Weddingbee Blog

Earlier this year, Hewlett Packard introduced digital cameras with a “slimming feature” that takes 10-15 pounds off the subject in the photo.

In my mad scramble to make crafts, find a new makeup person, and see Mr. Caterpillar off to his first week of school, I seem to have forgotten to find a brooch for my dress.

I kind of love this one from Doyle & Doyle.

I should probably go with something less goth and less than a thousand dollars. Any suggestions?

Do you think you can cover the “etiquettes” of a destination wedding?

My fiance and I are finding contradicting information on what we need to provide for our guests. We want to do it right for our guests, but we also don’t want to go over the top if we don’t need to.

I would also like to note that our wedding is at the Outerbanks, North Carolina, which is still driveable for most of our friends. Most likely, the guests (family) will fly in Friday and leave Sunday - just as they would if our wedding was in Philadelphia. Some of our good friends have already decided to rent a house for the week and make a vacation out of it as well (since it’s pretty affordable down there).

What do you think? Thanks!!!

Sincerely,

Chris and Christina

~~~

Dear Chris & Christina,

As weddings go, destination weddings are firmly in the “new kid on the block” category. So new, in fact, that I think it’s more about “do’s and don’ts rather than formal etiquette. I’m having a destination wedding myself (in California), so I’ll share some of my definite do’s:

*Give plenty of notice: with a destination wedding, save the dates are an absolute must. People need time to book tickets, plan reservations, get time off of work, etc. Personally, I think you should try to give at least six months notice for your guests.

*Provide Information: Since you will be asking your guests to travel, it’s only fair that you make it as easy as possible. Either set up a wedding website or include a travel and accommodations card with your save-the-dates that provide flight information, hotel options (make sure to list several in different price ranges) and any other important info (i.e. if you are planning an international trip, you should mention any special visa or vaccination requirements).

*Make sure your guests feel welcome: I think welcome bags or baskets in hotel rooms are a wonderful way to say a special thank you to your guests for traveling to your wedding. You can be as creative as you’d like with a welcome bag/basket, but many brides like to represent the theme of their weddings with them (i.e. for a NY wedding you could include a black and white cookie, a subway map, an I love NY t-shirt, etc).
Also include a wedding weekend itinerary in your guest’s hotel rooms, so that your guests know all of the wonderful things you have planned for them over the weekend.

*Keep people busy: If you know that many of your guests will be there for several days, don’t be shy about planning some extra activities. Perhaps a bar-b-que one evening, or a day at the beach with volleyball. This is, of course, not mandatory, but nice to offer nonetheless.

*Rehearsal Dinner: Others may disagree, but I think it’s only appropriate to invite everyone who has made a special effort to travel to your wedding to your rehearsal dinner. Typically the rehearsal dinner includes your family, bridal party and closest friends. But I wouldn’t feel right about asking someone to travel all that distance and then not include them in the rehearsal dinner.

*Day-After-Brunch: Though not mandatory, planning a special brunch for your guests for the morning after your wedding is a nice way to say a final “thank you” on your special weekend.

*Extras: Keep in mind that some of your guests might need a bit of “extra help.” This ranges from extra trip planning assistance, to hooking friends up to share rides on the day of the wedding. I know you’ll be a busy bride trying to make sure everything is perfect, but I always think it’s nice to go the extra mile when you can, since people are really putting forth some super-sized effort for you in the travel department.

As I said, none of these “do’s” are hard and fast rules, but I think you’ll end up with a pretty fab weekend that’s unforgettable for both you and your guests if you follow them.

Bon voyage,
Erica

We featured last year’s Toilet Paper Dress winners from a contest sponsored by Cheap Chic Weddings, but this year’s entries are even more amazing!

First place winner

Second place winner

The creativity of brides never ceases to amaze me - these dresses really do look real! Check out more entries here.

(via budgetdreamweddings)

I am so confused.

I could have sworn that I had only invited at most 95 people, but when I just updated my guest list on The Knot, it says that I invited 108 people. Woah.

I know for a fact that several of those who are invited will not come. I thought it was better to send out invitations out of courtesy than not to send one at all, especially since they are friends of our parents. I also allowed most people to bring dates even though some have already told me that they will not be bringing anyone. However, even with the given “not attending” guests, I’m still over by a handful.

Great. This will take another hour out of my life to reconcile the two lists. And I just can’t wait to take a stab at the seating chart.

A hint to all those starting a guest list: make a complete Excel spreadsheet with several columns. Or you can just download mine here - Book1.xls. This will help keep track of everything in one sheet.

One of you lovely readers asked me where I got the cute envelopes for my bridesmaid newsletter. The answer is: Blick - it’s a paint / craft store. I think they have good prices for paints and such, but honestly their stationery is a bit overpriced. Another good place to go if you are looking for arts and crafts supplies is Pearl Paint. The one in Chinatown is ginormous and awesome. Every time I go in there I want to craft, DIY, and make art like crazy. Have fun!

by: Nanette, Knottie Nannersp

Because my husband and I already had an established home (we’d lived together more than two years), we decided to have a honeymoon (HM) registry for our wedding.

Prior to setting up the HM registry I asked my friends their opinions, knowing that it’s an untraditional option. They thought it was a great idea! They understood that we wouldn’t need much else to stock our kitchen, etc. As one friend noted, she’d rather give us money to go to China than actual china. Heh!

We used TheHoneymoon.com and they were great! The “catch” is that they charge a fee for your guests to use it, but in my opinion, it’s nominal (typically around 7%) and not unlike the tax, shipping and handling that guests have to pay when they use traditional registeries.

They sent us a check about three days before our HM and another one about a month after our wedding. You can close the account earlier, if you’d like, but they suggest keeping it open in case someone decides to give you something after the wedding.

We had this registry in addition to two traditional registries, so there were options for all of our guests. Most of the HM registry gifts came from our peers, as opposed to older family members who are more traditional.

HM registries are not for everyone, but it worked for us. I highly recommend it, if your guests seem open to it.

