Planning a wedding is a very exciting time. However, it is important to create three important lists.; guest list, budget and wish list.
All go hand-in-hand and everyone knows that you can’t include everyone on the guest list. It would be wonderful to share with all you know, but it is impossible and expense is the biggest reason. It’s a special day with special guests. Your whole dream day will hinge on the guest list, so be realistic with your available money.
 John Lyons Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel Create only one guest list; this is the one! Never exceed the capacity of your venue. These guests most be very special to the bride and groom. And remember, once a guest is invited and accepts the invitation, that guest is counted as attending and can never be uninvited. Never feel that you have to add a guest as a courtesy.
When your budget is established and your final guest list tally is in; divide the number of guests into the budget and you’ll get your cost per person. Your total budget must include everything required for the day, so prioritize carefully.
Trimming your list is doable and sometimes those guests on the first draft are eliminated. You don’t have to invite everyone from your yoga class, office, home neighbourhood or workplace. In fact, you and your fiancé will have guests that have come to a beautiful celebration at a stunning location. The happy couple will be able to spend time with everyone.
The bride’s family and guests sit on the left and the groom’s on the right. If one of you are expecting more guests than the other, you should ask guests to sit evenly distributed throughout the church.
 Trevor Booth Photography, Windsor, Ontario-will travel You should reserve seats for your immediate family. Seats can be reserved by marking them with ribbons or flowers.
The first and second rows are reserved for immediate family, parents, siblings and grandparents. If your parents are divorced, the parent you lived with sits in the first row with your stepparent. Your other parent and their family sit in the second row. The third through six rows are usually reserved for uncles, aunts, cousins, godparents and any other special guests.
In a Christian ceremony, the mother of the bride’s family is seated on the left (when the guests enter from the back). The groom’s family is seated on the right. For a Jewish wedding, it is reversed. If either the bride or groom have a much larger family than the other, it is a good idea to seat the guests on either side so it looks balanced.
If it is a formal wedding, the ushers will escort the female guests to their seats while her male escort follows them. If your ceremony is informal, the ushers can greet your guests at the door and say, “Please follow me”. For every 50 guests, you should have one usher.
Discuss what beverages you want served at your reception with both families, no matter who will be paying the bill. Ask a liquor store/winery or reception consultant to help you with choices and options. Consider both cost and the number of guests.
You may also want to create a signature cocktail that is unique to your wedding theme. It adds a special touch to your reception, as well as being memorable.
 Trevor Booth Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel If your reception facility is furnishing beverages, ask how you will be charged- by the glass, by the bottle or per person.
While champagne is traditionally the festive drink used to toast the bride and groom, wine often serves to complement the wedding meal. Good tasting wines and champagnes come in all price ranges. Buy the best selection that your budget allows.
Hosting a wine tasting party for your attendants is a fun way to choose wedding wines.
Recent surveys indicate that a lot of guests don’t drink alcohol, so offer a selection of non-alcoholic wines, soft drinks and espresso or coffee drinks.
Should you decide to serve your guests cocktails, you can include an open bar before and after dinner. Offer guests their choice of beverages, including local and imported beer and wine.
If you are hosting your party in a private home or space, hire experienced bartenders. You can depend on them to pour standard drinks. Have them track liquor use so that you can account for your bar expense. And, of course, ensure that they are Smart-Serve according to the laws of the province.
If you decide to keep the bar open after dinner, close it at least one hour before guests prepare to leave. Serve coffee and non-alcoholic beverages after that time to ensure everyone goes home safely. Alcohol liability is an important issue, and one way to protect yourself and your guests is to hire a licensed company to provide security. They will oversee any potential problems with alcohol as well as protecting your gifts, including cash from being stolen.
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!
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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