All posts by Grace Kelly

5 ideas for your Wedding Guestbook

Hey Brides! How’s your wedding planning? Still sane? I hope so! I almost lost my sanity on my own wedding journey thinking about so many things! And because there are too many things to think about, we often forget little things like… GUESTBOOKS. Now that I mentioned about it, do you plan to go traditional and just buy a White Guestbook with your guests’ names and addresses. Not that I want to give you more trouble but if you want to be more creative, here are some ideas you might want to consider. =) Enjoy!

wedding guestbook ideas

1.) Guestbook Tree. That’s my brother in red (left) and my dad in red too (right) and this is my very own Guestbook Tree! =) Got this idea from Glamour Weddings. Hubby had his friend draw that tree with our names below. Guests put their fingerprint and sign their names. =D

2.) Guestbook-Scrapbook. Just 2 weeks before my wedding, I attended another wedding and the DIY bride made a (20-page I think) Scrapbook highlighting their relationship. It was really gorgeous!

3.) Wedding Photobook. You can avail of this Photobook from your photographer. For some, it’s part of the package and for some, this might be an additional cost. I attended 3 weddings with Photobooks and they are nice =)

4.) Wedding Wishes in a Jar. You can get this jar at Kind Notes or (for DIY brides) simply buy a jar and decorate it. Get some nice papers and place them inside the jar after the guests have written their messages.

5.) Wedding Signature Frame. Ok.. If you want to go traditional because you don’t have time to get all these DIYs then you can find a perfect piece of your Engagement Photo and buy a Wedding Frame. (I had one on my 18th birthday and it still hangs on my wall!)

Are you adopting any of these? What do you like best? If you have other wedding guestbook ideas, feel free to share them to us!

7 DONT’s in your Wedding Planning

Most of the items you’ll see here were mistakes I have committed myself and some others were from the brides I know. Don’t be one of us! Read on.

1.)    Don’t throw away receipts.
Trust is a good thing, but receipts are important. A bride confided with me a couple of weeks ago about her sentiments with her caterer. She had paid a big amount already but still the manager keeps asking her for more. She has no way to prove that she had paid them already since she has no receipts to show.

2.)    Don’t pay without a receipt.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s just a piece of paper as long as the amount you paid, the date, your sign and the supplier’s sign are there. That’s still a proof that you paid.


3.)    Don’t decide without research.
The internet will give you tons and tons of ideas. Spend some time every day or every weekend for research. Believe me, it will save you from making mistakes.

4.)    Don’t decide on impulse esp in bazaars.
You will definitely get good deals at a bazaar but never go there unprepared. Like what I said, prepare yourself by researching first. When you get there, they will not give you time to think. It’s like now or never. And before you know it, you are already paying for something you actually don’t need or want.

5.)Don’t hire someone just because she is nice. Make sure she is able.
You don’t want a “nice” pilot. You want a “skilled” pilot. You get what I’m saying right?

6.)    Don’t get a supplier if you have not seen their previous work.
I made a mistake in hiring an amateur couturier. Well, she was “nice” but I wish I had trusted my impulse when I saw her previous gowns. They were mediocre. I just “trusted” that she can do better with mine. I was wrong. =( I had to hire another couturier to make another wedding gown for me.
(Try checking their Fanpage or website too.)


7.)Don’t get a supplier if you have not talked to any of their previous clients.
They could be skilled but they could be unprofessional too. Recommendations from your friends are always the best thing. They will tell you honestly if the supplier is worth hiring or not. Wedding planning is a journey. Maybe it’s too late and you have done some of the don’ts here already. Take heart and just enjoy your planning!

Do you need child bridesmaids at your wedding party?

Children can be a LOT of fun at weddings (especially busting their cute little moves on the dance floor!)  Unless you already have children, of course – in which case I’m sure they’ll be a big, beautiful part of your day!

It’s your decision because it’s your wedding! Do what makes you happy! Pictures may be hard, but they also may go amazing. You won’t know that until the day of. Maybe do some way of practicing beforehand if possible?

How to Choose Great Looking Wedding Shoes For A Beach Wedding

Since I live on an island here on Northwest Florida, I see beach weddings all the time. They are very popular here as well as in other beautiful coastal areas all over the world. These wedding can range from very casual and inexpensive to sophisticated and very costly. Either way, the beautiful view and the whole ambience of the setting is free and at the same time priceless.

Beach weddings can present a bit of a dilemma for the bride as far as shoes go. I know when we had ours on the beach my wife just went barefooted and so did I. We had a very casual wedding though, she wore a beautiful sexy prom gown she borrowed from a niece, and I wore shorts and a pastel polo shirt.

For most people they will want shoes, plus not every one has the powder soft sand that we have. The best bet for a simple beach wedding is probably to just go with a simple pair of slip-ons that can be matched to whatever your wedding’s colors are. If you go with a slip-on bridal shoe it will be easy to get the sand from between your toes and shake off your feet when you get out of the sand and begin entertaining guests. They are also very good if your feet get wet as they will dry quickly so you don’t have to worry about getting your feet wet during or after the ceremony if you choose.

If you haven’t chosen a color for your wedding yet, some good suggestions for beach wedding shoes are gold, white, and silver. However, if you have a certain color theme in mind slip-ons come in a wide variety of colors so that even if you want to go with a light teal or aqua to go along with the beach scene you can do it quite easily.

Feel free to customize and accessorize your shoes as well. You can play around with things like rhinestones and other gems that will add a little playfulness to the whole ensemble. To keep it toned down so that they don’t compete for attention with your wedding gown keep them clear and colorless.

Stay away from any kind of leather as far as the material they are constructed from. Satin and synthetics are best since they dry easily and do not hold water. Whatever you choose just be sure that the shoes are simple, open, and easy to remove sand and water from so that your beach wedding will be as enjoyable and care free as possible.