You said Yes

Who doesn't love a great proposal story?

Boy meets girl. Courtship. Love. Congratulations!

You said YES, but now what? You tell the masses about your proposal, that's what!
Share your exciting and happy news with friends, family, co-workers, neighbours, and with whomever you want - flash that rock and your ear to ear smile all over the place! You deserve it, you're getting MARRIED!!

Most couples get engaged and right away they are changing their facebook status from In a Relationship to Engaged. They are tweeting about the proposal, and even possibly sending an announcement to the local paper. What did you do? Did you create a wedding website, or did you happen to have your proposal taped and then uploaded onto Youtube? How did you spread the news?

Once the news is spread, and the congrats and well wishes are graciously recieved, it's time to get into the nitty gritty of planning your wedding. But, we do stress (before you start to stress) that you take time to enjoy being engaged before you dive deep into the planning process. :)

So, what do we suggest are some of the first things you do after the engagement, but before the planning?

Brainstorm with your fiance the type of wedding you both want.

Will there be a theme? How do you want to express your own seperate personalities as well as your togetherness? For some couples it's through colours, unique details or the style of attire and venue.

To help you brainstorm, we suggest that you pick up a few magazines. Clip out pictures and create inspiration boards. This part of the planning is so much fun!

Next, hire a Wedding Coordinator. Planning a wedding takes lots of time, patience, money and compromise. You'll want to make sure that a dedicated professional is working for you on your special day to ensure that every little detail and personalized touch you planned comes to life.

Then of course, you have to set a budget. The budget will depend on who is paying for the wedding. Typically couples pay 1/3 with both sets of parents. Staying within budget is hard - do your best to not spend too much!

Lastly, do your research! Check out online blogs, websites and magazines for ideas and inspiration. Attend Bridal Shows, and ask newlywed friends for referrals. Ask questions, get a second opinion and try to meet or consider 2 to 3 vendors at a time.

We're so glad you said YES! and are on your way to planning your

Happily Ever After.

*even Wedding Planners sometimes need inspiration. Today's post was inspired by a blog post at www.weddingaces.com
* Updated, but originally posted in 2010

Family Matters

As your Day of Coordinator, it is my duty and responsibility to make sure that your plans and ideas for your wedding are brought to life. It's my job to make sure that the timeline that we agreed upon together is followed to the best of our abilities. It is me who will communicate updates and changes on your behalf with your vendors such as your DJ, Photographer, Venue Coordinator and Florist. I'm the middle man between you and well, pretty much everyone else....including your family members.

If you have an over-bearing parent, or an Aunt/Uncle/Wedding Party Member that has to have their say, please do us all a favour and inform them about me prior to your wedding day. You should tell your immediate family and wedding party that you've hired a Day of Coordinator so that your wedding goes smoothly and on time. To be realistic, things will change, the timeline will become a guideline, but in the end, that's my worry - not yours, or your parents.

I understand that parents and family members want the best for you for your special day, but assure them that we've discussed your wedding in length and that everything is taken care of. Tell your family and wedding party that you want them to enjoy the day as well, and that if they have a suggestion or concern that they should see your Coordinator. It's our job to be quick thinkers, problem solvers, negotiators and mediators.

If you have someone that you think will interfere on your wedding day, it is definitely a good idea to hire a Day of Coordinator. Let us be the bad guy, so that you can be the blushing Bride and simply enjoy your wedding day with your husband.




** We are currently offering $200 off remaining dates in April, May & June for Day of Coordination **

How to Prioritise

When it comes to planning a wedding, you have to prioritise. But how do you do that you might ask?
Well, here are some tips to remember when it comes to prioritising.

Ask yourself what MUST be done today, and what can wait until tomorrow or the next day?

If you have a deposit due or a vendor meeting, then that is a priority and must be executed. If you need to return an item you bought for your wedding and then changed your mind about it, you can do that task another time.

Try not to let interruptions hinder you from completing your priority task

Hubbie-to-be wants you to watch the game with him but you need to finish the seating chart? Make a compromise with him that during commercial breaks you BOTH work on the chart together. Do your best to stay on task for you'll find there is always a reason or excuse to not do some wedding work.

