Proposal Season

Proposal season will soon be upon us (if it's not already). Like the crazy weather we've been having, proposal season seems to be coming unseasonably early this year! Still, based on a 2011 study conducted by leading wedding organizations, December holds the most engagements with 16% overall. This can be welcomed or dreaded news for the men in your lives. Where some are ready to settle down, others, refer to marriage as "The 'M' Word." (I am sure there are women shaking their heads right now.) 

Well, if you are part of the lucky 16% this year there are a lot of "ducks to get in a row" when you begin planning a wedding. So where to start first? Below is a list to help get you started! 

• Talk Budget: It's the first place to start and everything will follow. The last thing you want to do is start your new life together in debt. The average cost today is just slightly over $27,000
• Start thinking a basic guest count too...this may help you formulate a realistic budget and you will need it when researching venues. 
• Pick a Date: Go in with an open mind. Unless you are stuck to one date because Aunt Ethel from Ireland will only be in town one weekend in July, pick a time frame or several weekends that you are open too. 
• Research Venues: Speaking from experience in the Lake Geneva area, venues book quickly! To get the date you want, start looking into places ASAP! 
• Pick Your Colors/Theme: This is another one of those "everything else will follow" sort of bullet points. Of course you can change it as the date gets closer, but if you are like me, you want everything that you send to your guests to be uniform and matching the overall look and feel of your big day.
• Save the Dates: Once you have selected the city/state of your wedding, you can send these out. You can have as much or as little detail as you want. If you have a hotel room block that they can begin booking, be sure to include that too!

The list can go on and on! I will certainly add to it throughout the engagement season!

Need something to help you stay organized? I have to say I LOVE the new theknot.com wedding app...yep! There really is an app for everything! The app gives you a countdown and helps keep you on task (and budget). 

September is the New June

As the leaves begin to fall, the popularity of fall weddings continue to rise. The beauty of this wonderful season (especially on the lake) is a leading reason for the increase in demand. In a 2011 study of 18,000 couples, conducted by theknot.com and weddingwire.com it was found that the most popular wedding month has moved to September with a total of 15% of all weddings, changing from June the previous year.
This brisk season brings with it a few concerns from brides who are trying to keep their costs down. Would a switch to the start of the "off-season" bring about higher prices for things like flowers? The answer depends on what you are looking for, but here is some information to help!

Year-Round Flowers: 

• Gerbera Daisies - come in almost any color and add a "fun" element to your wedding day
• Orchids - Come in green, orange, pink, purple, red white and yellow. They last for a long time, but are on the pricey side. 
• Roses - A classic, comes in red, white orange, pink, yellow and purple
• Stephanotis - this small star shaped flower comes in white and is a great addition to any bouquet

Fall Flowers: 

• Dahlias - These flowers bloom in the summer and fall and come in orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow. These full blooms are at their peak in early fall or late summer (perfect for a September wedding)
• Sunflowers - Perfect for a rustic themed or outdoor wedding
• Hydrangeas - these full blooms are colored in blue, green, pink, purple and white. The best part? They dry well for a great wedding keepsake. 
• Mums - These hardy flowers can be the perfect addition to a centerpiece or a pop of color for your ceremony

Cash Registry

Not sure what to ask for on your wedding registry? Worried you might register then change you mind about certain items? Don't want to deal with transporting gifts from your shower to your home? We found a solution to all of your concerns, Cash Registry!

Cash registry is an online gift registry that allows guests to contribute whatever amount they feel comfortable with towards a specific gift. For example, if you want a new couch that costs $2,000, multiple guests can contribute $100 to help pay for that one gift.

The positives to Cash Registry are truly endless:

Couples can ask for pricier items than on a typical registry. Such as, their honeymoon, living room set, dining room set, etc. 

Guests are able to contribute however much they feel comfortable.

Guests know they are helping give the new couple something they will absolutely use and love!

Couples can change their mind about their registry. If they register for a specific couch, but find another one they want, they can change it! Or if they decide they don't want a couch at all, they can just remove the couch from the registry and all the money already put towards the couch can be put towards a different gift or taken simply as cash.

Couples do not necessarily have to register for "stuff", you can register for your honeymoon, your favorite charity, gift cards, etc.

This essentially allows couples to ask for cash without directly stating they would like cash gifts.

Couples who do a cash registry still have the option to have a wedding shower, if they would like. Instead of taking hours to open all of your gifts at the shower, you have more opportunity to play games and mingle with their friends.

Seem too good to be true? Registration on most of these sites is free, however they do receive a portion of each gift given (they believe it is no more than the tax each guest would pay on a purchase)

If you are interested in doing a cash registry, try one of these sites for more information: ourwishingwell.com or depositagift.com

Or any others you find, there are plenty companies that do Cash Registry!

Registry for Cohabiting Couples

To all of you couples who already live together with all the essentials for your house and have no idea what to put on your wedding registry, this article is for you!

Wedding showers used to be a time for family and friends to give new couples the essentials for their first home together. However, now, it is so common for couples to live together prior to their wedding that they already have the essentials for their home and question what in the world they can register for. Don't fret! We can help!

Upgrade what you have!

Already have dishes, silverware, towels, sheets, and everything in between? Maybe it's time to upgrade! Register for nice sheets that you would never splurge on for yourself, but secretly want. Or register for new pots and pans, yours are bound to need replacing sooner or later; be prepared with new ones when the time comes.

Remodel!

So maybe you have been living together for years, so you have all the essentials. But maybe you have been dying to remodel your bathroom, but just haven't been able to afford it. Now you can! Want a fancy new shower head? Register for it! New towels? Register! For pricer things in your remodel, ask for money specifically for it in your registry.

Registering for gifts isn't always about physical objects, it can be about a trip, an experience, or about a good cause.

Experience!

What better way to jump into your marriage than to spend time with your husband than experiencing new and fun things together. Register for tickets to your favorite bands concert, or your favorite sports teams game. Or register for a cooking class or dance lessons. Think of the things you and your future husband want to experience together, and register for those. Your guests want to give you gifts you will love, but it's up to you to register for them!

Honeymoon!

You've been dreaming of a honeymoon in Hawaii, but you just can't afford it yet. Ask for it! Include in your wedding registry your trip and ask for financial help with it. To make it more fun for your guests, specify different aspects of your trip that they can pay directly for. Ask for one individual to pay for your surfing lessons, and another to pay for your couples massage on the beach. This lets guests pick something specific they are paying for and have fun with it, rather than just writing you a check and not knowing where it is going.

Give back!

Instead of asking for things you don't need or want, ask for things other people need. Find a charity you are passionate about and ask for guests to make a donation to that charity. If you are passionate about a local shelter for abandoned children? Ask for every guest of your shower to bring in children's clothes, games, school supplies, etc and donate them all to the shelter of your choice.

Money!

So many couples feel uncomfortable asking for money for their wedding, but if that is really all you need, what else can you do? If money is all you need, explain in your registry what the money will be going towards. Like previously stated in "Experience!" and "Honeymoon!", saying exactly what the money will be going towards makes guests feel like their gift is more meaningful than just a check. 

Registering can be a stressful time for many couples, but try to have fun with it. Register for things that you know you will enjoy together, rather than registering for things that you think you are "supposed" to ask for, like china, and punch bowls. If you have zero interest in having china, don't register for it!

Considering Cash Register for your wedding? Check out our next article on what Cash Register really is and what is so great about it!

No-Look First Look

Like we talked about in our last post, some couples are doing a "first look" before their ceremony now; in that post we talked about the reasons for choosing to see each other before the ceremony. However, for those couples who don't want to break tradition and see each other before, there are plenty of other ways to spend a special moment with your groom before you say "I do".

If you are okay seeing eachother the day of the wedding; but don't want your man to see you getting ready or in your dress before the ceremony, there are options for you as well.

Sleepover!

Some couples choose not to spend the night before their wedding day together. However, deciding to spend the night together allows you to enjoy your last "single" night together.

Morning Coffee Date

Start your day off having coffee with your fiance before all the wedding day festivities start. This lets you spend time together to talk about the excitement of your big day, without ruining the moment when your groom first sees you in your dress.

Still set on not seeing your fiance before your ceremony, don't worry you can still spend a special moment together the day of your wedding before your walk down the aisle.

Text

Send cute texts to the other throughout the day, leading up to your walk down the aisle. Say things such as, "I can't wait to call you my husband" or "You stole my heart, now I'm stealing your last name".

Letters

Don't want to text? Write love letters to each other and have it be the last thing you both do before the ceremony.

Photo Courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography

Hold Hands

Hold each others hand around a corner. Then you can talk too!

Blindfold

Most of the time brides are more worried about their groom seeing them before the wedding, not them seeing their groom before the wedding. If you are okay with seeing him, be in the same space together but have him blindfolded. Or if you don't want to see him either, both be blindfolded. This allows you to spend a special moment together and hug or kiss, but doesn't ruin the moment of his "first look" when you walk down the aisle.

First look or no first look, your wedding day should be the most memorable and special day of your life, make it exactly what you want it to be.

