He asked and you said yes. Now you’re planning your wedding, and your life together. So many details to consider!
The Internet is here to help. But you’re going to have to put some things on paper. Trust us — you will be writing a lot of letters. You’re gonna need to scope out printing companies.
For that, UPrinting is here to help. UPrinting is one of the leading printing companies that specializes in various printing services including letterhead.
Visit UPrinting.com for more of their services and for more letterhead design ideas.
While you’re scoping out ideas, tell us what you would do with your own custom-printed letterhead. Leave a comment on this blog telling us your cool, creative idea. Your comment is your entry into this contest. We’ll pick the best one for an awesome prize from UPrinting. The contest closes on October 12.
You will win 500 pieces of letterhead, on 5.5-by-8.5-inch paper, 70 pound offset, front-only printing. Even the shipping is free. You have to be a U.S. resident, 18 years old or older.
Follow and like UPrinting Twitter and Facebook or sign up on GiveawayBlogs.
This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting. No monetary compensation was given. Please visit UPrinting.com for available letterhead design and for more details.
Ask any former bride — invitations are one of the most important parts of the big day. Not only do they inform guests when and where the wedding will take place, but wedding invitations make the first impression on your guests and set the tone for your nuptials. Selecting the invitation design and perfecting the many details requires a lot of thought, not to mention the time spent hand-addressing each envelope.
You can have a traditional wedding and still save a little time.
Traditionally, wedding invitations are hand addressed because handwriting makes the invitation more personal. By taking the time to write out guests’ names and addresses, you are demonstrating to your guests that you really want them to be at your celebration. If you don’t want to write them out yourself, you can hire a calligrapher to hand-address the envelopes.
Yet, spending money on calligraphy, which can cost $2 to $5 per invitation, isn’t financially feasible for many brides-to-be. Furthermore, many women are finding they don’t have time to hand-address hundreds of envelopes between other wedding preparations and working a full-time job. As a result, many are deciding to print mailing labels for their wedding invitations to save time and money.
Address labels are not for every wedding. You have to first determine if address labels are appropriate for your invitations. Black tie affair? Probably not. Casual beach wedding? Sure! Just keep in mind that the invitation should correlate with the formality of the event. Here are some etiquette and design suggestions for printing wedding invitation mailing labels:
- Choose a subtle or neutral stock. Sheer or matte materials are most versatile and will complement the envelope; stay away from glossy labels which can be hard to print on. Try to match the paper to an element of the invitation.
- Break from traditional labels. If you’re going to use mailing labels, you may as well dress them up! Consider a using a custom die-cut shape associated with your wedding, such as a sun for a beach wedding or a flower for a garden wedding. Another idea is using wraparound address labels which take care of both the address and the return address labels. These are great for envelopes that open on the side.
- Your font should match your invitation. Script font is popular for mailing labels because it mimics handwriting. Or, you can try out a service that converts your handwriting into your own font, like YourFonts.com. If you do use a script-like font, be sure to use a larger point size to make the information clear. You can also enlarge the first letter of each line of text on the address for extra elegance.
- Never separate a man’s first name from his last. Contrary to what you may think, etiquette dictates that when addressing to a couple, you should always keep the man’s first and last name together. For example, Adrienne and George Damascus. Many make the mistake of starting with the man’s name.
- Gifts are often sent to the return address on the outside envelope. If the bride and groom live in New York, but are getting married in California, it is much easier for the couple to have gifts sent to New York.
- What names should go on the return address label? This is a question many brides-to-be ask because some feel it would be premature or taboo to use their married name. Most often return address labels use [First Name & First Name] or [First Name Last Name & First Name Last Name]. Either is appropriate.
Ultimately, invitations are only a small part of the huge, stressful project of planning a wedding. The above ideas are just suggestions to guide you. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if you handwrite or print mailing labels for your invitations. The only thing that matters is that your wedding invitations reflect the most important part of the wedding: you.
By Jessica Wiener of Print360.com
The following post is from @gift_girl’s blog, Girly Wedding.
Bows are back! An elegant and fun wedding trend is the bow! I love the modern look of vera wang wedding dresses, especially this one and this fabulous bow. It screams sophistication. And it is even more amazing when matched with a fun bow tie with a fun bow tie pattern. And the best part, the bow tie is DIY.
There is so much amazingness with this Seattle wedding. If you’d like to see the full photo shoot check out Mastin Studio’s full post.
If you are liking the bow trend here is a step by step from Prudent Baby How to make a bow tie. Consider using bows as bow ties, hair accessories, hair bows, in wedding bouquets, or even as accessories for your dress. Bows have come a long way baby.
By Marta Segal Block of GigMasters.com
Earth Day may have been in April, but more and more brides and grooms are becoming attracted to the idea of an “eco-friendly” wedding year-round. Unfortunately, marketers are becoming more and more aware of the trend and slapping words like “green,” “eco-friendly,” and “environmentally friendly” on everything from paper plates (as ungreen as you can get) to items that actually are environmentally friendly.
How is a bride supposed to know what “green” means when it comes to a wedding vendor? Well, we can’t speak for every field, but we do have a little insight when it comes to wedding entertainment. If you want to evaluate your wedding entertainment to see how environmentally friendly they are, here are five areas you can assess.
1. Mailings
The more information a band or DJ has online, the less likely it is to need to send you things in the mail! Because GigMasters.com allows entertainers to post videos, pictures and MP3s on their press kits, we greatly reduce the need for entertainers to send out demo CDs. You can view as many bands, dancers, singers, and DJs as you want, all without anyone getting in a car or printing anything on paper (although I guess you might use more electricity because you can’t tear yourself away from all of our great options). If the entertainment that you’re considering doesn’t have press materials or samples online, consider asking them to send you files electronically instead of by mail.
2. Lights
LED lighting runs longer and cooler and uses less power than traditional lighting. You should ask both your venue and your entertainment about their lighting choices.
3. Amps
A high efficiency or switch mode amplifiers are lighter and more efficient than traditional amps. The entire audio system can run off one circuit, which means less electricity is being used.
4. Transportation
Obviously, you’re not going to choose a band based on their transportation. But, you can help the band think about their transportation choices. If each member of the band drives his own car they’re not only taking an environmental toll, they may also be increasing your parking costs. Many bands today are choosing to give up the their rock star ideal by driving mini-vans, with a trailer for equipment hitched to the back.
5. Location
As with all wedding vendors, using someone local will help reduce environmental costs. I’m not saying you should choose the DJ that lives 10 minutes closer to your venue over the one you like better, but finding entertainment that lives in your general area will help you financially and environmentally. This is another way GigMasters.com can help, with over 9,000 entertainment choices, we’re sure to have someone conveniently located!
Need more help? Did you know that GigMasters.com gives away $500 in free wedding entertainment every month? Visit us to learn how you can win.
If you don’t already know her you should. Dana, better known as the Broke Ass Bride is a creative, think out of the box, amazing wedding blogger. She is also a Wishpot wedding expert. One of the wonderful thing about the blogging community is that when someone is in need we join together to help do our part.
We recently learned that Dana has an autoimmune disease. For Dana, this means her immune system randomly attacks her eye sight. There is no cure and will result in blindness if left untreated. Dana has been dealing with this disease since she was 19 years old.
To be able to afford her medical costs Dana is holding an online fundraiser. This will be her 13th eye surgery. I encourage you to participate in her online fundraiser. Everyone who makes a dishing for Dana donation of any amount gets access to an awesome compilation of comfort food recipes from other amazing bloggers. If you are interested in participating or in reading more check out Dana’s story.
A portion of the money raised will go to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association to help others. If you want to read more I also posted about this on my personal blog girlywedding. If you have a blog I encourage you to help spread the word too. Too many people keep silent about the things that really matter.
Dana we want to help. And we want you to get better.
While some brides love a contemporary wedding, many are still staying true to following the age old tradition of having “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” for good luck on their wedding day.
How can a bride have a contemporary wedding and incorporate this tradition into it? The solution is simple, with the use of these tips and a beautiful wedding favor.
Many brides borrow their jewelry from a friend or family member to wear on their wedding day. Wearing a loved one’s pearl necklace or jewels as you walk down the aisle is a sentimental moment and will easily satisfy the tradition of “something borrowed” and in many cases “something old” if the jewelry worn is a family heirloom.
Adding something new and something blue to your wedding day can be easy and fun. Some brides opt to wear blue shoes, polish their fingernails blue, or even wear a blue garter. Others add blue ribbons to their bouquet or to the centerpieces at their wedding reception.
Another simple way to add something blue and new is by selecting a wedding favor that is blue. The Something Blue Gift Box Candle Favor is a perfect example of a “something blue” favor. The miniature blue candle is packaged in a white box and is neatly tied with a blue satin ribbon which reads “something blue.”
So whether you choose to add your own blue flair or decide to select a blue wedding favor, adding something blue to your wedding day will follow this age old tradition and bring good luck to you for years to come.
Written by: Marta Segal Block of GigMasters.com
When you say the words “wedding entertainment,” most people think band or DJ. But, two of the top trends in wedding entertainment this year are leading to a new word association … belly dancing.
This year people are incorporating ethnic and cultural traditions from around the world to create an exciting, vibrant reception that’s not just a party, but an event. With it’s ties to the Middle East and its emphasis on dance and elegance, Belly dancing is leading the way in this trend.
One of the easiest and most natural ways to include belly dancing in your wedding is the traditional Zeffa dance. In this dance, the belly dancer carries a candelabra on her head to light the way for the bride and groom as they enter the reception.
If you’re worried about your guests getting bored during photographs, consider hiring a belly dancer to do a “meet and greet” style performance during the cocktail hour. She can entertain your guests, and teach a few dance moves for later on!
If you’re not sure about having a belly dancer at your wedding, consider hiring a belly dancer for your shower or bachelorette party. She can teach you and your girls a great routine to perform at the wedding, or in the privacy of your honeymoon suite! Belly dancing is great exercise, and great stress relief.
If a belly dancer sounds like fun to you, but you’re worried about your budget, don’t forget that every month GigMasters gives away $500 in free wedding entertainment.
Photo Caption: GigMasters Belly Dancer Nyla Crystal
Planning a wedding is one of the most important things in your life, but it can also be terribly hard to organize. That’s why mybigdayplanner.com is here to save you. Tawsha Connell spent over 7 years planning weddings and developing the My Big Day Planning Kit. She consulted hundreds of brides and their notes on their own weddings and together they created a workbook-style customizable notebook that allows you to plan your wedding the exact way you want to. They offer the “My Big Day Planning Kit” that includes:
· Over 200 workbook-style pages
· 17 sections with custom tabs
· Business card holders
· Contract protectors
· Sticky notes
· My Big Day Planner pen
· Over 200 page flags
· Zippered pen pouch
· 2 white pocket folders
· Portable document holder
· My Big Day Planner clipboard
· My Big Day Planner clipboard
· An eco-friendly tote-bag
They also have different bride survival kits. When your big day is finally upon you, you should know that everything is in order without having to worry about all the details. The My Big Day Planner will help you along with this process to make the biggest day of your life truly memorable.
Every September the Today Show on NBC throws a wedding for a deserving engaged couple. As an avid Today Show watcher, Today’s Modern Love Wedding is one of my absolute favorite segments on the show.
The wedding–pulled together in a month–is located on Today’s Rockefeller Plaza and allows viewers to vote on the couple’s big wedding decisions. A national vote will decide everything from the cake to the wedding bands and even (gasp!) the bride’s gown. While this might be a control-disaster for some, Today’s Modern Love Wedding provides an amazing opportunity for couples who can’t afford their dream wedding. It also allows wedding labels and brands to parade out their latest and greatest to be voted on by a nationwide audience.
