Destination Wedding: Things to Consider

When it comes to choosing a destination wedding, there are plenty of things you need to consider other than just your budget. This is why you need to be careful of planning your destination wedding. You need to see to it that your fiancé is in agreement with you on where you will be having your wedding.

If you recently got engaged and would like to have a destination wedding, here are some things to consider so you can choose your venue:

Budget

Before proceeding, make sure that you and your fiancé are able to agree to a budget and stick to it. With so many places where you can have your wedding, you need to be sure that the one you choose fits your budget.

Decide

Once you have talked about the budget, list down the possible venues that you are interested in. You may have possibly talked about the idea while you were both still dating. In order for you to make sure you have your dream destination, list down your ideas and compare notes.

Availability of Destination

The moment you have decided on a venue, see to it that you book your date already. You will need to do this at an early time so that you don’t go through any inconvenience during the later part of your wedding planning.

Availability of Suppliers

Another thing you have to be careful about is that when you are dealing with a destination wedding, you won’t have access to the suppliers of the area. This is why you will most likely work with suppliers that are amenable to providing their services in advance or can go to your destination wedding.

A good idea is to visit a bridal show where you can meet wedding planners and suppliers alike. There, you can talk about your wedding details and see if they may be able to help you. Check out our upcoming bridal show events so you can join and start meeting people!

Calling All Brides! Don’t Miss Our Buena Park Show!

On October 6, you should be at the Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel in Buena Park. From 11am to 3pm, we’ll have our next fabulous Southern California bridal show there. It’s a great day out for brides to be, grooms to be, family and friends.

Here’s what you can expect to find:

• Meet some of SoCal's top Wedding Professionals
• See 100's of ideas and services
• Taste scrumptious cake & hors d'oeuvres
• Enjoy a spa massage and beauty makeover
• Listen to the Showcase of live Entertainment
• See the latest fashions at the dazzling Fashion Show
  
  
  
  
  
• Learn the latest trends at the "Bride & Groom 101" Seminar
• Get a great deal on their bridal gown at the Designer Gown Sale
• $1,000's in Door Prizes will be given away, including 3 luxurious Honeymoons .
• Six 7' Wi-Fi Tablets will be given away every hour, starting at 10am for the "early Brides"
• FREE tickets to Let's Make A Deal for a chance to win big cash & prizes for your wedding
• The first 50 Brides at the door will receive awesome SWAG Bags.
• The first 50 Grooms will receive Certificates for a Las Vegas Getaway including Airfare
• Gown Sale - All gowns will be discounted to $150 (values up to $1,000) by top Designers such as Maggie Sottero, Mori Lee, Vera Wang, Scott McClintock, Enzoani & so much more!

RSVP to rsvp@bridalshowplace.net for your free personalized bride's tee shirt, and purchase your pre-sale discounted tickets online at www.bridalshowplace.net

If you can’t make it to Buena Park, our next Bridal Showplace Bridal Show will be on November 3 at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel.

How to Coordinate Your Vendors

A great wedding is a group effort. You’ll be working with a venue, a caterer, a florist, an officiant, and a whole host of other wedding vendors. To ensure that everything comes together as you want it to, you’ll need to know how to coordinate your vendors.

Many vendors’ work will begin to overlap as you get into your planning. If you have decided on fresh flowers to decorate your wedding cake, for example, you’ll need to make sure your florist and caterer are communicating with each other to make this happen. Every vendor will need to be in contact with your venue, if only to find out when and where they will need to set up on the day.

Coordinating vendors can be tricky, and if you are hiring a wedding planner, they will be able to help with the coordination. If you aren’t, it can be helpful to choose vendors who have worked together in the past.

One way of doing this is to get a list of recommended vendors from your venue. Another great way of coordinating your wedding vendors to meet and book them at one of our Southern California bridal shows. You’ll get a chance to meet SoCal’s best wedding vendors all in one place, which can be a great first step towards coordinating their work.

Come to one of our upcoming shows to find out more:

October 6 -- Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel

November 3 -- Pasadena, Hilton Hotel

This Is the Bridal Show You Don’t Want to Miss!

If you’re planning your wedding, you’ll want to be at the Long Beach Marriott next Sunday! From 11 am to 3 pm, you’ll have a chance to meet the best Southern California wedding professionals, win amazing prizes, and get inspired for your big day.

