Here's a collection of fun stories and helpful articles!

Wedding First Impressions

 He PROPOSED!  You said YES! 

Now it is a time to celebrate the engagement and recognize the future wedding.

 Once the main details have been set, specifically the date and location (city/state) of your wedding, you can announce your engagement and your wedding date with a save the date magnet.

 Save the date magnets offer the opportunity to make a striking first impression on your guests before your wedding day.  More importantly, with everyone’s busy schedules, a save the date magnet offers a fun way for your guests to save your date on their calendar.  A save the date magnet will give your guests plenty of time to set up travel arrangements so they can make it into town for your wedding.

 There are many ways to personalize your save the date magnet:  Traditional, Elegant, Unique, Modern, Retro, Favorite Colors, Wedding Colors, Baby Photos, Engagement Photos, the design options are endless.  A Save the date magnet gives the bride and groom the opportunity to capture their personalities and style, making the announcement of their wedding fun.  Save the formal stuff for your wedding invitations.

 When guests receive your save the date magnet, they will know the who, what, when and where of your wedding.  Besides mailing save the date magnets, couples also like to pass them out at engagement parties and wedding showers as a party favor or souvenir.

 If you choose to mail your save the date magnets, each order does come with envelopes.  Our envelopes are slightly larger than the magnets (3.5 x 4 inches) and will mail at the .41 cent rate.

Top 10 Wedding Registry Tips

 1. You can register as soon as you would like, even if you do not know your wedding date. 

 2. Make a list of what you and your fiancée each currently have.  Decide what you will and won’t be taking with you to your new home after your wedding.  Be careful when selecting seasonal items.  They may be discontinued by the time a guest goes to purchase your gift.

 3. Determine the formality/style you and your fiancee will want along with color schemes and patterns; especially for linens, dinnerware, flatware, etc.

 4. Ask the retailers that you are considering registering with if they offer discounts.  Some retailers will offer a discount up to 1 year after the wedding date so you can buy items and complete your registry.

 5. Give your guests plenty of options.  It is a good idea to register for more items than the number of family and friends on your guest list.  Provide them a nice variety of gift ideas along with a range of price points.  Keep these general categories in mind:  dinnerware, serveware, flatware, stemware, barware, cutlery, table accessories, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, hardware, electronics, furnishings.

 6. Do not be in a rush.  Give yourself plenty of time to register.

 7. Register with your fiancée.  Do not register alone.

 8. Check your wedding registry often.  Make sure it is accurate and up to date.  You may need to add items as your wedding date approaches.

 9. Write thank you notes with in two weeks if you receive a gift prior to your wedding date, and within 4 weeks if you receive a gift after your wedding date.

 Enjoy the process and have fun.  Your wedding day will be here before you know it.

Wedding Shower Themes

 1. Around The Clock Wedding Shower:  Each guest is assigned a certain time of day.  Their gift is something that is commonly used for that time.  Makes for great fun and lots of laughs.

 2. Stock The Bar Wedding Shower –Guests bring items associated with stocking your bar such as martini glasses, wine glasses, beer mugs, nice bottles of wine, booze, etc.   A fun one for the guys.

 3. Room of the House Wedding Shower – Each guest is assigned a certain room in your house and brings a gift that can be used in that room.

 4. Garden Theme Wedding Shower – Guest bring gifts associated with the outdoors.  Items that the newly weds can use in the garden or the yard.

 5. Stock the Kitchen Wedding Shower – Same idea as Stock the Bar.  Guests are asked to bring items for the kitchen along with their favorite recipe.

Honeymoon Countdown

 6 months prior to wedding date

• Types of honeymoon: tropical/beach, big city, cruise, mountains
• Determine how much time off of work you can take
• Research destinations
• Set your budget

 5 months prior to wedding date

• Make your reservations
• Book airline tickets, rental cars, etc.
• Write down all your confirmation numbers
• Make sure your passport is valid

 2 months prior to wedding date

• Make sure you have the proper/adequate luggage

 1 month prior to wedding date

• Create a checklist of everything you will need/want (clothes, accessories, camera)

 1 week prior to wedding date

• Confirm all your travel reservations
• Provide copies of your itinerary to your family

 Travel Day

• Arrive at the airport early
• Relax and have fun.  The stress of the big wedding day is finally behind you
• Send postcards

Tips to Make Your Wedding Day Less Stressful

 1. Think about how you want to run your wedding day, set a schedule for yourself that works for you and do your best to stick to it. You'll feel less frantic on your wedding day and you'll have more energy to get things done.

 2. Get Served.  Make use of family and friends offering to help.  It will make your life easier and give you more spare time.

