Choose Your Wedding Bouquet

Bouquets of flowers have always been one attraction at any wedding. Bouquets are already part of the wedding tradition on all races. A bouquet of flowers symbolizes a blossoming maiden and reflects her emotions.

Therefore, wedding bouquets should be carefully selected and planned the same way you plan for your wedding gown. Here are just a few tips in choosing your wedding bouquet:

1. It is recommended that you choose a flower that is on season to save money and time. This will not give you hard time trying to order the flower as well.

2. You can choose other alternatives like silk flowers especially if the flower you would like to use is not in season. Silk flowers are also suited in formal weddings; fresh picked flowers may not fit a very formal party.

3. Your bouquet should not drown you. Be sure that it will not cover your figure. If you are petite, the weight of the flower might be too heavy for your built and may affect your posture and how you carry your gown. Remember that your bouquet should not be too big so as not to cover your elegant gown and should be easy to carry.

4. The flowers you chose should last for the entire day. Make sure that your flowers still hold up even at the end of the day so that you will still look glamorous when taken pictures. Using a bouquet holder is suggested to keep the flowers fresh during the entire day. Also take the advice of your florist on which flowers easily wilt so that you can avoid choosing them.

5. Don't let your florist imagine the flower design you like. You may take a picture or a printed copy of the bouquet style you prefer. Also bring a sample fabric of the gowns so that the florist can choose the correct shade of flower that will match the color of the gowns. Some bouquets may be decorated with ribbons, lace and silk materials. You can advise the florist on what specific designs would you like to add for your flowers.

6. Why not choose a flower that has special meaning? That will not be difficult since most flowers have their meanings. Stephanotis stands for happiness in marriage, Rose means love and being true, and Tulips stand for perfect love and declaration of love.

7. One of the first things to consider when opting for a bouquet is the style. Choose the bouquet style that will suit you and your personality. Bouquets are more personal nowadays and reflect the brides' personalities. For Nosegays, where flowers are clustered in a round form, can vary in sophistication and will fit any personality. In Cascade bouquets, flowers are arranged in a descending form. These bouquets are voluptuous and can be the center of attention.

They are recommended for traditional weddings. There are flowers where stems are wrapped around in ribbons and they are called Hand-tied bouquets. These bouquets bring a casual aura and are recommended for garden weddings. There are also Contemporary bouquets where flowers are arranged in style but with no geometric form. These arrangements of flowers represent the individuality of a bride and are mostly used in sophisticated weddings.

8. The top wedding flowers are Rose, Lilly, Orchid, Hyacinth, Tulip, Stephanotis and Daisy. You may want to follow the trend and choose these flowers for your bouquet.

Wedding Etiquette: - Summarized

Unique Wedding Program Etiquette and Wedding Announcement Etiquette

Looking for solutions for your specialized wedding needs? Whether you are planning a traditional or contemporary wedding, we have unique wedding program etiquette and wedding announcement etiquette suggestions for you here!

Other Wedding Stationery Etiquette

So you have selected your wedding invitations, and you feel like you are done with the wedding stationery. Think again! There is also wedding program etiquette, wedding place card etiquette and wedding announcement etiquette to attend to. If you want your programs, place cards and announcements to all reflect the theme of your wedding and have a design and style to complement your wedding invitations, you should consider having them designed together.

Wedding Programs Etiquette

If you are having a ceremony that not all of your guests will be familiar with, such as a religious ceremony or a unique ceremony that incorporates cultural rites, you may want to consider putting together a wedding program. Even unique fairy-tale-type nuptials require some sort of wedding program so guests can follow along and know where they are in the time line of the entire ceremony.

Any program should include the processional, service components and explanations of any ceremonial elements that may be unfamiliar.

Wedding Place Card Etiquette

Seated dinners of more than 20 guests typically require place cards to help them find the right seats. Typically designed to match the rest of your wedding stationery, these place cards can be pre-printed or hand written. The most common way to introduce place cards to guests is by placing them on a table at the entrance. All names will be in alphabetical order with a table number so the guests can guide themselves to their tables in an organized fashion.

More upscale weddings often employ a host of ushers that guide guests to their tables according to a guest list and seating chart. Once there, the guests will find that their place cards are already in place.

Wedding Announcements Etiquette

As a good rule of thumb, wedding announcements, while not required, should be sent to acquaintances, friends and relatives who were not invited to the wedding, but may show an interest in your marriage. A good audience would be your co-workers or distant relatives. A common mistake is sending these announcements to guests who were invited to the wedding.

Wedding announcements should be sent within a few weeks after the wedding. In a perfect world, they'll all be sent within the first few days following.

