GIFTKONE NEWS PSOT, Wedding Arrangements

September 14, 2022

GIFTKONE NEWS PSOT, Wedding Arrangements

This edition of Giftkone News talks about How to throw the most fun wedding ever! Last minute planning details not to forget and some cool Romantic Engagement Photo Ideas so I decided to title this edition Wedding Notes. The wedding arrangement page here at Giftkone is also loaded with plenty of helpful wedding ideas. In other Giftkone News, I have also included some wedding invitations and wedding decoration ideas from one of my affiliates for you or your wedding planner to browse. Our new H.G.Art 15% off coupon expires in a couple of days so don't let this discount opportunity pass you by especially if you're in the market for some really cool decorative wall art.

My artwork is available in several different sizes and prices and is ready to help you decorate your bedroom, living room, bathroom, woman's, or man-cave. One of the good pieces of feedback I have received is that just about all of my art pieces can be matched, wall art that can blend with your shower curtain, or duvet cover. Throw pillows and rugs that can also blend and be matched with the wall art you chose to make your DIY home decorating fun. If you are nearing, or over the age of 50 be sure to check out my new Over 50 page at the top of the page under Fashion Ideas on the Giftkone website. The new (Over 50) page contains lots of encouraging and inspirational quotes for people reaching the half-century mark and is loaded with pleasant reminders that at age 50, you're not too old and it's not too late to enjoy life. How to throw the-most-fun wedding ever!

Have you picked a wonderful venue, a mouthwatering bill of fare and breathtaking decor for your wedding? Seems like a recipe for an amazing celebration! But what if, halfway through the reception, your guests start to feel… sort of bored? You don’t want your wedding to bomb but want it to be a blast (And so do we!) So, we racked our brains to figure out how to make it possible and this is what we came up with.

Style: #COZK16001, Image Credit: FM Photo Studios

1. Understand that pretty isn’t an emotion

The venue, the food, the décor – all of it paints a pretty picture, but very little of it contributes to the real experience of the big day. Trust us, we’re not talking you out of investing time into decorations that make you happy or shelling out big on a venue you always wanted to get married at – because we advocate all of those things! We say this so you can invest your time and money planning the kind of fun experience you actually want on your big day.

2. Pick an awesome location

By an awesome location, you might assume we are talking over-the-top venues like Venice or the Bahamas. We are not. The exotic factor of a location has very little to do with how fun it is. You and your guests may actually find casual and laid back locations more fun! - think your favorite restaurant or a brewery.

Style: #LD3906, Image Credit: White Studio Project

3. Choose a kickass theme

Much like your wedding gowns, when it comes to wedding theme ideas, the possibilities are endless. Your imagination and creativity can play a big role when planning for one. And, of course, it doesn't always have to be expensive. For example, if you and your loved one had been to Las Vegas and enjoyed the fun and excitement of playing craps, slot machines and poker, you can also have a wedding based on your Vegas experience. Or if you want more fun for your guests, you can throw a Hawaiian luau for a reception and serve roast pig, tropical fruits, seafood, pina coladas, and other Hawaiian treats. Sounds fun, right?

4. Make your reception a PARTYYY…

Okay, this one’s pretty straightforward. Work out what makes you love a fun party, and then try to incorporate that into your big day. Binging on "the hard stuff"? Dancing till your feet fall off? Knock yourself out.

Style: #CWVT15002, Image Credit: Captured by Shane

5. The guests come first

The most important element of your wedding is undeniably your guests. Think about this: when your big day is over, what will you be thinking and talking about? It won’t be your floral arrangements or your favors – it'll be the people you caught up with, the conversations you had, and the vibe of everyone present. So, no matter how big or small your wedding, you should always think about your guests first. Everything else comes second.

a. Balance things out

If you want to make sure your guests are comfortable and having a great time at your wedding, you must try to balance what you love and what your guests will love. If that means mixing some pop into your folk rock playlist, so be it.

b. Make your guests feel taken care of

Your guests are essentially putting six hours of their lives in your hands, so it’s only fair that you feed them well and seat them somewhere nice. But, is that really all you can do? Certainly not! There are many other ways you can take care of your guests – you can provide welcome notes at the venue, name tags, and a seating chart. Small gestures like these can go a long way in making sure your guests are comfortable and having a great time at your wedding.

c. Spoil your guests with fun favors

One thing you most likely want from your wedding favors is that they are not only practical but fun too. You want your guests to really be glad they've received this memento from you to remember your wedding day and how special it was for not only you but for them too. So, what are some fun favors you can choose from? How about ice cream scoops or maybe a cute coffee scoop? You can also consider candles or personalized luggage tags.

Image Credit: Michelle Valentine Photography

6. Serve delicious food

Feed your guests. Timely. With tasty food. Hungry guests are not the most fun, after all. Avoid boring traditional ‘chicken/roast/fish with soup and salad and go for sinful meals with no expense spared on the spread. Or how about a food truck? That’s certainly a far cry from your standard dry chicken and/or roast beef, won’t you say?

7. Color your bridal party

Gone are the days when the bridal party could only wear pastel shades and traditional wedding colors. Nowadays, bright, bold and fun colors like red, orange, fuchsia, hot pink, purple, and yellow can add to the fun of the whole wedding event. Just be sure to coordinate the color of the bridal party wear to the motif of your wedding. Even if you’re wearing an elegant white ball gown wedding dress, the color pops from your bridesmaids’ dresses will stand out and add to the overall “fun” appeal of your big day.

Style: #LD4567 & # COZF15048, Image Credit: Teresa Photography

8. Do a music video

OK... it sounds lame right? But, have some fun. Never again will you be dressed up in a beautiful mermaid wedding dress and look as amazing as you will at your waiting. Take advantage of the situation by having fun with it. Have your entire wedding party lip-sync to your favorite song and have your wedding videographer edit the clips. You’ll be amazed at the results. Even with all of these fun wedding ideas, perhaps what is the most important tip we can give you is that if you want your guests to have fun at your big day, you need to let go and have a great time yourself. If you're enjoying, they will enjoy. If you're dancing, they will dance. If you're having a blast, they will too.

Minimalist Terracotta Bohemian Wedding Invitation

Rust Terracotta Flowers and Pampas Grass Wedding Invitation

Rustic Baby's Breath String Lights Wedding All In One Invitation

Rustic Barn Wood Twinkle Lights Lace Wedding All In One Invitation

Budget Marsala & Navy Rustic Wedding Invitation

Rustic Navy Blue Geometric Wedding (no ENV needed) All In One Invitation

Last minute planning details not to forget

Planning a wedding is a difficult task as there are a million small details that need to be worked out before the big day. Even if you have been absolutely on top of the planning, a few things can still slip through the cracks. Do you wake up in the middle of the night in a panic thinking that you have skipped something important? If yes, then you know exactly what we are talking about here. But don’t worry! Once you go through this down-to-the-wire wedding planning checklist, you can put your mind at ease knowing that you have everything under control.

Style: #LD5066
Image Credit: Bright Photography

1. Check in with vendors

Reach out to all your vendors to confirm everything and go over the details a few days before the ceremony. All of your vendors should be aware of the date, the exact time, the venue and the number of guests arriving. Remind them of any special arrangements you could have made ahead of time. You should also provide them with a phone number (not yours) in case any additional communication needs to take place during the wedding day.

2. Finalize the guest count

At least a week before your wedding, reach out to any guests who may be dragging their feet with an RSVP. If the first message does not elicit a response, it is absolutely fine to leave a second message a few days later that politely states that if you do not hear back from them by a certain time then you will have to assume that they are unable to attend the wedding.

Finalize the guest count

Image Credit: Wah Photo

3. Wrap your wedding favors

Something else which is not usually done until the final days before the wedding is wrapping the wedding favors. If at all possible, save yourself some stress and try to get this done at least three weeks ahead of the wedding. You would not believe how many brides stay up late the night before their weddings wrapping favors (it always takes longer than you expect).

4. Plan a bridesmaids’ luncheon

When you are taking care of the last-minute details, don't forget about planning a bridesmaids' luncheon. The luncheon is normally held two or three days prior to the wedding ceremony and is the perfect time to thank all of your attendants for being in your wedding and to give them their bridesmaid gifts.

Styles (from left to right): #PR3263 & #LWZT15040
Image Credit: Olivia Caine Photography

5. Pre-arrange your honeymoon

Your honeymoon will be the trip of a lifetime, and the last thing you want is any kind of snafu along the way. So make sure your bags are packed and that your tickets and passports are handy. Plus, when doing your honeymoon planning, pay in advance for as much as you can. Incidental expenses like tips and souvenirs are manageable, but if you slip up on budgeting for hotel taxes, spa treatments, or car rentals, you can easily outrun your budget on site.

6. Do a final outfit run through

Schedule your dress fitting a week or two ahead of the wedding. Go to pick up your beautiful wedding dress and make sure that it looks exactly the way you want it to. If needed, you may want to have a couple of last minute alterations. You should also have your wedding shoes picked up by now. Practice walking and dancing in them. Make sure that the shoes are comfortable enough since you will be having them on all day long.

Style: #LD3906
Image Credit: Mcfarlane Photography

7. Rehearse!

The rehearsal for the wedding ceremony is typically held the day before the big affair. To make your rehearsal run without a hitch, sit down and decide in which order you would like to have your attendants fall in, and which groomsman and bridesmaid will be paired together during the recessional.

8. Finalize your vows

All that's left on the list now is the dreaded task of speaking your own vows and unless you want to make your vows off the cuff, write them down and practice what you have to say during the wedding. You see, making grand statements about your love in large public settings isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

9. Make sure to put aside some "you" time

Even if it does not seem to make much sense to just sit back and be at ease for a bit, what with all the things that need to be figured out but considering what day it is going to be, you don't want to have a bridal meltdown.

Double-check your list, remember to breathe, and everything will be okay!

Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Elegant Sunflowers Decor Invitation

Signature Cocktail Drink Menu Wedding Decor Sign

Eucalyptus Green Foliage Wedding Welcome Sign

LOVE IS SWEET! WEDDING SIGN DECOR

Simply Typography Modern Wedding Welcome Sign

Custom Photo Wedding Welcome Foam Board

Romantic Engagement Photo Ideas

Are you getting engaged soon? Congratulations!! We, here at COCOMELODY, wish you a lifetime of pure happiness and love… oh, and a lot of romance – that stuff is important too. Now, have you thought about hiring a photographer for your engagement photos?

Not yet?

Okay, we know your engagement photos are most likely not on the top of your priorities, what with all the arrangements you have to make – from planning your wedding budget and estimating your guests to deciding on a date, a venue and of course, your wedding gown. However, engagement photos are really worth it!

Don’t forget, your engagement photos are likely going to be the last snaps of the two of you together – as lovers – before you become a married couple eternally. Engagement photos can also give you an insight into how your wedding frames will turn out. Oh and not to mention, you also get some wonderful Instaworthy pictures. Sounds fantastic, right?

Here, we have rounded up 10 romantic engagement photo ideas as a starting point for you.

Style: #CWUT16001
Image Credit: Brianp Studios

1. First date, again

Nothing feels like the first few dates where both of you were falling in love with each other. Or you were probably only flirting, but hey, that counts too! You can recreate and live over those memories by going to where you had your first date, wearing what you wore that day (or something similar) and having your pictures taken.

2. A park

Isn’t park a cliché venue for couple photo shoots? To that, we say, “yes!” But there’s a good reason. Parks are classic venues that can result in some of the most romantic photographic moments. Just picture yourself walking around in your lovely long sleeve wedding dress holding hands with your boyfriend…in a beautiful park with fragrant, colorful flowers everywhere.

Style: #LD3905
Image Credit: Onelove Photography

3. Piggyback ride

This one’s old but gold. Have your sweetheart sweep you off your feet and carry you away - an age-old symbol of the groom whisking the bride away from the family and into their new life together. This will surely loosen up the stressful atmosphere and add fun and romance to the hustle and bustle of your wedding planning.

4. Ring in focus

You have splurged so much on your wedding rings; you might as well keep them in the frame. An aesthetic shot of your rings can also make for a great cover for your engagement photo album too.

5. Recreate movie scenes

If you consider yourself to be a movie buff or you simply want to add a lively and fun approach to your engagement photos, you could go for some well-known movie poses: maybe do a Titanic pose on a cruise ship? What could be more romantic than that?

Style: #LWKF15003
Image Credit: Manifesto Photography

6. No peeping!

Leave a little to the imagination and don’t let your partner catch even the slightest glimpse of your face. Cover his eyes with a book, a fedora or even your hands! These endearing shots will lend a unique and fun vibe to your engagement photo album.

7. The little things

They say it's all in the details: the way your hands touch or the way you look at each other. Naturally, these easy-going candid shots will produce some very romantic engagement photographs.

8. To the shores

If you want your engagement photos to exude a laid-back, bohemian vibe, then you definitely need to hit the beach. Intimate stills of you and your man looking like you are having the time of your lives on the sandy shore will undoubtedly be amazing.

Style: #CWUT16001
Image Credit: Brianp Studios

9. Home sweet home

Every so often, the best place to have your engagement pictures taken is your own home. After all, home is where the heart is. You can be comfortable and have your pictures taken at your favorite spots around the home to make the photo shoot even more special.

10. What lies ahead of you

For an incredible last photo of your engagement album, you should have a shot to make everyone think about your future together. Wear a gorgeous lace wedding dress and get a picture of you with your partner's hand in your hand, and both of you looking into the horizon in the silhouette of a bright sundown.

If you appreciated these engagement photo ideas, don’t settle for just that. Your engagement photos are all about you and your significant other so don't shy away from adding in your own inputs to make the shots exclusively "yours."

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