How to Choose a Bridesmaid Dress Video

In this how to choose a bridesmaid dress video, an expert from Brides.com gives us some tips on picking bridesmaid dresses that our bridesmaids can actually wear again. A little-known secret about being a bride is that we have some sort of hypnosis or disorder when we’re planning our weddings that make it so we can convince ourselves that any dress we pick for our bridesmaids will be something they’ll be thrilled to wear again. Later, after the wedding fog clears, we realize that it ain’t gonna happen. Truly, after this video, I’m still not convinced, though she gives some good suggestions, like making sure the fabric and color are current or classic, pick something with a little detail (because, as she said, “nothing says ‘bridesmaid’ like a completely plain dress.’” She makes some cool suggestions, like choosing a dress with a pattern, and suggests different accessories to help the dress make the transition. Now, if they only offered different ways to wear that wedding dress!

Valentine’s Day Weddings – Should You Say “I Do” on a Popular Holiday?

Holiday themed weddings have been popular nearly as long as couples have been saying, “I Do!” With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many couples are preparing to wed on this very romantic and sweet day of the year. But should you choose a holiday as your wedding day. Let’s talk about the benefits or challenges of choosing Valentine’s Day – or another popular holiday as your wedding day.

The costs will often be higher on a holiday wedding day. Expect to pay a premium price for things like flowers, catering and event space for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Especially flowers will be quite expensive near Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. You’ll want to include these costs in your budget planning.

Holidays like Valentine’s Day are also an ideal time to find special things you’ll only find at one time of the year. Many manufacturers make things in time for the holidays knowing that they will be purchased by many. Your celebrating your wedding in addition means you can enjoy pink champagne or other romantic things that may be included with the holiday.

A holiday wedding can make it easy for everyone to come – as they have that time off from work or school. A wedding near a holiday can often make it easier for friends and family to come to your wedding as many holidays are days off from work or school. While Valentine’s Day is not a holiday we take off from work. New Year’s Eve and the 4^th of July are. Many of these holidays can be an ideal choice as you will know that family and friends can take the long weekend or part of the week to join your special celebration.

Some guests may find a Valentine’s Day – or other holiday themed wedding a challenge. The holidays are a time when people often make special plans. If family or friends have made plans of their own they may sometimes be hard to change. Of course a wedding is something special you just don’t want to miss. Simply keep in mind that with a holiday themed wedding you’ll want to use Save the Date cards way in advance to let guests know you are using a special holiday date – to be sure they reserve this date for your wedding instead of for other plans.

You’ll always have a “fun” wedding anniversary. When your wedding anniversary is Valentine’s Day, this day becomes even more romantic and special for the two of you as a couple. Just imagine how wonderful it will be celebrating big anniversaries like your 10^th, 25^th or 50^th wedding anniversary and Valentine’s Day on the same day. Very exciting and also romantic as well. Every restaurant in town will be offering special meals and treats. There will always be lots of fun and romantic things to do over the Valentine’s Day weekend that you can do to celebrate your anniversary.

For the Fellas – A Valentine Proposal?

While The Wedding Gal’s Snarky Cousin isn’t always the most romantic creature in the world, nothing gets me right at the heartstrings like a heartfelt and creative wedding proposal.  It’s a perfect moment in time, or it can be.  It’s not about the right table linens or the perfect bouquet.  It’s not about bridesmaid dresses that could ruin friendships or whether or not to serve shellfish at the reception.  It’s a moment of maximum potential, when two people first make a commitment to spend their lives together.  It’s a fresh, new, unblemished promise – unsullied by seating charts and unruly flower girls.

So you’ve got this perfectly unblemished moment, full of romantic promise and magic, so why not make it happen on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year?  St. Valentine’s Day!

I know what you’re thinking.  How could I, The Wedding Gal’s Snarky Cousin, possibly expect you to believe that Valentine’s Day is actually romantic?  A Hallmark holiday that makes every unmatched singleton feel rotten and every person that is in a relationship feel this unfair obligation to buy gifts and confections?  Phooey on Valentine’s Day!  Right?

