POLL! The Garter Toss. Should We Toss It From The Wedding Reception?

May 20, 2013 By Dinah Leave a Comment

Last post we talked about the bouquet. Today we pick up the garter toss. In theory this is a bit of bawdy fun where the groom reaches under the bride’s wedding dress, and pulls a special garter off her leg (ooh la la!). The garter is then thrown, bouquet style to the eager groomsmen. Problem is, at some weddings, it’s turned into a cringe inducing lap-dance/up-skirt flashing fiasco. At a wedding I attended, prior to the garter removal (teeth, of course)

look like fun? or humiliating? Weigh in!

the groom donned a blindfold, and fondled the legs of female guests to see if he could find the bride! All in front of Grandma. That put me off this particular tradition personally but I’m all for grooms who want to have their fun embracing their inner Chippendale. My advice would be to discuss in advance exactly what you’re comfortable with – good practice for married life!

So, what do you think? To toss, or not to toss?

Filed Under: advice, humor, weddings Tagged With: event planning, garter toss, garter toss tradition, Grandma, groom, groomsman, Relationships, the garter toss, wedding, wedding dress, Weddings

Friday is Advice for the Bride-Day! 3 Tips to ensure you enjoy your wedding this weekend.

February 8, 2013 By Dinah Leave a Comment

We love Fridays at My Little Flower Shop! Gearing up for weekend weddings and parties gets us fired up. Ad so we’re taking to the blog to FIRE UP this weekend’s brides and grooms with a little pep talk. Here are a few pointers as you head into the big weekend you’ve been waiting for!

Let it All Go. You’ve planned and plotted – and it’s finally here. This is the moment to take a deep breath and trust yourself, your family and the people you’ve hired to bring your dream day to life. The work is done, and what will happen will happen. At a certain point any event takes on a life of its own, and trying to control it from the position of Bride or Groom is only going to make you crazy.
If you trust your family and your vendors, everything will turn out beautifully.
Laugh When Things Go “Wrong.” There’s gonna be a hitch. It may be small, it may be huge, but it’s going to be the story you’ll tell through the years, howling with laughter at the absurdity. Why not start laughing now and save yourself a lot of heartache? Holding on to the bitterness of a wrongly ruffled cake all evening hurts no one but you and your new husband/wife.
Breathe Deeply, Stand Up Straight, and Enjoy Your Moment. ‘Nough said.

See you on the flip side as Mr. and Mrs!

Live well, and love well.

-Dinah

Filed Under: advice, humor, weddings Tagged With: bride, Dinah, Friday, groom, wedding, wedding planner, Weddings

Coping When Neither The Candlesticks Nor The Happy Couple Dance With Joy At Your Being Their Guest

September 19, 2012 By Dinah Leave a Comment

I posted recently about my hero, Lumiere the candlestick from ‘Beauty and the Beast’, who choreographs elaborate musical numbers to honor his guests. My point was that at its core, the point of party you’re throwing is celebrating with guests, if they are unhappy, something has gone wrong.

Alas, not all couples have gotten the memo. Amy Dickinson, brilliant syndicated advice columnist and another (non-animated) hero of mine, addressed the issue of dealing with the fallout in her column today. I repost her wise response to this worried MOB from the Toronto Sun.

Groomzilla plans wedding no one can attend

Amy Dickinson, Advice Guru My Little Flower Shop

Amy Dickinson, Advice Guru and a personal hero

By Amy Dickinson ,QMI Agency

First posted: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 01:27 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 01:31 PM EDT

DEAR AMY: How can our family move forward from the mess of an overplanned, underattended wedding in Europe? The groom (in his mid-30s) has planned everything and excluded me, mother of the bride, from any of the plans. The bride’s siblings can’t afford (or can’t get vacation days from work) to attend.

Involved grooms are a good thing – don’t overgeneralize!

Yesterday, the groom called our son and offered to fly him to Europe for the wedding but made no such offer for the bride’s sisters. Of 200 invited guests, only 40 are expected to attend — no aunts, uncles or cousins. As the bride’s parents, we gave a fixed sum of money for the wedding but now, due to the small gathering expected, the couple will be making money on the deal.

Yesterday, the groom announced that the one family friend who can attend is not invited to the rehearsal dinner, after traveling 6,000 miles. A destination wedding sounds, at first, like a good idea, but when the day nears, it feels exclusionary, hollow and pretentious. As the mother of the bride, I am filled with sadness.

The couple has been engaged for two years, and we feel so burdened by the build-up, the bad decisions, the exclusions, waste and self-centredness of this event. How do families recover from this? I can’t see these relationships ever going back to normal.

I love my daughter very much, but I believe the consequences of this wedding will be the unravelling of our family. Is there any hope? — Heartbroken

DEAR HEARTBROKEN: You aptly describe the challenges when couples pour all of their attention into trying to create a fantasy day while causing real-world problems. Often these couples return home after their fantasy weddings seriously let down by the reality of marriage and family.

You and your husband should meet with the couple. Do not pile on and accuse them of creating a hollow and pretentious event, but do ask that they commit some of the money you contributed to helping family members attend the wedding.

Otherwise you should accept that this is not what you would have planned and not what you want (and perhaps not what the couple wants at this point, either). If your daughter is completely dominated by a “groomzilla” who is demanding and disrespectful, she is going to need your support moving forward. You may also have to accept that you and she have very different values.

Though this event might rend the fabric of your family, don’t make the mistake of assuming it will unravel.

Filed Under: advice, Destination weddings, florist, relatonships, wedding Tagged With: advice, Amy Dickinson, bride, destination wedding, etiquette, groom, groomzilla, Relationships, wedding, wedding guests, Weddings

My Little Marital Bliss Shop: Never Stop Dating

July 26, 2012 By Dinah Leave a Comment

Cadillac CTS Coupé Concept (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who’s dating your man? It had better be you honey boo boo child, before, during AND after the wedding. He was beguiled by your charm and fun personality, and fell in love on dates with you. Keep the initial spark alive by still going out regularly- and I don’t mean some kind of obligatory once-a-week dinner that you drag yourselves through. Snooze fest. Think about what you really enjoy doing together, or separately, and have some adventures! You can go as far as a weekend get-away, or stay as close as your own kitchen, but be creative.

Recently I told my husband we were going on a mystery outing. He had no idea where, but loved trying to guess! He’d been talking for the last few weeks about wanting to test-drive a Cadillac CTS Coupe, so I had found a local dealer, and we went on a “Sunday Drive” to go take a look. He was very surprised that I would even come up with such a thing, and was thrilled to pieces. The date was a hit because it was something he was really into, and it warmed his heart that I had been listening.

If your imagination is running a little slow these days, The Dating Divas have a website chock full of ideas to spice things up. (No, not that way. Get your mind out of the gutter). They have themed dates, bargain dates, at-home dates for after the kids go to bed… you get the idea. So go out and get dating!

Be well, and love well.

Dinah

Does Your Relationship Pass the 1920s Marriage Test? [Romance](jezebel.com)
What they never told me in pre-marital counseling(ethoshift.wordpress.com)
Wedding Centerpiece Peace Of Mind(mylittleflowershop.com)

Filed Under: advice, Destination weddings, engagement, flowers, humor, Palm Springs, relationships, wedding, wedding centerpieces, weddings Tagged With: advice, advice Cadillac STS, beautiful flowers, best man, best of the best, boyfriend, bridal, bride, Bridesmaid, Bridesmaids, brother, CA, Cadillac, car, car lease, car lot, car salesman, car shopping, Cathedral Ciy, centerpiece, centerpieces, ceremony, ceremony decor, ceremony elements, choosing centerpieces, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley weather, Coachella Valley wedding vendors, coupe, dates, dating, dating your husband, Desert Hot Springs, design, destination wedding, destination wedding California, destination wedding Palm Springs, destination wedding planning, Dinah, Dress, dressing up, engaged, etiquette, event design, event planner, event planning, Family, family celebration, father, fiance, floral, floral design, Flower, flower bouquet, Flower girl, flower shop, flower shop Palm Springs, Flowers, four door, getting engaged, girlfriend, groom, groomsman, groomsmen, guest list, help, Help and Advice, help planning a wedding, humor, husband, Indian Wells, interfaith wedding planning, Jewish wedding Palm Springs, keeping romance alive, linen rental, MOB, mother, mother of the bride, My Little Flower Shop, mystery date, outing, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palm Springs California, Palm Springs event planner, Palm Springs floral design, Palm Springs Florist, Palm Springs linen rental, Palm Springs party planner, Palm Springs wedding planner, popping the question, Rancho Mirage, Relationships, romance, romantic, shopping, showroom, Sunday drive, swanky clothes, tablecloths, test drive, wedding, wedding centerpiece, wedding dress, wedding etiquette, wedding flowers, wedding Jewish wedding planning, wedding ring, wedding suit, wedding tradition, wife

Who Should the Bride Be On Her Wedding Day? Herself!

