Tip #97: Bathroom gifts

Tip of the Day

A nice way to help your guests is providing goodies in the restrooms from moutwash, breathmints, perfume, cologne, femine hygiene products, etc.

Tip #96: don't get shoved aside

Tip of the Day
If one of your vendors has other weddings other than yours in a weekend. Make sure not to get pushed aside. Your wedding is a priority.

Tip #95: Faux exit

Tip of the Day

Want your photographer to capture your grand exit from your reception, but don't want to pay the extra hours for them to stay, consider a faux exit. This can be done right when your photographers end of their contracted time. Sparklers, rose petals, bubbles, whatever you choose to aid in your exit, check with your venue first.

Review from clients

I'm so glad we used Elegant Affairs! Lori was our "day of" wedding coordinator and she was invaluable. She met with us several times before the wedding to ensure every detail was in place, and confirmed these details with all our vendors so I didn't have to worry about anything. She was at the rehearsal as well, and politely made sure the wedding coordinator from the Church knew what we wanted, which alleviated a lot of stress. She was always prompt, professional, friendly, and full of energy.

On the day of our wedding, Lori anticipated needs before they even arose. Little things, like making sure we had food and water, and making sure I set down my very heavy bouquet between pictures so my arms didn't get tired. Every time I turned around to say, "Lori, what about..." or "Lori, did we get..." she replied, "It's already been taken care of". It was a fabulous weight off my shoulders and it meant our friends and family didn't have to run around like crazy people trying to coordinate or deal with anything. We all enjoyed the wedding without any concern about the logistics. There were SO many small details, and Lori handled all of them perfectly. I have recommended her to everyone I know, and I honestly feel that hiring Lori was the best money we spent on the whole wedding!

~Jessica & Bill, August 20, 2011

Tip 94: Photobooth props

Tip of the Day

If you are having a photobooth for your reception, props are the best to really enhance your photos. From funny hats, clothing and accessories to photo frames, signs and mustaches on a stick. The best place to search for props are the Dollar Store, Goodwill or you can make them yourself.

DIY Week #2

DIY Week 2: Put a Bird on it. ... Literally.

 We all remember the first Sex and the City movie’s wedding  scene. Here comes the moment we’ve been waiting for, the moment we saw our beloved Carrie step into her bridal gown. Our eyes gravitated to her head, and I know we all thought, “Wait, what is that? Is that a bird?” Yes, indeed, it was a bird. Well leave it to SJP to get on top of the bird trend. Birds are all over Pinterest, clothes, and are seen at modern, vintage, rustic, well you-name-it-kind-of-wedding, and they are there. There are many ways to incorporate birds into your wedding day, but it doesn’t have to be on your head…

In my previous weddings, I’ve seen bird cages, bird décor, and even the occasional bird cake topper. So, today’s DIY are fabric bird cake toppers. In today’s world, there is no standard cake topper. The days of plastic bride and grooms are over.  Creating and customizing your own cake topper is the perfect way to tie your wedding theme all together.

 Here are the necessary items needed to complete this project:

-          Template (FREE!)

o   I have attached a template to the page.

-          Fabric (scrap fabric, or you can buy fabric to coordinate with your wedding theme) (Starts at $3.99/yd)

o   Get creative! You may use burlap, tweed, suede, linen, cotton blend, let your mind explore!

o   You will need a 1ft by 1ft square

o   Don’t forget to use your coupons if you have any!

-          Thread ($3)

o   Coordinate your thread with your fabric

o   You can also find thread

-          Needle (Small)

-          Fiber Fill

o   You will need a very small amount of fiber fill for the birds

o   If you don’t have fiber fill handy, or do not want to spend money to buy a whole bag, use cotton balls!

-          Fabric Scissors

-          Fabric Pencil

-          Straight Pins

Okay, let’s get crafty! First things first, print out the free template. Then, take your template and cut out the pieces. Place the pieces on your fabric and start tracing using your fabric pencil. If you have a difficult time tracing the template onto the fabric, feel free to use straight pins to hold it in place. If you don’t have a fabric pencil, use the straight pins to pin each piece and then cut.

 You will need:

-          1 head

-          2 bodies

-          1 chest

-          (Note: If you are using patterned fabric, be sure to cut on body with the right side of fabric, and one body with the wrong side of the fabric.)

 

Once your fabric is cut, it’s time to start sewing! Take your small sewing needle, and thread your needle. Make sure to use coordinating thread. Now, take the head and one body piece and sew the two together starting at the beak. You will be using the Whip Stitch. If you are unsure how to use this stitch feel free to check out the how to here:

http://www.holiday-crafts-and-creations.com/whip-stitch.html.

 

 

Once one side of the head, and one side of the body (make sure if you are using patterned fabric, you are using the correct side) are sewn together, do the same to the other side. Take your second body piece and sew it to the head, starting at the beak. Once you reach the end of your head piece, you can sew the two bodies together until you reach the tail.

Here’s the fun part! It’s time to decorate! You can take black thread to sew eyes, sew buttons for a tux (groom’s bird), use a running stitch to form letters, or a heart. You can also take coordinating scrap fabric to create a little flower for the bride’s bird. The options are endless so, get creative!

 

After finishing all your embellishments, it’s time to stuff the bird and sew it shut. Fill your bird with fiber fill and take the chest piece and sew one side starting at the tail. Sew until you reach the beak. Once you reach the beak, sew the second side to the chest until you reach the tail. Your bird should be completely sewn at this point.

Ladies and gentlemen, here you have it, your very own cake topper bird. You can also take wire and make feet for your bird. Don’t hesitate about getting creative! The options are endless for these fun little birds.

Good luck, and happy sewing!

 

Review from Venue Owner

Lori did an excellent job of managing the entire wedding process, and the day went as smoothly as it possibly could. She was professional, a great communicator, efficient and very organized.

Perfect!

I highly recommend working with Lori and Elegant Affairs.

~Roland Crane, Owner of EM Fine Art Gallery

Tip #93: Saving the top tier of your wedding cake

Tip of the Day

If you plan on saving the top tier of your wedding cake, please let whoever is serving your cake to save the top tier. Make sure to bring an air tight Tupperware container and then move it to a freezer as soon as possible.

Tip #92: Family issues

Tip of the Day

If there are family situations that arise, please alert your wedding planner immediately so they can address and problems.

Tip #91: Another way to thank you vendors

Tip of the Day

A great way to recognize a top-notch wedding vendor is to review their services on their website or another site like Wedding Wire. This great feedback helps potential clients see that this vendor is worth hiring. Ask your wedding vendors who you would like to review what site(s) they are part of.

Review from clients

Lori and her team were amazing! If there was something that was needed last minute, done! Lori was very aware with how I was doing, what I requested and made sure it was smooth. My floorplans had to be completely changed because of the hot weather and shade, Lori made my reception perfect! Everyone thought it was a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception!
Thanks Lori!!!

~Jason & Christeena Page, August 4, 2012

Tip 90: Sunscreen for bridal party

Tip of the Day

Even if it is an overcast day, that doesn't mean that you still can't get sunburned. Make sure that you apply a sunscreen and the higher coverage (no higher than 50) the better. You don't want to look back at your wedding photos and see a sunburn.

Tip #89: Ceremony seating assignment

Tip of the Day

Worried that your family and other close friends will not be able to sit in their assigned seats, place name cards on seats or reserve a handful of rows and direct your ushers or groomsmen where to seat those VIP guests.

Tip #88: Venue Check-outs

Tip of the Day

As your wedding quickly approaches, make sure to check with your venue to clarify about their check-out process to ensure that you receive your security/damage deposit back and/or won't be charged for leaving something undone. Check with your caterer about their responsibilities for clean-up.

Tip #87: Vendor cancellations

Tip of the Day

In the event one of your vendors cancels on you, make sure you know what the policy is according to that vendor contract's cancellation policy. If a vendor cancels on you before your wedding, they may have contract language stating that they have to find you a similar replacement for no additional fee, however you might not get a say in who that replacement is. Option 2 is that you receive all of your money back that you have paid the vendor. If you go with option #1, make sure that you get a new contract with the new vendor.

