Child Favors:

Paper & Crayons:
Buy small memo pads and packages of crayons. Place them in small plastic buckets or bundle them together and tie off with ribbon. Make sure they can get a hold of these early in the night to help keep your young guests occupied.

Miniature Lego kit:
Buy small lego kits and place them in individual bags. Place the bags in baskets for the children to choose from. Have some creations already done up at that same table to help boosts the children’s creativity.

Updated Classic Favors:

Cookie Cutters:
What a sweet favor to give your guests. Take two small metal cookie cutters (like two different sized heart ones!) and tie them together along with your favorite cookie recipe.

Picture Frame:
Purchase small photo frames and add a small candid photo of yourselves. Or you could use these as escort cards and swap out the picture of yourselves with the guest’s names.

Natural Favors:

Potted Herbs:
Fill tiny terra-cotta pots with lavender or another favorite herb. You could even use tiny cactuses. Add nametags to them and they can now double as both favors and escort cards.

Seed Packets:
Create your own seed packets, fill them full of your favorite blossoms seeds. On the outside attach a small note of thanks. Or have the package read like a thank you note.

Mini Bamboo plants:
Chinese culture states that the bamboo plant is a symbol of good luck, strength and a vessel of positive energy. A big perk, is that when your guests take these home they won’t have to work at keeping the plants alive. They are totally low maintenance, as they need very little sunlight to thrive.

Indulgent Favors:

Soap favors:
Small soaps bundled up in a sachet would make beautiful favors. Place them inside a simple basket near the exit so that guests may pick these up as they leave. You may not want to place them at the dinner table, especially if the scent is strong. You don’t really want to be overwhelmed by perfumes while eating.

Lotion:
Fill small squeezable containers with a homemade lotion or some of your favorite store bought brand. Decorate with cute personalized labels.

Bath Salts:
Buy miniature glass or clear plastic containers and fill with bath salts. Add a small scoop to use for sprinkling the salts into the bath. (We’re thinking those heart shaped measuring spoons!) Cover them with homemade labels and tie off with raffia.

Edible Favors:

Candied or chocolate covered apples:
Who can turn these sweet treats down? There are a million different ways to have these decorated. Totally decadent ones are covered in caramel rolled in nuts or candy pieces and then drizzled with chocolate! Or try just candied apples for a fall wedding like the ones you’d purchase at your local orchard. We’ve also seen these decorated and designed to look like they are wearing little wedding gowns and tuxedos.

Custom Fortune Cookies:
These can be designed to be so cute especially when covered in a sweet chocolate glaze possibly with a few heart sprinkles on top. Wrap them up in cellophane and tie a ribbon on the end. Insert messages that say something like: Thank You from the bride and groom, or: Here’s to a life of good fortune!

Personalized bottles of soda:
Send your guest’s home completely refreshed by personalizing bottles of your favorite drink. You can custom make labels to cover bottles or you can order personalized ones from different companies like Jones soda. Jones, offers a lot of different concoctions that taste really great and come in very vivid colors!

Jars of apple butter and honey:
These are a really affordable idea. They are also pretty easy to do yourself if you would like. Our advice would be to invite all of your friends over and have them help you whip up several batches. Then dish them out into glass mason jars. Attach a small tag and some super cute labels finally line the lids with a square of fabric.

Jelly beans or M &M’s:
Place a good size scoop of them in each of your wedding colors in a clear bag and tie off with some raffia or ribbon. Place a sticker on the bags with your names and date. These are an especially great idea if you have a significant amount of children attending. This way you won’t need to have more than one favor, it’s a great one size fits all!

A single Sunflower would add a bright splash of color without having to carry a large bouquet. It’s easy to recognize the beauty of this large flower when it stands alone.

Dahlias are flowers that are known to grow in the west. They come in a wide variety of colors and petal shapes.

Small bunches of wildflowers tied with ribbon to represent the fields of wildflowers often found in western countryside.

Decoration:

Your color palette can vary depending on how you want to incorporate the western feel.

A few different ideas include:

• Use checkerboard or gingham table cloths in shades of red and blue. Place small votive candles inside mason jars and set them out on tables.
  
  
• Use bandanas for a million different things! Try them as napkins, placemats, or tie them into bows on the back of chairs.
  
  
• Signs tacked on to large bales of hay directing guests where to go serve as very easy to spot direction signs.
  
  
• Don’t forget to pick up some medium size galvanized pails. Fill them with flowers, small plants or sweet treats. If you choose to place food in the pails check to see if they are food safe. Many are not and if you would like to fill them with any type of vittles make sure they are wrapped.

• Small bottles of hot sauce: Tie on a string of twine or gingham ribbon and attach a small tag with your names and the wedding date. These favors are sure to say that you are one hot couple.
  
   
• Small cacti in a terra cotta pot: Make labels to put on the pots with your names and wedding date. This is a favor that guests can actually take home and enjoy for time to come.
  
   
• Small jars of honey or homemade apple butter:  Again with a small tag attached. You can either buy these or have people help you make them. Hand making these could be a great money saver as well.
  
   
• Small plastic cowboy hats filled with candies: You can find small favor cowboy hats at almost any craft or hobby store. Pile them high with candy covered sunflower kernels.
  
   
• Cowboy boot glass: Fill them with popcorn kernels or a mixed nut assortment. The glasses will serve as a small vase or a drinking glass long after the treats are gone.

Chow:

Think backyard barbeque with hamburgers and hotdogs. Maybe you’d rather go with a little ribs dining by choosing steaks and ribs? Or some whole chicken breasts and pork chops? If all the different selections of meat are just too much for you, consider having a whole hog roast. That cuts down on the decision making for you and everyone else. Or make large pots of chili with cornbread muffins.

Don’t forget to offer a vegetarian option or at the very least enough side dishes to fill those up who aren’t carnivores. If you do choose to have a hog roast keep in mind that you should serve a few different breads, i.e. rolls and buns for sandwiches and sopping.

Potato salad, macaroni salad, corn on the cob, and baked beans would all be terrific accompaniments. Also, serve a variety of potato chips with some different dips. Add a nice size vegetable platter and a large bowl of fresh fruit to tie it all together.

Serve drinks out of large glass jars such as iced tea and lemonade. Buy large washtubs fill them with ice and some bottles of old fashioned root beer and cream soda.

Last but not least do not forget all of your condiments including a variety of funky inexpensive hot sauces and barbeque sauces. Theme weddings are a way to show your guests a world they may not already know.

Invitations:

Because wedding invitations are the first things your guests see they set the tone or in this case theme of your wedding. Be sure to incorporate colors that make us think of the West. Such as: golds, browns, reds, denims, and copper and bronze.

Have fun with your invitation wording. Start things off with phrases such as: "Please join the round-up of friends and kin to celebrate the day our new life will begin." or, "The woo’in and the courtin’s done Our life together has begun."

Play around with kitschy verbiage on your response card as well. Instead of the same old will accept and will not accept, try something like: "Yee-ha! We’ll be there with our boots on" and "Aw, shoot! We can’t make it"

Clothing:

The sky really is the limit when dealing with the vast amount of western attire offered to us. The men could wear vests over plain dress shirts with wrangler jeans.

Your maids could wear sundresses or the increasingly popular apron dress. Of course cowboy boots are a terrific choice for footwear and will be much more comfortable if you are out on the range where heels would be difficult to maneuver

Hair and Makeup:

Keep your hair and all of the ladies hair natural and soft. A loose up do with a few ringlets. A side-swept pony tail with a few romantic curls. Or if you want the look of just having jumped off the saddle, a tightly secured braid.

Of course there is always the option of putting a hat on. This is one time ladies and gentleman you can wear hats at a formal event! Many places sell cowgirl hats with veils attached.

I’m sure the acquaintance in question was well meaning, but sadly, mistaken. The "Bridal Chorus" was written by the German composer, Richard Wagner, for his opera - Lohengrin. In the opening scene of Act 3, the "Bridal Chorus" is played as Elsa and the mysterious knight, Lohengrin, retire to the bridal chamber after their wedding. The couple express their love for each other. Their reverie is smashed when the bad guys, led by Telramund, who had been defeated by Lohengrin, rush in to attack the hero. A violent clash ensues and Telramund is killed. Then, Lohengrin turns to his bride and asks her to follow him to the king, to whom he will reveal his identity. Then the scene changes. Sorry, no rape scene here.

The "Bridal Chorus" is the most popular wedding march there is. I have attended many weddings, and it was the bride’s choice in every ceremony, except one, which is another story altogether. While the music was not part of the wedding ceremony in its original context, it has been the number one choice of brides for many years, and remains so today.

I wondered how the story of Lohengrin and Elsa could have become so twisted as to lead to its current defamation, so I did a little research. I discovered that it is seldom played at Jewish weddings, as Wagner had a reputation for anti-semitism, and the Nazis held Wagner to be among Germany’s greatest composers. The piece is also disliked by some Lutheran pastors, but that dates back to a general bias against the theater before World War I, and for pagan themes in some of Wagner’s works. The Roman Catholic Church does not approve of its use because it is secular music, and as such, is considered inappropriate as a processional hymn to the altar.

If you are being married in a church, the music should always be discussed with the minister. There may be valid reasons not to include a particular piece, and you should consider those, but please don’t reject a musical piece, especially one as beautiful and traditional as the "Bridal Chorus" based on rumors.

Another very popular piece to accompany the bride as she "takes her walk" is Felix Mendelssohn’s "Wedding March," which he wrote for William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, however it is more commonly used as the recessional music when the bride and groom leave the church together as man and wife.

After spending a lovely weekend in beautiful North Carolina, I feel the need to write and reflect on the wedding I attended. The ceremony was held outdoors on a gorgeous carpet of green grass next to a well manicured golf course. The guests were shuttled to the ceremony site via golf carts while a violinist played Pachelbel’s Canon in D major.

All of the men in the wedding party wore khaki dress slacks and light aqua shirts with small yellow flowers. They looked very cool and tropical. The shirts were not the typical Hawaiian fare. The fabric was crisp and the pattern very subtle. The bride’s attendants wore aqua sleeveless, street length dresses accented by yellow sashes around the waist. They carried long stemmed, gathered bouquets with splashes of yellow and orange daisies.

The bride was, and I mean this, absolutely radiant! She wore a long, white satin, strapless gown with a vertically, pleated bodice that flowed out to a full skirt. Her veil was simply white netting gathered near the crown of her head that billowed down her back. Her pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings were the perfect accessories.

Instead of the traditional receiving line the bride and groom had their pictures taken with each and every guest as they made their way to the buffet table. This was done table by table, with 8 to 10 guests seated at each table.

The reception hall was decorated with an international flair. Every guest had a place card resembling a luggage tag. Under the guests’ name was a name of a country. Each table had a centerpiece consisting of globes, passports, flowers and a particular country’s flag. Once you matched your place card to a country you found your seat. Each passport held information of the country and the significance of that country to the newlyweds. Most of them were countries they have live in or visited, but a few were countries they hope to visit in the future. The center pages of the passports were left blank for guests to write best wishes or advice for the bride and groom.

The wedding was a moving and memorable ceremony and the reception was pure celebration - just as every wedding day should be!

1. Search your local newspaper for travel deals. Also, a travel agent may be able to find you information on cruise specials, vacation packages or all-inclusive resorts.
2. Travel in the off-season. If you are getting married during the peak wedding season (May through September), consider postponing your honeymoon until the off-season. Most places have less expensive rates during the off season.
3. Travel somewhere close to where you live. For example, if you want to honeymoon on a tropical island, choose one that is close to you. For example, if you live on the east coast, a trip to the Caribbean would be less expensive than a trip to Hawaii. The less actual traveling you do, the less money you'll spend. Visiting an island doesn’t always mean it has to be a ‘tropical’ island. You could go on your honeymoon to an island off the coast of the continental U.S. like North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Georgia’s Barrier Islands, the Florida Keys, or the islands off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.
4. If someone you know has a vacation house, cabin or a time-share condo, consider going to that person and asking them to loan or rent you their place for your honeymoon. This will save you money on accommodations and food since you'll be able to prepare some of your own meals.
5. If you have a credit card that offers frequent flyer miles, consider charging all your wedding expenses to this card. If your parents are paying for your wedding, ask them to let you charge the purchases on your card and have them reimburse you with a check or cash so you can build up miles to put towards your honeymoon.
6. Register for a honeymoon. In lieu of gifts, ask for a honeymoon. Set up a fund at a bank or make arrangements with a travel agent to accept payments from gift givers. Let your guests know how they can contribute to your honeymoon via word of mouth or email. Have members of your wedding party spread the word to your guests. You can still have a gift registry, just have it be for items needed for your honeymoon like luggage.
7. Let service providers know you are on your honeymoon. Mentioning this can bring you bottles of champagne to your table in restaurants, upgrades on flights, hotel room upgrades, etc. These acts of kindness are more likely to happen in locations where honeymooners are not their normal clientele.
8. Participate in on-line auctions to purchase airline tickets and hotel accommodations. Check online travel sites also. They may be able to get you a deal if you get everything from them like your flight, rental car and hotel.
9. Consider honeymooning at an all-inclusive resort. An all-inclusive resort provides lodging, activities, meals and much more all rolled into one price. It is much cheaper than purchasing each individual component.
10. Book a room that includes a kitchen. When traveling, you will spend a lot of money eating in restaurants. If you book a room with kitchen facilities, you can purchase food and drink from local markets and save on restaurant fees.

• Ask the bridal shop owner if they ever hold ‘sample sales’ where in-store samples are sold. If they do have these kinds of sales, ask if your gown can he included in their sale.
• Consider selling your dress in a local consignment shop or at an online auction site.
• Donate it to a local charity and claim it as a tax deduction.

The etiquette guidelines (and in many states, legal guidelines), dictate that if an engagement is broken, the bride should immediately return the ring to her former fiancé. Even though you may feel like keeping the ring or throwing it into the ocean to spite your former fiancé, you will need to take the high road and return the ring. The only exception is if the ring is an heirloom from the brides family.

Any wedding gifts should be returned to the person who gave the gift. Make sure to include a note explaining why their gift is being returned. If the gift is engraved or personalized, you are not required to return it.

If the wedding is cancelled too close to the wedding date, there will be no time for you to issue a formal announcement. You will need to telephone everyone on your guest list and let them know that the wedding has been cancelled.

The next thing you will need to do is cancel any bookings made with vendors, caterers, florists, musicians. etc. The sooner this is done, the better. Check your contracts to determine what your cancellation fees will be. You should be able to get back a percentage of your deposits. depending on how far the cancellation is from your wedding. The earlier you notify the vendor, the better, as they may be able to book some other event in place of yours and you may he able to get more of our money back. Ultimately, someone is going to get stuck with the bill. Costs incurred by the cancellation of a wedding should really be covered by whoever broke off the engagement. However, if the person who breaks off the engagement refuses, you can opt to sue them, but bear in mind that you may not necessarily win. It is hard to legally prove who is responsible in a situation like this. Also, if you purchased wedding insurance, most policies will only pay out if the wedding was cancelled due to illness, death or disaster. So don’t expect them to pay if you have changed your minds.

To Be Changed

Phone

Address

Done

Drivers License

Employee Records

School Records

Car Registration

Insurance Policies

Social Security

Voter Registration

Passport

Bank Account(s)

Investments

Will

Property Titles

Post Office

Safety Deposit Box

Loans

Doctor

Dentist

Utility Companies

Magazine Subscription(s)

Club Membership(s)

Credit Card(s)

Other

When should you buy a gift?
It is considered proper to send a wedding gift shortly after receiving a wedding announcement or invitation. Contrary to the belief that you have up to a year to send a wedding gift, it should really be sent within three months of the wedding. If you are going to the wedding, instead of sending a gift, you can take the gift with you to the reception.

Do I have to buy from their gift registry?
No. A registry is for your convenience and you are not limited to what is on their list. The registry is just a list of things the couple needs or wants, but you can get them whatever you want to. The couple may prefer you get a gift off of the registry, but ultimately the decision is yours.

How much should I spend on a gift?
It is entirely up to you. Let your affection for the bride and groom and your budget be your guide. You don't want to break the bank on a gift for a work associate you barely talk to and you don't want to buy some cheap little trinket for some one you've been friends with your entire life.

Can I just give them money?
In some cultures, money is THE traditional wedding gift. But others may feel that giving the gift of cash is ill-mannered. If you are one of the people who doesn't like giving cash, you might consider buying the bride and groom a gift certificate or gift card from their favorite store or a universal gift card that they can use anywhere.

Should I send a gift or bring it to the wedding?
If possible, send the gift to the bride before the wedding or to the couple soon after the wedding.It is almost a wedding custom now to bring the gift to the reception and place it on a special table. However, keep in mind that bringing a gift to the reception will only add to the duties of the person in charge of getting valuables from the reception (like the cake serving set, the cake topper, any rented items, etc.).

What do I do if I haven’t received a thank you note?
You may want to ask the bride and groom if they received your gift. If you find this too awkward, if you purchased the gift from a registry, check with the store and see if you can get the gift traced.

Read:  Part 1  |  Part 2

1. More Bang for your Buck - If you have your heart set on honeymooning abroad, do some research before making a decision on where to travel. Check to see where you will get the most for your money. Some countries have a stronger dollar value than others. Check to see where the dollar is strong and plan accordingly.
   

2. Make sure you book your plans as far in advance as possible to get the best arrangements. Many rates and fares are based on how far in advance you finalize the flights or cruises. Even then, they are based on availability so peak travel times may be booked far in advance. If you are getting married in a peak travel time, you might consider taking your honeymoon later so that you can avoid higher prices and bigger crowds.

3. Documentation - Make sure you have all the required documentation (passport, entry visa, medical requirements, etc.) for travel. Travelers may not realize that many countries require the passports of arriving visitors to have at least six months of validity remaining upon arrival. If you do not have a passport, get one as soon as possible. Visit your local post office to receive information on how to apply for a passport. If you already have a passport, check the expiration date. If it expires in less than a year, it is a good idea to go ahead and get it renewed.

4. Pack appropriate attire. If you travel to a destination where there will be places of religious interest that you plan to visit, take your attire into consideration. Women may want to pack a long sarong to wrap around them when entering such places. You may also be asked to remove your shoes before you enter. Be sure to research the weather for the location so that you can pack clothing appropriate for the current climate.

5. Make sure you check the voltages on any appliances (hair dryers, curling irons, electric razors. etc.) you plan to bring abroad. You may need a voltage transformer as well as an adaptor plug to operate the appliance abroad.

Read:  Part 1  |  Part 2

To achieve this elegant look, finding a good calligrapher is essential. Local calligraphy societies are a good place to start. Stationers or printers can usually refer you to local calligraphers. If you’ve admired the calligraphy on an invitation sent by a friend or relative, be sure to ask them for their recommendations. You can also find calligraphers by surfing the web. Many calligraphers advertise their services on the web and often post samples of their work online.

Before you hire a calligrapher, make sure you ask for the following:

• References
• Calligraphy background—a good calligrapher should have a degree or certificate in the arts.
• What is their turnaround time?
• Do they have a minimum order policy?
• What do they charge?

You will also want to provide the calligrapher with one of your invitations and ask them to provide you with samples of their work. The key to great hand calligraphy is consistency, so don’t be afraid to interview more than one calligrapher and compare their work before making your final decision. Once you have decided upon a calligrapher, be sure to get a contract in writing.

Some calligraphers offer extra services like envelope stuffing, sealing and stamping; creating hand written place card,. programs, menus, and more. Be sure to check out their entire line of services. Keep in mind that calligraphy is labor intensive and can be expensive. If you have the time and the money to spend, this is a great way to add more elegance to your wedding.

The announcement arrived just a few days before Thanksgiving, inviting the entire family, all six of us,  to attend a wedding and reception. My mother read the invitation and said, "Who would even think of getting married on Christmas Eve?" But she sent the response card accepting the invitation for herself and her two oldest daughters.

At 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, we headed for the church. A light snow had fallen over Northwest Indiana that day, and the setting sun reflecting off of it, cast a warm glow all around. We arrived at the church to find hundreds of white luminaries lining all the walkways leading to the building. Once inside we found the sanctuary decorated in evergreens, red poinsettias and candles.

The bridesmaids, all six of them, were dressed in deep red velvet halter dresses with matching capes trimmed with white fur, including the hem. They looked like they were floating up the aisle! In lieu of bouquets they carried white muffs with a small sprig of holly attached to the front. The groomsmen wore black tuxedos and wore sprigs of holly for boutonnieres.

The reception was held at a nearby country club, and again, the banquet hall was decorated and ready for Christmas. The centerpieces were very simple branches of fresh evergreen boughs with sprigs of holly arranged in clusters around a trio of red pillar candles. There was a huge Christmas tree in the lobby of the clubhouse as well as a fireplace which only added more ambiance.

The crowning jewel to this event was the bride. Her gown was absolutely gorgeous. It was white with a very full skirt, and not one pearl or sequin. The light played off the satin like it had all been planned. Her veil was shoulder length, with just a hint of glitter peppered throughout to give the illusion of snow. She carried a bouquet that was made with deep, red, roses trimmed, with a thin border of white fur. The bride was truly a vision of loveliness. That wedding made a lasting impression on one little girl.

Lately, a new and unique twist to the tossing of the bouquet, in addition to the bridal bouquet, is to order a breakaway bouquet. This arrangement appears to be quite large, because it is actually six smaller bouquets gathered together with a large ribbon, tied in a bow. Before the bride tosses it, she unties the bow, and tosses all six bouquets at once. This type of bouquet is extremely popular with all the little girls that may be at the reception. This is also a delightful way to spread that long standing superstition of "who will be the next one to walk down the aisle?" Imagine the delight of all your younger guests who are fortunate to catch one of the breakaway bouquets! Toss the breakaway bouquets to all the single girls under eighteen, and the tossing bouquet to those who are eighteen and older.

Be sure to have the florist color coordinate the tossing bouquet with your bridal bouquet. If your bridal bouquet is made up of expensive blooms, ask the florist to substitute similar flowers that are more moderately priced. Carnations can be dyed to go with any color scheme. The blooms are large and will pack a dramatic punch but for a reasonable price.

Every bride will have several choices and decisions to make pertaining to the wedding and reception. The tossing of the bouquet should not cause a lot of stress for her, but she should explore all of her options, and then go with the one that most pleases her.

Another low cost detail is to use mirrors for the base of all the centerpieces. The reflection of light from the candles or sunshine will be an added attraction to any reception. Check out your local home improvement store for plain mirror tiles that are commonly used on walls. This purchase will definitely be kind to your budget. And after the party is over you may choose to use them to decorate your new home.

Perhaps you or your fiancée are big fans of M&M candies. Small glass candy dishes on all the tables filled with these goodies will bring smiles and satisfy the sweet tooth. M&Ms will also take special orders so you can have the candy made in your wedding colors, as well as have your names imprinted on each tiny morsel. This detail will most definitely be noticed, and again, it is not as expensive as you might think.

If you are animal lovers, you may want to include some sort of recognition of your beloved dog. Order cookies in the shape of your breed of dog, and have one at every place setting at the reception. This will be a very sweet detail that will surely get praise from every other animal lover.

The idea that a wedding is a wedding and it has all been done before could not be more wrong. Put your own personal imprint on every aspect of your wedding — from the ceremony, to the reception. Be creative and make the usual unique to you, but always keep the budget in mind.

If you wish to acknowledge this loved one, do it in the spirit of remembrance. This will be your personal choice to include a passage of scripture or a special quote in the wedding program, or request that the officiant say a few words on your behalf.

Another way to include the memory of a deceased loved one in the celebration is to have a small table at the reception with a framed photograph of the family member, with a few items of memorabilia surrounding the picture. For instance, if your grandfather was an avid fisherman, place his tackle box near the picture. If your late grandmother loved quilting, arrange one of her creations on the table and place the framed photo of her on top. These are simple but very personal sentimental gestures that are appropriate for your celebration. It will remind others of happy memories.

A more subtle way to acknowledge a late loved one is through music. Discuss song selections with your organist and try to include favorites of your family member to the list of songs the organist will play while your guests are being seated. One bride did this by having a pianist play gospel music before the ceremony in honor of her father who had a passion for gospel music. It was a subtle way for everyone in the family to keep him in mind during the ceremony.

Honoring a deceased loved one at your wedding should he a remembrance that brings fond memories to mind. Honor their memory by reminding everyone of the joy they brought to the family and the joy that they would want to convey to the happy couple as you begin a new life together.

Most public venues are subject to the local fire codes, and comply with them, as well they should. These codes apply to candlelight as well as electric lighting, and any electronic equipment that may be required by your DJ or live band. Be sure to discuss these codes, and any other decorating policies well before the day of your wedding!

Candlelight is very enhancing to the mood and atmosphere of a space, and is also very flattering to human faces! Most fire codes allow candles, but not exposed flames. The flame needs to be enclosed in glass or below the surface level of the container it is in. Try using hanging votives by suspending them at different heights around the room in glass urns. Fishing line is nearly invisible and strong enough to suspend glass containers from the ceiling.

Another inexpensive, but stunning way to use up-lighting at your reception is to incorporate white, round, touch lights in the centerpieces. Consult with your florist about using this idea. This type of light requires AA batteries and should last all evening. These lights do not emit much heat and you will have no worries about open flames on the tables. The effect will be subtle but striking.

From the logistic side of things, remember that elaborate lighting requires time and additional help. Be sure to plan ahead and stay true to your vision. Good lighting is important, and can create a feeling of celebration and elegance.

Billowing, white, transparent fabric hanging from the ceiling along every wall with soft candlelight on every table will add to the heavenly mood. Centerpieces consisting of one creamy white magnolia bloom floating in a water filled glass container placed on top of a round mirror will reflect the light, and enhance the room even more.

Keeping all the decor within your white color scheme will look clean and sleek, but very striking. Infusing your wedding with simple but meaningful details will resonate with your guests. If the reception venue has only dark colored chairs, inquire if they have chair covers in white. If they do not, call your local party rental center. This will be an added expense but well worth the overall effect.

Using a touch of silver ribbon here and there will not only tie in the mirrors, but will add a bit more sparkle to the room. Most caterers use white dinnerware, clear glassware and silver, or stainless steel utensils, so the tables will appear uncluttered and very elegant.

Wedding cakes decorated with only white icing are very beautiful. Cake toppers do not have to be the traditional couple standing arm in arm. There are several options available at most bakeries, or search the internet for a unique, all in white, modern figurine. Or, continue your magnolia theme and use three flowers gathered together with florist tape as the cake topper. Simple, yet beautiful!

Now you may be wondering about the attire for the attendants. The bride should be the only one dressed in white! Your attendants could wear dresses in pale gray, or a very pale blue. The groomsrnen could wear light gray tuxedos. The groom may opt to wear a tuxedo in a darker grey than his groomsrnen.

Keep it simple, but remember the details.

Charles Mingus said, "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity."

If the style of your wedding is informal, or on the casual side, consider taking one corner of the reception venue and arranging clear glass canisters filled with different types of old fashioned penny candies. If you are planning a formal wedding, designate one table to showcase an array of truffles, or other bite sized morsels. Chocolate covered pretzels, raisins and nuts would also be a welcome addition to any Candy Station. For a wedding in the fall, order candy apples for all of your guests, and tie the wooden sticks with a small ribbon to go with your color scheme.

Keep in mind that the candy you offer should stay in keeping with your overall color scheme. Stay away from the neon colored jelly beans and shocking pink bubble gum, unless of course, it does go with your wedding colors.

If you have a relative, or close friend, who is ‘famous" for their fudge or other homemade sweets, you may want to commission her or him, to prepare you a special order. This candy could be packaged in small, white boxes for your guests to take home. Most stationery companies offer these boxes for just such purposes. Some will even print the bride and groom’s names on the lid. For added elegance insert tissue paper before the candy is placed inside. The tissue paper could be in the color of your decor, for even more flair.

A Candy Corner will give you another opportunity to be creative. Use your imagination and start the trend in your area. This is a delightful addition to any wedding reception and your guests will surely remember how "sweet" it was.

Read more:  Reception Ideas -  Candy Buffets

When you order your wedding invitations and stationery items, inquire about the company’s line of wedding program covers. Some companies offer covers that will coordinate with your invitations.

Special order program covers will allow you to be much more creative. For instance, perhaps the two of you met at the beach or a local park. Take a photograph of the spot and use that as your program cover. Adding a vellum overleaf will cast a softness over the image. On the inside page, write a brief story in fairy tale fashion on how you met, or why both of you are drawn to that particular place. This is an ideal way to give your guests a better understanding of what brought the two of you together.

Be consistent with your paper choice, as well as the color of ink that is used for the programs. Keeping your wedding programs in the style of your invitations will be noticed. Beauty is in the details, and people do pay attention, and appreciate the effort.

The program should list the names of all your attendants, as well as the ceremony schedule. Be sure to have the correct spelling of all names and song titles, with the composer’s names also. The officiant, organist, soloist, and any other musicians, should be listed in the program.

Some couples select scripture or poetry to be printed in the program, and others may want to pay tribute to a deceased loved one. While all of these are acceptable practices, please remember that the true purpose of a wedding program is to be about the ceremony.

Most couples are now choosing to have bird seed, rose petals or confetti showers as they exit the church. Then, they escape to a waiting car, and are driven to the reception site. Other variations of the newlywed shower include blowing bubbles, or ringing tiny bells as they leave the church. These are all charming ways to keep the tradition of showering the couple alive and well, in the twenty-first century.

You will need to check with the church, or other wedding site venue, as to the rules pertaining to what they allow for the showering. Rice is now considered environmentally hazardous because of the ill effects it has on our feathered friends, the birds, and is not allowed at most churches.

Some traditions are sentimental, some are beautiful and some are practical, but remember, there are always alternatives. If doing something different makes you feel uncomfortable, then go with the long standing tradition. Being "different" for the sake of being different is not always appropriate, especially when planning your wedding. The long lasting traditions were created for very special reasons, and should be included in your very special day.

In the early twentieth century a different type of party gained popularity — it was called the Chocolataire. The menu included chocolate candies, chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream!

Why not treat your attendants to an updated version, and have nothing but chocolate desserts to munch on! Let your sweet tooth be your guide, and let that inner chocoholic out into the open.

