Rant

I belong to some online wedding communities, some more traditional and conservative, some anti- and indie-bride oriented. One question posed lately in one of the more conservative communities was How do you feel about package deals? I read on, curious to read about venues that offer inclusive reception packages, or resorts that have all-in-one vacation packages. Apparently a package deal is when the couple is all or nothing, like if one partner is invited to do something with friends, the other automatically goes along, or neither of them do. Was I naive in not seeing that coming?

Follow-up questions were along the lines of What if you have a friend who hates your SO (significant other) or What if your friend has an SO you hate? Do you stop hanging out with those friends?

I was horrified. This concept totally reeks of someone losing his or her identity, and one partner controlling the life of the other. Also, life is too short to worry about such pettiness. This is adult married life. Not high school. Get over yourself and get over the so-called haters.

I felt my comments would be inappropriate and not appreciated, when seeing some of the other responses in that community (because a lot of young women apparently do see them and their husbands as package deals!), so I'm putting them here.

Now back to your regularly scheduled wedding bliss.

A Green Wedding -- Not Just for Hippies

Some people consider me an eco-hippie, but I don't think I am. I try to be aware of waste and recycling. I try to turn off the lights and reduce hot water usage. I'm increasingly becoming aware of environmental footprints, food miles, and other stuff that may be a little bit beyond what an "average" consumer might be doing.

One thing that has always made me cringe at Christmas time and birthday parties is the paper waste. Gift-wrapping. Disposable plates and utensils. I just see it adding to the Johnston Landfill (the tallest peak in the state of Rhode Island). When it comes to waste, weddings tend to be the Super Bowl of garbage. Think about the invitations, to weddings and showers, the thank you cards, the response cards. All the gift wrap.

And you can only limit the paper so much. There are invitations made from recycled paper. You can save the gift wrap for other projects. But there will be some garbage left-over.

So, what can you do? You can help the environment in other ways. You can't eliminate all the trash, but you can eliminate some fossil fuel usage, and that will help. Choose flowers and food that is seasonal and grown locally. By doing so, you reduce the use of planes and trucks, which reduces fuel usage and emissions. You also get beautiful, fresh produce! And you support local farmers.

We did not set out to have a green wedding, but it's turning out that way. Our venue does not allow any styrofoam for serving or packaging food, and they don't allow glitter, rice, confetti, or anything else to be thrown (the no-glitter policy is very strict; it can't be on the flowers or any element of the party at all). They also encourage glass over plastic and paper. Our caterer uses locally-grown food. I feel bad that our dried flowers are being trucked in from New York, but they're from an organic farm and the centerpieces will live on as decorative pieces for many years. We're not using response cards and encouraging people to email us with their RSVPs. My dress is a natural, undyed fiber. To reduce drunk drivers we're using a shuttle service, which will reduce the number of cars on the road in general. My bouquet and all the food for our wedding weekend party will be from the local farmers' market. Nothing major. Nothing extreme. So we're having the wedding in Berkeley. This is stuff that any person can think about, anywhere, without much effort. Once I started doing some reading on the subject, I realized that our wedding is going green and I hadn't even tried that hard.

From the New York Times, How Green Was My Wedding, to specialty magazines like Portovert and uber-eco blogs like Treehugger.com, you can find ways to make your wedding as green as you want it to be. And your wedding can be chic and trendy, not necessarily a soy-hemp-fest.

Beautiful, Sensational You Dahling!

Ssh. Zip it! I’m going to talk about make-up and your wedding day and I don’t want to hear this- “I don’t really wear make-up!” Well, on this day you should. Your pictures will thank you. You will thank me later when you don’t have a shiny face in your photos. There is such a thing, as wearing make up to enhance and it not looking like you globbed on some orange paste on your face. Most of you ladies know this, but I had to say it.

Ever the planner I have to say that if you are one of those gals who doesn’t wear make up or much of it you still need to figure out what you will do with your pretty little face before the actual day. Why? Well, mainly because wedding’s can be chaotic. Problems and snafus will arise and everyone will be asking you what on earth they should do. You won’t have time to sit around and think about whether or not you need silver eye shadow or green. One great thing you can do is take a friend to a cosmetic counter in a department store and tell them what you have in mind. Tell them you want to go easy on your face. You don’t even have to purchase anything, but they can help you. I suggest Bobbi Brown or Stila, as they do tend to have a lighter hand in applying make up. Often they will map out what they used on a face sheet and let you take it with you. It’s a quick and easy road map of makeup.

You are going to want to practice applying the look you want for your day. This applies to those of you hiring a make up artist as well. You should be having a consult or two before the wedding with the artist. This eliminates any surprises, tears, and I hate you and I’m not paying you moments. These practice sessions will help you become familiar with the products and gain confidence in doing it yourself as well. Minimal make up is good. You only want to enhance what you already possess. Blending is the key! Don’t forget your nails either. They should be neutral in color and filed to eliminate rough spots. Your hands will look great in photos now too.

Even if you don’t usually wear make-up, wearing it on your wedding day is a good idea. It will take out any redness or shine from your photos leaving you looking fresher and more put together and complete. Just a hint of gloss, blush and loose powder and you are golden.

Mailing Your Invitations -- Postage Rate Increase

If you're sending invitations this spring, it's more important than ever to take a completed invitation into the Post Office to find out the exact mailing cost before buying all the stamps.

On May 14 the rate for a regular letter will increase to 41 cents.

If you're using response cards and self-stamping the envelopes, don't forget to use the new stamps if those cards will be mailed back after May 14. (Another vote for not using response cards, in my opinion. Those pennies can add up!)

But, according to CNN.com, "folks sending heavier letters -- such as wedding invitations -- will see a reduction in the price ... because the 41-cent rate is for the first ounce, but each additional ounce will cost 17 cents, down from the current 24 cents."

Also, "Shape-based pricing is also included in the new rates." That means those square envelopes, which already cost more to mail than a regular first-class envelopes, will most likely have a price change too.

If you're sending invitations internationally, take one from each country into the Post Office to find out the specific postage for each.

After you send those invitations, the last thing you want is to have them returned for insufficient postage.

A summary of some of the rate changes that may affect invitations, response cards, and save-the-date cards:
*Letters, bill payments, greeting cards: 41 cents for the first ounce, up from 39 cents
*Wedding invitation (2-ounces), 58 cents, down from 63 cents
*Postcard, 26 cents, up from 24 cents
(from CNN.com)

Featured Bride Stephanie's Dress

Vicky: Ok Steph, let's talk dress! Are you willing to show a picture of it on the site at this point?

Stephanie: Yes! I've attached a pic of the pattern. Vogue 2118.
I'm getting the view on the right, simpler, w/out the
bustle.

V: Oooh! I love it! So elegant and simple. Why do you love this particular dress style?

S: It's very simple, yet formal. It just spoke to me as
soon as I saw it.

V: How did you find the fabric? What is it like?

S: Some sewing friends recommended Thai Silks for high quality yet
low-priced silk. They have lots of swatch packages you
can order. I ordered their bridal swatches,
most-popular swatches, and brocade swatches to get an
idea of their selection. Holy cow! They sent me
hundreds of swatches! The pattern recommends satin, so
I went through all the satin swatches until I found a
color and texture I liked. I decided on a natural,
undyed silk-linen blend satin. I want the back pleat
lined, for a tiny bit of color, so I went through the
colored swatches and the brocades. Many of the
brocades are embroidered with insects, so they fit the
theme of the wedding. Eventually I narrowed down to
about 5 favorite insect brocades and finally just
chose one. Mike knows my final 5, but not the one I
ultimately chose.

V: I love the secrecy you have going on. It sounds like it's going to be beautiful! So tell me, why make the dress vs. buying one off a rack or from a bridal salon?

S: It never occurred to me to buy a dress. I just always
knew that either my mom or I would make my dress. And
it's a Vera Wang design for Vogue, so I get a designer
dress for a fraction of the cost.

V: When did you find it?

S: Several years ago, possibly even before Mike and I
met. I just bought it and put it away in my pattern
collection. The pattern is out-of-print now and no
longer for sale from Vogue. It's popular, though, and
shows up on ebay all the time.

