Expert Advice
Need some help planning your wedding? We're so glad you're HERE!
Start with our Wedding Checklists, download our free wedding printables, and be sure to check out our "Questions to Ask…" series for guidance on finding your wedding venue and hiring your wedding vendors! Plus, there are a TON of helpful, expertly-written wedding planning articles down below.
Most Recent...
A Crafty Way to Ask Your Bridal Party to Stand Up With You
I’m a lover of all things DIY, and a graphic designer with a teensy addiction to paper crafting. And I’m also a bride, so naturally I’m incorporating my obsession into my wedding details. Here's the creative DIY way we asked our bridesmaids and groomsmen to stand up with us at our wedding.
Wedding Food Donations
Weddings often generate recyclable materials and leftover food that the bride and groom don’t want to take home. Nowadays, you and the caterer can feel good by donating the excess, and recycling plastic bottles, glass, metal and paper. An added benefit is that food donations are tax deductible for either you or the caterer.
Behind the Scenes at a Wedding Dress Trunk Show
Next to playing with my dogs and sharing a chocolate soufflé with my husband, browsing wedding dresses is one of my favorite pastimes. Are you with me on this? I thought so. Then believe me when I say that one of the best ways to indulge your fashion passion is by attending a wedding dress trunk show.
It's A Nice Day For A Green Wedding: Advice for the Eco-Conscious Couple
When it comes to preserving Planet Earth, everyone wants to do the right thing. But when it comes to planning the Big Day, we worry that being environmentally correct will mean sacrificing our cherished wedding vision. Luckily, you no longer have to wrestle with your conscience to have a celebration that is both beautiful and "green."
Hiring Wedding Professionals Pays Off
Yes, you will save money by hiring the cheapest vendors you can find or doing things yourself. But the old adage, “You get what you pay for,” really comes into play here. Skimp on services and you could end up paying a big price anyway. We give you all the reasons hiring seasoned wedding professionals pays off, plus tips for finding the right vendors for your wedding.
Brides Want To Know: Do We Have To Split The Guest List Fifty-Fifty?
Dear Here Comes The Guide: We are planning a fairly upscale and costly wedding for our daughter. It is a destination wedding for our guests, but more local for the groom side. Therefore, our guests are not as likely to attend as the groom side. Do we have to split the guest list fifty-fifty? What is the norm?
Your Out-of-Town Wedding Guests
One of the most endearing aspects of your wedding is how loved ones come together from the four corners of the world to celebrate. By adding a few thoughtful details to your wedding festivities, you can return the favor and make your out-of-towners feel like VIPs.
Brides Want To Know: Destination Wedding Thank-You Notes
Dear Here Comes The Guide: I had a destination wedding. Should I send a thank-you note to those guests that came to the wedding, but did not buy us a gift?
Brides Want To Know: Destination Wedding Etiquette—Who Pays?
Dear Here Comes The Guide: My fiance and I are considering a destination wedding somewhere in California. We aren’t sure what the expectations are in terms of covering the costs of our guests. Also, what do you think is the best place for a California destination wedding?
Brides Want to Know: A Question of Religion
Dear Here Comes The Guide: Neither my fiancé nor I are at all religious despite our upbringings, though we do share a broad-based spirituality. Our families are much more traditional, and might be offended if our wedding ceremony is entirely secular. Is there a way to honor the belief systems of our parents without being hypocritical?
Wedding Budget: Venue Fees and Other Costs
You’d think that working from a budget would be obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people, especially brides and grooms, are unrealistic about what they can afford. Part of the problem is that most people aren’t very experienced with event budgeting and don’t know how to estimate what locations, products and services will ultimately cost.
Brides Want to Know: Hors d'oeuvre Dilemma
Can you tell me how many hors d’oeuvres per person is the norm for a cocktail wedding reception? I’m not having dinner, just hors d’oeuvres and cocktails for about four hours. I need to figure out my menu and am at my wits end trying to find the answer!
Champagne, Fashion, Hors d'oeuvres, and Gift Bags...
Bridal fairs offer an efficient way to review what’s in the marketplace—you can check out florists and photographers, sample the wares of cake makers, and listen to the music of a variety of DJs. They’re a great place to shop around for (and sample!) wedding-related services and compare quality and price before making your final decisions.
Brides Want to Know: Wedding Band or DJ?
My fiancé and I have most of our wedding plans set, except the music for our reception. We can’t decide between live entertainment and a disc jockey. The reception will be indoors with about 150 guests. We have to keep an eye on cost, too. Are bands always more expensive? What do you recommend?
David Tutera Gets Real: High Style Weddings On A Budget
Here Comes The Guide staffer Jolene Rae Harrington had the opportunity to interview celebrity wedding planner David Tutera at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. Here are some of his wedding tips for ways to have a high style wedding with a lower budget.
Questions to Ask a Wedding Planner
In the first flush of joy after your engagement, you probably began browsing wedding websites, social media sites like Pinterest, and magazines. If you soon felt buried by a blizzard of checklists and a daunting array of decisions, you and your fiancé might want to think about hiring a professional wedding planner.
Wedding Invitations Glossary
A glossary of common printing terms you may encounter as you research wedding invitation options. The more you know, the easier it will be to pick the perfect wedding invitation suite for you!
Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette
Ahhh, the party before the party. Sure, you'll need to do a walk-through of your ceremony, but the real fun happens at dinner! Wondering what the details are? We answer 6 of the top rehearsal dinner questions.
Have a "Hang-Loose" Honeymoon: Five Tips to Packing Your Carry-On
Whether it’s for your honeymoon or a romantic weekend getaway, these days it pays to pack it all in your carry-on suitcase—and avoid extra charges for checked luggage. The best way to be a breezy bride at the airport is to remember you’re on the vacation of your life…and to “hang loose” when you’re packing. Keep it simple, easy and fun. Follow these five tips, and you’re off to a carefree start.
Weddings vs. Holiday Parties: 5 Important Differences
With the holiday season fast approaching, I like to imagine where our company would have the most rocking holiday party ever. Interestingly, I noticed that my shortlist of holiday event venues wasn’t that different from my fantasy wedding one: Classy art galleries, hip restaurants, sun-kissed vineyards… A dynamic setting can make any celebration pop.
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