July 19, 2012 By Dinah 1 Comment

Often brides have a tough time figuring out what they want to look like on the big day. Sweet, or seductive? Classic, or modern? Here’s the key. You want to look like yourself! Your groom fell in love and proposed to you because of who you are – don’t present some exotic version of yourself on the day of the wedding because of some fashion trend or pressure to create dramatic photographs.

Here are three important questions to ask yourself about your look on the big day including your bridal hairstyle, wedding dress, and make-up.

Are you comfortable? Looking like you walked off a Paris runway isn’t worth having your dress duct taped to you and your hair pulled so tight it gives you a migraine. Most of us don’t live in cultures where it’s a badge of honor to get bruises from your elaborate wedding dress, so find something that fits well, and feels good!
Will your fiancé recognize you? Do you look like a glammed up version of yourself, or like someone you’ve never met? Your man wants to see someone familiar underneath all the trappings of bride-dom. Keep in mind you’re dressing up for him after all!
Don’t go for broke. Debt is not cute. If you can’t afford a hair and make-up team, or a $5,000 dress, don’t charge up a storm on credit cards. If your look is important to you, compromise on other budget items to make sure you have the resources you need, or investigate ways around the expenses like bartering for services, or renting a designer gown.

If you stay true to yourself, keep your wits about you, and follow your heart, you’re sure to be a beautiful, comfortable, solvent bride!

Be well, and love well.

Dinah

Brides Say ‘Yes’ to Selling Their Dress … Before the Wedding!(dailyfinance.com)
Wedding Traditions – Old, New, Borrowed, Blue?(camaraphotographyevergreen.com)
Why I love “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding.” Hey TLC, We Want To Plan One! Call Us!(mylittleflowershop.com)

Filed Under: advice, humor, Palm Springs, wedding, weddings Tagged With: advice, beautiful flowers, best man, best of the best, bridal, bride, Bridesmaid, Bridesmaids, brother, CA, California, California destination wedding, Cathedral City, centerpiece, centerpieces, ceremony, ceremony decor, ceremony elements, choosing centerpieces, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley weather, Coachella Valley wedding vendors, Desert Hot Springs, design, destination wedding, destination wedding California, destination wedding Palm Springs, destination wedding planning, Downtown Design District, Downtown Palm Springs, Dress, etiquette, event design, event planner, event planning, Family, family celebration, father, fiance, floral, floral design, flower bouquet, Flower girl, flower shop, flower shop Palm Springs, Flowers, groom, groomsman, groomsmen, guest list, help, Help and Advice, help planning a wedding, humor, husband, Indian Wells, interfaith wedding planning, Jewish wedding Palm Springs, linen rental, MOB, mother, mother of t ahe bride, My Little Flower Shop, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palm Springs Bride, Palm Springs brides, Palm Springs Destination Wedding, Palm Springs elope, Palm Springs event planner, Palm Springs floral design, Palm Springs Florist, Palm Springs linen rental, Palm Springs party planner, Palm Springs wedding chapel, Palm Springs wedding planner, Rancho Mirage, relationship, Relationships, romance, romantic, shopping, Southern California, tablecloths, wedding, wedding advice, wedding centerpiece, wedding dress, wedding etiquette, wedding flowers, wedding Jewish wedding planning, wedding planning advice, wedding planning tips, wedding ring, wedding suit, wedding tips, wedding tradition

It’s 8:00am. Do You Know Where Your “Me Time” Is?

July 16, 2012 By Dinah Leave a Comment

Sometimes, before the alarm clock goes off in the morning, I wake up on my own. It’s a good feeling, knowing that I’ve gotten the right amount of sleep that I needed that night. But by far the best part is looking at the clock and seeing that it’s a full hour before I am supposed to be awake and getting ready for the day. An hour I can use however I want, with no strings attached.

