Since I’ve been on sort of a wedding registry kick, I thought it would be appropriate to write about monogramming your registry items. You probably know that you can monogram your bed linens, table linens and towels, but you can also have your monogram put on your china, barware and silver.

Before you decide to monogram anything, you need to decide how you want it to look. What design it should have as well as the number of letters. To make sure I give you all the correct information on this topic, I asked Jane Scott Hodges, founder of couture fine linens company Leontine Linens to fill me in on what couples should know about monogramming.

Q. What’s the proper order of a couple’s intials?

Many modern couples wish to forego the tradition of monogramming registry items with only the wife or husband’s initials, and incorporate both the husband’s and wife’s first initials. In this case, the proper order is wife’s first, married surname, husband’s first. The below example above would be for Jane and Timothy Hsu.

Q. What if the wife doesn’t change her last name to her husband’s? Can you create a monogram with just first initials?

If you have decided not to change your last name, and still want to create a monogram, you can have a 2-letter cipher designed. A cipher is when 2 letters are combined one on top of the other. A couple can combine their two last names or even their first initials – sometimes it depends on what letters lend themselves to a monogram best. An example of a cipher appears to the left.

Another option would be to do single initials, one on each pillow of the bed, as a clever “his and hers.” Single initials add interest and variety when mixed with more traditionally monogrammed items as well.

 Q. How does one select a monogram style?

One thing to consider is what type of monogram you like. There are typically two types to consider:

Appliqué is a needlework technique wherein the design is “applied” using fabric stitched to another piece of fabric. The applied fabric creates the design or monogram. Appliqué is a rare technique that is difficult to find.

Embroidery is a needlework technique wherein the design is stitched in thread. There are several stitch styles and techniques to allow for elaborate and complex designs. The thread itself creates the design or monogram. While embroidery is still commonly found, most embroidery companies offer computerized embroidery and only one or two different stitch styles. Hand and Hand-guided embroidery is much more difficult to find, but allows for much more freedom in the design, stitch technique, and complexity.

Q. Do you recommend one style over the other?

From a purely aesthetic point of view, appliqué tends to be more bold and graphic, wherein embroidery appears more delicate. Appliqué is more difficult to find and may be more attractive to you if you are looking for something more unique that will stand out amongst your peers. For both appliqué and embroidery, there’s a wide range of designs that will compliment your personal style.

 

To purchase linens for your home or as a gift for someone else, visit the Leontine Linens Web site.

 

 

I know I did a general post earlier this week on registering for non-traditional gifts, but I thought I’d do a Part II on the topic.

I don’t know about you, but I love Gifts.com. Whenever I’m looking for a unique gift for someone, I always find the most interesting ideas on their site. I spoke to Megan, Editor of Gfts.com, for her ideas for creative wedding gifts. Forward the one(s) you like to your close family and friends.

Romantic activities to enjoy together:

• Hot Air Balloon Ride over Sonoma (other cities are available)
• Couples Massage
• Bed ‘n Breakfast Certificate

Great gifts for a group to get you:

• Top of the Line Grill or Fire Pit
• Hard-Drive Camcorder

Personalized AND affordable gifts:

• Champagne flutes
• Customized DVD of your wedding photos

The site also allows you to search by personality, as well as occasion, so check it out and then spread the word that you guys would love a specific gift for your wedding. There’s noting wrong with telling your parents, siblings and close friends that there’s something you'd really like. 

 

Monograms are a very popular choice when it comes to choosing your wedding “logo.” If you and your fiancé have decided that you want to add your monogram on all of your wedding details there are some “rules” you should follow.

Etiquette dictates that you don't use your married initial until after you are actually married. That means you should not use your married initial on any wedding stationery guests will see before the ceremony, including your save-the-date card and invitation. Some people will use their married monogram during the ceremony because it symbolizes two people becoming one, so while some etiquette experts will say don’t use your married monogram at all until after you’ve actually said “I do,” I don’t think the etiquette police will come after you.

