When choosing a gift or keepsake for people you have invited to attend your wedding, you can stick the tried and true or you can take a creative approach. Either way, you can offer guests an inexpensive keepsake that they will enjoy.
Among the most popular wedding souvenirs are boxes of chocolates, tins of mints or sweets, pens, coasters and picture frames. Candles, soaps and scented cachets are popular wedding souvenirs as well.
These items – and many others -- can be customized with your wedding information to make them personalized for your event. You can even order custom refrigerator magnets to commemorate your wedding, choosing artwork from formal to funky to suit the event.
For outdoor weddings in warm weather, wood or paper fans imprinted with your wedding information make a fun and functional souvenir for your guests.
Souvenirs that follow a wedding theme are growing in popularity as well. Beach weddings can be commemorated with beach chair placeholders, sea shells or miniature sailboats, for example. Asian themes include custom chopsticks, hand-painted parasols and even fortune cookies. A Maryland wedding may feature a custom crab hammer, and wedding guests in Seattle may receive a customized bag of coffee.
Compact discs or cassette tapes of the music played at the wedding reception packaged in a custom-printed sleeve can be entertaining gifts. Bottles of wine can even be laser etched with the happy couple’s names and the wedding date.
Source : www.weddingsouvenirs.com
Jan 30, 2009
Jan 27, 2009
Simple Ways to save your wedding Budget
1. Don’t Overdo the Champagne
Only approximately 30 percent of wedding guests actually drink the champagne served for the toast, says Seccuro. Serve champagne only to guests who want it. So rather than pour a celebratory glass for every guest — an expense of at least $7 per person (which is usually charged on top of the main bar bill) — ask servers to circulate with trays of pre-poured flutes before the toast. That way, the guests who want to drink some bubbly can, while others can raise a glass with their beverage of choice.
2. Choose Flowers Wisely
Choosing your flowers wisely can save you a pretty penny. "Roses are among the least expensive (about $1 a stem)," says planner Tara Guérard of SoirÉe in Charleston, S.C. What's more, if you stick to a single type of bloom, a talented aunt can easily arrange them. By putting 36 roses in four mint julep cups at every table, you can prune your bill in style.
3. Get Married on a Less Popular Day and Time
"Scheduling your wedding outside the prime months (June through October) gives you more leverage in negotiating rates," says Gregory Hyder, director of catering at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. And if you opt for a simple Sunday-afternoon event over a Saturday-night extravaganza, you'll find "savings coming from all directions," Hyder adds. "The reception will be shorter, with fewer courses in the meal and less liquor consumed." Such factors can lessen your outlay by an additional 10 percent.
4. Choose a DJ or iPod Instead of a Band
"A band can eat up a big portion of your budget," notes Amy Nichols. "If you have limited money to spend, go with a DJ." Another choice, thanks to the iPod and its customizable playlists, is to act as your own DJ (or ask a friend to do so) via your venue's sound system. Some DJs will rent you a loaded iPod, a two-dock hookup, a mike and speakers.
5. Get a Smaller Showpiece Cake
"Designer cakes are all the rage, and for good reason," says Liz Seccuro. "Everyone looks at the cake!" Guests can still feast their eyes on an elaborate confection — just order a scaled-down version that will feed half the crowd, and then serve the rest from a sheet cake that has the same flavors and fillings. Remember too that about 10 percent of your guests won't eat any cake at all.
Source : www.instyleweddings.com
Only approximately 30 percent of wedding guests actually drink the champagne served for the toast, says Seccuro. Serve champagne only to guests who want it. So rather than pour a celebratory glass for every guest — an expense of at least $7 per person (which is usually charged on top of the main bar bill) — ask servers to circulate with trays of pre-poured flutes before the toast. That way, the guests who want to drink some bubbly can, while others can raise a glass with their beverage of choice.
2. Choose Flowers Wisely
Choosing your flowers wisely can save you a pretty penny. "Roses are among the least expensive (about $1 a stem)," says planner Tara Guérard of SoirÉe in Charleston, S.C. What's more, if you stick to a single type of bloom, a talented aunt can easily arrange them. By putting 36 roses in four mint julep cups at every table, you can prune your bill in style.
3. Get Married on a Less Popular Day and Time
"Scheduling your wedding outside the prime months (June through October) gives you more leverage in negotiating rates," says Gregory Hyder, director of catering at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. And if you opt for a simple Sunday-afternoon event over a Saturday-night extravaganza, you'll find "savings coming from all directions," Hyder adds. "The reception will be shorter, with fewer courses in the meal and less liquor consumed." Such factors can lessen your outlay by an additional 10 percent.
4. Choose a DJ or iPod Instead of a Band
"A band can eat up a big portion of your budget," notes Amy Nichols. "If you have limited money to spend, go with a DJ." Another choice, thanks to the iPod and its customizable playlists, is to act as your own DJ (or ask a friend to do so) via your venue's sound system. Some DJs will rent you a loaded iPod, a two-dock hookup, a mike and speakers.
5. Get a Smaller Showpiece Cake
"Designer cakes are all the rage, and for good reason," says Liz Seccuro. "Everyone looks at the cake!" Guests can still feast their eyes on an elaborate confection — just order a scaled-down version that will feed half the crowd, and then serve the rest from a sheet cake that has the same flavors and fillings. Remember too that about 10 percent of your guests won't eat any cake at all.
Source : www.instyleweddings.com
Jan 23, 2009
How to do a honeymoon wedding list
Wedding preparations are sent to try us. When, after a decade of what-ifs and maybes, my girlfriend and I finally decided to put in the call to the vicar, the fun began overnight. We were shoved blinking into a world of lists, phone messages and goat's cheese tartlets.
Some things were more straightforward, though. A ten-year relationship meant that a traditional wedding list would have been pointless - we had all the towels, teapots and chopping boards that any two people could reasonably need. So what to do instead? Our wanderlust answered for us. The last time we'd had more than five days off work together was for an anorak-cold break in Tunisia four years previously. We would set up a honeymoon travel fund.
We worked out that by pulling every available string, we could wangle eight weeks off. As for finance, that wouldn't mean designer hotels, Egyptian cotton or icky little chocolates, but it would mean time to breathe. And rather than staring at a butter dish and thinking “who gave us that again?”, we would be waltzed by the arms of adventure. We were sold.
The question of where to go was a trickier one. We toyed with an overland trip to Turkey, or with two months of mayhem and spices in India. We also considered Jack Kerouac-ing across the United States. But it was the wild expanse of South America that really appealed - the colours, the romance, the mountains and the music.
We knew from experience that frantic travelling would only lead to stress. The way to do this was slowly, with no rigid itinerary. We booked online flights, coming in to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, and leaving two months later from Buenos Aires in neighbouring Argentina. What happened in between would be decided when we got there.
We were heavier by a ring apiece on the day we left, with the barn-dancing feet of 140 wedding guests still resonating through our daft smiles. Twelve hours after leaving Heathrow, we were released into a deafening basin in the Andes, and the honeymoon was under way.
La Paz is a misnomer of epic proportions. The city is a circus of babble and chaos, all bowler hats and firecrackers. Our hotel was alongside stallholders selling dried llama foetuses. We spent our first night flat out in a candlelit café, the pair of us woozy from the altitude and drunk on the buzz of the streets. Novices to Bolivia, we learnt that barely a day went by without some sort of celebration or protest march; that when paganism and Catholicism collided, squares filled with costumes and the smoke of grilled meat. And that wearing flip-flops was no guarantee that you wouldn't be tailed by shoeshine boys.
The buses in Bolivia are cost-efficient and often entertaining - gabbling tea salesmen flashing smiles down the aisles while tussocky Altiplano drifts by outside. They took us west to Lake Titicaca, where we lolled in hammocks and feasted on fresh trout. They took us east to Coroico, where, after biking the serpentine stretch of cliff road into town, we spent days in a simple cabana in the hills, letting the hours drift by with the hummingbirds and fireflies.
While we were definitely eschewing the luxuries of five-star pampering, the joys of week-to-week improvisation were huge. Bolivia served up mind-bending variety. In the north were toucans, howler monkeys and the Amazon. In the south were flamingos, red desert and the endless hallucinatory white of the Salar de Uyuni. Everywhere were chunky steeples, flower garlands and papoose-slung babies.
The continent continued to work its magic in Argentina. There was reverse culture shock when we crossed the border - in the Bolivian morning we were in the dusty Wild West, and by the Argentine evening there were shiny cars and air-conditioned shopping centres. But if anything, the days here were slower. We flopped in Salta for art galleries and long nights of folk music, then farther south in Cafayate we cycled from vineyard to vineyard, getting progressively wobblier.
We decided on internal flights to Patagonia, a one-off splurge for a week at the bottom of the world. The Fitzroy mountain range is like a child's drawing - steep and pointy. We camped, schlepping up to glaciers and drinking asparagus soup in the snow. On our last evening under canvas, we walked around the rim of a moraine lake and watched two condors sweep the skies. It felt as though we were the only four on Earth.
Buenos Aires gave us a final send-off with a week of tear-jerking tango and little sleep. What a city. There was football and folklore, there were flea markets and sizzling steaks the size of plates. It was stirring and human and full of every type of South American character imaginable. For richer, for poorer - that was Buenos Aires all right. At 2am, dusty wine racks and thunderous songs of the past do something special to you.
Much of what we'd spent had come from our own pockets, but without the contributions of friends and family we simply wouldn't have been there. Of course in the meantime, the kettle's on the blink and we need new pillowcases. But who's grumbling?