WRONG!!  St. Valentine, according to one legend, married young lovers in secret when marriage was outlawed by Claudius Gothicus.  St. Valentine kept love alive in a time of war and oppression.  Romantic, huh?  So, in keeping with romantic tradition, here are some do’s and don’t do’s for proposing on Valentine’s Day:

Say It Sweetly

Conversation Hearts are the best-selling Valentine candy.  Made by Necco, they have been printing little sayings on the heart-shaped treats since the 1860′s.  The kind of conversation heart you can buy today have been around since 1902.  That’s a long history of being a Valentine’s Day staple.  Even though the company has tried to make their treats more current with sayings like “E-mail Me,”  you can go one better and use a fine grit sandpaper to remove the original message and add your own with a food coloring marker.  You can write “Marry Me” on all of them, or you can write what will be her married name on all of them.  She’ll get the idea.

DON’T go to all the trouble of sanding off the little phrases on a gajillion candies and then neglect to have something romantic to say.  You can do it.  Just don’t be all, “I got you this candy” and just stand there and look at her.  Creepy, Dude.

Nothing Beats a Romantic Dinner

I read somewhere that next to home, restaurants are the most popular place for wedding proposals.  I read somewhere else that 10% of Valentine proposals happen in restaurants.  Somehow that math doesn’t sound right to me, but you can imagine that it happens a lot.  We’ve all seen movies.  Speaking of movies, see the “Don’t” section below for some more tips, but for now I will say DO take her someplace nice.  I know they all tell you to take her to the place you had your first date or the first place you said “I love you.”  If your first date was at McDonald’s, you may not want to propose there.  Unless she really, really likes McDonald’s.  I know I do.  But not enough to get engaged there.  Do say something sweet to her.

DON’T put her ring in food or drink of any kind.  Why?  Why would you a) get chocolate or crab dip or champagne all over her nice new ring or b) take the chance that she’ll swallow it and then have to go to the ER and eventually have to have the darn thing removed or….worse?  Don’t do it.

Say It Loud, Say It Proud

Use a billboard, a scoreboard, a sky-writing airplane, or an ad before a movie showing, but ONLY IF YOU KNOW SHE’S GOING TO SAY YES!!!

DON’T go to all the trouble, expense, and possibility for public humiliation if you have any doubt in your mind that she’s going to balk.

There you have it, Guys.  Don’t say I never gave you anything.

Popular Winter Wedding Shower Gifts

Are you attending a winter wedding shower? You’ll want to get the bride something special. That truly makes her feel like a bride and especially something ideal for winter. Fortunately, there are many terrific winter wedding shower gift ideas you’ll love. Try some of our favorites!

The key to giving a winter wedding gift is to think of something ideal for the season. Some gifts simply lend themselves more easily to the season than others do. Giving the bride and groom a gift that is suited for the winter is something that is more thoughtful than you might at first think. If the bride and groom get married during the winter, your giving them a winter themed gift means that they will think of winter and their wedding every time they use it. Some gifts they may use year-round – but for special winter themed gifts they will use them even more during winter months and this will bring a special smile to their faces as they remember their wedding day and the moments they shared with you.

Hot chocolate machine. This is a sweet treat ideal for the bride starting a new life. A winter wedding means moving into a new house when it is cold and often snowy. A hot chocolate machine makes yummy hot chocolate at the push of a button. This tempting treat is sweet and also romantic. Chocolate is actually an aphrodisiac, ideal for newlyweds. Include all of the hot chocolate fixins’ with this gift like whipped cream and sprinkles.

Bread maker. A bread maker machine is a great gift for a new bride. What could be more delicious in the wintertime than hot, freshly made bread? Bread makers today are quite easy to use. A bread maker used to be a bit tricky to operate but today they are rather simple to use and create delicious fresh bread at the push of a few buttons. You can make many varieties of bread in a bread maker.

Ice skating lessons. Many say that the first year of marriage is the hardest. Often couples simply have to adjust to being with each other, and not “dating.” Giving newlyweds ice skating lessons is some romantic fun for them to look forward to. They can have fun on the ice and enjoy ice skating during this winter – and then for every winter following. Your thoughtful gift of ice skating lessons this year could mean they ice skate for the rest of their lives – thinking of you as they start of on the ice! Those couples certainly look happy as they skate side by side holding hands on the ice. We’re sure you’d agree.

Tanning sessions. This might look funny on a winter wedding shower gift list, but the fact is that many winter wedding couples go to tropical destinations for their honeymoon. It is so important to get that base tan for protection before you go into the sun. A nice tan also looks wonderful in your wedding photographs. If the bride and groom enjoy tanning, tanning sessions could be a thoughtful gift they would enjoy. A little imported summer sun for the wintry weather.

