The Honeymoon!

Posted on December 7, 2014December 7, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

Don’t worry…even after the let-down of the life aterning excitement of your wedding, you still have something to look forward to…the Honeymoon! These days, the trend seems to be tropical. Just as weddings have become more lavish, so have honeymoons.

When Kenny and I got married, he booked our Honeymoon through a travel agent – imagine!?! With the advent of the internet, your options to check prices, virtually visit the venue, comparison shop and get customer reviews are endless. Something is new everyday.

I think the best option for a young couple who has the monetary means and time, is an all-inclusive package. Because you know, even with the best of budgeting, vacations costs are always more than you expect. If you go the “all-inclusive” route, you know at least your airfare, airport shuttle, hotel, meals and bar tab are covered. Keep in mind, that most likely there are excursions/sight-seeing options that will be an additional cost – but I bet you can go on-line and get a price menu for those. This will help you stay on budget.

All- inclusive packages are also a way to ensure you are grouped with people of your same age bracket. Maggie and Rob went to Jamaica on such a package, and they enjoyed seeing the other young marrieds at their resort. I wouldn’t be surprised if KK and Tyler choose this option.

At the very bottom of this blog is a chart with likely expenses. Notice many would be covered in the all-inclusive.

Some couples might choose to delay their Honeymoon until they have saved funds for such an adventure. This is not a bad idea, as it gives the bridal couple something else to look forward to. Kenny and I did that. We went to San Francisco for a long weekend right after the wedding, then enjoyed a week in Mexico six months later. It was a better time in the calendar year for us, and we had time so “Save Up.”

Friends of ours saved up to go and stay in one of Exceptional Villas’ St Barts villas for their honeymoon. I can’t even imagine how fantastic that must have been – their own slice of paradise!

Whatever you decide…I highly suggest resting the day after the wedding, then starting your Honeymoon. You’ll be glad you did.

Header: www.erichegwer.com

Image #1www.naturepictures.co

Image #2 Huffingtonpost.com

Image #3 Luxuryprivatetravel.com

Image #4 www.netplaces.com

Wedding Jewelry!!!

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

Wedding Jewelry…will you wear pearls or diamonds? The jewelry you wear on your wedding day can be sentimental, heirloom, or a fashion statement. Lots to think about… If you choose a dress that is fairly simple, i.e., little lace, beading, and fluff…you might want to “Kick it Up a Notch.” You can do this with jewelry. I personally favor pearls, but diamond, or cubic zircon, can lend an air of panache. Check out these diamond wedding bands to see what I mean.. The model below incorporates both! I especially love her veil. The rhinestones add a special touch. I like the way it covers just to her brows, but not her eyes. This adds a softness, an air of innocence without completely covering her face – good for photos!

What about using jewelry in your bouquet? The bouquet below is made of silk flowers with jewels interspersed. It’s novel and I’m quite taken with it. I think someone who was truly crafty could make a gorgeous, unique bouquet. I image eBay or tag sales would be a great place to pick up some vintage pieces. I collect clip on earrings, (I don’t have pieced ears), and find GREAT deals on eBay. They’re of surprising good quality too.

I’ve saved the best for last…below are art deco rings. Our KK will wear such a ring on her wedding day. As the first born daughter, of a first born daughter, of a first born daughter… she will wear my grandmother’s platinum diamond engagement ring. It’s much like the style below. It’s fragile, and I wore it infrequently. I was “saving” it. I wish I had worn it more, as soon…it will no longer be mine. But I will give it to KK with joy in my heart on her wedding day, as is our tradition.

Header: www.weddingwindow.com

Image #1 Galleryhip.com

Image #2 okajewelry.deviantart.com

Image #3 wedzu.com

Image #4 www.hugokohl.com

Decorate Your Wedding On A Budget!

Posted on December 4, 2014December 4, 2014 by Mary P Karnes

So you want to decorate your wedding on a budget? You CAN do it, and it CAN be beautiful. The photo above incorporates the bride’s color scheme in a fun festive manner…but the lanterns are relatively inexpensive. Paper lanterns not up your alley? Consider using the natural landscape beauty of your reception site. The beach photo below needs no decoration. It’s loveliness stands on it’s own.

Maggie and KK are fortunate with their wedding venues. Both have attractive features on their own which necessitate little or no additional decoration. Maggie’s venue, The Wadsworth Mansion, (pictured below), had beautiful furniture, draperies, paintings and hearth decorations. We added floral centerpieces. KK’s, The Pavilion At Crystal Lake, has a different type of beauty. It sports a rustic theme with a tiny lake and beach, gazebo, and a barn-type structure. It was just KK and Tyler’s style…lucky!

Would you like to add a little ” pizazz” to your decorations? DIY projects are an economical way to go. You can assemble them ahead of time to help you decorate your wedding on your budget. I love the photo below. This could be a center piece or an accent item placed at strategic locations (think guest book stand or wedding favor table).

I think I saved the best for last…I just LOVE the centerpiece below. It is so whimsical, delicate, and well…just plain pretty. The bowls could be purchased at a bulk rate price, and the roses could be obtained from a local florist at a reduced rate. You could request blooms your florist would have deemed not pristine enough for a floral arrangement – but perfect to float the heads of roses in a bowl!

My best advice – check out wedding blogs for ideas, (like mine!! :-), and pinterest —-then plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the process of making some DIY items. It really can be fun!

Header: www.weddingwindow.com

Image #1 temanten.blogspot.com

Image #2 wedwebtalks.com

Image #3 Patty Cloherty Photos

Image #4 diyweddingdocorations.org

Image#5 wedwebtalks.com

Let’s Talk Wedding Shoes!

Posted on December 3, 2014January 17, 2015 by Mary P Karnes

Second to your wedding dress and veil, the bride’s wedding shoes make the greatest statement. You can go for comfort, or style…or somewhere in-between. I think you may notice there’s a theme in this blog post… I like colored shoes. I like a bit of flare.

I wore plain white pumps. No embellishment, no sparkle, no flash. Maybe that’s why I so like the panache of a little color. (Do you know how hard it is to find white shoes in the winter? – We were married in January, and I put off getting my shoes till the last minute! I purchased them at South Coast Plaza, Orange County, California – in the third week of December.

click on the link below to see this wedding shoe for $ 22.99 from amazon.

V-Luxury Womens 32-LARISA39 Round Toe Flat Ballerina Ballet Shoes

The crowds, unbelievable. I knew Kenny truly loved me when he offered to drive me and stuck by my side the entire trip…except when I tried the shoes on, of course! He hated shopping then, as he does now…somethings never change! 🙂

If I had been smarter, I would have purchased my shoes at the bridal salon where I got my dress. If I recall correctly, however, they were too “flashy” for me at the time. NOW look what I think is beautiful!

KK has the cutest idea for her wedding shoes. I wish I could share it with you, I will after the wedding…but can’t yet. She is incorporating comfort AND style. She has a bit of a shoe obsession…

There is no need to buy your shoes at a bridal salon. There are so many options out there on the internet. But be cautious…if you order something from an on-line store overseas…you may be out of luck if you need to return them. I ordered a bridesmaid dress from such a retailer. Even though they said they had a “return policy”- they didn’t. They would not accept my return – and the dress was faulty – they wanted to “remake” it, plus have me order five more…really?!?