Then I ran across this fabulous article from the good people at “Tips on Life and Love”, and they listed some great fail safe measures you can take to make sure your beautiful beach wedding doesn’t end in tears. Check out their article here!

As always, wishing you happy wedding planning and a blessed new life together!

That’s one reason I love this article on wedding guest etiquette. It goes over several different points and just sort of reminds people how to act at a wedding. Seems juvenile, I know, but sometimes we all need a good reminder of what is proper and what isn’t. So here goes. Here is a point that is very near and dear to me, one that I had to deal with in my own wedding.

RSVP ASAP!!! Whether you say “I do” or “I don’t” to attending a wedding, mail back a response in a timely manner. The bride and groom are already stressed out planning a million other things to make their day perfect. They need a head count so that they can inform their caterer.

You can read the rest of these great wedding day etiquette tips here, check it out and let me know what you think!

Then I ran across this article, and it got me to thinking again…sort of brought the issue back to the forefront of my mind. It suggests that love at first sight just might be possible. And while I’ll never pretend to know the intricacies of the human brain and drives our actions, I’ve got to admit they make some good points in favor of the possibility.

So it made me think. Do you believe in love at first sight? Check out this article and let me know, I’d love to hear your feedback!

http://people.howstuffworks.com/love-at-first-sight1.htm

I know for me, I was totally excited about getting to see my whole family together in one place, and getting to wear my full wedding ring and officially be known as HIS wife. My husband and I had also planned our honeymoon together, and I also couldn’t wait to be away from all the stress of planning a wedding and relaxing on a beach south of the border with my true love.  But every bride is different.

Some brides look forward to the reception, to the events that they have planned after the wedding. Maybe most of your wedding funds are going to give you and your wedding guests one huge party to celebrate your wedding, and that’s the part you’re most looking forward to, or maybe you’re like me and can’t wait to escape and enjoy your dream vacation with your new husband/wife.  I know right now I’d love to go back, escape the stress of the everyday and just have a vacation with just him again, but life catches up to you and you can’t always escape like that.

So what about you? What part of your wedding do you look forward to the most? If you’re already married, what was your favorite part? What part could you just not wait for? I’m interested, let me know!

Here are some examples of fun games you can have set up for your weddings guests to enjoy:

Croquet – Yes croquet! If you’ve never played before it’s actually pretty fun and a ton of laughs. Plus you can put decorations on the top of each wicket to make it wedding themed. How fun is that?

Volleyball – This is a popular one in my circles, but mainly because we really love volleyball. Are we especially good? Not a chance, but it’s fun. If you employ this one though, you might want to give your guests prior notice to bring casual clothes for the reception. There’s nothing like trying to play volleyball in heels and a dress.

These are some of my favorite ideas they list, but there are even more in the article on the link above, so check it out.

In his article he lists his top 7 tips for taking great wedding photographs, and here’s my favorite one:

Overlook the obvious. Typically, wedding photographers plan for the classic — you might say clichéd — wedding moment, like the bride walking down the aisle. Mr. Reggie looks for a detail that tells the story in a new way. “Maybe it’s the mother clenching her hand to her chest, watching her husband walk the bride down the aisle,” he said.  “Look for the unexpected,” he said. “The reason so many people don’t get those real moments, is they are busy trying to orchestrate them, ‘Come over here, you’re here, turn this way.’”

So if you’re hiring somebody to take your wedding photographs, or are doing them for a friend’s wedding, you might want to consider some of these great points that he makes…I mean…they just make sense. You can check out the rest of his top tips for wedding photographs here:

In the past Thailand has had the reputation of being a not so great place for young couples in love to travel, but that has totally been changing the past several years. I can say that my husband and I have been to Thailand several times  – and the beauty of it and the food is something that keeps us coming back time after time.

So what are some popular honeymoon destinations in Thailand? Here are some of my top picks:

Bangkok

If you love big city life with lots of stuff to do all the time – then Bangkok is just right for you.  There are tons of different outdoor markets, river markets, 5 star restaurants and hotels, world famous temples and so much more! Of course big city fast paced trips aren’t exactly what most couples are looking for, so here are some other slower paced ideas!

