Hiring a wedding planner

If you’ve been engaged for a few weeks, you’ve certainly noticed that planning a wedding is such an animal of an event! It’s important for your day to go smoothly and flawlessly. Wedding guests tend to remember when things go badly! They’re pleased when they have an amazing experience at a wedding, and usually kind of disappointed if it doesn’t meet their expectations. No pressure, right!? Hiring a wedding planner can easily take away some stress. Planners also have the expertise of knowing many details that you may not even have thought about. Marrily can be used to help you and your planner coordinate information, vendors, and guest lists. For the clueless bride who may not know anything about the industry upon getting engaged, a wedding planner and a subscription to Marrily will probably be well worth the investment!

Hopefully you will interview several wedding planners. Ask them if they’re familiar with Marrily. Let them know that this is a wonderful tool for communication. It’s even readily available on an iPhone (and soon, other smart phones!) You’re going to want to find a professional who you believe can take charge, be pleasant to work with, and relieve some stress so you can enjoy you day! Some wedding planners have different levels of service, which is great because you may not need a full service planner. Full service planners handle everything and they are also extremely expensive, sometimes even upwards of ten thousand dollars! You may be looking for a day of coordinator or maybe you have an idea of what vendors you’d like to use, but you’re clueless about the logistics. A mix between full service and day of coordinating could be a great way to keep your mind and your wallet happy!

A full service planner will most likely book all of your vendors based on your style as a couple and based on your budget. They may take charge of your projects, your contracts, and your vendors. They may research vendors for you and come back to you with two options for you to select from. Most full service planners will alleviate a ton of stress from the bride who may not be very involved. Perhaps she’s too busy with her career or even just not very interested! That’s OK!

For the bride who may need a little guidance from a planner, but who has her own ideas and vision, a customized package may be something to look for in a planner. This is the route that I took. My planner gave me time lines, worked on my budget, and gave me vendor options. Some vendors I found myself (like my photographer) but my planner was able to help with negotiating packages and also took some stress off my back because she had great experiences with said vendors. Because she had worked with my florist, DJ, and my rental company prior to my own wedding, I trusted things would go smoothly. She definitely helped with that! We met monthly and she was available for questions all the time. We had questions constantly, especially when it came to etiquette and details. She handled the entire day of coordination, including the rehearsal so everything ran smoothly. My family and I took care of DIY projects, the guest list managing, and several other things that are involved. I planned out the vision and details, but my planner and my florist were in charge of making it happen on the big day. The time lines, guest lists, and budget frustrated me, but my mom was amazingly helpful in picking up where I was unsure. My planner gave us many pointers.

For the bride who may have bridesmaids or family members who have recently planned a wedding, or the savvy bride who wants to take on figuring out everything herself through researching books and blogs, a day of coordinator may be just the ticket. Be prepared to take on the planning as you would take on a part time job! Leading up to the big day can be handled by a bride and her family or bridesmaids, but trust me, on the day of your wedding, you should relax. It’s going to be a long day and it should be best enjoyed with your bridesmaids, getting ready and celebrating, rather than tying 100 ribbons to wands or setting up tables. A day of coordinator will work with you several weeks before the wedding day to get your vendor information. From there, your coordinator will contact all of your vendors and they will probably create a day of timeline so everyone is in union for the set up of your event. She’ll hopefully give you a packing list and give you a distribution list for your wedding party to ensure everyone is on time and in the place where they need to be! During the actual wedding, they’ll direct seating, musicians will know what to do, and the photographer will know when to be where.

Once you get to the reception, the DJ will know when to play what and guests will follow suit for dancing, dining, the cake cutting, and anything else you’ll specify. Your day of coordinator will take care of getting your event set up as well. There is so much that goes into making your space beautiful and sometimes your venue or florist will provide some assistance with this, but for the finishing details and the pom poms or the signs and the extras, this is where your coordinator and their staff may come in. This is definitely something to ask prior to hiring a day of coordinator. They may not work on the decor. They may just be focused on the logistics. I ran into this issue when I got married. I was expecting some amazing “DIY” projects to be up and decorated and they weren’t there. Had I known, I would have happily made them prior to give to my florist, but he didn’t deliver the way we communicated. I was slightly bummed, but I got over it. My florist ran out of time and my wedding planner was dealing with logistics. The food was amazing, the music was perfect, and everyone had a blast. As far as timing goes, we were all on time and the flow of the event was wonderful. No one but me noticed that those silly ribbons were not correct! It certainly didn’t take away from the happiness of the day!

