How To Arrange a Mascot Appearance For a Wedding?

Guests are sure to remember when a 6 foot mascot enters the reception room.  Mascot visits are great for one of a kind photo ops for you and your guests.  So to help you send out this invitation, we’ve gathered the contact info for some of the most popular mascot appearances for a wedding.

 Detroit Tigers’ PAWS appearances start at $125.00 an hour. (313) 471-2224 or PAWS@detroittigers.com!

Michigan State University Spartan appearances starts at $450 plus travel.  (517) 432 0014 or sprtyrequ@msu.edu!

Detroit Lions’ Roary appearance fee is determined by time and travel needs.  (313) 262-2248 orRoary@DetroitLions.com!

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How Do I Look My Best In Wedding Photos?

You have the perfect dress, your makeup is flawless and your hair gorgeous, but you’re still a little worried about how to look your best in your wedding pictures.  But you still have one question – “How do I look my best in wedding photos?” These tips will have you looking as good as you feel!

Relax.  Your wedding day photos will capture any stress that you are carrying.  First, and foremost, relax before starting wedding day photography.  Your wedding photographer works for you, so if you need  moment to collect yourself – do it!  When you are ready to begin your wedding day portraits, take a deep breath, tilt your chin down, raise your eyes just above the camera and smile.

If you find that having the focus on you gets to be too much, have a seat, walk together or just spend a few moments talking.  Your photographer can shoot from a distance, capturing genuine, intimate moments.

Slimming Tips.  Before your wedding day, practice standing in front of a full length mirror.  Look at your reflection and then stand up straight.  You’ll notice the instant slimming that takes place as you lengthen your spine.  Try to get into the habit of practicing good posture.

Whenever you angle your body, you reduce the amount of yourself in the camera lens.  Practice angling your body 45 degrees from the camera, but continue to turn your head towards it.  By pointing your front leg and shifting your weight to your back leg, you maximize this thinning effect.

Work the pose!  When you hold your bouquet, pose next to someone or alone, be sure to leave a little room between your arm and body.  When your arms are held tightly against you, the arm muscles spread, which will make them look heavier.  Bending your elbows helps to diminish this effect.

Ask for photos that show movement, which allows the body to be shown in a natural way.  Walking, running, dancing, and twirling can all be incorporated into dynamic, flattering poses.

The Perfect Smile.  “I hate my smile” is something photographers often hear.  The reason for that is most people, don’t know how to give a pretty, but fake smile. Look at pictures of yourself that you find flattering.  Were they shot from the same angle?  Is your smile similar in each?  Share some of your favorites with your photographer so he understands what you think is the best for you.

When smiling for your wedding day photos, try these tips for the perfect smile:

Most people prefer a smile that shows the upper teeth without too much gums.

Tilt your head a bit as you pose. Most faces really do have a “good side” as faces are not perfectly symmetrical.

Keep your top and bottom teeth slightly parted.  If they aren’t your smile may look forced.

Take frequent drinks or run your tongue over your teeth to keep them moist and sparkling.

Kissing Shots.  This is a fun one to practice! Practice almost kissing; much more flattering than pursed lips, smushed faces or the dreaded “duck face”.  Slightly parted lips brought in close give you the look of a kiss, but still allow your face to be soft and relaxed.

Additionally, not every kiss needs to be on the lips.  A kiss on the cheek, neck, forehead or hand can be actually be more intimate than a standard kissing photo.

Hire A Professional Photographer.  Your wedding day is a once in a lifetime event – and there is only one chance to capture the look, feel and memories.  Select a professional wedding photographer whose work you’ve seen, reviews you’ve read and comes referred by people you trust.

Go Pro With Your Look.  There are many ways you can save on your wedding day, but don’t cut costs when it comes to your wedding day look.  Pamper yourself with a professional hair and makeup session on your wedding day – just be sure to go for a trial run at least one month in advance so you’ll have time to adjust if necessary.

Get the right dress – for you.  You will feel confident and look great on your wedding day when you have a wedding dress that fits well.  Whatever your body type, pick a dress that you feel comfortable in and make it yours!  Be sure to have professional fitting and alterations – no bride wants to spend the day adjusting her dress or looking uncomfortable in pictures.  (Click here for wedding dress shopping tips)

Engagement Sessions.  Most couples have never spent a day being professionally photographed.  If your schedule allows, consider an engagement session with your photographer.  It’s a great opportunity to get to know your photographer, practice poses you’ll use on your wedding day and generally get comfortable in front of the camera.  Not to mention all the great images you’ll get!

