Quiz: How Should Bridesmaids Be Treated?

Every bride has bridesmaids, but not every bride has the same reputation amongst her bridal party. Some are called bridezilla behind their backs, while other brides are known as being gracious. Take this quiz to find out if you know how you should treat your bridesmaids.

1. The main purpose of bridesmaids is:

   a. to lend support to the bride and to help her celebrate a joyous occasion in her life

   b. to run errands, throw parties, and generally be at the bride’s beck and call for a year

   c. who knows?

2. True or false: bridesmaids are obligated to throw the bride a bridal shower and a bachelorette party.

3. The bride should show her appreciation for her attendants in the following way:

   a. by asking as little of them as possible

   b. giving them thoughtful bridesmaid gifts, such as jewelry or engraved silver items

   c. bridesmaid gifts? The honor of being in my wedding is all the gift any bridesmaid needs!

4. If one of my former bridesmaids asked me to be in her wedding, I would be:

   a. delighted! I can’t wait to help my friend as much as she helped me with my wedding.

   b. irritated; why should I spend all that time and money being in a wedding?

   c. terrified! Did she invite me just to get revenge for the way I acted when she was my bridesmaid?

Answers:

1.a. Bridesmaid should be there to help the bride with minor wedding planning as their schedules allow, but their main purpose is just to be there in friendship for the bride on her wedding day. Far too many brides forget that bridesmaids are not their indentured servants!

2.False. Bridesmaids are under no obligation to throw any parties for the bride. It is true that bridesmaids will often get together to plan a shower, but they certainly do not have to, and the bride should never tell them to give her a party.

3.b. Show your bridesmaids how much you appreciate them with thoughtful bridesmaid gifts! Items with lasting value like jewelry or picture frames tend to be among the most popular gift ideas. Although it is kind to ask little of your attendants, it is not enough of a gift. And no, being in your wedding is not such a high honor that a proper present becomes unnecessary.

4. a. Of course you should be happy to get to return the favor when a former bridesmaid comes to you! After all, she is probably relying on the experience of a friend who is already married to help her figure out how to plan her wedding. It is not so nice to be irritated by a friend’s attempt to honor your friendship by inviting you to be in her wedding. For those who chose c, if you were such a bridezilla that you fear retribution, well…turnabout is fair play!

Heart Shaped Jewelry Gifts for Brides and Bridesmaids

There is no symbol more romantic than the heart shape, which is why it is a perfect symbol for a wedding. A lovely way to use a heart in a wedding is in the form of beautiful jewelry. Always romantic, and an enduring design which will be cherished for years, heart shaped wedding jewelry makes a wonderful gift for a bride or bridesmaids.

For a casual heart theme gift, sterling silver wedding jewelry is great. A heavy silver link necklace or bracelet with a Tiffany inspired heart tag charm is a wonderful way to thank your bridesmaids for being such a special part of your wedding. This is the kind of wedding jewelry which your attendants can enjoy wearing every day after the wedding, which makes it as versatile as it is thoughtful. Naturally, you will want to personalize each piece of silver jewelry with the recipient’s initials or monogram on the heart charm.

A lovely wedding jewelry design is a simple Swarovski crystal heart pendant on a silver chain. If you wish to keep the look elegant but understated, opt for a petite heart in clear or “ab” finish crystal. Or opt for an extra dash of femininity and romance by selecting a rose pink crystal heart. That makes a very sweet gift for everyone in the bridal party, including the bridesmaids, junior bridesmaids, and flower girl. Another fantastic option is to choose a bright Siam red crystal heart pendant, which is the perfect expression of passion. The red hearts are especially appropriate for the bridal party at a Valentine’s Day wedding. They also make a touching declaration of love from the groom to the bride at any time of the year.

Large crystal heart pendants are truly spectacular. Swarovski offers its signature crystal hearts as big as a silver dollar, which is a marvelous when you want your wedding jewelry to make a statement. The largest sizes of crystal hearts are particularly favored by brides, who need their jewelry to have a presence. They are generally created to have a clear finish, to maximize sparkle and brilliance. This is a stunning look with a strapless bridal gown or any other open neckline. There is no doubt about it, hearts and weddings are a perfect match.

Avoid Wedding Drama

Weddings are exciting and emotionally charged. It seems like all too often, what should be the happiest time in a bride’s life ends up full of conflict with her family and friends. To help you avoid wedding drama before it even starts, put these tips to work for you.

Choose Your Bridal Party Carefully. Okay, if you have any sisters, they will pretty much need to be bridesmaids no matter what, but beyond that, take some time to carefully consider whom you would like to have in your bridal party. For goodness sake, don’t pick your bridesmaids based on how pretty they are or other superficial standards! Choose your bridesmaids based on their character and the genuine affection you have for them.

