WEDDING INVITATION Etiquette
How to plan for YOUR HONEYMOON
Real Weddings
Interview
What to do about
Bridal Makeup
THE PLANNING ISSUE
Content 12
26
17
Wedding Invitation
Great locations for wedding destinations
How to set your wedding budget, and how to save
you probably haven’t heard of
money while doing it
22
34
40
What to do before your first bridal appointment,
How to plan for your
Real Wedding
honeymoon
Interview
Etiquette
and what you should know before you go
56
60
What Can Our Online Program do for You? Well,
What to do about Bridal
a lot.
4 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Makeup
Publisher Pratia Jordan Editor at Large Chelsea Carrick Editorial Team Amanda Tapp Chris Clark Sales Manager Andria Keelin Sales Team Christi Dawson Design Team Lead Pamela E. Guardado B. Website Team Lead Ajeesh John Website Team Rabeesh Rajappan Digital Marketing Keerthi VS
The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights in regards to copyright of their work. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. All copyrighted work was reproduced with the permission of the owner.
8 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Editor’s Letter I am so excited to present to you the planning issue of our magazine. There are a lot of pieces to a wedding, and of course there are a lot of pieces to marriage. At Affinity, we want to make it as easy on you as we possibly can. The planning process is only the first step of many along the way to a lifetime of marital bliss (and, of course, the occasional difficulty). Since we’re thinking in terms of lifetimes, the planning process of a wedding may not seem like that big of a deal. But your wedding day is a celebration of the life you are going to live, and as such we want to help you make it the day you want it to be. The planning process is the first step, and despite the ultimately beautiful ceremony at the end of the tunnel, it can be complicated and difficult at times. That’s why we want to bring you read advice from real brides. It’s important that we support one another along this journey, which is why no amount of pinterest pinning or google searches can give you the advice another bride can. We bring you “Real Brides” who are bringing you real advice on their real (and wonderful) weddings. We also want to help you with the often overlooked pieces of wedding planning, such as making and sending out those wedding invites and what to know before your first bridal appointment. We also have ways for you to save money and how to plan a budget, plus how to plan your honeymoon to reflect your goals and personalities. Thinking of a destination wedding? We’ll help you with that too. At Affinity, we have also come up with a wedding planning program that walks you through the various stages (large and small) of wedding planning and development. We want you to be able to focus on what matters - your wedding and the love it symbolizes. So we came up with a program that makes the planning process as painless as possible. We’ll walk you through it in this issue of the magazine. We hope that this issue makes everything a little more enjoyable and easy.
Love, Chelsea Carrick
Small
Stories
12 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
S
ending out wedding invitations means more than just choosing beautiful and thematic stationary. There are certain levels of etiquette you should follow too. The problem is, most people don’t actually know what the unspoken rules are. We’re here to help you figure them out and make sure that those receiving your invitations will be as happy as possible. First and foremost, you need to make sure that your guest is well-informed. Make sure all of the essential details are on the invite. This may seem obvious, but it’s not. People forget important details all the time. Make sure that you don’t simply say “Reception to follow.” You need to state where that reception is, and if it is difficult to find you should include clear directions.
Wedding Invitation Etiquette:
Couples will often put earlier start times on invitations to play it safe. Don’t do that. Guests start showing up early. Don’t make them wait too long for your entrance. If you have a specific dress code at your wedding, this is also something that should be included. You can put it in the lower right hand corner, and a simple “casual attire” or “black tie” will suffice.
on mps t sta nce. u p to da tting atten t this forge m their ge s i r ake to confir - don’t fo r their m s o t ’ f e l oup sking them if you don e postage lso, this c e t th A P, bu istak ou’re a pay ible. on m t is how y digital RSV n’t have to m as poss m m a e o e er co lopes if th prefer th hat they d free for th h t o e t s e An VP env couple ke sure ssl S as ha y a the R rse, man us to m process teo he ou Of c It’s cour ake t faster! m d ! l l i u lot deta You sho ess a c o . r P RSV ake the p m will
your Make sure to send st two lea invitations out at
longer for months in advance, s. You should destination wedding t a save the have already sent ou still be timely date, but you should . Additionally, regarding your invite ke your RSVP it’s a good idea to ma or three weeks deadline about two allows before the day. This e you to give an accurat er, ter ca the to t un co head ne which should be do the e for be ek we a t abou . ing wedd
Make sure you make it clear who you are inviting to the wedding. If you’re inviting the entire family, make sure that is stated on the envelope. You can say individual names if you would like, but if you aren’t having children at the wedding then you should make sure only the parents’ names are on there.
