That glorious new ring on your finger means you’ve officially entered the wedding events planning stages. The very first event is your engagement party, and we’ve got the top 5 things you need to know for your post-proposal soiree.
Determine if you will host, or have someone else host it. Traditionally, it was the bride’s parents who hosted, but nowadays anything goes.
Determine the budget. Whether it’s a hall, a restaurant, club, library, backyard or park, understanding what you (or your host) will be spending is an important consideration. It will also help you determine how many guests you can invite.
Determine a gift strategy. While gifts aren’t necessary, some people won’t know whether they should be bringing something or not. Be clear on the invitations, and if people insist, consider a donation to a charity or use this time to set up your bridal registry early.
Set a date. If you have a long engagement, you may want to set your date months into the future. But if you can’t wait and want to share your joy with everyone right away, set it a few weeks into the future. Give yourself a little time for planning.
Book an engagement photography shoot. Fab photos make great announcement cards as well as save-the-date cards.
You don’t have to be a crafty scrapbooking queen in order to build yourself a vision board. Use Pinterest, Instagram, a cork board on the wall, or even a science fair-esque 3-fold poster board. It’s a simple, yet very effective wedding planning tool.
Print (or tear from magazines) the images that you love. The ones that give you the feels, and then cut and paste to your hearts content. When building the board, throw your budget out the window. You want pure inspiration. Your style and personality will shine through and it will help you narrow down all the details you hadn’t even thought about. (Theme, colours, etc.) Most importantly, have fun with it!
If you’re getting married this summer and your wedding photography includes stomping around on the grass, check out this must-have genius solution for your bridal heels.
Aside from style, colour, and how to accessorize your wedding jewellery, there are three common sense tips we’d like to impart for your big day that are often overlooked.
The first being to match your jewellery to your dress, and not the other way around. Seems obvious enough, but often times a bride-to-be will fall in love with a piece of jewellery before she’s purchased the gown. That can lead to major disappointment if the much-loved jewellery doesn’t fit with the dress.
The second is to be extra cautious with bracelets. Bracelets can add romantic charm and a little bling as it slides up and down your arm. It can also snag on just about everything and drive you bonkers while doing so. Find a non-catching bracelet or try one on with your dress or a lace skirt. Do a little dance, move around and see what happens.
Lastly, the earings. Avoid anything too heavy. Again, this may seem obvious, but they may not feel heavy until you’ve had them on for 7 hours and your lobes are dragging on the ground. Give them a test run for the entire day before you commit.
If you’re working on a limited budget and don’t want to allocate for fresh floral table runners, consider these charming DIY alternatives that will work for any wedding theme.
1. Fabric. Burlap, Hessian cloth, linen and lace – go simple or opt for outrageous prints. Dress it up with ribbons for a touch of Boho or piece together thrift-store macrame. (Quick tip – dye or bleach the macrame knit for a more uniform look.)
3. Daisy-chain paper or photos. If you’re book-lovers, use pages from old novels glued together for that black and white literary-inspired look. (Alternatively you can use music sheets or comic book pages depending on your personality.) Or print black and white photos of all your family, friends, and favourite celebratory milestones over the years. If you’re planning a Christmas wedding, consider using the image half of holiday cards for colourful and festive inspiration.
Wedding dress trains are back! The bridal train has the ability to transform any wedding gown into something completely majestic. To pick the perfect train for yourself, you’ll need to know how to differentiate between them. Here are six types of gown trains to get to know:
The Sweep or Brush. Barely grazing the floor, it’s just enough material to sweep (or brush) the floor. Usually less than twelve inches and usually extends from the hemlines.
The Royal extends beyond ten feet from the waist and makes a massive statement. This type of regal train requires its own Twitter and Instagram account.
The Panel or Watteau is an additional piece of fabric that is attached at the shoulder, upper back or waist. This train can be the same length as your gown, or extend well behind. It’s not very common but can be a great addition to an otherwise train-less gown.
If you’re determined to wear heels on your big day, then go for it. Even if you’ve never worn heels before, you’ve got plenty of time to get comfortable. The best tip for high-heeled elegance is practice, practice, practice. Here’s how the models do it:
Buy your wedding shoes (or another pair of heels of the same height) and wear them around the house every day for a week or 2 for a couple of hours. Also, try wearing them out to places in public. It might feel awkward at first, but after a while of breaking them in you’ll feel more comfortable. Be sure to scuff up the bottoms a bit so that you don’t slip and slide in them.