This is where an event stylist could have saved the day! Event stylists take floral arranging, DIY’s, and decor to a whole new level in your wedding. They’ll actually DO all those cute projects for you or with you and they’ll work with your coordinator and florist on the big day to set up to make things special. Most likely, you’ll work with your stylist early on so you can get everything matched up from your invitations, to your linens, to your floral arrangements, and to all your projects. This area makes me giddy because styling is so interesting to me, as you can mix fabrics, prints, and colors in so many ways to make your wedding different and unique! This is also where many personal touches may come into play, so your personality comes through. If styling is your thing, you will probably love making boards like I did in the three photos above! All the images were found through Style Me Pretty and various wedding blogs. I took these to all my vendors to help communicate!

You may take on the role of being your own event stylist (I like to think that that was my role in my planning process, with the help of my family!), but just make sure you cover your bases. Give yourself plenty of time to accomplish the projects and know where you can run if you run out of time. Etsy is an awesome source to buy some of the different things you may want to use. Start early! It helps with costs and with time. Did you know that you can account for all these little costs on your Marrily budget planner? Yep! Just keep in mind that things add up!

Marrily Happily!

Megan

Hope and I are giving insight here over each step of the planning process timeline. Feel free to leave us your questions. Are you hiring a planner?

Once you’re Engaged

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For most newly engaged couples, announcing thier engagement can be so exciting!  In my own experience, we called our parents quickly after it happened. Since we were hours away from home, a phone call made sense. It was great to hear the excitement with everyone over the phone and we had no plans to see anyone in person once we returned from our trip. Steven and I then called the rest of our family and friends during the trip back to North Carolina from Charleston and it made the drive so exciting! We had just gotten engaged on Battery Park moments before we were leaving our vacation. The dreaded ride back to reality was suddenly thrilling because I had a new reality waiting for me as a Bride To Be!

I wanted to make sure I told my friends over the phone before anyone could find out through social media. Just to be sure, we held off announcing it online for a few days which was the best decision for us.

Whether you use the phone or you share your news in person, there are some fun ways to incorporate making your news special! One fun way to announce your news would be through sending a photograph, too. Perhaps your guy has planned to pop the question in front of your family, or even has them waiting somewhere so you can share the news at one time in person. Maybe he even coordinated having a photographer on site! It would be fun to announce your exciting news by texting the photo to your friends since we’re in such a tech savvy world today. Or you could call first, then text the photograph! Once you get the word out, celebrations usually ensue, which is really exciting!

Another clever idea is to have a video announcement, after the fact. My creative friend, Emily did just that!

The best advice I could give newly engaged gals would be to soak up the excitement and enjoy the precious moments before the chaotic plans begin! Enjoy the celebrations and savor the big idea of getting married before diving into planning. It’s by far one of the best feelings, so you’ll want to hold on to that feeling and let that carry you over the next several months leading up to the big day.

One of the first things that you may do once you’re engaged is set up a time and place for your family to meet your finace’s family, if they have not met yet. It’s normal for this to be slightly awkward and nerveracking, but it will most likely go smoothly and hopefully both families are welcoming and accomodating. It’s important for the two families to meet before the wedding plans begin. It gives you and your fiance to have the opportunity to talk to them about who may be paying for what and also for you all to set any expectations about the wedding and even your marriage. It’s good to discuss where you and your fiance stand on a few of these items prior to everyone meeting so you two are on the same page. If these topics come up, you’re prepared, and if not, that’s ok, too! Maybe it will be a fun and laid back kind of meeting.

Sometimes it may not be feasible for everyone to meet if location is an issue, so waiting until the wedding festivities may be in the cards. If so, be sure to introduce each other and make an effort to indulge in conversing with both families together. While families may not always agree on everything, they’re usually willing to put aside differences for your special time.

