For years, the celebration has continuedafter the wedding ceremony and reception, whether with or without the couple. But these days, bridal couples are actually planning post-reception bashes.
The other day, I read a story on the homepage of Phoenix, Arizona about the rise of after-parties at weddings.
The article said:
"Last summer, Kelly Rix was in the midst of planning her wedding. She and her fiancé, André Foisy, arranged a traditional Catholic ceremony and an elegant reception at Wellington House, a historic mansion in Fayetteville, N.Y. They then rented inflatable sumo wrestling suits and a giant inflatable Twister board.
The unconventional rentals were not for the wedding itself, but for the after-party. When Rix and Foisy's reception ended at 5 p.m., a school bus shuttled guests to the home of the best man's mother, where a barbecue and a keg were waiting in the backyard."
Now most receptions I've been to last much longer than 5 p.m., but that hasn't stopped many brides and grooms from partying the night away. Many couples are now shutting down the reception site with the rest of their guests instead of leaving halfway through the event, and I've even heard of couples that have followed their crowd of guests out to the bars after the reception ended.
If you're one of the couples who expects to be participating in the celebration clear until the end, it might be fun to try to plan something exciting as an after-party. You could make sure food is ordered in at the end of the evening (think pizzas or sub sandwiches) or even rent out a room at a local establishment for a couple of hours after the reception.
I would steer clear of inviting your partying guests up to your wedding night suite, but making sure everyone has a good time until the celebration ends is becoming a huge trend these days and allows you to mingle and have fun with your guests, especially your close friends, the whole night through.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Winter Wear for Brides and Bridesmaids
It can be snowy and 25 one day and sunny with temperatures in the 60s the next.
Mother Nature is quite fickle in the central Illinois region, so it can be anyone's guess what the weather will be like on a certain day of the year. Even summer weddings can be a gamble with the risk of rain.
And for winter weddings, the best bet is to try to keep warm. But with the trends of dresses being strapless or sleeveless, this often leaves brides and bridesmaids shivering as the go from ceremony to reception or stop outside to take even a few quick pictures.
I recommend brides putting a little thought into some "cover-ups" for themselves and their bridesmaids. Lately, in the past few years, I have noticed some beautiful wintertime weddings in which the bride wore a fabulous fur shawl or coat whenever she was outdoors.
Shawls or shoulder wraps are a great way to add a little extra protection from the outside elements for the bride and her female attendants and can look absolutely stunning when they complement to rest of the wedding colors.
At my friend Katheryne's January wedding, she and her bridesmaids wore black and white wraps, and it really helped to polish off their beautiful black and white wedding. Below is a photo of two of her bridesmaids, where the black and white reversible shawl is shown.
Mother Nature is quite fickle in the central Illinois region, so it can be anyone's guess what the weather will be like on a certain day of the year. Even summer weddings can be a gamble with the risk of rain.
And for winter weddings, the best bet is to try to keep warm. But with the trends of dresses being strapless or sleeveless, this often leaves brides and bridesmaids shivering as the go from ceremony to reception or stop outside to take even a few quick pictures.
I recommend brides putting a little thought into some "cover-ups" for themselves and their bridesmaids. Lately, in the past few years, I have noticed some beautiful wintertime weddings in which the bride wore a fabulous fur shawl or coat whenever she was outdoors.
Shawls or shoulder wraps are a great way to add a little extra protection from the outside elements for the bride and her female attendants and can look absolutely stunning when they complement to rest of the wedding colors.
At my friend Katheryne's January wedding, she and her bridesmaids wore black and white wraps, and it really helped to polish off their beautiful black and white wedding. Below is a photo of two of her bridesmaids, where the black and white reversible shawl is shown.
If there is a chance that your wedding could be in the lower temperatures, think about some apparel options that will leave the women of the wedding party looking great and feeling a little warmer too!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Wedding Wish List
I spent about an hour last night in a certain store shopping for bridal shower presents and wedding gifts for two of my friends who are getting married in the next couple of months. I won't reveal the store since they'll probably get on their registeries to check which items I bought. Not that I ever did that on my own registry...
