Practical Wedding Planning Advice About Florists

A successful working relationship with your wedding florist starts with determining your flower budget. You have to know what you can spend before you start picking out bouquets and centerpieces. Also think about what you really want from a florist. While most brides hire a floral designer to do all of the wedding arrangements, some brides DIY some of their decorations and only hire a florist for specific things. For instance, you might want to make your own centerpieces, but have the florist create the bouquets and boutonierres.

It is helpful to know what role you want a florist to play in your wedding planning before you start meeting with them. You may find that some are very flexible about providing a la carte services, while the big name floral designers may want to have creative control over the entire event. It is also smart to have at least a general sense of your wedding decorating style in mind before signing a contract.  While most can certainly create beautiful arrangements in a wide range of styles, it helps to have a florist who “gets” your sense of style. A florist who specializes in formal, elaborate centerpieces might not be the best one to decorate your whimsical reception or rustic casual wedding.

Come to your initial interview with a florist prepared with color swatches, pictures of bouquets and centerpieces that you like, and photos of your wedding venue. Be sure to let them know if you have any special requests, as that can affect the quote they give you for their services. Perhaps you want to have crystals added to your bouquet to match your crystal bridal jewelry or you would like to carry the same variety of orchid that your mother did. At the same time, it pays to be open to suggestions from the florist. They are the professionals, after all, and if they are advising against choosing a specific out-of-season flower or recommend switching out one variety for another to trim costs, they probably have a very good reason.

Something else that will enhance your working relationship with your florist is to expect professionalism, but not unrealistic perfection. Flowers are natural things, after all, and each one is unique. It is always possible that your roses might come in looking more peach than apricot or that a certain flower is suddenly unavailable at the last minute due to a weather issue. As long as the florist delivers gorgeous arrangements in the generally agreed upon style and color, it’s all good.

Are You a Daring Bride?

Once upon a time, brides were expected to look like demure little flowers…no matter what they were really like on the inside. In these days of extreme personalization, many of the traditional taboos have loosened or flown out the window altogether. Brides who want to make a splash can do so in any number of dramatic (and sometimes even shocking) ways. The question is…are you a daring bride?

Wedding fashion, bridal jewelry, and accessories are one of the areas which offer the most opportunity to really make a bold statement. Fashion forward brides can choose from all black wedding gowns, courtesy of Vera Wang, sheer bodices that cover only the bare essentials (we have Pnina Tornai to thank for that), miniskirts, outrageous feathery skirts, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. Brides who are not quite that daring can use their accessories to break with wedding conventions. They can wear opera length black gloves, ropes of pearl bridal jewelry layered over the wedding gown, or eschew a traditional veil in favor of a madcap fascinator. Still too non-traditional for your taste? Even the most conservative bride can take a chance on a fun pair of shoes like hot pink silk pumps or a pair of cowboy boots.

Wedding receptions these days have become spectacles, with some couples feeling like non-stop entertainment is a must. If you really want to push the envelope, do what some brides have done and hire a group of Brazilian dancers to shake their…costumes during the cocktail hour. Just be aware that the skimpy attire of the entertainers will raise more than a few eyebrows. Of course for some couples, that is the point! Other daring performances couples have featured at their receptions include go-go dancers (in cages, no less), modern art dancers, and sword eaters. While all of these things will certainly make your wedding unforgettable, so would great food, terrific music, and an open bar.

Another way that a bride can be daring is to have a non-traditional wedding ceremony. One of the most exciting ideas is to have a surprise wedding. Your guests think they are being invited to a birthday or cocktail party, but surprise! – it’s really your wedding. Just as they try to pick their jaws off the ground from the shock of it, the bride can glide down the aisle in a dramatic wedding gown fit for such a bold move. What a fun way to have a wedding that no one will ever forget. Just be sure to tell your mom in advance or she might disown you!

5 Essential Honeymoon Planning Tips

One: Check the Weather Before Booking Your Trip. Before you book your honeymoon, find out what the weather is usually like in your destination at the time of year in which you will be married. Hurricane season in the Atlantic happens to coincide with prime wedding season, so if a beach honeymoon is your dream, think Hawaii rather than the Cayman Islands.

Two: Check Your Documents. Plenty of people do not have passports, but you now need one to travel to any international destination, including Canada and Mexico. Applying for a passport can take a couple of months, so this is not something you can leave until the last minute!  You may also need a visa for travel to some countries. Check the US State Department’s website for specifics.

Three: Plan For Your Spending. It is a good idea to have some cash in whatever the local currency is where you will be going. Your best bet is to exchange your dollars for euros or pesos at your local bank before leaving town to avoid the fees and surcharges at hotel and airport currency exchange desks. If you plan to put your souvenirs on your credit card, call the issuing banks of all your accounts beforehand to find out which one has the lowest fees for international transactions.

