WEDDING NOTES™ - Creative ways to personalize your wedding

Because the push to be unique is increasing important to our brides, here are some of the more creative ideas we have seen.

• ·         If yours is a smaller wedding, consider including a personal note with the invitation.

• ·         With help from the US Postal Service you can create your own stamp.

• ·         Stats have shown that social invitations are opened more frequently on Saturdays.  Time your invitation mailings to arrive on Saturday if possible.  You’ll receive more RSVP responses.

• ·         Pick a monogram and use it throughout the planning process.

• ·         One wedding planner suggests choosing a unique start time for the ceremony.  For example use the date you met (5:23) or the date you got engaged (7:04) or other key dates in your lives.

• ·         Take lots of photos during your engagement and pre wedding planning period and use them as table decorations at the reception.

• ·         Create an entrance at the wedding – something that says WOW and let’s guests know they have arrived.

• ·         Include your parents by having their wedding photos on display at the reception.  Include grandparent photos too if they are available.

• ·         To keep everything moving, plan a “surprise” for guests at the reception every 30 minutes.

• ·         If you are planning a Dessert Station at your reception, ask family cooks to bring a dozen or two of their favorite treats.  These will add variety to the selection and invest family in the reception.

WEDDING NOTES™ - Wedding Myths Dispelled

MYTH 1 – IT’S MY DAY!

We spend a lot of time talking about how special the wedding day is but remembering to put it in perspective is important.  Most brides are sensible and know that just because they are being married on one day, the world does not stop spinning on its axis.  The goal is to provide balance to the event and subtle reminders that life goes on can help stop some bad behavior that we occasionally see.  Bridezillas need to be carefully grounded in the reality that life does not stop for the rest of the planet.

MYTH 2 – IT COSTS A LOT OF $$ TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING

Absolutely not!  A beautiful wedding depends on the love of the couple and their families and does not depend on the amount of money they spent.  Beautiful weddings happen at all price ranges.

MYTH 3 – THE WEDDING INDUSTRY IS FULL OF “PROS” OUT TO CHEAT YOU

While there may be an occasional store that makes the news or a florist, photographer or caterer that fails to follow through, they are vastly outnumbered by reputable, experienced professionals whose livelihood depends on their sterling reputation for honesty, integrity and reliability.  Check out the reputation of a vendor under consideration.  Before a particular vendor or service is booked, ask for references.

MYTH 4 – WE HAVE A YEAR TO GET OUT OUR THANK YOU NOTES

Whoever started that myth was dreaming.  The rule on thank you notes is simple – write them ASAP.  Keep up with them throughout the period of showers, parties, gifts sent to the bride’s home.  If a guest has thought enough to send a gift to celebrate the wedding, he or she deserves a thoughtful response which expresses timely and sincere thanks.  If there is a legitimate reason for a delay in writing personal thank you notes, then gift acknowledgment cards are to be sent immediately and followed up by a personal thank you at a somewhat later date – but NEVER A YEAR.

WEDDING NOTES™ - Wedding Trends for the 21st Century

A posting from Emilypost.com lists the following trends as increasing in importance for the weddings currently being planned.

• Personalized weddings are increasing.  Brides may follow traditional guidelines for the ceremony and reception, but they also want their day to have elements that are unique for the couple and which make the event memorable.  Creating a monogram that is used throughout the process or adopting a signature color or theme are ways they are putting their individual stamp on the event.  Invitations may be the first indicator of a couple’s decision to make the wedding uniquely  theirs.

• Cost sharing is common.  At one time the bride’s family funded the event, but with couples being older and both employed, wedding costs can be shared or even funded solely by the bride and groom.  What has not changed is the need to have clarity around who is paying for what.

• High Tech influence is clear.  The internet plays a growing role in registries, vendor research and selection and information sharing related to the wedding.  Maps, instructions and even invitation design are possible with the help of electronics.

• Color is appearing in more and more bridal gowns.  Color themes are increasing popular and influence all aspects of the wedding –flowers, invitations, attendant attire, reception décor and even food, beverage and cake display.

• Grooms are more actively involved in wedding planning and choices.  Couples often take mutual responsibility for all aspects of wedding decision making – guest list, financing and even writing thank you notes.

WEDDING NOTES™ - Changing Times

Many of the traditions that we follow in weddings today have their origins in Elizabethan or Renaissance eras.  It is no wonder that some changes have occurred.

• ·        VOWS – the phrase “Honor and obey” has been replaced with various alternatives that reflect equality in the relationship.

• ·        BRIDAL ESCORTS – More and more brides and couples are having both parents escort them down the aisle.  In some ceremonies, the groom comes down the aisle with both his mother and father, followed by the bride on the arms of both of her parents.  This honors both parents and recognizes each of their roles in preparing their sons/daughters for this day.  In fact, if the bride’s father is not available or this is a second marriage, a bride may choose to walk down the aisle alone or she may choose anyone to escort her.  A sibling, her mother, her grandfather, her son or a friend may do the honors.

• ·        PARENTAL ROLES – Parents are no longer limited to escort duty.  Many grooms are choosing their father to be the best man and brides are asking Mom to be the matron of honor.

• ·        RECEIVING LINES - These may still be part of a very formal wedding where the ceremony and reception are at different venues, but for smaller weddings with the same site for ceremony and reception, more and more couples are foregoing the receiving line and instead making it a point to acknowledge and thank each guest at his/her table throughout the evening.

For more advice about changes you can comfortably make in your wedding plans, stop in and chat with one of our experienced consultants.  We know how to help you make your wedding uniquely yours or tie it comfortably to tradition.

WEDDING NOTES™ - Showers are Traditional

In fact, they date back to the 18^th century according to Emily Post.  It seems that a father did not like his daughter’s choice of husband and refused to give her a dowry.  Friends of the groom’s were insulted by the bride’s father but in support of the groom, collected enough “assets” among themselves, “showered” the bride with them and the marriage happened.

Today’s showers have evolved over time, but there are still some “rules” or guidelines most brides follow.

*The bride’s maid of honor is the usual hostess for a wedding shower, but any bridesmaid, friend of the bride’s mother or groom’s mother or distant relative of the bride can be hostess.  It is usual that no member of the bride’s immediate family (nor the groom’s for that matter) host a shower so that it doesn’t look like they are soliciting gifts for the bride.  This also extends to the bride.  It is never OK for the bride to throw a shower for herself.

*With all the talk of “themed” weddings, potential hostesses wonder if they need to plan a shower in keeping with the theme of the wedding.  The answer is no.  The shower simply celebrates the upcoming marriage of the couple.  The closest the events come to a “theme” is kind of gifts guests bring to the shower, such as spa items, kitchen items or lingerie.  Some showers are for couples.  Gift items for those should appeal to both genders like “stock the bar” parties, tools, outdoor equipment or electronics.

*Who should come?  Only guests invited to the wedding should be invited to the shower.  The only exception is for a workplace shower where not all work colleagues may be invited to the wedding. Nor is it necessary or even feasible to invite to a shower, every female who is invited to the wedding.

*Including Gift registry information on the shower invitation is acceptable (but this is the only place).  Brides should open all shower gifts at the shower and thank each person as the gift is opened.  Each gift must be followed by a handwritten thank you note.  If multiple showers are given for the bride, guests attended more than one shower need only give one gift. 
If a guest cannot attend a shower, she should not feel obligated to send a gift.