METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY For The Perfect Wedding Day

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So What In The World Is Metabolic Flexibility?

As the ketogenic diet gains popularity many people have at least hear the word “Keto” even they don’t know what it means. However, most people have never heard the term Metabolic Flexibility, which is a bummer because it’s pretty awesome.  My goal here is to give you the super high level view, then point you in the right direction if you want to know more.

I’m sure everyone knows the basics of metabolism, but as a quick refresher, our bodies need energy that comes from the food we eat.  Like putting gas in your car, you put food in your mouth which your digestive system breaks down in order to extract the “energy” from.  This energy powers your body.

To most people's surprise, your body is actually a hybrid that uses two different types of fuel.  Like a Toyota Prius can use electricity or gasoline, your body can use glucose or ketones.  Glucose comes from breaking down carbohydrates while ketones come from the breakdown of fat.  Eat an apple, glucose. Slurp down some coconut oil, ketone zone. Easy peasy...right?

Unfortunately, because of our high carb diets, 99%* of people these days CAN’T burn ketones...yet.  Glucose is easier for the body to use and always available, so fat burning never needs to happen, and doesn’t.  This lifetime of sugar burning has told our bodies to simply shut off it’s fat burning capabilities.  The old, “If you don’t use it, you lose it” adage holds true.

Sad face.

Becoming metabolically flexible really just means to reactivate your fat burning abilities.  Run out of gas (aka glucose)? No problemo. Ketones can step in to save the day. Unfortunately when most people run out of gas, there’s no ketones to step in.  Instead, headaches, fatigue, shakiness, extreme hunger pangs, and serious hangry mood swings happen. The classic signs of low blood sugar. With all the craziness of a wedding day this is more common than most people think.  

The real interesting piece is that ketones are waaaaayyyy more efficient at powering your body than glucose.  We’re talking like 10x here. Less brain fog, higher energy levels, and oh yea if you wanna lose weight, think of burning your own stored fat for fuel. Mind blown, I know.  My husband and I lost 30 pounds each without really trying.

And it’s great for everyone on the wedding day!

WHY THIS IS GOOD FOR WEDDING VENDORS: We all know that vendor meals are in our contracts. And we all know that there’s been those crazy days where we don’t get to sit down to eat until 10pm. Sometimes stuff happens and we don’t get to eat. Sometimes we forget our snacks. Or sometimes we have our snacks and get so busy we don’t have a chance to eat them. This is where being metabolically flexible is SO CLUTCH. To be able to switch over to burning ketones and power through the day without getting shaky and hangry is major. It all allows you to think more clearly and have more energy which I would say is a major plus for any wedding vendor.

WHY THIS IS GOOD FOR BRIDES/GROOMS: So as we know, the wedding day is busy AF. Getting ready, pictures, ceremony, more pictures during cocktail hour. It is likely you will go HOURS without food. As a planner I always carry some good quality snacks in case brides need it, but having ready access to good snacks is not the reality for all brides and grooms. Not to mention, while I do have a few snacks, I certainly don’t have enough to feed a bridal party. So this is where being metabolically flexible comes in. Imagine being able to make it through pictures without feeling the pains of low blood sugar. Oh, and not to mention, for any of those couples looking to shed a few pounds before the wedding, metabolic flexibility will help with that.

Best resources to get started:

SO…if I’ve piqued your interest at all and you are loooking to learn more, I recommend starting with Mark Sisson's book, The Keto Reset Diet.  He’s a wealth of knowledge on metabolic flexibility, and isn’t so extreme like some other keto peeps.  My husband Eric calls him the Silver Fox and aspires to be as fit as him in his 60’s. (insert eye roll here). Eric and I have actually been following a keto diet on and off for about five years and he wrote a book called Ketogenic Diet Mistakes to Avoid and created a Udemy course too!  They basically detail all the mistakes we made in becoming metabolically flexible. The book is only $2.99 on Amazon, but if you prefer a video course use the code SIMPLYSWEET and get 20% off!