V: How are fittings going? Your Mom is making the dress in
RI right? How is that working out?

S: My mom made a muslin, which is a practice dress out of
cheap cotton for fitting, about a year ago and I tried
it on while I was home in RI. She made some
adjustments then, but she's sewn many clothes for me
over the years and knows how to make things fit me
well. She's also a professional and can take someone's
measurements and make a nearly-perfect-fitting garment
before the person even tries it on. When she finishes
the dress she'll send it to me in CA. Any further
adjustments will be minor, like hemming once she sees
the shoes I have. She'll be here in plenty of time to
make those adjustments in my sewing room.

V: Wow! That is truly a wonderful wedding gift and memory. I can't wait to see it! Here's the pic!

Bridal Stress

I confess that I'm trying my best to take my own advice and relax about wedding planning, but at a little over three months out, bridal stress is starting to get to me. I didn't expect it, since we're already married. But I guess planning any large party can be stressful at some point, especially one where Mike and I will be the center of attention. And we're really planning a whole weekend for out-of-town guests where we will be the center of attention for a good portion of the time.

Allow my self-indulgent "to-do" list here. This is what happens when a real bride ignores The Knot Checklist and other bridal industry traps.

To Do:
*My dress is not finished yet. But Mike bought his tux this weekend.

*Decide on shoes, hair, makeup, jewelry. Don't want to finalize those things until the dress is ready.

*Decide on a cake baker. We're still talking and tasting w/ some bakers.

*Finalize the menu. Plan to do that tonight.

*Sign a contract with a photographer. Plan to do that within the next week.

*Insurance forms for venue. Due May 25, but plan to send in by the end of March.

*Make 9 centerpieces and 100-ish boutonnaire favors. Ordered dried flowers for those yesterday. Need to decide on ribbon colors.

*Write out invitations and print informational insert. Address envelopes. About 60 invitations need to be assembled over the next month.

*We both need new passports for our honeymoon, so need to get started on those soon. Oh, and we need to actually plan the honeymoon.

*Talk to friends and family members who will be our helpers, setting up the venue. Figure out timeline for the day-of and everyone's specific assignments.

*Make song playlists.

*Assemble gift packages for guests at our hotel, including an itinerary of weekend events. Which we still have to finalize.

*Buy napkins and fold all of them with stupid Martha Stewart twine knot napkin rings. (I only say "stupid" now because I'm beginning to think I'm doing too much myself. But that's only because I'm not using Mike to his full crafty potential yet. I'm not giving up.)

*Decide on placecards and make them.

*Decide on wine and beer selections.

Phew. I know it can all get done. Seems like a lot. Also seems like I'm forgetting something.

Basket O’ Fun or Basket O’ Stress?

It seems that today there is a personalized service for everything. This is especially the case in the wedding industry. What wasn’t even considered a service or field ten or fifteen years ago is now a full time job for some enterprising individual. Take gift baskets for example. The type of baskets that are just chocked full of fun items and waiting in the hotel for your happy wedding guests. They can monogram, filled with expensive trinkets like mini-binoculars or even scuba gear. The list is endless and perhaps you are finding it all to be a bit too much.

I think this is a wonderful gesture. I did it myself. However, I also feel it can turn into a budget buster and just another thing to stress yourself out over. If you are having a location/destination wedding, a lot of out of town guests, or have the budget and time to do this yourself I think it’s a fabulous idea. It tells your guests you are thinking of them and thanking them for coming to your special event. I really hate to see brides thinking they need such things though. Needing the starting at $25 dollar apiece basket from a vendor at a 25-basket order minimum too bothers me for some reason. On one hand I know that if I loved making gift baskets and this was my business, then I would definitely want brides thinking they HAVE TO HAVE these trinket filled goodie bags. On the other hand, it just seems like one more thing to add to the stress-inducing list of tasks in your wedding planning or a budget sucker.

