Shoes ! Shoes and more Shoes!

I have three brides presently looking for wedding shoes. Please keep in mind that these shoes have to be special. But of course they are the shoes that they will be wearing on their wedding day. I have been asked numerous times. " Mrs.Tannie do you like them?" I love that my opinion matters to them but my question to them is always .. " Do you like them?

Before you make this special purchase please take a look at some important information about picking the right shoe. (article credit the wedding channel) "For The BrideThe first thing to think about is comfort. Remember that you will be standing on your feet most of the affair. The last thing you want to have to deal with is pain that limits your mobility and enjoyment.

Some experts recommend that all brides have two pairs of shoes -- one formal pair for the ceremony, receiving line, pictures, and arrival at the reception, then another comfortable and more casual pair for the rest of the night. Ballet slipper-type shoes are a popular reception choice for a reception night that will be heavy on dancing and your feet.

Be sure to pick a shoe that complements your dress and your own style. After all, you'll be seeing them in pictures and maybe even video for the rest of your life.Consider the fabric of your dress. Some say to match silk and satin gowns to satin shoes. Sandals, slippers, pumps, and strap heels are all appropriate footwear on your big day.

Very important -- take your shoes to your fitting so the hem is accurate. Trying the shoe with your actual dress is the only real way to be sure you'll love them. Elaborate dresses do not require elaborate shoes, while more simple dresses are greatly enhanced by ornate shoes."

More shoes to choose from :

Photo credits : Davids Bridal, kate Spade, African-Americans Brides, Alfred Angelo

Who's invited ?

I am always amazed at how many couples get tangled up when it is time to draft up the guest list. I am asked numerous times to be their guest list referee. Believe it or not this is really a deal breaker. I have seen families torn apart at a time when everyone should be celebrating. With this issue in mind I have compiled a list of

Who should be invited to your wedding ?

• Sit down with your fiancee', and both sets of parents and list everyone you can think of to invite ( stay with me here.... we will narrow it down later)
• Use the one-year rule for friends: If you haven't had a meaningful conversation with this person within the last year, don't invite him or her. ( I love it! )
• Now here is were everyone helps to weed people from the list. ( I told you I would narrow it down later)
• Avoid the "If I invite this cousin, I must invite all cousins" trap. And don't feel obligated to invite people who invited you to their wedding. Relationships change. (great advice, especially if you both have large families, this could be very costly)
• Exclude children if possible. Suddenly a family of six is a manageable party of two. (make sure you know your families. If you know that this is going to be trouble at least put a age limit on it.. say 13 and up)
• Address the invitations only to those you intend to invite. If your single friend rates an invitation please include + 1. (it will save time in the end because they always show up with a date)
• Keep the list limited to personal friends. Do you hang out with co-workers away from the office? If not, don't invite them.
• Make sure that the same number of people are invited from each side. This will prevent in-laws from feeling cheated. ( as much as possible...No it does not matter whose paying for this!)
• Keep in mind that on average, about 25 percent of your guests won't be able to make it.
• Make a first and second list. Put the absolutely-must-invites on the first list, and as the RSVPs come in, send an invitation from the second list for each regret.

This is a great guideline as to who you should invite... Good luck and happy inviting!

Article credit : eHow Weddings Editor

Part ll: Brides do you have a back up plan?

I found this article on The Knot several months ago and thought it would be perfect for

Part II Brides....Do you need a back up plan?

Wedding Insurance 101

Though you might not want to think about it, disasters can strike your wedding day. From a sudden cancellation to stolen gifts to a damaged gown, wedding insurance can help protect you against the unforseen, and can also afford you great peace of mind. But what exactly is wedding insurance -- and how does it work? Here's the inside scoop.

What Is It?

Basically, wedding insurance protects a couple's investment from circumstances beyond their control, and reimburses expenses incurred. For example, what if your limo driver doesn't show up and you have to book another one the morning of the wedding -- for three times the price? Or what if the groom's custom-made tuxedo is lost in airport baggage, and he has to buy a new one the day before the wedding? What if your reception space goes out of business a month before the wedding, and you lose your deposit and have to book another space? These are the types of big-day financial losses that wedding insurance can help to protect.

Why Get Wedding Insurance?

Consider these scenarios:
#1. Janet and Dan spend months planning their winter wedding. But on wedding day, their reception site is made inaccessible by an ice storm. With the right wedding insurance policy, the couple can postpone their wedding and receive every penny they lost (less the deductible) -- including money for the invites, cake, catering, attire, and non-refundable deposits for ceremony musicians, floral designer, and other vendors.
#2. The bride's father is injured in a car accident just before the wedding and cannot travel. If the couple has to postpone their wedding, with wedding insurance they could be paid back their expenses to enable them to have the wedding when the father recovers.
#3. Right before the ceremony, Brittany's gown catches a gust of wind. Unfortunately, the tulle dances right over to the end of Uncle Howard's cigar and the dress instantly goes up in flames. Fortunately, the right insurance policy covers the replacement of the veil and gown.

How Much Does It Cost?

A basic insurance policy that covers loss of photos, videos, attire, presents, rings, and deposits usually costs anywhere between $155 and $550, depending on the amount of coverage you want. General liability insurance, which covers up to $1,000,000 for accidents, costs around $185.
Before you buy wedding insurance, check with your each of your vendors to see how well they're covered.

Do You Really Need It?

Before you buy wedding insurance, check with your each of your vendors to see how well they're covered -- your reception site or your caterer may already have their own insurance, so you wouldn't want to pay for overlapping coverage out of your own pocket. Ask your vendors for a copy of their policy, and then figure out where you aren't fully covered.

When Should You Get It?

The sooner the better. Let's say you put a deposit on your reception hall 12 months prior to your wedding date and then it burns to the ground a few weeks before the big day. With wedding insurance, you'll be sure to get your deposit back. But note: most insurance companies have limitations on how far in advance you can purchase insurance.

What Does It Cover?

Problems with the site, weather, vendors, key people, sickness, or injury are the top concerns come wedding day. There is usually a specified maximum amount, which can be claimed under each section, and a deductible also applies. Be sure to find out the details of your insurance plan.
Site: Check to see if your ceremony and reception site is already insured. If it's not, wedding insurance can cover the cost arising out of unavoidable cancellation (such as damage or inaccessibility to the ceremony site), if your reception hall is unable to honor your reservation because it has burned in a fire, experienced an electrical outage, or just plain closed down. Sometimes this policy covers the rehearsal dinner site, too.
Weather: Any weather conditions which prevent the bride, groom, any relative whose presence at the wedding is essential, or the majority of the guests from reaching the premises where the wedding is to take place. Insurance covers rescheduling the wedding and all the details involved -- such as ceremony flowers, tent rental, and reception food.
Vendor No-show: What if essential wedding people -- the caterer or the officiant, for example -- fail to show up? A wedding insurance policy usually covers cancellation or postponement of the wedding for these reasons.
Sickness or Injury: Wedding insurance may also include sickness or injury to the bride, groom, or anyone essential to the wedding.
Military or Job: It's true, military personnel may be shipped out at a moment's notice. Wedding insurance can cover postponement of the wedding due to the bride or groom suddenly getting called to military duty. This can also apply to a last-minute corporate move -- i.e. the bride's company suddenly relocates her to another city.
Wedding Insurance Doesn't Cover...
A change of heart. In other words, cold feet don't count.
Watches, jewelry, or semi-precious gemstones or pearls (even if they are attached to clothing) may not be covered.
While your wedding rings may be covered by the policy, your engagement ring probably will not.

Additional Coverage
Couples can take out supplemental policies to defend against damages incured by other wedding-related items such as photography, videography, and gifts.
Photography: Some policies pay to retake the photographs after the fact if the photographer fails to appear or the original negatives are lost, damaged, stolen, or not properly developed. Some policies will pay to re-stage the event -- with the principal participants so that pictures can be retaken. A policy may also pay costs for rehiring a photographer, buying a new wedding cake, and new flowers.
Videographer: When a videotape produced by a professional videographer is damaged (he or she used faulty materials for example), a policy usually pays a certain amount to have either a video montage created, a video compilation made of the photographs and other wedding memorabilia, or, if possible, a retaking of the official video at a restaging.
Gifts: Whether they're mailed to your home or handed to you on your wedding day, valuable items like gifts are something else you might want to consider insuring. Think about a party crasher lifting unattended presents from your reception. Gift coverage pays to repair or replace non-monetary gifts that are lost, stolen, or damaged. A police report is usually required for stolen gifts. The damage or theft generally has to take place within a limited time period (ranging from 24 hours to seven days depending on the specific policy) before or after the wedding, in order to be covered.
Attire: This coverage pays to repair or replace the bridal gown or other special attire when it is in your possession and is lost, stolen, or damaged (including financial failure of the bridal store). Special attire usually includes the clothing and accessories bought or rented that are to be worn by the bride, the groom, and attendants at the ceremony.
Personal Liability: Personal liability covers bodily injury or property damage caused by an accident that occurs during the course of the wedding (your best man trips and falls on his way up to the mike to roast you or Uncle Murray suffers a Harvey Wallbanger wall banger).
Medical Coverage: This covers reasonable medical expenses (up to the policy's limits) for each person who is injured during the covered events from a cause of loss, which would be covered by your personal liability.
Honeymoon: Your honeymoon can cost as much as a new car. But before buying travel insurance to protect your investment, see if your credit card and/or homeowner's policy covers you if your luggage gets lifted, your trip is delayed, or you have to cancel. If not, you can a buy separate, trip-only policy. Call your insurer, or ask your travel agent for details. Also, certain wedding insurance packages include optional travel insurance for your honeymoon.
Things to Consider
Every insurance policy and every wedding scenario is different. Be sure to talk to your insurance agent -- and have him or her explain the nuts and bolts to you. You want to make sure you and your sweetie understand every detail of your policy.

wedding insurance companies

Bridal Association of AmericaBridalAssociationofAmerica.comFireman’s Fund Insurance Company FiremansFund.comZain Jeewanjee Insurance AgencyOneDayEvent.comRV Nuccio & Associates Inc.RVNuccio.comSinclair Insurance Company Ltd.SinclairPremium.comWedSafeWedSafe.com
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-problems/articles/wedding-insurance-101.aspx
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ARTICLE CREDIT: http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-problems/articles/wedding-insurance-101.aspx

New Logo design

Finally! We have been working for several years to come up with a new brand that would describe in a design what DeVine Choices encompasses as a Wedding and Event Planning Company. I have met with several graphic designers/artists over the years and we just couldn't seem to capture what was in my mind. Well alas, I was introduced to this creative genius, Nakia Thomas of EGB Designs . I was able to explain to Nakia exactly what I was looking for and my thoughts behind what certain elements were important to the design. After several attempts and revisions,

I introduce to you our new Logo:

Please allow me to explain the concept so that you can get the full history behind this design. While the pearls are beautiful they are also symbolic of my family's history in the wedding/event planning industry. My great grandmother, Pearl Brooks was a very detailed and organized lady. While she personally did not work in the industry she gave birth to my grandmother, Elmer Terrell who started our legacy in the wedding community. She was owner and certified florist of Terrell's Florist until she retired due to her ailing health. My mother, Pearl Barnes, named after my great grandmother, continued the legacy of being a certified florist and certified wedding designer. My mother, Pearl retired from the wedding community several years ago and thus the torch was passed on to me. To pay homage to my great grandmother, Pearl Brooks, Elmer Terrell and Pearl Barnes, I requested that my logo include Pearls. Unbeknownest to the designer Nakia he included over 40 individual pearls in the strand of pearls which is actually the amount of years that my family has been in the Houston wedding community. I am honored to be a small part of such great historic style, class and creativity. This is exactly what I requested as a standard for our new brand and design. I hope you will find it as beautiful, classy and elegant as I do and Remember.. " It's a DeVine Choice!"

For more information on the creative Director, Please contact, EGB Designs, Nakia thomas, 832 363 1444 , nthomas@egbdesigns.com or visit, www.egbdesigns.com

We have Moved! Ike Update

Thank you to all that have called, prayed and supported DeVine Choices during the aftermath of Ike. We have officially moved our location. Our new address is listed below: We are very excited about our new joint venture with Keisha Kreations. Please stay tuned for more exciting news!
New Address: 445 FM 1092 Suite 101 Stafford, Texas 77477