The first 50 brides at the door will get an awesome swag bag full of goodies, including a 700-page wedding planner. The first 50 grooms at the door will get a certificate for a Las Vegas getaway, including airfare, perfect for a couple’s escape or a bachelor party! Everyone will be able to enter to win thousands of dollars in door prizes, including three luxury honeymoons.

You’ll also get the chance to taste the scrumptious cake from the Kardashians’ favorite bakery, Hansen Cakes. You can learn the latest trends at the Bride & Groom 101 seminar, enjoy a spa massage and beauty makeover, listen to the Showcase of Entertainment, check out the latest bridal fashions, and try out a variety of mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres. If that’s not enough, you can also try out fun photo booths and see hundreds of great ideas and services for your wedding day.

At this show, you’ll also be able to meet the contestant producers from Let’s Make a Deal, and get free tickets to the show for the bride, groom, bridal party, family, and friends. You’ll all get the chance to make a deal with Wayne Brady for cash and prizes. Who knows, you might even win a car! Be sure to stop by their booth next Sunday to be in with a chance.

Just for attending, you’ll also get your free personalized bride T-shirt. To RSVP, email us at rsvp@bridalshowplace.net. You can also purchase your pre-sale tickets at www.bridalshowplace.net.

Wedding Invitation Tips

You know who you want to invite to your wedding, but are you still a bit confused about wedding invitations and the etiquette that goes with them? Don’t worry, we’ve got some great tips for navigating everything from save the dates to RSVPs.

When to send?

Your invitations should go out around six to eight weeks before your wedding date for a local wedding, and two to three months before the big day for destination weddings. If you want to send something out earlier, go with a save the date card.

Why send save the dates?

If your wedding is in peak wedding season, a prime vacation time, or around a holiday, sending a save the date can allow guests to loosely reserve that weekend for you. They can also serve as fantastic engagement announcements.

How to handle RSVPs?

Set your RSVP date two to three weeks before your wedding. This gives guests enough time to reply, while also giving your vendors enough notice for your final numbers. If you’re worried about guests sticking to the date, offer alternative RSVP methods, like email or phone, but keep a good record!

Still have questions?

Come to one of our upcoming Southern California bridal shows to chat with our area’s best wedding vendors. They can help answer all your wedding planning questions and you can book them for your big day!

Not Sure Where to Start with Wedding Planning? You Aren’t Alone!

If you’re newly engaged, the idea of wedding planning might seem a bit overwhelming. You know you need to find some basics – a dress, a venue, a photographer – but there probably seems like there are countless options for everything. If you aren’t sure where to start, you really aren’t alone.

When you start planning your wedding, it’s important to get some ideas of what you like and what you don’t like. There is plenty of inspiration available online, but this can often leave you more confused than when you began.

Instead, consider going to a bridal show in Southern California. Here you can get inspired and ask questions. If there’s something you aren’t sure about, you can ask one of the wedding experts on hand. This can help with confusion, and get you in touch with some of the area’s best wedding vendors. Once you’ve had a chance to meet different vendors, you will find that everything starts to make a lot more sense!

You also don’t need to wait too long to attend our next show! You can buy tickets todayfor our September 8 show in Burbank, along with our other upcoming shows acrossthe Southland.

Is a Destination Wedding Right For You?

Feel like getting away from the freeways for your wedding day? Want to combine your honeymoon and your wedding into one fabulous vacation? Well, a destination wedding could be just the right thing for you!

Destination weddings are, as you would guess, a wedding you plan in a location that’s away from home. While the most popular destinations are tropical locales, you aren’t limited to these. More couples, especially here in California, are choosing colder climates for their destination weddings.

Before you start booking your plane tickets, though, make sure a destination wedding suits your needs. Destination weddings will generally have a much smaller guest list, and you might also need to plan a local reception when you get back home.

Destination weddings can also be a bigger planning challenge. However, when you work with an experienced destination wedding professional, it won’t be a lot more work than a local wedding. In some cases, it can be easier because of smaller guest lists or package booking.

If you’re curious about destination weddings, the best move is to speak to an expert. You can meet destination wedding professionals, and many other great Southern California wedding vendors, at our upcoming bridal show in Burbank. Find outmore about the show and buy your tickets today!

Don’t Forget These Wedding Day Details!

Wedding planning can be an all-consuming task – finding the perfect venue, dream dress, and amazing invitations all take time. However, once you have some of these big decisions out of the way, you can focus on the wedding day details that can make your big day really shine.