Involve Your Mother-in-Law. The overbearing mother-in-law is a legendary creature, one that is sometimes based on fact. If you think your fiance’s mother is going to meddle in your wedding planning and drive you crazy, make a preemptive strike. Ask her for assistance in some minor areas of the wedding, such as picking out favors and bridesmaid gifts. If she has a defined role, she will feel useful, and be much more likely to try to take over the entire event.

Be Realistic About Your Budget. No one wants to start off their married life mired in debt, nor should the bride’s family be forced to spend more than they can possibly afford. A large percentage of wedding disagreements center around money, so if you have your finances in order from the beginning, you will find there is much less to fight about. One important thing to keep in mind is that anyone who is contributing to the wedding expenses can realistically expect to have a say in how the money is spent.

Be Equitable About the Guest List. After money, the guest list is one of the biggest potential fights that a bride and groom have with their families. One way to keep things fair is to determine the number of guests whom you can afford to host, and then divide it up into equal sections. Usually, 1/3 of the list goes to the bride’s parents, another 1/3 to the groom’s parents, and the last 1/3 to the bride and groom. Whatever you do, please do not make the number of guests someone is allotted dependent on their financial contribution.  Being fair is the gracious thing to do, and it will help to nip those nasty guest list fights in the bud.

Colorful Wedding Bouquets

Colorful wedding flowers can be a great way to inject personality and style into your wedding. Even a fairly formal wedding can benefit from a bit of color in the wedding bouquets. As long as the flowers which you select are sufficiently elegant, adding color will in no way detract from the formality of your ceremony. Roses are an excellent option, as they are both traditional and available in a beautiful array of colors. For an autumn wedding, bouquets with roses in fall shades of terra cotta, sunflower yellow, and rich red will strike the perfect mood. Extras like red hypericum berries and velvet ribbons will enhance the effect.

Colorful flowers are always fun for a summer wedding. Make your garden wedding romantic with pink and green bouquets for all the ladies in the wedding. Lush pink peonies and vivid green hydrangeas are a winning combination. Pink and green striped grosgrain ribbon bouquet wraps will up the preppy factor, or splurge on gorgeous watercolor painted ribbons with all of the flower colors for a bit of luxury.

It is really easy to come up with fantastic informal wedding bouquets in bright colors. Gerbera daisies in fuchsia, orange, and yellow are festive and cheerful on a hot summer day. Mixed wildflowers in shades of purple, yellow, pink, and orange will look like you gathered them yourself on the morning of the wedding. Spring brides can enjoy bouquets combining yellow mini daffodils, purple hyacinth, and white roses.

Exotic bouquets can also be colorful. The hottest trend going is to enhance your flowers with fanciful peacock feathers. Pull out some of the shades in the feathers for your flowers. Deep purple with dashes of gold and green flowers will look stunning with the peacock feathers. Tie it all up with a big gold bow. For the bridesmaids, echo the effect with a smaller number of feathers. You can take it one step further and choose bridesmaid jewelry gifts in some of the feather colors. A bridesmaid dress in a neutral but glamorous hue like gold would be the perfect backdrop for gifts of bridesmaid jewelry in an assortment of peacock colors. Really allow yourself to have fun and express yourself with colorful wedding bouquets.

How Real Brides Save on Their Weddings

Take a look at these ideas that real brides have used to save money on their weddings…

Trim the Guest List: You do not have to invite your second cousin or your old college roommate whom you never see anymore. Even if they had you at their weddings, you are not obligated to invite distant relations or casual acquaintances to yours. The absolute best way to trim your wedding costs is to be ruthless about cutting down the guest list. You will save thousands on food, decorating the tables, invitations, favors, and more. Not only that, but the people who you do have at your wedding will be the ones who mean the most to you.

Seek Deals Online: Many times you can find significantly lower prices for your wedding essentials at online retailers. This is especially true when buying items which are specifically designed for weddings, like many favors, bridesmaid jewelry gifts, unity candles, and decorations. Bridal stores often have large mark ups on all of the little extras that brides need, and it can add up to be quite a large sum. The bridesmaid jewelry gifts which cost $75 each at your bridal salon might go for as much as 60% - 75% less at an online bridal jewelry store, so it really pays to shop around.

Choose Your Venue Wisely: Look at your reception venue selection as a business decision. Before signing on the dotted line, find out the details about what they provide and what they allow you to provide. If you can find a venue which permits you to bring in your own alcohol, you can save thousands of dollars just on that. Venues which include all of the basics like tables, chairs, and linens in their base price will also be far more cost effective than places which require you to rent each piece individually. All of the little ways in which you save money on your reception can really end up being a lot of money left in your pocket at the end of the day.

Non-Traditional Bridal Showers

The traditional bridal shower is a timeless wedding custom. Yet, it is certainly not the only way that a bride and her bridesmaids can spend quality time together. When the bride does not want a shower or a classic bridal shower just does not seem to fit the situation, there are plenty of other great options. These are some fun ideas for non-traditional bridal showers.

A spa retreat is a great alternative gathering. All of the ladies involved in the wedding can spend an afternoon together at a fancy day spa getting pampered. Pedicures with cocktails, lots of chit chat, and good times are on the agenda. This can be a wonderful way for the bridal party to relax and unwind before the wedding. If gifts will be given, they can be presented to the bride at the end of the pampering.  By the way, brides, a spa day can also be a great time for you to give your bridesmaid gifts to your attendants, especially if it is an event for only the members of the wedding party.

A night out in the big city can be a really fun gathering instead of a bridal shower. This would be particularly nice for a second time bride, for whom her friends want to do something special that does not involve gifts. Take the bride out to a dinner in a trendy restaurant, and follow it up with either tickets to the hottest play in town or a night of hitting the dance clubs, depending on which she would enjoy more. For out of towners, think about renting a few hotel rooms to share and staying the night so you can have a leisurely brunch and do some shopping the next day.

Non-traditional bridal showers can also be tailored to the bride’s hobbies or interests. Perhaps the bride loves quilting. Why not get everyone together for a fun old-fashioned quilting bee? Each person can work on one square at the party, and at the end the bride gets to keep all of the squares to stitch into a one-of-a-kind keepsake quilt. The quilt would be a marvelous alternative to regular shower gifts, especially for the bride who already has all of the basic household goods. A special event, tailored to her interests, is a wonderful way to show the bride how much everyone cares for her.

Affordable Tin Cup Necklaces for Brides and Bridesmaids

The floating pearl necklace worn by Renee Russo in the movie “Tin Cup” made a huge impact on the fashion world. Today, the pearl tin cup necklace is one of the favorite designs for brides and bridesmaids alike. Yet not everyone can afford to shop for their jewelry in Beverly Hills, which may leave one to wonder, it is possible to find affordable tin cup necklaces?

The answer is absolutely yes! While some tin cup necklaces are indeed very costly, savvy brides can find the same fantastic look in a fine quality necklace for a reasonable price. The best place to start your search is the Internet, although there may also be some local boutiques with good prices. Many of the more affordable floating pearl necklaces are every bit as beautiful as those which go for two or three times the price in designer jewelry stores.

A fantastic way to get the gorgeous look of a tin cup bridal necklace at a good price is to select a necklace which is handcrafted with freshwater pearls rather than more costly Akoya pearls. Today’s freshwater pearls can be just as round as the traditional salt water ones, and also boast a fabulous luster. Happily for brides on a budget, you give up none of the beauty of the pearls by choosing freshwater instead of Akoya. The only thing that is different is

Typically, a bride will be inclined to splurge a bit more on her own wedding jewelry, but will try to save what she can on her bridesmaid jewelry gifts. After all, when you have to buy 5 or 6 sets of jewelry, it can add up, no matter how reasonable the price is. For this reason, a very popular idea for bridesmaid gifts is to purchase tin cup necklaces which are handcrafted with beautiful Swarovski pearls. With an even lower price than the already affordable freshwater pearls, Swarovski pearls can be a fantastic option for a bride who has to give gifts to a large group of attendants. Not only is the price right, but a Swarovski pearl tin cup necklace can be created in a color which complements the bridesmaid dress.

The classic elegance of a pearl tin cup necklace is within reach of brides with every budget size. By carefully choosing the right jeweler, type and size of pearl, you can find stunning floating pearl necklaces for every member of your wedding party.

David’s Bridal or Local Bridal Salon?

With brides looking for ways to have a beautiful wedding on a budget, more of them are considering shopping at discount retailers like David’s Bridal instead of their local bridal salon. After all, the idea of getting your wedding gown for only $99 sounds pretty good! But of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to most things in life; to help you sort it all out, here is what you need to know about the differences between shopping at a bridal warehouse versus a smaller bridal salon.

Certainly the number one reason to shop at a place like David’s Bridal is price. There is no doubt that they will have some of the lowest prices in town. However, that is not to say that you will get the best value for your money. They are not selling top quality gowns like you would find in a local bridal shop. When shopping at a wedding warehouse store, you are not getting the same gown for less, you are getting a totally different type of dress. This may be just fine for some brides, but for others it will not be.

