Wedding Planning Checklist

/0 Comments/in , , /by

You’ve got the groom, the dress and the bridal party, but is it that simple? We’re here with a big wedding planning checklist so you don’t forget anything.

Most usual engagements are at least a year long. You may be in a spot where you only have a few months to plan or over a year. You can make the wedding planning time less stressful no matter your timeline if you make checklists!

Let’s plan on a 12 month long engagement. The first list on your wedding planning checklist needs to be budget. How much do you want to spend on your wedding? Keep in mind unforeseen costs too and what are you willing to compromise on? Who is paying for the wedding? It’s usually a tradition for the bride’s family to pay, but these days it’s more common for the groom’s family to cover some cost as well. At this point in time, you also will want to make a guest list. This can get tricky with everyone wanted everyone involved so be sure to make your wishes clear.

10 months out you’ll want to start the fun of wedding dress shopping and venue selecting! You may fall in love with the first dress you try on but keep an open mind. Sometimes what you envision doesn’t quite match up to how it looks actually on you. You will want to start looking at invitations and take engagement photos if you want. We’ve put together a wedding planning checklist to keep things easy:

  1. Book hotel rooms/blocks for guests
  2. Send out save the dates around 9 months before the big day
  3. Buy wedding dress
  4. Register for gifts
  5. Select bridesmaid’s dresses
  6. Meet with florist and other rental accessories
  7. Book rehearsal dinner venue
  8. Hire musicians/DJ for reception
  9. Hire Officiant
  10. Book the honeymoon, guest transportation and your own transportation on the wedding day
  11. Buy/rent the tuxedoes
  12. Choose your cake
  13. Buy wedding bands
  14. Hair and makeup trial
  15. Select groomsmen’s attire
  16. Brainstorm guest favors
  17. Select readings (from any religious texts you may want in the ceremony)
  18. Meet with Officiant and invite them to rehearsal dinner
  19. Send out wedding invitations and/or rehearsal dinner invitations
  20. Dress fitting
  21. Marriage license

These are only a few of the myriad of things you’ll want to keep track of. You may find it helpful to hire a wedding planner to help keep everything on track! No matter what, enjoy your wedding day because you’ve certainly worked hard enough planning it!

Unplugged Wedding

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

In today’s social media craze it’s hard to put that phone away, but you may consider it for your wedding. There are several ways even the best-intentioned friend can ruin the big day. They may forget to put their phone on silent (that includes no buzzing), obstructing the professional photographer’s view at the peril of taking and posting their own blurry, inadequate pictures on social media.

There are a few ways you can help your guests get “unplugged” for your ceremony. The reception is a better time for guests to be on their phones.

You may have your officiant greet guests and kindly remind them to turn off their phones before the ceremony starts. You could also kindly say that you’d prefer them to enjoy the moment instead of trying to capture it on film – that is what the professionals are there for. If you’re concerned that the photographer or videographer won’t get all the angles and if so, then consider hiring a team of two or three.

It might also be a good idea to remind guests to unplug with signs before they enter the ceremony site or on your wedding website. It is not proper etiquette to print it on the invitation. You also want to avoid confiscating phones. That sends a negative message to your loved ones and it creates more problems than it solves. You may also offer an “altar photo op”. During the ceremony, the bride and groom can turn to face the audience. At that time, you may invite them to take pictures and then put their phones away for the remainder.

An unplugged wedding is a simple way to enjoy the day and not worry about people crowding each other or getting in the way. It might also take the pressure off your guests or family as well. They can relax and have the memory captured for them by professionals.

 

Winter Wedding

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Summer and Spring are the most popular times for weddings but maybe you’re wanting something different! A winter wedding can be just as magical as any other time of year. Your ceremony and reception will likely be forced indoors but you can create a dazzling setting inside with out weather worries.

You can do the tried and true snowy themed landscape to red flowers for a winter wedding. Think beautiful pine trees covered with snow or cozy lodge theme. Your winter wedding will not be a holiday party – it will be a chic, glamorous  event with your own style!

Even if you are in a location that doesn’t get those snowy winters be assured you can create one! It’s a great way to stand out among most weddings. You can bring the snow and chill to your venue with lights, decorations and ice sculptures. You can also have your invites created with your winter wedding theme with a little sprig of evergreen or rustic element that reminds people of being warm and in love!

Another way to stylize your winter wedding is to have a Christmas Tree with guests table place cards on. If you’re not into the religious theme then maybe think about a crystal candelabra or evergreen wreath! We love the idea of a softly lit tree – it doesn’t have to be Christmas – with festive ribbons.

A fun way to do the “get away car” is no car at all. Try a sleigh ride instead! We love the picturesque scene of a beautiful horse and your bridal part all around you! However you decide to do your winter wedding we suggest having fun. Winter weddings can stand out among so many summer colors. Who doesn’t love a good cup of hot chocolate and a celebration of love?

The Cotillion

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Hello, local Chicago area brides! We are featuring a reception venue that some of you may have already scouted out. The Cotillion in Palatine, IL is a fantastic place for your reception. The outside is lavish and elegant with white pillars and inside does not disappoint either.

