Tag Archives: Matrimony Monday

August 13, 2012 · 12:03 pm

Matrimony Monday: How to be a stress-free bride

This is my LAST Matrimony Monday post. I loved writing this series and I hope brides and future brides found Matrimony Monday fun and helpful. For my finale, I want to give some quick tips for how to stay moderately stress-free leading up to and on your wedding day. Now, it is nearly impossible to stay completely stress free, but there is no reason to turn into bridezilla.

♥Don’t DIY if you aren’t an artsy person: I blame the DIY movement on Pinterest and wedding blogs. There will be these immaculate wedding photos with a caption like “with a roll of burlap, some mason jars, and a needle you can create the wedding of your dreams!” Now, if you are an artistic person, please disregard this tip. If you aren’t, save yourself the heartache and hire someone to do the creative legwork for you. In the long run, it is cheaper then trying to re-do your failed art projects over and over. No one wants to walk in on you crying, devastated, and surrounded by sad wads of tissue paper that are supposed to be Martha Stewart’s tissue paper pom-poms.

♥ Hire a day-of planner: Do it. I realized at my rehearsal dinner that people ask questions incessantly on your wedding weekend. If you don’t have a wedding planner, you have to come up with the answers yourself. If you do have a wedding planner, then you can play dumb. And let me tell you, the ability to play dumb on your wedding weekend is the greatest gift you can give yourself.

♥ If you can’t pay for it; don’t do it: Do not put yourself in a position where you go into debt for your wedding. Pay for everything in cash and in full before your wedding day. The last thing you want is a boatload of bills waiting for you after your honeymoon.

♥ Set goals and ask for help: Don’t forget to set planning goals. They don’t have to be anything elaborate, just simple things like “hire a florist at the end of the month.” Be sure to stick to them. If you have any trouble, ask people for help. Buy a bottle of wine, invite your girlfriends and bridal party over and go to town making favors or planning your menu.

♥ Have fun: Remember how I said weddings are fun? Well they are. Don’t forget that at the end of the day, you are planning a celebration of your love! Keep your eye on the prize and when there’s a typo on your invite or your bustle breaks you won’t feel like your life is over.

photo from weddingbee

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July 30, 2012 · 11:43 am

Matrimony Monday: How to be a great wedding guest

Attending weddings is one of my favorite things to do. Everyone is happy and dancing and having a good time. Planning my wedding taught me even more about how to be a great guest. I compiled a list below to help you (and me) be the best wedding guest ever.

♥ Pay attention to the invitation: The invite will tell you everything you need to know about the wedding. There are two important things to pay extra close attention to: the people named on the invite and the date on the rsvp. The people listed on the invite are the only people invited. Bringing an uninvited guest could cause issues with seating and available food. Secondly, the bride and groom want to know if you can make it (they are also loving the influx of mail they are currently getting)! Be sure to rsvp promptly so they can make all the necessary arrangements for you.

♥ Sign out during the important parts: During the ceremony, the speeches, the first dance, and other key wedding moments don’t text, Facebook, Instagram, FourSquare or anything like that. Pay attention, smile, snap one or two photos, say things like “aww” and “how nice”. In short, be present.

♥ Stay: Most weddings are about six or seven hours (combining ceremony, cocktail hour and reception time). During that time you are bombarded by free food, free drinks, happy people and general merriment. It’s awesome. So don’t leave halfway through. Really, what else do you have to do? Stay! Dance, chat, eat drink and be merry. If you ditch after dinner, the bride and groom are entitled to give you the side-eye.

♥ Dance: Music+free liquor=a good time. That equation is a proven fact. Get up and dance. Even if you “can’t dance” just do it. Good music and dancing makes everything more fun. If it didn’t then why are shows like Glee so successful? If you are that girl/guy in the back texting and eyeing the coat closet you probably shouldn’t attend anymore weddings. Ever. They aren’t for you.

♥ Bring a card: Weddings can be expensive for everyone involved, including the guests. So if you are planning to send a gift to the couple at a later date that is fine (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise). You should always bring a card, though. And leave a nice note inside, too. Little things like that make a big difference.

