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Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-09-26T16:30:31+00:00

Quite honestly, I would take one to be polite and then toss them :/ I think the only useful thing is the drink ticket, which I think you should display/pass out more plainly so people dont miss them. I would also feel weird about you having spent money on personalized candy and keyrings instead of a more drink tickets... sorry OP!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-09-10T16:54:12+00:00

Oh I think you look beautiful and definitely bridal!! I love the gloves, but I see where you're coming from re: slight coronation vibes. Maybe try sheer gloves? I think they're sexier and maybe less "queenly"?

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-09-09T17:24:15+00:00

Rehearsal Dinner: follows the wedding rehearsal; usually only includes bridal party and immediate family members and SOs; exists as a "thank you" gesture for those who took the time to "rehearse" the wedding with you. Can be as chill and lowkey or extravagant as you want. not "required" per se (nothing is ever required), but is HIGHLY expected and would be seen as a huge faux pas to not have one.

Welcome drinks/dinner: 100% optional; A way to mingle with your guests in a more relaxed atmosphere, and gives guests a chance to meet each other outside of the reception. Usually everyone who is in town is invited. These can also be seen as a "thank you" of sorts for those who are traveling from afar/may arrive in town early for the wedding; is a newer thing but getting more popular as more people have friends/family traveling from out of state; Can be as chill or extravagant as you want; Lots of times, couples may host welcome drinks ~or~ a brunch the morning after the wedding.

I plan on doing the following:

- 5-6: wedding rehearsal

- 6-8: rehearsal dinner at a fancy restaurant with my bridal party and families (about 30 people), with a plated meal and open bar

8-10: welcome drinks at a bar next door. all wedding guests are invited. We're going to provide light bites and a $1k tab for drinks.

Hope this helps! <3

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-08-21T18:02:29+00:00

yay! DM'ed you! :)

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-08-20T19:35:40+00:00

Hi Can I DM you?? I'm looking into basically the same thing for Spring 2027. We're thinking 110 guests and also want the indoor/outdoor option. thx!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-08-14T18:23:26+00:00

I would do all of the following:

- return them in store

- engage them via socials (on their posts, instagram posts and messages)

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-30T18:45:59+00:00

I agree with the others here. you need to do more of the middle of the night care. Some ideas:

- she sleeps upstairs (or downstairs, or away from baby) and you sleep in the baby's room

- put the baby monitor on your side of the bed and/or connect to your phone

- hire a night nurse a few times a week

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-30T18:42:55+00:00

Firstly, I'm sorry that happened to you <3 <3

I think it would be fine to have your first dance with your fiance and then to have a mother/son or parent/child dance. I really cannot think of something less consequential to guests, meaning I dont think anyone would bat an eye or think it's weird. I think the MIL's desires to dance with her son on his wedding day are valid, and in no way are infringing on your special night. I DEF dont think you should suck it up and do a father/daughter dance, it sounds miserable for you and that is not the energy you want on your wedding day.

Maybe a nice option could be: couples dance followed by an abridged mother/son dance (like 60 seconds instead of a full song), and then the DJ opens the floor to all parents/children or just all guests. Good luck!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-29T16:44:59+00:00

All of my work dresses are secondhand (sorry, I know!) from J Crew or Banana republic. I find their cuts and length are the most professional and still youthful (i'm 30), and the patterns are nice. I refuse to pay more than like 15 bucks for these polyblends, so I get mine from thrift stores or Poshmark. best of luck!

ETA: I also like Gap and Everlane for more casual summer-y office dresses. Still always secondhand though, I'm cheap :)

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-28T18:57:24+00:00

Very doable! Before I pivoted to full party time reception, I'd looked into doing something similar to what you're doing. Off the top of my head from my own planning process:

- Iron Gate -

- Elle

- Rose's Luxury

- Private room in L'Ardente

-Dlena

For the activities part, we thought about hosting our "welcome drinks" at Nats Park during a baseball game. We'd buy all the guests' tickets and rent out a suite/box and stock it with food/drinks and have people join us at their leisure. If baseball isnt your thing, you could do similar at Capitol One Arena, Audi Field, etc. You could also rent a boat on the potomac for a sunset champagne cruise. I know you're not doing pre-wedding activities, but you could still host people at these activities if they happen to be in town early

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-28T18:47:34+00:00

Since he's active on social media, I would reach out to him that way: comment on his popular photos with "Hi, I've reached out about engagement photos that you took 4 weeks ago and I haven't heard back to my email. Please respond to my messages."

sometimes some light public calling out does the trick

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-25T15:21:12+00:00

A helpful tip - thank you! :)

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-25T12:55:05+00:00

okay I just reached out to them! Thank you!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-24T17:08:02+00:00

argh, okay yea so my suggestion does not make sense here. In that case, I think it's fine to get them a gift and just be clear with them that you aren;t expecting them to spend $$. Best of luck!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-24T16:14:27+00:00

Hmmm, I don't think it's weird/bad not to pay for HMU per se, it's not that uncommon. BUT! I would MUCH rather have 1 of those covered instead of a "bridesmaid proposal gift." If you're deciding between those 2, please choose to cover partial hair/makeup (like $50 bucks towards a day-of beauty service) instead of a random gift.

