Okay folks, it's March. It's above 50. I'm going to go ahead and challenge Mr. Punctual Calendar Man and say that it's Spring. Today on my way home I could have sworn that I saw some buds coming out on trees. I swear! And when I pulled onto our street, there was no snow in sight. Even though everything is brown and soaked right now, I felt some warm and fuzzy feelings of Spring coming on.

This got me thinking about flowers...and weddings...and florists. Oh my! We have several fantastic florists on our QCWeddings.com vendor pages, and each of them has something unique to offer engaged couples whether it's amazing creativity, great deals, or supreme customer service. In fact, most of our florists have all three of those qualities! But hey, don't take my word for it. Go visit them, and come armed with questions. Today's post is all about what you should ask a potential florist to ensure that they are a good match for you...

First...when you visit each florist, trust your gut instinct. Here are some questions that you should be able to answer within the first few minutes of entering the shop: Look at pictures of their previous work and look around their shop. Are the arrangements displayed pleasing? Do the flowers in the pictures and displays look fresh? Are the pictures dated, or do they follow the current trends? Is the designer willing to work with your requests? Are you speaking to the actual florist who will be designing and coordinating your wedding arrangements? Do you like the personality of the person? Does he or she seem interested in your conversation?

You'll need to book your florist somewhere between 4 and 6 months before your wedding date, so start you research early. You'll need to have a pretty good idea of how many arrangements you'll need, thus you'll need to know your guest count and reception location. You'll need to know your colors and even maybe bring in some swatches to match.

When you come to a meeting with your florist, bring pictures of flowers and arrangements that you like. Also consider bringing a picture of your wedding gown, reception room, and containers that you already have for flowers. You could even bring quotes that you have from other florists for a quick comparison during the interview. Have a list in mind of what elements you'll be needing: bouquets, corsages, boutonniere, arrangements, etc.

Here are some items that you'll want to directly bring up with your florist: Are the arrangements in the pictures done by the person in the store? What are their opinions on your ideas? Is there a delivery charge? Is there a set up fee? Do they have rental supplies? Do they need a map for the delivery locations? Is your order changeable down the road? What is the cut off date for new ideas? What times will the flowers be delivered? Can they make a sample of your bouquet and centerpiece? Will they write you up an itemized quote? Are the flowers that you've chosen in season? What are the flowers in season for your date? Can the florist work with a mixture of silk and fresh flowers if you requested to save on budget? Are there any additional or hidden costs? Is the florist familiar with your reception and ceremony locations?

Other tips: Holidays like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day have flower prices at a premium. If your wedding date falls near these kinds of holidays, you'll pay more for your order. Also, if you choose flowers that are not in season and have to be shipped, you will definitely have bigger expenses. Start with your bridal bouquet and design the rest of your flowers around that idea. Remember that you don't have to book on the spot; take your quote home and think it over. Information is good; share all the details and requests with your florist.

When you are ready to book your florist, here are some things that you should watch for on your contract: In most cases your bill will be your contract. Read the small print on the bill. Everything the florist is supplying should be on the bill: Your name, address and phone number, The contact person's name, address and phone number for every delivery location, An itemized list and description of every floral arrangement, the number required, colour of ribbons and other decorative accents, Time of setup, The name of your floral designer, The service they will provide. i.e. setup and delivery to each location and what this entails, The total cost, your deposit and the amount still owing and the date for the last payment.

WHEW! That was a lot of info! No worries folks...keep your bearings about you, don't rush. The right florist for you will feel right. To some, that's a pushy and knowledgeable person. To others, that's someone who is a great listener or a great bargain hunter. You'll know... :)

First off folks, my apologies for the absence in posts last week. I've gotten over a nasty bout of flu, and I'll be catching up to speed this week, don't you worry!

Question:  What do brides most often wear on their heads?  Um..a veil?  Survey says...CORRECT!

Question:  Name one variety of veil.  Um.....hmm....I know this one...eh...A long one?  ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR (That was the sound of the buzzer and the Family Feud Bridal Version bouncers escorting me off stage.)

There are so many types of veils out there!  Where to start?  What will look good with my dress?  What will look good with my hair?  Oh me oh my...

Today we are featuring some handy dandy definitions and pictures that can serve as a guide for us when we go veil shopping...I've listed them below with an example picture in order from shortest to longest:

Birdcage veils generally feature a small piece of tulle or netting that covers part or the whole face.  

Pouf: A gathered piece of tulle or netting that fastens to a headband, comb or headpiece to create height for the veil.

Flyaway: A multi-layered veil that just brushes the shoulders; less formal than other veil styles. A good choice for brides wishing to emphasize the back details of their gown. Appropriate for an ankle length gown. May be up to 18" in length.

Blusher: A short, single layer of veiling worn over the face before the ceremony and lifted back over the head at some point during the ceremony.

Elbow: The elbow length veil is most appropriate in an informal setting. May be used in combination with longer layers to create the blusher or face veil. May be up to 25" in length.

Fountain: A veil gathered at the crown of the head and cascading over the shoulders to form a "fountain" shape. Usually shoulder or elbow length.

Fingertip: A long veil that reaches the fingertips when arms are relaxed. The fingertip veil may be up to 45" in length.

Ballet or Waltz veils feature a length that falls somewhere between the knee and the ankle.

Mantilla: Traditionally, the mantilla is a circular piece of tulle or lace with lace edges draped over a comb. An alternative to more traditional and formal veils, the mantilla is appropriate for formal and semi-formal weddings. May be any length in between elbow and ballet.

Chapel: A formal veil that extends to the floor and may be up to 108" long. Appropriate to wear with a formal gown with a chapel or sweep train. May have multiple layers or a blusher veil.

