Wedding Day Assistance

It's your Big Day! The day you've been dreaming of for so long is finally here! And you should be enjoying every moment of this magical day, not running around with a to-do list.

Unless you've hired a professional wedding planner to help you with all of the details of your wedding, you really should consider accepting help from those friends and family who offer to assist you.

No matter how much planning you do, there will always be details that require attention on the day of the wedding. And honestly, as the star of this long awaited event, you have more important things to do than chase down missing boutonnières.

We know the close friends and family in your wedding party will be there, but I’m sure there are others who would be glad to assist you in any way they can. If someone offers, and you think they are serious about the offer, you can certainly use their assistance. And people who are involved in helping tend to have a wonderful time as a participant rather than an observer. Think of these folks as your back up plan for details prior to the wedding day as well as the big day.

These are not “make work jobs”. These are details that you really don’t need to handle yourself. You just need to have someone on the spot to make sure they happen as planned.

Ask someone you trust to be your personal assistant for your pre-ceremony details. A close friend or family member should be available to help the bride and her attendants dress. She will handle any emergencies and help arrange trains and flowers for photos.

Likewise, a male friend or uncle would be a big help to the men in the wedding party, making sure that ties are straight, cuff links and shirt studs are worn appropriately and boutonnieres are pinned on in a uniform manner.

You should have a point person who will quietly leave the ceremony after your vows and arrive at the reception site well in advance of the guests just to make sure that everything is as ordered. That person can serve to welcome early arriving guests and direct them to the reception area, until your parents (the official hosts) are able to arrive.

You will also need someone to stay behind at the wedding ceremony site and make sure that any personal items left in the bride’s room are collected and brought to the reception site. This person can also be responsible for moving flowers to the reception site if that is part of your plan.

If the groom drove his car to the ceremony site and will join the bride in the limousine after the ceremony, he will need someone to drive his car to the reception site.

Our wedding consultants can help you with plans for a smooth and seamless day.

Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your website? You can as long as you use this complete statement: Certified Wedding Specialist Dorna Love publishes the Love Wedding Planning monthly e-zine. For more wedding planning tips visit her website at www.plannedwithlove.com and get your F*R*E*E report "10 Simple Ways to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Going Broke" 

Wedding Planners Can Handle A Lot

But there are some things that should be handled by the bride or her family.

At Love Wedding Planning, we help our brides pull their vision of their wedding together.  We help them screen and hire local vendors. We see that everything goes as planned from your processional to your get-away.  We can also help you save money and stretch a wedding budget from here to tomorrow, but some things the bride and her family must control.

• Manage who sits where.  Our wedding planners will assist you with your seating arrangements, but only you know the complex family arrangements and relationships that govern who sits where and why.You need to decide on those seating arrangements and just let your planner know your decision.  She can be a compassionate ear if you wish to talk through your decisions, but you need to make that final choice.
• Your budget is your budget.  You know how much you can afford to spend.  Be honest with your planner and let him/her help you have a fabulous wedding within those budget guidelines.
• Select the wedding party.  Nobody but you can decide who matters in your life enough to be selected as a member of the wedding party.  No one else can make that call for you.
• Choose your music.  Wedding planners can offer a wide range of music choices for your ceremony and reception.  But only you can make the final choice of what matters to you, what touches you, what are your favorites.
• Write your own vows.  Wedding planners can offer many options and ideas to get you started, but this highly personal statement of what you and your future husband mean to each other is way beyond your planner's arena. Think how hurt you’d be if you found out that someone else wrote your groom’s vows for him.  If in doubt, use the accepted/standard vows from your church or officiant.
• Write your own thank you notes.  No exceptions!

Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your website? You can as long as you use this complete statement: Certified Wedding Specialist Dorna Love publishes the Love Wedding Planning monthly e-zine. For more wedding planning tips visit her website at www.plannedwithlove.com and get your F*R*E*E report "10 Simple Ways to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Going Broke"

Some Romantic Inspiration for Valentine's Day

Romantic Pink Wedding by bridelady on Polyvore.com

Gray Heart Themed Wedding by bridelady featuring chiffon bridesmaid dresses

You’re engaged to be married! Now it’s time to celebrate!

Who should host the party to share the happy news?

Planning the party is usually left to the bride and her parents. But if your parents aren’t able or available to do so, other relatives and/or friends may give the party.

If possible, it’s usually held at a time to coincide with the newspaper announcement.

Any type of gathering  -a cocktail party, buffet, brunch or barbecue is  appropriate.You may also wish to have a sit down dinner and serve food that reflects your heritage. An international hors d’oeuvres, wine and cheese party or an elegant candlelight dessert party - all have appeal. If it’s a wintertime affair, have a Sunday afternoon open house and serve hearty Irish stew, chili or thick soup along with a variety of breads.


During the party your father may propose a toast to the two of you. Remain seated and do not raise your glass to drink. Your fiancé then rises and proposes a toast to you and your parents. After that, you toast the groom to be, your parents and the assembled guests.

