wedding inspiration – WedBrilliant

Tips for Managing Friends and Family While Keeping Everyone Happy

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wedding inspiration

Tips for Managing Friends and Family While Keeping Everyone Happy

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Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting times for engaged couples, but it can also bring about challenges and headaches when it comes to managing the expectations and opinions of friends and family. Balancing your own vision with the desires of loved ones can sometimes be tricky. However, with open communication, compromise, and a few practical strategies, you can navigate the wedding planning process while keeping everyone happy.

  1. Set Clear Boundaries: Establish open and honest communication from the beginning. Clearly communicate your vision and priorities to your loved ones. Setting boundaries will help manage expectations and avoid misunderstandings.
  2. Involve Key Individuals: Identify key individuals whose opinions are especially important to you. Involve them in specific decision-making processes, such as selecting the venue or choosing the menu. By actively seeking their input, you show that their opinions matter while still maintaining control over your overall vision.
  3. Delegate Responsibilities: Assign tasks to willing family members and friends. This not only helps alleviate your workload but also makes them feel involved and valued. Consider assigning roles such as organizing transportation, managing the guest list, or overseeing decorations.
  4. Practice Active Listening: Listen attentively to the suggestions and concerns of your loved ones. Show empathy and understanding even if you ultimately make decisions that differ from their suggestions. Being receptive and acknowledging their viewpoints can go a long way in maintaining harmony.
  5. Compromise with Grace: Wedding planning often requires compromise. Be open to alternative ideas that align with your values and budget. Seek solutions that meet the needs of both parties involved, ensuring a sense of inclusion and harmony.
  6. Prioritize Self-Care: Amidst the whirlwind of wedding planning, remember to prioritize self-care. Take breaks when needed, do things that make you happy and reduce stress, and spend quality time with your partner. A refreshed and relaxed mindset will help you navigate any challenges you face more effectively.

Don’t forget this is all temporary! And don’t forget that priority #1 is you and your partner and your happiness! But, by involving your loved ones, setting clear boundaries, and practicing open communication, you can create a wedding that reflects your unique vision while nurturing the relationships that matter most and getting that perfect happily ever after.

 

 

Wedding Planning Made Easy: 5 Ways Social Media Can Help

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Leveraging support from The Knot, Zola, and WeddingWire, among others!

Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and couples preparing for their wedding can leverage its power to make the wedding planning process more enjoyable and efficient. Here are some of the best ways for couples to use social media as they prepare for their wedding:

  1. A wedding website is an excellent way to keep your guests informed about the wedding details. There are many companies that offer customizable wedding websites, including The Knot, Zola, and WeddingWire. You can use social media to share the website link and invite your guests to RSVP and leave messages.
  2. Share updates and behind-the-scenes photos of the wedding preparations on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. This will give your friends and family an insight into your wedding planning journey. Some couples even create a private Instagram account to share these updates exclusively with their wedding party.
  3. Pinterest is an excellent platform for wedding inspiration. You can create a board and share it with your partner, wedding planner, or bridesmaids to help you make decisions. Companies like Zola also offer an integrated feature called “Wedding Checklist” that suggests items to add to your board based on your preferences.
  4. Creating a unique wedding hashtag is a fun way to collect all the pictures and posts related to your wedding. You can use the hashtag to encourage your guests to share their pictures and memories. Websites like WeddingWire also offer a hashtag generator that suggests unique hashtags based on your names and wedding details.
  5. If some of your guests can’t attend the wedding, consider live streaming it on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. This will allow them to participate in your special day and share the joy with you. Some companies like The Knot also offer virtual wedding packages that include live streaming services and online coordination with vendors.

Social media can be a useful tool as you prepare for your wedding. By using it wisely and taking advantage of the services offered by companies such as The Knot, Zola, and WeddingWire, the planning process is bound to be more enjoyable and memorable.

Top Summer Wedding Trends: From Dresses to Décor!

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As the summer season approaches, many brides- and grooms-to-be are finalizing their wedding plans and preparing for their big day. With the pandemic slowly winding down and life returning to a sense of normalcy, weddings are becoming more extravagant and stylish than ever before.

  1. Bold Colors: Summer is the perfect time to experiment with bold, vibrant colors that pop. This year, brides are opting for bright hues like fuchsia, coral, and royal blue to add a splash of color to their wedding day. Bold colors are making their way into wedding dresses as well, with dresses featuring colorful embroidery, beading, and appliques.
  2. Ethereal Dresses: While some brides are opting for bold colors, others are choosing ethereal, whimsical dresses that capture the essence of summer. Flowing fabrics like chiffon, tulle, and organza are popular choices, as they create a soft, romantic look that’s perfect for a summer wedding. Brides are also opting for dresses with unique detailing like floral appliques, delicate beading, and sheer lace.
  3. Nature-Inspired Décor: With the natural beauty of summer all around, many couples are opting for nature-inspired décor to complement their wedding day. Rustic touches like wooden accents, burlap table runners, and wildflowers are popular choices, as they create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Greenery is also a popular choice, with brides opting for lush, leafy arrangements in their bouquets and centerpieces.
  4. Non-Traditional Venues: As weddings become more personalized, couples are looking for non-traditional venues to make their big day stand out. Outdoor weddings are more popular than ever, with brides and grooms opting for picturesque locations like vineyards, gardens, and beaches. Rooftop venues are also becoming increasingly popular, providing stunning views of city skylines.
  5. Personalized Details: From custom favors to unique signage, couples are looking for ways to add personalized touches to their wedding day. Personalized wedding favors like monogrammed candles or customized cookies are a popular choice, as are unique signs that add a touch of whimsy to the décor. Brides and grooms are also opting for personalized touches in their wedding attire, such as custom embroidery or a unique veil.

Summer weddings are all about embracing the season and celebrating the natural beauty that surrounds us. Whether you’re planning a rustic outdoor wedding or a chic rooftop affair, incorporating these summer wedding trends will help you create a day that’s as beautiful and unique as you are.

Preserve Every Wedding Card Forever with New Digital Platform, E-Bration!

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One thing you can absolutely count on as you get closer to your wedding is an outpouring of good wishes via congratulatory cards! Your friends and family want to show how excited they are for both of you by sharing heartfelt messages in sweet cards. Whether you receive these on your wedding day or they trickle in through the mail, you will want to collect and save them all. But, after a reasonable period of time after you’re married, what do you do with these wonderful sentiments captured on letters and cards? The days of gathering them up and stashing them in a shoebox never to be opened again… are over!

E-Bration is a brilliant new digital platform that preserves the memories of every card, message, photo and memory from your wedding!

The founders, Shea and Jeff Cohen, built E-Bration after their own wedding when they realized capturing these sentiments was a need shared by thousands of others. After easily creating an “event” in their account, couples can share the page with their guests who are able to send them a digital card straight through the site along with a personalized message and option for a cash gift. Unlike traditional ecard sites where the card is delivered via email and then scattered throughout your inbox with a card link that eventually expires, these cards are stored forever in the couple’s online account. Additionally, for any physical cards that are received outside of the website, the couple can digitally upload those into their account so they are saved with the same collection (or E-Bration can even upload the cards for them if they choose!).

After the wedding, couples can use E-Bration to create a personalized “Memor-E-Book” that matches each card with a photo of the guest who sent it. They will also always have access to their dashboard where all their cards, photos and messages will be hosted. In addition to the preservation of memories and sentiments, E-Bration gives their customers a platform to even send invitations and thank you cards.

We love this concept, so glad that someone finally addressed the question of “what now?!” and we love supporting fellow entrepreneurs. So, go check out E-Bration today as you plan your wedding! It’s free to join and set things up!♥️

Forget the shoeboxes for storing wedding cards!
Create a free E-Bration account to receive and store everything!

Painted Wedding Stationery Elevates Everything

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Often, your guests’ first peek at what your wedding will be like and a reflection of your combined personalities, is in the save-the-dates and other wedding stationery you send out. WedBrilliant vendor CharmCat Stationery & Design creates original painted works that capture moments and personalities, and that inspire, excite, and connect people through the shared experience of art.

