Including dogs in weddings is becoming increasingly popular. Your pet is part of the family, so why not?Here are some tips to make sure Fluffy has as much fun as your human guests.

Test your dog out in crowds to make sure he or she has the right temperament
Not all dogs are comfortable around large groups of people. Even if your pooch has a great temperament, putting him or her in a big crowd can be stressful. Set up a test run by bringing your dog to a busy, public place so you can make sure crowds aren’t too much.

Watch out for the cake
Chocolate is hazardous for dogs. If you’re serving a chocolate cake or cupcakes, make sure everyone knows not to give any to your dog. If your dog likes to jump up to get food, keep him or her away from any food display tables. Pack a special dinner for your 4-legged guest so he or she doesn’t feel left out during dinner.

Why not include your best friend on your big day?

Make sure the venues and vendors are dog-friendly
If your ceremony or reception venues don’t allow dogs, then you’re going to have to make a decision. Consider how dog-friendly they are when you’re checking them out. Even if they do allow dogs, there may be local leash laws, so it’s a good idea to assign doggy duty to a few friends or family members.

Is your dog going to have a role in the ceremony?
Okay, so you’ve gone through all the previous steps. Your dog is allowed at the wedding and can handle crowds. What kind of role will you assign your furry friend? Here are some options:

• Greeter/usher: What’s better than greeting your guests with a wagging tail?
• Ring bearer: Depending on how well-trained Fido is, you may want to use decoy rings for this.
• Groomsman/bridesmaid: Dress your dog up to match the wedding party. You can find plenty of canine wedding attire at Baxter Boo.
• Best man/maid of honor: Hey, if your furry friend is also your best friend, then more power to you. The best part is, the speech will be short and sweet. Woof!
• Flower dog: Your dog can carry a basket of flowers down the aisle. Just make sure they’re non-toxic in case your pooch gets into them.
• Stress reliever: Nothing helps an anxious speaker or in-law de-stress like petting a dog!
• Honored guest: Your dog can just chill out and look cute.

Don’t forget to take pictures!
Who doesn’t love pictures of cute dogs? Your wedding party, your families and your fur baby can all pose in front of a backdrop customized for your special day! To learn more, visit Sign Art Etc.

Hockey fans, it’s almost Stanley Cup Finals time! This will be the 123rd time Lord Stanley’s Cup is awarded to the best team in hockey. These party ideas will make your celebration worthy of this amazing championship series.

Unlike the Super Bowl, the champion of the National Hockey League is determined in a best-of-seven series, with the title going to the first team to win four games. That gives you some flexibility if you’d like to host multiple parties. You can make it a kickoff party for Game 1, a mid-series party for Game 4, or if you’re really dedicated you can host a party for every game!

Gear up
Hungry? Here’s a recipe for hockey-theme Oreo cookie cupcakes from Bite Me More that you can serve to your guests. Decorating your home for the series will help get you and your guests excited for the games! Check out the hockey party favors at Shindigz, including goalie mask party favors.

You can watch this Youtube video from MLive to learn how to make your own Stanley Cup trophy. Apologies to Detroit fans, as their Red Wings won’t be in the finals this year.

Play Stanley Cup trivia games
Keep the crowd busy by playing a Stanley Cup trivia game during breaks in play. Here is an example of some trivia questions you can ask, from Mental Floss writer Sean Hutchinson:

• How many actual Stanley Cup trophies existed? Three. The original cup was awarded in 1892. It was replaced by a sturdier cup in 1963, which was then replaced by the current trophy in 1993.
• How much time can each winning player spend with the Cup? One day each.
• What was the original name of the trophy? The original trophy was call the Dominion Challenge Hockey Cup.

Pose with the Stanley Cup
Pose with these quirky hockey photo props from Etsy, including a Stanley Cup prop, a penalty box frame and a goalie mask.  You and your friends can also pose with the Cup in front of a backdrop of your own design. You can use your team’s logo, the Stanley Cup Finals logo or your own unique design for the perfect Stanley Cup Finals atmosphere. For more banner ideas, visit Sign Art Etc.

Game on!

Millions of viewers are expected to tune in to the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 to witness the 100th running of the race. To commemorate this occasion, Indiana residents are encouraged to get together with friends and family to host their own “porch parties.” Register your porch party on Eventbrite.

Porch parties can be hosted on your porch, in your yard or inside your home. The important thing is that you show off that famous Hoosier hospitality. Some lucky registered porch parties may be visited by Indy Car drivers or other celebrities! Even if you’re not an Indiana resident, you’re welcome to celebrate the race with a party of your own. Read on for some tips to get your engines revved up!

Tailgating
Tailgating is all about the meats: Hot dogs, bratwurst and burgers. A big sloppy burger would be tough for your guests to manage while watching the race and handling a beverage, so stick with mini hamburger sliders. Set up a buffet with other tailgating favorites like chicken wings and nachos.

Enjoy the Indianapolis 500 with friends and family.

Setting the scene
Make sure to include decorations with checkered flags, traffic cones and, of course, Indy cars! Oriental Trading has a great selection of race car-inspired decorations.

Pictures
A custom banner can make any party a memorable one. Whether you’re looking for a checkerboard banner or a backdrop of your favorite racing team, the helpful staff at Sign Art Etc can work with you to create the perfect design for your Indy 500 party. And don’t forget the photo props! You can find race car-themed photo props on Etsy.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!

Wedding season is here! If you’re one of the estimated 2.3 million American couples getting married this year, or if you’re helping to plan and manage weddings, you’ve probably got a lot of planning to do this spring. Spring weddings are popular because the flowers are blooming, the weather is warming up, and the theme of rebirth and awakening go well with two people starting a new life together.

Color palette
The wedding color scheme can set the tone for the event. Once you’ve decided on the colors, many of the other decorative decisions start to fall into place. Spring weddings call for vibrant colors. Pantone has released the top  10 wedding colors for spring 2016. These new colors include Rose Quartz, Peach Echo, Serenity, Buttercup, Fiesta, Iced Coffee and Green Flash.

As you can see, softer shades are in this spring. For more color inspiration for bridesmaids dresses, bouquets, boutonnieres, place settings and other wedding design elements, visit the Tulle & Chantilly’s page on wedding color combinations.

Play around with vibrant colors to come up with your perfect wedding color palette.

Groom’s attire
While a tuxedo is a classic, you could choose something more light and colorful for a spring wedding. Bridal Guide suggests a seersucker suit with a pastel bow tie as a colorful, lightweight alternative.

Custom backdrops
Do you want to give your spring wedding photos some extra pop? Use a backdrop for your reception photos. These banners are fully customizable, so you can incorporate your spring color scheme along with your names and the date of the big day.

To give your wedding pictures that spring atmosphere, visit Sign Art Etc and customized your own backdrop! Our talented, helpful team can walk you through the whole process. Let us help make your spring wedding a success!