Winter Weddings

Summer weddings remain the most popular, but winter wedding dates are gaining.  Here are some of the top reasons for their surge in popularity:

Wedding colors pop against the stark background.  The soft pastels of spring and the color blasts of summer give way to jewel tones, black and white themes and reds.  Winter wedding pictures pop against the black, whites and grays of the natural landscape.

Winter whites are the perfect setting for your photographs. The serenity of a winter day can make you the center of attention. Black and white Ansel Adams prints are popular for a reason – they pull in your focus! Additionally, the snow acts as a reflector, creating a soft glow in your images.

Winter weddings can be a budget saver for many reasons. Many venues and vendors will offer additional discounts when you select a winter wedding date. Many ceremony locations and venues will also be dressed for the holidays, allowing you to enhance already existing decorations – requiring less wedding budget too. Candlelight twinkle adds to the nostalgic feeling experienced during the winter and make for some inexpensive wedding reception centerpieces.

Winter weddings are often smaller, more intimate affairs. Some people are reluctant to travel during the holiday season. If you were looking for an easy way to pare down your guest list, the holidays can become a great way not to extend invitations to out of town or distant relations.

It is a reprieve from the winter blues. Everyone needs something to look forward to during the winter so having awedding during this time makes it the social event of the season.  Knowing the weather is chilly back home adds to the enjoyment of a tropical honeymoon too!

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Bouquet Toss Songs

The tradition of the bride tossing her bouquet to the single ladies at her wedding reception is often a favorite moment at the reception.  In recent years, however, the popularity of this event has begun to wane.  Here are some pros and cons to the wedding reception bouquet toss:

Pros of hosting a bouquet toss

1. It’s Tradition.

Some in attendance are waiting for this moment during your reception.  The bouquet toss is a benchmark for older generation.  When a tradition is observed, their expectation is fulfilled and a certain comfort level borne of familiarity is reached.

2. Guests get involved.

If plenty of singles are at your party, the event generates suspense for your wedding guests.  If some of the singles are well-mannered but rowdy friends, you can expect great enjoyment and fun.  Hosting the toss in the midst of your dance party is a great way to get singles to meet on the dance floor.  All guests want to feel the thrill of the moment, and a great Master of Ceremonies will include married couples in the event, too.  Professional DJs draw on their experience and follow simple techniques that engage your guests and elevate the excitement of your reception’s most memorable moments.

3. Great photo and video opportunities are made.

You can expect great shots of your friends wearing spontaneous smiles and their Sunday best.  The camera will capture their laughter and looks of surprise, embarrassment and goofiness, as they carry out the traditions of the bouquet toss.

4. Bouquet tosses can be fun.

If the singles at your reception are in the spirit of the moment, then these rituals that bring people together will be fun and exciting for you and your guests.

Cons of hosting a bouquet and garter toss

1. Many guests may not want to participate.

It’s customary for the Bride to help gather the singles in attendance and invite them to get involved in the bouquet toss.  If singles are reluctant to participate, but go along to be polite to the Bride, the events won’t be fun for them and may make them uncomfortable, a feeling which is sure to spread among the guests watching them.

2. There’s less party time.

If your dance floor is rockin’, why screech the party to a halt? Even small traditions, like the bouquet toss, take a little time to organize.  You can expect to spend 10 to 12 minutes gathering the participants, and watching rowdier singles prolong their moments in the spotlight.  While others are distracted, guests who aren’t caught up in the moment may take this opportunity to leave.

3. Do you really want a picture of this?

Since the bouquet and garter toss are mostly staged events, we all know what to expect, with certain variations on the old theme.

4. Some guests may act inappropriately.

Why take the chance of subjecting your guests to potentially ill-advised and outlandish actions?

Bouquet Toss Songs

If you choose to have a bouquet toss at your wedding reception, you’ll want your wedding DJ to set the mood with the right song.  Here are a few popular choices.

