This is such a cute idea! How fun it must be to go through and read all of these serious and I am sure humorous wishes for you and your new groom from family and friends.

How to Pick a Wedding Planner

Interview
By: Kristen Henningson


When it comes to weddings, there's a lot of ground to cover. Between picking out dresses, color schemes, venues, flowers, and arranging the table settings, it's easy to get lost in the planning!

That's why many brides choose to have a wedding planner by their sides as they tackle all the planning. But with an abundance of people to choose from, how does one know what to look for?

Amy Rieger, a Wedding Planner To-Be, has a few things to look for when selecting the proper planner. "It's pretty important to have a planner who is confident in her ability to get things done and who can budget wisely. Staying organized and having an eye for color and style help, too," Rieger said.

If you want an extra sense of security, Rieger suggests picking a wedding planner who has years of experience. With so many past wedding to organize, there would be no surprise he or she couldn't tackle! Wedding can be frustrating, so one may also want to select a planner who is "able to calm nerves and keep people from worrying," Rieger said.

The preparation for the big day is at times overwhelming. But if one remembers to relax, have fun, and maybe cry on the wedding planner's shoulder when necessary, the wedding is sure to be one everyone will remember.

24 Grooms Blown Away By Their Beautiful Brides

Blurb by Jessica Rugg

These pictures are truly beautiful! You can see how emotional the grooms become once they see their brides for the first time on their wedding days.
Link:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/24-grooms-seeing-their-brides-for-the-first-time-6z51


My personal favorite from the link above

Makeup tips for the big day

Photo Credit

Column by Jessica Rugg

Here I will list some tips on how to make your makeup last longer and look perfect all day long!

Face:
Primer: Make sure you wear a primer! Primers will make your foundation last longer and some will even increase the coverage of your foundation.
Foundation: Get your foundation well ahead of time and test it multiple times to make sure that it matches your skin tone as closely as possible (you may have to mix multiple shades to ensure it matches), lasts all day, and has good coverage. You should try to get a foundation that is matte and has NO sunscreen or shimmer. Sunscreen and shimmer do not photograph well because they reflect flash back off the face to make your face shinny. Not an attractive look.
I recommend using a buffing brush to ensure an even coverage, and make sure you blend all the way out to your hair line and down your neck so that there are no harsh lines or obvious edges in skin tone.
Concealer: Again match this as closely to your natural skin tone as possible. Try to get a nice, creamy consistency, and blend, blend, blend! Always cover with powder to ensure that it will stay all day.
Powder: Powder should match the shade of your foundation. Any lighter and it can easily make you look washed out, and too dark will make you look fake. Apply lightly to avoid it becoming too cacky. Do not skip powder, however! It will greatly increase the staying powder of your foundation.
Bronzer: Go light on bronzer. It can become overdone quickly. Try to pick a light shade to avoid this as well. This can take practice or should be done by a professional. Try just applying it under your cheekbones to give your face some definition. You can also try this under the jaw.
Blush: Blush should be applied high on the cheekbones. Try smiling and pushing up your cheeks. Just apply it on the apples of your cheeks and blend back towards your hairline. cream blushes applied under a matching shade of powder blush can make it last much longer than just powder. Cream blush can draw attention to any blemishes in the area you are applying the blush, however, so be careful!
Highlighter: Again make sure that there is little to no shimmer in your highlighter. It can give you an odd look in photographs. Highlighter should be applied on the tops of your cheekbones, right above your blush. You can also use highlighter on your brow bones and on your chin and tip of your nose to give your face some definition. Go light with it!

