Not all of my groomsmen live locally. What should I do?

                                                         “Are you nationwide?”

                  

Almost every bridal party has someone coming to the wedding from out of town. One of those guys standing up there with the groom lives in another city, state or even another country. This groomsman is probably not going to arrive until a couple of days before the wedding.

How do you make sure that he will be wearing exactly the same thing as everyone else is, that it fits him and it is ready for him when he arrives in town for the big day? Simple, keep it all in one place. Let one store, the one you trust to get the job done, take care of everything. The only thing your out of town guy needs to do is get his sizes taken by a formalwear specialist.

A simple internet search of the International Formalwear Association (www.formalwear.org) website will guide him to where he can go get professional measurements in or near his town. Once he finds a store he asks them for a complimentary fitting. It is a service that tuxedo rental businesses provide for each other. If there is no listing in his area he can go to any store that rents tuxedos and they will do it. No one wants to have him come into town and not have his tuxedo fit because he measured himself.

That being said I know the next question is why can’t he just get his tuxedo there? Let your formalwear specialist do the work for you. Don’t burden yourself or your groomsmen with style names, color and pattern combinations of the tuxedo. Once you have selected what you want let us take care of the rest. Our job is to audit each and every detail of each and every order making sure it’s what you want. Every tuxedo ordered for your wedding is going to be checked and inspected by one set of quality control standards. One call can let you know which groomsmen have their sizes in and which might need a little extra prodding.

Your wedding is the biggest day of your life, but weddings are our life. Let us help you make it as easy and beautiful as possible for you. Trust in a formalwear professional.    

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional member – Barb of  Top Hat formalwear

Children At The Wedding

It's been nearly 25 years, and I still remember this event: After having sewn half of the bridesmaids outfits, designed most of the flowers, and generally bent over backwards to be a very supportive sister and bridesmaid, moments before the wedding (and not well beforehand), her groom insisted that our 4 month old (still nursing) baby was not welcome in the sanctuary during the ceremony. He said that a baby crying during their vows would ruin the experience for him.

My husband slipped out of the sanctuary and remained throughout the entire wedding in the cry room of the church, with a baby as good as gold. We paid a sitter for our older son, but the babe-in-arms needed to be with mommy, because I'd have to be at the wedding and reception from set up to clean up -- about 11 hours. No other babies or children were present that evening.  My truly biased opinion is this. You are more likely to have your vows interrupted by a ringing cell phone than a crying baby.

However, if you are still worried, try to place yourself emotionally in the shoes of the mother who may still be nursing the baby. Give her plenty of notice to make plans. Offer to have a sitter on site during the ceremony, so she and her partner can enjoy the wedding together.  Little children bear no malice, and will only "ruin" your wedding if your heart is not open to them, or if you have not planned in advance to make any kind of accommodation for them. Most parents will be responsible for their little ones, so check your worries at the door.

I'm sure the wedding planners of our blogging community will have more ideas-- this is just what happened to me.  By the way, he (groom) never did stop trying to control -- and they are now sorting out the final details of their divorce.

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Julia Miller of Julia’s Floral. 

What if I Don’t Want Kids At My Wedding?

There is nothing worse than imagining the day of your wedding and during your vows a child starts screaming or crying! Your moment is interrupted and you will be reminded of that moment every time you watch your wedding video.

What is the best way to ask people to not bring their children?

First of all, when addressing your invitations, you only address it to the parents and do not include the children’s names or “and family”. That is the first hint that only the adults are invited.

Secondly, you can put on your invitation at the bottom when mentioning the reception - “Adult Reception to follow”.

Lastly, consider making arrangements with a nanny service to have on-site care for the guests’ children so that they can enjoy themselves and be able to check on their children at points during the evening.

If you are inviting children, be sure and have activities, special meals and treats. Consider an area with tables and maybe an “Activity Director” for them so that everyone can enjoy the evening!

Submitted by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member Valerie of Valerie's Invites.  You can also find her on Facebook.

What Do You Mean By Officiant?

