Gift Registry - Do Something Different

Here's a great article I came across today from Get Married's DIY blog. These are some great ideas if you don't want the traditional gift registry.

Read "How to Register for What You Really Want" at getmarried.com. Click on Blog and choose How-to Blog from the drop down menu.

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish everyone a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

I will be taking the rest of the week off, but thought I would share with you a little blurb about the history behind us celebrating Thanksgiving Day on the last Thursday every November. Enjoy!

In the fall of 1863 the Civil War raged across this country taking the lives of the best young men that this land had to offer and threatening to tear the nation in two. In the midst of such chaos and bloodshed it would have been easy for the country's leader, President Abraham Lincoln, to raise a defiant hand toward heaven and question the wisdom of God. But, that is not what President Lincoln did, instead, he sat down and penned the following words.

"The year that is drawing to its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of such an extraordinary a nature ... (that) No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It is seemed to me fit and proper that they should solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens ... to set apart the last Thursday in November ... a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings ... and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and Union."

Happy Thanksgiving!

photo credit:  Martha Stewart

Caring for Your Jewelry

You just got engaged.  You now have that beautiful, gorgeous, sparkling diamond on your finger, but how do you keep it looking that way?

Here are some short, sweet and to the point tips on caring for that bling.

• Take your ring to your trusted jeweler to have it professionally cleaned and inspected, at least once a year.  They will inspect it for loose fittings, worn prongs, etc.  You can also ask them how you clean it yourself at home during the course of the year.
• It’s a good idea to clean your ring regularly to avoid buildup of dirt, which could dull the “sparkle.”
• Periodically, check your ring for loose fittings or other possible problems that could lead to a lost diamond.  If you even think something feels or looks wrong, take it off and bring it to your jeweler immediately to have it inspected.  You don’t want to take any chances of losing it.
• When you are not wearing your jewelry, keep it in a soft bag or compartment in your jewelry box and keep all pieces separate so they do not become scratched.
• This is a no-brainer, but worth mentioning.  Try to evade heavy hits or whacks to your diamond.  Diamonds are one of the hardest gems; however, they could chip if hit at the right angle. 

Keep that sparkle!

photo courtesy:  Mervis Diamonds

Décor for Your Reception

One of the most important features of your reception is the décor.  This sets the mood whether your wedding style is lush New York City or  mountaintop resort style.  Selecting the correct elements will highlight your theme as well as take it above and beyond your wildest dreams.  Unusual, elegant chairs or centerpieces that are the most über elite, will “wow” your guests and make your room “pop.”  Or, setting up a lounge area with leather seats and lighted tables for the cocktail area will create a relaxed, yet elegant feeling.

Wondering where you can find such fabulous items?  Start scouring flea markets, estate sales or boutique consignment shops.  If you don’t have the time or necessarily want to keep all these décor items, then renting them is the next best thing.  A luxurious rental company will have everything you need to create your look and set the right tone.  They will take care of everything from delivery, setting it up and taking it all down afterwards. 

Have fun!  Let your imagination go wild!

photo courtesy of Cort Events

Wedding of Priscilla + Insoo - October 15, 2011

I had the pleasure of planning and coordinating Priscilla's + Insoo's wedding this past weekend. After all the rain we had been having in our area, Saturday turned out to be a gorgeous, beautiful sunny day.

Even though the wedding was in the fall, Priscilla wanted a sort of "Valentine's" theme. Her colors were red and white.

For her favors, she had already purchased conversation hearts, so I provided red organza bags to fill with the hearts.

Priscilla + Insoo are Korean and the sweetest couple. They had a local Korean restaurant cater the food and there was plenty to go around. They were expecting around 350 guests.

Based on Priscilla's idea for her centerpieces, I used clear Deco Beads in a cylinder vase, a red submersible LED light to make it really "pop," and a red rose. It looked pretty cool. For some of the other centerpieces, I used clear rocks that Priscilla had purchased, the red LED light and a red rose. I filled the vase with water and added floating candles. We used white tablecloths with a red runner placed down the middle of each guest table.

