Posts Tagged ‘brides know best’
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
One of my biggest pet peeves is when so-called “wedding experts” tell nearly-weds what they can or cannot do. What is right for one couple will not be right for the next. One topic that seems to bring the worst out in many old school minds, are the use of “Evites” for your wedding celebrations. When I read an absolute edict from an “expert” stating, “never ever send email invitations,” it left me with two questions: “Why not?” and “Who are they to tell a bridal couple what is right or wrong for their celebration?” Evites aren’t illegal, right?
Now clearly Evites are not for everyone, but for those who are watching their budgets, or are truly eco-conscious and planning a green wedding, Evites might be the perfect option.
There are many websites that can help design an email invitation and many have great systems to help keep track on who has and has not responded to your kind invitation. One site I really like is Myinvitationlink. This site offers many options to create highly personalized engagement party invites, save the date, wedding invitations, wedding announcements and thank you cards. They make it easy to design a “love story” pictorial including many pictures of the bridal couple with beautiful musical accompaniment and personalized text. This is a great way to share pictures with guests before and after the wedding. Green, inexpensive, personal and creative, what can be better than that?
Now some of us have a few friends or great grandparent’s that don’t own a computer, so you may want to consider creating a few paper invitations for those you think need to be mailed an invitation. Several of the email invitation companies also offer print-ready templates, so you can email some of your invitations and mail others. Some actually will print and mail them for you! Think of your paper invites as a supplement to your email invites or vice versa, which ever works best for you.
Evites may not feel right to you for your actual wedding invitation but consider them for all the events surrounding your wedding. Bachelorette parties, Bridal party get-togethers, rehearsal dinner, or a post wedding brunch all need invites – you may want to take a peek at the following sites to decide if emailed invitations may be right for these ancillary events. Whatever you choose, that’s up to you! Take a peek at these sites and see what you think.
My invitation link
Paperless Post
Greenvelope
OurWedvite.com (does Evites and has print-ready templates as well)
Pingg
Evite: (free but comes with advertisements on side of invites)
Question for those newlyweds out there – Did you email any of your invitations? Tell us how that worked for you. We really want to know!
Tags: brides know best, emailed wedding invitations, evites, invitation, musical accompaniment, wedding, wedding celebrations, wedding invitations
Posted in Green/Eco-conscious Wedding Ideas, Ideas for saving money, Invitation ideas | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Photography by Emin Kuliyev
Confession time. Just last month I attended a great wedding with the intention of shooting pictures that I would use for a future article. I had three cameras – a professional quality camera, a cheap digital and of course my trusty phone camera. The only thing that was missing in my picture arsenal was a skilled photographer!
All I can say is thank goodness the Bride and Groom were not relying on me to capture their priceless memories. My photos were definitely not worthy of this beautiful wedding. The professional photographer’s pictures on the other hand, were fabulous. Hallelujah!!!
Because of well intentioned, but lousy novice photographers like myself, I encourage all brides and grooms to bite the bullet and pay for a professional wedding photographer to document their celebrations. I mean really, how many times can you get those that you love all dressed up and looking their best? And wedding pictures are about the only pictures that years later people will still ask to take a peek at. Just yesterday I was looking at my own parent’s pictures and they have been married for 57 years!
Here are a few tips to consider when hiring a photographer:
Photography by Emin Kuliyev
1) See and like their work. Be sure it’s their own work especially if you’re interviewing a photographer at a studio that has multiple photographers.
2) Ask for references! Call a few of their past clients and a few event sites that have experienced them at work. I have always said that although someone may be a good studio photographer, event photography requires a completely different animal. Ask reference questions like: Does their temperament at work add to the stress of your day or does their good humor actually add to the joy of the celebration? Do they play well with others – meaning your caterer, entertainment and master of ceremony? If you could improve anything about their work style what would it be? Were there any added expenses not clear to you before you signed a contract? Did they respond to your calls and questions efficiently? How long did it take to get your proofs? Were your pictures of the same quality as their sales portfolio? Did they take all the pictures you had discussed in advance? Were you disappointed in anything they did or didn’t do at the wedding?
