You're engaged, now you have a big wedding to-do list that keeps piling up. Some brides just want to get everything checked off their wedding list as fast as they can. However, start thinking about your vendor's quality when checking off those items on your wedding checklist. Quality is key to your wedding day. You wouldn't want to have an awful caterer. If you did, that is the main thing your guests will remember from your wedding day. Therefore, Wedding And Party Network is here to offer a few wedding tips on selecting your vendors to make your wedding day special.

Shop Around – It's important to shop around for vendors and not settling for one straight from the beginning. First off, take a moment to set a budget and decide on what you want for your wedding day. Write it all out, create a folder with all the different categories and take it with you for each vendor to see your vision.

Sit down with each vendor and talk to them to see if they can actually create your vision. Next, start comparing prices. See which one fits best into your wedding budget. Next on the list, how well did you connect to that vendor? This is extremely important. You want to get along with your particular vendor, make sure they share the same vision and are easy to talk to.

Social Network – If you have found a wedding vendor, get on their social media page and check them out. They normally can put pictures of their work and you can read their customer's comments. Also, don't forget to check out different wedding websites and blogs for recommendations in your area and reviews.

Check References -You may have researched vendors online, checked out their websites or heard from a friend about a particular vendor. However, if you have researched them online, don't forget they control their website. Therefore, they only put out there the information that they want you to see. Check out their past few clients. Ask them questions and how they worked together.

Ask – If you have chosen a few vendors but are still undecided on others, ask the ones that you have already chosen for their recommendations. They would love to give you suggestions on what they've seen and who they know will do a great job.

The Fine Print – Always remember to read the fine print. That is very important in everything you do. There is normally a contract you must sign with them, so read it. Yes, it may seem time-consuming, but again it's very important. If there's anything you don't understand, ask questions. Make sure you understand it all. Therefore, you aren't thrown any curve balls during your wedding planning or on your wedding day.

Develop A Trusting Relationship - So, you have finally chosen your vendors. Now, sit back and relax and trust them. You've already done all the leg work on them, so just enjoy the ride.

You want your wedding picture perfect and everything you've always wanted. So, start planning. They're right when they say, the sooner, the better. Anything can occur when planning your wedding, especially with your vendors. Therefore, you need to be ready and even your vendors should be ready for all possible situations that could occur.

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Not in Miami, FL No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!

So, you're engaged, congratulations! Wedding And Party Network is so excited to hear about your big news. However, are you now stuck on what to do next. You've set the date and figured out your local wedding vendors, now what's next? Now, is the time to start planning out your guest list. This planning process can be extremely stressful and can get out of control. However, we'd like to offer you a few tips on how to manage your gust list.

First off, the majority of your wedding budget will go towards you wedding reception. You have to find a big enough wedding venue with adequate parking. Also, keep in mind that you will have to feed all your guests with your reception food and wedding cake. You have to have enough party favors and so on for every single one of your guests.

Those expenses can add up, quickly. Traditionally the bride's family pays for everything, however, it's becoming common for the bride and groom to pay or even for the groom's family to help out. So, the cost has an impact on everyone involved.

So, how do you determine your guest list? First, sit down and determine exactly what type of wedding you want. Do you want it to be a big affair or a small,intimate celebration? Once you have decide that, you can determine who to invite.

Setting A Number

Set A Max Number – First off, set a max number of people who you'd like to be there and that fit within your budget.

Location – Next, determine your dream location and figure out the maximum number of people your location will hold. Then, go from there and start inviting.

Wedding Planner

Compiling Lists

Now that you have set a number for your guest list, start compiling names. You and your family and him and his family need to sit down and write out a "must invite guest list". After you've compiled that list, create another list of "want to invite" gusts. If you go over your maximum number, start eliminating. Yes, it's a hard task, but do you really want to go over your budget?