Me, the non-DIY-er thinks you should do this stuff yourself. Find some nice gift bags in a craft or dollar store and have at it. Small baskets can be found there too. Buy some pretty ribbon that matches the colors of your wedding and keep it simple. Most people won’t actually take home the bag or basket. Buy bottled water by the case and put some in each basket. Mints, tissues, and hand lotions, or sunscreen can all be found in many stores in small sizes and work well. Travelers always need these staples. Adding in little chocolates or cracker snacks keeps you in budget too. If the area is new to people perhaps a small pocket map or area guide would be helpful. A list of information regarding the wedding activities and how to reach people is a nice addition only if you are ok with that. The main rule is, think realistically, and keep it simple. The possibilities are endless as with anything involving a wedding these days. Just remember, this is a great “nice to have”, but not a need to have. Most importantly don’t forget the note from you, the happy couple, thanking them for coming to your wedding.


*Photo from 'The Gift Worth Giving'.

Planning too early?

This may get preachy.

It concerns me when I read in online bridal community message boards about friendships and family relationships causing drama and stress in weddng planning. Such as when a bridesmaid is asked over a year in advance, and then the friendship fizzles out. Or someone was asked to be a groomsman out of some sort of obligation, thinking they'd say no, but say yes. Are weddings being planned to early? A lot can change in a year, and even more in two years. Do you really want to lock in all your decisions so far out from the wedding day? You don't have to, you know.

There are some legitimate reasons for setting a date that's so far away from your engagement. You want to finish college. You want to buy a house first. One of you is in the military or for some other reason is not able to live nearby. That being said, you don't have to set a date right away, either. You can enjoy being engaged for a while before the stress of wedding planning sets in. (Don't bow to pressure from parents to set a date! Do it when you are ready!)

The most popular venues do book over a year in advance unfortanately, so if you have your heart set on a specific place, you just might have to set the date and then wait. But that doesn't mean you have to do all the planning so far out. You don't even have to tell people about the date yet if you don't want to. Realistically, a great wedding can be planned in less than a year.

Believe me, I know how excited you are to get started on planning as soon as possible. But do you really want it to be all you do for over a year? It's okay to look, and it's fun. Unless extensive travel is involved, though, you just don't have to make final decision that early.

It's unpleasant to think about friendships breaking up over being a bridesmaid or groomsman of course. But it unfortunately happens often. People change a lot, especially during their 20s, and someone who was your best friend and assumed maid of honor may not be there for you, for whatever reasons, 2 years later. I'm not saying don't ask, but have some understanding and compassion. Your wedding isn't the most important thing in everyone else's life.

El Cheapo Bridesmaid Attire

Every bride who has chosen her bridesmaids has uttered this sentence at one time or another, “You can wear it again.”, as if saying that justifies away the expense of a quite often hideous dress. If the dress isn’t down right ugly, then it probably just doesn’t suit your complexion or body. Am I right? I know I was guilty of saying it too. Granted my dresses were black and strapless and I really did believe it at the time. I even bought the dress myself and wore it on three separate occasions. Would my bridesmaids ever wear that satin dress again? Nope. They never did. I know they all rolled their eyes heavenward when I said those dreaded words too. I know because I’ve done it myself. All seven times, I’ve been a bridesmaid.

Fear not! There are ways of cutting the cost of bridesmaid dresses though. You could always offer to pay for them yourself. In some countries that is standard. Bridesmaids are asked the favor of being part of the couple’s day and know they will be taken care of. If that isn’t part of your culture or your wedding wallet, that is fine.

You could march into the bridal shop and actually ask for the cheapest dresses in the bridal store. I did that. I found these dresses to be very basic and they came in a lot of different colors. I narrowed it down to the three least expensive dresses and I chose the most basic and flattering color. At least I thought so at the time. You can also look online under cheap bridesmaid dresses, really. I’m serious. If these dresses are worn only once, who cares right? Your bridal party will be happier.

Some stores like Ann Taylor and J.Crew carry varying styles of dresses for evening or daytime weddings/social events. You can even find some online in Spiegel or Chadwick’s. Banana Republic also has great dresses that can be ordered at home and fitted at a later date. Department stores near you can also be a big hit. Their off the rack styles go on sale quickly and often. Take a few of your girls out one day and just look. You never know what you will find.

