To Wear or Not To Wear - A White Wedding

As a little girl… or even now… I am sure that you have laid about dreaming of marrying Prince Charming, looking gorgeous in your wedding dress. Of course, what color is the wedding dress every time you do this? I am guessing that more often than not it happens to be white and not red like some santa suits. Millions of women and little girls dream of getting married in a fairytale white wedding dress. But wait. Where did a white dress come from and why is it so popular?

Believe it or not white wasn’t always the traditional color for getting married in. Honestly, the tradition of a white wedding dress hasn’t even been around for ages and ages. A white wedding dress is something that every girl is instinctively born with today. You can’t get married in anything but white. Well, while this may be true for some and not so for others, white is worn to symbolize the virtue of the women and to just carry on the tradition.

Not surprisingly, the white wedding dress came from a place full of legends, and where tradition is important. So, low and behold, the white wedding dress was started in the English Monarchy. Queen Victoria was the first “celebrity” that was looked up too, who wore a white wedding gown. Because of her, the popularity of white dresses has become a true tradition among women around the world.

The marriage of Albert of Saxe and Queen Victoria in 1840, was not surprising. The gown she wore though caused quite a stir. It was considered flamboyant and did not start the white wedding gown tradition instantly. Many of the upper class women though, saw this as a unique fashion statement and had no issues in copying the Queen by marrying in white dresses.

A white wedding dress though was worn to show wealth. Virtue was not in the meaning at all. If you could get married in a elegant white gown then you had to have money. White was not easy to clean, so a white wedding dress was something that you most definitely weren’t going to wear again. Spending money on a white gown was something that only the wealthy could do.

Only the wealthy and vain women insisted on being married in white. Most women still married in dresses of different colors and styles after Queen Victoria’s fashion statement. During the Edwardian times however, the white wedding dress gained popularity once more when Coco Chanel unleashed its brand new

4 Tips For Wedding Tuxedos

Making the decision to tie the know is a big step in every man’s life and one that he must be sure of. Once you ask your dream girl to marry you, there is plenty to decide on before the fateful day arrives. While your beautiful bride will take responsibility for most of the planning and details, you aren’t completely free to sit back and wait. Your wife to be is going to look spectacular and you need to look the best you can too. You need to choose the wedding tuxedos for your groomsmen and yourself. Making certain that you and your fellow buddies are looking their best is going to be your biggest responsibility before the wedding.

So, here are a few tips that may help you out if you do not have a clues as to where to start.

Rent or Buy?

This is a common question that most men have when figuring out their wedding tuxedos. It is probably a good idea for your groomsmen to go ahead and just rent their tuxes. More so, if they are paying for them. Talk to your men and see if they are going to be wearing these wedding tuxedos in the future at all. If most see themselves wearing it often, then you might want everyone to go ahead and just buy their tuxedos. Make sure that everyone gets together and decides what is best.

Look before you leap and buy

Do not, by all means, walk into the first men’s formal wear store and buy your wedding tuxedo. Look and shop around at different stores, that way you have some options for wedding tuxedos. Different stores sometimes have different colors, styles, and prices. You want to find the best deal possible for what you are looking for.

Talk to the Bride

The wedding day is about both of you…. Well in some since. You need to coordinate around what the bride is going to be wearing. Before you and your buddies go out a buy wedding tuxedos ask a bridesmaid or the bride herself what should be considered. It might even be a good idea for the bride to come along, if she has time, so you know for sure you won’t get something that misses the mark.

Time

It does not matter what wedding tuxedos you and the grooms men decide on, if you can’t get the orders all in before the wedding day. Don’t wait until the last moment to go and find a tux. You want to look great and not have to settle for something mediocre. Go and shop way in advance so you won’t have to worry about it and if need be there is time for alterations.

Be a Princess in Your Wedding Shower

A wedding shower is an fun and exciting time for a bride-to-be. Wedding showers is a party with a purpose. Wedding showers are used to help the couple furnish their home or for the bride to get ready for her wedding night. This shower is a great excuse for the bride and her family and friends to get together and have a fun time.
Planning one of these showers can take some time. Here is a checklist so you can assure that the wedding shower will be a hit.

Who hosts a wedding shower?

Ok, in tradition the maid of honor usually planned and hosted the shower party. Today, it is okay for any friends and family together to organize and host the shower. This usually works for everyone since the bill is split and no one is stretching their wallet. It honestly doesn’t matter who hosts the party as long as the bride is okay with the date and it is planned out in advance. If it is going to happen in a persons house, make sure that there is going to be plenty of space.

