Thanksgiving is coming up next week, and I can't wait!  I LOVE this holiday 2nd to Christmas.  I think the reason I love/continue to love Thanksgiving so much is because I have NEVER been required to host the big event.  For my family, our tradition is to go to either mine or my husband's parent's house and enjoy the meal we've loved since childhood.  (Very little responsibility required).  I get to enjoy the appetizers, drink the pre-meal cocktails, and enjoy time with family; not scramble around making the perfect meal or setting a gorgeous table.  One day, I think I would really enjoy the challenges and stress of hosting such an important holiday tradition, but until then, I will continue to enjoy making my side and dessert at home to bring!

What do Thanksgiving plans have to do with wedding planning you ask?  Hosting Thanksgiving is very much like trying to host your own or child's wedding!  The pressures, decisions, and work need to be handled for such a large event, but BY WHO?  If you are the couple getting married, you are busy with getting ready, taking photos, and (HOPEFULLY) enjoying the day!  If you are thinking about trying to coordinate and execute your wedding on your own, PLEASE take notice this Thanksgiving to the host (if not you) to see how much they are enjoying themselves and ask yourself honestly: "Is this what I want to be doing on my wedding day?"  "Can I really be in two places at once?"

I have heard too many couples not love or even enjoy their wedding because they were tied up in the details and decisions and not able to relax, enjoy, and be present in the celebration! This Thanksgiving holiday take notice and decide what you want!

Bridal Fashion Week Wrap Up

Fashion week is one of my favorite weeks.  Not that I'm wearing all the designer duds yet!  I do love to
Bridal Fashion Week is like a girly, beautiful Christmas! PINK, Vintage, and modern shapes OH MY!!!  I hope you love the discussion and fashion as much as I do!

Hot Winter Wedding Date!

I found this fun article on Yahoo news yesterday and thought I would share it!  Is there a coveted day in 2014 you want?  

Forget June. Why Brides Suddenly Want to Get Married on a Tuesday in November

Brides aren't usually clamoring to get married on a Tuesday in November. But with November 12 of this year translating to 11/12/13, thousands of soon-to-be-wed couples are choosing that very date to say “I do.”

More on Yahoo Shine: Be the DIY Bride Pippa Wants to Be (Someday)

Brian Beitler, executive vice president of David’s Bridal, tells Yahoo Shine that while Saturday is still the most popular day of the week to wed in America, many couples are putting the date ahead of the day.  “It does not matter if the date falls in the middle of the week or on the weekend.”  

Beitler says his company began tracking wedding date trends after approximately 66,000 couples decided to get married on 07/07/07. “We think brides look for special dates because that’s how they want their weddings to be remembered,” he explains. “For 11/12/13, we are projecting about 2,300 weddings that day compared to a little over 350 that took place last year.”

More on Yahoo: Cancelled Wedding Business Creates Chance For Cheap 'I Do'

Although it’s one thing to choose a date that sounds catchy, numerologist Julian Michael says that there can sometimes be a deeper meaning behind these dates. 

“It’s really more about the numbers than the dates themselves,” according to Michael. “There are a lot of philosophies about certain numbers. If you look at 11/12/13, the number 11 is really significant. You see it everywhere and some people who believe its connection to angels make a wish whenever they see it.”

But for those of us who aren’t fluent in the language of numerology, Michael explains that just seeing a special pattern of numbers will prompt people to choose a date because it appears to be symbolic. “If you look at 11/12/13 or 11/11/11, people may not know the meaning behind each number but they will think, ‘Wow, this must mean something.’”

For 40-year-old Angela Walton of San Diego, her upcoming wedding on November 12, 2013 was carefully selected. “My fiancé and I are both veterans of the Marine Corps,” she tells Shine. “We knew we were getting married this year so we thought, the Marine Corps anniversary is on November 10th, Veterans Day is on November 11th, our wedding should be on November 12th.  It’s the perfect trilogy.”

The final shot brides and grooms will have at marrying on a consecutive date will be 12/13/14 and Beitler is projecting an increase in weddings, despite the fact that December is usually a slow month for nuptials. (After that, your next shot at a true consecutive date won't be until January 2, 2103) 

 "Numbers like this ignite our superstitions and our search for meaning,” Wendy Walsh, psychologist and author of "The 30-Day Love Detox," tells Yahoo Shine via email. “People think we must be special if we're the only generation to ever see this sequential date, right?”

Whether or not brides choose their wedding dates with more meaning than others, there is an inadvertent perk to iconic dates, according to Walsh. "It will make it easier for husbands to remember anniversaries!" She’s got a point.

Government shutdown...shutting down weddings?

With day 3 of the Government shut down in effect, it is causing more casualties then one might expect.  Effecting the wedding industry?  How, you crazy wedding planner?  Well, I received a call Tuesday morning from a panicked sister of the bride, trying the save her sister's wedding scheduled for THIS Sunday at Lake Crescent Lodge in the Olympic National Park!  The location of the wedding is in a state park, which due to the government shut down is CLOSED!  Here is part of an article portraying more ways around the country the shutdown is effecting everything, even weddings!

