Save the Date: Preventing Conflicts with Your Wedding Day

Scheduling conflicts are a regular part of life. We all have experienced it. We schedule a party only to discover that half of those we had intended as guests already have commitments to be somewhere else so you find yourself in the position of either having the celebration without those individuals or you have to reschedule.

But when it comes to your wedding day, rescheduling is rarely an option.

The question then is how do you limit the possibility of conflicts? Of course, the obvious answer is that the earlier you schedule your wedding, the better chance you have of getting on your guests calendar. Easy, right?

Maybe not.

You see, after a certain point - and I can't tell you where that point is because that changes from region to region and social circle to social circle - scheduling earlier is not going to help. For example, most people in my region don't schedule their life activities more than about eight months out, with the exception of vacations, so scheduling your wedding eighteen months in advance is not going to help in terms of your guests being able to attend your wedding.

So what is the key? Simply put, it is communication. The sooner you communicate your wedding date to your planned wedding guests, the more likely they will be able to set the date aside to celebrate with you.

The question is how? The people who specialize in wedding invitations say to send out the invitation six to eight weeks before the wedding. Trust them, sending your actual invitations out too soon can be disasterous. In the summer or for a holiday wedding, send them out closer to eight weeks in advance.

But that only highlights the problem. How do you communicate your wedding date to the friends and family that you would like at your wedding without sending you wedding invitations out way too soon?

• Drive to each individual's house and talk to them and hope that they write it down.
• Call all of your future guests and tell them your wedding date and that they will be invited and hope they don't forget.
• Write a personal letter to each of your friends and family members telling them about your wedding date and hope they don't loose your letter.
• Send out 'Save the Date' cards.

I like the 'Save the Date' cards more and more as our world gets crazier. I especially like the magnetic 'Save the Date' cards because, not only can you find them in virtually any style to match your developing wedding theme such as beach, lily, fairytale or... but being magnetic your guests can keep your reminder card on a convenient place such as a refrigerator door.

How soon should you send out the 'Save the Date' announcements? Again, that depends on your situation. In some situations you might be able to send them out as late as four months before the wedding. If your circle is really busy or if you have friends and relatives coming in from across the country, then I would recommend you send out your chosen 'Save the Date' cards at least six months. If you have people coming from other countries more time might be needed for your guests to be able to 'Save the Date' for your wedding.

Read this Before You Buy Your Wedding Invitations

Have you stopped to think about the hidden danger in your wedding invitations?

Your wedding invitations are a key part of your wedding plan. They will serve you well in announcing not only the time and place of your wedding celebration but also help to announce (if subtly) whether your wedding is a formal or informal event.

But... there is a hidden danger in wedding invitations that are often not considered until it's too late to do anything about except grin and bear it.

What is that danger? Simply this. Most invitations have to go through the postal system which means that not only do you have the paper and printing costs associated with invitations, but you also have postage costs.

And that's the problem. You see when we buy wedding invitations we expect postage, but we often don't think of the extra postage that comes with unusual shaped and sized invitations. And even if we do we often discount the thought as only being a few cents, but over your entire mailing list those few cents can turn into a lot of money you could have spent on your cake - or honeymoon!

So how do you protect yourself? Simply this: You can protect yourself by making up a sample of your intended invitation design and taking it down to the post office to find out exactly what each invitation will cost to mail before you commit yourself to that design.

Do it. It's worth the effort, even if you are pretty sure your wedding invitations are a standard size it is better to take the time to bring your sample along next time you have to run to the post office than to find out a week after you finally got them out that the post office is returning them for insufficient postage! That could really throw your schedule out of wack, not to mention what it might do to your wedding budget!

How Weddings and Funerals Really are Alike

Well, I'm back. Sort of... Grief is like a wedding, the event is only the beginning. In the case of a wedding it's all about growing the relationship and creating something that is as beautiful (or more beautiful) as the wedding itself. Grief is about cleaning and healing the wound afterwards - but even that is something like a wedding, because in the end we all want to see stronger, healthier relationships as a result of our efforts and experiences.

This One Wedding Tip Can Save You a Lot of Grief!

Speaking of grief ... due to a family tragedy I will be silent for a few days. I will be back soon so check back next week. In the mean time, if you are looking for wedding planning tips and / or ideas for your wedding or reception be sure to check out my Fun Wedding Ideas! page. There's everything from info about managing the stress of your wedding day to how to actually make a themed wedding work, to creating real drama in your wedding ceremony. Of course there you can check the earlier postings on this blog as well.

Of course, I can't take off without leaving you with a quick tip about planning your wedding:

I thought I'd tell you about one thing today that just might keep a lot of hair in your head as your big day approaches. In this case it's a book. Yes, a book.

