Friday Wrap Up

Happy Friday everyone! Did you guys catch this beautiful and playful bridal ballerina shoot over on the Wedding Chicks today? Like I've said before, I just love seeing balloons used in unique new ways and this shoot was no exception. Is there not something about the photo above that makes you wanna jump into the frame to toss around some balloons? And today, well today marks the end of another fabulous week. I don't know about you but this week sort if whizzed by and I can only imagine the weekend will feel the same. Tomorrow I am assisting with the florals at an event and my Sunday will be spent relaxing and staying away from my computer. I mean, trying my best to do the aforementioned. This girl needs to start setting office hours.

In other news, next week I am hoping to have the new Wordpress site up and running. Eeeek! I know I know I keep teasing you guys with this but I promise it's happening so very soon because I am officially done with blogger. I've just been having so many problems with uploading photos and having portions of my posts just disappear that it will be refreshing to have a much more dependable back end and blogging platform. I can't wait to show you guys the new site and I can only hope you'll love it as much as I do. Until then, here's all the fun that happened here this week. It was a short week thanks to a venue scouting trip in Detroit on Monday but believe me; the rest of the week was fun-overload. Catch you all on Monday, beauties!

{Monday} The sweet Jen from Made by Girl featured my finished Girl Cave!
{Tuesday} It's official; this is one of the most popular posts ever on Hey Gorg.
{Wednesday} Big hugs to the Wedding Chicks for featuring my best work yet!
{Friday} How does it feel to be married? Come join in the discussion over here.

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Lovely Links Around the Web

{Baked} How have I never tried this brilliant twist on an old classic?
{Pillows} I'm thinking a few of these will look just lovely on our bed.
{Starbucks} Was the inspiration for this totally rad surprise proposal.
{Minnie} This artist gives a whole new meaning to itsy bitsy kitchen.
{Quote} I'm not a huge wall decal person, but this changed my mind.

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FAQ Friday; When You Don't Feel "Married"

Last month I posted a little cry for help in the FAQ department and I was overly thrilled with the response I got back from you guys. It's official that one of the things I love most about my little blog here is how many of you feel the same as I do about the endless situations I write about. It's nice not to feel so alone sometimes. But anyway here is a little dilemma I received from a reader that I think I totally love. She got married in February and says she doesn't feel "married." She doesn't feel like she's a part of her husband's family and she doesn't feel like a wife. She gets that these types of things are going to feel different to different people but perhaps myself and all of you guys can help her with her newly-wedded woe, no? I think so. Let's do this!

This little problemo first of all, reminds me of the post I did here on what it really means to be a wife. You guys seriously loved that post and I myself, still scroll through and read all of your thoughtful comments (like I said, the more people rowing along in this little boat of mine, the better). In that post I explain how to me, becoming Apb's wife didn't mean my feelings, my role or my expectations changed; but instead the difference (and really the only different in my opinion) was that now, legally we were husband and wife. Should I feel different as we became husband and wife? Maybe. Maybe not. All I know is that at first it felt totally weird to become a wife but still have the same feelings and ultimately the same relationship with Andrew.

There are so many days I wake up now, nearly ten months after our wedding and I too, don't feel married. I think to myself "Whoa whoa whoa, you are married, girlfriend" and I know I am married, I love who I am married to, and I love that we share this union, journey and relationship together it's just that I don't feel it; or is that or this rather, what's it's suppose to feel like? I feel young, and hip and think it's so cool I get to have permasleepovers with this guy I love. I feel happy and I know I am happy. But then the title 'married' and 'husband' and 'wife' sort of slap me wide awake and I think to myself, "Well that's weird Rhi, that you don't feel married cause you are. And if you don't feel like marriage is different then girl, you are cah-razy!" 

You know how when you're young, you'd turn another year older and it never failed that one of your relatives would ask "How does it feel to be another year older?" I remember one year after my birthday party I laid in bed that night, totally bummed my birthday was over and I had to wait a.whole.other.year.till.the.next.partay, but thinking super hard about that question and how it really did feel, like physically, emotionally and mentally, to be nine years old versus only eight. And I got really frustrated super fast because I felt nothing, except too much birthday cake in my stomach. Ask me the same question now at age 25 and maybe I could tell you what it felt like to be eight then but you catch my drift. Hind sight is 20/20 isn't it?

So my thoughts are this; when you don't feel married is that normal? Do some of you out there feel married and if so can you explain what that means? Does feeling married become something you feel with time or is it something that select people feel and others don't? Do you brides to be out there have expectations that after your wedding you will feel something uniquely different? I (and one of my readers here!) would love to hear your thoughts. Photo by Amanda Wilcher.

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FAQ Friday; MOH Duties and Bridal Showers

The problem, sent via one of my dear readers: "What do you do when you're the maid of honor (for your little sister's wedding, nonetheless) and find out that the shower you are throwing is the only shower the bride and groom get and your little old budget can't support her huge guest list? I am having that issue right now. I wanted to throw my sister and her fiance a co-ed shower in a backyard with games, beer, grilling, etc for our friends. But come to find out no one else is throwing her one, so now it's every immediate family member and friend within driving distance. I can't afford it. Eeek!" Photo via here.

This is tricky now that I think about it. Because anything involving family, money (and not having enough of it) is sort of a touchy subject. Then throw in anything relating to your little sister's wedding and you have a situation you'll most likely want to tread lightly on. That stated, there are surely ways to throw a memorable shower in your sister's honour without breaking the bank and most importantly, while still staying classy and keeping guests happy. Read more below for my take on the situation!

{Suggest a Potluck} A potluck? For a bridal shower? I know what you're thinking, really Rhi how tacky are you. But hold up people! Some of the best parties I've ever been to have been potlucks. Because first and foremost, there is always an abundance of food in endless variations; it's like the best buffet you could ever eat at. And secondly when people are invited to a potluck they always whip up their favourite and most delicious dishes. Which means guaranteed - and free! - yumminess. Plus, if you're shooting for a coed backyard barbecue I really couldn't imagine anything better than a potluck; men could bring the meat, chips, condiments and beer and the girls could bring the salads, desserts, fruit platter and drinks. Send me an invite too please.

{Talk to Your Sister} Communication, as I've reiterated over here many times, is the key to having anything run smoothly. So talk to your sis. I'm not saying to sit her down and tell her there's no way you can afford the bridal shower of her dreams because sometimes the brutal truth really isn't needed. But instead let her know that with a little clever planning you're hoping to make her day really special. Ask her what elements of a bridal shower are most important to her and her fiance so you can make sure your efforts and the little money you do have to contribute is spent on things that she will most appreciate and love. Great games? Killer snacks? A signature drink? Festive decorations? Instead of spreading yourself thin in every single area focus in your efforts on a few different elements to make both guests feel comfortable and your sister and her fiance, happy.

{Ask For Help} Just because you're the Maid of Honour doesn't mean everyone else is exempt from lending a hand. Check in with family members, parents of the bride and groom, the other bridesmaids, kind and generous friends; everyone and anyone who may be able to contribute to making the day a success. When it comes to weddings most people are more than often willing to help out where needed even if means donating a chunk of change or a few hours of their time to organize, cook, grill, set up, entertain or tear down. And remember, regardless of if the shower ends up being a backyard potluck sans flower arrangements, a rocking DJ and a bartender, your sis and soon to be brother in law will appreciate your support and love.

Thoughts, friends?

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FAQ Friday; Kids and Weddings

The Question: How do I handle the issue of kids as guests or making sure kids don't show up on our big day?

Oh snap, son! This post was a doozie for me to write (and let me tell you I've been anxiously waiting for let's say oh, months, to finally use the word 'doozie' in the appropriate context and I'm not sure if this occasion is acceptable but whatevs). The whole guest list issue I addressed on Tuesday - with the most fabulous comments ever so go read this if you haven't already, I adore you guys - allowed me to think up the topic for today's post which is all about having kids at your wedding. While I could write far too much about said topic, I split the content down into two sections to make it easier for you; Kids and Weddings for the Bride and Kids and Weddings for the Guest. Yeah! Read on blogettes and take note. Photo above, adorable flower girl not included, by Orchard Grove Photography.

Kids and Weddings for the Bride

{It's Black or White} people. Meaning pick if you want kids at the wedding (or in the wedding) or if you don't want kids at the wedding. For example, perhaps you have an adorable little chicky poo in mind as a suitable flower girl candidate aka your childhood friend's little girl. But when it comes to your sister's kids, your neighbors' teenage son, or your boss's brood of four you really want to avoid having to invite them (or have them show up uninvited) to the wedding. Here's the good news; you can do all that. Have your flower girl, consider giving your sister a free pass to bring her kiddos since she is after all your sister, and make it clear to all others, definitely on the invitation and verbally if necessary, that sorry sir but no kids allowed. Here's the bad news though. You will look like a total hypocrite if you invite select kids but don't allow others. And you're walking a fine line between doing what you want and being rude slash hurting feelings. Tread lightly. No one wants to see a humiliated girl in a pretty white dress. Nobody I tell ya.

{Make It Work} If you do end up having kids as guests, prepare accordingly. Depending on your planner or coordinator (if you have one) and how rad she is, she may bring snacks, games, activities and so forth to keep the kids busy and out of your hair during the reception (and ceremony if said kids are spectators and not part of the wedding party). If it's in the budget, look into hiring some sort of separate entertainment for the kids like a babysitter, a clown, a fairy princess, or some sort of person who can make sure the kids don't get bored, restless, or out of hand on their own. Check with our venue to see if there's a room this can be done in, preferably close to the main event so parents are within a close enough distance should a problemo arise. Ask the caterer for for options kids will eat and get some juice boxes. Lot's of juice boxes. Or sparkling pop for the older kids for the champagne toast. Moving on.

Kids and Weddings for the Guest

{Don't Be Stupid} Grr. You know what fires me up? When peeps, like grown ups, don't follow le directions (yeah, I threw in a petite amount of French there). Just like we can assume that the sky is going to be blue tomorrow morning, if an invitation says to Mr and Mrs Joe Schmoe, that does not mean Mr and Mrs Joe Schmoe and Sally, Suzy and Sam. We should assume (rather, we should know) that kids probably aren't invited to this wedding since their names are not specifically address on the invite. Similarly, If you, your significant other and your son are addressed and invited to attend a wedding as guests, that does not mean your son's girlfriend is granted a free ride to the party. Pour quoi? Well let's see. Weddings aren't a throw together high school bash but instead the result of months and sometimes years of planning and need I point out the obvious, they cost lots of mulla. The bride and groom may have loved having your son and his fling there, and hey maybe would have loved to have your son there too but he wasn't invited. True be told perhaps money was tight, or the guest list was already over capacity and the groom had to invite his step sister's husband. Whatever the reason, respect the bride and groom's wishes and don't try to smuggle in your kids like it's no biggie. Once they get there, they are guests and will need somewhere to sit and something to eat. And people. will. notice. Remember being a guest at a wedding is not a right but instead a privilege. Would it be rude to include that thought on your invites? 

{Be Respectful} Ah ha! There is always another side to my little discussions. Here's the scene; you, as a 20 year old single mother are invited to your college roommates wedding. You have a six year old son who Grandma and Grandpa retiring in Florida, can't possibly babysit and really you don't see any other alternative to the situation. What to do? Call.the.bride. Like pick up the tele and explain your situation and ask her if there are any exceptions she'd be willing to make for you. Some people don't want kids at their wedding because kids can be sticky, and disruptive, and loud and yata yata (I work with kids, I love em but what I just said is true). However, and this is a big however, most brides don't want kids at their wedding simply because they said so. They're the bride, that's what they want, and there doesn't have to be a reason. If I had of had a guest phone me, express the same situation from above and kindly ask me if I'd be willing to change my kids-free wedding dreams for them, then I most likely would have because a phone call to ask instead of just doing, is a form of respect and at the end of the day, I'm a nice person.  Whatever the issue do it with class and dignity and if all else falls, I'm sure Grandpa from Florida would love to spend the weekend with little Bobby.

Alright. Lay it on my friends. I know some of you have to get some things off your chest :)

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FAQ Friday; and Infusing Personality Into Your Wedding

The Question: How do I incorporate all the elements of a traditional wedding but still make our big day our own?

A sweet twitter friend sent me this question today thanks to my lack or preblogging and all I could think of was why didn't I think of this? Surely this is one issue so many of us struggle with while planning our dream days. How can we avoid the chandelier clad trees, the cake pop infused sweets tables and the perfectly placed within mason jar stir sticks so we can stand out a little? Not that I don't enjoy the above mentioned details but hey some people like to be a little, or a lot different. Like the gorgeous above bride who had ghost chairs for her ceremony in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Now that my friends, is thinking outside the box. To date it's my fave unique detail captured perfectly by Orange Girl Photographs. Here's my short and sweet take on infusing personality into your day.

{Start Big} Source out unique venues, pick a unique date (like a winter wedding, or a Friday or Sunday party) or opt to have a wedding that strays from the traditional ceremony-cocktail-hour-reception structure. Some options include picnic weddings, stand up cocktail receptions, weekend long get togethers, wedding brunches or dessert receptions. Opt out of having a wedding party, or choose a blush pink or dove gray wedding gown. Narrow down some of the larger elements you're comfortable with changing and switch it up.

{Start Small} If sticking to a traditional venue and a Saturday date is for you then focus on making the smaller details be all about you and your partner. Is there something unique from your first date that could transfer over to your wedding? (For example, perhaps you and your husband met in the candy aisle while picking out peach ring candies. Have a signature drink at your wedding where the glass is rimmed with peach ring candies instead of an orange slice). Maybe you and your fiance love to ski and met on a skit trip. Use a pair of old skis for guests to sign and leave message on in lieu of a guest book and long after the wedding you'll have a cherished memento hanging on the wall that's sure to generate lots of conversation. And the list goes on for creating small unique details.

{Traditional-Sm-aditional} I don't even know whats considered traditional anymore. I know the first kiss as husband and wife is pretty universal, as is the walk down the aisle, and of course so is the white gown. And so forth and so forth. But these are the things that I consider to be traditional. For you perhaps traditional means wearing a dress your great grandmother wore generations ago; beading, lace, sleeves and all. Maybe you and your groom will walk down the aisle together, to your fave rock song. Perhaps you'll skip a cake altogether and instead toast one another to a tequila shot; something you did the night you first met. Tradtional carries different definitions for everyone. No matter what you decide to do on your big day, it's going to be incredibly personal to you and your new spouse because there are so many little intricacies and details that combine together to create a distinctive final product.

What was the number one most unique element to your wedding day, guys?

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FAQ Friday; Where to Start Wedding Planning

{The Question} I'm engaged. Now what?

I'm not sure I quite remember the moment I started planning my own wedding. Perhaps it's tough to recall since I started collecting inspirations in a manila envelope back in eighth grade. By the time it came around for me to finally start creating my own big day I drew a blank. Fast forward nearly two and a half years to our wedding day and it's next to impossible for me to fathom how I managed to plan it all together by myself. For those of you who have a little sparkle on your ring finger but aren't sure where to turn next here's a little advice for you to pour over from the heart and soul of yours truly! Photo via The Loveliest Day.

{Just Be Engaged} Unless there is some sort of impeding reason for your and your fiance to get married stat (for example one of you is in the military, there's a fatal illness in the family, or you could care less about a wedding therefore 'heading-down-to-city-hall-this-weekend-will-do') then sit back and enjoy just being engaged. So many couples feel the increasing pressure to get married as quickly as their friends and family suggest is appropriate but in the midst of this the bride and groom to be's feelings are hardly considered. Long engagements aren't for everyone but they sure do give you a little time to enjoy this new chapter of your life as a fiance before you become a wife (and in some cases allow you to score the best vendors and save a little cash).

