Karissa O'Reilly

Karissa O'Reilly is a Connecticut-based freelance writer who has published over 100 articles on weddings and marriage. Her work has appeared in Modern Bride and Cosmopolitan and on Brides. com, LifetimeTV. com, ReadersDigest. com and more. Karissa graduated from The College of New Jersey where she studied English Literature, Journalism and Psychology. Karissa has been a wedding guest, a bridesmaid, a matron of honor and -- in her favorite wedding role -- a bride. Karissa is happily married and spends most of her time chasing after her adorable baby girl.
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It’s been decided: You’ll give each of your bridesmaids designer purses and each of your groomsmen personalized beer mugs to thank them for playing such a big role in your special day. So where does that leave those tiny tots in your wedding party? If you’re having trouble deciding on a gift for the littlest members of your wedding party, here are a few ideas to help get the ideas flowing.
A good wedding host makes her guests feel welcome, gives them a great meal and provides excellent entertainment. A great host goes the extra mile to really make her guests feel pampered. Do a few of the following things for your guests and they’ll really be wowed. After all, many will be traveling miles and miles to celebrate with you. Doesn’t that deserve a little extra something?
Wedding planning got you frazzled? Check out these tips to help you calm down.
Whether you already drive a hybrid car and eat only organic foods – or you’re feeling more than a little guilty about your gas-guzzling SUV and weekly dose of fast food, your impending nuptials offer you a variety of ways to be environmentally conscious. Here’s a guide to throwing a green wedding – from start to finish.
Thinking about throwing a shower with a theme? Check out these 5 popular shower themes and lots of fun ideas to fit each one.
A bridal luncheon, also often called a “bridesmaids’ luncheon” or “bridal tea” is a party thrown in honor of the bridesmaids. The bride hosts the meal as a way of saying “thank you” to all her ’maids. She often uses the event as an opportunity to present them each with a thank-you gift as well. Though the luncheon is all about giving thanks, they also give all the bridesmaids – particularly those who may live out of town or not know each other very well – the opportunity to get to know each other better before the big day.
You’re a busy girl. Trust us, we know. Between wedding planning, working and trying to maintain some shred of a social life, who has time to spend hours at the gym? Not you, that’s for sure. The good news is you can get your body into wedding-dress shape by just making a few changes to your daily routine – even if it is a hectic one.

With all the etiquette rules out there it can be pretty daunting to be a guest at a wedding.  In this article we answer the most frequently asked questions of wedding guests.

Showers are thrown to do just that -- “shower” the bride with love, well wishes, and lots and lots of gifts. Traditionally, the whole point of a bridal shower was for the women in a bride’s life to get together and send her off into married life fully armed with all the household necessities she’d need when she became a wife.

Rehearsal Dinners

The evening before your big day, you’ll need to gather all your wedding party members and the officiant to go over the specifics of the ceremony. After your rehearsal, you’ll treat everyone to a celebratory dinner. The reason the rehearsal dinner is thrown to thank your bridesmaids and groomsmen for everything they’ve done for you during the wedding planning period. And they deserve the thanks!