As I was browsing through the aisles, I was having a pretty good time looking at all the pretty dishes, kitchen gadgets, towels and other household items. In fact, it made me want to register for wedding presents all over again. Not to even receive the items, just to pick out fun things that I want.
To me, registering was one of the most exciting parts of the engagement. You can take a break from all the stresses of fighting with each other about the guest list and making checks off the to-do list, and spend some time together picking out fun items for your new life together.
Obviously, you'll need to register for the necessary items, like a coffee pot or dishware. But then you can go wild registering for anything from a nice digital camera to a beautiful bedroom set for your master room to an awesome barware set that you can entertain your friends with when they come over to visit.
If your wedding is near a holiday, go for some nice holiday decorations that you'll be able to put up for years to come. If you want that Wii game system, scan it already! Is summer coming? Register for a patio set.
Really, anything goes when you're registering. My husband and I even registered for a couple of bags of chips and a pack of frappuccinos. (We got the chips, but not the frappuccinos...)
For big ticket items, it's always a possibility that a group of friends or a couple of families will go in together to get it for you. But also don't forget to register for things at all price ranges. It's not that cool looking at a registry where they least expensive item is a $30 knife.
When you register for items at every price range, it gives people more options for not only the wedding present but bridal showers as well.
If I had to give tips for registering, it would be this:
1) Have FUN!!! Don't fight about things. Appreciate each other's tastes and wants.
2) Keep scanning. Better to register for more things than to leave guests with a completely fulfilled registry list still a month away from the Big Day.
3) Register for everything from the $1,000 flat screen TV to the 99 cent chip clips.
4) Keep your guests' locations in mind. If you are having your wedding in central Illinois and all your guests are from central Illinois, you might want to avoid registering for the majority of your wish list at a store that isn't in the area, which would force people to buy all your gifts online and pay for shipping.
5) Try not to register at more than two or three stores. It's fun for you to be able to get exactly what you want from your six favorite stores, but that will most likely leave only about 20 items on each registry, making it harder for your guests to purchase all their gifts from the same store.
6) Even though you think you might not need something right now, but will a few years down the road, register for it anyway. This is the last time people are going to shower you with gifts for you and only you. Load up on nice bath towels and put some away to use in 5 years when your towels now are looking worn and pick out some beautiful candlesticks you will want to put up on your formal dining room table when you start hosting family gatherings.
And finally,
7) Try not to check your registry online every other day. It's very exciting to see what you are getting, but it's much more fun when you open the presents at your shower or after the wedding day and you are completely surprised and what you are receiving, instead of thinking "oh yeah, I saw this was purchased last week. I was wondering who might have gotten it for me."
Happy Registering!
As I was browsing through the aisles, I was having a pretty good time looking at all the pretty dishes, kitchen gadgets, towels and other household items. In fact, it made me want to register for wedding presents all over again. Not to even receive the items, just to pick out fun things that I want.
To me, registering was one of the most exciting parts of the engagement. You can take a break from all the stresses of fighting with each other about the guest list and making checks off the to-do list, and spend some time together picking out fun items for your new life together.
Obviously, you'll need to register for the necessary items, like a coffee pot or dishware. But then you can go wild registering for anything from a nice digital camera to a beautiful bedroom set for your master room to an awesome barware set that you can entertain your friends with when they come over to visit.
If your wedding is near a holiday, go for some nice holiday decorations that you'll be able to put up for years to come. If you want that Wii game system, scan it already! Is summer coming? Register for a patio set.
Really, anything goes when you're registering. My husband and I even registered for a couple of bags of chips and a pack of frappuccinos. (We got the chips, but not the frappuccinos...)
For big ticket items, it's always a possibility that a group of friends or a couple of families will go in together to get it for you. But also don't forget to register for things at all price ranges. It's not that cool looking at a registry where they least expensive item is a $30 knife.
When you register for items at every price range, it gives people more options for not only the wedding present but bridal showers as well.
If I had to give tips for registering, it would be this:
1) Have FUN!!! Don't fight about things. Appreciate each other's tastes and wants.
