Wedding Day Emergency Kit

Part of the adventure of getting married is to expect the unexpected. So when you are planning your day, don’t forget to consider the smaller details and prepare for them. Below are a few suggestions on what to include in your wedding day emergency kit.

Pain Killers/First Aide: Make sure you know what you and your wedding party can take for tension headaches or upset stomachs and have them on hand. Include band aids, ice packs, water, straws and snacks. Also, eye drops will come in handy if anything like hairspray accidentally gets in your eyes.

Nail/Manicure Kits: Broken or chipped nails can be distracting so be sure your manicure kits include a nail file, clippers, nail glue and matching polish for those all too frequent accidents. Also include a bottle of clear nail polish which is perfect for repairing pantyhose.

Sewing Kits: Sewing kits are an absolute must for repairing buttons, small tears, seams and hems that have come unraveled. Make sure to include thread to match the bridal gown, the bridesmaid’s gown, and one to match the groomsmen’s attire.

Miscellaneous: Items you want to include that will help you and your wedding party on your big day. This could range from umbrellas, sunglasses, lint brush, tampons, breath mints, white chalk (to rub over grass stains), stain stick/wipes and white cloth, bobby pins, hair spray, scissors, extra corsage pins, and of course, the all important tissue.

With a little foresight, brainstorming and careful planning, you can handle the unexpected with ease and minimal stress. Let us know if you have a recommendation that will be helpful for brides to include in their own wedding day emergency kit.

Renee

At Last - 2010 Color Trends Are Here

Pantone LLC, a leading authority in color innovation, has announced their forecast for 2010's spring color trends and their pick for color of the year.  Turquoise, an inviting shade of blue-green, was recently announced as the pick for 2010's color of the year.  "In fashion, Turquoise makes a statement that can look elegant and dressy in fine silk and gemstones, or casual and fun in cotton and athletic apparel..." says Pantone.

According to a recent press release from the color industry giant, 2010 will also be a year for bright and muted tones ranging from colors like hot pink to earthy greens.  Pantone's picks at a glance:

For weddings, we love the idea of taking bolder colors and accenting them with softer hues.  Pantone's Aurora mixed with muted grey would make for a great pairing.  Dare to be bold with a combination like turquoise with bright red or hot pink paired with Pantone's Fusion Coral to create a unique and gorgeous color combination.

What do you think?  We would love to hear from you.  Do you think Pantone got it right?  Let us know your top color picks for 2010.

Allie

Planning a Vintage Themed Wedding

Vintage themed weddings have become a very hot trend and will only gain momentum in 2010. Planning a vintage themed wedding can be a fun and unique way of showing of your personality and style.

There can be many different types of vintage weddings depending on which historical time period you like the most. If you and your fiancée are history buffs who want every detail of the wedding to be historically accurate then you will need to do your research. The Web has become an indispensable source for vintage wedding information, from dresses to flower arrangements that capture the era of choice. If, however, you want to just have the feel of that time period without being historically accurate on every small detail, the wedding can be a lot easier to plan and less expensive.

Depending on what time period you are going for, finding vintage clothing can sometimes be difficult. A great way to get around these problems is to have vintage style clothing made to measure by a seamstress or tailor. There are lots of websites that sell vintage clothing patterns. Buying a few patterns is a great way to get the vintage look that you want for the clothing of the wedding party without the hassle, expense, and frustration of trying to find actual vintage clothing.

The small details are the important ones, like using inexpensive Vintage Inspired Antique Place Card Picture Frames or Damask Tapered Favor Boxes. Some other extra touches for a vintage wedding include inviting the guests to dress in period clothing, sending invitations patterned after those found in Harper's Bazaar or Life magazines and hiring a dance instructor to teach the basic dance steps of the wedding's theme era. That way the guests can get in on the fun while they are watching the happy couple start their lives together.

Carrie

Image Credit:  Vintage Bride

What Next Now That You're Engaged...

You're engaged!  Congratulations.  First and foremost, take a moment and relish in your happiness.  Enjoy the fact that he loves you and that you are about to embark in a lifetime of happiness.  Next, time to plan, plan, plan.  What to do after he pops the question...

1. Set a Timeline - How long is your engagement going to be?  Are you going to plan your wedding within a year or more than a year?  More brides are stretching out their engagement which gives more time to save money and secure the ceremony/reception site of their dreams.

2. Book Your Hall - Reception and ceremony sites can book up a year or sometimes two years in advance.  Be sure to make this your top priority.  Finding the site for your wedding to be held will help determine the length of your engagement, the size of your wedding, and your wedding date. (Don't forget the officiant!  Someone to marry you is just as important and can sometimes book up just as fast as the ceremony site)

3. Set a Date - Once you book your hall/officiant and set a timeline for your engagement, the date of your wedding should be easy!  It normally follows the open dates of your reception/ceremony location.  Once you've decided on the date, announce your big news.  Tell family and friends with engagement announcements like custom save the date magnets.  Your family can stick them up on the frig to brag to their friends about their pride and joy.

4. Set Your Budget - Talk with your fiancé and any other fabulous people helping with the cost of your wedding.  Determine what you will be able to reasonable spend on your big day.  Setting a wedding budget will help you decide on how many people you will invite and how much cash you can throw at the ceremony/reception site, the dress, etc.

5. Keep Notes - Be sure to get a binder to file all those ideas in.  Make sure it has a calendar for important dates and separate areas to keep inspiration photos for flowers, cakes, table settings, gowns, receipts, etc.

6. Go Gown Shopping - Believe it or not, many bridal gowns can take 8+ months to be ordered and come in.  Don't put this off until the last minute.  Make sure you start researching gowns right away.  Take into consideration the time of year you will be getting married.  Summer wedding?  Think airy chiffon or tulle.  Fall or winter wedding?  Look for more heavyweight fabrics like thick satin or velvet.

What can wait until later?  Be sure to take care of these important six points first before diving into the cosmetic parts of your wedding day.  The colors, centerpieces, and favors can wait until you have set your date and budget.  

Congratulations to you and happy planning!

Allie

Creative and Fun Wedding Trend - Groom's Cake

A creative and fun trend for 2010 wedding celebrations is the comeback of the groom's cake. This is an old fashioned southern tradition in which the bride honors the groom. The best part of having a groom’s cake is how creative a bride can be with any number of ingredients, shapes and styles that reflect the groom’s hobbies, favorite sports, alma mater, profession, or anything he enjoys. The groom’s cake will add a personal touch as one of the most memorable and delightful parts of the wedding celebration.

The flavor of the groom’s cake is typically chocolate with strawberries, rich fruit based, liqueur soaked, candy cakes, brownies, or any flavor the groom prefers. The cake may be presented at any time during the wedding celebration. Serve it at the rehearsal dinner as a toast to the groom and a way of thanking wedding attendants, family members and special guests. Or, at the wedding reception, display the groom’s cake near the wedding cake for guests to enjoy throughout the evening. The groom's cake is cut by the groom or the groom and his family and may be served as an alternate dessert with the wedding cake.

The legend behind the groom’s cake indicates the bridesmaids, or single women, were to sleep with a slice of cake under their pillow the same night they received it and if they did, they would dream of their future husband. A great way to incorporate this legend with your wedding reception is to provide personalized cake boxes to serve as your wedding favors for all guests to take home and enjoy. The possibilities are endless so have fun planning.

Renee