Dude, will you be my groomsman?

BLUEman: The Male Perspective




  Ever thought about how you might ask a friend to be one of your groomsmen?  Most guys simply just make a phone call to ask.  But some grooms are worried that asking a friend to be a groomsman rather that a best man can be offensive, especially when you have two really good friends, and a coin toss may determine who you choose as the best man.  Although, each can be viewed as equally important within the scope of the wedding.  However, making sure the best man can ensure the ring is not misplaced before the cermony, or is not fumbled around to the ground during the cermony, should play into your decision.

So how else can you ask your friend to be a groomsman or the best man?  How about mailing out an invite to be one or the other?  The Wedding Chicks came of with this great idea, and they have the templates to download for it.  All you need to do is purchase some A-2 note cards and envelopes, and you can print these from home utilzing the templates they provide.

So, if you're on the border as to who you should choose between best man and groomsman, let the invites do the talking for you...then, after acceptance, go out and buy them a drink and get to figuring out how to best enjoy your last days as a single man with your buddies.

{Back 2 Wedding Basics} Hot Wedding Fashion Trends

The Association of Bridal Consultants holds monthly, annual and national conferences for local planners and vendors. These meetings bring together HOT new ideas and fabulous vendors that my brides love choosing over and over again.

Wedding Gowns

Top priority-always looking amazing in your wedding dress. Pam Hardy, co-owner of Almond Tree Wedding Boutique commented that one strap sleeves "golden age of Hollywood" are filtering their way into bride's hearts. Brides are wanting to keep it simple. Keeping it classic on your wedding day may be a look you are aiming for. Many brides are veering away from the strapless look and adding sleeves or a partial jacket. The hardest part when shopping is finding your size if you're larger than size 12. Do your research on the type of dress you like and call the boutique prior to your visit to check for larger sizes.

Bridemaid Dresses

Keeping it short is how many bridesmaids are wearing their dresses. Sticking with the eco-friendly notion in shopping, girls are still looking for bridesmaid dresses that can be worn again. Not necessarily for the next friends wedding but out-on-the-town. Gorgeous silk fabrics like those found at Twirl Boutique keep many bridesmaids very happy. This includes dressing up the waist area with special belts and broaches.  

                                             

To Veil or Not To Veil

Do you have your something borrowed or something old? Consider a vintage feather hair piece in lieu of a veil if you are looking for a classic look. In some cases, see if you mom or sister (in-law's) have a veil to borrow for your day. The nice part about finding your wedding dress so early (7 months or earlier) is many shops include your veil for free. Check out the deals you can but don't settle on anything that doesn't leave you with a glowing feeling. Try on your hair accessory and dress together with your shoes.

Take it all in. This look will mark the beginning of your new life.

{Summer Selections} Out Style Your Bridesmaids

Wishes are made to come true. This is especially true at a local salon in Scottsdale called the Wish Salon. Owner, Taryn Hitchings found her niche in the heart of downtown Scottsdale. Her job is to bring out the luscious curls and accent the highlights that ladies would love to have. One of my recent brides also found herself getting dolled up in Taryn’s chair on her wedding day. As the wedding coordinator, I like to join my brides to make sure their hair and makeup ladies (and some gentlemen) arrive on time. This was easy as the hair stylist and fellow makeup artist, Shayla, were both on hand at the Wish Salon.

Now that we learned what Taryn can do, let’s learn what’s new and hot!

Brides are finding they love loose waves, fun curls, big body, and fabulous textured updo’s says Taryn. She knows exactly how to bring out your style and perfect wedding day look in every wedding setting. The best thing that I love about her work is her ability to bring out the natural beauty in every girl. Every bride wants to stand out and have each guest stand in awe of how gorgeous she looks. Think about how you want to be remembered on your wedding day. Snip out pictures of your favorite hair styles and note how you want to feel on your wedding day. Depending on the weather, think about updo’s versus halves ‘sies (half up and half down style).