Once you've tied the knot, you can use your married initial on any and every detail at your reception including your wedding favors, cake, menu cards, place and seating cards and any other items you are planning on having.

The invitation above is the Larson design from Abby Jean Press and is available in a rainbow of colors.  The coral and white combination is shown here.  You may be familiar with Abby, she's the author of the popular (and beautiful) wedding blog, Style Me Pretty.

Many couples already have china, linens and all the other traditional wedding registry items and find themselves at a loss as to what they should register for. While most brides and grooms would love nothing more than cash gifts, you simply cannot tell your guests to write you a check. So my advice, go to your favorite stores and create a wedding registry.

You can go to a few traditional as well as non-traditional retailers – online or brick and mortar – and follow the usual registry tips:

• List items in every price point
• Pick items that are traditional AND non-traditional, remember grandma and her friends will go for the dishes and linens over the panini maker
• Don’t forget to re-register before any pre-wedding events (engagement parties, showers)

And my new tip: Look for interesting and non-traditional items at traditional stores. That doesn’t mean you should register for clothes at Macy’s or shoes at Bloomingdale’s.

I’ve been holding on to the Diane James Designs press kit for months. They are one of my favorite home decor companies, and at the Gift Show in January, they told me that they are available at Nieman Marcus. If you’re not familiar with Diane James Designs, they make the most beautiful decorative floral arrangements.

Anyway, they got me thinking. Many of the traditional registry stores – Crate & Barrell, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma – sell furniture, linens, decorative accessories, lighting and other non-traditional items. So the next time you say to yourself, I don’t need anything, think outside the (gift) box, and register or re-register for everything from paint (Restoration Hardware) to pottery (Jonathan Adler).

 

Let’s face it. Not many women can stand in heels for over six hours straight. And on your wedding day, you’ll be standing, posing for photos and dancing all day and night long. It’s not unheard of for a bride to slip in to something a little more comfortable for her reception. (Remember the scene in Father of the Bride where the bride wears decorated sneakers under her wedding gown?)

Flip-flops have become very popular for brides whether their wedding is on the beach or in a ballroom, but flips don’t give your feet a lot of support. Until now.

Oka b is a fashionable and comfortable flip-flop your feet will love! They offer cushioning and support for your tootsies so you can dance the night away. There are over 18 styles to choose from, and each style comes in a rainbow of colors, so you can go with bridal white, something blue or another hue to match your wedding dress or wedding’s color palette. Prices vary, but most of the styles range from $20 to $30.

You already know that the invitation – to any event – will let your guests now what type of party they will be attending: formal or casual, beach or ballroom. While you want to make a statement with your invites, sometimes it’s hard to find a stylish and affordable one.

Pingg, a new online invitation company, offers beautiful e-vitations for free! Yes, that’s right, for free!

It’s so simple: Pick your occasion and then choose from hundreds of designs for the right image. (Their photos are beautiful.) Simply add your event details, guest list and click send. For a small fee you can send the e-vitation by text message. Your guests can RSVP online and there’s an event Web page to help you keep track of them. You can also add a link to your registry and upload photos and video.

While I’m still a fan of sending a more traditional (read: tangible) wedding invitation to your guests for the big day, I think Pingg e-vitations are a great source for invites for every other wedding-related party: engagement party, the shower, bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, bridesmaid luncheon and post-wedding brunch.

Whether you're getting married in a ballroom, on an estate or in a private home you need to think about what items will need to rent. Your florist and caterer will tell you what you need - linens, china, silver serving pieces, glassware, flatware, tables, chairs, tents, floors, generators, heaters, lighting and floors - are some of the items you may need.

Don't assume that all of these items will be included with your wedding location. In most cases they will be, but if you are getting married in a loft space or a private home you may have to bring everything in to accommodate your guests.

Enter the rental company. A rental company can offer you numerous options to customize and create the feeling and tone you’ve always imagined.

Take your florist to your wedding location to decide which linen color will work best with the flowers and the room, and ask the caterer what plates, serving pieces, flatware and glassware you'll need.  Then visit a local (and recommended) company to determine which pieces to rent.  

