The Man Registry

Here is another one of those website that brides may just want to "accidentally" leave up on the computer for your fiance to see.

This is a great website for grooms of all kinds! I have a feeling that men are just as insecure and anxious about wedding do's and don't, but a lot of the tie they do not want to show it. This can lead to seeming like they "don't care" about the planning of the wedding. As it may not be as socially acceptable for men to carrying around wedding magazines, especially because they are 99% directed to the brides, that doesn't mean there isn't information or help out there for the grooms in our lives!

This website http://www.themanregistry.com/ is a great tool for answering questions, advice and some great tips for men as they are helping plan a wedding. They have an Ask the Expert section where there are questions that are answered such as, "Do you recommend a joint bachelor/bachelorette party?" and other tips and tidbits from the male point of view.

They also have a a Groom 101 section where they have articles or information on just about everything from A Grooms Guide to Asking Permission to Propose to Wedding Vow Writing Tips to Including Pets in Your Wedding.

So brides and grooms out there, I strongly suggest checking out the marvelous website!

Weekday Wedding

Yes, we all know that weddings are typically held on a Saturday or Friday. Yes, we all know that venues and vendors typically charge more on Friday and Saturdays because of this. But what about having a weekday wedding?

For a budget conscious person, such as myself, I personally love the idea of having a fabulous event at an affordable price! This trend of weekday weddings is very slowly reaching the Midwest as it is already very popular in Europe, and is becoming more and more popular along the East Coast, especially NYC.

Now there are many pros and cons to having a weekday wedding... and here are some that I have come up with (feel free to add to them!)

Pros

* Cheaper!!!!!!!!!!! Venues, Vendors, Photographers!!!! On average their prices are a little more than 1/3 rd the price of having a wedding on a Fri. or Sat.

* More availability. They say that you need to plan your wedding 18 months out, but what if you want to get married under a year from your engagement? Or maybe the venue of your dreams is booked on the weekend you want to get married. I bet they have a Wednesday or Thursday open! You'll also be able to keep the day that you really want. Maybe you want to get married on the anniversary of your first date or your when you got engaged. Unfortunately those days do not always end up on a Friday or Saturday.

* More Bang for your Buck. A lot of vendors will throw in extras or be more apt to discount some of their services on these days

* People will most like consume or drink as many alcoholic beverages on weekday than they would on a weekend.

* Traveling is cheaper and you can get better rates on airfare and hotels

* It's easier to find a babysitter for those who have families or those who want to have a wedding sans children

Cons:

* Not everyone will be able to show up...some may not have the vacation time or be able to get out of work.
* Some relatives or those who usually "stick to tradition" may have certain opinions about a weekday wedding. Because of this, you may need to come up with a way to nicely and politely tell them that this is YOUR decision and not theirs.

I think what it basically comes down to if you are thinking of a weekday wedding, is your guests. If you plan on having a wedding on a weekday prepare to get a few more "no's" than "yes's" on your RSVP cards. Many will send their love but will not be able to make it. As long as you can allow yourself to not get offended about this, than I think your in good shape to consider a wedding during the week.

So, is Thursday the new Saturday? Wednesday the new Friday? What do you think?

Wacky Weddings

Sometimes words just can't express it all and only a picture will do.

Here are some crazy wedding pictures, AND I LOVE THEM!

Do I dare try and start a Wacky Wedding Wednesday...

Enjoy!

2010 Wedding Trends

Do you remember when as a child you used to look at pictures of your parents in bell bottom and laugh at them because they were so “lame” and unfashionable, and then you entered high school, or college and all of a sudden found yourself wearing bell bottoms because they were cool. I know I did (Sorry Mom and Dad!). Fashion and trends seem to go in circles. Yes, the 80’s where back for a little while this past year (scary) and it seems to be that the 70’s may never leave some people. This also applies in wedding trends.

I have been doing some research on 2010 wedding trends and have found some great NEW ones but also some that have made their way back in the timeless circle of fashion. From what I have compiled, here is my list of 2010 wedding trends:

Birdcage Veils

I love this! It reminds me of classic Hollywood and the 1940s flare. This vintage look will definitely draw some attention to the already beautiful bride.

