There is no denying that manicures and pedicures have become a billion dollar industry.  No mall, shopping center, or outdoor strip mall is complete without at least one nail salon.  Even if you’re not into fancy nail art, you should consider making an appointment at one of these salons in preparation for your wedding day.

The services offered can range from the basics to an all out nail design to fit your wedding theme.  My daughters got me into the ‘nail art’ thing after they were married, but they all wish they had known about it beforehand. 

Nail art is a simple way of expressing yourself, plus it has the added benefit of enhancing any theme your choose.  The hand-drawn designs can include butterflies or flowers for your spring & garden theme wedding, seashells or fish for your beach theme wedding, wild geometric patterns for a more contemporary theme, or even white with black bows trimmed in gold or silver glitter for your elegant evening wedding. 

Garden weddings can be beautiful, but many brides don’t want to take a chance on planning an outdoor wedding, only to have the weather throw them a curve.  If having a natural garden-type setting for your wedding ceremony and/or reception is appealing, you may want to consider moving the garden inside. 

Instead of decorating with cut and arranged flowers, use small potted plants for your table centerpieces and larger indoor potted plants for random room decorations.  Consider purchasing small trees with their rootball intact and later planting them in the yard of your new home.  You can really create a special garden scene with several topiary pieces.  These shaped, ornamental plants can add such an elegant look to your special day.

Decorating with plants and trees that are potted can be a little on the pricey side, however, if you consider that they can also be used in the landscaping of your yard, the cost is not quite so prohibitive. 

It’s always a good idea to consider the comfort of your guests when planning your wedding or reception.  It may be your dream to have an outdoor wedding, but if your planning an autumn wedding, take into account that the weather may be a little too cool for some very young or elderly guests.  Summer weddingsmay also bring temperatures that could be too high for certain people.  You would almost be forcing them not to attend if you make the accommodations less than adequate.

No one wants to talk you out of your dream wedding, but if there is a possibility of creating an adverse atmosphere for some of your guests, the best solution is to be prepared.  Make sure there is shade available for those you cannot bear the heat in the summer or shelter for those who may need to get out of  colder temperatures.  You may want to provide blankets in cooler weather or fans in warmer weather.  Be sure there are clear, easy-to-navigate pathways to the ceremony and reception areas.  Ushers may need to be able to help some guests not only to their seats during the ceremony, but also back to the reception once the ceremony is over.  During the reception, you’ll want to be sure that there are plenty of chairs available, even if you’re not planning a sit-down dinner.

Making your guests comfortable and keeping them safe will help everyone to remember your wedding as the beautiful event that it was meant to be.

Spring is nearly here and most spring weddings are well into, if not nearly completed, with their decoration plans.  Here’s an adorable idea that may just fit perfectly into your spring theme wedding.

Everyone knows about the use of wedding favors in decorating reception tables, cake tables and other areas of the reception hall, but few think about baby shower favors.  I purchased a pink and a blue ‘Nest Egg’ Scented Soap Eggs from the new Kate Aspen line and they are absolutely perfect for a spring theme wedding.  The nest is made of actual shredded raffia so it looks and feels like a real nest.  The eggs are perfectly shaped and so lightly scented as not to ruin the aroma of the food it surrounds.  It the scent worried you at all, you can keep them wrapped in the clear cello film it arrives in.

Place these tiny little nests among your floral centerpieces to give it a genuine spring flare.  After the wedding, take them to your new home and decorate any room (I use them in my birdhouse theme bathroom) where you may consider a pastel color scheme.

Although rain on your wedding day has always been considered to be good luck by many cultures, it can be more than an annoyance if you’re planning an outdoor wedding.  This is one reason why many brides won’t even consider the idea of getting married outside.  If, however, you’re one of the brave ones that has always dreamed of a garden wedding, beach wedding, or some other outdoor setting, there are a few things you can do during the planning stages that will assist the comfort of you and your guests.

Renting large tents or awnings to cover the wedding party and your guests during the ceremony can do a lot to help keep everyone comfortable and dry if there are showers in your forecast.  Check with places that allow outdoor weddings to see if they provide an open-sided shelter for smaller weddings.  These shelters work well for light rains, but if a wind kicks up, you really only have two options.  You can grin and bear it or you may want to opt for ‘Plan B’.  It never hurts to have an indoor option ready if it becomes necessary.  Again, most public garden areas will have indoor accommodations to move the ceremony to for inclement weather.

It’s a good idea to begin checking your weather forecast no later than one week before the ceremony.  If it looks like rain is unavoidable, but not bad enough to cancel the outdoor plans altogether, you may want to even provide plenty of golf umbrellas for your guests.  If walkways are wet and slippery, be sure to have ushers, equipped with umbrellas, available to help guests to their seats. 

It’s never too early to begin planning the details of your wedding.  If you’re having a springtime wedding, some of the things that immediately come to mind are pastel colors, flowers and garden parties.  Consider a unique spring wedding with butterflies as your theme.  The butterfly is a timeless symbol of new beginnings, grace and beauty, and therefore fits into a wedding perfectly.

Adorn floral arrangements with tiny silk butterflies.  Have your baker incorporate butterflies into the wedding cake design.  Make pastel-colored butterfly-shaped ice cubes to float in the punch bowls.  Decorate the reception tables with glass bowls filled with water and tiny pink butterfly floating candles.   Surround these bowls with spring flowers and you have the perfect springtime centerpieces.  Purchase extra floating butterfly candles to hand out to your guests as wedding favors.  For a really special effect on your special day, there are companies that offer a butterfly release.  Imagine the delight of your guests as hundreds of butterflies are released at once all around them!