Don’t plan any big activities that will require a lot of energy on the first day or two of your honeymoon. Planning a wedding takes a lot of work and you will be exhausted afterwards, whether you feel it now or not. Plan to rest for a while before doing a lot of sight-seeing.
Quick Tip June 10, 2009
Create a signature drink for the occasion. Consider your wedding color, theme, location, your personalities and put those elements into the drink. By offering only this drink along with non-alcoholic alternatives, you can limit your guests’ drinking. You also have the option of offering only your signature drink at the cocktail hour and having a bar at the reception if this is not a concern. Make it special and give it a fun name.
Quick Tip May 27, 2009
Be prepared for your guests according to your situation and environment. If your wedding is in June in Phoenix, hand out water bottles with the programs. If your guests will be expected to walk a ways between ceremony and reception, offer a shuttle, golf cart or some mode of transportation to help the elderly and those with small children.
Quick Tip: Flowers April 21, 2009
If you or a family member is allergic to flowers, there are other ways to have beautiful bouquets and boutonnieres and you won’t have to throw out flowers afterwards. Try a button bouquet and bout.
Or how about shells for a beach wedding?
Image from www.trulyengaging.com
Or, maybe silk flowers, from Hannah’s Roses.
It’s fun to be creative and unique. You don’t have to be traditional if you don’t want to.
Quick Tip April 8, 2009
Send out all your save-the-dates at the same time and all your invitations at the same time. People talk and, when they start hearing that the invitations went out, they’ll wonder why they haven’t gotten one yet. Better to another day or two to send them all out while you find out that one last address.
Quick Tip: Organize Your Contacts March 30, 2009
Create a spreadsheet that lists all of the contacts invited to the wedding, in alphabetical order by last name. Include everyone invited–even family. Provide a space for each contact to be checked off when the invite is mailed (preferably at the same time), a space for RSVP, for preferred meal if there is an option, address and phone number, whether they will have young children with them, any food or flower allergies and any other pertinent information you can think of. Use this spreadsheet to give your caterer the final count and special orders (don’t forget vendor meals for those who will be there the whole time like the photographer and DJ), to give the rental company a number for chairs and tables, etc. You can also include a space for gift received and what the gift was, then thank you note mailed. This way there are no forgotten thank you’s and it’s easier to keep track of gifts.
Bonus Tip: Thank you notes are generally expected by three months following the wedding, but the sooner the better. Start with monetary gifts first so that the giver isn’t worrying about whether you got it.
Quick Tip: Delegate March 25, 2009
Hand out little jobs throughout the planning process to give yourself a little break. Your bridesmaids are there for this and there are usually many other friends and family who would love to be a part of the preparation. When people offer, make a note of that so you can call them when something comes up. Don’t be afraid to let go of the little things.
Quick Tip March 18, 2009
When creating your budget, leave room for a 10% contingency. In other words, set your budget to be lower than you initially had planned or be prepared to spend more than you planned. Brides almost always spend more than they intended. You can still do your best to stay in budget, but with a contingency, you have a little cushion in case that venue is just a little pricier than you thought.
Quick Tip March 10, 2009
Remember to put maps and directions both in the invitation and the gift baskets left for out-of-town guests in their rooms. Also consider providing transportation, or making suggestions as to the most convenient options.
Quick Tip February 20, 2009
If you are getting your make-up done professionally, be sure to take your lipstick or gloss with you when you leave. You’ll be doing touch-ups all day. Your maid of honor is a good person to hold on to that for you.
Also, have diaper pins on hand for when (not if) your bustle breaks. Fabric is very heavy and diaper pins will hold better than plain ol’ safety pins.