Here is a list of few rental companies from across the country:

Be Our Guest, based in Boston and serving New England

Party Rental, serving the New York tri-state area and Washington, DC areas

Snyder Event Rentals and Staffing, Charleston

La Bella Party Rental, San Francisco

A few months ago I wrote a post about maternity wedding dresses, but what if your bridesmaid or maid-of-honor is pregnant?  Many bridesmaid dress companies make a maternity version of their popular designs, but today with many brides giving their bridesmaids the freedom to select their own dress your ‘maids may be at a loss of where to go shopping.

If you are just dictating the dress color and formality, you may want to also give your girls an idea of where to start looking – local dress shops, department stores, etc…  But if one of your bridesmaids is pregnant, she may need some extra help in finding a gown that is not only comfortable, but also fits the look and feel of your wedding.

I attended a press preview for the maternity clothing stores – A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity and Motherhood.  Each store has a line of evening wear gowns for moms-to-be.

The two dresses featured above are from A Pea in the Pod.  Here's a link to their evening wear collection.

And if you are a pregnant bride, they also carry maternity wedding dresses:

If you find other great designers that carry maternity dresses for brides or bridesmaids please let us know!

 

 

I know I’ve written about how your guests will email you photos they took at your wedding, but what are you going to do with all of them?  Just store them in a file on your computer? 

 

How about making a digital scrapbook?  With digital photographs, creating an album online is easier than ever!

 

I recently learned about a fabulous digital scrapbooking company, Scrapblog, which will allow you to create beautiful pages for your wedding scrapbook, for free!   They have hundreds of templates to fit a variety of occasions, including dozens in the wedding category.  You can add text, graphics, audio and even video to it! 

 

Once you’ve designed your pages, print them out or have them bound into a book, or email them to your friends and family. 

 

I know the process sounds a little daunting, but I swear on Aggie, it’s really simple.  Click here to take a tour of the whole process!

In addition to the clean and modern design, this organizing system is completely customizable.  The set includes:

• Signature (3-ring) binder – available in 13 colors!
• 12 Section tabs with pockets – 3 were left blank so you can customize these sections
• Planning notebook – you can buy more planning notebooks once you fill this one up
• Organized adhesive note set - you can buy more of these too!
• 2 business card pages
• 10 Sheet protectors - 8-1/2 x 11" pages
• 5 Multi format pages (holds 11 x 17" or 8-1/2 x 11")

On the russell+hazel Web site you can download (for FREE) over 30 templates.  Download whichever ones you need as many times as you need them.  You’ll no longer have to worry about making a mistake or changing your mind and erasing the information.  Just print out another copy.

The Wedding Organizer is available at russell+hazel.com for $75 and in stores later this summer.  russell+hazel is currently offering 10% off all orders when you sign up for their newsletter. 

I’d love to know what you think, so please post comments below. 

As much as there is talk about what the bride should wear and how her makeup and hair should look, there is not enough talk about how the groom should be, well, groomed. So why not treat your fiance to a haircut and shave by a professional barber for your wedding?

Salons for men are popping up all over the country, with barbers who know what they're doing with a scissor and a straight-edge razor. You, and your groom, may be surprised to learn that these barber shops have a wide range of services including, shoe shines, manicures, custom tailoring and amenities such as complimentary beverages and pool tables.

Treat your fiance to a haircut, shave and any other services you think he needs, I mean you think he'd enjoy. He can even make a day out of it and bring his dad, brothers and groomsmen. As with your own hair, you may want to send him for a trial a few weeks or months before the big day to make sure both of you likes what they do. Here are a few barber shops/salons for men across the country:

The Shave of Beverly Hills
State Street Barbers, Boston
316 Club Barber Spa, Chicago
Belmont Barber Shop, Chicago
The Boardroom Salon, Dallas
John Allan's, New York
Truman's Gentlemen's Groomers, New York
Shaving Grace, Philadelphia
Bay City Barber, San Francisco

I just found this video on idosugar.com and had to share it with you.  I promise it's not another first dance video.

