Category Archives: Planning

From The Expert: Understanding Your Options for Wedding Invitations

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Planning

Fla-de-Dahs is a custom design studio and a recent winner of Special Events Magazine’s coveted “Best Invitation” award. Fla-de-Dahs has been creating one-of-a-kind invitations since 2001. While our main focus is custom invitations, we also carry several unique, high quality, ready-made invitations that cannot be found anywhere else. Fla-de-Dahs produces all projects in-house to ensure that the client receives the highest level of quality with each piece being hand-crafted and supervised by an expert production team. Each project begins with a complimentary personal design consultation. Once the client chooses a design, a complete sample will be presented for the client to review and approve before production begins. Make sure to “like” Fla-de-Dahs on Facebook and if you’re a Southern California local, visit their beautiful studio.

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Before you can make your decisions about wedding invitations, you’ll probably ask yourself: which is best for you — custom, DIY, or online?

??Before we look into the question of which is right for you, first consider that the invitation you choose is the first glimpse of what people will see and know about your event. It will set the tone and is truly the “front door to you event.” Custom isn’t right for everyone, but for many, it is the choice that can assure you that your event is one not to be missed.

DIY Perks:
If you are pretty creative and crafty, then this option can be cost-saving and fun, too. You can get friends and family involved and this could end up being a fun project that can create some nice memories.
DIY Disadvantages:
Choosing paper and embellishments can be daunting for those who don’t have an eye for this type of creativity and if you simply want to save money, this is not the choice for you. Knowing which paper to choose, how to cut it, how to print on it, how to embellish it and which tools are necessary to accomplish all of this may not be worth the time for the amount of money you may save.

Choose DIY if you are creative and have the time to spend and the tools to make your own invitations.

Online Perks:
They are usually less expensive and because of the vast catalog available online, you will most likely find the style that you’re looking for. Most can be modified to incorporate your colors and some even offer minor types of embellishments.
Online Disadvantages: Because you haven’t seen it, you can’t be sure of the quality of the materials. Sometimes, the samples fall short of the image presented online. You may end up wasting some time waiting for a sample only to find that it is not the quality you were expecting. Most of the time you need to buy in groups of 25, so there may be some waste.

Choose online if you are looking for a low cost invitation that can be made fairly quickly.

Custom Perks:
Since you are creating the invitation based on your unique style and taste, your invitation will be unlike anyone else’s. No one will have seen it online, or worse, received it for another event. This allows you to create your own brand for your event and can be carried throughout with all of your wedding accessories, including programs, escort cards, etc.
Custom Disadvantages: Most often, they are more expensive.

Choose custom if you are looking for a unique invitation that captures the essence of your event that no one else will have.

The gorgeous Flah-de-Dahs Southern California studio is home to the finest papers and stylized embellishments. It’s a kid-in-a-candy-store experience to touch and see the in-house products, and below you can see some photographic samples of such delicate, detailed, and intricate custom pieces!

Wedding Photos Checklist

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Alison in From The Yentas, Planning

No doubt, you’re so excited for your wedding day and since you’re obviously reading wedding blogs like this one, you’re also organized and prepared for the big day.

Here’s another list to add to your collection: the must-have wedding photos list. The day rushes by so fast, it’s easy to forget about key images that you’ve likely dreamt up in your head during your planning process. Trust yourself that you’ve hired a fabulous photographer, but also know that your photographer has a routine set of images that he or she usually captures and it’s possible that the ones you’re thinking aren’t in his or her usual repertoire, especially if they’re uniquely specific.

Just be proactive and confirm with your photographer that you’d like to make sure you must-have photo list is in line with theirs.

Here are some snapshots you will enjoy:

Pre Ceremony

A shot of the rings! Get that bling on camera before they lose their shine!
Pour that champagne! Getting ready with the bridesmaids.
The groom getting ready with his guys. Here’s our chance to be jealous that it takes 32 seconds for men to get fancy.
A still of the wedding dress and shoes — together and separately! Because they’re both fabulous!
The groom waiting… and waiting… and waiting… to see his bride! If you’re doing a first look, photos of the groom waiting are so cute.
Girl time with the bridesmaids for formal shots.
Bride with all the guys for some groomsmen bonding.
The ceremony scene like the chuppah, guestbooks, seating arrangements, and other details.

During The Ceremony

Both the bride’s and groom’s entrances as they walk down the aisle
The guests’ reaction to seeing the beautiful bride appearing.
The rings being placed on the fingers.
Jewish traditions like the presentation of the ketubah, drinking wine from the kiddush cup, the rabbi wrapping the bride and groom a tallit, and of course, the groom stepping on the glass.
The bride and groom leaving the chuppah — such a joyous moment!