• Entrance and exit: Think about the first and last impressions your venue will make on your guests. Wow them as they come in with décor as they walk up to your venue, and give them something special as they leave, such as a favor table.
• Hidden extras: Your guests won’t just sit at their tables, so the décor shouldn’t stop there. Include décor, such as flowers, in areas that your guests will visit throughout the night. This includes bathrooms and the bar. Adding little touches here keeps them in the wedding mood wherever they go.
• Signage: This can be a huge help to guests who don’t know their way around, and can fit into your décor. You can point your guests where they need to go, and label places so they know they’ve arrived. Don’t rely on your venue’s signage, and use it as a chance to really transform the venue.

When you’ve gotten the major parts of planning out of the way, you’ll have more time to spend on the details. One great way to do this is to come to one of ourSouthern California bridal shows, where you’ll meet the area’s best wedding vendors all in one place!

Three Ways to Be a Great Wedding Guest

If you're planning your own wedding, you might be focused on your nuptials. When you're also invited to other weddings, it can be a struggle to turn off the wedding planning part of your brain. Here are three ways to be a great wedding guest.

1. Don't compare! When you attend a friend's wedding, you might want to compare what she's done with what you have planned. Try to leave the comparisons for when you get home, though. Instead, just enjoy the day.
2. Don't talk about your wedding! Focus on the couple of the day, the same way you'd want to be the focus on your big day. Even if you'll have guests in common, keep the day focused on the newlyweds.
3. Learn what you can about the guest experience. You want to make your wedding as great for your guests as possible. When you attend other weddings, take note of what made you feel special, welcome, and a part of the day. After the wedding, think about how you can build these elements into your wedding.

Of course, the best way to be an excellent wedding guest while planning your own wedding is to get all your planning done with Southern California's best wedding vendors. A great way to do this is to come to one of our upcoming bridal shows!

4 Ways to Have the Perfect Fourth of July Themed Wedding

The Fourth of July might be over for another year, but if it has you inspired, there's no reason it can't be the theme for your wedding day. Here are four ways to have the perfect Independence Day themed wedding.

1. Red, white, and blue color palettes are an easy way to bring the holiday theme to your wedding day. Don't feel like they have to be bold hues, though. Off-tones, faded hues, and other shades of the colors can be a great alternative.
2. Stars and stripes can also be brought into your theme without even needing to include a single flag. They can be part of your decor, cake decoration, or even your bridesmaids' dresses.
3. A themed menu is a perfect way to get your guests in the holiday mood. You don't need to have a relaxed menu, though. Ask your caterer for grown-up versions of your barbecue favorites.
4. Fireworks are always a great choice, but if your venue doesn't allow them, add the excitement in other ways. Indoor-safe sparklers are a fun addition to your cake, but you can also use your floral arrangements to create the fireworks look.

The best way to create an amazing theme wedding is working with fantastic Southern California wedding vendors. Come to our next show to meet and book all the vendors you need while having a great time!

Did You Begin Planning Before Engagement?

Wedding planning before engagement has become a big trend, with a recent survey showing that 59 percent of single women have already started. This follows on a survey earlier in the year that showed that 40 percent of brides admitted to visiting wedding websites before the proposal.

The reason for this early planning is generally an attempt to reduce stress, but it doesn't always work that way. Some women have also said that they've scared off previous boyfriends because of their early planning. Early planning can also get you too locked into a set idea of what your wedding has to be. This can leave you without flexibility that can leave your fiance feeling left out and you feeling frustrated.

One surefire way to reduce the stress of wedding planning is to come to a Bridal Showplace show. You'll be able to meet some of Southern California's best wedding vendors all in one place, meaning you can get lots of planning done in a single day. To find out more about our vendors and upcoming shows, visit our website today!

Would You Wear Liz Taylor's Wedding Gown?

If you feel like wearing a celebrity wedding gown, now's your chance. Of course, you'll need a budget of at least $47,000, and possibly up to $78,000. That's the guide price for this week's auction of Elizabeth Taylor's first wedding dress.

The dress is satin with beaded pearl details and a built-in corset. It was designed at MGM by Helen Rose, and took two months for 15 of the studio's employees to create. The gown -- and the wedding -- was an iconic piece of old Hollywood, even though the marriage didn't last 9 months.

The gown is said to be so detailed that it's never been accurately recreated, so it really is a one of a kind style. You will need a very small waist, as it was an accentuated part of the 18-year-old Taylor's petite figure.

Even if wearing the actual dress doesn't appeal to you, we love the inspiration many brides get from the wedding. It's a great basis for planning a 1950s Hollywood themed wedding, and is a perfect example of all the glitz and glamour the era had to offer.

If you're planning your own fabulous wedding in Southern California, a great way to start is to come to one of our bridal shows. You'll be able to meet and book many of the area's best wedding vendors!

Upcoming Bridal Showplace Shows:

July 28 - Hyatt Resort & Spa, Huntington Beach

Aug. 11 - The Queen Mary, Long Beach

Sept. 8 - LA Marriott, Burbank

Sept. 22 - Marriott, Long Beach

Oct. 6 - Knott's Resort Hotel, Buena Park

Nov. 3 - Hilton Hotel, Pasadena

www.bridalshowplace.net

What Are Your Wedding Must Haves?

Every bride has a few things that she won't compromise on when it comes to her wedding day. Whether it's something big, like the venue, or something small, like serving drinks in Mason jars, these are her must haves.

Creating a wedding day must have list can be a big help for your planning. Whether you're doing it all yourself or working with a wedding planner, knowing the most important elements can help you prioritize everything else.

For example, if your venue is a must have, but your preferred band doesn't have any available dates in common with it, you will know which to be flexible on. This is much easier to do at the start of your planning, when you'll be less stressed about it all, than it will be as you approach the big day.

Of course, it's easy to get carried away and turn everything into a must have. Try limiting yourself to five or ten must haves, and rank these in order of importance to you. This can help your sanity and your budget.

Another way to help make your wedding planning less stressful is to meet with vendors at an upcoming Bridal Showplace event. You'll be able to meet some of Southern California's best wedding professionals all in one place!

Choosing a Wedding Photography Style

Look at your parents' and grandparents' wedding photos and they'll all start to look a bit similar. Nowadays, though, there are many different styles of wedding photography. Do you know how to choose the right style for you?

Whatever style you choose, it's still likely you'll do a few posed photos. These will include shots of you and your new spouse, as well as group photos of the wedding party and possibly even the guests. These are a great record of the day, but will generally form only part of your overall wedding photos.

Photojournalism style wedding photography has become much more popular. With this style, your photographer will follow the day to capture the spontaneous moments that tell the story of your wedding. From getting dressed to getting down on the dance floor, the photographer will focus on what happens, rather than just portrait-style photos.

Another popular twist to wedding photographs is to add creativity to the posed photos. This can include finding special locations for some of the photos. There are plenty of great examples of this type of creative wedding photography online, with some making a big impact and setting the trend.

When you choose a wedding photographer, it's important to find one you get along with, but also one that works in the style you want for your photos. When you come to one of our shows, you'll be able to meet photographers and view their work. You can also find them through our exhibitor directory!

Celebrity Weddings To Inspire California Brides

It's shaping up to be a busy year for celebrity weddings, and we're only a month into the main wedding season! With some big names set to get married this year, we're looking forward to a lot of big trends being set, too. For now, let's take a look at who has already said their I Dos.

• Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto were married in a Florida ceremony. The couple held their reception in a whopping 40,000 square foot tent on the golf course next to their mansion. We expect to see a few more large tent weddings over the year.
• Keira Knightley and James Righton went extra small for their wedding, with only 11 people joining the couple for the ceremony. They followed it with a reception at a family country house, and the bride seemed to wear a recycled dress. We wonder if this kind of budget wedding might be a new celebrity trend.
• Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield chose a Wednesday for their wedding in San Ysidro. Both had been previously married and the couple opted for an intimate wedding. The bride might be a trend-setter, though, as she chose to wear a deep red gown for the occasion.
• Shenae Grimes and Josh Beech were married this week in England. They went very non-traditional, with the bride reportedly walking down the aisle to house music. The stand-out part of their wedding has to be her dress, though. She wore a glamorous black and blush wedding gown!

What do you think of these celebrity weddings? Will they influence or inspire you for your big day?

If you're looking for plenty of inspiration, come to our next show! You'll get to meet loads of great wedding vendors and have a great time!

Upcoming Bridal Showplace Shows:

May 19 - Hyatt Regency, Long Beach

July 28 - Hyatt Resort & Spa, Huntington Beach

Aug. 11 - The Queen Mary, Long Beach

Sept. 8 - LA Marriott, Burbank

Sept. 22 - Marriott, Long Beach

Oct. 6 - Knott's Resort Hotel, Buena Park

Nov. 3 - Hilton Hotel, Pasadena

www.bridalshowplace.net

Is It Okay to Postpone a Wedding?

