Even though this is the most important day of your life and one you will never forget the details of, it is important to consider who will be in attendance. You may first think that everyone you have considered a friend should be invited and share in your moment, but you may want to reconsider. There are certain people that you should consider not inviting because of possible issues with possible confrontations. [Read more…]
Your Wedding Day Should Be About You
A wedding becomes almost impossible to plan and make special when you are trying constantly to make the day about everyone that is in attendance. Trying to include a song in the reception for every loved one or making eye contact with everyone as you walk down the aisle is not possible. You should simply worry about yourself and your partner as your wedding day progresses. [Read more…]
Tips for Planning Your Wedding Reception
There are a million different things to consider when you are planning a wedding ceremony and a reception, some big and some small. One of the larger groups of decisions you must make is in reference to your reception, there are many things to consider. The following is a few things that you should consider when planning your wedding reception:
- If you are making assigned seating for everyone at your reception you need to take in to account the general energy between the people at the table. Are they all old or young? Are they relatives, friends or a mix? Do these people knowingly not like each other? All of these things could affect the atmosphere.
- One of the biggest ways to enhance or ruin the atmosphere of the wedding is the question of alcohol. Yes, it can loosen people up and cause for a great party vibe, but it could also cause a scene with unruly people. The balance is what type of party you want to have.
- What type of food you serve will have a direct impact on the type of reception you will have. If you serve a meal, people will likely sit and talk most of the reception. If you have finger foods or cheese and crackers people will be much more inclined to get up and walk around to mingle.
Three Things to Remember about Wedding Gifts
One of the most amazing and awe-inspiring moments of your wedding’s overall process is the incredible loot you get from family and friends. It is sometimes overwhelming when you think of all of the things you received for your wedding and then all of the money on top of it. While these gifts are wonderful and exciting it is important to remember some general rules about respect in reference to wedding gifts.
Here are three things to keep in mind about wedding gifts:
- You never have to open a wedding gift that is not presented at your wedding shower in front of anyone else. Open your gifts with only you and your new spouse present to create memories that will live on forever.
- Do not include your registry information on your formal wedding invitation, ever. This information should be spread by your family or you could put it on the less formal “Save the Date” invitation. Either way, do not place this in a formal invitation.
- Do not ever tell anyone that is not close family that you are requesting cash over gifts of any kind. To take this an obvious step further, do not put that you would like cash in your wedding invitation. This is just in bad taste and will not guarantee you any money.
Wedding Magic
Photo by millzeroI knew long ago that weddings are something quite magical for me. I can’t help but get caught up in the love that the couple share. I am always eager to hear how you met and how he proposed from both of you. There is a story in each one of your remembrances of the proposal. I am always in awe that men still do propose and take special notice that they clearly are crazy about you. There are thousands of reasons that I love weddings. Every time I have the honor of planning a wedding, I get energized by your story. I have heard many different versions of proposals but what stands out to me in everyone is that you are loved so mush so that you created magic for the one you love. In other words you rock their world and they know that they must never let you get away. That is magic in itself for in all the world they found the very one that they would both love and cherish. I see this magic on your wedding day. It illuminates the sky. I see the magic as you exchange your vows and I know that I am truly lucky to be able to witness this once in a lifetime love over and over again. It is wedding magic for me.
Love and Wedding Planning
Photo by Jeffrey Simms PhotographyPlanning a wedding takes alot of your time and energy. This is a huge event in your life. I know that you are juggling so much between your work, being engaged, family, home, and just plain life. Take a deep breathe and then take one more … slowly letting out all the worry and anxiety. Make a top 5 list of things that you can do right now to get things going as far as your wedding.
Here is an example:
1) Select the wedding date while talking to you finance about this date being the all important anniversary for the two of you marking each new year of your marriage.
2) Write down your top 5 favorite locations for both your ceremony and reception while also considering great spots for an after party- you will have such a blast after the reception since you are finally relaxed and ready to celebrate with your friends and won’t want the evening to end.
3) Start with a list for your bridal party for both of you talking about how to match up the girls and guys and choices for maid/matron of honor and best man. Even talk about flower girls, ring bearer, etc
4) Talk about the type of ceremony that works for both of you whether it be traditional, intimate, funny, religious, etc. and decide the time for the ceremony such as sunset, evening, morning, and so on. This will help answer questions when you start visiting locations for your wedding day.
5) Start putting together a guest list for both sides of the family. This will not only give you an idea of the size of the space that you need for your wedding but it will also help you know the cost per guest and help you with a wedding budget and can be used for sending Save The Dates.
This is the best place to start. Take it one step at a time until you complete all five tasks. Look for the next five tips next time. Until then, enjoy being in love and the excitement that comes with your engagement. Make your love a priority and follow the tips above to help you with planning your wedding day.
Champagne Wishes
Photo by ididjeridoo
Wedding Planning… where to begin
How do I start planning my wedding day?
The best way to get started with your wedding plans, is to stop for a few moments and let the image of you walking down the aisle come to your mind. Enjoy that moment and take in all the details that you see.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What type of wedding dress and veil are you wearing?Shoes?
- What is your fiance wearing? A Tuxedo? Suit? Linen Shirt and Pants?
- Where are you? Is your wedding in a beautiful garden? At sunset on a beautiful beach? The church that your family attends?
- How many people are there on your wedding day?
- What flowers are you carrying? Is the bouquet a classic style? Glamorous?
Now take a deep breath and relax. There is plenty of time to plan your wedding day. This is a time to share all the excitement with your family and friends. It is also the best time to enjoy being engaged. You and your fiance need this time together. Soon enough there will be many demands on your time.
By the way, please send me your proposal story to: Debbie@achampagnewish.com. There will be six winners selected. The contest ends August 31, 2009 at 5:00 pm EST. Look for future contests too!
Debbie Rivera
Champagne Wishes
Believe in the power of love…
My Favorite Proposal Story
My Favorite Proposal Story!
What happens before the proposal…
Over the years of being a wedding planner, one of the questions that I always ask each couple is how did he propose? I love to have the groom tell his version and then have the bride tell hers. The interesting part is that each one reveals so much about the couple. There is so much thought put into the actual proposal and even more care in selecting just the right ring. The ring seems to cause so much distress for the guys. Will you like it? Is the diamond large enough? Flawless enough? The guys especially worry that you will find it before he actually gets to propose- just like in the movie Bridal Wars. They hide it and act weird and they try to only tell certain people so that you don’t find out. After all they want to surprise you. I have heard stories about the ring being in your guys pocket as he is whisking you away on a flight to Paris to propose – of course you have no idea about all of this.. Anyway, he has it tucked away safely in his pocket as he is asked to remove everything from his pockets in case he is concealing a weapon and as you can imagine he is acting worried and trying to whisper which only makes the airport security more suspicious. You keep wondering what is wrong with him but you are going to Paris and that is both romantic and exciting.