This year’s lucky couple is Melissa and Jeremy (also selected by a vote), high school sweethearts from Missouri. The young couple (she’s 21 and he’s 22) are particularly deserving because Jeremy serves overseas in the Middle East for the Army. How cute are they?!
Today's Modern Love Wedding couple, Melissa & Jeremy
So far the couple’s wedding bands (Neil Lane) and reception venue (Hudson Terrace) have been selected, and this week America votes on my favorite decision, the bride’s gown! Yes! Let’s take a look at Melissa’s beautiful options and the dress designers themselves…
Choice #1: Modern Romance
Described as modern romance for its feminine silhouette and faint blush color, this Lela Rose dress is a modern take on a more traditional A-line gown.
Dress by Lela Rose
More Lela Rose looks:
Photo collage courtesy of stylemepretty.com
Stunning detail! (Photos courtesy of somethingoldsomethingsnew.com, bridalguide.com & life.com)
Choice #2: Retro Glam
This 1920s-inspired gown stands out because of the intricate crystal motif embroidered beading and a new hot wedding gown trend, ruffles.
Dress by Lazaro
More Lazaro looks:
A flair for the dramatic. (Photos courtesy of jlmcouture.com, kaboodle.com, bridalguide.com & theweddingday.com)
Choice #3: Classic Elegance
This is a timeless look for a bride that wants simple beauty but still wants to stand out. The keyhole back and ribbon embellishment on the waist modernizes the classic style.
Dress by Paloma Blanca
More looks Paloma Blanca looks:
Modern twists on classic style. (Photos courtesy of getmarried.com, weddingbee.com, couture-threads.com & recycledbride.com)
Choice #4: Sophisticated Drama
Look like you stepped right off the runway in this gown. The fashion-forward gown is red carpet ready with rosette detailing and asymmetrical draping across the bodice.
Dress by Monique Lhuillier
More Monique Lhuillier looks:
Red carpet ready! (Photos courtesy of kleinfeldbridalcom, marieclaire.com & bridepop.com)
Worth a stand-alone shot. Monique Lhuillier at her best. Stunning! (Photo courtesy of moblog.whmsoft.net)
There’s only one week to vote for your favorite dress. Melissa will wear the dress that gets the most votes when she walks down the aisle on Sept. 30!
Voting schedule as Melissa and Jeremy’s wedding comes to life:
- Week 1: Wedding bands
- Week 2: Reception venue
- Week 3: Bride’s gown and groom’s tux
- Week 4: Bridesmaid dresses
- Week 5: Cake
- Week 6: Honeymoon location
As a budding bride, consider these gown styles and wedding ideas for your own ceremony. Take notes about what you like and don’t like as they prepare for the big day. And watch Melissa and Jeremy tie the knot on Sept. 30!
Happy planning!
-Stephanie
@wishpotwedding
There is a typical list of items that couples usually include on their wedding registries; this includes luxury linens, dinnerware, and other household goods that will inevitably become part of a couple’s new home.
But what if the couple already has everything for their home?
How does a couple create a registry that will still be useful for them?
This modern couple should consider using their wedding registry to wish for gifts that they can use for the wedding itself (there are of course many things couples want to buy for the biggest party of their lives). We did this for my own wedding and couldn’t have been happier. Our friends and family generously bought a few of our wish list items and loved seeing their gifts in action on our wedding day.
Here are a few examples of gifts that would be perfect for a wedding:
Makeup for a fresh wedding look:
Found at Bare Escentuals for $60-$63
A vintage chic birdcage veil
From One Little Dove’s Etsy shop for $68
A floral hair fascinator
From DonnaElla’s Etsy shop for $21
A classic pearl necklace
From Little Bit of Pretty’s Etsy shop for $90
A dashing tie
$30 at Royal Silk USA
A Flip camera to capture videos of your most cherished moments
$199.99 MSRP for the Flip Ultra HD
Gifts can of course be selected from any retailer across the web and placed on a couple’s Wishpot registry. It couldn’t be any easier or more fun. Happy wishing!
