Have a smaller more intimate wedding!

I love that my fellow wedding authors are such wonderful people -- not at all agressively competitive, but so willing to partner up and work together well...which is why so many of the 'generous in spirit' pros skyrocket to the top!

Today, I'm recommending my colleague Christina's wonderful book Intimate Weddings. Here's more info on her terrific book:

Small weddings rock. In fact, thanks to the economy, small weddings are one of the biggest trends of 2009.

If you are one of the thousands of brides planning a small wedding, check out Christina Friedrichsen’s Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style.

In Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style , Christina Friedrichsen shows you how to plan a wedding that is small in scale but full of your personality and style. Inside you will find:

* Inspiring stories and advice from couples who have planned small and intimate weddings

* Creative location, ceremony and reception ideas for throwing a wedding that matches your personality

* Inventive ways to get loved ones involved with wedding planning and the wedding day events.

* realistic wedding budgets from real-life couples.

It's time to think outside the "big wedding" box and explore the possibilities of a small and intimate wedding. Before you walk down the aisle, consult the guide that shares your perspective: Intimate is ultimate! And don’t forget to check out www.intimateweddings.com which lists more than 1,300 small wedding venues throughout North America. The website also has a blog (www.intimateweddings.com/blog) with heaps of helpful information on planning a small wedding.

Get your copy at the website now!

What have YOU won with 'Love Bets'?

My book 'Love Bets' has people winning great things! And enjoying *losing* bets to their partner, when the payout is something they really, really want to do.

My publisher and I would love to hear what YOU'VE won from your partner in the 'Love Bets' you've made while using the book. When The Today Show and Good Morning America plan their segments on this book, we just might bring you along to share your story!

Get your copy of the book here.

SmartMoney's hot destinations

Looking for a great deal on a destination wedding or honeymoon hotspot? SmartMoney.com has just released its exciting, exotic list of destinations where the dollar is strong and the scenery spectacular for your smart wedding site shopping: www.smartmoney.com/Spending/Travel/6-Vacation-Spots-to-Stretch-Your-Dollar/.

Dream big. Spend small. Travel wisely.

Check out my budget-saving books at www.sharonnaylor.net/books.htm

Set aside an emergency fund!

With the wedding plans in full swing, you might be looking at your bank account and credit cards, maybe your tax refund check, as your All-Wedding-Access-Cash. But be careful...

Take a bunch of your money and put it away, safely in an emergency fund. There's no protective bubble that forms around brides and grooms the minute you get engaged. Since we live in a world where anything can happen, you have to make sure that you have a nice chunk of change available to use if any emergencies come up.

Right now, I'm sitting in a tarped-off room while plumbers jackhammer my foyer floor away, looking for a pipe problem under the house. If this had hapened last year, while my husband and I were planning our wedding, we would have lost our minds.

An emergency doesn't have to involve plumbers. It could be a new tire that you have to get for your car to replace a flat. A co-pay at the doctor's office for an antibiotic. Your dog's vet bill. Small or large, you need that money set aside so that you have peace of mind as well, and are not fighting with your groom-to-be about money.

So stash some cash away, and if you have it leftover when the wedding arrives, that's Play Money for the Honeymoon (or a smart start on your married life emergency fund.)

Get your copy of The Bride's Survival Guide to find out how else you can save your wedding, your sanity and your relationship!

My new logo! And Sharon's white tee shirt contest!

The Sharon Naylor brand gets a makeover today, as I select the winner of my brand logo competition...and here it is! So my new brand logo is official, and VistaPrint is working on my letterhead, business cards, presentation folders, and very cute tee shirts that you will be able to order through my site very soon.

So this starts Contest #2: please share your ideas for the tee shirt wording! I'm looking for funny or sweet -- nothing Bridezilla-ish.

Listen to something better than the news

Image courtesy of Caneel Bay on St. John.


How much more scary news can we take? Immersing yourself in the downer of the day is only going to depress you, so find a more soothing voice to listen to. In my world, it's Kerstin Sjoquist, who has created beautiful meditation CDs and downloads on her site.

You'll also find a little something on her site that she worked on with me, so check it out!

Oh, and I'm newly on Twitter, so follow me at @sharonnaylorwed.

Free Manicures for Brides!

Okay, so this article in Glamour is talking about a brilliant marketing plan by a nail salon in California, but YOU can turn their genius into a Free Manicure plan for you!

The next time you go for a mani-pedi, suggest to your salon owner that today's brides are stressed-out and cash-strapped, so wouldn't it be the coolest thing ever if their salon offered a free monthly manicure to brides-to-be? Hey, it can't hurt to ask, and most salon owners facing customers' cut-backs in disposable funds would love to draw fresh, new customers into their place.

Memory Photos on Your Bouquet

Photo courtesy of Tory Williams (http://www.torywilliams.com/weddings)


The Fine Art of Family offers wonderful little photo charms that you can attach to your bouquet if you would like to honor a departed relative or friend during your walk down the aisle.

If your father is departed, and not able to escort you down the aisle, you can attach his photo in a charm to your bouquet so that he can join you in a bit more than spirit as you approach your groom. If a mother has departed, her photo can grace your bouquet as well.

I love the concept and design of these, so I encourage you to visit the site for more information!

The Top 100 Wedding Blogs!

Today was a big day for wedding bloggers everywhere, as BrideTide.com announced its list of the Top 100 Wedding Blogs! And I'm so proud to share with you the news that my iVillage blog is on the list!

As they say on the red carpet, it's an honor to be nominated, but it's way cooler to get on the A-list. Many thanks to the team at BrideTide, and I recommend my readers to go check them out!

Give Back! Designing Charitable Favor Cards

I LOVE this site for Charitable Registries and Charitable Wedding Favors: ChangingThePresent.org. Finding a way to Give Back with your wedding has long been a trend, and it's only growing stronger as we think about the value of wedding gifts and favors, and how wonderful it is to choose something that adds to humanity, and makes a difference, far more than a little silver wedding frame.

Check out their DIY package so that you can choose from some wonderful offerings -- Adopt a Tiger ($40), Plant 40 Trees ($22) and fabulous favors such as Equip Artisans ($5) and Provide Back-To-School Supplies for needy kids ($5). They even have a $1 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich donation for a kids' food pantry. What a great late-night favor that would be: a mini PB&J slider for the road, as hungry guests leave your reception after hours of dancing, plus a cute note that you've designed on this site announcing that they've just fed a hungry child. This is a wonderful thing!

Make your wedding maps at WeddingMapper.com!

Here's an easy and fun way for you to create your own wedding maps together! WeddingMapper.com's DIY section allows you to design and print your own icon-studded directions for your wedding invitations, and if you have any questions, they have an expert available to help you out!

I love this site so much, we used it to create our own wedding maps for our Big Day, and I'm their new Q&A Expert for all topics related to finding the perfect venue and vendors! Just click on Advice at the top of the DIY maps page to get to my section.

Great cake toppers!

If you want your wedding to sparkle, even after you've taken a lot of cost-cutting steps to make your Big Day more affordable, check out these dazzling cake toppers:






A description from the company: "Elegant details put the finishing touch on the big day. When it comes to the reception, everyone notices the cake. Why not make the cake standout even more? Toppers With Glitz adds a little bling to wedding cakes with custom designed crystal cake toppers. Extra edible components can increase the cost of your cake – and they are usually thrown away. Glam toppers are hand made with CRYSTALIZED Swarovski Elements AND they are a fun keepsake. Three-letter monogram toppers come in various sizes and custom made designs are offered, including palm trees or snowflakes, anything to go with your theme.

"Designer Sari Watkins hand makes every topper herself. While planning her own wedding she searched everywhere for high quality monogrammed cake toppers. She wasn’t happy with the selection so she started her own business. Toppers With Glitz specializes in customizing artwork, lettering styles and crystal colors. The possibilities are endless and gorgeous!

For more information: www.topperswithglitz.com
Email Sari: Questions@topperswithglitz.com

Check out Presents For Purpose

When you're looking for gifts for your bridesmaids, the moms, and any other special person in your life, it's always a great feeling to buy an item that 'gives back' to charity. I'm especially excited to recommend this website, for its great work and high-fashion angle, organic items and 'go pink' selections that help a cause and might just fit with your wedding's color scheme ;)

Presents for Purpose (PFP)— www.presentsforpurpose.com —was founded in 2002 by Alayna Kassan and Cynthia W. Dressel, two Lymphoma survivors who, along with PFP co-owner Leslie Weissman, wanted to give back to the community that had been there for them during their struggles. The women originally designed and began selling crystal watches, their first retail collection which quickly sold out, resulting in a $20,000 donation to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Since that time, the site has grown exponentially and now offers hundreds of high-fashion, high-quality and in many cases, designer gift ideas for women, men and children. Items range from fashionable apparel and jewelry to hand bags, baby gifts, organic/green items, “go pink” items, stationary and even personalized gifts in all price ranges. PFP has teamed up with and/or has been supported by a number of celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Teri Hatcher, Lisa Rinna, Jessica Biel, Marisol Thomas and Ethan Zohn.

In many cases, PFP works with the individual charities and designers to create a gift that represents the core of that particular charities work, an example of which can be found in their latest piece of jewelry, added to the site. The “beauty within” butterfly necklace (shown above) supports children with a vascular anomaly.

Do something stupid, get a free honeymoon?

I knew it when I saw these two giggly post-teens on the Today Show. The girl apparently swallowed the engagement ring that the oh-so-creative boyfriend slipped into her milkshake, and -- good thing they had a camera rolling! I always need video evidence of my having a milkshake! -- and now she's blogging that maybe, just maybe, they'll get a free honeymoon out of the deal.

So we're in a recession, right? I'm thinking....we'll start seeing some pretty creative efforts via YouTube and its best friend The Today Show enacted by opportunists trying to get a free vacation and a free wedding.

I know that there will be lots of people out there nodding their heads, admiring these kids, saying 'Wow, that's clever.' I happen to know some of these people by name, and I'm sure they're greasing up some jewelry ready to go win themselves a fresh trip to Hawaii.

And then I know many, many more people who would never pull a trick like this.

'Here Come the Moms' at Wedding Podcast Network

Last week, I had the pleasure of getting back into the studio with Robert Allen and Holli Ehrlich of Wedding Podcast Network for our newest talk show segment tapings for the MOTHERS of the bride and groom (and the bride who loves them). This week, we delve into the dark ravings of the mom who wants to be the bride, or who THINKS she's the bride. Why do Moms lose their minds? How can a Mom make it up to you when she's gone too far? Tune in to hear about Mama Dramas and the sweet solutions that get everyone back on track.

Five lucky listeners will win a signed copy of my new book 'The Bride's Survival Guide.'

Sweepstakes and contests for the bride!

Since so many wedding traditions are all about Luck (tossing the bouquet, the first dance, the old, new, borrowed and blue, etc.), you can consider yourself lucky that you have so many opportunities to WIN so many amazing things for your wedding and for your future together!

At every bridal show you attend, you could win a free honeymoon, free photography, free hair and makeup services, and more. Some couples win free receptions! Not bad for an hour on Sunday browsing through the bridal expo at the Ramada!

If you're the contest-entering type, now is a VERY good time for you. The top bridal sites offer plenty of contests, and you'll find amazing contests at your favorite magazines' websites. Here is one that's going on right now...the chance to win a free Prius from Better Homes and Gardens. I've signed on to their site so that I get access to all kinds of national contests, and with an easy click, it signs me up for my daily entry. Piece of cake. Right now, I'm trying to win an elliptical, which would be an amazing addition to our home gym.

Where else will you find great contests for life after the wedding? Go straight to HGTV, and get connected to their awesome contests, as well as to those at DIY Network and Fine Living.

In this economy, you're going to find bigger and better contest prizes out there, and it costs nothing to sign on. Just make sure you're being smart and not giving out your SS# or other personal data that could get your identity stolen. I find that sweepstakes endorsed by these major media websites are usually safe, but I still read the fine print.

Good luck to you!

Real brides and grooms offering vendor referrals

Now this is a good one!

We all know that the best way to find outstanding wedding vendors, and to find the best wedding sites, is to ask recently-married friends and relatives who they used, who they would recommend, and who they didn't like.

But what if no one you know has gotten married recently? What if you've just moved to a new area and don't have a big circle of friends to consult with yet? Are you out of luck? No, there's a great resource called Wedding Mapper that not only lets you build a fun map for your guests' use in finding the hotel, ceremony and reception sites; it shows you Real Life wedding couples in your area, who they used, how they rated them, what they had to say about them AND you can e-mail those couples to ask any additional questions you have.

It's a fabulous extra tool in your research, to get you the best of everything on a budget that's right for you. Joe and I used this site when we were planning our wedding, and we loved it. I've recommended it in the past as a fun budget-saving way to do the directions thing, but I also wanted you to know about the 'inside scoop' element!

What are grooms buying for their brides INSTEAD of diamond jewelry?

Diamonds are expensive these days, but grooms still want to get something fabulous for their brides. Find out in my cover story, "5 Questions With Sharon Naylor" at Brides.com.

My Mother of the Bride Book is #1 on Amazon!

Lots of Moms out there are getting the advice and ideas they need to be wonderful wedding-planning partners. My book The Mother of the Bride Book is the #1 book for moms on Amazon.com, with my Mother of the Groom book also tops on its own list.

Since moms are important members of the planning team, I've enjoyed focusing on them and helping them navigate the new trends and etiquette rules, both in my books and at my podcast "Here Come the Moms" at Wedding Podcast Network.

Another perk of giving Mom a book of her own? I say the things you want to say, like "Chill out," "It's the bride and groom's wedding, not yours," and "Stop trying to compete with your friends or the in-laws."

Catch me on Get Married...again!