First Look

Photo courtesy of Matt Mason Photography

One of the most memorable moments for couples the day of their wedding is the first look. But the question is, should couples stick with tradition and wait until the bride walks down the aisle for the first look, or should they have the first look before the ceremony? There is no simple answer. Each couple is different and this decision is completely yours to make as a couple. For traditional couples, there is really no question, wait until the ceremony. For those of you couples who are torn on this decision, I would like to help you make that decision by explaining why some couples choose to do a first look photo shoot prior to their ceremony.

Photo Courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography

Why Couples Choose to do a First Look:

Non-Traditional. There are many non-traditional couples out there; this is a perfect opportunity for you to express that. 

Great photos. Not only is the moment important, but so is capturing the moment. Seeing each other before the ceremony ensures that your photographer(s) get amazing shots of the first look.

Saves time. Seeing each other before the ceremony also allows you to take all your photos before the ceremony. Taking photos before allows a quicker transition between the ceremony and the reception, which means more time with your guests! This also eliminates the stress of keeping a specific time schedule; allowing your special day to be relaxing and enjoyable.

Spend time together. Evening weddings have always been popular, which means couples have to wait all day to see each other. Taking photos before the ceremony means couples can see each other sooner and eliminate all of the butterflies of seeing each other at the ceremony in front of everyone. Having this time together allows couples to take it all in and express their excitement for the rest of their lives together.

Moment alone. If you have your first look before the ceremony, you get to share the special moment alone with your soon to be husband (and possibly your photographer). Being alone with each other allows you to let out all your emotions, kiss, hug, hold each other, etc. without being self-conscious of all your guests watching you. 

Photo courtesy of Matt Mason Photography

Want to stick with tradition? Our next article will share some alternative ways for couples to share a moment before their ceremony without breaking the tradition of not seeing each other till the ceremony.

Wedding Day Survival Kit

On your wedding day you want to be prepared for any and every situation that may arise. It has become a necessity for each bridesmaid to have their own kit, or at least for the maid of honor to have one big kit for everyone. With such an important day you want to be prepared for anything. Use this checklist when making your kit(s) to ensure you won't forget a thing!

Survival Kit Checklist
Mints

Floss

Mirror Compact
Back up Makeup (concealer, powder, mascara...)
Tweezers
Oil Wipes for Face

Kleenex Packet
Chapstick
Lotion
Deodorant
Tampons
Contact Solution

Mini Manicure Kit
Clear Nail Polish

Bobby Pins
Hair Spray
Comb

Tide Stain Remover Stick

Downy Wrinkle Release Spray
Lint Roller
Static Guard
Fabric Tape
Super Glue
Sewing Kit (with scissors)
Chalk (for spots on dress)

Mini First Aid Kit (with Tylenol, Tums, Band-Aids...)

Cell Phone Charger


Water
Snack


Don't spend your day stressed over the "what ifs" and know that you are prepared for anything! Use this list as a guideline when making your Wedding Day Survival Kit and feel comfortable that nothing can ruin your big day!

Treat Your Bridesmaids

Give your girls something special. After all that they have done for you, they deserve it. Brides often pay for their bridesmaids jewelry or shoes, pay for them to get their nails or hair done as their gifts. Also, brides commonly buy their bridesmaids clutches, a picture frame, a flask, or a tote. Your girls deserve something special, so surprise them with a gift they would never expect. Here are some ideas of some unique gifts that your bridesmaids are sure to love.

A Personalized Vase

There are numerous options for making sure this gift is unique. The vases can be painted each girls favorite color, they can be engraved with their initials or a special message, or they can be printed with a photo of the two of you.

A Wine Stopper

If you're willing to spend the extra money, buy them each a bottle of their favorite wine to go with the stopper.

Sunglasses

This is an especially nice gift for a summer wedding. The fun part is, then you can take pictures in them too!

Photo Courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography.

Personalized Make-up Bag/Clutch

This is a common gift for bridesmaids, but make it special by having a personalized message sewn into the the lining of the bag. The message can be a simple thank you, or a special message only she would understand. 

Perfume

If you are willing to spend a little more on each girl, buy them each a bottle of their favorite perfume. They can spritz it on right before your wedding and every day after that.

Something Unique and Special for Each Girl

You can also give each girl something different, for each of their individual interests (keep it around the same price range). If one bridesmaid loves working out, get her headphones in her favorite color, a personalized water bottle, etc. If one bridesmaid loves reading, get her the next book in her series, a personalized bookmark, etc. If one bridesmaid loves cooking, get her a cookbook, a personalized apron, etc. Giving each girl something unique for them will show how much you really thought about each of their gifts and how much you truly appreciate them being a part of your special day.