{Talk Money First} There's nothing like a nice good talk about the green stuff to dampen the mood on the girly, pretty parts of wedding planning, right? But I can promise you that setting a budget up front with either or both your fiance and both sets of parents (or whoever will be funding the celebration) is the best decision to avoid running into disappointment along the way. Nothing is worse than having no clue what you're willing to spend when you're trying on your dream dress/corresponding with your fave photog/booking your ultimate florist/scoring the best venue/ and someone gives you a price that absolutely you can not afford. Give yourself a budget to work within and do your best to be realistic with selecting anything that costs money for your wedding day. A budget will not only help you avoid going into debt, but will really allow you to hone in on what elements are most important to you and your fiance.

{Pick A Date} And then a venue. And while this seems sort of obvious make sure you sort of do things in this order. As soon as a date is set, then the season of the year is in place and it's much easier to look at how much time you have to put this whole wedding thing together. People book venues right away so places can fill up sometimes two years in advance both for Friday and Saturday weddings. If a venue you love is booked on the date you had in mind, you may have to be flexible on the days they have available. Once you've picked your date and selected your venue everything else sort of falls into place regarding colours, themes, styles and decor that best represents the celebration; imagine buying a beautiful heavy lace, beaded trumpet gown and sky high heels only to find you'll be getting married on a beach somewhere on the west coast? In the middle of the hottest summer months? Date and venue first.

{Ask for Help} This was so very hard for me to do. And as a result of my relentless stubbornness I ended up taking on the burden of an entire wedding all by myself. While I wouldn't have changed a thing about our wedding day, I wish I would have had someone to bounce ideas off of in the early stages of our engagement and someone to help me avoid feeling so stressed in the days leading up to the actual wedding. If you need help, ask for it. Friends, family, professionals that you can hire to help you; all of these people are your best resources for allowing your wedding planning process to be enjoyable, memorable and above all, as much of a positive stress-free experience as possible. Plan on blogettes!

My lovely readers, where did you turn to when you started planning your wedding?

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FAQ Friday; How to be a Bride

{The Question} What are my expectations as a bride?

I know what you're thinking. "Rhi how could you possibly know what it takes to be a bride?" And to be completely honest, I'm not 100% sure I know it all. But I do know that in addition to rocking a sweet lace bridal gown for five hours of my life, I learned a few lessons that might make your job as future bride run smoothly and efficiently. Stemming off of last weeks' How to be a Bridesmaid post, I present to you, my personal, Spark Notes Version on How to be a Bride. Picture via.

{De-Diva-tize Yourself} I totally just made that word up but it sure sounds good. I'm not sure if any of you ever watch Cake Boss but I recently watched the episode where a bride came into the bakery to check on her cake the day before her wedding. She explained very clearly to Buddy that the cake he had made was 'disgusting,' and not even close to what she had asked for. She then proceeded to help herself to piping bags full of coloured frosting, that she used to completely destroy the cake before walking out and telling a very shocked Buddy that 'hopefully he knew what she wanted now.' A very professional and kind Buddy created a second equally as beautiful cake and delivered it to the bride the next day were she still refused to come out of her bridal suite to praise/apologize/thank/admire the cake and/or Buddy. I told myself I'd never curse on this blog and I'm not yet willing to make an exception but this girl was a you know what. Don't be a you know what. Ever. It's unattractive and it's bad karma. And not worth it for the pleasure of getting your way on one day of your entire life.

{Be Forgiving} Life happens. Sometimes it rains on your wedding day. Sometimes the coral coloured roses you selected can look a little more orange than you'd like. And sometimes your Mom can sort of get in the way when all you want to do is run the show your way, no ifs, ands or buts. As much as it sucks to hear it, while you are indeed the bride on your big day, you are not an exception to any rule that governs how you treat others. So while you celebrate one of the biggest days of your life make sure you remember to be forgiving. Forgive your bridesmaid who gets stuck in traffic and is late to the salon. Forgive your Mother who is so emotionally overwhelmed that her daughter is getting married, that she is still arguing with you over the dress you selected that's not as 'traditional' as the one she loved. And don't forget to most importantly, forgive yourself on that day if you don't meet every wedding-related expectation you've conjured up in your head. Sure you're the bride. But you're also human too. As is everyone else contributing to the celebration. Be forgiving.

{Be Realistic} I'll be the first to admit that decking my bridal party out in Vera Wang gowns, Loubous and handing them over bunches of imported pink peonies would have been so fly. I also thought a canary yellow diamond ring a la Heidi Klum would have looked sort of lovely on my finger. Clearly my head was clouded with unrealistic thoughts during the preliminary stages of our engagement. While I was guilty of muttering on more than one occasion the "But it's my day!" phrase, I did learn quickly to be realistic about both the choices that were made during our engagement, and the way I expressed my reactions to how things panned out on the wedding day. For example, consider your bridesmaid's feelings, budgets, and body types when picking their gowns. Do your research and find a photographer who has a similar style to the photog you love yet quoted you a price that made you pee your pants a little. Get.over.it when you're convinced your budget, northern Canadian autumn wedding won't match up to all those pretty southern California summer fetes. Do things your way, and be true to yourself but don't get lost in any ideas, concepts or behaviours that are in the end, completely unrealistic. Otherwise you'll be one flustered and disappointed bride. So not sexy.

{Have Fun and Be Fabulous} This one's pretty obvious right? Wrong. If you're reading this blog, chances are you either a) really like me and I sincerely love you for that or b) you're a bride to be and are looking for advice on everything relating to weddings. You've crafted up the most perfect day in your head and you can already picture exactly how you want everything to turn out. And for all those lucky folk out there, it might turn out just like you imagined. Or it may not for whatever reason. If the cake is the wrong flavor, the roses are instead daisies, the DJ plays the wrong first dance song, your brother gets too drunk, your bustle busts on your dress, your maid of honour changes of out her dress before the dancing has even begun; just remember the most important thing is to have fun and be fabulous. It's your wedding day. And that girl in the pretty white gown with the busted bustle? Everyone's going to  look to see if she's having fun. So make sure you do. You'll thank me later.

Any advice anyone would love to share on How to be a Bride? I'd love to hear from you!

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FAQ Friday; How to be a Bridesmaid

{The Question} As a bridesmaid what are my expectations?

If one of my dear friends asked me to don a long-sleeved gown as part of my bridesmaid duties, I think I'd probably open my big mouth and tell her I was penciled in to be sick on her big day (Au contraire, if the frock with sleeves looks like the sassy gray number above then yes, please I'll wear long sleeves while promising not to make any references to Little House on the Prairie). In wedding world these days where anything goes, what expectations do you need to fulfill when you did get asked to stand up beside your best gal pal on the biggest day of her life? Besides the traditional expectations of wearing a special dress, joining in on the bridal festivities and maybe even preparing a speech here's my coles notes version on how to be the best bridesmaid possible; stemming from personal experiences as a planner, bride, bridesmaid and maid of honour (I really have filled all of those positions). Read on bloggettes!

{Communicate} I like to think that being a bride-to-be is sort of like being an expectant mother. Both roles require enduring months of planning with the built up anticipation of this life changing experience as the grand finale to your experience. When you're a bride, you'd like nothing to get in the way of 'your' day and that includes any strife between girls you've selected as your attendants. As a bridesmaid your role isn't just to make the bride happy and to be there for her, but it's to play nice with the other bridesmaids regardless of if you like em or not. The easy way to avoid any tiffs with anyone is to  communicate. I can't stress this enough but much like how communication is the key to a successful romantic relationship, it's also an important component of being a member of a bridal party. Swap numbers with the other girls as soon as the bride has selected all of her bridesmaids and don't let petty little girl tiffs become the bride's problem or the demise of the entire experience. Talk it out. Work it out. You're an adult. And the bride is your friend. Treat her like one.

