Hi Carrie,

Andy and I like the ivory dress with the brown embroidered flowers, do you think the dress looks to young for 10 year old flower girls?  What about the other dresses we are looking at.  Also there is a pic of the ring bearer suit.  I think it's perfect for the golf course.  

Let me know your thoughts:-)

#1

#2

#3

Ring Bearer:

Q: Hi Carrie,

How many people do I need to help out at the guest book table and take the gifts from the guests before the ceremony? Are there any people that are good for this job such as friends or family? And do these helpers need boutonnieres too?

Thanks,

Vicky

A: I do not recommend putting out the guest book at the ceremony site. It creates a bottle neck and will most likely delay your ceremony. I recommend you put out the guest book during the cocktail reception, this is perfect because it gives the guests a full hour and they can sign at their leisure. In addition keep p it out during the reception for anyone left over who did not make it to the guest book table.

As far as asking someone to help with the gifts and the money-box. This is definitely important and you really only need one person to stand and watch over the gifts and especially the money-box. You do not want it to go missing. I advise ONCE THE CEREMONY BEGINS TO HAVE THAT PARTICULAR PERSON GRAB THE BOX AND SIT DOWN WITH IT DURING THE CEREMONY. This way you know it is safe and not left unattended. Once the cocktail hour begins they can then hand it to the guest book attendant to oversee. After the cocktail reception this money box can be relocated to your honeymoon suite. The benifit of putting it in your room is you will have extra cash for your honeymoon. As far as the actual wrapped gifts have your coordinator get help from the venue staff to load up in a car or store in a safe place.

You can ask extended family such as cousins, nieces, aunts or even close friends to help out with these duties. And, yes I suggest you get personal flowers for them to show you appreciate their help.

Q: Hi Carrie,

I've been reading up online about wedding gown preservation, and getting
confused about which method is safest to use for my dress.  Have you heard
from any of your past brides which company/method is best?

Please let me know when you get the chance.

Thanks,

elisa

A: Hi Elisa,

Well there are a couple options when is comes to cleaning and keeping your wedding gown.  If you are planning to get your dress dry-cleaned after your wedding day, make sure your dress can be dry-cleaned.  There are many dresses with special trim and adhesives that will not withstand the dry cleaning chemicals.  You can ask the designer or store where you purchased your dress if you don't know.  Every dress should come with Special Care Instructions.  It is very important to have your dress cleaned if you are planning on preserving it.  If stains aren't properly cleaned they can become permanent or invisible stains might appear later.  I found this website had useful information to remember before cleaning your gown (Gown Cleaning). 

The next choice is if you want to have your gown cleaned by traditional dry cleaners or a new trend of Organic dry cleaners.  Orange County has many options for dry cleaning and pricing can range from $100-$250 for gown cleaning and preservation.  Check out Pilago Organic Dry Cleaners in Irvine, they have multiple locations.  Because Organic Dry Cleaners are a newer trend you might want to opt for the tried and true dry cleaning of Norton's Dry Cleaners in Placentia or Margaret's Cleaners in Newport Beach.

Hope you can find the right place and price!

Thanks,

~ Kari Brooner  -www.weddingonthebrain.com-

Q: What are some nice lingerie boutiques to buy weddding lingerie and also corsets etc to wear under the wedding dress?

Thanks!
vicky

A: Hi Vicky,

There are lots of great places to buy lingerie in Orange County and there also many specialty boutiques with some great pieces for your honeymoon.  La Perla, an upscale boutique in South Coast Plaza offers tasteful european designer lingerie, but also carries a bigger price tag.  La Rouge, located in Laguna Beach on Pacific Coast Hwy is an intimate lingerie boutique with something different to offer than other local shops.  They have great new styles that follow all the lastest fashion trends and colors straight from Europe.

If you are looking for something a little more comfortable and functional to wear under your wedding gown I would check out the lingerie department at Macy's South Coast Plaza.  They carry a designer, Felina.  Her designs fit perfect, are comfortable for a whole day of wear and are also easy on your budget.  Nordstrom, Victoria's Secret and Frederick's of Hollywood also carry some great pieces that will be perfect for your Wedding Day or Honeymoon.

