Your favorite song was playing in the background, candles glowing bright, hand in hand with your better half. Or maybe it was just the two of you in a quiet spot by the river? Or perhaps it happened in front of your family before Christmas dinner? Or was there a flash mob at a shopping mall? 

No matter how it happened, you said “yes,” and you are thrilled. But the ‘what’s next’ part can be quite overwhelming as you start planning for your fairytale wedding. 

Wedding planning can be a daunting task. There are a lot of things you need to think about and do. But if you organize your tasks and make a checklist, wedding planning can be easy.  

Set a Budget and Stick to It

The first step in planning your wedding is the budget. Knowing how much you have to spend on your wedding is the most significant decision you should make. Ask your parents to help you out. Otherwise, if you rest it solely on your shoulders it could prove to be stressful. Having a fixed budget will help you make decisions easily throughout the planning process.

Sit down and put together a guest list but only estimate numbers at this stage. Also, ensure that you overestimate by a handful of guests. You will need the guest list when setting a date, picking a wedding party, and venue. The number of guests you plan on inviting will determine the venue size, how much you spend on catering, among other things.

According to statistics, only 33% of weddings take place in a religious institution, and this number continues to drop. So while there is the option to get married in a religious institution, you can also opt to find a different location to host it. A venue can be costly, so make sure to do your research on what options you have before you visit them.

Once you set the date and choose a venue, you will also need to start planning who you want to cater your wedding as well as looking into hiring a photographer (and possibly a videographer) and what type of music you want (DJ or band). All of these things will need to be taken into consideration when determining your budget.

Make Your Wedding Your Own

The best way to make your wedding your own is to inject it with a shot of personality. Is your wedding day going to be filled with the overused mason jars, the classic rose petal littered aisles, the popular donut bars, or the unique cocktail hour for your fur babies? 

At this stage, choose a theme, pick the colors, flowers, and décor that will make your wedding truly stand out. Design and start sending save-the-dates and invites to your big day. Start looking for wedding party outfits, decide whether you want to have a flower girl and ring bearer, and choose the best outfits to fit your wedding theme.

The most important step in planning your wedding is searching for the perfect wedding dress. The search for the perfect wedding dress can take longer than you might anticipate. Thus, it is better to start looking sooner rather than later. 

Start trying on a variety of different dress styles and shapes. This will help give you an idea of your preferences as well as what style suits you the best. Remember, it can take up to six months for a dress to be custom made so you might be better off purchasing a dress that is ready to purchase. Then you can have it tailored to fit you. 

Get Organized 

Now that the major decisions are out of the way, it is time for you to perfect the details.  At this stage of planning your wedding, you will hopefully have your guest list confirmed. Now you can start creating a seating chart and make or order customized place cards. 

Also, create a website and fill it with your engagement story, wedding logistics, registry, and more. Your wedding website will be the first thing guests would be looking for when you announce your wedding. The site should include all the pertinent information for your wedding guests, including lodging options and if there will be a shuttle to and from the wedding venue.

At this point you should start finalizing your honeymoon plans. If your budget is tight, the easiest way to save money on your honeymoon is to stay at the same destination where you will be tying the knot. You can also head to a nearby city or island to keep things fresh. 

Regardless of whether you are staying put or venturing to a faraway place for your honeymoon, make sure you have everything planned and booked now. 

Enjoy Yourself

One of the most critical steps in planning a wedding is to remember to relax and have fun. So take some time away from your planning notebook and excel spreadsheets and spend it doing normal stuff like a night on the couch with some coffee and a good book, or a cinema night with your friends.

Lastly, make sure to enjoy every festivity associated with your wedding from the bridal showers, bachelorette party, and the rehearsal dinner. 

Wedding Day To-Dos

Your big day has finally arrived. Your guests are here, and the venue is amazing. As everyone’s eating, laughing, dancing, and you looking stunningly fabulous, shake off any remaining stress and worry. Smile, and enjoy yourself!

This attention-grabbing collection includes sports bras, hoodies, tanks, leggings and more all in flattering designs and vibrant colors. It’s been product tested by female athletes … ladies who demand performance from their gym attire and themselves. And it’s designed by a team of artists to accentuate the female form, meaning the cuts and patterns are tailor-made for every curve.

Violate the Dress Code uses custom fabric blends that are buttery soft and feel so good on your skin at a price point that’s half that of better-known brands. You worked hard to get those curves, Violatethe Dress Code will make sure your efforts won’t go unnoticed!

Top Sellers by Violate the Dress Code:

Luxe Black Scrunch Butt Leggings – Your Booty Will Thank You! Everyone’s favorite stretchy, non-fade fabric with the added scrunch giving depth to your curves! Features pockets too.

Amore Black Seamless Leggings – a sexy, laser-cut design with 7/8 length that won’t bunch up around the ankles and is great for petites.

White Camo Leggings – Made of a strong, yet luxurious, sweat-wicking fabric, these leggings will stop anyone dead in their tracks! This standout custom camo designed fabric won’t turn white when stretched.

Luxe Black Scrunch Butt Shorts – It doesn’t get any hotter than this! Made from the highest end Nylon/Spandex fabric blend so these shorts will never fade and won’t lose their shape no matter what kind of workout you put them through!

Red Sugar Shorts – So hot the color is called sriracha! An updated look on these classic, retro-style shorts that are sexy and functional.

About Violate the Dress Code:

What started as a part-time project to deliver the highest quality, best performing and most fashionable workout gear around quickly grew into a popular highly sought-after brand that demanded more staff and full-time effort. The brand founders believe in confidence and feeling beautiful inside and out. They also believe in giving back to charity and have donated to non-profits that support injured veterans, cancer victims, animals in need and the homeless. They are a team of people that pride themselves on building together.

The Bath Bean’s genius is it prevents slipping. So, mom stays put. No more sliding around in the tub. No more having to hold herself up. No more accidental slipping under the water and ruining a good hair day. And no more discomfort caused by her tailbone resting against a hard tub surface.

The comfy pad simply suctions to the bottom of the tub and voila. Mom will have her hands free to talk on the phone, sip that glass of wine or read that book. 

But the Bath Bean isn’t just for moms, it’s great for kiddos and anyone who enjoys a good soak. And while it’s a godsend during our present quarantining at home, it’s a gift mom and everyone else will enjoy even when life goes back to normal.

More To Love About the Bath Bean:

Dishwasher Safe

Easy to Use, Easy to Remove

Keeps Your Hands Free

Eliminates Body Tension

Improves Your Bathing Experience

About the Bath Bean: The Bath Bean was invented by Tanya, a mom of two who loved taking baths during long Michigan winters, but hated the uncomfortable feeling of her tailbone hitting the bottom of the tub, the tension of having to hold herself up and the hassle of getting her hair wet when she’d inadvertently slip underwater. Her young daughter had similar problems because her legs weren’t long enough to brace herself and prevent slipping. So, Tanya designed the Bath Bean to eliminate slipping and make the bathing experience enjoyable … like it’s supposed to be! Thanks Tanya!

https://www.bathbean.com

It’s been a quite a while since I introduced my husband to a new shampoo. He is very honest about what he thinks about the products he uses on himself. He was the perfect candidate to try  Goodhead Shampoo by Ballsy. This new shampoo  is anew, natural, paraben- and sulfate-free air care formula. What could be better?  Oh yes, it smells fantastic!

From what I can see, men have different criteria than women when is comes to the shampoo and conditioner they use. In my household of 3 men, as long  as the shampoo doesn’t dry their scalp, leave it looking oily and it smells good they are satisfied.

The Goodhead Shampoo is a nourishing, growth stimulating formula harnessing the benefits of “superfoods” like quinoa and green tea and botanical oils like soft, smoothing argan, bracing tea tree and their signature active charcoal.

Goodhead Conditioner  features hibiscus oil, olive oil, tea tree and SalCool (provides cooling effect and refreshing tingle) to help nourish, hydrate, strengthen and protect hair.

“This new hair care duo was developed because the Ballsy customers loved their other chemical-free, high-end botanical formulations so much that they started asking Ballsy for a head-to-toe grooming line. Recognizing that great hair was another source of male pride, the company obliged with Goodhead! “

Only $24 for the Shampoo and Conditioner set!!!

Stress Relief for Challenging Times

How Essential Oils Can Help You Find Inner Calm

Vitality Extracts crafts the finest essential oils that are pure, safe and free of chemicals making them the perfect aromatherapy oils for optimal natural healing. Each of its oils is tested to ensure it’s 100% contaminant free! While the company is unwavering in its commitment to provide products that are beneficial for its customers, it’s equally committed to protecting its workers and the planet as a whole. The company’s collection of products is sourced from generational farms around the world, helping preserve and protect a vanishing way of life. Farmers and the artisans who lovingly create Vitality Extracts are paid a fair wage and work in an environment guided by ethical practices.

Along with essential oils for migraine relief, stress relief, energy and more, Vitality Extracts makes stunning diffuser bracelets from natural stones, each as beautiful to look at as it is good for your soul! With all the stress in the world right now, be good to yourself – and the planet and find some grounding with Vitality Extracts.

Top Picks for Stress Relief:

Immunity – a powerful way to help support the proper function of your immune and respiratory systems. In addition, it can help purify the air and disinfect surfaces to provide a cleaner environment for you and your family, while reducing anxiety and helping with mental focus.

Inner Peace – a lovely combination of oils that gives a spiritual calm even when you’re most stressed. This refreshing combination of citrus oils helps to restore energy, relieve tension and boost the immune and circulatory systems. 

Breathe Easy – designed to increase the lung’s capacity to breathe and clear the sinuses. It can also help purify the air in the room and ease congestion and sinus pressure, reduce inflammation and promote a healthy immune and circulatory system.

Diffuser Jewelry – Pyrite, rose quartz and African turquoise are just some of the beautiful and beneficial stones in this collection. Each bracelet or necklace features natural stones paired with lava beads to soak up the oils and provide long-lasting benefits in a beautiful package.

About Vitality Extracts:  Vitality Extracts was created by a group of health and wellness enthusiasts who firmly believe in the natural healing of essential oils. The company crafts products of the utmost quality and offers them at affordable prices to ensure everyone can enjoy the benefits of better health. The company is so confident its products exceed expectations it offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee!