TresSugar

Don't Forget to Eat on Your Big Day!

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:24:34 PDT

On your big day, even if you're feeling incredibly nervous and without much of an appetite, it's important to remember to eat! The last thing you want is to show up at the reception with an empty stomach; after a couple of glasses of Champagne you could be buzzed, or worse, drunk. To avoid this unpleasant situation, I highly recommend you eat a healthy breakfast and lunch on your wedding day. Of course, it depends on the time of your ceremony, but a snack table or box lunch is something you should definitely consider. If you're too busy to plan or cook, ask one of your bridesmaids to coordinate the food. For my suggestions on what to eat, read on.

10 Personal Food Touches to Try at Your Wedding

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:48:17 PDT

From the invitation to the decor, there are plenty of ways to personalize your wedding. However, don't overlook the food! Instead of serving a standard buffet or boring chicken, use the food to showcase your culinary style as a couple. Are you crazy about barbecue? Offer a down-home menu of ribs, brisket, and beans. Catering the meal to suit your taste buds is just one way to personalize the food at your reception. Keep reading for 10 more awesome suggestions.

Photos by Olivia Leigh via Style Me Pretty

5 Smart Ideas For Cutting Wedding Food Costs

SavvySugar — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:05:10 PDT

Food costs definitely make up one of the biggest chunks of a wedding budget, but they don’t have to totally break the bank. Nor do you have to sacrifice a delicious, memorable wedding meal in the name of saving; you just have to get creative! To inspire you, here are five unique cost-saving ideas from real-life savvy weddings.

A family affair: When my sister got married years ago, we enlisted the whole family to make things manageable. Our grandparents, who owned an amazing barbecue restaurant, catered the reception in a beautiful old barn. Our aunt, a librarian by day, pastry chef by night, baked the most amazing, beautiful almond cake, plus almond cookies as favors.
Take over your fave restaurant: Two of my favorite weddings ever took place in the couples’ favorite restaurants. My oldest sister had a small, intimate ceremony on the patio of the restaurant, followed by a delicious sit-down meal in the cozy, candle-lit dining room. A couple of close friends had a low-key ceremony at city hall, followed the next day by a big celebration, complete with wood-fired pizzas and specialty cocktails, in their favorite spot. It’s more affordable than you might think, and you’ll often just pay a flat fee for both the venue and the food.

To see a few more memorable, budget-friendly wedding dinner ideas, keep reading.

Brides-To-Be: Download Our Registry Checklist!

YumSugar — Tue, 17 May 2011 03:11:35 PDT

While getting engaged can be the most happy moment of your life, it's also somewhat overwhelming! In the upcoming months, when you're planning your wedding and making arrangements to marry the man you love, there's a lot of decisions to think over. One thing you won't have to worry about is your registry. We've created the ultimate wedding registry checklist! All you have to do is download it, print it, fold it up, and place it in your purse, then use it as a guide when you go shopping for your registry. What are you waiting for? Get it now!

Stressed From Wedding Planning? Get Moving!

Heather Dale — Fri, 13 May 2011 13:42:30 PDT

You've been putting extra hours in at the gym in hopes of getting toned Michelle Obama arms for the big day. And when the weekend rolls around, it's either hiking with your fiancé or convincing him to go to yoga class with you.

Kudos to you! Not only are you well on your way to shedding those extra pounds before your wedding, but you're also de-stressing in the process. Wedding planning is a full-time job in itself and can often increase tension and stress between you and your future hubby. But by incorporating some cardio at least two times for 30-40 minutes into your weekly routine, you can really combat your stress levels. And if you're in crunch-time and really feeling the stress from last-minute preparations, here are some quick fixes to help you chill out.

An Indie Wedding: An Alternative Approach to Reception Music

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:29:43 PDT

If your music collection is stuffed with indie rock staples, you don't have to put them aside while planning your wedding playlist. Mainstream dance tunes just aren't every couple's style, and there are plenty of indie songs with a good beat that will get the crowd grooving.

Don't be afraid to wander off the proverbial beaten path when compiling your reception playlist. If this is the kind of music you and your fiancé enjoy most, it will have more meaning. Just because Sinatra didn't croon it (or Timbaland didn't produce it) doesn't mean it's not wedding-appropriate or fun.

I put together a playlist of good reception songs from smaller artists - including some tunes that are pretty and others that are straight-up fun to dance to. Whether you're looking to go all indie or just want to sprinkle in something a little different between your oldies and your retro tunes, these songs are a good start. Are there any indie bands or songs you'd love to hear at a wedding? To check out my playlist,

read more. Slow: "You & I" by Wilco "Marry Song" by Band of Horses "Publish My Love" by Rogue Wave "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie "Sea of Love" by Cat Power "Simplest Love" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" by Iron & Wine "Sleepwalkin'" by Modest Mouse "Waste" by Phish "Hold You in My Arms" by Ray LaMontagne "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes "Question" by Old 97's "When the Stars Go Blue" by Ryan Adams "Ambulance" by TV on the Radio "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" by Spiritualized "Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice "You Can Have It All" by Yo La Tengo "Eyes" by Rogue Wave "Let's Dance" by M. Ward "Book of Love" by the Magnetic Fields "Melt With You" by Nouvelle Vague Upbeat: "When I'm With You" by Best Coast "Mushaboom" by Feist "The Sweetest Thing" by Camera Obscura "Home" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros "I Was Made For You" by She & Him "Heart" by Stars "Do You Realize" by The Flaming Lips "Sweet Disposition" by Temper Trap "I'll Be Your Man" by The Black Keys "Cameras" by Matt & Kim

10 Reasons Eloping Is Beautiful

Tara Sharp — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:52:00 PDT

I've seen a good amount of traditional tie-the-knot ceremonies, and they are all wonderful in their own way, don't get me wrong. But for some reason whenever I come across an elopement, I get all misty-eyed in a way I just don't with run-of-the-mill big days. Elopements stand out as more romantic, personal, and sentimental than over-the-top ceremonies because they are really all about the couple. And modern-day elopements now incorporate many of the perks a traditional wedding has - cakes, professional photography, a reception/party later on - making it a sort of best-of-both-worlds hybrid event. To see what I'm talking about, I've rounded up some of my favorite elopements for a show-and-tell on the beauty of an unwedding.

Geeky Things to Consider When Planning a Wedding

GeekSugar — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:03:01 PDT

Planning a wedding doesn't have to be a stressful and daunting task. With some time, adequate research, and a little help here and there, it can actually be a lot of fun! I've already given you some tips for how to manage your online registry and offered some website suggestions to help you every step of the wedding-planning way. Well today, it's about geeky things - like choosing a videographer and selecting lighting - that are just as important as everything else. Check out my slideshow to read all my tips.

Image courtesy of Tec Petaja

How to Get Your Arms Picture-Perfect For the Big Day

Heather Dale — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 04:23:15 PDT

I'm in full-on wedding planning mode - I've decided on the venue, the photographer is booked, and the save-the-dates have been sent. But there's one area I haven't really tackled yet - my "get in tip-top shape for the wedding" game plan.

Here's the thing, I just want to tone up and look my best, so I don't think that requires going to boot camp for three hours a day until the big day. An area of my body that I would like to get picture-perfect ready is my arms - a neglected area that thankfully gets a decent regular workout during yoga class. Other than that, I don't do weights or targeted arm exercises. . . sorry biceps.

I'm not stressing at all, because I know if I start incorporating some of the following exercises into my regular fitness routine, I'll be all set to show off my arms when the wedding day arrives. And you will too! Here are some of my favorites:

Group Therapy: My Fiancé Refuses to Marry Abroad, Like I've Always Dreamed

Tres Community — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:05:12 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

Me and my boyfriend have decided to get married and have started thinking about our wedding. It has always been my dream to get married abroad - in Europe, however he objects to the idea of marrying abroad.

He himself likes the idea, however, he says that some of his relatives would refuse to pay to go abroad etc., and it would just never work. I know it sounds so silly, but I feel so devastated. I've always planned how my wedding day would be and have always dreamed of it being abroad, in my dream country, in the perfect location.

I understand that it's asking a lot of people, but surely I'm allowed to be selfish for one big day of my life?! I just feel so upset over this and I don't know if I'm overreacting or if I have a right to feel like this? It seems that I spend all my life trying to make my family and friends happy, why can't they do the same for me on my wedding day. My family is more than happy to go abroad, it's just his. Please share your views with me on this, I feel so lost!

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Source: Flickr User {teegan}