The new gift list
Rainbow Tours (www.rainbowtours.co.uk/honeymiles) offers the chance to contribute towards the “honeymiles” cost of a safari in Africa or to pay for extras such as a microlight flight over Victoria Falls or an elephant-back journey in Botswana
Thomas Cook (www.thomascookhoneymoons.com) has an easy-to-use honeymoon list covering nine tour operator brands under the Thomas Cook umbrella
Responsibletravel.com has just begun a system for contributions to honeymoons. It will soon offer this through the popular wedding list website www.wrapit.co.uk
Ampersand Travel (www.ampersandtravel.com), recently voted Wallpaper* magazine's best travel agent of 2007, offers an upmarket honeymoon list covering India, the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka
Luxury Explorer (www.luxuryexplorer.com) offers “honeymoon pots” for contributions from guests. Destinations include Bali, Italy, Thailand and Morocco
To Escape To (www.toescapeto.com) can arrange for dancing Samburu warriors to meet private planes, hot-air balloon rides and private beach dinners to be added to trips
Honey Money (www.honeymoney.co.uk) wedding lists include “romancing in Rome” and “luxury in the Maldives” options
Some things were more straightforward, though. A ten-year relationship meant that a traditional wedding list would have been pointless - we had all the towels, teapots and chopping boards that any two people could reasonably need. So what to do instead? Our wanderlust answered for us. The last time we'd had more than five days off work together was for an anorak-cold break in Tunisia four years previously. We would set up a honeymoon travel fund.
We worked out that by pulling every available string, we could wangle eight weeks off. As for finance, that wouldn't mean designer hotels, Egyptian cotton or icky little chocolates, but it would mean time to breathe. And rather than staring at a butter dish and thinking “who gave us that again?”, we would be waltzed by the arms of adventure. We were sold.
The question of where to go was a trickier one. We toyed with an overland trip to Turkey, or with two months of mayhem and spices in India. We also considered Jack Kerouac-ing across the United States. But it was the wild expanse of South America that really appealed - the colours, the romance, the mountains and the music.
We knew from experience that frantic travelling would only lead to stress. The way to do this was slowly, with no rigid itinerary. We booked online flights, coming in to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, and leaving two months later from Buenos Aires in neighbouring Argentina. What happened in between would be decided when we got there.
We were heavier by a ring apiece on the day we left, with the barn-dancing feet of 140 wedding guests still resonating through our daft smiles. Twelve hours after leaving Heathrow, we were released into a deafening basin in the Andes, and the honeymoon was under way.
La Paz is a misnomer of epic proportions. The city is a circus of babble and chaos, all bowler hats and firecrackers. Our hotel was alongside stallholders selling dried llama foetuses. We spent our first night flat out in a candlelit café, the pair of us woozy from the altitude and drunk on the buzz of the streets. Novices to Bolivia, we learnt that barely a day went by without some sort of celebration or protest march; that when paganism and Catholicism collided, squares filled with costumes and the smoke of grilled meat. And that wearing flip-flops was no guarantee that you wouldn't be tailed by shoeshine boys.
The buses in Bolivia are cost-efficient and often entertaining - gabbling tea salesmen flashing smiles down the aisles while tussocky Altiplano drifts by outside. They took us west to Lake Titicaca, where we lolled in hammocks and feasted on fresh trout. They took us east to Coroico, where, after biking the serpentine stretch of cliff road into town, we spent days in a simple cabana in the hills, letting the hours drift by with the hummingbirds and fireflies.
While we were definitely eschewing the luxuries of five-star pampering, the joys of week-to-week improvisation were huge. Bolivia served up mind-bending variety. In the north were toucans, howler monkeys and the Amazon. In the south were flamingos, red desert and the endless hallucinatory white of the Salar de Uyuni. Everywhere were chunky steeples, flower garlands and papoose-slung babies.
The continent continued to work its magic in Argentina. There was reverse culture shock when we crossed the border - in the Bolivian morning we were in the dusty Wild West, and by the Argentine evening there were shiny cars and air-conditioned shopping centres. But if anything, the days here were slower. We flopped in Salta for art galleries and long nights of folk music, then farther south in Cafayate we cycled from vineyard to vineyard, getting progressively wobblier.
We decided on internal flights to Patagonia, a one-off splurge for a week at the bottom of the world. The Fitzroy mountain range is like a child's drawing - steep and pointy. We camped, schlepping up to glaciers and drinking asparagus soup in the snow. On our last evening under canvas, we walked around the rim of a moraine lake and watched two condors sweep the skies. It felt as though we were the only four on Earth.
Buenos Aires gave us a final send-off with a week of tear-jerking tango and little sleep. What a city. There was football and folklore, there were flea markets and sizzling steaks the size of plates. It was stirring and human and full of every type of South American character imaginable. For richer, for poorer - that was Buenos Aires all right. At 2am, dusty wine racks and thunderous songs of the past do something special to you.
Much of what we'd spent had come from our own pockets, but without the contributions of friends and family we simply wouldn't have been there. Of course in the meantime, the kettle's on the blink and we need new pillowcases. But who's grumbling?
The new gift list
Rainbow Tours (www.rainbowtours.co.uk/honeymiles) offers the chance to contribute towards the “honeymiles” cost of a safari in Africa or to pay for extras such as a microlight flight over Victoria Falls or an elephant-back journey in Botswana
Thomas Cook (www.thomascookhoneymoons.com) has an easy-to-use honeymoon list covering nine tour operator brands under the Thomas Cook umbrella
Responsibletravel.com has just begun a system for contributions to honeymoons. It will soon offer this through the popular wedding list website www.wrapit.co.uk
Ampersand Travel (www.ampersandtravel.com), recently voted Wallpaper* magazine's best travel agent of 2007, offers an upmarket honeymoon list covering India, the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka
Luxury Explorer (www.luxuryexplorer.com) offers “honeymoon pots” for contributions from guests. Destinations include Bali, Italy, Thailand and Morocco
To Escape To (www.toescapeto.com) can arrange for dancing Samburu warriors to meet private planes, hot-air balloon rides and private beach dinners to be added to trips
Honey Money (www.honeymoney.co.uk) wedding lists include “romancing in Rome” and “luxury in the Maldives” options
Honeymoon for a disabled traveller
Fiona Gosling's daughter wants honeymoon suggestions that are suitable for a wheelchair user
Ginny McGrath
Our disabled daughter is happily getting married next September and as she is unable to work she is hoping that we will pay for the honeymoon as well as the wedding. She needs to use a wheelchair most of the time although she can painfully walk short distances. Can you suggest somewhere that would be special but not cost us too much money? Fiona Gosling, Lanercost, Cumbria
Ginny McGrath, Times Online Travel News Editor, responds: I have got some advice for you from Tourism for All, (email info@tourismforall.org.uk) a charity that provides infomartion about tourism services to disabled people, people in a wheelchair and their carers.
For an exciting city trip, London offers loads of accessible attractions, taxis and buses, as well as nights out at the theatre. For accommodation, Tourism for All suggests the "honeymoon package" at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury. It is close to Kings Cross station which has step free access and next to theatreland.
Tourism for All has special rates if you book through www.tourismforall.org.uk or 0845 124 9971. The hotel recently won a "best accessible facilities" award, and has eight accessible bedrooms including one with a fitted hoist.
Ginny McGrath
Our disabled daughter is happily getting married next September and as she is unable to work she is hoping that we will pay for the honeymoon as well as the wedding. She needs to use a wheelchair most of the time although she can painfully walk short distances. Can you suggest somewhere that would be special but not cost us too much money? Fiona Gosling, Lanercost, Cumbria
Ginny McGrath, Times Online Travel News Editor, responds: I have got some advice for you from Tourism for All, (email info@tourismforall.org.uk) a charity that provides infomartion about tourism services to disabled people, people in a wheelchair and their carers.
For an exciting city trip, London offers loads of accessible attractions, taxis and buses, as well as nights out at the theatre. For accommodation, Tourism for All suggests the "honeymoon package" at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury. It is close to Kings Cross station which has step free access and next to theatreland.
Tourism for All has special rates if you book through www.tourismforall.org.uk or 0845 124 9971. The hotel recently won a "best accessible facilities" award, and has eight accessible bedrooms including one with a fitted hoist.
Bellagio: the Pearl of Como Lake since 19th century
Bellagio lies directly on Como Lake and is crossed by a main street called via Garibaldi, which is criss-crossed by suggestive lanes which run up and down the hillside to the lake.
The most famous is called Salita Serbelloni. Here, a plaque marks the long stay of the musician Franz Liszt.
This romantic landscape it?s the perfect frame for your dreaming wedding day.
Bellagio, famous for the magnificent villas is one of the most refined location for your special event. It?s not easy to find so magical venues preserved as they were still in their maximum splendor period. And this area it?s particularly rich of villas rentable for weddings and unique occasions. The typical italian gardens of the Villas will impress your guests and the pictures of your wedding day will be simply astonishing.
After the unforgettable ceremony moment, while your guests start to refresh themselves with a delightful aperitif on a terrace, you could have the pleasure to discover fascinating corners of this ancient small town going for a brief and romantic walk, in order to relax a bit after the eternal promise.
You could stand few instants on the dock for the pleasure boats that has been rebuilt paying particular care to respecting the feel of the old dock and then take a water taxi for just fifteen minutes to admire the view of Bellagio from the water, scintillating in all his beauty.
Starting from the historic centre called Borgo it?s possible to visit seven of the 22 districts of Bellagio in around two hours, some are hidden among the trees on the mountain slopes, others enjoy a dominant, panoramic position, right up to the last one, Pescallo, which is again on the lake. It is like taking a dive into nature, history and beauty, among olive trees, flowers, antiquities and views that know no equal.
After this nice walking tour, you?ll be happy to try the exquisite bellagio?s food. The lake area has its own particular traditional cuisine, which is influenced by nearby Switzerland, by the mountain and, naturally, by the lake. One can still find genuine, old fashioned ingredients. Why don?t you think about an uncommon regional rehearsal dinner?
