It’s here! Koyal Wholesale is excited to launch our August 2012 Engaged Couples Photo Contest on Facebook! The top 3 winners will receive Koyal Gift Certificates, good toward purchases online at Koyal Wholesale. 1st place will receive a $100 Koyal Gift Certificate and 2nd and 3rd place will each receive a $50 Koyal Gift Certificate! For more information, see the official rules.
TIMING
Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 7, 2012 to be eligible. Voting begins at 6:00 AM PDT on August 8, 2012 and continues until 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 20, 2012. Winners will be announced on August 21, 2012.
COUPLES
The contest is open to all engaged couples who have not previously won a Koyal Gift Certificate. All couples who enter agree to abide by the official rules.
ENTRY
Entering the contest is easy!
- Submit a photo of you + your betrothed to our wall on Facebook.
- Comment on your photo with your name and wedding date.
- Tag your own photo on Facebook so your friends can find you more easily. We will place these photos in the “August 2012 Engaged Couples Contest” album on Facebook.
- Inspire! Get your friends and family to follow the directions below to vote for you! The couple that receives the most votes, wins.
VOTING
To place a vote, you must be a fan of Koyal Wholesale on Facebook. There are 4 ways to vote: (1) LIKE, (2) SHARE, (3) PIN & (4) INSTAGRAM. See details below.
(1) LIKE: Click the “LIKE” button under the photo of your favorite couple. (1 VOTE)
- “Likes” count for 1 vote.
- Must click the Like button under the couples photo in the album. Clicking Like on the album does not count.
- “Like” comments will not count.
- Only “Like” votes by fans of Koyal Wholesale on Facebook will be counted.
(2) SHARE: Click the “SHARE” button under the photo of your favorite couple. (2 VOTES)
- “Shares” count for 2 votes.
- Must click the Share button under the couples photo in the album. Clicking Share on the album does not count.
- The photo can be shared on any given wall only one time per day. Sharing a photo on a wall multiple times in one day will be considered abuse and will result in disqualification, or the cutting of “share” votes by 2/3, as seen fit by the Koyal Photo Contest Committee.
- Only “Share” votes by fans of Koyal Wholesale on Facebook will be counted.
(3) PIN: Follow Koyal Wholesale on Pinterest, start a Koyal Wholesale board, and pin at least 15 of your favorite Koyal products, with original captions. (10 VOTES)
- Follow Koyal Wholesale on Pinterest
- Name the board “Koyal Wholesale Wedding + Your Theme” (e.g. Koyal Wholesale Wedding: Pink and Grey)
- Pin at least 15 original images from KoyalWholesale.com to your board, with original captions (no repins).
- Hashtag the images #KoyalWholesale
- Send a link to the board to claire@koyal.com.
- Koyal Wholesale Wedding Pinterest boards count for 10 votes.
- Your friends & family can start boards for you too! Collect and send us their links for an additional 10 votes.
- Please email claire@koyal.com if you need an invite to Pinterest. We’ll get one out to you ASAP!
(4) INSTAGRAM: Follow Koyal Wholesale on Instagram, upload your Engaged Couple contest entry, and tag your photo. (10 VOTES)
- Follow Koyal Wholesale on Instagram
- Upload your Engaged Couple contest entry photo.
- Get our attention by tagging @KoyalWholesale and hashtagging your photo with #KWengaged #koyalwholesale
- Instagram photo uploads count for 10 votes.
WINNERS
The winning couple will be determined by having the most number of votes.
- First place wins a $100 Koyal Gift Certificate. Second and third place each receive a $50 Koyal Gift Certificate.
- Voting ends Monday 08/20/12 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Winners will be announced on Tuesday 08/21/12!
- We reserve the right to disqualify any entrant who abuses the voting rules.
- In the case of a tie for the winner, a winner will be selected randomly by Koyal Wholesale from the tied parties. All outcomes are deemed final.
- To maximize your chances of winning, encourage your family and friends to become fans of Koyal Wholesale on Facebook so they can cast a vote for you.
Hurry and submit your lovely photos!
GOOD LUCK!
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NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
SPONSORS:
This promotion (the “Contest”) is sponsored by Koyal Wholesale and is subject to the following terms and conditions.
