My fiancé and I have quickly become adept at making quick (yet hopefully sound) decisions. We “hee-hawed” when we first started planning the wedding, wanting to make sure that everything was perfect. We quickly realized, however, that with literally hundreds of decisions to make before it was all over and done we needed to learn to be decisive or the wedding would never get planned.

One decision that continued to frustrate me despite hours of research was our invitations. I am still a firm believer in written correspondence. As a hobby I’ve often custom made stationery and thank you cards to give to friends and family. My loved ones grew to expect these special notes to the point that one time when I purchased a store-bought card my friend opened it and frowned, saying, “Oh…you didn’t make it…” as if I had neglected her.
I didn’t want to hand-make my wedding invitations, but I did very much want them to be elegant, impressive, and well-made on heavy paper with raised lettering. I wanted them to reflect my love of paper. And I also felt that wedding invitations set the tone for your wedding; this was going to be my guest’s first impression of our upcoming wedding. And while much of my wedding has been planned online with great success (what did brides do before iPads?!) I hit a roadblock with online invitation companies. Don’t get me wrong, their selection is amazing…but that was part of the problem. I quickly amassed over 50 bookmarks on my iPad of beautiful designs. When I thought I had my choices narrowed to a few good selections, “I’d click the “customize” tab and then get stuck on all of the options. Thermography or letterpress? What “pound” of paper? How pearlescent is their pearlescent paper? Which features are worth the extra money (which can really add up!) and which are extraneous? Several times I got overwhelmed, and shut down, both emotionally and my computer.

Time was getting short when I saw an ad in a local wedding magazine for a gift shop that also sold stationery and was very close to my house. With nothing to lose I stopped in on the way home from work one day. The Pretty Penny had a quiet and cozy sitting area in the back of their shop filled with binders of invitations. This in and of itself could have been overwhelming, but they employ a stationery expert who simply asked me a few questions about our wedding venue, my style, and any ideas I had. She listened carefully, and then confidently said “Crane and Co” and pulled one binder off of the shelf. She left me to peruse the book, which had examples of every option they offer. Invitation styles, fonts, printing methods, and envelope liners…you name it and it was there for me to see and feel. The tactile aspect of sitting with this binder made all the difference, and all of the options I had been straining to imagine online were suddenly in front of me. Suddenly my new-found decision making ability was back, and in an hour I had the entire invitation perfectly designed to my liking. I brought my fiancé back that weekend to look at what I had in mind, and we ordered them that day.

I love the options and freedom that online wedding planning can bring, and I have many friends who have ordered beautiful invitations online, but for me the sheer volume of options was so overwhelming that it proved impossible to pick just one. I ended up with Crane’s Embassy Triple Paneled Invitation in ecru (which is not pinkish in person as it is on the website). We chose a charcoal grey letterpress wording, with a block font for most of the invitation and a flowery script for our names. The invitations actually remind me of my parent’s invitations, which make them all the more special for me.

The winner chose from the Luxe Collection.

Congratulations to Laura for winning guest book and matching pen from Beverly Clark‘s Luxe Collection! Beverly Clark offered three choices to the winner in our commenting contest.

If you didn’t get a chance yet to look, you should now because Beverly Clark is offering 10% off all wedding accessories until May 31, 2012. Get it all while you can!

Photo Source: zivajewels.com

After our talk I went through my jewelry and came across my late father’s ring that he had given to my mom. It was a fantastic ring of the early 1980′s made of yellow gold with a marquise diamond surrounded by a halo of twelve smaller diamonds. I loved it, but I knew I would not wear it the way it was. It just wasn’t my style or my size. I gave it to my fiancé and let him take the reigns.

When he proposed, I had a beautiful yellow gold ring. My center stone and setting were different, but I knew that gold was from my mom and dad’s ring. It was so touching to hold it and know that now it was molded into something for me. My center stone has a halo, too, and it took me a moment to realize that my mom’s halo is now mine!

It’s been a really cool story to share with others about how these materials have come a long way. Also, I like knowing that something I already owned was put to good use. I think my father would approve.

Photo Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73893950/latitude-longitude-custom-cuff-links?ref=ss_listing

Buying a romantic, manly gift can be an oxymoronic task. I set out to find such a treasure for my fiancé last Valentine’s Day. I knew I wanted to find him a sentimental gift for our last Valentines before our wedding, and hoped that the present would also be something that he could use in or incorporate into the “big day.” I wanted the gift to be “him.” He has an understated, manly sort of elegance that I admire very much, but that can be a tad difficult to shop for. And lastly, we had agreed on a $100ish budget for V-Day gifts.

While perusing Etsy (a wonderful playground of handmade and vintage goodies) for my own wedding jewelry, I stumbled upon a shop called The Pretty Peacock. While their name may not scream “manly,” it is, in fact, where I found the perfect gift for my future hubby.

