Deal on Votive Candles

I get emails and postcards from several different wedding supply companies that occasionally have sales or offers for a limited time, and I always promise to share those with you!

I got an email with this offer today, from QuickCandles.com and yes, they ship quickly! They are offering free monogramming on their votive holders, no coupon or code needed. The candles come in all the colors above, which are the perfect size for a reception because they last up to 10 hours.

If you like some other items on their website, you can enter the code SUPERQUICK at your checkout and receive 10% off your order!

Where have I been?

I have taken some time off from blogging and keeping my website updated, I admit it. My husband and I were so blessed to have a baby girl, Julie Ann, born on December 30, 2010. Needless to say, the pregnancy and first year of her life have completely changed my world and priorities, so my online presence was put on hold. I have recently re-vamped our blog design, though, and our website is soon to follow. I am slowly getting back into working full-time and keeping up with future brides, current brides, and our past brides. Thank you so much for visiting our blog and sticking with us this past year - you are priceless!

A New Kind of Guest Book

One of the problems with any type of guest book or item for guests to sign at your wedding is ensuring everyone is aware their message is wanted, and that they have an opportunity to sign it. Putting a guest book at the ceremony and asking people to sign it as they arrive will only give you about a 3-page list of names, and those who want to bypass the long line or arrive to the wedding late will not sign the book. Having a photo mat or other unique item for guests to sign at the reception leaves you with the problem of where to put it so every guest sees it, and again if there is a line, many guests will bypass it forgetting to come back later.

I had a bride a few months ago tell me about this idea and it turned out beautifully, so I had to share. She asked guests to write a message to the couple on the back of their RSVP cards.

On the bottom it says, "please leave the bride and groom a sentiment of love on the back of this card," then you turn the card over and there were four different prompts for guests to respond to:

"You know you're in love when..." "We wish you..." "Once upon a time..." and "Love is..."

Putting these on the back of your RSVP cards give your guests the perfect opportunity and plenty of time to give you a thought-filled blessing that you can cherish for the rest of your life.

She was tickled by all the responses as her RSVP's came back, and I took all the card and made put them on these boards to display at the reception. All the guests enjoyed reading them, and the bride loved the boards so much she had them framed and they now hang on the wall in her and her husband's new home.

Let's Talk Logistics: Restroom Trailers

My job is 100% Logistics. If everything just miraculously fell into place just as we plan without any work, I would not have a job. I take a bride's dreams and turn them into reality, which takes a lot of logistics work that most brides don't think about. So, I've decided to do a series on common logistical issues I encounter when planning a wedding. I do a lot of outdoor weddings, because they require the most planning and logistic considerations. Everything has to be brought in - tables, chairs, linens, dishes, food, bar, drinks - everything, and some of the time, even restrooms.

Restroom trailers can be such an asset to a wedding. Whether you're getting married in the middle of nowhere, or your venue simply doesn't have enough restrooms for your 300 guests, a proper restroom trailer can make your guests much more comfortable and happy to stay at your reception. Notice I used the word "proper." I've seen couples bring porta-potties and set next to their reception tent - could this be any tackier? I would be offended if I was a guest at a wedding reception and was forced to not only use a small, plastic porta-potty, but also to have to wait for it. This is what I mean by "proper restroom trailer:"

These "executive" restroom trailers are available all across the country, featuring toilet private rooms - with wall and doors just like a powder room, heating and air conditioning, hardwood floors and crown molding, pedestal sinks, a stereo sound system so you can choose the music that plays in the trailer, and it comes fully stocked with plenty of soap, hand towels, and toilet paper.

These trailers are super nice, and only require an electrical and water hookup. Now, one problem I have run into with some restroom trailer companies is the hookup. If you are renting one, make sure they will hook it up for you - this may cost extra. I had a bride rent one a few years ago and luckily I made sure I was there when it got delivered. The delivery guy told me he wasn't going to hook it up, but he did tell me what I needed! My initial thought when I'm thrown for a loop like this (which is almost every weekend) is "Okay, how can I fix this?" The water hook-up wasn't a problem from the building we were adjacent to, but power was. This trailer had 4 huge cords to plug in - think about the air conditioning, lighting, and stereo system - this is a small house we're talking about! Now I'm not an electrical person, but the operations guy of the building we were next to told me we could only plug in 1 of those to the building because if we plugged in the other 3, it would blow a fuse. I immediately called my husband, who is my go-to-guy for such situations, and we borrowed his dad's generator to pull the rest of the electricity for the trailer, and I just charged the bride for the gas we used after the fact. (And no, I did not tell her about the situation until she got back from her honeymoon!)