Tip #86: Wedding Rehearsal

Tip of the Day

Check with your venue if your rental comes with a rehearsal, if not think about a local park or restaurant that has a similar layout to your ceremony venue. Also, if your venue does allow for a rehearsal sometimes you are not guaranteed a Friday night rehearsal if your wedding is Saturday. Most venues now have weddings and events all weekend long and you might get assigned a 11am Friday rehearsal. It is key to find a time that your whole bridal party will be able to attend.

Tip #85: Pre-marriage counseling

Tip of the Day

If marrying in your local religious institution, your priest, rabbi, pastor etc. may require you and your finance to complete pre-marriage counseling or a engagement encounter weekend. Otherwise, it is always a good idea to meet with your officiant or therapist before your wedding to talk about your upcoming MARRIAGE, not the wedding, but what happens after your big day. This is great way to address issues you mihgt not have already discussed from when and if to have children, finances, etc.

Tip #84: Worse case scenario

Tip of the Day

I know it's not something wants to talk about, but in the case you have to reschedule or even cancel your wedding, look over all of your vendor contracts to know their policies. Make sure when you know of either situation, let your vendors know ASAP.

Tip #83: Vendor Meals

Tip of the Day

Remember when you give your caterer your final meal counts that you include your vendors who will be present for the day of the wedding. Some caterers offer a reduced cost for vendor meals or offer box lunches. The key is your vendors (i.e. Wedding Planner, Photographer, DJ, etc.) need to eat since they are working non-stop the whole day. Make sure to check your vendor contracts as some vendors stipulate a meal be included in their contract.

Tip #82: Engagment photos

Tip of the Day

When planning your engagement session, think about what you want your photos to look like and tell about you as a couple. Do you want your photos to represent your lives together and things you like to do together like hiking, picnicking, etc. or do you want your photos to talk about your wedding and what's to come, do your homework first and have a plan for your photographer. Or if you don't have a clue on what to do, talk with your photographer.

Tip #81: Inviting a Plus 1?

Tip of the Day

Are you capped by a certain number of guests at your venue or does your budget only allow for no more than 150 guests, a way to keep to those restrictions, don't feel pressured to add a plus 1 to your single friends. Unless they are in a long-term committed relationship, don't feel obligated to add that phrase to their invitation. If you are worried about their reaction, talk to your single friends before sending out your invites letting them know.

Tip #80: Alcohol

Tip of the Day

Need to know how much alcohol to purchae for your wedding reception, first take into account your guests and if they are drinkers and if they prefer wine or beer. Then think about you and your fiance, what do you like to drink. Talk with your caterer/venue if they provide alcohol or if you have to provide your own. Some alcohol distributors allow you to return unopened bottles of wine like Trader Joe's and Costco.

Introducting Rachel's DIY Corner

I see you there, you're just like me scrolling through Pinterest for hours. Pinning... pinning... and even more pinning. You've found marvelous DIY items for your special day, your wedding day. For some reason, the pictures always make it seem so easy but, often the outcome seems unreachable. DIY may seem over whelming, and all your pins may seem far fetch, but good news is ahead. I'm your new DIY fairy godmother. I'm Rachel, a wedding planner at Elegant Affairs, and I am here to guide you through the DIY and Pinterest trenches. So, grab a glue gun, and some creativity and let's get crafty!

