Google and Weddings

If you haven't heard yet, Google Docs launched a wide range of tools to help brides and grooms plan their wedding. Considering I worked for Google before launching my own business, I was excited to check out each of the templates. There are over 20 to choose from. I think you will find some more useful than others. Below, I've highlighted a few that will save you time as well as a few that are great but should be used with caution:

Time Savers:

*Address Book: Often a bride sits down to address her invites only to realize that her address book is outdated. Google has created a form that you can send to your guests via email, and it will update your address book automatically. This tool can be a great start in getting your guests' information up-to-date. However, don't forget about your great aunt who may not use email or about those guests whose emails aren't current in your contacts list.

*Seating Chart: Sure, you can make a template yourself. However, Google has already coded one for you. The seating chart tends to change by the minute, right up to the reception. Using this tool will save you from the headache that can be created by constant changes in guest count.

*Choosing a Venue: After creating a budget, choosing a venue can be one of the most overwhelming tasks. Living in Southern California, there are so many great reception and ceremony sites available. Each one has something unique to offer, and each one spells out their costs differently. One might charge a rental fee, while another might incorporate rental costs into a 'per-person' fee. Laying all the information out in one place will help you see the bigger picture when making your final selection.

Things to Consider:

*Budget: Creating a budget is the absolute first thing you should do when planning your wedding. Doing so will save you time and money. However, with any template or form you use for planning, you need to remember that they are not one-size-fits-all. You must modify according to your needs. When you add estimated costs to your budget, don't just guess or use percentages. Instead, call around and get a feel for what your dollar can get you. I've had brides come to me and say that a template told them they would use x% of their budget on flowers. While a percent is a great place to start, it's often not realistic. Make sure the numbers you are using are realistic. $200 is not going to get you 5 bouquets and 5 boutonnieres, not to mention any other florals you might be interested in.

*Wedding Day Schedule: Again, modify to fit your needs and be realistic. This is one area I cannot emphasise the need for the expertise of a planner enough. Chances are, you've never planned a wedding before. It's really hard to guess how long makeup will take, or how long it will take your photographer to capture all your desired family photos. Having a schedule for the day is a must, but it is worthless if the allotted times aren't accurate.

Having An Open Mind

It seems like almost every bride these days is asking me how to save money. While it's important to keep quality at the forefront, having an open mind can save you a lot of money. When you go to a vendor, be prepared for them to inspire you. Tell them what you like, but if you are looking to cut costs let them suggest creative ways to develop your theme. For example, if you go to the florist only wanting lilies but you also want them to give you an amazing deal, don't hold your breath. Their hands are tied when it comes to price. But, if you go in desiring an elegant, white bouquet you may just be surprised what they can come up with for you.

Keep this philosophy in mind when talking to your baker, caterer, bar tenders and more. And especially, don't be afraid to share your visions with your wedding planner and let her come up with ways to implement your inspirations for less. For me, this is one of my favorite aspects of planning!

Selecting Stylish Bridesmaid Dresses

Today I'm going to get up on my soapbox and talk to you about bridesmaid dresses. Many a bride will tell her bridal party that she is going to select something that they will love, look great in, and want to wear again. If you as the bride are picking the dress, then it probably won't be something your bridal party will truly love, think they look great in, or want to wear again. Sorry, but everyone has their own taste. By no means does this mean the dresses you pick are bad. However, if you really do want your bridal party to love their dresses, feel great in them, and wear them again then you must let them do the picking.

You do not have to give your bridesmaids free reign. On the contrary, you don't want them looking like some cacophony of color and style. But, they also don't have to look like quadruplets (or twins... based on how many you are having in your bridal party). Pick a color scheme and a basic style. Go shopping with them. But let them pick the cut or shade that will best suit them.

Don't want to be bridezilla? Remember that your bridal party loves. However, this doesn't mean you have to make them wear matching, off the factory floor, dresses.