The wording and design of the announcement will be similar to what you used on the invitation. If you chose a more traditional invitation where the parents did the "inviting" then that's the way it should be on the announcement. However, more modern couples choose to have the invitation-and announcement-come from them rather than their parents.

Thank You Cards Etiquette

Thank you cards are perhaps the most forgotten part of the wedding. Couples concentrate so heavily on the ceremony and reception and all of their collective elements that they forget post-wedding courtesy.

Many couples choose to have their thank you cards printed to match the rest of their wedding stationery. While not required as a matter of etiquette, this is often a good idea.

Everyone who attended the wedding should get a thank you card-whether they brought you a gift or not. If they did bring a gift, it's okay to mention the gift specifically in the thank-you card. If they didn't bring a gift, then thank them for attending.

Couples or families who received one invitation should get one thank you card rather than sending one thank you card per individual.

Whether you are ordering announcements, thank you cards, programs, invitations or other stationery, it is a good idea to order everything together in order to save money and assure the designs are consistent.

Important FAQs on Wedding Decorum

Q: Should guests have a say on the menu?

While it is not mandatory, it is still a thoughtful gesture to allow them to share their ideas or inputs on food. After all, you want them to enjoy and feel comfortable during the wedding. You really don’t have to conduct a 100% guest survey, but just keep in mind that there may be vegetarians present during the celebration too.

Q: Are wedding favors necessary?

The wedding favors can be your sincerest expression of gratitude to your guests for being a part of the occasion. Moreover, these will serve as great keepsakes for your big day.

Q: Should the bridesmaids pay for their own dresses and accessories?

It has always been an accepted custom that the bridesmaids are responsible for their own wedding attire and accessories. That is why it is appropriate to give each of them a gift as a token of your gratitude.

Q: What is the most appropriate number of bridesmaids?

It is actually your choice. But you don’t want your wedding to look like one giant parade. Six bridesmaids is considered by some as plenty. But at least, if one or two won’t be there for some reasons, no one will notice you’re one bridesmaid short.

Q: Is it ok not to invite co-workers?

Of course, it is. Especially if they’re not the people you maintain close friendships with, then there is no reason why you should stretch the budget for them. Just tell them politely that the wedding is going to be attended only by your family and that your budget does not allow you to hold a big one.

Q: When should thank you notes be sent out?

Sending these out about three to four weeks after the occasion is appropriate. Remember though that these should never be typed, but should be handwritten. Make sure that you include the guests’ names and your very own thank you notes to them.

Q: Should my RSVP state my bridal registry?

No. this is not appropriate. This will look like you are soliciting gifts from your guests. Instead, have your own wedding website. This will allow you to provide all the details of your wedding, with links to the bridal registry.

Q: Is it proper to dance with both fathers in my life?

This is your wedding. And even if there are certain traditions to live by, you can still get away with your own rules. If you are close to both fathers, then by all means dance with both of them. However, if you feel that you will be creating a tension by doing so, then refrain from doing it.

Q: Should I use the gifts I received even if I call off the wedding?

Your wedding gifts and those that were given during your shower should be returned in case a couple’s wedding is canceled or is annulled prior to their living together.

Weddings entail so many preparations that some people do not have the time to check if they have everything under decorum. Since wedding celebrations have vastly evolved throughout the years, there really is no definite standard for them.

During the preparations, what you have or how much you spent on them is not really important. You may have the best and the most expensive wedding essentials the world can conceive, but they don’t really serve that much purpose any way you look at it. The important thing is you have found someone whom you love to have close for the rest of your life.

And what better way to celebrate this magic than by having the people who matter most witness it? You don’t have to go over etiquette book to do things right. So before you make or alter any wedding plans, see everything from your guests’ point of view. What you don’t like seeing or hearing, won’t be pleasing to them as well.

Anyway, granting that you only have your closest family and friends on your wedding, you can ease up on decorum. Because no matter how you planned your wedding to be, they’ll surely let you get away with it. After all, you don’t get to celebrate your big day often.

Planning to tie the knot, follow these tips and it will become a lifetime experience which you ad your beloved one will never forget And Have a good luck

The Do's and Don'ts of Weddings

Your wedding allows you to be a celebrity for a day. But just because you’re the star doesn’t mean that you can make your own rules. Sure, you can have most things according to your personal choices, but then everyone is as part of the occasion as the couples are. So regardless if you have the urge (and the right) to do something totally unorthodox, it’s best to stay slightly grounded to tradition as well.

