Let Your Wedding Day Tell The Story Of Your Love

When it comes to planning your wedding, there are many ways that you can incorporate special moments and details of your relationship that tell the story of your love. Sharing the story of your love on your wedding day will give your guests a personal reflection on the life you have been building together, and the new life you are about the create.

Get Your Creative Cap On

• Location where you met
• Places you traveled together
• Favorite vacation spot
• Special hobbies & interests
• Favorite foods, treats, or restaurant
  

How To Share Your Story

Overall Decor Of Your Wedding
Some couples center all the decor for their wedding after a specific theme. For example, if the two of you met in Hawaii or love to travel there, you may choose to have a hawaiian or tropical themed wedding. Or, another bride and groom may love to travel to Napa Valley and will center all their decor around a Tuscan feel.

Printed Materials
A more subtle way to express different parts of your love story is in all your printed items. A small symbol such as a palm tree, vine of grapes, seashell, or hibiscus flower can create a continuing theme throughout your wedding. Printed materials can include: invitations, menus, programs, place cards, and table numbers.

Cocktail Hour
Sharing a part of your story can be centralized to just your cocktail hour. That way, you don't have to share the theme throughout the whole wedding. For example, if you don't want to have a tropical themed wedding, you may just choose to have a tropical cocktail hour that will serve custom drinks and appetizers that reflect your love story.

Favors
Giving your guests a favor to take home is a great way to share something that reflects you as a couple. Your guests will be able to take something home that symbolizes you as a couple. You can choice something that matches the theme of the wedding, such as a wine stopper or something that the two of you share a love for, such as cupcakes or fresh baked cookies.

Pictures
Sharing pictures of you as a couple at your wedding will always keep your guests entertained. Whether it's framed pictures where your guests arrive or pick up there place cards, or a video slide show that is presented at the reception, your guests will be sure to feel your love as they see how you live your story. These pictures may even be of the two of you in different stages of your relationship or experiences you have shared.

It's Not Too Late to Decorate your Home for the Holidays Like a Pro

It's less than two weeks until Christmas and you still haven't hung a single stocking? No worries. Take it from me, you've got plenty of time to whip up holiday spirit that even the Griswold's would envy!

• Christmas Tree: Unless you've got kids this is not a must-have item but if you decide to go for it, you've got plenty of time to pick up a fresh one. Another option is to purchase a fake tree. This is a great alternative for the earth-conscious and it will last for years and years. Plus, next year you'll be better prepared. Some fake trees even come pre-decorated. Now that is a time-saver!


• Wreaths: I could create a wreath in my sleep! This time of year my little elves and I are very busy making wreaths. If you have time this weekend, it's a great project to do as a family. I recommend you start with a premade round wreath (real or fake) to save time. Which ever you decide, get some pretty ribbon, lightweight ornaments or small framed pictures of your family, a hot glue gun and create! There is no right or wrong way to do this as long as it stays together.


• Where to Focus: Front door, fireplace mantle, dining table and staircase. Incorporate Christmas greens, berries, juniper and holly throughout with ribbons, candles, vases and lights (I recommend you buy all new strings of lights each year and never plug more than five into one socket.)


• Dress up a wall or table top with the holiday cards you've received and you're done!

That's it! Try one or all of these ideas this weekend and your holiday cheer meter should improve tremendously. And remember that just because it's almost Christmas, you'll keep your decor up through the New Year so you're really not that late. Happy holidays!

How to Plan the Perfect Destination Wedding: It's Easier than you Think!

Destination weddings are extremely popular with couples seeking to create unique non-traditional ceremony. Couples have their choice of beautiful cities, resorts, beaches, canyons, mountains, waterways, and deserts. Aside from location, there are still many other details to attend to. Below are a few suggestions to consider when planning a destination wedding.

Choosing A Location: Couples should choose a location that means something to them. This could be the beach where they met, the ski resort where he proposed, a resort featured in a favorite movie, or a covered bridge where their parents grew up. An emotional attachment adds to the significance of the event and can be incorporated into the ceremony and reception thereby creating lasting memories that touch you and your guests.

Visit The Location In Advance: This is perhaps the most important step, yet the most overlooked. By visiting the site, couples get a visual of the space during the planning process. It could be disastrous to arrive the week of the event only to discover the pictures received were not very accurate. Inquire with sales staff about a familiarity trip. Most resorts encourage site visits prior to booking and many offer discounted or complimentary accommodations.