Schedule Time.  An often overlooked aspect of great looking wedding photos is the time it takes to create them.  A photography plan can prevents you from spending too little, or too much, time on your wedding photos.  A photographer will likely have suggestions their experience tells them works well, but can only understand your unique wishes by developing a plan with you.  Generally, you’ll want to allot one hour for your Romantics photos as a couple.  (Click here for more photo schedule information)

Partner With Your Photographer.  Your photographer will have creative ideas and can draw upon their experience to help pose and guide you for your wedding photos.  But it’s also important that you share how you are feeling.  Do you need more or less direction?  Does something feel uncomfortable?  Do you have a great idea you were hoping to try?  Sharing this information with your photographer helps to create wedding photos you’ll love.  Don’t be shy – this is yourwedding day!

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What Should I Write In My Wedding Thank You Cards?

“What should I write in my wedding thank you cards?” is a question for many brides.  Last week we shared what to write for your Save The Dates, so this week we are answering your questions about the wedding thank you cards.

Who Do I Have To Send A Wedding Thank You Card?  Wedding etiquette states that you should send each guest a handwritten note of thanks.  Your note should specify the gift, give thanks and share how you intend to use the item.  If the gift was money, you do not have to specify the dollar amount, but again, you should indicate how you will spend the money – and not on paying for post wedding bills.  The giver has presented you the gift of money for your life moving forward so the purpose of setting up your new home, downpayment on car or house, purchase of a BBQ, etc. would be more appropriate.

When Should I Send My Wedding Thank You Cards?  In general, guests will expect your thank you to arrive within two months of the wedding date.  While it is usually signed by the couple, the thank you card may be written by the bride or groom.

What Should I Write In My Wedding Thank You Cards?  Your thank you note should include the name of the giver, the gift and how it will be used and your genuine thanks.  You may also make mention of your appreciation of their extra help, long travel or any other special things the giver did for your wedding day.

If you are at a loss for words, the following wedding thank you sample wordings may be just what you need to get you started.

We sincerely thank you for your love and support.  We couldn’t be more blessed having friends and family like you in our lives and sharing in this beautiful time in our lives.

We would like to thank you for celebrating our joy and sharing our love. You will always be part of our fairy tale. Your generosity and kindness are sincerely appreciated. Dreams do come true.

“Gratitude – like love – lives and grows in our hearts.”   Thank you for being part of our wedding day!

Our wedding day was special because we were blessed surrounded by the people we love. Your thoughtfulness and support are truly appreciated. Thank you for sharing in the start of our new life together.

Our wedding would not have been complete, without the support and love of our family and friends. We sincerely thank you for celebrating our love, sharing our joy and for being a part of our lives!

Thank you to close relative or friend

Dearest Aunt Jane,

Thank you for the beautiful crystal candleholders.

Mike and I are looking forward to having them on our dinner table.

We hope that you and Uncle Joe will join us for a meal once we are settled into our new home. 

It was such a pleasure to share our wedding day with you.  

Love,

Becky

Thank you to an acquaintance

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brown,

Thank you for the monogrammed towel set.

They are the perfect color to complement our new home.

It was wonderful to meet you at our reception, and we are glad that you were able to join us and our families. 

We look forward to getting to know you better.

With Love,
Jared and Becky

Thank you for cash

Dear Uncle Kyle,

I want to thank you for your generous wedding gift. We plan on using it towards a deck for our new home.  When it’s complete, we hope you can join us for a barbeque. It was fantastic to see you at the wedding, and Becky and I hope to see you soon.

With love,
Jared

Thank you for gift without attendance

Dear Samantha,

Thank you so much for the beautiful picture frame.  It will be perfect for our wedding photo. I’m sorry you were unable to
attend the wedding as you were greatly missed.  We hope to see you soon and share pictures from our wedding day.

With love,
Becky

How Should I Send My Thank You Card?  You may choose to do so in a thank you card, on a postcard or in a letter.  Regardless of the format you choose, you should include a handwritten message with each.

How will you thank your guests?  Comment below.