If you follow celebrity wedding news, you've seen a few famous faces postponing their weddings lately. This week saw Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux joining that list, too. The couple were expected to get married next month, but are now looking at the summer because they can't agree on what sort of wedding to have.

Of course, postponements aren't just something for celebrities. Many regular couples find that the date they have set won't work for any number of reasons.

If you need to postpone your wedding, it's perfectly acceptable to do so. The more notice you can give your guests, the better, but sometimes emergencies come up that make this impossible. Before you choose to postpone your wedding, consider your reasons and whether anything can be done to keep things on track.

If it is unavoidable, though, your guests will understand. Though they might not be happy about the potential costs they'll face from changes to travel and accommodation, they will want what is best for you and your fiance.

If wedding planning has you stressed and confused, a bridal show can help you get a handle on everything. When you visit a Bridal Showplace show, you'll be able to meet all the vendors you'll need for your big day. Check out our upcoming shows now!

Angelina Jolie Denies Secret Wedding Rumors

Despite the appearance of a gold band on Angelina Jolie’s ring finger, it looks like we’re going to have to wait a bit longer for the much-anticipated Brangelina wedding. The actress and fiancé Brad Pitt have denied that they had a secret wedding.

The actress was spotted wearing a gold band in the place of the diamond engagement ring she’s been sporting. This immediately fuelled speculation that the couple had somehow managed to sneak in a wedding so private nobody knew it happened.

However, when Angelina returned from a humanitarian trip to Africa, she stopped the rumors. A TMZ cameraman asked her if the band was a wedding ring and she said “no, it’s not.”

Brad and Angelina are expected to get married this spring, with most guesses centered on them having a May ceremony at their estate in the South of France. Whenever, and wherever, they do get married, it’s almost guaranteed that it will be a very private ceremony!

If you're planning a wedding, one of the best ways to get your planning done is to attend a bridal show. Find out about our next show here!

Spring 2013 Wedding Trends

Spring is the biggest season for weddings, and that means that there are plenty of great wedding trends to enjoy. This year is likely to be no different, with a few trends looking like they'll be especially big this season.

Bird themes are popular this spring, and are very seasonal. They're the perfect touch to welcome in the warmer seasons, and bring to mind all the beautiful birds that come out this time of year. Bird themes are perfect for elegant or rustic style weddings, with many variations of the theme available. Bird cages are also set to be a popular addition to many weddings' decor.

Pastels are always a spring wedding favorite, and this year there will be some twists. More brides are moving away from the traditional white or ivory gowns, choosing instead to wear a pastel dress. Pale pink and mint green have been especially popular on the catwalks and with celebrity brides.

To find out about more great wedding trends, come to our next show!

What's Your Wedding Budget?

Setting a wedding budget is an important part of wedding planning. Knowing what you have to spend will help you decide which dress to wear, what venue to book, and what menu to serve. Sticking to your wedding budget can be a challenge, but one that every bride should take seriously.

According to the Real Weddings Study, published by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, the average wedding budget has gone up for the second year in a row. Southern California ranks in the most expensive places to get married, according to the survey of over 17,500 brides. While the national average is around $28,000, a Southern California wedding is $33,000 to $35,000, on average.

Knowing your budget can actually make wedding planning easier, and certainly save you from a few heartaches. For instance, if you know your dress budget is $1,211, the national average, you can steer clear of the gowns with a $5,000 price tag.

Of course, whatever your wedding budget, getting your planning done early can save you time and money. When you come to a Bridal Showplace wedding show, you can meet all the vendors you'll need. It's also a great day out, so get your tickets for the next show!

Do You Have Your Tickets: Garden Grove Show

Our next show is just over a week away, and it's shaping up to be a great one! Do you have your tickets yet? If not, buy them now!

Garden Grove is a lovely place to have a wedding, and the Crowne Plaza Anaheim Resort is an amazing venue. If you're planning a wedding in Orange County, or planning a wedding anywhere in Southern California, you'll want to get to this show.

In addition to seeing the Crowne Plaza, you'll be able to meet with plenty of other wedding vendors. Each of our shows has 100+ companies to meet with, and many can be booked there and then. Attending a wedding show is a great day out for you and your bridal party. It's also a really easy way to get a lot of your wedding planning done in one day.

To find out more about the exhibitors at the March 10 show in Garden Grove, or to find out more about any of our shows, visit our Exhibitor directory.