And final words to leave you with….”He or she who is most flexible is most successful”


* making up that number LOL, but I know it’s high

CBD + WEDDING PLANNING // Your Secret Weapon To Staying Relaxed and Peaceful

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Alright, I’m just gonna cut to the chase on this one. Weddings can be stressful. The planning can be stressful, the seating arrangements can be stressful, the budget can be stressful, and your family can be stressful. The energy of the wedding day can also cause anxiety as nerves are high. And yes, we have control over thoughts, but let’s be real…I’m no Buddha, and sometimes it’s easier said than done.

SO. Enter CBD. (If you’re new to CBD, check out this article by Wellness Mama that will inform you on ALLLLL you need to know!) As someone that tends to get anxious, I was insanely impressed how physically relaxed I felt after trying Emerald and Herb’s CBD syrup. But what REALLY impressed me about CBD was how much it relieves my social anxiety!! I now use it before every large gathering we go to and it totalllllly calms my nerves. I would have loved something clean and natural like this syrup for our wedding day…or even engagement party, bridal shower or rehearsal dinner!

I’ve tried several different CBD companies, and nothing has wowed me like Emerald and Herb so far! I love their syrups the most, but I also love their salves and oils! I use the relax oil on my feet every night before and bed and O-M-Zzzzzzzzzz.

ANNNDDDD! Even better news, Emerald and Herb has agreed to give our readers 10% OFF. SAY WHAT?! Use the code “HIGHVIBEBRIDE” on check out to receive your discount, and then drift off into peacefulness.

BLOOMERENT // Bringing SUSTAINABILITY & Cost Savings To Wedding and Event Florals

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We are obviously all about ways to bring in more sustainability into weddings and events. As we all know, flowers are one of the most wasteful parts of an event. They are gorgeous AF, but it just kills me that they get tossed in the trash just a few hours after.

Well, one company that is doing their part (and also bringing you cost savings) is Bloomerent. Bloomerent was started by Danit after she was planning her own wedding. Her friend Julia happened to be getting married the next time and they ended up sharing their centerpieces! They used the same florist who picked them up from Danit’s wedding, refreshed them, and used them for Julia’s wedding the next day.

Ok, so how does it work? According to Bloomerent,

“Flowers have a shelf life of 3-14 days, depending on the flower, and are usually discarded after a 5-hour event. We match two events in close proximity and allow them to share their flowers and save money, just for going green.

We know that finding a florist for your event is a task in itself so we curated a community of florists for our customers. These florists are top-rated and responsible for renewing centerpieces overnight and delivering them to your event the next day. This allows event hosts to save money for going green and work with a great florist. Your centerpieces will always be delivered in top condition no matter the circumstance (i.e., wilted flowers, broken vase, grandma took home a centerpiece or two, etc.).”

You have the choice to be the “First Event” or the “Second Event”

First Event:

  1. Find the Bloomerent florist that fits your style

  2. Get a quote after your consultation

  3. Book your florist (just like you would any other florist)

  4. Your event gets listed on Bloomerent and if someone chooses to be your “Second Event” you will get 10% back

Second Event:

  1. Search your event date and location to see what’s available and save 40-60% off retail pricing!

  2. Connect with the florist and decide what you want to reuse, any minor changes, and any other additions you need

  3. Pay your florist directly at a staggering discount of 40-60% off!

I think this concept is just so freaking cool!! And…that’s not at all!

Bloomerent has been SO sweet to offer our readers a discount of $50 is you use code ECB50A when you place your order!

So, tell me what you think of this awesome way to bring some sustainability into the world of wedding and event florals. And more, importantly, I’m dying to know…what kind of bride are you? FIRST EVENT or SECOND EVENT??

RENT THE RUNWAY // A sustainable approach to wedding attire

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Spoiler Alert! There’s a discount especially for YOU at the bottom of this post!

I’ve been RTRing way before I ever started caring about sustainability and going more zero waste. I like to always wear different outfits to events, but I don’t want to spend all that money on something I’ll likely only wear once. Years ago I hadn’t even considered the fact that I was doing some good for Mother Earth!

According to Rent The Runway, the retail industry is the second largest polluter in the world, behind oil. Every time you RENT, you’re saving the water, electricity and emissions used to manufacture a new piece of clothing. RTR continues with the fact that the average woman throws away 82 pounds of clothing per year. Renting the items you only wear a few times is the sustainable answer (REDUCE). And finally, Rent The Runway will continue the life cycles of their garments through sample sales or donations to organizations like Operation Prom (REUSE).