2) Keep scanning. Better to register for more things than to leave guests with a completely fulfilled registry list still a month away from the Big Day.
3) Register for everything from the $1,000 flat screen TV to the 99 cent chip clips.
4) Keep your guests' locations in mind. If you are having your wedding in central Illinois and all your guests are from central Illinois, you might want to avoid registering for the majority of your wish list at a store that isn't in the area, which would force people to buy all your gifts online and pay for shipping.
5) Try not to register at more than two or three stores. It's fun for you to be able to get exactly what you want from your six favorite stores, but that will most likely leave only about 20 items on each registry, making it harder for your guests to purchase all their gifts from the same store.
6) Even though you think you might not need something right now, but will a few years down the road, register for it anyway. This is the last time people are going to shower you with gifts for you and only you. Load up on nice bath towels and put some away to use in 5 years when your towels now are looking worn and pick out some beautiful candlesticks you will want to put up on your formal dining room table when you start hosting family gatherings.
And finally,
7) Try not to check your registry online every other day. It's very exciting to see what you are getting, but it's much more fun when you open the presents at your shower or after the wedding day and you are completely surprised and what you are receiving, instead of thinking "oh yeah, I saw this was purchased last week. I was wondering who might have gotten it for me."
Happy Registering!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Grooms: Get Your Groove On
After reading my last post on groom involvement, the founder of groomgroove.com, Mike, contacted me to say that there really is no reason grooms, groomsmen and other males close to the scene shouldn't be getting involved with the wedding planning!
Maybe in this day and age, real men do, in fact, plan weddings?
"Now, it's true - wedding planning isn't so much fun - not compared to, say, a round of golf," Mike said when he emailed me. "But guys definitely do realize that there is lots of stuff that they'll need to do. It is, afterall, a rite of passage."
I checked out groomgroove.com today and was thrilled to see all of the tools, tips, how-to's and other information available for guys involved in planning a wedding.
The site breaks down such topics as popping the question (making sure you are really ready, guide to engagement rings, etc.), the duties of the groom and the duties of the best man (giving the toast, planning the bachelor party). They also offer guides for other men involved in the wedding, like the father, groomsmen and ushers.
Groomgroove even has videos posted on various subjects, such as proposing and saving money on the wedding. Check out one of their videos below:
Ladies, this is a great site to send your guys to as you delve into the wedding planning process so that he get a good idea of some of the ways he, and the rest of the men in the wedding party, can be helpful and involved.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Groom Involvement
I stumbled upon this blog entry today entitled "Real Men Don't Plan Weddings." It's pretty funny, and the writer basically explains that men are terrified of wedding planning, which can account for the many women who wait around for years for their significant others to pop the question.
Men, he says, are just there to "groom" the bride, hence their unimportant "title" in the wedding planning process.
I have absolutely found this to be the case. When I think of my wedding and those of my friends', none of the grooms were all that thrilled to be planning a wedding. Some will go along with all of the decision-making and help out with making calls, etc., but others will remove themselves from the process altogether.
I can't say I blame them. Wedding planning is stressful and difficult. And men don't usually care what the centerpieces will look like or what color the tableclothes will be. I mean, really, I didn't even care what the centerpieces looked like, but the decisions have to be made by someone!
There are some ways the grooms enjoy being involved in the planning process, though, namely: attending the bachelor party and coming along for the taste-testing at the caterer's. For more ideas about how the groom can become involved in the planning without going crazy, check out our wedding planning article on the subject!
Men, he says, are just there to "groom" the bride, hence their unimportant "title" in the wedding planning process.
I have absolutely found this to be the case. When I think of my wedding and those of my friends', none of the grooms were all that thrilled to be planning a wedding. Some will go along with all of the decision-making and help out with making calls, etc., but others will remove themselves from the process altogether.
I can't say I blame them. Wedding planning is stressful and difficult. And men don't usually care what the centerpieces will look like or what color the tableclothes will be. I mean, really, I didn't even care what the centerpieces looked like, but the decisions have to be made by someone!