The touristic fame of Bellagio started in 19th century, when the Duke Melzi decided to build here his magnificent summer house.
This episode, attracted the Milanese aristocracy to the area and Bellagio became the most elegant and refined of courts.
Villas, gardens and several hotels which to this day are still the pride of the town and a major attraction for visitors, were built within a few years.
These palaces were visited and lived in by many famous names of the period, artists, politicians, royalty, intellectuals and scientists as well as various heroes of our Risorgimento.
Grand Hotel Bellagio (now Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni) inaugurated in 1872 and is still operating.
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni it?s a stunning location to celebrate your wedding.
A place full of tradition, charme and elegance since ever.
Alessandra Fabi is the Italian Lakes Wedding’s coordinator for lake Como area. If your idea of wedding is refined, sophisticated and with a special attention to details, she?s your perfect wedding planner!
She makes each client feel unique and she treats each wedding as if it were her own.
For more information about Weddings in Bellagio Lake Como please contact us.
The most famous is called Salita Serbelloni. Here, a plaque marks the long stay of the musician Franz Liszt.
This romantic landscape it?s the perfect frame for your dreaming wedding day.
Bellagio, famous for the magnificent villas is one of the most refined location for your special event. It?s not easy to find so magical venues preserved as they were still in their maximum splendor period. And this area it?s particularly rich of villas rentable for weddings and unique occasions. The typical italian gardens of the Villas will impress your guests and the pictures of your wedding day will be simply astonishing.
After the unforgettable ceremony moment, while your guests start to refresh themselves with a delightful aperitif on a terrace, you could have the pleasure to discover fascinating corners of this ancient small town going for a brief and romantic walk, in order to relax a bit after the eternal promise.
You could stand few instants on the dock for the pleasure boats that has been rebuilt paying particular care to respecting the feel of the old dock and then take a water taxi for just fifteen minutes to admire the view of Bellagio from the water, scintillating in all his beauty.
Starting from the historic centre called Borgo it?s possible to visit seven of the 22 districts of Bellagio in around two hours, some are hidden among the trees on the mountain slopes, others enjoy a dominant, panoramic position, right up to the last one, Pescallo, which is again on the lake. It is like taking a dive into nature, history and beauty, among olive trees, flowers, antiquities and views that know no equal.
After this nice walking tour, you?ll be happy to try the exquisite bellagio?s food. The lake area has its own particular traditional cuisine, which is influenced by nearby Switzerland, by the mountain and, naturally, by the lake. One can still find genuine, old fashioned ingredients. Why don?t you think about an uncommon regional rehearsal dinner?
The touristic fame of Bellagio started in 19th century, when the Duke Melzi decided to build here his magnificent summer house.
This episode, attracted the Milanese aristocracy to the area and Bellagio became the most elegant and refined of courts.
Villas, gardens and several hotels which to this day are still the pride of the town and a major attraction for visitors, were built within a few years.
These palaces were visited and lived in by many famous names of the period, artists, politicians, royalty, intellectuals and scientists as well as various heroes of our Risorgimento.
Grand Hotel Bellagio (now Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni) inaugurated in 1872 and is still operating.
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni it?s a stunning location to celebrate your wedding.
A place full of tradition, charme and elegance since ever.
Alessandra Fabi is the Italian Lakes Wedding’s coordinator for lake Como area. If your idea of wedding is refined, sophisticated and with a special attention to details, she?s your perfect wedding planner!
She makes each client feel unique and she treats each wedding as if it were her own.
For more information about Weddings in Bellagio Lake Como please contact us.
Your Top 10 honeymoon questions
When you break it down, sometimes a wedding abroad can feel more like a burden than a joy.
Last year I was invited to – and attended – four destination weddings. This makes me well placed to suggest some ways in which you can make this unexpected addition to your travel plans still feel like a worthwhile holiday.
My foreign wedding relay kicked off with a colleague’s alpine nuptials in Chamonix. The next leg was at a South African vineyard, where my fiancée (for the record, the furthest we are dragging our own guests is West Sussex) was best man.
Then in May, we headed to Italy for my brother’s wedding in a Piedmont castle. And finally it was on to Miami in October, where a British friend of mine married her Argentine love.
I do not want to sound spoilt, it was an amazing year of travel but thanks to all these overseas marriages, I now have an aching overdraft and no more holiday time.
My point is that if you have received an invitation to a wedding abroad it is important to make the most of the opportunity. Of course, the marriage revelry will be magical, but don’t forget to take in some culture, taste the local cuisine and have time away from the raucous retinue.
A thoughtful bride and groom will offer help early on. If you are a close friend or relative of a couple who have sent out their Save the Date cards but have yet to organise information packs, it might be worth dropping a few hints.
A useful tool is to set up a personal website; my brother used iWeb to create a brilliant site for his Italian nuptials. It included the story of their engagement (on a Moroccan rooftop), photos of the wedding party, information about flights and the local area, Italian wedding traditions, some topical translations (honeymoon = la luna di miele) and places to stay.
Last year I was invited to – and attended – four destination weddings. This makes me well placed to suggest some ways in which you can make this unexpected addition to your travel plans still feel like a worthwhile holiday.
My foreign wedding relay kicked off with a colleague’s alpine nuptials in Chamonix. The next leg was at a South African vineyard, where my fiancée (for the record, the furthest we are dragging our own guests is West Sussex) was best man.
Then in May, we headed to Italy for my brother’s wedding in a Piedmont castle. And finally it was on to Miami in October, where a British friend of mine married her Argentine love.
I do not want to sound spoilt, it was an amazing year of travel but thanks to all these overseas marriages, I now have an aching overdraft and no more holiday time.
My point is that if you have received an invitation to a wedding abroad it is important to make the most of the opportunity. Of course, the marriage revelry will be magical, but don’t forget to take in some culture, taste the local cuisine and have time away from the raucous retinue.
A thoughtful bride and groom will offer help early on. If you are a close friend or relative of a couple who have sent out their Save the Date cards but have yet to organise information packs, it might be worth dropping a few hints.
A useful tool is to set up a personal website; my brother used iWeb to create a brilliant site for his Italian nuptials. It included the story of their engagement (on a Moroccan rooftop), photos of the wedding party, information about flights and the local area, Italian wedding traditions, some topical translations (honeymoon = la luna di miele) and places to stay.
Numbered Reception Tables are Boring!
A great idea to incorporate into your wedding reception is to create themed tables. Whatever the atmosphere of your wedding, there are many creative ways to organize your tables besides numbering them. Imagine a guest arriving at the reception and having their name card on the entry table letting them know they will be sitting at the “UT Longhorn Fans” table!
This not only adds an interesting and conversational detail to your wedding reception, but it may make it easier to determine how to group your guests. You can categorize your guests not only by how they know each other, but by topics you know they are interested in. For example, if you don’t have 10 people to sit at table that includes your husband’s friends from the gym, you can turn the table into the Sports and Fitness table, and add guests that you know are big sports fans. Another example: “University of XX” table. You can include all your college friends, even though some might not know each other (dorm friends, sports teammates, roomies, friends from you major). This way, there will be a common topic of interest for all the guests at that table. It’s more challenging than you may think to group your guests, but themed tables can make the process easier for you.
Another idea for arranging tables, instead of numbering them, is to create table identifications based on the theme of your wedding. For example, if you are having a vintage or antique themed wedding, considering choosing characters from the past to use as table markers: the Elvis table, the Clark Gable table, the John Wayne table, etc. Or if you are having a Disney themed wedding, imagine how cute it would be to have a Mickey table, a Goofy table, a Cinderella table, etc! These can also make it simple to create unique and interesting centerpieces for each table.
Of course, not all brides want to designate the tables their guests sit at, but I recommend it so as to prevent any of your guests from feeling “lost in the lunchroom.”
This not only adds an interesting and conversational detail to your wedding reception, but it may make it easier to determine how to group your guests. You can categorize your guests not only by how they know each other, but by topics you know they are interested in. For example, if you don’t have 10 people to sit at table that includes your husband’s friends from the gym, you can turn the table into the Sports and Fitness table, and add guests that you know are big sports fans. Another example: “University of XX” table. You can include all your college friends, even though some might not know each other (dorm friends, sports teammates, roomies, friends from you major). This way, there will be a common topic of interest for all the guests at that table. It’s more challenging than you may think to group your guests, but themed tables can make the process easier for you.
Another idea for arranging tables, instead of numbering them, is to create table identifications based on the theme of your wedding. For example, if you are having a vintage or antique themed wedding, considering choosing characters from the past to use as table markers: the Elvis table, the Clark Gable table, the John Wayne table, etc. Or if you are having a Disney themed wedding, imagine how cute it would be to have a Mickey table, a Goofy table, a Cinderella table, etc! These can also make it simple to create unique and interesting centerpieces for each table.
Of course, not all brides want to designate the tables their guests sit at, but I recommend it so as to prevent any of your guests from feeling “lost in the lunchroom.”
“Something Sparkly (and Borrowed- shhh!)”
Have you been eyeing the perfect piece of jewelry to complement that gorgeous wedding gown, but can’t find room in the budget to purchase the sparkling piece of jewelry?
At Adorn Brides, you can rent fine wedding/special occasion jewelry for a fraction of the retail price. Not only is all their jewelry stunning, ordering is simple. Whether you envision diamonds, pearls or precious metals as the perfect accessory for your gown, Adorn Brides and other jewelry rental services probably have exactly what you’re looking for. Most jewelry rental services have a wide selection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and even jewelry sets to choose from.
You can lease jewelry for your wedding with ease and confidence. The jewelry you select is inspected and cleaned prior to shipment and will arrive two days prior to your wedding day.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t afford these dazzling diamonds- rental fees start as low as $200 for a jewelry set at AdornBrides
AdornBrides makes looking picture perfect on your wedding day so very simple (not that you already don’t make looking beautiful seem easy!) The best part is, no one will ever guess your remarkable wedding day jewelry is “something borrowed.”