Plan ahead and make time for checking items of your to-do list

When planning a wedding it might seem like every task is a priority, but that's not true. There are certain goals you need to achieve by specific time frames (see this checklist from Real Simple here for help) and in order to complete these on time you have to make time. I like to recommend to my clients that Wednesday evenings become "Wedding Wednesdays." In the beginning stages of your planning (first  few months) have this evening set aside every other week to talk about your ideas, make phone calls, send emails and check items of your to-do list. As your wedding gets closer, you may find you use every Wednesday to tie ribbon on favours, fold programs, and other tasks for your special day.

Don't forget to make you and your fiance a priority

Try to make time for the things you used to do before you got engaged (because sometimes you'll find you might stop doing anything that doesn't involve the wedding). Spend time with your friends (sans wedding talk), get a pedicure and have a monthly (cause really, weekly is a little unrealistic) date night with your man. Make sure to spend alone time as well - take a bath, read a book or go for a walk.

Mother/Daughter wedding traditions

Many Brides want to involve their mother in as many aspects as they can during the planning process and the wedding itself. Here are a few traditional things you should add to your Mother/Daughter wedding list.

Pick out the wedding dress.

Spending quality time with your mom and picking out your wedding dress is a memory that you'll always hold onto. You can decide to just have your mom by your side for when you say "yes to the dress" or you can include a sister, best friend, aunt and even your future mother-in-law.



Picking out her dress.

Take your mom shopping and help her pick out the dress she'll wear on her wedding day. Again, this day can include an invite to your future MIL as well. A fun shopping day that may include lunch or dinner with a celebratory glass of vino is always a good thing.

Ceremony procession.

If you're mom isn't walking you down the aisle, she is the last person to take her seat before your wedding party begins the ceremony. She should be escorted to her seat by your brother or cousin. If your Bridesmaids are walking solo down the aisle, and you don't have a brother or cousin, then you can have the last Groomsman walk her down, or an usher.

Showing respect & honor.

A lot of couples incorporate their mothers (or both parents) into the ceremony. You can offer her a flower as a token of gratitude, or you can have her (or them) participate in the unity ceremony as two families are becoming one.

Also, be sure to acknowledge and thank your mother during your speech at the reception.

DIY aspects & choosing vendors.

If you're planning your wedding yourself, be sure to include your mom in some of the Do-It-Yourself aspects (a.k.a - craft night!) as well as meetings with your vendors. If she (& your dad) are paying for some or all of your wedding, it's always nice to include them in some of the decision making.


How will you include your mom into your wedding planning and special day?


*article based on tips from TLC Family

Parents of the Bride

Is you're little girl getting married?

First time wedding parents?

According to TLC Family, here are two things you must concern yourself with before your daughter says

"I do":

Finances

Weddings can be expensive. Traditionally, the Bride's parents would host and pay for the wedding, but nowadays you'll often see both sets of parents contributing as well as the Bride & Groom.

Chat with your daughter and future son-in-law and discuss who will pay for what. Will each party give the same amount (i.e: $10,000) or will you pay for specific parts of the wedding like the reception?
It's also customary that the Bride's parents pay for her wedding dress and alterations.

Sounds like a lot of money being spent, right? It is. Be prepared by saving a little each month for as long as you can (some parents start this when she's just a kid). Open a savings account and dedicate it to your contribution to her wedding.

The future-in-laws

Not only should you take time to get to know your future son-in-law (if you don't already know him that well), but you should also get to know his parents. Once your daughter is engaged, invite her fiance's parents over for tea, lunch or dinner. This is a great way to celebrate the happy news and for you to meet (if you haven't yet) and spend time with them.

His parents will be a part of your daughter's new life with her hubby, so it's best if you like them, or at the very least get along with them. Building a relationship with the future-in-laws may save face later as life rolls on when it comes to dividing time for holidays and celebrations.

Check out the article here for TLC's list of the 5 things you should do to prepare.

Facebook Wedding Etiquette

Facebook has more than 800 million active users. That's a lot of likes, wall posts, photo uploads and tags.
Like most things in life, there are certain rules to follow for certain tasks.
Do you know how to properly use Facebook during your planning process?

Here are some guidelines when using the popular social media site:



Announcing your engagement.

It's totally normal to want to shout it from the rooftops and Facebook is the perfect platform to do so. Update your status to "we're engaged" or "is gonna be a Mrs!" to tell all of your friends about the proposal. You can also upload a picture of your diamond, or if you've got pics or video of him popping the question, by all means share it.

Sharing some of the details.

Feel free to share your wedding date via a status update, but be sure to keep it simple and to the point. Not all of your 100+ friends on FB will be invited to your big day, so be a little sensitive to that. And of course, change your relationship status from "in a relationship" to "engaged!!"

