Wedding Ceremony help

Fun Wedding Themes

March 28, 2009

One way to have a wedding that you will remember and treasure for the rest of your life is to get creative, and think up a fun and unique theme. You can concentrate the theme on the reception party to keep things simple, and guests will be sure to appreciate all the extra effort you are putting in to inject some humour and originality into your big day.

Themed weddings are also a great way of getting everyone involved in planning the wedding, which can take a lot of pressure of the bride and also give everyone who has offered their help a chance to pitch in. Once you have thought of a theme draw up a plan of action, and make sure you distribute the jobs fairly between everyone involved, and don’t forget to make sure the groom does his bit too!

Here are some great ideas for fun wedding reception themes to get you started:
Classic Mediterranean – Mediterranean food is delicious and easy to prepare, and if you are getting married in the summer this cuisine if perfect for an outdoor garden party on a hot summers day, and you could opt for fresh Greek salads, grilled marinated souflaki (kebabs) and fresh olives, or a sophisticated Italian picnic with delicious Italian foccacia and pancetta breads straight out of the oven, pasta dishes, rotisserie chicken and refreshing Italian wines.
Fairyland – children will love this theme, as it gives them the chance to dress up as fairies, imps and goblins, and you can decorate the reception hall in beautiful gauzy fabrics, sprays of pretty flowers such as baby’s breath and carnations, and serve fizzy punch, canapés, fairy cakes and other light, colorful foods.
Mexican Party – the Mexican theme is bright and lively, and you can serve traditional dishes such as fajitas and also fiery tequila based cocktails such as mojitos. Kids will love a traditional Mexican party piece the piñata, and Latin American dance music or traditional guitar music will get everyone in the mood.
Arabian Nights – bring a taste of the exotic east to your wedding receptions with an Arabian Nights theme, and decorate your reception hall with gauzy fabrics, rugs and lounging pillows, and serve food on low tables so that guest can recline and relax. You could hire some traditional eastern musicians and dancers for the entertainment and serve tasty treats from all over the Arabian empire such as Moroccan tangines, spicy kebabs and chocolate covered dates.

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Wedding Cake Etiquette

February 14, 2009

Weddings are very traditional events, and there are a number of protocols involved from the ceremony itself through to the reception, and the wedding cake is no exception. The wedding cake is a very symbolic part of the wedding, along with the bride’s gown, the rings and the bouquet, and traditionally represents the future fertility and fruitfulness of the marriage, and the bride and groom will cut the cake together, to symbolise their union as a newly married couple.

There are certain modern day etiquette involved with the wedding cake, which have evolved from many different customs over the years, and although you need not follow all of the etiquette guidelines, they are useful to know if you are having a more formal, traditional wedding.

Cake Setting
Wedding cakes should be displayed in the reception room for when the guests arrive, and you can create stunning photographic opportunities and really impress the guests if you present the cake on a nicely decorated table of its own, (which will be situated near the main table), with matching table cloths that compliment the cake itself and the rest of the wedding colors. It is also traditional to lay out an ornate, engraved knife ready for when the cake will be cut by the bride and groom, and this only has to be sharp enough to cut into the first layer, the rest of the cake can be taken away and cut into pieces by the caterers.

Time to Cut the Cake
The time you cut the cake will of course depend on the sort of reception you are having, but traditionally you cut the cake after all the speeches have been made and the main dinner has been served, as this gives everyone time to relax and have some refreshments. You can serve pieces of cake at this time with tea and coffee, or you could simply ask the caterers to start boxing the cake up into portions, so guests can take some with them when they leave.

How to Cut the Cake
The bride and groom symbolically cut the cake together, and this is a good photo opportunity so can take some time! The right hand of the groom should be placed over the right hand of the bride as they cut they cut the first slice, and the groom then traditionally offers a piece to bride, and then after that the bride can ask for the cake to be cut into slices by the caterers (or if it is a small one she can do this herself), and the wedding party can help to distribute the cake the rest of the guests.

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How To Write Your Own Wedding Vows

February 11, 2009

It is very popular these days for couples to write their own wedding vows, as many people feel that the traditional vows of ‘love, honour and obey’ are no longer relevant for modern ceremonies. There are some vows you must say as part of the legal ceremony, but once you have completed these you will be free to add your own vows, and this can be discussed with the person officiating your wedding, who will also be able to make some suggestions to help you create the perfect vows for your big day.