Four: Pack Wisely. Even if you are just going to the beach, pack nice quality shorts and polo shirts rather than cut offs and ratty old t-shirts. It is nice to look good for your new spouse after all, and the locals where you honeymoon will appreciate the effort as well. If heading to Europe, bring stylish walking shoes (no white sneakers!), and skirts instead of shorts. Leave your expensive jewelry at home, and instead bring along your crystal bridal jewelry for dressing up in the evenings.

Five: Keep Memories Alive. A key piece of wedding advice is to hire a great photographer to capture your wedding day memories, but what about your honeymoon? Bring along a high quality digital camera with plenty of extra batteries so you can take lots of photos. Save tickets and programs for a honeymoon scrapbook, and if you like to write, keep a travel journal of your adventures. You will enjoy revisiting the memories of your perfect honeymoon year after year.

Fun Ideas For Active Honeymoons

In the springtime, you will have many great possibilities for a active honeymoon. The nice thing about spring is you can head for a warmer or colder climate to pursue your favorite type of sport. It is not too late to head up to Canada for spring skiing. In March and April, resorts in Colorado and Idaho can also still have some great skiing going on, although the Eastern resorts may be winding down. If you are tired of the cold, head south for your honeymoon. Spring golf is beautiful in places like Hilton Head, SC before the summer heat and humidity hit.

It would be marvelous to go on a sailing honeymoon. There are some great companies that will rent you the sailboat and crew. You can sail when you want to, and then let someone else captain the boat when you want a break.  Sail around the islands of the Caribbean, have picnics on private islands, and swim off the side of the boat. Another great active summer honeymoon is hiking in the mountains of the Appalachian Trail. Check out the northern end of the trail, such as the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The temperatures will be comfortable for hiking, and of course the scenery is breathtaking. Book a night or two in a romantic hotel like the Mt. Washington Inn so you can dress up in a pretty dress and your wedding jewelry for an intimate fancy dinner. It is your honeymoon, after all!

In the autumn, cycling, horseback riding, and hiking make great honeymoon trips for the sporty couple. It would be just wonderful to go on a cycling trip in the Great Smokies in the autumn when the leaves are starting to change. Check out areas like Asheville, NC and eastern Tennessee, which will have pleasant temperatures and beautiful scenery. The fall is also a good time to head out West. You could go horseback riding in the deserts of Arizona once the intense summer heat has subsided. Or stay at a dude ranch in Wyoming and ride every day. It would be a fun and unique vacation for the newlyweds who like to stay busy.

There are certainly many great honeymoon options in the winter months for active couples. It is the perfect time of year for outdoor winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, whether you are in the East or the West. Don’t overlook the charming ski resorts in the mountains of the Southeast, either, such as Wintergreen in Virginia. If downhill skiing isn’t your cup of tea, you can honeymoon at a romantic country inn in New England that offers great cross country skiing and snowshoeing trails. You can go out and enjoy the frosty air by day, and cuddle by a roaring fire in the evenings. Some inns even have guest rooms with fireplaces right in the room. Put on a special piece of your wedding jewelry and a sexy dress and enjoy a night in.

Help! My Sister Is Taking Over My Wedding!

Sometimes, there can be too much of a good thing. This is definitely true when it comes to wedding planning. While some help from family and friends is great, it becomes overwhelming when one person decides to designate herself as the unofficial wedding planner. Find out what to do when your sister tries to hijack your wedding.

The first step is to think about why your sister has decided to take over your big day. Does she see that you are swamped with work or school and she is trying to ease your burden? Does she know that you are struggling to get everything organized, or that you tend to have a hard time making choices? When your sister is trying to do you a favor, the key to getting her to back off is reassurance. Let her know how grateful you are for her help so far, and that you feel like she has gotten your planning off to such a great start that you can take it the rest of the way. Of course, if it is true that you have no time or agonize over every choice, maybe you could benefit from having some sisterly help, just on your own terms. The way to handle this is to let your sister know that you will be grateful if she can help you shop for unique bridesmaid jewelry or source the perfect table linens. She will feel useful, and you will be able to take back the reins.

Not every sister’s motivation is quite so pure. A lot of times, an older sister just thinks that she knows more than her baby sister about everything, and feels like it is her duty to be in charge. This is a sister who needs to be informed that you are all grown up now (you’ re old enough to get married, for goodness sake!), and that you can handle it. Sometimes sisters also don’t trust the taste of the other one, and feel like taking over the wedding planning is the only way to make sure that everything is done “right”. This is a sibling who needs to be delicately informed that while your tastes are different, your wedding will nonetheless be beautiful.

