Wedding Ideas That Make Planning Fun

It really is true that the best things in life are free! No matter what is going on with the economy and no matter what you're going through, a beautiful day is still yours as much as anyone else's. Pumpkin pie tastes just as good, the sound of the ocean's waves or the wind in the trees is just as soothing, the warmth of a fire is just as comforting, and the feeling of Christmas is still as exciting as it was when you were a kid. If….you take the time to take it all in. Perhaps the best thing about the state of the economy this year is that it may force us to stop reaching for the credit card as much and start reaching out a little more to each other and the loved ones that make this time as special as it is.

Oh sure, there's a certain amount of fun that comes with unapologetically shopping during this time of year and watching excited faces as they open gifts. And that can still happen to some degree. But this year, there's no pressure. Instead of expensive gifts and that winter vacation that costs so much, we can take a little bit of vacation each night - making cookies with friends and our kids, driving out to see some Christmas lights, taking walks for coffee, or just playing in the snow - Christmas as it used to be or maybe ought to be.

Yes, times are tough and for many, Christmas will be different this year. But if we take the time to just enjoy and pass along the spirit of Christmas to our loved ones, we'll probably find we don't miss the hurry, hurry, spend, spend, rush, rush, rush of Christmases past that much at all.

November 14, 2007 - New Features That Make Ordering Easier & Less Stressful

Thank you so much for making 2007 such a successful year for us at Wedding Ideas And Details. We've more than doubled our growth each year and have you to thank for that. About midway through the year, we realized that if we didn't get ready for more growth, we would soon be overwhelmed by the very business that we were growing. So, with that in mind, we made lots of changes behind the scenes to make things easier for us and for you. Some are not so obvious, but some are great additions just for you.

Order status is one of those things and it does more than just pass shipping information along. Because some of our most popular items are things that often require proofs - labels, stamps, and cake toppers - you're now able to check proof status on the order status page. Plus, any changes you need can be put right there as well so you can be assured that all is taken care of.

All of your tracking numbers will be posted there as well as estimated ship times for things that take a little longer to produce. It all comes together to provide peace of mind during a time of deadlines and stress. It reduces your workload, too, so you don't have to call or email to find out where your proof or order is. Of course, you can track your shipments right there as well just by clicking on the tracking number.

Right next to the Order Status link at the top of each page is a link to our product search page as well. The search feature is much improved to help you find what you're looking for more quickly. We're only carrying more and more products over time so this was becoming essential for helping customers find that perfect item.

On the checkout side of things, we have our store configured to keep credit card numbers encrypted at all times - so much so that we never see credit card numbers at any time during or after a transaction. A real-time verification of that status exists via a logo on the bottom of the store pages. We use the leading online credit card processing clearinghouse to make sure the best practices are used. Even through them, we do not have access to credit card numbers. We believe that not having that information at all is the best and only way to make sure that data is safe - better for us, better for you.

One thing we offer that very few retailers offer is the ability to keep an eye on the status of the order with regard to your event date. When you fill in the event date line during checkout, we can make sure that your order is processing on time with no last minute scrambling to fix any possible delays. We have an "at-a-glance" order status page where we can see open orders and coordinate before timing becomes an issue.

We're always looking for creative ways to add discounts and we've added some new capabilities there, too - you'll see that in our weekly sales.

Our new product description format also provides better information. Each product now has distinct sections to show shipping time, availability/backorders, and "click to enlarge" pictures to show even greater detail if you'd like it without slowing down your browsing.

The net result of all that time-saving and information is that we have more time to do what we love best - find and create new products and ideas. That's what the next entry will talk about so we'll see you then.

November 11, 2007 - New Features - New Products - Same Great Staff & Service

We've left this page alone for a couple of months while upgrading features, options, and products. But, we're excited to be done with most of that and have lots of new things to talk about.

Check back in a couple of days for the latest on our great new features and lots - and we mean lots - of great new products that are already up with even more on the way. Good to be back - we'll have more shortly.