Décor: Remember that location can be part of the décor. This is another great argument for a pre-event visit. Incorporating local themes can be very beautiful as well as timesaving and cost-effective, particularly if the couple is on a budget. For example, if the resort is on lush, tropical grounds perhaps the indigenous flowers and plants can line a natural aisle or frame the perfect spot to exchange vows.

Travel Consideration: Couples who invite guests to their destination wedding must be considerate of their guests. Springing a destination wedding on guests at the last minute may lead to a lower attendance than hoped or guests who feel financially strapped being there. Give friends and family plenty of time to plan their trip and, if possible, offer tips and resources that will assist them with planning. In many cases resorts, hotels, and even airlines will offer special group rates for guests. Be sure to pass that information along to loved ones in your ‘Save The Date’ notice.

Use Local Flowers: It doesn’t get better than this. Chances are the destination location a couple has chosen is rich with local color. Take advantage of the local flowers and vendors to save on shipping. This will cut costs and add local flare to the event. For example, in Hawaii stick to the large assortment of tropical varieties and in Puerto Vallarta - definitely go for roses.

Hire A Wedding Coordinator: When at all possible, hire a wedding coordinator to manage the destination wedding. An expert coordinator is an asset for any wedding and particularly helpful for an out of town event. There are so many little details that go into planning a destination wedding that a couple may not realize and will likely not want to deal with on their wedding day. These details include gift bags at guest arrival, whether the property provides tables and linens in the sizes needed, presence of other hotel guests in or around the ceremony, bar and catering budgets, etc. By all means, let a professional help!

Weddings are very personal events and they should reflect the love and spirit shared by the bride and groom. Take the time to work together, plan wisely, be considerate of guest travel, and consult experts. Follow these simple steps and a destination wedding can be gorgeous, affordable, and manageable.

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Beautiful Wedding Flowers on Any Budget!

The first thing most brides discuss with their wedding florist is budget, which is often followed by frustration and hopelessness because of comparisons with other people’s budgets and weddings. But don’t despair; it is possible to create a fabulous wedding look without a movie star budget.
The first step is to be realistic with the budget given. For example, one bride might have $10,000 for a 100 guest wedding, while another bride has $10,000 for a 300 guest wedding. One might assume that the 300-guest event would not look as fabulous as the 100-guest event. This is absolutely not the case. If the bride is willing to concentrate the money in places that give the most ‘bang for the buck’, her florist can create a gorgeous affair she and her special guests will love. The key is to maximize focal points and minimize the less memorable areas.

A bridal bouquet is an important and very personal choice for each bride and one that deserves to be high on the list. However, when it comes to other details, there are several ways to stretch the budget by using common sense. Here are some important factors to consider:

Centerpieces: This is one of two locations that will garner the most ‘stares’ from guests. Friends and family will be seated around this arrangement for several hours, with some hoping to take it home. Brides should consider devoting more of the budget to centerpieces.

Ceremonial Structure: Whether vows are exchanged in a church, temple, hall, or outdoors under a gazebo, guests will be focused on the happy couple in this surrounding. This, too, will be immortalized in photographs and should be dynamic.

Bridesmaid Bouquet: This is an excellent opportunity to trim the budget in an area that is less likely to be remembered. A smaller, tasteful arrangement also looks great in photographs without taking attention away from the bride.

Gift Table: The gift table is for gifts. Most guests will not notice whether a centerpiece was present at all. This is a ‘drop-off’ area seen briefly as guests find their way to the bar. Minimal is best when it comes to this particular area. If all goes well the arrangement will ultimately be overshadowed by gifts.

Powder Room: There is no need for a formal arrangement in the ladies room. Although an important detail, it can be done minimally and still look great. For example, lay petals around a fragrant, votive candle for a nominal charge rather than a full floral arrangement.

Any bride will agree that $10,000 is a great deal of money to spend on flowers. But whether your budget is $3,000 or $10,000, when the money is spent wisely, brides can achieve a gorgeous look that is sure to be remembered. It is important to pay attention to details, however, remember to keep them in perspective. A great wedding florist can help determine where to concentrate the bulk of your budget and where to scale back.

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