0 Should You Buy Wedding Insurance?

This question is difficult to answer with a simple yes or a no, so consider the following: if your gown salon goes out of business and you lose your deposit, would you be able to afford to purchase another gown? If your photographer doesn’t show up on the wedding day, would you be able to afford to hire one on the spot? In the unlikely event that something catastrophic (hurricane, blizzard, death in the family) happens before your wedding day, would you be able to afford to pay for a wedding all over again?

You should also keep in mind that many wedding vendors are happy to assist you in extraordinary circumstances. When Central Florida was plagued by three hurricanes within a month, all of the vendors we worked with helped couples reschedule their weddings by waiving penalties and carrying over payments. Ask the vendors you interview what they would do if a natural disaster or a death in your immediate family does occur.

What Does Wedding Insurance Cost? Basic policies can be found for as little as $125.00.

What Does Wedding Insurance Cover? Wedding insurance will cover you for many things, including needing to reschedule your wedding due to circumstances beyond your control, businesses that go bankrupt or don’t show up, damage to attire, and loss of gifts. Some will even cover change of heart!

What Doesn’t Wedding Insurance Cover? If it rains, you will not be covered. If there is a hurricane, you might be covered. Your engagement ring and other jewelry will not be covered, but your wedding ring might be. If you or your groom decide not to go through with the wedding, most policies will not cover you.

When Should You Get It? If you decide to get wedding insurance, you should get it as soon as possible. Many policies will allow you to purchase insurance even after you’ve paid deposits and signed contracts, so don’t worry if you’ve already contracted with some of your service providers.

How Much Should You Get? If possible, purchase enough coverage so that if the worst happens, you will be able to reschedule and pay for a new wedding.

Do I Need Liability Insurance? Some wedding venues will require you to carry liability insurance. If you are hosting your wedding at home, you should check with your homeowner’s insurer to see if you should get additional coverage for your wedding.

Where Can You Find Wedding Insurance? Many insurance companies offer wedding insurance, so start with one of your carriers. An online search will also yield you lots of options for you to investigate.

If you think you might want to purchase wedding insurance, make sure to keep all of your contracts and receipts. You will need them if you make a claim.

This is a brief primer as to what wedding insurance covers. It’s really important to shop around for best price, best deductible and best coverage.

0 Spring Weddings

Style and Decor:

*Combine patterns for a unique look. Go for sophisticated stripes with flirty polka dots for a playful effect.
*Choose a spring color, and use a slightly different shade of fabric on each reception table. Your tables will look unified, but not too matchy.

Invitations:
*Have a common springtime motif, such as a peony or a bird, printed on the invites.
*Choose a casual, yet engaging font to reflect a fun spring feeling.
*Instead of a traditional belly band or wrap, use a wide ribbon in your wedding colors to tie up your invites.

Flowers:
*Have your florist pair your favorite springtime flower with fruits (ruby-red raspberries, luscious blackberries, or even strawberries) for a fete that feels as homegrown as a picnic in the park.
*Hang floral wreaths from the doors into your church or temple, or from a tree at your ceremony.
*Bring spring indoors by creating a space awash in tiny spring blooms -- from single-bloom bud vases lining the bar to floral-adorned baskets in the bathrooms at the reception.

Menu:
*Fill large punch bowls with fresh lemonade, iced tea, and white-wine sangria, garnished with fresh lemons and fruit for a colorful drink menu.
*Instead of more traditional beef, serve spring lamb with a garden-fresh herb sauce.
*Ditch the hot soup idea and present delicate chilled pea soup in shot glasses as hors d'oeuvres.

Wedding Cake:
*For a cake that spells spring, serve white cake covered in sugar-dipped long-stem cherries.
*Choose a flavor that's light and fluffy, like a strawberry shortcake covered in pale pink fondant and topped with real strawberries.
*Instead of a simple pattern, have your cake baker add colorful sugar flowers to your cake tiers.

Favors:
*Give bulbs or packets of flower seeds that guests can plant in their gardens or window boxes, tagged with a personalized label.
*Be different and offer a charitable donation to plant a tree in each guest's name.
*Offer mini potted herbs at each place setting to enhance a garden theme.

0 St Patrick's Day Wedding Inspiration

 

0 Pnina Tornai Spring 2014

Pnina Tornai Spring ’14 showcases the signature illusion corsets

 that the brand is known for, and this season sleeves and streamlined silhouettes are added to the mix.

Photos by Kurt Wilberding

0 Honeymoon Hot Spot: Ireland

This fantastic honeymoon destination is a seaside paradise of a different kind. We are taking a look at some amazing things to do on the island of Ireland!

1. Check out the cuisine: Ireland is filled with gastronomic delights! By day, check the calendar to see if there’s a local food festival going on, or take a tour of an Irish brewery. By night, select a romantic restaurant with scenic coastal views that serves a contemporary take on classic Irish dishes, such as Irish Oatmeal fish cakes with Dublin bay prawn (pictured below).

2. Explore the outdoors: A great way to see Ireland’s interior is to take an inland cruise! Take in the serene scenery as you gently navigate the extensive inland waterways. Ireland is also a great place to enjoy a round of golf– almost a quarter of a million golfers hit the Irish links each year! The outdoor adventure options are nearly endless; take in the greenery and the scenery by cycling, horseback riding, hiking, or fishing (pictured below).

3. Get culturally curious: Ireland boasts some beautiful landmarks (such as Kylemore Abbey, pictured below), including ancient castles, sprawling estates with elaborate manicured gardens, and monuments, both historic and religious. For a more in-depth encounter with rich Irish culture, plan a visit to one of Ireland’s many heritage centers.

0 Thank You Note Etiquette

After your wedding you and your partner will be caught up in feverish excitement, leaving for your honeymoon and celebrating life as a married couple.

However, just because the party's over doesn't mean there aren't still a few things to think about.

Many newlyweds aren't quite sure of the post-wedding timeline when it comes to gift thank you notes or if they should they be sent straight away, or even before your honeymoon? What messages should the cards contain? Is it acceptable to have pre-printed messages?

Here are some tips that will help you navigate your thank you notes.

Time Frame

Obviously the sooner the better. Don't worry about delaying your honeymoon by a few days to get this sorted, though, because a response within four to six weeks is acceptable.

If you are sent gifts before the wedding, it's good etiquette to respond to these straight away (or at least within 2 weeks). This is not only good etiquette you will be thankful when you return from your honeymoon knowing that a few thank you's are done and dusted.

To save time, make sure you have gift cards prepared well in advance of your big day. You can order them along with your wedding invitations and have them handy to fill in with notes as soon as you receive gifts and after your honeymoon.

What to write

It's good manners to write a hand-written note to everyone who gave you a gift - emails are a no-no! While pre-printed messages can seem like a good time-saver, many guests will have spent significant time and money choosing your gift and travelling to your wedding, so the personalized thanks will be appreciated.

It doesn't have to be long, simply greet your guest by name, express your thanks and refer specifically to their gift and how you may use it.

Even if someone did not give you a wedding gift, be sure to send them a card thanking them for their attendance itself.

If a guest has traveled far or made a significant effort to attend your wedding be sure to thank them for this too.

0 Guest Post: Engagement Party: Making It Personal By Sofia Angeli

Engagement Party: Making It Personal

Planning an engagement can be costly these days. This is especially true since you still have that wedding to think about. Needless to say, you’d want your event costs to fit in your budget, no matter how big or small it may be. But of course, you still want it to be special – unforgettable, in fact, not just to you and your soon-to-be spouse, but also to your guests.

You can make your party unique and truly memorable for everyone present without breaking

the bank. How? Choose your theme wisely, and start focusing on three basic elements of the party. Then you’ll be surprised with the result.

Think About the Theme

Engagement parties don’t always have to be glamorous evening affairs with a big band

playing standards so you can have your much-awaited dance as an engaged couple. 

Here are some ideas to inspire you:

• Where did you meet? If you got together watching or playing sports with your friends,     then let the party be a morning or an afternoon picnic in the park, where you’ll play some ball games.
•  Want to give the fiancée a tribute? Center the theme on something about the              bride-to-be or something that she loves. If she’s into music, hold the party in a cozy restaurant or bar and have her favorite tunes played all night – live or not.                         This is definitely more affordable than having it in a hotel function room.
• Got a favorite meeting place? If you want to share with your family and friends your favorite hangout, then go ahead and book the place for your engagement party.             Let the location itself set the theme. If that pizza place where you go to every               Friday night has an ample space for your family and friends, why look any further?

Three Important Elements

After carefully planning your theme, you should now give your attention to three particular 

things in your party that you should give importance to if you want it to make it as unique as

your relationship with your future spouse – the invite, the toast, and the ending.

1. The Invite

This is one element you should give attention to if you want to have an event that’s one of a kind. Often, couples overlook this and just pick designs that are almost generic. You have to keep in mind that the invite sets the mood for your guests. If you want them to dress properly and think of your party as special, let the invite convey that message.

Don’t forget to focus on your theme. If you’re not going to have a formal event, then why

bother with that invitation printed on thick, off-white cards? If you’re going to have a fun

picnic party, then by all means, send invites with designs and words that will make them anticipate such an event.

2. The Toast

This is the highlight of the event, so don’t take it for granted, and please prepare. This part of the event doesn’t cost any money, just some effort to convince loved ones to speak in public. Usually, it’s the father of the bride-to-be who’ll do the first one, followed by the father of the fiancé. The mothers could also speak, if they wish. Close friends who really know some interesting bits about the couple often give the funniest toasts, so it would be great to

choose two from this circle.

The toasts don’t have to be perfect. But they should never be long and merely a collection of clichés. They should be interesting and centered on the reason for the celebration – you and your would-be spouse. It would also be best to remind those who’ll speak to observe that line between funny and embarrassing.

3. The End

Just like the toast, don’t the end of the party for granted. While it’s best to save the idea of

party favors for the wedding, you can plan simple things that will make your guests really

happy.

For instance, giving away instant photos of you with your guests is always a great idea. It makes them remember the fun you just had and look forward to your wedding.

They’re easy and inexpensive to do these days, too; you can hire a pro or ask a friend to do them for you.

Of course, you do have to think a lot about the food, the décor, and so on. But set the theme and these three elements first, and the rest will be much easier than you think.

About the author

Sofia Angeli is a PR & communications consultant for companies in various industries.
 In particular, she brings her writing skills and passion for travel, culture, arts and lifestyle, including wedding planning and engagement rings
 [http://www.goldenet.com.au/engagement-rings/], to the online world.