16May2013

Checking it off the list! Picking up the bridal party attire.

The Wedding Gown

A bride will need to schedule on average 2-4 fittings for her wedding gown. If the dress is store bought, two fittings are likely. The wedding gown should be complete at least three weeks before the wedding. Most bridal shops and alteration shops recommend you pick-up your gown a few days before the wedding. You might be tempted to pick it up earlier, but if the dress is at the bridal shop it’s less likely to get damaged in any way.

picking up bridesmaids dresses

The Bridesmaid Dresses

Since the bridesmaids are responsible for picking up their dresses and having them altered, the bride can rest easy for this task. Bridesmaids should try on their dress when they pick it up and request any alterations needed. Most bridal shops will do the alterations in store, but your bridesmaids may choose to take their dresses elsewhere for alterations. That is just fine, as long as all dresses are finished by at least 2 weeks before the wedding.

picking up tuxes

The Groom and Groomsmen Attire

Tailor-made tuxedos and rented formal wear should be ordered at least three months prior to the wedding. The groom or groomsmen will have to schedule a fitting if purchasing a tailor-made tuxedo or suit. If renting, groomsmen who don’t live locally should get professionally measured and send their measurements to the rental facility at least 1 month before the wedding. Typically when renting, the groom and groomsmen will try the full tuxedo or suit rental on sometime during the week before the wedding. Even though most rental shops are great about ensuring you receive a quality product, the men should still keep a lookout for the following things when trying on their attire.

 

• Is it the correct style and color?

• Are the jacket sleeves the right length?

• Are all buttons accounted for and button properly?

• Is the tuxedo or suit too big or too small?

• Are buttons in place for attaching suspenders?

• Is the shirt sleeve length correct?

• Is the neck a comfortable fit?

• Do cuff links fit properly into button holes?

• Is the tie, cumberbund or vest provided?

• Do the shoes fit? match?

• Does everyone have the proper socks?

• Do the pants zip and fasten properly?

• Are there stains, holes, cigarette burns or frayed edges.

Note: You will want to designate someone to return all rented formal wear the day after the wedding. One person can return multiple tuxedos or suits. Usually this is the duty of the best man, but choose whomever you would like.

 

The Ushers and Ring Bearer Attire

The ushers normally rent the same attire as the groomsmen, but some couples choose to let the ushers wear their own suits. In this case you will want to tell them the color of suit, shirt and tie you would like them to wear as well as what color/style of pants to wear. The ring bearer’s outfit traditionally coordinates with the groom’s attire, but does not have to match exactly. Parents may choose to purchase or rent an outfit for the ring bearer. This usually depends on how formal the outfit needs to be. Suits may be used again, but tuxedos are less likely to be reused.

 

There you have it, a few pointers for picking up your bridal party attire before the wedding. We’re certain the ladies will look gorgeous and the gents will be dashing! Enjoy the day and the company.

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14May2013

Essential and Simple Money Saving Advice for Budget Brides

budgetbrideIf there’s one life event that seems to turn all your friends, relatives, co-workers, and strangers into experts, it’s a wedding.  Literally everybody and their mothers are going to have some sort of essential advice on planning a wedding.  They’ll tell you which days of the week are best for weddings, which colors you should make your bridal party wear, and which venues, florists, caterers, and priests will be the least expensive.

When you’re planning a wedding on a budget you’re going to need all of the help and tips about cheap wedding invitations online that you can get, but cheaper rental prices and catering discounts can be hard to get if you don’t know somebody.  These money saving bits of advice can work for everybody, so get ready to pay attention if you’re ready to save some real money on your wedding costs.

Plan Accordingly

Almost every person reading this is going to want to plan their wedding during the weekend.  But if you want to save money and have a weekend wedding you should avoid the most popular weekend wedding date: Saturday.  Saturdays are by far the most popular day to have a wedding ceremony and reception, and the venue you plan on having them at knows that.  Booking fees tend to go up on Saturdays, so consider having your wedding on a Friday or a Sunday.

If you want to take strategic planning a step further, try to avoid having your wedding during the “wedding season”.  Most people believe that wedding season starts in April and ends in late June and early July.  A lot of brides plan their weddings during this time because they want to weather to be warm and nice for their ceremony.  You can have the same great warm weather if you have your wedding during August or early September, and you won’t have to pay the high booking fees that come along with planning your wedding during the popular marrying season.

Decorate With In Season Flowers

A lot of couples end up spending hundreds of dollars on their floral arrangements because they choose flowers that aren’t in season.  Flowers have growing seasons just like your favorite fruits and vegetables do, and if you choose to decorate with a flower that isn’t in season you’re going to end up spending far more than you have to on your floral costs.  This website can help you learn which flowers are in season the month you’re planning your wedding so you can ensure you pick a flower that won’t break your budget.