ELIGIBILITY:
Contest is open to legal residents of the United States, excluding Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. Void where prohibited by law. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age at time of entry, and possess a valid form of identification. Invalid or ineligible entries shall be excluded from consideration. Employees of Sponsors, their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents, and foregoing employees household or immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) are NOT eligible to enter Contest. By their submission of entry, participants warrant they are legally entitled and authorized to make such submission, either on their own behalf, or as to information submitted upon the express authorization of another on whose behalf the information is submitted. In the event of a dispute as to the winner”s identity, entries will be deemed made by the holder of the email account associated with the entry.
TIMING:
Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 7, 2012 to be eligible. Voting begins at 6:00 AM PDT on August 8, 2012 and continues until 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 20, 2012. Winners will be announced on August 21, 2012.
VOTING:
Entrants can get votes in one of 4 ways.
(1) Inspiring friends to click “like” under their photo in the album. (1 VOTE)
(2) Inspiring friends to click “share” under their photo in the album. Sharing can only be done once per day, per person. (2 VOTES)
(3) Creating a “Koyal Wholesale Wedding + Your Theme” Pinterest board and pinning 15 Koyal products. Only original pins allowed, with original captions only. Tag your pins #KoyalWholesale. No repins. Friends may also create boards for the entrant. Links to all boards must be submitted to claire@koyal.com. (10 VOTES)
(4) Follow KoyalWholesale on Instagram. Upload your contest entry photo and tag @KoyalWholesale #KWengaged #koyalwholesale (10 VOTES)
Only original Pins and sources are allowed (“Submissions”). You represent, warrant and covenant that (i) you own or otherwise possess all necessary rights with respect to your Submissions, (ii) your Submissions do not and will not infringe, misappropriate, use or disclose without authorization, or otherwise violate any intellectual property or proprietary right of any third party, and are not unlawful, fraudulent, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene or otherwise objectionable, and (iii) you hereby consent to the use of your likeness, and you have obtained the written consent, release, and/or permission of every identifiable individual who appears in a Submission to use such individual’s likeness, for purposes of using and otherwise exploiting the Submission, or, if any such identifiable individual is under the age of eighteen (18), you have obtained such written consent, release and/or permission from such individual’s parent or guardian. If you do submit a Submission that contains the likeness of an identifiable individual is under the age of eighteen (18), we strongly encourage you not to include any identifying information (such as the individual’s name or address) with such Submission.
PRIZES:
$100 and $50 Koyal Wholesale Gift Vouchers will be awarded.
JUDGING:
Couples will be judged based on total number of votes. The couple with the highest vote count, wins.
PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS:
Entries are subject to Koyal Wholesale’s privacy policy on the website, which terms and conditions entrants accept and agree to by submission of entries pursuant to these official rules. By entering, the information you provided may be sent to promotional partners identified in this promotion. You may be contacted by the Sponsors and/or any promotional partners with future promotional offers.
RELEASE:
by participating in the Contest and/or accepting a prize, a participant/winner agrees to defend, release and hold harmless the Sponsors and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, divisions, advertising and promotion agencies, and the foregoing companies’ officers, directors, shareholders, employees, representatives and agents, and Facebook, (collectively “Releasees”) from and against any actions, claims and/or liability for injury, loss or damage of any kind, (including the violation or infringement of any proprietary or personal right of any individual or entity) resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from participation in the Contest, and/or the use, acceptance, or possession of a Contest prize, and/or participation in a Contest prize-related activity, including any action, claim or liability arising from the unauthorized submission of any information.
By participating in the Contest and/or accepting a prize, a participant/winner consents to and gives the Sponsors the right to use, publish, and display a winner’s (and where applicable a participant’s) name, photo or photographic likeness, city and state, and prize awarded, for the purpose of advertising, trade, publicity and promotional purposes in any media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, and on the Web, without review, notification or approval, all without additional consideration, unless prohibited by law.
CONDITIONS:
Participants agree that by participating they release the Releasees from any liability in connection with: a) Entries that are ineligible as a result of being lost, late, illegible, damaged, incomplete, stolen, postage due, or misdirected; b) Any typographical or other human or technical errors in the offer or administration of the Contest, including but not limited to errors in advertising, these official rules, the selection and announcement of a winner(s), or the distribution/awarding of a prize(s); c) Any omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay, misdirection, damage, injury, technical malfunctions or traffic congestion on the Internet/telephone network, or at any website, or any combination thereof.
