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Just this past spring, their charming Mackey House wedding was featured in Style Me Pretty! The happy couple’s wedding was a hit and we just admired all the distinctive touches that really made the wedding come alive.

Congratulations to the wonderful couple and a big thanks to Shannon Christopher for the wonderful pictures!

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The story of Mr. and Mrs. Flynn captivated us from the very beginning which made the day memorable for everyone involved. We simply adore the color palette, which played off the Marine Corps colors beautifully and the bride glowed in her striking gown. The couple’s precious son in a miniature uniform was icing on the cake. Adorable!

We wish the lovely family nothing but happiness for their future. We would like to thank A Military Story for the wonderful feature and Dream Weaver Photos for the stunning pictures.

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To help erase the problem of mistaken identity, we found a pin that gives you a chart on how to properly address your wedding or save-the-date invitations. So now, as long as you know their marital status, you’ll know how to title the envelope.

 One of the most important things on a Bride’s mind is how she is going to look in her wedding gown. We stumbled upon a pin that led us to three workouts tailored for Brides to be.

Along with feeling good about your body on your wedding day, another big component of your look is the hair. We found a pin that showed us several up-do ideas that would be perfect for a wedding.

Couples want their weddings to be as unique as possible, which is why incorporating DIY items has become the norm. While there is an array of options, we found a project that is simple and stylish, adding a touch of sparkle to the soles of your bridesmaid’s heels.

Another great way of ensuring a memorable wedding is to really take care of your guests. To make sure they are happy and having a great time can be difficult, especially if you are having a big wedding, but little touches at the ceremony and reception can really make a difference. Pinterest is full of these ideas, and we pulled one of our favorites, games for guests who don’t enjoy dancing the night away.

With inspiration from ideas like these and the many more you can find on Pinterest, you’ll have no problem making that big special day uniquely yours.

For more ideas and inspiration follow us on Pinterest!

Photo Credit: Pinterest

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Couples use their Big Day as a way to highlight their own personality and creativity. For years, brides and grooms have searched high and low for those special little details that will make their wedding the talk of the town. From colorful wedding gowns, belly dancers, unique themes, to destination nuptials, not only do they put their heart and soul into the relationship, but also into the wedding.

One small detail that can really create a huge impact in creativity is the guest book.  A traditional guest book is always beautiful and elegant, but if you are looking to bring something exclusive to your wedding, an imaginative guest book is a sure thing.

To help get your imagination flowing, our wedding experts are here to give a few fashionable examples of fun and creative guest books.

Jenga

If you are thinking about the popular game then you are correct! This guest book is simple and easy on the budget. You simply purchase the game and have each of your guests sign a separate block.

Globe

Globes are not only beautiful and elegant, but they are educational. You merely buy a globe and supply your guest with a Sharpie. This is a wonderful idea for destination weddings.

River Rocks

This is a simple and easy way to display your guest book in your home. The bride can either collect or purchase smooth rocks. At the wedding choose any color Sharpie that suites you and have the guest sign their names onto the stones. Afterwards, just place them into a glass container and enjoy!

Polaroid

This is a fun and intimate way to encourage your guest’s creativity. The guests take a Polaroid picture of themselves, then sign below. Later, you can create a scrapbook containing all the pictures and signatures taken by your guest.

We wish your wedding and life together all the happiness in the world. Remember, be open with your creativity and no matter the outcome, it will be the most spectacular day of your life!

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Enjoy!

SAVANNAH WEDDING | Katie & Howard from Wedding Video on Vimeo.

Credit: SavannahWeddingFilms.com

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Luckily, there are tools available to help minimize a bride’s stress without breaking the bank. With the help of bridal reviews, high rankings and a wealth of excellent information we have recommending three books dedicated to wedding planning for all types of brides.

Our first recommendation is The Busy Brides Bible written by Angela A. Kear. She has more than ten years of event planning, marketing and photography experience. What we love about this book is how detail-oriented it is. It includes everything from check-lists, budget guides and suggested seating arrangements to hair and makeup, nail tips and up to date wedding trends.

 Our second recommendation is The Smart Couple’s Guide to the Wedding of your Dreams written by Dr. Judith Sherven and Dr. James Sniechowski. This husband and wife psychology duo has written several books on how to have a successful relationship. This book really focuses on something many people forget, the bride AND the groom. It reminds couples what their wedding is really about- them, and that planning their big day together will make for the happiest wedding. Our recommendation: buy two copies, one for her and one for him, so they can both make notes on their own and discuss.

 Finally, we also recommend Offbeat Bride written by Ariel Meadow Stallings, an acclaimed writer with articles in such publications as Modern Bride Magazine, ReadyMade and Seattle Weekly. This book, based on the popular website, is so refreshing because it helps gives the unconventional bride a voice. For any bride that doesn’t want tradition anywhere near her wedding day, this book will help get you there.

 Whether it’s a traditional wedding or something a little off the beaten path, one of these books is sure to help make what seems like a very difficult planning road ahead much more manageable and hopefully a lot more fun.

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Whether you are celebrating your first Valentine’s Day together, your 40^th or planning to mark the day with your engagement, we hope that Cupid brings you nothing but love, laughter and pure happiness.

So embrace the pierce from Cupid, throw on your best red outfit and enjoy the festive day!

Photo Credit: Pinterest 

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Many couples are using their first dance as a way to let their creativity and personality shine. Now, the classic first dance songs like: “At Last,” by Etta James, “Because You Loved Me,” from Celine Dion and “Could I have this Dance,” by Anne Murray are always a great way to kick off a couples first dance as husband and wife. However, if you are the kind of couple that dances to their own tune, our wedding experts are here to give a few more “untraditional” first wedding song choices, which could just be that unique splash you crave.

Before choosing your first song, ask yourself a few simple questions to help narrow down your choices.  How formal do I the first dance do be? Will the song showcase our personality? Is the first song a party starter? Once you have pin pointed those few simple questions, choosing a unique first song will not only be fun, but adventurous. Here a five unique choice ranging in various themes to help get you off to a great start.

“Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

This song is a modern, fun, sweet duet that is perfect for the new age couple.

“Living on a Prayer” by Jon Bon Jovi

Always a crowd pleaser, this song is upbeat, well-known, fast paced and sure to get your party started!

“I Wanna Grow Old with You” by Adam Sandler

This song became popular through the movie “The Wedding Singer.” It is a very fun, short and unusual song that really tells a great story.

“Making Memories of Us” by Keith Urban

A beautiful country song that is almost certain to bring tears to several watching eyes.

“The Glory of Love” by Jimmy Durante

A beautiful classic that is sure to create an old Hollywood vibe.

Whether you decide to stick to tradition or embrace the adventurous side, we wish your wedding and life together all the happiness in the world. Happy dancing!

Photo Courtesy of Hunter McRae Photography 

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Budget discussions are not always the most entertaining, but they are necessary. It is impossible to properly compare the value of different professionals and products if you don’t have a solid idea of what you are able to invest in creating your celebration. Consider all of your possible sources of income, and have a frank discussion with parents and other family members on whom you plan to rely for funding. How will the money be disbursed to vendors, through you or via direct payments by the contributing party? When will money be available, and how involved do your “patrons” plan to be in the decision making process? What are your own financial considerations and priorities? A huge, premium wedding is grand, but what other financial goals do you have as a couple?

Until you’ve determined how much you plan to spend, your discussions with wedding professionals are really only preliminary in nature. The best ones book early, so you want to have your dollar issues worked out sooner rather than later.

Next, before you can finalize your venue choice, you’ll need an idea of how many guests you anticipate inviting, and how many are likely to attend. If your heart is set on an intimate chapel setting, you may need to sacrifice some invitations to pare your party down to an appropriate size. Again, include any important decision makers in this discussion as parents and future in-laws are often full of surprise requests when it comes to a wedding guest list.

Now that you know “who” and “how much”, you’ll want to tackle the single most important decision that a couple faces during their first days as planners: how to choose a venue. So many considerations will contribute to the decision, but here are some of the ones to start with:

- Where do you plan to get married? Near home? A destination?

- How many guests do you need to accommodate?

- What time of year will you wed? Will the weather require a certain type of facility? Do you need an indoor ceremony space? A climate controlled reception area?

- How does your venue contribute to your vision? Is your theme rustic or glamorous? Can you use your space to capture the atmosphere you desire?

- Is your venue all-inclusive, or are you expected to contract your own vendors? Is there a professional on-site to help you make important decisions?

Once you have a good grasp on what you are looking for, make appointments to view your contenders in person. Take a tour, meet the staff and decide if you are visiting where you want to spend one of the biggest moments of your life.

If you are considering spending that day at The Mackey House, we encourage you to contact us today!

Photos courtesy of Chris Isham Photography

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