Key things to think about when writing your vows include:

• Any special circumstances surrounding how you met or fell in love
• Things that inspire you about your loved one
• What goals and dreams you both share
• What qualities make your relationship unique
• How love has improved your life and perspective
• What you have learnt from each other and how you look forward to the future together
• Special moments in your relationship
• And most importantly of all, how you feel about each other.

Also if you if any children already, either by your intended spouse or from a previous relationship, then it is a wonderful idea to include them in your vows, and mention how much you and they are looking forward to being part of a new family. This can make your children feel much more a part of the wedding ceremony, especially if they are more grown up and been involved in the planning of the wedding at any stage.

Reading your own vows can be very moving and personal experience, so make sure both you and your partner have discussed what you are both going to say thoroughly, and also make sure you have checked with the officiator of your wedding for the length of time available to read the vows.

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Secret Language Of Wedding Colors

January 15, 2009

There is a rich history of symbolism and meaning attached to colours, and this is no exception for weddings, where each color can help to set the mood of your big day, and can help you to emphasis the style of your wedding.

Diamond-White – this glittering brilliant white has become the favourite colour of modern white weddings, and is typically used in elaborate ‘fairytale’ and ‘princess’ dresses. This bright white is perfect for youthful and first time brides, and those that want to make a big impact on their big day.

Ivory White – this more traditional color is elegant and understated, and the traditional color for a white wedding. Perfect for more mature brides, or those who are having a second wedding.

Champagne – this is another traditional, refined color, and has a rich, soft and more conservative look, which is perfect of vintage themed weddings and more mature brides.

Lavender – this has become popular again in recent years, and is a very soft, ladylike color that is traditional and understated, and will suit both youthful and more mature brides who want to add a subtle, gentile dash of color to their wedding day.

Pale Pink – the lightest of pinks speaks of youthfulness and fun, and is ideal for young brides. Even though this color is very soft it can be overwhelming, so combine with a more neutral colour such as white and use sparingly throughout the wedding décor just to highlight the themes of youth and playfulness.

Hot Pink – this striking energetic color is daring and bold, but it also a very pretty, feminine color and can be very becoming when used for the right wedding dress. Combine with other striking accents such as vibrant greens and blues and a grounding dark colour such as black or brown to make a really strong, but controlled statement.

Red – this is the color of both passion and romance, and can be combined with whites and blacks for simply gorgeous decorations and flower arrangements. Red roses are the symbol of everlasting love, so are the perfect flower for a wedding bouquet, and as red tones can be overwhelming and even clash with each other unless arranged very carefully, it is easiest to use red sparingly to create simple, dramatic moments in your wedding.

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Wedding Reception Basics

December 18, 2008

If you are planning a wedding reception for yourself, or on behalf of the bride, then there are a number of basic details you will have to take into consideration.

Location
This is one of the most important factors to any reception, and one of the key rules is to make sure the venue is not too far away from the location of the wedding ceremony itself, so that all the guests are able to easily make their way from the ceremony to the reception. You will need to think carefully about the guest list and how many people you have invited, and make sure the premises is big enough to fit everyone comfortably, but not so big that the guests are overwhelmed. Also you will need to check and see if there are any special requirements for the guests, such as disabled access and bathroom facilities, and try to find a location that can accommodate these requirements.

Comfort
A wedding is a special event, and you want to make sure everyone enjoys themselves and has a nice time, especially as some of them may be travelling quite long distances to attend the big day. A reception venue should have enough seating for all of the guests, plenty of food and drink on offer, adequate bathroom and cloakroom facilities, and should also be near to accommodation in case there are guests who need to stay overnight.

Lighting
Evening wedding receptions can be very romantic, so make sure you have some ambient lighting in place to enhance the mood, from candles on the table to subtle wall and ceiling lighting. Bright spotlights that glare down on the guests is not very mood setting, so make sure you have tested the lights at the venue before you turn up for the big night.

Decorations
It can be difficult to decorate a big hall, but a few banners with the happy couple’s names, ribbons, streamers and plenty of balloons can go a long way to setting the scene, especially if you follow the wedding color theme and try and match the table decorations and the wedding party colors.

Catering
Whether you use professional caterers or prepare the food for the wedding yourself, the key rule is to make sure there is plenty to eat for everyone, and you should slightly overestimate just to be on the safe side. Many people will be looking forward to the food, especially if they have travelled a long way to come to your wedding, so make sure they are well fed, and have plenty of different drinks on offer for both children and adults, including tea and coffee to be served after the meal/buffet.

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