Bridal Registry Essentials

Have you and your fiance registered for wedding gifts yet?  Completing your bridal registries is a highly recommended activity on your wedding planning checklist.  We suggest registering so it takes some of the guess work off your guests when they graciously buy your wedding gifts.  Your guests want to buy you something you want and need in the colors that work for you and your new home together; going off a list that you made is very welcomed etiquette for your family and friends. 

The Registry Essentials - what every bridal registry should have included (unless of course you already have these things!):

♥ Cooking: KitchenAid Mixer (as my own sister-in-law has informed me, a wedding is the perfect time to get one!), Knife Set, Cooking Ware, Bake Ware and Bowls, Dutch Oven, Cooking Utensils, Kitchen Appliances you don't own or want to update (blender, beater, chopper, coffee maker, toaster, toaster oven, panini press, crock pot, etc.)

♥ Dining: Casual and China Dinnerware, Stemware, Glassware, Silverware, Table Linens, Salt/Pepper Shakers, Serving Bowls/Platters 

♥ Nesting: Bedding, Towels, Bathroom Accessories (shower curtain, soap dispenser, rugs, etc.)

♥ Home Decor: Frames, Vases, Lamps and Lighting, Mirrors, Candleholders, Centerpiece Bowls, etc.

♥ Playtime: Camping Equipment, Grilling Items, Picnic Baskets, Yard Games, Board Games, Luggage, etc.

You can register at a common retail store like Macy's, Target, or Bed, Bath, and Beyond either in store or online.  You also have the option to register on a website that pulls from different stores like http://www.myregistry.com/. 

For more information on registries contact us at http://www.vintageandlace.com/!

Have a great day!
Heather

*All images are from Macys.com and compiled to make collages.

A Lone Star State Engagement Shoot: Jeff ♥Whitney

This stunning couple, Whitney and Jeff, took advantage of all the charm that vintage small town Texas has to offer for their engagement photo shoot! They chose the quaint country town of Gruene where the contrast of the rustic backdrops and their soft sweet smiles and dappled sunlight made for some amazing shots! 

"We had our engagement photos taken in Gruene, TX because we both love the Grismill Restaurant and Gruene has the most adorable downtown area."

"We got engaged last March, on a special weekend trip to Austin, where we stayed at the Driskill Hotel. He took me on a carriage ride down to Town Lake, and he proposed at a cute little gazebo along the river as the sun was setting."

In the horse drawn carriage on the night of their engagement!

 

Photography: Tyler Schmitt at The Mill Photography Studio.

Whitney and Jeff are getting married in a Catholic service at St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church in Austin,TX, the place where they first met. The reception will take place at their dream location of the Mansion at Judge's Hill. Whitney has shared many of the details of her big day with me and I can tell you that this is definitely going to be a wedding you don't want to miss so stay tuned for their wedding photos after the big day! 

On a personal note:

Whitney is a bride that will always be near and dear to my heart. In 2006, Whitney and I, along with five other students and one amazing professor, traveled to Fort Portal, Uganda for the trip of a lifetime. We spent four weeks in a rented African home sharing a room, volunteering at local schools and learning the art of basket weaving from local Ugandan women. Whitney was just a freshman in college at the time, the youngest of our group, and her bravery and kindness on the trip were inspiring! Even when her suitcase was lost for days, she hung in there and chose to get the most out of the trip recognizing that this was an experience of a lifetime! Now, Whitney is studying Law in Texas and no doubt will continue to do wonderful things with her life. I couldn't be more proud of the wonderful woman she is! The next big adventure for Whitney is her marriage and I am so happy for her and her lovely fiancé Jeff! Congratulations dear friend! 

Aloha, 

Rachael

Our whole group in Uganda; Me (bottom left)
& Whitney (bottom right)

Whitney and I playing frisbee and telling jokes
 with some Ugandan Children

Wedding & Engagement Rings: Spotlight -Anne Sportun

Choosing an engagement or wedding ring is one of life's biggest purchases, not necessarily because of the price of the item, but because of how much that one single item will be worn and how long it is expected to last. After all, there aren't many other items in your closet or jewelry box that you will wear nearly every day of your life, all day long, like you will your wedding ring. 