Now, once you have rented the trailer, it's hooked up, you're good to go, right? Not quite. Where is it located in relation to guests? Is this front of it facing the reception? Is it obvious to guests what it is? Is it hidden? It is unlikely that flat ground, water, and electricity is located right next to your dance floor, so the trailer will have to be placed a distance from the reception and guests will have to walk to it. You need to have clear directional signs to the restroom trailer and proper lighting on the path to it to ensure your guests' comfort and safety.

The bottom line is: just think logistically!

What’s in my Emergency Kit?

I have a big tote bag I carry with me to every wedding that contains pretty much anything the bridal party, vendors, or I would need on a wedding day. Here’s what’s inside my bag:
- Scissors – 3 pair (I am working on making a holster for scissors because I always need them at my fingertips on a wedding day)
- Lighters and matches
- Garden shears, for cutting flowers
- A water spray bottle, for spraying water on flowers
- Straight pins, for pinning corsages and boutonnieres, and pinning hems
- Tape: regular scotch tape, double-stick tape, masking tape, duct tape, electrical tape
*Special Note: It always amazes me how many guests do not tape their cards to their gifts, so I always have my tape out to do this for them so you know who your gifts came from!
- Fishing wire, to hang or bind things
- A mini tool kit: screwdrivers, utility knife, hammer, flashlight, wire cutter, pliers
- Paper towels
- Windex cleaner
- Large trash bags
- Take-out food containers to pack up food and cake for the bride and groom to go
- Saran wrap, Freezer paper, and Aluminum foil for packing up food and cake
- Large white shopping bags to pack up your keepsakes for you
- Sandwich bags and Gallon bags for packing up things for you
- Rubber gloves for cake cutting or cleaning up
- White and Ivory ribbon
- Sewing kits: several travel ones I can give away and one large one I keep
- Safety pins
- Bobby pins
- Ponytail holders
- Hairspray
- Pocket mirror
- Breath mints
- Tissues
- Tide pen and Shout wipes
- Baby wipes
- Static Guard spray
- White chalk to cover up stains on tux shirts or bridal gowns
- Feminine protection items
- “Reserved” signs
- A nice basket for programs, cards, or throwing petals
- Guest book pens and markers
- Pens and pencils
- A plastic calla lily boutonniere just in case
- Makeup: concealer, powder, lipstick

And I am continuously adding things to my emergency kit as I find different things I have needed at weddings.

Petal Wishes: An Adorable Rehearsal Bouquet

My bride from last week had this bouquet made from a company called "Petal Wishes" in Arizona. They send you the actual petals, and you can have people write on them at your bridal showers, engagement party, bridal luncheons, or whenever. Then, you mail her the petals with samples of your wedding colors and she created this beautiful, custom keepsake you can use as your rehearsal bouquet instead of a gathering of bows from your shower gifts.

The smaller petals and the charm at the top of the base of the bouquet has the words to their first dance song on it, "Nothing Can Change This Love" by Sam Cooke. You could have a special quote, poem, or Bible verse put on there to to make it even more your own! These beautiful bouquets start at $80 and it comes with a display stand.

Love Never Fails

Because I'm a sucker for contests, I have to inform you of another wedding-related one, this time by KLOVE. The radio station is asking for incredible marriage proposal ideas - they don't have to be your story, they don't even have to be real, just an idea that you may have - adventurous, romantic, down right crazy, what ever you've got! The selected winner gets to have Brandon Heath sing at their wedding (or party or vow renewal). Brandon Heath is one of my favorite artists and his new song "Love Never Fails," based on the words of 1 Corinthians 13, is becoming a top request for ceremony songs. If you haven't heard it, take a listen on the video below.

Go to http://www.klove.com/promodetails.aspx?i=5552 to find out more and submit your entry. Better hurry though! The contest ends this Friday.

Honeymoon Giveaway from PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

If you've read my blog before, you know I love a good deal or chance to win something, and I love passing that on to you! So, here's the latest I just got an email about:

Brides,
Enter our Luxury Included® Honeymoon Giveaway with Sandals Resorts – and you could win a romantic 6-Day/ 5-Night Caribbean honeymoon!
With a Sandals Resorts vacation, everything you could want for your perfect honeymoon is included. Luxuries like exquisite accommodations, unlimited gourmet dining, anytime snacks, unlimited premium brand beverages, state of the art fitness centers, roundtrip airport transfers to and from your resort, gratuities, daily and nightly entertainment, and an endless variety of land and water sports including snorkeling and scuba diving (for certified divers).
Sandals Resorts are in gorgeous tropical settings and on some of the world’s most exquisite white-sand beaches. With locations in Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia and the Bahamas– the hardest part about winning might be deciding where you want to go.
Enter with our online entry form. There is a limit of one entry, per person, per day. Contest is open to legal residents of the US and Canada (excluding Quebec) only. See our terms and conditions for full contest rules and regulations. The contest closes on February 28th and the winner will be selected on March 2nd.
Good luck!

First comes Love, Then comes Marriage, Then comes Daddy with the Baby Carriage

I just want to say congratulations to all my past brides - they're all having babies! It seems like every week I hear of a new pregnancy. I feel like a mom myself, because I get so attached to my brides. So congratulations and thank you for letting me be a part of your family, which always starts with a fabulous wedding!

The Sparkler Exit

One of the most popular wedding elements is the "Exit," where the bride and groom waltz through an aisle of guests throwing things at them. Traditionally guests have thrown rice, bird seed, rose petals, dried lavender, blown bubbles, and now it seems the most popular "to do" for the exit is sparklers. Sparklers are fun and make great pictures, but they do take a lot of coordinating because they only stay lit for a small period of time. They are also potentially hazardous, especially with drunk wedding guests, as they remain quite hot for a few minutes after the sparkler itself goes out. All of these are things to think about if you are considering using sparklers for your wedding exit. Hiring a wedding coordinator will relieve all of this stress and they should be able to answer all of your questions concerning this important event, as well as execute it perfectly.
A few words of advice:
- Sparklers light faster from other sparklers. Have your coordinator light about 5 sparklers at the same time, then distribute those among the crowd, having one lit sparkler among a group of about 15-20 people. A group of 15-20 people can light their sparklers off of 1 sparkler in about 1 minute, so if you have 5 groups doing this at the same time, you and your groom should be ready to run down the aisle about 90 seconds after the lighting began and have plenty of time for great pictures before the sparklers burn out.
- Sparklers remain hot for a few minutes after they burn out, and your guests will throw them on the ground. Someone could get hurt if they are not paying attention or if you don't have a coordinator in charge. I always have buckets of sand or kitty litter that me and my team walk around with to collect the sparklers after the crowd is finished with them, so they are disposed of properly.
I just got word of new heart-shaped sparklers (I have not tried them yet) available from buysparklers.com. They are offering a 15% discount off all orders now, so if you are interested, check them out and use the code "15coupon" to get your discount!

Cute Wedding Ideas

I am truly fortunate to attract and book all of the wonderful brides that I have the pleasure of working with. So many of them have amazing ideas they want to incorporate into their special day and I absolutely love it! Whitney and Rob were married in November and as a former Walt Disney World cast member like myself, Whitney wanted the whole day to be a "show!" So, she put together this video to show as guests arrived at the church. This pre-show is about 30 minutes long, as we started it when we opened the doors to the church. It's just like the kind of pictures and trivia you see when you go to a movie theater before the feature begins.

Another favorite part of Whitney and Rob's wedding was certain elements of the reception. The bride and groom were announced (or should I say danced) into their reception while the DJ played "Peanut Butter Jelly Time!" and it was hilarious! About half-way through the reception, we dimmed the lights and passed out glow necklaces - another Disney theme. Whitney's grandfather is a member of a barbershop quartet and they sang "I Love You Truly" as Whitney and Rob sat and watched - I even cried and I never cry at weddings!

Congratulations Whitney and Rob - I was so honored to be a part of such a perfect day!

The Reception Photo Booth

One of my new favorite reception ideas is the photo booth! Not only is it great for entertaining your guests, but it also doubles as a unique guest book. The photo booth prints out 2 copies of your guests' series of 4 pictures. Your guests get to keep 1 copy for themselves, and the other copy goes into an album where your guests can sign and leave a note for you right next to their funny photos. At the end of the night, you have a unique, hilarious, complete scrapbook/guestbook with photos and notes from all your wedding guests.

Most photo booth rental companies charge by the hour with a 3-4 hour minimum time period, and come with an attendant to manage the photo booth and guest book signing. Some photo booth rental companies even provide a trunk full of props for you and your guests to use in the pictures, such as large sunglasses, tiaras, funky hats, feather boas, fake sideburns, angel wings, and more.

I have had several brides rent photo booths for their receptions and it's always been a big hit with guests of all ages. My advice on the subject is, as always, do your research! Make sure the one you rent comes with at least one attendant who will be stationed at the booth the entire time. Here are my favorite photo booth rental companies in central Kentucky:

Photo Booth Kentucky by James Cook Photography

Say Cheese Photo Booth

M&K Premier Photo Booth

To See or Not To See?

One of the most controversial debates I deal with at every wedding is whether or not the bride and groom will see each other before the wedding ceremony. I have met very few brides who are not passionate about either side of the debate. I may, rather - I will take some heat on this, but I am going to come out and say that I highly recommend seeing each other before the wedding. Now, hear me out, and I'll explain why - there are 2 main reasons in my opinion.

The first, of course, is the pictures. I am an advocate for getting to your reception on time, and it is simply an oxymoron to believe that you can get all the pictures you want of the two of you together, and still make it to your reception at a decent time. Yes, you can take all the pictures you want ahead of time - bride with her family, bride with bridesmaids, groom with his family, groom with groomsmen, etc. But think about it. Are you really going to want those pictures? Probably not. Everyone is going to want pictures with both of you in them.

If you ask any bride about her favorite wedding pictures, chances are she will tell you they are the romantic ones of just her and her groom, like these taken by Josh Merideth at Bella Grace Studios, of Katie and Craig who took my advice and saw each other before their summer wedding in downtown Lexington. Katie and Craig chose to meet each other on the front steps of the church instead of in the sanctuary.

The second reason is the encounter. Just imagine walking down the aisle for the first time, your hair and makeup all done perfectly, your dress bouncing, and tears in your groom's eyes. It's just the two of you in the entire sanctuary. To me, this is more romantic than the same encounter in front of hundreds of people. You and your groom have your own special moment before the festivities of the day begin, alone and heart-felt. Take time to pray with each other, tell each other how happy you are, how in love you are, how beautiful you look, and just have a private moment together before the chaos begins.

So, yes, you may completely disagree with me because of "tradition" and what you have been taught or dreaming of your whole life, but please, consider what you will get out of seeing each other before the ceremony. And, if you have an awesome wedding coordinator such as moi, we will ensure that your meeting is not a chance happening in the hallway, but a peaceful and romantic first embrace on your special day. If I still haven't convinced you, I wish you luck and my only advice is not just to make a timeline, but to have someone in charge of managing the photo session after the ceremony to ensure its timeliness.

My Kind of Favors...

Yes, they are so cute on a table top or stacked on a display table...

Gone are the days of giving away golf balls or candles with your names and your wedding date printed on them. Hello to consumable or practical favors!

My favorite favor is the charitable donation. Most of us have at least one organization we work with or admire. Let your guests know that in lieu of traditional favors, you and your fiancee are donating to your favorite charity. Consider it tithing from your wedding budget. The charity will be so grateful and your guests will be impressed.

My second favorite favor is edible goodies. Some examples I love are monogrammed cookies like we did for Jennifer & Trey's summer wedding last year (she also had those monogrammed napkins made):

Custom M&M's like we did for Amanda & Justin's spring wedding adding horse shoes the couple had collected with a little "Lucky in Love" poem attached to it:

In Kentucky, Bourbon Balls are a popular candy as we did for Annie & Greg's Kentucky-themed October wedding:

And I love letting guests choose their own in candy stations like this one we did for Angela & Ryan's wedding last May:

We Need Your Help!

Engaged volunteers needed!
My friend Cristina Reitz-Krueger, a Doctoral Student at the University of Virginia, is looking for volunteers for a study of attitudes towards marriage and parenthood among engaged couples. The study consists of a 25-30 minute online survey. To qualify for the study, you must be 20-35 years old, live in the U.S., and plan to marry within the next 365 days. You and your fiancee must not have children, and this must be the first marriage for both of you.
You can:
-Help a doctoral candidate;
-Increase the pool of scientific knowledge;
-Support research on marriage and families; and
-Spend some time thinking about your relationship!
She is working with Dr. Charlotte J. Patterson, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. This study has been approved by the University of Virginia Institutional Review Board #2009025800.
If you and/or your fiancee are interested in participating or want further information, please email Cristina at survey.couples@gmail.com. She will send you a link that you can use to access the study.

Wedding Budget: Where to Save and Where Not to Skimp PART 3 of 3

- DO NOT skimp on linens and reception decor. There's nothing that makes my skin crawl like looking at a rental order a bride has brought me and seeing the word "white" all over the place. Don't let anyone tell you that white is all they have, or that white is the standard color. Linen color is the biggest change you can make to create a fabulous reception, and the cost is little or nothing depending on your choice of venue. Tell me you don't notice the difference:
















- DO Skimp on Favors. Favors are always the first thing to go when I'm working with a tight budget. They are a nice gesture, but your guests are already getting dinner, drinks, and a fabulous time at your reception, so a favor is not necessary.

