Hi and happy Thursday! I hope you all are having an excellent week! Today I thought I’d put together a palette that would not only look pretty for a Spring wedding, but also one that you could definitely use for a bridal shower. I don’t know about you, but I’m all about bright and bold colors. Pair that with a fun theme like poppies and you’ve got yourself a truly eye-catching theme. I’m absolutely loving this gorgeous shower invitation by Wedding Paper Divas as well as this lovely dress by Alfred Angelo.  It’s just so nice to see color used in unique ways. I love the statement that this two-tone dress makes! And who isn’t loving these colorful vases? I hope you don’t mind if I continue sharing palettes that can be used for all of your pre-wedding festivities! So what do you think? Are you liking the way that these ultra-warm colors bounce off one another?

These are the more traditional items that are included:

· Bride’s engagement and wedding rings
· Groom’s gift to his bride
· Groom’s gifts to his attendants
· Marriage license fee
· Officiant’s fee or donation
· All costs of the rehearsal dinner
· Expenses of the honeymoon
· Groom’s Tux
· Ties and gloves for groom’s attendants, if not part of their clothing rental package.
· Bride’s bouquet (only in those regions where it is a local custom for the groom to pay for it)
·Boutonnieres for groom’s attendants & fathers/grandfathers
· Corsages for immediate family members, unless the bride has included them in her floral order
· Lodging and transportation for Groom’s immediate family & Groom’s attendants (if being paid for by the couple)
· Transportation for the Groom and best man to the ceremony and reception site (if needed)

Even when you are having an amazing time planning your event, which we truly hope you are, there is no getting around the fact that it is emotionally exhausting. You have a lot of things, time and personal decisions you have put into the event. You have family and friends all coming together in one place. Even if they are good emotions, it is still an emotional roller coaster that you are on. On top of that, the amount of time you spend away from your normal day to day is a drain on your physical self, your emotions and your sleep. All of that being said, all of those emotions combine to create a single amazing event. We want to encourage you to take care of yourself during the planning so that you can enjoy your big day.

Here are some of our tips:
· Make it a regular habit to exercise: Go to gym, an exercise class, walk with a friend, or take a jog
· Drink lots of water: Keep a water bottle with you and get into the habit
· Take time for you as a couple, your family and your friends: You don’t want to ignore these relationships during the planning process or you’ll be so disconnected on the big day that you’ll be at a loss as to how to catch up
· Take time for you: Even if your mind is running a million miles, you have a ton of things to accomplish, and your to do list is mounting up – you still need to go get your nails done, read a good book, snuggle with your honey, and get out and do your favorite things.

As a wedding planner, we get to see it all… the good, the bad, the ugly… .and the really, really fun parts! You should know this doesn’t have to be stressful . It should be an exciting process, so if you get to the point where you are ready to throw something against a wall, take a step back and go do something you and your fiancé enjoy doing that has nothing to do with weddings. Remember, this is about the two of you – keep alive what makes you good together and don’t forget that in the process of planning your wedding day.

The first thing we encourage all of our brides to do is to go buy a 3-4” binder and about two dozen tab dividers (get the ones with the pockets!), a package of the see-through sleeves and a page you can put into your binder that holds business cards. Or you can visit your local bookstore and pick your favorite wedding binder you find there. The goal is to start off on the right foot and get organized.

Then, before you even start cutting things out, go ahead and sit down and hash out your budget. So many people get scared of doing this. Don’t be. You need it. You absolutely need to have a range that you are working with when you are looking for venues and vendors for your big day. It will say you headaches & heartaches and will actually be a great guidepost for you throughout the process. It will change as you go, but it will help you narrow down that huge task of making 100’s of choices.

Now, you get to dream. Go ahead and dream big. It’s ok. Start tearing out pictures (put them in that binder), taking photos, and gleaning inspiration from things around you. It doesn’t have to be wedding related to inspire you. Remember who the two of you are, use your passions to guide your ideas. That’s what this is all about.

I challenge you to pick two words, yes, just two – that describe the feeling you want at first your ceremony, then two words for your reception. Start with the feeling you want, then later, you’ll figure out the look. This will help you determine location & date which come hand-in-hand, especially here in Oregon. If you must have outdoors, then your choices are going to be limited to certain types of venues or particular times during the year.

When people ask me, which one should I pick first? There’s no hard-fast rule. Choosing your date usually is the first thing you would want to do so that you can get those save-the-dates out. But, if you fall in love with a location and they don’t have your date you are stuck in a not-so-fun situation. We recommend that you choose 3-4 dates that you like, check with wedding party and immediate family to see if those dates work, then go in and start looking at venues with those dates in hand.

