While there are mass amounts of decisions to make before wedding day, an important decision for some is to have a way to reminisce their wedding day and its special nuances.  Thus, many brides and grooms choose to have a videographer(s) to capture the wedding ceremony and reception–even interviews from the bride, groom, family and friends before the big day.

An emerging creative technique in some engagement videos and wedding day videos has been the use of Super 8mm film.  My first thought when I think of this type of film is the old home movies that were made and played on a projector.  The videos I see now with Super 8mm film are beautifully crafted, incorporating the nostalgic feel of the mid -1900′s, with a modern edge of vintage glam.  Below are my favorite links to videographers I found with expertise in Super 8mm film that have some of their work posted on their web pages–love it!

Vantage Point Custom Films – check out Mindy and Brian’s Highlight Video for a gorgeous depiction of Super 8mm film.

Goodwin Films —  look at Megan and Nate’s Destination Video, Rachel and Jordan’s Wedding Video, as well as Katie and Spud…how breathtaking!

Super 8mm Wedding Movie by Goodwin Films

With that being said, there are many options a videographer may be able to offer the soon-to-be newlyweds, so I suggest to keep options open and look at: the varying packages (amount of hours available, number of videographers present, cost, special touches etc.), past referrals customers and if possible, past work.  Also, just because a videographer might offer an amazing package that includes videography and even DJ services, always do your research into what the package consists of, and the expertise they have in the field.

On a final note,  be prepared to pay a little more for the added feature of Super 8mm film to your videography package.  Many couples feel the added cost is well worth the sparkling final product which yields a video that is not only tailored to the bride and groom, but provides an additional layer of exquisite film expertise,  uniqueness, and timeless moments that are highlighted in shimmering detail.

Videography: The Vintage Edge of Super 8mm Film is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

A wedding party consists usually of the bride and groom, their parents, groomsmen, bridesmaids, attendants and sometimes flower girls and ring bearers. When making the decision on having flower girls and ring bearers in your wedding, there are several factors to consider.

The first factor involves actually having a family member or friend that has children.  If you don’t know of anyone with children, then the decision about having children in the wedding has already been made. Please note:  just because you may not have family or friends with children early in your engagement, this may change over the course of your engagement.  So, if your heart is set on flower girls and ring bearers keep the option open.  You and your fiancé may become friends with someone that has children, and then the option of flower girls and ring bearers may be possible.

Just don’t solicit strangers that have cute children…

The second factor to think about is if the children are age appropriate.  Yes, that means your 13-year- old niece may be best suited as a junior bridesmaid and not a flower girl.  Additionally, if you have a child under the age of 6, you may want to consider having someone (trusted family member or friend) walk them down the aisle.  A child younger than six may not be able to stand for a 20 minute and more ceremony, so once the child makes their way down the aisle, it would be completely appropriate for him or her to sit with their parents, family members, etc.  You and their parents will probably need to spend a little extra time preparing children under the age of six as to what they should expect on wedding day, and what their important role in the wedding will entail.

To give an example: at a recent wedding the ring bearer (7-years-old) pulled a flower girl (3-years-old) down the aisle in a decorated wagon. Behind them, another flower girl (6-years-old) walked down the aisle, slowly dropping flower petals.  Subsequently, the ring bearer pulled the wagon with the flower girl over to the side (out of the way), and he went to stand with the groomsmen.   The parents of the youngest flower girl picked her up out of the wagon and she sat with them for the length of the ceremony.  The oldest flower girl stood with the bridesmaids. The flower girl and ring bearer stood the entire time, watching the ceremony, and behaved very well.  There were a couple moments when the ring bearer became a little antsy and the best man of the groom gently put his hand on the ring bearer’s shoulder and he calmed down.

Having children in your wedding can be absolutely delightful while filled with beautiful moments, and really cute pictures. There may be situations with the children that you did not prepare for, but sometimes those impromptu moments make great memories. Even if you do not have flower girls and ring bearers in your wedding, remember you will be surrounded by family and friends that love you and are there to support you.  Here’s to your wedding day!

How To Choose Your Flower Girl and Ring Bearer is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Although a bride’s wedding dress (or dresses, for some) usually takes center stage as an important decision, the accessories a bride chooses is also a critical decision. The bridal accessories can really accentuate or overwhelm a wedding dress, so it is essential for some brides to carefully choose what compliments her dress.

