Tips « Your Wedding Affair

March 11, 2008

The Financial Reality of a Dream Wedding

By Ivette Attaud-Jones

You’ve finally gotten engaged and everyone’s happy for you – now what? What’s the next step? What should you know before you start planning the wedding of your dreams?

For starters, how much money you have on hand to spend. Planning your dream wedding takes a lot of thought and communication between you and your fiancée. It’s a day that symbolizes your public display of love for one another and you want the special people in your lives to share in it. Although it’s traditional to have the bride’s family pay for the wedding, nowadays couples pay for it themselves, or enlist the help of their families. If you both know what you want for that special day, including how much you’re willing to spend, There’s a good chance you won’t overspend. You can’t say, “I have X amount of money to spend – I don’t know how much he/she has to spend.” Being able to discuss finances openly and honestly with each other is one of the first steps to being a married couple. Short of going to City Hall, you will have to spend money - no matter what type of wedding you have.

Posted by TechTravel at 22:08:58 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

October 14, 2006

Hair Tips for Your Wedding Weather

You might have a dream bridal hairstyle in your mind, but let's face it -- if it doesn't work with your wedding day weather, you may be in for a bad hair day. A better bet is to come up with a plan for your hair that'll work with Mother Nature and fit with your wedding style. After all, you don't want to be fussing with your hair at the altar -- it should be the furthest thing from your mind.

The Weather: Hot and Dry
What you're worried about: Dry, dull, damaged hair
How to deal: Unless you're prone to greasy locks, in the weeks before the wedding, use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner (look for ingredient words like "humectant," "glycerin," and "panthenol"). No matter what type of hair you have, do a deep conditioning treatment once a week to restore moisture. If your hair is oily, be careful to avoid your roots and condition only the length of your hair. You should also avoid heat styling as much as possible -- even if you can only bear to let your hair air-dry a couple times a week, any opportunity away from the blow-dryer will do your tresses good. And of course, trim, trim, trim -- dry heat will only worsen the dull appearance of damaged or split ends.
On your wedding day: Prep your hair for heat styling with a protective serum, which will prevent blow-dryers and irons from sapping moisture out of your locks. Finish your style with a misting of shine serum (for hair that's naturally oily) or a smudge of moisturizing pomade (for normal to dry hair). If you are wearing your hair down, you may want to add a little more to the ends.

The Weather: Damp and Humid
What you're worried about: Serious frizz
How to deal: No matter what your natural hair texture is, you're going to need to work with what you've got. This is not the time or the place to try to make a curly mane stay straight -- chances are you'll wind up with a total mess. Frizz is caused by hair trying to grab moisture from the air -- the rougher your hair cuticles or outer layer is (whether your hair naturally has a coarse texture or is damaged from coloring or styling), the worse the frizz. Prep your locks by regularly using a frizz-fighting serum. Comb a few drops through soaking wet hair to be sure it gets distributed evenly.
On your wedding day: The last time you wash your hair before the wedding, gently blot-dry your hair with a towel to get rid of excess moisture. Don't rub -- you'll rough up any broken or damaged hairs, increasing the chance of frizz. Apply your de-frizzing serum (or for more intense results, a strong-hold gel) to damp hair and comb it through evenly. When you finish blow-drying, don't forget to use the "cool shot" setting on your dryer -- hot air opens the hair cuticle, while cold air closes it. Finish your dry style with a second application of frizz-fighter (pomade or gel works best). You might want to keep a little on hand throughout the wedding day for smoothing down any hair that may curl up.

The Weather: Cold and Dry
What you're worried about: Dry, staticky hair
How to deal: Cold saps hair of its moisture, so unless your hair is naturally oily, make a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner part of your prewedding routine. Though you're probably blow-drying your hair (who's going to sit around with wet hair when it's snowing outside?), try to limit your use of other heat-styling devices (hot rollers, curling irons, or flat irons). Crispy, over-processed ends are much more likely to respond to static. Also, be sure to use a deep conditioning treatment (once a week is ideal -- and if you color or relax your hair, it's a necessity).
On your wedding day: Apply a heat-protecting cream before you blow-dry (prep with a leave-in conditioner if your hair is particularly rough). Use a light touch when applying -- you don't want to weigh down your hair, you just don't want your hair to bear the brunt of the heat from the dryer (especially if you're dealing with dry, indoor heat). Avoid hair sprays or gels that contain alcohol, which will dry out your mane. Finish your style with a pomade or styling cream. Then you'll be ready to put on your veil and go!

Posted by TechTravel at 04:59:42 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

September 13, 2006

15 Must-Read Gown Shopping Tips

A list of tips, tricks and things to know for getting the gown of your dreams.

Calculate Costs When calculating your dress budget, don't forget to factor in the cost of your veil and headpiece -- which can run from $50 to $500 -- as well as your shoes, lingerie, and jewelry. Also, keep in mind that almost all gowns need alterations, which will add to the bottom line.

Dress CodesMany houses of worship consider bare shoulders disrespectful. Ask your officiant about specific body-coverage requirements before you start shopping. Or look into a wrap or shawl for the ceremony.

Play HookyWe know you're busy, but if at all possible take time off during the week to begin your hunt -- you'll get more of the salesperson's time and attention than you would on a busy Saturday.

Ways to SaveWant to save? Avoid ornate, hand-done beading or lacework. Shop sample sales for floor models sold at discounts. Consider a bridesmaid dress in white. Wear your mom's dress. Choose a simple headpiece and veil. Or try browsing through a consignment shop.

Open Your MindWhen you're in the bridal salon, don't eliminate anything at first glance. Even though certain styles work best on certain body types, don't let the "rules" narrow your search too much. It helps to try on all different kinds of dresses, and then to decide which shape and style you look and feel best in. So if the salesperson brings you something she says you must try -- try it, even if you detest the way it looks on the hanger. Many a bride has ended up going ga-ga for a gown the salesperson had to persuade her to try on.

Shop AroundYou didn't get engaged on your first date, right? Likewise, you shouldn't buy the first dress you try on. Give yourself all the options and the time to think by shopping more -- and elsewhere -- before you buy.

Sleep On ItEven after you think you've found your gown, take a day to be absolutely sure it's the one for you. Since bridal gowns are custom-made, most salons put a no-return policy in their contracts; if you can get any money back, it probably won't be any more than 50 percent of the cost.

Trust Your InstinctsIf you have to be reassured that the dress looks great on you, it's probably not the one. Is this how you pictured yourself looking as a bride? Can you really see yourself walking down the aisle swathed in this gown? If not, take it off and move on.

Take Proper MeasuresWhen you're ready to order your gown, the store will take your measurements: bust, waist, hips. Each manufacturer has its own measurement chart, and this is what the store will use to determine your size. A knowledgeable store will know how a particular designer's gowns are supposed to fit. Ask to see the sizing chart so you can have a better understanding of the way it works. And make sure the correct size gets ordered, using your largest measurement as a guide. One thing to remember: bridal gowns run small, so don't be alarmed should your final size measurement jump up a number or two.

Focus on the FitKnow, too, that every dress needs alterations to fit precisely to your frame. When your gown is altered correctly, you should be able to move comfortably with everything staying in place. Alterations can be as simple as taking in the waist and shortening the hem; in more complex alterations, the sleeves may be abbreviated, the bodice taken in, and lace or beads added.

Go UndercoverBridal designers advise wearing undergarments in a tone close to your skin color. The more similar they are to your coloring the less likely you'll see them through your dress.

Fit In FittingsYou'll probably have at least two or three fittings, which you'll schedule with the store when you purchase your gown; more may be necessary, so leave ample time before the wedding. You should also ask for a written alterations estimate at the time of purchase, since this service is not always included in the cost of your gown. If the store doesn't do its own alterations, ask the salesperson you've been working with to recommend a trusted tailor or seamstress.

Pre-wedding PosesIf you're planning to sit for a bridal portrait, you'll also want to find out if the store will let you borrow your gown for pictures, then return it to them for pressing so it will look fresh for your wedding.

Cover the BasesFind out exactly how long it will take for your dress to come in, and be sure to pay with a credit card. For such a big purchase, you'll want to be able to dispute a payment just in case something goes wrong.

Test Your Seamstress

Think you've found someone to create your wedding gown? Have her make you another dress -- a shift for work, maybe -- so you can see her work and how you work together before you entrust your wedding dress to her.

Posted by TechTravel at 20:41:53 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wedding Invitation Tips

Send Save the Date cards if your wedding is being held on a holiday weekend or at a popular destination where guests may need to reserve the date far in advance.
Use the phrase "honour of your presence" when your ceremony is to be held in a house of worship. For more informal ceremonies, "pleasure of your company" is appropriate.
Use the joining word "and" on a line by itself only when joining the bride and groom's names.
Spell out middle names, however it is appropriate to omit them if they make the line too long. Spell out the date ("fifth of July" rather than "July 5"), time ("half after six" rather than "6:30") and typical address abbreviations such as "Street" or "Pennsylvania."
For reception response cards, print the mailing address on the envelopes and include return postage to make it easy for your guests to respond. This will also make planning easier for you because your final list will be confirmed quickly and efficiently.
Always order more invitations that you think you need. Extra guests may be added to your list last minute and the incremental cost at time of ordering is very low compared with having to reorder them by themselves at a later date.
Keep in mind that lettering size depends on the number of lines you request and the amount of space available. We recommend ordering proofs and checking them carefully.
Limit footnotes to one line. Choose a separate accessory card if you need to provide more information than will fit nicely on the design you have selected.
Take a sample invitation and all enclosures to the Post Office to ensure you apply the correct postage.
Mail your invitations 8-10 weeks before your wedding.