Scale Back the Reception

The Association of Bridal Consultants did a survey on the average costs of an American wedding, and people spend the most on rental fees, venue fees, and catering.  The average couple will spend $2,207 on bar services and $4,339 on food services, that’s a little more than $6,500 on feeding your guests.  There is a way you can save money on your reception without having to sacrifice having the reception you want.  Instead of serving your guests a full meal, have the caterer serve an array of tapas.  The tapas will give your guests a lot more menu variety than a meal would, and they’re much cheaper than full dinners.  You can also save a lot on your bar budget if you cut out hard liquor and only serve beer, wine, and champagne.

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13May2013

Play Around with Wedding Invitation Color Options

While browsing our wedding invitations, you’ll notice the Pick Your Color icon under the invitation images. What is that icon for? That icon means you are able to change the design color of the invitation. For example, the Flowers and Lattice Invitation is shown online in lagoon and black. If you happen to love that design but not the color(s), no problem! After you select a quantity, click “Next Step” to start personalizing the invitation and you’ll be able to change your ink color. Just click on the ink bottle icon to see your options, then choose a color and click “Update Preview.” Play around with all the color options and have some fun creating your perfect look!

Invitation Color Options

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10May2013

7 Tips for Purchasing Your Wedding Dress Online

buying a wedding dress online

Every bride wants her wedding day to be special, and finding the perfect dress is crucial. Most of today’s brides can’t afford to pay big money for one gown, so many are turning to the internet to find wedding dresses for a price they can afford. Buying a wedding dress online can be risky though, so here are tips to ensure you don’t end up with a less than impressive dress.

 

1. Give yourself plenty of time to shop, purchase and get alterations for your wedding dress.  If you end up ordering your dress, it can take months for it to arrive.

 

2. Shop bridal stores first to try on various dress styles. Write down the designer and style number of the dresses you like so you can find them online later.

 

3. Only buy from online retailers authorized by the dress designer. You can find a list of authorized retailers on the designer’s website.

 

4.  If you can’t find the website in the list of authorized retailers, consult a list of websites to avoid like this one from Allure Bridals or this one from Mori Lee.

 

Here are some websites that are authorized retailers for many popular wedding gown designers:

http://www.weddingshoppeinc.com/BridalGowns.aspx

http://www.plussizebridal.com/Default.asp  But Not http://www.plussize-wedding-dresses.com/

http://www.victoriasbridalcouture.com/index.html

http://www.newyorkdress.com/connect/about.html

http://www.houseofbrides.com/

http://www.bestbridalprices.com/

5. Before you purchase your dress online, make sure you are aware of the website’s policies on sizing, defective merchandise and returns.

 

6. Keep documentation of all communication with the website, including questions you ask prior to completing the purchase, order confirmations, website policies, etc.

 

7. Upon receiving your order, inspect the dress thoroughly and try it on. Many websites limit the number of days you have to make a return.

 

Following these simple guidelines can help protect you from a bad online purchase, but buying online isn’t the only way to save big on your wedding dress. Read our post, Checking it off the list! Finding the right wedding dress for the right price for more tips on how to shop and save. You might also like, Shop, Save and Support! Check out favorite charities recommended by Ann’s brides.

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06May2013

Checking it off the list! Packing for your wedding night and honeymoon.

packing for your honeymoon

Packing for your wedding night may seem like one of the easier tasks on your list of wedding to-dos, but we recommend starting a packing list 2-3 weeks before your wedding. This will give you time to think of all the things you will need plus time to purchase things you don’t currently have.

If you’re planning for just one night, your packing list will be fairly minimal and you can focus on remembering the things that will make your wedding night special. These things could include lingerie, champagne, chocolates and any other items you might want for such a special occasion. We won’t bore you with a checklist of regular travel items since you probably already have that figured out.

If you’re packing for your wedding night and honeymoon, you have quite a bit more to think about. Wondering where to begin? Here’s a great checklist from The Knot, and you’ll also want to read 10 Helpful Tips for Packing Light to get you started.

Start writing your packing list and gathering necessities. Packing early means less stress in those final days before the wedding and more time to enjoy the wedding

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03May2013

Planning Your Destination Wedding: How to keep costs down.

budget destination wedding

 

Finally, what you’ve all been waiting for! We’ve gathered some excellent tips and advice about how to keep costs down when planning your destination wedding. We hope this information is helpful.

 

• Book your wedding in the off-season. Every destination has a peak travel season, but that will be far more expensive. Do your research on the destination and its weather though. You may have to contend with less than desirable conditions.

 

• Plan an on-site wedding, meaning the wedding will take place at the lodge or resort you are staying in. Planning something off-site gets to be difficult and expensive.

 

• The more events you plan in one location, the more you can negotiate prices and special requests. This is something to consider when choosing a lodge, hotel or resort. Choose one that has a variety of venues for dinners, the ceremony and the reception.

 

• Choose a location that’s naturally beautiful and doesn’t require a lot of decorating.

 

• Work with local vendors rather than importing anything.

 

• Keep the wedding party small.

 

• All-inclusive resorts and cruises provide you with accurate costs right away, which is very helpful for planning a destination wedding on a budget.

 

• Try to do as much planning as possible in one pre-wedding trip. If you can’t afford a planning trip, do some serious research on destination locations that are reputable and have excellent wedding packages.

 

• Ask your phone service provider if they offer an international plan, or what the charge will be per minute. You don’t want to incur phone charges while in a foreign location.

 

• Choose a location that provides as much as possible, such as decorations, table cloths and wedding favors. You want to avoid shipping charges if you can.

 

• Pack as light as possible to avoid baggage surcharges.

 

• Many hotels charge a delivery fee for welcome baskets or favors. Deliver these things yourselves, place them at the front desk or hand them out at the rehearsal dinner.

 

Well, that wraps it up. Are you sad that our destination wedding series has come to an end? Don’t be. Now is time for the fun part…shopping!

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01May2013

Checking it off the list! Keeping the Bridal Party Informed and Wedding Day Preparation

week before the wedding

Keep Your Bridal Party Informed

A week or two before the wedding, inform the bridal party about their wedding day responsibilities to ensure everyone knows their role and your big day will go smoothly.

Here’s a checklist for keeping your bridal party informed.

• Finalize the rehearsal and wedding-day schedule and provide an itinerary to your bridal party 1- 2 weeks before the wedding. We can help you, just read “Putting Together Your Wedding Day Itinerary.”

• Create a list of every member’s contact information, along with the names of people you’ve asked to perform specific tasks and deal with vendors should problems arise.

•  Give a copy of the contact list to your personal attendant, wedding coordinator or whoever you have appointed to take care of wedding day logistics so they know who is responsible for what tasks.

• Explain any special ceremony seating arrangements to the head usher.

• Choose someone to take care of the gratuity envelopes for the officiant and reception vendors. These envelopes should be delivered after the ceremony and reception.

We don’t recommend going overboard on communication. The goal is to make sure everyone is informed of his/her role without making anyone feel overwhelmed. So put together a casual itinerary for the bridal party. They’ll appreciate feeling informed and prepared.

  organize wedding items

Organize Ceremony and Reception Items

Use a convenient portable container to keep day-of ceremony and reception necessities all in one spot. Talk with your ceremony and reception venues to see when these items can be dropped off: one week before? 2 days before? day of? Then designate someone to take care of bringing the items to the venue at the appropriate time.

Here are a few things you may need for the ceremony:

  • marriage license
  • unity candles
  • ring pillow
  • flower basket
  • guest book – be sure to personalize the first page by filling in the blanks!
  • card box
  • gratuity envelope
  • bird seed, rose petals, bubbles, etc., for your send-off to the reception
  • your emergency list of all wedding vendors with phone numbers
  • Read Last-Minute Items You May Have Forgotten for more items you may need.

Here are a few things you may need for the reception:

  • guest book from ceremony location
  • card box from the ceremony location
  • photo props
  • toasting flutes
  • cake server and knife
  • toss garter
  • toss bouquet (if delivered to the ceremony site with other flowers)
  • bouquet holders

bridal emergency kit

image: ultimate emergency kit, from www.weddingbee.com

Assemble an Emergency Kit

Also be sure to prepare an Emergency Kit of various items that may come in handy. Your personal attendant or Maid of Honor may already have this ready, so check with her to find out for sure. We’ve seen brides purchase cute clutches and create an “emergency kit” for each bridesmaid as a unique and useful gift.

 

Putting some effort into planning a week or two before the wedding will surely pay off! You’ll feel so much more relaxed the day of and you’ll be able to enjoy what really matters, each other.

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29Apr2013

Feel-Good Moments: Brighten Someone’s Day with May Day Baskets

You might remember May Day baskets from elementary school, those crafty little paper cups with colorful pipe cleaners as handles and filled with bite-sized goodies. They were fun then and they’re even more fun now!

