During the month of August, SJE will be posting a variety of ideas on where you and your new sweetheart can embark to celebrate your marriage.

Yes, we all know that the economy has largely affected individuals in more ways than one, but there is no reason not to include your honeymoon expenses into your budget. If you are looking for some ways to save, consider going on a cruise. Cruises are becoming more affordable and are still a great way to share a romantic getaway. The earlier you plan, the better the offers that you can find. Other advantages of choosing to go on a cruise are that most expenses are paid for in advance, you are able to visit multiple places, and of course that you’ll spend every moment of it with your spouse.

So don’t forget to pack your swimsuits and take plenty of pictures as newlyweds!

Newly engaged wedding couples are always looking for ways to “cut back” on their wedding costs. Even after formulating a budget, every couple will have a list of things that are just “must haves.” Depending on your personal preference, you can eliminate the cost of alcohol altogether if you are looking to have a “dry” wedding. However, there are ways you can still save money by being selective on the what drinks are served on your special day.

• Choose to limit what you serve to beer and wine, excluding mixed drinks which can be more expensive.
• Have only soft drinks and/or wine available during dinner. This will allow your guests to limit their consumption, if this is something you are worried about.
• Serve mocktails that look tasty and colorful. Guests of all ages will be able to enjoy these!

Bride and Groom Inviting

Bride’s Name
and
Groom’s Name
joyfully invite you to share
in their happiness
as they unite in marriage
on Saturday, the Seventeenth of May
two thousand ten
at six thirty  in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Bride and Groom inviting with their parents

Together with their parents
Bride’s Name
and
Groom’s Name
request the honor of your presence
at their marriage
on Saturday, the seventeenth of June
two thousand ten
at six thirty in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Both Parents name on the initiations

Bride’s Parents
and Groom’s Parents
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Bride’s Name
and
Groom’s Name
Saturday, the Seventeenth of May
two thousand ten
at six thirty in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Bride’s Parents inviting guest to the wedding

Bride’s Parents
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Brides’ Name
to
Groom’s Name
Saturday, the Seventeenth of April
two thousand ten
at six thirty in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006 

Good Morning SJE fans!  June has proven to be hot and rainy so far for Houstonians.  But we’ve come to expect the unexpected here.

The team here at SJE considers NOLA to be our second home.  We’ve spent a lot of time in the great city of New Orleans over the years and the vendors have come to know us quite well.  As matter of fact we’ve had 2 weddings in NOLA this year and we have 2 more in October!

One of our favorite vendors in the Big Easy is Fat Cat Flowers.  Our brides love Fat Cat too!   Often we find that brides who reach out to us in the middle of the planning process have already booked Fat Cat Flowers.  This is a testament to the stellar work and reputation of the team at Fat Cat Flowers.

The photo shown here is courtesy of MQ Photography and features a bouquet from the wedding of Melanie and Peter 04-19-2009 in NOLA!

This month we have been talking about having Plan B for the rain, the unforeseen natural disaster scenario or the unfortunate case where a vendor has to close up shop.  Today I want to talk with you about being prepared for the little items that can be overlooked on the day of your wedding.  Any wedding planner carries an emergency bag with them, which contains quick fixes for your day.  Just in case you may not have a planner present, these are some items I recommend you getting for your wedding day:

• Rubbing Alcohol:  Just in case you get some lipstick on your dress, you can use rubbing alcohol and gently blot that stain out.
• Baby Powder: Can be used to get last minute stains out of that white dress.
• Sewing Kit: Just in case that hem comes out of place and you need a quick fix or one of the bridesmaid dresses is in need of some repairment.
• Masking Tape:  If you’re not a sewer and a hem becomes loose, then masking tape will be your new best friend.
• Bottle of Super Glue: This is a great quick fix for a broken nail, bead work, or jewelry.
• Clear Tape: After taking all those pictures before the wedding , flowers can get a little wear and tear.  Clear tape is great for fixing flowers.
• Bobby Pins: Even though you have a 100 of these in your hair, trust me you always can use more.  
• Clear Nail Polish:  This can be used for a snag in your stockings, a quick fix for a chipped nail or even for a scratch for leather shoes.
• Breath mints or Gum:  This may not seem like an emergency item at first, but almost every bride ask me for a mint right before they walk down the aisle.
• Eye Lash Glue:  If you are getting fake eyelashes make sure you have some back up glue, just in case you start crying and those lashes start coming off.
• Standard Items: Be sure to have Advil, Acid relief medicine, spray deodorant, hair spray, shout wipes, nail polish remover, lady products, tissues, earring backs, brush, and a lint roller.

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed by gathering all these items, don’t worry you can also now purchase these kits online.  Let us know what would be your must-have item for your emergency day kit.

Photo Courtesy of Shop Daily Wedding Blog

Is it polite to inquire about the attire the band or DJ will wear on my wedding day?
Yes it is perfectly fine to inquire about the attire of your band or DJ. If you’re having a very formal event you shouldn’t leave this detail up to interpretation. Do ask your band how they plan to dress or make it clear what the tone of your event will be.
Who should walk me down the aisle, my absentee father or my stepdad who has always been there for me? Or could I have them both?
Today’s bride can have anyone walk down the aisle with her. If you feel uncomfortable leaving your stepdad out, you don’t have to! Have your father walk you halfway down the aisle. Then let your stepdad escort you the rest of the way.
If my dad was not there, could I have my mom give me away?
You most certainly can have your mother give you away.
Could I pass on the bachelorette party in favor of a Prayer Night? Would people think I’m weird?
If it’s your wish to have a Prayer Night in lieu of a bachelorette party then go for it! As far as being concerned that people will think you’re weird, don’t worry about that. Hopefully you’ll be including the individuals who love and care for you the most. Chances are they know your faith and style so it will make sense to them how you choose to celebrate.
When was the tradition of “Wedding Favors” started and by whom?
It is believed that the European aristocracy began the tradition of bestowing wedding favors upon all of their guests. They were called bonbonniere and consisted of small boxes of crystal or porcelain, which held delicate confections such as cubes of sugar, then considered the ultimate symbol of wealth and royalty. **This information was provided by: www.trulyweddingfavors.com **

Things I think I know about Wedding Planning and don’t…There are hundreds of things to be considered to plan, not just the Rehearsal Dinner…….. List three that are not the first to come to mind.
1. The details : A lot of brides don’t consider the small details that often fall through the cracks i.e. Who will transport your gifts from the reception.
2. The budget: Many brides aren’t aware of how much things actually cost i.e. The price of your wedding floral doesn’t just include the cost of the flower. Labor, shipping, vase rentals, and the season can affect those costs.
3. The importance of making decisions quickly and to prioritize i.e. When choosing a wedding professional that you love, make sure you book them as soon as you are sure so that they will be available for your day. Prioritize items in the order that mean the most to you so you can spend your budget wisely.

Hello Simply Jubilee bloggers and welcome to another Feature Friday. When planning a wedding it may be simple to overlook some important details that may be a serious problem the day of your wedding, such as unpredictable weather. In order to avoid the possibility of undesirable weather, typically rain in the Houston area, there are some cautionary steps you can take to avoid this from happening. Consider the month that your wedding will take place and figure out what the weather is typically like. If it is a month that usually has inclement weather, you may want to make some changes. Below is a list with the best tips:

Once You Have Settled with your Decision:

1. Discuss the topic with you wedding planner, they are familiar with these types of situations and can always provide advice that will suit your individual wedding best.

2. It is common to also include a tent as a part of your rentals, however this may be too costly for some brides and a tent is usually only good if flooring is also included. Therefore an alternative to this would be to ensure that if your ceremony is going to be held outside, that there is space inside where the reception will be held to accommodate for the ceremony if necessary.

3.  Include umbrellas as part of your wedding design that your guests can use. Choose colors for the umbrellas that would go well with your wedding colors and would look great to photograph. Rainy days have been the cause of very romantic and distinctive photos.

If it turns out that a mist or rain still occurs on your special day, many believe it is actually a sign of good luck and a long lasting marriage.

I know what you may be thinking, “I have to buy insurance too?”  But think of it like this, you pay for coverage for your automobile which costs 25k.  Yet you could spend 50k or more on your wedding day.  Why not protect this investment, too?

• What is wedding insurance?  Generally there are two types of wedding insurance which are: Liability and Cancellation/Postponement Insurance. 

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance is used to cover the Bride and Groom from certain types of claims arising from accidents taking place during the wedding, reception, and rehearsal.  It offers protection for the wedding couple for damage to the facility caused by a guest or vendor, bodily injury to guests, and alcohol-related accidents they are found liable for.

Cancellation/postponement Insurance

Event Cancellation/postponement insurance is designed to safeguard your wedding from unexpected mishaps.  It covers cancellation/postponement and losses such as no-show vendors, bankruptcy of vendors, damage to the wedding attire, theft of gifts, and more.

• How much does it cost?

As with all insurance the cost is dependent on the coverage amounts you choose but I used a coverage calculator from Wedsafe.com.  I requested a quote based upon a 75k wedding and the cost was $511.00 for the liability and cancellation/postponement coverage.

• Does cancellation/postponement Insurance cover weather related disasters?

Yes, it will provide coverage if the weather conditions are extreme enough to prevent the Bride/Groom and/or their immediate families from attending the wedding or reception which renders the event unusable or unsafe.

• Can you give me a recommendation for companies that offer this type of insurance?

Wed Safe 

Protect My Wedding

 NASEP

Now it’s your turn SJE fans!  For our brides-to-be, have you heard of any stories from your married friends where a vendor filed bankruptcy before their big day?  Event planners, do you know of a situation where a venue was damaged in a natural disaster?  Feel free to share!

Happy Friday to all of our SJE blog followers!  I know I say this at the beginning of every month, but I seriously can’t believe how time flies. I am excited to introduce our new Feature Friday blog series. This month we will be focusing in on having that Plan B for your wedding. As much as I would love for every wedding to always go off without a hitch, this is not always the case with Mother Nature. She is unpredictable and often not on our schedule. With the start of hurricane season on June 1^st, I want to share with you today how to start preparing your Plan B:

• Be Proactive. I list this first because don’t ever start preparing for your back-up plan the day of your wedding. If it is raining and you are needing a tent, they can often be completely booked and if a hurricane strikes it’s too late for wedding insurance or any negotiations with vendors.

• Read through every vendor contract and find out about their Natural Disaster policy.You can normally find this under the Force Majeure Clause. Most vendors say they cannot be held responsible for an “Act of God”. Often they can’t give you your money back. For example; a florist has to order your flowers a couple weeks in advance and if a hurricane hits they loose money too.  A venue could be booked straight for the next year and might not be able to have your wedding after a natural disaster. Keep in mind that some businesses might not even recover after a disaster like a hurricane and then there is definitely not an option of getting any money back.

• Ask the Vendor if they will give you any partial reimbursement or vouchers. Some vendors might offer a voucher to use if they are available.  Be sure to always get that placed in the contract.

• Get wedding Insurance. I cannot stress the importance of this item. For the same reason we insure our $10,000 to $100,000 dollar automobiles, we should also insure our wedding. If a hurricane was to hit on the day of your wedding then your $30,000 day is gone, but with wedding insurance you can still recover your money. A wedding is an investment and protecting that investment is crucial.

Now that we have found ways and reasons to get your wedding plan started, check back with us next Friday to learn more about wedding insurance and all the items it can cover.

Photo Courtesy of SLEDD Photography