“Single Ladies” – Beyonce

“Just A Girl” – No Doubt

“This One’s For The Girls” – Martina McBride

“Oh, Pretty Woman” – Roy Orbison

“Material Girl” – Madonna

“Jump” – Van Halen

“Wannabe” – Spice Girls

“Teenage Dream” – Katy Perry

“Don’t Cha” – Pussycat Dolls

“Where My Girls At” – 702

“Short Skirt, Long Jacket” – Cake

“American Woman” – Lenny Kravitz

“Man, I Feel Like A Woman” – Shania Twain

“She’s A Lady” – Tom Jones

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper

“Hey Ladies” – Beastie Boys

“One Way Or Another” – Blondie

“Ladies Night” – Kool & The Gang

“Whatta Man” – Salt-NPepa

“Wishin’ & Hopin’” – Dusty Springfield

“You Sexy Thing” – Hot Chocolate

“Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” – Marilyn Monroe/Moulin Rouge

“Wild Thing” – Tone Loc

 Will you toss the bouquet at your wedding reception?

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Holiday Advice For Newlyweds

The holiday schedule of shopping, parties and more can be stressful already, but when you add in wedding planning or deciding where to spend your first Christmas, they can be downright awful.  Follow these tips to help keep the holidays happy.

Decide as a couple.  Before you were engaged (or married) you probably had family traditions you participated in each year, but so did your fiancé.  Decide as a couple what events you will attend before either of you commit to family events.  If you will have to decline an invitation, be sure to say “we are sorry we will not attend” so that the other doesn’t shoulder the blame for the change.

Be united.  When we are single, our priorities are to our individual families.  Once we commit to someone else, they are now our priority.  Sometimes that change is a difficult adjustment for parents.  You may have to gently remind others that this is now the case.

Be respectful. Your in-laws are your family now too.  It’s not just your spouse’s responsibility to honor and maintain the relationships.  Your in-laws want to include you in their family plans – say yes as often as you can.

Get the facts.  Before you set off on your holiday debut with the in-laws (or soon to be in-laws), you want to make sure you ask your significant other for the inside details in the family. At this stage in your relationship you probably know the basics, but dig a little deeper so conversation comes easily, you don’t really want to be dealing with those awkward silences.  Ask about any traditions, personalities, dos and don’ts.  The holiday is not the time to bring up politics, social issues or other touchy subjects.  It’s helpful if you are aware of any particularly painful family dynamics.  If possible, save big wedding budget or planning discussions until after the holidays when everyone is less stressed

A gift to share.  Once you’re caught up in the family gossip, you’ll want to ask your better half for help finding your hostess a gift, preferably one the entire family can enjoy or a dish to pass. Assorted gift baskets with wines to share, goodies from your home town, or a skin care basket are always a favorite and will ensure that you start off on the right foot.

Practice grace.  Anytime you have a collection of people, there are bound to be a few hurt feelings or misunderstandings.  When you notice you may have disappointed someone, ask for forgiveness.  If you feel slighted, practice grace and forgiveness quickly.  Resist the temptation to keep a list of wrongs.  This is your new family, don’t start your lives together in bitterness.

P’s and Q’s.  Just because you feel like family this holiday season doesn’t mean your manners should. Remember the basics: Always say please and thank you, offer to help whenever possible, try to get up a littler earlier then usual to participate in any family outings, and keep your space neat! This includes making your bed or the couch in the morning and not hogging the bathroom.  If family is staying with you, be patient when they help.  They may not do things just the way you would want them, but they are trying to please you.

Bonding.  You’ve covered the basics with manners and gifts, but now is the time to jump in with two feet. They’ll notice your effort and appreciate the extra helping hand, but they’ll grow to love you even more when you join in the annual family Scrabble tournament, tossing the football, or going on an outing.

Goodbyes.  Love it or hate, the celebration will come to an end. Don’t forget to thank your hosts and tell them how you had such an amazing time. Be sure to send a thank you note in the mail when you get back home.  The added thanks and praise will remind them how much they loved having you.

