One Angry Volcano = A Big Silver Lining

I’ve done my best to stay upbeat and positive while planning our wedding, not letting the occasional snags and bumps in the road get me down. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have my moments of anger and frustration. Hey, as much as I enjoy wedding planning, I’m still human!

Computer glitches and printing problems? It’s Stephen to the rescue, because I have no patience for those types of hang-ups. Stress eating? Some days, it’s really hard to just walk away from the cookie jar. And the one thing that's had me most worried, aside from my gown not being ready on time? Our ceremony music.

You see, my bridesmaid and cantor Gianna lives in Germany, and will only arrive for the wedding a week ahead of time. Our church’s music director won't be available for the rehearsal, and won't have time to meet with Gianna in the week prior to the wedding. His suggestion? Meeting with her about 45 minutes before the ceremony begins to discuss the songs, which verses will be sung, which key they will be sung in, and so on.

Now, while both of them are experienced musicians, with Gianna having sung in church for many years, I was seriously stunned upon hearing this plan. With all the hectic goings-on of the wedding day, from photo sessions to last minute preparations, would the two of them really be able to make it through a practice session with less than an hour to go? I had my doubts, but finally decided there was nothing more I could do about it. If things went wrong, I was simply out of luck.

Enter the volcano in Iceland, which stranded thousands and made travel to Europe a nightmare for weeks. One of those wayward travelers? Gianna, who was out in California visiting her family when the erruption occurred. Maybe, just maybe, I thought, she and our music director could meet during the extra days she would be stuck. I sent Gianna an email about it, and guess what? She had already gone ahead and scheduled a meeting on her own!

Way to go, girl! The two of them met, ran through all the songs, and even reviewed copies of our program and processional/recessional outline. All I can say is, what a relief! That is, for us, anyway, because I’m sure tons of other poor travelers would completely disagree!

Is there a certain part of the wedding you’re worried about that just doesn’t seem to be coming together? Did you ever think something wouldn’t work out the way you'd hoped, but then in the end, it did?

(Photo & Graphic Credits: USA Today & Google Images)

Dress Stress & The One Month Crunch!

Next month at this time, it will be my wedding day! Wow! As you can imagine, I started the day off on a cloud of excitement. That is, until I called to check on the status of my Alfred Angelo gown.

Yes, putting a bit of a black cloud over today’s happy milestone is the fact that my new gown has still not arrived at the shop. In fact, while I initially understood that it might be in around May 7, I was told today that May 7 is actually the ship date for the gown, and that it won’t arrive for 5-7 business days after that.

Furthermore, the earliest alteration date available for me is May 20! Now, I’m usually pretty calm about things, and have everything else for the wedding well under control. But this situation has me really rattled and worried that the alterations won’t be done in time for me to either ship the gown to California or carry it onto the plane when I leave on May 29.

In the end, I know this is my fault. I simply waited too long to change my mind about my gown, and this is the result. I’m now scared that it’s somehow not going to work out, and that I’m going to be left without a dress for my wedding day, since I never completed the alterations on my first gown.

Has anyone else been in this situation, or do you have any helpful ideas or thoughts? Advice and encouragement are more than welcome today!

Music Musts: DJ Tips & Tricks

Our DJ’s motto is “great music…great party,” and I couldn’t agree more. In the coming weeks, I’ll share all the ins and outs of working with him to plan our reception, including the grand entrance, sing-along contest, and playlist. But to start things off, here are my top tips for working with your DJ to ensure a fabulous party that leaves everyone happy.

• Remember that it’s your event, and you call the final shots about the timeline, music lineup, and so on. Want to be certain there’s absolutely no garter toss or cake smashing during your party? Have a special announcement you’d like made just before dinner? Be sure to speak up and make sure your DJ knows just when and what to say throughout the evening.

