Danielle Tate

Just Dance

Weddings have gone from very traditional modest events of the past to huge extravaganzas with everything coordinated down to the very last detail. These days couples are more creative when adding their personal touch to their wedding (thanks to all of the DIY wedding inspiration and How-To blogs). One of the newest trends is to put your own spin on your first dance such as choreographed moves or an impromptu thing in the moment. I’ve attended many weddings where the bride and groom have clearly taken dance lessons and have showed their ballroom dancing skills off to their guests (making parents and grandparents incredibly proud). Some couples keep it simple by choosing their favorite love song to dance around to, holding each other tight (sneaking in little smooches and smiles while guests are taking photos like the paparazzi). There’s nothing wrong with that (my husband and I did it), in fact that is still the norm; however, I have to say I wish we would have shocked our guests with a dance routine after watching some of the glorious videos on YouTube. If your special day hasn’t already passed and you’re looking for an idea to WOW your guests at no further cost to you, your parents, your in-laws (or anyone else chipping in to make your wedding an event to remember), I encourage you to watch the following videos. Seriously, consider the possibilities (if for nothing else, just watch them for entertainment) …

Bridal Party Dance: Whether it’s down the aisle like the YouTube sensation JK Wedding Entrance (also featured on the Today Show) or a choreographed dance at the reception your guests will truly enjoy watching you and the honored members of your bridal party pop-n-lock, do the ‘robot’, or classics like ‘the sprinkler’ or the ‘shopping cart’…almost no move is inappropriate (notice I said “almost,” there will be grandparents there)!

Bride and Groom First Dance: Do you and your man have “swagger” much like Jay-Z and Beyonce? Or are you beyond outgoing and confident enough to not care whether people are laughing with you or at you? If so, this is your opportunity to let loose (go ahead, do ‘the worm’ or ‘get low’) and show your guests your sense of humor like the couple featured in the Awesome First Dance for Bride and Groom at Wedding Reception video did.

Father-of-the-Bride and Bride Dance: This is time to share a few minutes with your Daddy (the man who loved you first) and is meant to be special. If the two of you love to dance or clown around then you could totally pull off a choreographed performance such as the Father/Daughter Hip Hop Dance. Read more about how this dance was put together to the groom’s complete surprise on thegroomsays.blogspot.

Whether you go the traditional route or end up looking like a dancing machine on the dance floor, make those special moments, moments to remember!
*All videos are on YouTube titled exactly how you see them listed in this post
Did you feature a surprise dance that left your guests screaming ‘You Go Girl’ during your wedding/reception? If so, we’d love to hear about it!

April Showers: Part II

April showers do bring May flowers, but rain isn’t the only kind of shower happening this time of year. As we continue into April, the number of bridal and baby showers on the calendar tends to rise. What’s a newlywed girl to shop for when she’s attending an absurd number of these events? We’ve compiled the best gifts for both types of showers to make this Spring a little simpler for you.

Baby Showers
If you don’t have a baby these parties can make you feel a little awkward. What ARE you supposed to buy an unborn child? Fortunately, you can usually look on Babies R Us or BuyBuyBaby for your friend’s registry. Still uninspired? Here are the Top 5 Baby Shower Gifts:

1. Little Lamb Swing – Chip in with a few friends for this amazing piece of baby technology. It rocks a cranky little one to sleep in 2 different directions, buying your friend some much needed down time as a new mommy. My son used it until he literally couldn’t fit into it anymore!

2. Video Monitor – Being able to flip a switch and make sure your bundle of joy is still breathing is priceless (especially since you won’t wake him/her up)!

3. Boppy Pillow – It may sound like a ridiculous item, but these pillows keep your friend’s arms from falling off. The Boppy allows the new parents to feed/hold/cuddle their child hands-free.

4. A Prenatal Massage – While it’s great to buy goodies for the newborn, your soon-to-be mommy friend could probably use a little something for her. Purchase a gift card at a local spa, but be sure that they offer pregnancy massages. You friend will never forget how thoughtful you were when she feels 40 pounds lighter and can actually sleep after her treatment!

5. Customized Anything – Seeing your little angel’s name printed on something is precious. Red Envelope has a ton of great personalized baby gifts to choose from…the baby keepsake kit is one of the the best.

Bridal Showers
You should be a pro at bridal showers since you just had one! However, if you’re attending several showers it’s nice to have a few extra gift ideas up your sleeve. Here are our Top 5 Picks:
1. Anything On Her Registry – Plates may seem boring to you, but your friend took the time to register for them and will probably end up buying the remaining ones for herself post-wedding if you don’t purchase them. Creativity usually gets kudos, but a completed registry is awesome for a bride!
2. Bridal Lingerie – When you’re paying for a wedding, little things like cute honeymoon undies can seem frivolous. Help a gal pal (and her soon-to-be-hubby) out with a gift from Victoria’s Secret. *Please note who will be in attendance at the shower before you present your gift. It might be wise to give it to the bride before or after the party.
3. Candle Poem Basket – If you’re looking for a very personal gift that scores high on thoughtfulness and low on price, this is the perfect idea for you.
4. A MissNowMrs.com Gift Card – Make the bride in your life’s name-change a snap. She’ll save 13 hours of hassle and research by using this amazing online service!
5. Cash – It might seem a little tacky to give a check as a shower gift, but you can be sure that it will get used! Consider writing a message on the memo line that says your gift is for something fun on the honeymoon or a pedicure before the Big Day.

What were your best bridal shower and baby shower gifts? Do you have a gift that you always give to a bride/mommy-to-be? We’d love to know!

Your Married Name: To Change or Not to Change!?

Thinking about changing to your married name? Although this is a difficult decision for some, and many women go back and forth on this, we can be thankful that changing your name after marriage is a choice! For some of us the answer is simple, while others will toy around with the idea for years!

Some women choose to keep their maiden name for professional reasons, some feel as though by changing their name they’re losing a part of their identity, while for others, the decision relies heavily on family and traditions.

Whatever the case may be, there are many factors that will affect your decision, and for many, that single most important factor is your spouse!

I already knew that I wanted to take my husband’s last name, but I also knew that he would’ve been offended if I didn’t. So for me the decision was simple, and friends from my younger years still refer to me by my maiden name, so I still get the best of both worlds!

We want you to share your decision-making story on your married name change with us! Did your spouse play a deciding role on your decision? Or, tell us why you simply chose to keep your maiden name!

Should you want to change your name, the MissNowMrs app or online name change service can save hour hours of stress and hassle!

Help Me Change My Name

Newlywed Disaster

Have you ever thought about newlywed disaster? Imagine that you and your fiancé spend time and money planning your dream honeymoon/vacation. After countless conversations and daydreaming about how you’re going to have the time of your lives, it doesn’t go as planned.

Well, that’s just what happened to a newlywed couple. An article about a newlywed couple from Sweden who survived their honeymoon. I know what you’re thinking, isn’t that the goal for everyone/don’t we all survive our honeymoons? Well, yes, but most people’s biggest honeymoon nightmare is rainy weather, not a major snowstorm, a tsunami, 2 earthquakes, catastrophic flooding and a cyclone!

Can you imagine it? You set off on what you think will be the trip of a lifetime (a 4 month long honeymoon) with your love to Germany, Bali, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan only to be hit with just about every natural disaster known to man! YIKES!!!

While a bad trip is hardly the worst thing that can happen in life, it made me think about marriage and how my husband and I, like all brides and grooms dreamed that married life would be perfect. There’s NO WAY that Swedish newlywed couple thought their honeymoon would be anything less than blissful!

Newlyweds can be naïve or as I like to put it…overly optimistic! There’s nothing wrong with a positive attitude or outlook on life; however, you want to prepare yourselves for when something in your life doesn’t turn out as planned. If not, any negative situation will feel overwhelming like a ton of bricks on you and/or your marriage.

We all go through things in our lives that are certainly not what we planned or hoped, but we make it through and often times come out on the other side stronger, more passionate and better people.

That happens in all marriages too! I’m sure you know at least one couple and have heard unpleasant stories about something that happened in their marriage or to someone they know (i.e. constant fighting, gambling, debt, illness, drug/alcohol problems, infidelity, or divorce).

It’s a known (and unfortunate) fact that not all marriages last forever, but that doesn’t mean that you and your spouse won’t have a long, happy and healthy marriage. You will have to work for it, letting your spouse know each and every day that he/she means the world to you (most importantly…be thankful for the little things).

In our marriage vows we state that we will love one another “in good times and in bad,” so just remember that always. However horrible the bad times may be (whether it’s a bad honeymoon, an illness, loss of job, etc.) think about what brought you together in the first place and remind yourself of the love you shared on your wedding day. Reminiscing about the days you had butterflies in your stomach just being around each other and how far you’ve come will help you get through anything.

Do you have a newlywed disaster story…Or a tough marriage moment? How did you make it through? Share your thoughts with us…

Newlywed Solutions For Juggling Family Celebrations

It’s the beginning of April…time for the panic of realizing that it’s time for juggling family celebrations. For some, the decision is easy and natural, but for most, especially newlyweds, there is a lot of room for hurt feelings and resentment. If you and your spouse are on your way to happily ever after, then both of you must face the realization that with marriage comes compromise and that will become most apparent during holiday celebrations.

Whether an Easter Sunday dinner, Passover or a giant gathering around the Thanksgiving table, holidays are often the setting for the happiest and most memorable moments of childhood. So, it makes complete sense that you’ll feel sad at having to say goodbye to the ways of your childhood in order to make room for an expanding family.

But like it or not, if you want your marriage to have a solid foundation, you will be making holiday compromises very soon. That isn’t to say that you have to bid farewell to the traditions of your family all together. The great thing about holidays is that there are enough to go around. Even if your parents and your in-laws live hundreds or thousands of miles apart, a plan can be made to ensure that some of the customs of your family are experienced even after marriage.

For those who are fortunate enough to have both sets of parents within a near vicinity, the decision making does not have to be so difficult. Even if dinners are scheduled for the same time on the same day, it is possible to dine with one family and share dessert with the other. This can become habit and the parts played can be rotated each year, so both families’ traditions can be welcomed and appreciated.

As for those who have miles separating relatives, the decision may be more difficult, but not impossible. Perhaps your spouse favors his family’s Thanksgiving traditions and you would rather hold onto the Christmastime festivities. In this case spend the first holiday with his or her parents and the second with yours. If this is not the case, then consider cycling. Thanksgiving and Easter with your parents this year and Christmas and New Years with his or hers, but next year those occasions are switched.

The most important thing to remember is that while every couple is different, almost every newlywed makes accommodations around the holidays. Find a routine that works and stick with it so they can be times of celebration, rather than repeated times of stress each year.

What solutions have you come up with to keep both your families happy but also to keep your sanity? Do you cycle, alternate or just have everyone come over to your house? Are your parents or in-laws divorced, causing even more ways to split the holidays? We’d love for you to let us know your solutions for juggling family celebrations in a comment.