Wedding Palnning 101: Do-it-yourself wedding favors

So You Want To Make Your Own Wedding Favors? Here is some wedding planning magic by Kristie McDaniel the author of the E-Book: Do Yourself A Favor: Easy and Affordable Wedding Favors You Can Make Yourself! It's on sale at www.doyourselfafavor.net iMemoryfilms says; YES! you can, and they can be beautiful and unique with your own personal touch. I notice that a lot of brides are trying to find ideas to make their own original wedding favors. I know that you want something that your guests will love that gets them into the joy of the day! Lets start with some important tips for getting started with your search for the perfect favor to make. First you have to start early. I know that wedding planning usually begins about 18 months before the wedding. Do not leave your wedding favor as a last minute detail. Think about what you want to make and then shop around for the best prices. You can find the best prices at craft stores after holidays like Valentine's Day, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Also, you can go to your local party stores, and find materials that you can use for your favors. They usually have very good sales after the holidays. Always be on the lookout for the materials you need because you might just find them for next to nothing at any store. Next you need to find something that you can make yourself. There are a lot of good ideas, but some of them are not for everyone. For instance, I can't sew so I stay away from projects that require me to sew more than a simple stitch. Try to pick something that will be easy for almost anyone to put together because you will probably have an assembly line of helpers, especially since most weddings have more than 100 guests. Well here are some of the steps to creating that wedding favor you and your guests will love! First, you will need to answer a few questions: What is something unique about you, the Bride? What is your favorite hobby? What is something that you and your fiancé love to do? What message do you want to convey to your guest? What is the mood of your wedding, like formal, party time, or family get together? Is there a theme to your reception? Is your wedding during a holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving? Do you want the guest to keep the favor or just eat it? When you answer these questions, you'll be able to come up with a lot of ideas for favors that you might want to have. While answering the questions, don't restrict yourself to the traditional. I've recently seen request on many message boards for very unique favors like military favors, bowling favors, and especially destination wedding favors. For example, if you are an avid stamp collector, then develop your favor around this interest. The next step is to develop a miniature representation of your theme or hobby. For example for the Christmas wedding, you could find tiny pine trees and decorate them with candies and ribbon as ornaments. Make sure you make the favor as simple as possible, so it is easy to assemble. This is especially important for large weddings. The final step is to go to the craft store and look around for materials to make your idea. For example, with the stamp collector, that person could get some card stack or post cards and print out a Stamp with the happy couple, a message for guests and the price in the corner like an actual stamp. They could attach these cards to envelope or tulle with candy. There are so many things in the craft store that will inspire ideas in the creative bride. You can even start with this step and just look around and see what you can find. There are so many miniature materials that you can develop into beautiful craft ideas. Also, don't just go to the wedding aisle of the craft store, look around the whole store. Wedding favors can be made with just about anything. Popsicle sticks, Forsterä, WoodsiesÒ, and plastic spoons are just a few materials that you can use. If you plan on making your own favors and you want something unique then take time to develop your idea and make it personal to you! You will save money and you will definitely love the outcome! Wedding planning info presented by imemoryfilms www.imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 info@imemoryfilms.com For more wedding info, ideas and creative planning, see our blog at www.imemoryfilms.blogspot.com. You can check out our wedding filming pricing and filming options for your wedding day at, www.imemoryfilms.com

