10 SUMMER DATE NIGHT IDEAS!

Hey Loves,

Today I'd love to share a silly little video I put together with my boyfriend, Austin on 10 Summer Date Night Ideas. I STRONGLY believe that no matter if you've been in a relationship for two years, or twenty, that you should always be dating. What I mean by this is that it's crucial to take each other out for dinner and drinks, try new activities, meet up with friends, etc. Keep each other smiling. 

If you do have children, I know this can often times complicate things and you feel as though you can no longer go out as often. HOWEVER, you guys need some YOU time away from the kids. Make it a plan to go out if not once a week, than every other week. Get yourself a sitter, whip out a fancy dress, and enjoy a night away with your special someone. 

Why Hire A Wedding Planner?

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A wise woman once told me, “At your wedding you are the guest of honor, not the host” and that is exactly what I tell all my clients. Everyone is there for YOU and you are meant to enjoy every moment and not worry about what’s going on behind the scenes and how to assist your guests.

There seems to be a big misunderstanding that hiring a wedding planner will cost you a fortune. When in reality, a planner can save you a great deal of money in the long run. I know what you’re thinking...this girl must be crazy - but hear me out. Because we work daily with vendors in the area and have established relationships, we’re often able to get discounts on their services. We also know exactly which ones are reputable and able to fit well within your wedding budget. Most wedding planners also have a few different packages available for their clients. With this, you and your fiancé can pick and choose which services best apply to what you’re looking for, and what you’re able to afford. 

Planning a weddings takes time. In the United States the average time for an engagement is 15 months. Most venues book up around a year in advance (especially late spring-November if you live in an area with cold winter months.) If both you and your fiancé work full time jobs, planning a wedding can be challenging and eat into a huge chunk of your nights and weekends. Having someone handle these tasks for you can be a huge lifesaver. 

To Minimize Stress and Maximize Smiles. Chances are this is one of the biggest days of your life thus far and you deserve to enjoy every second of it. There are plenty of engaged couples out there who want to plan out their wedding all on their own, and that is perfectly fine! But, when it comes down to the actual day of, who wouldn’t want someone to come in and assure everything goes smoothly, allowing you to relax and live in the moment? Finding yourself a wedding planner to come in with a timeline for the day, confirm times with all of your vendors, and run the show behind the scenes is exactly what you need in this case. Like I mentioned earlier, you are the guest of honor, not the host. 

Style and Etiquette. There always seems to be questions when it comes to wedding etiquette. Not only will the planner be able to inform you on the correct way to handle things, but they’ll also be able to share a great amount of intel from working in the industry. Whether it’s the current fashion trends, how to work with a small budget and still have a beautiful wedding, advise and assistance with decor, or how to host 500+ people, a coordinator is who you need to turn to. 

We’re Fun. You’ll be spending a lot of time talking with your wedding coordinator, so it’s important to find one you click well with. Through this whole process I’ve become pretty good friends with several clients. Instead of leaving a million tasks for your maid of honor or your mother (both who likely have things to do of their own) you can leave those details in our hands. 

xx

kell  

How To Handle Controlling Parents

Totally get it, parents can complicate things when it comes to planning a wedding. I’ve had clients come to me specifically because their mother tries to control every aspect and put an opinion into everything, therefore, they need a middle man to control the situation. This becomes even more difficult to deal with when the parents happen to be funding the wedding. Although it is a big deal to see their child tie the knot, it’s YOUR wedding day and YOUR vision is what matters most. It’s my job to remind the parents of this. One thing I suggest to clients is to think about what is most important to you when envision your big day. You could even make a list - most important to least important - and stick true to the things you know mean the most to you, and let your parents feel needed by allowing them to help with the other things lower down on the list. 

Other complicated situations can arise when dividing up the budget between divorced parents. If one set isn’t as financially stable, often times the more capable parent may agree to pay a greater share. Other times it may just be up to the bride and groom to dig into their savings to help assist with the overall cost. BE SURE to tell both sets of parents at the same time with equal enthusiasm! This is so important. By no means do you want to start the process of planning off on the wrong foot by making one parent feel belittled. 

Overall, try not to upset them. This is a big day for them as well. But on the same token, this is likely the biggest day of your life thus far and your wants need to be the first priority. Don’t lose sight of that.

xx

kell  

Everything Etsy

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I could go on and on about my love for Etsy but I’ll keep this one short and sweet. This is the perfect site to explore around on when you want to add your own flare to your big day. Not to mention, a cheaper alternative in most cases when it comes to decor. From save the dates, to customized wedding invitations, guest books, cake toppers, centerpieces, this website/app really does have it all. How cute is that table number? All you’d need to buy separately are a few frames to go with it and you’d be all set. 

I linked all of the above photos to their Etsy pages below the picture. Off to the side on the page you will be able to find similar options, or feel free to to browse the hundreds of pages under each category. Warning: it gets’s quite addictive so approach with caution ;)

PS. A future post is coming about Etsy engagement rings, I promise! 

xx

kell

The Ring

Found on one of my favorite blogs livvyland.com

Broklyn View Photography via Style Me Pretty

Debebians

Okay fellas, this post is for your eyes too so pay attention. The point has officially arrived in your relationship where you want to spend the rest of your life with the person you love. What are the first steps in figuring out what ring is right to pop the question with??? I’ll go ahead and break it down for you. 

(Think of what’s important to her before you even begin this process. Would she/he want you to ask their fathers permission, etc. If so, make sure to accomplish these details before attacking these next few steps). 

Step 1: Your budget. How much can you realistically afford on a ring? I hate to break it to you, but they aren’t cheap. The national average as of 2014 is $4,000. On the bright side of things, this is a piece of jewelry that will be worn for the rest of their life, so it should be worth a pretty penny. If money is a concern, there are a few alternative routes such as finding a ring via Etsy (a future blog post on this topic will be coming soon, I promise)! Once you have that figure in mind is when you can begin your research. Make sure to be open with your jeweler about what you can afford so they don’t show you options outside your budget.

Step 2: Investigate. Chances are she might have a Pinterest page dedicated to her dream wedding. If so, bingo - look there. Consult a sister or best friend of hers for some advise if you need extra help determining her style. While your investigating you MUST find out her ring size. Be sneaky about it. Steal a few rings of hers for the day to take shopping with you. Look online at similar styles within your budget to determine where you should shop. Compare the prices online before wandering into a bunch of different stores and this will save you lots of time.

Step 3: Think Ahead. What type of wedding band might complement the engagement ring? Is it important to you that your wedding band match the color of hers? And last but not least, how do you plan on popping the question? 

Step 4: Keep Calm & Carry On. I am SO excited for you guys. I’d bet that everyone else will be too. Keep smiling. So many big things are coming your way and keeping a positive attitude about it all is key. When planning seems too stressful, that’s when you can give me a call ;)

xx

kell  

Welcome To The Blog

Hey everyone! Welcome to the blog :) 

First of all, Happy New Year! I cant tell you how excited I am for this. I’ve been working on both the website and the blog months now and it’s a great feeling to finally be able release it to the public. My website will provide an outline for my wedding planning business and the package deals I provide. Here, you’ll find a deeper look at my life and what all goes on behind the scenes. 

This blog will showcase some of my wonderful clients, their love stories and how together we created their dream wedding. It will also have DIY tutorials for wedding decor, make-up and skin care tutorials for the bride to be, dating and relationship advise, as well as tips and tricks I’ve learned throughout this whole process. 

I will be posting something new every Wednesday. So if you’re anything like me you may want to go grab a glass of wine, a notepad to jot a few tips down, sit back, relax, and stay awhile. I can’t wait to share this experience with all of you. Cheers!

xx

kell