Are you a busy couple who are considering hiring a wedding planner? There is 1 thing you must know before making your decision.

Does the wedding planner receive “Kickbacks” or “Commission” from vendors?

If she does, you should not hire her. Most vendors who pay commission to wedding planners usually mark up the rate higher in order to cover the commission being paid. So, now you know the commission is actually paid by you, not the vendors. That means, you pay the wedding planner twice. Let’s not just say money, the quality and services from these vendors are also questionable. If their work is so good, they must get a lot of “natural” referrals and always fully booked. I don’t see any point that they need to pay the commission to the wedding planners if they are so good.

Unfortunately, it’s very common for wedding planners to receive kickbacks. So, you must ask that in person and read the contract clearly before signing. It’s not just common in wedding industries, but also in funeral services. When I was studying floral design, my teacher told me that floral designers, who want to get the jobs from some funeral homes, have to “bid” for the top 3 position on the vendor list. Don’t you feel sick when you know that people earn money in this way?

Liene at Blue Orchid Designs and Becker, a photographer blogged about this in more detail. I would suggest you take a look at their blog posts, it definitely helps you to be more educated.

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From time to time, customers ask me suggest some favors which the guests will actually use or not for catching “dust” (yes, sometimes they do use this term. But to be fair, many product designers are now working very hard in order to change this mindset). Here, I am going to list 10 of the practical wedding favors your guests will actually keep them in Kitchen:-

1. Measuring Spoons
2. Salt and Pepper Shakers
3. Egg and Pancake Mold
4. Cheese Grater
5. Pizza Cutter
6. Melon Baller
7. Peeler
8. Spreaders
9. Oil Bottle
10. Coffee Scoop

A little tip: You can consider a few different “Kitchen helpers” listed above and let your guests to pick what they need.

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Today, I came across a website and found a great FREE tool, Zoji, which I think would be very helpful for all busy brides. Zoji can be used to organize events such as parties, nights out, sporting activities, group outings…you name it! It also includes features such as RSVP before the event and photo sharing after the event.

So, how to make use of Zoji for wedding planning?

• Use Zoji to organize all pre-wedding parties
• Create an invitation page with all of the important event info
• Send email invitations to anyone (Invitees don’t need a Zoji account to view and respond to your invitations)
• Guests can vote on multiple dates and times you choose
• Track RSVP responses
• Choose from many event skins to customize the look of your z-vite
• Add a chatterbox and let your guests chat with each other in real-time
• Share pictures after the parties

Here is a sample invitation page. Isn’t it fun and hands down?

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With the help of my husband, I’m glad that I’ve updated all the Kate Aspen Personality Favors with the new design. There are 12 practical favors with 25 box designs for each, which means there are 300 combinations in total.

Here, I just randomly picked one of the hottest favors, Heart Measuring Spoons in Personality Box, and make a animated picture with 7 out of 25 box designs:-

The Kate Aspen Personality Favors allow you to tailor your wedding favor gifts to the theme of your reception by providing a wide variety of design and color options. Each favor is available with color coordinated tags (or optional personalized gift tags).  As gorgeous as the packaging is, the true treasure is the unique and high quality gifts found within.

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Buying a diamond ring, especially an engagement or wedding ring, is one of the most important purchases you will ever make in your life. For something so significant, it only makes sense to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before making any decisions.

4 Benefits of Buying Online

1. Dot com retailers selling diamonds online have the ability to offer considerable savings simply due to the fact that there are none of the usual costs associated with operating the traditional brick-and-mortar type of business.
2. You’ll have the ability to see a far greater selection of rings and settings than you normally would at a conventional jewelers.
3. Comparison shopping also becomes considerably easier as many retailers conveniently list their diamond’s certification ID numbers so you are truly able to find the best deals.
4. You don’t need to deal with the salespeople, who may be helpful, but also pushy at times.

