Donation Favors

You didn't think I'd leave without giving you something wedding related, did you?

Let's be honest, in many cases, if you don't have an edible favor a few are going to be left behind. (Trust me, I've seen it) So here's a suggestion to combat being left with 20 candles with your names on them:

A new popular trend is to give a donation in the names of your guests. Whether it be "The Guests of the Haggerty Wedding" or each guest individually (They may not let you unless it is over a certain amount).

You can give the donation in any name, and for any amount. You don't have to donate a certain amount per guest, you could just do a blanket donation of $x. To tell your guests, you could have a small frame on the guestbook table, telling them about the charity you've donated to. You could also have small cards made up at each place setting telling them about your donation. I've even seen a bride give out bookmarks that have the information on it.

THON 2009!!!

Every year in mid-February, I am left in awe of what college students with a mindset can do. I know this isn't wedding related, but this is something that always knocks me out of my socks. Students at Penn State are given the opportunity to give back, by giving up weekends, beer money, and time. It always amazes me what they can do!

THON is the largest philanthropic effort by a college and has been for many years. Students have designated weekends where they spread throughout the Northeast, holding cans, and asking anyone who passes for a donation "For kids with cancer." On weekends that they're not canning, they are calling corporations and sending letters. It is through this effort that they were able to raise $7,490,133.87 in the past year, which is up nearly $.7M from last year's efforts.

So where does the money go? It is donated to the Four Diamonds Fund, which operates out of Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania. The Four Diamonds Fund supports the families of children with cancer who walk through the doors of Hershey Medical Center. If their insurance doesn't cover the full amount of the medical bills, Four Diamonds covers the cost.

This past weekend, I was able to watch 700 students stand for 46 hours straight, without sleep, without sitting. They stood there "For The Kids." It's a pretty amazing sight within a time of recession that people were willing to put their hands in their pockets and donate. I am still in awe and get choked up when I think about it.

Wedding Insurance?

Wedsafe is a site that provides both liability insurance (Up to $2M) and cancellation/postponement insurance. For a $25,000 wedding in GA, you can purchase protection for $350. If it's something you're concerned about, it might take some stress out of the day for you if you purchase the minimum coverage. It may just add that bit of peace of mind.

Some Quick Honeymoon Tips

Starting to plan your honeymoon? Here are a few quick tips to get you started!

1. Set your budget, and stick to it! Make sure you plan on how you're getting to the airport, or parking at the airport. Don't forget gratuity.

2. Decide on warm or cold, beach or mountain, land or sea.

3. Know what the weather is. It's important to know if it is the rainy season in Hawaii(November-March) or if it's Hurricane Season (June-December)

4. It's also important to know whether it is the off travel season for the country you're going to. In most of Europe late August through September is a light season and sometimes they even close some of the local restaurants. But no worries, the main tourist activities and best restaurants are kept open. Just make sure to check on limited hours of operation.

5. What do you want your budget to include? Meals? Drinks? Multiple locations? Activities?

Website of the Week: NNichols

Are you looking for some great bridal party gifts or perhaps some favors. Well here's a site that will give you plenty of options at probably the best price out there! NNichole!

My personal favorites from their site are their tote bags. They start at $7, and are actually really great quality. I purchased them back in 2007 and I know that the 3 teachers in my bridal party are still using them as their tote bags for books, papers and all the other stuff they have to carry to and from school. They've got totes in all colors, makeup bags, and more. They also offer free monogramming on many of their products.

Types of Bustles Part II

As promised yesterday, here is the info on the second type of bustle:

The French Bustle

The French bustle is currently the more popular bustle for a lot of reasons, the first of which is that it is the safe way to go. If someone steps on it, it's much less likely to fall apart. It is distributes the weight of the train a bit more. It also carries the weight a bit lower and not on your waist=MORE COMFORTABLE!

It does cost a bit more, but is well worth it. Here are a few tips that I've picked up along the way:

1. It is better to have ties than to have loops and hooks.

2. It's good to have the ties numbered or lettered so that it's quick to bustle.

3. Have someone attend your final fitting so that someone knows exactly how it is put together.

Types of Bustles Part I

Are you trying to figure out what type of bustle you'd like to have on your dress? In this two part blog, I'll be talking about the two different types of bustles, the overbustle or "English Bustle" and the underbustle or "French Bustle."