Please check out Rachel's DIY Corner on our header!
Her first craft is a Ring Bearer Pillow

Review from Clients

We used Lori as our day of wedding coordinator. She was amazing throughout the whole process. Even though she was just a day of coordinator, she would respond to my multiple questions months ahead of time promptly via email. The day of our wedding, Lori made sure everything was set up perfectly and that I had as little stress as possible. Her and her 2 assistants made sure that the ceremony started on time and people knew where to go afterward. She also made sure that every formal part of the reception went smoothly and on time. Lori and her assistants were always there to help if I had a question or a concern throughout the wedding. I would definitely recommend using elegant affairs for any wedding, big or small.
~Nicole & Cedric, July 27, 2012
Salish Lodge

Tip #79: Emergency Kit

Tip of the Day
Unless you don't have a wedding planner who will already have an emergency kit with her on your wedding day, here are some essentials for you to have on your big day:

• Double-sided tape
• Safety Pins
• Tide to Go Pen
• Straws
• toothbrush
• mouth wash
• sewing kit
• comb
• hairspray
• deodrant
• Kleenex
• Extra pens (black ink)
• baby wipes
• Q-tips

Tip #78: Aisle decor

Tip of the Day

How to make your grand entrance into your ceremony to make a perfect photography moment, think about what decor will stand out in your photos that best represents you as a couple and the venue. Is is an aisle runner, flowers, lanterns, candles, fabric, etc.

Tip #77: No traditional wedding ceremony

Tip of the Day

When planning your wedding ceremony, be creative. Get married with all of your guests standing around you. Another fun way is to involve your guests into your ceremony so they feel as if they are part of your ceremony.

Tip #76: Final confirmation of vendors

Tip of the Day

Something that your wedding planner will take care normally, but if you do not have one, make sure that you are doing a final confirmation with all of your vendors 24-72 hours before your big day, making sure that they have your timeline and can answer any last minute questions and confirm delivery/set-up times.

Tip #75: Hair and make-up

Tip of the Day

Unsure of your hair and make-up skills for your wedding day, or nervous about doing it yourself, think about hiring a hair stylist or visiting your current stylist and having a make-up artist. the pros know exactly what needs to be done to keep every hair and place and what kind of make-up works best for sun, rain, cold or wind and what is going to be best translate for photos.

Vendor Spotlight: Van Wyhe Photography

Vendor Spotlight

About our company:

We are Gabriel and Jaci Van Wyhe  - a husband and wife photography team based in the Seattle/Tacoma area.  Simply, we love to capture the most precious moments of life and love in images that will communicate the unique story of each of our couples.  No two couples and no two wedding day stories are the same, and being able to see and capture the unique details and personalities of our couples is what we do.

We want to be more than  “just the photographer” to our couples - we want to get to know each of them, to help them plan out the schedules and details of their event, and to be a support to them on their wedding day.  We want to celebrate the wedding day with them and to give each of our couples the images that will bring them back to the beauty and passion of their wedding day again and again. We are capturing life and creating art together and there should always be joy in that.

What makes us Unique:

Every photographer has a different and unique “eye” – in that they see every moment and location differently.  It’s always fun to go through the images that my wife and I capture at a wedding and to see how different and complimenting they are.  I tend to capture the general moments and setting of the wedding very well, while my wife captures the small details and intimate moments in amazing ways.  Our couples choose us because our eye in capturing images excites then and resonates with them.  Not every couple is going to love our work, but the couples that do are the ones we want to work with – because we get to share in the excitement of capturing and sharing our art with couples that connect with those images in a powerful way.

In an age of “batch processing” where many photographers are running all the images they shoot through programs that applies a specific look and they never spend the time to fine tune their images - I edit every single image that I give to my couples, one at a time.  I want to be proud of what I give to a couple and I want to spend that time on each image to make sure the images are as beautiful as I can make them.

We help our couples plan their entire wedding day.  This goes way beyond the typical job description for a wedding photographer – but early on in our business we noticed a pattern when shooting weddings.  The same issues, stresses, and complications where happening at every wedding to every couple and no one was there to prepare them or help them plan for those challenges.  These are all the little things that have nothing to do with photography, but we were so tired of seeing our couples struggle with them!  So we now help every one of our couples create a realistic and effective timeline of their wedding day and go over every detail from when to snack on the wedding day to dealing with family members who are stressed out on the wedding day.

As photographers, we share in one of the most special days in many peoples lives, and we decided we wanted to do what we can to see our couples have the best day possible and to have as much joy as possible on their wedding day.  And we discovered along the way that by doing this, we get to photograph couples who are more relaxed and joyful on their wedding days – making for fantastic pictures as well.

