The trunk show appointment policy varies in different stores. The bride should make an appointment with the store to ensure that she will have enough time for a consultation.  A trunk show appointment is different from a regular appointment because the wedding gowns are only there for one weekend.  The representative is able to suggest custom changes in order to create the perfect gown for the bride.

Brides are encouraged to bring someone along to help choose their gown.  Bring someone whose opinion you trust and who will be helpful and supportive in your search.  Since the trunk show does not last long, the bride should bring someone who will help them make a final decision once they find the perfect gown.  Avoid bringing too many people, lots of opinions can get confusing. Consider bringing friends to view your fittings to save you from feeling overwhelmed during your appointment!

Often, the wedding photographer will get excellent shots of the bride and groom, the immediate family, décor, and the ceremony.  However, sometimes the newlywed’s friends will be missed by the photographer.

This is why having disposable cameras located on each table are a good wedding idea; you will be able to see that everyone had a good time at your wedding.  The disposable cameras are even able to be customized to fit the wedding theme!

Guests will be able to take many different types of pictures, from posed to candid shots. The guests should be asked to leave the cameras on the table or drop them into a box or basket once they are done using them. This ensures that the bride and groom will have every camera which they are able to get developed.

Have a friend send the cameras to be printed by mail-order; there is a good chance they will be waiting for you when you return from your honeymoon. Some you may enjoy more than the wedding photos!

A fun option would be giving the guests an assignment, such as incorporating their table number card into every picture. Get creative!

• Choose one or two colors for the bouquet that will complement the wedding color scheme.
• Think about if your favorite flowers will be in season at the time of your wedding. Importing them from elsewhere could be expensive. Deciding between a large or small bouquet will also help decide what type of flower to feature.
• Choose between various styles of bouquets such as cascade, tear drop, arm or hand-tied.
• The style of the wedding bouquet should reflect the wedding location; if the ceremony is in a large church, then the bouquet should stand out!
• A bouquet with fake flowers will last forever and the wedding flowers will not start to droop a day after the ceremony. They also come in just about any color imaginable.

Do not pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers until the day of the wedding if you can help it, the flowers may start to wilt if you pick it up too early! Consider having the wedding reception arrangements tie in with the bouquet to create continuity. Make sure your bouquet flatters you but doesn’t take the focus away from you!

Bands offer a wide range of music that appeal to any age.  They offer a sense of class and can be the reason people talk about your wedding for a while afterwards.  Bands are also willing to learn special songs such as the bride and her father’s dance.

The only downfall to live bands is that they tend to be more expensive, ranging between $1,000 and $10,000.  If there is a sound restriction at your wedding reception venue, it may also be difficult for the bands to tone it down.

Disc jockeys are normally less expensive then live bands. Toning the volume down, if necessary, would be far easier for DJs to do than live bands.

They are also able to play virtually any song out there.  DJs have an extensive collection of music, and they are not limited to playing any song like a band would be if they didn’t know the song.  They will take requests from the guests and can easily play any period, ethnic, or themed songs.

Ultimately, either option is great, it just depends what the bride and groom want and what their wedding budget allows.  It is always a possibility to hire a band and during their few breaks have a DJ play music!  This way you can experience the fantastic qualities of both.

The bride and groom need to make sure they are patient when learning their first dance. It may come natural to you but some dance moves may be a little frustrating. Not everything will feel right, so if one move isn’t working then ask to change the step.

Practice with the shoes you will be wearing on your wedding day. You will feel more comfortable on the big day if you are used to them.  It may also be a good idea to practice while wearing a long skirt and grooms wearing a jacket. Keep in mind that if your wedding dress is in the mermaid style you will have to take smaller steps!

Decide on the wedding song version you will be dancing to. If a band is playing it, make sure you check with them to see what version they will play.  They may also throw in their own variation, so it is a good idea to get a recording of the band playing it to practice to.

Practice in a space that is similar in size to your wedding reception area. If you are having an outdoor reception, consider placing a floor down so that your wedding gown does not get dirty and makes it easier to dance and spin.

Remember, no one at your reception will be expecting perfection. As long as the newlyweds are comfortable and happy, you will look great dancing!

1.)    Roses are red, wedding bells will ring; but saving the date is the most important thing!  Create a poem!

For example:
We met in New Jersey near the bay,
We have been together ever since then,
He got down on one knee as he proposed to me
I said, “I do,” and now it`s time to invite all of you!

We are happy to cordially invite you all to our special day,
So mark your calendars for the year 2013 on the 10^th of May
We hope you can attend to celebrate the love we share from us to you, Holly and Jay.

Not only will your guests mark their calendars, but they will also appreciate your creative side!

2.)    Musical Cards

If you ever walk into a convenient store such as CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid, take a stroll down the card isle. Notice that a number of cards contain music inside of them with either an instrumental theme song or a lyrical song. Why not create a wedding save the date musical card? Both you and your significant other can pronounce your wedding date to your guests with a musical aspect to it.

3.)    Piece it together!

Transform a cardboard box or construction paper into puzzle pieces. Embed the wedding date and time into the pieces. Construct the puzzle pieces in such a way to create a particular image such as a heart. Allow your guests to participate in the activity by putting the pieces together. It is a fun and creative way to invite your wedding guests!

4.)    Words with Us

Create a quick and easy game for your wedding guests. Create a word search! You may be thinking, “Well, word searches are pretty plain, not much color.” Well, add some color and personality to it and it will be a cute save the date invitation.

5.)    Connect the Dots

Remember when you were a child and you would enjoy connecting the dots in your favorite cartoon coloring book? Well, why not bring back a piece of your childhood? Draw an image of a wedding symbol such as a bouquet of flowers, wedding bells, etc. Then, place numbers in a small font directing your guests where to begin connecting. Next, color code or bold the numbers representing your wedding date. Be creative!

6.)     Lottery tickets

Lottery tickets? It is a wedding not a raffle. Well, yes it is a wedding; however, the lottery consists of numbers. Use the numbers to represent your wedding day and incorporate it into a slot machine style. Here is an example of a slot machine :

Design the lottery ticket or slot machine to your liking. Add vibrant colors; decorate the invitation with a representation of your wedding theme. If you are having a beach wedding, decorate the slots with seashells, beach balls, palm trees, etc.

7.)    Opposites Attract

Create a refrigerator magnet. This idea can go along with your poem. Put your poem on a magnet. Magnets are becoming more and more popular as save the date invitations.

8.)    Fortune Cookies

Create a message such as: You will be attending a wedding very soon or Love is in the air, I can hear the wedding bells ring. Then, on the back of the message put the wedding date. It`s a neat way to invite your guests.

9.)    Smile!

Photo booths remind me of carnivals or fun events. You and your significant other can take pictures and post them like a photo booth image with the wedding date present. It is different from most save the date invitations and it is fun to create.

10.) I can predict the future…you are attending the wedding!

Fortune tellers! Origami art! Design a fun and creative way for you’re save the date invitation! Design an origami fortune teller consisting of your wedding day and fun facts about you and your significant other!

I hope your umbrella is not soaked. The brainstorming method of save the date ideas has come to an end for this article; however, there are still plenty of other options and creative ways to make your wedding day memorable. If you happen to use any of these ideas listed above, I am sure your guests will be sure to mark their calendars. Continue to brainstorm save the date ideas, shock your guests with your creativity, and have fun!

The DJ that you choose for your entertainment is often the culprit of a few complaints.  Frequent problems include the volume being up too loud, or that the DJ was obnoxious and did not play any good wedding music.  Ask friends and family or wedding planners to recommend a list of great DJs that will make your wedding memorable.  Moving tables and chairs away from the speakers once the dancing begins is also a good idea!

Criticism about speeches being too long or unable to be heard is easily fixed.  The wedding DJ will work with the speech-givers to show them how to operate the microphone and speak into it so that all can hear the speech.

Grumble about guests not knowing anyone at their table can be easily avoided.  Placing people with others who have the same interests will be a good way for guests to mingle with each other.  For more information on seating charts, view the Wedding Seating Charts article.

Standing for a long time in the receiving line can be tedious for some guests.  Remember that it is only required that the bride and groom and their parents greet guests after the ceremony.  The newlyweds should consider visiting each table for a quick ‘hello’ when they are at the wedding reception venue.

A common problem is out-of-town guests having nowhere to go in between the ceremony and wedding reception if there is a long wait between the two.  If it is not possible to have the ceremony and wedding reception an hour or so apart, consider having relatives or close friends invite those guests to their house for a light snack.  The wedding reception venue may even open their doors earlier for such guests if asked in advance.

Wedding centerpieces may also cause a few grumbles, especially if they are very tall.  Guests want to be able to talk to the other side of the table which is not always possible with tall centerpieces.  Choose a shorter wedding centerpiece so guests can converse easier!

Finally, make sure you thank your guests for coming to celebrate your new marriage and for any wedding gifts they may have given.  When guests aren’t thanked they will feel unappreciated, so split the list with your husband and write your thank-you notes together!

Have you ever received a wedding invitation that didn’t outright tell you what to wear to the wedding? Here are some hints to look for on the invitation:

• If the invitation looks formal, such as cream with black script, the affair is most likely black tie. Guests should then wear their best formal attire.
• When the wording on the invitation is more playful, the wedding will probably be more casual, therefore guests should look for a casual dress outfit.
• If their wedding is a destination wedding like somewhere tropical, guests will want to wear something breezy and light. High heels are not a good idea on the sand for the ladies.
• A wedding located at a country club will be a dressy affair, so make sure your outfit is classy and tailored.

An afternoon wedding will most likely be a more casual event while an evening wedding will be dressier.  Evening weddings should have darker colors worn to them, while afternoon weddings are mostly just lighter colors.  Guests should never wear all white (to prevent from upstaging the bride), jeans, anything torn or with holes, and anything too revealing.  Women should bring a wrap or sweater to a religious ceremony in order to not offend anyone while wearing a strapless or sleeveless dress.

Both a sit down and a buffet have their pros and cons:

What is so nice about a sit down dinner?
- Faster way to eat and get the party started!
- Formal
- A chance to mingle with your guests

What is not so nice about a sit down dinner?
- They tend to feel stuffy and long
- Guests may not like the food choice
- There is a chance that the party may die down after having been sitting for awhile

What is so nice about a buffet dinner?
- Flexibility with food options for guests who may have certain dietary needs
- While waiting to grab food, you and your guests can mingle and continue to dance
- Quicker way to grab food and eat right away
- You can choose whether to have long buffet lines or stations

What is not so nice about a buffet dinner?
- The line! ( The line may take forever)
- More expensive than sit down dinners
- Less formal
- Waiting for the empty tray of food to be refilled

So, what do you think? Is a sit down dinner more your style of eating or a buffet dinner? Whichever you choose is based solely on you and your fiancé’s decision. If you happen to be a little torn between the two, then combine them. Huh? Combine a sit down with a buffet. For example, have a mini buffet bar with various cocktails and alcoholic beverages while having a sit down dinner.

Create a combination! Just be sure to keep the party going! Do not stress out so much about the dinner style, it is your wedding and however you want to eat is up to you!

Brides tend to choose their flower arrangements by complementing the colors used throughout their weddings. For example, the colors of the bridesmaid’s dresses, the wedding cake, the décor, the theme, and the seasons. However, I think that this small, but pertinent list is beneficial to consider when choosing the color of the flowers, but how about placing the year at the top of your list? When planning a wedding, one of the main concerns for the bride is matching the colors with the particular season. Sure, this is a great component to think about, but I believe that the brides should focus on the year in which their wedding takes place. Why? Well, certain colors serve as a trend and have some symbolic meaning to them for every year. For example, according to Flower Blog in the year 2010, one symbol was passion.  So, the trend of 2010 was to display combinations of colors that seem passionate such as purple and red.

In this new year, 2012, tangerine mango is in style. Tangerine mango represents brightness and vibrancy. Even though I am suggesting paying attention to the year, seasons also play an important role. If you are planning a winter wonderland wedding, I would suggest using colors such as blue, gold, red, or green. Not in combination with one another; however, these colors would be great for a Christmas/Winter Wonderland wedding. The flower arrangements, especially the flower centerpieces are meant to mesh well with the colors, style, and theme of your wedding. Remember to keep that in mind when arranging a bouquet of flowers and choosing various color combinations. The colors that I have previously mentioned are good for winter weddings; however, the colors can be used in any season or any year. The colors are here for you to spark an idea, but feel free to look at different shades of blue, gold, red, and green. The tones and shades should correlate with your style, theme, and colors throughout your wedding. Remember, if you are preparing to get married this year, tangerine mango is a great choice!  If it does not mesh well with the colors you have chosen, keep looking because there are more colors in the crayon box waiting to be used. The year 2012 is here, flowers will bloom, and you need to start coloring these flowers soon!