Wedding Show Tips

Wedding Shows are a lot of fun and a great place to start your wedding planning! With countless vendors in one place, you can check off a lot of things on your planning list in just one day...perfect for today's busy bride and groom. But, like all things involved with planning a wedding, wedding shows can be a bit overwhelming so we've come up with a list of tips that could help make your day a lot more enjoyable and less stressful:

1. Make a day of it. Plan to spend the majority of your day at the show and cut out enough time so you're not rushed. Make it fun by planning a lunch beforehand or dinner/happy hour afterwards.

2. Dress for the occasion. You will be doing a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes! Also, consider your space. If the show is in a big convention center it may be hot or cold, so wear layers.

3. Have a plan. Before you go, sit down with your fiance and review what you need to do still and what things you want to accomplish at the show. Then, when you go to the show, stick to your plan! Don't waste your time comparing what vendors you already have booked to others.

4. Bring a notebook. We suggest bringing a notebook and pen so you can write down important notes when you are talking to different vendors. You will meet so many that you most likely won't remember who said what!

5. Labels. Probably the most important thing you can bring to a wedding show is pre-made address labels with the following information on them: Bride's name, groom's name, address, email, phone number and wedding date. Many vendors will have "Register to Win" opportunities or drawings and you don't want to get a hand cramp writing down your information 50 times.

6. Set up a specific email address for wedding information. Many vendors from the show will contact you afterwards with discounts, coupons, etc. so instead of filling up your current email box with all of these offers set-up a free email account simply for your wedding information.

7. Don't book anything the day of the show. We know how easy it can be to get caught up in the excitement, but we recommend not booking anything the day of the show. You will be on information overload, so go home, relax and revisit what you saw/learned in the next couple of days and then make a decision.

8. Enjoy yourself! Most important tip of all is to enjoy yourself. The event should be fun and you shouldn't let yourself get overwhelmed. Everything will be perfect on your wedding day so try not to sweat the small stuff.

The Wedding Distinctions booth was a huge hit at the St. Louis Wedding Show this past weekend, August 10th, at America's Center in downtown St. Louis. The Wedding Distinctions team had a ton of fun at the show and were excited to meet a lot of newly engaged couples. The most popular 2009 wedding date at the show was October 10th, which goes to show that a lot of people are planning far in advance for their weddings!

If you weren't able to make the show, check out our website www.WeddingDistinctions.com to see some of the items we featured at the show.

Happy Planning!

St. Louis is a Great Place to Have a Wedding!

St. Louis, Missouri - it is a great place to live, a great place to work and a great place to have a wedding! Wedding Distinctions realizes what makes a wedding truly memorable and special to the bride and groom is uniqueness. The more unique the wedding, the more fabulous it will be. This is truly accomplished through personalizing a wedding and reception to the personalities and tastes of the engaged couple.

In St. Louis, there are many event spaces that will help make your wedding unique. Although these are just a few of the 100's of unique event spaces in and around St. Louis, the Wedding Distinctions' team loves them for any couple! Even if you aren't getting married or holding a celebration in St. Louis, you should check out these fantastic places to visit next time you come to St. Louis:

The Coronado Ballroom	Lumen
The Butterfly House	Renaissance Grand Downtown
St. Louis Art Museum	World's Fair Pavilion

Don't forget about planning your wedding.

For professional planners with your best intentions in mind, check out the website for St. Louis Wedding Consultants and meet Shayna Laiderman who strives to help you turn your wedding and reception into everything you have dreamed of. She has been an event planner for one of the largest companies in St. Louis and the world, Anheuser-Busch. With her background and expertise, she will help make your wedding unique to your personality.

Also, don't forget to check out our new products at www.WeddingDistinctions.com for an easy way to make your wedding unique. The items we carry are meant to help you make your wedding distinct!




Favors double as unique decorations for the reception and as a special thank you to your guests for supporting you through this wonderful time in your life.