You can go online and anyone can become an officiant if they register through Universal Life Church to fulfill the legal qualifications to become ordained and choose whatever title you prefer from a selection of categories.  Many people do it just to be able to perform wedding ceremonies for friends or family.  You have to promise to honor all beliefs and comply with all state laws.  In Washing State, you have be ordained through some church.  It's about 10-minute process through ULC which has been around since 1959.  We could do any kind of ceremony, but we stick to weddings.

My husband and I have both gone through ULC to be able to officiate for weddings.  I enjoy helping people design their wedding ceremony.  Many people just want a very small wedding, have mixed beliefs in their families, don't want to go through months of counseling through a church so an officiant is a great solution to these situations.  Some people are widowed or divorced and don't want to go through all the pomp and ceremony that come with traditional weddings.  We have performed wedding ceremonies where there were hundreds of people, however.  Some people choose an officiant simply because they want to be able to customize their ceremony more than what they could in a regular church.  We let family members of friends of the bride and groom participate in any of the religious aspects to the wedding.  We choose to remain very neutral.

I won't speak to other states, but there are only two lines (never seen or met anyone who performed this type of ceremony) that are necessary in Washington State to make a couple legally married.   The, Do You?, Do You? (questions to make sure they aren't entering the marriage under duress), and then pronouncing them as husband and wife.  Really, that's all!  We would do those too, if people wanted it that way, but people like to personalize it.  We avoid ceremonies that take on the feel of a theatrical performance rather than a solemn occasion.  Speaking from experience, we were disappointed to get a review on not being theatrical enough.  Sorry, that is not why we do perform wedding ceremonies!  At that same wedding, people said it was a wonderful ceremony.  Go figure!

Some people choose an officiant to make it a legal marriage and then have a more elaborate wedding (sometimes even with an officiant) months or years later when they can afford a bigger wedding, when someone has returned from being overseas, or any number of reasons.

You won't believe this, but when we say that we can officiate, some people really think that we are qualified to officiate at sporting events!!   No!  That's a totally different game!!

You should always check into your own state's laws.
Wishing you the greatest of days!

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member: Janis Flagg of Greatest of Days Events & Wedding Planning.

5 Creative ways to “number” your reception tables

Your ceremony is over and you are married. Wow! The first part of your day is complete. Now comes the fun part….your reception. While you and your husband have pictures taken, your guest will be heading to the reception. Once they arrive, where will they sit? If the food at your reception will be served buffet style, open seating works perfectly. However if the meal will be plated, you will need to do place cards and perhaps also assign tables. Doing the seating chart is a fair amount of work and is straight forward…..not a lot of room for creativity. You will need a list of all your guests, which entrée they will eat and where they will sit. Place cards and table numbers do not need to be fancy or expensive, but these can be a place you show your creative flair or continue the theme of your wedding. Here are five ways to be uniquely you with your table assignments:

• Name tables instead of numbering – use your favorite wines or types to label your tables: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, etc. Your place cards could be bottle shaped or the color of each wine type.

         

• Label your tables with names of states you have visited together or lived in – each table could have a story about being in that state: the state where you met each other, where you each grew up, where you vacationed together or went to school. Place cards could have a ribbon matching a color in the state flag or a picture of the state plant or bird. You could do cities instead of states. Have fun with this!
• Add some bling to your guest tables and use gems as the names. You could go really glamorous with this one. If your base table cloths are white or ivory, you have a great “canvas” for adding some color to your tables. The Diamond table could have rhinestones around the center of the table and the place cards can have a “diamond” glued to it. Think your birth stone, his birthstone and then your whole bridal party for gems to use. Craft stores have rhinestones in many colors and shapes.

         

• What if you and your groom are big readers, you could use favorite author’s names or book titles. You can really take off with this one. Your place cards could be bookmarks with the guests name, entrée and author/book. You could include your names and wedding date and their place card can double as your favor. Your guests now have a keepsake from your wedding to use again in their favorite book or magazine.

• Let’s say you love to garden. What is your favorite thing to grow? This one has lots of options. Pick your favorite culinary herbs and spices for table names. Try flowers, vegetables, fruits, or shrubs. Your place cards could have a picture of the plant, vegetable, fruit, etc. Your favors could tie in with corresponding seed packets for your guests. Or choose wildflowers and there is actually handmade paper that has wildflower seed embedded in it. The paper can be used for place cards and table sign, and then the really cool part: seeded paper can be planted and the seeds will produce wildflowers. From table décor to place cards to table sign into a guest favor. Eco friendly and creative too!

        

Part of the fun part of wedding planning is being able to infuse the personality of you and your groom into the day. Be uniquely you all the way to your reception tables. I would love to help you create unique ways to name your tables. Seating charts can be a chore and you can hire me to do these for you.

Written & contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member: Nancy Skipton of Simply Celebrations & Events LLC.

Acknowledgments:

Décor provided by Crystal of Trendy Events in Tacoma, WA

Photography provided by Family Affair Photography, Tacoma, Wa

Winter Wedding Tips

Do you want your wedding to be memorable?  A winter wedding can be a great way to do something new and different for your wedding.   We compiled a list of tips from the wedding professionals who are members of the 'Puget Sound Wedding Professionals Networking' group. 

*     Plan for inclement weather.  What happens if it snows or rains heavily on your wedding day?  Will people still be able to get to your ceremony and reception venue if this weather happens?  Think about how weather could affect getting from your ceremony to your reception.  ~ Nancy with Simply Celebrations

*    Gloves.  Stock up on some of those $1.00 stretch knit (one size fits all) gloves for guests who forget to bring their own gloves.  These will be appreciated especially for those who enjoy an impromptu snowball fight at a snow resort venue.   ~ Monica with Family Affair Photography

*     Remember that winter days are shorter.  Without strategically placed accent lighting, richly colored flowers will fade to gray and black -- especially burgundy, dark blue and purple flowers.  If you're planning an evening wedding, and you don't up the lighting effects, consider using more white flowers and add mirrors, crystals and metallic accents to reflect light.  ~ Julia with Julia's Floral

                             

*     The most expensive days are on Friday & Saturday in December, competing against company holiday parties for the venues.  Photographers, DJ's and your guests already have full holiday schedules in December.  Alternatively a November, January, February wedding means your guests can focus on your big day, without competing event invitations.  Also vendors are eager for your business in the slower months so typically you can negotiate to make your budget go farther.  ~  Corine with Billy Baroo's Restaurant 

*     Plan your event on a weekday, most vendors work for less on those days!  ~ Adam with Adam's DJ Services

*    Consider using an old mansion or private estate with a gorgeous spiral staircase (perfect for that grand entrance) or with a warm cozy fireplace to create an intimate setting.  ~ Phyllicia with Realtime Weddings Consulting.

*     A winter wedding doesn't have to mean "Christmas"!  Ask the venue if you can hang decorative snowflakes from the ceiling to soften the look of the room.  ~  Katie with The Inn at Gig Harbor

*     Centerpieces can be very easy if you use bare branches with lights strung in them or use natural forest greens.  ~ Katie with The Inn at Gig Harbor

     Plan ahead, book your event before most companies book their last minute holiday parties.  ~ Adam with Adam's DJ Services

*    Buy decorating items during holiday sales.  Clip coupons for further discounts.  ~ Paula with South Sound Wedding & Event Magazine

*     Get a massage!  Holidays can be stressful enough, but add a wedding to the mix and it can become utter chaos!  Treat yourself to a peaceful hour and enjoy your wedding and holiday season to it's fullest and make this a season and event you will never forget!  ~ Francesca with Papa Eddie's Catering

*     Don't be afraid of the rain and cold when it comes to your photography!  A little preparation can make all the difference for getting some truly amazing and unique wedding pictures.  Too often, a bride and groom will feel like they have to stay indoors for their pictures because of the winter weather and they miss out on the beautiful diffused soft light we often have during the winter months.  A fun or antique umbrella and some colorful rain boots can be a recipe for some of the most romantic and unique wedding pictures ever!  Many wedding dresses are made of materials that will bead light rain right off and dry extremely quickly and a few pictures of you and your groom playing in the rain or kissing under an umbrella or standing in a puddle with your colorful rain boots will definitely be pictures you will treasure the rest of your life and will almost certainly set your pictures apart from all of your married friends!  ~               Gabriel with Van Wyhe Photography.

   

*     Have a fun & memorable wedding ceremony, work with your wedding theme or include a Santa, ask the minister to dress for a Victorian look.   Many ministers are asked to dress for a Hawaiian, Western or Sea Captain for summer weddings.  Why not have fun with your winter wedding too?  ~ Bob with 'I Need a Minister'

*     In winter skin and lips can get exceptionally dry so take care to use a nourishing moisturizer and to exfoliate in the run up to the wedding.  If skin looks good then make up will look good.    These steps should keep skin as smooth as possible in preparation for make-up.  If lips are prone to exceptional dryness then use a lip balm made from plant based ingredients which will nourish the lips deep down.  A protective petroleum type product could be used during the day or if going out in the cold windy weather.

~ Creamy textured make-up looks smooth and covers skin well.  Try cream foundations and cream blusher.

~  Avoid liquid stains as they can soak in to dehydrated areas and look patchy.

~  Choose a lip stick formula with added moisture to keep lips looking soft and supple.

Cassandra with The Bella Look

*     Candles, candles, candles!  ~ Corine with Billy Baroo's Restaurant

*     What foods are readily available during the winter months?  What vegetables or fruits taste great during the winter months?  In season foods taste better, cost less and is readily available locally.  What foods will your guests expect to be eating this time of year?  What foods would be a refreshing change and a nice surprise for your guests?  ~ Nancy with Simply Celebrations

*     White poinsettias and white Christmas lights are a stunning and inexpensive backdrop to a ceremony and floral decor.  ~ Corine with Billy Baroo's Restaurant

*    In case of snow or ice, plan to start the ceremony 15 or 20 minutes later than scheduled as guests do hate to be late.  When they arrive late they arrive in a stressful state-of-mind.  They are relieved to know the "show" hasn't started yet.  Loreli with Heart 2 Heart Weddings

*     Hire a coat check company!  During winter months it's often cold and wet promoting people to wear coats.  Is there a plan and place to accommodate these?  Coat check companies often handle the coats as well as providing gift security and guest concierge services at weddings.   ~ Marni with Coat Check Complete

*     For an evening wedding, if you are using signage to direct guest, be sure it's reflective so people can read your signs ~ Paula with South Sound Wedding & Event Magazine

*     Don't forget the specialty cocktails as guests arrive to the reception, serve a saketine (rice wine and sweet vodka) in a glass trimmed with sugar crystals  ~ Phyllicia with Realtime Weddings Consulting.

                    

*     If the venue allows it, a candle-lit ceremony is both beautiful and meaningful.  There's always LED tealights and candles as well.  ~ Katie with The Inn at Gig Harbor

*   Have large colorful (wedding colors, rainbow colors, etc) umbrella's available in case of snow or rain.   These can be used to usher guests in from the elements and they can also be used in some of your wedding portraits.  ~ Monica with Family Affair Photography

*     Choose a venue with interesting inside spaces, fireplaces, brick walls, soft leather furnishings which create a natural backdrop to a winter wedding.  ~ Corine with Billy Baroo's Restaurant

*    "Winter Time" Burrr!  Warm up guests with "hot" cocktails or hot non-alcoholic beverages such as Hot Buttered Rum, Coffee Royale, Hot Spiced and Spiked Apple Cider, non spiked hot Spiced Apple Cider, rich Hot Chocolate with whipped cream or marshmallows.  Yummm!  ~ Loreli with Heart 2 Heart Weddings

*** To our readers, if you have a tip that you feel we forgot to mention, please feel free to add it in the comments!

Helpful Wedding Invitation Hints

Your invitations will be the first glimpse of your wedding that guests will see.  So think about the vision you have for your wedding and how you want to let them know the joy you have for this day!

1.  Start looking and be inspired!  If the internet is your first choice of where to start your research, that is fine.  Just remember, you can't see true color,  size, and texture of the paper or ribbon with a picture on the internet.   Look at magazines, papers and even wrapping paper to find a color combination that will make your day beautiful!

2.  Make your invitation list!  Remember to count couples and families as one invitation.  A common mistake when counting guests.  For 100 'guests' you will probably only need 50-60 invitations depending on couples.  As a rule of thumb, order 20% more than your list total to allow for last minute invitees.

3.  Allow plenty of time for invitations printing and addressing!  It can take from 2-6 weeks to have invitations printed and another 2 weeks for addressing.  Don't use labels!  If possible have your invitations hand addressed.  So, order your invitation 4-6 months before the event.

4.  Check for correct name spellings of parents and how they want to be addressed!  I know that sounds funny, but better to be certain than be embarrassed later on.  If your parents are divorced, it will be best to ask them how they want to be addressed.

5.  Do not include a registry card with your invitation!  This is considered tacky and an impolite gesture.  Put this information on your wedding website and also rely on family and friends to let guests know where you are registered.

6.  Don't forget your thank you notes!  It is easy to order these with your invitations and then you will have them when you need them.  Thank your guests and vendors on a timely manner for their gifts and services.

7.  Mail your invitations 6-8 weeks before your wedding.  If you are having a destination wedding and will have several guests traveling, you might want to send them 10 weeks before the event.  Save the dates should be mailed 6-9 months before your wedding.

8.  Postage.  DO NOT purchase the stamps for your invitations until you have a full ensemble put together and it has been weighed by the post office.  Square invitations will cost more in postage due to the size.

9.  Time!  If you are considering making your own invitations consider your time and resources.  Don't rely on your friends.

10.  Have fun!  Don't be afraid to express you and your fiance's style and who you are.

Submitted by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member Valerie of Valerie's Invites.  You can also find her here on Facebook.

What should I consider when selecting a wedding photographer?

Style:      
First you want to determine the style of photography you want.   However, with that said you want to keep in mind that some photo editing applications, tricks, etc might be the ‘it’ thing right now.  But, will those editing styles still be desirable in 2 or even 20 years?  Over the past two years alone I have seen several editing trends come and go.  A well composed photograph, one that tells the story of the day and expresses the emotion of the day is something that will last throughout the years. 

Experience:
It’s often said you get what you pay for.  This is when it’s a good idea to arrange to meet the photographer so you can see if they have a history of producing a quality level of work that you would want for your own wedding.  

As a wedding photographer, I can tell you that wedding photography can be one of the most challenging yet exciting forms of photography.

Don’t be afraid to ask how much experience they have?   Have they photographed a few weddings, a few hundred weddings?  Is this their business or a hobby? 

Do they have experience at your venue or a similar venue, especially if it’s a low light venue or a venue with it’s own set of challenges such as bright sun (windows or outdoors), or any other lighting situation, each can present their own little challenges.  An experienced photographer is going to be ready for any situation!

One thing we have noticed lately are people with little experience who are trying to take your focus off the actual photograph by over-editing and adding a lot of creative add-ons.   While there are a lot of fun and interesting techniques that can be done to the photographs will they still be desirable in 2 to 5 or even 20 years from now?  Look past the fun edits,  and make sure the images are good from the beginning.

Credentials: 
Many professional photographers who take their craft seriously are members of various professional photographer associations such as:
PPA - Professional Photographers Association
WPPI - Wedding & Portrait Photographers International
WPJA - Wedding Photojournalistic Association

Also what I feel is the most important credential is a happy customer!  So, don’t be afraid to ask for references from past customers and check for online reviews.

            

Personality:
Personality counts!  I’ve had family members of our customers tell us stories of past photographers that they dealt with and obviously didn’t recommend them for the wedding we were photographing.  We would hear about these photographers who were invasive, pushy, very demanding who had family or even the bride in tears on their wedding day.   You want a photographer you can spend the day with, who isn’t going to add stress to your day.  They don’t need to be your BFF but, you certainly want someone you are at ease with and who can work easily with all the personalities at your wedding. 

The Photographer:
If you are working with a studio that has multiple photographers make sure you meet with the photographer who would be photographing your wedding face to face before signing any contract.   Also, ask if this is their work you are viewing or a collective gallery of work.  Many larger studios will send whoever is available, this happens more often than you can imagine!

          

Money Matters:
There are several things to consider when looking at the photographer’s packages and pricing structures.  Do you understand what your getting?  Is there room for changes and what will the changes cost?  How much time will the photographer be at your wedding?  What happens if you need more time?

~ How many photographers will be covering the event?
There are still several photographers who prefer to work alone and others who work as a team of two - usually husband/wife teams.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each.  Most importantly though it’s a matter of personal preference of the bride and groom.  If the photographer is used to shooting alone, it’s often awkward when they are required to bring in a second shooter.  They need to be on the same page and work smoothly together.  Photographers who work in pairs have that established pattern, they know each others moves and communicate well together.

It’s also important to consider your venue and wedding size when determining if you want one photographer or two.  It wouldn’t make sense to have two photographers photographing a wedding at a small chapel with 20 guests. 

~ How many hours of coverage will be provided?
Coverage means what time they start to the ending time.  If you require your photographer to start at 10 am to photograph the bride getting her hair and make up done and the reception ends at 10 pm, that would be 12 hours of coverage.  If your photographer is committed to their job they will have little to no down time during those 12 hours.   When they aren’t photographing the bride and groom, they will be shooting details, guests and family. 

~ How many photographs will they be taking?
This isn’t much of an issue with digital cameras.  I’ve heard of some photographers who shoot about a 1000 images per hour!  Personally, I call this the “Mad Clicker”.  
If they are taking this many shots they obviously  aren’t putting a lot of thought into composition.

~  Do they edit the photos?  
This is often a big part of the cost of photographing a wedding.  For every hour of event coverage the photographer who cares about their art is going to take 6-10 hours editing the photographs from that one hour of coverage.  For example an 8 hour wedding can take anywhere from 48 hours to 80 hours to edit.  Or another way to calculate how much time they spend is about 2-5 minute PER IMAGE.

~ How many photographs will they edit? 
Some photographers will only edit and give you 50 to 200 images from the entire event.  Others will select X amount of photographs to edit per hour of coverage.  And finally you have others who will edit all photos that have turned out.  These are all things to consider when looking at their package pricing and to be sure to get what is offered in writing in a contract.

There are also photographers who offer a “Shoot & Burn” package.  Meaning they come and shoot the wedding and provide you a DVD of the images unedited in RAW form.  This can be an issue if you don’t have the proper editing programs! 

~  Will you receive proof prints or will the proofs be in a gallery for viewing?
This is a personal choice.  Proofs are meant to serve as a way to allow you to view your images and choose which ones you would like turned into professional prints.

~ Are professional quality prints provided?
It’s hard to determine what size and how many prints you want before your wedding.   Many photographers are now offering a print credit with their packages.  It’s not only important to know the value of the print credit but, to see their print prices prior to signing.   Photographer ‘A’ might give you a $100.00 credit and you can only buy 2 8x10’s with that credit.  While that same $100.00 with Photographer ‘B’ will fill a wall!

Get it in Writing:         
Once you’ve selected the photographer you want to cover your big day, be sure to get a contract in writing that states exactly what you’re getting and when you’re getting the final product.  A professional should be providing one without asking.

Read through it before signing.  Is it clear?  Fair?   Everything spelled out?  Make sure you have no doubts before signing!  If changes are made on the contract, be sure to show the amendments and initial them with the photographer.  Example, if you ask not to have your images on display on their website.  Make sure it’s written on the contract.

Final Thought:
Keep in mind when planning your budget that your photographs are going to be one of the few physical reminders of your wedding and I find as years pass the photographs increase in sentimental value.  No two photographers will photograph your wedding the same, like a painting, photography is a work of art. 

Submitted by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member Sonny & Monica of Family Affair Photography

Fall Bridal Open House

Are you planning a wedding or an upcoming event? 

The Attic and the Hansen Place will be hosting their Fall Bridal Open House on October 24^th from Noon to 4pm.  Come tour two distinctly unique venues, sample food and meet with wedding professionals in a beautiful yet, relaxed setting.