At Adorn Brides, you can rent fine wedding/special occasion jewelry for a fraction of the retail price. Not only is all their jewelry stunning, ordering is simple. Whether you envision diamonds, pearls or precious metals as the perfect accessory for your gown, Adorn Brides and other jewelry rental services probably have exactly what you’re looking for. Most jewelry rental services have a wide selection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and even jewelry sets to choose from.
You can lease jewelry for your wedding with ease and confidence. The jewelry you select is inspected and cleaned prior to shipment and will arrive two days prior to your wedding day.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t afford these dazzling diamonds- rental fees start as low as $200 for a jewelry set at AdornBrides
AdornBrides makes looking picture perfect on your wedding day so very simple (not that you already don’t make looking beautiful seem easy!) The best part is, no one will ever guess your remarkable wedding day jewelry is “something borrowed.”
Will you…
Asking your bridesmaids to be in your wedding should be a special moment for both of you, so brides should take care to make sure that moment is unforgettable. While traditional etiquette would require you ask your bridesmaids in person, with friends commonly being separated by thousands of miles today, it’s become more acceptable for brides to ask from a distance.
Whether you use an idea you find somewhere, or come up with your own, your bridesmaids won’t ever forget the effort and care you took to include them in your wedding. And you won’t regret it!
One creative option is to have small, individual cakes or cookies made specially for each of your bridesmaids. You can even personalize each cake with their initials. While the cake may be too yummy for your bridesmaid to preserve, she won’t forget how special this sweet treat made her feel!
A very personal option (although this one requires a bit of creativity) is to pen a poem about your friendship with the bridesmaid and end it by asking her to be your bridesmaid. If you have a creative streak (or know someone who does) and have a small bridal party, this idea will touch your bridesmaid’s hearts like nothing else could.
A small photo album (or digital photo frame) with a blank last page/slide with your wedding date is a way to ask your bridesmaids that they can keep on display forever. After the wedding, they can fill in the last page with a picture of themselves with the bride at the wedding.
You can have a mini bouquet, similar to what you’re planning on using at your wedding, delivered to your bridesmaids with a note asking them to carry a similar arrangement as a bridesmaid at your wedding. We all know that flowers (and chocolate, too) are a sure way to a woman’s heart, so you can bet that a mini bouquet will be a hit with all your bridesmaids!
The help of these closest friends you ask to be your bridesmaids will be priceless to you throughout the wedding planning process, so take plenty of care to select the perfect, memorable way to ask these special ladies.
Whether you use an idea you find somewhere, or come up with your own, your bridesmaids won’t ever forget the effort and care you took to include them in your wedding. And you won’t regret it!
One creative option is to have small, individual cakes or cookies made specially for each of your bridesmaids. You can even personalize each cake with their initials. While the cake may be too yummy for your bridesmaid to preserve, she won’t forget how special this sweet treat made her feel!
A very personal option (although this one requires a bit of creativity) is to pen a poem about your friendship with the bridesmaid and end it by asking her to be your bridesmaid. If you have a creative streak (or know someone who does) and have a small bridal party, this idea will touch your bridesmaid’s hearts like nothing else could.
A small photo album (or digital photo frame) with a blank last page/slide with your wedding date is a way to ask your bridesmaids that they can keep on display forever. After the wedding, they can fill in the last page with a picture of themselves with the bride at the wedding.
You can have a mini bouquet, similar to what you’re planning on using at your wedding, delivered to your bridesmaids with a note asking them to carry a similar arrangement as a bridesmaid at your wedding. We all know that flowers (and chocolate, too) are a sure way to a woman’s heart, so you can bet that a mini bouquet will be a hit with all your bridesmaids!
The help of these closest friends you ask to be your bridesmaids will be priceless to you throughout the wedding planning process, so take plenty of care to select the perfect, memorable way to ask these special ladies.
Wedding for Breakfast
Morning weddings can be just as fun as evening weddings- and the food can be just as delicious.
A crepe bar is a fantastic way to bring the yummy factor to a brunch reception. Or how about a waffle bar? Both sound fabulous!
If you and your honey want stations at your reception, create an omelette station. Or perhaps a french toast station? Guests will love creating their own brunch! If a carving station is more what you had in mind, a spiral sliced honey ham is a perfect fit for a brunch reception.
Even if you’re reception is before noon, you can still serve alcohol- if you wish. One popular, budget-friendly alcoholic drink to serve with brunch is the mimosa (orange juice and champagne.)
Only on your wedding day can you have your cake before lunch time (Exciting, huh?!) Carrot and lemon cake make fabulous morning wedding cakes! If you’re looking for a creative alternative to a wedding cake for your morning reception, have a giant cinnamon roll created that you can cut for pictures and then serve to your guests.
The bright side of hosting a morning reception is that you have more time to celebrate with your family and friends and you can get an early start on your honeymoon by leaving the same day (oh, also- morning receptions are generally less expensive than receptions at other times of the day.)
A crepe bar is a fantastic way to bring the yummy factor to a brunch reception. Or how about a waffle bar? Both sound fabulous!
If you and your honey want stations at your reception, create an omelette station. Or perhaps a french toast station? Guests will love creating their own brunch! If a carving station is more what you had in mind, a spiral sliced honey ham is a perfect fit for a brunch reception.
Even if you’re reception is before noon, you can still serve alcohol- if you wish. One popular, budget-friendly alcoholic drink to serve with brunch is the mimosa (orange juice and champagne.)
Only on your wedding day can you have your cake before lunch time (Exciting, huh?!) Carrot and lemon cake make fabulous morning wedding cakes! If you’re looking for a creative alternative to a wedding cake for your morning reception, have a giant cinnamon roll created that you can cut for pictures and then serve to your guests.
The bright side of hosting a morning reception is that you have more time to celebrate with your family and friends and you can get an early start on your honeymoon by leaving the same day (oh, also- morning receptions are generally less expensive than receptions at other times of the day.)
Must Takes
On your wedding day, you may want to give your photographer a list of “must have” photographs that are essential “Kodak moments” in your mind.
By Stephen & Jennifer Bebb
Before you print off an endless list, don’t forget to leave the photographer some room for creative license. You probably hired your photographer for his skill and creativity, so don’t take that away from him/her- you’ll end up with some unexpectedly perfect photos! You may even ask your photographer for his/her shot list, as many professionals build their own through the years.
As a rule of thumb for how many shots to include on your list, you should count on about three to five minutes per picture. Feel free to include both posed shots and candid shots on your list. Shots with friends will be harder to predict, so sit down before hand to select groups you want pictures with to add to the shot list (maybe with the friends who set you up with your FH.) If you want specific children in your shots at the reception, you may note to the photographer to try and get those shots early, as children tend to wilt and need to go home fairly early.
Alice Garik Weddings
Check with your photographer on a couple things before creating your shot list. Make sure he’ll work off a shot list and ask him what information about the shots he wants from you. That way, you don’t do any extra work and your list is tailored to your own photographer.
By Stephen & Jennifer Bebb
Before you print off an endless list, don’t forget to leave the photographer some room for creative license. You probably hired your photographer for his skill and creativity, so don’t take that away from him/her- you’ll end up with some unexpectedly perfect photos! You may even ask your photographer for his/her shot list, as many professionals build their own through the years.
As a rule of thumb for how many shots to include on your list, you should count on about three to five minutes per picture. Feel free to include both posed shots and candid shots on your list. Shots with friends will be harder to predict, so sit down before hand to select groups you want pictures with to add to the shot list (maybe with the friends who set you up with your FH.) If you want specific children in your shots at the reception, you may note to the photographer to try and get those shots early, as children tend to wilt and need to go home fairly early.
Alice Garik Weddings
Check with your photographer on a couple things before creating your shot list. Make sure he’ll work off a shot list and ask him what information about the shots he wants from you. That way, you don’t do any extra work and your list is tailored to your own photographer.
Cup Cakes
Wedding cakes come in all shapes and sizes- including “cakes” of individual cup cakes.
Many brides are opting for cupcakes, in lieu of the traditional wedding cake, because a cupcake cake is something strikingly different, they’re generally less expensive and less messy. Not only are cupcake cakes original, they’re also a yummy conversation piece. Cupcake cakes also allow you to avoid the hefty fee some venues charge to cut and serve the wedding cake. How sweet ;)
Think about using a variety of different flavors of cupcakes. With a wide variety of cupcake flavors in your “cake,” every guest is sure to find a flavor they love!
For the traditional bride who loves the idea of the cupcake cakes, but loves a traditional cake with a topper too, you can buy mini bride and groom toppers for your cupcakes. How’s that for the best of both worlds?
Plum Party Toppers
If you like the idea of a cupcake cake, but want to keep things formal, then fancy liners may be the way to go! You can find them in every design imaginable and they’re relatively inexpensive, too!
Paper Orchid Liners
You can always dress your cupCAKEs up or down, depending on your wedding style, but there’s undeniably a whimsical punch that cupCAKEs hold over the traditional wedding cake!
Many brides are opting for cupcakes, in lieu of the traditional wedding cake, because a cupcake cake is something strikingly different, they’re generally less expensive and less messy. Not only are cupcake cakes original, they’re also a yummy conversation piece. Cupcake cakes also allow you to avoid the hefty fee some venues charge to cut and serve the wedding cake. How sweet ;)
Think about using a variety of different flavors of cupcakes. With a wide variety of cupcake flavors in your “cake,” every guest is sure to find a flavor they love!
For the traditional bride who loves the idea of the cupcake cakes, but loves a traditional cake with a topper too, you can buy mini bride and groom toppers for your cupcakes. How’s that for the best of both worlds?
Plum Party Toppers
If you like the idea of a cupcake cake, but want to keep things formal, then fancy liners may be the way to go! You can find them in every design imaginable and they’re relatively inexpensive, too!
Paper Orchid Liners
You can always dress your cupCAKEs up or down, depending on your wedding style, but there’s undeniably a whimsical punch that cupCAKEs hold over the traditional wedding cake!
Save The Date
What better way to ask your potential wedding guests to save the date and not book another event for your wedding date than to send them something pretty for their refrigerator to remind them of your upcoming nuptial date? That’s what lots of brides are thinking as more and more of us send save-the-date magnets to our potential guests!
If you’re unfamiliar with save the dates (or STDs), here’s the low-down: they’re most important for destination and holiday weddings (when you’re inviting a lot of out-of-towners,) but lots of brides use them just because they like them. Who can blame them? Save the dates (especially magnets) are a darn cute idea! Most save the dates are sent out anytime between six months to a year prior to your wedding and give guests sufficient time to make travel arrangements. You should know that it’s only proper to send everyone who receives a save-the-date a formal invitation when the time comes. That said, you’ll want to be certain you’re sure about your guest list before sending out save-the-dates.
Save the dates are simple enough to do- all that you have to include is the couple’s names, the wedding date and the location. Including additional information, like the out-of-town hotel information or the nearest airports, is completely optional. For the saavy bride, it’s smart to include your wedding Web site on the save-the-date to get the address out there for guests to stay updated with wedding information and travel arrangements.
So now that you’re sold on the save-the-date idea, here’s the best news. Magnet Street Weddings has a holiday promotion running and everything (yes, everything) on their site is 15% off with this promotional code, WBCS15. Just enter the code when you check out by January 4, 2009 and be confident that all your guests will be at your wedding because they’ll have saved-the-date! Good looking out, bride-to-be!
If you’re unfamiliar with save the dates (or STDs), here’s the low-down: they’re most important for destination and holiday weddings (when you’re inviting a lot of out-of-towners,) but lots of brides use them just because they like them. Who can blame them? Save the dates (especially magnets) are a darn cute idea! Most save the dates are sent out anytime between six months to a year prior to your wedding and give guests sufficient time to make travel arrangements. You should know that it’s only proper to send everyone who receives a save-the-date a formal invitation when the time comes. That said, you’ll want to be certain you’re sure about your guest list before sending out save-the-dates.
Save the dates are simple enough to do- all that you have to include is the couple’s names, the wedding date and the location. Including additional information, like the out-of-town hotel information or the nearest airports, is completely optional. For the saavy bride, it’s smart to include your wedding Web site on the save-the-date to get the address out there for guests to stay updated with wedding information and travel arrangements.
So now that you’re sold on the save-the-date idea, here’s the best news. Magnet Street Weddings has a holiday promotion running and everything (yes, everything) on their site is 15% off with this promotional code, WBCS15. Just enter the code when you check out by January 4, 2009 and be confident that all your guests will be at your wedding because they’ll have saved-the-date! Good looking out, bride-to-be!
Top if Off
Once you’ve decided on the shape, number of layers, flavors and colors of your wedding cake, you can’t forget to decide on the finishing touch: a cake topper. With all the different styles of cake toppers available, picking a cake topper can be a fun, rewarding task for every bride!
Traditionally, a wedding cake topper is a small model that sits atop the cake and symbolizes the bride and the groom. Some brides opt for the cake topper used to embellish their parents’ or grandparents’ wedding cakes as their wedding cake topper, which is a great way to incorporate family history and sentimentality into this aspect of your wedding.
Something old & borrowed.
If you’re leaning towards the classic model of the bride and groom as your wedding topper, your decision isn’t made yet. Another option you have is that this style of wedding cake topper can be made of porcelain, like companies such as Lenox and Lladro offer. Or, there are glass figurines available, also.
Lladro
Or your traditional style cake topper can be comical- many brides see their cake topper as a small, but noticeable, way to insert a little comedy into their wedding day festivities.
Gone Fishin
For all of us Etsy fans, The Small Object sells adorable wedding toppers that can even be customized to the physical appearance of the bride and groom- great idea, huh? We should have thought of that, but since we didn’t, The Small Object has precious handmade wedding toppers.
Precious, we know!
Another option you have is the classic monogram cake topper. Monogram cake toppers come in all sorts of varieties, there’s monogram toppers with crystals, single letter monogram toppers, three letter monogram toppers, modern monogram toppers and the list goes on and on. The biggest perk of a monogram topper is that it’s completely customized to you and your wedding! If you’re thinking about a monogrammed cake topper, Toppers with Glitz has lots of basic information about these cake toppers on their Web site- not to mention, incredible toppers for sale!
As you can tell, there are countless options (even more than we’ve mentioned here) for your wedding cake topper. Whatever style of wedding cake topper you decide on, you can be sure that as long as it’s what you want, it will literally top off your cake perfectly!
Traditionally, a wedding cake topper is a small model that sits atop the cake and symbolizes the bride and the groom. Some brides opt for the cake topper used to embellish their parents’ or grandparents’ wedding cakes as their wedding cake topper, which is a great way to incorporate family history and sentimentality into this aspect of your wedding.
Something old & borrowed.
If you’re leaning towards the classic model of the bride and groom as your wedding topper, your decision isn’t made yet. Another option you have is that this style of wedding cake topper can be made of porcelain, like companies such as Lenox and Lladro offer. Or, there are glass figurines available, also.
Lladro
Or your traditional style cake topper can be comical- many brides see their cake topper as a small, but noticeable, way to insert a little comedy into their wedding day festivities.
Gone Fishin
For all of us Etsy fans, The Small Object sells adorable wedding toppers that can even be customized to the physical appearance of the bride and groom- great idea, huh? We should have thought of that, but since we didn’t, The Small Object has precious handmade wedding toppers.
Precious, we know!
Another option you have is the classic monogram cake topper. Monogram cake toppers come in all sorts of varieties, there’s monogram toppers with crystals, single letter monogram toppers, three letter monogram toppers, modern monogram toppers and the list goes on and on. The biggest perk of a monogram topper is that it’s completely customized to you and your wedding! If you’re thinking about a monogrammed cake topper, Toppers with Glitz has lots of basic information about these cake toppers on their Web site- not to mention, incredible toppers for sale!
As you can tell, there are countless options (even more than we’ve mentioned here) for your wedding cake topper. Whatever style of wedding cake topper you decide on, you can be sure that as long as it’s what you want, it will literally top off your cake perfectly!
A Generous Celebration
What better way to celebrate your nuptials than by sharing your blessings with those who need it? These are the exact sentiments the modern bride who uses her wedding as a way to give to a special charity or organization. It would seem more modern couples opt to contribute, rather than merely consume, when it comes to their wedding.
One of the most common ways to contribute to a charity through your wedding is to make a donation instead of give favors to each guest. This idea is becoming so popular that organizations, such as the American Diabetes Association or the American Cancer Society, will send you cards to set at place settings to explain the wedding donation to your guests. If you love animals, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will also send you place cards explaining your donation. The number of charities that will provide you with tasteful ways to inform your guests of your donation are growing by the day! You should know that it’s not necessary to disclose just how much you’ve donated in each guest’s name- that can be a personal decision between you and the groom. A word of warning when it comes to making donations to charities and organizations that are special to you: out of consideration for your guests, you should avoid making contributions in their names because they may not want their name to be associated with the organization the donation was made to.
American Cancer Society Wedding Scrolls
Many couples own more stemware, glassware and cutlery than they know what to do with, so asking guests to make charitable donations to a specific organization in lieu of favors is an option some couples find very appealing. For that reason, couples may decide to register with charity clearinghouse, such as Just Give, instead of with Crate and Barrel or a store of the likes.
There are even more ways to give through your wedding:
• Purchase products tied to charities, like LiveStrong wristbands to give as favors to your guests
• Ask your caterer to donate the leftover food from your reception to a homeless shelter or food bank
• Suggest that your bridesmaids donate their dresses to organizations that give dresses to underprivileged teens for their proms. Send your bridesmaids to Donate my Dress to find out how they can help!
• Send the flowers from your big day to a nursing home or hospital. If you want to go even further in your giving, deliver the flower yourself and visit with the patients. Either way, you’re sure to brighten the day of someone who is sick or elderly.
As long as your donation is given from the heart and thoughtfully, your guests will appreciate and admire your decision!
One of the most common ways to contribute to a charity through your wedding is to make a donation instead of give favors to each guest. This idea is becoming so popular that organizations, such as the American Diabetes Association or the American Cancer Society, will send you cards to set at place settings to explain the wedding donation to your guests. If you love animals, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will also send you place cards explaining your donation. The number of charities that will provide you with tasteful ways to inform your guests of your donation are growing by the day! You should know that it’s not necessary to disclose just how much you’ve donated in each guest’s name- that can be a personal decision between you and the groom. A word of warning when it comes to making donations to charities and organizations that are special to you: out of consideration for your guests, you should avoid making contributions in their names because they may not want their name to be associated with the organization the donation was made to.
American Cancer Society Wedding Scrolls
Many couples own more stemware, glassware and cutlery than they know what to do with, so asking guests to make charitable donations to a specific organization in lieu of favors is an option some couples find very appealing. For that reason, couples may decide to register with charity clearinghouse, such as Just Give, instead of with Crate and Barrel or a store of the likes.
There are even more ways to give through your wedding:
• Purchase products tied to charities, like LiveStrong wristbands to give as favors to your guests
• Ask your caterer to donate the leftover food from your reception to a homeless shelter or food bank
• Suggest that your bridesmaids donate their dresses to organizations that give dresses to underprivileged teens for their proms. Send your bridesmaids to Donate my Dress to find out how they can help!
• Send the flowers from your big day to a nursing home or hospital. If you want to go even further in your giving, deliver the flower yourself and visit with the patients. Either way, you’re sure to brighten the day of someone who is sick or elderly.
As long as your donation is given from the heart and thoughtfully, your guests will appreciate and admire your decision!
Wedding Gazebo decorations
For your most important day, you need an equally important location. Many are the places and many are the varied reasons why someone would chose a particular place. One in particular, the Gazebo, is a picture perfect spot used especially for a small, outdoor wedding, although is is not unheard of to use a smaller version of a gazebo inside a larger building. And when it comes to decorating said Gazebo, the possibilities are endless!
First, and this is more than likely something that you are already ruminating, think of what the wedding theme with be. Are you going with contemporary and modern, fun and sassy, beach and exotic, Asian-inspiration, or with classic and vintage? There is so much to choose from that it may become difficult, but the best idea is certainly to be true to yourself and your unique style. Maybe that even means going with a goth wedding at a renaissance festival or with a whole Disney theme complete with your favorite characters. Whatever your decision, you’ve got one of the hardest parts down. Everything else will come when you focus on what would be appropriate for your theme, including the type of decorations that will adorn your Gazebo.
Another important must is to visit the site and take a lot of photographs of the locale so that you have many points of reference, whether your wedding is a D.I.Y. or a planner or florist needs to look at it. It is also not unheard of for your florist to want to come see the site in person before talking over your wedding plans so that she or he has a good grasp of what they are going to be working with. You will probably need the dimensions of said Gazebo so it is a good idea to take along a tape measure and paper and pencil just to be on the safe side. Make sure you get an idea also of any restrictions the property manager has, because it might be horrible having to sort out any problems on the actual day of the wedding.
Of course for any important occasion such as a wedding, it is very important to have a working budget already drawn up so you and your florist have an idea of what is available. You need to figure out not only how much it cost to rent your Gazebo, in case the location features it but there may be an extra fee for using it. Don’t be shy of double and triple checking that a certain Gazebo is available for you and only you on the day of your wedding, especially if it is at a community setting such as a park.
If there is an issue about not using nails and screws and there are none from a previous event, it may be helpful to review what other options you have. A decorative device you could of course use is ribbon to tie garlands and cloth like tulle and hold it in place or have it bunch in a certain way. Also there are hooks that can hang from the top or anywhere there is a place to hold them. You could get some that have a adhesive backing that is easy to remove. Another florist favorite is to use chenilles, or pipe cleaners, like a twist tie that you can curl at the ends and add flowers or beads. A good florist will usually have an idea about getting things to hang correctly.
If you decide to use flower garlands or swags, there are different holders that florist use, with new ones being invented all the time. The ever popular oasis in a cage that can be hooked to others or stand alone is very common. Or she/he might use a oasis strung in a net that is a recent addition to the available tools. If the Gazebo is made out of metal or a flat smooth surface like glass, there are cages that hold oasis that have a suction cup that can attach powerfully to the Gazebo with a good amount of weight. For a smaller and more delicate arrangement you can attach button oasis that come with their own adhesive backing.
There are so many options; it’s just a matter of being informed and having a little creativity to make your wedding day the most memorable for you and your guests under your beautifully decorated Gazebo.
First, and this is more than likely something that you are already ruminating, think of what the wedding theme with be. Are you going with contemporary and modern, fun and sassy, beach and exotic, Asian-inspiration, or with classic and vintage? There is so much to choose from that it may become difficult, but the best idea is certainly to be true to yourself and your unique style. Maybe that even means going with a goth wedding at a renaissance festival or with a whole Disney theme complete with your favorite characters. Whatever your decision, you’ve got one of the hardest parts down. Everything else will come when you focus on what would be appropriate for your theme, including the type of decorations that will adorn your Gazebo.
Another important must is to visit the site and take a lot of photographs of the locale so that you have many points of reference, whether your wedding is a D.I.Y. or a planner or florist needs to look at it. It is also not unheard of for your florist to want to come see the site in person before talking over your wedding plans so that she or he has a good grasp of what they are going to be working with. You will probably need the dimensions of said Gazebo so it is a good idea to take along a tape measure and paper and pencil just to be on the safe side. Make sure you get an idea also of any restrictions the property manager has, because it might be horrible having to sort out any problems on the actual day of the wedding.
Of course for any important occasion such as a wedding, it is very important to have a working budget already drawn up so you and your florist have an idea of what is available. You need to figure out not only how much it cost to rent your Gazebo, in case the location features it but there may be an extra fee for using it. Don’t be shy of double and triple checking that a certain Gazebo is available for you and only you on the day of your wedding, especially if it is at a community setting such as a park.
If there is an issue about not using nails and screws and there are none from a previous event, it may be helpful to review what other options you have. A decorative device you could of course use is ribbon to tie garlands and cloth like tulle and hold it in place or have it bunch in a certain way. Also there are hooks that can hang from the top or anywhere there is a place to hold them. You could get some that have a adhesive backing that is easy to remove. Another florist favorite is to use chenilles, or pipe cleaners, like a twist tie that you can curl at the ends and add flowers or beads. A good florist will usually have an idea about getting things to hang correctly.
If you decide to use flower garlands or swags, there are different holders that florist use, with new ones being invented all the time. The ever popular oasis in a cage that can be hooked to others or stand alone is very common. Or she/he might use a oasis strung in a net that is a recent addition to the available tools. If the Gazebo is made out of metal or a flat smooth surface like glass, there are cages that hold oasis that have a suction cup that can attach powerfully to the Gazebo with a good amount of weight. For a smaller and more delicate arrangement you can attach button oasis that come with their own adhesive backing.
There are so many options; it’s just a matter of being informed and having a little creativity to make your wedding day the most memorable for you and your guests under your beautifully decorated Gazebo.
Buying A Wedding Dress
What’s your wedding theme/motif?
For every season, for every motif, for every person and for every color symbolism, there will always be the right wedding dress. Choosing what to wear in your wedding is as critical as choosing the the man you will be spending your sunset days with.
There’s a multitude of wedding dress styles to choose from – in some countries that have veered away from much of wedding rituals and traditions, dress styles number in the thousands. With this dizzying array, how do you choose yours? How do you make sure that your dress will be a reflection of the real YOU, not the fashion model on the glossy cover of magazines that grace bridal boutiques and corner stalls in the metropolis?
Buying a Wedding Dress: Style
The style of your wedding dress will depend on about four factors. There may be more but these are the most common ones we can think of:
• Type of wedding
• Your personality
• Your budget
• Your culture and that of your future husband
If you write down your thoughts about these four factors including any other detail you can think of, you’d have a good starting point for discussions with the boutique consultant. By rattling off your preferences, she can already come up with a short list and show you the styles immediately. This will save you time from browsing through voluminous catalogues and the sometimes crowded store racks.
Type of wedding: are you going to be married in a church and will the reception be inside a hall, OR are you going to be married in the beach, garden or in some enchanted island where guests will be free to roam around and then gather in an outdoor tent to offer their best wishes and congratulations?
An outdoor wedding would narrow your choices. You will certainly want to consider not wearing a gown that would require you to wear high heels, unless you want to leave permanent marks on that beautifully manicured lawn. Wear a gown that looks right with a pair of sensible but stylish flats to keep you from boring holes on the ground. For practical reasons, you may want to seriously not wear a long, down to the ankles type of dress. This will spare you from having to deal with a muddy hem. Make sure the hem is heavy enough not to fly up at the first sign of a sudden gust of wind.
For the same reasons, a train is not ideal for an outdoor wedding. You will likely find it covered in mud and grass stains by the end of the reception. If your dress comes with a veil, keep it weighted to keep it from blowing around too much, unless again you’d want your groom and pastor to chew on the lace by the end of the service, or risk the veil pin landing on someone’s cake.
Lady in red
Your personality: “tell me what you wear to your wedding and I’ll tell you what kind of person you are” may ring true, but remember that you need not be forced into wearing anything because it’s tradition or your rich mother-in-law has done the cherry picking in some designer’s rack. Your dress is you, inside and outside. Let it bring out the message on this special day.
Also, you’ll have to take your body type into account. If you have a good figure, show it off within the limits of decency, of course, especially if you’re getting married in church. Not that the pastor’s opinion should carry weight in the choice of your dress, but it is his church nevertheless, so be respectful of the place where your marriage will be solemnized.
A sleeve dress (one that clings to your body from neck to ankle) looks best on someone with a slim figure and curves to show off. If you’ve always been proud of your hips, look for a dress that flairs out a bit at the waist. If you want an overall slimming effect, do not invest in fluffed up sleeves and huge skirts, or you will look bigger than you really are. A skirt with lots of fabric so that it drapes and folds would be ideal. Do not add puff to the lower portion by adding a hoop or other fabric.
Your budget: who says you need a designer dress? One does get “suffocated” by the usual styles out there. You could spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress that will end up in an attic somewhere, only to be looked at when nostalgia strikes. Many brides think of their future daughters when they buy their wedding dress, but remember that your daughter could end up saying, “how could you wear a thing like that to your wedding, mum?”
If you have other wedding expenses and don’t want your wedding dress to take up the lion’s share, you can ask a sister or close friend to help you design a wedding dress. We know of a few friends who asked a private seamstress to do their dress, and they charge considerably less than boutiques and designer outlets.
Culture: The factor of culture plays a dominant role in weddings and when one wears a wedding dress that is typical of one’s culture, then the conversation gets livelier. For example, if you’ve been to a Scottish wedding, you’ll know that tartans and Highland kilts will be the dominant features of the wedding attire. Tartans are colorful fabrics that are also known as plaid. Scottish people also put accents to make the dress more attractive – like a Celtic knot that stands out.