 

So now you have some ideas as to which product to pick for your wedding favor, but we haven’t really talked about personalizing them.  Personalizing your wedding, or more specifically your wedding details, is really just putting your stamp or mark on everything.  (If you want to order a custom rubber stamp to literally stamp your wedding details, here's the link to Stampworx 2000.  This company has been featured in a myriad of publications, including Martha Stewart Weddings.)

You can personalize all of your wedding details with your monogram, your names, your wedding date or anything else that represents both of you.  Some families have a family crest, or maybe there’s an icon or symbol you have selected to use on each element.

Since we’ve been talking specifically about wedding favors, here are some ideas on how and where to personalize them:

• Favor tags
• Favor packaging
• Cookies or chocolates shaped in the letter of your last name or the symbol you have selected
• Print your names and/or wedding date on the favor not just the packaging

Click this link to see dozens of personalized wedding favors.

I always recommend using your location as inspiration for your guest room gifts, but your location can also inspire your wedding favor. 

If you’re getting married on or near a beach, there are a myriad of favors that you can find online.  Starfish candles or magnets, miniature-sized beach pails filled with candy, a bag of shells and of course wine stoppers topped with a shell or starfish are just a few of the many products available.

Getting married at a country club?  Handout personalized golf balls or golf tees.  If you (or your fiancé) is a dentist they sell tooth-themed (cavi-)tees at the Dental Museum in Baltimore.

If you’re getting married in a specific location, look for local foods and elements for inspiration.  Getting married in France?  Give each couple a champagne bottle for two.  Having a Las Vegas wedding?  A deck of personalized playing cards or chocolate poker chips are sure to be a huge hit.

If you’re not sure what the city or town is known for just ask your vendors.  You can also turn to the local Chamber of Commerce for ideas.   

 

The white chocolate shells featured here are from ChocolateFantasies.com. The company sells a variety of shell shapes and colors, including: dark and milk chocolate, marbled (as seen here with white chocolate), pink and mint green. Package them in favor bags or boxes or adorn your wedding cake or dessert plate with them.

I just heard from the casting director for Rock the Reception - that new show on TLC I wrote about earlier this week.  As one of the readers posted, they are looking for two couples getting married next month (July 2008) in or around Los Angeles, though they would consider couples in other areas of the country if their application is great. 

Between the program, seating card and wedding favors, (not to mention menu cards, table numbers and place cards), you could spend a lot of your budget and time on personalized touches.

While no element is mandatory – except maybe seating cards, but I’ve been to weddings where a waiter stands at the door and tells you which table to go to – there are ways to cut costs while still having all of the details you want.  How?  By combining the pieces. There are a variety of ways to combine the different elements, and here are some ideas:

• Program and seating card
• Menu card and place card
• Menu card and table number
• Program and menu – I’ve seen couples print the menu in the back of the program

And pretty much everything can be combined with your wedding favor: 

• Program: You can print your program on a fan or print information regarding a charitable donation on one of the pages
• Seating card: Print or write seating information on the packaging of the favor
• The same idea works for place cards
• Centerpiece: You can create a centerpiece that comes apart and each person takes an element with them
• Entertainment:  In addition to music, couples are renting photo booths and creating craft tables to entertain their guests and also give them a keepsake from the wedding
• Dessert: Instead of serving a dessert course with your wedding cake, treat guests to cupcakes, mini-pies, cookies or candy.  Arrange for boxed items to be available for guests as they leave or set-up a bar for guests to make their own goody bag.

 

 

 

 

Many brides and grooms select a wedding theme to help them coordinate all the details of their wedding.  You don’t have to have a theme, but if you find that all of the elements you’re selecting for your wedding don’t really compliment each other, a theme will help you coordinate all of them.  A favor is a simple way to bring your theme into the details of your wedding.

 

When deciding on a favor that has the look and feel of your theme, think about the other elements you have already selected.  Could you incorporate your wedding flowers into your favor?  How about your wedding’s color palette? 

