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May 11, 2017

Celebrate Ebates’ Birthday with 15% Cash Back

Celebrate Ebates’ 18th birthday with our gift to you: From May 9 to 15, enjoy 15 percent Cash Back from participating merchants. Whether you’re looking to get a head start on shopping summer looks or simply in need of restocking your favorite beauty buys, we’ve compiled a quick curation of 18 favorites. Merchants are updated each day, so be sure to click back daily to take full advantage.

1. Aveda After-Sun Hair Masque, $27

Pools and beaches do a number on your hair. This product protects and soothes.

2. Prana Amelie Dress, $89

Electric blue and comfortable to boot. You’ll live in this dress all summer long.

3. Marc Jacobs Eye-Con Eye Shadow Palette, $99

Paint your lids with a palette of summery shades.

4. BB Dakota Ulric Embroidered Shorts, $80

These smocked shorts feature an elastic waistband and a punchy print, perfect for summer
outings.

5. Kate Spade Leewood Place Rainn Leather Tote, $328

Elevate your basic summer bag with this baby blue leather number.

6. Erdem Oval Brow Bar Frame Sunglasses, $99

These crystal-clear shades lend instant coolness to any summer look.

7. Aerie Super Scoop One-Piece Swimsuit, $35

Make waves on the beach this summer in this pink suit. The dramatic side scoop provides a playful peek of skin.

8. Figleaves Cashmere Wide-Leg Pants, $224

It doesn’t get more luxurious than these super-soft, cozy pants.

9. Candie’s Women’s Lace-Up D’Orsay Flats, $35

These flats have a ballerina vibe. They look chic with everything from jeans to skirts.

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10. Bonobos Summer Weight Shirt, $88

The button-down equivalent of a glass of lemonade. We’re sold on the cool mermaid print.

11. Clarisonic Mia Fit Facial-Cleansing Brush, $219

This ultra-compact cleansing tool will help your complexion achieve ultimate gleam.

12. Juicy Couture Los Angeles Tee, $58

Show your love for one of the country’s coolest cities with this cropped tee.

13. Traveler by Toms Bryton Matte Sunglasses, $78

These pearly pink shades brighten up any summer look.

14. Alexis Bittar Large Segmented Hinge Bracelet, $425

A serious statement-making accessory that will give people something to talk about at weddings and formal fetes.

15. Zimmerman Jasper Fan Bralette, $315

Nothing looks cooler paired with high-waisted pants or a flowing skirt.

16. IT Cosmetics Vitality Flush Reviver Lipstick Stain, $20

This swivel-up lipstick gives you the prettiest natural flush.

17. Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit Running Shoes, $150

These shoes look like space-age workout gear. They feature a flexible sole and lace-free
design for ultimate comfort.

18. Amore Pacific Time Response Eye Renewal Creme, $260

Reduce puffiness and dark circles with this super emollient and luxurious eye cream.

May 10, 2017

Download the Ebates Cash Back Button Today!

Attention Ebates lovers! We’re excited to announce we’ve developed a fabulous tool that will make sure you never miss Cash Back again: the Ebates Cash Back Button. This ingenious and easy-to-use browser extension alerts you every time you’re shopping at a store that offers Cash Back through Ebates. It also saves you time and money by finding coupon codes while you shop. Check out how it works, and learn about some of our favorite new features below!

How It Works

Step 1: Download and install the browser extension, available for free on Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Microsoft Edge.

Step 2: Shop online as you normally would. If you’re landing on a store page, the Button will alert you if Cash Back is available at that merchant. Just click “Activate,” and voilà! You’re ready to begin shopping and earning Cash Back.

Also, if you’re searching on Google, Yahoo or Bing, you’ll even start to see Cash Back amounts directly in the search results. This way, you can see which stores partner with Ebates without having to look for them on Ebates.com.

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Features We Love

Coupon Magic

This handy feature finds relevant coupons and promo codes at the store you’re browsing. During checkout, you’ll see an “Apply Coupon” alert at your shopping cart. Click it, and the Cash Back Button will automatically apply the best discounts. (This feature works with participating merchants. So far, that’s 700+ stores and counting. Bam!)

Groupon, Yelp and Google Maps Integration

Groupon customers, this feature is for you. Look up your favorite haunts on Yelp or Google Maps, and the Ebates Button will alert you if there is a Groupon available at that business. That way, you’re assured a great deal in addition to Cash Back.

