So now that I have played dress-up in bridal boutiques, tasted treats and sweets, sipped rose with a sommelier, and picked the perfect peonies for my bouquet. And confirmed the ceremony site, reception location, and first song? Check, check, and check. But even though I feel I have the details down, there is still one part of the planning that requires more a bit more attention. The seating chart!

To help me on my way, I have made a storage box to help organize incoming R.S.V.P. cards and made a checklist which includes the invitees’ names, plus spaces to fill in their replies and any comments.   So now that I am organized I need to think about those last minute details.

What do I do if a couple of friends show up with dates even though they weren’t invited?  What if they bring their children?   What can be done about the crashers?    The Banquet Sales Manager has assured me that they will prepare enough for the unexpected additions to our party. So we can welcome the last minute guests to our reception with open arms.

As far as where everyone will sit, I have worked out a flexible seating chart.  I had to take into consideration the wedding party, the families and the very good circle of friends.  At first I wanted to have the bridal party sit with us to show them how much we appreciate all they’ve done.   Then I started to think about the bridal parties significant others and where to seat them….

In traditional etiquette, it’s absolutely acceptable to split someone from their date. But, allowing your bridal party to dine with their dates is a foolproof way to keep them happy and to keep the bash lively.  I saw somewhere that occasionally Brides & Grooms will opt to seat the best man and his date and the maid of honor and her date with the bride and groom at the head table and sprinkle the rest of the bridal party at tables around the room to be “ambassadors”.  We have decided to have a sweetheart table for the two of us and have the bridal party sit between two or three other tables.

As for the rest of the guests, I have started my flexible seating chart.  We are doing a buffet style dinner, so place cards are not required for each guest, but I am working on escort cards and a table chart for the lobby entry.  Escort cards will simply reflect the table number each guest is assigned to, but then give them the freedom to choose who they sit next to at the table.  Another benefit in designing a seating chart is that it allows me to separate people/family members who may have friction — without anyone being the wiser.

So I didn’t have to think about this, but I did read about a few considerations for the guest list and rsvp’s that I wanted to pass along to anyone who is planning a party/wedding/special event.  Here is what I found from a few wedding sites:  If many of your friends have kids, and you’re determined to have a grown-up event, be proactive & take charge. Don’t mention children’s names on the invitation.  You invitation card could read “Children are welcome to the ceremony. During the reception we have arranged a children’s’ hospitality suite”. You can also talk with your guests in advance -  If you know them well enough to invite them, most likely you know them well enough to give them a call. You can also suggest babysitting services in the area if it’s a destination wedding.

So I hope some of this info comes in useful to any other brides out there.  At two weeks to go, the thing I learned so far is no matter what, have fun – this is your Wedding!

Only 1 more week to go!

Cheers!

Belle (bride to be)

Countdown to the BIG day – only 3 weeks to go and it feels like a millions details are popping up.  This week my focus was on my final fitting and getting all my dress ducks in a row.

I made sure to take my maid of honor with me to the fitting to be positive we all know how to bustle the back of my dress for the reception.  I have heard nightmares about brides not being able to get their dresses bustled correctly and missing the start of the reception being stuck in the bathrooms with all the bridesmaids and needles & thread.  I do not want this to happen to me.  Even though my wedding will be very laidback, I still want all the small details covered.

I have heard that on average, a bride has three dress fittings; the first two involve major alterations while the third focuses on the details.  I only have only had 2 fittings, since I have a simple dress and no major alterations were needed.  This last fitting  was designed to make sure my gown allows me to move with comfort and grace throughout my day, including sitting, dancing and many, many hugs from guests.

The bridal boutique also suggested that whenever a bride is doing fittings to ensure that the dress is secure and the neckline sits properly.  Many bridal boutiques also have the bride sit, stand, and simulate the acts of hugging and dancing when first trying on a dress, especially if it’s a strapless gown.  Interestingly another tip from the boutique is adjusting the hemline with my wedding shoes on.  To keep brides from tripping, most hemlines are at least an inch shorter in the front than the back, lengthening gradually along the sides. When you’re standing, the tips of your shoes should peek out from under the gown to ensure a smooth walk down the aisle.
Lucky for me I bought my dress not too far from home, so transportation is not a huge issue.  But for any other brides to be, if your dress is in one state and your wedding in another, you’ll need to plan for the gown’s safe arrival.  After researching how to get a gown perfectly delivered from point A to point B, I have found the following information.

If you are driving, to minimize wrinkling, take the largest car you can. Fold the back seats down and cover them with a sheet; and lay out the dress, extending the skirt as far as possible.