Weddings are busy, there’s a lot going on and a lot to take in. (That’s why it takes so long to organize one.) Having your guests enjoy themselves and remember your big day as one of the best they’ve ever attended depends on all kinds of things. We’ve got your top 3.
1. The Venue/Atmosphere – A gorgeous backdrop sets the tone and mood for the entire day and night.
2. The Comfort Level – Are they too hot? Too cold? Did they get rained on? Were the chairs uncomfortable? Were they cramped at tables? Was there crazy drama that made things awkward? This underlying feeling of comfort will line their memories for years to come.
3. The Food – Creative cuisine (and plenty of it) that tastes amazing is the way to go. Inedible food they don’t recognize (or not enough) will cause discomfort. (Refer to #2 above.)
One of the first things you do after your engagement is set a wedding budget. It’s important to remember to reserve a little of that budget for your vendors that go above and beyond. Prepare tips in separate envelopes to be handed out the day of. Not all vendors expect a tip, and some may be written into your contracts to avoid confusion, but there are a few that will be expecting one. Here’s the short list on who and how much is expected.
1. Your makeup artist and stylist. Just like in a salon, prepare at least a 15 to 25 per cent tip depending on the quality of the work.
2. The Church Officiant. This is usually a donation of $300 or more. It can be higher if you belong to the church. For a non-denominational officiant, $50-$100 is the norm.
3. Transportation. Check the contract, if the driver’s tip is not included, expect to give them anywhere from $50 and up at the end of the night.
4. Caterers. Including the maître d’, the banquet manager and the on-site coordinator. There will be a service charge (for staff like bartenders, servers, valet staff, coat room attendants etc.,) but if an additional tip is not included in the contract, expect to pay 15 to 20 per cent of the food and drink bill and/or $200 to $300 for the maître d’.
All other vendors are not expecting it, but do appreciate a tip. If you’ve given a long-list of demands or they have gone above and beyond to give you the wedding of your dreams, show your appreciate with a little extra gratuity.
A lot of toasting will happen at your wedding. A lot. Wine is really good for that. Wine is also good for washing down your meal and cleansing your palette between courses. It’s also good for doing laundry, vacuuming, and all-around general lazing about. (Or maybe that’s just us.)
Before you start the hunt for your perfect wedding wines, here are five tips to help you through the decision process.
Establish your budget upfront. Your heart may want a different wine with every course but your wallet might only agree to mixing it up when it comes to desert. If your guests are all savvy wine connoisseurs, be sure to keep their glasses full with a quality wine.
Consider local. Working with a local winery might allow you a better deal, and there are plenty of grape varieties that work best in our climate and local growers have championed these grapes into world-class wines. Shopping local doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability.
Offer versatility. We know what your wallet is saying, but having a little sparkle for toasting and appetizers, a light, food-friendly white & red for the meal, and then moving on to the full-bodied heavies is practically wedding wine law. (We think. Or at least, it should be. Somewhere.)
Use different size glasses for the different wines. Certain wines are designed to be enjoyed from specifically shaped glass. Get the most out of your wines by ensuring that you’re using the correct glassware to serve your guests.
Rustic flair can be glamorous and elegant, with emphasis on the flair. Hosting a barn wedding doesn’t have to mean hay bales, rubber boots and pallet signs, but those are equally awesome if that’s your style. If it’s not, let the backdrop be all the rustic you need and fill that barn with classy elegance in order to have the wedding of your dreams. Check out some of these ideas to bring your simple barn venue to the height of luxurious sophistication.
Linens have a lot to do with creating elegance in a space. Full, flowing and available in any colour you want.
Now that you’re engaged, there’s no shortage of worldly advice from all the married (and unmarried) couples around you. It’s like the engagement ring has some magical power that suddenly turns otherwise normal people into chatty wedding experts. And they don’t stop at just the planning, there will also be those who have some nugget of marriage wisdom they feel compelled to impart. No topic is sacred when folks begin to serenade you with their tips on how to have a happy or successful marriage. They’ll talk religion, money, sex, your in-laws, and of course, they’ll think they really know you… deep in your core.
Some days you’ll feel like slamming your head against the wall to make it all stop. But just smile and nod and move on with your day. It’s your wedding, it’s your marriage, you’ll figure it out together. Try to take the unwanted advice for the good intentions they arrived on. And you never know, you might actually hear something worth listening to.
