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Wedding Planning

Wedding Gratuity Guide

    Tipping vendors and wedding providers isn’t always mandatory, but I can guarantee that they always appreciated it when you do tip.  Many vendors put their heart and soul into making your day the very best possible.  If they have done a good job for you and the service was exceptional, just do it.  …

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100 Money Saving Tips for Your Wedding

  Your wedding budget should not be something you are paying off for the next 5 years! There is a lot of pressure from family and friends to spend lots of money and I am here to tell you that you don’t have to! Make your budget something you are comfortable with and not what your family…

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Treating Your Bridesmaids (Your Best Friends) Right

  Your bridesmaids are very special friends in your life. So much so, that you want them to take a special place on your wedding day. Bridesmaids end up spending a lot of time, money, and effort on the wedding and deserve some special thanks and consideration.  Learn how to personalize your bridesmaid requests and…

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Your Guide to Purchasing Alcohol for Your Wedding

How to Save on Open Bar Costs: Open bars are fun, but they get expensive fast. Cut down on the open bar cost by only keeping it open during certain times. For example, you could have a cocktail hour during the reception, and then switch over to just beer and wine during dinner. Or you…

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Read this first – before you buy your Wedding Dress

All women want to look their very best on their wedding day – beautiful, confident and radiant!  Here are some tips to ensure that you make a GREAT choice when it comes to your choice of bridal gown. Start NOW to find your dress. If you plan to order a designer gown it can take…

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Spend Smart for Your Dream Wedding

It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of planning your Dream Wedding.  But spending too much could turn your “happily ever after” into agony afterward.  Money is one of the number one reasons couples fight, so it is important to communicate with one another about how much you have to spend and…

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Help with Wedding Planning

Today we are listing and linking some of our most popular blog posts for you.  As you begin your wedding planning, these are some of our bride’s favorite articles from past years.  Need more help?  We have almost 500 blog posts that you can search by category on our site that can help you with…

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First Look or Not?

A “First Look” is the term used when a bride and groom decide to see each other before the wedding ceremony. Many couples go back and forth on this decision. While, a traditional bride might prefer to have her groom enjoy the first sight of her as she walks down the aisle, there are many…

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Brides – Be a Great Host for Your Out of Town Guests

  A good, thoughtful bride always takes into consideration making her out–of–town guests as comfortable as possible, and that includes helping with hotel reservations.   That’s especially important if you hope people will stay near your actual wedding and especially important if your guests are not familiar with our area. The location of your wedding and…

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Smart Spending for Your Wedding

  It’s easy to get excited about your dream wedding, but your fairytale wedding could turn into a less joyful situation if you go into debt.   Even before creating your budget, you and your partner need to decide which details are important for both of you.  It’s funny – no one will remember the little…

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Why Weddings Can Be So Expensive & How Can I Spend Less

By now you have probably heard that the “average” wedding cost is $25,764, with couples spending between $19,323 and $32,205!  Yes – that a staggering amount.  So, two questions I am often asked is “Why are they so expensive?”  and “What can I do to reduce the amount that I spend?” As you start the…

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Wedding Planning – More About Choosing Your Wedding Date

Today we thought we would throw out some additional fun information about planning and choosing that wedding date. The Chinese believe that any date that ends in an 8 are 9 are particularly lucky as 8 symbolizes infinity and 9 represents fulfillment.  Feng Shui claims that the 8th, 9th, 18th, 19th, 28th, and 29th are…

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Brides who are “Mommies” Too!

In today’s weddings there are lots of brides who are also “Mommies.”  I have seen first hand the challenge of meeting the needs of your children while trying to enjoy one of the biggest days of your life, your wedding day.  Do yourself a favor, make sure to have lots of help with the little…

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The Must Have “Barn Wedding” Checklist

Barns are the latest trend and rage these days for romantic, intimate weddings!  However, they come with their own set of challenges.  Unlike the standard banquet room, barns do have special opportunities and limitations.  Here are some things you might want to check out: The Must Have “Barn Wedding” Checklist How many guests can the…

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What kind of bride are you? Visionary – Functional – Savvy – Bewildered !!!

The Visionary Bride The Visionary Bride has a clear and distinct vision of exactly what she wants her wedding to be.  There is no hesitation or uncertainty about the look, the feel, and type of wedding she wants.   She doesn’t want to be overwhelmed with facts and figures.   If you are a “visionary” you may…

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FREE Wedding Planning Ebook

People who know me know that I am very cautious when it comes to money.  However, I love beautiful things.  When planning your wedding you will find that having the right attitude is 99% of the reason that your wedding can capture those great ideas that save money but yet not compromise too much on…

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Formal Photos – Sizes & Number of Groups & Time You Should Allocate

    Ah, the ubiquitous family group shots. They’re not exciting, but they’re an important part of most weddings. The fact is, nobody really likes posing for these and everyone is much happier when they get done quickly and move on with the day. Not to mention that some venues leave only a very tight…

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4 Things to Consider Before You Say “I DO”

GETTING MARRIED IS A BIG CHANGE Some of the biggest challenges in your life when you get married are the little things that can make or break a marriage. Sharing space can be a big adjustment in itself.  Having a mate might mean clothes tossed in a chair, toilet seats up, and if you are…

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Be the Best You!