Be sure to invite everyone to the wedding who has been invited to the engagement party.

While engagement party gifts are not necessary nor are they expected, be aware that some guests may choose to give an appropriate gift for the occasion. You will of course, send a prompt and sincere thank you.

Let the celebration begin!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. And if you're having it in New England in the winter, it may be one of the coldest. Don't let your "something blue" be you in your beautiful strapless gown. An elegant little cover up will help to keep the chill off your shoulders.

• Jacket - The wedding jacket can be made out of satin, lace, faux fur, or anything that would best complement your wedding dress. Having a removable jacket is also a way to indulge in the trend of changing your outfit from ceremony to reception without the added expense of purchasing another gown.                             

DEMETRIOS - SENSUALLE

Style No. GR155

DESTINATIONS BY MON CHERI

Style No. 29128

JASMINE COLLECTION

Style No. F173

• Shrug/bolero - A shrug or bolero is a short jacket that basically covers the shoulder area. Like a jacket, it can give your dress that touch of style that makes your look uniquely yours.

These will not only benefit the cold weather brides, but also those who need to meet certain modesty requirements for their ceremonies. (If you need to cover your arms and shoulders for religious purposes, consult with your officiant on what is allowed.)

And if you're looking for outerwear to get from the car to the building, you might choose a velvet or faux fur-trimmed cape or capelet for a little glamour. With your cozy cover up on hand, you'll be snug and happy! An elegant cover up is one more way to add style and personality to your wedding day look.

Bridal Show Tips

It's that time of year! It's bridal show season and we have a few suggestions for getting the most out of them.

1. Register before the show. Admission is usually discounted or free when you do this.

2. What to bring. Bring a notebook and pen to take notes, a camera, a calendar for setting up appointments, your wedding color swatches, a very large bag for carrying all the literature and freebies you collect, a list of questions you want to ask vendors, and printed peel-off labels with your name, address, email, and wedding date to use when signing up for mailing lists or registering for prizes.

3. Wear comfy shoes. You'll be doing a lot of walking and you don't want blisters!

4. Make a list of vendors you still need, and when you get to the show, visit them first.

5. Make a note of the vendors you're interested in and jot down price quotes and tips they offer. By the time you get home, you won't remember which vendor told you what.

6. Bring a friend or two. They can help you carry all the literature you'll be collecting and they can offer an objective third party opinion on things.

7. Gather as much literature as you can. What you may not be interested in now, you may be interested in later.

8. Check fashion show times so you can get there early and get good seats. However, if you already have your gown, you may want to skip the fashion show and visit with vendors. The crowds at the booths are usually smaller during the fashion show, and vendors will be happy to speak with you.

9. Don't feel pressured to sign a contract at the show. Shows are usually very crowded and noisy, and if you don't have the opportunity to talk to the vendors in depth, how will you know if they're right for you? It's better to set up an appointment with them at the show to meet with them at a later date.

10. You'll be getting a lot of information sent to you after the show. Consider setting up a wedding only email address and when the wedding is over, simply cancel it.

11. When filling out forms, (if you don't bring peel-off labels), be sure to print clearly. You don't want to miss out on hearing from a vendor you're interested in or miss out on a door prize because they couldn't read your handwriting!

12. Don't bring small children to the show. They will get tired (and most likely bored) and keep you from your mission of finding vendors for your wedding.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful. If you have any other bridal show tips you'd like to share, please let us know!

RSVPs

It's always amazing to me when seemingly well-educated people don’t get why they should RSVP when the invitation clearly requests it.

Knowing the total number of expected guests is critical at weddings and other large events because of the costs and deadlines involved in meal planning and preparation.  But even for smaller social events, I regret the fact that people either don’t know what RSVP means or worse, choose to ignore it.

Here are some social “rules” to keep in mind. 

1. As Emily Post says, “No one is obligated to accept an invitation or to explain their reasons for not accepting.  However, when someone is kind enough to extend an invitation, one should be just as kind and reply to the invitation.”  Unfortunately, this is not always done.

2. Ask for help.  If you have invited someone to your wedding and have included a reply card with a return by requested date and you still haven’t heard back, the best solution is to press bridesmaids or family relatives into helping you contact all those persons who have yet to reply.  If a phone call is in order, helpers can say something like this:  “Hi _______, this is _________.  I’m calling to make sure that you have received the invitation to __________’s wedding.  The bride hasn’t heard from you yet and needs to know if you plan to attend.  The count needs to be in by ________. Everyone is looking forward to seeing you.”  If you are leaving a voice mail message, add “ Please call me back at ________”. 

3.  Respond in the same manner that the invitation was issued. If an invitation to an event has come via 

     e-mail then an e-mail response is in order.

4. Reply as soon as possible.  Don’t put the invitation in the “to do” pile unless you need to ask the availability of the other person whose name may be on the invitation with yours.

5. Keep replies brief.  You don’t need to go into great detail about why you can’t attend.

6. If a reply is not requested, it is not necessary to respond.  However, it is nice to acknowledge the invitation and let the host know when you cannot attend.