Come On Baby Light My Fire - Inspiration Board #6

Undeniably, candles are symbolic of romance, which makes them the perfect wedding décor accessory. They can serve a number of purposes such as providing lighting and setting ambiance to a room, provide symbolic meaning during the ceremony or elegant décor at the reception. There are a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and of course types, such as: pillar candles, votive candles, tea lights, taper candles, floating candles, and of course the unity candle. Here are just a few ideas for incorporating candles into your special day.

· To symbolize bringing the two families together most commonly used is the unity candle
· Group pillar candles of varying heights for a great centerpiece idea
· Tea Lights can be used as part of a centerpiece idea or to add soft lighting on the cake table, or guest book table or anyplace where you desire just a flicker of light
· To honor loved ones who have passed on, candles can be used as a symbolic representation of those who you wish could be with you on your special day
· Candles can add a sense of drama when used to light the pathway as you make your way down the aisle
· As a favor idea, consider scented votives combined with a CD of your favorite love songs, with a decorative tag that reads “Music to Enjoy by Candle Light”
· Lighted votive holders could serve as a place card option when decorated with parchment paper with guests name and table number wrapped around the holder – to light the way to their seats

Of course there are so many more uses for candles, but these are just a few ideas to put a little fire under you to get your juices flowing!

It's My Birthday, It's My Birthday...

...I'm gonna celebrate like it's my birthday. It's a happy day, and a special day, I'm gonna party like it's my birthday...not a holiday, but a great day...so glad to be able to see another birthday!!!!

Bridal Survival Tip #3 – Count The Cost

I know, I know, talking about all this money stuff is the quickest way to kill your excitement about planning your wedding, but it is absolutely the most critical first step.

It is so important for you to do your homework and research the actual costs of each component before making any plans. In Bridal Survival Tip #2 we talked about establishing priorities and determining what elements were important to both you and your honey. Now here's where the rubber meets the road – determining if your budget will support all your must have items and all the wonderful things you've seen in the magazines and on the web.

The average cost of weddings is $28,000, and it's amazing how all the little stuff adds up. To avoid frustration and disappointment it is wise to arm yourself with the actual cost of every element associated with your wedding plans. Consider how the following adds up:
• The costs per person on items such as favors, food, chair covers, cake slices etc.
• Hidden or those not so obvious costs such as alterations, cake cutting fees, corkage fees, tips
• When it comes to centerpieces and linens, think about the costs per table
• The number of people you have in your wedding party should also be taken into consideration when you have to factor in the costs of bouquets and boutonnieres, and gifts for your attendants
• Don't forget postage for both invitations and response cards (be mindful of the possibility of more postage needed for larger sized envelops)

Researching the cost will require an investment of your time, but don't let this thought overwhelm you. Hiring a Wedding Planner would be the wisest first step to take in putting together your team. Planners can get you a budget friendly pricing and save you time and energy in researching vendors because they have the information you need readily at their fingertips…they've already done the research for you!

Also, utilize this wonderful tool www.costofwedding.com to find out the national average costs of every wedding element from gowns to the cake to photography, invitations, transportation, and more.

Be sure to research packages and get detailed explanations of what is being offered and always compare apples to apples. Happy Planning!

Improve Your Relationship By 680%

• Spend 10% more time together
• Generate 33% more laughter in your life together
• Focus 100% of your attention when listening to him or her
• Create a 10% increase in the amount of fun you have together
• Give up 10% of your hobby time, and give it to your partner
• Reduce your complaining by 50%
• Reduce your criticizing by 62%
• Say "I Love You" 300% more often
• Spend 10% as much time kissing as you spend watching TV every day
• Be 25% more creative in your relationship
• Be 10% more thoughtful/considerate
• If you're talkative by nature, talk 20% less, and listen 20% more
• If you're quite by nature, open up and talk 20% more

Happy Valentine's Day!