- DO Skimp on Catering. This doesn't mean you can only have finger food and no bar at your reception. If you're on a tight budget, I suggest providing host beer and wine only. Your guests will drink whatever is available. It has been my experience that people aren't picky when it comes to free alcohol. As for food, I recommend 2 or 3 appetizers while your guests await your arrival. These don't have to be caviar or jumbo shrimp cocktail, my favorites have been the simple things such as a mini BLT or a fruit and veggie tray. For dinner, sometimes it can be cheaper to do a plated meal as opposed to a buffet, so really look at your caterer's pricing on both options. And obviously, I recommend to skip the desert because you have your wedding cake.

Food is an important part of your recepion, so when I say skimp, I don't mean it literally. I have taken catering contracts and shaved hundreds or thousands of dollars off of them for minor changes such as these. Caterers have the tendency to go overboard if you let them, so just remember - you are in control.

Any budget stories, suggestions, or questions? Comment on these posts or send me a quick email to leann@kyweddingbliss.com and I will share your story or answer your question!

Wedding Budget: Where to Save and Where Not to Skimp PART 2 of 3

- DO skimp on invitations and programs. This DOES NOT mean print them yourself - this can often be more expensive after the cost of the paper, ink, and your time. See this blog post from a past client of mine who detailed all the costs she encountered making her own invitations. I recommend going to a local printer who can create simple, inexpensive, custom invitations for you in-house. Every experience I have had ordering invitations online has turned out to be a....I'll just say, a mistake, to be nice. You never know exactly what you're getting when you order online. You can't see the paper color, feel the weight and texture of it, and if there is a problem, it takes weeks to get it fixed. Having everything printed locally cuts your costs as well as your hassle. If there is sort of problem with the printing, it can be fixed within a day or two. In case you're wandering, I use Emily Mistretta at Minuteman Press in Lexington. Also, keep in mind that wedding programs are not necessary. If you're really tight on the budget, feel free to just eliminate them all together.

- DO skimp on transportation. Most of your guest will never see you arrive or leave (unless you do a tossing exit) so it's not smart to spend hundreds of dollars out of your budget on something your guests won't get to see. I also think it's cute when you use your own car and it can be decorated. Just be sure your groom doesn't drink or have a friend drive.

- DO NOT skimp on a videographer. I frequently hear brides say that they don't need a videographer or they are just going to have a friend film the ceremony. Mistake. No matter how awesome your photographer is, he or she can't photograph the sound, movement, and general feel of the day like a video can. And if you it right, you will end up with a movie-quality film you and your family can enjoy watching for the rest of time. My husband and I watch our wedding video every year on our anniversary, and when ever we get in nasty fights :). My favorite local wedding videographer is John Anders at Wolves Video.

Wedding Budget: Where to Save and Where Not to Skimp PART 1 OF 3

I've had so many brides, especially lately, ask about cutting wedding expenses so I've decided I just need to write down what I've been telling everyone.
Here's my advice:
- DO NOT skimp on a photographer - PLEASE. You photos are the only thing you have after the wedding to remember the day. You will use them all over your house, your Facebook page, Christmas cards, and to show your children someday. I have seen so many brides skimp on a photographer to save some money and it is the biggest regret they have. A good photographer in central Kentucky will cost about $3500-$6000 depending on the package you choose.
- DO Skimp on SOME flowers. Most churches do not need much decoration. Do not spend hundreds of dollars on altar arrangements or pew flowers that will only be seen for 30 minutes. Use flowers like carnations where you get the most bang for your buck. Ask your florist what flowers are in season because they will be cheaper to use. Don't waste money on corsages and boutonnieres for every family member, distant relative, and special friend. The only people to even consider giving personal flowers to should be parents and groomsmen. In my experience, grandparents usually arrive too late to pin on their flowers and don't enjoy wearing them anyway.
- DO Use an affordable DJ instead of a band. A good band can run you more than $5000 while a good DJ should be less than $1000. I also like using a DJ because you can hear and select the songs you want played by the artist you want to hear them sung by, and you know what the songs will sound like.

Don't be late to your own reception!

My mother is a big newspaper-clipper-outer. She clipped these Dear Abby articles out for me to share with you. Photo schedules are ALWAYS a big deal for me and I often spend a lot of time working with the bride, groom, families, and photographer on the photography schedule because I'm an advocate for getting to your reception on time! One of the first weddings I ever did when I was an event coordinator at The Thoroughbred Center years ago was the worst case I have ever seen to this date. Guests began to arrive at the reception at about 5:00 just after the 4:30 ceremony and began to munch on appetizers and drinks at the bar. At about 6:30, there was still no sign of the bride and groom, so people actually started to leave. What can I do? Nothing.