Important tips for selecting a wedding photographer:

In many ways, the digital age of photography has made it much more complicated to find the right photographer for your wedding.  In the film days, you simply found a photographer with the “eye” for capturing the types of images you loved.  Now, you really have to be aware of many other details.  Digital SLRs are so cheap now that almost anyone can pick up a camera and say they are a photographer.  On one hand, this has meant a lot of new and amazing talent entering the photography arena – on the other hand, it means a great number of “photographers” who are using cheap cameras and cheap lenses, and who know very little or nothing about how to shoot in different types of light and capture key moments in difficult and fast paced environments.  It also means that many of the pop up photographers are not being held to the standard of creating a business that is insured and built to last – leaving many brides with photographers who disappear with their deposits because their business failed.  Couples really need to ask the hard questions to make sure they are protected and that the photographer they are hiring has the professional equipment and experience to capture their wedding day in a way that will produce the most beautiful results.

The questions I find that most couples are forgetting to ask, but are so very important:

Do you have liability insurance and is your equipment fully insured?

This is probably the most overlooked of the important questions all couples should be asking.   A professional photographer with professional equipment will come to a wedding with anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 in gear.  If something should happen to that gear (theft, fire, damage) the week before your wedding, will the photographer be able to replace it all and be prepared for your big day?  It’s unlikely if they are not insured.

Memory cards do go bad!  Any professional photographer who has been doing this for any amount of time will tell you that they have experienced a memory card failure.  Even with the high end cards (shock, heat, freeze proof and water resistant) card failure happens.  To have the images salvaged off of a failed card can cost up to $7000.  If a couple hires a uninsured photographer, it is likely the photographer will simply refund the couple and count the images as lost.  While an insured photographer will be covered for such a situation.

Many venues require the vendors that a couple brings in for their wedding to have a million dollars or more in liability coverage.  If your venue finds out your photographer does not have insurance, they may bar the photographer from shooting on your wedding day, leaving a couple with no pictures.

These are just a few of the reasons to make sure your photographer is insured – and based on what we are seeing in the photography field, I would estimate that less than half of those claiming to be professional photographers have any type of insurance.

What is the model of the cameras you shoot with?

Your first thought might be: “I don’t know anything about cameras so why would I ask?”  The type of gear a photographer uses on your wedding day can make all the difference in the quality of your images.  All cameras are NOT created equal!

Sure, a wedding day, outside, at the perfect time of the day to capture the perfect light and a wedding without any surprises or without very many spontaneous moments can be captured by any camera and you may see these weddings on a photographers blog – however, over the years, I have learned that it is a very rare wedding that meets all of those conditions and most weddings will have fast paced moments in changing light conditions with a combination of outdoor and indoor locations in unpredictable weather conditions (especially here in Washington).  So in the cases of the vast majority of weddings, a professional grade camera is really needed to truly capture the event.

A low end digital SLR is actually designed to inhibit professional use.  The access to settings and the speed of changing those settings on a consumer grade SLR can make it nearly impossible to capture many key moments at the average wedding.  Also, the sensor size in a professional SLR is up to twice the size of the sensor consumer SLR (i'm not talking about megapixels which have very little to do with true image quality, but the physical size of the sensor in the camera) – this means the pro camera can capture more detail, have far better images in low light and can use professional lenses designed for large sensors, which will not be fully compatible with consumer grade SLR cameras.  There are many other very important differences between a consumer SLR and a Pro SLR.  The point is, a photographer who got their camera at Costco or Walmart verses one who has invested in a professional grade camera says a lot about the photographer and their capabilities to capture all the moments of your wedding day.

So what do you do?  Simply ask.  Write down the brand and model number of the cameras the photographer uses and then go look them up on Amazon.com.  Its that simple!  At this time, both Canon and Nikon (the two camera manufactures leading the market) have set a clear price point between their cheaper consumer grade SLR cameras and the Professional Grade cameras.  If the camera the photographer shoots with cost less than $2500 for just the camera body(no lenses with the camera), then they are almost certainly shooting with a consumer grade camera with a small sensor and limited capabilities.  The professional grade cameras typically cost anywhere from $2800 to $7000.  Again, it really does make a difference.