When to have the party

It is a good idea to hold the wedding shower four to six weeks before the ceremony. The bride is going to be extremely busy the last couple of weeks leading up to her wedding and doesn’t really want to have to worry about making it to her shower. Wedding showers work better when it isn’t so much as a surprise. The bride would rather pick a good date and time that works for her, than be interrupted in the middle of some important planning. Sunday brunches or a midweek lunch shower parties are usually good times to have them.

Whose to come?Make sure that you only invite people that the bride knows well. A small group of family and friends works well. Do not go crazy and invite everyone that the bride knows. A large group can be too impersonal as everyone tends to go off into small groups. The point of a wedding shower is for everyone to be involved with each other and have a great time. No one should be left out. A comfortable and manageable shower should include between 10 and 20 guests.

What is a good theme?

Make sure that everyone involved in planning chooses a theme before sending out any invitations. The most used theme for a wedding shower is the “kitchen” theme. This is pretty easy for everyone to find gifts to give as you can never do without too much of kitchen wear. Also, every bride could most definitely use it in her new home. You can also choose a theme that fits the brides personality if you know her well.

Wedding Veils

The wedding veil is probably the oldest wedding tradition that is performed during a wedding. Many people believed that wedding veils protected the bride from jealous spirits. This usually referred to any enemies of the couple who might try to steal her the day of the wedding. Wedding veils, were also a sign of humility, it was not considered proper for women to display their beauty so openly. Even back in the day though, brides were still considered the most beautiful of all women.

Wedding veils are worn today to complete the entire wedding look for a bride. Choosing a wedding veil depends on the personal preference of the bride and the wedding dress she will wear.

For brides with extravagant gowns, it is best to keep the veil as simple as possible. You don’t want your wedding veil and dress to be competing for attention. Plus, this could spoil the elegance of your wedding gown and you could end up looking to overdone. If you want to add a little something to your veil, consider putting a simple ribbon or trim along the edges.

If you have a simple dress, without a lot of beading or embroidery, the veil should add the drama. You can construct the veil to add that extra glamour to your wedding look.

It is important that wedding veils don’t hide anything on your dress. If the back of your gown is the center point, you don’t want to get a long veil that covers your back and hides it. Just make sure when looking at wedding veils, you think of the dress you will be wearing. You want your gown to compliment the veil and vice versa.

Antique veils have become very popular and is considered very “in” when it comes to the fashion industry. Besides the fact that an antique veil is very vintage, it is also considered good luck. Borrowing a wedding veil that your mom or grandmother wore at their weddings can bring luck to your new marriage. Just make sure that you borrow a veil from someone who is happily married for this to work. If you do decide to wear an vintage veil, try not to fix it in any way. You do not want to ruin it by trying to dye it to match your gown. Most of the times, if the veil doesn’t perfectly match, most people can’t tell because the fabric is so sheer.

Make sure you think about the length of the veil is suitable to the length of the aisle. Long wedding veils are great for huge churches such as cathedrals. In other situations, the veil will just bunch up and be a pain to walk around. Also, look at wedding veils that are easy to take off after the ceremony.

Personal Wedding Vows

The wedding vows are one of the best parts of a marriage ceremony. The bride and groom have the chance to express their love and commitment to the other person out loud. Many couple’s are really starting to write their own wedding vows, and it increase every year. If you really want to write your own vows, this article will help you out. Writing your own vow doesn’t have to as extremely hard as everyone thinks it is.

First, congrats for choosing to write your vows and making them personal. Your special someone will most definitely appreciate this. Many couples get afraid about finding their own words to express their love for each other. Do not let this stop you. There is nothing more romantic than hearing a loved ones feelings about the other. Who else is better to create your vows filled with your love than you?

As long as you are comfortable doing so, there isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t write your very own wedding vows. An important thing to remember is make sure that both you and your fiancé are comfortable with it. It won’t have the same effect if one of you doesn’t want to write their own vows. You have to be willing to write your feelings down and say them in front of everyone you know. It can seem daunting, but when the moment comes all you will see is the person before you.

If you are planning on getting married inside of a church, make sure that the church allows you to say your own wedding vows. Some churches don’t allow this to happen, so check before you start.

Next, both of you need to choose whether to work on the wedding vows together or individually. There are good and bad reasons to do both, but it is all up to what works for you. Some bride’s and groom’s decide to keep it a surprise; while others like to know what their fiancé thinks. It doesn’t matter which one you choose as long as you both are happy with the decision.