Of course, there is one advantage to mass produced gowns, which is that there will be a full size range available in the store. Plus size brides in particular appreciate being able to try on the wedding gowns in their own size. Designer bridal salons only carry one sample size in each style, and it can require a lot of imagination to picture how the gown would look when it does not come close to fitting you. However, with that said, all made to order gowns can be ordered in every size, and a good consultant will know which gowns will look best when they fit properly.

One of the intangibles is the level of service that you will get at a small local salon as compared to a mass merchandiser. At a discount bridal warehouse, you may be able to get help, but many brides end up in a self service situation, which can be a very challenging way to shop for a bridal gown. In the end, it all comes down to what you want in terms of a wedding gown and a gown shopping experience. If you want to be pampered, and have a personal consultant who will help you with everything from picking out your gown to suggesting styles of bridesmaid jewelry gifts, a bridal salon is for you. Brides who are perfectly comfortable picking out their own gowns may be happy with a bridal warehouse which has a large number of dresses in stock. And then there is the matter of finding the right balance between quality and budget, which is a decision that each bride has to make for herself.

Who Needs a Wedding Planner?

Think wedding planners are only for opulent weddings with six figure budgets? Well, think again, because couples with all different budgets and tastes hire wedding planners these days. In fact, more people can benefit from some professional help than may realize it. This is a look at who needs a wedding planner and why.

Budget conscious brides and grooms. Surprised? Yes, you have to pay a wedding planner for his or her services, but they can also be really helpful in making sure that you stick to your budget. There are even planners who specialize in fabulous weddings on tight budgets, which is ideal if you are looking for tricks to stretch your wedding dollars. Besides knowing the tricks of the trade, a planner will also know vendors with whom they can negotiate to get you the best rate or freebies thrown in.

Busy brides. Let’s face it, most of the wedding planning is still handled by the bride, maybe with help from her mother. If you are a bride with a demanding career, finding time to interview caterers, shop around for the perfect bridesmaid jewelry gifts, and pore through dozens of wedding stationery books can be flat out impossible. The planner will do all the legwork for you, and present you with the top few options which suit your needs. From listening to bands to searching for custom gifts of bridesmaid jewelry for your girls to seeking out a caterer who specializes in Portuguese cuisine, a wedding planner can do it all so that you don’t have to.

Destination wedding brides. This is a big one. Planning a long distance wedding on your own can be next to impossible. How are you going to visit with florists, check out venues, and go hear local bands play when your home is hundreds of miles from your wedding location? A common scenario is that the planner does all the research and the bride and groom make just one or two trips to the wedding location to see the options that the coordinator has rounded up and to make their final decisions.

It is always a good idea to know when you could use some help along the way, whether it is just a wedding day coordinator to make sure that everything goes smoothly, or a full service planner who will arrange everything from soup to nuts. One thing is for sure, if you need one, you sure will be glad to have a professional wedding planner on your side!

Including Nieces and Nephews in Your Wedding

If you have a lot of young relations running around, you might be wondering how best to include the little ones in your wedding. Children of all ages can have a role in a wedding, and their spirit always adds something special to the festivities. These are some ideas on how to include your nieces and nephews in your wedding.
The most common role for young children is ring bearer or flower girl. This tends to work the best for children who are between the ages of three and eight years old. The flower girl (or girls) can either carry a small bouquet of flowers or a basket of petals to toss (if permitted by your venue). They are usually dressed in sweet little dresses with patent leather shoes and possibly wear a floral wreath in their hair. The bride should plan on giving flower girl gifts to the little ones. Traditional flower girl gifts include silver lockets or very dainty pearl pendants.
The ring bearer theoretically carries the wedding bands down the aisle to the altar (I say theoretically because the rings on the pillow are often fakes). If you had two little boys and wanted each to be a ring bearer, they could each carry a small pillow, one with the bride’s wedding band, and one with the groom’s ring (or the facsimiles). When you have a larger number of nephews, they can be pages.  Pages traditionally help to carry the bride’s train.

Older nieces and nephews can be invited to participate in the wedding as junior bridesmaids or groomsmen. This is a bridge position for a child who is too old to be a flower girl or ring bearer, but too young to be a full fledged bridesmaid or groomsmen. The typical age range for junior attendants is around nine to fourteen. Once they are about fifteen or sixteen years old, they are ready to be regular bridesmaids or groomsmen. The junior bridesmaids will wear dresses which are similar in style to the bridesmaids’ dresses, only a more demure and age appropriate. It is wonderful fun to include as many of your nieces and nephews in your wedding as you like.