Send me your questions at LDSWeddingQuestions@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Wedding Groupon

Hey guys. Check out Groupon today to save on your wedding in many ways. They have savings on photography, bridal gown preservation, invitations, spa packages and more. Give it a look!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Wedding Article in Deseret News

I'm in the Deseret News Today! Here's the link:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765562952/Preparing-for-marriage-while-planning-a-wedding.html


She quotes a few people. The article is really great. It talks about how preparing for a wedding also prepares you for a marriage. It has sections on: communication, managing conflict, family relationships, managing time and dealing with imperfections. It's well written. I love the points the other interviewees have.

I particularly love the section entitled, "Family Matters". It talks about expectations for all parties involved and learning to cooperate, negotiate and overall start to set boundaries with your family.

Thanks Rachel for letting me be a part of it!

Appropriate Temple Attire

So, I thought this was a given, but when going to the temple for your wedding day make sure to wear appropriate temple attire. This means Sunday dress. This does not mean in your jammie pants and t-shirt, bunny slippers and hair in curlers (true story).

The temple is not your dressing room. It is the Lord’s house. Just try to remember that—even on your wedding day. Arrive at the temple ready to be married (with the exception of changing into your dress). Everything else (hair and make-up) should be done. They do not ask you to come early to the temple so you have time to get ready. It’s because there are several things that you need to do when you get there, including: records verification, changing, meeting with the matron and sealer, and possibly participating in a pre-wedding sacred ceremony.

This is the Lord’s house. That should not be taken lightly. He gave us these buildings to be a place of worship and to participate in sacred ordinances. If He would be happy with the way you are dressed then you’re okay.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Grandmother's Attire

Question: My Grandmother asked me what she should wear to my wedding. What should I tell her?

Answer: If Grandma is asking you what she should wear, odds are she wants to be involved. Look at what your other key players in your wedding party are wearing. Perhaps she could wear something that coordinates with the wedding colors and the rest of the wedding party.

She shouldn’t be dressier than the mothers. If they are wearing dress suits, she could wear something similar. If they are going for a more formal look then she can, too.

The key points are:
  • She should fit into the wedding
  • She shouldn’t upstage the mothers and definitely not the bride herself
  • She should be a person of honor (So she should get a corsage, along with the mothers)
Other than that, it’s pretty much up to you. If you’re all wearing jeans, let her know and invite her to do so. (Things would likely have been more formal in her time, so she may not be anticipating that.) Just let her be involved and let her know how much it matters that she asked what you think. Not everyone will be so thoughtful.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Gift Opening Soapbox

In my book, Your LDS Wedding Planner, I have what I call “Soapboxes.” These are places where I give-in a bit to the less-censored Ann. I tend to be a tad opinionated and harsher. I tell my audience to feel free to ignore, disagree, and even skip over these soapboxes. Here’s an example:

Gifts:

Don’t make people come and watch you open your gifts. That is crazy. People don’t want to. They might say they do. They’re just trying to be nice. Like your baby sister wants to sit around for hours — and it will be hours — to watch you open a million gifts. Seriously, it took my husband and I two days to open all our gifts, because even we tired of it.

Your wedding gifts are really great. It’s like the biggest and best Christmas you ever imagined. For you. For everyone else it’s torture. “Oh look! More towels. Put those with the other 5 sets.” Your mom is interested. Your dad? He’d rather have bamboo shoots shoved underneath his fingernails one by one. (I’m just saying.)

Overall people will care about the things you got, but not each and every thing. The best idea is to write it all down so that when Mom asks, “What did Aunt Laurel give you?” you can sweetly and gratefully respond, “Oh Mom! She gave me the loveliest vacuum. It’s exactly what I always wanted. She’s so awesome!”

See how that’s better? Now you and your new hubby can take your time opening your gifts. You can go through them with honest opinions and think about where you want everything to go. (Like in the attic.) No really, this can be a fun time for you guys to really pay attention to each thing. Instead of pushing it aside to get through it all before your audience runs out of “give a darn.” This will also help you to easily write your thank-you cards as you think about how truly thoughtful each gift was.

Book Signing

I have a book signing for my new book, Your LDS Wedding Planner, this Saturday, March, 24th from 9-11am at Seagull Book.(1720 S. Redwood Road)

I’d love to see you there!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Invitations - Just a Story

You used to choose your wedding invitations from a wide variety put into a book of choices. While I love weddings and I love choices, when it came time for my wedding I just wanted to fast forward to married. I didn't want to plan and make decisions. I wanted to be married.