What To Do If You Go Over

If you go over your guest list, don't be afraid to make some cuts. Start with business associates, parent's of your bridal attendants and then move onto distant family members. If you haven't talked to them in over a year, don't be afraid to eliminate them. Even though a certain percentage of your guests won't be able to attend, you still need to be prepared.

Creating a guest list to fit into your budget and venue is an absolute must. Yes, it's a tedious task, but it has to be done. Remember to get full names, addresses and telephone numbers and start mailing out those wedding invitations. Your wedding is going to be absolutely fabulous!

This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Venues.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding venue near you!

wedding planner photo provided by wunderkrafts via flickr.

First off, congratulations on your very exciting engagement! Your wedding will be a dream come true and what you've always imagined. Once the excitement calms down and you've told everyone, you need to start planning. The sooner the better! So, Wedding And Party Network is here to give you a few wedding planning tips that will help you get started. With these planning tips, your dream wedding will unfold right before you.

Take Care Of Things In Advance -Once you have told everyone and things have calmed down a bit, immediately start planning. Staying on top of things is a must when planning your wedding. Sit down with your groom and decide on a date. That's the first thing you must do. Then, you can go from there. It's your wedding day, therefore you want it to be perfect. Well, start planning.

Paperwork – Some brides maybe so wrapped up into planning their wedding that they forget about one main important detail. The paperwork. Yes, a lot of us aren't a fan of doing paperwork. However, it must be done, especially if you want to get married. Make sure to research what you need in your state or for your destination wedding. Every state is different and need different documentation and even blood tests. So, be ready.

Finances – You may already know this and it seems like a business detail. However, knowing each others' finances is a very important detail. You will be making important decisions and big purchases together. We hate to be downers, but one of the top reasons for divorce is finances. So, you should be up front. Just take a moment with your future husband-to-be and lay out all your finances, student loans, debts, credit score and whatever else you may have. It'll be that much better for the both of you.

Be Available – Don't forget about all the emergencies that can occur. Even AFTER the wedding, while you're on your honeymoon. Therefore, be available to handle all situations. If you've planned ahead, you most likely are ready for any emergency that may occur.

Make an emergency guide for yourself or even your closet friends or family members. That way, they know how to handle the situation if you're not around. Being prepared never hurt anyone.

Consider Your Guests – We know this is your wedding day, however, consider your guests. You sent out wedding invitations far enough in advance to know exactly who is coming.

Therefore, if you know someone who has an allergy towards peanuts, make sure they get a dish that is peanut free. Maybe you have a guest who is vegetarian, well plan and let your caterer create them a meat free dish. If you are having an out-of-town wedding, make sure you give them some fun activities they can enjoy. Your guests are there for you, so you should be there for them too.

These 5 wedding planning tips will help you plan a smooth and well thought out wedding. You'll be ready for anything that comes your way. We want your wedding day to be everything you've dreamed of and it will be. Just remember, bring your unique style to your wedding day and enjoy!

This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Planners.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!

Finding The Perfect Atmosphere

Every bride-to-be dreams of putting her own unique stamp on her wedding day. Blending her chosen wedding colors into many of the occasion's elements is just the first step toward a creative and beautiful event. Brides in gorgeous wedding gowns, bridesmaids and groomsmen decked out in the wedding party's colors and striking flowers are the perfect accompaniment to the colorful landscape of the summer and fall wedding seasons.

The warm weather gives great opportunities to take advantage of outdoor settings. Picture your self reciting your vows on an ocean bay, in a beautiful park or amidst the trees in an enchanted forest surrounding. With so many options in the summer and fall months, your only limit is your own imagination.

Personalize The Details

Selecting the perfect ways to feature wedding colors is a very personal representation of the bride and the groom. If you're a bride-to-be, picture homemade jewelry embellishing your wedding dress, table decorations that match your wedding theme and colors perfectly or all your guests looking over unique programs that you made at your kitchen table.

Flowers are the focal point of any wedding; bringing personalized, unique self-describing fantasies to life. Wedding cakes have evolved from what used to be a small treat to offer guests at a wedding into pieces of art that can include traits of your personality and flare. Your wedding can and should be just as individual as yourself.

Make Your Dream Day A Reality

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and is most likely one you've spent hours, days or even years dreaming about. When the time finally comes to start planning the big day, you don't want to cut corners or settle for a run-of-the-mill, impersonal event. Weddings can vary from traditional old fashion romantic themes all the way to modern non-traditional styles.

When it comes to your wedding, the first thing you should consider is your own personal style, your likes and dislikes. Your wedding is about you and who you are. You can incorporate anything into your wedding to make it stand out and scream your name!

With the help of event coordinators and Wedding And Party Network, you can be sure your wedding day will be one that is remembered by all. You can lay out your canvas and start brushing away. Event coordinators will offer much help when it comes to creating a day that is nothing short of your perfect vision. They will take your ideas and transform them into a reality.

If you're on the fence about a wedding or event coordinator, it never costs anything to talk, to ask questions, and to indulge your curiosity of what it would really be like to transform your special day without making a dent in your way of life!

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Every Friday, Wedding and Party Network will be choosing a theme or color and give you inspirational photos. We want to help give you inspiration for your next event, wedding or party. So, take a look and we hope to give you a bit of inspiration when planning your wedding or party. Our inspirational board will give everyone inspiration for the royal wedding. With the royal wedding being today, we wanted to give a little inspiration for planning your own royal wedding. As we watch the grand wedding take place, make sure and gather inspiration from it for your wedding. This wedding will truly inspire weddings to come for many years. So, get inspired as you watch!

This event will truly be spectacular to watch. It will influence weddings for years to come. So, why not gather some inspiration for your wedding. When we think of royalty, we think of royal blue and purple and grand things. So, make your wedding colors just that. Or, you can incorporate a royal blue with a beautiful pink color. Your wedding location should be located in a beautiful church, have a gorgeous cascading bridal bouquet and a grand wedding dress. Everything should be truly elegant. We're all ready to see what takes place at this royal wedding. Don't forget to gather inspiration from it.

Ask The Celebration Advisor

"What makes a wedding reception enjoyable? We want to make sure our guests enjoy the day with us – what have you seen / liked?"

- Sarah

The Celebration Advisor

Hi Sarah,

There are many ways to make your wedding reception enjoyable for everyone. First off, make sure the wedding reception fits you and your style. You don't want to go above and beyond to please everyone else. Remember, this is your day. You want to be happy and do the things you enjoy, it only comes around once. However, you can add some fun little touches that represents you that your guests will love.

Plan – Your wedding is memorable if it's thought out and you put effort into it. You want to think of everything and make sure you cover all the smallest details.

Food – Make sure you feed your guests something tasty. Honestly, if you feed them something that's not, that's what they'll remember. We hate that, but it's inevitable. Your wedding food should be delicious for everyone and there should be something there for everyone to eat.

Dancing – Make sure you have a fun DJ or band to play at your reception. Guests maybe shy at first, but deep down they're ready to jump out on that dance floor and bust a move.

Show Off YOU – The most important thing to remember when trying to make your reception unique is to incorporate your style into it. If you incorporate something that you love into the wedding, your guests will truly love it. Maybe your style is shabby, chic, well incorporate that style into your wedding day. Showing off your style will truly make your wedding reception enjoyable for the guests.

These are just a few wedding ideas to make your wedding reception enjoyable for all. Hope this helps!

Wedding Tip: Add some quirkiness to your wedding by incorporating something that represents you as a couple. Do you both share a hobby? Well, incorporate it.

Spring Wedding Trends

With spring upon us, the start of wedding season begins. Wedding season is a great time of year where two people unite and friends and family gather to celebrate. However, planning a wedding can be stressful. You want to have everything perfect and on trend. So, Wedding And Party Network wants to give you the top spring wedding trends for 2011.

