As Dallas brides move into spring and summer, there is a special kind of excitement in the air. Anticipation is high for outdoor engagement parties and soirees, evening spent dining al fresco with family and friends, honeymoons on faraway beaches, and a warm romantic breeze to accompany all of these activities. But we know you have some concerns about weather, heat, and staying fresh – for you and your guests - so we’ve pulled together some tips on staying gorgeous, keeping cool, and making sure your future mother-in-law doesn’t collapse from the heat.

1.  Consider taking afternoon parties inside. As enjoyable as an outdoor afternoon luncheon is, it’s just as fun to enjoy a soiree at a tea shop or luncheon boutique.

2.  Suggest hotels that have indoor pools for families that will be coming in. Parents can watch their children enjoy the pool while they enjoy visiting poolside –in air-conditioned comfort.

3.  Plan the outdoor activities for evenings when possible. Consider a locally owned restaurant or pub that has a patio with plentiful seating. Locally owned and operated venues will give you much more attention and a personal touch. You’ll have the double bonus of supporting local small businesses.

4.  If you have anything planned for the outdoors, have a backup plan. Do I need to mention Texas weather here? Thunderstorms, high=-winds, and tornadoes kill the romance of a summer wedding.

5.  Consider insects. Have gift bags ready for your guests that include safe insect repellant swabs. Have on hand small citronella candles that can be pulled out of a bag and used no matter where you find yourselves in the evening.

6.  Use sunscreen liberally. Your wedding week isn’t the best time to risk a sunburned nose and tender back. It could really kill the honeymoon, too.

7.  Consider having handheld fans and sun-visors made by a local printer or online via Zazzle.com. You can put you and the groom’s name on them to make them a wedding souvenir. Give them to guests upon arrival and they can enjoy them throughout the week.

8.  If your ceremony is outdoors, be practical and specify on the invitations something like “suits and ties forbidden!” or “light-weight clothing advised.”

9.  Chose your make-up carefully and advise the other ladies to do the same. Consider water-proof products and avoid liquid eyeliners, blush, and foundations. Consider artificial lashes. Consult with a skincare professional for tips on summer makeup solutions.

10.  Plan to have your hair be as natural as possible. An elaborate formal hairstyle is impractical for an outdoor Texas wedding.

We are so blessed to live in a climate that allows for joyous outdoor occasions and family fun. Don’t let the heat challenges put a damper on your special day. Follow these tips and seek out more on the web, and you’ll go into the most magical summer of your life prepared. 

You are probably already using social media regularly - Dallas brides are smart and savvy. And it’s nearly impossible to find someone who isn’t using it. Everyone from the local small business owner, a Fortune 500 CEO, and your grandmother has a web presence. But have you thought about using it to make the most of your wedding preparation, planning, and the actual ceremony? Here are some tips for taking your wedding experience – and that of your guests – to the next level.

1.  First stop: Pinterest. You probably already created wedding boards on your Pinterest account showing your favorite Dallas area bridal shops and your wish list items, but consider adding friends and family as board contributors. This allows everyone to share their photos of your special day. You can also use Pinterest to pin your bridesmaids dress choices and allow your bridesmaids to vote. Result: no dressing room drama!

2.  Use your social media presence to Introduce friends and family online before the wedding day. When out of town guests travel to Dallas for your wedding, it makes their experience more enjoyable to know that they’ll already know most of the other guests. People can break the ice before the big day and creates coziness when they meet in person.

3.  A Facebook page dedicated to your experience from proposal to nuptials allows everyone to follow you throughout your journey.

4.  If you want more privacy than a Facebook page will allow, consider a Facebook group. It has a lot of similarity to pages but with more privacy controls and the ability to share large files.

5.  Create an Instagram hashtag. As you, your friends and family, and your guests take photos throughout the entire process, from dress shopping in the Dallas area to driving away in the limo after the reception, having that hashtag will help you to find and identify the photos that have been taken and shared. Make it fun and easy to remember. Be sure to put up a chalkboard sign at every event so that your guests will know what to do. Examples of good hashtags: #JennaAndRob or #MrsRobertson

6.  Do the same thing with Twitter. Twitter, of course, is more for the conversation that you’ll be having for weeks. As you check into venues and shops, Tweeting keeps everyone abreast of your joyful happenings. Using the same hashtag on Twitter than you chose for Instagram makes it simple for everyone to remember.

7.  Use Twitter as a helpdesk. Assign a couple of trusted individuals who aren’t involved in the ceremony the task of answering questions via Twitter. Using your hashtag, guests can ask for directions, gift ideas, etc…

8.  Add all of your hashtags to save-the-date cards, wedding invitations, table tents, and place holders at tables.

9.  Consider asking friends and family who can’t be present to put a special message on Facebook or Twitter. Have someone read them aloud during the reception.

10.  Consider a service like Ustream, which allows you to live stream your ceremony and any other part of your wedding.

11.  Don’t forget videos. You can use YouTube or Vimeo to upload videos that will live forever in the minds of you and your guests.

Lastly, make your ceremony an official social media dead-zone. Let people know in advance – via your social networks – to turn off all devices during the ceremony. As we said, Dallas brides are smart and savvy, but they at the end of the wedding journey, they’re brides and they deserve to have all of the attention focused on them on their very special day.

IMAGE SOURCES: http://sqmodernmedia.com/5-ways-to-use-social-media-in-your-wedding/