Products include save-the-dates, wedding invitation suites, and custom watercolor commissions including wedding venue paintings. These are not just mundane to-do’s to check off your wedding planning list, these are truly pieces of art. Owner and designer, Ashleigh Pritchard recommends that couples planning their weddings add personal touches to their stationery to show off their personality. And these one-of-a-kind pieces will likely be ones you’ll look back on with fondness, long after the wedding has come and gone!

Contact CharmCat:

charmcat.net

Staying At Home? Let’s Get Those DIY Projects Done!

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Ready to tackle some wedding DIY projects at home? There are countless resources available to you for inspiration and tips to reach your wedding décor goals, but here’s a great place to start:

  • Have you firmed up your theme? Going for rustic, elegant, modern? Once you know that, the décor ideas flow from there.
  • What’s accessible to you and easy to do at home? Do you have lots of jars? How about painting some for table centerpieces? Do you have craft paper? Could you make table numbers?
  • Can you outsource DIY projects? What can your MIL-to-be help with? Does your maid of honor have incredible penmanship? Can she help writing out place cards? Or addressing invitation envelopes?
  • Post your requests on WedBrilliant.com for any other projects, receive bids and identify a vendor who can help you tackle more of these “to-do’s!”

In the meantime, here’s some more inspiration to get the creative juices flowing:

19 Clever Ways to Use Mason Jars at Your Wedding

60 DIY Wedding Decor Ideas to Wow Your Guests

23 DIY Wedding Centerpieces We Love

Pretty Pink Countryside Wedding (With Cute Aisle Signage)

Photo Booth Fun

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We’re excited to share a little about WedBrilliant pros, Fun Fab Photo Booths & DJs. Looking for a fun, reliable provider of photo booth rentals in the Houston, College Station, Galveston, Huntsville or Bay City areas? Check them out.

They offer open air, enclosed and green screen options with the highest quality photos and guaranteed fun for your wedding guests. All of their rentals include flash drives, custom graphics, on-site attendants with great customer service, print outs for your guests, and of course fun props!

We love a good photo booth and the fun it creates! Check out Fun Fab Photo Booths & DJs, and head over to post your own wedding needs for WedBrilliant vendors to submit customized bids on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Polled Our DJs: How much do they charge?

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We launched WedBrilliant with the express purpose of helping our happily engaged couples find great wedding vendors and get bids on all your wedding needs. But, if you’re starting the wedding planning process and not sure how much budget to allocate to various components of your wedding, we are here to help you out. We polled our talented DJs around the nation and are sharing the average amount they charge for weddings… Now that you know this info, head over to request bids for your own wedding!

How much do you charge couples for basic wedding DJ services for approximately 3-6 hours?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illustrate Your Love Story

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You’re engaged, yay! You’re happy and can’t stop peeking at the ring on your finger, recognizing the significance behind it and planning the big day pretty much 24/7. Right? As you should be!

And we’re excited for you! I mean, we’re in the wedding business because we are obviously obsessed with weddings! Looking for a little inspiration? We’ve got just what you need with these amazing shots captured by WedBrilliant wedding photographer, Rachel of Peace Love Shoot Photography. As she, herself, says, her goal is to ensure that “each couple has the images to illustrate their love story.” And we’d agree that she accomplishes that!

 

 

 

 

A Camera (and photographer!) Ready for Adventure

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When you’re searching for an engagement or wedding photographer, here’s one of the best pieces of advice to keep in mind – find a photographer who loves what they do. That love transfers directly into the experience you’ll have with them.

A WedBrilliant photographer who clearly loves what she does? Whitney Lyons of Whitney Lyons Photography fits that description! She’s a visual storyteller with a clear passion for what she does. It comes across in her photography and the way she approaches capturing special occasions for her clients. From the touching candid shots of happy couples and their guests at the reception to perfectly unplanned moments of tenderness, it’s clear Whitney’s a true professional. Her dozen years of experience and background in photojournalism are just two of the assets she offers. And while she’s based in the beautiful Northwest, as she says, “my passport and camera are always ready for the next adventure!”