Eyes:
Primer: Make sure you wear a primer! Most will feel kind of gritty to the touch. This gives something for the eye shadow to stick to. Apply it all over the eye to ensure complete coverage.
Base: This is an optional step and you want to be careful with bases. Test them multiple times to make sure that they will not crease. You absolutely want to apply primers under bases and powder over bases to give them a chance of staying all day. Avoid shimmery shades because they reflect the light from flashes and can give you a odd look in your photographs.
Eyeshadow: One word: NATURAL! Do not attempt any crazy colors on your wedding day! This just comes off as fake and tacky. You want to practice this as much as possible in the weeks leading up to your big day. Try different shades and blending techniques and see what you can come up with. The options here are limitless! Try a neutral shade on your lid, a darker shade in your crease, a yet darker shade in the outer corners and around the lash line, and finally a nice light shade on your brow bone and in the inner corners of your eyes. Blending is a key with eyeshadow. Always make sure the transitions between shades are as seamless as possible.There are plenty of videos on YouTube that can give you ideas and tips on this step.
Eyeliner: Eye liner is a crucial step in making your eyes defined and beautiful! Do not shy away from black eyeliner. Browns can look beautiful as well, but black gives you the most defined look. If you have green or blue eyes, you might try using eyeliners that match your eye color. Matching eyeliner to eye color really makes your eyes pop! This look takes practice, so play around with it in the weeks leading up to your wedding. Liquid eyeliner does not have the best staying power, so I would avoid it. Cream, gel or pencil eyeliners are the best options. Apply as closely to the lash line as possible and make sure it is nice and water proof before you apply it on your lower lashes. You can extend the longevity of your eyeliner by applying black powder over the eyeliner. If you use eyeliner if your waterline, make sure you eyes won't become itchy from powder before you attempt this on the day of your wedding.
Mascara: Mascara is a very important step! Always curl your lashes before applying mascara. You can make the curl hold longer by heating your lashes with a hairdryer for 10 seconds while the lash curler is still on the lashes (don't do this everyday, though. It will dry your lashes out and make them brittle). Again, don't be afraid of black! It defines your lashes better than any other shade. Separate your lashes with a lash comb before applying mascara to avoid clumps. Apply in quick strokes, covering the whole lash and don't forget the bottom lashes! Some mascaras work better with two coats, but some work better with one coat. Play around with your chosen mascara to see what works best for you.
Make sure that your mascara is water proof! You do not want your makeup to run if you cry during your ceremony.
Fake Lashes: Fake lashes are of course optional but many women feel that fake lashes are worth it for the wedding day. As with all of your makeup, test your lash glue before your wedding day so that you can be sure that it will not make you break out or irritate your eyes. You also want to test to see how long the glue will last and if it will hold through tears if you cry during the ceremony.
Applying lashes takes practice, so wear them plenty of times before your wedding so that you can be an expert at applying them on the day of. Always apply them as close to the lash line as possible and use eyeliner to cover up any glue that is still showing after it drys. A quick coat of mascara can blend real lashes with fake ones to make them look more natural.

Lips:
Lip Liner: Do not use lip liners to define your lips. Doing so will result in a bold color on the outside of your lips and nothing in the middle of your lips once your lipstick wears off. Lip liner should act as a base for your lipstick. Don't apply it too thickly or it may bleed onto your skin. You may want to apply it with a lip brush to get the most accurate application possible.
Lipstick: Your lipstick should be in a matching shade to your lip liner. There are many different textures to lipsticks so you should play around with all the options until you find one that you are happy with. You might want to take pictures of yourself wearing the different shades so that you can be sure that they will look good when photographed.
Again, applying with a lip brush will make your application much more accurate.
Lip Gloss: Lip gloss is optional, depending on the look that you want, but I think gloss makes any lip so much more beautiful. You can also try just dabbing gloss to the center of the lip to add some shine, but not over do it.

Other:
Pluck your eyebrows well before the week of your wedding so if you over pluck, there is still time for the hair to grow back. Just repluck the stray hairs as they grow back in. Do not wait until the day of your wedding to pluck because many women get watery eyes and even sneezing and runny noses after plucking brows due to nerve irritation. You don't want red eyes or a runny nose on the day of your wedding!
Test everything ahead of time! You never know if something will cause you to break out, or if you are allergic to a new product. Test the longevity of everything and make sure everything is as water proof as possible.
You can also find various products you can spray on your face that are designed to make your makeup last longer. E.L.F. (available at Target) has one that works pretty well for only $3.00.

YouTube is a great place to see people actually applying the makeup and getting application tips. Many YouTube channels offer tips on good brands to buy as well.
EmilyNoel83 has some really great videos! She is a newscaster so she knows how to apply natural, beautiful makeup and she does a good job of explaining everything step by step.

Good luck, ladies! Post your wedding day makeup looks in the comment section below!