Here is a big one - don’t include your wedding registry information on your invitation. You can however put your registry on your website, and you can include your website information on your save the date. Your wedding party and family can also help spread the word, and then it won’t look like you’re directly asking for gifts. This should help get you started on how exactly you should send your wedding invites! Picking out
the stationery is the fun part, but you also need to make sure the invitations come across as, well, inviting as possible.
14 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
How to set your
WEDDING BUDGET,
and how to save money while doing it
This might be the least fun, but also one of the most important, pieces to wedding planning. Most couples though, don’t really know where to start. Or where in the lineup you can to try and save money. Luckily, we’ve come up with a step-by-step guide to how you should begin budgeting your wedding and how to make sure you don’t overspend.
1. Prioritize. The absolute first piece to successfully budgeting your wedding is to discuss what is most important to the both of you. When you first sit down to discuss this, talk about what you need and what you want. For this part, be a little bit idealistic. Talk about what you would have if you could have it. Then, after brainstorming, make a list of what you need and what you could do without. What are you willing to compromise on? You also need to discuss how big your wedding will be, because this will drastically impact your budget. Are you only inviting close family and friends? Or are you going to invite everyone you have ever known?
2.
Consider consulting with your family. If your family is going to help you pay for the wedding, now is a good time to ask them what they are willing to pay for. If they are helping to pay, chances are they will want their vision at least slightly represented on your wedding day. Discuss with them what they want their money to go to.
3. Start thinking about vendors. You should begin thinking about what vendors you want to use and talk with them about their rates. While you may have come up with a budget, once you meet with the vendors you can make it more accurate. You can see who has the best quality for the price, who you will get along with, and decide who you’re going to work with. If there is one vendor who costs more than anticipated but you don’t feel like you can go without, you can adjust other price points for other planning pieces.
18 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Money saving tips: Now here are some money saving tips for you to use while planning your wedding. You can incorporate these when you begin to budget!
A stock the bar party. A really
fun way to save money on one of the costlier parts to wedding planning is to throw a stock the bar party. Often, guests want an open bar but couples don’t want to pay for it. Why not find a way to do both? For your engagement party, you can ask guests to bring a bottle of wine or their favorite type of liquor to stash behind the bar for the wedding day reception. You can get a lot of good alcohol this way. But don’t forget that just because you bought the alcohol yourself doesn’t mean that you can serve it yourself. You need a licensed bartender.
20 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Utilize decorative signs instead of paper printouts or programs. Signs are a great
way to save money. The cost of printing programs, menus, or other decorative items can be a real budget suck. So why not utilize a welldecorated and beautifully written sign to get the necessary information to your guests?
Use a catered buffet in place of a plated meal:
Buffets occasionally have negative connotations, but for this purpose they shouldn’t. They will be a lot more economical than a plated meal, and guests might prefer the buffet option because they can choose to try what they want.
I hope these tips make budgeting a little more manageable and affordable. If you go to our planning website, onlineweddingplan.com, you can use a number of tools that make budgeting for your wedding a lot easier.
What to do before your first bridal appointment, and what you should know before you go
Plan to start early. By early, I mean about 6 to 8 months before your wedding date. In order to guarantee the perfect style and fit, you will want to make sure to allow yourself a lot of time. If you want a lot of added embellishment, that will take even longer. Depending on how intricate it is, it could even take up to a year. And once you have your dress, it will take about 10 weeks to make alterations.
22 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
In addition to planning to start shopping long before the wedding, you will want to plan out the best day to go shopping as well. Saturdays will inevitably be insanely busy, so if you can take a full or half day off of work to do your shopping that would be best. This will make your shopping experience far less chaotic, and the salespeople will be able to offer you more attention.
