FUN. FREE. PLAYFUL. Ah, the many moods of blue… The lighter the blue, the lighter the mood. This shade of blue gives us that wedding by the sea feeling… one of openness and adventure! The shade of yellow {particularly the golden yellow in the boutonniere} offers a stunning contrast and burst of energy.  It’s warm and spirited all at the same time.

White accents keep it clean and fresh.

Other Accent Ideas…

Replace Clean and Fresh with Artsy and Organic

Chartreuse is a gorgeous and unique color and would harmonize beautifully with the yellow.

I’d say… Daring. Downright audacious, even.

Change the Mood with Blue

Since blue is so moody… replace your white accents with a deeper shade of blue to add an interesting layer of intensity to your palette. hmmm.

So, what do you think?

Turtle Tea-length wedding invitation from MagnetStreet Weddings cake, candy buffet, BMs: images via the Knot

Wedding Planning is always easier when you are organized!

generally…

8-12+ months

• If possible, get together with parents to celebrate engagement.
• Choose wedding date. May have to be flexible with date based on holidays, vacations…
• Engagement photos taken and announcement out
• Ponder and possibly choose wedding style and colors
• Get together with those involved and decide on wedding budget
• Consider purchasing wedding insurance
• Book venue sites and officiant
• Consider guest list
• Ask wedding party
• Send Save the Dates {6-12 months}
• Gown shopping and ordering
• Hire a planner
• Research and hopefully book vendors {photog, videog, caterer…}
• Set up your wedding website
• Visit potential DJ/band in action
• Look into pre-marital counseling requirements

6-8 months

• Research wedding invitations
• Shop for and order bridesmaid dresses
• Book Florist, Musician and Cake designer
• Plan honeymoon
• Decide groom’s attire
• Register for gifts
• Start exercise program

4-6 months

• Reserve rental equipment
• Decide on your hairstyle
• Order wedding invitations
• Plan rehearsal and book rehearsal dinner
• Settle on a cake
• Begin compiling play lists

3 Months

• Decide on Favors
• Plan ceremony and reception time lines
• Write vows and plan readings
• Order formal-wear
• Experiment with veil and hair
• Buy wedding rings
• Send time lines to vendors

2 Months

• Mail invitations
• Book spa, beauty treatments
• Book transportation to and from ceremony
• Contact vendors with special needs and desires

1 Month

• Apply for marriage license
• Call vendors and reconfirm times and places
• Make sure all fittings are in order
• Confirm honeymoon dates and times
• Final haircut and color
• Confirm spa appointments
• Send rehearsal dinner invites

2 weeks

• Make sure photog and DJ have picture and play lists
• Last chance for haircut and color
• Final count to caterer
• Prepare to-do lists and delegate
  • Decide who’s responsible for the gift table
  • Decide who will return tux and misc. rental items the next day

1 Week

• Look at wedding clothes and make sure you have everything
• Break in your wedding shoes
• Pack for your honeymoon
• Prepare final payment envelopes for vendors

One Day Before Wedding

• Give ceremony/reception time lines to wedding party
• Hand out gifts at rehearsal dinner
• Get to bed at a decent hour

Day of Wedding

• Eat a healthy breakfast
• ENJOY YOURSELF

After Honeymoon

• Send Thank You cards
• Choose photos/albums
• ENJOY the rest of your lives together!

Can you think of something else that should make this checklist? Please share!

Grab this adorable countdown widget or choose from another countdown plus, FREE tools and wallpapers to choose from too!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo Heidi

I have officially become a “Fearless Bride” fan. Why? Because of the sheer beauty and liberation of it… Thanks to couture wedding and portrait photographer Mark Parker for this amazing “fearless bride” sideshow.

via Mark “The term “fearless” came from the ability of the bride to have romantic and creative portraits without being “fearful” that something may stain the dress. Admittedly some brides are more fearless than others.

trash the dress vs. Fearless Bride I’ve never really liked the term “trash the dress” because it seems a little disrespectful. Destroying a beautiful dress (just for the sake of destroying a dress) just doesn’t seem right. But being able to capture the beauty of a bride without fear damaging the dress is liberating for a photographer.

Mark’s Brides… My brides see the sessions as a way to memorialize the dress and be able to enjoy it every day through creative photos. Most brides only enjoy their dresses about once a year when they remove the boxed dress from the closet during spring cleaning.

About this Fearless Bride Katheryn and I hit it off like no client I’ve had before. After Katheryn and I met, we spent quite a bit of time just getting to know each other. I remember that we visited the winery where she was married months before the wedding. We shot her engagement photos at the winery and I had opportunity to meet Zach for the first time. By the time the wedding rolled around we were true friends.

Needless to say, the wedding went off without a hitch and was absolutely beautiful.

To me, one of the most beautiful images I can visualize is a bride on horseback. But that’s not something you can do BEFORE the wedding because horses are dirty. Katheryn and I talked about doing a session and I told her that we would only take the session as far as she wanted. I felt like we could capture some stunning images without totally destroying her dress. We agreed not to set any limits ahead of time and just see how “fearless” she was on the day of the shoot. We planned our shoot at Tannehill State Park in the late afternoon. Katheryn was my truly fearless bride!

Thanks so much Mark! Be sure to check out more of Mark’s work at www.MarksBrides.com

Here’s a part of his bio that floors me...You see, I never want to forget what it feels like to experience young love.  Being a part of weddings nearly every week revitalizes that feeling and feeds my soul. Who wouldn’t, if given a chance, capture the moment in time when they are most happy  and freeze that moment so that it can be relived over and over for the rest of their lives. That’s what I do for my clients. That’s what I do for me.

Have you thought about a lounge area… outside the reception area?

…for your older guests who might need a break from the noise of the party to those guests that simply want to catch up and quietly socialize with family and friends. How thoughtful it would be to have a comfy spot for them to sit, relax and visit.

Of course, it would be fabulous if the venue already has a lounge area~ only needing a few touches of personalization from you.

but if it doesn’t… Create your own!

Even if you have to create a lounge area within the reception area… simply make sure it’s as far away from the music as possible.

a comfy little getaway on the terrace

so clever and cheap… overstuffed pillows to soften the bench steps.

beach lounge via Stephanie Williams Photography

and if push comes to shove… you can always rent furniture like this modular bench.

Do you have plans for a lounge area? Do share!

top four images link to the Knot, modular bench image