1) I have a fascination with fonts!
I notice fonts everywhere – book covers, media – particularly tv and movie credits, blog posts. Recently, I rewatched the “Legally Blond” movie and I so enjoyed the feminine pink, sparkly fonts used in the credits. My personal favorite media font is used in the tv series “About A Boy”, it is simple and clean. My go-to media store for fonts is: Creative Market.
2) I Surrender – Titles Matter!
I am coming to believe what everyone else knew – that titles matter. I am trying to spend more time crafting them for my blog posts. I am even using the occasional ‘title analyzer’ to evaluate my titles (source).
I love short, catchy titles that give absolutely no information. Apparently, readers prefer titles that give all the information and why they should read it. This means – I need to bend. To consider others and what delights a reader – not my own tickled sense of taste.
3) What are typical wedding costs in the U.S.?
Wedding Fact: The average wedding cost is $27,000. (TheWeddingReport)
Consumer Reports has a winning article on “Getting More Wedding For Your Money” (June 2016).
The best part of the article is the wedding gown ‘test’ to see if you can pick the designer wedding gown. I’ve shared the photo as the feature image of this post – can you pick the $10,000 Vera Wang gown?
Wedding Fact: The average wedding gown cost is $1,200.
All this information is near and dear to me, as my daughter is getting married this summer, and, from what I’ve now learned, we are apparently having a ‘budget conscious’ wedding (who knew?). To any inquiring minds – no, this isn’t her gown.
4) I hate the wait!
Back to my last topic, and truly the focus of my thoughts – the wedding. I’m ready – what are we waiting for?
Lovely venue with water view – check. Beautiful bride with beautiful dress – check. Good caterer with tasty food – check. Talented friend/florist – check. Mama-of-the-bride dress – check (I won’t mention the six dress exchanges to get here). Groom and groomsmen and bridesmaids outfitted – check. Pastor and ceremony – check. Almost forgot – photographer – check.
I am tapping my left foot, checking my list – then checking it twice, as I wait. Did I mention – impatiently? OK, this item is not so much what I’m learning, as what I’m doing – check!
5) I’ve Rediscovered Toddler Music Hits!
Ever noticed the cyclical nature of life? Well, I’m cycling back. as a new grandma, and I am back in time with toddler tunes. Chipmunks were the tunes when I was young. My daughters watched way too much of the big purple dinosaur, Barney.
My one year old grandson, sways back and forth with a huge grin on his face to the Wiggles! Well, the name is cute. Oddly, this time around, I’m acclimating quite well to the simplicity of tunes such as “Don’t Share Your Food” (sidenote: at first hearing, I thought it was ‘Don’t Share Your Poop”. What a difference one word makes!)
**Congratulations, for those of you who’ve made it this far, I’ll share which of the pictured gowns is the $10,000 Vera Wang dress: #2 (second one from the left) – did you guess it?
Linking up with: Emily’s ChattingattheSky, , Holley’sCoffeeformyHeart, Lyli’sThoughtProvokingThursdays, Faith’nFriends Link Up
Photo Credit: Consumer Reports, June 2016
What a fun post, Sandra! I struggle with the same issue on titles. I like ones that pique a reader’s curiosity and don’t give away the whole idea in the title. I don’t like ‘how to..” titles or “the top….” types of titles either, but we write for a broad array of tastes and interests. A curious title will always draw me in even if I don’t know the blogger! Planning weddings can be so much fun and a bit scary when the prices are being considered. I hope you have a great time!! Our daughter was married was married 21 years ago and I still have sweet memories that are not necessarily captured in photos like when she called me when she was getting her makeup on in the hotel we were staying in. A few minutes later, my mother came in as well and we ended up with our arms around each other with my mother and I praying for her. My mother dies two years later and it is still precious to recall this unplanned moment together. Blessings on you day!
Hi Pam! I love your description of the ‘unplanned moment’ praying for your daughter (3 generations of prayer!) – what a beautiful picture! I am looking forward to the wedding (especially now, as the details are calming down); I’ll be looking to capture small, unexpected moments – where joy often hides/resides! Blessings to you and yours!
I struggle so much with titles, finding the right balance of pithy and informative. Glad I’m not the only one who has a hard time with this, I figured I was just overthinking things.
I wish I could follow my heart in titles, as this is what I often write from, but I do ‘get’ that titles are an initial drawing point, and with time such a valuable resource – I want to make clear the benefits of a post. Here’s wishing you captivating titles and much happiness in your new move to Texas!
When my husband and I got married in 2012, we wanted to keep it as budget conscious as possible. I don’t know what our final spending was, but we were pretty frugal! It helped that we got married on a beach and therefore all our decorations were provided by the Good Lord! 🙂 I just sit drop-jawed sometimes at what people are spending on dresses when I watch all the dress shows on tv. Pretty sure some of them pay more for their dresses than I did for the whole wedding!!
I agree about the jaw dropping! I thought this ‘Pick the Designer Dress’ was a great perspective on cost being hard to see! Blessings to you!