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Do Tell: What's the Worst Wedding Planning Disaster You've Ever Heard?

DearSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Once the save the date cards are out, it's time to plan, plan, plan! As we all know, it takes a small army to plan a big wedding, as well as patience and staying power. But with so many cooks in the kitchen, it's just a matter of time before something goes awry. Even if you're one of the lucky ones who has a wedding planner to help with the details, mistakes can still happen and important details can slip through the cracks. So ladies, what's the worst wedding planning disaster story you've ever heard? Perhaps the invitations were printed for the wrong date or the officiate never showed - whatever your story is, do tell, because we'd love to hear it!

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

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Geek Tip: Get Organized With Wedding Planning Software

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:03:07 -0700

If you're anything like me, you like to keep a firm hold on the reigns when it comes to planning and organizing events. Like the saying goes, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself! Although I have nothing against professional wedding planners, I personally would want to know what is going on behind the scenes at all times - especially when it's an event as big as my wedding. So even if you're going the traditional route for the big day, indulge your geeky side with a great wedding planning program to help you stay focused, on time, and within budget.

For my PC users out there, I've found an exceptional program called IDo ($30) that has tons of features to keep you on track. From contacts, invites, and flight info that you'll need before the event, to gift lists and thank you cards for after, it covers everything. IDo even comes with a budget tracker to keep you from overspending, and task lists and time lines to remind you that the wedding cake flavors must be decided by next week - or you'll end up with an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins! Not that I would complain about an ice cream cake any day of the week. . .

For my Mac comrades, I have a great solution to your wedding planning nightmares. To find out what it is, just read more.

Brought to you by MacWare, Wedding Planner ($30) has all the features you need to get you from the wedding shower and party events to the honeymoon and more. What's included? Guest lists, menu and budget trackers, style guides, task lists for fittings and tastings, help to print your own wedding plans and invites, plus help on planning that all important honeymoon! Seriously, this product has you covered. Plus, with the low price tag in either case, why pay a small fortune for someone to do it for you, when you can be just as stress free and do it yourself?

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To see more of our wedding coverage, be sure to check out I Do Sugar.

Wedding Planning Week in Review

DearSugar — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

If you missed any of wedding planning week here on Dear, check out my recap below!

Learn proper wedding reception etiquette, like how to arrange your seating chart and the best way to incorporate speeches and toasts.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently at your wedding?
Know of any wedding disaster stories? Share them with other Dear readers!
Need some help tackling that hefty guest list? Make it easy with Dear's handy tips.
When it comes to inviting kids to the big day, where do you stand?
Weddings are expensive even if it is not yours, so who do you think should have to pay for the bridesmaid expenses?
Stay on top of your wedding planning and check out part two of our wedding timeline.
Would you ever write your own vows?
His mom just won't butt out of the wedding planning! How would you handle this?
I've got everything you need to know to plan your rehearsal dinner without the fuss!

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

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Dos and Don'ts of Healthy Wedding Planning

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Let's face it: planning a wedding is stressful. Depending on how big your wedding is, it could be one of the most stressful projects you've ever taken on. So amid all the excitement, it's important to keep yourself fit, healthy, centered, and sane. Here's what do to (and what not to do) when planning a wedding the fit and healthy way.

Do make a plan. It sounds basic, but start by planning out your timeline, then go down the list one by one. Otherwise, you'll easily feel overwhelmed.
Don't be shy about accepting help. People have gotten married many times before, so why start from scratch? Registry checklists, like our downloadable registry, will save you serious time. You'll also have people offering to help you left and right, so let them!
Do come up with a fitness plan. If part of your plan includes getting fit for the big day, map out a workout schedule - with the help of online programs or a trainer - to keep yourself on track.

For a few other ideas for how to stay sane while planning your wedding, read more.

Don't overdo it. Getting in shape shouldn't mean setting unrealistic goals that require crash-dieting and unsafe lifestyle changes. Losing a maximum of two pounds a week is considered reasonable.
Do make time for yourself. You'll be bombarded by people and questions right through the wedding day, so set aside some alone time for yoga, massages, walks - whatever.
Don't neglect your workouts. Make sure your exercise routine doesn't get lost in the shuffle. Put workouts on your calendar, alongside all your wedding appointments. If you want, recruit a special wedding workout buddy.
Do control your party-food intake. You're likely to attend some engagement and bachelorette parties before the big day, but if you're trying to stay slim, keep your indulging in check. Have a bite of something you're craving, then move on.