We know just how overwhelming the task of finding the perfect ring can be and how important it is that you find something you truly love. That's why we have decided to start a little mini-series of posts featuring different jewelry artists we are inspired by. And what better month to begin than February, the month of love and one of the most popular months for new proposals and engagements. 


The first artist of this series is one very near and dear to my own heart: Anne Sportun. She is the Canadian jewelry designer of my very own wedding ring, a ring that brings me so much joy each day as it reminds me of the unique love my husband and I share.


Her jewels are reflective of nature, the past, and the future. They are perfectly imperfect and refreshingly organic. They don't fall into the category of "bigger is better" but rather have a striking beauty in their form and simplicity. However, there is no lack of sparkle in any of her gems as she uses some of the finest stones in the world; truly I have never seen diamonds sparkle quite as brightly as hers. 

Here is what Sundance, a popular carry of Anne's jewels has to say about her: 


"Anne Sportun's creativity is driven by her belief in a universal language of shapes and symbols. Finding pure beauty in nature's organic forms, she balances the precise with the irregular, the perfect with the prosaic. Sparkling gems adopt an understated elegance that transforms them from special-occasion dazzlers to wear-everyday pleasures. Based in Toronto, she's been honored with a Canadian postage stamp featuring her hands and rings." 


*All photos from www.annesportun.com.

Save-the-Date, Holiday Style

Planning your wedding in the midst of the holiday festivities can be a difficult balancing act.  If you and your fiance are trying to orchestrate save-the-date cards and holiday cards to friends and family, why not combine the two?  There are great design opportunities to keep the save-the-dates in style with your wedding vision in addition to adding a little holiday cheer.  Here are a few:


♥ An easy way to add a save-the-dates to your holiday cards are to take a great picture of you and your fiance (or use one of your engagement photos) and make it a magnet save-the-date!  You can then quickly add the magnet to your holiday card envelope.  The image can portray winter or you can just design it to fit the theme of your wedding.  These examples are just a few fantastic options from  http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/!

You can include these magnets with photo cards that match (just change the name from 'The Idlewilds' to 'The Future Idlewilds' and use a different matching photo)...

from http://www.tinyprints.com/

Or add your magnets with holiday cards that compliment the look and/or color palette.  Here are some great eco-friendly, customizable selections from http://www.peartreegreetings.com/.

♥ You can also just send Christmas photo cards and include information addressing your upcoming wedding.  Look at these options we found on Etsy.com!

Try to have fun and get creative when planning your save-the-dates and remember, save-the-dates should be sent out four to six months before the wedding date.

Contact us at V&L for more ideas on save-the-dates!

info@vintageandlace.com ♥ http://www.vintageandlace.com/

Happy Holidays!

Heather

Wedding Invitations 101: Wedding Etiquette Part II

Once you finalize your wedding guest list, the next step is to design, print, address, and send out your invitations.  Invitations should be sent six to eight weeks prior to the wedding date; we recommend preparing invitations at least four weeks before the actual target send-out date. 


 The basic components to a traditional invitation are lines to designate the host, request the guests attendance, the names of the bride and groom, the date and time, location(s), reception card, and Repondez, s'il vous plait (RSVP).

The host line identifies the names of the individuals issuing the invitations.  Traditionally, the hosts are the bride's parents, printed as Mr. and Mrs. [father's first name] [father's last name].  If you, the bride and groom, are sharing the hosting with your family then it would traditionally read, 'Together with their families Miss [bride's name] and Mr. [groom's name].'  If the groom's family is hosting then it would read "Mr. and Mrs. [Groom's Father's first name and last name]. If just one parent is hosting,....well, you get the idea! The most important thing is to select the format and language that will best fit your situation. In this day and age, there are many possible situations, so just go with what is right for you and feels appropriate to all those involved. 

Next, the request line specifies what the guest is invited to do.  You will need to be sure to include whether your guest is invited to the ceremony, reception, or both.  The traditional wording for the request is broken into two categories: ceremony at a place of worship and ceremony at a secular location.  At a place of worship, the wording would read, 'request the honor of your presence;' for the request at a secular location it would read, 'request the pleasure of your company.'  If you and your groom have decided on an informal ceremony, you could also word your invitations as 'would be delighted by your presence at the marriage of their children.'

