Unique Bridal Shower Invitations - Tips for Sensational Wedding Shower Invitations

First impressions are remembered the most, and it's no different when it comes to planning a bridal shower.

It doesn't matter if this is your first time planning a wedding shower, or if you are the planning guru, you know that bridal shower invitations are an important way to give guests all the important information they need.

The Theme

Like wedding invitation ideas, there's no shortage of themes for unique bridal shower invites. For a one-of-a-kind look, consider an invite printed on die-cut paper. Guests will be delighted when they open the envelope to find an invitation shaped like a wedding gown, bridesmaid's dress, or, yes, even lingerie.

One of the simplest ideas for bridal shower invitations is to incorporate the party theme. For example, if you're planning an ice cream social, use an image of a cone or sundae. No matter what the theme, you don't need to settle on fuddy-duddy designs that look like overdone wedding invitation ideas. Find ultra-modern and super-cute designs for images that range from disco balls to designer-looking handbags.

Colors are also a way to create tone-setting party invites. If the future bride is well-known for her love of purple, invite stationery in lavender or text in a flirty bright purple will let guests know exactly who the shower is for.

Add sparkle to your party invitations by using embellishments. Charms, elastic ties and ribbons are common ways to jazz up an invite. For a celebratory touch, add confetti to the envelope. Imagine a shower guest opening a winter-themed invitation to find snowflake-shaped confetti.

You can also match the bridal shower invitations to the wedding invitation ideas. If the bride's planning a chic beach affair, use shower invites that sport a more casual beach theme, such as flip flops or a sun towel. Is a formal red-themed wedding in the works? A bold red paper or a white invite trimmed in a red shade will tie the two events together.

The Message

If traditional wording is your style, look for suggested text that fits your needs. Online wedding specialists frequently list wording suggestions for a range of events, from showers to wedding invitations.

For unique bridal shower invitations that guests are sure to chat about, make like Seuss (or Shakespeare) and pen a poem. If verse isn't your style, ask a literary-minded friend to help create an ultra-unique poem invite.

Of course, you already know to include the date, location and time on the bridal shower invitations, but there are other tidbits you may want to add. For example, remember to include any guidelines for themed shower. For example, if you're hosting a lingerie event, the bridal shower invitations might include the bride-to-be's size. Kitchen shower invitations might suggest a cooking-themed gift.

Wording for bridal shower invitations should also include whether guests should send regrets only or RSVP. RSVP means they should respond to you to advise whether they're attending or not. Regrets only means the guest should only respond if they cannot attend. The problem with regrets only is that some guests will invariably forget to notify you they can't show up. As a result, you might plan a party for 30 guests but only have 20 of them actually attend.

The bridal shower invitation is the first impression guests will have of the event. With a little planning it's super-easy to create a wedding shower invite that your guests will find memorable.

Rose Watson is a reviewer and commentator on wedding invitations sites. For more recommendations and reviews of providers of bridal shower invitations, go now to: http://www.allstyleweddinginvitations.com


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Four Things to Consider During the Wedding Planning Process

If you are in the initial stages of your wedding planning, one of the decisions you may be faced with is how to choose the right wedding planner for you.
There are several things that a bride should consider when meeting with a wedding planner as well as during the wedding planning process. Below are just a few that will help you along the way.

1. Be Realistic About Your Budget. I know that more so know than ever, brides are very conscious about their budgets and are always looking for ways to cut. What is difficult for any planner is meeting with a bride that has no idea how much they or want to spend for their wedding. If the bride does have an idea, it is an unrealistic idea. If your budget for your wedding is $10,000, having two wedding venues is probably not the best use of your dollars, nor is having a 7-piece band and steak and shrimp for your meal. I always compare this to going grocery shopping. When you go to the grocery store, you have some idea of what you want and can spend. If you only had $150 to spend, why do you have $250 worth of groceries in your cart? Why are you deviating from the list that you should have prepared? Why is everything in your grocery cart name brand and nothing on sale? When you get to the checkout stand, the cashier is not going to just give you the extra $100 worth of groceries. You are going to have to prioritize and decide what is most important in your shopping cart and take it home with you. Your wedding budget is no different. We aren't miracle workers. Yes, we can help you save money, but you have given us a budget and our job is to help you stay within that budget. If you are able to find others to contribute, that is great. If not, then please be flexible and open to other options. We want you to have the wedding of your dreams; it just may have to be on a smaller scale.