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Planning Your Cocktail Hour

Your wedding cocktail hour is an event that is for your guests comfort and convenience.  Many couples do not attend their cocktail hour as they are often photographing their Romantics session or want to make their first appearance during their grand entrance.  Your guests will spend that hour visiting with each other and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and sipping on drinks.  Here are a few tips to make sure they enjoy it:

Create Ambience

After your ceremony, your guests next step on your big day is the cocktail hour.  If your venue has the option of a separate space, this will allow your reception area to still have it’s own unveiling.  Many venues will offer you a terrace, lobby or separate room for the cocktail hour.  Regardless of where it will be, make sure that the layout of your cocktail reception is easily accessible, offers a few seating areas or tall tables to set glasses or empty dishes.  Low tables with chairs along the exterior and high tables in the middle create an inviting atmosphere.

Decor

Provide your budget some relief by keeping the decor minimal during the cocktail hour.  Guests will be busy greeting one another, not paying attention to your decor.  A few small flower arrangements and low candles are all that you need.

Bar Service

If possible, offer guests a drink as they enter the cocktail reception.  This will help to minimize bar crowding.  Servers can offer wine, champagne or your signature cocktail.  Avoid placing a drink station near the entrance or guests may feel crowded as they enter the area.

It is not necessary to offer a full bar during cocktail hour.  Craft beers, white wine, red wine and non-alcoholic offerings are sufficient and budget friendly.  In general, guests will have two drinks during the hour.  To avoid service delays, it is best to have one bartender per 100 attendees.

Food Service

Cocktail hour is not meant to be a mini dinner.  Vegetables, cheeses and a few finger foods are plenty during this time.  If possible, avoid items requiring forks and knives unless you have ample seating and tables for guests to sit.  A few servers passing hors d’oeuvres and a small area where guests can serve themselves is a convenient option for your guests .

Set The Mood With Music

The cocktail hour is a great time to play some of your favorite songs.  While it may be “normal” to play light jazz or standards, there is no rule that you must follow.  If you love acoustic artists, they make a great soundtrack to the mingling of your guests.  If you’re hoping to have a fun wedding reception, you can start the evening off with favorites from the 80s.  Anything goes for your cocktail hour.

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Wedding Ceremony Music

Selecting music to play during the key moments of your wedding ceremony is a great way to add your personal style.  There are several key moments during your ceremony and the perfect wedding song can help add to the emotion of each.   We are going to break down each part of the wedding ceremony to help you better know where, when, what type, and how much music is appropriate.

As Guests Are Seated

To set the mood, music should already be playing when the first guest arrives and as guests are seated.  The music choice is entirely yours, but most couples prefer a romantic mood and select a style that suits them –  smooth jazz, wispy piano notes, or chamber music provided by string or woodwind ensembles.  Contemporary choices would include acoustic sets or familiar songs played by a trio or quartet.

While Parents Are Seated 

Parents of the bride and groom are last to be seated by the ushers and, occasionally, the parents or bride and groom will request a special song.  Keep it short, so your bridal party and guests aren’t kept waiting.

Bridal Party Processional

It’s customary for special music to be playing as bridal party couples approach the ceremony area,  either as couples or singularly.

Popular music to play during the bridal party’s entrance includes the strings of Pachelbel’s Canon in D,  “The Trumpet Voluntary,” a dramatic organ piece with Baroque flourishes, “Ode to Joy,” (from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony), and “Air,” an arrangement for trumpet and strings from Handel’s Water Music Suite.
As the music nears its final strains: The Maid Honor and Best Man are the last couple to enter.  Followed by the Ring Bearer, Flower Girl, and finally, the Bride.

Your music director or DJ can fade in and out of songs at the appropriate moments to allow for the amount of time needed based upon the size of your bridal party.

Bride’s Processional

Whether the bride enters the ceremony area alone or with an escort, a special song should lead her down the aisle.  As most songs are much longer than the time needed to walk down the aisle, you can choose the moment in the song you would prefer.   Your DJ can work with you to fit the length of the processional, which might be “Here Comes the Bride” or another ceremony song.

