Inspired: Bridal Shower Style

Three weeks before Aaron was born, Andrew drove me to his brother's house and said we were going on apple picking, but we had to stop at his grandparents' first.  Suspish.  At the time, I hadn't had a baby shower yet, and while I was firmly in the camp that no one is required to throw you a party, I have to admit I'd been wondering about all the complicated plans Andrew had been making, that seemed to keep changing.  So I put on a simple dress that I could theoretically pick apples in and let him walk me to the door.  Sure enough, there were both of our families, a cake, and a bunch of blue decorations.

The point is, a shower--baby or bridal--is a gift, and sometimes you know when it's happening, and sometimes it's a surprise.  If you do know when your bridal shower will be, do you have an outfit picked out?  Personally, I don't love the spotlight, but on the few occasions where I knew a lot of attention would be on me at a party, I had fun choosing what to wear because at showers, it's so much fun to be dressed up with other women and appreciate their style choices.  Sparkly shoes, pretty nails, or a blowout would generally be lost on my husband (like, he might notice and admire those kind of things, but doesn't think they're necessary and hence just doesn't particularly care about them), but sharing in all of that with girls is special.  Not the entire point of the day, of course, but definitely special.

So here's an easy bridal shower style formula you can adapt to your style: a white outfit, a little something that sparkles, and something bright or shiny to make a statement.  Inspiration here and links below:

CLASSIC LOOK / peplum dress / scallop heels (they have blue soles with a heart--hello wedding shoes!) / MAC lipstick in Pink Noveau
ROMANTIC LOOK / off-the-shoulder dress / Becca rose gold highlighter / geode earrings
MINIMALIST LOOK / romper / Mrs. necklace / slides

Your turn.  Which of these looks would you choose, and do you have a favorite way to style a pre-wedding outfit?

P.S.  If you're getting your makeup professionally done for your wedding day, the day of your bridal shower is a perfect time to do a test run!

Crafting a Masterpiece: Personalized Art for Starting Your Life Together

Since we rent our apartment, and since we've been renting for our entire marriage across 3 dwellings in 4 years, I've been torn in the past between kind of neglecting semi-major things like nails in a rental while still deeply wanting to make our home, however temporary, truly feel like it belongs to us.

Which brings me to this, today's post.  The desire to furbish your living space, as a way of visually manifesting your life together, is a good one; one that's particularly exciting when you're engaged.

Sometimes it's hard to wade through the sea of calligraphied, chevron-printed "live, love laugh," heart-shaped map, or monogram on burlap.   Not that there's anything expressly wrong with those; it's just that in my experience, it's tough finding a more uncommon designs suited to my taste.  Anyway, personalized art makes a wonderful gift if you're a wedding guest, a great treat to yourselves if you're newlyweds, or just a nice timeless piece for your home if, like me, you're neither at the moment.  Here's a roundup of some Etsy favorites, any of which I'd love to hang on our walls and would consider worth the Spackling when we move out one day (Andrew, if you're reading this…).  Links are in the graphic caption:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Which one's your favorite?  And please tell: have you given or received a personalized piece of wedding art? I love hearing your stories!

Rite Resources: Guest RSVP, Contact, and Reception Info Trackers

Picking out my wedding shoes took up a good few hours of my life.  Deciding, with my family and Andrew's, who was invited to come see them (assuming my shoes even peeked out from under my dress) took longer.  Guest-related matters make up a significant amount of wedding planning--and for good reason; in my opinion, celebrating the sacrament is an invitation to communion, in every sense of the word, for everyone present--so I want to offer you today a way to keep track of all those matters.

If 1 meant showing up on my wedding day and hoping for the best, and 10 meant apps and checklists and timelines planned down to the second, I'd rank my organization as a bride at…six.  Plus maybe a half.  I  don't consider myself too hopelessly disorganized, but complicated or overly involved systems stress me out and I like to have as few separate planning tools as possible.  I find I think more clearly when related information is mostly in one spot, rather than spread out across several.

So, when the time came for Andrew and I to get things rolling with the guest list we'd spent all that time on, I craved order and peace.  I wanted to consolidate all the addresses and phone numbers we'd written  and scattered on Post-Its from our moms' address books and, to keep track of who'd received all our wedding correspondence, and later on, to keep all of the info relevant to the reception, like who was eating what.