No matter how much time you've spent decorating the reception and selecting food and music (and no matter how good your wedding coordinator is), nothing can drive your guests away than you not showing up. Your guests come to your wedding to see you, not wait 2 hours for you to take pictures. I always recommend taking as many pictures as you can prior to the ceremony, whether you choose to see your groom or not, and my brides will tell you I'm a bit of a drill sergeant at the picture session after the ceremony. If everyone cooperates, these pictures can be done and fabulous in under 30 minutes, then you're off to your reception to let the party begin!

Add Culture to Your Wedding

Photo by Jessica Campbell Photography

I will admit, most of the weddings I work on are traditional American/English Christian weddings and are fairly similar in flow and style. When I do have a couple wanting to add cultural flair to their wedding, I just love it!

Carla and Kpanja (pictured above with Kpandja's parents) chose to take Kpandja's west African heritage and and run with it. Kpandja was born and raised in Togo, Africa and came over to the states for college and then to work at Lexmark, where he and Carla (from Wisconsin) met and fell in love. Carla and Kpandja flew to Togo to have a seamstress from Kpandja's village create this beautiful embroidered gown for Carla and Kpandja's matching Bobo (I hope I spelled that correctly!). The cocktail hour at their reception boasted African tribal music and guests feasted upon traditional African foods such as rice and bean dishes, spicy cornbread, fish heads (yes, fish heads), and an entire roasted pig. It was one of the most unique weddings I have ever seen and I loved every aspect of it. Carla was so willing to dive into Kpandja's culture, and Kpandja was so proud of it. Kpandja and Carla flew in several members of Kpandja's family including his parents (pictured above dressed in their traditional African garb) from Togo just for the wedding and it was such a pleasure to work with all of them.

In the past two weeks, I have been so excited to book two different weddings with cultural emphasis. One is the wedding of Annie and Greg taking place this October. Annie grew up in Saudi Arabia and is bringing parts of her heritage into her wedding. The other is the wedding of Whitney and Rob this November. Rob is Italian and Whitney is throwing an "Italian wedding soiree" as she calls it, complete with a parade of waiters carrying around giant pasta bowls, to celebrate his heritage. More to come on these two events and I encourage you to look into your and your fiancee's own heritage to make your own wedding a unique cultural affair.
Happy planning!

Wedding day beauty

I was talking to photographer Frank Becker at The Time Photography (who took this picture of our bride, Jennifer Howard last year) at a meeting recently and he was so excited that one of our brides was wearing her hair down on her wedding day. I said I had never thought about it before, but as a former bride, I know it's hard to keep your "do" looking good when you're in the spotlight and hugging people all day. He made me think about the style a bride chooses to wear her hair in which lead me to remember a bride I working with last fall who had naturally very curly red hair - it was beautiful. When we were planning her wedding, she was asking me about hair stylists because she had not found one that would do her hair for her wedding without first straightening it. She was completely against that because she wouldn't "look like herself." She was concerned about looking back at all of her wedding pictures and thinking that the bride didn't look like her.

One your special day, I think it's so important to look like yourself so your hair and makeup should not be over the top. For your hair, some curls or a partial up-do is fine if it's something you could do yourself and might wear any given day. Yes, you want to look perfect and special, but I honestly believe and campaign that brides look best when they're more natural.

As for makeup, if you normally don't wear two layers of black eye liner above and below your eye, don't let your makeup artist put it on you for your wedding day. Heavy foundation can cause all sorts of problems: a stain on your dress or his tux, running, shine, and more. You will be filled with emotion that will create a beautiful blush and glow in your face so you will be beautiful no matter what!

For all of us white girls: Tanning is another beauty subject near and dear to my heart. Both of my parents work outdoors and both have had skin cancer more than once. I am so conscious of wearing sun block (SPF 50 or 70 for me) everyday and I am passionate about telling people: God made you your color for a reason - you are gorgeous just the way you are! Please do not go to the tanning bed or even use self-tanners to try to get golden brown for your wedding day. I have seen so many brides do this, and I think it makes them look orange and shiny. Your photographer will tell you that you photograph so much better when you are the milky white girl that God made you to be!

Fashions come and go, and when you look back at your wedding pictures and video in 50 years, you won't laugh to hard at your crazy sense of style if you choose a more natural look for your wedding day. Best wishes!

