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.