Backyard Weddings at Home

Hmmm…was it the movie Steel Magnolias where it started out with a wedding in the back yard? Also, the movie Father of the Bride, hey, didn’t even Hugh Hefner get married in back yard? Despite the last one, it seems that this is a great recession resistant way to have a budget friendly reception, just don’t let your dad shoot the birds in the trees.

Short Wedding Dresses

I am looking forward to seeing more of this in 2010. I'm sure there will be some beautiful shorter wedding dresses to come!

BUTTERCREAM WEDDING CAKES

Excuse my excitement, but I give much respect to those wonderful bakers who spend so much time and detail on fondant decorated cakes, but buttercream is back and my mouth is already watering!

Greenery Décor and Bouquets

Going green is also a HUGE movement in the wedding industry and some are incorporating that and substituting their calla lilies and roses for a bouquet of greenery. Some also do this for centerpieces as well.

Grooms cakes

A tradition that has faded in the past but is coming back is the grooms cake. Usually this is a cake in the form of something that the groom enjoys, i.e. a football, a golf club, PS3, their favorite condiment etc…

Mismatched Brides maids Dresses

This may not be a total new concept or idea, but it is one that will seem to hold steady in the year 2010. I love this idea so that each brides maid can have a dress that is flattering to them.

Wedding Favors

I am personally not the biggest fan of wedding favors because I see a lot of them left behind, however, it seems like this has been something that has been omitted quite a bit in the past couple of years…but 2010 wants to bring it back. So bring on those colored M&M’s!

Thank You!

As I sit here in front of my computer during the beginning of the holiday season and in lieu of Thanksgiving, I think about how thankful I am for the many brides and grooms that have walked through this door, gone down the aisle, and have partied their buns off here at the War Memorial. It was truly a great wedding season and I look forward to many more! Thank you to all who have made me so happy to be doing what I'm doing this year!

Here are some pictures from some fabulous 2009 weddings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

MANgagement Rings

On my way to work this morning I heard on the radio about the up and coming trend of the MANgagement ring. There was much debate on the radio about if men would wear one or not. Given that we are doing a computer software change over and nobody in the office can print or do any real “actual” work I decided to devote my morning to look more into this managaement ring and ask as many people that would stop and take me seriously about it.

First off, this has equality written all over it. One argument could be that, why should women be the only one to have wear a ring and “prove” their engagement. This tradition actually goes way back many years ago when men would “mark” their women with any kind of paraphernalia so that people would know that she has been “taken.” In the last couple of hundred of years this paraphernalia has become a diamond ring. Like so many other things that used to be only for women (i.e. cooking, wearing pink shirts, spas, manicures, etc.) we are now seeing the male equivalent : the MANgagement ring.

When doing my field study on this subject and asking men if they would wear a mangagement ring here were the most popular responses :

“ A Man what????”

“Heck no”

“Why not, I like the bling”

“Only if my fiancé really wanted me to and it made her happy” ß this guy is a smart man

“I‘ve actually thought about it and am considering it”

It isn’t surprising that most people who shut down the mangagment opportunity right away belong to an older generation. They tend to stick to tradition. The generation Xers and those who are younger are much more apt to adding on the bling to their fingers.

Personally I think this is a great evolvement in the world of weddings and engagement. I say for those who can pull it off, “Way to Go.”

What are your thoughts on the Mangagement ring?

Thank you Post Cards

I recieved in the mail yesterday a lovely thank you POSTCARD. It was great! The front on the post card is a picture of a couple that was married here earlier this fall along with a kind note on the other side.

What a great idea for a Thank You note or even a Save the Date invitation!

Here are some great reasons to make your own postcards instead of traditional cards:

* You can put one of your favorite wedding pictures on there to share with your guests
* Post card stamps cost way LESS than regular stamps
* It's always fun to get a postcard in the mail
* It's a more green or eco-friendly choice (less paper involved)

The best website I found for this is 123 Print. This website makes it super easy to design your own post card and is super affordable (100 postcards for $14.99!)

Any other ideas out there for Thank You Notes?


On a very improtant side note... Today is Veterans Day and I would personally like to thank all of the Veterans and activie military for serving this country, and also a thank you to the spouses and families for their immediate support of their loved ones who have been or are in the military. Thank you!