Reception Music

DJ Brian Williams with Sounds 2 Go (859-582-7788)

Photo by James Cook Photography

Reception entertainment is the most important part of a wedding reception in my opinion. It can make or break the event. A great DJ or band will get the party started, get people on the dance floor, and keep your wedding day lasting as long as it can.

The most common mistakes I see are:
(well as a good wedding planner I catch them before they happen)
1. The bride and groom or wedding party is not introduced properly into the reception - this lets your guests know that the reception is starting.
2. Specific music is not chosen for the entrance, cake cutting, bouquet toss and garter throw, and other reception events. It is essential to keep the music going. It's awkward to have the bride and groom cutting the cake in silence.
3. No song is chosen as a "last dance." I like to tell brides and grooms to have the last dance be the song that didn't make the cut to be the first dance. If you are torn between 2 songs for your first dance, or you have a backup first dance song (most people do) have that one be your last dance. The band leader or DJ will announce that this is your last dance and then your guests will know that the bride and groom are leaving after the song. Therefore if you have sparklers or a petal toss as you leave, guests will be ready to head outside to line the sidelines for you.
4. The band leader or SJ has no personality and does not get involved with the crowd. A pet peeve of mine is when the band leader or DJ sits or stands at the table or stage and doesn't interact with your guests. I think a wedding reception should be a party and I haven't met a bride who doesn't agree. Make sure you meet with the band leader or DJ who will actually be the one running the entertainment at your reception so you can get an idea of his or her personality.
5. The bride and groom do not make a song list. We all have songs we absolutely love. Make a list of them, short or long, to give to your band leader or DJ. It's your night and your party so you should hear all of your favorite songs and none you don't like or don't know. Imagine creating your ultimate mix tape!

As always, planning and doing your research will lead to your perfect day. Have fun!!

Will our ecomony improve?

I have been to a few wedding seminars and meetings with other wedding professionals lately and the most popular topic of conversation is the economy. It appears as though brides are pushing back wedding dates or trimming down their wedding budgets because of our current weak economy. All of the wedding photographers, planners, videographers, florists, and other vendors and reporting lower booking numbers as compared to last year. I know many businesses are offering discounts to try to stimulate business. When you are booking your vendors, don't be afraid to ask for a discount. The worst thing that could happen is a "No, I'm sorry."

To do my part, Wedding Bliss will be giving a $100 discount on any wedding coordination package when booked by the end of April. Just mention that you read it on my blog :)

Derby City Bride

The Derby City Bride Wedding Planner is a new, free online wedding planning tool that will be introduced on April 2nd at http://derbycitybride.com/planner
With this helpful local tool, Louisville couples will be able to plan and manage their entire wedding in one convenient place. Features include: Idea and Inspiration Collection, Guest List Management, Task Lists, Shopping Lists, Vendor Management, and Budget Tracking. The Derby City Bride Wedding Planner is the result of a partnership between the Louisville Courier-Journal and springpad - free online notebooks to help manage your life.

Have your fabulous wedding gown put into an elegant sketch!

In this month's issue of In Style Weddings, I found this feature on wedding dress sketches and it really interested me. For a mere $100, you can have French artist Penelope-Anne Altmann draw a black a white sketch of your wedding dress. The size is approximately 9x12" and would be perfect for framing. You just have to send in a few pictures of yourself in the dress and they say it ships in about a week. Find out how to place your order at www.mydreamlines.com. I just love the thought of this because to a bride, the dress is the first thing she buys and she never wants to take it off. It's more unique than a portrait and can make other people think you had the dress custom made for you! I am going to do this for myself.
At www.aboutthedress.com, you can order a more stylized fashion portrait of you in your dress that makes you look like a Barbie doll. I love this one too, but it's slightly more expensive at about $425.

Weddings on TV this week

It's "We Go Bridal Week" on We TV this week and I'm kind of addicted. There's "My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding" and "Platinum Weddings" for those of us who want to feel like failures or just like watching other people waste money; there's "Girl Meets Gown" which is similar to TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress," which I've also become a fan of. It's basically a reality show for a New York Bridal Salon and we see the drama and fun of brides coming in to find the perfect dress that still fits in their budgets, and they also take us through the ordering, waiting, and alteration processes. I think this is good for ladies not yet engaged to see how much work it can be to get into your perfect dress because obviously that's the first thing a newly engaged bride looks to purchase.

We is also showing a slue of other wedding shows including "Amazing Wedding Cakes," Celebrity Weddings, "Wedding Gown Secrets Revealed," and "Wedding Central," in which each show portrays a different aspect of weddings such as the jewelry, the planners, the cakes, the locations, etc.