Thus, it is important a bride define her own personal style, as she may want more dazzling “bling” to add to her dress, but must realize she will hear more “ka-ching!”Alternatively, a bride may gravitate toward simplicity and forego most accessories, which can also add to a breeze of elegance and timeless sophistication.

Below is a list of accessories for the bride to think about for wedding day, but is not all-inclusive:

• Earrings
• Necklace
• Bracelet
• Wedding Veil
• Tiara
• Hair Brooch or Hair Jewelry
• Shoes
• Crinoline or Hoop Skirt
• Undergarments such as: Bra or Bustle, Underwear
• Panty-hoes (very optional due to risk of panty-hoes tearing)
• Wedding Band
• Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

A word of advice from With This Favor

A month or two before wedding day, a bride should try on their wedding dress with all bridal accessories she wants to wear. This helps the bride decide what looks best, but also gauge how comfortable she feels in her dress and accessories (especially if she will be wearing all of these items for 4 hours or more). This will enable brides to adjust accordingly, especially before wedding day.

A List Of Important Accessories For The Bride is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Dear Readers,

With winter weather quickly approaching, so is “Wonderful Winter Weddings”!  For the bride and groom that choose a winter wedding theme, With This Favor has chosen the premiere winter wedding favors for you!

From a wintery white snowfall that is perfect for building a snowperson, to making angels in the snow with family and friends, the winter months exude comfort, love, and togetherness.

Below are several winter-themed favors that are a delightful addition to your wedding!

Beautiful Snowflake Placecard Holder

Holiday Candle Favor

Snowflake Candle Favor

Wonderful Winter Wedding Favors is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Hello All!

One of the hottest movements in weddings this year has been an increase in environmentally friendly weddings. This is one wedding trend that we’re sure is here to stay! From locally-produced menus, to hemp wedding dresses, pretty much every aspect of your wedding can become eco-friendly! It’s often cost effective, can be insanely chic, and is always great for the environment!

Sustainable & Stylish

It used to be that you had to be one type of bride or another: chic, or environmentally aware. The times have changed though, and now you can have the best of both worlds! You don’t need to give up your every-day values while planning your wedding – you can still host a sophisticated event while making smart choices. So how can you be sure that your wedding leaves a minimal carbon footprint? Here are a few ideas:

• Plan your wedding so the ceremony and the reception are at the same location, or very close to one another, to cut down on travel time for you and your guests.
• Serve foods and wines that are from the region in which you are celebrating – the quality will be top notch and choosing local food is always better for the environment. Make sure that any leftover food is donated to a local shelter.
• Choose local flowers, or purchase potted blooms that can be enjoyed throughout the season.
• Print your invitations on recycled paper, or have an online wedding site to cut down on unnecessary paper.
• Incorporate the three “R’s” into your wedding planning: reduce, re-use, and recycle. Instead of throwing out decorations after the wedding, sell them online or give them away. Try to avoid unnecessary decorations that are harmful to the environment–especially animals–such as streamers, confetti, rice, and balloons.
• Purchase a wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses for your bridal parties that are made of an ethically and eco-friendly produced fabric. Try to select dresses that can be worn again in the future!
• DIY: In many cases, it is better for the environment to do things on your own. From the decorations to the menu items, see what you and your bridal team can do from home.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors

Show your guests you care about them – and the earth! Earth-friendly wedding favors are a fabulous way to send your guests home with a little something – while showing how much you care about the world around you. Sustainable goodies such as these Natural Bamboo Eco-Friendly Coasters will blend in with any natural themed wedding and are an all-natural selection:

There are so many eco-friendly wedding favors to choose from – I also love these fabulous pure beeswax candles. Featuring an elaborate honey comb pattern and a realistic bee perched on the side; these all-natural candles are an eco-friendly favor that guests of all generations will enjoy.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Honeymoons

When it’s time to sail away on your honeymoon, consider an adventure that’s not too harsh on the environment. Camping is a wonderfully romantic way to spend some time together after you’ve tied the knot, and will remind you what nature is all about. Or, consider going on an eco-adventure in a country that interests you, such as Costa Rica. “Voluntourism” is also growing in popularity – celebrate your marriage by giving back to society.

Whether you choose to have an all-out eco-friendly wedding, or just want to include certain elements, there are many options available to you. Try to incorporate your every-day practices into your wedding – you’ll be glad you did!

Eco-Friendly Weddings is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Fall weddings have certain magic to them. It might be the warmth and richness of the autumn colors; perhaps it’s the fresh crispness in the air promising new starts; or maybe it’s that harvest touch that brings us down-to-earth and makes us thankful for the important things in life. Then again, it might just be how fabulous chocolate brown and pumpkin orange look together!