Special Ceremony Moments

Should you choose to include music during the special moments of your ceremony, it is important to remember that you will likely not hear the song in it’s entirety.  As you choose background music,  or select a meaningful excerpt from your song, make note of the points in the song you would like to hear.

You may consider using music during special moments such as candle lighting, ring exchange, communion, prayer or blessing.

Ceremony Recessional

Once the formality of the wedding ceremony is complete, your choice for recessional music is often more about personality.  You can choose to keep a solemn and formal tone, or give your guests a preview of the party to follow at your wedding reception.

If your ceremony is elegant, appropriate choices might include the “Bridal Recessional” or “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong.

Light-hearted music includes “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles or “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen.

Contemporary selections could include “Good Time” by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen, “Gangnam Style” by Psy or “Home” by Phillip Phillips.  It’s not uncommon to play something heavier, too, so make this music yours.

Contact us at 248-689-0777 or email us to start planning your ceremony details.

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How To Delegate Wedding Tasks

Delegation of wedding tasks is important as most couples don’t have the time to handle all aspects of their wedding planning.  Here are some tips to help you do it successfully:

Explain what you want in a way that is understood. The person you trust wedding tasks to is doing you a great favor, but only if they understand what you want done.  Take the time necessary to explain the task and the expected outcome or you are wasting your time and theirs.  If you ask your maid of honor to find dress ideas, explain what styles you like and provide her with a swatch or color sample to work from.

Show them what you like. Many people are visual communicators and there are endless resources to help with that. Inspiration images and Pinterest boards are perfect ways to share your creative vision.

Work with vendors you can trust.  There are numerous websites devoted to reviewing wedding vendors, many by real brides.  Check out vendor’s online profiles at sites such as  weddingwire.com and theknot.com.  Wedding professionals can provide referrals for other vendors for your wedding day.  Once you have selected a wedding vendor, it is important that you convey your vision to them so they can create the wedding keepsake you desire.  Make sure they understand your vision, but allow them some flexibility to use their professional experience to make your wedding day a success.

Schedule progress updates. When you assign a task to someone else, agree in advance for dates for progress updates and completion.  Most people will complete a task when they know there is a timeline to go with it.    When deciding a deadline for completion, build a little time into your timeline to allow for delays.

Let go.  No one likes to be micro-managed.  When someone is completing a task for you that you lacked the skill or time to complete yourself, let go as much as possible.

Thank them. Unless you are working with a wedding planner or wedding service provider, the people helping you are not obligated to.  They do what they do out of love.  Be gracious and genuinely give them thanks.

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Don't Become Bridezilla

Bridezilla.  That single word encompasses so much.  Whether it’s being demanding of your bridal party, throwing a fit over minute details or just being a general pain, it’s easy to stray into bridezilla mode.  While bridezillas make for fun TV, no one wants to deal with one for real.  Here are some tips on how to avoid being labeled a bridezilla.

Share Your Vision.  Getting married to your best friend is of course the big plan for your wedding day.  But what else do you want?  An over the top event, a rustic romance, a casual affair?  Whatever your ideal wedding day would be, make sure you and your fiance agree, and then share that vision with anyone that will impact the success of it – family, bridal party and wedding vendors.

Don’t Solicit Advice You Won’t Take.  From the moment you announce your engagement, well meaning people will tell you what you “have to do”.  While it’s not always easy to deal with all the suggestions with grace, it’s best to try.  If you have no intention of including someone’s suggestions, be sure not to ask for them.  It will quickly lead to hurt feelings, or worse family rifts.

Practice Effective Communication.  While technology has made it easier to communicate quickly, it can also lead to misunderstandings.  Short text messages can seem demanding or email tome misunderstood.  If you need to communicate big concepts consider using phone, face to face or Skype to do so.  This allows the recipient to hear your tone, see your body language and better understand your message.  If you have a message that might be hard to hear, or a big request to make, do it in person whenever possible.

