Dec 30, 2010
With all the gifts given this Holiday Season, chances are a few were a shiny engagement ring. The Holidays and New Year’s Eve are the most popular times of the year to become engaged (well, right behind Valentine’s Day…).
Once you are engaged then what? Who and how do you tell the big news? We know you are probably wanting to tweet it to the world but here are a few more practical PC ways for spreading the exciting news!
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WHO TO TELL FIRST?
Parents:
Your parents should be the first to hear the big news! Traditionally the bride’s parents are told first (if the groom didn’t already ask dad for her hand in marriage beforehand – very traditional etiquette) and then the groom’s parents. If both parents live nearby then you could tell them at the same time if you choose and if not, just make sure they are both told within a close timeframe so there are no hurt feelings.
Children:
If you have children, then they should be the first to know. If the child is from a previous relationship it might take them a little while to get adjusted to the big change. If they are from your current relationship, you will want to have your child hear it from you first and not from someone else.
Close Relatives:
After you tell your parents you should tell your close relatives. These should be any siblings, grandparents, and other relatives you are particularly close to. A great time to share the big news with these family members can be over the holidays when many of these family members will be together (if they didn’t happen to be present during the proposal!).
Friends:
Finally you can share the news with your friends! This might be hard for many of you to keep from your best friends and closest confidants. If you absolutely cannot wait, you can slip it to a few BFFs but make sure they keep it a secret until you have time to tell your immediate family.
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HOW TO ANNOUNCE THE ENGAGEMENT?
Formal Announcement:
The most traditional way to announce your engagement is by mailing a formal announcement. Be careful who you send this announcement – everyone who is sent an engagement announcement should also be invited to the wedding. This can double as a save-the-date if you have already set your wedding date.
Newspaper Announcement:
Announce your engagement in the society section of your hometown newspaper. Chances are you might not live in the same location as when you grew up and this is a great way to let all the people back home know of the wonderful news.
At A Party:
By announcing your engagement at a party you can tell a lot of people at once. This party is not to be confused with your engagement party when all of your friends are invited to celebrate during your engagement. If you are engaged around the holidays then a holiday gathering is another great time to let your family know. Please make sure not to announce it at someone else’s event so they do not feel upstaged by your big news.
Postcard:
A more creative way to announce your engagement is to have an engagement photo shoot with your new fiancé. Take one of your favorite photos from the shoot and turn it into a post card. You can do this on virtually any online photo service or where you locally get your pictures developed. On the postcard you can add a quick announcement or a more elaborate quote about love, the engagement and, if known, a wedding date. These postcards are a fun and easy way to announce your news and are now more commonly doubling as a Save the Date!
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We raise our glasses to all the newly engaged couples as they begin this magical and exciting time of planning a wedding! Happy Engagement!
Dec 23, 2010
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With plenty of white snow glittering and dancing as it drifts down from the sky in Tahoe these days, we found inspiration everywhere for a sparkling winter wedding!
This winter white wedding inspiration board, fashioned by our fabulous intern Alex, creates a very luxurious and glamorous winter style. The all white affair is complimented with a few platinum accents. From layers of pearl beading to dangling crystal prisms to frosted ornaments, the key is in making the most of the minute details.
A winter wedding in the mountains would not be complete without a white cashmere bridal hoodie to wear and a few gorgeous outdoor pictures of the couple playing in the fresh snow. Of course in Tahoe a ski lift photo shoot is a must!
We wish you and yours a very merry Holiday Season!
Photos Courtesy of:
Top row: Jim Hjelm, Style Me Pretty and Tiki Lounge
Second Row: The Knot, Tastefully Entertaining and Zinke Designs
Third Row: Tastefully Entertaining, The Knot and Tidy Flowers
Bottom Row: Blavish, Elizabeth Anne Designs and Rock n Roll Bride
Nov 30, 2010 |
Rustic Chic, Organic Posh, Natural Elegance, Outdoor Inspiration or whatever you like to call it, this is a popular wedding style found in Lake Tahoe as well as many scenic wedding locations.
With our experience in maximizing the aesthetic beauty of the Tahoe environment, Destination I Do Magazine turned to us for some professional tips in mastering this beautiful detail in destination weddings.
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They featured several different wedding looks in their Winter 2011 issue just launched today and Merrily Wed provided the know-how for the Rustic Chic style!
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Nov 19, 2010
The big question has been asked and now who will stand up by your side on your wedding day? Brides and grooms have started coming up with creative ways to ask their friends and family to be in their wedding party. There are unique ways to ask whether you are the artsy type or not. Below are some fabulous ideas to ask your bridesmaids and your groomsmen to partake in the fun and festivities that come along with being a member of the wedding party!
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IDEAS FOR THE GALS
Bridesmaid Survival Kit:
We all know that being a bridesmaid can be hectic. Why not create a bridesmaid “survival kit” for your gals? Include items that the bridesmaid will need as well as some other tongue-in-cheek items. Some items that we thought would fit in perfectly are: measuring tape, chart for dress measurements, Zanex for the bride, compact mirror, ear plugs (for long winded speeches), a picture of the bridesmaid’s dresses, etc. You can get really fun with this one! If you have not found your bridesmaids’ dresses yet you can play a joke on them by including a picture of a really ugly dress in the kit. Let’s see how long it takes them to crack! Don’t forget to add a sweet note asking them to be your bridesmaid too…
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Courtesy of: Style Me Pretty
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Scrapbooks:
If you are the more creative type and have some time to spare, you can design scrapbooks for all of your bridesmaids. These can be small books that have pages with photos of you and your bridesmaid, maybe a recap of an earlier time or when you first met as well as any momento that you might just have on hand that is special to the two of you. Each will differ, but that is what makes them – your bridesmaid and the book – so special! If you are not the artsy type there are websites that you can create the pages on and then have them printed and bound. Don’t forget to add a card (or sneak a page in) to ask her to be a part of your bridal party.
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IDEAS FOR THE GUYS
We all know that MOST guys don’t like to express their feelings as much as gals do, especially to other guys. Here are a few great ideas for grooms that don’t want to be too ‘soft’ but want to ask their groomsmen in a special way.
Personalized Bottles:
For a sneaky way to ask your groomsmen to be a part of your wedding, photoshop the label of your favorite beer to include the word groomsmen. Invite the guys over for the game or night out, and give them all the beers with the new groomsmen labels on them. Let’s see how long it takes them to figure out that the label has been changed! The label below was made from a Guinness label but any label will work.
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Courtesy of: Wedding Chicks
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Beer Mugs:
Another fun way to ask your groomsmen is by personalizing beer mugs , flasks or shot glasses engraved with their name and the word groomsman or best man. Not only is it a cool gift that most guys will enjoy (before, during and after the wedding…) but these items make great memorable photo props. Don’t forget to get one for the groom too!
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IDEAS FOR THE WHOLE WEDDING PARTY
Wine Bottles:
If you don’t want to make something for your wedding party here is a fabulous solution. We have found two bottles of wine, one is called Bridesmaid Red and the other is “Best Man” Pinot. Bridesmaid Red is created by three Napa winemakers: Josh Peeples, Drew Neiman, and Pam Starr. The three wine makers collaborated by blending their excess barrels. It is a fantastic ‘marriage’ of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a little Syrah. This wine is a crowd pleaser and a great way to ask all of your bridesmaids.
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Courtesy of: K&L wines
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If you are looking for a way to ask your Best Man to be apart of your special day, Truckee River Winery has created a wine called “Best Man” Pinot. The Best Man Pinot Noir started as an experiment with fruit, now it has become a favorite for many. Only 80 cases of this wine have been made so if you are interested in get this for your Best Man (or all your Best Men) then act fast!
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Courtesy of: Truckee River Winery
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Doing an Activity: Tempt your potential wedding party by asking them to join you in an activity that you like to do together – shouldn’t be too hard! While together, hand out cards, notes, make a huge sign or even just ask them to be a part of your wedding party. As long as it is a shared hobby or sport, that is all that matters!
Coming up with a creative, unique way to ask your wedding party can be a lot of fun but can also be challenging. Hopefully some of these ideas will inspire you!
Aug 13, 2010 |
A few months ago World Wide Learn, a vast online resource for education and online programs, contacted me about doing an interview regarding how I had achieved my current success with wedding design and planning. I was thrilled to chat with them about my education, my industry experience and my overall love for my job. Even more importantly, they were curious how I handled running a thriving business while being a mom…
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Catherine Hall Studios
Check out the newly posted article:
“From Education to Merrily Wed, One Business Woman’s Success Story”
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