Eeeeee! It's time for more cufflinks!

After my last post of useful cufflinks, I promised to post a wonderfully geeky set, and here it is! Nine more pairs of cufflinks to die for.

On to it!

D'awwww. Click for a bigger picture!

1. Pac-Man Cufflinks: This classic game will live on forever, just like your marriage.
2. Playstation Controller Cufflinks: For your gamer guy or gal, if they can pull away from the TV long enough to get married! (To be honest, I'm a little worried about this myself...)
3. Apple Cufflinks: Even though I'm a PC, I can appreciate these cuties.
4. R2-D2 Cufflinks: I think I need a set. To die for!
5. Captain America Cufflinks: For your hero. They also sell Spiderman, Batman, Superman, and Iron Man!
6. Lego Cufflinks: For your architect, the kid at heart, or to symbolise the strong foundation of your relationship.
7. Millennium Falcon Cufflinks: I know, two Star Wars sets, but the detail is incredible!
8. Rubik's Cube Cufflinks: you really can't get more awesome than that.
9. Pi Cufflinks: For the guy or gal who is a little irrational...but delicious anyway.

Wouldn't these be great wedding-day gifts for your groom or groomsmen? My guy better be careful or I'll end up hogging all of these for myself...and I don't even wear dress shirts!

Stay savvy, my dears. xo

You know what absolutely shocks me? The price of wedding flowers, that's what. In fact, anything with the word "wedding" attached automatically has its price jacked up anywhere from 10 to 30 percent. Wedding flowers are especially shocking. The average price seems to be about $2,000.

Whaaaaat? For flowers? For one day??

Don't get me wrong; I love flowers. I wish my boyfriend would give them to me...um...ever. And while I'm not truly an Offbeat bride, I don't feel the need to have flowers at my wedding. That $2,000 could be used for much more than one element of decoration. Let's break down the flower costs and discuss alternatives.

Flowers on people.
Not a terribly succinct description, I know, but apt. I was shocked to discover that in addition to bouquets for bride and bridesmaids, bouts for groom, groomsmen and fathers, and a flower girl's flowers, you're also 'supposed' to have an extra bouquet to toss and corsages for both moms.

As you may recall, I feel no need to have a flower girl, so there's that. If you have one, I suppose you can't avoid having flowers. However, the rest of the 'floral requirements' seem optional at most. In short order:

Bouquets: Ask yourself, do you really need a throwaway bouquet? Or even a real one? There are so many non-floral options these days for bride and bridesmaids. Fans, clutches, parasols, feathers, lanterns, wire bouquets, sticks, books, herbs, even cooking utensils...you can be so creative, so DIY, and so frugal!



So precious! And completely free!

Boutonnieres: They average about $15 apiece and easy to DIY for much cheaper. There are many other options, too, from artsy to crazy: buttons, herbs, sticks, pocket squares (three for $6 on Etsy!), or these awesome customised ones:



That's right. LEGOS.

Corsages: Wait, our moms are supposed to get corsages? Is this a prom? People will know your mothers by sight; they don't need a floral beacon. I vote that instead of paying $30 for flowers that won't last, instead invest in thoughtful little gifts for your parents to thank them for getting you this far.

Flowers at the ceremony.
Flowers at the altar, flowers on the pews/chairs, flowers on the walls, flowers on the aisle...I understand why they would create a breathtaking scene, but that kind of drama comes with a price. Instead, cut costs by decorating where it really counts.

To start with, look for a venue whose inherent beauty will decorate for you, like a beautiful church with stained-glass windows, a restaurant or museum with lots of little curiosities, a garden with plans already abundant, or anywhere that decorates for the holidays, if that's when you're getting married.

Next, instead of lining the aisle and pews/chairs with flowers, consider something cheaper, such as tea lights in a medley of lanterns ($4 for 100 at Ikea), a beautifully patterned cloth runner, feathers and ribbon bought in bulk, or rows of sticks that suit a rustic theme (and are free!). Remember that everyone's attention will be focused on the aisle and altar, so those are the places to decorate, but mostly their attention will be on you! No one will miss the flowers when they are focused on the striking couple in all their finery.



All you need is a glorious tree.

Flowers at the reception.

Ah, the reception. It calls for centerpieces, wall decorations, ceiling decorations...and that can add up, but with a little ingenuity, you can easily find solutions that won't break your budget. Again, seek a venue with inherent visual interest. That will take out half the need for decoration. Then, take a look at my Pinterest "Centerpieces" board for inspiration. Just like with the bouquets, the sky is the limit. I've seen global knickknacks, books, thrift-store teacups, feathers, fruit...anything can be a memorable centerpiece!

As for the rest of the décor, lights and fabric are always winners. Rope lights twisted with bunting, ombré ribbon-decorated chairs, filmy organza over the windows, rented candelabras...they can create an enchanting atmosphere in which your guests will never realise that flowers were missing.



Beautiful, and not a flower in sight.

And of course, if you must have flowers, go for it! Just be wily. Don't tell your florist it's for a wedding; you'll save a ton of money. Use flowers that are in season, in natural colours. Even better, buy them at a farmer's market and arrange them yourself.

Remember that as in anything, doing your 'flowers' yourself will almost always be cheaper, at the expense of a lot of your time. Decide if that's going to be worth it to you; sometimes a little money is worth saving the hassle. And if you do DIY, make sure you're actually saving money! It's easy to go crazy with creativity and end up spending too much on the individual elements. Just be aware.

So what do you think, my savvy couples? Flowers or no flowers?

I'm as mushy-gooshy romantic as they come, but I like to think I have a little bit of edge in me. So even though I love saccharine songs like Big & Rich's "Lost in this Moment" and Etta James' "At Last," I want music with a little more pep and seasoning for my day...for example, I'll be walking down the aisle to Guns 'N' Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine," which my mom used to sing to me as a baby and which has an awesome intro to catch people's attention. Now, I know a lot of my savvy couples have too much personality to stick to "Here Comes the Bride" and "Canon in D." (Incidentally, I am so sick and tired of Canon in D...long story, but suffice it to say that any orchestra dork would sympathise.)

So, how about love songs that maybe you wouldn't think of at first?

Country
"Love You Out Loud" - Rascal Flatts
"Fearless" - Taylor Swift
"Would You Go With Me" - Josh Turner
"Wanted" - Hunter Hays
"This Everyday Love" - Rascal Flatts
"This" - Darius Rucker
"Love's Gonna Make it Alright" - George Strait (whom I love so much that he gets a grammar pass)
"Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice
"God Gave Me You" - Blake Shelton
"My Wish" - Rascal Flatts (sue me, I love 'em)
"Must be Doing Something Right" - Billy Currington
"Cruise" - Florida-Georgia Line

Pop
"You and I" - Lady Gaga
"Hey, Soul Sister" - Train
"Kiss" - Prince
"Forever" - Chris Brown
"Just the Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
"Sparks Fly" - Taylor Swift
"Always" - Bon Jovi
"Truly, Madly, Deeply" - Savage Garden
"A Moment Like This" - Kelly Clarkson
"Little Things" - 1Direction
"I Will Wait" - Mumford & Sons
"Push" - Sarah McLachlan


Rock
"Maybe I'm Amazed" - John Lennon
"You're the Inspiration" - Chicago
"Faithfully" - Journey
"I Do It For You" - Bryan Adams
"Something" - The Beatles
"Sweet Child of Mine" - Guns 'N' Roses (woohoo!)
"Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton
"Never Gonna Be Alone" - Nickelback
"Still the One" - Orleans
"You Make Lovin' Fun" - Fleetwood Mac
"Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" - Aerosmith
"With or Without You" - U2

Any glaring oversights? Let me know! Stay rockin' and stay savvy. xo

You choose your bridesmaids because they're your family, or your best friends. You choose them because you love them, because you trust them, and occasionally because your mom insists you add your awkward second cousin and she's paying for your wedding so you have to accommodate her wishes. But mostly because you love and trust them, and you all get along.

So why do so many friendships sour during the wedding planning process?

When you choose your bridesmaids, it's important to outline your expectations, but more importantly, you need to know what they expect from you. They're doing you a huge service and taking on a lot of responsibility. It's imperative you make sure they feel appreciated and acknowledged, not like a prop. So meet with your bridesmaids early on for a straightforward talk. Let them ask questions, voice concerns, and give them an opportunity to back out if they aren't up to the task. The best way to do that will be to sit down yourself beforehand and decide what you want from your bridesmaids.

Consider:

• How many bridesmaids do you want? Do you want a maid of honour? Who will it be?
• How much freedom will they have with their attire? Identical from head to toe? Complete mix-and-match? Somewhere in between?
• What is a reasonable amount to expect your bridesmaids to spend? Can they afford to attend a destination wedding, if you're having one? (You're going to lose some people if you expect each lady to pay $1500 on a designer ensemble.)
• Do you want a bachelorette party? What kind? Do you want to travel for it?
• What elements of planning will your maids have a hand in? Will you need their help with DIY? Who has special skills that will be helpful for you?
• How will you make sure they feel like they're being heard? What are some control measures you can put in place to avoid being a Bridezilla?

Kaitlin's dos and don'ts:

• Don't make your bridesmaids wear pricey taffeta monsters. You love these ladies. Pick out a dress that flatters them and is preferably one they could wear again, and give them some freedom with hair, shoes, or accessories.
• Do take time to hang out with your girls without making it about the wedding. I promise your friends are going to get sick of hearing about it, so if you want to keep everyone friendly, go out with them and relax for a few hours wedding-free.
• Don't make being maid of honour a competition. I see this on occasion, and it seems like that could only hurt people. You want your wedding party to be compatible and Zen, so they can help you out when you're stressed.
• Do pick bridesmaids who have a range of talents, from style sense to DIY mastery, who can  help you during your wedding prep. Make it fun; have a little party with cocktails and get your tedious DIY tasks done.
• Don't expect your maids to be at your beck and call 24/7, or to have deep pockets for anything that takes your fancy. They have their own lives and expenses, and will appreciate you saving them hassle.
• Do remember that they are on your side; they are excited to help you get married. If they have concerns, it's worth listening to them; an extra pair of eyes is always helpful for catching mistakes. Be nice to them, even when you're stressed.
• Don't let your maids take over your wedding. Regardless of how savvy a bridesmaid is in some element of planning, your tastes and your plans are what matters. It's your day; they should be helping you make your vision come true, so don't back down on something you care about.
• Do delegate tasks. You can't do it all on your own, so trust your bridesmaids to do certain things--and don't micromanage. That will stress you all out. If everyone has something to do, everyone feels trusted and respected, you'll be less stressed, and you'll know that your beautiful wedding was crafted by many loving hands.

Ultimately, your wedding day is hugely important to you, and therefore it's important to your bridesmaids. Just remember that they want to help you, their sister/cousin/friend, not some terrifying Bridezilla. So treat them like the wonderful ladies they are, relax, and have fun! You don't want to look back on your wedding day and see yourself a nervous wreck. That's what your maids are for--and they'll pull through amazingly, you wait and see. Stay savvy! xo

Here's a roundup of some truly fabulous pink shoes for all types of brides...and, since we're always looking for a deal for our savvy brides, none of them are over $60!

Bonus point: Several of these shoes are from a store that I whole-heartedly support, JC Penney. Last year, the notoriously homophobic group One Million Moms boycotted JC Penney when they ran a Mother's Day ad featuring a two-mother family. In response, JC Penney ran a Father's Day ad featuring a two-father family. Good on you, JCP. Good on you.

And now, on to the shoes!

1. T-Strap Peep-Toes Pumps
2. Like a Prosecco Wedge
3. You Look Sharp Heel
4. Call It Spring Peep-Toe Pumps
5. Pecks Cutout Peep-Toe Patent Pumps
6. Glitter to the Greek Flat
7. Profit and Gloss Heels
8. Meow's the Time Heel

Stay tuned for fabulous groom shoes...and stay savvy! xo

So you want a private elopement in a remote location, just you, your spouse, and your officiant--but your parents and siblings are insisting loudly that they attend.

Or you're planning a ceremony with your family, but simply don't have the money to invite all of your loved ones.

Or your wedding is right around the corner and you're ready and excited for all your guests...and then your aunt in China can't get a visa, or your brother has to deploy to Afghanistan, or your grandparents' flight gets cancelled.

There's a compromise for all of these scenarios, and it's extremely cheap: Skype group videos!

Now you and your spouse can go to that teeny island in the Pacific to get married privately on the beach, and enjoy your very quiet, personal celebration, but your parents can watch joyfully from afar and not miss out on such an important moment. And your loved ones who, for whatever reason, can't come to your wedding can tune in and pass along their good wishes and congratulations.

What are your thoughts about remote-viewing a wedding? If you couldn't make it to a wedding, would you want to use Skype to celebrate with the couple from afar? Would you set up a webcam at your own?

One of my favourite trends in wedding lately has to be blush wedding dresses. I'm a big fan of nontraditional wedding gowns. Blush is that perfect colour that looks good on almost everyone and allows you to have a statement gown without going completely wild.

So, a tribute to some beautiful, beautiful blush gowns (click to enlarge):

I love Easter.

I love spring in general, but for some reason the only time I like pastel pink/purple/blue/green is on Easter. (Other than that, my spring colours are mint, blush, and coral.) There's something so soft and cuddly and gentle about that pastel combo, and that immediately makes me think: Easter wedding! What better way to celebrate rebirth, renewal, and a budding relationship than to celebrate your marriage on Easter?

Here's a little palette of inspiration I put together for an Easter wedding. Is anyone getting married around Easter, this year or next? Are you going for pastel colours, or something trendy like sky blue and coral or pistachio and dove grey?

Do you want to get married outside? A lot of people do. I would, if I weren't so worried about unpredictable weather changing everything at the last second. I'm not a huge fan of things not going according to plan. I can handle it well, but I'd rather avoid the possibility, of course--as anyone would. So you can settle for an inside wedding somewhere...or you can have a contingency plan.

In the Army we have a contingency plan for any mission we plan, because in combat, as in anything, circumstances can change dramatically and quickly, and we need to have already prepared for that eventuality. In the case of outdoor weddings, there are three major factors that can ruin a ceremony: weather, wildlife, and walking. (I'm a sucker for alliteration.)

Weather: Rain is usually the major concern. If you live in a place where you know it's prone to rain (I'm looking at you, Seattle and London), you know the risk. If you were planning to have a tent set up for the reception, be prepared to get it up for the ceremony so you can keep everyone undercover. Or consider finding a venue with picnic shelters or a gazebo, so you can move under cover while maintaining the lovely outside view. Ask family members to bring tarps to erect quickly, just in case.

Heat and wind are also major factors. Being too hot or too cold will ruin a guest's experience and completely distract them from the ceremony. If you live somewhere hot, provide fans, sunglasses, a station to apply sunscreen, or refreshing wet towels to make them more comfortable. If it's windy, consider providing pashminas or blankets. Also consider that wind can make it very hard to hear the ceremony--which, obviously, they're all eager to witness. Bring a sound system to make sure everyone can hear your heartfelt vows.

If the weather becomes inclement, you're probably going to have to go inside. Have a backup plan for that. Stage yourselves near a building so that you can run to safety--and save everyone's dress clothes--if the weather suddenly goes bad. But hey--if nothing else, you can get some great photos!

Wildlife: If there's one thing that irks people above anything else, it's bugs. If your lakeside venue has mosquitoes, or your farm wedding has beehives, or, for some reason, you're in cougar country, take precautions to make the day better for everyone. Burn special candles outside your ceremony area to keep bugs out. Advise your guests not to wear meat dresses if you're in the woods. You know how it is.

Walking: The most common complaint I hear about outdoor weddings is that there is too much walking. I understand you want your wedding to feel authentically outdoors and away from civilization. But you need to keep in mind that you have friends in stilettos and grandparents shuffling on canes. No one wants to walk for ten minutes to your lovely garden; no one wants their heels to aerate the entire golf course; and certainly, no one wants to hunt for restrooms or cocktails.

Make life easier; supply transportation for guests who need it, be it buses, trolleys, or golf carts. Provide paths that go as close as possible to the ceremony seating, and clear signage so everyone knows where they're going. Let your guests know beforehand that you'll be on grass, so they should dress appropriately, but consider providing flip-flops or heel caps for the ceremony. Best of all, walk through the whole thing yourself beforehand so you know it's doable--and to practice. The last thing you want is to fall on your face in your wedding finery!



There you have it: contingency plans for your major outdoor-ceremony troubles. Plan wisely; a little extra effort beforehand could save you a lot of trouble on your wonderful wedding day.

To my slight dismay, it is apparently still expected that guests be given a favor as a thank-you for coming to your wedding. It seems a little strange to me because you are, after all, throwing a giant free party with abundant food, booze, and entertainment to thank them for coming to your wedding. Still, I love to share meaningful events with people, and I love to give little things to people I love, so I'm willing to jump on board the favor train.

That doesn't mean, though, that we savvy ladies and gents have to break our banks on knick-knacks that no one will remember. Instead, we can focus our efforts on saving money while giving our guests something that will have a lasting impression. How, you ask? Read on for my five suggestions.

1. Combine entertainment and favors.
If you plan to have entertainment or activities for guests at your reception, consider getting something that doubles as a favor, such as a photo booth or a caricaturist. Photo booths can provide gifts to you as well as your guest, too, by saving a digital copy when it prints out the pictures of your guests. Then you can see how much fun all your guests had! Caricaturists usually charge by the hour and give their drawings to guests for free.

2. Combine escort cards and favors.
Knock out two birds with one stone by making the favors escort cards. I've seen apples with name-tag 'leaves' attached, caramel apples and other candy, soap, stones with inspirational sayings on one side, and more.

3. If you buy, buy in bulk.
There's a certain charm to picking out an eclectic mix of gifts, like vintagey thrift-store teacups, to create a lovely visual arrangement for your guests. But I promise you it will almost always be cheaper to buy a ton of the same thing online or at a wholesale store and just put it in a pretty package. Same goes for parts if you're DIYing.

4. DIY is often the answer.
Honestly, there's nothing your guests would prefer to receive than something homemade and meaningful to you. I love the idea of making mix CDs; it costs almost nothing and you can include an insert explaining why each song means something to the two of you. Another idea is picture frames with sheets of paper inside with the guest's name, the name's origin, meaning, and famous namesakes. The personalization will really touch your guests. Or you can do something edible, because...

5. Food is always a good bet.
Especially homemade food. Honey, caramel apples, cotton candy, cheesecake in a jar, cookies, s'mores, hot cocoa pops, popcorn balls...people love food. It's tasty, it's attractive, and if you make it yourself, it's very thoughtful. Win-win-win.

Ultimately, you don't have to give favors, but if you do, give them a purpose. How does it fit your theme? How does it reflect you as a couple? How can you make it unique?

What other tips do you have?

I don't know if you know, but Wedding Wiles is on Pinterest! (Clicky clicky!) Click Follow to see new pins every day in categories from colored wedding dresses to veil alternatives to peacock weddings to money-saving tips! I'll also post little things from my blog on my Pinterest so we can stay niiiice and inter-connected.

While we're at it, let me connect you to delightful wedding sites for all types of people. You can garner all kinds of inspiration and community from these.

Wedding sites I love:
Offbeat Bride
True Wedding Events
The Knot

So take a look at my Pinterest and these outer sites--you are welcome, my ducks. Ta!

It's become a trend for the groom's party to wear some odd element: superhero shirts under dress shirts, for example; bright pink socks; stunner shades; or my personal favorite: awesome cufflinks.

I'll probably do several posts on cufflinks at some point because I simply can't resist that little pop of personality, but today I'll focus on cuff candy from Amazon that also serves a legitimate purpose--because that's darn cool. Take a look!

1. Hourglass Cufflinks: Working timers--to make sure a toast doesn't last too long, perhaps?
2. White LED Cufflinks: Turn them on with a twist of the disk behind the light! Handy for dim reception areas and restaurants, camping in dress clothes, and wayward Super Bowls.
3. Watch Cufflinks: Teeny-tiny watches! So cute, and so functional.
4. Level Cufflinks: My dad the DIYer would love these! They're little working levels for hanging things, etc. Perfect excuse to get him involved in decorating!
5. Thermometer/Compass Cufflinks: Yep, one's a real thermometer and one's a working compass. Maybe it'll make sure your groom stays hot and headed in the right direction.
6. 4G USB Drive Cufflinks: That's right. 8G of memory in teeny-tiny sticks on his wrists. Technology is marvelous.

Tune in next time for awesome geeky cufflinks--so cute I can barely stand it.

Did you know the average cost for a wedding is $25,631?

Every time I look at that statistic, I'm shocked again. It's funny; I'm addicted to shows like Four Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress, so I've become desensitized to $5,000 dresses and $70,000 weddings. But then I catch myself and realize--that is a LOT of money. And not all of us have that kind of money.

So what do you do when you have a smaller budget but still want an awesome wedding that everyone will remember? Consider having a reception that isn't your typical three-course sit-down dinner followed by dancing. What if you had something like:

A brunch reception
I love the idea of a brunch wedding for several reasons. First, venues usually cost much less to rent in the morning than they do in the evening. Second, you get married right off in the morning, enjoy a meal with your loved ones, and then you get to spend the whole day reveling in being newlyweds! It's also cost-effective because people drink less alcohol in the morning, saving bar costs, and you may choose not to hire music because not everyone feels up to a dance party around noon. That saves hundreds. Plus, TIERED PANCAKES. But if you aren't a morning person, there's always

A bonfire
If you like the idea of a rustic, country, or beach wedding, a bonfire could make for an awesomely down-home reception. Borrowed hay bales, lawn chair, or logs and blankets provide easy and cheap seating; give out s'more kits as favors and roast marshmallows together; and set up a great tailgate for dinner and music. And, if you live in the Pacific Northwest or other places where it's available, burn driftwood. Your fire will be beautiful colors that will awe all of your guests.

Or, for daytime family fun, how about

A carnival reception
A great alternative to a traditional reception would be to pay for everyone's admission to a carnival or fair, maybe some ride tickets if it's in your budget, and then gather everyone after a couple of hours of excitement for a fair-food picnic: pizza, burgers, corn on the cob, cotton candy, and maybe caramel apples or funnel cake instead of a wedding cake. You could also get a face painter or something for entertainment. But if you'd rather contain your guests a little more, you could have

A cocktail reception
One of the best ways to save money at your reception is to avoid serving a sit-down meal. Having a party designed to mingle and spend time together, augmented by delightful cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres, is just as fun as a formal dinner and allows you to concentrate your money on your guests' experience. Perhaps you could rent a photo booth--always a crowd favorite--or hire a caricaturist.


And for more over-21 fun, try

A bar crawl
Couples who love to party will enjoy having a sunset ceremony, then taking their train of loved ones to various clubs for bar food, drinks, and dancing. This saves money for a few reasons--no sit-down dinner, as mentioned before; it might cut down your guest list quite a bit; and, of course, the newlyweds will probably get a drink on the house in every establishment!

What are some other ideas for cost-saving, fabulously memorable receptions?

I have a fairly large family, including about two dozen cousins from ages 28 down to nine months. I love my cousins, but as I hypothesize about the wedding I might have one day, it's hard for me to imagine incorporating a crowd of rowdy kids into my romantic day.

As you compose your invitations, what do you think? Are you going to invite your guests' children? Will you provide day care during your ceremony? Or will you respectfully request that they remain at home?

Kids can have a special part in a wedding. For example, some of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen at weddings include children and step-children taking part in the ceremony that turns all the parts into one family. Flower girls and ring bearers are adorable, even if their walk down the aisle isn't perfect.

And, of course, there's nothing cuter than little kids dancing together at a reception.

However, crying and other ruckus by excitable children can really break a sacred atmosphere during a ceremony. In addition, they need their own table, their own entertainment, and probably a different meal--I can't see six-year-olds being too excited about salmon and asparagus over brown rice. Plus, overtired children at a reception might start acting out, perhaps breaking some of the expensive china and fixtures you've rented.



If you have a family like mine, with people of all ages, you may run into a dilemma if you don't want kids at your wedding: where is the cutoff? Can you invite one aunt's teenage kids but not another's toddlers? If you pick an age cutoff--say, 14--is it appropriate to invite your 15-year-old cousin but not his 5-year-old brother? In that scenario I recommend making the age limit 18 and addressing the invitations to only the adults you want: "Matthew and Nancy Thomas," for example, not "The Thomas Family." Anyone over 18 should receive their own invitation, even if they're living at home.

And remember: if you don't want kids at your wedding, don't apologize for it. It's your day, your budget, and your adult-appropriate atmosphere. People will understand; I know my parents were never offended about having to leave my brother and me with someone for a couple of days. Really, they were probably relieved.

So, at your wedding: kids or no kids?

Hi! Omigosh, I'm so excited to finally be doing this!

Welcome to Wedding Goggles, the blog that celebrates the utter delight in planning a wedding. Weddings are wonderful, and with the advent of Pinterest and similar it's become so easy to find inspiration from all over the world. Unfortunately, that means it's also easier than ever to go on wedding overload when you're trying to plan your own and find thousands and thousands of ideas you can't narrow down.

So what do you need? A deep breath, first of all. Whoosh. Good. Now, you need a place to consolidate your information. You need support and answers. A wedding planner. And, of course, you need to stay within your budget--such a hard task when there are so many details you want to wow your guests with. (Trust me--I'm there.)

And that's why you're here!

A little about me: I'm Kaitlin. I'm 20; I live in Washington, DC. I'm a student, part-time wedding dreamer, part-time soldier, and full-time style maven for my friends. I love lace, bright orange-red lipstick, mint green, blush pink, cream, tattoos, spices, feathers, and smiles. I despise humidity, discrimination, and licorice. I'm creative, I love to plan, and I love to write. I believe everyone should have the right to love whom they choose, and I believe we're heading in that direction. I believe in being silly in love as well as sacred in it. I believe in the magic of marriage.

I think we'll get along well, you and I.

On to the wedding style!