Life moves quickly these days with instant communication via email, blogs and cell phone calls. When one receives a piece of mail there is something special about it. With an impending marriage and many pre-wedding celebrations like engagement parties and showers, there will be thank you notes that must be written.
There will also be invitations to accept from good friends and family that wish to share in your news. Thoughtful and timely correspondence needs to be thoughtful.
 See You There Invitations, Windsor, Ontario: Photo by Judene McCalla Your thank you notes should be in the mail one week after the gift is received. The standard for wedding gifts, today is now three to six months, which is acceptable, however sooner is always better. It can be a daunting task to have 200 notes to write; doing a few a day and having your spouse assist will get the job completed in a more efficient manner.
It’s never too late to send it out and during busy times such as a holiday season, people will understand why your note is delayed. Be sure to write your note and mention the gift or gesture that you are thanking the person for. It need not be a letter; three or more sentences is more than enough unless it is someone extremely close to you. Be sincere with your thanks!
 Judene McCalla photo: See You There Invitations A formal note is correct protocol for a wedding gift, flowers, bridal showers or any present received for a special occasion. Informal thank yous are sent to the host/hostess who gave a party, gifts that you receive via delivery or special favours that are appreciated.
Receiving an invitation requires proper social etiquette. RSVP (répondez s’il vous plait simply means, please respond. Also, indicate if you are bringing a guest (the invitation will say and guest) Your host wants to know whether you are attending, so they can have a proper guest count for food. They also will be ordering table seating cards and will require lead time for those items.
When you are unable to attend an occasion where an invitation was issued, regrets is the term used. Fill out the RSVP and get it in the mail quickly. When issuing your wedding thank yous, it is nice to include something special like a favourite picture from your special day. Family and friends, both from far and near will love to see you happy and glowing!
 See You There Invitations, Windsor, Ontario Knowing the proper protocol of etiquette makes you stand out with your message. It will surely set the tone for making someone’s day as they bring in their daily mail.
Correspondence that is on time and thoughtful will be appreciated by the receiver. It will also let them know that you received their gift and, that you are acknowledging it. Although life has changed in many areas, those special thanks yous are a necessity, particularly after an event like a wedding day.
Years ago, when deciding what flowers were accessible to you at different times of the year was rather easy. Spring flowers in the spring, summer ones in summer etc. However, with the worldwide floral markets opening up and becoming more global, the availability of blooms is greater although there are still some recommendations and restrictions.
 Steve Pomerleau Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel When you consider your flowers, reminder to consider the season. Here in Southwestern Ontario, we are climate and seasonally influenced, meaning tulips in July although available, do not show as well as they do in March or April. Not only do they look better, they smell better and are usually a less expensive price. When there are lots of blooms growing at once, it does drive the price down.
Know too, that nature can change everything due to crop failures from frost, floods, drought and other natural occurences. Not all flower shops can access every flower. Different importers offer different choices; smaller centres sometimes cannot bring in enough of one type to justify the cost.
Be creative and flexible when you pick your flowers for your bouquet and wedding accents for your attendants, Maid of Honour and Best Man. Flowers are romantic, smell great and add a celebratory feel to any wedding day!
 Trevor Booth Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel
 John Lyons Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel
Life itself is the most important fairy tale of all: Hans Christian Andersen
Windsor/Essex County couples are discovering that Reality Wedding Video can be less expensive, more fun and value packed than they ever would have imagined. It is no longer an item that’s dismissed as a frivolous expense.
- The Bride & Groom are the Stars: Reality Wedding Video, 2011 style!
Making memories has become affordable and the concept is different than that of a photographer. It is totally candid and has sound. In the past, video was perceived as an expensive addition to a wedding budget. Today, it offers great value as a lasting keepsake.
This upcoming season, as couples continue to inject their personalities and unique signature style into their nuptials, we take a look inside a new trend in wedding videography, a concept called reality wedding video where the bride and groom star in their own reality-like TV show! This is their own personalized wedding story, shown in episodes!
Creating lasting wedding memories requires expertise in both shooting and editing.Windsor, Ontario based Videographer/memory maker, Walter Riggi, produces innovative work that is seamless and wonderfully laced with emotion and love. Walter is a seasoned 30 year professional, who is great fun to be with, while constantly thinking outside-the-box to give his clients a more enhanced product and experience.
Capturing video and photographic memories from the engagement to the reception is extremely important in the wedding planning process. All couples are advised to schedule an early consultation to avoid losing their top choices because of local professional availability. All consultations are free and without obligation.
