You got engaged!  Congratulations!   Now lets get you some fun wedding gifts with a little wedding advice!

Weddings are expensive and sometimes stressful but when it’s all said and done, you and your partner will have grown stronger and more than likely, you’ll have replaced your old Ikea furniture with something more… let’s say, “Mature.”  Here are five insightful wedding registry tips to help you and your partner make the best of your wedding gifts.

1.  PUT UP YOUR REGISTRY ASAP!

Planning a wedding involves a lot of conversations.  One of the easiest and funniest conversations you’ll more than likely have is, “What should we get!”  It’s a nice icebreaker into the world of wedding planning and its nice to start compiling your list so you have time to really think about what you both want to put on it.

You’ll be surprised how your registry evolves as the months go by too.  You might wake up in a cold sweat one night and realize you need a waffle Iron!  Or you’ll see towels at your friend’s house that are WAY cooler than the ones you two picked out.  It’s just a fun collection of wants-and-wishes that you can keep between you and your partner until your invitations go out.  It’ll keep you guys happy.

2.  WHICH REGISTERY SHOULD WE CHOOSE!?

What’s the best gift registry?  I’ll save you the headache: Amazing Registry!  I did a ton of research on gift registries when I was getting married and Amazing Registry was far and away the easiest one.   It lets you combine multiple department store and online store registries into one sleek layout.  Its easy super easy for guests to use and you can track when people purchase stuff.  You don’t have to know either if you don’t want to spoil the surprise.

Amazon.com also has a great registry with the widest selection of items to choose from.  Crate & Barrel was also one of our favorites; they treated us well, the packages were well wrapped and they gave us 10% off anything for an entire year!  Both Amazon and Crate & Barrel were conjoined on our Amazing Gift Registry.

3.  CHOOSE FROM A VARIATY OF PRICE POINTS

Chances are your wedding guests aren’t going to buy you that paper-thin 60-inch flat screen or that boxy Mid-century-modern sofa you’re both drooling over.  The average guest is probably going to spend somewhere between $40 and $150 on a wedding gift, so give them a nice variety to choose from.   Our registry had lots of $20 items like kitchen utensils to bar trinkets, all the way up to, that boxy Mid-century-modern sofa my wife and I were both drooling over-which we got using some of the money and gift cards we so graciously received from our guests!

You’ll also find that some of your friends and family members will go in on something together, so don’t just put lower end items on your registry either.   Keep in mind too that this is your one and only time to get the things you’ve always wanted, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you and your partner really want. Get quality things so you will always have them.

4.  HELP A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER THROW YOU A SHOWER

Having a “Shower” can conjure up two drastically different reactions.  Some LOVE the idea of having a shower, while others loathe the very word.  I was someone who loathed having a shower.  Frankly, so did my wife.   We didn’t want a big to-do but my sister, who is amazing, put together a shower for us anyway.  My wife had to go.  I didn’t (Whoooooo!).

When my wife returned from the shower we were both humbled by the love and generosity of our friends and family.  It’s an amazing bonding experience for everyone involved and a great way for friends to get to know your extended family and vise-versa.  We also received more gifts from our registry at the shower than we did from our wedding.  Everyone was so generous and it’s just something important I think every couple should do.

5.  SHOW GUESTS WHAT YOU ALREADY GOT

When my sister got married a few years ago she ended up giving us a bunch of their gifts because they received two or three of the same item.  We inherited a crockpot, mixing bowls and a blender.  She unfortunately didn’t have an online registry and wished she would have.  Frankly, I think guests appreciate it too; they want to buy you something that they know you’re going to cherish and use too.

My wife and I were lucky in that we didn’t receive duplicates on anything!  All our guests were able to go to our registry and see what items were taken and which ones were still available.

We also went back and added items to our registry if somebody got us something that wasn’t on there.  That way we could show everyone that we were gifted this item to prevent someone else from gifting us the same thing.  It’s really easy to add things to a registry and label it as received.

Well.  That’s it!  I hope I’ve just saved you a few hours of research and headache.  Please check out our other wedding ideas and skim through all the great photos we have on our blog!  They’re full of great wedding ideas and fashion.  If you need a little wedding planning 101 we’ve got some insightful tips and tricks.  Good Luck!

Flour LA is one of Eco Caters favorite Los Angeles wedding florists!

Flour was originally conceived as a merging of food and flowers, hence the company’s name. However, after building an online presence locally in the floral world, the plan got derailed in order to focus on solely providing flowers to our upscale clientele that yearned for quality and creativeness. As we expanded, our clients started calling us Flour LA, and the rest is history. We serve all of Southern California, and travel domestically and internationally for high-end projects, events, and weddings.

Carly Cylinder developed her creative skills while working as a sales girl at Mark’s Garden, Rita Flora, and Empty Vase. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in Psychology, she worked for One Legacy, a Donate Life organization, during the planning and expansion phases of Flour.