Ceremony accessories can be personalized to add special touches to the main event.








Gifts can be personalized for free so don't forget about thanking your parents!

Most importantly, have fun planning your special event and remember St. Louis as a great place to have your wedding!

Wedding Distinctions Teams Up with Macy's

Wedding Distinction's was proud to be a part of South County Macy's first In-Store Bridal Event on Sunday, June 22. The event was a huge success, and tons of lucky engaged couples showed up to register, taste some yummy food and see what the local vendors have to offer.

All of the St. Louis and St. Charles Macy's locations will host these wedding events throughout the year, so if you missed this one, stay tuned and we hope to see you at the next event!

Pictures of our tables at the event:

Your Guide to a Green Wedding

Going green for your wedding doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice style. Now, with all the eco-friendly products out there you can have a stylish, unforgettable wedding that is good for the environment too! We've done some research and have found some great wedding day products and tips to help you create the green wedding of your dreams:

1. Guest List
Keep an eye on the numbers. Not only will this help your budget, but the less people you invite the more you are helping the environment. A large guest list means more miles traveled, more food consumed, a bigger venue and more waste overall. We aren't suggesting that you not invite Aunt Susan, but just make sure that each person you do invite holds a special place in your hearts!

2. Use Green Vendors
Everything that you buy or use for your wedding will have an environmental impact, so make sure that you are doing your best to source green. Some simple suggestions are to ask your caterers if they can use organic produce, ask what your dress is made of and/or ask where your rings were mined (avoid conflict diamonds). Make sure your accessories and invitations are eco-friendly and you may even want to consider party rentals for your plates and linens too! When choosing your wedding location, choose a location that is close to most of your guests or if your guests are too spread out, organize a carpool or rent some buses to bring your guests to you! You will be amazed on what you can do.

3. Eco-Friendly Wedding Invitations
Your wedding invitation will set the theme for your wedding, so you don't want them to look cheap or tacky. Fortunately, we've found some great invitation suppliers that have recycled paper or handmade invitations that are pretty! Here are a few of our favorites:

Seal & Send - envelope free invites
InviteSite - specializes in green wedding stationery
Twisted Limb - 100% recycled invitations
Greener Printer - green printing methods
Evite - no paper required!

4. Green Wedding Favors
Wedding favors are a great way to thank your guests for sharing in your special day, and we've got some great favors that are sure to make your wedding day unforgettable! Here are a few we like, but you can find more on our website, Wedding Distinctions:

BloemBox Tiny Tin Classics

These tiny window-top tins are adorned with silk blooms and filled with premium seeds that will bloom into the flower on top of each tin. Each tin is wrapped with a band that reads, "Happiness held is a seed. Happiness shared is the flower." and labeled with growing instructions.





"All Things Grow with Love" Plantable Favors

Your guests will be delighted with this favor as they plant it and watch "love" grow into a beautiful flower. Great for garden themed weddings, spring weddings, summer weddings, bridal showers or baby showers.




Organic Green Woven Boxes

Fill these boxes with your favorite candy or nuts as a small token of appreciation for your guest. A beautiful addition to your reception tables, these boxes are both pretty and natural.





5. Green Thumb
Flowers are an important part to the look of your special day, but they can also create a lot of floral waste. Talk to your florist about conserving by sharing the majority of your blooms with another wedding or try some of the following: buy organic blooms, use potted pieces that can be transplanted to your garden, have flower-free bouquets by using fans, silk flowers, or purses, or incorporate your guests by asking them to plant and bring your flowers for you.

6. Gifts of Green
When registering for your wedding gifts, take a look at green gift providers like Viva Terra, Branch and Gaiam who offer green wedding registries. If you already have everything you need, you may want to consider a donation registry to a worthy cause! Either way, remember that too much of something is never a good thing.

