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!

Engaged in Anaheim & Looking for Wedding Ideas?!

Are you engaged in Anaheim? Bridal shows are the perfect way to take your wedding planning to the next level. You’ll see potential venues, caterers, florists, invitation shops, bakeries, honeymoon locations, favors, entertainment and things you’d never even think of on your own!

Planning a wedding in or around Anaheim? Great news…The Great Bridal Expo is in town on Saturday! Here’s a few great things about this show:

It’s gigantic, so brides get to meet the most bridal vendors, try the most samples & walk away with the most ideas
They have the BEST bridal fashion show in the business…complete with collections right off of the runways in New York
Prizes galore! Enter to win complete dining sets, gowns and honeymoons

We would love to give our newlywed blog readers free tickets to the Great Bridal Expo show this Sunday in Anaheim, CO! Simply go to GreatBridalExpo.com – enter MNMBEX in the space provided, and you will be able to print your FREE tickets for 2!
Are you and/or a friend planning to go to the show? We’d love to hear what your experience was! Did you book a vendor (of find one for an engaged friend), see your bridal gown during the fashion show or learn about a new trend that is SO you? Leave a comment…

Expert Advice: 7 Tips To Sell Your Wedding Dress

Looking for tips to sell your wedding dress? Now that wedding season is winding down and wedding bills are piling up, we chatted with our friends at Poshmark to get some tips on how to recover some money from your recent wedding.

If you do decide to sell your wedding dress, wedding accessories and wedding décor items online, you can:
• Recover about 50% of the cost of your items
• Clear up space to make room for shared closets
• Love the Earth! Recycling a wedding gown reduces carbon emissions from shipping
• Get karma points by helping another bride save on her wedding

Sounds great, but wondering how to get started?

Here are 7 tips to help you sell your wedding dress:

1. There’s no time like the present!

Post your dress for sale as soon after your wedding as possible. You’re not going to wear it again, so why leave it hanging in your closet? Used dresses continue to hold their resale value for roughly 2 – 3 years after they’re purchased and worn (depending on the style) but generally sell for the most money within the first year when they are most current.

2. Price it Right

Many recently married brides wonder what exactly to sell their dress for. Here’s our recommended pricing guideline:
• 50 – 70% of the original value for a NEW designer gown that’s still in stores
• 50% of original value for a USED designer gown from the last two years
• 30% to 40% of original value for a USED custom-made gown
• Reduce the price further if your dress has not been cleaned, is stained/damaged or is more than two years old

3. Use a Fabulous Photo

Buyers will want to see your dress looking its best, so be sure to use photos that show it off! After all, it could be someone else’s dream wedding dress!
When selling your dress online it’s best to include:
A full length picture of the front & back of your dress (preferably on a person or mannequin)
• A close-up picture of any detailing, beading or embellishments on your dress
• A close-up picture of any damage or stains on the dress (if applicable)
• A picture from the manufacturer
Posting less than stellar photos (i.e. on a hanger, a badly lit photo etc.) or no photo at all, will make it more difficult for the bride-to-be to visualize the dress and could hurt your chances of selling.

4. Be Specific

• Brides will be scanning many listings in their search for a wedding dress, so providing more information will likely sell your dress more quickly
• Be specific about color, brand and model number. Often, brides-to-be will try the dress on in a store before they search online for a budget-friendly version, so the more information you can provide, the better.

5. List any Alterations

It’s important to be up-front about the condition of your dress. Describe any alterations that were made and specify whether or not they’re reversible.
For example, the original dress might have been a size 10, but if it was altered to fit a size 6, buyers need to know. Let brides-to-be know of any damage to the dress such as stains, tears or runs. Be honest and you won’t waste your time or their time.

6. Get Your Dress Cleaned

It’s important to clean your dress right away. A clean dress shows that you have cared for and loved your dress, and helps it present better.

7. Be Prepared to Sell!

Once your dress is posted with great pictures and all the details, ensure both you and your home are ready to show the dress to potential buyers.

3 easy steps to prepare for the sale:
• Make time to meet interested brides-to-be. Try to be available on evenings and weekends if possible.
• Create a place for brides-to-be to try on the dress, preferably a private space with a full length mirror.
• Be ready to negotiate the price and know your limits so you can make decisions on-the-spot.

Have you ever considered selling your dress? What would you do with the money you made back from its sale? Did you pay down wedding debt or purchase something for your new home?

Tampa GBE Show: Your End All Be All For Wedding Planning!

Have you heard about the Tampa GBE Show? If you’re recently engaged (or have a friend who is), now is the perfect time to attend a bridal show. Bridal shows are an amazing way to begin your wedding planning process. You’ll see potential venues, caterers, florists, invitation shops, bakeries, honeymoon locations, favors, entertainment and things you’d never even think of on your own!

Live in the Tampa area? Great news…The Great Bridal Expo is in town on Saturday! What makes this show so spectacular?

It’s huge, so attendees get to meet the most bridal vendors, try the most samples & walk away with the most ideas
They have the BEST bridal fashion show in the business…complete with collections right off of the runways in New York
Prizes galore! Enter to win complete dining sets, gowns and honeymoons

We would love to give our newlywed blog readers free tickets to the Great Bridal Expo show this Saturday in Tampa! Simply go to GreatBridalExpo.com – enter MNMBEX in the space provided, and you will be able to print your FREE tickets for 2!

Are you and/or a friend planning to go to the Tampa show? We’d love to hear what you’re hoping to see or find when you’re there…so leave a comment!

DIY Wedding Makeup Made Easy!

Flowers, check. Dress, check. Photographer, check. Now all you need is the perfect DIY wedding makeup for the Big Day. Always remember that when planning to apply your own bridal makeup, what you see in the mirror may not necessarily be what you get on film. But have no worries, here are a few tips that every bride should consider before the big day to achieve a flawless camera-ready look.

Practice Makes Perfect
Take the time to practice putting on your makeup prior to the big day and have a camera handy. Snap away after doing your makeup and study the photo critically. Don’t put it to rest after one try— if you are not a professional makeup artist, experiment until you get it right!

Moisturize
The camera tends to capture oily skin. Be sure to moisturize with an oil-free moisturizer. Let it sink in for a minute and then start applying makeup. Also, don’t experiment with a new moisturizer on your skin or you may end up with blotchy or breakout surprises!

Blend and Match
Wearing a beautiful strapless gown? Room lighting may be tricky. Look hard and close, and make sure your neck and chest match your face color. Pat some powder on your chest and neck to even out your skin tone. Before doing so, insert paper towels securely into your dress and let it cover your neckline to avoid a powdered messy dress! Be sure to blend the foundation around your neck and hairline to avoid apparent multi-colored skin in photos. Steer clear of shimmery bronzers and blush; they do not translate well on camera.

Paint Those Lips
Natural lip color or applying sheer gloss is a no-no for the big day. Color on your lips will bring life to your photos. Lip gloss should be applied on top of color, not substituted for lipstick. To make your lip color last, prior to applying lipstick, line and fill in your lips with lip liner.

Touch-Up
Bridesmaids are girl’s best friends and “foundation”, in more ways than one. So pass along a wedding day touch-up kit to your maid of honor. Be sure to include the essentials—lipstick, eyeliner and powder/foundation. Have her keep it throughout the night and remind you to refresh your makeup so your photos look good— from your vows to your late now wows!

DIY Wedding Makeup Tips from Susmta Patel

Music and Marriage: A Montage for Life

Choosing the right music for your wedding can be a very important step in the planning process. After all, these are the moments that will be remembered for a lifetime and the perfect song is sure to amplify the experience for your special guests. Yet, it isn’t just in those few treasured hours that melodies will play an important role in the relationship with your spouse. In fact, music can be a sort of mortar that holds two people together.

When choosing the right harmonies for your big day, keep in mind the moments you have shared together thus far. Most often, the songs with the greatest meaning are those that are a reminder of something that has already occurred. Even if you have decided on ‘the song’ chances are that at some point during your relationship a song played as the two of you danced, kissed, or otherwise enjoyed each other’s company. Maybe there was a song that made you both laugh while riding in an elevator. Perhaps one served as a backdrop the first time you ate in your favorite restaurant. Was there music playing when he proposed? These are the types of special moments that cement a relationship between two people, so using the music from them will pay homage to them before all of your family and friends.

As your marriage blossoms, don’t forget to listen to those special ballads or upbeat melodies from time to time, as a means of rekindling the love that existed on your wedding day. Also, leave room in your life for many shared songs in the future. If you hear a song that makes you think of your spouse while driving, then take down the name of it and the artist so you can share it with him or her later. In intimate moments, let music play in the background or get up and dance when a favorite comes on the radio.

Music can serve as an emotional trigger to the brain. It can carry the person through time and space to recall, in near perfect detail some long forgotten moment in the past. It doesn’t even have to be a momentous occasion like your wedding day. It can be something as sharing in a silly little dance in your very own kitchen or changing up the lyrics with each other while seated among millions.

Through the magic of music those moments will be remembered forever. So use that to your advantage and make many lasting memories with music as you grow old together. Who knows how many songs will make you smile as you celebrate your golden anniversary!

What was your favorite wedding song? Do you have a tune that always reminds you of your newlywed days? We’d love for you to share via a comment.