I am humbled. Thank you.

{Cedar Park,TX} – January 25, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce One Fine Day Weddings has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Wedding Planning!

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, One Fine Day Weddings was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.

One Fine Day Weddings is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate One Fine Day Weddings for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that One Fine Day Weddings is one of the very best Wedding Planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/one-fine-day-weddings-cedar-park/f509911f1d7c6fa9.html.

To learn more about the Bride’s Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire™, the nation’s leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.

If you are doing things the traditional way with bride’s mom and dad paying for the wedding, the rehearsal dinner is traditionally given by the groom’s parents.  And if your soon to be MIL is the one paying for it, she gets to plan it.  Hopefully she will be open to your preferences but keep in mind that you aren’t paying for it. 

Also keep in mind that saying “rehearsal dinner” is a little like saying “morning sickness” – you can have your dinner at any time of day.  Maybe for some reason you are having a morning rehearsal – feel free to do a rehearsal brunch afterwards!  Not that one must immediately follow the other…but if you are planning something at a restaurant, pre-dinner menus are always more affordable.  And don’t forget to consider off times too.  By having a late lunch or early dinner party, you may be able to negotiate better deals.

But much like your bridesmaids lunch, don’t limit yourself to only restaurants.  Have a casual cook-out at home.  Grab some take-out from a local favorite eatery and take it to the in-laws.  Take a dinner cruise on Town Lake and see the bats.  Why not take everyone to the Drafthouse for dinner and a movie – or for karaoke and bowling at The High Ball? Or for something really different – how about dinner on an old, working steam train?

There is one other thing to consider when planning your rehearsal dinner and that is who to invite.  Obviously your parents, siblings, and wedding party – and their assorted families.  It is polite to at least invite out-of-town guests that you know are coming in early.  And yes, if your wedding guest list is small enough, this has the potential to have as many people as attending your nuptials.  If budget is tight, keep it to just your immediate families and the wedding party (with significant others).  And provide the out-of-towners with a list of your favorite places closest to their hotel.

Whatever you decide to do, and whoever decides to host it, remember to relax and have fun.  Enjoy this time. 

Be Carefree,

Suzanne

I recently found this adorable pill box at Charming Charlie - at only $5 it would make an excellent addition to a gift basket! And the variety of styles and shapes enables you to pick a different one for each person.

Weddings are all about the couple to be married.  Everyone knows that.  And as long as you don’t turn into a Bridezilla, you’ll find your friends and family are willing (if not always able) to go above and beyond to assist in making your dream a reality.

So as your wedding day nears, don’t forget to thank those who have been there for you through the whole planning process.  Plan a get together of some sort for your bridesmaids the week of your wedding.  Have brunch at your favorite restaurant.  Too expensive?  Why not invite them to your home for a meal?  It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive – these people know and love you and are likely all too aware of your financial limitations.

Do your best to plan this for a time when all of your bridal party can attend.  Busy schedules and travel plans can make this difficult but if you let everyone know early enough in your planning process then arrangements can be made.  Personally I suggest not doing this the day before or day of your wedding – there is already enough going on those days!

This is also the time for you to hand out your gifts.  As I have mentioned before,  giving a gift specifically for your wedding isn’t really a gift.  However if you want to include something in a larger gift that can be used on your wedding day, that is okay.  For instance, I made necklaces for all of my bridesmaids but I also bought each of them a gift certificate for a store I knew they loved.  Years ago I received a small, personalized gift basket as part of a wedding party.  The basket still is in use on my bathroom counter and a sachet that was included is still in my drawer (and surprisingly still smells good over 13 years later!).  In fact I still use all of the items that were in that basket.  My friend Magan did something similar – she had tote bags personalized with our initials and then included personal items for each of us.  Remember, it is the thought that counts.

Your groom should do something similar for his friends.  Even if it is nothing more than inviting them over for an evening of Call of Duty and camaraderie.  Gifts for guys tend to be a little harder – they are always difficult to shop for.  If they like gaming, how about some accessories to make it more enjoyable?  Poker players?  How about a nice poker set for each – or personalized chips they can use when the guys get together for poker night? If you are lucky enough to have an unlimited budget, I highly recommend custom bobbleheads.  I bought one for my husband for Christmas and it was a HUGE hit (with him and everyone who saw it). Trust your groom – he knows where their interests lie, even if you do have to help him flesh out the idea a little.

And finally, don’t forget to actually SAY thank you to them.  Whether it is written in a card or simply said as you hand them a gift, everyone loves to hear those two words.

Be Carefree,

Suzanne

1.  Hire a beauty expert.  It’s your wedding day – pamper yourself!  Have someone else do your hair and make-up (and I strongly suggest you have them come to you).  Don’t forget to try them out if you have never used them before – your wedding day is not the day to find out she/he doesn’t have your foundation color in their kit.

2. Get a ready room.  If your venue doesn’t offer rooms for you and your bridal party to get ready in, make arrangements for somewhere close by so you can get ready together.  And have a place for the groom and his party to hang out before hand…they don’t need a lot of time or space to get ready but it’s always a good idea to have them in a room together!

3.  Don’t forget to eat!  It’s so easy to get caught up in your wedding day plans and forget about food.  Make arrangements for breakfast and lunch to be brought to you.  You don’t want to faint on your wedding day!  Or even worse, get too intoxicated because you don’t have enough food in your stomach.

4.  Choose your favors.  You don’t have to have wedding favors, but they are popular so if you want them don’t forget them!

5.  Buy gifts.  At the very least, you will want to buy something for the members of your wedding party as a way to thank them for being a part of your day.  Keep in mind the gift should not be something they have to wear for your wedding – because then it is really a gift for you, isn’t it?  And nothing says you have to get each person the same thing…feel free to personalize!

6.  Choose your music.  Hopefully you have already booked your ceremony and/or reception musicians.  You might also want to work on your Must Play list.  What songs do you want for the processional, recessional, introductions, first dance, parent’s dances, last dance, and cake cutting?  Equally important – what is on your No Play list?

7.  Make it official!  Don’t forget your marriage license!  In Texas, you need to get your marriage license at least 72 hours before your wedding but not more than 30 days before.

8.  Work on your ceremony.  Rules vary by religion on how much control you can have on your ceremony.  But if there is any chance for personalization – do it!  Work on your vows to each other if nothing else.

9.  Plan your honeymoon.  Even if you can only take a mini-moon, plan something to celebrate your nuptial bliss.  You can’t just go home!

10.  Think transportation.  Have you given any thought to how you will arrive at your wedding?  If you and your groom are arriving separately, and you are leaving in a special way, make arrangements to get your cars back home.

11.  Determine seating.  If you are having assigned seating due to a plated meal (or maybe just because you want to keep some people away from each other) don’t forget to make a seating plan.  And then how you will let your guests know where to sit.

12. Don’t forget the end of the night.  So often a couple plans their wedding down to every last detail…but they forget about the end of the night.  Who’s in charge of getting your gifts to your home?  Or your special champagne flutes?  Or the cake server set that has been used in your family for generations?  Or the photos you used to personalize your space?  Or any of the other dozens of items that need to be taken care of at the end of the night.  Just one more reason to hire a Day of Coordinator…she (or he) will take care of all of those things for you.

Be Carefree,

Suzanne

But now that the excitement and newness has worn off (just a little) you might be wondering what to do next.  You can find official sounding countdowns on what to do and when to do it on just about any wedding website - but they can be so full of to-do’s that they can be intimidating!  Here are 15 things I think you should do within the first 3 months of your planning process – sooner if you are planning a short engagement.

1.  Set a TENTATIVE date as soon as possible.  Tentative?  Why?  Because probably one of your toughest tasks/decisions will be finding a venue.  And being flexible (we are hoping to get married in the spring 2013) rather than steadfast (it must be April 24, 2013) can be a huge help.  Especially if the venue of your dreams isn’t available on your exact date.

2.  Hire a Day of Coordinator or Wedding Planner.  Booking a DoC or WP early in your planning process will help you save the most in the long run (though admittedly having a firm date will help – and is okay if you don’t know where you want to get married).  And for the busy working bride, having someone who you can discuss your dream wedding plans with can really help in the selection process – so you can steer clear of the perfect shabby chic venue when you are really looking for an elegant country club atmosphere.  Or vice versa.

3.  Set a budget.  It is important to set reasonable expectations of what you can afford for your wedding day – and stick to it!

