Prepped To Go || New Beginnings

You may have decided that after the horn blowing and confetti flying night we love to call New Year’s Eve is over, this may be the time for new beginnings. New beginnings are almost synonymous with weddings. Any couple you talk to on the street (think Jay Leno show-Jay walking) would wish for their day to be perfect. However, wedding perfection is really something out of the movies. There will always be overbearing families like in My Big Fat Greek Wedding or wacky situations like in Sex and the City. This time of year is all about reflection and hope for the future that you will have what you didn’t get this year. This month has revolved around preparation for your day.


Are you really prepared? Besides being financially ready, there are many things to consider:

• Where will you live once you get married? If still in school, do you plan to move?

• Have you decided on marriage preparation course for your wedding in fall 2010?

• Besides wedding finances, are you planning to indulge in a honeymoon? – Every couple needs a vacation together to jump start their new life

• Are you ready to get married? - Sometimes being the last one married seems depressing but don’t take the plunge just because “everyone else does”

• Are you planning to have children? If so, how soon and how many? – Talk to your fiancé seriously about this topic as they may be completely opposite

• If your religious views differ, are you ready to set aside your faith for your partner? – Consider marital counseling or someone unbiased to help you on this path

• Second or third time around. Does you fiancé want to celebrate your wedding as large as the previous marriage? – Tricky topic if one of you has never been married

Have a Safe and Happy New Year! See you in 2010!

Happy New Year !! - from BLUEman

So 2009 has come and gone. Have you had a chance to reflect all that is good that happened to you this year? Perhaps it was a recent engagement. Or perhaps you got to utter those two cherished words “I do.” Whatever it was, I hope your 2009 finished on a high note and you are ready to enter 2010 with a bang.

For me, I married the love of my life in 2009. So it will be sad to see that year go, but, there are many great years ahead, starting with 2010. So how can you celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of a new year? Of course there are many New Year’s Eve parties around the Valley of the Sun that you could take part in…

Big Parties
Glendale: Westgate Rocks New Year’s Eve Party - Tickets: $20 and up
Tempe: Fiesta Bowl Block Party Tickets: $25

Fancier Parties
Scottsdale: New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball - Tickets: $150 and up 
                 New Year’s Eve Rock & Roll Charity Bash - Tickets: $25 and up
Phoenix: Atrium Party at the Hyatt Regency - Tickets: $99


Sport Enthusiast Parties
Phoenix: Midnight Madness Three-mile Run & Walk - Entry Fee: $20 and up
Mesa: New Year’s Eve Battle of the Bands – Tickets: $18

All I want for Christmas is…

So you’ve done all your holiday shopping, but have you considered the one thing your girlfriend might want more than anything this time of year? Yes, we are talking about an engagement ring. Some people might say Christmas is not the time to propose, that it should have its own separate special day.

But no one said you had to propose right on Christmas. There is Christmas Eve with family and friends, or the many holiday parties that you’ve likely been invited to. Of course, you might find that special moment when the two of you are alone away from the hustle and bustle. If your girlfriend’s favorite holiday is Christmas and all she’s done is smile because it is the holiday season the last few weeks, then this could be the perfect time to pop the big question.

But if Christmas Day is the right time for you, here’s how you could go about the proposal. First, give her a gift you know she’d really love. For this, you might have to actually LISTEN to her while you’re driving together in the car from place to place. You would be amazed at how much you can pick up from your loved one as to what they like and don’t like in a ten minute car ride.

After all, if she so happens to say, you know, I’d love to go the Nutcracker sometime. You might want to take a mental note, so that if you are driving by yourself and the radio ad so happens to mention the Nutcracker is in town, you can get the perfect gift.

So now the gift is open, you’ve enjoyed dinner with family and friends. Now you can do this one of two ways, you can propose in front of family and friends, or take her for a nice private walk. Think about it, she may have thought the day has come and gone and it couldn’t get any better, but you’ve surprised once more, and hopefully, she says the words you want to her: YES!

Whatever your holiday celebration may be, Hanukkah, Christmas or Festivas for the rest of us, Happy Holidays from the BLUEman!

Prepped To Go || Financial Preparation

Poised at a pivotal time in the holiday season when our paychecks leave quicker than direct deposit and our days fade faster than a dimming light. With cash flying out of our pockets more than any other time of year, this brings particular concern over finances. Over spending may leave you staring at the dark hole burning through your pocket from the post-recession holiday. Many of us know that money doesn’t grow on trees, but we don’t know how to keep it from popping into the cashier’s hand.

The Storm

For those of you soon-to-be groom’s, thoughts are racing through your mind of when to pop the question. However, your other side of reasoning has you wondering how prepared you are for this love storm called a wedding. It’s can become a hail storm because of the responsibilities, money burning commitments and the flood of emotions that seem to reach everyone in the storm’s grasp. You too will find yourself in the midst of the storm. But, take a moment to breathe, and realize that this is exactly what you have been planning for the last few months, or years, since you laid eyes on your gorgeous beloved. Your wedding day will come in quickly and leave the same, but it’s up to you to make sound financial decisions.

