The Almost Perfect Bride

It's  your wedding. You've spent a year, possibly more planning each detail. You've read dozens of bridal magazines, blogs and seen all the latest wedding fantasies shown on television. Inside your head you have a vision of the perfect bride, the perfect wedding, the perfect day.

But what is reality and what is fantasy? As you read bridal mags and blogs it is important to realize that the 'brides' in these photo shoots are models who have stylists, and who are airbrushed, have their photos retouched, makeup done by professionals, and have photographers who are experts at making a fantasy appear real on a slick magazine page.

Do you have a perfection fantasy as you plan your wedding? Can your perfection fantasy ruin the reality of your wedding day? The answer to that is a resounding 'YES!' The fantasies that live in our heads (and that we've nurtured possibly from the first time we watched Cinderella) are just that fantasies. We need to accept that they aren't reality.

Will you look like that six foot tall, size zero model in that $30,000 dress on your wedding day? Not unless you are a six foot tall size zero bride wearing the same dress, and even then you probably won't have access to the professionals that spend entire days creating that one photo. So it's time to recognize what is YOUR reality.

You may be a tad overweight, or have a less than perfectly toned body (at least in comparison to a model) so accept this. Sure, head to the gym and work out, but don't lose sight of what your wedding day is all about--the beginning of your life with your new husband. Realize you are great just the way you are. After all, your husband to be didn't ask that model on the magazine page to marry him, he asked you.

So plan a day that reflects you and your fiance's values. Strive to show your family and friends the bond between the two of you and how important it is in your lives. 'Glow' for your husband with the happiness that only a woman in love can achieve. And remember, be kind to each other all through the planning process. Don't let the 'perfection plan' get in the way of real life.

The perfect bride is not the one you see on the pages of that magazine, the perfect bride for your groom is YOU. Just the way you are. So smile, enjoy planning your wedding together, but realize something will go wrong, it always does, so just go with the flow and enjoy your day.

Secret Agent Bride!

Idea and photo courtesy of Project Wedding

 

Need an easy way to track all your RSVPs? Get a black light and a pen with invisible ink. See why this is titled 'Secret Agent Bride?' When one of your guests (or more) forget to write their name on their response card, just shine your black light on the corner of the response card and it will show their initials! How easy is that? I love it! A bride with an invisible ink pen as her secret weapon to track her RSVPs. And it's an inexpensive way to do it and your guests will never know you did it. How cool!

 

Photo courtesy of DX Deal Extreme

 

Where can you buy one of these? At DX Deal Extreme. It takes awhile to have it shipped so be sure to allow plenty of time before you need to send out your invitations if you are planning on using this great gadget.

 

Guarantee this is one way to get your fiance involved in tracking your RSVPs. What man can resist a gadget? None that I know!

It's Too Hot To Work on Wedding Planning, So What To Do?

How hot was it today? Too hot to do any wedding planning! So what did I do? I headed for Mad Mex in Willow Grove! Dinner time was the time for some great Cal-Mex food! The heat in the food cooled me off, and if you head to Mad Mex you can also enjoy their Big Azz Margaritas or great craft beers for some additional cooling.

We lucked out, it was my husband's birthday and Mad Mex had sent him a coupon for a free burrito! Mad Mex doesn't just serve a burrito, no it serves a BIG AZZ Burrito! I've never seen a burrito that big in my life! (Our waitstaff, Tasha, very nicely boxed it up for him to bring home ) (I'm hoping he's not eating it for breakfast in the morning!)

Manager Dave greeted us and welcomed us to Mad Mex. I can't remember the last time I saw a manager who was so on top of everything happening in the restaurant. He was working hard to be sure all his guests had a great experience at Mad Mex. And everyone from the hostess to the waitstaff and bus persons were all working hard to get everyone their food and anything else that needed refilling (umm...like those Big Azz Margaritas or beers!)

I know it's going to be another hot again today and tomorrow, so if you are looking for a way to avoid cooking at home head to Mad Mex to cool off, locally in University City and Willow Grove.

Personally recommend the jumbo shrimp fajitas! Like the burrito, it was a huge serving! These certainly could feed you for more than one meal! By all means wrap half up and take it home! Ordering a side salad? Beware the cilantro lime dressing, it's super hot (at least to this New Jersey wimp!) I'll skip salad next time and just enjoy my entree.

So if you are looking for a fun destination for tomorrow where you can cool off and enjoy some great food, head to your local Mad Mex! And enjoy!

Dealyo Philly and Peter Sterling Events Offer 50% Off Wedding Consultation

Peter Sterling Events and DealYo Philly have teamed up to help make your wedding day run smoothly.  Every bride wants their wedding day to run seamlessly so they have time to enjoy their friends and family. Let Peter Sterling Events staff take care of paying vendors, worrying about bar supplies, and the million behind the scenes wedding day details so you have the time to enjoy your wedding and reception. 