Do any brides out there have any funny stories of the families meeting? We’d love for you to share!

xo,

Megan

Nice to meet you!

Hello Marrily brides!

So, Hope and I are taking this week to fill y’all in a little about US! We’re the voices behind this blog and we are excited to help our fellow brides out there. I’m Megan, from North Carolina. I graduated from an all women’s college a couple of years ago with a business degree, but I love all things pretty. I’m obsessed with inspirational images, interior design, florals, accessories, and gorgeous weddings. I happily married my husband a year ago (4/9/11!) and we enjoy traveling and spending time with our families and friends. We live smack dab in the middle of NC, so we find ourselves to be really lucky to have the mountains and the beach easily accessible. With that said, we’re both from small towns, however we love living close to a big city. Southern hospitality  goes a long way around here.

As far as style goes, I consider myself to be a splendid mix of classic and preppy with a trendy twist. I adore lots of color, fun prints, and stripes. Ruffles, bows, and leopard are my friends. I’ll put a monogram on almost anything that isn’t anchored to the ground and I feel like adorable shoes and fun earrings can sprouce up any classic look! I believe in the color pink and if my time & wallet allowed it each week, I’d have a fabulous manicure! I can’t live without my iPhone, ballet flats, pashminas, and Starbucks (soy lattes).

Steven and I met in April of 2009. Having mutual friends to put us in touch with one another, we fiddled around with G-Chat and texting until I finally told him that I needed to know if he was planning to ask me out or not! (I’m not the most patient person.)  So we finally met for trivia at a local sports bar and we kind of hit it off. I tend to talk alot and he is pretty reserved, so I wasn’t sure how to read him! Yet, he was awfully cute. He also had amazing manners and he was quite the southern gentleman. Cut to an awkward situation of parting ways and saying “goodnight” (I was bummed that he didn’t attempt to kiss me!) to then getting stuck in the parking garage because the gate broke, we actually ended up having our first kiss. From there on out we were pretty much inseparable and we got engaged just over a year later at Battery Park in Charleston, SC. It was my parent’s 24th wedding anniversary. We immediately started planning the wedding and on April 9th, 2011 Steven made all my dreams come true as I took his hand.

When it came to our wedding, Steven and I tried to focus on making our family and friends feel welcome. We wanted to make sure they had a great time and that they were able to eat some “slap ya momma” good Southern food while they boogied the night away! We had an low-to-average sized budget (15,000-25,000) and we stuck to it (it was not easy!). We splurged on our photography and we found venues that felt perfect for us. Through the next couple of weeks, I’ll get to share with you ladies more insight to my own planning experience and what my advice would be, having gone through planning such a soiree! It was not always a picnic! We surely had some ups and downs and everything in between. I learned much about patience, grace, the clashing of personalities, and how to react to aversions as respectable bride and not a bridezilla! There were doubts and there was frustration! And yet, there were little moments that overshadowed any hint of doubt because my fiance was there for me.

Our wedding was authentic, southern, and welcoming. By no means was it perfect (some decor details were not what I had expected and I had some wardrobe malfunctions, naturally), but those minor details faded away every time I thought about our vows and about the fact that we were married! And everything else WAS perfect! It even rained, but nothing was capable of stealing my joy. We paid much attention to the details of our wedding as they reflected our style, our taste, and our favorite things. We wanted our wedding to be a representation of us as a couple. As special as weddings can be, it was also important for us to have a wedding unlike any wedding that we had been to before. Of course, this added a little bit of pressure to us, but we got through the stress! My wedding can be found here on my photographer, Nancy Ray’s blog.

Had I known about Marrily, it would have been a life saver! Creating organization may not be my strongest suit, but I love structure and I love systems that are already in place. It makes life easier than figuring out to communicate through different programs or through different sources. Practically everything in regards to the planning aspect of your wedding can be and will be found in one place with Marrily. It streamlines the details without distractions and more features are soon to be added! Perfect for me, as I’m extremely visual. It was easy for me to get sucked into my favorite wedding blogs while I was supposed to be focusing on managing the guestlist and addresses!

I can’t wait to share with you more about my big day, my experience as a bride and more importantly, I’m excited to help you! I love hearing love stories and I love solving problems. I’m all ears, my dears!

Up next is Hope!

xo,

Meg

Pretty Petals

Jen Huang

Kristen Spencer via Style Me Pretty

Half Orange Photography via Stems of Dallas

These are just three bouquets that I couldn’t help swooning over this week. What’s your bouquet going to look like?

Happy Thursday!

xo,

Meg

Tips for Tuesday: Making Decisions

Emily Horton Photography

You said YES! (right?) That’s probably why you’re here, at least. To figure out what happens next. Well once you’ve signed up for Marrily, you realize that it cuts some stress out of your planning process. It’s simplified. Which is a great balance to the stress of making decisions. Can we help? Let’s hope so. You could be the most organized bride with ducks in a row, the money set aside, checklists in front of you, vendor information all updated, but having all that information isn’t going to make the decisions.

How do you chose what colors? What does that even mean? I always suggest starting with the BIG picture. Figure out the scheme, the feel, the ambiance, the overall formality of your reception and ceremony. From there you may want to loosely consider the season. Once you look at the big picture, start finding inspiration-magazines, blogs, Pinterest. Save photos and create inspiration boards. Whatever your eye is drawn to may be the best route to take. Trust your gut.

As a right brained gal, I’m naturally creative. I love all things visual and this overwhelmed me because I wanted everything. I could have gone with several color schemes and been happy, but ultimately I took a chance to decorate our wedding day with pinks, aquas, a hint of vintage with a modern twist. Most importantly, I wanted to highlight our southern hospitality with yummy southern food, Elvis (really! He came to sing our first dance), a biscuit bar, and sweet tea. Even within those guidelines, the decisions and choices are practically endless! You just have to stay focused and allow yourself to make a decision and move onward! I selected the colors because they were really the most appealing to me. I wanted to be feminine, elegant, and romantic. This was my one chance to do so and I wanted to reflect my personal style. As a couple though, Steven and I love to dress up and we love a fancy occasion. We’re very casual on a normal basis, though, so we wanted to just create a comfortable wedding. It was an evening, semi-formal soiree. We didn’t feel the need to have a black tie affaire with large fancy floral arrangements. It honestly, wasn’t in the budget! But we did want to maximize our budget and mix in a fancy fete with a welcoming vibe. Mission accomplished!

Colors will appear in your bridesmaid dresses, your accessories, tablescapes, and your flowers. Other elements can certainly be tied in to create a more formal (satin, lace, crystal) or more rustic (burlap, twine, mason jars) feel. There are so many directions you can go in, but just create something that reflects you and your fiance’s style as a couple. Stay true!

Be sure to consider vendor packages. Don’t overwhelm yourself with 10 photographer packages to chose from. Pick your top 3 and proceed to see if they’re available. This doesn’t mean the first three you come across, but start looking at their sites and blogs and then pursue a few for prices and packages if they make your heart skip a beat! Think about what’s offered and the price and compare. While you don’t want to settle, you must be realistic with your budget.

Feel free to comment below and ask us about some decision dilemmas! We’re happy to help!

xo,

Meg

Selecting Perfect Wedding Bands

For a bride, one of the most important parts of planning the wedding comes down to the outfitting. Of course, the bride’s dress is a major focal point of any wedding, and should thus be given a great deal of consideration. Generally, this can be a very fun process for a woman about to get married. However, there should also be consideration of other aspects of accessorizing for the big day – most notably, the wedding rings! In most cases, the groom will have already given the bride a carefully selected engagement ring, which will always hold its own special significance and memories. However, the wedding rings themselves are important too, and selecting them is a major part of the wedding planning process, on a personal level.

One of the problems with this process is that there is a certain common misunderstanding that wedding rings need to be plain, simple bands. Indeed, this is often the case, but there is certainly no rule or tradition about doing something different with wedding bands. They shouldn’t overshadow the engagement ring, by any means, but it is perfectly acceptable for them to have their own unique designs. One nice place to start looking at some of these designs and ideas is 77Diamonds Engagement Rings.