If you’re flying, don’t take the dress as a carry-on! Luggage carriers small enough to fit in overhead bins are too small to fit a wedding dress without crushing it.  The best option is to ship the dress to your destination wedding with a reputable carrier, such as Fed- Ex or UPS which are familiar with fragile items (unlike most airlines).  It’s best to have the boutique pack your dress for shipping the same way they would for preservation.  But if you decide to pack it on your own, stuff the bodice, skirt, and sleeves with acid-free tissue paper and fold the dress in a Z-shape over crumpled tissue paper to prevent creases and lay the gown in a tissue-lined box.

Now for the day of the wedding, I need to be prepared for any minor accidents so I will be sure to use caution when getting dressed.  A tip to keep makeup off the gown is to cover your face with a towel or tissues when dressing.  Even with me being very careful I know that spills and slip-ups do happen. So one of my bridesmaids has created a little emergency kit with rubbing alcohol and clean white cloths as well as a needle, thread, and double-sided tape handy for fixing hems that have come undone.

Now I feel prepared!  Until next week…..

Cheers

Belle ( bride to be!!)

Wow!  One month to go!  It is down to a few minor details now and this week, my goal was getting my ceremony programs organized and ready to print.  It has come to my attention that I have quickly reached my budgeted goal and so this week, I look into ways to DIY my programs.

But before I print anything, I need to have the ceremony planning complete.  After all, the ceremony deserves the same careful consideration as the reception; so I plan to spend a few days of concentrated efforts on our programs which will highlight our music, vows, and rituals that we want to include.  People say that the special moment when we are pronounced husband and wife is the true highlight of the wedding!

To start things off – the grand entry of the bridal party.  We are going to let everyone pair up with whomever they feel most comfortable, except for the Maid of Honor and Best Man.  A tidbit about everyone in the bridal party will accompany the marching orders….  To get everyone down the aisle, we plan to do a tropical Steel Drum & Guitar band with the nontraditional song selections noted in the program.

To personalize the ceremony even more, we are asking our officiant to say a blurb about our first date and engagement story.  In the programs I will have a small story about us which can be a keepsake for the family members.

Another tidbit about our programs will be a background story of our family and bridal party and why we chose to include them and how they have impacted our lives.  Another way to say thank you!  We want to keep things very simple and fun so we are not going into too much more, but, I did research some other traditions and twists on the ceremony and program printing.

Some couples will choose to “express themselves” in the program by featuring a small poem or excerpt from a poem that has meaning and significance in their lives.  Others who are including a religious tradition might choose to explain the background and meaning behind the ritual for guests who do not know the meaning.  To honor loved ones who have passed, if you choose to not have the officiant mention beloved  family during the ceremony and to avoid overwhelming emotion, you might want to add a few words in the program to acknowledge their importance in your lives.

If your ceremony happens to include a blessing of the rings or perhaps a unity candle, you might also want to mention them in the program as well.  A few of these traditions do involve guest participation and this will help them to prepare.

Even though Chase and I are going simple, we plan to fill our programs with important people and moments in our lives.  Something we can keep and look back at over the years.

Until next week….

Cheers!

Belle & Chase

This week the planning and work was passed onto the Bridesmaids!  And I am happy for the break, to be honest.  Now, that doesn’t mean I didn’t do some research, I just didn’t have to actually plan and confirm everything.

According to Bridal Shower tradition, the shower should not be thrown by the bride’s immediate relatives since it would appear that they were asking for gifts. That is why the maid of honor, bridesmaids or another good friend usually hosts the event.  As for when to have the shower, generally a couple of months to a couple of weeks before the wedding is a good time frame.  So I am leaving that up to my girls and I have faith that whatever they plan, I will love it!
Bridal Shower traditions are something fun I came across and might mention to my girls.  I love the tradition of the groom showing up with flowers just before gifts are opened. This gives guests who haven’t met Chase before that chance to see why he is the perfect guy for me (corny, I know). 

Another tradition that has been passed down from past generations is making a bouquet out of the shower gift ribbons and bows and using it at the wedding rehearsal.  

