{Day # 12} Favorite Wedding Movies

Who doesn't love a good Wedding Movie?! Here are my all time favorites...

{Day # 10} Do Me A Favor

Your wedding is unique and a reflection of you as a couple. Your favors should be too! Here are some innovative favor ideas on the market now:

1. Have a candy buffet or dessert bar at your reception. The printed thank you label on the bags or boxes act as your favor.
2. Have a photo both at your reception. The prints can be turned into a bookmark and act as your favor.
3. Create a CD of your wedding day soundtrack, favorite love songs, or songs that represent you.
4. Make a donation to a charity in lieu of a favor.
5. Bride and Groom caramel apples. YUM!
6. Half splits of wine with a custom label.
7. Packets of Coffee.
8. Mini bottles of your favorite liquor.
9. Cigars for the Men.
10. Brownie or cookie mix in canning jars.
11. Individual wedding cakes for each table.
12. Multiple vases of flowers so that each guest can take home a part of the reception decor.
13. Themed favors for destination weddings.
14. Popcorn Bar at the reception with custom popcorn containers.
15. Custom bookmarks.
16. Succulent favors for a 'green' wedding.
17. Miniature pies.
18. Regional treat (such as salt water taffy) in a decorative box.
19. A bit of Tea and Honey.
20. Milk and Cookies.

Don't forget to check out our favor collection by Kate Aspen at the {Shop}!

{Day #9} Budget Tips

Planning your big wedding on a tiny budget DOES NOT mean sacrificing your taste and personal style! All you need to do is prioritize and make some concessions on smaller details or be willing do DIY. Here is the biggest budget cutting advice:

{Dates} Schedule your wedding for the off season. (January, February, March and November). For further discounts, be willing to host your wedding on a Friday or a Sunday. You will get better deals on nearly every wedding service if you schedule during the off season. Also, avoid on or near holidays (late November through December when Hotels are busy with holiday parties).

{Time} Be creative with your timing. Host a morning brunch early in the day, a picnic style lunch or cocktails and appetizers in the early evening.

{Location} Think about more non-traditional wedding locations for lower costs. How about a park, public garden, historic building, museum, or backyard?

{Gown} Bridal gowns aren't the only white dresses out there. It may be that the dress for you is amongst the women's evening wear section of the department store.

{Decor} Spend your money on the things people will see the most of throughout the event. Your guests will notice the bouquets more than the pew flowers. They will notice your centerpieces more than the backs of the ceremony chairs being decorated or the extra flowers on the cake. Candles will add extra drama with little cost so, alternate your centerpieces to save money. Tiny white twinkle lights also add a special touch to the ambiance without breaking the bank. Have fewer larger tables to save on linens and centerpieces. But your most strategic way to spend money on decor is to pick a location that needs little or no embellishment like a garden in bloom or  scenic beach..

{Flowers} Use only flowers that are "in-season" and locally available for your wedding. Hydrangeas are the biggest in bloom and a beautiful flower. Carnations are by far the cheapest, so intersperse those in your bouquets and centerpieces.

{Theme} Picking a theme for your wedding reception can be a great way to cut costs and hide what isn't included. Have a Mexican Fiesta: the food will be cheaper and you can limit the bar to only Mexican imported beer and margaritas.  Serve a family style Italian banquet and limit the beverages to red and white wine with dinner and espresso with desert. Follow your barefoot beach wedding with bonfire grilled chicken and buckets of beer and sangria. The possibilities are all there, just think outside of the box!

{Talents} Harness the talents of your family and friends. You may have a classic car in the family that can serve as your limo or a graphics wiz that can help with your invitations and programs. Let everyone know you are looking for ways to save money and they may offer their services to help.

{Guest List} Unfortunately, one of the major ways to save money is to limit your guest list. You cut the cost down on virtually everything...food, alcohol, flowers, favors, etc.

{Resources} Consult websites and all of the resources available to you like Wedding Channel and The Knot. Make sure to stay organized and keep track of your budget to plan and control costs. If you have your budget in mind, there will always be a way to save money without sacrificing your style.

{WeddingChannel.com, DIYBudgetWeddings.com, APaperProposal.com}

{Day #7} Themed Parties

I am a themer (not a word, I know). I theme Christmas presents for my family, Halloween costumes, Family pictures, Easter baskets, you name it! A good themed party is one of my all time favorite things to plan. What a theme does is give you an overall direction of where your party should go and decision making more manageable. And believe me, life is so much easier when you have direction to follow!

The first step is to choose a theme. A theme will allow for a consistent overall look and feel of the party. An example of a theme is Moulin Rouge. Sometimes themes are just the colors you choose, so don't get bogged down if you can't come up with a name. Your wedding can even have a theme (I wanted mine to be Vintage Romance). After you have picked your theme, choose a color palette that coordinates with that theme. A Moulin Rouge party will have a red-and-black palette, reminiscent of the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Invitations, decor, food, music and party favors will feel consistent with the theme. Find decorations inspired by turn-of-the-century Parisian cabaret. Food can be served from a buffet of French delicacies and Champagne, while the Moulin Rouge soundtrack is playing in the background. Guests can receive the Moulin Rouge DVD or CD as a party favor. Be strategic with decor. If your event is at home, ask yourself how you can transform your house to fit the theme. If you are holding your party at a venue, take pictures of the entire room and choose decor that works well with the space. Mix solid colors with your theme so as not to go overboard (for a zebra party, use only accents of zebra print with black, white and hot pink).

Here is a collage of some of my favorite themed parties I have planned: Summer Soiree, Tailgate Party, Italian Mob Boss, Ruby Anniversary, Sweet Baby Shower, and Tiffany Bridal Shower...

{Day 5} Ways for a Stress Free Wedding

Weddings can be very stressful. It’s your “big day,” and there’s a lot of pressure to make everything perfect. But it’s also supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life. Instead of worrying that every last detail works out perfectly, try to relax and enjoy the day. It will go by faster than you know it, and you’ll only be left with the memories.

You do have a choice in the matter. How you approach the wedding planning and the people you work with will decide how your experience goes. Things can and do go wrong, however if you let it ruin the entire process, then you are the one that suffers. Cope with things the best you can and know it will work out in the end.

Here are some ways to help you stay stress-free and relax (as much as you can):

1. {Remember the Reason} why you are doing this in the first place. You are declaring your love in front of your nearest and dearest family and friends and joining with your love for the rest of your life. Is there really anything more important than that?

2. {Have a Good Attitude} It’s true that life is what we make of it. If you go into wedding planning with a negative attitude, then things will go wrong. If you have a positive attitude, things tend to fall into place. A better attitude also makes people want to work with you and do their best for you. Who wants to work with Bridezilla? Remember, your wedding is going to be incredible and beautiful as long as you see it that way. Your guests will also pick up on your feelings, so spread a little happiness and let yourself enjoy the planning, the day and the celebration.

3. {Stay Organized} Creating a binder with all the information related to your planning can help you stay organized. Having timelines and lists can help you to ensure that you are staying on track so you don’t have to worry that you are missing important deadlines. Keep all your notes, swatches, ideas, contracts, to-do lists, and more in the binder.

4. {Set Boundaries} Weddings are an exciting time, and everyone wants to help by offering opinions and advice. This is your wedding. Do what makes you happy and comfortable. Thank your friends and family for their good intentions, but draw firm boundaries for what you will and will not accept. Try to include friends in other ways by asking for help dress shopping or mailing out invitations.

5. {Hire professionals} Don’t want to plan it yourself? Hire a planner! A certified wedding planner will guide you effortlessly through the process by sharing advice and overseeing the details for you. Even if you can’t afford to hire a wedding planner, be sure to hire other professionals for your wedding, including the photographer, caterer and DJ. Don’t trust these tasks to friends or family members. They may be well-meaning (and even offer you a discount), but hiring them can create awkwardness or tension if things don’t go according to plan. By hiring professionals with experience to do the job, you can trust that your event will run smoothly and you won’t have to worry.

6. {Track your budget} Use a spreadsheet or financial tracking software to log all your wedding-related expenses, so that you know exactly how much you have spent at any given moment. If you need to, keep a separate checking account from which to pay wedding expenses. Of course, before you ever start spending, you should make a clear budget of how much you intend to spend. Unexpected expenses may arise, but you should have a good idea of how much you would like to spend on each line item (photographer, caterer, flowers, etc.) and put a cap on how much you will spend in total.

7. {First Thought ,Best Thought} When you make a decision, let that be it. Don’t second-guess yourself. Once you’ve decided, then go to the next decision otherwise you will make yourself crazy. There are so many options for dresses, hair, table settings and more. You know what you like, so go for it and don’t waste time with regrets.

8. {Love Your Family} You don’t have to love your family all the time, but on your wedding day, show them some love. Put past differences behind you and be gracious. If you are negative, that negativity will spread and you’ll end up being upset. If you encounter someone who is rude or disrespectful, then walk away and don’t waste any energy on it. Be kind and loving and it will come back to you.

{jukeboxxmedia.com; perfectweddingplanningtips.com}

Day 3 - Let them Eat Cake {and Other Sweet Treats}!

Let's face it, everyone enjoys a great piece of cake! A wedding just isn't complete without that perfect cake and the stylish bride wants a cake just as trendsetting as she is. The cake cutting is so full of tradition and did you know, it is one of the most photographed moments of your wedding day? With that being said, you must know the Hottest Cake Trends of the year...

{Dress Details} 

These cakes are a great example on how to design a cake around your beautiful wedding gown. Details such as embroidery, lace patterns, even ribbons, sashes and jewels can be mimicked on the cake! {WhiteFlowerCake.com; CakeParlour.com}

{Vintage Details}

Have a broach detail integrated to create a glam vintage look into your cake. The cakes are striking and gorgeous! {WhiteFlowerCake.com; CakeParlour.com; RebeccaCalagna.com}

{Towering}

Cakes are getting taller to create that WOW factor! Really towering cakes are normally for more formal weddings but whether you have more layers because you need them or want to add a fake tier to get the height, stack them high for drama. {TheBeautyBridal.com}

{Two Tiered}

A bit more rustic and vintage, have your baker double stack two cakes and frost together for height. Or if your wedding {and your budget} is smaller, put your cake on a fabulous stand to add the height and drama {TheBeautyBridal.com}

{Toppers}

Flowers, sculptures, and large monogram letters are still replacing the traditional bride and groom wedding topper. You can find gorgeous cake jewelry in the {Shop}. {RebeccaCalagna.com}

{Cake Flavor}

Being bold and dramatic with cake flavor is in. Try {the dramatic looking} Red Velvet, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate orange, Vanilla Bean, Almond, Lemon or Orange and fill them with something nice like dark or white chocolate ganache or Caramel Buttercream. Your guests will thank you for it!

{Other Sweet Treats}

Cupcakes are still a growing trend, along with candy buffets and dessert bars. Mix things up a bit and give your guests some selection. Get a smaller cake and offer cupcakes, tarts, cookies, cake pops, any kind of baked goods and make a beautiful display out of it. This is great to add focus to an otherwise useless wall or corner of your venue too. They also take place of the traditional wedding favor {MySweetandSaucy.com, RebeccaCalagna.com}

Remember ...

{Life is Short, Eat Dessert First!!!!}

{Day 2} How do you define love?

How can one truly define what love it? Love lies in your heart. It is an unconditional emotional investment in the other person. It leaves you wanting only the best goodwill for the other; wanting to protect the other from evil and even lay your life on the line for that person.

I believe that love is ever growing and changing. When I met my husband 13 years ago, I loved him as a college friend. He grew to be my FIRST LOVE as a boyfriend and then my Husband. Since those almost 7 years have passed, my love has grown deeper than I could imagine by watching him be the Father he is to my children and the Man he has become.

The definition of love differs from person to person, and there are many types of love based on the object of your affection, be it your parents, your soul-mate, your friend or your child. The first time I looked into both of my children's eyes, I instantly found out how deeply and unconditionally you could care for someone who depends solely on you.

I will leave you with the words that define Love in the Bible and that are so commonly used in my industry when joining two people together...