A wedding is one of the most potentially taxing occasions of a person’s existence. From the time of the engagement until the wedding planning stage, the couple goes through the most stressful days of their lives. What’s with the flood of questions, and preparations? And since times have changed and wedding celebrations have greatly evolved, traditional norms of etiquette went through changes, complicating things further.

In order to simplify things a bit, we must first accept the fact that etiquette is only meant to show respect for other people. Adhering to its rules does not mean losing one’s individuality. Thus, when faced with an issue that concerns etiquette, just think of its impact on other people. Because even if the wedding is your life’s most memorable moment, it is probably theirs’ too.

Meet the Parents

You and your fiance may have come to an agreement, but that doesn’t mean you leave your parents out of it. Tradition insists that the parents of the groom and bride meet prior the wedding date. Customarily, the groom’s parents initiate the introduction. However, nowadays, it is irrelevant who makes the first move. If it is hard for both parents to meet personally, a phone call or a letter can be an alternative.

In the event that the groom’s parents and/or the bride’s parents are divorced, the parent who maintains the closest relationship with the groom should be the one to arrange the meeting with the bride’s parents. If in case none of the parents make a move, it is the couple’s responsibility to make sure that both sets of parents meet in order to avoid awkward situations later on.

Since most weddings are a bride’s thing, the parents of the groom are usually left out in the dark with regards to the preparations. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to inform them about your plans especially about the date, location, style, and the size of your wedding. They may want to get involved in some way such as in helping with the preparation or finances.

The Bill Please

Who takes the responsibility of paying the bill? Traditionally, the parents or the family of the bride is responsible for it. However, this is mostly rare nowadays. Majority of marriages has the couple splitting expenses between themselves or their families.

Invitation Guidelines

When you’re going to invite a person who you know is engaged, married, or is living with his better half, the partner should also be invited as well. A single invitation bearing both persons’ names are sent to couples who are living together. Separate invites should be sent person who are engaged or have a long term relationship but are not living together.

When inviting single persons, it is a thoughtful gesture to let them bring a date. However, this is not necessary. If your budget will allow them to bring their dates, you can find out the names of each of their dates and put their names on the invites as well. If you haven’t found out who they’re bringing to the wedding and you need to send the invites, the inner envelopes may simply include “and guest” as an indication that they are each allowed an escort to the wedding.

Kids in attendance sometimes spell disaster in weddings. Thus, if you want it to be a strictly-for-adults-only affair, ensure that you have made that clear to your guests. Guests who are under 18 years old may not be given their own invites but may have their names included in their parents’ invite. Thus, if you’re not inviting a couple’s children, their invite should only bear the couple’s names.

Children who are beyond 18 years old and are invited should be given their own invites, whether or not they are still living in the same house with their parents. That means, if you did not send them invites, then they are not invited to the occasion.

If you think that some guests may insist on adding their children’s names on the reply cards, you may print the names of the persons you have invited on their reply cards too. This will give them a clear understanding that they are the only ones you invited to the occasion.

Guests who bring other people along should know that it is not appropriate to do so unless their invites suggest that they may bring along a date. But if your wedding doesn’t allow guests to bring in their escorts, you have every right to say no to their request.

If you are not sure whether you should invite people who are quite far from the location of the wedding, think about the kind of relationship that you maintained with them. If they haven’t seen you or spoken with you for years, wouldn’t it be awkward to finally be hearing from you again? If you don’t want your invite to sound like you are soliciting gifts, skip those people. But if you feel that they need to know anyway, send them wedding announcements since these won’t obligate them to give anything.

When sending invites, make sure that they are sent around 6-8 weeks prior the date of the wedding. Thus, it is advisable to have them printed at least 3-4
months before the occasion. If you feel that some guests would need to be informed earlier, send them save-the-date cards in advance. This way, they won’t miss the wedding.

Whether you’re having the invites printed or you are printing them out yourself, check that you have around 25% more than the actual number of invited guests. You’ll never know how many errors you are going to make and just how many more people you will try to squeeze in later on.

Etiquette on Gifts

Even if it is customary to receive plenty of gifts on your wedding, make sure you realize that this is a privilege. Don’t ever think that you are entitled to receive one from your guests.

Gifts should not have a place on the invites. Keep in mind that there is no polite way to solicit for monetary gifts. However, you may inform your guests about your preference through word-of-mouth.

There are no specific guidelines as to how much guests should spend on their gifts. In short, gifts are not mandatory, but are simply charming gestures.

Furthermore, gifts received before the wedding date should only be used after the occasion.

