Flower

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

My Little Marital Bliss Shop: Never Stop Dating

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Cadillac CTS Coupé Concept
Cadillac CTS Coupé Concept (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who’s dating your man? It had better be you honey boo boo child, before, during AND after the wedding.  He was beguiled by your charm and fun personality, and fell in love on dates with you. Keep the initial spark alive by still going out regularly- and I don’t mean some kind of obligatory once-a-week dinner that you drag yourselves through. Snooze fest. Think about what you really enjoy doing together, or separately, and have some adventures! You can go as far as a weekend get-away, or stay as close as your own kitchen, but be creative.

Recently I told my husband we were going on a mystery outing. He had no idea where, but loved trying to guess!  He’d been talking for the last few weeks about wanting to test-drive a Cadillac CTS Coupe, so I had found a local dealer, and we went on a “Sunday Drive” to go take a look.  He was very surprised that I would even come up with such a thing, and was thrilled to pieces. The date was a hit because it was something he was really into, and it warmed his heart that I had been listening.

If your imagination is running a little slow these days, The Dating Divas have a website chock full of ideas to spice things up. (No, not that way. Get your mind out of the gutter). They have themed dates, bargain dates, at-home dates for after the kids go to bed… you get the idea.  So go out and get dating!

Be well, and love well.

Dinah

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What Really Counts At My Little Flower Shop? Giving Back.

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What a week! As many of you know, El Jefe, the Big Man On Campus, our Fearless Leader, AKA Gregory Goodman, turned 50 on Wednesday.  There was quite a celebration.  Alan, Head Designer, and all around terrific husband, made sure Greg’s party at The Fix on El Paseo was classy, fun and beautifully decorated.  Friends came to celebrate from near and far, and the cake was phenomenal, as one might have known since The Fix is attached to The Pastry Swan’s retail location. Oooh, I can still taste that cake.

Al raises a glass to his gorgeous 50th birthday arrangement at Fix

But as Greg told me later, something else also meant a lot to him that day.  He helped a friend decorate a table** at her daughter’s high school graduation. He said “It wasn’t a big deal – some mirrors, and a couple things styled in a fun way” but he went on to explain he felt it had been for a girl who really achieved something.  “She and her family worked hard for that diploma. And her family was so proud – and I was too, and I got to help that happen with what I love to do.”  So for Gregory, an important gift he got on Wednesday was, in fact, one he gave away: help, support and encouragement to someone else.

It got me thinking – Greg gives a lot, to a lot of people. And that’s the secret to his happiness and positive attitude. He gave me and Stephen 150% of his time, energy and love when we got married in 2010. And he gives that kind of focus to all his brides; I’ve seen the tough businessman cry at many a wedding he attends. He’s given second chances. I’ve known him to hire people that many businesses wouldn’t, and to get great work (and great loyalty) out of them. He gives so much to the Wedding Warriors – and to making sure his friends and associates get business from his clients. The guests at his party certainly reflected that. He always shares his success.

So that’s what I’m thinking about today. Gregory’s birthday gift of giving. And it reminds me that there is always a gift to be given that is from the heart. And sometimes it’s just showing up, and doing what you love.

Be well, and love well.

-Dinah

* * We would have liked to include a photo of the table. Unfortunately we used a linen from TE Couture Linen that we had in the shop as a sample, and they were upset. We would like to use this space to publicly apologize, we are sorry they were unhappy that we did not make advance arrangements for a contract to donate use of the tablecloth sample. We regret that they have chosen to no longer do business with My Little Flower Shop, and hope to remedy that situation.

 

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