Style Me Proper

The elegant and highly personable Lisa Patterson came into my office today and talked with me about her great new company Style Me Proper.

Lisa started her own company after finding a need for styling and decorating in the wedding scene. Here is the great part...she is SUPER affordable as well!

She says it best on her website:

Style Me Proper provides an exclusive service to those needing event design and decor. We

know your time is valuable and therefore are flexible to fit your needs.
Our services include:

* A free, no obligation consultation.
* Design options to meet any needs- and infinite themes and colors!
* Florist arrangements (as needed).
* Delivery.
* Set up.
*Pick up.

Allow Style Me Proper to save your family and friends time on your wedding day too! No one wants to be in charge of setting up and finalizing the venue on the big day, so let us provide that service for you. It is a guarantee you will be happy you had someone else to do the work!

Hiring a decorator/designer is a great budget friendly alternative to hiring a full out wedding coordinator. Many brides and grooms out there will handle all of the details up to their wedding day, but what happens on the actual "big day?" This is where Lisa would come in and melt all your worries away!

Definitely check out the website and give Lisa a call!

Groomsmen Attire

Want to add a little extra flare to your groomsmen?

Here are some ideas to make them fashionable, yet stand out from traditional groomsmen attire…

Got to love the sweater vest!

A little color to their tux!

Suspendors and the best man in a different colored shirt...

This may be going overboard (even the priest has a mask!)

Any other ideas out there?

Brides Against Breast Cancer

Dear Brides,

Looking for a wedding dress is such an awesome experience. It’s something that can actually make you feel as though this wedding is happening! A wedding dress is a huge part of the wedding tradition.

However, what happens after the wedding. Do you get it cleaned and store it away in hopes for your daughter to wear? Does it sit in your closet for year upon year? Or is it in your mom’s closet, like mine and my sisters is, not knowing what to do with it.

May I make a suggestion?

What about donating it to Brides Against Breast Cancer.
This is a great and wonderful non-profit that takes in all wedding paraphernalia and sells them to other future brides for a great savings. Best of all, the profits go to the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation which helps with educating and supporting breast cancer patients.

Their mission statement says it best:

“To provide an opportunity for metastatic breast cancer patients’ dream or wish to be fulfilled by providing a special time of ‘Making Memories” together with their families, a chance that might not have become a reality without the assistance of the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation.”

“To advance the awareness of breast cancer and to educate the public about the vast resources and support available to breast cancer patients and their families.”


Please check out their website even if you are not interested in donating your dress but interested in other ways to help out. Or check out their calender to see when the nearest Brides Against Breast Cancer dress show is coming near you!

Blackening the Bride

Traditions, especially ethnic traditions always interest me. So today, when I was doing some wedding research I came across an article about a tradition in Scotland called blackening the bride.

"In the Scottish pre-wedding tradition of “Blackening the Bride,” The bride is taken by surprise and covered with foul substances, such as eggs, various sauces, feathers, and well you name it…
The bride to be, officially blackened, is the then paraded around town, and of course a few pubs, for all to see."

I also read somewhere that they groom gets molasses or honey poured on him and then is feathered and tied to a tree.

hmmm....I am 25% Scottish/Irish, and am just glad these traditions didn't filter through for my wedding...but I would LOVE to see this in person!

Anyone else have some crazy traditions that you would like to share?

Wedding Cakes

I am literally sitting at my computer, dumbfounded as to what to write. I just went this blog http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ and can't even explain how hilarious some of these cakes that this person has found.

I think I spent close to an hour just looking at them and laughing (my co-workers now have officially pegged me as clinically insane because of this).

So...here are some wedding cakes that are on this blog, but I urge you. for some great entertainment and also to learn about being as specific as possible when ordering your wedding cake, to go to this webite.

Grooms Cake....(all you brides out there, you may NOT want to show this to your fiance)

Yes, this would be a picture of feet with corpse tags on it...you can't see it, but the words say: Till Death Do Us Part

Again, may not want to show this to fiance so he doesn't get any crazy ideas

Pretty sure, once my husband see this, he would say that this would have been more appropriate for our wedding.

Again...I have no words for this one....

Enjoy and go to http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ to see some more HILARIOUS cakes!

Great Online Help!

Staying organized is a major factor in planning a successful wedding. There are SO many things to keep track of. For example, which payments are due in what months, what time can this vendor get into the hall, when is the proper time to start registering, and so forth.


For many people, this is what they hire a wedding coordinator to take care of. This way they can enjoy the process without all the stressful work. However, for many of us, that is not exactly in our budget. If you are one of the latter I would strongly suggest going to this website: My Wedding Workbook.

The wedding workbook makes it so easy to manage ALL OF YOUR DETAILS. It is also useful for destination weddings!

I think what I like most about it is that is straight forward and easy to use.

Has anyone else used this site already and have had success with it?

Summer Weddings

SO many wonderful weddings this year so far and many more to come!

Here are some pictures from this past summer!

What an amazing background! I wish I could order days like this!

I thought that this was quite a unique thing to do ...putting lemons in the vase

One of my favorite table set-ups of the season

What a great way to use your wine corks!

Orchids! Love them!

Rose petals made the table look so elegant!

Wedding Reception Idea

I was reading the fall issue of Premier Bride yesterday and saw an add that caught my eye….Flippin Fun Fotobooks. Definilty check out the website! The website can explain what it is better than I can as I cut and copied the below straight from their info page:

Q. What is a Fotobook?
A. It's a combination of a 1882 concept called "flipbook," where a series of drawings were stapled together to create the illusion of movement. In the 1960's the "Flipbook" made a resurgence with companies such as Disney, Ford, and McDonald's using them for promotional purposes. Fast forward to 2009 and the new "Fotobook." With new age patented technology, we can take a (6-7) second video footage of your guests acting out a skit, dancing, or just having fun, and instantly turn into "Fotobook Keepsake."

How much fun would that be for your guests at the wedding to have another source of entertainment and to take home a flip book of themselves as a favor!

This idea a little new to the Milwaukee area, but has anyone been to a wedding or a social event where this has been done?

Wedding Ceremony Chair Decorations

When decorating your wedding venue, most people put their full attention on the dinning or banquet hall. This is where most of the time will be spent and where most of the detail will be noticed. However, some people will take this detail and apply it to the wedding ceremony.

I believe I have written before that there is something eloquent and beautiful about the simplicity of a ceremony on our plaza with the Lake as the backdrop, but it always adds a a special touch when there are decoration.

Lately I have been concentrating on the chair decorations. Most people use flowers or tulle to add color. Here are some pictures of chair decorations that people have used in the last couple of wedding here.

The nice thing about these is that all of the pictures are D.I.Y. capable! Definitely something to think about and it is also something that could be done over the long cold winter in preparation for a summer wedding (if silk flowers or ribbons are used).

The picture above and below had the flowers alternated between each row

Does anyone else have any ideas for chair decorations that they would like to share?

The Budget Friendly Honeymoon

The honeymoon after the wedding is usually the grand prize for the bride and groom. They have spent all this time getting their wedding in order and have come to the point of just wanting the day to be here so that they can leave and go on their honeymoon.

It’s like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (without the creepy leprechaun).

The ideal and more common honeymoon destinations are the Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and just about anything Caribbean. But what if you don't have the budget for one of these luxurious destinations?

Basically, the honeymoon is what you make it. It doesn’t have to be in a far off warm land filled with reggae music and pina colada’s (although, I’m not going to lie, that is EXACTLY where I want to be right now).
There are plenty of places here is Wisconsin that can make a wonderful and memorable honeymoon adventure that won’t hurt the cheque book as much. Here are some suggestions:

The American Club
Kohler, WI
Used to be a boardinghouse and now is one of the most luxurious resorts in the Midwest, or even the country! LOTS of great places to dine, golf, hike, and (what seems like the most fun) relaxing in one of their Kohler soaking baths with waterfalls!



Canoe Bay
Chetek, Wisconsin
This secret resort is set on three private lakes and doesn’t allow kids, pets or the rooms to have phones and cell phones, purposely, barely receive signal (can you handle it!), all this for the utmost relaxation. It has been known as “adult heaven” with their eco-friendly rooms, romantic candlelit dinners, and gazing at the stars in a canoe on the lake.