So what are you waiting for? Get the official Ebates Cash Back Button and start saving time and money today!

May 6, 2017

Non-Girly Gifts for the Practical Mom

It seems that, since the dawn of time, Mother’s Day gifts have involved a bouquet of blooms and a box of chocolates. Sometimes you think outside the candy box and go for something cozy like a pair of fuzzy slippers. But if your mom was cut from a no-nonsense mold or her idea of R&R is watching a baseball game on the couch, these Mother’s Day gift ideas just might hit a home run. Check out our hand-picked selections, from must-have electronics to home goods she’ll actually use — all available with Cash Back at Ebates.

Insulated Lunch Tote

If you’ve been watching your mom take the same wrinkled-paper-bag lunch to work for years, this insulated tote is perfect. It looks like a purse while working double duty to keep the lettuce on her BLT crisp.

Chunky Chenille Throw

One of the easiest but most overlooked gift ideas for mom is a nice, comfy blanket. Who doesn’t love a blanket and who doesn’t need more of them?

Gold Pig Bookends

If you’re looking for unique gifts your mom will actually use, this piggy bookend set is perfect — especially if she has a home office or beloved bookshelf that could use a little pizzazz.

Mama Bear T-shirt

A T-shirt may not come to mind when you think of cool gifts, but you have to admit this one is adorable. No novelty here, just a proud badge of being a mighty mom to some cute cubs.

Date Night

She may be your mom, but she’s also someone’s sweetheart. And, chances are, it has been a while since this lovely couple hit the town. Give them a date night to remember with local deals on dining and entertainment from Groupon. If dinner and a movie is their jam, top it off with a gift card from Fandango.

3-in-1 Avocado Slicer

This one just speaks for itself. A tool that can cut, pit and slice an avocado in seconds? Mom will be wondering where this has been her whole life.

WD My Passport Ulta 1 TB External Hard Drive

How many times have you heard your mom complaining about filling up her DVR? Maybe enough to suggest she has a TV addiction. But instead of getting into that conversation, why not just give her some extra storage space so she’ll never miss another episode of “The Bachelor”?

Philips Wake-Up Light

Getting up in the morning can be the worst. Make her a.m. a little more pleasant with this simulated sunlight alarm that will gradually wake her up without panicked beeping or annoying radio hosts.

Seamless Belly Support Band

If you’re shopping for a mom-to-be, there is nothing — I repeat, nothing — more practical than a belly band. Not only does it support your belly, but it also holds your pre-maternity jeans up without having to button them. It’s pretty much a miracle.

May 4, 2017

How I Saved More Than $1,600 on My Wedding: Honeymoon

My fiancé, Ryan, and I are planning a wedding in Healdsburg, California, in the heart of wine country. Like so many couples, we’re learning that planning a wedding means lots of shopping. Whether it’s paper for invitations or ties for your groomsmen, spending becomes second nature. So, as a bride with a budget she’d like to stick to, I’m obsessed with getting the best deals when I can. Thankfully, Ebates helped me save on so many wedding essentials, such as invitations, decor, attire — even our honeymoon. In this series of posts, you’ll get a chance to see exactly how much I was able to save and how.

All in all, our goal was to indulge our inner honeymooners without blowing up our budget. WeddingWire’s 2016 Newlywed Survey showed that couples spent an average of $4,000 on their honeymoons last year, and I can only imagine those numbers going up — as most wedding-related things seem to do.

I’m happy to report we were able to save more than $500 on our honeymoon. Here’s how we did it.

Booking Honeymoon Flights

Ryan and I were determined to spend two weeks exploring Croatia for our honeymoon, with its crystal-clear coastal waters, rolling inland hills and ancient ruins.

We started by booking mid-week flights, which saved us significantly right off the bat. But the best savings we discovered when booking our flights together with the first two nights at our destination. We booked two round-trip flights from San Francisco to Dubrovnik, plus two nights at a hotel, through Expedia, saving a total of $300.

Savings

Total saved on flights to Croatia: $300

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik was the first stop of our honeymoon. We were prepared for some culture, sightseeing, nightlife and “Game of Thrones” geek-outs (Dubrovnik is the scene of the show’s famed King’s Landing). We decided to find honeymoon packages that would allow us to stay for three nights: one night to get our bearings after a long flight, and two full days to check out the town.

