Wedding Planning 101
Top 10 List of hotel and resort terms to know for planning your honeymoon
Your honeymoon might be the most extravagant vacation you’ve ever planned, so you’ll want to know the common lingo that you’ll run across as you research your different hotel and resort options.
1. All-Inclusive Resort: By definition this means “includes everything”, however in resort terms, what is actually included varies widely, so be sure to check the fine print. A basic all-inclusive package typically includes at least your accommodations, meals, and some activities. Also, some all-inclusive resorts are for adults only, and others are family oriented and allow children.
2. American plan (AP): A hotel rate that includes accommodations and three meals daily. Often used by resort hotels where no other dining alternatives are available. Sometimes called “full pension” or “full board” in Europe.
3. Amenities: An “extra” service or product given to guests by the hotel, typically at no extra charge. This term is broadly used to describe the toiletries and other products left in the guest room’s bathroom for your use. Amenities can also refer to services like a station to print your boarding pass in the lobby, WiFi, or free parking.
4. Boutique Hotel: A smaller hotel, sometimes in a historic building. Although there is no hard-and-fast rule, a boutique hotel will generally have fewer than about 100 guest rooms. Boutique hotels are known for offering a more unique guests experience than the typical large, corporate chain hotel. They can be a good compromise between a large hotel and a bed & breakfast.
5. Presidential Suite: The most expensive suite in a luxury hotel, also sometimes called the Royal Suite.
6. Butler: Generally assigned to no more than three rooms at a time, butlers are the first line of service when it comes to meeting your expectations at a resort. They can handle in-house or off-site arrangements such as dinner and spa appointments, or excursions. Butler service is complimentary, although gratuities of about 5% of the room rate are customary, more for stellar service.
7. Concierge: Like a butler, but concierges tend to be available to all guests, and they rarely escort guests to resort appointments as butlers do. Recently, specialized concierges have been making a big splash, with resorts offering beach, bath, romance, and even pillow concierges! They are typically tipped $10 – $20 for each provided service. Concierges will also be found at most hotels.
8. Valet: In some cases a valet does more than park your car. Dry cleaning, shoe shining and personal laundry may fall into this job description.
9. Porte Cochere (pôrt k -shâr): The area just outside the main entrance (usually covered), where you’ll find your transportation to and from the airport as well as for excursions. Also where you’ll look for the Valet if you have a car that needs to be parked or if you need a taxi.
10. Not just a Bartender: Mixologists shake, stir, and mix delightful, artisan or standard cocktails. A sommelier is someone who has training in all things pertaining to wine. And taquilleros are well-versed in the world of tequila.
And if you’d rather just speak regular English to describe what you’re looking for in your honeymoon experience, you can always contact Divine Destination Weddings and Honeymoons. They are the honeymoon travel experts and know honeymoon resorts and hotels! They’ll help you plan the honeymoon you really want, and will explain all the options and details in plain English so you’ll know what you’re getting for your money.
Happy honeymooning!
What do bridesmaids do?
After watching all those crazy wedding movies, are you wondering what bridesmaids are really supposed to help you with? Follow this list to make sure they’re still your friends after the wedding…
DO ask them to:
- Help you address wedding invitations, assemble favors, pack welcome bags
- Accompany you dress shopping
- Get an updo or blowout for the big day (if you’re paying)
- Pick up guests from the airport
- Give you a hand with ceremony and/or reception setup and decorating
- Dance with the groomsmen at the reception
- Stand on the receiving line
- Help you with your dress in the bathroom
DON’T ask them to:
- Be your 24/7 complaint boxes when the wedding is stressing you out
- Alter their appearance: lose weight, dye their hair, or cover tattoos
- Let out-of-towners they’ve never met stay at their house
- Go broke because of expenses associated with your wedding
- Sit apart from their boyfriends during the reception
- Spend the whole evening acting like wedding coordinators
From the shelves of Engaged Wedding Library
Choosing fonts for your wedding invitations and more
Whether you’re planning to hire a wedding invitation specialist, buy ready-to-print stationary, or go completely DIY, selecting the fonts you’ll use for your invitations, place cards, menus and other printed pieces, is an important decision in creating “the look and feel” of your wedding.
Think about choosing fonts like you’d choose a dress: what works in a ballroom probably won’t suit a barn. When looking at fonts, think about the mood it evokes, and whether that fits your wedding’s personality. Even within just the script fonts, there are hundreds of choices. Once you’ve narrowed it down to those that fit the right personality type, it’s just a matter of personal preference, but make sure that it’s easy to read at the size you’ll be using. If you have any type of theme to your reception, there will surely be a font that goes with that theme.
How many fonts to use? First of all, realize that most fonts come in several weights. So for example, using the light and bold versions of the same font will provide contrast while keeping consistency. But as you branch out from invitations to the other printed pieces, you’ll likely want to choose one additional font to create even more contrast and interest, but don’t overdo it – too many fonts is a sure catastrophe. Usually you’ll need a serif font and a sans serif font to work together without fighting each other.
Too much to deal with? Then consider handing the task over to a wedding invitation professional who can create a custom look for your special day, coordinate all the printed pieces, and even design your own “couple’s logo” – a special touch that really puts the “you” in your wedding! She can also answer all your questions about etiquette, timing, and wording.
There are also options that provide a little of both: pre-packaged DIY kits that offer lots of direction.
Whatever your road, make sure you proof, and double proof every word and number on each piece before printing!
Wedding Music Trends
Your wedding planning choices should reflect you as a couple, but just in case you’re wondering what is being predicted for wedding reception music trends in the upcoming year, here’s what Bridal Guide has to say about it:
IN! Crossover. Imagine a gospel choir belting out Beyoncé or Led Zeppelin done by a string quartet. Brides will be getting playful with their music choices.
OUT! Spanish guitars. They were everywhere just a year ago, but brides are going back to cocktail hour standards with jazz trios and strings.
IN! Time travel. Start dinner with a band playing standards from the 30s and 40s and work your way up through the decades to a DJ spinning current hits in the late hours.
OUT! Journey and the hair bands. 80s music, alternatives, and indies are all more popular choices.
ALWAYS IN! Dance lessons. A majority of brides will have their first dance choreographed.
Need a Sacramento wedding DJ or live wedding music? Read reviews here!
Wedding Day Makeup Tips
As promised, here is the follow up to the wedding day hair tips… this time it’s wedding day makeup tips, and more expert advice from the shelves of Engaged and David Tutera.
Makeup “Do’s”
1. Do book your makeup consultation for a day when you have a fitting or an event. There will usually be fees for the run through, so plan yours to happen when you have something special going on, or when you can test it out with your dress. Get your money’s worth!
2. Do wear a white or ivory tank top at your run through to help you visualize how your makeup will look with your gown. Bridal makeup color needs to be fine tuned to look right against the hue of your dress.
3. Do bring a camera to your makeup run through, and take photos from all angles. Assess and adjust from there. Write down the makeup products and shades used on your eyes, lips, and cheeks.
4. Do start early on your wedding day and schedule enough time for your services to be done well. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for your makeup.
5. Do devise a timeline. figure out prep time required for each member of the wedding party and how many assistants will be needed to get the job done. (your makeup artist can help you figure this out)
6. Do think classic and timeless for your makeup. Sure, Kim Kardashian’s uber-smoky cat eye and full-on faux lashes look fab, but in ten years? Maybe not so much.
7. Do be aware that super dark lipstick can look black in black and white photos, so if you want a dramatic lip, think brighter, not darker.
8. Do use waterproof mascara. This is bridal makeup rule #1!
Makeup “Don’ts”
1. Don’t wait until the last minute! Book your hair and makeup artist early – about six months in advance. The good ones go fast.
2. Don’t skimp. Hire the right number of makeup artists for your wedding party. Remember, all of your bridesmaids will be in your wedding photos for life, and they, too, need to look picture perfect.
3. Don’t overdo it. There is a reason the word “understated” was invented! Less is more, especially when it comes to your wedding day makeup. You still need to look like you. Stay true to your beautiful self.
4. Don’t use “blah” shades. Those beige and brown toned lip colors you wear every day can make you look washed out in photos. Instead, aim for rosier, plumier or peachier iterations of your go-to favorites.
5. Don’t get shiny. Keep a mattifying gel or blotting tissues on hand to tone down oil or perspiration. It’s one thing to glow, quite another to have a glistening shine. Wedding excitement can (and probably will) make your skin flushed and slick, so be prepared.
6. Don’t be without what you need. Have a bridal beauty emergency kit for your maid of honor to keep close by in case anything goes awry.
You are now ready for your closeup!
Tips for Wedding Day Hair
How to have your best hair day ever on your wedding day? Here are some hair do’s and don’ts from wedding expert David Tutera, as found in the volumes of advice in the books and magazines at Engaged.
Hair “Do’s”:
1. Have a hair trial! The session should allow enough time for you to try three different hairstyles. Be sure to bring your headpiece (or photo of it) along. Book your stylist four to six months ahead of time, and have your trial four to six weeks prior to the wedding.
2. Speak up! Explain the style of your wedding and reception to your stylist, and bring a photo or sketch of your gown. Ask him or her to suggest looks that will harmonize with the overall feel of your wedding.
3. Be open to suggestions. You may think you want a cascade of rolling waves, but don’t pass on the opportunity to try, say, a low, loose chignon, or some clip-on extensions. Go on—it’s only a hair trial, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
4. Take pictures as you go. Bring a friend to your trial, and have her take photos of all your options from every angle. Be sure to capture the front, profile, back, even how your hair looks from above. The goal is to have every side be your “best side,” since you’re sure to be photographed from every angle on the big day.
5. When scheduling your hair appointments for your actual wedding day, add a cushion of time so no one (you or your bridesmaids) will be “fashionably late.”
6. Do wear a button-front shirt or dress for your day-of styling. That way, when you change into your wedding dress, there is no pulling of shirts over your finished hairdo.
Hair “Don’ts”
1. Don’t assume your regular stylist is best for your wedding. The go-to hair pro who cuts your hair every six weeks may not be well versed in wedding ‘do’s. If this is the case, find a stylist who specializes in wedding day hair.
2. Don’t assume anything when it comes to the language of hair. Bringing in images will help your stylist identify what you want. Terms like “big bun,” “soft waves,” “sophisticated,” and “chic” mean different things to different people, so comparing visuals can be the best way to communicate.
3. Beware of tendril-overload. A few flirty tendrils around your face can look romantic as long as there are only a few and they are not too long. Too many strands can cast unflattering shadows on your beautiful face.
4. Don’t neglect the neckline of your gown. Whether it’s strapless, one-shoulder or sweetheart, the top of your gown is a key shape to keep in mind when it comes to choosing your hairstyle. A full-on updo may feel (and look) too bare with a strapless dress.
5. Don’t hide your highlights. When highlighted hair is pinned into an updo, a chunk of dark hair is revealed beneath. Break up the solid color by having extra highlights applied at the under layers of your hair if you plan to go with an upswept style.
Find your Sacramento wedding hair stylist at sacramento.pwg.com!
Tomorrow: Do’s and Don’ts for wedding day makeup.
New PWG contest: win a diamond ring!
Enter for your chance to win a diamond ring from Perfect Wedding Guide and Aquamarine Jewelers! Just click on the WIN tab at sacramento.pwg.com and complete the online entry form. One lucky bride will win a $1500 gift certificate to Aquamarine Jewelers to use towards the jewelry of her choice! One entry per engaged couple. Contest ends 7/10/12. Good luck!
