It’s often said that men are “simple minded.” This doesn’t mean they’re dumb, just that they’re easy to understand or please – simple minded, if you will. So, picking out a wedding favor for them can be a very simple process.

Men aren’t likely to keep a random trinket with “x loves y” or “x&y forever.” It’s not that you’re unimportant, but that they’re just not likely to place sentimental value on their own objects, let alone something as impersonal as a wedding favor. However, you can still pick one that makes them think, “Awesome!” or one that they’ll keep for practicality. Here are some ideas:

A Shot Glass – My experience has shown that people collect shot glasses. It seems you can never have too many, as it sure takes a bit of the fun away from it if you have to take a shot from a regular glass!

A Keychain Bottle Opener – I promise all of the suggestions won’t have to deal with drinking. People have developed all sorts of unique, even destructive methods to open bottles. The bottle opener is still the tried and true best way to open a bottle.

A Golf Ball – Maybe a lot of guys don’t golf often, but most of them like it, or at least don’t mind it. It’ll serve as a great point of discussion for your guests and while they probably won’t need to add one ball to their arsenal, it’ll serve as a nice toy for the office.

Desserts – They won’t think any less of you for not having to take anything home. A lot of favors probably end up in the glove box or under the seats in cars. So, they might as well eat something! Let your creative side take flight by designing custom cookies or cupcakes!

And a Brand New Car! – What better way to send your guests home than by means of a new vehicle? They’ll never forget this one! Really though, just keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be extravagant. While there are many great ideas on the more expensive end of things, there are plenty of small practical things you can pick and choose from as well. It might be as simple as a pen or as a generic as a gift card to Amazon, but those are things you know they’ll use. And that’s a heck of a lot better than collecting dust under car seats.

No, we’re not talking about the entrance like the one the Keinz did here (url: http://youtu.be/4-94JhLEiN0).

We’re talking about how you can literally make something at your wedding entrance/exit for your guests. One where they know their presence matters to you, you’re thinking of them, and they can feel like they’re a part of your big day.

It can range from supplying boutonnieres and other decors (so they can personalize it) for all your guests. It helps them feel like they’re a part of your wedding and not just there to watch.  Another idea is physically involving them into your wedding. We read about a wedding in Virginia where the bride and groom provided kazoos and wand ribbons for all their guests, and led everyone down in a parade to their reception (which was walking distance, of course). What an awesome and fun way to incorporate your guests into your wedding.

Consider this. You have an outdoor wedding with the reception running through to the evening where it still gets pretty cool at night. What solution could you provide for your guests (especially female guests who will be looking lovely in sleeveless dressed)? A shawl! Pashminas are an excellent solution and a great wedding favor for your guests. If they get a bit chilly, they can choose one to wrap around for the night and take it home as a favor. And if the colors of the pashminas coordinate with your own wedding colors, it serves as another great way to make them feel like they’re a part of your big day.

Say you’re religious and want to include those customs in your wedding. For a Jewish wedding, if the groom is wearing a kepah, you can make (or purchase) kepahs for all the male guests at the wedding. They can pick one up at the entrance to the ceremony. What better way to make your guests feel a part of the wedding, and even more if they had the same exact color kepah as the groom!

You choose the family and friends you want to share your special day with. Why not let them know in some way you appreciate their presence and provide a little something for them at the entrance/exit of your big day?

[Images courtesy of 100layercake.com]

Today’s society operates in “real time” and if you’re seeking information  in a hurry you usually refer to Google, if you want to know what your friends are up to you check out their Twitter or Facebook profiles.  Embrace the new age of technology and make wedding plans easier for yourself and your guests by creating a website containing all the information about the Big Day.

Our web design specialists are sure to help you create a website for your special day that is user friendly and easy to navigate.  We can work with you on what you would like to have on your website for your guests such as: a countdown to the celebration, nearest airports and hotels, an “about us” section where you can tell guests how you fell in love or about the proposal, a blog you can update to inform guests of all of the exciting wedding plans you’re working on, or a photo section with engagement photos or even add wedding photos for guests who may have not been able to make it.  A website can also allow guests to contact you easily with any questions they may have about bringing their children, food allergies, or if they just want to wish you good luck .  Your website can be as personalized and unique as you want it to be, while incorporating the theme and colors of your wedding!

Horticultural Gardens, MSU, East Lansing

Clare, MI

Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, MI

Images provided by alliesiarto.com

From grand banquet halls to quiet, cozy houses, the sky is the limit when it comes to picking the wedding venue that’s right for you.  When it comes to organizing your  special day, the location you pick may be the single most important factor for setting the tone.  Always remember that the venue you select will help create a theme for the entire wedding.

Whether your planning an exotic, beach wedding or a quiet, country getaway, it’s always important to consider how mobile your guests are.  For many brides, the far off vacation wedding can be a difficult feat to pull off.  But fear not, we at RD have the solutions for finding the perfect venue to celebrate.  

For the right wedding location, you might not have to look any further than your own hometown.  Not only will keeping your wedding local be easier on your guests, it will also help support your local businesses.  You could even step outside of the box of traditional venues and research the quirky locales surrounding you.  Anything from quaint farms, bed and breakfasts, to stately, historical manors can be fair game for your big day with a little creativity.  Chances are, your local area has historic landmarks and interesting creative spaces that are often overlooked when planning a wedding.  

Your theme could be taken to the next level when you use an original, local choice for the venue.  Don’t be afraid to get creative and use all your resources.  That exotic wedding could be right in your own backyard!

Image courtesy of www.minted.com/wedding-inspiration-boards

Your invitation sets the mood for your wedding. It gets people excited about your big
day. Invitations come in all shapes, sizes and colors these days, and with so many
choices it would be hard not come up with something representative of your wedding. If
you’re having trouble finding inspiration, fear not. Here are a few places to get started
for a truly unique wedding invitation:

1. Your wedding basics. This includes date, season, location, venue and colors. This
might be all you need for your dream invitation, but let’s keep going.

2. Your wedding details. You can incorporate flourishes of from any part of your
wedding. The lace pattern in your dress to the flowers in your centerpiece to the
poem you planned on using on the invitation can all serve as the starting point for
your invitation.

3.You and your fiancé can also influence your invitations. Favorite hobbies? Your song?
How you met? Your invitation doesn’t have to be about your wedding. It can be about
you.

4. Your wedding theme. Whether you are planning a 1920s wedding, an ethnic wedding
or a holiday wedding, they all have very specific themes which you can use for your
invitation, and it lets guests know what to expect.

As you can see, inspiration comes from every part of your wedding day. The sky is the
limit, so don’t hold back.

Image courtesy of blueflairphotoblog.com

Our professionals have their collective finger on the pulse of what is new, unique, and innovative in weddings and can help you come up with a customized theme that is truly your own. For the 2012 bridal season, themes are going beyond just a color palate to something that ties together the whole event -- from save the date cards to the dessert table.

Many designers are showing beautiful, intricate, Victorian-inspired gowns, and the colors and themes are following suit: romantic, with neutral colors that exude tranquility like beige and pale blue. Themes are all-encompassing and fun, cork and bottle, nautical or sea-side, or vintage.

A theme is fun to choose and should reflect the personalities of the couple -- and by all means, you are not married to the theme (pun intended). If you love a certain bouquet or favor that doesn’t go perfectly with the theme, no one is going to notice. The theme can be as intense as you want it to be -- but it doesn’t have to be everything.

So look around, try to keep it fun, and remember there are two people involved! Sorry, if your fiancé isn’t the Trekkie you wish s/he was, there will be no Enterprise on your wedding day. But we’re sure you’ll come up with a compromise.

 Image courtesy of bridalclarity.com

Weddings are always becoming less traditional -- and now it’s the cake that’s getting overhauled. The classic tiered cake with layer after fondant-coated layer is being replace more often with dessert tables. Many brides and grooms are opting out of the cake and transitioning to lighter and more individual variations of dessert. Unlike cake, where you can only have one flavor and please only a few of your guests, cupcakes, candies, cheesecake, etc. give guests a variety, making for less waste and more happy faces.

Along with the dessert tables, brides and grooms are encouraging their guests to take some sweets home with them. Our designers at RD I Do can help you create your very own customized goodie bag for guests to carry the mini treats around or take home what they couldn’t enjoy at the reception. Frequently, large cakes come out to be more expensive than expected and have less flexibility. Individual bite size treats can be less expensive and are less of a hassle, and no need to stress out about dropping or ruining the cake. Most importantly these treats are easy access as you’re headed to the dance floor!     

However, if a traditional cake is what you’re after, it is easy to combine the best of both worlds: including a smaller bride and groom cake for the traditional cutting, and then making sure the dessert table has a variety of sweets for guests. RD I Do can even help you find the perfect cake toppers and servers for your theme.

Whatever your theme or cake, remember that the wedding is for the happy couple! Make sure the cakes/desserts are something that you’ll both enjoy!

Image courtesy of parishotel.blogspot.com

Image courtesy of pinterest.com

Either you are planning on an intimate wedding within a small group; or throwing a lively fiesta with all the friends and families around, invitations will never be missed out. From “save-the-date” to “bridal shower”; “rehearsal dinner” to “thank-you card”, you probably try to pull off the best all the way through. But sometimes your hard work might just end up lying in the recycle bin.   

As an environment friendly business practitioner, RD I Do carries deep concern on our mother earth as well as your wedding needs. If marriage is one of the prettiest blossoms bore from your love tree, then why not growing this ever-lasting sweetness together with all those invited guests. Plantable wedding invitations are designed to realize this “mission impossible”.

Photo Courtesy of lassodmoodesigns.com

As the same as other ordinary invitations, you are still able to add your personal touch on the design. But instead of being discarded, this time your endeavor will be flourishing with flowers.

Photo Courtesy of favorgarden.com

It’s the time to go green. Just bring your thoughts and come talk to us. Consultants at RD I Do are ready to help you splash all your ideas on those plantable papers.  

At RD I Do we understand that planning your wedding can be stressful no matter how close or far away the date is.  We’ve compiled a list of tips to help alleviate your stress as the Big Day approaches.

1. Delegate Tasks and Avoid Micromanaging

Hire professionals to take care of the bigger details of the wedding such as flowers, food, and invitations.  Once you’ve hired the professionals, trust that they can adequately do the job you’ve hired them for without you constantly intervening,

2. Just Say “No.”

With the buzz and excitement of your upcoming wedding date, you’ll have several people trying to get together for lunch or dinner dates to discuss your wedding.  Don’t be afraid to tell them that you’re too preoccupied with wedding plans, they’ll understand.

3. Give Yourself Time

Allow yourself a week or more before your wedding day.  You should expect the unexpected and give yourself ample time to complete last minute tasks and errands.

4. Take Care of Yourself

Exercise in any form whether it’s a short walk, dance lessons, or a workout routine can create stress-stabilizing endorphins and can have positive psychological and emotional effects.

5. Make Time for You and Your Fiancé

Discuss the wedding plans with one another and help one another to alleviate each other’s stresses.  You two are planning far beyond the ceremony and reception, it is best to maintain a healthy relationship through the entire wedding planning process.

Photo courtesy of planningelegance.com