The OurWeddingDay Blog

How to Get Classic, Upscale Wedding Invitations on a Budget

OWD — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:54:39 -0400

In these days when jobs and real estate are at a premium, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money on things like wedding invitations. At the same time, a wedding is an important life event and the invitation, being the first wedding-related thing guests see, makes a crucial design statement.

The good news is that it's certainly possible to get wedding invites with classic elegance and a tasteful design aesthetic at an affordable price. Check out the full article here for six great tips!

Creative Bridal Shower Theme Ideas

OWD — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:15:43 -0400

Throwing a bridal shower for a friend or planning your own? Think outside the box and make the event fun. Modern bridal shower themes aren’t limited to afternoon tea parties or female-only events. The ultimate goal is to have fun and make the bride feel special as she prepares for her big day. Try one of these creative ideas for a bridal shower party everyone will remember.

Costume Party
Choose a theme and ask your guests to come in costume.

Hold your costume party in the late afternoon or evening.
Try themes like rock stars, 1980’s or Mad Men fashion.
Plan bridal shower games ideas around a costume contest judged by the bride-to-be.

Potluck Dinner
Throw a homey co-ed shower with plenty of great food.

Coordinate with your guests to make sure all food categories are covered.
Avoid having guests bring desserts so you can focus on the bridal shower cake.
Incorporate cooking utensils into your bridal shower games or give some as bridal shower favors.

Red Carpet Event
Amp up the style factor and make the shower a mini-event.

Use a red paper tablecloth to create a makeshift red carpet.
For one of the bridal shower games, create red carpet “looks” with toilet paper or tissue paper.
Take pictures with a digital camera and print them during the party as souvenirs.

Lots of Accessories and Decorations for My Wedding This Week!

OWD — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:30:05 -0400

Celebrity weddings and glamorous bridal magazines are a lot of fun, but nothing’s more helpful than learning how real brides plan their big day.

Meet OWD's Real Brides: real OurWeddingDay.com Brides-to-be sharing their experiences. It’s not about the “right” way to plan; it’s about each bride planning the wedding that’s right for her.

Natalie from Irving, TX writes:

Well, we finally secured our photographer and videographer this past Friday; what a relief to have those wrapped up. Still communicating with the florist to put together the perfect package that will meet our needs for the wedding day, while still staying within our budget. So at the moment, we are fine-tuning the order to get it just right.

My wedding gown has arrived, so this Wednesday I will be picking it up; my Matron-of-Honor and Bridesmaid #2 will be there with me to share in the excitement. The cake topper in Austrian crystals arrived on Friday, along with the guest book, ring bearer pillow, engraved cake server and knife, my garter and my sixpence. I was so excited to see just how beautiful they were in person, because I had ordered all those online from WeddingDepot.com. I highly recommend that site based on the quality I received.

On Saturday, I picked up an antique-looking treasure chest from Hobby Lobby for guests to place their gift cards, checks or cash -- it will be elevated as the centerpiece of the gift table with its lid open. I also picked up some more gem confetti (because you can never have too much ;), plus I picked up materials to make the bridesmaid gift bags; ivory organza sachet bags with a dangling crystal border and then a decorative trim to wrap around the entire bottom end (front and back); my fiancé was impressed with how pretty and professional looking it turned out. This bag will hold the earrings and bracelet I purchased for all my girls.

Oh, and over the weekend we added a 7th Bridesmaid, a 7th Groomsman and 2 more Ushers to make up 12 Ushers all together.

In the coming week, I will continue to speak with the Florist to wrap up that order and hopefully secure the DJ, as well.

Happy Planning!

How to Have a Guilt-Free & Delicious Rehearsal Dinner

OWD — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:10:41 -0400

Give a delicious, healthy gift to both your wedding party and your waistline at your wedding rehearsal dinner. Society has become more health-conscious than ever, therefore your options are limitless when it comes to choosing yummy yet satisfying dishes for your wedding rehearsal dinner guests.

Check out the article here, including budget, cultural, vegetarian, organic and locavore variations!

Divorced Family Wedding Etiquette: So Separated Parents Are Comfortable

OWD — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:56:46 -0400

For many couples, divorced parents are just another part of ceremony planning. Naturally, you want your whole family to be included in your wedding, but you don’t want them, or anyone else, to be uncomfortable. It’s your day, but there are ways to make their presence a little more pleasant for all involved.

Check out the article here for tips on seating, photos the reception and more.

Incorporating In-Laws Into Your Ceremony

OWD — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:27:12 -0500

My brothers, his groomsmen?

You’re about to start a whole new journey, and part of the lifelong trips includes family-his. While you’re more than likely to address in-laws before the wedding, some family members are often not introduced until wedding preparations. To start things on the right foot, it’s smart to integrate both sides into the ceremony. It’s an easy task if you’re already best buds, not so much if you’ve never met. So check out an in-law ceremony primer here.

Tips for Visiting a Bridal Spa

OWD — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:17:40 -0500

Spas offer clients a variety of beauty and health services in one convinient, relaxing location. Planning on preparing for your wedding at a bridal spa? Whether you're new to spas or you're a seasoned pro, use these tips when visiting and selecting the bridal spa for your wedding preparation.

Start looking for local bridal spas and bridal salons at least six months before your wedding. Popular bridal spas book quickly, especially during the peak wedding season.
Visit the bridal spa before you book your appointment. Ask for a complimentary tour. Take a look at the treatment rooms and try to get a feeling for the vibe and atmosphere. Look for cleanliness, a calming atmosphere, and attentive employees. Don’t feel obligated to make an appointment if you’re not completely happy with the spa.
When booking your appointment, schedule plenty of time for treatments. Try beginning your day with an aromatherapy massage, hot stone massage, or body scrub. To avoid surprises, remember to ask about all fees and additional costs while booking your appointments.
If you’re having your hair and makeup done at a bridal spa, meet with your aestheticians beforehand for a practice run of your hairstyle and makeup. Have a friend take pictures so you can see what the makeup looks like on camera.
Coordinate with bridesmaids well before the wedding so that you can make simultaneous appointments for attendants who would like to join you as you prepare at a bridal spa.
Call the wedding spa two weeks before your visit to confirm that the appointment is on the books and your preferred technicians will be available.

Demoting My Maid Of Honor... And Other Items On My Checklist

OWD — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:51:18 -0500

Celebrity weddings and glamorous bridal magazines are a lot of fun, but nothing’s more helpful than learning how real brides plan their big day.

Natalie from Irving, TX writes:

The week started with finding out that my Maid-of-Honor betrayed my trust on something significant, so she has now been placed as 3rd out of 7 ladies in the lineup...still keeping her in the bridal party because she's already purchased her dress.

I met with the florist and loved what I saw; we just received their proposal yesterday from our meeting 5 days ago. We have some questions and changes to be made to it, but we're closer to getting the florist lined-up for our big day. We're in communication with the photographer/videographer but we haven't come to a final decision and signed contract yet; still have a couple loose ends to cover with them before we feel comfortable locking things down with them and signing a contract.

The invitations are currently with the calligrapher until tonight; I will go and pick them up after 6pm. I will be able to stuff the envelopes tonight and tomorrow to hopefully get them all into the mail by tomorrow late afternoon...with the wedding May 29th, we're running out of time to get these out to our guests.

The wedding dress came in yesterday that I ordered back on January 20th, so I plan to pick this up on the 15th of March. Today, I am custom-creating the Thank You cards, just as I did with the invitations, using MyGatsby.com. And in this last week, I managed to get the guest book ordered, ring bearer pillow ordered, sand and sand vases ordered and engraved for the unity ceremony, gem confetti ordered, my garter ordered, and monogrammed cake knives, Swavorski crystal cake topper and six-pence all ordered.

:-D Yay!...My list is dwindling.

Happy Planning!

Last-Minute Wedding Planner Meetings

OWD — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:24:48 -0500

Is your big day almost here? Now that you’re approaching the final stages of wedding planning, it’s time to coordinate with your wedding organizer to make sure everything’s in place. Here are some tips for working with your wedding organizer before your wedding day:

Schedule a meeting with your wedding organizer the weekend before your wedding. During the meeting, get confirmation that all vendors are prepared for the wedding. Schedule any last-minute appointments you need to make, including a final fitting or picking up your wedding dress.
Have your wedding organizer prepare an itinerary for the upcoming week and the day before your wedding. This should include the schedule for your rehearsal dinner, picking up any accessories you need and attending last-minute appointments. If you’re planning to visit a bridal spa on the day of your wedding, include arrival and treatment times on your itinerary.
Establish boundaries regarding availability in the days before your wedding. If you have a close relationship with your wedding planner, you may feel inclined to turn to her in moments of panic or if you have questions. If you’re not working as closely with her or don’t feel comfortable, make sure you have a friend on call so you can vent or ask for last-minute opinions.

How to Avoid Jitters the Day Before Your Wedding

OWD — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:06:41 -0500

Wedding planning tools don’t warn you about the emotional turmoil you might experience after months of acting as a wedding organizer. Many brides experience wedding jitters and nerves on the day before their wedding. Avoid stress and discomfort by planning to fight away those jitters with healthy coping skills. Try these steps to a worry-free day before your wedding.

Don’t drink too much at your bachelorette party. A hangover can set off some seriously unpleasant physical symptoms and exhaustion. Go easy on alcohol or plan a relaxing spa party instead of heading out to bars. If you really want to have a big blowout, have the party a few weeks before your wedding.
Schedule spa treatments on the day before your wedding. Try a long hot-stone massage, aromatherapy massage or a pedicure. Just avoid facials or any sort of waxing or tanning that might alter your appearance right before your big day.
Exercise. This isn’t the time to run a marathon or take up a new sport, but it’s definitely a great time to try some relaxing yoga or low-impact aerobics. Working out helps you sleep and helps you naturally fight stress. Be sure to eat protein-rich, light meals all day to keep your stomach settled before and after your workout.