Door County
As Money Magazine says, it is one of the Top Ten Destinations in North America. Door County is the land of quaint shops, bed and breakfasts, inns, wineries, fresh fruit, local artist and so many other options for honeymooners!. If you live in Wisconsin and haven’t been to Door County, please treat yourself to this wonderful location



Now, these aren't the only places in Wisconsin to have a memorable honeymoon...but it's a start! Anyone have any other great Wisconsin Destinations?

Wedding Arches

I am searching for the history of the wedding arch and am having a difficult time coming up with anything…therefore I go to any of my faithful readers (yes, all 7 of you): Does anyone know the history of the arch?

From what I know, the arch is placed in the altar area of where the bride and groom are to be wed to frame the beloved couple. Afterwards, the arch can bless the home and garden of the newly married couple as a reminder of their special day.

HOWEVER, many couples today are renting the arch that we have here at the War Memorial or at their ceremony venue. This makes it much easier than to haul, set-up and take down an arch, but the couples are having the arch decorated to show their own unique style.

Here are some of my favorite wedding arch decorations of this season..

Here the arch is nicely framed by two plants

This couple brought in their own arch and it looks beautiful as well!

The nice thing about some arches, is that they don't even need to be decorated as it adds a subtle beauty to the ceremony

So far, this is my favorite arch decoration of the season!

I love the colors and the flowers tied to the end of the ribbons!

Wedding Recpetion Ideas

How about some fun ideas for a wedding reception! The Reception is the time for family and friends to dance, socialize, relax and have fun. The traditional way is to have a DJ entertain the crowd and get them on the dance floor. Now, I am convinced that people around my age bracket (late 20’s early 30’s) all have A.D.D….okay maybe I just have A.D.D….but I like to blame it on society, but that is a whole other subject.
ANYWAYS, for those of us who seems to like multiple things going on at once, especially at weddings, here are some thoughts on spicing up your reception and adding some other fun to it!

Have a Wii Station
Set up a section of the banquet hall with a Wii and some games….it would a great way to get your friends and family socializing and laughing with each other. Imagine your grandma playing Wii bowling against your best friend!

Photo Booth
This is a fun way to break the ice with some groups and to get memorable pictures of your wedding. Add props to the photo booth such as boas and funny hats and you’ll be laughing at these pictures for a lifetime!

Karaoke
Dare I mention this….you’ll need a bold group for this activity!

Entertainers
Hire a magician to walk around your crowd Vegas Style doing his/her magic tricks, or consider having a comedian come in and do a gig while the band or DJ is taking a break

Anyone else have ideas for adding more entertainment to a wedding reception?

Wisconsin Outdoor Weddings!!

Wisconsin weather can always be such a tricky thing. Basically, you never know if it is going to rain in January or snow in July. This can be particularly frustrating when planning an outdoor wedding.
For example…this last weekend the weather was cold and rainy. Both of my Saturday and Sunday weddings where planning on having their wedding ceremonies outside, but due to weather we had to move them in. This can be quite detrimental to some people, but everything here still turned out beautiful.
The best thing I can say is that when weather changes plans ...just role with the punches. Please do not get mad at your venue, maid of honor, or mom about the weather!
Here are some pictures of what turned out to be a beautiful INDOOR wedding.

Wedding Ceremony

Social Hour in Veterans Gallery

Quck Turn Around from Ceremony to Reception

Busy Weekend

This past Memorial Day weekend was so busy here! It was great!
We had 1 prom, 2 weddings and a band concert….
It was so much fun seeing the prom and reminiscing with my staff about the proms that we used to go to… However, I must say that high school kids these days have so much more taste and style than my class did for our prom!

One of the great things I love about seeing so many events and weddings is that there are always surprises and unique attributes to each wedding. I also love it when a couple portrays their personalities into their weddings. For example…. We had a beautiful wedding here on Saturday that was quite unique to the couple. Check out their cake topper!

The other really neat detail that they had was when the officiant asked for the rings they had a remote controlled car bring the rings down the aisle! I bet that is something that all of their guest will remember.

Here are some other pictures from the weekend!

The wedding on Sunday used Milwaukee Street Names instead of table numbers!

Our Memorial Day Service was very touching. Thank you again and again to all the men and women who have and are still fighting for us overseas and here! We wish you all the best!