The Attic: 1003 Main St, Sumner, WA

The Hansen Place, 823 Main St, Sumner, WA

Come meet the following members of the Puget Sound Wedding Professionals:

The Hansen Place, The Attic, Simply Celebrations & Events, Absolute Music, Top Hat Formal Wear, Betta Mansions, Adam’s DJ Service, Greatest of Days, Ceremonies by Cynthia, Getting Personal Imprinting, Family Affair Photography, Simply Irresistible, and Valerie’s Invites.  Several other vendors will also be participating in the Open House.

This open house has been organized by Nancy Skipton of Simply Celebrations.

Bridal 4-1-1 Workshops

 

               Wedding Tips from Professionals

         Planning Advice for your Wedding

      Q&A with up to 16 Different Vendors

   Wedding Checklists, Giveaways, DIY Advice!

If you are planning your wedding and have questions or concerns, these workshops are for you!  Every  bride has questions and sometimes no  one to ask.  Come listen to wedding professionals with answers.  The workshops are designed to help you learn how to interview potential vendors such as photographers, florists, DJ's, Officiants, Caterers, etc.  The workshops will provide you the information to make wedding planning decisions with ease, choose the best wedding dress or wedding flowers for you, and connect you with wedding professionals with DIY solutions.

Each workshop is a series of four 2 hour sessions with up to four wedding vendor presentations each session.  Sign up for one or all four sessions.  Workshops will be held in Tacoma, Seattle/Tukwila, Kent, Gig Harbor and other upcoming locations.

#15.00 per person for each session or save $10.00 and buy all four for $50.00 per person.

Call 206-601-6957 or email nancy@simplycelebrations.com            Call 206-604-1908 or email jan@greatestofdays.com

For more information and to buy workshops, go to www.bridal4-1-1workshops.com.

Workshops are designed and sponsored by Greatest of Days and Simply Celebrations & Events, LLC.

Wish Upon a Wedding

                     

Couples planning to be married can bid for wedding-related auction items online starting in October or at a Blissful Wishes Balls Nationwide in November, with all proceeds benefiting  Wish Upon a Wedding .This new organization is the world’s first nonprofit that provides weddings for individuals facing life-threatening illness.

Wish Upon a Wedding is currently seeking donated products or services in 46 cities, ranging from wedding gowns to tuxedos, invitations to cakes, and limousine services to honeymoons. It only takes a moment to register and make a difference in someone’s life at  https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?auctionId=115386483

For those donating, be sure to add your item to the correct category (city), and don’t forget to include your company logo and URL.  What a great advertising opportunity~ and you’ll be making a positive difference in someone’s life who truly deserves it!

Best Honeymoon Destinations?

Of course the BEST place to go depends on your taste, the activities
you want, your budget and the season. The following are the Best
for satisfaction in their category.

Honeymoon Seclusion:
1. Fiji
2. Tahiti
3. Bali
4. Turks & Caicos
5. Cook Islands
6. St. Lucia

Honeymoon Affordability:
1. Mexico
2. Jamaica
3. Dominican Republic
4. Bahamas
5. Hawaii
6. Thailand, Bali

Honeymoon Snorkeling and Diving:
1. Fiji
2. Tahiti
3. Belize
4. Turks & Caicos
5. Australia
6. Aruba, Hawaii

Honeymoon Exploring:
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Italy
4. Costa Rica
5. Ireland
6. European Cruise

Honeymoons from the Pacific Northwest:
1. Hawaii - Maui, Kauai and Oahu
2. Mexico - Cancun, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta
3. Caribbean All-Inclusive - Jamaica, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia
4. Caribbean Cruise
5. Tahiti, Fiji
6. Thailand

An honorable mention goes to winter honeymoons at ski resorts in Canada, Colorado and Lake Tahoe.

Be sure to talk with your travel planner in detail about all of your wishes to be matched to the right destination, activities and resort values to have YOUR dream honeymoon.

Submitted by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member:
D. Paula Demmer of Travel Leaders - Lakewood, WA www.Tahiti3.com