What to Do When a Member of the Wedding Party Gets Sick
As with anything, there are degrees of illness. If a bridesmaid catches a cold the week of the wedding, she needs to take some cold medicine, stuff some tissues into her tiny little handbag, and show up at the appointed time in her dress and bridesmaid jewelry, ready to go. Pay your sick bridesmaid a little special attention by having some orange juice or a nice warm bowl of chicken soup waiting for her when she shows up to get her hair and makeup done. Of course, she would be forgiven for leaving the reception right after the cake cutting to go home and sleep.
Something like the flu, on the other hand, has the potential to knock a groomsman or bridesmaid right out of the wedding party. You don’t want someone standing at the altar who is likely to vomit right when the minister asks if anyone objects to the marriage! For that matter, your guests will not remember your wedding fondly if they all caught the flu from a highly contagious groomsman. If the fluish one happens to be one of the parents of the bride or groom, obviously they would do their best to make it to the wedding, but they should definitely skip the receiving line!
When the illness is more serious, flexibility is the key. This is no time to worry about whether the groomsmen and bridesmaid numbers will end up uneven at the last minute. If a member of the bridal party does have to bow out due to a serious illness, it would be very gracious of the bride to pay for her bridesmaid dress and bridesmaid jewelry and give it to her as a gift. If you are having a wedding program, by all means list her as an honorary bridesmaid. It would be very, very sweet to have a bridesmaid bouquet made for her and have it delivered to her bedside as well.
In very rare cases, an immediate member of the bride or groom’s family (parent, grandparent, or sibling usually) might be so very ill right before the wedding that their very life hangs in the balance. There comes a point when it is necessary to either postpone the wedding or to scale it back dramatically. If the very ill person is one of the bride or groom’s parents, they may even wish to consider having their ceremony at their parent’s bedside, if the patient is up to it. At least that way, all the most important people would still be there to witness the marriage.
Filed under Bridesmaid Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridesmaid Jewelry, sick bridesmaid, wedding etiquette, wedding party | Comment (0)Using Animals in Your Wedding
Many, many brides and grooms are animal lovers, and including a live animal in your wedding might seem like a very special addition to your day. There are, however, some ways to include animals which usually go very smoothly, and others which are best avoided. This is what you should know about using animals in your wedding.
Probably the most common way that couples bring an animal into their wedding is when they include their dog. The dog might be an honored guest, it could be the ring bearer, or it could even walk the bride down the aisle (sorry, Dad!). Any of these ideas can work out beautifully, as long as you consider the location and the temperament of your pet. Certainly many indoor venues like churches are not going to allow any dogs in the building other than service animals. This means if you really want Fido with you during your wedding ceremony, you should check out the pet policy of any potential venue you are considering. Outdoor locations will tend to be the most accommodating.
Sometimes animals are used to create drama. This would certainly be the case when the bride rides into the ceremony on a white horse or the newlyweds arrive at the reception via elephant. Without a doubt, the elephant idea is pretty darn fabulous. It is a customary part of some Indian weddings, but a very fun tradition to borrow for other couples as well. Of course, a trained wedding elephant is not available in every town, nor will it fit into every budget. It would work best for an outdoor reception so that the guests could be surprised by your grand entrance on the pachyderm.
The other most common way that couples use animals in their weddings is to release doves or butterflies at the end of their ceremony. This is unequivocally a bad idea. While it sounds beautiful, the reality is that the birds and butterflies often die shortly after being released. Besides that, the release often does not go as planned; you open the box of butterflies and find them already dead or the birds refuse to take flight and soar. If you want butterflies at your wedding, wear Swarovski crystal butterfly motif bridal jewelry. Let the real creatures live their lives in freedom.
Filed under Wedding Planning, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: animals in wedding, crystal bridal jewelry, dogs in wedding, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)A Forest Theme Wedding
Imagine how beautiful it would be to have a forest theme wedding. The soothing natural colors, the charming woodland creatures, and the abundance of rich textures would all combine to make a truly delightful experience. These are some ideas and inspiration on how to design a forest theme wedding.
As with most weddings, the place to begin is by selecting your wedding colors. For a forest theme wedding, choose rich colors like chocolate brown, moss green, and touches of gold (either metallic or not). These colors will be equally at home in an actual forest clearing or in a more conventional indoor reception site. Chocolate, moss, and gold can also be used for any season; change the tone by fabric selection. For instance, in the autumn or winter, you could use sumptuous materials like velvet and shantung, whereas in the spring or summer, things can be lightened up a bit with organza or chiffon.