Narrow down your dress style and figure out if there will be
any restrictions on what your gown can look like based on where you’re holding your wedding. For example, if you are getting married in a particular house of worship, you may need to take a specific dress code into account. You also need to think about what season you’ll be getting married in and what your location will be. You can do some research ahead of time to make sure you know what dresses are most flattering for your individual shape. You should definitely have a price point. It will be a waste of time if you try on too many dresses outside of your price range, and you don’t want to bog yourself down with options you won’t be able to further pursue anyway. And when you’re determining a price
point, don’t forget that your budget also needs to include the extras - veil, shoes, jewelry, etc.
Make an appointment in advance. You may not be able to
find a salesperson just by walking in the door. And even if you do, without an appointment you may not have their full attention for the full time slot that you want. While many require them, you still might want to book appointments for the ones that don’t just to be safe. And if you have a specific style you particularly like, and you tell them in advance, they will likely be able to have a sample ready for you.
Pick the right fit. While many people want to shop optimistically, and many people do lose a little weight before their wedding, your overall body shape will not be likely to drastically change. Also, it’s much, much easier to fix a gown that is a little too big than it is to alter one that is too small. Always read the fine print.
Always, always, always double and triple check what you’re ordering. If you don’t, you may end up with a completely different size or color. You
need to check the measurements, the exact shade, the delivery date, the price, and your deposit amount. Make sure you have seen it all in writing.
Keep your options open.
While it is a good idea to have some idea as to what you’re looking for, you should still keep an open mind to what your bridal consultant will have to say. Chances are, she is really knowledgeable and could offer you something that could totally blow you away. You just never know! Overall, try and have fun with this experience! Some women absolutely love the idea of trying on their wedding dress, with the day being an incredibly special part of the wedding experience. Some women though, find it daunting. Hopefully with a few useful steps, we can help you find exactly what it is you’re looking for. It will be stunning.
Great locations for wedding destinations
you probably haven’t heard of
D
estination weddings can be great. People get to travel and your wedding turns into a truly big event. If you’re considering a destination wedding, you may be trying to narrow down your ideal spot. Of course, there’s the more common locations like Hawaii and Bermuda, which are popular for a reason. But if you’re a more of an off the beaten path type of person you may be looking for something a little bit different. So, we have compiled of list of wonderful, exotic, and unique wedding destinations for you to choose from.
Chiang Rai, Thailand:
You probably don’t know too many people who have had their wedding in Thailand. While it has served as a popular destination for adventurous travelers for years, very few people consider it wedding material. But, they should. The settings are absolutely stunning.
Vail, Colorado: If tropical isn’t your thing, why not take your wedding to the opposite? Vail is a popular ski destination, but it beautiful in both the summer and the winter. A gorgeous mountain backdrop is the perfect complement to any nuptial ceremony.
Roatan, Honduras: Honduras has been a no-go for travel for a bit due to its somewhat dangerous reputation. Safety conditions are improving, but even if you are worried about the danger level, you don’t need to be in Roatan. It’s an island and is exempt from much of the chaos of the mainland.
The border of Kenya and Tanzania: This one is for the really adventurous. Why not celebrate your wedding with a safari? Africa may not be the most popular wedding destination, but this particular spot would be pretty incredible. While it would be more difficult to get to than many other wedding destinations, your guests will likely be enticed by what is once in a lifetime opportunity.
30 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Iceland: While overlooked for weddings, Iceland is probably one of the most beautiful places in the entire world. Your wedding photos will be absolutely stunning.
The Serai in jaisalmer, India:
What is the Serai? It’s a luxury caravan camp. It’s an absolutely beautiful site and allows you to take your guests on camel safaris during the day, and to eat by the brilliance of lamplight at night. This isn’t your typical camp though - you will feel like royalty.
Heidelberg Castle, Germany: If you’ve always dreamed of that fairytale wedding, this could be the place! It was built in 1214, but it still has a functioning chapel.
Bahia Vik, Uruguay: While parts of Central America (namely Mexico) are often considered ideal travel destinations, South America is typically overlooked. But Bahia Vik provides couples with the absolute ideas wedding environment: Beautiful nature, good wine, and beachfront scenery.
We hope this provided the inspiration you need to make your destination wedding feel just a little different!
