A professional wedding consultant is a wealth of creative ideas and insider's know-how. She's got connections with the best vendors in town and has learned to become an ace negotiator to get you the best value or 'deal' for your money. She's oozing with imagination, and knows where to find all of those unique and dazzling touches to transform your wedding into an absolute fantasy. She knows the tips and tricks to avoid trouble - but she also knows how to trouble-shoot when the need does arise. She knows what needs to be done when, and she knows the "whos" and "hows" to make it all happen. She's an organized, people person with a penchant for detail and a superb sense of style. She is the bride's advocate and adviser, her counsellor, and her buddy, all rolled into one.
Ask anyone who has been involved in planning a wedding and they'll quickly tell you that the process can be like a full time job. So much to do, so much to learn - and so little time to do it all! Few brides-to-be are experienced in orchestrating an event as large and important as a wedding. There are endless details to arrange, many logistics to organize, large numbers of vendors and service providers to hire, schedules, time-lines and budgets to manage... and as a result, so much room for oversights to occur and for things to go wrong. The reality is that few couples have the level of time in their schedules required to successfully plan, manage, and execute such an event effectively; unfortunately, however, many couples don't realize or acknowledge this until it is too late, when parts of their wedding dream have already disintegrated into disappointment.The best man is the person selected to "stand up for the groom" at the wedding. The best man must be of legal age because he also serves as a legal witness to the marriage. (Remember, apart from all the wedding hoopla, marriage is a legal contract!).
During the ceremony, the best man stands next to the groom (to the groom's right side). If there are other male attendants (ushers or groomsmen), they will stand to your right side.
If there is no ring bearer for the wedding (the little guy who carries that frilly little pillow onto which the rings are sometimes tied), the best man may be asked to hold the rings during the ceremony until the moment comes for the couple to exchange vows and rings.
Since the best man serves as a legal witness, towards the end of the ceremony you will accompany the bride, groom, and maid or matron of honor (who is also a witness), to witness the signing of the legal documents.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the best man escorts the Maid or Matron of Honor up the aisle, following directly behind the bride and groom.
As you exit the church, you will stand with the bride, groom, and other bridal party attendants to pose for photos.
If all of this seems a little overwhelming or difficult to remember, don't worry - it will all be carefully explained - and you'll get the chance to practice it, and ask any questions you may have - at the wedding rehearsal, a day or two before the wedding.
All About Receiving Lines
A receiving line is always seen at a truly formal wedding. The purpose behind the tradition is to allow the hostess - usually the Mother of the Bride, regardless of who is paying for the wedding - to personally welcome the guests into the reception.
Traditionally, the host - usually the Father of the Bride, regardless of who is paying for the wedding - mingles nearby, introducing guests to one an other, pointing guests in the direction of the bar and hors d'oeuvres, and so forth .
Sometimes, when the reception will be quite brief, or in the case of a less formal wedding, the couple might opt not to have a receiving line. Some reception sites and halls may actually encourage that in order to keep everything on schedule.
A word of caution about this, however... if you are foregoing the receiving line with the thought that you will instead visit each table of guests after dinner (an unquestionable must if there is no receiving line), you are very likely to find your own fun and enjoyment of your wedding reception to be cut down by all the required table-hopping. Instead of hitting the dance floor, you may find the night to be quickly consumed by your obligation to "make the rounds".
The Kindness Trend in Weddings
More and more couples right now are incorporating a charitable element into their big day – and it’s not just celebrities who are doing this. A wave of couples everywhere are making the choice to do something generous for a good cause as part of their wedding celebration.
Weddings have always had a self-indulgent element to them, and so it’s exciting to see couples generously opening their hearts to others on their wedding day. What a wonderful way to celebrate the love they share – by sprinkling some of that love out to others by doing good.
With any trend, the more people see of it, the more likely they are to adopt it. But a lot of people really feel inspired by the good deeds of others. It makes them want to do something good too. When you think about it, it’s a really beautiful way for a couple to start their new life together. You've got to admit, it’s got a good vibe to it.We predict that the kindness trend will continue to pick up momentum over the next 12 months, but unlike other trends that fade completely after reaching their peak, the concept behind this one has some staying power. Trends, by their very nature, are flaky. One day everyone’s doing a particular thing, and before long it’s never seen again. But fortunately kindness never completely goes out of style. Chances are this current trend will show people how easily charitable elements can be incorporated into weddings, and those ideas will continue to be seen at weddings long after this is no longer the ‘it’ thing of the moment.
Destination Weddings - Top Trend in Weddings
Perhaps you've heard some buzz about destination weddings recently, but you're still not clear on the concept. Destination Wedding essentially means "eloping with a crowd". It's a modern version of eloping. When a couple eloped in the past, they ran off alone together. Now they may still run off to get married, but they take their closest family members and friends with them to share in the celebration.
