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Read all about planning your fairytale wedding.

Planning a wedding can take months or even more than a year.

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10 Celebrity Wedding Planners You Wish You Could Hire

Wedding Planners (Stylists), the best of the best

Celebrity Wedding Planners

The wedding world stands on its own. New trends and concepts are always on the horizon. To stay in the know, gain some insight into how the top celebrity wedding planners work their magic!

1. Preston Bailey

Preston Bailey creates innovative experiences for his clients. Bailey is known for his floral masterpieces, which are nothing short of spectacular. His philosophy involves bringing the outside world to indoor space. At one wedding, he built a stunning floating butterfly centerpiece for the dessert table. Bailey also loves to integrate images of trees in his designs. During a ceremony, he used lighting & projection technology to depict trees on walls. Once the couple said their “I dos,” the trees lit up and blossomed.

Preston Bailey’s Pinterest Profile

2. Marcy Blum

Marcy Blum, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, is recognized as the foodie-wedding planner. She executes her plans with a bang, whether it’s a gondola ride in Aspen or a wheeled burrata cart served with an assortment of toppings, her events are memorable. When it comes to party favors, Blum suggests giving items guests will actually use. A favorite of Blum’s, bloody mary mix and coffee cake for post wedding breakfast.

Marcy Blum’s Pinterest Profile

3. Colin Cowie

Imagine a wedding designed to heighten your five senses. This is Colin Cowie’s famed method. He takes vision, sound, touch, taste, and smell through a unique experience. A Tuscan wedding under the sun, an enchanted themed wedding in the Midwest, and a romantic style wedding in an urban city are just a few of the events he has created. Cowie views weddings like a story. They have a start and finish with equally important pieces in between. The final chapter usually ends with a wow factor leaving guests wanting more.

Colin Cowie’s Pinterest Profile

4. Rebecca Gardner

Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, and New York, Rebecca Gardner is one of the top wedding planners in the world. She likes to add surprises here and there to keep guests engaged. Her style is traditional and inventive rather than flashy. Gardner’s talent lies in lighting design and uses candles to break up a classic look. She often tells the bride and groom to add their own individual touches to make it one of a kind.

Rebecca Gardner’s Pinterest Profile

5. Sarah Hayward

English celebrity planner, Sarah Hayward, works with the most elite and affluent citizens of the world. Since her clients have a generous budget, every aspect of the event is crème de la crème. Her weddings are tasteful and luxurious. After all, the Dutch and Duchess of Cambridge requested Hayward’s expertise for their royal wedding. Hayward’s book, Wedding Bible, gives us ordinary folks a peek at her lavish style as well as ideas for a small budget.

Sara Hayward’s Pinterest Profile

6. Kevin Lee

Remember the wedding coordinator, Frank Eggelhoffer, in Father of the Bride, who brought in swans to roam around the tulip bed for the big day? The character was actually inspired by the SoCal-based wedding designer, Kevin Lee. His love and passion for event planning shine through in his work. Lee’s portfolio consists of Drew Barrymore, Wolfgang Puck, and Liz Taylor. He has also thrown parties for both the Oscars and Emmys. Lee’s overall approach is traditional with his own imaginative twists. Lee has also been seen on several episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Kevin Lee Production’s Website

7. Yifat Oren

Wedding master, Yifat Oren, based in Los Angeles, is known for bringing ideas to life and the high quality of her work. Oren “breaks the rules” and embraces imperfections to give events a little spice. She is fond of an all white attire wedding, especially in the summer. Oren recommends hiring a lighting designer to create the perfect ambiance. Visually, her weddings exude elegance and charm. About half of her weddings are destination, which has led Oren to form strong working relationships around the world. She also helps the world by supporting a charity annually.

Yifat Oren & Associates’ Website

8. Mindy Weiss

Clients of Los Angeles wedding planner, Mindy Weiss, are drawn to her composure. She maintains cool and calm throughout the wedding process. Weiss can also make dreams come true. At one of her weddings, the bride and groom climbed a ladder to cut their oversized cake. She also arranged for an elephant to greet the guests at Nicole Richie’s wedding. Did I mention the Hydration IV trucks at Sophia Vergara’s wedding? Weiss ensures her client’s personality is well represented throughout the day.