32 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
How to plan for your
HONEY MOON
34 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Planning for your wedding means planning for your honeymoon too.
S
ometimes, we don’t think of that as part of the wedding planning process, and while every couple’s post-nuptial getaway is totally different, the planning process will certainly have similarities. Whether you’re going on a cross country roadship, a cabin ten minutes away, or on a luxury beach vacation - we can help you plan as effectively for this moment as possible.
While your honeymoon may not seem like the most important part of the wedding process, it still carries a lot of sentimentality and symbolic significance. Even if it’s small, be sure to make it memorable.
Wait for a while after the wedding if necessary. You
Decide what it is you want to splurge on and how much you can afford to splurge. Spending the money can be worth it, but only if you spend it right. If you don’t have a lot to spend, this doesn’t mean that you can’t still make your travel luxurious. For example, maybe you can’t splurge on pricey plane tickets but you can pay for some really nice accommodations closer to home and a few really luxurious meals.
don’t have to take off the second the reception is over. Maybe the timing isn’t right or you need a little more time to save some money. And if you have a particular destination on your bucket-list, you shouldn’t decide not to go just because it won’t work right after the wedding. You could even decide to do a smaller getaway immediately after the wedding - a weekend trip somewhere close and affordable and then plan a date for your real honeymoon. Make sure to plan the date though - if you keep the trip hypothetical it might stay hypothetical.
Have your guests help you pay for your honeymoon rather than bring gifts. Let’s be real, you only need so many blenders and frying pans. Maybe you don’t really need any kitchen utensils at all. While some can be nice, many people have already lived on their own before getting married and have managed to collect a decent array of household tools. So instead, why not make a pretty big dent in that honeymoon fund? It’s easier for your guests too.
Don’t procrastinate. The ideal time to plan your honeymoon is 6 to 8 months before you plan on actually leaving. This of course depends on where you’re going - international and premium resort trips will require more advanced planning than a camping trip in the States. But don’t let your honeymoon trip get washed away by all of your other wedding demands. Be proactive.
36 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Be specific about what you want. Both you and your partner need to make sure your wants and needs are represented. Would you prefer a luxury resort or an adventurous getaway with outdoor adventures or bizarre international cuisine? There are so many trips you can take that you need to get pretty specific with what you want. This can be a trip of the lifetime - don’t do something that does not fully represent your interests.
40 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Real Interviews
Tiffaney Belflower
Photos by Jessica Ceniceros Photography
How did he propose? Well... Let me say this: We never dated. He was my very best friend. He was my David and I was his Tiffaney. We went on a vacation to go see our families in Phoenix AZ and California. We we're in San Francisco on Pier 39, sitting at a wine bar on a beautiful August day. We were in deep conversation when he stopped and asked a passing waitress to take our pic ( hugely out of character for him). As I stood up to adjust my outfit and fiddle my hair for a perfect picture, I look up
and the waitress’s face was shocked as she was staring at David. This felt like slow motion. I look over to see what the fuss was about, and there he was. My best friend, the man of my dreams, on his knee asking me to spend the rest of my life with him. Up until that moment, I had never experienced that kind of happiness before. I never knew it was something that could be a reality for me. And there it was. I was now ENGAGED to David Belflower. I was now.... The luckiest woman alive.
What made you fall in love with him? Was there one moment when you knew he was “it�? Or was it a gradual accumulation of feelings that made you realize he was the one for you? I actually do remember the moment it hit me. As I said before, we were best friends. We we're hanging out in his garage just talking about random things, and I remember taking a look at him and thinking, " I could hang out with this guy for the rest of my life. " That was probably about a year and a half after we started hanging out. We lived merely blocks away from each other, so we saw each other and hung out most days. From that thought, to see where we are now... Surreal. We watched each other grow in our lives, our careers, and now we have merged all that into a marriage.
What was the hardest part of planning your wedding? Making decisions and staying organized! I'm very scatter minded, and get distracted very easily. I must have wrote the guest list on 50 different sheets of paper. Haha
What was the best part about planning your wedding? Knowing that at the end of all the decisions, all the detail.... I would have a marriage.