Do you have a backup camera in case something happens to one of your cameras?

The list of things that can go wrong with and happen to a photographers camera is a very very long one.  Water damage, being dropped, getting stolen at the wedding, electrical or software malfunction, etc.  A professional photographer should always have at least one backup camera in case their main camera has an issue on the wedding day.

How many weddings have you shot?Many couples ask: “how long have your been doing photography?” but the question doesn’t actually give the couple a good idea of the photographers skill level at a wedding. 

Weddings are considered by many photographers one of the most difficult areas of photography.  A hundred different moments the day of the wedding that must be captured with no second chances in changing light that the photographer has no control over – all spread over 8 hours of constant shooting in multiple locations.  A photographer can shoot for years, but if your wedding is the fifth wedding they have ever shot, the odds are they will struggle to keep up with the pace and capture all of the moments you want.

I remember when I shot my 100^th wedding looking back at all the weddings before and realizing that there was a significant difference in my skill level for every 10 weddings I had shot.  I was much better at 20 weddings than I was at 10 – and in a totally different place when looking at my 30^th wedding compared to my 80^th. 

I know photographers who have been shooting weddings longer than I have, but only shoot a few weddings a year.  How long is not nearly as important as how many in my opinion.

Will my images be fully edited like the ones I see on your blog and web site?

There is a major trend right now where the images a photographer gives to their couples are barely touched up at all – then the photographer chooses their favorite 20 shots, fully edits those and posts them on their site and blog and never even gives those images to the couple.  This means that what you see on the photographer’s site is not even close to an accurate representation of what you will get from the photographer.

At this point, I would guess that well over half of all photographers are doing this and most couples have no idea to even ask.

The new wedding photography trends:

Film, film, and more film.  The digital age of photography has opened up whole new possibilities in photography.  From low light shooting that would have been impossible 10 years ago to the ability to edit and manipulate images in a way never imagined in the age of film.  However, something was lost.  The feel of film images, the dynamic range of light not possible with even the best digital cameras, and that sense of texture and softness to the picture. 

Because of this loss, many photographer are actually going back to shooting film – or, they are finding ways to edit their pictures to replicate as much as possible the feel and look of film with their digital images.

I only shoot film now for personal projects.  However, I have edited entire weddings in a way to draw out the feel and look of film to compliment the images to the type of wedding.  It isn’t right for every wedding in my opinion, but when done well, it can add something to the wedding pictures that beckons back to something very much missed in the overly perfect and HD images produced by a digital camera.

Contact information:                                                                                                                         Van Wyhe Photography     

Gabriel Van Wyhe                                                                                                                         

vanwyhephoto@gmail.com                                                                                             

vanwyhephotography.com

253-208-9872                                                                                                               

Here are just a few of Van Wyhe's favorite images:

Tip #74: Floor plan from venue

Tip of the Day

Make sure to ask your venue for a copy of their floor layout so you can place your tables and other items such as DJ table, buffet (if applicable), cake, favor table, gift and guest book tables, etc.

Tip #73: Anniversary dance

Tip of the Day

To honor those guests who are married, why not celebrate them with their own dance, The Anniversary Dance. Your DJ or MC can do this dance two ways. The first way is to invite all of the married couples onto the dance floor and then eliminate them by how long they are married starting with the newlywed couple. For that couple who has been married the longest, sometimes brides give them their bouquet instead of doing a traditional bouquet toss. The other way if you are having a hard time getting dancers onto the floor (and to keep them there after the song ends). Start with the newlywed couple and build to the group by the number of years they are married, ending with the longest married.

Tip #72: Grand entrance with a dance?

Tip of the Day

A great way to make your grand entrance into your reception think about performing your first dance. This will ensure that all of your guests will be there to witness this big moment and for your photographer to capture this moment.

Tip #71: First look before ceremony

Tip of the Day
When thinking about wedding day photos and debating whether or not to see each other before the ceremony, there are several factors to think about:

• Rental time for venue(s)
• How long your photographer needs for photos (including family)?
• How long do keep your guests waiting between ceremony & reception?

Tip #70: Gift returns

Tip of the Day

For those gifts you didn't register for or you get duplicates, pick a day that you can take those gifts to exchange or get a gift card for purchase later. Check with your store's return policy.

Tip #69: A good start to the day

Tip of the Day

To make sure you have all the energy you have on your wedding day, make sure that you have a good breakfast/lunch and drink plenty of water.

Tip #68: Sunscreen

Tip of the Day

The key to continue your beautiful wedding day glow is to remember to wear sunscreen even if it is overcast skies. The last thing you want to happen is look back at your photos and see that you have a sunburn.

Tip #67: Getting into wedding dress shape

Tip of the Day
Thanks to the Bridal Guide for this tip:
pressure can lead some brides-to-be to go on crazy crash diets (the grapefruit diet, that inane cabbage-soup diet—who comes up with this stuff?) to trim down in a big hurry. But the results can backfire: You may shed some pounds, yes, but starving yourself or eating unhealthily in that crucial time before the wedding can leave you tired and sallow-skinned, with dull hair and dark circles under your eyes. Not pretty. Plus, you want to feel flush with love, not faint with hunger, as you exchange your vows.
Be realistic. Take into consideration your height, current weight, time frame, and level of activity before you set goals.That said, there's no reason you can't get in great shape in time for your wedding day. Hang on, we'll give you the secret formula… Drum roll, please… 1. Eat less. 2. Move more. Oh, and you should also adopt some sensible wedding-day weight-loss tips, like these:

• Don't be ruled by numbers on a scale. If you're exercising and getting toned, you may lose inches before pounds. Use a favorite pair of jeans, and how you feel as a guide.
• Replace negative messages with positive ones. Not: "I'm hopelessly fat!" but: "I did great today by replacing chips with air-popped corn. Tomorrow will be even better."
• Make small, but effective, changes. Use mustard instead of mayo; vinaigrette dressing rather than ranch; low-fat or skim milk rather than half-and-half in your coffee.
• Visualize the way you hope to look. But remember: Imagine your own personal best. There's no sense implanting a picture of Heidi Klum in your head.
• Did well this week? Reward yourself with a non-food treat: a manicure, a new lipstick, a bunch of flowers.

It's great to use your wedding as motivation for getting in shape, but don't let working out become just another source of stress.
Don't get overly ambitious and order your wedding gown three sizes smaller because you just know you'll lose the weight—what happens if you don't? Most gowns can be taken in considerably if you do achieve your goals, but few can be let out sufficiently if you don't.

Tip #66: To tan or not to tan?

Tip of the Day

As summer fades into fall; however here in western Washington it seems that our summer has just gotten underway, you may be wondering how your skin will look on your wedding day. The biggest question is to tan or not to tan.

If you are looking for a hint of color for the beautiful glow on your wedding day there are several options at your disposal. Here are just a few:

• Traditional Tanning Bed
• Spray Tanning/Airbrushing
• Bronzing Powder
• Sunless Tanner lotion

The most important thing to know before trying "tanning" method is to to do research. The easiest way to do is by going online or calling a tanning salon. Another key component is to try your "tanning" choice weeks if not a month or two before your wedding. NEVER try "tanning" days away from your wedding if you have never done so as you don't know how your skin will react.

Here are some important tips for Spray Tanning/Airbrushing:

It is important to shave and exfoliate before the tan, but only use a water based exfoliate as an oil-based one will inhibit the tan from taking to your skin. There are ways to eliminate tan lines, and the important thing to remember is to find an experienced technician. Airbrush Tanning is not regulated by the Dept. of Cosmetology in most states, so be careful.

For those that will be going on your honeymoon and planning on swimming in chlorine...use a tan extender or touch up spray