English: The face of a black windup alarm clock (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Because I wasn’t meant to be awake, I feel like a kid in a candy store choosing how to spend what I call “stolen time.” I force myself to cross folding laundry or paying bills off the list, and do something delicious – like reading some of that novel I can’t ever seem to get to, or painting my toenails. Or both!

Everyone needs “me time.” OK, the phrase is corny and overused, but the concept is WAY underused. Make sure you make time for yourself, even if you have to steal it!

Be well, and love well.

-Dinah

The Not So Accidental Tourist(mylittleflowershop.com)
Banana leaf v/s Buffet(ashwinknan.wordpress.com)
Monday Quote: Time(alenaslife.wordpress.com)

Filed Under: event planning, humor, Uncategorized, wedding Tagged With: advice, Alarm clock, beautiful flowers, best man, best of the best, bridal, bride, Bridesmaid, Bridesmaids, brother, CA, California, California destination wedding, Cathedral City, centerpiece, centerpieces, ceremony, ceremony decor, ceremony elements, choosing centerpieces, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley weather, Coachella Valley wedding vendors, Desert Hot Springs, design, destination wedding, destination wedding California, destination wedding Palm Springs, destination wedding planning, Disc jockey, Downtown Design District, Downtown Palm Springs, Dress, etiquette, event design, event planner, event planning, Family, family celebration, father, fiance, floral, floral design, flower bouquet, Flower girl, flower shop, flower shop Palm Springs, Flowers, groom, groomsman, groomsmen, guest list, Health, help, Help and Advice, help planning a wedding, humor, husband, Indian Wells, interfaith wedding planning, Jewish wedding Palm Springs, linen rental, MOB, mother, mother of t ahe bride, My Little Flower Shop, novel, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palm Springs Bride, Palm Springs brides, Palm Springs Destination Wedding, Palm Springs elope, Palm Springs event planner, Palm Springs floral design, Palm Springs Florist, Palm Springs linen rental, Palm Springs party planner, Palm Springs wedding chapel, Palm Springs wedding planner, pedicure, Rancho Mirage, reading, relationship, Relationships, romance, romantic, shopping, Southern California, tablecloths, time management, wedding, wedding advice, wedding centerpiece, wedding dress, wedding etiquette, wedding flowers, wedding Jewish wedding planning, wedding planner, wedding planning advice, wedding planning tips, wedding ring, wedding suit, wedding tips, wedding tradition

The Not So Accidental Tourist

July 7, 2012 By Dinah 5 Comments

My Little Flower Shop LOVES tourists. We rejoice when we see families consulting maps, large groups of people wearing matching visors, or most importantly, a “tourist” bride coming to have her destination wedding in Palm Springs. We are also big advocates of being unashamed of tourist-y behavior while travelling. See the sights! Take pictures! Consult your maps!

So this summer, why not be a tourist at home? I’ll bet you dollars to donuts there are attractions or historic sites nearby that you either have never seen, or not visited in 10+ years. Goodness knows here in Southern California it would take a lifetime to do all the possible day trips.

One of our beautiful brides, Stephanie Orson, at her wedding venue /local sight to see: the lavender fields. (Highland Springs Resort, photo by Alan Gough)

Even if you can’t leave your city, town or neighborhood, investigate a little. Find the tourist office for your city, and see what the “highlights” are. You’ll be surprised what you’ve been missing all these years. Architectural gems, birthplaces of interesting people…there’s a lot out there.

What are you waiting for? Dust off your matching visors and head out on a homegrown adventure.

Live well, and love well.

