Expedia - Up to 50% Off Hotels

The husband and I are currently editing our Maui slideshow for its premiere for the parents this weekend. As a little nudge to those of you who are behind on planning your honeymoons (or those who just want summer to last a little bit longer), check out: Expedia Hotel Sale: Up To 50% off Hotels - but hurry! It expires on 9/30/08!

25% Off Your Entire Purchase at Michael's

For those of you with a Michael's nearby, here's a 25% Off coupon good today through September 13th. Sale items are NOT EXCLUDED - so if hurry on over for all your invitation, flower, centerpiece, aisle runner, cake topper, veil, rose petal, bouquet, and wedding favor needs!

For those of you who tied the knot this summer (congrats, by the way!) there is also a 60% off coupon for your custom framing order. What a great time to pick your favorite wedding photos and have them beautifully matted and framed for a fraction of the usual cost!

The Importance of Thank You Cards

OK, here's the deal. Personal Experience #1 from my hiatus: 2 different brides - one sent a thank you card 3 days after her bridal shower and within 2 weeks of returning from her honeymoon. The other has not yet sent ANY thank-you note for her shower or wedding gift. There are a few schools of thought on the acceptable length of time that can pass before your guests begin to wonder if perhaps their $150 blender was lost and you didn't receive it - or worse yet, that you're an ungrateful recipient.

So how long is too long? You've got three months, sweetie. That's straight from Emily Post, Queen of Etiquette. But how, in the afterglow of the wedding & honeymoon are you supposed to find time to write out 200 thank you notes - each one personal and thoughtful?

1. When you buy postage for your wedding invitations, double the amount and purchase enough for your thank you cards as well. You're excited to go to the post office now (don't forget to ask specifically for wedding postage - unless you don't mind assorted fruit or the American flag on your envelopes) - but in a couple of months, when you have to rush to the dry cleaners after work, fly home (across town) and unload the dishwasher before you can start dinner when your hubby gets home in an hour, you're going to find it a little more difficult to swing by the post office for stamps.

2. Send notes for shower gifts within a week of your shower. Your guests will be impressed that you're so "on the ball" even in the midst of your planning - and you'll have fewer cards looming in the future. Plus, since showers can take place months before the wedding, you don't want to forget about thanking your guests altogether. "Well," you think, "what if someone gives me a shower gift and a wedding gift. Can't I just write one note for both presents?" I'm afraid not, dear. This is not a time to cut corners! If someone made the special effort to buy 2 gifts for you and took time out of her schedule to attend a shower and your wedding, the least you can do is take the time to send two separate notes of gratitude.

3. Be organized. I used this easy-as-pie Wedding Gift Listfrom Microsoft Templates to keep track of who gave what gift and when a thank you card was sent. You can use it at showers (have a bridesmaid do the writing) or when you and your hubby open presents! My husband enjoyed the "opening" part, while I took care of jotting down all the particulars. Then, over the next 2 weeks while we would watch television after dinner, I would make it a goal to write 5-10 thank you cards, address the envelopes & slap on a stamp. If this spreadsheet isn't quite your style, there are plenty more to be turned up in a Google search - and they can be printed or downloaded for electronic use, whichever works best for you.

We're Back!

Hey all!

I have to begin with an apology that it's been over a month since our last post. The tail end of summer wedding season and my own belated honeymoon have kept me SUPER busy...but that means I have new ideas as we gear up for fall wedding season - and I've got TONS of info for those of you planning to honeymoon in Maui. Un-freaking-believeable.

I leave you with MSN's recent piece on misbehaving wedding guests.

eBay Weddings - Thrifty or Just Plain Tacky?

As Americans find themselves in the middle of an economic crunch, many brides are utilizing unconventional methods to fund their big day. No doubt you've heard about the "eBay Bride" - a hairdresser from Virginia Beach whose modest wedding budget prompted her to auction off a prime spot in her wedding - that of a bridesmaid. To be honest, never in a million years would I have believed it would work. It can be frustrating enough to shell out cash for the dress, shower, bachelorette party, and a wedding gift (not to mention putting up with a bride's "princess complex") when you're doing it for your best friend or your sister. But a total stranger? Not unless you pay me. My price? $500 for the weekend, and you agree to cover travel expenses and the cost of that Pepto-Bismol colored taffeta Tooth Fairy gown.

Clicking through eBay auctions, I usually find myself asking "Who on earth would buy that?" Well, for the eBay Bride, Kelly Gray, the answer was surprising. The Dr. Pepper/Snapple Corporation offered a victorious bid of $5,700. The winner increased their offer to $10,000 with another shocking announcement: despite winning the auction, the company still doesn't know who will actually walk down the aisle next April. Current ideas include a celebrity bridesmaid or launching their own contest to win the spot. Was it a good idea? I wouldn't have done it. Paying taxes on the money and dealing with the media circus just isn't worth it to me. I started thinking, though, about eBay as a wedding resource. In 2006, I purchased several new items for my own wedding through eBay with great success. Many vendors offer special "lot" or "batch" items (favors, invitations, decorations) at a much cheaper rate than you'd pay in their online store, simply as a means to keep their selling volume up. After all, making 50% of their usual retail profit is better than making 0%, which means great deals for economical brides who are willing to do some research and take a bit of a gamble...and sort through all the junk.

If you're planning a wedding and feeling creative, take some time to look through eBay's current wedding catalog. Be specific about what you're looking for (i.e. "pink ring bearer pillow" or "summer wedding favors"), and keep an open mind. Do they offer anything that even interests you? If so, can you get it more inexpensively through an auction or "Buy It Now" listing than the vendor's online store? Are you willing to take the chance that you won't win the auction? If you can't find it new, are you willing to buy it used? For many frugal brides, the answer is an overwhelming "YES!" Be sure to check the seller's rating & user history, ask clarifying questions, and calculate shipping costs before committing to bid. It's certainly not for everyone, but if you're feeling brave, give it a try! You might just save enough money to rent me as your MOH. Just kidding. Mostly.

Coupon Codes!

Hey, all! Since I've been on the subject of invitations lately, I thought I'd post these coupon codes for those of you the "stationery" stage of your planning. And, bridesmaids, the coupons also work for shower invitations, so be sure to take a peek around!

*At My Wedding Favors Enter coupon code SAVE10 to receive 10% on orders over $150.

Obviously, if you're in the "favor" stage of your planning, this is the perfect time to buy, but they also offer a few DIY designs like this Platinum Border Invitation Kit


*At Wedding Paper Divas, enter the coupon code "AFL2" at checkout and receive 5% off all orders, including their colorful line of wedding & bridal shower invitations. Click on one of the images below to visit their site.

*And though they don't offer invitations, Beau-Coup Wedding Favors will give you Free Shipping for orders over $125 (Code: FREESHIP). So now's not a bad time to do a little window shopping if you're in the market for wedding favors, bridal shower favors, or personalized gifts for your wedding party.