Today on DealYo, you pay just $75 and receive a 1.5-hour wedding consultation with wedding planner extraordinaire, Peter Sterling, of Peter Sterling Events in Philadelphia.  You have the option to add more planning or day of services. 

Visit Peter Sterling Events Facebook page and web page to learn more about Peter Sterling Events expertise.  Peter Sterling Events is a boutique company in the Philadelphia region specializing in weddings and all your other special events. Call Peter Sterling Events at 484–318‑6941 and tell them Nancy from Wedding Day Weekly AKA The Wedding Queen sent you!

Is A Drama Mama Ruining Your Wedding Planning?

We all know drama mamas! And worse yet, as soon as you start to plan a wedding they literally COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK! Every decision you make, a drama mama immediately tells you (and everyone in a ten mile radius) how much you are going to regret a specific decision.  It doesn't matter what the decision is, whether it's to ban children from your wedding or something as simple as ivory invitations instead of white (OK, come on, how big a difference could this POSSIBLY make in the long run?) Drama mamas take every decision you make and turn it into a production worthy of the Metropolitan Opera! 

How can you enjoy planning your wedding more? Stay away from these mamas! (and to make it perfectly clear, these drama mamas aren't limited to your actual mother or your fiance's mother--some of them are your closest friends.) Sometimes you just need to NOT discuss your wedding with these people.  This should be a time you enjoy, not a time you feel you have to defend every decision or have to worry about offending someone you care about by not taking their advice--after all. Remember it is YOUR wedding.  It should reflect what you and your fiance think would make your wedding day memorable and beautiful, not what your best friend thinks you should do. 

How can you avoid getting these drama mamas mad at you? Simply say you want your day to be a surprise for your guests, so you aren't discussing details in advance.  This doesn't have to actually be factual, you may in fact have some people you can discuss your plans with who are supportive of your plans (no matter how bizarre they might seem).  These are the people who want YOU to be happy with your wedding day.

 I have to admit, I stuck my foot in it when a friend took me dress shopping with her and wanted to show me 'THE DRESS.'  After a lot of girlish excitement we got to the bridal salon and she found the dress she wanted to show me.  We headed to the fitting room and she put it on.  OK, now I say this with the greatest love, but WHERE WAS HER TASTE?  The gown literally had tassels--hanging from ...well suffice it to say she looked like a stripper getting married who just couldn't do without her usual costume.  Every movement she made they accented 'the girls.'  I don't know if it was a manufacturing error or if the dress was really made that way, but...tassels...on a wedding gown? 

I was so relieved when the saleswoman came in and said she had just one more dress for my friend to try on--(fortunately a tassel-free dress this time).  When my friend asked me which dress I liked, I KNOW I should have said whichever one she liked best.  But I never could keep my mouth shut.  So I told her the 2nd dress made her look glow.  It accented how much she loved her fiance.  And then I prayed for the goddess of good taste to take over.  Thank goodness it did.

What did I learn?  I really don't want to have ANY say in anyone's dress decisions or about anything for their wedding--I mean suppose she'd worn the tassel dress and said later 'Why didn't you tell me?' Or what if she'd said 'The one thing I regret about my wedding day is that I didn't buy the dress I wanted.'  It's too much responsibility! So if you're going shopping for your wedding gown--please, please leave me at home!  Or better yet, I'll meet you for lunch later and tell you how I can't wait to see your gown--ON your wedding day. 

Do you have a drama mama ruining your wedding planning? Tell us all about it and get it off your chest.  No tassels please!

Take Some Time Off From Wedding Planning

And enter a giveaway for tubing for two @ Two Frugal Moms Blog! Get out in the sun and on the water and float away your wedding planning woes on a huge tube in the Delaware River! Two Frugal Moms help you relax without blowing your budget when you win this day of tubing.  So head over and enter today!

Wedding Chic

Photo and order from: Wedding Chic

Looking for a wedding resource book to help turn your ho-hum wedding into a luxury wedding worthy of the stars? Try reading Wedding Chic by Colin Cowie.  Available at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com.  Cowie, party planner to the rich and famous, offers 1001 tips to manage everything from your ceremony to your reception.  Enjoy!

The 'IT' Shades For Weddings

Photo courtesy of Brides.com

Brides.com is showing these colors as the 'IT' colors for your bridesmaides to wear.  From the deep red to the Wedgewood blue, colors are vibrant and a perfect foil for you white gown.  The colors dazzle the eye and can be mixed together so you have a vibrant bridal party.