Timeline is next – Please don’t try to do this without one. You’ll spend so much of your energy worrying about what’s next that you won’t be able to focus on what’s now. If you have a timeline, you want to make sure its comprehensive and then you’ll be able to just take it one month at a time.

Then, you want to step back and look at what you’ve done so far and get a good idea of where you are heading. Stop for a moment, you have a date. You have a location. You know your budget. You’ve been collecting ideas. Now, pull it all together and create your vision. Take a few weeks to create idea board of things you like – colors, décor, dresses, photos that show how you want the day to feel. But, don’t forget to keep examples of things you don’t want too. This is so often overlooked. You have to tell your vendors what you love and what you don’t like. If you only tell them what you like, then they might inadvertently do something you knew you didn’t want – so communicate both ends of the spectrum.

Once you have something to go to your vendors with, start in on looking for those people who will help you pull your vision together. Don’t let the pressure convince you. You should love each person you choose and you should feel like they understand you. When you find someone you like, put their info into your binder and make notes so you remember who’s who. If you’re having trouble finding vendors within your budget, ask for recommendations or work with a planner.

Your wedding should be one-of-a-kind, and something that doesn’t just follow the current trends but reflects who the two of you are as a couple. This should be about you. Your dreams.

· Facials are fun but not the week of your wedding.

· Don’t tan that week for the first time.

· Do drink lots of water on the week leading up to the big day!!

· Do get your makeup professionally done – it’s worth it! But, don’t use mineral makeup because the photos won’t capture your look like you actually are that day.

· Do get lots of sleep – No beauty product can do for you what 8 hours of sleep can.

· Do break in your shoes around your house all month prior – A funny look on your face because your feet hurt really make those family photos difficult to hang in the hallway.

A few others as well….

· Two shades of lipstick blended, always make for a pretty color – but don’t forget to ask your makeup artist for some to freshen up throughout the day.

· Ultra pale pedicures make your feet look more tan.

· If you have a pimple, dabbing on a bit of Visine before you put on your makeup will remove the redness.

· Dab, don’t wipe, your tears.

· Your hair will shine more if you rinse it with cold water before getting out of the shower – but make sure you’ve talked to whoever is doing your hair so that you know if you should wash it that day or the day before!

Now, she had no reason not to trust the quotes or the caterers that had provided them. And, quite honestly, the vendors did not necessarily do anything wrong by giving the quotes they did. Either there was a miscommunication or simply a lack of the knowledge needed for the couple to catch the possible missing piece.

She had two catering quotes, both of which were slightly upcharging her for rental pricing, which is typical and often made up by no delivery fee.

One caterer had quoted her rental package out at $10pp but had not included spoons, coffee spoon, glassware for the bar, napkins, or any of the accessory tables or linens (like cake, guest book, cocktail tables, etc.) and had quoted everything out as round tables when the request had been made for banquet tables.

The other caterer had quoted $17.800pp for the rental package. They had quoted the tables correctly, but had included a ton of cocktail tables which the venue already provides.

In order to get a clear vision for her, we got a quote from two local rental companies for if they were to get rentals on their own that the caterers would use. For the rentals listed in the proposals, and basing things on the HIGHER costs (ie. Round tables vs. 8 foot tables and hammered silverware vs. basic stainless), INCLUDING bistro tables and INCLUDING an estimated cost for delivery, we found they would be looking at $12.79pp or $10.95pp.

If they took the lower quote and just added in the missing items, it would go up 1.75pp unless they also added in the cocktail tables & linens for them, which would make it roughly an additional $2.50-3pp depending on markup. So, with EVERYTHING like above, it would make their quote max $13pp.

That all being said, although they had estimated costs based on the lower quote, due to the fact that it was essentially incorrect, they were left with a deficit for their décor budget which meant they had to take it from somewhere else.

It occurred to me as I was talking to them that most couples do not ever have the opportunity to work with a coordinator to look at the details. See things with an eye of experience that they do not have because they do not do this for a living – there’s no reason they should notice these details. Even a solid day-of coordinator could have assisted with catching this issue, as they looked over the rental orders. Had these details not been caught, their costs would have increased by a minimum of $3 a person at the end of the contract and they would not have even known it was coming. When you multiply that by 200-250 people and your budget has already been allocated, that is not a pleasant surprise!

