Your Wedding Advice - StrictlyWeddings.com Blog

Dresses That Hide Body Flaws!

A WeddingChannnel.com editor shares gown secrets:

Empire
“A gown that gathers under the bosom hide a thick middle.”

Mermaid
“This style complements curvy bodies, but avoid detailing around the rear, which adds pounds!”

A-Line
“This silhouette flatters all body types. The gown creates the illusion of a slim middle, with its widened hem.”

Ballroom
“A great opportunity if you’re pear-shaped. The style’s full skirt camouflages hips and buttocks.”

Booking Honeymoon

“When booking your honeymoon, remember to use your maiden name on your airline ticket.  You will not be able to change your drivers license, social security card or passport until your marriage license is returned to you, which can take 4-6 weeks.” ~ AK Event Design

Vera Wang Fashion Show

On August 21, 2008, Warren Barron Bridal and Modern Luxury hosted an exclusive Vera Wang Fashion Show featuring the Spring 2009 Bridal Collection! Check out the pictures below from the fabulous event.

Tart Bakery

AK Event Design Girls, MADISON Girls, and StrictlyWeddings.com Girls

Party Time…The Eco-Friendly Way

Everyone is talking green these days. Brides who are into the whole eco-friendly trend can get wedding confetti poppers! They are a chic, biodegradable alternative to rice and seeds. They are perfect to use as guests cheer you after the ceremony, at your outdoor reception or your grand exit. Wedding poppers are filled with white tissue paper confetti that shoots into the air when the safe, spring-loaded device is activated.

Photo by: f8studio

Writing Your Vows

The best way to customize your wedding? Write your own vows.

Wedding vows aren’t just pretty words—they’re powerful language that legally binds you. In fact, you’re married as soon as you speak them—even before being pronounced husband and wife. Personalizing your vows makes them all the more meaningful. A few ways to get started:

Don’t cram every possible sentiment into your vows. Considering that your ceremony is likely to have all sorts of readings, blessings, and other spoken words, keep your vows simple.

Browse through books of quotations and poetry. If you have a favorite line from a movie or song that expresses your feelings, use it as a starting point.

Change the wording in traditional vows if you don’t want to write all-new ones. Use a thesaurus to come up with variations. For instance, instead of love, honor, and obey, consider treasure, admire, and celebrate.

Do your own take on the questions of intent, usually answered by “I do.” Rather than “Will you love and honor him? Comfort and cherish him, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him?”, try “Will you promise to be honest in your relationship, and give him support and strength?”

Begin writing at least two months ahead. If you’re writing your vows together, do it over a quiet dinner at home or a lazy Sunday brunch. Discuss your hopes for the future. Reminisce about your first date and when you realized you were in love. Write down actual phrases you use. Play with ideas and sentiments. If you’re writing vows separately, pen love letters to each other. To start, complete these sentences: I am lucky to have met you because… What I wish is… I promise to…

Ask your officiant, friends, and relatives for examples of customized vows they’ve come across. Cut and paste what you like to create your own version.

Read your vows aloud, listening for awkward phrases or repeated thoughts or words. Give your officiant a copy ahead of time; it can be helpful to have another set of eyes review your writing.

Have a copy at the altar, even if you plan to memorize your vows. Nerves can ambush the best of intentions.

Include a declaration of love and an expression, for example, “I love you with a depth I cannot express in words, but one that fills me with peace and happiness. (Groom’s name), in the presence of our family and for all the world to see, I choose to be your wife. May our bond grow stronger from this day forward.”
Inspirations, check out these sources:

documentsanddesigns.com

This custom-design site creates art using your vows and is also a free source for love poems, pertinent quotes, and traditional religious vows from Buddhist to Quaker.

ourweddingvow.com

This Internet-based book offers a variety of vows that can be mixed and matched. Try downloading from, say, the Fairy-Tale Dream Vows, Lifetime Commitment Vows, and the You Complete Me section; $12.

weddinghelpers.com

The Create-a-Vow kit offers prewritten vows and materials for designing your own, plus decorative paper; $24.95.

Words for the Wedding, by Wendy Paris (Perigee, 2001) Stuck for a sentiment? This book offers hundreds of poems, quotes, and blessings to choose from.

Anatomy of I Do’s
Include a declaration of love and an expression of promises for the future, and a line that says you are taking each other to be a spouse—the latter is what makes it legal. Close with optimism and strength. An example:

Declaration of love: “I love you with a depth I cannot express in words, but one that fills me with peace and happiness.

What makes it legal: “(Groom’s name), in the presence of our family and for all the world to see, I choose to be your wife.”

Hopes and closing: “May our bond grow stronger from this day forward.”