{Just Ask, Just Do} Some chicks (ahem, me) are a bit of a control freak and convince everyone else that they really don't need any help planning their wedding. Those 300 programs that need cutting? Nah, super bride can do em. The floral arrangements, set up of candy bar and last minute check in with vendors? No biggie. See that girl in the white gown, she'll figure it out. Woman are always so hesitant to ask for help and inconveniencing people by asking them for a hand is sometimes the last thing we want to do. I mean after all, as a bride we've already asked these people to fork over cash for everything else, why would we burden them any further asking for help with small wedding details. News flash; if you're a bridesmaid just ask. Ask if the bride if she needs some help and be sensitive to her emotions that especially on her wedding day, are an inconceivable mix of nerves, anticipation, excitement and happiness. Better yet, just do. If something needs to be done or looks like it need a good fixing, don't be afraid to step up and pull a Nike.

{Grin and Bear It} Your fashion-disaster, stuck in the 1990s bestie is getting married and you're convinced you'll be walking down that aisle looking like a wad of cotton candy. Your first instinct is to beg and plea for a prettier rose-hued gown, without the endless layers of tulle under the skirt and a sequined bodice. But then you remember the time she consoled you over you first big break up, the time she held your hand when you grieved over losing your grandma, and the time you two promised to be friends forever and that tacky dress that costs half your rent check doesn't seem so bad. You could always go as Cyndi Lauper for next year's Halloween right? Although the above given example is slightly over the top, you get my point. Sometimes you just gotta, grin and bear it.

What were your experiences as a bridesmaid?

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FAQ Friday; and Wedding RSVPs

{The Question} What are your thoughts on online RSVPs versus traditional response cards?

Happy Friday guys and a giant hug to the blogging world for sending me over so many fabulous questions last week. I received a ton about weddings, my life, relationships, projects and so much more. I can't wait to answer then over the next few months to hopefully share some insight with you while hearing your answers to the same discussions. Today I wanted to address the question of traditional RSVPs version a more modern online system of having your guests submit whether or not they will attend your wedding. The always fabulous Blair at Wild and Precious sent me this and I immediately loved this question since I too, struggled with this issue prior to picking out our invitations. via

{Traditional RSVPs} Please don't think I'm assuming you don't know what the heck a response card is but traditionally couples include a separate piece of paper with their invitation suite to serve as the rsvp card for guests. Guests can then check off if they can or cannot make the event, how many people will be attending and in some cases can check off their meal choices (chicken or beef, as an example). Guests then slip the card into an included, addressed and stamped envelope that gets mailed back to the couple-to-be so they can construct their official guest list. The fun part, in my opinion, of having a traditional response card is the endless possibilities for designing your response cards and really infusing personal touches to this part of your invitation suite. For wording help you can visit this page here where they have some helpful hints for couples looking to create their response cards. And for a rad selection of unique and beauty-ful invites and save the dates, check out Oh So Beautiful Paper. Gosh I adore this site!

{Online RSVPs} I'm a huge fan of using modern day technology to either save money and.or make your life easier. Which is exactly why Andrew and I skipped traditional RSVP cards and instead used my personal e-mail address to keep track of guests who could and couldn't come. We included a line at the bottom of our invite that asked guest to please RSVP by a requested date to a my e-mail address. Since we didn't need the extra envelopes, postage and hassle of having our guests take a trek to the post office we saved, in our minds, a bit of money and a lot of stress. My favourite part of this system was having really sweet e-mail dialect with guests who would not only e-mail me to confirm their attendance at our big day, but would chat with me about my excitement for the wedding day, tell me how much they were looking forward to their weekend in Canada and so forth. The e-mailing system also allowed guests to let me know their attendance while asking me any questions they had about travel, accommodations, wedding attire, etc. It was really exciting for us in the two months prior to our wedding to see the e-mails come rolling in. You can see the post I wrote on our invitations along with photos here.

What about you guys? Are you for the traditional route of response cards or a more modern spin on things?

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