Get a Jump on Planning Your Spring 2012 Wedding

If you are a spring bride, it is time to get your wedding planning underway! There are many exciting decisions to make about your wedding. Get a jump on planning your spring 2012 wedding by learning about some of the top new trends for the season.

Choosing your wedding colors is always a good place to begin. Many wedding planning books advise that it is the first thing to do before picking your flowers, bridesmaid dresses and jewelry, reception decor, and so on. Sweet pastels like ballet pink are always in style for spring weddings, but if you want to try something a little bolder, consider teal. The greenish blue color is going to be one of the number one trends for spring 2012 weddings, and will definitely be fun for a spring celebration. To give it a sunny, springtime flavor, pair teal with cheerful yellow accents. Or for a more sophisticated style, mix tan and emerald green with the teal hue. Beautiful!

The one thing that most brides cannot wait to do is pick their wedding dress. If you are getting married in the spring, this is definitely the time to make your selection. A great new trend for spring 2012 wedding dresses is the two tier gown. Choose a chic slim A-line style with a draped upper tier for a fashion-forward look, or a floating top tier for a more romantic effect. Two tier bridal gowns are just coming into style, so you will be on the leading edge of a hot new trend. All of the wedding planning books say to wait on picking the bridesmaid dresses and bridesmaid jewelry sets until after the bride’s gown has been ordered. This is particularly sage advise if you are considering a gown with a unique silhouette like a two tier dress.

Of course every wedding needs a marvelous wedding cake. The cupcake thing no longer feels original, so consider moving towards a classic tiered cake instead. If you just don’t care for the tall cake, create a display of several single tier cakes instead. It is such a pretty look, especially if you showcase them on a collection of vintage style cake stands. A group of elegant white cake stands with decorative cutwork is perfect for a sweet pastel spring wedding, while a colorful assortment of glass cake stands is terrific for a wedding with brighter colors.

The Difference Between Wedding Planners, Architects, and Directors

The wedding planner is the type of person most of us think of when we hear about a professional event planner. This is the person who coordinates every single detail of a wedding from beginning to end. They will handle the big stuff like negotiating vendor contracts and creating a design scheme, as well as all the small details like shopping for bridesmaid jewelry and calligraphy for placecards. The full service wedding planner may also go by the job descriptions wedding coordinator or wedding producer. Expect this type of planner to put about 80 – 250 hours into the wedding.

A full time wedding planner is best for couples who do not have time to plan their own wedding, either due to busy careers or a short lead time. They are also useful for brides who are not detail oriented, or those planning complicated weddings (such as an affair for 300 guests in Tuscany). They are very beneficial for anyone having their wedding in a blank canvas type of venue like a loft or a tent in their backyard. Hire a full time coordinator if you want someone you can rely on to handle everything wedding related from the very beginning until the last guest has left at the end of your reception.

A newer version of wedding planner is the wedding designer, stylist, or architect. This person does not oversee every single detail of your event, but rather focuses on the decor and theme. Expect a stylist to put up to 40 hours into your event. They will design a concept and color palette for your wedding, create the centerpiece designs, hire the lighting specialists, and track down unique props. On the morning of the wedding, the designer will supervise the vendors to make sure that the design is executed perfectly. A stylist is great if you have a vision of an amazing reception, but do not know how to put it all together. They are also fantastic if you know you want your wedding to look special and unique, but lack ideas on decor.

The day of wedding planner (who may also be known as a day of wedding coordinator or a wedding director) actually starts a little bit before the big day.  The day of planner will touch base with the vendors you have already hired, and also go over details with you to make sure nothing has been forgotten. The primary job of a wedding director is to orchestrate the actual wedding day. He or she will organize the rehearsal the day before, and then supervise vendors and the wedding party on the day of the event. The average wedding director puts at least 25 hours of work into each event. They are ideal for the couple who does not need or cannot afford a full time coordinator, but wants to be able to relax on their wedding day, knowing that they are in good hands.

