Blog Post: Top 10 Wedding Guest Complaints and How to Avoid Them

Do you remember that time you went to a wedding expecting a full three course meal so you skipped lunch to fit into your dress and you got there and they were only serving light hors d'oeuvres? Or when you wore your new suede pumps to that wedding last August only to get there and find out that the ceremony is outside in the grass. As you sat there googling, “how to remove grass stains from suede” or digging in your purse praying that one of the M&Ms from the bag you bought yesterday dropped in the bottom of your bag you VOWED *see what I did there* that you would communicate better when it was your turn to get married. While you are making notes of all of the things you would do different, take a look at the top wedding guest complaints by BrideBox.

1. A difficult date: Everyone knows Christmas is your favorite holiday and a winter wonderland wedding with red and green accents would be the PERFECT backdrop for your special day. However, a wedding on Christmas Day or any other holiday could prove to be very difficult for your guests to attend. Travel plans for big holidays are often made months in advance, so if your heart is set on that date give your guests plenty of time to plan.

2. An uncomfortable climate: Having your wedding at noon outside in July was a great idea until the day of the wedding and it is 200 degrees outside. You don’t want your guests spending more time trying to redirect the sweat dripping from their forehead than paying attention to the ceremony. For moments where weather could affect your guests, get creative. Make your programs dual purpose by making them fans, or provide your guests a pashmina or blanket for chilly nights.

3. Disregarded dietary restrictions: As a new pescetarian this complaint is close to my heart. When selecting your menu, be sure to keep in mind those that have dietary restrictions. There is nothing worse than getting to a venue and the only options are chicken and steak with no vegetarian options. Be sure to ask if your guests have any special needs on the RSVP card so that they can be properly taken care at the reception.

For the full list of Top Wedding Guest Complaints, be sure to visit bridebox.com!

Source: http://www.bridebox.com/blog/top-wedding-guest-complaints/

#BrideToBride: Advice from a Planner's Perspective

Hey Bride!

So I know you were expecting advice from an actual Bride, and not see my single and sassy self on the front lol BUT this week I decided to do something a little different. Oh and by the way that isn’t my boo with me in the picture above, well not in real life that is lol but heeeeeeeeeeeey Jay Ellis *waves, winks* A girl can dream right lol.

I have been working for Favored by Yodit Events for about 10 months now and I have learned sooooo much. Not so much about married life, but about wedding day woes. As a planner/ coordinator you experience and see a lot of the background happenings at weddings that can be easily avoid. Check out my #BrideToBride Advice from a Planner's Perspective below.

1. Avoid your bridal party members pulling double duty as a vendor: I know your best friend/maid of honor is the only person in the world that can get your baby hairs to slick down just right, and your momma cooks mac and cheese so good it makes you want to slap HER momma. However, if they need to get ready as well as take care of another big task more than likely they are going to be late, which could in turn cause delays in the wedding. The best bet is to hire an outside vendor to do your hair, makeup, cater, etc so that everything can get the attention it needs and stay on track.

2. Don’t Skimp on the Photographer: I know Cousin Ray Ray has been taking all the pictures for the family reunions for years and he can pick a Instagram filter like its nobody’s business, but weddings are a different ballgame. A picture perfect moment happens in an instant, and when it’s gone it’s gone. You can’t redo the look on your groom’s face when he sees you walking down the aisle, or your first kiss as husband and wife, or grandma twerking on cousin Steve. A photographer that is accustomed to doing weddings, will capture the essence of your day. Don’t be afraid to ask for samples of their work and google wedding pictures that you like so that you can give them a clear vision of what you want and are expecting.

3. Plan ahead and Prepare in advance: Make a checklist of everything that needs to get done for the wedding ie Hair, nails, makeup, pick up candles, pick up dress, etc and complete as many as those tasks that you can in advance. The last thing you want to do is wake up the day of your wedding and have to worry about a manicure or stress about running to the dollar store to pick up tea candles. At the very latest, try and purchase décor items a month in advance. This may sound extreme but trust me it’s better to have those items sitting in the basement then scrambling at the last minute and stressing yourself out. Get your nails done and hair prepped the night before. It will make the morning of your big day a lot calmer.

4. Get on Pinterest: I am convinced sweet baby Jesus himself created this website. Everything you can think of can be found on this site. No matter if you are looking for decor ideas, wedding dresses, color palette inspiration or creative wedding shoots Pinterest has it! For my budget conscious brides, Pinterest has a lot of creative DIY (do-it-yourself) ideas that look amazing. So do yourself a favor and create an account. Thank me later.

5. Hire a planner or at the very least a day of coordinator: I’m not just saying this because I work for the greatest event planning company, Favored by Yodit Events. There are a million things that need to be done the day of your wedding and trust me YOU do not want to worry about any of them, nor do you want your maid of honor stalking all of your vendors to make sure they show up on time. It is your day so relax and let someone else stress about all the details. since you are already here, (inserts shameless plug *kanye shrug*) contact us for all of your wedding needs!

Congratulations on your engagement!!

Your Future Wedding planner *wink wink*,

Carol

#BrideToBride: Top 7 Things New Brides Should Know

I was asked to write a blog from the perspective of a wife to a new bride. In doing this, it allowed me to take a step back and evaluate my marriage in order to identify key principles that work for my husband and I. To my surprise, I found myself not accepting some of the items on my own list. Below are the top 7 things that work for The Greenups:

1. Keep God in your marriage

Bottom line: When God is not in your marriage it leaves room for the enemy to sneak in and create chaos. Pray for your spouse to be able to face day to day life. (An excellent book is “Power of a Praying Wife” by Stormie Omartian)

2. Happy wife…happy life

Often times I say this to my husband jokingly when I do not get my mind. However, I have found that I have to say this to myself because I do not take care of myself as I should. I have found that I get so caught up in being a good mom to my son and supportive wife to my husband that I forget to take for myself. What do I mean by taking care of myself? For example, I will make sure everyone in the house has eaten and forget to eat myself due to other items I need to get done for my home of my family. This often ends in me being sick or burnt out. When married, make sure you remind yourself to take of YOU! It is impossible to be a good wife if you are not healthy. This includes mind, body, and spirit.

3. He is who he is and will not change just because you say “I do”

Some women get so caught up in the mindset that “he will change once we are married.” WRONG! He is who he is. The same laid back demeanor and quiet disposition that my hubs has and the reason I fell for him is the same laid back demeanor and quiet disposition that works my last nerves at times. When this happens, I must take a step back and remind myself why I love this man and chose to marry him. As women we often get caught up in trying to mold and perfect things….eventually you have to let your man be who he is….flaws and all. The one thing men need to know is that you love him unconditionally with not only all his good…but with all his bad as well.

4. Forgive and let go

This point should be started off by saying “PICK YOUR BATTLES.” (I find that I am guilty of this at times.) If you find yourself always complaining about the socks he leaves in the middle of the floor, eventually he is going to get tired of hearing it….and you will be tired of saying it. Just save yourself the stress and kick the socks towards the dirty clothes hamper. Arguments should never be about right or wrong. It should be about what will encourage a healthier relationship. This is done by talking (not yelling) through issues and not only forgiving your spouse…but letting it go. By not letting go of an issue, they will fester over time and cause you to operate in your marriage as if you are in a war. Operating in your marriage as you would do in a war will cause you to look at your spouse as the enemy and not your partner. It is impossible to be happy and enjoy life when you are constantly in “defense mode.”

5. Men think differently from women

I am going on my fourth year of marriage and have been with my husband for eight years. So on top of thinking differently because he is a man, he is also left-handed!!! (My son is too and they look at me like I’m abnormal) This is one thing I struggle to understand! For instance, I have to allow him to things HIS way….no matter how much I disagree with his process of doing them. It is important to build your man up and not tear him down.

6. Men need sex AT LEAST 2-3 times a week

This means, do NOT hold sex as punishment for a disagreement or an argument. Unlike women, men NEED this release. I know…it sounds so simple. But after the wedding, when life goes back to normal and more items get added to your “To Do” list….do not forget your spouse. Date nights are a necessity.

7. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!

Marriage should be a fun, ongoing adventure. It’s easy to get so caught up in life that you forget that you married your best friend. The fun should not end because you both said “I do”.

- From one bride to another, Mrs. Greenup

#BrideToBride: Getting Married: The Ins and Outs

Getting Married: The Ins and Outs

By: Dyonndra R. Moore

So the love of your life finally decides to get down on one knee and propose. Now you’ve got the ring….the bliss begins…and then the excitement hits you. “I’M GETTING MARRIED!!” Until….the planning begins. What do I do now? Where do I begin? What kind of dress do I buy? How many bridesmaids shall I have? Where should I get married? Should I do a local wedding or should I do a destination wedding? All of these questions begin to bombard your mind at once and it seems as though you are beginning to have an internal battle with yourself.

As this may be true, the number one thing you want to remember is that your wedding day is just that: A DAY- or moreover, a few hours. Before you know it, it’s all a memory. Don’t sweat the small stuff for something that is going to last a few hours. Remember that the marriage is more important than the wedding. Take everything in as much as you can because it will go by so much quicker than you know and with the mix of emotions, family, and friends, you probably will not remember much of that one day you have stressed yourself out over for the last couple of months or for some the last year or so.

Some tips on making your wedding day as memorable as you can:

1. Make sure you have more than 1 photographer (if your budget allows) to capture every bit of your day from every angle possible.

2. Plan to have at least 1 videographer (2 if your budget allows) so that you can always have a live copy of your special day. Trust me; you will want this because your day will go by so quickly that you will look at your new spouse and say, “what happened on our wedding day?” It’s also something you can show to your friends and family who are unable to make your special day and furthermore, a great memory to have for your children and grandchildren.

3. Something is going to go wrong. Nothing will be perfect. Make sure you breathe and laugh at the small things. For example, on my wedding day, the power went out on the entire island of Oahu in Hawaii just an hour before my ceremony was to begin. Go figure! As long as you stay positive, everything will work out just fine.

4. Don’t be afraid to talk to others who have gone through the wedding planning jitters phase. You will learn so much from their experiences and will definitely feel more at ease once you learn you are not alone in this. You will see that every bride has gone through something. Nobody’s wedding planning experience is perfect – BELIEVE ME!

5. MOST IMPORTANTLY – Have fun!!! You’ve been planning this day forever- Reward yourself! You’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars, stressed out to the point of mental breakdown (or wait, maybe that was just me!), and you’ve run yourself all over the world and back to make this day as special as possible. Now sit back and enjoy it all! You deserve it! If you have to delegate tasks to your bridal party – do so. Use your wedding planner to your full advantage as well – that’s what you’re paying them for. Your wedding day is just that – YOUR wedding day! Have a blast and make it memorable.

My brides to be: Use all the tools you can to learn about how to make this day the best day possible. Research books, magazines, and especially blog sites such as this one. These blog sites will give the best ideas because you are able to get first hand advice from real brides who have been exactly where you are right now. Good luck and have a wonderful, blissful married life!

#BridetoBr​ide Blog Post Series

It's one of the happiest moments of your life. The love of your life has proposed to you and now you get to plan the wedding of your dreams. You are excited to pick out your wedding colors, find the perfect dress, choose your bridesmaids, etc but maybe you are a little overwhelmed by everything. It is nice to get advice from your friends and family, but sometimes you need advice from someone who doesn't know you and has an unbiased opinion. Favored will now feature a series called #BridetoBride. Advice from real brides to future brides. Check out our very first post from T. Bremby.

Dear Brides to Be,

Here are....Things I've learned about planning a wedding:

By T. Bremby

- THE WEDDING IS NOT FOR YOU... It's for your family and friends... The sooner you learn that the less stressed you'll be...

- ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR IN-LAWS... It helps set the tone you want for your new family... and I want two family to become one...

- DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF- at the end of the day the only thing that can really go wrong is if the groom or the bride doesn't show up...

- ENJOY EVERY MOMENT- God willing this will only happen once... make memories to tell your children in the process...

- BE APPRECIATIVE- people are spending time and money to be apart of your special day... no matter how big or small the gesture, make sure you show your gratitude for the people that are assisting you to make your day special.

So brides-to-be... Enjoy these last moments of this chapter in your life... bask in each moment... no matter how scary or under certain they may feel... Find comfort in your true friendships, and the positive marriages in your life... only gravitate to people who speak life into your future... and always refer to 1 Corinthians 13:4–8... " Love never fails."

 If you are a bride and would like to submit to our #BridetoBride series, email us at carol@favoredbyyodit.com!