emerald

from Fall/Winter 2016 Issue

aquamarine

PHOTOGRAPHED BY MOTION D PHOTOGRAPHY

Use a background of bricks, brilliant gold details, sparkling diamonds, non-traditional vibrant yellow TRENDING T flowers with emerald accents to create the ideal wedding for a Dorothy-like Bride.

get the look

#WEDD

INGS

Why hashtag your wedding, you may ask? Well, we have such an obsession with social media anyway, so you might as well take advantage of it for compiling your wedding pictures! By making a hashtag for your guests to use prior to the wedding and on the day of, you can easily find all of those pictures by simply looking up the hashtag. C onvinced? Then let's get started on the planning side.

The first step is to simply think of which hashtag to use. You want it to be meaningful, but also simple - not exactly an inside joke, but definitely something that your guests will identify as you. A friend of mine who is getting married loves D isney and so does her fiancé, so her wedding hashtag makes reference to "once upon a time", the starting to all fairy tales. Others have done play-onwords, or referenced wedding themes like "tying the knot" or "chapel". Whichever you decide, remember to also put in either your and your fiancé's first name or the name you will be taking after the wedding. It's also a good idea to add in the date or year to make it even more personalized.

Once you have chosen the hashtag, test it out! Take a picture and add in the hashtag. You want to see if it is easy to type and if anything should be changed. Remember that hashtags have no punctuation and often no caps, just so they're easy to type. This is also a good opportunity to see if it will be mixed up with anyone else who has a similar hastag to yours. When you know that it's ready to share it with your guests, you can start sending it out.

Start using your hashtag on any pictures you take during the wedding process. If you've sent your invitations out and you capture it on Instagram, add your hashtag. Others will see this and realize that they should do this too. Also encourage your wedding party to use it when they take pictures or tweet about your wedding. Not only will it build up your photo options, but will also starting generating the excitement! It's like having someone document your journey.

Invitations are the perfect time to inform your guests of your hashtag, but continue encouraging them to use it right up until the wedding day. When at the reception, it's handy to have a sign at the entrance stating the hashtag so that people remember to use it throughout the night.

Once the wedding is done, look up the hashtag again. This time, your search will have all these photos of your special day attached to it. Sit back, look through them and see the love from your guests on #yourspecialday.

DOR To DIY NOT Ah my dear budget savvy and artsy brides, how DIY Not- Florals I love you! What better way to put your personal touch on your wedding day than by doing a few Florals are expensive. M ost have very specific care D IY projects? It makes for more memories, makes instructions and can be challenging to arrange. If the guests feel special, and of course you get to you haven't taken classes or have someone in the bask in the pride of your creative side. Pinterest family who is a florist, don't do this on your own! makes it so easy to look for ideas and instructions, It's incredibly time consuming, and for the most but before you go racing off to Michaels and leave part will have to be done the day of. If I'm not everyone in the dust, put on the brakes and know mistaken, you'll be busy with a hair appointment what areas you should and shouldn't DIY. Here and a big pouffy dress to put on! are my suggestions! Do DIY- Save the dates

Do DIY - Your guest book

There are so many fun and unique ways to create your own guest book where people sign their names and give well wishes for the new couple. I have seen canoe paddles signed and mounted on walls, I've seen stones from a beach wedding with names of guests on them in a vase. The sky is the limit and the guests will love something different!

DIY Not - Photography

Sure ,your Samsung Galaxy S7 has the best camera and takes amazing pictures ready to post on Instagram and Snapchat. But these are once in a lifetime moments that need to be captured... and not by the bride or groom! Don't skimp on hiring a reputable photographer just because you took a great shot of fly ball coming at your man's head. Pictures of your special day are absolutely worth the investment, and you'll be thanking yourself for it once you have the album in your hands.

Do DIY- Wedding Favors

This goes back to leaving your guests something unique and personal to go home with. It can be anything from a sweet snack to engraved wine bottle openers or even little USB's with a playlist or slideshow of the couple. Regardless of what you choose, rest assured your guests will go home smiling. If you are a couple who is tech-savvy and environmently conscious, you should consider doing your save the dates online! You can create your own so easily as most websites take you step by step through the process, from uploading the picture you want to writing the text! Some websites enable you to create this template and use it for less traditional items, like a magnet for example. Alternatively, you can send out the invites electronically to everyone's email. It's not difficult and you can both personalize it by making it formal or goofy, whatever reflects your style!

DIY Not- Plan your whole wedding

The reason that wedding planners can make a living off their trade is because it's a full time job! If you already have a full time career, friends, family, and other obligations and responsibilities, who has time to spend hours upon hours outsourcing vendors, reading contracts, refereeing the spat between your MO H and M other in law? This is what planners do – take the pressure off your shoulders for the nitty gritty stuff while including you in every decision that has to be made. So if you can help it, don't plan it on your own – it's exhausting, frustrating, and wholly avoidable.

DIY is a fabulous option, but know your limitations! Busting out the BBQ and grilling your own food is not condusive to enjoying your wedding day or maintaining a white dress! Allow your creative inspiration to flourish, but allow yourself to enjoy your special day as well.