
In theory, wedding planning should be totally fun. Cake, stylish invitations, centerpieces… all things we love. But even if you’re the chillest of chill brides, all the grunt work can quickly become daunting. That’s why we’re all for a themed wedding! But not like the cheesy tropical kind. Think more of a crisp striped ceremony or a day dipped in gold. Adding a theme can make planning elements so much simpler. No longer will you blindly browse wedding invites — you need a geometric wedding invite, and you need it now. If you’re on the hunt for a sweet and simple theme, a polka dot wedding is the solution for you, my dear!
1. Dotted Darling: From afar this Valentino pattern looks like textured polka dots, but give it a closer look and you’ll see that it’s actually teeny tiny flowers. (via Boho Weddings)
2. Dapper Dots: Add a fun kick to the groomsmen’s get-up with a festive neckpiece that complements the theme in a sophisticated way. (via Ruffled)
3. Polka Dot Wedding Invitation ($73+): We love the human touch these imperfect dots give this invite. Not to mention the customizable envelopes and striped interior.
4. Polka Dot Mary Janes ($100): If you’re not up for a polka dotted dress but still want to incorporate the playful pattern into your outfit, shoes are the perfect way to do it. You can easily hide them under your dress or pull it up a bit to show them off!
5. Striped and Dotted Thank You Notes: Polka dots and stripes work together in a way that nobody can really explain. Both patterns are so simple, yet somehow when they come together it’s visual magic. (via Ruffled Blog)
6. Golden and Sugar: Gold can be an overpowering color if used too freely. This cake is a perfect example of how to incorporate the metallic shade in a subtle yet playful way. (via 100 Layer Cake)
7. Bridal Party Polka Dots: Because who says bridesmaids can’t wear prints? We love the idea of the bride glowing in white while her best gals sport flirty polka dots. (via Perfect Palette)
8. Pom Pom Balloons: Because nothing says party quite like balloons. Add some color to your wedding palette with this quick balloon DIY. Use all different colors for something playful, or just one for a more refined look. (via Design Improvised)
9. Polka Dot Lanterns: Ditch the disco lamp, these cute lighting fixtures are all you need for your big day. If you can’t find any lanterns in a polka dot print, just grab some paint! This would be a super simple DIY project. (via Perfect Palette)
10. Ombre Dotted Cake: A cake of cascading polka dots? It could taste like cardboard and we’d probably still love it. (via Mod Wedding)
11. Paper Vases: If you’re looking to make your own centerpieces, this is a cheap, easy option. Find a milk jug/mason jar/thrift store vase (whatever works!) and use a fun colored washi tape to attach a paper printout. (via Weddings by Lily)
12. Gold Foil Polka Dot Backdrop: Because everyone knows nothing fun happened unless you Instagrammed it. Give guests a fun backdrop for getting their silly on. To create your own, simply cut out gold foil or contact paper circles and arrange them on a colored background of your choosing. (via Brit + Co)
13. Polka Dot Garland: Holy Mother of color! Sometimes bright, large polka dots like this can look a little cartoonish, but it totally works here. If it’s still a little bright for your taste just tone it down by only using two or three colors. (via Style Me Pretty)
14. Light Purple Paper Straws ($2+): That open bar is great. But you know what would make it even better? If you could be slurping down those free gin and tonics with an adorable dotted straw.
15. Wooden Arrow: Direct guests to the ceremony and give them a taste of all the pretty polka dots to come. (via Style Me Pretty)
16. Table Confetti: Instead of a traditional tablecloth, scatter colored dots across the tables for a festive look that falls somewhere in between confetti and polka dots. (via The Sweetest Occasion)
17. Blusher Veil ($62): If you think veils are old fashioned, think again. This polka dotted headpiece will have you shielding your face in no time. (via Aisle Perfect)
18. Polka Dot Aisle: So you really want to go for the polka dot theme? Do it big with a spotted aisle! We’re not totally sure how this stays in tact while the bride struts to center stage, but it sure does look pretty. (via Colin Cowie Weddings)
19. Party Popcorn: Partying that hard is going to work up an appetite. Send guests home with a fun snack that stays on theme. (via Brit + Co)
20. Painted Candles: Here’s an easy dollar store fix-up! Grab some plain candle holders and paint designs that coordinate with your color scheme. (via Creature Comfort)
What do you think about a themed wedding? Any cool theme ideas you know of?
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures