The OurWeddingDay Blog

Check out this article by Make Editor I Chief, Mark Frauenfelder:

"As the editor-in-chief of the do-it-yourself magazine Make, I've met scores of dedicated makers. They come from all walks of life -- rich, poor, young, old, male, female, religious, atheist, liberal, conservative. They're as varied as the things they make: kites with cameras, homebrew biodiesel, treehouses with ziplines, cigar box guitars, remote-control lawnmowers, automatic cat-feeders, high-altitude water rockets, robotic blimps, worm composting systems, stylish plywood furniture, pinhole cameras, experimental surfboards, solar water heaters, portable drive-in movie projectors -- there's no limit to their aspirations. And while no two DIYers are alike, in general they're an upbeat and friendly group that shares a special trait: the courage to screw up."

Read the whole article here.

While Mark doesn't get into DIY weddings specifically, it is fun read about how embracing the non-perfect, the "right to err" can have an amazing impact on your outlook and your enjoyment of things.  It's a great reminder for us, because even though we all want our wedding day to be perfect, it's the little glitches and whoops-es that are often the most memorable and enjoyable.

Many brides (and some grooms) change their names after marriage. What’s become more common in the past decade is to hyphenate your name. The reasons for this are varied: One of the most common reasons women take on their husbands’ names in the first place is for the sake of the children. Should you hyphenate, you can still keep your maiden name, yet know your children will share the same name.

Continue reading this article here, including good reasons to hyphenate, variations and legal requirements.

She has the face of an angel while gliding down the aisle……The June bride radiates natural, glowing makeup and skin.  

Sheerer, lighter face makeup is a must for summer weddings.  Special attention needs to be focused on your skincare routine.  Sweat will cause more debris to settle within pores, so make sure an effective yet gentle cleanser is used daily.  Cleanse your skin both morning and night and follow with a moisturizer.  Using a tinted moisturizer containing a SPF will provide healthy skin with a dewy finish.  This routine promises nurtured, hydrated skin allowing makeup to glide on for a smooth wedding-day finish.  Include hydrating lips with an emollient or treatment for a soft, feminine pout!

Flawless skin is the perfect canvass for both day and evening weddings.  Whether your affair is beachside, countryside, or downtown, experiment with false lashes and different mascaras ahead of time.  There are many styles and lengths of lashes that will create differences in your makeup.   Providing your makeup artist with lashes and mascara will promise the doe-eyed effect that you are comfortable with.  Irrespective of whether you want a smoky eye or wide-eyed innocence-lashes perfect your look!

Elysa Ross is a celebrity makeup artist & paramedical Aesthetician who has been perfecting bridal faces for over fifteen years.  Check back next week for more beautiful bride tidbits and advice or email Elysa at eross@anotherlookweddings.com with your beauty questions and concerns!  To view photos of the latest makeup & hair trends, visit www.AnotherLookWeddings.com

So, you’ve decided that you want a beach theme wedding and you can’t wait to say your “I dos” on the sand. When planning your perfect beach theme wedding, do your research early to find available venues. Take advantage of the hospitality and guidance offered in popular beach wedding packages.

A do-it-yourself beach wedding, on the contrary, may require some extra work, but the natural beauty of the setting will be worth every challenge. Trust that the pieces will fall into place as you clarify your beach theme wedding vision. A joyful, carefree day awaits; answer the following questions and decide which sea-loving scenarios whisper to you...

Continue reading this article here, including advice on travel, attire, decorations, menus and more!

Want to get the perfect look for your wedding day? Follow these easy tips to make sure that you and your stylist are on the same page.

1. Stick with the professionals. This isn’t a do-it-yourself occasion. Your own makeup collection may not be right for photography and all-day wear. Your friends may be great at applying makeup, but their skills won’t measure up to a trained makeup artist.
2. Book your appointment at a wedding spa. Bridal spa technicians specialize in wedding makeup. Look into combining your makeup application with a relaxing wedding massage on the morning of your wedding.
3. Schedule an appointment to have your makeup done once before your wedding day. Bring pictures from magazines to illustrate the style you’d like. While your wedding makeup may look heavier than you’re used to, it shouldn’t look heavier than you’re comfortable with.
4. Discuss airbrushed foundation options with your makeup artist. Airbrushed foundation has a light, flawless look. The foundation often lasts much longer than powder, liquid or cream foundations. If you go this route, be sure to work with a makeup artist with considerable experience using airbrushing techniques.
5. Moisturize your skin well every day and night for at least a month before your appointment. Foundation, particularly airbrushed foundation, applies much smoother on healthy, moisturized skin.
6. As your makeup technician to recommend a lipstick or gloss for your wedding. Be sure to purchase your own tube to keep with you for re-application throughout the day.

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.

Amanda from Pittsburgh writes:

It’s Wednesday afternoon, taking a break from my work, to write this blog post. And I am sitting on 10 days and counting until the day I say “I Do.” And I am not nervous. About anything. And that almost makes me nervous!

