03.31.08
Beach Wedding Footwear
The Wedding Planner in Ireland found this gem: Wearing shoes on the sand during your beach wedding or honeymoon is not only impractical but also uncomfortable. A US company (www.jewels-by-jan.com) is now making bottom-less, beaded foot jewels to adorn your feet. Their sandals come in 3-sizes using durable, elastic cord and very tiny seed beads (for your comfort) on the toe portion of the sandal. The handcrafted bridal sandals come in 11 lovely bridal designs – from casual to elegant. Perfect for your beach wedding.
03.30.08
Medieval Wedding Traditions!
The Wedding Planner Ireland found this: Throughout medieval Europe, whole villages actively took part in courting rituals and wedding festivities, to an extent that would shock us today. Suitors who were frowned upon might be pelted with rotten food and stones, and the hapless couple who went ahead with an unpopular match might be treated to catcalls as they left the church or greeted by young men wearing horns to suggest that the wife would be unfaithful. When a community approved the match, the couple got even less privacy.
After the wedding festivities, neighbours would escort the couple to bed, to the accompaniment of loud music and ribald jokes. Early the next morning, they returned to awaken the couple with more music and revelry.
So thank your gods that some wedding traditions have not been continued!
03.29.08
Kiss the Bride -Wedding Vows
The Wedding Planner in Ireland advises: If you have always imagined your wedding ceremony a certain way it is important to tell the celebrant. Take time to write notes before hand and while taking the celebrants recommendations into consideration do push for what you want.
If you have always imagined saying ‘I DO’ well tell the celebrant that is what you want to say as a lot of pre set vows say ‘I Will’ which doesn’t sound as romantic to a lot of people. Also tell the celebrant if you want him to say ‘I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride’ directly after the vows as this is not always said automatically.
I have often been to weddings (not ones I have coordinated!) and after the couple have mumbled their vows to each other the celebrant goes directly into the next section of the ceremony leaving the audience and the sometimes the couple wondering if they are officially married yet.
The kiss gives a great photo opportunity, makes you feel more relaxed now that the vows are finished and gives the guests a chance to clap!
Tips to Relax on Your Wedding Day
The Wedding Planner Ireland advises:
The unfortunate part of getting married is that you will be pulled in many different directions on and leading up to the day. Not only will the planning seem to take up your free time, but family member may feel that they need to put in their two cents as well. The combination can be torture.
But since you’ve gotten to the actual wedding day without major damage, why not have a little fun? For the women, have a little champagne at the salon when you get your hair done. Joke with your friends and laugh. This is supposed to be a joyful and fun time.And really, anything that you would need to do at this point will be taken care of by someone else. You just need to get dressed and to the church.
And for the men, why not spend the morning at the golf course with some of your groomsmen? This is the perfect time for you to kick back before you have to get ready. Since getting ready won’t be nearly as complicated as your soon-to-bride, why not sleep in too?
Smile as much as you can. Just the act of smiling triggers a reaction in your brain to relax. A lot of letting you relax on your wedding day does come down to good planning. If you’ve delegated and thought of everything, there’s no need to worry and you can enjoy the moments as they come.
If something should go wrong (and honestly, something will), don’t worry too much about it. Your wedding party and family will want to make sure everything goes smoothly, so if something should happen, enlist one of them to take care of the problem.
This is your wedding day and you want to look happy in your pictures, rather than relieved. Take some time for yourself on the actual day. You can either step out of the room for a moment, or just sit down with a book for a few minutes.
03.16.08
Saying Your Wedding Vows
The Wedding Planner ireland advises: One thing I always say to couples is to try and memorises your vows before the wedding day. Practice saying them out loud in front of the mirror or to a teddy! So many couples get caught up in planning the minutest details of their day and overlook putting time into the most important thing of the day – the time you both declare your undying love for each other and go from being friends to officially becoming related!I always cringe when I see a couple with their head stuck in an order of service booklet stumbling over the most important words of their lives, when their eyes should be glued to each other and the words said with meaning and passion. Most brides imagine the time of their vows to be like a film set and if you are one of them treat it like a movie scene with both of you having the lead roles! All actors and actresses learn the lines before hand of the all important scenes so be sure you do too – and make it an Oscar winning performance – unlike a movie you don’t get to do retakes.
03.14.08
Herbal Traditions for Weddings
A Wedding Planner in Ireland special tip: Spruce up your wedding bouquet with a sprig of mint—brides during the Middle Ages followed this practice, believing it helped to flame a man’s desire.
Medieval brides and grooms believed that their love would flourish forever if they dipped a sprig of rosemary, known for its power of loyalty, into their wine before drinking.
03.13.08
Middle Ages Wedding Dances
The Wedding Planner in Ireland advises: If you decide to perform any dances from the Middle Ages at your wedding, you will notice that partners’ hands never touch palm to palm. This was considered a sensuous act at the time, as the mixture of a man and woman’s sweat was considered an aphrodisiac.
Turn your reception into a silver screen spectacular when you take to the dance floor like Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth for a lively rendition of La Volta. The dance was deemed risqué during its time, as partners actually danced facing each other, with the man lustily lifting his partner in the air three times. For a slightly less vigorous workout, try the Moresca, which was seen in the 1969 romance classic Romeo and Juliet.
03.12.08
Movie Wedding Scenes
The Wedding Planner Ireland advises: Get in the wedding mood with a quick trip to your video rental shop. Check out these titles for dreamy wedding scenes:
° Braveheart ° Camelot ° Dangerous Beauty 0 Robin Hood Prince of Thieves ° Elizabeth ° Ever After ° Excalibur ° First Knight ° Henry V ° King Arthur ° Kingdom of Heaven ° A Knight’s Tale ° Lady Jane ° Ladyhawke ° The Lion In Winter ° The Lord of the Rings trilogy ° The Mists of Avalon ° Much Ado About Nothing ° Orlando ° Othello ° The PrincessBride ° Queen Margot ° Romeo and Juliet ° Shakespeare InLove. And last but not least Shrek!
03.05.08
Wedding Reception Venue Questions
The Wedding Planner in Ireland advises: You don’t have a lot of time to reserve your wedding reception site. The most popular sites go quickly. You should choose your wedding location about one year prior to your wedding. It should be one of the first things you take care of on your wedding planning list.
Does it feel right?
It might seem silly, but first impressions are also important in deciding on your wedding reception site. If you walk into a venue and you have an uncomfortable feeling, or you are simply uneasy about the whole place, you might want to move on and continue your search. But, if you find the place charming, you might move on to the next question.
Is it big enough?
Yes, size does matter when it comes to wedding reception venues.
The place has to accommodate your wedding party. It is a simple thing, but you need to make sure the place is large enough. You need to consider not only your wedding guests but also everything from your DJ to the dance floor to the place for your wedding cake. If you ask nicely, they might let you visit the place in action. Yes, it’s best to get a feel for the size of the place, as it is being setup for a wedding reception.
Is there enough parking?
If you live in an area of the country where people would most likely drive to your wedding reception (which is most of the country), you need to make sure your wedding guests can park. If parking is unavailable you should arrange a shuttle bus to take your wedding guests from the wedding ceremony to the reception.
Is it private?
Hotels and restaurants can be less private than you might think since they often host multiple events simultaneously. If this bothers you, you need to make sure there are no other events are scheduled for your wedding day.
Does it have a view?
A great view can add to the overall experience of your wedding guests. Whether it’s a dramatic ocean view, a beautiful mountain view, or a historic park, wonderful art, a great wedding reception will always have something fantastic to see.
Is it well lit?
In addition to the above, you should make sure the reception hall is well lit. Light can make or break your event. The lighting of the room sets the overall mood of the place, so make sure you see the place lit during your walk through.