Wedding Day Survival Kit

After months, sometimes years of planning (depending on the bride) you want your wedding day to be PERFECT! Let's face it, you and your "bridal entourage" have spent every waking moment dedicated to the success of this wedding and there is no way that something or someone is going to ruin your special day.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you have planned and how sure you are that something can't go wrong, something will go wrong. Let me repeat this...something will go wrong! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I want to prepare you. Whether its something small like forgetting a dip in your choreographed first dance routine or something big like the minister calling you by the wrong name for the first half or your wedding ceremony (yes, this happened to me), most weddings will experience a glitch or two.

One way to prepare for this is with what I like to call The Wedding Day Survivor Kit. The idea has been around for many years, but with all the planning you are doing many brides forget about this crucial element. A great gift for the bridesmaids to get the bride for her shower (hint, hint), the kit usually includes a cute carry-all tote bag with the bride's new initials monogrammed on the front or simply "bride" and the following necessities:

1. Stain Removal Needs like Shout Wipes or a Tide Stick. Tip: If your dress is made of silk or some other delicate material, buy some chalk in the same color as your dress and simply mark over the stain and let the dry cleaners do their magic afterward.
2. Tissues. Either you will cry, your fiance will cry, or someone in your wedding party will cry and will need these. Plus, they are great for make-up smudges.
3. Deodorant. Pit stains are not attractive in pictures and with all the hugging you will have to do you want to smell powdery fresh.
4. Dental Care like toothpaste, toothbrush and dental floss. You will be photographed from every angle at every time during the day so make sure your smile is pearly white!
5. Static Remover. You will be getting up and down a lot on your big day and static cling may rear its ugly head.
6. Band-Aids. You just never know...
7. Clear Nail Polish. A necessity if you are wearing pantyhose, and I recommend bringing an extra pair just in case.
8. Mints. Better than gum, mints will let you keep your fresh breath all day long without chomping away.
9. Double-Sided Hem Tape. Helps keep things in place and where they are supposed to be! I like Hollywood Fashion Tape.
10. Pain Relievers. The worse thing to have is a pounding headache on your wedding day and not be able to enjoy yourself.
11. Sewing Kit. I have actually had to sew my friends bustle back for her after it broke!
12. Hair Products like a brush, bobby pins and hairspray. You probably sprayed your hair with maximum strength hairspray that morning, but its amazing how quickly it can fall.
13. Lotion. Chapped hands are not cute in pictures.
14. Makeup. You will want to touch-up your make-up in between pictures.
15. Lint Roller. This is more for your fiance and his friends.
16. Food. Pack some protein bars and water because you may not get a lot to eat.
17. Flip Flops. Wearing heels all day long can really be a pain!
18. Camera. I'm sure you've hired a fantastic photog, but candid shots are priceless.
19. Safety Pins. For those of you who can't sew and need a quick fix.
20. Umbrella. Hopefully you won't need it, but you never know. And if it does rain, that means good luck!

Many more things can be shoved into this little bag, but this list of essentials will get you started. Most importantly, remember that your wedding day will be one of the best days your life and no matter what happens you should ENJOY IT!

Save 10% on all Wedding Distinctions Tote Bags when you enter this coupon code
at checkout: totebag
*Offer ends May 31st

My Sister In-Law's Shower

We have had so much fun planning my sister in-law's shower and bachelorette parties for her wedding May 31st! Her wedding is all about PINK so we took full advantage of using this popular color for her shower!

We started the shower celebration with the classy English Mix Invitations. We sipped on pink punch in pink cups and nibbled on homemade pink petite-fours! The bride wore a pink "Bride to Be" Sash with her 'something blue' dress!








Adorning the favor table were little pink boxes filled with chocolate kisses!










We tied the cute boxes up in white ribbon personalized with their wedding names and date.










Guests signed in with the Bridal Shower Guest Book and the maid of honor wrote down all the wonderful gifts she received!

