The presenting of a wedding day token is an adaptation of a 16th century French custom that was reserved for nobles and kings. The objects were originally of great value; gold, enamel, precious stones, ivory, mother-of-pearl or porcelain. When introduced into other European courts, handmade lace, hand-blown glass and sugar coated candy were often substituted.
In the past, sugar coated almonds, usually wrapped in lace or netting were used as favours. Chocolate delicacies are now being used and are are popular. Almost anything tasteful can be given to your guests as a memento of your special day.
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The bride presents her favours to the guests in attendance at her reception. The favours can be simple or quite elaborate and can be tied with ribbon, with the first names of the couple and their wedding date printed on the ribbon or an attached card.
Modern wedding favours can include any item that is well-suited as a small token gift. Today’s couples are adding a charitable donation in lieu of a gift to a cause that is dear to them. This shows their commitment as a couple to the community at large.
A beautifully dressed bride requires a handsomely suited groom. When choosing a tux, note the time of day and the season in which the wedding will take place. A morning wedding with a brunch reception will require much less formal attire that a late evening ceremony and formal sit-down meal.
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Keep in mind the style and formality of the bride and her attendants’ attire to choose appropriate formal wear. An experienced formal wear shop can guide you successfully through these choices.
The basic elements of a groom’s outfit may include a jacket, pants, shirt, bow tie or ascot, cummerbund or vest, suspenders, pocket handkerchief, socks and shoes. Special shoes are often worn with tuxedos and can be found at formalwear shops for purchase or rental.
Many options are available to fill out the groom’s attire. In addition to all the new styling and fabrics for today’s tuxedos, high-fashion accessories include ties, suspenders, cummerbund, shirts that preclude bowties, cuff links and shirt studs in almost any style you can imagine. Choose designs and accessories to suit your own style and express your unique personality. If you prefer to play it safe, a traditional black and white tuxedo ensemble never goes out of style, giving you the added confidence that you will look and feel your best on your wedding day.
Visit the formal wear shop four months before the wedding. Bring along swatches of the bridesmaids’ gowns if you plan to coordinate the groomsmen’s tuxes. While formal wear shops provide measurement forms for out-of-town grooms and attendants to complete, the danger of confusing or incorrect measurements increases. It is best to get the groom and his men into the shop to be measured in person.
Brides today want their wedding day to be as unique as they are. And this outside the box thinking is setting new trends for savvy brides in 2012. Designers are artfully combining bright colours with staple neutrals: much like an artist would paint a beautiful work of art.
Warm bamboo, honeysuckle pink, cedar green, deep teal, purple‐hued phlox, coffee liqueur, warm camel nougat and quarry are top shades for the upcoming season.
Wedding dresses have a lot of lace; a trend we forecasted six months ago. There are ruffles, beading and coloured sashes that are sexy and white is not as popular as soft beige, light blues, pink and even soft‐toned greens being introduced into the finest bridal lines.
Styles for gowns are sleek with brides not seeking out the traditional ball gown. Vintage is still strong and there’s no chance of finding their dress duplicated. They make a statement and are stunning in their design.
The venue is still a hot location, with couples seeking old buildings that have been re-purposed such as old train stations, raw factory space and combinations of indoor and outdoor spaces. Local farms and vineyards provide a rustic charm and the outdoor photo opportunities provide endless opportunities. Wedding environments will be more laid back; bookings with nature settings are popular locations. Beaches, parks, homes and other outdoor settings are also being utilized.
Birdcage veils have been in style for many seasons now and the Royal Wedding provided the fascinator, an edgy, over the top headpiece. Headbands and feathers are modern options to a traditional veil. No bride will be bare‐headed in 2012 with everything from glittering tiaras to extra large flowers in contrasting tones.
Shoes, once dyed satin white can now be bold red, purple or blue, peeking out from under that dream dress. Add a feather clip for a touch of fun.
Other ideas include button or feather boutonnieres, multi‐mini cakes as centrepieces, catering carts, such as martini bars, crepe stations, sundae bars, pastry tables and lemonade stands are vying for the bride’s attention. Photo booths continue to be a popular feature for guests.
Social media is centre stage with computer stations being set‐up for guests to leave comments. Webcasting to guests who couldn’t attend the day is heartfelt and, as the day unfolds, hash tags for Twitter are in sync with today’s online culture.
Venues should expect to receive requests for longer cocktail hours, rental companies will see an increase for lounge furniture and guests can expect the unexpected. Ceremonies will have a steady increase in personalization, focusing on the couple’s interests, hobbies and passions as part of the wedding day celebrations. Vows are being written and choreographed by couples with assistance from an Officiant.
Themes such as vintage, diamonds/pearls, romance, garden style, retro 50‐70’s and eco‐friendly are huge. Cakes are bold this year and 2 layered cakes are back with tiers of different heights. Cupcakes are still huge, with innovative flavours and colours.
Grooms are more involved in the planning with their brides, and they are contributing their time and ideas into their day; it’s a new culture in the industry‐ one that until recently has been entirely female.
