The Tuxedo vs. The Suit

We have realized that while sitting and writing about how the bride can shop to find her perfect dress for that special day, there is another person that seems to get neglected. It is automatically assumed that with the groom they will go to the tuxedo shop and work it out for him and his groomsmen.  As I was thinking about this, I started to question, "Why should any of them get a tuxedo?"

When women go and shop for their bridal gown or their bridesmaid dress, more times than not, it is a purchase to buy and keep forever. Very seldom to you hear about women renting their wedding/bridesmaid dresses (although I know it does happen). So, why is it that more men don't go to a suit shop instead of a tuxedo shop?  Think about it, men will go to a shop and rent a tux for $100 or more, especially if they want a good quality one.  They end up with something that may not fit quite right, and in the end, their $100 gets returned back to the place they rented it from. So, maybe men should start considering taking that money and going to get a tailored suit for their special occasion. There are some very good reasons why this may be something for you to consider. I tell you, there is nothing like a man who can wear a tailored suit. On the opposite side, there are also reasons why a tux may be the choice for you.

                                          

 The Tuxedo Rental

In first looking at renting a tuxedo, the above picture is an obvious reason.  If you are planning to match the color of your wife to be, then then tuxedo is the way to go if White or Ivory are your choices.  This is mainly because I highly doubt, you will wear it ever again.  Another reason why renting maybe be more for you is because it is more or less a one stop shop. Along with the tux of your choice, you also get your shirt, buttons, and cuff links. Even though your accessories are an added expense, you also get your vest, tie, and shoes. The upside to this is you don't have to shop around.  The downside is this is what can drive up the price of your rental. The color choices for your tux rental is also limited.  Usually you choose from Black, White, Ivory, and sometimes Gray. When you get into the Gray, and possibly the Dark Brown, your style choices are few and far between as oppose to the traditional black tuxedo. Asking for the the colors that are not "the norm" could also increase the price of your rental.  Also, the thing to consider is that your rental has to get back to the store on time otherwise, there is an additional expense you incur. So, in hindsight you are spending a lot of money for something you will not keep.  Now if you are the couple that are trying to reduce costs, this option may take a large portion with really nothing to show for it in the end, except for the beautiful pictures you will take.

 

    The Tailored Suit

This is an option that couples probably don't consider, but maybe it may warrant a discussion.  Although it is very possible, you will be spending more money than you would for renting, there are more benefits in the long run. The first benefit is when purchasing a suit instead of renting, you can have the suit tailored . By going to a Men's clothing store (such as Men's Warehouse or Macy's) and purchasing a suit from their rack selection, the Groom and his Groomsmen will then be able to have the suit jacket and pants tailored to fit them in a way a regular tuxedo cannot. Also, there is a better color selection for a suit as it is shown in the above picture.  If you are going to an island for your ceremony, maybe a khaki suite will work well with the blue tones you are planning for the décor. It also gives you an opportunity to pick accessories that work for you like your shirt and tie. You will also be able to shop for shoes to compliment your suit as well.  In the end, yes you spend more than your traditional tuxedo rental, but the silver lining is that on the day after your wedding, you can pack up your suit and take it home with you because it is yours to wear again and again.

Which ever option you decide to choose, make sure it is the best decision for you, and that you are happy with your choice.  Either way, that Groom and his Groomsmen will be looking sharp.

Sports Fanatic Elegance

Traditionally when weddings are planned they usually focus the vision of the bride and have nothing to do with the groom. A lot of the time, you hardly see anything the represents him aside from a possible groom's cake or a garter that is specially made. What if you were able to change that? We all know grooms rarely care for the details with the exception of what they're going to eat, and what they're going to wear. There is a way you can show how important your mate is in the planning and show an extension of what he likes and 9 times out of 10, it's sports. By letting his favorite sports team have a presence in your wedding you will truly show that it is about the both of you. Now before you get all skeptical and close off the idea, let me reassure you, there will be no footballs everywhere or basketball centerpieces - no terrible towels or cheese head wedges will be a part of the decor.

Once you've picked the date and time, one of the next things you decide on is the color scheme. These combination of colors can come from a lot of different inspirations that a woman might see. Whether it's the Tiffany blue boxes with a rich chocolate brown, or maybe a tropical feel is more your speed with bright colors and accents. There is a way you can incorporate your love for your mate and his love for the game. Whether it's his favorite football team (Go Chiefs!) or his old college alma mater, you can make the craziest color combinations translate into a very elegant setting to exchange vows and party the night away. The below examples will hopefully give you an idea on how you can merge sports and its colors into one magnificent display.

The Kansas City Chiefs
Of course we have to represent for the home team first. Now, this team is the owner of Red and Gold. This combination actually isn't that hard to translate considering around the Christmas season you see these two colors together quite a bit.

The Green Bay Packers

This color combination could pose somewhat of a challenge with its Green, Gold and White, but you could actually pull off something great. If you pick a main focus color that is more traditional, you can use the other as accents through out.

The New York Knicks

For the New Yorkers, your die hard Knicks fan would appreciate you taking their blue and orange color scheme and incorporating them into your day. It actually can be done very tastefully while at the same time offering a unique color pairing.

The Florida Marlins

I picked this team because of the combination of the teal with the black and gray. This is not so much a different combination, but it's one that you don't see a lot. These together can translate into a Spring like backdrop. Especially if you make teal the focus or main color element and accent with the gray over the black.



Wichita State Shockers

Rounding out the inspiration is this university which represents with its yellow and black. This color combo could be quite bright (Steelers fans could agree also) However, you can add the elegance to this one by the use of a damask or floral print. This will bring an element of softness to your overall look. Using this against crisp white linen will also help provide a very elegant element to your space.

As you can see, there are ways you can incorporate your mate's love into your big day. Whether he shows it or not, he will be extremely pleased with your color choices and thinking of him.

Be an Appy Couple

In a previous post we talked about a way for people keep up with your wedding via the world wide web and a wedding website. Since we are in the technology age, I figured, why not take it a step further? It seems like everything now a days has an app, so why not take advantage of that and possibly make your lives easier at the same time.

We were doing some web surfing and came across something interesting. There is a website called Appy Couple (hence the title of the blog post). With this website you are able to create and app and a website together. Sounds like a 2-for-1 if you ask me. So we looked a little further into this to see what all it is capable of doing.

• You can tell your guests all of the logistical details
• You can give people a calendar of events
• You can send messages to specific members of your bridal party
• You can share where you have registered
• Guests can share pictures that took with you
• So much more!

Think about those conferences you went to that had apps and how easy it was to get what you needed. Now you can do that for your guests. There is a one time fee depending upon which package you choose and your guests would just download it from the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android phones. They put in your wedding code and then they are ready to go. 

Below is a short demo to see it. If you like what you see check out www.appycouple.com to learn more.

I'm Engaged! Now What?

So the love of your life asked you to marry him (Congratulations!) As you're getting used to your new status all sorts of things will be going on in your head. You have to tell your family and show off that beautiful piece of jewelry that will forever be worn. Once you've gotten through that and you're sitting down thinking "I have to plan a wedding! What do I do?" First things first, pick up the phone and call us (no, seriously).  Before that happens though, there are a few things that you need to decide on. The below list will help give you a starting point to begin planning the day of your dreams.

When and Where 

These two W's are about the most important thing to figure out. This is where you and your honey sit down and pick your date. Do you want a Fall or Summer wedding? Do you want an evening or a brunch affair? Will it be a Friday or even a Sunday? One tip would be to try and avoid major holidays if you can. That could inflate your costs and significantly reduce your guest list (which actually might not be a bad thing). After you decide on the date, the next important step is location. will you get married on the beaches of Jamaica or in the church you grew up in? Do you want to have both the ceremony and reception in the same venue?

How Much

This question is actually way more important than the other to. This is where you set your budget. Both of you have to realistically think how much you want to spend. Will the both of you being paying for every solely on your own or will you be asking your parents/family to contribute? One thing to mention about that is if you decide to ask family, be prepared to also accept their suggestions as well as their money. Budgeting is so very important throughout this process, make sure you allow enough for a wedding planner (yes, I said it again). Whatever company you hire, it is the job of the planners, consultants, etc. to keep you on budget. With that, you have to be willing to let them do that. Trust when I tell you, you don't want to be trying to pay off items for your wedding and you've been married for a couple of years.

Use Your Imagination 

This where the fun begins! This is where you start thinking about the look and feel of your wedding. Start thinking about what colors would look great together. How many people do you want standing next to you on the alter. What event space captures your vision? Do you want roses or daisies? Start looking in magazines or in this age of social media Pinterest to grab ideas. Start a wedding board a pin your little heart out.

If you start with those things, then when you decide to bring in your planner, you will have a lot of the "pre-work" done already. You're life is going to get crazy very quickly and depending upon how long you and your mate are giving yourself between the engagement and the wedding, things may go very quickly. Make sure you prioritize and seek help when you ready.

Oh, the last thing....ENJOY IT! You're engaged, take time to really let that settle in. think about and cherish that moment before diving right in.

Grooms Actually Do Care

Most times when the question is asked about the wedding process, the topic of the groom comes up. I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've heard a bride say 'Oh he doesn't really care.' or 'He just wants to know what time to be there.' What this implies is that he really doesn't care about anything going on during the planning process because it is always seen as "it's the bride's day". In all actuality though, that's not necessarily true. There are elements of the wedding that most grooms tend to have a strong opinion about (aside from how much all this stuff is going to cost). Below is a list of things that you'll want to make sure you include your groom in when making your decisions. After all it's not just the bride's day, but a day for the both of you.

The Honeymoon

This aspect of the wedding the groom will want full control. I'm almost sure of it because this gives them to plan their dream vacation (or close to it). This will be days of relaxation that will serve as his reward for enduring all the months before (let's be real). Of course it also to enjoy all the alone time with is new bride that he wants to. This is one area he has so brides don't worry about it and leave him to it.

The Registry

What man would pass up going to a department store and shooting a bunch of items with a gun? This aspect of the planning will also bring your groom out with no hesitation. It gives him the opportunity to try obtain all the little gadgets that he's had is heart set on, but really didn't want to buy personally. It is advised that when you do your registry and you select all the things you think you'd want for your home and not just the usual sheets, towels, dishes, kitchen items, etc. You fiancé may have his eye on a new grill or maybe even a TV for the basement. If he can get away with putting on there, it will be on there. He will be a full participant in this area you can count on it. Side note, with most registries, the items that don't get picked up by your guests can be bought by you at a discounted rate, so put that Dyson on there because you know those jokers are expensive!

Tuxedos and Such

This is another area that you probably won't get your man to budge much on. More times than not, he will already have an idea of what he and his boys will wear that day. The only thing he will want to know from you is what color to get the ties and vests in. I'm sure he would be open to suggestions about what you envision them wearing, however, I seriously doubt you will be able to pick it out. You'll just have to go with the flow on this one. This is where you have to trust his judgment because I'm sure he wants his guys to look just as good as he know you and your ladies will.

Food and Beverage

As they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and on his wedding day, he's going to make sure he has some good food to put in it. Any food and beverage tastings you and your planner have mapped out, make sure you include your fiancé because he will definitely want to be a part of those. After all, it is his guests that will be eating along with yours and he wants to make sure the choices will be acceptable. If you are planning to have a signature drink, he will want to make sure it tastes just right and most definitely, he will want to be a part of picking your wedding cake.

Above are just a few of areas in your wedding planning that you should consider your fiancé and his opinion in your big day. Even though he might not say it's important, or event shrug it off as it being your thing, just know that he really does care and wants his elements displayed on your big day just like you do. You are about to enter into a union that is all about compromise and making decisions together. What better way to start down that path than by you make a conscious effort to include your honey? Trust me when I tell you, he will appreciate it and will thank you.

Four Reasons to Add .com to Your Wedding

When going through the experience of wedding planning, there are SO many things to think about. One of the goals is that you want the process to be as painless as you can possibly get it. One of the things to consider is how are you going to get out a bunch of information with the least amount of money?

Some couples go the route of sending out cute Save the Date announcements to tell people "Hey look! Guess what's about to happen." Those cost money. Then after that comes "Here's what you need to know" in the form of the wedding invitation. Again, those cost money and then there is the "Tell us who's coming" and "What do you want to eat" which is more money. Like we said, a lot of couples will go this route which is a wonderful thing if you are able to do those. However, there some people who desire to minimize what they spend their money on. Another thing couple run into is there will be certain pieces of information that people may want to know, but unless you have a big get together, you will have to find another way to get the word out.

At one point in time the things to do was to create a wedding website. We haven't seen as many as we used to years ago so I can't help wonder if they are still popular although we truly believe this could be the ultimate time and life saver for you. There are a few sites where you can create them for FREE.99 and if you have a little extra money in your budget, there are also sites where you can pay a have a little more options to customize them to your liking.

Here are 4 reasons why you should make a wedding website a part of your wedding.

Show How Fabulous You Are

Of course we have to start these reasons off with a little vanity. We're pretty sure that after you became officially engaged there was no question in your mind that an engagement shoot was an absolute must. This shoot would have you and your significant other in the best outfits that showed your sense of style and your personalities as individuals and as a couple. What better place for you to display all of that for your friends and family to see? It also gives you a place to do a pictorial documentary of how you met and your journey to becoming husband and wife. People love looking at all of those fun things you experienced together.

Show People Who You Are

We all know that when two people come together there will be those who ask the question "who is she?" or "Where did he come from?" This usually happens as one side of the family and friends ask about the other side. When you have a wedding website, you can answer a lot of those questions. There will be a section for the bride to tell about herself and the groom to tell about himself. People can then learn the bride moved to the US from the Caribbean and the groom knows 3 languages. It is a central location for people to know more about the love of your life.

This also let's people know who you have chosen to be a part of your special day and you can provide how you know each of the people who have chosen to be in your bridal party.

Tell Your Story Your Own Way

People may have an idea about how you met, but no one ever knows the real story accept for the two of you (and maybe the person that hooked you up). A wedding website give you a way to let me know how you met in the most creative way possible. One way that I have seen is when the bride gives her version and the groom gives his. More times than not, the stories are never the exact same and it is quite comical. But, it is always fun to see each perspective of how they met and what thoughts were going through their heads at the time. To make it more fun, maybe the two of you can sit down together and do a video and post for your guests to see.

Not only can you fill people in on how you met, but you can also tell them your engagement story. Everyone loves a good love story. Again, you can make this a her story versus his story and just describe that day and how special it was to you. Share as much as you want to share because this was a moment for the two of you.

 It's Your Informational "Hub"

Whether you are having your ceremony in your family's church or going away to a tropical destination, there is a lot of information that you will have to give out to your guests. This is where you can tell people where your ceremony and reception will be. There is also a feature that can let your guests RSVP on your website. Remember where we said that there will be items that you may want to use that could cost money? Well by accepting your RSVPs via your website, that may cut down on the cost of printing your invitations for example. This is also the place where you tell people where you are registered because they will ask. with your website, you can provide links to all of your registries and make it easier for your guests so that way, they won't have to bother you with it.

If you know you will have guests coming or going out of town, you can also tell them about the things there are to do while they are gone. You can also do fun things like asking people what songs they would like to hear at the reception and develop a playlist for your DJ.

As you can see, there are some pretty good reasons for getting yourself a wedding website while you are doing your wedding planning. To help you get started, below are links to two websites that provide the websites. Both of them have free websites and Wedding Window also offers premium services for a fee. I recommend that you truly consider taking the time out to create one while you are in the planning process. Happy creating!!

                                

  

Choosing the Right Bridal Party

Over the Christmas, New Year's and Valentine's holidays, many couples decided to take their relationship to the next level. Around the country, and the world, men (and in some cases women) everywhere said those special 4 four words to their love in restaurants, parks, buses, or the Jumbotron at their favorite game: "Will You Marry Me"?

Now you have progressed to the title of fiancé and it can be quite overwhelming when thinking about all the things that you want to do for your wedding. First things first, BREATHE! You don't want to start off going full speed and end up crashing and burning. Take time to enjoy what has happened to you because it is something special. Seek out the help of a professional (say it with me "planners are your friend").

Once you have gotten use to the fact of now you have to plan a wedding, it's time to get started. After picking your date, theme, and color scheme, the next important task is picking your wedding party. This task can be one that can change your life for good or for bad depending on your approach. Even though you may think you want certain people to stand at the alter with you, there are some things that should really be considered. The following 6 tips will help guide you in your party search. They are from an article written by Jean Neuhart owner of Weddings From the Heart out of Dayton, Ohio. She gives really good insight on this important task.

6 Tips for Choosing a Happy Bridal Party

One of the first things most couples do after becoming engaged is to choose their bridal party.

Here are a few tips to help you pick the "right" people.


1. First of all, only consider people who are truly close to. This means no acquaintances, or people you really don't see very often or socialize with. The people you have standing up with you on your wedding day really should be those who are the nearest and dearest to you.