A lot of Brides like to keep everyone in the know about their planning process, and again, feel free to do this with your status, but be sure not to go overboard with Bride Brain.

Sharing a countdown to your special day is okay too - just try to stick with the landmarks of one year, 6 months, 1 week and 1 day. Seeing a constant countdown for most, is annoying.

Proper etiquette would be that you don't post your Registry information online. Getting a gift for getting married is a privilege, and not a right. If people (guests) want to buy you something, they will ask you, your fiance, a family member or a friend.

After your wedding feel free to brag a little. Heck, brag a lot. Post your pictures, thank your guests and  change your relationship status from "engaged" to "MARRIED!"
Just make sure to keep everything positive, do not complain about guest behaviour, or how much your new mother-in-law got on your nerves.

Wrap up all your wedding talk within 6 months, or less. As much as you're stoked to now be a Mrs, there are other things that should be important in your life as well.

Invitations.

Do not by any means invite friends/family/co-workers to your wedding using Facebook. Send out a proper invite with an RSVP card for them to reply.

Bridal Showers, Stag & Does and Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties can have Facebook Event pages to keep everyone in the loop, but we still advise that you send out proper invites or personal emails to all invited.



Incorporate FB into your Bridal Shower with customized cookies!

 Vendors.

Use Facebook to help you find vendors - that is if you don't have a Wedding Planner. And be sure to "like" the Fan Pages of the vendors you book with. Not only does it show support, but you just might see your wedding crop up in their status updates or albums.

While we're chatting about vendors, make note that it is a big no-no to post anything negative about your vendors through the social media site. We know that planning a wedding can be stressful, but please do not use Facebook to bad mouth anyone. Send an email or pick up the phone and make a call instead if you're not happy with their services/products.

On the day of.

Do not log on Facebook on your wedding day. You can change your status and upload photos the day after, or even when you get back from your honeymoon. Enjoy the day and stay offline.

Posting as a guest.

Most of your guests will post pictures from your big day on Facebook and tag you in the pictures. If this bothers you tell your friends that. Some people are private and do not want memories from their special day to go viral. There's no harm in placing a small note on your ceremony programs that you wish to be shown any pictures prior to posting - or that pictures simply aren't posted. Remember though, you can't control what others post, but you can ask - there's nothing wrong with asking and making that request.

However, as a guest - do your best to be respectful to the newlyweds and only post pictures that display them in their best light. Do the same for members of the wedding party - no one wants to see the Best Man making out with the Grooms sister. Tisk, tisk.

Now, go on....log on to Facebook and "like" us - The Bride's Butler.

Who's Supporting You?

Do you know that the stress caused by planning a wedding is ranked as the 2nd highest in life after the loss of a loved one? Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? I wouldn't necessarily compare the two as losing a family or friend is horrible, but planning a wedding sure is stressful....especially if you're going at it alone.

Sure, you've got your hubs-to-be there to help you out - to lend a shoulder to cry on and a nod of his head to all your questions, but really - who is supporting you on this journey?

Planning a wedding is in fact a journey. It typically takes 18-24 months to suss out your ideas, book vendors, plan your timeline, attend meetings, buy a dress, attend wedding related activites and all the other details that go into your big day.

We believe that all Brides need a support system. A Mother that wants to help and isn't overbearing. A sister or best friend who will be by your side helping you make the decisions and plan your dream day. Whomever it is, we hope that you have someone you can lean on during the stressful planning process.

If you don't have someone you want to help you, or let alone burden with your slight Bridezilla tendencies (we said 'slight'), we're available to help you. Our Full Wedding Package provides you with the support, guidance and friendship you need while you plan your big day. We will aid you in making your decisions, save you money and be there for you on the day you say "I do". I can't tell you how many times past Brides of ours have told me that they felt so good knowing that we were there to have their back - that we were like a friend.

Who will you turn to when the going gets tough? Give us a call, we'd love to help you stress less.

12 to 18 months of Planning

Quite a few Brides are planning their 2012 Summer & Fall weddings now. It takes on average 12 to 18 months to plan a wedding. Think of how many hours you'll have to commit to your grand affair over that time. It's about 250 hours in total - that's 6 straight weeks of devoting your 9-5 schedule on your wedding!

