Some mornings as I check my email and start working, I have a talk show on in the background. Today on the Mike & Juliet Show, they did a segment called “Relationships 101″ that reviewed what is considered “normal” before, on, and after your wedding day.
Here are a few sample questions:
Is it normal to get cold feet before the wedding day?
Is it normal to invite your ex to the wedding?
Check out the videos online to get the scoop:
We all know that brides-to-be love to pamper themselves with spa treatments, manicures, massages, and the like. It’s the one time in their lives when they don’t have to feel guilty for such shameless self-indulgence. Grooms have gotten the short of the stick…until recently! A new crop of salons that tailor to men have popped up in Chicago. This gives guys another option, in addition to golf, for a pre-wedding bonding activity.
If your guy is in need of some serious rejuvenation, consider sending him to one of these swanky, but manly retreats:
316 Barber Spa This fabulous place features vintage Vegas-style atmosphere complete with pool tables and flat-screen tvs.
Halo Chicago With three locations in Chicago, this hip guys-only salon has six different packages aimed at grooming the groom!
American Male The least fancy of the three, American Male would put even the most skeptical of grooms at ease.
Bonus! On a recent episode of “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,” Tori surprised her hubby with a daddy shower at a Barber Spa. He and his friends were treated to straight-razor shaves and great haircuts. What a fun idea! I believe that they went to The Shave Shop in LA.
After three years of wonderful luck…Blush & Bashful had our first truly rainy wedding day. Sure, we’ve had days where it sprinkled or threatened rain, or started pouring after the outdoor events were over. However, we’ve never had a true deluge like we had this past Saturday. Rather than panicking, we put in place our rain plan and the day went off very well.
Here are Blush & Bashful’s top ten tips for a fabulous rainy day wedding:
1) Golf umbrellas! Purchase ten to twenty 62″(or larger) golf umbrellas for your guests and bridal party members to use throughout the day. Don’t plan to get all of them back at the end of the night, though! Umbrellas have a way of walking off…
2) Assign helpful friends to escort your guests to and from their vehicles with the golf umbrellas. Your guests will be so grateful!
3) Call ahead. Let someone at your ceremony and reception sites know when you are arriving so they can be sure to greet you with an umbrella and an open door. Or, arrange for a friend to take over this responsibility.
4) Dress at your ceremony site, if possible. It’s one less opportunity for your gown to be soaked.
5) Get an updo! Even if you’ve been growing out your gorgeous hair for years for your wedding, the humidity on a rainy day will make it look less than perfect. An updo is more easily controlled!
6) Bring a change of shoes so your white satin Stuart Weitzman’s don’t get ruined. Make it white wellies!
7) Having a rain plan for any outdoor photos is pretty standard, but no one thinks to get permission to take photos at those indoor locations! Often you’ll need to get a permit or talk to a specific person to gain access.
8 ) If you want to have photos at outdoor locations in the rain, talk to your photographer to be sure he/she has an assistant on hand to hold the umbrella over the expensive photography equipment. Rainy day wedding photos are beautiful!
9) Don’t focus on the rain! Is there anything more boring than talking about the weather? If your guests mention the weather to you, smile, shrug, and change the subject.
10) You knew I’d say this…relax and focus on what matters most!
Yesterday was my hubby’s birthday. Happy Birthday!!! I love making a big deal out of his birthday. He pretends like he doesn’t want to be spoiled, but that is so not true!
Anyway, I wanted to gush about the place I took him for drinks last night…ZED 451 on Clark at Superior downtown. Oh my gosh, it is amazing! Always the working girl, I chose a place that I knew he’d love…but also one that I’d been wanting to check out for a long time. After getting our delicious drinks, a raspberry mojito for him and a “California Crush” for me, on their impressive South Beach-style rooftop bar, we toured the restaurant with Gina Cresap, the Events Sales Manager. She was a wonderful tour guide, showing us through their unique private event spaces and telling me all about the extravagant engagement parties, bridal showers, and rehearsal dinners they often have.
I’m so excited to recommend this venue to my foodie clients who are looking for a fun and social place to host their event. The ZED concept is just incredible. The first course is served on their unique “Harvest Tables” and showcases all of the freshest flavors of the season. The entree is served tableside by their twenty-some chefs, who each present their item and describe it in a charismatic manner. Apparently there is also a dessert table to- die-for, because our adorable waitresses and Gina sent over the most decadent black forest brownie sundae with vanilla bean ice cream that we’ve ever had. They even put a birthday candle on top. Thanks, girls! You made me look like such a thoughtful wife.
The energy of ZED is infectious. The decor is sexy, and the staff is wonderful. It is the perfect place to celebrate a special event or to really wow a special guest. I only wish we would have stayed for dinner, instead of heading to another location. One that I won’t be reviewing, if you know what I mean!
I was checking my hotmail account a few weeks ago and I saw this article on msn. I’ve cut-and-pasted my favorite part here. I hear this sentiment repeated time and time again when I talk to clients whose friends or family members had wedding-day drama.
Take a look…and then contact us right away!
By Charli Penn
What bride doesn’t want her wedding day to go exactly as she planned with a minimal amount of drama? The truth is you can plan your heart out, but things may not always work the way you hoped they would. We asked newly married brides to be up-front and honest about their biggest preparation regrets so others could learn from their mistakes. Here’s what they had to say…
“I would have hired a day-of coordinator. It got irritating when people would ask questions like, ‘Where should I put the extra programs?’ after the ceremony.”
Tip: The one thing most brides don’t get on their wedding day is a break. If you want to enjoy individual moments more and deal with questions and disasters less, hiring day-of help should be a high priority on your to-do list. The quality time you’ll gain is well worth the fee.