Today’s lifestyle’s offer a marrying couple a choice of many different options while planning your trip to the aisle. While many couples still marry in in the church of their childhood, many are opting for unique and innovative venues.
Here in Windsor/Essex County, homes, backyards, farms, non-denominational chapels, vineyards, historical venues and beaches, are all great choices depending on your personality and family orientation.
 Brandon Scott Photography, Windsor|Essex County- will travel This area also abounds in great reputable wedding professionals whose mission is to offer you their knowledge and expertise, as well as being familiar with the latest trends in weddings. Once you contract their services, work with the ones whose skills you respect, and trust their judgment to do their best work.
One of the most important things to remember; is this is your wedding. Listen respectfully to your family and friends, but make your wedding personal with your own signature style.
Keep your wedding within your financial limits by setting a budget at the onset and sticking with it. It will be your road map; so choose the best that you can afford. When you pick a couple of special details like a unique wedding cake or flowers that you especially love, those elements will be remembered long after the wedding day is over.
Remember too, that etiquette exists to make occasions easier, but as Emily Post Weddings recently said, ” toss out all the old rules that are stuffy!” Keep in good taste and be impeccable while incorporating the things you want.
If you do everything possible beforehand, you will avoid the pressure of the devilish details on your wedding day. Delegate responsibilities to others or if the budget allows, hire a Wedding Planner to coordinate the wedding for you. They will take a load off your shoulders and can save you money along the way because of the network of professionals that they work with. You don’t want to be the bride with the clipboard.
You have chosen to share your life with your perfect match, and as a couple, the style of celebration you have chosen, whether large or intimate, formal or casual will certainly reflect your lifestyle. Your wedding day sets the tone for how you will live the rest of your life together. Celebrate yourselves and have a beautiful day!
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Photo by Trevor Booth Photography, Windsor, Ontario
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“Good plans shape good decisions… good planning helps make elusive dreams come true.” Lester R. Bittel
| The moment you accept a marriage proposal, your wedding planning becomes a reality. You may have a good idea of exactly the kind of wedding you want, but you may need some concrete ideas to help you to define your style before you make any decisions.
Solid information and protocol will help to keep you organized and, most importantly will also provide you with all the answers to all the questions that are asked every time a wedding is hosted.
The most important challenge to your wedding plans is to set and keep a budget. This is paramount to keeping your finance in line. It is easy to overspend when you start to make your appointments with all the vendors. Being realistic and knowing your limit will reduce your stress and make your day a success.
Be sure to check out the timetables, checklists, wedding budget calculator, financial obligations and many more tips, to assist you in staying on track. These are all downloadable files that you can print out and insert into your 3- ring binder and refer to, throughout the planning process.
Wedding coordinators offer many skills and services that will save you time from concept to completion, when you are planning your spectacular day. Their expertise in negotiating with suppliers is invaluable to you as you begin to plan the most important celebration of your life. They make all or some of the arrangements for your wedding – from invitations, catering, limousine rides – to entertainment, rentals, flowers and decorations. They intimately know local suppliers and can offer you their knowledge and expertise in any area of wedding planning. They are familiar with current trends and welcome unusual requests, such as unique site selections, or calligraphied invitations. A good wedding coordinator will be at your side throughout your planning and on your wedding day.
Your day, your way is the most important aspect of all the planning that you will do. Spend the time talking with your fiancé to make certain that you both have the same expectations. Being a team during your planning is a warm-up to your future.
Read more about wedding planning in The Wedding Guide available at selected bridal salons in this area.
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Top it off with personality
The trend is to personalize just about anything having to do with your wedding. Why not your cake as well? Creative displays of monograms and the names of the bride and groom are topping layers of wedding cakes. From silver initials studded with crystals to subtle monograms in the frosting décor of the cake layers, it’s just another way to add a symbol of your new bond to the elements of your wedding day celebration. A cake topper with your initials joined together in or by a heart is a contemporary way to adorn your wedding cake with something much more personal than a stature of a bride and groom or a spray of flowers. You can even include flowers along with this signature design element. Another unique idea in toppers include one-of-a-kind glass hand-blown artworks.
Layers of fun
Today’s wedding cake bakers are creatively stretching the idea of what the traditional wedding cake can become. It used to be that choosing different flavours for each layer was somewhat cutting-edge, though it’s probably become more the norm when it comes to having a unique cake. In fact, some cakes might not be layered at all- there may be an assortment of four to five cakes, all varying in size, colour, and flavour, that are combined to make a wedding cake display. One of the hottest wedding cake designs today is that of layers of ornately decorated pillows (imagine the finest available to carry your ring down the aisle) stacked one on top of another. Today’s cakes incorporate all types of colour as well, and cake designers are not limited to the whites and creams of yesteryear. We are also seeing cupcakes remain as a cute trend as well as the emerging trends of macarons, a pastry with a colourful topping that can be hollowed and filled with gelato, cream or sorbet. Get more information on what you’ll need to think about when it comes to your wedding cake with The Wedding Guide.