There are some ways the grooms enjoy being involved in the planning process, though, namely: attending the bachelor party and coming along for the taste-testing at the caterer's. For more ideas about how the groom can become involved in the planning without going crazy, check out our wedding planning article on the subject!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Children as Wedding Guests
It's a question familiar to most brides and grooms, with answers that differ according to everyone's personal situation: should children be invited to the wedding?
Pro: They're supercute and will look great in the photos
Con: They could easily be in a bad mood and ruin the pictures with their pouty looks
Pro: They won't run up your alcohol bill
Con: You'll have to shell out lots of extra dollars for meals they might just pick at or proclaim "yucky!"
When you have a large family with numerous younger cousins, it can be particularly stressful to decide children or no children. On one hand, brides sometimes feel as if children could "steal" the show from them or don't want to risk the possibility of a child throwing a fit in the middle of the ceremony. However, many guests might be extremely offended at the omission of their children's names from the invititation.
If you choose not to invite children, be prepared for some hurt feelings and having to explain to some guests why you chose this option.
On the other hand, if you decide to invite young children to the wedding and include them in the wedding party, give some extra thought as to seating arrangements and menus.
A major thing to consider is the food. Try to work with your caterer to negotiate a children's menu or a child-sized plate at a reduced price.
And don't forget what children might need most at a formal event: child-friendly entertainment.
One of my friends is getting married in May, and with dozens of young cousins running around, she and her fiance are setting up a special "children's section" at their reception so that the kids can still have a lot of fun doing separate activities without getting bored. It also takes some of the pressure off of their parents.
You could even take it one step further by supplying a children's room and employing a sitter or child supervisor.
Also, when it comes to the ceremony, make sure your flower girls and ring bearers know where Mom and Dad are sitting and that if they need to, they can go sit down with them during the ceremony. For my wedding, we knew that our young ring bearer and flower girl were definitely not going to make it through the whole ceremony standing up with the wedding party, so we had them practice walking down the aisle and then finding their parents, who were sitting conveniently right in the aisle seats.
So before you erase the children's names from your guest list, just be sure to put some thought into how you could arrange things so that they can be a part of your special day and everything can still run smoothly.
Pro: They're supercute and will look great in the photos
Con: They could easily be in a bad mood and ruin the pictures with their pouty looks
Pro: They won't run up your alcohol bill
Con: You'll have to shell out lots of extra dollars for meals they might just pick at or proclaim "yucky!"
When you have a large family with numerous younger cousins, it can be particularly stressful to decide children or no children. On one hand, brides sometimes feel as if children could "steal" the show from them or don't want to risk the possibility of a child throwing a fit in the middle of the ceremony. However, many guests might be extremely offended at the omission of their children's names from the invititation.
If you choose not to invite children, be prepared for some hurt feelings and having to explain to some guests why you chose this option.
On the other hand, if you decide to invite young children to the wedding and include them in the wedding party, give some extra thought as to seating arrangements and menus.
A major thing to consider is the food. Try to work with your caterer to negotiate a children's menu or a child-sized plate at a reduced price.
And don't forget what children might need most at a formal event: child-friendly entertainment.
One of my friends is getting married in May, and with dozens of young cousins running around, she and her fiance are setting up a special "children's section" at their reception so that the kids can still have a lot of fun doing separate activities without getting bored. It also takes some of the pressure off of their parents.
You could even take it one step further by supplying a children's room and employing a sitter or child supervisor.
Also, when it comes to the ceremony, make sure your flower girls and ring bearers know where Mom and Dad are sitting and that if they need to, they can go sit down with them during the ceremony. For my wedding, we knew that our young ring bearer and flower girl were definitely not going to make it through the whole ceremony standing up with the wedding party, so we had them practice walking down the aisle and then finding their parents, who were sitting conveniently right in the aisle seats.
So before you erase the children's names from your guest list, just be sure to put some thought into how you could arrange things so that they can be a part of your special day and everything can still run smoothly.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Bridal Shower Invitation Etiquette
Today, my good friend told me about a predicament she had. She and her boyfriend will be attending a wedding in Florida in a couple of months. The couple consists of two people she has never met: her boyfriend's friend and his fiance.
