Wedding Tips’ July 2008 Blog Carnival

Welcome to the July 31, 2008 edition of our wedding blog carnival!

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ring Of Truth (Limerick) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

TherapyDoc presents What’s Wrong with Being Angry? posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, “If you’re getting married, you better know something about arguing.”

Sam Carrara presents 10th Wedding Anniversary posted at Sam Carrara’s Marketing Education.

garry presents Chose Barbados For Your Dream Wedding Location! posted at Travelers stories.

Sally Thompson presents Wedding Planning on the Web: 100 Tools and Resources for Brides to Be posted at Nerds Do It Better.

TherapyDoc presents The Art of Validation posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, “If you’re getting married, you may as well learn this.”

Bridal Fashion

Mike Remer presents A Great Weight Reducing Secret | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Andrea Pace presents Top 5 Bridal Shoe Bargains From Touch Ups posted at Your Feet Make You Unique, saying, “Bridal Shoes For Women Who Wear Shoes In Sizes 10 and Up.”

Courtney presents
A new view posted at Simply Pretty LIttle Things, saying, “Some food for thought about choosing your dress. Also beautiful and very inspiring gowns. Inspiring enough to plan your entire wedding around.”

Honeymoons. Wedding Favors

Lisa Gerstenberger presents Creative Wedding Favors! posted at SunriseGlassArt, saying, “I’m currently working on coasters as wedding favors and pendants as favors for the bridal party. These make colorful and useful gifts!”

Wedding Cakes

Woman Tribune presents The Worst Wedding Cake Toppers posted at Woman Tribune.

dmh presents Wedding Tips: Buy A Small Cake posted at Daily Money Hack.

Wedding Jewelry

WRE presents Purchasing Wedding Rings posted at Wedding Ring Experts.

Wedding Planning

Allie presents Allie’s Answers » Blog Archive » Tip of the Day - Eco-Friendly Weddings: Invitations posted at Allie’s Answers, saying, “Part one in a 5 part series on planning an eco-friendly wedding.”

Lokendra Rathore presents Marriages May Be Made In Heaven But Are Solemnised In Jaipur posted at Karan’s Guest House.

Amy Hobbs presents Saying ?No? to Wedding Extras posted at My Daily Dollars, saying, “Advice on how to stick to your wedding budget”

Scott Blackburn presents How to Hire a Wedding Photographer posted at Blackburn Imagery, saying, “I just thought I would share one photographer’s experience in selecting a photographer for his wedding. Tips to ensure you get what you want out of a photography for your big day. Thanks, scott”

Home Life Weekly presents Wedding Budget Planner and Calculator Spread Sheet posted at Home Life Weekly, saying, “If you are planning a wedding on a budget? Then this printable wedding budget spread sheet will help you keep a close eye on the costs”

Toni presents What would you change about your wedding? posted at So You’re Getting Married, saying, “Learning from those who’ve gone through the big day!”

Donna Freedman presents My daughter got married without going broke posted at Smart Spending, saying, “Not everyone has $30k to spend…”

Sarah Fuller presents Giving back on your special day posted at Alive with Anticipation.

freefrombroke presents Why You Should Hire A Wedding DJ And Not A Band posted at Wedding DJ Advice, saying, “Some reasons why you are better off hiring a wedding DJ rather than a band.”

Kandice Brooks presents The Details Matter posted at Eventfully Yours, saying, “Eventfully Yours features planning tips for all types of events and is the official blog of Signature Soirees Event Consultants”

marryology.com presents Wedding Flowers, Silk Or Fresh? posted at Amazing Wedding Planning Tips - Marryology.com Wedding Blog.

Wedding Receptions

MyMaria presents Budget Wedding Gifts posted at Financial Tips, saying, “As frugality becomes more mainstream, finding budget wedding gifts is important for many attending weddings this Spring.”

Wedding Traditions

Eva Campbell presents Picture it. Sicily 1928… posted at And another thing….

Toni presents Something old, something new… posted at So You’re Getting Married.

Wedding Trends

NAOMI presents >Diary From England: BRITAIN’S OLDEST NEWLYWEDS TIE THE KNOT posted at Diary From England.

Dezzi Rae presents Handmade Wedding Invitations posted at The Cheap Chic Couple, saying, “If you’re having a green wedding, are on a budget or simply want wedding invitations that are truly unique, consider handmade wedding invites! All you need is the paper that you would normally throw out, dried flowers and leaves and some “sweat equity”!”

That concludes this edition. I invite you to submit your blog article to out next edition!

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Here is part two of the video from Brides Magazine UK featuring highlights from the Designer Wedding Show. Lots of great ideas, new trends, and more! What were your favorites?