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Save The Date Sample Wording

A “Save The Date” card is not necessary, but has grown in popularity in recent years.  This notification card allows your guests to make travel arrangements, plan for time off work, schedule sitters if you are not allowing children at your wedding reception and share in the excitement of your upcoming wedding.

Who to notify.  Because you are asking recipients to save the date, only send these notices to people who have made the cut for the final guest list.

When to send.  Generally, save the date cards are sent out six months in advance.  If you are planning a wedding that requires travel for many of your guests, you may want to send these out nine months before the big day.

Format to send. Save the dates can be sent as postcards, folded cards or magnets.  You may choose to include pictures from your engagement session.  Some couples choose a formal feel or match it to the look of their wedding invitations and stationery.  Others choose to express their personality with a card that is less formal.

What to say.  At a minimum, your save the dates should include the bride and groom’s names, date of the wedding and city and state of the ceremony.  We’ve included some popular wording samples to get your started:

To Have and to Hold

From This Day Forward

(Date)

(Bride and Groom)

(City, State)

SAVE THE DATE

invitation to follow 

Love is in the air…

Save our Date!

(Date)

(Bride and Groom)

SAVE THE DATE

invitation to follow 

Save the date!

(Bride’s name) 

and 

(Groom’s name)

 are getting married on 

 Wedding Date

Wedding Location

Formal Invitation to Follow

(Bride’s name) and (Groom’s name)

are tying the knot! 

 Wedding Date

Wedding Location

Formal Invitation to Follow

We are delighted to announce 

on (Date of the Wedding) 

in (Location of the Wedding)

(Bride’s name) and (Groom’s Name)

are getting married!

 Please make sure to save this date

We hope that you will be able to share in

our special day of joy and celebration 

 Formal invitation to follow

He asked … she said Yes!  

(Bride’s name) and (Groom’s Name)

will tie the knot!

(Date)

(City, State)

 Invitation to follow

Times are busy

and calendars are full

(Bride’s name) and (Groom’s Name)

want you to know

they are planning

their wedding for

(Date)

(City, State)

Invitation to follow

Save the Date

to take part in

the celebration of love

as we,

(Bride’s name) and (Groom’s Name),

exchange wedding vows

(Date)

(City, State)

Invitation will follow

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The Wedding Kiss

 ”It’s that kiss … that one you lose yourself in. You realize that you don’t want to kiss anyone else and that you are in love; the world around you disappears except for you and that person.” – Morgan Lafferty

This is never more true than the kiss you share on your wedding day.  But how much of a kiss should you have?  While it may not take as much planning as the seating arrangements, the wedding kiss is worth discussing in advance so one of you isn’t going for a peck and the other for the real deal.

Consider your own level of comfort with public affection.If this is not something you or your mate are used to, you can do a very small, brief kiss just to seal your ceremony.  If you want to show the congregation how it’s done, be sure you’re both comfortable with doing so.

Think about your family traditions.  Will seeing a big, wet wedding kiss make your grandmother faint? What is the typical wedding kiss like in the culture you both hail from? You don’t want your wedding kiss to be talked about for all the wrong reasons.

Is one of you a bigger kisser than the other? Some couples don’t see eye to eye about kissing at the wedding. She wants a big smooch; he thinks it is disrespectful, and so on. It is good to get a sense of which way things will go on the big day, before the big day.

Go For It. When everything is said and done, it is your wedding and you can kiss any way you choose. There is no right or wrong way to kiss on your wedding day. Like anything else in the ceremony, having a sense of how you would like to kiss and be kissed can relieve any “performance” pressure.

Other ways to show your excitement.  Feeling a little shy about the first kiss, in front of your family, and thephotographer and videographer?  Here are some ways you can show excitement without showing too much.

Fist pump.  The pressure of the ceremony is off and you’re ready to have a good time.  Signal so, by showing a fist pump to the crowd.

One Sweet Kiss.  No one can doubt the love and tenderness you share with a simple, sweet kiss.

Do A Dip.  Add a little passion to the end of your ceremony with a quick dip to end your kiss.

High Five.  Fun, yet sweet, show those gathered that you are on the same team and ready to celebrate it.

Get carried away.  What better way to move on to the party than getting a little carried away at the end of your ceremony?