Chiang Mai

I love, love, LOVE Chiang Mai! Seriously – we could there. For couples who aren’t really into the beach but in for a good time and new experiences, you’ll find it here. Chiang Mai also boasts many five star restaurants and hotels that are a fraction of the cost of Bangkok locales, and there is so much to do! You can take a nighttime dinner cruise down the river at the center of town, shop in a variety of stores, go on an elephant ride through the jungle, the tiger kingdom where you can actually play with the tigers, a night safari, and numerous temples to visit. You can buy cheap but high quality souvenirs in the night market and eat the street food that Thailand is known for.  There is a reason why tourists love Chiang Mai, and you’re sure to be no different.

Phuket

Phuket is the place to go for your dream honeymoon on the beach. Phuket is gorgeous and here you’ll find those beautiful white sandy beaches, bright blue ocean waters, fresh seafood and five star hotels, elephants and monkeys. Phuket is the place of choice for many honeymooners. You can also get one of many available honeymoon packages that, if you are so inclined, even include your wedding. What better way to get married than on a lovely Thai beach and then enjoy your honeymoon on spectacular Phuket island.

There are lots of great places to go when you’re researching places to go in Thailand. Trust me when I say, as someone who speaks from experience – that Thailand honeymoons truly do have something for everyone.  Has any of my readers been there – what do you think?

Getting Ready at Home

One brides choose to get wedding day ready at home, or the home of a family member. This can be a great option for a couple of reasons. One reason is spending quality time with your family in a familiar location before your wedding. Many stylists will come directly to your house to do your hair there for a small fee, and everybody can get ready together. The downside of course is then staying wedding day beautiful for the trip to the church. High winds or rain could damage that beautiful hairstyle, and someone might forget something important at home and a frantic run back home is never great for the stress levels. Plus, you might need special transportation to get everybody over there at the same time with enough room for your giant and beautiful wedding dress.

Getting Ready at the Ceremony Location

Many churches and other locations who host weddings will offer the bride a room to get ready in before the big day. This is great in that you don’t have to travel far once you are wedding day ready, and it’s easy to find if you have a stylist or make up people coming in to help you get wedding day beautiful. Plus, it’s right on site so if something is forgotten or you need something, it’s super easy to get. No special transportation is needed to get you to the church, and sometimes the room is so fancy and beautiful it can be more fun to get ready there and pamper yourself  a bit.

So what are you going to do? What are your thoughts on where to get ready for your wedding?

How to Do It

You can easily visit your local farmer’s market or organic grocery store to find these lovely tomatoes in red and orange, and those beautiful little olives. As for the bread sticks, you might be able to find them frozen somewhere, but if you have a grandmother or friend who can make bread that is out of this world you might want to enlist their help. After all, fresh is ALWAYS better! Some small bowls of fresh marinara sauce, and you have a fabulous wedding centerpiece that works as appetizer and possibly wedding favors as well, giving away those beautiful baskets of tomatoes.

I love it, what do you think?

A Wedding Photo booth is Easy to Set Up

If you’re not as lucky as some of us with the option of tons of extra rooms for your wedding day, a photo booth can be as simple to set up as hanging some white cloth or even a colored shower curtain on the wall. Be sure to make a definite place where your guests are to stand for their pictures. At my cousin’s wedding just a few weeks ago, she simply strung out a bright and colorful shower curtain across the corner. If you’re having an outdoor wedding then string up a sheet or thick paper between two trees or wherever you can find a spot, preferably away from direct sunlight or windy areas which can have an adverse affect on your pictures.

Don’t Forget the Props!!

One of the things that set a wedding photobooth apart from any other kind of photo booth is the fun you can have, so don’t forget the props. The props can be anything your little heart desires. I’ve seen wigs, giant sunglasses, fedoras, feather boas, cut-outs of giant mustaches on sticks, giant red lips, tiaras, funny hats and other costume ideas. You can even include some large empty picture frames as props in your wedding and let your guests just get creative. Another fun idea is to include a white board and markers, or a chalkboard with chalk for special messages from your wedding guests.

One thing about this wedding trend is for sure. Your guests will have tons of fun taking pictures and watching others get their pictures taken, and not only that – but you’ll have some fun picture memories from your wedding that will leave you rolling long after your wedding is over.

Many thanks to my awesome cousin Caleb for this awesome wedding photo booth shot!