Fab Favors for your ‘Maids

This is a fabulous post on favors for your bridesmaids! From jewelry to bags to bath and body goodies, Christy from Junebug Weddings has uncovered some great ideas and products! Check them out (and the picture of my fave from Hazelnut Cottage below)!

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“Hiring” Family and Friends

{It has been way too long since we’ve posted something more informational than not… so here you go! Hope you find it helpful.}

Lots of brides are on budgets, I’d venture to say most, and many have budgets that are somewhat “small” (which, true, is a relative term). That being said, the temptation of hiring family and/or friends for wedding-related services and products can be a slippery slope when trying to navigate through any etiquette, feelings, and everyone’s opinions.

So! Before you go off asking anyone you personally know that can arrange flowers, make cakes, or sew dresses to help you out or give you discounts, read on for a few tips.

1. Know what you’re getting yourself into. Just because you have known someone for years and have always had a great relationship with her doesn’t mean that she is up for setting her life aside to do something for you (although, it very well might be the case). If she is willing, though, make sure you know exactly how things will happen. Is she (or he) reliable? Does she do good work and work that you like? Does she have a style similar to yours? Does she really care about the things she creates or will she just throw something together for you? And most of all, know exactly what she expects from you in return. It might be something as simple as a thank you note. Or, if she makes cakes for a living, she might like some professional photographs to put into her portfolio. You’ll never know unless you ask, so make sure you work it out in advance!

2. Take it seriously…and make sure she does too. While you might not care if your cake is not EXACTLY how you pictured it or the wording on your invitations is just a little different than what you expected, you should treat your agreement with any friend or relative you “hire” like any other vendor you hire. Have a written letter of agreement and outline all of the specifics. And perhaps more importantly, make sure she takes her job seriously as well. If her service to you is also her career, she probably will, as she just wants you to be another happy customer!

3. Be thankful (don’t take anything for granted). Realize how much time your helper is putting in to whatever favor you’re asking of her. You might ask her to make a simple veil for you, but your idea of simple might actually take a good number of hours. And on top of that, if something does take a lot of work or time, she is giving up doing something else (like working or her own hobbies) to complete the project for you. So, when you get the final product, don’t forget to say thanks and really mean it!

4. Expect things to go wrong or not to plan, and manage to not get too upset. This is just good to keep in mind for your entire wedding planning process and wedding day. Humans are humans! We all make mistakes. And yes, while your wedding might be the happiest day of your life up until this point, for all of your vendors, it’s just another day at work. For your friends and family, of course, they are more connected to you than most of your other vendors and are probably more happy about the day’s events. But, that being said, any friend or family member you ask to help you out will probably be less focused on providing the perfect product or service and more on seeing you blissfully happy which believe it or not, can cause more problems than you’d think. So, prepare yourself for little hiccups and don’t let them “ruin” you day. After all, as long as you’re married at the end of the evening, the event was successful, right?

5. Tangibles talk – say thanks with real “oomph”. While you may not honestly be able to afford a monetary gift or your helper may simply refuse one, that doesn’t mean you can’t say thanks and really mean it! Perhaps sending some flowers or a basket of goodies would do the trick. Above all else, make sure you include a very will written and meaningful thank you note. Nice stationary, neat hand writing, and mention of specific tasks your helper did for you along with a few lines of how truly grateful you are should work nicely!

6. Be weary of those that volunteer and give them realistic expectations. If someone volunteers their services or to provide something for you, make sure you know exactly what she’s up for. Perhaps she just wants to sew you a ring pillow…not all of your bridesmaid’s dresses. Know what’s she’s willing to do and don’t try to push her into doing more than she volunteered for!

7. Have an exit strategy if something goes wrong. As mentioned before, things will go wrong! It’s inevitable. So, if your grade school friend who volunteered to do your hair for the big day (she was always so great at slumber parties!) does a horrible job during the test run and you can’t stomach seeing what she might turn your hair into for you wedding day, make sure you have a way out. Perhaps something like this: “Thank you so much for doing a test run on my hair! I think, though, that I might just go to the salon instead. That way you don’t have to invest in any tools you don’t need to make my hair look this and that way and you don’t have to deal with my crazy nerves and super picky taste! I really appreciate your offer!” And note, don’t set things like this in stone unless you are absolutely positive that she can provide you with what you want. Save yourself from hurting feelings if you can!

All in all, asking a family member or close friend to do something for you regarding your wedding isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just know exactly what you’re getting yourself into!

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A tidbit from Palm Peach!

I must apologize for the short posts this week! I’ve got a lot going on, but hopefully they’ll still make for a good read.

Take a look at this great post from Palm Peach, a fabulously preppy blog.

I LOVE these sweet sun dresses, which would make wonderful bridesmaids dresses, a great rehearsal dinner dress or morning-after brunch dress, especially for those events in the summer months or near a beach!

There are a ton of great posts over at Palm Peach, so check them out!

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Love it, love it, love it!

I just recently stumbled across this lovely wedding blog, Snippet & Ink and today saw this * fabulous * post! The inspiration board is marvelous! I love the soft, natural and neutral colors. So click on over to Snippet & Ink and take a look for more details!

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MM Wedding Studio

I am SO excited to announce the debut of mmweddingstudio.com, a new wedding style and design blog. Started by a fabulous sorority sister of mine, I’d like to think I had a little something to do with her setting out on her blogosphere journey (even if it’s not totally true)!

I can’t WAIT to see what she comes up with. She has already had a couple great posts where she talks about the new colors for spring and shows some fabulous scrollwork cakes!

So go take a look and show her some love! Congrats Michelle M! I’m so proud!

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Pose Prints!

Oh. My. Goodness. TOO CUTE!

Hello lovely readers! I have something fabulous for you!! Jennifer from PosePrints.com contacted me just today about the super cute invitations, announcements, and stationary they offer. What makes them so chic? You simply go to their site and design a cartoon you (or of you and your love), pick the background you like, and voila! Check out some examples below.

BUT THE BEST PART IS: From now until May 15th, you can get 10% your purchases with the discount code, “weddingfanatic”. FABULOUS! Check them out! And Happy Shopping.

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Happy Birthday!

Happy Monday, everyone!

I am excited to announce that WeddingFanatic turned ONE YEAR OLD over the weekend! How fabulous!

Thank you so much, loyal readers, because you make it all worth it.

photo from digitalcollections.uwyo.edu

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Some fun little articles

I’m a big supporter of young people getting out there and doing everything they possibly can to reach their goals. Go young people!

So, when one of my gal pals, Sarah, sent these articles written by students at the University of Missouri - Columbia, I was thrilled to be able to give these new writers a little “face time” on WeddingFanatic!

Read on for some great ideas and info!

Check out Wedding Trends of 2008: a short and sweet article that talks about what’s “now” as far as cakes, dresses, flowers, and favors. Written by Brooke Fletcher, Gabriela Lessa, Jacqueline Potoczek, and Megan McCalla.

Want to know what it’s like planning a wedding from the Wedding Planner’s side? Take a look at “Spill It: Debbie Hake” as writer Allison Bennett asks Mrs. Hake, a wedding planner in Columbia, Missouri questions from “Why should people use planners?” to “Is your job anything like J.Lo in ‘The Wedding Planner’”.

Searching for a honeymoon destination? Click on over to “Just Married“, where writer Gabriela Lessa breaks down the year into months and gives some of the hottest spots to honeymoon for each. Just reading makes me want to pack my bags and hop a plane to an exotic location.

Here’s what’s up with real-life bride, Nichole Wade, and the things she has learned since she started planning her wedding. Check out and lean from Nichole in her “Weddings: I didn’t know that…“.

And here is a great article about what to avoid on your wedding day. Paula Baker gives all brides (and grooms) a few reminders that will come in handy as The Day approaches. I must say one thing, though, about her #10: If the two of you do so decide to bounce down the aisle in tennis shoes, go for it. I’m a fan of the Converse look for the groom and his men, but hey, whatever floats your bridal boat!

And perhaps one of my favorites, by Jacqueline Potoczek, “Weddings Go Green“. She has some great ‘net resources from organicbouquet.com to ecoparti.com, and a few other tidbits about keeping your wedding green!

To contact the authors:
Jacqueline Potoczek - jap26b@mizzou.edu
Allison Bennett - acb4hf@mizzou.edu
Nichole Wade - nlwdz6@mizzou.edu

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Invitations Deals and Steals

Looking for some great invitations but don’t think you have a “great” budget for some? Well look no further. I have found some that you just might like! Yippie!

The following may look expensive, but you’d be surprised. The envelope lining gives it top-of-the-line look for a bottom-of-the-line price.

Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more regal. Something more…”classy”? I love the “swirl” design and the combination of the sophisticated and romantic fonts.

Or maybe you want to spice it up just a bit with a touch of color. I love this design because it is something you could easily dress up on your own. Examples? Punch two very small holes at the top and loop a ribbon through or use some small grommets and attach a vellum overlay. Or, simply tie a ribbon around card between your names. Fabulous!

If you’re looking for some deals, just look hard and get creative!

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Eco-Chic for the Eco-Friendly

As I was browsing through my daily fashion blog roll, which is quite the extensive task let me tell you, I couldn’t help but notice an ongoing trend that left me feeling a bit green. No, I am not talking about feeling under the weather thank goodness, but rather about the new “green” eco-friendly fashions that allow one to keep the aesthetic appeal of the clothing we love, but at a far lesser cost to our environment. It would seem that the eco-friendly fashionistas have covered every corner of the fashion spectrum and now we are free to choose from a plethora of fabulous eco-friendly accessories, handbags, clothing and surprisingly enough, shoes! Fortunately for us, this eco-friendly trend has started to pop up in the wedding industry as well and the gowns they can create from eco-friendly materials are quite spectacular! For those who have been life-long friends with the environment or for those like myself who have just recently been introduced to living the “green” life, a number of retailers offer eco-friendly gowns that help lessen the effect on the environment, while still allowing the bride to look as chic as ever! Hey, who said eco-friendly couldn’t be eco-chic as well?

Here are a few of my favorite fashionable and environmentally friendly finds:

This enchanting, yet beautifully simple and chic “Firenze Gown” from Conscious Clothing features an elegant form-fitting a-line silhouette and halter neckline with a sheer chiffon gathered bust. Princess seams line the bodice to make a more tailored finish and lovely gatherings of chiffon flow from the bottom seams to complete the look. Conscious Clothing uses fabrics made from all hemp blends that they tout as being comparable and quite possibly even better than traditional bridal fabrics. They also offer a 100% hemp suit for the groom and an array of bridesmaid gowns, all of which can be fully tailored to suit the needs of the particular party. Conscious Clothing is currently in the process of being released in select bridal boutiques that will be announced on their website, but is readily available online at getconcious.com.

These beautiful bridal gowns from the Los Angeles based Annataria Designs caught my eye due to their pure elegance and charm that really bring the term “eco-couture” to a whole new level. While these gowns look as if they could have come from the racks of your local bridal boutique, Annatarian Designs actually designs completely custom one-of-a-kind gowns using recycled materials (like gently used vintage gowns) and non-toxic organic cotton and hemp that can be customized to suit the particular desires and personality of the bride. Clients work directly with founder and head designer Anna Mkhitarian to choose from five styles of dresses and an array of embellishments and materials to make sure that their dress is exactly what they have envisioned. Eco-chic and quality couture? Annatarian Designs definitely delivers! All prospective clients are advised to inquire about designing their dream gown through Annatarian’s website at annatarian.com

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