Puzzle Pieces

Most people have come to terms that we are living in hard times – financially speaking. In fact, most brides are spending on average $22,000 for their wedding and reception. This is a considerable drop from previous budgets up nearly $28,000. For most guests, the thrill of the night exists over drinking and dancing the night away to great Bon Jovi and Cupid Shuffle dance moves. Work together with your wedding planner to detail your budget planning and seek guidance from a financial planner for more in-depth realizations. Weddings are one way to drive yourself into debt if you don’t think clearly. Your financial limitations are real but setup a plan one year before your wedding. This helps to ease any panic attacks on large purchases and reduce any buyer’s remorse (or missing something you truly wanted).

Pure Clarity

Being recently engaged or getting married soon should be the happiest time of your life. Consider all of your financial options, and not just those your fiancé (e)’s family support for this crunch. Credit cards are no longer the evil plastic floating in your wallet. Instead, use that special APR credit card offer that you likely received in the mail every week to pay for the deposit on the venue at the great golf club or vintage house you’ve been eyeing for weeks. Write out the list of expenses not only leading up to the wedding, but during and after your wedding. Don’t forget the thank you notes for all your gracious guests. Make a budget based on a percentage to apply to each category, for example: venue, food, and alcohol (50%), planner (8%), flowers and rental items (10%), stationary (1%), DJ (10%), cake (1%), photo and videographer (10%), attire (10%). The list can roll right off the page but use these tips to save your money tree.



Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Prepped To Go || Rain or Shine

A beautiful wedding decorated with all the glitz and popping colors across the aisle. Picture yourself, surrounded by a delicious cuisine fit for a king, mouth-watering garnish and the smell of sweet orchids in the air. I bet you didn’t picture the rain that’s quickly approaching your gorgeous day with dark clouds and rain drops. This seems like a dream come true minus the buckets of rain drops falling on your guests along with your dress. Rain or Shine. I’m sure you’ve heard this type of policy for your favorite band or artist. (This means that the event will continue on regardless of the weather conditions.)

When it comes to planning, have you researched or asked the vendors all the right questions? Rain, shine, sickness, and health sound more like wedding vows but should ring in your ears like a sound of a secure wedding day. Fair or not for the most important day, carefully review your contracts and ask the questions for experiences beyond your control. Carefully plan for the unexpected and your wedding will bring buckets of happiness not tears. Here are some questions to rehearse and review:

VENUES

• What is their ability to have an alternate site on your wedding day?

• If you host your ceremony and receptions at the same location, do they offer inside accommodations for your entire wedding?

• Are there other weddings booked on your day?

• Do they expect to have any upcoming remodeling done to their site?

• Will you be penalized for any cancellations? If so, what are the amounts and date limitations?

• Can you change your wedding date once reserved? If so, what are the parameters?

VENDORS

• Determine who will step in if your vendor has any unexpected sickness or availability issues

• What is their guarantee for on-time service and during peak wedding dates?

• Will you be penalized for any cancellations? If so, what are the amounts and date limitations?

• Can you change your wedding date once reserved? If so, what are the parameters?

You Can Have Your Cake...And Eat It Too

The Grooms Cake. The question is: have you heard of such a thing? Prior to my wedding I knew nothing of the sort. In fact, it wasn’t until attending a wedding after that of my own that I saw a grooms cake. It was in the shape of the Chicago Bears logo. Now I’m no Bears fan, but the cake was pretty cool looking, and just as tasty as the more elaborate three-tier wedding cake.

So I wondered, how did I let this pass me by? I went cake shopping with my wife, but the seller of the cake never mentioned that I could have a cake that represented me as well. So I feel it’s my duty to inform all those men out there that you can have your cake and eat it too! If you’re into sports, you could have any type of cake to signify your support for your favorite team…the Yankees, the Diamondbacks, the Suns, the Coyotes, and the list goes on. They will even make that cake in the colors of your favorite team. And then there are the fillings. At Sugar Buzz Wedding and Novelty Cakes, you could put anything from peanut butter to vanilla caramel chip as the filling.

But what if you’re not a sports fan? There are still plenty of options to create that grooms cake. Recently, Masters of Reception the groom, who was a truck driver, was surprised by his lovely bride with a replica semi-truck hauling lumber, as a cake, exactly like the truck he drives every day. The mind is full of creative ideas, and shows like Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes give plenty of ideas to creating any cake for any need. Your groom’s cake could even be a tribute to your favorite city or birthplace. Say for instance you are from San Francisco, then why not an edible Golden Gate Bridge? Do you like to play poker, how about a replica Poker Table cake?

There are plenty of ideas out there to create the perfect grooms cake. And gentleman, with this being your cake, you can choose the flavor that best suits your taste buds. Let the pretty delicate cake for your wedding be what your lovely bride wants, and let your imagination run wild with the groom cake. Because with a grooms cake, you can have your cake…and eat it too!

Remember: Tune in every Monday at 3:33 p.m. for Monday Man-ness, weddings from a male perspective, written by the BLUEman.

Welcome BLUEman II The Male Perspective

Weddings and men, two things that might not go together quite like peanut butter and jelly. More like peanut butter on a burger? Saw it on Man vs. Food, thought I’d throw that in. The general stereotypical thing is for a man to just let the woman do all the planning for the wedding. The man doesn’t want to get in the way of what is supposed to be the biggest celebration of a their joint life, of course parents see this as only the stepping stone to what will be a bigger day for them: grandchildren.



Throughout my time of going to weddings, seeing people go through the process from getting engaged to getting married, men really have stayed out of quite a lot, focusing more so on the bachelor party and what his buddies might do to him. Outside of the bachelor party, the only thing men tend to get involved in is the finances, especially as the more traditional ways of paying for a wedding seem to be a thing of the past. Men will say, here’s the budget, run with it, and don’t go over. But is that really the way for any man to be involved in THEIR wedding? That’s right, the wedding day is just as much about the groom as it is the bride.


With the general stereotype of men and weddings, I’m here to tell you that men, if not wanting to, should be involved in the planning process, and not just from the financial budgeting perspective. Sure, some things are better for a woman to do than a man, i.e. flowers, but there are plenty other things a man could and should be involved in. Like, selecting a venue, picking out the food and drinks to be served, cake tasting, they style of what he will wear, the music, and more.


With that said. I’m here to introduce myself as a male wedding blogger. I helped my wife when it came to the process of planning our wedding, and was involved every step of the way, from engagement through the honeymoon. I enjoyed every minute of it. And now, it’s time for me to share my insights and thoughts on weddings and the male role from engagement, to the planning, to the bachelor party, to the wedding, and beyond, and not necessarily in that order.


So, every week at 3:33 p.m. on Monday's, go to your computer and make your way to the Blog of Blueprint Affairs and read the latest from the BLUEman…weddings, from a male perspective.


Link to Man vs. Food: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Man_v_Food

Prepped To Go || Newly Engaged

It happened – you are ENGAGED! The real question is “now what are you supposed to do?”


You met the person you can imagine sharing the rest of your life with and now you should listen up. Deciding on the next steps will strangely shape how your engagement leading up to your wedding day will be. There’s no joke that weddings are big business. I’m sure you didn’t realize it was “big” on your part of wedding planning.

Calling It

Decide on who you will tell and how to communicate the wedding proposal. For parental consideration, be sure to make a visit, or if they are out-of-state, be sure to call her family first and then his family. In some families, the well-known “asking for her hand in marriage” has already been completed and now the announcement is warmly welcomed. Many newlyweds announce to other friends and family through picture texts (of the gorgeous ring) and the simple words “I said I do”.

Write It Down

Announcing your engagement can be done in a variety of ways. Save-the-Date cards are a nice touch as inserts, magnet or postcards. Many couples still decide to publish their announcement in the newspaper which is now electronic on the web for all to view. You may consider creating your wedding website to document the details of your engagement and update guests on wedding plans.

Planning Time

Take time to review your guest list, bridal party selections, budget concerns, and the ideal way you want to share your wedding day. Be sure to set aside time to decide on the wedding planning tasks and who will be actively involved in the decision-making process. Be prepared for many decisions from everything including wedding colors to designs on your tablecloths. This is the best day of your life so make sure to plan it out. There are no rewind buttons on your wedding day, unless of course, you have it videotaped.



Image: Danilo Rizzuti | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Prepped to Go || Guest List Bloopers

Make a list and check it twice. Sound a little familiar to a song during the holidays? Many brides ask a common question “do I have to invite ____?” You can fill in the name of that person not on the preferred list. The answer is, you can invite or not invite anyone to your wedding day. However, be ready with some wedding etiquette before you fasten the lock on your guest list. You have many options when it comes to your wedding day but be mindful of checking everyone’s list so you don’t – blacklist the wrong person on your “nice” list.


Adults Only Please

Consider limiting your guest list to a reception filled with guests not needing the kid table. This could include adding “Adults Only” to your invitation and wedding website. Some family members may not understand the exclusion to their tiny tot but be sure to include all children (this does include the flower girl and ring bearer). Be sure to have that information printed and not hand written to practice proper etiquette (also less harsh).

Additions With Exceptions

Many guests have never attended a wedding or been married. With that in mind, it is better to provide the RSVP or response cards with acceptable wording to prevent any guest count mis-steps. Be sure to use correct wording on the response card that prevents adding more guests than expected. You may end up inviting two guests but the response card reads “# of guests: 6”. Check that your inner and outer envelope name imprints list only the names requested to your event.

Plated To Serve

Eating may not be on your mind during your wedding but it will be for your guests. Be sure to work with a professional caterer who is aware the length of your wedding and how many guests will be present. Depending on the ages of guests, food selected, and timing of food, this will help you determine if additional courses are needed. Be sure to always consider guests with food restrictions and notify your caterer for menu selections. Fed guests are happy guests. Weddings are never fun when unexpected guests arrive and the caterer has not planned for overage. Actively monitor your guests list and always round up if uncertain guests decide to make an appearance.

Prepped To Go || The Body Truths

Fitness routines, workout plans, and diet fads will come and go. Deciding on the best nutrition for your body should be the most important worry in life. Your wedding day is coming up and many brides are troubled with fitting into their dress. Have you determined what you want to look like on your day? My guess is the perfect bride.


There is more to consider than just getting fit. Consider all the variables that will produce the most impact on your goals. Here are some crucial pieces to make sure you are on the right track.

Stress

• Be sure that you are getting at least 7 hours of rest each night. This plays a large part in stress and weight management
• Practice stress reducing tips before and during your wedding day.
• Challenge yourself to prioritize your wedding plans or hire a planner to handle those details.
  