For a lot of engaged couples, hiring a wedding planner just isn’t in the budget. And that’s OK because the modern-day DIY bride and groom are a force to be reckoned with. Just a word of warning, planning your own wedding won’t always be fun.
The reality is, you’re planning a major event with a plethora of moving parts. It can be one of the most stressful things you can ever do. There will be fights, tears, tantrums, and the occasional hair-pulling. From sourcing out good vendors, to location viewings, timelines, gifts, favours, food, wardrobe, rings, invitations, table seating, and then the stress of having family and friends all giving their advice, ideas, and the always helpful, unsolicited commentaries on family opinions. You no longer feel like it’s a magical day and it becomes more of a full-time job than anything else.
And let us not forget the actual day. The culmination of all your careful planning. You’ll be dealing with unforseen issues and problems like late vendors, traffic problems, schedules, timing and missing or incorrect items.
A wedding is supposed to be a beautiful and magical day for you to enjoy. But any tiny error or over-looked item and your magnificent day could snowball into utter chaos.
Assigning a family member or friend to coordinate certain matters on the day-of is great, but remember that they are technically still a guest. After three glasses of wine they may forget to do the only task you asked of them.
All of that aside, many couples do everything themselves and still manage to enjoy the best day of their lives and throw one hell of a party. That can be you too. Here’s a bit of upfront advice for planning your own wedding:
Start planning early! At least a year, two is better. This will give you enough time to make sure ever aspect is covered.
Thoroughly research your vendors. Don’t just jump on the lowest price. You get what you pay for and you don’t want to be disappointed. Be sure to read all negative reviews online in order to find any common issues.
Put everything in writing. Whether it’s a friend offering you something, or a professional service, put everything in a contract. Have a lawyer look it over. Be protected.
Ask all suppliers, vendors and even your local municipality about any permits or licences you may need to get.
Be organized. Make sure every delivery, schedule, supplier and contact number is all organized way ahead of schedule. Double-check and triple check your delivery dates and times.
After you’ve finalized your guest list, get to preparing the centers and favours. Don’t leave anything to the last minute.
Make sure whoever you have doing your “day-of ” is fully aware of the entire schedule. From the delivery times, to what items are being delivered, where it goes, etc. Also make it very clear what their responsibilities are and what you expect of them.
In a nutshell, allow enough time, stay organized and most importantly… don’t try and do absolutely everything yourself. Sometimes, it’s worth it to pay someone to mind the schedule.
The Wedding venue is a true reflection of the couple. There is no shortage of creatively awesome places to hold your reception. You can choose a barn, a winery, a resort, a cottage, a castle, a lavender farm, or even a bat cave.
Thinking outside the hall might increase your wedding budget, but at the end of the day, the area where you are spending most of this money is the place where you’ll be spending most of your time. Here are three important things to consider before locking in your wedding venue:
Site Visit – make sure you and your vendors (who haven’t been to this venue before) do a site visit to ensure that you are aware of all of the quirks of the place. Sometimes the success of their services can be impacted by space, elevations, or some other unforseen dilemma.
Accessibility – you may know of a guest or two in your family who can’t do stairs or require lots of room to move around. Make sure that when you’re doing your site visit you take note of where the washrooms are located in every space that you will be in on the wedding day. If there aren’t accessible options you might consider renting an outdoor comfort station to accommodate these people. Even if no one on the guest list currently needs any of the above you never know what can happen in the months leading up to your wedding day so it is worth noting just in case.
Weather Back-up Plan – you need one. We all want to think (and cross our fingers and toes) that the sun will shine and the weather will be glorious all day and all night long. But, of course, sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. Make sure you really understand what your back-up options are should rain, wind, sleet, hail, snow, or soul-sucking humidity slam your venue on the day of your wedding. When you do your site visit, imagine what it would look like under any of these conditions and how you would be able to keep your guests safe and comfortable. If the venue doesn’t have adequate back-up options, you may want to reconsider the venue.
Wedding dress shopping is an exciting adventure. It’s a rite of passage that all brides-to-be should be able to enjoy, the ultimate search for the perfect dress.
When determining your perfect dress, it’s important to remember that we all have different body types, personalities, likes and dislikes. Finding the perfect gown (that puts your best you front and centre on your wedding day) can be a bit stressful. How can you know what looks good on you and where do you begin?
Understanding the different options available to you is the best place to get started. Check out these infographics to verse yourself on gown-speak before you head out to the stores. Knowing the various silhouettes and neckline names can help communication with bridal staff to ensure they offer you options that you know you’ll love.
