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Bridal Show Survival Tips
1. Do not be pressured to sign a contract or put down a deposit at the bridal show! Go home and review the vendor’s printed material from the show and check out their website to learn more about their company before making your decision.

2. If a vendor is offering show discounts ONLY during the show, walk…or run the other way! Most reputable vendors will offer their discount for the week after the show, or longer.

3. While you are at the show, you may want to set up appointments with some of the vendors that you want to find out more about their services.

4. Before the show, print peel off labels that have your name, wedding date, phone number, and email address. Many of the vendor booths will have the opportunity to register for a giveaway. If you have labels, it will save you having to fill out all those information cards.

5. Walking the aisles of the bridal show can be overwhelming. Bring someone with you that can help you collect all the printed material.

6. Separate the printed material into two bags. In your friend’s bag, place the printed items that you are not really interested in.
     a. As you talk to vendors, write a note to yourself on the printed material that they give you to  help you to remember them later.

     b. Focus on the vendors that you still need to hire. If you have already selected a DJ for your wedding, do not spend your time and energy talking to DJs at the bridal show.

     c. Wear comfortable shoes and plan to spend several hours collecting information and  talking to the vendors.

7. If you already have your wedding dress, skip the fashion show and concentrate on the vendor booths.

8. Talk to the vendors! This is a great time to ask the wedding professionals questions that you have about their services.

9. Have fun! Do not be overwhelmed. Remember, you are not making any major decisions during the show. Your goal is to talk to some of the vendors and collect literature that you can read at home.

If you attend the Dallas Bridal Show on January 23-24, please stop by our booth and say hi...and have some chocolate kisses. We love talking to brides!
Karen

When the Venue Closes Before Your Wedding Date...Don't Panic!

Imagine getting a phone call saying that someone had heard that your reception venue was closing…and your wedding is nine weeks away! Last week, this happened to one of our brides.

She called to let us know what she had heard and that she was on her way to the venue with a copy of her contract. We sprang into action contacting venues in the same general area hoping they had her wedding date available.

The past few days, she has visited numerous venues trying to find a good replacement for her original venue that she considered ideal. Not only is there the challenge of finding a venue that is available on such short notice, but she wants to find a location that she loves…and is within her budget. Many brides might visit a handful of venues before making a decision about their wedding location. This organized and resourceful bride visited 40 venues before she decided on her perfect one…and that was seven months ago. And now she is doing it all over again…9 weeks before her wedding. True to her character, she has remained calm, practical and determined.

The good news is that even though her original venue site is no longer available, the catering company is still in business and they will give her a full refund if she is unable to use their services due to her replacement venue’s restrictions.

What are the lessons to be learned from all of this?

1. Try to remain calm. It is human nature that your first reaction will be to PANIC, but take a deep breath and know that the dust will settle, and a solution will be found.

2. Some things are out of your control. This may difficult to accept, but it is reality.

3. Focus on the things that you DO have control over…

4. Rally the forces. If something happens to one of the wedding professionals that you have selected, contact your wedding planner or other wedding vendors and ask for their help. Due to their experience in the industry, they will be able to provide a list of possible replacements.

5. Do your homework. This advice is for newly engaged couples who are just beginning the wedding planning process. Thoroughly research vendors and check their references. If you have connected with a vendor and feel that you can trust their judgment, ask them to recommend reputable vendors. Ask other brides for vendor referrals. They can tell you their favorite vendors and which ones to stay away from. By doing your homework, you can minimize potential pitfalls, but also remember Rule #2.

6. Put things into perspective. You are in love, you have found the person that you want to share the rest of your life with…everything else is secondary.
Karen


Photographer Jon Day

Laura & Mark
are the lastest winners of our free wedding coordination package. Congratulations!

Princess Bride

I know every girl feels like a princess on her wedding day but Cyndi Hill Gomez truly looked like Cinderella. Especially right before the wedding, when she was running down the steps in her sparkling high heels to see Jesse for the first time. She could not contain her joy or excitement for this moment and it made me a believer in seeing each other privately before the wedding. My roots to tradition are being tugged at a lot these days and here is another one where I can see value in choosing either way. There just is not one "right" way to do things anymore. (Sorry Mom!)

