The World According to Weddlady

Advice for Those Destined for the Aisle or Not

I just had a birthday.  The number is just this much higher than I'd like to confess to...but okay, here goes.  I turned 32 on Sunday.  My kids bought me a HUGE fancy strawberry shortcake (they're 4...maybe I had something to do with the cake).  Turns out that they like it way more than I do, so they'll be eating cake through February.  I enjoyed my kids' company - gift enough for me. 

The point?  I'm feeling wise today, so it's time to impart a little bit of that wisdom.  While it's mostly non-wedding-specific, you may just find it useful.

1. If you haven't discovered Facebook yet, it's a wonder.  You're also more than likely my age or older, since the next generation was born on Facebook and MySpace. I have "reunited" (in a uniquely internet-y way) with elementary school classmates, my very first high school boyfriend (I use that term loosely...I was 13, but at the time it was love!), past interns (shocking what they'll post, but I love you guys anyway) and current business friends.  I feel very connected even though I only have 60 or so friends (not a great accomplishment, but I'm picky).

The wedding lesson?  Don't join Facebook until AFTER your wedding if you are hoping to keep your guest list small! 

2. Do something crazy today.  Not dangerous or self-destructive, just something out of your "box".  I lived up to this and I expect you to do the same.

Wedding wisdom?  Try something at your wedding that you might not have thought "proper" in the past.  Have a celtic band (Poison Dwarf, you rocked in December!), put up a candy buffet instead of a cake, or choose an exotic location.  DO NOT choose an exotic haircut or new form of facial waxing during the month or so before the wedding.  I said crazy - not lunatic.

3. Literature inspires.  I am guilty of spending the last 5 years in a sort of non-reading coma.  Not that I wasn't keeping plenty busy, but I wasn't feeding that particular beast.  Everyone has their own genre, of course.  Mine is pathetically stereotypical: everything Jane Austen is sacred.  Reading is a renewing hobby, though, and helps inspire creativity in all aspects of life.

Wedding application? Pick up a book, redefine your wedding.  Depending on what you choose, you might just come up with a "theme", or resolve an issue that plagues your planning.  Use common sense when following this advice, however.  I imagine that the trajectory that reading Pride & Prejudice might inspire you to follow is vastly different from that which a Stephen King novel might produce.  "Clever" is always better than "cleaver" when it comes to weddings.  Trust me.

I wish you happy planning!

Shayna

Candy Buffet Wisdom

I'm getting a lot of questions these days regarding candy buffets (my new favorite obsession...ask away).  Here is some information I shared with one of my clients recently in response to her e-mail for any tips I might have:

Oh - I meant to say that for the last candy buffet, I pre-filled the jars then wrapped them very tightly with plastic wrap so the candy stayed fresh and in-place.  The week before I actually washed all the jars, and made and affixed the candy labels on the ribbon (and double-sided taped the ribbon to the jars).  Those things take up SO much time that doing them in steps saved us a huge headache during setup.  Also, I recommend having extra candy to replenish the candy buffet and to make sure it's in easy to open/close Ziploc bags or reusable containers for discrete refills.  Finally, choosing the smallest possible scoops helps keep guests from taking all of the candy at once.

 

We actually had an attendant (from my staff) keep the candy buffet closed until after the introductions and first dance so all of the guests had time to admire it, and the photographer had plenty of time to shoot it.  Otherwise guests would have torn it to pieces before the bride ever had a chance to see it, and they would have been paying more attention to getting candy than they were to the dances and welcome remarks.  The suspense was healthy and people took the time to admire the setup.  The delay wasn't too long and except for some teasing remarks, most people didn't mind waiting.

 

Hope that helps!