-Dinah

What Makes A Bride Feel Like A Bride? Her Bouquet.(mylittleflowershop.com)
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Filed Under: advice, Destination weddings, humor, Palm Springs, wedding Tagged With: advice, airport, backyard travel, beautiful flowers, best man, best of the best, bridal, bride, Bridesmaid, Bridesmaids, brother, CA, car rental, Cathedral City, centerpiece, centerpieces, ceremony, ceremony decor, ceremony elements, choosing centerpieces, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley weather, Coachella Valley wedding vendors, cruise, Desert Hot Springs, design, destination wedding, destination wedding California, destination wedding Palm Springs, destination wedding planning, Dress, etiquette, event design, event planner, event planning, Family, family celebration, father, fiance, floral, floral design, flower bouquet, Flower girl, flower shop, flower shop Palm Springs, Flowers, groom, groomsman, groomsmen, guest list, help, Help and Advice, help planning a wedding, high speed rail, hometown vacation, honeymoon, humor, husband, Indian Wells, interfaith wedding planning, Jewish wedding Palm Springs, linen rental, local vacation, MOB, mother, mother of the bride, My Little Flower Shop, Orbitz, Outlet Shopping tour, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palm Springs airport, Palm Springs Bride, Palm Springs brides, Palm Springs event planner, Palm Springs floral design, Palm Springs Florist, Palm Springs linen rental, Palm Springs party planner, Palm Springs Tourist Bureau, Palm Springs Tourist Office, Palm Springs trip, Palm Springs vacation, Palm Springs Visitors center, Palm Springs wedding planner, plane tickets, Rancho Mirage, relationship, Relationships, romance, romantic, shopping, tablecloths, tour bus, tourism, tourist, tourist bride, train tickets, Travel, Travelocity, vacation, vacation condo, vacation rental, wedding, wedding advice, wedding centerpiece, wedding dress, wedding etiquette, wedding flowers, wedding Jewish wedding planning, wedding planning advice, wedding planning tips, wedding ring, wedding suit, wedding tips, wedding tradition, wedding travel, welcome to Palm Springs

The 4th of July Non-Weekend. Bad for Brides? Good for Guests? You decide.

July 3, 2012 By Dinah Leave a Comment

Ah the calendar. Tomorrow, the 4th of July falls on a WEDNESDAY for the first time in many years. For those with office jobs whose vacation days are comparable to certain rare truffles in the food world, this is a big deal. There are calculations by which you can take only a few days off, and yet stretch your vacation and/or wedding weekend to five days, all with the aid of a well placed Monday or Friday out of the office. Thanksgiving is the ultimate centerpiece to the art of stretching PTO: you can take a full seven days and only “spend” three.

English: OAK HARBOR, Wash. (July 4, 2011) Memb...

OAK HARBOR, Wash. (July 4, 2011) Members of the color guard assigned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island march down Bayshore Drive during the Fourth of July Parade.(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But this year (darned Gregorians) Fourth of July isn’t participating. And some are breathing a sigh of relief. Hint: it’s not the brides. People who might have attended weddings this holiday, are attending barbeques. And parades. And celebrating Independence Day well, independently. There are many people who don’t want to have their summer plans set for them by receiving a “save the date” in February and being expected to clear their calendars.

As a bride, it’s hard to see outside the bubble where your wedding is the Most Important Thing In The World, but sometimes people have fun things scheduled at the same time or want to have that option. And that’s OK. (Well your sister really ought to keep her schedule open, but let the rest of your list plan their own vacations, and lead their own lives. It’s not anybody’s fault, and there shouldn’t be any lasting drama or upset about who had something else going on that day ).

All thoughts running through my head on a summer’s day… enjoy your barbeques tomorrow. And the weddings that are happening this weekend! Remember, you can always have sparklers no matter what time of year it is* And no matter who comes, or what the season, your wedding will light up with joy and memories for everyone.

Live well, and love well.

Dinah

* please check the fire regulations in your area and at your venue!