Spoil your Maid of Honor with something in addition to your basic bridesmaid gift. She has been there for you through the whole journey; make sure you show her how much you appreciate all she has done for you. 

A Gift Certificate for a Massage

You weren't the only one stressed about your wedding, your maid of honor will need to de-stress after the big day too!

Something She Needs/Wants

Between your wedding shower, bachelorette party, wedding gift, wedding day and everything else, odds are your Maid of Honor spent a decent amount of money. Maybe she put off buying the new dish set she needs or a new designer handbag she has been waiting to buy, in order to have the money for your big day. Buying her something she needs or just really wants is the perfect way to say thank you for all she has done. Help her out like she helped you, and I can guarantee she will never forget this gift.

Something She Loves

Just like with the bridesmaids, think about what your Maid of Honor likes to do. If she loves to work out, pay for a class for the two of you to take together. If she loves music, go to a concert with her. If she loves sports, go to a game together. Doing something she loves with her, shows her how much you care about her and lets you have some fun after the stress of the wedding is over.  

With each special gift, many brides also give their bridesmaids a "Wedding Day Survival Kit". Not only should your girls have a kit, you should too! Our next blog post will include essentials for these kits, as well as a few additional things to include. 

Wedding Photo Checklist

On your busy wedding day you don't want to be stressing about photos. You want to feel comfortable that your photographer will take every photo that you want. To ensure this, have a wedding photo checklist ready for your photographer to take a look at prior to the wedding day so he/she knows exactly what photos you want. To start off your list, here are some suggestions of photos that you may not have thought of, along with some so common that they may slip your mind.

Before the Ceremony: 

o The dress (hanging, draped over chair, lying on bed, etc.)

o Bride's accessories (shoes, jewelry, rings, garter, veil, etc.)

o Bouquet

o Bride's mother zipping up dress 

o Bride looking in mirror (taken from behind her)

o Bride's father's first look at bride

o Bridesmaid's first look at bride

o Groom's first look (if doing first look before ceremony)

o Groomsmen getting ready

o Close up of rings

During the Ceremony:

o Close up of the program

o Groom's expression waiting to see his bride

o Groom's expression seeing the bride

o Bride's expression seeing the groom

o Father giving daughter away

o Groom's handshake/hug with bride's father

o Close up of groom saying vows

Close up of bride saying vows

o First kiss with the guests in the background

o Close up of holding hands walking out

Portraits:

o Bride with groomsmen

o Groom with bridesmaids

o Bride and groom with bride's family

o Bride and groom with groom's 

o Bride and groom with flower girl(s) and ring bearer(s)

o Bride and groom with dogs (if they have any)

o Unique photos that show your personalities

At the Reception:

o Room before guests enter

o Decorations (specify which ones)

o Groom looking at the bride from across the room

o Bride looking at the groom from across the room

o Bride dancing with family and friends

o Groom dancing with family and friends

o Couples dancing

o Bride and groom leaving the reception together

Add specific photo ideas you have to this list, along with common photos.

Remember, this is your big day; make sure you get every photo you want to remember it by.

All photos courtesy of Matt Mason Photography.

Vintage is In

Yesterday, we talked about eco-friendly weddings. We left off mentioning how rings and dresses can be eco-friendly by going vintage! Let's start with dresses. Most brides want their own dress that is unique and perfect for them. Before you go out and buy a brand new, and most likely expensive dress, stop and think about the alternatives. Most mothers show off their wedding dress to their daughters, mentioning how much they would love for them to wear it on their own wedding day, while most daughters roll their eyes and say something along the lines of "Thanks mom, but it's just not my style". Remember though, vintage is in! Lets all take a moment and actually think back to the day our mothers showed us their wedding dress. Did it have any potential at all? Wearing your mother's dress does not mean you have to wear it in the exact way that she did, make some changes! Bring the dress to a seamstress and have it altered. A seamstress can take sleeves off and make it strapless, bring it in to make it more form fitting, add sequins and lace, or remove sequins and lace. They can make the dress unique and perfect for you, just like you dreamed. To keep it vintage you want to keep the alterations to a minimum, but you can still make it your style with some minor changes. I understand that some of you may not have this option at all. If that is the case, try a vintage store. Yes, the dress belonged to another unknown bride at one point, but no one at your wedding has to know that. Much like using your mother's dress, you can also bring the dress to a seamstress for alterations. Yes, alterations do cost money, but not nearly as much as buying a brand new dress, and it will also save fabric which is eco-friendly! Some of you may still cringe at the idea of wearing your mother's or a stranger's dress, but for those of you who don't, go for it! 