Sponsors reserve the right to modify these rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the term and conditions of the Contest. In the event that the Contest is infected by a computer virus/worm, or is not capable of running or being executed as planned (as a result of but not limited to an error, omission, defect, delay, misdirection, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, action of entrants, or technical failure) or any other cause which in the sole opinion of Sponsors corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any suspect entry or entrant and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. In the event of such cancellation, termination, modification or suspension, notice thereof will be posted at the entry website(s) mentioned above, and winner(s) will be determined solely by Sponsors in a random drawing from among all eligible non-suspect and/or non-disqualified entries. In such event, Releasees shall have no liability to any participant who is disqualified due to such an action. Failure to enforce any term of these official rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
LAW:
Subject to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrants or Sponsors in connection with any drawing or award, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of, the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any cause of action by you with respect to the offer (and/or any information, products or services related thereto) must be instituted within one (1) year after the cause of action arose or be forever waived and barred. All actions shall be subject to the limitations set forth in above. The language in these official rules shall be interpreted as in accordance with its fair meaning and not strictly for or against either party. All legal proceedings arising out of or in connection with the offer of these official rules shall be brought solely in Los Angeles County, California. You expressly submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of said courts and consent to extraterritorial service of process.
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Ever since we posted the picture below, we’ve gotten many requests about where to find the absolutely adorable short, striped bridesmaid dresses. First off, this cute photo was part of a Polo inspired stylized shoot from Southern Weddings. Second, these are not dresses but in fact a combination of an off-the-shoulder top with a striped skirt. Brilliant!
So, everyone wants to know, who was the creative genius behind these short striped bridesmaid “dresses?” The answer is that the striped bridesmaid skirts came from Anne M. Cramer. The tops, however, remain a mystery!
Think you have solved the mystery of designer of the bridesmaid tops? Place your best guess and a link to the designer’s site in the comments below!
Thank you to Southern Weddings for putting together such an inspired photo shoot. This is truly wedding couture at its best – functional, fun and fabulous.
 { photo from Southern Weddings }
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Brainstorming wedding centerpieces just got a little easier: ostrich feather centerpiece vases! These stunning tall centerpiece displays can create a beautiful modern reception. To create these beautiful centerpieces, you really only need a handful of items: feathers, Eiffel tower glass vases, bouquet holders, centerpiece table mirrors and Floralytes. The short list of wedding supplies means this DIY project is easy and affordable.
 {Ostrich Centerpiece Supplies: Decorative Accent Lighting, Lilac Ostrich Feathers, Bouquet Holder, Floralytes, Eiffel Tower Vases, Floral Tape, Centerpiece Mirrors, Ostrich Drabs}
Ostrich feathers come in a variety of colors and you can mix and match to create your own favorite combination. For example, Mardi gras would have purple yellow and green ostrich feathers. Once you’ve chosen your color choices you can decide on a white or black vase. Standard Floralytes will fit into the bottom of your Eiffel tower vase and light up the vase with your favorite colors.
Starting with any tall display vase, the Eiffel is the most popular, insert a bouquet holder. If you haven’t seen our instructional video for how to create an ostrich centerpiece, it’s a must watch. We talk you through the process of inserting your ostrich feathers into the bouquet holder to create a full display. If you’re having a colorful Mardi Gras display or specific wedding colors, use your favorite combination of colored feathers. If you’re planning to use one color the arrangement isn’t as complicated.
Insert the ostrich feathers into the foam bouquet holder in your chosen arrangement, then place the bouquet holder into the top of the vase. The thin handle will fit into any small vase opening but can be taped or glued for a sturdier fit. If you need ideas for how to arrange the feathers into the foam holder, be sure to watch the video. Start the feather arrangement towards the bottom of the bouquet holder working upwards. Combine both feather plumes and ostrich feathers for different dimensions. Depending on your arrangement you can use anywhere from twenty to forty feather plumes.
After you’ve inserted the Floralytes and bouquet holders, you can decide how to display your vase. By putting the vase on top of a centerpiece mirror it illuminates the whole table. The light spreads over the table and can light up the whole display. These can be placed on any of your favorite table linens. Match the ostrich plumes with the tablecloths to create a monochromatic reception display.
Our Vase & Floralyte Combination Suggestions:
16” Eiffel Tower Vases, Use 3-4 Floralytes
20” Eiffel Tower Vases, Use 3-4 Floralytes
24” Eiffel Tower Vases, Use 4 Floralytes
28” Eiffel Tower Vases, Use 4 Floralytes
31” Eiffel Tower Vases, Use 5 Floralytes per Vase
See, these displays aren’t nearly as complicated as you would think! You can buy bulk wedding supplies and put them together by yourself. Saving money on your wedding reception and DIY projects means having more money items. You can splurge on food and dessert if you save money on the decorations.
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We get it; your wedding to do list is a mile long. The last thing we want for the bride and groom is stress and chaos. Proper wedding planning can help avoid last minute mishaps and forgotten items. Hiring a wedding planner will help alleviate some of the stress and planning responsibilities but you should be prepared with your own list as well. Because every wedding is different there are bound to be items that you want to include that might not be obvious to your wedding planner. Organize your to-do list by month and week so you have a countdown of activities by importance and deadline.
 {Dessert Supplies: Bedazzled Cupcake Tree, Antique Pedestal Cake Stand, Jeweled Cake Stand, Metal Lace Trim Cake Stand, Guest Book Stand, Ivory Cake Plate, Two Tiered Cake Stand}
- Emergency Kit: A well-prepared bride (and her experienced maid of honor) will have a fully-stocked emergency kit. You’ll need to remember extra hair pins, deodorant, stockings, and even a Tide fabric pen. Keep a pad of paper near your bathroom for two weeks and write down every small item you reach for in the morning. Then put together all the items in a handy personalized travel bag.
- Special Notes: Write a special note to your fiancé, and exchange to be read pre-ceremony. Share a romantic moment before the wedding without having to see each other and risk bad luck. Some couples exchange wedding gifts while others write hand written love letters. Whatever you decide, include a few words of encouragement for cold feet, reassurance of your love and maybe one or two laughs to remind them to smile.
- Back Up Food Plan: Wedding food can be a large expense, especially if you go ‘overboard’. Plan to have a backup plan for extra leftover food. Ask your venue what they do with any leftover food because some venues require you to dispose of the food yourself. In fact, some states have laws regarding what you can do with leftover food. If you can, plan to donate the food to a local homeless shelter to feed the homeless.
- Special Diet Options: Another wedding food complication? Be sure to have a plan for dietary needs. Not everyone eats meat or dairy and being considerate will make your guests more comfortable during the long night. If you don’t want to offer the dietary option as a full course meal, add a note on your menu cards that dietary needs are available upon request. Guests with special needs will let you know that they prefer a specific meal plan for their diet.
- Guestbook Supplies: The small guestbook table items are often forgotten in the whirlwind of planning. If you remember the guestbook, you’ll probably forget the pens. Vice versa happens almost as frequently. Your guestbook table should have a few staple items: a birdcage card box, guestbook and guestbook pens. Your guestbook table can serve as a greeting table and a reception table for cards. Put the reception table in a visible area so you have a higher chance of guests signing the book.
- Jewelry & Accessories: Nothing is worse than a tear in your stocking or a broken necklace at the last minute. Keep extra accessories and jewelry in case you change your mind or lose your favorite piece. Wearing a family heirloom shouldn’t put your favorite items at risk.
- Dessert Buffet Signs: The last thing you want is to have an allergic reaction to nuts and candy. Because dessert tables are still very popular, it’s important to remember dessert table signs. Small chalkboard signs can notify guests about the ingredients and allergy risks.
- Hotel Reservations: A well decorated getaway car can be the best part of a wedding night. There is a tradition for couples to drive away in a car decorated with wedding cans and ribbons. Personalized car decorations can make a great surprise for any couple!
Put these eight wedding must haves on your list of things to include in your planning. Food, supplies and reservations are very important to having the perfect wedding night. What else would add to our list? This can be a very important thing for new brides to add to their list so your advice and opinions are important! Share your ideas with us and other brides on our Facebook page, who knows, your advice might be the difference between panic and perfect!
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Kids have everything these days: cell phones, Facebook and laptops. Gifts seem to clutter up the bedroom and go unused, don’t they? Sometimes it’s important to instill values and giving instead of receiving. Finding ways to give back isn’t always the most fun activity for a birthday party. A lot of kids seem to think giving back to the community means getting dirty or boring. Well, there are plenty of service themed birthday party ideas you can incorporate into your child’s party. If you’ve already created a tradition of donating clothes or money, we commend and thank you! Here are a few more ideas to teach the children about sharing and helping those less fortunate.