I'm sharing the spreadsheet I made in the hope that it'll give you some guidance as you get started communicating with your guests.  Like I said, too many planning documents tend to make me feel less organized, so I wanted to have just one sheet that could take us from the initial gathering of contacts all the way to sending out Thank You Notes.  Feel free, obviously, to take my categories and split them up across different sheets in a way that works for you.  Here's what you'll find:

Name: Obvious.  I counted families as one name, like "Calis Family," for any family members living at the same address.

Address and Phone: Also obvious?  Clearly I'm showing my expertise…

Save the Date: Along with the next column, Invitation, I just put in a check mark to indicate that these correspondences had been sent out to each guest, marking after addressing and before mailing each batch.

RSVP: I filled in Yes or No, and as the response dates crept up, my system was to highlight the rows for guests I needed to follow up with.  If a guest replies with a No, I'd recommend keeping them on your chart until after the wedding, since some guests still like to send gifts or attend showers even if they can't make it on the actual day, and that way you'll still have their info.

Numbers: How many peeps would be attending from each invitee group or row on the spreadsheet; i.e. a single friend would read as 1, while a family might read 4 or 5, depending on who planned on coming.  I broke it down into Adults and Kids.  Sounds laughably simple, yet being able to easily add up this column saved us a lot of effort when giving head counts to our priest for communion and to our reception site coordinator for seating and meals.

Reception Meals: If you're serving a buffet, ignore this (head counts alone should be sufficient), but if you're serving a choice between several plated meals, there are three columns here for you--two for the choices of adult meals and one for kids' meals; you can change the labels from "Meal 1" and "Meal 2" to chicken or pasta or whatever you're serving.  I just filled in the number of guests per party eating each one, which, again, simplified a lot of communication with the reception staff.

Notes: Anything related to gluten and high chairs.  I kid.  But really, any special needs or requests your guests might have.

Gifts and Thank You: When we got home from our honeymoon, adding a list of our wedding presents and checking off whom we'd written thank you notes to seemed like a natural extension of our pre-wedding planning.

You can download the spreadsheet here.  And please do share your feedback and tell me what organizing methods have worked best for you and for other brides you know!  I get that everyone has different tendencies and planning personalities and would love to hear your best advice for keeping your guest info clear and at your fingertips!  Thoughts?

Interview with a Catholic Wedding Planner: Andi Compton of Now That's a Party on Pre-Pinterest Wedding Planning, What Not to Forget, and How to Help Your Wedding Coordinator

Never-before-shared fact: I spent the first 20 minutes of my wedding night taking off my makeup and going about my usual, semi-elaborate skincare routine because I forgot to pack the face wipes I bought, specifically for wedding night purposes, in my overnight bag.  Maybe if I'd had a someone to help me keep on top of those details, things would have proceeded differently…

I'm happy for this opportunity to share the tip of, yes, packing an overnight bag, but even more so, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Andi Compton, a wedding planner based in San Diego who works primarily with Catholic couples.  I have such admiration for the fact that in every sense, Andi really did turn her childhood love (wedding collages!) into a thriving business, Now That's a Party, and that her passion for the sacrament of marriage flows from her work directly into her vocation with her husband and kids.  I'll let her take over the storytelling now!

All photos from Andi's event portfolio; photo by Weddings by Chad Cress

By the sound of it, you've loved weddings and had a creative streak for a long time!  How did you get started in this business?

I've been planning parties since my 4th birthday, when I told my parents we were having it at Chuck E. Cheese, and each year my parties got increasingly complex. My parents were very supportive of my ever growing love of crafts: always taking me to the craft store for classes and demos and letting me take over a cabinet (then closet) for all of my craft supplies. I'm sure my parents looooooved it. 

Then, when I was 15, the movie The Wedding Planner came out. I had no idea that people could earn a living getting to help people with parties! This is way before Pinterest, so I would save up my allowance to subscribe to any bridal magazine I could get my hands on and then cut and paste together mock weddings. Soon it was time for college and even though I was accepted and registered in Loyola Marymount's film program, I decided to walk away and stay close to home, which ended up being such a blessing. My craziest job in college was working at Mon Amie, the largest bridal store on the West Coast. I learned so much about the wedding industry and even got to model dresses on the weekends. Win win win! 

