Ask A Planner: Say Yes to the [Pre-Owned] Dress

Recently, a follower of our Facebook Fan Page asked us to do a post on alternative wedding dress options. Now we're not talking about alternatives like walking down the aisle in your bikini here (though I think that could be a fabulous option for a beach wedding), but rather alternatives to shelling out the Benjamins for a dress you're only going to wear once. This must be the theme of the week because Broke Ass Bride just did a great post on the same topic.

Whether you want to believe it or not, there are many alternatives to that couture Pnina Tornai gown you see on Say Yes To The Dress every week (the new season just started on Friday by the way!). One option is to buy a preowned gown. It's kind of like buying a certified used vehicle. These gently used dresses look spankin' new in most cases, have minimal wear (usually less than 10 hours), but cost a fraction of the price - we're usually talking around 50% off.  Sites like Recycled Bride, Bravo Bride, Wedding Dress Market and the like all have great options, like this gorgeous Kenneth Poole for Amsale dress, originally $4700, for only $2500. I'm tempted to buy it myself right now, but Prince Charming might get a little freaked out if he finds a wedding dress in my closet before he's even proposed. 

Kenneth Poole for Amsale

Just like you rent a car for your weekend road trip, you can do the same for your wedding dress as well. Stores like Bella Bridal in Los Angeles rent gorgeous gowns, sometimes even ones that are brand new! The saving will be even greater than buying a preowned dress...rental gowns usually cost less than $1000.

If  buying or renting aren't your thing though, don't count out stores like David's Bridal or the Bridal Salon at your local Macy's department store. If you thought these stores offered tacky or out of season dresses, think again. In fact, David's Bridal just announced they'll be launching a new line designed by Vera Wang, which will retail from $600-$1500.

David's Bridal

So now that you know your options, don't be afraid take advantage of them. Just think of everything you can do with a few extra $$$ in your pocket - reception centerpieces, that dessert bar you wanted, airline tickets for your honeymoon....you get the point.

Celebrating Life!

You don’t have to be heading towards the altar anytime soon to live Fabulously Ever After. You can incorporate fabulous elements into all types of life’s celebrations – whether it’s a baby shower, birthday bash, engagement party or a shindig for no good reason at all - and I’m here to help you do that. 

Today, I came across a spectacular post on Hostess With The Mostess showcasing a contemporary urban baby shower (pictured below). The décor was absolutely stunning and looks nothing like what most people expect from a baby shower. It simply serves as a reminder to be creative, think outside the box and incorporate elements into life’s celebrations that make them uniquely you.

Google Docs Wedding Planning Templates

In an ideal world, all soon-to-be brides would have their very own wedding fairy godmother. She would be free, handle every detail of planning and executing the wedding, and when she appeared out of thin air, a small briefcase full of money to grant the bride's every wish would come with her.

Well, unfortunately, this is not an ideal world. So, for those brides who can't hire a wedding fairy godmother wedding planner, here's a tool that might make staying organized and on budget a little easier.

You've all heard of Google Docs, but what you may not have known is that Google Docs has a whole set of templates just for weddings. From budgets and guest lists to timelines and seating charts...just head over to docs.google.com/wedding to browse through the available templates.

Just remember, while the templates are great, they certainly don't replace a wedding fairy godmother. I come with all the above...minus the briefcase full of money. If you're wondering what about the free part, we'll get to that in an upcoming post ;)

Trend Alert: Ring Bowls

If you're looking for a cute way to incorporate your wedding bands into your march down the aisle, but just aren't feeling the traditional ring bearer pillow, I've got just the thing for you. Ring bowls are becoming one the season's hottest wedding ceremony accessories.

The bowls, which can be inscribed with the couples name and wedding date or pretty much anything else you desire, are perfect for the pair who want to add a modern and personalized twist to a traditional wedding custom.

And after its served its purpose for your wedding, the ring bowl makes for a great keepsake to display around your home or even to store your wedding bands in at night.

PalomasNest on ETSY (pictured here) has dozens of great options to choose from.

Ask A Planner: Keeping Uninvited Guests Off Your RSVP

Dear Fabulously Ever After,

I’m getting ready to send out invites for my summer wedding but have a small concern. I’m afraid that some invited guests will see the invitation and assume that their entire household is invited, instead of just the adults the invite was intended for. I have a fixed number of seats for the wedding and reception and want to make sure that only the invited guests RSVP for the event. Any tips?