Last weekend were the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Mine was a lot of fun! And clean! I hope he enjoyed his just as much I enjoyed mine! Dinner, a couple drinks, dancing. A great girls’ night out.

Then I got lazy over the weekend and just enjoying watching TV and movies with the fiancé. These next few days are going to be hectic so we enjoyed some calm-before-the-storm.

Monday was my second dress fitting. My mom was able to go with me this time. My “sister” (she will be after the wedding) took lots of pictures again. The dress fits great. It needs a little more work. Such as: sew the trim back onto the dress! Anyone out there have a lace dress? If so, were you surprised on how the dress was hemmed?

Let me explain: the dress is all lace. I was under the impression that a way to hem a lace dress was by opening the side seams and bringing the dress up from there. I was wrong. I am standing there in my lovely dress and surprisingly comfortable shoes just admiring the dress’s beauty in the mirror. I look down and see the seamstress cutting the beautiful hem off my dress! Then it hit me “Duh, cut it off to re-attach it at the proper height!” But still I could not help but think how panicked a girl could feel watching this after spending so much money on her dream dress!

My seamstress is awesome with pins and stitches. Do you think this has become a lost artform? My mom tells me stories of how her great aunt could sew clothes, almost a perfect fit, without even measuring! I took one sewing class so I can hem pants, sew buttons and fix seams. But what some of these ladies can do is jaw-dropping.

Today is going very slow. I am super anxious. Last week I wrote about my hair appointment. After I got there and we dyed my highlights and trimmed my hair, we both agreed to give my hair a break and schedule a different day to do the practice for the wedding. That day is today! I still have those pictures printed out. I did not even go back online to look for more. I am super confident that my hairdresser will make my hair look beautiful.

My reception wedding planner contacted me yesterday. Final seating charts are due Friday! I planned on doing these over the long weekend (well, actually this past weekend before I got lazy). So it looks like the next two evenings will be planning out the seating.

How did you or are you going to tackle the task of seating charts? Will the bride create all the charts? Will the groom help? Will the bride and groom sit down with both sets of parents? I know my groom and I will work on this together. Is that the norm?

I would love to hear your  thoughts!

In the meantime, I will organize the seating, build the centerpieces and assemble the programs. Ten more days until the big day! It feels like yesterday I was dress shopping…

He’s got the tux, planned the honeymoon, and memorized his vows. The only thing left for your fiancé to do is…take your name? Yes, sometimes men take on their wives’ name. Should this apply to you, familiarize yourselves with the necessary steps. And know the pros and cons...

Continue reading the article here, including info on legal requirements, helpful hints and family reactions.

We just launched our latest local wedding guide, dedicating to tying the knot in Boston!

There’s no getting around the fact that Boston is one of the most sophisticated cities in the United States. Whether you’re strolling along Beacon Hill, watching Swan Boats glide in the water, or musing over life among the grounds of Harvard University, it doesn’t get much better than this; and you still haven’t been to the real Cheers bar! If you marry in Massachusetts’ signature city, put on your best clothes and your most proper manners. This is a city that’s as good as it looks.

Look for major updates to the Boston Wedding Guide over the next few weeks!

And check out our other complete local wedding guides for the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Newark, Houston and Chicago.

Want to make a big statement on your wedding day? Let your wedding fashion express your unique personality with a non-traditional wedding dress. Here are some fun ways to go bold with your wedding’s fashion.

1. Let your wedding party fashion speak for you. To infuse fun into your wedding, wedding bridesmaid dresses can come in a variety of colors. Try pairing white flowers with bridesmaid dresses in a variety of bright complementary shades.
2. Wear a colored wedding dress. Wedding gowns are traditionally white or off-white. A colored wedding dress makes a huge statement with your guests. Pink, pastel and even bright red dresses have been spotted on fashionable, edgy brides. Be prepared to turn heads if you choose color.
3. Wear a short wedding dress. Getting married for the second time or having an informal, small wedding? Skip the long gown and wear a sexy, short wedding dress. Short dresses let you show off your legs and a killer pair of shoes. But remember, short means knee-length, not mini-skirt. You’re going for sexy, not tacky.
4. Add unique accessories to your wedding ensemble. Wear a traditional gown and pair it with bold accessories like a bright-red pair of shoes, a peacock feather in your hair, or brightly-colored gloves. Accessories give you an edgy look while letting you retain some of the traditional elements of wedding fashion.

Public speaking isn’t everyone’s glass of champagne. Write your wedding rehearsal dinner speech beforehand to calm nerves and take the pressure off when you're in the spotlight. Your wedding rehearsal dinner speech is a fantastic opportunity to thank those nearest and dearest for sharing this special event with you and your husband-to-be. Follow these tips to write a memorable rehearsal wedding dinner speech, and get some pointers for overcoming stage fright...

Read the article here including advice in what's appropriate, fighting "stage fright," and common mistakes people make.