Proper Wedding Reception Etiquette

Some things are a matter of opinion, while others are truly a matter of etiquette. You might think it is a fabulous idea to change into a second bridal gown and different wedding jewelry for your wedding reception, while your mother might think that a bride should wear her original bridal gown and pearl wedding jewelry for the entire event. That is a question of taste, not of etiquette. Things become a matter of wedding etiquette when they involve how others are being treated or whether they are being embarrassed. Making a boring toast might drag the reception down, but it is not in poor taste; talking about how wild the bride was before she met the groom is definitely a breach of etiquette!

The worst breaches of wedding reception etiquette typically occur when the bride and groom focus more on money than on their guests. The most glaring example of this is the cash bar. It is never acceptable to invite someone to be your guest and then demand that they pay for their own refreshments. Not even if your mom says it is okay or you have been to other receptions with cash bars. The correct approach is to serve what you can afford and to do it graciously. If that means you only have beer and wine, fine. If it means you do not have any alcohol at all, that is also fine. What is not fine is expecting guests to whip out their wallets at any point during your wedding.

Which brings us to the next point of wedding etiquette…your guests should not need any money at your reception. This includes things like tips for the coat check attendant and paying the parking valet. They should be prepaid by the hosts, with a notice to that effect prominently displayed so the guests know they should not tip. Sometimes the question arises of who should get the money from the tip jar at the bar; some people say it should go to the bartender, while others say it goes to the bride. The correct answer is neither, because there should not be a tip jar on the bar at a wedding! If you notice that the bartender has put one out, kindly ask him to remove it, and assure him that you will be covering his gratuity at the end of the evening.

One of the most important aspects of hosting a wedding is attending to the comfort and ease of your guests. There are several ways in which to do this politely. First of all is to seat elderly guests away from speakers and other noisy parts of the room (including the table of your rowdiest friends!). In addition, the guests of honor should be seated closer to the head table. This means that the “prime” tables are usually reserved for the immediate family of the newlyweds, while the ones near the kitchen door are generally inhabited by your co-workers. Speaking of seating etiquette, it is fine to have as many parents’ tables as it takes to make everyone comfortable. Divorced parents should each be the head of their own table. It is rarely a good idea to seat the bride’s divorced parents at the same table for the pretense of having one big happy family.

Fabulous New Trends for 2012 Wedding Dresses

The Fall 2012 wedding gowns have just been shown in New York, and some beautiful trends have been emerging. We are seeing continuations of some of the trends from recent seasons (especially natural waistlines and tulle), and the introduction of a few new trends. Get inspired by all the fabulous trends for 2012 wedding dresses.

Tulle rules! Virtually every single bridal designer featured tulle in their collections. The fun thing is that tulle skirts are being shown in a wide variety of ways. There are classic tulle ballgowns, such as the timeless jeweled bateau neck gown shown at Amsale. Many designers featured tulle formed into fluffy three-dimensional forms for fullness and movement on the skirt. There were drop waisted and empire waist tulle skirts on gowns at Marchesa. There were even wedding gowns made with crumpled black tulle at Vera Wang. And if tulle isn’t your thing, other sheer fabrics like organza and chiffon are also very popular.

Lace is another fantastic trend for 2012 wedding gowns. Like tulle, lace was one of the hottest things going at the Fall 2012 bridal market. Brides craving a non-copycat version of the Princess Kate bridal gown will adore a fabulous new lace bodice gown with sleeves by Marchesa. It has a sweetheart neckline under a very dramatic lace and a cummberbund at the waist. It is a cross between Kate Middleton and Grace Kelly, done with a unique lace for an updated twist. Royal inspiration propelled lace to a top trend at virtually every bridal house.

Vintage inspired beaded sheaths were a gorgeous style that was shown by some designers for 2012 weddings. Jenny Packham in particular showcased numerous fluid gowns with incredible embroidery and beadwork. There were beaded chiffon gowns that skim the body and slinky draped satiny halter gowns like something out of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It would be fun to play up the retro nature of these chic dresses with crystal chandelier bridal jewelry. Pnina Tornai had her own take on vintage style sheath bridal gowns, with plenty of her signature jeweled accents.