Keep the decor simple by using white lace, or linen table coverings. Blooms from red roses floating in clear glass containers will be all the flowers you will need, except for one long stem chocolate rose at each place setting for every guest. These edible roses are available at gourmet thod stores that specialize in desserts.

For a special touch, you may want to shop the flea markets and resale stores for unique, one of a kind china tea cups and saucer sets. Purchase one for each attendant, and have them on the tables when they arrive. Be sure to have hot chocolate and any of the chocolate flavored coffees that are available to serve for refreshments. Let the girls know that the tea cups and saucers are for them to take home as a thank you gift.

Tiered serving trays piled high with dark, milk and white chocolates, fudge, brownie squares, chocolate covered cherries and chocolate truffles will be the main course. If you have access to a fondue pot, melt milk chocolate in the pot and let your guests dip fresh strawberries, marshmallows, pineapple chunks and sliced bananas. YUM! For the guests watching their waist line, they can eat the fruit without the chocolate -- bummer!

For the "dessert," serve chocolate pie, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate ice cream or chocolate mousse. After that, serve everyone a night cap of crème de cacao! Take the time to savor each and every silky morsel as well as the wonderful friendships you have in your life.

Your parents may offer their home as the site, or agree to cover the cost of food. Some parents may even want to write you a check to help with your wedding expenses. Again, accept the gift, and let them know how much their support means to you.

Be sure to discuss finances with each other before the wedding. It may be a difficult subject to cover, but it needs to be done. Many people feel that talking about money matters will spoil the romantic feeling leading up to the wedding, when actually it will have the opposite effect. The exchange of difficult information and good communication can ease anxieties and eventually find solutions to any problems that may have been discovered.

Money conflicts are one of the major contributors to divorce, so you should be prepared to discuss your regular income, inheritance money, retirement funds, material assets, child or spousal support payments, tax liabilities, pending lawsuits, any financial help to family members, money management, credit card debt and insurance policies.

Other important topics to discuss would be future plans, such as whether or not you will want to have children together, who will move into whose home, any health or emotional problems and, if children are in the picture, parenting styles. All of these subjects need to be openly, and honestly, discussed before you take that second walk down the aisle.

If either of you refuse to talk about one, or more, of these topics, this should be a big red flag! Do not embark on another marriage if the lines of communication are not open. So many couples just assume that everything will fall into place once the wedding is over. This is unrealistic. Be sensible, be honest with each other, and you will be ready for you new life together.

If your reception venue does not furnish table settings, visit your local rental center and find out what is available. Most rental centers have a wide variety of styles and colors. For a modern twist, consider renting square dinnerware and glassware. For centerpieces you should have no problem finding square votives and pillar candles. The geometric shapes will look very sleek and stylish.

Bold colored and unusually shaped paper lanterns can add so much to a large space without breaking your budget. Party stores, as well as the internet, will give you more choices than you will want to deal with. It is always a good idea to have your color, style and shape in mind before you start your search. Colorful lanterns add a delightful element to any celebration and an economical way to create the mood.

Outdoor partyware offers a wide range of bold colored glasses, plates and cups. Check your local department store for plastic cocktail tumblers. Find a solid color that matches your color scheme and then place one white hydrangea in each container. Grouping three or four together would make a stunning centerpiece. These arrangements are lovely to look at and very easy on the bottom line.

If you are using a garden theme for your wedding, consider using live plants instead of flowers for all your decorating needs. Consult with a representative from your local nursery and find out which green plants are at their peak during the season you plan to get married. Live plants last longer than fresh cut flowers, and are usually less expensive. As an added bonus, you can then give the plants to your guests before they leave, as a small thank you gift.

Modern style is not fussy or lacy. Modern is simply, elegant.

Stain Removal:

• Make-Up Stain- Whatever you do, don’t rub it! Press a dab of Club Soda on the spot, then sprinkle salt on top to soak up the moisture. Let it dry. If a hint of the stain remains, touch up with white chalk or talcum powder.
  
  
• Ink Stain- Apply a touch of hair spray to a cotton swab and rub lightly over the stain. This should remove the stain completely.
  
  
• OiI Stain- Sprinkle some talcum powder on the spot. The powder will absorb the oil. Wait 15 minutes for the moisture to absorb, and then dust powder off with a clean white towel. Repeat if necessary.
  
  
• Blood Stain- Apply a little of your own saliva on the spot and then gently rub it. The acids will break down the stain. This works best when the blood has not yet dried.

Facial Fixes:

• Puffy Eyes- Apply cold, wet tea bags. This will help tighten the swollen tissue. For puffiness under the eyes, try a small dap of Preparation H. This will shrink the swollen tissue.
  
  
• Red Blemishes- Cover any red blemish with a concealer that is as close to your skin tone as possible.  If the blemish is dark, dab on a concealer with a small brush and then set with matching powder.  If necessary, add a second layer of each.  For the dark blemishes, make sure the concealer is slighlyt lighter than your natural skin tone.
  
  
• Oily Face- Come prepared with an emergency kit containing blotting tissues or handkerchief, loose powder, or powder puff to remove excess oil from your face.

Broken Nail:

• Apply a drop of fast-bonding glue to the nail break, and position a tiny bit of unused mesh paper from a tea bag on top. Then add another drop of glue. When it is dry, file the paper down until you can’t see or feel the edges, then top with a third and final drop of glue.

You can find cupcake liners and wrappers in just about any type of color or design. Pick these up at any craft or hobby store. White is a good choice for a wrapper. Just note that you can see through the white ones. This may or may not be a bad thing, as this could serve handy for guests who want a sneak peak at what flavor they are choosing. The rainbow of wrapper color choices is virtually endless. Choose your wedding colors or choose colors that help indicate what flavor is hidden inside i.e. red for red velvet, etc. Foiled wrappers are available to add a little bit of sparkle and glam. Oh, the possibilities!

Don’t forget to add a whimsical flair by using some multi-colored sprinkles. Or add a little bling by using sugar glitter or dragees. You can detail these just like a cake; decorations can be over the top or non-existent. Cupcakes are a little unexpected anyway so why not really give them a whirl by choosing exotic flavors. Just be sure to choose complimentary frosting.

Choosing cupcake stands should be pretty easy to do. Make sure you choose ones that will display the cupcakes nicely and not bunch them all together. There are several different sizes. Be sure to decide how many tiers you would like to display them on. Most cupcake stands come in three or four tiers. A typical four tier stand can hold about 60 cupcakes with a small cake on top or just more cupcakes. Some stands are single use and some will last a very long time, depending on the material the stands are made of. Typically stands come in clear or white. Look for a stand that comes apart and nestles itself together for easy moving and storage.

For those do it yourselfers trying your hand at baking and decorating cupcakes, you'll find that it is not quite as daunting of a task as all the intricate detailing that goes into producing a grand four tiered wedding cake. Enlist some friends, turn up the music and bake!

Because this is a newer trend it doesn’t have any hard and fast rules. So, have fun with it. Not only are cupcakes a little more fun but they add a little more individuality it’s like a tiny cake for each guest!

Stopping at a table piled high with treats before heading home will ensure your guests have a very sweet ending to a night filled with love. Who doesn't love a table beautifully decorated with mountains of candy? They’ll have to stop; they won't be able to resist.

You have a million possibilities when choosing your candy. You can match the candies to the colors of your wedding. You can go with all white, or you could even just choose your childhood favorites. Rock candy on the little wooden swizzle sticks are a great choice because they come in nearly any color you can imagine.

Of course you do not have to use just candy. Anything candy or chocolate coated would work also, pretzels, raisins, etc.
Play around with flavors, choose ones that contrast and compliment. There are sweet and sour, hard and soft, or gummy, and chocolate. For around 150 guests, you may want to consider about 6-8 different candies and buy about 10-15 pounds of each. It sounds like a lot and it might even be a bit too much; however, little tiny pails of candy is not what we are going for here. Think big people! Even if it is too much, leftover candy is never an issue! Just remember that some candies may need to have their container labeled.

Make sure the table really catches your guest’s attention. Dress the table in your wedding colors. Use table cloths, tulle, a vase or two of flowers. Try different types of clear containers (glass or plastic, you know your guests best). Go for vases, fish bowls. Those huge martini and wine glasses, you get the idea. We’re looking for depth here! Now pile the containers full of your candies. Space the containers out so the guests can easily access the treats, which is a good reason to add some height to your display. Don’t keep all of your containers on one level, lift them up by sliding small boxes, upside down buckets, and/or milk crates under your table cloths. Make sure the openings of the containers are large enough for a scoop.

Include a small note on the table advising guests what this is. Add something cute, maybe even a little goofy. Such as “Sweet Dreams from the Mr. and Mrs.!” Make sure you place bags on the table and stickers to seal them with. Or small take out boxes that fold in.

Most important - have fun. Spending some time in the candy store picking out sweets and maybe sampling a few would be a great way to cut loose when the wedding planning starts taking a toll.

Some great ways to send these out are to use little cards with the month of your wedding printed up like a calendar. It shows the month of your wedding with the wedding date circled, or marked with a heart, or even punched out with a small hole-punch.

Magnets are super popular too because, they are easy and convenient. Guests just slap them on the fridge and they’ll be reminded of the wedding daily. Better yet, order calendar magnets!

Send out a photo save the date. Use a favorite picture of yourselves or an engagement photo if you have them, with the information on it. Kind of like these personalized holiday cards

Totally cute earth friendly options are personalized seed packets. This is a great idea for a spring or summer wedding. Blooming love anyone?

For the sugary sweet couple try beautiful personalized cookies. Be sure the note attached also has the date just as a reminder in case they eat the cookie right away!

Then there is photo booth save the dates. In each picture hold up a different sign something like: (1.) We’re getting married! (2.) So save the date! (3.) July 10th, 2010 (4.) More info to follow!

Typically you would send save the dates out about six months to a year prior to the wedding. Always, of course follow up with a formal invitation. Basically when it comes to a save the date you want to make sure it’s something they will remember at least until they get that invitation!

Invitations:

Use old school font for that funky rock ‘n’ roll style like our C64 or D52 (view all typestyles). Or combo typestyles like E72, are a new way to add a bit of flair to the wedding invitation. Using a lot of color would be a good way to convey a punk or punk pop look! Something a little more cutting edge would be an ultra modern black and white invitation like our AV 1034. For a rock and roll wedding keep your invitation wording more casual. This would be an great time to use some favorite song lyrics.

Clothing:

Dresses are popping up in an array of different colors. From white with subtle hints of pink, to red and even black! Colored crinolines are making there way under traditional white gowns. Girls are trading in their strappy silver high heels for hot pink Chuck Taylor’s. For guys, we see Chucks too, and exposed suspenders over dress shirts without suit jackets.

Hair and Makeup:

Does your man have a Mohawk? Do you have a rainbow of hair colors? Do you just love the idea of pin-up hair? Have fun with your hair and make up, be you! A rock ‘n’ roll wedding means overly done prom-type updo’s are not necessary, and neither is a short clean shave. Let him rock that goatee!

Music:

Live music definitely says rock n roll so, see if your fiance’s best friend’s band can play at the wedding or the reception. That’ll get some publicity for them, ensure you that the music will rock, and could serve as their gift to you. Everybody wins! You can use song lyrics as part of your vows. A rockstar like you, could totally get away with walking down the aisle to something other than the traditional wedding march, maybe your song as a couple or even your personal anthem.

Decorations:

The idea of stringing up old vinyl is pretty cool and just about every party supply store sells large musical notes that you could hang up. Look for skulls and sparrows to replace doves and roses on napkins and place settings.

Favors:

Make your own temporary tattoos! You can either make your own by purchasing temporary tattoo paper or there are websites that will make them for you. You pretty much just have to upload your design and go from there. There are also places that will make personalized guitar picks, names and date is an awesome choice. Or do something like John ‘picked’ Sarah!

Don’t feel pressured to do the same old thing. This is going to be the most important party you two throw!

1. Make sure your make-up is properly applied to enhance your appearance, especially for your wedding photos. Too much make-up, the wrong make-up, or improperly applied make-up can have the opposite effect. Heavy eyeliner or false eyelashes can cast unwanted shadows over the eyes and cheeks. No make-up can give you a washed out appearance, especially if you are fair skinned.
2. Consider hiring a professional make-up artist to do the make-up for the entire bridal party. If you decide to do your own make-up, the best advice is to practice until you achieve the look you want. It is not necessary to buy expensive products. Use your regular make-up or consult a professional salesperson at a department store to find products that best suit your skin and features, and how to apply them.
3. Have a make-up rehearsal prior to your wedding day.  The last thing you want on your wedding day is to find out that the make-up you were planning on using doesn't look very good.  Then you would have to scramble around trying to find make-up that does work.  Trying your make-up out ahead of time also gives you the opportunity to try out several looks and get advice from family and friends.
4. You want to achieve a clean, natural look for your wedding day. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to know your skin type. It is important to use the right foundation for your skin type and color. If you have oily skin, choose a water- based matte foundation that will not add unwanted oil to your skin. If you have dry skin, a fluid foundation can enhance your skin with its added oils.  The foundation you choose should blend with your natual skin tone. Once the foundation has been applied, check the color in natural sunlight. Other lighting types may affect your appearance. You will know you have a good match when the foundation on your jaw line matches your neck.
5. To get your make-up to last throughout your wedding day and look good in photos, it is important to use powder. The powder will not only ‘set’ the make-up giving it a longer, lasting effect, but it also helps in reducing unwanted shine. You may have to periodically reapply powder throughout the day to achieve this.
6. Your wedding makes for a very emotional day, so everything you put on your face should be water- or smudge-proof, especially your mascara. It is a good idea to use a new tube of mascara on your wedding day because older mascara has a tendency to clump.
7. Apply concealer with a sponge to cover any blemishes and to hide any dark circles under your eyes.
8. Use a lip liner pencil to draw a natural lip line, which will help prevent lipstick from running.  Be sure to blend it into your lips with a cotton swab and cover with matching lipstick.  Apply a small dollop of lip gloss to the center of your lips to make them appear fuller.
9. Try not to get too much sun before your wedding.  You don't want to be burnt or peeling on the big day.
10. Stick to a classic or neutral look.  Try to avoid make-up trends, as they will soon look dated in your wedding photos.

If your hair is long and you wear it pulled back most of the time then an elegant ‘updo would be a good look. You can put knots and rolls into your hairstyle for an added flair. If you wear your long hair down most of the time then try wearing some of it up away from your face and leave the rest to cascade around your shoulders. Let a few tendrils escape to float around your face. These tendrils can be curled for a more romantic look or just left natural.

If your hair is medium length it can be curled and dressed up with a sparkly headband, tiara or jeweled hair pins. Some strands can also be tucked behind the ears and secured with a decorative hair comb or clip to hold it back.

If you have short hair don’t worry because there is still a lot you can do with your hair. Use a curling iron to give your hair some fullness in the crown area and back. Sweep the hair off to the side and save the curls for the back area.

It is also important for the style you choose to hold up through the ceremony and reception. But be careful not to use too much hair spray because it can make your hair look stiff and unnatural. Ask your hairstylist for advice and discuss your hairstyle before the wedding. it is a good idea to have several practice sessions with your hairstylist before the wedding so that you can choose the right hairstyle.

• Pay all the vendors
  
  
• Cake knife or Server Set
  
  
• Toasting Glasses
  
  
• Top layer of Wedding Cake
  
  
• Gifts and gift envelopes
  
  
• Guest book and pen
  
  
• Left over decorations
  
  
• Left over favors
  
  
• Left over flowers and centerpieces
  
  
• Left over food
  
  
• Take back rented items (pillars, stand. tables, etc.)
  
  
• Return unopened bottles of alcohol
  
  
• Wedding dress, if changing into going away outfit Groom’s tux

• Close up of invitation
  
  
• Wedding rings with the invitation
  
  
• Close up shot of wedding rings on your hand with the bride’s bouquet Bride looking at her bouquet
  
  
• Bride and groom signing their marriage certificate
  
  
• Bride and/or groom with special friends
  
  
• Bride and/or groom with special relatives
  
  
• The head table
  
  
• Picture of band or DJ

• Bride and groom kissing
  
  
• Bride and groom-full length
  
  
• Bride and groom-half length
  
  
• Bride and groom-close up
  
  
• Bride and groom ‘gazing’ at each other
  
  
• Bride and groom holding hands
  
  
• Close up of rings
  
  
• Bride and groom with bride’s parents
  
  
• Bride and groom with groom’s parents
  
  
• Bride and groom with bride’s grandparents
  
  
• Bride and groom with groom’s grandparents Bride and groom with bride’s extended family
  
  
• Bride and groom with groom’s extended family

• Parents being announced
  
  
• Wedding party being announced
  
  
• Bride and groom being announced
  
  
• Bride and groom’s first dance
  
  
• Wedding party dancing
  
  
• Bride’s dance with father
  
  
• Groom’s dance with mother
  
  
• Best man toasting bride and groom
  
  
• Bride and groom with champagne glasses
  
  
• Bride and groom’s kiss after the toast
  
  
• Wedding cake
  
  
• Bride and groom cutting cake
  
  
• Bride feeding groom the cake
  
  
• Groom feeding bride the cake
  
  
• Kiss after cake cutting
  
  
• Bride tossing bouquet
  
  
• Groom removing garter
  
  
• Guests dancing
  
  
• Bride and groom’s last dance
  
  
• Bride and groom waving goodbye from car/limo/carriage

• Groom at the alter
  
  
• Grandparents being seated
  
  
• Groom’s parents being seated
  
  
• Bride’s parents being seated
  
  
• Flower girl walking down the aisle
  
  
• Ring bearer walking down the aisle
  
  
• Bridesmaids walking down the aisle
  
  
• Maid/Matron of Honor walking down the aisle
  
  
• Father walking bride down the aisle
  
  
• Father giving bride away
  
  
• Bride and groom at the alter Bride and groom exchanging vows
  
  
• Bride and groom exchanging rings
  
  
• Bride and groom lighting unity candle
  
  
• Bride and groom-the kiss
  
  
• Bride and groom walking down the aisle
  
  
• Pictures of the receiving line
  
  
• Bride and groom exiting the church
  
  
• Bride and groom getting into car/limo/carriage 

• Groom-full length
  
  
• Groom-half length
  
  
• Groom-close up
  
  
• Groom putting on tie
  
  
• Groom with mother-full length
  
  
• Groom with mother-close up
  
  
• Groom with father-full length
  
  
• Groom with father-close up Groom with parents-full length
  
  
• Groom with parents-close up
  
  
• Groom with grandparents-full length
  
  
• Groom with grandparents-close up
  
  
• Groom with sister(s)-full length
  
  
• Groom with sister(s)-close up
  
  
• Groom with brother(s)-full length
  
  
• Groom with brother(s)-close up
  
  
• Groom with immediate family
  
  
• Groom with best man-full length
  
  
• Groom with best man-close up
  
  
• Groom with groomsmen-full length
  
  
• Groom with groomsmen-close up 

The Bride

• Bride dressing for wedding
  
  
• Mother helping Bride put on veil
  
  
• Bride-full length
  
  
• Bride-half length
  
  
• Bride-close up
  
  
• Bride with mother-full length
  
  
• Bride with mother-close up
  
  
• Bride with father-full length
  
  
• Bride with father-close up
  
  
• Bride with both parents-full length
  
  
• Bride with both parents-close up
  
  
• Bride with grandparents-full length
  
  
• Bride with grandparents-close up
  
  
• Bride with sister(s)-full length
  
  
• Bride with sister(s)-close up
  
  
• Bride with brother(s)-full length
  
  
• Bride with brother(s)-close up
  
  
• Bride with immediate family
  
  
• Bride with maid/matron of honor-full length
  
  
• Bride with maid/matron of honor-close up
  
  
• Bride with her attendants-full length
  
  
• Bride with her attendants-close up
  
  
• Bride with flower girl
  
  
• Bride with ring bearer 

Price — While not a mitigating reason, you do need to make sure you get a detailed price list from each of your prospective photographers and use it to make notes on the back. Ask about package deals on pictures, too. While a pre-fab package might not exactly fit your specific needs, it might save you some money in the long run.

Timeline — Asking when you will receive your proofs, albums, and the rest of your pictures might seem a little silly, but you should not assume that you will have the whole package in a couple of days. Most professionals are not going to use the one hour photo. Some photographers take several months to deliver your entire order.

Personal Appearance — Were not suggesting you should judge your photographer on what he wears to your informal meetings, but what they normally wear to a ceremony. It might be more comfortable for them to shoot the wedding in jeans and a t-shirt, but you might not want them wearing it to your wedding. Youll want to make sure they plan on wearing at least semi-formal attire.

By far, the best way to find a good photographer is to ask around. Ask your friends and family if they know of anyone. People who had a good experience will gladly volunteer their own photographer’s name. Beware of the photographer your friend is hesitant to tell you about. While most photographers will be more honest than not about their abilities, a friend is probably a much more reliable source.

Wedding Experience — Has this person ever shot a wedding before? Are they a full-time photographer or a weekend enthusiast? With photography, as with most everything else, practice makes perfect. Why trust your once in a lifetime photos to someone who is not staking their reputation on your happiness?

Make Sure You Get Who You Pay For — Larger firms are based on the reputation of their best photographer. If you hire such a firm, be sure to meet with the person who will actually be there, taking your pictures. Regardless of whether you hire a firm or an individual, you will need to ask about an assistant. Assistants mean a quicker photo shoot and possibly getting shots one person might miss during the ceremony.

Portfolio Work — As you look through some of their past work, put yourself in the pictures. Do you like the poses? Are the pictures lit well? Are there any glares or deep shadows? If you dont like a lot of the photos in their portfolio it’s probably a good idea to look for someone else.

• Put your schedule in writing and give it to all of your wedding vendors. Also, give this schedule to your wedding attendants and immediate family members so they know where they are supposed to be and when (i.e. for picture taking, formal announcements, or special dances).
• Be as detailed as possible when preparing your reception itinerary. Include names, times, specific locations and song titles for special dances.
• When putting together your schedule, don’t get too hung up on the exact times. The times on your schedule should act only as a guide and to keep things moving in the right direction and make sure that everything gets done.

The order of events is up to you, but should be firmly established ahead of time. For example, some brides prefer to do their first dance with their husband very early into the reception, before dinner is served. Other brides prefer to do it after dinner, when the real dancing begins. However, keep in mind that wedding guests should not begin dancing until after the bride and groom have their first dance. So, if you want people to begin dancing early in the reception, you will need to schedule the first dance right away.

1. Be Organized. Buy a date book and a notebook or folder during the early planning stages. Set a schedule and deadlines. By scheduling things out, you will not be left with a lot of last minute details just before your wedding. Keep all your planning information in the notebook so it is all in one spot.
2. Share responsibilities with your partner. Make joint decisions and stick with them. Don’t let forceful friends and relatives change your mind, after all, this is your day. If you come to an agreement with your partner on something and then turn around and do something else, this can cause stress on the relationship.
3. Set realistic goals.  Don't let arrangements for your wedding blow your budget. Set an affordable budget and stick with it. You don’t want to still be paying off the loan you took out for your wedding when your children begin college
4. Delegate, delegate, delegate. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Let your maid/matron of honor, bridesmaids, mother, fiancé, etc. take care of some of the minor details. When people ask to help, take them up on their offer.
5. Stay Healthy. Get plenty of exercise, eat right and laugh. Aerobic exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Also, get plenty of sleep. Sleep can help with your mood, energy and focus. Humor is a great way to relieve stress. See the humor in situations, learn to laugh at yourself, and don’t take everything so seriously.
6. Take a break from all the wedding planning. Spend a weekend pampering yourself and relaxing. Go to a spa or just stay home and read a good book or watch movies.
7. Don’t stress over the small stuff.  Most of the time the small stuff is just that, small stuff. Your guests probably won’t notice anyway.
8. Don’t expect perfection. The higher your expectations, the bigger the disappointment if something doesn’t go right. Be prepared for unexpected problems and don't freak out if they do happen.
9. Don’t try to please everyone. Remember, it is your wedding, not your mother’s or future mother-in-law’s wedding.
10. Avoid people who may make your stress level go up. There are always some people, relatives or friends, that know how to "push your buttons". When you are feeling very stressed be sure to stay away from or limit you time with these people.

Beauty/Grooming

• Small bottle of foundation or powder for last minute touch ups
• Hair spray, barrettes and/or bobby pins and ponytail holders
• Brush, comb or pick
• Hand mirror
• Hand lotion
• Perfume
• Nail polish and remover
• Small hand towel
• Cotton Swabs
• Curling iron
• Scissors
• Mini manicure set (file, clippers, tweezers, etc.)

Attire

• Clear nail polish for runs in hose; nail polish remover
• Earring backs
• Emergency buttons
• Flat shoes, flip flops or ballet slippers
• Iron
• Extra pantyhose
• Safety pins
• Hem tape or masking tape (for last-minute ripped hems)
• Static cling and/or wrinkle out spray
• Small sewing kit, including thread that matches the wedding dress and wedding party clothes
• Lint brush

Miscellaneous

• Extra copies of directions to the reception
• Phone numbers of all service providers
• Small flashlight
• Cell phone or spare change for payphone

Health and Hygiene

• Antacid/upset stomach aid
• Pain reliever, such as aspirin. Tylenol®, or Advil®
• Antihistamine or cold remedy
• Any prescription medications you’re on
• Band-Aids® Equalactin (or similar product) to ease nervous stomach (irritable bowel)
• Breath mints or hard candy to ease a dry, scratchy throat and their scent is better than the medicinal scent of cough drops.
• Smelling salts in case someone passes out
• Feminine hygiene products
• Toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss
• Sunscreen (if activities will be outdoors)
• Eye drops
• Wet wipes or hand sanitizer
• Facial tissues
• Deodorant
• Bottled Water
• Snacks (crackers, cheese, fruit)

• Detailed description of the cake type, style, and description of the decorations.
• The number of layers and fillings for each layer if applicable.
• Type of frosting.
• Wedding date, time and location of delivery
• When, how, where and by whom the cake will be delivered (or picked up). Make sure to include the complete address of the delivery location.
• Name and contact information of the baker
• List of rented items (pillars, cake stand, cake table, etc.)
• Delivery and set-up fees
• Total price
• Deposit amount
• Balance and due date
• Baker’s cancellation and/or refund policy.

If you do your homework, buying your wedding cake will be a smooth process. Remember to be realistic, and don’t spend your entire wedding budget on your wedding cake.

• Flexibility - Will they custom bake a cake to your specifications?
• Is the cake made from scratch or is it from a cake mix?
• Request to see pictures of their work. Most bakers will have a portfolio of their cakes.
• Certain cakes are not good for particular seasons. For example, if you are planning an outdoor wedding in August, you want to avoid cakes with mousse, meringue, whipped cream or buttercream filling. Ask the baker what cakes are in season. 
• What is the price per serving? Prices can average between $1.50 a slice to $15 a slice depending on the cake you choose. The price depends on frosting, decorations, architecture, etc. Understand that the more elaborate the cake, the more expensive the "per serving" price will be.
• What are the extra charges? Most bakers charge for renting the pillars, columns, cake toppers, delivery and set-up. There may also be extra charges for certain cake fillings, flavors, styles, etc.
• Who will be setting up the cake?
• What do they provide in the set-up? Talk to your baker about how you’d like the cake table to be set up.
• If you plan on using fresh flowers on your cake, who is responsible for providing the flowers, the baker or the florist?

When interviewing the baker, make sure you know the number of servings required, your desired type and design, and your budget for the cake. Be up front with the baker about the maximum amount you are willing to spend on your cake and ask them if they are willing to negotiate.

Begin by calling bakeries or cake decorators in your area to check for date availability. If the date is open, this will give you an opportunity to make an appointment to go in and check out the designs, taste and skill level of the business. Many specialty cake decorators require you book six months to a year in advance to reserve your date, whereas commercial bakeries may require 3 months due to larger staff and their ability to do a larger quantity of cakes. The most hectic days for bakers are Thursday through Saturday since most weddings are on the weekends. It is a good idea to call and make an appointment to visit with the individual or bakery about your cake instead of just showing up when you have some free time. If you just walk in and expect undivided attention, you may  be disappointed if they do not have time to visit with you at that particular moment.

When setting up your appointment, ask the baker to provide samples of the cake flavors, icings, fillings, etc. during your interview. The taste, flavor and texture of the cake itself will be the most important decision you will make when you order your cake. The outside beauty of your wedding cake will be important for your pictures and your personal statement, but the inside of the cake is what you will be serving to your guests. You want a cake that is flavorful, moist and good to eat. Also ask if they can have pictures of some of their previous cakes available at the interview. This will give you an idea of what they are capable of

When it comes time to choose your flower girl, choose someone who is responsible and is old enough to take her role seriously. Avoid choosing someone who is too young. She can become confused and even scared walking down the aisle by herself.

After you have chosen your flower girl, make sure to sit down with her and explain what her role is, and help her to understand its importance. Seat her parents (or if she is your child, a close relative she is familiar with) on the aisle, near the front so that she can see them when she walks down the aisle. Assign a bridesmaid to be her buddy. Her buddy should make sure she uses the restroom before the ceremony and that her hair and dress are presentable. Don’t be too nervous if she makes a mistake like dumping all her flower petals in one spot, running down the aisle instead of walking, or starting to cry. Guests will only think it is cute. Keep in mind, the younger your flower girl, the more you have to be prepared for things to go wrong and be okay with whatever happens. If you’re the perfectionist type, choose an older flower girl, or go without one altogether.

The flower girl often wears a mini version of the bride’s dress, or a white dress with a sash that matches the bridesmaids’ dresses. However, any cute dress that ties into the look of your wedding will be suitable. Make sure the dress is comfortable and not too long. You don’t want your flower girl tripping down the aisle because her dress is too long. You can find flower girl dresses at most bridal shops, children’s clothing stores and department stores.

When it comes time to choose your ring bearer, choose someone who is responsible and is old enough to take his role seriously. Avoid choosing someone who is too young. He can become confused and even scared walking down the aisle by himself.

