Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Flower Girl Meltdown

I attended a wedding this past summer where the flower girl (age 2) had a complete meltdown just before the ceremony. She was screaming and crying, took her dress off and was rolling around on the floor in just a diaper. Although we thought it was funny, I don't think the bride saw the humor in it.

Weddings are a very big day, not only for the bride, but for the younger members of the wedding party also. They have already spent time geting ready, and geting their hair done, (and in this case 2 hours taking pictures before the ceremony) that by the time the wedding roles around they most likely have missed their nap, are hungry, and ready to be done.

Check out Northwest Wedding Photo's blog, for great suggestions on how to entertain the little ones and keep this from happening to you.

Tags: flower girl dresses, flower girl, wedding, wedding flowers, wedding party, wedding hairstyle, wedding planning

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Wedding Day Do's and Don'ts

You’ve worked your butt off for months to make this wedding the wedding of your dreams. Everything is all set and you are ready to walk that aisle… But before you do that we want you to go through our list of wedding day DOs and DONTs. These are simple reminders that could spell the difference between a wedding day success and a wedding day disaster. 

DOs

Eat a good satisfying breakfast. Chances are you will not be able to eat a full meal for the rest of the day. 

Have a dip in the tub. This will help calm your nerves and help you feel relaxed.

Prepare early. Have your make-up and hair done ahead of time.  Have your attendants arrive early too.

Apply white or colorless polish. Unless you are wearing a colored gown, do not put on colored nail polish as it will overpower your whole attire.

Bring a bridal pouch with you to carry your wedding day necessities. You do not want to be calling on your mother, sister, best friend, or wedding planner everytime you need a lip gloss.

If you haven’t written your vows and speech yet, write them neatly in a small index card. Do not ask somebody to write it for you.

Eat a little before leaving for the ceremony. Keep a candy or two in your pouch.

Keep an emergency kit in the car. Stuff it with panty hose, safety pins, bobby pins, spot remover, aspirin, needles and thread, a pair of scissors.

Keep a blush and lip gloss with you for touch-ups.

Spend some time with your guests especially your family.

Enjoy your wedding day.

DONTs

Do not overdo the make-up. You do not want to look like a vampire on your wedding pictures.

Don’t be late. Allow extra time for the unforeseen – traffic, detours, etc.

Do not trust your wedding rings to your ring bearer. Ask a more responsible adult to safekeep them for you.

Do not ask unexpected guests (most of the time, invitees who did not RSVP but decided to attend in the end) to pay for their meals (this happens).   

You do not want to ruin the most important day in your life by getting involved in the details of the wedding. Leave that to the wedding planner.

Do not forget to bring your sense of humor with you. You will need tons of this especially when things are not going the way you wanted to.

Johanna Docena is the owner of Docena Bridal, an online wedding store that sells bridal jewelry, wedding attendant gifts and wedding accessories at http://www.docenabridal.com.

Tags: Wedding Hair, Wedding Make Up, Wedding Planner, Wedding Day Planning, Bridal Jewelry

Monday, July 31, 2006

Buying the Perfect Wedding Dress

Before you start your gown search it's wise to have a budget already in place, so you don’t overspend on your dress. Have a price in mind that includes your wedding dress, headpiece or tiara, slip, shoes, undergarments and bridal jewelry. Visit several established shops, and you'll quickly get a feeling about service and organization. Is the staff helpful?

Be sure to take into consideration your size and weight. Short women often look best in close fitting dresses with less decoration. When you walk down the aisle, you want the crowd to say “What a beautiful bride.” So wear what makes YOU look your very best. It is the most expensive dress you will ever buy and so smart shopping is important.

If you are big busted, take your bustier with you. Trying on dresses is very time consuming so bringing the right bra saves you time. The final bustier or bra is determined by the style of the dress so you may want to purchase it after the dress is decided upon.

The final length of your wedding gown can only be determined by wearing the right heel size. Before you walk out to look in the mirror, slip on heels. The look & flow when you walk is greatly affected by the right shoes and the right slip.

Look for a dress that best compliments your complexion and eye color [see our blog: Eye Makeup 101]. There are many shades. Just because it is a popular color, doesn’t mean it is right for you. A general rule would be that if fall and spring colors (Peach, Olive Green, Rust and Turquoise) look good on you, then gowns with yellow in them would be a good choice such as Beige or Gold. If summer and winter colors like Purple, Sky Blue, Cranberry and Lavender are good colors for you then you may want to try Ivory and stark White dresses. You can experiment with colors. Suddenly your friend or mother will say “THAT IS THE ONE.”

