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Engagement Party
The Wedding Planner advises: Engagement parties are usually scheduled within a couple of months of the engagement. There are no hard-set rules about when an engagement party must occur. Even though, traditionally the parents of the bride host the engagement party, it can be hosted by anyone close to the bride and groom. The location of the party is insignificant. A friend’s house or the parents’ home are both popular choices. It is quite common for the bride and groom to host it. You should invite anyone that’s important to you, friends, family, coworkers and school friends.Engagement parties are informal events. The food is usually finger food, or something simple. It is not advisable to introduce the parents for the first time to each other. It would be best to choose a more intimate occasion when only the parents and bride and groom are present.
A pre-engagement dinner might the perfect solution to introduce your parents to each other.While engagement parties are fun, they can be expensive. They are more advisable for couples with long engagement; it may be awkward to have an engagement party only a few months before the wedding.You shouldn’t expect gifts as etiquette does not dictate that guests should bring them.
Wedding Boutonnieres
The Wedding Planner advises: Wedding Boutonnieres are probably the only time your hubby to be is going to wear flowers and not be embarrassed so make the most of it!
Types of Flower
Roses are the most popular flower for a boutonniere, but don’t feel that you have to follow tradition. Any other flower with a woody stem or last more than a day out of water can work, so experiment! I like thisle and heather for kilt wearing grooms. Tulips and orchids work well too but I find with all the hugging that happens on the day these tend to crush easily and look a bit ’sad’ early in the day. Choosing Your BoutonnieresThe colour of your boutonnieres can be chosen to either contrast or complement the colour of the groom’s outfit. For instance a black morning suit with a burgundy cravat could be complemented by a burgundy boutonniere made from a tulip, calla lily or rose.Alternatively, you could arrange for boutonnieres to be made that mirror the flowers in the bride’s bouquet.Who Should Have Boutonnieres?It is common for the bridegroom, best man, ushers/groomsmen and fathers of the bride and bridegroom to all have boutonnieres.
Some couples also like to make boutonnieres available to all who attend the wedding ceremony, but this will be dependant on your budget and really is no longer a necessary expense.To mark him out as special, the bridegroom often has a slightly different boutonniere to the rest of the wedding party. It maybe a different colour, or the florist may put on decorative beads, diamante, or an additional bloom.
How to Wear A Boutonnieres
The boutonniere is worn on the gentleman’s left lapel. It should be worn on the outside of the buttonhole, and not in it. It is common to secure it in place by using a pearl-headed pin from the back of the lapel. This can be done through the underside of the lapel so that the pin will then be invisible from the front.
