Just a few lovelies from a search for wedding invitation ideas… and visit our pinterest board for more!

Check out this website (personalizationmall.com) for an adorable return address stamp… click here

I love this one…

by Peach Prints

…or these sparkly envelopes…

from bustleevents.blogspot.com

Here’s an elegant look by the american wedding…

www.theamericanwedding.com

If you’re getting married this summer, at the beginning of May you’re probably beginning to feel the crunch of the last-minute items & questions. It can be suffocating. It can feel like you have too many decisions to make in one day, and none the next. Is there no spacing this stress out?!?!?!?!

In a word…no. Unfortunately. HOWEVER, there are many things that you should know & do as you juggle this ‘crunch time’ of your wedding-planning process:

#1. It’s OK. I promise it is. Even if you are the ++ in an A++ personality — these last-minute planning crunches are going to happen. So the best advice I can give you is to allow for the last-minute things to happen, and to NOT beat yourself up and/or think that you somehow were not prepared. There is no getting around the little last items that come up.

#2. OK, Kati, you’ve made me nervous– what ARE these last-minute items & things I have looming in my future potentially? Well, here’s a few ideas on what I typically see & hear about:

RSVPs — You send our your invitations well in advance, and request the 1 month RSVP deadline. You receive tons of little cards & numbers and check marks on who is/who isn’t able to attend. This number will be passed along to your ceremony & reception facilities, your rental companies, your caterers, cake makers, wedding planners, parents/family members, and wedding party. There’s no getting around this step in the process if you requested RSVPs — but you can make it easier upon yourself. Set up a spreadsheet on your computer where you can easily plug in the responses as they come in. Names, number attending, and make a separate page in your spreadsheet for declines. While it may not seem important to track declines, that can come in handy if for some reason someone says, ‘Hey how about so-and-so — did you hear from them?’ Then you can flip to your handy-dandy decline sheet and see that yes, indeed they are there. Helps to sort out whose invitation or reply may be lost in the mail too. And it can come in handy for those questions that no one ever saw coming. (And MUCH easier than flipping through a stack of cards!)

TABLE FAVORS — Many table favors just can’t be made ahead of time. If you’re not doing flowers through your florist, you may be tackling those yourselves. If these table favors can be assembled over time in chunks, schedule yourself ‘crafting time’ — this may be time when you’re watching your favorite show on TV, when you’re talking to your grandparents on the phone, when you’re having the girls over for a bottle of wine, or just when you need some time to unwind. Sometimes crafting can be very therapeutic — and it helps when you are combining therapy with a to-do list item!

LODGING BLOCKS & ARRANGEMENTS — If you have out of town family/friends attending your wedding, setting up lodging, transportation, and other items can be very stressful and time consuming. You may not be taking care of this yourself — but they may still contact you with LOTS of questions. “Where is the closest hotel to the ceremony/reception?” “How far is the drive to the airport?” “What type of clothes should we pack?” and so on. Solutions?

Use your wedding website:  If you set up a wedding website, put this information there. You’ll still have to direct family and friends that call to the website to find the info, but it’ll be a much quicker and less stressful exchange.

Use your social media:  Send group messages to family & friends who plan to attend and link them to your wedding website or sites of lodging & other amenities in your area. Let them know they can find the info they need here.

Designate a Cruise Director:  Much likeThe Love Boat, you can have your own Cruise Director whose job is to direct guests to the travel resources and, best part, FUN! This person could be your maid of honor, although she’ll have jobs to do already; perhaps another bridesmaid, a family member, or a non-wedding party friend would be a great option. These people can focus on the information at hand and not feel stressed to be somewhere or be doing something else at the same time. (Hint: Your parents would probably not be the best option — they have a ton to do already, and should be enjoying their day — although your parents may still want to BE that option. Definitely have an open conversation about all that they already have going on, and make sure that’s something they really want to take on.)

THE SMALL ITEMS:  Your wedding day is going to be full of little pieces and parts — safety pins, bobby pins, extra tampons (because you never know), small cell phones, makeup items, special markers for the guest book, and so on and so on. Take a little time to set up some systems now that will help you keep all those little items corralled and easy to find on the big day! (And for those small cell phones — make sure you have your charger with you in case your phone dies that morning!)

Ziploc baggies:  I cannot sing the praises of gallon-size Ziploc baggies enough. They make my life Heaven as a mom. They keep my pens from exploding all over the insides of important bags. They make great frosting piping bags in a pinch on a cake decorating project. They just rock. Organize your small items into categories, and designate Ziploac baggies for those categories. Be sure to write in large Sharpie marker what those categories are, such as:  bride’s makeup; pins; guest book; table decorations; and so on.  Then separate your bigger items into totes or boxes that you label with the names of these categories. Zippies of small items go into labeled boxes, and voila! Things are together and categorized.

THE OOPS STUFF:  Things just happen. When my husband’s brother got married, we drove past his fiance’s sister on the side of the road, who had picked up the flowers for the wedding and had the large buckets tip over in her car, spilling water everywhere inside. Some small ring bearer is going to spill something somewhere as people are getting ready. Some flower girl is going to dig into her quick lunch before the ceremony and spill ketchup on her dress. A bridesmaid drops her compact on your aunt’s carpet as you’re getting ready and makeup goes everywhere. It’s just a possibility, but be prepared.  In your boxes & baggies that are all nicely categorized for the day, be sure to include some stain out sticks or wipes, antibacterial gel, paper towels, Kleenex, and consider some carpet cleaner just in case. Best thing about Murphy’s Law — if you have it ready, it most likely won’t happen!

These are just a few things that came to mind. Are disasters going to happen? Most likely, no. But if you’re prepared, the small things don’t turn into disasters. Keep your wits about you as you go through this — allow yourself time to be human! Breathe, vent, and take opportunities when you can to decompress and relax. Exercise, eat well, and set limits on your working time so that you can keep up on your sleep. Staying up until 2 AM to finish table decorations will only make you exhausted the next day, and it will not help you stay on top of things. While many things feel huge — and they ARE important — don’t panic or overreact. Take a calm approach and prioritize constantly. What things MUST be handled now — and what crises that your grandma calls you with in a panic are not as panic-causing as she thinks they are? Be kind to those that you need to put on hold and let them know that they’re important — but that you have other things that must be tended to at the moment. Or, put another wedding party person in charge of helping out the situation while you tend to urgent matters. It’ll all be fine in the end — and the stress will come down again. I promise!

You can do it! Keep going and remember that this most important day is going to be BEAUTIFUL — and one that you’ll remember forever! You’re getting married!

Best,

Kati Hime, Editor

editor@wyolifestyle.com

VISIT OUR WEBSITE & FIND A WY VENDOR:  www.wyoweddings.com

Thanks to Honey Bee Photography of Laramie for sharing this sweet engagement session with us! Michaela & Ben chose an engagement in the Snowies…and as is usual with the first quarter of the year, we see plenty of snow and make those mountains live up to their name! I love how Faith with Honey Bee added in that snow & cold to make some to-die-for shots…

Congrats to Michaela & Ben, and thanks to Faith from Honey Bee Photography in Laramie for sharing this spotlight with us! May we always have snow, so that we may always enjoy hot chocolate…

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

bloomsandblossomsfloral.blogspot.com

creativedesigneventsblog.com

www.emmalinebride.com

Martha Stewart Weddings

ribbonboxevents.blogspot.com

weddingwire.com

backyardbride.blogspot.com

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

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Thanks to Caiti Jackson Photography of Gillette for sharing this beautiful wedding with us! When you live in Wyoming, a western-themed wedding is definitely appropriate. The thing that I love about western is that you can vary its influence to meet your style — either a pair of fab cowgirl boots on your attendants paired with a cute cocktail dress…hats on the gents or hay bales for the guests to sit on…the bride rides in on her favorite horse, or simply some Mason jars with lemonade and a big open dance floor… It’s romantic no matter what you do. Thanks Caiti for this sweet spotlight!

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

Many thanks to Ludwig Photography in Laramie for sending this inspirational shoot our way! Here’s what Anne has to say about this Marilyn-inspired, vintage shoot…

Cassidy called one day and left a message that she had a deep desire, LOVE really, of all things Marilyn. Deep in my heart I could relate. But not just anyone could pull this off.  Marilyn was so natural, beautiful, and true in front of the camera.  Then I met Cassidy:  bubbly, energetic, beautiful both inside and outside — a sweet Wyoming girl as genuine as they come. The day was perfect and all the planning on my end paid off from the hair appointment to scouting around for weeks for the perfect car and location — yes, even nature provided Wyoming wind for that iconic moment. Cassidy could easily have been caught up in being a cliché — but something magical, beautiful and so empowering happened. She was simply stunning and completely the Cassidy we had come to know and love.