The green eyed monster is often the cause of an overbearing sister. It could be that she is jealous of your upcoming nuptials, and taking over the planning is her way of dealing with it.  She might also be worried about losing you to your husband, in which case, plenty of alone time together is important. Don’t make it all about the wedding, since that will only reinforce the idea that your lives are taking two different paths. Go out to lunch, go shoe shopping, take in a movie, or whatever else you used to do together before you became engaged.

Tips For DIY Wedding Catering

It can be very challenging to balance out having the wedding you want and the wedding you can actually afford, the one that looks as great as the events showcased in the wedding planning books.  With the general trend towards more casual food at weddings, many brides are now considering going the DIY route and catering their own weddings. Before you decide whether to hire someone or DIY your wedding catering, check out these important tips.

First and foremost, only do your own wedding food if you are having a small reception. Anything more than fifty guests is going to make it very, very difficult to pull off. The last thing you need to be doing on your wedding day is running around refilling platters or bowls. Nor does your mom want to get all dressed up in a new dress and elegant pearl wedding jewelry to spend the whole event serving food at the buffet. Worse yet is to let the food run out before your guests are done eating dinner. All the wedding planning books will tell you that is a huge wedding “don’t”.

For weddings that are small enough to cater yourself, there are some key things you should know. For one thing, you will not have enough time to cook from scratch for fifty people the day before your wedding! Buy as much as you can readymade from a store, and then add your own seasonings or extra ingredients to make it special. A warehouse club is ideal for this. You can get huge quantities of classic picnic food like potato salad, rolls, and fruit salad for a very reasonable cost. Transfer everything into attractive serving bowls to give it a homemade look.

Something very important to plan when catering your own wedding dinner is having people on hand to fill bowls, clear plates from tables, and so forth. Even if you bring in all of the food, you should still plan on hiring a few servers to keep everything running smoothly. Some caterers will allow you to hire their servers and rent their silverware, napkins, and plates for a reasonable fee. You can also hire college or culinary students to be in charge of the dinner, but keep in mind that by the time you pay for the rentals, it might not be any savings to hire the servers a la carte.

How to Plan a Wedding Even the Men Will Enjoy

Weddings tend to be super girly events, but if you think about it, probably half the people there will be men. Is it any wonder, then, that most guys groan at the idea of attending a wedding? With a little extra thought, it is entirely possible to plan a wedding that all of your guests will enjoy – even the men.

While every couple should feel free to plan a wedding that is as formal or casual as they like, the truth of the matter is that most men do not enjoy dressing up. Your female guests might find it a treat to have an excuse to shop for wedding jewelry and a fabulous new dress, but the men would be much happier wearing something that they already have in their closet. Consider a semi-formal afternoon wedding so the guys can wear jackets and trousers instead of suits or tuxedos. That way, they can take off their jackets and relax after the ceremony. As the bride, you will still get to splurge on a stylish bridal gown and special wedding jewelry, so everyone should be happy.

The next tip for designing a guy-friendly wedding is to have it at a less stuffy venue. Few men feel at ease in a grand ballroom or an historic mansion crowded with fragile antiques. They will feel much more relaxed at a wedding on a lawn, in a rustic barn, or at a casual country club. The nice thing about outdoor receptions is that you can take advantage of the new trend of having lawn games during the cocktail hour. Set up activities like cornhole (bean bag toss), horseshoes, and bocce ball so the men feel like they have something to do other than chatting over cocktails. Croquet is another great lawn game for a wedding reception, and it is one that the ladies will also really enjoy.

Many weddings feature lounge areas during the reception, but if you really want to make your event a hit with the men, think about setting up a man cave. Arrange comfy leather sofas and club chairs in a corner of the reception site. Have a special bar offering “manly” after dinner drinks like bourbon. If the man cave will be outdoors, you can even set up a custom cigar rolling station if you like. Just be careful not to make it such a comfy place that the men will never leave. This means no televisions and no video game stations, no matter how hard your groom tries to talk you into them!

Get a Jump on Planning Your Spring 2012 Wedding

If you are a spring bride, it is time to get your wedding planning underway! There are many exciting decisions to make about your wedding. Get a jump on planning your spring 2012 wedding by learning about some of the top new trends for the season.

Choosing your wedding colors is always a good place to begin. Many wedding planning books advise that it is the first thing to do before picking your flowers, bridesmaid dresses and jewelry, reception decor, and so on. Sweet pastels like ballet pink are always in style for spring weddings, but if you want to try something a little bolder, consider teal. The greenish blue color is going to be one of the number one trends for spring 2012 weddings, and will definitely be fun for a spring celebration. To give it a sunny, springtime flavor, pair teal with cheerful yellow accents. Or for a more sophisticated style, mix tan and emerald green with the teal hue. Beautiful!

The one thing that most brides cannot wait to do is pick their wedding dress. If you are getting married in the spring, this is definitely the time to make your selection. A great new trend for spring 2012 wedding dresses is the two tier gown. Choose a chic slim A-line style with a draped upper tier for a fashion-forward look, or a floating top tier for a more romantic effect. Two tier bridal gowns are just coming into style, so you will be on the leading edge of a hot new trend. All of the wedding planning books say to wait on picking the bridesmaid dresses and bridesmaid jewelry sets until after the bride’s gown has been ordered. This is particularly sage advise if you are considering a gown with a unique silhouette like a two tier dress.

Of course every wedding needs a marvelous wedding cake. The cupcake thing no longer feels original, so consider moving towards a classic tiered cake instead. If you just don’t care for the tall cake, create a display of several single tier cakes instead. It is such a pretty look, especially if you showcase them on a collection of vintage style cake stands. A group of elegant white cake stands with decorative cutwork is perfect for a sweet pastel spring wedding, while a colorful assortment of glass cake stands is terrific for a wedding with brighter colors.

The Difference Between Wedding Planners, Architects, and Directors

The wedding planner is the type of person most of us think of when we hear about a professional event planner. This is the person who coordinates every single detail of a wedding from beginning to end. They will handle the big stuff like negotiating vendor contracts and creating a design scheme, as well as all the small details like shopping for bridesmaid jewelry and calligraphy for placecards. The full service wedding planner may also go by the job descriptions wedding coordinator or wedding producer. Expect this type of planner to put about 80 – 250 hours into the wedding.

A full time wedding planner is best for couples who do not have time to plan their own wedding, either due to busy careers or a short lead time. They are also useful for brides who are not detail oriented, or those planning complicated weddings (such as an affair for 300 guests in Tuscany). They are very beneficial for anyone having their wedding in a blank canvas type of venue like a loft or a tent in their backyard. Hire a full time coordinator if you want someone you can rely on to handle everything wedding related from the very beginning until the last guest has left at the end of your reception.

A newer version of wedding planner is the wedding designer, stylist, or architect. This person does not oversee every single detail of your event, but rather focuses on the decor and theme. Expect a stylist to put up to 40 hours into your event. They will design a concept and color palette for your wedding, create the centerpiece designs, hire the lighting specialists, and track down unique props. On the morning of the wedding, the designer will supervise the vendors to make sure that the design is executed perfectly. A stylist is great if you have a vision of an amazing reception, but do not know how to put it all together. They are also fantastic if you know you want your wedding to look special and unique, but lack ideas on decor.

The day of wedding planner (who may also be known as a day of wedding coordinator or a wedding director) actually starts a little bit before the big day.  The day of planner will touch base with the vendors you have already hired, and also go over details with you to make sure nothing has been forgotten. The primary job of a wedding director is to orchestrate the actual wedding day. He or she will organize the rehearsal the day before, and then supervise vendors and the wedding party on the day of the event. The average wedding director puts at least 25 hours of work into each event. They are ideal for the couple who does not need or cannot afford a full time coordinator, but wants to be able to relax on their wedding day, knowing that they are in good hands.

Advice on Shopping For an Antique Engagement Ring

Anything vintage style is very much in demand these days. This passion for the past extends to jewelry, whether it is vintage inspired bridal jewelry for real antique diamond engagement rings. There are some particular things one should know when looking at antique jewelry. This is the advice you need to know on shopping for an antique engagement ring.

The most sought after antique engagement rings are those from the Art Deco period (roughly the 1920s through the early 1930s). Women love the filigree details and cut work that characterize the design of the era. Edwardian era diamond rings are also popular. The vast majority of Art Deco rings will be made in a white metal. It is important to realize that not all white metal is platinum. 14kt or 18kt white gold was also used in the time period. Platinum is more durable than white gold, which can be a factor when you are considering jewelry with a lot of fine, delicate detailing. Platinum also has the advantage of being a brighter white color as well as hypoallergenic. The chief appeal of white gold is that it is less expensive. These are all factors to weigh when looking at rings.

One thing to realize when evaluating a vintage ring is that many will have diamonds which are cut differently than what you see in new rings today. Many of the Art Deco rings will have European or Old Mine cut diamonds; while round, they are not the same cut as a modern round brilliant. European and Old Mine cut gems tend to have a softer sparkle than modern cuts. Just like a modern cut diamond, an older cut gem can be appraised for its color, clarity, and value.

Due to its age, you will want to carefully inspect an antique engagement ring before purchasing. Look at the shank (the back of the band) to see if it has worn thin. A thin shank does not necessarily mean that the ring is not a good choice, but it may need to be repaired. Look under a microscope at the setting of the diamond, which may need to have its prongs re-tipped. Also be alert to any previously done repairs. While it is acceptable that a vintage piece has been repaired, it should not be obvious.  A nice thing about many of the Art Deco designs is that they are plain in the back of the ring, which means they can be re-sized to fit your fiancee’s finger. Her one-of-a-kind ring will be sure to take her breath away!