For the wedding attire, something a bit non-traditional would best suit a forest theme. Think romantic and soft, maybe a bit ethereal. The satin ballgown is definitely out. You could use a couple of different inspirations for a forest-y wedding gown. One would be the dreamy woodland fairy and another would be the more down-to-earth but romantic Robin Hood style. The bridesmaids’ dresses would be gorgeous in a moss green with chocolate colored accents. Topaz colored crystal bridesmaid jewelry would be a stunning accent or choose Swarovski crystal leaf pendants and earrings as the bridesmaid jewelry.
Decorating the ceremony and reception sites for a forest theme wedding will be really fun! Gather natural materials such as pinecones, moss, and branches as your primary materials. You can go with a very rustic feeling or take the theme in a more elegant direction by adding touches of metallic gold. Of course the ideal place for a forest theme wedding would be a clearing in an actual forest, but you can also transform an indoor setting by bringing in all of the natural elements. Gobo lights projecting tree shadows onto the walls of a tent or ballroom would be a wonderful detail.
Filed under Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: Bridesmaid Jewelry, forest theme wedding, wedding attire, wedding colors, Wedding Planning, wedding themes | Comment (0)Should You Wear Your Mother’s Wedding Gown?
When you become engaged, don’t be surprised to see your mom pulling a big box down from the attic. Inside that box is her wedding gown, saved all these years in the hopes that her daughter would one day wear it down the aisle. Some brides have always shared that same dream since childhood, while for others, nothing could be less appealing than wearing their mom’s gown. These are some things to consider while trying to decide if you should wear your mother’s wedding gown.
The style of your mother’s gown may well be the first thing that gets considered. However, do not put too much stock into the current version of the bridal gown. If your mom is willing and you can find someone who specializes in vintage restoration, an antique gown can often be remade to suit the taste of the next generation of bride. A good quality gown may pass through several generations, with each bride adapting it slightly to fit the style of her era. Updated accessories like a beaded veil and beautiful bridal jewelry can also help to give a vintage gown a fresh new look. Of course, if your mom cannot bear to see her gown changed and you cannot bear to wear it as is, then it may be time to start shopping for a new bridal gown.
Most brides today are larger than their mothers. They are stronger, more muscular, and taller, which can make the mom’s old gown appear impossibly small. Happily, it is the rare gown which cannot be sized up at least a few inches to accommodate a modern frame. So if you are at all interested in wearing your mother’s wedding dress, it is worth taking it to a vintage specialist to see what the possibilities may be. Brides should be aware that if extensive resizing is needed, at some point restoring the family gown might get almost as expensive as purchasing a new dress.
One more factor to take into consideration is the wishes of both the bride and her mom. If it would mean the world to the mother of the bride to see her daughter wear her bridal gown, and she is willing to allow it to be refashioned to suit her daughter’s figure and taste, the bride should definitely think about wearing it. On the other hand, the daughter might feel strongly about getting a brand new gown. In the end, the bride has to feel good about whatever gown she wears on her wedding day, whether it is a family heirloom or a brand new wedding dress.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, mother's wedding gown, vintage wedding gown, wedding gowns | Comment (0)Questions to Ask Your Bridal Salon
When you find your dream wedding gown, it can be very easy to get swept away by the excitement and emotion of the moment (as well you should be!). But a bridal gown is also a big expense, and a lot rides on getting all of the details right. Before you leave the store on the day you order your wedding gown, be sure to ask these important questions of the bridal salon staff…
One: What is the deposit, what is the balance, and when is it due? A 50% deposit is customary at most bridal salons. This is basically to cover the wholesale cost of the gown, especially for those rare cases when the bride does not come to pick it up. If ordered early enough, your wedding gown might arrive at the bridal salon months before your wedding, but the balance might still need to be paid within a couple weeks of its arrival. Also be sure to find out if alterations will incur an additional fee.
Two: What if you change your mind on the gown or cancel the wedding? At many bridal salons, orders cannot be canceled once they have been sent in to the designer of your gown, because the designer probably does not accept cancellations. So even if you get cold feet the next day, it may be too late to pick a different style. Also be aware that deposits are usually non-refundable (no store wants to get stuck with your custom ordered gown!), so in the unlikely event that the wedding is called off, the bride will have to pay the balance on her dress and take it home, or forfeit the deposit and the store keeps the dress.
Three: Is it possible to try on all of the accessories at the final fitting? Most salons allow plenty of time at the final gown fitting for you to try on your veil, headpiece, bridal jewelry, and any other accessories with your gown. It is a really good idea to take advantage of the opportunity, in case you discover that the bridal jewelry needs to be adjusted to suit the neckline of your gown or that your gloves are the wrong shade of white. Better to find out at a gown fitting than on the day of your wedding when everything should be perfect!
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: bridal gown, Bridal Jewelry, wedding gown shopping | Comment (0)Tips on Getting Organized for Your Wedding
Some people are natural born planners, while others…not so much. Whichever your planning style, when you are trying to pull together a wedding, you will have many details which you will need to stay on top of. These are some tips on getting organized for your wedding so that nothing falls through the cracks.