So she was surprised to recently find an invitation to the bride's bridal shower in her mailbox that included coupons to the places the bride was registered. Obviously not ever having met the girl, she is not planning to attend, but now wonders whether she should send a gift, as is usually custom to do when you cannot attend the shower.
Calling it an extremely rude request for a gift from a person the bride had never met, I said no gift should be sent.
A bridal shower is historically a way to help a bride prepare for her new life in marriage - to "shower" her with gifts to fill her new home with her husband.
While in the past, many brides moved straight from their father's house to their husband's, therefore needing all the basic household items, today that may not be the case as many women live on their own or even move in with their fiances before the wedding. Still, today a bridal shower serves as both a way to stock the bride's household and give the bride an opportunity to spend quality time with her friends and family members.
Traditionally, the maid of honor and/or bridesmaids host a bridal shower, but it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one shower. For example, a bride's aunt or other relative or her co-workers might also want to throw showers. Usually the bride's mother does not throw a shower, unless there is no one else to host the event. The bride should never throw herself a shower.
As for the guest list, the bride and the host of the shower should work together in planning who to invite.
For a bridal shower, you should invite:
Mothers of the bride and groom
Grandmothers and great-grandmothers of the bride and groom
Aunts
Female Cousins
Bridesmaids and female attendants
Close friends of the bride and her family
Close female business associates of the bride
(of course if it is a couples' shower, as is common today, the groom, male relatives, groomsmen and close male friends should be invited.)
If a person lives out of town or out of state, and you know they will be unable to attend, it is nice to send them an invitation to let them know you were thinking of them. However, do not expect a gift and you might even consider writing a personal message such as "We realize you will probably not be able to attend, although we would love to have you there, but we wanted to know we were thinking of you. Please no gifts if you are unable to attend."
Inviting someone you do not know well or have never met AND know will not be able to attend is a blatant and greedy request for a gift and a breach of etiquette.
So she was surprised to recently find an invitation to the bride's bridal shower in her mailbox that included coupons to the places the bride was registered. Obviously not ever having met the girl, she is not planning to attend, but now wonders whether she should send a gift, as is usually custom to do when you cannot attend the shower.
Calling it an extremely rude request for a gift from a person the bride had never met, I said no gift should be sent.
A bridal shower is historically a way to help a bride prepare for her new life in marriage - to "shower" her with gifts to fill her new home with her husband.
While in the past, many brides moved straight from their father's house to their husband's, therefore needing all the basic household items, today that may not be the case as many women live on their own or even move in with their fiances before the wedding. Still, today a bridal shower serves as both a way to stock the bride's household and give the bride an opportunity to spend quality time with her friends and family members.
Traditionally, the maid of honor and/or bridesmaids host a bridal shower, but it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one shower. For example, a bride's aunt or other relative or her co-workers might also want to throw showers. Usually the bride's mother does not throw a shower, unless there is no one else to host the event. The bride should never throw herself a shower.
As for the guest list, the bride and the host of the shower should work together in planning who to invite.
For a bridal shower, you should invite:
Mothers of the bride and groom
Grandmothers and great-grandmothers of the bride and groom
Aunts
Female Cousins
Bridesmaids and female attendants
Close friends of the bride and her family
Close female business associates of the bride
(of course if it is a couples' shower, as is common today, the groom, male relatives, groomsmen and close male friends should be invited.)
If a person lives out of town or out of state, and you know they will be unable to attend, it is nice to send them an invitation to let them know you were thinking of them. However, do not expect a gift and you might even consider writing a personal message such as "We realize you will probably not be able to attend, although we would love to have you there, but we wanted to know we were thinking of you. Please no gifts if you are unable to attend."
Inviting someone you do not know well or have never met AND know will not be able to attend is a blatant and greedy request for a gift and a breach of etiquette.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Tying the Knot...Somewhere Else
Destination weddings seem to be really popular these days. They're a great option if you are trying to cut down on the size of the guest list or wanting to have a more casual affair. And many brides and grooms simply have dreams of saying "I Do" with their feet in the sand!
