A Christmas Wedding?

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

Would you ever consider a Christmas wedding? What are the advantages? Well, believe it or not, quite a few. First of all, if you are going to be filing your tax return as a married couple, you have tax benefits that are greater than filing individually. I know, not very romantic.

But consider this…you have a built in theme! Notice the picture above. All the red is striking and your color scheme is pulled together from the beginning. You have a theme everyone loves and so many ideas to choose from, from songs, to wedding favors, (think Christmas tree ornaments!), to signature cocktails (spiked eggnog…yummy!). Your church and reception venue most probably will have decorate for the season, making your job easier, and much less expensive. And red is such a festive/celebratory color. It just makes people happy…ok…I am biased. Red was the color we chose at OUR wedding 31 years ago… 🙂

And if you have out of town family you are inviting for the wedding, they may be more inclined to make the trip if they can spend Christmas with you as well.

The downsides…yes, there are some…you may miss out on anniversary gifts. Maybe that’s why so many brides choose to get married in June – it’s six months away from Christmas. A woman has something to look forward to… Your husband may not budget in a Christmas gift AND an anniversary gift in the same month.

If you do decide on a Christmas wedding be conscience of mailing those “Save The Dates” extra early to your guests so not make other plans for the holidays. And when those wedding invitations go out, allow extra mailing time as well. You do not want your invites to get lost in the Christmas card mail.

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Image #1 burnettsboards.com

Image #2 www.intimateweddings.com

Image #3 quotes.lol-rofl.com

Image #4 www.weddingfavor.info

Conventional Wedding Registry

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

So what is my opinion of the conventional wedding registry? Well…as a wedding guest, I love the idea. I can purchase a gift for the bride and groom that I know they want. I am assured that duplicates will not be made.

As a bride, I had a conventional gift registry. If you’re about my age, I bet you did too. What I loved as a bride, and still do to this day, is that I received items that I would probably not purchase myself. Sure, I could find the Best Toaster for my new house that I was sharing with my new husband but what about the more expensive or unconventional gifts? I am so glad that I have them. Our crystal is a perfect example. Kenny and I have a complete set of Waterford crystal from water glasses to liqueur glasses, and all the bar ware in-between.

I can’t think of a time when we would have splurged on such extravagance. There were always times when we were saving for a house, planning for a baby, saving for college. We use our crystal almost every day. Our wedding china, not so much. But it is wonderful to have, and makes “special occasions” special.

When Kenny and I got married, my parents gave us a wooden sculpture that my father had made – among other things, my dad is an artist. Sadly, I am not an artist, but continued the tradition my parents started. So now, we give our children something from our home for their wedding gift. We gave Maggie and Rob crystal candlesticks that one of my dear friends and bridesmaid gave us. KK and Tyler will also receive one of our wedding presents for THEIR wedding gift. I’m not telling yet what it is…but have something lovely in mind…

My thoughts on the “Alternative Wedding Registries”…such as a Registry for Honeymoons, or Home Down-payments?…I’m not a fan…but it’s not my decision to make. KK and Tyler…?? They will have a conventional wedding registry. I like how they are “getting the word out ” about their registry. It’s listed on their “the knot” website. If fact that website tells their wedding story. But THAT is a blog for another day…

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Image #1 www.belleandjune.com

Image #2 www.popsugar.com

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Image #4 personalorganizing.about.com

Wedding Registry Alternatives

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

As a bride or as a wedding guest…what do you thing about wedding registries? I as a wedding guest, AND as a Mother of the Bride, have mixed emotions. But if nudged to make a choice, I give them a positive nod. Please enjoy a reprint of an article from Asmomsseesit.com about wedding registry alternatives. Definitely food for thought…

Wedding Registry Alternatives

Knack is a wedding registry that allows couples to register for the gifts that are most meaningful to them instead of choosing from limited items at a big box store. You can register for gifts from all your favorite websites and just click to add them to your registry. Knack does have a catalog that can be helpful in providing ideas for items and you can also create listing for your honeymoon, cooking classes or contributions towards expenses.