Do You Want to Be Your Own Wedding Planner?

Do you want a wedding planner? Many brides dream of having a wedding planner who can give them the wedding of their dreams. But with some planning, preparation and a little creative thinking – you can be your own wedding planner. You’ll save on costs and best of all you will have exactly what you wanted for your own wedding.

Stay organized for the fairytale wedding. When you are trying to coordinate an event that can have up to 300 guests and a wedding party with 20 or so people in it, staying organized is critical. But don’t make staying organized more difficult than it needs to be. One of the best tips is to simply keep everything related to your wedding in a single place. Create or purchase a wedding organization binder to keep your planning, receipts and other materials in. When you can easily put your hands on “the wedding stuff” you’ll find your stress level goes way down – and your fairytale wedding is that much easier to plan.

Put time on your side when planning your wedding. The “typical” wedding can take 1 to 2 years to plan. That is “if” you can get the site you desire and everything in place. Brides and grooms who have their eye on a special venue or site may have to wait a little longer – or if you want to get married in a specific season you will simply have to wait for the calendar pages to turn. Use this time to your advantage when planning your wedding to organize everything and do things in advance. Many bridal magazines give a timeline – consider your own personal desires. Some brides may need additional time if they have more responsibilities to juggle. Other brides may have help putting together their wedding and can do things quicker.

Use your strengths and know your weaknesses as a planner. We all have our talents and we all have our weak points. What are yours? Maybe you are a foodie or a fashion plate. Maybe you are a black belt bargain shopper. Make a list of your wedding planning skills. Then sit down and make a list of the skills you may be lacking in. Are you not good at details? Do number or budgets drive you up a wall? With these skills you will need reinforcement. Ask family, bridesmaids and your groom for help in planning the wedding of your dreams. You may have a bridesmaid who is a foodie when you don’t understand menus as well. Or your mother-in-law may love fashion when you don’t enjoy shopping for clothes at all. When you know your skills and weaknesses, you get things done quicker and with more confidence. Best of all, you have more fun planning your wedding!

Take inspiration from life, bridal sites and other brides for the wedding of your dreams. Your fairytale wedding is a combination of what you always dreamed of as a little girl and what makes everyone happiest today. Many brides have specific things they “must” have at their weddings and that’s okay. You can get great ideas by connecting with other brides to learn today’s bridal trends and hot ideas for your wedding. Or take your own passions, inspirations and include them in your wedding. A wedding should be about the joining of two lives and including things about your two lives gives your wedding truly a polished and complete look. Ask your Groom for ideas about adding to the wedding too!

Hey Brides! How to Get Fit for Your Wedding

Every little girl dreams of the day she’ll wear her wedding dress, kiss the man of her dreams and have the beautiful wedding she’s always imagined. But most women also really want to get in shape so they’ll look fantastic in that wedding dress! Even women who’ve exercised regularly, often increase their exercise regimen as brides to be.

Don’t try to drop a dozen inches in two weeks – it simply isn’t going to happen. But most women can make great improvements with a little determination and sticking to an exercise plan. Try some of our helpful tips to get fit for your wedding day!

If you exercise already, look at what you need to improve. This may involve getting a session or two with a personal trainer. Most brides truly don’t want another expense while planning their wedding, but seeing a personal trainer can save you time and help you avoid from over exercising the wrong muscle groups. A personal trainer can make suggestions on how to increase exercise to reach your goals and will customize a plan. Can’t afford a personal trainer? Try asking a friend who is passionate about fitness for some tips and advice!

If you don’t exercise, now is a great time to start. But you’ll want to be sure not to overdo it. If you are out of shape, starting with a super intense workout can put you at risk for injuries, and no bride to be wants to spend her time nursing overworked muscles when she has wedding planning to do! Start with gentle yoga or twenty to thirty minutes on an exercise machine like a treadmill or elliptical machine. Increase by five to ten minutes every week until you’ve reached about thirty to forty five minutes of cardio.

For the bride who wants to lose weight, the secret is a one-two punch of cardio and weight training. You need both pieces of the puzzle. Don’t worry about “bulking up,” that happens with guys. Most women workout with three, five, eight and even ten pound hand weights, depending on the exercise they are doing. The best hand weight is one that feels a little challenging but you can still get through all of the reps.