Photography- Ludwig Photography

Locations:  Historic WYO Theater- Laramie; Vintage Cafe — Born in a Barn Restaurant, Historic Downtown Laramie

1950 lovingly restored Thunderbird convertible provided by Ace Brummond

Hair-Grand Stylist, Laramie

Thanks again to Ludwig Photography in Laramie for sharing this fun shoot with us!

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

PINK! Must be said in caps. I love it. It was my carpet in my bedroom when I was a kid. It’s a song by Aerosmith. It’s a kick-butt tough-as-nails female recording artist. It’s power & femininity all rolled into one. I love it. 

As much as I love it, I never even thought about it as a color for our wedding. Which is kinda surprising, I must admit. Perhaps it’s because I was afraid it would be too ‘girly’ for my husband? Perhaps…although the color pairings that one can combine with pink can put the guy factor into any shade that you choose. (And, after all, if Justin Timberlake was okay with it for his wedding to Jessica Biel…and while I’m on that topic, did you know that Justin proposed to Jessica in the mountains of Jackson?!)

Here’s my little ode to pink… As Steven Tyler said, it’s like red but not quite… 

LOTS OF PINK ON OUR PINTEREST BOARD — CLICK HERE!

from burnettsboards.com

from signedbytina.blogspot.com

from signedbytina.blogspot.com

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

Click here to connect with part one of this engagement spotlight!

I’m so excited to feature this engagement from Dreaming Hollow Photography of Laramie! Catherine is a former Miss Wyoming, and her fiance, Clint, is just the most picture-perfect cowboy one could imagine… What a great set of images! But I’m going to quit yapping and share what Tessa of Dreaming Hollow has to say about these two…

When Clint and Catherine contacted us about their Engagement portraits, they mentioned right away that one of the angles of their love story that they wanted us to document was how they met in the soup kitchen of their church.  They asked if they could use our kitchen for part of the photo session.  Of course we said yes!

We asked Clint and Catherine if they would share a bit about their experience falling in love and how they met.  Here it is, in their words:

“Without God opening the doors and shining His light on their hearts, Clint and Catherine wouldn’t be where they are today: in each others arms. After numerous (secret) attempts by their mutual friends to set them up, Catherine’s dear friend and co-worker, Emily finally gave the situation to God and thanked Him for taking care of the rest. Soon after, Clint and Catherine locked eyes across the room at the High Plains Community Church soup kitchen, Sunday, 11/13/2011. They poured their hearts out to each other while serving pea salad and made plans to see each other again. The rest is history! Through Miss Wyoming experiences and adventures in Colorado and Wyoming, Clint and Catherine grew to be inseparable, despite their busy schedules. After a summer trip to Dallas to meet Catherine’s family, the deal was sealed. Clint proposed Labor Day weekend after a beautiful horseback ride in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The love, the moment, and the proposal couldn’t have been more perfect! With their friends and family by their sides, the couple plans to say, “I do” beneath Devil’s Tower on August 31, 2013.”

Thanks to Dreaming Hollow Photography of Laramie for sharing this great engagement spotlight — be sure to click here to see part one of their shoot, from the Snowy Range Mountains of Southeast Wyoming!

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

I’m so excited to feature this engagement from Dreaming Hollow Photography of Laramie! Catherine is a former Miss Wyoming, and her fiance, Clint, is just the most picture-perfect cowboy one could imagine… What a great set of images! But I’m going to quit yapping and share what Tessa of Dreaming Hollow has to say about these two…

“I had the very special privilege of getting to know {Catherine} after photographing her Miss America head shot.  Imagine how excited  we  were when we found out she was ENGAGED to a very handsome COWBOY and that they  wanted us to photograph their engagement session and their wedding coming up in August 2013.

“While discussing options for their engagement session one of the first things they mentioned is that they wanted something outdoors, something big and beautiful, and what could be better than our very own Snowy Range Mountains!  We are just so very fortunate to live in Laramie where gorgeous scenery such as this is just a short drive away and the creative photographic opportunities are just endless!”

A few from their Snowy Range shoot…I LOVE the things that they did with this — more than just Lake Marie (although the lovely lady is in there), but also the Libby Flats lookout and lots of great sunset shots (but I’m saving those for last…)

OK, there is just too much lovely for one blog post — yup, there’s MORE believe it or not… so I’m gonna make this into a two-parter!