Honeyfund started 8 years ago when a couple dreaming of a honeymoon in Fiji but struggled to pay for the adventure. Instead of the traditional registry, they created a simple registry page where their guests, family and friends could contribute cash as a wedding gift. Since then, over 218,000 couples have used the site to do the same.

Upon Our Star is where couples go to create a ‘wish registry’. Whether they wish for a dream home, a dream honeymoon or dream of paying for their child’s education, the site helps the couple fund their dreams with the help of their wedding guests. Once their wedding date has passed, the happy couple can collect for the dreams in the form of cash. There are bank fees associated with the payout but according to the company, is not for profit but for administration fees.

Merci Registry is a site that combines a little of everything, allowing couples to register for items anywhere on the web, from Etsy to Home Depot, as well as for cash donations for larger purchases. This site allows customization for a very pretty site that they can make their own and being their wedding wishes. There is a one-time set up fee of $29.95 but there are no additional hidden fees.

I Do Foundation is great for couples that enjoy celebrating generously with their friends and family. Couples can choose to encourage their guests to donate to their favorite or selected charity or create a gift registry including items from select department stores that have agreed to donate up to 6% of registry spending to the couple’s selected charity.

Hatch My House is a free registry where wedding guests can help the happy couple pay for a home that they’ve designed themselves. First, couples use the site to build a virtual house; they can choose the style, color and setting. The couple then indicates whether they’re saving for a down payment, renovation or home decor. Guests then donate in the form of virtual purchases, such as a window for $75 or a door for $125. It’s a fun way for friends and family to contribute without feeling tacky.

wedding registries alternatives From asmomseesit.com

So what do you think about these other options? If you’re looking to get something a little different and special, take a look at these canon cameras to see how you can help the happy couple capture their most precious married moments. Next time I’ll give my honest opinion…and what KK and Tyler have opted to do…

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Image # 1 bethebestguest.com

Image #2 www.chicagonow.com

Image #3 www.brides.com

Is This KK’s Wedding Dress???

Posted on December 10, 2014December 10, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

Is this KK’s wedding dress? Maybe yes…maybe no….All I can tell you is that it is KK in the photo…I have to say, I love the “Sweep Train.”

From an earlier post, “Wedding Gown Trains!” (click on the link if you want to read the post) I noted that the “Sweep” or “Brush” length train “…is most often less than a foot and a half long. This train just dusts the ground. It became popular in the 21 st century, and is the perfect compliment to the relaxed rustic type wedding that has become popular in the United States. It would fit right in a “Barn Wedding” theme.” Which fits in nicely with the outdoor, natural style KK and Tyler have chosen.

Purchasing a wedding gown, I have discovered, is much like buying a car. OBVIOUSLY, the dress will not be anywhere near the sticker price of a car…but I have learned that wedding gown negotiations are alive and well. Take for example, Maggie’s negotiations with the Grand Dame of all Bridal Salons, Kleinfelds. Click on the following link, “Kleinfelds, Part II” if you want to read the blog post.

KK found a couple of dresses she liked. When we got home from the bridal salon, I google them. The salon was spot on as far as the MSRP was concerned. But there were a few on-line stores, (which had legitimate store-fronts, I checked!), that offered the sale of the same dresses with perks. #1, order from an out of state store on your own, and have it mailed to you…no sales tax, and free shipping. This would be a significant savings…but that’s not all! I ask you, do I sound like an informercial now, or what?!?

#2, If you purchased the gown, (the same exact gown, no knock off, I confirmed…), from the out-of-state store, you would receive a $500.00 credit from their store/website for such things as bridal shoes, undergarments, guest books, champagne flutes, you get the idea. Sounds like a pretty good deal…but I still have questions, so many that we’re not going to take advantage of this GREAT deal…

So…what do you think of the RED wedding dress???

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Image #2 www.merleshop.com

Image #3 glambistro.com

Mother of the Bride

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Author: Mary P Karnes

A Christmas Wedding?

Conventional Wedding Registry

Wedding Registry Alternatives

Wedding Registry Alternatives

Is This KK’s Wedding Dress???