♥ Talk to people: Remember how I said everyone is happy at weddings? Well they are. So talk to people! Ask them to dance, too. Weddings are a great time to see people at their best. So don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to strangers.

♥ Show Up: Here’s a way to become really unpopular really fast. RSVP yes and then don’t show up, with no explantation at all. It is one thing if you call the bride or groom in advance and let them know you can’t make it. Things come up, that is understandable. However, if you are a straight up no show, expect a cold shoulder or two.

♥ RSVP “No” if you don’t want to go: Remember, you are the master of your own social calendar — and your own bank account. A wedding invite does not mean you have to attend. Obviously, the couple wants everyone they invite at their wedding. However, the bride and groom don’t want Moaning Myrtle at their wedding either. So if you don’t have the cash or you are not on good terms with love at the moment. Don’t go. It will be fine.

♥ Dress nicely: Use this mantra: This is a wedding, not a night club. Chant the mantra multiple times as you give yourself a once over in the mirror. If you begin to feel pangs of self doubt after the third or fourth chant, you should rethink your look. Also, if you have to text a friend and ask if your dress has “too much white in it” – it does, so you should pick another dress. Oh and don’t wear jeans. Ever. Even if the invite says “casual”. Stay strong and resist the pull of denim, comrade!

all photos via Katelyn James

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July 23, 2012 · 11:30 am

Matrimony Monday: How to pick a cute bridesmaids dress so that everyone won’t hate you

Bridesmaids dress shopping can be a daunting task. Trust me, I know. Because my bridesmaids live in a different state than I do, I was really only able to go bridesmaid dress shopping with my sister. We ultimately chose a dress based on whatever looked best on her. I was lucky because my bridesmaids are like supermodels and can wear a potato sack and look amazing. They were also really easy to work with and would have worn anything I told them to. In the end, despite the disjointed dress picking, they truly looked absolutely amazing at the wedding.

However, I don’t recommend that everyone take my disjointed approach to picking a dress. Here are some quick dress-picking how-tos so that your bridesmaids don’t rebel against you.

1. Pick a dress that is affordable: This is the most important tip. Unless you happen to have a bunch of friends who are heiresses don’t pick a custom made, Vera Wang bridemaid’s dress. Weddings are very expensive for everyone involved. Also, let’s be honest, your ladies probably won’t wear the dress you picked again. So be very mindful of the price when you pick a dress. You don’t want your bffs going broke just to make you happy on the Big Day!

2. The beauty is in the details: Simple is usually best when it comes to pleasing all of your maids. However, some details around the collar can make the dress you pick feel extra special and glam. Also, little details on the dresses can add great visual interest to your photos.

Bold Patterns: On the flip side, if plain just isn’t your game, don’t be afraid to play with patterns. A fun, bold floral pattern is absolutely gorgeous for a summer wedding, and is a great contrast to your all-white gown. You can even have your maids wear Lilly Pulitzer dresses that come in a variety of great patterns and can be worn more than once.

3. Long, flowing dresses: Long dresses are back in a big way and are perfect for a wedding. I find that long, flowing, neutral colored, chiffon dresses are universally wearable. The light, airy flow of a chiffon gown is so ethereal that your bridesmaids will truly look like goddesses.

Mix ‘n’ match: One of the most popular approaches right now is to let your bridesmaids do their own thing and pick their own dress. This is a great approach when you have a large bridal party and there is no way that you will be able to please everyone. Be advised that this approach requires a level of trust that some brides are not willing to bestow. Even still, when done right, mismatched bridesmaids dresses are absolutely stunning.

When in doubt, go black or white: I have yet to see a bridesmaid in black that didn’t look stunning and chic. The little black dress is always a wardrobe staple. If you are having a tough time choosing a universally flattering dress color. Go black. And who says the bride is the only one who can wear white? A throng of girls in white can make your wedding look that much more heavenly and romantic.

photo source: Style Me Pretty

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July 16, 2012 · 11:28 am

Matrimony Monday: 6 tips to find the perfect wedding photographer

Your photographer is undoubtably the most important person you will hire to be part of your wedding day. He or she will be in charge of capturing photos that will last a lifetime. You don’t want to show your grandchildren wedding photos that you aren’t totally in love with, right? I didn’t think so. Here are a few tips to ensure you are getting the best possible wedding photography.