NANCY BENAC 11 hours ago 

NANCY BENAC 11 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taking out a mortgage. Getting married in a park. Going for a fall foliage drive. Cashing a check.

Who knew that so many random activities of daily life could be imperiled by a shutdown of the federal government?

Americans are finding that "the government" entails a lot more than the stereotype of faceless D.C. bureaucrats cranking out red tape.

And so it is that two dozen October weddings, including nine this week, are in jeopardy because they're scheduled for monument sites on the National Mall. Ditto for a New Jersey couple planning to marry at the Grand Canyon.

Mike Cassesso and MaiLien Le's permit to get married Saturday on the lawn near the Jefferson Memorial looks to be among the casualties, giving rise to a new Twitter hashtag for their #shutdownwedding. They're looking at alternate sites, including the restaurant booked for their reception.

Show It Off! Display Worthy Guest Books!

Stuck trying to decide what kind of guest book you want? What’s the point? You’ll never look at it again anyway! Wrong!  Here are ten look at over and over, actually display year round ideas!                                                                          

1. Coffee Table Photo book: Make good use of your engagement or favorite photos of you as a couple! Use a picture of you on one side of the page and the other side blank for guest to leave you a personal message. This is a guest book you won’t want to wait until after the Honeymoon to read!

 2. Calendar: Set out a calendar, and ask your guests to find their birthday and sign their name. Now you’ll have a reminder for everyone’s birthday along with a wedding guest book.

 3. Puzzle: Ask your guests to leave a message for the happy couple on a puzzle piece. One night, you and your husband can read the messages together while putting the puzzle together. You can even add a personal touch by using a website to create a puzzle using a picture of you and your fiancée.

 4. Wishing Stones: You can purchase some stones from any hobby/craft store and display them either in a nice vase or bowl. Each guest can then write a ‘wish’ for the happy couple. The bride and groom can then display the vase or bowl of stones in their home.

 5. Postcards: Provide various post cards and ask your guests to write a message of happiness to you and your husband. Then after the wedding, ask either a good friend, or family member to send you the postcards through out your first year of marriage. It will add a special moment since you won’t know when you’ll be receiving the next postcard.

 6. Quilt: If you have a family member or friend who knows who to sew, they may be willing to help you create a quilt for your wedding day. You can set the quilt out and ask guests to sign the guilt, which you and your husband can use later. If you can’t get the quilt sewn prior to the wedding, you can just ask guests to sign the quilt squares and then sew the quilt together after the wedding.

 7. Jenga: Every marriage has building blocks; why not build blocks together? Ask guests to sign wooden pieces from the game Jenga. Then on your anniversary, you and your husband, can play the game together, sharing the advice, or well wishes on each block as you earn them throughout the game.

 8. Wood Initial: Big letters are common at arts and crafts stores. Why not purchase the initial of your new last name. You can paint the letter, and add any special embellishment you like to the letter, and then ask your guests to sign the letter. After the wedding, the initial can become wall decoration.

 9. Time Capsule: Ask guests to leave messages to the bride and groom, photos, or memories you may share with the couple in a time capsule. Then open the time capsule on your first wedding anniversary or even your fifth anniversary, and take a stroll down memory lane.

 10. Wood Chair/ Bench: Purchase a wood bench or porch chair from any home improvement store and ask your wedding guests to sign the furniture. You can then seal over the wood so the messages don’t get ruined and place the bench or chair out in the backyard or patio. Every time you sit in the chair you can read the messages and names and remember your wedding day. This is a bigger guest book, to move, but the memories are worth it.

Picture Links:
2. Bench: http://1elegantevent.blogspot.com/2012/10/alternative-guest-book-ideas.html

Keelin & Keith

I started working with Keelin in January while she was living in Scottsdale AZ, to plan help plan her July 20th Seattle bash!  A few trips to Seattle, and a move to Florida later, it was wedding day!  Talk about cramming A LOT into a short period of time!  With all of that going on, she was still the sweetest, most genuine, and gorgeous girl around.  Thank you Keelin & Keith for letting me be a part of your most important of days!

Sign, Sealed, and Delivered!

Your wedding invitation is the first impression made on your guests.  It sets the stage for your big day.  It let’s guests have a sneak peak into all you have in store for them once the wedding day arrives.  How about using a custom postage stamp on the outside of the envelope to make a big impact first thing!  You’ve put so much thought into customizing your wedding from the flowers to the favors. Don’t miss this great little detail that most people don’t think of. The website, Zazzle sells postage stamps that can be customized just for you. You can upload your own photo or use a pre-made design and use them for the Save the Dates, Invitations, and Thank You Cards. It’s a fun touch that most people won’t be expecting.

To go along with the postage stamps you can also order a Return Address stamp, it can save your hand from cramping writing the same information over and over again on all the envelopes. Etsy has different designs you can chose from for the return address and it’s something you can use long after the wedding.  Let’s be honest, you’ve been eyeing one for a long time now!  Go for it!

   

Cupcake Fever!

Everyone loves a good deal!  Especially this girl!  When I came across this in my inbox, I knew I had to share it!   15% isn't a ton, but it can really add up when the order does!  Use it to make your wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, etc. that much sweeter!