The back of your gown is also very important. Keep in mind that during the ceremony you will have your back to your guests. Be sure to look at the back of the gown in the mirror. If you have a train on your dress, you will have to bustle it up before leaving the church or chapel. An option would be a dress with a removable train.

It's important to ask about the bridal shops pricing for alterations, repairs, final fittings, pressings and cancellations. If you plan on dieting, start it early in your engagement because alterations can be costly. Try to get as perfect a fit as you can. You may want to order it a size or two smaller, if you are already loosing weight.

Your bridal dress contract should indicate the manufacturer, style number, size of gown and any additional charges; namely alterations or pressings. Double check to be sure the contract has the exact choice of style and size. Be sure the delivery date is listed and that it allows time for fittings before the wedding date. Waiting time for ordered gowns, depending on the manufacturer, can be up to six (6) months. If you find a gown that fits perfectly but don’t like the color or décor, try on another gown from the same manufacturer in that size. The fit should be similar.

Our hope is that purchasing the right wedding gown for your special day will be a unique and unforgettable experience and something you will always cherish.

Find your perfect wedding dress.

Destination Weddings are extremely hot right now and picking the right wedding dress for a destination wedding is different. Keep in mind the need to travel with your dress, cleaning and pressing your wedding dress upon arrival, and being able to fit into it after traveling to your destination.

Tags: destination weddings

More blogs on Destination Weddings:

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Ceremony Rundown

Here is a blog that gives a basic rundown of who does what, and when for the wedding ceremony. So many little details can get overlooked if someone doesn't point them out.

Read the Angela Heil Ministries Inc. blog -- it's rather long but well worth the read.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Hot Color Combinations

If you're looking for the new hot colors for the season here is a blog for you:

JESSICA’S FLORAL WEDDINGS

Also check out our previous blog on wedding colors titled Professional Decorating for Weddings.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Advise from a Professional

How many of us have witnessed at someone's wedding a total meltdown by the flowergirl. Here is some great advice from a professional, on how to have a stress free ceremony.

A GREATER PLAN; WEDDING & EVENTS SPECIALISTS

Monday, July 03, 2006

Invitation RSVP: Things to Consider

Here is a great blog with suggestions of what to include in your invitation RSVP. Many of them I would have never thought of from LILLEY PRINTING & STATIONERY.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

5 Fun Wedding Trends for 2006

In addition to the Top 10 Wedding Trends we talked about in March, we have found 5 more wedding trends that may interest you:

COLORS. While many colors will be popular this year, purple will prevail.  TheKnot.com foresees a palette from pale lavender to deep eggplant, used in a variety of patterns on everything from bridesmaids' dresses and invitations to the wedding cake and cocktail napkins. Seasonal hues, according to The Wedding Company, include black, plum and navy (winter), latte, coral and lavender (spring), mauve, sage and turquoise (summer), and emerald, burgundy and chocolate (fall).

FLOWERS. While roses will forever symbolize love and romance, more adventurous brides are experimenting with orchids, gerbera daisies, peonies, gardenias, lilies and green hydrangeas.  Arrangements with a "just-picked, casual look" are favorites for both brides and their mothers, with silk flowers gaining speed as more durable, yet equally colorful, options.

RINGS. Gold is gorgeous, diamonds are to die for, and platinum is a perennial favorite, but the hot new metal in men's wedding bands is tungsten.  Over the past two years, tungsten has "taken on a life of its own," according to Steve Blackwell of e-Weddingbands.com, a premier online wedding band retailer. "It's the only metal that is scratch-resistant, making it very appealing to men who may have shied away from softer metals in the past." Another trend noted by Blackwell: custom-engraving wedding bands, with personalized messages of loyalty ranging from "All my love" to "We Are . . . Penn State" (www.e-weddingbands.com).

ATTIRE. We can expect to see more and more strapless bridal gowns, as well as floor-length styles, adorned with pastel trimmings and embroidery, fancy beadwork and satin accents.  Experts also see a renaissance of the morning coat for grooms in both black and gray - a less formal alternative to the traditional tuxedo.

RECEPTION. Bridal Guide magazine notes unique menu fare ranging from one-bite desserts and chilled soups served in shot glasses to ethnic-inspired entrees and make-your-own food stations.  Long tables conducive for family-style serving will be decorated with colored stemware, gilt edging, and party favors that include ginger-flavored truffles and monogrammed chocolate bars. The event will rock this year - literally - with DJs spinning favorite tunes from the '80s or even spicy Latin samba music.

Link from Herald Dispatch

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Colored bridal gowns

Personally, I've always thought that colored gowns were hot. Manolo Brides talks briefly about the cultural backgrounds on colored bridal gowns.