"I Do - Pursue Relational Growth"

Blurb by Jessica Rugg

Here is a beautiful message presented by Jim and Sue Nicodeme at a church in St. Charles, Illinois:

http://ccclife.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=161936&programId=138294

Photo Credit
Jim and Sue Nicodeme
 

They tell how to keep your marriage healthy and strong. They are a funny couple with excellent tips!

Top 10 custom printed wedding favors

Blurb by Jessica Rugg

Here is a cool blog post with some cute and clever ideas for custom wedding favors! All of these can be bought on this website, but most of them could also be found other places either through the web or other retailers:
http://www.bluesodapromo.com/wp_blog/top-10-custom-printed-wedding-favors/

Photo from link above
 

Guests Attending Destination Weddings: A Guide

Column
By: Kristen Henningson

So you’ve decided to plan a destination wedding. Be it on the beaches of New Zealand or the pyramids in Egypt, it is not just the bride and groom to be considered for travel accommodations.

Traveling abroad can be beautiful, but hectic—especially for the guests. Who will pay what? When is the wedding? How much will a plane ticket cost? Can he or she request vacation time at work? Those questions pulse through a guest’s mind, but there are ways to ease their qualms.

First and foremost, establish a budget. Will you have the money to pay for family to fly out, or help cover the bill? Is that even something that you had planned? Once you have established that, the rest falls in place.

Far in advance, inform the guests of the destination, the date and the cost. Chances are good that most people will need to start saving money, request time off work and plan a travel schedule. Because of so many potential complications, do not take it personally if a guest cannot attend your wedding. They will be satisfied knowing you wanted them to attend such a special ceremony.

When your guests arrive at the chosen destination, it would be a nice sentiment to leave a small gift basket in their hotel rooms. Despite the fact that the guests may have taken the opportunity to make this trip a vacation for themselves, it required schedule rearranging and fiscal adjustments to attend your wedding. Leaving a gift basket with a few snacks or local souvenirs is a small but effective way to welcome the guests and thank them for traveling far for the special day.

Now that the long journey has been completed and the first moments have been kick-started with a welcome gift, it’s time to relax and enjoy the celebrations to come!

The path to I do

Feature
By: Missy Talkington

When they met she was fifteen years old and he was the older boy in school who was sixteen and had his license. From their first date he had won her over and they felt like they were meant to be together. At only eighteen years old he put a ring on her finger. High school sweethearts was exactly what they seemed to be, but at such a young age there were many things against them.

He was the boy who was rough around the edges and she was the girl who had strict parents and he was her first boyfriend. She fell in love with him and agreed to marry him. Wedding plans were in full throttle, the dress was picked out, the invitations were out, presents were bought, and only weeks before the wedding it all came crashing down. It finally hit her that she was about to marry her first boyfriend. "I felt like I was missing out on something else that was out there. I knew that I was in love with him but I feared that I did not give life or anyone else a chance before making the huge decision of marriage" the bride to be, Tammy Ward said. The wedding was off and the bride to be was back home living with all of her younger siblings in her parent's house.

It only took about six months, though, until she realized that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. Ward said, "I was searching and searching for something that was missing and I finally realized the person who was missing from making my life complete was the one that I had walked away from." The two got back together and another six months later their was a ring on that finger again. The bride finally walked down the aisle at age 20 to her groom age 21. The high school sweethearts, my sister and brother-in-law, are still happily married eleven years later and have four beautiful children.

Camping

News Story

Beka Johnson

If you're a bride planning a spring or summer wedding, have you considered an outdoor wedding? No, not a rustic backyard ceremony or a glam barn wedding... how about camping.

Three-day-long weddings in the woods (or on the beach, or in the mountains) have become a huge trend for 2013 couples. The idea that you can have all your guests in the same venue for an entire weekend is just too appealing for some brides to resist. And there are no rules when it comes to taking your nuptials outdoors. Everything from fireside weddings at childhood day camps, to over-the-top "glamping" excursions is fair game.

If you're thinking about bringing your guests on a wedding adventure, make sure you take the comforts of home along with you. Welcome everyone with baskets of treats that they can snack on throughout the weekend, set up common areas for people to gather in, and provide lots ofactivities to keep them on their toes.

What if you have guests that wouldn't enjoy camping outside but want to join the festivities?  Consider renting some cabins or rooms at a nearby hotel for the pickier guests. 