Note: Take this advice with a grain of salt. I too am guilty as charged. And yes, there are dress lines that you select that may look great. I'm just saying, letting your girls pick will make them the happiest of campers. Besides, you and the grooms are the ones everyone is looking at during the ceremony!

Let the dress shopping begin,

FYI: We Are On Twitter, Talking About Weddings

I joined Twitter awhile back, but I realized today that I never posted it here. (The new blog will have a link. Yay!) It was against my better judgement, and I have made a vow never to tweet things like 'Time for a bathroom break!' However, I cannot think of a better way to stay up-to-date with what's going on in the wedding industry. If you are a bride, Twitter is a great way to hear about new venues, great deals, and be inspired with great ideas. If you are in the industry, it's a great way to keep in touch with the fast, and never ending, changes. So, come hear us tweet our wedding advice. If you dare to be bold like we were ;-), step out and follow us on Twitter.

Happy Learning,

Taking a Step Back

No, don't worry. I am not stepping back from wedding and event planning. Actually, we've got lots of new and exciting things going on that you will be hearing about over the next several months. However, I do find that I do my best work and planning when I take time now and again to step back, breathe, and take a day to gain perspective. It's in these times that some of my best ideas come to me.

Brides and grooms, remember to apply this strategy in planning your wedding. It's so easy to get caught up in phone calls to florists, emails to the caterer, shopping only for wedding stuff... Make sure you take a day every now and again where you don't do a single wedding-related task. It's important for you and the sanity of those around you.

All I want for every bride and groom in their planning is to have a day that they and those around them enjoy. One where they can sit back and take in the full meaning of the day. If you don't do this from the start of planning, trust me, it will be difficult to do on your big day!

Wishing all of you the absolute best with your weddings,

Letterpress Save the Date Giveaway

Engagement season is starting up soon. However, if you are already engaged you may be thinking about save the dates. How about some free save the dates? What bride doesn't love a freebie? Invitations by Ajalon is doing a letterpress Save the Date giveaway through their blog. Here's the information they sent over:

Everyone's got a story to tell, and everyone likes to hear about the "Grand Proposal." Tell us how he proposed (or did you?) to enter our giveaway for 100 letterpress save the date cards, over a $300 value!

Set contains: 100 one-color, one-sided 5x7 letterpress save the date cards, and 110 blank envelopes printed with soy-based ink on 100% cotton Crane's Lettra stock.

The winner will be able to choose from most of our gallery designs, fonts, and our standard ink and paper colors. Here's a sampling of our nine most popular designs:

Contest will end October 31, 2009. The giveaway winner will be selected by a random number generator and notified by email on November 2, 2009. All entries will qualify for a free letterpress sample package, a $10 value.

So head on over to their blog and enter!

Best of luck to you all,

J. Crew Wedding Trunk Show

I wanted to alert everyone that the J. Crew wedding trunk show will be in Los Angeles, at the Grove, October 24th and 25th from 8-11am. They will be featuring their fall/winter 2009 and spring 2010 bridal gowns and wedding party collections. They are offering one-on-one appointments, so if you are interested I would get in touch with them ASAP. Personally, I think J. Crew is one of the few companies that offers bridesmaid dresses that truly can be worn again. Here's the rest of the info:

The Grove . 189 The Grove Drive . Los Angeles, CA . 323-939-1070 .

RSVP to Ashley@jcrew.com

Happy Shopping!

Simple Truths to Remember for your Wedding

While weddings are typically very complex, there are many simple truths to remember. Here are just a few of them:

1. The goal of the day is to get married. As long as the officiant, bride, groom, and witness show up, you will be married.
2. This is your day. Enjoy yourself.
3. Everyone is there to support you and cheer you on. Don't worry about impressing people.
4. Be yourself. That's who your spouse-to-be fell in love with.
5. Take time to take it all in. The day will pass you with the blink of an eye.