4.  Start a guest list.  It doesn’t have to be your final count but you need to have a solid idea of how many guests you can expect.  You don’t want to try to squeeze 150 people in a venue that maxes out at 100.  And don’t forget dates or kids – you don’t have to allow them but don’t forget to account for them if you are okay with them.  Now is a great time to determine your wedding party – you will need bridesmaids, Maid and/or Matron of Honor, Best Man, and groomsmen.  And you can easily add ring bearer(s), flower girl(s), junior attendants and ushers if needed.  Be sure to include them in your headcount!

5/6.  Book your venue/Buy your gown.  If you know EXACTLY the type of venue you want then you need to find it now.  Not sure what type of venue you want but know EXACTLY the gown?  Then buy your gown first.  One will dictate the other to a certain extent so figure out which is most important to you and do that next.  Then the other.

7.  Set your date.  Now that you have your venue locked down you have your date – and you can start telling everyone you love.  If you will be getting married during a holiday or it is a destination wedding for you or the majority of your guests, then you should send out Save the Dates.

8.  Stationary.  I don’t think all of your nuptial stationary needs have to match but they should coordinate well.  They should tell a story and give your guests an idea of what to expect on your wedding day.  Save the Dates should go out at least 6 months prior to your wedding with the invitations being mailed 4-6 weeks in advance.  Don’t forget about response cards, menus, programs, and thank you cards.

9.  Find someone to marry you (other than your groom).  If you aren’t getting married in a church, then odds are you need an officiant.  Though some officiants won’t book too far out, others will book a year in advance.  And finding the perfect fit for you is essential – don’t settle for someone you aren’t 100% comfortable with on your wedding day.

10.  Find a photographer.  You can’t spend months planning your dream wedding and have it preserved by Uncle Bob’s shaky camera.   Do your research and find the right photographer for you.  I always say, love your professionals – and this can’t be more true than with your photographer.  This person will be your shadow ALL DAY.  So if you don’t really like him/her, your pictures will show it.  And please do an engagement session.  It doesn’t have to be cheesy but it is important for you and your beloved to become comfortable in front of the camera – and for your photographer to know which angles work best for you.  Making your wedding day photos that much more beautiful and memorable.

11.  Food and drinks.  If your venue doesn’t include one, you need to find a caterer.  While you’re at it, try to find a caterer that can handle your beverage needs as well.  And you can’t forget your cake!  Have fun and make sure you taste a lot!

12. Music.  Determine the type of music you want for your ceremony and the feel you want for your reception.  Whether you want a string quartet, a full band or a DJ make sure you allow plenty of time to find the right fit.

13. Stop and smell the roses…or any other type of flower.  Though you certainly don’t have to have traditional bouquets, most brides use flowers in some capacity.  And if you are one of those brides, be sure to find the best florist within your budget.

14.  The finishing touches.  And by that I mean your rental items (chairs, tables, linens), lighting/draping (any room can be completely transformed with the proper lighting and draping – but this isn’t essential), and decorations (be they floral or otherwise).

15.  Dress your party.  Now that you have your venue and gown and have determined the style of your wedding it is time to start looking for dresses for your bridal party.  Then you can determine how you want the men to dress – you don’t want them to be in tuxedos if your bridesmaids are dressed casually – and you don’t want them to be too casual if the ladies are in very formal dresses.

Be Carefree,

Suzanne

Photo by Big Box Photography

Suzanne was the planner for my October 2011 wedding. I would have loved to have had her as my officiant as well, but my husband really wanted to go with his pastor who he had known since childhood. Luckily, the pastor (and Suzanne) was willing to incorporate some other things into his standard ceremony. The ceremony Suzanne wrote was absolutely beautiful, it perfectly mixed the traditional, religious ceremony my husband wanted with the secular ceremony I preferred.

As far as the planning goes, Suzanne was absolutely stellar. She was there from the very beginning and helped me combine the elements I wanted to have in a way that made sense. I wanted the wedding to have a vintage feel, but also wanted to include books in some way (I am a big reader). She came up with a perfect combination of the two. My dad donated some of his old books, my mom picked up some old used ones, and Suzanne and I went through all of them to pick the ones that would look great incorporated into my table centerpieces and the dessert table. Unfortunately, I am in Dallas, so Suzanne was not able to come to all of my vendor meetings, but we emailed before the meetings and she set me up with a list of must-ask questions for each of them. Luckily, she did happen to be there when I met with my DJ/ lighting guy and I credit her presence with the fact that I got all my lighting at a much discounted rate.