How much does it cost to use the venue?
How much do you have to pay up front?
If you are asked to pay the entire cost up front, you should turn around and walk faster than you can say “Thank You.” You should never pay more than fifty percent of the total rental cost. If you put a deposit down, ask about their refund policy. Anything can happen, and you might need to cancel your reservation. You must get the cancellation policy in writing.
What exactly is included in the wedding reception package?
You should never take their word for anything. You must get it in writing even if you think you have never met a more trustworthy person in your life.
Are chairs, tables, centre pieces, and such included?
What time can you occupy and what time do you have to vacate the reception site?
How much are you going to be charged if you stay longer?
Are they insured in case an accident happens?
Has an accident ever happened, and how did they handle it?
Do you have to use their caterer, or can you hire your own?
Is there a kitchen or other available cooking facility?
Are you going to be the only event scheduled on your wedding day?
Could there be any scheduling conflicts, if there are other events scheduled for the same day?
If it is an unusual venue do they have an alcohol license?
Can you bring in your own wine and how much do they charge for corkage?
Can you visit the venue as they setup for a wedding, so you can see what the site looks like for the big occasion?
How much flexibility do you have to move things around the room?
Can you make the adjustments to the furniture and such to accommodate your event?
Is parking available, and how much does it cost?
Is there valet service?
Are the bathrooms and other facilities clean?
Is there a dressing room available for the bride and groom?
Is there a dress code your wedding guests must adhere to?
If there is make sure to notify your guests.
03.04.08
Planning an Irish Wedding
The Wedding Planner in Ireland writes: Things did seem simpler in the old days. You got engaged, made arrangements to move out of your home and before you knew it you were saying “I do” in a plain costume before heading off to Tramore for the weekend.
A Wedding Breakfast was held for all the family, and most of the community. A far cry from the logistical nightmareing Reception nowadays. Instead of worrying about invitations, hotels and favours the organisation was centred on the food, drink and musicians.
At least nowadays, the likelihood is that you are actually in love with the person you plan to spend the rest of your life with – instead of him being in love with your father’s milk quota and your Dad in love with your prospective’s big farm. If you’re going to give up the single life in Ireland 2008 it better be love and you may as well throw ‘a bit of a do’, only without the porter cake and dowry!
But there is a lot to be said for tradition, and the tradition of having a great party on the day of your wedding is one to honour. So if you’ve just announced your engagement to the world, and are overwhelmed with your head in the clouds – take a few minutes to get together and get used to planning – as a couple.
Will you opt for the traditional wedding and reception? Perhaps you might prefer a private ceremony followed by a larger reception? Or maybe you fancy heading off to the Bahamas with a party planned for your arrival home as Bride and Groom?
Once you’ve pondered on that – give it some more thought, this event that will change your life! Will it be formal, or informal?
Do you want the reception to be indoor or outdoor (you could go looking for foot and mouth if it’s not raining!)
Do you want your wedding in the morning afternoon or evening?
Do you really want all the trappings of a traditional wedding? Have you heard the one about the receiving line, the toasts, the first dance, something old new borrowed and blue, the groom who didn’t notify the Tax office of your new status and the mother in law?
These questions are just the tip of the iceberg. As a guideline of what you should be planning have a look through the following and besides answering decide how important each one is to you. It is supposed to be your special day, so go with your instinct and leave the bickering to the in-laws!
Will you have a wedding party or just one person to stand with you?
What is the maximum size of the party?
Must the number of bridesmaids equal the number of groomsmen?
What is the maximum number of guests you can accommodate at the wedding?
Do you want a fully seated dinner, a buffet or just a standing reception?
What kind of setting do you want: stately home in the country? Hotel?
Will the ceremony be held at a church or the reception site?
Do you want children at the wedding?
Do you want dancing?
What is the maximum you will pay for the wedding?
When you both agree to the answers to some of these questions you are off to a good start!
