Since stepping down from her duties at the Justice Department, Jamie Gorelick remains busy because of her commitments with the law firm WilmerHale. Nevertheless, the former Clinton administration Deputy Attorney General always tries to find time for her children, and she values the time she spends with them.
Luckily, Jamie Gorelick works for a firm that values women. In fact, in August of 2007, WilmerHale was the one of the firms included in the list of 2007’s Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers’ Best Law Firms for Women. Working Mother is a magazine that recognizes companies or groups who incorporate or practice progressive, women-friendly changes in their workplace.
Jamie Gorelick is one of the firm’s prominent mothers. She also co-chairs the Work-Life Balance Committee and is the head of the Defense and National Security Practice and WilmerHale’s Public Policy Practice. Jamie Gorelick’s vast experience that covers the legal, public, government, and private sectors is one of the reasons why she is successful at what she does.
Jamie Gorelick shares the recognition of being one of WilmerHale’s renowned working mothers with major personalities like Women’s Leadership Initiative head and WilmerHale partner Carol Clayton and Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky who was the chief negotiator of the WTO Agreement.
As a WilmerHale partner, Jamie Gorelick has received several worthy recognitions and awards including the Washingtonian’s “Power 150″; the 2004 Lawyer of the Year, as one of the Top 30 Lawyers for 2004; and the 2003 “Star of the Bar” award.
Invitations are the first thing your guests will see to
represent your wedding, and although it’s not an area where you
want to spend too much, it is a place to make a statement.
Here’s what you need to know about wedding invitations.
The actual invitation should set the tone of your wedding and
match the color and theme. Whether it’s an ultra formal affair
or a backyard barbecue, your invitation should reflect that.
Many couples include monograms or logos that are repeated other
places in the wedding and reception as well.
A stationer can print more than just wedding invitations. You
can get reply cards, reception cards, thank you cards, wedding
programs, menus, and place cards. If you order them all at once,
you can not only get a discount, but can make sure they
coordinate well together. This takes planning, but is a good way
to save time and money.
You should order all of your cards three or four months before
the wedding to allow time for corrections if necessary. This
also leaves you extra time to address all the invitations. Order
extras of everything, especially invitations and envelopes.
You’ll need extra for mistakes or last minute guest list
additions.
When you get the proof version of your invitation and enclosure
cards, read them carefully, and then read it again! Have someone
else read it to make sure you aren’t overlooking an error. Check
all spelling, dates, times, and locations. Making corrections
after invitations have been printed is very costly.
Traditionally invitations should be hand addressed rather than
printed from a computer. You can hire a calligrapher to address
envelopes if you have the budget for it, or have fun by
scheduling a party to assemble and address invitations. Take a
complete invitation to the post office ahead of time to have it
weighed to attach the right amount of postage.
Invitations should be mailed about six weeks before the
wedding. Selecting invitations you love and mailing them to your
guests will begin to create a sense of anticipation, so they
will be eager to see what other beautiful things you have in
store.
You’re Engaged!
You certainly want to enjoy this wonderful and magical time in your life but you know that planning your own wedding is going to be a big job! The following checklists might make it a little easier for you to keep it simple, keep it organized and keep you sane!
The 12-Month Countdown
6-12 Months Before Your Wedding…
The wedding date has been set and now like any large project, it’s a good idea to step back and take a look at the big picture first, then break it down to the finer details later.
The Big Picture: Who, What, Where and How:
- Decide who will pay for what, where you’ll get married and how expenses will be shared
- Talk to friends, family, bridal consultants or wedding coordinators to get the direction you need for starting an organization system.
- For most couples, the wedding day can be a blur, so decide early on the best way to capture your special day’s cherished memories - like with an Adesso Photo Guest Book.
The Details
Once you have your organization system in place, start going down your to-do detail list. Here are a few of the critical ones:
- Call your church or synagogue for an appointment with the Officiate
- Explore pre-marriage counseling
- Decide on what size wedding you want
- Consider and decide on wedding attendants
- Start a guest list for the wedding
- Begin determining ideas/themes/color schemes for your wedding and reception
- Select a reception location and a caterer if need be
- Consider reception entertainment
- Select a florist
- Together, shop for wedding rings
- Select a wedding dress, headpiece and schedule fittings
- Decide on the bridesmaids’ dresses
4 - 6 Months Prior To Wedding Date…
As the wedding date gets closer, the to-do list will consist of finer and finer details. And because you put an organization system in place months ago, you won’t miss a one!
- Check details and requirements for marriage license
- Coordinate theme and color schemes with florist and decorator
- Decide on a gift registry and register your gift selections
- Order your invitations and other wedding stationery
- Shop for the groom’s attire and select what the men in the wedding will wear
- Select wedding ceremony readings
- Select wedding ceremony music
- Decide and order wedding favors
- Select a bakery for the cake
- Arrange and plan honeymoon
- Review your agreements with all your vendors and service providers to insure you haven’t forgotten any details.
2-Months… and Counting
- Mail out invitations
- Arrange and plan your rehearsal dinner
- Select and purchase your wedding day accessories
- Arrange attendant’s parties
- Coordinate and prepare accommodations for out-of-town guests
- Select a hairdresser and makeup artist and schedule those appointments
- Finalize those honeymoon plans
1-Month To Go!
- Last wedding dress fitting
- Final fitting for bridesmaids’ dresses
- Final fitting for men attendants
- Get marriage license
- Have your wedding attendant’s parties
- Shop and purchase your outfit to wear when you leave the reception
- Organize the final check list of wedding day events
- Confirm all the wedding day “accessories” are in order, i.e. rings, pillows, garter, etc.
2-Weeks Remaining! It’s finalizing time.
- Finalize entertainment arrangements
- Go over and finalize music lists, and special music events, i.e. first dance, dance with parents, etc.
1-Week Before Your Big Day!
- Review your marriage license to make sure it’s in order
- Prepare seating arrangements for ceremony
- Prepare payment envelopes for Officiate, entertainment and vendors and give to the person who will handle that
- Confirm honeymoon reservations
- Make necessary honeymoon preparations, i.e. bank, traveler’s checks, etc.
- Prepare and pack for honeymoon
- Confirm out-of-town guest accommodations and transportation
- Check in with the florist to confirm arrival time set up
- Have your wedding ceremony rehearsal letting everyone know what they will do on the wedding day
- Have and ENJOY your rehearsal dinner!
Your Wedding Day!
- Allow plenty of time for your scheduled hair and makeup appointments
- Allow at least 2 hours for dressing
- Bring the rings and marriage license
And MOST IMPORTANTLY, take a long deep breath and relax and enjoy your day!
For the last three years, Lesley Mattos, Founder of Adesso Albums has been happily pursuing her dream of helping people all over the world capture the Now in life’s most important moments. Of all the ways to capture your wedding memories, the Adesso Album is the only guest book alternative that provieds an instant memory of your wedding event in both pictures and words. The Adesso Instant Wedding Photo Guest Books can be found at www.adessoalbums.com/weddings.html… and if you need the Polaroid gea, you can purchase it along with the photo guest boooks as part of a kit