Monday, February 10, 2014

Read This Before You Choose Your Vendors


Offbeat Bride has a helpful article on the Pros and Cons of  hiring a Friendor (Free Vendor Services from Friends)

Please take a look a read it-- it might just save you from a lot of stress and heartbreak

Bridal Showers- Quick Tips




Bridal Showers are meant to celebrate a gals last few weeks as a single lady. With the staggering amount of online resources we have to  plan a fantastical bridal shower it can become a bit overwhelming.

I've hosted a few Bridal Showers and in that I've learned a few important rules when it comes to planning a FUN and organized event.


1. Ask the Bride-To-Be What She Wants

You're a Bridesmaid/Maid/Matron of Honor so you're pretty sure you have the Bride's style down. But from what I've seen across the board is that the Bride always feels like there's one thing missing. Either a game or lack/abundance of decorations or even the location feels a bit off. I've heard my fair share of brides who wished someone simply would've asked her what she wanted. This considerate step might end up saving you from disappointing your friend and you might end up a bit surprised by what she really wants.
This seems a bit non-traditional but I know that I liked being involved a little bit in the Bridal Shower planning process. It wasn't out of wanting control so much but the fact that I didn't want to smother my Matron of Honors with a ton of work. Maybe let her do some decorations or bake some cupcakes, it will possibly help relieve some stress and keep her mind off having to open gifts in front of her closest friends and family.



2. Keep It Simple--For Your Sanity

Pinterest has helped many people plan unique and fun parties that they otherwise might never thought of. And while it has revolutionized the way we do life it doesn't mean you have to do every trendy party trick.

Food Bars are a great way to keep the party going without a lot of upkeep. A ice cream waffle bar or yogurt bar is always a simple way to feed the masses while making it easy for you to keep it stocked the whole afternoon.  

Do your best to focus on just a few details compared to everything being the focal point. Either choose great food and decorations and let the games and drinks be a bit more typical. Great food and drink will make up for the decrease in decorations.  But always make sure the Bride is in the spotlight. Nothing you do or make should overshadow her time.


3. Get Everyone Involved

One issue is always the participation of every member of the Bridal Party. There are always the two or three that put in a massive amount of effort and then the rest tend to wait to be told what to do or feel like they don't need to do a lot of work. If you truly want to have a dazzling all encompassing extravaganza of a bridal shower you'll have to have all girls on board and ready to help. 

Communication is going to be key if you want several girls to all be on the same page. If you have a lot of out of towners creating a Facebook Page or e-mail list with everyone participating and being kept up to date is your best chance of getting everyone on board. Otherwise meeting a local coffee shop to go over all the nitty gritty details is a great option for all the ladies who live in the same town.

If you're the kind of woman who can handle a lot of small details and have superior party planning skills, that's great, but be sure to include others.You might be a pro compared to the brides cousin but that doesn't mean she shouldn't be involved in the process. Break up the responsibilities and have one person in charge of games, two people in charge of decorations, one in charge of food and one in charge of drinks and dessert. When everyone's involved it feels like a group effort and that always encourages bonding and friendships to develop even more. 


These few tips can save you a lot of stress and will help you create an entertaining and distinct Bridal Shower!



Thursday, February 6, 2014

The Making of a Centerpiece-- Glitter Can



When I posed the question to my fiance "What do you think about using Coke cans as centerpieces at the wedding?" I was given a rather disapproving look. I then showed him my creation and he immediately perked up saying, "That's a Coke can? Cool!"

That's when I knew this little DIY was going to be a big hit at the wedding. It's a simple DIY project that only takes about a day to start and finish. 



Step 1: Coke Cans


 Seriously, this was step one. I took the coke cans and slightly crushed them. Just enough to make it a bit more of an angle




Step 2: Paint the Cans

This is where it get's a bit messy and fun!                                                         I started to paint the cans a few different colors. Since we were doing all shades of purple I went for a bit more of an ombre effect. I did light violets to dark purples. It takes about 3-4 coats to fully cover up the can but if you let them dry long enough between it shouldn't be a problem.



     Step 3: Glitter Time

Now I've heard it said that Glitter is the herpes of all craft supplies. And I don't disagree. Glitter get's everywhere so beware of sneaky glitter. We had it in the carpets for months afterwards. My husband still cringes when he hears I have a project with glitter.

I took one of my dried cans and put on a thin layer of the same paint color and then also painted the top of the can.

You could use Modge Podge, but I had not be introduced to it's magic yet so I used just paint. But I painted a thin layer and then sprinkled the glitter on. I also dunked the top of the Coke can into the glitter until it was a good thick layer. Magically I didn't have any problems with glitter fallout but I would suggest putting a layer of Podge Modge or Glue Spray over top just in case.

This is the final product. The picture in the middle is what it looked like with all the other decorations and centerpieces.

This uncomplicated project was one of my favorites! When it started getting dark and we began lighting the tea lights at each table the glitter cans picked up the light and bounced it all over creating a really magical tablescape.

If you have any great and effortless DIY centerpiece designs send them in and they may be featured on A Touch of Glitter!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The Perfect Fit

I had to have been the luckiest girl in the world when I was getting married. I had the perfect guy, getting married in the backyard I grew up in, a beautiful dress and above all I had an incredible photographer.

Pam Sutton from Leaves of Grass Photography www.leavesofgrassphotography.com/blog
was truly a perfect match. I had known her for years and always admired her work.

All wedding enthusiasts can give you their opinion about what matters most on your wedding day and while there are a lot of elements that are important, in my opinion the most significant is your Photographer. You won't have a suspended cake or perfect rustic table numbers to hold onto for the rest of your life, but you will have your photos. It's the one thing you can hand down to your children that captures the entirety of your big day.

 I've read some really helpful articles on this subject, specifically:

www.rocknrollbride.com/2013/06/want-great-wedding-photographs-follow-these-ten-simple-tips/

She hands out some great advice and some that I may echo a tiny bit but for me this aspect of your wedding is what counts.


1.Set Your Budget

It might not be the most romantic part of the wedding planning process but it's crucial. Having a budget for your whole wedding is going to show whats most important to you both. It also promotes communication and compromise, something every couple should be learning early on.

 My fiance and I knew we were going to put a huge chunk into photography. We made that decision early and it helped us see where we were going to have to cut back and DIY or where we could spend a bit more.

2.Research like Crazy

Looking into dozens of photographers is truly vital to finding your perfect fit. I was exhausted by the end of the vendor search but I knew finding a great photographer was going to be worth all the hassle.

When it came to making a final decision I felt completely comfortable picking Pamela. I had known her for years and her photography clicked with me immediately but that didn't mean I still didn't research for pricing and availability elsewhere. While I did end up finding cheaper photographers and better deals here and there I couldn't give in to lesser quality.


3. Make Sure You Find Your Style

I'm sure you all have friends and family offering you great discounts and offers if you let them photograph your wedding. And while those deals generally can't be beat you want to make sure their photography style fits yours. You can't expect a natural light journalistic style photographer to be able to take extremely formal photos in a darkened ballroom or be able to insert a dinosaur into your photos through the magic of Photoshop. You have to decide what you want out of your photos and then go out and find the artists that fits otherwise you might come out extremely disappointed.

With Pam this was her art work. I felt so honored to know how seriously she took every single photo for our engagement session and  wedding. She treated each moment like she was creating art and it left me incredibly at ease.

When I was looking for photographers I personally knew a few photographers and loved all their work but the fit just wasn't for me. I knew Pamela was my photographer when I kept comparing other artists work to hers. I felt like they were all missing something but when I would look at her work I just felt it was the complete package.

4. Read Their Contract Before You Sign It

Once you've chosen your photographer it can be a whirlwind of excitement and pure joy to think the search is finally over. But before you sign the dotted line make sure to read the small print.

I forgot to really think through what I wanted to do with my photos. I wanted to be able to post the full album to Facebook and social media sites due to a lot of our friends and family living out of state and country. When I received my photos I e-mailed my photographer about posting them, out of respect and she directed me back to the contract I had signed stating that I was not allowed to post them on social media. I was crushed. I also understood that this was her standard and I hadn't researched and thought out enough to look ahead to when I would receive my photos and what I wanted to be able to do with them. Some photographers are more lenient on this matter then others and some are far more strict than others. She allowed me to post my photos after I pleaded ignorance. I still do not fault her one bit for initially telling me no due to the fact that I DID sign the contract and these were her art work.

Make sure what you're signing fits in with your future wants. Do you want to post them to Facebook? Do you want to be able to print them yourself privately? Do you want to share your DIY planned wedding on Pinterest? Make sure you and your photographer are on the same page

5. Trust Your Photographer





RockNRoll Bride's Kat Williams covers this wonderfully in her article above but I did want to add some

For me I trusted my photographer implicitly. I didn't have one care in the world in that field and it made my day fantastically simpler. I know I had that trust because I researched the heck out of every other photographer and I knew she was the one who would capture what I envisioned.