Or you’ve seen the traditional Chinese attire. Brides will usually wear a red Chinese dress because red symbolizes love. If you’ve been to a Greek wedding, you’ll notice that both bride and groom wear flowers on their head instead of a veil.
Peachy pink gown
Buying a Wedding Dress - Color
The color white, traditional for wedding dresses, was originally used to signify the bride’s virginity to the gathered witnesses. This virginity was likewise attested to by the hanging of a blood-soaked sheet the next morning. Though the custom of the bridal sheet has died, the customary bridal color still seems to be alive and well for the most part. Widows or divorcees might choose an ivory color to keep from claiming the white, but if tradition prevails, brides stick with what is expected in this sense.
The color white is not mandatory though. A differently colored dress would make a wonderful splash on your wedding day. The color red, for example, means joy, love, and fertility and is traditional for brides in China. No rules exist saying brides cannot wear purple or sage; indeed, an outdoor wedding might look even lovelier with a deviation from strict tradition. Always check with your pastor to see if you and your entourage can wear different colors, and ask him which colors are strictly forbidden.
Buying a Wedding Dress - Stories for You
If you’re feeling a tad overwhelmed by wedding preparations and agonizing over your wedding dress, you may want to take a break, sit and lounge on your favorite armchair, and curl up with a good book. We’d like to suggest My Wedding Dress: True-Life Tales of Lace, Laughter and Tulle published last month (January 2007) by Random House (ISBN: 978-0-676-97846-9; 0-676-97846-0). It’s an anthology of thoughtful essays that cover the full range of bridal sentiments, before and after the wedding. One of the contributors said that “the most important thing about the dress was that it wasn’t white, it wasn’t long and it had not a whisper of tradition clinging to it.”
There are about 26 essays from different women who talked about their wedding dresses and some of them, already divorced, described how their dress “felt all wrong” or “didn’t fit” or “it just wasn’t me.”
By taking time off from wedding preparations, you can re-charge yourself by reading about weddings. Wedding stories never fail to bring a warm glow to heart or trigger your love for laughter. For example, we looked for a story about wedding dresses and we found a funny one online from the Canadian Press (May 2005). It tells the story about a couple, Christopher Cummings and Charity O’Brien, both from Missouri, who got married on the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. The title of the news story caught our attention: Weddings on Ice. Exchanging Vows on Alaskan Glaciers.
Guess what the bride wore to her glacier wedding?
The usual, white traditional – complete with sequins. But what else did she wear with it? We’ve chosen this paragraph and want to share it with you:
“The bride wore a curvy, strapless white satin gown sprinkled with sequins. She also had on tights, sweat pants, rain pants and a pair of hefty hiking boots fitted with spikes.”
“The groom was charmed. ‘That’s the way she is…’ ‘although the dress was a surprise.’
Don’t forget. YOU get to choose, not anyone else. It’s personal, it’s special, and it’s an occasion that may happen only once in your life.
Jan 12, 2009
7 simple tips to reduce your wedding’s bar bill
If your wedding is threatening to put you in the red, think about holding back at the bar. Brides.com presents seven simple tips to save money on alcohol without your guests ever knowing.
- Schedule a morning or midday reception with just a signature fruity cocktail like mimosas. Another option is to hold the reception on a Sunday night, when guests are more likely to exercise restraint and the festivities can wind down by 10 p.m.
- If you've arranged to purchase wine on your own, buy it by the case to save money. But be careful, you should make sure that your savings aren't eclipsed by a corkage fee, which can run as high as $18 a bottle.
- Another simple tip is to close the bar during a seated dinner, and serve only wine and soft drinks. "You could save as much as two drinks per person," says Christina Taylor, a wedding coordinator with Candid Concepts in Renton, Washington.
- You should know your crowd. If you've invited a lot of light drinkers, ask the caterer if you can have a "by consumption" plan, which means you'll be charged by the number of drinks that are poured. According to Joyce Scardina Becker, of Events of Distinction in San Francisco, if the guests are known revelers, opt for a flat fee (a per person rate), around $25 per head. This'll make sure that there are no surprises at the end of the party.
- Have the catering staff briefed: If you're looking to save, there should be no pre-opening of bottles, scooping up of drinks before glasses are empty, or automatically pouring wine in anyone's glass.
- Skip the champagne toast: Let guests clink with whatever's in their glass, whether it's water, wine, a cocktail or Gatorade. Make sure, though, that no one's glass is empty.
- Be creative: Laura Weatherly of Engaging Affairs in Washington, D.C., sets up fruity sangria bars (heavy on the orange juice and club soda). Los Angeles planner Sasha Souza offers mocktails like tequila sunrises with flavored syrups (recipes at torani.com). "Make it look good and people will never ask ‘Where's the liquor?'" she says.
Wedding tips that take the cake
For some soon-to-be-married couples, choosing a wedding cake is becoming more important than deciding on an entree. When selecting a wedding reception menu, the engaged are finding it's hip to "marry" the unexpected, like pairing wine with wedding cake.
Couples often serve wedding cake with champagne, but a sweet cake can exaggerate champagne's acidity and leave a bitter taste. When choosing a wine to serve with wedding cake, keep in mind complementing aromas, textures and dominant flavors. The main cue in wine pairing is the type of sauce or spice used in each dish--and the same goes with dessert. Focus on the strongest flavors, particularly the frosting and filling. A rich chocolate cake, for example, calls for a bold and velvety red wine, such as Mirassou's Merlot, to complement and enhance the full flavor of the chocolate.
Anna Pezik, a senior editor with Brides.com, knows firsthand how important a couple's food and wine choices--and other wedding details--can be in influencing the feeling of their big day.
Ms. Pezik notes, "From their color choices to their tasting preferences, couples want their wedding day to reflect their personal style. By offering their guests a selection of varietals that pair up with each course throughout the reception--from the appetizers to the wedding cake--couples set the tone of their day and offer guests a memorable culinary experience."
Here are some other innovative wedding cake ideas:
* Square-shaped cakes are becoming more popular. Balance out the clean lines of an angular cake with an ornate, vintage cake topper.
* Ivory buttercream icing is still a classic, yet it can be modernized with accents of brown, platinum or even black icing. Choose a color scheme that complements your wedding.
* Traditional cake flavors--such as chocolate cake with buttercream filling, and white cake with white chocolate filling and fresh berries--are always delicious. Look to a family or childhood favorite for inspiration.
* Many of today's cakes are being lavishly adorned with flowers. Consider a flower that has special meaning for you and your fianc.
* The cake's stand or display table should not be forgotten but also shouldn't detract from the cake. Focus on simplicity and harmony--if roses are prominent in your centerpieces, sprinkle rose petals on the table rather than adorning it with an arrangement.
However you decide to personalize your wedding, remember that food and wine choices can add or detract from the feeling of your special day. Envision your dream wedding and let the magic of perfectly paired food and wine inspire your wedding day. For more bridal tips or to enter the "I Do with Mirassou" contest, visit Mirassou.com.
Chardonnay pairs well with vanilla-flavored and almond-flavored cakes that have buttercream or coconut filling or icing.
Goats And Other Gifts For Groomsmen
AmericanBridal.com Tip: Goats And Other Gifts For Groomsmen
When you’re out shopping for the perfect gifts for groomsmen, do not allow your mother to make any suggestions at all. Can’t you just hear it now? Why not a nice pocket watch like your grandfather had? she’ll say. How about a nice pack of crisp handkerchiefs? Mmmm…that’s just what they want, the chance to blow their noses in a six-by-six bed sheet. No, make sure to avoid that well-intended but very misguided motherly gift advice.
When you’re out shopping for the perfect gifts for groomsmen, do not allow your mother to make any suggestions at all. Can’t you just hear it now? Why not a nice pocket watch like your grandfather had? she’ll say. How about a nice pack of crisp handkerchiefs? Mmmm…that’s just what they want, the chance to blow their noses in a six-by-six bed sheet. No, make sure to avoid that well-intended but very misguided motherly gift advice.
Most couples make the mistake of worrying about the type of gift the groomsmen will appreciate. Don’t stress over that! Who cares if one of the guys is sporty and the other guy cries at operas? What you want to do is buy gifts for groomsmen that make a statement about who you are! Are you an environmentalist? Buy a chicken or a goat for a third-world family in the groomsmen names. But don’t stop there. Sure, it’s a great cause you’re giving to, but isn’t your goal really to humiliate and embarrass your groomsmen? I thought so. Here are a few suggestions to help you really make a statement when it comes time to let everyone know what you got the groomsmen:
· Photoshop some pictures of farm animals with shots of the groomsmen.
· Have one of those “farm animal noise” baby toys on hand (you know, the one where you pull the handle and different farm animals make sounds?) You’ll be able to say….”And for Tommy, we bought him a (pull the lever to make the animal sound) goat.”
· If you’ve planned for some music, throw in a couple of animal-themed songs.
A Plant Makes A Great Groomsman Gift
AmericanBridal.com Tip: A Plant Makes A Great Groomsman Gift
Okay, if you’re looking for a really cool groomsman gift, why not give him something that he doesn’t have to feed, can’t kill, and can use at home, in the office, or in his garage if he really wants to. I’m talking about a houseplant, a fake one of course. There are some really impressive fake houseplants out there these days. The best thing about them is that they don’t require any sunlight to thrive. So, if your groomsman wants to put the plant in a corner somewhere away from any windows, he can! A funny thing would be to get a plant that looks real, but isn’t. Make sure to add a lot of detailed instructions on how to care for the plant. For added effect, put a handful of potting soil in the container! Unless your groomsmen have a PhD in agriculture, it might be quite easy to fool them. Sure they’ll figure it out eventually, but why not make really creative groomsmen gifts by adding the following “plant care” instructions:
Okay, if you’re looking for a really cool groomsman gift, why not give him something that he doesn’t have to feed, can’t kill, and can use at home, in the office, or in his garage if he really wants to. I’m talking about a houseplant, a fake one of course. There are some really impressive fake houseplants out there these days. The best thing about them is that they don’t require any sunlight to thrive. So, if your groomsman wants to put the plant in a corner somewhere away from any windows, he can! A funny thing would be to get a plant that looks real, but isn’t. Make sure to add a lot of detailed instructions on how to care for the plant. For added effect, put a handful of potting soil in the container! Unless your groomsmen have a PhD in agriculture, it might be quite easy to fool them. Sure they’ll figure it out eventually, but why not make really creative groomsmen gifts by adding the following “plant care” instructions:
1) This plant requires at least one hour of cold temperatures every day. Place in a plastic bag and leave in the freezer for only one hour each day.
2) Fertilize regularly. Coffee grounds work best.
3) Keep the leaves free of dust by carefully wiping each leaf with a damp cloth. This should be done two or three times a day.
4) Once every two days, take the plant completely out of the pot, change the soil, reposition the plant, and pack down neatly.
5) Water as required.
Unique Wedding Favors
AmericanBridal.com Tip: Unique Wedding Favors
Unique wedding favors work really well when you have an unusual or off-beat wedding theme to work with. For example, fall wedding favors are easy to come up with when you’re using an autumn theme. Unique wedding favors for that kind of wedding could be anything from pressed leaves wrapped in ribbon to a few tulip bulbs placed in a sheer organza bag for your guests to plant.
Unique wedding favors work really well when you have an unusual or off-beat wedding theme to work with. For example, fall wedding favors are easy to come up with when you’re using an autumn theme. Unique wedding favors for that kind of wedding could be anything from pressed leaves wrapped in ribbon to a few tulip bulbs placed in a sheer organza bag for your guests to plant.
Unique wedding favors should trump traditional wedding favors. You want to come up with ideas that haven’t been done a million times before. If time isn’t on your side, you can do an Internet search for ideas at onsite stores like American Bridal, for example, where you’ll find tons of ideas and unique wedding favors to choose from. If you’re looking for unique, non-traditional wedding favor ideas, consider these unique wedding favors:
1) Astrology charts. This can take any form whether complete horoscopes written out for each astrological sign, or just one astrological sign and its significance based on your wedding date.
2) Take thumb prints of you and your spouse and stick them side-by-side on a beautiful sheet of parchment (on an angle to look like a heart). Turn that into your “signature” and write a thank-you note to your guests for being there.
3) Pretzels. That’s right…pretzels. Who doesn’t love them? Get some that are dipped in white chocolate and string a few onto some ribbons.
Wedding Photography
When you meet with your wedding photographer, you will have a lot to talk about. There will be many different moments happening before, during and after the wedding. Wedding photography is part photojournalism and part portraiture. You want your wedding photographer to be prepared for the unexpected. During your interview with them, you want to ask them about their style; their background and their experience.
You want a wedding photographer who watches the people around them. You want wedding photography that comes from being unobtrusive where they catch not only the key wedding moments, but also the moments of deep connection between the bride, the groom, the family members and other guests.
Imagine, standing in the vestibule of the Church while the Bride is waiting with her father for their cue. They aren’t saying anything with words, but Dad brushes her cheek with his knuckles, ever so lightly and her eyes shimmer with tears. The corners of her mouth turn up just ever so slightly and her father’s face softens as well. That is the shot you want in your wedding photography. Be sure to give your wedding photographer clear details of the wedding location, venue, theme and most of all – what you want to see.
Take the time to talk to your wedding photographer during the interview and during the wedding planning. If it helps, write down what you want your wedding album to look like before you meet with the photographer in order to give them clear directions. Remember, however, that while the wedding photographer is a professional, it’s still your wedding.
You want a wedding photographer who watches the people around them. You want wedding photography that comes from being unobtrusive where they catch not only the key wedding moments, but also the moments of deep connection between the bride, the groom, the family members and other guests.
Imagine, standing in the vestibule of the Church while the Bride is waiting with her father for their cue. They aren’t saying anything with words, but Dad brushes her cheek with his knuckles, ever so lightly and her eyes shimmer with tears. The corners of her mouth turn up just ever so slightly and her father’s face softens as well. That is the shot you want in your wedding photography. Be sure to give your wedding photographer clear details of the wedding location, venue, theme and most of all – what you want to see.
Take the time to talk to your wedding photographer during the interview and during the wedding planning. If it helps, write down what you want your wedding album to look like before you meet with the photographer in order to give them clear directions. Remember, however, that while the wedding photographer is a professional, it’s still your wedding.
Wedding Tips ever
A wedding is the biggest event most people will ever plan, endure, or enjoy. Many books have been written about Wedding Planning and are filled with innumerable tips.
But, let's tackle this subject bravely as we first declare that if you have never planned a wedding before, do not underestimate how much you will have to spend, and how far ahead of the date you should plan!
But, let's tackle this subject bravely as we first declare that if you have never planned a wedding before, do not underestimate how much you will have to spend, and how far ahead of the date you should plan!
- Your wedding is a show - this is show business. This may sound crass or insensitive but let's get real. Your obligation is to put on a show that impresses the women, period. Forget about the fathers, the brothers, the uncles, the male business associates invited - plan your wedding specifically for the women planned to be in attendance. Give the women a good show and your wedding will be a success, guaranteed.
- There is no specific dollar range that ensures success. You can blow tens of thousands and have a public relations disaster. On the other hand, don't get hysterical about the cost of everything. And these days you are free to talk about having both families help absorb the cost.
- It is an axiom that nothing guarantees success, but a lack of planning will guarantee dismal failure. So plan, plan, plan for every detail and put it neatly and legibly on paper.
- The more months you have to plan the more options you have for everything, including some room to re-negotiate with certain vendors.
- When planning the date consider:
- The weather
- Whether the most important people have scheduled commitments for that day that they cannot change
- Whether some huge event in your town may interfere with traffic patterns around your wedding location or reception
- Whether a close by Holiday may make air travel or transportation problematic as far as having people in town on time. For instance, if you live in New Orleans, a wedding in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras is asking for trouble.
- If a number of relatives and friends are having to fly in, check with some local hotels or motels as far as a group rate for those dates and let people know right away.
- Get specific contracts with your vendors - bands, DJ, florists, caterers, bakery - have everything in writing. And ask for additional costs that could be charged to you such as traveling, over time, sales tax. Insist on all the details in the contract. Be suspicious if your vendor doesn't like this.
- When negotiating on a wedding photography package, specify to your photographer that you want a very efficient picture taking schedule. Concentrate on photos. Don't schmooze with the photographer if it distracts them from getting the next shot. Put into the printed schedule when and where the photo sessions are taking place before and after the ceremony. Appeal firmly to the wedding party and relatives you want in the photos to go immediately to these locations so that you don't waste precious time trying to round up everybody scattered all over the property. Your guests are waiting patiently for the photography to be finished. Also, remember that your caterer at the reception hall is depending on you sticking to your schedule to show up so that food will be at its peak.
- When planning the ceremony you should certainly try to personalize your ceremony. However, please don't fall into excess: such as three or four voice solos, extended memorized speeches or poems, or singing songs to each other. Your emotions WILL sneak up on you, no matter how calm you are even through a wedding rehearsal the night before. Nine out of 10 couples will blubber uncontrollably at the moment they are under pressure to face each other and perform. Yes, a wedding is a show, but keep it from being your take on Oscar night.
- Weigh the cuteness factor versus the unpredictability factor when thinking about using children in the ceremony under the age of five. They have notoriously small attention spans during the boredom of dry clerical recitations.
- If you plan to have a friend or relative read a poem or selection during the ceremony please have a rehearsal reading to check for mispronounced words and clarity. And for the love of all, make it short!
- Make sure the groom has some involvement in the planning, even if you have utterly no respect for his judgment!
- To go with that, enjoy the planning and don't fight with anybody!
- Understand that this wedding is also the joining of two entire families. If you are different in religion, background or culture, celebrate each side's uniqueness and emphasize the things in common - love for the bride and groom, for instance.
- Tactfully make sure the mothers understand that this is YOUR wedding. If you have reached a sticking point about something that you don't want to do that your mother does, back off and think carefully and as logically as possible. Where possible give in on some detail if it would make you happier to see your mother's satisfaction than to get your own way. But, if it's something that you absolutely have your own heart set on, we encourage you to cry uncontrollably until you get your own way.
- For the day of the wedding the bride should have a bag packed for the church and reception that assumes she's staying overnight for two days. An emergency pair of this and that, plus white chalk for touching up smudges on white shirts, blouses, and dresses.
- When it comes to a bachelor party or even bachelorette party, discuss your feelings with each other. Agree not to do things that will get you off on the wrong foot with each other. Be sensitive to each other's feelings but not too sensitive to your own. And give each other a little space, a little wiggle room, since both of you may be under some alcoholic influence as you blow off a little steam. Have a sense of humor about each other's night out with the guys or gals.
- Save yourself money and don't bring your checkbook to the wedding. Let your vendors know that you will mail them the remainder of the balance after the wedding. Having a checkbook handy may set you up for getting "hustled" for extra expenses while you are in a giddy mood.
- Don't plan to leave on your honeymoon immediately. This invites disappointment and ill feelings since both of you will be extremely exhausted right after the wedding. Wait a few days, open gifts, sleep in late, slow down and rest before you pack and take off on your honeymoon.
- To wrap up - use patience, plan, plan, write it down, get the details, divide work into teams, compromise where needed, give yourself months and months to organize, and enjoy the planning process itself. And never assume anything, check, and double check for all contingencies and possible snags and emergencies. Plan how you will cope and overcome these if they happen - WHEN they happen!
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