Surprise your neighbors, coworkers or bridesmaids with May Day baskets this Wednesday. Traditionally, baskets are filled with fresh cut flowers — which make a great gift — but you can get creative! Give a cupcake with a frosting flower, a pretty potted plant, seed packets or gardening tools and gloves. Create an entire basket of goodies for your department or give comfort items to individual people, like tea and coffee.

As for the basket, anything can be a basket! Handmade paper cones are easy and fun, or think outside the box (or basket!) and use unique items like rain boots filled with goodies, buckets, popcorn boxes or gardening gloves stuffed with seed packets.

Don’t forget to add a tag that says “Happy May Day!” Your name is optional given that the May Day basket tradition is usually anonymous, but certainly doesn’t have to be.

May Day Basket 101

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26Apr2013

Planning Your Destination Wedding: Affordable destination wedding locations.

Affordable Destination Wedding Locations

 

We scoured the web for the best locations to host an affordable destination wedding, but nothing was very clear about where the cheapest destination weddings really are. So we decided to call a local travel agency that specializes in destination weddings.

 

Erica at Inspiration Travel in Albertville, Minnesota, was a huge help! She was straightforward about the best budget options out there and she had great advice about how to save money. It was clear Erica has lots of experience in destination wedding planning. Here are her top choices for budget-friendly destinations.

 

1. Mexico

In all of her travel research, Erica said Mexico almost always comes up as the cheapest destination wedding option and the best value for your money. You get a beautiful tropical setting, beach-side wedding, private reception, luxury hotel and all the drinks and food you could want for an extremely affordable price. She recommends looking into Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Maya.

 

2. Cruises

We love this idea! There is no lack of options for activities, entertainment, food and drinks on a cruise. Best part is, cruise lines now offer beachside weddings, which means you could get married in an exotic location that would have otherwise cost a fortune for airfare and lodging. Carnival offers the cheapest destination wedding options, but if you’re leery due to the bad publicity of late, Erica recommends Royal Caribbean or Celebrity for some very affordable packages as well.

 

3. Staying Stateside

We started our research thinking there would be plenty of affordable destination wedding locations within The United States, but Erica informed us that couples are not as likely to find great budget options within the U.S. Even if a couple finds a location that’s cheap to fly to and has nice, affordable lodging, there is one thing that spoils the budget — a private wedding reception. No matter where you travel to, you’re still paying U.S. prices for food and drink. Keeping the guest list small helps, but you still run into high minimums for reception spots.

 

“What you have to keep in mind is that lots of reception venues within the United States have food and drink minimums, meaning you will have to spend a minimum of $10,000 for some reception locations. What I have seen couples do in the past to avoid this cost is have their reception at a restaurant (in a private room or reserved area), which is much more affordable for smaller wedding groups,” said Erica.

 

That being said, affordable destination weddings are still possible in The United States. Erica recommends Orlando, Florida. Orlando has inexpensive flights from basically anywhere in the U.S., hotels are cheap and there are affordable reception options. Another way to save is have a morning wedding and follow with lunch/brunch. Lunch menus are usually less expensive, and many times there is no food and beverage minimum for day events in the middle of the week.

 

4. Las Vegas

We naturally thought Las Vegas would be a great place for a budget destination wedding, but couples will still run into the problem of private receptions being too expensive. However, Erica mentioned the Flamingo Hotel and Casino offers excellent wedding packages. The couple can have a beautiful garden wedding within a tropical courtyard, and then follow it up with a small reception offering drinks and hors d’oeuvres in one of the hotel’s suites.

 

5. Jamaica and The Dominican Republic

Although Mexico is your best bet for finding cheap destination wedding locations and packages, Erica also recommends Jamaica and The Dominican Republic. Both are gorgeous locations with a lot to offer and many of their wedding packages are very affordable.

 

A big thank you to Inspiration Travel for sharing such helpful information. We know our bargainista brides will appreciate it. Check back next Friday for the most important topic of all! We’ll share some advice on how to keep costs down when planning your destination wedding.

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25Apr2013

Congratulations to Our Wedding Invitation Sweepstakes Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the Wedding Invitation Sweepstakes and a BIG thanks to all of you for entering the contest.

Win $750 to shop with at Ann's Bridal Bargains

Here are the winners:

  1. Melinda Burns won $750 to Ann’s Bridal Bargains.

  2. Gwendolyn McKinney won $500 to Ann’s Bridal Bargains.

  3. Courtney McDonald won $250 to Ann’s Bridal Bargains.

 

Be on the lookout for future sweepstakes, contests and giveaways announced regularly on our blog, website home page, Facebook page or Contests & Sweepstakes Pinterest board.

 

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