Pam, my fiance and I sat down over coffee two or three times and went over what we wanted and what she could provide. I had a Pinterest board with some inspiration for the big day, not shot for shot inspiration but general aesthetic. And she was totally on board with it and got me. I know I might have been a bit controlly here and there but overall I fully trusted her.


While I do encourage you to go over a shot list with your photographer (formals with family and bridal parties) I wouldn't advise you to give him/her more than 10 shots you specifically need ( You know what I mean too, the crossing of hands to make the word "LOVE" in the air or the specific moment he puts the ring on your finger) once you start tallying up the requests the more your photographer can feel you're not trusting them and that puts them on alert.

Having a Pinterest with some general ideas that you'd like is fine but the expectation that you'll have every single one of those shots recreated is total chaos waiting to happen.

6. Take A Risk

Now this one is a bit out there but hear me out

A lot of photographers have seconds. Those are the people they trust to catch the smaller details or events from a different angle. Generally these people are hoping to branch out at some point and start their own photography business and wouldn't you be the genius person to be one of their first branch out clients. This can be known to go over extremely successfully or can crash and burn. Again, this is where their portfolio and your research can come in handy.

You can also look into local colleges and schools that teach photography as there are always budding talents ripe for the picking. Again, a huge risk but sometimes it can pay off. Just be sure not to rip them off and vice versa. Pay them their fair share (possibly a bit less then the 20 year experienced photographer you were looking to book weeks before) but still make sure to pay them fairly.

7. Uncle Ted is NOT a Real Photographer

Listen, I'm all about free stuff. Free stuff makes my bank account happy and generally my financially finicky husband. But, when it comes to your wedding photos don't trust Unclea, Aunts, Cousins or Siblings to take your photos unless they have a professional portfolio and a working knowledge of their equipment. Treat them like you would any other vendor hoping for your business, ask them tons of questions and ask for their work. Ask them about their equipment (lenses, type of camera, the cameras abilities) you might not know what they're talking about but if they don't even know- you've got a problem.

I have seen far too many brides in tears over the atrocious photos they were given all because they trusted a family member or friend to cover their day. I've heard of brides having to do a complete re-shoot with their entire wedding parties and families months later due to the ghastly results of the first go round. This ends with unnecessary spending after the wedding that you shouldn't have to struggle to budget into your first few months as husband and wife.


These are the things that for me really came to the surface as I planned my wedding and have planned the wedding for others. If you have any extra tips, please leave a comment below!

All Photography Credit- Pam Sutton at Leaves of Grass Photography

DIY Wedding Advice-- Where It Began

So for my first "real" post I thought I'd go back to the first article that inspired me to start my own blog.

I submitted a quick write up to Bridal Guide of several post ideas. They enthusiastically asked me to write a full article and within a week it was published on their site.

The same day it was published was the same moment I sadly had to take my husband to Urgent Care where we found out he had strep. In the chaos of likes and comments I was forced to not think of myself or my accomplishment but to care for the one thing that trumped any blog post.

I hope you read this and gain a little inspiration but mostly the idea that at the end of the day you won't remember if a centerpiece or candle is out of place but you'll remember the joy of getting to spend the rest of your life with the one person that matters the most.


DIY Wedding Advice - DIY Weddings | Wedding Planning, Ideas & Etiquette | Bridal Guide Magazine

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Opening Day

Welcome!

I recently saw it's only 25 days till the Minnesota Twins start Spring Training-- which really got me excited about Spring! A Spring where there is no snow and the temps average above 30 daily. And in all that excitement I started thinking of this as Opening Day for this blog.

It's my first day of "work" here on A Touch of Glitter's blog and I couldn't be any more thrilled to share it with you!

We'll be sharing inspiration & advice from myself and real brides who have gone through or are going through the motions of planning a wedding.

We're not only Weddings though! We'll highlight many events that apply to everyone! From Bridal Showers to Baby Showers, College Graduation Parties to Birthday Parties.

Check out my Pinterest account for lots of inspiration across the board!

http://www.pinterest.com/atouchofgtlizmn/

Please feel free to send in your wedding or event and it may be featured on A Touch of Glitter!

E-mail Rachel at atouchofglittermn@gmail.com