{Twirl Corner} Bridesmaid Bounty Hunter

By Keri Chantler, Twirl Co-Owner


(Originally published in The Wedding Chronicle and back by popular demand)

Look out, slacking bridesmaids – the Bridesmaid Bounty Hunter is on the prowl. As the co-owner of Twirl, I help manage bridal parties, and keep brides apprised of who has placed their order, and who is lagging behind.

Every week I console too many brides who are simply perplexed as to why their friends and family are proscrastinating at placing their dress order for the most important day of the bride’s life.

Having been a bride last year, and with ten bridesmaid stints under my own belt – trust me, I know both sides of weddings. Bottom line, ladies - it’s an honor to be asked to stand beside this person as she promises herself to the man she loves. Honor her back by being a supportive, and responsible, bridesmaid!

Chasing after grown women who are causing stress and hurt feelings for one of our brides is not enjoyable Bounty work. I would love for my bounty hunting days to end, and have some insider tips for both brides and bridesmaids.

Tips for Brides:

1) When asking girls to be in your wedding, openly discuss what they will be responsible for – financially and regarding their schedule.

2) Work it into your wedding budget to purchase part, or all, of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Your head is already spinning from how much the wedding will cost, so adding a little more for this shouldn’t be too painful of a stretch. Trust me – brides who do this NEVER have to bring Twirl’s Bounty Hunter on board. Plus, you can use this as their gift.

3) Be considerate of your bridesmaids when choosing dresses, but never, ever, let your vision be lost trying to make everyone happy. Your entourage will unlikelyagree 100 percent on a dress. Holding on to your vision, while being thoughtful, will keep you from an unpleasant metamorphose into Bridezilla.


Tips for Bridesmaids (or How to Avoid Bridezilla and the Bridesmaid Bounty Hunter):


1) Before you commit to being in a wedding, assess your financial situation. Can you afford to participate in throwing her a shower and bachelorette party, and buy gifts? Can you spare money for a dress, shoes, jewelry, and hair/make-up? You don’t have to have a lot of money to be a bridesmaid – I was in 3 weddings just out of college, and in several on a teacher’s salary. You may have to sacrifice a few things, but isn’t this what we do for those we love the most?

2) If you truly can’t afford all of these things, be honest and gracefully thank the bride, but opt out of being in the wedding. She will understand, and will appreciate your honesty.

3) Once you do say yes to being a bridesmaid, understand you are saying yes to whatever makes the bride happy. If you don’t love the dress she chose, too bad – if the bride loves it, wear it with grace and a smile. This is her day. Come to Twirl and check out our collage of “Why Twirl Was Created” – you should see some of the get-ups Jenni and I had to wear back in the 90’s! Please, ladies – you surely can survive the much more stylish choices designers offer these days.

4) When given a deadline to order your bridesmaid dress, get it done before you have to. Remember – the bride is getting updates from the Bounty Hunter, so she knows who is on top of it, and who is slacking.

Above all of this, a wedding day is about two people promising their lives to each other – it’s not about the flowers, the free cocktails, or anyone’s attire. When those things become the focus, the real reason you’re all coming together is lost. Feelings and emotions can be fragile during the wedding planning months. Simply honor each other throughout the process – the Bridesmaid Bounty Hunter can cease to exist, and you can all look as happy and beautiful as these girls….



Photo: Hollye Schumacher

 * Be sure to check out monthly tips from Twirl in our newsletter. Email me to get connected in Blueprint Affairs' monthly newsletter at info@blueprintaffairs.com

Celebrity Style Vacation - Guest Blog

Over-water bungalows may only seem like a dream. However, for many followers of the Bachelorette on ABC, last week's show probably had you wishing for a destination filled with clear, blue water and amazing island sights in real life. If you're anything like me, I pictured this to be an expensive venture but Eva, owner Tailored Travel Services, talks below about this gorgeous location in real terms.

Where To Go?

So you’re planning your honeymoon and want to go somewhere unique, tropical, very romantic and off the beaten track but you have a budget?


How about Tahiti? Yes, Tahiti! You can have the amazing experience of the French Polynesian islands and still stay within budget. At Tailored Travel Services, we always recommend contacting your trusted travel agency to assist you with planning your special experiences. We like to focus on what you would like to do while on your honeymoon to make it just right for the both of you! Here is some useful information to get you started on dreaming about your honeymoon in The French Polynesia.

French Polynisia?

French Polynesia consists of 118 islands and atolls. The Society islands are the islands most popular to visitors which include the high-rising islands of Moorea, Huaine, Raitea,Taha’a, and Bora Bora. Although the official language is French and Tahitian, English is commonly spoken. The overwater bungalows with panel floors showing you a view of the incredible waters below you are famous and very memorable!


How Do We Get There?

These beautiful islands are located south of the equator and are in the same time zone as Hawai’i. Located half way between California and Australia; the flight is surprisingly under 8 hours from Los Angeles airport. With non-stop flights departing daily from LAX, you can get to Papeete’s Faa’a airport on the main island in no time at all!

What Do We Pack?

With the average temperature at 79 degrees, the breezy, sunny days make the French Polynesia ideal for comfortable, natural fabrics. Packing loose fitting, casual clothing are a good idea. Your favorite sundresses for ladies along with a sports shirt and slacks for gentlemen should be great for the evenings.

Don’t forget to pack your:

• Sunblock
• Reef-walking shoes
• Insect repellent
• Prescription medicine
• Camera

As always, leave a little room for some souvenirs. Remember that Tahiti is well known for their beautiful Black Pearls! You can also expect o find products made with coconut, monoi oil, vanilla beans, wood carvings, and woven hats.

What Do We Do?

Make certain to speak to your travel agent about the wonderful activities available and reserve them before going. Since there aren’t too many companies offering the activities and they tend to sell out reserve as soon as you can. This will ensure you get to do the activities you want to enjoy!

You can try a few of these activities:

• Ray feeding
• 4 x 4 excursions
• Sailing
• Snorkeling
• Shark feeding
• Scuba diving
• Jet skiing
• Sunset cruising
• Horseback riding
• Deep sea fishing
• Bicycling
• Parasailing
• Helicopter touring
• Waterskiing
• Glass-bottom boat touring
• Windsurfing
• Dolphin Interaction
• Circle island touring
• Mountain exploration
• Relaxing

So you’re probably wondering, can we really afford this? Here is an example of a stay in the French Polynesia’s Bora Bora.

INTERCONTINENTAL BORA BORA and THALASSO SPA

From $3799 per person

• Roundtrip economy airfare from Los Angeles to Bora Bora
• 1 Night InterContinental Tahiti, Garden View Room
• 5 Nights InterContinental Thalasso Bora Bora, Emerald Overwater Villa
• Daily breakfast and dinner for 2 persons on Bora Bora
• Breakfast for 2 on Tahiti
• 25 minute spa treatment for 2 on Bora Bora

Contact your certified honeymoon specialists at Tailored Travel Services to help you with your honeymoon.

Twirl’s “Serial Bridesmaid” Contest

Ever see the movie 27 Dresses? I guess that is a silly question.

Well, it just so happens that the owners of Twirl Boutique of both Arizona and Kentucky have been bridesmaids themselves a combined 27 times.

That is a little bit ironic.

Twirl has come up with its own way of finding the QUEEN of “serial bridesmaids” with the opportunity to win great prizes.

All you have to do is submit your personal stories of being a bridesmaid and explain why you think you are the ultimate serial bridesmaid.

Some topics to consider in writing your story include: What sets you apart other than being a bridesmaid so many times? What money have you spent? What wild and wacky dresses have you had to wear? What hair styles did you have to submit yourself to? Where have you traveled? How have you helped to put out fires at weddings? What showers have you thrown?

Twirl is looking for honest, heartfelt and humorous stories. There are many unique instances that could set you apart from every other serial bridesmaid.

To submit your stories to be considered in Arizona (if you live here or will be traveling here), email: angela@twirlboutique.com.

The prizes are as follows:

• 1st Place: Up to $250.00 to spend on a dress at Twirl Scottsdale
• 2nd Place: 10% off wedding services for the entire bridal party at Dolce Salon & Spa
• 3rd Place: "Whateverz" spa set personalized with "serial bridesmaid"

The contest ends at midnight on July 31st. Winners will be announced the week of August 16th along with the stories on the Twirl blog.