Give yourself one or two rest days to help get in shape and lose weight. If you lead a very sedentary life (working at a desk most of the time), then probably you would want to take one rest day instead of two. If you do a lot of walking, take care of young children, do gardening or other physical chores, plan on two rest days.

Remember you can’t change your body type as you lose weight. A lot of women get frustrated about their “trouble spots.” Whether this is your arms, legs, belly or another area, it seems that this area may have always bothered you and this is the area you’d really like to see progress. Realize that you may get fit and lose some weight, but if your body is an “apple” or a “pear” that your body will continue to have more weight in the belly (apple) or the hips (pear). Focus on finding that wedding dress that compliments the body you have, instead of looking to change the body type you have, which is simply impossible.

Our best tip: find a bride (or friend) fitness buddy! Research has shown that when you workout with a friend, you will exercise longer and more enthusiastically than if you do it solo. This means you have greater potential to lose weight, get fit and see the results you are hoping for. So find another bride who is getting in shape for her wedding dress, or a friend who wants to get ready for bikini season, and exercise together!

Creative Centerpiece Ideas

Your wedding is a special day.  That’s the understatement of the century – right?  Of course it’s special.  Not only do you want everything to go smoothly, to look perfect, and to be a fairytale kind of day, you also want your reception to stick out in people’s heads as a first-class event that reflects your personality and style.

If you don’t go in for theme weddings (and let’s face it, not everybody does), you can still spice up your reception with something special on the table.  You can go for an artsy-type centerpiece, a fun and interactive centerpiece, or something simply beautiful and memorable.  Here are some ideas to get you thinking about the perfect centerpieces for your wedding.

Put Your Guests in the Right “Frame” of Mind

One way to personalize your wedding tablescapes is to use pictures of you and your spouse-to be as part of your centerpiece.  You can place votive candles and flowers around the frames, and your guests will have lovely photos of the two of you to entertain them during the really long best man’s speech.  You can take it a step further and use a double frame with the photo on one side and a description of the time the photo was taken – be it a vacation, the day you got engaged, etc.

Water, Water Everywhere

Another easy but beautiful option is to float your flowers or candles in a water-filled centerpiece.  You can use varying heights of cylindrical vases, like the picture above, or (better yet) get large, flatter bowls and float a candle and some flower blossoms in it.  Not only do you have a beautiful, fragrant centerpiece, but your guests can talk to one another without peering around a tall centerpiece.

Build Some Fun

If your guests have busy hands, fill some large clear bowls with Legos or other building blocks and have them build you little wedding gifts.  Better yet, let them build things to take home with them as part of their favors.  For an additional Lego good time, rumor has it you can email Lego and they will send you a bride and groom Lego cake topper.  How cute is that?

No matter what centerpiece idea you choose, remember this is your day and your chance to express your personality and your flair.  Go for it!

The Running of the Brides

Twice yearly, Filene’s department store sponsors  a  well known event that is recognized around the world wide as The “Running of the Brides”.   On the selected day(s), brides line up at the door to participate in a race, in search of their dream wedding gown.   Many have already brought along lawn chairs, tents and sleeping bags in anticipation of being amongst the first to grab the best bargains.

The gowns selected for sale are usually available due to cancelled orders, cancelled weddings, or shops needing to relieve their inventory.  Many famous labels are included and gowns are usually priced at astonishingly low prices.   This “no holds barred” event begins when the doors open and a flood of  mostly women, race in to grab as many gowns as possible.  Future brides often enlist the help of friends and family members to assist them in the free-for-all.  The  vast rows of gown –filled racks are said to be often cleared in less than a minute . This race  is not for the fainthearted, nor is it the time to be picky in making selections.    After all of the initial chaos is over, the real work begins.

Each participant then examines the arms full of gowns to determine whether anything is worth keeping or trying on.   Soon the real “wheeling and dealing” begins!  Negotiations involve trading amongst the group for correct styles, sizes and prices.  Many purchasers enjoy the fun and the high energy surrounding the event, and so attend with a  specific shopping strategy in mind.  In any case, fun can be had by all.

And yes, men can also attend….if they dare!

What are the best appliances to give as wedding gifts?

Appliances for Wedding Gifts

Do you agonize over the perfect gift for the bride and groom?  Or do you simply check of the next, most reasonably priced item on their gift registry?  There are a lot of things couples say they must have, but if you want to be practical, consider the gift of a small appliance.  Stumped for ideas?  These suggestions may help you with that dilemma.

First, it’s a good idea to check with the gift registry.  After all, that’s probably the best way to make sure the happy couple doesn’t get multiple versions of the same item.    Five blenders can be great if you’re throwing a tropical themed party and mixing up the frozen blender drinks.  But that’s not really practical.

If the couple you’re gifting doesn’t have a registry, consider some of these options to outfit their kitchen.

Slow cooker:  A slow cooker is a must in any well equipped kitchen.  This is especially true if both the bride and groom work.  What better way to have a filling dinner than to place the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and have a fully cooked meal waiting when you get home?   Cookbooks are readily available and most accomplished cooks are more than willing to share a favorite recipe or two.  In fact, a selection of slow cooker recipes would be a nice touch to a gift of a slow cooker.

Indoor Grill:  When first starting out a couple may live in an apartment where an outdoor grill is not a possibility.  An indoor counter top grill gives multiple options for preparing health meals.  There are varying sizes and styles and you can expect to spend about $30.

Bread machine:  A bread machine can be a money saver in the kitchen, and homemade bread beats anything you’ll find on a grocery store shelf.

Toaster oven:  For those times when the newlyweds want to prepare a quick meal without heating up the entire kitchen, a toaster oven is the perfect appliance.  It won’t replace the conventional oven, but it gives great options for couple on the run.

Blender:  Everyone needs a blender, and not just for mixing cocktails.  Blenders can make milkshakes, fruit smoothies, and even soup.  Some models are powerful enough to crush ice.  Expect to spend about $60 for a good blender.

Microwave:  It’s hard to believe that some couples might not already have a microwave.  After all, how do you get through college without microwave popcorn?  Microwaves can heat, bake and roast foods.  And they’re great for thawing out dinner when you forget to get out the slow cooker the night before. Check out Will it Microwave for some fun videos.

Stand mixer:  Sure, if money is a concern a regular hand held mixer would be a nice gift. However, if the couple likes to cook, a stand mixer is a must for mixing up frostings and cookie dough and more.  Keep in mind that a stand mixer is one of the more expensive options with brand names setting you back $200 or more.

Other items that a couple may want or be able to use include things like waffle makers, deep fryers, food processors and rice cookers.  And if you know the couple well enough, an espresso maker, while expensive, just might be the most favored gift.

Totally stumped even after all these great suggestions?  Consider a gift card to a kitchen store.  That way the couple can select the item they either didn’t receive, or they can splurge on the one they wanted but didn’t think appropriate to put on their registry list.

Even with a registry list, sometimes couples will still come up with multiple variations of the same appliance.  Be sure to include a gift receipt with your gift.  And don’t be offended if yours is the one they choose to exchange.

Related articles

• The Blender: A Brief History (amazinginfographics.com)

Have a Wonderful Winter Wedding!

Winter weddings can be exceptionally beautiful; especially around the holiday season.  During that time, many places of worship and commercial venues have already been outfitted in festive colors, and oftentimes come with ready-made celebratory atmospheres.  In many cases, very little will be needed in the way of additional decorations.  In many parts of the world, snow is prevalent, which can definitely add to the festivities.

However, winter weddings can be subject to their own seasonal challenges.  Many a happy couple have had to navigate stormy weather to get to the church on time.  Brides often have to find practical (yet elegant ways) to keep warm, while not detracting from the overall look and feel of the occasion.  A winter bride may want to consider including either a cloak, cape, shrug, shawl, wrap, bolero, or faux fur stole to her wardrobe.

Certainly each and every delay and/or potential snag cannot be foreseen.  However, having a little peace-of-mind ahead of time can prove to be priceless if the occasion should call for it.  Before scheduling a winter wedding, having a Plan “B”, just in case things are not pulled off as smoothly as planned can surely be a good thing.  So as not to have a stranded bridal party (especially the bride and groom) , an alternate means  of transportation may need to be kept at the ready; and contracts made with any venue scheduled to host the reception will need to be examined for clauses that detail what would happen in the event of unavoidable tardiness or a cancellation.  Maintaining a list of things that need to be taken into consideration is a great way to keep track.  In the meantime, enjoy planning your winter wedding while not forgetting to set a place for Mother Nature….keeping in mind that she reserves the right to be the ultimate Wedding Crasher.

Photo by Anne Ruthmann

« Previous Page — Next Page »