Any of you recent brides out there have anything to add? If so, share them in the comments!
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Working Girl's Guide to Wedding Planning, Part I

SavvySugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:23:42 -0700

Everyone always says the time between your engagement and wedding will fly by - between work, wedding planning, and everything in between there's barely time to come up for air. It's important to keep your priorities in order and recognize that while your wedding represents one of the biggest days in your life, you need your job for your everyday livelihood and can't let those responsibilities take a backseat. While wedding planning can be stressful at times, think of it as an extracurricular activity that you should try your best to leave out of the office.

It can be tempting to use your company's resources to help you achieve ultimate wedding planning efficiency. There's a fax machine 20 feet away from you and empty conference rooms just waiting for you to call your florist with an idea that just hit you. It may all seem pretty harmless, taking 15 minutes out of your work day to accomplish some wedding business, but put yourself in your employer's shoes before you start reserving the conference room for you and your cell every day at the same time. To see why I think this is important just read more.

In your mind, those handful of minutes represent time you'd be taking a break looking up recipes or getting your hourly dose of Sugar, but it's doubtful that your employer shares your rationale. Picture this scenario: You've given out the company's fax number to all of your vendors, and without warning your band faxes over a set list for you to sort through. Your boss is expecting an important fax and intercepts the fax meant for you, that's blatantly not work related. While some bosses are understanding about the demands of wedding planning, most would prefer the only multitasking done at the office makes you a more productive worker, not a more efficient wedding planner.

Bottom line: You need to care about your job. You also need to stay on your employer's good side during wedding planning because you may need to squeeze in some last-minute appointments as the wedding date comes closer. They'll be more likely to oblige to any emergency requests if you maintained a high work ethic throughout the planning process.

To see all of our wedding season coverage, check out IDoSugar.

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Tips and Tricks For Planning Your Wedding Online

GeekSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:25:06 -0700

Wedding season is in full swing on the Sugar Network, and being the geek that I am, I can't stress enough how easy and convenient it is to plan your wedding online. Sites like Our Wedding Day can act as your personal wedding planner by providing an online address book, a virtual seating planner, a rsvp manager, an online budget manager, and help you create "save the date" e-cards, and best of all, your very own personalized wedding website. Here are some more tips to help you plan your wedding online:

Creating Your Own Wedding Website: Follow these simple steps to create the ultimate personalized wedding website.
Wonderful Wedding Websites: These helpful wedding websites will be your saving grace before the big day. You're guaranteed to find one that fits all your wedding planning needs!
Registering Gifts Online Is a Breeze: Forget the hassle of wandering around brick-and-mortar stores when you can easily create an online wedding registry with the click of a mouse!

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Working Girl's Guide to Wedding Planning, Part II

SavvySugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:29:51 -0700

The number one thing to keep in mind as a working girl in the midst of planning her wedding: delegate. Believe me, I know it's hard to release your death grip from the reigns of planning, but assigning a few responsibilities to willing family members and your fiancé will do the opposite of what you think. Disaster won't ensue - in fact, you'll probably enjoy the lightened load and will be able to focus more on getting ahead at the office. And if you're a little Type A about your flawless wedding, just reassure yourself by noting that the parts you're responsible for planning will be just so. To see my other tips about juggling your work and wedding planning just read more

Ideally you should schedule your wedding related appointments for the weekend, but if a particular vendor is unavailable on weekends schedule them for before or after work, or during lunch if you have a long break. Depending on your profession, it may be an obvious choice as to what time of day would be best, but if it's not a given then mix it up a bit. You don't want to always be coming in late or always leaving early.
If you're planning a last minute wedding and don't have the leisure of time on your side, you'll probably be met with more constraints in terms of vendor availability. If that's the case and you have to set up meetings during the work day, sit down with your boss and figure out when are the best times for you to be out of the office. Avoid any important meetings and deadlines, and be courteous by letting your boss know the exact times you'll be unreachable. They'll appreciate the open communication and the concern you've shown for your work.
Get organized by detailing all of your appointments in your calendar along with automatic reminders on your phone or computer. There will undoubtedly be some last minute, unexpected items to take care of, but these will be limited if you never miss an appointment or have reminders popping up and urging you to handle specific tasks.

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.

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Get in Shape While Planning Your Wedding

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Being a bride-to-be is joyful and exciting, but there's no denying that planning for the big day can be really stressful. You have so much to think about: flowers, the ceremony, invitations, your dress, the cake, and the honeymoon. Planning the wedding can be as much work as a full-time job! In order to prevent feeling overwhelmed with your enormous to-do list, you're going to have to make multitasking a part of your planning process.

So kill two birds with one stone by researching wedding info while working out. You can download wedding podcasts from iTunes and burn calories and tone up while you listen. Here are a few for you to try:

For free, download The Wedding Planning Audiocast, which is the Internet's number one wedding show heard around the world.
Also at no cost, download 70 of the most recent podcasts from Wedding Podcast Network.

To see what else you can listen to while hitting the gym, read more.

Download free episodes of Wedding Workout from the Wedding Podcast Network to help you get bridal-gown ready.
If you need more wedding exercise ideas, check out five free episodes of The Healthy Bride Podcast Workouts.
If a green wedding is important to you, check out two free episodes of Your Guide to Green and Eco-Chic Wedding.
Brides Magazine has four free podcasts that discuss the latest trends, style tips, and cost-saving strategies in planning your wedding.
If you don't mind paying a little, the audiobook called Wedding Planning ($12.95) gives insights from wedding planner Susannah Richardson, so you can have as little stress as possible when planning for your big day.
Or download season six of Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? for $17.99. It shows how wedding planners help real couples get through the hectic planning process, and have the wedding they always imagined.

If these don't float your boat, there are tons of other wedding-related podcasts from iTunes, so you're bound to find something that will help make planning your wedding a little easier.

For more wedding tips, check out all of the Sugar Network’s wedding coverage here.

Awkward! Wedding Planning With Fiancé Causing Tension

TresSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

I know a very modern bride who is beginning to wonder if she really knows the guy she's marrying. It's not that she's having second thoughts - it's just that planning their wedding is highlighting differences of opinion about tradition and convention she didn't know were there.

For example, this bride is hip to the fact that weddings are not unique events. Lots of people get married. At the same time, she wants her wedding to have a personal, nonconformist touch. This is where the conflict with her more traditional fiancé has come in. He values conformity and sees it as a social good. Unlike his fiancée, he actually cares what other people think.

So what are the differences of opinion they have about how they should plan their wedding? To find out read more.

First off, she doesn't want name cards at the table. He thinks they're classy; she thinks they're an unnecessary cost and a waste of paper.

Secondly, both have agreed to cupcakes instead of wedding cake (OK, so traditional guy is a little nonconformist), but he wants vanilla (because "it's supposed to be that way") and she likes chocolate because . . . it's more delicious.

Last but not least - the guest list. The bride wants to give their moms a guest limit so that they don't invite too many people and overrun the wedding with people they don't know. He doesn't want to tell his mom that there's a limit and, in addition, he thinks having a lot of diverse people will make them look good to other people.

Should weddings conform to traditional wedding etiquette at the expense of personal touches, practicality - or the bride's wishes? How should this bride and groom get over their differences and celebrate their union? And finally, have you ever experienced something similar?

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Wedding Planning Frenzy: Plan Time For Yourself Too

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:00:00 -0700

The details of planning your wedding can become overwhelming. While you are planning all your meetings with the various parties involved, from caterers to future in-laws, make sure to schedule some time for yourself. And make some of that precious time workout time. All forms of exercise, from lifting weights, to running, to yoga, requires deep breathing and deep breathing will help you relax and burn off some of the tension induced by all those wedding details.

I think it is important to take care of yourself while taking care of the business at hand. You can even ask your soon-to-be-spouse to partake in some fun fitness activity with you. You can spend time together that doesn't involve seating charts or china patterns.

Take out your calendar now and pencil in your workouts. Better yet, write them ink and think of them as meetings you just cannot cancel. After all, isn’t the bride the most important member of the wedding?

Be sure to check out iDoSugar for more wedding-related ideas.

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