The English Bustle:

There are three main reasons, besides the look, that one would select an English Bustle. The first of those reasons is that if the dress is made of a delicate material such as tulle or lace. This bustle protects the material because the bustle is formed by looping a reinforced section of the material to the bottom button on the back. The second reason that someone might want to have an English Bustle is to show off any beading or crystals at the bottom of the train. It's also a bit less expensive than an underbustle.

One of the major downsides of this type of bustle is that if not strongly reinforced, it can be torn and completely ruined if one person steps on it. Make sure to double check the reinforcement of the bottom button as well. My suggestion is to make sure you have many safety pins available and even diaper pins which are the strongest of the safety pins.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on the French Bustle.

Writing Your Own Vows

Are you thinking about writing your own vows to one another? If so, here are a few things that you should consider first:

1. If you're getting married in a church, do they allow it? If not, you can still write them to one another and read them to each other after the ceremony, or exchange them in the morning.
2. Will you be able to get through them while still being understood. If you know you're going to cry, sometimes it's easier (and doesn't leave your face all red and splotchy) if you repeat after the officiant.
3. Make sure you practice. Your hands may be shaky, you might have a glimmer of a tear, and you might get a bit choked up. Practicing will definetly help.
4. Have a backup plan. If you thought you could get through them, but during the ceremony you feel too choked up, or you are getting a bit too nervous, have a sign with the officiant to show them you'd like to go with his version of the vows.

If you're going to write them, start early. One bride came up with a great way of writing her vows, and I don't think there was a dry eye in the house! She got a small notepad and wrote down every time her fiance made her feel special, and how exactly she felt. After about 6 months of notes, she was able to skim through and pick the perfect words for how he made her feel. She then gifted the notebook to him.

I thought that with this romantic holiday ahead, some brides might be able to begin a notebook.

Mashed Potini Bar!

Another favorite food trend of mine is the Mashed Potini Bar. I've seen it featured in so many weddings, and is always a hit. If you're thinking about doing a buffet and this isn't on the menu, you might want to think about adding it!

So what does it typically include?

-Regular Mashed & Sweet Mashed

-Toppings Galore!

For the Regular Potatoes:

1) Sour Cream

2) Shredded Cheese

3) Bacon

4) Onions

5) Ham

For the Sweet Potatoes:

1) Marshmallows

2) Brown Sugar

3) Cinnamon

The best part: They're served in a martini glass, so it adds a fun modern twist on an old fashioned favorite!

Website: Wedding Chicks

So one of my favorite wedding sites is Wedding Chicks. They've got great inspiration boards, and even have a local site that lists vendors in different categories. If you have a second, I'd totally check them out.

New Stamp Price!

I know it's a bit late in the afternoon, but for anyone still keeping up:

The price of stamps will be changing this May 11th, up by another $0.02/stamp. If you're mailing out invites with RSVP envelopes that will be returned to you in May, I'd suggest purchasing the Forever Stamps. They are still widely available at Post offices. To learn more about the change go to the website for USPS. They also have plans to up them every May from now on. Those of you in the very early stages of planning, keep this in mind.

Laura Simon: Makeup

Photo Courtesy of Kristy Odom.

I want to introduce all of you to Laura Simon. If you haven't selected your makeup artist yet, I think she might be perfect for you. She travels to the bride, and works efficiently while making sure that every tiny detail is attended to. I've worked with her multiple times, and I'm always impressed with how beautiful everyone looks, from flower girls to mothers of the bride!

The best way to get in touch with her is e-mail: laurasimonmakeup@gmail.com. I do suggest getting in touch with her as soon as possible, because she books quickly!

Children in Wedding?

Are you planning on inviting children to your wedding or are you thinking about having children in your wedding party? If so, here are some tips I've gathered over the past few years.

In the wedding party:

1. Don't have them ready 3 hrs before the ceremony for pictures, take some pictures with them right after the ceremony. This way they stay clean, and you don't need to have an older bridal party member be a babysitter.

2. Have their parents practice with them. If they know what's coming, they'll be better prepared. The best Flower Girls and Ring Bearers are the ones that have practiced walking down an aisle, or practiced throwing petals.

3. Don't give them their petals or pillow until the very last minute. If they're told to hold onto it, it will get lost, dropped all over the place, or could even be broken.

