Wedding

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

This Year’s “It” Bridal Bag

When it comes to weddings, most brides obsess about the dress. Then they use its style to tie together all of the facets of their wedding day. Wedding dresses are very important. But, so are the details ladies! Veils, shoes, jewelry, and purses allow you to further personalize your bridal look. Don’t miss out on this year’s “it” bridal bag!

While veils and shoes are often carried at wedding boutiques. Bridal bags seem to fall off of the wedding fashion checklist. Not to worry! We have discovered the chicest bridal bags designed by a woman entrepreneur. Laura Lee Designs creates hand-crafted purses that are absolutely perfect! The Stepping Out Clutch is an elegant purse with full beading and magnetic closure. Each bag is hand-beaded. And, it has upwards of 10,000 beads. Talk about beautiful attention to detail!

Aside from the gorgeous exteriors. Our favorite part of Laura Lee’s bags are the luxurious interiors. Four pockets are sewn inside, with the embroidered words “Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue.” They are instant Instagram fodder. AND something you can carry long after you have walked down the aisle in style.

Imagine re-using your clutch for anniversaries and special events. You’ll be able to remember your big day. And, even talk about it when you receive compliments on your clutch years later. We’re declaring The Stepping Out Clutch and Bridal M Bags the “it bridal bags” of the year!

As you plan your perfect day, don’t forget your name change. If you’re planning to change your name after marriage, our name change app and service will save you 13 hours of hassle!

Llama, Llama No Wedding Drama

Wedding llamas. Apparently they’re a thing now, and I have to admit a pretty awesome thing. Instead of agonizing over what wedding guests who don’t want to dance will do, you provide fuzzy animals to interact with. Who could possibly start drama when there’s a llama present?!

While I typically enjoy ring bearer and flower girl antics, llamas and anything they chose to do (like eat bouquets) would absolutely entertain me and make for fantastic photos. Who needs a photo booth, when you have live animals to shoot selfies with? This is serious Instagram & SnapChat fodder.

Mtn Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas is the company that creating “the wedding llama.” Located in Brush Prairie, Washington, they offer llama wedding interactions to couples in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington areas. Their furry friends are even accessorized to match the theme and color theme of the wedding! Want to feel even better about adding llamas to your wedding day? All of the proceeds from the weddings llamas (and alpacas) help fund their therapy visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

So, if you’re looking to do something a little different for your big day, and are out west, consider adding llamas to your event. This could be the beginning of an exotic wedding animal trend. Penguins would be a logical next step, as they are already in formal attire and are incredibly cute! What do you think? Would you include llamas or any other animals on your wedding day? Share your view in a comment!

Photo Credit: Kim Smith Miller Photography
Original Story: The Skimm

5 Tips For Including Pets in Your Wedding

Everyone loves their pets, and more and more brides are finding ways to include them in their engagements and weddings. I love the originality and the inclusion of something meaningful and personal in their a wedding!

Pets can be difficult to “pose” in photos, but portraits are a great way to include them in your Big Day. Finding a photographer familiar with animals as subjects will make your shoot much less stressful. I suggest factoring photographers’ levels of experience and openness to including pets into your decision making process for your engagement/wedding photographer.

Including your pet in your wedding is another big decision to make. One bride’s thoughts are “Our dogs are like family that’s why we wanted them included. We are going to try to incorporate them into the wedding probably wearing some sort of here comes the bride sign or something.” If you feel the same way, read our five tips below to ensure success.

5 Tips for Including Pets in Your Wedding
1. Make sure that your ceremony site allows pets on site.
2. Consider your pet’s temperament before adding them to your wedding. Are they comfortable in large groups? Obedient under pressure?
3. Do any of your family members or bridal party have an allergy to your pet (that would make for uncomfortable photos)?
4. Who will be “in charge” of your pets during and after the ceremony? You & your spouse will have many other obligations during your Big Day!
5. Practical Attire: consider the safety of your pets if you dress them up for your wedding. If they hate and/or eat costumes regularly, you may have to compromise with fancy collars

Considering these 5 tips should save you stress and help you decide if including pets your wedding is a good idea, or possibly better for photo ops before and after!

Where You Found Your Bridesmaids & What That Means About You

Where you found your bridesmaids is a really interesting snapshot of your life. I recently saw a photo, and thought it was first of all a great wedding photo idea and also a great topic to write about. The people you choose to stand up in your wedding party are supposed to be the most important people in your life that you picture supporting your marriage through all of its ups and downs. This pin made we wonder about the meaning of who your bridesmaids are/were and where/when did you meet them in life?

My bridesmaids included my hometown best friend (we met in Girl Scouts), college & post college roommate and fellow bio major (she was one of the first people I met on campus), my first post college co-worker (who introduced me to my husband and later married my cousin) and my husband’s best girl friend (who helped salvage him after a terrible long term relationship). All of these women have had profound impacts on me and have stood by me through many phases of my life.

Curiously absent from the bridal posse? My sorority sisters. I loved those crazy ladies but while I could picture them holding my hair back, I couldn’t see them supporting my new marriage. Years later, I realize that they would and do, but at the time it was impossible to tell. Do I regret not having one or two of them in my wedding? Yes. But I don’t regret making bridesmaid decisions based on who I though would see me through newlywed and married life.

In the day and age where women factor in who will look best in their wedding photos and ask bridesmaids sign contracts about their weight and hair length, I would like to remind brides of the importance of who they surround themselves with on their big day and beyond.

Best Bachelorette Party Idea We’ve Heard in Years!

Are you ready to read about the best bachelorette party idea?! As brides-to-be or newlyweds, most of us are at that time in our lives when virtually all of our friends (and their friends) are getting engaged. While it is amazing to watch friends meet and marry the loves of their lives, these events happening en mass can be a little overwhelming. Especially if you you begin to factor in each bride having an engagement party, bachelorette party, bridal shower(s) and of course a rehearsal dinner and wedding!

I love to throw a party, probably more than your average newlywed, but as you plan and/or host a multitude of wedding events for friends, you can run out of ideas. No one was to give their friend a boring run of the mill soiree, so what’s a girl to do? Get down on your knees and thank God for the invention of Pinterest!

While skimming through their site today, I ran across the most unique and fun bachelorette party theme I’ve seen in years. This concept appeals to the less girly of your friends who wants “something different” to celebrate her upcoming marriage. Have all the attendees purchase the ugliest bridesmaid dress GoodWill has to offer and then have a paintball fight while wearing them. The photos will be HILARIOUS and AMAZING (see above)!

Regardless of what theme(s) you choose for your friends’ parties, remember to enjoy this phase of your life. There is so much love to celebrate and there will only be a brief respite before….baby showers start happening!

Thanks to BrideTideBlog for pinning the photo that gave me the idea for the best bachelorette party idea.