2. Before asking anyone to be in your bridal party, think about their personal situations. Will they have enough time to devote to your wedding or are their lives so full with other obligations that your wedding will seem like an afterthought to them?

3. Are they financially able to participate in your wedding as a member of the bridal party? Agreeing to stand up for you carries a monetary obligation. Hosting a bridal shower and bachelorette party, and paying for their own wedding day attire and accessories, travel and lodging if they are from out-of-town, and wedding gift adds up.  If you think there may be some factor that may affect someone's participation in your bridal party, you may want to bring it up (diplomatically, of course) when you ask them to participate, and give them some time to think about it before having to give you an answer. "I know that there are extra costs involved in being in someone's wedding, but, if possible, I would love for you to be my bridesmaid. Why don't you think about it and let me know next week?"

4. Are they supportive of your choice of future spouse? Their role is to stand up for you during the ceremony to witness and support your marriage. Any negative feelings, even if unfounded, will be felt throughout your wedding day.

5. It is perfectly acceptable to have a male stand up for you, or a female stand up for your fiancé. In this situation, they would be called Honor Attendants, however "Man of Honor," "Best Woman," and "Groomswoman" work too.

6. You don't have to have "even sides" in your bridal party. For example, it is perfectly ok to have three bridesmaids and four groomsmen. Never ask someone to be in your bridal party just to even things up.

Hopefully these tips will help make the job of choice a little easier. Happy planning!!

Can You Set The Table Please?

That is a question that has been asked over and over by our parents growing up I’m sure. We all have learned the basics of fork on the left, knife on the right. However, when coordinating events, it goes so much deeper than that. This is one detail that should not be overlooked. There is an art to setting the table. It is a small detail, but it’s the small details that people will take notice of. There are slight variations between setting a casual dinner table and a formal dinner table, the main difference being the number of dishes. As you plan your party for the holidays, using the tips from our previous post, keep these things in mind as you prepare for your guests.

1. Before you begin setting out the dinnerware, first things first. Drape a freshly laundered and ironed tablecloth over the table. A white tablecloth is the most classic choice for formal tables.

2. Arrange the centerpieces on the tables. The general rule of thumb for centerpieces is that you need one centerpiece per round or square table and multiple centerpieces evenly spaced along each rectangular table. Centerpieces should not be so tall that your guests cannot see over them.

3. Place a dinner plate or charger on the table in front of each chair. Dinner plates should be set approximately two inches from the edge of the table.

4. Space the flatware about one-half inch from the plate and two inches from the edge of the table.

5. On the right side of the plate, place up to three knives -- for first course, main course and salad -- with blades facing inward, followed to the right by the soup spoon. On the left side of the plate, place up to three forks -- for first course, main course and salad -- the salad fork being furthest left. At the top of the plate, place the dessert spoon with the stem end to the right and the dessert fork above it with the stem end on the left.

6. Place the salad plate to the left of the dinner plate, above the forks.

7. Place bread plate on the right side of the dinner plate, above the knife setting, left of the glassware and higher than the salad plate. If there's no salad course, place the bread plate on the left side, above the fork setting. Place the butter knife across the bread plate.

8. If there is a soup course, place the soup bowl on top of the dinner plate.

9. Place the stemware above the knives in the following order from left to right: water glass, white wine glass, red wine glass and champagne flute.

10. Place a coffee cup and saucer to the right of the knives and spoon on the right side of the saucer.

5 Stars on TheKnot.com

Just wanted to do a quick post sharing our good news. One of our clients did a review for us on her recent wedding this past June. We were blessed that because of our planning, we were able to receive 5 stars in all of the categories.

Being in the planning business, it is important that you are mindful of what your clients want and to give them a very positive experience. You have to show them that you are confident in your craft and be able to display all the qualities you speak about via your website, social media, etc. as well as when you meet with them. When you do all of those things, you will have clients that will appreciate you and will hopefully use you over and over again.

We are so thankful to our clients for thinking that much about us to take the time to write something hat other potential brides can see - especially on such a well known site like TheKnot.com That will truly opens doors for us. We would like to send a big "THANK YOU" to Larissa and Byron Gasaway for letting us be a part of your wonderful day.

Read what our client had to say:

If you too are in the Greater Kansas City area, we would like to help you create your wedding too! Click HERE to view our website.