1. Use the Internet: Photographers are more accessible now than they ever have been. Between beautifully laid out blogs, stunning websites, Pinterest, and Facebook, seeing a photographer’s most current work is easier than ever. Before you choose who will photograph your wedding, follow your top three photographers online for a while to make sure their style perfectly fits into your vision.

2. Talk to your friends: Have married friends? Ask them about their wedding photographer. The great thing about brides is that I have never met one who hasn’t done her research. Another bride probably has a wealth of knowledge she can share. Ask her what she liked and didn’t like about her photographer. She may bring up issues you probably never thought of. For example, I had a friend whose photographer left in the middle of her reception because “time was up”! After learning that, I made sure I found a photographer who was willing to stay the whole night.

3. Don’t be scared to reach out: Torn between two photographers? Ask them out for coffee dates if you can! Now, I don’t recommend doing this with more than two or three photographers. Photographers tend to be very nice people and you don’t want to confuse yourself. However, going out with two potential photographers can really help you make your choice. Bonding with your photographer is important and can make a difference in the type of photos you get.

4. Don’t be afraid to spend some coin: Modern day brides plan their wedding on a budget. After all, there are many more important things to spend your hard earned money on, right? If you are working on a very limited budget, don’t skimp on your photographer. A good photographer will capture the magic of your day, even if David Tutera wasn’t your planner.

5. Do an engagement session: An engagement session is like a rehearsal for your big day. You may have stalked your photographer online for months, but an engagement session is the time when you can truly see what it is like to work with your wedding photographer, and know what to expect on the big day. An engagement session is also a great time for your fiance. Boys usually aren’t as excited about pictures as we ladies are. An engagement session is a great time to get your guy prepped for what the wedding day will be like.

6. Let your photographer do her job: You did your research, picked your favorite photographer, and your wedding day is here! Now it is time for you to relax and let your photographer do her job. Don’t tell her that she is “too close” or that the location she picked is “weird”. Just relax and go with it. Embrace the locations she chooses and the poses she puts you in. Have fun and relax and I promise your wedding photos will be everything you dreamed of.

all photos by Katelyn James

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July 9, 2012 · 12:22 pm

Matrimony Monday: Baby’s Breath in Overdrive

I love flowers. They are gorgeous. They smell good. They brighten up a room — in general, they make the world a better place.

But, flowers are expensive.

I wanted lots of flowers at my wedding. I also wanted high impact flowers. Despite my high demands, I didn’t want my florals to put me in the poor house. The solution? Baby’s breath! Who knew a filler flower was the best thing ever created? For a bride that wants flowers to be a major part of her wedding, but doesn’t exactly have unlimited funds to pay for them, I highly recommend baby’s breath (though, to be totally transparent, I still overspent in terms of florals. That is only because I have a hard time controlling myself).

Oh, I also recommend hiring the perfect florist. I used Janie Medley of JM Flora Design, the same lovely lady who writes The Bride’s Cafe. I was not exactly specific with her in terms of my flower vision. I essentially just told Janie I wanted lots of baby’s breath, some other white florals and sent her a few photos for inspiration. The photos below are what she came up with. It took my breath away (no pun intended).

What is/was your vision for your wedding florals?

all photos by Katelyn James

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June 25, 2012 · 6:57 pm

Matrimony Monday: Getting Ready

I feel like there needs to be a study on the therapeutic effects getting ready can have on women. I mean seriously, how fun is getting ready for a party with your girlfriends? The music is blaring, the wine is flowing and everyone looks so cute. Getting ready is ALWAYS better than the actual destination you are headed.

Now, I must say that getting married was a million times better than getting ready for the wedding. BUT getting ready was a close second. I had a blast with my mom, my cousin (who was also our hair and makeup artist) and my gorgeous bridesmaids. I tried to keep the whole day very low key and the getting ready part was no exception. We had a gorgeous Chick-fil-A breakfast and spent the bulk of the day watching bad reality tv in Plum Pretty Sugar robes while we waiting for our hair/makeup appointments.

Wanna see some photos?