 

Remember to keep your budget in mind when selecting your favors, and think about what your guests will like as much as you do.  A fan may be appropriate for a summer, garden or Asian-themed wedding.  If it fits the theme, and the weather is hot, guests can use them to cool off.  Another idea is a wine stopper, which would fit a vineyard wedding theme, and is definitely something guests can use at home.

 

The images above are themed wedding favors I found while searching beau-coup.com.

 

 

Coming tomorrow:  Combining wedding details

Over the past 6 months I’ve posted over a half dozen first dance videos from Thriller to Dirty Dancing to Baby's Got Back.  If you and your fiancé would like to perform a show-stopping dance at your wedding reception, but don’t know how to choreograph your first dance, you can apply for the new TLC reality show, Rock the Reception.

 

The show will pair engaged couples with “top notch choreographers who will turn your first dance to an unforgettable production.”  To apply, send the following information to CASTING@BNENT.COM:

 

• A picture of the Bride & Groom
• Bride's name, age, & contact info
• Groom's name, age, & contact info
• The date of your wedding
• The city you live in
• The city your reception will be in
• How many people will be in the bridal party?
• What's your ideal first dance song and why?
• Briefly describe yourselves & tell them why they should pick you for this amazing experience
  

Good luck!

iVillage is not a sponsor and is not responsible for the casting of Rock the Reception.  For additional information, please email casting@bnent.com.

 

My grandmother’s friend went to a wedding a few months ago for her nephew, and gave grandma the favor for me to see.  The bride’s parents were Mexican and the groom was Jewish.  They decided to make their wedding a marriage of cultures. The music, the food, the drinks—everything had the couple’s mark on it. 

 

The favor was a set of two CDs - the first had 20 Mexican songs, and the second, 20 American standards.  I’m sure after leaving the wedding many guests put the CDs on in their cars to listen to the songs the couple selected.  It was the first thing I did when Grammy gave them to me.  I downloaded them on to my computer, and now they’re on my iPod.

 

Creating a CD as a favor can be a lot of fun, but also stressful.  First both of you have to agree to the songs you pick.  And while this couple decided to give out two discs, one is perfectly fine.  A lot of couple’s choose romantic love songs, but you can choose anything you want.

 

If you hired a klezmer or other ethnic band for your wedding, you can make a CD of their songs.  If the two of you have a favorite singer or band, make a CD of just their songs, or pick songs that reflect your theme.

 

After you’ve selected the music, think about how you want to package the disc or discs.  I highly recommend making a label for the CD so your guests know what it is.  Remember, today CDs are used for video and computer file storage as well as music.

 

The three CD labels featured above are from MyOwnLabels.com.  They make everything from  stickered labels for CDs, boxes and bags to labels for wine and water bottles to favor tags and coasters.

 

There are dozens of templates to choose from, or you can customize your own labels.

 

Coming tomorrow:  Favors that match your theme

Finding the right wedding favor is not as easy as you may think.  You want something that your guests will appreciate, something affordable and most importantly, something that will fit the look and feel (theme) of your wedding.  You can choose a favor that can be personalized or one just for fun.  At some recent weddings I’ve attended, I’ve received small picture frames, cookies, charitable donations and CDs as favors. 

 

One of my most favorite wedding favor sites is beau-coup.com.  They have a great selection of favors in dozens of categories, including: edible, theme and seasonal.  They also carry a variety of creative packaging ideas.

 

Since wedding favors are such an integral part of putting your personal stamp on your wedding, I thought I’d feature a variety of wedding favors this week.

 

Here’s one of my favorites: Personalized Cake Cookies

 

I’m a huge fan of edible favors.  It’s the perfect ending to your wedding – a sweet treat for guests to enjoy on the way home.  These cake-shaped cookies are available in 9 colors/flower combinations.  You can also print your names, wedding date or monogram on them.

 

Either package them in glassine bags with a pretty ribbon, or set them out with pretty cocktail napkins and let guests take them as they walk out the door.  You can also use them as seating or place cards. 