Here is a great video by Brides Magazine’s UK edition featuring highlights from the Designer Wedding Show. Lots of great ideas, new trends, and more!

Every bride wants their day to be perfect, and for many it is. But for some, issues arise. Sometimes they concern a vendor, a bridesmaid, and sometimes even the groom! But the most common wedding day crises involve guests. Here’s how to deal with some of the most common issues:

Uninvited Guests: Your reception looks gorgeous and you can’t wait to be introduced as husband and wife, Then you get the news. Uncle George and his girlfriend brought 3 friends with them-people you don’t even know! What to do? First off, don’t try and handle it yourself. Send a trusted family member, friend, or bridal party member to do it. If there are simply no seats or meals available for the extra guests, say so. Don’t allow them to take seats from invited guests. However, if there is room for them, sit them in a corner and forget about it. Yes, they are most likely only there for the free food and drinks,, but it’s not worth getting upset about.

Drunken Guests: This is a tricky situation. If one of your guests becomes drunk and disruptive, you can quietly have them removed, but if they are not being disruptive, the situation isn’t as simple. For everyone’s safety, have the bar close at least a half hour before your reception ends and arrange for coffee to be served. This gives everyone time to sober up. Have some trusted family members or friends keep an eye out and call cabs for anyone who’s not safe to drive.

Disruptive Guests: If you know Cousin Greg and Cousin Todd don’t get along, or if your divorced parents have a frosty relationship, make sure they are seated far apart from one another. Ask a couple of trusted friends or family members to act as bouncers-they can step in if they or any guests get into any kind of confrontation and hopefully restore peace easily.

If any of your guests decide to act poorly, don’t be afraid to ask them to leave, and if any embarrassing situations arise, don’t let them get to you-trust me, the only ones that will look bad are the troublemakers!

A holiday wedding sounds like a great idea. The long weekend will make it easy for your guests to attend, and some holidays, such as Christmas, add a unique beauty to that special day. A Christmas wedding is also easy to find décor for! However, there are some drawbacks to holiday weddings that should be considered:

Price: You may find vendor prices go up when a holiday date is chosen. If you expect a vendor to give up his holiday expect to pay dearly for it.

Scheduling: This is an especially common problem for Christmas weddings. Venues are already booked up at that time of year for Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve bashes. It may be quite difficult to find an available venue and it most certainly won’t be your first or second choice.

Weather: Again, this is especially a problem for Christmas weddings, but can be a factor at other times of the year too-for example you may not want to schedule a Labor Day wedding in a coastal location prone to hurricanes! (Of course any wedding planned in an outdoor location should have a bad weather plan-just in case!)

Traffic: A 4th of July wedding on the beach may sound like a lot of fun, but consider that your guests and vendors will be fighting thousands of holiday beachgoers to get there!

Finally, consider your guests. At first glance having your wedding on a long weekend may seem perfect-it allows your out of town guests to enjoy your day without having to rush back in order not to miss work. However, think about the flipside. They may not want to give up a precious 3 day weekend to travel back and forth-for some it may be one of the few days off they get all year! It’s a good idea to get a feel for how your guests would feel about a three day wedding weekend before setting your date in stone. If they are all for it, go ahead and have fun!

Holiday weddings can be fun and memorable-they just take a little extra thought and planning first!

The only thing that gets more attention at a wedding reception than the bride is the cake! Wedding cakes are beautiful but they can also be pricey. If you are crafty and ambitious enough to try making your own, here’s a video with everything you’ll need to know!

Here’s a collection of some beautiful wedding poetry-great for ceremonies, invites, and more!

Joy is in the simple things: touching,
Embracing, chattering on for hours about nothing,
Sure of your place within another’s heart.
Simple things: like coming home knowing
Exactly where the treasure lies; like being
At ease with what you do and who you are;
Needing what you already have; accepting,
Desiring what you have been given; feeling
The gratitude of someone who is loved;
Investing goodness instead of money; giving
For the pleasure of giving pleasure; seeing
Fortune come to take you in its arms.
All this joy is yours for the price of loving,
Not only well but long, days of willing,
Years and years of wise and patient love.

*********

Thank you for coming and sharing our day.
Hope comes from loving, and loving from friends.
After you left, we were left with the stars,
Near stunned by the grace with which such a day ends.
Know that your presence helped fashion our way.

You are the fields on which marriage depends,
Opening vistas no heart can convey,
Unloosing sweet music that now will be ours’

*********

The vows I take will be forever:
I’ll love you all my life.
There’s no part way, no holding back
Once we are man and wife.

