Dog Park Fun

Before bath time, the dogs had a grand time at the dog park. 

I usually ask them several times before we go, "Do you want to go to the dog park?" and they just freak out.

This time I was especially genius and asked them that before I knew how to get to the dog park. I had to sit on the computer using dumb Google Maps with two bouncing, crying dogs all over me. Fun and games.

We finally got there and they busted out of the car with record speed knocking my water out of my lap. They're so well behaved. It was like a scene out of cops when they kick down a door of a drug house.

There's always one dog that each of my dogs insists on following around the entire time. This time? The chosen dog weigh 85 pounds. Nice pick, Cocoa. 

She was a very sweet dog, but still big and scary. Cocoa was not afraid to push her around and Oreo even growled and played around with her as well. Too funny. 

And I always bring water but for some reason one dog always insists on drinking all of it, or knocking it over. Oh well!

The dog parks here are much more fun compared to where we used to live. The dogs don't have to be separated, so Cocoa and Oreo get to play with the big dogs. Because big dogs are much more common than little dogs, no dogs would ever be in the small dog section of the park.

This park has a little "pool" area but Cocoa and Oreo didn't seem interested. They were happy sniffing butts and running around.

If you want to see what happened when they got home from the dog park, click here. xO

We're Missing Something Here

So I said earlier (in this post) that everything was almost done in our living room. Except this.

Can you spot my chalkboard and peace lily? :)

I absolutely hate this corner. It's so sad because I've neglected it. Poor corner. I only go over there to put dog toys away or water the plant (my peace lily post is back here). 

The corner definitely got some sprucing up since I hung the chalkboard. Definitely. But it's not done. 

What about a console table? A dark brown, long, console table. The dog toys can go under it and a big, round mirror can go above it. How does that sound? 

Hmmm. But what about the peace lily? Guess I can shove that in another corner until I decide to redecorate that corner. Ha! 

I've been thinking a nice console table would look wonderful here. I would throw some crap on it that I already have (crammed in our TV stand), picture frames, a flower, who knows. The opportunities are endless. Shoot, I could even put my thankful tree that I'm scheming about making on it.

Now to find a console table. 

Our Dining Room Table-- Love!

Our dining room table has been through a lot. For about 7 weeks we ate on a beach towel. It was just lovely. We had neighbors over and I was thoroughly embarrassed to say the least.

When we finally did receive our table pad, I didn't have a centerpiece I was in love with. It wasn't a big deal because anything is a better centerpiece than a beach towel.

That all changed, though, because I've finally found some things I love!

The candles, candle sticks, and the runner are from HomeGoods. I got that and a few other things and spent $5 out of pocket-- thank goodness for the $50 gift card I won! :) 

The apothecary jar was a wedding gift but I believe it's from Target. So is the filling. I'd like to find some more filling (mini pumpkins, etc) but it's not necessary. I would love to fill it with candy corn but it's my favorite candy.. I cannot have it sitting around our house!

There's a close up of the filling. It's not quite fall-ish but it works for me! 

I just love the little pumpkins attached to the candles! Aren't they adorable? The candles have a pumpkin-y smell but I haven't lit them yet. Hmm, maybe I will with dinner. 

So everything is almost perfectly done decor-wise in our living room. Well, except for one thing, but I'll have to post about that another day!

Enjoy these photos! xO

If You Give A Dog A Bath (How-To)..

Today I was a really mean mommie. I'm usually the softy mommie and I let my husband yell at the dogs when they misbehave. Today I was not the softy. I did something really evil.

I woke the dogs up early and we went to the dog park. They were so excited! They love the dog parks here because in Florida, little dogs can't run around with big dogs. Here, they can. More on our dog park visit later.

Here they are in the car learning to stay in the passenger's seat. They did a great mediocre job and I hope next time they will remember "stay".

At this point (at the red light), I was thinking it would have been much easier to drag a hysterical toddler to the park because at least you can contain them in a silly car seat! Maybe I'll get these two some car seats?

So they ran around and got really smelly. And we hopped back in the car after saying our goodbyes to some sweet doggie friends.

And then it was time.

They knew it was coming as I prepped the bathroom.

It's not completely necessary but I'm a little bit of a clean freak. We have a bath mat under that brown towel and I didn't want dirt to get it on it.

You're going to need a LOT of towels. Well, maybe not if you just have 1 dog. I used about 5 towels total.

In case you're wondering that's the shampoo we use. It works great and smells lovely!

I grabbed two cups but 1 will definitely do. 1 was much larger and I did end up using both. At this point, don't bother grabbing your dog or telling him what's coming, you still need to fill up the tub a little. 

Turn the water on and make sure it is nice and warm but not too hot. It's cold here and we had our windows open so I made it a little warmer than usual. 

Clog the tub and let it fill about 2 -4inches. Our dogs are little so this is perfect to keep the water running throughout the entire bath. If you have a larger dog, I truthfully have no idea. I'm sorry. 

I swear I cleaned that mirror before my dad came last week. Whoops.

Next up it's time to get your doggie. As you can see Oreo was thrilled to be going first. 

Cocoa sat and watched the whole thing as if to make fun of poor Oreo. Little did she know he was next. She loved watching him. Maybe she was concerned, who knows. 

How to bathe your dog

:: Do not wear anything nice or even something you care about to bathe your dog. Please. 

:: My best suggestion is to get in there with you dog. I was wearing workout clothes with those dry fit pants. Squat with your knees straddling your dog while they are standing on all fours. Use the cup and completely coat them with water except for their head.

:: Use a dime size amount of shampoo and start with the legs-- 1 at a time. Rinse a lot. You can never rinse too much. Continue to check the temperature of the water before you dump it all over your dog. 

:: Don't forget to wash the tail and belly. Keep the water running and only rinse your dog with the clean, running water. 

:: After their entire body is washed, it's time to do their face. My dogs have floppy ears so it's easier to avoid getting the insides wet (which you don't want to do). Tip their head back and have them look at you. Hold the fur under their chin to keep them in place. It doesn't hurt them, you'll just have more control of them. They will learn quickly to not move. :)

:: Use a small amount of shampoo to get their cheeks, chin, neck, and the top of their ears. Try very hard to not get the inside of their ears wet.

:: Rinse thoroughly and rejoice because you're done! Drain the water in the tub and encourage you're dog to "shake" while you're still in the tub. Squeeze as much water out as you can before you get out of the tub. 

:: Next I just completely bundle them in a towel and carry them around for a few minutes. Periodically I'll stop and towel dry them by rubbing the towel all over them. 

:: It's very important (especially this time of year) to make sure they are dry and warm. Oreo is a tough guy but Cocoa is a little baby. She shivered for a little while so I put on her pink parka and we sat in the sun for a little. She felt much better after that. :) 

:: What happens next, I will never understand. I'm sure many dogs do this but it is so hilarious to watch. I wish I could get it on camera. Here are a few pictures that may explain what goes on for about 20 minutes after bath time. 

And we're done! Thank the lord because I think I burned about 600 calories bathing these two. Here are their "after" pictures. 

At this point it's time to clean your tub. My dogs don't shed but I still feel the need to sanitize it like a crazy lady. Don't forget to do this-- even if you just dump some baking soda in the tub and just let the shower run. Do something to get the dog smell out! 

Mantel Is Finished!

Last weekend I posted about our beautiful mantel..Ha! I am so embarrassed that that is what our mantel has looked like for quite some time.

Well, today that all changed! I got some goodies in the mail today to complete my "look".

As you can see I kept my little pumpkins & lanterns on there (you can see more about them and how much they cost here). 

I feel like they really complete the look, don't you? I'm not sure if I talked about the chalkboard, but that is also a Target find. It was $2.50. Of course I had to buy it. 

If you couldn't tell from the first picture, the wreath has a little "B" on it. I just love it. I was not thrilled when it came off during shipping and I had to hot glue it myself, but I'll save that for later in the post. 

I got the wreath, 3 frames (same size), and banner all from this shop on Etsy. It was a little pricey but I really wanted it and I know I'll use it for many years. They were wonderful to work with and I definitely recommend them if you are looking for some cute fall decorations! I was a little bummed the "B" came off my wreath-- It was not easy to hot glue that back on! It kept falling off a zillion times. 

My only "thing" would be that everything was a bit smaller than I was expecting. I am very glad I had those few nik-nacks from Target because they definitely completed the look. It would have been too barren without the lantern, pumpkins, and chalkboard. 

And I'm sure you're just dying to know, but I finally hung my other chalkboard on the wall! 

More on how to make one of these can be found here.

It's hard to tell from this photo, but the wall juts out just a bit for some reason. The walls are so barren that I thought this would liven the place up. It's actually centered in the middle of the part that sticks out. Guess it's hard to tell!

xO

Stealing Acorns-- My New Hobby

Yup, just 3 (so far). There really was no reason for the theft but I love how big they are here compared to Florida. They are the size of a large marble or bouncy ball. The ones in Florida were tiny.

I was walking the dogs somewhere and saw lots of them. At first I just wanted to pick them all up but I was afraid someone was thinking I was picking up our dogs' poop.. Ha. So I waited a few minutes and grabbed the 4 pictured above.

Maybe I'll fill a vase or something for the fall season? Any ideas? Leave your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below.

Until I come up with an idea, my plan is to take 4 each time I go outside. I'm so ADD I'll have 100 by Monday.

xO

Target Find & Our Mantel Is Coming Soon!

Because I've had horrible luck with the gallery wall in our bedroom (read more about that here), I decided to focus on something else that needs some work-- our mantel.

I started scheming at Pier 1, Target, & TJ Maxx, but wasn't having much luck because I didn't know how tall the items should be. I didn't want them to be so big that our house looked tiny (our house is already tiny) and I didn't want them to be too small where I just need more crap. Make sense?

So of course I headed to Etsy and found an adorable shop that has the stuff already on the mantel, so you can see how it looks. Now obviously not all mantels are the same size, but it kind of worked for me and I winged it. :)

I'll keep the rest of what I bought a secret but we'll call this the "before" photo. Pathetic, I know.

I really could have spruced it up for the photo, but I wanted it to be an honest, everyday photo. Why is that easel still there not holding my chalkboard, you ask? Well, I don't know why the easel is still sitting there, but the chalkboard has also moved.. 

Like I said above, I could have taken the time to actually hang it up, but I figured it was best to show you how it's been sitting for 2 days. :-) 

I love how it will look up on this wall. It will still be seen, but not the center of our living area. I also have big plans for that corner (where the Peace Lily is), but more on that later!

When walking to Target the other night I found these adorable little lanterns and 2 pumpkins for $5 total. 

I ended up with 2 lanterns, the white pumpkin, and the orange pumpkin. I'm sure you're curious-- I realized the lanterns were different when I got home from Target. I guess that's what I get for talking on the phone from the moment I walked in until I got home. Oh well, they have personality, right?

I think I'll end up adding these to my mantel, but if it's too much they'll hang out somewhere else (Maybe the dining room table). 

What do you think? Give me some ideas! xO

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

This dumb gallery wall is going to kill me! All I wanted was a simple gallery wall with our favorite black and white photos of our wedding. Maybe 10, maybe less. I also wanted to incorporate a few "items" that weren't pictures-- a "B", a cross, and a Hawaiian prayer from our honeymoon.

How hard could this be?

Ha! At first I thought I should cut out pieces of paper in the size of the photos, rearrange them on the floor, and tape them to the wall to see how it would look. Everything looks great, no problems. Well, except that the 5x7 photos seems like they would be a little tiny, especially next to 8x10 and 11x13 photos. 

My plan was that each frame would be the same, and the arrangement would be a little all over the place. I had pinned a few ideas I loved-- you can find them here. 

Photo credit

This was kind of the idea I am going for (above). How freakin' hard can that possibly be?! 

After talking to my aunt she suggested I buy the frames first. Her reasoning was that this would be the  most expensive part and I can always fill the frames at any point in time. Makes sense. 

So the other day when work was quiet I set out to TJ Maxx and Target for some (hopefully) cheap frames. TJ Maxx was excellent and I found some grey/blue speckled ones and even some plain greys. My aunt suggested that the frames did not need to match. 

The 5x7 frames were about $6 and the 8x10 frames were about $10. Target was a bit pricier with $12 for a 5x7 (But I really liked it). 

I also snagged the cross & Love sign from Target for $13.99 each. Not bad. 

The 11x13 frames will be harder to find. I ordered 2 11x13 frames from Shutterfly because they were free, but now finding a frame is going to kill me. :-)

So then I just decided to lay them out. I sent a few pictures to my MIL and tried to get opinions. I don't even like the way they are arranged above, but it just happens that that's how they were when I snapped the photo. I guess now I'll find a way I like them arranged and then... 

And then what?! I have no freaking clue! 

The dogs love looking out that window but Cocoa is afraid of the frames. Oreo, not so much.

Well I'll be sure to share my latest updates with you on actually getting these frames on the wall! Say a little prayer to the gallery wall gods for me! xO

Five Question Friday-- September 21st

Happy Friday, y'all! Who's glad it's Friday?! Welcome to another week of Five Question Friday.

1. What is one grammar issue you cannot let go without correction? 

Hmmm, well I definitely don't correct anyone, but if something is said/written incorrectly in my head I will "fix" or notice the issue. Mine would definitely be there, their, they're or than and then. I also cannot stand when people say "like" 10,000 times in a sentence. Like, shoot me.

2. What's your favorite thing about fall?

My favorite thing is probably the cooler temperature and pumpkins! I love decorating for any holiday and baking for the fall/winter months. And I love saying "Happy Fall, y'all!".

3. What's your favorite dish to take to a potluck? 

I'm not much of a potluck person but I usually will take a big salad, cheesecake, cupcakes, or buffalo dip. I guess it's depending on the season! 

4. When do you start Christmas shopping?

I usually start late. This year I have picked up various items as I see them (which helps) but I'll probably end up being an idiot at the mall on Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving. But I love that. :-)

5. Did you move homes a lot growing up?

Yes. A lot!

Letters Before the Ceremony

As my husband mentioned in my 100 tips, he did not want to see me before the ceremony. I didn't care and kind of liked that he was "passionate" about something in our wedding.

So with that we came up with the idea of writing letters to each other to read before the ceremony. Our photographer thought it would be cool if we could stand on a corner without seeing each other, but she would see both of us. Does that make sense? Here's a photo:

I was so worried Nathan would forget to write me the note! I'm so crazy obsessive mine was written a good week before our wedding. 

My husband? He wrote his around 3AM the morning of our wedding on the hotel stationary. Have I mentioned I love that boy? 

It wasn't a very emotional moment or anything, but it was still very nice. I think we both enjoyed hearing each other's voices. Nathan sounded so calm and ready. 

The Best Man practically rounded the corner but I said I did NOT want him to see me. Luckily we had 2 great photographers at that point and they kept everyone away. :-) I'm not sure why it bothered me but I didn't want him to say anything. 

Every time I left that room I popped my head out to make sure we were "clear". Too funny! 

I definitely recommend doing this! I gave our notes to my MIL so she could add them to our scrapbook. I think many years from now we will love reading them. Especially my husband's on hotel stationary! 

We had quite an audience! I don't remember that! 

If this is something you're considering, it doesn't time much time or effort at all!

Some Tips

:: Be sure your photographer, fiancé, and members of your wedding party are aware of the letter idea. It doesn't take much time at all (Don't write a novel, half a page to a page is plenty). Make it short and sweet so you're not late to your ceremony (another one of my tips). 

:: Write your note to your future spouse ahead of time. Have your MOH or Best Man keep track of it so it doesn't get misplaced.

:: If you don't want to see each other, then definitely make sure you have a few people to help navigate the groom and bride. 

:: You can really change this up and hold hands, pray, talk, and just relax. We needed to get to the ceremony but it would have been fun to hold my husband's hand. 

I think this was before I arrived. What a handsome guy!

100 Real & Honest Wedding Tips-- 50 From Wife & 50 From Husband

As most of you know I am a newlywed and had quite a wedding a few months ago. I say quite a wedding because we had over 150 people and it took 10 months to plan.

As I started writing my tips, my husband kept popping in with more tips. So with that, I decided he would contribute half of the tips. Hello, he helped with the planning (Ha!) and has an opinion on our wedding as well.

With that being said, ladies first

1. Remember that your wedding is just one day of your life. 24 hours. Then it's all over.

2. Also remember that this is your wedding. It (hopefully) will only happen once in your life.

3. Be very aware of your budget and make sure everyone else (who's helping you plan) is too.

4. Be open with your budget but not everyone needs to know what you're spending.

5. Don't fall in love with anything that is out of your budget.

6. Don't buy or commit to anything you'd be embarrassed to share the price of. That is, don't buy your flower-dog a $300 outfit.

7. Stay calm. Please don't waste your time stressing. One day you'll look back at this time and smile.

8.  If you want/don't want something at your wedding, get it (or don't get it). Even if it breaks tradition. I did not want to do a bouquet toss. Guess what? We didn't do a bouquet toss. Even after people said "but that's what you do at weddings!" Do you think I cared? 

9. Wear comfortable shoes. Honestly, no one sees your shoes.

I loved my sparkly Toms and they were perfectly comfortable.

10. Be honest and comfortable with your photographer. You'll be with him/her all day on the biggest day of your life. I got out of my dress bra-less in front of my photographer. Enough said.

11. Programs are not necessary. Unless you really want to spend $1/program, then go for it.

12. Have a ton of deodorant on hand.

13. You ceremony must start on time.

14. Keep a journal starting with the wedding planning process, through the wedding day/night, and ending with the honeymoon.

15. Make sure your shower(s) are a good amount of time before your wedding (6-12 weeks beforehand).

16. Unless you don't have a budget, a theme is not necessary.

17. Get gifts for each other. Have the Best Man and Maid of Honor deliver them to you. My MOH loved getting to peek on the guys and see how they were doing. I loved being able to see our Best Man for a few minutes and he told me my groom was doing just peachy!

What a sweetie! He was raised right. :)

18. Make sure someone is wearing a watch.

19. If the bridesmaids have long dresses, you can't see their shoes at all. Don't dictate their shoes, it's not worth the time or effort. Promise. 

20. Don't have too many songs or readings during your ceremony. Remember, you and your spouse have to stand during all of it.

21. Don't spend a lot of time on the seating for the ceremony. Put your family at the first few rows and be done with it. It's not worth the time and you won't be there to tell them where to sit.

22. You don't need a ring bearer.

23. Make sure your bouquets aren't huge. Remember, you have to hold it! Mine was so big that I rarely carried it. I pawned it off on everyone-- even a flowergirl!

24. If you have gifts for your parents or close friends, don't give it to them the day/morning of your wedding.

25. Best bridesmaid gift? Jewelry.

26. Don't spend a lot of time/money/energy on something that isn't important to you. For example, the place cards meant nothing to me (I wanted place cards, but nothing fancy). We went with the card stock tent kind. I'm so glad we didn't waste time/energy/money on fancy ones because that time/energy/money went to things we really wanted-- DJ, photographer, open bar, etc.

27. All your guests want to do is drink, eat, and (maybe) dance. They aren't there to make friends, so don't think they will. They don't want to fill out things at your table, either. Sorry. 

28. There probably won't be enough room on your tables for anything but the place settings, table number, and a centerpiece. Don't get wide centerpieces.

The reception people will put a ton of stuff on your tables. 

29. Remember your guests. They flew/drove here, bought you a gift, and sat through your ceremony.

30. If you want to have a "night club reception" (like we did), don't do things that will take the guests off the dance floor (Ex: bouquet/garter toss, money dance, etc).

No one left the dance floor until we were pretty much kicked out. 

31. You don't need to practice dancing unless you've never been to a high school dance.

32. Eat dinner while everyone else is eating dinner.

33. While you're eating dinner, grab your freshly-new spouse's hand and sit back-- take it all in for just a moment. You will never be at that moment again and you want to look at the stuff you spent months planning.

34. Say hi to people you don't see as often. You can try your best to go around to each table, but you won't get to everyone.

35. The parent dances aren't necessary.

36. The reception will be the fastest four hours of your life. Spend the 4 hours wisely!

37. People are literally going to pull you off the dance floor to take a photo with them.

38. You won't remember anything. If you drink, you really won't remember anything. I cannot for the life of me remember what my dad's tux looked like, my MIL's dress (she spent months finding one). 

39. Something is going to go wrong. Accept it now. Long story short, my bouquet did not make it to the reception. 

40. Make sure you tell your photographer what photographs you want.

41. Don't forget to feed your DJ, photographer, and anyone else you've hired.

42. Delegate, delegate, DELEGATE. Unless you don't have a job and have all day everyday to plan this thing, you need to delegate tasks. My dad and stepmom were in charge of the cake. As long as it tasted good and looked nice, I was thrilled to give them that job. 

43. Tell your DJ what kind of music you want. Is it OK for some songs to have curse words? No chicken dance?

44. Make sure you & your husband have your stuff for the evening and day after. Guess I should have packed my husband's bag.. We went out to a bar after our reception and my husband came back with no toothbrush or clothes for the next day. Really? 

45. Figure out your car situation. This kind of goes back to #44, but we didn't have cars at the hotel we were staying at and had to taxi home. Memorable, yes, but not ideal.

46. Leave for your honeymoon 2 days after your wedding, not the next day.

47. Pack for your honeymoon long before you leave.

48. Thank your parents, new in-laws, and anyone who really helped you with this wedding at the reception. You'll be glad you did.

49. Say bye to your photographer and DJ when they leave. Don't forget to send them a thank you note and even a small gift later.

We absolutely love our photographer and will definitely use her in the future!

50. Before you go to bed that night, tell your new spouse that your day was just perfect!

Hubby's Tips

51. If your groom has something he wants to do or not do at the wedding, tell the bride. I did not want to see my wife before the ceremony. Everyone kept talking me into a "first look" but I didn't want to. I told my wife and was honest and she was thrilled. 

52. If you can, have all out of town friends/family at your rehearsal dinner.

53. Get your groomsmen/bridesmaids gifts a month to 6 weeks ahead of time.

54. Don't have your bachelor/bachelorette party the night before your wedding.

55. Hang out and spend most of your time during your wedding week with your groomsmen/bridesmaids. Many of them have a spent a lot of money and time to be in your wedding, appreciate them.

56. Take your wedding week off work.

57. Don't expect a Pinterest wedding-- it's not realistic. Pinterest is wonderful, but many of those weddings cost a pretty penny.

58. Have music on while you get ready.

59. Carry lots of cash with you for the wedding and honeymoon (Not lots, but $150 each).

60. Don't open any gifts until you have 1-2 hours to take the time to write everything down.

61. Take cash gifts with you on your honeymoon and deposit the checks when you get home. This was our motto and it worked out quite well. We were able to open envelope gifts the day after our wedding and just wrote down who gave money. Easy peasy-- we went to Hawaii with plenty of cash. 

62. Pick up your tuxedo as soon as it's ready. The groom's tuxedo will probably be ready much earlier than the groomsmen.

63. The groomsmen should pick up their tuxedos when they get in for the wedding. If they live near you, have them go as soon as it's ready.

64. Don't tell your wife you'll be glad when the wedding is over. Especially don't say it multiple times.

65. Get a picture of you with each of your bridesmaids/groomsmen individually.

66. When your photos are ready, send each of the groomsmen/bridesmaids that photo in a frame and thank them.

67. Easy groomsmen gift? Pay for their tuxes and buy them tie pins.

68. Make sure someone gets your mail, takes your dog out, etc. the day of and the day before the wedding.

69. You won't get to eat any of your cake.

We each had a bite and that was it. Our one bite was tasty, though!

70. If you have readers during your ceremony, tell them what they are reading and tell them early.

71. With that being said, make sure your readings are special to you & your fiancé. Don't just have them there to fill time.

72. If someone in your family plays an instrument or sings, let them do that at your ceremony (If they want to). My dad sang a song during our ceremony and it was very special to us. 

73. Try to eat dinner at your reception. Make sure they give you a plate to take home or to your hotel room.

74. Assign someone to check your ceremony and reception site afterwards to pick up lost items.

75. What are you doing with your centerpieces? Try to have people take them home or donate them to a nursing home so someone else can appreciate them!

76. Bring a phone charger.

77. If you've never had alcohol before, your wedding night should not be the place to try it.

78. Have the first half of your reception cater to all your guests (More well known music, etc). The second half (after some people have left) can have more "club like" music.

79. Assign someone to tip the people who need to be tipped (Best Man).

80. Make sure your Best Man and MOH don't drink before their speeches.

Love this one of my sister practicing!

81. Have an idea on what you want to spend on the cake. Some cost $10,000.

82. Have lots of flavors of cake to make all your guests happy.

83. Go to a local company for your flowers and cake. You'll spend less because they want repeat business!

84. Confirm with the limo company the day before the wedding. Make sure they have good directions.

85. Parents don't need limos.

86. Have whoever is paying for the wedding, charge it. That way you get the points to use for flights, rewards, etc.

87. Have an open bar if you have guests who drink.

88. The open bar does not need to be open the whole night. Close it during dinner, toasts, and prayer.

89. Make sure your guests are aware of the attire.

90. If you can afford it, arrange for transportation for guests who've had too much to drink.

91. Make sure your bartender IDs. I'll repeat-- Make sure your bartender IDs.

92. Make sure you give directions (via email or printed out) for your guests who are out of town.

93. Make sure those directions include any construction going on. There was a gay pride parade the afternoon of our wedding so some roads were closed. 

94. Your first dance song can be any song you want. I told my wife in high school that our song reminded me of her. It's meaningful to both of us.

95. Don't have your guests throw things at you (Rice, confetti, sprinkles) after your ceremony because someone will have to pick it up.

96. Don't lock your knees during the ceremony. I did this and started to feel light headed.

97. Your hands swell when you're nervous. My wife couldn't get my ring on during the vows. No one noticed but us and the pastor. I just kept it on my finger until after we kissed. 

98. You don't need a videographer.

99. Some people really and truly just want to help. Let them.

100. Remember this: At the end of the day if you're married to the love of you life, then your day went absolutely perfect.