So, when my mother and her wedding planner friend came at my groom and me with not just one but three giant books of invitation choices to look through, I almost cried. Now, let me help you picture this. Here sit my groom and I—anxious to be married—and after 2 hours of planning and questions about what we want for the wedding plans my mother smiles and eagerly tells me it's time to look at the invitations. I agree and out they come. Three books! Dare I call them that? They were binder-type books about 5 inches thick, each page held two choices.

“Ugh!” I sighed. My mother beamed. My groom, to his credit, patiently sat and waited for his job to be assigned.

"Let's start looking and see what we like," Mom began.

"Oh Mom! There's too many, just pick the cheapest one."

"Come on, Ann. This is fun. You can have whatever one you want."

"But I don't care. You just pick."

"You really can have whichever you want. Which do you want?" asks my groom.

"Just pick what's cheapest. I don't care." I answer.

He stops, looks me in the eye and says, "You're not just being nice, you really don't care?"

"I really don't care." My groom, who my mother adores almost more than she loves me, asks my mother to narrow it down to two and then we'll choose. I of course find this idea brilliant, and not just because my kissy-smooch of a fiancé thought it up.

So my mother narrows down the choices and shows us the final two. "Which do you want?"

Now, in my head I'm thinking, ‘I don't care! They're very similar and both beautiful so either is great.’ But, I know any further lack of decision-making may result in my mother's transformation into a bride eating beast. So, I dutifully choose one. To which my mother replies, "Really?" in that tone. I know you know the tone. You've heard it in your own mother's voice when she asks if you're "really going out like that?"

So she tilts her head and says in her mommy tone, "Really?"

We went with the other invitation.

And they were beautiful. Thanks Mom!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Question: Can my groom wear his Armed Forces uniform to the temple?

Answer: Yes. Conditionally.

You are allowed to wear your full dress uniforms to the temple, but it comes with a couple conditions.
  • You may not bring any weapons onto the temple grounds. I know that his weapons are part of the full uniform, but weapons of any kind are not permitted.
  • He may wear it into the temple, but not for the ceremony. He can change back into it for the pictures afterward.
Thanks for the great question! Keep them coming to my email LDSWeddingQuestions@gmail.com

Friday, March 16, 2012

Temple Wedding Article

Here the link to a good article from LDS.org about planning a temple wedding.  http://www.lds.org/new-era/2004/10/planning-your-temple-wedding?lang=eng  It's got some great advice and is worthy of a look over. It includes things like: what can I wear to the temple? and when should I get my recommend from the bishop?

One thing it mentions is that you are required to have two recommends each, a temple recommend and a Living Ordinance recommend. Pay special care to heed this advice, many a couple has shown up to the temple without that Living Ordinance recommend thinking their current temple recommend will suffice. The living ordinance will be required. No recommend, no wedding.

This information will also come on your letter from the temple. READ THE LETTER. It's definitely worth the 5 minutes it will take you. It has valuable information that seems obvious but is commonly the most missed.

Launch Giveaway Winners!

The results are in and the winners have been contacted. Congratulations to -

Karissa Gardner who won $150 to Sweetheart Bridal
and
Rebecca Vance who won $100 to Carsey Cakes

Thanks to these great businesses for donating the gifts certificates and thanks so much to all who entered. I wish you luck in all your wedding planning.

Launch Party: and March Blog Contest Winner

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the launch party yesterday! It was a great success! Thanks to Carsey Cakes and Sweetheart Bridal for donating their products and gift certificates. Everything was beautiful.

Your LDS Wedding Planner is officially for sale in stores. Thanks to all my interested brides. The giveaway winners will be contacted today and announced after I've reached them. (Either tonight or tomorrow)

As for the blog contest...drum-roll please...Congratulations Jeanette Linder! You've won a $50 gift card of your choice. Contact me with your chosen business and I'll get it right to you. Thank you Jeanette and everyone else for helping to spread the word about my book and my launch party.

May all your events be filled with joy and not stress!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Overwelmed?

Don’t try to do too much. When you think about “folding each napkin into a flower,” does it excite you or does it make your head explode? If you don’t care about something, then let it go. Either don’t have it at all or let someone else take care of it.There are many people out there who are willing and eager to help. Let them help you. Have them do the grunt work and you be the decision making power. If you just can’t make one more decision, then don’t. Determine what matters the most to you at the beginning and start there. That way you don’t burn out before you get to the things that matter the most.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Wedding Dress General Helps

The best thing to do when choosing your wedding dress, is keep the temple in your mind through the
whole decision process. Just keep thinking, “Is this temple worthy?” Even if you are not wearing your gown for the ceremony, you should always make sure it modestly covers your garments. Don’t think, “I
think that might cover my garments.” It must. If you’re not endowed yet, ask an endowed woman for her advice. Remember, you alter the dress, not the garments. And yes, pinning counts as altering.

