Tag Archives: wedding planning

Be Engaging

Posted on March 25, 2011 | 1 comment

So, you’re engaged.  Mazel Tov!  Now what?

I was once engaged, and now have friends who are or who will be, and maybe you are, or you have friends/sisters/daughters who are or will be.  Here is where I am going to share some frank advice.

When you are engaged to be married, that is the time between “Will you marry me?” and “I do”.  You might have one of these on your finger, or a string, or maybe you’re not a ring kind of girl – hey, Carrie wanted a closet, no judgement.
Ali Fedotowsky’s Neil Lane Engagement Ring via Stylist.com
Anyway, after you move beyond the proposal and calling your parents, siblings, friends and families, there is a lot to do and consider.  The first thing to remember, tell people before posting on Facebook – some news is worthy of a phone call!

Take the time to enjoy your engagement.  Before buying a magazine, looking at dresses (this might be hard to resist), before even booking a date, take time to enjoy your engagement.  

Be silly, take kissy face pictures, talk with your hands more than normal, tell people you’re affianced, introduce your “fiancee”, get a manicure.

Happily Ever After by Essie
Taking time helps get you ready to plan, which can sometimes feel like the other definitions of “engaged” such as:
  • having ones attention or mind or energy engaged; “she keeps herself fully occupied with vendor phone calls and magazines”
  • involved in military hostilities; “she was engaged in a heated battle for the perfectly pink peony bouquet”
  • booked: reserved in advance; “she has engaged a room block at every hotel within a 10 mile radius of her reception”
  • busy; “she was engaged in all the planning, she forgot to work out, see friends, relax”
To the newly engaged meet some of my favorite friends on the Internet:

And when you’re ready to start planning and talking and looking for inspiration, don’t forget to come here!

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Posted in Advice, Her Weddings + Events, Life Lessons

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It’s the extras…

Posted on July 14, 2010 | 3 comments

I can’t stress enough that the wedding we had was perfect for us. It was our dream wedding. It is my favorite day.

However, that doesn’t mean that in the process of wedding planning I didn’t see many other things that I would have liked to have had. I sometimes joked that I could have planned ten different weddings and each would be unique – but since we’re only doing this once, those other designs and inspiration boards will have to wait for friends’ weddings, renewals and theme parties!

I am a long time fan of the beautiful calligraphy work of Laura Hooper. So much of a fan that at one point I attempted to make “Laura Hooper style Save the Dates”. We obviously went a different route, you can’t beat the real thing. I love her work for the whimsy, and unique heart each piece gets.

Designed by Laura Hooper Calligraphy


Doesn’t this make you feel like you’re about to find a Secret Garden? I love, love, love this lush aisle runner of multi-colored petals. The delighted flower girl seems to agree with me!

Image: Rebecca Thuss

We didn’t serve a signature drink, that was a trend we didn’t jump on. We did serve Champagne immediately after the ceremony. If we went signature, it would have been a mojito (we’re both big fans) and in little glasses like this. I love the idea of miniature food and drinks – and of a drink that reflects the location, or the couple.

A wedding we went to on the Big Island of Hawaii served Champagne with dried hibiscus flowers inside – it was a beautiful, subtle touch of Hawaii.

Here’s a little known secret – you can’t do this look if you’re getting married inside of a hotel, conference center, or restaurant. As devastating as that is, it’s an obvious fire hazard. I love the look of tall tapered candles, so I’ll have to figure out an occasion to incorporate this into eventually.

Image from Martha Stewart

Ever since I saw Father of the Bride, I was smitten with Chivari Chairs. To me they scream wedding. I am really loving them in the soft gold for a classic look and lacquered black for a dramatic, high glamor style.

Image from The Lace House

The sparkler exit… This is something Mark really wanted. I think if our ceremony and reception hadn’t been 4 feet apart this is something we would have done. It’s a beautiful site and totally classic. Ultimately, we didn’t miss it, we had plenty of flash bulbs popping.

Swensen Photography

In wedding planning it’s often the extras and details you really sweat and agonize over. At the end of the day you need three things: a partner, an officiant and a witness, in that moment you’ll find all the sparkle you (or your planner) could ever pay for. The rest is just extras…

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Posted in Advice, Family, Her Inspiration, Her Weddings + Events, Life Lessons, Marriage, Personal, Wedding Inspiration

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