you’re never too busy..

To write your own “thank you’s”. Seriously though, let’s chat. Wedding etiquette allows you to give yourself one year to write your “thank you” cards for your wedding. Let’s be real, unless you’ve made some huge move or broke both of your hands, there’s no excuse that it should take you a full year to write your invites. So when you get around to writing your invites, make sure it’s YOU that is writing them.

Don’t have your mom, dad, sister or friend write your “thank you’s”. It wasn’t THEIR wedding that your guests went to. It wasn’t HE/SHE that received a generous, thoughtful gift. IT WAS YOU! When you seek help from your family other than you’re husband/wife it straight up says “I’m too busy to thank you”. And if you think nobody will notice, they will. People notice handwriting.

So, what if you are too busy to write a whole bunch of personalized “thank you’s”? Have cards made with a wedding photo of you and your honey. Have a message pre-printed onto the invitation stating “thank you for sharing our special day”. Personalize it by writing your guests’ names above and then signing you and your honey’s names below. Simple yet thoughtful.

Being invited to a wedding is an honor. But remember, your guests took the time to spend an evening celebrating your marriage. Take 5 minutes out of your day to thank them. YOU OWE IT TO THEM!

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s day is almost here! Nine years ago tomorrow, a boy I had a crush on approached me in study hall with a hot pink flower made of tissue paper and asked if I would “go out” with him. Exactly six  years later (yup, 12:52pm.)  he got down on one knee and asked me to spend my life with him. Twenty months later, on October 9, 2010, I married my high school sweetheart.

We have gone to junior prom and senior ball, graduated high school, started college, SURVIVED college, graduated college, planned a wedding, Started careers, moved into our first apartment together, had a fairy tale wedding, traveled, started graduate school and most recently, bought a home. The life we’ve begun to make with each other is more than I’ve ever imagined. It’s far from perfect, but the best either one of us could ever ask for. I cannot wait to see what is ahead for us during the years to come. Cheers to Valentine’s day and all of you who, like my amazing husband and me, will begin your “new life” on this wonderful day!

Xoxo

New Year.. for a wedding?

Hello Lovelees!

Happy New Year! I hope the holidays were fabulous for you and your families. Congrats to all those who are newly engaged!I wish you the best of luck in your planning. I encourage you to look at past posts and continue to check in for tips, advice and referrals!

The holidays were absolutely insane, of course, so I apologize for the delay in blog posts.  As I come up with some new ideas for the new year (I promise, they’ll be fabulous!), I wanted to ask readers’ opinions on holiday weddings!

What are your thoughts on a New Years Eve wedding? As a bride/groom and/or a guest?
What about a Valentine’s Day wedding? 4th of July? Let me know your thoughts!

Hope to hear from all of you soon. As always, thoughts, ideas and opinions are appreciated and encouraged. Cheers to a great year! xoxo

Topics, ideas?

Hello my Lovelee readers!

I hope everyone has been doing well. I have  been so caught up in all things Social Work that I have been at a loss for blog topics. I have touched on all sorts of random topics. What would you like to see some more of?

Honeymoons? Syracuse/Upstate New York area vendor reviews? More dresses and shoes? You name it, I’ll try my best to write a good post about it!

Looking forward to your feedback.

Xoxo,

Mandy
A Lovelee Wedding

Happy Anniversary <3

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary! Since he is absolutely amazing and supports me in ALL that I do (including reading my wedding blog!), I want to say once again, Happy Anniversary to the love of my life! I love you SO much!

Happy anniversary to all of my fellow 10/9/10 brides and grooms and the 10/10/10′s as well! I hope you all had/have an amazing day and wish you the best in the years to come!

*Photo Credit: Inspired Images by Melissa

 

“I’ll take this slow, sweet walk with you..”

I’ve fallen in love with “Walk with You” by Edwin McCain for a father/daughter dance song! Check out these amazing lyrics..

I’ll take this slow sweet walk with you
You’ll let go of my hand to say: I do
He will discover just how blessed a life can be
I know cuz all those years ago
Someone handed you to me

Every step that we take
Brings back the memories
Winter snows and horse shows
Dancing on the beach
I can’t help thinking that I’m the lucky one
You’re still my baby daughter
And now I’ve gained a son

I’ll take this slow sweet walk with you
You’ll let go of my hand to say : I do
He will discover just how blessed a life can be
I know ’cause all those years ago
Your mom handed you to me

Don’t miss a chance to put each other first
Now that you’ve vowed for better or for worse
Don’t let the beauty of this life pass you by
In the times of trouble you’ll stand side by side

I’ll take this slow sweet walk with you
You’ll let go of my hand to say : I do

I picture a slow sweet walk yet to be
When you’ll take my hand and say : Daddy come see
Then you’ll know what it felt like
You won’t believe what it feels like
Then you’ll know what it felt like
When she handed you to me

Such beautiful! lyrics Are you dancing with your dad/mom/step-parent/grandparent/uncle/brother/friend on your big day? My dad and I danced to Tim McGraw’s “My Little Girl” What song are you dancing to?

 

In loving memory..

I spent the past week volunteering at Camp Healing Hearts; a camp for grieving children ages 6-14 in upstate New York. During the four days of camp, the kids shared their feelings on the life and loss of their loved ones. As a volunteer, I was given the opportunity to share my experience with grief with the children. I talked to them about the death of my older brother, J., ten years ago, when I was fourteen years old.

One day during the morning “healing circle”, one of the girls in my group expressed that she was “nervous” about the upcoming holidays. She said that she was afraid to spend holidays, along with other special days, without her loved one. I immediately thought of all of the “firsts” my family and I celebrated without J. What I learned throughout the years, is that with every event, comes another “first”.

Planning a wedding when you know somebody is missing is difficult. You can’t help but think of the role that person would play in your wedding day. There are many different things you can do to include your deceased loved ones in your special day.

One of my brother’s (and my own) best friends got married. Located next to the place card table was a “memorial table”. They had several framed pictures of their loved ones who had passed away.

At a wedding I attended a few years ago, the Priest included the names of deceased loved ones in a prayer. A white rose was also used to symbolize those loved ones.

For our October 2010 wedding, we chose to include a poem in our programs dedicated to those who have passed away. The poem is entitled “Someone is Missing”. We had a bud vase engraved with my brother’s name and a white rose placed in it at the front of the church along with the head table. Our pictures were taken at Hope for Bereaved’s Butterfly Garden of Hope near my brother’s memory brick.

There are so many different ideas to remember your loved one. What are some other things you can do to remind your guests that someone you love is “missing”?