2. This Is Your Wedding. One of the questions that brides ask me frequently is, "Am I going to have a say in what is planned and how things are?" I always smile and say, "Of course!" Please know that this is your wedding and not mine. We are simply here to assist you in your planning. I tell my brides that I can plan as much or as little of their wedding as they would like.

3. You Can Catch More With Honey Than Vinegar. I have never really understood the concept of "brideziilla." Yes, I do know what it is and what it means, but I really see no need for it. I understand that you want this to be the most wonderful day for you and your husband-to-be. I understand that all of the decision making and tasks that are involved in planning a wedding can become pretty overwhelming and stressful. If you don't like something or something is not quite done to your liking or how you had envisioned it, please let the vendor know, politely. I will say that again. Please let the vendor know politely. There is no need or excuse for rudeness, yelling, screaming, cursing or any other "bridezilla" like behavior. All vendors have a common goal which is to make this day as fabulous for you as possible. You would be amazed at how giving a vendor can be and is willing to be when treated with respect. Remember; treat others as you want to be treated.

4. It Has To Be A Good Fit For Both Of Us. I love what I do. Being a wedding and event planner truly makes me happy. I have been fortunate to have worked with wonderful clients. What I think that some brides don't think about is that not only does the partnership that we, may embark upon be a good fit for you, it has to be a good for me too. I at all costs avoid any client that I feel is critical, negative, or may have any "bridezilla" tendencies. If the personality of the bride and the planner do not mesh well, it is very difficult to plan a wonderful, magical dream wedding. A stressful, strained relationship between a bride and her planner is not a good foundation for a successful wedding at all.

Planning your wedding should be an enjoyable time. Part of your planner's job is to help make sure that this process is fun and that you have minimal stress.

Lynn White, MBA, is a Wedding & Event Planner in the Washington, DC Metro area. To learn more about Heels Above Weddings, go to http://www.heelsaboveweddings.com

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Unique Wedding Flower Customs and Traditions

Weddings are often steeped in tradition, but there is one element of every wedding, flowers, that is at the top of the list. In this article, you will learn some of the unique ways that flowers have been used to symbolize different aspects of a marriage in different cultures. You will understand why flowers have a language all their own.

Floral and Décor: Wedding Flower Customs and Traditions

Flowers are one of the main elements of most weddings' décor. Adding flowers that match the color scheme of your wedding definitely brightens any room or venue, and can take a reception from ordinary to extraordinary, but do you know why flowers are such a prevalent part of weddings? Most wedding flowers can be traced back to ancient traditions all over the world. Read on to learn more about the wedding flower customs and traditions that have shaped our flower-full weddings of today.

- Wedding flowers are thought to be originated in the earliest days of primitive marriage, when fears of demons were most prevalent. Early brides would carry stinking garlands of herbs and spices for the purpose of frightening off evil spirits.

- Brides in ancient Rome would carry bunches of herbs to symbolize fidelity and fertility, and to scare off evil spirits as well. This tradition is still reflected in Indian weddings in which the brother of the groom sprinkles flower petals over the couple at the end of the wedding ceremony to protect them from evil.

- In a similar vein, grooms in Sweden and Denmark sew small packets or sachets of pungent, strong-smelling herbs such as rosemary, garlic and chives into their clothing to symbolize good health and good luck.

- In the Middle East, the bitter herb Artemisia is used in the bridal bouquet to make sure that the marriage survives bitter times as well as good times.

