A Guide to Thank You Cards

We all have a love hate relationship with Thank You cards. They allow you to personally thank each and every one of your wedding guests for taking the time to attend your special day and for the gift they thoughtfully provided. It allows you to relive your wedding day with every card you write. It also can be a source of stress because trying to be original with every card gets difficult and you don't need the added pressure of knowing you have a certain time frame to complete them in.

I recently came across these Thank You card writing tips on Martha Stewart and I just had to pass them along to you guys (I don't see these types of tips enough). The one thing that wasn't here that I would suggest is at showers, pass out a Thank You card envelope to every guest, ask them to write their full name and address on the front. Then collect them all. This way, the bride-to-be has all of her envelopes already addressed to her guests with their up-to-date addresses. She will use these to send out her thank you cards after the shower. It would take her an hour to address them all, but it only takes her guest 30 seconds to write down their information.
Also, start sending out thank you notes as soon as the gifts arrive. Some guests prefer to send your gifts before the wedding to avoid bringing large sums of cash or a large gift to the wedding. You'll find getting some done in advance will be good for your spirit and lighten the workload a bit.

Getting Organized

Buy thank-you cards early (if you're having them printed, it's often cheaper to order them along with your other wedding stationery), so you have them on hand. Set up a log when you begin addressing your invitations to help keep track of the correct spelling of names, mailing addresses, and phone numbers. Use the list to record guests' responses and, ultimately, gifts they give you.

Keeping Track

When you open presents, immediately record who gave you what, either in your log or right on the gift cards, which you could keep together in a specially designated box. Despite your best efforts, a few gifts may become separated from their cards. If the gift was from your registry, call the store to see if it has a record of who purchased it. If not, you may have to try figuring it out by the process of elimination.

What's the Time Frame?

Ideally, you should acknowledge every present immediately, but sending it within two weeks is also acceptable. The period surrounding your wedding is a busy time; if you fall behind, make every effort to send a thank you as soon as you can -- but no later than three months after the event.
To ensure the task doesn't become too overwhelming, write notes in small batches. Diane Warner, author of "Contemporary Guide to Wedding Etiquette", offers this strategy: "Set a goal of writing three or four thank-you notes per day. Don't try to tackle them all at once, otherwise they may tend to start sounding trite." She also recommends that both the bride and the groom divide the note-writing duties.

How to Save Money

You can save money by dressing up plain cards and making your own notes. Another alternative is to turn a photo from your wedding day into thank-you postcards. Your photographer may offer them (keep in mind that it takes time for him to produce them), or you can make them yourself (just be sure you have the photographer's permission).

Who Should Write Them?

It is customary for just one person to write and sign each note, mentioning his or her spouse's appreciation ("Karen and I want to thank you.... Love, David"). However, coauthored notes, signed by both the bride and groom, are also acceptable. One easy way to share the work is for the bride to write to her own family members and friends, and the groom to his.

What Should the Message Say?

You don't need to write a lot -- four or five sentences will suffice -- as long as what you do express is heartfelt. Identify the gift, say why you appreciate it, why it has a personal meaning for you, and how you plan to use it. If the giver came to the wedding, especially from a distance, also include a sentence thanking him for attending: "Thank you for coming to our wedding. Your presence made our day extra-special. David and I love the coffee maker. We've used it every day since we got back from our honeymoon. Thanks so much." For cash gifts, you need not mention the dollar amount, but it's a nice touch to say how you plan to spend the money.

What Should the Sign-Off Be?

The sign-off should reflect your relationship to the recipient. "Love" is suitable for close friends and family; "with affection" is a slightly less intimate option; "sincerely" may be the most appropriate when you're writing to someone such as your manager at work. You needn't sign off with your full names with people you're close to, but you may want to use them in thank-you notes to business associates and friends of your parents. Trust your instincts: If using your surname feels cold or stiff, leave it out. If your message sounds overly familiar without it, then include it.

New Year's Resolutions: For the Bride-to-Be

Happy New Year ! The new year always brings plans to better oneself and the new year often brings new 'bling' (congratulations on your recent engagement!!). So it only made sense for my first blog post of 2013 to be resolutions for the bride to-be. Don't worry, it's not going to be "drink more water" or "get in shape" or "don't go over budget". Those are resolutions you already know, the ones I have made below are ones that I think are often forgotten but just as important from seeing years of wedding planning with our clients.

1) I resolve to tap into my wedding planner's creative juices
We're here to help and you are paying us for a reason. We live and breathe weddings and it's never a bother to research something for you. In fact, often times, there is very little research needed because we've been doing this for so long that ideas and answers come so easily to us. So save yourself some stress and time and shoot us an email, the worst that can happen is we don't have an answer to your question and we can search for a solution together.

2) I resolve to stick to my gut when designing
Wedding planing can be overwhelming, and wedding blogs and Pinterest have made it almost impossible to settle on any decision. One click brings you to an idea even more beautiful than the last idea you thought you loved.  How will you ever make a decision !?
You have to get offline and away from the magazines for at least a day, be by yourself or with your fiance and think hard about the weddings that have always made your heart skip a beat. Modern and structured? Soft and romantic? Outdoor during the summer? Winter wonderland? Once you decide on that, when you are looking for inspiration online, look only with those search terms. Planning and Pinterest will be your friend again.

3) I resolve to not sweat the small stuff
I can't tell you how many times I have seen a bride stress out about a small detail that only her, myself and her mom knew about. Yes, we get it that this is the most important day of your life and you only get to do this once. But that is exactly it, you only get to do this once. So why would you spend your morning with your mom and bridesmaids stressing out that your florist gave you white roses in your bouquet instead of eggshell-coloured roses. Your guests are so happy to see you and to celebrate with you that they would never notice if anything went wrong. Plus, we're there to handle any thing that goes wrong that can be fixed. Never lose sight of what is important- the marriage, the wedding is just one day in your future together.

4) I resolve to keep control of my wedding
As much as you'd like to believe your wedding day is for the bride and groom, it often becomes about the families that are about the be joined as well. Even more so when cultures and deep rooted traditions are involved. It can be hard to fight families and the planning process can become difficult if you resist requests proposed by your family- or even more awkward, your in-laws. What you have to do is meet in the middle somewhere. Don't give up complete control of your wedding, but choose your battles wisely. Inviting your mom's 10 extra guests may be worth it if you can have the venue you want.

5) I resolve to not get lost in the planning
It takes over 200 hours to plan a wedding. We'll be the first people to tell you that it's difficult and it's easy to get lost in the planning if you're not careful. So before things get out of control, plan a weekly date with your finance that does not involve wedding planning. Take the dog to the dog park for an extra 30 minutes, watch a movie, work out, attend cooking classes- anything, just set aside time to do something not related to the wedding and don't talk about the wedding while you're doing it.

Happy new year and happy planning !

Real Wedding - Cynthia & Ian: Romance from Another Era

Two reasons to celebrate this blog post! It's another 'Real Wedding' from our 'Real Wedding' series which everyone loves and it's the newest wedding to be added to our homepage as per your votes in our latest Facebook contest. We can see why Cynthia and Ian's wedding this past July took the lead with your votes. It has everything a bride could dream about for her wedding day: ruffles, delicate blush coloured flowers from Full Bloom & chiffon dresses, pin-tuck linens, calligraphy stationary from Tagz Stationary, crystals & chiavari chairs from Wedecor, lace overlays and candelabras from Joe's Prop House.

Ottawa elegance with a touch of Great Gatsby-era style peppered in. Does it get any more magical than that ?

Thanks to our friends and neighbours at Photolux Studio for capturing these images for both our blog and now our website's homepage.

Much love and support Cynthia and Ian xo

Take Home Chef: for your Holiday Parties

Our good friends at Tulips and Maple recently launched a 'Gourmet to Go' menu option on their regular menu and as event planers, we love the idea. Events are often structured around food: sit down dinners, tasting parties, live food stations etc. So if you can have the food portion of your party taken care of by professional caterers, you can focus on the other details: set up, drinks, decor, music, games etc.

The Cocktail Party to Go makes party planning a snap and is perfect for cozy gatherings of 20-30 people. The menu is already designed for you with cold and warm hors d'oeuvres, savoury platters and sweets. You get amazing tastes, creativity and options for main dietary restrictions. Our friend Kris from Tulips and Maple loves the Duck Mole - Mayan chocolate cured duck breast on a chili infused shortbread with an apricot glaze! All you have to do is order in advance and enjoy the kudos!  They also offer a delivery service if you are really strapped for time.

Keep in mind that this service has been quite the hit with Tulips and Maple and they are already fully booked for certain dates so it is best to order as soon as you know the date of your party.

The Holiday Dinner to Go Kit is a God-send to those busy Mums and Christmas dinner hosts. Tulips and Maple have two full festive menus available for pick-up Dec 22nd - 1pm on Dec 24th - a delicious 'Turkey with all the Trimmings' menu or 'Have a Hammy Holiday' menu. Take a look at them and you'll be convinced this will be your best Christmas gift! Each menu serves 10 and comes with easy re-heating instructions. You may never cook a turkey again!  We honestly can't choose between the two menus.
 
Little tidbit; the Holiday Dinner To Go Kits must be ordered by Monday, Dec 17th 5pm to allow sufficient time for preparations. 
 
We hope that spreading this 'menu cheer' creates stress-free holiday entertaining this season!

Tell us what unique ideas you are planning for your holiday party this year.....

Real Wedding: Bahar & Chris - A Modern Elegance

Every now and then, we're wowed by the unique design and decor of some of our weddings; Chris and Bahar's wedding was one of those weddings. The clean lines, the structured florals and the bold colours demonstrated a modern class and elegance we don't normally see. And it made our hearts swoon.

Chris and Bahar were married in the Great Hall at the National Art Gallery on September 8 2012. Their bold florals were courtesy of Full Bloom and their eye popping cake was from It's a Matter of Cake.

Thanks to our friends and neighbours Photolux Studio for capturing this wedding. We LOVE it- and you too Chris and Bahar. Congrats xo

 

Real Wedding - Erin & Barrett

We loved Erin and Barrett's wedding day. It had every element of a summer wedding you could think of; warm sunshine, delicate ribbons, soft florals and billowing chiffon dresses.

Erin and Barrett were married on June 29th 2012. They had their ceremony at the always lovely Billings Estate Museum. The grounds of the museum were covered in soft pink ribbons that danced in the breeze and the smell of the fresh flowers from Full Bloom filled the air. Erin wowed her guests with her Vera Wang dress from The White Dress. The dress perfectly complemented the outdoor wedding with soft layers of the dress falling gently over each other pooling at the bottom giving it a fragile yet youthful and sexy look.

Post-ceremony guests were treated to a romantic pink reception at Lago Bar and Grill which provided the guests stunning views of Dows Lake while they sipped cocktails well into in the warm summer evening.

Thanks to our good friend Melanie Rebane from Melanie Rebane Photography, we are all able to take a peek inside their beautiful summer wedding. Thanks for sharing Melanie.

All the best Erin and Barrett
xo