Next week, Lydia & Pugs will be debuting our Holiday Collection! So exciting! I'll be offering an Early Bird Holiday discount on starting Monday through November 15. So be on the lookout for the Holiday coupon code!
Pugs & kisses,
Dawn & Hera

Q: As the groom’s parents, we think we have the right to know how much the bride’s folks are paying for the reception. We’d like to invite more of our friends than they’re allowing us, and we suspect the money is going to fancy flower arrangements instead. Can’t we have our say?
A: Sure, but not in the adversarial way it sounds as if you’d like to. It’s simply none of your business how much the bride’s family is spending or on what. If you’d like to have your input, proceed in a conciliatory way. Speak to your son and future daughter-in-law first to see whether more guests could be accommodated. If so, the way to add more guests is to offer to help pay: “We’d really like to share the excitement with a few more friends. We know weddings are expensive, so please let us contribute to the cost of the wedding.”
via Emily Post.
Pugs & Kisses,
Dawn

Q: This year I’ve been invited to two coworkers’ weddings. I just don’t have the money to cover the presents as well as the new dresses and shoes and transportation. Can I say no without hurting anyone’s feelings?
A: Declining to attend doesn’t absolve you from buying a gift. It’s customary to give a present to any couple who invites you to their wedding and reception. The amount you spend is based on your affection for your friends and your budget, not on attendance. Maybe there are ways to make these weddings affordable. Do you really need new dresses? Could you carpool to the wedding? If you decide not to go, don’t feel guilty. Just decline as graciously as you can.
via Emily Post.
Pugs & Kisses,
Dawn


I spy a pug in a pumpkin patch! Hera and I went to the Pumpkin Patch this weekend at a local church down the road. We had lots of fun in the cool weather selecting the best pumpkin to carve!Q: I just received a bouquet of flowers from my weekend dinner guest. Must I send a thank-you note?
A: Though it sounds like a vicious circle (a thank-you note for a thank-you gift, etc.), you definitely need to get in touch with your guest in some way to let her know the flowers arrived and that you’re delighted with her thoughtfulness. While a call or an e-mail will do, a handwritten note is an especially warm way to express appreciation. (But also know that if a guest brings a hostess gift to the dinner, a verbal thank-you is just fine.)
Q: I’m getting remarried, and though my fiance and I would like a large wedding, my mother thinks it’s in poor taste because I had a huge bash the first time. Can’t a big second wedding be tasteful?
A: At one time, brides felt pressured to keep the second time around a small, low-key occasion, but today you can get remarried in style without lifting an eyebrow. However, you should bear some things in mind. If your parents paid for your first wedding (and even if they didn’t), you shouldn’t expect them to finance this gala. You and your fiance could foot the bill, with his parents pitching in if they wish to. Also, avoid trying to “outdo” your first trip down the aisle. For example, your gown should be less “bridey” this time (though you can certainly wear lily-white).
via Emily Post.
Pugs & Kisses,
Dawn
Q: I attended a wedding last year and haven’t received a thank-you note from the newlywed couple. It’s been more than six months since I sent the gift. Should I call to make sure they received it?
A: If you’re genuinely concerned that a gift has been lost in the mail, you could check with the store or post office. But I suspect what you really want to do is give these newlyweds a wake-up call about the missing note. And you may certainly go right ahead. The couple deserves embarrassment. Neglecting to send thank-yous is a chronic problem made worse by the myth that newlyweds have up to a year to pop those notes in the mail. The actual deadline is right away, with three months as the outside limit. What might make it easier is that thank-yous are no longer the brides responsibility–today’s grooms can do their fair share of the scrawling.
via Emily Post.
Pugs & kisses,
Dawn
Hera is home! I am so happy to have my little pup back! She went through a lot at the vet and is now on 3 different meds for her Pancreatitis.