Groom "gift" duties

It seems like your spending should be over, right...over the course of the last year, you’ve had to buy her a diamond, promise to shun all other women until you die, accepted her mother as your own (great!), and now, on top of all these obstacles, you need to get your fiancée another gift?

The system is definitely broken. But it's still the system—and you’ve made it this far—so you might as well play along.

There is SOME good news though...

1. There aren’t many rules to worry about. It’s not like the engagement ring and the “two months salary” rule you unfortunately had to follow.

2. It’s a rare opportunity for surprise. After months of budgets, invoices, and spreadsheets, it’s clear that very little about wedding planning is romantic. This one item, since it’s the only secret, can be a rush of romance.

So what should you get? Stick to the Rule of 2 Ps: Permanence and Personal. It needs to be timeless. And it needs to be about your relationship. And as for timing? Again, there's no hard and fast rule. But the general idea is to give her the gift on either the wedding day or the night before the wedding.

Here are a few ideas that should meet the criteria:

JewelryAdd a personal touch with an inscription or by selecting something that matches the engagement ring or wedding theme. It could be a bracelet, earrings, necklace—basically anything.

Framed Sentimental PictureShe’s not allowed to not like this. 1) Find a photo of the two of you before you were engaged. Not a boring pose, but something active like horseback riding, splashing water on the beach, crowd-surfing a mosh-pit, whatever. The idea is that the spirit of your relationship is carried through the wedding ceremony. 2) Splurge for a good frame.

Personalized Wedding Magazine CoverCareful, this can be cornier than a bad chick flick. So think about whether your girl is into that kinda thing. Personalie it by writing clever jokes on the cover that only she will get.

Keepsake BoxYou can engrave whatever sentimental stuff you want on the top of the box, and then she can use it to store her jewelry, perfume, or other goodies.

Personalized Photo AlbumIt nicely sticks to the rule of P's and gives you extra credit on the Personal. Look back at your relationship and pick out the photos that tell a story, in chronological order, from your early days to this current era of domesticity. Write a caption for each.

 

Family heirloomOnly if the heirloom is her taste—get someone else’s second opinion.

No matter what, in addition to getting one of the above “proper” gifts, we also recommend the following:

The Bonus Fun GiftSmall, token, utterly non-sappy. Something silly and flirty that will make her laugh. Maybe it’s a trashy book or guilty pleasure DVD. But it must be something fun that helps counterbalance the other Hallmarky stuff. It’s a reminder that underneath all the layers, you are still you.

Unexpected pamperingThis isn’t a gift, per se, but in the final days leading up to the wedding, surprise her with a breakfast in bed or candlelit dinner. Cook. Get champagne. Flowers.

~ Save the Date ~

Save the dates can be such a fun way to let all your guests know you got hitched, and to plan on attending your awesome wedding! There are so many great ways you can do this that represent the two of you as a couple, and set the theme for whats to come. Here are some that we love :)

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Now all you have to do is decide which one you like best :) 

Love is in the air

It's nearing that time of year once again where you get to express your love and gratitude for your significant other and loved ones. Nothing says "I love you" like a hand made card or gift that you've put time and effort into, and that truly expresses how you feel...not to mention its fun (and cheaper) to be creative and make something truly from the heart :) Check out these fun and creative gift ideas to get your creative side kicking, and your loved ones smiling!

This is such a great and easy idea to give to your man (and what guy doesn't like beer?!). Sweet little handmade labels with sayings, quirky names, or love notes make the perfect, most heartfelt gift you could give to any beer aficionado (or beer drinker in general). You could get a special craft beer or their favorite local beer and get them all dolled up for a perfect valentine. Photo courtesy of www.mnn.com. 

Want to be sentimental and strike them right to the heart? Give them a deck of cards with 52 reasons why you love them. On each card you can put a picture to symbolize why you love them, or just make it cute with stickers, fancy paper, or any other crafty item you can get your hands on. Nothing will brighten their day more than you telling them all the reasons they are your "one and only." Photo courtesy of http://www.elegala.com

Have little ones that need ideas for class? This would even be great for grandparents and relatives! Simply take a picture of your cute little munchkin(s) with their hand out, then pop a lollipop through their hand and VOILA! You have the cutest little personalized valentine card imaginable (and a tasty lollipop!!). Photo courtesy of www.fabhousewife.com

Who doesn't like a scratch off!? Give your lover a little lottery of options this Valentines with these adorable scratch offs! You can let them scratch all off for numerous prizes or let them just choose one for the ultimate gift :) Photo courtesy of http://thecraftpatch.blogspot.com

We hope these little gifts help you put a smile on your special persons face and brightens their day and yours! Happy Valentines Day!

Wedding Wire 2013 Bride's Choice Winner

 

How awesome! Thanks Wedding Wire Community for selecting us as a brides choice winner for the 4th year in a row!! Cheers.......

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.

Popular Wedding Etiquette Questions

Can I Decline to Pitch In for the Wedding Party Gift?

Here’s an important lesson every woman must learn: Don’t agree to be a bridesmaid until you know what is required of you, both logistically and financially.Once you agree to be a bridesmaid, you automatically agree to all of the duties associated with it- including gift giving. If your fellow bridesmaids want to give a gift, then you should pitch in. Think of it this way- you'd bring her a gift if you were a guest, so it's only fair. Just remember: You’re in this position because the bride is a close friend. Pitching in for a wedding present is a small price to pay for maintaining a valuable friendship.


Should We Let Single Friends Bring a Guest?

Yes! You definitely should. I know, inviting extra people is not the best for your budget. But look at it this way: If your married (or seriously involved) friends get to bring along their spouses, why should your single friends be, in a sense, punished for not having a special someone in their lives? At a wedding—an event that’s dedicated to the joys of being a part of a couple and is attended mostly by couples—the least you can do is offer your single friends the option of bringing a guest.

Can I Skip a Registry Gift and Give Money?

Absolutely! No bride and groom have ever met a check they didn’t like better than a set of glass salad plates. That includes couples who chose everything on their registry and genuinely LOVE each item on it. But guess what? They’re still going to be happy with money! It’s the thought that counts. So write a thoughtful, heartfelt card, attach it to a check, and everyone wins.

Will I Hurt Feelings If I Have a Small Wedding?

The first thing I would suggest is being clear with everyone about the size of your event from the get-go—thereby subtly signaling, “You might not be invited!” It’s especially important to drive home the small-wedding message to your parents and future in-laws, before they start spreading the good news to that extended family you've never met. For those people whose parents are paying the bill, it’s harder to veto their guest requests, so try to reach a compromise, such as "I’m willing to invite Great-Aunt Shirley, if you’re willing not to invite the family dentist."

Is it appropriate to not invite children?

The last thing any bride wants at her wedding is a child screaming during her vows, crazy kids running amuck, lighting things on fire (yes this actually happens!) and creating chaos at her perfect, very planned out, wedding. So yes, it is appropriate to "exclude" children, especially if its a formal setting or in the evening. This is obviously a very sensitive topic so if you don't want to invite children this should be addressed quickly so you can avoid those awkward conversations where you have to tell the parent that their sweet little child is (sadly) not invited. Just make sure when you broach the topic, you do so in a very polite manner as to not offend anyone, these are their kids after all. 

Trash The Dress

When you think of a wedding, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a bride in a white dress. After all of the work of salon visits, fittings, and alterations, it's no wonder that many brides want to do everything they can to keep their dress in its pristine condition after the wedding day. But some brides are taking a VERY different approach: They're wearing their wedding dress once more, with much less caution, for a dramatic photo shoot, better known as "trashing the dress.”

The wedding dress isn’t necessarily ruined. If you decide to give this a try, you and your wedding photographer will discuss just how trashed you want your dress before the damage has been done. The concepts are to relax after all the stress, let your creativity flow, and enjoy wearing your dress one last time in a liberating way. Some girls take a much gentler approach for their photo session by walking through the woods or swimming in a pond, while other girls go a bit more extreme by heading to a paintball field, changing greasy car tires, or rolling in muddy puddles. Brides who have embraced the trend say that they feel the shoot gives the gown new life instead of simply sitting in the closet. Plus, they'll have photos in their wedding album that can look as though they're straight from the pages of a high end fashion magazine. Who doesn’t want that, right!

The concept was born when Las Vegas wedding photographer John Michael Cooper became bored with more traditional wedding photo sessions, so he began asking brides to pose after their wedding day in unusual settings. The sentiment among many photographers is the same: Given the unique photos that result, it's a win-win opportunity for brides and photographers. Plus, it’s fun!