Tuesday, January 28, 2014

WEDDING NOTES™ – Caring for Your Wedding Gown

Know that you are unlikely to ever own any item of clothing as beautiful and symbolic as your wedding gown!  Preserving it and caring for it whether you plan to keep it for your daughter to wear one day or as personal keepsake of a monumental day in your life, is an important series of steps.  And please know that an overwhelming number of brides do treasure their gowns and preserve them after the ceremony rather than take part in some sketchy post wedding photo shoots that essentially trash the gown.

Know too that your wedding gown must be carefully cleaned before it is stored.  Food and beverage stains, though seemingly invisible at first glance, are likely to yellow later on.  The hemline is usually soiled and must be cleaned.  Many cleaners may offer to pack your gown in a special box, which offers protection from dust in the air.  To save you time and insure proper gown storage, we offer a special gown preservation service that will take care of all the steps for you.

If you decide to store it yourself, it is best to place it in a cool, dry place, not in the basement or attic.  If you chose to store it on a hanger, sew straps to the waistline to relieve pressure on the shoulder seams from the weight of the skirt.  Stuff the sleeves (if your gown has them) with white tissue.  Finally, wrap the entire garment in a protective sheet or muslin covering.  Do not encase the gown in plastic.

Before you trust this special symbol of your wedding day to just anyone, talk with us about your cleaning, preservation and storage options.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

WEDDING NOTES™ – THE PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT

This topic is a hard one for some couples to talk about.  It certainly isn't "romantic".  You don't need one since you aren't marrying a millionaire.  But here's the truth:  Every marriage license is a contract.  "It is an agreement between the bride, the groom and the government."  In this contract individuals gain certain rights and obligations, but the individuals' rights and obligations to each other are quite different.

Whether the prenuptial agreement is drawn up by a lawyer and certified by the courts or is a quiet agreement between the two individuals, it is wise to have a mutual understanding of expectations going into the marriage.

Many churches require pre marriage courses for engaged couples as a pre requisite for marriage in that faith.  Part of those courses deal with these expectations and how they will be handled within the marriage.  Even if couples do not go through those courses or meetings, they would be wise to have the conversations about issues of concern like the division of work, the raising of children, views toward money (saved and spent) etc.

Each party has a notion about what to expect from the other based on his/her own experiences and lifestyles.  A "pre nup" - whether formal or informal, handled with dignity and respect, can be a good investment in the couple's life together.