Read more

Ceremony Backdrop

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

The ceremony backdrop is an often overlooked detail in planning a wedding! How do you envision yourself standing with your significant other? Are there flowers behind you, lights, fish tanks or arbor arches? The ceremony backdrop isn’t exactly the main thing brides need to focus on right away. First, you should pick out your venue where you’ll have the ceremony and go from there. If the space you chose allows props to be put up behind you that’s great! We have a few ideas that you might have thought of.

First, if you’re doing a winter wedding but don’t want the hassle of the cold try a projection of a winter wonderland behind you! It’s great for the ambiance of bare trees and snow.

You and your spouse might be travel enthusiasts and what better way to add that flare to your ceremony space with a world map? You can also add paper decorations like planes or cars. We love making a unique space that people haven’t seen before and that says something about you two as a couple.

Or, perhaps you are more of a fairy tale bride! A great ceremony back drop that adds great flare could be an open story book that starts with “once upon a time”. You can add greenery and glitter to make it sparkle.

Finally, maybe the ceremony backdrop is already gorgeous. Sometimes picking a venue is as much for space accommodation as it is aesthetics. If the space if gorgeous and already has the style you love then why change it? You could spice it up with ribbons and greenery if you want too but remember it’ll save you money if you don’t need to decorate the ceremony space and the reception space!

Chinese Wedding

Chinese Wedding

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

A culture clash doesn’t have to happen at a Chinese wedding! We have a few tips for those who don’t know how a Chinese wedding proceeds or don’t want to be surprised when they go. No one wants to embarrass themselves or the happy couple on their big day. You may be very familiar with Chinese traditions and it’s never impolite to help that person looking “lost” in the corner!

First, you may be expecting to go to a traditional ceremony and watch the bride and groom take vows. In a Chinese wedding this does not happen in front of people. The couple will do their vows at a local governmental office before the wedding and have the paperwork done there. So, you are attending the celebration of their marriage at this point.

Second, in a Chinese wedding tradition pictures are usually done before the celebration. The bride and groom will likely take pictures around their venue, in the city, or popular sites. The wedding album doesn’t usually contain actual photos of the ceremony. These pictures are taken in advance so they can be displayed at the wedding breakfast! This is a great idea since it takes the pressure off the actual wedding day and guests can see the happy couple’s photos all over the reception area.

The third thing you’ll most likely notice is a different color scheme than other weddings. Red is the color of fortune, fertility, love, loyalty and honor. It is used liberally in a Chinese wedding theme and the decorations and bride’s dress are usually red.

Gold is another color you’ll see in a Chinese wedding. This color represents fortune and wealth. White is a color not used in a Chinese wedding because it is associated with funerals. Dark colors such as black, gray or blue are also not usually used because they are considered unlucky.

A Chinese Wedding can be a lot of fun and something totally different from the “traditional” American wedding. Have an open mind and enjoy all the beautiful colors and culture!

 

Royal Wedding

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Hello Brides of Summer! We thought a royal wedding is just the thing to get the summer started. You know you want to feel like royalty on your wedding day but how hard is it to plan? With a little consideration a royal wedding is just the thing for you to be the princess for a day!

First on the royal wedding schedule is invitations. We never said it had to be based on European royalty – you can use your imagination and think Disney princess if you want! We love wedding invitations with emblems or family crests on them – even if they are made up. Some of the best invitations are ones that reflect you and your fiance. You should try to incorporate as much pomp and circumstance as you are comfortable with.

Next up for a royal wedding are the locations! Most royalty tie the knot at historic or grand places and you may not have the budget for this. However, you can plan accordingly such as perhaps a smaller, more selective guest list or scout out places around you that have that vintage, historical feel. You may opt for a venue that’s outside to get that big royal feeling but be sure to have a plan B in case of inclement weather. Also you could look into garden options to get married in. Gardens say flashy, romantic and very “your highness” feel to them.

And finally, for your royal wedding we recommend a spa treatment for you and your bridesmaids! We love for the bride to stay in a hotel either near the venue or in the venue with her team of girls. The hotels usually have nice relaxing spa treatments like massage, hot tubs, yoga or facials available. Get the royal treatment and stay relaxed before the big day! You don’t need to spend like a royal to get the same feeling.

Tackle Your Guest List

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Tackle Your Guest List

A wedding is a wonderful affair but you’re footing the bill for everyone you invite. The guest list is important but when you are on a budget it can be hard to know who makes the list! We know you want everyone to share the big day. So, we have 5 ways to cut the guest down so you aren’t overwhelmed.

Wedding Guest list
  1. The first thing you will do to cut your guest list is no kids. Most people will not be offended if you ask that your wedding is kid free. They understand that your big day is a formal affair. Kids can be a great, lively addition to any party but they can also be rude and unpredictable. Kids on the guest list should be limited to only the ones in the wedding party like the ring bearer and flower girl.
  2. The second way to cut the guest list is no plus-ones. If you know you are inviting a lot of single friends you don’t need to also invite whoever they are dating. The exceptions are if they are in a long term relationship or engaged. If they are married and you haven’t met their significant other you need to extend an invitation as well. One way to eliminate confusion is to just state how many seats you have reserved for your friends/family. If the number doesn’t add up to a plus-one then they know they are not invited.
Invite

3. The third way to cut the guest list is to not invite co-workers. Unless you are very friendly and close to your co-workers there is no obligation to invite them. If you do decide to invite them to the wedding it’s best to keep the work talk to a minimum.

4. The fourth way of cutting the guest list is to eliminate people you don’t know. You want everyone to share the big day but your parents and in-laws would like to invite but you have no connection with. There’s no shame in saying to them you don’t feel comfortable inviting and paying for people whom you have no interaction with.

5. The final way to cut the guest list is to get over the exes! We know you might be on friendly terms with your ex or your fiance is on great terms with his ex but lets skip any drama that might ensue. Let’s be honest you and your exes might all have friends in common as well. You should avoid any potential chaos by not putting exes on the list!

No exes

No matter who you put on the guest list just remember it is entirely your decision. You get to decide who comes and who doesn’t on your wedding day!

Bachelorette Party

/0 Comments/in , , /by

It’s that time – the bachelorette party! Whether you’re the one planning it or you’re the bride for whom it’s thrown, the bachelorette party is the time to let loose and laugh a lot. We decided to go with a 50 Shades of Grey theme seeing as how the second movie, 50 Shades Darker just came out last weekend! What a perfect time for a little something sexy and daring!

You can do so much with this fun theme for a bachelorette party. You can make it as silly, scandalous or smoldering as you want! Our first idea is to fashion a room, whether it’s your house or you rent out a place, into a lux and decadent space. You can use glittery golds and grays to give it a sexy atmosphere without it going NC-17! Use pinwheels to decorate, use props from the books. Try having a delicious cake with icons from the book such as hand cuffs and a mask.

 

 

Another idea would be to have a sultry ice cream station along with the food! Your bride to be can load up on whipped cream and toppings. It gives the sweet to the salty!

You can even read from the book to spice up the bachelorette party! Why not take direct inspiration from the source? The 50 Shades is a trilogy so you can pick out any of your favorite parts. Extra points for role playing and voice acting! Any bride to be will be thrilled to have a little risk at her party – you can incorporate blind folds and whips for fun!

 

We hope you’ve got a spicy bride that loves thrills at her party.  But if you’ve got a bride who prefers more low key there’s a simpler way to party: rent out a row of seats in the theater for the girls and see the movie! You all can dress up in little black dresses, masks, silvery heels and big makeup! Any way you slice it, the bachelorette party is meant to be fun and no restraints! Feel free to touch on everyone’s wild sides!

Vegas Wedding

/2 Comments/in , , , , /by
Viva Las Vegas – Vegas Wedding
A Vegas wedding sounds exotic, daring and budget friendly! Getting married in Vegas doesn’t mean you need to pull into a drive-thru window or have an Elvis impersonator marry you off. Want to get married next to the Bellagio dancing fountains? Or, what about exchanging vows underneath the Eiffel Tower? Vegas caters to all sorts of budgets from the ritzy and exclusive to simple and sweet. You can keep it flashy or classy- totally up to you! There are so many options; you might just have a hard time choosing just one! Every year,some 120,000 weddings are performed in Las Vegas, making it the most popular destination wedding site by far.
The Positives
Affordability & Convenience – This is the biggest advantage of a Las Vegas wedding. While a traditional U.S.wedding costs $27,000 on average, you can have a complete wedding ceremony for a few hundred dollars (or less)in Las Vegas. At Las Vegas hotels with wedding chapels,there’s usually a wedding coordinator who can arrange everything from your wedding flowers to the officiant to music and photography/videography. And you can plan it allover the phone or even online.
Timing
You will be able to book a chapel for your wedding in Las Vegas on short notice. Reservations are helpful,although walk-ins are accommodated in some places.
Fun
If you want to get married in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator, who’s to stop you?Start the Honeymoon Early–No need to get on a plane or head out of town after the wedding. Las Vegas is more than a great wedding town–Las Vegas is a great honeymoon destination, too.
The Negatives
Your Wedding, Your Way–There’s no comparison between a wedding planned months or years in advance with a quickie Las Vegas one. If you’re someone who cares about having specific wedding colors, custom favors, a certain baker, local florists and bands, and other elements that personalize a wedding, you may not be satisfied with a standard Las Vegas wedding package.
Conveyor Belt Mentality
While Las Vegas wedding chapels attempt to keep wedding parties separate, they don’t always succeed. Some Las Vegas hotels have more than one chapel, so you may encounter people from other wedding parties. At one of the better Las Vegas wedding chapels, couples have one hour of chapel time: 30 minutes for guest arrival and seating, 15 minutes for the ceremony, and 15 minutes for photography.
Reception Sites
Las Vegas wedding chapels are just that: Places where weddings are conducted. If you want to have a reception afterwards, that has to be arranged separately. Larger hotels have banquet and meeting rooms
which are mostly used for corporate functions. I recommend a private room in a restaurant.
Tacky Image
Despite the best efforts of Las Vegas’ finest hotels–which can produce gala affairs second to none — Las Vegas weddings are still considered tacky by some.