M.O's Tips #7 Do's & Don't of Bridal Registry.

I found a great article on wedding registry in a bridal magazine. It’s straight to the point about the things you should and shouldn’t worry about while registering. There are great tips - from making sure your groom is involved (even if it’s just a little), to what to do if you receive something you don’t want or need.

I’ve also put together some helpful “DOs” and additional “DON’Ts” to also keep in mind while registering. Check them out below:

1. Do be organized.

It’s easy to get scanner-happy, and start scanning items you may not have been planning on wanting beforehand, so make sure to keep a list of what you want and what you have already registered for. That way, you won’t end up with three of the same wine glass sets.

2. Don’t choose too many stores.

It’s perfectly fine to register at more than one store, but don’t overdo it. Giving your guests up to four registries to choose from is a great idea; try choosing one store for china, one for furniture, one for bedding, etc.

3. Do make a day of it.

Registering can be very stressful, and that’s why you shouldn’t rush through it. Make sure to plan to be in the store or seated at your computer for a long time (or at least a few hours). To help make it more fun, treat yourself and your partner to a nice meal before or after to congratulate yourselves on a job well done.

4. Don’t follow the trends.

The seasonal items may look great right now, but in a few months time (especially if your wedding is many months away) they may be out of style, or out of stock. It’s best to register for items you know will still be in the stores by the time your guests decide to start purchasing. Try to keep it classic, and you won’t go wrong.

5. Do register for what you want.

Even though it is smart to keep classic choices in mind while registering, it is becoming popular to register for interesting items, too. Even if your guests might not want to pitch in for your honeymoon suite, you can still register for it!

6. Don’t be picky, be gracious.

If a guest buys you a surprise gift that you don’t like, try not to stress over it. You may find that in time, it will be in style, or can be used in the household. Make sure to thank them as graciously as you would for a gift you love.

7. Do know the return policies.

Make sure to check the return policies of the stores you are registering with. Some stores allow returns for up to three months after the wedding, but some have earlier dates. A few stores have even been known to set the return date.

8. Don’t forget to send thank-you cards.

After the honeymoon is over—literally—you and your other half should get yourselves ready to thank everyone who supported you during the wedding, and especially those who took the time to pick out a gift. Hand-written cards always seem more personal, but keep it simple by thanking them for attending and/or their gift. By keeping the message short and sweet with a personal touch, your guests will appreciate your gratitude.

M.O's Tips #6 Table Linen

We are often asked by our brides to come up with creative ideas to enhance décor. One of the first things we recommend is for them to pay careful attention to their selection of linen. Let's face it, your guests are going to be sitting at their tables for a good part of the event, eating dinner and conversing with other guests, and the linen laying on their tables will not go unnoticed. From our experience planning weddings over the years, we have seen that many brides do not know much about the different types of linen available and often overlook this important decision.

Here is a quick guide on the types of linen that you can choose from. Remember that the right selection of linen should not only incorporate your personal tastes but should also complement all of the other facets of your overall décor.

#Lamour--- This is a glamorous linen that looks very rich on the table. It has a high shine value and reflects light very well. There are normally no texture elements to this linen- It is smooth.

#Polycotton ---This is the basic type of linen that most venues will offer you. It has a flat finish. This linen is great because it is inexpensive to rent and comes in a plethora of colors. You can even use the crisp white that most venues offer and add a polycotton napkin of your favorite color to give your table a simple yet elegant appeal.

#Sparkle Organza---This linen is used mostly as an overlay. It is thin and see-through but as its name suggests, it has lots of sparkle. It works great on top of a polycotton linen to add pazzaz. You can even pin it to create a ripple affect going down the table. This linen should not be used directly on top of a table as it is too sheer.

#Crushed Tafta--This linen has a high shine quality but unlike the smooth Lamour, it is a crushed linen that gives your table a dark and light look. The 'crush' causes the linen to be uneven and reflect light.

These are just a few of the types of linens that a bride can choose from. As brides consider the type of linen that is right for them, they of course will be concerned with how much it is going to cost. Our suggestion is to go for a colored polycotton linen if you are looking for a magnificent look on a lower budget.

So the next time you are flipping through a bridal magazine, pay attention to the look of tables and the linen. You may notice a particular look that is exactly what you have in mind and this will ultimately help you decide which linen is right for you.

Mo's Tips #4 How To Lower a Wedding Cake Price

Have you wondered why wedding cakes costs hit the roof? Why do they cost so much?

I recall planning for my own wedding and our baker taught me invaluable lessons on how to lower a wedding cake price while still going for the classiest of cakes.

She told me the reasons why most wedding cakes turn out to be expensive are because the cake pans used to bake them are expensive.

I will list some of the ways by which you can lower a wedding cake price and choose the best cake for your wedding:

#Before you agree to give an order to the baker, make sure that the decoration and design is the right kind to suit your taste. Go through referrals and see what prices are being quoted. Look through the samples first before deciding on your cake.

#Decide on how you want to decorate your wedding cake... whether you want to keep it simple and cute or splendid and rich. Avoid over-decorating the cake. It is not necessary to have a five tiered cake.

#Bakers who are not specially into wedding cakes could still bake the best cakes and cost less. Home bakers too do not charge much and could make lovely cakes.

#You can borrow the pillars. There are disposable pillars available with your local baker or hiring companies which are a better alternative than those crystal pillars if you want to cut down on the cost of the pillars. Let the baker or your hiring company help you with the disposable pillars instead of the crystal ones.

#Another great idea would be to find prices at a cake making or technical school near your place. Students have baking and decorating cakes as part of their curriculum. You can be assured that you will get gorgeous cake and have your wedding cake made at a very low price.

#You can even save on your wedding cake if relevates would like to pay for it as a wedding gift.

#Another good thing which you may want to do, is that if you buy a multi-tiered cake, see that you decorate it yourself or have the florist do it for you. If you want flowers on your cake but the cost of the artificial flowers isn't fitting in your budget, let your florist put real flowers on the cake. Just make sure that they are non toxic. Check the price of the organic edible flowers.

Finally! before you meet with any baker, look around for the best samples.
Expect to pay per slice of the cake as the cake cost depends more on style than flavors.
Before sign up with your baker, shop around or decide what is the topper you would like, what style you would want for you cake, what flavor is the taste of the season for you and how tiered it should be, but, most importantly, see that your mouthwatering wedding cake comes at mouthwatering price.
What is important is to get what you want, at a price which does not tug at your purse strings.