Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. And if you're having it in New England in the winter, it may be one of the coldest. Don't let your "something blue" be you in your beautiful strapless gown. An elegant little cover up will help to keep the chill off your shoulders.

• Jacket - The wedding jacket can be made out of satin, lace, faux fur, or anything that would best complement your wedding dress. Having a removable jacket is also a way to indulge in the trend of changing your outfit from ceremony to reception without the added expense of purchasing another gown.                             

DEMETRIOS - SENSUALLE

Style No. GR155

DESTINATIONS BY MON CHERI

Style No. 29128

JASMINE COLLECTION

Style No. F173

• Shrug/bolero - A shrug or bolero is a short jacket that basically covers the shoulder area. Like a jacket, it can give your dress that touch of style that makes your look uniquely yours.

These will not only benefit the cold weather brides, but also those who need to meet certain modesty requirements for their ceremonies. (If you need to cover your arms and shoulders for religious purposes, consult with your officiant on what is allowed.)

And if you're looking for outerwear to get from the car to the building, you might choose a velvet or faux fur-trimmed cape or capelet for a little glamour. With your cozy cover up on hand, you'll be snug and happy! An elegant cover up is one more way to add style and personality to your wedding day look.

Bridal Show Tips

It's that time of year! It's bridal show season and we have a few suggestions for getting the most out of them.

1. Register before the show. Admission is usually discounted or free when you do this.

2. What to bring. Bring a notebook and pen to take notes, a camera, a calendar for setting up appointments, your wedding color swatches, a very large bag for carrying all the literature and freebies you collect, a list of questions you want to ask vendors, and printed peel-off labels with your name, address, email, and wedding date to use when signing up for mailing lists or registering for prizes.

3. Wear comfy shoes. You'll be doing a lot of walking and you don't want blisters!

4. Make a list of vendors you still need, and when you get to the show, visit them first.

5. Make a note of the vendors you're interested in and jot down price quotes and tips they offer. By the time you get home, you won't remember which vendor told you what.

6. Bring a friend or two. They can help you carry all the literature you'll be collecting and they can offer an objective third party opinion on things.

7. Gather as much literature as you can. What you may not be interested in now, you may be interested in later.

8. Check fashion show times so you can get there early and get good seats. However, if you already have your gown, you may want to skip the fashion show and visit with vendors. The crowds at the booths are usually smaller during the fashion show, and vendors will be happy to speak with you.

9. Don't feel pressured to sign a contract at the show. Shows are usually very crowded and noisy, and if you don't have the opportunity to talk to the vendors in depth, how will you know if they're right for you? It's better to set up an appointment with them at the show to meet with them at a later date.

10. You'll be getting a lot of information sent to you after the show. Consider setting up a wedding only email address and when the wedding is over, simply cancel it.

11. When filling out forms, (if you don't bring peel-off labels), be sure to print clearly. You don't want to miss out on hearing from a vendor you're interested in or miss out on a door prize because they couldn't read your handwriting!

12. Don't bring small children to the show. They will get tired (and most likely bored) and keep you from your mission of finding vendors for your wedding.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful. If you have any other bridal show tips you'd like to share, please let us know!

RSVPs

It's always amazing to me when seemingly well-educated people don’t get why they should RSVP when the invitation clearly requests it.

Knowing the total number of expected guests is critical at weddings and other large events because of the costs and deadlines involved in meal planning and preparation.  But even for smaller social events, I regret the fact that people either don’t know what RSVP means or worse, choose to ignore it.

Here are some social “rules” to keep in mind. 

1. As Emily Post says, “No one is obligated to accept an invitation or to explain their reasons for not accepting.  However, when someone is kind enough to extend an invitation, one should be just as kind and reply to the invitation.”  Unfortunately, this is not always done.

2. Ask for help.  If you have invited someone to your wedding and have included a reply card with a return by requested date and you still haven’t heard back, the best solution is to press bridesmaids or family relatives into helping you contact all those persons who have yet to reply.  If a phone call is in order, helpers can say something like this:  “Hi _______, this is _________.  I’m calling to make sure that you have received the invitation to __________’s wedding.  The bride hasn’t heard from you yet and needs to know if you plan to attend.  The count needs to be in by ________. Everyone is looking forward to seeing you.”  If you are leaving a voice mail message, add “ Please call me back at ________”. 

3.  Respond in the same manner that the invitation was issued. If an invitation to an event has come via 

     e-mail then an e-mail response is in order.

4. Reply as soon as possible.  Don’t put the invitation in the “to do” pile unless you need to ask the availability of the other person whose name may be on the invitation with yours.

5. Keep replies brief.  You don’t need to go into great detail about why you can’t attend.

6. If a reply is not requested, it is not necessary to respond.  However, it is nice to acknowledge the invitation and let the host know when you cannot attend.

Winter Wedding Wonderland Inspiration

Here's a little inspiration for a winter wedding. We love the icy blue and white color with a snowflake theme. And those white painted trees with the white lights give it a real winter wonderland feel. And if there's real snow outside you're getaway transportation can be a horse-drawn sleigh. We think this is just magical! And having a winter wedding can save you money because you're getting married in the off-season.

