The YouTube Wedding Phenomenon
It seems like for many couples these days the most important consideration when planning a wedding is how to end up as the latest YouTube sensation. Anyone who watched Pam and Jim’s wedding on “The Office” now knows that even the ceremony processional is another chance for the bridal party to do something outrageous and memorable (as Jim said, as soon as he saw the video on YouTube of a bridal party dancing up the aisle to “Forever”, he knew they were in for it!). This is a look at the YouTube wedding phenomenon.
Some of the wedding videos on YouTube get literally millions of hits. Think about that; you could have two million people around the world interested in your wedding. The “JK Wedding Entrance Dance” video that inspired the scene on “The Office” has been viewed by over 28 million people! The bridal party who was in it even ended up on the “Today” show. For many couples, that kind of internet fame is simply too enticing to resist. Apparently everyone wants to be featured in the next hot viral video, and to grab their 15 minutes of fame.
Most of the popular wedding videos on YouTube are centered around a surprise (and almost all of the hot videos involve dancing, usually done by people with no special talent in that area). What makes them so fun is the gotcha! moment. As in, the doors to the church open, the bridal party is poised to march down the aisle, and surprise! they do a wacky choreographed dance instead of the expected dignified procession to “The Wedding March”.
Brides and grooms are definitely a big part of the YouTube phenomenon. The first dance used to be a moment when brides in their fine gowns and elegant bridal jewelry sets took a sedate spin around the dance floor with their beaming new husbands to “Unforgettable” or a Frank Sinatra song. These days, it seems like the surprise is when the bride and groom dance to the classic song all the way through. The guests are perched on the edge of their seats waiting for demure brides in their bridal gowns and sets of pearl jewelry to kick off their white shoes and start shaking it to “Crank That” or “Baby Got Back”.
Everyone is getting in on the act. From outrageous father and daughter first dances to entire bridal parties recreating the video to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, wacky choreographed dances are fast becoming a mainstay at otherwise formal and traditional weddings. Personally, I think that there is a trade-off; what you gain in laughs and internet celebrity, you lose in dignity and classic good taste. However, each bride and groom has the right to have the wedding that they want, and if what they choose is to try to get their reception to be a big hit on YouTube, they will certainly have plenty of company!
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: bridal jewelry sets, first dance, Michael Jackson, The Office wedding, wedding trends, YouTube | Comment (0)Secret Wedding Ceremonies
Fans of “The Office” got to watch Pam and Jim have two marriage ceremonies: the “official” one for family and friends, which was preceded by a secret one for just the two of them. Secret wedding ceremonies are not just for television characters; this is something that people actually do in real life. This is what you should know about secret wedding ceremonies, from the why to the when to the how.
Let’s start with the reason why an engaged couple might decide to have a secret wedding ceremony. The most common one is for the same reasons why Pam and Jim had their private vows on “The Office”: you feel as though the wedding day is becoming all about everyone else. So many couples get roped into having the wedding of someone else’s dreams that it increasingly feels like the real reason for the entire day gets lost in the hoopla. Having a private ceremony with just the two of you can be a way to recapture the idea that the whole point of having a wedding is to celebrate the love of the bride and groom as they pledge to spend their lives together.
When having a private exchange of vows, there are several key things to keep in mind. The most important one is that if you truly intend to keep it a secret and let everyone assume that they are watching you tie the knot at the big wedding, the secret must be held very closely. The reality is that “the bride and groom are already married” is way too big a secret for anyone to keep, so your best bet is to share the news with no one. Imagine how offended your immediate family would be to learn that you got married without telling them or inviting them.
Of course, a private marriage ceremony is a monumental occasion, even when you plan to follow it with a large public wedding. It will likely be low-key, but you should still make the effort to make the event special. The bride should wear a pretty dress along with some delicate handcrafted bridal jewelry. The dress worn to the secret vow exchange will likely be much less formal than the main wedding gown, perhaps simply a lovely day dress in your favorite color. Certainly the bride should have a bouquet, and it would be nice to hold your ceremony in a location that is beautiful and meaningful to you, whether that is overlooking a gorgeous lake or right in your own living room.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: handcrafted bridal jewelry, private wedding ceremony, secret wedding ceremony, The Office wedding, wedding ceremony | Comment (0)“The Office” Wedding Wrap Up
Do you love “The Office”? Then the special hour long episode about Pam and Jim’s wedding was a long awaited treat, wasn’t it? Here is “The Office” wedding wrap up, including ideas that an engaged couple can use for inspiration for their own real life wedding.
Just like with any wedding, the most important question is what did the bride wear. In “The Office” wedding episode, Pam wore a very pretty simple white chiffon gown with an empire waist and spaghetti straps. The empire waist on her gown (which falls just under the bustline) was designed to hide her baby bump, of course, but it is a style that would be flattering on many brides, pregnant or not. The waistline of Pam’s gown was decorated with a sweet white floral beaded trim which was just the right amount of adornment for a bride with simple tastes. Pam’s pearl bridal jewelry was lovely with her chiffon gown.
Being “The Office”, the wedding could not be without its silly and surprising moments. When Pam was upset because she tore her veil shortly before the wedding ceremony, Jim cheered her up by cutting off half of his tie. The part that most viewers will remember is the YouTube inspired dance down the aisle that Jim and Pam’s attendants sprung on them as a surprise (hopefully this will not inspire any bridesmaids or groomsmen watching from home to try this!).
A wrap up of the wedding on “The Office” would not be complete without a mention of the crazy things done by Pam and Jim’s co-workers, especially Michael and Dwight. From Michael promising Pam’s grandmother that they would name their baby after her to him slipping into the mother of the bride’s hotel room at the end of the night, he was up to his usual tricks. With a wedding this memorable, it should be interesting to see what life as newlyweds looks like for Pam and Jim.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning, pearl bridal jewelry | Tags: pearl bridal jewelry, The Office wedding, wedding attire, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)