Destination weddings are sometimes also referred to as "Honeymoon Weddings" because they combine a wedding and honeymoon all in one. "Familymoon" is another term we are starting to hear used interchangeably with the destination wedding because it is, in essence, a honeymoon that the whole family (and often close friends) goes along on.
Wedding Gown Preservation - How Prevent Permanent Wedding Gown Damage
If you're like most brides, after the wedding you are going to feel extremely sentimental about your wedding gown. After all, you paid dearly for it (how often do you shell out that kind of cash for something you wear only once?). But this is about much more than money. You wedding gown will have an almost magical ability to bring back amazing memories every time you see it, touch it, or hold it in your arms. Suddenly, all the visions, sounds, and smells of your wedding day come flooding back with precious clarity when you spend spend a sentimental moment with your wedding gown in the years to come.
Your wedding gown also has major heirloom potential, and that's why you need to start thinking about wedding gown preservation right now.
You may be asking, "Why are we talking about this now?. Isn't wedding gown preservation something that gets done after the wedding?". Yes, indeed, but we're talking immediately after the wedding if you are going to do it right, and that means you need to have a plan in place long before then. While wedding gown preservation could be done anytime, say, weeks, months, or even years after the wedding, to prevent permanent, irrepairable damage to your wedding gown, you'll need to move on your wedding gown preservation plans quickly once all the hoopla of the wedding is over.
Wedding Favors: Ideas to Add Style, Personality to Your Wedding
It's customary to give wedding favors (small gifts or keepsakes) to each wedding guest as a token of your appreciation for their attendance. Afterall, they took time out from their busy lives to spend with you on your wedding day, didn't they? So a small but thoughtful expression of your gratitude is appropriate.
This charming and gracious tradition offers you yet another ideal opportunity to express your individuality as a couple, reflect your personality, and show off your great taste and personal sense of style. The right wedding favors can help add fabulousness to your wedding reception.
Like with all of the other details of a weddings, most couples take some time and care to select wedding favors that will be just right for their wedding.
Well chosen wedding favors demonstrate your attention to detail - and guests find that impressive. Your wedding favors are yet another way for you to really make a statement. They can inject uniqueness and character to your wedding.
Who Gets Gifts?
As your wedding draws near, you've undoubtedly felt a glimmer of anticipation at the thought of the mountain of gifts you are likely to receive from guests and well-wishers on your wedding day. Kind of makes you feel like a kid at Christmas time, no?
But what about all those fine folks to whom you, as the bride and groom, need to give gifts? Yes, that's right - in case you've forgotten, apart from being the recipient of gifts as your wedding approaches, proper etiquette requires that you'll need to give a few, too.
Put your most gracious foot forward and show your appreciation to every individual who deserves it with our clear-cut gift giving guide. Read on to ensure that you don't overlook anyone who should be on your gift list. And if you start feeling a little frustrated and exhausted at the mere thought of having to shop for gifts, worry not -- we've got some excellent tips and ideas which will take the guess work out of gift giving, making it much easier than you likely ever imagined it could be.
What to Know Before Choosing a Wedding Photographer
Many couples approach the selection of their wedding photographer almost as an after-thought. They tend to get so caught up with all the really fun wedding details their guests will see - like the cake, the wedding decor, the gown, etc. - and they often don't consider, until its too late, that selecting the right wedding photographer is just as important.
Why? The photographer you choose to capture the moments of your wedding on film will play a very significant role in what is likely to be the single most important day of your life. Consider this: Long after the band stops playing, the guests have gone home, the flowers have wilted, all that will remain are memories and photographs.
With this in mind you'll want to take put some care into selecting a wedding photographer. Many couples underestimate the importance of carefully selecting a good photographer, randomly picking a name from the telephone book, believing that one wedding photographer is as good as the next. Later, when the day they have waited a lifetime for has come and gone, and the pictures are developed, sometimes disappointment begins to set in.
Wedding Customs, Traditions, and Rituals...
Traditions and customs... weddings are filled with them. "Something old, something blue..." and all that stuff! It's more than just trivia; Have you ever stopped to wonder what on earth all of these wedding traditions and rituals actually mean and where or how they originated?
Most of these rituals and traditions have endured the test of time, having emerged centuries ago. How fascinating is that? How is it that they survive?
These wedding traditons and customs have historically been maintained over the years and handed down through the centuries because such traditions carry with them the promise that they will bring happiness and good fortune to the couple at this transitional time in their life - and who could be brave enough to tamper with that?
But more than this, by including wedding traditions, customs, or rituals in your wedding, you can make it more meaningful by choosing traditions that speak to you in some personal way. It's almost magical to include traditions and customs in your wedding that date back hundreds of years, knowing that couples for generation upon generation before you have included the same rituals in their weddings. These traditions are the thread that ties us to history. They are like a gift from the past. Incuding some of these wedding traditions in your wedding will enhance your wedding experience, and at the very least, reading about them will fascinate, amaze, and maybe even amuse you...
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