Have Realistic Expectations.  Although your wedding day can be perfect, things may still go wrong.  Dinner may be delayed, those who didn’t RSVP might show up, or it may rain on your outdoor ceremony.  While you can’t control all aspects of the day, you can control how you react to them.

Ask, Don’t Order.  As you work through your wedding plans, it’s good to remember that it is your wedding day.  Not everyone you will deal with has the same vested interest and emotional attachment to making your wedding favors.  If you need help with a project, ask for it without making it a demand.

Don’t Become Uber-Focused.  If every time someone asks “How are you” and you launch into how you can’t figure out how to trim the guest list, people will stop asking.  While this is an extremely important day to you, it is not the only thing going on in your world. Remember to take an active interest in others, do activities that aren’t focused solely on the wedding and take a break when it gets to be too much.

Have A Great Attitude.  Planning a wedding can be a stressful and emotional time.  Wedding budgets, merging families and a big event are a lot to deal with.  Decide in advance that you will roll with the punches and keep smiling because those around you will look to follow your attitude.  If you continue to smile, so will everyone else.  Remember to say please and thank you as it will go a long way.  Being gracious will leave family, friends, and guests with positive memories of your wedding day.  Having their support for your relationship after the wedding will help you have a happy and healthy marriage.  And isn’t that the point of the wedding day after all?

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How To DIY Your Wedding

Many couples choose to DIY elements for the wedding to both personalize the event and save their wedding budget.  But how do you decide which elements to do yourself and which to leave to the professionals?  Before taking on any DIY projects, you should calculate the cost of materials and time versus hiring a professional to handle the project.  You should also consider how close to your wedding you would have to complete the task.

Here are some tasks to try:

Stationery

Get single-page invites to save on postage.

Have favors double as escort cards, such as tagged bottles of wine.

Make your own menu cards, escort cards, and wedding favor packaging.

Table name or number markers can be as simple as framed printed card stock or photos.

Guest Favors

Have favors double as escort cards.

Cookies in a jar, candles and photo favors are simple projects.

Candy buffets are popular as guest favors. A candy bar is creating by choosing 5-10 different types of candy and displaying them in glass containers on a sweet table or in smaller containers on guest tables.

Ceremony and Reception Elements

The ring bearers pillow or flower girl baskets can be store bought and embellished to match your wedding theme and wedding colors.

Embellished birdcages or boxes wrapped in flocked paper for wedding cards are simple DIY wedding projects.
Simple candle and flower arrangements can be created for centerpieces.

Brooch bouquets are a top wedding trend for 2013.  They can be a great way include family pieces for your something old.

Items best left to the pros:

Large Flower Arrangements and Centerpieces – knowing which flowers are in season, take time to open, and how to present is a big task to take on.  The creation and setup are best left to the pros.

Your Wedding Dress – a well fitting and properly altered wedding dress will allow you to feel confident and that will show in your wedding photos.

Wedding Cake – due to the timeline needed for freshness and the complex designs, this is a task best left to the baker.

Catering – most venues will require you to use their caterer.  And do you really want your family to spend the day cooking and serving food?

Photography and Videography – after the wedding, your photography and videography will be the only tangible memories you have.  Make sure they are preserved by professionals.

Ceremony and reception music – the success of your wedding reception is often judged by how great the party is.

Linens – it is usually more cost effective to rent linens and have them set up for you.

Tips for DIY

Limit the number of DIY tasks you try to one open project or one per month.

Make sure you can complete all tasks at least one week prior to the wedding so you can relax before the big day.

Consider your budget for each item.  Unless it’s a task you really want to do, allow professionals to do any item that the cost is close.  Evaluate each DIY element on a cost versus time basis.

Don’t assume your family and friends will be available to help.  They likely have busy lives too.

Consider how many of a particular element you will need to make.  DIY guest favors are easy for 50, but take significant longer for 200.

Shop wholesale and locally when you can.  This will save you time and shipping costs.

Evaluate your skill set before taking on a project.

Get DIY inspiration on our Pinterest boards.

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