At the wedding itself, there were a few issues going on that I know about now, but had no idea about at the time. For example – the bakery gave my cake away to the wrong people! I had no idea this happened, because when I got to the venue my cake was there, looking just as it was supposed to. Suzanne made sure they had another one baked and delivered to the venue before I was ever the wiser (and at a now discounted rate as well).

Overall, my wedding was stunning; even better than I had imagined, and I credit that to Suzanne. She was able to understand my vision and execute it perfectly.

Magan Chinnery

You deserve the wedding of your dreams.  If David Tutera has only taught me one thing, it is that every woman deserves the wedding of her dreams.  Yes, budgetary constraints may sometimes get in the way.  But there really is a way to make your dreams happen.  Think big.   Then figure out how to make that work within your budget.  And make sure you have reasonable expectations.  Though I want you to dream big, don’t expect to spend $10,000 on flowers if your entire wedding budget is $10,000.   Instead, figure out ways to make your limited budget look bigger than it is.  No idea how?  Hiring the right professionals will help.

You deserve to be pampered.  Stacy and Clinton really tout the importance of taking time for yourself.  So often we women take on the role of caregiver of everyone around us – except ourselves.  Find time in your day to do something only for you.  And on your wedding day most of all.  Hire professionals – for hair, make-up…everything.

You deserve to be Carefree.  Please don’t spend your wedding day running around worrying about where the cake or DJ is.  I don’t want you even putting on your make-up.  There is only one thing you should be concerned with on your wedding day: love.

Remember: you are worth it.

Be Carefree,

Suzanne

Wishing you peace, joy and most of all love. Happy New Year!

Today I thought I would take a moment and review my resolutions and see how I did….

1. I resolve to be the best I can be.  As I confessed when I made this resolution, I already try to do that everyday.  I think I did this pretty well.
2. I resolve to try new things.  I can remember several times over the course of the last year when I didn’t want to do something because it was new or I thought it wouldn’t taste good.  And while I didn’t always like the new things I tried, at least I tried them.
3. I resolve to take better care of myself . I definitely did this one!  in 2011 I started working out with Mike at Kelly Fitness and we have had weekly workouts ever since.  And as hard as those workouts are, I love how I feel afterwards.  In fact, I’ve missed them this last month!
4. I resolve to be more consistent with blogging. I’ve had some gaps but I think overall my blogging was more consistent in 2011.  Yay me!
5. I resolve to help more brides be Carefree. In 2011 I helped guide 23 couples (with 6 including planning or coordinating)  towards a Carefree wedding day (compared to 2010′s 21 couples with 4 including coordinating).  And although I am not able to give up my day job just yet, I consider that a great year. 

So I did pretty well on my 2011 resolutions….I think I will resolve the same for 2012.  How did you do on yours?

Be Carefree,

Suzanne

January:  Bride’s Choice 2011 on WeddingWire.com Allow me to toot my own horn – I won an award!  How awesome was that?

February:  Making the most of your budget Of course a post about ways to save money on your wedding day makes my top pick list!

March: 100 down It is important to remember there is only one thing that really matters on your wedding day.

April: Keeping Austin (weddings) Weird Maybe I am a little biased, but hey – I was on TV!

May: To all the DIY brides out there With a lackluster economy more brides feel the need to do everything themselves.  And this post talks about what is okay to do – and what you really should leave to the professionals.

June: Bridesmaids Understanding the dynamics of your bridal party is essential to a Carefree wedding day.

July:  Exit Strategy Looking back, July had a lot of good, informative posts.  But having an exit strategy is so important, I think it was the best of the month.

August: When Zombies Attack Not only are the zombie engagement photos awesome, but this post reminds you to have fun and be creative with your engagement photos.

September: A Moment for Reflection For me, the Reflection Dance has changed weddings forever.

October: Bid Your Wish for Wedded Bliss because Wish Upon a Wedding is a charity that I feel very strongly about – and relish each opportunity to forward their message along.

November: Excuse me while I repeat myself once again illustrating the importance of not only hiring a Day of Coordinator, but why you should be clear on your expectations.

December: This post!  If this is your first time to my blog, what a great introduction to my top blog posts of 2011.  Welcome!

Be Carefree,

Suzanne