A trend for 2012 wedding dresses that all brides will enjoy is the broad array of neckline choices. There are certainly still a lot of strapless dresses around, but there are a lot of other options too. There were gowns with sleeves, illusion necklines, one shoulder dresses, halters, slender tank straps, bateau necklines, and even sheer wrapped shoulders. A standout neckline was a very elegant portrait neckline wedding gown designed by Carolina Hererra. I love that brides will be able to find a gown in any neckline that they want for 2012!

Wedding Reception Speech Planning

First of all, you should determine before your wedding who will give toasts. Typically, it will be the best man, the father of the bride, and the groom. There are others who may wish to say something as well, including the father of the groom, the maid of honor, and the bride. Sometimes the siblings of the bride and groom are also interested in giving toasts. It is generally best not to open the floor up to everyone at the reception, however, as the speeches can end up going on until the point where everyone is bored to tears.

Everyone who is going to speak should prepare a short speech beforehand to avoid rambling toasts that seem to go nowhere. A reasonable length for a wedding toast is two to five minutes. If you have a fairly large group of people who wish to give toasts, urge them to limit their remarks to two or three minutes. While that may not sound long, all of those short toasts can start to add up to a long time. The best time to fit the toasts into the schedule is during the salad course at dinner so people can eat while they listen.

It is not a bad idea to give the people who will speak some hints about what is appropriate to include in a wedding toast – especially if your best man fancies himself a comedian. A good speech involves a few opening pleasantries, such as thanking everyone for coming. It can go on to talk about the first time that the speaker met the bride or groom (only if the story is suitable for guests of all ages!), wish the couple every happiness, etc. At no time should a speaker reveal something personal or embarrassing about the bride or groom or say something embarrassing in an attempt to be funny. Comments from the best man like, “The bride looks so pretty in her dress and wedding jewelry that no one would ever guess she is pregnant!” are never appropriate, whether it is true or not!

Something that will help keep your wedding toasts moving along at a good clip is to put someone in charge. This job can be undertaken by the band leader, m.c., or the best man. That individual should have a list of the order of speakers, so that he can prompt them to come to the microphone in the correct order. It cannot be emphasized enough that wedding guests do not enjoy sitting for a long time listening to toasts, so it is important to keep everything moving along in a timely manner.

The Pros and Cons of Sunday Weddings

For a lot of couples, the biggest incentive to get married on a Sunday is the lower cost. Venues and vendors typically offer discounts for non-Saturday events, especially if they would have otherwise gone unbooked. (This may not hold true in communities where there are a lot of Jewish weddings, as they traditionally do take place on Sunday.) Considering that the average American wedding costs something like $27,000, saving even 5% would come out to over $1000. It is no wonder that Sundays are becoming more popular!

Another pro to having a Sunday wedding is better availability for top locations, photographers, caterers, musicians, and so on. The best venues in some locations can be filled up on Saturdays for two years. If you do not want to wait that long to be married, exploring a Sunday date might just get you in the door far sooner. The better availability of venues and vendors on Sundays can be particularly helpful for couples who are trying to plan a wedding within a relatively short time frame. Added to the idea of getting a non-Saturday discount, the appeal of the Sunday wedding can be considerable.

Of course, there are some potential disadvantages to Sunday weddings as well.  One thing to consider is the time of day you hope to have your wedding. If you want to have a formal evening wedding, with your attendants in long dresses and crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets, it would make more sense to have it on a Saturday. People are typically in a more festive mood on a Saturday night. They usually don’t want to stay out late on a Sunday, since most guests will need to be at work bright and early Monday morning. An afternoon ceremony and reception will be the better option in this situation.

Another drawback to a non-Saturday date is that you may have fewer people who are able to attend.  When the wedding is on a Sunday, it will mean taking off work on Monday to travel. Not everyone is willing or able to do that, so some of your friends and family who live far away may end up having to send their regrets. Each couple needs to weigh the pros and cons to determine which day of the week will work the best for their individual circumstances.

A Black, White, and Silver New Year’s Eve Wedding

New Year’s Eve is definitely the most glamorous night of the whole year to have a wedding. Black, white, and silver is a chic color palette that will bring out the stylish flair of the holiday. Learn how to plan an unforgettable New Year’s Eve wedding using a black, white, and silver color scheme.

It almost goes without saying that a New Year’s Eve wedding should be black tie. Classic black tie always looks the most elegant; while rental shops may suggest colorful vests for the groom and groomsmen, a black cummberbund is more dashing and timeless. Silver dresses will be the clear choice for the bridesmaids. If they are comfortable in slender silhouettes, slinky silk sheaths would be ideal. Choose ones with a gathered bustline and wide straps, like something from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1930s. Big sparkly crystal jewelry will complete their look perfectly.  An incredible look for the bride is a fluid sheath gown covered from head to toe in tiny crystals or sequins. Because the silhouette of a sheath is so simple, you can get away with really bold crystal bridal jewelry.

Then there are the flowers! Accent white flowers with silvery elements to incorporate the color scheme into the bouquet. Silvery dusty miller or lamb’s ear leaves are wonderful natural accents to ruffly white parrot tulips or lovely white camellias. Another idea is to use silver metal leaves or tiny metallic silver balls to mix into the white blossoms. Being New Year’s Eve, you could even get away with glittery silver curly branches mixed into the bouquets or centerpieces. Tie the bouquets with black velvet ribbons to complete the effect. The centerpieces will be very striking arranged in black vases. Either use fluted footed black vases for a vintage flair, or tall sleek rectangular black vessels for a sleek modern look.

To bring your black, white, and silver color scheme to life at your New Year’s Eve wedding, special table linens are a must. I personally do not care for black table linens (they never feel clean to me), but silver would look amazing. Shimmery silver organza toppers can be used over standard white tablecloths, or if budget permits, rent silver silk dupioni linens with a chic quilted stitching (like a Chanel handbag). Since the centerpieces will be primarily black and white, the whole elegant color theme will come together beautifully.

Wedding Trends That Are On The Decline

Cupcakes. Once upon a time, it seemed fresh and unique to feature a tower of luscious cupcakes at a wedding reception instead of a tiered wedding cake. And then more people starting doing it, and more, and more, until…cupcakes became no more original than a cake. If you happen to love, love, love cupcakes, by all means have them at your wedding. Just be aware that they are no longer more original than having a traditional wedding cake, and they are somewhat limiting when it comes to design.

Sneakers on the Wedding Party. Do you remember the Steve Martin version of the movie “Father of the Bride” when his daughter hiked up her wedding gown to show off the sneakers she was wearing underneath? Unless your dad actually owns a sneaker company like in the movie, there is nothing cute about wearing a pair of Converse with your wedding gown or having the groom wear them with a suit. Ditto for the row of bridesmaids in their party dresses and pretty bridesmaid jewelry wearing sneakers (or plastic flip flops, for that matter). Casual shoes are for casual occasions. Fancy attire calls for equally fancy footwear.

The Orchestrated Aisle Walk. Darn that JK Wedding Entrance Dance video on You Tube! It led countless brides and grooms to think that if they planned a wacky dance instead of simply walking down the aisle that they too could become famous on the Internet. Let’s face it, once it was recreated on “The Office”, that became a sign that it was no longer a novel idea. A wedding is a reason for joy and celebration, of course, but the marriage ceremony is also a monumental right of passage. Save the entertainment for the reception, and show a little dignity when you process down the aisle.

Head Tables. Back when brides and grooms were young and most of their friends were young and unmarried, the head table worked fairly well. The bridal party is a special group, after all, and there was something very decorative about seeing the bride and groom surrounded by the handsome groomsmen in their suits and the bridesmaids in their lovely dresses and pearl bridesmaid jewelry. These days, though, bridal parties tend to be older, and many are married or have significant others. Splitting up couples during dinner is not popular, and most of the attendants would rather sit with their spouses or dates.

How to Have a Wedding For Under $5000

Going into this project, it is important to prioritize. What you absolutely must have for a wedding is a bride, a groom, an officiant, and a couple of witnesses. Everything else is really gravy. So the first step in pulling off a wedding for less than $5000 is to accept that you will not be able to have all of the little extras that you see in the bridal magazines. This is okay! The main rules to remember are: shop smart, DIY what you can, borrow or barter when possible, hire students or young professionals, and accept all offers of help.

