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Posts Tagged Wedding Advice

Do My Bridesmaids Pay For Their Dresses?

Mar 3

Posted by Seresa Carpenter in WWPD? | No Comments

 

It is customary that the bridal party pay for their own attire.  Always remember that just because they are paying for it, does not give you the freedom to pick out a $400 Vera Wang dress.  When you’re shopping with your bridesmaids ask them if they are comfortable with the price of the dress you are considering.  It is also a nice idea, when picking out the dress your bridal party will be buying, that you pick a dress they can wear again.  Try to keep the dress in a style that is flattering to all the girls in your bridal party. 

 

Photo Courtesy of Preownedweddingdresses.com

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To E-mail or Not E-mail

Feb 22

Posted by Seresa Carpenter in Weddingology | No Comments

e-mail

We now live in a world where e-mail is one the fastest, easiest ways to communicate, but does that mean you should use it for your wedding?   The following is a list of when and where e-mail should and should not be used.

When Not to Use E-mail:

For  Wedding Invitations. It is not appropriate to e-mail or facebook invitations to your wedding guests or your close friends.  The only exception is in rushed circumstances.  For example; there has been a shift in health, you are moving overseas.  Even though electronic invitations are cheaper, they are never the best route.

For thank you notes. ALWAYS write a hand written thank you note for the gifts you receive.   If your guest took the time to pick out a present for you, then always take the time to thank them properly.

When discussing personal or thorny issues. No matter what wedding drama goes on, never hash it out over e-mail.  Keep in mind e-mail is never private and can often be misinterpreted.

When groundwork has not been properly laid. Before you send out group e-mails make sure everyone is on the same page.

When to Use E-mail:

Save the Dates. It is perfectly acceptable to send out an informal notice to friends and family about your wedding date.

Wedding RSVPs. You can always give the option to your guests to RSVP to your e-mail, but still send out a formal RSVP card.

Invitation to informal wedding parties. For your bridal showers or engagement party e-mailed invitations can be an acceptable alternative.  Be sure not to send out group e-mails, send out e-mails with their specific names on it.

Information on Lodging. If your guest list is web-connected sending out an e-mail with lodging, directions and a map is acceptable.

Inspiration Courtesy of Emily Post Wedding Etiquette

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Simply Inspire

Feb 17

Posted by Bianca Newton in Simply Inspire | No Comments

 

Inspiration 3

 

Happy Wednesday!  The SJE team is having a fruitful week and excited about the events ahead.  Today we briefly discuss color inspiration for your wedding.  We often encounter brides who have settled on one specific color that they like. This could be because of a piece of fabric or a favorite color. 

However, when deciding on a color palette for your wedding you can use a variety of things for inspiration.  Try using a gemstone, an animal, or a piece of fruit.  Mother Nature has multiple color combinations to choose from that simply ‘fit’ together.

Lantern4

Photo Courtesy of Keisha's Kreations

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All Things Flowers

Feb 8

Posted by Bianca Newton in In the Know, Weddingology | No Comments

Happy February SJE fans! Yes, it’s February, the month of love and soon you may be receiving flowers. Have you ever found yourself wondering about the different flower terms? If you are knee deep in wedding planning or just starting you will probably hear many floral terms during the planning process. It isn’t necessary to get a PhD in flowers before getting married, however these are some terms that your wedding planner or floral designer might use.

Types of Bouquets:

Cascade
A waterfall-like spill of blooms, often composed of ivy and long-stemmed flowers, that is wired to cascade gracefully over the bride’s hands.
Nosegays
Small, round bouquets, approximately 16 to 18 inches in diameter, composed of densely packed round flowers, greenery, and occasionally herbs. Nosegays are wired or tied together.
Tossing
This copy of the bridal bouquet is used solely for the bouquet toss.
Tussy mussy
From the Victorian era, a tussy mussy is a posy carried in a small, metallic, hand-held vase. Today, the term is often used in reference to the holder itself.

Other Flowers or Arrangements:

Fish bowl
Low centerpiece style that consists of flowers clustered in a glass bowl.

Huppah

A wedding canopy decorated with flowers, that is an integral part of the traditional Jewish ceremony.
Ikebana
Japanese-style flower arrangements that are aesthetically in unison with space, size, earth, and air.

Photo Courtesy of Style Me Pretty

Photo Courtesy of Style Me Pretty

This post was inspired by The Knot.com

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Feature Friday..Collide!

Feb 5

Posted by Bianca Newton in Feature Friday | No Comments

Happy Friday SJE fans!

Every Friday this month, we will be featuring local event professionals. Today we would like to introduce you to Collide, a collaboration between Divisi Strings and LG Entertainment. This is a great alternative if you are looking for something different than your regular DJ or wedding band. I had a chance to listen to them in person and they sound awesome!

If you think they’re only appropriate for very formal events, think again! Check out their website for audio clips of classical and contemporary music. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised when they hear Michael Jackson’s Beat It or Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody filling the air.

http://www.divisistrings.com/

Divisi Strings

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WWPD: Who Pays for the Wedding?

