I must say that I have seen some pretty spectacular centerpieces at weddings, but the wedding that was held here this weekend really hit it out of the park!
The florist and the caterer did an amazing job! I love how they incorporated the fruit in the centerpieces on the dessert table.

Congratulations Stephanie and Robert! May you have a wonderful life together!

These are the 2 centerpieces that where alternated between tables

Yes...those are beautiful bambo sticks!

Dessert Table...yumm!

The Buffet Table

Procrastination IS NOT for Weddings!!!!

Alright, I have re-written this particular blog about 5 times, trying to write this to be as nice as possible:

BRIDESMAIDS PLEASE TRY ON YOUR DRESSES/GOWNS AT LEAST 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING.

That way if something doesn't fit, or if you have been given the wrong size this can be easily remedied. Otherwise, if you don't-- it can be fixed but just for a lot more $money$.

Hey...I'm just trying to eliminate all bridezilla behavior :-)

D.J. vs. Band vs. iPod

Entertainment at a wedding reception is always important. This is what makes the memories for your guest and it is finally when the bride and groom can start to relax and “let their hair down.”

The most traditional entertainment is to have music or a dance after the dinner and cake cutting. When planning your wedding the question comes for what type of music should you offer your guest and what reflects you and your fiancé the best.

The most popular means of entertainment is to hire a D.J. (disc jokey) and have them come and play selected music from the bride and groom. Part of their job is to keep the crowd entertained with a couple of games and the traditional dances (yes...by traditional dances I do mean the chicken dance, the hokey pokey…and you can’t forget the electric slide!). This definitely gets the crowd to interact and to produce a lot of embarrassing pictures that you can later use for black mail. D.J.’s can range from all different prices and if you choose to go this route I STRONGLY suggest making sure you meet with them, go to a wedding where they are playing, and help with the playlist. I suggest this because you want to have someone who works well with you and your crowd. Another great pro of having a D.J. is having your first dance sung by the original artist that made you fall in love with your fiancé.

Another solution to music entertainment is having a band. Now this can range all over, from a jazz or a swing band to a cover band. This option is also great because it really sets the mood as something extremely special (not saying that D.J.’s don’t…it’s just a different atmosphere). A live band can also explore all different genres of music as well. There is just this great feeling when you have a live band and seeing them there and knowing that they are performing just for you. The sound quality is also usually better than a DJ and the musicians can change the tempo of a song on the spot to get the crowd to stay moving. A con is the cost…from what I have found is that they can range from $3000-$15,000 or even higher.

And the almighty iPod. I think that the iPod can get a lot of bad press to be used for a wedding…however there can be many pros to this. The first can be that this is the MOST budget friendly of all because there is such a small cost to use this method. If you are considering an iPod wedding I suggest going to this website to get some good tips on how to make it successful. Like I have posted in past blogs, my husband and I had an iPod receptions with some live music sprinkled in there (my husband is a “musician” and had some friend play for the first part of the reception). The biggest blessing for our iPod reception was that my brother was our MC (or master of ceremonies) and kept things going. You will definitely want to consider having a MC who is not afraid to talk in front of crowds and has a fun personality.


Does anyone else have suggestions on what type of entertainment to use?

Something a little different...

A couple of days ago a co-worker gave me a card of this lady who specializes in decorative cookies…so I went to her website and was blown away by the cookies and then so many ideas came to me. How neat it would be to go to a wedding where, instead of a cake, there where personalized or specialized cookies instead. It could be so much fun!
The name of the bakery is called The Artsy Cookies and the lady who makes them is named Lara. She is just as nice as her cookies are beautiful. Her prices definitely range in regards to how detailed you would like the cookies to be but they seem to be reasonable.
So here of some ideas that you could use these cookies for to incorporate in your wedding plans:

* Bridal Shower treat

* Use them as place cards (and can double as a favor) for your reception

* Use in place of a cake

* Give one to each or your bridesmaids or groomsmen with their gifts (use them as nametags?)

* Instead of a Grooms Cake have cookies made with his favorite past time events (i.e. golfing, fishing, reading)

* They taste as good as they look, so just get some for yourself!

Basically in an email from Lara, she put it best:

"Every bride dreams of a wedding day to remember, and for special touches throughout, to set her big day apart from any other. And sometimes all it takes is a simple element to truly put a wedding over the top- a fabulous gourmet meal, a beautifully decorated cake, a one-of-a-kind couture gown...or simply a cookie! A lasting impression can be left in the minds of your guests when they see a unique and beautifully decorated cookie as a wedding favor placed at each seat as a memento of your special day. The Artsy Cookie can add a very personal touch to your wedding day (and bridal shower, alike) and one that your guests are sure to enjoy...and won't soon forget! Each cookie is specially created to reflect the theme and color of your choice- whether whimsical or sophisticated- and individually wrapped in a clear cellophane bag with a silver tie closure (raffia or custom color ribbon available at a nominal fee.) Cookie favors can also be finished with a handmade tag, detailing the bride and groom's names, wedding date, or personalized message."