A great way to have an affordable wedding is to have the ceremony in a free location. Some state parks will waive the rental fee if you do not bring things like chair and arbors. Keep your ceremony short and sweet, since guests will be standing for it. If you live in a state which allows individuals to become ordained online, you can even have a close friend act as your officiant instead of hiring a justice of the peace. Music can be quite simple. It would be lovely for the bride to walk to her groom accompanied by the sounds of classical guitar. Ask a talented friend to play or hire someone from a music college. The total cost for your ceremony will be next to nothing.

Some brides spend more than $5000 on just their wedding gowns! For the bride on a budget, the custom designer gown is not the most practical idea…unless you happen to score big at a bridal clearance sale (think Running of the Brides) or find one being sold on Craig’s List. But you can still look every bit the beautiful bride in an elegant gown with sparkling wedding jewelry without spending thousands. Consider a long white or ivory formal dress from a department store instead of a traditional wedding gown. You can find something gorgeous and chic at a place like Nordstrom for under $200. Definitely use the Internet to shop for wedding jewelry and veils at the best price, as well. Rather than buy white bridal shoes that you will never wear again, get a great pair of silver evening sandals that you can use again and again.

Wedding decorations are another area where you can save big. Plan on ordering your flowers online and arranging them yourself. The most affordable option is to decorate primarily around candles, and use the fresh flowers as accents. You can get 100 stems of roses for under $200 from an Internet floral wholesaler, which will go a long way if you are using them for bouquets and with candles for the centerpieces. Another idea is to spring for a more costly blossom like dendrobium orchids. It only takes one or two stems of these exotic flowers to create a stunning submerged centerpiece. For the rest of your wedding decorations, shop at craft stores at the end of the season clearance sales. Also check out wedding chat boards for newlyweds selling off their extra wedding supplies so you can create a gorgeous look without having to pay retail.

Tips on Making Your Own Wedding Cake

If you are a great baker and love the idea of making things for your wedding, you might wonder if it would be a good idea to make your own wedding cake. It is not an undertaking for the novice, but certainly a good baker could pull it off. These are some tips on making your own wedding cake.

Tip number one: keep it simple. Forget about handmade sugar orchids, airbrushed scenes, or tiny marzipan figurines. Instead choose fool-proof decorations like non-toxic fresh flowers, ribbons, and fancy cake toppers. Unless you have a lot of experience working with fondant, you will find buttercream frosting to be a better choice, since it does not have to look “perfect”. A buttercream frosted cake decorated with ribbons around each tier and a crystal cake topper to complement your crystal bridal jewelry will look fantastic, and will be nearly impossible to mess up.

Limit your DIY cake to three tiers so that weight does not become an issue. Be aware that even a three layer cake can end up weighing as much as fifty pounds, so you will need to have a sound plan for transporting it to the reception. To make sure that your tiers do not slide over or look lopsided, use a cake leveler to give each layer a totally flat top and bottom. Avoid using anything tricky like columns between the tiers. Another cute idea is to make several smaller cakes to display on beautiful cake stands instead of one large tiered cake. It is easier to manage, and also looks quite charming. You can choose stands to fit in with the theme of your wedding. If your style is woodsy and natural, use tree stumps for the stands. If your wedding will be all about the glitz and glamor of Swarovski crystal bridal jewelry, use silver or cut crystal stands. It is easier to manage, and also looks quite charming.

Deciding to make your own cake requires a lot of planning and time – it should definitely not be a spur of the moment decision. You should definitely make a practice cake many months before your wedding. Keep notes on exactly which ingredients you used, how long you baked the tiers, cooled them before frosting, and so on. That way, if the cake turns out well, you will be able to replicate it for your wedding, and if it does not, you will have some idea on what to change for your next practice cake. And if you start well in advance, you will also have the option of bailing on the whole DIY cake thing and hiring a baker if your practice cake turns out to be a disaster!