Not only are you creating less waste by renting your garments for one time occasion like your wedding, bridal shower or bachelorette party, but here are 5 more reasons you’ll want to support Rent The Runway.

  1. REUSABLE SHIPPING: Instead of disposable boxes, they ship items in reusable vinyl garment bags. They have saved 900 tons of shipping waste since 2015!

  2. SMART BUYING: RTR ensures to invest in high-quality designer pieces that last many seasons, rather than fast fashion that falls apart and ends up in land fills

  3. PLASTIC RECYCLING: They ask customers to return their dry cleaning bags for recycling

  4. FAUX FUR: As of Fall 2017, RTR no longer carries real fur or feathers

  5. RESPONSIBLE DRY CLEANING: They use non-hazardous, non-phosphate oil-based cleaner.

Ok, so obviously you are convinced you want to support RTR, but they have something you’ll actually want to wear, right? Well, don’t worry…they live up to everything you could possibly want, no matter your style. The website now has a whole section dedicated to weddings. There are bridesmaid dresses and accessories (think about how much your babes will love you by saving $$ and renting a dress!). There is category for Bridal Showers, Bachelorette Parties, Rehearsal Dinners, Bridal Accessories, and “Little White Wedding Dresses.” And don’t forget the Moms of the Bride and Groom too!

But wait, there’s more! They even have wedding concierge packages that include personal styling consultations, easy try-on mailings at home and so much more! Annnnddddd, you get a personalized code for 20% off rentals to send to all of your guests! I mean, does it get any better than that??

ANNNDDD….to top it off, you can get $30 off your first order! Click HERE to get your discount!

I honestly wish this would have been around when I got married so I could have rented all these fun pieces I probably never would have bought!

Which wedding events would you rent for?? Tell us below!

HIGH VIBE BRIDESMAID GIFTS // Bath Bombs, Crystals, Sage, and Subscription Boxes For Your Best Babes

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Bridesmaids gifts can be such a fun and sweet way to thank all of the most influential ladies in your life for standing by your side on your big day!  There are SO many generic gifts out there, so I wanted to share some fun gift ideas for the brides looking for something a little more high vibe.  If you and your besties are into sage, crystals, essential oils, and bath bombs...look no further than Chasin' Unicorns.  Check out some of my personal favorites below! 

And better yet, Chasin' Unicorns has agreed to give all of you 10% off ALL purchases with the code HIGHVIBEBRIDE.  Cool stuff at a discount?  Yes, please!

ORGANIC, VEGAN, AURA CLEANSING BATH BOMBS

These cool skull bath bombs start at $11 each and come down in price as you buy bundles.  Each bomb has a different purpose including detoxing, increasing joy, connecting to your highest self, energizing your aura and more!  Shown below is The Great Unicorn Bundle (5 bombs for $50 and includes 5 different bombs to try)

CRYSTALS

Chasin Unicorns offers a TON of different healing crystals.  How fun would it be to pick out a crystal to match the personality of each of your girls?  Although, my personal favorite is their Chakra Crystal set that includes 7 raw crystals to be used for crystal grids, meditations, yoga, and more to align all 7 chakras 

SUBSCRIPTION BOX

These subscription boxes take all the leg work out of curating the perfect high vibe gift!  Every month is a fun new surprise.  You get to try new products, save money, and get exclusive iitems from Chasin Unicorns and other handpicked high vibin' companies!  Give your girls just 1 month, or maybe even a few month subscription!  It's the gift that keeps on giving!

In addition to above shown items, they are a TON more fun things to shop from including....

AND REMEMBER! USE CODE "HIGHVIBEBRIDE" AT CHECK OUT

TO RECEIVE 10% OFF YOUR ORDER!

5 Tips To Make Your Bridal Shower More Affordable

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What could be better than seeing your best friend marry the person of their dreams? Celebrating this momentous occasion with them of course! A bridal shower is a great way to honor the bride-to-be in her life to come with gifts, treats, and more. While different tastes in gifts and party themes have emerged over the years, the overall format of the party is largely the same: a day-time celebration of the bride's upcoming nuptials with the all of the women she cherishes most. In order to make this celebration a success, you’ll want to incorporate the right menu selection, decor items, and an agenda full of fun things to do. It goes without saying that this can add up fast, especially in lieu of other costs associated with attending a wedding. However, with a few pointers in the right direction, you’ll save big on party expenses, and give your best friend a party she’ll never forget!

Save Up Ahead of Time

When you start the process of planning, you’ll want to keep tabs of how much everything costs, and how you’ll be financing it. Will you be splitting it up among the other bridesmaids? Will the family be helping out? Will you need to pay for a larger portion than others? Covering party costs can be expensive, and it’s easy to forget that you should be saving up every month prior to a big event like a wedding. That’s where budgeting apps like Mint and automatic savings apps like Chime can come in handy. Both will help you know where you stand every month and make sure your savings are ready for whatever exciting celebrations come next!

Host Your Party at Home

You don’t need to break the budget just to meet up with your friends. Ask a close friend or relative—who has a room large enough to accommodate a large number of guests—if they’d be willing to let you host the bridal shower at their house. Already have your own place? Even better. Host it there! By hosting your party at a house, you’ll avoid having to pay expensive room rental and waitstaff fees necessary at a fancy restaurant.

Co-host Your Party

If you had your heart set on a specific restaurant or hotel ballroom, consider co-hosting with a bridesmaid or a close family member. This way, you can split the cost of the party and have an additional shoulder to lean on when planning. Let’s face it. Planning a party can be stressful. Receiving help and input from other bridesmaids won’t just make it easier on you all, but your combined knowledge of the bride-to-be’s tastes will help make sure she gets the party she always wanted.

Simplify the Menu

When it comes time to make menu selections, keep it simple. Bridal showers can have up to 50 plus guests. So accommodating them all with a full-course, catered meal would no doubt be expensive. Instead, base your menu selection around what you know the bride likes. Is she not afraid to get her hands messy? Throw a BBQ! Does she frequently reminisce about the one time she studied abroad? Come up with a menu featuring an assortment of international hor d’oeuvres!

Choose a Fun, Yet Affordable Theme
One of the best parts of planning a bridal shower is choosing a theme. Party supply stores are a great source for centerpieces, balloons, garlands, and streamers—the items you’ll want to consider decorating with. Although many of these items aren’t designed for wedding events specifically, you’ll find many of them will work just fine if you get creative with your theme. A Hawaiian or winter wonderland-themed bridal shower are two examples of easy and affordable themes you could incorporate! For a list of other easy and affordable bridal shower themes, click here.

How To Make Your Wedding Invitations On Paper and More

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Paper and More sent us a wonderful article and infographic on making your own wedding invitations and we are so excited to share it below!

Yes, wedding preparations can be stressful. That doesn’t mean they have to be so. Even if you’re going the DIY way in planning everything for your big day, you can spare yourself the burden of overthinking and instead follow this simple, easy-to-follow infographic guide about wedding invitations.

A good wedding invitation is more than just pretty. It should make an impression, be legible, and perhaps hint the guests about what to expect on your big day. But the questions keep adding up that, sometimes, it’s almost impossible to know how to begin. So where should you start?

First, you need to consider the timeline. It’s best to determine the most appropriate time to send out your invitation cards to give your guests enough notice. Then comes the process of selecting the design. Your cards must stand with the wedding’s theme, send out all the right information, and must work with your determined timeline and budget.

The following infographic offers answers even to questions you didn’t know need asking. It walks you through what and what not to include in your design, which types of paper can make good material for your cards, the printing options currently available. It even teaches you how to assemble your own card suit step by step. Each concept is laid out in digestible chunks with visual samples for easy understanding.

No detail is too small when it’s about the most important day of your life. Knowing where you’re going in your simplest decisions helps take the stress out of the overwhelming process of preparing for a wedding.
Learn all you need to know about wedding invitations. At the end of this infographic, you should be ready to explore options based on your resources and send out your lovely wedding invitations soon.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Your Own Wedding Invitations

Five Tips To Make Your Wedding Planning Easier from Groovy Groomsmen Gifts

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We are so excited to have collaborated with Groovy Groomsmen Gifts on today’s blog post! Check out their five tips to make your wedding planning easier below!