Wedding Colors – When figuring out your wedding colors for spring or summer, always keep the season in mind. For example, spring features more pastel colors. The top trends for the season are honeysuckle, pastel pink, lavender and a gorgeous pastel-mint color. These all fit spring perfectly. You can either play it down with soft creams and ivory, or play it up with orange, green or black and white.

Wedding Flowers – Keep with what's in season. Use beautiful tulips or daffodils for your wedding flowers. For something a little more unique, you can also use anemones, bird of paradise, orchids or sweet peas for your wedding. Spring is the ideal time for flowers. They are beginning to bloom and are absolutely gorgeous. So, why not stick with what's in season?

Wedding Catering -Again, keep with what's fresh and in season. Think light and refreshing for your wedding menu. Create a salad bar, use chicken and fish with fresh spring herbs, and create petit fours for your wedding cake. You can do macaroons, chocolate dipped strawberries, or even a Belgian waffle bar with fresh fruit toppings. Play up this time of year with a light and refreshing menu.

Wedding Favors – The wedding trend that will be here to stay is "going green". Be friendly to the environment with your wedding favors. Send your guests home with potted flowers, flower seeds or recycled bags that they can reuse over and over again. It's a great trend that helps the environment!

Spring Honeymoon Spots – One of the most fun parts of your wedding is your honeymoon. So, make sure you pick the perfect destination for this time of year. If you're wanting to stay within the USA, choose Las Vegas, Arizona or Washington D.C. These places would all be great to visit. They'll have very comfortable weather this time of year and there are lots of sights to be seen in these locations. However, if you're thinking outside of the USA, choose the Caribbean, Belize, South America, Australia or New Zealand. You'll be blown away by all the amazing sights that you'll see at each place and the weather will be spectacular as well! Just make it special and memorable!

So, when planning your spring wedding, keep these planning tips in mind. Spring is full of gorgeous colors and wonderful ideas!

If you are planning a wedding for spring, let Wedding and Party Network help!

Along with a new year comes new trends. Trends change, people's style changes, and we like to stay on top of it to have an up-to-date wedding. Brides love incorporating something unique, and doing what no one has ever seen before. So, why not do this through colors? Your wedding colors set the tone of your event. Read more about 2011 Wedding Color Trends

Your Guide To A Spring Wedding

Spring weddings are absolutely beautiful. Think soft pastels, blooming buds outside and beautiful weather that hits the spot after being stuck inside for winter. Spring is great for outdoor weddings, a variety of flowers are in season and the outdoors will provide natural inspiration for your wedding. However, there can be some issues when planning your spring wedding. Read more about Planning A Spring Wedding

Spring's Top Wedding Bouquets

Spring is such a great time to find beautiful flowers that will make a wonderful accent to your wedding. Flowers are just beginning to sprout, so spring is a great time for fresh flowers. However, with so much variety, what do you choose to be your wedding flowers? What do you choose for your spring wedding bouquet and all the flowers to go along with it? Read more about Spring's Top Wedding Bouquets

April – The Month Of Road Maps, Rainbows & Gardening!

"April showers bring May flowers" is the saying that definitely holds true during this month. The 4th month out of the year and one of the 4 months that has 30 days in it. April starts the season of spring weddings and parties. You can start to enjoy the outdoors more and start entertaining in your own backyard. Read more about Planning An April Party

Outdoor Wedding Ideas

For many brides, an outdoor wedding is the dream of a lifetime. So, when planning an outdoor wedding, choosing the right location is critical, and, of course, no outdoor wedding is complete without a "Bad Weather Plan B." Even though you picture a perfect day, the weather may not co-operate, and last minute plans may have to be put in place. Read more about Outdoor Wedding Ideas

The French Confection: Designing Cakes Fit For You!
One of the main highlights at an event is the cake. People always remember the cake: how it looks and especially how it tastes. If you're in the Nashville, Tennessee area, choosing The French Confection is the right choice. Their creative eye and tasty cakes will have your wedding or event be the talk of the night! So, let them design a custom cake, just for you, that will make your special night a hit!
Read More about The French Confection

Designed Just For You By Waterbrook Florist
Flowers make the perfect compliment to any event. Whether it be a wedding, anniversary or special event, they can truly set the mood and theme. Representing the special occasion, flowers can influence your wedding and event through the style and colors of them. You want them to be truly special.
Read more about Waterbrook Florist

For more vendors in your area, visit Wedding And Party Network for all of your wedding and party planning needs!