The Controversial Dress Codes

The guidelines on the proper wedding attire have changed over the years. However, tradition has set some standards on styles, lengths, and fabrics that have served as very effective basis for most people.

The dresses of your bridesmaids and other members of the entourage should be as formal as that of the bride’s wedding dress. In the past, the length of the dresses should be about the same as the bride’s gown. But nowadays, as long as the style and fabric of the dresses match that of the bride’s wedding gown, shorter lengths have become totally acceptable.

Guests who are attending evening weddings are almost always required to wear formal attire. That is, men wear suits, or in some occasions, black tie. The lengths of the women’s dresses should be according to the style of the wedding and its location.

Some people’s greatest worry when attending a wedding is that they might stand out in the crowd by being either underdressed or too dressed-up for it. Bottom line, it is always a must to adhere to what the invite says. If it says black tie, there’s no way that the couple meant it some other way.

Shall We Dance?

Who gets to dance with the bride first? It has been customary that the groom dances with the bride first. The groom’s father then gets his turn just as the groom is dancing with his mother. The bride’s parents are then given their chance to dance with the couple. After both parents had their turns, the reception then opens the dance floor to all the guests.

Those mentioned do not entirely cover every aspect of a wedding. Thus, to give a more comprehensive guide on the soon-to-be-wed couples, here are some of the most frequently asked issues about weddings

Give Your Wedding A Western Flare

A western theme can do wonders to your wedding and it’s a great way to make your special day a truly unforgettable one. Everything from the cowboy hats to the brilliant country music would create an amazing ambience and would make all the guests feel at home. It would give a delightful feeling to everyone present and would tempt them to scream see haw and party through the night.

A dance hall, barn house or a grange hall are nice options to host a western wedding. For people living in the west, the most apt backdrop would be a mountainous area while back yards and lawns are the other options available.

Catching up with classic western movies is a great way to learn more about the dress to be worn and other etiquettes which have to be followed during the wedding. For the proper Old West feel, a Victorian dress for the bride would do wonders. Denim or lace can be used for a more fashionable look.

Western ornaments may be picked up from flea markets and antique shops by the groomsmen and bridesmaids and may be used as embellishment. The bridegroom can go for bolo ties, hats and cowboy boots. To add to the effect of the theme, a carriage with horses can be rented to leave once the ceremonies are done with. A collection of all time hit western songs can be compiled to be played during the festivities.

Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Randy Travis, Tammy Wynette, Lyle Lovett and Dixie Chicks are some of the all time enjoyable artists. And in case you are ready to burn a hole in your pocket, you can give the collection of songs in a CD to all the guests so that they never forget your special day.

The cuisine must consist of the best western delicacies which can be cooked and served during the event. An open barbecue is a good option as the appetizing smell adds to the effect. Baked potatoes, coleslaw and beans are the best barbecue options. For the evening, cowgirls and cowboys can unwind and relax with a warm bonfire. Skewers and marshmallows can be toasted on it.

Wedding Cowboy Hats

1. Natural multi tan rolled edge brim casual cowboy hat

It is a multi purpose hat which can be ideally sported in a beach or sporting events or shopping or during casual outings. Repeated use enhances the quality of the hat. It is really pliable and soft to touch due to the poly braids in it. This is a simple hat which has identical colors flowing all through its weave.

Size: A single size fits all.
Brim size: at the widest point, its 3.5 inches approx
Circumference: approximately 22 inches
Material: polyester 100%
Special feature: grosgrain sweatband
Available colors: Tan blended with beige stripes, yellow and cr鑪e.
Origin: Imported

2. Peter Grimm Drifter Straw Cowboy Hat

These kinds of cowboy hats are made from flat Moroccan straw especially for weddings. The pre-curved brim and metal eyelets ensure amazing comfort while the elastic sweatband absorbs sweat. An elastic wire inside the brim makes it simple to retain the shape of the hat. This hat is similar to the famous Shady Brady though this does not cost a fortune.

3. Tan & gold bended brim amber beaded band cowboy hat

This is the perfect option for all the sparkle and shine. It is ideal for a concert or to laze around in the beach or while going to clubs. A typical metallic embossed hat blended together with paper braids for retaining shape. The hat is fabricated with striking faux amber and the antiqued gold chain, adorned at the back of the hat makes it more attractive.

4. Arden B Lilac straw cowgirl sexy

This pretty hat, designed by Arden B, has its sides folded and a worn out look which has been achieved knitting straw and dyeing it. The elastic in the hat makes it wearable by everyone

Related Articles on Wedding Outfits:

• Wedding Etiquette: Outfits For Wedding
• Wedding Etiquette : What Not To Wear!