If you are feeling overwhelmed with the idea of planning your wedding, rest assured - there are many options available for ideas and inspirations like blogs, websites, magazine and even television shows. If you think that you might need a professional perspective in planning, we offer Consultation meetings. These are fabulous one hour long meetings that are executed with your needs and requirements in mind. Sourcing vendors, choosing a venue and securing a budget plan is perfect material for a Consult.

Think you need more help that just a chat? Our Full Wedding Planning Package is perfect for the couple that doesn't have time to focus on the planning of their special day, or simply don't want to make major decisions without friendly professional guidance. Full Wedding Planning also includes perks like added value and discounts only offered through working with a certified Planner.

Want to plan on your own, but know that you will want everything brought together as you've envisioned it? No worries - our most popular service is our Day of Coordination Package and it includes 8-10 hours of services on your wedding day, plus rehearsal coordination and an hour long meeting. You do the work before, we do the work day of so that you can be the blushing Bride you've always wanted to be.

Questions? Call or email us, we're always excited to hear from Brides whom are in all stages of their planning process!

Bridal Showers: Games & Gifts

Continuing on with chatting about Bridal Showers....

I like events – so much so it’s my passion and part-time gig, but there are 2 parts of a Bridal Shower that I don’t like very much; games & gifts.

Games:

They are bound to take place at a Shower, they almost always do. The toilet paper dress, guessing the number of jellybeans and quizzing the Bride about her Groom. These games are time fillers and ways to have your guests socialize with one another – we get it. But, what about thinking of other ways to have your guests ‘play’ with one another and have fun? What about having karaoke, or have your shower at a bowling alley or driving range? Think about things that you like to do and ask your guests to participate with you. You don’t have to have the ‘typical’ Bridal Shower.

Different ideas:

Butterfly Conservatory (tour & tea)

Manicures & Martinis (best for smaller groups, all of age of course)

Batting Cages (hot dogs & ice cream)
Outdoor Picnic (play boccie ball or badminton)

Gifts:

The only gift I’m interested in watching the Bride open is mine. I’m sure everyone else is on the same page as me – it’s boring to sit there for an hour (sometimes more) while the Bride ooh’s and ahh’s over her gifts.  Sometimes though, this ritual is tolerable when combined with a game. I know, I said I don't really like them much at Showers, but the Bridal Bingo game makes watching the Bride open her plethora of gifts more fun.

Anyways, I know that the gifts is the main reason to have a Bridal Shower, but I think that there is a better way to do this than have everyone sit and watch. How about you ask all of your guests to take their gift with them to their seat, and then throughout the Shower, the Bride can stop by each table and open the gifts of the guests seated there? This way, you can see what others gave her, and she can spend some time with you during the event. So often guests go to showers and don’t say a word to the Bride who is busy socializing and mingling with others.

Don’t be afraid to try opening your gifts this way. For guests who are curious as to what you got, get a Bridesmaid to gather them up from each table and place them on a large table for viewing.

Need some ideas for your Bridal Shower? We’d love to meet for a Consultation Meeting. Or how about we do all the work, and you & your Bridesmaids just show up? Ask us about our Bridal Shower planning package.

Something Blue

You made sure you had your something old, new, borrowed and now....you're blue!

It's been known that some Brides will experience post wedding blues. It makes sense to feel this way. All of the build-up and hype of your big day has simmered down, and if it's been a few months since your wedding day, the excitement and chatter has probably vanished.

The day that took you 18 months or longer to plan is gone, and that can make anyone quite sad.

It's not surprising that Brides feel depressed after their wedding, as this is a day they have waited for and looked forward to since childhood. After the wedding and the honeymoon a lot of Brides think there isn't  much to look forward to regarding your nuptials except viewing the wedding photography proofs. Before the big day there's lot's of planning, decision making, organizing, festivities and talk about YOU (and your fiance of course). But, now - life is going back to how it was before your wedding - and well, you might be bored.

When I meet with clients for our "Day of Coordination" services, I tell them that they must manage their expectations for their wedding day as things are going to happen - things they will not be able to control or avoid. With any major event, you must look at the big picture; people who love you gathered to celebrate with you and wish you all the best for your marriage. The same goes for after the wedding - look at the big picture; you had a wonderful party filled with love, laughter and happiness - and now, you're married!!

Marriage like any relationship consists of respect, love, compromise and dedication. Being married means that you are part of a team - a union of two people who love each other, so no matter how sad you feel that the wedding is over, know that you have a partner that has vowed to stick by you through the good and bad.

