Mother & Daughter time-honored traditions

Deciding to get married is the easy part. Planning the wedding and paying for it is the overwhelming part. That's where your parents come in. But while planning involves many activities moms and daughters typically enjoy, it's not all fun and games.
What role will your mother play during this emotional and exciting time? And, how can you honor her at the ceremony in way that will make her feel special?


 

1: The Dress and Veil

Perhaps the most sentimental tradition is for the bride to wear her mother's wedding gown, with updates and alterations, of course. But if the bride is selecting her own dress, she usually brings her mother along to say "yes." You can always count on Mom for an honest opinion.
If wearing Mom's dress doesn't work, perhaps wearing her veil will. Incorporating part or all of a mother's veil or headpiece into yours creates a special bond between mother and daughter that still allows the bride to pick her own dress for her special day.

2: Dressing Your Mother (and His)

Once the gown has been ordered and the colors for the bridesmaid's dresses and flowers have been decided, the mother can start looking for her outfit. It's OK for the bride to suggest colors and styles that will compliment her wedding style, bearing in mind what her mother will feel comfortable in.
Traditionally, once the mother-of-the bride has selected her outfit, she tells the groom's mother what she'll be wearing, so the groom's mother can then shop for an outfit that will blend well.

3: Please Be Seated

Tradition plays a big role in the wedding procession. If the mother-of-the-bride is not part of the bridal procession, she is usually the last person seated before the ceremony begins. However, that's just tradition, and today's families don't necessarily always follow tradition...you could still ask your mother to join your father in walking you down the aisle.

4: Honor Thy Mother

Many brides take time during the wedding ceremony to honor their mothers. For example, some couples plan a unity ritual to symbolize the blending of the two families. A popular practice is for the bride and groom to light a candle from a candle held by their mothers and then to use the flames to light one central candle. Adding special songs, poems or readings to the service is a touching way to pay respect to a mother.

5: The Reception

Traditionally, the bride's parents are the reception hosts. If the wedding party will be formally announced during the reception, the bride's parents are first.
The final tradition involving the bride and her mother is the first dance. The bride and groom dance together first. Then the bride's parents join in. The bride is paired with her father, and the groom is paired with his mother-in-law. After a few turns, the groom's parents join the dance and eventually the rest of wedding party and guests hit the dance floor.

Finding the Perfect Place for your Big Day!

So you’re engaged, now what? First things first…where are you going to get married? Finding the perfect venue is usually the first step in the planning process, and then the rest of the wedding details will easily fall into place! When you are looking for a venue, there are a few things to keep in mind:

·         A Roomy Fit. This may seem like such a logical concept, but having a room that is large enough to hold your guests is essential!  It’s important to keep in mind that a space looks much larger empty. All of the wedding details- dance floor, bar, tables, chairs, cake tables, etc-take up a lot of space, and you want to allow the guests to have some extra room to move around. The best way to judge the size of a room is to see it set up for an event similar in size in the same room. Many times venues will allow you to stop by early on the day of a wedding to see how it looks all set up.

·         Areas for eating, drinking, and dancing. There should always be separate places for these activities to take place. When you’re standing in the space, try to imagine where each activity would take place. You want the party to flow. If the room is a strange shape, or it is just too small, the wedding will feel cramped! Try to think of what would block guest’s views, or what activity should be located next to another.

·         Privacy. This is something that is more important to some people than to others. If you would like to have your wedding in a public park or on the public beaches, it is important to keep in mind that people may be walking through during your wedding. If you prefer something more private, opt for a private beach or pay for a venue that is exclusive for events.  Some restaurants and smaller venues may allow you to buy-them out, to accommodate guests only. Also, make sure to ask about the security they provide, if any. Some venues hold more than one event at a time, and you may hear them. If this is something that you prefer to avoid, try to schedule your big day when there isn’t something else going on next door!

·         Lighting. This may seem to be a very miniscule detail, but lighting can make or break your wedding! If you’re getting married during the day, make sure that the venue has lots of windows. If it is taking place in the evening, make sure that the room isn’t too dim and check to see if the lighting can be controlled for the big entrance, dancing, and dinner. If the wedding is outdoors, are candles allowed? Where can you put them? Always be sure to visit the site the same time of day as your wedding. You want to make sure that you are pleased with how it appears visually to both you and your guests.

·         A Great View. It is always a plus to have a beautiful backdrop. Guests will love it, and it makes for beautiful pictures to remember your special day! If there isn’t a view necessarily, look at the place’s décor or architectural details- all of these things give the venue a little something special.

·         Ample Outlets. Be sure that you do a walkthrough of the room to make sure that there are plenty of places to plug things into. The entertainment will use the majority of the outlets, so make sure that their area of the venue has plenty of places for them to hook up. If the venue doesn’t host many weddings, be sure to find out their policy on bringing it outside electricity!    

·         Good Acoustics. Make sure the venue doesn’t echo too much. That could cause the band to sound funky, and it could also make it difficult for the guests to hear each other speaking! It’s good to remember that a tile or wood floor tends to amplify sounds, whereas thick carpet will muffle them.

·         Plenty of Parking. Make sure the site is near a parking lot, garage, or big empty street that allows parking. If parking is a problem, look for other ways to get everyone to the party. Can a shuttle bus or vans take guests from the ceremony to the reception?

Good Luck Venue Hunting! Have fun with it. This is where you'll spend the most important day of your life :)

The Bride's Guide to Plan B

In the spirit of the inches upon inches of rain mother nature decided to bless the southeast with this past week, we figured it was the perfect time to blog about something all brides should be aware of: Plan B.

We're talking about B, as in back up plan, & its something every bride should have. It is always smart to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. We've put together a few tips so you can have smooth sailing on your special day, rain or shine!


1. Location: choose a location that will beautiful, rain or shine.
2. Venue: If you are having an outside reception, make sure there is enough room in your rented space to bring in a tent, just in case of any last minute showers. 

3. Have an idea of where you will hold the ceremony if rains. Do some research, and look for a place close to your original ceremony location so it will be convenient for guests.

4. Invitations: It is never a bad idea to include a rain card with the invitations, or put the alternative ceremony location on the lower right-hand corner of the invitation.

5. Most importantly: DONT panic. (Tears dont mesh well with make-up :) Rain on your wedding day does NOT mean your marriage is destined to fail (dont believe us? Take a look: http://www.dasinfo.com/rain-on-wedding-day) See, told ya :)

We dont like to accept this unfortunante fact, but we cant control the weather. In that case, just be prepared, take a deep breath, and have fun with it! Happy planning!

It always helps to hire an awesome wedding planner like The EP ;). We always have your back. This is from  on of our weddings on a rainy weekend. In case you were wondering, the bride and father stayed dry. Tammy? Not so much haha