Don't Go Into Debt While Planning Your Wedding

There's been a lot of press on how much Chelsea Clinton's wedding is costing and estimates have gone upwards of $3 million!  I personally think the wedding will come in around $1.5 to 2 million and most of that is on the infrastructure - tents, lighting, air conditioning, bathrooms, etc...

The most important thing to remember when planning your wedding is to keep to your vision and plan the wedding you want, but don't go into debt!

Don't take out a loan.  Don't mortgage your house or let your parents mortgage theirs to pay for the wedding.  And don't use your credit cards if you know that you can't pay off the bill at the end of the month.

There are a zillion ways to have the wedding of your dreams on your budget.  Just think creatively and don't be afraid to ask your vendors and friends for ideas.  Turn to wedding magazines and websites for creative ways to save money.

Never lose sight of the fact that you are marrying the person you love and who you want to spend the rest of your life with.  That is what a wedding is all about.  The flowers and cake and dress are all extras.

Do You Include Registry Information on a Wedding Invitation?

No you don't.  And you don't include a printed insert with the registry information in the envelope either.

So how will your guests know where to purchase a wedding gift from?  Either the information will be posted on your wedding website or they'll ask you or your parents or other friends/relatives who are going to the wedding.

Don't worry, the information will get out there.

A girl at the office called me the other day because she was invited to a wedding and couldn't make it.  She wanted to send the couple a gift but since the registry information wasn't included in the invitation suite she didn't know what to do.

I suggested just asking the couple or she could Google the couple's name and possibly find their wedding website or she could enter the bride's name into a few popular national stores and she'll most likely come across the couple's registry.

So she entered the bride's name into Bloomingdale's Bridal Registry website and the couple's registry popped up.

There's always a solution!

Why the New Look?

Because blogger kept asking me to try their new templates so after 4 years I did.

I think it's looks fine - I don't love the borders but I'm sure I can tweak them.  If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them!

I added a line at the bottom of each post for you to click whether you think the day's post is helpful or if you disagree with me.

There's also a search button so you can search for wedding tips and ideas with ease.

And for Twitter, since I tweet mainly from @aisledash, I added a list of the latest three tweets which I thought would come in handy if you're following me at a wedding even like bridal market.

Please let me know what you think of the site as well as what edits I should make!

xo

Air Conditioning -- What Not To Do In Hot Weather

Yesterday I mentioned that it's important to have air conditioning at your venue if you are getting married in the middle of the summer, but here's what you don't want to do.  Or better yet, what you don't want your venue to do.

We went to a wedding in early July and of course the venue had air conditioning on because it was hot out.  The vents at this venue were in the floor and unfortunately for us, and about six other tables, the vents were placed around the rim of the room.  Right where our tables were placed.

The vents weren't directly under the tables.  They were directly under three of the chairs of these six tables, and unfortunately for me and Dave, we were stuck right over them.

Needless to say we were freezing!

So if you notice that your venue's vents are on the floor, please ask the location manager not to place any chairs your guests may sit on over them.

A Wedding on a Boat

Last week I wrote a post about weddings at sea or on a boat based on a wedding that my friend was going to last weekend.  Today I got the full report from her and felt that I should share it with you.

So they get to the boat and it's not a fancy yacht or a modern boat that looks like it does a lot of catered events.  She said the boat looked really old and it was small.  So small in fact that it was very cramped before everyone was there and set sail.

In a New York summer, during a heat wave, the couple chose a boat that had no air conditioning and the outdoor deck space for guests to cool off was tiny - smaller than the indoor space that was already cramped, so not everyone could enjoy the cool sea air.

About a half hour after setting sail a thunderstorm hit.

What's the lesson in all of this?

1 - Think of your guests' needs.  Air conditioning in the summer is essential.  Enough space to move around for mixing, mingling and dancing is also important.

2 - Always have a plan B.  The forecast said there would be a storm that night so I don't know why the couple or the ship's captain or catering manager chose to risk being on a boat in the middle of it.

3 - Have Dramamine on hand just in case someone gets seasick.

4 - Choose a boat that has modern amenities and one that your guests can't, or probably won't, describe as old.