There are a number of interesting things that you will discover many soon-to-be married couples are doing with their wedding rings. For example, it is quite common these days to select eternity rings, which are often inlaid with jewels (often diamonds) and which are meant as specifically symbolic of long term commitment and everlasting love. Typically, these rings are a bit flashier than ordinary wedding bands, but for couples who are looking for something a bit more inventive, they can be perfect, and again, they have their own significance that emphasizes the commitment aspect of wedding bands.

In the end, all you need to do is shop around a bit to realize the full extent of the variety available in wedding ring selection. You can choose a number of different metals, designs, styles, etc., all according to your own preferences and those of your future spouse. You may well end up choosing ordinary, plain wedding bands, which are perfectly fine for any wedding – however, be sure not to sell this part of the wedding planning process short. Take your time and make sure that you look through a number of different options so that you can have the perfect rings come your wedding day.

Tips for Tuesday: Finding The Dress

Image : Nancy Ray Photography

Hello lovelies!

Let’s face it: The wedding gown totally sets the tone of the entire wedding! As Carrie noted to Big in Sex and the City (the movie), THE dress, just upped the ante. If that isn’t pressure enough, you’ve got to consider all your options without being totally overwhelmed. What you may have in mind, may not actually look right on your body type. What you pictured yourself never loving, just may be the one because it makes you feel wonderful! And you also need to consider your budget (and taxes, the veil, accessories, undergarments, alterations…). It’s quite a process. I’m hoping to give you some hope as you embrace your hunt.

1. Be open minded. As a recent bride, I tried on all types of silhouettes and fabrics before I found my dress. I also tried on gowns with a ton of lace and gowns with sparkle and ruffles. I know myself to be very picky, and I also know myself to have champagne taste on a beer budget, so I was actually dreading dress shopping. (I know, I know, but that’s only my reality.) And I squashed that kind of thinking, I went for it with an open mind! I tried on tons of styles for good measure, but I was pretty on point with how I envisioned my dress looking before I found the right gown. And it turned out, I was almost right.

2. Don’t overwhelm yourself with all of your friends coming with you. Keep it simple. The less opinions, the better. If it’s one thing that you can have to yourself as a bride, it’s your feeling in your dress. One would hope that bridesmaids and family would be supportive and gush over everything, but sometimes they don’t! Bring along a friend who may be supportive, but honest, in a good way. If you end up finding the right dress, and they hate it because it isn’t their taste, don’t you want them to at least be excited for you regardless!? Now, on the other hand if it’s not flattering at all and you’re unsure, you’d like them to tastefully point it out to you that it takes away from you! Right? If you’re confident in your choice, treasure that feeling and hang on to it. Don’t let opinions sway you. You’ll feel amazing come the big day!

3. It’s OK if you’ve narrowed down your options and you’re kind of unsure. Sleep on it. If you’re still unsure, go back to compare or keep hunting. It’s also OK to not know for sure if you’ve found The One. So what if you didn’t have that “OMG OMG” moment and you didn’t shriek with giddy delight! Maybe if I had an unlimited budget and Vera herself was able to have a hand in the design of my gown, I would have felt like that! I definitely had a couple of doubts after we paid the deposit. This is normal, I think. Here’s why: Most dress shops carry larger sized samples, so in reality the dress you’re actually testing out is way too big. You’re make up may not be done as fancy as your make up artist will do it for the wedding and your hair won’t be done either. Another thing to consider is your skin tone. Will you do a spray tan before the wedding? That can alter how the dress pops against your skin! You probably also won’t be accessorized, because accessories are usually purchased after the dress! Only when I was done up for my bridal portraits and finally had all my accessories on with my dress for the first time did I really feel like a bride! That’s when I got emotional.

4. Eleviate that pressure. Don’t compare yourself to others throughout this process. Everyone’s style, budget, and bodies are different. When you go into your bridal appointments, be sure to relax and have a good attitude so you can make it fun! Most gals can be pretty on point with their instincts, so trust your gut. Go with your gut feeling. Don’t pressure yourself with the “what if” or the “well, maybe…” The dress doesn’t have to be the end all be all for your wedding day. You’ll have a team to make you look beautiful no matter what! The key is just to feel confident.

