Wedding Planning

Wedding planning is a very fun (and stressful) career, and I whole-heartedly respect anyone who decides to help ease the stress from brides planning their weddings. Wendy Hartigan at Wendy’s Affairs of the Heart has a wealth of wedding planning experience from many successful years in restaurant management and events planning. Wendy really does put her whole heart into planning a beautiful day for the bride and groom and their guests and always ensures their wedding is unforgettable!

Be sure to check out her site, WendysAffairsofHeart.com to view testimonials of her wedding planning services and tons of great information about how she can plan your wedding. Plus, her wedding blog, Bridal Affairs, is the perfect place for you to learn more about Wendy, her wedding expertise, and how she can make your wedding as unique as you are!

We love Wendy Hartigan – take a look at her site and blog and tell her we said hello!

When freelance writer Jessica Murphy got engaged, planning her wedding was the last thing on her mind. In a response to the ever growing cost of the wedding industry (and the brides who can’t stand it!), she developed this fun and tell-tale way to decide if you’re an “anti-bride” – the Anti-Bride List.

Anti-brides are not anti-wedding or anti-commitment. They’re nontraditional, practical people who love the idea of spending their life with someone special, but don’t exactly like the idea of spending thousands of dollars to host a wedding. Do you think you’re an anti-bride? Let’s find out. Here are the ten ways you’ll know that you’re an anti-bride.

1. You need to be convinced to have a wedding.
2. Bridal boutiques give you the creeps.
3. You don’t believe that the wedding is “all about the bride.”
4. You let your bridal party decide what to wear.
5. Save the dates. What save the dates?
6. You’d rather go for a hike than have a bachelorette party.
7. You opt for nontraditional wedding invitations.
8. You fight tooth and nail not to have a bridal shower.
9. You don’t own anything resembling a wedding planner.
10. You only need a few months to get your act together.

Hitched & Blissed provides you with “Hints, Tips and Wedding Quips” to help your wedding be just as you always dreamed! The engaging blog has tons of fun posts on both traditional weddings and modern weddings and loves to point out unique and fun wedding ideas and products you would never think to add to your wedding.

Claudia, the author of these wonderful posts, is planning her wedding, and blogging while she’s at it. Check out “Tip #2” for a glimpse into her wedding color scheme, and use the “Choose Your Color Palette” to the left of the post to find the perfect group of colors for you. Be sure to take a look at her wedding “Photo Ops” page to see examples of where she may have her wedding photos taken! The spots are so kitsch and fun.

For instance, check out their “Hint #1” post, full of cigar boxes, fun lunch boxes, train cases and more for all the cards you’ll likely receive at your bridal shower and on your wedding day. They add a fun, retro touch to your wedding and inject some whimsy into it. After all, you need to have fun on your wedding day!

Check out Claudia’s blog, HitchedandBlessed.com, and view her fun posts. Best wishes on your upcoming nuptials!

Let’s face it, all brides can benefit from some wedding planning help. Check out Blissful Vows – a great, entertaining guide to all things European weddings and wedding planning in general!

Want to see beautiful photos of where you can host your European wedding? Then you’ll be unable to take your eyes off of Blissful Vows. The blog has posts all about European wedding locations and pretty photos of what you can expect.

Enjoy the talented writing and creative ideas at Blissful Vows!

As you know, I love all things weddings. There’s just so much joy and happiness at a wedding, and sure, wedding planning can be stressful, but there’s also such an exciting buzz to it. I was looking at my daily dose of wedding blogs and luckily came across a double dose of lovely sites owned by The Wedding Guide: The Wedding Guide of Europe and Wedding Fashion Files.

The Wedding Guide of Europe
Europe is abundant with beautiful locations for an amazing wedding. American brides, don’t be afraid to venture across the pond for your wedding. Refer to the very informative posts on The Wedding Guide and their blog, The Wedding Guide of Europe, and you’ll get some great ideas for coordinating your European wedding. Simply take just a few close friends and family members, work with a professional travel planner, and your romantic, dream European wedding will be much easier than you ever thought possible. And if you need any convincing, check out their post, “Dreaming of a Fairytale Castle Wedding in Europe?”.

Wedding Fashion Files
Take a hint from the fashion police at Wedding Fashion Files to ensure your wedding is stylish. They’re always posting on pretty gowns, hot trends, and classic styles that will always be in fashion. Their posts are always entertaining – read an enjoy!

Enjoy your double dose of creative, informative wedding posts!

Hello my favorite blog readers! I was drinking my coffee earlier today and wandering around online and luckily came across the Customized Wedding Creations Blog. Just as we feel it’s necessary to inject personality into all we do, Customized Wedding Creations emphasizes the need to make your wedding about you!

