Most brides focus on the wedding but not what comes after. This is expected because it is such a huge event and all the attention goes on the bride and what needs to get done. However, not too many people talk about the actual marriage and the real work that comes into play following the festivities. I found a book that has really helped me to understand what is involved in a marriage and has helped me significantly in putting my wedding into perspective. Think one day versus a lifetime and you’ll understand what I mean. The book is called, “What No One Tells the Bride,” by Marg Stark. And I really recommend it for all of you brides-to-be out there who feel the pressure of your wedding day. This book helps you with that and gives you information on everything that follows.

In that same respect, there are a lot of other details that follows the wedding that you may not even think about until later. Have you chosen your thank you cards yet? I know I’ve mentioned them in previous posts, but I had a great idea about how to take advantage of using your new name on your sweet notes of appreciation. How about making address labels with your new last name on them and attach these to your cards? This, I think, would be a fabulous end to your wedding and beginning of your marriage.

Winter Romance

Scalloped Toile: Icicle

Frosted Damask

This past weekend, a friend and I were digging through her now 10 year old treasure chest of wedding memorabilia. Magazines and invitations looked so antique even though her wedding to her seemed just a few years ago. One of the coolest treasures was finding a handwritten thank you card that never got sent. We were laughing at how in-depth and detailed this well written note was and how unfortunate that with all her husband’s hard work it never got sent.

It got me thinking about the importance of keeping track of your thank you cards and also sending them early. I remember distinctly sending a gift to a wedding I never attended and not receiving a card until several months after the event. Later, I realized that the couple wanted to wait to send pictures of their honeymoon with their card. But at the time, visions of lost packages kept me awake at night.

Etiquette says that you should send your thank you cards about two weeks after you receive your gifts. I think in the long run this makes sense since it prevents you from doing them all at once. I remember sitting next to a recently wed couple. They spent their entire return flight from their honeymoon writing all of their thank you cards! While some folks might like the idea of spending 5 hours straight doing it all at once, to me this seems like a nightmare and not the way I would want to end my much awaited honeymoon.

Whether you keep track of who gives what on your own personal created excel sheet or track them online (a variety of wedding websites and online registries gives you this option), I think planning ahead makes for a more sincere thank you card and less sleepless nights on both ends.

With so many modern and stylish cards, there’s really no excuse not to send them. Here’s a few I love.

Romantic Rosette: Lagoon

Sophisticated Monogram: Moonstruck

It’s hard to believe, but long before rice and rose petals, wedding guests threw shoes at newlyweds for good luck. One theory is the bride’s shoes were considered a symbol of ownership. The bride’s father gave the groom her shoes to represent the transfer of dominance and, consequently, making it difficult for her to run away. The groom then tapped his bride on the forehead with her sandal to assert his new role.

Another wedding shoe tradition variation was the bride tossing one over her shoulder, which later transformed into the bouquet. In Tudor times guests threw shoes at the couple after the ceremony and if they were hit it was considered fortuitous. Most popular and still in practice is the tradition of tying shoes to the back of the newlyweds’ getaway car.

Sources:

http://www.weddings.co.uk/info/tradsupe.htm#shoes
http://www.koco.com/wedding/2399764/detail.html

By guest blogger Geeta Sachdeva

An increasing number of brides are resorting to extreme measures to enhance their appearance from permanent make-up and tattoos to body and face piercings. The end results, however, often fall short of their expectations. Once the skin is colored with permanent ink, there is often no going back. And even if you are initially happy with the artwork, your opinion may change over time. If you are willing to experiment with body art but without a long-term commitment, a henna tattoo may just be the answer!

A Mehendi ceremony is an important part of a traditional South Asian or Middle Eastern wedding. The bride’s family usually throws a party the night before the wedding where women get together in an atmosphere of celebration and adorn their hands and feet with special henna in intricate filigree-like patterns. Presently, this art has been transformed into a chic fashion accessory that is a temporary, pain-free alternative to tattooing. Colored glitters and tiny Swarovski crystal stones that embellish henna designs are also very much in vogue. They add a rich shimmering effect and complement formal attire.

Mehendi magic has caught the fancy of brides in the west who apply it for cocktail parties, a girls’ night out or even an evening at the disco. This sudden interest may partly be attributed to Hollywood celebrities who have been smitten by it and are sporting these beautiful patterns all the way from award functions to the runway. Already dreaming of including a henna party in your pre-wedding celebrations? Don’t miss these exquisite invitations from Wedding Paper Divas. They appear to have been drawn with a fine tipped henna cone.

I like how couples are using their monograms and other cool designs to customize their wedding day. From using special lighting to create a monogram spotlight to using it to grace their invitations, weddings nowadays are so much more personal! Here are a few invitations that use monograms designs for a fresh, modern look.

Another idea would be to use gift tag stickers on your favors that can double as place cards for guests. Put a bag of chocolates, for example, in a glassine bag and seal them with a sticker like the one I found from Tiny Prints shown below. You can customize the wording on these to thank guests and sign them with your new married name.