05

Jan

The Scoop is coming to the Willamette Valley!

Yes, the 2011 NW Wedding Scoop is just around the corner of the Willamette Valley, and our local Bridal Pros are very excited to use their expertise to help brides and grooms plan for their special day.

The best thing about the Scoop is that it is the first of its kind: no sales pitches are allowed. This way, the couple and their entourage can comfortably and informally ask questions and get tips from Bridal Pros. On top of that, there is a Man Cave for the grooms, so they can relax and enjoy the planning in their own way. There are also many bridal goodies that will be given away, as well as exclusive discount booklets for wedding services, not offered anywhere else.

This is certainly a bridal event that should not be missed. After all, making informed decisions when planning such an important event can save you a lot of time, stress and overspending. The Scoop is essentially like having a wedding consultant for a day — except the ticket to the Scoop is a considerable amount cheaper. The tickets for both Scoop shows (in the Willamette Valley and Portland) are going fast though, so make sure you get yours in time (you can find them here).

We will be there, and hope to see many of you there too!

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867 days ago Short URL Comments

Bridal Shows/Bride & Bridesmaids/Groom & Groomsmen

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08

Oct

Creativity and DIY Wedding Programs: A Perfect Couple

Explain your ceremony, give thanks, tell stories, tell jokes…there are many things you can do with a homemade wedding program. First off, let us start with some handy wedding program instructions to help you with the specifics of a good wedding program.

The wedding program is where you’ll want to explain anything unusual in your ceremony—especially if you are doing anything non-traditional or are of a different religion than many of your guests. Here is a sample of a Jewish wedding program. You can explain why you choose a certain tradition in your own words and what it means to the both of you. If you are going back to your roots and doing an old-fashioned broom jumping, here is a jumping the broom wedding program sample text you may want to include. If you wrote your own vows, you may want to include them in the program.

Wedding programs used to be where you’d list the names of the wedding party and family, a brief outline of ceremony order…and that was about it. Not anymore! You can personalize your do it yourself wedding programs just like any other aspect of your wedding, and you will probably want to write it in your own words, with your own personality shining through. The hardest part is deciding what to write and then picking out your wedding program paper. The rest of the process is simple!

The obvious things you’ll want to include are the names of the people in wedding, location and date. Don’t stop there though – you can (and should!) really get creative with wedding programs. Lyrics to a song that will be in your ceremony, quotes that you both like, the story of how you met, the proposal story, photographs of the two of you or your families are all unique ways to personalize your program.

Wedding programs are also the place to thank and give credit to important people. For example, you may want to thank your parents, or thank a mutual friend who introduced you. You could thank aunt Mary for doing your flower arrangements, etc. It is also nice to acknowledge all the guests as a whole, thanking them for being there.

Another thing some couples do is a short dedication to those family members who are not there, to those who have passed on. This could be a short paragraph such as “We wish to express our love to those that are no longer with us. Although they are not here physically, their presence is felt in our hearts.” This is an especially nice sentiment for couples who may have deceased parents or grandparents.

Remember: Be yourself, write from the heart and let your creative mind flow. Happy planning!

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For more information on Muse – A Wedding & Event Planning company based out of Portland, Oregon, visit www.eventmuse.biz.   Thanks for stopping by!

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956 days ago Short URL Comments

Weddings

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01

Oct

Bridal Showers: Think Outside of the Box

When you hear the words “bridal shower,” what do you think?

Old-fashioned games?  Embarrassment?  Matronly gifts?

A wedding shower is a long-standing tradition that comes from many, many cultures.  It is a way for those who’s lives the bride-to-be has touched to help her into her new life.  It should be full of well-wishes and gifts and laughter.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.  We hear many of our brides say they just wish they didn’t have to have a shower… don’t get me wrong, they appreciate it and certainly enjoy the gifts!  They just don’t like the stress, the family conflicts, and the ‘silly’ party games.

So, here are some ideas for all of you Maids & Matrons of Honor who are planning those showers….

1) Think out side the box! The most fun shower ideas come from the couple’s (or the bride’s) favorite holidays and occasions;

2) Although tradition maintains the idea that shower gifts need to be for the home, why not make the gifts for the bride? It can be themed, such as lingerie and pampering treats, or it could  be something that reflects the bride’s personality.

3) A bridal shower does not need to be girls only; in fact, there are also grooms showersl, although less common. Therefore, why not make it a couple’s shower, and make the event a larger celebration? If you are inspired, you can have a barbecue, and add a touch of tradition by serving cute dessert treats, or adding some delicate touches to the decor.

4) Games can be a great addition to the shower, as long as it is…well, fun. Although it is a matter of taste, some of the more traditional games can end up making your shower hear crickets. Instead of playing games such as “guessing which gifts are associated with each anniversary,” why not play a more lively game? A good one I recently came across consists of placing the guests by order of whom the guest of honor has known the longest, to the one she (and/or he) has known the least amount of time.  It helps loosen up the event, and allows for some interesting and fun memories that are about the bride and/or groom.

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963 days ago Short URL Comments

Bride & Bridesmaids/Gifts, Favors & Accessories

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17

Sep

Luncheons: The Perfect Alternative to Wedding Parties

Table Setting for LuncheonIf you and your groom are both uninterested in participating in bachelor and bachelorette parties, why not consider a combined luncheon for your wedding attendants? This event is a special time that focuses on the love, support and friendship provided by the bridal party during the preparations and organization of your wedding.

For many bridal couples, the idea of bringing their childhood friends, business associates and relatives together as members of their wedding party can seem a bit intimidating as not everyone knows one another. However hosting a combined wedding attendant luncheon provides the perfect format for introductions, building of new friendships between the bridal party and a great way to relax together before the wedding date.

It is traditional to host the wedding attendant luncheon within a month of the wedding date. However, if many of your bridal party have to travel a great distance to attend the wedding, it would be best to schedule the luncheon within two or three days of your wedding.

Enjoy your celebrations!

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For more information on Muse – A Wedding & Event Planning company based out of Portland, Oregon, visit www.eventmuse.biz.   Thanks for stopping by!

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977 days ago Short URL Comments

Weddings

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We welcome you to come check us out at Muse
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