Nutrition

• Ensure that you stock up on healthy foods. Visit a dietician for a safe plan.
• Learn and understand some common nutrition basics.
• Tell your family about your healthy eating plans to get them on-board with your new attitude on eating. The holidays can be the hardest to balance without your families help.
• Ensure your body is fully hydrated with 8 glasses of water per day. Hydration is especially important to look fully prepped on your wedding day.
  

Fitness

• Check out your local fitness boot camps. These are great to get you moving.
• Hire a trainer. You can pay for what you can afford and interview each trainer carefully. A good trainer will learn about your health concerns and fitness goals.
• Join a local gym, health center, or group sport. You might find it helpful to attend the group classes offered at theses to include yoga or kick-boxing.
  

Skin Care

• Learn the expert way to apply your makeup and quick tips.
• Visit your dermatologist or skin care professional at least 6 months prior to wedding day for skincare treatments. A red face is hard to conceal on a fresh looking face.
• Determine the daily treatments and quick facial fixes that you want prior to your wedding day. Never experiment with a new color or topical treatment less than 2 weeks before wedding.

BPAffairs || Fun Session With Love

Weddings, engagement photos, and baby pictures are a glimpse at many types of shoots that Michelle Myers of Shelly Love Photography perfects. Recently, I decided to update some of my business photos and see how Michelle brings 'fun' to her sessions. We visited a nearby park on an unusually cool Arizona day and Michelle had her way with my pictures.


Funny to admit~ I really loved hamming it up in front of the camera. I thought many of you could get an idea of what a great photographer can do with some candid shots. Her website has other wedding samples too if you're curious. As your wedding planner, my comprehensive list of professional vendors like Michelle can provide the services to best fit your needs.

It's easy to have your dream wedding with the right vendors whose relationships can be seen behind the scenes and the cameras.

Vendor Insights || How to Pick Wedding Veil {P.1}

Custom wedding dresses, veils and other wedding accessories are specialities to a local online boutique owner Iris Drevet of Iris D Bridal. Iris provides many fashionable styles to brides looking for any wedding style to fit their budget. Read below on some tips she provided on picking your ideal wedding veil. Enjoy!

Intro
Selecting a wedding veil can be very complicated. Along with all the other tasks related to the wedding, this seemingly small one can become rather stressful and overwhelming unless you’re a bride who knows exactly what she wants. The right veil is necessary to help complete the entire look for your wedding day.
One of the most important steps while choosing a veil is selecting the veil color. Ideally, the color should match the dress, but there are plenty of colors that are very similar to white and can work with it in case you can’t an exact match. By following the tips and tricks mentioned below, you can reduce the stress before your big day and easily select the right colored veil for your wedding.
One of the best things nowadays is that you can easily get a custom veil, instead of having to settle for one you don’t like as much. Find a good vendor, and give them your specifications so you can get the veil of your dreams made for you.
Steps

1. The first thing to decide on is your bridal gown. Once you have chosen a wedding gown, many things will fall into place, including the limitations you have for your veil’s colors. This is because you can only choose a veil that is the same color, or a lighter shade, than your dress.

2. There are many colors to choose from. You will need to decide the color your dress and then choose a veil that goes with it best. Here are the colors commonly found:

• White: This is bright white. If your gown is called “white” in color, than this is the color you should go with.
• Diamond White: This is an off—white shade. It is best for gowns that are a silk white, which is barely off-white. It is also great for candlelight or antique white gowns.
• Ivory: This has yellow undertones so is best for an ivory colored gown.
• Champagne: This usually needs to be special ordered and has a slight brown overtone to match champagne or dark ivory dresses.

3. Once you have decided on the colors, or shortlisted the ones you need to look at closely, you can ask your custom veil maker to send you a free veil tulle swatch which you can then hold against your dress to confirm the actual color you will need.
4. When you are sure about the color, you should custom order your veil since this is the only way to ensure you get the exact veil you need.

Wedding Ideas || Monogram Heaven

Weddings wouldn’t be complete without the added touch of monogrammed initials. Through the use of creative cursive or standard font, your initials can transform the ceremony and/or reception into your own personal wonderland. Thinking of doing monograms at your wedding? The choices are endless to create something with a designer or using your own creative talents in Microsoft Word . Below are some creative ways to show off your new personalized style on your wedding day or any day you choose.

Here are some fun ways to make your wedding special:

1. Personalize favors of choice with special labels
2. Decorate your cake table with a decorative runner
3. Mail out invitations with a cool postage stamp
4. Adorn the top of your sweet wedding confection
5. Greet your guests with floral elegance
6. Decorate windows and glass areas throughout the reception area and cars windows

Q&A | Michelle Myers || Picture Love

Pictures capture words without speaking. Michelle Myers of Shelly Love Photography captures the best moments in your life: wedding, birth, family. I'm so happy to say that Michelle also took time to snap a few pictures for me recently ~wedding planner profile pics. Read below for a fun look of insight with photographers like Michelle who love to capture life.

"Most of my clients end up telling me how much fun they had during their session" - Michelle Myers

1. What made you decide to be a photographer?
I decided to become a photographer when I was a child. I'm not really sure what made me want to do it, I just know that some of my earliest memories include a cheap little film camera and my mom chasing me around trying to take it away from me so I didn't waste her film. I remember being fascinated with the idea of capturing a moment on film that you could look back on and re-live forever.

2. What’s the best moment you’ve captured from a session?
I love capturing emotions - every wedding has wonderful emotion-filled moments that I thrive on capturing. One of my favorites is the first dance - since it's more relaxed than the ceremony, the bride and groom always seem to be more comfortable letting their emotions shine through on their faces and I love being able to catch them on camera.

3. What’s the best way to describe your photo sessions?
I try to make each session as comfortable as possible. I really like to try to get to know a little bit about my clients before photographing a session or event so that I have an understanding of who they are and what their personality is like. I try not to be too restrictive about time, I'm a firm believer that great portraits can't usually be made in 15-20 minutes. All of my portrait sessions are done on location, so typically I spend an hour or more with my clients shooting a variety of posed, semi-posed, and candid images with several different backgrounds. Most of my clients end up telling me how much fun they had during their session - we laugh, joke, and do silly poses which makes my clients comfortable and helps them to look relaxed and natural in their images.

4. How do you make the bride and groom feel comfortable taking many photos during their wedding day?
A big part of making couples feel comfortable on their wedding day is getting to know them a little bit ahead of time. The majority of my clients do an engagement session with me before their wedding, so by the time their wedding day comes around they are already comfortable being around me and being in front of the camera. During most of the wedding, I stay in the background and photograph details and moments as they happen - many couples don't even notice me for a lot of the evening. The formal portraits take a relatively short amount of time, and since the couple has already worked with me for formal portraits during their engagement session usually they are relaxed and may even look forward to the formal portraits on their wedding day.

5. What photography style do you prefer?
I like several styles, but for weddings I like to blend photojournalism with art/fashion photography. For the majority of a wedding I shoot like a photojournalist - in the background, always watching and anticipating, capturing things as they happen. For the necessary posed shots, I'm inspired by fine art and fashion photography - I love bright colors, unusual textures, and edgy non-traditional poses.

6. What do you see through the lens of a great photo?
Photography is a form of visual communication, so a great photo communicates something - not just how a person looks, but a little bit about who they are, what they're all about, and what they're feeling at the moment the shutter opens.

7. What’s your take on the “Trash the Dress” post-wedding trend?
I LOVE the trash the dress trend! Trash the dress sessions are basically fashion shoots with big pretty dresses and unusual circumstances and situations, what's not to love? They're not for everyone, most people who decide to do one of these sessions are people who love to have their picture taken, want to do something different, and who are adventurous. The name can be misleading though - not all dresses end up getting "trashed." A trash the dress session can range from mild to wild, from a fashion-style shoot at a playground or fair where the dress barely gets dirty and can still be cleaned to an all out mess involving mud, splattering food, etc. These types of sessions can be a wonderful wrap-up for a wedding - they can relieve stress while at the same time create some awesome memories.

Q & A | Larry James || Romantic Is In

Guest bloggers offer additional insight into the area of expertise that I find interesting. For many of you, hearing directly from the source is quite interesting. One of those guest bloggers is Larry James, Minister, Professional Speaker, Author and Relationship Coach. I decided to ask Larry a few questions that I feel would help you in deciding on your wedding officiant.

Take a look at Larry's responses below.


1. How long have you been officiating weddings?
My first wedding was on Saturday, October 26, 2002. Most of the wedding ceremonies I've performed have been in the past 4 years. In 2008 I performed 79 ceremonies. This year (2009) I will set a another record.

2. What's the best advice you can offer newly married couples?
Have open and honest communication all the time. Learn how to talk so your partner will listen. If you ask most people they will say that communications is high on the list of problems in relationships. I believe that it's also about the tone of voice you use when you are upset and it's also about "undelivered" communications. It's those things we don't say and know we should. Usually the reason we give is because the last time we talked about it, someone got upset and we don't want to go through that again so we shut down and keep it to ourselves. Then one day he doesn't take out the garbage and she wants a divorce and it's not about the garbage. It's about all the things you didn't talk about. Do your best to not have any undelivered communication. A great promise to make to each other is, "We promise to talk about anything and everything, all the time. No "undelivered" communication!"

3. How do you create a memorable wedding ceremony?
I have written what is considered to be a very "romantic" wedding ceremony however when I meet with the bride and groom for the first time I ask them what kind of ceremony THEY want. We go through the ceremony word for word and they have the option of changing or deleting anything that they don't like in the ceremony. They can also add anything they want. My Wedding Website has lot of mini add-on ceremonies like the Blending of the Sands, the Breaking of the Glass, Handfasting ceremony and many more.

I am an ordained non-denominational minister and they can have as much or as little spiritually in their ceremony as they choose. Their wedding ceremony can be as solemn and dignified or as fun and creative as you want it. They always have the last word in creating their very special ceremony. I encourage them to write some of their own vows (I call these Personal Promises) and give them assistance and tips about how to do this. I've been a professional speaker since 1987 and have a lot of secrets to share with them to make their part of the ceremony as stress-free as possible.

4. What is your favorite moment in your career?
In 1999 I was on ABC TV's "The View" and was interviewed by Barbara Walters. We talked about my best selling book, "How to Really Love the One You're With: Affirmative Guidelines for a Healthy Love Relationship." That was the highlight of my speaking career. The highlight of my wedding career was performing a "Renewal of Vows" ceremony for a couples 18th anniversary as a surprise to the wife in a hot air balloon. You can see some photos at: http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/mckimmey.html

5. What would your clients tell us about their experience with you?
They would say that I am very easy to work with, reliable, very flexible with regard to editing the ceremony to their complete satisfaction, very organized, and willing to share tips, ideas and suggestions to make everything flow smoothly at the rehearsal and at the wedding. You can peruse the "Rave Reviews" that past clients have send me at: http://www.CelebrateIntimateWeddings.com/ravereviews.html

6. What’s the reason you pursued this lifelong journey in Love?
I was once in a relationship that ended unexpectedly and when it did I realized that I really didn't know how to be in a "healthy" love relationship. I began making notes to myself about what I thought a healthy relationship would look like and put them together in a small booklet originally intended for my eyes only. When I shared them with several other authors and therapists, I was encourage to write more and publish them in a book. That is how my second book, "How to Really Love the One You're With" came to be. When the book came out there were numerous therapists who began to offer it to their clients and they encouraged me to offer relationship coaching. Since then I have written 4 other books. Every wedding client receives a "Coaching Certificate" worth $120 with no expiration date after the wedding. If they every have situations they cannot handle, they have an hour of my time for me to share with them the lessons I've learned about relationships.

It's been said that "the teacher teaches most what the teacher needs to learn" so I began presenting personal and business relationship seminars and the rest is history. I worked with Dr. John Gray, author of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" for eight years. I'm proud to say that he has endorse all three of my relationship books.

7. What’s your advice to couples who are seeking an officiant for their wedding day?
Make sure that the Officiant or Minister is willing to let you have the last word on what is said in your ceremony. Resist the urge to have Uncle Joe or a family friend perform your ceremony just to save a few bucks. It's just not the thing to do. Your wedding day is very special and your ceremony should also be special and performed by an experienced Officiant or Minister. Hire the best DJ, the best Photographer, the best Videographer (the best of everything) and always hire a Wedding Coordinator for your wedding. You would be surprise of the $$$ they can save you and the ideas they have for making the wedding as stress-free as possible.


Copyright 2009 - Larry James. This idea is adapted from Larry's Wedding Website. Larry James is a non-denominational minister and performs the most "Romantic" wedding ceremony you will find anywhere! Call to check availabilty: 480-998-9411 or 800-725-9223. You will find more than 430 pages of Wedding ideas, tips. Check out Larry- http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/tips.html http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/
http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/requestinfo.html

Your Wedding || Eco-Friendly

Staying in touch with things that matter like the environment is more important than ever. There are so many ways that we can all do our part to recycle and there are ways you didn’t even realize. Making a smaller carbon footprint by using products that use fewer resources is ideal. Think about what things you could do to make your wedding better for the environment.

Here are a few ideas:

Invitations –

• Choose invitations and paper products with 35% - 100% recycled post consumer parts
• Decide on organic style materials for invite

Veils –

• Borrowed veils from family or friends also ties into your “Something borrowed….”
• Capture the essence of your style by reusing lace from older veils

Flowers –

• Choosing florists with local growers can help minimize the extra costs to you and the environment
• Silk or dried flowers is another way to do your part
  

Favors –

• Sending your guests home with seeds to grow their own tree (http://www.greenworldproject.net/)
• Provide a donation in your guests name for a charity (http://www.americanforests.org/)

Dress

• Organic Cotton – great choice for hot summer days in Arizona
• Vintage – a chic look that’s always in style (http://tinyurl.com/yktqtsf )

Transportation

• Choose a horse drawn carriage to arrive at your ceremony
• Arrive in style with a hybrid limo

Catering

• Choose a dinner menu of organic products with flair and taste
• Choose a catering company that recognizes eco friendly business practices

Fairy God Mothers Do Exist!

In a world of magic pumpkins and fairytale weddings, there come the things that make even fantasy weddings a little more difficult. I like to call it life. Many brides know they are getting married even before they announce those key words to the whole world...We’re Engaged! Why not bring in life’s real Fairy God Mother – a wedding planner.

I bet you are the bride scouring websites like pantone.com looking for your favorite wedding colors for spring 2010. Or, visiting every last venue site in Arizona’s Finest Wedding Sites and Services magazine finding the best site for gorgeous sunset photos? Sound familiar? There are probably many more details that you hope will magically happen on your wedding day. It takes many professional vendors to bring together a perfect day only made for you. Have you thought about what would happen if one vendor did not come through or arrived late to your wedding? These are the details and stories that even Fairy God Mothers leave out of the fairytale endings.

Be prepared! That’s what I always tell my brides. Things will happen and this includes rain in Arizona on your most important day – your wedding day. While working with your wedding planner, you must always consider the worst case scenarios can or will happen. What if the pastor shows up late? Or, the cake topples over while being delivered to your reception? Make sure your wedding has those contingency plans in place because a great planner is constantly rehearsing your fairytale ending.

Wedding Ideas || Who's Veiling?

Wedding dresses, shoes, makeup, and so many more details to make you look beautiful on your day perfect. With so many accessories, have you forgotten about the veil? Trends seem to come and go but it’s the older trends that come back in full-circle – the veil.


Many brides search the racks to find a veil ranging from $100 to $500 to use it on one day, the day they will be united with their groom. Other brides look to friends and family to borrow a veil that will fit perfectly with their style.

As young girls, we searched through out mother’s closets or borrowed clothes from our closest friends. On your wedding day, every little piece of the puzzle has a meaning that unites you with your husband.

Use this opportunity to bring together your look that will be captured by your amazing photographer, with just a few simple tips for your veil selection:

1. Review the style of dress and your fashion style and ask yourself: Are you classic or modern?
2. If you borrow your veil from a friend or family member, bring it to the fitting to match to dress.
3. Determine the length that will fit your comfort. Most brides wear their veil the entire night.
4. Are you lace trim, netted or tulle type of bride? Each has a distinct look.
5. Will you want your veil framing, barely there, pulled back, or completely covering your face?

Photography: 2009 Michael Spengler Photography

Decorations || Happily Ever After

Many brides feel the need to save costs at any expense. This includes saving money on flowers for their wedding day. There are many details that figure into a wedding before you begin your life happily Ever After, and flowers is one of them.

There are so many color choices to set your wedding apart for the fall. The richness of fall expands your possibilities to a variety of golds, browns and more recently dark purples have been on the color palettes. The combinations of colors depending on your wedding style are endless. For flowers, your choices surrounding your ideal color combos include the bridesmaid bouqets, walkway petals, centerpieces, ceremony arches, boutonierres, corsages, and surely your bridal bouqet. Don't forget to order your toss bouquet during the reception if you plan to keep the bridal bouqet for preserving.

Jennifer Colvin, master designer and owner of Ever After Florals creates amazing bouquets, centerpieces, and flower décor that would please even the most creative bride. Her attention to detail, ability to create colorful designs, and reasonably priced creations are priced to fit any budget. Jennifer will take the stress out of shopping all over town to find the best vendor to meet your needs.

Have you thought about your weddings colors, dress, and venue with the same excitement as your florist? On your wedding day, let Jennifer Colvin preserve the most important day in your life with gorgeous flowers. She will truly make your day happily Ever After!

Call Jennifer to schedule a consultation at 623-937-9552 and visit her website: http://www.everafterflorals.com/

Vendor Insights || Guest Mingling

Larry James, Guest Author

Often at the reception there will be many people who do not know each other very well. Waiting for the reception to officially begin, the food to be served, etc., can be awkward.

To help get the party started and help your guests to get better aquainted, place cards at each place setting that say things like, “Ask someone you don’t know to dance,” “Give someone you know a hug,” “Make a song request to the DJ,” “Offer to buy someone a drink,” “Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know,” etc. If there are 10 to a table, you only need 10 different cards for each table.

Place cards are a good idea, especially if you have dateless friends and relatives. Even the most socially gifted guests will have high-school cafeteria flashbacks when forced to sit down with a bunch of strangers. Having “assigned seats” is not restrictive. It’s smart and considerate – and will make conversation mingling (and matchmaking) so much easier.

If the idea of assigning numbered tables at the reception seems impersonal, give the tables names relating to love. Arrange in alphabetical order to assure that there is still a navigable organization so the guests can find their seats.

Here are a few words of love to consider: Happiness, Serenity, Bliss, Joyful, Amour, Adoration, Tranquility, Harmony, Delight, Heavenly, Enchantment, Cherish, Lovely, Memories, Inspiration, Romance, Forever, Eternity, Unity, Pleasure, Charm, Believe, Dreams, Fortune, Passion, Genuine, Priceless, and Desire. A thesaurus comes in handy when trying to elaborate on your list!

You might consider including wedding pictures of both of the parents on the tables. Add some text to the pictures for the benefit of those who do not know the parents.

Copyright 2009 - Larry James. This idea is adapted from Larry's Wedding Website. Larry James is a non-denominational minister and performs the most "Romantic" wedding ceremony you will find anywhere! Call to check availabilty: 480-998-9411 or 800-725-9223. You will find more than 430 pages of Wedding ideas, tips. Check out Larry- http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/tips.html http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/

http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/requestinfo.html

Themes || Ahoy Wedding

Weddings are no longer a place for only classic traditions. Brides are reaching to more colorful pieces that are eye-popping and help to uniquely set them apart from every other bride. Bridal showers are the best place to begin your color palette of design with a beach wedding as your inspiration.

For one bride, her attraction to fuschia and pumpkin orange wedding colors helped mold the perfect setting for a nautical dream. With less than a month to her wedding, I created special nautical pieces that matched her wedding colors for a table-scaping wonder.

To create your own matching pieces used for this bridal shower, you will need to visit your local Hobby Lobby, Michael’s or craft store to purchase materials. Try to piece together materials that represent boating and beach themed items. Purchase a hot glue gun, coordinating paint colors, tea light candles, faux fish netting, sea shells, sand, and glass stones. Use your imagination and picture your wedding day to create the best centerpieces as you set sail to your wedding fantasy.

Planner Tips || To Have and To Hold

Do you have that eerie feeling that you’ll forget those all too important things on your wedding day? Not everyone thinks of the things they won’t necessarily need but are a must for their day.

It’s the emergency kit for the fallen decorations, upset tummy, wine stain, or the shoes that are so slick you slide across the floor. I compiled a list of items that are tried and true and a must for your day.