How long did planning the wedding take you? 9 months
What do you wish you would have known during the wedding planning process? I wish I would have known a better planner then myself to help me. Haha
How did you make sure you were both represented in the ceremony? I asked his input. He chose the colors and helped with everything I asked him to. He was literally the best fiance I could have imagined.
Did your wedding have a specific theme? Corks and Pearls :)
42 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
What venue did you choose and how did you choose it? His parents were members of a riding club ( they raise and ride horses). They found it for us, and it was PERFECT! It was wayyy below budget which was so helpful!
If you could choose one piece of advice to give a bride-to-be, what would you say? Remember that it is a special day, yes; however, it's okay to miss a detail here and there. Don't worry about pleasing everyone - make yourself and your future hubby happy! It's gonna go by so fast that you'll hardly remember the details you worked tirelessly to put together. The marriage is the best part about a wedding!!
Photos by Christi Peace Photography
Tiffany White
How did he propose? I had no clue. All of my closest friends knew he was going to propose and made preparations without me knowing (sneaky girls). We were invited to a friend’s house for a birthday cookout. As we were asked to go in and sing happy birthday to a 30 year old (thought this was weird but hey I’m down not to mention I had a few drinks because it was a Birthday BBQ) we all proceed in and gather around the kitchen. I turned to my friend Autumn and asked where Edward (husband) was. She directed me to the living
room and I found him standing by the fireplace. I asked her why in the world is he standing over there awkwardly? She said “oh he’s probably just farting or something”. I laughed and agreed that it was probably exactly what he was doing. She tells me to head over there and get him. As I close in on him he begins to kneel and pulls the ring box out. I said yes, of course. It was simple and sweet just as I wanted.
What made you fall in love with him? Was there one moment when you knew he was “it”? Or was it a gradual accumulation of feelings that made you realize he was the one for you? We had only been dating for 3 months but I knew that he was the one and only for me. He is such an old school gentleman which is something that I was certainly not used to. Since day one he has opened every door for me and he never makes me feel anything less than perfect. He loves me for me.
What was the hardest part of planning your wedding? The guest list. I cannot stress this enough, start on your guest list ASAP and get those addresses. I started on addresses in December and it allowed me time to get everyones. I have a friend getting married next month that is just getting her invites out.
What was the best part about planning your wedding? I don’t think I had a best part. It was all very stressful. But if I had to choose, picking my dress out with my mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, and bridesmaids was probably the best. Make sure you take honest people with you so that they can tell you yes you look beautiful or that nope, you are not the right shape for that style.
How long did planning the wedding take you? We got engaged at the end of July 2016 and were married by July 2017. I started immediately buying little things here and there. I soon found out that there are many things you cannot figure out until the wedding gets closer. Honestly do what you can as soon as you can. The guest favors were the first thing ordered for the wedding. I kept up with them for 10 months and did not have to worry about it while I was worried about cakes, programs, etc.
What do you wish you would have known during the wedding planning process? This may sound weird but so worth knowing. Before setting a date and planning your honeymoon, make sure to track your “monthly friend” so that she does not interfere with your good time. Have a backup plan for every detail of your wedding. My DJ that I had planned for 6 months had a heart attack 3 days before my wedding and was sent to hospital in another city. I had no idea what I was going to do, no clue how I was going to find a replacement. Things worked out when a friend came through and suggested her friend who happened to be available.
46 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
How did you make sure you were both represented in the ceremony? We did the sand ceremony which is no longer allowed in the Catholic church, but was something that meant a lot to us because I have a son from a previous relationship and my husband was very happy to be blending within both of our lives. We did not do a lot of decorating in the church because honestly the church is beautiful without it. The songs we used came from our hearts and we sat down together to choose songs that represented us and our families.
Did your wedding have a specific theme? We had a rustic country theme like most weddings in Texas, but what made it special and unique was that very little money was spent on the decorations. Many of the items were from our past or were items that our family and friends owned - rusted old mattresses and old wooden doors with windows streamed with lights and tulle. My dad made our card box and several other wedding items. It was so simple and breathtaking to look at. I did not see the final look until I walked in after the ceremony and my beautiful decorator Vicki Borchardt did an amazing job. She has had several decorating offers since then and makes them all look wonderful.
What venue did you choose and how did you choose it? We had our ceremony in the Church and the reception in the Nazareth Community Hall (it’s pretty much tradition if you are getting married to someone from Nazareth).
If you could choose one piece of advice to give a bride-to-be, what would you say? Don’t drink too much at your reception. Make sure you soak up every moment, every smile, and every smell up because you don’t want pictures to be the only thing that remind you of your fairytale wedding. (no I didn’t get drunk, just been to weddings when bride and groom were wasted…not fun).
How did he propose?
Crystal Vega
Photos by Christi Peace Photography
The proposal was very sweet and actually a bit funny. Charles set up a double date with our best friends. We went outdoor ice-skating. It was his first time skating, and he was absolutely wonderful at it. I actually thought he was going to propose there because it was so romantic, but he didn’t. Afterwards, we went to eat at one of our favorite places, Fuzzy’s Tacos in downtown OKC. The funny part is that after dinner I went to the restroom with my best friend, Kori, and I actually told her I was surprised he didn’t propose that day. I remember she
told me that, “it will happen soon, I’m sure.” Our plan after dinner was to go look at Christmas lights at the walk through park in Chickasha, but it was raining, extremely cold, and starting to freeze, so we decided to go to the drive through lights in Yukon instead. When we walked out of the restaurant, I thought we were going to the car, but instead Charles walked me to the water fountain in front of Fuzzy’s. I was so confused, but he said he wanted to show me the lights on the trees. Then he stopped and got down on one knee and pulled out a ring, and of course, I
said yes! It was really very sweet and thoughtful. Fuzzys’ is one of the first places we went to. It is where we agreed to go on our first vacation together. It really was perfect, even in the freezing rain.
What made you fall in love with him? Was there one moment when you knew he was “it”? Or was it a gradual accumulation of feelings that made you realize he was the one for you? A bit of both actually. I fell in love with all of his intricacies over time, but there were key points that made me realize he was the one. Watching him play with a child for the first time, him staying up until 4am on my birthday just to talk to me after everyone else had left the party, his willingness to take risks and try new things with me, him agreeing to travel with me and discover new places and things together. The ultimate point of realization that he was my forever was the day I realized that he was willing to work on our relationship to make it last. Relationships are hard. They aren’t always easy. They are fluid and ever changing. It’s important to know that the person by your side for the rest of your life is committed to making the marriage work. Charles really is my better half. I’m grateful every day to call him my husband.
What was the hardest part of planning your wedding? The hardest part was planning from afar. We live in Oklahoma, but had our wedding in Texas - four hours away. We both grew up in Texas and wanted all of our family and friends to be able to attend. The distance made it a bit hard to find a venue
and different vendors. Our visits home were short, and crammed full of appointments and meetings. Luckily my mother lived there at the time and was extremely helpful throughout the entire process.
What was the best part about planning your wedding? Honestly, the best part was planning the details with my now husband. We worked together to choose our music, cake, and even our wedding script, since my uncle married us. It was very neat to get to hear his ideas and thoughts and incorporate them with mine to make something wonderful for us both.
How long did planning the wedding take you? Due to the distance and limited engagement time, we actually planned our wedding pretty quickly. We were engaged for a total of 9 months and we had the venue and all of our vendors picked out within the first three months. However, there was something to work on all the way up to the day of. There’s a lot that goes into planning every detail of a wedding.
What do you wish you would have known during the wedding planning process? That it really doesn’t have to be as perfect as you feel it does. The most important thing is to make it a day the represents you and your significant other, and something you will both remember and enjoy. I also wish I had really realized how much of the intricate planning I would have to do without a wedding planner. From the order of people walking down the aisle, to delegating the rehearsal dinner, to the flow of events throughout the entire wedding day, it was a bit overwhelming. In hindsight, it may have been easier to have a designated person to help with these things. It would definitely have freed up more time for me to spend with my husband, rather than delegating all day to others.
How did you make sure you were both represented in the ceremony? We really planned quite a bit together. Music was a big part of representing both of us. Songs really speak to my husband. It makes him smile with
his eyes when he’s happy with a tune. So, we chose the music that played on our day, together. We both like a bit of different music, so we made sure to pull from different genres. We had everything from instrumental, to rock, to country. I even walked down the aisle to the Jurassic Park Theme by The Piano Guys. He loved it. In the end, the day’s soundtrack represented each of us separately, and us as a couple. I also had him choose his and his guy’s clothing. He would have worn almost anything I’d asked him to, but I wanted him to feel comfortable and handsome (which he did) on our big day.