You’ll know what stuff you’re made of as soon as you start planning for a wedding. It’s supposed to be a joyous occasion, and you can’t help but hope that it will live up to what you want or to the expectations of your guests and loved ones. Whether you’re trying to save by planning it by yourself or you want to personalize your special day to your own taste, there are steps you can take to make the process easier.

Many people think that it’s nothing more than just making a list. If you believe this, you will quickly be proven wrong as soon as you start checking off the list. Other factors, like staying within the budget and not having the right things available, can quickly add up to your stress, so instead of thinking it is as complicated as it should be, learn to compromise.

Here are some tips to help you plan your wedding.

Create a Timeline

Coming up with a list is inevitable because you need to take note of the things you need to do, and it can get long. Unless you have a super memory and you can memorize every item, then you’re gonna have to use the old pen-and-paper route or go digital to keep tabs on everything. With that said, a list can look a little too stationary, so it’s best to create a wedding timeline to make a process or a visual representation of your tasks ahead.

 When you follow a timeline, it can be easy to track your progress and check if things have been done according to plan. Everything is more manageable when you have a tangible chart because you can just move things that aren’t working out for later. Compared to writing down notes that you will easily miss, using the visual chart will lessen your worry about missing things.

 With your timeline, you should be able to curate your list of priorities to help you zero in on things you need to focus on. It will be easier to stay in budget if you have one especially if you know what to prioritize on.

 If you want something unique but don’t necessarily want to emulate something you found on the internet, you can create vision and/or mood boards to help you out. It will be overwhelming at first especially if you take some inspirations from Pinterest, blogs, and bridal mags, but once you’ve sorted it out, you’ll be surprised with what you can come up with.

Plan Together with Your Partner

 It’s 2018; you don’t have to plan anything single-handedly when you have the option to turn to your partner for help. The wedding planning process is always stressful, so it makes sense to have some backup in order to prevent you from burning out on the actual day, which will make you unable to enjoy all your hard work.

 This way, you will be able to communicate directly about your choices for the venue, date, flowers, dresses, themes, and all things wedding-related. While on the topic of choices, if you’re on a budget, it is actually cheaper to buy your wedding rings in a set, and some may be bundled in a two for the price of one, which is always welcome, so you can spend the extra money somewhere.

 

Get Tips from Recently Married Friends

 If you’ve attended weddings in the past few months, then those couples may have gone through what you are going through now. If you found something that you liked at their wedding or have some questions regarding some services, it’s not a bad idea to talk to them about it.

 They may even give you good advice and tips and maybe direct you to people who may give you good deals simply because you’re friends with them. Don’t forget to thank them properly once you’ve gotten around everything.

 They may also tell you if you don't already know that your entourage is important and you should show your appreciation to them too. If you want to be more traditional, the groom can get his boys inexpensive groomsmen gifts that can be personalized to his tastes and the bride can treat her girls to some spa and wine. It depends on the couple on how they want to show their gratitude so it really depends on you how big or simple you wanna go. Sometimes, a simple handwritten will suffice.

Plan Alternative Scenarios

 Reality kinda sucks, but it’s true that it is possible for something to go wrong on the day. It’s really heartbreaking to do all the work for your plans but it gets ruined because of some inevitable circumstance or unlikely timing. Of course, not everyone experiences it, but it helps if you have a plan B in case something goes awry.

 One of the greatest examples of inevitability not going in your favor is if you’re holding an outdoor wedding and, despite the forecast saying it will be sunny all day, a massive rainstorm approaches out of nowhere. When something like this happens, look for some temporary shelter where you and all your guests can run to during the first drops of rain.

 Another alternative is to rent some tents even if it gets in the way of your preferred aesthetics, or if you can, find a way to make the tent seamless with your decors to make it look like you purposely made it look like that.

 

Put Personal Touches

 In the flurry and chaos that is wedding planning, it may be a little hard to put most of your focus on one thing, but hear this out. While weddings are generally held for the family and friends, it is ultimately about you and your partner. Take some time to put personal touches to your ceremony and celebration because, despite all the dresses, glamour, bouquets, and food, it will remind people that all of you are gathered that day for your long-awaited union.