Look perfect on your big day
If you believe the dress is the most important thing you’ll wear on your wedding day, think again. Your groom and your guests will forever remember your radiant face, sparkling eyes and elegant hair. The dress catches their attention only because it enhances your natural beauty. Nearly every woman wishes a team of professionals would arrive on the scene first thing every morning to make her look perfect and camera ready. But this luxury is actually a necessity for brides, according to wedding experts. Professional assistance is beauty insurance.
Don’t forget the moms
The biggest fashion decision for a wedding is, of course, the wedding gown itself. Next comes the attire for the attendants. Since the search for the perfect Mother-of-the-Bride dress may include a special order or custom tailoring, right after the bride and attendant attire is chosen is the perfect time for the bride to talk to the mothers about their ideas for the dresses. The bride should discuss her preferences of lengths, colours and styles with both/all mother. It’s important that the mothers’ gowns do not conflict with the colour of the attendants’-oftentimes because of this consideration, more neutral colours are worn by one or both mothers. A few traditions seem to hold when it comes to choosing Mothers’ attire: these dresses should never be longer than the bride’s or attendants’ gowns. The same goes for the style: they should not be more formal or lavishly decorated than the bride’s gown. Many bridal salons offer diverse selections of mothers’ gowns, check out our trusted salons online.
Shoe tips
Since you and your bridal party will be on your feet all day, and maybe much of the night, it’s important to pick wedding day shoes that are not only beautiful, but comfortable as well. Take into consideration all the wear and tear that you shoes will have to endure and add tip0s to protect the bottoms and heels of your shoes. If your shoes, or more likely your bridesmaids’ are dyed to match, you may want to also have them scotch guarded in order to protect them from rain and snow. Most wedding fashion salons have shoes for sale and can give you expert advice on what shoes work best with different types of attendant and bridal attire. Begin your quest for the right shoes early and try to break them in a little before the big day. Today’s bridal shoes are absolutely stunning and for shoe-loving brides, you’ll have a blast finding your perfect pair!
Until later,
Sheryl Davies
Publisher
Perfect Wedding Planning @ Your Fingertips since 1992
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Expert advice
Here at The Wedding Guide office, we live, eat and breathe weddings. If you have a specific question about protocol, etiquette or something that may be unclear to you, please go to “Ask the Editor” online for your private one-on-one conversation.
If you have a specific question about protocol, etiquette or something that may be unclear to you, please go to “Ask the Editor” online for your private one-on-one conversation. |
Facebook and The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County
As your local web portal for this area, www.theweddingguide.ca, we are constantly adding information to our Facebook site daily. Check in and see what’s new, what’s exciting and what’s cutting edge. These are tips that will make your wedding day go more smoothly.
Social Media Widgets We do these unique and innovative online social app tools for brides. Share with all your friends, family and wedding party, near and far. The cost is reasonable and the widget can be shared on all social media pages with your friends. (Facebook, Twitter and 50 more. For more information, contact us at dmscommunications.info or call us 519-252-8463.
Special Offers Online
Our wedding professionals have provided special money-saving offers to help you with your wedding cash flow. Check our online Special Offers, top right hand side to save money.
Planning Tools from us
Online under Planning, did you know that you can print out checklists, budgets, timetables and duties for your wedding day? Check out our handy organizational tools at www.theweddingguide.ca
Fabric Makes the Difference
Though you may fall in love with a particular style wedding dress, the fabric in which the dress is created can make it truly spectacular. Familiarize yourself with wedding dress fabrics, as certain ones are better suited to different weather and in creating a particular ambiance. For instance, tulle is often used as an overskirt in creating those fairytale gowns you may have dreamed of since you were a little girl. Different types of silks breathe better in the heat of summer while medium to heavy weight types of silks like Dupont or Peau de Soie, work well for dresses to be worn in the winter months. It truly pays to bone up on your fabric knowledge if you are having a custom-made gown of your own design.
Guy Wear
Though tuxedos are the typical choice for menswear for today’s modern weddings, they do come with many more choices than the typical white shirt, black bow tie, cummerbund, jacket, pants and suspenders. In fact, today’s tuxedos and accessories often incorporate more style and colour than the suits worn in past years past. Vests are often used with, or in place of, cummerbunds and come in various colours and fabrics. Bow ties, neck ties and ascots are often coordinated with the fabrics of the best or cummerbund as well. Cuff links and studs are not only functional, but are used as high-fashion accents to enhance the entire look of the tuxedo they are worn with.