Don’t forget that you need to do a trial run for before your wedding day to see how your hair will look. Take pictures and feel comfortable and confident in the style you chose. There is nothing set in stone after the trial run so make sure to tell your stylist the look you want to create. This is your day to shine and having the right stylist team will get you there.

Destination Love || Belize- The New Honeymooner Spot

As you dream about the new lands to discover on your honeymoon, try to imagine a far away destination. Honeymoons are no longer just a trip to Hawaii or a local beach resort. For some honeymooners looking for adventure, a honeymoon in Belize just may be the ticket. The key to enjoying a destination honeymoon is great planning skills with the help of a travel planner or someone like my BLUEman (he planned our entire honeymoon-see last Monday’s Google mapping blog). Your wedding day will fly by faster than your heart will admit. Getting married is a day that most girls dream about but dream farther into the time after your wedding. I’ll also share some advice from my recent honeymooners, Daris and Jason, who visited Belize and had the most amazing experience.

Now, let’s get started on your honeymoon!

TRAVEL BUG- (This is a great thing! - I’ve said before)

Traveling abroad may seem scary with culture differences, but head to Belize and you’ll discover that English is the official language spoken. Once you arrive, the currency exchange is easy and you usually can exchange money at the airport. The accommodations in this resort lining area provide amazing food, scenic views, and numerous activities to keep you entertained.

ADVENTURE – HERE YOU COME!

Once on your way, remember your scuba gear as you explore the second largest barrier reef in the world and the infamous Deep Blue Hole, says newlywed Daris. Look into scuba classes at your local sports shop before you leave to make sure you’re prepared. Daris recommends if you travel through San Ignacio, be sure to stay at the Mystic River Resort and take in the ancient Mayan ruins in Caracol or Tikal. Bring a few pairs of hiking shoes and your bathing suit! Other outdoor adventures include zip lining, canoeing, kayaking, and horseback riding. During the evening you enjoy on-site cuisine and also learn about the different constellations for those star gazing lover’s.

Another great spot to discover is in San Pedro at Ramon’s Resort or La Victoria Resort, says newlywed Daris. Enjoy your honeymoon at this location: snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, sunset cruises, cave tubing (sounds like fun!). I started thinking about the show Man vs. Food when Daris explained the best food spots they loved in this area. Here are some of their recommendations: Mango’s, Caliente’s, Elvi’s Kitchen, the Blue Water Grill, Sunset Grill, and El Forgon.

BOOK YOUR HONEYMOON!

The first big trip as newlyweds should be high on your list. Be sure to book your honeymoon around the same time as you order your wedding dress (at least 6 months in advance). The most cost-efficient and time-saving way is to book with a travel planner. I’ve heard numerous stories in the last few months of couple’s who didn’t have a planner during the Mexico traveling scare and didn’t know their honeymoon room was closed down until they arrived. For most couples, once you book your trip, you don’t worry too much about it until you board the plane after the wedding. Check out some local travel planners in Arizona such as Tailored Travel Services, All About Honeymoons, and Camelback Odyssey Travel to help you book a dream honeymoon!

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

Destination Love || Destination Weddings

U.S. Weddings

Try to pick something close by if you are deciding on a destination wedding to save money. Since I'm based in Arizona, Phoenicians have the bonuses of traveling to the beaches of California for a breath of sea air. Even with a modest budget of $25,000 you and 80 of your closest friends and family can enjoy your beautiful day at a local seaside venue. You can typically plan on 50% of the guests RSVP'ing. Many of your closest friends and family are easily able to pack their cars or hop on a quick plane ride for a 3 day weekend trip. Use BLUEman's tips on Google mapping to help your guests find their way around your wedding locale. Provide as much information to your guests at least 6 to 12 months in advance. Try sending them a Save the Date card to start planning on the best event of the year, YOUR wedding.