I also thought I might see if we can’t start a new tradition which will honor the woman of both families. I want to have photos of the mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers from my family and Chase’s family to use as centerpieces on each table.  This is my way to honor all the brides before me.  And to finish off the day, if I can get a picture done of all of us together, I would love to turn it into a thank you gift to both families.
At another Bridal Shower I went to, they had a great idea that I wanted to share with everyone.  Guests were asked choose a time of day to tailor their gifts too.  It was called a ‘Round the Clock’ shower.  Gifts ranged from breakfast themed gifts (like a breakfast in bed tray) to happy hour gift (like custom martini shakers) or even a nighttime gift (lingerie?).  It was a fun and interesting twist on shower gifts.
In the past Bachelorette parties have included too many alcohol induced headaches, embarrassing pictures and awkward “bride to be” costumes.  Well I decided to take charge of this one.  My bachelorette party is going to be a combination party and girls getaway weekend.  I plan to take my bridal party and a few close friends to the beach for the weekend as part of my gift to them & thank them for being part of such a special day to me.  Spa treatments, shopping, room service and good old fashioned girly stuff will be in order!  Great food and drinks, plus beachside R&R with my favorite girlfriends — now, that’s a party!

Until next week….

Cheers!

Belle

Once again a fun week for us.  Shopping for favors and gifts!  Key word shopping – a girls favorite activity.

I stumbled across the perfect favors for everyone, and yes I am going to spill it here first.  Small woven beach baskets stuffed with Sangria drink mix and plastic flip flop garnish sticks!  How’s that for tying in my theme and signature drink?

The bridal party gifts are a bit trickier and I don’t want to post what I have found.  So instead I will give everyone a few great ideas that I stumbled upon in my wedding planning journey.

Martha Stewart Weddings has great ideas as usual.  Here is one great idea that I thought was perfect for the day of your Wedding.  “From bustling your gown to fetching relatives for photos, your bridesmaids’ wedding-day work is never done. Miniature lunch boxes, packed in advance, provide a midday snack and a small token of gratitude. Choose the nibbles (make sure they don’t stain!) favored by your attendants, and nestle them in boxes with napkins and drinks. We secured ours with bands of decorative paper and adhesive seals bearing each name.”

One thing I have thought about is that even if my bridesmaid gifts share a common theme, I feel it’s very important that each gift I give is appropriate for each different personality.  A perfect coastal themed example is going with freshwater pearls but in different uses for each bridesmaid.  One may prefer simple classic ivory drop earrings but another may like a funky fun freshwater black pearl pendant and seashell necklace.  So, when my bridesmaids open their gifts they know that I truly appreciate them and have put much time and thought into each and every gift.

That’s all for this week – I look forward the girls opening their gifts in the near future!

Cheers til next week

Belle

I know that every bride loves their ring and that each one is so very different, as is every bride different.  My ring is an antique, a family piece, from my fiancé’s (there is that word again, will I ever get tired of saying it?) great grandmother (on his mother’s side I think).  And I have to tell you that it fit perfect!  What are the odds that a 100 year old ring from a very petite sweet little old lady would fit on my finger?  So maybe that tells you something, it really is fate that he and I are together!  And I know that it was someone else ring first, but they were married for over 60 years and that has to have some good luck attached, so I wear it with pride.

This week we went to jewelers to look for our Wedding bands.  What a tough job that is!  If it was a simple as finding matching bands that we both like it wouldn’t be a problem.  But, finding matching rings that we both like that also match the engagement ring it quite the challenge.  At this point, we are looking into having bands designs for both of us. 

So I did some research on wedding rings and bands to find out all the pertinent info.  Many people warn that if you’re contemplating designing your own ring, be aware of this potential pitfall: what you think you want in the beginning may not be what you want in the end.   And since we won’t be able to return a customized ring, we need to tread carefully.   It is suggested that we start by visiting several jewelry and antiques stores (if we don’t already have a reliable and trusted jeweler). Try on the ring styles we gravitate toward so we can learn what suits our hands and reflects our personalities.

When we get to the design phase, it is also suggested that we should take photos from magazines that show similar styles we like. A picture truly is worth a thousand words.  Another tip is to expect the commissioned design to take between three months and a year (if it is really elaborate). So, we really need to choose quickly!

Along with style we also need to determine whether we want platinum or white gold.  Platinum is one of the strongest metals, but the price of white gold is much easier to swallow.  So many choices, but it is something we will both have forever and we need to do it right!

Having said all of that, I am off to search magazines while I sip my weekly Sangria and contemplate my ring design.

Cheers until next time!

Ready for this weeks updates? 

This was a fun week to be a bride!  Choosing my menu for the reception!  I chose to go with one of the Wedding Packages, which are really an all inclusive menu package, and it has made life easy for me.

My reception will start with a cocktail hour filled with butler passed hors’d oeuvres and a yummy fresh fruit and imported and domestic cheese display and of course an open bar.  And of course my signature drink, Sangria, will greet all of my guests as they arrive.  I m not sure of timing just yet, but sometime within the first hour we will arrive at the reception as the new Mr & Mrs and be introduced! 