In Dubrovnik, we found a quaint, charming apartment-style hotel, Apartments Le Petit Nono. The accommodations were close to the old town harbor, which meant most of the sightseeing would be within walking distance. Because we booked through Hotels.com, we were able to score a special per-night rate, saving us $42. We also saved with a $5 off coupon and a $20 rebate at the time of booking, plus our 6% Cash Back at Ebates. Yay!

Savings

Ebates Cash Back savings: $86

Total saved in Dubrovnik: $86

Split

Split was our next honeymoon destination. Less than 150 miles from Dubrovnik, Split is known for its ancient and modern lifestyles combined in one picturesque destination. We wanted to fit in a little more ancient sightseeing while we were in this once-Roman-occupied region. That included touring Diocletian’s Palace, the ancient walls of Salona and the Klis Fortress (also known as Meereen in “Game of Thrones”) — and eating as much local fare as we could.

Our accommodations here were the most modest in Split. We wanted to spend most of our time out touring the city, eating the local grub and watching a few glowing sunsets. This helped us save some money, and we found some great specials by booking ahead through Expedia. We booked the aptly named Restaurant Pension Dioklecijan, and lucked out with $16 Cash Back at Ebates.

While we were in Split, Ryan and I wanted to take advantage of the acclaimed Croatian cuisine and brush up on our wine knowledge before heading up to wine country. This, we decided, was all best done with hands-on learning. We got a great deal on a wine- and food-tasting tour in the heart of Split by booking ahead of time on Expedia, and we took full advantage of 10% Cash Back at Ebates.

A trip to see the Blue Caves was a necessity if we were going to come close to the Dalmatian Coast, and Split was the best jumping-off point. We were ready to shell out to see the caves, which glow a magical blue, so we were thrilled to find a great deal on Orbitz for a daylong adventure that included snorkeling. We prepaid for our full-day speedboat and snorkel tour of five Croatian islands from Split, and we were able to earn 9% Cash Back at Ebates and save $25.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back on hotel: $16

Ebates Cash Back on food tour: $6.50

Ebates Cash Back on snorkel tour: $25

Total saved in Split: $47.50

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Istria

Among all the ancient ruins and beachfronts, I was most excited to include the peninsula of Istria in our honeymoon plans. As the wine center of Croatia, this peninsula is not just beaches and ruins (although it has those, of course). It’s full of vineyards and old port towns with an Italian flare. We decided to stay in Pula, a seaside town in the southern part of the peninsula with easy vineyard access. For a place to lay our heads, we booked a room through Expedia at City Point Rooms and More, where we got a great deal and $23 in Cash Back at Ebates.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back on hotel: $23

Total saved in Istria: $23

Hvar

Ryan and I determined that after more than a week of sightseeing, wine tasting and cobblestone-street ambling, we would be ready for a quiet, beachside retreat. That’s where we would splurge on accommodations fit for a pair of honeymooners. The island of Hvar would be perfect — devoid of mainland crowds and brimming with crystal-clear swimming holes. We pre-booked at Riva Hvar Yacht Harbour Hotel for a few days of luxury, pampering and relaxation. And, thanks to 6% Cash Back at Ebates by booking through Hotels.com, we saved $46 on our island accommodations.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back on hotel: $46

Total saved in Hvar: $46

To sum up all these incredible deals, I saved $502 on flights, accommodations and a few pre-booked activities for our honeymoon — crazy savings on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Next up, I’ll share even more wedding deals. Stay tuned to learn how I was able to save big on wedding decor.

May 3, 2017

Cinco de Mayo Party Essentials to Throw the Fiercest Fiesta

Warm weather, icy margaritas and a table topped with Mexican fare — Cinco de Mayo celebrations leave us with lots to be excited about. This year, use your Ebates Cash Back to step up your decorating game. You may have perfected your guacamole recipe, but these festive and fun party essentials will truly make your fete one for the books. Below, six colorful must-haves for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta.

Rio Tortilla Warmer

The nation is abuzz with unicorn lattes and mermaid-inspired makeup, so doesn’t it make sense to want a groovy little rainbow dish just because? This terra cotta tortilla warmer does its job with a table-pleasing burst of color.

Le Creuset Signature Palm Skillet

You spend hours obsessing over the details that will wow your guests, but what about investing in something just to please the chef? The punchy lime detailing on this perfectly sized skillet will make you smile as your veggies sizzle.

Luminarc Margarita Glass Set

Your recipe must wow, and your stemware should be simple and sized just right. Graduate from your kitschy spring-break souvenirs to these chic sippers. Rim with salt and garnish with lime, and you’re good to go.

Hay Kaleidoscope Trays

Cinco de Mayo is all about embracing bold hues that make even the simplest dishes — guacamole and cut-up veggies — come to life. These jewel-toned trays offer endless display possibilities, and they’re sure to get guests in a celebratory spirit.

Taco Rack

Organizing tacos can be a challenging feat. Keep your tacos’ insides where they belong and encourage sharing with this simple yet super effective taco rack. It holds everything in place and adds a cool, clean look to the table.

Molcajete

Freshly made guac is one of the best parts of dining at a Mexican restaurant. This authentic grinder, crafted from natural volcanic stone, brings the party home. Blend spices and herbs, or mix up mole and salsas.

May 3, 2017

What Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day

To help you give greater gifts for Mother’s Day, we’ve put together a guide of what moms really want. (Hint: It’s probably not cleaning supplies.) Mother’s Day cards are a great way to start the day, but don’t stop there. To celebrate one of the most important women in your life, check out these unforgettable gifts for her and save with Cash Back at Ebates.

Create New Memories

A day full of fun can be more meaningful than material Mother’s Day gifts. Swing by LivingSocial or Groupon, where you can buy and share the best things to do in your local area. You’ll discover exciting deals for local restaurants, boutiques and more. It’s the perfect way to let your mom try the pricey new hot spot on a budget or explore relaxing yoga classes. Plus, you’ll save on the best gifts for mom with Cash Back at Ebates.

Make Her Busy Life Easier

If your mom is your family’s go-to chef, why not take time-consuming meal planning out of the equation? Try HelloFresh for delicious and healthy recipes with all the pre-measured ingredients needed, delivered right to your door. Or select recipes your mom will love and treat her to the fresh, homemade meals she deserves (and do the dishes, of course). Get your subscription through Ebates for the best savings. Or check out a subscription to Graze, which delivers healthy snacks by mail. You can even send them to your mom’s workplace so she’ll have scrumptious and nutritious snacks right at her fingertips. Save on your Mother’s Day gift with a Graze promo code

Looking for more gift ideas for your mom that’ll give her time to relax? If she feels like a one-woman cleaning crew, it’s time for her to ditch the dust and let someone else freshen things up. At Angie’s List, you can book flexible house-cleaning options that’ll make your space sparkle and give mom a much-needed break from the daily grind.

Think Unique

Show your mom she’s appreciated with a heartfelt gift. At Etsy, you’ll find cool and unusual Mother’s Day gifts to fit a variety of budgets. Shop Etsy’s special collection of gifts for moms, and save on handmade jewelry, personalized gifts, incredible artwork and more must-haves. From home décor deals to one-of-a-kind bags to foodie favorites, you’ll find tons of affordable options that fit your mom’s style.

If diamonds are your mom’s best friend, then Blue Nile is a must. At this classic jewelry store, you’ll find high-end accessories, including pendants, chains, charms, earrings and more ways to sparkle that make perfect gifts for mothers. Plus, you can shop by price and style so you can find the perfect fit that works for your budget.

Find Her Zen

Between balancing work and family life, moms are basically superheroes with little time to themselves. This Mother’s Day, treat your mom to the ultimate day of relaxation with Cash Back at Ebates on spa services. Visit Spafinder Wellness 365 and let your mom get in the zen zone with a versatile gift card. She’ll enjoy her favorite services, including massages, facials and more ways to kick back and relax.

Don’t forget to save on the best Mother’s Day gifts and experiences with Cash Back from Ebates. Comment below and tell us the best Mother’s Day gift you’ve given or received. Happy Mother’s Day from Ebates!

April 29, 2017

Quiz: What Type of Bride Are You?

Your wedding day provides the ultimate opportunity to showcase who you truly are as a bride and as a couple. From your wedding dress to where you say, “I do,” your special day reveals your inner essence as well as the image you wish to put forth into the world. Take the quiz below for insight into your true tie-the-knot identity.