After you have chosen your ring bearer, make sure to sit down with him and explain what his role is, and help him to understand its importance. Seat his parents (or if he is your child, a close relative he is familiar with) on the aisle, near the front so that he can see them when he walks down the aisle. Assign a groomsman to be his buddy. His buddy should make sure he uses the restroom before the ceremony, his hair is combed, etc. Try to ease his anxiety by tying fake rings to the pillow and wait until he is about ready to walk down the aisle to give him the pillow. Ask his parents to bring a change of clothes for the reception. Most little boys don’t like to where dressy clothes and having a pair of casual clothes for the reception will make him more comfortable. Keep in mind, the younger your ring bearer, the more you have to be prepared for things to go wrong and be okay with whatever happens. If you’re the perfectionist type, choose an older ring bearer, or go without on altogether.

A ring bearer usually wears a tiny tuxedo (for that mini-groomsman look) or a nice suit. For the younger ring bearer, an Eton jacket with short pants is a classic. Most bridal and tuxedo rental shops have ring bearer suits available.

• Assist the bride getting into her dress, make-up and hair if needed.
• Ask the bride if she needs anything (food, water, etc.) all the way up until it is time for her to walk down the aisle.
• Assist the other bridesmaids on where to go and timing, especially if they show up late.
• Help make sure the bride has privacy if she needs some quiet time before the ceremony.
• If needed, assist guests to their seats and be social prior to the wedding. 
• Always be on the lookout for the unexpected problems and assist when needed. If you are close enough, fix what needs fixing so the bride, groom and their families can focus on the ceremony.
• Be social and dance at the reception.

Just like the maid of honor, your most important job will be to provide moral support and be a good listener. Keep in mind that planning a wedding is very stressful and you want to keep the bride calm and in a positive mood. It is a job to be taken seriously and will require a lot of work on your part.

• Offer to be the bride’s chauffer when she needs to scout out wedding locations, bridal shops, caterers, florists, etc.
• If you have nice penmanship or know how to do calligraphy, volunteer to address the invitations.
• The bride may need help ordering and choosing favors and decorations. Your opinions may be helpful in making decisions for narrowing down choices and making sure the decorations arrive on time for the wedding or shower.
• Be available if the bride asks you to go shopping for her wedding dress and or bridesmaids dresses.
• Make sure to pick up your bridesmaid dress in a reasonable amount of time in case of additional fittings or alterations.
• Often time, the groom does not want to go to register with his bride-to-be. You can be very supportive by going with your friend to register for her wedding gifts as well as letting other guests know where the bride and groom are registered.
• Assist the bride with seating arrangements at the reception.
• Assist the Maid/Matron of Honor in planning the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party.
• Attend any pre-wedding parties (engagement, showers, bachelorette, etc.)
• Attend and help out during the rehearsal dinner.

Before the Wedding:

• Help to advise the groom, keep him organized and aid with any wedding planning. 
• Assists in picking out formalwear, attend any fittings, and pay for formalwear
• Help plan and pay for the bachelor party
• Attend any pre-wedding parties (engagement party, co-ed showers, etc.)
• Attend wedding rehearsal and dinner

The Wedding Day:

• Help the groom relax and get dressed
• Seat guests in reserved or special sections as instructed in the rehearsal.
• The head groomsman is responsible for escorting the mother of the bride to her seat, unless one of her relatives is among the ushers.
• Instruct guests where to place wedding gifts brought to the ceremony
• Wait with the groom at the alter
• Escort the bridesmaids after the recessional
• Stand in the receiving line
• Dance with the bridesmaids during the bridal party dance.
• Help the best man decorate the bride and groom’s going away vehicle
• Help carry away gifts and personal items after the wedding

Just like the best man, your most important job will be to provide moral support and be a good listener. Keep in mind that planning a wedding is very stressful and you want to keep the groom calm and in a positive mood. It is a job to be taken seriously and will require a lot of work on your part.

• Make sure the groom gets dressed and to the church on time. If there’s anything the groom needs, it is the best man’s job to get it for him.
• Make sure the groom has the marriage license with him.
• Make sure the ushers arrive on time and review their duties with them.
• Make sure all ushers receive their boutonnieres.
• Hold the bride’s ring until the designated time in the ceremony.
• Witnessing and signing the marriage certificate.
• Escorting the maid/matron of honor in the wedding ceremony recession
• Paying the minister, organist, etc.
• Make sure the ushers seat the guests properly at the reception
• Give the first toast
• Socialize with the guests and making introductions (if necessary).
• Decorate the bride and groom’s going away vehicle.
• If needed, drive the bride and groom to a hotel or the airport
• Help maid/matron of honor bring gifts to the bride and groom’s home.
• Make sure all rented formalwear (including the groom’s tux) is returned.

Your most important job will be to provide moral support and be a good listener. Keep in mind that planning a wedding is very stressful and you want to keep the groom calm and in a positive mood. It is a job to be taken seriously and will require a lot of work on your part.

Before the Wedding:

• Assist the groom in any wedding planning.
• Along with the groomsmen, plan and pay for the bachelor party.
• Rent a tux and go for fittings. Arrange formalwear fittings for the groomsmen.
• Help the groom pack for his honeymoon. Make sure he has all necessary travel documents (passports, visas, etc)
• Arrange for transportation for you and the groom to the ceremony and reception.
• Arrange for the going away vehicle (car, limo, carriage, etc.) for the bride and groom after the reception (if necessary). You will also be in charge of decorating the vehicle.
• Prepare a toast and/or speech for the reception.
• Make sure groom has all necessary documents for the marriage ceremony.
• Attend the wedding rehearsal and dinner.

You

Be there for your bride to be. While in most cases, the groom’s involvement in the wedding planning will be limited, from time to time every bride is going to need help dealing with the pressures of the process. Be her shoulder to cry on if she needs one. Stress levels will be high for both of you as the planning takes shape, so be understanding of that. She might become irritable as the stress mounts, so be there to allow her to vent her frustrations. Offer to perform some of the endless tasks she has on her list to alleviate some of the pressure. Sitting back doing nothing while she does all the work will not help your bride’s stress level. It will probably make it worse. Offer to help plan the wedding. Keep in mind that most brides have been planning their big day for years, so realize that she might already know exactly what she wants and how she wants it done. Even if you end up not helping, at least you offered. Let her know your opinions on the planning. If you really don’t agree with something she has planned, try asking her why she chose that particular item. The flowered head dresses she wants you both to wear might be a long-running family tradition. Better to ask the question than to just tell her how dumb you think you’re going to look in them and upset her when she’s already stressed out enough.

The Second Most Important Person in the Wedding

This one should be pretty self-explanatory. Your bride has dreamed of her wedding day since she started playing with Bridal Barbie when she was five. Most guys don’t start thinking of their wedding day until they’re actually engaged. While this does vary, remember that your bride-to-be will be the most beautiful bride in the history of the marital process. She’s the one that will walk down the aisle while everyone stands and watches, she’ll be the one to throw the bouquet to all her jealous friends, and she’ll be the one that glows the entire day. If everyone else is going to treat her like a queen on her wedding day, why should you be any different? You should be her biggest fan. Lay your pride aside and let her be the most important person in your world and everyone else’s on your wedding day.

Love of the Bride’s Life

The woman you are marrying is pledging the rest of her life to you. She deserves to be cherished, pampered, and loved with all you have. That beautiful person that you are going to be waking up next to for the rest of your life is a gift. Marriage vows do not lessen her worth, they make her that much more valuable. You worked awfully hard during the dating, engagement, and planning process to make her feel like your whole world. Why stop now? Remind her each and every day how extremely happy you are to be her friend and husband.

• While the bride and groom, family and wedding party are having formal photographs taken, have waiters serve your guests cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

Hour 2:

• The wedding party is announced. Traditionally they are announced in the following order: groom’s parents, bride’s parents, flower girl and ring bearer, bridesmaids escorted by groomsmen, maid/ matron of honor escorted by the best man and finally the Bride and Groom.
• Bride and Groom’s first dance
• Champagne toast (marks the end of cocktail hour and cash bar begins).
• Dinner served or announcement is made for people to begin going up to the buffet.

Hour 3:

• The bride and groom cut cake.
• Special dances in order: Bride and Groom’s first dance (only if it wasn’t done in hour 2)
• Bride with her father, then the Groom with his mother, and Wedding party dance.

Hour 4:

• Bouquet toss
• Garter toss
• Bride and Groom’s last dance
• Bride and Groom’s grand exit

• Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
• The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli
• I Believe in You and Me by Whitney Houston
• Me and You by Kenny Chesney
• Valentine by Martina McBride
• Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
• I Will Go With You (Con Te Partiro) by Donna Summer
• You Were Meant For Me by Jewel
• Every Breath You Take by The Police
• Faithfully by Journey
• Greatest Love All by Whitney Houston
• Have I Told You Lately That I Love You by Rod Stewart
• Take My Breath Away by Berlin
• You Light Up My Life by Debby Boone
• Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
• Beautiful In My Eyes by Joshua Kadison
• Here and Now by Luther Vandross
• When I Fall In Love by Celine Dion and Clive Griffin
• I Could Fall In Love by Selena
• Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban
• Lady In Red by Chris DeBurgh
• Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Henry Mancini
• Cherish by Kool and the Gang
• We’ve Only Just Begun by The Carpenters
• Honestly by Stryper

Read: Part 1: 1-25

• From This Moment by Shania Twain
• I Do, Cherish You by 98 Degrees
• Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion
• I Cross My Heart by George Strait
• I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden
• I Need You by Leeann Rimes
• Everything I Do (I Do It For You) by Bryan Adams
• Power of Love by Celine Dion
• Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers
• Amazed by Lonestar
• Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden
• At Last by Etta James
• Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
• I Swear by John Michael Montgomery
• I Finally Found Someone by Barbara Streisand and Bryan Adams
• Don’t Know Much by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville
• After All by Cher and Peter Cetera
• Tonight I Celebrate My Love by Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson
• Unforgettable by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole
• I Love the Way You Love Me by John Michael Montgomery
• When I Said I Do by Lisa Hartman-Black and Clint Black
• You Had Me at Hello by Kenny Chesney
• Always by Atlantic Starr
• Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie
• Your Love Amazes Me by John Berry

Read: Part 2: 26 - 50

Unfortunately, it seems that these basic principles have been long forgotten when it comes to planning a wedding. Today many couples are asking, "How can I ask for money in lieu of gifts" or "How do I let my guests know where I am registered." First and foremost, it is NEVER appropriate to ask for money as a gift. Couples should not plan on getting money or certain gifts, but one helpful way that couples can assist their guests in purchasing gifts is by using a bridal registry. A bridal registry is a way of communicating what the couple would like to receive. News of where a couple is registered should be passed along by word of mouth from close friends and family members and never, ever included with the wedding invitation. If you are sending out Save the Date cards, it is acceptable to mention where the bride and groom are registered.

You should send out thank you notes as you start receiving gifts. The thank you notes should be hand written and should mention the specific gift you received. If you receive cash or a gift certificate, yon should NEVER thank the person for the $25 they sent you, but instead mention how yon plan to use the money or certificate.

2. Frostings infused with unusual flavors like amaretto, champagne, hazelnut, Kahlua, mocha, rum, strawberry cream, etc.

3. Frostings with a lustrous opalescent or pearlescent finish.

4. Cakes featuring a charming whimsy of wild, vivid colors, out of the ordinary shapes and off kilter tiers.

5. Different flavors of cake, fillings and icings for each layer of the cake. However, keep in mind that variety is expensive, so if on are on a budget, stick to one flavor for all layers.

6. A smaller, ornately decorated cake for the cake cutting ceremony and plainer, individual cakes for the guests. You could also have a tower of cupcakes for the guests that coordinate with the cutting cake.

7. Cakes decorated with fresh flowers and greenery. However, keep in mind that fresh flowers are often treated with insecticides and pesticides as well as chemicals to keep them fresh longer. Some flowers and greenery may be harmful if ingested, so make your selections carefully. Make sure all inedible flowers are removed from the cake before it is sliced and served, and if you have edible flowers make sure that they are chemical free.

8. Personalized Cakes. Personalization is very popular at weddings and this often extends to the cake. Couples are using their initials intertwined in icing on the cake or a monogrammed cake topper carved from a block of sugar. Some couples go as far as putting edible pictures of themselves on the cake.

9. It has been the tradition to save the top layer of the wedding cake by freezing it and eating it on your first anniversary. However, this idea sounds better than it tastes. Many couples are choosing to celebrate their first anniversary with a cake made in the same flavor as their wedding cake. And it tastes better too!

10. Incorporating a personal hobby or interest into your cake. For example, if you and your fiancé enjoy the beach, have an ocean themed cake decorated with chocolate or sugared candies shaped like fish and shells.

Buttercream - A smooth, creamy icing that stays soft. It can be in any color and flavor. Also makes a good filling. As the name suggests, buttercream contains a lot of butter, so it melts easily in heat and humidity.

Cornelli - An elaborate piping technique that yields a lacelike pattern.

Dotted Swiss - A piping technique that forms tiny dots in random patterns that resemble dotted Swiss fabric.

Dragees - Round, edible sugar balls coated with silver or gold coloring and used for decorative purposes.

Fondant - A sweet, elastic icing made of sugar, corn syrup and gelatin, then rolled out and draped over a cake. It makes a nice firm base for gum paste flowers and decorative details. A fondant cake should not be refrigerated.

Ganache - A sweet, rich chocolate that is made of chocolate and heavy cream. It is denser than mousse but less dense than fudge, and can he used as either an icing or filling. It becomes very soft in humid weather.

Genoise - A light and airy sponge cake. Melted, unsalted butter is added to the batter, making it more tender, flavorful and less sweet than a regular sponge cake. This cake is named after its place of origin, Genoa, Italy.

Gum Paste - A mixture of sugar, cornstarch and gelatin. It is used to mold realistic- looking flowers and fruits garnishes for cake. These decorations are edible and will last for several years.

Latticework - A piping technique that uses an open criss-cross pattern.

Marzipan - A paste made of ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. It is used to mold edible flowers and fruit garnishes for cake. It can also be rolled into sheets like Fondant and used as icing.

Pastillage - An icing made of sugar and gum based paste. It is rolled out and used to cover cakes and to mold flowers or sculptures.

Pillars - Used to separate the layers of a tiered cake. They can be made of plastic or wood in several heights to achieve the desired look.

Piping - Decorative details created using a pastry bag and various metal tips. Piping details including basket-weave and lattice patterns, borders, flowers, leaves, dots, etc.

Pulled Sugar - A technique in which boiled sugar is manipulated and pulled to produce flowers, bows and other sculpture pieces.

Royal Icing - A mixture of egg whites and confectioners sugar. It is an icing that begins as a soft paste and can be piped from a pastry bag to create garnishments on a cake. When it dries, its texture is hard and brittle. Refrigeration is not recommended.

Torte - A dense cake that does not use leavening agents (baking powder or baking soda).

Whipped Cream - A heavy cream that is beaten to achieve a thick consistency. This is not recommended as an icing because it melts easily in warm temperatures

2. Consider buying your cake from a culinary school. If students are baking and decorating wedding cakes as part of their curriculum, you may be able to get a really great deal on a cake.

3. Keep decorations simple. Don’t select a cake with elaborate decorations.

4. If you want an elaborate cake, ask your baker if you can provide some of the extras. You can find sugar flowers, ribbons, dragees (round edible sugar balls) and marzipan at cake decorating or pastry shops.

5. Order an elaborate, smaller "display" cake for the ceremonial cake cutting. Then have sheet cakes of the same recipe and design made to serve the guests.

6. Consider having a small cake for the ceremonial cake cutting and cupcakes decorated in a similar fashion to the ceremonial cake at each place setting. Decorated cupcakes can also be set at the cake table, stacked on a tiered server of some kind. Cupcakes are a great idea if you are not into lavishly decorated cakes and are on a budget. It also adds a little fun and individuality to the reception.

7. Don’t save the top tier. Many couples save the top of their cake to eat on their first anniversary, yet don’t eat it because after a year in the freezer, it is does not taste very good. Time does not improve the quality or appearance of wedding cake. If you want to preserve the tradition, try keeping just one or two pieces of the top tier. Or, for your anniversary, have a duplicate of the top tier made.

8. Consider asking for a cake topper on your gift registry or as a wedding shower gift. Make sure you are clear on what type of topper you want.

9. Order less cake. If you plan on serving a dessert in addition to the wedding cake, or having a sweets table, plan on fewer servings of your cake and serve smaller portions.

10. Don’t have a groom’s cake.

During the middle Ages, guests were expected to bring their own little cakes to the wedding celebration. The cakes were piled up in a tiered cluster and it became traditional for the couple to kiss over the cluster of cakes. Later, a clever baker decided to gather all these small cakes together and cover them with frosting. Thus, the modem tiered cake was born. It is said he was inspired by the unusual shape of the spire of Saint Bride’s Church in London.

Cutting the wedding cake is now a traditional part of the wedding reception. Traditionally, the newlyweds make the first cut together, symbolizing their shared life together. Every guest is expected to eat a little of the cake in order to bring good luck to the bride and groom. It is said that a single woman who sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow will dream of her future husband. Furthermore, it is considered good luck for the bride and groom to save the top tier of their wedding cake and eat it on their first anniversary.

Flowers for the Wedding Party:

• Bride's Bouquet
• Tossing Bouquet
• Matron/Maid of Honor Bouquet
• Bridesmaid Bouquets
• Corsage for Mother of Bride
• Corsage for Mother of Groom
• Corsage for Grandmother of Bride
• Corsage for Grandmother of Groom
• Corsage for Flower Girl and petals for her basket
• Corsage for Guest Book Attendant(s)
• Corsage for Readers
• Corsages for any other important female guests
• Boutonniere for Groom
• Boutonniere for Best Man
• Boutonniere for Groomsrnen
• Boutonnieres for Ushers
• Boutonniere for Father of the Groom
• Boutonniere for Father of the Bride
• Boutonniere for Grandfather of the Groom
• Boutonniere for Grandfather of the Bride
• Boutonniere for Ring Bearer
• Boutonniere for any other important male guests

Flowers for the Wedding Ceremony:

• Entranceway
• Alter
• Kneeling Bench
• Pews

Flowers for the Reception:

• Bridal Table
• Cake Table
• Drink table
• Guest Tables
• Buffet Table(s)
• Bandstand and/or DJ table
• Gift Table
• Guest Book Table

Marry when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true. When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate, If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know, Marry in April when you can, joy for maiden and for man. Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day. Marty when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go. Those who in July do wed must labor for their daily bread. Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see, Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine. If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry. If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember. When December snows fail fast, marry and true love will last.

May was considered an unlucky month due to several Pagan traditions. Summer began in May with the festival of Baltane, which was celebrated with outdoor orgies. It was considered an unsuitable time to begin married life. In Roman times, the Feast of the Dead and the festival of the goddess of chastity both occurred in May, In the Victorian Era, this advice was taken more seriously than it is today. It is rumored that Queen Victoria forbade her children to marry in May, It was also considered inappropriate to marry during Lent, as it was a time of abstinence. Thus was born the rhyme: Marry in Lent, live to repent,

June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in because it is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage. It was believed that getting married in June would bring prosperity and happiness to the newlyweds. June also signified the end of Lent and the arrival of warmer weather. Summer as a whole was considered a good time to marry in part due to the sun's association with fertility. If married in June, the bride was likely to birth her first child in the Spring, allowing her enough time to recover before the fail harvest. April, November and December were also good months to get married in, since these months did not conflict with peak farm work months. October was a favorable month, signifying a bountiful harvest.

Choosing the right day was also important. Today, most weddings are held on a Saturday, but in the past, this day was considered unlucky. In fact, every day of the week had a specific meaning. In the Victorian era, the ladies would follow this rhyme when considering the day of the week for her wedding:

Monday is for wealth Tuesday is for health Wednesday is the best day of all Thursday is for losses Friday is for crosses Saturday is for no luck at all

Friday was considered the most unlucky day to marry, while Wednesday was the best day. Sunday was once considered the most popular day to get married, as it was the only day most people were free from work. But in the seventeenth century, Puritans put a stop to this because they thought it was improper to be festive on the Sabbath.

It is considered lucky to marry when the second-hand of the clock is going up instead of going down.

If you do not already know your bride-to-be's ring size, there are two methods to find out; the stealthy and the not-so-stealthy methods.

Let's discuss the stealthy method. If you are planning to pop the big question as a surprise, do not ask her ring size in casual conversation. One of the reasons why you are marrying her is that she is a bright woman of the world, and will immediately be wise to what you are planning, Your cover will be blown!

Instead, ask her mother, sister, close friend, or call one of her close co-workers to enlist their help in your sneaky endeavors. If all of these people are unsure, you can ask them to casually bring up the conversation of rings and ring size to find out her precise size. People can be quite creative in coming up with ways to find out information they want or need to know. Make sure whoever you ask for help is fully aware that this is a SECRET SURPRISE!

If you are feeling a bit unsure whether or not your bride-to-be will like your selection, keep in mind that she is sure to love anything you buy for her. Remember, it is a symbol of the love you have for her. You are now armed with the information you need and she's none the wiser.

A not so stealthy method is to propose without the ring. Some bride's do not like surprises. Although most may trust your taste and judgment implicitly, keep in mind that she will be wearing the ring for the duration of your lives together and may like some say in the matter.

You can still make this a bit of a surprise by taking your fiance out for the evening and at a romantic point in the evening, you can say something to this effect, "I know I will never be the person I could be without you in my life forever, I was planning on surprising you with a ring but I want you to be a part in helping me chose a ring that I know you will love as much as you love me". You are creative, you can come up with something to say but be sure you have a specific date in mind that you want to go ring shopping and tell her the date that evening.

You can also surprise your bride-to-be by purchasing a loose stone and dropping it in a glass of champagne. Be sure she sees the stone before she has a sip, then you can propose! By going this route, it shows you have taken the time to purchase the ring, or at least in part, and you are asking for her hand in marriage. The two of you can then set a date to see your jeweler to select a setting that you will both be pleased and happy with your selection. She will still be as equally surprised and delighted by your romantic gesture.

Another suggestion to proposing without the ring is to attend a sporting event with your favorite girl but pre-arrange for the arena to pop the question between innings or at half-time on the score board. Sports arenas are generally very accommodating and willing to work with you because it usually makes the news and that means free advertising for them. This is a really fun way to ask her to marry you and it is certainly a surprise. You can then go ring shopping together.

You are now ready to go shopping. The first thing to remember is it doesn't hurt to ask questions, and a reputable jeweler is not going to be "put off" by your questions. You are making a very important purchase that is intended to last a lifetime, so don't be intimidated. You are the customer. Happy Shopping and Good Luck!

• Brilliant Cut Round - This shape is considered the standard for all other diamond shapes and accounts for more than 75% of diamonds sold today. Its 58-facet cut, divided among its crown (top), girdle (widest part) and pavilion (base), is calibrated through a precise formula to achieve the maximum in fire and brilliance.
• Oval - An even, perfectly symmetrical design popular among women with small hands or short fingers. Its elongated shape gives a flattering illusion of length to the hand.
• Marquise - An elongated shape with pointed ends. Legend has it that the shape was inspired by the fetching smile of the Marquise de Pompadour and commissioned by France's Louis XIV, who wanted a diamond to match it. It is gorgeous when used as a solitaire or when enhanced by smaller side diamonds.
• Pear - Also known as the teardrop; it is a hybrid cut, combining the best of the oval and the marquise. It is shaped like a sparkling teardrop. It also belongs to that category of diamond whose design most compliments a hand with small or average length fingers.
• Heart - This ultimate symbol of romance is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top. The skill of the cutter determines the beauty of the cut. Look for a stone with an even shape and a well-defined outline.
• Emerald - A rectangular-shaped stone with round cut corners. It is known as a step cut because of its concentric broad, flat planes resemble stair steps. Since inclusions and inferior color are more pronounced in this particular cut, you should take extra steps to select a stone of superior clarity and color.
• Princess - A square or rectangular cut with numerous sparkling facets. It is a relatively new cut and often chosen for a solitaire engagement ring. This shape is flattering for a hand with long fingers. Because of its design, this shape requires more weight to be directed toward the diamond's depth in order to maximize brilliance.
• Radiant - This square or rectangular cut combines the elegance of the emerald shape diamond with the brilliance of the round and its 70 facets maximize the effect of its color refraction. Due to its design, this shape requires more weight to be directed toward the diamond's depth in order to maximize brilliance.
• Cushion - An antique style of cut that looks like a cross between an Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut.

The cut of a stone or the number of facets a stone has determines the amount of light that can be reflected by the stone therefore giving the stone its sparkling appearance. A diamond that is cut with a larger table appears larger but it may lose some of its sparkle because the underside is not as faceted and deep. It is important to compare several stones with the same shape to make an informed decision.

You can buy a "lemon" diamond as easily as you can buy a "lemon" car. The most widely recognized system of grading and classifying diamonds in the U.S. is the system set forth by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Make sure your jeweler uses this classification system for grading diamonds. If your jeweler does not use this designation system, make sure you ask them to translate their grading system into the standards set forth by the GIA. What this means for the buyer is that there is a standard that each individual appraiser or gemologist that is GIA certified should grade the diamond by exactly the same standards as someone else. This will help you establish a baseline for comparison as to how much a particular stone within the same GIA specifications should cost when compared to a like stone with the same specifications.

Diamonds are weighed in terms of full carats and fractions of carats and are priced accordingly after all other areas are factored, for example: a diamond with a weight of .48 is slightly under 1/2 carat and a diamond weighing 1.2 carat is slightly over 1 carat. It is important to know that if a diamond is on the fringe of being a full carat, .85, .93, .97 etc. a jeweler will round the price up to the full carat weight. This can translate into more money you will have to spend. If you are buying between a one and two carat diamond, you should stay away from anything with a weight greater than 1.75, by doing so, this can save you a lot of money.

Clouds and feathers sound like soft and romantic terms but when buying a diamond they are not nice words. Professional jewelers rate the clarity of a stone by the number of these naturally occurring elements within a particular diamond. Errors when the diamond was cut, carbon spots, nitrogen bubbles, and cracks in the stone are all considered to be inclusions. The clarity scale according to the GIA begins with an "FL" meaning flawless which contains no imperfections, to "VVS" meaning very, very small spots, "VS" meaning very small spots, all the way down to an "I3" rating, which means the stone has obvious inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye. If you have plenty of cash to spend on an engagement ring, you will want to go with an "FL" grade diamond. Most people can only afford "VVS1" or "VS2" graded diamonds.

There are a few factors to consider when shopping for an engagement: ring. One of the first being will her engagement ring be used in conjunction with her wedding ring? Most engagement rings are worn with the wedding ring so you will want to keep this in mind when selecting a style of ring. You'll want to buy something that can fit to a wedding band since most women have their engagement ring and wedding bands soldered together. Most jewelry stores offer a selection of bridal sets which include an engagement ring and a wedding band that is made to fit together.

The second thing to consider when purchasing the ring is the cost involved. We have all seen the infamous advertisement suggesting two months salary should be spent on his fiance's ring but, as much as we would like that to happen, it is not always realistic. Remember, the engagement ring you are purchasing for your bride is a symbol of your love and your long-term commitment toward her. Keep in mind the amount of money you spend or the size of the stone does not equate to the strength of your love, Basically, do not go overboard and buy a ring that you will still be paying for when your first child is beginning college!

When shopping for a diamond, look for the Four C's: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.

Cut - Refers to the angles and proportions a skilled craftsman makes when transforming a rough diamond into a polished diamond. A well-cut diamond will reflect light internally from one mirror-like facet to another, dispersing it through the top of the stone. In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less brilliance. Many people confuse the 'cut' of a diamond with the 'shape' of the diamond. Shape refers to the general outward appearance of the stone (round, square, emerald, marquise, etc.) whereas the cut refers to the reflective quality of the diamond,

Color - Colorless is the most desirable and the most difficult to find. Most diamonds on the market will have hints of color. Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the Gemological Institute of American (GIA) ranging from D (colorless) to Z (the worst). Grades D-F are considered "colorless"; G-I "near colorless"; J-M have a yellow tint that is considered a 'warm' glow. You should never buy a diamond below an M, Almost all diamonds show a trace of fire. Fire is the diamonds ability to refract and disperse white light into all colors of the rainbow.

GIA Code:	Appearance:
D	Colorless
E - H	Almost no color
I - J	Very dull color
K - L	Slight color
M - R	Progressive color
S - Z	A lot of color

Clarity - A term that refers to the measurement of the diamond's flaws, or inclusions that are seen in the diamond. These tiny flaws are formed by minerals, air bubbles, scratches or fractures while the diamond is forming in the earth. The less inclusions a diamond has, the more valuable and beautiful it is. Clarity levels begin with Flawless and move down to Included:

• Flawless (F) - no Internal or external inclusions.
• Internally Flawless (IF) - no internal inclusions, slight external inclusions.
• Very Very Slightly Included (WS1 & WS2) - minute inclusions that are very difficult to detect under a 10x magnification, even by an experienced diamond grader.
• Very Slightly Included (VS1 & VS2) - minute inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye and seen only with difficulty under lOx magnification.
• Slightly Included (SI1 & SI2) - invisible to the naked eye, yet easily seen by an experienced diamond grader under 10x magnification.
• Included (I1-I3) - inclusions are visible to the naked eye and affect brilliance.

An engagement ring does not have to be a diamond, but it is the most widely purchased stone for an engagement ring. In fact, it wasn't until 1939 that the diamond engagement ring became popular. The DeBeers Company, the world's largest miner and marketer of diamonds, created a brilliant advertising campaign that made the diamond the stone to have in an engagement ring. Before the diamond became popular, Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald were popular stone choices for engagement rings. Whatever stone you choose, it can be set in traditional gold, white gold, the ever popular platinum, and even silver.

It is not uncommon now days for a couple to go together and shop for an engagement ring. Having her input when picking out the ring ensures she gets what she likes in an engagement ring. Of course if you want to be traditional and surprise her, there are other ways to begin shopping for the ring. Ask your married or engaged friends where they got their engagement rings, ask your future fiancé's mother or best friend for her input. Don't be pressured into buying a ring from an expensive jewelry store. These Stores often mark up their jewelry 300%. You can find the same quality engagement rings at gold and diamond outlet stores as you will in those high priced jewelry stores at the mall. If you are on a budget don't be afraid to shop the sales. Just because the ring is marked down doesn't mean there's something wrong with it. Be on the lookout for stores carrying the American Gem Corporation (AGC) sign to ensure quality gemstones.

Your renter's or homeowner's insurance probably offers coverage for the theft of jewelry. However, many policies have limitations and you should look into what your policy offers before purchasing insurance on your ring. Both will have a set limit for loss of jewelry. Your insurance coverage may or may not cover lost or damaged items. Be sure to read your policy cautiously and fully understand the coverage. You can always purchase extra coverage for your jewelry.

Here are some questions you will need to ask your agent about this type of coverage:

1. Is there a deductible? If yes, how much? How does raising or lowering the
   deductible affect the cost of your policy?
2. Is an appraisal required? Are there only certain types of appraisers whose reports
   are accepted?
3. Are the items covered no matter where they are, such as during domestic and
   international travel?
4. Are the items covered for full replacement cost? Must you replace them or can
   you get a cash settlement?
5. Does the policy cover repairs to jewelry that is damaged?

There are many things you can do to prevent damage to your wedding ring. Be sure to have a jeweler periodically check your ring for loose prongs, worn mountings, etc. Periodic inspections are usually part of the stores warranty any way. so it will be inexpensive, if not free. Whenever you take off your ring, always put it in the same place. That way, you won't ever forget where you put it. If you remove your ring to wash your hands, be careful not to leave it by the sink where it can accidentally fall down the drain. Be careful while cleaning or doing household chores. Harsh chemicals can damage precious stones and metals, and a rough blow can easily knock a stone from its setting. Be careful not to lose your ring when you go for a swim, especially if your fingers are already slippery from sunscreen.

You are ultimately responsible for protecting your fine jewelry. Treat your wedding rings like the treasures they are and take good care of them.

• If you are buying a tux, make sure alterations are finished and go for a final fitting. If the tux still doesn't fit, you will still have time to make final alterations.
• Plan rehearsal dinner with your parents
• Consult with your fiancee and arrange lodging for out-of-town relatives and groomsmen
• Purchase gifts for your groomsmen
• Choose the bride's wedding present. It is traditional to exchange gifts on the wedding night. It's usually something personal, like fine jewelry or a watch.
• Make sure all documents are in order (legal, insurance, financial, medical, and religious)
• Attend bachelor party!
• Pick up wedding rings and check the engraving
• Go with your fiancee to get the marriage license
• Arrange for transportation from the reception to your hotel, airport or train

One Week Before:

• Give the best man the officiant's fee (in a sealed envelope), He will then give it to the minister after the ceremony
• Select your going-away clothes for you to change into after the reception
• Pack for your honeymoon
• Remind your groomsmen of the rehearsal and dinner details. Present gifts to attendants at the rehearsal dinner
• Arrange for rental returns
• Get a haircut
• Get a manicure clean buffed nails only!

One Day Before:

• If you are renting a tux, pick up your tux. Be sure to try it on one last time.
• Make sure your groomsmen, father and ring bearer get their tuxes too, and make sure they try there's on also.
• If you are renting or even buying the tuxedos, double check that all the elements are included and that the) are the sizes needed, (Jacket, Trousers, Shirt, Tie, Vest or Cumberband, Shoes, and Dress-socks)
• If you are dressing somewhere other than at home, pack your attire and grooming products (Hair products, Deodorant, Tie, Vest Cumberband or Belt Coat or Jacket, Cuff links and studs, Watch, Dress Shirt, Trousers, Undershirt, Underwear, Shoes and Socks, Wedding Rings)

The Big Day!

• Shave
• Take a shower
• Remember the deodorant!
• Check to make sure you have the rings
• Don't forget the rings!
• Give groom's wedding band to Maid/Matron of Honor and bride's wedding band to Best Man prior to ceremony
• Take a deep breathe, take one last look in the mirror, and get ready to see your bride walk down the aisle.

Read Part 1

• Discuss the style of the wedding and the budget with your fiancee and both sets of parents
• Along with your fiancee, select your minister

Six Months Before the Wedding

• Choose your best man
• Decide how many ushers you will need and select them. It is recommended that you have one usher per every 50 guests.
• Meet with the minister to discuss the ceremony
• Start your guest list
• Select a gift registry
• Discuss honeymoon plans. If you plan on traveling abroad, get all documents required for travel (passports, visas, etc.)

Three Months Before the Wedding:

• Give your fiancee your completed guest list
• Order wedding attire for yourself, the groomsmen, fathers and ring bearer
• Arrange transportation to the ceremony and reception (limousine, carriage, etc.)
• Complete honeymoon plans (buy tickets, book hotel, etc.)
• Order wedding rings and have them engraved
• Arrange to pay for the bride's bouquet and going-away corsage
• Order boutonnieres for men, and corsages for mothers
• See your doctor for exams and blood test if required

• Crosswyck-This collar style crosses in the front and is fastened with a shiny button.
• Mandarin Collar-Also known as a band collar, this collar stands up around the neck and is the most contemporary-style tuxedo shirt. For those who don't like to wear ties, this is the perfect choice for you!
• Spread Collar-Resembles a standard button-front shirt but with a wide division between the points in front. The wider collar looks great with a Euro or standard necktie tied in a Windsor knot.
• Wing Collar-This is the most formal choice and the collar style most worn with tuxedo jackets. It features a stand up collar with downward points.

Sleeve Cuffs:

• French Cuffs, which are folded over and closed with cuff links
• Cuffs that close with a button
• Standard dress-shirt cuffs held together with cuff links

Neckwear:

• Ascot - This is a wide, formal tie that is usually patterned, folded over, and fastened with a stickpin or tie tack. It is usually reserved for ultra-formal daytime weddings and worn with a cutaway coat and striped gray trousers.
• Bolo Tie - If you are having a Western-themed wedding, this string tie is just for you! It should not be worn with ultra-formal wear, but with more casual attire.
• Bow Tie - Usually worn with a classic tux. They come in several colors besides basic black. White is reserved for ultra-formal events, while colored ties are suitable for any occasion.
• Euro Tie - This is a cross between the ascot and the regular necktie. It is a long, square-buttoned tie knotted at the neck and worn with a wing or spread collar shirt. The Euro tie offers a more formal look without the fussiness of an ascot.
• Necktie - You can also wear a classic tie with your tux, to create a more casual, yet elegant, wedding look. A silver or blue tie will be dressy enough for a tux.

Accessories:

• Cummerbunds - These are pleated swatches of fabric worn around the waist when you're not wearing a vest. They are usually basic black, but you can choose a colored cummerbund to match the bridesmaid dresses or the wedding colors.
• Vests - Also known as waistcoats. They can be in any color, choose a white tie and waistcoat for an ultra-formal evening wedding. A colored waistcoat instead of a cummerbund is also acceptable.
• Cuff Links - These can be used to add a personal touch to your wedding ensemble.

Read Part 1

• Cutaway-Also known as a morning coat, this style is for formal daytime weddings. This coat is short in the front, long in the back, and tapers from the front waist button to a wide back tail. Cutaway jackets are either black or gray and are worn with matching plain or striped pants.
• Full Dress-Also known as tails or tailcoat, this style of jacket is cropped in front, with two tails in the back and a two- to six-button front. This style of jacket is usually worn at ultra-formal evening weddings.
• Mandarin, Nahru, or Mao jacket-This jacket features a stand-up collar with no lapel and is worn with a Mandarin-collared shirt.
• Stroller Coat-A semi-formal suit jacket similar to a tuxedo. This style is typically worn at weddings that take place before four o'clock in the afternoon. It usually comes in black or charcoal gray.
• Tuxedo-This is the most common and classic tux jacket, worn at formal and semi-formal events. This type of jacket offers a number of choices:
  •Single Breasted, with a one to four button front.
  •Double Breasted, with a two to six button front
  •3 lapel choices-peaked, notched or shawl (see below for more lapel information).

Lapels:

• Notched Lapel-This type of lapel features a triangular indention where it joins the collar. This is considered the least formal lapel style.
• Peaked Lapel-This broad, V-shaped lapel points up and out just below the collar line.
• Shawl Collar-This style features a smooth, rounded lapel with no notch.

Trousers:
If you choose a formal tuxedo, your trousers should match your jacket in style and color. If you'll be in a formal daytime wedding and will wear a stroller or cutaway coat, wear gray or gray pinstriped trousers.

Read Part 2

1. Place a tissue over the printed wording.
2. If you have direction, gift registry, at home card or other enclosure cards, place these on top of the tissue. The wording faces upward.
3. The reception card is placed on top of the tissue.
4. Tuck the respond card under the respond envelope flap.
5. Place the respond card/envelope on top of the reception card. The return address on the envelope faces upward.
6. Place the assembled card into the inner envelope. This is the envelope that has no gum on the flap and is lined with a color (if you ordered the optional color lined envelopes). The front of the invitation should face the back flap of the inner envelope.
7. Close the flap on the inner envelope.
8. Place the inner envelope into the outer envelope, this is the envelope with the gummed flap and your return address printed on the back flap (if you ordered the optional return address). The front of the inner envelope should face the back flap of the outer envelope.

Read Part 1

1. Fold the invitation on the indented lines.
2. Place a tissue over the printed wording. If your main invitation wording is printed inside of the card, your tissue and enclosure cards will be inside the card. If your main wording is printed on the outside of the card, your tissue and enclosure cards will be outside the card.
3. If you have direction, gift registry, at home cards, or other enclosure cards, place these on top of the tissue. The wording faces upward.
4. The reception card is placed on top of the tissue or miscellaneous enclosure cards.
5. Tuck the respond card under the respond envelope flap.
6. Place the respond card/envelope on top of the reception card. The return address on the envelope faces upward.
7. Close the invitation.
8. Place assembled card-folded edge first-into the inner envelope. This is the envelope that has no gum on the flap and is lined with a color (if you ordered the optional color lined envelopes). The front of the invitation should face the back flap of the inner envelope.
9. Close the flap on the inner envelope.
10. Place the inner envelope into the outer envelope, this is the envelope with the gummed flap and your return address printed on the back flap (if you ordered the optional return address). The front of the inner envelope should face the back flap of the outer envelope.

Read Part 2

If the majority of these statements are true about your relationship, it sounds like you are ready to take the plunge. But if the majority of these statements are not true or you don't know, then your relationship needs more work and you should probably hold off on getting married right now. Don't despair! Knowing what you don't know about each other and what you need to work on will only make you closer and your relationship stronger.

Good luck!

Read Part 1

• You go to each other for advice and you almost always come away feeling better about things.
• You are supportive of each other's decisions, even when you disagree with them.
• You are able to apologize or forgive when you have hurt or been hurt by your partner.
• You are able to resolve fights to your mutual satisfaction.
• You both know that relationships take work and you are willing to go the distance.
• You are respectful and are a good listener.

Read Part 2

Here are 10 money saving tips to help you while you shop for your wedding flowers:

1. Purchase your flowers from a wholesaler.  If you live near a major metropolitan area, chances are there is a flower supplier nearby. You can purchase the wedding flowers and make the arrangements yourself with the help of your bridal party, or enlist a talented friend to be in charge of the task. Buying directly from the supplier cuts out the middle man, the florist. You'll save money this way because you won't be paying the markup that the florist would charge.
2. Organize floral arrangements strategically. Bouquets and boutonnieres are pretty much essential, but you may want to forego bunches at the end of each row of chairs during the ceremony so that you can afford truly lovely centerpieces for each table at the reception. Or vice versa. If you insist on having arrangements at the end of the rows and at the reception, keep them simple, You don't have to have extravagant arrangements everywhere. People are there to look at you. not the flowers.
3. Select wedding flowers that are in season and native to the region you live in.  Remember when choosing your flowers to keep in mind when and where you're getting married. If you pick local flower that are in season they will be more affordable than exotic or imported varieties. If you really must have some exotic type of flower not grown in your area you might want to consider using silk flowers. They look like the real thing, but are usually about half the cost.
4. Use a combination of real and silk flowers. Silk flowers cost less and often can be rented. That way you don't have to burden your budget any more than necessary and you're also not stuck with a whole bunch of arrangements after the ceremony and reception are over.
5. Recycle: Transfer the flowers from your ceremony to your reception. You can also rearrange the flowers from your rehearsal dinner for your cocktail reception. Bridal bouquets can double during the reception for the head table, cake or gift tables. There's no reason to buy double the flowers when you can just reuse them.
6. Share Expenses with another bride. If your ceremony site is having more than one wedding that day, contact the other bride and talk about sharing decoration expenses.
7. Use alternatives. Use alternatives to wedding flower arrangements, like candles, favors, balloons, potted plants, etc.
8. Buy on Sale. Purchase candles, white lights and other decorations after the holidays when everything goes on sale. After Christmas is a great time to buy these items at a huge discount. Buying flowers on sale can be a good and bad thing. It's good because you save money, bad because they might not have the quantity you need.
9. Simple is best. Have your bridesmaids carry a single flower instead of a bouquet. If you want a bouquet, consider having just a few blooms of one type of flower and tie it with a ribbon.
10. More filler. Use more greenery, baby's breath, tulle for decorating and less flower blooms. Blooms are more expensive than the alternatives so use them as an accent to the arrangement instead of the main ingredient.

Wedding favors have become an important part of marriage celebrations around the world. The tradition dates back thousands of years. Favors were given to guests in appreciation for sharing in the newlyweds' special day.

Wedding favors are as diverse as the cultures surrounding them and the different cultures have different favors. Though there are a lot of differences, many of the traditions are similar. For example, it is quite common for many cultures to provide each guest with a wedding favor that contains five candies. Each piece of candy is a symbol of the five common wedding wishes: health, wealth, happiness, long life and fertility.

Favors are considered among the most important wedding accessory and range from very unique to practical. Chocolates, picture frames, candles and candle holders are some of the most popular wedding favors. Many brides today try to make some sort of a statement with their favors. Personalized wedding favors provide an especially effective way to display a brief message to the reception guests.

Historically favors were usually in the form of sugar, which was a very expensive product, so favors were commonly given by the upper class only. These sugary treats were nicely packaged and presented to guests at celebrations such as weddings, birthdays and christenings. When sugar became accessible to everyone, the custom of giving favors became wide spread. The most common sugared treat was the almond because of the symbolism behind it. Almonds represent the bitter aspects of life and the sugar represents the sweetness of life. Today, the tradition of giving five sugared almonds is still practiced. Many brides package them in netting, favor boxes, tins and gift bags.

Bridal Showers

Wedding showers derived from the time when men would prove their intent by bringing gifts to the bride's father. Livestock, food, land, cloth and money were given to the bride's family as "payment" for the bride. Eventually, this ritual evolved into men giving gifts of enticement to the daughter to show he was a man of good intentions. Fabric for clothes, the finest dishes and gold and jewels would prove that groom to be could provide a good home for her and their future children.

Some believe the tradition began in Holland when a poor couple was denied the bridal dowry because of the groom's lowly status as a miller. The groom's friends showered the bride with gifts to help them set up housekeeping, which evolved through the years into the tradition we now practice today,

Today, friends of the bride and groom 'shower' the bride (and sometimes the groom) with gifts to start their new lives together. It is believed to be good luck if the first gift the bride opens at her shower is the first gift she uses after the wedding.

Bachelor Parties

Bachelor parties originated with the soldiers of ancient Sparta. The groom feasted with his male friends the night before the wedding, pledging his loyalty and friendship to them. The soldiers provided loose women, food, drinks and good times for a night of male bonding. The function of this rite of passage was simply to say good-bye to the wild antics of single life while swearing the groom's continued allegiance to his comrades.

Read Part 1

When someone is toasting the bride and groom they should not raise their glasses like everyone else. Since they are the ones being honored, it is not considered polite to toast themselves.

Why do they call it a 'toast'? It comes from the French custom of putting a piece of bread at the bottom of a wine goblet. The goblet was passed around to honored guests and the guest who got it last would eat the bread.

The Receiving Line

It was believed in ancient times that the bride and groom were blessed, and those who touched them would receive good luck and fortune.

The Garter

Tossing the garter is much like the bouquet toss, but for the single men. The single man who catches the garter is believed to be the next to marry. This custom originated in the 14th century when it was believed lucky to have a piece of the newlyweds' clothing. Many times, the eager and drunken guests would destroy the bride's dress in their attempt to gain a lucky charm. In order to prevent this from happening, the bride's garters were removed and thrown to the unruly crowd to distract them. Today, the tradition of tossing the wedding garter is much tamer.

Why on the Left?

Have you ever wondered why the bride's family is seated on the left side of the church and the groom's side is seated on the right? The tradition stems from medieval times when men wore swords on their right side. It is said they needed that side free in order to draw their sword and protect his bride.

The Wedding Kiss

The wedding kiss symbolizes more than just an endearment. In Roman times, a legal bond or contract was always sealed with a kiss. Therefore, when newlyweds kiss, it represents an agreement to enter into a life-long contract with each other. Some believe the wedding kiss symbolizes an exchange of one's soul with another. When the bride and groom kiss, their souls mingle together.

Read Part 2

By definition, an orchard is an area with intentionally planted trees and shrubs, intended for food production. Although this sounds like a simple garden, they can be a perfect location for a wedding. An orchard wedding is very similar to a farm wedding; the main difference is that fresh fruits such as blueberries, apples, cherries and much more, surround an orchard. Both focus on the surrounding landscape, so the weather and temperature must be taken into account, but an orchard's fruits along with the autumn foliage create an ideal location to hold your fall wedding. If you enjoy the outdoors, an orchard wedding is sure to meet your satisfaction; especially in the fall.

For couples living in Northern California, The Orchard at the Ranch is an amazing and scenic locale. Nestled in beautiful Somis, California, this ranch provides everything you need for a wedding including a reception hall. Aside from these necessities, you receive a 76-acre wonderland. This location provides a breathtaking view surrounded by trees and mountains. A gazebo is surrounded by a lush forest of trees creating the ideal location for pictures with your family and spouse.

Although California and Massachusetts provide some fascinating locations for a fall wedding, you do not need to travel to find the scenery you want. There are many local alternatives, which do not require much travel. If you want to get married locally, begin by compiling a list of local farms, historic sites, and even state parks. These are all excellent choices for a picturesque fall wedding.

Old Churches

An old church provides an opportunity for a scenic and rewarding wedding experience. These historic structures are mostly made of stone and are surrounded by trees and shrubbery. An old church is a romantic and scenic location, and is an excellent choice for a fall wedding. If possible, an old church nest to a forest or state park is ideal. This will only add to the beauty of the church, and will also give your guests an area to explore throughout the day.

Local Parks

There are many local and state operated parks around the country. These locations contain many trees and other foliage that look wonderful in the autumn. Imagine being joined by your family and friends surrounded by the fall foliage, colorful leaves and trees. This image is a serene experience that you must experience to believe.

Autumn is an ideal season when it comes to planning a wedding. The changing color of the autumn leaves and gentle breeze create a dreamlike atmosphere. Many great fall wedding locations include farms, orchards, old churches and state parks. These locations provide a great mix of history and natural beauty that make them worth looking into for your wedding. One recommended tip for finding the best location is to plan your wedding at least year in advance and preview these locations. This can help make the decision of where to get married much easier. This allows you to see the location and you may know what to expect when you big day arrives.

Read Part 1

Weddings at a Farm

Farms provide a extremely scenic location in the fall, especially considering the changing leaves, the livestock in the fields, as well as barns, silos and other buildings close by. If you are looking for a vacation that combines natural beauty with old and historic buildings, an old farm is a great location for your wedding. Farms are located all over the world and you are sure to find one you like without traveling a great distance.

The Harrington Farm

For those individuals living in the New-England area who are looking for a top-notch location for a fall wedding, the Harrington Farm may suit your needs. This farm is located in a quite country town in the state of Massachusetts. In the fall, you can witness the colorful leaves blowing around in the light autumn breeze. This farm has a main house, which was built in the 1700s. This alone makes the Harrington Farm a great place to hold a wedding. This farm is a popular wedding location because of the beautiful view. After your ceremony, you do not have to go very far because a reception hall is also available which holds up to 200 guests.

Read Part 2

There are many superstitions associated with the wedding ring. Here are a few:

• It is unlucky to go shopping for wedding rings on a Friday, due to the bad luck associated with that day (Friday the 13th).
• It is unlucky for the bride or groom to wear their rings before the wedding ceremony, Once the wedding ring has been placed on the finger, it is considered bad luck to remove it. If the ring accidentally comes off, your spouse must replace it on your finger.
• Dropping the ring during the ceremony is an evil omen. Whoever dropped the ring would die first. If the ring rolls away from the alter and rested on a gravestone in the floor of the chapel, it would mean the bride would die first if the person buried there was a woman; the groom would die first if it was a man.
• A tight ring might point to painful jealousy or the stifling of one party by the other.
• Having the wedding ring(s) blessed by a clergyman is believed to give the ring the power to rid disease and guard the wearer from devils.
• A ring that is too loose could mean a parting of the ways through careless acts of forgetfulness.

The Romans used rings made of durable iron; however, the symbolism behind the use of the ring was not quite as romantic as the Egyptian's. To the Romans, the husband used a wedding ring to signify a binding, legal agreement of ownership and the ring was a token of purchase. In the third century, silver and gold replaced iron. Iron tended to rust and gold and silver had more aesthetic beauty. Gold or silver rings also symbolized the groom's faith that his betrothed was to be trusted with his valuable property.

Early Celtic rings were made of hair. The bride and groom would weave locks of their hair together into a braid and the bride would wear the ring as a token of their commitment to each other.

Puzzle rings, called a Gimmel, were popular engagement/wedding rings in the 15th century. The Gimmel ring consisted of two or more interlocking rings, joined by a pivot, so they could slide together to form one ring (symbolizing the union of two lives). The most popular Gimmel ring depicted two hands and a heart, which symbolized faith, trust or plighted troth. When all three rings were joined, the hands clasped over the heart. This variation of the Gimmel ring was called a Fede (Italian for faith) ring. One part of the ring was given to the bride as her engagement ring, the groom-to-be and the witness of the engagement ceremony kept the second and third parts of the ring. At the marriage ceremony, all three parts would be reunited on the bride's finger.

The Claddagh ring, a version of a Fede ring, became popular in 17th century Ireland and remains popular to this day. It depicts two hands holding a crowned heart, symbolizing "Let love and friendship reign". The Claddagh ring is considered the traditional Irish wedding band.

During the Renaissance and throughout the 18th century, sterling silver poesy rings were popular wedding bands. Poesy rings were engraved with mottoes or verses, mostly with a religious or romantic overtone.

At the same time poesy rings were popular, the Puritans were renouncing wedding bands, because they considered jewelry frivolous. Colonial Americans often exchanged thimbles during the wedding ceremony, Thimbles were acceptable to the Puritans because they were viewed as a practical item. After the wedding, the women would slice off the bottom of the thimble and created a wedding band.

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, wedding bands were engraved with intertwined hearts, flowers, intricate leaves and delicate filigree. In the 1920's and 1930's, the art deco movement introduced styles focusing on bold colors and geometric shapes and became a popular wedding ring style.

Today, wedding rings can be made of gold, silver, platinum or a combination of two or more metals.

Another theory as to why the wedding ring is worn on the left hand is that when the groom faces his bride and reaches out with his right hand (as most people are right-handed), he naturally touches her left hand. During the Elizabethan era, wedding rings were placed on the third finger of the left hand at the marriage ceremony and then moved to the thumb after the ceremony, In India, wedding rings were only worn for a few days after the ceremony. Since a wedding ring was considered a luxury, it was often only worn a short time and then melted down to make something more useful.

The practice of men wearing wedding rings did not become popular until World War II. Up until this time, only the bride wore a wedding ring. Many couples married in anticipation of a long separation and wedding bands, one for each partner, were considered critical to the war effort. They represented comfort to the lonely soldier and as a reminder to the bride of her husband.

Read Definitions A - I

• Announcement-This card announces the marriage to those not invited to attend the ceremony or following a civil ceremony. It is usually printed using the same design, ink color and lettering you select for your invitations. Announcements are normally mailed immediately after the wedding, or upon the couple's return from the honeymoon.
• At Home Cards-A formal and traditional way for newly weds to inform guests and relatives of their new address as a married couple.
• Blind Embossed-A raised design that is pressed directly into the paper without the use of foil or ink
• Bright White-A crisp, pure white for that pristine, wedding-white look.
• Copy-The actual wording you are using for your invitations and enclosure cards.
• Corner Copy-A footnote on the lower right or left hand corner of the invitation, where you can put information about the reception, alternate ceremony, information, etc. Not all invitations can be printed with a corner copy, so make sure to ask before ordering.
• Debossed-The process by which hot metal dies are pressed into paper to create a depressed design on the front of the page and a raised area on the back of the sheet.
• Deckle Edge-An uneven, feathery edge on a piece of paper. This edge is more commonly found on parchment invitations; however, other papers may also have deckle edges.
• Die Cut-The process of using sharp metal rules to cut shapes and designs into paper, this includes cutout shapes and sculpted edges.
• Direction Card-A card enclosed with your invitation that gives directions to the wedding and/or reception. This is a must-have for out of town weddings or if you expect a lot of out of town guests. They can be printed with an actual map or with just the written directions.
• Ecru-Coordinates with an ivory color scheme.
• Embossed-A process of creating a raised, bas relief image on paper. It is accomplished by pressing the paper against a three-dimensional die, creating the raised image.
• Foil Starnp-The process of fusing foil to paper. It is accomplished by pressing a thin layer of foil between the paper and a heated die. The image on the die effectively cuts and heats the foil, binding it permanently to the paper. This is also known as "stamping" or "hot-stamping".
• French-Fold-A sheet of paper that is folded twice to create a four-paneled invitation. Most parchment invitations are French-fold.
• Front Panel Copy-A term we use to indicate that the invitation you have chosen has a place on the front for the bride and groom's names and or a verse.
• Hard Copy-Your wording printed in the font style and size as it will appear on your invitation and accessory cards. Printed in black ink on plain paper, a hard copy can be mailed or faxed.
• Informal Note-A note card that features the bride's name, the bride's monogram or the names of the newly married couple on the front. It is blank inside for your personal handwritten message. It can be used as a thank you note or for short correspondence.

Read Definitions L - Z

The type of font that you choose will directly relate to the formality of your wedding. If you're having a formal wedding you might choose handwritten calligraphy or engraved script. If your wedding is semi-formal you might go with a traditional script thermography. If the wedding is informal or casual you might choose modern block thermography or a thermography with colored ink.

There are many different components to a wedding invitation. First you have the actual wedding invitation. Then there is the inner envelope which can be lined or unlined. This is the envelope that holds invitation and all the cards. Next is the outer envelope. This is the envelope that holds everything once it's placed in the inner envelope. The outer envelope is the one that gets addressed. Next is the reception card. This is the card that lets your guests know when and where the reception will be. Then there is the response card, also known as the RSVP. This is the card that the guests use to respond to the invitation. It comes with its own envelope, which should have the return address and return postage on it when you put it in the invitation. There's also a map and direction card. This is exactly what the name suggests, a card with a map and directions on how to get to the wedding and reception. Another component is lodging information. This lets the out of town guests know which hotel you've reserved rooms at. Lastly, there are envelope seals. These are the stickers you use on the outer envelope to help seal it.

The wording on a wedding invitation is your personal choice. Traditionally, the bride's parents are listed on the invitation as the sole hosts, but anything goes these days. Many brides- and grooms-to-be are including both of their parents and even stepparents in some cases. Make sure to consider the bride, groom, bride's parents and or stepparents, groom's parents and/or stepparents, wedding date and time, ceremony site name and address when you're deciding on your invitation wording.

Most large stationery companies either on the internet, from a mail-order catalog, or a large stationer in your home town will offer a wide variety of accessory items that can be purchased to match your invitations and wedding colors. Some of these extra items include personalized drink and luncheon napkins, personalized matches or notebooks, personalized envelope seals, personalized ribbon, personalized wedding favor bags or boxes, and wedding ceremony program, just to name a few.

Read Part 1

If you are planning a formal, black tie event, you should choose an invitation that is plain white or ecru with black ink. If you are having a themed wedding, incorporate that theme into your wedding invitations. For example, if you are having a beach-themed wedding, select a wedding invitation with shells, a lighthouse, or a couple walking along the beach. Don't forget to incorporate your wedding colors into your invitations. This can be achieved by selecting a colored ink or colored lining or an invitation that contains accents from your wedding colors.

You should begin shopping for your wedding invitations 4-6 months before your wedding date. Check your local stationery shops and printers to see what kind of invitations they have to offer. You will most likely pay a premium price for wedding invitations locally. The American Wedding Album offers quality wedding invitations and accessories at up to 50% off what you would find in the retail market. We aiso offer free samples of our wedding invitations and enclosure cards, as well as many of our accessory items like napkins, cake bags, matches, place cards and bookmarks. Be sure to request samples before placing your order so you know exactly what it is you're ordering. You want to make sure the wedding invitations and accessories will compliment your wedding colors.

Read: Part 2

Many believe the tradition of the 'unveiling' stems from the Biblical story of Jacob and his two wives, Jacob's father-in-law, Laban, tricked him into marrying Leah instead of his true love, Rachel. Leah was heavily veiled and Jacob did not realize he had married the wrong woman until after the ceremony. Thus the Jewish tradition of Bedeken was born, where the groom lowers the veil before the ceremony and raises it prior to the kiss. This way he knows exactly who he's about to marry.

The veil became popular in England during the 1800's as a symbol of modesty and chastity.

In the Christian tradition, the veil is lowered by the father before the processional and is raised by the groom prior to the kiss.

In some Eastern ceremonies, the bride is veiled throughout the entire ceremony and is not unveiled until after it is over.

The wedding veil has evolved over the centuries, and has signified youth, virginity and modesty, Roman brides were married in swathes of brilliant red or yellow, while Viking queens wore metal skullcaps. Many Japanese brides still wear the traditional tsuno-kakushi, a white hood that supposedly hides the horns of jealousy. Veiis made of lace were made popular in the United States by Nelly Curtis, the adopted daughter of George Washington. Legend has it that Major Lawrence Lewis, her father's aid, saw Neily standing behind a filmy lace curtain and he was so taken by her beauty that he asked for her hand in marriage. She then wore a lace veil on her wedding day in order to preserve the effect for her groom.

It was once common for the bride and groom, as well as their friends, to walk to the church on the morning of the wedding. Afraid that a rejected suitor would try to place a curse on the bride and groom, their friends would dress in similar apparel in order to trick the evil wishers.

Today, the function of the bridesmaids and groomsmen is to be a support to the bride and groom as well as their confidant and friend.

Have you ever wondered about the purpose of groomsmen? Legend has it that this came about during ancient times when women were in short supply and a man had to literally kidnap his bride from her village, clan or tribe. The groom-to-be would bring along his 'best men' to help fight off angry family members or competing suitors.

The best man of days-gone-by was responsible for more than the holding the wedding ring. Since there remained a threat of the bride's family attempting to forcibly gain her return, the best man stayed by the groom's side throughout the marriage ceremony, protecting the bride and groom from any threats. He also served as a sentry outside the newlyweds' home.

It is believed to bring good luck to the groom if the best man arranges for the groom to carry a good luck charm in his pocket on his wedding day. It is also considered good luck for the best man to pay the officiant's fee in an odd sum,

Nowadays, the role of the groomsmen and best man are really only honorary positions. There is no need for them to be armed or to stand guard since most weddings are by choice.

Flower girls began appearing in wedding parties during the middle Ages. She would lead the procession down the aisle bearing a bouquet of wheat, which symbolized fertility. Now the flower girl throws flower petals as she walks down the aisle, symbolizing that the bride's path through life will be happy and laden with flowers.

Until the 1900's most brides did not have a special dress for their wedding day. They simply wore their best dress. The following traditional rhyme offered advice on what dress color to choose:

Married in white, you have chosen right
Married in blue, your love will always be true
Married in pearl, you will live in a whirl
Married in brown, you will live in town
Married in red, you will wish yourself dead
Married in yellow, ashamed of your fellow
Married in green, ashamed to be seen
Married in pink, your spirit will sink
Married in gray, you will go far away
Married in black, you will wish yourself back

A green dress is thought unlucky, unless the bride is Irish. It was said that if the woman had a green gown it implied that she had loose morals, because the green symbolized grass stains from rolling in grassy fields.

White, or a variation of white, was a sign of purity and innocence. Ann of Brittany wore the first known white wedding dress to her marriage to Louis XII of France in 1499. However, it was not a practical color. Cloth was very expensive to bleach and if one wanted a white dress, it would require more than one bleaching. It was believed that the whiter the cloth, the more affluent the person. So when the rich wed, they chose a white dress to show off their wealth.

White did not become a practical choice for a wedding gown until the 1800's when machine made fabrics and cheap muslins imported from India became affordable to common society. The Victorian era placed a heavy emphasis on feminine purity and chastity, and since white represented these attributes, it was considered a most suitable color for a bride. Queen Victoria made the white wedding dress fashionable in 1840, when she broke with tradition and wore white on her wedding day instead of the traditional silver worn by royal brides.

White hasn't always signified purity and innocence. In Roman times, white was the symbol of joyous celebration. In China and Japan, white is the symbol of mourning and thought to be appropriate as the bride is leaving her family of birth to Join her husband's, thereby undergoing a symbolic death. Today, the white wedding dress is worn as a symbol of joy and not as a sign of purity and innocence.

There are many superstitions surrounding the wedding dress. It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding gown. The bride should not loan her wedding dress to another, for is thought unlucky for the lender, but good luck for the borrower. It is said that the bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony. Once a bride has looked at herself in the mirror wearing her complete outfit, it is said she must not look at herself again, or have bad luck. If the bride rips her dress on her wedding day, it is said the marriage will end in death. And finally, it is unlucky for the groom to see his bride in her wedding dress before she arrives at the ceremony.

During the middle Ages, guests were expected to bring little cakes to the wedding celebration. The cakes were piled up in a tiered cluster and it became traditional for the couple to kiss over the cluster of cakes. Later, a clever baker decided to amass all these small cakes together and cover them with frosting. Thus, the modern tiered cake was born. It is said he was inspired by the unusual shape of the spire of Saint Bride's Church in London.

Cutting the wedding cake is now part of the ritual celebrations at the reception. Traditionally, the newlyweds make the first cut together, symbolizing their shared life together. Every guest is expected to eat a little of the cake in order to bring good luck to the bride and groom. It is said that a single woman who sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow will dream of her future husband. Furthermore, it is considered good luck for the bride and groom to save the top tier of their wedding cake and eat it on their first anniversary.

Early Roman engagement rings were simple bands with a carved key. There are two theories surrounding this particular style. The romantic version states that the key was to "unlock" her husband's heart. The more practical version was that the key represented the wife's ownership of her husband's estate. When a Roman woman married, she received half of her husband's wealth,

In 860 A.D., Pope Nicholas I ordained that an engagement ring was a requirement as a statement of nuptial intent. He insisted that they be made of gold to show financial sacrifice on the part of the prospective husband,

In Renaissance Italy, silver became a popular metal for engagement and wedding rings. These rings were often very ornate and inlaid with niello, a method of decorating metal objects with engraving techniques. An alloy of silver, copper, lead and sulfur is rubbed into an engraved pattern on silver or gold and then fired. Darkened areas remained in the crevices after the object is polished.

Elaborate engagement rings of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and other precious gems became commonplace among the wealthy. Many rings would feature a group of stones to spell out a sentimental word. For example, if one wanted to spell out LOVE on their ring, they would use Lapis Lazuli, Opal, Verde Antique and Emerald, Some husbands-to-be would have a ring fashioned featuring his and his fiance's birthstones. Since the color blue symbolized purity and fidelity, Sapphire engagement rings were quite popular, especially during the Victorian era.

The ancient Greeks believed the fire of the diamond reflected the flame of love, while the Romans thought diamonds to be splinters from falling stars that tipped the arrows of Eros, the god of love. In the Middle Ages, these gems were looked upon as charms that had the power to enhance the love between a husband and a wife. However, diamonds were quite rare and only the wealthy could afford them.

The tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring began in 1477 with the Archduke Maximilllan of Austria, who presented his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy, with a simple gold band with a diamond. Since diamonds are the hardest, natural substance in nature, it was considered an appropriate symbol of enduring love. From that time forward, the royal tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring began to be embraced by people around the world,

In the 1939, a brilliant: advertising campaign by the De Beers Company, the world's largest miner and marketer of diamonds, made the diamond THE engagement ring to have and the only socially correct option.

It is not hard to find Halloween decorations. Every store should carry sort assortment during the month of October. For a less commercialized atmosphere, you might prefer Halloween decorations from nature’s bounty. Create lovely centerpieces from pumpkins, dried flowers, and leaves. Or set an orange or black pillar candle in a hurricane lamp and fill around the candle with cranberries, bittersweet berries, or dried Indian corn. Carved pumpkins with tea lights inside also make wonderful Halloween centerpieces. Large pumpkins, carved and not carved, and cornstalks can be arranged throughout your reception area. Jack-o-lanterns can become your central decorating attraction. Use wired ribbons in your wedding colors to add decorative accents to your arrangements and to make bows to accent doorways, tables, pews, and the aisle. Don;t forget to decorate with ghosts, witches and goblins, but be sure to keep in mind that not everyone likes these kinds of things. The last thing you want to do is frighten a child or offend a guest with your choice of decorations. Consider having a spice or pumpkin wedding cake and serve hot, spiced cider to your guests. For a bit of entertainment, you might plan a traditional Halloween game of bobbing for apples.

Halloween Party Favors:

Halloween themed favors are also available in a vast array of shapes and sizes. Here are just a few Halloween party ideas that might be a bit more personalized:

• Miniature pumpkins with your names written in gold paint
• Small Trick-or-Treat bags filled with candy corn, or other Halloween candy and tied with a black or orange ribbon.
• A canning jar filled with nuts, dried fruits, candy corn, or other Halloween candy. Finish off the jar by wrapping it in tulle and tie with a ribbon matching your wedding colors
• Votive holder shaped in fun Halloween shapes and placed at each place setting
• Small sachets filled with autumn-scented potpourri
• Use bright-colored plastic cookie cutters in fun Halloween shapes as napkin rings for your table settings. Write the bride and groom’s names and wedding date on the cookie cutters in gold or silver marker pen. Guests keep the cookie cutter as a memento of your wedding.

Ideas for a Halloween themed wedding are only limited by your imagination. Hopefully these Halloween wedding theme ideas will inspire you to create the perfect atmosphere for your wedding.

If your having a Halloween themed wedding, why not have your wedding and/or reception at a spooky mansion? Another wonderful place to hold your ceremony and/or reception is in a converted barn. If you know someone in your family who has a hobby farm, ask if they would be willing to let you have your ceremony and/or reception there.If you don't have someone in the family, try looking in your areas for farms or mansions that can be rented for just such an occasion. If you can’t have your reception at a farm, choose a venue with a natural feel.

Wedding Floral Arrangements: 

A Halloween wedding offers a lot of choices when it comes to flowers, berries and greenery. Roses are popular no matter what the season and come in a wide range of colors that would be perfect for a Halloween wedding such as chocolate brown, burnt orange, tangerine, red/orange, tomato red and apricot. You could even have the florists order black roses if you want. Orange Gerbera Daisies; apricot or cream colored Lilies; rust colored Hydrangeas; and yellow or orange Montbretia make excellent choices for your floral arrangements. Hypericum berries (also known as St. John’s Wort) come naturally in raisin brown, as well as some newer hybrid varieties in shades of yellow.

Choosing Wedding Colors:

The best colors for a Halloween themed wedding are orange and black. You can also include rich browns, creams, copper, gold and various shades of yellow.

Halloween Invitations:

Set the tone for your wedding with your save the date cards and themed wedding invitations. For the Halloween look, why not an orange and black invitation with stamped images or cut out of pumpkins, ghosts and bats on the border? Or an invitation shaped like a pumpkin or cornucopia? For a more elegant look, select an ivory or cern invitation with brown or gold ink. Tie a bow of black or orange chiffon, or just plain raffia, and attach it to the top of the invitation. Or if you are going for the layered invitation look, tie the layers together with a chiffon or raffia ribbon.

Halloween Wedding Attire:

If you want your guests to arrive in Halloween costumes, be sure to say so. Enclose a small card with your invitation letting your guests know that Halloween costumes are required for your wedding and give them some Halloween costume ideas or guidelines to follow so things don’t get out of hand. The last thing you want is to have someone show up in a bloody, gory outfit that will scare or offend someone else. For the bndal party, finding children’s or toddler Halloween costumes is easy enough, but to find some unique adult Halloween costumes, you may need to visit a local costume shop.

Decorate using nature’s bounty. Create lovely centerpieces from cornucopias of gourds, dried corn and stalks, acorns, white or orange pumpkins, squash, dried cranberries, bittersweet wreaths, leaf garlands, dried flowers, herbs and leaves. Why not fill baskets or pedestal bowls with apples and cinnamon sticks, or small gourds and pumpkins? Or set a pillar candle in a hurricane lamp and fill around the candle with cranberries or bittersweet berries. Carved pumpkins with tea lights inside also make wonderful harvest centerpieces. Floral arrangements in jewel-tones and accented with gilded fruits, berries, acorns will also highlight nature’s bounty. String fairy lights for an even more romantic look. Use wired ribbons in your wedding colors to add decorative accents to your arrangements and to make bows to accent doorways, tables, pews, and the aisle. You can also put candles in terra cotta pots and fill around them with fall items.

Autumn Wedding Favors

Harvest themed favors are bountiful. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Miniature pumpkins with your names written in gold paint
• A small cornucopia with marzipan fruits and vegetables
• Small bottles of wine with silk rusted giape leaves wrapped around the neck
• A canning jar filled with nuts, dried fruits or candy corn. Finish of the jar by wrapping it in tulle and tie with a ribbon that matches your wedding colors.
• Wreath ornaments with the wedding details inscribed upon a ribbon
• Votive holder shaped like a leaf or pumpkin placed at each place setting
• Small sachets filled with autumn-scented potpourri

Reception Menu
Keep your theme going in the menu. Turkey and all the trimmings, cranberry salad, pumpkin soup, candied yams, buttered corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, glazed carrots, corn bread, yeasty rolls, pumpkin and pecan pies, and apple cider. Your wedding cake can be decorated with fruit-shaped marzipan, fall colored flowers, fall colored sugar leaves or white chocolate leaves.

Ideas for a fall or harvest themed wedding are as bountiful as the season. Hopefully these ideas will inspire you to create the perfect atmosphere for your wedding.

A wonderful place to hold a harvest-themed ceremony and reception is at an actual farm. A converted barn would be an added bonus. If you know someone in your family who has a hobby farm, ask if they would be willing to let you have your ceremony and/or reception there. If you don’t have someone in the family, try looking in your areas for farms that can be rented for just such an occasion. If you can’t have your reception at a farm, choose a venue with a natural feel. A park, vineyard, or arboretum would also be great locations to remind you and your guests of harvest-time.

Fall Wedding Flowers

A fall wedding offers a bountiful choice when it comes to flowers, berries and greenery. Roses are popular no matter what the season. Roses come in a wide-range of colors just right for fall, including chocolate brown, burnt orange, coral, deep burgundy, tangerine, red/orange, tomato red, purple, and apricot. Gloriosa Lilies have bright crimson red petals edged in gold. Their glossy leaves add to this dramatic flower that will bring a sense of the tropics or festivity to any bouquet or floral arrangement. These lovely flowers combine well with roses, calla lilies and freesias. Orange Gerbera Daisies; apricot or cream colored Lilies; rust, burgundy. royal purple or red Hydrangeas; yellow, orange, or brick red Montbretia; Chrysanthemums in yellow, bronze, purple, salmon, and deep burgundy red; and deep red Boston Ivy make excellent choices for your floral arrangements. Hypericum berries (also known as St. John’s Wort) come naturally in raisin brown, as well as some newer hybrid varieties in shades of yellow, green, red, orange and salmon pink Sprigs of colorful autumn leaves, dried wheat and rye add texture to bouquets and centerpieces. Instead of having your flower girl drop petals down the aisle, she could drop colorful autumn leaves (real or silk).

Fall Wedding Colors

Autumn is all about bold, rich colors. Look to nature for your color pallet. Rich jewel- tones like purple, deep red, wine, and forest green make a bold statement. You can also include rich browns, creams, copper, gold and various shades of orange and yellow.

Fall Wedding Invitations

Set the tone for your wedding with your invitations. Consider a wedding invitation that includes a printed or embossed pattern of fall leaves, fruits or ivy. For a simpler look, select a plain cern or ivory wedding invitation and have it printed in wine/burgundy, forest green, brown or purple ink. Tie a bow with raffia and attach it to the top of the invitation. Or if you are going for the layered invitation look, tie the layers together with a raffia ribbon.

Wedding Attire

You can accent traditional wedding attire with jewel-tone colored accessories like bow ties, cummerbunds, wide ribbon (tied at the waist) on the bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses, or on the bridesmaids’ hats.

Keep the Christmas theme going with your favors. Purchase Christmas themed floating candles, place 2 or three in a square of glittery tulle in one of your wedding colors. Tie it together with a gold or silver ribbon. Homemade sugar cookies shaped like pine trees, bells, ornaments or snowflakes and frosted or sprinkled with one of your wedding colors and then gift packaged in a cellophane bag and tied with a sparkly ribbon. Wrap Christmas-shaped chocolates or candies in glittery tulle and tie with red or green (or another of your wedding colors) ribbon. Your could also have Christmas stockings personalized with the bride and groom's name and the wedding date filled with yummy chocolates or traditional Christmas candies. Christmas bells with the bride and groom's names and wedding date printed on them are another good idea. Instead of having your guests throw rice or blow bubbles as you leave, have them ring the bells. Use bright- colored plastic cookie cutters in fun Christmas themed shapes as napkin rings for your table settings. Write the bride and groom’s names and wedding date on the cookie cutters in gold or silver marker pen. Guests keep the cookie cutter as a memento of your holiday wedding. Fill baskets with tiny wrapped gifts that guests can take home. These could include a personalized ornament, festive candy or cookie. You can buy inexpensive ornaments and personalize them with your names and wedding date, then at the reception, have them hanging on a Christmas tree. Sometime during the reception, have your DJ announce to your guests that they may pick a Christmas ornament wedding favor from the free to take home as a memento.

Christmas Music & Entertainment

When selecting your wedding reception music, consider instrumental holiday favorites, have a local choir dressed in holiday apparel perform a few songs during the reception, or a harpist or string quartet for an elegant touch.

Wedding Reception Food & Refreshments

Indulge your guests with the rich flavors of the season, such as turkey, sliced ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry salad, hearty grain breads, etc. For dessert, place a variety of Christmas sugar cookies on the table with the wedding cake. For your reception refreshments, you could serve eggnog, Wassail, pink champagne or hot apple cider. Don’t forget the cinnamon sticks! Your wedding cake can be decorated with tiny sugared Christmas ornaments, and sugared or silk poinsettias or holly.

Ideas for a Christmas theme wedding are only limited by your imagination. Hopefully these ideas will inspire you to create the perfect Christmas wedding!

The wedding attire for the bride and the female attendants should also reflect the season’s colors and textures. The bride can choose a pure white wedding gown and top it off with a long, velvet and faux-fur trimmed cape in a rich color, or wear a faux-fur coat to your transport rom the church to the reception site. Choose traditional Christmas fabrics like taffeta, heavy satin, brocade, velvet or plaid. Rich dark red or emerald velvet gowns will give the bridesmaids an elegant look for your holiday wedding. Have your female attendants wear a Renaissances-style circlet headpiece of greenery with dark red or white roses in the front. Instead of having your bridesmaids carry bouquets, consider having them carry decorated faux-fur muffs. The groom and male attendants can accent their formal attire with glittery waistcoats or cummerbunds in red, green, gold or silver. Use mistletoe for their boutonnieres. as they can be easily removed for stealing Christmas kisses!

Wedding Flower Ideas

Flower arrangements should match the color theme you have selected. White and dark red roses, poinsettias, sprigs of holly, ivy and pine will capture the warmth of the holiday. The bride’s bouquet can be made primarily of greenery with a few accent flowers. Use holly, trailing ivy, pine, spruce, poinsettias, baby’s breath, and mistletoe in your bouquets, flower arrangements and decorations. For addad color. use small Christmas ornaments, gold or silver bells amd ribbons. Small bells added on to the trailing ribbons of your bouquet make a delightful tinkle as you move down the aisle. Evergreen garlands accented with velvety bows will add to the festive feel of your event.

Christmas Wedding Colors

When choosing your wedding colors, look to the traditional colors of the season - Christmas red, burgundy, shades of white (winter white, off-white, etc.), greens (emerald, forest, Christmas, etc.), ivory, champagne, gold and silver. Or choose royal blue or rich purple and pair it with silver or gold for a more contemporary Christmas look.

Christmas Wedding Invitations

Your save the date cards and/or wedding invitations will be the first indications to your guests on what theme you have chosen for your wedding. Select save the date cards and invitations featuring bells, angels, pine trees, hails. snowflakes or other Christmas themes

If you can’t find cards to your liking, think about choosing a plain card in white or ecru and accent it with a colorful ribbon or bow. You can also choose a festive ink color like red, green, gold or silver. If you are having a small, intimate wedding (since larger numbers would become costly), send your invitations disguised as Christmas gifts. Buy colored Christmas balls, permanent silver or gold metallic marker pens, gold or silver gel pens, small gift tags and gold or silver elastic cording. Using the metallic marker, print the bride and groom’s first names and wedding date on each ornament. With the gel pen, write your wedding invitation wording on each gift card. Attach the gift cards to the ornaments using the elastic cording. Then pack each one in a small box to be mailed. This makes a wonderful holiday keepsake for your guests.

Load up the iPod! Instead of hiring an expensive DJ or band, just rent some powerful speakers and make a few great playlists. It’s the best way to ensure you’ll hear the songs you want to hear, anyway. Bonus Idea — Send guests home with a CD full of the most memorable songs from your DIY wedding album. Your guests will think of you and your wedding every time they put the CD into rotation.

Seating

Instead of renting a truck-full of chairs, consider buying (or building!) long, banquet-style table and wooden benches. You can cover them with beautiful fabric or let the natural wood create a rustic effect, and they’ll allow your guests to sit comfortably without having to pay for lots of expensive rentals (and the cost of setup). For a smaller outdoor affair, you could choose to go totally comfy and casual and invite guests to sit on oversized pillows and blankets on the grass. Ideas like these are functional and memorable — guests will be thrilled to spend the evening at something other than the standard 10-person circular reception table.

The Guest Book

Consider compiling a scrapbook of photos highlighting the great times with all your friends and family. Guests will love browsing the photos and recalling the memories they’ve shared with you, and they’ll have fun finding places to "sign" by their own pictures!

Pick a location that’s meaningful to you, and the setting will be perfect no matter how much money you spend. Think outside the box here — local parks, public beaches, restaurants and even bars have the capacity to host your event. So think of someplace special and just ask what they can offer.

The best piece of advice we can give you is to work with what you’ve already got! Hosting the wedding reception in your parent’s back yard? Play up the natural beauty of the green trees with minimalist white lights and hanging lanterns. The effect will be beautiful.. .and inexpensive to execute. What’s more, guests will feel that special feeling that comes naturally with celebrating literally in your own backyard! If you’re splurging on a decadent reception at your favorite fancy restaurant, play up the elegance that already exists with candles casting a natural glow from every angle. It’s an incredibly inexpensive way to add a dramatic, elegant effect.

Serving

Mismatched china can create a gorgeous, trendy effect. Rummage through your own collection, borrow from family and friends, or scour local shops for deals on small quantities of plates and bowls. Stick to one color theme (all things white, cream, and gold look fabulously shabby-chic together), or go for a more colorful feel with vibrant, mismatched hues, shapes, and sizes. The effect will be cozy and completely unstuffy. . . and it’s a great way to bring in family heirlooms or pieces that are sentimental to you.

Guest Favors

Goodie bags with coupons and mementos of your favorite places along with the stories that make them special (10% at the restaurant where you had your first date, free entrance to the museum where you fell in love, a cookie from the bakery that you visit every weekend, etc.) These are all great ways to let your guests feel closer to you on your big day, and they are also things your friends and family will actually use, enjoy, and appreciate.

Consider serving small portions of your favorite signature dishes in place of an extravagant multi-course meal. Whether you love comfort food (think mac and cheese in shot glasses, and mini cheeseburgers), or have a flair for the exotic (sushi stations, wine and cheese pairings), your guests will appreciate the personal touch of tasting the foods you love. An added bonus is that with this type of meal, guests don’t necessarily need formal seating. You might set up individual serving stations or have cocktail-type seating where guests can graze while socializing.

Another thing to realize is that catering doesn’t necessarily have to be costly. If your reception location allows it, consider bringing in food from your favorite local restaurant. And we don’t necessarily mean 5 star! That casual Mexican spot you go to share margaritas, or the thai place around the corner that know you by name, just might be the perfect solution to your reception needs. And, if you’re willing to go "all-out" with the theme, you can save even more money by serving the meals on paper plates or plastic serving ware from the restaurant itself. Sure, it’s not traditional, but it’s fun! And your guests will be so grateful for the delicious food and festive atmosphere, all they’ll see is charm, not cheap.

Drinks

Did you discover a great drink on your last vacation together? Why not serve that as your signature cocktail? Another option is to find a local brewery or regional winery and order a few cases of signature wine and beer to serve your guests at the reception and during dinner. By not having an open bar, or by not serving hard alcohol, you’ll save hundreds, and you’ll get the chance to introduce your guests to something new.

Step one: we encourage you to think about your favorite things, and the things that are important to you both as a couple, and then find ways to work those details into your wedding. Do you have a favorite park where you love to sit and hang out? Why not host a reception in the park itself? Share a love for old movies? You can project black and white scenes from your favorites on plain white walls for instant, inexpensive drama. Love to travel together? Use postcards from your favorite places as table numbers or even Save the Dates. These are just a few examples of how creative thinking can add impact and save money. Read on for more creative inspiration.

A Little Help From Your Friends

Are you obsessed with your cousin Suzie’s cupcakes? Ask her to bake a huge batch to be stacked as a decadent, different wedding cake. Does your fiance’s best friend play a mean guitar? Invite him to play during the ceremony or even play the music for your first dance. Envious of your mom’s gorgeous handwriting? Ask if she’d be willing to address your wedding invitations or to write guest names on place cards or table settings. Whether as your wedding gift or for a fee, your loved ones will love the opportunity to contribute something meaningful and personal to your big day. By incorporating sweet, nostalgic, and even homemade touches like these, you’ll be sharing a piece of yourself with all your guests.. .and you’ll save yourself some money along the way!

Just as important as the effect of these "sweet nothings" is the fact that, during tough economic times, you can find little, meaningful ways to make even the most budget-conscious wedding feel as though it was designed by an A-List wedding planner. Throughout this week, we’d like to offer some stylish, affordable options that will make your wedding completely memorable while staying well under budget.

Historical Wedding Theme

If there is a particular era in history that you and your fiancé enjoy, consider a wedding set in your favorite period from history. Some of the most popular eras to choose from are Medieval, Renaissance, Roman & Greek, and Victorian.

Celestial Wedding Theme

Reach for the moon, sun and stars; take a trip through our galaxy with this out-of-this world wedding.

Holiday/Seasonal Wedding Theme

Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Christmas are some of the most popular holidays to base your theme on.

Country and Western Wedding Theme

For all the cowboys and cowgirls who enjoy the Wild West or their little corner of the country, a western theme might be the perfect fit.

Beach Theme Wedding

Tropical themes, ocean or seaside themes and nautical themes are fairly popular with destination weddings and those getting married on a beach.

Fairy Tale Wedding / Fantasy Theme Wedding

Your wedding would be all about fairy tales and fantasy. Decorations and favors would spotlight mythical or supernatural creatures, such as fairies, dragons, wizards and angels.

Cultural and Heritage Wedding Theme

Asian/oriental, Irish, African, Hawaiian etc. are a few of the most common cultural and heritage wedding themes.

No matter what theme you decide on, let your imaginations soar. Go all out and have fun with it. Incorporate your theme into every part of the wedding, from the wedding invitations, to the dresses, decorations and even the cups and napkins. Remember this is your big day; make your theme wedding a day that your guests will remember for years to come!

1. The first thing you should decide is how big and intricate you want your wedding to be. Do you want a small wedding? Or a big, lavish affair? Make sure that you and your partner agree. Be prepared to make sonic compromises.
2. Decide on an overall theme for your wedding. This includes the type of food you will be serving, the location, decorations and how people will dress.
3. Set a firm budget. First, set down and decide how much you can afford to spend. There is no reason to spend money you don’t have. This could lead to some really big problems with your families and you as a couple.
4. So you want to hire a wedding planner? A good wedding planner is great and will do a good job helping you plan your wedding. But they are not necessary. Most of the things a wedding planner will do for you, you can have a friend or family member do. If you decide to hire a wedding planner, make sure they know what your budget is and how you want your wedding to be. Remember this is our day; don't let them talk you into anything you don’t want or can’t afford.
5. Start planning your wedding as soon as possible. The earlier you decide on a date, the better. As soon as you have decided upon a wedding date, start booking locations, getting wedding invitations ready, and begin looking for wedding attire.

Planning a wedding takes time and work. If you follow some of these basic tips, you will find things will go a lot smoother and make your wedding day a beautiful event.

Rich or poor, prenuptial agreements protect the assets of both parties in case the marriage is later dissolved. In most cases, people on their second marriage will want to get a prenuptial agreement. It protects assets they have accumulated from the first marriage for their children born of that marriage. In today’s world people are marrying later in life. This means they have been in the work force for many years and have accumulated assets that they do not want to lose. Another factor leading to prenuptial agreements is that they have seen some of their friends get wiped out by divorce.

A prenuptial agreement does not necessarily mean that the couple does not trust each other. The signing of a prenuptial agreement is usually done when marrying for the second time to protect the children from the first marriage.

The legality of a prenuptial agreement depends on the state in which you live. Signing a prenuptial agreement close to the wedding date will usually not be upheld in court. If no lawyer is present or if one lawyer represents both couples, one of the signers can claim that they did not understand the agreement.

If custody of children is included in a prenuptial agreement, a judge will more than likely ignore this clause. The judge will do what is in the best interest of the children.

Signing a prenuptial agreement does not signify that you expect your marriage to end in divorce. It should be viewed as an element of security in case things go bad and your marriage ends in divorce. Having a prenuptial agreement will help you avoid a lot of unpleasantness.

Another theory as to why the wedding ring is worn on the left hand is that when the groom faces his bride and reaches out with his right hand (as most people are right-handed), he naturally touches her left hand. During the Elizabethan era, wedding rings were placed on the third finger of the left hand at the marriage ceremony and then moved to the thumb after the ceremony. In India, wedding rings were only worn for a few days after the ceremony. Since a wedding ring was considered a luxury, it was often only worn a short time and then melted down to make something more useful.

The practice of men wearing wedding rings did not become popular until World War II. Up until this time, only the bride wore a wedding ring. Many couples married in anticipation of a long separation and wedding bands, one for each partner, were considered critical to the war effort. They represented comfort to the lonely soldier and as a reminder to the bride of her husband.

Before the Wedding:

• Assist the bride in finding ceremony and reception locations, reception food, wedding cake, flowers, etc.
• Assist the bride in choosing her wedding invitations, assembling and addressing the envelopes (if a calligrapher is not hired).
• Assist in assembling favors.
• Go with the bride as she shops for her wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses. Your feedback will help the bride make one of the most important decisions of her wedding. It will also be your responsibility to keep track of dress fittings, and the bridesmaids’ appointments and obligations.
• Plan and host the bridal shower and bachelorette party.
• Attend all pre-wedding parties. You also need to record all the gifts received at the various wedding parties, so the bride knows who gave her what when it comes time to write the thank you notes.
• Attend and help out at the rehearsal dinner.

The Wedding Day:

• Arrive early at the ceremony site to help everyone get ready.
• Hold the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony.
• Make sure the bride’s dress is free of twists and folds and her train is straight before she walks down the aisle and again once she is standing in position for the ceremony.
• Adjust her hair and straighten her veil.
• Hold the groom’s ring until the designated time in the ceremony.
• Witnessing and signing the marriage certificate.
• Stand in the receiving line.
• Make a toast and/or speech at the reception.
• If someone else has not been designated this job, take responsibility for any gifts brought to the reception.
• Take care of the bride’s dress after she has changed. This can entail taking it to the cleaners, having it professionally stored or returned to the rental shop.

Your most important job will be to provide moral support and be a good listener. Keep in mind that planning a wedding is very stressful and you want to keep the bride calm and in a positive mood. It is a job to be taken seriously and will require a lot of work on your part.

Hang posters of rock groups, movies, plays and actors from that decade. Hang old record jackets on the walls and hand the records from the ceiling. Again, check out your local resale shops. Most times you can purchase vintage records for a reasonable price. Rent a juke box and use it for music during dinner. Hang colorful fringed blankets on the wall or drape over chairs, create a wedding arch from hula hoops or cover a traditional wedding arch with love beads, daisies or wildflowers. Instead of tablecloths, cover tables with fringed or colorful blankets. Use floating daisy candles in pottery bowls, use battery operated lava lamps as centerpieces on each table, use a large pillar candle as a center piece and drape love beads, daisies or wildflowers around the base of the candle.

Wedding Favors

For the men, give them vintage model cars. Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers, Coupe de Villes, Volkswagen Beetles or Volkswagen buses are a few good choices. For the ladies you could give beaded headbands, happy face pins, love beads, tie-dyed t-shirts or scarves.

Reception Menu

Since this wedding theme is rather casual, the food should he casual as well. You might consider serving hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, chips and dip, root beer floats and wine coolers. If your reception is being held outdoors or on the beach, don’t  forget a bonfire for roasting marshmallows!

Wedding Entertainment

Have your DJ play music from the era: Rolling Stones, The Beetles, The Doors, The Monkees, Janis Joplin, Simon and Garfunkel, etc. Hold a hula hoop and dance contest at your retro reception. Have them do the twist, pony, hand jive, mashed potato and for the finale, everyone form a train and do the locomotion.

Other Retro Wedding Ideas

To get a better idea of what was worn and how things were done, try watching some movies depicting the era: Dirty Dancing, West Side Story. or Grease. Remember they are not just oldies but goodies. Have your guests come in funky, retro clothing or costumes.

Have a groovy time planning your retro theme wedding!

Read Part 1

Wedding Colors

Pastel tie-dye colors: pinks, yellows, blues, greens, purples and oranges. Use the rainbow for inspiration when choosing your wedding colors; really anything goes in a retro theme.

Wedding Attire

Brides from this time period typically wore short, lacey wedding dresses, go-go boots, pill-box hats with face netting and gloves. The bride's bouquet was usually kept simple, since people were all about peace, love, harmony and protecting mother earth. Popular flowers were daisies and chrysanthemums. The groom could wear a velvet blazer, some sort of bell bottom pants, moccasins and a beaded head band. The bridesmaids could dress one of two ways, either in mini-skirts with go-go boots or in long flowing skirts with peasant blouses, crocheted vests and flower headbands. Have your bridesmaids carry wicker baskets filled with daisies and wildflowers instead of a bouquet of flowers. Groomsmen could wear tie-dyed T-shirts, bell-bottom pants, fringed vests, beaded headbands and moccasins. Try your local resale shops for vintage wedding dresses. Most have vintage clothes sections. You will probably be able to outfit your entire wedding party and save bundles of money!

Vintage Wedding Invitations

Choose a classic wedding invitation printed or embossed with daisies, sunflowers, freesia or wildflowers. If you are brave and want to make your own invitations, design your invitation with images associated with the era: Tie-dye, record album covers, yellow happy faces or peace signs.

Wedding Flowers

Daisies. chrysanthemums. baby's breath, sunflowers and freesia were the flowers of choice. You can select one or two for your floral arrangements or use a variety of each. The arrangements shouldn’t look too arranged; they should be free spirited and fun looking.

Read Part 2

Here are just a few possibilities to get you started.

• Butterfly shaped sugar cookies placed in small bags or boxes.
• Purchase butterfly candy molds (available at most craft stores in the cake decorating section) and make candy or chocolates.
• Candy molds can also be used to make soap. Consider making butterfly-shaped soap, wrapping a few soaps and wildflower-scented lotion in tulle and tie with a colorful ribbon. This makes a wonderful gift for your female guests.
• Decorate little cake boxes with 3-D Butterfly Stickers and fill the boxes with a sweet treat (Jordan Almonds, chocolates, etc.).
• Use colorful butterfly-shaped plastic cookie cutters as napkin rings for your table settings. Write the bride and groom’s names and wedding date on the cookie cutters in gold or silver marker pen. Guests keep the cookie cutter as a memento of your wedding.
• Butterfly magnets
• Wrap a couple of votive candles in tulle and tie with a ribbon with a butterfly pattern. Some places even sell butterfly shaped candles, which would be a good idea also.

Butterfly Wedding Cake Decorations

For your wedding cake, have the baker decorate it with white or colored sugar butterflies. You could also use a butterfly decorated cake topper. If you are unable to find a pre-made one, you can easily make one yourself. Just purchase a plain gazebo or arch cake topper and decorate with silk flowers and glue small crafting butterflies on it.

Wedding Music

Choose music that has the word ‘butterfly’ in it. For example:

• Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle (a great song for a father/daughter dance)
• Butterfly by Mariah Carey
• Elusive Butterfly by Bob Lind

Other Butterfly Wedding Ideas

At your reception, instead of numbering your tables, name each table after a butterfly. If you expect your wedding day to be clear and the temperature higher than 60°F, consider having a life butterfly release instead of throwing rice or bird seed. Make sure your butterfly supplier only provides butterflies indigenous to your area. If foreign butterflies are released, they can become disoriented and die.

Attire can easily be transformed to suit your butterfly theme. Purchase a variety of butterfly appliqués at a fabric or craft store. These can easily be sewn onto everything from the bride’s dress, headdress and ribbons that can be tied around bouquets. The bride can wear a butterfly accented garter. The bride and her female attendants can wear jewelry with a butterfly on it (necklaces, earrings, hair pins, etc.). For the groom and groomsmen, butterfly cufflinks or lapel pins would be a nice touch. Your ring bearer could also carry a ring pillow with a butterfly appliqué on it.

Locations for your Butterfly Wedding

When it comes to choosing a location for your butterfly theme wedding, outdoor venues will fit the theme best. If you have a local zoo, it’s possible they have a butterfly sanctuary that would make the ideal location. A park with an elaborate garden would be the next best choice. If you’re staging the wedding in your backyard garden, plan ahead by planting flowers and plants that attract butterflies, such as lilac, honeysuckle, phlox, impatiens, aster and some daisies. Butterfly-attracting plants differ from region to region, so check with your local gardener for specifics.

Butterfly Wedding Decorations

• Purchase balloons with butterflies on them and create balloon bouquet centerpieces.
• Use fresh wildflower bouquet centerpieces with butterfly picks. Create butterfly confetti from scrap booking hole punchers and sprinkle the confetti on your reception tables.
• Buy place card holders in shapes of butterflies. You can even decorate your place cards with glitter or butterfly stickers.

Butterfly Wedding Colors

There are many kinds of butterflies, and you will need to decide if you prefer a colorful scheme or a simpler, monochromatic color scheme, for which you might just use white or pink butterflies, for instance.

Butterfly Wedding Invitations

Your save the date cards and wedding invitations are the first place to implement your butterfly theme. Choose an invitation printed or embossed with butterflies, wildflowers or a garden design. Think light and airy when it comes to paper selection; vellum and handmade paper work well. Be sure to use a delicate font. If you are feeling brave enough to create your own wedding invitations, you could have your invitation in the shape of a butterfly, perhaps mounted on a heavier piece of cardstock. Glitter applied to the tips of the wings would add an bit of magic to the invitations.

Colorful Wedding Flowers

Flower arrangements should match the color theme you have chosen. If you’re going with the monochromatic, white butterfly approach, consider white flowers such as white roses, sweet peas, lilies of the valley, gardenia and orchids. If a multi-color scheme is your idea, consider a bright bouquet made of wildflowers. Your florist can even add butterfly picks to any bouquet.

Continue the celestial theme with your wedding favors. Purchase star-shaped floating candles, place two or three in a square of glittery tulle in one of your wedding colors. Tie it together with a gold or silver ribbon. Homemade star-shaped sugar cookies frosted in or sprinkled with one of your wedding colors and then gift packaged in a cellophane bag and tied with a sparkly ribbon also make a sweet wedding favor. Buy star shaped candy molds and use them to make either candy or soaps and wrap them in tulle and tie it with ribbon matching your wedding colors. Another idea is to wrap store bought chocolates or candies in celestial shapes in navy blue or black tulle and tie with silver and gold cording.

Wedding Reception Music

When selecting your wedding reception music, consider songs with the words ‘moon’ or ‘stars’ in the titles or lyrics. For example, Moon River (Henry Mancini), To the Moon and Back (Savage Garden), Starry, Starry Night (Josh Grobin), etc.

Reception Menu

Food is one of the most important features of any gathering. To continue your celestial theme, use star-shaped serving trays for anything from chips to candy. Serve everything you can in the shape of stars. Star cookie cutters come in many sizes and can be used to cut your sandwiches, hors d’oeuvres, cookies, etc. You can even purchase candy and cookie molds, cookie presses, as well as specialty spring form pans and cake pans in star shapes. These can be found at most craft stores in the cake decorating section. For your wedding cake, you might consider having a star shaped cake. An odd shaped cake might be a little expensive, so if you decide to go with a traditional round or square cake you can accent it with edible shimmer powder and sugar stars in navy and gold or silver,

The sky is the limit on what you can do for a Celestial themed wedding. So let your imagination soar! This is your special day, make it a special day for your guests too.

Flower arrangements should match the color theme you have selected. Any type of flower will do, but choose those that will enhance your celestial theme. Ask the florist to add star and moon plant picks to your bouquets and flower arrangements, use silver or gold streamers to dangle from your bouquet.

Wedding Reception Decorations

Decorate the walls and ceiling of your reception locale with glittery tulle and white twinkle lights. Hang sparkly star cut-outs in varied sizes from the ceiling, making the stars fall at different lengths. Or you could have star-shaped balloons float above the dance floor. Cover your tables with navy blue or black tablecloths and sprinkle metallic confetti on top. Then place white, silver or gold glittery tulle on top of the tablecloth. Instead of having table numbers, name the tables after constellations or planets, and then write the name on a large star cut-out to place on the table. Small star cut-outs make excellent place cards as well. The cake table can be decorated similarly to the dinner tables, but using the reverse color scheme. Use a white, silver or gold tablecloth to cover the table and navy blue or black glittery tulle on top. Trim the edges of the cake table with white twinkle lights to give it that starry effect. Create beautiful celestial centerpieces from different sized pillar candles. Attach star-shaped pins, studs or stickers to the candles. Group the candles together on a mirror (round or star-shaped), and place glittery tulle around the grouping. Finish off the centerpiece with flat colored marbles, metallic confetti, or star garland around the tulle. Another great candle centerpiece can be made from a small fish bowl filled with water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring and add star-shaped floating candles. If you prefer floral centerpieces, purchase terra cotta pots, paint them navy blue or black and then paint on stars, moons and planets using metallic gold or silver paint. Fill the pots with fresh flowers, baby’s breath and star- shaped picks.

Wedding Colors

Look to the heavens when deciding your color choices for your wedding. Consider black, navy blue, yellow, gold, white and silver.

Celestial or Star Wedding Invitations

Your wedding save the date cards and wedding invitations will be the first indication to your guests on what theme you have chosen for your wedding. Select save the date cards and wedding invitations featuring the moon and/or stars. If you can’t find cards to your liking, think about choosing a card in black or navy blue paper and having your wording printed in gold or silver ink. Sprinkle metallic confetti in shapes of stars, moons and planets inside the envelopes before mailing.

Wedding Attire

The wedding attire for the men in your wedding party can be accented with glittery star-patterned cummerbunds and bow ties, and the ladies could wear star-shaped hairpins or jewelry. Have the bodice on your bridal gown studded with crystals to achieve that starry, twinkling effect or choose a tiara with star shapes or pattern on it. Your flower girls could carry star tipped wands with streamers and the ring bearer could carry a star-shaped ring pillow.

What do you do if her parents are divorced? If her parents get along still, ask them out to dinner and ask them both for permission for their daughter’s hand in marriage. If her parents don’t get along, you should ask them separately. First, ask the parent she has lived with most (or ask the parent that is the most approachable) and then ask the other parent. If she is estranged from one of her parents, just ask the parent she is closest to. This situation will need to be handled with the utmost delicacy.

You’ve made all the plans and prepared your speech, now what do you do if her parents say no? If her parents do not give their blessing, don’t lose your temper and fly off the handle. Find out why they will not give their blessing. Perhaps they want you to finish school or have a steady job before getting married. You should discuss the situation with your girlfriend, but avoid asking her to take sides. Decide together whether it is best to wait until you can earn their blessing or go against her parents wishes. Try your best to appreciate their reasoning since the decision almost certainly comes out of love for their daughter.

Good Luck!

Read Part 1

The principle behind asking her parents is to convey your sincere love for their daughter and your intention to have her hand in marriage. When asking for their daughter’s hand in marriage, let them know you promise to take care of her in every way possible and that you love her with all your heart and that you will cherish and protect her. You also might want to let them know how you intend to take care of her financially. It will make her parents feel more at ease knowing that you are able to take care of their little girl.

What is the best way to ask for their permission? If you live close-by, the easiest thing to do is to call and ask if you can stop by for a moment as you have something to ask them. They’ll probably suspect, but that’s okay as it will give them time to be prepared and know what to say. If you are friends with them, you might see if they want to go out to dinner. If her parents live far away, try to call at a time when you think they’ll be home. If her parents are still married, and you happen to call at a time when only one is available, simply say that you have something you want to ask them, but would like to wait until you can ask them both together and when would be a good time to do so.

Read Part 2

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

By answering all these questions and having a good strategy, you will avoid many unpleasant surprises at your beach wedding. Many couples don’t realize all the work involved in planning this type of wedding.

If you find planning your entire wedding on a beach to much trouble, consider having just the ceremony on the beach and inviting a few close friends and family, and then moving to an indoor location for the wedding reception. More people can be invited to the reception than the wedding. There are many decorations and ideas that you can incorporate to give the reception area a nice beach theme without it having to actually be outside on the beach. Either way, beach theme weddings can be very romantic and memorable for both the wedding couple and the guests. Just make sure you plan wisely to avoid as many complications as possible.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3

• Will there be live or recorded music for the ceremony and/or reception? Is there an available power source for microphones, electric instruments, etc.?
• Do you want a sunrise, sunset or early evening ceremony? It is best not to have your ceremony during the heat of the afternoon. Not only will it be uncomfortable for your guests, but beaches tend to be crowded during this time of the day. If you are having an evening wedding, remember it also cools down considerably on the beach in the evenings. Be sure to remind your guests to bring sweaters, jackets and some blankets just in case.
• What is the tide schedule? How high does the tide get at that particular beach? You will need to plan your wedding time around the tides. You don’t want to have to suddenly pack up and leave the beach because the tide is coming in and you didn’t foresee this.
• As you’ll probably be planning your wedding several months in advance, you’ll need to determine the type of weather that normally occurs around your wedding date. What will you do if it rains or if the day is unusually cold or extremely hot? You will need to prepare a backup plan for these situations. Be sure to include inclement weather plans with your wedding invitations. It can be included on the invitation itself, or on an enclosure card. However, if the day begins beautifully and then suddenly the weather changes, where will your guests go to get out of the elements? Are there nearby facilities that can be used to continue the wedding celebration?

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3

If you are planning a small, intimate ceremony with just you and your partner, an officiant and two or three guests, then there will be no problem for the most part. If you plan a much larger gathering on the beach, you will first need to find out if it is allowed and if so, you will need to get permission (whether it is a public or private beach). Here are some questions you should have answered when planning your beach wedding:

• Is it a public or private beach?
• Can it be used for functions like weddings?
• Do you need to get a special permit to use the beach for a wedding? If so, where do you obtain the permit and how much will it cost?
• Are there any restrooms nearby than can be used by your guests? Keep in mind that most beachside restrooms are basically outhouses. Will your guests want to use such a facility?
• Will your reception be held at the beach also? If so, are there any recreational buildings nearby that can be used for preparing food, washing dishes, restroom use, running electricity to the beach area, or can be used in case a storm suddenly pops up?
• Are you allowed to serve food? Are there waste cans available for your use or will you need to provide your own?
• Will you be allowed to erect large tents to be used as shade and/or to protect food from direct sun?
• What are the regulations regarding smoking and serving alcohol? Most public beaches do not permit either. Private beaches can be more lenient provided receptacles for cigarette butts and alcohol containers are supplied and the beach is carefully cleaned after the festivities.
• Are bonfires, tiki torches, lanterns, candles, etc. allowed on the beach?
• Can you have a specific area of the beach roped off so beach goers cannot interrupt your wedding?

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3

The most appropriate type of invitation for a medieval wedding is one made of ivory or beige parchment paper, with the announcement handwritten or printed in black calligraphy ink. The paper can be rolled and tied with a ribbon, napkin-like ring, or sealed with a gold seal or hot wax. This type of invitation can be costly, not only in supplies, but also in mailing. If you need a more cost effective solution, The American Wedding Album offers several invitation card styles to fit in with your medieval theme wedding and still fit your wedding budget for postage.

Music and Medieval Entertainment

Do your research and find out what types of instruments were used during the medieval era. See if you can find a musical group that specializes in medieval music. Go to you local library to find out about what games were popular during this time period, consider having a tournament or other competition. While medieval knights participated in contests like the joust and held tournaments involving various medieval weapons, these are not recommended unless your participants are professionals. Another popular, less violent form of medieval entertainment was the medieval court jester. If you can find a professional or a family member to pose as a jester, they can be great fun and extremely fitting for your medieval wedding banquet.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5

A medieval wedding dress and groom’s attire are essential. Your attire will all depend on whether you are planning on a peasant style or royalty style (or in between) wedding.

For the royal look, women should wear Victorian style dresses and the men should wear doublets, breeches and hose. The fabric should be rich, have elaborate touches and be bold, rich jewel-tone colors.

For the peasant look, men should wear tights, breeches, tunics, laced vests and boots while the women should wear a dirndl (outfit consisting of a close fitting bodice combined with an apron in a different color) and a flared skirt. The bridal dress can be made of two layers, an overdress called a cote-hardie and an under dress called a bliaut. The bliaut can come with side, back or front lacing. The sleeves could be flared or have large draped sleeves. The neck could be either square, round, or a v-neck. If you are looking for a true medieval wedding dress, pass up that white frock! Blue was the symbol of purity, not white. You could also merge the two traditions and wear a white medieval wedding dress with blue trim.

But where do you find such clothing? There are many options available to you. There are several companies that sell sewing patterns. Check your local craft/sowing center for available patterns. If you don’t sew, or don’t know anyone who can sew for you, another option is to go to a costume shop or theater group and see what they have. Look for a Renaissance Festival near you. There should be vendors where you can purchase or special order your dream medieval wedding dress or ensemble. Also, search the internet. There are hundreds of companies specializing in Medieval clothing and many can make custom dresses and grooms outfits. For brides seeking a more traditional dress, ask your bridal shop for gowns that have princess lines and drop waists.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5

Once you have decided upon a location, the style of wedding, what you and your guests will be wearing, and the menu has been planned, it is now time to turn your attention to decorating. How do you decorate that sparse reception room? What would be a great wedding favor gift for your guests? If you plan on having a peasant-style wedding, your decorations and color scheme should be simple and rustic. For example, choose colors like ecru, terra cotta, green and black. Decorations should include wildflowers, rustic style lanterns, earthen pottery, candles, bales of hay, etc. For a royalty-type wedding, your decorations will be more elaborate and rich looking. You should choose colors and decorations in rich jewel tones like royal blue, purple, emerald, burgundy, gold, and silver. Depending on the location and style of wedding you decide upon, you will need to look at different decorating options. This doesn’t mean you can not mix and match. If you find and idea that really appeals to you, use it no matter what the location. Wedding favors and decorations are only limited by your imagination, so mix and match, and have fun creating your own unique wedding favor ideas.

Wedding Flowers

The element that makes flowers of a medieval themed wedding distinct from other wedding themes is the prominent use of wildflowers and herbs. Rosemary, thyme, basil and garlic were often combined with wildflowers for bouquets and floral arrangements. This custom originated from what was then believed to be the mystical, even religious, significance of various herbs in both health and destiny. In keeping with styles of clothing, the flowers displayed should be rich, darker shades such as red, orange, purple, green, brown, and bright yellow. Suggested flowers include the Gloriosa lily (which has the appearance of crushed red velvet), ivy, red roses, amaryllis, birch twigs, holly branches, bittersweet, and parrot tulips. Wheat is another important choice for your floral arrangements. Wheat was symbolic of fertility and played a major role in medieval marriage ceremonies. Bouquets, especially the bride’s, should be large, overflowing, and hand-tied. Obviously, since this was long before the era of professional flower shops and Styrofoam used in fanciful centerpieces, all the flowers should appear as rustic and natural as possible.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5

One of the most difficult aspects of having a medieval wedding in our modern world is finding a suitable location. Look for old, gothic type churches, historical buildings, Tudor style homes or large open park areas or gardens. With some clever decorating, you can make almost any location have the look and feel of a medieval castle or garden, without actually having to be in one.

Here are several ideas on where to hold your medieval theme wedding and reception. Make sure to keep a list of sites you look at, taking note of their good and bad points and list ideas that you can incorporate into your medieval scheme:

• Churches - Many Victorian churches are built from stone and have a historical look and feel to them. A nice setting would be at a local country church in the area. You will need to speak to the clergy at several churches to see if they are willing to officiate at a medieval wedding. This could be a problem, however, as most will want to stick to a traditional type of wedding.
• Renaissance Festival or Fair - Many areas hold Medieval or Renaissance fairs, especially in the fall. Most conduct wedding ceremonies during the fair, or will allow you to arrange your wedding ceremony to take place at their fair. The only drawback to this is that it might not be a private ceremony. If you have it at a festival, they might insist that your wedding be part of the festival.
• Historical or Victorian Homes - Check your neighborhood or nearby town for historical homes in the gothic or Tudor style. Sometimes, you can rent out these historical homes in your community.
• Chalets and Inns - Consider having your wedding and reception at a Country Inn or Chalet in the mountains. Most will have a kitchen for catering and a dining room.
• Hotels - A popular spot for wedding receptions are local hotels. They have plenty of room, and your guests can stay right in the hotel. A draw back to this location is that in many cases the room you are reserving may be in use the night before and you won’t be able to get in to set up until early morning, the day of the wedding. Also, even if you can get in to set up the day before, you may be charged for booking the room for two days, instead of for one.
• Medieval Castles - If you live in an area with a castle in the vicinity, you are very lucky. Find out who owns it and see if they are willing to allow you to use their castle for your medieval wedding. If you are willing to travel, there are a number of castles in Europe who book out to wedding parties. If you dig deeply enough, you may be able to find replica type castles in the United States and Canada as well.
• Backyard - A backyard setting can be lovely for an outdoors medieval wedding, especially if it has a beautiful garden. Make sure the site has mature trees, lots of flowers, benches, and enough room to accommodate your guests.
• Local Wooded Park or Botanical Gardens - If you have park areas that are filled with trees and pathways, with some open field space; this would be a great location for a medieval wedding.

Use your imagination when searching for a location for your medieval theme wedding. You may be surprised as to what’s out there that you could use to capture the spirit of you theme.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5

• Where will it be held? You should choose a location that will compliment your medieval theme.
• Do you want your wedding ceremony and reception held indoors, outdoors or both?
• Do you want your guests to wear medieval costumes? If yes, do you want a peasant-style wedding theme (where everyone, including the bride and groom and wedding party dress in simple medieval costumes) or do you want everyone to dress in grand, royal costumes, complete with medieval weapons or weaponry decorations? You could also have a combination where the guests dress like peasants and the bride and groom dress like royalty.
• What type of food will you serve? Will it be a sit-down or buffet dinner?

Over the next week, we will provide tips to help you answer these questions.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5

I'm confused as to who all gets invited to the rehearsal dinner. I was planning on just having those involved in the wedding and their spouses but now I've been told that I should invite any out of town guests as well. Please help!

D.

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

The rehearsal dinner guest list can vary. Some rehearsal dinners are like junior weddings. Things can really get out of hand. Traditional etiquette says the guest list should include the wedding party and their spouses / partners and the close family of both the bride and groom. If you have enough room, it is nice to include the officiant (clergy) and his or her spouse. You are not required to invite all the out of town guests. However, this is a nice thing to do.

Traditionally, this is the groom's parents party, so they can call the shots. However, I recommend keeping the bride and her mother in the loop. There is one cardinal rule when planning the party ... it should never be grander than the wedding and should have a totally different feel than the reception the next day.

More important than anything, enjoy the wedding experience. It is unbelievable and just flies by.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Question:

On the wedding invitations wording is it proper to put the fathers full name or is it okay to just put the middle initial...for example:
Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Greene   or should it be
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Edward Greene?

Thanks,
Linda

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Linda,

If you want to follow traditional wedding invitation etiquette, you would use your father's full name. Initials are really not supposed to be included. If your dad has a middle name that he dislikes then you should use no middle name such as:

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Greene

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

We are sending wedding announcements after our destination wedding. We are also adding a card with our At Home Address. When we stuff the envelope should we place the tissue on top of everything or between the announcement and the At Home card?

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

First of all, I send my congratulations on your marriage.

Let me give you a little history of the tissue. Long ago the tissue was placed on top of the wedding invitation to keep traditional engraving from smearing. Today, the tissues are used only for an effect. They serve no real purpose with today's printing techniques. If you choose to use the tissue, it is placed directly on top of the announcement, with the At Home card placed on top of the tissue.

I hope this helps you out. Thank you for asking Everyday Etiquette.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Is it okay to invite more people to the reception than to the wedding? I am just not sure how to handle this. Thank you for your assistance.

Susan

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Susan,

Of course, you may invite more people to the reception than the wedding. If this is your situation, then I recommend that the main invitation (larger card) be the Wedding Reception Invitation. What would be the Reception Card (smaller accessory card) becomes the invitation to the ceremony. Therefore, if you are inviting 100 people to the reception, you send them the larger invitations with the wedding reception information and only enclose the smaller card in the invitations to the 25 or 50 people that you want at the marriage ceremony.

I hope this answers your question. Thank you for asking Everyday Etiquette.

Have a wonderful wedding!

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

You should also prepare a list of things that you MUST have for your wedding and a list of things you would LIKE TO HAVE, if your budget allows. Make sure you select a florist that listens to you and grasps the look and feel you want to achieve for your wedding. Let the florist know what you want, but be willing to compromise. Be open to the florist’s ideas and suggestions. Remember, they are the professionals and when you hire a florist, you are not only hiring them to make floral arrangements, but you are also hiring them for their expertise and talent.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

When visiting each florist, be sure to ask the following questions:

• Do you have a portfolio of images from past work? Do not forget to ask if the person’s whose work you are viewing will also be the person doing your arrangements. Many floral shops have more than one person making the arrangements. You will want to make sure you know who will be making yours so you can make sure you actually like their work.
• How many years of experience do you have in the floral industry? The last thing you want to do is choose someone who has little to no experience. Their lack of experience may prove to be a disaster for your wedding.
• Do you have a list of references I can call? Just because you can see how pretty their arrangements are does not mean they are good at what they do. There is no better reference than previous customers. They can tell you if the florist arrived when he or she was supposed to and kept all the promises made.
• Are you familiar with my ceremony and reception sites? If not, be sure to give them directions to each so they do not get lost on the big day. You might also want to give them pictures of the sites, if possible, so that the colors in the arrangements do not clash with the colors at the sites.
• Will you visit my ceremony and reception sites to give recommendations for arrangements and decor? If they are able to tour the sites, they may be able to give you a lot of helpful advice on do’s and don’ts for the decor.
• Do you rent items such as aisle and alter candelabras, unity candle holders, guest book stands, clip-on pew flower holders, etc.? They may offer a discount if you get a few things from them. Plus if you can rent some of these items instead of buying them, it will be one less thing you have to deal with after the wedding.
• Can you work with a combination of real, dried and silk flowers? (This is very important, especially if you are on a tight budget).

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

You should begin searching for your florist at least six months before your wedding date and book them at least four months before the big event. Your ceremony reception sites need to be booked before you hire a florist because you will need to know how many floral arrangements you will need.  Make sure your wedding colors do not clash with the venue colors and the finalized color for your bridesmaids’ dresses.

Before you begin visiting florists, we suggest the following to make your trip a lot easier:

• Assemble pictures of flowers and arrangements clipped from magazines or printed out from a web site that you like. Paste them in a notebook so that you can take it on your various florist appointments. This will help the florist get an idea of what you want so they can decide if they can accomplish it.
• Bring along a picture of your wedding gown, swatches of material from your bridesmaids gowns and a picture of your venue site (if possible). This will help them decide exactly what colors to use in the arrangements so they do not clash with another element of the wedding.
• If you are supplying the containers for arrangements, bring those to your appointments. This will give them an idea of how big the arrangements need to be since they will have to he proportional to the container you are providing.
• Take all the quotes you receive with you to each florist appointment. These will give you a good basis of comparison.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

The cost of flowers can add up quickly. Not only will you need flowers for the ceremony and reception sites, you will also need bouquets for the bride, maid/matron of honor, bridesmaids, corsages for the mother of the bride, mother of the groom, grandmothers, readers, guest book attendants, and any other important female guests, boutonnieres for the groom, best man, groomsmen, ushers, father of the bride, father of the groom, grandfathers, and any other important male guests.

The amount of flowers you will need for the ceremony will depend on the size of the ceremony site. If you are getting married during a holiday season, your church will probably already have some floral arrangements decorating the entranceway and alter. If the flowers are compatible with your wedding theme or color scheme, you may want to ask if those flowers can be used during your ceremony. The basic floral arrangements you will need for the ceremony are:

• At least two arrangements near the entrance to welcome guests as they arrive.
• An arrangement next to your guest book table.
• Flower arrangements near the altar. Depending on the amount of space, you may choose to decorate with two elaborate arrangements positioned on each side of the altar. If your space is larger you may want several flower arrangements to adorn the altar space.
• Pew or chair decorations.
• If the budget allows, you can decorate the aisle with ribbon, tulle, candles, or more floral arrangements.

Read Parts:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

What is the correct way to have My mom, My stepdad and My dad on the invitation?

Should it be...
Mr. and Mrs. Jones and Mr. Helwig

S.

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Before I begin, who is hosting (paying for) the wedding? The hosts are the ones who do the inviting. If your mother and stepfather and you natural father are all contributing, then you would say the following:

Mr. and Mrs. John William Jones
Mr. James Allen Helwig
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Bride's Full Name
and
Groom's Full Name
...

Please note that I did not include the word "daughter" due to the fact that you have stepparents involved. Optionally, you could use the word "and" between lines 1 & 2. When there are multiple sets of parents involved in the wedding, another wording has become quite popular as it is all-inclusive.

Together with their parents,
Bride's Full Name
and
Groom's Full Name
request the honor of your presence
at their marriage
...

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

We are a middle aged couple in no need of gifts to get started. We would like our guests to bring non-perishable food for our local food pantry instead. How can we get the word out? Would an enclosure in the invites be tacky?

Kathy

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Kathy,

What a wonderful idea! Traditional wedding etiquette suggests that references to gifts, no gifts, etc. should not appear on or with an invitation. I always recommend that you let family, close friends, the wedding party, etc. know of your wishes and "get the word out" in that way.

If you feel this chain of communication would not work, then a tasteful enclosure stating that: Your presence is our gift. On such an enclosure, you can mention that a donation of food to the local food pantry would be a wonderful blessing for the needy. While this would not receive the official "stamp of approval" etiquette-wise, it would register very high on the generosity and selflessness meter.

I send all my best wishes for a wonderful life together.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Is it proper etiquette when engaging a woman with children to give them some sort of gift when getting engaged?

Craig

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Craig,

Congratulations on your engagement!

I think it would be a nice gesture to give each child something small but meaningful. I would not spend a great deal of money, as you will be setting a precedent. Another thing that you could do is arrange to do something special with each child individually (lunch, movie, trip to the park, etc.) A gift of your time would be the BEST gift as it says to the child that you want to get to know them better. Of course, all of these suggestions may need to be modified according to the child's age and interests.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Our reception is going to be on a military base and we have to have the drivers license # and state along with date of birth for all attending adults how would we word that on a inclosure card?

Crystal

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Crystal,

First of all, I send my best wishes for a wonderful wedding.

I would gather this information on your Respond Card. Below is an example of respond card wording to use:
The favor of a reply is requested by (Date)
M____________________________
Accepts ___           Declines ___

Since the reception is at (Name of Military Base), the (Branch of Service) requests
the birth dates of all attending and the license plate number of the car being driven.
Birthdates ______________________________    License Plate ______________

As this is a government requirement, I feel you need to spell it out for your guests. I know that this is a lot of information for the respond card. If you are unable to select a card that will accomodate all this copy, you could enclose another insert card with this information, but I feel it belongs with the response information.

I hope this helps you out. Thank you for asking Everyday Etiquette and please do not hesitate to contact me with any other questions.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

For centuries, flowers have represented a variety of meanings and emotions. For example, Orange Blossoms have always been associated with weddings because they signify purity and chastity. Orange Blossoms are also thought to be very significant because they bear both the flower and the fruit at the same time, a trait highly unusual in most plants. This trait also symbolizes great abundance and fertility. It was believed that by carrying blossoms from the orange tree in the wedding bouquet, the blessings of all things beautiful and nurturing would be passed along to the new marriage. Other significant and popular wedding flowers include roses, which symbolize love, carnations, which represent fidelity and love, red chrysanthemums, "I love you"; ivy is symbolic of never-ending love and violets, which stand for faithfulness. Some flowers to be avoided include peonies, which represent shame, yellow hyacinth, which symbolizes jealousy, hydrangea, which symbolizes heartlessness and any combination of red and white flowers should be avoided by the superstitious because they symbolize blood and bandages. However, people from different regions may attach different meanings to the same flower. For example, lilies symbolize virtue to some but are thought unlucky by others because of their association with death. Marigolds symbolize cruelty in love and grief, but in India, they represent luck.

The tradition of tossing the bouquet holds that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one present to marry.

The groom’s flower, which is worn on his lapel, should be one that matches a flower in the bride’s bouquet. This tradition dates back to medieval times when knights would perform in tournaments and wear something in his lady’s colors to show his affection, often a scarf, feather or flower.

Lastly, do not forget to consider pricing. Unfortunately, not all colors are cheap. In fact, if you order wedding invitations that have many colors printed on them, you might be looking at a bill that is hundreds of dollars above the base price of the invitations. The more colors you print, the more expensive it may be, but keep in mind that some colors are just automatically more expensive. For example, gold leafing on your invitations is more expensive than silver leafing, and a custom rose color might be more expensive than the generic pink they offer.

The bottom line is that wedding invitations should make you feel happy, and while color is a big part of that, you do not want to overstep the boundaries of your budget. Wedding invitations are just a small part of the wedding, so do not spend a disproportionate amount of money on them for the sake of color.

Wedding invitations are available in many styles and color options. Choosing the correct color may not always be a difficult process. An important factor to keep in mind is price, because this affects your choice due to the fact that multiple colors usually have a higher cost. Monochromatic colors are usually the best choice as you can mix multiple shades of that color. Keep these tips in mind when choosing your wedding invitations and you should be ready for your big day.

Read Part 1

First, consider a monochromatic color scheme; the most popular choice is a solid white invitation. White is synonymous with a wedding, and you may want to consider a layered look by using different shades of white. Different shades of white can consist of different textures or different types of paper (like cardstock, velum, lace, etc). Use a black or gray font in an elegant script and you can have a classy wedding invitation designed in just a few minutes.

Another option to consider is utilizing multiple shades of your color choice. If you decide on choosing blue as the color of your wedding, a light blue paper with a dark blue design and medium-blue lace elements are an excellent choice. A white font should look great along with the dark blue background.

If monochromatic schemes are not up your alley, think about the colors you do like.  Again, many brides like to use the colors that are chosen as the wedding’s theme. These colors can be quite beautiful when paired with a neutral color. Neutral colors include black, white, and brown, and in some cases, gray and navy can serve as neutrals. Keep in mind that gold and silver, although not technically considered neutrals, also look great with almost any color scheme. Therefore, you might want to consider metallic touches.

Choosing colors for your wedding invitations is not an easy task, so do not be afraid to ask for help. You may want to consult the designer of the card for help deciding what the best choice may be for your wedding. Talk about the colors you are using in your wedding theme, the specific "feel" you want for the card (i.e. classic, modern, fun, bright, subdued, etc.) and see what your designer recommends.

Keep in mind that some colors may appear differently when viewed in different amounts of light. Different is the key word here! If you order wedding invitations after viewing pictures of them, you might not be viewing the real colors, because the photographs might have been taking under strange lighting or the background may have been set up in a way that does not show the true colors of the invitation. Be sure to always ask for samples, and this can help you find the correct color without worrying about it appearing as something different.

Read Part 2

Remember, in most cases, the wedding announcement is used after a couple elopes or has had an extremely small wedding with close friends and family only.

The wedding announcement may be printed or written on formal invitation card stock or fine wedding stationary. Furthermore, it is important to note that wedding announcements are not required. They should also not take the place of individual thank you notes sent to guests of the wedding or those that sent gifts.

The wording of the wedding announcement should be clear and concise — limited to only a few lines, taking up no more than one card. This is a good example of proper wedding announcement wording:

Mr. and Mrs. David Johnson Announce the marriage of their daughter Emily Michelle To Mr. Michael Richard Smith On Saturday, September the thirteenth Two thousand and eight

It is important to remember that writing wedding announcements should not be a painstaking process. It should be simple and quick. It is also important to note that while wedding announcements are a nice touch after the wedding, they are not required. So if you are on a limited budget after the wedding, it is not an essential part of the wedding planning process.

If you do feel that wedding announcements are necessary, expect to spend anywhere between $50 and $150 for about 50 announcements from a professional printer with a custom design. However, it is possible to purchase prepackaged wedding announcement cards that have spaces for you to fill in the information. These premade cards average between $5 and $10 for a package of six or eight. An excellent idea is to use any leftover paper or invitation materials for the announcements if you made the original invitations.

When you are preparing your wedding be sure to keep in mind the difference between wedding invitations and wedding announcements. The main difference is that wedding invitations inform your guests that they are invited to the wedding and wedding announcements are sent out after the wedding. These announcements inform family and friends that did not attend the ceremony that you are now married.

Read Part 1

The engagement announcement is probably the easiest one to figure out. The way these work is that the couple becomes engaged and then they spread this information to their family and friends. These announcements can be done quickly and without the stigma of having to invite recipients to the wedding. Engagement announcements can be sent out well before a wedding is even planned (a note on the card can mention that no date has been set) to individuals, done through email, printed in the local newspaper, or even on a blog!

The save-the-date announcement is the next in the typical series of wedding-related communications. The save-the-date announcement is not the engagement announcement, as it specifically states the date of the wedding. However, the save-the-date announcement is also different from the wedding invitation because it does not include the venue, time, or reception information. It is simply meant to provide information to the invited guests about the date of the wedding and that they can expect an invitation shortly. It is advisable that couples send save-the- date announcements to only those guests that are invited to the wedding.

The confusion generally comes when determining the difference between the wedding invitation and the wedding announcement. It is important to understand that the wedding invitation is sent 4 to 6 weeks before the event to those guests expected to attend the ceremony. The wedding invitation typically includes various elements of information including who is hosting the event, who is getting married, the date, the time, the location of the wedding ceremony, and the location of the reception. The wedding invitation should always include an RSVP card. This allows guests to indicate whether they will attend the wedding or not. Invitations also commonly include hotel information, directions, and suggested things to do in the area.

Read Part 2

A bridal shower can be held anywhere, a restaurant, a spa, a garden, or at someone’s home and at any time. If you are having a Jack and Jill shower, it is best to schedule it on a weekend. The majority of people tend to work Monday through Friday, therefore a weekend is a safe bet in that most of the couples’ friends and relatives can attend. If you are planning a shower with work and business colleagues, the ideal time would be on your lunch hour or right after work.

When planning a shower, you should keep the guest list to a comfortable 10 to 20 people. You do not want to invite too many people, as large groups tend to split up into smaller groups. You want everyone to interact with each other and the best way to do this is to keep the guest list small.

After you have finalized plans for the shower, it is time to order the invitations. You do not necessarily need to buy expensive shower invitations. Since the guest list is relatively small for a shower, handwritten invitations would also be appropriate. Or you can purchase blank stock invitations and print them from your computer.

Every bridal shower should include games and everyone attending should be included in the games. Shower party games are a great ice-breaker for people to get to know each other. Games can include bridal shower bingo, "What’s in the bag" (memory game), trivia questions about the bridge and groom, or making a wedding dress with toilet tissue.

After the party is over, do not forget to say thank you to the guests. Not only should the bride send a thank you, but the host should send them as well. A personal, handwritten note sent to each guest is the best way to express your appreciation.

Even though bridal showers require a lot of careful planning, they are meant to be fun. It is a great way to ‘shower’ the bride and groom with gifts for their home, or just an excuse to get together with family and friends and have a good time.

Read Part 1

A bridal shower is a way to honor the bride by ‘showering’ her with good wishes and gifts. It is believed the first wedding shower can be traced back to a Dutch story of a young girl who fell in love with a poor miller. Her father was not pleased with his daughter’s choice and refused to bestow a dowry (a sum of money and/or goods) necessary for the couple to set up a household. The miller was a generous man who had shared his possessions and helped several villagers who had fallen on hard times. When the villagers found out the bride’s father refused to bestow a dowry on the newlyweds, they came together and ‘showered’ the couple with gifts so they could establish a home together. And thus began the tradition of bridal showers.

Even though more and more women are marrying later in life and have already accumulated sufficient household items, the tradition of ‘showering’ the bride still persists. It is a good time to pamper the bride, make her feel special and help her to relax from all the wedding planning. Showers are no longer just for the bride. More and more showers are being held for couples, commonly called Jack and Jill showers. These ‘Jack and Jill" showers have increased in popularity over the past ten years and are a great way for family and friends to kick back and take a break from all the wedding planning.

Traditionally, the maid of honor plans the shower party. But today, any close friend or relative of the bride can plan and host a bridal shower. The bridal shower should be held four to six weeks before the wedding. ‘Surprise’ bridal showers should be avoided for several reasons. First and foremost, the bride is very busy planning her wedding and most likely holding down a full time job. So the bride needs to be consulted about the best day and time to have a bridal shower. Secondly, another shower may already be planned and you do not want to schedule your surprise shower on the same day. Thirdly, you need to consult with the bride on the guest list. Because guests are expected to bring a gift to these parties, it is important that the same guests are not invited to several showers. This can become quite expensive for guests if they are invited to several showers for the same bride.

Read Part 2

Remember your bridal party should be proportional to the amount of guests you ae going to have. If you are only inviting 100 people do not have 10 attendants in your bridal party. Most wedding planners advise 1 attendant for every 50 guests. So if you are having a large wedding you can have a large bridal party and if you are having a small, intimate wedding, then you want to have a small bridal party.

You want to keep your budget in mind when selecting the bridal party. More people in the bridal party mean more potential complications and added expenses. More bridesmaids means more people to agree on the dress, more accessories to get, more bouquets, more thank you gifts to buy. More groomsmen mean more tuxes to fit, more flowers, and again more gifts and accessories to buy.

Family should be chosen over friends. If it is a tie between your sister and sister in law then go with your sister. If it is a toss up between your sister in law and your friend of 15 years then go with who you are closest to. You want the bridal party to be made up of people you can trust, who are dependable, who have some taste, who are an active part of your life and who you can be comfortable around. If your thinking of having a friend from school be part of the wedding then make sure you actually know that person as well as you think you do. You do not want any personality clashes or surprises right before the wedding. If the bride or groom has a sibling you might want to include them in the bridal party.

Do not exclude someone just because you think they cannot afford it. Ask who you want to ask and if they have to decline then ask them to do something else in the wedding that is not as much of a financially burden. Do not make people feel obligated to be in the wedding even though they cannot afford it. That will end up putting a strain on your relationship and could cause problems for the big day. It is simple; if they cannot afford it, then they cannot afford it.

Remember that men can be bridesmaids; they would be called a bridesman. Women can be groomsmen; they would be called a groomswoman. Do not exclude your best friend just because they are of the opposite sex. If your spouse to be is ok with it, then why not have them in the wedding.

You can have two maids of honors or two best men. If there are two people that you are equally close to and you can’t decide between them, then have them both be a maid of honor or a best man. There’s no need to agonize over the decision or pick one over the other and hurt someone’s feelings.

You can have an uneven number of groomsmen and bridesmaids. If the bride has more people she wants in the wedding than the groom, or vice versa, then let them have them all in the wedding. You will just have to change the way they walk down the aisle, but that should not be that big of a problem.

If you want your bridal party to be even and the groom has too many people, let them all be in the wedding. Just make some of them ushers instead of groomsmen. They still get to be an important part of the wedding and there are no hurt feelings or controversy.

Remember that these are just a few tips; they are not set in stone. Your wedding is your day and all about you. So ultimately the decision is yours to make.

1. Be sure to pack a bridal emergency kit. You never know what might happen or go wrong, so you will want to make sure that you are prepared. A few things the kit should include are stain removing wipes, aspirin, a small bottle of water, double sided tape, a travel sewing kit, clear nail polish, tissues, make up remover, static guard and mouth wash. Include anything else you can think of that might come in handy.
2. Be sure to take big eaters into consideration when planning the meal for the reception. The last thing you want to happen at the reception is run out of food. Consider what time you are getting married. If you are getting married in the late afternoon, by the time the reception starts it will be time for supper. If you are getting married in the early afternoon, people might have had to skip lunch to make it on time. If you are just having finger foods, make double what you think you will need. That way if someone decides to make a meal out of it, you will still have enough. If you are having a full meal, make sure there is enough for about half the people to have seconds.
3. Drive the route you are using on your map cards before you have them printed. You might end up finding an easier way. Just because you went online and got driving directions from some website does not mean that those directions are the easiest way to get to the church and from the church to the reception. If you drive the route you may find that those directions, which sounded fine when reading it, make no sense at all when driving it. You want the directions to be as easy to follow as possible so that guests do not get lost.
4. Practice bustling your dress before you get to the reception. Take pictures if necessary so that the person responsible for getting you bustled knows what they are doing. The last thing you want is to disappear from the reception for a long period of time because you cannot get your dress bustled right.
5. Make sure you practice your beauty routine and hairstyle before the day of the wedding. You do nott want any unwanted surprises on the big day. Do not use anything the day of the wedding that you have not used before. The last thing you want is to try out some new product and have it react badly with your skin and have to walk down the aisle with a blotchy red face. Your best bet on the makeup is to keep it natural and within your normal range. If you do not normally wear makeup then do not feel like you have to wear a whole lot at the wedding. It is your day, look how you want. As for the hairstyle, make sure to make an appointment with your hairstylist before the wedding day so you can practice the style. The practice appointment will help you know how long the hairstyle is going to take so you can plan accordingly for the actual wedding day. If you are going to wear a veil, be sure to take it with you so that you can see how it and the hairstyle work together.
6. Do not be too flexible with the bridesmaid’s dresses. It is impossible to find one dress that looks good on every single one of your bridesmaids. Give them some input when it comes to choosing the dress, but do not let them walk all over you. Remember this is your wedding. You have the final decision on what their dresses look like. Do not pick a dress that you do not like just because it makes one of the bridesmaids happy.
7. Have someone be in charge on the day of the wedding. You will have enough to worry about on the wedding day without people bombarding you with questions about the details of things. Ask a friend or family member to be in charge of the last minute details for the ceremony and the reception. A lot of churches now have a wedding coordinator on staff to help with the ceremony. If you appoint someone to take care of all the little things, this will be a lot of stress taken off you.

Another legend is that since each color means something different you wanted to pick colors that meant love, happiness and good fortune. Here is an example of an old wives’ tale:

• If you marry in white then you’ve got it right
• If you marry in blue then your love is true
• If you marry in pink your fortune will stink
• If you marry in green then you’ll never be seen
• If you marry in red then you’ll wish you were dead
• If you marry in yellow then you’re ashamed of your fellow
• If you marry in brown then you’ll live out of town
• If you marry in gray then you’ll live far away
• If you marry in black then you’ll wish you were back

The idea of wedding colors has obviously evolved through the years. It now really only has to do with adding beauty to the wedding. Here are a few tips that you will want to remember when choosing your wedding colors.

1. Choose your colors based on your favorite colors or your favorite flower. Look at the colors you have in your wardrobe and in your home. Those are more often than not your favorite colors and the ones you feel most comfortable with. If you choose based on your favorite flower then that is a flower you will want to use in your bouquets.
2. Choose one main color and one or two accent colors. You do not want to go overboard when it comes to wedding colors. Really when it comes to the colors, less is more. The more colors you have the more distracted the guests will be. It is your day, so you want the focus to be on you, not the five or six different colors.
3. Take into consideration the season in which you are getting married. For spring and summer weddings it is customary to use pastel or bright colors. For fall and winter weddings it is customary to use either harvest colors or deeper, darker colors.
4. Make sure to consider the colors of the location. You do not want your wedding colors to clash with the colors of the location. Your pictures and everything about the day will turn out badly.
5. Avoid too much black. It is ok to have black as one of your wedding colors, but remember this is supposed to be a celebration not a funeral. If you are using black you might want to use it as an accent color or balance it with white or other bright colors.
6. Probably the most important tip when it comes to color is do not lose your personality. Do not pick a color just because of the season or location. This is your day and it is your wedding. Pick a color that you like.

This story could be true, or just a fairy tale. No one can really be sure of how the tradition started for the wedding cake topper. Nevertheless, since its inception, a miniature bride and groom cake topper has long been the traditional symbol placed above the wedding cake for everybody to see. Today, wedding cake toppers are available in a wide array of designs, colors, and styles.

Choosing the right topper for your wedding cake can present a challenge. For those who need some help deciding on the right topper for their cake, here are a few tips:

1. Never use wedding cake toppers that are made of plastics, especially the cheap ones. Even if you are on a tight budget, do not devalue your beautiful wedding cake with a cheap plastic cake topper.
2. Be creative. Do not be constrained by the traditional (bride and groom) or classical (doves, bells, etc.) cake toppers. If you are a modem couple, consider a topper that reflects your and your partner’s interests or hobbies. Or incorporate your wedding theme into your topper. Do not be afraid to be different.
3. Beware of heavy cake toppers, like those made from porcelain or resin. These need to be anchored down into the cake.
4. For the budget conscious couple or if you want to fulfill that 'something old’ tradition, you can use your parent’s wedding cake topper if it is still available. Using this family heirloom can add an extra special touch to your wedding.

Try choosing a wedding cake topper that reflects your personality, beliefs and lifestyle. Whichever design or style of cake topper you choose let it symbolize your love for each other.

When you arrive at the reception, do not hit the buffet line as soon as you get there. The bride and groom always go first, followed by the wedding party. It is also rude to eat and run. Avoid leaving the reception before the dancing or post-dinner activities. If you have somewhere else to be shortly after the dinner, then do not attend the reception.

If the reception dinner is buffet-style, do not go up for seconds, unless you see that everyone has had a crack at the buffet. It would be rude to go up for seconds before all the guests have had a chance to get something to eat. Also, avoid asking for a doggie bag to take food home, unless there are leftovers and you are encouraged by the bride and groom or someone in the wedding party to take food with you.

Overindulging at the bar and becoming a spectacle at the reception is considered very rude. Grabbing the mike and singing "Living La Vida Loca" or pretending you are a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" will take attention away from the bride and groom.

Avoid gossiping or complaining at the reception. Even though receptions can get loud, it is possible people around you have good ears and can hear what you are saying. Do not complain about the long buffet line, quality of the food, the music, or compare this wedding to another you have attended. Be on your best behavior and keep those opinions to yourself. In the same vein, do not tell rude or embarrassing stories about the bride or groom. This is their special day and you do not want to ruin it by bringing up painful or embarrassing moments

Do not hoard the wedding favors by taking more than one or getting extra to give to people who were not able to attend. Just take one for yourself, unless someone in the wedding party insists you take more. Also, do not take souvenirs from the ceremony or reception. There are countless horror stories of guests walking off with pew bows, centerpieces, and decorations. Sometimes these items are rented and have to be returned. You do not want the bride and groom to start off their married life hawking their wedding rings to pay for the rentals that were taken by guests.

Gifts

If you are attending the wedding, a gift is expected. The gift should be something both bride and groom can use. Traditionally, wedding gifts were sent to the bride’s home before or shortly after the wedding and never brought to the ceremony or reception. Today, however, bringing the gift to the wedding reception is considered acceptable. Usually, a gift table is set up at the reception for guests to leave their gifts.

If the couple is getting married out of town or having a destination wedding, consider giving them a gift card/certificate or cash. Toasters, linens, and such will need to be shipped back home and this is an added expense newlyweds do not need. If you are unable to attend the wedding or reception, you are not expected to give a gift, but if you still want to give a gift, you can.

The most important thing to remember is to be on your best behavior. Remember, this is the bride and groom’s day; it is their day to be the stars. So show them respect and make sure you do not do anything that makes you the center of attention. Ask yourself, "How would I want my guests to behave?" and you usually cannot go wrong. You can still have a lot of fun by being a respectful guest.

Read Part 1

Invitation to the Wedding:

When you receive a wedding invitation, do not assume you can bring your entire family to the event. The only people invited are those people listed on the invitation Inner Envelope. If the invitation only has one envelope, then the person or persons listed on the address are the only ones invited. For example, if the invitation you receive is addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, then only Mr. and Mrs. Smith are invited. If it reads Mr. Smith and Guest, this means Mr. Smith can bring one guest. If your invitation comes with a respond card, make sure to return the card by the reply date. Do not just assume the couple knows you will be attending and toss the respond card. Even if you do not plan to attend, you still need to respond. The respond card lets the couple know how many chairs to rent, how much food and cake to buy, how many favors to make, etc. If you respond declining to attend, do not change your mind later and show up at the reception, unless you have already made arrangements with the bride and groom. Showing up unexpectedly can throw off the head count and the caterer may not be able to accommodate additional guests.

The Ceremony

Make sure you dress appropriately for the wedding. Be conservative, unless you are asked to wear a costume or period clothing. Even if the wedding is casual, low cut dresses, short skirts, T-shirts, cut-off shorts, etc. are really tacky for a wedding. If the wedding is being held outdoors, be sure to wear appropriate footwear. You do not want to wear high heels at a beach wedding. Do not upstage the bride by wearing a white, ivory, or cream colored dress. The bride is the ‘star’ of the day and you should not try to compete by wearing a dress similar in color to hers.

Be on time. You should arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the time listed on the invitation. However, if you arrive during the procession, you should wait until the bride has gone down the aisle before entering and quietly taking your seat.

During the ceremony and reception, turn off your cell phones and pagers or set them to vibrate. Better yet, do not take them. There is nothing more disruptive or annoying at a wedding than a cell phone or pager going off during a tender moment.

Avoid taking photographs with a flash during the ceremony. In most cases, this is a religious ceremony and it should not be disrupted by camera flashes going off. If the bride and groom have hired a professional photographer, keep out of the photographer’s way and let him or her do their job.

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Mary Anne to Mr. Robert Alan Johnston etc.

If both bride and groom’s parents are hosting, you can word your invitations as follows:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith Mr. and Mrs. Albert Johnston request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children Mary Anne and Robert Alan

Today, many brides and grooms come from blended families, so listing the names of all the parents can become a challenge and can make your wedding invitation look crowded. To avoid listing all the parents, and thus overshadowing the bride and groom, it is recommended that you don’t list them all by name, but list them as a group. For example:

The parents of Mary Anne Smith and Robert Alan Johnston request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children etc.

This way, the parents are acknowledged as the hosts without dedicating three or four lines on your wedding invitation to listing them all.

• You should not order your invitations until the details of your wedding have been finalized. The wedding date, time and location must all be confirmed in order to have accurate information on your invitations.
• When you are ready to write your invitation wording and start shopping for that perfect wedding invitation, make sure you convey the formality of your wedding to your guests. They want and need to know what kind of wedding you will be having and your wording and choice of wedding invitation will convey this information to them.

If you are planning a formal wedding, you should choose a wedding invitation that is either white or ecru, with no color accents. It should have no border, or a simple beveled border. Avoid invitations with motifs like flowers, birds, and hearts. An example of formal wording is:

The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of Bride’s full name to Groom’s full name etc.

For less formal weddings, you can choose an invitation with color accents and motifs. You wording would read something like this:

Because you have shared in their lives by your friendship and love your presence is requested as Bride’s full name and Groom’s full name exchange marriage vows etc.

If you are having a themed wedding, you can incorporate this in your choice of wedding invitation and wording. For example, if you are having a beach-themed wedding, choose an invitation with a beach scene, shells, lighthouse, etc. Your wording can also convey your theme. For example:

Friends forever we will be whether walking on the beach or sailing on the sea... Please be our guest as we Bride’s full name and Groom’s full name join together in marriage on Saturday, the first of August Two thousand and nine at five o’clock in the afternoon on the beach at Grand Haven State Park Grand Haven, Michigan

Italy: There are no old shoes or clanging cans on the rear bumper of the newlywed’s car. Instead, the front grill is decorated with flowers and ribbons to symbolize the way to a happy life together.

Japan: During the ceremony the bride will leave three or four times to change clothes! The groom wears one black kimono during the entire ceremony.

Lithuania: The parents of the bride and groom give them gifts symbolizing the elements of marriage; wine for joy, salt for tears and bread for work.

Mexico: The couple is joined together by a long, white, silk cord wrapped around their shoulders.

Philippines: The bride wears an apron with pockets during the reception and when a guest "pays" her they may then have a dance with the bride.

Romania: Guests shower the newlyweds with candy and nuts, meant to symbolize prosperity.

Russia: All non-family members who attend the wedding receive a gift from the bride and groom. Guests do not bring gifts!

Spain: The bride and groom wear their wedding bands on their right hands.

Sweden: Brides carry bouquets of herbs and the groom’s attire come with some thyme sewn in a seam.

Switzerland: The wedding begins with junior bridesmaids throwing handkerchiefs to the guests. If you catch one you are supposed to give the couple money to help them as they start their new life together.

Wales: A blooming myrtle is thought to predict another wedding, so the bride gives her attendants a gift of myrtle the day of her wedding.

Some of these customs may seem odd but there are ways to incorporate new elements to any ceremony. Make your wedding ceremony unique and don’t be afraid to try something new!

Read Part 1

Africa: In some African ceremonies the couple’s wrists are bound together by plaited grasses.

Belgium: The bride’s mother presents her daughter with a handkerchief with her name embroidered in one corner. The bride carries it during the wedding. Afterward the handkerchief is framed and displayed in the bride’s family home until another daughter is married, then her name is added and she carries it in her wedding.

Czechoslovakia: Some brides choose to wear a traditional wreath made of rosemary, a symbol of love, loyalty and wisdom.

China: During a Chinese wedding ceremony two goblets holding honey in one and wine in the other are tied together with a red ribbon which the bride and groom take sips from to symbolize their union.

England: As the bride and groom enter the church, the bells chime; when they exit as husband and wife the bells chime again but to a different tune.

Finland: In early times the bride-to-be was adorned with a gold crown. After the ceremony she was blind folded and surrounded by the unmarried female guests. The bride would go around the circle until she picked someone to pass the crown to. Like today’s bouquet catcher she was thought to be the next one to marry.

France: After the ceremony the couple drinks from a "coupe de marriage", a silver cup with two handles.

