His name is David Olson. I love how this Twin Cities citizen feels about his music and connecting with people - “I want people to be inspired to love genuinely and live courageously when they listen to my music!” How fabulous is that?

I asked him about his music and if he had any pieces that are particularly wonderful for weddings. He mentioned three: I’m Forever Changed, Because, and You Made All the Difference. I vote for “Because” as my favorite. You can hear samples of his music on his website, or purchase it here.

Now, if you want him to play at your wedding, you’ll just have to contact him yourself. (He’s super nice, so have no worries!) Check out his blog and website for more information.

Thanks for letting us chat with you, David!

On a side note, David is also a Realtor in the MN area - so if you’re looking to buy somewhere around there, check him out.

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Below are some fabulous flowers from the always wonderful Martha Stewart Weddings. (I must stay - it would be sheer heaven to spend a day with the MSW staff…). What’s even better is that each of these specific flowers are ones that you can make yourself - in any color, in a variety of fabrics - to be placed just about anywhere on wedding day.

Love this dahlia! It looks great on a hair clip or headband, but I also think it would make a wonderful addition to a simple clutch, handbag, or tote. Find the how to here.

This collection of roses and peonies really adds something to this simple dress. Apply the same concept to your own. If you’re looking to save a few pennies, especially in the garment area, consider purchasing a super simple gown (or a white, cream, or ivory dress that isn’t technically a “wedding dress” at all) and add your own fabric flowers. Find the how to here.

This oversized peony screams “mod” to me. I don’t think I could pull off this large of a bloom on top of my head, but girl, if it works for you, go for it! I can’t decide if I’d like it better with a long gown or a tea length dress (or something shorter). Any thoughts?

Using the same patterns from above, you can create little gifts for your bridesmaids (flower girls, moms, or even favors for bridal shower guests) in the form of hair clips. Or, attach them to a headband or pin to be worn in a bit different way.

These are so sweet! I think these, in varying shades of the same color, would make a beautiful, everlasting bouquet….or corsage, or boutonniere, or just about a million other things!

A ring pillow with a big ole’ fabric flower, held by your ring bearer, might possibly be one of the sweetest things at your wedding ceremony. Find out how to make this particular pillow here.

Above I mentioned a few things these flowers can be glued or pinned to, but here is a recap with some additional ideas for where fabric flowers can be used.
- hair clips, bobby bins, head bands
- shoes - flats, heels, flip flops
- purses, bags, clutches, totes
- boutonnieres, corsages, bouquets
- ring pillows, baskets
- napkin rings, place card embellishments, centerpiece decorations
The list could go on forever!

If you have more uses for fabric flowers, please do share with us! Leave a comment or send us an email to weddingfanatic[at]gmail[dot]com. We’d love to hear from you and share your great ideas, too!

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2. Look around. Search it up! Look all over for possible venue locations. Look on sites like the Knot local resources, other local websites and magazines, and ask recently married friends (they probably did lots of searching on their own). Make note of all the ones you like and move on to step three!

3. Ask for the specifics. Call up (or email) each venue you like. Get pricing info, along with capacity limits, special rules or restrictions, and availability.

4. Organize your info. Simple wedding information can be overwhelming when you have tons of it. Keep your venue research organized in the handy little Excel or Google Doc spreadsheet! It should include spots for location names, phone numbers, contact people, websites, email address, location addresses, distances from ceremony sites, and an area for notes.

5. Pick your top choices. Once you’ve gathered all the information you can handle, narrow your options down to the top few that fit your specifications perfectly.

6. Schedule a few visits. Once you’ve narrowed it down to just a few choices, call up your contacts, if you have them, and schedule some visits! Bring questions, a camera for pictures, and paper and pencil for notes.

7. Sign on the dotted line. Once you’ve visited your top selections and gathered all of the details, sign on the dotted line to officially book your top space choice! Then get excited!

Any other great tips for finding the perfect venue? Please do share! Send us an email or leave a comment! : )

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Here, the first three questions are more for brides and grooms, while the second three are you all of you wedding pros out there. Enjoy!

1. We’ve seen you tackle some pretty tacky wedding situations on My Fair Wedding. What advice can you give to couples in the wedding planning stage to help them avoid falling into a tacky trap?

Much of the tacky décor I have seen on the show stems from a common mistake people make…They fill their receptions with too many poor-quality items because they are cheaper, instead of using fewer pieces of tasteful, quality décor. My advice to anyone starting to fall into this trap is that less, really is more. So instead of a tacky napkin silk flower napkin embellishment, you can do a stunning napkin fold for free and add a little bit more budget to your centerpieces.

The other common mistake I see is when brides take a theme too literally and it ends up looking like a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Themes are a great way to incorporate personality into your day, but my advice is to use only subtle touches of the themed elements. The rest of the décor can be pulled together by using the colors that work with your theme but still maintain an upscale look.

2. What decor elements would you recommend for a couple wanting a luxe look for less?

There are so many great tricks for achieving a luxe look for less. One of my favorite luxuries at a wedding is having custom printed menu cards at each seat, but this same feel can be achieved by having only one card printed per table and placing it in a frame that will compliment your décor. Another luxe touch at a wedding is custom chairbacks, but the same look is attainable by weaving inexpensive ribbon back and forth through the spokes of a ballroom chair in a beautiful pattern. Of course, for adding romance to a room, the power of votives and flower petals is tremendous!

3. What is the single most important thing for a couple to remember when it comes to planning a wedding (aside for remembering the reasons they are getting hitched in the first place)?

The one thing I would like to remind all couples is that a wedding is about the union of two people. It is the union of their families, personalities, hobbies, heritages and traditions…
I say this as a tip for brides who may get a little selfish in the planning, and also as a great tip for ensuring a personalized wedding. The entire day will automatically be more special for the couple and the guests if everything from the menu and ceremony to décor and entertainment is based around both the bride and the groom.

4. A lot of wedding pros want exposure (and might I say even one day become a “celebrity” vendor) both to establish themselves as a legitimate vendor and to help get business. What advice would you have for wedding professionals looking to grow both their business and reputation?

The best advice I can give a wedding professional looking to grow their business is to network! Meet and stay in touch with other professionals in your industry, and if possible join up with organized networking groups geared specifically for event planning.

5. What are some good reputation management tips you have for fellow and aspiring wedding professionals?

My advice for growing your reputation is to be good to your vendors, it is just as important as being good to your clients. It’s a very small industry and it is important to maintain a good standing with every vendor who contributes to your success.

6. While working with weddings is generally fabulous, we all know it has its downfalls. What are some of the tougher parts of the industry for you to handle (aside from “celebrity status” issues you might face, which most of us don’t have ;), and how do you deal with them?

While some people might consider the actual installations of huge events to be the toughest part, I actually think of them as a very exciting challenge. Much problem solving is needed to combat unforeseen obstacles and I think without resourcefulness, creativity and dedication that could be a difficult part. Through truly listening to a bride’s vision and by offering meticulous, full-service planning and decor, my brides know that there is no reason to worry about their big day.

Thank you, David! Also, a little plug for WE TV - they have created a funny little customizable video you should check out … especially if you know a Bridezilla!

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Peony

Hydrangea

Ranunculus

Dahlia

Tulip

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After using the Clarisonic, I could definitely feel a difference in my skin. I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical, as I always am when it comes to skin care things. But, you know the light, really clean, cool feeling you get after giving your face a good ole’ scrub? THAT’s what it’s like.

This little kit would definitely make a fun addition to any beauty routine. But, I think it would also be a fun thing to gift to your ladies - you can even get them personalized with a name or phrase. How fabulous is that!? Check out the kit below.

Get more info on the Clarisonic here, or check out their Facebook fan page for updates and to check out what other customers think!

Be beautiful!

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1. Jane Addams, US social settlement worker
2. Susan B. Anthony, US women’s rights leader (woot!)
3. Jane Austen, English novelist
4. Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer
5. Elizabeth Blackwell, US physician
6. James Buchanan, US president
7. Frederic Chopin, Polish composer and pianist
8. Emily Dickinson, US Poet
9. Elizabeth I, queen of England and Ireland (Heck yes! You go girl!)
10. J. Edgar Hoover, US director of the FBI
11. Henry James, English novelist
12. Joan of Arc, French heroine and saint
13. Charles Lamb, English essayist
14. Maria Montessori, Italian physician and educator
15. Ralph Nader, US consumer advocate
16. Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician
17. Florence Nightingale, English nurse and hospital reformer
18. Alexander Pope, English satiric poet
19. Cecil Rhode, South African administrator and financier
20. Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher
21. Adam Smith, English economist
22. Henry David Thoreau, US author
24. Voltaire, French author

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1. King Mongut of Siam (now Thailand). He also happens to be the king in The King and I. This guy had 9,000 wives and concubines. Found this pic on Clouds of Memory, a very interesting blog.

2. King Mutesa of Uganda. This royal had, count ‘em, 7,000 wives. The picture below is actually of King Mutesa II, and to be honest, I have no idea if it was the first Mutesa or the second that had all of his honeys. This picture is from Royal Portraits, another rather interesting blog.

3. King Solomon of Isreal. Good ole’ Solomon had 700 wives. It’s no 9,000, but let’s admit it, it’s still a lot. Picture below is from The Australian Casa.

4. Queen Kahena of Barbary. Let’s hear it for the ladies!! Queen Kahena had 400 hubbies. As an unmarried woman myself, I would imagine one husband is enough work. I can’t imagine 400 of them. But, I guess when you’re royalty, it’s probably not that rough. The image below is from a Resource Center for Afrikan Jews in the Americas website.

5. Augustus the Strong of Saxony. This strong man had just 365 wives. Still a lot in my book, though.

6. Fon of Bikom, of Cameroon is in 6th place with 100 wives. I can’t find a picture of him, so here is a map of Cameroon. I know I know, not quite the same. Pic from the U of Texas.

7. Theresa Vaughn of England. Shout out to the ladies again! Theresa had 61 husbands. According to Duhaime.org, “On December 19, 1922, Theresa Vaughn, then only 24, told the Police Court in Sheffield, England that since 1917, she had married some 61 men (in addition to her first) without ever having obtained a divorce from any of them, in cities in Europe, South Africa and England, giving a whole new meaning to the word polygamy.” Wow.

8. Joseph Smith from the US of A. Mr. Smith had 49 wives. I would have thought this was a large number before I read 1-7. Below is a pic from a LDS.net forum. Not sure if it’s a legit pic or not…but it looks like the other images I found on Google.

9. Ibn-Saud of Saudi Arabia had 35 wives. Pic below from Tour Saudi Arabia.

10. Brigham Young from the US had 27 wives.

11. Heironymus of Rome - 21 wives

12. Glynn de Moss Wolfe, US - 19 wives

13. Beverly N. Avery, US - 16 husbands

14. Ike Ward, US - 16 wives

15. Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard), England - 14 wives

16. Martha Jane Burke (aka Calamity Jane), US - 12 husbands

17. Tommy Manville, US - 11 wives

18. Kid McCoy, US - 10 wives

19. Pancho Villa, Mexico - 9 wives

20. Marie McDonald, US - 8 husbands

21. Artie Shaw, US - 8 wives

NOTE: 1-10 were all polygamists, meaning they had multiple spouses at the same time. The rest must have gone through their spouses one at a time…. Also, someone found this list in a book from the 60’s - the Book of Lists, as a matter of fact. There is an updated copy - check it out if you want to read some really, really interesting (and some rather odd) things! I could look at the pages in that book for HOURS!

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