Planning a trip to a local bridal show can be a great tool in helping plan your wedding. They are great places to see firsthand what you do & don’t like, get ideas & advice, and to meet vendors face to face to get a sense of whether or not you’d like to hire them… some vendors even offer discounts for new clients at bridal shows! Make an event out of it and bring along some bridesmaids and even your mom or future mother-in-law for support & extra opinions! But going into a bridal show unprepared can often create more stress than necessary! Check out this article from Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine’s Blog on tips for surving a bridal show! It’s full of great tips if you are a first time bridal show attendee. And our extra tidbit of advice…. print out labels beforehand that provide your names, wedding date, phone number, and email address in order to save your hand from cramping from writing your contact information over and over and over and over all afternoon!

The ceremony is over…now what? Make it legal! Amongst all the planning of wedding details don’t forget you must sign your marriage license in order to make it legal. Many of our brides realize this important step but frequently ask us how to go about getting their marriage license. This article from Arizona Wedding’s blog has a detailed list how how and where to obtain your Arizona Marriage License. For more up to date information regarding obtaining a license in Maricopa County please visit their website.

Many bride’s these days are opting to go the DIY route for many of the details of their weddings! It’s a great way to save a little bit of cash if you find yourself with a tight budget while also showing off your creative side. But before you dive into the DIY world it’s a great idea to find out if it’s worth the savings or if it will turn into a DIY disaster! Arizona Bride Magzine featured a handy DIY Reality Check on their blog in order to determine whether saving some money is worth sacrificing your sanity! Be sure to check out this great tool on their blog before diving into any DIY projects!

In the past it was very common to have the wedding take place at one venue, usually a church or temple, and the reception at a separate venue where the bride changed into more casual attire and the party could begin. Today there is a trend away from having a separate wedding venue from the ceremony. Most couples choose to have the ceremony and the wedding reception at the same location.

There are several benefits to having both the ceremony and wedding reception at one venue. The first is cost. Weddings are expensive as it is. Adding the cost of renting a church is going to raise costs unnecessarily. Unless religion requires it, most couples feel perfectly comfortable saying their vows under the open skies or at a wedding venue that reflects their personality more than a chapel or church might.

The second reason to consider having both the wedding ceremony and reception at the same place is convenience. This way the wedding couple doesn’t have to arrange for transportation for the guests. The other option is to let guests arrange their own transportation, but this may be difficult for out-of-town guests who don’t know the area.

The third thing to consider is the stress level of the bride and groom. They have enough to worry about on the wedding day without having to be concerned with whether or not they will get to the wedding reception venue with enough time to get family and group pictures taken.

With the time that is saved not having to travel from one venue to the next, the bride and groom will have more time to spend with family and friends. At the end of the day, a wedding should be about the loved ones who are there to share the wedding celebrations.

Wedding reception venues are often more beautiful than wedding ceremony sites. They can be personalized with flowers, lighting and more and the biggest bonus for many is they can be outdoors. There are a variety of wedding venues that offer both indoor and outdoor space. Most utilize the outdoor space for the ceremony and the indoor space for the reception.

While weddings are a celebration, there are certain requirements that need to be met in order for everyone to enjoy the day. The first requirement is the bride and groom need to be able to afford it. The second is it should be convenient for friends and family. Wedding ceremonies and receptions should reflect the personality of those getting married.

However, the most important factor for every wedding is that the couple has fun. This is a beautiful, incredible, romantic day. Remember to take the time to enjoy the people you are surrounded by and the ones you love.

Wedding Planning Advice – Top Five Ways To Have A Stress-free Wedding

Many brides seek out wedding planning advice, however few ask the simple question, how can I have a stress-free wedding? It doesn’t matter how beautiful your dress is or how elegant the venue if you haven’t enjoyed the process or aren’t able to enjoy your wedding day. The following are a few tips for reducing stress as you plan and celebrate your wedding.

1. Have the Right Attitude. Happy people have happy weddings. Stressed out people have stressful weddings. It’s important to see the wedding in context of your life. This will be a fabulous, romantic, extraordinary wedding as long as that’s how you view it. Your feelings are transferred to your family, friends and guests. Getting frustrated by every little detail is going to leave you feeling frustrated with the whole planning process and when your wedding day comes, you will be so focused on everything that’s not perfect, you won’t be able to enjoy all the beautiful, perfect moments that are happening around you. Don’t sweat the little stuff. Stay focused on taking care of yourself so you can enjoy the big day.

2. Decide on a Budget. Have a get-together with everyone involved in deciding your budget. This may include you and your fiancé, or the bride’s parents or both sets of parents. Do some research before the meeting of what the ballpark range might be for the budget, then discuss. Once the budget is set, even if it is lower than you had hoped for, embrace your budget. Know that is what you have to work with and go forward making your decisions based on that. This may require you to buy a dress that isn’t special order or make your own favors, but in the long run it is the best policy.

3. Cut the Groom Some Slack. About 85% of grooms find wedding planning as exciting as brides find Monday night football. So when you present him with two possible color schemes and he tells you he’s happy with whatever makes you happy, he really is. It’s not that he doesn’t care about you, he does. He really is happy seeing you happy. So make choices that make you happy and be grateful for having a man who loves you and is going to spend the rest of your life finding happiness in your happiness.

4. Don’t Second Guess Yourself. There is a saying, ‘first thought best thought.’ If you make a decision, be happy with it and move on to the next one. Trust your first instinct, whether that has to do with color schemes, dress, hair and make-up or venue. Second-guessing is only going to waste your time and stress you out. You will enjoy the process a lot more if you stay confident with your first decision and move on.

5. Setting the Tone for the Family. Families are an important part of any wedding celebration. It is a time for the bride to forget about past differences and be gracious, loving, thoughtful and caring. Choose to be the mature one and people’s responses will mirror yours. Even if they don’t, you can be satisfied knowing you took the high road. This may mean offering a hug to your father’s second wife who is two years younger than you and complimenting her dress. The more love you give, the more you will receive.

Your wedding day will come and go whether you follow this advice or not. However, to get the most out of your experience and your special day, let yourself be happy, enjoy it, and forget about stress.