You can even pitch the whole thing as an adventure and a different kind of vacation. If your attitude is optimistic, the guests will catch that.

At Trail Ridge Ranch in Steamboat, Colo head rancher, Carl Walker described a recent wedding. "The couple had the ceremony in the barn in case of rain, but the reception was held in the corral. Even the roaming cows came up to the fence and joined in."  This shows the couples adventuresome spirit and probably left their guests with more memories than a traditional ceremony would have. 

Check out our slideshow below for more ideas on how to create an experience that no one will forget. What do you think? Would you take your wedding to the woods?

Images by Kellee Khal.com

Your wedding cake

Feature by Jessica Rugg



Photo Credit
 

     There are so many options with wedding cakes and the more elaborate you get the more expensive it gets.

     Cakes are usually priced by the slice. Price per slice can range anywhere from $1.50 to $12.00.

     To save money you could order a small version of your dream wedding cake and have sheet cakes made of matching flavors and colors to be cut in the kitchen or back room to be distributed to your guests.

     To make your cake look bigger you could get the top few tiers made of Styrofoam and decorate it with frosting to match the rest of the cake and just cut the bottom tiers.

     Jodi Rugg loves to decorate cakes. "There are so many options and variations! It's always fun to get creative with a cake," Rugg said.

     There are ways to save money on the frosting also. "Fondant icing is more expensive than buttercream or you could get pre-made sugar-flower detailing instead of hand-made flowers," Rugg said.

     Cupcake tiers are getting more and more popular recently. They are generally cheaper, easier to serve, and fun for the kids at your reception to eat.

Photo Credit
You still get to cut the little cake on top with your groom, and serving the rest becomes so much easier!
 

     And you can still get creative with the frosting and decorations!

     Wedding cakes are generally white, but there are lots of fun ways to add color and tie it in with the colors of your wedding.

Photo Credit

     Talk to your baker about pricing options and get his or her creative input before you make any decisions.

     Have fun and get creative!

Winter Wonderland

Column
By: Missy Talkington

When planning a wedding often the first thought when picking a date is, "what season do I want to get married during?" Well, a beautiful season to have a wedding is during the Winter. Winter often reminds people of the Christmas season which is also attributed to a time of romance, lights, cuddling by a fire etc. It may be cold, but think of all of the beautiful opportunities for creating a romantic scenery.

Picture taking is a major part of a wedding. Imagine the beautiful pictures that can be taken among a white, blanket of snow! Standing against a tree with your husband that is wrapped in twinkling lights. Sitting in a sleigh with your husband cuddled up together would make for a great picture. Do not forget the option of a safe icy pond for a beautiful scenery.

 


Another major part of a wedding would be the wedding dress. Most girls think of a strapless dress to be warn in the Summer, but there are so many gorgeous Winter gowns out there! Think of the beautiful lace sleeves that could be on your gown, or the fancy white coat to be warn when outside.



The possibilities of planning a Winter wedding are endless! There are so many ideas out there for centerpieces, the wedding cake, reception scenery and more. 

The 'Do Before "I Do"

Interview with Deb Crawford
By: Kristen Henningson

Since the early days of high school homecoming dances, girls have always been concerned about the way their hair will look. After all, everyone is looking at you, and your hair is part of that! However, there is no reason to fret. Deb Crawford, a hair shop owner and stylist has a few tips for the ‘do before the “I do.”

Because so many women want to look just right on the big day, it is advised that the bride visits a hair salon a few days before the wedding for a practice appointment. “A previous appointment is a wonderful idea for brides. Many girls like their hair up, or a way they don’t normally wear it, and she may think the style looks odd. Seeing it beforehand can help her get used to it and grow comfortable,” Crawford said.

However, not all women have the time or money to practice. As a result, things may get a little… tangled on the wedding day. “I've had women tell me halfway through an appointment that they don’t like the hair. I actually encourage them to tell me so she doesn't leave dissatisfied,” Crawford said.

If you have that problem, simply speak up. Most hair stylists will gladly make adjustments to the hair to get it back on track so you are ready for the walk down the aisle.

Not sure how you want to style the tresses? Many women choose to have their hair up, curled or both, so try any of those! They are probably used the most for a reason, and that reason is to make you the star of the show! 