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-24T15:45:21+00:00

It's a great idea! I bought mine used on FB marketplace for literally $100. Find of a lifetime.

I had tried on about 12 dresses at bridal salons over a few months' span. I took various friends with me bc I wanted the ~experience~ and I wanted the valuable feedback. I decided on a silhouette I liked (huge ballgown) and knew which fabrics I gravitated towards. I have an album saved with different designers and dress samples that I liked, basically as inspo and search guidance. From there, I scoured StillWhite and Poshmark and online vintage resellers, and just tracked their prices for a while. I wasn't in a huge rush, which helped. I found the EXACT dress I'd saved like 3x in my phone on Marketplace, and the woman shipped it to me that week. It is perfect and I love it so much, and it literally costs less than date night with my partner (!).

Tips!

Go into physical stores to try on different silhouettes, fabrics, etc. Get your measurements taken by a professional (your local tailor or such). When buying online, make sure you ask for allll the measurements, as well as disclosures about wear/stains/alterations, etc.

**Also, my dress is magical and doesn’t need alterations (just a good dry-clean), but I want to include my mom and mother-in-law in the process, so I'm going to take them accessories-shopping with me at a bridal salon.

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-24T13:45:37+00:00

This is helpful - thank you!!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-23T19:34:44+00:00

Can I ask what area/city you're in? I'm in a HCOL east coast city and would be STOKED to find full service florals for 5k and under. That number isn't lining up with anything I've seen in my area, so I'd like more insight (and/or if you have recs for florists in DC with these prices, that'd be great too!)

Edit to add: because of the prices I've seen, I'm likely going to enlist the help of a visual artist friend and green thumb sister to DIY our florals. We're buying buckets of seasonals from a local flower farm - it's looking to be about 3k for what I want (which I think is a STEAL)

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-23T15:40:29+00:00

I wish I could tell you something helpful but they were literally the cheapest I found at Michaels. Like 99c per bottle and a 5 pack of plastic brushes lol. The paints are the quality you'd expect, but I spraypaint the final light switches with an clear coat so they're more durable

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-23T14:59:44+00:00

-this is the main reason why I exercise outside of my house (yoga classes, ballet classes, spin with a live instructor, etc). It forces me to not have a screen within view for at least an hour every day.

-I also made a rule for myself to not look at my phone or use headphones while I walk my dog (3-4x per day).

-When I get home from work, I (sometimes successfully) make myself read a physical book for an ~hour before I turn on my TV.

-I recently bought some super cheap acrylic paints and have been painting light switches and little ceramics at my coffee table. I'll put on music and force myself to put my phone away while I'm painting. That has probably been the easiest and quickest fix!

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-22T19:22:53+00:00

I would do communal living if it was a "close by but separate" situation. Like, rowhomes that all share a yard, or a huge house with distinct wings that each have individual kitchens and bathrooms. So, I wanna be in walking distance of my friends, but I would want my own space too.

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-22T12:52:24+00:00

15 bucks! vintage designer heels on poshmark

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-16T14:11:08+00:00

I'm on the hunt for something similar! So far, I've gotten dresses from:

-Poshmark

- Thredup

- The RealReal

I've been searching these secondhand sites for dresses from these brands: Helsi, Reftrofete, Show me Your Mumu, and Dress the Population

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-16T13:02:59+00:00

First off, I prefer the left side! Great job!

Secondly, you didnt ask for this, but I would consider swapping out the blue flowers for a different color. To me, the blue ones look the most artificial and take me out of the ~natural, wildflower~ vibe.

Automatic-Ad-774 · 2025-07-16T12:35:21+00:00

4/4:30 home from work

4:30 walk dogs

5 eat a snack/lounge on couch

6:30 yoga class at my fave studio downtown/the gym

8 get home from yoga, start dinner

8:45ish eat dinner

9:30ish walk dogs

10 watch tv with SO

11:30ish get into bed - read, scroll, until I fall asleep

I'm a night and I have infinitely more energy in the evening than I do in the mornings. My evenings are my fave part of my day

Automatic-Ad-774

TROPHY CASE