3) Be sure you like them. There is nothing more obvious in a picture than when a person is uncomfortable getting photographed or uncomfortable with their photographer. If this is an extra special event like a wedding or a milestone anniversary, you may want to have a run through with your photographer. This may be an engagement shoot or a family or individual portrait. This gives the photographer a chance to see your comfort level with a camera and to notice things like when you blink your eyes or that nervous twitch of yours. It also lets them see your good side and your bad side — photographically and personality speaking. And you get the opportunity to see your photographer’s work — before it’s too late!
4) Read every word of your contract before you sign on the dotted line. Don’t assume that everything your photographer is saying is what will happen. Make certain everything is in writing.
5) Give your photographer a list of pictures you want to be certain they capture. And assign a family member or friend that can help the photographer find those that you want to take pictures with.
6) Let your family, friends and wedding party know when and where they need to be for the formal pictures shoot. This will help the photographer get these pictures done quickly so you can enjoy your day without any unnecessary delay.
I am staring at a picture of my late husband on our wedding day. Believe me when I say that pictures can be priceless treasures that can literally last beyond a lifetime for future generations to enjoy. So be sure you hire a quality photographer (and not me!) to do the job right.
Tags: brides know best, how to choose a wedding photographer, multiple photographers, photographer, Photography, professional wedding photographer, skilled photographer, studio photographer, wedding, wedding advice, wedding photography, wedding planning, Wedding Stories, wedding wisdom
Posted in Photography, Wedding Planning Tips | 4 Comments »
Monday, October 26th, 2009
I have it on good authority that if you choose not to have favors at your wedding, your marriage will still be legal and binding. So if favors are not your cup of tea, give yourself permission not to have them at your wedding. On the other hand…
If you are like me and look forward to sharing a little trinket with your guests, here are some “favorable” examples:
1. Marianne met her husband because they both purchased all the lemon drops out of their company’s (a trash collection service) vending machines. They began meeting at the vending machine and love bloomed. So for their wedding favors they placed a bag of lemon drops in little dump trucks. The best man mentioned the lemon drops love story in his toast, and everyone had fun having dump-truck races on the dance floor.
Joe and Jill are firefighters and did a very similar favor with mini fire trucks (they filled their trucks with personalized M&M’s). Creating a favor that is symbolic of your life together always adds a special touch to your celebration.
2. Ever since Tiger Woods came on the scene, golf- oriented favors have been very popular. Many Chocolate companies offer solid milk, dark, or white chocolate golf balls that they can package sitting on grass (artificial of course) in a beautiful truffle box or in iridescent cellophane packages. You can order personalized golf tees to place under the bow. Order plenty of golf tees and have the extra displayed in a glass brandy snifter for all the golf fanatics to grab a nice pocketful. The guys love this one!
3. Rosanne’s mom makes the best snicker doodle cookies in the whole world – that is a fact. So for Roseanne’s wedding, her mom made her delicious creations and placed them in clear cellophane bags tied with beautiful French ribbon. The note attached to the bag said “From our Family to yours, thank you for making our day so sweet!”
My family made homemade truffles and fudge for the favors at my wedding. We ordered boxes that said, “The Sweetest things in life are those you share with the ones you love. Thank you for sharing our Day.” All my friends told me that they ate all their treats on the way home. This wouldn’t be so shocking if it had been one or two truffles per guest. The truth is, it was a half-pound box of chocolates for each guest. Oy vey!
Frames can do double duty - hold your place cards and be your wedding favor
4) I love framing place cards in beautiful little frames so they serve two purposes (the favor and the place card). After the wedding I suggest that Newlyweds send a picture (included in the thank you card) from the wedding that will fit into the frames. Ask your photographer to be sure to get a picture of the two of you with every guest so this can be a very personal thank you gift.
Whatever you favor, enjoy!!!
Please share your ideas on great wedding favors.
Here are two on-line favor stores for inspiration:
Beau-coup
My Wedding Favors
Tags: Beau-Coup, brides know best, chocolate golf balls, Creative Wedding Ideas, DIY Weddings, favor, wedding, wedding favors, wedding reception
Posted in DIY Wedding Ideas, Personalizing your wedding, Reception Ideas, Wedding Favor Ideas | No Comments »
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Here is the second part of the article “Room layout and seating arrangement advice for your wedding reception” – grab a nice beverage and read on…
Who sits where?
TopTablePlanner.com
Now for the scary part (if you are not already hyperventilating)… seat assignments!
Seat assignments can be a logistical and a psychological nightmare. Aunt Betty and Uncle Tom haven’t spoken to each other in 20 years and you are on your third stepfather and have invited them all to your wedding. Who you sit where can make or break a party.
Issues to keep in mind
1) Think of each dining table as a party within your party. Who is going to be an “Ambassador of Fun” at each table, who can make anybody feel special and who do you think will enjoy each other’s company? Who would be repulsed to sit by one of your other guests (do keep them as far away from each other as possible)?
2) Physical restrictions: Who has a cast on their leg or is wheelchair bound? Who needs to be placed where there is plenty of room because he is the size of a sumo wrestler? Absolutely think of the challenges that each of your guests may have and factor those in when assigning their seat. A table generally for 10 may have to be a table for 7 to accommodate some special needs. Be sure your event or site coordinator is alerted to those special needs.
3) Ego Placements – Are your Fiance’s divorced parents’ tables equally prominent? Will that matter to them? You don’t want a pouting new mama- in- law on your hands at your wedding. Whose ego needs to be assigned a special table?
4) Good vibrations – make sure that you do not have your 96-year-old grandfather next to the DJ’s speakers. Most elderly guests’ ears may be sensitive to noise and won’t be able to hear anybody talk at their table if they are too close to the music.
5) Kid Friendly – Don’t put your cousin and her 3 children at the same table as someone who hates children. Do you want a kids’ table and then put their parents’ tables next to the kids’ table – sort of the “family friendly zone at your reception?”
So how do you make a physical plan of your table arrangements and seat assignments without needing tranquilizers? Do you need to get graph paper, crayons, or an architect involved???
There’s help!!!!! Several brilliant people have developed programs to help you with your seating arrangements. One web-based planner, Toptableplanner.com is worth taking a peek at. Their planner can help you make a layout and assign people to different tables. As importantly, it allows you to move people (and remove people) by just a drag and a drop. You can keep track of your RSVPs and guests’ meal choices and print your revised table plans, place cards and escort cards anywhere you have internet access (and of course a printer). It is a nice and easy planning tool and I believe can relieve so much of the anxiety you are feeling right now. It’s a $20 investment towards your sanity. There are other internet and software planning tools worthy of your evaluation (we’ll be looking at a few more in future posts), so do your homework and choose the best program for your needs.
Before you firm everything up though – be sure you are showing your plan to all the wedding vendors you are using. You want to be certain your layout fits into the room with all the decor and activities you have planned for your reception.
I could go on forever on this subject (I guess I actually have!) but for now – go jot down all the issues that you know you will need to take into consideration to make your room design and seating arrangements work for your celebration. And don’t forget to ask for help – there are a lot of professionals that can help you with these tasks – event coordinators, event designers, caterers, and party rental consultants are all people who work on room design and seating arrangement issues everyday.
Happy planning!
Tags: brides know best, DIY Weddings, party, planning seating arrangements, seating arrangements, tools for table assignments, wedding, wedding advice, wedding design, wedding floorplan, wedding planning, wedding reception, wedding wisdom
Posted in Planning Tools, Reception Ideas, Seating Arrangements, Wedding Planning Tips | 2 Comments »
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Emin Photography
Forgive me readers but this is long. Real long! I have separated this article in two posts. This is part one. Make sure to read both posts to get the full story. Here we goooooo…….
Although I happen to get one big buzz from planning special events, my least favorite part of party planning is deciding how the tables are laid out and who sits where. If you do not have an architect’s, interior decorator’s, sociologist’s, psychologist’s, caterer’s, entertainer’s and party planner’s mind all captured in your very own head, here is a little help for you:
Room layout/ Floorplan:
Hopefully you’ll have some professional guidance here.
* If you are having your celebration at a popular wedding location, their events coordinator will likely have very practical wisdom to share with you. Definitely ask if they have samples of different room layouts for you to take home and mull over. Ask the event coordinator which layout they think will work best with not only the amount of people you are having but the type of entertainment, activities, and decorations you have planned. If you are having a 16 piece orchestra they will need more room than a solo DJ. If you decide to bring in 22 lighted Christmas trees for your Winter Wonderland themed event, this is going to take more room than the two Ficus trees already there.
* Head table or no head table – Choosing if you want a Sweetheart table just for the two of you or if you want your entire wedding party sitting with you, is a huge issue to decide before you lay out the design of your room. If you hate people watching you eat or just not comfortable with being in the spotlight all night long, you just may choose to eliminate a head table all together. If that is your choice, make sure your table has “Hugs room” – so that people can comfortably come and extend their best wishes.
* Room design and table arrangements need to be a collaborative process with all professionals that will need some space during your wedding. Someone needs to call the DJ, orchestra, caterer, etc. and ask how much room their set-up takes and do they have any other special requirements for their installation. I remember one wedding I attended that the bride laid out her own space and put the DJ and the food buffet in a space where there was no electricity. This was not a good beginning of this poor bride’s wedding day!
* Make a list. Start writing down all the things you think you will need space for at your event. Do you want a dance floor, cake table, gift table, and hostess/guestbook/place-card table? List, list, list and share, share, share with everyone involved. My cousin forgot to place a cake table at her wedding, but then again she had forgotten to order the cake until two days before.
* How many guest tables you will need will be determined by so many factors. How many people do you want at each table? Does your location require a certain amount of guests at each table (some do for space and staff budgeting)? I like people to have lots of elbowroom so I like to see how the actual set-up will look like before I make my mind up. Take a look at how close the tables are placed near each other – is there room for people to get out of their chair without hitting the person sitting at the table in back of them? Ask your event site if you can come take a peek when they have set up for someone else’s event that would likely be similar to yours.
Stay tuned for part two – Who Sits Where?
Tags: brides know best, DIY Weddings, reception floorplan, reception floorplans, wedding advice, wedding design, wedding floorplan, wedding planning, wedding reception, wedding wisdom
Posted in Floorplan tips, Reception Ideas, Seating Arrangements, Wedding Planning Tips | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Use pictures as background on your table numbers
There are many ways to personalize a wedding. One very popular idea is to use pictures as part of your wedding décor. Most couples find that using pictures as focal points at their wedding and reception will not only make their “wedding-scape” truly one of a kind, but really helps break the ice between guests. Pictures bring back fond memories for guests to share with one another, relieving that awkward silence between people that only have the bride and groom as their common denominator. And the cherry on top of this idea? This couldn’t be a more budget friendly idea; you have the pictures and even if you buy new frames, you can use them for your home décor after the wedding. Personal, budget and green friendly; how much better can a decorating idea get? Here are a few ways to incorporate pictures in your celebration:
Show off your parents' cake cutting pictures on your cake table
Guest book – Instead of a traditional guest book, have your guests sign the matting that surrounds your engagement portrait.
Altar pictures- Place small pictures of your dearly departed, (or those who cannot attend your wedding), on the unity candle, communion or ceremony table.
Personal jewelry –A locket with your beloved’s picture in it is a nice accessory to wear when you say, “I do”.
Reception entrance – Display pictures at the entryway of your reception, either on stand-alone easels or on your placecard table.
Tabletop centerpieces – Set three or four pictures of various sizes on each dining table. Make sure you include baby pictures and those awkward pre-teen pix as well as recent couple shots of the two of you in the mix. Add votive candles and scatter flower petals, some decorative stones, crystals, or mirror discs around the pictures and you have yourself some great conversation pieces. People will walk around to see what pictures are featured at each table. 
Head table –A framed picture of each attendant (hopefully you are in the picture with them as well) at their place-setting is a very special way to designate who sits where at the head table.
Cake table- Flank your wedding cake with pictures of your parents and grandparents cutting their wedding cake.
Entertainment – Many photographers and videographers have the ability to produce and present a video or slide show of your love story. If you or friends are on the creative side, try it DIY style and have your masterpiece shown at your reception. 
Last but not least, be sure to include a picture from the wedding in your thank you cards. From beginning to the end, pictures can add so much to your wedding experience.
Question for our Experienced Brides: How did you use pictures in your wedding decor? Brides2Be want to know!
Tags: brides know best, budget wedding decorations, Budget Weddings, DIY Wedding Decorations, DIY Weddings, do it yourself wedding decorations, Personalized Weddings
Posted in Ceremony decor, DIY Wedding Ideas, Green/Eco-conscious Wedding Ideas, Ideas for saving money, Personalizing your wedding, Photography, Reception Ideas, decoration ideas | 4 Comments »
Sunday, October 11th, 2009
In this economy most everyone has to rethink how they are using their resources and couples planning weddings are no different than the rest of us. When Americans think of budget shopping, it leads millions to Wal-Mart.
Walk into most any department in Wal-Mart and you can find something that may be useful for a bride and groom and generally speaking, you aren’t going to find it cheaper anywhere else. 
In their jewelry department you will find a few inexpensive engagement rings and wedding bands and a generous selection of accessories and gifts for an entire bridal party. Cubic Zirconia tennis bracelets, simple anklets, heart shaped and “Journey” necklaces with earrings to match, will accessorize bridesmaids well without emptying anyone’s piggy bank.
In the party section you will find several rows of typical wedding supplies for much lower prices than most specialty stores. 
A good assortment of Favor boxes at 50 for $12 can easily be filled with a sweet treat found in their candy department. Want the kiddies-at-heart to have bubbles? 100 Ring Bubble Wand Favors are only $15. 
For the computer savvy they have invitation kits at unbelievable prices and for the home bakers they have most anything you would need to make your own wedding cake or cupcake tower.
If you venture into departments not often thought of as wedding related, you will locate some great “finds” for a celebration. Do some price comparison and you may find that it is actually cheaper to buy whole sets of dinnerware than to rent them from a typical party rental company. On a recent visit to a Wal-Mart store, I found glass dinner plates for $1.50 each. The nice thing about purchasing instead of renting is you will have a large collection for all your future celebrations.
Decorating weddings with $5 vases, filling them with homegrown flowers and surrounding the vases with $1 votive candles can make for simple and inexpensive centerpieces. 
Purchasing a gazebo or an arbor in their garden department will allow you to reuse it in your own backyard after it has been the centerpiece of your ceremony.
You can also get multi-use out of other special décor like lanterns, firepits or outdoor furniture that help create a very chic and contemporary styled wedding.
Right now, when the Christmas department is just being set up, it’s a great time to look at white lights to swag on your head and cake tables (underneath tulle or iridescent material). Or purchase Christmas ornaments and pile them in a crystal bowl for an easy centerpiece anytime of the year.
Don’t forget the personal health and hygiene departments to make “Wedding Day Emergency Kits.” Band-Aids, Tums, Aspirins, mouthwash, hairspray, deodorant, nail repair kits, Kleenex and smelling salts are just a few of the items key to a good emergency kit. Add energy bars, nuts and bottled water from the grocery section and stain removers from the laundry supplies and your kit will begin to look like a pro made it.
If your schedule is crazy and feet are sore, do some of your shopping on-line at www.walmart.com. By creatively thinking outside the box – you can come up with a Wal-Mart Wedding that won’t break the bank but can still be a very special celebration with all the trimmings!
Tags: brides know best, bubble wand, budget shopping, budget wedding decorations, Budget Weddings, cake, Casual Weddings, Creative Wedding Ideas, DIY Wedding Decorations, DIY Weddings, do it yourself wedding decorations, home bakers, Inexpensive Weddings, party, Wal-Mart Weddings, wedding, wedding advice, wedding planning, wedding wisdom
Posted in DIY Wedding Ideas, Ideas for saving money, Invitation ideas, Wedding Favor Ideas, Wedding Planning Tips, decoration ideas | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Bridesmaids come in all shapes and sizes.