Ana, the mastermind and craftswoman behind my gift and this wonderful e-shop, creates custom, brushed sterling silver cufflinks with a latitude coordinate hand-stamped on one link and a longitude stamped on the other. I chose to memorialize the exact spot of our wedding venue for his cufflinks, but you could also pick the spot of your first date or where he proposed. The result is a unique, highly personal, and romantic yet elegant gift. The gift was especially poignant because my beaux majored in geography and makes computerized maps for a living, but it could be a brilliantly sentimental gift for any man. And at $112 including shipping, it fit into our pre-arranged budget. All you have to do is enter the address you would like commemorated when you purchase the item, and Ana takes care of the rest! The resulting product is very high quality, and not at all frilly or girly. He loved them, and I can’t wait to see him wearing them on our wedding day and for years to come.

Photo Source: crimoramineretreat.com

Not that I have any experience planning a bachelor party, but a coworker and friend of mine came back to work raving about how good of a time he had in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western Virginia.  He stayed at Crimora Mine Retreat and it looked like a lot of fun! They did tons of outdoor activities: fishing, hiking, kayaking, and canoeing. And when it rained briefly, they had things to do indoors, too.

Photo Source: crimoramineretreat.com

The lodge they stayed in sleeps 10. I’m sure rates are different throughout the year, but just to give you a ballpark for those that are planning for a bachelor party, the group of guys spent $1150 on lodging and spent about $200 on food for the weekend. If the groom doesn’t pay and the friends all chip in, it makes for a very inexpensive weekend.

Photo Source: crimoramineretreat.com

And would a stripper respond to a call from a cabin in the woods? hahaha, I don’t know. If she/he cares about safety, I would think not! But what do I know. I’m not familiar with the stripper industry.

Which of Beverly Clark’s collection would you choose for your wedding? And why?

Choose from 3 designs below, each uniquely different in their appeal. See the commenting contest rules at the end for details. Good luck! These guest books make for nice mementos for your (or a friend’s) wedding.

Beverly Clark's Luxe Collection

Elaborate hand beading and delicate details give The Luxe Collection the allure of vintage inspired lace with modern touches.  This collection is elegantly created with a matte bridal satin in either white or ivory, and offers an exceptional charm that coordinates with almost any wedding theme.

Beverly Clark's Royal Lace Collection

The Royal Lace Collection combines the prestige of royalty with the delicate nature of lace.  Chic, elegant and regal, this ensemble is hand embroidered with silver beads on soft woven lace.  On white bridal satin, this collection is only available in white.

Beverly Clark's Crowned Jewel Collection

Brides are making a bold statement by utilizing the new Crown Jewel Collection, which made its debut earlier this year.  Truly inspired by royalty, the majestic crystal embellishment set atop a classic satin ribbon, makes a stylish, chic and creatively unique statement.  Set on a matte bridal satin, this ensemble is available in white, ivory and black.

Commenting Contest Rules and Mumbo Jumbo:

Photo Source: www.usps.gov

One of my hobbies is to write letters. I am always scoping out the newest and prettiest stamps. Therefore, I was so tickled when these new Forever Stamps came out from the United States Postal Service!

I like how these stamps, beautifully designed by “award-winning illustrator José Ortega,” capture a little bit of whimsy and a little bit of romance. My fiancé really likes the organic aspect of these stamps and I appreciate how colorful and light-hearted they are.

My best friend recommended that my fiancé and I plan to have our invitations weigh as little as possible. We did, and are going to get away with using just one stamp per invitation! Savings, design, and simplicity for the win!!

Congratulations to Jessica F for winning Universal Pictures’ Five-Year Engagement Giveaway! Jessica wins:

• $25 Visa cash card to spend on a “night at the movies”
• Movie merchandise: Cosmetic bag filled with lip shine, nail files, eye mask, purse hanger, comb/mirror and faux engagement ring!

The movie comes out April 27th. I got to see a sneak preview tonight, and I would say that it’s definitely funny. Like other movies that Jason Segel is in, the story line reflects painful reality in a humorous way. My takeaway (although I’m not sure comedies require that you have a takeaway) is that every couple has their own love story and their own unique journey to marriage. And also, some people take longer to realize what they want. Deep, I know. I find a moral in every movie, even when it’s not intended.

Photo Source: ubfriends.org

People are quick to give wedding couples advice for the wedding, but what about for the marriage? Hopefully you have a mentor or two that can give you advice as your marriage matures. I’ve given some of my own advice in the past, too. According to mental_floss, here are statistical ways to divorce-proof your marriage. Of course, I wouldn’t suggest changing careers in hopes to divorce-proof your marriage, but some of these you really can help. For instance, pulled from mental_floss:

• Quit Smoking
• Share Chores

What advice have you heard about divorce-proofing your marriage? 

