Breaking Tradition: The First Look

It has long been tradition to not have the betrothed see each other before the wedding, as superstition says it is “bad luck”. Since the basis for the tradition was to keep grooms from breaking an arranged marriage by seeing something he didn't care for, today's weddings show that this is a tradition that can stand to be “tweaked” a little.

Sometimes you just can't stand to be apart for that long on one of the biggest days of your life, but still don’t want to see each other before the ceremony, a little creative hand holding might be in order.

If you still want to stick a little to the tradition and just have one person not see the other, it doesn't mean one of you can’t “take a peek” at the other!

And then there are always those who just can't take it anymore and have “the big reveal” before the ceremony! This option can definitely help with photography--And get a bunch of those pix out of the way early!

And you just might get a shot of the groom like this...

Michele Beckwith Photography

Sneak Peek - Julie & Doug - Engagement Photos

So much love! This is one wedding that has had me bouncing off the walls with excitement ever since I was blessed with the honor of being their wedding coordinator. A custom made ring, the San Francisco Zoo amongst the zebras and the antelope, and full of classy nerdom, the wedding of these two is sure to make your heart melt. They just ooze true love every moment they are together. It really is so beautiful to see two people so in love. Just see for yourself!

Photos by Kate Gardner of Modern Love Photography

Go Nude! Happy National Nude Day!

Today is National Nude Day! I do not recommend doing a Google image search for nude wedding. The results were not at all what I was looking for.

Eventually I was able to find what I was hoping for: some gorgeous inspirational images for a wedding where you can bare your love for the world to see and celebrate.

Or bare it all with one of this season's hottest trends, the nude wedding cake.

So go nude and let your love shine through!

Credits:
Tablescape White Lilac Inc | One Wed
Stunning Nude Dress Bride’s collaboration with Shu Hsien Ryu and Dream Creations
Fabric and Brooch Bouquet Cultivar Etsy Shop
Nude Cake Ben Webb Design

Wedding Planner vs Venue Coordinator

Venue Coordinator
     Venue coordinators are employees of the venue itself. Their responsibilities are those pertaining to your experience with them, directly: show you venue, consulting your food and beverage choices, arranging menu tastings and processing the final invoice. On your wedding day, their focus is delivering their contracted services, and that’s it: ensuring the venue set up is accurate (tables, chairs and place setting only), the food is out on time and that tear down happens seamlessly. In addition, a Venue Coordinator may often departs once the meal is served.

Wedding Planner
     A wedding planner is your personal consultant. Their focus is you and your vision of your dream wedding.
     They are there from the start, including reviewing vendor contracts, vendor and venue recommendations, creating your timeline/itinerary, coordinating all the details with your vendors, and organizing your ceremony rehearsal.
     On the wedding day they are there to oversee the schedule and make sure everything happens and happens on time. They are there to make sure your first dance starts on time, that your grandparents are present for your dance with your father, to make sure all of your vendors show up and know what they are expected to do, and to make sure all those perfect details you stressed over for the better part of a year are placed perfectly where you imagined them. They are also there to make sure that when something does go wrong that it is seamlessly corrected and you can enjoy your day without the knowledge that anything ever went wrong.
This also goes for “Day of Wedding Coordinators” personally hired by you. While they may come in closer to event day, they work exclusively for you!


     The main difference is that a venue coordinator works for the venue, a wedding planner works for you.

     Now don’t get me wrong, venue coordinators play a huge role in the wedding planning process. I love working with them and (I hope) they love working with me. However, it is important to realize what a venue coordinator’s role is so they know how much they can truly expect and not be frustrated and disappointed when they find that they are not able to do many of the things you need done.

Feathers: It's Not Just a Bunch of Fluff

Do you remember making crafts as a child with feathers? Maybe you traced the outline of your hand on some construction paper and cut it out, embellishing your new “hand-turkey” with big colored feathers and a pair of googly-eyes. Well, feathers (or our knowledge of them) have come along way since then! Feathers are available in so many sizes and styles, and in almost any color scheme, it would be hard not to find something that would work well as fashion, or decoration.

Do you want a little throwback to the older days? A fine feathered fascinator might do just the trick for you! Popular at cocktail parties of the past, and making a comeback to the fashion forward, these small hats adorned with feathers and birdcage netting are sure to draw attention to the wearer, whether she’s the star of the show or a member of the supporting cast.

And let’s not let the feminine side hog all the limelight, boutonnieres can have feathers too! You can still display a masculine quality in a feathered accessory if done right, but still compliment your other half’s feathered finery. If you just don’t know how to make frilly feathers work for the bridegroom, The Test Of Time Weddings can create custom-designed pieces for the soon-to-be-wed and your attendants!

There are a few more reasons why feathers are your friends, when it comes to the DIY crowd, you can make your feathered accessories way in advance! If you’re not sure if you want to include real flowers at all because they’ll just end up dying anyway, you can create bouquets/boutonnieres early and use that precious time within days of the wedding to attend to last minute items. They are a long lasting momento, or can also be a reusable accessory for your wedding party when they spend a night on the town!

Centerpieces, fashion statements, or the old stand-by guest book pen, adding feathers to the flock of fancies at your wedding will give your guests something to be tickled about!

This just in:

For the tatted up guys and dolls out there who are planning to tie the knot soon, or still trying to meet the right one to share your dream wedding with, check out this amazingly awesome and stunningly detailed cake topper that is custom made to include the two of you, down to the details of all your (visible) tattoos!

Source: To Hell In A Handbag Etsy Shop

Start Your Big Day with a Caffeine Fix!

Free Starbucks on your Wedding Day!

The best part... Starbucks is a supporter of marriage equality!

Photo by dianaelizabeth