Getting the Most Out of Your Bridesmaid Bouquets, Centerpieces, and Floral Arrangements

When it comes time to figuring out florals for your wedding, don't forget that you can use your bridesmaids' bouquets and other flowers from the ceremony to decorate your reception. You can decorate the cake table, bar, or any other area that needs a little color.

To take it even further, consider using your reception centerpieces to decorate the ceremony. Maybe you would like to line the aisle with them or create a large display around the alter. If you're concerned about transport, know that it is often cheaper to have your florist handle it as compared to the costs of ordering more flowers.

Five Cheers for Fall Weddings

Fall is my favorite season for a lot of reasons: life seems to slow down, the air becomes crisp, the weather is beautiful, I can mix and match wardrobes, candy shows up in every corner of every store, and I get to pull out the pumpkin spice candles. When it comes to weddings, I'm declaring myself the new 'fall wedding' advocate. Consider these five cheers for fall weddings:

1. The weather is beautiful, especially in Southern California. You don't have to risk it being a scorcher, and rain isn't likely early on. P.S. While I can't control the weather, I have yet to have it rain during a wedding.


2. You will have a better chance of booking the quality vendors you want. Without a doubt, the vendors you book will have a huge impact on the outcome of your day. While there are still quite a few fall weddings, it's definitely not as busy as the summer.


3. Your guests will thank you because they will be less likely to have conflicting vacation plans, be invited to another wedding, or be in the middle of experiancing wedding overload.


4. Fall offers lots of natural elements that are cheep and easy to incorporate into your design. Think trees, leaves...


5. You will have all of the summer to finish planning your wedding and wrap up the details. A well planned bride experiances much less stress during the final countdown.

Welcome to fall,

When To Rehearse?

A wedding rehearsal is a must. You will have so much on your mind come the day of your wedding, it's important to make sure everyone knows what to do ahead of time. Truly, it shouldn't take more than an hour and that hour will have saved you from a huge snafu come the wedding day. Really, I'm not interested in ranting on about this one. Just take my word for it, you absolutely need to rehearse your ceremony with all parties in attendance.

Traditionally, rehearsals were always the night before the wedding. However, as of late more and more are having them two days in advance. There are pros and cons to each, so just make sure you take them all into consideration before picking the rehearsal date. Here are 3 important things to consider when choosing your rehearsal date:

• Some vendors (officiant, consultant, venue) will refuse to have a Friday rehearsal, so make sure to check with them ahead of time. Their Friday may be booked with another wedding.
• Rehearsing two days ahead gets it out of the way. This may give you more time to relax, but for some the longer wait until the wedding might cause anxiety. You know yourself well enough to decide which category you fall into.
• If you have your rehearsal two days in advance, your out of town participants might have to take extra time off of work and pay for an extra night of hotel. It takes a lot financially and physically to be a part of a wedding, so remember to be considerate of situations whenever possible.

Dollar Stores Can Equal Wedding Deals Without Sacrificing Taste

Let me be clear, a dollar store is not the place to buy most of your wedding supplies and decor. Some things you shouldn't buy for your wedding - no matter how tempting that $1 price is -include fake flowers, self-stick, giant, white bows, and tealights. The first two are self explanatory. I say 'no' to tealights from a dollar store because burn time is important. You don't want your candles to burn out long before the party is over.

Now that you have been properly warned, here are some great steals for every bride...

Love these garden hooks for ganging lanterns.

Flip flops for your guests on the dance floor really show you care.

There are always lots of signs to be made (menus, instructions, storyboards...). These little easels are a great way to display them.

If you're having a toss garter, might as well throw one that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

White tissue paper is great as an unseen filler in the bottom of baskets and other containers.

I encourage you to walk the whole store and see what you find to fit your needs. Just say no to tacky. Also, keep in mind that some things they sell are cheaper elsewhere. For example, I saw small bags of river rocks during my shopping trip. However, if you need a lot to fill a bunch of vases, buying them in bulk would be cheaper.

