Hottest New Wedding Decor Trends for 2012

Hottest New Wedding Decor Trends for 2012

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Hottest New Wedding Decor Trends for 2012
wedding trends, wedding ideas, wedding planning, event designers, wedding designers, wedding planning software, exotic wedding flowers,

Eleven Strategies to Neutralize Wedding Planning Stress

Eleven Strategies to Neutralize Wedding Planning Stress

by: Jeanette Shinn



We might as well get it out in the open. Planning a wedding is not a big job. It is a huge job somewhat akin to staging a Broadway musical, minus the cast of experienced participants. To make matters worse, the more guests that are invited, the more formal the event, the more complex the plans, the bigger the job is. That means stress. Lots of it. There is no way to get around it, but there are ways to neutralize wedding planning stress.

Moreover, since the female mind tends to place more value on the festivities of the day than the male mind does, chances are the groom is not going to take the lead planning the day. This means that the stress of wedding planning is generally felt more acutely by the bride.

Indeed, many brides feel like their groom does not care, thus increasing their stress. Whether or not their perception is true, the reality of the perception is enough to leave most brides pulling their hair out.

The secret to maintaining sanity during the wedding planning process is to maintain a bag of tricks that will allow the bride to minimize the stress, whether by strategically recruiting others to do some of the work or by scheduling events designed specifically to help her unwind before she unravels.

Take a Trip to the Spa: Often brides will plan a trip to the spa with their bridesmaids in the week just before the wedding. That can be good, but it might not be enough. There is nothing that will release stress faster than being pampered while you lay on a warm table immersed in a soothing fragrance and surrounded by relaxing music. Can't afford trips to the spa? Not a problem. A bride with a limited budget can recruit a good friend to help her create her own spa experience with aromatic touches, soft music, and a homemade facial mask or body peel.

Hire a Wedding Planner: A wedding planner who has been around the block a time or two offers something very few brides have... experience. They know people in the business, they know how to deal with wedding professionals, they have handled the problems that inevitably come up with planning a wedding, they have handled drunk relatives, etc. Most of all they know what to expect and what is a problem and what is not so the bride does not have to waste stress over situations that are not really a problem.

Have the Groom Break out the Digital Camera, Camcorder, and Laptop: Guys love their toys... and most guys love anything high tech. So recruit them to set up a wedding website - through which you can have them post wedding registry information, track RSVP's share engagement photo's and videos - even send out invitations, or at least have them use the computer to print the invitations and create address labels. You get the idea. Getting rid of such a huge amount of work in a way that he will embrace gladly will reduce any bride's stress level.

Go Out to Dinner: Take the time to sit and enjoy a good, high quality meal. Eat something healthy. This is as much about good nutrition as it is about a change of pace. Our bodies needs the change of pace that sitting down to a good meal will provide and it also needs nutrition rich foods to help deal with the stress planning a wedding can bring. Going out and having someone wait on us for a change is part of the therapy. Who the bride chooses for company is her decision, as long as it takes her away from wedding planning activities during the meal.

Take a Bath: There is nothing like soaking in a hot tub treated with scented bath salts, while reading a good book by the light of the candles ringing the tub. Add a glass of a favorite sipping drink and watch the stress melt.

Pray / Meditate: One of the main initial benefits of prayer and meditation is that it helps to put everything into perspective. Set against the vast nature of God and creation our problems look rather tiny. When we see the things that are causing our stress in this light it should be easy to let the stress go.

Take in a Chic Flick: Sometimes girls have to be girls. A wise bride will choose some time to send the guys off to be a guy and then grab a girlfriend with whom she can let down her hair and be a girl. Laugh, cry, enjoy.

Go to the Gym: Scientist tell us that working out is a great way to vent stress from our systems. In part, at least, this is because exercise triggers the body to release endorphins - a chemical our bodies put out that is far more potent than morphine. Furthermore, working out has the added benefit of toning our bodies - so we are further along in the process of avoiding stress about fitting into that dress!

Get Active: Anything active that has nothing to do with wedding planning. Learn to wind surf. Go for a hike, ride horses, go for a walk on the beach. This will provide some of the same benefits as going to the gym, but more importantly it will provide the body with a change of pace. The change of pace will not only go a long way to purging the wedding planning stress but it is likely to provide an answer to a question the bride did not even know she was pondering.

