Wedding Planning

Q: Hi Courtney, my name’s April and I’m getting married next September to the most wonderful man in the world. I’m excited about the wedding and we just started the planning process and we’re already lost! We’re not too into the idea of the traditional wedding dress and tux, we would like to try something different to set-us apart from the standard wedding. Do you have any ideas?

A: Hi April! Congratulations on your engagement! Planning the dress code for your wedding is the most exciting part of your wedding. However, since you want to step away from the traditional wedding attire, I can understand how this might be difficult for you. But you have more than enough time to find the right theme and I’ve complied a couple ideas for you to consider for your wedding.

You could try to keep one foot in the door of tradition with the use of fun colors. This happy couple displayed their appreciation for Pink and Black in very elegantly. To give your guests something to go home with, you could fill these with chocolate or this Solid Heart Bottle Stopper Wedding Favor to match the attire.

Stray even further from tradition with a more vintage look like this couple who opted for Grey. This style allows you to be unique, yet it’s still elegant enough to make for some amazing wedding photos. This style could be coupled with a vintage theme that utilized soft colors and and dinner by Candlelight.

There is always the option of ditching traditional wedding colors and going with a Retro-Cool look. This is very fun and will set your wedding apart from the many standard weddings happening at that time.

Now you could really step away from tradition if you place yourself in another time, place, or reality. In this case, a couple could live out a fantasy Celtic/Elfish wedding. Very far from tradition, but still very, very fun. Tie in some Celtic Wedding Favors to really set the mood for your guests.

Q: Hey Courtney, my name’s Kendall and I’m the Maid of Honor for my friend Sarah’s wedding. It’s a month until her wedding, and the more stressed she gets, the more stressed I get. Between my career and planning the wedding, I don’t have much time to relax, but am in major need of some rejuvenation! Do you have any ideas for me?

A: Hi Kendall, don’t worry, everyone gets stressed while planning a wedding. Since you only have a few minutes to relax, take a warm, relaxing bubblebath. If you live with others, ask them to take the volume down a notch for a few minutes. Grab your favorite book or magazine, and start running the water. We suggest warm, but not scalding, water. Pour lavender-infused bath gel into the running water, as well as the mouth-watering Chocolate Bath Salts.

When you’re in the bath, close your eyes for a few moments, and soak your stressed-out shoulders in the luxurious water. Soothing gel eye masks are also great for adding an extra bit of relaxation to your bath, and removing any signs of baggy and tired eyes. Enjoy your bath, Kendall - you’ll feel great afterward!

Q: Hi Courtney! I’ve been putting so much thought into my wedding day, that I completely forgot to even think about what to pack for my honeymoon. I’m going to Bermuda. I have so much on my mind that I can’t even think! Help! - Thanks, Sarah, TX

A:  Relax, Sarah! Congratulations on your wedding, and I know you’re going to have a wonderful time in Bermuda. Here’s a list of what you need to bring:

• 2-3 Bathing Suits
• Sarong/Bathing suit cover-ups (you’ll mostly be in your bathing suit, so you’ll need some cover-ups for daytime wear)
• Just Married Flip Flops (These  are just too cute!)
• Skirt or pair of shorts for each day you’ll be there
• Tank top or light t-shirt for each day
• Your favorite underthings
• Light dresses for nighttime
• 1-2 Fancy dresses for a fun, romantic night out
• Camera!(And this Beach Photo Album to hold all those great honeymoon memories)
• Personal items, like toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, face wash, makeup, jewelry
• Enthusiasm!

Enjoy your honeymoon!

Hello readers! My name is Courtney from PWPOnline.com. I’ve been in the wedding business for quite awhile now, and I’ve learned so much from the girls and guys over at Products With Personality! There’s no wedding ring on my own finger yet, but I have planned too many weddings to count, and I’m a real-life version of Katherine Heigl in 27 Dresses!

Feel free to write in to me at pwponline1@gmail.com with wedding planning questions, and I’ll answer them on the blog so everyone can benefit from them. I’ll also be answering some common wedding questions, so stay tuned!

In all my years of wedding experience, I’ve seen tons of extremely stressed out brides. Let’s take the case of one stressed out bride who we’ll call Monica, her husband Tom, and mother-in-law Marilyn. Marilyn had been dreaming of her son’s wedding for years, and she was delighted when Tom proposed to Monica.

And then came the wedding planning.

Marilyn wasn’t a monster-in-law, but her tendency to sometimes help just a little bit too much was getting under Monica’s skin. Monica was stressed out with wedding planning and her demanding job, and that stress was making her snap at Tom and Marilyn, her skin go hay-wire, and way too many tears for such a happy upcoming event.

