wedding planning

If you’re starting to think about sending wedding invitations, be sure to check out these FAQs about wedding invitation etiquette!

Contemporary Wedding Invitations by Carlson Craft

How far in advance should I send wedding invitations?

Ideally, wedding invitations should go out about six weeks before the wedding. That gives your guests plenty of time to RSVP and sort out their schedules.

When should I require the response cards to be sent back?

No later than two weeks before the big day – that way you have time to get a final count for the caterer, make a seating chart, etc.

How should I word my invitations?

Traditionally, invitations are issued by those who are hosting the wedding. If you and your hubby-to-be are hosting the wedding on your own, include just your names. If your parents are hosting, include their names in the invitation.

If you’re not sure which one to go with, a safe bet would be:

Bride’s name

and

Groom’s name

together with their parents (or together with their families)

My reception and ceremony are in the same place – how do I include that in my invitation?

Just include a line in the invitation that says “Reception to follow”. It’s basically the same thing as saying that the reception is at the same place as the ceremony.

Do couples who live together but aren’t married receive a single invitation or separate invitation?

Send a single invitation since they are a couple. Include both their names on the envelope, listed alphabetically, and then the address as normal.

What questions do you have about wedding invitation etiquette?

Wedding Rings

When it comes to getting engaged, it can be difficult to contain all of the excitement. After all, this is one of the most important days of your life; it’s worth celebrating! But when he’s just popped the question and you can’t wait to tell the world, stop for a minute and follow these simple rules for post-engagement etiquette:

First and foremost, Facebook should not be the first to know. Instead, make it a point to tell both of your parents first. A phone call or in person is best for those who are closest; in person if you can. If you have children, you’ll also want to make sure that they are some of the first people you tell.

Next, notify your close friends and relatives. They’ll want to hear the news firsthand. If you can, notify them through email, phone, or in person. Your engagement story will likely be the top topic of discussion

After you’ve told your closest loved ones, now is the time to update Facebook. Change your relationship status to “engaged” and celebrate! There’s a whole lot of planning ahead of you!

Finally, on the matter of ex-spouses. If this is your second marriage, it’s always a polite thing to call and tell your ex-spouse about your engagement so that he or she doesn’t hear it through the grapevine first.

Stay tuned for more wedding etiquette and engagement etiquette tips all month long!

Getting engaged is huge and planning a wedding can definitely be overwhelming. Instead of thinking about everything that needs to be done and stressing out, sit down, take a deep breath and read this blog post.

Here are some of the first things you need to think about and do after becoming engaged.

• Making lists is one of the best ways to stay organized. Create a list for all your wedding needs – a to do list, a list of wedding ideas that you love, a list of wedding themes, a guest list, etc. You should also invest in a wedding calendar that you can use specifically for wedding related events and appointments.
• People are going to ask you what the date of your wedding is. You can’t prevent them from asking, but you can be prepared. Sit down with your fiance and decide on a rough date. It doesn’t have to be the exact date of your wedding, but choose a month and a round about date.
• Set a budget and begin putting money aside, so you can cover the costs of all your wedding needs.
• Ask both your and your fiance’s parents 
• for a list of people that should be included on the guest list. Then, sit down together and make your own guest list of friends, co workers, family members, etc. Right now, don’t worry about the number of people on the list, as this isn’t the final guest list. 
• Consider who you’d like in your wedding party. Make a list and if you have some definite picks, ask!
• Search for and make a list of prospective venues, caterers, and other vendors. 
• Visit the engagement and wedding planning resources at Daisy-Days.com. We have books, tote bags, and other tools to get you rolling with wedding planning and to keep you organized!
• Most importantly, have your engagement ring appraised and insured!

At Daisy-Days.com, we have all of the engagement and wedding planning resources you need to plan a day that’s a dream come true. The key is to take everything one step at a time!

Ah, l’amour. There’s nothing more romantic than a Parisian-inspired wedding. What better way to incorporate the best of Paris with a quirky, memorable movie than by having an Amelie-inspired wedding! Amelie tells the story of a woman who is determined to do good in the world – while finding love unexpectedly along the way. You can read more about the film here.

• Having a wedding near the water? Give your guests stones to skip, just like Amelie.
• Serve up raspberries and creme brulee – don’t forget the spoon!
• Set up a photo booth for your guests to have meet-cutes of their own!

Winter can be such a magical time of the year for a wedding. While most people tend to think of the snow as an annoyance, imagine how a gorgeous a bride would look as her white wedding dress glistens against the snow covered ground. Breathtaking! Not to mention, the decor options for a winter wedding are endless!

• Have snowflake wedding decorations by dangling handmade or store bought snowflakes from the ceiling of the reception hall.
• Winter weddings are often associated with the color white, but blue is a wintery color that is often forgotten. Go against the norm, and create an ice blue wonderland for your wedding! Accent blues with whites and silvers for a sophisticated, chic look.
• At the reception, hang mistletoe above the bride and groom?s seats. Voila! The perfect kiss to kick off the reception!
• Give guests winter wedding favors, like our Snow in Love plantable snowflake seed favors, miniature winter snowglobe favors, or winter scented pine cone favors. Our winter wedding favor selection has dozens of favors for you to choose from – all with a holiday or winter theme in mind!
• Want to liven up your wedding gown? Try a beautiful bridal cape or bridal wrap in an elegant fur accented by a crystal bridal brooch. 
• Personalized ornaments can be used as place cards and favors. 
• Fill the dessert table with Christmas cookies and other holiday treats, like white chocolate snowflakes. 
• A red and white theme is elegant and creates a Christmas atmosphere. Use red accents such as bows, holly, candles and even bridesmaids dresses if you want a Christmastime wedding. 
• Create a unique church atmosphere by decorating the church aisles with miniature potted trees sprayed white with fake snow and stringing white lights throughout them. 
• Candle lit centerpieces create a relaxing atmosphere, so feel free to play around with pillar candles on holiday plates, glass hurricane lamps, or elegant candelabras. 

We can’t believe how fast autumn is flying by! Pretty soon, we’ll be moving into one of our favorite times of year: Proposal Season!

We absolutely love hearing about our customers’ proposals. There are just so many unique ideas out there! But if you’re a fiance-to-be scouting out the wedding blogs looking for ideas, never fear! We’ve put together something just for you

Here are a few of our favorite unique wedding proposal ideas (complete with our engagement ring boxes and unique ring pillows!):

Rose Ring Box

Get rosy. We love the idea of a trail of rose petals leading to a fiance-to-be on bended knee, so try to get creative with your use of roses! Draw her a romantic rose petal bath, complete with candles and champange before you pop the question. Or you can try giving her a bouquet of 11 roses – the 12th rose will be our gorgeous rose ring box! Featuring a satin and velvet lining, this elegant engagement ring box is perfect for a romantic proposal involving roses.

Birds Nest Ring Pillow

Enjoy the great outdoors. Maybe your fiance-to-be loves to hike, kayak, and just enjoy the sunshine. Take her on a romantic picnic, horseback ride, boat ride, or other outdoor activity she enjoys. Be sure to pack along her favorite foods and maybe even set the mood with a little music. Then, go to a quiet spot and present her with a bird’s nest ring pillow as you tell her how you want to spend the rest of your life with her. This gorgeous bird’s nest is a natural and eco-chic way to have the perfect proposal.

Treasure Chest Ring Box

Take her on a treasure hunt. Does the love of your life enjoy surprises? Then send her on a thoughtful treasure hunt! Start out by sending her flowers to her apartment. Include a card letting her know that a treasure hunt awaits. Then, get some of her friends and family involved by giving them each a clue to lead her to the next spot. Each point on her hunt can be something she enjoys, such as a manicure, massage, or a cup of her favorite coffee. Have the final clue lead her to you and present her with her very own treasure chest ring box! This beautiful treasure chest is made of white satin and is perfect for presenting her engagement ring.

What are your favorite unique proposal ideas? How did your hubby-to-be propose?

Your wedding is one of the most wonderful days of your entire life, and it should be celebrated to the fullest. One of the many ways to make sure you have a memorable, one-of-a-kind wedding is by personalizing certain details to suit your tastes and unique style, or by using personalized wedding accessories and decor. Here are 15 ways you can personalize your wedding.