When it comes to autumn weddings, we are absolutely passionate about pumpkins, much like the ones we found to the right at Creepy Cupcakes Blog! Big ones, small ones, orange ones, and white ones – they are all divine! One of the most versatile offerings of Mother Nature’s harvest bounty, pumpkins can be incorporated into your wedding day in so many different ways. Getting hitched in the country? Talk to a local pumpkin farmer to negotiate a great deal on lots of pumpkins. If you want a truly country-themed wedding, you might even consider getting married at a pumpkin farm! A field full of pumpkins is so beautiful and would look amazing in your wedding photos (See pumpkin patch above from Salem Oregon Daily Photo) – plus farm weddings are becoming increasingly popular due to their low cost but stunning scenery. Whether you’re planning a sophisticated urban affair or harvest-themed country wedding, pumpkins can play a major role – and here are just a few ideas to get those pumpkins rolling!

Centerpieces:

You can incorporate pumpkins into your centerpiece arrangements in a variety of gorgeous ways. Consider having the tops sliced off, the insides cleaned out, and a fresh bouquet of flowers (sunflowers or autumn-hued roses look stunning) placed in the hollowed-out pumpkin. Or, fill it with water and have a floating candle placed inside. Or, stack several tiny pumpkins on a raised tray, and weave vines within them.

Aisle Runners

Miniature or medium-sized pumpkins make fabulous aisle decorations. Getting married outside? You can create an entire aisle by setting up two straight lines of pumpkins.

Monograms

If you’ve got someone artistic who wants to be involved in the wedding, ask that person to carve your initials into some large pumpkins. These sophisticated jack-o-lanterns are perfect for adorning the guest-book table or marking the entrance to the reception!

Photo Shoot

Set up a gorgeous harvest scene featuring lots of pumpkins, bails of hay, and flowers. Your guests can pose in front of the scene for a memorable photo! If your budget allows, consider having a professional photographer set up to capture the memories.  Above you will see a magical, pumpkin-themed wedding board found at Ritzy Bee.  Perhaps it will provide you some additional inspiration!

Menu

Take pumpkins from a simple décor item to a delicious menu item! Pumpkin is delicious in desserts – consider serving up traditional autumn treats like pumpkin pie for a nostalgic touch. You can also incorporate this flavor into your wedding cake by serving a carrot/pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting – delish! Pumpkin also makes a great addition to main courses – talk to your chef about options, such as pumpkin soup or risotto.

If you’re hosting a wedding in September, October, or early November, fall colors are abundant, so show them off by incorporating lots of gold, amber, orange, red, and brown in your wedding. Add some unexpected accent colors like silver, blue, or cream for an elegant touch. Have a few ornamental pumpkins present at your wedding – or make an entire day of it! Pumpkins are a natural choice!

Passionate for Pumpkins is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Hello Readers!

There is something so perfectly romantic about Tiffany – and whether he presented you with the perfect blue box or you simply love the shade of blue, Tiffany blue weddings are elegant, classic, and beautiful.

If you want to host a wedding with this color scheme, it’s important to start at the very beginning! Your invitations should feature blue as the accent color – it looks fabulous with silver or cream as well.

Moving along to your attire, you’ll want your “something blue,” of course! Consider wearing a gown that features a beautiful blue sash, embroidery, or accents. Your bridesmaids, of course, will be all decked out in Tiffany blue bridesmaid dresses, and the groomsmen should match with ties in that same lovely shade.

When it comes to flowers, you can keep the theme going strong by adding aqua blue touches to the bouquets. For your bridesmaid bouquets, you might want to use a contrasting color if they will be wearing Tiffany blue dresses – consider white bouquets with blue ribbon. Got to have blue? Hydrangeas are a gorgeous choice. You can also purchase silk “petals” in Tiffany Blue for your flower girl to adorn the aisle with. Additionally, the groomsmen’s boutonnieres will look sophisticated with Tiffany blue accents, whether it is within the flowers or a ribbon delicately wrapped along the stems.

Cutting the cake has never been so elegant. If you want to go all out with this theme, have your cake designer come up with something truly extraordinary, like a multi-tiered cake in the shape and color of a Tiffany box – complete with white ribbon. You’ll be amazed what a fantastic cake decorator can do with fondant.