The solution? We got Monica quickly into Wedding Retreat, stat! We took her for a hot stone massage, got her a pedicure (so relaxing! never underestimate the value of a good pedicure), facial, and a haircut. Sure, it wasn’t cheap, but after seeing Monica relax as much as she did, we would have done it 5 times over.

So, brides-to-be, what can you learn from this? Relax! Take a breath, and smile at all the loved ones around you who just want to help, and the beautiful life you have. And then schedule yourself a massage, and get these for your personal use, and as a great gift for your always helpful bridesmaids, too:

Chocolate Bath Salts

Bella Bath Confetti

Are you planning your wedding, or know someone who is? With all the stress of planning a wedding, and all that time you (don’t!) have, it can be difficult to consult all the wedding planning blogs out there for help with your wedding. So, we’ve made it easy for you! We designed a wedding blog widget that is updated automatically with our great blog posts.
Take a look at our beautiful wedding widget:

The best part is - all you need to do is copy a few lines of code and paste it onto your own site. Voila! You now have great wedding posts right on your own site to make your own wedding planning easier, as well as help everyone who visits your site! They’ll visit your site more often, and thank you for providing them with more wedding planning help.
It’s small enough so it won’t take up too much room on your site, and looks pretty, too!
Simply press “Options”, select the type of site you have, or press “HTML” for the code for the widget, then “Copy”, and “Paste” onto your own site.

The Internet has made it easier to stay in touch with friends and family, have access to tons of information at our fingertips, and now, makes wedding planning much easier! It’s often difficult to get everyone on the same page with your wedding planning - you have family members asking over and over again where you’re registered (even though it says it on the invitation!), what the food choices are, where is the reception is…the list goes on and on. And brides, you don’t need that added stress.

So, make it simple. Brides.com allows you to set up your own wedding website (where you can include those pesky details that everyone seems to forget!), by simply creating a profile and creating “My Wedding Website”. You can customize it to reflect your personality, put tons of information on it, pictures of the reception hall, a link to your online gift registry, and even more features.

Check out the Brides.com page we created to help brides plan their weddings at http://weddingfavors.brides.com. Feel free to interact with us!

In The Wall Street Journal article, “Muse Announces Launch of Exclusive Social Network for the Online Wedding Community”, MuseWeddings.com announced the start of their brand new online wedding networking site. Soon-to-be brides can plan their wedding budgets, get help planning every details of their wedding, and connect with their guests and friends about wedding plans. You can also talk to other brides and share your wedding ideas and plans. All you need to do is create a profile (it’s a snap), and your newest wedding planning resources is at the click of a mouse!

Check out a snapshot of just a small snippet of all the great features you can find at Muse!

Bring In The King
Instead of a DJ, bring in an Elvis impersonator for entertainment at your reception. Great for Elvis fans or anyone who can appreciate rock n roll, this reception idea is something that your guests will certainly remember!

A Power Ballad
If Elvis isn’t in the building, tell your DJ or band to play retro hits or classic rock. Choose albums from greats like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Journey, Bruce Springsteen, Cheap Trick, Elvis, The Monkees, The Who, Steppenwolf, Queen, and more.

Play That Tune
Using musical place cards can be a great way to keep your guest bopping all night long. These Piano Place Card Holders can be fun or elegant, it all depends on how you like to celebrate!

Music Is In the Air
Deck out your reception space by hanging old records from the ceiling or by buying paper ones from your local party supply store.

Decked Out Duds
Spruce up your wedding wardrobe by choosing retro or rock n roll styles. From classic rockabilly couture to wild tuxes, the possibilities are endless for rock star style.

If the traditional wedding cake cramps your style, try these on for size:

Pie
Check with your bakery to see if miniature pies are available for each guest. Pick your favorite flavor or give out an assortment for variety. If that’s not an option, get some delicious pies and serve up some slices at your reception with a scoop of ice cream or with whipped topping.

Cupcakes
Cupcakes, like cake, are sweet and fluffy treats. Use a tower of cupcakes in place of your wedding cake and decorate them with fresh flowers, monograms, or colorful icings.

Brownies
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Serve up decorated brownies at your reception instead of cake. Make a decadent sundae by adding ice cream, nuts, and whipped cream! For a fun touch, add some sprinkles and a cherry on top.

Cookies
Perfect as a favor or a cake substitute, these Wedding Cookies are a great compliment to any wedding day. In a variety of shapes and types, you can find the perfect cookie to match your wedding theme. Bake your own or try out the custom designs from PWPOnline.com