Congratulations!

He popped the question on New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight! Or maybe he gave a heartwarming proposal in front of friends and family at Thanksgiving dinner. Or he got down on one knee amongst the lights and tinsel by the Christmas tree. Getting back to work after the first of the year is so hard with all the thoughts of dress designers, color palettes, and guest lists filling your mind. That resolution about losing 10 pounds isn’t so much for a regular summer bikini, anymore, but for a bikini on your HONEYMOON!

Now what?

Luckily, I’ve compiled a list of new year’s resolutions specifically for you, the bride-to-be. Maybe you’ve made these resolutions before, but they’ll take on special meaning now as you plan for your big day!

Resolution 3: Trim the Fat

One of the most popular new year’s resolutions is to trim down and lose those extra pounds. After all, beach season is fast approaching. As a new bride-to-be, you obviously want to feel your best on your wedding day and that may include watching what you eat and exercising. I’m no health expert (Frappuccinos are my weakness – don’t judge!), but I can offer some advice for trimming the fat from your wedding budget, something that everyone can agree on, whether you’re footing the bill or not. Especially if you’re footing the bill.

• Avoid the high season. Most weddings happen May-October. One of the easiest ways to trim the fat from your budget is to get married a little earlier or a little later in the season. In Las Vegas (where I live), this works out better, anyway because of the heat. Your groom and groomsmen (who I’m sure don’t love the idea of standing in 114 degree heat in a 3-piece tuxedo) will thank you!
• Save a tree. Wedding invitations can be expensive, especially when you’re sending them to extended family and friends across the country. There are no shortage of online options for invitations, registries, and RSVP cards. Just make sure that you have an accurate system of counting the amount of people who will be in attendance. Putting together a public event on Facebook doesn’t work. You can always send a smaller amount of personal, handwritten invitations to close family and friends.
• Know the times. It’s no secret that the most expensive time to rent a wedding hall or venue is Saturday at 7pm. I know a bride and groom who saved over $1,000 just by doing their wedding as a Sunday brunch. Added bonus: get to your honeymoon quicker!
• Consider what matters. In deciding what to save money on and what to expenses to cut, think beyond the day-of. When you sit down with your spouse 10 years from your wedding, what will you remember? The majority of many bridal budgets is spent on food. Ask your parents if they remember what they had for dinner at their wedding. They won’t remember. Ask to see pictures, though, and they’ll still have them in a closet, I’m sure. I’m not suggesting serving crackers and fake cheese on the most important day of your life, but keep things in perspective.

Here’s some advice you may not hear from your mother: spend money on what’s important. If the most important thing in the world to you is to have out-of-season roses at your wedding, get them. If the venue that you’ve dreamt of getting married at your entire life is a little more expensive than you’d like, do it. There are certain things you should sacrifice for, go over-the-top with, and remember forever. Your wedding is one of them.

Next up: Resolution #4: Give back!

Congratulations!

He popped the question on New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight! Or maybe he gave a heartwarming proposal in front of friends and family at Thanksgiving dinner. Or he got down on one knee amongst the lights and tinsel by the Christmas tree. Getting back to work after the first of the year is so hard with all the thoughts of dress designers, color palettes, and guest lists filling your mind. That resolution about losing 10 pounds isn’t so much for a regular summer bikini, anymore, but for a bikini on your HONEYMOON!

Now what?

Luckily, I’ve compiled a list of new year’s resolutions specifically for you, the bride-to-be. Maybe you’ve made these resolutions before, but they’ll take on special meaning now as you plan for your big day!

Resolution 2: Value Family

This was my friend’s new year’s resolution this year. She said that she wanted to value her extended family more and has spent the first part of this year calling her relatives, sharing things that happen throughout the day with her mother, and making plans to take trips to see distant aunts and uncles. I have met some of her extended family, though… Let’s just say: I don’t expect it to last too long. 😉

The very first thing that a newly-engaged bride should do is create a guest list. Whether you’re planning an opulent, over-the-top wedding for the ages, or an intimate affair with just a few close friends and family, this is job number one. Everything about the wedding hinges on how many people are going to be there. If you’re on a budget but want to serve a full dinner, a small wedding is the way to go. If you’re hosting a true “party” at the reception with a big dance floor, the more the merrier! If your husband-to-be hasn’t been collecting dinnerware and you’re really depending on that registry to be filled, invite those rich distant cousins.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering your guest list and those relatives that you want to “value” this year:

• What are your dreams? When you were a little girl, how did you envision your wedding day? A big party in a ballroom or a small gathering in a backyard? Don’t worry about what your friends’ (or mother-in-law’s) dreams are, but consider what you want for your day. Just because your college roommate got married on the top of the empire state building, hired Michael Bublé to perform at the reception, and had a cake encrusted with diamonds and gold doesn’t mean you can’t be happy with a intimate gathering at your family’s home.
• Who absolutely must be there? Think in chunks of people – college friends, childhood playmates, colleagues… Do all of your college sorority sisters need to be there? If you invite one, do you need to invite them all? Are the distant cousins you haven’t seen since grade school imperative to be there (especially if there are 9 of them)? I try to encourage my brides to pick people that you both have relationship with. Sometimes, there are distant aunts that your husband will meet for the first time at the wedding, but if you’re trying to keep it low, there’s nothing better than agreeing on everyone….
• Who absolutely must NOT be there? This is a tough question, especially considering the “value family” theme of the year, but there are certain people that aren’t welcome. If you’re having an open bar, maybe inviting the entire college fraternity brotherhood isn’t a great idea. Now is also a great time to establish ground rules about ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends. Be up front about your desires and encourage your man to be up front, as well. Another note: adding a +1 for single people is a quick way to rack up costs so take care if a lot of your friends aren’t married. There’s no need for your cousin to bring his flavor-of-the-week to the wedding.
• Who decides? Traditionally (though nothing is “traditional” anymore), half of the wedding invitations are given to each set of your parents. However, if they are involved in the conversation from the onset, you may be able to talk them down from inviting aunt Gladys and her 12 children. This also comes down to the question of “who is paying for the wedding?” If the parents of the bride are paying (traditional), then they should be in the conversation about guest list, especially size. Don’t let them hold it over your head and control the exact names on the place settings, but if they have budgeted for 100 people and you invite 400, you’ll both be disappointed. I’ve also had people ask me about a private shower or party for people who aren’t invited to the wedding. Read here for some expert insight on that.

Next up: Resolution 3 – Trim the Fat (in more ways than one!)

I was honored to be featured in the spring/summer issue of Wedding Style Magazine that hit shelves last week. If you haven’t gotten your copy of the magazine yet, you can get it here.

I call this table “The Blended Jewel” the jewel tones, traditional florals, modern ruby-red chairs and accent pieces are all combined with the elegantly refurbished antique residential furniture. This eclectic combination proves that with enough care and attention to detail, all things can be put together. The mirrored mosaic vases,  crystal backdrop curtain and abundant crystal beading scattered throughout the traditional lace tablecloth overlay all pick up the light and direct your attention to florals of red roses and tulips. The red rose is the symbol for romance and love while the tulip says “I will love you forever.”

• Linens: Jovani Linens
• Furniture: Somers Furniture
• Photography: Chezaray Photography
• Assistant: Victoria DeSilvio