{Summer Selections} Guest Blog - Rose Ceremony

Discovering unique touches for your wedding should always been top priority. Take this time to reflect on the nice touches to your ceremony that will make it memorable for you and your guests. Read below some great tips by Officiant Larry James on how you could incorporate the Rose Ceremony into your big day.

Guest Blogger: Larry James, Officiant

There are lots of brief add-on ceremonies that you can add to your wedding ceremony. They add a touch of class, makes your ceremony different and keep your guests interested.


The “Rose” ceremony is one of my favorites.

In the rose ceremony, the Bride and Groom give each other a single red rose bud. Two red rose buds are all that is necessary. If you have children involved in the ceremony, you may have a rose for each of them too. The Rose Ceremony is placed near the end of the ceremony just “after” being pronounced wife and husband.

This ceremony is what I call an “add-on” ceremony. It is intended to be added into the wedding or renewal of vows ceremony.

In the old language of flowers, a single red rose has always meant “I love you”. The Rose ceremony gives recognition to the new and most honorable title of “Wife and Husband”.

This ceremony originates in a classic rose ceremony from a lost and elegant age. It was rewritten by the Hon. Mark Ovard and rewritten again by Larry James explaining the true meaning of the ceremony – and in ways that can endure through your married life together – this is a unique and meaningful addition to any marriage ceremony. It will also inspire your guests.

This is also a nice way of involving the mothers in the ceremony.

New twist to this idea
Couples will often stop as they exit and “surprise” the mothers of the bride and groom by handing them each an “I Love You” rose bud. The husband gives his rose to his new mother-in-law and the wife gives her rose to her new mother-in-law, whispering “I love you,” or something nice before proceeding with their exit, knowing that love is not love until you give it away!

You could also say something like, “I’m happy to be a part of the family, etc.” Be sure to tell your photographer that you are giving your “I love you” roses to the mothers so they can get that photo.

NOTE: All roses symbolize Love, but their colors have special meaning. Use the list below to choose the shade that best matches the feeling you want to convey.

Red – Love, passion, respect and courage
Yellow – Joy, friendship and freedom
Pink – Happiness, gratitude, appreciation and admiration
Cream – Thoughtfulness, charm and graciousness
Orange – Admiration, fascination, enthusiasm and desire
White – innocence, purity, secrecy, reverence and to honor those who are deceased

Copyright © 2010  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! Every wedding ceremony is customized to your complete satisfaction. Call to check availability: 480-998-9411 or 800-725-9223. You will find more than 445 pages of Wedding ideas, tips (95 tips and growing), ceremonies, and more at: http://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com/ . Subscribe to Larry's FREE monthly "LoveNotes for Lovers eZINE. Contact: CelebrateIntimateWeddings.com, P.O. Box 12695, Scottsdale, AZ 85267-2695.

Destination Love || Engagement Sessions

Fromage! This also means “cheese” in French. My best friend travels the world and brought back that fun translation she said each picture taken in France. Just like any great vacation needs great pictures to detail the journey, your wedding will begin a journey for many years to come. Every photographer provides the option for any budget to include an engagement session to capture those special moments before you become husband and wife. Take advantage of this time to find a place that tells a story about you as a couple, says Photographer, Marcia Mauskopf of Marcia – The Art of Photography. Marcia recommends taking a trip out to Congress Street in Tucson for those couples of artistic nature or the graffiti walls downtown for a modern spin on photography.

Dress Essentials

Not sure what to wear? Talk to your photographer about your perfect location to document your engaged life before married life. Whites and stonewashed denim fit the Tempe Town Lake backdrop whereas; black would best suit your graffiti walls of downtown. Bring a few different shirts or outfits to change. Don’t worry, you can change on location and ideally create a photo mix by changing up the scenery.