Walter purchased his first video camera in Windsor in 1982, and his Dad provided great motivation. Today, he is a two-time Aegis Award winner, with his latest recognition for an outstanding production quality concept called, “Trash the Dress.” To win an Aegis Award is an outstanding achievement. It is given for recognition to people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective video/film productions being produced today. Riggi is included in this prestigious group of professionals.
Walter’s specialty is creating a memory- in-motion. His trademark style coupled with his creative flair, offers a sensory experience that is raw, real and in the moment. Reality Wedding Video (RWV) is the name of his company, and Riggi brings fun to wedding planning by capturing a couple and their uniqueness from “I will to I do”.
Riggi creates wedding stories that are treasured forever. Sweet kisses, innovation and all the unique touches in an animated story about the bride, her fiancé, family and guests. It is truly a one-of-a-kind chronology.
Video captures the essence, wonder, motion and excitement of a wedding day as nothing else can. Reality Wedding Video tells the love story, heartbeat by heartbeat. The sounds and images will be part of a living record of the wedding day, forever.
As an emerging trend in 21st century weddings, videography is hot again as an art form. It isn’t your parent’s video and couples today understand that RWV is capturing moving pictures, not still pictures of life, as it is happening.
See Reality Wedding Video, produced by Walter Riggi, based on a real couples and their weddings:
http://RealityWeddingVideo.ca
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reality-Wedding-Video-Uros-and-Dragica-Zakula/142000889178646?v=app_2392950137
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=313716207673&oid=1299786
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It was brought to my attention today that some local brides are finding a picture of a lovely wedding gown in Canada that they just love, and they are sourcing it in China because it carries a much cheaper price tag. A recent $2300 gown here in Ontario was found for a lot less in China and if this sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is!
 John Lyons Photography, Windsor, Ontario, will travel If you are trying to save on a gown’s price- be forewarned that this is not the way to do it. This is the difference between cost and price. You won’t wind up saving anything and you will be stressed and aggravated beyond belief.
The sage words of advice in a situation such as this one is- don’t even consider it. Budget expectation versus reality are two very different things. If you can only afford $999 for your gown, there are plenty of styles in the local marketplace with great service that you will be delighted with.
You won’t save any money by trying to bypass the conventional retail channels. What you will have is a headache trying to rectify a situation that needn’t have happened in the first place.
Trust in your local bridal salons to give you the best price for the budget you have available. These are your neighbours and friends and they want to see you happy and satisfied.
Remember, too, that if you do get that gown from China, who is going to alter it for you? Many shops are not comfortable handling something as special as your gown, if they haven’t sold it to you.
Your wedding day is a day of importance and it is always best to purchase what you know you are getting and that you have some control over the purchase.
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| Proudly serving area brides since 1992, The Wedding Guide, Windsor/Essex County salutes our network of wedding professionals who help Canada South Brides achieve their dream wedding! |
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 “Here’s to the bride and groom-
May their joys be as bright as the morning,
and their sorrows but shadows
that fade in the sunlight of love.” Anonymous
Welcome and congratulations. Your wedding is an event that marks the beginning of an important time for you and your fiancé. The Wedding Guide contains great information and ideas in an extensive resource that will assist you in planning each and every detail of your wedding day. Our smaller, digest size format makes it convenient to carry The Wedding Guide in your briefcase or purse. It is a valuable companion, practical, local and specific for your community. It contains checklists, budgets, advice, timetables and information on products and services to help keep your wedding plans organized. We will help you to plan a wedding, big or small in Windsor/Essex County; the one you dream about!
We’ve designed this website to give you a sample of great wedding information that is available in our publication. The Wedding Guide is complimentary and you may obtain your copy at leading bridal salons in this area.
Bridal Talk, our blogging and social media interactive website is an area where brides can interact with other brides. We have also launched Wedding Guide Bridal Network, (WGBN), where we are profiling local area professionals!
It is our belief that products and services originate from people who have ongoing professional interest in the wedding market, and we are blessed with many talented professionals in Canada South. Each category on the left side of the website will direct you to the vendors, with direct links to their respective websites. You will find many more wedding professionals, throughout the pages of The Wedding Guide.
The Wedding Guide has been developed to help you make the correct choices, and to enjoy your engagement; a time that should be filled with joy, hopes and dreams- not stress. Our wedding professionals understand a bride’s needs and will be there to help you handle the protocol and details.
Best wishes with your wedding day planning and for a happy life together. Please feel free to email us with any questions you may have regarding weddings in Windsor/Essex County.
Sheryl Davies
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