At The Reception

The whole room with set tables and different angles of centerpieces. These types of photos will help future planning brides.
The grand entrance! It’s fun to see the newlyweds enter their party!
The horah! You can almost HEAR the joy in the photos when a photographer captures a group spiraling around the bride and groom.
What’s a horah photo without the chair lifts? From all angles, you should be able to see the bride and groom up in chairs. Photographers might stand on a chair to get directly in line with their faces.
Cake cutting and any shenanigans that happen there! To smash or not to smash?

Obviously, you may have additional photos in mind that you must include, so be your own advocate and make sure you write them down. Again, most likely, your photographer already knows and has this list on the agenda as well, but it can’t hurt to check.

Don’t forget: Smile! And enjoy!! Photos of a happy couple should be your number one priority and that, my friends, is totally in your control!

Signs Of A Great Wedding: Signs!

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Alison in From The Yentas, Inside Scoop, Planning

Most venues are clean canvases that don’t have much personality. I’m not saying they’re ugly or cold. But they’re… generic. Let’s face it, no venue was built with the two of you specifically in mind. You choose the venue because you feel like you relate to it enough. But does it relate enough to you?

You can’t recarpet or repaint or relandscape your wedding location, but you can sprinkle bits of your personalities — your… “ness” — to make it unique and relevant to you and your worlds that come together to celebrate you.

How?

Signs!

Fun, cute signs that match your style and decor are fairly inexpensive and easy ways to personalize your wedding venue; low hanging wedding fruit, if you will.

First, there’s the “pick a seat, not a side” signs. We discussed this a while back, that many couples are choosing to make sure their guests know they don’t have to sit on one specific side at the ceremony since both families are coming together. There are super cute ways to get this message across.

From Weddingbee

From Etsy Store: SarahSaysSew

If your wedding venue has a lot of rooms or large grounds, it might be helpful to have direction signs to point your folks toward the important stuff: ceremony, reception, um… booze.

You can also personalize these signs further by including your logo on them if you’ve created one. It’s also a chance to take advantage of utilizing your wedding colors or other unique stylings.

From Esty store TRUECONNETION

From Etsy Store TRUECONNECTION

From Etsy Store Dockside Cottage

From Etsy Store TRUE CONNECTION

Another popular trend is spicing up your thank you notes with a truly personal thank you! Bring a sign to the wedding and make sure your photographer snaps you posing with it! When you’re married and settled, you’ll have the photos printed on some cards and bam! — personalized thank you notes.

There are lots of cute moves and signs you can execute in front of the camera. Here are some favs!

Heather Sali Photography

Victoria Souza Photography

WeddingWire

At the reception, there are lots of great opportunities to spice up the party with some signs. From the cake and candy bar to the bride and groom chairs, feel free to accessorize where you see fit.

Since photo booths are a fun asset to a wedding reception, take advantage and do some signage there, too!

I also love the concept of sharing your love story! You don’t have to write a novel. Just include bulleted facts and dates of how you two developed into youtwo.

Cardstock and wood seem to be popular choices for signs, but chalk boards are also the current trend to communicate with your guests. They are all really aesthetically pleasing, so you can’t go wrong.

Elizabeth Zuluaga Photography

From Etsy Story From Our Hobby To Your Home

Jose Villa Photography

Weddingbee

Are You Inviting Exes To Your Wedding?

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Alison in From The Yentas, Planning

Almost everyone has that shoebox. You know the one I’m talking about. The one without any shoes inside.

Instead, you’ve curated old pictures, letters, and tsotchkes from your old relationship. That’s right, it’s the Ex Box.

But now you’re getting married and the miniature museum of old flames sleeps quietly under your bed among old magazines and knock off handbags. Just because you still have a box of these things — and you only have them because the alternative, throwing them away, seems way harsh, Tai — doesn’t mean that you’re held to an expectation of involving your exes in your new (and improved?) life.

It’s quite possible that you’re even still friendly with your exes. I actually am. At the very least, they’re my Facebook friends. And I even run into a few now and then and exchange pleasant conversation when the occasion arises. However, none of them came to my wedding.

If things ended really happy-go-lucky with your ex and you are truly good friends who stay in touch beyond the superficial stuff, then sure, your ex seems to have earned a place at your wedding just like the rest of your friends.

However, if your ex is only still in your life simply due to mutual friends or convenient circumstances, but no other reasons that warrant an invitation to your wedding, then it’s suggested your big day go on sans ex.