 {Birthday Party Ideas: Cotton Tote Bag, Woven Heart Boxes, Flower Favor Boxes, Nature’s Bliss Pillow Cases, Planter Place Card Holder, Mini Bird Nests, Drawstring Favor Bags}
Environmentally Friendly
Spending the day outside is the best way to give back to the community. Planting trees and picking up trash are two activities that will make your kid’s active and appreciative. If your birthday party falls during the spring, use an Earth Day theme birthday party. When a kid plants a tree they have the satisfaction of watching the tree grow through the years. Many couples plant a tree during their wedding to symbolize the beginning a new relationship. For a kid, watching a tree is a tangible way to see the years pass by. Plus, they’re helping the environment grow. Decorate the table with fun eco-friendly party favors and green table linens.
Those Less Fortunate
So you spoiled your birthday kid with an over the top dessert table, donate the leftover food to the local shelter. Help those in need by serving soup at the local food shelter. Feeding the homeless can be a learning experience about being grateful. Order a large quantity of delicious cupcakes from your local bakery or cupcake shop. Decorate them with cupcake wrappers and fun cupcake toppings and deliver them to the local food shelter to brighten their day. You’ll be able to share in the pleasure a delicious birthday treat with people who can teach your children a lesson about the hardships in life.
Taking Collections
A toy drive is a very simple way to give back at a birthday party. In lieu of gifts, have each guest bring a can of food to donate. Birthday party favors can be donations made in honor of the guests. Recently, we attended a sweet sixteen birthday party where girls were asked to bring gently used clothing to donate. You can clean out the close for a good cause! Reward the guests with practical party favors they’ll reuse over and over.
Creating a service themed birthday party is a great way to give your kid a memorable party without spoiling them. Simple party decorations will match any activity theme you can think of. Garlands, balloons and paper lanterns can create an outdoor picnic party. You’ll feel good about making a difference and teaching important values to your kids. What creative ways to instill learning and educational values with your children?
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Last week we discussed ways to spice up your wedding ceremony with unique accents. This week we’re showing you how to spice up your wedding reception. Creating your perfect reception is easy if you keep track of your to-do list. We always emphasize the importance of brainstorming and making a checklist. A well planned reception comes down to following a wedding reception checklist. These ideas should definitely show up on your wedding reception checklist if you’re looking for a fun way to personalize your reception. These ideas can be a starting point for your wedding idea board.
 {Reception Supplies: Navy Blue Favor Boxes, Edible Glitter, Blue Bali Umbrella, Cupcake Wrappers, Personalized Favor Bags, Glitter Cupcake Wrappers, Paper Drinking Straws}
- Word Find Placecards: If you have a computer you can create your own word find place cards. Place cards don’t have to be boring. You can have fun with facts about the bride and groom, first date questions and wedding favorites. Use ‘bride’, ‘gown’, ‘tuxedo’ and other common wedding words. Using a piece of ribbon, connect a pencil to the word find puzzle. These can be placed on each place setting on top of the napkins. Tie a cute name tag to the ribbon for name place cards.
- Sparkled Send Off: At the end of the night, sometimes a decorated car isn’t enough of a send off. Light up some wedding sparklers for a dramatic night cap. Tell your photographer that you want a photo with the send off so you can practice spelling out a word in lights. Heart shaped sparklers can be pushed into a sand bucket or propped up with rocks in a vase.
- Coloring Book Activities: Sometimes kids get bored easier than adults. To avoid a possible meltdown and tantrum, plan a wedding activity book. With favor bags, crayons and drawing books they can keep themselves occupied for hours.
- Polaroid Station: Instead of the traditional photo booth, stock up on Polaroid cameras instead. The instant photos can be put in a photo guest book that guests can sign on site. Set up a photo booth background with plenty of photo booth props but skip the computer print setup.
- Karaoke Night: If you’re looking for a bold way to get your friends moving and shaking, a karaoke themed band is the way to go. Pick a few opening songs to start the night off right. Then let your friends go crazy with fun family appropriate songs. To be safe, keep the list family friendly with pre-approved songs.
- Play Some Games: Not everyone is crazy about dancing, we know that for sure. So invite your friends and family to partake in lawn games and activities instead. Horseshoes, bean toss and crochet are all great activities that adults and kids can play.