I discovered these statistics in a Missouri bridal magazine and found them interesting....
The number of destination weddings held each year in the United States is 500,000. And of that, 100,000 are held in Las Vegas alone!
Additionally the number of destination weddings held in Hawaii is 25,000.
Outside of the U.S., two countries hold the high honors for destination weddings. There are 5,000 weddings held annually in Jamaica. And with a close second, there are 4,000 weddings held each year in the Bahamas.
If you are considering having a destination wedding, be sure to read our Simply Weddings planning article for tips and advice!
I discovered these statistics in a Missouri bridal magazine and found them interesting....
The number of destination weddings held each year in the United States is 500,000. And of that, 100,000 are held in Las Vegas alone!
Additionally the number of destination weddings held in Hawaii is 25,000.
Outside of the U.S., two countries hold the high honors for destination weddings. There are 5,000 weddings held annually in Jamaica. And with a close second, there are 4,000 weddings held each year in the Bahamas.
If you are considering having a destination wedding, be sure to read our Simply Weddings planning article for tips and advice!
Monday, March 3, 2008
You Don't Have to Break the Bank
I was reading this article that I found online about being aware of your costs when planning a wedding and some really easy ways to say "I Do" without landing yourself in a pile of debt after the event.
This story found that the average wedding budget in the United States is $27,000!! Breaking that down, the average cost of a reception is $9,573; jewelry is $6,514; flowers are $1,117; wedding gown is $1,056; and "beauty" is $938.
But it can be done much cheaper. Remember, the important thing is the lifelong marriage, not the wedding itself.
Some tips the article gave include:
*Cutting down on the guest list. Guest list size does matter. While you can easily spend just as much money on a few guests, having more guests when you're trying to cut costs means more meals, more favors, more tables with centerpieces, etc.
*Staying within your set budget. Just like in personal finances, when planning a wedding, don't go beyond your means. The memories you have from your wedding day are made from your happiness and attitude much more so than how expensive your shoes are.
*Get married on a Friday night. Guest Blogger Jodi Morgan mentioned that she and her fiance will be tying the knot on a Friday evening in August. "Friday night weddings are the way to go...we saved money on practically everything!" she explained.
*Use up-and-coming wedding vendors. Research which vendors are just getting started who have the talent but not necessarily the years of experience. They'll charge less, and usually since they are trying to break into the business, they'll do just as good of a job as a veteran, if not better.
*Cut down on flower costs. For more tips on saving money on flowers, check out our wedding planning article on the subject.
*Skip the favors. Reception halls will be the first to attest to how unimportant favors are as many guests often just leave them behind on tables, wasting hundreds of dollars on what are usually trinkets.
This story found that the average wedding budget in the United States is $27,000!! Breaking that down, the average cost of a reception is $9,573; jewelry is $6,514; flowers are $1,117; wedding gown is $1,056; and "beauty" is $938.
But it can be done much cheaper. Remember, the important thing is the lifelong marriage, not the wedding itself.
Some tips the article gave include:
*Cutting down on the guest list. Guest list size does matter. While you can easily spend just as much money on a few guests, having more guests when you're trying to cut costs means more meals, more favors, more tables with centerpieces, etc.
*Staying within your set budget. Just like in personal finances, when planning a wedding, don't go beyond your means. The memories you have from your wedding day are made from your happiness and attitude much more so than how expensive your shoes are.
*Get married on a Friday night. Guest Blogger Jodi Morgan mentioned that she and her fiance will be tying the knot on a Friday evening in August. "Friday night weddings are the way to go...we saved money on practically everything!" she explained.
*Use up-and-coming wedding vendors. Research which vendors are just getting started who have the talent but not necessarily the years of experience. They'll charge less, and usually since they are trying to break into the business, they'll do just as good of a job as a veteran, if not better.
*Cut down on flower costs. For more tips on saving money on flowers, check out our wedding planning article on the subject.
*Skip the favors. Reception halls will be the first to attest to how unimportant favors are as many guests often just leave them behind on tables, wasting hundreds of dollars on what are usually trinkets.
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