How to Ask the Next Big Question

After you get engaged, it's natural to start thinking about who you want to stand next to you on your special day. These days, it's all the rage to ask your future bridesmaids or groomsman if they would be willing to be part of the wedding party with a gift, but why not go the extra mile and express the sentiment which led you to make the decision that you want their support in your wedding. If you can't afford to give them a gift, the card alone would also make a very budget-friendly token of appreciation.

It didn't take me long to figure out what gifts I wanted to give to the wedding party (2 bridesmaids and a Man of Honor for me, 3 groomsman, 1 officiant, and 1 MC for my fiance... he has so many friends). I plan on doing future reviews for the products I chose, but gift giving is a bit of a competition to me. Who am I competing with you ask... why myself of course! And I wanted to make sure that these gifts were every bit as special as every birthday and Christmas present I've ever picked before. Thoughtful, classic, and elegant.

But.

Just because the gifts are classy doesn't mean the cards I plan on giving to the bridal party have to be!

My fiance and I are big on humor and we're very silly, together and apart. So it only made sense when I decided that I wanted to go the extra mile and include a card with our bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts that I would go the silly route.

Card #1 I created myself. I was inspired by one I saw on Etsy with the same text, but I wanted to personalize it with my wedding colors (raspberry and navy) and I wasn't a fan of the font that was used in the inspiration card, so I found another. I had a surprisingly difficult time finding a place where I could print the card, but settled on Shutterfly, even though it will have a Shutterfly stamp on the back.

Cards #2 & #3 are from Etsy. I purchased the Suit Up cards for my fiance's portion of the bridal party. I was able to customize the text color (navy) to match our wedding colors, and for anyone reading who knows me personally, the text is also related to my fiance's profession, so it's more than cute, it's also a pun. Card #3, A Little Help was a close second to the card I ended up creating myself.

Obviously Etsy is a great way to find personalized cards (search for bridesmaid cards, or even funny bridesmaid cards to get results). You can also use sites like Shutterfly to make custom cards, however they don't have a card specifically for asking friends and family to be in the bridal party, but they do have an entire wedding section.

Whether you're silly or sentimental, your future bridal party will appreciate the gesture, regardless of the card being sent by itself, or if it accompanies a gift.

Review: BrideWorld Expo-Redondo Beach, CA

A couple weekends ago, I got to attend my first Bridal Expo. I was extremely excited, but having done research ahead of time trying to see what I could expect from these type of events, how to get free tickets and thankfully a lot of brides who complain about their contact information becoming compromised, I cautiously signed up with my spam email, although I did enter my real address and phone number (the latter was a mistake).

BrideWorld.com has glowing reviews on Facebook for their wedding expos, which is much more than many organizers of similar events can say. I was hesitant to have to pay for an expo, since many are free, at least for the bride, or with a coupon code. I was unable to find any promo codes for this event, but it did have good reviews, and it was so close to my apartment that I felt like it was worth a shot.

The cost of BrideWorld's Redondo Beach Expo was $10 if you pre-registered (which comes with free address labels that certainly came in handy with vendors) or $12 at the door. Surprisingly my fiance offered to come with me, and he ended up being a great help, as he is great at ending awkward conversations.

Keep reading to hear about the location, registration, organization, vendors, my overall grade, and an update of how my contact information was used post-expo.

Review: Putting Your Best Nails Forward

 

1. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Nail Coat

2. Essie Protein Base Coat

3. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear, Disco Ball

4. Essie #162 Ballet Slippers

5. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color, Lacey Lilac

6. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color, Mint Sorbet

If you look at any "What to Do When You Get Engaged" list, often one of the first steps, if not the first is to get your nails done, as throngs of people, including friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers will ask to see your ring and suddenly you will find your nails on display as well.

I like manicures as much as the next girl, but even $15-$20 can go a long way for me, especially since I can do my own nails and have an arsenal of nail polish in my bathroom to make sure I have a color for every occasion. 

I didn't always paint my nails frequently, but when one of my friends who follows many a beauty blog finally convinced me to start using a base coat and top coat I found myself performing home manicures more often.

Doing your own nails, whether it's to show off your new ring, or even for your wedding day is an easy way to save money. Almost all of the nail polishes above are under $5. They provide great color and long-lasting wear if you apply them with a base coat and top coat. I cannot speak highly enough of Seche Vite's Dry Fast Top Nail Coat. It gives my nails the appearance of using gels or shellac, without having to pay $40 for the procedure, the time in the nail salon, the hassle after when you need to remove the polish, or the damage it can do on your nails. It is also truly a fast drying polish. I doesn't leave nails tacky, but immediately provides a high-luster shine.

Have fun painting your nails and showing off your new engagement or wedding ring!

Disclaimer: This is not a paid advertisement. I own all of the products featured in this article, and bought them of my own volition. My testimonial is based off my own experiences with these products.