Then we move into dinner hour.  I plan to have salads or appetizers served at each guests table and then I have a fully serviced buffet with a carving station and three choices of entrée, something for everyone, along with my favorite vegetable and potato.  To add just a touch of grace to dinner, I will have wine and champagne served tableside for everyone.

After dinner, the bar will reopen and let the games begin!  Dancing, drinking and socializing for a while until we all have room for our fantastic Wedding Cake!

Now who doesn’t want to come to the reception just for the fabulous food alone!  I am very excited and can’t wait to have our menu cards printed and see everything come together.

Until next week, sip and sangria and enjoy the great fall weather!

Cheers

Belle (bride to be)

In an effort to stay true to my waterfront beach wedding theme, I have decided to add a twist to my flowers and bouquets. 

Some people consider seashells the flowers of the ocean. So I am going to use them with a jumble of floral blossoms to create an adorable aquatic inspired bouquet.

Crisp shades of white will be used for the seashells, and I would like to have several different types of shells in the bouquet.  Mixed in among the shells will be freshwater pearls in shades of blues and grays.  To pull the whole bouquet together I will use small white and ivory blooms with the stems cut and tied with a pale blue organza ribbon.  Very light, sea inspired and exactly what I think a mermaid would have at her wedding.

For the bridesmaids, I will use mainly white and ivory blooms with a few shells and pearls scattered in among the bouquet.  The organza ribbon on each stem will be a matching color to the bridesmaid dress.  Now the men will get a boutonniere made of a single shell on a pale green fern leaf with a few pearls adoring the shell.  Simple, seaside, elegant.

The best thing about these bouquets is that they can be used as a special event centerpiece later with just a few minor changes!

Now on to the table centerpieces……  As you know Bon Appetit has a basic centerpiece that is included in the Wedding Package and I fully intend to take advantage of that.  It is a white silk orchid in a clear vase filled with clear glass stones and set on a round mirror base.  I will be adding white shells and starfish mixed with gray and blue faux freshwater pearls on the mirror base.  Simple clean glass votives filled with white candles will surround the entire centerpiece.  When lit, the candles will sparkle on the mirror and create the aquatic ethereal look I am going for.

Belle here with another update.  And can you believe it has been months since the engagement!  I am now in countdown mode and checking off so many things from my planner to do list.

This past week I started booking hotel rooms for family & friends.  Now I need to get the hotel information to everyone on the guest list in case they need or want to stay for the weekend.  I have two options on spreading the news.  I can do a wedding website with all hotel information as well as area links and things to do.  Or option number two is a newsletter type mailing with all the pertinent info.  Right now I am leaning towards newsletter format that can easily hang on the fridge for easy access to the big day!

For those of you who might like the website idea, I saw a great link on Martha Stewart Weddings to get your own wedding website up and running.  From what I saw, you can do everything from links to accommodations, directions to ceremony and reception, transportation options as well as have your bridal and gift registry listed.  It would actually be really handy if you have a computer/internet oriented group of family and friends.

For the bridal party, we have decided to pay travel expenses to get everyone here, since they are all over country.  That will act as part of our gift to them for being such a special part of our wedding day.

On that note, I will leave you for now.  Sip a Sangria and enjoy your week!

Cheers

Belle

As you may have noticed throughout the weeks, we are indeed doing a coastal themed wedding, Beachfront Ceremony and Waterfront Reception.  So this week’s adventures included finding the appropriate coastal dresses and attire for the bridal party. 

The guys were easy.  Get them all in a tuxedo and to the beach on time.  Tuxedos will be ordered from Mr. Pauls Tuxedos in Clearwater Fl.  The level of guest service and also the variety of different colors and styles are what won me over.

As for the girls, we will all be ordering our dresses from Cheri Bloom in New Port Richey FL.  All of the girls decided on the same style, which is great, and we will do varied colors to represent all the colors of the sea.  I think it will be a fun twist on tradition and also not force everyone into the same dress and color regardless of what might not be flattering. 

So hues of pale blue, celadon green and sandy taupe will be the choices.  A great empire style, knee length, halter dress is the winner.  It is very flattering on everyone.  I also heard a tip that I will be sure to have the dress shop include and that is weights sewn into the hems of the dresses to keep things under control should the stray breeze decide to whip around the girls.

Now, about my dress….  I will not go into too much detail here, simply because you never know who might be reading and I sure don’t want my fiancé to find out.  I will tell you that it is a simple classic style in a creamy antique white and you might be able to find it in the spring collection of Carolina Herrera!  Oohhhh….. I’m so excited about it!

On that note, I will leave you for now.  Sip a Sangria and enjoy your week!

Cheers

Belle