Ironing linens takes a lot of time and energy. I personally would love to have less ironing to do and more interacting with you, my customers.  Next time you are reserving linens, ask if you can iron them yourself.  You can get them a day earlier if you want, and we’ll discount them 25%!  If it’s not a huge order, ironing them at home while you watch TV, or have an ironing party, will be easy and maybe even fun!

So hope to see you soon to check out our amazing selection of linens!

-Rachel Andrews

If you don’t want to wear the gown for your wedding, or aren’t getting married, we can donate it to Brides Against Breast Cancer!

Won’t be at the bridal show? PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE FOR ONLY $5 at bellinghameventrentals.com

Raffle drawing will take place September 20, 2010. Online ticket purchases will end on September 19, 2010 at midnight.
Winner will be notified by e-mail and or phone number.
Recipient agrees to pick up dress from Bellingham Wedding and Event Rentals, and is responsible for all alterations needed.
In the case which recipient does not wish to keep dress, we will package and donate it to Brides Against Breast Cancer Gown Auction.

All sales of raffles tickets will be donated to Lighthouse Missions Agape Home for Women and Children.

Dress is a replica production of a 2008 Collection Pronovias La Sposa Marsella Gown. Retail price $1,800.00

Here is my open letter response to all those people.

There is no way to politely tell me that my children are not considered important enough to include in your wedding.  The mere fact that you do not want them there is an insult to myself and the entire concept of weddings and marriage.  In all likelihood, you will have your own children someday, and if not you will probably have nieces and nephews and close friends with children. You can’t avoid them. They are everywhere.   Yes they throw tantrums, throw toys, and throw up. They eat all our food, eat up all our money, and occasionally eat poop. And we do try to get some time away from them, but miss them when we do.  When an opportunity arrives to celebrate our family or friends joining in marriage, we include our children because marriage is about family and weddings even more so.  When I get an invitation to anything, I assume my children are invited as well.  We are a family unit and you cannot separate us into favorable and unfavorable members.  In the future, when your wedding comes up in conversation and my daughter says “How come I don’t remember so-and-so’s wedding?”   Do you really want me to have to respond “because you weren’t invited, dear.”  ?

Besides, aren’t you going to be too busy getting married and being the center of attention to care whether or not my children are eating cake with their feet? I’m the one that has to clean them up, just keep drinking your wine and go off on your honeymoon, and 9 months later you can complain to me about kids.

This is a question for which you will find many contradicting answers. Most people will say hearing is what you do passively all day – sound waves entering your ear and being perceived as sound, and listening is the willful and conscious act of attempting to understand what is heard. Makes sense, right?

But how many times have you sincerely tried to listen to you partner, but still didn’t understand what the heck they were saying? You listened, but you didn’t hear, because hearing involves understanding and acknowledgment. If your minds are on completely different wavelengths, no amount of listening will be able to adjust your brain to the right frequency to understand the intention, meaning, or feeling behind their words.

On the other side, to truly listen doesn’t mean you hunker down, concentrate, and analyze every word as it passes through your ear. To listen is to open your mind to receive the transmission, without judgment or preconception. Use listening as a gateway to your mind, where the gatekeeper ensures all the words are taken in, kept together, and in the right order before they are passed on to the brain to hear and perceive. Your only job while listening is to remember to wait until the entire message has been received before beginning to process it with your mind.

Hearing may in fact be the most difficult social skill to master because two people might say the exact same words to you, but with completely different messages. If you hear both of them correctly, your mind will know that the message depends on the person sending it and the circumstances under which it is sent.

1. Skip the Spoons

When we think of a place setting, we think of a fork on the left and a knife and spoon on the right.  But this tradition will cost you money.  Before you rent or buy – think about your menu – are you serving anything that requires the use of a spoon?   The look of all that flatware in your setting is nice, but skipping the spoons (just have some at the coffee station for coffee drinkers) could save you a nice chunk of change.

2. Add color the easy way

Many people think they can’t have colorful linens without spending more. Or even worse, people are afraid to have colored linens!  All of our color linens are the same price as white or black – so why not kick it up a notch?  Another way to add color cheaply is with a table runner ($2-3) or get extra napkins and arrange them in a geometric pattern on the table around the centerpiece.

3. Customize your event to your guests

Think about your guests. are most of them beer lovers? Wine enthusiasts? Cocktail drinkers?  If you have 100 guests, only a certain number of them will want beer, wine, or cocktails.  Reduce the number of specialty glasses you rent or buy to the number of people you think will need them.  Maybe 60 beer pilsners, 40 wine glasses, and 30 cocktail glasses.  Of course, your ratio may be different.

MORE TO COME….