To Choreograph… Or Not To Choreograph?

The words "traditional wedding" are used together less and less often these days. Extra steps (pun intended) are taken by the bride, groom, and wedding planner to ensure that the ceremony and reception reflect the couple's journey to marriage, not to mention their unique personalities.

One tradition that is rarely - if ever - overlooked is the bride and groom's first dance as a married couple. Many newlyweds are taking their killer moves to the next level, opting for an all-out choreographed affair rather than a romantic slow dance. Check out this "Evolution of Dance" spin-off:



How fun is that?! I think it's so cool that the bride and groom are totally letting loose and having a blast. More and more couples are taking dancing lessons prior to their wedding, even if it's just to make sure they can do something other than sway side to side. What do you think? Would you (or did you) choreograph a dance with your groom, or even your wedding party? Did you do it yourselves, or take lessons? Give us all the details in the comments!

How To Handle A Diva Bride (And How Not To Be One!) - Part II

It's time for Part II of our spotlight on Diva brides!

Dealing with a Diva bride - commonly known as "Bridezilla" - can be a sticky situation, made all the more uncomfortable if the bride is a close friend or family member. So how do you put up with the bride's Diva ways, and is it possible to put her in her place without destroying your friendship? Glad you asked.

What do do if you're the friend/bridesmaid/co-worker:
- If you aren't a part of the wedding party, sometimes it's good to simply provide a listening ear and nod empathetically. Any normal girl can seem like a Diva bride if all she needs is a lunchtime venting session. However, if these lunchtime venting sessions turn into a daily ritual, maybe it's best to avoid her until she returns from her honeymoon, tan and in newlywedded bliss.

- If you are a part of the wedding party and the Diva bride's Diva-ness is directly affecting you, perhaps it's time to take some subtle action. Here's one idea. Take the Diva bride out for a cup of coffee. Bring your laptop or a notebook. As you enjoy your lattes, you and the bride can make a checklist of what needs to be done and by when. Let her vent, then subtly suggest some ways she might navigate through a few of her challenges.

- Another helpful hint: if you make a suggestion to a stressed-out Diva bride, try disguising your advice as a question. For example- No: "Just pick out a caterer already!" Yes: "You need to select a caterer? What are your options? Do you want to make a pro/con list?" Questions instead of instructions or suggestions will make the bride less defensive. Often, a Diva bride simply needs to know that someone's in her corner.

- If all else fails, forget subtlety and buy her an early wedding gift.

{Image}

How To Handle A Diva Bride (And How Not To Be One!) - Part I

We've all experienced it... whether as a bridesmaid, a co-worker, or just a quiet observer - the Diva bride. Commonly referred to as "Bridezilla," the Diva bride is said to roam city streets, yelling at cake decorators and photographers, leaving a trail of trampled bridesmaids in her wake.

What do you do if you stumble upon a Diva bride - and happen to be a member of her wedding party? What if you hear someone yelling into her cell phone about how all her friends MUST attend her bachelorette party in Las Vegas NO MATTER WHAT, YES EVEN THE PREGNANT ONE, and when you glance over at her, it's your reflection staring back at you?

Perhaps some stress-relieving tips are in order to keep the upcoming wedding day, be it yours or your best friend's, in perspective.

Part I: If you're the bride...
- Consider hiring a wedding planner. Coming from an event-planning blog, I realize this is biased advice. But a wedding planner or at least a "day of" consultant can handle the details of your wedding day without breaking a sweat. This can really take some weight off of your shoulders. If a wedding planner isn't in your budget, ask a reliable friend (who isn't part of your wedding party) to follow up on the most important day-of details, like the caterer and deejay.

- Be as organized as possible. Whether this means making a checklist using a wedding website or downloading a wedding planning app to your phone, knowing what lies ahead will make for a smoother ride.

- While we're talking organization, here's a good way to make sure you stay on schedule: mark your wedding date in your calendar then move backwards, marking all the important milestones as you go. By important milestones I mean your bachelorette party and bridal shower, along with booking your reception venue, hotel rooms, travel arrangements, and more. I use this strategy for deadlines at work, too.

- This is easier said than done, but try to put yourself in the other person's shoes if something isn't going your way. If a friend can't afford to attend your bachelorette party, if your kooky aunt insists on bringing her equally kooky "friend" Richard, if you hear a rumor about your bridesmaids wanting to throw you off a cliff - take 30 seconds to consider the situation from the other person's perspective before blowing up.

More to come on this topic in Part II of our spotlight on Diva brides. Stay tuned!

{Image}

Welcoming Out-of-Town Wedding Guests

Any bride knows that guests will often travel far and wide to witness your big day and the fun that goes with it. As the bride, you're also playing hostess to your wedding guests. So, how do you make your out-of-town guests feel welcome?

- Create a wedding website listing all the important information - the day and time you plan to tie the knot, the location of your ceremony and reception, and registry information. When you send out your Save the Dates, include your website with your other wedding information. This will appease all your guests, not just the out-of-towners!

- On your wedding website, create a section specifically for out-of-town guests where you can suggest hotels, restaurants, and even tourist activities around your city. If you've blocked rooms at a particular hotel for your wedding weekend, be sure to include this information as well.

- Create "welcome packets" for those staying in a hotel - you can enlist your bridesmaids to help assemble and distribute them. Some ideas of what to throw in: a pocket-sized city guide, a gift card (think $5/person) to a local coffee shop, a list of your favorite restaurants & the location of each, and perhaps a snack like some homemade chocolate chip cookies. You could throw everything into an adorable bag, like this one!

Wouldn't you love to check into your hotel and receive this cute packet upon arrival? What a great way to let your guests know that you're glad they're a part of your wedding.

- In your wedding program, write a special "thank you note" to all of your guests, making special mention of those who traveled long distances to be there.

The most impactful thing you can do is personally greet your out-of-town guests either at your wedding or reception. After all, they've come to see you, so make sure they do just that!

Make Green a Part of Your Wedding

We're not talking about the color green - although I once attended a green & white wedding that just looked so fresh - we're talking about having a Green mindset! A hot topic for today's bride is how to have an eco-friendly wedding without busting your budget. With that in mind, here are a few easy ways for you to save two kinds of Green!

-Use postcards as RSVP reply cards in your invitations, instead of a card that goes into an envelope. Less paper used and less money spent! And be sure to check out our past blog post on wedding invitations made from recycled materials.

-At your rehearsal dinner and wedding reception, make sure guests can put empty bottles in recyclable containers instead of in the trash.

-Make a statement by honeymooning at a solar powered resort.

-Consider having your wedding and reception at one venue. You won't have to worry about (or pay for) transportation for your wedding party, and think of the carbon emissions saved if your guests aren't driving their cars from one place to another.

Case in point: Last summer I attended the wedding of two college friends at the Metropolis Ballroom in Arlington Heights, IL. It was a gorgeous-beyond-belief wedding, and the transformation of the event space from ceremony to reception was incredible.


{Image Source}

-Flowers are pretty much a given in any wedding, but consider flower-free centerpieces for your reception. We did a blog post on centerpieces a while back that might help you brainstorm. I also love the idea of filling apothecary vases with colorful stones, mirror balls, or even tissue paper (which you can recycle later). And if you have to purchase centerpieces, you can sell them on e-bay or craigslist.

Do you have any other Green wedding ideas we haven't mentioned? Tell us below in the comments!

Would you film your wedding and reception?

Ask any bride and she'll tell you that your wedding day goes by in a blur. Hopefully those little moments that make the day special will always stand out in your mind - seeing your groom for the first time that day, how you felt when you heard "you may kiss the bride," hugging your best friend at your wedding reception.



Filming your wedding day would certainly go a long way in capturing all the moments and details that made your day unique. Case in point: Check out this amazing video from Elysium Productions ~

Erin & TJ's Same Day Edit from St. Regis, Monarch Beach from Elysium Productions on Vimeo.

If it was in my budget, I'd certainly want my wedding day captured on film. Would you?

What to Wear to a Wedding: Decoding Dress Codes

The appropriate outfit to wear to a wedding can be a confusing issue. While many wedding invitations don't specify the attire of their guests, some do. With anything from "cocktail attire" to "black tie optional" penned on the invitation (or implied by the bride), it's sometimes hard to know what the fashion expectations are for a wedding. So, here are some suggestions to make your decision a little easier.

If the invitation says...

Business Attire: Another way to say this is Smart Casual. For men, this would mean slacks and a sport coat with a collared shirt and tie. Suits are fine as well. For women, a sheath dress is ideal, and you could liven it up with some fun accessories. These types of outfits are great for a wedding in the late morning or early afternoon.

Cocktail Attire: For men, a dark suit. For women, a short (think knee, not thigh) but formal dress is appropriate. Basically the same as Semi-Formal Attire, this is for a wedding occurring after 5 PM.
Black Tie: Other forms of this might say Black Tie Optional or Black Tie Invited. If it's optional, this gives men the opportunity to wear tuxedos (or formal suits), while women wear anything from cocktail dresses to evening gowns. If "optional" isn't part of the dress code, it's best to be overdressed rather than undressed in my opinion.
Do you have any dress code questions that we haven't answered? Let us know in the comments!

{Special thanks to Polyvore for helping me create the looks you see here.}