A great wedding planning book is a must for any bride. The timeline tool is one of the most important keys to keeping on track. After all, if you have never planned a wedding before, you may have no idea that you need to order your bridal gown at least six months in advance or that the most popular reception venues often book one to two years in advance. The other really useful thing about a wedding timeline is that it breaks the planning process down into more manageable bites.
Checklists are another key organizational tool that every bride needs. It can be so easy to overlook details when your to-do list is about a mile long. Any good planning book will have checklists for you to fill in once you have finished a task. Bridesmaid gifts selected – check, honeymoon booked – check, programs ordered – check. Keep your checklists organized by setting up a computer program with monthly, weekly, possibly even daily lists. Some of the items on your list will be big picture stuff “hire a caterer”, while others will be more of the little details “remind fiance to buy dress socks”.
You will also want a way to keep all of your wedding materials organized and at your fingertips. If you a bride who actually enjoys sorting and organizing, you will find that a three ring binder is your best friend for wedding planning. Customize it in a way that makes sense to you. Some brides prefer to store most of their wedding planning details electronically. It is a very accurate way to keep track of things like the R.s.v.p.s, due dates for vendor payments, and items which have been ordered along with their delivery dates. Just be sure not to have any photos of your wedding gown in a computer program where your fiance must stumble across them!
Filed under Bridesmaid Gifts, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridesmaid Gifts, get organized for wedding, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)Fantastic Fall Wedding Ideas
Welcome your guests to your wedding with the traditional flavors of fall. A hot apple cider station would be a wonderful addition to either the ceremony location or cocktail hour. The aroma of the mulling spices is a delicious scent, and the warm cider is the perfect way get cozy on a crisp cool afternoon. You could really make a fun display with a rustic looking wooden stand, barrels of apples, and of course the hot cider carafes. Have cinnamon sticks on hand for guests to place in their mugs of cider.
Many fall weddings have a rustic charm, so why not embrace that spirit with charming details? Instead of regular chairs, set up hay bales for the ceremony seating. Cover them with fabric to make them prettier and less scratchy. For the altar area, tall stalks of wheat, colorful dried corn, and grapevines would be spectacular decorations for an arbor or Chuppah poles. Bring in more color with orange Chinese lantern pods and baskets of autumnal mums at the base of the posts. You could line the borders of the ceremony aisle with colorful fall leaves instead of using flower petals or a fabric runner. Small lanterns with a dark goldenrod colored candles inside would be gorgeous decorations for the end of each aisle.
Handcrafted bridal jewelry in warm fall colors would be great for the bride and bridesmaids. Especially pretty is bridal jewelry which is handcrafted with Swarovski crystal leaves in rich shades. For the bridesmaids’ dresses, consider a textural fabric like a luxurious silk dupioni in colors like chocolate, caramel, or russet. If you are not crazy about the super traditional fall colors for your bridesmaid attire, a soft sage green in dupioni would be a lovely choice for the season. You might wish to add a wrap to cover sleeveless dresses; look for one with special details like amber colored crystals along the border or even an embroidered leaf design.
Your wedding favors are a great way to embrace the special nature of autumn. One trend is little mini pies in glass jars to take home. A mini apple pie would be the perfect choice for the season. Add your own customized tag or label to make it even more special. Another option for favors is frosted sugar cookies in the shape of autumn leaves. It is a simple favor, but with thoughtful presentation, it is a wonderful choice.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: fall wedding, fall wedding decorations, fall wedding favors, handcrafted bridal jewelry | Comment (0)White Flowers for Winter Weddings
Winter white is always so elegant and stylish. When you are a bride, it makes perfect sense to use white flowers at any time of the year, and this is also true in the winter months. Whether you are planning a Winter Wonderland theme wedding, or a more classic all-white celebration, it will be made gorgeous by using these white flowers for winter weddings.
The funny thing about winter flowers is that many of the most classic blossoms are actually tropical. The tropical blossoms tend to be showy and dramatic; in other words, absolutely divine for a wedding! For a Christmas wedding, creamy white poinsettias would be perfect flowers for the altar, the entrance to the reception, and on buffet tables. Potted white poinsettias will give you a lot more bang for the buck than arrangements of cut flowers, especially because each blossom is so huge.
Amaryllis and lilies are some other marvelous choices for big showy winter white flowers. They would make spectacular bouquets for the bride in a formal cathedral wedding. Picture a bouquet of showy amaryllis dripping with strands of crystals to complement a beaded ballgown and crystal bridal jewelry. Or if you want something striking but more sleek, carry a large presentation bouquet (an arm bouquet) of elegant white or ivory calla lilies tied with a wide satin ribbon. Pair it with a vintage inspired silk charmeuse gown, dangling crystal bridal jewelry, and a white fur shrug for a look that has all the glamor of a 1930s Hollywood film star.