 You don’t have to do grand gestures or be over the top with personal touches. It can be as little as handwritten notes, party favors that include your favorite things, the song of the first dance, and so on.

 If your little touches involve a little bit of DIY here and there, it helps to have a stock of wholesale craft materials on the ready so you don’t have to go back to the store for every little thing you forgot. The great thing about getting things in bulk is that you save a lot of money as well.

 

Don’t Forget to Breathe

 Remember to take it easy and breathe. It may feel like you’re running a marathon for the weeks of your wedding planning, but it doesn’t have to be. As long as you ask for help when you need it, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. Leave some time for yourself, and if you are in need of pampering, do it.

 What are your must-know wedding-planning tips for brides DIY-ing their own celebration? Share them in the comments below.

How Much to Tip Your Wedding Vendors

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When to give and how much to give can be confusing and can even add stress to an already stressful event as a wedding.   Be sure to read vendor contracts, as gratuities may be included in their bill.  While tipping is often optional, it is expected and encouraged to tip bartenders, waiters, valet parking attendants and transportation.  To help you avoid any social faux pas, here are tipping suggestions for your wedding vendors.

EXPECTED

These vendors usually include gratuity in their contract but if not, here are the ways to tip them.

·       Catering Staff – Catering companies often tack on a service fee which is 15%-20% of the entire cost of the wedding dinner. They may also include hand tips for each chef ($100), catering manager ($200 or personal gift) and servers ($20-$50), distributed by the catering manager).

·       Wedding Reception Staff – If you have a maître d’, a coordinator and a banquet manager at your reception, expect a fee of 15%-20% of the food and drink to be tacked on your bill.

·       Transportation – Tips for drivers often start at 15%. If they show up on time and don’t get the guests lost, consider offering more.

·       Officiant - Court-Provided civil celebrants are not allowed to accept tips. However, if the officiant is a member of a denomination, you’re expected to make a church donation of $100-$500 depending on whether you’re a member and how active a member you are.

·       Wedding Planner - It’s always a great idea to give your wedding planner a tip (15%) or a personal gift.

OPTIONAL

Some planners advise that tipping your vendors ahead would encourage them to do outstandingly well on the day of the event. Here are other wedding vendors you can tip for better service during your big day.

·       Hair and Makeup Artists – Depending on how many people they prepped, you can give them 15%-25% on top of their usual fees.

·       Photographer and videographer – Tips for photo/videographers range from $50 to $200. If they brought on a crew, offer $50-$100 per person instead. 

·       Wedding Reception Attendants - These include the parking attendants, bartenders, and coatroom attendants. Tip them 10%-20% of the bill to be divided among them or consider giving them $20-$50 each.

·       Wedding Musicians –  A gratuity of 15% of fee for ceremony musicians and DJ, give each band member $20-$50.

·       Wedding party – Don’t forget to thank your wedding party for helping you organize the wedding.  Giving your bridesmaids personalized bags and your groomsmen cool gifts is a great way to thank them for their time and effort.

 

While there is a developing trend of tipping all vendors, avoid being pressured by this and only offer tips when the service is exceptionally good. Instead of cash, you can also offer them thank-you notes or small gifts. A testimonial and photo for their portfolios is also another good alternative. 

Contributing content by featured vendor:   Tara of Groovy.groomsmengifts.com

 

 

Real Wedding Miriam and Joey

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Vendors: {Coordinator: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Locations: Archangel Michael Church & The Waterfront Beach Resort} - {Photography: Sue Wheelock Photography} - {Videography: Vantage Point Productions} - {Florist: Little Hill Floral Design} - {Entertainment: Dj Tempoe and West Coast Music} - {Bakery: Simply Sweet Cakery} - {Hair and Make-up: Design Visage} - {Rentals: La Tavola & Found Vintage Rentals} - {Transportation: Big Red Bus}

Real Wedding: Carissa and Ray

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Vendors: {Coordination: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Locations: Pilgrim Lutheran Church & Bel-Air Bay Club} - {Photography: Christine Bentley Photography} - {Florist: Lavenders Flowers} - {Entertainment: Vox Dj's & Da Capo Players} - {Bakery: Vanilla Bake Shop} - {Hair and Makeup: Flawless Faces} - {Transportation: Love Boat Limousine} - {Rentals: La Tavola Fine Linen}

Wedding Day Gifts for Parents

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Looking for something special to give to your parents on your special day? We have compiled a list of some of our favorite gifting ideas for mom and dad! 

