Everything But A Groom©

Weddings are jam packed with details then they throw in the literally hundreds of ways to write a wedding invitation. Are you confused as to what to write or who to list or not to list on the invitation? And when do we send them out? Is sooner better than later, or will everyone forget? Let's address these topics and I urge you to send questions if you need clarification.

What info needs to be on the invitation?

• The Bride and Groom's full names should be listed separately on a formal document such as an invitation however a new trend of First name, Middle Initial and Last name is quickly becoming popular. Another variation that is acceptable is First Initial, Full Middle Name and Last Name if you go by your middle name. I would avoid using any nick names such as”Slim" on your invitation unless no one knows your real name.

• Who is inviting the guests? If the bride and groom are paying for the wedding they should be the invitees however if the happy couples parents are footing the bill they should be the invitees. e.g. (Parents are footing the bill) Your presence is requested at the wedding of Betty Jo Smith the daughter of Mr. Sam Hill and Mrs. Kate Yosemite to Jimmy Bob Jones son of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Jones. e.g. (Bride and Groom pay the bill) your presence is requested at the wedding of Betty Jo Smith and Jimmy Bob Jones.

• Date. You may list the day, the numeral of the day, then the month and then the year, (e.g. Saturday, the 5th day of May 2009) or month, numeral of the day and year, (e.g. May 5th, 2009).

• Time. The hour and minute that the wedding will begin. e.g. 6:00 PM should be written as six o'clock in the evening

• Place: List the venue's Full Name and address. E.g. Little Chapel in the Woods 123 Church Rd City and State.

• Reception info. If the reception will be held in the same location then simply state Reception to Follow and you’re done!!! If your reception will be held elsewhere list the Reception Hall and full address again. E.g. Reception to follow immediately after the ceremony at The Hall of Ceremonies 123 Main St City and State. For out of town guests a small map containing both locations and the easiest route is recommended.

• R.S.V.P. info. If you enclosing a RSVP card please be certain to place a stamp on the return envelope and address them to whomever will be handling those for you.

• Registry info. I do not recommend you list registry info on the invitation itself. Rather place a small card with this information with the invitation in the envelope before mailing. Many registries provide these cards for your use. Ask the clerk at the time you create your registry.

When should we send our invitations? No later than 4 weeks prior to the event and not sooner than 2 months before the event.

4 to 6 weeks allows people to set aside time and make the proper arrangements to be able to attend. Any less time than that and you are limiting the amount of guests that will be able to make the event and it is viewed to be inconsiderate to your guests. So Ladies lets not be rude. Send those invites out 6 weeks to one month before hand.

If you send the invitations out sooner than two months before the event you risk people forgetting all together. To avoid being overlooked because your event is set far into the future send out a seperate save the date card or magnet . We make custom refrigerator magnets for our clients use. Then send the invitations as mentioned before.

I hope this information has helped you make some sense of the tangled mess that invitations can be. If you have any questions about invitations please email us and we will reply as quickly as possible. Check out our great invitations for more invitation options.

Have A Happy Wedding!

Carolyn

We have all seen the horrid bridesmaid dress nightmares of pink or even worse peach chiffon. The huge booty bow, the matching hair Pouf made of leftover dress fabric etc.... Stop the INSANITY!

Brides come on now. Let us remember that these people are your friends and sometimes even family. These pictures will live on in our wallets, albums and Facebook pages for years to come.

Allow your bridesmaids to look great. Honey, if you are worried with the bridesmaids looking better than you on your wedding day, well then you have big emotional issues to deal with. You are probably not emotionally prepared for the struggles a new marriage can hold. Perhaps this is the time that a bride with these emotional issues may want to step back and re-evaluate her behavior and or the life changing event that she is about to undertake. Be confident in your appearance and allow your attendants to be confident as well.

A WONDERFUL new trend in bridesmaid?s apparel allows you, the bride, to choose the color of the dress. Then the bridesmaids are allowed to choose the style of dress to flatter their body type and comfort level. The dress should be appropriate for the weather, the occasion, and for the location of the wedding. You don?t want to have a bridesmaid dressed like a $3 floozy in your church. You are the bride and you are allowed to have final say in the dresses but be kind and remember if your bridal party looks good it makes you look even better.

Have  A Happy Wedding!

Carolyn

All Eyes Are On You- So Be Gracious

It is your big day. You are surrounded by decisions, questions and all those you love. You want to enjoy  this day. You want your soon to be husband to enjoy his day too. It is after all, your BIG day.

The sheer excitement of the day can be overwhelming. Combine that with the stress that a wedding can bring and it can turn even the most composed girl into a raving lunatic.

Television shows such as "Bridezilla's" haves glamourized the depressingly bad behaviour of today's Brides.  Follow a few basic rules and remember count to ten and take a deep breath before you react.

**Everyone will be looking at you so be prepared. Realize that with every question and or the uncommon wedding emergency, you will be the go to girl. They make ask others such as the Mother of the Bride, your Maid or Matron of Honor first, but lets face it ladies you are the decision maker. Do not kill the messenger. Resolve the situation as best as possible, with as little fuss and muss as possible. This does not mean perfection just a resolution.

**Remember that your wedding day is all about you marrying the person you love, not that the roses are a specific shade of pink or that the hemline of the bridal party are not straight. Do not get so lost in the details that you can't enjoy the purpose of the day.

**Loose the attitude. Yes it is your big day, but (yes BUT), it is also your groom's big day and a huge day in the life of both yours and his parents. Remember to be gracious and grateful. It is not all about YOU.

**Things will not go your way all day. There will be distasters. There will be problems with this or that. Do not expect perfection, rather expect the unexpected. Now I am a planner. That means I like to have a plan and a back up plan just in case. Now please do not expect the Plan B theory to be 100% full proof. Sometimes you need Plan C, D and yep sometimes Plan E and F. I just want you to be prepared for less than perfect. Now it might turn out just as planned and truthfully I hope for you that it does, but chances are that it won't. So be prepared, composed, ready

**Memories are made today. You will be remembered and known for all time and eternity by those you know and the new family and friends you will most definately meet on that big day. Pictures will capture the smile. Memories will caprture the fit you throw because your Cousin decided to change the seating arrangements or because the photographer was 20 minutes late. Even in the face of a disaster remember to treat others with tact and grace. You can still be firm and express your displeasure without acting like a spoiled rotten 8 year old brat.

**I personally feel the phrase "because I deserve it" is ONLY to be used in a haircolor commercial not in everyday life and certainly not in your wedding day.

It is your big day. It is his big day. Both Mothers of the Bride and Groom are smiling (hopefully) the Fathers of the Bride and Groom are unnaturally emotional and you WILL BE the most gracious gal in the room.

Have a Happy Wedding!

Carolyn