Happy deal hunting,

Wedding After Parties --A Few Facts

Last week, a bridesmaid-to-be asked me about after parties, because she was considering hosting one in honor of the bride and groom. Awe, what a sweet bridesmaid! As these continue to be a growing trend, here are a few fast facts for you:

• After parties are just that, parties that take place after the reception is over. Often, time restraints and noise restrictions mean the wedding reception cannot go on indefinitely. But, that doesn't mean the celebration has to end.


• An after party can be informal (no invitations necessary) and tends to include the 'younger' crowd of close college friends / the wedding party / anyone who might what to stay out and celebrate.


• You can book a room at a local club or hotel, or it can be as casual as just showing up at a bar. Word of warning if you aren't going to make a reservation, check in advance to make sure they will have room for everyone / that there isn't another party scheduled at that location.


• It's a great time to kick back and catch up with old friends and people from out of town. Any past bride will tell you, the reception goes very quickly --too quickly to get to chit chat with everyone at length.


• People can change out of their more formal attire, or everyone can head straight from the wedding. I say, you really never get a chance to wear that dress again so just wear it. Plus, it's fun to be out on the town as bride and groom. You never know who will offer you a congratulatory freebie.


• Pretty much anything goes, but be clear about who is paying. Sometimes each guest is responsible for their own drinks and sometimes the bride or groom's parents might arrange to pick up the tab. Just be sure everyone knows what is going on in advance, because somebody has to pay the bill at the end of the night.

Wishing you much joy and merriment on for your wedding and always!

A little reminder...

As I've been working on new things the thought that keeps popping up in my mind is that I never want perspective to be lost when it comes to what brides and grooms take from my site and what I put forth in my work...

Your wedding day is an amazing and important event. There is great seriousness and significance in committing to spend the rest of your life with the person you love in a way you will never love any other. Because of this significance, weddings tend to be the biggest party one will ever throw. Thus, in planning this huge celebration it is easy to get caught up in the little things and lose perspective. So today I strive and ask every bride, groom, family member, and member of the industry to remember to take moments to step back from it all and remember what is most important about a wedding day.

Cheers,

Personalized Wedding Vows

Writing your own vows doesn't mean you have to forgo traditional vows. It doesn't mean that you have to memorize something, come up with a poem, or have something deep to say. It does mean adding a personal touch to your ceremony. It's a chance for each of you to make a very personal pledge. You can write it out ahead of time and read it. There is nothing wrong with that. You can say what is on your heart in that very moment. Either way, I think it is something to really consider.

Often, there is so much attention put on the reception when the ceremony is the whole reason for the day. Without it, you wouldn't be married. So don't over think it, but consider saying a few of your own words on your wedding day.

A Quick Thought On Wedding Colors

There is nothing wrong with picking just one color as the base of your wedding design. This decision can lead to a very elegant and classic feel - just be careful! I came across a wedding last week where everything was purple and only purple - the bridesmaids' dresses and shoes, the flowers, the ribbon on the chairs, the canopy... everything. Just passing through the resort I thought of Oompa Loompas and the One-Eyed, One-Horned Flying Purple People Eater.

Throughout the wedding planning process, with each decision, take a breath and take a moment to step back and look at the big picture.

Summer Vacation Wedding Inspiration Part VI: Lighting and Natural Surroundings

Sadly, vacation has to come to an end at some point. However, the memories will live on for a lifetime. The same is true for your wedding day. It's over in the blink of an eye, but you will remember it forever.

Las Vegas is a city full of light; that is part of its charm. Don't forget to use various lighting aspects to add to the ambiance on your day...


It can be as simple as maximizing the light around you (i.e. planning your ceremony to end during sunset), or as complex as dramatic, color specific up-lighting.

Our hotel used this floor to ceiling chandelier to create a shower of diamonds in the lobby.

My absolute favorite use of light - candles. They are inexpensive and you can get very creative with them. Give me any wedding, and I'll give you unique ways to use candlelight for your specific affair.