• On the other hand, your DJ has likely planned hundreds of parties just like yours, so her suggestions about timing and the order of events are certainly worth listening to. You may go into the meeting thinking your way is the best way, but the DJ might offer a point-of-view you never thought about before. For example, our DJ suggested doing the anniversary dance right after the cake cutting, so that the venue staff will have time to plate it while guests are dancing. It was advice well-taken.

• Don’t skip a written pronunciation key. Even if you think most of the names of your family members and wedding party are easy to pronounce, it never hurts to cover your bases. My sister’s name, Kellie, is mispronounced surprisingly often. Neither you nor the DJ wants to kick the night off with a botched grand entrance, so it’s better to be safe by providing a basic guide in advance and going over it a couple times before the big day.

• Also, remember to submit your “don’t play” and “must play” lists. We all have special songs we do and don’t want to hear throughout the wedding. Make sure your DJ is kept in the loop.

• Ask about his policy for guest requests. How does he handle the situation when a guest comes up and asks for a song on your “do not play” list? Does he set aside a certain amount of time during the party for requests and dedications? Make sure you’re on board with these plans in advance.

• And finally, be clear about the equipment you’ll need throughout the night. Since our cocktail hour will take place on the patio, our DJ will need to come prepared with extra-long cables and speakers that can be easily moved from the patio to the ballroom before the grand entrance. He’ll also need to bring along sound cables to hook up to our laptop during the slideshows.

What have you learned so far in working with your DJ? Have you faced any major challenges along the way?

(Photo Credit: Personal Library)

A Custom Wedding Slideshow

I’ve been close to Pooneh, one of my bridesmaids, for 20 incredible years. Growing up, she was always ready with the most unique ideas for games and fun. Today, she’s still one of the most imaginative people I know, and she’s using her originality to help make my wedding spectacular, from designing candy wrappers for our rehearsal dinner favors to sharing creative inspiration galore.
Here, she talks about her latest project – creating a custom slideshow for our reception. I hope her thoughts inspire you, too!

The bride is born; the groom is born. They each grow up, become adults, and start their lives. Somewhere along the way, they meet and start their magical journey. How to document that journey? How to capture that sparkle of love to share with the world? Well, maybe not the world, but at least the wedding guests!

That’s where I come in. As one of Heather’s bridesmaids and longtime friends, I’m creating a personalized slideshow for the reception. I know what you’re thinking…another typical slideshow set to a cheesy, boring song. That’s exactly why I’m trying to make my slideshow different.

Of course, I’ll still showcase the fun baby pictures, along with shots of Heather and Stephen over the years. I’ll still build up to the special day they met, and will then include pictures of them together. But instead of playing just one love song in the background, I’ll be mixing things up by custom-editing the music.

Having known Heather most of my life, there are so many songs we’ve enjoyed over the years that have meaning to us. I’ll also get a list of most-loved songs from she and Stephen, and will then create my own mash-ups and custom mixes for an upbeat, fun combo that smoothly flows. Exactly which songs am I picking? You’ll have to wait until after the wedding to find out, because there’s no way I’m letting Heather in on that secret!

Are you showing a slideshow at your reception? Who’s creating it, and what types of music will you include?

(Graphic Credits: Google Images)

Wine Lovers Wedding Registry: $25 or Less

When Stephen and I need to get away from it all for a few hours, we usually venture out to Vintage Ridge, our favorite Virginia winery, where we can sample the new releases and then unwind with a nice chilled glass.

If you love wine as much as we do, here are a few cheap-chic registry picks from Target that will help you get pouring without draining your guests’ wallets. Bring on the sangria!

Sangria Glass and Pitcher 7-pc. Set

$24.99

Oster Inspire Cordless/Rechargeable Wine Bottle Opener – 4207

$24.99

Bordeaux 5-Bottle Wine Rack – Black

$19.99

Party Wine Glasses – Set of 12 w/Storage Box

$24.99

And a splurge…

Wine Butler Glass Rack – Espresso

$179.99

What are a few of your registry themes or favorites?

(Photo Credits: Target)