7 Tips for Buying Diamond Online

1. Spend some time in a few conventional jewelry stores to see the different cuts, settings, and styles of rings that are often used so that when you begin your search online, you’ll have a much better idea of what to start looking for.
2. Join Pricescope Forums to learning more about diamond pricing and grading. If you tell the online sellers that you are member of Pricescope Forums, they always offer a very special discount.
3. Check the company’s return policy before making your purchase. Inquire as to their shipping and handling policies as well, and ask about insurance, or what will happen if the ring is damaged or lost during shipment.
4. When buying diamond for wedding, always place your order in plenty of time to allow for returns if necessary.
5. When making your final decision, always check to see that the company’s website is secure, meaning that your information will be kept safe and private. You should be able to see “https” at the start of the address bar on their browser and locked padlock when completing your order form page. The 128-bit SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) gives you the highest level of protection.
6. Using a credit card to buy your diamonds is a wise choice, as in the event the ring isn’t as it was described, or some other unforeseen problem arises, most credit card companies will give customers a refund and also help take care of the issue with the vendor.
7. Be sure to have the ring appraised as soon as you receive it to ensure you’re really getting what you paid for.

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Do you think this cally lily garden gel candle pretty? It’s a tall glass with 6 inches tall. One of my customers from UK ordered them today, I didn’t think about the shipping seriously before I sent the invoice to my customer. When I was about to process this order, I started to worry. Can the gel candles stay well after a long flight from US to UK? What will happen if someone turns the package upside down or drops the package during transit? I tried to do some search on internet, however, couldn’t find any answer about these. Fortunately I’m able to find a similar gel candle at home. I’m going to turn it upside down for whole night and see if it stays well in the morning or not.

Are there any other things I should concern? It’s the first time for me to ship gel candles outside the US.

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One of the best aspects of a wedding is that everyone can get together, enjoy each other’s company, and have an incredible party. Here are a few simple ways for having a full dance floor at the reception, and for keeping your guests dancing, mingling, laughing, and having an exceptional time at your wedding.

1. Encourage your guests to contribute to your song list - a creative way of including your guests is to have a place on your RSVP card requesting one favorite song from each guest. Not only will this ensure that a variety of music is being played and it saves you tons of time on doing research.
2. Start the Party Early - there’s always the option of starting the dancing right after the bride and groom make their entrance, and then simply stopping the dance music for the toast, and the bridal dance, or whenever it’s necessary for the DJ or emcee to make announcements.
3. Dance Floor Warm Up - If you guests are a bit shy, you may ask your wedding party to get out on the dance floor as soon as they’re able to encourage others to do the same.
4. Remember Your Older Guests - older people like to talk and mingle at weddings, and they’re also among the very first guests to leave, so be sure to play songs that would appeal to them toward the beginning of the reception, and save the hits of today for later on in the evening.

If you have more ideas on getting your guests up, dancing and having fun, please feel free to leave your comment. You may also want to see my previous post for song ideas.

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Do you find your fiancé a kind of laid-back person and don’t want to get involved in wedding planning? Here are 5 easy ways of including him in preparing for this monumental event.

1. Ask for His Help - Grooms who don’t get involved always assumed their help either wasn’t needed, or wanted. Have a heart-to-heart talk with your fiancé and explain how important it is for him to join in on the wedding planning.
2. Ask for His Opinion - Don’t assume that your husband-to-be will have no interest in the color of the bridesmaid dresses, the type of flowers or wedding favors you’ll have at the wedding. Ask his opinions in simpler ways, such as showing him pictures from a magazine, or a website that you’ve found with the perfect dress. This lets him know you want his input and care what he has to say.
3. Entertaining Ideas - Ask your fiancé to be in charge of auditioning bands or DJ’s and booking the entertainment for the reception as well as the ceremony, if necessary.
4. Helping with the Invitations - Invitations will need assembly. Envelops will need addressed, stuffed and have postage affixed. There are also invitations for the bridal shower, and thank you cards for after the wedding. He can help some of those while watching his favorite TV program.
5. The Honeymooners - If the two of you don’t already have a clear idea of what type of honeymoon you’d like, arrange for a “date” night where you sit down together and decide where you’re going to go, and what you’d like to do. Ask your fiancé to handle all of the arrangements, such as the making the hotel reservations, or getting the paperwork in order for your passports.