A few other things to think about when choosing your dress:

• does it suit my personality and style? (you want your groom to recognize you, right?)
• is my dress appropriate for my location and expected weather—are you dragging a white train across a barn floor, fresh cut grass, or muddy ground? Just think about it. Better to be prepared than sad.
• budget—don’t even go looking for a dress you’ll never be able to afford. It can only end in tears.
• clearly specify to the sales reps what conditions you are operating under. (If you aren’t sure what styles you want, then start by telling them the temple guidelines. You’d be amazed at how many
that will sort out.) This will make the dress shopping a lot more fun, as they don’t waste your time with dresses you can’t use.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

March Contest: Win a $50 Gift Card of Your Choice!

It’s time for my biggest giveaway yet: A $50 gift card of your choice! One limitation: I have to be able to purchase a card for the establishment you choose. (No cash value)

To enter, mention your name and the contest when you come to my book launch.  You can also have your friends enter your name for you. Each person that mentions your name is another chance for you to win!

Restrictions:

  • Each person may only tell me up to two names to enter into the contest. For example, themselves and the person that sent them.
  • The names must be told to me in person at the launch.
  • The mentioner has to also mention this contest.  I won’t be telling people about it at the door.

So spread the word and come to the launch! Here’s a link to the launch info to add to your Facebook, twitter, text message, blog, etc.

The winner will be announced on my blog on Friday, March 16, 2012.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Reception Location

No matter where you want your reception to be there are many things that ought to be considered before the final decision is made. Here are just a few:
  • Cost: Is it too expensive? What if you have to use their caterer or have to bring in a lot of decorations, lighting, seating, fans, heaters, or furry animals? (That last one was just to see if you were paying attention.)  Add up all the costs together before you see which place is cheaper.
  • Location: Is it centrally located to many of your guests? Can you explain it to your guests who may not have a GPS built into their phone? 
  •  Weather: Is it outdoors? If so weather will definitely be a concern. If it's not outside, weather could still impact your choice. Is it at the top of a steep, rarely plowed road? That could be a problem in case there is a freak snowstorm, in July. Just think about it.
  • Parking: If you are having your reception at a ward house or stake center, then parking is generally not a problem. However, I have been to many a reception in a beautiful backyard, where I am forced to trek half a mile in high heels, carting four children and a gift in 95-degree weather, because no neighborhood is built to allow for three hundred cars at one single house. Solutions exist, they just might take some imagination. Also, sometimes a reception center is located in a city where parking is difficult and guests may even have to pay to park.
There are several beautiful venues out there, just be sure you've thought through the options. A good rule of thumb could be to put yourself in your guests shoes. Sometimes, literally, it may make you rethink that pretty cobblestone pathway!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Rehearsal dinner vs. post wedding brunch?

What’s the difference? Or is it a wedding breakfast?

The difference is... not much for LDS people. Since we don’t have a real need for a rehearsal dinner, the event has become a gathering of the intimate family of the bride and groom. (Possibly including other VIP guests to the wedding or people in the wedding party) So do you have to have both? No! They are basically one in the same as far as our culture dictates.

What if my wedding is in the afternoon, not the morning? (Gasp!) Then you can have a post wedding dinner. That is, assuming, you aren’t having a dinner reception. Cause that might be overkill.

Is one or the other more culturally expected in your area? Than go with that one. Otherwise, choose what works best for you. I personally had a post wedding brunch and then still invited the families together to my parents’ house the night before the wedding, because I couldn’t stand to be away from my smoopsie-poo for one extra second. But do what works for you. You don’t have to do both. You don’t have to do either. It’s up to what you want, what you a can budget for and what you can handle.

By the way, here’s an interesting article on Wikipedia about wedding breakfasts, which is what we often call the post wedding brunch.

February Contest Winner!

Congratulations Alise!

As the only person to tell me about a electronic share for my launch party you win the free book. Yay! Thanks Alise for your "shameless plug", I enjoyed it immensely.

To everyone else. If you shared, don't forget, you have to tell me so I see it. Look forward to my March contest. It'll be the biggest one yet!

And please send me any questions you may have  to LDSWeddingQuestions@gmail.com