When it comes to weddings, there are all kinds of traditions and rules of etiquette. Too many, some would say. They can be downright stifling. But times have changed, and the new bride-to-be is breaking out of the mold and doing her own thing!

In matters of etiquette, I'm frequently asked by engaged couples "What are we SUPPOSED to do?" My reply: "Do what you like!" Maybe this is just because I'm a natural born rebel. You give me a system, I'll pretty much buck it 99% of the time. But it's not just my anti-establishment sentiment driving this advice. There are some practical reasons behind it as well.

A great example: MONEY. The average cost of a wedding and reception is about $28,000. Some people just don't have that to spend and are not willing to go into debt (no matter how important a wedding is). How can you get the fairy-tale wedding budget in line with your reality? Skip out on some of the traditions. Ditch the guest favors, which typically end up left behind by guests. Or scrap the programs--most of your guests are friends and family who know each other anyway. And do you really need an outline for a ceremony that actually lasts all of 20 minutes? It's not like you're spending an hour at the symphony.

Even more important than the money you'll save is the FREEDOM you'll experience! Imagine an event that represents YOU as a couple...your priorities, your preferences. Isn't that what this is about anyway? Don't be a slave to passé expectations. Your guests probably won't mind a bit if they don't have to participate in the same old pomp & circumstance (remember the dreaded Receiving Line?).

So, if you love the traditions and want to go all out, more power to you! But if you want to be a part of the evolution towards weddings where you decide what's right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable, there's nothing stopping you.

Not even Ms. Manners.

Well, it is the end of January. 

Have you already broken your new year's resolutions?

If you answered yes, the problem may be that your good Ch'i (energy) isn't flowing due to clutter in your environment!   Feng Shui expert Karen Kinston says in her book Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, "The process of clearing clutter in your home environment is actually the process of releasing, letting go emotionally.  When you begin to clear the clutter, you also release old attachments to things that no longer serve you or bring you joy."

Let's back up for a second.  If you are like some people I know, you may be wondering what Feng Shui (pronounced fung shway) is. Simply stated, it is the ancient Chinese art of placement used to create balance and harmony in your environment. 

So, if you have "fallen off the wagon" with your resolutions I would like to suggest 10 Tips that I believe will help us all get back on track to achieving our goals!

10 Tips to Simplify Your Life

1. Everything in life is energy. We must keep it moving. When something new comes into our life, something old must go out. Keep the energy flowing.

2. Start tossing 10 things away each day that you no longer use. It will make you feel spacious and airy, within days.

3. De-clutter and organize one area at a time. Attack an area that is visible, which creates the most stress for you. Work in small increments of time. Complete what you start. Satisfaction comes from completion.

4. Eliminate the "buffet" syndrome -doing too much, taking on too much, doing a little of everything. When we pack our lives we miss out on what we truly enjoy.

5. Give up expecting to do it all. Set 'realistic' time frames. Our bodies will tell us if we are doing too much.

6. Encourage family participation. Delegate and assign duties to family members. Children require 'gentle' and consistent reminders in establishing new habits.

7. Structure your life to make yourself a priority. Schedule fun time for yourself and put it on your calendar. Say NO more to others, and YES more to you. Everything we do is a personal choice.

8. Balance is not about compromise, it's about choice. The more attention you pay to all aspects of your life (health, spirituality, relationships, work) - the more balanced you will be.

9. Set aside 10 minutes per day to put things away. Leaving stuff out creates more confusion, chaos, and adds stress to our life.

10. Conditions never change until we change our thinking. Life rewards action, not good intentions. Do today what brings joy tomorrow.

Good luck!

We talk to so many brides who are big on the "do-it-yourself" approach to wedding planning. It's not hard to understand why. You dream about your wedding your whole life, all these ideas running through your mind before you've even met "THE ONE". You may have even had colors and dresses narrowed down before the engagement ring was fully slipped onto your delicate finger!

Having made some of the biggest and toughest decisions already, you probably feel like you're at least halfway there, right? WRONG. The fact is there's a lot left to do, and the details are what make or break your big day.

SAYING "I DO" IS THE EASY PART
The work involved in planning a wedding reception is often underestimated. Truthfully, this is where you are going to spend most of your time & budget. Menu planning, seating arrangements, entertainment, and decorating are just a few things you may want a professional wedding planner to assist you with. Etiquette is also particularly important when you are working on the reception, and a qualified wedding specialist will have the answers to questions like "Do I have to seat significant others of the wedding party at the head table?".

THE PITFALLS OF GOING IT ALONE
Another important consideration is plain old man power. Who is going to go in and put together those custom centerpieces with the gems and floating candles you are sooo excited about? (Oh, and by the way, you also need to have someone there to take them apart and box all that stuff up at the end of the night.) While the first inclination may be to rely on your venue management, be careful. Specialty decor & setup is not usually included in your fees. Some venues charge upwards of $1.50 per chair just to cover them for you, and that's not including the actual chair cover. Friends & family are another option, but setup can take HOURS, and the people closest to you will be just as busy as you are the day of your wedding.

HELPING HANDS GO A LONG WAY
This is exactly why we offer Reception Management as a service to our clients. Your reception should be a time of celebration for you AND your guests. We'll work with your reception venue, caterers and other preferred vendors to finish the planning process, no matter how far along you've already gotten. More importantly, we'll be there to take care of all the details on the big day. The big bonus: you get to actually ENJOY your reception!