Planning Tips; It's the little things

Eye Catching Detail

     Today I'd like to introduce you to something we don't see as much as we would like, but when we do they are phenomenal. This is an easy and inexpensive way to add personality and thought to the small details of your wedding. Can you guess what I'm referring to? Card holders are usually utilized for seating guests at your reception, however they have many functions, such as; informative signs for the buffet, drink station or sign in table. Some even use them as favors for their guests. In any regard, card holders can be found to match any theme! Have fun with them, be decorative, creative, and express yourself. Every little detail counts! Wow your guests with eye catching details they never expected! You may think Card Holders are a subtle accessory to your wedding but take a look at these photos and be inspired! 

                                                                         (Nature)

Add Meaning

          Sometimes the smallest of details can make the biggest impact. When choosing card holders, or any decorative pieces for that matter, think about how you can make it meaningful! I bet now you’re wondering; how do I make a card holder meaningful, is that even possible? Each Bride & Groom should chose something that is fitting to their personality. That is something that will be clearly evident to your guests. However you can take it even a step further...

•  Symbolization. Did you know that elephants (especially with a raised trunk) symbolize good luck and prosperity? This is long revered in Indian and Buddhism society, therefore many choose to have these present at their ceremonies. There are many things such as these that are a symbol of something greater.

• A Moment From the Past. Others will choose to bring into the picture something that is a  reminder of when they first met, or something from the surroundings of the proposal. This is a very good way to share little tid-bits about your life together.

 

These small details can add so much meaning to your reception! Those who know your story will be touched to notice how much thought you put into something thought to be so small. That’s my little tip for the week. Hope this helps in your planning adventures!

with Love and Care,
Sienna Forrester,
Wedding Journalist,
Forest House Lodge

The Wonderment of Wedding Websites

             

           The wedding website is a fairly new phenomenon, but it has taken the wedding world by storm. Now I know what you’re thinking; “Make a website!? Sounds complicated! ” Trust me they are as simple as can be! I am not too technology savvy myself but this is a fun and easy way to be creative and informative. All you need is the information you want to share. Wedding websites started out as simple one or two page "blogs" that simply introduced the engaged couple and served as an online announcement. But today's website builders enable brides and grooms to do much, much more than just put up a simple page with some words.  You can even show off all of your pictures, introduce your wedding party and set up an RSVP system. How can a wedding website benefit you as you draw ever closer to your big day? Here are five reasons to consider having one;

1.     It offers a great platform to tell your story. It is the one place where you can go into detail about your relationship and your wedding plans. It enables you to create special pages about how you met, how you got engaged, bios about each of you, which would be especially nice for friends that do not yet know the Bride or Groom-To-Be, photo galleries of your lives while dating, engagement photos, and other personal facts about your relationship. Many wedding websites also offer modules for your guests to post comments and even pictures regarding you and your spouse-to-be.

2.     It provides an easy way to deliver necessary information.  For instance, your guests will need directions to your wedding venue. How can you make this easy on them? You can provide links on your wedding website that lead your guests directly to maps and directions to the venue, preventing them from having to search or call and ask. You can also place pictures of the venue on your site to give guests a sense of what they look like. You can even go a step further and suggest hotel options for out-of-town guests as well as local points of interest that people can see while they are in town.

3.     You can also use your website to inform people of where you are registered. You could set up a link for the sites to stores you are registered at, once again making it that much easier for your guests.

4.      It simplifies communications. Simply by putting a link to your email address can simplify how your guest can get a hold of you. You can also put your phone number and other contact information there if you like (although for privacy reasons, less is usually better). And one tip here ... you should create a specific e-mail address for your wedding. Create a unique email and use it for anything that is wedding related. Why do this? Mainly because you will probably be signing up or registering on many Web sites, and you probably don't want to be receiving a lot of wedding-related junk email after you are married. By creating a wedding-specific email you can simply shut it off or ignore it after you are married.

5.     A wedding website also keeps people on time. Many couples post the schedule of all the events leading up to and on their wedding day on their wedding web sites, and for good reason. At least some of your guests will probably misplace their invitations and/or forget what time the ceremony starts or when the reception begins. By repeating all this information on your wedding web site, you give people another place to "refresh their memory" and make sure they are in the right place at the right time.

                  So as you can see there are many great reasons to create a wedding website for yourself! Now you may wonder,” How do I go about this?” Well, there are many different website providers who offer free wedding website services. You could do a simple search online for “free wedding websites” and see what you can find. A few that I recommend are;

www.weddingwire.com

 www.mywedding.com

www.weddings.theknot.com

www.projectwedding.com

                     My personal choice was www.mywedding.com. They have many theme options and multiple page options, I have found it very simple to use which is why I love it. I personally used it to tell “our story” and introduce our bridal party as well as provide information about the ceremony and reception locations. I think that if you reviewed some sites you would see that they are an extremely useful tool in your before-wedding agenda!

With love and care,

Sienna Forrester

Wedding Journalist

Forest House Lodge