Bridal Extravaganza - A Must Go!

Image via Putrapertiwi

I vividly remember this time last year as the starting point of my wedding planning.  The Bridal Extravaganza came into town and I was so reluctant to go. For those of you who don't know,  this is the Mother of all Bridal Events for brides-to-be in Texas.  It may be called something else in other states, but this convention has everything you can possibly imagine for the bride-to-be.  Vendors from all over have booths to showcase their work and services. Same thing, different name.

To be honest, the ONLY reason I decided to go was because I wanted my mother to experience the mayhem.  I pictured future brides running around wearing mini veils, holding stacks of binders and magazines, and I was expecting a few cat fights to break out amongst brides and future mother-in-laws.  To my astonishment, the event was well organized and there were no fights (well, none that I saw anyway).  I think I registered for everything imaginable (hoping to win something...anything).  Again, no luck.  However, I did get to sample some wedding cake, received many goodie bags, and walked away with some GREAT deals!

Mind you, I was NOT the typical bride. I never thought about my wedding until I got engaged. I am not a bridezilla. The only thing I knew was I wanted to get married in a church. That's it. So, you can see the reluctance of attending this event.

In summary, I found my flower lady, the lovely Carmen Floral Designs, and I received a great offer from Men's Warehouse where my hubby received a free suit (since our groomsmen rented their tuxes) and we received 1 free plane ticket anywhere in the U.S.! That saved us $400 on the suit alone!  Plus, mom had a blast which made the trip worth it.

They are in town this weekend.  Check THEIR site for exact dates. It's definitely worth a trip. You have nothing to lose.  Let me know if you go and what deals were offered! I'd love to know.

So You're Engaged. Now What?

Earlier this morning, I stopped by the corner Starbucks for my usual tall skinny vanilla latte and had a nice talk with one of the workers about her squirrels. No really, we were talking about squirrels in her front yard.  Any who, another employee rolled in and exclaimed "Linh just got married!"  This was quickly followed by a thunder of cheers and clapping from the employees and customers I didn't even know.  But wait - it gets better.  Then, she said "And I just got engaged on NYE!"  Of course, we cheered even louder for her.  Yay!  It was a nice moment.

Image via Sacramento Wedding Photographers

I asked her if they picked a date or started anything, to which she quickly replied "No, we are just enjoying the moment."  What a smart woman.

If you have just gotten engaged, my best advice is to plan nothing for the first month.  Enjoy the moment. Bask in the engagement stage (because it will be gone before you know it).  My hubby and I threw a few ideas around, but we didn't even pick up the phone or send any emails to any vendors until 2 months after we were engaged.  We were engaged at the end of October 2009 and I started planning by wedding around this time last year. It was great to take it all in while I could because once the planning started, there was no turning back.

Image via Callaway Gable

Wednesday Wedding Tip - Hiring A Videographer

Image via PopVideoHouston

Capturing your wedding is an important decision to make.  Most couples fixate on finding the perfect wedding photographers, but have you considered hiring a videographer also?  

We were lucky enough to find our photographers easily, but I had to interview countless videographers before making a decision.  Some of our closest friends regret not having a video of their wedding day to look back at.  Pictures are worth a thousand words, but a video captures the words, expressions, and reactions of that exact moment in time.  

Most companies offer packages and discounts if you purchase your photos and video together and vendors are always willing to work with you so don't be afraid to ask!  You will learn the art of bargaining...trust me, I did.

Watch this video from Aisle Dash on Choosing a Wedding Videographer:

Here are a few "terms" to familiarize yourself with:

Cinematic: A style of wedding videography in which the footage is edited to tell a story, similar to a short film.
Digital video: Also called DV. Most wedding videos are now filmed and stored in digital format. 
Documentary: A style of wedding videography (also called photojournalistic) in which raw footage unfolds to tell the story of the day.
High-definition video: Also called HD video, this high-resolution option allows wedding videos to be viewed on Blu-ray or DVD.
Outtakes: Footage that does not make it into the final video. This often includes "bloopers" or other missteps that can be fun to include in their own section of the wedding video.
Raw footage: The hours of video filmed by a videographer prior to any editing.
Same-day edit: For immediate gratification, some videographers can compile highlight footage from earlier in the day into a video that is played at the reception.
Short-form video: Most weddings are short form, meaning the length of the video is about an hour or less.
Streaming video: A continuous stream of video that is played on the Internet, rather than downloaded. To share highlights from the day with guests, wedding videos can be streamed on a couple's Web site post-nuptials.

Wednesday Wedding Tip - Taking It All In

Since I wasn't able to post anything the last 2 weeks before my wedding, I will be recapping a lot of things to share with you - from tips and advice to memorable moments and the occasional wardrobe malfunction. Oh yes, there were some malfunctions that occurred...but nothing that couldn't be fixed.  Expect the unexpected brides-to-be!  And above all else, breathe and don't stress!  Things will work out.

Throughout the entire process, the one line I kept hearing from married couples was "The day will fly by and before you know it, the day will be over. Remember to live in the moment and take it all in!"  Oh how true these words were.

Let's just say I woke up at 8am and before I knew it, it was almost 2pm and we had to head to the church.  Of course, we ran a little behind schedule, but things still worked out. The ceremony zoomed by at 3pm followed by a ton of pictures.  Then, the next thing I know, I was having my first dance with my father at 730pm and then with my hubby at 10pm.  What a night.

My advice for brides and grooms: the day WILL seem like a blur, but remind yourself to take a few minutes every 30 minutes or so and sit back to watch/see what's going on around you.  Enjoy the downtime.  I remembered being way ahead of schedule once our reception started (Thank God!) so my hubby and I sat at our table and people watched.  We took in the decor, the lights, the food, the crowd...everything.  And it was nice.  The energy was great and happy and people were having a wonderful time.  That's what I remember.  Love is great.