The choice is made, and now I swim
In a far different sea,
The shores of which are bright green hills
Raised up for you and me
Our love is like a mountainside
Awash in lovely flowers:
It is our home, our solid rock,
Where all bright things are ours.

And though of need we often must
Spend our days apart,
Our love will always be with us,
Held within the heart.
I feel it now, so strong and free,
So part of every breath
That it must live–I swear it will!–
Even after death.

********

Today’s a day of love not just for us,
But for all of those who brought us here.
So please excuse us if we make a fuss
Over you, the ones we hold most dear.
In you we see the love we replicate
By joining on this day our separate lives.
Our choice was neither accident nor fate,
But homage to good husbands and sweet wives.
We hope to make a family just like yours,
And be to our children parents much like you.
You have been to us wide-open doors
Onto a serene and peaceful view.
We look to you with gratitude and pride.
What joy this day to have you at our side!

Your wedding invitation and annoucements will become treasured keepsakes. Here is a great video showcasing lots of beautiful ideas!

The perfect wedding involves many different vendors-there’s the florist, the cake decorator, the caterer, the photographer, the DJ, the limo driver, and more. As you go about find the right ones for you, be sure to keep these questions in mind!
1. Do you have a portfolio? This is especially important for photographers and florists. Good ones will always have an up to date collection of their work. If all the grooms in a photographer’s portfolio are wearing powder blue tuxes, run, don’t walk away!

2. Do you have references? Good vendors will always welcome you to contact previous clients. If they hesitate be suspicious.

3. What payment methods do you take? It’s best to pay with a credit card as this protects you if things go wrong. Be wary of vendors that insist on cash only. Along with payment methods you should also ask about their deposit and refund policies.

4. Will you be the one doing my wedding or will you send an assistant? This is a very important question! If they tell you an assistant or associate will be working your wedding, make sure they are just as qualified. I’ve heard many horror stories of clueless assistants being sent to do weddings and completely ruining things.

5. What will happen if it rains? This is an important question to ask your photographer, caterer, and venue manager, if your venue is an outdoor one. Good photographers will have a studio back up or know of some beautiful indoor attractions to take your pictures at.

6. Can I provide a list of pictures I’d like/songs I don’t like? Again, good vendors will welcome your requests. If there is a special family member you’d like photos of or if you just can’t stand the Electric Slide, be sure to speak up!

7. What time will you arrive/leave? Again, an important question. Be sure to give your vendors a copy of your time line when you ask for a quote. This will help you avoid any surprise overtime charges at the end of the day!
Have a question to add to the list or just a question in general? Leave a comment and let us know!

There was a time when only a live band would do for a wedding. These days, most couples opt for a DJ. If this is what you’re doing, here are some important tips to make sure you find the right one for you.

To find one, start by asking recently married friends and relatives. Wedding shows are also a good place to check out DJ’s because many of them actually put on demos there. Once you’ve got a list of potentials, make your appointments. Aside from price lists and services offered, be sure to find out just what kind of music library they have, how they feel about having music provided to them, and what they expect in terms of breaks and meals. (Most vendors will expect to be fed, and it’s the right thing to do). Finally, ask fore references, or even better, find out if you can slip into a wedding they’re working to see how they work. Above all, make sure you are comfortable communicating with them and do so often, especially when the big day draws near. I can not tell you how important that is.

We chose our DJ based on the recommendations of a relative. When we met with him he seemed great. He promised to be in touch a month or so before our wedding day and would work with us on our play list then. Like most brides, I got busy with the planning and didn’t think much about it until I suddenly realized my wedding was three weeks away and we hadn’t heard from him. We did get in touch and give him the list of songs for our introduction, special dances, and a CD with some special songs we wanted played, and he said all was fine. Imagine my shock when we arrived at our reception and he immediately informs us the CD we gave him didn’t work. Turns out he didn’t bother to test it ahead of time. We had to scramble to pick new songs. That was only the beginning. He cut off our first dance after just a few minutes, waited until the reception was half over (ignoring our repeated requests to do them sooner) before doing the parent dances and cut those off abruptly midway through, completely ignored our “please play” and “please do not play” lists, and when our cake cutting wasn’t going along fast enough for him, picked up a knife, hacked into our cake and shoved the piece at us! We were mortified. Thankfully we have great families who were understanding and managed to have a great time anyway, but it was a bit painful to have our carefully planned music ruined. This is why it is so important to communicate with your vendors early and often.

We assumed he’d know we wanted the songs played in their entirety but obviously we were wrong. We also assumed he’d test the CD we gave him ahead of time (it worked for us, oddly enough). Assuming is the worst thing to do, especially on a day as important as your wedding day! Do you have a vendor horror story? Please share!