The bachelorette party was this past weekend in St. Louis! Our invitations were sent to let everyone know the theme of a Girl's Day Out. We had such a great time!

We started with a mini spa day. While the guests were getting facials, the bridesmaids gave the bride a spa robe embroidered with a pink threaded "Bride" to have for her special day.







We also gave her the "i do" wedding garter she has been wanting for her wedding day! Now, she has 'Something Blue' to wear on her wedding day - How cute!







The day ended when all the bridesmaids and friends signed a special Signature Vase we filled with her favorite pink roses! It was a great way to celebrate our good friend and sister getting married! Congratulations Robyn!

DIY Wedding Favor Ideas

Times are tough right now, but don't nix your wedding favors to save money! We've come up with some great DIY Wedding Favor Ideas that are easy to create with a little time and a little budget. All of the components for the favors can be found on our website, Wedding Distinctions, or you can look at your local Michael's or Hobby Lobby too. Remember, its the details that make your wedding day unforgettable!

Think Outside The Box


This modern, fresh and original favor looks expensive, but is very simple and inexpensive to create. To create this look you will need any size favor box, two sizes of ribbon, map pins and starch. Transform your favor boxes into a striking organic sculpture by starching and forming double-sided ribbon pieces and securing with a single map pin. Don't forget to add your favorite treat to your favor boxes for a sweet surprise!

Sweet Surprise


The ever popular Candy Bar is a fun and interactive way for your guests to feel appreciated! To create this "sweet" favor idea simply purchase different size glass vases, some candy scoops and tongs and of course you and your sweeties favorite candies to fill them with. You will also need something for your guests to put their goodies in and we suggest either organza favor bags, chinese take-out boxes or simple cellophane bags. Stamp or use a sticker with your logo or "Thank You" for an extra special touch. This favor idea is a great way to incorporate your wedding day colors too!

Love in Bloom


Perfect for Spring/Summer weddings or green weddings, these favors are the gift that keep on giving! Fill miniature watering cans or galvanized pails with either a planted flower or some seed packets for a beautiful wedding favor. Wrap personalized ribbon around each pail or add a cute favor tag for a perfect presentation.



Tip of the Week: You can find wedding favors for any price and make them look great with a little imagination and a little work!

April Showers bring May Weddings!

Did you know there are estimated to be over 400,000 weddings in the United States in May and June*? Are you one of them? At Wedding Distinctions, we have heard from brides telling us their weddings in spring are filled with fun colors like bright pinks, oranges and fuscia. What are your wedding colors?
We love the colors brides are choosing and here are a few of our new favorite products:

Mini Felt Favor Bags
Decorative Initial Napkins
Flower Girl Basket Tote

Find all your wedding accessories and wedding party gifts at www.WeddingDistinctions.com


*theweddingreport.com

Wedding Distinctions Found a True Gem!

Wedding Distinctions recently joined a group on Facebook called Wedding Entrepreneurs started by Joy Nudd with Garrett Nudd Photography. Joy began this networking group last winter to provide a place for wedding professionals to come together to share ideas and build relationship. (And we are happy she did!)

Garrett Nudd Photography specializes in high-end, eclectic, stylish, fashionable weddings. Her work looks as if it came right out of the movies or from a magazine! Click here to view a few of her "great moments" that took our breath away.

We wish we were getting married again so Joy could take our pictures!

New Year. New Weddings.

2008 is an exciting year for us at Wedding Distinctions! After over a year of hard work finding the perfect products to offer couples who are getting ready to tie the knot, we have finally launched our online "Everything Wedding Boutique" www.WeddingDistinctions.com. We can't wait to work with all the newly engaged couples of 2008 and help them find the products they need to plan a wedding that they have always dreamed of. We will be posting new products, unique ideas, great tips and useful advice that we hope anyone who is part of a wedding this year will enjoy!


Uniquely Yours,
Wedding Distinctions

www.WeddingDistinctions.com