Wedding Help

If you are planning an early afternoon wedding or a wedding on a smaller budget then you may want to consider planning a snack reception instead of a large ornate dinner wedding reception. Snack wedding receptions can still be done elegantly at a fraction of the cost of a catered dinner reception. There are many different snack foods from which you can choose, and if you are wondering what kinds of snacks to choose, here is a great list to start with, and then go from there.

Fruit Platters

Fruit platters at a wedding are a popular choice. You can buy them yourself at the grocery store and place them decoratively on a large platter. Popular fruits to use for wedding fruit trays are grapes, both red and green, strawberries, cantelope and honeydew melons, and even watermelon if in season. Chocolate covered strawberries are popular, but if you are buying them somewhere, they can get expensive. They are, however very easy to make yourself if you choose to go that route. They are a favorite though, so if you are making them be sure that you have plenty.

Pasta Salads

This is a popular one, and one that can definitely be done the night before. There are many different recipes for pasta salad, so look around for your favorite recipe, and then alter it for 100 people or so. You can work and make the pasta yourself, or ask a friend or family member to make it for you, and give them money for the groceries it will take. Place in large zipper lock bags until you can place it in a prettier bowl for the actual wedding reception.

Cheese and Crackers

Boxes of crackers from the grocery store aren’t very expensive, especially if you choose non-brand crackers. They do taste just as good. Buy an assortment of crackers, typically 2 or 3 kinds, and three or four boxes of each kind. When you’re looking at cheeses, consider purchasing an assortment of flavors, such as sharp cheddar, pepper jack, swiss, and any other favorites that you have.

Vegetable Platters

Large vegetable platters are another healthy addition to a snack wedding reception. Carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes are the most popular vegetables to include in a vegetable tray. Use ranch or other flavors of vegetable dip, and you have another simple snack for your wedding reception.

Other Ideas

There are lots of ideas for snacks at a wedding reception. Another idea is tuna or chicken salad sandwiches cut into fourths. Nachos are another idea you can look at. Several large crock pots with cheese and bowls of corn chips are delicious, but potentially messy. Also, consider several dessert platters besides the wedding cake, as they are also popular.

No matter what you choose, remember that it is your wedding reception. If your favorite snack food is popcorn and soda, then have a popcorn machine humming with freshly popped popcorn and ice chests of cokes for your guests to choose from. Your wedding ceremony and wedding reception should reflect both of your tastes and favorites to help make it totally unique.

Tags: planning a snack reception, planning a snack wedding reception, Wedding Reception

Many brides today want to look unique, different from any other bride out there. It’s hard to do that when most brides typically shop at the same stores you are looking at for your wedding dress. There are only so many dresses, and in my opinion, I’ve seen enough brides in strapless dresses to last me a lifetime. Trust me, not every body type out there looks good in a strapless wedding dress. If you’re unsure, check out my article, Find a Wedding Dress for Your Body Type and What Neckline Works Best with my Body Type? Many brides now are looking for ways to design their own wedding dresses, and its a good thing. Your wedding dress should reflect you and your personality, which is different and unique from everyone else out there. If you are wondering how you can design your won wedding dress, then here some great pointers to get you started.

Find out what you like

A wedding dress is different from any other dress that you will ever wear. They’re bigger, heavier and fancier than any dress I own, and I own a lot of dresses. So if you don’t already know what kind of wedding dresses you like, then go into a bridal shop and try on as many dresses as it takes. Look at the different necklines, waistlines, and beading, and patterns to help you decide which you like. Bring a camera and take pictures of what you like and a notebook to help you remember later.

Design Your Own Wedding Dress

You don’t have to have any special software or skills to do design your own wedding dress, just pictures of what you like. If you have a friend or family member who is a seamstress, go and talk to them about making your dress, and if not, then go to fabric stores and start asking around. Most fabric stores will have business cards of ladies who can make wedding dresses for you. Set up a meeting with your seamstress and take your pictures and notebook of ideas. A good seamstress can look at your pictures and be able to copy the different ideas that you have into one dress. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Learn to Love Fittings!

A lot of brides I know complain about having to go to fittings. I don’t understand it. Especially when you design your own wedding dress. You want to make sure during the dress making process that you are happy with the way the dress is coming out and making sure that it fits. Don’t be afraid to let your seamstress know if you don’t like something about the dress so that it can be changed early.

An Added Benefit

When you design your own wedding dress, the cost of the dress does decrease considerably. You will typically pay your seamstress a flat amount, along with the cost of materials (which is surprisingly inexpensive - the satin for my dress was only $7 a yard, and I only needed 7 yards). So, for less money you get a dress that you absolutely love, totally unique, for less money. Can’t beat it!!

Another Added Benefit

Let’s face it, wedding dresses are expensive. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could easily spend three times what you were planning on spending on a wedding dress without even realizing it. If you don’t want to design your own wedding dress, but want the benefit of saving money and time on wedding attire, then click here for an all inclusive guide to getting the best wedding attire at a fraction of the cost.

If you’re still unsure if you want to create your own wedding dress, then check out my article, Custom Made Wedding Dresses. Find out why I chose to design my own wedding dress, and why I recommend it to everyone I know getting married. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

Tags: design your own wedding dress, wedding dress

Your maid of honor is typically a sister or best friend from ages past. She is there to help you throughout your wedding planning process, throwing bridal showers, bachelorette parties, writing a maid of honor speech, along with a host of other responsibilities she will be put through during the time before, during, and even after the wedding takes place. Check out the full detail of the duties of the maid of honor. It is only fitting, that with all you will be putting your maid of honor through, that she should stand out a bit from the rest of your wedding party. There are several ways to accomplish this, and you can use any one of them to help set your maid of honor out from the pack.