- Dessert Décor: The dessert table is still just as popular as ever. Creating a dessert table requires a combination of cake stands, cupcake stands and dessert stands. Wrap up cupcakes with cupcake wrappers, top with mustache cupcake toppers and sprinkle with edible glitter. Dessert buffets are so unique and creative these days they even include macaroons, push pops and ice cream cookie sandwiches.
- Hashtag Tweet: Social media is definitely alive and well. Brides and grooms are using Twitter to spread the news about their nuptials. Create your own fun hashtag for all your guests to tweet about your wedding. You’ll have a virtual scrapbook of memories, tweets and Instagram images. Create a hashtag with your initials and tweet your wedding vendors to include them.
Your wedding reception is a celebration of the wedding ceremony. After you’ve tied the knot and exchanged your vows, celebrate the way you want to. Personalizing your reception with unique trends and accents makes the day completely all about you. For more ideas, check out our Pinterest boards. We have boards for every theme: rustic weddings, outdoor weddings and modern weddings just to be a few. Create a wedding board of your own and share it with us to inspire each other!
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When you begin to plan your wedding, the dos and don’ts can be overwhelming. Everyone and anyone will insist on giving you their opinions on whom to invite, what to wear and what decorations to buy. Fortunately, the only two people who matter are the bride and groom. Your style and personalities are your deciding factor for what decisions to make on your wedding day. We can recommend how you should plan, what decorations are trendy and when to tie the knot; but at the end of the day your wedding is your big time to shine. With that in mind, there are problems and mistakes to avoid. These are the top eight wedding planning mistakes you’re probably making that can be costing you time and energy.
 {Wedding Gifts: Table Linens, Glass Votive Holders, Tulip Cupcake Liners, Silk Petals, Kissing Ball Pomander, Bali Umbrellas, Satin Embroidered Table Runner}
- Not Hiring a Wedding Planner: Even if you’re planning a DIY wedding you can still utilize a wedding planning company. They’ll have information and guidance for the contracts and agreements. Wedding event planners have contacts within the wedding industry that can mean the difference between paying retail or wholesale. Wholesale wedding supplies can save you money and make your budget have room for those other expenses you thought you couldn’t afford. Make a list of the wedding projects that you want to do yourself and what projects you want an event planner for.
- Missing Contracts: Speaking of agreements, most couples underestimate the importance of contractual agreements. A contract will protect you in the event the company goes under or reneges on their agreements. It’s our professional wedding opinion that you shouldn’t work with a wedding vendor who refuses to give a signed contract.
- Including Everyone: You might have a dozen best friends and half a dozen siblings but your wedding doesn’t have to be the who’s who dictionary for your phone contacts. Including everyone in your bridal party sets the tone for confusion and drama. We’re not saying you can’t have a large wedding party but keep your wedding party small and you have more chances everyone is happy. Plus, you won’t have to spend a fortune on wedding party gifts; instead you can splurge on a few beautiful bridal party gifts for your favorite girls.
- Procrastination: Don’t leave your wedding favors for the night before the wedding. Recently, we were told a story about a bride who’s girl friends partook in partying a little too much the night before the wedding. Not only did the bride have to finish the wedding crafts alone but she also had to care for her friends. The night before your wedding needs to be about rest and relaxation, not projects and deadlines. Start your planning and projects early enough to have ample time if you fall behind. Stick to your budget and your schedule.
- Skimping on the Food: The budget will play a large role in deciding your wedding food. If you can’t afford to give a nine course meal to five hundred people; then you’ll choose a simple buffet instead. Theoretically people figure that the more people you have the simpler your food has to be to accommodate and serve everyone. However, if you have the unlimited budget, don’t skimp on the food. Even if you’re paying for the wedding with Monopoly money, people will remember their impressions of your food. Don’t play it safe with affordable food or you’ll leave people unimpressed.
- Too Many Guests: While we commend your attempt to include everyone, stick to a guest list. Your whole work office doesn’t have to have VIP wedding treatment. A few people you can avoid inviting: ex boyfriends, estranged relatives, unsupportive friends and stalkers. No really, you’d be surprised how many people think it’s fair to invite people they really shouldn’t. Imagine the worst case scenario and if you would be prepared and happy with the outcome. If the answer is “no” then you have your choice. Also, the smaller your guest list the larger budget you have for other items, such as wedding favors and décor.
