Wedding Guests' Secret Gripes : Part III

Now, you're NEVER, I mean, NEVER, going to make everyone happy, so don't even put that kind of pressure on yourself! But do think about your guests and their comfort at your wedding. Next week, I'll be back with a few tips on how to combat some of these guest complaints, but in the meantime, here are the final three common omplaints of wedding guests, according to The Knot...

YOU DON'T INVITE A PLUS-ONE
Nothing reminds us of our dating status like a wedding. No need to rub it in our faces with even more reminders. The garter and bouquet tosses are like saying, "Hey, look at them. They're single!" Could you blame us if we hide in the bathroom as soon as the DJ announces it? And, come on, even if they did honestly predict we'd be the next to marry, do we really want some cheesy guy slipping garters up our legs? Of course, we'd prefer to be invited with a date, but we get why you may not be able to give us that, especially if we'll know lots of other people there. But if everyone we know is making out with their significant other all night, we're going to be pissed that you couldn't include one extra person to make us feel a little more comfortable.

YOU PUT US TO WORK

We know we'll have to help out with some tasks when we agree to be in the bridal party, but it's insulting when you consider a task like manning the guest book table an honor. We'd rather just be a regular guest at the wedding than have some silly duty like that. At the very least, give us a heads up if you'll need our help. Don't spring flower girl babysitting duties on us minutes before the reception.

YOU DON'T SAY THANK YOU
It's frustrating when we fly all the way to your wedding and you don't take the time to thank us for making the trip. Even if we haven't come a long way, make an effort to thank us for coming anyway. We know it's hard to talk to every guest at the wedding, but that's why, at the very least, we better get a thank-you card from you when you get back from your honeymoon!

Real Life Bride : Week 27 : The Lull in Wedding Plans

Alyssa's taking the week off, well, because we haven't had a lot to do with the planning lately! Vendors are booked. Florals, linens and lighting are selected and stationery design is underway. We cannot WAIT to share the final outcome...But, in the interim, I thought I would touch base a bit on the natural lull that tends to occur in wedding planning since that is where Alyssa tends to be in this process...


Many of the magazines tell you to give yourself a year plus to plan your wedding and I'm all for it!! Giving yourself this amount of time helps the wedding planning feel a bit more leisurely instead of feeling pressure to make quick decisions and rush through your to do list. However, if you have a full year, you can definitely expect a period of time where there is a bit of silence before the planning moves forward again.

The first months of the planning process are focused on booking the team including choosing your venue, caterer, florist, photographer and so on. You'll have trial runs with your stylist and watch so many videography demos, you'll start to know the vocabulary and even jump into the design process a bit. But, after that, the waiting begins. Often, many caterers prefer not to host the tasting until two months prior to the wedding in effort to give you an accurate representation of the seasonal vegetables and such. It's challenging for florists to do a prototype too early for the same reason...showing you the flowers in February for your September wedding can give you the idea of the shape and style, but if you want to see EXACT flowers, it's much better to wait until the season. Also, many things such as transportation, linen and rental orders, floor plans, etc. while initial drafts can be started, they cannot be finalized until we have that magic number that is your guest count.

During the downtime, however, instead of worrying that things won't get done (they will!) and trying to move things along prematurely, try this...spend the time relishing in your engagement. Focus on spending time with your fiance talking about things that are NOT wedding related. Grab a coffee with your best friend and ask about HER life. Again, no wedding talk. Overall, use the time to get back on track with the everyday life you led before the rush of wedding plans stole your every thought and waking minute. I promise, when planning starts to get hot and heavy during the last couple of months of your engagement, you will be grateful you took some time to do so.

Now, with, all of this being said, however, I know the above paragraph will definitely fall on a few deaf ears :). It's the curse of being a bride. Don't worry, you're not alone!! So, just in case you are just DYING to work on more and more bridal goodness during your lull, come back on Wednesday and I'll share a mini to do list of items that can be crossed off your list during the downtime.

We were thinking about arranging our own flowers to save money. What are your thoughts on DIY projects like this? As a general rule, I've rarely seen a DIY project save someone money unless they are an expert in the area they are taking on themselves. For example, if you are arranging your own flowers, you will need to purchase the vessels and will likely not have the resources for wholesale flowers, meaning you will pay more per bloom than an actual florist would. Also, you will need to spend a bit more buying extra product (again, at retail rates) in case of errors, damaged flowers, etc. Lastly, your time is certainly worth something! How much do you get paid per hour? If you figure that into the number of hours you will spend arranging your own flowers, printing your own invitations, or whatever the case may be, I think you'll find that you will likely not save very much money, if any at all, not to mention the amount of stress you are adding to yourself by taking on projects like this.