Their retail site, Customized Wedding Creations, is full of items our lovely and very talented friends at Customized Wedding Creations would love to personalize just for your wedding. Check out their Wedding Gallery to view beautiful ways to personalize Custom Aisle Runners, Wedding Banners, Table Runners, and much more. You really do have to see to believe the impact these monogrammed accents can have – they can make your wedding absolutely dynamic.

Be sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter!

Brought to you from Australia, The Wedding Style Guide is a great resource for planning your special day. This magazine is filled with creative ideas that are sure to make a lasting impression on you and your guests. Get ready to find the inspiration you’ve been looking for, from fashion forward attire to unique table settings – it’s all in there, and more!

For a sneak peak into the latest issue, here’s a few special finds. Swatches are handy for every designer and always a visually pleasing reference book. Brides, you can make them yourself and you will be left with a special keepsake for years to come!

The bold and the beautiful – color is popping out everywhere. Give your guests a visual that will set your wedding apart from all others with bright, bold color. Be sure to take a look at their site for additional interesting finds. They also have an amazing Wedding Blog full of ideas and inspiration.

In springtime, there’s nothing better than having a gorgeous outdoor wedding, however, by choosing a dynamic color scheme, you can bet that it’ll be even better. This season, keep your eyes out for daring color combinations, like cobalt blue and yellow, that are making wedding days stand out.

Inspired by blue skies and yellow sunflowers, a cobalt blue and yellow themed wedding is ideal for couples who want to make statement but still keep a sunny feel to the special day. To incorporate this theme, here are a two ideas on how to best utilize this unique color combination:

A Seaside Setting
As popular colors found in many beachy themed events, cobalt blue and yellow can help to incorporate a very clean, crisp, and laid back feel into your wedding day. To tie in the theme, you can always choose beach or sailing inspired décor, menu items, and invitations. Decorate your tables with sea glass, shells, or coral that stands out against your dramatic blue backdrop. Just be sure to remember the Beach Themed Wedding Favors!

Inspired by Nature
Nature is often a great source of inspiration, especially for seasonal weddings. To incorporate your daring color scheme, think about using white, ivory, bold yellow, or light blue florals that tie everything together. Daffodils, chamomile, daisies, forget-me-nots, chamomile, Queen Anne’s lace, orchids, or sunflowers are all excellent choices.

Centerpieces can oftentimes be a huge anchoring point in a reception area, especially if you’re one who loves to make a statement with bold, beautiful arrangements that are packed with personality and can be delightfully over the top. However, if you’re looking to make even more of a statement, think about using non-traditional centerpieces that still pack a punch, without using expensive blooms. Here are three great ways.

Nothing is more classic or elegant than a bowl of strategically arranged fruits. If you’re celebrating your wedding in the autumn, channel the harvest and use bright bowls of green, red, and yellow apples, squashes or nuts to draw in your color schemes. In winter, think bold berries and go for something more delicate, like bud vases with sprigs of holly decoratively placed around your table. In the spring and summer, think citrus and use lemons, limes, and grapefruits to make up your centerpieces.

Another great way to make a non-traditional centerpiece is to use your Wedding Favors. Yes, this can be a gorgeous way to display the takeaways that guests love. Simply place or arrange your favors on a three tiered cake stand, in a basket, in a bowl, or other fun containers to add some style and flare to your table.

Who doesn’t love sweets? Instead of serving up cake, think about having your centerpieces be dessert by displaying decadent chocolates, cookies, mini cakes, scones, pastries, or truffles for your guests to enjoy. Trust us – this’ll be a hit!

For the dramatic bride, making a statement is what her special day is all about. To get heads turning during your wedding, why not try a daring purple and black color scheme with ivory, yellow, blue or silver accents? This new and oh-so-gorgeous theme is sure to fit in with any season, as it can incorporate various tones and touches that are both light and heavy, striking and soft. Use this image as inspiration for incorporating this daring color scheme into your wedding plans.

When it comes time to plan, here are a few of our favorite ideas on making this bold yet beautiful color scheme come to life on your special day:

-Print your invitations using a royal purple ink on ivory or white paper.
-On your wedding cake, showcase edible pansies, posies, or similar purple florals. As a sweet touch, have them sugared and serve them on each guest’s piece.
-For the bridesmaids, choose sleek black dresses in a seasonally appropriate fabric.
- As part of your floral arrangements, go with irises, orchids, or purple roses, offset by delicate white, ivory, light blue, dark green foliage, or yellow blooms.
-Instead of wearing traditional white or ivory shoes with your gown, opt to go for a vibrant purple pair of pumps or mules.
-Use these darling
Ivory and Black Favor Boxes to share your special day with your guests. Fill them with your favorite purple or chocolate candies, lavender teas, or even delicate flower petals.