If you are dead set on everyone look really well, bridesmaidy and in the same color, fabric, and style ensemble try a website like CyberNetPlaza. CyberNetPlaza has a variety of bridesmaid dresses that are simple and come in a variety of colors. They certainly won’t break the bank at starting prices of $59.00. David’s Bridal is excellent at this as well. They can help a bride and her entourage find a set of dresses in sizes 2-18 that make you all happy in your wallet and your mind.


Sites to view:

David's Bridal
CybernetPlaza
J.Crew
Banana Republic
Chadwicks
JC Penney
Ann Taylor

Checking in...

Sorry it's been so quiet lately. Mike was away for 4 months and got back last Thursday, so we've been spending QT together.

I've given him his list of wedding planning chores assignments. We are working on finalizing the menu, cake tasting, finding his tux, and finding a photographer. Details will follow in the coming days.

Writing the Vows

Technically we are renewing our vows since we're already married. At the courthouse we used the standard wording. I'd like something a little more special for our wedding, but everything seems boring, or old-fashioned, or sappy, or serious.

In poking around on the web I came across many suggestions for Wedding Mad Libs. I'm sold. It would be great if our friends and family members told us what they think of us. I'm not sure of the logistics of how this would work. Here's one bridal blogger's musings on it: Mad Lib vows. You can also buy Mad Libs in Love, which would probably have some good templates. And you can find PDF ideas all over the internet for printing out.

This is definitely something to think about.

Featured Bride Ashley's Further Wedding Adventures

Today we have more exciting news from one of our featured brides, Ashley. Last week she went on a little excursion with her sister, Heather, also the MOH, and her Mom. The search for the dress had begun. Here's what happened.

Vicky: So you went to David's Bridal to have a look around. How was the experience overall?

Ashley: The experience was just that, an experience! I would have liked to had more time to try on dresses but I’m a big believer that things happen for a reason.

The David’s customer service was ok. They were nice when we came in and had me fill out paperwork. Then I was told to go ahead and start looking around. I found about 10-12 dresses to try on. The lady who helped us came over and just started talking. She told me I was short on time for shopping for my dress, which to me was wrong, I’ve got over a year before the wedding. That’s plenty of time to find a dress and have alterations done. I was slightly annoyed when she went off to get a strapless bra for me to try on the dresses with (I was perfectly fine trying them on with my regular old bra) and then she wanted me to pick shoes out and everything. I just said whatever and started trying dresses on. She was helping another customer at the same time as I was and was hoping back and forth between us. This doesn’t bother me much because I’ll just start trying things on and zipping and such. Good thing I had helpers. I wouldn’t say the service was bad but it wasn’t the best. I could do a better job if I was the consultant. I would have been completely into the bride and asking her what did she want.

V: I had a similar experience there. I have to say though, trying on the right bra can really make a big difference. It's all overwhelming isn't it?

A: I was a bit overwhelmed and didn’t really know how to feel. I’m always a bit negative when trying on clothes because I don’t’ have a great figure. I pick at my figure flaws in everything I wear. That’s why when it something important I take my mom or sister (which I had both times). They won’t stear me wrong.

V: We ALL feel that way about ourselves! There's always something. Somehow though with a wedding dress we all end up feeling magical. At least that is what I think and have noticed. So did you find a dress? Tell, tell! Describe the whole thing!

A: I did find a dress! It is strapless (me in strapless – who would have thunk it – now gotta work on those arms). It is ivory with some cream accents. I guess it is considered princess style because of the shape. It has details and crystals and accents all over the top section, but not too much, with a basic bottom until you get to the very bottom where there is the same pattern as the top all on the bottom rim, even around to the train, which is a very nice length, not too long or short.

It was so weird. I tried on this one dress that was cool, but I felt like the “girls” were really too much out there, ok way too much out there. Then I tried on this dress with red and white. Too much WHITE and it was nice but nothing too fab. The next dress was one that I’ve been dying to see and try on and when I did try it on I was disappointed. The train and back was great but the rest was just too busy and didn’t feel right plus it scratched my arms. I had another dress to try on but wasn’t feeling it and the woman said to try 4 on this time and then more the next. I told Heather to take that one dress back and to pick that one she picked out for me to try. She came back with 2 and I picked the one I bought. I tried it on – it’s a size bigger than I wear but it fit reasonably well. I will only have to have small alterations done with some fixing of missing beads (in the back of the dress so its not a biggie) and when I walked out in it I felt regal. My mom gasped, very loudly, and almost started crying. Nancy (Ashley's friend and bridesmaid) was there too. She almost started to cry and Heather, my sister, was just beaming.