Last night they showed "Disney's Dream Weddings" (airs again on Tuesday night at 10pm) which interestingly enough showed that a Disney wedding can cost as little as $5000. Of course if you want to spend $500,000, you can do that too. I just returned from Disneyland in California and came across this fabulous window display for Disney's Dream Weddings:




































Disney is partnered with fashion designer Kirstie Kelly to design wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses based on Disney Princess gowns. This one is based on Belle's dress from Beauty and the Beast and I absolutely love it:

Jennifer and Trey

I just received an email from Jennifer Howard Moore, a bride I worked with last year and now a good friend. She put together the most fabulous wedding I've seen in Lexington and I was honored to be a part of it. I told her it should be in magazines or on Platinum Weddings or something - people had to see this! Well, the email I received from her today was a link to Style Me Pretty http://www.stylemepretty.com. It's a blog all about fabulous weddings and guess who's wedding they're featuring now? Check it out - it's amazing!

Facebook, blogs, and social networking: the debate

During the ISES (International Special Events Society) meeting I attended on Tuesday as well as at the ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants) meeting I attended yesterday, there was some debate on one's use of social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, myspace, linkedin, etc. and blogs. Some people said that it is risky because they don't want clients or potential clients looking at their personal facebook pages and some people said to be careful of stalkers on these sites. The way these other event professionals were talking baffled me a bit. I have a business page on facebook for Wedding Bliss, but I also have a personal page that I love for my brides to see. Being someone's wedding coordinator forces you to become very personal with that bride and the more you two know eachother, I think the better your relationship and ultimately her wedding will be.
Eric Graf, a Louisville photographer who spoke at the ABC meeting told a story of how he noticed a conversation on one of his bride's facebook pages about how her grandfather had just past away. This gives him a better idea of how to talk to the bride's family on her wedding day because of the great loss they had just experienced.
For me, I love to know everything I can about my brides and vice versa. I have several brides who have blogs and I love to read them to see all they're going through in the wedding planning process.
You can obviously see that I just started this blog and I'll tell you I've only been on facebook for a month because I too was skeptical about putting myself online for anyone to see. After truly thinking about it, I decided to do it full-blast because I have nothing to hide and I am loving getting to know my "friends" better every day. So look me up on facebook: Leann Shields, and become a fan of Wedding Bliss!

Disney and Cumulus Bridal Fair

This week I am preparing for the Bridal Fair produced by Cumulus radio this Sunday February 22nd. Admission is only $10 and you can register at:
https://www.bridalfair.com/registration.cfm

Bryants Rent-all has been generous enough to donate tables and linens for my booth and I will be putting together my flower arrangements on Thursday in my "flower shop" my husband made for me in our basement. I am scheduled to move-in to set up my booth on Saturday at 8pm.

This Friday I will be traveling to Shelbyville for a seminar from the ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants) on Facebook. I finally broke down and joined facebook about a month ago, but I have no idea what I'm doing or how to use it to promote my business. I am hopeful that this seminar will guide me in the right direction.

This is a busy week for me with the bridal fair and the facebook seminar, and yesterday I went to Cincinnati for an ISES meeting (International Special Events Society) featuring speaker ISES President and President of Entertainment at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, David DeLoach. I did work at Disney World for a year, so I know more backstage secrets than most, but I did learn more about the world of special events and entertainment through the eyes of the Disney Company.

A week from today my husband and I are leaving for our vacation to Disneyland (yes, the one in California) for 5 days. We are exited, but the weather isn't looking as fabulous as I thought it would be there. Even though it will be about 30 degrees warmer than it is here in Kentucky, I doesn't look like I'll be returning home with much of a tan.

Bridal Show and The Soup

Yesterday was the winter bridal show at the Lexington Convention Center. My husband and I set up my booth Saturday afternoon and the show was Sunday from 12-5pm. The Kentucky Bride bridal show is always a big deal for me because it’s THE major advertising expense for me and I do get alot of business from it. So, it takes some planning and work to put my booth together. Here’s a picture of the final product:

I left the show early, though, to drive to Cincinnatti for a fabulous date with my husband. We had dinner at McCormick and Schmick’s (wonderful restaurant!) then we went to the Taft Theater to see my future husband and host of E’s “The Soup,” Joel McHale! The show was one of the best I’ve ever seen, and I love comedians. It was clean and pretty much family-friendly. He talked alot about stuff from the soup and also made fun of his family like we all do. I love him - that’s it. He signed autographs after the show and I was able to get one picture of him: