I love these wedding cake forks and vintage silverware table markers from Beach House Living’s shop on Etsy.com. This vendor has many great items for weddings and everything is customizable for your event. For those of us who love handmade things, Etsy is a constant source of inspiration!

You might promise to be true to one another, loyal, hold each other’s confidences, support one another’s dreams and goals, and love each other’s family as your own. If families are blending, the promise might be made to love one another’s children as your own, and to create a happy, loving, and unconditionally supporting family.

Here are some tips that might be helpful in writing your vows:

1. Keep them short and sweet. Your heart is probably overflowing but giving a drawn-out speech can ruin the effect.

2. Give it the Tear Test. If tears form in your eyes when you practice reading your vows aloud, you are onto something great.

3. Be true to your heart. Avoid cliché and speak what you feel.

4. Don’t wing it. Some people do speak well off the cuff, but many of us freeze in the spotlight and lose our composure. Prepare well and ahead of time.

5. Put your vows in writing. Write them out on cards, and either hold them yourselves as you read, or have the officiant read them for you to repeat.

6. Practice, Practice, Practice! Even if you memorize your lines, give your officiant a copy, just in case you forget..

7. Don’t be afraid to be funny. If humor is important to the two of you, let your quick wit shine.

8. Think of it as just the two of you. Most of us are nervous about public speaking. When it is time for you to speak your vows, take a deep breath and relax as much as possible. Look into your beloved’s eyes, and share this moment as if you’re the only two people in the room.

Whatever you decide to say in your vows, make sure that you express the deepest emotion of your heart. Your wedding ceremony will be uniquely yours and something both of you will remember and cherish for the rest of your married life!

1. Is the site reasonably accessible for all guests?

2. Where will your guests park? For a home wedding, you may need the approval of a homeowners association or at the very least, the consent of any neighbors who might be impacted.

3. Is there a plan B in case of rain? Will you need to reserve a space to use as back up? Will you need a tent? How about umbrellas? (Even here in the desert it rains occasionally.)

4. If the site is public property, such as a park, can it be used for a private function-and can it be reserved? What permits will you need?

5. What about a sound system? Sound normally doesn’t carry as well outdoors as indoors. Will you need amplification?

6. Is transportation adequate? The bride is responsible for arranging transportation for the bridal party to and from the wedding. The parents of the groom should be included, especially if they are from out of town. Will guests need maps and estimates of driving times from their accommodations?

7. What about other technical considerations, such as rest rooms, water, lighting, and electricity?

8. Is your officiant willing to agree to the location? Will you need to bring in any props?

Every site has its potential problems but with some forethought and good planning, you can have a beautiful wedding at a location that is perfect for the two of you!

My best advice as a wedding planner is make your day a true family affair, honor your backgrounds and beliefs. Your wedding will be a rich, deep, and stylish reflection of who you are and what matters most to you.

We sat down and brainstormed; discussing several ways to create the look she wanted. I suggested a rounded mass of the black roses, which I hand-colored, with the tulips coming over and draping slightly to form a small cascade, all assembled in a bouquet holder which I also painted black to match. She was so grateful to find someone who was enthusiastic about bringing her vision to life and I was excited about the challenge of creating something new and unusual.

The end result was really beautiful and Anne was thrilled! Her groom, Randy, was so pleased, he brought his best man in to see the bouquet as soon as I delivered it! Everything, from Anne’s wedding dress, hand made by her mother, to the wedding flowers, reflected her individual personality and the vision that she and Randy created together. Getting to know each bride and her particular style; then bringing it to life with beautiful fresh flowers is so much fun and why I love my job!

Each member must agree to maintain these ethical standards:

1. Represent each client fairly and honestly, providing all agreed-to services in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
2. Establish reasonable, proper fees for services and provide written estimates to clients.
3. Use honest, factual advertising.
4. Deal with employees and clients fairly, in an unbiased manner.
5. Operate a business that is a credit to the Association and the community.

These standards establish how we deal with our clients. There are also standards for how we deal with the Association. As a member, we each agree to:

1.Supply information essential to help the Association provide factual reports on the wedding industry.
2.Cooperate with Association activities and efforts to promote and improve the professionalism of the bridal industry.
3. Respond rapidly and honestly to all complaints forwarded by the Association.
4. Supply, on request, the evidence on which any advertising is based.
5.Uphold the code of ethics and cooperate with the Association in all matters relating to it.
6.Use the Association’s name and logo as authorized.
7.Pay all Association bills in a timely manner.

To become an ABC Bridal Consultant, you must provide proof of your education and experience. Members of ABC must provide proof of ongoing education each year in order to renew their membership. Here in Arizona, we have monthly meetings with informative speakers on topics of concern to our members, keeping us up-to-date on trends and issues relating to our work as wedding professionals. Your ABC planner will be experienced and knowledgeable, a person who respects honesty and integrity. In a world where ethics are unimportant to many people, you can be confident in your choice of an ABC Professional Bridal Consultant.

2. Messing up the marriage license
There are so many rules surrounding marriage licenses that it is easy to botch this one up. Be sure to check on your state requirements. In Arizona, there is no waiting period, you can get your license and get married on the same day. You will need a driver’s license and Social Security number for each applicant. The cost is $72; and yes, both bride and groom need to be present.

3. Ordering your wedding gown too late
If you have your heart set on a couture gown, be sure to order at least 6 months in advance since your dress will be custom-made and often times made overseas. Allow enough time for the shipping and fittings. Even off-the-rack dresses most often require alterations, make sure you have enough time to get your dress properly fitted.

4. Booking hotel rooms too late
Don’t leave blocking out hotel rooms for out-of-town guests until the last minute. If you’re marrying during a busy time and you don’t investigate hotel availability in advance, you can end up with not a single room for your guests to stay in. Begin your research up to a year in advance; make sure your block is booked at the eight-month mark. Include hotel information in your save-the-date cards and invitations, and be sure to post it on your wedding website. This doesn’t mean you will have to pay for the rooms, you are just setting them aside—your guests can put down their credit cards when they call to book their rooms.

5. Inviting too many guests
Make sure your guest list and your reception site capacity numbers match up. Most reception sites cannot just add more tables—fire laws limit the maximum number of people allowed in any room at one time. Analyze your guest list from the very beginning, assuming that 80% will respond yes, and limit your guest list accordingly.

6. Doing last-minute beauty treatments and crash diets
Many brides think that scheduling a facial the day before the wedding will leave their skin looking fantastic on their big day. Last-minute beauty treatments can lead to breakouts, mistakes or, even worse, serious infections. The same applies to crash dieting in the weeks leading up to the wedding—after all those gown fittings; your dress may not fit! Stick to a long-term beauty regimen with lots of rest, a good diet and safe over-the-counter beauty products like sunless tanners. Have any heavy-duty treatments no later than two weeks before your big day.

7. Underpaying invitation postage
You’d be surprised how many brides just stick a regular stamp on their invites and drop the whole batch into a mailbox. Actually, all but a few wedding invitations require additional postage. The post office could return your invites rubber stamped with the ugly “insufficient postage” sign and it will take several weeks (and more dollars) to get them back in the mail. Get one invitation weighed at the post office before you purchase your stamps.

8. Ignoring religious restrictions
Inappropriate attire for the church or temple, or skipping the pre-canae, may keep your officiant from marrying you when the big day comes. Take your religious restrictions seriously. To avoid any day-of disasters, meet with your officiant within one month of getting engaged. You will need to settle on a date with your clergyman before you start to book vendors and put down deposits. Ask about religious rules such as: Do you need to complete a pre-wedding religious course? Can you write your own vows? Do you need to cover your shoulders? Is secular music permitted?

9. Trying to go it alone
If you are a bride who is fortunate to have been offered help by family and friends, take it! Too many brides try to do it all, adding a lot of stress. Delegate and use all the resources that are available to you. Remember that these volunteers are not hired help—be sure that your accept their contributions graciously.

10. Forgetting to focus on what’s important
Keep in mind that you are getting married and starting a life together, not just planning a wedding. Brides, be good to your grooms. And grooms, be good to your brides! Some tension between the two of you and among members of your families is inevitable due to the sticky topics that weddings stir up, but don’t let things get out of control. Remember why you have decided to get married in the first place!

As a wedding planner, I know that having expert help will help you avoid all ten of these mistakes and allow you to enjoy your engagement period and wedding day to the full!

Happily, I was assigned my first choice, Seated Court Lady in the Asia Gallery. She was created in the 8th century, for placement in a tomb. Her beauty and the serenity of her expression struck me. I wanted to give my impression of her gold and green striped gown, interpreting the cobalt blue shoes she is wearing and the little blue flowers that are scattered on her dress. She is small, only 15 inches tall so I kept my floral piece to about the same height. I had a great time creating it and I really enjoyed the positive response I received from museum visitors. I’m already thinking ahead to next year!

For any lover of art and floral design, this is a must-see event. Be sure and check the museum schedule next March 1, so you can attend. I’ll see you there!

In researching color trends, I came across this wonderful website; www.dessy.com/PANTONE. Pantone, the Worlds Color Authority, has partnered with The Dessy Group to provide brides with a collection of color tools that make it easy to achieve a perfectly color-coordinated wedding. After setting up an account, you can explore wedding color combinations and create an Inspiration Board with the colors and styles of your choice. You can upload your own inspiration photos and then save and share your board with vendors and wedding party members via email or your wedding website or blog. You can order Pantone Wedding Swatch Cards so that you can accurately communicate your color choice to your vendors who have color related tasks (think invitations, cake décor, flowers, etc.) For $10.00 you get an 8.5” by 11” swatch card that is divided into 14 chips for sharing. I think this is a tremendous asset to any bride.

If you are trendy, you might want to consider turquoise, forecasted to be a top color trend for 2010! Living here in the beautiful southwest, I can just imagine all the possibilities of using turquoise, perhaps with coppery accents, for a beautiful wedding palette. Our local linen rental companies have many gorgeous turquoise table linens as a starting point for reception décor.

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

Bella Vita Weddings and Events is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that Bella Vita Weddings and Events is among the very best Wedding and Event Planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at www.weddingwire.com/bellavitaweddingsandevents.