Dear Bride-To-Be,

I’m so glad you asked this question because this is a frequent concern for brides and grooms. I’ve seen situations where five people RSVP to an invitation, when the invite was actually only intended for two. It’s also not unheard of for someone to add a “plus one” to their RSVP when only one was really invited in the first place.

Nothing is worse than having to inform someone who RSVP'd for your wedding that they actually weren’t invited after all. So, as you prepare your invites, keep the following points in mind to prevent this from happening:

The outer envelope for your invitation should make it very clear who the invitation is intended for and who is invited. So, for example, if you want to invite the whole Jones family, your invitation should be addressed to Mister and Misses Jones and Family. If only Mr. & Mrs. Jones are invited, the wording should simply say Mister and Misses Jones.

It is always polite to give single guests the option of bringing a date. So, if your friend Ashley Smith is welcome to bring the new guy she’s dating, the invitation should be addressed to Miss Ashley Smith and Guest. But, if only Ashley is invited because you want to use this opportunity to set her up with your fiancée’s handsome cousin, simply address the envelope to Miss Ashley Smith.

Regardless of the how the invitation envelope is addressed, you still may have some not so savvy wedding goers that think they can bring a date or their children. If you’re still concerned you can also use the RSVP card to reinforce who is invited. Consider the following layouts:

We have reserved___ seat(s) in your honor.

M__________________________________

__Accept with pleasure

__Decline with regret

OR

M__________________________________

____of _2_ accept with pleasure

These recommendations should have you covered. However, in the off chance that someone you invited still RSVPs for an uninvited guest, this is where your wedding planner comes in. Your planner will respectfully and kindly call your guest to inform them that while the bride and groom would love to celebrate their day with the entire Jones family, unfortunately only blank number of seats have been reserved for them.

Good luck!

Zoe'
Fabulously Ever After

Essence Bridal Bliss: An Olympian & An NFL Baller

I always love browsing through the Bridal Bliss section of the Essence website where they highlight the real weddings of lovely couples from around the country. This week they highlighted the February wedding of Olympic Gold Medal sprinter, Sanya Richards, to NY Giants cornerback, Aaron Ross. Check out some of the pictures below.

Real Simple Weddings

For those of you looking for a wedding publication with great planning tips and hints abound, head to your local bookstand and pick up the 2010 edition of Real Simple Weddings. The magazine is filled with valuable information to guide you through the wedding planning process. I have a copy on my coffee table, but still stood in The Grove's Barnes & Noble browsing through the pages and pages of images and planning tips for the umteenth time this weekend. A must read for all you soon-to-be brides!

Selecting Your Event Venue

*Source

So, you finally got the ring and now the planning can begin. What’s the first thing you need to do when planning a wedding or event, you wonder? After you decide what type of event you want to have, select and book your venue immediately.

Typically, a wedding and reception venue should be booked 12 months in advance. Locking in a contract with a venue early will ensure you have a variety of dates and times to choose from in your preferred event month. However, if your timeline is a bit more condensed, book your venue at least 9-10 months in advance.

There are a variety of tools out there to help you pick a venue that’s perfect for you. Wedding and event planners are great resources. All you have to do is give them some information about when you want to have your event and the type of setting you want to have your event in, and they’ll do all the leg work for you then come back to you with a handful of recommendations. If you decide to go about it on your own though, ask family and friends if they have any recommendations, turn to a search engine like Google, or take advantage of websites like Project Wedding or Wedding Wire that have listings and reviews of wedding and event venues in your desired area.

Once you have your short list of venues, arrange for site checks. Pictures can be very deceiving, so I always recommend that clients schedule at least an hour with the venues on-site catering or event manager to take a walk through of the location. This is your opportunity to ask any and all questions needed to narrow your list down to your top choice, including:

• What does the venue rental fee include?
• How long can the venue be used for that fee and what are the overage charges if the event exceeds that time period?
• What are the insurance requirements?
• Do you have to use the venues preferred vendors, or can you bring in your own outside vendors?
• What is the parking capacity at the venue and is parking included in the rental fee?
• What time can you access the venue on event day to begin setting up?

These are just a few examples of questions to ask, so make sure to bring something to write with, take copious notes and plenty of pictures to ensure you have all details needed to make your final selection.

Once you’ve made your final choice, review the rental contract carefully to ensure everything you discussed with the on-site manager is included within the agreement.

After you sign the contract, the on-site manager will be a vital part of your “wedding planning team,” so feel free to contact them regularly throughout the planning process to ask questions, make additional arrangements, schedule another walk through, etc. They are there to help you and you’re paying them a lot of money to do so. 

*Wedding Venue Image from La Venta Inn. Photo by Sean Azul Photography