Wedding Etiquette Hell

In need of a little wedding stress relief?

Check out the stories of Bridezillas and Groomonsters at www.EtiquetteHell.com.

You'll be hooked in no time. And you thought your mother-in-law was a demon...

Are you experiencing wedding etiquette hell? Leave me a comment.






(Photo by Mash Down Babylon, Devon Hollahan, used under terms http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en.)

Ipod Wedding: Savings Strategy or Wedding Nightmare?

Ever since the invention of the Ipod, DJs have been sweating it out, fearing their replacement by a tiny machine. If a bride can download all her favorite songs into a tiny Ipod and play whatever she wants at her wedding…does that mean she won’t need ME?

This is a sore spot for a lot of wedding DJs. But not for me! I’ll tell you why…

I encourage all my brides to THINK FOR THEMSELVES. You need to decide what’s important to you and what’s right for you and DO IT, come hell or high water. That’s the attitude you need to plan your Dream Wedding on your terms.

In some situations, an Ipod wedding might be the way to go. But there are some points to consider…

You won’t have a trained professional to do your announcement and guide the flow of events. You and your guests will be all on your own.

You won’t have an expert reading the crowd and taking requests to maximize the dance floor.

If something goes wrong with the equipment, you’re out of luck…your wedding will be nothing but DEAD AIR.

WARNING: DON’T have an Ipod wedding if you want a packed dance floor or if you have special events planned, like a First Dance and Toasts. It will be a Ipod disaster.

If you want your guests to have the best time of their lives, a wedding they’ll be talking about for years…you NEED a skilled professional entertainer. It’s like they say (whoever they is), “Your DJ makes or breaks your party.”

On the other hand, you should consider an Ipod wedding IF:

You don’t have a dance floor. (For instance, you’re renting a restaurant.)

You aren't having any special events.

You’re hosting a cocktail party type reception and you aren't expecting your guests to dance.

Think about it like this: have you ever been to a house party and had a great time? Guests sort of wander in and out of the house, grab food when they want it, chat and listen to background music. Everyone has a great time. But it’s NOT a wedding.

If you try the "house party vibe" in a room with a big, empty dance floor, it’s going to feel really awkward.

So that’s my professional opinion. As in all things, decide for yourself. And if you have any questions (or if you think I’m crazy) shoot me an email.

(Photo by Tim De Backer www.hln.be under terms http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en.)

Online Wedding Savings

Always on the lookout for a bargain, I found some great ways to save on your online purchases, so I'm passing them on to you.

(In case you're new to the idea, using the internet to buy things for your wedding can save you A BUNDLE.)

www.retailmenot.com You can search alphabetically, by category, or by the over 15,000 stores listed. Before you buy an item online, check this site to see if you can find a discount code. They also have a printing coupons section.

www.fatwallet.com This site gives you a rebate for purchases made through their site. It's not as good as a coupon, since the rebate takes up to 3 weeks to process. Just don't forget to submit your rebate!

www.dealcatcher.com You get listings of coupons, rebates, and weekly specials.

www.pricegrabber.com This site lets you search for the best prices online by seller, product, retailer or ratings. Just make sure you sort by price.

Found a great online savings site? Leave me a comment and we'll share the info.

Shop Esty.com To Make Your Wedding Unique

If you're looking for ways to make your wedding unique, you have GOT to check out Etsy.

They have an awesome selection of unique, hand crafted items that make perfect wedding accessories, favors and invitations...especially if you like to think outside the box.

Even if you're not in the market for hand crafted goods, just do a search for the term "wedding" and you'll get thousands of ideas. If you're a crafty gal, you might be able to pull them off yourself.

Or if you're all thumbs, like me, you can leave the craftiness to the experts...

Find any fun, unique touches for your wedding? Leave a comment and share the wealth!

Do You Buy the Wedding Hype?

I just read a great article on The Wedding Dish blog about a wedding "Reality Check" on the cost of wedding gowns.

What we think we're "supposed" to spend for a wedding dress--and many other wedding services--is WAY more than average and WAY more than you have to pay.

What's going on here? It's enough to send a peaceful, excited bride straight to Bridezilla-ville!

DON'T buy the hype.

Wedding magazines and television shows exploit the glitzy, ultra-expensive weddings that are way out of the average budget. Don't let them tell you how much you should spend for an "average" wedding!

With a little research, a dash of creativity, and a lot of determination, you CAN have your Dream Wedding on your budget. Believe it!

What do you think? Does it drive you crazy, too? Leave me a comment.

Stephanie

5 Steps To Stop Wedding Stress

Planning your wedding is supposed to be the best time of your life...and sometimes it is...but it's also one of the most stressful things you will EVER do.

I went through six weeks of HELL before my wedding. I had headaches, stomach aches and wedding nightmares worrying about...

Trying to make everyone happy.

Getting everything done on time.

Sticking to my budget AND getting what I wanted.

Dealing with family "drama."

Sound familiar?

When you feel wedding stress coming on, STOP and follow these 5 Steps to Wedding Stress Relief.

1. Get Clear On What You Want. When overwhelmed with details, other people's loud and obnoxious opinions, and the pressure of planning your Dream Wedding, ask yourself, "What do I want? What is important to ME?"

2. Think About the Big Picture. What is this wedding all about? Why all the fuss? Five, ten or twenty years down the road, what will you remember as important to you?

3. Visualize Your Big Day. Close your eyes, breathe, and imagine yourself coming down the aisle. You are at your most beautiful, inside and out, and you see your beauty reflected in the eyes of your loved ones and your sweetheart as you walk toward him. Get a clear, vivid, emotional picture of what it's really all about. Dwell on the "good stuff."

4. Count Your Blessings. Take out a piece of paper and write down all the things you are thankful for. Don't stop until you've filled that piece of paper front and back with all the blessings--big and little--in your life.

5. Consider Other Perspectives. Ask yourself, "What ELSE could this mean?"

It's okay to feel stressed out. It happened to me, too. Allow yourself to feel it, then choose your focus. You CAN plan your wedding and enjoy it, too.

Your Friend,

Stephanie

P.S. What's stressing you out and how are you dealing with it? Leave me a comment.

Your Dream Wedding Dress...For Less

You CAN find your dream wedding dress...at prices up to 94% off retail!

How do I know? Because brides are doing it. Brides just like you.

But that bargain dress isn't just going to leap off the hanger and into your arms.

The first step is knowing what you want. Like any Dream Wedding Diva, you need an EDUCATION in wedding gowns.

Check out this article for a quick study in the "Anatomy of a Wedding Gown." http://wedding.theknot.com/bridal-fashion/wedding-dress-shopping/articles/wedding-gown-anatomy-lesson.aspx

Then browse The Knot photo gallery at http://weddings.theknot.com/weddingdress/bs_main.aspx?gowntype=1 to find out which designers, styles and cuts give you that "tingly bride feeling."

You can't get what you want until you KNOW what you want. Once you know...anything is possible.

How did YOU find your dress for less? Leave me a comment with your story.

Stephanie

P.S. Learn the 3 easy ways to nab your dream dress for less at www.SimplyYourSpecialDay.com.

(Photo by Lukasz Dunikowski, terms at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en.)