Put Together a Wedding Survival Kit for Both the Bride and the Groom: We've all heard the nightmare stories about the bride who flipped out because no one thought to bring extra nail polish remover, or a bobby pin, or a band aid, or stain remover. There are so many little things that could go wrong that could be prevented by compiling or buying a kit with all those incidentals that we all need on occasion and might otherwise require a special trip to the local corner market just when the photographer needs to start the photographs.

Get Away as a Couple: Take time away from the wedding planning to work on the relationship. It is, after all, what the wedding celebration is all about. Unfortunately, wedding planning has a way of driving wedges between couples due to the busy nature of the time period. Reinforcing the love relationship is an efficient way of minimizing the stress since a team is always stronger than the two individuals.

Taking the time to purge the stress is worth the investment though often it seems too much effort. The rewards in sanity, physical health, and most importantly strengthened relationships can only serve to make the celebration better. If it means simplifying some wedding plans due to the time a bride took to neutralize her wedding planning stress, the exchange will be well worth it.

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Should Your Family Be a Part Of, Or Apart From, Planning Your Wedding?

Should Your Family Be a Part Of, Or Apart From, Planning Your Wedding?

By: Timory Koch

As a wedding planner I have a lot of experience dealing with the families of the bride and groom. The most likely to be involved are the mother of the bride (M.O.B.) and the sister of the bride. Often there is a parent who is paying for some or all of the wedding and wants to know that their money is safe and in good hands. Sometimes someone wants to be intricately involved and receive a copy of most emails. Either way is fine with us - we are here to serve you in whatever way makes the whole wedding most enjoyable and easeful for you!

We at Aloha Ever After say it is completely up to you how much (or how little) your family is involved in the wedding planning process. Now here is the real question: how much do you think they should be involved?

When you think of planning your wedding with your mother, mother-in-law, father etc. … how do you feel? Does your stomach get tense or do you smile? Does your mind start immediately with worries or do you feel like a load is being taken off your shoulders? The answer lies in your response to such questions as these.

There are many families who are not involved at all with our weddings. Sometimes they are not even present for the wedding; other times part of the family is able to make it out to help the couple celebrate. (Lucky for them it’s such a gorgeous event … after all, how much more beautiful can you get for a location than a Kauai beach wedding for example?) Sometimes the family is only the lucky recipient of some beautiful Hawaii wedding photography because they had to stay at home for one reason or another. As you can see, there is a huge variance of involvement by families.

If you have a good relationship with someone in your family it can be a great benefit to planning your California destination wedding, or a wedding anywhere for that matter. Since you will not be at home it can be useful to have someone be your helper. In our opinion enjoying your wedding and enjoying planning your wedding are of the utmost importance. One of the most important ways to help create this ease is to delegate! (Delegate, delegate, and then delegate a little more!)

You will find that most people are so happy that you are getting married, happy that you’re in love, happy to be included, happy that you’re getting married on a beautiful tropical island etc., that they would love to help out! So send them to pick up your wedding dress at the cleaners. Ask them (or us) to research the closest dry cleaners to your hotel. Give them the list of important tasks to be done the 48 hours before your wedding. Here is a brief list of things that should be delegated to someone other than the bride and groom:

- Cleaning of anything (gowns, shoes, vacation rental, etc.)

- Buying gifts for guests, family etc.

- Putting someone in charge of which photos you want taken after the ceremony. Have them stand next to the photographer and call out the names of the family groupings you’d like to have a picture of before the photographer is ready for them.

- Any computer research. Stick someone else on the computer and go take a walk with your fiancée.

- Finding anything you are looking for in the city of your wedding: (e.g. restaurants, activities, directions). Why not send someone else to the concierge desk or to an activity booth? They’ll have fun and sort out what you need to know and what you don’t.

- Checking last minute details. Give someone a list of numbers, names and instructions. Then relax and let go. Your day will be perfect whether or not it is micro managed by you. Go get a massage.

Remember, this is supposed to be one of the best days of your life. If you’re a stress case and practically fainting from lack of eating and fatigue … will you look back on the day and feel it was everything it could have been?

