Relationships

Friends Don’t Let Friends go Into Debt To Be A Bridesmaid

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It’s your day, Bride, no question about it.  But take time to think about your friends and their circumstances.  Chances are you know all too well how expensive it can get being a bridesmaid, or even just being a friend-of-the-bride, what with showers, bachelorettes, wedding gifts…it adds up.  Here are some “dos and don’ts” for keeping your friends feelings and finances in mind.

DON’T

  • Keep Up With The Jolies.  Yes, we all read the magazines of celebrity excesses and glamorous getaways, but celebrate in a way all your gals can afford.  Does your entire gaggle of girls need to go to Puerto Rico for a long bachelorette weekend? Does your shower need to be at the Ritz? Keep your expectations within everyone’s budget.
  • Have a Surprise Party.  No one likes expensive surprises.  When your maids find out on wedding day that they owe $150 plus tip for hair and make-up (that is “optional,” but everyone else is doing it), you can’t expect they’ll be feeling celebratory.
Nora and Julie - the world's greatest bridesmaids

DO

  • Be choosy (in a good way). Pay attention when choosing your wedding party.  Did your cousin just get laid off? Does your best friend have college loans up the wazoo? If you think someone might feel less than honored – ask her in a neutral way that allows a graceful “out.”
  • Adopt an attitude of gratitude! Thank everyone.  This seems like a no-brainer, but tell everyone how much you appreciate the love and support.  The more your friends hear this during the lead up to your wedding, the better the experience will be for everyone!

 There you have it.  Keep your friendships together, and everyone’s wallet (relatively) intact.

 Be well, and love well!

 -Dinah

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Are Your Wedding Vendors Hands On?

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Being as close as we are to one of the biggest fresh flower markets in the world, it would be a crime to not get into Los Angeles from time to time and get hands on while picking our stock of flowers.  Sure, there are wholesalers that ship gorgeous blooms straight to My Little Flower Shop for our wonderful parties and weddings, but there’s no substitute for getting in there and looking at the riot of color on offer in the Los Angeles Flower District.  So Greg and Al make their way there at least once a week to stay in touch with what’s in season, the latest trends, and the best suppliers.

Greg at the LA Flower mart with a cartload of beautiful arrangements-to-be

When choosing wedding vendors, don’t forget to ask how each one keeps up with industry trends, and makes sure they are in touch with what inspires them.  When it comes to your wedding, you want all the hands you can get – and you want people who are willing to get in there and get ’em dirty. If your designer is doing a lot of gesturing and pointing, but hasn’t laid a hand on anything organic, time to say “hands off my wedding!”

be well, and love well!

-Dinah

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Paid Marriage Proposal Planning – Do You Want Your Sweetie Bringing In a Pro to Create The Big Moment? Take Our Poll!

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Greg saw a piece recently in an industry journal about wedding planners with “side businesses.”

This woman calls herself a “proposal planner.”  Brides, how would you feel about a proposal-for-hire? Is it exactly what your man needs to pull off the proposal-to-end-all-proposals? Or is part of the charm for you knowing that the whole thing came from your sweetie’s own mind?  Read the blurb, and take our poll!

THE PROPOSAL PLANNER
Sarah Pease, Brilliant Event Planning

The inspiration for her marriage-proposal business—The Proposal Planner from Brilliant Event Planning—came from a story she heard from “a friend of a friend,” explains Sarah Pease. The would-be groom wanted to incorporate his beloved’s favorite food—fried chicken–into his wedding proposal. So, “He decided that the very best way to pop the question was to put a ring at the bottom of a bucket of chicken!”

The New York-based wedding planner knew “there had to be a better way,” and in 2008 launched her proposal business. She does not consider it a sideline: “Depending on the time of year, I may be spending the majority of my time planning marriage proposals over any other type of event,” she says. “Since high proposal season is November through February, it’s a great balance to the busy wedding months of spring and summer.”

[polldaddy poll=6040544]

 

Who said romance was dead?
What looks like a self-made proposal - and look at the glow on his face. Awww.
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