The 2012 wedding season will find couples saying, “I Do” in a world of different ways. Many will continue partying well into the night with an after party, which is becoming a popular trend. This party has no rules or wedding checklists and is entirely up to the couple.
Wedding Guide Preferred Vendors are dream‐makers; the go‐to service providers with big shoulders and creative thinking. They can make a wedding come to life with all of the above ideas. This area is cosmopolitan irrespective of its size and anything and everything is possible for the next season bride!
During your engagement and right through until your wedding day, you will be receiving gifts to commemorate your big news. You may receive wedding gifts from people you don’t even know. That’s because all gifts, even those from guests of your fiancé’s family, are usually sent to the bride. But the only people obligated to give gifts are those who accept invitations to your reception. And if it’s your second marriage or your fiancé’s those who sent a gift before may not give another. To make gift-giving more fun, less of a guessing game for all your friends and relatives, register at a your favourite stores. List items you’d like to receive; all in all price ranges. Guests can select the gifts they like and and can afford. The gift consultant will check off item purchased in that store, but do let them know when you get something from another place.
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Have fun unwrapping those gifts- be careful that no gift cards get separated from their packages or that cheques get misplaced. As you unwrap each gift, list it in a special book, along with a description, the sender’s name and address and the date it arrived. Leave space for the date you mail a thank-you note. And star those presents for the bridal consultant to check off your gift registry so its kept up to date.
Send a personal handwritten thank-you note for each gift you receive, even if it’s from a close friend you’ve thanked in person and see every day. You don’t have to send written notes to your fiancé or your parents, though they might love finding a surprise note in a pocket or on their pillow. Keep up with your notes by writing as each gift comes in. And do try to send a thank-you within two weeks after a gift arrives; no later than one month after your honeymoon.
When writing your thank-yous, be brief but specific. In the first sentence, mention the gift itself. (“cappuccino maker”) If you don’t know what it is, refer to it by colour or material (“the pretty blue crystal piece”). Next say something more about the present.
If you receive a single gift from a large group (like your co-workers, or relatives), send one note to the group as a whole but if the joint gift is from two or three people, write to each one separately. Sign off with your first and last names or just your first, using your newly married name, only after your wedding, and only if, you are taking your your partner’s name.
Although the internet is wide-spread and convenient, It is not acceptable to send your thank-you by email. The proper way is to send it the old-fashioned way with a stamp.
No matter how careful you are about registering your preferences, you’re bound to receive duplicates or gifts you may not want. Since no one likes to think his gift was exchanged, take back only the items you’re the giver will never know about. Otherwise, keep the gift. And never ask someone to exchange a present he or she gave you. Do it yourself if you know where it came from. The same is true for a damaged gift, unless it was sent by the giver through the mail or courier company and it was insured. Avoid mentioning about returned gifts or duplications in your thank-you note, instead thank the givers for their lovely thought and generosity.
HERE’S TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH
Marriage is good for men, according to the American Council of Life Insurance. Their statistics show that husbands are healthier, wealthier and more industrious than bachelors.
 John Lyons Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel Wedding toasts are something that most are nervous about delivering and are also one of the last things that are thought about, prior to the wedding day. It is a time of sentiment and congratulations and should be prepared for.
The toast may be made by a friend of the bride’s family, the master of ceremonies or more typically, the best man.
“Ladies and Gentlemen: It is an honour and a privilege for me to propose a toast to the bride and groom. I have known ( groom’s name) for many years. (Relate short story from childhood or perhaps, college days.) I remember well when he first met (bride’s name), suddenly lost interest in (our previous activities). But seriously, (groom) is a great guy and has found a wonderful person to marry. (Relate an amusing story about the bride, some of her accomplishments, or compliment her). (Groom) is a lucky man!
“Ladies and Gentleman, please rise, with glasses full, and join me in wishing the bride and groom much success and happiness. To the bride and groom!’
Groom’s Response:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of my wife and myself, thank you for the gracious toast to our health and happiness. We appreciate your kind words and good wishes. I am indeed a lucky man to have found (bride) to be my wife(partner) to be my wife, and to have all of you here today to share our joy and happiness.
There are many people to whom we wish to express our thanks and gratitude. It is difficult to know where to begin. But, I must mention our best man (name); our maid of honour (name), and our wedding party. You have helped us so much. Thanks for everything!
“We are particularly grateful to the (clergy or officiator) for his/her guidance and inspiration. Thank you.”
I also want to express my gratitude to my parents for guiding me through the years. I wish to express heartfelt thanks to my ‘new parents’ for their help, and especially for having given me my lovely bride. (partner) I return the toast to all of you.
Toasts can be made be anyone at the wedding. This is the time to let those who have had a significant impact on either the bride or groomt how much they mean to them.
When the bride delivers a bride speech, she should share her feelings with friends and family and let her warm words shine through to all the guests.
Wine comes in at the mouth; loves comes in through the eye. Henri Matisse
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