In 2006 my husband proposed, we came up with a budget, and I FINALLY got the chance to learn how to put together all the details and ideas I had been reading about for 5 years. After our wedding we were blessed with a bunch of babies (and lots of birthdays to plan!), and I would occasionally help a friend with her wedding.  Soon I was being asked to essentialy coordinate these weddings. Things kept snowballing and I really felt a pull towards making things official with a name, branding, and a website. Then came networking and offering to coordinate styled shoots, where I could get to know other local vendors and build a relationship. And now I get to help couples with their weddings and am also on the committees for a few fundraising galas in my area.

Do you work mostly with Catholic couples, or with others, as well?  Regardless, what, to you, sets a Catholic wedding apart?

The majority of the couples I work with are Catholic, and I would really like that to be my focus. I still work with secular couples, but they are mostly friends of our family or of other friends. 

JESUS is what sets a Catholic wedding apart! Having the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament at a wedding is just beyond phenomenal. I mean, heaven is kissing the earth at your wedding! 

As a Catholic bride yourself, do you have any stories of seeing the faith come alive in the couples you've worked with? 

I arrived to the church an hour early before one wedding and just sat and prayed in the Adoration chapel until the wedding party arrived. At that time, I noticed the groom was nervous. I told him to just go and sit in front of our Lord for awhile, and it was so beautiful to see him, his brother, and a friend just praying. 

GPT Photography

Your business, Now That's a Party, offers services from basic wedding day timelines to full-on coordination from start to finish.  What aspects of wedding planning are your brides most surprised by? 

I think the biggest surprises are all the little details that can easily be overlooked- like ordering meals for your vendors (we work better with full stomachs!), packing an overnight bag if you're staying with your new husband in a hotel, identifying who is going to take your gifts home, and thinking about cleanup even though the bride and groom get to skip that part. 

One San Diego wedding I did, for instance, was in a little park overlooking the ocean, and the bride had ordered rose petals. I had to have her look over the regulations the city has, pack a rake for after the ceremony, and schedule the petals into my timeline. For Catholic weddings, many brides don't realize that the Church has restrictions on the type of music that can be used in weddings. It varies parish to parish, but it's super important to remember that it's not "all about you" as the magazines say.  It's still a liturgy, and the music needs to be in line with that.

Brides have so much access to visual inspiration, message boards, and dozens more resources when planning their weddings, often before they even meet their vendors.  As a coordinator, have you noticed pros and cons to this? 
Absolutely! Pinterest can be an awesome tool to visually lay out all your ideas and be exposed to trends and lots of new things. On the flip side, it can make everything seem so overwhelming, almost paralyzing, for some brides, too. The biggest downside for me is having people tell me, "Sorry, this isn't really going to be Pinterest-worthy wedding," as if that were the goal of their wedding. NO! Becoming a Pinterest trend or getting featured on a wedding blog should never be the focus.  People will care about it for maybe a day then move onto the next thing, but the man you're engaged to wants to be your husband for the rest of your life.

True Photography

Obviously, you are there to make a bride and groom's wedding day go as smoothly and memorably as possible.  What's the most helpful thing the couple can do for you, as their planner, before and during the big day? 
Hands down, send me copies of every single contract they have signed with all other vendors and give me the contact info of each vendor, friend, or family member who is planning to be there for setup, as well as who I can contact in case of an emergency. Once I have all of that info, I can contact each person so I know what to expect and can weave together a timeline for each person so we are all on the same page. That timeline is gold on the day of! 

Another huge disadvantage of visual inspiration overload is that often the images we see on Instagram, Pinterest, and blogs are simply unattainable to the average person, but it can tap into our vanity because we want to fit in. Have you noticed that none of the style blogs feature simple receptions in church halls? I've happily coordinated those and let me tell you, the couples are so filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit from their wedding and it is just infectious to all their guests. 