I asked our style expert Jacqueline to give me her two cents on themed summer weddings. This period just before summer is always filled with excitement as brides finalize details for their weddings, and newly engaged brides-to-be start the planning process.

For many brides, the “perfect” wedding has been mapped out in their minds from childhood, complete with the big puffy dress with the marshmallow sleeves, a la Princess Diana in the early 80’s.

For others, a little help is needed, and we like to suggest for them to think of a ‘theme’ first.

Here are some of our favorite themes that we don’t get tired of seeing:

The Vintage/Retro Wedding

Laura Bush recently had a ‘vintage’ wedding complete with a horse-drawn carriage, bringing the era back to life. The most common aspect of a vintage wedding is bringing anything and everything that’s old and making it new again.

Think lace, black and white pictures, and antique table settings.

For brides who want an extra kick of nostalgia, bring the 70’s back and go ‘Retro’. Go for roller skates and an old-school milkshake bar.

SimplyBridal’s Linda gown is perfect for brides who want to take a step back through time.

The Fairytale Wedding

A fairy tale/princess wedding is all about ballroom elegance, like a page out of the classic tale of Cinderella.

From the beginning of an enchanted day, through to the ‘happily ever after’ reception, romantic lighting, arches and soft colors are very popular.

Princess brides love big, romantic dresses, with lots of flowing chiffon, such as SimplyBridal’s Celeste gown.

The Modern Bride:

The Modern bride, or ‘Non-traditional bride’ tends to stray away for all things pink and puffy, and loves looking for abstract ideas that are fresh and chic.

Modern brides will skip the three-tiered cake and instead opt for funky cupcakes and macarons, and choose Justin Bieber’s “Baby” as their first dance, instead of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight”.

Probably the biggest giveaway of a Modern bride is the introduction of color in her dress. This can be hues of red, or a black sash.

Our pick for modern brides is the sleek and sexy Michelle gown.

The Beach Bride:

By far the most popular of themes, the Beach wedding is relaxed and carefree.

From the California coast to traditional Hawaiian luaus, nothing beats that kiss at sunset!

Be beach-ready in Simply Bridal’s Deanna gown.

With four solid theme ideas that you can play with, we can’t wait to hear what your wedding theme will be!

About Our Guest Blogger

Natalie Tsang writes for SimplyBridal’s blog. SimplyBridal is an online retailer that creates beautiful and affordable wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses.

Extreme dieting for your wedding. Photo Source: New York Times

OK, before I begin, I must say, “what the heck? who would do this to themselves?” The New York Times wrote an article about brides taking extreme measures to lose weight for their wedding. Imagine getting your 800 calories through a feeding tube for 8 days, of course under the supervision of a doctor. This extreme diet costs $1,500 for a 10-day treatment and you have to be comfortable walking around with a tube in your face. They say that if someone exchanges their normal 3,000 calories/day for 800 calories/day, then of course, they will lose weight.

What happened to good old exercise and watching what you eat? Am I too old-fashioned? 

FYI, if you need a personal trainer in the DC area, Fitness Matters offers specials to Big Fat Cake readers.

Photo Source: unforgettablemoments.com

A few years ago I decided that wearing high heels just wasn’t for me. I’m fairly tall and work with children, so the added height was not necessary. This was when my love for adorable yet comfortable flats began.

I knew I wanted flats for my wedding and I knew I wanted them to be in an adorable color. The problem was, where could I find shoes that were classy, colorful, comfy and cost-effective? Ahhh, designer Lela Rose solved my problem.

While reading a Martha Stewart wedding magazine, I learned about www.unforgettablemoments.com. A sister program to Payless Shoes, Unforgettable Moments offers dyeable designer shoes at the prices Payless is known for. I have ordered two pairs of Charlotte Dyeable Ballet Flats, shown above in “orchid.” One pair is for my own wedding and the other is for a friend’s wedding. Both are beautiful and the colors are stunning.

The shoes arrived quickly through the mail and the low price included dyeing and shipping. I was also able to use a Payless coupon for 15% on the site!

Currently all of the shoes on the site are on sale and are a part of BOGO (Buy One Get One Free promotions).

My two pairs are very comfortable, though the bottoms are slick and I plan to scuff them up a bit in my driveway before wearing them on my big day.

I was also able to call the customer service line for Unforgettable Moments and talk with a representative about the color choices I made. She had swatches of the colors there with her and helped me pick the perfect color for each pair of shoes.

The beauty of all of this is that I spent a small amount of my budget on beautiful designer shoes AND I get to wear them again after my big day!