The Wonderful Wedding Show: Ideas for inspiration!

My booth at The Wonderful Wedding Show. I was going for romantic with a hint of royal. The gold and plum purple really add that royal feeling and the champagne and diamonds add that bit of romance. I also wanted the display to be a bit fun and not too serious so I got a kindof wild centerpiece.

Etiquette Advice for Second Weddings

If you are getting remarried you are probably wondering what the proper etiquette is? Should you have bridesmaids or no? What kind of dress should you wear? What size should the wedding be? You might find yourself always wondering whether what you are doing is proper or improper.

Now that second or third marriages are becoming more common there is almost a stereotype around what the first wedding and second wedding should look like. For your first wedding you should have the Cinderella dress with a big reception and for the second wedding you should have a small intimate setting with a more subtle dress.  There are people who believe it is tacky to have two big weddings.

I personally do not agree with any of these stereotypes. Maybe you got married young and had a big wedding because you knew your dad was paying for it. It might also be that your first wedding was a more subtle small occasion because you were young and did not have the biggest budget and now for your second wedding you want a grand affair! If you are now a bit wiser and want to have another extravagant wedding, I say go for it! I do not think a Bride should feel like she has to conform what she wants on her Wedding day to fit some rules. If you think you found the love of your life and want to have a big party to celebrate then you should!

One area of etiquette that should not be ignored is around gifts. An encore marriage should not expect gifts for a second time; however, a supportive and enthusiastic family will usually give gifts anyways. It is acceptable to have a second bridal shower if someone offers to host it, however, a second time bride should not expect a bridal shower.

At the end of the day there really are no set rules. If you decide to go with a big celebration with a big dress for a second or third wedding it is probably more likely that people will gossip about it, but unfortunately that is just what people do. Ignore the possibility of gossip and plan your dream day!

For services to help coordinate your second wedding check out our website: http://firstclasseventplanning.com/wedding-planning/partial-wedding-planning/

The Art of Being A Confident Bride

For some reason every woman has an image of exactly what they are supposed to look like on their wedding day. The second a lady gets engaged they put this overwhelming pressure on themselves to have the perfect hair, makeup, skin, weight… the list goes on. What most brides seem to forget is the way they are supposed to FEEL on their wedding day. A bride should feel confident, happy and excited. As the wedding day gets closer Brides tend to start to notice more and more of their flaws when they really should be remembering and focusing on all their amazing qualities. Below are a few ideas to help Brides remember how fabulous they are:

1.       Remember that your fiancé loves you just the way you are and probably doesn’t even notice these “imperfections” that you want to change and are subconscious about.

2.       If you are the sentimental person who keeps cards take them out of storage. Re-read some of the loving words from your friends, family and fiancé from the past years. Realize how special you are and how much you are loved just the way you are.

3.       If there is one particular area of your body that is bugging you make a realistic plan to try and improve it (ex. Losing belly or arm fat, fixing bad skin). Everyone has parts of themselves that they are not thrilled about, which is fine. It is just important not to let those few areas define how you feel about yourself. Instead take the situation into your own hands and make a realistic plan to try and improve the areas you are less fond of.

4.       Read your resume: This might sound funny, but sometimes one needs to be reminded of all the things one has accomplished. Reading your resume will help you remember all the skills you have developed and all your best characteristics.

The most gorgeous bride is the bride that is comfortable in her own skin, knows who she is, is confident and is madly in love with her fiance!

Invite an EX?!...That Is the Question!

The opinions seem to be quite strong around the idea of inviting an ex to your wedding.  It is a very delicate and usually quite complicated situation.  In difficult situations I like to create a pros and cons list. I have made a sample one below. Pro and con lists are great because they really show you what you stand to gain from your decision and what you stand to lose. If you stand to lose more, then you really should not risk it. However, even before considering the pros and cons I believe the most important question to ask yourself is why do you really want them there. Is it possible you still have feelings for them? Are they one of your closest friends? Would it be awkward if you didn’t invite them?  

Conflict resolution exercise: If this is a topic that is causing conflict between you and your fiancé you should both make your own pros and cons list and then sit down and calmly discuss the lists together.

Pros:

1.       They are great friends with both you and your spouse

2.       If they are close family friends you will make your family happy

3.       You have a tight knit group of friends or live in a small town and if you don’t invite them it will be awkward. Inviting them avoids awkwardness and is just easier

Cons:

1.       Feelings might resurface all of a sudden during the ceremony

2.       They might get depressed, drink too much and make a scene

3.       Your spouse will be angry all night that they are there

4.       It might add stress to what can be already a stressful day and is one of the most important days of your lives

The pros and cons list above is to help you consider the different effects having them at the wedding can have. Every situation is complicated and you want to make the decision that will make you and your fiancé the most happy on your wedding day!

10 Make-up Tips Every Bride Needs to Know!

1.       Drink lots of water the days before the wedding and on the wedding day to add a glow to your skin and flush out any impurities

2.       Pluck eyebrows and moustache approximately a week before the wedding day to make sure there are no red bumps or rashes

3.       Spend the money on a good quality, long lasting lipstick for the wedding day. Assign one of the bridesmaids as your “checker”. Give your “checker” a big smile before every photo session to make sure there is no lipstick on your teeth.

4.       Make sure to use waterproof mascara in case of tears or sweating

5.       Keep a lipstick, powder and mascara in a similar shade in your purse for touch-ups throughout the day. In addition, if it’s a summer wedding you might even want to consider an extra nail polish for fixing up your toenails if you are wearing sandals or wedges.

6.       Schedule a test make-up session about 2 weeks prior to the wedding to ensure you are happy with the look

7.       Make sure the makeup artist does your makeup in the brightest spot possible to make certain they do a perfect job

8.       Don’t forget to wear a button down shirt when getting your hair and makeup done. You don’t want to end up having to be cut out of your shirt:P

9.       If a pimple arises on your wedding day. Cover it up. Do not pop it!

10.   Make sure to tell your makeup artist about the time of day for your wedding, the wedding colours and the shade of your dress (pure white, cream, champagne etc.).

If you are stressing about any of these details do not worry about it! Your wedding planner knows these and many other helpful tips and tricks. She/he will be there to ensure you look and feel amazing in every picture!

Is an elopement right for you?

The minute I hear the word elopement I think of a story where a couple is forbidden to fall in love so they run off and get married against their parent’s wishes. If that was the case in the past elopement certainly does not mean the same thing anymore. Nowadays elopements occur quite a bit more often and are not such a faux pas as they used to be.  Couples are choosing to elope for many legitimate reasons. Some of them are discussed below:

1. Decreased costs. The elopement is quick and easy with typically very few people involved. However, usually a couple that elopes does have a reception a few months after.
2. Decreased anxiety. If you are a bride that is extremely nervous about being the center of attention while walking down the aisle, going through an entire day of being stared at and taken pictures of this might be a good idea for you. Elopements are a more relaxed intimate experience with a lot less pressure.
3. Cultural differences: If you are combining two very strict cultures it can seem impossible to make everyone happy. There is a high possibility of having large family feuds over the wedding ceremony. Elopement removes all those uncomfortable and upsetting situations.
4. Intimate experience: Maybe you and your fiancé moved away together and lived your lives away from family. If this is the case it might be more meaningful for just the two of you to share the moment together.
5. No time: If you found the man/woman of your dreams and want to get married, but just don’t have the time for a wedding, elopement might be a good option. This problem can also occur when your vacation times never sync up.
6. Not a fan of weddings: Maybe you have witnessed one too many grand weddings that are followed a few years later by divorce. It is possible for an individual to still believe in marriage, but not believe in having a wedding.

Although there are many good reasons to elope always ensure it is what you want. You don’t want to wake up the next day and wish you had done the traditional wedding in the church instead.

The Truth about Cash Bars

The first wedding consultants were upper-class women who informed the family on how to host an appropriate society event. Therefore, I feel that it is my job as a Wedding Planner to tell you the proper etiquette for hosting your wedding. According to the rules of etiquette cash bars are tacky and not suggested. Inviting guests to your wedding is the same as inviting guests to your house. You would never host a dinner and charge guests for their glass of wine or a can of beer. The same principals apply to hosting your wedding. If you are having liquor at your wedding it is not polite to ask your guests to pay for part of the wedding. That being said it is also my job to help the bride and groom stay within budget. There are many alternatives to having a cash bar that will decrease costs.

Below are a few suggestions:

1.       Consider having your wedding during the day. Guests are far less likely to drink in the morning or afternoon.

2.       You could have a signature drink. A signature drink can be pre-made with a combination of juice, soda and liquor. This keeps guests drinking, but at a fraction of the cost

3.       You can always choose not to serve alcohol. If you have great music, entertainment and good food your guests will still have a great time

4.       You can also have a beer and wine bar. This decreases the cost as the expensive spirits are not available

5.       The location of your wedding can decrease costs too. If you have a backyard wedding you can purchase your own liquor license and have your provincial liquor commission sell you the liquor. The liquor purchased will be cheaper than the charge per drink or bottle that a hotel, golf & country club or any other wedding venue would charge.

Cash bars or toonie bars have become increasingly popular as a way to decrease the cost of the wedding; however, they really are not appropriate according to the etiquette rules. If you really want to have a cash bar remember to mention it on your invitations so guests can remember to bring cash!