Really, the ONLY reason to take on a DIY project for your wedding is if you actually enjoy the work and not because you want to save money. DIY projects can definitely bring personality and charm to your day. It lets guests see your inner talent and can be a lot of fun, especially if you can get the best friends, your mom, etc. involved in the projects. All of this is reason enough to take on some projects on your own, but I promise, you are just kidding yourself if you think DIYing is going to save any cold hard cash. If you do decide to take on a select bit of DIY projects, please, please limit it to minor projects that won't be too stressful and ones that won't impact the overall success of your day. If you want to create candles or assemble programs, so be it! If you love the idea of hand making your bridesmaid's gifts, go for it. But, try to resist the urge of taking on the big things like making your own wedding cake, DJing your own wedding or arranging your own flowers. Doing so will add more stress than any bride should have on her one and only wedding day!

The Bachelorette Fete - Part I: Runaway with the Circus

Today I’m beginning a new series dedicated to the many, MANY options available to brides and her best girl friends on what to do and where to go for the Bachelorette Party. This somewhat new tradition can take on a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from a small luncheon with your friends, to an all-out destination getaway.  I’m going to begin this series with an activity I’m hoping one of my engaged girlfriends will be so excited to try, that she’ll insist we plan this immediately!

In the heart of Los Angeles is Cirque School LA. Founded by a Cirque du Soleil veteran, Cirque School offers classes that combine aerial circus moves and Pilates. With a focus on flexibility and strength as well as a whole lot of fun, taking a class at Cirque school with your girlfriends would be one not soon forgotten. The classes follow a circuit of exercises designed to increase core strength and fluid movement and include work on the trapeze,fabric and rope.  It’s a little scary but sounds like so much fun at the same time!  The training is intense, but seriously exhilarating.  Before you know it, you’ll be flying through the air with the greatest of ease. 

But not to fear!  For those of you who would rather keep both feet on the ground, the school offers Ground Classes, which also provide the same benefits, but at a much lower altitude, as well as mat and reformer Pilates classes. 

So throw caution to the wind and runaway to the circus, with your best girlfriends of course, even if it is only for a day.

Michele & Kurt Get Hitched

Michele & Kurt were married on one of the rainiest days this year, but you definitely could not tell from these pictures. La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes was the backdrop for the reception and it was the perfect spot to get cozy and celebrate on a chilly February evening as well as a great spot to incorporate, Michelle's classic yet approachable vision. Check out the pics from Chelsea Elizabeth, who was able to take advantage of every piece of sunshine she was given:

Thank you, Michele & Kurt, for allowing me to be a part of your day!

Wedding Guests' Secret Gripes : Part II

Just a bit more insight into your guest's secret pet peeves from The Knot...

THE FOOD ISN'T GREAT
Why would you bother spending thousands on your flowers if your food is going to taste terrible? We want a delicious meal way more than we want pretty centerpieces. You don't know this, but we actually think of that $200 gift as a contribution to a great meal. If it's not as good as something we'd have at a restaurant, we're going to be disappointed. Even if the food is tasty, don't make us go hungry. We don't need an eight-course meal, but we don't want to have to push through other guests just to get to the tiny hors d'oeuvres you're calling dinner.

YOU MAKE US PAY?!
Treat your guests like guests; don't make us bring our wallets whenever we want a drink! When you have more than 300 guests and a cash bar, we wish that you would've just cut the list and paid for our drinks instead. How exactly are we supposed to feel when we paid for flights, a rental car, a hotel room, and a gift, and then you make us pay at the bar? So not cool.

YOU SAT US HERE
We want to have fun at your wedding, believe us, but it's pretty tricky when you seat us right in front of giant speakers. We won't be able to talk to anyone at our tables or enjoy our dinner if you're blowing out our eardrums. Before you book your venue, make sure there's enough space for tables without having to make us sit in the DJ's lap. And don't make us suffer in the heat. If you're having a summer wedding, do it somewhere with air conditioning!

Also, if you want to be outdoors, don't make us rough it: Walking around in the mud, swatting bugs, or using porta-potties is even less fun in formal attire. And please give us plenty of places to sit. Cocktail hours are great, but it's pretty tough to balance our plates, drinks, and purses while standing — in heels no less!

Real Life Bride : Week 26

 
After setting the date for our engagement shoot, the next step was choosing a location! We wanted a place that would mean something to us and also be fun.

Since both of us had thoughts about getting married at the beach (Shutters on the Beach was actually our other venue consideration), we thought it would be cool to take pictures at Santa Monica Pier and then head down the boardwalk to Shutters. We'll be going in the evening so I think the lighting will be really nice - and hopefully we'll get lucky and have clear skies too!

Although we are both fairly awkward, we are excited to get comfortable with the camera a our photog team. Should be an interesting outing!