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/

I have so many brides ask me this question: “Is there one thing I should make sure that I have on our wedding day?” While I can’t easily narrow it down to ONE thing, I can definitely name one thing that I would not have a wedding day without — a bride’s assistant. This is someone that is NOT in the wedding party. I know your knee-jerk reaction is to name your maid/matron of honor to this position, and she does have a position like this to a degree…but I still argue that a separate, independent bride’s assistant that is party-tie free is essential. This is the person who needs to be aware of all the ins and outs of your day — when the flowers, cake, catering, etc. will arrive – when the DJ will set up — where the musicians are supposed to be located in the ceremony space (for when they show up and are unsure)… and so on.

Why should this person NOT be your maid/matron of honor, or one of your parents or your groom’s parents/family members? Because. OK, just kidding — there is a reason, and it’s a doozy. Because they’re going to be busy enjoying your day. Your parents have waited your entire life (+9 mos) for this moment, so please don’t bog them down with worrying about details. They’re going to do that anyway. Let them know that you have someone responsible who is in charge of this, so that they can watch you as you get ready and walk down the aisle and let the tears of happiness flow unabashed. (OK, that was poetic. But you know what I mean.) Same with your groom’s family, and your wedding party — they’ll all want to join in your day without the stress of minute details.

In addition, remember that the rehearsal and wedding days are full of hair appointments, keeping track of tux pieces, saying hello to friends and family and being there to give you a hug in the moment. Having someone who doesn’t have to be sitting in a salon chair while frantically calling the caterer or someone to check on the cake is a HUGE benefit to the stress and flow of your day.

So we’ve defined this person, we’ve argued the reasons why they’re essential — now what should this person do? And how should you go about informing them of all that happens? I was blessed to serve in this role for a dear friend of mine — she’s one of the most organized people I know. We kept in contact every now and then over a series of months beforehand, then the week beforehand she really gave me the whole skinny on the day. Here’s what she gave me:

Ceremony outline

Reception outline

Reception table and decoration schematic

Where items of decorations would be located, who would be bringing them, and who would be setting them up on the wedding day

When the cake, catering, flowers, band, DJ, etc. would arrive, and where they would set up

Whether everyone had been paid, and if not, who would be expecting payment and where to find it (make sure you have those checks prepared and made out for the appropriate amount! Then it’s easy-peasy for your assistant.)

Names of people in wedding party (an added way super organized you’re a rock star bride bonus might be pictures of each member of the wedding party and their name!)

Who has the wedding rings — let your assistant know if this is someone they should regularly check in with, make sure they still have them (you never know who might enjoy the pre-wedding celebrations a little too much…)

The time that you want everyone lined up for the ceremony

When everyone should arrive for the reception; when bar & hors d’oeuvres should begin (keep in mind that everything is approximate, and remind your assistant of that too)

Now — when I filled in this role for my friend, I showed up at the decorating time, expecting I’d be orchestrating everyone. The friends of the mom were expecting they’d be orchestrating everyone — and to keep from causing a ruckus, I backed off a little bit and let them have that show. I figured that was important to them because they were close to her mother. I did make sure that nothing was left undone, but quietly and in an unobtrusive way. Be sure your assistant understands how to work with personalities and not cause tension — sometimes these things just happen. Everyone wants the best for your wedding day and those that they love — so no one does this to be unkind — they just simply all have their own ideas on how these things happen. Just remember that, remind your assistant and tell her/him to be flexible. All will be well in the end!

Can’t I just hire someone? YES! You absolutely can, and that is one of the great things about our awesome wedding planners who serve Wyoming! Many offer a day-of-the-wedding package. OR, you can hire them to help you coordinate AND serve in this role, and you get twice the benefits. Check our vendor page for planners for Wyoming!

Questions? I know we’ve left points unanswered here — so please email (brides@wyomingweddingsonline.com) or post on our Facebook page and we’ll be happy to expand upon this topic!

‘Til Next Time…stay inspired and keep going! It’ll be a beautiful day just for you!

Kati Hime, Editor

editor@wyolifestyle.com

LINK TO OUR VENDOR DIRECTORY & FIND A WY VENDOR:www.wyoweddings.com

OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS:  Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine http://www.wyolifestyle.com/ Wyovore  http://www.wyovore.com/ WYO XY http://www.wyolifestyle.com/WYOXY/index.html The Wyoming Woman http://www.thewyomingwoman.com/