Mindy Weiss’s Pinterest Profile

9. Sasha Souza

Wedding designer and trendsetter, Sasha Souza, raised in San Francisco Bay Area, has planned events around the world and numerous weddings in the Napa and Sonoma regions. Her experience as a stage manager has given her that extra leverage to execute events flawlessly. Souza incorporates fun and originality. One of her brides walked down the aisle with a gospel choir. She also likes the idea of additional space for guests to relax and hang out during the reception. Souza managed to transform a barn into a cozy lounge space for guests, a perfect place to take a dance break.

Sasha Souza’s Pinterest Profile

10. David Tutera

You may recognize David Tutera from his reality hit show, My Fair Wedding, now on its sixth season! In addition to his TV show, Tutera has a bridal line for Mon Cheri and a jewelry line at Sears. Talk about celebrity status! He appeared on Shannen Doherty’s show to assist with her wedding in Malibu. Tutera has a skill for introducing vintage pieces to a classic or modern style. He used antique birdcages for one event. Tutera will use flowers and petals to line serving platters, an inviting touch.

David Tutera’s Pinterest Profile

If you are in the process of planning a wedding or helping a friend or family member prepare for their big day, borrow a couple tips from the celebrity planners who helped revolutionize the wedding industry.

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2017 Wedding Trends For The Whimsical Bride

As the mass number of marriage proposals approaches, during the holiday season, it is time to start thinking about up and coming wedding trends for 2017.

What exactly makes a wedding trend? Current wedding trends are parts of a wedding that NOT EVERYONE is doing but rather a selective few – that will potentially catch on and be incorporated into every wedding.

Past wedding trends include mason jars, bride’s white gloves, 20’s wedding theme from the influential movie The Great Gatsby, and English influences from Princess Kate’s wedding and Downtown Abbey.

Here is a list of expected wedding trends of 2017. What will you incorporate into your wedding?

2017 Wedding Trends

2017 Wedding Trends

1. Family style, intimate dinner parties with long tables and lower arrangements. There will be less big round tables as the tables lack conversation across the wide diameter. Couples want to try and get guests talking and creating their own relationships with people they hardly know and become “part of the family”.

2. Modern Minimalist – Sophisticated, slim down, sleek & modern

modern minimalist wedding

3. Bright and whimsical

bright whimsical wedding

4. Two looks for the groom, or change up with different tie/jacket. If the bride changes into a cocktail dress for dancing, why can’t the groom change too? He could remove his tuxedo jacket and bow tie for a dress shirt and tie.

groom two looks

5. Suspended decor ie. Edison light bulbs, lanterns, and chandeliers.

suspended wedding decor

6. Regarding electronics – unplugged ceremony so that private moments stay sacred and plugged reception to group share your event.

unplugged wedding

7. Icebreaker guest games – popular childhood board games like Life, Clue, Monopoly, etc. give wedding guests the chance to get to know each other better.

wedding icebreakers

8. Image mapped rooms with 3D projectors. You can create a winter scene or accent images to match your theme.

3d wedding

9. Farm animals like horses that the couples grew up with – Partner with puppy or cat .org to bring in pets for happy hour.

farm animals wedding

10. Gifting lounge for guests where guests can assemble their own gift bags.

wedding gifting lounge

11. Food/Drink bars beyond cocktail bar – Eg. chi tea stand, or iced coffee bar with flavorings, spices and toppings.

wedding drink bar

12. 50 shades of blue – lots of different shades of blue incorporated into the wedding

wedding shades of blue

13. His/Hers jackets, Ie. home-made leather biker jackets, aviator jackets, or even personalized sports jackets of your favorite teams.

14. Colorful & pattern wedding dresses. Maybe not to this extreme but just bring in lots of color into the wedding dress.

colorful wedding dress

15. Groom has his own special entrance (on horse) or to own song. How great would it be if the groom walked down the aisle to the Star Wars Theme or Indiana Jones Theme?

16. Eco-chic favors and paper – plants as favors, food as favors like cookie recipes and so much more. It is bout offering favors that people can utilize and also helping the environment. Sending 100% recycled paper invitations set the tone too.

eco-chic favors

17. Translucent cakes – Minimal frosting so that it looks like snow – See lighly frosted wedding cakes on Pinteres.

18. Marbelized stationery

marbleized stationery

Thank you to Anja Winikka of The Knot, for supplying this great information at the Wedding MBA. Thought we would share the information with our readers as well.

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10 Bollywood Wedding Ideas For Your Dream Wedding

A wedding is meant to be a day worth remembering. It is meant to give others a glimpse of the commitment and love you have for your partner, which is probably the reason you are thinking of a Bollywood wedding. Bollywood weddings are lavish, beautiful, and appear to be taken out of a dream. The following are 10 unique ideas that may help you plan the perfect wedding.

Bollywood Wedding Ideas

10 Bollywood Wedding Ideas

1. A Southern Indian Traditional Wedding

Perhaps the most known type of Indian weddings is the Southern Indian traditional wedding. What you usually imagine is the bride dressed in a golden yellow Kanjeevaram saree that is simply divine, which makes one think of sunshine. The dress is adorned with Swarovski crystals and adorned with golden threads throughout. It is also traditional to add a Mangolorean-style saree, which is usually red or rust-colored. Of course, one of the most important aspects of a traditional Southern Indian traditional wedding is the heavy kunjan jewelry that should adorn your arms, waist, neck, and head. The bride’s dress should be represented in the wedding decorations. So consider red fabrics and golden accessories.

2. A Sikh-Like Wedding

The Sikh people use many decorations as well, but they usually focus on white or white-like colors, such as silver or platinum. The jewelry that adorns the bride should be made of these types of metals. The dress itself should be white with some blue or aqua threads. You might want to add these colors throughout the wedding as well. Be sure to consider traditional foods, like Bengali sweets, though the cuisine can be very inclusive if you want it to be.

3. Deccan Wedding for Budget Bliss

Perhaps one of the most economical types of weddings is a Deccan wedding, which means that the dress will stay traditional with just a few golden threads. There is no need for a lot of jewelry; you only need a few bracelets. You should remember that this type of wedding usually utilizes a lot of handmade decor. The dress, jewelry, and other decorations use vivid colors like oranges, yellows, purples, or reds; just try to keep everything handmade.

4. Mix It Up a Little

It is possible to blend your Bollywood love with something a little more traditional, too. You just need to know what pieces accentuate your wedding dress. Traditional wedding dresses are white or off-white, though some use pastel pinks or blues, too. One specific jewelry piece that works well with almost any dress is the traditional Kundan headpiece. This headpiece comes in a golden or silver color. It will make you look like a princess on your special day. Of course, you can also add some gold or silver arm bands as well if you are going to wear a sleeveless wedding dress.

The rest of the wedding location could use a few Bollywood touches, such as decorative rugs or more candles than you might have used otherwise.

5. Arabian Nights Wedding

Another popular Bollywood wedding idea is an Arabian Nights themed wedding. This is perhaps one of the most festive and interesting ideas that could make your wedding truly one-of-a-kind. One of the most important things to do is rent a tent for your wedding. The tent should be Moroccan-style and red to add to the atmosphere. You should do your best to decorate the tent with more rugs and small individual Moroccan seats or couches for your guests. The wedding dress should stand out, so consider white. Red would work as long as you use a lot of golden jewelry.

6. Center Stage Wedding Bliss

Some traditional Indian weddings highlight the couple in different ways. Perhaps you cannot rent an entire tent, but perhaps you can rent a small canopy that would either surround the areas where you are going to say your “I Do’s” or where you will be sitting down. The canopy should be dressed in sari fabric that should highlight or resemble the colors you are using for your wedding attire. There should be flowers and other decorations to make this canopy stand out.

7. Get Bold With Decorations

One special thing about Bollywood weddings is the colors are bolder than what you would expect with other types of weddings.. You should embrace this. Think of covering your walls with bold sari fabric; use colors like red, yellow, orange, or turquoise. You could also add golden accents around the walls. The tablecloths should also be bold. What you want to do is make the wedding seem as if it was filled with jewelry. Be sure to dim the lights as much as possible, and use candlelight instead, which really makes jewelry and colors stand out a lot more.

indian wedding henna

8. Skin Embellishing and Simplicity

Some Indians opt to keep their weddings simple. The point is to drape the wedding location with some pastel colors, such as yellows or pinks. The wedding dress is simple as well with just a few sari fabrics draping over the bride and a few jewelry pieces, but your skin is highlighted a little more. The idea is to have a skin decorator, or even a tattoo artist, draw some non-permanent skin embellishments. You want to use floral or royal decorations. It is traditional to use skin embellishments on the arms.

9. Try a Little Magic

You do not have to go Disney, but the bold colors that Bollywood uses can also lend itself to something a little more magical. You can try to use fog machines to add a little mystique to your wedding, though it is preferable to use natural oils to make the wedding smell a little more like India. This means using sandalwood, jasmine, saffron, or even kadamba. To make the wedding more magical, consider candles enclosed inside colored lamps. Of course, try to embellish your dress with a lot of golden jewelry as well as other precious stones, like turquoise or rubies. Keep in mind that this would work great with a Moroccan-style tent as well.

10. Get Wild With LED Lights

LED lights can make a Bollywood wedding look quite spectacular, especially if you dim the lights. You can use a Moroccan-style tent or just a canopy. What you want to do is use these lights to make the entire room feel like you are in India. India has always been represented by red hues as well as golden hues. LED lights can now be installed in a way that is discreet, and the colors can be as vibrant or dim as you want them to be. Installing these lights to flood the room with a color might make everyone feel as if they were transported to India for your special day.

There are lots of great ideas that might make your wedding truly special and give you that Bollywood touch that you can bring to life.

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10 Mouth-Watering Wedding Cake Recipes

Are you looking for the perfect DIY recipe for a stunning wedding cake? We’ve searched all over and are happy to bring to you the most delicious and moist recipes for that perfect day. Click the title link of each recipe for step-by-step directions. Enjoy!

Wedding Cake Recipes

Wedding Cake Recipe

10. The Best White Cake Recipe Ever

This recipe is simple, mouth-watering, and beautiful. It is perfect for small intimate weddings.

Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:

  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

9. The Passion Fruit Icebox Cake

Simple and full of flavor and texture, this small dessert will please all of your guests and your pocketbook as well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for coating pan
  • 6 large eggs
  • Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • Creme Fraiche Mousse
  • Passion Fruit Curd for Icebox Dessert
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  • 8 passion fruit

8. The White Almond Wedding Cake

This dessert is smooth and creamy with a hint of delicious almond. It’s a classy dessert, indeed!

Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • Domino Pure Cane Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package white dessert mix
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • C&H Sugar Pure, Granulated
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 4 egg whites

7. The White Almond Sour Cream Wedding Cake

Holy Moly! This beautiful and succulent dessert tastes so good. This is definitely a winner.

Ingredients:

  • 2(18 ounce) boxes white dessert mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 2/3 cups water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons real vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 8 large egg whites

6. The Simple Elegance Wedding Cake

What a modern and delicious dessert! It is an elegant and beautifully crafted dessert that will definitely impress.

Ingredients:

  • 5 x ingredients for Easy vanilla dessert
  • buttercream (see recipe details in link)
  • 5 x ingredients for Basic vanilla
  • 340g/12oz jar apricot jam, warmed and sieved
  • 340g/12oz jar strawberry jam, optional Try Tiptree Strawberry & Champagne)
  • 40cm thick round dessert board
  • 4kg white ready-to-roll icing (Try Regalice)
  • 15cm, 23cm and 30cm thin round dessert boards
  • a roll of baking parchment
  • cocktail sticks
  • palette knife
  • a flat baking sheet or dessert lifter
  • icing sugar, for rolling out
  • string, for measuring
  • 8 x long plastic dowels
  • tube of UHU glue, or similar
  • kitchen scissors
  • 3½ m x 1½ cm white satin ribbon

5. The Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Plums

My goodness, what a dream! These flame-kissed plums and peaches atop grill-marked pound dessert are the crème de la crème of desserts. The blending of the divine yogurt whipped cream is to die for!

Ingredients:

  • Four 1/2-inch-thick slices of Classic Pound Dessert
  • Melted unsalted butter
  • 3 halved and pitted peaches and plums
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • Zest and juice of 1/2 a lime

4. The Amaretto Cream Wedding Cake

One of the most beautiful desserts on this list, the Amaretto Cream wedding cake lends its apricot glaze and amaretto butter harmony right onto to the bride’s lips. If executed correctly, the architecture of this recipe is authentic buttercream art.

  • Apricot Glaze
  • 3 1/2 times the ingredients for Amaretto Cream Cake Batter
  • 2 1/2 times the ingredients for Buttercream Frosting, divided
  • 1 cup prepared fondant or gum paste
  • Lavender food coloring paste
  • Dragées (silver beads)
  • Luster Dust in Antique Silk
  • Roses (optional)

3. The Lemon Raspberry Wedding Cake

Ok, now this is delish! The Lemon Raspberry Wedding Cake. The perfect sweet and tart combination that we know and love? In a dessert? Yes!

Yield: 125 servings
Ingredients:

  • 3 batches fluffy white cake
  • 1 batch lemon curd
  • 9 cups (36 ounces) fresh raspberries or 3 (12-ounce) bags frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
  • 3 batches meringue butter-cream
  • Special equipment: one 12-inch, one 9-inch, and one 6-inch cardboard round

2. The Cake Boss White Velvet Wedding Cake

What a perfect private wedding cake. This recipe is exclusive and will have your guest raving about how good your wedding cake was!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Makes 7 1/2 cups batter, enough for two full 8″ rounds or one 9×13″ sheet.
  • 18.25 oz Pillsbury or Betty Crocker White or Vanilla dessert mix (this is approx. 1 box + 3/4 cup dessert mix)
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp dessert flour (NOT all-purpose flour)
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup melted butter (lightly salted)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract (optional)

Be sure to click the title link for more yummy details! Enjoy!

1. The Cake Boss’ Vanilla Cake

Featured on the Rachel Ray show, this dessert is the ” Big Kahuna” of DIY wedding cakes. Brides, grooms, and guest have listed this work of art as the dessert to have at your wedding.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (500 mL) sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (250 mL) milk
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) vegetable oil
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (11 mL) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla

For a step-by-step tutorial and video featuring the dessert boss himself, Buddy Valastro and Rachel Ray; be sure to click the link!

Each DIY recipe is easy to execute, classic, and incredibly tasteful, pun intended!

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Romantic Wedding Night Hotel Surprise

Imagine coming back to your room after your wedding to be greeted with a romantic setting for that special honeymoon night. The room could be turned into a beautiful setting for the Bride and Groom.

Romantic Wedding Night Hotel Surprise

There is no better way to start your honeymoon than with a romantic wedding night hotel surprise.

What makes it so special?

ROMANCE!

rose petals hotel room

rose petals champagne hotel

Imagine candles lit for the soft glowing ambiance, rose petals spread throughout the room, rose petals on the bed in the shape of a heart, your favorite beverage bedside and delicious chocolate covered strawberries for a late treat.

Favorite beverage? Most people automatically think of champagne. However, you could have other tasty beverages too.

  • Bottle of Champagne chilled on Ice
  • Craft Beer chilled on Ice
  • Yoo-hoo chilled on Ice
  • Wine
  • Hard liquor

Want to have the romantic mood in your honeymoon suite? Other romantic touches include the following:

  • Set of toasting flutes
  • Assorted chocolates and treats
  • Additional romantic candles
  • A dozen roses

hotel roses champangeWe have partnered with LV Wedding connection for such a package in the Las Vegas area. You will get all of the above with one special benefit… A romance specialist will meet you as you depart to your wedding and turn your room into a beautiful place to return to!

Additional items may be added at your request! Additional fees to apply.

The standard romance room package is $350.00. Use promo code “weddingmuseum” to receive the special lovey-dovey fee.

Call Joni at LV Wedding Connection today for a romantic wedding night hotel surprise at 702-236-8728.

hotel romance

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2017 Wedding Dates to Avoid for Sports Fans

Sports and Weddings Do Not Mix

2017 Wedding Dates to Avoid for Sports Fans
When planning the date of your big day, you have to take a million details into account. Is the venue you want to hold your wedding at available? How many members of your friends and family can make the date? One of the last things you want to have to worry about is all of the other potential events going on that day. Most of the time, major events take place hundreds of miles away and will have little to no effect on planning your wedding. However, there are some events that are so big, you simply do not have the luxury to ignore them when selecting from possible 2017 wedding dates.

As one of the major forms of entertainment in the country, various sporting events pose such an obstacle. Of course, not all events are equally big, nor will they affect each region equally. That is why we have assembled a list of the biggest sporting events in the United States slated to occur in 2017. When picking out the perfect date for your big day, be sure to mark these on your calendar, or you wedding day may just turn into a red letter day.

2017 NHL Winter Classic – 1/2/2017

This is an annual hockey event that will not necessarily lock up many dates, places, or people from attending your wedding. It is what is considered a “regular season” game. The primary difference is that this game is played outdoors, reminiscent of the old days—supposedly. Regardless, On January 2nd in St. Louis, Missouri, you would do well to have your wedding date scheduled for another day.

NCAA Football Championship 1/9/2017

It used to be that the winner of this event was chosen by insiders, aficionados of the sport. However, that was recently changed when a 4 game playoff was instated. Now, for the first time in NCAA Football Championship history, the game will be played in Tampa Bay, FL on January 9th. So make sure your wedding is not booked in SOFL on that date.

Pro Bowl 1/29/2017

The NFL All-Star game usually takes place in Honolulu, HI on January 29th. However, in an effort to expand its international appeal, the NFL has considered hosting the game in Brazil. Unfortunately, the league has not made a decision where to host the game yet. Houston has been mentioned as well, but the date is set.

2017 NHL All-Star Game 1/29/2017

Hockey’s All-Star game will not draw the kind of crowds or audience as some of the other sports’, but it will still make having or planning a wedding an absolute nightmare is you are trying to do so in Los Angeles, CA on January 29th. This is especially relevant if your ceremony or reception is to be held anywhere near the Staples Center.

Super Bowl 2/5/2017

This is the Mecca of sporting events. The Super Bowl is the most watched show of the year, every year. This means you will not only have to concern yourself on February 5th if your wedding is in Houston, because tens of millions of Americans will be tuning in. Do yourself a favor, and do not pick this day for your wedding—wherever you happen to be.

NBA All-Star Game 2/19/2017

While the Super Bowl may reign supreme for sports championships, the NBA All-Star steals the show for professional sports all-star games. With the three-point competition, the dunk contest, and the all-star game itself, it is not hard to see why. Held in Charlotte, NC on February 19, the event may leech guests away if they are big enough fans.

NASCAR Daytona 500 2/26/2017

Arguablly the biggest NASCAR race of the year will take place February 2017. If you are in the Daytona Beach, FL area that weekend, expect extended traffic times.

World Baseball Classic

Many countries represented with homegrown players. Exact locations and dates TBD. However, expect playing in March 2017. Check the official World Baseball Classic website for up-to-date information.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (March Madness) – Championship Game 4/3/2017

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, may take place over a three week stretch that begins on March 14th, but it culminates in Phoenix Arizona on April 3rd. However, depending on your region of the country and how well their college teams perform, numerous days may end up being blocked off. Unfortunately, other than the championship, this is a bit of a wait and see situation.

Masters Golf Tournament 4/6-9/2017

Held every year in Augusta, Georgia, this tournament occurs between April 6th-9th. This is the only major golf tournament in the United States, so if you live in or around Augusta, it might be a good day to avoid.

Boston Marathon 4/14/2017

Marathons always wreak havoc on a city’s infrastructure, especially traffic. Unless you want your drive from the church to be glacially paced, best to avoid April 17th. Moreover, considering one of the few successful terrorist attack after September 11th occurred at this race, better safe than sorry.

Kentucky Derby 5/6/2017

This is a 2-day race and kicks off the major horse racing championship series. Still, unless you happen to live near Louisville, KY, you are unlikely to be affected by it. Moreover, the races themselves rarely last more than 2 minutes.

Caribbean Cup 5/18-24/2017

While the venues are yet to be announced, this soccer tournament is likely to take place near the gulf coast. It is notable because the US is not actually a participating member of the soccer league, so hosting the tournament is something of a big deal. It runs from May 18th-24th, but should not cause too many issues.

Indianapolis 500 5/29/2017

This is the most famous Indy car race of the circuit held in the United States. It takes place in Speedway, IN over Memorial Weekend. While not quite as popular as Nascar, this race still draws a large crowd, and weddings in the state are advised to avoid Memorial Weekend as a date if possible.

NBA Finals June 2017

What we do know is that this tournament will take place sometime around early to mid-June. However, the specific dates are impossible to tell at this point, as are the locations which are determined by the teams in the tournament and how quickly they knock out their competition. However, those in Oakland might want to watch out…

Major League Baseball All-Star Game 7/11/2017

The only major event in July, on the 11th to be exact, will be held in Miami, FL to commemorate the Miami Marlins stadium which was built in 2012. This is the second major event in SOFL, and might be the third depending on the venues chosen for the Caribbean Games.

US Open 8/28/2017 – 9/11/2017

Held in New York, NY between August 28th to September 11th, this is the only major tennis tournament held in the United States and it regularly draws huge crowds and slews of celebrities. However, different days and matches will be more popular than others, so seeding and brackets will be important. Unfortunately, that means you will have to wait and see or avoid it altogether.

World Rowing Championships 9/24/2017 – 10/1/2017

Another SOFL event—maybe if you live in SOFL, you should leave the state to get married…just kidding—this tournament takes place between September 24th to October 1st.

World Beach Games 9/27/2017 – 10/9/2017

San Diego was unanimously approved by the international body the ANOC to host the inaugural World Beach Games between September 27th to October 9th.

New York City Marathon 11/5/2017

Again, this will likely cause delays with traffic and potentially mess up receptions at various hotels on November 5th, but it should otherwise not cause any serious issues.

World Series (End of Oct to beginning of November)

This is somewhat unpredictable as the specific dates depend on who is in the game and how long it takes them to get there. Moreover, the games are played at the competitors’ stadiums, so a specific location is unknowable as well. However, it is certain that the games take place in late October, so baseball fans might want to keep their calendar open.

Some of these events will cause bigger issues when picking out 2017 wedding dates than others, but you should be aware of all of them-especially if you live in on of the hosting cities. July and August, while a bit balmy depending on your part of the country, generally have the fewest big sporting event that may clash with the date of your big day.

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5 Tips for Creating the Seating Chart for Your Big Day!

5 tips for a seating plan

Creating the perfect seating chart for a wedding can prove to be stressful for lots of couples. You can never be entirely sure what personalities will mesh well together, and of course, you want everyone to have a good time! You may have already figured out that sitting your highly religious childhood friend next to the overbearing uncle who swears a lot isn’t the best bet, but who should be at which table, then?

The following are a few simple tips for planning your seating chart to make the process as painless as possible.

Where do YOU want to sit?

Deciding on where you and your brand new spouse want to sit is a great place to start. Do you want the wedding party to share your table, or would you prefer to sit with parents? Maybe you would be most comfortable with a sweetheart table for just the two of you. Making this decision first will inform your coming table arrangements as you’ll know who’s left to be planned for and who’s sitting with you.

Keep it Simple

Most guests will tell you that some kind of seating arrangement is preferred, otherwise, it can get awkward around meal time. That being said, there is no rule stating that you must assign specific seats to each guest. You can assign people to specific tables and let them choose where they’re most comfortable from there. Encourage people to mingle between tables after everyone’s eaten, that way everyone gets a chance to talk with guests they weren’t seated next to.

5 tips to creating a flawless seating plan

Ask for help!

Don’t feel like you have to do everything on your own! While you probably know most of the guests who are attending, there may be people who your mother, mother-in-law, or the best man have more insight on. Get their opinions if you’re not sure where to seat someone, or if you’re unclear on the history between different guests.

The day of your wedding, ask a couple of close friends to float between tables to make sure everyone is getting along and conversations are flowing nicely. You’ll feel better knowing that someone is attending to your guests’ socially, so you can focus on enjoying your evening!

Make it fun

Instead of numbering tables, why not think of unique names for each one? You could choose something personal to the two of you, like places you’ve traveled together or your favorite spots to visit in your city. This approach is a great conversation starter for guests who don’t know each other and is a lot more romantic than assigning people to numbers 1-12.

Be Flexible

We get that it can be frustrating to hear from your friend that she absolutely can’t sit next to Karen anymore because they’ve had a big fight, or to realize last minute that your cousin is separating from his wife so she’ll no longer be attending. When developing your seating chart, avoid finalizing anything until shortly before your big day.

You may also consider flagging a few people as being able to fit in at different tables. This will make it easier to know who you can easily move if necessary to keep seating balanced. This being said, don’t feel like you have to accommodate last minute requests to switch tables. As much as you want your guests to have an amazing time, you have enough stress without rearranging your entire chart the night before you get married!

Figuring out who should sit where can be challenging, but try your best to enjoy the process! After all, each of your guests is there to celebrate you and your fiancée so everyone already has that in common. Beyond that, who knows what great connections could be made!

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Wedding Sheet Music – Why Would You Need It?

What exactly is wedding sheet music? Why should you think about purchasing sheet music for your wedding? How could you incorporate sheet music into your wedding?

wedding sheet music

Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols to indicate the pitches (melodies) and rhythms of a song or musical piece. Typically sheet music is in paper format. However, you can download sheet music in digital format. Musicians can have their sheet music on their tablets, laptops and book readers.

Why is sheet music important at a wedding?

Are you planning to have musicians play a musical instrument at your wedding? Will you be having a pianist play during your ceremony for the processional, unity candle lighting or recessional? Will you be having special music played by a quartet, bagpipes, harpist or other musicians as guest arrive or depart from the ceremony venue to the reception?

I know what you are thinking. “I only hire professional musicians who have their own sheet music.” “My musicians told me they are very familiar with the songs to be played and they have the songs memorized.” All of that may be true. BUT, why not just have it there as a backup? Sheet music is not very expensive. Professional musicians know how to read sheet music too.

How can you have a sheet music themed wedding?

Here are a few ways you could incorporate sheet music into your wedding:

  • Put sheet music into a picture frame for naming your reception table. Each table would have its own song title.
  • Have the sheet music embossed on your wedding cake for an elegant, classic black and white theme.
  • Music themed wedding cake server and knife set.
  • Hand craft sheet music into centerpiece accessories like hearts or wrapping candle holders.
  • Frame sheet music with numbers for table numbers.

What to do with the sheet music after your big day?

After your wedding is over and it is time to reflect on the day’s events, think treasures. You can print your sheet music of your first dance songs to frame on the wall. You can also do the same for any special musician who performed at your wedding.

In conclusion, we have found the best place to find wedding sheet music is on MusicNotes.com. They have one of the largest libraries of sheet music online. In addition, MusicNotes has a handy list of popular sheet music for your wedding ceremony and reception.

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Tipping Your Wedding Vendors

Who Should You Tip and How Much?

A lot of couples might not be aware that while tips are never mandatory, they are customary for your wedding vendors as in any service industry. Below are a few helpful guidelines to tipping on your wedding day.

tipping wedding vendors

When to Tip: Who? How Much?

When you are dining out and receive amazing service, it is customary to tip your waiter or waitress well. The same concept applies to your wedding vendors, including the DJ or band, your wedding planner, the caterer, the bartenders, the florist, party bus/limo company chauffeurs, photographer and anyone else who went above and beyond to make every detail of your wedding a memorable one. You could show gratitude by giving a reasonable gift to the band along with an American Express gift certificate for an extra $100. For your wedding planner, a bottle of their favorite wine with a gift certificate to show your appreciation would be perfect. There are some vendors who you may tip the standard 15-20% gratuity and typically those are the bartenders, waiters and party bus/limo company chauffeurs. For a wedding ceremony officiant, you can also donate to the church for their services or if you hired someone to come out, a 15-20% tip is acceptable. These small tokens of gratitude go a long way.

tip wedding vendors

When Not to Tip

There are reasons not to tip, besides not receiving great service. Before your wedding day, when you choose to hire a certain band, caterer, photographer or party bus/limo company, you typically sign a contract. Review all the contracts you signed with each of your wedding vendors. In a lot of cases, tips are built into the total price. If you choose to tip above and beyond the built in gratuity, that is completely up to you. In the case that the wedding planner had to put out a number of fires on your wedding day but in their contract the gratuity was already built in, perhaps a small gift of appreciation would go further than a monetary one. The same goes for the caterer, photographer or the florist.

Another time that a tip is not necessary is when you are working directly with the owner of the business. If the vendor you chose to work with is also the owner like a photographer or DJ, you should not feel obligated to tip them. If you do choose to reward them for amazing service, that is completely up to you. A small gift or thank you note would also be completely acceptable.

When deciding to tip or not to tip your wedding vendors, keep in mind the above helpful hints. Assign the tipping tasks to a trusted person on the day of your event like the best man, your parents or your wedding planner. This will prevent you from personally walking around with envelopes and gifts on your wedding day. It is also worth noting that for wedding vendors like the caterer, wait staff, bartenders, bathroom or coat room attendants, you do not have to tip after the event. Some may choose to tip before the event and this usually encourages staff members to go above and beyond throughout your reception. Remember to reward great service that made your wedding day truly special!

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