Now What...?

He popped the question you said yes; you announced your engagement… So now what?

Many brides have been dreaming about their wedding day for years, they start collecting ideas of what the day would be like but now that you’re engaged you’re not sure where to begin.  Do I set a date first, or find a venue… Do I need a wedding planner or can my mother just help do it for me?

Here are the top ten things you need to do (after enjoying a couple of weeks of newly engaged bliss, of course): 

1. Tell everyone!  And invite your attendants.  This is an exciting time in your life and your friends and family will be thrilled to hear the good news. 
2. Let you parents have some fun too!  Some parents will want to throw an engagement party or send out announcements, so find out what your parents perspective is and let them have a little fun and excitement with it.  This can really help your parents feel involved and a part of the celebration.
3. Decide on a budget, and make sure it is a realistic one.  Not just about $25,000 or an idea of what you think your parents may pay.  Sit down with your fiancé and parents and have a real conversation about the wedding and how much everyone is willing to pay for it. 
4. Budget your money and leave 10% untouched.  This 10% will be for last minute purchases or items that are unexpected.  No matter how well you plan there will always be something that needs to be paid for and you don’t want to worry about money the day of your wedding so plan ahead and set this 10% aside. 
5. Discuss the 5 most important things about the wedding with your fiancée: Are the invitations important or the food, can you live without a videographer or do you really want a photo booth.  Knowing what is most important will help your decisions.  If you can go easy on flowers because you want to spend more on photography, you be able to spend your money where you want and get the wedding of your dreams. 
6. Think about your style and colors.  Look through magazines and websites and clip or pin things you like.  Knowing your style will really help when it is time to decide your décor.  
7. Setting a date:  Everyone seems to think this is the first step, but if you don’t have your heart set on a date, finding a venue first is the way to go.  That way you are flexible with the date and you might be able to get a better venue since you won’t be limited by the date you choose if it is already booked.  
8. Talk to a wedding planner... not your mom or aunt, or a second cousin’s friend (unless they really are wedding planners).  Even if you only use ‘day of services’ some coordinators will provide you with tools and insight regardless of what package you choose.  DeVassé Design sends every bride a customized checklist, budget and will set-up room blocks and rental orders for all clients even if they don’t utilize our ‘full service’ coordination.   
9. So now you have a venue, a date, and a wedding planner…. Have a little fun and take the girls with you wedding dress shopping.  Most wedding dresses need to be ordered at least 6 months in advance and it can take some time to find the perfect dress so start looking early and have fun with it.  
10. Vendors, Vendors, Vendors.... Start interviewing vendors and deciding which vendors match your style and budget. This is where a great wedding planner can really save time and money. Knowing what questions to ask and what to expect can really make the process far more enjoyable.

*Happy Planning   

  DeVassé Design

Neon and Weddings:

For the summer there are a lot of splashes of neon in fashion trends, but what about for weddings?   How can a fashion forward bride use this year’s hottest new trend but still maintain the class that she inherently wants to demonstrate? 

The key to this trend as most things are in life, is moderation.  While a neon wedding dress would clearly be overkill, a neon shoe may just be the cute splash of color that she is looking for.  Or, even your closest besties could help to accentuate this need for fashion forward flair.  Neon jewelry, keeping in mind that a little goes a long ways, or even a ribbon of neon on the bouquets may just be the right hint of modernism you are looking for. Adding a little touch can really make a dramatic difference.  The Grooms and groomsmen could even get in on the fun and use a neon pocket square or even a splash with the ribbon around their boutonnière.

Personalizing your wedding is part of the joy of the whole process.  Adding in a bit of modern flair marking the time period of your special day, adds to this joyous occasion!

June Weddings

When thinking of a June wedding, one normally imagines flowers in full bloom, airy sundresses, and stellar weather.  Naturally, this painted picture pops into many minds.  However, did you know there is much history from over the ages, and assorted beliefs that also support the evidence of the attraction to June weddings?  Below are several different factoids to enlighten and inspire the already illustrious June wedding:

~The goddess Juno, who was the reason the month of June was given its name, was the protector of women in all aspects of life, but especially in marriage and childbearing, so a wedding in Juno's month was considered prosperous.  Juno was also the Roman counterpart to Hera, the goddess of heath and home, and patron of wives.

~The idea of June weddings also comes from the Celtic calendar. On the Cross-Quarter Day of Beltane, or May Day, young couples would pair off to court for three months and then be wed on the next Cross-Quarter Day (Lammas Day, August 1). Youths being impatient, the waiting period was shortened to mid-June, and the popularity of June weddings resulted.

~For centuries the month of June has been the most popular choice for weddings.  The original reason might surprise you. During the 1400 -1500s, May was the month in which the "annual bath" occurred.  Just as it sounds, back then people were only able to bathe thoroughly once each year. Since the over-all population smelled relatively fresh in June, it was a good time to hold a special event like a wedding!

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did researching and writing it.  Happy June Wedding Planning!