How to register for a honeymoon

Have you been registering for gifts and wish that your guests would just give you money to use towards your honeymoon?  Well guess what?  In a way you can get them to give you money for your honeymoon by registering for it at www.thehoneymoon.com .

By creating a honeymoon registry, engaged couples have a place to direct wedding guests who ask "What kind of gift would you like?" A honeymoon registry allows you the chance to select when and where you want to honeymoon and enables your wedding guests to buy a travel experience as a gift rather than a toaster or dish set.

Many couples getting married now a days are older, well established and already merging two apartments or homes.  The last thing you need is yet another toaster. Signing up for a honeymoon registry could ensure you get what you really want.

A honeymoon registry generally works by allowing a couple to select elements of their honeymoon (airfare, hotel nights, meals, tours, sports, spa treatments, admissions, spending cash) that friends and family may buy for you in increments as wedding gifts.

Many travel agencies also provide travel registry services.
As with anything else, you need to be a smart consumer when choosing a honeymoon bridal registry. The last thing that you want is to have the value of your gifts eroded by a high "service fee" that can reduce your take by as much as 15 percent. That means before your honeymoon, you typically receive a check for the total gift cash contributions minus the company's percentage, which could represent a considerable loss to you.

Here are some questions to ask when choosing a honeymoon bridal registry:

• What does it cost to register?
• Are there other fees involved?
• Is your business a travel agency?
• Do you help customers announce their registry?
• In what form do we receive our registry gifts and when?
• Can they be redeemed for cash?
• Do you notify us every time a gift is purchased?
• Can the registry be integrated onto our wedding Web site? 

So if registering for a honeymoon sounds like a fab idea to you then go to www.thehoneymoon.com and register for the honeymoon of your dreams....and tell us your experience with it below please.

Wedding-opoly anyone?

Have you ever thought, "Hey, I wish that I had a game of Monopoly that portrayed my life...instead of Boardwalk and railways.  Well, guess what?  Monopoly has done it again!!!

"I created one for my friends as a wedding present and used the names of local stations, bars and gigs as properties as well as familiar situations that would demand cash. They LOVED it." Ruth Gillan

This version of Monopoly is completely custom made in the factory. You send in your specifications, wait 6 weeks, and receive your game! You could have it be a surprise, and order it for the couple, or you could simply purchase them a gift certificate/voucher, and let them design their own.

You can name the 22 property squares, you can choose and name the icons, you can name the game. This game is made in the real Monopoly factory, and will come in a lovely metal presentation box. Even the rules and the title deed cards are personalized. This is a 100% original wedding gift, perfect for your favorite newlyweds!!

What do you think?

5 Money Saving Tips for Choosing Wedding Day Flowers

Every wedding should be dripping with beautiful flowers. But we don't want our wallets to run dry because of it. We have some tips for you that might really cut down the price you would be paying. 

  

 First tip, give your florist a general idea of the style and color scheme you are going for. Tell her which flowers that are an absolute no, but generally allow them flexibility so they can use what is in season and cheapest. There are some times when peonies cost a fortune, and other times when they are so cheap you can fill your hall with them. Make sure this flexibility will be reflected in your final price tag.

Beautiful pink Peony's

 Second tip; avoid holding your wedding in February when flower prices are at an annual high due to Valentine's Day. That month even the cheapest of flowers are expense.

  Third tip, large arrangements on an altar will only be seen from far away. Use inexpensive flowers such as carnations, or large filling flowers such as snowball mums. 

Pink Carnations with a Pink Ribbon

 Fourth tip; find a venue such as a park or garden that is already lush and beautiful. And think about talking to your venue directors and asking them if any other brides are booked the same day as you are. If the two of you could coordinate flowers and split the cost it would save the both of you a fortune.

White Lily's with Feathers

Do you want to use your birth flower in your wedding but don't know what it is? Here is a list of all months and there flower.

Cream and Pink Roses with a studded wrap

 January - the Carnation or Snowdrop

 February - the Violet or Primrose
 March - Jonquil (aka Daffodil or Narcissus)

 April - the Sweet pea or Daisy

 May - the Lily of the Valley
 June - the Rose
 July - the Larkspur or Water Lily
 August - the Gladiolus or Poppy

 September - the Aster or Morning Glory

 October - the Marigold

  November - the Chrysanthemum
 December - the Narcissus
    

Quick tip, before you toss you bouquet have a back up bouquet to toss. Keep the one you walked down the aisle with hidden away. Maybe ask a bridesmaid to help you with this task. This keeps your bouquet from getting bruised or damaged, so it lasts longer for you.

 

For some great wedding florists in Chicago, check out www.chicagoweddingworkbook.com.

"Wedding Rules for the Techy Bride"...as seen on MSN!

Yes, there's an update to wedding etiquette. Check out these techie laws to abide by while planning your wedding.

Do: Use Facebook to share pics from prewedding parties...and, later, wedding photos!

Don't: Don't skip sending traditional wedding invites. It's a formal event (yes, even if it's in your backyard), so treat it that way.

Do: Read blogs, online forums and review sites (go to WeddingChannel.com vendor reviews) to get real brides' opinions of potential vendors and to write reviews of your favorites after the wedding.

Don't: Don't bash your vendors on review sites! Give kudos when deserved, and remember that your vendors are human. A thoughtful and honest review is the way to go.

Do: Use social media (like foursquare or Facebook) for checking in during your planning (at the cake bakery or floral studio). You could even score a discount along the way!

Don't: Don't let this serve as a trail for those who aren't invited on the dress shopping trip. Cousin sally might be upset when she sees you've "checked in: to the bridal salon and she didn't get an invite. Don't publish a check-in to your feed.

Do: Follow wedding pros on Twitter for ideas, deals and inspiration. Just a few of our faves: @colincowie, @jesihaack, @kissthegroom, @ShawnRabideau and @mysweetandsaucy.

Don't: Don't use social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, to constantly update your followers and friends on your upcoming nuptials. Instant unfollow!

-- Anne Jones

Tell us....did you post your wedding on Facebook?

Have you heard of eco-friendly diamonds? Do you like/dislike them?

MiaDonna & Company creates the most fashionable, highest quality, Designer Engagement Rings and Wedding Rings available BUT from eco-friendly precious metals and they set their rings with these amazing, conflict free, diamond infused simulated diamond, the Diamond Hybrid®.

Every Ring from MiaDonna is created individually by hand right here in the USA and comes with a written satisfaction guarantee and warranty.

This is not only a beautiful and affordable solution for today's couples and jewelry consumers, but it also relieves the pressures that traditional mined products put on global society’s and the environment. Most of all, it allows MiaDonna & Co. to become a sustainable source to fund projects that repair the damage already created by the exploitation of these precious natural resources through our charitable foundation "The Greener Diamond".

Check out the details online at www.miadonna.com .  It's INCREDIBLE.

Tell us what you think of this idea by commenting below and we just may publish your opinion. :)

2012 UBER FAB wedding trends are peeking out! See what's hot!

We're seeing wedding cake colors of pinks, yellows, neutral colors making their way to the wedding stage for 2012.

Amazing floral arrangements are a must for the 2012 wedding season.  Vibrant and fresh is the order of the day.

Not only vibrant colors but candy and sushi bars are making a comeback.



2012 Honeymoons  Forget the same old destinations! No more generic all-inclusive resorts for couples getting married in 2012. Today’s newlyweds are saving up and heading to distant exotic locales. Bali, Morocco and Nepal will start to win out over traditional places like Jamaica and Mexico. Adventurous couples will be doing more than just lying on the beach – we’re seeing 2012 couples register for outgoing activities, such as kite surfing, scuba diving, horseback riding and more!

If you're planning a 2012 wedding make sure you stay organized with a printed wedding workbook from http://www.bridalworkbook.com/.

Dress Shopping Idea: Keep Your Friends Close!

Guess what?! I got my dress!

What did I learn about buying a wedding dress?  It’s very complicated, but it can also be quite entertaining! And keep your friends close! 

When I went alone,  I thought I had found a dress that in my mind “would do the job”.  It was pretty, flattering, but it lacked any “WOW” factor for me. I even put a down payment on it.  It was rather nice to go dress shopping again, however, knowing that if I didn’t find anything better, I still had a dress to use for my wedding.  Where did I go wrong?  I was nervous and I settled.

I mean, I’ve watched “Say Yes to the Dress.”  I know that you want to look gorgeous and the dress is one of your most difficult decisions.  But until I tried on my personal perfect wedding dress, I didn’t quite understand that it is extremely important that you find a dress that is exactly what you want…as a bride, your dress needs to “WOW” you!  When I was finally wearing my perfect dress, everyone in the room held their breath, including me.  I could only smile, mom cried, and my sister and friends just kept saying how beautiful it was…it was the one!

I used the worksheet in my  Wedding Workbook to help me choose  my wedding dress.  It was very helpful while we shopped because I was able to write down the designers I liked, the style of dress and details I wanted, as well as shoe and accessory ideas.  I especially found useful the “Tips to Remember” section next to the worksheet.  It gives you suggestions to make your shopping experience more successful, such as taking pictures of dresses you like, wearing nude colored undergarments, bringing people you trust along with you, and setting your budget BEFORE walking into the bridal shop.

Also, on page 5, there is a fabulous little section called “Dressing Your Body Type.” It’s an editorial that lists the different kind of styles that flatter a variety of female shapes.  It was super helpful because my instinct was to try on dresses that I thought were pretty but didn’t necessarily flatter me.
Here are a few of those “tips” I found very helpful while I was trying dresses on.  I only realized they’d be issues after beginning to fill out the worksheet in my book, but fortunately before we set out on my wedding dress excursion:
1) It’s okay if you’re a couple sizes bigger in a wedding dress than in your jeans.  Most women are!
2) A dress will very likely require tailoring to fit your shape perfectly.  The other wonderful thing is that a tailor is able to make any number of changes to your dress.  For instance, I’m having cap sleeves added to my dress because I prefer sleeves and it gives my dress a more vintage-y feel.
3) Make sure to keep your friends and family close.  This is a requirement!  You NEED people to honestly critique how the dress looks and if it matches your theme.  You want to look your best and if you feel beautiful, your pictures will be gorgeous and you will have a happy memory of your perfect dress at your fairy tale wedding!

We had a photographer snap a few shots of our adventure and I was SOO happy when I looked at the pictures afterward!  If you want to flip through a few, click here and look under the March Archives under weddings, March 28th.  Bear with us, Jon is NOT allowed to see the dress before June 11th, so there aren’t any pictures of my perfect dress!