Summer is the time for weddings. Wonderful colors, flowers and the weather are just some of the things that makes this the ideal season for weddings. There are plenty of great reasons to plan your wedding for the summer.  However, along with everything else, there are downfalls. So, Wedding And Party Network is here to help with all your summer wedding planning needs. From the do's and don't's to tips and ideas, we've got all the wedding tips for a beautiful summer wedding.

A Few Tips

Summer Wedding Ideas

Along with summer comes the heat. You may be planning an early summer wedding, mid or late. However, you can never depend on the weather. It switches up daily and sometimes hourly, so you must be ready for the heat. Are you planning an outside wedding for the summer? Well, you may enjoy soaking up that vitamin c, but some guests may not or can't.

Therefore, you must offer something cool and relaxing for your guests to retreat to. A place where they will be able to relax and retreat from the hot sun. Prepare a beautiful white tent that provides shade, maybe even portable fans or air conditioning, that features tubs of ice-cold water and beverages. A possible fun feature that may fit your wedding theme, is featuring a fun lemonade stand or ice cream stand. How fun would that be! Plus, it would give a refreshing retreat from the weather.

Here are a few more tips for a summer wedding.

• Don't forget the save-the-dates since summer is the ideal time for vacations.
• Do serve a lighter meal for your wedding reception. Stay in season with salads, seasonal food & meats, fresh farm product & frozen cocktails.
• Don't forget sun and bug protection since it's the season for these two items to be in full force.
• Do dress cooler for the weather. Silks, linens, shorter wedding & bridesmaid dresses and breathable materials will help keep you, the groom and your bridal party refreshed.
• Don't time your wedding to begin at the hottest part of the day, start your wedding later in the evening.

Summer Wedding Ideas

When planning your wedding, you should always sit down and figure out what type of wedding theme you'd like. With summer, you can go with a beach wedding theme, garden theme or a formal affair outside.

Next, think about your wedding flowers. You have so many varieties of flowers that are in season, it won't hurt to go with lots of flowers. Stick with bright and colorful flowers such as, gerbera daisies, yellow calla lilies, orchids, peonies or sunflowers. Stay with what's in season since there are a variety of beautiful flowers in season.

Don't forget about the wedding favors. Especially if you've planned an outdoor wedding and your guests have braved the heat. Send your guests home with potted flowers, fun floral seeds, flip-flops, sand dollars, seashells or fruit that's in season. Always keep in mind the theme of your wedding and what's in season. If you do this, you'll be sending your guests home with a lovely wedding favor they'll enjoy.

The main thing you want to keep in mind when planning your summer wedding is the heat. Summer is a great time to have your wedding, however, the heat is unpredictable. So, keep in mind these wedding tips and your wedding will be a dream come true.

The final days are upon us and I think back now to how it seems that just a week ago we were counting down the triple digits. Now we are just mere days away from our big moment!! In some ways, I am just ready to just do it. After all the planning and preparation, I am ready for the reward. In other ways, I am a bit sad that it the big event is almost over. Of course, knowing that it is the first day of the rest of our lives together makes things exciting.

There have really been very few little details that have to be finalized in this last week. I worked so hard to make sure that everything was completed well ahead of time to make sure as little stress as possible this week. Now, I am a bit at a loss for things to do.

I should tell you that it is not just our wedding that we have going now. When we started our initial planning process, we were considering have a double wedding with my little sister.

