tips for enjoying your engagement

Just take a quick scroll through your Instagram or Facebook feed from the past month and it becomes obvious pretty quickly: engagement season. So if you recently got engaged, Congratulations!! And if you recently got engaged, you’ve probably had 500 people already ask you when is your wedding, where will it be, and when are you having kids. Being engaged is such an exciting and monumental time in your relationship, and it’s important to enjoy it, despite what everyone else wants to know. So today we’re sharing some tips and ideas on how to truly savor the engagement phase without rushing through to the wedding day.

Plan date nights, just because. It can be easy to get swept up into the minutia of everyday life or get so consumed with wedding planning that planning fun activities for now gets pushed to the wayside. Remember when you first started dating and every night out together seemed like a new adventure? Bring back those butterflies! Just like the beginning of a relationship, being engaged can have that same energy and newness. So take some time to schedule date nights like you would have early in the relationship: try that new restaurant you’ve been talking about, take a wine tasting class, go ice skating in the park. Get creative!

Make a memory box of your proposal. Sure you probably have a million ring selfies on your phone already, but nothing beats the real mementos from the big day. Whether you use a shadow box that you can display or just something small you keep to yourself, save the ticket stub, note, and flowers that were a part of the proposal. Then whenever you need a little pick-me-up, just peek into the box for a reminder of the greatest day ever.

Host an engagement party, but don’t stress about it. The last part of that sentence is the important part. The point of the engagement party is to celebrate you guys, so don’t let it become another thing to stress about. Keep it simple and casual – grab drinks with friends at your favorite neighborhood bar, host a build-your-own taco night. Whatever you do, make sure it’s what you both want to do, not something you feel like you should do because of what other people say (unless someone offers to throw the party for you!).

Take advantage of the perks! You just got engaged, it’s okay to be excited about it! Feel out the situation obviously, but if it happens to come up in conversation with your server or hotel concierge, don’t be shy. You’d be surprised how many places are willing to offer up free champagne, chocolate, or an upgrade (after all, you could be a prospective wedding client of theirs).

Insure your ring. Okay so this one isn’t so much about savoring your engagement, but it will definitely give you peace of mind. Insure it, ASAP. And, if it doesn’t fit properly be sure to get it resized. It’s not fun to part with your ring after you just got engaged while it’s back at the jeweler, but it would be even worse for it to fly off if it’s too big!

Start brainstorming together about your ideal wedding. Now that you’ve planned some date nights, insured your ring, celebrated over free glasses of bubbly with friends, and are totally loving your new status as fiancée, start browsing and thinking about what kind of wedding you both envision. Keep the initial phase light and fun before you get down to the nitty gritty of budget and logistics. What type of vibe do you want your day to have? Rustic and casual? Glam and traditional? Simple and industrial? The world is your oyster right now, so let your imaginations run wild and have fun.

Caitlin + Mac Featured in The Knot

So excited to see Caitlin and Mac’s gorgeous Manor at Prophecy Creek wedding in print! Their picture perfect day is featured in The Knot’s Spring/Summer 2016 issue!

the knot real weddings - two little birds planning

the knot real weddings - two little birds planning

the knot real weddings - two little birds planning

images via asya photography

2016 wedding trends

What are the new and emerging wedding trends for 2016? Read on to find out!

Unplugged ceremonies. They are becoming increasingly popular because they allow guests to really be in the moment. They also help the professional photographers get unobstructed photos of the ceremony.

Friends or family officianting. A lot of couples are now choosing to have family or friends perform their wedding ceremony. Couples need to check laws in their state, but having someone who knows the couple well makes for a truly personal ceremony.

Unique ceremony exits. Gone are the days when guests toss rice as the couple exits the church. A few unique twists on the traditional toss is having guests throw something different like colorful pompoms, confetti from a make your own confetti bar, or freeze dried flower petals, which are much easier to clean up and won’t ruin floors. If your venue doesn’t allow anything to be tossed, there are options. We’ve seen guests waving mini flags, Canadian to represent the groom and American for the bride. Another couple had guests ring bells as they recessed, because in some sects of Buddhism, the sound of bells releases the well wishes of the ringer.

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Non-traditional wedding parties. Couples shouldn’t get hung up on matching the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen, or even having men with the groom and women with the bride. The wedding party should represent those closest to the bride and groom. If the bride’s best friend happens to be a guy, he should stand by her side as the Man of Honor. Even grandma can serve as a bridesmaid.

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Coordinating (not matching) wedding parties. Having all of the bridesmaids choose a dress in the same color or color palette lets each gal show her individual style and guarantees that it’s a dress she’ll wear again.

Different entertainment options throughout the wedding. Think a classic string quartet for the ceremony, a lively Latin band for cocktails, and a fun DJ for the reception. It makes each part of the day feel different and special. Couples can also mix in live music with their DJ by having a vocalist or musician sing or play along.

Diverse and non-traditional food options. Like a food truck, dinner stations, or family style dinners. Dinner stations or cocktail-style receptions allow for a more causal feel and let guests choose what and when they want to eat. Family style dinners are great for guest interaction and more choices.

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Beverage stations. Whether it’s lemonade and iced tea welcoming guests on a hot day or an espresso and cordial station after dinner, beverage stations are a big trend for 2016.

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Using vertical space to hang flower or lighting installations. It can be florals draped over the head table or hanging lanterns over the dance floor. This year, it’s all about the details that bring the guests’ eyes up!

images via m2 photography, sweetwater portraits, ethan yang photography, and emily wren photography

best of weddings & couples’ choice 2016

So honored and excited to announce that we’ve won The Knot’s Best of Weddings Award and Wedding Wire’s Couples’ Choice Award for the 5th year in a row! What a great way to start off 2016! Thank you to all our wonderful couples for your great reviews and referrals!

Best of 2016

12 days of christmas workout

Now holiday parties are in full swing complete with food, family, friends, and more food. If you want to burn some calories in between eggnog toasts and trips to the dessert table, check out this “12 Days of Christmas” workout. If you’re not sure how to do a Russian Twist or any of the other exercises, click the links for video tutorials of each. Extra credit for singing along!
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12 Days of Christmas Workout

One Minute Plank

Two V-Ups

Three Pushups

Four Sit-ups

Five Tricep Dips

Six Mountain Climbers

Seven Lunges

Eight Jumping Jacks

Nine Russian Twists

Ten Squats

Eleven Burpees

Twelve Leg Levers

Repeat 3x as fast as you can!

image via maria fernanda gonzalez

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color of the year 2016

Pantone recently announced both Rose Quartz and Serenity as the Color of the Year for 2016. While I’ve heard mixed reviews, I think the two colors are a pretty combination that could bring a delicate, sweet, and peaceful feeling to any wedding.

pantone color of the year 2016 - two little birds planning

image via pantone

fall festivals 2015

The ghouls and ghosts are gone, and it’s still a little too early to deck the halls, so why not take this down time to enjoy the fall season and explore the great city of Philadelphia? Check your calendar, call a babysitter, grab some friends, and get ready for a good time because you do not want to miss these upcoming festivals!

Philly Fall Crawl
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 – Join hundreds of other beer lovers from noon to 8:00 p.m. in Center City as you tour twelve of the City’s finest bars. The $20 tickets get you bar entries, drink specials, food specials, an event shirt, an event map, and giveaways. Check in at the Irish Pub on 20th & Walnut when it is time to start your fall crawl!

Bacon and Beer Fest
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 – Because Bacon and Beer. For the third year, Eat Philly is bringing together creative bacon-based dishes and tasty beer from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 23rd St. Armory. Tickets are now on sale for $46.50, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting MANNA.

Philly Food Fest
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 – If you are looking to satisfy your appetite, Philly Food Fest is where you want to be. The idea behind this citywide restaurant crawl is for people to enjoy different local restaurants and raise awareness of food related charities in the city of Philadelphia. During this event, there will be canned food drop off locations in each neighborhood to give back just in time for Thanksgiving. Although tickets are free for this event, it is suggested that you give a $10 donation toward a charity of your choosing. Click here to take a look at the 200+ restaurants participating in this tasty event.

Winter Beer Fest
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 – This beer fest prides itself on bringing the best beers from around the world to the great city of Philadelphia. On tap are more than 100 craft beers from all over. For a reasonable price of $40, your ticket will get you all the samples you would like to try. Grab some friends and meet at 460 N. 9th Street for some of the finest craft brews around.

Beer and Cider Fest
Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015 – The Philly Craft Beer Festival and Pour the Core are teaming up to bring you the fifth annual Beer and Cider Fest. This year’s event is being held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. The event is breaking previous records with 150 beers and ciders for sampling. Included in your online ticket price of $40 is a 5 oz. tasting glass and an unlimited amount of samples. The afternoon session is from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the evening session goes from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go towards the local Committee to Benefit the Children (CBC) at St. Christopher’s Hospital. Drink up for a great cause!

special scent

When looking back at our fondest memories, some of the things that come to mind are certain colors, sounds, and scents. To commemorate your big day, why not try a new perfume that will always remind you of your special day?

Categorized into Citrus, Fruity, Light Floral, Floral, SpicyWoody, and Intense, Jo Malone has a wide variety of scents with something for everyone’s taste. If you need some ideas, Nectarine Blossom and Honey is the perfect combination of tart and sweet. French Lime Blossom captures that hint of natural flowers found in many popular perfumes, but with a fun twist. English Pear and Freesia is a fresh and popular choice, even worn by Kate Middleton for her wedding to Prince William.

Since finding a new scent is typically something you want to do in person, stop by Nordstrom to test out the different combinations.

jo malone - two little birds planning

jo malone - two little birds planning

jo malone - two little birds planning

images via jo malone