iMemoryfilms Wedding Planning Guide: Walking in your Wedding gown 101

Wedding Planning: Walking Well in Your Wedding Gown iMemoryfilms presents some useful wedding planning tips from, Sara L. Ambarian. Sara is a author/creative consultant, & custom bridal designer. You can visit her website at: www.frazmtn.com/~ambarian/ Walking attractively and well in a wedding dress depends on a combination of a number of factors: the style of the dress, width of the skirt, number and size of petticoats or other undergarments, the height of heels on your shoes, your comfort level in walking in that height heel, the floor/ground surface you will be walking on, and more. There is no magic equation for this, but here are some considerations which should help you find a fairly comfortable wedding day walk. ~ Choose a reasonably low heel, one that you are comfortable walking in. And "break your shoes in" a bit by walking around the house in them before the wedding-- but not when cooking or cleaning or doing other potentially soiling activities. ~ If you never wear heels of any kind, if you expect to do a lot of dancing or walking distances, or if heels are very uncomfortable for you, consider your options-- bridal sneakers, flat sandals, ballet slippers, Isotoner slippers, etc. For many brides, their shoes are never seen unless they *want* them seen, but all of the options above can be decorated (by the bride, if she wants to try it) to have an appropriate, if funky, bridal flair. ~ Wear your petticoat and/or other unusual undergarment around the house to get used to how they feel and move. ~ Practice nice posture. Snug-fitting bras and shapers and tight-waisted petticoats all encourage you to stand straight, unlike our normal everyday clothing. Allow these garments to remind you to stand, straight and tall, for the increased impression of beauty and confidence this gives any bride. ~ Have your gown hemmed to the proper height. Some boutiques hem gowns so they touch the floor. Unless you will be wearing an actual *rigid hoop* petticoat, this is not a good idea. For confidence walking, reducing soil, etc., a full-skirted gown should be hemmed at least 1/2", but preferably more like 3/4" to 1" above the floor. My clients occasionally quarrel with me on this subject, afraid that it will "look funny", but I've never had a client sorry after their wedding that they had the additional room above "hard floor" level. Remember, you may well have to walk over plush carpet, grass, gravel, or any of a number of other surfaces. ~ Proper hem height off the floor also gives you a little extra room for imperfect postures. When your hem is measured and marked, the seamstress will ask you to stand straight, with equal weight on both legs, and look directly, level-ly, in front of you. Pay attention to these requests and do your best to comply with them. It will give you the most attractive and accurate hem. However, when you are moving in the dress later, remember that the hem was cut for you standing straight and looking ahead. When you look down, your hem will dip down in front, and this is when many brides step on their skirts. Try to lift your skirt gently with your hands when you need to look down to navigate steps or other activities, to counteract this natural dip-- and the tendency to tread on your skirt. ~ Last-- try to relax about wearing your gown, and don't 'fight' it. A full-skirted gown has a certain natural swing and movement. Some brides take to this naturally; some find it a bit disconcerting, and almost "artificially girly". But if your feet don't hurt, your hem isn't too long, you are used to your undergarments, you relax and enjoy yourself, and you feel really beautiful in your gown... chances are, you'll wear your gown quite well!! Very best wishes to you from Sara and iMemoryfilms! Fro more ideas, wedding planning tips, and wedding videography info, visit us at www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com, or you can visit our websaite at, www.imemoryfilms.com www.imemoryfilms.com Info@iMemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490

iMemoryfilms Wedding Planning Post: Florist 101

iMemoryfilms Wedding Planning 101: Great Flowers! by Neal Acito iMemoryfilms wedding planning blog passes on some great ideas from former florist Neal Acito. 1) Wedding Florists: They’re Busy From Thanksgiving to Mother’s Day can be a tough time. Florists jump from holiday to holiday and things are intense during those periods. They don’t see their families. Some of them forget to bathe. Now, you may have to meet with a florist during that period. If you do, be gentle with them. One more suggestion; Don’t call on February 13th to talk about your bouquet. 2) Supply a Picture of the Gown Having pictures of the wedding gown can be extremely helpful. Florists are visual people. They need to SEE what it is that you’re talking about. Think about it, if they were good with words, they’d be teaching Junior High School English. Pictures of the gown, as well as of any flowers you like, will help. 3) Flowers are Seasonal You can’t always get what you want. Hydrangea is plentiful in late summer but, if you want hydrangea in January, it’s going to cost you. 4) Swatches! Plum isn’t lavender. Pink can be hot pink or pastel pink. Even white can be eggshell, Navajo, or slate. Having swatches from the dresses is going to save you a lot of heartache. I don’t mean just the bridesmaids either. People always forget about the moms and grandmothers. 5) A Question of Expertise Tulips are beautiful. But, in July, they are going to blow open from the heat and look terrible. If you touch a gardenia, the oil from your skin is going to turn the flower brown. You need to trust that the florist is going to know these things. They’re not trying to spoil your fun. They simply know what works and what doesn’t. 6) Where to Save Years from now, nobody is going to remember the centerpieces. However, everyone is going to have pictures of you and the bridal bouquet. If you’re on a tight budget, cut down the centerpieces. 7) Have Everything Ready Beforehand Where is the wedding? Where is the reception? Who is attending? What is the date? These are very simple questions and it would amaze you to know how many people don’t know the answers. Florists are always happy to help you with ideas. However, when it comes time to book the florist, you should have all your ducks in a row. 8) Review the Order You should get a copy of the wedding order. Review it. Make sure it’s correct. You may have TALKED about rose petals for the flower girl, but if it’s not on the ORDER, you aren’t getting it. Follow up a few weeks before the wedding as well. 9) iMemoryfilms suggests: Test Drive If you’re not familiar with the area, order something small. Pretend to be an average customer and order an arrangement. It’ll give you a good idea of what it’s like to deal with the florist. You wouldn’t buy a car without a test drive, would you? And finally, 10) Your Attitude Snobby customers get nothing. Nice customers get everything. Money has nothing to do with it. Flashing a lot of cash will not be impressive. Florists love people who appreciate their work. Being nice will go a long way, and acting snobby will not. If you want to bring floral magic into your most important day, be nice. That’s about it. Just remember that you can get most of what you want by being organized, flexible, and nice. For the most part, florists aren’t out to get your money. They can probably make a lot more money doing something else. They do it because they love it. Find a florist who loves their work and you’ve struck gold. by Neal Acito www.imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 info@imemoryfilms.com For more great wedding planning ideas, info, and tips, please visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com, or our website at, www.imemoryfilms.com

Creative Wedding Planning: The Ceremony

Creative Wedding Ceremonies Wedding planning should involve some fun and creativity,...here is a uber fun article by, Lois Heckman, Celebrant from iMemoryfilms! Planning your wedding day is one of the most personal and cherished days of your life, your ceremony should be just as special. Every aspect of it, from readings to music to symbolism, should be a reflection of you and the bond that you share, making this day truly your own, rejoicing in everything that makes your union unique. You can express yourself among family and friends through a personalized ceremony. Additionally, when the ceremony is great, the tone is set for a wonderful celebration. Here are some ideas to make your ceremony unique: Tell your personal story . Share the story of how you met and why you fell in love. What were the first words you said to each other? Where was your first date? How did the proposal happen? What actions of the other say I love you? What does your partner do that always makes you laugh? Your celebrant can include these words in the introduction or elsewhere in the ceremony. Honor the Presenter. If one or both of you will be presented in marriage, take this time to reflect on what this relationship means to you. Have your Celebrant include words of homage, amusing stories, and thanks. Celebrate Your Heritage. Make a list of your respective ethnic, cultural or religious backgrounds. Research wedding rituals, poets and music from these traditions and create a distinctive blend of words and symbols. Honor both your backgrounds and the ceremony will reflect your unique partnership. Something New. Borrow freely from the rich wedding customs around the world. You don't need to belong to a particular culture or religion for its rituals to have meaning. Such rituals have been performed for hundreds or thousands of years because they resonate with universal truths about marriage. Interfaith Weddings. Over 25% of marriages are between partners of different faiths. A good officiant will help you honor each faith tradition in a way that pleases everyone. Involving Children & Stepchildren. When children are involved, your wedding reflects not only the joining of husband and wife, but the creation of a new family or stepfamily. There are many ways to reflect family unity in your ceremony. You may have found the perfect spot for your wedding ceremony, but are unsure of how to find a minister, rabbi, clergy, or other officiant. You can have a ceremony that reflects your values, and the joy of your wedding day, and a Celebrant may be the answer. Celebrants are people who are trained to officiate at, compose and perform the highest quality personalized ceremonies. I studied at the Celebrant USA Foundation in Montclair, NJ. and I officiate in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is a joy and pleasure to be able to provide couples with meaningful ceremonies in just some of the ways I have explained. I hope I have inspired you towards a creative approach to your wedding ceremony. - Lois Heckman ( www.LoisHeckman.com ) is a Certified Celebrant ( www.celebrantusa.org ) in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, and beyond. www.imemoryfilms.com info@imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 For more ideas, tips, and info on the prefect wedding, visit us at www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com. to book iMemoryfilms for your next event, please see us at www.imemoryfilms.com