Lastly, remember that your surroundings can be priceless. Keep this in mind when picking your venue or mapping our your design.

Take a moment, wherever you are in your wedding planning process, and let your mind wander. What do you like in life? In store window displays? In nature? Take what you love and incorporate that into your wedding. Anything is possible if you open up your mind to the inspiration around you!

Summer Vacation Wedding Inspiration Part V: It's All In the Details...

Second to last day of summer vacation blogging...

"It's all in the details..." This is a motto I live by. I find that it's the little details in life that often add up to make the biggest impact. In Vegas I found someone else who seems to have the same belief as I do - Donald Trump. The hubs and I were blessed to get to check out the new Trump International Hotel during our stay in Vegas. I've never been to a hotel that paid so much attention to the littlest of details...

The room was beautifully laid out, and the floor to ceiling windows added beautiful light and views.

This game board was such a cute touch. I wanted to put it in my suitcase to use for a wedding. Wouldn't it be perfect for your guest lounge area? Some of the simplest touches make a lasting impression.

Not only did they provide the most complete kitchenette I've ever seen in a non-suit, but inside the cupboards there were china plates and several kinds of glassware. Being prepared for a multitude of needs is always welcoming to your guests.

For some reason, this was one of my favorite features. The TV remote was stored in a leather box.

The typical hotel toiletries were taken to another level by placing a silver tray underneath. Small, simple, seemingly insignificant touches make a big impact.

Think of your wedding from start to finish. Where can you add in little, inexpensive, easy-to-do touches that will enhance the whole look and feel of your luxurious day?

Summer Vacation Wedding Inspiration Part IV: The Getaway Car

Having a send off at the end of your wedding reception is a trend that seems to come and go, but I think it should be here to stay. It's a great way to end such a wonderful celebration, and it can really be done with style. Gone are the days of birdseed...

This leads me to Vacation Part IV, The Getaway Car. As part of loving my husband, I agreed to tour the Imperial Palace Auto Collection. Of course, while we were there I got to thinking about wedding send offs, and all of the different styles you can choose from. If you're having a traditional garden reception, you may want to consider a horse and carriage. Getting married over the Pacific Ocean on a remote bluff? Maybe you could arrange for a helicopter out of there...

Ok, so maybe you want to stick to a car. Well, remember that limos aren't the only cars for hire out there. Especially in Southern California, brides and grooms can typically find an vehicle of their choosing for the day. Out of the museum I would have picked this one...

It's the Mini that Charlize Theron drove in the beginning of the movie Italian Job. Love it!

No matter what you choose, doing a send off is a great way to leave your mark on the end of a great event.

Yes, these are the burnout marks my husband left at our wedding. The race car driver in him couldn't resist. Kids: DO NOT try this at home.

Happy escaping to your honeymoon!

Next post, all about the details...

Summer Vacation Wedding Inspiration Part III: Wedding Themes

Vegas does themes like nobody else. Pretty much every hotel has a strong theme, and they all do it up to the max. Here are a few snapshots from the Bellagio at night:

All weddings have a theme as well, even if they weren't intended. It may revolve around color, location, or a passion. While it's a good idea to put some thought into choosing your theme, what matters more is how you execute your theme. Better yet, don't think of it as a theme for your wedding but more of an overall feel. The more you tie the elements of your celebration together - from the flowers, to the food, to the music - the better. However, it is easy to get caught up in the planning and overdo your theme.

To make it plain and simple, when it comes to your theme remember that the ultimate goal is balance. You want a purpose behind ever element, and you want to envelope everyone in the day. However, you don't want to scream tacky. Always ask yourself the following two questions before making a decision:

1. Does this element have a purpose behind it? Does it echo our personalities or tie into our day?

2. Am I making this decision just because it goes along with my theme? Do I really like this or is it a bit overboard?

I know it's a cliche, but if you take a few moments to stop and take it all in before making a decision you'll be much happier with the end result on your wedding day.