Perfect for a White Christmas wedding–this wreath and the tutorial on how to make your own is courtesy of the amazing Kristen over at her  Domestifluff blog.  The detailed instructions and pictures are easy to follow.  I made a cute pink one for my daughter just to test it out!  (Picture to follow…)

There are many things that can go wrong on the wedding day, so please be prepared.  Many of the accidents that occur can be easily and quickly remedied by small things that can fit inside a clutch or a small handbag.
Yes, ladies, I’m talking about the emergency kit.

While it doesn’t need to be elaborate, including some of these essentials will ensure that if you do have a situation you’ll be covered:

• Dr. Scholl’s Blister Treatment
• Bobby pins
• Safety pins (various sizes)
• Shout wipes
• Crazy glue/super glue
• tissues
• Rice paper (to blot shine)
• Tissues
• Tylenol
• Hair spray
• Clear nail polish
• Travel sewing kit
• Mints
• Straws

There are more things you can add but these are the things I have in my kit that I am constantly replenishing because they are the most used at weddings.  Most of these can be bought at stores in travel sizes.  If you want to buy prepackaged emergency kits, try companies like With You in Mind or My Mojuba.

This one comes from a reader of Style Me Pretty’s who submitted these lovely kerchiefs she found and added her own personal touch.  Included are the instructions on how this fab bride took something lovely and made it her own.

(*photos courtesy of StyleMePretty)

It is very easy to get caught up in the fun of planning your own wedding but if you’re not careful, things will add up quickly.  From buying your wedding gown to feeding your guests, you need to keep track of all your expenses so that you know where your money is, where it’s going and where it’s gone.

Many templates and worksheets are included in a wedding organizer should you choose to purchase one.  If you create your own wedding organizer binder, you can download a free spreadsheet template online (there are many different ones available; choose the one that is easily customizable so that you can add or delete any expense categories not necessary to your event.  Microsoft Office online has one here.

Or create a basic sheet out of one of the many worksheets bridal magazines include as inserts or articles.  Make copies of these and put them in your 3-ring binder and update every time you visit a vendor and discuss money.  Any time anything changes, make notes on your worksheet and date it.  When you pay something, add this to your worksheet.  This will quickly get you into the habit of keeping good financial records for your wedding so  that you are not surprised by any expenses or fall short in any category.

The beauty of these chargers is that even plain they still look fab for a Fall wedding.   But the DIY Network has a great tutorial using these basswood country planks from Walnut Hollow and woodburning your monogram to show through clear glass plates at your wedding.  Simple and very cute!

Whether you’re planning your wedding in Chicago because you think it’d be a great time or because it’s your hometown and you have tons of family here, you’re still at a disadvantage.  Planning a wedding from out of state means you have very little access to the vendors you are considered other than phone or email.

I have many brides who book me site unseen because of our phone consultations, but hiring a planner unseen is very different from hiring a venue unseen.  When you’re looking through magazines and online photo galleries, you need to remember that everyone is putting up their best front.  You don’t know what a venue is like until you see it; you don’t know what the neighborhood is like around that venue.  Same goes for many other wedding vendors you’re considering for your special day.  So keep these thoughts in mind when planning your Chicago destination wedding:

1. Have a strategy for your visits.

Because you may not have many chances to visit (most of my brides come to town twice before they get married) you need to have a good action plan in place to make your visits as effective as possible.  Make sure all the vendors you plan to visit are routed near or on the way to the next so that you are using your time to its best advantage.  You do not want to waste your time going uptown to downtown and then back uptown.  You’re wasting valuable time.

2. Take pictures

I always take pictures of venues and surrounding environs when I do site visits.  Whether it’s a ceremony site or a reception location, I want to get a feel for what they look like naked and in the daylight.

3. Get referrals from vendors

If you fall in love with a particular photographer after you meet her, chances are pretty good that you’ll fall in love with someone she recommends to you.  Try to do this at every vendor you click with.  We all have worked with many different vendors and can make your life easier by taking the guess work (and time involved researching) out of finding that next great vendor.

Begin your wedding planning with a vision so that when you do visit Chicago, that precious amount of time you have to spend on planning your wedding will not be wasted by visiting vendors that don’t fit your style or budget.  You’ll save yourself a lot of frustration if you plan your visits thoroughly.

Found this on the fabulous The Bride’s Cafe blog and wanted to share because it’s not just easy, but it easily sparks some different and further design ideas.

I am using burlap and twine for a wedding in November and will use her platform idea to make different-sized risers for the centerpieces using burlap.  Also, instead of terracotta, you can use cheap cylindrical vases of various sizes and use twine, burlap and even the paper to make a really cute luminary.

Click here for details on how to do this DIY project.

Recently, I’ve booked clients who are looking for partial planning.  For us, that means we will work with you to get you started, offer you vendor referrals that match your budget, style and requirements and help you through the whole process while you do the legwork.

However, it doesn’t work if you fight us.  By this, I mean that when I offer referrals I don’t just spin my rolodex and give you a name.  These vendors were meticulously selected based on a number of factors specifically for you and your event.  So when you go outside this list and chooses someone you “fell in love with” or a venue you just “had to have” it makes it more difficult to provide you with the other things you wanted for your wedding.
I am not saying do not go with something you love–I am saying be prudent.  Especially if you’re working with a tight budget.  There are reasons why I didn’t select that option for you in the first place.  Because you went ahead and booked that space, we now cannot have that Rolls Royce you wanted.  We now need to get a less expensive photographer, we cannot have the spa day  you wanted to do for your bridesmaids and we can no longer afford that really cute stationary you saw from Paper Girl. And forget about the Bandoleros playing at your reception.

Do you see what you’re sacrificing?

Any changes you make and any vendors you book without my knowledge, you risk changing the budget priorities drastically.  Because the money to pay for that needs to come from somewhere.

When you hire a wedding planner to help you with anything other than “day of” coordination, you need to put your trust in that person.  Any good wedding planner worth her name will know what’s best for you if you’re working within a budget. If you really want whatever it is you saw and have to have, please talk to the planner before you sign a contract.  There may be a way you can have it and still afford the other stuff you wanted, too.  That is no longer a possibility once you sign.

Favor ideas for country themed or barn weddings are sometimes too ordinary for the unique bride.  You want the feel of country with the warmth of the season but you don’t want something cheesy that will ruin the homey feeling you’re trying to create and give your guests the feeling that they’re really attending just another wedding.

These lollipop pies are just the thing to put that stamp of creativity on your wedding.  This post from Luxirare has detailed instructions on how to create these lovely bits of goodness. Your guests will love how fun and tasty they are and you’ll love how easy they are to recreate!  And with the many different flavor and wrapping options such an idea brings to mind your uniqueness is left intact.  No more leftover goofy salt and pepper favor shakers that no one wanted to bring home.

So I’m doing a November wedding with an “earthy” theme and thought it’d be cute to do the couple’s initials in some sort of Fall inspired greenery/leaves. So I took to the web to get some ideas and came across a couple that are simple to recreate and gorgeous in execution.

Two separate posts doing the same thing so here they are:

Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty (pictured below)

And this one on The Grosgrain Bride’s Blog with more details on supplies and pictures.