  • Custom made anything is a perfect and easy way to make a gift more unique! Some of our favorites include:
    • Handkerchiefs
    • Bracelets
    • Pillows
    • Throw blankets

Etsy is where you can find these items!

  • Here is a hanger that is perfect for a mom on the day of the wedding, and for many more years to come!
  • A classy, more unisex gift could be involving your parents favorite wine in a special way, such as custom made wine labels or an engraved wooden wine box.
  • Engraved beer mugs for the father of the bride and groom are a popular choice as well and are something they can use on the day of the wedding. Great photo opportunity! 
  • Romantic getaways, spa packages, and other relaxation themed gifts are an especially good way to thank your parents on your wedding day!

REAL WEDDING: Angela and Richard

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Vendors: {Coordination: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location: Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach } - {Photography: Mike Arick Photography} - {Florist: Lavenders Flowers}  - {Entertainment: Scratch Parties} - {Bakery: Rossmoor Pastries}


Real Wedding: Cary and Wes, The Waterfront Beach Resort

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Vendors: {Coordination: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location: Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel } - {Photography: Lucero Photography} - {Videography: Parallel Media Productions} - {Florist: Flowers by Cina}  - {Make-up: Design Visage} - {Entertainment: Visions Entertainment} - {Bakery: Simply Sweet Cakery}

REAL WEDDING: TIFFANY AND NICK, HARBORSIDE PAVILION

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Vendors: {Coordination: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location: Harborside Pavilion} - {Photography: Isaiah and Taylor Photography} - {Florist: Bloomwellco} - {Entertainment: Sterling Productions} - {Bakery: Pacific Patisserie}

REAL WEDDING: TASHA AND TONY, MONTAGE LAGUNA BEACH

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Vendors: {Coordination: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location: Montage Laguna Beach} - {Photography: Brian Leahy Photography} - {Entertainment: Kevin Miso Music} - {Florist: Flowers by Cina} - {Hair and Make-Up: Design Visage}

Real Wedding: Kimberly and Alan, Rancho Las Lomas

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Vendors: {Coordination & Stationery: Simply Sweet Weddings} - {Location: Rancho Las Lomas} - {Catering: 24 Carrots} - {Photography: Barnet Photography} - {Videography: Parallel Media Productions} - {Florist: Flowers by Cina} - {Entertainment: Elevated Pulse Productions} - {Hair & Make-Up: Design Visage} - {Bakery: Simply Sweet Cakery}

The Tanning Van

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INTRODUCING….(drum roll please) a NEW and FUN way to spray tan!!! The Tanning Van is the way to go!! Staci & Michelle, the owners of the The Tanning Van, drive to your doorstep with their fully converted van to tan you in a matter of minutes! The Tanning Van boasts 2 private rooms that are fully equipped, well lit and temperature controlled. Perfect for just one tan or for large parties! If you need an instant glow for your special occasion, or JUST BECAUSE you wanna show off a beautifully tanned bod, call the girls at The Tanning Van at 714.460.8640 to schedule an appointment or to book a spray tan party! You can learn more about them and their services on their website at www.thetanningvan.com

Tools For Aspiring Planners

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We are so excited to have a new tab for aspiring planners! The wedding industry has been so rewarding, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to give back by guiding planners in the right direction. We have created three fantastic PDF files that will allow planners to get started:

  • How to Get Started as a Wedding Planner - Inside you will find answers to aspiring planners' most frequently asked questions. This is a great way to uncover quick advice when getting started!
  • How to Run a Wedding Rehearsal - Here we provide step by step instructions to efficiently and effortlessly orchestrate a wedding rehearsal like a pro. Having the perfect wedding rehearsal will allow for less stress and more fun on the wedding day!
  • How to Confirm Vendors for a Wedding - This will provide you with step by step instructions to accurately and efficiently gather and confirm pre-wedding details for a wedding or event. Confirming logistics will make a wedding or event run that much more smoothly!