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How To Cope With Wedding Arguments

Wedding planning is a fun time in a couple’s life.  There are parties, cake tastings, looking at wedding photos, watching wedding videos  and so many pretty things.  But there is also a wedding budget, two people with opinions and families that want a say so too.  When you don’t agree on wedding plans, it can lead to stress and maybe a few arguments and hurt feelings.  So how do you get past these moments?

Listen.  When moments get tough, the first reaction is often to defend your position.  But often all this does in drag you deeper into an argument.  Practice listening not only to what is being said, but what isn’t.  Is this really an argument about the color of the tux or is it more about the feeling that the wedding is too formal?  Are you fighting about the invitation design or are your parents upset because you didn’t include their names?

Understand.  Weddings are about the couple, but also about each family.  And many families have always done their weddings a certain way.  By asking you to include traditions in your wedding day, they are really saying you are loved and inviting you to carry on their legacy.  So if the mother of the groom is insisting that you must have a picture in front of the oak tree, or the mother of the bride demands you use their wine goblets, it might be because a tradition is important to them.  Finding out the real reason someone is insistent about a certain element of your wedding day can bring understanding and appreciation.

Recognize.  Too often we try to ignore something that isn’t pleasant.  When we ignore it and try to push past, we are actually building resentment and deeper hurt.  Learning to recognize those moments and address them will keep everyone much happier.

Be reasonable.  When you find yourself annoyed or offended, it’s time to step back.  Are you overly sensitive?  Are you becoming wedding obsessed?  Does the situation need to be addressed?  Take a moment to reflect before reacting.

Prioritize and compromise.  If your wedding day will be absolutely ruined if you don’t have large reception centerpieces, state that as a priority to you.  But if the flavor of the wedding cake is really not that big of a deal, and he wants rainbow chip, you can probably compromise on that one.  Sharing what elements of your wedding day are the most important and compromising on the ones that aren’t is a good practice as you tackle the wedding planning process.  You won’t be able to control every moment of your wedding day, and wouldn’t be having much fun if you tried.

Plan together.  Wedding planning may be the first large scale project that you and your fiance tackle together.  As you plan your wedding, you are also beginning the process of building your marriage.  This involves your interactions as a couple and with your soon-to-be blended families. While it’s common for the bride to take the lead role in planning the wedding, remember that the groom likely has some ideas too.  Be sure to have him play as an active of a role as he feels comfortable with.  Don’t make large scale decisions without at least running the idea past him.  Be sure that your are presenting a united front to your families and respecting the fact that you are now a couple.

Don’t Assume.  Even the best fiance is a horrible mindreader.  When you need help, or opinions, be direct and ask.  Discussion and delegation of tasks will be important as you start your married life.

Discuss.  Calmly explained what you’re thinking and feeling can diffuse a situation.  Pick a time that the other person would be open to listening and not feel like they are blindsided or attacked.

Forgive.  When situations pop up, address them and then forgive.  Letting go of an issue is for your own good and that of the family you are creating.

Practice the following tips to avoid hurt feelings and misunderstandings that can build long lasting resentment and strain in your relationships.

For the bride and groom:

1. Decide how much control you want to maintain over wedding planning and what tasks you are willing to delegate to family members.  If you want to handle all the details yourself, let your family know your intentions.  Discuss what their financial contribution entitles them to.  They have probably been planning for your wedding day long before you.
2. For every hour you spend on wedding plans, spend an hour talking about life, your family goals and dreams.  Make it a practice to split your time between things that matter to you and do not let one area take over your life.  It is an important skill you will need throughout your marriage.
3. Even if you think you know what your fiance would want, ask the questions.  It shows you value him or her.
4. If you ask family or friends for their opinion, let them know that you appreciate their suggestions, but may or may not use them.
5. Be loyal and supportive to each other first.  Understand this may be difficult for each other when the disagreement involves your parents.  You are working on forming your own family too.
6. Have frank conversations about wedding budgets.  This will be a great way to approach financial decisions in the future.
7. If someone helps you, thank them.  Often.
8. Remember to have fun!  This should be a great time in your lives.  If it is causing too much stress, reevaluate your wedding priorities.

For friends and family:

1. Despite your best intentions, the bride and groom do not want all of your opinions.  This isn’t your wedding. Help the bride and groom when asked, but allow them to form their own bonds around this great event.
2. Your ideas should be suggestions, not demands.
3. If your financial contribution is a gift, let it be one.
4. Sometimes the bride or groom needs to vent frustrations.  When this happens listen and be supportive.  Don’t speak poorly about the other party.  They will get over the issue at hand, but unkind words will sting for years to come.
5. Enjoy the celebration of the couple.  A wedding, while a highly important one, is still a one day event.  The couple will be together, and part of your family, for a lifetime.

The Pinterest Effect

Pinterest is quickly becoming the social media site of choice for couples planning their wedding.  The digital inspiration boards make image and idea storage simple – with the click of the pin.  But more recently, there has been a backlash against the ideal weddings and photos seen on Pinterest and the wedding stress created trying to attain that dream wedding.  Here’s why that happens and how to avoid it:

Unrealistic expectations.  There are so many gorgeous images on Pinterest, it’s important to remember than many of them were not photographed on the wedding day.  Many professionals are pinning images from studio shoots or separate portrait sessions, where time, lighting and subjects can be controlled.  Somehow it seems that the brides in the most Pinned images are in a perfectly clean room, with a soft light filtering in, hair and makeup completed in plenty of time and all the perfect elements around them.  When they are from real weddings, the pins are being shared most are the best images that have been selected by a photographer’s full body of work, not one entire wedding day.

If your wedding day is like most, you’ll be moving to a very quick timeline and working with friends and family instead of models in the weather or backdrop that you have provided.  It’s best to decide on a few inspiration images rather than a large list of must recreate in great details.  Discuss with your photographer why you like a set of images – is it the pose, the lighting, the enhancement added to the image?

Wedding photo fatigue.  Your wedding day is just that – your wedding day.  With highly images being repinned thousands of times, the uniqueness of the couple gets lost.  When you think about your wedding images, do you want images that look just like everyone else’s or do you want photos that capture the essence of who you are as individuals, a couple and a newly joined family?  Sometimes the images that take you back to how you felt on your wedding day are the unscripted candid moments.  Overly planning a day of Pinterest recreations leaves less space for these to occur.

The creative process.  Your wedding day photography is a collaborative process between you and your photographer.  Amazing things can happen when you show your photographer what inspires you (and even what you never, ever want to do!).  But the next step in that is to allow your professional photographer to use their creative craft to capture and create based upon what you have shared.  Your photographer can look at your unique locations, variances in lighting and work with your personality to create wedding photos that are perfectly you.

Pinterest stress.  Many brides turn to Pinterest with an eye for something unique, personalized or DIY for their wedding day.  But soon after, you find yourself creating table runners of burlap, painting your new monogram on homemade guest favors and wondering where you are going to find 300 leather bound books to go under your mason jar centerpieces filled with the most perfectly blush peonies?!  When you’ve hit that moment, remember that weddings were beautiful long before Pinterest, your guests want to share the day with you, and you’re marrying your best friend.

If you’re going to pin, here are some ideas to help you make the most of it:

Categorize.  Just like in life, it’s important to remain organized on your digital boards too.  Instead of one wedding board, consider separating images by topic.  Popular wedding boards include Invitations, wedding dresses, veils, shoes, flowers, cake designs, hair styles, nails, makeup, bridal accessories, bridesmaids, groomsmen, centerpieces, favors, showers photographyand videography.

Say It AND Show It.  Many of your wedding vendors will be those that work  in a creative field; such as wedding florists,uplighting, photography and videography.  A great way to share your creative vision with them is to pin and share the things you love.  When you meet with them for a consultation you can share your Pinterest boards so that they see what you love.  You may even want to share a board of the things you don’t like, so they know what to avoid.

Much like ripping pages out of magazines, you can also store hair, makeup and wedding attire images too.  The Pinterest mobile app makes it easy to take the images on the go.

Get feedback.  If you are looking for input on the images you pin, consider linking your Pinterest account to yourFacebook or Twitter accounts.  You can then choose to share your pins on your other social media sites.  You can also tag someone in your pin by placing “@” before their user name.

You can also allow others to contribute to your boards.  This could come in handy as you select bridesmaids dresses. Add your bridesmaids under the “Who can pin” section of the board so they can share their favorites with you.

Keep a few secrets.  Guests will be most impressed when they see your whole day come together before them rather than recounted all the things they have already seen on you Pinterest boards.  With the “Secret Board” option, you can keep a few things secret to surprise your guests on the big day.

Don’t worry, we love Pinterest too!  Check out our inspiration boards here.

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