When it’s time to give the favors out, order some of these darling “Something Blue” Gift Box Candle Favors – they’re shaped like a Tiffany box so each guest will get the thrill of having their very own Tiffany wedding treat!

Blue is known for being a soothing color that also represents intelligence and unity – perfect for a wedding! Timeless and elegant, the particular shade of blue that is associated with Tiffany has a slightly aqua hue, creating a sea of calmness! Perfect for any time of the year, this shade of blue can look cool in the wintertime or fabulous in the summer time. Other color combos that look fabulous with this shade are chocolate brown, sunshine yellow, romantic silver, or bright coral.

Theme weddings are all about showcasing your own personal style, and can be as extreme or as subtle as you’d like. From the bride who needs to have every single detail in Tiffany blue to the couple who just wants a hint, there are options for you!

“Something Blue” Gift Box Candle Favors

Tiffany Blue Weddings is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Hello Readers!

Once upon a time (not very long ago), weddings were all about terrible shades of pale colors, horrible bridesmaid dresses, and awful-tasting cake. Thankfully, those days are behind us, and sophisticated brides are showing off their personal style with gorgeous weddings, stunning gowns, and yes, the cake tastes pretty darn good, too.

While I love the refined elegance of cream, white or silver at a wedding, there’s something extra happy about weddings that show bright punches of bright colors. I love it when the bridesmaids are decked out in hot fuchsia, cakes trimmed with lime green make me grin from ear to ear, and there’s a definite funky attitude from the brides who walk down the aisle with hits of bright aqua or yellow. If you want to add a few splashes of bright colors to your summer wedding, it’s all about placement! There’s nothing hotter than bright summer colors at your wedding!

Wedding Gowns
Gone are the days when wedding dresses were strictly white. Brides are walking up the aisle in gowns of all colors, and while I personally love a white wedding gown, I admire the brides who make this modern choice! Personally, I’m loving the gowns that offer the best of both worlds: a traditional white dress with bright features. A sash that matches the bridesmaid gowns looks stunning, or embroidery along the hem. Pink or red details, such as an underlay of a red train look absolutely breathtaking! You can also add color to your bridal ensemble by simply wearing shoes in a bold, unexpected color. Some brides even dye their crinoline to match their brightly colored shoes!

Bouquets
To get the “splash” look with your flowers, I recommend choosing two colors – one pale, and one contrasting. For example, have your bouquet filled with ivory colored roses, with just a few pink or red roses interspersed. Choose the opposite imposition for your bridesmaid bouquets (in this case, red bouquets with just a few splashes of ivory). Or, you might want to go for something a little more wild and contemporary – ask your florists to recommend in-season flowers in bright colors that contrast with your bridesmaid dresses.

Funky Brights
Bright colors can be an entire theme, in and of themselves! Add some funk to your wedding day by showing your love of color. Have each bridesmaid wear a dress in a different bright color (having the same style still gives the look of continuity you’re seeking). Choose tablecloths and linens in a variety of bright colors instead of just one or two.

Bright and Bold Wedding Cakes
Get creative with your wedding cake and wave “bye-bye” to simple chocolate or vanilla! Add some summer punch to your flavors by adding tantalizing guava, raspberry, lime, or pomegranate flavoring to your cake. And it’s not all about taste! Choose a tiered, topsy-turvy cake in bright colors to add a whimsical element to your day. We love the “whimsical cakes” found at Carrie’s Cakes.com! Be bold by having your cake designer come up with a truly one-of-a-kind cake, featuring your “fav” colors and patterns – I love cakes that feature polka dots or stripes in bold hues!

Bright Wedding Favors
Make sure your wedding favors make a bold color statement as well! Will you have each favor sitting at the table, or will you have a table devoted to a favor-display situated near the entrance to your reception? Whichever method you choose, the favors should make a bold color statement when they are presented, and then offer a memory to your guests when they are brought home. I love these orchid candles. They’re bright and funky, but maintain a definite elegance:

Elegant Orchid Gel Candle Favors

Have fun putting smiles on your guests’ faces by adding bursts of color to your wedding!

Crazy for Color: Include Splashes of Brights at Your Summer Wedding! is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Hello Brides and Grooms!

Spending Even More Money

You have probably already shelled out a small fortune in your wedding already, and the thought of having to tip someone before/during/after the wedding could cause you even more angst.

When I first thought about tipping my wedding vendors, I scoffed.  I mean, are they seriously not getting paid enough as it is?

The closer wedding day came, the more that I wanted my wedding vendors to really collaborate with my husband and me, I had a change of heart.

Looking For Change

How did I change my behavior and thought surrounding this subject?

Well, I began thinking about all the services I tip for: getting a haircut and highlights, mani/pedis, massages, car wash, at restaurants, if our local barista at Starbucks makes a really good coffee, etc.

People in the service industry are providing just that…a service.  My wedding vendors would be providing…a service.  I began asking myself, “Why are you going to deny a monetary tip to the people that are providing a service for one of the most important and special days of your life?”

Thus, on wedding day, most of our vendors were tipped.

Wedding Industry Tipping Standards

Below you will find standard tipping practices for the wedding industry.  Make sure the best man, wedding coordinator, or trusted person within your wedding party provides tips to your vendors so that you do not have to stress about this on your wedding day.

As with anything in the service industry, if you don’t receive good service, adjust your tips accordingly!

• Hair, Makeup & Nails: 15-20%  of each fee.

• Delivery People (from the florist, bakery, party rental): $10 bakery and $30 floral–sometimes this is already included in your Wedding Cake Bakery and Floral Design contracts, so make sure to check!

• Officiant/Minister/Pastor/Priest/Clergy: $100-$200, and provide a small church donation if married in a church.

• Transportation: 15-20% of fee.

• Musicians (ceremony and reception): $20-$25 for each member, whether it is an organist/string quartet/full band.

• DJ: 15-20% of fee.

• Photographer / Videographer: Somewhat optional, $20-$25 each for a job well done.

• Valet Attendants / Parking Attendants: This is usually included in your wedding site contract, but if not, it is customary to provide each attendant $1-$2 per car.

• Coat Check  Attendants / Restroom Attendants: This fee is usually included in your wedding site contract, but if not, it is customary to provide each attendant $1-$2 per guest.

• Wedding Coordinator/Consultant/Director/Planner: Somewhat optional, as this fee is usually included in your contract, and they do not usually expect a tip or gratuity.  For outstanding work, 10% of their fee.

• Florist/Wedding Cake Designer/Bridal Store/ Invitation and Stationary Store/Party Rental Store: These vendors usually do not expect a tip or gratuity.  After your wedding, a visit to these vendors, a phone call, or thank-you card are all fantastic gestures.

Wedding Etiquette: “Do I REALLY Have to Tip?” is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.

Hello Brides and Grooms,

Around the 7th month mark, my wedding dress was due to come in, and I was ecstatic beyond words.

Our upcoming wedding finally felt like it was near!

I truly felt like a princess when I thought about my wedding dress, almost like the dress was made specifically for me.  I can remember the Swarovski crystals that shimmered just perfectly as I stood in the wedding boutique with my mom, sister, and best friend present.

I will never forget that moment.

On that note, when you are beginning the pursuit of finding a dress, make sure to start looking through magazines beforehand so that you have an idea of what you like and don’t like.  However, don’t be afraid when you start trying on dresses to be daring and try some dresses you would probably have never chosen to try on.  You never know, you may find your dream dress, or you might be able to have a good laugh with your closest family members or friends about the outlandish dress you picked to try on for fun.

Once you choose your dress, please take the following into account:

• Do not purchase a dress that is several sizes smaller than what you actually need.  It is easier and more cost effective to have a dress taken in than taken out.  Especially if you have elegant features like Swarovski crystals, beads, pearls, lace, and certain types of fabric.
• Even though you may be a size 6 in everyday clothing, bridal fashions usually run much smaller.  Therefore, a size 6 may translate into a size 8 or size 10 for your wedding dress.  So take a deep breath, and let it be ok if the size is shocking at first for you.  Remember, people (most of all, your soon-to-be- husband) will be looking at how fabulous you look in your dress, and will not be searching for the tag that indicates your size.
• Get everything in writing! From the color of the dress, to the size, to when it will come be shipped and arrive at your wedding boutique, to if the dress comes in petite/standard/long lengths, and finally, any alterations that may have to be done.  I am the poster bride for receiving the wrong color dress, in the wrong size, wrong length, and arriving almost 7 months after the purchase date.  Thankfully, I had everything in writing and was able to obtain the correct Maggie Sottero gown in 3 days… We live and learn.
• Most of all, enjoy your wedding dress–you will probably only wear it once, possibly twice (bridal portrait, wedding day).

Best wishes!

Me in my wedding dress on wedding day

Tips on Choosing Your Wedding Dress is a post from: Wedding Blog by With This Favor. With This Favor is your official superstore for wedding favors.