International Weddings

Traveling internationally is for those with the travel bug and want to share it (don't worry, it's a good thing!). Planning your wedding in Italy, France, Greece or some destination island sounds amazing, doesn't it? This is a good time to start thinking about more than Save the Date cards but creating your own wedding website to inform your guests about accomodations oversees (10% off for Blueprint Affair brides). Travel Planners like Eva Guibert at Tailored Travel Services would make this easy to set up all your guests with one contact for all their travel plans and restrictions. Travel Planners also know of venue cancellations, alternate accomodations, and provide support in unfamiliar locations. Don't forget that every guest will need a Passport and in some cases a Visa (travels to New Zealand require a Visa). The costs for marrying abroad can be minized with preferred vendors you establish in the states and pay for travel. So, check with your favorite vendors as I know many of us have our passports ready to go! 

Special Requirements

Visa's and Passports are just the start of deciding on traveling abroad. Be sure to coordinate your marriage license with the location of your wedding and the officiant. You will want to find out the requirements for this before you make your plans set in stone. Another thing to consider is health precautions such as vaccinations and immunization records being up to travel standards. This isn't the fun part of getting married but you'll need to know.

If you never thought about a destination wedding, this is best time to sneak in a fun vacation and have all your closest people enjoying it with you. A couple years ago, I went to a wedding in Costa Rica and 80 guests arrived. I was impressed how many people showed up and actually did excursions such as zip lining and surfing throughout the days leading up to the wedding. Zip lining and surfing were a new adventure I learned and made so many amazing memories during that wedding weekend.

Tips To Know || Bridal Dress Fittings

Do you know what to bring to your dress fitting? Whether you’re the bride or bridesmaids, it’s important to come armed with all your wedding day tools and accessories. Choosing the best time to pick your dress is ideal because the time you actually try on your dress will set the wedding 'wow' factor.


Accessories

Be sure to pack your earrings and necklace that you want to wear during your final fitting. This is the best time to match up the bling you bought for your day. For many bridesmaids, the best gift you receive may be the jewelry from your blushing bride. Don’t forget to bring the bra and underwear you want to wear. Too many times I see very sheer dresses with peek-a-boo undies that should stay in the dresser drawer. Choose nude color full or thong underwear. This includes your bra, which may be strapless, stick –on or build it into your dress. (check with your seamstress)

Last but not least, bring your veil and shoes to your fitting. Find an area with great lighting to match up the coloring of your mother’s veil (if you decide on this for ‘something old’) which varies over the years. Fitting your shoes will also give you some experience bending and walking with your wedding shoes. Plan to wear them at least nine hours from start to finish. Be sure to find shoes that coordinate your dress and your comfort!

Best Time

Order your dress at least 6 months before your wedding to have the bridal dress selection of your choice. Keep tabs on your order as bridal shops have many orders coming and going. Double-check the style and color for all of your dresses including your wedding dress. Be proactive not abusive to your wedding powers. Then, arrange your fitting two to three weeks before your wedding to test out the length, fit, and make adjustments as needed.

An Audience for You!

Bringing a group of friends and family can be overwhelming if you are bringing your entire bridal party. Try to schedule your bridal dress fitting outside of the bridesmaids and mother dress fittings. This will alleviate much of your stress and you can take in all the excitement of your wedding.

Expectations are Everything!

Don’t be surprised if you see your dress and forgot what gorgeous gown you picked. You can expect to do two to three fittings until you get the perfect fit. Know that whatever dress you love, your new hubby will be amazed the moment he sees you walking down the aisle in your new gorgeous gown.

Love Love || Dresses for the Bride

Gorgeous dresses flowing through the pages of every bride magazine on the shelf. There seems to be so many choices and price points but you’re still not sure if it’s ‘the one’. That’s not decided until you are staring at yourself in the mirror glowing with pure joy. The best part of wedding planning is fussing over the most important accessory of your day – the dress. This isn’t a dress that should be taken lightly or left to the last minute to select. Your wedding dress, whether the flowing ball gown, Grecian goddess, or sparkle wonder is a focal point for all your guests to gaze upon. Finding your venue is the first stop on the wedding planning trip but coordinating your dress is next in line. Complimenting dress styles to match your venue and the colors choices are tough work. Check out your options for this season.

Sparkles Galore

Heavy embellishments and tulle may be the perfect match for you. Many brides find comfort in a sweetheart neckline that delicately accents their beauty. Maggie Sottero and Jasmine Bridal are just a few designers that bring together the beauty that you want on your day. The perfect jewelry will accent this dress perfectly. Make sure to print a picture of your dress and take with you while jewelry shopping. Zoom in on the details to make sure you match beading, crystals, and coloring styles.

In wedding details, knowing the dress color during your shopping trip such as Ivory, White, Off-White, Diamond White, Blue, or Pink are important in finding complimenting accessories. Take your mom or bridesmaids with you to sort out the best look that shines on you.

Oh So Pretty

There’s something magical to be said about the Spanish style dress. The gorgeous ruffles from Allure and rosettes are very hot this year. This includes rouching (a gathering to one side of dress), which adds a flattering look to everyone’s body. I Love Love this look that can be great for a beach or garden wedding. Plus, if you’re thinking of doing without your veil, consider a feather hair accessory. This is a fun trend that will make your head happy without the extra weight of a veil.

Fun Extras

Some things that you may not know are the extras. You can have a detachable dress for easier movement dress during the reception. This is one of the best ways to have your gorgeous flowing ceremony dress and movin’ and shakin’ dress for the reception. Also, a sweetheart neckline is not for every girl, especially those of us bustier ladies, and so you may choose a modified sweetheart. This still shows a delicate edging around your bust line but less dramatic. Another favorite I love is the lace up backing for your dress that tucks away into the back of your dress. You may not love the bowtie of your strings from the corset and this is a great fix.


***Check out your favorite designer truck shows. This is a great time to see all the newest styles at once. Plus, you can request a favorite you saw in their online gallery to be available during the truck show. Make friends with your favorite boutique. Happy brides are happy customers.

Here are a few local Arizona boutiques to check out:

• Brides By Demetrios http://www.demetriosbride.com/

• Iris D Bridal (opening March 27, 2010) http://www.irisdbridal.com/

• I Do I Do Bridal www.idoidobridal.com/  

• Uptown Bridal Boutique www.uptownbrides.com/

• Destiny’s Bride http://www.destinysbride.com/


Be sure to enter for a chance to win a Free Day-of-Wedding Coordinator. Winners chosen Valentine's Day weekend - 4 days left to enter!

Love Love || Bridesmaid Heaven

All bridesmaids out there are singing in joy about the newest styles hitting their local bridal shops. There is nothing more flattering than hearing a bridesmaid rave about her dress and saying how much she can’t wait to wear it again. I think of the movie 27 Dresses and picture Katherine Heigl doing her fashion show of some horrendous dresses for her friends to see. If you haven’t seen it, you need to catch up on your girl flicks with some of your close friends. This will also help you find out what they think about your fashion sense and get some ideas. The biggest trend flocking to shops like Brides by Demetrios is the pocket trend. Every girl wants to be there for her bride and now she can. Tuck away touch-up extras like waterproof mascara and tissues in your hidden side pockets for your lovely bride-to-be. What a novel idea!

If you love Breafast at Tiffany's style or the Tiffany's jewelry colors, you will love the newer dresses coming out. Each style flatters and the dress length is near the knee. Check out some styles from Dessy Group.

Brides, start thinking about peacocks, purples, and bright golds for your wedding colors. These are the upcoming color trends for Spring 2010 says Alyda at Brides by Demetrios. The great part is that the typical price ranges for bridesmaid dresses are $180-$330. The newest styles are fit to look good on everyone and the style cuts are made to fit. Every girl will love love this!

Extra tips:

• Order bridesmaid dresses 3-4 months before wedding.

• Schedule a fitting to get your accurate measurements.

• Make sure each bridesmaid orders her dress from the same location. (Beware color variations from different “dip” dates.)