Engagement Party

This past weekend, I hosted an engagement party for a couple who is getting married early next March. Here is a re-cap of the party planning process and information:

• The bride and groom wanted this to be a fun time. Couples and close friends were invited via Evite online invitations, approximately 3 weeks in advance.


• A special engagement cake was purchased, using the couple's planned wedding colors.


• Each person who came brought a food dish to share, and the party coordinators also brought sandwiches, drinks and deviled eggs.


• Drinks included a variety of pop, sparkling water with lemons and limes and coffee.


• One person was assigned the job of official party photographer. She took candid and posed photos at various times during the party.


• The party began at 2:00pm, and most left by 5:00.

Since this was a time for just close friends who cherish the couple to gather, and no games were needed. Plenty of networking and socializing happened naturally. It was a great time for the bride and groom to discuss their wedding plans and ideas with this intimate group of friends, many of whom will be volunteering time to help at the wedding.

Engagement parties are fun! They are meant for both men and women to attend, and usually couples will choose to invite their closest relationships.

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Featured Wedding Story

Hello Readers!

I'd like to tell you about an upcoming wedding's plans, so you can potentially get some ideas.

Wedding Theme - Rustic

Colors - Sailor Blue

Location - Farm, outdoors, evening

Flowers - Bride's professionally created bouquet will be deep red roses, with bridesmaid and reception tables featuring a variety of wildflowers. The wedding cake will also be adorned with flowers.

Features - Short, outdoor ceremony with reception on the same property. On-location, country-style dinner served to guests. Bride will wear a strapless, oyster-shell top gown and flip-flops. Professionally printed invitations. Rented glassware (to avoid wind-tipping outdoors) and chairs.

Hopefully this information will be helpful in your wedding planning process!

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Considering a Holiday Wedding?

Are you planning a wedding? Have you considered a date that's on or near a major holiday or 3-day weekend? There are some benefits, and also potential drawbacks to having a holiday wedding. Holidays and 3-day weekends can effect honeymoons, guest availability, wedding business/vendor schedules, and other less thought about aspects in either positive or negative ways.

Here are some basic things to consider:

• You'll need to give guests more advanced notice for holiday weddings
• Some vendors are busier near holidays, depending on the holiday and the vendor type. For example, florists are VERY busy around Memorial Day. Caterers and bakeries are swamped during Thanksgiving. DJ's are booked for New Year's Eve. Venues are rented for 4th of July celebrations, etc.
  Honeymoons, lodging and flights can potentially be more expensive during holiday weeks.
• Every year your anniversary will fall on or near a holiday (could be a + or --, depending on the holiday!)
• For traveling guests and honeymoon purposes, holidays give you extra days off from work
• Holidays offer fun wedding themes automatically, if desired
• Traffic can either be better or worse on holidays (depending on the holiday)
• Verify with vendors that they are indeed working that day if it's a major holiday, i.e. Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.
• Holidays and holiday weekends are just fun!

Does anyone have comments about their upcoming holiday wedding plans? Or comments from those who've had a wedding on or near a holiday? We'd love to hear from you...