I'd love to hear stories from some of the weddings you've worked on! Are there any particularly profound moments that stand out to you? Any funny or otherwise memorable ones? 
One of the most fun moments at a wedding was when a bride and groom surprised their families with a belly dancing ensemble. One of the groom's cousins came out and played drums with the drummer and everyone there was really into it. They even danced with swords! Another couple went all out in smashing cake into each other's faces. That was rare for me: most couples are nice and don't want to make a mess.

Though I'm 4 years removed from my wedding, writing this blog often calls to mind memories of my engagement and wedding day.  Do you experience something similar?  Does being immersed in weddings and, by extension, marriage, influence your relationship with your husband and family, and vice versa? 

Yes! A big trend I've seen over the past 5-7 years is big, showy proposals. They are featured on blogs, become YouTube trends, and are all over Pinterest. Even though I love my husband, he absolutely did not give me my "dream proposal" and I've had to try really hard to learn humility, accepting the reality of what happened and learning to be grateful for having him in my life. A proposal is all of 5 minutes, but having someone by your side that is constantly choosing to love you in sickness and in health, in bad times and in good…well, that's real love.

Katie Beverley Photography

Any planning tips or secrets you could share with Catholic brides-to-be? 

Before booking any vendors, book your church! Many dioceses require 6-9 months of preparation before the wedding. Each diocese also has different marriage prep requirements (ours has a Pre-Cana day and your choice of Engaged Encounter or Evenings for the Engaged). Also, look into Natural Family Planning. For many, it's the first time they've ever heard of it and learning about the body God gave you is truly empowering.

***

That, friends, is what, to me, sets a Catholic wedding apart; not just in the way that you, as the bride and groom, choose to celebrate the sacrament, but in the fact that you have a choice to support our brothers and sisters when booking your wedding vendors.  Catholic creatives who see their work as a call and a ministry can not only give your day an extra-special spin (I love Andi's story about inviting a groom to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament, and consider that a Catholic photographer will be able to get amazingly meaningful shots during your wedding Mass), but in my opinion, their craft deserves to be honored and seen.  I've been spending a good deal of time on discernment and emails with Jiza and Elissa in the last few weeks, and we are feeling a pull to create a new Catholic wedding site that combines resources for brides with community and marketing for Catholic wedding vendors.  I can't wait to share more as our ideas shape up over the next few months, and in the meantime your prayers are so appreciated.

Andi, thank you infinitely much for sharing your heart, your business, and a few planning secrets!  If you're planning a wedding in the San Diego area and looking for a coordinator, I think it's safe to say you've found your woman.  Be sure to visit Andi and check out her gorgeous work on her website and on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Book Title Reveal! Introducing...

If you missed the news on Facebook and Instagram last week, INVITED: THE ULTIMATE CATHOLIC WEDDING PLANNER will be released this upcoming Spring, and I couldn't be happier to share it with you!

I hope this book meets you where you are.  I hope it fills the need for a resource that, you know, marries in one place the practical and spiritual aspects of planning your wedding Mass and reception.  I hope it challenges you and doesn't make you think too badly of me and my embarrassing blunders into newlywed life.  Most of all, I hope it invites you into the sacred and bears authentic love and freedom in your relationship.  Here's what you'll find inside…

--I Do To-Do's: A Master Checklist--

--Budget Planning Sheet--

CHAPTER ONE: First Steps

CHAPTER TWO: Marriage Prep and Why It Matters

CHAPTER THREE: Planning Your Nuptial Mass

--Order of the Mass: Liturgy Planning Sheet for Readings and Music--

CHAPTER FOUR: Planning Your Reception

--Sample Reception Schedule--

--Reception Planning Sheet--

CHAPTER FIVE: Holding On To Your Sanity

CHAPTER SIX: Beauty and the Bride

CHAPTER SEVEN: Love Incarnate, a.k.a. The Sex Chapter

CHAPTER EIGHT: A Word From the Bridegroom (Andrew got his own chapter!)

CHAPTER NINE: Starting Your Life Together

--The Catholic Rite of Marriage--

--Special Circumstances--

--Further Reading--

I'll be sharing more, including the cover design, excerpts, and some release date surprises, in the next few months!  Until then, help I can't think of a hashtag for this project I'm more than open to hashtag suggestions…

Rite Resources: My Favorite Free Design Resources for Wedding Invitations

Natalie Franke Photography

Ever given any thought to designing your own wedding invites? Andrew's and my wedding plans were blessed with considerable financial help from our parents.  I felt so thankful, yet vaguely guilty, so I tried to express our thanks by finding ways to cut costs wherever we could.  I love design and can fake my way through Microsoft Publisher pretty well, so I wanted to try my hand at creating our own invitations, programs, and stationary, but I knew I wanted something with a little more flair than your standard ivory paper and black script.

Side note: this was about 6 months before Pinterest was around--much to my benefit, I think, if only for the reason that I probably would've gone full-on wedding cray cray if I'd had access to that much inspiration and that amount of bridal stuff at that time in my life.  Good for other peeps, and I love looking at wedding things online still, but I know myself too well…it would've complicated, rather than simplified things for me; I'm sure of it!

Anyway, with just archaic Google to help me, it took a little time to scour the internet for pretty design resources I could use for our stationary, and after finding some I truly love, I want to share them with you.  Here are some of the sites I used before my wedding, as well as a few others I've stumbled onto since then:

For fonts:
DaFont.com: This site is great as a collection of varied, free, simple to download fonts that are divided by categories, like handwritten styles, brush scripts, and calligraphy.  Definitely check out the Dingbats and Holiday sections for "fonts" that read as images, like decorative flourishes, hearts, and flowers--truthfully, there are some pretty cheesy ones to wade through, but you can find some sophisticated designs, too, if you're willing to click around.  Even four years after my initial invitation project, I use this site all the time to help me create blog graphics.  A few faves:

Lost Type Co-Op: Seriously gorgeous type, created by independent designers, that has a wonderfully professional look.  Free downloads are permitted, or you can make a donation when you download a font, and 100% of your donation goes to the designer.  If you're nerdy about this stuff like me, Lost Type sends out a fascinating e-newsletter you can subscribe to when you download.  Everything really does look beautiful, but I'm particularly partial to these:

For images, borders, and other design elements:
We Lived Happily Ever After: Elegant wreaths, Parisian flowers, rustic antlers…whatever theme you're going for, I feel like there's a good chance you'll find something to fit from Hannah's amazing collection of images, most of them hand-drawn.  It's simple to download her collections, and she even offers this handy tutorial on how to change the graphics' colors.  Some inspiration:

For backgrounds:
Design Love Fest: While I'm betting you don't want your wedding invitations to say something like "Get It Girl," this site does have a huge collection of backgrounds you can download for your phone or desktop, ones I'm betting would also look mighty fine as a backdrop for your invitations.  There are plenty of florals, geometric shapes, and watercolors like these to browse through (images are linked to the download pages):

Pattern Cooler: I'm ready to admit that some of the designs here are straight-up gaudy.  But the concept of customizing practically any design you can imagine (stripes, circles, Greek keys…) with any colors you like is unbeatable.  A sampling:

If you like the idea of free, print-your-own invites but would rather leave the design up to someone else:
Wedding Chicks: Type in a search for "free printable wedding invitations" and a lot of clunky designs with few customization options pop up.  These are different; I think they're truly pretty, and what's more, the site offers a great collection of design-your-own monograms you can use as a starting point for your own designs, as well as signs and other printables to use at your ceremony and reception.

I just recently learned about this beautiful couple who did ministry together with St. Paul!

One thing!  Be sure, when you're getting ready to print your invites and other materials, that you've saved them as a PDF.  If you try and print straight from a Microsoft program like Word or Publisher, it will usually try to convert downloaded fonts into a Windows-friendly version, and any pretty calligraphy or block type will show up on the screen but not on the final, printed version.  PDFs also just simplify things if you're taking your documents to a print shop or a place like Staples, because the formatting can't change depending on what operating system you're using.

What do you think?  Have you thought about going DIY for your wedding paper?  Is there a free design resource you've used and loved that I left off of the list?  Share away.