She and her husband had to rush a bit with their wedding plans because he is in the Air Force and was getting ready to deploy. So, I had thought it would be a great opportunity to have a renewal for her with all of her friends and family from home.

Instead, she surprised us by letting us know that she was pregnant with their first child! A little girl who will be born at the end of June. Since all of our family will be in town for our big event, we decided to extend the fun and have her baby shower the day after the wedding!

So now, I have what seems like double in-laws, friends and family who will be coming in to attend the events and double the parties to plan!! It really has been a lot of fun though and I will tell you about both as I go along.

I figure the best way to do this is to walk you through our wedding schedule. On Friday morning, I will be taking my sister, my daughter and my stepdaughter to get manicures and pedicures and of course, lunch! Afterwards, we will meet at the Community Center to decorate for the reception and then later that evening we will gather everyone up to go to the Church for a quick rehearsal.

Our florist, Ken Cope, of the Corsage Shop, will already have the Church decorated with the candles that I have rented from him that he has decorated with our feathers. Yet another perk of not having live flowers…you can set them up ahead of time!

Mom was gracious enough, or perhaps crazy enough, to offer her house for our rehearsal dinner. She is preparing lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, bread, salad and some desserts as a quick and easy meal. With it being at her house I figured we would all be able to spend more time sitting around talking and hanging out after the meal then we would if we were at a restaurant. Plus, it will be a great deal cheaper.

On Saturday, Craig and I will be cooking a big breakfast for his family at our house. Later for lunch, we will be ordering some pizzas as we celebrate his sister Carri's birthday. Yes, we are marrying on her birthday! I figure that this could really work in my favor, as I can remind him of her birthday each year and she in turn can remind him of our anniversary.

After that, we are off to get ready! My bridesmaid Jennifer has always been great with hair and makeup. So, she will be lining us all up to make us beautiful. The Church has a great women lounge and restroom facility that will give us plenty of room for getting ready. So, all of our hair, makeup and dressing can be done right there which will save us from having to worry about weather, wind and wrinkles.

We ordered all of our groomsmen monogrammed money clips and I ordered cute pizza cutters and skeleton key bottle openers for my bridesmaids. With the exception of our daughters. For them, we ordered beautiful bracelets from Things Remembered.

The wedding is at 6 o'clock in the evening and guest will be greeted ahead of time by prerecorded music from Corrine Bailey Rae, Norah Jones, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald. Programs will be handed out at the door that list the order of the ceremony, the names of our wedding party, an invitation to the reception, a thank you from me and Craig and a quote from George Eliot.

When the big moment arrives, the lights will dim slightly and Jason Von Lurry, a friend and amazing electric violinist from Memphis, Tennessee, will begin playing "Variations of A Lullaby". An unusual piece for a wedding yes, but beautiful none the less and just what I had hoped for to set the mood.

As he plays, our "flower girl" Kiley, Craig's beautiful 6-year-old niece, will enter in her blue gown. She'll be wearing her venetian mask and carrying a shattered glass teardrop that glows blue like a lantern. As she walks down the aisle, the pew candles will light.

We are doing this by using remote control candles. Behind her will be our children. Brittany and Micah will go to the front and light the real candelabras there and then down the sides of the Church to light the candles in each of the stained glass windows before returning to the back of the church.

After completed, Jason will begin Craig's song choice of the evening, "Iris" by the GooGoo Dolls. I really loved the song and was happy that he had chosen something he liked. However, I was concerned that it would not flow with the rest of the live music that we would be playing during the ceremony.

So, Jason stepped in and removed the lyrics and is instead using the instrumental version and he is playing the vocal part on his violin. It is beautiful! During that time, Craig will enter from the front of the Church with the Minister and his groomsmen will escort in our mom's and grandmothers and then my bridesmaids will enter carrying their venetian mask.