Hope you can find the perfect thing!

~Kari Brooner -www.weddingonthebrain.com-

Q: Neither my fiance or I are really into having a bachelor/ette party, but our friends really want to do something, is it common or accepted to do a joint party?

Sarah

A: Having a fun party together with all your friends is a great idea. Bachelor/ette parties don't always need to be the "crazy" party that you see on TV. A joint party with both your and your fiance's friends is a fun and easy way for both of you to get friends together to celebrate! You could do anything from a fun night at the bars, to a bbq at the park or a home, to brunch to give you some ideas.

www.weddingonthebrain.com ~Jenny~

Q: I wanted to do some sort of poker favor for my fiance, any suggestions?

A: Absolutely here are a few inexpensive simple favors we offer.

1. The Kingston Engraved Collection - Set of Four Coasters
2. "Lucky in Love" Playing Card Magnets (Set of Five)
3. "Lucky In Love" - Four Suits Candle Set in Display Gift Box
4. Wine Charms
5. Bet on Love Bookmark Favors

weddingonthebrain.com- Carrie Goff

Q: Any recommendations on place to find weddings favors?

A: There are a lot of good sites to find wedding favors on; following are a couple good ones you can look at.

Beau-Coup.com- this website is has everything from basic to extravagant favors, the website also has very fast shipping so you can get last minute favors if you need them.

TropicalChic.com-this website is great for beach themed weddings, everything from sand dollars to coral adorned wedding albums

Festivale.net-if you need to find something off the beaten path, this is a great place to go, everything from wooden elephant candle holders to ornament shaped boxes.

Q: What exactly is a groom's cake and do I have to order one? -Miranda

A: Just like it sounds, it’s a cake for the groom. The groom’s cake was part of the southern wedding tradition, but lately southern belles aren’t the only ones ordering these cakes for their beaus. This cake used to actually be called the wedding cake while the wedding cake of today was called the bride’s cake. While the wedding cake or bride’s cake was eaten at the wedding reception, the groom's cake, which was usually a fruitcake, was taken home as a wedding favor (thinly sliced pieces in personalized bags or boxes) for the unmarried female guests to put under their pillows. Supposedly, the women would dream of their future husbands. While the bride’s cake is usually lightly colored, the groom’s cake is usually a dark color (both filling and icing) in keeping with the fruitcake tradition. The groom's cake is often a chocolate cake, but can also be the groom's favorite filling! Have fun with the groom's cake, you can create a cake with a FUN theme that represents your groom and serve it at your rehearsal dinner for you and your closest friends and family to enjoy! Keep in mind that some bakeries may charge more knowing that the cake is for a wedding so you might want to call ahead and find out the practices of your wedding vendor before you order the cake! Have fun and let your imagination run wild!!

Happy Planning!

weddingonthebrain.com-Danielle Graven

Q: I am looking for a rehearsal dinner location in Newport Beach, CA.  I would like to have it somewhere nice, but still a fun and upbeat atmosphere.  Nowhere too stuffy.  Any suggestions?  A private room is not necessary and it will be for 32 people.

Christie

This restaurant is located down the Newport Peninsula, overlooking the bay, a fun and good restaurant with a banquet facility if necessary.  

Hope these help, if you have anymore questions or want a certain kind of food, let us know and we will be happy to find some more options for you.

www.weddingonthebrain.com ~Jenny Isbell~

Q: Help! I am struggling to stay within my budget for the wedding, any tips???

Thanks, Tara

A: Tara-

Everyone struggles with a budget, here are some websites that might help.

Ebates.com

This site can help you get money back on everyday purchases from the web. Create an account and then make purchases on everyday websites, such as Nordstroms.com. You can earn a small percentage back on purchases and four times a year you recieve a check with the money you have earned. The website has coupons you can use as well.

Expensor.com

This website can help you keep track of where you are spending your wedding money, you can create charts and graphs to see how your money is being spent

RetailMeNot.com

This site is updated on a regular basis with new coupons that can help save you money

-www.weddingonthebrain.com- ~Jenny Isbell