Siegel Thurston Photography

Wedding planning can be incredibly overwhelming. There is so much to consider; flowers, the dress, tuxedos, bridesmaids and groomsmen, venue…the list goes on and on. We are Southern California and Phoenix wedding photographers, so we understand how stressful the planning stages can be. Lots of couples don’t want to get caught up in the hoopla of planning a wedding and simply go for the traditional cake, D.J. and a church hall venue…which is great and all, but we’re here to tell you that planning an extraordinary wedding doesn’t have to be chaotic and time consuming. Here is a list of 6 ways you can make your wedding day phenomenal without all of the hullabaloo.

1. Create a VIP Lounge

 Make your guests feel like a VIP by creating a sort of VIP lounge at your reception. Off to one side of the dance floor, place a few comfy chairs or couches and a table with some candles to give your guests somewhere less formal to congregate. As a bonus, put up a curtain and a red rope for a more VIP look.

2. Hire a Few Reception Ushers

 High-end clubs and restaurants have ushers that show guests to their tables, so why not have ushers at your reception? You can ask the ushers from your ceremony to double at the reception or consider coordinating with your caterer to see if the wait staff can help out. This is an elegant way to welcome your guests to the reception and give them that personal touch.

3. Offer Cocktails Before the Nuptials

 Surprise your guests with light cocktails before the ceremony begins. Keep them simple like wine, mimosas or fruit infused waters or herbal teas. Your ushers can sweep through and gather up the empty glasses before the ceremony begins and your guests will be refreshed and ready to help you celebrate your special day.

4. Jazz Up Your Escort Cards

 You want your guests to know how special they are and how much you appreciate them sharing your special day with you, so give them a little token of your appreciation with a unique escort card. Forego the usual boring paper place cards that usually just get thrown away and opt for something more meaningful. You could put the cards on stick and place them in small plants that the guests can take with them. You can even choose something edible like a cake pop with the guest’s name on it. The sky’s the limit, so don’t hesitate to be creative.

5. Go All Out on Your Welcome Bags

 Welcome bags are a popular way to welcome your guests to your event. They are especially wonderful for destination weddings. Stock your welcome bags with gourmet chocolates or petit fours from a local bakery. You can include miniature bottles of champagne, maps of the local area, or even a gift certificate to an area coffee shop. Whatever you choose, make sure that your gifts are personal, thoughtful, and memorable.

6. Make Even the Littlest Guests Feel Special

 Let Mom and Dad enjoy the evening by providing a special space just for kids. You can create a make-shift child care center in a room close to your venue so parents can stop by and check in on their little ones and still enjoy the reception. Hire baby sitters to come up with games and crafts for the little ones and provide yoga mats if they start to get sleepy.

These are just a few of the many ways you can make your wedding day unique and memorable for everyone. Let us know what you think of this post by leaving us a comment below. Have you ever tried any of these ideas? Which one was your favorite? As one of the top SoCal and Phoenix wedding photographers, we’d love to hear from you.

Photo above from a recent clients’ wedding, Ashley and Jeremy, wed this spring.

First comes love, then comes marriage. And in between? Hours upon hours of wedding dress shopping — and all the stress, fights and over-consumption of Champagne that comes along with it.

But here, Nara Ragimov, manager of the ultra-luxe bridal salon at Bergdorf Goodman, and Joan Joffe, one of Bergdorf’s top bridal consultants, reveal how to shop for your special day like a pro. Take a look:

Leave the entourage at home

“Brides love to share this moment with their closest friends and family,” says Joffe. “But please remember this day is all about you.” Ragimov and Joffe recommend bringing no more than two or three guests.

“Too many people distract the bride from what she really likes,” explains Ragimov. “The sister or friend, maybe they’re imagining themselves in a wedding gown. [The bride] often walks away a little bit disappointed because in some cases, they maybe have already decided on something, and then they have this huge crew and all the opinions that come along with it.”

Ditch the hot pink thong for the day

“Always make sure to bring along nude or skin tone undergarments,” advises Joffe, who says turquoise and fuschia underwear will show through the white dress.

Although it’s difficult for brides to imagine walking down the aisle when they look straight out of a Britney Spears video, bright underwear is better than no underwear.

“Sometimes they come in without underwear, and the bridal consultants here, they don’t like that,” says Ragimov. “So we make them buy a pair of underwear. It’s not sanitary!”

Take it easy with the champers — and make sure to eat

With engagements comes loads of celebrations (and drinks) — and often, bridal salons offer the lady-of-the-moment and her gang some complimentary Champagne. Ragimov, however, advises not to have more than a couple glasses.

“We’ve had girls who come in and want to play with a lot of their friends, and they’ll keep asking for more and more Champagne, because they want to make this a whole experience,” she says.

And be sure to have a bite to eat beforehand.

“Every few months we get a bride who turns pale white and feels faint,” says Ragimov.

“Maybe they didn’t eat, or they’re dieting or nervous, or they’ve been standing for a long time in their dress,” she adds. “But it’s important to stay hydrated and nourished.”

Honesty is the best policy

Joffe says to be upfront with your bridal consultant when it comes to your tastes, size and budget.

“On occasion, we do get that bride who will say, ‘Don’t order it in a size 8. Order it in a 6, because I am going to lose weight,’ ” says Ragimov. “We discourage them from doing that, because there is no guarantee that they will lose weight.”

Instead, buy the size you are right now. “Better the dress comes in bigger than smaller,” adds Ragimov. “We can always take it in.”

And while Bergdorf Goodman is known for its array of high-end designer bridal gowns, including one $90,000 Oscar de la Renta gown a bride purchased a few years ago, not everyone has an unlimited budget.

“We don’t ask our brides when they come in what their budget is. We leave it up to them to tell us because we don’t want to offend anyone, you know?” says Ragimov. “Everyone has a budget, whether it’s $5,000 or $15,000. So if the bride is upfront with us in the beginning and tells us, ‘This is what we’re looking for,’ we’re able to work with her on the price.”

Be nice — or else

“We always kind of laugh because the customers that give us the hardest time, the bridezillas, the high-maintenance brides, oftentimes we hear that they got divorced really quickly after the wedding,” says Ragimov.

“I personally have worked with several brides like that, where they were just so difficult, I had to take over from their original bridal consultant. In several cases, I have bumped into them at the store, and they tell me, ‘Oh, it didn’t work out.’ It happens quite often. It just goes to show if they’re tough, they’re not only tough on you — they’re tough on everyone.”

Original article and imaces from the NY Post