Amazingly adorable live lip-dub proposal!

Blurb by Jessica Rugg




Photo Credit

Isaac proposing after the song
 

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_v7QrIW0zY

Share your proposal stories in the comments section below!

Ideas for a Small, Family Wedding
Beka Johnson

With the downturn of the economy many people are trimming their budgets. That means even wedding plans might need to be downsized. But, that shouldn't stop the fun or the symbolism of the day. Annie DeMichael is a wedding planner in the area. She has seen more small weddings in the last few years and has some tips for success.

A small, family wedding allows everyone to be involved. Consider having everyone write out something they'd like to share with the couple and read it during the ceremony. Or, the couple can make their wedding program more substantial by writing special things about each of their family members. This can serve as a keepsake.

For the reception, a home cooked meal can add a nice touch. If the wedding is near a major holiday the meal can follow the traditional food for that day. A fall wedding can have a traditional Thanksgiving menu or spring can be an Easter menu.

"The people that will be in the couple's life are the most important. An intimate wedding allows them to participate and to solidify the commitment they have to the new couple," Annie said.

Oh Lovely Day Blog

 Don't let the budget constraints discourage you from having a beautiful day full of celebration.

Pretty (cheap!) DIY French tip nails



Photo Credit

Feature by Jessica Rugg

      Many brides are going to expensive salons to get their nails done for the big day and adding anywhere from 20 to 50 dollars for each person in their wedding party!
      Robin Moses has done nails for almost 10 years. She tells about a quick and easy way to do your own nails and your bridal party's nails on your own! "This could be a fun bridal shower activity for the night before!" Moses said.
      "If you don't already have polish in the colors needed you can get kits for between five to 10 dollars at your local retail store," Moses said. "Many of the kits have guide stickers in them so you won't need the tape or paper reinforcers." Of course, getting each polish individually is a viable option. You can also get French tip pens for under five dollars. These can work well, but require more precision and a steadier hand than the other options do.
      Any of these options will work for a beautiful pedicure as well!

What you will need:

1. Nail polish remover and cotton balls.
2. White or cream nail polish.
3. Clear top coat.
4. Tape (for square tips) or paper reinforcers (for round tips).

Optional: glitter or rhinestones, base coat, a bottle of a transparent nude or pink polish.

Step 1:
Remove all existing nail polish with nail polish remover and cotton balls. Push back your cuticles if desired.

Step 2:
After you have applied your base coat (if desired), place a piece of tape or a paper reinforcer along the free edge of your nail so that the base of your nail is covered by the tape or the paper rienforcer and the tip of your nail is exposed. Press down firmly so that no polish seeps under the adhesive.

Step 3:
Paint the tip of your nail the white or cream color and let dry. You will probably want two or three coats depending on the opacity of your polish. Make sure you let each coat of polish dry completely before you add another coat.

Step 4:
When the polish is dry, remove the paper reinforcer or the tape to reveal a beautiful French tip!
You can simply put a top coat on now or you can put a transparent coat of nude, pink or cream polish on over the entire nail.

Step 5:
If desired you can have a little fun with some glitter and rhinestones! While the last coat of white or cream is still wet you could sprinkle a little white or silver glitter over the nail to give it a pretty sheen. The glitter should be as fine as possible to avoid being gaudy (I recommend something like this). Or you could place rhinestones along the edge of your French tip with a little bit of clear polish on top to seal it in. No matter what extras you add onto your look make sure you seal the look with at least one coat of clear polish top coat to make sure that you don't get any cracks or chips on your big day!

     "You could also try bringing in the colors of your wedding into the polish designs in subtle ways," Moses suggested. Something like this would be gorgeous if the color of your wedding is purple, as an example.

Here is a video on YouTube that shows each step in detail.
Remember to get creative and have fun!

Formal Dining for the Not-So-Formal

Column
By: Kristen Henningson

The moment I sat down at the banquet hall, I felt wildly underprepared. In the center was an eloquently-folded cloth napkin. To the left, two forks of different size. To the right, a knife, a tea cup and saucer and two spoons, also of different size. Above that, a smaller fork and a smaller spoon. To the upper left corner, a small plate with a roll and bread knife. To the upper right corner, a glass of water and a glass of lemonade.

For a girl accustomed to paper napkins and minimal silverware, it is easy to see how I was overwhelmed. Luckily, it was a practice luncheon and the woman in charge taught us how to navigate the place settings with ease. Knowing how to handle the dining materials placed in front of you will help you feel more at ease at a formal wedding.

First, there is the bread and water to tackle. They are usually placed between your dining set and that of the person next to you—how do you tell whose is whose? There’s a simple trick to answer that question. With your left hand, cup your fingers and thumb to make an “O” with your hand. Extend the pointer finger up and voila! It’s a lowercase B! Do the same thing with your right hand and you will find that it makes a D. Bread is on your left, and your left hand makes a B. Similarly, Your drink is on the right, like your right hand makes a D. You’ll never be confused again!

Up next, the silverware. Typically, you will work your way from the outside towards your plate. The outer fork and outer spoon are used for soup and salad, and those will be taken away with your empty dishes. The next spoon is the tea spoon, used if tea is served. If not, the spoon will either not be present or can be disregarded.  The remaining knife and fork are reserved for your main meal, and the bread knife in the upper left corner is used solely for the bread. Lastly, the smaller fork and spoon above your plate are saved for dessert. Use whichever is best for what is served, and next thing you know, your place setting is free of silverware, and you’re free to dance the night away!

Are you a visual learner? The banquet luncheon provided mini layouts of a table setting with labeled pictures. Hopefully it helps you relax and let loose at your next formal wedding.

First Dance

Column
by: Missy Talkington

Most girls dream about their first slow dance with their husband their whole life. They never imagine, though, how difficult it really can be just to choose a song! After all, unless you have the dance moves of a life time, most people will remember the song played more than your dance.

Some girls will try to rack their brains just trying to think of a special moment with your husband to be and what song was playing in the background. That, after all, should be the chosen song! Ladies, this does not have to be the case. If you and your significant other have a special song that stands out in your head then go with it, if not, do not fear!

It is just as meaningful to listen to different love songs and try to piece together your love story with the meaning behind the lyrics to the right song. Songs tell stories, and one of them is bound to tell the story of your romantic relationship. Also, not all couples choose to take the serious route. If you and your husband are quite the comedy couple then go with a fun, up beat song and really get the crowd laughing with your dance moves! No matter what is chosen or who else remembers, your first dance with your husband will always be special to the two of you.


Here is a link to help you out if you cannot think of any good songs to use:
http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-songs/first-dance-music

Real life story behind "The Vow"

Blurb by Jessica Rugg

An amazing story told by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter; the real life story behind The Vow! True love conquers all :)

http://ccclife.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=161936&programId=136077



Photo Credit
Kim and Krickitt Carpenter

Column
By Beka Johnson
Dream Wedding

From a young age most girls dream about what their wedding will look like. The flowers, dress, cake, colors and music are thought about time and time again.

Crystal Schepp dreamed of her wedding but it didn't turn out the way she hoped. When she got married at the age of 18 she went to the court house and they signed their license in front of a judge. The romantic day she dreamed of was put away for the sake of reality.

In 2005 a tragic car crash took the life of Schepp's husband. She was left with four small boys to raise on her own. "Life moved into survival mode. I was just putting one foot in front of the other," Schepp said.

Schepp had many friends supporting her through the next few years. One of them was Chris Vavrinek, a friend of her deceased husband. He would come over to help with home or car repairs and offered a listening ear. As time went by they developed a deep friendship and a love.

On Oct 17, 2012 Schepp was able to have the wedding she dreamed of. After a year of planning she and Vavrinek joined their families in a church ceremony. "It was a personal ceremony for us, and a dream come true," Schepp said.

The wedding was attended by 140 guests. The bride wore a cream, strapless dress. The two bridesmaids wore plum and deep orange. The groom and his attendants wore black tuxes and orange vests. The fall theme carried through to the flowers.

The couple hosted a cake reception in the fellowship hall immediately after the ceremony. Since the couple has six kids between them, there were kid friendly activities at each table.

The next day Schepp told me that she enjoyed the day. "It was even better than I imagined as a girl. The family I have today isn't what I thought I'd have, but I'm so happy." She reminded other women to never give up on their dreams because they usually come true, even if its not the way we thought.