Tips on Choosing Your Wedding Party

Choosing The Wedding Party 

One of the first things a bride considers after engagement is her wedding party. The excitement wears off after a while, and you begin to worry about hurt feelings, people getting along, and of course, how many bridesmaids to have. 

First think about the ladies you plan to ask. Are they good friends and have you spoke recently? So what if you promised your high school bff she could be your maid of honor; it's not a binding contract. If she doesn't make an effort, or if you don't speak often, she might not take the role seriously. People you call just to talk, friends who help you move, or family are all perfect choices. 

Many brides struggle with the dilemma of hurt feelings, subsequently having someone in the wedding party that did not deserve such a spot. The truth is, it's your wedding and your bridal party so you get the final say. 

When it comes to grooms, many of them are laid back and have enough friends that they have an easy time picking their groomsmen. Men often choose their brothers, or soon-to-be brother-in-law, and close friends. If your party numbers don't even up, don't throw in just anyone, you could always have two bridesmaid per each groom, it always makes for many smiles and it takes the pressure off an awkward couple walking down the aisle. 

Make sure the group works in synergy, you will be at fittings together, and you’ll all be in the limo and at the head table. If there's an ex-couple around, or two people who dislike each other, consider why they're in the wedding party. If either one of them isn't extremely close to you, eliminate the problem by keeping them apart. If both parties are crucial to the wedding, maybe speak to them in private and ask them to try to have fun and smile, just for you. A good friend will respect any of your wishes on your wedding day.

Some couples go as far as "testing" their friends before mentioning the engagement. This is a great idea because you can see who really deserves it. Call up one of your friends just to catch up and see if they are genuinely interested in your well-being. You'll learn a lot about your friends when you start paying attention. 

Whichever way you go about it, remember to listen to that little voice in your head. Invite only the people who mean the world to you.

Memorable Proposal Ideas

There is nothing more exciting to a woman than a unique proposal. As we all know, newly engaged women will tell the tale of the proposal to anyone who will listen.

While there are many ways to propose to the woman of your dreams, it can be difficult to come up with an original idea. For you men who are planning a proposal in the coming months, with help from The Knot, we have compiled a list of the best, wedding proposal ideas.

1. Proposal aboard a private sailing yacht: Whether you choose an afternoon or evening sail, take your significant other out for a cruise around the NYC harbor and propose on the water, complete with champagne to celebrate!

2. Newspaper Ad: Take out a full-page advertisement in a newspaper your girlfriend reads daily.

3. Love Note: Write a love note with the proposal at the end, and place it in the book your girlfriend is currently reading, or somewhere she will find it. When she finds the note, surprise her with the ring.

4. Magnetic: Spell out your marriage proposal in refrigerator magnets, for a playful, sweet proposal.

5. Treasure Hunt: Send your girlfriend on a treasure hunt around the city to all of your favorite spots. The last stop should be you down on one knee!

6. Write it in the Sky: Hire a skywriter to write the proposal in the sky.

7. YouTube: Make her a YouTube video with the proposal and tell her you have a video you want her to see; you’ll know when to get down on one knee.

8. Fortune Cookie: Make a personalized fortune cookie with your proposal as the message.

9. Candles and Roses: Have a trail of candles and roses leading to the ring.

10. Family Affair: Have both your families around for the proposal, ready to celebrate with you when she says yes!

While we think these are great proposal ideas, we recommend taking them and making them your own. Think of these as a jumping off point!

How to Choose The Perfect Bridesmaid Dresses

The job of searching for the perfect dress is not only for the bride, but for the bridesmaids as well. Bridesmaids are responsible for paying for their own wedding day dress and shoes, but ultimately, it's up to the bride to pick the style and color.

This job of choosing the perfect dress for the bridesmaids is no easy feat for a bride, especially when clashing, unflattering, and costly dresses are often proposed to the female bridal party.

There are steps that the future Mrs. can take to ensure her bridesmaids feel great and look beautiful in their dress. 

Step 1. Consider the body types of your bridal party. Not all girls will look the same in the same dress. Before you start the search, keep an open mind about body flattering dresses.

Step 2. Choose styles that compliment your wedding dress rather than compete. A bridesmaid dress should undoubtedly be beautiful, but should not look similar to the wedding gown.

Step 3. If you have a color or fabric in mind, it's a good choice to let your bridesmaids choose which style dress that would suit their body type.

Step 4. Be wise when choosing the color because pastel hues can drown out a lighter complexion while making darker skin appear too dark. Brighter colors tend to work well on all skin tones.

Step 5. It's considerate to choose a dress that the girls will be able to and want to wear again.

Step 6. A good rule of financial thumb is to choose a bridesmaid dress in the $100.00 to $200.00 dollar range.

Step 7. Get feedback from your bridesmaids. After all, your girls have to spend an entire day in a dress that someone else picked, so give them options first.

Step 8. Choose a bridesmaid or the maid of honor to coordinate purchasing the dresses as well as any alteration appointments that need to be made.

Most importantly, be thoughtful of your ladies in the bridal party. Bridesmaids spend a lot of money on a wedding as well as investing much time to be there for the bride.

Source -

http://wedding.theknot.com/bridal-fashion/bridesmaid-dresses/articles/12-tips-for-choosing-the-right-bridesmaid-dresses.aspx?MsdVisit=1

Six Awesomely Popular Wedding Themes

Selecting your wedding theme comes down to your personality, and the dynamic of your relationship. Your ceremony should represent you as a couple, and the same goes for the reception, the cake, and the decor.

Some couples prefer to do an off-the-wall theme or color scheme, and that's always great. However, some of the mainstream ideas are so popular, because of how well they work, and because of how much romance they add to the night.

Below, you'll find popular theme ideas, and why they're so awesome.

Casual Beach 

 

Beach weddings can be a formal affair as well, but most couples opt for a casual theme, as the beach itself sets the tone for a relaxing night. Though most beaches would work for this, South Carolina, California, and Hawaii afford the best wedding beaches in the United States. Consider a destination wedding to one of the best places to get married!

Key Ingredients:

·         A practical wedding dress

·         Causal, light colors

·         Summery Cocktails

Traditional Romance  

 

The elegance and charm of a traditional wedding are inimitable. These are a safe choice, especially for the couple with traditional values.

Key Ingredients:

·         Church venue

·         White wedding Dress

·         Old Fashioned Music & Decor

Disney or Princess Theme

Today's brides grew up loving Disney unconditionally, and some of them never stopped. Disney themed weddings have always been popular, but never quite like this. If you can't make it to Disney, you can still have themed event.

Key Ingredients:

·         A Cinderella (or your favorite princess) Styled  Wedding Dress

·         Bridesmaid Princess Dresses

·         A Venue that's decorated to represent the Magical Kingdom

·         A thirsty imagination

Country Chic

It all comes down to the lifestyle that you love. If you grew up with country roots, or if you love all things rustic, Country Chick is the way to go.

Key Ingredients:

·         An outdoor venue, perhaps a barn

·         Hay bales

·         Farm animals

·         Rustic decor

·         Country themed stationary to set the tone for the event

·         Lanterns

·         Neutral colors & burlap linens

Black and White

This is great for the fancy couples who love feeling a bit dapper. This is a great time to get away with a black wedding dress if that's what your heart desires. Anything goes... its your formal event!

Key Ingredients:

·         Black or white wedding dress

·         Black or white bridesmaid dresses (contrasting the bride's dress, never the same)

·         Top Hats

·         Canes

·         Coat Tails

Extreme or Adventure

For the couples that want a private or adventurous ceremony before the wedding reception should consider an exhilarating theme.

Ideas:

·         Hot-air balloon ceremony

·         Skydiving/bungee jumping ceremony

·         Hiking ceremony

·         Parasailing/waterskiing ceremony