Cathedral: The cathedral train is the most formal veil style and may also be referred to as a "royal veil." May have multiple layers or a blusher veil. Most appropriately worn with a cathedral train in a very formal setting.

What veil style is your favorite?  How did you decide that it was the one for you?  Did it match your dress?  Did you love it so much that you made your dress to match your veil?  Tell us all about it on the message board!

You plan, and you plan, and you plan. Then you plan a little more. Even if you are the most organized person in the world, at some point along your wedding planning journey, something out of your control will happen. When this does, you have two options:

Option A: First you can whine and complain and tell everyone that you meet that life is just not fair. You could follow this up by adopting a sense of paranoia that everyone is out to get you and make you feel stupid for caring too much about the little things. The last step in this option would be to sit for a few hours in front of the TV and watch some Bridezillas episodes until you realize how silly you are being, thus resorting to Option B (see below).

Option B: Don't worry! With this option, you can also whine and complain, but you must limit this to a specified amount of time. (You may just want to write "the bad thoughts" in your diary that you keep under your mattress.) Next, take a deep breath, and realize that no matter what your wedding is going to be an amazing day even if all of your plans fall apart. You've still got the bride. You've still got the groom. You've still got the love.

I'll admit it. I went through option A and B this week, and I've lived to tell (type) the tale. We found out this week that our beloved event coordinator at our wedding location had resigned unexpectedly. This is a person who we have grown to really like because she was absolutely dependable, organized, smart, and supportive. Poof. She's gone. (This is when I resorted to Option A.) Once I awoke from my panicked stupor, my fiance reminded me that everything was going to be fine. As it turns out, the big boss at our reception site gave us a call to personally assure us that everything was going to be handled as it should be. He even had us come out to the site this morning to go over all the details. About a minute into the conversation, I knew that my fiance was right, and I relaxed and went back to the normal demure bride who resonates with Option B.

I know that other things for our wedding will turn out differently than expected, and hopefully the next time they do, I can bypass Option A and go straight into Option B.

What about you all? What major or minor catastrophe has happened while you have been planning your wedding? How did you handle it? Are you a mostly Option A or Option B person?

This week we received our first joint piece of mail that assumed my soon-to-be married name. I thought that I was a nerd for thinking it was exciting until I looked at Aaron who was grinning like a fool as well. It really got me thinking about the major shift in my identity that is coming up soon. I have always planned that I would take his last name. I do feel that I'll miss my former name as it is short and sweet. It's catchy. I'm often called my first name and last name together as if they were hyphenated by friends and co-workers.

Not all women take the spouse's last name. You'll often see a hyphenated version, and some women don't change their names at all. (Side note: I always wonder what will happen if Mr. John Smith-Taylor marries Ms. Jane Johnson-Thompson and combine their names. Will she be Mrs. Smith-Taylor-Johnson-Thompson? Yikes!)

Anyhoo, I'm changing my name. I've come to find out this is much easier said than done. Let's take a quick look at the lengthy process of legally changing your name.

• First, make about 25 copies of your marriage certificate. Many agencies and companies will require a copy for their documentation. 
• Next, you must file a SS-5 Form with the Social Security Administration. This is priority one as you cannot apply for much of anything else without your new social security card. The Social Security folks will also update the IRS. Yay! 
• Now that you have your social security situation set, you can work on your state driver's license and motor vehicle registration. Yes folks, this means a lovely afternoon at the local DMV.
• Next stop is notifying your employers of your new name so that your paychecks can continue to be cashed without name-mismatch hassle.  Along with notifying your employer, you'll also need to update your benefit information (health insurance, 401K plans, beneficiaries, etc.).  

Now we have a whole slew of places that you'll need to notify.  You should have a relatively easy time doing this as you'll have your new social security card and driver's license now.  Some places will let you make your changes over the phone or via the internet, while others require a specific form and maybe your signature.  (Click here for a generic form letter that you can use when contacting these offices by mail.)  Also, credit card companies and other such accounts will provide name change information in their monthly statements.  

• banks and credit unions
• brokerage and investment accounts
• mortgage company or landlord
• credit card companies
• attorney (for changes to your will, trust, power of attorney, etc.)
• department store accounts
• insurance companies or agent 
• medical offices
• utilities
• state and local tax boards
• passport office
• post office
• voter registration board
• internet service provider
• newspaper and magazine subscriptions
• clubs and associations

And so to the future Mrs. Smith-Taylor-Johnson-Thompson, I wish you good luck and God speed on your name change paperwork!

Happy Valentines Day!  It's 6am, do you know where your love is?  Mine is sleeping in, and I've been debating for the past half hour if jumping on him with a big plate of heart-shaped pancakes would be viewed as loving or antagonizing at this fine hour.  Maybe I'll wait until I finish this post before I rip the covers off of him!  :)

Along with weddings, Valentines Day is one of the biggest occasions to send a note or a card to someone.  Some of us are the Hallmark aisle kinda people, and some of us are happy to make something to send to our friends and family.  

Because I love our QCWeddings.com readers, here are ten free printable stationery items for you to use whether it's for today, your wedding, or any ol' occasion.  Click on the pictures to take you to the downloads!  

an I Heart You Card from Clever Someday

Valentines Day garland from Whisker Graphics

a favor box template from Don't Eat The Paste

envelope labels from Domestica

save the date set from Ruffled

place cards from Creature Comforts

table numbers from Creature Comforts

tags from Creature Comforts

thank you card from Ruffled

an entire coordinating wedding stationery suite from Inspired Bride

an entire coordinating wedding stationery suite from Wedding Chicks