5. Let’s say you have found the dress and it’s out of your budget. GULP. Contact the dress designer directly and see if there are any samples in your size. There could perhaps be a floor sample that they could send your way at a discount! You could even search for it online and go that route, if you’re brave! Some sites have pre-worn gowns and you can really save some cash. Are there other dresses that mimic that dress? Surely you can do some researching online to find something along the lines of that one. Another option would be to simply reconsider your priorities. Don’t go for the monogram napkins or those extra passed hors d’oeuvres. Skip out on the large centerpiece florals. Find some reasonably priced shoes. Fudge it around some so you can see if you have extra money for the dress. Also see what sort of things the dress boutique includes. Alterations? A discount on a veil? Any accessories? Those small things add up!

I hope this was helpful for you ladies! Please don’t hesitate to comment if you have any questions or if I may have missed anything! Go try on those gowns and have fun! Don’t forget your strapless bra, some heels, and some lipstick!

xo,

Meg

Staying Positive

For most brides, planning a wedding can definitely be a bit stressful! We’ve already established some engagement woes and there are many things can bog a bride down as she attempts to get all the ducks in a row for the biggest day in her life! In the midst of all the appointments, checklists, decisions, and financial worries that revolve around the wedding, I encourage you to take a step back. Unwind. Clear your mind. Have your sweet fiance plan a date night out. Do a little shopping for your honeymoon. Indulge in a manicure or a facial. Take out some of your stress on a DIY project (IF that’s your thing!) or take it out on a punching bag at the gym. Being engaged should be (or is supposed to be) one of the most exciting times in your life! But every day of it isn’t neccesarily going to be a breeze. But overall,  it is such a special time because you’re about to walk down the aisle to and say your I DO’s and embark on an amazing journey with your best friend.

Engagements prep you for marriage! It’s totally true. I struggled with many things as a bride-to-be because I battled with anxiety, a hectic job,  the wedding opinions from everyone around me, the budget, and a ridiculous living situation! The process was overwhelming for me, and I know I don’t speak for everyone, but I thought I was going to crack! I saw my future husband stick up for me though and be there for me.  I tried my hardest to remain positive. At the end of the day, I was getting married to him! At the end of the day, those who love us would be there to celebrate us! At the end of the day, we would be creating our own home! At the end of the day, I would be well on my way to Mexico to soak up the sunshine with my HUSBAND! Those kind of thoughts helped me to cope with the negative.

The big picture helped me brush off some of the stress. An impromtu weekend gettaway with three of my girlfriends was just the ticket to pop the wedding bubble I was living within. Outdoor activities with my fiance distracted us from our project to-do list. Yes, it’s important to check things off your list and to be mindful of your timeline, but it will get done! Breathe, relax, take time to reconnect with your future husband because you’ll need to know how to do so when you’re a wife! Focus on navigating these hurdles with him and embrace how it ties the two of you together. Stay positive, y’all! Your day will be here before you know it! And you will be beautiful!

Meg

Wedding Bouquet Alternatives

A bridal bouquet is a feature of the bride’s wedding attire, but today’s brides are finding alternatives to the traditional wedding bouquet. Their options for gorgeous accents make for suitability and uniqueness as they are walking down that aisle. The bouquet alternatives are as lovely as the classic blooms of a cascading bouquet. You will be saving money especially when flowers you want are not in season. The thing that is great with alternatives besides being less expensive is showing off your personality. Some brides choose an alternative for different reasons:

• Cost: Bridal bouquets cost as much as $100 alone.
• Usefulness: The bouquet has limited lifespan making the bride reluctant to spending a large amount.
• Their personal choice: A lot of brides just don’t want delicate flowers and frilly attire.
• Uniqueness: Using an alternative makes a more unique celebration.

There are a variety of different materials for a bride that wants a bouquet but not the real blooms. Floral arrangements can be made by sewing, molding, and folding these materials. Many are fashioned with silk flowers, origami bouquets, carved wood, clay, glass or crystal, suede or leather, cookie and candy bouquets, ribbons, peacock feathers, and even Barbie dolls.

• Whimsical or Religious Bouquet Alternatives:
• Jack-o-lanterns for autumn weddings.
• Jeweled rosaries for the Catholic wedding.
• Bible or prayer book for religious ceremonies.
• Lighted candles for an evening event.
• Painted or lace fan for a spring wedding.
• Beaded bridal purse for uniqueness.
• Bouquet of shells or large conch shell for weddings at the beach.
• Horseshoes carried to bring couples luck.
• Lit lanterns for rustic or barn weddings.
• Delicate parasols carried for the vintage event.
• Porcelain flowers to add class to the celebration.

A lot of brides like classic bouquets with no flowers, using greenery and some unique plants to create beautiful and most stunning bouquets. Some popular plants used are ivy, fern, grains, autumn leaves, pussy willows, and herbs. A woman once carried bunches of herbs, grains, and garlic to ward off bad spirits on their special day. After time, they got replaced by flowers that symbolized eternal love and fertility.

Some brides chose an alternative because a family member, her groom, attendants, or she may be allergic to pollen. Some good choices could be bouquets of peacock feathers, beaded bouquets, fake fur muffs for winter, herb bouquets for summer, Christmas ornaments for a December wedding, umbrellas or parasols for outdoor weddings, vintage buttons with leaves of leather, or a personalized clutch to carry.

Whatever the choice, anything is easily coordinated, adding accents to the decorative theme or the chosen wedding colors. Some brides might not wish to carry a thing, opting for elegant gloves, intricate hairpieces, stunning jewelry, or a brooch worn on the neckline.

How to Delegate Tasks to Reduce Your Work Load

Planning your wedding can be a stressful time even though the process should build intimacy and closeness. Recognizing and managing stress makes the difference between people that are overwhelmed and those that are not. Some stress reactions are stomach aches, racing thoughts, irritability, moodiness, poor concentration, sleeping problems, and headaches. It is very important that you recognize these overload signs for stress and manage them accordingly.

Recognize the source of stress. There are many new roles, expenses, expectations, decisions, and wanting perfection in arrangements that contribute to pre-wedding stress. This stress can affect relationships and happiness. Other stress factors include illness, travel, work, moving, over committing, financial problems, and the loss of a friend or family member. Illnesses and personal losses are out of your control, but you can control wedding perfection and whether to commit to social invitations.

Manage the source of stress

If you have stress overload symptoms, figure out how to reduce your work load. Make sure wedding arrangements reflect true desires of both you and your significant other. If the budget allows plans for a large wedding, then you might consider employing a wedding planner or coordinator to handle the details.

Also you can reduce stress workload by some time taken off work. Saying no to social invitations is sometimes necessary and easily understood. Don’t hesitate on delegating some tasks or chores to your friends, family, or your partner. Try to be selective when supervising tasks personally and don’t take on tasks that are not easily handled. Doing everything yourself causes extra stress, stress causes grouchiness, and you may end up taking frustrations out on people you love. In all events that involve many people, there are bound to be imperfections, in later years they are cherished moments of your big day. Saying no to social invitations is sometimes necessary and easily understood. Stress support for your self.

Marrily has the sharing features built-in, so you can add your significant other, family member (mom or dad), or friends.  You can only let them see certain part of your planning too keep the details to yourself.   This way you can delegate the tasks you wanted them to help you on without revealing too much.

Additional things to do to recover and handle stress are:

• Exercise.
• Get enough sleep.
• Moderate, regular meals.
• Discuss stress with others.
• Avoid excessive sugar, nicotine, caffeine, drugs, and alcohol.
• Include some pleasurable and fun activities.
• Spend time and connect with your partner.
• Don’t make a lot of changes that put extra pressure on you.
• Don’t take on an abundance of tasks.
• Be realistic, things will and can go wrong, keep calm.

Stress happens when waiting to do things at the last minute. Take some time for yourself and just relax, getting your mindset off the wedding, get a massage at a spa, go to a movie, just have special alone times. You could also consider going with your partner to a seminar called Marriage Success Training (MST) These seminars cover increased stress for wedding couples and helps them handle it to deepen intimacy instead of stress.