When to Mail Your Invitations

Carlson Crafts Designs by Cornelia, LLC is a dealer of Carlson Crafts Wedding Invitations

I am constantly asked this question..."When should I mail out my wedding invitations?" The answer is 6-8 weeks prior to your wedding day. I have had some brides who know that they have guests who wait forever to respond to invites, so they ask about mailing out the invites a bit earlier than 6-8 weeks. My advice is, "A procrastinator is, and will always be a procrastinator", so no matter when you mail out your invitations, there will be a few individuals who will wait until the last minute to respond. So be sure to make a list with all of your invitees telephone numbers, so that you can call them to request an answer if you still have not heard from them prior to your cut off date. There is nothing worse than having a guest show up who did not RSVP and whom you did not account for.

Wedding Favor Ideas

Coming up with creative ideas for wedding favors can sometimes be a tad overwhelming because there are so many choices out there and then you want also make sure that your guests will actually appreciate the gift. Some of my favorite ideas for wedding day favors are: 1. The Knot wedding magazine had a fabulous idea to name each of your tables after a popular drink or wine and then provide a package of that cocktail mix or bottle of wine at that table for each of the guests. 2. For outdoor ceremonies, provide your guests with fans to coordinate with your wedding colors. You can find these fans at a very affordable price at www.blissweddingsmarket.com. I love the idea of tagging the fans with a favor tag that features your monogram and even your wedding date using a coordinating ribbon. Your guests will be thanking you for this. 3. Another great idea is to stuff a lottery ticket in cute envelopes that match your wedding theme with a little message like "Lucky in Love". 4. Candy or Popcorn Buffet with take out boxes for guests to fill. 5. A smorgasbord of all of your favorite packaged deserts, like Little Debbie snacks. This would be really fun for your guests and you can create a really fun display for your guests to come up and choose their all time favorite treat and perhaps pair it with an individual sized carton of milk.

Funny and Fabulous Girlfriend Advice

So I was explaining to a girlfriend the qualities of my ideal man; I said he would be a chef that can give excellent massages. Her response, was simply, "Just marry a rich guy who can buy you dinner and pay for you to get massages." Now that's what I call advice! Why didn't I think of that! Smiles! Have an awesome day!

The Bouquet/ Garter Toss

From the cutting of the cake to the garter toss, how did these traditions begin and what is the meaning behind them? During the 14th Century, it was thought that by having a piece of the Bride and Groom's clothing, it would bring them good luck. Guests would tear off pieces of the Bride's dress, but apparently this custom did not last, and it became customary for the Bride to throw her garter to the male guests. The males would become rowdy and impatient and they would try to remove the garter ahead of time. Therefore, the custom changed and the groom would toss the garter and the Bride would toss the bouquet.

At the wedding reception, the Bride will toss her throw away bouquet to the single women at the wedding. Whoever catches the bouquet is thought to be the next to marry. Next is the garter toss. Both garters are worn on the right leg just above the knee. The groom is to remove the throw away garter either with his teeth or hands, and will throw this to the single men at the reception. The man who catches the bouquet is thought to be the next to marry. The single lady that catches the bouquet is to take a seat in the middle of the dance floor. The gentlemen who caught the garter will then place the garter on the leg of the single lady.

What Do Your Wedding Colors Mean

Reds = Excitement, Powerful, Stimulating Pinks = Sweet, Happy, Youthful, Romantic Oranges = Friendly, Tangy, Energizing Yellows = Sunny, Warm, Cheerful Browns = Rich, Earthy, Durable Blues = Cool, Serene, Quiet Greens = Nature, Harmony, Freshness Purples = Regal, Sensual, Elegant Choose your wedding colors based on what feeling you would like to evoke for your wedding. A big trend for this year is to choose monochromatic colors for your wedding day decor.

Meet Chante and Kenny

Kenny and Chante' officially met at track practice in the spring of 2001, but the fairy tale started later that month at the state competitions for FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) where the unlikely pair would become inseparable. Right away, Kenny realized he struck gold. With Chante's superb genetics, Kenny knew he had found the mother of his future professional athletes. On the other hand, Chante' realized she had found a gem of her own. It was rare to find intelligence, athletic ability, and a gorgeous smile all in one neatly wrapped package. After countless hours on the phone and shooting stars, it was finally time for Kenny to venture off to college, leaving Chante' behind to finish her senior year of high school. She had no idea how difficult it would be to see her "knight" leave for UCF. The tears continued until he drove off to begin a new chapter in his life. As promised, Kenny came home every weekend to see Chante', and she traveled to see him whenever he couldn't make it home.

Kenny's first year of college sailed by, and it was finally time for Chante'to start her first semester at UCF. Throughout college, nothing could keep them apart except for the basketball court between their apartments. Three years later the two graduated and moved into their first apartment together. It wasn't the traditional method, but it worked. On their eighth anniversary, Kenny proposed on a private island in Key West. A cloudy sky allowed the sun to peek through long enough for Kenny to get down on one knee and pop the question. It was music to her ears, twice! Yes, she made him do it twice to ensure she would never forget that moment! Chante', the hopeless romantic, had finally found her prince charming. And Kenny had finally found his perfect 10!

This amazingly cute couple will be married on November 20th at the fabulous

Heaven Event Center.

All photos courtesy of Absolute Love Photography!

DIY vs. The Professionals

The popularity of Do It Yourself wedding planning is rising and brides are flocking to their local craft stores to create their own fantasy wedding. Many of thse Brides find themselves disappointed when they are unable to bring their vision to fruition without it looking cheesy and cheap. Beware of letting this happen to you! Part of the beauty of leaving the work of pulling your vision together to the professionals, is it allows for you to enjoy your fiance and the time spent with family and friends. The week of your wedding is not one where you should be worried about timelines, creating floral arrangements and bouquets, etc. Your wedding planning experience should never feel like work unless you are a professional wedding planner.