Now that we know how to ensure our dress is eco-friendly by going vintage, we can talk about rings. In many families it is tradition for wedding rings to be passed down through generations; what is more eco-friendly than generations of people using the same rings! Having a beautiful piece of your families jewelry passed down to you is incredibly special, and cheaper as well. However, some families do not share this tradition, leaving new brides and grooms to find alternative methods for having eco-friendly rings. Once again, you can go vintage by ring shopping at local vintage stores. Some of the most beautiful rings out there are the vintage ones. For those of you who simply are not comfortable wearing another person's wedding rings, there are jewelers who make eco-friendly rings. These jewelers use recycled metal and conflict free diamonds (diamonds mined, cut, and polished with ethical labor practices). Another great alternative is if you have other gold, silver, or diamond jewelry you can bring it to a local jeweler and have them recycle it into your own personalized engagement ring and wedding bands. 
  
If you are interested in finding eco-friendly rings, Hoover and Strong is a well known, environmentally conscious jewelry manufacturer and distributor.
  
For vintage wedding dresses and rings, and eco-friendly rings, you can also take a look at etsy.com.


All photos courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography.

Eco-Friendly Wedding

Photo courtesy of Matt Mason Photography

These days, more and more people are "Going Green", from things as simple as recycling, all the way to buying fuel efficient cars. So why not make your wedding eco-friendly too? There are a variety of wedding aspects that can be made eco-friendly, from the venue to the rings. The first, and most simple aspect that can be made green is the venue. Instead of getting married indoors, which requires loads of electricity, get married outdoors! Outdoor venues have natural lighting which reduces the amount of electricity needed to light your venue. An added bonus to getting married outside is its natural beauty; not only will it save energy, but it will also save money for flowers and other decorations. However, if having an outdoor wedding worries you, another alternative is to get married at an indoor location that has a lot of natural light, this will also cut back on electricity.

Photo courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography

On that note of natural beauty, lets talk flowers, aren't they all eco-friendly? The answer is "no". Some flowers are harvested with pesticides which make them no longer "green friendly." Also, if your flowers are being shipped from a long distance, their carbon footprint is even bigger because of the exhaust of the vehicle transporting them. One way to avoid environmentally dangerous flowers for your wedding is to grow your own or to buy locally grown flowers. If you have the resources to grow the flowers for your wedding in your own backyard, this is a great alternative, because you control how they are grown. (P.S. Growing your own wedding flowers saves money too!) There are also other options for wedding decorations, such as fruit centerpieces, silk flowers, herbs or simply anything but flowers. If you decide to stick with flowers, remember to either bring them home with you or send them off with family and friends at the end of the night, rather than simply throwing them all away.

Photo courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography

The next step in making your wedding eco-friendly is the invitations. There are two options for this as well, e-invites or simply using recycled paper. E-invites are invitations sent online. This cuts back paper use all together, however this may propose issues with guests who may not have internet access. In this case, use recycled paper for wedding invitations, save the dates, thank yous and every other paper aspect of the wedding. Let's not forget about the oh so important aspect of food. By finding a caterer who uses locally grown foods, you are making your food eco-friendly as well. Locally grown foods have less preservatives because they require less to be added in order to remain fresh during transportation. A shorter delivery distance also saves gas and avoids harmful car exhaust, which everyone knows is eco-friendly. Also, opt out of buffet style meals; with buffets, more food goes to waste. With pre-plated meals, the chef can make proper portions, which ultimately will save food. The four wedding pieces listed above are only a few ways to make your wedding eco-friendly. The dress and the rings can also be "green", by going vintage! Check back with us tomorrow with "Vintage is In", to hear more about making your rings and dress eco-friendly.

Photo courtesy of Matt Mason Photography

It's Wedding Season!

The summer season not only brings warm weather and vacations, but it brings beautiful summer weddings. Through this blog we will share with you our own wedding experiences along with all the new wedding trends. From flowers to dresses, wedding trends are constantly changing. What is chic for summer 2012 weddings will be replaced  in winter with new trends, and again in summer 2013. This constant change can leave brides in an endless search for the newest, most chic things for their wedding. We want to help keep you in the know with the up and coming wedding trends. This summer, the hottest trends include vintage dress styles with lace and long sleeves,  bold accent colors and patterns, rustic and natural themes, and any and everything eco-friendly. 

We recently had a bride who incorporated several popular trends into her wedding. 

She wore vintage accessories, such as her earrings, bracelet, and hair clip.

She used red in flowers and shoes as a pop of color.

She included patterns in her table coverings. 

Check back with our blog to read about our own experiences with summer weddings, as well as the newest trends. 

All photos courtesy of Ideal Impressions Photography.