Brides – Stop fretting over trying to become the “perfect” you and just be you on your wedding day. Are you feeling a lot of pressure to perhaps lose weight for your wedding?   Are you concerned about what you perceive as imperfections in your appearance such as a chipped tooth?   Is this self-examination and self-criticism…

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Do you have a secret desire to be a SuperHero?

Are you a fun, crazy, and some-what offbeat couple looking to have a FUN wedding – something that’s different – something that you?   Do you have that secret craving to be a Super Hero?  Batman?  Wonder Woman?  The Hulk?   Well, express your style and have a comic book themed wedding.  From Star Wars to Spiderman…

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Missouri and Illinois Marriage License Requirements

  The Number One Priority in the wedding process is getting the marriage license – without the license there can be no wedding!  The wedding license is usually issued by the Recorder of Deed and your license is only valid in the state in which you apply.   All parties must be at least 18 years…

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Is Your Mom Someone Special in Your Life?

Is your Mom your someone special, your go-to person when you need advice?   Sometimes Dads get all the attention on the wedding day – but let’s not forget about that very special Mother of yours.   A very sentimental way to share the special bond you have with your Mother is to give her a flower…

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7 Tips when planning your MUSIC for Your Wedding Reception

Deciding on songs for your wedding day can be tough and stressful .  BrideSTLouis.com want to remove that stress by giving you some general guidelines. Cocktail Hour This is where you fun will begin.  The best thing to do is have your DJ start with some songs that are more your style. This will set…

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3 Ways to Help Your Wedding Photographer Capture Great Moments

(Guest Post by Patrick Pope Photography: (PatrickPopePhotography.com) Want your wedding photographer to capture those special moments? Every bride needs to know a few things about working with their photographer to get amazing images that will thrill you and excite you every time you view those images. TIPS FOR AMAZING RESULTS: First – Hire a professional…

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All About Save-The-Date Announcements

  If the question was popped and now the wedding day is finally locked, let everyone know with save the date cards or magnets.   What’s really great about save-the-dates is that they aren’t you formal wedding invitation, so you can choose to add some whimsy or humor.  There are many local companies that can create them for you…

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20+ Ideas to Personalize Your Wedding

I am going to start you off with 20+ ideas to personalize your wedding, and by the time you get to the bottom of this list, you will have probably thought of several things as well.  Here we go: Dress doors and entrances with flower garlands and fabric swags. Have a garden wedding and hang…

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Evaluating Your Relationship for the Long Term – Is he really the one?

What makes for a great date and a great time may not be all you need for a long term great marriage. Check out these factors to see if your relationship has all the right stuff: HUMOR Does your guy make you laugh and lift your spirits?  A sense of humor can help you through…

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Answers to Questions about Wedding Dilemmas

Over the last few months we have received emails regarding various dilemmas and so we thought today we would answer a few of these concerns: If a friend can’t attend, should I still invite them? That’s a sticky one.   An invitation generally means the expectation of a gift, and you don’t want people to think…

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What Kind of Bride Are You?

The Visionary Bride The Visionary Bride has a clear and distinct vision of exactly what she wants her wedding to be.  There is no hesitation or uncertainty about the look, the feel, and type of wedding she wants.   She doesn’t want to be overwhelmed with facts and figures.   If you are a “visionary” you may…

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Information Your Bridemaids Need to Know Prior to Your Wedding Day

Attention all future brides – please print and keep this post – Information your bridesmaids need to know for your wedding day.  I’ve see many stressed out brides on their wedding day, with their attention being constantly diverted to questions and emails.  This is your wedding day – it’s the day to relax and take…

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Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

How do you plan to invite your bridesmaids and grooms to be a part of your wedding?  Today’s brides  employ a variety of ways to invite their friends or family to be a part of the wedding party from personalized gifts to special printed and personalized invitations.    Make it personal and make it fun.  Anything…

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Friends, Family & Your Wedding

We all have friends and relatives who are offering to help with your wedding as their gift to you.  There are several areas where a donation of someone’s expertise or talents would not only save you money but would add a meaningful, personal touch to your big day.  Here are some etiquette tips regarding accepting…

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