White Lies Every Bride Tells
What a Beautiful Handmade Ashtray! Every couple is bound to receive a wedding gift or two that they do not like, can’t use, or that is just plain bizarre. A lumpy handmade ceramic ashtray for the non-smoking fitness nuts would definitely fall into all three categories! Yet, you don’t want to hurt the feelings of the person who gave you the present, so it is best to fake it. Pretend, just for the moment, that it is the best gift you have ever received. Once you have sent a gracious thank you note, feel free to put the oddity in your next yard sale.
We’d Love for Your New Boyfriend (or Cousin or Kids) to Come. Somehow, there is always at least one wedding guest who does not seem to realize that only the people whose names are on the invitations are invited to the reception. Never mind that the caterer charges $150 a head or that it is supposed to be an intimate wedding for close family and friends only. Invariably, someone will call the bride three days before the wedding and ask to bring along their cousin who is in town for the weekend, the great new man they just started dating, or their kids “because they have never been to a wedding before”. While a gracious bride might indeed say yes for the sake of accommodating her invited guest, rest assured that she does not really want her wedding populated by random people. A polite guest will realize this and not put the bride on the spot.
I Don’t Mind That My Mother-in-Law Is Wearing White. Oh, what to do about the mother-in-law who decides to wear a white dress and pearl wedding jewelry to her son’s wedding? Well, if you are a wise bride, you will tell the little white lie above. Of course, only the bride should show up in a white gown and elegant pearl wedding jewelry, but making a fuss about what her mother-in-law is wearing will get the bride nowhere. The fact is that no one will think it is appropriate for the groom’s mom to wear white; the bride does not need to say a word, because all of the guests will see the mother of the groom’s fashion choice for the petty slight that it is. If the bride remains silent, she will definitely come out looking the better of the two.
We Are Having a Small Wedding. This is the classic line that brides use to get out of inviting extra people to their wedding. The beauty of it is that “small” can mean anything the bride and groom want it to mean. Small can mean twenty people in their living room or one hundred guests on a private yacht. All it really means is that the wedding is too small to invite that one particular individual. This is probably one of the most commonly used bridal white lies, and one of the most effective.
While no one advocates lying, there are certainly instances where telling a white lie is more polite and tactful than brutal honesty!
Filed under pearl bridal jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: brides, pearl wedding jewelry, wedding etiquette, white lies | Comment (0)Rude Things That Brides Do By Accident
While the majority of brides do their best to be pleasant and polite, there are times when even a well-meaning bride does something rude. It is often accidental, but that doesn’t make it any less offensive to those people affected by the behavior. Learn about these rude things that brides do, so you can make sure to avoid these mistakes at your own wedding.
Money is often tight when planing a wedding, and one typical mistake is to put the comfort of the bride and groom above the comfort of the wedding guests. Common money-saving measures like cash bars are often seen as very rude by the guests who discover they are expected to pay for their own refreshments. This is doubly true when the couple decides to spend less on their guests so they could spend more on something for themselves like a designer wedding gown or a stretch limo. Whether you have a lot of money to spend or just a little, make your guests the top priority in your wedding budget. The same goes for your bridal party, by the way; it’s no fair skipping the bridesmaid jewelry gifts to afford a more expensive veil.
One thing that is sure to drive your guests crazy is a big gap between the wedding ceremony and the reception. It is often a result of an early afternoon church ceremony followed by an evening reception or the couple wanting extra time for photography. While the bride and groom surely to not intend to be rude, expecting your guests to hang around for a couple of hours with nothing to do really is quite inconsiderate. If you need extra time for photography, take some pictures before the ceremony. And if your church only performs 1pm ceremonies, plan an afternoon reception that can follow, rather than scheduling an evening party that won’t start for hours.
Something else that is a common faux pas is putting bridal registry information on the wedding invitations. Brides are often talked into it by the store that set up the registry, touting it as a “convenience” for the wedding guests. Unfortunately, many guests are more likely to see it as an attempt at a gift grab than something done to make their lives easier. Avoid this perception by leaving bridal registry information off of the wedding invitations. People who are interested in shopping from a registry will ask you where you are registered. You can be sure that a bride who is thoughtful and considerate is always noticed and appreciated.
Filed under Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: brides, rude brides, wedding etiquette, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)Stress Reduction Tips for Brides
Exercise can be one of the best ways for a bride to manage the stress of wedding planning. Whatever you enjoy, whether it is yoga, running, cycling, or swimming will help to melt away the stress of the day. It can also be a great chance to spend some time with your fiance doing things together which are not wedding related. Regular exercise will not only make you feel better on the inside, but it will make your body look better on the outside. That will help to alleviate another source of wedding stress: the fit of the bridal gown.
Laughter is always a great stress-buster. When the strain of the wedding starts to get to you, take a break from wedding planning and head to a funny movie with your fiance or your best friend. If there is nothing great in the theaters, plan a movie night at home. Rent a great old movie that always makes you laugh, dim, the lights, pop some popcorn, and laugh your cares away. This can be a fun activity for the bride and her bridesmaids to do together, kind of like a slumber party for grown-ups. It would be a nice time for the bride to give her friends their bridesmaid gifts as well.
For some women, nothing is more relaxing than a day at the spa. The bride could get a long massage at her favorite spa at the end of a trying week. Or make it more of an event by planning a whole afternoon or all day at a spa with a companion. It would be a great quiet time that the bride and her mother could take to unwind before the wedding. Another idea is to get all the bridesmaids together for a pedicure party instead of a standard bridesmaids’ luncheon. The bride can treat her girls to some pre-wedding pampering as part of her bridesmaid gift to them. Add in a bridesmaid gift that the attendants can keep, such as a monogrammed cosmetic bag with a pair of crystal earrings inside.
How can anyone be stressed out when they are getting down on the dance floor? When the wedding planning drama is really bearing down on you, gather up your friends and head to a hot nightclub. Dance, sip some drinks, laugh, and just unwind in the company of good friends. There is no need to wait for your bachelorette party to hit the clubs for a night of dancing. Call up your pals, have your fiance call his, and get a whole group out together for a great night. With the stress under control, you will be better able to enjoy all the fun parts about planning a beautiful wedding.
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Shocking Bride Behavior
Most brides are lovely people, as pleasant to be around during their weddings as they were before they became engaged. There are those, however, who show appalling behavior, selfishness, or greed, all with the excuse that they are the brides and the wedding is all about them. Take a look at this shocking bride behavior, and let it be a gentle reminder that the most beautiful brides are those who act beautifully as well.
One of the ugliest things a bride can do is to allow herself to become overwhelmed with greed. It is actually something that almost any bride can fall victim to. Think about it: when you are the bride-to-be, you receive all sorts of marvelous gifts, like bridal shower presents, wedding gifts, and maybe everything you need for the wedding itself, from your bridal gown and jewelry to a dream honeymoon. With all these great stuff coming their way for months, some brides forget that the whole point of a wedding is to get married, not to milk the occasion for as much free stuff as possible. A sure sign that a bride has crossed the line is when she starts demanding cash gifts or requires that people throw parties in her honor so that she can score more loot.
Another bit of shocking bride behavior is the woman who dresses in too seductive a fashion for a church wedding. Remember that the bride should impress with her radiance, not her decolletage. Out of respect for your church, if not your guests, wear an appropriately demure bridal gown for your wedding ceremony. And remember this, attention-seeking brides: as the bride, you are automatically the center of attention – it is not necessary to wear something scandalous to ensure that all eyes will be on you that day.
If there is one thing that is sure to shock everyone at a wedding it is when the bride gets totally drunk. A few glasses of Champagne is one thing, but no bride needs to get falling down wasted on her wedding day. It leads to all sorts of embarrassing incidents, from too-frank speeches, to overly sexy group dances with bridesmaids (hello, You Tube!), to tripping and falling. One thing is certain: if the bride gets completely intoxicated and makes a fool of herself at the reception, it is all that anyone will remember about her wedding.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, brides, shocking brides | Comment (0)Last Minute Wedding Panics (and how to cure them)
Every bride has some sort of last minute panic in the final weeks before her wedding. Everything from, “what if I wake up with a huge zit the morning of the wedding?” to “am I making a horrible mistake getting married?. These questions are all too common, and are usually nothing more than a bad case of jitters and stage fright. Check out this list of last minute wedding panics that most brides face, as well as how to cure them quickly.
Am I making a horrible mistake getting married? Not every bride faces this question, but for those who do, it can be agonizing. Be aware that in the vast majority of cases, cold feet is not a sign of a serious problem, it is just a reaction to making a very strong commitment. Don’t do anything rash; go out for a relaxing night with your best friend and talk it over. The chances are she will tell you that you are doing the right thing, and that when you hear it from a trusted friend, you will feel reassured and find your fears melt away.
Did I pick the wrong dress? Brides usually experience this fear because of the stress put on choosing the “perfect” gown, especially as the time draws near to debut the wedding dress. If you really are having doubts, remind yourself what features drew you to the gown in the first place; the chances are strong that you still like them. Now ask yourself what worries you about the dress.Perhaps the style of your wedding has evolved since you ordered your gown. The easy solution to that is to experiment with some different accessories. You can make a simple gown more elegant by adding an ornate set of bridal jewelry and a dramatic veil, or tone down an opulent bridal gown with very simple jewelry and a short veil.
What if I mess up my vows? As the wedding day draws near, it is perfectly natural for stage fright to set it, especially for brides who normally shun the spotlight. There are a few things to keep in mind. One is that people do flub their vows all the time, and it is really no big deal Even Princess Diana did it and she had millions of people watching her do it live on television; a small slip up in front of your loved ones will not detract from the beauty of your ceremony. And remember that you will not be all alone up there on the altar; your fiance will be right there with you.
Everyone will face their own individual moments of panic right before they get married. It is normal, but nothing to let interfere with the excitement and joy of your wedding. Do your best to relax and remember that the true point of a wedding is not to put on the party of the year, but to celebrate your marriage surrounded by those you love. If you can keep that in mind, all of those panicky fears will shrink down to size.
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