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Whatever the reason for the industry miss, I can tell you from a wedding pro POV there is a growing trend of groom involvement in the wedding planning experience. Last year when my husband and I were planning our own wedding, among all of the other planning tasks, finding gift items for the groomsmen was a beast. About the time I found myself in the back hallway of a local cigar shop with my (then, soon-to-be) husband getting very, very light-headed on cigar smoke and sifting through empty cigar boxes, I was ready to call it quits on the groomsman gifts. Prices for the “Create Your Own” option range from $39-$99 depending on what items you want to include in your gift box.

And, a great bridal party can be a game changer in the months leading up to the wedding as well as the wedding day itself. Gifting your party on the wedding day with a handwritten thank you note, mentioning the gift to come, will make this present an exciting surprise. Since your wedding party consists of those special peeps (i.e. close friends and family) , they will appreciate a photo to remember the day. Gifting them a beautiful collage or framed photo is a special way to thank them for being part of your special day.

We might sound a little biased on the subject of outdoor weddings considering both of our venues include an outdoor space with the venue rental. With the current trends of greenery and gardens in all of the wedding mags (and real life), Mother Nature comes fully equipped to provide those elements at little or no extra cost to you. Because Mother Nature loves the trends, but sometimes she likes to mix things up and next thing you know your beautiful spring evening gets an unexpected drive-by rain storm. Entrepreneur, Small Business Mentor, Event Planner, Wedding Geek, Writer, Business Innovator, Idea Maker, Boot Camp Betty, Yoga Nut, Animal Lover, Avid Reader}

The Royal Family broke with (lots of) tradition and welcomed the stunning Meghan Markle with open arms into the clan thereby continuing the progress of the Royal Family into the modern era. The details of Harry and Meghan’s big day were spectacular and accompanied by a royal wedding budget (#nolimit), but the “best of” their wedding is seriously attainable for the rest of us non-royals. Always opt for LIVE musicians at the Ceremony – Live musicians, whether a cellist or R&B gospel band (or both if you’re Meghan and Harry) make for an entirely different feel and experience for your guests. The cake bakers of the world are going to hate me for this one, but custom wedding cake flavors are a great way to share a piece of your relationship or family history with your guests.