Wednesday | July 16, 2008

Budget-ary concerns.

My best friend is getting married in 15 months (in fact, theknot.com just informed her, followed by seven exclamation points.  No more, no less, no lie.)  She started freaking out, but not really freaking out, because, well, that’s just not her.  We were chatting about her budget for the upcoming nuptials, what’s important to her and what she can kind of “skimp” on.  (A discussion I’ve just recently had with my mother and stepfather, where they proceeded to laugh because I’m nowhere near getting married.) 
  
When I think about it, and really think about it, it’s hard to pick something to truly hold back on.  My initial picks as all-important-must-use-the-big-bucks-on were my dress (because don’t you want to look absolutely gorgeous on your wedding day?), food (because that is definitely something the guests will always remember and talk about the next day) and the cake (because my mom and I happen to be amateur cake decorators ourselves).
 
Now, I look through the categories and think about others…
  • DJ – well, I work at a radio station and music is my life, so that really does need to be top notch.
  • Photo and/or Video - #1 I’m absolutely in love with the wedding videos that make it look like a real movie.  And #2 it’s something I went to school for, so how am I going to sit back and watch someone botch that up?  As for photography, I can’t wait to see professional candids of myself that actually look good. 
 
As for my dear friend…granted she’s getting married in New Jersey and everything is automatically more expensive, she’s paying something like $12,000 for food.  $100 a head.  Insanity, I must say.  However, her cake may be included.  My memory is fuzzy. 
  
My friend is like me.  There’s no way she’ll sacrifice when it comes to the DJ.  She’ll jab the man in the stomach and start playing some of our classic mixed CD’s from our college days entitled such things like “the soft hand” and “the classic what” before she lets him play the wrong song.
 
I’m afraid for her on the photography/videography front.  Our group loves photos.  Last time we were together we pulled out every album we had and reminisced over the good old days.  Or we would spend hours on Yahoo Photos poring over a night famously called “helllloooooo.”  So really, how do you skimp on photography? 
  
The classic “every table has a disposable camera” idea has been around for a long time.  And it’s a great way for your friends and family to get involved in your wedding day memories.  I know when my mom got remarried in ’94 she didn’t have a photographer at the reception.  And your friends can get pretty creative when left with a camera. 
  
Digital cameras have really helped in that department as well.  I’m not sure that I know a single person who doesn’t have a digital camera, or at least access to one these days.  And this day in age, the Internet makes it so easy to share photos and videos between friends. 
  
So it’s not so impossible to “skimp” on photography.  You’ll still get the same memories, but for much less money.
Posted by starandmoonbridal at 13:25:42 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday | June 18, 2008

Wedding Traditions

Ever wonder what exactly you're required to pay for?  Read about that and other traditions here.
Posted by starandmoonbridal at 17:34:50 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday | June 12, 2008

2008 Trends - Wedding Dresses

The big trend in wedding dresses for 2008 is romance.  Designers are going for a lot of texture.  Tiered gowns are quite popular at the moment, with lots of pleats and ruffles.  In the spirit of extravagance and romance, Marie Antoinette-inspired gowns are becoming popular, larger-than-life and many ruffles.  Following in the trend, are the Parisian-inspired dresses.  As we all associate France and Paris with love and romance. 
  
Designers are also pushing for alternative styles and necklines such as the halter and the v-neck, but brides are continuing to favor the strapless gown, always the pinnacle of elegance and prestige. 
  
Black is stepping up to be one of the new wedding colors.  French designer Max Chaoul introduced the black wedding dress in his Fall 2008 collection.  And Alfred Angelo has been adding black sashes and belts to his dresses for a more modern and sophisticated look. 
  
Look out for these three looks this year.
 
The Sheath.  A very romantic and elegant dress.  It’s both sweet and intriguing.  This dress generally has no waist, seemingly falling straight down from the shoulders.  The layers of wispy fabric make for a feminine touch, but also great for the bohemian bride.
 
The Mini.  This very chic and European dress is big trendsetter at Barcelona’s bridal week.  This dress needs to perfect setting to work, like a casual garden wedding, an ultra-sophisticated city wedding or a quirky but romantic ceremony at an art gallery.
 
The Mermaid.  This is both sexy and sophisticated.  The flair on this type of dress needs to happen at just the right spot in order to flatter the bride’s body.  A thin layer of chiffon is able to soften the cut right up. 
  
Keep in mind that whatever dress you choose, make sure it represents YOU. 
Posted by starandmoonbridal at 12:04:13 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday | June 04, 2008

“…but Aunt Betty doesn’t get along with Uncle Graham.”

Seating arrangements.


 

It’s one of (if not THE) most stressful parts of planning a wedding.  You’ve selected your dress.  Agonized over flowers.  Even spent time creating the coolest, most original favors you could think of.  But you still have to seat the guests.  It even makes me shudder.  And I like puzzles.


 

First come up with a plan.  Draw out a floor plan of your reception hall, where the tables will be, the dance floor, the dj, entrances, etc.  Or your reception hall probably has one available for you.  Don’t forget to find out the number of guests each table sits.


 

Secondly, write every guest’s name on a separate card or a post-it note and start placing them.  Make sure to put people near places that suit them best.  Your family will want to be closest to the head table, but your friends may want to be near the dance floor or with easy access to the bar.


 

Don’t forget about the wedding party.  Maybe you don’t want to have that traditional long table facing out to rest of the guests.  Some brides and grooms want to make the day a little more about them as a couple and decide to sit at a smaller, more intimate table, just the two of them.  That way the wedding party can sit at a separate table along with their dates.


 

Beware of “singles” and “couples” tables, as sometimes it could make guests feel awkward.  You also might want to avoid seating the “random guests” together.  They will quickly realize that they are the odd people out.  Instead, get creative with where you seat them. 


 

Another easy way to get through the agony of seating arrangements is using a spreadsheet.  Break the guests up into categories and place them at tables based on who they know.  (The bride’s family, groom’s family, bride’s friends, etc.)


 

A new development in making the seating arrangement process much easier is software you can download from the web.  The software allows you to create a guest list, manage the menu, see who has RSVP’d and easily place your friends and family at specific tables.


 

Toptableplanner.com works completely online so you can access it from any computer.  It allows you to easily add guests and tables; rearrange and rename.  You can choose what type of table you’re using and you can simply drag-and-drop.


 

Perfecttableplan.com is another useful tool.  This program is downloadable onto your computer and will auto assign your guests to tables.  It’s usable for any size event, from small gathering to an extravagant 2,000+ affair.  You can make profiles for each guest including their age (child or adult), gender, meal preference and more.  Another step allows you to select the proximity of each guest to another person, from “seat next to” and “seat near to” to “not next to” and “not near to.”  You’re easily able to select the shape of the table and arrange them according to the floor plan of your reception hall. 


 

Seatingarrangement.com is the free service.  This one lets you choose the meal options, design your floor plan manually, track RSVPs and all.  However, you have to assign the seating yourself.  Everything is easily movable.  And as you fill up a table, the program makes a small pie chart showing how many guests are seated and how much room you have left at that table.  And if you notice, the guests seated that are linked to the bride are pink and for the groom they’re blue!


 

So it may not be as stressful as we thought.  One thing is for sure, the earlier you get started, the easier it will be.  Good Luck and Happy Seating!
Posted by starandmoonbridal at 16:32:28 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday | May 28, 2008

Choosing Your... Cake

It’s one of the most important parts of your wedding day.  Well, we might say that about a lot of things.  But it’s definitely one of the things guests will remember the most.  Up there right next to “How beautiful her dress was!” will be “And the cake!  The cake was amazing!” 

 

There are many elements to remember when choosing your cake.  How big does it need to be?  How much am I going to spend on this edible decoration?  What color is going to be?  (Oh so often asked with “What color is my wedding going to be?”)  What will it taste like? 

 

With wedding cakes these days (much like birthday cakes, shower cakes, any-type-of-cake-you-can-think-of cakes…) there are endless possibilities.  The recent introduction of such shows as Ace of Cakes and Food Network Challenge have shown brides that they can have just about anything they want at their wedding. 

 
The traditional cake.
 

The three-, four- or five-tiered cake is still often the norm at weddings.  Decked out in elegant decorations, white icing, pretty lace, exquisite roses… It all screams a picturesque, stylish wedding. 

 

It’s easy to make that traditional cake unique to your wedding.  Make each tier a different flavor.  Vanilla for one, chocolate for another, maybe even a red velvet.  Cake decorators and bakers have their specialty cakes, so see what’s available.  Not only does this make your cake different, but memorable.  Guests will be relishing in the fact that they get to choose what type of cake to eat and will definitely divulge the information when talking about the wonderful wedding they attended this past weekend.


Oftentimes when you have a tiered cake the number of tiers depends on how many people you have attending the wedding.  You should always ask your baker or cake decorator how many your cake will feed, but a good reference guide can be found here: Cake Serving Guide  
 
But…it doesn’t have to be traditional.
 

I’ve come to find that my personal favorite type of cake is the un-traditional.  Cakes have become art pieces, a way to represent the couple (or occasion) in a way other than the square or the circle shapes set on top of each other.  Your cake decorator may be able to make you a cake in the shape of a set of wedding bells or the car you’re driving off with together in the sunset.  You can make it as fun as you want. 

 

All you have to remember is that it’s your day and you can do whatever you want.  That’s the beauty of a wedding.  It’s all about you.

Posted by starandmoonbridal at 14:31:26 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |