Category: Wedding Planning/Ideas

Ask a Real Bride: Five Tips for Including Kids in Your Wedding

Can kids and weddings mix? With a few strategies, you can make sure that your littlest guests (and their parents) have a great time at your wedding!

Almost two and half years ago, I kicked off the “Ask a Real Bride” series with the topic of kids and weddings, and I was blown away by the strong opinions and emotions on both sides of the issue. You can read the full debate on kids and weddings here, and know this: no matter… Continue reading Ask a Real Bride: Five Tips for Including Kids in Your Wedding

5 Ways to Celebrate Your Blended Family During Your Wedding Ceremony

Bringing two families together in marriage is about more than just the bride and groom. Discover our favorite ways to celebrate your blended family on your big day. Image via Aaron Willcox Photography

Blended weddings bring together more than just a bride and groom; they symbolize the bringing together of two families. When one or both halves of the couple have children from a previous marriage or relationship, including them in the ceremony can help smooth the transition and make them feel like they’re part of the celebration.… Continue reading 5 Ways to Celebrate Your Blended Family During Your Wedding Ceremony

15 Ideas for Your Bride & Groom Gift Exchange

The bride and groom gift exchange is a chance to show your partner a little extra love on your wedding day. Find your perfect gift — plus some helpful tips — right here! Image via Helena and Laurent Photography.

The bride and groom gift exchange is a wedding tradition whose origin is a little fuzzy, but it’s withstood generations of marriages and is still popular among modern couples today. It’s an opportunity for the couple to have a private moment during their wedding day (or the night before) outside of the festivities. Not sure… Continue reading 15 Ideas for Your Bride & Groom Gift Exchange

Ask a Real Bride: Can I Register for Whatever I Want?

Thanks to online registries you can add anything you want to your registry--but the question is: should you?

Fishing poles, office supplies, board games, a $700 massage chair: what do these items have in common? I’ve seen them all included on wedding registries of friends and family within the last few months! Why are these non-traditional items popping up on wedding registries? I can think of two reasons: Online shopping makes it possible… Continue reading Ask a Real Bride: Can I Register for Whatever I Want?

Ask Cheryl: What is the Best Way to Share Wedding Registry Information?

During Covid, there were unique challenges to wedding planning. Big events gave way to smaller ceremonies and postponed receptions. Can you share wedding registry information with family and friends who may want to send a gift, even without a formal wedding invitation? Hi Cheryl, If you are getting married in one state and having a… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: What is the Best Way to Share Wedding Registry Information?

Ask a Real Bride: Ideas for Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, & Something Blue

Ask a Real Bride: Ideas for Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue Meta: Real brides share their ideas for incorporating this traditional poem into your wedding ensemble! Even as wedding traditions change and sometimes disappear, one quirky tradition holds strong. Though most brides aren’t sure why they do it, most (83% of… Continue reading Ask a Real Bride: Ideas for Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, & Something Blue

#TrendWatch: Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

Gone are the days when every bridesmaid was forced to wear an identical dress, no matter her size, shape, or preference. Thankfully, the latest trend for bridesmaids calls for diversity in color and style, rather than conformity to just one dress—which allows for freedom to find a frock that flatters each individual girl! Brides, listen… Continue reading #TrendWatch: Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

Ask Cheryl: What is the Best Way to Plan a Small Wedding Without Offending Any Uninvited Family or Friends?

Planning the most important day of your life should be exciting, but it is not without its fair share of stress. Is it possible to make everyone happy? And if a “minimony” or an elopement is the desired path, what is the best way to share the happy news with the rest of the family? … Continue reading Ask Cheryl: What is the Best Way to Plan a Small Wedding Without Offending Any Uninvited Family or Friends?

Ask a Real Bride: Favorite Wedding Planning Tools

When I got engaged, my older sister presented me with a stack of thick, glossy bridal magazines, filled with gorgeous images from real weddings, hundreds of wedding dress ads, and advice from wedding industry experts. I remember feeling so excited as I turned the pages of those magazines, dog-earring the pages with my favorite dresses… Continue reading Ask a Real Bride: Favorite Wedding Planning Tools

A Bride’s Guide to Bridesmaids

Photo Courtesy of Lauren Louise Photography

Making Sure Your Bridesmaids Are Still Your Friends After the Big Day Dear Bride, Congratulations! We know you’ve always dreamed of your wedding day, and part of that dream is having your best friends stand by your side as you marry the love of your life! I’m here to make sure that those best friends… Continue reading A Bride’s Guide to Bridesmaids

Ask a Real Bride: Four Ways to Thank Your Vendors

Image courtesy of Sarah Hanna, offering Calligraphy and fine lettering services for brides and beyond. Feast your eyes on her gorgeous art at sarahhanna.com

You researched them, interviewed them, compared them to the other options, and finally, made your choice: I’m not talking about your fiance, I’m talking about your vendors! From the florist to the coordinator, the photographer to the DJ, you’ve got a dedicated team working behind the scenes to make your wedding vision come to life.… Continue reading Ask a Real Bride: Four Ways to Thank Your Vendors

Ask Cheryl: How Do I Host a Post-Wedding Virtual Bridal Shower?

Smaller weddings and virtual showers have become the “new normal” for many 2020 couples. But these modified celebrations can still be a wonderful way to shower the happy couples with love and best wishes while staying socially distant. What are some tips for hosting a successful virtual shower? Who should be included on the shower… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: How Do I Host a Post-Wedding Virtual Bridal Shower?

Tips + Outfit Inspo for Your Winter Engagement Photo Shoot

When I got engaged, my first priority was nailing down a wedding date. The second priority? Figuring out our engagement photos. From the location to the time of day to the outfits, everything had to be perfect — and I know I was no exception as a modern bride.   These days, an engagement photo… Continue reading Tips + Outfit Inspo for Your Winter Engagement Photo Shoot

Ask a Real Bride: Should I Try a Wedding DIY?

Photo Courtesy of Threefold Events, a Birmingham-based wedding coordinator | Brittany Jayde Photography

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in possession of an engagement ring must also be in want of a Pinterest-perfect wedding. And since limitless budgets are but a fantasy, many brides quickly pivot from browsing Pinterest for inspiration to clicking through the site’s many, many DIY tutorials for everything from favors to… Continue reading Ask a Real Bride: Should I Try a Wedding DIY?

All Your “Minimony” Questions Answered

Image via Finding Light Photography

Weddings don’t have to be cancelled — discover how real couples are keeping things intimate with our tips for throwing your own “minimony”. What is a minimony? Pretty much exactly what it sounds like, a minimony is a small wedding ceremony involving an intimate guest list, typically around 10 – 25 people in an outdoor… Continue reading All Your “Minimony” Questions Answered

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