Things to Do After He Proposed

Congratulations and welcome to the hitched club!

Go on and pop the bubbly, because the first thing you should do is to bask in the joy of being promoted from mere girlfriend to THE ONE and only fiancée.

fiancee shirt

Photo from Etsy

When your heartbeat has finally gone down to its normal rate, here is a list of things to do to after you got engaged.

1. Set a wedding date.

This is very important to do before anything else, because it allows you to determine necessary details for the rest of the items on your to-do list.

Some things to think about:

  • Do you want a summer, winter, autumn or a spring wedding?
  • Do you want a longer or shorter engagement?
  • Do you want the date to be easily remembered? (i.e. 8-18-18)
  • Is your wedding officiant available on that date?

Set your chosen date but also be open to the possibility that you may need to move it depending on certain factors later on.

 2. Inform family and close friends and prepare for forever.

Take this opportunity to show off the bling to your babes! Share your happiness to everyone close to you and have an open ear for their tips and pieces of advice. It may also be a good idea to seek pre-marital counsel from older married couples or from professionals. Keep in mind that your wedding is a one-day affair but marriage is a life-time commitment. So don’t just prepare for the wedding day but prepare for forever.

 

wedding rings photography

Photo by Macy Yap

3. Plan a budget and stick to it.

Or not. =D Budgeting for a wedding is such a tricky matter to discuss and things can get out of hand pretty fast. Make sure you take time to sit down with your partner to set priorities and manage expectations.

Some things to consider:

  • What do you want to happen on your wedding day?
  • What are the major elements that should be allocated more funds into?
  • How many people do you want to invite?
  • Do you want to hire a coordinator or do you prefer DIY?

Most often than not, there will be unexpected expenses along the way so it’s better to save some funds for those things, too.

Wedding Saving Funds

4. Book the venue.

After you have (more or less) finalized the budget, it’s time to scout for a place to celebrate. The location can be anywhere – at a hotel, on a yacht, in your backyard or at the community church. Any place can be dressed up to be as dandy, as romantic, and as elegant as a wedding should be.

Some things to consider:

  • Do you want to be indoor or outdoor?
  • What theme or look are you after?
  • Are there ample spaces for a photo shoot after the ceremony?
  • Is it accessible to all your guests?
rustic wedding theme

Photo from Union Hill

5. Finalize the entourage list.

Now that you said yes to your man, it’s time for another proposal- not to another bride but to your future bridesmaids and groomsmen! Go on and ask the question “Will you be my…?” Say it with gifts or organize a pamper session with your besties.

groomsmen gifts

Personalized Bridesmaid and Groomsmen Gifts from Etsy

6. Go hunting for the dress.

Now ladies, do not make this a stressful occasion. It can be a fun moment you and your mom, sisters, and/or bridesmaids can bond over with. Look for inspiration in magazines, on social media, and even your mom’s closet. Not all body shapes are the same though, so it’s important to try every cut you’re eyeing on before saying yes to that dress.

Some things to ask yourself:

  • Are you into classic or avant-garde?
  • Will you dance with it or change into something else?
  • Will it look good with a long veil or a headdress?
  • Do you have time and budget for major alterations?

7. Send e-invites and save the dates.

Once all the major items on your wedding list have been ticked off, it’s time to tell everybody else. There are so many ways you can inform your guests about your upcoming wedding. You can create a Facebook page or send e-invites or even a video clip if you want to save trees and cost.

Some things to note:

  • Send save the dates as soon as you locked in your wedding date and booked the venue.
  • This is not a formal invite so make sure you put a note that the real invitation will follow.
  • Not everyone gets a save the date; 1 household = 1 save the date (and invitation).
Wedding Save the Date

Save the Date Cards from the Roche Shop

Yes, there are still more things to do after this list but you can then breathe and relax a bit, for you have already accomplished the major tasks. Don’t do everything on your own; remember to ask help and get input from your future groom as well.

