Thursday, June 16, 2016

5 Steps to Finding a Memorable Wedding Favor

Your wedding is not just a celebration of your love; it is also a way to thank the special people in your life.


Keywords:
weddings, wedding favors


Article Body:
Your wedding is not just a celebration of your love; it is also a way to thank the special people in your life. Wedding favors, in particular, are the expression of that gratitude. It says “thank you for being there”—and also, is a token of affection.

That’s why couples should give as much thought to their wedding favors as they do to any other detail in the wedding. Why give something boring and generic, which will only end up gathering dust in the corner of a closet? Make it special, make it beautiful, and make it unique—something that, when seen, will make them remember you and your wedding.

You’ll find many unique ideas for wedding favors. Here are just things to consider as you choose from the selection:

* Follow your wedding theme. Did you have a beach wedding? A little glass jar with sand and shells can be used as a paperweight. Add a romantic quote or a verse from a poem with a sea theme, and you have something appropriate and practical. Dried flowers pinned against a refrigerator magnet make a lovely garden wedding favor, while a Medieval themed wedding can have chocolate coins in a velvet pouch.

* Be nostalgic. Dress up a photo frame with a couple portrait, or a CD with your favorite music. Even an ordinary box, useful for odds and ends like paperclips or jewellery, becomes a touching wedding favor if it’s filled with potpourri and a personal note from the couple thanking the guest for “sweet memories”.

* Give something useful, but dainty. What about a champagne charm with a heart (to “toast” your new life), with a note that says that you hope that your guest will have many days as happy as this wedding is for you? A sachet with potpourri, to put into the closet, can also carry the scent of the flowers in your bouquet. These are things that they won’t buy for themselves, but will definitely appreciate—while carrying the theme of your wedding.

* Think “sweets”. Chocolates and candies are always a welcome souvenir, and can be wrapped to reflect the theme of your wedding. If you have a very elegant evening wedding, try rum balls in a small gold box; or if you have a seaside wedding, give chocolates shaped like sea shells. You can even ask some suppliers to form your monogram into a chocolate, or have chocolate handpainted to look like little bouquets of flowers.

* Even “ordinary” wedding favors become extra special if they’re presented properly. Try grouping your wedding favors to become part of the table centerpiece. For example, little boxes of chocolate, arranged in a tier, can add to the beauty of the reception area. Or, you can have chocolate rosebuds inserted into your regular floral centerpiece—now that’s a “sweet” discovery!

There are so many unique wedding favors that the problem isn’t what to give, but which one to give. And with the large variety, there’s bound to be one that fits into your budget and theme.


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

American Wedding Practices

Living in the US makes one feel free - free to do anything, free to live, free to love, free from traditions.  While this is true, there are still many practices done during wedding that renders this memorable event with a distinct American touch.  Here are some:

Starting from the engagement, Americans can think of unique ways to personalize their wedding.  As there really isn't any engagement tradition, the more unique the marriage proposal is done, the better.

For most wedding preparations, the engaged couple visits their parents to inform them of their recent engagement.

At times, the engaged couple hosts an engagement party.  The engagement party costs less than a wedding reception since most of the time, the menu will only include cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.  Therefore, if the couple is on a tight budget, they can just invite more guests to the engagement party if they plan to limit the number of guests during the wedding.

Most wedding preparations have a bridal shower given by the maid of honor and the bridesmaids.  The groom may also have a bachelor party the night before the wedding but he has to be careful not to drink too much.

Wedding invitations should include response cards to quickly inform the couple whether the person has accepted or declined the invitation.  The wedding invitations should also be sent within four to six weeks before the event.

Usually, there is a rehearsal dinner in which the wedding party and guests came from far places to be present at the wedding attend.  It was practiced that the groom's parents pay for this dinner.

A bridal luncheon may be hosted for the bride's attendants during the wedding day.  However, time constraints may not permit this to be part of the schedule for the wedding day.  Likewise, the groom may also host a groom's dinner for his groomsmen.

Interestingly, even if the couple is not very religious, they still prefer a religious ceremony.  However, this may pose a problem since in America people of different faiths and religious backgrounds get married.

Even if there are few people who believe in bad luck, some couples still make sure that the groom does not see his bride until she starts waking on the aisle.

It is still practiced that the groom and his groomsmen enter the church through a side door.  The bride will then walk down the aisle with her father.  In some cases when both her father and stepfather brought up the bride, she may ask them both to escort her.

During a formal reception, there is usually a bridal table where the couple and the attendants sit.  Also, food and drinks should be served as the guests appear at the reception.

Before, gift giving used to depend on what the guest will feel useful for the couple.  Now, it is better to register for gifts so the guests will know what to bring that the couple will need.

Upon receiving an engagement or wedding gift, it is better to send a thank you note apart from saying "thank you" to the giver.  This should be sent within two weeks upon receipt of the gift.  Make a personalized thank you note, instead of using an impersonal generic thank you note.

These are just some American practices during weddings.  Whether one chooses to this or prefers to have a very different wedding, what's more important is that American's still believe in the wedding vow, "For better or worse, 'til death do us part."