Green and white might sound boring, but emerald and ivory is the palette of romantic bliss. When planning an emerald wedding, choosing the right accents for colour is almost as important as varying the shades.
When many people think of centerpieces for a wedding, floral arrangements are usually what immediately comes to mind. It doesn’t always have to be a floral arrangement, though! Flowers are beautiful, make no mistake. However, there are alternatives that are just as gorgeous that you may wish to consider if you’re bent on something a little less traditional. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Nothing says summer whimsy like a fish in a bowl! Many people remember their first goldfish, floating in a plastic bag after it had been won at the fair. Nostalgia and the faint recollection of childhood memories are a sure recipe for a magical evening, for the special couple and the guests. Remember, if goldfish don’t match your colour scheme there are plenty of other varieties of fish that come in beautiful colours.
Lanterns add a vintage, almost magical feel to any wedding venue. They’re great for any season, but make an especially grand impact for outdoor weddings, shining at their best in the evening. You can use one large lantern to set the mood, or multiple smaller lanterns. For those of you still dead-set on some flowers and who feel extra creative, you can use a lantern as a makeshift container for a floral arrangement.
If you have your own collection, or even know where to borrow or purchase some, nothing beats the old world charm of a stack of slightly worn, leather-bound books. Not only are they beautiful to look at, they could potentially provide some entertainment for guests or double as a party favour (if you’re willing to part with them, that is). You could even theme them, if you so choose, based on who will be sitting at the tables. The options are endless!
Getting the perfect gift for your groom to commemorate your wedding can take a lot of planning in the hopes of finding the perfect token. If you are looking for something a little different, a little sentimental and super adorable, we’ve got you covered! Check out these four unique groom’s gifts below!
Give your groom a special little gift for his walk down the aisle. With the words, “In case you get cold feet!” written across them, this is a present that is sure to make your groom chuckle (and maybe even ease some nerves) before the ceremony.
For the more sentimental couples, surprise your fiance on the day of your wedding with a personalized handkerchief. You can include any message you want, or keep it simple with your initials and the wedding date. It’ll be a nice token for him to have in his pocket while he waits for the ceremony to begin.
Another nice little gift for the groom that he can wear during the wedding is a pair of personalized cufflinks. The ones pictured above are engraved with the date, but you can also personalize these with your initials, the date you first met, or the name of a city that holds special meaning to you.
Put together a list of 10 reasons why you love your husband-to-be, and put them in a box for him to read on the morning of the wedding. These can be a mix of funny and sentimental, and will remind him of the reasons why you are perfect for each other.
You wedding exit/send off is a time when your guests give you their final well-wishes before embarking on your journey has a married couple. Traditionally, guests would throw rice at the couple to signify good luck, but that can be both messy and a bit boring. Here are a few non-traditional ways your guests can wish you farewell after your wedding.
Make your exit unforgettable as your guests light up the night sky with sparklers to send you off on your newly married life. Between the cackling sound and the sparkling lights, the sparklers will create the perfect end to your big day. Plus, it makes for pretty awesome photo ops.
Have each of your guests release helium-filled balloons as you exist your wedding ceremony. This works best for daytime weddings, as the natural light will make for better photographs. To make the send off even more special, ask guests to add a note to their balloons, writing down their own wish for your marriage.
Glow sticks are a fun alternative that will add an element of childhood nostalgia to your wedding. You can even have the glow sticks personalized by having your wedding date printed on the front, giving guests an extra little keepsake. Plus, the colourful waving lights will make your send off a magical one.
Provide small, personalized bottles of bubbles for each of your guests and have them blow bubbles into the air for your wedding send off. This creates a fun and light-hearted atmosphere, and works best for outdoor weddings.
While it might seem like an odd idea, a sign at your wedding can make for a great piece of decor. It can convey just about anything you want, like directions to the ceremony location, social media information, or even just a nice message from the couple. Additionally, the sign is great for photo ops for both you and your guests, and most can be customized to fit your personal style. The four wedding signs below all serve a different function, and create a cute and rustic look for your big day.
A great way to keep track of on your guests’ photos from your wedding is by creating a unique hashtag that can be used when posting to sites like Facebook or Instagram. The sign above helps tell your guests what hashtag to use and encourages them to share their photos with you online. Simply paint the inside of a frame with chalkboard paint and display it on an easel where everyone will see it.