It was really weird. Mom said “well how do you feel” I said I liked it the best but didn’t know how I was supposed to feel. Mom was looking for it in the catalog and the lady said the dress is discontinued. When she said that my heart sunk. I was like “WHAT!!!! NO, I have to be able to see this dress again” (Well internally) and then I swayed and such in it – sucked in and imagined it with all the alterations. Mom said close your eyes and is this the dress. I said I don’t know but it could be. I’ve never seen my actual dress in my mind but this is the best from all tonight and I can’t stand the idea of never seeing this dress. I would be heart broken if this was the dress and I walked away and never saw it again. The store wouldn’t hold it for me. Mom grabbed an “accessory” which I tried and it was perfect. I could totally see myself in pictures with this dress. I wasn’t self-conscious about the arms or the body. I tried on 2 more dresses and nothing – I kept comparing them to this dress. I tried the dress on again and it fit and I wasn’t about to let the dress go. It was originally $600, but since it was discontinued and we were buying it that night it was $400 with the accessory. That part is a secret. The grand total, plus I had a $50 off coupon, was $460.

V: Wow! That is incredible! I don't even want to talk about what I spent. I think it is wonderful that you found your dress and your secret accessory for such a great price. It just goes to show that you don't have to go all boutiquey/couture to find what you love. Thanks again Ashley for letting us in on your planning. We love hearing it! Stay tuned for more with Ashley in the coming weeks!


*Note: David's Bridal will book an appointment for you to view and try on dresses or you can simply walk in. They also have a wide array of nicely priced shoes and bridal party wear.

Finding a Caterer

Finding a caterer was a task I was dreading. Last summer when we first moved to this area and decided this was where we wanted to have the wedding, it seemed like it was going to be impossible to find recommendations. We just didn't know the area and didn't know too many people here, let alone people who'd had weddings here. Just to find a venue, we got one of those Here Comes the Guide magazines and figured out not only what looked nice in our area, but what we could afford. But the notes for our venue said we had to use one of their caterers. I thought of this as a curse, assuming they'd have one or two regular caterers with lousy food that we'd be stuck with. And good food is one of the things we want at our wedding. We'd been to too many catered events with dry chicken, those snowflake dinner rolls, and salad drowned in vinigrette to cover up less-than-fresh veggies.

But then we saw that the venue's list of preferred caterers had many options. That was a good thing. It was nice to have the guideline without having to open the phonebook and search through hundreds. But it wasn't so many that it would be overwhelming to research. And on the day we first visited the venue, a chef was there setting up for a wedding happening that day and gave me his card. The key to my caterer: When I mentioned my dietary need to this chef -- food has to be gluten-free -- he knew exactly what I was talking about. I had a good feeling about this guy.

Here's the deal on gluten. It's a protein found in wheat and several other grains. Many people have an intolerance and/or allergy to it, and in people like my brother and me it's a genetic disorder called celiacs disease. It seems like wheat is in everything--pizza, pasta, bread, cereal, cookies, cake--anything made with regular flour. Gluten also pops up in sauces, where it's used as a thickener, and in additives in foods you might not think, like yogurt and canned tomato soup. Even when restaurants, caterers, airlines, etc., promise a special gluten-free meal they often get it wrong. Breaded chicken or croutons in the salad are mistakes. And so far, every time I've requested a special meal at a catered event, it's been forgotten or served much later than everyone else's food. I did not want special meals for my brother and me at the wedding. It's my whole special day! I want the same food as everyone else. So that means the whole menu has to be both delicious and gluten-free. And that's why it's so important to me that my chef knows exactly what gluten is and where it occurs.