Did your wedding have a specific theme? We didn’t have a theme, just a color scheme. We had originally wanted a fall wedding, but August worked out better for us. I chose to stay with the fall colors I had originally wanted. Navy was the main color, with accents of dark orange, red, and yellow. I did use quite a bit of sunflowers, as they are the closest to my favorite flower, gaillardias, and they added a nice pop of brightness to the darker colors I had chosen. It turned out absolutely beautiful.
What venue did you choose and how did you choose it? We chose Garden of Dreams in Amarillo, TX as our wedding venue. I can’t say enough amazing things about this venue and it’s owners, Rick and Shelly. First, they let us view it the day after Christmas just to accommodate us being from out of town. They are both kind and generous people. The venue itself is beautiful. We really wanted to get married outside and it fit the bill perfectly. It’s a backyard garden with gorgeous landscaping that really negates the need for much ceremony decoration. There’s even a flowing rock water fountain for pictures and ambiance and two patios for guests to sit at after the ceremony. The archway to the reception hall makes a wonderful setting for the ceremony. I fell in love with the place in the dead of winter, and was beyond pleased with it came wedding time in August. In addition to the sheer beauty of the place, they also allow you to set up the day before, break down the day after, and use their countless decorations for your wedding, all included in the cost of the venue. I was able to spend relatively little on decorations for the reception due to the large variety Shelly had to choose from. It also cut
down on stress since we didn’t have to scramble on the day of to put everything together, or stay late to tear it all down. The venue is breathtaking, and the owners are delightful and very helpful. I could not have imagined getting married anywhere else.
If you could choose one piece of advice to give a bride-to-be, what would you say? Delegate someone to be your person the day of. You need someone to intercept all the things that may go wrong, and any stressors that may come up. Trust me, something will come up. Don’t assume someone will do this for you, if you haven’t asked them to. No one wants to step on your toes. This allows you to focus on your day, your marriage, and your partner. Don’t get too swept up in the events of the day that you forget what the day is really about. Take a minute before the ceremony to breathe, or pray, or just find peace. Even more importantly, after the ceremony, don’t forget to take a minute for just you and your partner, whether to take a picture together, hug and kiss, or just bask in excitement. It’s your wedding day, Make sure you celebrate it together.
www.affinityweddingmagazine.com
What Can Our
Online Program do for You? Well, a lot.
A Handy Guide to our Wedding Planner Program There are a number of wedding planner programs on the web, but unfortunately many of them lack the detail and drive necessary to truly plan your wedding as efficiently as most brides would like. That’s why we looked to those problems to try and create a better planning service for you. We look at all of the steps
you need to take a long ways before your wedding and right before, and we also tell you everything you’ll need to take care of the day of and beyond. We want to introduce you to our wedding planning materials, so this will serve as your guide to what we offer!
Pre-wedding: For the pre-wedding section of our wedding planning program, we take you step-by-step through everything you need to to before you walk down the aisle. We have our program set in stages, making the information you need to offer very easy to understand and digestible. 56 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
There are 9 stages to the pre-wedding program, and in each stage we give you various tasks that should be completed. In the first stage, for example, we have the basic information you need to start planning your wedding: Your date, the guest count, the venue, the caterer, the bridesmaids, and your wedding colors. These
steps form the building blocks for the rest of the planning process. Using the information provided in the first planning stage, we then help you build the rest of your wedding using your specific price points and preferences. We help you through everything from buying your dress to getting your wedding license.
Post-Wedding: In our post-wedding planning, we have four stages. In the first stage, we make sure you know how to take care of the logistics, such as paying the vendors and writing your thank you notes. But we also teach you how to take care of the more sentimental side of post-wedding planning. We want you to freeze your cake so that it’s edible when you and your spouse pull it out next year. We also want to make sure you can manage to save your flowers in the ways that are most meaningful to you.
Need help finding your vendors?