Many heart felt wishes for a Happy Valentine's Day! Smooches

Please Be Seated

As the bride and groom you will be the center of attention. You can opt to have the traditional head table with your wedding party seated with you, a sweethearts table, which lends itself to a more romantic setting and gives you some alone time on a day where you will undoubtedly be pulled in all directions, or you can choose to sit with your parents and close relatives. There is no right or wrong option, but simply a matter of preference. However, when it comes to seating your guests at the reception, this is often a sensitive and tedious job. Without a plan, it can be a logistical nightmare, but it doesn't have to be.

Seating arrangements are designed to encourage comfortable conversation and also to honor special guests. You want your guests to have a good time, and a well thought out seating plan will enhance your guests' enjoyment. The last thing you want to do is put your guests in the position of not knowing where to sit and having to fend for themselves for seating. Here are a few things to consider when planning your reception seating arrangements:

• Know the number of place settings per table. The last thing you want to do is complete seating assignments for tables of ten, to later find out that the tables seat eight
• As a visual aid, map out a reception floor plan so that you'll have an idea of the placement of your tables, cake, entertainment, speakers, dance floor, buffet, etc.
• Be considerate of the limitations of some guests, such as the elderly who may have trouble seeing or hearing. You want to seat them away from speakers, close to rest rooms, and in a location that they will be able to see those special moments such as the first dance
• Consider seating specific groups together, such as colleges with colleges, and teenagers with teenagers, etc.
• Make allowances for sticky family issues
• Don't try to make a love connection. Seating all of the singles together can make for an awkward situation. Consider interspersing single guests among couples who may have similar interests or common bonds
• Make sure each person knows at least 2-3 people at the table

Last piece of advice
Early in the planning process, I encourage my couples to work on their guest list, and once that is finalized, I then encourage them to work on the seating arrangements. Sure RSVP's have not come in yet, heck invitations have not even been mailed…but trust me waiting until the last minute to start your seating arrangements is a recipe for S-T-R-E-S-S.

Recipe For An A+ Relationship

Recipe Overview: Recipe takes 2 individuals and turns them into 1 couple
Recipe Background: Gather ingredients over time, and practice cooking for twenty to fifty years.

Ingredients:
1 cup attraction
1 cup compatibility
2 nuts
1 quart honesty
1 pint each of faith, hope & love

Combine and mix vigorously
1 dash thoughtfulness
1 pinch ;-)
2 pints cooperation, combined with 2 pints compromise
2 quarts forgiveness
2 gallons sense of humor
Plus an endless supply of love and romance

Preparation
Combine all ingredients and stir like crazy. Leave medium lumps (if too smooth, days will be boring; but if lumps are too big, problems will be too big to swallow).

Heat with passion but never bring to a boil
Spice to your personal taste

And there you have a Recipe for and A+ Relationship!

Bon Appetite!!!!

You May Now Kiss The Bride

A lot of thought and consideration goes into planning your wedding day. The food that will be served, the music that will be played, the venue for the reception, the guest list, and so on. But have you given much thought to "the kiss"? You are probably thinking, we are engaged to be married for goodness sake, we know how to kiss. Of course you do, but this will be your first kiss as husband and wife. You want it to be special for the two of you, and keep in mind that it will also leave an impression on your guests, and will forever be captured in your pictures, so you want to make it perfect, right? Well my first bit of advice is one you should like….Practice, practice, practice…you know what they say about practice. Next, classy should be the call of the day! Please no tongue action, that's just tasteless (pun intended). Of course timing is everything…too short communicates no passion, too long is just plain tacky and will make everyone uncomfortable. A 3 – 4 second kiss is just enough. Leave everything else for the honeymoon. End your kiss with a smile, and just enjoy it. It will be the last of your first kiss as husband and wife. Smooches!

What's On The Menu?

When it comes to selecting those finishing touches for your wedding, menu cards are a creative way to bring your theme together. Practically speaking, they will also inform your guests of what to expect. I coordinated a wedding for a client whose reception consisted of an hors d'oeuves hour, a five course meal followed by a breakfast buffet and sweets table. Each course was better than the last, and because we used menu cards guests were aware of what to expect. They were able to pace themselves and fully enjoy all that was prepared for them (pun intended). And as an added bonus, they were able to leave with a lovely memento of the event. So, rather than leaving guests wondering, why not add this design element to your tablescape and let them know what's on the menu…Bon Appétit!