New Best Friend

Your photographer will soon know every favorite look or as some say “sides” that you will want on display for all to see. Make friends with your photographer by getting started ASAP on your engagement session. This will help you feel comfortable being the object of the lens for hours on your wedding day. Marcia says that trust is the single most important component to successful wedding photography. I have to agree that if you feel comfortable each shot will look relaxed and more natural. Pick a picture perfect setting closer to sunset for the most dramatic look with unforgettable shots. Have fun and play to the camera!

How to use Engagement Photos

Talk to your photographer about their photo packages. You will want print versions of your pictures now or later. Add coffee table photo books to your package. Other items to consider include photo charm bracelets, purses, make-up bags, and matted prints suited for signatures during your reception. You may also want to create a picture table for your reception area that highlights a few best photos of you along with other framed pictures of your parents. This makes a great montage table for all your guests to see.

Destination Love || Honeymoon Planning

Your wedding plans are near complete. The DJ is lined up, the venue is going to be a hit with your guests, and now you sit back and ask, what’s next?

Have you thought about your honeymoon?

Recently, Blueprint Affairs had the pleasure of sitting down with Tailored Travel Services to find out the top places to honeymoon and some helpful tips.

Honeymoon Destinations

According to Eva Guibert, CEO of Tailored Travel Services, the top three spots for Americans to honeymoon outside of the States is the Almalfi Coast and Venice in Italy, the islands of Maui and Kauai in Hawaii, and Bora Bora in Tahiti.

In addition, Arizona brides tend to look at Los Cabos and Cozumel, Mexico as honeymoon destinations as well.

How About a Travel Agent?

“When you’re going to start planning your honeymoon, consider going with a licensed and industry insured travel agency,” Guilbert stated.

The advantage of booking with a travel agent, especially one that specializes in the area in which you honeymoon, is they have the experience in putting together the kind of package you need to make your honeymoon truly special.

If you book a travel agent, Guilbert said that you should “plan to meet with them if you can, or at least speak on the phone several times or by email.”

Having a travel agent plan your honeymoon may not only save you time, aggravation or stress, but also money. Travel agents are there to put the plans of the honeymoon together for the busy bride and groom.

Going out of the Country?

Nowadays, if you plan to take a honeymoon outside of the States, you need to make sure you have a proper form of ID, i.e. a U.S. Passport.

“Your travel agent should be able to let you know what will be required for travel,” Guilbert remarked. “But you should also look into the consulate of the country you’d like to go to for detailed information.”

If you plan to travel to what might be considered a “questionable country,” make sure you look at the U.S. Government Travel Warnings.



Links:

Almafi Coast: http://www.amalficoast.com/

Venice: http://www.venice-tourism.com/en/visit-venice.html

Maui: http://www.visitmaui.com/

Kauai: http://www.gohawaii.com/kauai

Bora Bora: http://www.tahiti-tourisme.com/islands/borabora/bora-bora.asp

Los Cabos: http://visitloscabos.travel/

Cozumel: http://www.cometocozumel.com/

Passport: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Travel Warnings: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

SPECIAL EDITION || Iris D Bridal Boutique Grand Opening

Veils, dresses, and jewelry – Oh My! Tempe, Arizona now has a new bridal boutique to satisfy any blushing bride’s needs. Today was the grand opening of the Iris D Bridal boutique and Blueprint Affairs was on-site to take in all the trendy wedding fashions. Iris Drevet, Owner of Iris D Bridal has branded herself through her online store until now to bring Arizona brides a place to call home. The boutique offers custom bridal, bridesmaid, and flower girl dresses, veils, ceremony items, and jewelry to fit any girl’s dreams. Their boutique is located at 520 West Warner Road, Tempe, AZ 85284 (easily accessible off I-10 and Warner Road)

Working with vendors across the valley, I’m thrilled to see the networking take place by some of my preferred vendors. The beautiful flower décor provided by Ever After Florals highlighted the roomy fitting rooms and open show room. Then, I quickly rested my eyes on the custom cookies by Couture Cookie Company that are so delicious. Laura Segall Photography, Curtis Whipple, Snap Booth and a few other wedding vendors have already discovered this soon-to-be valley favorite for all brides and their bridal party.

Take an hour and stop by to take advantage of the 25% discount on everything in the store for today and tomorrow only!

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.

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.

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/
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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