Planning an outdoor ceremony this summer? Take a minute to think about what this means for your guests. Most likely they will be sitting in the sun for 30-45 minutes. In an effort to make them more comfortable, place a thoughtful basket at the entrance to the ceremony. If you are handing out programs, a natural place for the basket would be near those. Fill the basket with sunscreen, fans, water and/or shawls. (Don’t forget your bridal party.)
A rested, happy bride will always have the prefect glow. But no doubt, some of you plan to chase the bridal glow with intense beauty treatments.
Beauty treatments should not be a knee jerk reaction, to a snippy comment, made by a jealous friend. Give yourself at least a month (or more) to test the treatment. Pay attention to how your skin reacts and recored exactly what you get done, including the products used. For those interested in botox, cupping, teeth whitening or laser hair removal please use a board certified professional when appropriate. For intense treatments give yourself three months to recover incase the outcome is not what you anticipated. Paying for a second treatment closer to your wedding date is worth it considering no amount of money can heal a botched chemical peel.
I will not pretend I know how to fit a cowboy boot, but I will point to a very expensive, Nashville authentic, never been worn, tags still attached, pair in my closet which can confirm they do not fit like shoes. If Nashville chic footwear is up your alley make sure to find the proper fit. Honestly, I would skip the online sale for this one, check out Helen’s Leather Shop in Boston and trust their experts.
A few things to note, both men and women’s boots add about an inch in height. And authentic boots can be rather expensive, so think about the implications to your budget (and your maids) before getting too attached to the idea. This is especially true if it will be difficult to integrate the boots into your closet after the wedding.
The Boston Marathon tragedy reminded me how some joyous occasions need to carve out space to honor the absence of loved ones – Weddings are most notably one of those times. To acknowledge and honor loved ones, many couples light candles during the ceremony, leave an empty chair at the reception, create a personal nod through choice of cruise or décor, or most often include a poem in the wedding program. Two great sites that can help generate ideas are Hallmark, and Bridal Guide.
Remember, you cannot get this wrong. The memories, and loved ones, you are honoring are very personal and therefore should be remembered in a way that speaks to you.
It’s not summer just yet, please keep the tanning to a minimum.
A tan in early spring will look out of place next to you maids, and most of your guests. If you do find yourself on the other side of spray tan “a quarter cup of lemon juice, half a cup of salt and a loofah sponge. Scrub scrub scrub.”
Not your bridesmaids, that’s who!
Even with short dresses some of your bridesmaids will need a hem. Bridesmaids’ dresses are typically made for women around 5’11”. There are three ways to handle hem heights with short dresses. First, dresses can be hemmed right above (or below) everyone’s knee so the dress appears to fit the same. Alternatively the hem can be measured to hang a certain distance from the floor which creates a symmetric look in pictures. The third option is live and let live, however the dresses come in and whatever feels comfortable to you bridesmaids let them decide. In all instances take into consideration the heel height which can unintentionally shorten a dress – you do not want Grandma to blush.
Photo booths can capture a hilarious/intimate moment at your wedding. DIY or professionally constructed, you get fantastic pictures of your family and friends – surely more fantastic as the night carries on!
What has made photo booths trendy is the use of props; a mustache on a stick, pink bowa and clown glasses, etc. These props are fun and colorful, but I would recommend forgoing these extras. Seeing how your guests get creative when left to their own devices is priceless. The thought and care they will put into these pictures is truly the spirit the wedding photo booth was created to capture.
Wedding koozies are not for everyone. If you are considering this trendy idea keep in mind how your caterer/venue will be serving drinks. While koozies are the perfect accessory for cold beer, they are a logistic nightmare for crystal flutes. If these relatively cheap cup coolers are right for your reception check out sites like Total Wedding Koozies, Haymarket Designs or Koozies Online for great prices, clever phrases and classy designs. My personal favorite “to have and to hold, to keep your beer cold.” Whatever you decide keep it fun!
With a wedding reception carrying on late into the night your guests will need more than an open bar. Whether in a ballroom or backyard, everyone will enjoy a well-timed beverage. A festive and inexpensive way to quench their thirst is to set up a water station. Find large water jugs at William-Sonoma or Walmart and simply add thinly sliced fresh fruit, mint or both! Depending on the size of your reception strategically placing a couple of stations will help to avoid lines.
At this point in life, we have experimented with enough bad nail colors to know what we preferred. Weather it is an essie, NARS or OPI we have looks we like. For your wedding day do not stray too far from your best nail – it is probably the truest you. Count it as wedding research to test a couple colors/manicurist ahead of time. See how the color photographs and the nail shape accents your ring. Do not forget buy a bottle for last minute touch ups and please, please leave the French acrylics for the QVC models.