Source: brides.com

Hire the Videographer

“A poll was done of brides and their number one regret was not hiring a videographer. A bride will never say, “I wish I didn’t have a wedding video to remember my day. After your locations, book your videographer, photographer and dj/band first…typically those vendors can only do one wedding a day, so once they are booked, they are booked. At least 25% of your budget should go to your videographer and photographer, simply because their final work is how you, your fiancé, your friends and family members will remember your day for the rest of your lives.” ~ Soulbox Productions

Be Flexible

“Be flexible….know your look and style, but do not get too hung up on a single type or exact shade of a flower. Hire someone fabulous and let them take care of your floral decor.” ~ fete des fleurs

Blinging Rules

According to InStyle Weddings, here are 10 top tips for buying the engagement ring:

1. Skip the Solitaire

There’s more than one way to wear a carat of diamonds on your finger.

A ring with a classic solitaire at this weight (right) will generally cost thousands. But a band covered with tiny pavé diamonds that add up to just under 1 carat (left) sparkles plenty and can cost up to 90 percent less than a ring with a big center stone.

2. Compare Settings

The way a diamond is framed can have a major impact on how big it looks. For example, a bezel—a thin band of metal that wraps around a gem—gives the illusion of a larger stone. These two rings both hold .25-carat diamonds, but the solitaire on the left seems more substantial than the prong-set one on the right.

3. Know Your Metals

Platinum and gold are the top choices for engagement rings. The former will cost you—a simple platinum band can cost nearly $600 more than a comparable one in gold—but many brides feel the price is worth it. Platinum is a far more durable metal. It will show fewer nicks and scratches, and platinum prongs will hold a stone more securely. As for color, some people believe that yellow gold casts an unflattering light on the diamond, while others prefer the hue’s warmth and traditional look.

4. Invest in Insurance

The cost of protecting yourself against loss or theft depends on several factors—including the value of your ring, of course, as well as where you live (major city dwellers will pay more). According to Donna Syverson, a spokeswoman for the national insurance firm Jewelers Mutual, your annual premium will be about 1 to 2.7 percent of the jewelry’s appraised value, even for rings that cost six figures.

5. Have Your Ring NumberedYour diamond’s certificate number (or jeweler’s designation) can be laser-inscribed on the side of the stone, allowing it to be positively identified in case of theft or after cleaning or repair. Such inscriptions, which are visible under magnification (shown at right for the ring below) don’t affect the gem’s value. They cost from $40 to $200 and offer more than mere peace of mind: Some insurance carriers will give policy discounts on inscribed diamonds.

6. Save Big with a Smaller Stone

Most couples look for diamonds in whole carat weights, but what you may not realize is that jewelers charge a premium for such stones. If you opt instead for a gem just under a carat (or under 2 or 3 carats, for that matter), the savings can add up to 30 percent. And the difference in size is so insignificant, you won’t be able to tell. Of the rings shown here, the top one features a 1.03-carat solitaire and costs $14,000; the solitaire at the bottom weighs .93 carats and will run you $11,000.

7. Dream Up a Custom Piece

Believe it or not, many reputable jewelers offer one-of-a-kind rings without charging exorbitant fees. Some companies require a minimum purchase or bill clients a small amount for preliminary work, such as drawings.

Personalized Tableware

Always dreamt of doing it in style, with a vintage bug here is your chance. Say what you want, it’s your your bug.

Check out the gorgeous tableware at Jessica Rust Designs and latest creation, the Lovebug Dinnerware, is just perfect as a wedding gift!

The latest offering from Jessica Rust Designs is the introduction of a gift registry service which is a huge plus for any bride who wants to add this dinnerware to her gift list.

Marcy Blum and My Dove Chocolate Present Wedding and Entertaining Tips for the Summer Season

Marcy Blum, wedding and entertainment expert and author of Weddings for Dummies, offers tips to reflect this summer’s entertainment trends, with a focus on the personalization and individual touch of My Dove® chocolate.

This summer, wedding and dinner parties are all about intimate details. “Smaller, Chicer, Personal” touches are all the rage. The trend for over-the-top weddings has passed, and it is all about sharing moments with your guests. From handwritten place cards, to customized notes and personalized turndown service—everything is about intimacy.

Smaller
Keep the invite list limited to your nearest and dearest. This will give you time with those most dear to you on the most important day of your life. With a smaller guest list, every moment will be a lasting memory.

Chicer
As you plan your intimate affair, it is quality before quantity. “Mini-weddings” are the newest way to exude glamour and sophistication. Friends and family will feel treasured when treated to an elegant, intimate sit-down dinner. A unique venue like an art museum or a private yacht club allow for memorable, chic moments.

Personal
Create special memories for your guests that will last long after your dancing shoes have been put away. Be original and make them feel welcome—personalized notes for each person are an extra special touch. Or try something more engaging and leave a blank note card at each guest’s plate so everyone can write heart-felt sentiments for the happy couple. Handwritten notes will never loose their charm—enjoy reading them after the honeymoon or at your 50th wedding anniversary celebration.

While taking special care of your guests, make your wedding a reflection of you as a couple. Customize the cake, the place cards, and the wedding favors. You can make these favors reflective of your style with personalized messages printed on the inside of the foils of new My Dove® chocolate. Visit www.mydovechocolate.com, and share the most precious and intimate moments in life with your loved ones.