I still wanted to do some research to make sure I was getting the best deal. I had some brochures and web addresses for most of the caterers on the list. After looking over menus and prices, what those prices included, and the presentation of their websites and brochures (I'm not trusting someone with a lot of typos or vague information), I narrowed down to 4 that I wanted to get specific quotes from. One never emailed me back. One had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the gluten. It can sneak into so much food that I couldn't take the chance with them making a mistake. Two knew about the gluten and gave us pretty good quotes--one of those was the chef I had already met.

So then it came down to tasting the food. Our venue holds tastings for their various caterers. One evening we were able to taste one of our two catering choices. Dry chicken and soaked salad greens. Luckily it was not "my" chef. He was unfortunately not there the same night. On the night he was there, I couldn't make it so Mike had to go alone. I was hoping not to be disappointed and I didn't want to start my search all over again. Mike's verdict: The food was fantastic! Mike and I have the same idea for the great food we want served, so I trust him. I still haven't actually tasted it! (I will at their next tasting in a couple weeks.)

Our dream caterer: Serves You Right. We are on our way to delicious food. We sent a deposit as soon as Mike deemed the food delicious. We're working on finalizing the menu now. The quote they gave us was very good for their basic package and they outlined the exact cost for extra food and services; they include things like cake cutting and corkage fees in the basic price, so there are no surprise fees. They use mostly local, organic food, so that's a bonus. They've done entirely gluten-free menus before and I feel comfortable putting my dietary needs in their hands. The bread will be "regular," because superiour gluten-free bread is almost nonexistant and some of the crackers for the cheese will also be "regular." But everything else--veggies, rice, meat, wedding cake--will be gluten-free. I guarrantee that if I didn't tell anyone they wouldn't notice. (Mike's 100% behind the gluten-free menu. We keep our separate breads and cereals, but most of our meals at home are gluten-free. He doesn't want me hassled with a "special meal" on our wedding day either.)

Serves You Right does many events at our venue so know exactly how it should be run. And they are attentive and have answered all my questions in a timely manner. Having great food is one of our highest priorities, and one we were willing to pay for. With Serves You Right, we might be affording the prime rib instead of the chicken breast.

I get the impression that a lot of high-priced catering involves a lot of presentation and dry chicken. Make sure you get recommendations on the professionalism of your caterer and their servers. And get all of their services, and the price for it, in writing. You may have to rent tables, china, or linens yourself, or pay even more for the caterer to provide them. A great deal on food doesn't mean much if your guests have to eat it from paper plates on their laps.

Wedding Officiants

I thought I had seen it all. I was simply looking for wedding officiant information. Then I came up on this website. Oh yes, wacky wedding officiants. Sadly it's only for those in the NY Metro area as are most of the other services listed (sepia budoir photos), but why not throw this out there. If you have ever harbored the desire to be married by Cher, Groucho Marx or even Peg Bundy then this might be the site for you. I actually think that if you are looking for a wedding that has a truly "you" touch to it or maybe you are renewing your vows, like Bubby the site owner says, this could be a good idea. Why be serious about things all the time. Get a little... well wacky.

Memory Is Art

While browsing Etsy one evening, a sort of eBay of craftiness, looking for wedding stuff ideas, I found the wonderful artwork of Ouissi Gresty. Ouissi creates handmade cards, journals, and albums. But her work is so much more dimensional than that sentence. Her work is more like paper sculpture, the way she layers the papers and adds so much personality to each piece. Each card is a work of art in itself. She has an inventory of some cards on hand, and she will gladly accept a commision to make something just for you with your photos.

Wouldn't these flower cards make wonderful invitations or thank you notes? I'm thinking a travel journal made from honeymoon photos would be spectacular. The bride image above is a custom wedding album that Ouissi created for a client. Ouissi also makes cards from some of your favorite desserts. The possibilities are endless. Check the link to her shop below for more fantastic pictures.

You can see all of Ouissi's work at her Etsy store and learn about how she does it all at her Memory Is Art blog. She has also recently added web design to her business. She is located in the UK, but will work with clients all over the world. More detailed information about Ouissi's products, including how to commission a piece, can be found at her Memory Is Art website. (More detailed shipping information is available at her Etsy shop.)

(Click any image to enlarge it. Images used with permission.)