vegas, STDs and babies

I took a bit of a sabbatical from all of the blogging to realize I missed ranting and raving about weddings and how I typically spend my weekends – at showers playing bridal bingo. Therefore, I am back and kicking off my return with a bang! 2011’s first bachelorette party is about to begin. Vegas. This weekend.

Can’t Wait!  (insert Bart Scott/Jets voice - google it if you don't know)

But as they say…what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas so you probably won’t hear much else about that trip.

I will have a big blog announcement coming soon though. Stay tuned my loyal readers…er, mom. Anyone else out there?

In the meantime, I have updated the wedding countdowns and, well, they never seem to end. We’re counting far into 2012 already. You should see my fridge. The save the dates continue to arrive. 

It seems that the 4x6 postcard style save the date has made a major comeback for 2011. Magnet save the dates are apparently so 2000 and late. I’ve got none.

Oh baby!

Baby? Yes they’re due to arrive daily in 2011.  It's evident that everyone is living happily ever after out there.  I’m attending so many showers; I’ve got to start wearing rain gear. Sorry. That was lame. Anyway, more stories to come on that front.  (Get it? Front?  I can't stop myself.)

And for the first time in my history as a bridesmaid, I am going to attempt to wear a bridesmaid dress again!  The challenge is to wear the dress long in March and then cut it and wear it short in May.  Can I pull it off?  I know the suspense is killing you but you'll have to wait and see!

For now, let’s hope my flight to luxurious 60 degree weather is not delayed due to more frigid snow.

-The perennial bridesmaid

legoland

So this isn’t actually a firsthand 2010 wedding experience but it is too good not to mention. And besides it is only one wedding layer removed. If that doesn’t make sense, it will.

My friend helped her friend out with some of her wedding related tasks. Typically that means making programs, addressing invitations or consulting on hair and make-up. This time it meant playing with legos!

Yup, legos. Just like when you were a kid. They built lego people (I hope that is PC) as pictured below to hold the escort cards. Note the tank in the back carrying the lego bride and groom. So fun!

You could say that a theme in this particular wedding was dorkdom. Or maybe I’m just being offensive. But their save the dates were definitely Star Wars themed. The bride and groom’s heads were photoshopped onto the iconic Star Wars image of Princess Leia and whoever the lead male character was. (I probably just offended Star Wars fans around the globe.)

Then there was the aforementioned lego people.

And finally, the other clue that there was a dorkdom theme going on…their first dance was to the Juno theme song. Remember that one?

It goes something like this…
I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else
But you

That song is not necessarily dorky but it gets better. They rewrote some of the lyrics and sang them! How perfect is that. Oh and the bride actually called the groom a dork in the song.

So there you have it. A theme of dorkdom. I love originality in wedding planning.

Dorks rule.

-The perennial bridesmaid

vintage vixen

There is a new trend taking storm in professional photography and gift giving. Lots of ladies are channeling their inner glam and posing vintage pinup style. Not trashy pinup but a classier, flirtatious version.

Professional photography studios specialize in creating your vintage look.  Think Vargas girls. You select a theme and outfit and your hair and make up are done to coordinate. If you are not comfortable in a risqué Marilyn pose, perhaps you can mimic Sandra Dee. The options are endless…what about a sexy Rosie the Riveter look? Hmm.

Are you looking for a day-of wedding gift to give to your groom? This is a really unique gift that will definitely impress! Not to mention that you have probably been following a bridal workout so now is the time to capture your slim physique in this style.

You can also give this gift to your husband for your first wedding anniversary. Paper is the traditional first anniversary gift. And these photographs are printed on paper, right?

Bachelorette parties are taking a liking to this day of pampering. Groups can go together and inspire each other’s vintage themes. This isn’t my cup of tea but it sounds like some ladies are having a good time playing dress up.

And if you are having a vintage themed wedding, you might just want to invite your guy to the photo shoot. Use the professional pics of you both in theme for your save the dates, invitations other aspects of your wedding.

One of my friends inspired this post. Of course I love all things vintage so when I heard about her photo shoot I thought it sounded so fun! She had a wonderful experience with a local vintage pinup photographer plus professional hair & make up artists. Her pictures turned out fabulous! The rollers and red lipstick really suit her. These studios are surfacing all over the country but the popular, booked up photographer in Philly is Celeste Giuliano. Her work is very cool.


-The Perennial Bridesmaid

pooch of honor

You may have noticed my absence the last few days. My lack of posts is a direct result of my new buddy, Wilson. He is an adorable beagle/basset hound mix that we adopted on Monday. Some good folks found him running loose on the highway and rescued him from traffic. So sad…but now he is happy in his new home!

I am quickly becoming one of those crazy dog people. I want to dress him up, take his picture and show him off all day long. I’ve already seriously considered his Halloween costume options. I’m not kidding and they are available in stores.

So I now realize why so many people want their pooch to be in their wedding. There are lots of creative ways to get your pup involved. I took to etsy to find a few good options.

Ring Bearer by designsbybam

Groomsman by shopKCQ

Usher by CamargoCreations

Flower Girl by DownUnderDogDesigns

Bridesmaid by ProperPuppy

Ok so maybe Fido won’t cooperate long enough to participate in the actual ceremony. You can still represent him or her in the wedding...


Cake Topper by dandelionland

Favor by Thecookiecouture

Save the date by lterrill9

Invitation by leahfelicity

omigod! I’ve totaled crossed over.

-The perennial bridesmaid

lovebirds

I sure am behind schedule this week as round 2 of wedding season picks up in full swing. Today a bachelorette party. Next week a wedding. Yesterday bridesmaid dress shopping. Here we go again! Stay tuned for details.

The surface of my refrigerator is beginning to fill up with more wedding & shower invitations, save the dates, thank yous and other cute announcements for this season’s events. Today I wanted to feature a DIY save the date.

It is a 5x7 brushed gold one sided card. The personalization is 2-fold. First, actual engagement photos of the couple are centered up top.  Real pictures! From my understanding, different photos were used on each card. The photographs were taken by Lorraine Daley and her sidekick Greg. The engaged couple chose Ridley Creek State Park in Delaware County, PA. They were lucky enough to get a rare low humidity, cool summer day which as we know ladies, leads to a good hair day!

The couple is working the lovebird theme with the birdcage stamp. In addition, they had a custom stamp made with their deets by Love To Create Stamps. Good choice. I can imagine the endless possibilities on future DIY projects for that stamp.

For a girl’s first wedding DIY project, she did a-okay! I like the lack of mass-produced feel this save the date evokes. Judge for yourself…

-The perennial bridesmaid

countdown

If you’ve been keeping up with the countdowns on the right of this page, you’ve probably noticed that the list has grown. In the last week alone, I’ve added 3 new couples & dates including my little brother’s 2011 wedding which is 488 days away. On the list they go!

Now seems as good a time as any to mention that there are ONLY 50 days to the first wedding on the countdown list…my other brother’s big day!

Just this week I received another playful save the date. It is a caricature of the couple and their 2 beagles! The design really captures the four of them so well and actually looks just like them! It is too fun not to share with you all. Below is a picture of the magnet on my fridge. Just 233 days left for them.

-The perennial bridesmaid

you know who you are

Someone close to me just started planning her daughter’s wedding and she asked, “What is a save the date?”. You can call me mean. I suppose I am because I literally laughed out loud at the question. Of all the silly wedding terminologies and acronyms, I think “save the date” is the most explicitly defined. That’s just me.


But for those of you that don’t know, this post is for you…

A save the date is a postcard, magnet or card that is mailed out to your guest list well in advance of your wedding; typically 6 to 18 months prior to mailing out the actual invitations. I specifically did not refer to the save the date as an invitation because the recipient does not need to RSVP. It is more like marketing collateral that lets your guests know the date of the event so they will, ahem, save it. It always includes the bride & groom’s names or recognizable photos. If there is a wedding website with additional info for the couple, this can be on there too. Often the term “Formal Invitation to Follow” is included but that can be implied if the term “Save the Date” is mentioned. Overall, minimal information other than the date to save is required.

They can be as informal and fun as you want. I’ve received lots of monograms, logos & caricatures of couples. If you have engagement photos taken, it is popular to incorporate a good shot into your save the date cards as well. Magnets are a great option because they end up on your guests’ fridge so your wedding date becomes ingrained in their brain.

Save the dates (also known as STDs – yes really!) are optional. They are practical if your guest list includes many out of towners who may need to book airfare in advance. One piece of etiquette to mention is that once you send out a save the date to someone, you can not by any means cut them from your guest list. They must receive an invitation. So if your guest list is a work in progress, STDs may not be for you.

Save the dates were not around when my parents or their parents got married. It seems to be a newer tradition that’s here to stay. Might as well embrace it and draw up a silly cartoon of you & your fiancé to send to 200 of your closest friends and family.

-The perennial bridesmaid

invitation appreciation

I am totally entrenched in invitations at the moment…weddings, showers, rehearsal dinners. You name it and we’re hand making invitations for it! I love paper crafting so I am happy to help out in this area. Multiple questions have come up around standard envelope sizes and postage. I’ve been learning so much and have decided to answer all of these questions at once with an easy reference guide detailing standard invitation envelope sizes & current USPS rates. I hope you find this helpful!

• Minimum envelope size you can mail is 3 1/2 x 5 1/2
• Square envelopes cost more to mail than rectangular
• If you address your envelope vertically instead of the normal horizontal way, you will be charged more
• If you're making your own invitations, you should always cut your cardstock about an 1/8” less than the envelope size
• If you choose postcards for the save the dates or response cards, they may take longer to get to the recipient than if put in an envelope. Postcards are considered 2nd class mail
• For standard envelopes, the maximum thickness that the envelope can be is 1/4" & weigh up to 1 oz. $.17 for each additional oz

Invitation        Postage       Response card      Postage      
envelope size                      envelope size
3 7/8 x 8 7/8      $.44             3 5/8 x 5 1/8            $.44        
4 1/8 x 9 1/2        .44             4 1/4 x 5 1/2              .44         
5 1/4 x 7 1/4        .44             4 3/4 x 6 1/2              .44                     
5 1/2 x 8 1/8        .44
6 x 9 1/2              .44
6x6                      .64
7x7                      .64

Postcard       Postage
3 1/2 x 5        $.28
4 1/4 x 6          .28


-The perennial bridesmaid

if you don't know me by now...

…you’ll never never never know me.

One of my friends is getting married this summer (actually several are). The bride comes from a very large family that is close with one another. I’m talking Sunday dinner with the extended fam close. Her fiancée has a bit of the opposite family. His parents split when he was young and both remarried as so many do. He doesn’t see his mother on a weekly basis and he’s not very close with her husband. It is no surprise that he doesn’t have much of a relationship with his stepfather’s mother or her siblings. He has actually never met these step-great-aunts or not-so-great step-aunts, if you will. It came as a shocker when the mother of the groom insisted that these distant relatives be invited to the wedding.

The couple sent out save the dates to their guest list a few weeks ago for their summer wedding. They featured their full names, wedding date and photos of the couple. Anyone who received these would obviously recognize the couple and happily slap the magnet on their fridge wait for the “formal invitation to follow”. Not the case with 82 year old step-great-aunt Hilda. She took one look at the photo magnet and sent it back! Yes, returned to sender with a note stating, “I think you sent this to the wrong people.” Awkward!

The groom’s mother requested that the couple resend the save the date with a note detailing who they were! I suppose now is a good time to update the family tree. Hilda hasn’t sent it back again...yet.

Where do you draw the line with your guest list? Are you expected to invite your mother’s husband’s mother’s sister even if you’ve NEVER met and she doesn’t even know your name?

-The perennial bridesmaid

what happens in vegas…

Should stay there.

A friend of mine recently received a save the date outlining an acquaintance’s wedding plans.  The nuptials are due to take place in Las Vegas.  Side note, it is the first wedding for both.  All are welcome to join them at whatever little white seedy wedding chapel they chose.  If you can’t make the trek cross country, you can fortunately relive their experience when they return at their VFW style celebration complete with poker and faux slot machines.

The save the date was complete with Vegas-esque photos of the couple.  Naturally.  Here’s where it actually gets ugly…the tag line reads “sure to be a gamble”! I’m not sure that stating that your marriage is a gamble is the best form of advertising your relationship in an era when the divorce rate exceeds 50%.

Was it meant to be cute?  Maybe shocking.  Hey, I’m talking about it afterall.  If the Vegas theme is your thing and you don’t want to do the whole big white wedding then go for it, but please find a better pun on Las Vegas than “sure to be a gamble”.

-The perennial bridesmaid