Tiny white jasmine flowers are another wonderful white winter wedding decoration. Though dainty, they are powerfully fragrant; jasmine is often a key note in perfume. The little star shaped blossoms lend themselves beautifully to a winter wedding design. Because they are petite, use them in combination with other floral elements, such as white roses and green pine bough garlands. The heavenly scent will add the often-overlooked element of fragrance to your wedding.
Filed under Wedding Planning, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: crystal bridal jewelry, white wedding flowers, winter wedding flowers, winter weddings | Comment (0)Wedding Color Palettes Inspired by Nature
Sunrise / Sunset: For bold sun-drenched wedding colors, use the sun itself as your inspiration. Shades of golden yellow, orange, and pinkish-red are just gorgeous together. If you like, you can balance out the warm colors with a little bit of sky blue. Sunset colors would be ideal for a summer wedding, especially one by the ocean. Choose one of the main colors for bridesmaid dresses, and then use the rest in combination for everything from flowers to linens to stationery. Your signature cocktail? Tequila sunrise, of course!
Woodsy: Nature loving couples will adore the shades found in forests and woodlands for their wedding colors. Think shades of green like moss and fern, mushroom brown, cream, and bark. The green shades would be lovely for bridesmaids, and the cream tones ideal for the wedding gown and flowers. The bride may wish to wear unique handcrafted bridal jewelry in warm tones to complement the color palette. If you like the idea of a little contrast, bring in accents in deep violet, as if you stumbled across a patch of violets in a shady forest.
Peacock: Of course, there is nothing to say that nature inspired hues need to be understated. If you really want to make a splash with your wedding design, take your cue from nature’s flashiest creature: the peacock. Peacock colors would be absolutely stunning for a New Year’s Eve wedding! Not only can you choose dresses, flowers, and linens in the fabulous color palette, you can incorporate real peacock feathers into the wedding. The colorful feathers would be amazing tucked into bouquets and centerpieces. The bride can even wear a special headband made from crystals and peacock feathers which lay flat against the head. Such a unique headpiece will call for equally special handcrafted bridal jewelry.
Icy Blue: For a winter wedding, try a color palette that looks like snow: brilliant white, icy blue, and touches of silver. It is the perfect color scheme for a wedding in the frosty winter months. By the way, if you love the colors but find the “Winter Wonderland” theme to be a bit too literal, instead of snowflakes, use the icy blue color group to create an Art Deco inspired celebration. The cool sophisticated colors would be just right, and the sleek lines and high design of Art Deco would make for an ultra-chic wedding.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: handcrafted bridal jewelry, natural wedding colors, wedding colors | Comment (0)Blue Bridesmaid Dresses for Fall and Winter
In the autumn months, rich and deep colors are usually the order of the day. For bridesmaid dresses, a color like cobalt blue would be gorgeous. It is deep, yet vibrant, and would work equally well for a daytime or evening wedding. Cobalt is a popular color this year, and it is especially easy to picture it as the color choice for a September wedding. It bridges the gap between summer and fall beautifully.
Navy is another excellent shade of blue for fall and winter. Try a navy strapless faille bridesmaid dress for an afternoon wedding, or a long navy satin V-neck gown for a formal evening ceremony. Sets of pearl bridesmaid jewelry are a natural choice with classic navy dresses. As for flowers, mixed bouquets in shades of purple are particularly attractive against navy. Use a combination of plum, fuchsia, and lavender blossoms in loosely arranged bouquets tied with navy velvet ribbon. Another idea is to have play up the crispness of navy with bouquets comprised of all white flowers, surrounded by a cuff of bright green leaves.
For brides planning a fall wedding who are not crazy about dark colors, consider a medium blue dress with a chocolate brown sash. Picture the way that brown leaves look against a brilliant blue autumn sky to envision this winning color combination. The chocolate color brings in enough of a fall flavor to keep the dresses feeling seasonal. Bring the brown color into the bridesmaid bouquets by incorporating flowers such as chocolate cosmos or mini sunflowers. Natural accents like dried seed pods or berries will make the bouquets feel even more autumnal, and make a nice contrast with the medium blue of the dresses.
In the winter months, it often seems like all the bridesmaid dresses are red, red, and red. However, another fabulous winter wedding color scheme is an icy “Winter Wonderland” theme, with which ice blue bridesmaid dresses would be fantastic. The key to making such a pale color really work with the season is to use it in a distinctly wintery fabric like a heavy satin. Then add more wintery accents, such as crystal snowflake pendants and perhaps even white fur wraps for the ceremony, tied with lustrous satin ribbons. The end result will be stunning!
Filed under Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: blue bridesmaid dresses, bridesmaid jewelry sets, fall bridesmaid dresses, winter bridesmaid dresses | Comment (0)