Using these few simple suggestions, you should be able to encourage your fiancé to become more involved in wedding planning and at least take some responsibilities off of your shoulders at the same time.

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Wedding favors are an important part of any wedding. They give guests a memento to remember your wedding by, and they show your appreciation for their attendance and gifts. But wedding favors don’t have to break the bank.

Favors are usually sold in quantities. In most cases, the more you buy, the less your cost per favor. So if you want to save money, it’s best to buy one kind of favor for all of your guests. Here are some ideas for lovely yet inexpensive favors:

• Keychains - These make wonderful wedding favors. They’re inexpensive, they can be found in an infinite number of colors and themes, and everyone uses them. Whether your wedding theme is whimsical or ultra-romantic, you can find a keychain favor that fits perfectly with it.
• Bookmarks - Those little gold and silver bookmarks that clip onto the top of a page make elegant favors. They look expensive, but they are actually very reasonably priced. If you are the crafty type, you could also make your own custom bookmarks. All you’ll need is some card stock paper, embellishments, a laminator, and your creativity to make a one-of-a-kind bookmark favor.
• Picture frames - Wallet-sized picture frames are a great wedding favor choice. Guests can use them to display your wedding photo or one of their own pictures. You can find very nice, festive frame favors at low prices online and in stores.
• Candles and candleholders - Candles make practical yet romantic wedding favors. You can often find candles with their own holders at reasonable prices, or you could buy the candles and holders separately.
• Candy - Filling small tins, pails, or boxes with festive candy makes a thoughtful and inexpensive gift for your guests. Nuts, candy kisses, or mints are some of the things you could fill them with. Adding some pretty ribbon or tulle will make these favors extra special.
• Placecards or placecard holders that double as favors - It doesn’t get much more economical than finding a dual purpose for your favors. There are placecards and placecard holders available that double as picture frames, for example. These provide a clever way to save money. You could also use postcards related to your wedding theme as placecards, writing your guests’ names on the back of them.
• Coaster sets - You can find coaster sets in a variety of themes online or at a wedding supply store. These are very useful for your guests, and they are often inexpensive.

Giving your guests wedding favors is thoughtful, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. In addition to these ideas, there are lots of other favors that you could make yourself. Whether you choose to make your own favors or buy them in bulk, they will serve as a precious token of your gratitude.

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Choosing the right baker or bakery to handle the ever important task of creating your wedding cake is one decision of wedding planning you won’t want to make lightly. Arrive at the bakery armed with several important questions in mind, as well as at least some idea of what you’re looking for. Here are some of the questions you won’t want to forget when choosing the best baker to create your wedding cake.

1. How much experience do you have making wedding cakes, and will you be the one doing the baking exclusively, or will you have assistance?

2. May I see a portfolio of wedding cakes you’ve made in the past, and do you have any references, written testimonials, or previous customers that I can contact? 

3. I have a specific idea in mind for my cake, will you accommodate my wishes, or do you have set designs that you use instead?

4. If I want to have a picture of myself and the groom on the cake, is that a possibility? 

5. How many different types of frostings and batter will I be able to taste before trying to make my decision?

6. When are you planning on baking the cake? (Two days before the wedding maximum is the best time frame.) 

7. Does your bakery provide delivery and set-up services, if so, is there an extra charge for this?

8. What would the total cost of the cake be, and do you charge additional fees for decorations such as pillars, stairs, and cake toppers? 

9. What is your policy on returning extras such as the cake toppers, and what if something is damaged?

10. Will you provide a written contract for me to sign outlining the costs and details of the cake?

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