I Heart Offbeat Bride!

Hello, readers! Today I'm leaving the blogging to someone else!  With hundreds of thousands of blogs out there, it's hard to find those that stand out from the crowd and actually have something interesting to say.  Offbeat Bride does just that!

To give you some background, Offbeat Bride was launched as a way to promote the release of Seattle author Ariel Meadow Stallings book, Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides.

As you can read on the website,
"What initially began as a book promotional project slowly grew into a completely different beast -- a blog updated daily with tons of "wedding porn" (photos from real people's really offbeat weddings), advice, and inspiration for couples who are working their asses off to create authentic weddings full of intention and personality.  It's now our pleasure to serve up inspiration for over 480,000 readers every month."

Pretty cool stuff, am I right?

The blog post I'd like to direct you to is a DIY piece.  Yay! A way to be crafty and save money at the same time! :)  The title of the post is; Puff, puff, paint: How to freehand etch glassware with fabric paint - pretty self-explanatory!

Etched glassware is like the coolest thing since sliced bread! Everyone loves to have things personalized - it shows an extra bit of love went into it!  Whether you use the tutorial as a way to make your wedding guests feel special, or keep it in your back pocket to use come gift-giving time -- it's sure to be a big hit!

Happy Planning,
Anti-Bridezilla

Alternatives to Wedding Cake

So I'm one of those goof balls who doesn't like cake..I know, un-American, right? Ok - so it's not so much that I don't like cake - I don't like icing.  Naturally, when it came to deciding on a wedding cake I said absolutely not!  If you're like me, and prefer to go against the grain then you have come to the right spot!  Below are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing and toss out the boring wedding cake!

• S'mores - stay tuned for a blog post detailing how you can make your very own s'mores bar!
• Candy bar complete with your favorite goodies, or coordinate the colors to match your wedding
• Cookies and milk
• Cupcakes
• Ice cream cake
• Cake pops
• Snack packs! Who doesn't love pudding!?
• Cookie cakes - my favorite!
• Little Debbie / Hostess snacks
• Donuts
• Chocolate fountain with all the fixins'
• Build your own ice cream sundae, complete with all the fun toppings!
• Cheesecake
• Sno-cones
• Build your own fruit parfait
• Rice Krispy treats
• Caramel apples
• Fruit pizza
• Pies - so many varieties! 
• Arrange for the ice cream man to arrive at your venue and let everyone pick their favorite!

After making this list I want to take over someone's wedding so I can try all of these ideas! How fun! Who says a wedding cake is necessary? To hell with tradition, it's your day..pick your favorite dessert!

Happy Planning,
Anti-Bridezilla

Changing Your Name

He stole your heart, now it's time to steal his last name!

After looking into the name change process, I could understand why brides kept their maiden name.  What a pain in the butt!  Below is a list to get you started, it's also a good idea to make sure your state does not have any goofy requirements.

• Driver's license - this is done in-person at the DMV.  Don't forget to bring your marriage license.  A quick eye-exam and $30 later, you're good to go.
• Passport - I thought this could be taken care of at the DMV, they not-so-politely informed me that passports are a federal matter! Pop-over to the U.S. Department of State's website for the requirements, which will vary depending on when your passport was issued.  Your local post office will typically have any forms you may need.
• Social Security Card - this is also something that cannot be handled at the DMV, instead you have to go to the social security office (in some states you may be able to mail the documents).  You can find the requirements here.  They will need an original or certified copy of a marriage document.
• FOID Card (Illinois residents) - Finally, an easy change!!  Just submit a quick online form.  
• Home/Renter's, Health, Auto Insurance
• Employer
• Will
• Bank accounts, credit unions
• Credit cards
• Investments (stocks, bonds, money markets, IRAs)
• School/Alumni associations
• Gyms, Netflix, cell phone companies, utility bills, magazine subscriptions

Happy Planning,

Anti-Bridezilla

Saying Yes to the Dress

By now you've probably seen a couple dozen episodes of Say Yes to the Dress.  If you're like me, your only knowledge of dress shopping has come from this show.  By the time I started dress shopping I had my mind made up about the type of dress I wanted - a halter with an empire waist.  Based on Say Yes to the Dress, I fully expected to I would have to take out a small loan to be able to afford the dress of my dreams...I also expected to have a consultant who could could work magic and offer expert advice.  I was wrong - about everything.  :-)

As I mentioned in my Top 10 Things to Know Before Planning a Wedding - do not assume anything!   While TV can give you an idea of the style of dresses that are available, they do not offer much else.  Once again I urge you to learn from my mistakes.  :-)

1. As difficult as it is, try to hold off as long as you can on dress shopping
   Bridal stores will try to convince you that you need to purchase right away, and that alterations can take months.  From my experiences, that is completely untrue.  The reason I recommend you wait is because there is a good chance you will get caught up in the moment, convince yourself that you've found THE dress, only to later realize you have total dress envy and decide on something else.
2.   Beware of the David's Bridal $99 sale
   If you are a frugal bride it's hard not to get excited for a $99 price tag, I mean c'mon, what a steal!  I fell victim to the $99 trap.  After not finding a dress during my first visit to David's Bridal I returned after hearing about the sale.  I ended up finding a dress - I didn't cry like the girls on TV, but I was convinced it was the one and was super happy about finding a dress for so cheap.  As you probably guessed, I later had dress envy and decided I HATED my $99 dress.  Which leads me to #3....
3. Ways to Find "THE" Dress
   Don't judge a dress by the way it looks on a hanger, try it on!  Make sure your comfortable..can you sit down okay?...can you bust a move?...are you borderline wardrobe malfunction?  Try on jewelry with the dress so you can see the full picture.  Did it make you cry like a baby?

Go get em' gorgeous!

Happy Planning,
Anti-Bridezilla

Bridal Shows

One of the must-do's after getting engaged is attending bridal shows.  Bridal shows typically occur every year around late February, early March, in the bigger cities they can occur twice a year with a second show taking place in the fall. Do a Google search for bridal shows in your area and be sure to mark your calendar!

Bridal shows are nice because all of the vendors come to you.  This can be a bit overwhelming at times, but have no fear, I have some tips that I will share a bit later.  Not only can you discover vendors in your area but there are a lot of opportunities to win free stuff - who doesn't love free stuff?!!  Each vendor booth will no doubt shove a clipboard in your face and have you fill out a form with your information.  The form not only serves as your entry for their super awesome giveaway, but it gives them permission to enter you into their database.  Get ready to be bombarded with emails, phone calls, and flyers in the mail!

Here is where my tips come in:

1. Create a Gmail account dedicated to all things wedding.
2. Print labels that include your name, your groom's name, address, phone number, your new wedding email address, wedding date, wedding location (if known) - this will save you from having to write all of this information down when they shove that clipboard in your face
3. Bring a camera to take pictures of the booths.  Bridal shows can be overwhelming and it's easy to forget the vendors you spoke with.  You will leave the show with hundreds of flyers and brochures but sometimes it's easier to simply look at a photo.

Hope these help! As always...

Happy Planning,

Anti-Bridezilla

Pinterest

If you're not on Pinterest, hurry - request an invitation now!  Because Pinterest has become this super exclusive club there is a good chance you will be put on a waiting list.  Good news is, if you have a friend who is already a member, they can send you an invitation.

I will warn you now - Pinterest is ridiculously addicting.  Not just for wedding planning, but life planning! Don't be surprised, or embarrassed if you spend half the day "pinning" - it happens to the best of us.  :-)

So you're a member of the Pinterest club - now what? First, you want to create your boards.  Think of it like a virtual bulletin board where you can pin hundreds of articles, photos, and websites.  I would recommend you avoid one giant wedding board, otherwise you will end up like me and have 332 pins and unable to find anything!  Take a look at my "Here Comes the Bride" board to give you an idea of the chaos that can ensue.  :-)

So learn from my mistake and create your separate your boards, here are some ideas to get you started:
Shoes
Hair and Makeup
Cakes
Invitations
Dresses
For Him (Attire, Groomsman, etc)
Flowers
Decor
Bachelorette Party
Bridal Shower
Favors
Photography

Now that my big day is over, it's fun to look back at some of my pins.  It's funny to see how many different directions I took.  Some of them make me wonder what I was thinking - paper flowers? Major DIY fail!

Do you have any board ideas, or successful Pinterest stories? Please share!