When you say “I do,” you will want the people that care about you the most to be standing near you at the altar. If your bridesmaids are not all size sixes, be very conscious about what Bridesmaids dresses you choose. The comfort of your bridesmaids will have a direct correlation to how much fun they have at your wedding and how much fun you have with them! So don’t make your friends fit the dress, find dresses that fit each of your bridesmaids.
I think my favorite bridesmaids’ outfits have been weddings where the bridesmaids have not had the same dress on. They have worn dresses that were made with the same material and/or maybe the same color but the outfits were uniquely their own.
A friend of mine told her friends to wear what they felt the most beautiful in and those girls just shined! I coordinated another wedding where the bride asked her bridesmaids to wear ivory (she wore white). One bridesmaid wore an amazing pant suit, one wore a great strapless gown and another wore a similar gown but added this antique lace jacket over it that I wanted to steal! One bridesmaid was a size 0, one a size 8 and another a size 24. I loved watching the plus size bridesmaid because she looked fabulous and she knew it. She wore what she felt beautiful in and wasn’t asked to show her upper arms or fit her generous breasts in a strapless gown. And the size 0 who had zero cleavage, didn’t have to wear a dress that required a padded bra to look good in it.
Here are a few other hints:
Find a material that you love and have the dresses made to fit each bridesmaid well.
Talk to a Bridal Salon Consultant about the sizes of your friends and get their suggestions about which designers cater to your bridesmaids’ sizes and shapes. Before you take your bridesmaids out shopping, go by yourself and have a personal consultation at a Bridal Salon so you gather information and begin developing your own ideas on what you want to present to your bridesmaids as options.
Search the Internet – need I say more? Do keyword searches like plus size bridesmaid dresses, petite bridesmaids, maternity bridesmaid dresses, etc. 
You might want to take your plus size friends out alone for their first shopping spree and measurement taking. I worked in a bridal salon for a while and I saw how uncomfortable it was for some girls to be measured in front of the other girls – be conscious of your friends’ modesty issues.
You can usually buy extra material from most bridesmaids’ dress designers and then can hire a seamstress to make a jacket or a wrap. I personally don’t like the wrap thing because it’s pretty impossible to keep them on all night but a Bolero jacket can be a great complement to many styles. You might want to consider a jacket or a shrug for everyone to use during the ceremony and then at the reception, those that like to show off their triceps can simply take off the jacket and others can keep it on – their choice for their comfort. 
Whatever you choose, remember that being surrounded by those you love is more important than any bridesmaid’s dress you’ve seen in a magazine. So choose loveable Bridesmaids and outfits to fit each one of them beautifully.
Tags: brides know best, bridesmaid dresses with sleeves, maternity bridesmaids, Personalized Weddings, plus size bridesmaids, wedding advice, wedding planning, wedding wisdom
Posted in Bridesmaids dresses | 3 Comments »
Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
Fall is such a wonderful time to have a wedding. Crisp air and Autumn hues just lend themselves for warm and oh so inviting celebrations.
Some of my favorite venues for Fall weddings are wineries, apple orchards, farms and rustic looking clubhouses with big old fireplaces.
Natural decorations that show off the beauty of the season can be inexpensive and stunning. Outlining a processional aisle with autumn leaves easily sets the tone for a fall wedding and can cost you nothing if you have your cadre of friends collect them the month before your wedding. Remember Runaway Bride when Julia Roberts finally married Richard Gere? The only decoration at that ceremony was a hill full of beautiful fall leaves.
I love to decorate with barrels of apples and apples as place-card or candle holders. And I am nuts about nuts in table-scapes. Decorative bowls of nuts (with nutcrackers handy) on each guest table, tall vases filled with nuts and topped with fall flowers, or nuts just strewn around a centerpiece provide some great accents. My girlfriend had a chocolate iced wedding cake decorated with maple candy leaves and marzipan fruit. The cake was surrounded by a variety of nuts and candles on a gold tablecloth; it was…fabulous.
I went to a wedding last year that served hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks and also had hot buttered rum drinks. At the end of the evening they handed out waxed bags filled with warm mini apple cinnamon doughnuts for the trip home. I am certain no doughnuts actually made it all the way home! At another wedding they had caramel apples as their wedding favors – what could remind you of a fall day more than a caramel apple? 