4. Don't give them the real rings. In some cases the ring bearer might be older and reesponsible but if you tie the ring to the pillow, when you go to untie it, and it drops, rings are round- they'll roll.

On the Guest List:

1. Give them something to do. It's great if you provide them with small baskets with coloring books, crayons, puzzle books, and even disposable cameras.

2. Ask the parents if they would like the child to sit with them, or if they think it would be better for all of the kids to be together at a table. This is great because then you can put tons of fun stuff on that table. Only do this if they're old enough.

3. Be prepared for dancing! Usually the kids are the first ones on the dance floor. They love being invited to the big kid's party, and they're sure to get the party started.

If you're not inviting kids or having them in the wedding party, that's totally cool too. There are some weddings where it's just not their place to be. Just make sure that if they are invited, they've got something to do, this allows their parents time to enjoy the wedding!

A Friday Double Blog Dose!

I just had to share this wonderful vendor with you before the end of the week. Recently, I had the pleaseure of meeting Tamara of I Do Linens. She introduced me to one of her new products and I've fallen in love!

She's got this new concept of making the cake table mirror the design of the bride's dress. Then after the wedding, she will turn it into a baby blanket for the bride and groom. I just had to share this quickly before the weekend begins. I hope you'll have a chance to check out her website and get in touch with her!

Traditional Cake Topper Not Your Thing?

If you're not into the traditional cake topper where the bride and groom simply stand next to each other, and you're not really feeling the monogram toppers, I've got a fun site for you to check out, InkyPink.

They've got great styles that rage from your athletic baseball bride and groom to your beachy bride and groom, with plenty of other style in between.

They've also got the perfect topper if you want traditional with just a slight twist.

If you're intrested in traditional, they've got tons of those toppers available as well. Be sure to check out the site for favors and other fun products!

Friendly Valentine's Day Reminder...

For all of you that like to wait to the last minute, Valentines Day in Atlanta is not the place to do it! Make your reservations now, if you still can. You can also try Open Table.

Good luck! And Happy Hunting!

Booking Your Honeymoon?

Are you planning to use the web to book your honeymoon? Does your honeymoon involve a flight? If so, I'd suggest checking out Kayak. It is a search engine that checks all other travel sites for deals, like Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline, Expedia and more. Once it finds you a good rate, I'd suggest going to that airline's website to check and see if they can do better- sometimes they can, sometimes they can't.

Happy Honeymooning!

Wedding Wire Award!

Woo Hoo!!! We have received a 2009 Bride's Choice Award from recent brides on Wedding Wire!

Thank you to all who have reviewed our services as well as those who answered survey questions! We truly appreciate it, and honestly couldn't do it without you!

Reception Venue Selection

There are many factors that should go into the selection process of your venue. Here are a few for starters.
1. Price: Can you afford the rental fee, catering/beverage minimums and rentals (Such as chairs, chair covers and linens) it would require?
2. Food: Do they have a caterer on site or would you also have to hire one. For some the fewer vendors the better, for others, it's great to have a large selection of caterers to work with.
3. Beverages: What is their alcohol policy? Beer and Wine only? Do they charge an alcohol fee?
4. Location: How far is it from your ceremony location? Atlanta is a tricky town to drive in, so make sure that if it is a bit of a distance, you give excellent directions and the contact # of someone who knows their way around. How close is it to a hotel where out of town guests can stay? Is there anything else locally that guests can do to enjoy while they're in town?
5. The Look: Is it the look you're going for? Classic Ballroom, Antique House, Rustic Plantation...
6. Style: Can you see it decorated with your style, colors, and flowers? Does it need much to get it where you want it to be?
7. Timing: Are they available on your date? How long is the time slot they give you?

Here were just a few to get you started. This is one of the more difficult decisions, so hang in there!

How involved is mom?

First of all, I want to congratulate the Steeler fans out there! A tough win, but a good win!

Just some food for thought today...

How involved are your moms in the planning process? I know that some moms want to be over-involved and that inevitably leads to more stress for the bride and groom. I've noticed that the more things YOU ask them to do, the more they stay out of your hair. So what does this mean? If you give them something to work on, like coming up with a list of songs they know their friends and family will dance to, asking for input on invitations, asking them for opinions here or there, they will be less likely to keep asking you what they can help with and offering to do things that you want to have most of the control over. And hey- if they're willing to do more and have some free time- how about those DIY projects you haven't gotten to because you're so busy with everything else!