Happy Planning,
Anti-Bridezilla

Reality TV - Bride Style

Before you were engaged you gave all those bridal TV shows the cold shoulder.  Let's be honest, you were jealous of those happy (most of the time) brides clearly taking your spotlight.  That should be you on TV - why hasn't he asked you already??!!

Then, finally, the day comes! He proposes! All of a sudden you can't get enough of TLC! I would love to see the ratings spike after a girl gets engaged.  Cha-ching!!

I wanted to share some of my favorites:
Four Weddings - Four brides compete to see who can pull off the best wedding...the twist, they are guests of each others wedding.  Pssh, we all know YOURS would win!
Say Yes to the Dress - Watch brides play dress up, argue with their bridal party, and go way over budget.  It's fun to live vicariously through the girl who just bought a dress that carried the same price tag as a car!
My Fair Wedding - David Tutera, wedding planner extraordinaire plays Fairy Godmother to tragic brides with an outlandish theme.  This show made me fall in love with David Tutera - extremely handsome, always well put-together, knew the perfect ways to compliment a women...oh wait...he married his partner back in 2003.  :-)    
Platinum Weddings - Money is definitely not an object for these bride-to-be's.  Oh, only $10,000 to have a tiara covered in Swarovski crystals?--No problem!

Of course I have to mention the show that serves as inspiration for this blog...that is, inspiration of what NOT to be!!  Bridezillas - if you can make it through an entire episode, congratulations.  What I would give to jump through the TV's and tell these brides how ridiculous they are, then shake their future husbands for actually putting up with it.  Nike should sponsor the show and give the grooms running shoes so they can bolt from the altar!

It goes without saying that most of reality TV is staged, so don't believe everything you see! :-)

Happy Planning,
Anti-Bridezilla

10 Things You Should Know Before Planning a Wedding (Cont.)

Welcome back!  Below is the final 5 things to know before planning a wedding.

6.     Despite all your efforts, something is bound to go wrong
See #3 in the last post, no matter how hard you try there is bound to be a few hiccups.  Don't sweat it! Relax! It's those very moments you will look back on twenty years from now and laugh!

7.     Do not try to please everyone
I cannot stress this enough.  It's impossible to please everyone.  There will always be that Negative Nancy who has an opinion about everything.  Just remember, it's your day, don't let others try to persuade you.  Don't spend the rest of your marriage wishing you would have done things differently.

8.     A destination is less stressful than a traditional wedding
WRONG! -- A wedding is a wedding no matter where you have it.  The key is how you handle the stress!  A destination wedding is not for everyone so weigh the pros and cons.

9.     A destination wedding is more affordable than a traditional wedding
WRONG! -- A destination wedding can be just as expensive, if not more expensive than a traditional wedding.  A wedding can be as affordable as you make it, shop around and don’t be afraid to haggle!  Make sure you establish a budget early on.

10. Have fun!
You spend months of planning and the big day is gone before you know it, enjoy it!  Once the planning is finally over, I promise you will miss it!

Happy Planning,
Anti-Bridezilla

10 Things You Should Know Before Planning a Wedding

Congratulations -- you're engaged! Prepare yourself for the barrage of advice that will soon follow.  Your friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers will proceed to tell you how to plan your wedding.  If you’re like me, most of this advice will go in one ear and out the other!  However, I’ll admit there are lessons to be learned and things I wish I would have known.  I have compiled a list below of the Top 10 Things You Should Know Before Planning a Wedding.

1.     Create a Wedding Binder
You would be amazed at all of the "junk" you acquire.  Stay organized by keeping all of your documents, receipts, and inspirations in one place.

2.     Simplify your RSVP system
Do not try to reinvent the wheel, there are hundreds of templates available online that can help you get started - customize them to fit your specific needs.

3.     Never assume anything!
Don't assume your family will help with wedding expenses, don't assume your best friend for the last 10 years will be the supportive maid-of-honor you hope she will be, don't assume your future husband wants no part of the planning process.  In other words, as soon as you think you have something figured out - it changes!

4.     Decide early on what's most important
Fast forward 10 years, do you really think anyone will care about those cute monogrammed napkins? Hardly!

5.     Changing your name is a hassle - do your homework!
Do not step foot into the DMV without knowing exactly what they require, unless of course you like cruel and unusual punishment.

Stay tuned for the final 5 things to know before planning a wedding....