I just love this picture right before she put on her veil. I saw her mother beaming at her and called her over and this charming picture was the result.

Since our job is so busy before and during the ceremony I don't have pics at that time....except this one of Bruce our runaway ring bearer..... in gloves. He came back in time for his entrance and he did a superb job!!














Cyndi's little sister was a precious flower girl who you can see enjoyed twirling on the dance floor. She adored her long dress and I could just see her dreaming of the day when she is a bride!

 

One of the sweetest moments of the evening was when Jesse sang to Cyndi








As you can see she was touched also!

Kathy lent her creativity to the decor last night and she always amazes me by adding some touches that just make it look great! Someone said that Love is in the details and if so she added lots of love last night! My partners are amazing and once again I marveled at how our talents blend together so sweetly! More to come later in the week as I introduce you to some of the awesome vendors that we worked with that night!
Blissfully,
Beth

It's Easy to Go Green!

Last week someone asked me how they could add some EASY eco friendly touches to their wedding.

The following ideas were the first things that came to mind because they are
SIMPLE to include:

* create a wedding website and have the guests RSVP on your site

* choose to have your ceremony and reception at the same location

* donate to a charity in the name of your guests instead of giving favors

* have your invitations printed on recycled paper

* create a beautiful save-the-date design and send the image in an email to your guestlist or post the image on your wedding website

* if you decide that you would like for your guests to receive a favor, there are many variations of the plantable seed card made from recyled paper (see picture above)

The amount of green touches that a bride chooses to include in their wedding should be made on an individual basis. Planning a wedding involves many personalized decisions...so do what is best for you and your unique situation.
Karen

The Tribute
Kathy and I braved the cold winds Monday to visit The Tribute with our newest bride-to-be Kelly, her fiancee Mike and her family. This will be our first wedding at the Tribute and we were really impressed with the facility. It has so much to offer. First of all, we met with Bethenny, one of the event coordinators, and she was delightfully helpful. She took us on a tour to see the various choices for the ceremony. Kelly can choose from the ballroom, the outdoor gazebo or the rooftop terrace. In addition to the meeting rooms, The Tribute offers a very manly study complete with flat screen TV, leather couches, fireplace, and video games for the groomsmen (hope you can convince them to leave when it is time!). And for the ladies, well they are in for a treat as they have a huge suite also with couches, fireplace, TV, and a patio with a beautiful view overlooking the golf course. The Tribute also offers a small amount of rooms for out of town guests and a lavish Bridal Suite for the couple on their first night.This eliminates the need for a getaway car although they do provide a getaway golf cart for your departure from the reception.
Beth

Old Red Museum

Cyndi Hill is getting married at the beginning of January. We met with Cyndi and her mother for our final visit to the Old Red Museum. It is neat to be using such a historical location but with that come some restrictions that need to be respected. Since the building is not equipped with fire sprinklers (hard for me to hear since my husband owns a fire sprinkler company!), no candles are allowed. Another requirement that we have not dealt with before is that the caterer has to take all their trash with them…actually put it in their truck as the building does not have dumpsters. Luckily, Cyndi is working with Celebration Catering and they are familiar with the rules at Old Red Museum.

Cyndi has such a sweet heart for people and her emphasis is totally on the true meaning of the ceremony. I am excited to be a part of such a loving couple's wedding! What a great way to start of the new year! Blissfully, Beth

Photo courtesy of Blue Sunshine Photography

Geoff Duncan Photography

It was good to see an old friend today. Geoff is an amazing photographer and I'm so happy that his business is booming. If you are looking for unique, fun, and creative photos for your engagement, bridal, and wedding pictures, you should check out Geoff Duncan Photography.

Laura & Russell's wedding

                

Photos courtesy of Allison Davis Photography