Top 6 things you should do when you first get engaged"

Once a couple is engaged they usually have no idea on how to get started with their wedding plans and they have no idea what to do first, so usually the Bride gathers up her Mom and friends and goes bridal gown shopping! Here are a few tips to get your wedding planning started out down a smooth path! 

1. First have a dinner or engagement party to announce your big news to all of your very close family and friends. Don't just jump right into picking a date or anything, take a moment to enjoy the moment of being engaged. Show of your new ring to friends and family, let them congratulate you. Have a few moments to have time to soak in the fact that yes you are getting married and this is a big commitment and what does this really mean to you. 

2. Go to your local book store or grocery and buy a few different style Wedding Magazines! Look at the dresses and reception styles and cut out everything you like and put it in a binder. Once you do this, you should be able to figure out what type and style of wedding you and your fiancé would like to have. 
Now, I know you are probably saying to yourself, "Can't I just go pin a bunch of stuff on Pinterest, that is the same thing right?" 
Sure, pinning on Pinterest is great and I recommend that, but nothing beats sitting down, scissors in hand, making your very own wedding idea binder out of great magazine cut outs! Believe me, its like bride wedding planning therapy! 

 

3. Determine your estimate guest count: Talk with your parents and find out an estimate amount of guest that you will invite or who would like to attend. Almost everything you do in planning will require you to know an estimate number to accommodate your guest.

4. Pick a wedding date or season! If you do not have a particular stand out date you must have that holds a true meaning for you both just pick a season. If you pick a date and fall in love with a venue and it is already booked, you may find yourself disappointed, but if you pick a season and fall in love with a location, you have a few dates you can work with. Picking a venue should be the first real booking in your wedding planning process to secure your solid wedding date. 

5. Interview wedding planners. Even if you really had not planned on hiring a wedding planner, don't do yourself a disservice, talk with some just to get yourself on the right path to wedding planning success. Many planners offer a free consultation and will give you a few great pointers for free. Then if you decide to hire one, any-time is fine, but at the very beginning is the best time, so they can help you plan your dream event in your budget parameters and keep you from making costly mistakes in your planning process.  

6. Now once you have an idea of what style of wedding you want, the number of guest that may come, have a venue locked down and a planner to make sure it all comes together, now its time to find that perfect wedding gown! We highly suggest making bridal gown appointments at least 2 weeks in advance preferably during the week not a weekend. We also suggest taking no more that 3 people, and try to take those who like the similar things you like and will tell you honestly if the gown is perfect for you. This should be a fun and exciting time and we all have a negative person in our lives and no matter how close they may be to you, it is a good idea to leave this person out of the initial picking process. Also having too many people come with you may give you too many opinions leaving you frustrated, which is not what you want. 

Written By: Cossie Crosswhite, 

Owner of 1 Elegant Event, Wedding & Event Planning 

and National Event Specialist

Visit our website at www.1elegantevent.com

To see the our TV segment on this wedding tip click HERE

"What's your first impression?" Deciding on your style invitations!

You have spent months maybe even years planning your fabulous wedding 

and now it's time to send out your invitations!  

Many brides/couples tend not to put a great amount of thought into these,

but why give your guest the wrong impression. 

This is the 1st glimpse of what your guest are to expected to see 

or experience at your magical day. 

Check out some of these amazing ways to began the excitement in your guest 

so they'll be running to the post office to mail back their RSVP!

These invites below would be great for a wedding that is being held at a modern museum or a chic modern styled reception location!  

Lace has been very much on trend for the past few years. These beautiful antique lace jacket invites would be a romantic way to announce your nuptials!  

Who had a pop up book at home as a kid that they open and closed so much it began to rip, yes I did! These elegant and so cool pop up invites will amaze your guest and probably keep them entertained even as adults for a while!
                           


Do you plan on having a second line at your wedding? Guest would be instructed to bring their fabulous silk handkerchief invites to be waved during the second portion of your celebration! This is a great way to get the reception party started and guest up and dancing! 

  

Having a whimsical wedding full of great fun details? This view finder invite will get everyone excited to see what's next at your event!                                              

I think my favorite type of wedding invitation is the Dupioni Silk boxed invites! They come in hundreds of custom color variations and styles. Many are clasped with brooches, flowers, shells and an array of other niceties. This one has a bonus truffle gift under the invitation for your guest to munch on as they send back there RSVP!
                                    


How about a Silk box with scroll invitation! This would be absolutely stunning for a formal wedding at an elegant ballroom or estate!

    

As the saying goes, all good things must eventually come to an end! Hope you enjoyed our topic today, "What's your first impression?" Deciding on your style invitations! We could go on for days with different styles of invitations. The point is, don't get stuck with the same, look around and find an invitation that speaks to you!                  

 

Blog written by Cossie Crosswhite, 

1 Elegant Event Wedding & Event Planning

www.1elegantevent.com

Top ten things to discuss with your fiancée before getting married!