Wedding Day Assistance
Maybe you couldn’t afford the services of a wedding consultant to plan your entire wedding. Or maybe you loved planning your own wedding but would prefer to have someone else take charge on your special day, so you can just relax and enjoy yourself. Hire a wedding consultant for the day! Provide clear, detailed notes and instructions for anyone that fills this special role for you. This could be the biggest luxury; or necessity- you give yourself!
Double check the details
Even though you may be a perfectionist, you’ll want to double (and maybe even triple_ check all your wedding day details. The perfect time to double check all the essentials is when you are getting ready to go to print with your invitations. Confirm the day of the week, date, time and location of your ceremony and reception. Go over the guest list to ensure there are enough invitations (including a few extra for addressing mishaps). Verify that you didn’t inadvertently miss putting someone on the list. You would be devastated if they weren’t a part of your wedding day. It’s a great idea to have your groom and someone else from both sides of the family review the list as well. Of course, carefully check the spelling of all the names and locations on your wedding invitation. If you haven’t ordered your invitations yet, check out our list of expert stationers. www.theweddingguide.ca
Keeping everyone happy
It would be great if there were an inside secret that would help make everyone happy on your wedding day, but unfortunately, there is no such thing. Keep in mind, while it is nice to be able to comply with other’s wishes, itis your wedding day. While considering any special needs of your family and friends, remember to be true to your feelings and values. Rest assured that those who love you will honour your choices. Take complaints with a grain of salt; there is always a perfectionist in every group that gathers together. Who knows, it may even be you! Whatever glitches may occur, make sure to relax, take it in stride and most of all, and enjoy your day.
Great new flavours
Though chocolate is still one of the most popular wedding cake flavours, new flavours always seem to make their way into today’s wedding cakes. The emergence of Latin cuisine into today’s mainstream culinary choices has brought the decadent flavours of dulce de leche (“sweet milk”, otherwise known as caramel), and trés leches (three milks- sweetened condensed, evaporated and regular) to super special wedding cakes, plated desserts, and even ice cream. Some popular and often unusual flavours today include: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, Kahlua white Russian cake, cheesecake with strawberry filling, lemon with lemon curd filling, chocolate truffle, angel food with raspberry filling, banana chocolate chip, mocha cake and hazelnut filling, and even a cannoli cake. Make sure you schedule a tasting before selecting your wedding cake. Check out our article on wedding cakes so you can chose your dream cake and find your dream bakery.
Macarons are the new, hot pastry item and they can be served with sorbet, gelato, ice cream or just plain with a dollop of whipped cream Yummy!
Until next time,
Sheryl Davies
Publisher
The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County
Southwestern Ontario’s Official Bridal Magazine, planner & websiteServing brides for 17 years with local, expert advice.
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 Serving this area since 1992, The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County answers all the questions that are asked every time a wedding is hosted. As one of the largest bridal planners in the world, The Wedding Guide has married over 6,000,000 brides and grooms throughout the world since their inception in 1984. Always complimentary, this upscale bridal planner is available at Bridal Salons listed on the website at www.theweddingguide.ca (See Bridal Salons)
Owned by local Windsorite, Sheryl Davies and, husband John Liedtke, they endeavour to provide brides with all the tools they need to plan their wedding day. Davies and Liedtke started The Wedding Guide in Toronto in 1989, and subsequently relocated to Windsor in the early 90′s. They work with the top wedding professionals in the area. The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County is all about local, from its valued vendors, creative artwork and content photography!
Special offer coupons are also online offering thousands of dollars of added value for the bride. . When it comes to everything weddings, The Wedding Guide is dedicated to watching upcoming trends and, providing the tools brides require to plan a great wedding day. From ”I will,” to “I do,” we cover receptions to honeymoons, photography to invitations, beauty, flowers, bridal registry, viedeography, limousines and more. Watch our site for exciting news to come.
Right now, Bridal Idol 2010 presented by AM800CKLW and Bluesfest International and sponsored by The Wedding Guide, is entering the semi-final stage, after 6 fantastic weeks of competition .One lucky bride will be taking home over $19,000 in prizes from our Wedding Guide valued vendors.
We are going to change the lives of one lucky couple and give them a tremendous start to their married lives and it feels great. All the kind folks involved in this contest have given and given, with gifts, their time and their individual talents. We salute them and thank them. Bridal Idol has staying power after this 2nd year and we’re planning for a bigger one next year.
We are also proud to be sponsoring Windsor’s Wedding Workshop for the 3rd time, this Thursday, March 4 at the Fogolar Furlan Club. Always innovative and full of a whole lot of advice, we are the wedding experts for Windsor/Essex County. Contact us for any wedding questions that you may have about protocol, etiquette or something that you may need clarification about. We’re here to help you out.
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