- In Tudor England, brides ate marigolds dipped in rosewater after the wedding ceremony as the combination was thought to have aphrodisiac properties.

- Ancient Greek brides included ivy in their bridal bouquets as a symbol of their tenacious spirit and never ending love.

- In Greek Orthodox weddings, crowns of fragrant and delicate white orange blossoms were traditionally made for both the bride and the groom to symbolize virginity and purity. In traditional Indian weddings, the bride and the groom also both don a floral headpiece.

- Tossing the bouquet is a tradition that began in England, when women used to try to rip pieces off of the bride's dress and flowers in order to attain some of her good luck. To distract the crowd the bride would toss her wedding bouquet and run away.

- The Victorians were fascinated by the meanings of different flowers, and were one of the first groups to popularize the wedding rose, which represents true love.

- Unlike the Western hemisphere, the Chinese and Japanese view white as the color of death and funerals. Instead, the color red plays a vital role in wedding festivities as it is considered a bold and lucky color.

- Peonies and roses are very popular flowers in Chinese and Japanese weddings, and bouquets are always grouped in six or nine flowers as these numbers represent prosperity and wealth. Groups of three flowers are avoided because the word for three is very similar to the word used for death.

Some of these cultural wedding customs may seem obscure, odd, or just plain silly now, but they have led to the beautiful tradition of having flowers at your wedding. Consider adopting some of these ancient or cultural traditions into your own wedding for a unique spin on traditional wedding floral décor.

PerfectWeddingGuide.com helps Brides and Grooms through the sometimes challenging, but always exciting process of planning a wedding and honeymoon. Any wedding planner or bride can benefit from the unique wedding guide tips, trends, and helpful wedding planning tools at PerfectWeddingGuide.com.

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Determining When to Have Your Wedding

Of all the questions that surround your wedding, the one that everybody will want to know is "When is the wedding?" Often, couples can't answer that question right away, because there a lot of things to take into account before setting a date. In this article, you will find answers to some of the decisions that need to be made before setting your wedding date.

Determining When to Have Your Wedding

Copyright © 2010 Stephanie Lopez

Your boyfriend recently got down on one knee and popped the question! The day was romantic and went perfectly as you had always imagined; Romeo down on one knee pleading for your eternal love. Well, perhaps it didn't go quite like that. Though, none the less you are now engaged and excited to get planning. You probably have already discovered the very first question all people will ask as soon as you share your exciting news is, "So, when is the date?" That may be a question that the two of you aren't even sure of yet. If you are feeling unsure on when your big day should take place don't feel alarmed. There are a few questions that you need to go over and you will be down to the month and maybe even the day.

Are there time restraints? In some cases you may need to be married right away. There are many reasons that this may be the case. Some examples could include being in the military or a break from school or work. Whatever the case might be try to come up with the most realistic option possible. Try to avoid your wedding day from being around other life changing decisions.

When is your anniversary? Perhaps it might be really important to the two of you to have your wedding day on the day you met or your very first date. Whatever it may be that is a special day for the two of you. It could even be the first time that love was declared. Nothing seals the day that you remember with your wedding day. It's the icing on the cake.

Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding? If you have always dreamed of a beach wedding you can eliminate some of the colder months. If an indoor wedding is to your liking then you have more options that don't exclude particular months.

What is your budget? It may seem early to set a budget, but this is a great way to help to determine when to have your wedding. The warmer months are high demand for the wedding season, so if your budget is tight try a beautiful winter wedding. You can still manage to do outdoor weddings in the spring and fall just be choosey on your day. Perhaps refer to an almanac to pick the perfect date.

What is the availability of the venues? If you already know where you want to be married get in contact with the venue right away. There is no sense in setting a date that is already taken. If you are sure of the venue, are already month specific and all the weekends are taken try choosing an off day, such as a weekday as an alternative. This is also an awesome way to pinch pennies if you are trying to wed in the high season.

