Wedding Wednesday – Lessons Learned

As you know, I recently traveled to LA to celebrate the wedding of my good friends, Mine and Colin. Of course I was glad to be there to support them, help out, and have fun, but I was also happy to bring home some wedding tips for myself! I was staying with Mine all weekend, so I really got to see 1st hand what the days leading up to your wedding entail. Here are some of my take-aways:

• In the months leading up to your wedding, check out Groupon and Living Social for deals that you and your wedding party can use. Mine was able to book mani-pedis for all of the girls for just $20 each using Groupon! It was a fun way to hang out together on the day before the wedding. You might also be interested in restaurant deals for lunch with the guys, hotel deals for the night before your wedding, or activity deals for your out of town guests. (Just be sure to read all restrictions and expiration dates.)
• Check out a flower market for fresh flowers instead of ordering from a florist. I couldn't believe the deals we found at the flower market! I'm sure LA has much more selection than Omaha, but I still think hitting up farmers markets for my wedding flowers may be the way to go. I may even plant a small bed of flowers in my yard!

• You can make your own bouquet. Mine wasn't planning on carrying a bouquet, but at the last second she snagged a bundle of orange sweetheart roses to see if we could do something with them. After watching a quick how-to YouTube video and picking up a $5 bunch of baby's breath from the grocery store, we were able to make this pretty little bouquet in about 15 minutes...for $15! We kept it in water overnight, and it still looked nice and fresh in the morning.

• Running with friends is a great way to knock out wedding day jitters...as long as it doesn't make you late for your hair appointment. Mine and I met up with 2 of her close friends for a morning run on her wedding day. We chatted, we joked around, and I think it was a nice way for Mine to spend a little time with friends before the stress of the day began.  However, none of us were wearing a watch, so we were rushed to make it to the hair salon.
• Prepare an 'emergency bag.' Think of anything you could possibly want or need on your wedding day and toss it in a bag. I have a feeling I'll end up with a suitcase full of "just in case" stuff. Some things to consider are: a bottle of water, a snack, gum, make-up, a mirror, tissues, paper towels, eye drops, blotting papers, a nail file, sunscreen, Chapstick, lady 'supplies', safety pins, bobby pins, hairspray, Shout wipes, Advil, Tums, Bandaids, and flip flops...especially if you're wearing 5 inch heels.

• Confirm all appointments. Apparently planning things in advance didn't really help Mine on her wedding day. TWO of her appointments were lost! The first was for make-up, which was easily resolved, but the second was for something slightly more important...involving a courthouse...but Mine managed to get it all squared away without any tears. Phew!
• Feel free to play the "It's my wedding day!" card. It's not every day that you  get married, so I think it's a completely legitimate excuse to get whatever you need. No one wants to piss off a bride, and people are generally excited to celebrate with you. Not only did this help Mine clear up her 2 appointment issues quickly and easily, but it also made for some fun announcements and cheers at the restaurants and bars that we visited. One (very sweet) bar owner told us, "Why didn't you call ahead of time?! I would have gotten balloons!"
• Scope out the parking situation ahead of time. Mine and Colin were really smart and sent out an email the day before the wedding, advising everyone to bring plenty of change for the meters. The meters at the courthouse only took quarters and each hour cost $3. It's a good thing they prepared us!
• Everyone loves margaritas. 'Nuff said.

• When food is out, people will eat it. They don't care what it looks like. They don't really even care what it is. They just love to eat. On that note, I totally think I can cater my own wedding. Yes, I know, that's crazy. But I've got a Costco card, so it's all good.
• Use wedding cards to keep track of thank-you information. On each wedding card you receive, jot on the back of it whether there was a corresponding gift and what it was. Also, take a quick second to capture a specific memory of the guest at your wedding or reception (Elaine's baby wore the cutest little dress, Marty's new girlfriend is named Anne, etc.) When you go to write your thank-yous, you'll have a chance to re-read the card and memory, which may help you write a more personal message. (As opposed to just having a list that says The Greens - Mixing Bowls, etc.)
• Enjoy yourself! I loved seeing Mine and Colin chatting and laughing with their guests. It really was a great party!