Tell us about your Autumn themed wedding. We’d loved to hear your creative ideas!
Tags: autumn wedding ideas, brides know best, budget wedding decorations, DIY Wedding Decorations, do it yourself wedding decorations, fall weddings, wedding planning
Posted in Autumn themed wedding ideas, Ceremony decor, DIY Wedding Ideas, Green/Eco-conscious Wedding Ideas, Ideas for saving money, Reception Ideas, Wedding Beverage Ideas, decoration ideas | 4 Comments »
Monday, September 28th, 2009
The following wedding story is shared by one of my favorite Brides. Samantha and Matt’s very intimate “Surprise Wedding” was quite a hit with their guests who thought they were coming over for a casual BBQ! This wedding was planned by the Bride and Groom in two weeks and is a wonderful memory for all who had the honor to witness the beginning of a magnificent marriage.
The most amazing day with the most amazing man…..
By Samantha Lewis
After Matt had asked my two children, Nathan, age 12 and Katie, age 10, for their permission to marry me and had received enthusiastic reactions, wedding plans began. Discussions ran from a quick trip to Lake Tahoe in Nevada with the children for a small lakeside wedding to a more formalized affair with 150 of our closest friends. In creating a guest list, it occurred to us that our families alone accounted for two dozen attendees….
Since I had experienced a traditional wedding, my priorities shifted to my future husband’s ideal wedding. He had made it clear that gift registries and seating charts were not in his future wedding plans and when asked what he wanted, he jokingly answered, “just you, the kids and our families.” We immediately began planning our surprise wedding to take place in less than two weeks at our family’s “Engagement Celebration Barbecue.” The only other people who knew of our secret wedding plans were my children, our minister and my dear friend, Leslie, who took the photographs.
When people talk about a wedding taking 12 months or 18 months to plan…. well, all I can say is that ours was done in less than two weeks and it was amazing! Matt and I raced off to the florist and bakery and placed orders. While Matt and Nathan were fitted for tuxedos, my daughter and I found perfect dresses – off the rack! My dear friend agreed to photograph our wedding and since Matt is an audiophile, music was no problem. We live near the ocean and it was instantly agreed that our backdrop would be the local harbor. We met with our minister, wrote our vows, double swore the children to secrecy and invited our families to a casual backyard Barbecue- “to celebrate our engagement”.
Family began arriving, some driving as many as 2-1/2 hours…. all dressed in shorts and summer dresses for the casual barbecue. My mother, who was quite psychic, asked my son upon entering the front door, “Are we attending a wedding today?” to which my son replied, “No way, Mimi!” After a couple of hours of chatting and hors d’oeuvres in the backyard, Matt and Nathan disappeared upstairs for a quick change into tuxedos while my daughter and I retreated upstairs to put on gowns. Matt and Nathan reappeared downstairs and inquired, “Who wants to go to a wedding?” to which there were enthusiastic shouts and screams of delight. Matt herded everyone into cars to caravan to the harbor while my three sisters and Matt’s two sisters raced upstairs to congratulate, hug and apply the typical last minute girly-touches to make-up, hair and dresses. We then proceeded to the harbor.
The day was amazing….. clear, light breezes and warm sun – the sounds of sailboat lines clanging against the posts were like our own wind chime orchestra. Vows were said to one another and to the children, photographs were taken and everyone returned back to our home for a wonderful backyard Barbecue of Shish Kabobs! I wouldn’t do one single thing differently.
BKB: Isn’t that a great story? Do you have another Surprise Wedding to share with us? Please do!
Tags: Backyard Weddings, Bride, brides know best, Budget Weddings, Casual Weddings, Creative Wedding Ideas, DIY Weddings, dozen attendees, Family Weddings, Harbor Weddings, Lake Tahoe, Personalized Weddings, Second Weddings, Stress free Weddings, surprise wedding, Surprise Weddings, wedding, Wedding Stories
Posted in DIY Wedding Ideas, Ideas for saving money, Real Weddings, Surprise Weddings | 5 Comments »