Show off your Engaged status with new, exclusive, free gift!
Now you can have fun showing off your “engaged” status when you use your exclusive “Engaged” rhinestone pen! Only available as a free gift for brides-to-be who register at Engaged Wedding Library in Fair Oaks for the first time, this adorable, sparkly pen also comes with a free “Engaged” notepad.
There is also still a limited supply of the cute, beaded shoeless sandals from Bali as an alternate choice for your free gift. These are perfect to wear on your honeymoon, or anytime!
Check out the free resources that Engaged offers on the About page, as well as hours and a map. And if you don’t want to wait to visit Engaged to start researching wedding vendors, just use the quick links on the Vendors page to get directly to hundreds of the best Sacramento wedding vendors, including photographers, djs, invitations, venues, and more.
New Wedding Magazines at Engaged Wedding Library
New issues of the many wedding magazines at Engaged are always arriving, and today we added new issues of Wedding Flowers and Modern Wedding Flowers. Wedding Flowers in particular, has so many great photos of ideas for all areas of your wedding planning and decor, not just your bouquets and centerpieces, it’s really worth a look!
More new magazine issues arriving next week include Southern Living Weddings, Inside Weddings, and a new title to our shelves: DIY Bride. We also have several DIY books on the shelves.
And of course, this treasure trove of wedding ideas is all available for you to use at Engaged for FREE! Visit the About page for map and hours, and Happy Planning!
You’re Engaged! Now What?
Congratulations! Here is our list of the first things to do after you get engaged, with links to all the FREE planning tools on the Perfect Wedding Guide web site.
- Check the Sacramento Bridal Show calendar at sacramento.pwg.com. It’s not that attending a bridal show is the most important thing, but the most bridal shows are taking place between now and the end of April, with varying locations, so you won’t want to miss the one that’s most convenient or that you’re available to attend.
- Get a wedding organizer. It can be a binder, book, or app, but you’ll need a place to keep track of all your ideas and decisions! You can get started right away with our FREE downloadable wedding workbook. Find the page that has the planning timeline so you can relax and see that everything doesn’t have to be done right now!
- Choose a date (or 2). The more flexible you are with your date, the better chance you’ll have of booking the Sacramento wedding venue or Tahoe wedding location you really want, but you’ll want to at least pick a month. Keep in mind that you’ll save money by choosing any date that is NOT a Saturday.
- Set your budget. Who’s contributing? How much? Add it up for your total. It’s a good idea to set aside at least 5% of available funds for last minute additions, cost overruns, or something you just can’t live without. Track your budget with our free wedding budget calculator.
- Start the guest list. Don’t forget to get a list from your parents as to who they’d like to see invited. Then see if your guest count works with your budget. If not, make some changes to one or both. The quickest way to reduce your costs is to reduce your guest count. Keep track of your guest list here, and later use our free drag-and-drop seating chart!
- Get an idea of your wedding style. You don’t have to make firm decisions now, but you will want an idea of the type of wedding you’re looking for: winter/summer, indoor/outdoor, casual/formal, large/intimate. This overall style will help guide you in your choice of venue (and everything else).
- Decide if you’re going to hire a wedding planner. If you are, then you’ll want to find that person before you do much else, since she’ll be helping you with all the planning to come.
- Choose a venue. Once you’ve chosen your venue, you’ll know a lot more about what your next steps will need to be, as well as the direction for your wedding style.
- Start shopping for your wedding dress. Yes, it’s true – wedding dresses can take many months to arrive, not to mention that it can take a long time for you to decide on one, so the dress goes near the top of the to-do list. Sacramento wedding dress shops carry very different selections of gowns and designers, so if you don’t find the perfect one right away, don’t fret. You might even WIN your wedding gown if you enter Perfect Wedding Guide’s Great Gown Giveaway!
- Enjoy being engaged!