More design, DIY, and template stuff from this here blog:

Mass Program Templates  |  Design-Your-Own Puzzles for guests  |  A post from the early days on the more technical aspects of invitation design  |  Erika's pretty DIY invitations  |  Printable Calling Cards to share your new married address  |  Printable Prayer Cards

Rite Resources: Underneath Your Clothes, Part 2

Did you catch my post on lingerie a while back?  There's a wealth of pretty things out there, but I also get that sometimes practicality takes priority; namely, under your wedding dress.  My dress was a strapless ballgown with a separate, poofy crinoline that went underneath; picking out undies that blended in wasn't too difficult, but every gown is a little different, obviously, and comes with different needs.  Here's what, in my opinion, makes for an easy time of dress shopping and, eventually, getting dressed on your big day:

• Convertible bra: I'm pretty sure you can buy ones now that are configurable in like 500 different ways; no joke.  Kind of intimidating, but a good thing, I think, when it comes to adjusting your straps in a way that exactly fits the neckline and back of your dress with no peeking.  If you're not sure yet whether you'll wear a strapless dress or one with straps, a convertible bra seems like a more versatile option, since you can always just take the straps off if you need to.

• By the way, if you do go strapless, the best bra advice I ever got: I used to make sure my strapless bras were super snug and were always hooked on the smallest closure, until I read (before my wedding, thankfully) that the reason girls find strapless bras so darn uncomfortable is that most of us are wearing the wrong size.  The article I read suggested buying strapless bras in the same size as you'd normally wear, set on a comfortable, not overly tight, closure--evidently, that was the secret to not having your bra ride up and down or leave marks.  Lo and behold, it was true!  Once I bought one in my normal size, it felt exactly like I was wearing a regular bra with straps, nice and supportive and natural.  The one I wore on my wedding day didn't budge once, even through a night of dancing, and wasn't uncomfy in the least.

• Alternatively: My friend Beth had a bra sewn into the front of her wedding gown and said she really enjoyed the peace of mind of not having to think about it at all during the day.  Easy!

• Nude undies: If, like me, your dress has a thicker additional layer that goes underneath the lining, the color of your underwear probably doesn't matter much (mine were my something blue!).  But if not, a seamless pair in lace or microfiber that matches your skin disappears under light-colored clothes, which is particularly great when you're dress shopping and trying on different fabrics and skirt styles .  As an avid wearer of white shorts and jeans, I'd just recommend avoiding white undies; they show through everything!

• An additional piece of unsolicited advice: While I have to give the disclaimer that I've never actually worn them, I've always had a strong suspicion that Spanx are manufactured in the ninth circle of hell.  Feel free to debate me (seriously), but my thinking is that if something I want to wear requires suctioning down my flesh, I must not actually want to wear it that badly.  If you're fuller figured or are concerned with lumps and bumps in general with the dress you've chosen, a professional lingerie fitting at a department store can help you find correct sizes for everything, which friends tell me makes a huge difference in how your clothes look, or wear a slip, both of which can eliminate the need for shapewear.

So, have you been there?  Share your best advice for keeping your undies under wraps, and be sure to check out Mary's blog, which is chock full of advice on personal style and figure flattery!

Lastly, though they have nothing at all to do with the other unmentionables, I'd love to hear your take on garters.  I didn't wear one because we weren't planning to include a garter toss at our reception, but in hindsight, I kind of wish I had worn one anyway, just for tradition's sake and to keep for my own memories.  

P.S. Happy belated feast of St. Therese!  You can read last year's reflection on her intercession in my relationship, one of my all-time favorite posts, here.

Five Favorites, Volume 3: The Perpetual Wedding Guest

Linking up with Hallie at Moxie Wife!  Click here for more blogger faves!

After college, there was about an 18-month period where I went to nine weddings, plus my own.  Nine.  I loved every minute, but there were definite challenges to traveling, figuring out a different outfit to wear around mostly the same people, and picking out a gift nearly every month.  Here are the five things that helped me enjoy the nuptials and not stress:

A basic dress.  I have a decent amount of fancier warm weather dresses, but for winter weddings, I bought a navy blue shift that I wore on three occasions.  Navy's my favorite neutral, and it was easy to change up the dress completely with different tights, shoes, and jewelry.  Similar here.

This hairspray.  I fully admit to a tendency to go too heavy on the ol' aerosol (I've resorted to holding my breath, dousing my head, and then running out of the room to protect my baby's innocent lungs), but this kind from Suave keeps everything nice and in place without any stiffness or too much crunch.  I was able to dance with abandon and worry about more important things than my hair.