We got you covered: Finding the ideal wedding planner for your wedding can be incredibly challenging. There are so many options. How do you find a vendor who will respect you, who will fit the tone and style of your wedding, and who will also be within your price range? You can use our wedding planner website. We use your wedding planning
58 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
In addition, throughout the four stages, we take you through what can occassioanlly be complicated paperwork. We remind you what you need to do to change your name and what to do once you do it, how to merge bank accounts, and much more. Through it all, we make sure to remind you to incorporate alone time - both as a couple and as an individual. Wedding time (pre, during, and post) can be a bit chaotic. We want to make sure you remember why you got married in the first place - each other.
prerequisites to make sure that we recommend vendors that will fit all that you are looking for. Let me explain how it works. Our vendor directory is known as “The Aristocrats.” Basically, when you use our planner system we take note of all of your individual requirements. Once we know your budget and your needs, we match you with vendors who are willing to work within your budget. We show you what the vendors have to offer and If you like the particular vendor, you can place a bid.
We have smoothly integrated choosing a vendor into the wedding planning experience. You can look through vendors and add them to your favorites. In addition, each vendor will be categorized for you. This is a very simplistic experience by which the bride can browse easily and comfortably. If she rejects a vendor, a new one pops up in its place - thereby broadening her options if she so desires. Once you place your bid, the vendor will get back to you with whether or not they accept the offer. Then, of course, you can proceed with the vendor with your more specific requests.
Sign up for free at We make sure the vendors are right for you not only by matching you with the appropriate vendors for your wedding and budget, but also by making sure our vendors fit only the highest standard of etiquette and service. We never want our brides to have an unhappy experience while they’re planning their wedding. We want your planning experience to be special, not just your wedding day. In place of a review system (which can often be fabricated or exaggerated) we have designed a three strike system by which vendors will be removed from our site if they receive three complaints. Of course, we research the complaints and try to
understand the situation, but we think that this is a more adequate way to make sure brides are heard and that they are given the best services available to them. This is a very straightforward service and we hope you enjoy taking advantage of it! Finding your wedding vendors should be an enjoyable experience, not a stressful one. That’s why we have come up with a system that makes it as easy as possible. Enjoy!
onlineweddingplan.com
What to do about Bridal Makeup M
aybe you wear makeup every single day. Many of us do. But this in no way means that we know what we have to do for wedding day makeup. Even if you’re hiring a professional, there are certain ways you should prepare for the day beforehand.
Decide what look you’re going for.
Plan on wearing more makeup than you normally do.
Before you can do anything else, you need to decide what look you’re going to try and represent on your big day. Are you looking for a bold color palette or do you hope for something a little more subtle? Do you want something vintage or classic? Glam or little edgy? If you can narrow this down your make-up artist (or whoever is doing your make-up for you!) will have other options for you to try so you can truly find the look you want best.
On your wedding day, you might sweat. You might cry. You will hug and as a result will have face-to-face contact. You’ll lose some makeup along the way, so you want to start out with more than you usually wear. Also, it will help your features stand out in photos and in various types of lighting.
60 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS
Make sure to consider your venue and dress when choosing your makeup.
If you’re having a beachy, outdoorsy wedding, it might be a good idea to utilize a little bit of bronzer and pink lips. If, on the other hand, your wedding is being held in a more vintage style venue, you will want bright red lips and cat eyes. And with your dress - if it’s softer and flowy, you may want to consider a look that mimics the style: make your look subtle and romantic. If your dress is on the sexier side, you’ll want bold eyeshadow or a smokey eye.
Photo by cindy baffour on Unsplash
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
Invest in the right makeup items.
Take advantage of your trial session!
Chances are, you’ll want to buy some new makeup items for your wedding day. Especially if you’re doing your own. You should absolutely splurge on foundation and primer. Your complexion will be one of the most important pieces to completing your look. Buy mascara (that you’ll know you’ll like) before the wedding and make sure it’s fresh. Buy a lipstick you can use throughout the day.
If you hired a professional to do your makeup, most will offer you a consultation or a trial. Make sure to ask any and all questions you have and bring ideas of what you’re looking for. You can cut out looks from magazines, or bring photos from instagram or pinterest. Work with them. The professionals are professionals for a reason.
62 • AFFINITY WEDDINGS