What fashions and styles do you want? If you're sure that you want a long sleeve or a sleeveless dress then you can eliminate seasons right away. Perhaps you know the colors that you want, this can also help to choose the season. You don't want fall colors in a spring wedding.

With all of these questions answered you are sure to come up with a day that will be perfect for the both of you. I recommend going over all of these questions with your fiancé right away. That way when people ask you when the big day is you can at least have an estimate. This also gets the planning process started, so when you make the announcement you can get people enlisted to help.

If you are located in the Kansas City Metro area and are looking for the perfect setting to have an intimate wedding or reception visit
http://www.weddingreceptionhallandgarden.com/ . Not only is the setting readily decorated, but the family-owned Cotillion Room and Garden can alleviate the stress to assist you in your planning needs.

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How to Plan a Wedding

Getting engaged is an exciting time for every couple, but it's also the time when the real work of planning a wedding begins. To get you started on the right foot, these tips from wedding coordinator Andrea Wyn will get you off and running on solid ground... 

How to Plan a Wedding

There are so many steps involved when planning a wedding. In fact, it can be overwhelming and stressful for someone unfamiliar with special event planning. This article will help explain how to plan a wedding.

One of the first steps when planning a wedding is to determine your wedding planning budget. It is important to be realistic with this budget - don't expect caviar and champagne and yet only spend what you would for hamburgers and beer!

No matter what type of wedding you are planning you must decide in the beginning how much you want to spend and stick to that budget. This dollar amount will help you stay on track with your wedding and make your life a lot easier. If something doesn't fit in the budget, then you will need to take creative steps to find alternatives or eliminate it all together.

As a special event planning coordinator, I am often asked how to plan a wedding and when to start a wedding planning budget. My first response is to consider all aspects of the wedding itself from the dress and invitations, to the venue, the menu as well as the guest favors. In fact, here are some of the basic budget line items to consider when planning a wedding:

Dress
Invitations, escort cards and thank you cards
Food and Beverage Venue Fees - including parking and ceremony site
Officiate Fee
Music for ceremony and reception
Flowers
Event Rentals such as a special chair, linen or upgraded china to name a few
Room Décor and upgraded lighting
Photographer and Videographer
Cake
Special event planning or wedding coordinator fee
Party Favors
Hair and Makeup
Special Event Insurance

With each one of these line items, there are numerous options a bride should take into account when she starts to consider how to plan a wedding for herself and her fiancée. And don't forget, these days many fiancées want to be part of the wedding planning process as well.

In the upcoming articles on this topic, I will provide more details on the wedding planning budget in efforts to help ease your stress when planning a wedding. Wedding planning is a job within itself and it is important to consider all aspects of the special event planning budget so that your lasting wedding day memories are a joy to remember. Until next time, remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun and economical for all!

With over 15 years in the special event industry, Andrea has now taken her knowledge and experiences and incorporated this information into an easy-to-read book called Budget Bash - Simply Fabulous Events on a Budget. You can talk to Andrea via Twitter @awynningevent or learn more about wedding and special event management by visiting awynningevent.com.

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The 80/20 Wedding


If you have ever heard the phrase "Don't sweat the small stuff", it's great advice to follow when it comes to wedding planning.

Couples looking for a stress-free planning experience should focus on the big picture, and avoid becoming overwhelmed by the smallest details. Attending to the "little things" is the responsibility of the wedding vendors you choose to work with.

In this article, organization professionals Alicia Rockmore and Sarah Welch give some excellent advice on getting and keeping your wedding planning priorities in order.



The 80/20 Wedding


Life is hectic.

But when you throw a major life event like a wedding in the mix, it can get downright nutty. The logical question for practical and busy people is: How can I plan a memorable wedding without it becoming all-consuming?

At Buttoned Up, we are huge believers in applying the 80/20 rule to event planning.

If you aren't familiar with the 80/20 rule - it basically states that, in anything, a relatively small handful of things really contribute to the desired outcome - so focus energy and attention on them and worry less about all the rest.

Getting clarity on the "must-do's" versus the "nice-to-do's" is critical to keeping your sanity in the run-up to the big day. In that spirit, we've put together some tips on how to use the 80/20 rule to plan for your upcoming nuptials.

1. Ask a Question. Looking for ways to make your actual wedding ceremony more special? One of the best-known ways to trigger your imagination is via free association. Find five married people whom you admire and ask them one simple question: What was the most meaningful part of your wedding ceremony? Use their perspectives as a jumping off point for ideas on what's really important and how to make your own ceremony special.

2. Decide Where to Stand Firm. Weddings are one big up-sell opportunity for vendors (e.g. it is the most important day of your life...you wouldn't want to go without x,y,z). Simply knowing where you won't be up-sold and where you will allow a little of it can make a huge difference in your ability to stick to your budget. Given the input from others that you gathered in step one, identify the things that you won't scrimp on and the things you will. Then head online and take advantage of some amazing budget tools. The website TheKnot.com has great budget worksheets, which you can find on their site under the tools tab.

3. Skip the Musical Chairs. Few things cause more pre-wedding angst than seating charts.

Are Uncle John and cousin Becky still feuding?

Will your conservative in-laws balk at sharing a table with your free-spirited family members?

Will a college acquaintance be angry she isn't seated at the same table as other, closer friends from school?

When you consider that the typical guest will only be seated for about 1 hour of a 4-hour event, is it really worth wringing your hands over? No. Open seating is a stress-free option that is often more enjoyable for guests because they get to choose their own dinner companions.

If you must structure the tables somewhat for catering purposes, simply assign table numbers, don't try to orchestrate who sits where at each table.



4. Don't Skimp on Photos. It may sound a little cliché, but the day itself goes by in a flash. Many brides say that they didn't really experience their wedding until they got the photos back. Get a good photographer to document the day. Be sure to look for someone who has the ability to capture unscripted feelings and moments. Those are the ones you will cherish.

5. Food Is Love. Food isn't the first thing that comes to mind when someone says "wedding." But, with a cost per guest of anywhere from $35 to well over $100, food is typically one of the biggest, if not the biggest, cost drivers for a wedding.

If you are getting married at home or at a private residence, instead of opting for the same old chicken or steak routine, consider asking friends and family to give you the gift of food. Rather than buying a standard-issue gift from a registry, they can sign up to make a dish (with plenty of love, of course) for the big celebration.

We know it might sound a little bit crazy - a potluck wedding? But they can be just as classy as any catered affair. The key to pulling it off is planning.

For example, If you prefer to have a bit more control over the menu, enable guests to "register" to make a certain number of servings of a particular dish (e.g. Caesar Salad, Lemon Risotto) or of a particular kind of dish (e.g.appetizer, salad, main dish, dessert).

6. Divvy Up the Thank You's. Sending heartfelt thank you notes is the perfect and perfectly appropriate way to complete your wedding celebration. Unfortunately, many brides take responsibility for the entire list, which means two things: (1) grooms don't have an opportunity to express gratitude for gifts received, and (2) it takes twice as long to get through the list.

Try this: the day after you return home from your honeymoon (or the wedding), make a master list of all the presents received and divvy up the thank you responsibilities with your spouse. You can divide the list logically by 'guest of the bride/guest of the groom,' by gift type (e.g. place settings for her, kitchen gadgets for him), or any way that makes sense for the two of you.

To keep yourselves honest, set a deadline for thank you notes to be completed and establish a bounty, say of $5, for each uncompleted note.


Buttoned Up is dedicated to helping stretched & stressed women get organized. Co-founders Alicia Rockmore & Sarah Welch team up with a group of Gurus to give you tips & products for all your messy, stressed needs & introduce "imperfect organization." Visit http://www.getbuttonedup.com to see which Guru matches your style & get info on Everyday Life, Life Essentials & Life Events.

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