Look after yourself by delegating, and use the stomach test to help decide how much your family should be part of, or apart from, your wedding planning.

Finding the Humor in your Wedding

Finding the Humor in your Wedding

by: Kari White ~ SEE FULL STORY BELOW PHOTO

Prepare for anything to happen on your wedding day!!

No matter how much preparation you have given to your wedding or reviewed the details; some things can just happen.

One week before my wedding, my father , , , , , (see more before the photo)

Prepare for anything to happen on your wedding day!!

No matter how much preparation you have given to your wedding or reviewed the details; some things can just happen.

One week before my wedding, my father announced he was going in for a major colon operation Unfortunately, there was no way he could re-schedule this operation and there was also no way we could re-schedule the wedding.

We just had to go on. The operation was a success but by the time the wedding hit he was still in the hospital and was only able to come to the wedding to walk me down the aisle. The poor guy helped pay for the party, had tons of friends there and had to leave. It sucked but there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. It was just the way things played out.

You can never know what might happen. But, the main thing is to go on. My dad not being at my wedding was a huge glitch in my day but it also helped me overlook all the other things.

Say for example:

¤ My fiancé getting a black eye the day before the wedding while kickboxing

¤ The spa screwing up my booking for my pedicure and manicure (on the positive, they did get the bridesmaid’s correct)

¤ My aunt spilling a full glass of red wine all down the front of my mothers (pink) dress

¤ Scrambling for a place for pictures as the weather wasn’t cooperating for outdoor pictures as planned

¤ And the best, a bell man screaming at my husband and I to open our door on our wedding night as he thought we were having a huge party (it was next door) –although my husband always likes saying we made way too much noise that night.

In hindsight, it’s all really humorous (well except my dad part)! Make sure you grab your humour on your wedding day about all the things that are out of your control! If you can’t seem to find the humour, try to do a few relaxation techniques such as:

¤ Tighten the muscles in your toes. Hold for a count of 10. Relax and enjoy the sensation of release from tension.

¤ Breathe deeply and slowly.

¤ Get a quick breath of fresh air! A quick walk can give you a much-needed “time-out” which will release some tension.

Try to also designate someone to take care of details that you just don’t need to worry about. For example, have a friend in charge of the catering or someone for the music etc. When a
problem arises, the bride usually hears and then you can just tell your friend and forget about it. You don’t need to be wasting your time fighting with the catering or disc jockey.

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Wedding Day Disasters, Can Be Avoided! Here's Some Advice

Wedding Day Disasters, Can Be Avoided! Here's Some Advice

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Everyone dreams of having a perfect wedding. However, it is not uncommon for every bride's special day to be plagued with at least one or two wedding disasters. Know several forms of wedding disasters, follow our simple tips on how to deal with a few common wedding day disasters, and realize that a disaster-free wedding day is actually possible.

Wedding planning helps to avoid disasters on your most special day. But despite all efforts to achieve a perfect wedding there will always be small hiccups along the road that could turn your day into a major disaster! With proper planning and a simple change in your priorities you will be able to relax and actually enjoy marrying the person you love.

There seems to be no such thing as a disaster proof wedding. It is not uncommon for couples to find their wedding day to be plagued with one or two significant disaster. This article isn't really so much about how to avoid your wedding disaster, or even how to minimize the wedding disaster potential, but how to handle one so that the disaster does not have to ruin, or even heavily impact, your wedding day.

Planning a wedding is one half optimistic jubilation and dream realization and one half delegation. Division of labor or proper delegation on your wedding day plans may result to a fabulous wedding. If, however, you become too demanding, delegate too heavily and heap piles of responsibilities onto just one or two people, or try to master every chore yourself, you are definitely asking for wedding day disasters to show up and make themselves well known on the big day.

Small Disasters, Large Disasters, and Opportunities

Disasters are going to range from small to large. Anything can happen on a wedding day. The flower girl might wet her pants or the groom might faint, forget his vows, or forget where the church is and what time he is supposed to be there. Using your potential disasters as an opportunity requires a very special mind set, but one that anyone is able to achieve. Weddings become so important, especially to women, because they earmark an event that is "supposed to happen" in a very "specific manner."

