Hold on for your Honeymoon!

As I mentioned in my last post, planning your wedding can be incredibly stressful.

Sometimes, it can feel like you need a vacation when all is said and done — but, oh wait! You get one! There is a vacation light at the end of the tunnel!

Ahhhh, the honeymoon! Drop all your bridal baggage behind (but, don’t forget your actual luggage!) and give a bright “hello” to your well-deserved romantic getaway. The honeymoon is a stage setter for your beautiful marriage, so make sure to do your homework. In the end, it will pay off knowing everything has been taken care of.

Here are a few important things to consider ahead of time to keep your honeymoon stress-free:

Show me the Money!

While you want to try and enjoy yourself, you don’t want to start your marriage deep in a financial hole. Plan accordingly for all aspects of your trip including food, transportation, accommodations, and entertainment.  Weigh your options if you are working on a tight budget. Would you rather have a short but extravagant trip or a long trip with fewer luxuries?  Consider all the smaller details and package deals being offered. Don’t be too hard on yourself (it is after all, your honeymoon!) but try and come up with some kind of budget you will try and can realistically stick to. Quick Tip: Consider a room with a kitchen. You can make your own meals and save on those romantic moments you crave so much!

Destination Known!

Do your research! Make sure to read reviews on travel sites about the condition of the place you are staying and the legitimacy of any travel arrangements you have made. While you may have tried to save some dough here and there, a hotel room that stinks of mildew, a shady concierge, or other accommodation complications can definitely ruin the romance, leaving you livid rather than love struck. Friends and family are great resources for honeymoon ideas. Who knows you better than the people you're close to? If they have already had a honeymoon experience, talk to them about it. What did they like? What didn't they? They also may be a mecca for some really great and creative ideas you hadn’t even considered! Don’t forget to check out the average weather conditions of your destination of interest for the time of year you will be traveling. No one wants to spend their honeymoon in their bungalow during monsoon season!

Where are you going, anyway?

Do you like to be pampered in paradise? Or would you prefer to build an adventurous itinerary? Check out the fun things different resorts and locations offer. Making this trip fun and memorable is something you will value for years to come. Maybe you've always wanted to ride a camel in Egypt, explore the rich and vibrant culture of Japan, relax on a quaint European farm or take a cross-country or cross-continental road trip. This is your first trip with your new spouse, make it special, something you both enjoy, and memorable.

How are you getting around?

If you are getting to your honeymoon destination without your own car and you’d like to save on car rentals, consider that some destinations are near (or famous for) public transportation or have their own means to shuttle you into and around town. Some places are so accommodating you’ll never have to leave the premises. Maybe consider renting a car for a portion of your trip and then live like the locals for the remainder. Also, bikes, scooters, and motorcycles can be cheaper and more creative ways to get around and save some cash. Also, don’t forget to check out what options you have to get to and from the airport ahead of time, sometimes the hotel itself provides some form of airport transportation!

Happy honeymooning! Have fun and don't forget to take pictures!

-Sarah

Selecting Your Wedding Date

If you have just recently gotten engaged,  let me say first: Congratulations!  Secondly, I’d like to take the time to remind you to stay cool, calm and collected as you start your adventure in planning your big day.

Photo: Arbutus Photography

So the family is updated, your friends are stoked and you are ready to start you planning!  The first, (and often initially overlooked step) is to determine how long of an engagement you wish to have. You could base it on a special date or anniversary you have, or perhaps you choose to decide the length of your engagement by how long you think the wedding process will actually take. Either way, the choice is up to you and don’t let anyone pressure you otherwise! While most engagements are between six months to a year, plenty of people wait less or longer! Some couples stay engaged for up to 5 years! It’s all about what the couple ultimately wants.

So you’ve decided on a date! Now comes the fun part! It’s time for you to sit down and embrace your inner “little girl” and envision your ideal wedding.  There are tons of factors to consider: Are you planning a big event, or a more intimate gathering? Spring or fall? Indoors or outdoors?

Ultimately, how you choose the date for the special day is dependent upon the following:

• How much time (realistically) is the planning going to take to pull off your big day?


• Does the date you chose check out? (Does it fall on significant dates such as  your grandfathers birthday, cousins graduation or aunts baby shower? )


• Do you want the date to coincide with another important date in your life? (Parents anniversary, first day you met, Valentines, Christmas, Halloween?)


• Can you get the reception site and ceremony booked on the same day?  Accommodating both sites to fall on your date of choice can be difficult depending on the time of year.


• Can you afford the time of year you chose? Certain times of the year (such as the Spring) are more expensive than others. If money is an issue, you may want to consider having your wedding in an off season.


• What material/cut/style is your gown? If you want to wear a specific dress (your grandmothers or mothers wedding dress), consider the time of year the dress is designed for and plan accordingly. You don't want to have a summer beach wedding in a heavy dress!

So have fun! Plan away! I wish you smooth sailing to all the newbie brides-to-be out there and again, congratulations!

-Sarah

The dress and what lies beneath....

I must have tried on 100 different  dresses while I was preparing for my wedding. I, like most women, have my "problem areas".  At first, it seemed like I just couldn't find the perfect dress for my body type -- as if I was some sort of bride-to-be mutant that had to have an expensive custom fitting.  That was until of course, I had a discussion with my grandmother.

"Did you find a dress yet, sweetheart?" she asked, looking up from behind her reading glasses as she poured me another cup of tea. I explained to her my issues and woes, how expensive it was to have something custom made nowadays and how I just wish I could find something to fit to my curvy, but slim, figure. I would be lying if I said I wasn't more than slightly irritated in knowing her "fairy tale story" -- Meeting my grandfather at a USO dance, her dress she practically walked out of the store wearing and her lovely watercress finger sandwiches that were served by bright young gentlemen in tuxedos.

How did she just BUY a dress without requiring alterations? Was it her? Was it the dress? And why did clothes just fit so ... different ... 60, 50 -- Jesus -- even 30 years ago?

And then it hit me.

They wore girdles. Corsets. Garter belts. Slips. Shapewear...

After countless hours of  trying on gowns, I had finally figured it out. I marched my butt to the nearest internet access and began my search. Measured myself, read some product reviews and purchased. The following week I headed back to the store and re-tried the same dress I had poked and pulled in the mirror countless times the week before. And VOILA! Perfection! I can't help but ask you Mover's and Shaker's of the 60's and 70's: Why did you all stop wearing these things? True, I can see how being forced to wear restricting undergarments for hundreds of years could get to you, but man, these things are great!

But I digress, small details that can have a big impact on the overall appearance of a wedding gown.

What you're wearing under your dress is just as important as you dress! Bridal undergarments and lingerie play a HUGE role in how your big-day dress will fit you. Formal gowns require support, and a smooth foundation for the fabric to fall correctly on your body.

And if you're not sure where to start? Check out these links to find shapewear, sizing, and find what fits best for your body.

So our first lesson here ladies? Shapewear. Wear it. Use it. Love it.

I am on a personal campaign to "bring it back", baby.

American Shapewear: Styles and Colors for every body and occasion. (Not to mention super cute!)

Secrets in Lace: Believe me, you'll get hooked. (Check out the RAGO and Betty Page sections!)