Winter Wonderland Wedding Theme by bridelady featuring an evening wedding gown

Entertaining Tips

You’re married!  You received new dinnerware.  You're planning your first dinner party.  Here are some tips for the big event.

How many people to invite?  A dinner party for six or eight is ideal.  A successful party depends on the right combination of people so think about personalities and individual interests before you invite the potential guests.

Choose the right table covering to complement your dinner plans.  Formal entertaining still calls for a linen tablecloth with matching napkins.  Informal entertaining lends itself to colorful cloths with either matching or contrasting napkins.  Many hostesses choose to use place mats – either alone or layered.

Adding a special centerpiece can reflect your personal style.  Just remember that:

• A centerpiece should never block a guest’s view.
• The size and shape should be in proportion to the size of the table.
• Flowers should not be so fragrant that they overpower the food.

Using candles at the table adds a romantic touch to the dinner.

Here are some expert tips on candle use.

• Ivory candles are the preferred choice for a classic table setting.
• If you keep your candles in the refrigerator they will burn evenly and slowly.
• All candles should be displayed with charred wicks and should be placed at least two or three inches apart to prevent melting into each other.
• If you forgot to extinguish the candles and some of the wax melted onto the tablecloth, you can remove the wax from a washable cloth by scraping off the excess wax and running boiling water through the fabric.

Following these tips for the first dinner party should help insure that you’ll feel more comfortable in your role as hostess and will be happy and eager to repeat the lovely evening you provided for your guests.


Photos: 
http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/table-decor/christmas-table-decorations-1010
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/holiday-centerpieces

Have a Seat

For some brides and their mothers, deciding on seating arrangements at the reception and trying to engineer the “perfect” mix of guests at each table is one of the hardest and most overwhelming planning tasks. Although it may be tempting to give up and let people sit where they want, having a seating plan will make everything go smoother, will make your guests feel welcome and will help to avoid confusion or misunderstanding over seating arrangements. And less confused people are people who are more pleased with where they are and what they are doing.

We recommend two options for creating a seating plan:

• Table Assignment - Guests are assigned to tables but may choose their actual seat.
• Seating Assignment - You assign a table and a specific chair where your guest will sit.

Which option you select will depend upon how formal or how organized you want your wedding reception to be.

Table Assignment

If you decide on table assignments, have a seating chart or escort cards prominently displayed at the entrance to the venue with guests' last names arranged in alphabetical order.

Seating Assignment

If you decide on assigned seating, you will also need place cards.
Place cards are placed at each place setting to ensure guests sit in the correct seats.

These place cards will be placed on the tables in front of the designated seat assignment prior to the guest's arrival.  In the case of a table service meal, these place cards can also indicate the individual's menu selection - which will assist the catering service staff. (For example: a blue dot or ribbon for chicken, a red dot or ribbon for beef)

A simple way to get started

Start by writing each guest's name on a 3 x 5 card, using one card per guest. Like a deck of cards, start making piles for each table, moving the cards around from table to table until you're entirely happy. Once you have the cards grouped by table, you can then work table-by-table to seat each guest, deciding who will sit next to whom. And finally, to be entirely clear and leave nothing to chance, place a star on the card of the guest that will be seated at the 12 o'clock position so when it comes time to place the seating cards around the table your guests will be seated exactly as you planned.

Here are some seating tips to consider:

• Seat people together with common interests (hobbies, occupations, etc.)
• Try to seat each person next to at least one other person they already know
• Be considerate of your elderly guests and seat them away from the speakers or the band
• Seat children with their parents or at a special table just for them
• Consider naming your tables instead of giving them a number (Choose names based on your wedding theme, places you've visited or would like to visit. It may give unacquainted guests something to talk about)
• Try to place pregnant, elderly, or disabled guests, or guests with small children where they have easy access to the restrooms

Rental Items

In an ideal world, each place you use for the ceremony and reception will have everything you need for a perfect event. However, things are rarely exactly how you wish them to be.

Brides often ask us for recommendations for rental businesses that can supply additional items that may be needed. But before we recommend any other business we try to help the bride determine exactly what may be needed and sources for those items.

Before you rent anything, be sure to check with your wedding ceremony site, wedding reception venue, caterers, beverage providers, décor company, florist, entertainment, audiovisual, staging and lighting companies for items needed.

It is hard to believe that one could need something these services couldn’t provide, but if there is, a reputable rental provider is your answer.

Once you have identified the items you think you’ll need, have a conversation with two or more rental services to check the quality of the items provided as well as the rental costs.Your ceremony or reception venue may be able to refer you to a reputable service that comes with strong references from previous customers.

Ask the rental company to be specific about the services they will supply. Will they merely deliver the
items to your site or does the price include set up and tear down?

Ask if the items are insured against theft and/or damage and is that included in the rental fee. If it's not included, ask for the amount of insurance you may need.

Bear in mind that a full service décor company will likely be able to handle all or part of your décor, floral, table settings, glassware, tables, chairs and chair covers, linens, and lighting requirements. In addition to the usual items, the décor company may be your best source for any unusual items you decide you must have to complete the theme of your celebration.

How much “extra” you want will likely be determined more by budget than lack of resources.