But no matter what the circumstance is, if your present has an issue at all with your past, then your ex is simply not invited, no matter how friendly you are. Remember that your allegiance is to your current and forever partner, so if he or she has any problem processing why or how your ex would be invited to the wedding, then that decision stands. Obviously this works the other way around as well, if the person you are marrying is proposing that an ex be invited and you’re not cool with it. You both need to be happy in order for this to work. Bottomline.

Being on the fence about inviting your ex is OK. Being certain that you’re making the right decision for you and the lucky person standing under the chuppah with you is what matters most. You may have an old box full of momentos from someone else, but you have a lifetime of memories to make with your love. When it comes to inviting your ex, you should have a strong reason why.

Starting Your Bridesmaids Off On The Right Foot

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Alison in Inside Scoop, Planning

Recently, I spoke with a mother of the bride who was reflecting on her daughter’s beautiful day. Everything went smoothly, thank goodness! The photos came back from the talented photographer and showed bright and cheerful flowers, a warm and inviting venue, and the bride’s VIPs, her bridesmaids, looking sharp and stylish in their dresses and shoes. But it wasn’t always like that. Well, with the shoes. The usually mellow and laid back bride had her only “bridezilla” moment when she had to redirect her bridesmaids’ footwear decisions, and I found it a worthy tale to share with you.

You see, the bride trusted her girls. She was close friends with all of them and figured the request she made was simple: to complement their hot pink bridesmaid dresses, all the girls had to do was wear silver strappy sandals.

Easy enough, right?

That was the only independent styling that the girls had to do. What could go wrong?

Thankfully, after some time, the bride had the foresight to realize that her original orders of “silver strappy sandals” could mean various styles of shoes to the individuals she chose to stand beside her on her big day.

She came to find out that one girl had “strappy sandals” she planned to wear… with a humongous platform heel and the strappy part? Well, they were straps that went up and around and around and around her calf.

Another pair of “strappy sandals” someone chose to complete the ensemble was a pair of thin, thong flip-flops. Hey, those are straps between the toes, right? And the foot is open, so uh, that’s a sandal, is it not?

Suddenly, the bride had a vision of a line of girls in identical dresses with a shoe display more diverse than the United Nations distracting the clean look of the day. She decided she had to have her one “bridezilla” moment — and it was hardly “bridezilla,” as she calmly communicated — and she shared the shoe with her bridesmaids that she’d like them to buy.

One shoe. No decisions. No four different interpretations of strappy sandals.

Brides spend so much time designing and managing the look of their wedding day, including what everyone wears. But brides also shouldn’t assume that their girls will wear shoes that will complete the vision for the bridal party style. It’s not that you don’t trust your girls to wear appropriate shoes; but they can’t be expected to be mind readers of what you’d like to see on their feet, so communicating shoe ideas is best.

You can either assign a specific shoe that they should all have or select a few shoes that would go with the dress, the look and feel of your day, and with each other if any of the shoes in the combination were to be worn. The former is simpler — here’s the shoe: bam! Done. The latter is a bit more flexible, but also has a higher level of complication (if, say, four girls have the option to choose from two pairs of shoes, then you’ll want to know how many are choosing Option 1 and Option 2 so that you don’t end up with three girls in one shoe and one girl in a different shoe — then it looks like someone’s mismatched). Either way, you are maintaining control of the shoe situation… the sit-SHOE-ation?

Your bridesmaids’ footwear may seem like the lowest ranking on your priority list — and really, it should be — but if you have brain cells and energy left toward the end of your wedding planning, a cohesive shoe plan is worth it!

Your choice of who to marry was a shoe-in. So should be the rest of your details.

Mismatched Shoes Done Right: strappy gold sandals that are different, but still tie in with each other due to low profile details, thin straps, and similar heel heights.

Well… The idea for all red shoes was a good one. But we have some heels, some flats, some thong style with heavy detail… Mismatched shoes and a mismatched look is what’s happening here. They’re all just TOO different.

Close but no cigar. We have a closed toe pump, a platform peep toe, and a simple strapped open toe heel. There are too many different styles and they’re all so unique that they fight each other. Photo by Celladora Wedding Photography

Subdued colors and vintage styles thread this cohesive look of different shoes together so that they belong! Kudos to this assortment of shoes that all look like cousins from the same family! Photo by Jill Thomas Photography

All the same color and all the same style! This is the ultimate in matchy-matchy bridesmaids shoes and the group shot is clean and stylish! Love the fun color of the shoes and how they pop against the purpose bridesmaids’ dresses. This is a winner!