Settling into married life can take time - so be sure to give yourself time to adjust. Remember that life isn't perfect, so don't be bummed out when life doesn't turn out to be the fairytale you imagined it would be when you walked down the aisle. But, what you can remember is the wonderful day you had when you said "I do".
Look at your pictures often, reminisce with your hubby and friends about funny stories from the day, and look down at your left hand and smile at the ring that symbolizes your marriage.

Here are some things to do to help you beat the post wedding blues:

1) Recycle your stack of Bridal Magazines. You don't need to look at them and see all the ideas of things you didn't do. No "if only's, but I could have, or I wish I'd done", just toss 'em, or give them to a newly engaged friend.

2) Make a list of goals you want to accomplish. When planning your wedding you had a hefty "to-do" list, so keep that pattern alive by setting new goals for yourself and your hubs. This will help keep boredom at bay.

3) Go out on weekly or bi-weekly dates with your husband. Spending time together as a married couple will keep your union strong and remind you of all the reasons you said 'yes' to this special guy.

4) Relax. Wedding planning is one of the most stressful times in a woman's life. Take time to enjoy being a newlywed rather than a Bride-to-be.

Post generated with help from ehow.
Picture from Google Images.

Will you marry me?

Proposals!

Who doesn't love a great proposal story?

Boy meets girl. Courtship. Love. Congratulations!

I love how in the movies, men usually state the girls entire name -

first and middle while on bended knee. "Mary Margaret, will you..."

And, for some reason I think that about 85% of the time, the girl answers with "of course!"

I wonder if there's a way to find out what the most common phrase uttered after a proposal is?

"Seriously?" or "Oh, my God!", and 'of course' there is the big one, the one the guy wants to hear..."YES!"

(Btw, if you find this percentage, holler at me will ya? Thx)

So, you said YES, now what?

You tell the masses about your proposal, that's what! Share your exciting and happy news with friends, family, co-workers, neighbours, and with whomever you want - flash that rock and your ear to ear smile all over the place! You deserve it, you're getting MARRIED!!

Most couples get engaged and right away they are changing their facebook status from In a Relationship to Engaged. They are tweeting about the proposal, and even possibly sending an announcement to the local paper. What did you do? Did you create a wedding website, or did you happen to have your proposal taped and then uploaded onto Youtube? How did you spread the news?

Once the news is spread, and the congrats and well wishes are graciously recieved, it's time to get into the nitty gritty of planning your wedding. But, we do stress (before you start to stress) that you take time to enjoy being engaged before you dive deep into the planning process. :)

So, what do we suggest are some of the first things you do after the engagement, but before the planning?

Brainstorm with your fiance the type of wedding you both want.

Will there be a theme? How do you want to express your own seperate personalities as well as your togetherness? For some couples it's through colours, unique details or the style of attire and venue.

To help you brainstorm, we suggest that you pick up a few magazines. Our favourites are Martha Stewart Weddings, Today's Bride, Weddingbells and Toronto Life's 2010 Wedding edition. Clip out pictures and create inspiration boards. This part of the planning is so much fun!

Next, hire a Wedding Planner. Whether you're a DYI Bride, and you want to plan every detail of your wedding on your own, or you're a full-time professional with little time or desire (gasp) to plan your own wedding, a planner can help you get the wedding you've always dreamt of. Planning a wedding takes lots of time, patience, money and compromise. Yes, even though it's all about the Bride, remember that there are mothers & mother-in-laws that will have input about your wedding ideas. A Planner can be your right hand woman, your rock, your therapist, and your saving grace when the going gets tough.

Then of course, you have to set a budget. Sometimes the creation of a budget involves you, your fiance, both sets of parents, and your Wedding Planner. The budget will depend on who is paying for the wedding. Be prepared to use your compromising skills. :) Your planner can also aid you with making proper decisions in regards to sticking to and within your budget.

Lastly, do your research! If you only want to hire a Wedding Planner for DOC services, thus eliminating your chances of getting industry discounts, extra value and referrals of trusted professionals usually only offered through Full Wedding Planning services, make sure you do much research before you book any vendors. Ask questions, get a second opinion and try to meet or consider 3 vendors at a time. Basically, pretend you're Simon Cowell of American Idol - only much nicer, and way prettier, and choose the vendors you want to see go to Hollywood (a.k.a your wedding) with you!

We're so glad you said YES! and are on your way to planning your

Happily Ever After.

*even Wedding Planners sometimes need inspiration. Today's post was inspired by a blog post at www.weddingaces.com