~~~

Do you have an idea for a guest blog? Tell us about it at bee@weddingbee.com.

There’s an interesting Wall Street Journal article about how ipods are taking the place of traditional DJ’s at weddings because they cost less, enable couples to have more control over the music, and new ipod compatible equipment is making it easier than ever.

The rising popularity of ipods as djs has its detractors, namely, djs of course.

DJs say that despite the convenience and cost efficiency of iPods, the tiny music player is no match for a DJ’s musical timing and experience with song selection. “DJs can think on the fly and make adjustments,” says Mr. Ragusa. “The whole idea of a party is that it’s fluid. It’s dynamic. It’s an art.”

Some maintain that an ipod lends an unsophisticated ambience to a wedding.

Some wedding professionals think iPods are in poor taste. Claudia Hanlin, a partner at the Wedding Library, a wedding planning firm in New York, says couples should restrict iPods to rehearsal dinners or after-parties. iPod music at receptions may be off-putting. “The whole feeling is much less professional,” she says.

However real life brides that used ipods beg to differ.

Allison Emmerson, a 24-year-old graduate student at the University of Cincinnati, got married in July 2005 to Nate Emmerson, a 23-year-old paralegal. The couple’s friends tried to talk them out of going the iPod route because they felt it would ruin the reception.

It didn’t. Ms. Emmerson says guests hit the dance floor to the tunes that emanated from the iPod — which included David Bowie and the White Stripes. “Playing music is not brain surgery,” she says. “If you have good music and you have a fun atmosphere, you’re going to have people dancing.”

KenzieKate

She made these. WHAT??!?! WOW… what else is there to say?

I’m so glad Mrs. Bee posted about how many brides have difficulties choosing their colors. I literally had a panic attack (OK, not literally…) about my own colors — or lack thereof — last night. I am soooooooo confused! Can anyone out their help me?

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I think I am going to use teal dresses, and was leaning towards light muted blue table cloths with white or chartreuse flowers and teal accents (ribbons, etc). BUT… when I went to look at linens in Tucson, NONE of the vendors had light blue table cloths. They had bright aqua, bright teal, cornflower blue, mint green… no light blue. Hrmph. I toyed with the idea of white table cloths and finding some colored napkins, but I think the room really needs color! This is what the ballroom looks like:

Pretty bare bones, right? Does anyone have ideas? What can I do with teal (brown is out b/c a friend is using a different blue and brown, as is peach or pink because they are too southwestern)?

This is giving me a headache!

My invitations! I am thrilled to say that at around 6:00 last night my invitation guru Shana called to let me know that my invites had arrived and were at the Wedding Library. By happy coincidence, Mr. Daisy and I were en route to a meeting a mere couple of blocks from the Library, with the umpteenth another officiant in our ongoing search, so planned to go there afterward and check out the goods.

And, oh my god, I love love love them. I want so desperately to post them here but they’re not going to the calligrapher until today and aren’t getting mailed out until after Labor Day. But I love them so much I almost want to marry *them*! (just kidding, Mr. Daisy!)

I chose letterpress invites as I am quasi-obsessed with letterpress, and thought to use Julie Holcomb Printers, which is a traditional letterpress that uses its own special blend of artisanal paper (just like Folger’s coffee, I’m sure!) that is theoretically ideal for letterpress. This printer prints on ecru or white paper only, which at first seemed limiting, but then when Mr. Daisy and my family were really keen on back-to-basics, I came to love. (I still really lust after my bridesmaid Sam’s red paper/white text invite of years ago. So vivid!)

But– I could not love my invites more. Sorry to be such a tease, but I will post them as soon as they are received by the masses.* Meantime, I will share some (very blurry due to my lack of camera prowess) shots of the contenders (both by Page Stationery):

Letterpress invite on composite paper (shown in one color, though we would have done two):

Response card:

My original choice, though I eventually deemed it too casual for our evening wedding:

Detail (loved the color and the modified fleur-de-lis border):

~~~
* And I do mean masses. Each day, our list scarily multiplies like Gremlins in water. Not cool.

Jones Soda - purveyors of those funky flavored, colorful, old fashioned, bottled sodas - now offer customized labels. What a fun idea for bridal showers or weddings! You can even match the flavors to your color scheme and use them as part of your decor.

$34.95 for a 12 pack.

(via bitterweetpickle)

I love lanterns. The vibrant colors, the faint glow that they cast across the room. They set such a romantic, and festive ambiance to a space. They can turn your plain Jane white room, into a warm and lively space. Here are some lanterns I came across while looking for some to use to decorate my space. I’m having my reception at a Chinese banquet hall, so I need all the ambiance help I can get to try to make it not so restauranty.

Huinita had beautiful hanging lanterns at her reception. I really love those colors!

This last picture isn’t of lanterns, but paper pompoms that can also set a fun and flirty mood to your space.

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Candy may not be the most unique favor to give, but who can resist them - I can’t be the only one. I plan on including chocolate in my favors and I haven’t figured out which brand yet, but I know that quality chocolate is a must.

I received a box from Lake Champlain last Christmas.

Ghirardelli signature Squares made in San Francisco are always a good choice. Great variety too.

Scharffenberger isn’t just for baking. Look at these cute individual pieces.

My fiance LOVES Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. That might work. Do you know of any brand that has individually wrapped pieces like these?

from reader jenn

Photographer Liana Lehman mentioned to me in an email that her and 50 other photographers will be doing free modeling shoots for couples or anyone interested. I believe this is part of a photography workshop called xtreme seminar led by Liana and LA-based photographer, Jessica Claire.

Information is as follows:

Location: Boylan Studios in Chelsea
Shooting Times: 1-2:30 pm, 5:30 pm on 10/30 AND 12:30-2:30 pm on 10/31.

It’s open to anyone who is interested and they will have a sign-up form on their site up soon. Otherwise, the seminar site can be found at xtremeseminar.com/nyc06.