The Little Branch is a great Los Angeles wedding florist!

The Little Branch is a creative floral studio that handles classic, vintage, modern, to just plans fun floral arrangements.  They specialize in weddings and have spectacular ideas for centerpieces, bouquets, and beyond.  The Little Branch also puts on private workshops to teach hands-on floral classes.  They supply everything you need!  All you have to do is show and be prepared to get your hands dirty.  (All photos curtesy of The Little Branch)

Visit Their Website: www.thelittlebranch.com

Corinne Krogh has been taken some amazing photos in her career.  She has the heart and the artistic eye to capture your wedding like none other.

Corinne is an elegant photographer with notes of love and passion captured in each and every photo she snaps.  Her Southern roots and Alaskan upbringing shine through her work with an almost earthy quality to her subjects.  She brings out the subtle moments of life for you and yours to keep for years to come.  Take a look through her photo galleries and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Visit Her Website: www.corinnekrogh.com

As a guy, sometimes I don’t always say things right.  It’s just a matter of time before I get myself into trouble.  That’s why every guy should have a good florist on hand, like Holly Flora in Los Angeles.

Holly Flora is a sleek, modern thinking floral company based out Los Angeles.  They deliver almost anywhere and have colorful custom-made arrangements for every occasion.  They even make breathtaking sculptures and striking terrariums.  With 30 years of collective experience, they know how to take care you and your next event.

Visit Their Website: www.hollyflora.com

If you’re Los Angeles wedding  needs a little style look no further than La Tavola.

Why cover your tables with boring white tablecloth when La Tavola allows you to sport some serious style with their massive collection of table linens?  Bring your next event or wedding to life with La Tavola!  They really do have some spectacular linen options and their photo blog is so fun to peruse through.  It’s loaded with great wedding-style ideas.

All images courtesy of La Tavola.

If you live in Los Angeles, you’re going to need a limo or car service at some point.  Whether you need a ride to your new movie premier or to carry your new bride or groom away from your wedding, ULC Transportation has it all covered.  Great selection.  Great price!

ULC Transportation
The limousine and transportation industry is notorious for poor service and limited insurance coverage. United Limos and Charter on the other hands is one of a kind! They cater to the greater Los Angeles area and can drop you off at the Oscars, pick you up from your wedding, or just to show off at the airport. They have a wide selection of luxury vehicles and professional team of drivers. United Limos and Charter can pick you up in a black town car all the way up to a stretched out SUV party bus. Whatever your speed, whatever your need, United Limos and Charter has the right vehicle for your occasion.

Visit Their Website: www.ulclimos.com

Looking for a wedding DJ on Los Angeles for your wedding reception and dance?  Why don’t you give Red Shoe DJ’s at try!  No fluff, just great music done right.

“No YMCA, Macarena, or Chicken Dance.  No Cheesy DJ voice or games during dinner.  Just simple, well-timed announcements that create an organic flow to the reception and a unique playlist that both you and your guests will love.”  That quote is off the Red Shoe DJ’s website and it is music to our ears.  Gone are the days when a corny man in a suit yells at your guests to “get out on the dance floor”; these guys are real DJs.  They have a seasoned selection of music they can recommend to help you fill your dance card and they are great at blending it with your own hits.  The DJ collective at Red Shoe will take care of it.  Just dance!

Visit Red Shoe DJ’s: ww.redshoela.com

When planning an event, wedding, or photo shoot, we tend to need cool and odd objects for decoration.  But buying something you would only use once seems expensive, let alone trying to find whatever it is you’re looking for in the first place.  Why not just rent it from Found Vintage!

Lets say for your next event, you specifically want a Watson Brown Leather Sofa, placed out in the woods, next to a stocked 1930s mini bar, surrounded by vintage bowling memorabilia; some might think you’re dreaming, or just plain crazy.  But, more likely, you’re interested in renting from Found Vintage.  They have it all.  Seriously!   Found Vintage has some of the coolest, one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and knickknacks you could ever rent.  The owner, Jeni Maus, will rent you anything you need for your next wedding, photo shoot, company event, or to live out one of those odd dreams you keep having.

CLICK HERE to explore one of the events our Los Angeles wedding catering  team created with Found Vintage Rentals!

If you’re looking for a warm wedding photographer in the Los Angeles area then we think you should meet One-Love Photography!

Anyone can take wedding photos but it takes an artist to capture something special.  The photography from One-Love is warm, kind-hearted, and a their lens has a keen eye for the finer moments.  Their work shines loudly through the collection of wedding photos taken over the years and we couldn’t enjoy working with them more.   They have big hearts; big smiles and their photographs show it.  One-Love Photography also has a beautifully designed website that is definitely worthy of your time.  It feels like your turning the soft pages of an art-book.

Below is one of many weddings we’ve coordinated and catered with One-Love Photography.

Visit their website: www.onelove-photo.com

Our Senior Event Coordinator Michelle Rodriguez