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In the past, may couples attended pre marriage counseling with their priest/ pastor and had time to hash out all of these questions during long courtships (dating and conversion). Now in 2013, many couple do not have priest, opt out of pre counseling and really don't ask the deep questions one should have an answer too before tyeing the knot. This results in many couples according to statistics having a loosely tied knot instead of a knot that is forever bound. We at 1 Elegant Event want you and your mate to have a jump on the rest so we are giving you our top ten things to discuss with each other before getting married! 

10. Where will we live after the wedding? Even couples who choose to live together before marriage tend to want a fresh start location after the wedding. If you both have chosen to live separately, began to look for you new dwelling 3 months for rentals and 6 months for purchases before the wedding. It takes about 30 days to close on the sale of a house and about 2 weeks to close out your rental agreement. Remember to consider each others needs in the type, style and location of your new dwelling!
    
    

9. What will your financial status be after the wedding, does one or both of your need to seek credit counseling before marriage? You don't want to drag your low credit score into a marriage and bring down your mates stellar rating. It takes at least 6 months to fix any reasonable amount of damage to your credit score so you can enter into marriage without money issues, which is the #1 reason for divorce in the USA!
   
   
   
   

8. Does your mate expect you to be the lady of chores and he the man of chores? Figure out will he expect the traditional roles from you once married or will it be more of a compromise. This may seem trivial at first, but it is the small things that add up in the end to be big blow-ups.
   
   
   
   

7. Who's family will we spend the Holiday's with? This may not be a problem if everyone lives in the same town, but what if his family is in New York and your family is in California?! Trade off Holiday's each year with both families, so none of the mother's will feel slighted. It will take some time to get used too if your families are close, but it will help you get to know your spouses family and learn their family traditions.
   
   
   
   

6. Do discuss Sex and intimacy! The fire that most newly weds have does eventually die down, so do discuss each other ideas of a reasonable amount of intimacy each is expected to maintain for one another. It really is the great boding factor for your relationship!
   
   
   
   

5. Recognize the cute bad habits each of you have, discuss them with each other and strive to fix them. Yes, know-one is perfect, but you can for you true love work on fixing something that annoys them. For example, my husband likes his toothpaste tube smooth and rolled, where I just pushed it out however! Over the years, I worked on it and now I smooth and roll the toothpaste, it really did not change me as a person to fix that little thing, but it made the man I love deeply very happy, so I was glad to do it! (unfortunately our kids squeeze like I did, LOL so he doesn't use theirs!)
   
   

4. Discuss before marriage, how much information you will disclose to your friends/ family about your relationship and honor each others wishes (unless it involves you being in danger, then all deals are off) . When you get married, you marry them so do not get others involved in your lovers details or disputes, because when you have made up ( or you disclose some intimate details) they still won't be over it but you will and they will forever hold that grudge or detail.
   
   
   
   

3. Do discuss the number of kids you want to have, if any, and all the details that go with it. If you are expecting to have 4 kids and send them all to the most exclusive private school in town, he may want to know that. You can not predict all the time whether this is an option, but it is always better to a least have a starter plan!

2. What religion will you both uphold and what church/ synagogue/ location you will attend. Many couples today have a mixed religious household. I strongly believe that the couple should come together to decide to come together for one. You may disagree, and that is fine but it does make life more simple in the future. A family that prays together, stays together holds true in most cases. In any case, do discuss your options and devise a plan of action and also talk about which one if any will be introduced to your future children.

 

1. The number 1 thing to talk about before getting married is to promise you will continue to talk, have conversation and try to compromise taking in account each other feelings on any topic you may face in the future. You get married to become 1, discuss everything as 1, and living forever as 1. Conversation is the key to a lasting marriage!

Congratulation, on your nuptials from 

1 Elegant Event Wedding & Event Planning!

Wishing you love that last a lifetime! 

www.1elegantevent.com 

Top 5 Things To Do 1st When Planning Your Wedding

*1.Do not pick a date unless it holds a particular meaning, pick a location!

Have a particular place you would like to get married and have a reception? Choose a particular month you would like to get married and then find what days they have available.

**2.Once you have your location and date, book a photographer!

The earlier you can get a photographer, the capturer of all you wedding memories, the better selection you will have! Photography is not the place where you want to save! Quality,Quality Quality!!!

***3.If your wedding is in less than 9 months go buy and order your Bridal Gown! It takes up to 8 months for your wedding dress order to come in depending on the designer and store purchased from.

****4.Select your support team, Your bridal party, and begin on your guest list. Most prices will be based off the number of people who will attend, how much food, number of tables, linens, chairs, and the list goes on and on.....

5. Hire a professional wedding & event planner. They may seem expensive at first but I promise you, what they save you in money, time and wasted energy will well surpass the cost your qualified professional will charge. Reputable established companies will save you endless hours of searching, costly mistakes, they will develop your design and allow you to enjoy the whole experience! They do not take the planning from you (unless that is what you want), they aid you and guide you thought the whole experience!

www.1elegantevent.com

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