 

Available in two sizes, with a minimum order of 24 in either size.  Priced at $3.95 or $5.95.

 

 

 

Coming tomorrow:  Musical favors

I was home the other morning and caught an interesting segment on Good Morning America.  The story was about women who were left at the altar – literally the day of the wedding – and how they handled it.  Some went ahead with the party, another woman turned the popularity she received into a new job, and one woman found love with another.

 

I don’t know how I would respond if put in this situation, and while I hope none of you have to deal with this scenario, I have to ask...

 

 

The majority of brides want to get in shape and lose weight before their wedding day.  According to a Fitness magazine survey, 1 in 3 brides purposely buy a dress that doesn’t fit them - buying a dress too small (and hoping that they’ll fit into it by their wedding day) or buying a dress too big for them.

 

When shopping for a wedding dress, you can tell the salesperson that you are thinking of/planning to lose "X" amount of weight by your wedding, but don’t order your dress to fit that size.  Order a dress that matches your current measurements.  No matter what size you order, you will have to have alterations and it’s much easier to take a dress in if you lose weight, than let it out.

 

Here are some expert fitness tips from the editors of Fitness magazine to help you get in shape for the big day:

 

1. Consider your back-side. You may be worried about your abs, but guess what all those guests you invited are going to be looking at? That’s right, your back. To get it looking super-sexy by the big day, try these three easy moves.
   
   
2. Arm yourself. No matter what dress you choose, chances are you’re going to be showing off your guns. Focus on toning your biceps, triceps and shoulders with this workout.
   

3. Boost your calorie burn! The only way to shed those few extra pounds is to up your cardio. If you find yourself coming up with a hundred excuses at the end of the day as to why you should be working on wedding stuff and not working out, plan on getting your cardio fill in the a.m. Set your alarm 1-hour before you usually get up five days a week, and to keep things interesting (aka - not boring) mix it up—take a kickboxing class one morning and go for a run the next. Here are a few other ways to get creative with your cardio and blast major calories.
   
   
4. Take care of yourself. It’s easy to get wrapped up in all the planning and forget about what you really need for an amazing wedding— feel-good energy! Take a yoga or Pilates class once a week. Not only will it help take your mind off of everything else, but it will also help tone your arms, core and legs. Plus, less stress means a tighter tummy! The stress hormone cortisol often causes unnecessary bloating in the middle, and who needs that on their big day?!
   
   
5. Save time! If the clock is ticking and you’re still worried about fitting into your dress— incorporate total body exercises into your routine that target everything from head-to-toe. Try doing biceps curls with lunges, shoulder presses with squats and triceps dips on a BOSU ball (for added instability- to help work your core). For cardio, do intervals that get your heart rate up, blast major calories and help tone at the same time. Try this routine for fast results in just 4 weeks.

I found this first dance video on IDoSugar.  I think this couple couldn't decide what type of dance to do, so they decided to do every type of dance they could think of.  It's a little long at just over 6 minutes, but it's very cute.


Awesome First Dance Wedding Video - Watch more free videos

I’m sure you heard that gay and lesbian couples can now legally tie the knot in the state of California.  A gay wedding, just like a straight wedding, will need to find the right location, band or DJ, invitations, flowers, a photographer, a cake and a great caterer, as well as a pair of wedding dresses or tuxedos.

 

While many wedding Web sites and planning books cater to a bride and groom wedding, there are a myriad of sites and books that specialize in gay and lesbian wedding planning and related products.  The site GayWeddings.com features planning tips, wedding products, a vendor search engine and real weddings to inspire other couples.  The book Gay and Lesbian Weddings: Planning the Perfect Same-Sex Ceremony by David Toussaint is a great resource as well.

 

The two gay and lesbian wedding cake toppers featured above are both available at GayWeddings.com.  Each bride and groom is sold separately so you can choose the figurine that matches your ethnic backgrounds – African-American, Asian, Hispanic and Caucasian.  These are also great for straight couples looking for multi-cultural cake toppers.