This sign is written on a beautiful mirror and is the perfect way to welcome guests to your wedding ceremony or reception. The handwritten message displays the couple’s appreciation for the family and friends that have helped them celebrate their union. The mirror itself is also a nice touch, putting a unique twist on a wedding trend.
Use a fun sign has a way of setting the atmosphere for your wedding. The one above shows that the couple is fun-loving and looking to party it up and have a good time with their guests.
A non-traditional and unique use of a sign at your wedding is during your wedding party’s walk down the aisle. The one above sends a cute message to the groom from a ring bearer. The same idea can be used for flower girls, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Like the others, this sign can be personalized to say anything you like, or even for a way for the bride to surprise the groom before she makes her appearance at the ceremony.
There’s a difference between looking at wedding dresses in a catalogue, wedding dresses online, and wedding dresses on Pinterest. Wedding gowns in print seem to have a more polished feel – they look glamorous and lush. Wedding gowns online look like stock photos and they aren’t as exciting. There’s just something about wedding dresses on Pinterest – they seem more attainable, more artistic, and much more romantic.
It isn’t hard to see from the pictures below, but there’s a general trend with wedding dresses from Pinterest. They are feminine, lacey, and heavily detailed with jewels and beading. For many brides this romantic look is what they want to walk down the aisle in.
If you want a feminine romantic dress here are some of the top trending designs from Pinterest to consider.
[pinned by theknot.com]
This neckline and beaded belt are to die for! If you want to really wow your friends and family this out of the box style is something they’re sure to remember. It’s modern with a vintage feel and with the tulle this is a dress fit for a princess. Perfect for petite brides, this gorgeous dress highlights a slim frame flawlessly.
[pinned by theknot.com]
One word – lace. Sleeves are definitely coming back into fashion and this lace gown is the perfect example of what’s trending right now on Pinterest and in the bridal world. This versatile gown is elegant enough for a big wedding but simple enough for a small family-only affair. With the sweetheart look and the jeweled embellishment this gown is very flattering for tall brides.
[pinned by girlsguideto.com]
This Pinterest wedding dress is something special – a combination of the traditional and ultra popular strapless sweetheart bodice with the super trendy detailed gown. These two looks complement each other perfectly with the simple sash belt and it’s a one of a kind look that is flattering even for curvier figures.
[pinned by tumblr.com]
The biggest trend of all on Pinterest right now has to be the detailed or open back look. This gown definitely leaves a lasting impression. Just seeing the dress from behind gives me an idea of what the entire wedding looks like – an outdoor summer wedding in the park, with paper lanterns, mason jars with flowers and lace runners on the vintage tables. It may be ‘hipster’ but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful, just make sure it looks as good in the front as it does in the back.
Depending on how far you are in your wedding plans, you and your soon-to-be husband have made or will soon make a ton of decisions on important matters such as reception venue, colour of flowers, guest list, menu, invitations, budget, and so on and so forth…It’s no wonder, planning a wedding takes so much of your precious time together, not to mention a substantial amount of money. Amidst the stress and insanity of planning a wedding, many couples are also looking for their first home. If you and your better half have already begun this process, then you’ll know that it entails a whole new list of decisions that need to be made. With the added stresses that come with shopping for and purchasing your first home, your relationship with your significant other can really be put to the test. As a Bride embarking on her first time journey of purchasing a home with her Groom, one of the biggest decisions the two of you will encounter is the type of home you’re looking to buy. Most couples often find themselves torn between one person liking older, more mature properties; while the other favours newer, move-in ready type properties that will require minimal work. Finding a reasonable compromise can prove to be very challenging. Nonetheless, knowing the pros & cons of old homes and new homes will help the two of you make that decision more easily and confidently. (more…)
Wedding guest books have come a long way since their conception in the 1930s…okay, the truth is I have no idea where or when wedding guest books arrived on the wedding scene. My extensive research (i.e. Google search under “history of wedding guest books”) yielded no results. (more…)
Katherine Adamchick shares her advice on a growing trend…Winter weddings!
Fun wedding fact! Traditionally, the most popular month to get married used to be June, because of the Roman goddess Juno, who was the goddess of marriage. The irony, of course, being that Juno did not have a particularly good relationship with her husband Jupiter (more commonly known as Zeus). (more…)
Maybe you’re married and maybe you’re not, but it seems like every girl, at one point, or another, will be responsible for hosting, or at least helping, with a bridal shower. Even if you have had your own bridal shower, many ladies remain stumped when it comes to planning a bridal shower. (more…)
