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3 Wedding Social Media Etiquette rules to follow

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Have you noticed the post that was making the rounds on Facebook, where the wedding officiant announces, “You are now pronounced man and wife. You may now update your Facebook Status.”

This is of course, an exaggeration. Nevertheless, we all know that every event, ceremony and celebration is incomplete until it becomes a part of the online world today. Social media has crept into every aspect of our lives, and weddings are not left behind.

And with this factor comes a whole new list of what is right and what is wrong. If you are worried about how much networking is alright so you do not ruin the mood at your wedding, and how to make sure you do not overstep any boundaries, we have help.

Here are the four cardinal rules of social media etiquette for couples, where weddings are concerned. Do not break them, and you will do just fine.

#1 Remember that it is more personal to do things the traditional way

Your friends may not mind receiving your wedding invite via email, or posting their RSVP on your wedding website. But remember that the old-fashioned pen and paper style is more personal. Go for traditional wedding invites and telephone calls where it is necessary. This will be better received.

#2 Be sensible about what you put online for everyone to see

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You certainly want to show off your engagement ring, and may feel tempted to tweet or post every update on your wedding plans. Resist the temptation. Remember that not everyone is as excited as you are, and may feel you’ve intruded their space with too much information. Be especially careful about posting negative comments about people or plans, as news travels quickly, even if the person isn’t online. Don’t end up in a fix, where you will regret what you wrote.

#3 If you don’t want people to post your wedding details, mention it explicitly

We can perfectly understand it when you say you do not want people glued to their phones during your ceremony and reception. But, don’t assume that they will do so. If you don’t want to feel disappointed when you see them tapping away at their phones all the time, make sure you tell them so. Consider putting up a humorous board that suggests your wedding is a social-media free zone, if you are dead against it. However, it is better to be understanding and expect them to post occasionally. If you do not want your wedding pictures to go online before you upload them yourself, make sure that your guests are aware of this.

#4 Share your wedding hashtag information

This is the best way to make sure that all your wedding pictures are in one place. By using a hashtag generator, share your wedding hashtag with all the guests at your wedding, and request them to upload the pictures with the tag. To do this you can either add it to your wedding invitation, or put it up on your wedding website. You could also mention it on the welcome board at your venue, for those who may have missed making a note of it.

Hopefully this clears the air on how to enjoy social media in moderation, so it doesn’t take over your wedding day. For more valuable wedding tips and advice, keep visiting us on Best for Bride.

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5 alternative bouquet options for the non-traditional bride

We’ve seen brides defying wedding traditions in a number of different ways; colorful wedding dresses, destination weddings, short hemlines, wedding brunches and many more. Despite all these factors, one factor that remained consistent across the ages was the wedding bouquet. Not many brides considered the necessity to step away from convention when choosing their bridal bouquets, and always floated down the aisle with a bunch of fresh floral blooms in hand.

Now, this tradition is also seeing a modern update. If real flowers are not your thing, or you want to create your own unique style statement with your choice for the wedding bouquet, here are some alternative options to look at. Check it out and find one which appeals to your taste.

1.Fabric flowers

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If anything can look as stunning and original as a real bouquet, it has to be a fabric bouquet. Fabric offers you plenty of variety where colors and prints are concerned, you can experiment with checks, chevron, polka dots or prints for a unique twist. Or, how about a burlap rose bouquet for your rustic wedding? If you would prefer to keep it classic, consider silk flowers with pearl or silver accents. The main benefit of creating a fabric bouquet for your big day is that it can be tossed around without a worry, and will hold without any scope for damage. Talk about a no-stress solution, you couldn’t find one that is better than this.

2.Paper flowers

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This is the best option if you are working on a strict budget. Paper flowers cost pennies, and you can go for any look you want with them. For originality, you can choose colored paper flowers made from crepe paper or tissue. Or if you want an entirely different effect, go with newspaper or printed paper flowers, and add accents like lace to create your signature design.

3.Dried flowers

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Are you the girl who loves the smell of pot pourri? If you are, maybe a wedding bouquet made from dried flowers would just be right. With dried flowers, you can craft your own bouquet in any shade you want. What is more, they will live on and you can add them to your stash of sweet smelling dried flowers at home, after your wedding. Let the scent linger and remind you of the biggest day in your life.

The options do not end here. You can have brooch bouquets, beaded bouquets and I even found bouquets made from wheat sheaves on Wedding Ideas Mag.  So, get creative and find your own style.

There is more to using these unique choices at your wedding, than just creating a statement. Unlike real flower bouquets, none of these bouquets wilt, and so can be treasured forever. Isn’t that a great wedding memento to remind you of your big day in the years to come? So, what do you say? Is this choice for you?

Whether you would like any of these unconventional wedding bouquet choices, or would prefer to go with the traditional floral bouquet style, visit us at Best for Bride and make your floral visions come true.

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Tips For Avoiding Wedding Planning Stress

Every bride has good intentions when she starts planning her wedding. You envision a beautiful day, surrounded by your family and friends, bridesmaids in beautiful dresses bursting with happiness and taking in all of the gorgeous details. No bride ever anticipates the pressure that can come with planning such an important day, but it’s inevitable. Everybody feels stressed at some point during their daily lives, and adding wedding planning to your already busy life can be overwhelming.

Remember that you set the tone for the wedding day and the months leading up to it. Those around you will feed off of your energy and if you are stressed, they will feel stressed. Starting off on the right track will not only keep your stress to a minimum but the stress of the people around you as well.

So how do you get from engaged to I do without losing your mind? Here are some tips for feeling calm and balanced during the wedding planning process.

Photo Courtesy of http://www.weddingdaystory.com/
Photo Courtesy of http://www.weddingdaystory.com/

Have a Plan

The best way to avoid any stress during wedding planning is to start off with a good plan. You and your fiancé must first decide on the type of wedding you’d like to have. Discuss the options with your parents as their input often comes into play as well. If you don’t have a wedding planner, you will be on your own to create a budget plan and wedding planning timeline for the months leading up to your wedding. These are very important! Make this your first step before moving forward.

Create a Realistic Budget

The budget is the number one cause of arguments and stress during the wedding planning process. You have to discuss the budget with your fiancé and anyone else that will be contributing to the wedding – come up with a number that works for everyone and stick to it. Be honest and don’t purchase anything that is over budget without discussing it with your fiancé. Prices vary from city to city, so you might have to do some research to see what average wedding costs are in your area.

Stay Healthy

Eating well and exercising has been proven to reduce stress. Physical activity creates endorphins and improves your mood, while a balanced diet can provide the necessary vitamins and minerals that help reduce stress levels. As little as thirty minutes of exercise three times a week will make a huge difference. A few easy changes to your diet like drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables, and cutting out fast food will give you the natural defenses you need to combat stress.

Find Your Happy Place

This is my favorite and most beneficial tip I can give any bride. We all deal with stress at some point, so you need to find that one thing you can turn to when things get out of control. Whether it’s reading, or getting a massage or pedicure, yoga, or even if it’s just locking yourself in your bedroom to meditate for five minutes – find something that works for you. When things get too stressful, you are prepared and can automatically turn to your happy place. You’ve heard that expression ‘Just sleep on it’. When you come back from your happy place, you might realize the problem wasn’t even that bad after all, or you’ll come back with the mental focus to face the problem head-on and deal with it.

Be Grateful

This will also be a big year for your parents, siblings, close friends, and family. They will be asked to throw bridal showers and engagement parties, purchase bridesmaid dresses, and take some of their time away from their personal lives to help with the planning of your wedding. Be patient and grateful, and make sure to include everyone in the planning process. Often the root of all family issues stems from someone not feeling like they’ve been heard or appreciated. Family dynamics are a part of every wedding, and this can be stressful when everyone has their own ideas and suggestions and insists on providing their opinions. So patience, forgiveness, and a small thank-you note or a loving hug can go a long way in keeping everyone happy during this time.

Know It Won’t Be Perfect

Let go of the idea that everything has to be perfect. Perfection is impossible to achieve and puts far too much pressure on brides. Every bride wants their day to go perfectly, but I can tell you this, your day will NOT be perfect. Little things will happen that you can’t anticipate, plans may not run exactly to schedule, and people will not always behave or react how you would like them to. In the end, your wedding day will be the perfect day FOR YOU. Have some perspective and appreciate all the good things about the day. Move forward knowing that there will be some bumps in the road, and you will feel less stress when you look at it that way instead of trying to pull off the impossible.

Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

It can be easy to let your emotions take over when things don’t go how you want them to, especially for the most important day of your life. But if the napkins aren’t the exact color you wanted, or your bridesmaid orders the wrong shoes, or some wording gets mixed up on the invitations – remember there are worse things in life that can happen. Be thankful for the opportunity to be planning such a joyous celebration in the first place. Causing unnecessary drama will only create bad energy for your day.

Have Fun

This is supposed to be fun! If wedding planning is starting to feel more like a job, then you really have to take a step back and re-evaluate. Maybe you need some extra help – wedding planners can step in at any stage of the planning process to take over if you are feeling too overwhelmed or stressed out. Talk to your fiancé and your family – don’t be afraid to delegate some of the jobs so that you aren’t doing it all on your own.

Remember, if the bride is happy, everyone is happy. You set the tone and energy for your wedding day and the months of planning. Making an effort to stay calm and stress-free is important to a memorable wedding planning experience. Otherwise, you could become overwhelmed and turn into the dreaded Bridezilla, which no bride (or those close to her) wants.

– Tammy is a wedding planner, author, and the curator of TheWeddingGuru.ca – a wedding blog offering guidance and inspiration for the balanced bride.

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Trends we love: Ethereal Wedding Gowns for the Dreamy Bride

Is there a bride who wouldn’t love to look like a dream on their wedding day?

It is to make your wish come true that ethereal wedding dresses with refined finesse were created. These dresses can transform any woman into a stunning beauty. The wedding trends for 2015 spring and summer showcased many ethereal wedding gowns from the top designer houses, and it was an instant hit. Read more about all the runway trends on this article at the Fashionista.

The beauty of these gowns is that their unique ability to fit into a contemporary or traditional theme, alike. It is a style that can be carried off by women, both young and mature. The designs are also so captivating that it works well on both curvy and slim-built women.

The main features of ethereal gowns that make them so dreamy are

  • They are a perfect blend of fantasy and functionality.
  • The dresses have a poetic perfection, that are delicate and feminine
  • Every ethereal wedding dress looks unique
  • The details are well-crafted, making it an unrivaled choice
  • These dresses are versatile and it is possible to find one for any weather and every type of wedding
  • The finest lace and designs come together with soft sparkling elements to create elegance

Here is a roundup of some of our favorite ethereal wedding gowns at Best for Bride. Take a look, and get ready to be charmed.

Jasmine Bridal Spring F171018

This whimsical dress is a beautiful expression of lace in a soft fit and flare silhouette. The design is simple, but striking. The pretty floral design begins at the sweetheart neckline and flows into a layered skirt that extends into a court train at the back. Perfect for a garden wedding, it can be accessorized in different ways to complete your bridal look.

Mori Lee 2708 Spring 2015

Featured here is a divine Alencon lace gown from Mori Lee. A bride who walks down the aisle in this beauty will indeed look heavenly and majestic. The softly scalloped V-neckline and perfectly crafted fit and flare silhouette allows an enviable hourglass figure to be flaunted in style. Floral motifs with delicate embellishments are encrusted throughout the length. There is an endearing charm to this dress, that makes the dress a captivating choice for a formal or semi-formal wedding.

Sophia Tolli Y11561 Teal

This wedding dress from the Sophia Tolli collection is an amazing masterpiece. The perfect placement of pretty floral clusters over the bodice and skirt add exquisite beauty to the design. The high illusion neckline that frames the sweetheart bodice, the scintillating band on the waistline and the scatter of sparkle on the floral clusters add just the required hint of shimmer to make this gown divine. An almost 3D effect is created with the floral lace dancing over a soft layer of net. No detail is spared, as the dress spills into a scalloped hemline that continues into a beautifully decorated train.

Do you love this trend as much as we do? If so, visit our bridal dress gallery on Best for Bride, and find more ethereal wedding dresses that will be perfect for your big day.