When we can start to let go of the "supposed to" and "should" theories, then we can focus in a more determined fashion on what is most vital to us, why we are going through with this highly expensive and taxing endeavor, and how we can make sure we enjoy our own wedding day. For all the money, time, energy, and thought that we put into a wedding, so many men and women alike find that they either barely even remember the day or didn't have time to enjoy the day. We usually spend more money, time, and energy on wedding planning than we do for vacations and yet we don't completely enjoy them or at least remember them? How logical is that?

Turning a problem into an opportunity is not easy, but it is very simple. The primary step is learning to recognize any chance or room for improvement or change from the traditional wedding ceremony. The second is learning to allow yourself an ideal emotional day and let the details fall as close to as you hoped as possible. If your emotional experience is beautiful and life affirming, the physical experience around you will be better.

A Change in Priorities Breathes New Life into Weddings

A simple change in your priorities may be just what you need in order to achieve your perfect wedding. Simple changes in your priorities or minor shift in your perspective might as well change your entire wedding day experience. The ability to be flexible no matter what happens is just the beginning. Nothing will change and it will not make you less joyful while you exchange wedding vows if you allow your flower girl to change into different clothes after she wets her pants. Watching your about to be husband go on the fly when it is his turn to recite his wedding vows allows you to witness honest beauty rather than watching him blow it. These small but vital changes in perspective are a strong piece of bringing together the perfect wedding day. Ditching the ideas of "could be" and "should be" and "want it to be" and transforming your day into an honest celebration of love, family, friends, and the future creates a while new vibe for the entire wedding.

With enough perspective alterations - your wedding day can go from that story book fantasy that ends with a notated disaster that stands to ruin the whole day to a beautiful day without pretense, without judgment, and without emotional distress.

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Wedding Planning on a Budget

(ARA) – As a bride, once your Prince Charming has popped the question and placed the perfect princess cut on your left hand, the last thing you're thinking about is a budget. You've fantasized about your perfect day since childhood and money was never an object. But how are you going to afford that?

While you don't want to sacrifice your dream wedding, you also don't want to demolish your savings. Fortunately, you can still have your cake and eat it too … without paying full price.
Here are some expert tips to stay budget-friendly for your big day.

Propose a budget:
Discussing finances is never easy, but it's an essential conversation before planning your wedding. Traditionally, the bride's family provides a significant financial contribution, so find out what type of funding you might be receiving from this source. However, more and more couples are going it alone these days, so work with your fiance to establish a budget and decide how much each of you can afford to contribute. Decide together what's worth splurging on and where you can save. If a designer dress is a must, consider hiring a D.J. or loading up an iPod instead of a 10-piece band. Don't forget that communication is key -- stay open, honest and committed to your budget.

Commit to research:
Since you're planning your wedding on a budget, you might find that a wedding planner is an expense you can't afford. Instead of hiring outside help, make a list or find a wedding checklist of everything you need to purchase and arrange before your big day. Once you have established exactly what you want, research, research, research. Never buy an item or hire a vendor without doing your homework. Make sure to check out user reviews and read vendor profiles online. A great resource for researching vendors is OneWed.com where you can browse thousands of vendor ratings and reviews from brides across the country. The site has the largest local vendor database available so you can find the all of the services you need in your "I do" destination.

Be a Cyber-bride:
It's a little known fact that everything found in brick and mortar stores can be bought online, often for less. Lucky for the budgeting bride, online couponing sites are available to provide coupon codes for a number of online merchants. Just go to Google and type in a retailer name and coupon code for a list of resources. Deals range from deep discounts to free shipping -- saving you major cash. Think bridesmaids gifts, rehearsal dinner dress, thank-you notes, party favors, table decorations and much more.

Spread the love:
Once you've said "I do," cut the cake and tossed the bouquet, it's off to the honeymoon. And since everyone loves newlyweds, take advantage of your newly married status for vacation perks and fun freebies. Start by calling your hotel in advance and letting them know you'll be coming for your honeymoon -- they might be motivated to upgrade your room or throw in a romantic surprise. Don't forget to share your good news at airline counters, restaurants and any other trip destinations. More often than not, you'll receive special treatment in the spirit of celebration … and after planning a wedding, you deserve it!

For more information about wedding budget planning, visit OneWed.com.