Germany: Both the bride and the groom wear gold bands as a symbol of their engagement.

Greece: After their vows the bride and groom each take three sips of wine and walk around the altar three times following the priest. This symbolizes the Trinity.

Holland: The bride and groom sit on thrones covered by a canopy of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting love, during a pre-wedding celebration.

India: Female relatives and friends use henna dye to paint the newlywed’s hands. The couple then leaves their handprints on the outside door of their new home for good luck.

Read Part 2

Your wedding invitation is your guest’s first look at your wedding. The invitation tells them what kind of wedding to expect; whether it is black tie formal, casual, or even a themed wedding. Whatever the case may be, one thing that you always want to keep in mind is keeping it personal. Remember personal does not mean untraditional. It just means that you have put some of your style and personality into every part of your special day including the invitation.

There are a few ways to make your invitation personal. First and probably the biggest is the color. Your invitation does not have to be a perfect match to the bridesmaid’s dresses, but you want them to at least compliment each other. Try to keep the invitation in the same color palette as the rest of your wedding.

Another way is use your monogram. A monogram is the first letter of your and your fiancé’s first names and the first letter of his last name, which is your new last name. This is a more traditional way to add a personal touch. Not only can the monogram be printed on the invitation, but you can continue the theme and use it through out the decorations for the wedding and the reception.

You can also use a special design or icon. If there is a design or icon that has special meaning to you, then by all means incorporate that into your wedding invitations. There may be an extra set up fee for using your own design, but if it is what you want, then go for it. You can also use special fonts to add a touch of personality to the wedding invitation.

Another good way is use pictures. Most companies now sell photo wedding invitations of some sort. You can pick a favorite picture and have that printed on your invitation or you can use it to make seals for the outside of the envelope.

Whatever you decide to do just remember that these are the invitations to your wedding - your special day. You can make them as personalized as you choose, but do not go overboard. Keep in mind that no matter how casual your event is going to be, it still has some formal undertones and your invitations should reflect that.

• A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.  Mignon McLaughlin
• Cannot be parted nor be swept away from one another once you are agreed. That life is only forevermore — together wing to wing and oar to oar.  Robert Frost
• In our life there is a single color, as on an artist‘s palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.  Marc Chagall
• My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.  Winston Churchill
• Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, But through being the right mate. Barnett Brickner
• The truth is that there is only one terminal dignity — love. And the story of love is not import — what is important is that one is capable of love. It is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity.  Helen Hayes
• There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved: it is God‘s finger on man ‘s shoulder.  Charles Morgan
• When the wedding march sounds the resolute approach, the clock no longer ticks, It tolls the hour. . . The figures in the aisle are no longer individuals, They symbolize the human race.  Anne Morrow Lindbergh
• You do not choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• You will reciprocally promise love, loyalty and matrimonial honesty. We only want for you this day that these words constitute the principle of your entire life And that with the help of divine grace you will observe these solemn vows today, before God, you formulate.  Pope John Paul II

And for the couple taking that second walk down the aisle, here is one quote that might say it all for you.

• For I’m not so old, and I’m not so plain, and I’m quite prepared to marry again.  W. S. Gilbert

Most DJs and bands will have a "play list" available for you to go through and make any changes. If you have a particular song that does not appear on their play list ask if it could be added.

One special song is usually the first dance of the newlywed couple. The top ten songs for this are:

1. The Way You Look Tonight
2. Just the Way You Are
3. I Will Always Love You
4. Unforgettable
5. Wonderful Tonight
6. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
7. Love Will Keep Us Together
8. Endless Love
9. We’ve Only Just Begun
10. All I Ask of You

Another special song you may want to select would be the bride’s dance with her father. Suggestions for this number include:

1. Daddy’s Little Girl
2. Thank Heaven for Little Girls
3. What A Wonderful World

Before hiring a DJ or a band interview them.
Here are a few questions that should help you in your decision:

1. How often, how long and how many breaks will they take? (5-10 min. per hour is standard)
2. Do they provide pre-recorded music during their breaks?
3. What will they be wearing?
4. Are there any other fees not included in the quote? (travel time, mileage, etc.)
5. Will they play overtime? If so, what is the charge?
6. What is the cancellation policy?
7. Are song requests from guests allowed at no extra fee?
8. Ask for their play list.

Before you sign a contract with your reception musicians have everything in writing. This should include how many hours they will play, how many breaks they will take, how they bill for overtime, the required amount for deposit, when the balance is due, amount of any taxes or other charges and whether a refund is allowed in case of cancellation. Once you have the play list selections made and the contract signed you can happily check off one more item on your wedding day list.

Whatever decision you as a couple decide, there are people, places and things that will need to be updated concerning your new identity.  Notify the following with your new information:

 

Bank Accounts	Passport
Billing Accounts	Pension Plan Records
Car Registration	Post Office Listing
Church Membership Roll	Property Titles
Credit Card Accounts	School Records (if a student)
Drivers License	Social Security
Employment Records	Stock Portfolio
Insurance Policies	Voter Registration
Leases	Wills

If you have any other financial or legal documents in your name, those will need to be updated as well.

If you find yourself more attached to your maiden name than you realized, you may choose to just keep it.  One thing though if you decide to keep it concerns taxes.  If you file jointly with your husband but use your own name, the government will ask proof of marriage every year. 

The first time you will sign your new name to an official document will be to the marriage license.  Be sure that you are both comfortable with your decision long before it is time to sign on that dotted line.

While an engagement ring is not a crucial requirement, the wedding band plays an integral part of the ceremony.  Both the bride and groom should go together to select the wedding bands.  This will be a special piece of sentimental jewelry that you both will want to wear everyday for the rest of your lives. 

If you choose bands that are intricately cut or set with diamonds, then the bride may wear the wedding band on her left hand and the engagement ring on her right hand. 

Gold is the most popular of the precious wedding bands; you will encounter three labels on gold jewelry:

1. Solid Gold - 100% gold and not hollow
2. Gold Filled - A solid outer layer of gold-colored metal that is injected with gold; weighs 12 karats
3. Gold Plated - A layer of metal covered by a layer of golf; weighs 10 karats

Silver is another popular precious metal used.  Sterling silver is a combination of 7.5% copper and 92.5% silver.  Silver is 75% less expensive than 14 karat gold.  Another white metal that has gained popularity is platinum.  This precious metal is 50% more expensive than 14 karat gold.

Whatever your preference, remember that the exchange of the wedding bands is an important part of the ceremony and your rings should reflect your style but more importantly, your commitment to each other.

A wedding consultant with experience can lessen your stress a great deal by checking on each and every detail.  He or she will negotiate with suppliers, make decisions, plan, supervise and coordinate the entire event.  He or she will not only ease the pressure on you but even save you money.  Wedding consultants know how to work within a budget.  They also know which suppliers offer discounts and who are reliable.  Most suppliers enjoy the luxury of being a favorite of certain consultants.  

Word-of-mouth referrals are the best way to find a reliable wedding planner.  When interviewing a potential wedding consultant, ask the following questions:

1. What is your fee and how is it determined?  Some charge by the hour ($25 and up), some charge a percentage of the budget (10%-20%) and some charge a flat fee.
    
2. What experience have you had?  Find out the number of weddings he or she has planned, the size of the wedding, the length of time he or she had been working and get referrals from the past clients.
    
3. What suppliers do you work with?  Ask for a list of bakers, caterers, florists, musicians, party suppliers and stationers he or she usually deals with.  Let him or her know you are not willing to pay any commissions.
    
4. What input will I have?  This is totally up to you and should be agreed upon by you and your consultant up front.  Are you comfortable him or her sign contracts for you or do you prefer to sign them yourself?

When you work with a wedding planner, begin by discussing your budget, where you want the ceremony and reception and what you expect from the planner.  Discuss your interests and hobbies and the style you want your wedding, the colors and the size of the bridal party.  Keep in touch with your planner on a regular basis.

Be realistic about what you can accomplish on your own. If your "to do" list is overwhelming by just thinking about it, then by all means hire a professional.

Arrange for someone to transport the gifts from the reception site to the place where you will be hosting the brunch.  Most restaurants have banquet or party rooms available for reserving ahead of time at no additional cost.  Try to find a restaurant that offers a breakfast buffet.  This will assure that everyone will be able to select the foods they like and the cost will be less expensive for you.

If your home is large enough to accommodate this gathering, have it there.  This will also give everyone the opportunity to see your new home.  This also saves you from having to transport the gifts again.  If you in an apartment complex that has a community center, make arrangements to use that space.  Wherever you decide to host this Sunday brunch, it is a wonderful way for everyone to see your gifts and to say good-bye before you leave for your honeymoon.

Be sure to ask a trusted friend or relative to record each gift that is opened and who it is from.  Arrange for a table to be close by so the gifts can be displayed.  Your thank you cards should be sent out as soon as possible.  Most wedding experts say that up to one year is acceptable, but is pushing it.

Although this gathering will be an added expense, your guests will appreciate the thoughtfulness.  Be prepared to receive some thank you notes yourself.

If insects are a problem in your area treat the yard with a bug bomb about one hour before your guests arrive.  You may also want to use citronella candles on low lying tables around the perimeter of the yard.  Place these candles in decorative terra cotta flower pots for a more uniform look.

Arrange the yard in to two areas, one for the buffet and the other for the tables where your guests will dine.  For simple centerpieces you may like to use terra cotta flower pots with candles inserted but add a glass hurricane lamp globe to protect the flame from any sudden wind gusts.

Soft background music will add one more dimension of elegance but still keep the conversations relaxed.  Your guests should feel free to mingle and enjoy each others company.

Weather can be unpredictable.  Make arrangements to have a large white canopy available if needed.  Canopies can be rented at most party supply houses or wedding rental shops.

The menu is up to you.  A real crowd please is steak, baked potatoes and salad.  For dessert, a simple fruit salad would be the perfect ending to his outdoor feast.

Remember to have plenty of cold beverages on hand as well as chilled champagne for the many "toasts." 

This should be an intimate affair perhaps in your own home.  A simple and elegant way to make this gathering extra special is to decorate everything in pink.  Begin the theme by sending out pink invitations and be sure to note that this is a "Pink Party."  Most of the guests will love the idea and come dressed in pink as well as use pink wrapping paper, bows and gift bags for all of the presents.  Set up a gift table in a prominent area and this will become a stunning centerpiece for the event.

Pink table coverings, napkins, paper plates and cups can be found at all party supply stores.  But do not worry about different shades; they will add to the festive feeling you want.  For an added treat, purchase inexpensive pink boas for everyone and watch the divas emerge.

A delicious pink punch made from one part ginger ale, one part Sprite and one part Hawaiian Punch will also reinforce the theme.  For an extra flair, consider mixing a very small amount of red food coloring to a gallon of water and fill some ice trays.  Kitchen specialty store carry a variety of ice trays with unusual shapes like flowers, bows and bells.  These little touches will certain make a lasting impression.

Pink votive candles with pink ribbon tied around the clear glass holders would be an inexpensive but striking way to add atmosphere.  Ask you local florist what pink flowers are in season and purchase a couple dozen to arrange in vases around the room.

If you are artistic, consider finding an old wooden chair with interesting lines to sand and paint.  Paint the entire chair white and decorate it by painting pink flowers and greenery around the edges.  The bride will certainly cherish this piece of furniture.  Be sure to sign the chair underneath the seat with your name, the date and that the color pink represents friendship and affection. 

Schedule this event when most of your wedding party is available.  A time in the evening would be ideal for serving desserts and coffee.  Or, perhaps a Saturday or Sunday afternoon barbeque would be better.

Encourage your guests to bring old photographs they may have to the bride or groom.  The parents will want to show old baby pictures, childhood friends may have pictures of past birthday parties or school events and siblings and other relatives will surely have some great memories to share as well.  Be prepared for old stories to be told and plenty of laughter about old hair styles and fashion choices.

Another casual atmosphere would be to host this gathering at a local pizzeria.  Inquire if there is a banquet or party room available that you can reserve ahead of time.  If you are ordering several pizzas, do not be afraid to ask if there are any discounts.

The guest list should include the parents of the bride and groom, all of your attendants plus one guest each, the flower girl and ring bearer and their parents.

Keep it simple but fun.  This type of casual setting will encourage good conversation and prevent "strangers" from your wedding.

There are ways to save for your wedding if you intend on having a year or longer engagement.  Begin a savings plan that you can commit to and try to save 10% to 20% of your monthly earnings; however, be realistic and reasonable with that amount.  You do not need to live like a pauper during the time leading up to your wedding.

Here are just a few tips to help you save money:

• Skip buying coffee in the morning and have a cup of coffee from home.
• Bring bottled water with you to work instead of buying drinks from the vending machine.
• Reserve going out to dinner for special occasions.
• Keep your car parked; walk, car pool or take public transportation.
• Cut down on book and magazine purchases by visiting the public library.
• Through your bank, arrange for automatic deposit into your savings account each pay period. 
• Look for bargains at the grocery store and do more cooking from home. 
• Control your utility costs; set your thermostat to 72 degrees in the summer and 65 degrees during the winter.
• If you must take out a loan for your wedding expenses, shop around for the lowest possible interest rate.

This simple discipline will result in substantial savings for your checkbook.  If you find yourself tempted to buy those killer shoes or that adorable jacket, ask yourself if it is more important than the wedding of your dreams.

First of all, check with your newspaper to see what their policies are regarding engagement announcements.  Most newspapers have a form for you to fill out with all the vital information.  Be sure to print neatly and have every name and word spelled correctly.  You may need to also verify titles of people, a retired military officer, doctor, etc.  Some people are very sensitive to this, especially if it is misprinted.  Find out if you can submit a picture with the announcement and if they charge a fee.

Specify the date you want the announcement to be printed and provide your contact information along with "Please Return" on the back of the picture in a self-addressed envelope.  Make sure the envelope is large enough to hold the picture and it has enough postage.  Many places prefer to receive digital images, in which case you can submit the picture online, such as in an email.  Be sure to follow the submission instructions exactly.

Traditionally the bride's parents announce the engagement.  In a case where her parents are divorced, either parent can make the announcement; both parents should be mentioned in the article.  If one parent is deceased, the word "late" should precede any mention of their name.  If both parents are deceased, the announcement can be made by a close relative.

It will save you a trip to the newspaper office if you ask for the wedding announcement form while you are there. 

Some party boats offer catered meals and live bands for entertainment, while others may allow you to provide the food, beverages and music.  If the event is catered by the charter company, be sure to inquire about decorations as well as the champagne for all the toasting that will be done.

If you are providing the food, beverages and decorations, make arrangements to board early enough to set up and still have plenty of time to get ready for the rehearsal.  If would be ideal if a close friend, who is not in the wedding party, could take on the responsibility of readying the boat.

Invitations will add to the excitement by passing out rolls of Life Savers wrapped with a simple message of when and where the boat will be.  Purchase a number of the traditional white "Dixie Cup" sailor hats to give to each member of the wedding party before they board.  Be sure to get your groom a captain's hat as well.

Most charter companies will provide you with a certified pilot, while others may allow a member of your party to steer.  If the latter is the case, please have him or her refrain from drinking too much.  Most states have laws about drinking and boating.  Too much partying on the part of the driver could result in arrest and/or fines and is extremely unsafe for the passengers and other boaters.

Relax, enjoy yourself and gaze at the stars.  What a wonderful way to spend the evening before your big day.

Why not start a tradition in your area by hosting a "Boy Toys" party for the groom?  It would be an ideal event for the best man to host this "groom shower" and invite the groom's wedding party and other male relatives and friends.

Start by sending postcard invitations to everyone on your guest list and include that this is a party to fill "the groom's tool box."  Small hand tools are perfect gifts for this type of "shower."  This can include hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, cordless drill, stud finder, socket sets, tool belt, small levels, tape measure, various sizes of nails and screws, a small organizer, flashlights, batteries, clamps, wood glue and anything else similar to these.  Gift certificates to a home improvement store would be another option.

If the groom has a passion for a particular sport, consider including items that pertain to that as well.  For instance, if he enjoys golf, purchase a small cooler filled with golf balls, golf towels and tees or get him a gift certificate to the local pro shop.

The food could be as simple as a deli buffet.  Most supermarkets have deli meat and cheese trays available for your convenience.  Buy several types of bread or rolls, as well as sandwich spreads.  Add a platter of sliced pickles, juicy tomato slices and crisp lettuce to the table.  Be sure to have plenty of cold beer available too.

You may run into some resistance to the idea of a guy shower but in the end, you will have honored your friend with some much needed items as well as a great party.  Be brave; do something different.

If you are having a large wedding and would still like to have a more casual rehearsal dinner, consider one with country flair.  This is especially popular in rural areas.  Rent a party room at your local community center and decorate with bales of hay and dried cornstalks bundled together.  This is a wonderful way to celebrate during the fall months.  Dress the tables with red and white checkered coverings with centerpieces of dried wheat in large canning jars.  Colorful bandanas under each jar will to the mood.

The menu could include pulled pork barbeque, rolls, corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad and various homemade pies for dessert.  A keg of beer, iced tea and lemonade would be perfect beverages to have available.

For entertainment you may want to have an old fashioned square dance if you know of a "caller" in the area.  Or perhaps you know of a Blue Grass band who would like to perform.  To save on the entertainment expense, you may want to bring a CD player and keep the music playing all night.

Make sure your guests know at the time they receive their invitation that this is a casual event.  Blue jeans, bib overalls, flannel or plaid shirts, denim skirts and cowboy boots are perfect attire for this style of rehearsal dinner.

4+ Months Before Your Wedding

1. Taste the Cake!
   
   Call local bakeries, or contact your on-site event coordinator to schedule a cake tasting. Think about flavor, style, size, decorations and color so they’ll have a clear vision of your style and.. .taste!
   
   
   • Tip: Make the baker aware of any food allergies you may have or any flavors you definitely don’t like. Bring along your wedding planning binder so the cake is sure to match all those fabulous details you’ve been putting together! And, as always, make your budget clear BEFORE you dig in! 
      
2. Time to Plan the Honeymoon
   
   If you have your heart set on a dream location, the earlier you can start planning the better! With all the resources out there, be sure to check as many resources as possible! It may also be worth your time to call resorts and hotels to see if they offer honeymoon packages.
   
   
3. Review Marriage License Requirements and Apply
   
   Contact your state to determine exactly what the requirements are where you live. In most cases, you’ll both need to get a complete physical exam including blood tests. You’ll also likely need to fill out some lengthy forms.
   

Your wedding will be a joyous and exciting time to be sure, but the planning process can be long and overwhelming to say the least. Our wedding planning timeline is meant to be a general guide for keeping you on track. Every wedding, and every bride, will be different, so feel free to modify this guide so it works for you! Based on tradition, we've given our guide a 1-year time frame, so adjust up or down accordingly.

Brides...Start Your Planning!

1. Spread the Word!
   
   Announce your engagement to your family and friends, either with an engagement party or by word of mouth. Consider placing an announcement article in your local newspaper. Create a wedding web site which you can continue to update as you nail down wedding details.
    
   
   • Tip: There are many wedding web site companies out there, ranging from free to costly. Be sure to shop around. Also think about whether you want the whole world to have access to your site, or whether you want to password protect it for only your guests.
      
2. Imagine Your Dream Wedding
   
   Whether or not you've been dreaming about wedding day details since you were a little girl, your first step is to think about what you want out of your wedding day. Barefoot on the beach? Traditional chapel? Extravagent or intimate? Don't get stuck on the details yet - just think "big picture" at this point. Share your ideas with your husband-to-be, and be sure to get an understanding of his wants and needs (it is his day, too!)
    
   • Tip: Start an "ideas" notebook you can use to jot down random ideas, rip out magazine articles and paste pictures or samples. Don't "edit" now - just start grabbing anything that appeals to you. We've compiled an article full of ideas like this one if you are looking for inspiration?

1. Pick a Date
   
   Start by selecting the time of year that appeals to you. Next, you will want to check the caledars of your families to see what weekends you have to work with. If you already know the exact ceremony and reception sites you want, you will want to visit those sites and choose your date based on availability.
    
   
   • Tip: Other factors you will want to consider when picking a date are: weather, insect activity at outdoor ceremonies, sunset times and travel for guests (holidays are expensive).
      
2. Get Organized
   
   Expand your "ideas" notebook into an official wedding file or binder. You'll want to keep your wedding contacts, documents, appointment dates, etc all in one organized place for easy access.
    
   • Tip: Purchase dividers so you can split your folder into categories such as Budget, Guest List, Dress, Bridesmaids, Invitations, Cake, Flowers, Entertainment, and Honeymoon.
      
3. Build Your Budget
   
   It's not the most romantic task, but now is the time you will need to determine your wedding budget. The longer you put this very important step off, the more likely you are to spend beyond your means.
    
   
   • Tip: Now is also the time for that "who will pay for what?" discussion. Are you and your fiance paying for everything? Or are the bride's parents covering the whole event? You need to know where the money is coming from in order to plan.
      
4. Get the Guest List in Order
   
   Before you select your location but after you've built your budget, you will need to come up with a preliminary headcount. Start by organizing your own contact list into a format you like. Now ask for his list, his family's list, your parents' list, etc. and add them to your own. If you know exactly how many guests you can invite (for budget or capacity reasons), let your families know exactly how many guests they can put on their lists. It sounds harsh, but it will help avoid conflict later.
    
   
   • Tip: As you combine all the lists, create a color-coding system so it remains clear who wanted to invite that person. This way, you'll know who to go to as you begin to gather addresses. You may want to include an additional column on your list to indicate who is a "Must," a "Hopefully," or a "Maybe" to be invited, which will help as you edit and refine your combined lists.
      
5. Select your Location(s)
   
   You'll want to make appointments at the locations first, and take your husband-to-be and a few friends for second opinions. You should know that reservations for possible locations are booked for more than a year in advance in many cases. If the site is available and you fall in love with it, ask for a copy of the cancellation policy, put a security deposit down, and secure the date.
    
   
   • Tip: Put some thought into the style and level of formality you want for your event. Think about your personalities, your style, and your budget. It is possible to transform that wild garden into a sophisticated black tie party, but it will take a lot more time and money than transforming an already elegant reception room..
      
6. Wedding Registry Time
   
   As early as your engagement party, people will be looking to celebrate by buying you the things you want. Make it easy on your guests (while ensuring you receive the items you want and need) by signing up at multiple registry locations. It will be important to register for gifts in a wide variety of price ranges to appeal to the budgets of all your guests.
    
   
   • Tip: Especially if you do register early, make sure to update your registry often so there are always items available. And of course, be prepared to start sending thank you notes! We have several articles on thank you card etiquette to help you.
      

1. Finalize the Guest List
   
   Reconsider your budget and your ideal guest list number. Discuss any final additions with your family. Make sure you consider how many children and "plus ones" will be invited (if at all). Determine the final number of invitations you will need.
    
   
   • Tip: There will likely be discrepancies in opinions, and possibly tension here. Be prepared to deal with high emotions and do your best to keep cool. Read our tips on guest list special circumstances and how to deal with them.
      
2. Invitations Time!
   
   It's time to wrap up all the shopping for your wedding stationery. You will want to keep in mind your color scheme, the level of formality of the event, and your budget. You will most likely need: save the dates (optional), wedding invitations (with envelopes), thank you cards, and possible other personal stationery.
    
   • Tip: Ordering wedding invitations is a fairly complex process, especially long distance. A company selling wedding invitations online or over the phone should not only be able to send you free samples, but also have staff who are willing to help with wording and advice that are both proper etiquette and specific to your wedding needs.
     Shameless plug: The American Wedding has been serving brides for almost 90 years via phone, fax, mail and the Internet.
      
3. Arrange Accommodations
   
   Out-of-town guests and local guests alike may wish to stay at a nearby hotel. Call early to secure a special "wedding rate" and to reserve a room block, and be prepared to communicate lodging details to your guests on your wedding save the dates, invitations and/or web site.
    
   
   • Tip: Do your best to secure multiple hotel options in a variety of price ranges to appeal to different tastes & budgets. 
      

1. Get with the Program
   
   Design or place an order for your wedding programs. You’ve been smart to wait at least this long because things inevitably change right up until the last minute. Programs generally include the names of the wedding party and the names of the family of the bride and groom.
   
   
   • Tip: Add fun details like “your story,” bios for the people in your wedding party, pictures, your favorite prayer, etc. This is a great chance to make your guests feel more personally involved in your special day.
      
2. The Perfect Fit
   
   Now’s the time to have your final gown fitting. Bring along your shoes, your veil, and a trustworthy friend for a second opinion. Don’t be shy — if there’s anything you’re not happy about, speak up now while there’s still time to make last-minute changes.
   
   
3. Primping Practice Run
   
   Make an appointment to have a run-through on your makeup and hair. You do not want to see it for the first time on your wedding day! Be sure to bring pictures, magazine clippings, and other inspiration for your stylists.
   
   
   • Tip: Bring your veil and a picture of your dress.
      

1. Get a Little Girl Time
   
   Indulge in a relaxing manicure and pedicure.  Invite your wedding party and have a little champagne toast and "bridesmaids brunch"
   
   
2. Pay Attention to Detail
   
   Lay out all of your wedding attire and accessories.  Shoes? Jewelry? Veil? Something borrowed and something blue? Gather all of those little details for easy access tomorrow and for peace of mind tonight.
   
   
3. Run-Through
   
   Rehearse the ceremony with your wedding party and your officiant.  Make sure everyone knows what time to arrive and what their responsiblities are.  Then head to the rehearsal dinner and toast to your happy tomorrow!
   
   
4. Get a Good Night's Sleep

1. Eat
   
   

   Too many brides forget this crucial step, and end up jittery, nauseous, or just plain hungry on their big day. Eat small bites of substantial food throughout the morning to keep you energized and feeling good!
   

2. Primp
   
   When you go to get your hair and make-up done, wear a button-front shirt to avoid undoing all that’s been done. Suggest your maid’s do the same, or consider giving them matching robes as a gift.
   
   
3. Reception Run-Through
   
   Send someone you trust (your maid of honor? your stylish cousin?) to walk through the reception site. Ask them to check that the flowers are in place, the table is set, and that the whole place looks fabulous in general. It will give you major peace of mind to know that everything is in order.
   
   
4. Smile and Have Fun
   
   

   You’ve worked really hard, and now the time is here.. .enjoy it! If you are feeling happy and relaxed, so will your guests. An added plus? You’ll glow even more in all those last-a-lifetime wedding pictures. On this day, more than any other, you don’t want to sweat the small stuff!

1. Start Shopping!
   
   Gather a few beloved ladies and head to the wedding dress boutiques! You'll get the best service (and the least amount of stress) if you call ahead and make an appointment. If you are dreaming of a custom gown, you'll want to allow at least 9 months in most cases, for the creation of the dress. Alterations for a standard-sized dress are generally ongoing over a few months.
    
   
   • Tip: Try to stay open-minded and calm! It won't kill you to try on a few dresses you otherwise wouldn't touch. This is also a time where making your budget clear is crucial. Don't run the risk of falling in love with a gown that is way beyond your means. You'll end up way over budget or in a dress you consider "second best." 
      
2. Consider Your Colors
   
   Go back and look through your "idea book" and pay attention to the colors that have appealed to you consistently over time. You will want to keep in mind the location, style and season of your ceremony.
    
   • Tip: Picking your wedding colors can be an intimidating task, so our best piece of advice is to go with your instincts. You'll be seeing a lot of this particular shade over the next year, so be sure to pick something that is either soothing or exciting, but not jarring or boring to your style sensabilities!
      
3. Get the (Bridal) Party Started!
   
   Round up your favorite ladies and ask them to stand by you on your big day as part of your bridal party. Ask friends and family as early as possible. You will be able to enlist their help in the planning process, and they will be a great source of advice and support in the coming months.
    
   
   • Tip: Read additional resources on selecting and inviting your attendants.
      
4. Interview Vendors
   
   There are a number of service providers you will need to secure for your wedding ceremony and reception. This is not a time to make random decisions. Always shop around, meet the vendors in person, and ask a few questions before signing any contracts.
    
   
   • Tip: Ask friends and family for referrals to vendors they enjoyed working with. Have your interview questions prepared ahead of time and make sure everyone understands your budget so that can make it clear to you exactly what your money will buy. You will want to start looking for:
      
     
     1. Wedding Officiant - Religious or Civil
     2. Photographer and Videographer (two very different people)
     3. DJ or Live Band
     4. Caterer (be sure to schedule a tasting!)
     5. Florist (more information on flowers)
     6. Limo / Transportation Services
     
      
5. Dress your Wedding Party
   
   You'll need to consider your own style, as well as the body type, comfort levels and budgets of your bridesmaids as you start to shop for their dresses. Some modern takes on bridesmaid dresses include dressing each gal in a different dress but all in the same color, or selecting the same dress in different shades of the same hue for a "watercolor effect."
    
   
   • Tip: Make it clear to your maids what they will need to purchase (and when). Communicating this info via email is totally fine. If fittings or other appointments are necessary, appoint your Maid of Honor to oversee the scheduling. 
      

1. Send Your Invitations
   
   Make sure the invitations are compiled, addressed, and postmarked as necessary. Remember that while you are free to add to your guest list as you wish, everyone who received a save the date must receive an invitation.
   
   
   • Tip: Pay attention to Postage. Take a sample to the Post Office and have them weigh and place postage on the entire package. 
      
2. The Necessities
   
   Do you need to rent or buy useful items for your ceremony and reception? Do not assume that the location will be providing everything (or anything!) Think about candles, flatware, china, crystal, etc. Call around to find the best deals for renting these items in bulk.
   
   
3. Set the Schedule
   
   Confirm the arrival and departure times for the caterer, transportation services, band, deejay, etc. Get in touch with your event location to confirm that all your vendors will have access to the site when they need it. Give each vendor a day- of contact person and phone number. You don’t want them calling you.
   
   
4. Order Wedding Favors
   
   While they are by no means a necessity. wedding favors can be a great way to show your appreciation for all the love and support you’ve received from your guests. Favors can be as understated as a homemade CD or as extravagant as charitable donations, but they should always be somewhat sentimental.
   
   
   • Tip: Shop our wedding favor selection here.