Feb 3

Posted by Seresa Carpenter in WWPD? | No Comments

Photo Courtesy of Life123.com
Photo Courtesy of Life123.com

Today the rules have completely changed on who pays for the wedding. I plan weddings for brides who have their parents paying, they are paying, the groom’s family is paying, or everyone is paying for a part of the wedding. It was not that long ago that there were set rules about who paid for what. The bride’s family was to pay for the wedding consultant, wedding gown,  the entire cost of the reception, flowers, photography, music, transportation and ceremony. The groom’s family paid for the marriage license, officiant, bride’s bouquet, boutonnieres, rehearsal dinner and honeymoon. There is not a right or wrong answer on who pays for what. It all comes down to what you and your fiancé feel comfortable with. If you’re in doubt about who is paying for what, there is nothing wrong with talking to both sides of the family about it. 

Payment information courtesy of The Knot

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Don’t Forget to Say Thank You

Feb 1

Posted by Bianca Newton in Weddingology, Weddings & Social | 1 Comment

 

 

Happy Monday and Happy February! We are certainly zipping right through 2010 at a fabulous pace. Today we examine the all important “Thank You” of wedding etiquette.

 
Don’t email. Even though we live in an age of instant communication via social networking, cell phones, and emails, there is nothing more personal than the handwritten thank-you note. Don’t send thank-you notes via email.

 
Don’t procrastinate. Ideally you will send thank-you notes as soon as gifts arrive. It will seem like a much easier task if you are not trying to send a hundred at one time. However, the accepted standard is to send thank-you notes within three months of receiving each gift.

 
Do thank everyone. This includes people who literally put a gift in your hand no matter how much you thanked them in person. Yes, you should send thank-yous to the gift givers at your shower. (Even though you probably thanked them as you ripped open the gift)

 
Do make it personal. How many times have you read, Dear customer or Dear friend?   That’s highly impersonal.  Try to divide the thank-yous among your fiancée so that you are writing to the people you actually know.   This way you can add something unique to each person.  Even though the note will be coming from both of you it will seem more thoughtful.

Tips inspired by Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette Fifth Edition

Photos Courtesy of Cards Direct.com

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SJE Loves…Bedazzle My Bon Bons

Jan 29

Posted by Bianca Newton in SJE Loves... | No Comments

 

Bon Bons

 

Simply Jubilee Events went to the Special Event Conference in New Orleans a few weeks ago. We are always on the lookout for fresh ideas for our brides and to our surprise we fell in love….with Bedazzle My Bon Bons!! They taste as good as they look. Yes, you eat the entire bon bon including the glitter. The possibilities are endless for this treat and they are available in a myriad of colors. Enjoy!

www.bedazzlemybonbons.com

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Picking the Perfect Reception Venue

Jan 15

Posted by Seresa Carpenter in Feature Friday | No Comments

Photo Courtesy of The Corinthian Houston

Photo Courtesy of The Corinthian Houston

Every Friday this month we are going to be featuring wedding planning tips. Check out last Friday’s feature on the beginning stages of wedding planning. Today we are going to be focusing on choosing the right venue. The following are some tips on picking that right location for your wedding/reception:

  • Stay within your budget. If your budget is for $10,000, don’t rent a venue for $8,000. Keep in mind that you still have to pay for food, bar, décor, and entertainment. There are plenty of great options out there in a variety of price ranges.
  • Fees. Be sure to ask what is included in the room rental. Read that contract in detail. Some venues charge you extra to cut the cake, or have very specific pricing on their bar. You want to make sure that the low price you’re being offered up front isn’t because a lot of extra fees are added.
  • Don’t ever commit to something after just seeing pictures. Go visit the venue or, if you live in a different city, send a family member to look at it. Pictures can be very deceiving.
  • When picking your venue make sure it is a fit for your personality and style. If you are a laid back kind of person, then a reception at the St. Regis may not be your best fit. Be sure that you pick a place that you will feel comfortable in.
  • Keep in mind the location. If you are having your wedding and reception at separate locations make sure they are within 10 miles of each other. You want the reception to be able to start shortly after the ceremony.
  • Size of the room. If the venue says they fit 300 people make sure that they can fit that many without losing too much space for a dance floor and buffet. You don’t want to feel claustrophobic at your own wedding reception.

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He popped the question and I said yes! Now what do I do next?

Jan 8

Posted by Seresa Carpenter in Feature Friday | No Comments

Photo Courtesy of Elitesexpressed.com

Photo Courtesy of Elitesexpressed.com

Every Friday this January we are going to be featuring wedding planning tips. I know many of you lovely ladies were proposed to over Christmas and New Years. And I am sure most of you are feeling very excited, but also a little overwhelmed.  The following are five tips to get your wedding planning started on the right foot:

1. Take a moment to enjoy it!  Go out to dinner or have some friends over and celebrate that you are about to start a beautiful journey. It can get very time consuming planning a wedding so take a moment to relax.

2. Set a date or at least a month that you would like to get married in. This is crucial for you to have when you start meeting with wedding planners and vendors, as this will be one of the first questions you are asked. You also need to block that time off at work, with family, and on your personal calendar. It can be very expensive to change a wedding date once everything is booked.

3. Determine a draft budget in order to get a general idea of where the money will be coming from and how much you will have to work with. This will help you determine how large or small of a wedding you need to have, and where you can get married. This will also keep you from over spending

4. Determine an estimated guest count. When you start looking at venues, you will need to know if you can fit all of your guests or not. This can also help you see if your guest count can stay within your budget. You might realize you have more money or you need more of it.

5.  Pick your wedding planner. Your wedding planner can provide large amounts assistance and will take the stress of wedding planning off yourself. Remember, when picking your wedding planner, to make sure they are a good fit for you. This is someone who is planning one of the biggest days of your life and you need to be able to see eye-to-eye.

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