iMemoryfilms Wedding Planning: Wedding Theme's 101

iMemoryfilms "choosing a theme for your wedding" By Linda Salamon of www.calligraphicstudio.com Some good info from www.iMemoryfilms .com for those of you who need some help picking out your wedding theme! Choosing a theme for your wedding can be as simple as picking a color scheme, or as elaborate as creating a wedding based upon a particular era in history complete with historically accurate costumes & music. For suggestions for simple themes: use your monograms throughout your wedding, from the design of your invitation to the designs on your wedding cake; or you could choose a location where you met, like the beach or the mountains, as your theme. Some couples base their themes upon a significant holiday, like Valentine’s Day or Mardi Gras, or a particular season when they met. You could base your theme upon a shared interest, such as mountain climbing, playing musical instruments or computer games, or an interest in history. Picking a certain era in art history can be a wonderful theme, such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Pre-Raphaelite, Baroque, etc. And some couples choose their theme based upon their careers, hobbies, or ethnic background. Whatever theme you choose, remember to make it personal to you and your spouse-to-be. In this way, your wedding will be distinctly your own, & you and your guests will remember it long after they have forgotten all those other boring, cookie-cutter “white weddings” they will attend throughout their lifetime. As a graphic artist, I have included portraits of pets, coats-of-arms, musical instruments, fairies, favorite flowers, astrological signs, a compass rose (for two cartographers getting married!), Chinese symbols, Celtic knots, & Scottish plaids, among other symbols, into wedding invitations. If you need help, call us at www.imemoryfilms.com, or consult a good wedding planner like Julie Hurt of www.simplyelegant .com, or custom wedding stationary designer should be able to come up with ideas to weave your theme throughout your wedding day. Invitations, flowers, table settings, placecards, centerpieces, menus, programs, & your wedding cake should all reflect your theme in some way. Keeping to a consistent color scheme & style brings it all together. But whatever theme you choose, enjoy planning your wedding! Have a wonderful wedding, and visit us at www.imemoryfilms.com! www.imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 info@imemoryfilms.com For more info on wedding planning, plus tips and great ides, visit us at www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com. to book us to film your wedding, please check out our prices and filming options at:

iMemoryfilms Wedding Toasts 101

Wedding Toasts - The 10 Commandments Of Toasting We've heard lots of great,...and several NOT SO GREAT wedding toasts lately, and thought maybe a bit of help and ideas might serve your wedding day to help make it perfect. Here's some good toast stuff from, by Rick Pieczonka, Owner & Founder, InstantWeddingToasts.com The only one required to propose a Wedding Toast is the Best Man, but watch out for some competition...most weddings now include a toast from the Maid of Honor as well! The 10 Commandments Of Toasting 1. Plan to speak from 1 to 4 minutes. No one wants to be bored with an extraordinarily long toast covering the entirety of your friendship. With wedding toasts, even a short toast will do if delivered with feeling and sincerity. 2. Make sure all other glasses are full before beginning. You may want to announce to the guests, or have the MC announce to the guests, to fill their glasses because toasting will commence shortly. Then give guests 3 - 5 minutes to fill their glasses. 3. Stand to give a toast (sit to receive one) and hold your glass with your right hand as you toast. After the toast, it is tradition to then clink the glasses together before sipping. 4. Start with something personal. How the bride and groom met is always a favorite. You can also use humor or quotes to get started. 5. Always use humor in good taste. While poking fun at the bride and groom can add the touch of humor you're looking for, poking too much fun will only gain you a disapproving audience. 6. Speak in your normal voice, and avoid unnatural hand gestures or fake accents. Wedding audiences want to hear what you have to say, not watch a drama unfold. Just remember you were chosen to be you, not someone else. 7. Practice your toast. Unless you are an accomplished public speaker, just 'winging it' for the wedding toast is always a bad idea. 8. Look around the room at the audience and to the bride and groom as you toast. Eye contact is an important characteristic of a good speaker. 9. Speak clearly and don't rush. Take your time and take a deep breath, because if you speak too fast, no one is going to understand you. 10. And finally, finish your toast with a wish, blessing, congratulations, or cheers. The 5 Biggest Mistakes To Avoid 1. Having more than one drink to calm nerves beforehand. It may seem like a good idea, but besides calming your nerves, too much alcohol will also keep you from speaking clearly and hinder your good judgment of appropriate speech material. 2. Swearing and/or lying. 3. Apologizing for being a bad speaker - Never apologize for being a bad speaker, and don't say you really didn't want to speak. It's a rule for all speeches and all occasions, not just weddings. 4. Mentioning previous girlfriends, past marriages, or past relationships. Not only could it be potentially embarrassing, but it's inappropriate at a wedding. Leave this for the stag party. 5. Stories about the Bride and Groom that aren't rated PG. Remember, Grandma, Grandpa and possibly even children will be present at the wedding. Make sure your stories are appropriate for the audience. So here's to your next toast, my friend, may it be a sweet success! www.imemoryfilms.com info@imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 For more ideas, tips, and info on your wedding planning, visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.blogspot.com. To book imemoryfilms for your wedding, and to check out out prices and filming options, see us online at www.imemoryfilms.com

iMemoryfilms Wedding Veil 101

Choosing & Caring for Your Veil TRADITIONAL VEIL DEFINITIONS By Peggy Mead of the The Blissful Bride BLUSHER - is traditionally short, shoulder length or shorter and is worn over the bride's face to hide her from the groom until after they are wed when it's pushed back behind the head. It is usually combined with another layer sometimes a different length. Despite tradition, blushers of today can be any length as long as they cover the face. Blushers can be worn in formal or informal weddings. ELBOW LENGTH - is usually worn with a gown without a train and is a little less formal. FINGER-TIP LENGTH - is usually for formal and semi-formal weddings. CHAPEL - is for a more formal wedding. A chapel veil falls to or near the floor. CATHEDRAL - is for formal weddings. A cathedral veil extends on to the floor like a train and is usually worn with a dress with a train. TIPS FOR CHOOSING YOUR VEIL The great thing about being a bride today is that anything goes! Whether you want to do everything traditionally or just choose the style that looks best and suits your personality. The following are a few tips to help you in making your decision. Choose a simple veil and headpiece if your dress is very ornate. Consider the back detail of your dress. If you want to show off the back of the dress, you may want to choose a short veil (blusher or elbow length) a veil with less fullness to it (72" width, pony veil, or the ballerina headband and side veil). If your gown is very simple, you may want a very ornate headpiece and or veil to attract attention to your face. OR if your gown is very simple and your style is very simple and elegant, you may also want to wear a simple headpiece and or veil with minor details. Be confident in your decision! This is your day. If you feel confident, you'll beam with beauty. Congratulations! CARING FOR YOUR VEIL When you first receive your veil in the mail, immediately take it out and hang it up. The only way to ship your veil to you is to box it which will cause it to first appear very wrinkled and unattractive. We recommend that you hang your veil from the center so that it will hang straight down. Most of the wrinkles should come out over time from just hanging however, if you don't have time or it's still too wrinkled for your taste, try the following methods: Steaming the veil with a steaming iron Hot shower method - steaming the veil by hanging it in the bathroom with a hot shower on for several minutes to steam up the room. Dry cleaning - have an experienced bridal dry cleaner press or steam it. www.iMemoryfilms.com info@imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 For more tips, ideas, and wedding planning info, visit us at www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com. to visit our website for booking, or pricing info on event and wedding filming, see us online at, www.imemoryfilms.com