- Wedding Dress Stress: So your body isn’t the same it was in high school, lucky for you your partner loves you how you are. Stressing over your bridal gown and bridal diet will assure that you’re spending the engagement process anxious and exhausted. If you put too much emphasis on forcing yourself to slim down, you won’t live up to the perfect expectations you have. Realistically, you won’t be able to alter the wedding dress the day before, so set bridal results to be met weeks before the wedding. Bridal accessories and jewelry can be added or changed once you’re comfortable with the dress.
- Forgetting the Point: If you’re stressing about the wedding dress, guest list and wedding menu, you’re forgetting to remember the point of getting married. Not that we blame you, weddings are contagious and addictive. Especially thanks to Pinterest and the plethora of wedding images online. Remember to stay true to the real reason you’re gathering all your friends, family and strangers together. Your wedding will be the most important day of your relationship thus far, so take a moment to focus on what is really important.
Whether you’re having a large wedding or a small intimate gathering, the decisions you make on these wedding stages will play a role in the success of your wedding day. Fortunately, your wedding day doesn’t predict the future of your marriage and life together. We’ve seen couples with ‘jinxed weddings’ that have been together for decades. Focus on what is really important: your one true love. You’ll be happy that the decorations and tables are in order, but nothing compares to your new marital status.
Do you have advices for engaged couples looking to tie the knot: tell us! What is the number one wedding mistake you made that you’d tell other brides to avoid? Did you skip the planner and opt for your great aunt instead? Tell us how your mistakes played an important role in putting together the perfect wedding day. Log online to our Facebook page to share your wedding advice and you might be featured on our page!
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When you’re a bride, looking for new ideas and trends becomes your obsession. Finding new ways to spice up your wedding and make it unique is a quest for every bride. There are fun and useful ways to make your wedding the best day of your life while not breaking your budget. Choosing your wedding theme and venue are only the beginning of the journey. Affordable wedding planning might seem unreasonable but with a few helpful hints and tips you’re in luck! These eight unique ways to spice up your wedding ceremony will help you brainstorm ideas and inspirations.
 {Wedding Ceremony Ideas: Gazebo Gift Card Holder, Wedding Program Kit, Wedding Bubbles, Raffia Fans, Dog Tuxedo Bow, Remembrance Vase, Ceremony Masterpiece}
- Wedding Songs: Sometimes your girls need a little bit of dancing. Skip the traditional wedding ceremony songs and let your bridal party sashay down the aisle with fun. Instead of playing a classic canon replace their music with your favorite country, hip hop or r & b classic love song.
- Furry Friends: They snuggle in your bed and share their toys with you, so why wouldn’t you invite them to the wedding? Fido and Fifi can play an important role in your big day. Dress up your little girl in a cute DIY tutu with tulle to match your wedding colors. Give Fido a box tie to wear to match his poppa. Having your furry friends in the wedding can include the dog, cat, birds and even horses!
- Pop The Question: Popping the question to your bridal party is a unique way to build your special ceremonial party. With a cute ring pop in a box and a special “will you be my…maid of honor” note you can create your own DIY bridesmaid box. Candy now has a very important role in your wedding! Incorporate the theme into a fabulous dessert bar as well. Stock up on bulk candy to save you money.
- Family Photo Album: Decorating your wedding venue with classic family photos is a beautiful way to remember family members who can’t be with you. Centerpiece jars filled with vintage photographs and clothes lines with vintage pictures create a throwback to your family. You can create the look with mason jars, vintage photos and clothespins.
- Brand New Band: Practice this line: “hey mister DJ, we don’t need your services.” Hiring a live band is the ticket to a personalized wedding day. Spice up your aisle music with a theme band. If you’re having a western wedding, feature country music and square dancing. Wedding themes can each feature their own genre of music styles and bands.
- I Vow To Thee: The traditional wedding vows might not be the perfect words for you and your loved one. Be inspired by your favorite lyrics, love poems or movie script to make personalized wedding vows. Your wedding ceremony will be one of a kind. After you’ve tied the knot, then personalized your wedding vows wall hanging with the words to hang on your wall.
- Place Your Bets: A fun way to avoid the typical wedding favors is to use your favorite activity as inspiration. Show off your ‘lucky in love’ theme with scratcher tickets. Cross your fingers a few of your wedding guests make a couple dollars on your big day!
- Unique Registry: So you already have the toaster and need a few other items instead, why not put them on your registry? Wedding gifts are much more important when the giver knows you’ll actually use them. Using a universal online wedding registry will allow you to combine different stores and sites together. You can click the “pin it” button to add an item, from any site, to your registry. This gives you the opportunity to pick those decorative vases that you’ve had your eye on for the mantelpiece.
