A bridal shower is a fun way for a woman’s friends and family to celebrate her, prior to the wedding. As they “shower” her with gifts, they prepare her to start her own household. Historically, bridal showers started when women wanted to marry “unsuitable husbands” and thus their families refused to provide a dowry. Friends of the couple gathered to pitch in and make up for the lack of a dowry by helping them set up house. Today, they are a time to share stories, eat great food, and pay special attention to the bride.

 Typically, the maid of honor hosts the bridal shower, unless she is a member of the bride’s immediate family. (Many etiquette guides frown on a family member hosting, because it looks like she’s trying to get gifts for the bride. Often the mother of the bride and/or the bride’s sister will still be involved, just not technically be the host. Others realize that in this modern world, a relative is sometimes the only appropriate host.)

The shower should take place anywhere from 6 months before to the week of the wedding. If many guests are traveling from out of town, it may make sense to have it close to the wedding, so they can attend. Otherwise, it can be nice to have it four months or more before the wedding, so that it will add to anticipation, without adding to a bride’s last minute stress. (Some etiquette guides say to wait until after the wedding invitations have gone out, but I think it’s fine to do it earlier, as long as all shower invitees will definitely be invited to the wedding itself.) As for time of day, the traditional time is Sunday afternoon, but really any time day or night is fine.

It’s up to you, and your bridal party! While it’s often a very fun afternoon, some bride’s feel uncomfortable with the attention. Others may not want to ask their friends for more gifts. Make sure the bride wants a shower before starting to plan one.

Start off by asking the bride for a guest list! (If it’s a surprise, talk to her mother, or her fiancé). You’ll want to make sure that you’re not inviting anyone who won’t be invited to the wedding, and the only way to know that is to ask directly. Remember to invite close female relatives of both the bride and groom, as well as all the women in the wedding party and the bride’s close friends. While bridal showers are traditionally all women, today, many are co-ed affairs celebrating both the bride and groom.

You’ll find that most of the party will be spent eating, laughing, telling stories and opening presents. Food can be as simple as picnic staples and crudite to an elaborate spread with a theme related to the couple. As the bride open presents, have some nice music playing in the background. Make thank-you note writing easier by picking someone to write down the gifts and their giver. If you’re having the party at home, you may want to have some bridal shower games to keep the party moving.
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Double the color, double the fun! This spring and summer look for bright colors and bright color combinations to make a splash at weddings. Some innovative mixing and matching is going on and that means a whole lot of joyfulness in 2011!

Here’s a look at just some of the color combinations that have been called out to make a statement this coming year. There is even a triple combination slipped in!

Garnet + Tangerine The bold colors of garnet and tangerine bring a deep sense of culture to the forefront. Joined together, these stunning colors will carry into the fall wedding season with warmth and outstanding beauty.

Aqua + Chartreuse These two vibrant colors work together to generate some freshness and fun! They are bright and cheery, and they’re not just for destination weddings anymore!

Lavender + Cream + Chocolate Simple harmony comes from these three colors. When they are used together, they’re rich and creamy and so elegant you can almost taste it!

Lemon + Celadon When these pretty colors are combined they create a soft citrusy exhibit. Their yielding combination provides an uplifting sense of delight, and they’re oh so calming, too!

Blush + Mauve Paired together, these two beauties create a sense of pretty sophistication. These feminine colors are great on their own, but when they are combined, the gentle charm is truly a sweet treat to look at.

Fuchsia + Navy Bright and bold, these two colors seem to share with everyone that the festivities are about to begin! They are playful, charismatic and really stand out in a crowd.

No color combinations are set in stone, so have some fun and be creative when choosing the colors for your wedding. Create a colorful feel of fun, freshness, calmness, beauty … whatever YOU want; it’s your special day to have it your way!

With tomorrow being St. Patrick’s Day, you’d better start planning your GREEN outfit!  And, for a bit more fun, here are my favorite green invitations, favors and baby outfit.

CLICK HERE:  Martha Stewart Weddings Online Luxury Expo

March 12 + 13, 2011, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
(The LIVE Expo is over but you can still access all their great information and videos.) 

Everything you need to know to plan your wedding

Registration is free!

If you are planning a wedding for a bride who has a lot of out-of-town guests, you might be asked to create welcome bags for them.

Here are 7 things Martha Stewart Destination Weddings and Dream Honeymoons magazine lists that make up the perfect welcome bag and 4 things that I like to add:

Martha’s things-

1) Inexpensive box or bag
You and the bride might want to chose something colorful and reusable so guests can take it with them when they shop and sightsee.

2) Edibles
Try to find something locally made that guests can snack on in their hotel rooms.

3) Souvenir
A fun, inexpensive keepsake with the name of the city, like a magnet shaped like a cowboy boot if the wedding is in San Antonio,Texas.

4) Pampering product
Lip balm, sunscreen or a sleep mask.

5) Toy
A mini version of checkers, a paper airplane kit, just something fun for kids or adults.

6) Map or guide book
Provide a map or guidebook of the local area in case guests have time to explore. You may even be able to pick up some of these things free at your local tourist or visitors bureau or chamber of commerce.

7) Personalized item from the bride and groom
Have the bride and groom create a list or booklet of their favorite places to visit. Or, give guests a deck of playing cards or bottled water that has been personalized with the bride and groom’s names and wedding date.

Additional things I like to include:

1) Welcome note
A short note welcoming the guests to the area and thanking them for traveling to the wedding.

2) Itinerary and invitations
Let guests know the time and place of the rehearsal dinner along with directions on how to get there and any dress code the bride may want to specify. Also, in case guests have forgotten to bring their invitations, remind them of the time and place of the wedding. Include invitations to any events created especially for out-of-town guests and to the after-party and post-wedding brunch, if the couple are having them.

3) Stamped, picture postcard of the area
So guests can send a quick note to a friend or family member.

4) Contact information
Give guests a number to call in case they have questions or an emergency and need to reach someone in the wedding party. It could be your number, if you wish to take this on, or a family member who doesn’t have big responsibilities on the wedding day.

Anything special that you like to include in welcome bags? Please post a comment.

Check out this beautiful top selling item from the Blue album.   Create a layered invitation with this bright white card featuring the verse of your choice, tucked inside an elegant, pearl, shimmer pocket wrap tied with a white satin ribbon.

Invitation in Pocket: 7 3/4″ x 5 1/2″, Invitation Card: 7 1/4″ x 5 1/8″

Dress up party favors and more with personalized, peel-n-stick designer labels available in four fun designs.

Save The Date cards are most often used for destination weddings. These are designed to help your guests plan ahead. They are not necessary, but a welcomed convenience for your guests, and help you to achieve a better turnout. You may wish to send save the date cards if many of your guests will be traveling to your wedding, your wedding will be taking place on or around a holiday, you are having a destination wedding, or if your wedding will take place in a seasonally busy or tourist locale, requiring guests to book flights or hotels early.


When to Mail
When deciding to mail your Save The Dates, take the circumstances surrounding your event into consideration, as there are no hard-fast rules for this. 4-6 months prior is when most Save The Date cards are mailed, though a destination wedding may require they be sent out 9-12 months in advance.


Wording – What to Include
Because save the dates are not a part of your formal invitation set, you have more flexibility in terms of how much creativity you can exercise. Postcards, magnets and photo cards are all acceptable save the date form factors.


Information – What to Include
Typically Save The Date cards do not contain more information than a wedding date, your names, and location. However, you may also wish to include travel information if you are having a destination wedding where travel arrangements will be required.