Kraft paper as gift wrap.  Cheap, easy to customize and pretty up with nice ribbon, and durable enough that it didn't get torn or beat up on all of our wedding road trips.  I might not ever dress a present in anything else.

Novenas.  An extra little present that doesn't cost a penny, and one I was especially happy to give to a really close friend whose wedding we couldn't attend, is the gift of intercessory prayer.  About two weeks before their weddings, I'd ask my friends to name a saint they and their fiance had a particular devotion to and offer to pray a novena for them that would end on their wedding day.

Blank notecards.  Confession: I am horrible at writing cards in advance (I never think I'll find the perfect words, so I wait too long before the big day), and my inner cheapskate hates the elevated prices at Hallmark and even at the grocery store.  But, I adore pretty stationary and love sending snail mail.  I picked up a few packs of textured white cards with an eyelet cutout design from the dollar section at Michaels and kept them in the car and in my purse, and bam.  No more dashing into stores before bridal showers and in between wedding Masses and receptions; I had a ready supply of nice, any-occasion cards I was proud to give.  Similar here.

Help me out, ladies!  Have you gone through similar seasons of wedding madness?  What would you add to this list?

Rite Resources: Honoring Your Maid of Honor

photo source

Remember when I wrote about Fr. Leo Patalinghug's cookbook for married couples a few months ago?  I was paging through my copy a few days ago and came across this passage regarding your Best Man and Maid or Matron of Honor and the role they can play in your lives after your wedding:

Remember, these special people promised to pray for and encourage the couple as they went forth from their wedding day to fulfill their vows of lifelong faithfulness.  Having a prominent place in the ceremony, so close to the couple, these people will no doubt remember that image of two people very much in love with each other.

Interceding for your marriage and providing spiritual friendship and counsel is definitely no small matter, and I have to say, the thought of that particular role for the honored members of your wedding party was one that I'd never considered before.  It's got me thinking of them kind of like a baptized baby's godparents...marriage godparents? 

Anyway, I think that your Maid or Matron of Honor's prayers and support are such a wonderful gift.  So, how to thank her and truly honor her?  On the surface, there's, of course, choosing a special dress or bouquet for her, but spiritually speaking, here are a few ideas I came up with:

• Enroll her in the prayer intentions of a religious order during your engagement
• Gift her with a spiritual bouquet of your prayer and intercession for her vocation, whatever it is right now, and its fulfillment
• Ask her and the Best Man to read the Prayers Of the Faithful at your wedding Mass.  It's a visible, living way for them to lead your guests in praying for your marriage and for the Church.
• Include something extra, like a blessed rosary or religious article, in her bridesmaid gift.

I realize that every wedding party and family situation is different, and that you have to meet people where they are.  Depending on how things are, even praying for your Maid of Honor without her knowing, in my opinion, still has the power to bear amazing fruits.

Help me out!  What ways can you think of letting one of the most special ladies in your wedding know she's special?

Rite Resources: Lovely

Aside, of course, from your wedding gown, does it seem to you (like it seemed to me) that weddings involve a plethora of other dresses, too?  Bridesmaids, your mom, parties and showers, your rehearsal dinner...it's not a requirement, of course, to restock your wardrobe just because you're getting married, but if you are in the market for a few new fancies, might I make a suggestion?

Lovely is a bridal boutique with the prettiest offerings and, judging by their website, gorgeous styling.  Most of their selections look like they're well above any budget I had for my own wedding dress, but happily, Lovely's sister dress shop also has plenty of well, lovely choices for more casual wedding-related affairs, most of them under $100.  Peplums, sequins, and girls in white dresses?  Yes please!

Browsing through, I noticed that most of Lovely's dresses for the season share the same white, cream, and blush color palette.  I love the idea of mix-and-match bridesmaids dresses, and between the sweet, sort of vintage sensibility that runs through the collection, plus prices this nice, I think these dresses would be perfect contenders for a white wedding!

What do you think?  Any of these lovelies in particular that you have your eye on?  And what other resources have you found for dresses to wear to all your festivities?