Things You Wish You Knew Before the Ceremony

1. “Must-Take” list. If there are poses, people you want in images, places at your ceremony or reception you want to have photographed make sure you prepare a list for your photographer. It may be a good idea to talk with him/her beforehand so that they know how to prepare, if they need to bring anything for their camera. We actually cannot stress enough that it is important to tell them before because not only will you have “wedding brain” but it will be less stressful for the photographer.

1. EAT! Yes, eat throughout the day on your wedding! Your stomach may be a bundle of nerves, or you may be insanely busy, but not eating the entire day is an easy way to make your wedding something a little less of a joy than it could be. Also keep in mind your bridal party, keep on hand fruit, water, granola bars, little sandwiches, peanut butter, gatorade, and peppermints for the girls to snack on. No one wants anyone passing out during their vows!

1. DIY your wedding into your budget. Every girl dreams of her wedding day for practically her entire life, sometimes there isn’t an extra $27,000.00 laying around to spend on the average wedding (yes, that’s the average cost in 2012). Pinterest is your friend, and your friends are your other hands in the crafting department. 

There are so many other tips that we can share with you, but the rest of them are to come in our next issue! Do any of you have tips people have given you, or for you married ladies out there what do you wish you knew before your big day?

We look forward to hearing from you soon, connect with us on facebook and Pinterest! As always, Happy Planning!

Photographs Every Bride Should Have

You have probably heard people tell you that the only thing you’ll have to remember your wedding by is the photographs. While that’s not entirely true, photographs are a huge part of your wedding, because they will be cherished by you and loved ones for years and even generations to come. Make sure you hire a seasoned photographer so they won’t miss capturing anything on your big day. Even if you do take care to hire someone with a lot of experience, many photographers overlook certain photos on your big day- they are stressed and rushed, too! So here’s a checklist for you to keep in mind so if you notice these pictures aren’t being remembered you can pipe up and remind your photographer to grab the shot:

• You and your parents. Groom with his parents.
  
  

• Your parents- just the two of them. Groom’s parents- just the two of them.

This is probably THE most forgotten shot. My own photographer at my wedding never got a shot of just my parents together. My Mom still regrets it 5 years later. Be sure this gets done!

• You with any siblings/special friends who are not in your wedding party. Groom with any of his siblings/special friends who are not in the wedding party.

Your wedding party will be well-photographed. But if you have any siblings or special friends who aren’t attendants, be sure to get a shot of you with them. It will mean so much to both of you for years to come.

• Any babies/ young children at your wedding.

You can gift the photos to their parents for a special occasion, and it is also so much fun to look back and see how much the little ones have grown as your own marriage has grown. Especially if the little ones are in the family!

Things to Remember

There are so many checklists, schedules and seating charts flashing before you eyes for the months and especially weeks leading up to your big day. Usually when I see a "to do" list published for brides, it is pages and pages long and overwhelms me, even though I'm not even planning a weeding! So here's a quick five-point list of the most commonly forgot tasks to do before or on your wedding day. No pages and pages of minute details here. Just a quick, simple list of the things those monster lists always seem to leave off...

1. Register for a marriage license... (and don't forget to sign it on the big day, also!)

According to some research I did, this is the most forgotten item on wedding days! Make sure someone is assigned to bring the license to the wedding, and also make sure it stays safely with you or a family member after it is signed! You don’t want to lose it!

So how do you get a marriage license? The waiting periods and timetables vary by state, so if you aren’t local here in Virginia be sure to check with your local Public Records or Registrar office. Here in Virginia, there is no waiting period, so as soon as you register you will receive your blank marriage license ready for signing. It isn’t valid until you, your witnesses, and your officiant sign it. Virginia law says the marriage must be performed within 60 days after the license is issued, so you will want to register no more than 7-8 weeks before your big day. There is a fee involved with obtaining the marriage license, so be prepared for that. Also make sure you have all required documents with you when you go in to register.

2. Pack your travel bags.

If you are leaving for your honeymoon right after your reception or the day after, make sure your bags are all packed. If you are going out of the country, don’t forget your passports. Also remember items like your itineraries, tickets, your license and some extra cash. Pack your bags and load them up in the car the night before the wedding, that way it’s not something you have to think about on your wedding day!

3. Make an emergency kit.

I know this might sound silly to some of you, but let me share a personal story. At my wedding reception right after taking photos and right before going inside to cut the cake, I somehow got a large splinter lodged into my index finger. I think it was from some railing I had been gliding my hand on going up the staircase… boy did it hurt! No bride wants to endure the nagging pain of a splinter for the remainder of her reception, but I didn’t want to make a big scene and stop the reception to “find me some tweezers” either! Luckily my photographer was much more prepared than I was, and he pulled out a pocket knife with a pair of tweezers that folded off from it. One of my bridesmaids pulled me aside and quickly plucked it out and I went on and enjoyed the rest of my reception.

You never know when a dress might rip, you’ll get a splinter, a terrible headache, etc. (also, don’t forget the safety pins!) So pack a little “kit” and have a bridesmaid or family member toss it into their purse. You won’t be sorry.

