john-michaels.com Blog

12 Months Before
Buy a wedding planner or date book / Consult with fiancé and all parents about budget and style - from colors to cake / Select your attendants / Decide on wedding and reception sites and reserve both / Book consultant, caterer, photographer, videographer, florist, and musicians.

9 Months Before
With fiancé, visit clergymember or justice of the peace / Choose and order dress and accessories / Register for gifts / Begin guest list; have fiancé start his / Consult travel agent about honeymoon.

6 Months Before
Plan details with wedding professionals / Book calligrapher, portrait photographer, and limousines for wedding party / Order invitations and announcements / Complete honeymoon plans with fiancé / Set date to order attendants’ dresses / Discuss rehearsal dinner with fiancé.

3 Months Before
Finish guest list / Shop for lingerie and honeymoon clothes / Order wedding rings / Check state requirements for blood tests / make appointment with hairdresser / Talk to fiancé about reserving a block of rooms for out-of-town guests.

6-8 Weeks Before
Mail your invitations / Buy groom’s wedding gift / Choose gifts for your attendants / Have final dress and headpiece fitting / Have portrait taken / Pick up rings / Plan your bridesmaids’ party / Write thank you notes as you receive gifts / Send announcement to newspaper.

2 Weeks Before
Get marriage license with fiancé / Confirm honeymoon reservations / Submit ap.db list to photographer, videographer, and musicians / Address announcements to mail on wedding day / Arrange to move belongings to new home.

1 Week Before
Pack; get going-away outfit ready / Purchase traveler’s checks; inquire about ATMs near your honeymoon site / Give final guest count to caterer / Give and/or attend bridesmaids’ party / Check final details with wedding professionals / Keep up with gift acknowledgments / Remind attendants of rehearsal dinner details.

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There are so many wonderful resources available to soon-to-be brides - magazines, helpful web-sites, etiquette books, etc. Perhaps the best event planning tool is the showcase. Attending showcases and expos will be very helpful in saving you both time and money. During the show, you will have the opportunity to gather information from exhibitors in a variety of services, making it possible to plan your party or wedding in the least amount of time possible!

Here are some tips that will make your experience both productive and enjoyable. So on your mark, get set, start planning!

Before the show:

If pre-registration is available, pre-register – consider it your RSVP.
Dress comfortably and wear comfortable shoes!
Arrive early to ensure you have enough time to visit each vendor’s booth and ask plenty of questions.
Don’t go alone…. Bring a friend or two along to act as a second opinion.
Bring material or ribbons in your party colors so exhibitors can provide useful suggestions catered to your needs.
Bring a tote bag . This will help you stay organized and gather as much information as possible.
Bring your appointment date book so you can organize your appointments.
Make the best of the day by having questions ready.
Take pen and paper for note taking.
Bring your checkbook. You may want to reserve a date or book a service. Great discounts will be offered the day of the show.
Bring adhesive peel-off labels with your name, address, phone number, e-mail, and event date printed on them. You can make them yourself on the computer. They will save you time because you will need to write your name and address to register for the various prizes and promotions
.Bring bottled water and some snacks to keep your energy up.

DURING THE SHOW:

If you did not pre-register, register as soon as you enter.
Give everything the once over. Visit each exhibitor at least once – you may see something you didn’t know you wanted. Then go around a second time to speak to specific vendors.
Make appointments with vendors for a later date to discuss your event in depth.
Sign up for every contest that you possible can. Some vendors give discounts for their services and others give everything from toasting glasses to a free cruise.
Collect as much information as you can from each of the exhibitors. You will have plenty of time after the show to look at the information at home in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. You may think that you don’t need information on ice sculpting, but there is no such thing as being over-prepared.
Ask lots of questions. The exhibitors are there to answer your questions, no matter how many you have. They want to help you, and you should not feel pressured to buy from them.
If you don’t see something you like with at an exhibitors booth, they are likely to have photos of prior work where you may find just what you’re looking for.
When you book a service or purchase a product, be sure to check on refund policies and to read the contract carefully.
Enjoy the fashion show. It can get you started on your search for the perfect dress.
Have Fun!

AFTER THE SHOW:

Review at leisure all the materials collected during the show.
When additional concerns arise, feel free to contact vendors. They will be happy to hear form you and answer your questions.
Keep appointments made the day of the show.
Savor every moment of your planning time. This is a special moment in your like…. Enjoy!

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Wedding Receptions can be greatly enhanced by the addition of balloons. Balloons add a creative and unique touch to your wedding reception. providing glamour and sophistication and a beautiful touch that can fit any Bride and Groom’s budget. Balloon decorations direct the eye, emphasize colors, define areas, and beautify a room. There are a wide range of colors to match or complement many of today’s wedding fashions. For a different idea, have balloons imprinted with your names and wedding date!

Balloons can be used in a variety of ways for a wedding ceremony. A standing heart arch, or a single arch of balloons can be the backdrop for the exchanging of vows. Balloon poufs tied to the ends of pews or chairs decorate the walkway or aisle At the doorway, clusters or balloon topiaries are a creative way to greet and welcome the guests. Decorating with balloons at your wedding ceremony will provide a subtle touch of celebration!
At your wedding reception, you may choose to create a spectacular first impression by framing the entranceway with a spiral balloon arch. For an incredible effect, transform the entry with a tunnel of arches! As your guests enter the reception, guide their eyes to the most important place in the room - The Bride and Groom’s table! This table should have special emphasis - frame it with an arch, columns, or the very popular free form heart. Other areas to decorate are the cake table, the gift table, and the dance floor. Imagine dancing under a canopy of balloons - or surprise the guest and put the focus on your first dance with a balloon drop!

Centerpieces for the tables can be very unique with balloons. Your choice of helium or air-filled balloons can depend on the reception room, whether it’s a ballroom, a restaurant banquet room, or a country club. The centerpieces can be combined with tulle, silks, chocolates, glitter, candy, or other creative accents.

The ideas and possibilities are endless for balloon decorating at a wedding. They will create a truly elegant and exciting atmosphere for a most important and special occasion - your wedding.

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Green is the word for amazing wedding table decorations this spring! Have you thought about using potted plants for your guest tables?

Potted flowers or herbs are less expensive than cut flowers, and you can save even more by ordering seeds now and planting them so they are blooming in time for your wedding. Smaller plants can be grouped together for more impact. Unlike cut flowers, which will wither up and be thrown away, your guests can take the potted plants home and continue enjoying them in their own gardens all summer long.

If herbs aren’t showy enough for your taste, you can dress them up with colored ribbon, raffia, or decorative stones. Gerbera daisies are especially colorful and make excellent centerpieces.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something Green!

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