Facebook walks the aisle with new gay, lesbian wedding icons(news.cnet.com)
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Filed Under: advice, bridal showers, celebrity weddings, Ceremony, Country Clubs, Destination weddings, Destination weddings, engagement, etiquette, etiquette, event planning, floral design, flowers, Great Resources, holidays, hotels/resorts, humor, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, poll, relationships, relatonships, shopping, special event decor, Uncategorized, wedding, wedding cake, wedding centerpieces, wedding dress, wedding flowers, wedding gifts, wedding guests, wedding party, Wedding planning, wedding venue, weddings Tagged With: advice, Barbecue, beautiful flowers, best man, best of the best, bridal, bride, Bridesmaid, Bridesmaids, brother, CA, Cathedral City, centerpiece, centerpieces, ceremony, ceremony decor, ceremony elements, Chanukah, choosing centerpieces, Christmas, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley weather, Coachella Valley wedding vendors, Desert Hot Springs, design, destination wedding, destination wedding California, destination wedding Palm Springs, destination wedding planning, Dress, etiquette, event design, event planner, event planning, Family, family celebration, father, fiance, floral, floral design, flower bouquet, Flower girl, flower shop, flower shop Palm Springs, Flowers, Fourth of July, groom, groomsman, groomsmen, guest list, help, Help and Advice, help planning a wedding, holiday weekend, humor, husband, Independence Day, Indian Wells, interfaith wedding planning, Jewish wedding Palm Springs, July, Labor Day weekend, linen rental, long weekend, Martin Luther King Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, MOB, mother, mother of the bride, My Little Flower Shop, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palm Springs Bride, Palm Springs brides, Palm Springs event planner, Palm Springs floral design, Palm Springs Florist, Palm Springs linen rental, Palm Springs party planner, Palm Springs wedding planner, patriotism, President’s Day Weekend, Rancho Mirage, relationship, Relationships, romance, romantic, save-the-date, shopping, tablecloths, United States, wedding, wedding advice, wedding centerpiece, wedding dress, wedding etiquette, wedding events, wedding flowers, wedding Jewish wedding planning, wedding planner, wedding planning advice, wedding planning tips, wedding ring, wedding suit, wedding tips, wedding tradition, wedding weekend

What Makes A Bride Feel Like A Bride? Her Bouquet.

May 2, 2012 By Dinah 1 Comment

All brides’ bouquets are very important to the way they feel on their wedding day, but none so much as the women we meet who are here in Palm Springs to elope or have tiny family weddings. The bouquet is central in making that bride feel no less important than Kate Middleton taking her vows in front of the entire world. This inspiration board we’re sharing is from an elopement at The Lucy House here in Palm Springs. The bride, in an adorable cocktail style dress, was definitely in love with her bouquet. Oh yeah – and the groom too. Enjoy. Photography by Debi Parker.

Cori, Our Adorable DIY Bride Gets Blog Coverage Along With Her Beautiful Bouquet!(mylittleflowershop.com)
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Back to School Rules for the Bride(mylittleflowershop.com)

Filed Under: Ceremony, Destination weddings, engagement, event planning, floral design, flowers, humor, special event decor, wedding flowers Tagged With: bouquet, bouquet size, boutonniere, bridal bouquet, bride, California, cocktail length wedding dress, cupcakes, David's Bridal, dogs in the wedding, elope, elopement, groom, importance of the bride's bouquet, intimate wedding, Kate Middleton, Lucille Ball, Lucy House, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palm Springs California, petals, pets in the wedding, picking your bouquet, Rancho Mirage, Relationships, short wedding dress, small wedding, wedding, wedding decor, wedding flowers, wedding planning, Weddings

Friends Don’t Let Friends go Into Debt To Be A Bridesmaid

March 19, 2012 By Dinah Leave a Comment

It’s your day, Bride, no question about it. But take time to think about your friends and their circumstances. Chances are you know all too well how expensive it can get being a bridesmaid, or even just being a friend-of-the-bride, what with showers, bachelorettes, wedding gifts…it adds up. Here are some “dos and don’ts” for keeping your friends feelings and finances in mind.

DON’T

Keep Up With The Jolies. Yes, we all read the magazines of celebrity excesses and glamorous getaways, but celebrate in a way all your gals can afford. Does your entire gaggle of girls need to go to Puerto Rico for a long bachelorette weekend? Does your shower need to be at the Ritz? Keep your expectations within everyone’s budget.
Have a Surprise Party. No one likes expensive surprises. When your maids find out on wedding day that they owe $150 plus tip for hair and make-up (that is “optional,” but everyone else is doing it), you can’t expect they’ll be feeling celebratory.

Nora and Julie - the world's greatest bridesmaids

Be choosy (in a good way). Pay attention when choosing your wedding party. Did your cousin just get laid off? Does your best friend have college loans up the wazoo? If you think someone might feel less than honored – ask her in a neutral way that allows a graceful “out.”
Adopt an attitude of gratitude! Thank everyone. This seems like a no-brainer, but tell everyone how much you appreciate the love and support. The more your friends hear this during the lead up to your wedding, the better the experience will be for everyone!

There you have it. Keep your friendships together, and everyone’s wallet (relatively) intact.

Be well, and love well!

-Dinah