4. Make a Vendor Contact List.

Just incase you need to get in touch with your photographer, DJ, flower supplier, etc. on the big day. Or even better, program their numbers into your phone so there’s no list to keep track of.

5. Focus on your new husband.

In the excitement of the wedding day everything feels like a whirl. It’s a big, joyful, wonderful whirl, but you will still feel like it goes by at 100 miles a minute. Make sure to take a few minutes away from everything before or during your reception with your new husband. That’s what this is all about- the two of you! Once all the photos have been taken, dinner has been eaten, and your guests are celebrating, slip away to a quiet spot outside and talk sweetly together and soak up a long moment together in intimate celebration of the beginning of the rest of your lives together.

Timing is Everything

Every bride wants their big day to go off smoothly and just how they have always dreamed.  However, many brides underestimate the stress and amount of things that have to be done the day of.  If you’re planning your own wedding, it is very helpful to just hire coordinator just for the day, to take over setting up. Then your family, bridal party, and you can have time to relax, get ready, and take photos.  

When scheduling your hair and make-up, you may think the stylists are crazy when they tell you how much time they will need but trust them, you don’t want to end up short on time and rushing the bridal party to get ready.  The bride should always be the first or second to have hair and make-up done.  Even if its hours before the wedding, your make-up team will stay around and do touch ups at the end.  Make sure the bridal party and the parents are dressed before the bride, so that when she is ready everyone else is too. 

Don’t leave your guests waiting.  If your invitations say that the ceremony begins at 5:00pm, the bride should be coming down the aisle no later than 5:20.  The length of your ceremony should be reasonable, around an hour, no one wants to be sitting through a long ceremony especially if your wedding is outside or in a small compacted area. 

After your ceremony ends, the bridal party will most likely go off to take some photos before the reception.  During that time give your guests something to do while they wait, a cock tail hour is great.  The less time between the end of the ceremony and the reception the better!

Metamorphosis

The Wedding's over. Your groom opens the door to your honeymoon suite and ushers you inside. He tries to kiss you, but you put a finger to his mouth and grin, telling him you need to use the restroom and you'll be "right out". You slip inside the bathroom, admire the fancy porcelain sink, your gaze travels upward to make eye contact in the mirror, and you wonder, "now what?"

The transformation from your wedding day to your honeymoon night can be a stressful one. Brides are supposed to look serene, with clean makeup and modest dress lines that shly shower their bodies in lace and white.

The wedding night, however, is a completely different animal.

Your makeup, hair and apparel (obviously) is going to be comepletely different. For the ultimate transformation in less than 30 minutes, check out our tips below!

1. Consider doing an updo for your wedding brimming with volume and curls-but not with too much hairspray. You want to be able to release the updo without your hair looking stiff. You want to utilize the tightness of those curls to help create lots of volume for a wild, sexy look.

2. If your eyeliner merely skims the eye for your wedding, pack a trusty brand in your makeup bag. Bold the eyelid right about your eye and lengthen it a little bit for a sexy cat-eye. Don't rim your upper and lower lid because you risk looking like a dolled up racoon.

3. Don't put bold lipstick on. Men don't like the taste of lipstick and lipgloss. Put a light shimmer on, and concentrate mostly on your eye make-up. They communicate more than your lips anyway; they can beckon without saying a word or lifting a finger.

4. Pack mints in your make-up bag, and floss along with your toothbrush and toothpaste. You want your breathe minty fresh.

5. Pack a tanning lotion. Besides wearing black, being tanner helps give you a sleeker look. Don't get too strong of a brand so that you don't risk it coming off super obvious or having visibile application lines.

-Abigail

Something Borrowed

Every girl at one point has dreamed about wearing their mother’s wedding dress on their dream day. Usually it goes something like this:

The “shhhh” sound the dress makes as it’s pulled from its plastic cover. The nervous anticipation as it’s slipped on. Hands press it close to your chest since no one is there to help zip it up. Turning around and seeing it on for the first time on in a floor length mirror. Smiling shyly and feeling a sense of timelessness.

However, tradition threatens to keep the fresh mind of brides short sighted. Yes, every girl has dreamed about wearing their mother’s wedding dress, but what other items could be borrowed to make your day even more special?

Below are 5 tips for what to borrow to give your wedding a really special finishing touch:

1. If you’re close to your grandmother, see if there’s anything in her closet that she wouldn’t mind your borrowing. Say, a pearl necklace or her totally vintage black heels?

2. Is there a gorgeous antique mirror that’s been passed down in your family? It could make a lovely object to have in the background as you and your bridesmaids get ready for the big day.

3. If your mother gardens, consider creating your bouquet out of what her gardens have to offer. She will most likely know which flowers will be spectacular during the month of your wedding.

4. Borrow a theme that is reminiscent of your first date and integrate it on your wedding day. Did you start dating around Christmas time? Do you remember driving around together and admiring the beautiful Christmas lights? Then utilize strings of Christmas lights on your wedding day. Shower a curtain of white lights over every window of the church you’re getting married at, or if your wedding is outside in the summertime wrap them around every tent pole.

5. If your religious, and your grandfather or father has been an amazing godly role model for you, consider having the pastor read out of their bible when he preaches.

What is something that you plan on borrowing on your wedding day? We’d love to hear from you!

-Abigail