[qzzr quiz=”408826″ width=”100%” height=”auto” redirect=”true” offset=”0″]

April 27, 2017

Over-the-Top Celebrity Wedding Expenses

We’ve all heard about the extravagance of celebrity weddings and the high costs of all their lavish celebrations. In some cases, it may make us wish we had similarly massive budgets for our own weddings, and in other cases, it helps us realize we have much better ideas on how to spend that money. (A villa in Tuscany, anyone?)

Here’s the breakdown of some big-ticket celebrity wedding expenses and what you could do with that budget.

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<a href="https://www.ebates.com/blog/celebrity-wedding-expenses/"><img alt="Over-the-Top Celebrity Wedding Expenses" src="https://www.ebates.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/celebrity-wedding-expenses_IG.jpg" width="600px" height="8203px" /></a><br><a href="https://www.ebates.com/blog/celebrity-wedding-expenses/">Over-the-Top Celebrity Wedding Expenses</a> Created By:  <a href="https://www.ebates.com/wedding.htm"> Ebates</a>

The Ring

Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello

This stunning engagement ring was a 7-carat cushion cut diamond with a diamond halo encircling the center stone and French-set diamonds covering the platinum band. The estimated cost was an equally stunning half-million dollars.

What you could buy for $500,000: For the cost of Sofia’s gorgeous rock, you could buy beautiful (and normal size) rings for 81 brides.

The Flowers

Prince William & Kate Middleton

Their wedding was blooming with beautiful flowers, and the price tag for all those blooms totaled $800,000. Her bouquet had lily of the valley, sweet William (yes, he is sweet), hyacinth and myrtle. (Did you know it’s royal tradition to carry a sprig of myrtle in the wedding bouquet?)

What $800,000 gets you: Enough flowers for 315 weddings, or nearly a wedding every day for a year. As another option, you could use this flower budget to plant a field of tulips large enough to span 4.1 football fields.

The Dress

Lauren Morelli and Samira Wiley

This couple both wore custom Christian Siriano ensembles with a price tag of about $20,000 each. Samira wanted “her fairytale wedding moment,” according to the designer, who added a modern twist to that concept with a two-piece gown so Samira could change into a simpler skirt for the evening. Lauren “wanted to feel regal and elegant,” the designer added. The result was a tailored pantsuit with a crystal and beaded pearl collar.

What $20,000 could buy you: an extreme amount of fabric. We ran the numbers, and you could buy 2,316 yards of French satin (nine times the height of the Eiffel Tower) or 4,317 yards of chiffon (longer than the Hollywood Walk of Fame). Now that’s a lot of fabric indeed!

Entertainment

Jay Z & Beyonce

The music cost for their wedding was about $60,000 with DJ Cassidy spinning old-school hip hop and R&B. The playlist included classics like The Jackson 5 and Whitney Houston. The couple’s first dance song was “Crazy in Love,” the 2003 song that the couple first collaborated on.

In real life: With $60,000, you could buy 5,454 albums on iTunes. But to make $60,000, Jayoncé would need their music streamed 10 million times on Spotify.

The Favors

Kim Kardashian & Kanye West

This couple had extravagant wedding favors that cost $125,000 per guest. In total, the budget was $25 million just for the favors. Each guest received Bollinger champagne ($500), Creme de la Mer products ($200), Swarovski crystals etched with the couple’s initials, bottles of scents from local perfumeries and a hotel spa voucher ($250).

With $25 million, you could buy: a Caribbean island, a villa in Tuscany, 25 Manhattan parking spots or two dozen orca whales.

The Cake

Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds

The couple’s cake was a centerpiece. Costing about $20 per slice, it was a vanilla-and-sour-cream cake
with peach-apricot preserves, and Earl Grey-milk chocolate buttercream. Yum! But the cake wasn’t the only desert; there was a table of delicious treats including lemon meringue tartlets, blueberry cheesecake bites, mini chocolate bundt cakes filled with chocolate ganache and artisanal popsicles with fun messages like “Ain’t love sweet?”

In real life: Typical cake costs are $1.50 to $12 a slice. Using the celebrity budget, a typical wedding cake would be 28 layers tall or about 9.3 feet high. Now that’s a lot of cake!