Rehearsal Dinner Toast

I was at dinner this evening at a local restaurant and there was a large party of about 30 people at the next table.  At first we thought it was a birthday or anniversary dinner but it turns out that it was a rehearsal dinner.  The couple is getting married tomorrow.

How do I know?  The bride and groom made a toast and thanked everyone for coming, said they looked forward to having them with them tomorrow and then handed out blue handkerchiefs.

You usually hear wedding experts talk about the bridal party and parents roasting and toasting the bride and groom at the rehearsal dinner but it's a nice idea for the bride and groom to say something too.

The couple tonight spoke for maybe 2-3 minutes.  Their speech was simple - they thanked everyone for being at the dinner and said they were looking forward to tomorrow.

So before you call it a night at your rehearsal dinner, say a few words to your guests - after all they are your closest friends and relatives.

There are So Many Wedding Blogs!

The nomination period ended today for the aisledash.com Wedding Blog Awards and I have started to tally up the nominees to determine who the finalists are in each category.

I assumed I'd be familiar with many of the blogs nominated but I was very surprised at the number I didn't know.  So I started checking them out and I am really so excited at all the new blogs I'm discovering.

I think it's amazing that weddings are inspiring so many people and I highly recommend clicking around on  blogrolls when you see a blog name you don't recognize.  You never know what inspiration and information you'll find!

Weddings at Sea: A Few Helpful Tips

A friend of mine called today to borrow an outfit for a wedding.  She said that it's this weekend, in New York City, but more specifically on a boat.  The boat will set sail at a specific time and circle Manhattan.  My friend was told that it's casual party attire, that she should wear flat shoes and that if she wants she can dress in the wedding's nautical theme.

I thought it was interesting that the bride was specific in what attire she was suggesting guests should wear, but better to let people know that heels are probably not the best option.

There were a few other things that came to mind re: a wedding on a boat, especially since someone earlier this week told me that he and his fiance were planning to get married on a cruise ship next summer.

So here are some tips and thoughts re: a wedding at sea:

1.  Don't plan a cruise to the Caribbean during hurricane season.  And if you do risk it make sure to get traveler's insurance and that your policy allows for reimbursement due to inclement weather.  Recommend to your guests that they do the same thing.

2.  If you are getting married by a ship's captain, get all the legal information in writing in advance of the cruise so that all the paperwork is in order and when you return home you are legally married.

3.  Have Dramamine or other seasickness medication on hand at the wedding.  You can include a pack in your guest room gifts or just have some nearby in case a guest needs some.  It's safe to assume that most of your guests will know if they are prone to seasickness but sometimes if the weather gets too choppy or the meal didn't sit well a guest could get seasick and Dramamine will come in handy.

4.  Suggest guests bring a shawl, cardigan or jacket with them because it can get chilly.  You can also offer pashmina wraps to guests as a gift or to borrow when they arrive.

5.  Have a plan B if it looks like the weather is turning stormy.  Talk to the boat's catering manager about land or dock options if a storm hits and the water gets to choppy.

6.  Make sure that your guests know exactly what time the ship is setting sail and when the ship will dock.  You don't want any guests missing the boat!

My Parents: The Wedding Crashers

I love this photo.

My parents went to St. Lucia for a long weekend a few weeks ago and while they were there they came across a wedding. And since their daughter works in the wedding industry they decided to crash the wedding.

They said the bride and groom and their guests were very welcoming - I don't think they ate or drank anything, thought if they had PIBs there I wouldn't put it past dad to grab one. (Sorry dad.)

There really is no wedding tip here, just a funny story and a great photo of my dad with the bride.

The wedding took place at Fond Doux Holiday Plantation in Soufriere.

Ms. or Miss

I received an email from a bride about to address her wedding invitation envelopes and she wanted to know when to use Miss vs. Ms. for single female guests.

I told her that she should use Miss for anyone under 18 or 21 and Ms. for anyone older. If the single female guest is a widow you should use Mrs.  as in Mrs. John Smith.

Since I'm sure she's not the only bride with this question I thought I'd share it with all of you.