a pillow later you can, but don’t ever yell at your grandma and tell her she doesn’t know what she is talking about.

#8 – Accept the fact that not everyone will look perfect

            You may not agree with your cousin’s new hair color, or you might cringe at the fact that your maid-of-honor is going to be eight-months pregnant at your wedding but you need to get over it. These people love you and want to support you on your wedding day, even if you have different opinions on what is stylish. Don’t ever remove someone from the wedding party or un-invite someone because of their appearance.

#7 – Don’t treat your bridesmaids like employees

            It’s okay to ask your friends to pick-up their own dresses, or to wear their hair in a certain up-do on your big day.  It is not okay to ask your bridesmaids to attend weekly meetings or to run all your errands. If you need someone to do those things you should hire a wedding planner. You want to stay friends with these girls after your wedding so make sure you treat them well.

#6 – Spend time with your friends, family members, co-workers, etc.

            Make sure that during your wedding planning you still have a life. Don’t ever quit your job or miss the birth of a niece or nephew just because you are planning a wedding. Your prior relationships and responsibilities are very important and you should not neglect those just because you are planning a wedding. And most importantly, make sure you spend time with your fiancé!

#5 – Prepare yourself to hear the word ‘no’

            You might have grand visions of having your wedding on the top of the highest rooftop in the city, but then you are told it’s simply not possible. Instead of throwing a tantrum like a 2-year-old you need to be prepared to adjust your wedding vision based on what actually is possible. You will still be able to make your wedding beautiful, even if it’s not the original vision you had in mind.

#4 – Treat your vendors like professionals

            Just because you are paying these people does not give you the right to treat them like garbage. Don’t call your caterer every day, and don’t send your florist fifteen emails every day. Make sure you discuss your vision for your wedding and then leave it up to them. They do this for a living so you need to put your trust in them.

#3 – Don’t worry about what someone is wearing

            It’s inevitable that someone will show up to your wedding wearing something you hate. In fact, it’s becoming even more likely someone will show up wearing white (especially after Pippa Middleton’s dress at the royal wedding). You will still stand out as the blushing bride so don’t let this one person ruin your day. If you feel very strongly about a dress code you can include that in your invitations but even then you should expect someone to not get the memo.

#2 – Have a range of items on your registry

            You should always have a good amount of price ranges on your registry. Don’t ever expect that everyone will give you an extremely nice gift, and if that is all you have on your registry you are just going to be disappointed when you don’t receive those items. A registry should act as a guide for your guests not as a laundry list of over-the-top things you are expecting.

#1 – Be prepared to expand your guest list

            While it’s true you are the bride and it’s your special day, it is also a special day for your fiancé, your parents, his parents, etc. You can not expect to be the only one compiling a guest list for your wedding. This will have to be a team effort and you need to keep an open mind.  Remember, you are joining two families together on your wedding day and having a huge fight with your in-laws over a couple guests is not a great way to start your marriage.

Budget

I think there is a misconception out there that weddings have to cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. While it’s true it will be an expensive event, I’m a firm believer you don’t need to spend your life savings, or take out a second mortgage to finance your wedding. Budget can be a scary word but by setting a firm budget you can achieve a wedding for the amount of money that will be right for you and your situation.

The first thing I ask a bride is “what is your budget?” You should always set your budget before any of the planning begins. It will be too difficult to set a budget after you have already ordered the dress, flowers and reception center. At that point you may have already blown past your budget!

If you are struggling with knowing how much to spend on a wedding I think the best first step is to decide what element of your wedding is most important to you. This will help determine which aspect of your wedding will take up the most money. For some brides this might be the dress; for others it is the photography. Whatever it is for you, it is smart to identify this element before any of your planning begins, and before you set your budget.

Don’t feel bad if you don’t have a ton of money to spend on your wedding. Like I said before, I absolutely believe you can plan a wedding on a budget and I think it’s very important to always have that budget in mind during the planning process. There are many ways you will be able to put your own personal touches into your wedding, and in the end that is what your special day should be about.

Weather

Spring weddings are accompanied by an unexpected and uncontrollable element: weather.  Especially in a four-season state like Utah, you never know what kind of weather you will get on your wedding day. It's a good idea to be prepared for all weather situations.  Preparing beforehand should help alleviate some of your stress in case you happen to wake up on your wedding day and there are dark clouds looming.

If possible, talk to your reception center and see if they have an indoor/outdoor option. That way your festivities can be moved inside in case of bad weather. If they don't have an indoor option, ask about tents or other coverings.

Another good idea is to have a coat, cape or shawl on hand in case the temperature drops. This way you won't need to cover up your wedding dress with someone's coat; you will be prepared with something that compliments your ensemble.

Have some fun, colorful umbrellas on hand in case it rains. Your guests will be very appreciative and that way you can control the color scheme of the umbrella's instead of everyone bringing their own.

Of course you will cross your fingers for good weather on your special day, but sadly the weather is one of those things you can't control. Prepare for the worst and then you can hopefully keep this stress of your shoulders.

2011 Trends

Want to know what's hot in weddings this year?  Check out my article on 2011 wedding trends: http://blog.thebrideandgroom.com/utah-wedding-planning/wedding-trends-for-2011-by-w-weddings/

WHITE

I've been thinking a lot this week about all-white weddings. I was skeptical at first but after thinking about it more I think an all-white wedding could be spectacular!

Stay tuned for more details on an all-white wedding.