Party Thoughts by Stacy | New Jersey Party Planning and Invitation Thoughts and Resources

5 Wedding Traditions to Ditch and WHY

By stacy | Published: May 16, 2013

Some may say rules were made to be broken. In this case, we’ve got some wedding traditions that were made to be ditched. Want to hear our top five wedding traditions to do without?

1. Bridesmaids in all the same dress: Calling all bridesmaids your prayers have been answered! If you really want beautiful pictures don’t force all 4 of your bridesmaids, each with a different body type, into the same style dress. Sticking with the same color in different styles will compliment your bridal part much more. Take the above image from the movie Bridesmaids as your motivation for how not to dress your favorite ladies!

2. The Cake smear: This tradition is believed to have evolved from the breaking of bread custom, but does any bride really want cake in their face on their wedding day? It’s okay to have a little playful smudge on the nose but a full on cake smear, no! After all, you did just spend all that time on your makeup.

3. First dance: Oh the horror of countless dance classes just to find out you or partner will forever have two left feet. Ditch all the pressure; instead, hold a first dance in which you invite your guests to dance with you. It will alleviate a lot of the pressure and you will still get to dance that first dance.

4. The garter belt: In the past, having a piece of the brides clothing was thought to be good luck. To prevent the bride’s dress from being ruined the garter belt was introduced. Over the years, the garter belt has evolved into anything from an innocent removal to the groom removing it with his teeth. Some younger couples (mostly the grooms) still enjoy this tradition, but for the sake of granny, keep it classy!

5. Wearing white from head to toe: We aren’t suggesting you ditch the white all together, but there are ways to tweak this tradition. Beneath your beautiful white wedding dress lies a blank canvas, your wedding shoes! Dazzle your guests (and yourself) with some stunning shoes that are not limited to the color white; like the ones below from loverly (photo by Heather Forsythe & vendor Jimmy Choo).

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Wedding Trends for Our 2013 Couples

By stacy | Published: April 19, 2013

Pinterest: the extreme amount of wedding planning using pinterest is a trend we don’t see going away anytime soon. I’m sure everyone is guilty. If this is a trend you are definitely into, check out our very own New Jersey pinterest page for some serious wedding “pinspiration!” www.pinterest.com/YourPartyExpert/

Instagram hashtags: or # for short! Sometimes you have friends or family that for whatever reason just can’t make it to your wedding. We are seeing a fun solution to this unfortunate problem through the Instagram App. Have your guests upload the pictures they take throughout the night using a specific hashtag. An example would be the couple’s name, #JohnSallyWedding. Anyone who is using instagram can search that hashtag and voilà, every picture that has been uploaded using that hashtag can be viewed live!

Mint: not only to be put in your mojitos, but to wear as a color or accent an invitation. For better or for worse, mint is the color of 2013 and brides across America are fully embracing it. We see it in centerpieces and worn by the bridal party. P.S. we hope you like pastels because they are also in!

Vintage: Lots of couples are into the vintage décor. Renting vintage furniture or getting married in a vineyard; using small touches to really play up their theme. (We really enjoy this one and hope it sticks around!)

New style of save-the-dates: with the help of some clever photography and creative wording, couples are getting the chance to tell their personal love story through save-the-dates. Working with some great invitation dealers and skilled photographers helps when executing an inspired save-the-date!

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Want to Save the Date?

By stacy | Published: April 5, 2013

Save the date design, NJ Wedding Planner

If you have any friends or relatives who have recently gotten engaged, you’ve probably received a few save the date cards. But did you know, save the date cards are relatively new players in the wedding planning game. Given that, we are here to provide all the fast facts and helpful hints you will need.

What is a save the date card? Plain and simple, the save the date card will announce the date of your wedding while asking guests to keep their calendars free. If you have some out-of-towners, the advance warning can be very useful for finding cheaper deals. Same rule applies for a destination wedding. Your guests may save a substantial amount of money booking most accommodations in advanced.

How far in advance do you send out a save the date? Ideally, 6-12 months before the wedding day is perfect. At a minimum you should give guests 4-6 months.

Save the date styles: Remember, the save the date is more informal than the invitation so you have much more creative freedom. Here are some styles that we love:

· Refrigerator magnets

· Photo Collages, photo booth images

· Confetti Explosion (Look it up! We’ve seen some really fun ones)

· Luggage tags (for a destination wedding)

· Plantable paper (for our green weddings)

· Classic Embossed Cards

What information should you include? Include the essentials: bride & groom’s name, date & location. You may also wish to include a short “invitation to follow” statement so guests know to keep a look out. Don’t forget about your wedding website! This is a great place to include it.

Money saving tips… Not every guest will need a save the date unless you are planning a destination wedding, if your wedding falls on those summer family vacation months, or during a holiday.

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Jason & Vera’s Wedding

By stacy | Published: March 7, 2013

Every once in a while it’s essential to take a step back and admire a job well done. We recently had the pleasure of creating these elegant invitations for Jason & Vera. Mix talented Photography, shot by Infinity Photography, with a beautiful couple and you’ve got a real storybook wedding. So, take a step back with us and enjoy this small glimpse of their big day.