Bridal Boutique
Source: Martha Stewart Weddings
The post-wedding, or morning-after, brunch is a nice way to end the wedding festivities. It’s especially popular at weekend-long and destination weddings since guests are already staying over. The brunch gives everyone time to chat in an informal setting, and this event can be held anywhere from a family member’s backyard to the café at the hotel where everyone’s staying. [Read more…] about Who’s Responsible for Hosting the Post-Wedding Brunch?
Source: Brides
When your wedding is all said and done, you’ll hopefully be left with a handful of good memories, a couple hundred photos, and a pile of gifts. As you’re ripping off the wrapping paper and uncovering the items that your guests have given you, you might notice that some of those gifts will never be used, cared for, or looked at again.
So what should you do with the gifts that you’re most likely going to bury underneath a pile of things you never use in your garage or shoved in the back of a closet? You should try to return them to get money or get something else from the store that you’ll actually use instead.
Here’s how you can return your unwanted wedding gifts. The best part is, the people who gave you the gift never have to know.
Sort Through Gifts ASAP
When the wedding ends, you’re going to feel tempted to want to sit back and relax, taking time off to recover from all things wedding. But before you kick your feet up and catch up on your favorite TV shows, the very first thing you should do is rip open the wrapping paper on your wedding gifts. Start sorting the items you received into two piles: a keep pile and a return pile.
If you received a lot of registry gifts at your bridal shower, be sure to separate them into piles right after as well.
After you’ve made your piles, start taking action. Examine the gifts in your return pile. Do you have a gift receipt for them? Do you know where they were purchased? To meet most store’s return policies, you want to bring items back within the month they were gifted to you. That way, you have a better chance at getting money back or a store credit.
Look Up the Store’s Return Policy
If you have a receipt for the gift, look up to see how long you have until you can no longer return it. Some stores give money back within 30 days and then after that, give store credit.
If you find that you don’t have a receipt for the gift, but you know exactly where it was purchased, it’s worth taking the item to the store, asking to speak with a manager, and explaining that it was given to you as a wedding gift. Stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s, Target, and TJ Maxx, have a reputation for being great with returns or working with customers who don’t have a receipt. Usually, they can scan the barcode on the item, see when it was purchased, and give you the amount that the item is valued at now (if it was purchased months or even years ago).
Ask the Gift Giver for More Information
Sometimes, after your wedding ends, you find that you are left with a pile of gifts that you have no idea where they were bought. If they end up in your return pile, strike up a conversation with the gift giver to inquire about more information. Casually ask them where they bought it from so that you can investigate the return policy.
Swap It, Sell It, Store It to Regift
If you’re finding yourself eyeballing a dead end when trying to return a specific item that you just don’t want, you might want to resort to getting your money back or your money’s worth in other ways. If you’ve been given a gift card you know you’ll never use, you can swap it for another one using a website like Cardpool. You can also sell your gifts on Facebook Marketplace or using the website Tradsey. Or, if you’ve received a gift that you know you can’t use, but someone else would adore, you can store it away to regift for someone’s next birthday, holiday, or wedding gift.
Source: Martha Stewart Weddings
By the time your wedding day arrives, you’ll likely have the timeline for the ceremony and reception broken down into 15-minute increments. But what about the hours before the ceremony starts? There are several important tasks you’ll need to budget time for on the wedding morning, and having a clear timeline that spells out what you should be doing (and when!) can make everything so much easier. Here, six essential big-day to-dos that you should carve out time for on the morning of your wedding.
Getting Ready
Showering, having your hair and makeup done, and getting dressed take a surprisingly long time on your wedding day. You can typically factor in about one and a half to two hours for hair and makeup, but it’s always smart to ask your artists for their own timing estimates after you’ve finalized the look during your trials. Getting dressed usually takes another 30 minutes, as your photographer will probably ask you to stop and pose for photos throughout the process. Add another 15 minutes at the end for last-minute hair and makeup fixes and gathering your accessories.
Eating Breakfast and Lunch
While you don’t necessarily need to set aside blocks of time for each meal, it’s crucial that you eat both breakfast and lunch on your wedding day. Between the adrenaline rush you’ll feel throughout the day and all of the physical activity of standing, dancing, and greeting friends and family, you want to be sure you’re well-nourished and hydrated.
Enjoying a Little “Me” Time
If you’re able to set aside an hour or two for yourself on the morning on your wedding, your brain and your body will thank you for it. You don’t have to be entirely alone if you don’t want to be, though. Take a long walk with your maid of honor, attend a yoga class, or get a massage with your mom. Whatever your chosen relaxation technique, be sure it’s something you truly enjoy so you can start your day off stress-free.
Changing Hotel Rooms
Most couples choose to have either the bride or the groom get ready in the room they’ll stay in on the wedding night. If you’re not setting things up this way, or if you have to change rooms or check into a different hotel on the same day, be sure to set aside time for the transition as it could take as long as half an hour.
Read the rest here.
Source: Martha Stewart Weddings
We’re often asked which is the best day of the week to host bridal showers, bachelorette parties, engagement parties, and other pre-wedding events. While we usually opt for a day that falls on a weekend, there are a few other factors to consider, too. Here some tips to help you decide which day to choose for each of your important pre-nuptial celebrations.
Take location and calendar into consideration.
If you’re planning a pre-nuptial celebration that requires guests to travel any more than 30 minutes from home, a weekend event date is usually going to be your best bet. With the crazy work hours guests have during the week, it’s likely they’ll be more flexible and more likely to be available on the weekends. Be sure to check the local events calendar wherever you’re planning your pre-wedding event. If there’s a major sports event, festival, or parade going on near the party location, traffic could be a real headache. Plan to avoid these dates when possible.
Be wary of holiday weekends.
It’s tempting to book a bachelorette party or bridal shower over a holiday weekend, especially because you know you and your guests will have an extra day or two free, but this may not always be such a great idea. Event prices, hotel rates, airfare, and more increase during long weekends. As well, many people save their holiday weekends to do something special with their families and they may not want to travel during this time.
Weekends for the win.
Weekdays are tough enough for most of us, balancing work life and home life. While Fridays tend to be more flexible, it’s likely that guests will have to leave work early to make it to an event on time, which isn’t really ideal for most people. Weekends are easier to plan ahead for and less likely to impede your guests’ work calendars.
Saturday vs. Sunday?
Which is better? It’s a matter of personal preference, really. If you know you have a few guests traveling in from out of town to attend your event, Saturday is going to be more convenient. If you’re planning a low-key brunch or late lunch, Sunday may give you more flexibility to prepare for the event and feel more relaxed the day of.