As a wedding planner, it is as easy for me to fix something I see about to happen quietly and discreetly, just as a computer or tech-savvy person would quickly flip a switch to make things work or a cleaner would wipe up a spill. But, true to my word, I Ieft it to unfold on its own.

It was a beautiful wedding – simple and elegant. The bride was nervous and stunning, and the wedding took place with grace. They had beautiful ideas they implemented, such as a calendar for 2012 which was their guest book for each person to sign their name on their own birthdates. They had created a time capsule in which they had placed the very first letter they wrote and added into it letters to each other to be opened, along with the included bottle of wine, on their first anniversary.

The thing that struck me, as I sat there, was that there were so many little things I do as a wedding planner that even I take for granted at this point. The small details that get missed if there is not that extra set of eyes and hands to fix them. The items that are not placed quite right or precariously. The lighting that is not set for the best capturing of photos. The strap of her undergarments that was showing because nobody was there to fix it before she walked through the door. The glimmer of reflection off of the ipad the officiant was using that glinted off the walls throughout the ceremony. The passing of the bouquet that never happened because nobody told them to do it, which left the bride fumbling with her vows.

Even with a church coordinator on site, so many little details were never seen to. I had forgotten just how much of that we take care of. It is so second-nature to me to be able to see these things before they happen and prevent them that it was interesting to see the event without those touches.

There were definite hiccups in the day, such as a bridesmaid who’s son ran up to her as she walked down the aisle and clunk to her leg and wouldn’t let go, or the fact that as the rear doors of the church closed, the crowd quieted, only to hear the blaring of … “there’s gonna be a heartache tonight, a heartache tonight, I know….” It was simply the song that happened to be playing on the iPod at that moment, but… Priceless.

Was it anything that completely shattered the day – no!  It was beautiful.  But, what do you think was talked about at the reception – the bride? Unfortunately not.

At the end of the day, what struck me was how amazing it is to be able to give a couple that gift. The gift of being able to have the experience to see to the details, prevent the hiccups, and give them an event that will be raved about for years to come. That is why I do what I do. Because, that is truly priceless.

Another election?  Yes, but this is much more fun than the Republican Primary.  We would love to have your vote for the Best wedding planner & Best day-of coordinator categories from Oregon Bride Magazine.

 Would you take a second to show some spirit for your favorite coordinators?

 PS. In order for your vote to count, you must vote for  at least 6 vendors.  But, we know you can do it!

**Click the “Vote Now” button to get started!!

To incorporate her wedding colors into her center pieces, Megan used green apples in vases.

At each place setting there was a card placed in a folded napkin.  This was her way of asking the guests to give a tidbit of advice to the newly wed couple!

For their grand exit, they rode away on a multi-person bicycle! Fully decorated with tool, “Just Married” sign, and cans dragging on the ground! Amy at Black Butte Ranch was awesome to work with! She even got all of the event staff out of the dance floor for the electric slide!! With having a great DJ such as, Star Productions DJ, the groom, Nick, had some crazy dance moves to last all throughout the night!!!

• Tradition: Typically the bride wears her mother or grandmother’s veil on for the ceremony.  Another tradition is the bride wears a gold crown handed down from her family or church.
• Before the bride walks down the aisle the mother gives her daughter a penny for her to put in her shoe, which is called a sixpence. A pence is supposed to represent fertility and good luck!
• Guest List: Most Swedes have the mentality of all the more the merrier!
• Bridal Parties: Typically there bridal parties are not held in Sweden, but they absolutely still have their bachelor and bachelorette party!
• Ceremony Tradition: During the blessings “rare cloths” are placed over the Bride and Groom to hide them from evil spirits.
• Reception: Swedish weddings used to last for about three days, but in todays world the reception usually lasts only on the day of the wedding. As most weddings in western Europe the bride and groom open up their gifts in front of all of their guests.  This is done because the majority of guests want to see the newlywed couples faces when their gift is open.

1. Food: A Swedish buffet is called Smorgasbord, which consist of an extensive feast. Two of the most common foods are brundlaupskling (sweet bread) and Kottbullar (Swedish meatballs- Yumm!)

• Toasts: Instead of saying “cheers” to the bride and groom, you can now say “sk
  ål!”
• The Wedding Night: The groom must carry his bride over the door step into their new home. By doing this action, he is taking responsibility for bride.
• Post- Wedding: Traditionally the mother of the bride will visit the newlywed couple and offer a nut.  The nut used to be referred to as “sweetmeat,” meaning that the bride will be sweet of tongue.

Here’s the delicious link for Swedish Meatballs: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/swedish-meatballs-recipe/index.html