The main event is next: you and your groom.  The bride and groom line is laid out with the bride's and groom's names on separate lines with a preposition such as 'to' or 'and' on its own line in between.  Traditionally, if the bride's last name is the same as her parents' on the host line, the family name is not repeated and no courtesy title is used.  The groom's name is listed with first, middle, and last.  If a more contemporary wording fits you as a couple better (you and your groom are hosting or if both sets of parents are hosting) then treat both names equally.

The date and time lines of your wedding invitation give the pertinent information for a guest's calendar.  The traditional line would have the numbers spelt out and the proper nouns capitalized.  The line can start with a preposition, 'on,' if desired.  If you choose to go with something a little more contemporary, use numerals.

Location is also a critical element of your wedding invitation.  It is not traditional etiquette to include the street address, but it is becoming more common as it is not very practical to leave it off.  If you do choose to include the street, you could opt not to include the zip code. In some cases, it might also be helpful to include a small, stylish map and most guests will greatly appreciate this if your venue is an unusual location or your wedding is a destination wedding. 

You can include a reception line on the invitation or add a reception card to the envelope.  If your ceremony and reception locations are at the same venue, you can include the reception line on the main invite itself.  However, if they are at separate locations, it is best to do a small separate reception card.

Finally, the RSVP can be a line on the invite or more commonly a card with stamped envelope for response.  Traditional etiquette does not require a separate card, envelope, and/or stamp for the RSVP.  It is not considered rude to omit the stamped envelope and card, but it could raise the risk of guests not responding in a timely manner to RSVP.  If you include a RSVP line on the invite, it would appear in the lower left corner with the address, phone number, email, and/or website.  On a separate card, it is traditional to print fill-in-the-blank cards providing the first letter of 'Mr./Mrs.'  You can also include a single line such as 'please let us know whether you will join us' with a line for their writing.  A fun idea is to also include a song request line to the RSVP card so your guests can request songs at your reception and help you build your playlist.

One thing that it is not proper etiquette to include on your invitation is the registry information.  You can direct guests to your wedding website and include the information there, but not within the invitation envelope.


For more information on invitation etiquette, contact us at info@vintageandlace.com.


Warmest Wishes,
Heather


All photos from Etsy.com and are invitations for purchase!

Tips on Who to Invite to your Wedding: Wedding Etiquette Part I

Proper wedding etiquette is sometimes black and white and other times has a little room for preference and personalization.  Part I of wedding etiquette is reviewing who to invite.

from etsy.com

"Who to Invite?" A common question when so many details of planning are based on the number of guests that will attend your wedding: budget, location, design, seating, etc.  If you are trying to limit your guest list, then one of the first things you need to be aware of is proper etiquette.

♥  Inviting Plus Ones: If your guest is married, engaged, or living with a significant other it is customary to invite a plus one; if your guest is dating then it is not required that you invite a plus one with their invitation.  If you choose to invite some plus ones and not others, it is important to set a specific line as to why some are invited and others are not.  It would even be a good idea to inform those that are not invited to bring a plus one as to the reasons with a personal phone conversation so they do not get upset.  In addition, for your wedding attendants it is not required for them to be invited with a plus one, but it is common courtesy to allow them to bring a guest of their own since they are there to support you and your groom.

from theknot.com

♥  "What if we don't want young children at the wedding?" If you are having a formal wedding and would prefer children under a certain age to not attend, address your invitations with just the parents' names.  I would also recommend to follow-up with a personal conversation informing the parents that you really hope they can make it to your wedding and hope they have found someone to watch their children for that specific night.  If you decide to not invite children, do not make exceptions for those that make excuses because it would be rude to others that followed your request.  

from pacificweddings.com

♥  "They invited me, do I have to invite them?"  Reciprocal invites etiquette is always a common question especially if you are limited in your guest count.  If you attended the guests'-in-question wedding recently, your wedding is close to the same size or larger, and you are still on close terms with them then they should be invited.  If your wedding is on a smaller scale and/or if your friendship has lessened then it is appropriate to leave them off your guest list. 

photo by Toby Hoogs Photography via pacificweddings.com

For more information on wedding etiquette, contact us at info@vintageandlace.com!

Have a great day!

Heather