Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Wedding Lesson #1: It's Your Day, Do What You Want

As many brides are apt to do, I have been scouring the blogs, wedding sites and forums for ideas or even sources of inspirations. I can't pinpoint the exact moment but somewhere in the middle of all that, I started viewing these sources as guidelines or, worse, "must haves". 

Instead of viewing each DIY idea or even ceremony element as a "Oh, that's cute!" idea, I started viewing the posts as "you need this for your event to be a success."  I even read on a website that in order for my wedding to be seen as a success, I needed to distribute favors to guests.

Whoa! What? The whole shindig isn't centered around the amount of flowers in the bouquet, how many vintage chalkboards I am using or if there are poms decorating the aisles.  To me, the event is a success if I can call myself a wife at the end of the day. 

I will be frank. I got overwhelmed with trying to decipher the ideas from what others considered an ideal wedding. I think the candy bar works for some but I don't see giving guests a sugar bomb the secret to making my day special.

So, I took a break from the blogs, posts and sites. I took some time to regroup my views on what I would like to see for my big day.  Mike and I discussed what was important to us, what we want to share with our guests and what was necessary to make that happen.

The two of us realized that what will make our day a success isn't in birdcage centerpieces or rosettes but rather in keeping the ceremony authentic to us.  If it is something we would like to see for our day or share, it will come across as genuine to our guests.  If we are comfortable with the day, our guests will see the magic that is between us and that will leave a longer lasting impression than any custom napkin will.

After we realized that, there were several things the two of us cut from the list of "to have", including: favors, assigned seats and aisle decor.  

It's not about the money you spend but how you spend it.  Make sure you are investing in something that is authentically you and not what blogs, family or even friends tell you is necessary.  It is your day -- allow YOU to shine through.

It was a lesson I'm glad I learned early on.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Creating the Vital Wed Site

I think one of the most important elements for any wedding is to create a wedding website.  This online component goes the distance in assisting the couple in communicating useful information to the entire guest list. It also can help reduce the bulk of information necessary for the invite.   

Before you go out and shell out big bucks to have a wedsite created, there are inexpensive options. A simple internet search for "free wedding websites" will produce a mile long list of available services, such as those from ewedding.com, weddingwire.com and wedding.theknot.com.  Each offers the basics with more advanced options (like a custom URL, reception song list request) for an upgrade cost.

The provider one chooses comes down to personal preference or even desired appearance.  However, there are a few things to consider when selecting a wedding website platform:
  • Custom URL: This will come in handy for your guests. It is easy to remember and will go that extra mile in promoting your wedding brand.  Some offer this as an additional service. If they don't or you don't wish to upgrade, simply purchase the custom URL from a company such as enom.com or GoDaddy.com and redirect it to your site of choice.  It is a couple dollar investment that will pay off big time.
  •  Ease of Use: How often have you dreaded doing something because the steps were intricate or it took a bit of a work around to get what you wanted done? Sign up for a website, test it and make sure it works the way you want. You can always close the account and start over.  The easier it is to use, upload content and change details -- the more you will use it as a tool.
  • Customization: Take the time to make it reflect you and your wedding.  This is an extension of your branding and gives guests a glimpse of what they can expect at the upcoming shindig.  
  • Ability to Add/Delete Pages: Use the wedsite as a way for friends and family to learn more about you, the groom and the story of how you met.  Add pages to describe the venue, travel accommodations or even to ask them for input on the song list. Choosing a site that allows for easy additions or deletions (for pages you don't need) will help you build a site that is all about you.
However, a wedsite can be as basic as a one-page site with the important information. The key is that you have a source for guests and vendors to access information about your upcoming event.  It's the easiest way for people to have dates, times and address at their fingertips.

Free Wedding Websites - Google Site
I like simplicity and ease of use.  I don't lean towards some of the frills that most sites offer but their basic package didn't give me the creative freedom I sought. So, I went with an unexpected choice: Google Sites.

The websites that Google hosts for free are relatively simple in form and easy to use.  It is easy to implement gadgets like a countdown clock to the big day, a contact us form, a photo slideshow and to insert a map to the venue location.  It also allowed us to upload custom graphics and change the color of the page elements to fit with our theme.  Plus, as I have stated, it's free.

The only investment we made in our wedding website was the purchase of a custom URL, or our wedsite URL would have started with sites.google.com/etc.

However, this simple site has been a handy tool beyond measure.