Adding that special wedding accent is an easy way to make your day a memorable one. After all, it’s your wedding so why wouldn’t you want to make it focused on who you are as a couple? Incorporate your favorite hobbies, songs and jokes into your wedding ceremony to spice up your big day!
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Over the summer, kids can become bored and restless. It’s important to have plenty of activities for them to do when it rains all afternoon or a few extra kids stop by for the day. The key to entertaining large groups of kids for a summer party is to pick a unique theme. These are the top ten unique kids’ summer birthday party themes that are trending. We’ve even seen these trendy birthday party themes on our Pinterest account.
 {Summer Birthday Themes: Vintage Drinking Straws, Miniature Picnic Basket Favors, Super Hero Cupcake Wrappers, Superhero Party, Paper Parasols, Luau Umbrella Drinks, Paper Decorations, Balloon Wreath}
- Letters & Numbers: The easiest way to incorporate a personalized party theme into your next party is to incorporate the birthday initials or birthday year. With a few craft stencils you can add a fun letter to your party favors, invitations and even the drink cups! Plus, creating your own DIY party favors can dramatically help your budget.
- Wild Animals: Let the kids romp around like lions, tigers and bears! Each kid can dress up as their favorite wild animal for a fun costume birthday party. Decorate with animal print paper decorations to match your theme. If you want to give party favors, use animal candy jars filled with your kid’s favorite bulk candy.
- Rainbow Theme: Can’t pick a single color? Create a rainbow themed birthday party to share the all the bright colors of the rainbow. Balloons, fruit and favors can be arranged by colors of ROYGBIV. This fun rainbow colored birthday wreath can be a DIY project made from big round balloons and craft supplies. Using fun colored tulle you can create a ballerina inspired DIY wreath too!
- Luau: If you’re feeling a little tropical, hosting a luau party for your little one is perfect. Hula skirts and paper parasols are the perfect costume supplies. Tiki luau decorations and paper decorations are the easy themed décor.
- Super Hero: Every little boy dreams of having super hero powers. Spoil your little characters with a super hero birthday party theme. Invite each kid to dress up as their favorite super hero, comic or made up. This theme will inspire their creativity in making a fun costume for the party. Instead of a cake, complete a wacky dessert buffet with these super hero cupcake wrappers.
- Beach Party: The ideal summer birthday party theme combines the sun and waves. Plan a fun birthday party for the kids by hosting a beach party. With a playful sand castle competition and volleyball game to get everyone involved. Decorate the party with beach themed favors and end the night with s’mores on the beach.
- Baseball Theme: Since it is baseball season be prepared to have plenty of baseball themed outings. Host a baseball theme outing with your team of little kids. Tip: local baseball game tickets can be purchased in bulk for a discount. Have a few parent chaperones to help you treat the little baseball fans to a real baseball game. Each little kid can get a personalized mini baseball bat for a fun party favor.
- Camping Birthday: Over the Fourth of July and Labor Day a lot of families go camping. A camping themed birthday party can be a fun excuse to teach survival tips. Make contests and give prizes for whoever can build their tent the fastest, help start a fire (carefully) and make the perfect s’more.
- Picnic Party: If you’re looking for a fun way to bring your kids together for a family birthday party, plan a picnic theme. With a few picnic basket lunches and a potluck table menu you can invite a lot of people without breaking your budget. Ask each family to bring a shareable entrée or appetizer and then all you have to supply is the dessert. Stock up on disposable tableware and table linens.
- Carnival: Whether you want a carnival theme or a circus party, bright colors and striped décor can create both looks. A few DIY carnival tents and circus games can be a fun afternoon activity for the kids to play with. Keep them occupied with a unique photo booth with take home photos as party favors. Hang colorful pennants from the trees and backdrops.
Whether you’re planning a large party for all the kids in town or a small beach party with friends and family, picking a birthday party theme is the most important start. You can’t go wrong with a unique party theme that sets the tone for the whole day. Be creative and step outside the box for a memorable event your child will always remember. Document the whole day with photographs to share with them when they’re older!
What fun birthday party theme do you plan to incorporate into your next event: are any of these on your list for ideas and inspirations? If you want more ideas, check out our birthday party ideas board on Pinterest to inspire your creativity!
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