 Change Up the Dress

If you’ve read my article about All Different Bridesmaid Dresses, then you already know that while many brides today are choosing to let their bridesmaids choose their own style of dress, many brides are still opting to have all of their bridesmaids look the same. If you are choosing to have your bridesmaids all the same, then add something to the maid of honor’s dress to help set her apart from the others. For example, if your colors are pink and brown, and you want to have brown bridesmaid dresses (a beautiful choice by the way), then add a pink sash to the maid of honor’s dress. Giving her a completely different style of dress when all the other bridesmaids have the same dress will be distracting, your guests will wonder why she is the only different one there.

Add to the Bouquet

When I was a maid of honor for my best friend in college, she gave me a larger bouquet than the other bridesmaids. It’s a great way to set apart your maid of honor. Either give her a slightly larger bouquet, or add some different types of flowers than what the rest of the girls have in theirs. Be careful with this one though, to make sure that all of the bouquets will still match in the end.

Other Ideas

One thing my sister did for her maid of honor was to let her wear flowers in her hair. It wasn’t something done for the rest of the bridesmaids, and it really helped set her apart. You could also give her something different to hold her bouquet with. For example, if you have ribbons tying off the bouquets for your bridesmaids, then design one especially for her that is perhaps a little longer, or done with a different type of ribbon.

 Whatever you do, treat your maid of honor well. She is taking extra time away from her own busy life to be with you and help you out, typically much more time than your other bridesmaids will be. Be sure to give her the honor due, not only as a thank you for all the hard work that she has helped you with in planning your wedding, but also to make sure that you will be as close of friends as you were before the wedding once all your wedding stuff is complete.

Tags: bridesmaids, maid of honor, maid of honor speech

Wedding vows have traditionally been a part of weddings for as far back as I can find. They are the most important part of a wedding ceremony, and for the most part remain about the same as they have always been. Now, some people are choosing to write their own wedding vows today, and there really is nothing wrong with that at all. In my opinion, humble though it is, you do still need to have wedding vows. I’ll explain my position on the subject, as well as looking back into tradition on why it was added to wedding ceremonies in the first place. Then, hopefully, you’ll understand my position on the subject, and choose to have wedding vows be a part of your wedding ceremony.

First of all I’ll let you know my stance on the subject. My opinion is that too many people get married today because they want to have a wedding. They’re not prepared for the marriage after, just the fun of being able to throw a wedding. Don’t get me wrong, weddings are fun, they’re meant to be fun. Friends and family coming together to celebrate the love that two people have, and the pledge that they are making to each other in marriage, its great! But then, when things get hard, more often than not, the couple runs away, abandoning the vows that they have made to each other. It’s a shame, and in my opinion, happening far more than necessary today.

Traditionally speaking, wedding vows are a pledge that the bride and groom make before God as well as their friends and family. A vow before God is the most sacred vow that any person can make, and demonstrates the seriousness of the bride and groom in their dedication to each other, and it’s not to be taken lightly. It is a declaration of their eternal love for each other, and pledges that no matter what, they will stand together to face the trials that life will ultimately bring them through. It is a sacred vow, expressing the entrance into a covenant relationship. However, the Biblical view of marriage is a lifelong commitment, ending only through death, or adultery if the situation arises.

There is no set of Biblical wedding vows which every couple must use. In years past, in order to demonstrate this lifelong commitment couples have for each other, through any and all adversities, is the origin of the “in sickness and in health” vows that are so oft repeated in wedding vows. To view other articles on wedding vows, please check out the following articles, Traditional Wedding Vows, Christian Wedding Vows, and Romantic Wedding Vows.

Tags: traditional wedding vows, Wedding Vows

I had this problem when I was choosing my wedding colors. I had two blond bridesmaids, two brunettes, and a redhead. Now, I’m pretty picky about colors in general, but I also wanted to pick something that would look nice on every one of my bridesmaids to compliment their hair and skin tones. I wanted something that would make each of my bridesmaids look lovely, and not hate what they were wearing. So, I set out in search for colors to compliment all of them. Here’s what I found. I’ve put them in order by season and colors that correspond to that season.

Autumn Colors

If you are choosing your colors based off of the season, then this will really help you out. Most redheads look great in browns (which is a very popular color right now), golden yellows, burnt oranges, brick reds, olive greens. If you are going to go with one of these colors, then make sure before you make the final decision that it won’t do funky things to her skin. If she has a light skin tone, yellows and greens could wash her out or make her look sick.

Winter Colors

If you are having a Christmas wedding, then redheads look great in darker greens as well. Just beware of the skin tone just in case it makes her look sick. Another great popular color for winter is black. Most everyone looks great in black, though if your bridesmaid has very pale skin, it could make her a little washed out, but rule of thumb, everybody looks great in black. Dark blue is another color really looks great on redheads.

Spring and Summer Colors

Cream colors, such as peach (this is what I used), some pale pinks, aqua and turquoises. Be careful with pinks, a dusty rose color typically works well, but stay away from hot pink or some red tinted pinks which can do horrors to her hair and skin tone if you’re not careful.

Be sure to speak with your bridesmaid prior to choosing colors, to find out what colors she can or can’t wear, and what she feels the most comfortable wearing. Your redheaded bridesmaid will know what colors work for her, and what doesn’t. Whatever color you choose, be sure to keep all of your bridesmaids in mind. If you need more help choosing your wedding colors, then check out my other article, Choosing Your Wedding Colors.

Tags: bridesmaid dress, choosing wedding colors, redhead bridesmaids