Bridal Shows

ATTEND THESE!  Bridal shows are GREAT ways for future brides to get out and explore many options, as well as meet the owners of different companies and view their work.  Did I mention that they provide lots of samples and many vendors allow you to enter your name in to drawings for discounts or freebies?  Hello, I was the lucky winner of $1,000 off of my reception hall!  It is possible!  Bridal shows are meant to be fun and provide you with an experience to get a taste of all involved with the planning process, and you can even eliminate or add "maybes" to your list.  Collect as much information and sample as many items as possible- you can then look everything over when you get home and either keep (filed nicely into your binder) or pitch what you want or don't want.  Bridal shows of larger scale can be slightly overwhelming- just pick a starting point and work your way from table to table.  It is ok to skip some if you are sure that you won't need that type of vendor for your wedding (ie: musicians, cake person if you have someone you know).  I highly recommend going to as many bridal shows as you can, especially the big ones.  Spend the $5 to get in, a $1,000 return isn't such a bad trade off!  What have you experienced at a bridal show that helped you make a decision for your wedding?

For Love of the Game

Picking the Date of the Big Day
It's the little things that are lost in all of the excitement of actually planning the day that most little girls dream about.  Who would've thought that deciding on a date could be so complicated?  Originally we had thought about planning a fall wedding- not too hot, not too cold, and generally a good time for a vacation for the annual anniversary.  Then the "DO NOTS" started rolling in... NOT during the World Series, NOT on opening weekend of football (college or pro), NOT the OSU vs. Michigan game.... and so on.  I then realized what I would be setting myself up for if I actually set my wedding date during football season/end of baseball season: a portable TV within the groom's reach throughout the entire wedding day, not to mention the difficulties of ever being able to plan an anniversary in which he might not be able to watch an important game.  Oh yes, how the Buckeyes rule his life every Saturday in the fall!  After realizing the madness I would be subjecting myself to with a fall wedding, we quickly changed our minds and settled on a late July wedding.  So it's smack in the middle of baseball season, but that's much more "doable", since they play so many games.

Organize, Organize, Organize!

One of the first things that I received after the ring was a big binder so that I could keep all of my information organized.  It helps a ton!  My binder was from The Knot, and came complete with a budget worksheet and a timeline checklist! For me, organization has been something I have been slightly OCD about for most of my life, and having this planner is like carrying around a bible.  I would recommend investing in one ASAP after the engagement- it really does help keep things neat and in order.