Now, cue the moment I have waited a life time for! I used to teach children's theatre here in Caruthersville and was privileged to meet some very talented kids along the way. One is the daughter of my close friend and bridesmaid Amanda. Her dad is a talented musician and singer himself and he will be playing the piano as Alaina sings Rascal Flatt's "God Bless the Broken Road" and I enter on the arm of my Dad.

I was concerned at the length of the song and did not want any awkward moments of waiting. So, I have decided to let her begin singing and then have the doors opened on the chorus for my entry. As I get to the end of the aisle, I have small peacock feather bouquets to present to each of our moms and grandmothers. I believe that this should cover the length of the song, putting me back in place just in time to be given away.

The ceremony will be like almost all weddings. Instead of a unity candle, we will be doing the blending of sand ceremony. We will each have a small bottle of sand (that is me, Craig and our children) that is in the color that we each selected. As the Minister reads about the blending of our family, Jason will softly play, "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera, a favorite of mine. We will each pour our sand into one single container. As we leave the ceremony, we will exit to Nickelback's "Never Gonna Be Alone".

After the ceremony, we will snap a few pictures and then move to the local Community Center. Walking up to the ceremony, the path will be lit with blue Moroccan style lanterns. These were my first wedding purchase!! Our entrance song is different, we are using "Por Ti Volare", which is a beautiful opera song, BUT we are using the version from the movie, Stepbrothers as it is a favorite of our kids and something that they will recognize and enjoy.

The hall will be done in low lighting and lots of blue accent lighting. Each table will have the Eiffel tower vase in various heights with the peacock feather and glittered sprig arrangement with a blue up light placed in them. On our table, we are going to use a long and low arrangement with our monogram in it, blue up lighting and of course, a couple of peacocks!

Over our dance floor, we will have small round glass globes of blue hanging at different levels. My good friend Cameron, will be our DJ. He always does a great job and was kind enough to do this for us. The cake table will hold our wedding cupcake tree and instead of a groom's cake, we will be doing a kid's cake. This is a surprise for the kids. A three layer cake, with each layer decorated with a miniature version of them and the things that they love. I am really excited about it!

For food, we are doing simple finger foods. Chicken salad on croissant, ham and swiss on rolls, a dip, some pinwheels and things like that. We are also doing a white chocolate fountain with a fruit tray, pretzels and Micah and Brittany's favorite…Cookie Dough Balls! On another table, we are doing a cheese fountain, lol, another tribute to the kid's love of Will Ferrell movies. There will be chips and veggies sitting around it.

It is Craig sister Carri's birthday, so we plan to play a special song for her. We also have a couple of songs that are special to the kids that will be played. Micah is a fan of Corrine Bailey Rae and so we will be playing, "our song" for she and I to dance to, "Put your records on". Craig and Brittany have always considered "Sweet Child O Mine" their song, but he wanted something to slow dance to. So, Alaina (the one who is singing me down the aisle) has put together a slower rendition of the song that she will be singing for them.

After the toasts are given, I will be doing the Thank You to everyone as Craig hates public speaking. After, I have a special surprise that no one else knows about. Originally, I wanted to have Adam Sandler's "Grow Old With You" played. I had asked my brother-in-law, Aaron to consider playing something special for my sister on his guitar.

I found out that he knows how to play that song. So, he will be singing and playing it for her and all of us. We are not doing the traditional garter toss and bouquet toss, I have always hated the way it singles the lonely crowd out. So for the rest of the evening, there will be cupcakes, dancing, fun and a great start to a new life.

Well, there it all is, the chance of rain is up to 60% and I am a little nervous about it. But otherwise, I am so ready to go! The following day will be filled with taking everything down at the reception site and putting everything up at the shower site. Then afterwards, we are off to Sandal's in Montego Bay Jamaica! Hopefully everything will go as planned, but I will report back to you later and let you know if any little snags occurred and how I could have avoided them When I next speak with you I will be Mrs. Craig Williams!!!

This wedding story was brought to your by Wedding and Party Network. Want to share your wedding story? Contact social@weddingandpartynetwork.com.