Most wedding vows are broken into three main parts, which can make them a little easier to write. These parts include the declaration, description, and then the vows themselves

Most people find that the declaration is the easiest to write. The declaration is just declaring your love for the other person to your guests and that you do intend to say “I do”. This part can be as fancy or simple depending on what you want to say.

The description is and should be easy. All you are doing is describing why you love the other person. If you are having a really hard time writing this part, you should definitely question getting married. You can place a little poem or a few lyrics from a song that makes you think of the other.

The wedding vows themselves are difficult for most people. They also happen to be the most important part of the whole thing. All a vow is, is a promise of your commitment to your significant other. In the vows you will tell them your promise to be faithful and/or protect them for the rest of the days of your life. Your wedding vows bind your relationship and shows your commitment to get married.

Spruce Up Your Special Day with Wedding Decorations

When deciding on wedding decorations, it can get pretty outrageous. Most people find decorating for receptions to be pretty basic since it can be pretty much anything. When it comes to finding wedding decorations for the actually ceremony many brides are lost. The wedding ceremony is the most special part of the entire day. The wedding ceremony is where those attending will get a first look at what the ceremony will be like and how the reception will look. Wedding decorations for the ceremony should be reflective of you and your loved one.

Ceremony decorations work best if there are kept basic and simple. You want to keep them in the theme of the wedding, but you don’t want to over-do it. The ceremony should be focused on the alter at the bride and groom. You don’t want eyes wandering away from you and all over the place because you went a little too far. Church decorations should add to the location, not away from it.

Flowers are great for wedding decorations and can add beauty to any place. You just have to be careful how many flowers you use. You can tie small bundles of flowers along the aisle and around the woodwork of the church. Adding a sheer or delicate ribbon will add a little elegance to the flowers and the ceremony.

White flowers are excellent for a wedding ceremony. You can add subdued colors to white flowers, so they go with the theme of your wedding and/or compliment your bridesmaids dresses and your gown.

If you are having a Christmas wedding, Christmas wreaths are perfect wedding decorations to use in a ceremony. Just don’t go crazy and place a wreath everywhere, you want it to look beautiful not tacky.

Use lighting to add and create a romantic aroma in the ceremony. You can buy candles that match your theme and use them as wedding decorations. If you are in a big church use big candles so there is less opportunity for and accident to occur. You can also hang lights with colorful ribbon to add contrast.

Placing different colored ribbon around pillars and walls, is an awesome way to decorate and be classy. Using gold’s and silver’s can add elegance to any church. You can also include deep purple’s, reds, and greens to add contrast in small amounts. Using large ribbons in arches and doorways make’s any entrance and exit impressive.

Balloons are also an option for wedding decorations. Using light colored balloons can add color to any ceremony, especially if your wedding is outside.

Just remember that simple is key, when finding wedding decorations.

Give Your Wedding Reception Some Life with a DJ

Your wedding reception should be exciting and a place where you and your guests can relax and enjoy each other. Deciding on the music for your reception is vital for setting the atmosphere at the reception. It is undoubtedly one of the biggest decisions that you are going to have to make in planning. The wedding dj you choose is going to have set the mood and tone of your reception and make sure everyone has a good time. Also, your wedding dj has to make sure you are the center of attention through out the evening.

There are more than 15,000 disc jockeys in the United States. This is small guide that can help you find the dj that will make your wedding reception something to remember. You don’t want to make a choice that you are going to regret.

- Ok, this is probably the simplest advice there is….. If you have been to a wedding just recently and really had a great time dancing to the dj, pick them. Go ahead and go with what you know, at least you won’t have to be afraid of the music you might get.

- If you are friends with people that are a little more party oriented, ask them if they know of a good dj. But, only do this if they enjoy the same type of music you do and if you really trust the advice you get from your friends. Otherwise, do not risk taking the chance.

- You can go online to pretty much any wedding planning site and look at their recommendations. Most will have at least one decent wedding dj that you can contact.

- Try to see the wedding dj in question, in person. If you can’t ask for a video recording of an recent event, a cd sample, or at the least a few photo’s of events they have hosted. A dj that is used often won’t have any trouble finding something to give to you and will keep track of their work.

- Be cautious of prices that are really low and really high. More often than not, you will end up frustrated at spending any amount of money because the quality is awful. Experience is key for a wedding dj, so ask about the amount of work they have done.

- Make sure that your dj’s voice isn’t going to drive you crazy. You are going to have to listen to them blaring into the microphone all day, so it is extremely important that you like the tone of their voice.

- If you have talked to your wedding dj and like them, as for a few references. He or she might be great at the interview, but could end up getting drunk or hitting on ever walking thing that passes by their booth at the reception.