 3. Transportation.  Have a family member or a friend drive you to and from. It might be the only time on your wedding day you can just be quiet and take a deep breath.  Take advantage of it.

 4. Leave Perfection at The Door.  Do not freak out over every wedding detail, laboring over simple tasks for longer than necessary.  It is mentally exhausting and the pressure you put on yourself is insane.  You are supposed to enjoy your wedding day.

Baby Shower Planning

Here’s some easy and inexpensive shower decoration ideas:

 The Candy Pacifier – stick 2 wintergreen or peppermint lifesavers together and add a jelly bean. You can use cake icing to stick them together so they can be eaten after or during the baby shower.

 Baby food votives – turn empty baby food jars into votive candles!  Keep the labels on the jars…..they will become great conversation starters.

 Clothesline  - hang diapers on a clothesline or have guests arrive to the baby shower early and bring an article of clothing for the new baby. Get them hung on the line before the mom-to-be arrives.

 Baby bottle glasses – buy some inexpensive baby bottles and turn them into drinking glasses.  You can even snip off the top of the nipple on the bottle to make room to insert a straw.

 Pacifier napkin rings – use inexpensive pacifiers as your napkin rings. Baby Keys also work well. The mom-to-be can take them home after the baby shower…she will thank you for all of the spare pacifiers and toys.

 Baby Supplies centerpieces – Use a basket for the centerpiece of each table. Fill that basket with an assortment of baby care supplies like lotion, baby powder, wipes, diapers, shampoo, baby shampoo, baby soap, etc. The future mom will thank you for stocking her baby’s changing table

 Baby bottle place cards – fill a baby bottle for each guest with some candy.  Find some pastel colored candy (you can usually find pastel jelly bellies or M & M’s ), blue or pink, or a mixture if you don’t know the sex of the baby yet.  Write the name of each guest on the bottle and use it to assign their seat at the table.

 Baby Diaper cake – use disposable baby diapers and roll each of them into tight rolls and tie with a ribbon that matches your baby shower them.  Tie a bunch of these rolls together with a pastel ribbon to make a “wheel” about the size of a round cake.  Make another “wheel”  of rolled diapers a bit smaller than the first. This will be the second layer of the baby diaper cake.

 Christmas baby shower tree – If the baby shower is happening around the holidays, buy a small Christmas tree that you can place on a table. Buy small baby toys and supplies to hang on the tree as ornaments. You can also have the guests bring the toys and supplies and them have them hang them on the tree as they arrive.

Must Haves for Baby

 Preparing for your new baby can be a daunting task. To help ease the stress here’s a list of some of the MUST HAVES for when you welcome your new baby to your home.

 Diapers – you will quickly learn which brand you and your baby like the best. Don’t hesitate to stock up on diapers, you will go through them faster than you ever imagined.

 Onesies – After your first diaper change you will realize that the onesie is the easiest to work around. The snap onesies are the best, so stock plenty of them.

 Diaper Rash Ointment – There are many brands out there. You will just have to experiment to see which one is the most effective. Butt Paste (the brand) has become wildly popular. Check out the diaper ointment aisle at your local baby superstore..you’ll have plenty to choose from.

 Gentle baby soap – many babies have very sensitive skin, so choose a soap that is very mild, possibly even fragrance free.

 Gentle no-tear shampoo – This will make you life a lot easier when it comes to washing baby’s hair.

 Baby Brush and Comb

 Small baby fingernail clippers or file – Those nails are small, so you’ll find it hard to use the traditional size clippers.

 Pacifiers – if you choose to let your baby use a pacifier, stock plenty of them. They are inexpensive and will inevitably fall on the ground and get dirty.

 Baby Wipes – just like diapers, you’ll go through many more than you imagined.

 Baby Socks

 Car Seat – check reviews online and decide how much you’d like to spend. Make sure you see them first hand before purchasing so you don’t make a mistake.  Infant seats are fairly easy to install, but if you feel more comfortable it’s a good idea to have the local fire or police station check your installation on your first attempt.

 Baby bottles

 Bottle brushes

 Soft rocking chair – you’ll be doing a lot of sitting and rocking with your new baby, make sure your spot will be nice and comfortable for both you and the baby

 Hooded baby bath towels

 Crib or Bassonett – you’ll eventually need the crib, but some people will use a basonett for the first few weeks. Make sure you find your crib early though, most stores take several weeks to have them delivered.

 Crib bumper

 Baby sheets

 Fragrance free laundry detergent – less agitating for baby’s sensitive skin.

 Swaddle blankets

 Baby Sleepers – You’ll appreciate these while you are changing baby’s diaper in the middle of the night. Buy plenty.