weddings

Why I Said “I Do” to a Destination Wedding In Palm Springs

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My husband and I were planning a destination wedding for October 2010 in Connecticut. We traveled there in late July to nail down the details, and things quickly devolved.  Flying home we knew we had to move to plan B – which didn’t exist.

We had a date that family had built plans around, (10/2/10) and it was now August. We flew back to LA and made a phone call that would lead to Palm Springs wedding bliss. On the other end of the line was Gregory Goodman of My Little Flower Shop . Within a week of arriving home we found ourselves in Palm Springs for the weekend, and when it was over we were ready to say “I do.” Here’s why:

  • The level of hospitality that we experienced at venues we toured was amazing. Everyone we met so welcoming. People here want and appreciate your business!

    Palm Springs: a great place for weddings, and wedding photos! Love the backdrop.
  • The town itself has a relaxed vibe and so much character – the shopping, the Mid Century Modern architecture, and the Rat-Pack legacy would be a fun getaway for all the generations of family coming to celebrate with us
  • As a resort town, it’s uniquely prepared to host events. The level of professionalism was incredible, and we knew we would be exquisitely taken care of.
  • It just felt right.  Wherever you choose to hold your destination wedding, you’ve got to feel connected to the place.

Wherever you choose to hold your destination wedding, don’t forget it’s about to join an elite group: the most special places you hold in your hearts as a couple.  Make sure it’s somewhere that deserves a spot on that list.

Be well, and love well.

-Dinah

I Want My, I Want My, I Want My…R.S.V.P!

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Vintage Lace Response Card
Vintage Lace Response Card (Photo credit: blush printables)

Why guests don’t reply to wedding invitations? An age old problem. How do you get them to RSVP? Here are some proactive tips for couples:

  • Leave enough time: You’ll read in books that invitations are traditionally sent 8 weeks before the event.  With guests behaving as they do, that’s bullfeathers. Allow yourself plenty of time, and then tack on 2 weeks to chase after people. Don’t add stress by cutting your window too short.
  • Double check your response cards: There are too many couples who happily seal their invitations only to turn around and see extra sheets of stamps – they’ve forgotten to stamp the return envelopes. Have a second set of eyes check that everything looks A-OK.
  • Enlist the cool kids: Get point people to set a good example- if there’s a family matriarch, see if you can get her to RSVP early and let everyone know that’s what’s expected.  Have your wedding party spread the word among friends, etc.
  • Relax A Little: In the end, there are going to be slackers.  You’re going to have to have your Mom, and close friends work the phones a little anyway, no matter how hard you try, so there’s no point in fretting that your cards aren’t coming back fast enough.

There you have it! Now all you have to worry about is seating everyone. Piece of cake. Unless you haven’t picked a cake. Which is nothing to worry about – THAT’S a fun one!

Be well and love well.

-Dinah

Trend Alert! Justin & Jessica Celeb Wedding Trends! Oh, How Wedding Journalists Annoy me!

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So I’m flipping through the LA Times and I see that they’ve shoe-horned a  little wedding section into the paper this past Sunday.  It’s your usual assortment of articles, the charming quirky dress saleswoman at Saks, the etiquette of putting photos on Instagram, nothing that those of us who actually make our living doing this haven’t written about a hundred times.  But there was one piece that really stuck out. It was the obligatory “What’s new & hot in weddings” article.  It illustrates my whole problem with the idea of “hot wedding ideas”

Titled “Weddings from a Simpler Time,” the piece describes the “boho chic” trend, and discusses such elements as mason jar centerpieces, wildflowers, picnic tables, and popularity of the craft marketplace Etsy.

Love the boho chic mason jar look? So do we! We don’t care if it’s trendy, we want your wedding beautiful and you happy.

Um, LA Times? 2010 called and wants its wedding trend article back.  They write that “one out of every four weddings in 2011″ had this vintage type theme. Are they aware that we are approaching the end of 2012? Don’t they know editors have moved on to Roaring Twenties/ Great Gatsby weddings? Here’s my take- it’s still beautiful, whether or not it’s “popular”

Now if you read this blog, you know how I feel about trends.  Basically, they are all well and good, but I really think brides should have weddings they and their partners love, not that are dictated to them by the editors of magazines. And this article goes to show why! They often have no idea what they are talking about. The people who see the trends as they develop in the field are the designers (hint – us)! We can help you find the pieces of what’s new that fit into a look you already love to keep your wedding fresh and unique.  So this Halloween, read the magazines, just keep in mind they aren’t sent from on high.  As the LA Times demonstrates, sometimes they are the ghosts of wedding trends past! And who believes ghosts should design your wedding? No one.

Live well, and love well.

-Dinah