The Planner

Anne Hathaway & Adam Shulman

The couple used celebrity wedding planner Stefanie Cove of Yifat Oren & Associates, who took home about $200,000 to plan this event (about 20% of a $1 million wedding). The firm has on staff 10 full-time and 40 part-time employees, but it’s rarely glamorous, she said: “We work 18-hour days for three months straight.” Fighting paparazzi comes with the territory. When Anne learned that her big day was no longer a secret, the planner got an enormous balloon art installation to prevent unwanted photos. But instead of hiding the couple, it made them a paparazzi target. Yikes!

With $200,000, you could: Buy your very own yacht. You could also use it to book a spot on the world’s first commercial passenger spaceship or even pay for 20 years of rent (based on a median rent amount of $800 per month).

The Honeymoon

George Clooney & Amal Alamuddin

The couple celebrated their marriage in Seychelles, an island off the coast of East Africa, with honeymoon costs totaling $74,000. They stayed in a 5,000-square-foot private villa at The North Island resort, which boasts its own plunge pool and many other luxe amenities. Bonus: It’s only accessible by helicopter! Other couples who have honeymooned in Seychelles include Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild, Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, and Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade.

In real life: The Clooney honeymoon could have paid for two couples traveling the world for a year. Alternatively, you could use that money to buy 18 around-the-world plane tickets. On the other hand, you could just buy an airplane.

Sources:

https://www.theknot.com
https://www.bustle.com/
http://www.therichest.com
http://www.eonline.com
http://www.glamour.com
http://www.brides.com
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://us.hellomagazine.com/
http://www.stylebistro.com/
http://people.com
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com
http://www.yatesjewelers.com/sofia-vergara-engagement-ring.html
https://www.buzzfeed.com/elliewoodward/the-most-outrageously-expensive-celebrity-weddings-of
http://www.celebritytalent.net/sampletalent/1660/dj-cassidy-(cassidy-podell)/
http://people.com/
https://www.tessa.com/prices
http://xogroupinc.com/press-releases/theknot2016realweddings_costofweddingsus/
http://honeymoons.about.com/cs/eurogen1/a/weddingstats.htm
https://www.airtreks.com/ready/create-a-travel-budget/how-much-will-it-cost/
http://alittleadrift.com/rtw-budget-travel-around-the-world/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/seychelles/articles/Inside-George-Clooneys
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2251255/Mrs–Mrs-Reynolds-The-glimpse-Blake-Lively
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/blake-lively-and-ryan-reynolds-wedding-1316454
https://twitter.com/LaurusBridal/status/298252748913258496/photo/1
http://thehill.com/special-reports/weddings-february-2013-/282987-chefs-help-to-satisfy-wedding-sweet-spot

April 27, 2017

Wedding Guest Do’s and Don’ts

Wedding season is here. It’s time to prepare for weekends full of dancing, socializing and celebrating happy couples. Wedding guests have a responsibility to help make the day go as smoothly as possible for themselves and everyone else. That means making sure they do come prepared and don’t bug the couple or immediate family too much. Here are some critical do’s and don’ts for this season’s wedding fetes.

Do RSVP

Months of preparation go into planning a wedding, which means every single guest is accounted for. It can be a drag and a time-suck to have to track down every guest who hasn’t sent back the RSVP card. Save the couple a few hours of logistical work and RSVP on time — whether you’re sending a card in the mail or checking a box on a wedding website. They will appreciate it immensely!

Do prepare for any weather

How many times have you been caught unprepared for rain when the weather has been nothing but sun for weeks? Or how many times have you gotten a sunburn on half your face from sitting in the same place during the hottest part of the day? Stock up on facial sunscreen, grab a wedding-worthy sun hat and pack a picture-perfect umbrella in case the weather doesn’t go your way.

Do bring dancing shoes

Your shoes are adorable — truly the perfect complement to your carefree, summer wedding-guest dress. But weddings are long, and you don’t want to have to sit for the entire reception. Instead, you may consider ditching the stilettos after a couple of hours for some flats or flip-flops. And who says comfort has to compromise cuteness? Try these rose gold flip-flops from Havaianas to slip out of blistering heels and into an effortless night of fun. You might even make it to the after party.

