Tuesday, February 20, 2007

In Times of Emergency

Last minute stresses are almost always unavoidable no matter what size wedding you’re planning. Whether its tuxedos that don’t fit correctly or flowers that arrive later than scheduled, there are usually a handful of details that can make any bride crazy on her special day. While most of these issues are simply minor inconveniences, there are a few major issues that can arise on your wedding day that can bring your blissful ceremony to a screeching halt. I encourage all the brides I work with to think about the must-haves for any wedding and make emergency back-up plans just in case something goes wrong.

One of the most common problems that can arise is the no-show officiant. Nothing is worse than getting ready to walk down the aisle and getting a call from your wedding officiant to say he or she has had an emergency. This situation can damper almost any ceremony if you’re not prepared. I encourage brides to not only interview their ceremony minister or officiant, but also the company they represent. Reputable companies like The Clergy Network automatically have officiants on “stand-by” if your chosen ceremony minister has an emergency.

While they provide emergency ceremony officiants, The Clergy Network is best known for helping brides and grooms find the perfect wedding officiant for their unique style and personality. No matter what your religious beliefs or ceremony style, The Clergy Network offers a wide range of highly-trained wedding ministers, wedding clergy, justices of the peace, non-denominational clergy and wedding officiates. The company will also train your friend or family member to act as an officiate at your ceremony, but we will talk more about that in next month’s blog!

Here’s to a hassle-free wedding!
Dr. Linda Trott

Invitations in a Snap

First comes love, then comes marriage! If only it were that easy. We all know that between love and marriage is the lengthy process of wedding planning. While it’s true that most women have dreamed about this day since they were little girls, the reality of planning a wedding can sometimes surprise even the most prepared bride.

As a wedding specialist, I am always on the lookout for innovative, affordable and easy solutions to many issues that face the bride or groom. One of my favorite tips for brides and grooms wanting to save their sanity as well as their money, is to use online companies for designing and printing their invitations as well as finding decorations, favors and gifts for their wedding party.

Most online companies, such as The Wedding Helpers.ccesay, offer high quality products like greeting cards, wedding invitations, business cards, wedding favors, birth announcements, rubber stamps, labels, party invitations, stationery, thank you cards, wedding accessories, wedding invitation wording, discount wedding invitation, wedding invitation etiquette, bridal accessories, envelopes, mailing labels, engraving and wedding announcements. The Wedding Helpers prices are affordable for any budget and can save you a tremendous amount time. Simply visit the site and choose your favorite wedding invitation design. Then use the companies wedding invitation wording tool to create the perfect message for your guests.

You can also use companies like The Wedding Helpers.cceasy to get custom Thank you notes and baby announcements when the times come1

All the best,
Dr. Linda Trott

Thursday, February 8, 2007

The Wedding Season

Spring is fast approaching and that means that the prime wedding season is right around the corner. Whether you’re planning an April wedding or a September wedding, once the weather turns warm, you’re completing with millions of other brides for resources. While some brides have well over a year to plan their dream wedding, others may only have weeks or months. No matter how long you’ve had, chances are your beginning to feel the crunch as the big day approaches. Here are a few tips to help brides that are quickly approaching their wedding day complete all the last minute touches without going into stress overload.

1) In order to save your sanity on the big day, be sure that your wedding minister, wedding clergy, justice of the peace or wedding officiate have a back-up in case of emergency. There is nothing worse than a room full of your closest friends and family and no wedding officiator to marry you. You can always visit the Clergy Network to find an emergency wedding minister if this happens – but play it safe and contact them now to find out the particulars.

2) Get your thank-you notes ready now! Nothing is worse than coming home from your honeymoon to a stack of unfinished thank-you notes. If you have received a gift before the wedding, do the smart thing and write the thank-you note immediately. Another clever idea is to have pre-printed cards made. Companies like The Wedding Helpers.cceasy not only print custom greeting cards, wedding invitations and wedding favors, they also offer a wide array of stationery, thank you cards, address labels and other wedding accessories.

3) If you expect to go from Ms. to Mrs. by the time you return from your honeymoon, then begin the name change process now. The Name Change Kit can make changing your name simple and easy. I encourage you to visit their Web site at http://www.thenamechangekit.com/ for details – but I guarantee this will save your time and sanity.

Dr. Linda Trott