The Wedding DVD

Not too long ago my husband and I pulled out our wedding DVD. While we've only watched it a few times, I am so glad we have it!

When you are planning your wedding you have to decide what you are going to pay for and what you are going to leave out. In all reality, the only things you have to have are the bride, the groom, an officiant, and a witness. After that, you have to pick and choose what is important to you. The videographer is one that always comes into consideration when going through the vendor list. Most go back and forth on whether or not to hire one. However, if you do I promise you won't be sorry.

There are some amazing videographers out there these days. Your wedding and your beautiful love story can be turned into a movie. Really the options are endless, and if it is important to you then you should go for it. However, even if you feel that there isn't any room in the budget I beg you to borrow a camera and have a friend document everything (or pay a starving college student for a few hours of her time). You plan and plan your wedding day, and then it is over in an instant. It's hard to take it all in. You really can't capture every moment of it. But, with it all recorded you will be able to go back and take it all in. Plus, when you have grandkids who don't even know what a DVD player is, you'll be able to pull yours out of the closet and share the joyous day that started your poetic marriage.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday everyone! Whether you are planning a wedding, making cake for a a birthday party, or hard at work, take some time to enjoy the fact that it's Friday. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! Enjoy!

Congratulations Briyana and Brent

Brie and Brent were married May 31st in a beautiful church ceremony. The reception took place at a local country club with stunning views out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Throughout the day the importance of family was apparent, and it was beautiful to see these two come together as they start their lives as Mister and Misses. Congratulations Brie and Brent. May the years to come bring you much joy!

Special thanks to Diana Lott for the photos. For more great pics check out her blog, http://www.dianamlottphotography.com/blog/.

Off to live happily ever after...

Too Much Planning--It's Possible

Ok, so I know that this is contradictory to my last post. I cannot stress how important the details are, and this post isn't about ignoring the details. However, it is possible to get so wrapped up in every little thing that you miss the bigger picture of it all.

Let's take wedding planning as an example. First off, this day is about publicly committing yourself to one person for all of time. In the bigger scheme of things, nothing else really matters. It is easy to forget that you are having a wedding to say 'I love this person, and I choose them.' Thus, it is important to keep things in perspective. That being said, I'm not saying that it isn't important to have a celebration that reflects your love and your lives. This is a big deal.

Another way you can over plan is by trying to come up with a 'creative' idea for everything. Think of the movie, 27 Dresses. Think 'theme' wedding. This doesn't mean that you can't have a beach theme or any other theme. It just means, don't go overboard. You don't have to tie every last detail down to one thing. You and your fiance are probably well-rounded people. Thus, you should bring that into play in the planning. Everything in moderation.

The biggest thing to take away here is that when you are feeling the planning stress, as all brides and grooms do, take a moment to stand back and look at the big picture. Take time to go out on a date with each other, and don't do or talk about anything wedding related. Step back and enjoy this moment. It is one that is to be treasured.

Lastly, use the resources around you. Many people are excited about your wedding and want to help. Delegate tasks where possible, and seriously consider hiring a coordinator. Planning a wedding is a lot of work. Have fun, and enjoy your joyous occasion!

Details, Details

Sometimes those planning an event think that they should focus on the big picture and all of the little things will fall into place. While it is important to step back and look at the planning as a whole, don't underestimate the importance of the little things. It's the details that make all the difference. What's going to make your event unique and stand out in the mind of your guests? Well, the list of things you can do is endless. Watch for future entries with more details about some of the details. ;-) However, to get your wheels turning now, here are a few things you may want to keep in mind:

• Are you incorporating anything into you event to make it personal? On the day I married the one I love we gave our guests truffles because we love chocolate so much. Also, our cake was chocolate with peanut butter filling--our favorite combination.
• Have you added a little touch to your invitation to make it memorable and not just something that will blend in with the bills?
• On the day of your event, don't forget things like matches or a lighter for candles, a knife and server for your dessert, and any special music you want played.
• Think about making out of town bags for your guests who have traveled to your shindig. Yes, you are paying a lot to host, but your guests have also invested a lot of time and money. You don't have to spend a lot of $ on the bags. Include a personal note of gratitude and some goodies such as water, locally made snacks, and a list of your favorite local places.

Thinking about these details in advance will make it so much easier for you to enjoy your celebration.