Don’t text the bride or groom

Can’t find your way from the ceremony to the reception? Don’t know what time the post-wedding brunch is on Sunday? Don’t ask the busy, overwhelmed bride or groom. It may be tempting since they’re just a simple text away, but it’s not fair to burden them if you haven’t taken the time to visit their website. Plus, it may not be the most effective way to get a response.

Do book a room ahead

Unless you want to cramp someone’s style by ordering up a cot after you realize you don’t have a room for the night, book ahead. It’s the first rule for not being stranded after a long night of fun and cocktails. It sounds basic, but it happens. Find great deals at Hotels.com or Expedia.

Do buy a gift

It doesn’t have to be much, but a gift is a gesture of thanks for the wedding festivities (which surely cost the couple a pretty penny). It’s also a nice way to wish them all the best in their new marriage. If nothing else, a card from Greeting Card Universe will do. They have a huge number of congratulations cards for newlyweds, including a large selection for same-sex couples. And if you are attending more than one wedding this summer, buy in bulk to save on shipping.

Don’t criticize

There’s nothing more disheartening than a guest telling the newlyweds they weren’t a fan of the food or thought the ceremony was too long. If you have opinions — which is bound to happen for those of us who attend multiple weddings every summer — keep them to yourself or to those closest to you. Don’t let any negativity inadvertently dampen an otherwise wonderful day for the couple.

Do relax and have fun

The newlyweds and their families have gone out of their way to make the wedding as welcoming and fun for guests as possible. Forget what’s happening at work, the traffic you fought to get there and the price of the hotel room you booked for the weekend. While you’re there, do your best to enjoy the celebratory atmosphere and the food, and soak in the love from the happy couple — knowing you’re part of the inner circle!

April 26, 2017

Brides: How to Pack for Your Destination Wedding

Imagine yourself on a plane, heading to your wedding destination. You’re relaxed — a feeling that might only become a reality if your packing game is truly on. Put packing off until the last minute, and you could risk leaving behind something crucial. Give yourself more time and space than you think you need, and you likely will be the relaxed bride you deserve to be. Here are some ideas for packing for your destination wedding, and earning Cash Back from Ebates to spend on the honeymoon.

Start packing early

There are so many things to remember, so make yourself a wedding-planner checklist starting three weeks ahead of the wedding. Spend that week picking up any items you don’t have but need to take with you, including killer wedding shoes, rings, jewelry for the big day and any undergarments you might need. Two weeks out, you should start to populate your suitcase with purchased items. Don’t forget lingerie for the rest of the trip, wedding-day makeup, new beachwear, a beach bag and the other white dresses you’ll need. With one week to go, you should be as packed as possible. This also is a good time to make another wedding-planner checklist so you don’t forget things like your toothbrush and deodorant in the excitement of getting all the big stuff in your bag.

Keep your carry-ons organized

You will want to keep the dress, the marriage license, the carefully selected Etsy-made wedding rings and other essentials with you in the cabin of the plane. Otherwise, you’re taking a risk that your luggage won’t make it to the right place at the right time. The best way to manage the carry-on situation is to make sure your wedding dress is in a garment bag, like this one from eBags. Call ahead to your wedding hotel to make sure they have a steamer to get the travel wrinkles out of the dress. The dress is your carry-on, while a super well-organized bag can be your personal item. In here, you’ll want to keep all your critical documents, your passport and the rings in a secure pocket where they won’t roll around or fall out.

Think about the what-ifs

What if the dress you packed for the rehearsal dinner has some stubborn cat hairs on it? What if you drop airplane food on your favorite comfy T-shirt? What if the groom gets a painful sunburn the day before the wedding? There are so many things that could go wrong, and the nature of destination weddings makes it tough to get necessities at the last minute. It’s best to be prepared with random emergency items you can get from Walmart — things like aloe, a lint roller, travel stain remover, safety pins and a needle and thread. If there’s a wedding-day issue, you’ll be ready and relaxed instead of panicking.

Outsource suitcase space

If you and your fiance are planning to DIY a few things or looking for more space for wedding-day essentials, tap into a friend or close relative early. If you know you need to bring table cards, a guestbook or other supplies for crafting once you arrive, see if you can use some space in someone else’s bag. Securing your packing fallback space beforehand will allow him or her to plan on leaving extra room for you should you need it.