I just got back from a luncheon hosted by Brides.com for wedding bloggers.  It was so lovely.  I finally got to meet the authors of some of my favorite blogs, including:  Always a Bridesmaid, Brooklyn Bride, Eco-Chic Weddings, It’s a Jamie Thing, NearlyWed, Perfect Bound, Wedding Bee and Wedding Dish.  And of course the editors of Brides.com's blog, Wedded Bits were there too.

Everyone talked about how they started their blog and what some of their popular features are.  I think the most surprising item was the boudoir photo trend, posted earlier this year on Always a Bridesmaid’s Always a Blogsmaid blog.

A boudoir photo is a photo you would take weeks before the wedding, posing in lingerie – like a lingerie photo shoot – and give to your husband as a (sexy) wedding gift.  According to Always a Blogsmaid, Mel Barlow in New York does “amazing boudoir photos." If you're interested in taking a boudoir photo, you should talk to your wedding photographer and see if he can take them, or maybe he can recommend someone who can.

Since last Friday we’ve been going through all of my grandmother’s things and we found the invitation to my wedding as well as the program, dance card and her seating card.  I couldn’t believe it.

I was reading through each piece, which I haven’t done in almost five years, and I think I found a typo.  In the program, after everyone’s name in the order that they were going to walk down the aisle, I listed the song that would be played and the author.  For some reason, there isn’t a song and author listed for my grandparents, which gets us to the point of today’s post.

Always have someone other than you and your fiancé review any stationery you’re having printed – invitations, reply cards, direction cards, programs, menus, favor tags – everything. 

At the time of my wedding I was working at Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and asked the magazine’s copyeditor to review all of the elements for me.  I can’t believe we missed something.

So when you get a proof of anything you are about to order – and you want to get a proof of everything – after looking over it yourself, ask a friend or relative to review it to see if they find a typo you may have missed.

 

 

 

 

From all the weddings you’ve been to you’ve probably seen dozens of wedding guests snapping photos with their digital cameras.  I’ve even written about it in past posts.  Once everyone emails you their photos you’ll probably have a huge folder on your desktop filled with wedding pics.  (And I’m not even talking about engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party and rehearsal dinner pics.)

 

While your first instinct will probably be to share these photos with friends and family, before you open up your email account, attach a lot of large attachments and click send, there’s a better way for you to share your photos, without clogging their in-boxes. 

 

Flash Drives can hold hundreds of your photos and you can easily carry it with you to mom and dads, your sister’s or friend’s house.  Slip the drive into their USB port and in a few seconds all of your wedding photos will be downloaded onto their computer.

 

Now, where to get a flash drive.  I like SanDisk’s Cruzer, available in 3 sizes – 2GB ($24.99), 4GB($39.99) and 8GB($79.99).  I have to admit, the reason I love them is really the case it comes in – black, red or pink “alligator” skin.

 

And once you’ve finished sharing your wedding pics, you can use it for anything else you need to share.  Bring files to meetings, put a presentation on it, etc.

 

I found the three flash drives I mentioned above at a discounted rate on TigertDirect.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you imagine what planning your wedding would be like without the Internet?  I was married 5 years ago, and the sites, blogs and tools available today were not even around in 2003.  One of my favorite wedding bloggers Christa Terry (author of Manolo for the Brides) just wrote an amazing wedding planning book filled with all of the Web sites you need to know about while planning your wedding.  iDo: Planning Your Wedding with Nothing But 'Net hits stores this month and is filled with hundreds of tips and wedding-related Web sites that will make planning easier, and even save you some money!

 

I asked Christa to send me five of her favorite wedding-related Web sites, and here they are:  

 

When you first get engaged, check out WeddingWire.com

 

Just getting started? Forget the phone book, put away the pen and paper, and tell your mom to stop pressuring you to hire her coworker's son's girlfriend to do the flowers because you'll be shopping around for florists—and doing just about everything else—from the comfort of your desk chair, thank you very much. Go to Wedding Wire to get the lowdown on local vendors from appreciative, ambivalent, and angry reviews written by former brides instead of relying on tired professional pitches. Then, when you're ready, hit up the site to build a slick custom timeline, fashion the perfect seating chart, and choose the ultimate first dance song.