Pack your wedding emergency kit with the following items:

White towel: pat any spill dry on your dress
Baby wipes: gently pat to remove stains on dress
White chalk: then cover up any visible color from stain
Sewing kit: fix a hem or replace a button
Pencil eraser: remove smudges on your or floor also an earring backing
Sandpaper: rub shoe soles for more traction
Crochet hook: an easy way to bustle up your dress
Large diaper pins: hold up your heavy bustle or pin back the extra dress material
Hollywood tape: prevent unwanted dress mishaps
Gloves: prevent snags on nylons
Super glue: fix any wedding décor
Mints: freshen up your breath
Bobby pins: tighten up your hairstyle in a pinch
Blotting sheets: remove unwanted shine for pictures(have you maid-of-honor carry for you)
Q-Tips: quick makeup fixes
Tissues: it’s an emotional day- these are a must
Band aids: any nixes or cuts during day
Lotion: moisturize prior to event –gives that healthy glow
Nail kit: repair any broken nails or smudges
Tampons/pads: mother nature always appears
Allergy/Tums/Aspirin medicine: different seasons or situations spawn the worst bodily reactions
Makeup: be sure to bring lipstick, gloss, and loose powder to freshen your look

By setting yourself up with proper tools, this will help you prepare a Blueprint for your wedding day.

Wedding Planners: Friend or Foe?

You finally met your match. You might have met your true love on a love dot com dating site or passing through on an elevator. Now it’s time to make sure everyone knows this is serious. Of course, you say ‘yes’ and the planning begins, which is where you begin to wonder where to start? You could spend your time during lunch breaks, weekends, after work, and taking your sweetheart around to all the fun venues as part of your planning. But be honest, you might not have the time needed to plan a wedding, and it’s THE day to be remembered forever.

What does your wedding day look like in your mind? The real questions are: How do you get in touch with the best vendors? How do you still have your dream wedding with a budget in today’s economy? How do you arrive on your wedding day without family tears and frustration? Have you started to think about the budget for your wedding?

All of these thoughts seem overwhelming, right? Have you considered a wedding planner? For many brides, the thought of letting someone else control their day is unmentionable. You might know exactly what you want, plus, some believe a wedding planner will cost you money in which you did not originally budget for. Here are some truths you should consider.

Friend: A wedding planner is an expert at weddings much like a dentist is an expert with teeth. They know the remedy for all your ailments and setup a plan or remedy. It’s easier to imagine a painless day especially on your wedding day when you have everything planned out.

Friend: I’m sure you don’t plan on spending close to 200 hours researching venues, caterers, florists, photographers, and really the vendor list goes on. Truly, no one wants to spend all their days finding vendors and finding the wrong ones. A wedding planner has a network of reputable professionals in their trade readily at their fingertips.

Friend: The cost of a typical wedding is about $25,000 and this doesn’t include your honeymoon. A planner can help establish your budget, including the cost of a wedding planner, and network with other vendor’s part of the Association of Bridal Consultants (http://www.bridalassn.com/) to get an affordable vacation spot.

A wedding planner is your friend on the most important day of your life. Today’s economy only helps shape the perception of your reality and what you can afford. Let the expert help you plan your day that captures the best moments of your life.

Wedding & Event Planner, Blueprint Affairs, www.blueprintaffairs.com

Planner Tips || Drafting the Blueprint

Some of the simplest ideas start with a great plan. Weddings are no exception. As you can imagine, weddings take countless hours through research and many visits to the seamstress to get that all-to-perfect fitting that will make that dress fit you like the model in the wedding magazine. For many people, their wedding day dreams begin simple as a small girl and progress into more intricate details even before they are engaged. It's an amazing thought to meet the man of your dreams. It's even more amazing to know that this one day will be remembered as the day you always envisioned.

The day envisioned and reality can be very daunting. Many brides find the task of finding vendors, picking out wedding colors and even shopping for a wedding dress too complex or overwhelming. In some cases, many brides would all too often wish to just show up on the wedding day with every place card, flower or special song already picked out for them; furthermore, with their classy taste colored throughout the details. In reality, the type of details we could leave to our most elaborate imaginations takes some time and planning.

Starting Blueprint Affairs in 2009, as a full-service wedding and event planning company, has been a dream since I can recall catching my first bouquet. I can recall the intense emotion knowing that I was going to be next for something great to happen. In tradition of catching the bouquet during a wedding, those who catch the bouquet are the next to be married in their family. In the following years of waiting for my husband, I became the party planner extraordinaire through my young adult years with birthday parties, bachelorette parties and other fun celebrations. Have you ever found yourself at a great party picking up on fun ideas or thinking of how you could've added just a bit more colorful details? This was me and I have surrounded myself with events and weddings constantly.

The name for Blueprint Affairs incorporates the idea that a plan is needed in order to host any type of event. You can imagine how detailed a Blueprint can be but the real excitement comes from the joy of the guests experiences. Parties, events, weddings, they are all planned with the guest in mind to have an experience to tell to all their friends. My real passion lies in making sure each bride can wake up on their wedding day so refreshed, excited to slip into her fairytale dress, and daydream about her groom’s expression on his face as she walks down the aisle. At Blueprint Affairs, we want those thoughts to fill your mind and for you not to worry about who is keeping track of your plan.

At Blueprint Affairs, Your Vision is Our Blueprint.