1. Keep guests cool inside a tightly packed church with DIY fan programs with a special message from the bride and groom.
2. Decorate with your childhood photos! Clip photos of you and your groom along a clothesline, and string the clothesline up at the church, reception hall or wedding location.
3. Direct the way to your wedding with a blackboard sign with you and your grooms name on it and an arrow pointing in the right direction.
4. Make your own wedding invitations with a DIY invitation kit.
5. For a fall wedding, instead of the flower girl scattering the traditional flowers, have her scatter colorful leaves. It’s a unique detail anyone can appreciate. Feel free to get creative with bubbles, lavender buds, birdseed, confetti, or other wedding details to make your flower girl’s walk down the aisle unique.
6. Instead of wearing no shoes to a beach wedding, slip on a pair of barefoot sandals. They’re beautiful and totally unexpected!
7. Drive away from the ceremony in style when you decorate your car with personalized car wedding décor.
8. Decorate the dance floor with personalized wedding dance floor decals.
9. Rent a photo booth, and use a personalized photo booth backdrop.
10. Label your chairs at the reception with bride and groom sashes, or personalized chair sashes.
11. At the reception, instead of setting out the tradition guest book, set out a wooden box with cards and a pen, and tell guests they should write their well wishes on the paper and set it in the box.
12. Walk down the isle on a personalized isle runner.
13. Personalize your wedding favors with DIY favors and kits. Feature your names, wedding date, or monogram for a polished touch.
14. Decorate the top of your wedding cake with a photo of your and your groom or choose a monogram cake topper.
15. Incorporate your heritage, hometowns or favorite hobbies into your ceremony and reception.

Personalizing your wedding can be fun, whether it’s through DIY wedding projects or doing something non-traditional.

• Carlson Craft
• McPhersons Invitations
• Birchcraft Invitations
• Chloe B
• …and many more. 

At Daisy-Days.com, we’re always looking for ways to help you save on your wedding. So, when we saw that more and more brides were looking for DIY wedding favors, DIY wedding invitations, and other do-it-yourself projects, we decided to add in a whole new selection of DIY wedding products! From programs and favors to invitations and decorations, we’ve got everything you need to make your DIY wedding look spectacular!

The best thing about our DIY wedding supplies is that they can help you trim a lot off of your wedding budget. Just take a look at some of these savings comparisons with traditional, pre-made, or printed wedding supplies. Couples can see decreases in some of these common wedding costs, based on weddings for 100 guests:

• DIY Invitations with Response Cards($50-$120) vs. Printed Invitations ($150-$500)
• DIY Wedding Programs ($22-$70) vs. Printed Wedding Programs ($100-$250)
• DIY Wedding Program Fans ($75-$100) vs. Printed Wedding Program Fans ($195-$245)
• DIY Wedding Favors ($100 or less) vs. Ready to Gift Wedding Favors ($150+)

That’s pretty amazing savings for any couple, especially with the cost of weddings up to more than $25,000 on average! If you want to save some green and DIY your wedding, check out the latest additions to our DIY wedding section. We have:

DIY Wedding Programs

DIY Wedding Invitations

DIY Program Fans

DIY Wedding Favor Kits

DIY Favor Cakes

…and much more!

Sunscreen Wedding Favors are Perfect for Destination Weddings!

Everyone wants to be married in the most beautiful place on Earth. For some, it’s at the top of a mountain. For others, it’s on a private beach as the sun goes down. No matter where you choose to have your destination wedding, it’s important to consider these 5 important factors. They’re essentials for planning and sorting out these details early can help make the rest of the planning journey a breeze!

Here we go:

Budget: This is key for any wedding, but when it comes to destination weddings, this needs to be decided ASAP – before you start buying those adorable sunscreen wedding favors you fell in love with. Sit down with anyone who is helping to pay for the wedding and set out a budget. Make sure you make a list of expenses and from there, you can go on to picking the appropriate destination and details to fit your budget.

Insurance: Purchasing insurance for a destination may be a good idea. After all, you never know what will happen! Talk to your insurance provider about different options or research different insurance options that pertain to your wedding.

Contracts: Brides who are planning destination weddings are often dealing with vendors that are out of state or even out of the country. Keep copies of all important documents, receipts, and contracts. Make sure that all of the dates, times, amounts, locations, phone numbers, and detailed services are outlined correctly in the documents. Have questions? Need assistance? Talk to your attorney before you sign.

Guest List: Destination weddings can cause challenges for some guests, so keep that in mind when planning your guest list. Make sure that the guest list size fits the budget and be clear about the travel arrangements one may need to make to get to the wedding. Have hotel info? Send that along as well to make it easier for your guests.

Travel Arrangements: Contact airlines and try to negotiate a group rate for your wedding. It may save you a lot of time, money, and hassle when it comes to booking the flight. You may also want to use a travel agent to arrange flight and hotel packages for you or your guests.

Did you have a destination wedding? What are your best tips?