A few weeks prior to the wedding, Priscilla had mentioned she wanted to have a game played during the reception, but she wanted it to be a surprise. She didn't want to know what game I chose. I searched the Internet for ideas and chose the one of having the guests spontaneously get up and sing a line or two from a song with the word "love" in it. Whenever the bride and groom heard the word "love" they would have to kiss. Well, on the day of the wedding, shortly before the reception began, I found out that in the Korean culture, they do not show PDA (public display of affection). I thought, "Uh, oh. What am I going to do if they won't kiss or the guests won't even get up to sing?" I did have a back-up game, but I wanted to see if this one would work. So, I felt I had to give a heads up to Priscilla so she wouldn't be totally taken offguard. I didn't tell her what the guests had to do, but I did tell her that it would involve her having to kiss her husband. At first, she was a little shy and embarrassed, but was accepting of it. When it was time for the game, I had the MC start things off by singing a song himself. They kissed. The guests seemed to really enjoy it. So, someone else got up and sang. They kissed. Quite a few guests got up and sang and really started getting into it. Everyone was laughing and clapping. One person even sang the Barney song. It was a riot. I think it really made the reception fun and got the guests really involved. I have a feeling, this is one they will remember for a long time.

I loved working with Priscilla + Insoo. They are now enjoying their honeymoon in Aruba!

Congratulations!

::sources::
Caterer - Dong-A Asian Market
Florist - Joy Park
Wedding Cake - Korean Bakery
Photographer - Studio Moment Event Photography
Hair/Makeup - E Jung

Calling all brides!

It's that time of year again to don your running shoes and attend the famous Filene's Basement "Running of the Brides."

Our local one will take place this Friday, October 14 at Filene's Basement, Mazza Gallerie, 5300 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, D.C. from 8AM - 9PM. Cash, checks and credit cards accepted. All sales are final.

Below are some helpful tips directly from Filene's Basement.

The key to being successful at the Running of the Brides® is knowing what to expect. When the doors open at 8:00am, brides and their helpers rush to the racks, grab wedding gowns and immediately start trying them on. After this initial frenzy the real sale begins, when helpers roam the floor to trade sizes, colors and designers with the other teams. Once you get in the flow of this unique event, it will all make sense. Here are a few guidelines that will help make your experience at the ROTB more successful and fun.

Before You Go

1. Recruit your team and assign jobs.
2. Create team unity by wearing something matching—for example hats, t-shirts or headbands.
This will also help you find each other in the crowd.
3. Tear out pages from bridal magazines, or print styles from on-line wedding gown sites to
show your team what you’re looking for.

The Day of the Sale

1. Dress smart—wear a sports bra or swim suit so you can change in and out of gowns
anywhere in the store.
2. Leave your handbag at home or pack light for the day.
3. Please, don’t wear make-up. White shows everything.
4. The sale starts at 8:00am, so if you want to be one of the first through the doors, plan
on arriving well before then.
5. Not everyone wants to deal with the 8:00am rush. Starting around 11:00am you’ll see
dresses going back on the racks and the scene will be calmer.

Be considerate. Once you decide you don’t like a dress, put it back on the rack. It just might be someone else’s dream dress.

Happy shopping. If any brides-to-be are reading my blog and you attend this event, please send me your experiences and photos. I will post them on the blog.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

If you are looking for a great charity to sponsor or support, I suggest Brides Against Breast Cancer. You can donate money and even your wedding gown. Find out how you can donate your gown directly on their website at: www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org.

Or, have a Pink Envelope wedding reception. Visit Brides Against Breast Cancer for details.

Looking for a unique favor for your guests? Consider making a pink envelope donation on behalf of your guests. Go to the Brides Against Breast Cancer website to read all about it.

If you would rather participate physically, then run in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. In our local area, the race will take place on Sunday, October 23 in Hunt Valley, MD. Call 410.433.RACE(7233) for more information. For the schedule of where and when other races will take place in your area, go to their website at: ww5.komen.org.

Think Pink!