You see, as we've discussed before, weddings are generally considered to be a woman's world. The problem is that weddings demand a groom - and in most cases that means a man.

So you can help yourself by getting your groom a book that prepares him to graciously meet the demands of the wedding day. This book is essentially a leather bound 'cheat sheet' to help him be the courteous groom you've always dreamed of throughout the wedding planning process and especially on the big day.

It's called, "The Grooms Guide," by Marguerita Smolen and it's available now through the wedding essentials page of our website.

50th Wedding Anniversary Cake Topper Ideas

The 50th wedding anniversary cake topper is an important part of any golden wedding anniversary celebration. You will want it to not only reflect the celebration but the couple who is celebrating it. Reaching the 50th wedding anniversary is a big deal, so you want a special celebration and a special 50th wedding anniversary cake topper is a great place to start.

Some ideas for the 50th anniversary cake topper include having a replica cake and topper of their original wedding. Inquire to see what type of cake they had on for their original wedding and inquire as to whether there are any photographs of their wedding cake available. If this is not possible ask the couple if they can provide a description of their wedding cake and top in as much detail as possible. With right description it should be no problem to find a bakery to recreate that special day with a copy of the couple's original wedding cake.

There is of course the option of the traditional 50th wedding anniversary cake topper of a golden number 50. Many couples go with this for their anniversary celebration but if that just isn't for you, use some imagination to make it unique.

There are many options to choose from for the 50th wedding anniversary cake topper. You can choose anything from the number 50 made with a floral arrangement to crystal jewelry cake toppers. Wishing wells and a wide variety of porcelain cake tops are often a good choice for a fiftieth anniversary cake, but do not overlook all the beautiful options available with acrylic! Truly, any number of options can represent the 50th wedding anniversary; the choice is really up to you. The important thing, however, is that the cake topper should represent the couple and their life together.

With today's modern technology it is simple enough to...

Continue reading, "50th Wedding Anniversary Cake Topper Ideas"

Laxatives, Weight Loss, and The Bride

Laxatives and weight loss often appear to be a solution to a young bride’s weight loss difficulties but it is certainly not a good solution. As with many other weight-loss techniques those promoting such a course of action are certainly not giving the best possible advice because using laxatives and weight loss can actually cause you to become nutritionally deficient as the laxatives will not allow your body to get sufficient nutrients out of the food that you're eating.

True, there are people who do have trouble with digestion and constipation. And it is true that the buildup of waste in your system can result in weight gain but turning to laxatives for weight loss are not the way to solve this problem.

Instead, look at your diet and see what types of food you are eating and whether you are having too much junk food and not enough fiber. The easiest way of doing this is to keep a food journal for a week and record everything you put in your mouth.

Increasing your fiber will help you to eliminate waste more easily and having a better digestive system will reduce the amount of toxins that will build up in your body and this can help your body to remain at a more optimum weight level.

If you have a good diet that has a reasonable amount of fiber then in most cases you will not have any need to be concerned with laxatives and weight loss.

Fortunately, there is a better way than turning to laxatives for weight loss. It is a controlled, well planned system that is based on how the human body works. If you are a bride that is truly interested in weight loss before your wedding, you owe it to yourself to check it out. That way you can save the laxatives for constipation.

How to use "Tea Lights" when Open Flame are Not Allowed

Want to use tea light candles to mark your path or adorn the tables in your reception? Tea light candles in a darkened reception hall or just after sunset at the beach can create an almost magical effect that will create an amazing amount of ambiance without costing you a lot of money. But what do you do if the facility (or the state) you are using says no to open flames?

It is not an uncommon problem.

As buildings get older and people become more aware of the risks posed by open flames it is getting harder and harder to fine a facility that will allow open flames. As a matter of fact in the Western half of the United States where the summers have low humidity it is getting harder and harder to find a park that will allow open flames from anything, including from a tea light candle.

The reason is simple: An open flame from a tea light (or any other kind of candle) always runs the risk of fire - something that could ruin an otherwise wonderful evening and cause much unnecessary damage.

Want to use tea lights at your beach wedding or your evening wedding at your favorite mountainside park, but nothing you try protects them from being blown out by the breeze coming off of the water or mountains? You could try having all of your friends and family lining the aisle while they cup the candles with their hands, but that would not be very fun for them and it just might be dangerous for someone who is not paying close enough attention.

So what is the solution? If tea lights are too dangerous or impractical do you have to just leave them out of your wedding plans?

Not anymore. Simply use...

Continue reading, "How to use "Tea Lights" when Open Flame are Not Allowed"