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Planning: Ashley Nicole Affair   @ashleynicoleaffair Photographer: Nathaly Norman Photography   @nathalynorman_ Venue: La Posada Santa Fe   @laposadasf Florist: Fleur Affair   @fleuraffairco Hair/Makeup: Betty Rose by Alanna   @bettyrosebyalanna DJ: Too Hot to Stop

You're engaged and in full-on planning mode! You're looking at venues, deciding on flowers and going to tastings. What's next? Save the dates, invitations, seating charts and signage! These things are not only important for obvious reasons, but they can also help set the vibe for your entire wedding! We spoke with Liz of Green Girl Design Co. to give you the best tips and tricks for designing your invitations and signage. Q: Why should couple's hire someone to create their invitations and signage? A: Just like an other aspect of your wedding day, trying to DIY invitations & signage can add stress where stress isn't necessary. If you're trusting florists to make your vision come to life with flowers, hair & makeup artists to make you look and feel your prettiest, and a DJ to create the vibe you're wanting on the dance floor, then you should also trust a stationer to create a cohesive look with all of the different suite items & signage you might need. Paper goods & signage is an opportunity to tie all of your colors together, direct guests throughout the day, and add personality throughout the venue with different fonts and designs that fit YOU - trust a professional who has done this for many many many weddings to do this for you.! Q: How do you help couple's decide on a style or design? A: One of the first things I like to tell couples who come to me with interest in custom invitations/signage is that your invitation suite is the first thing that guests see, and therefore the first idea they will get of what the event will look & feel like. I like to get to chat with clients a little bit first to try and get to know what they are like as a couple, and help them decide how formal or informal they want the wedding day to come across to guests. Everything from fonts, paper texture, wording (DEFINITELY wording), amount of suite inserts, stamps, etc. etc. etc. can (and should) effect the formality and overall "vibe" that your guests will assume from your suite. Ultimately, I believe that your wedding should reflect YOU, and should be a celebration that just seems like one you would have, and the style of your paper goods & signage can be the first. thing to set that tone. Q: What does your design process look like? A: Once we chat about the above & decide if the wedding is going to be traditional, black tie, casual, modern, a disco, an episode of Bridgerton, or anywhere in between, then I will send over a look book of some of my past work in their color scheme that I *think* might strike inspiration for that couple. Their initial feedback, and any other inspiration photos they might send me, helps me hit the ground running to figure out which colors, fonts, floral design, envelopes, etc. I'll start with on their initial design proofs. After the first round of design proofs, I use feedback to adjust anything as necessary. At this point I like to put together a "mock-up flat lay". I do this to help couples see what all of the pieces of their suite would look like laid out together - to show them how the envelope color ties in, how their liner will add to the look, and in general help them envision to decide if they're stuck choosing between a couple of options still. Here's a mock up flat lay from a past wedding, and photos of how the suite & day of design turned out! Q: What types of materials do you use for invitations and for signage on the wedding day? Any favorites? A: I try to be eco-conscious (aka GREEN!) with my stationery & signage, so my go to material to print on - especially for bulk stationery like invitations and menus - is 100% recycled paper. I do offer the upgrade option of cotton paper, which I LOOOVE to use because of the gorgeous texture, and it's even more sustainable than recycled paper. It's also great for tearing, so it looks really pretty with a deckled edge. I try to avoid acrylic signage as much as I can, because it's just plastic that's most likely going to get thrown away at the end of the night. I aim to stick to materials that can be recycled, have been recycled before, OR can be reused, like mirrors. Mirrors are great because not only are the reusable if you want to rent them (I use a washable chalk pen for seating charts and welcome signs on mirrors), but they can also be an opportunity to have a keepsake from your wedding. If you have an old family mirror, or want to buy one that you love, you can keep it in your home for years to come and remember that it was at your wedding every time you look into it with your new spouse! Q: What are some fun & unique ways to incorporate signage into a wedding? A: I think having a really unique escort display is one of the most fun ways to show off your personality in your wedding! This can also be a way to incorporate party favors for guest, something extra for guests to sip during cocktail hour (like tequila shots!), and can include be something personal about your relationship. One extra fun sign I got to do once was a personalized crossword puzzle (pictured below). This was special to the couple because they do the NYT crossword together every day, and it's actually how the groom proposed! This was a great interactive piece for guests to work on during cocktail hour, and allowed everyone to learn more about the couple as a unit. Photography: @rileysheaglenn | @samhughphoto | @ellreauxphoto | @amyodomphotography | @mapandcompassphoto

Planning: @ashleynicoleaffair Photography: @lightasgold Venue: @thecontemporaryatx Catering: @peachedtortillacatering Videography: @photohousefilms Florist, Hair & Makeup: Bride (@ricekwisties) Rentals: @premiereeventstx Photo Booth: @pkphotocamper Baker/Cake: @cakesrocktx Transportation: @theninjabus

There are many wedding traditions we are sure you’ve heard of. Something old, new, borrowed and blue are just a few, and we are here to break them down for you as well as discuss if these traditions are for you! WHITE WEDDING DRESSES Having a white wedding dress is perhaps the biggest wedding tradition of all, but is it for you? According to brides.com, the white wedding dress tradition started in 1840 with Queen Victoria when she married Prince Albert. It had previously been tradition to be as “showy” as possible to show off your wealth, but she chose a more modest approach to show she was a bride to her husband who she loved dearly, rather than a Queen to the lesser status fellow she was marrying. But do you need to wear a white wedding dress? Absolutely not! There are SO many styles and options these day. Definitely pick something that represents YOU! SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED & BLUE According to theknot.com, this tradition came from an Old English rhyme. Something new was meant to offer optimism for the future. Something old was a sure way to ward off the evil eye and protect any future children the couple may have. Something borrowed was supposed to bring the couple good luck. Something blue stood for love, purity and fidelity—what the Old English considered were three key qualities for a solid marriage. But do you need to incorporate these items into your wedding day? If you want to, sure! But definitely do not stress about it! You can keep it super simple like counting your dress as the something new, or wearing a family member’s earrings for something old or borrowed, etc. SAVING THE TOP TIER OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE Multi-tiered wedding cakes have been the norm since the 19 th century according to food journal Gastronomica. In summary, when Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) married Prince Philip in 1947, each tier of her cake had a different purpose: one for the wedding, one sent off as a gift, and one preserved for a future occasion. Some people saved the cake to celebrate their first child’s christening, which everyone believed would be during the first year of marriage. Now the top tier is saved to enjoy in celebration of a couple’s 1 year wedding anniversary. Saving the top tier of your wedding cake is definitely not necessary these days. Some couples don’t have cake, and if they do, a lot of bakeries offer a free slice/cupcake of their flavor of wedding cake on their 1 year anniversary. If you have a cake a choose to save your top tier, it is imperative that you do it correctly! Head over to this article by bridebox.com for step by step instructions! NOT SEEING EACH OTHER BEFORE THE CEREMONY According to brides.com, this tradition dates back to when arranged marriages were the norm. Weddings used to be more of a business deal, and it was normal for the couple to not see each other before the ceremony (the veil-over-the-face thing comes into play here too) so if the groom didn’t find his assigned bride attractive it would be too late for him to back out, which would cause shame to the bride’s family. WHOA. Thankfully that is not the case anymore! These days first looks are pretty popular. Having a first look can help calm your nerves and help you to get most of your photos out of the way before your ceremony leaving more time to celebrate afterwards. Waiting to see each other until the ceremony can also be extra special and add to the excitement of your special day. Whatever you choose, there is no wrong way! Whether you choose to incorporate some of these traditions into your own wedding or not, your wedding day will be special and unforgettable! Photography: @honeygemcreative | @alexandrawhitephoto | @creatrixphotography | @nathalynorman_ | @britnideanphotography | @madisonkatlinphotography | @moodyography

Planning: @ashleynicoleaffair Photography: @nikknguyenphoto Venue: @villa_antonia Florist: @zuzuspetalsaustin Hair/MUA: @luxbeautyandbridal Catering + Bar: @royalfigcatering DJ: @exodussoundco Dessert: @dolce_bacio Officiant: @shortandsweetweddings Dress: @bluebridalaustin Photo Booth: @saycheese.photobooths Cake: @central_market Transportation: @nikkosworldwide Getaway Car: @babybluedrivesforyou

Featured on Strictly Weddings Planning: Ashley Nicole Affair Photography: Main Squeeze Photography Ceremony: Saint Mary's Cathedral Reception: The Allan House Hair/MU: Lux Beauty & Bridal Florist: Flourish Floral Design Catering: Courtney's Catering Band: Cody Sparks Band Transportation: 4 Leaf Limo ATX Cold Spark Fountains: Big Dog Pyro Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery Tent: Monarch Event Rentals Lighting: Ilios Productions Getaway Car: Elegant Limousine

Congratulations! You’re engaged! While it’s perfectly ok to soak it all in for a few days, don’t wait too long to start planning your wedding. We are sure you’ve heard planning a wedding can be stressful (we can help you with that!) but what’s even more stressful is falling in love with a wedding vendor only to find out they aren’t available on your special day. We’ve compiled some helpful advice on where to start with your wedding planning! CREATE A WEDDING EMAIL Creating a wedding email address that you ONLY use for wedding related things is SO helpful! Everything wedding related stays in one spot and doesn’t get mixed up with everything else in your regular inbox. CREATE A WEDDING WEBSITE There are multiple places you can create a wedding website. This is a great place to include all of your wedding details and registry info for your guests. This way your guests can easily find all of your wedding infomation in one place and you can update it as needed. CHOOSE A VENUE/DATE You may have heard you should pick a date first, but that’s not necessarily true. Sure if you have a special date you’re set on, that’s fine of course, but it could limit your venue options. We suggest choosing a venue first. This way you can choose a date based on your dream venue’s availability to ensure you’re getting married exactly where you want. CREATE YOUR REGISTRY Its time to decide what kind of registry you want to have and to create it! Check out our blog post about gift registries vs. a honeymoon fund. Both are great options! CHOOSE YOUR OTHER VENDORS We’ve spoken to several Austin wedding vendors and have put together a date range of how far out they tend to book out. This will be really helpful when you start booking your other vendors! Keep in mind this could vary a bit depending on the location. One tip would be to look at companies that have the ability to do more than one wedding per day. Venue: If flexible, within a year. If not flexible, at least 1.5 years out Planner: 6 months to over a year out Photo/Video: 6 months to a year out Band/Musician/DJ: 9 months to 1.5 years out Hair/Makeup: 12-18 months out for larger weddings Lighting: 3-6 months out Cake/Dessert: 2-6 months out Catering: 10-12 months out Officiant/Minister: 1-2 years out START A PINTEREST Starting a Pinterest will really help to give you so many different ideas that you’ll be able to decide what kind of style you are going for. You wedding style is something you’ll be thinking of when you make most of your wedding decisions, including things like your dress, invitations, signage, etc. WEDDING PARTY If you want a wedding party, now is the time to at least start thinking about who you want to be standing by your side on your special day. It can be hard to choose, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make this decision. Also keep in mind that the people you choose will most likely be helping with things like a wedding or bridal shower and bachelor/bachelorette party. *Pro Tip: CHECK REVIEWS!!! Do not forget to check reviews on credible wedding websites like The Knot and Wedding Wire! START YOUR GUEST LIST You won't need to finalize your guest list for a little while but its a good time to go ahead and start. Make sure you are both on the same page about who you want to come, including your stances on plus ones and children attending your wedding. Photography: @monicadaniellephoto | @theteaguesphoto | @mainsqueezephotography | @april_mae_creative | @brandialysephoto | @alisonheffington | @madisonkatlinphotography | @lightasgold | @nikknguyenphoto

Planning: @ashleynicoleaffair⁠ Photography: @april_mae_creative⁠ Venue: @maesridge⁠ Florist: @fleuraffairco⁠ Catering + Bar: @rosemaryscatering⁠ Hair/MUA: @luxbeautyandbridal⁠ DJ: @thepremieraustindjs⁠ Rentals: @premiereeventstx⁠ Dessert: @crumblcookies⁠ Videography: @photohousefilms⁠

Ashley Nicole Affair Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Inn at Loretto Spa Molly Morgan Photography Fleur Affair

Planning: Ashley Nicole Affair Photography: Opal & Onyx Photography Venue: Addison Grove Florist: Native Bloom Floral Hair/MUA: Silk & Flow Officiant: @julia_mija_martinez DJ: @itsdjbray / @smithersproductions Catering: Royal Fig Catering Baker/Cake: @michellespatisserie Strings: @musicaldiscoveryaustin Cold Sparks: @sparksandco_ Lighting: @brightersideeventlighting Getaway Car: @4leaflimoatx Bride: @pomandgriff

Planning: Ashley Nicole Affair Photography: Neva Michelle Photography Venue: Villa Antonia Catering/Bar: Red Book Events Cake: Cake Llama Florist: Whites Floral Design Hair/MUA: Lux Beauty & Bridal Officiant: Short & Sweet Weddings Musician/Band: Sienna Strings Quartet DJ/Photo Booth: Premier Austin DJs Videography: Peter Zuniga Productions Check out our other recent blog posts! CHRISTYBETH + TREVOR; IAN'S CHAPEL | CAMP LUCY - DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX AUSTIN WEDDING COMMUNITY GIVES A FREE WEDDING TO AN INJURED BASTROP DEPUTY

You’re married, CONGRATS! Now - if you're wanting to - it’s time to change your last name. We know not everyone plans to change their last name after getting married, but for those who ARE planning on changing their name, we're here to help. It can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be! The first this to do is to make sure you get your marriage certificate. This is different than your marriage license - which gives you the authorization to get married. A marriage certificate is legal documentation that you have been legally married. With all of the excitement of your big day, it can be easy to forget to get the proper signatures and documentation for your marriage license. Appoint a friend or family member (or ask your wedding planner) to help you make sure you get what you need and you know where your marriage license is at the end of the night. This will allow you to proceed with filing for your marriage certificate and change your last name. You can look up how to file for your marriage certificate online based on the state you live in. Check out this article from The Knot for a more detailed explanation about marriage license vs. marriage certificate. *Pro-Tip: Make sure you get a couple certified copies! After you have your marriage license and marriage certificate squared away you can begin the process for changing your last name! The easiest way to do this is to use a company like Hitch Switch or Newly Named. Companies like these make it extremely easy to change your name because they have all the forms ready to go so you’re not spending hours searching for and filling out the same info on each form. Not only are all the forms in one spot, but they use auto-fill to fill in the same information for you on each form! They have thought of everything including things like voter registration forms and even forms for TSA pre-check. We hope this info helps make changing your last name a breeze. Good luck! Photography: @opalonyxphotography | @sarahkjphoto | @mollymorganphotography