Have you always dreamed of getting married outdoors? Whether it’s the beach, a farm, or a large family backyard, there are several things that must be considered when planning this type of wedding. 

Wedding planning can be a lot of fun! Visiting vendors, tasting cake, and trying on beautiful are exciting parts of getting ready for the day you’ve dreamed of.  When planning a wedding, you’re investing a lot of time and money, and you should want to fully understand where your money is going.  That’s where contracts come in! 

Today’s blog was inspired by several episodes of “Say Yes to The Dress,” a very popular show on the TLC Network. In it, cameras are following brides-to-be and their families and friends as they shop for the perfect dress for their wedding day. The things that struck me most were the reactions and behavior of mothers, sisters and friends as the bride goes through the fun, but arduous task of finding just the right dress for her. Here are some tips I’d like to share with those shopping companions. 

Honeymoons are a wonderful way to continue the celebration of your marriage and start your lives together as a couple! It’s the vacation you’ve been looking forward to, after months of wedding planning and preparation. While some couples choose to delay their honeymoon, I encourage couples to start planning it as soon as they start planning their weddings, and to take their honeymoon right after the wedding. 

You’ve imagined what your wedding day would be like for a long time.  Now that you’re engaged and starting to plan your big day, you’re probably starting to realize how much has to be done!   The dress, the food, the venue, the guest list….and this realization is probably stressing you out!   Here are four tips we share with our brides to help you deal with wedding planning stress. 

Hiring a wedding planner is probably one of the most important decisions you can make regarding your wedding.  Before you decide which planner to hire, be sure to ask them these important questions: 

Many brides are considering going the DIY route with their wedding.  They are planning to create their own invitations, favors, and centerpieces, along with even doing their own hair and makeup.  While handling some things yourself can save you money, there are a few things you should consider before you decide to take this path. 

Many brides I speak with want the experience of planning their own weddings.  But they also recognize that in order for their plans to come to fruition as they envision them, there must be someone responsible for implementing their carefully laid plans.  Instead of leaving this important job to the mother of the bride or maid of honor (who both want to enjoy the wedding), more and more brides are deciding to hire a month-of (also known as day-of) coordinator.  To find out more about what a month-of coordinator does, click here to read one of our past blogs.  For today’s article, I’d like to answer some questions I am frequently asked about this service. 

There are several extremely important decisions that must be made during wedding planning (your wedding date and venue are two of them).  Another very critical decision is regarding your caterer.  You want your guests to enjoy the food and beverages that are served at your wedding, and you want the service to be impeccable (there’s nothing worse than bad food or service at a wedding reception!)   Here are some important questions to ask a potential caterer: