–Wedding–
– Ask a Real Bride – How Do I Ask My In-Laws to Contribute?
July 20, 2023
If you’re not yet part of the Ask a Real Bride Instagram community, you have to join us: brides to be, mothers of the bride and groom, bridesmaids, and anyone who loves weddings will find daily etiquette Q+A’s, fun videos, and quick tips to make wedding season more enjoyable! Week after week, brides (and sometimes […]
Top 10 Kitchen Items to Include in Your Wedding Gift Registry
July 18, 2023
The kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in my house! It may sound old-fashioned to say it, but I love cooking comforting meals and baking special treats for my family and friends, while sipping on a glass of wine (or my fourth cup of coffee!) To me, the kitchen is like the heart of […]
How To Show Love To Your Bridesmaids
July 4, 2023
Bridesmaids for a day and best friends for life, don’t forget to say thank you and hold on to your girls tight! If you’re anything like me, finding your tribe is almost as important as finding your guy! As a former bride and bridesmaid herself, I am here to share with you all the ways […]
– Ask a Real Bride – Your Most Frequently Asked Questions About Kids + Weddings
June 22, 2023
The @askarealbride Instagram page is growing into a fun community for brides, mothers of the bride, bridesmaids, and wedding guests to interact, ask questions, and weigh in on wedding etiquette hot topics. If you haven’t joined us there–what are you waiting for? One of the most frequent topics? Kids and weddings! I’ve written extensively about […]
How to Be the Perfect Mother of the Bride (MOB) or Mother of the Groom (MOG)
June 20, 2023
Every wedding year comes with a classic list of “dos” and “don’ts,” and the Mother of the Bride (MOB) and Mother of the Groom (MOG) have their own, too. If you’re unsure how to handle the wedding year of your soon-to-be-wed son or daughter, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. We’ve even tapped our resident wedding […]
– Ask Cheryl – How Much Should I Give for a Second Marriage?
June 13, 2023
It’s very common to receive an invitation to an “encore” wedding – the wedding of a couple getting married for the second or even third time. Choosing the perfect gift can be challenging, especially when it’s not their first time celebrating this special occasion, and it’s normal to wonder how much to spend. Dear Cheryl, […]
– Ask a Real Bride – Ways to Honor Your Mom at Your Wedding
June 6, 2023
While the bride and groom are obviously the stars of their wedding day, the third most visible role belongs to the father of the bride: he often escorts the bride down the aisle, gives a speech at the reception, and shares a dance with his daughter while everyone looks on. The irony? In the lead-up […]
5 Tips for Creating Your Best Wedding Gift Registry
June 3, 2023
Follow these tips to build a successful registry full of beautiful, practical housewares that both you and your fiancé love! One of my favorite parts of planning my wedding was setting up my gift registry. However, I went into the process blindly and was completely caught off guard by the number of choices I had […]
Preserving Your Wedding Day Memories
May 30, 2023
Your wedding day will feel like one you’ll never forget, but there are plenty of ways to keep the memories alive for your marriage years ahead. The day after your wedding is often full of stories from the night before, fresh in your memory from less than 24 hours earlier. If you close your eyes, […]
– Ask Cheryl – How Many Should Be Invited to a Bridal Shower?
May 23, 2023
Is it just me, or have you noticed that bridal showers are becoming larger and larger? Today, I advised a concerned hostess on how to handle a ballooning guest list. Read on for my tips and the etiquette behind why showers shouldn’t feel like mini-weddings. Dear Cheryl, I’m co-hosting a bridal shower for my niece […]
5 Fresh Summer Bridal Shower Themes
May 18, 2023
The weather is heating up. It’s summertime and we have some fresh and fun bridal shower ideas to celebrate your beautiful bride-to-be. 1. Ice Cream Bridal Shower Summer is the perfect season for an ice cream social! Use a color palette of pastels (think “mint chocolate chip” green, “strawberry” pink, and “French Vanilla” yellow) to […]
Day-of Timeline for a Seamless Baby or Bridal Shower
May 16, 2023
You’ve sent the invitations, decided on a theme, decor, food, and even party favors, but what should the actual day of the shower look like? You want to ensure that your event does not go on for hours and bore your guests to tears. Whether it’s a baby or a bridal shower, it’s essential to […]
– The Morning Of – 6 Ways Bridesmaids Can Help Create Calm, Not Chaos
May 11, 2023
Bridesmaid dress? Ordered! Bridal shower? Check. Bachelorette weekend? Done! After months of anticipation, a few pre-wedding festivities, and around a thousand messages in the group chat, you might get the sense that your bridesmaid duties are winding down. But the hours leading up to the ceremony are some of the most crucial moments for bridesmaids: […]
I Registered at Bed Bath and Beyond (or BuyBuy Baby)… What Do I Do Now?
May 3, 2023
Updated 5/11/23 Creating a gift registry can be very time-consuming, between research and in-store appointments required to nail it all down. If you registered at Bed Bath & Beyond or buybuy BABY, you might feel a bit overwhelmed about what will happen with your registry account. You may be asking yourself: “Is my registry still […]
How to Address Wedding Invitations
May 2, 2023
You’ve invested time, money, and care into choosing wedding invitations that reflect your personal style and tone of the wedding. The final step: addressing the envelopes! It seems straightforward: title, name, address. But as you scan your guest list, you may find yourself with questions. We’re here to help! Read on for guidelines for every […]
– Ask Cheryl – My Husband Invited to a Wedding Without Me!
April 25, 2023
My husband received a wedding invitation via social media from his stepdaughter (from a previous relationship). In the online RSVP process, only his name was found. He said he would contact her and straighten it out. I think this was intentional and disrespectful, even though we have been married for almost fifteen years. How do […]