May the road be smooth and beautiful to your happy ever after!
Xx

Audrey Hepburn Inspired Wedding Feature on Wedluxe

I came back from our Europe trip feeling a bit sad that summer is almost over here on this side of the globe, but my mood instantly shifted as I was informed of another feature by no less than Wedluxe, a sought-after guide on luxury weddings and stylish events. I’m grateful to Teresa Tran for giving me the opportunity to collaborate with her at the last moment. I am truly in awe of her talent and dedication to her craft. Kudos to the rest of the vendors who put together all the elements needed to create this amazing, Audrey Hepburn-inspired styled shoot.

Without further talk, here are the dreamy, beyond-beautiful photos captured by Ken Tan and featured in Wedluxe website.

Hope you get more inspired!

bride with wedding welcome gift pink gift boxAn Ode to Audrey

There’s no denying that Audrey Hepburn’s iconic style has served as inspiration for countless generations and will continue to inspire. Her glamour and elegance is translated into this styled shoot through a soft colour palette, gold tableware, and delicate pearl accents. Feminine, romantic, and oh-so-chic.

pink and gold wedding theme cake

Head on to Wedluxe blog for more ideas and inspiration on how to create that elegant and iconic wedding theme.

Source it:

Photography • Ken Tan Photo, Planning • Teresa Tran Events, Floral Design • Angela & Gabriel’s Flowers Inc., Venue • Stanley Park Pavilion, Makeup Artist • Makeup by Vivian Jun; Makeup by Tianna Tran, Hair Stylist • Hair by Clara Leung; Hair by Candace Deanna, Stationery Design • Made by Michelle Mark, Decor Rentals • Bespoke Decor Rentals, Gowns • Bisou Bridal, Jewellery • Jeweliette Jewellery, Cake Design – Soirette Macarons & Tea, Marshmallows • Butter Baked Goods, Cookies • Cookievonster Customer Cookies
Cake Stands and Dessert Platters • Chic Fête, Pearl Beads • Proline Trading, Chargers and Dinnerware • Atkinson’s, Gold Flatware • A&B Partytime Rentals, Chairs and Tables • Past Pieces, Linens • Paradise Events, Paper Flowers • Mur De Fleurs, Pink Gift Box • Jules & Joy Gifts, Ballons • Fun Fiestas by Ili

Refreshment & Reinforcement: Thoughtful Gifts for Your Bridesmaids on Your Wedding Day

Your bridesmaids will help you shine your brightest and be your most relaxed and beautiful on your wedding day. They will be running around the venue and be your gofers throughout the day. They will be always on the lookout for any wrinkle on your dress or a tear ready to roll down your face. They will be your cheerleaders, ready to crack jokes and make light of what could be a very emotion-charged event.

Bride and bridesmaids 1

Photo from weddingsonline

Show them how much you appreciate their friendship and their presence on your big day. Thank your ladies with R&R gifts that will come in handy and make the day such a breeze.
Here is a collection of some gift items that your bridesmaids will be thrilled to receive.

bridesmaids tote with flowers

A customized tote (or a shirt) will make their “duty” as bridesmaids more official. 🙂

For out of town weddings, give out beauty products and some snacks the night before the big day so your ladies wake up looking refreshed and energized.

Bridesmaid's wedding kit

It’s always a good idea to throw in a necessity kit in case of emergencies and those ooops moments.

Bridesmaid emergency kit

Wedding day emergency kit with bobby pins, Band-aids, headache pills, mints, wet wipes and hair tie

bridesmaids custom gifts tote bag

If totes are not your thing, a simple nice box will also do. Collect a few of your favorite things like this temp tattoo…
And don’t forget to include the bubbly too!

bridesmaids gift box

If you want to go for something more personal and fancy, some options are customized robes, monogrammed bracelets, and Instax cameras, sleeping eye mask and a floral corsage.

bridesmaids custom gifts 2

Suitable for the fun-loving and feminine bridesmaids, these gifts are not only useful and refreshing but also instagram-worthy! 😉

How To Effectively Use Monogram in Gifts

Let’s be honest – We often dismiss many of the favors and giveaways we receive because of their shouting logos and monograms that make the gifts appear tacky and thoughtless. A guest in an event I went to mentioned that she’d rather have more tapas than the cheap souvenir they gave as we left (I know how ungrateful!). I think one of the common mistakes is when we overuse or misuse our opportunity to personalize.

koozies

Photo from WedPics Blog

We suggest a few ways on how to effectively personalize your gifts and favors using monograms.

Know your monogram etiquette.
The traditional three-letter Victorian monograms are the most popular variety people use today. For single men and women, the initials of their names are used to create a monogram; the surname is usually the largest and placed in the middle. If you are giving gifts to a married couple, their initials are combined- the man’s initial goes first followed by the woman’s. But if you are giving gifts to married couples individually, tradition dictates to use the woman’s first name initial, married name initial and then her maiden name initial.

monogram rule for singlesmonogram rules for married couples

Choose the appropriate gift.
Almost everything can be monogrammed – clothing, leather goods, jewelry, even your tiny M&M’s can be personalized! The challenge is to pick the most suitable item in line with your event and based on what the receiver will surely want and would actually use. Always ask yourself – is this item something I would want myself? (Read: Avoid anything glossy).

Bridesmaids boyfriend shirt monogram

Beach wedding

Photo by Ellen Leroy Photography

bridesmaid's monogram bracelets

Be subtle.
Be careful not to overdo the prints, especially if you are using your own initials or names and logos on your giveaways. Use the appropriate font sizes in relation to the size of the favor. Whatever you do, always make sure that they read well.

monogram wedding favorsmonogrammed gift labels

You can never go wrong by making your monogrammed gift simple, useful and fun. Hope this list helps you!

Prepping Up for A Bridal Fair

The wedding season is here and we are more than delighted to celebrate with and serve our new brides to be and engaged couples. Of course this also means the coming of a myriad of wedding shows and bridal fairs and expos happening around the city. As much as we want to join every bridal show there is, we only intend to choose the ones that we can identify with.

Last February, we showcased our custom wedding gifts for the first time at the Swank Wedding Show. This month we will be at the Croatian Cultural Centre along with other wedding vendors for the Bridal Swap event.

“The Original Bridal Swap is a unique concept bringing together Past Brides, Décorators, Craft Artisans and other Sellers who have wedding related goods, with Brides to Be in a fun environment who are on the hunt for their perfect wedding treasures and dresses.”

As a (recent) past bride myself, I think the event concept is perfect! It creates a community of people who willingly share unique items and ideas to help the next bride celebrate her most important day.

Here is a sneak peak of some of the items Jules & Joy will bring in to this fair.bridal fair

These Kraft boxes with a white rose and tulle on the lid are perfect to house mini favors and treats.

kraft favor boxes

First dibs into a limited number of gift boxes, pretty packaging, ribbons, and sweet little things (all budget-friendly) will be available for the early birds. Get your Bridal Swap Van tickets here.
jules and joy gifts

A Gifting Station will also be set up so people can pick and choose items and customize their own gifts.

customize gift station

Hope to see you all there! =)
mini wedding favors

Jules & Joy at the Swank Wedding Show


Last Saturday, we joined our first-ever bridal show and we had so much fun! The all-white façade and columns of the Vancouver Art Gallery on Hornby Street made the event glamorous and intimate.

Vancouver art gallery rotuda

Photo by Paul Behm

Kudos to Kim of Soirée Lounge for such a wonderful and well-organized event, which provided a venue for unique wedding vendors and respected industry professionals to gather and serve our city’s newly-engaged couples.

Swank Wedding Show rotunda

guests watching the fashion show below

As a first-timer, I didn’t know what to expect but I was very excited to personally introduce our small business’ service offerings to new brides. Our booth was located at the rotunda level of the gallery where some guests gathered to watch a fashion show. I kept the design of our cocktail table simple and displayed just a few samples of our custom gifts.

bridal favors and bridesmaid gifts

cocktail table booth

I met a lot of friendly and super pleasant brides and couples from all over who are very open to suggestions and new ideas. Their energy and the excitement they shared gave me more confirmation that serving them is what I love doing. =)

entertaining-guestspotential clientswedding gifts and favors booth

See you on our next wedding show!