Prices start at $3.25 per cookie, and vary according to design and amount of detail involved in decoration. Photographs are available at www.myspace.com/theartsycookie Inquiries can be made to theartsycookie@yahoo.com and to Lara Kazarian at 262.994.3003

A Couple of Tips...

I receive many calls from eager brides throughout the day, and I enjoy every minute of it. In this business you tend to pick up on which brides are overwhelmed, anxious, excited, annoyed, or even-keeled.
Lately with the state of the economy …my brides and grooms seem to be a little more “stressed,” especially when it comes to budgets. This is my advice when dealing with a limited budget:

*First and foremost, remember what this day is about. At the end of the evening, you are going to be married to your best friend. No matter what happens this is the ultimate grand ending.

*In the beginning, make a realistic budget and pin point what is most important to you and your fiancé. For example, is having an elaborate dinner more important than a Caribbean Honeymoon? If so, or if it is the other way around, put a bigger chunk of your money into that.

*People like to help, you just have to ask. This is what your bridesmaids and groomsmen are for! Take advantage of their help, but beware not to take advantage of them.

*There is something to be said for invitations that can be made from the kits you can buy at Michaels or other craft stores. This way they can be a bit more personal as well, and they look professional. (Try going to Office Max and have them do the actual printing of the invitations while you and your bridesmaids do the assembly)

*It’s okay to use your friend's, cousin's, mom’s co-worker’s daughter's, etc., centerpieces from her wedding, especially if they've already bought a bunch of vases for flowers

*Skip the favors! Even though this is a nice touch, most likely they are going to be forgotten and left on the table once your guests leave. Another good idea to save on favors is to donate money to your favorite charity and have a simple note on the table to inform your guests what you and your fiancé have done in place of the favors

*Work with your florist, see what flowers are in season when your wedding is, and use the flowers from the ceremony at the reception as well (i.e. for the cake)

I think the main way to try and be a budget conscious bride is to be flexible. When there are sales on ribbons and they are close to the color you want but not exactly (but the ones that are exactly cost twice as much) think of the importance of what they are on and make a decision on which ones to buy.

Or...just elope...I know you're thinking about it:-)

In Case of Emergency

So the wedding season is creeping up on us and I am SO EXCITED! One thing that I think all brides should remember to pack or have their maids/matrons of honor bring with them to their ceremony and reception venue is an In Case of Emergency bag. These are things that you may not think of to bring with you as there are so many other things on your mind. My suggestions for putting in this bag is:

Cell Phone * Wedding Day Services Contact Details* Sewing Kit * Lipstick/Lip Liner* Chap stick* Touch Up Make-Up* Band Aids* Nail File & Nail Glue* Eye Drops * Kleenexes *Cotton Buds * Mints* Copy of Speeches * Money* Small Safety Pins* Double Sided Tape (for any fallen hems)* Lotion or Moisturizing Cream (can be used for hands or to remove mascara from under eyes)* Small Bottled Water* Deodorant * Aspirin or Ibuprofen* White Chalk (to cover any last minute smudges on your wedding gown) * Anti Static Spray

Yes, that is a long, list, but you can definitely pick and choose from it or add to it however you see fit. Hopefully you won’t have to use anything from it, but JUST IN CASE you will be glad you have it!
Does anyone have any other suggestions that should be added to this list?

I am slowly going crazy....

Have you ever heard of that song that goes

I am slowly going crazy,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Crazy going slowly am I
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

I think I learned that song when I was 4 or 5 and I still tend to sing it to myself these days (sometimes I sing it out loud---which really makes me look crazy in front of my co-worker, but I think they are slowly getting used to it :).

Today was one of the “ I have way too much to do and not enough time to do it” days and…yes I felt like my head was falling off and I was going crazy.
Which made me think, as I often do, of my many brides who not only are working hard at their jobs, but yet planning a wedding as well. For this I have one word: BREATHE!!!


Planning a wedding is not a small job and there are so many small details that go into it, for this I just want to let all of my War Memorial Brides, or any others, to please feel free to call or email me with any questions that you have or if you need any help with vendor suggestions, hotel suggestions, or anything other wedding related issue (sorry, I can't help you with crazy in-laws...but I can suggest where you should seat them at the reception!) I ALWAYS have enough time to help you out, in fact, I enjoy it a lot!

However, here is my question…if you follow my blog, you know that I love a good “deal” or a “bargain” Do any of you have any good tips for other budget conscious brides? Please let me know so I can share it with others! Thank you!