 

When you’re shopping for your wedding dress, visit BrideCouture.com

 

For brides-to-be with champagne dreams and Bud Light budgets, dress shopping can be a mix of exhilaration and heartbreak. Salon shopping can make a gal feel like a princess, until the price tags remind her that's she actually a pauper. There are some great deals out there, particularly if you're willing to travel to a major metropolis, camp out in front of Filenes, and run with the brides, but who has the time? Leave the stampede to the fiancées who don't have better things to do, and buy online. You want to talk about a great deal? How does a size-12 Atelier Aimee gown for $599 sound?

 

For wedding inspiration, visit the Offbeat Bride Web site

 

It's so easy to fall into the "I'll send ecru invitations, wear a white gown, and carry red roses" rut when you're planning a wedding because those are the sorts of products the WIC peddles. Inspiration and support are a lot harder to find when you want to wear a smokin' hot purple gown, you and your sweetheart are vegans, and you think carrying flowers is a stupid idea. Brides-to-be who prefer not to run with the pack can check out the "wedding porn" at this primo blog and chill with their own kind on the accompanying forum.   

 

For creative favors and details, check out Save-On-Crafts.com

 

Your average nuptial accoutrements are manufactured en masse in Asian factories, which means you can buy the same fifty favors and decorative accents in just about every online wedding shop...only the price points differ. If you want to plan an affair that's anything but average—plus you know for a fact that you're a very patient person—you can't beat DIY, and DIY gets a hell of a lot easier when you have a one-stop source for everything from tulle tying basics to plantable petal cones.

 

Just for the fun of it, visit EtiquetteHell.com

 

You pretty much have to embrace your sense of humor if you want to survive the stress of planning a wedding. Besides the fact that you're probably putting the whole shebang together while working, socializing, and getting those fifteen facials every bridal mag recommends, weddings tend to bring out the worst in people. When bridesmaids turn into bitchmaids and dad throws a fit because you want to aisle-walk solo, knowing you can head over to Etiquette Hell and read stories way more horrific than your own makes staying cool that much easier.

 

 

You can find Christa's book in bookstores now, or click here to order it online. 

We're talking about money, not marriage.  One of the most popular posts on this blog has been the Dollars and Sense series with Judith Rosenthal, Senior Financial Advisor with Ameriprise.  So when I learned that Judith was interviewed by Robert and Holli at the Wedding Podcast Network I had to tell you about it.

In this podcast she discusses merging your finances and answers the following questions:

• Do you have a vision for your future together? 
• What is your money culture? 
• Should newlyweds completely merge their finances or should they keep separate accounts? 
• How important is it to discuss risk tolerance with your spouse to be? 
• When should a couple start to look for professional assistance with regard to money matters?

Here's the link to the podcast, and the link to the Dollars and Sense series, which has financial advise from Judith and wedding budget tips from me.

 

 

 

My dad is a huge baseball fan.  More specifically, he’s a Yankee fan.  So when I received an invitation to attend the press party for the launch of Charity Wines for several Yankee and Mets players a few weeks ago I had to take my dad. 

 

While we enjoyed tasting the different wines – Jorge Posada’s Jorge Cabernet, Bobby Areu’s Abreu's Finest and Brian Schneider’s Schneider Schardonnay were three of the wines there – and the hors d’oeurves – they had pigs-in-a-blanket with a great deli mustard – we got to see and hear from the players affiliated with each wine.  The proceeds from each wine go to the respective player’s charity/foundation.

 

Anyway, I thought that these wines would make a great gift for your dad, groomsmen or even your groom if they're baseball fans.  They retail for $13.99 at local wine stores and there are 19 different wines, representing players from 6 teams:  Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and New York Yankees.  If the men in your life aren’t baseball fans, there are wines supporting charities of players from the New Orleans Saints, Boston Bruins and the Miami Dolphins.