Peacock feather photo provided by deepapraveen via flickr.

Spring weddings are absolutely beautiful. Think soft pastels, blooming buds outside and breezy weather that hits the spot after being stuck inside for winter. Spring is great for outdoor weddings, a variety of flowers are in season and the outdoors will offer natural inspiration for your wedding. However, there are some issues when planning your spring wedding that can arrise. Whether the issue comes from April showers or the unpredictable weather during this time, Wedding And Party Network is here to offer you a few tips and ideas when planning for your spring wedding.

Wedding Dilemmas

April Showers: Yes, spring can offered be referred to the rainiest season we have. With it brings the May flowers though, right? Since we all know that spring can bring unexpected showers more often, make plans to avoid this wedding day issue. If you're having an indoor wedding, you won't have to worry, except maybe having a few umbrellas on hand for the guests and your bridal party. However, if you're set on an outdoor wedding, be ready with a beautiful white tent. Find a good wedding rental company that can suggest tents that would be ideal if it rained.

Another problem solver would be to consider valet for your guests. If you're not looking into finding a company to offer this service, gather up some friends or family members. The guests won't have to ruin their formal wear and it would be truly thoughtful of you. However, if you're not into this, you can always set up a canopy at the entryway for guests to be dropped off at, like the women.

Pesky Bugs: Another issue that can occur during this time is dealing with those pesky bugs. Insects can be a problem during this time of year in different parts of the country. Provide bug repellent, have the area sprayed beforehand and use citronella candles as part of your decorations to solve this wedding day issue.

Changes In The Weather: The weather tends to be pretty unpredictable during this time of year. You may have to deal with heat during the day, while at night it tends to cool off. Maybe you can offer cute parasols during the day, if you're having a daytime wedding as part as your wedding favor. If your wedding is at night, provide cute shawls as your wedding favors. You can even be ready by pulling out some heaters, if you are having a wedding reception in the evening.

Wedding Ideas

Be Weather Appropriate: Remember with this unpredictable weather, you may have a hot day and a chilly evening. So, keep that in mind when finding your wedding dress. Most wedding dresses give a bit more coverage and material at the bottom, while the top style of wedding dresses are more strapless, sleeveless or off the shoulders. So, the solution for this is to find a cute shawl or wrap.

Keep this in mind when picking out bridesmaid dresses as well. A cute pashmina  would be cute as part of their bridesmaid gift.

Wedding Menu: Keep your menu light and refreshing. You should most definitely celebrate spring throughout your menu. Think fresh vegetables and delicious fruits that are in season during this time of year. Serving seasonal fruits and vegetables will be a big hit at your wedding! Go with fresh squeeze lemonade or iced tea for your beverages to go with the weather.

Pastels: When you think of spring, you think of light and airy colors. Gorgeous pink and greens would be beautiful as your wedding colors. Or think ivory, creams or light pinks. Light blues, greens and yellows sound so amazing! A gorgeous rustic-chic wedding featuring creams and light pinks would be perfect for this time of the year.

Pretty Florals: Incorporating beautiful spring floral arrangements into your wedding is an absolute must. They should play the main role in your wedding decorations. Have a gorgeous floral arch, wreath or some that hang from trees that add to your decorations. Even bring spring indoors with mini arrangements or bud vases so your guests will get the same feeling inside as they do outside.

Spring Wedding Favors: When you think of spring, you think of luscious flowers blooming in the air. Since you will play up flowers so much at your wedding, send some home with your guests, as well. Send flower seeds home with your guests as a cute little wedding favor. They'll be able to plant these in a vase or in their garden and be reminded of your wedding each time they look at them.

Beautiful weather, adorable blooms and the great outdoors are calling your name for a springtime wedding. This time of year is absolutely gorgeous, just be ready for all the little hiccups that can come your way during your wedding. Being prepared and throwing in these cute little wedding tips will make for a day you will never forget.