Thank you to the many brides who visited my booth ( # 116 ) at the Calgary Bridal Fair on Sunday
22 January, 2012. Congratulations to each and every one of you on your upcoming nuptials.
It was an immense pleasure meeting and talking with you all. For those who have already booked
appointments, and to those who will do so shortly, it will be a pleasure to help you in making your
day a happy and stress free one.
Thanks again,
Judy ( at I Do Decorations
Thank you to all the visitors at the January 23 Bridal Fair at the Round up Center. It was another very positive and exciting day for us.
We hope you had a great experience and the show helped get you all ready and even more excited about your upcoming weddings.
It was great to meet so many of you and we really hope to be able to help you create a stress free and beautiful wedding experience.
Wishing you happy planning!
Judy
I Do Decorations
We want to congratulate all those couples who celebrated their weddings in 2010. We were very honored to help make many of them a stress free and beautiful event!
It’s time again for the Annual Wedding Fair at the BMO Center, Stampede Park, on Sunday 23 January, 2011, and we are very excited to bring some new and exciting, as well as classic decorating ideas, for all to see.
We would be very happy to help create the wedding decor of your dreams. and I am looking forward to seeing all of you there. Happy and stress free wedding planning to all!
-Judy
Congratulations on your engagement! We know how excited you must be – we also know about the to-do list that’s rapidly growing in your head (don’t worry, we’re here to help). Before you get ahead of yourself though, you need to spread the good news of your upcoming nuptials. To avoid confusion and hurt feelings, consider which family members and close friends should hear the news first. Here’s the 411 on the proper etiquette of announcing your engagement according to Emily Post’s book of Wedding Etiquette.
1. The Little Ones
If you have children, they should be the first to hear your exciting news. Incorporating new individuals into a family is tricky and children, even grown-up ones, can have very surprising reactions. So, despite age or how far away they may live, children should always be the first ones to be told.
2. Mom and Dad
Parents are next on the list. You can either inform your parents individually or together as a couple but try to announce your engagement in person – a telephone call just isn’t as personal.
3. Friends and Family
Relatives and close friends should be contacted next. This, of course, includes siblings, as well as grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and your closest friends.
Tip: To prevent any wedding party regrets, try to keep from choosing your bridal party for at least a week to think over all of the possibilities.
4. The Office
Colleagues and co-workers should be the next to know. It’s considered courteous to inform your boss or supervisor first. Remember, good news travels quickly, so tell a few close co-workers and let them spread the word.
5. The Rest of World
After you’ve revealed your good news to those close to you, you might want to consider a newspaper announcement of your engagement. A newspaper announcement is a nice way to keep the rest of your community in the loop and it also makes for a nice keepsake. You can also set up a wedding website here at weddingbells.ca and send an electronic announcement to everybody on your email list.
Hi There,
I hope you are one of the many who took in the Bridal Show, just concluded here in Calgary.
If you were one of the many who stopped by my booth, I thank you and if you saw something that caught your eye, feel free to call me any time for a free consultation.
I hope that I can make your wedding day a special, stress-free one.
Have a Great Day
As we begin, what we hope will be a new and exciting 2010, I look forward to the up coming Bridal Fair at Calgary’s Round Up Centre on January 24th.
This promises to be one of the largest and best ever shows and I am delighted to say that I will be participating. I hope you will come by and visit the I Do Decorations booth (#16), take the time to look at displays and ask as many questions as you wish.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Judy
We get it: Weddings are expensive. But you can cut costs without anyone missing, well, what’s missing. I Do Decorations will work with any budget and any ideas you have for your special day! Please contact us for more information.
Reception
1. Cut the guest list. This will slash your catering costs and save on invitations and even the number of centerpieces.
2. Think off-peak season and save thousands!
3. Hold your ceremony and reception in one spot — it will cut travel time for vendors you pay by the hour.
4. Skip the Saturday wedding.
5. Have bigger tables so you need fewer centerpieces and tablecloths.
6. Shop the off-season for extra decor — get modern black vases on sale after Halloween and pretty pink ones after Valentine’s Day.
Flowers
7. Use more greenery than flowers.
8. Swap out costly flowers — did you know peonies can be five times more expensive than roses?
9. Stick to just one or two kinds of flowers.
10. Buy flowers that are in season.
11. Include non-florals, like lanterns.
Food & Drink
12. Serve entree duets.
13. Skip the main course — apps and drinks are fine too.
14. Offer beer, wine, and a signature cocktail instead of a full bar.
15. Serve comfort foods like barbecue chicken, mac and cheese, and corn. It’s fun and often cheaper.
16. Skip the champagne toast.
Cakes
17. Order a small one or two-tiered cake and then supplement cake with a larger sheet cake (hidden back in the kitchen).
18. Keep the add-ons simple.
19. Use fresh flowers, not sugar ones.
20. Reuse ceremony flowers for the cake table.
21. Skip exotic fillings like guava and mango.
Stationery & Favors
22. Get single-page invites to save on postage.
23. Give out one favor per couple.
24. Make your cake the favors.
25. Have favors double as escort cards.
26. Email your save-the-dates.
27. Make your own.
Photo, Video & Music
28. Have a photographer you love but can’t afford the prices? Ask them if they have an associate shooter who will do your wedding for less.
29. Opt for a smaller band.
30. Hire a band or DJ who can do both the ceremony and the reception.
Bridal Shows are a great way to gather tons of information for your big day, connect with vendors, and get creative ideas. But the day can quickly become exhausting and downright stressful if you don’t come prepared. Below are 7 great tips for making sure you don’t fizzle out.
7 Tips For Surviving the Bridal Expo Jungle
Bridal shows can be completely OVERWHELMING for a bride. There are so many other brides, so many booths, everyone is trying to get from point to point and it can really get crazy. In this special edition of my ezine I’m going to give you some savvy tips and tricks for hitting the bridal expo with style and sass!!
Tip #1: Wear comfy shoes! – You’re going to be walking a mile on a hard tradeshow floor. Yes, it’s lovely to look fashionable but the brides in stilettos never last long at the bridal expo. If you really want to see everything and be comfortable think about your feet first! (But be a little elegant and leave the stinky gym sneakers at home… opt for some cute supportive flats)
Tip #2: 1000 Brides Gather In 1 Place – You think it might be a bit of a mob scene? Well then you’re absolutely right! If you really want to get some valuable one on one time with the exhibitors I recommend planning the timing of your visit to the Expo. When the fashion show is taking place the booths slow down significantly. This is a great time to chat with an exhibitor or try on dresses at the gown sale. I also recommend first thing in the morning (especially if you want your pick of all those frugally priced gowns).
Tip #3: Your Hand Will Cramp – Many exhibitors will be offering prizes at their booths and you’ll be asked to fill out a ballot form. Youwaste valuable time writing out your contact info again and AGAIN. So print off a couple sheets of labels that include your name, your groom’s name, your wedding date, your address, phone number and email. Then it will be easy to just peel and stick your info to the ballots. Then you can spend quality time checking out all the cool stuff on display!
Tip #4: Watch Out For Bridezilla! – I often see the dreaded bridezilla at the Bridal Expo. You know her… she’s the girl that pushes your Mom aside so she can get a better look at the booth, she criticizes your wedding colors when she overhears you gushing about them, she muscles her way to the prize box while telling the exhibitor she doesn’t want any information (just the prize!) and she complains loudly about how expensive everything is…. Oh yes… Bridezilla always makes an appearance at the Bridal Expo. But don’t let this kind of bride ruin your good time! She has a bunch of BAD karma surrounding her so just IGNORE HER and have some fun!
Tip #5: Be Patient & Be Nice – Be the opposite of bridezilla. The exhibitors at the show have brought some really great deals with them… some that you won’t even know about unless you talk to them! It’s true! This kind of mentality will get you far with other exhibitors as well. I find myself giving extra nice brides FREE advice! I know other exhibitors do too!! (because we all want to work with nice brides)
Tip #6: Hydrate! – The Round Up Centre with over 1000 people in it at any given time can heat up pretty quick. And you can bet the water ain’t cheap! So bring along some water for your journey. You don’t want to get a headache!!
Tip #7: One Step at a Time – Okay, the truth is that there are going to be A LOT of booths, people, and noise at the Bridal Expo. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. YES, there are a lot of choices but you don’t have to choose EVERYTHING or choose ANYTHING right there and then. Here are a couple of TIPS within my TIPS to dealing with all the choices:
