The best man usually a best brother, cousin, father or friend of the groom must be prepared for anything and be willing to help the groom solve any problem. Organizing the bachelor or dual bachelor/bachelorette party is one of the first responsibilities. He must also make sure the groom arrives at the wedding on time.
Carrying the bride’s ring is an extremely important task assigned to the best man. He may sometimes be responsible for the marriage licence as well.
The best man usually does not stand in the receiving line if there is one. He signs the marriage certificate as an official witness. He must ensure that the clergy/officiant/celebrant receives payment, which can be conveniently placed in a sealed envelope.
At the reception, the best man sits to the bride’s right, the perfect position to execute his duties as toastmaster/MC. The clever best man rehearses his toast beforehand, knowing that his practiced toast is always better than an impromptu one.
Lastly, some best men are asked to gather all rented clothing from the groom’s wedding party and return it the next business day to the formal wear store.
The groomsmen are friends and relatives of the groom (and) sometimes the bride and have a wide variety of jobs. Some groomsmen double as ushers but usually don’t have as many obligations as the best man.
They are required to be at the rehearsal, where they learn the wishes of the clergy/officiant. At the rehearsal, they may practice lighting and extinguishing the candles for the ceremony, should familiarize themselves with the entrance, exit and washroom locations for the guests’ comfort and learn seating arrangements.
The groomsmen/ushers should arrive at the wedding an hour prior to the ceremony to get their boutonnieres, ready the programs and assist with any last minute details.
If guests of the bride and groom are to be seated in separate sections, the ushers will need to find out the relationship of the guests to the couple. Once established, the right arm is offered to the lady, who is then escorted to the open pew or seat closest to the front of the church or ceremony site. The farthest forward pews or seats are traditionally reserved for immediate family members.
Last to be ushered in are the mothers of both the bride and groom. The ushers, then, unroll the aisle runner. They stay in the back of the church/venue during the ceremony, directing late guests to back or side seats.
Immediately after the ceremony, the groomsmen escort bridesmaids down the aisle. Ushers then escort out the mothers of the bride and groom and, sometimes direct the departure of the guests in an orderly manner.
The groomsmen usually do not stand in the receiving line, if there is one, but do sit at the reception table in an alternating pattern with bridesmaids. The groomsmen and ushers’only obligatory duties at the reception are to mingle with the guests, give help when needed, possibly propose a few toasts and make merry!!!
Within this cozy shop in South Windsor, Picture This Framing, a family-owned and operated business, has served Windsor and area brides and this community since 1991.
When you enter the store, you’ll notice meticulously matted and framed pictures that adorn both the walls, as well as lining the floor; waiting for pickup. This well-known landmark is busy and efficient.
 Photo by: Chalet Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel- framing by Picture This Framing, Windsor, Ontario Cheryl Chaney Jacques, proprietor, is ready and able to accommodate most of her client’s requirements with a big smile and great suggestions. She has a great eye for style and knows what frame will work with the style of items that needs attention.
When you have wedding pictures to frame, this is the shop that will look after you and make your memories shine. Perhaps you want your invitations framed too? Memories can and should be preserved to enjoy throughout your lifetime.
Framed pictures make also make a wonderful gift for all the important people in your life. They are a personalized and special gift that you can share with those that require a thank you.
Great framing is what they do here; pictures, prints, needlework, tapestry, sports jerseys and collector plates as repair mats and glass.
If you have great memorabilia like medals, coins, golf balls, christening gowns, they’ll likely suggest a shadow box to offset the item and protect it well.
They carry lines by Trisha Romance, Paul Murray, Julia Conlon and many others.
Picture This Framing, 335 Dougall Square @ Cabana
Windsor, ON Canada, N9G 1S7
Phone: 519-972-8885
http://picturethisframing.ca
Beautiful roses, daisies and freesia have all won many a bride’s heart. Bountiful flowers express your wedding palette from the ceremony, to the centrepieces. Flowers are the consistent visual that links the activities of your wedding day.
Your wedding dress expresses your personality and style and makes an amazing statement. So the bouquet that you carry with your dress is an important decision too.
Your creative floral designer will assist you if you don’t know the difference between an orchid and a lily. When interviewing them, look for their use of colour, texture and overall flair.
Let them know the particulars of your wedding: date, time of day, location, formal or informal and a general idea of your budget.
Flowers in bloom during the months of your wedding will be more readily available and a lot less costly than out-of season blooms. Holidays are also a factor if you’ve noticed how roses cost more on Valentine’s Day. Hyacinths and tulips are more popular during the spring season.
This season we’ve spotted English garden style, cascading bouquets with a romantic vintage, with natural greens such as grasses, herbs, vines and ferns. To add some nostalgia, a little bit of fabric from their mother’s gown tied into the bouquet with a brooch from their grandmother adds a personal sentiment.
Hand-tied bouquets (clusters of stems grouped together with ribbon or fabric) are still very popular and whimsical with a bohemian twist of fruits, herbs and flowers, all mixed together.
The Tussie Mussie is a throw-back to the Victorian era and is gaining in popularity once again. This is a small, metal hand-held vase with small flowers. They also make a great alternative to the mothers’ corsages.
Biedermeier is a style of tightly concentric circles of the same colour of flower, often surrounded with a collar of leaves, fabric or ribbon. This upcoming season will see a lot of these bouquets making their way down the aisle.
A Crescent style bouquet consists of flowers wired together to drape over one arm and this is a popular style for orchids.
The Presentation bouquet consists of long-stemmed flowers, cradled in the crook of your arm, like a beauty contestant carries.
The Nosegay is a rounded, hand-tied cluster of flowers with the stems tied off with ribbon.
A bride’s bridal flowers add the personal touches and details that are what makes her day as unique as she is. Wedding flowers are rich in symbolism, tradition and meaning. Use your wedding as an opportunity to share your love and sentiments and listen to the compliments that will follow.
Weddings! The ultimate day of dreams and planning. Every bride will wear a dress. Everyone will have some kind of wedding ceremony. Everyone will have some party and more than likely there will be cake that the bride and groom will cut.
As you can see, most weddings consist of many or all of the same elements. What will make your wedding unique will be the way your tailor the elements to reflect your own personality, your likes and your style.
We are researching how Windsor/Essex County brides are hosting their special day and the vision they have for their weddings.
 Share with us what you are planning to do and the best entry from this area will win a $50 certificate from Season’s Bistro in LaSalle.
Deadline date is November 30, 2010.
Send your thoughts to dms@mnsi.net with the subject line, “my wedding.”
 John Lyons Weddings  The Cake Lady, Windsor, Ontario-getcake.ca
 The Cake Lady, Windsor, Ontario The bridal gown may be the ceremony’s show-stopper, but the wedding cake is the main attraction at the reception. Stephanie Boutette knows that well as a busy cake baker in this area.
Choosing a wedding cake can be a sweet treat for a bride; big or small, round or long, her wedding cake will reflect her personality. The cake design can showcase the wedding theme or colour scheme. Beautiful lace bead work from her dress can be inlaid onto the cake for a resplendent look.
Stephanie Boutette has become The Cake Lady, a clever name she chose for her business and has been baking since she was a teenager. She discovered something she loved doing and developed her talent into a career.
Asked about her favourite style, she replied, “My favourite changes every week. When I do something new, I just love it and each one challenges my creativity differently.”
She loves to work with fondant, which is a special type of frosting that is rolled out, smoothed out and draped over the cake. This creates a satin smooth, porcelain look that is a beautiful backdrop for detailed icing. Fondant is very versatile and can be shaped in many different ways, but it is labor intensive. Stephanie recommends that brides try the fondant, because there are many types in the market and some just aren’t as tasty as hers.
Many of today’s couples are personalizing their cakes by adding special touches such as crystal studding, rosettes, lace and pearls. “Cake jeweler is very popular right now, and it defines and creates a very classy look,” Boutette adds.
Stephanie has also seen the resurgence of the Groom’s Cake, once a popular offering in the past. It is a special way of honouring the groom and is a gift from the bride. Traditionally, it was a dark fruit cake, laced in liquor, but today’s creations are more humourous and designed according to the groom’s interests and can incorporate quirky themes such as golf, sports, poker, movies and cars; things that define the groom’s personality.
 GetCake.ca The Groom’s cake can be presented at any time during the wedding celebration and is sometimes included in one of the layers of the bridal cake. However, it is nice served as a toast to the groom at the rehearsal dinner so it is enjoyed and shared in an intimate tribute to the wedding attendants and special guests. Or, serve it at the reception as a second flavour choice for the guests. These cakes have made quite a comeback as a noteworthy compliment to the elegantly-tiered wedding cake.
In many of today’s weddings, the wedding cake is being placed in front of the head table, making it a focal point. With that in mind, Boutette suggests “picking up a beautiful cake stand and a cake topper that is appropriate for the style of the cake. Modern cakes and vintage cakes call for different styles.”
Stephanie loves her work and the best part of her job is watching the faces of the brides when they see their wedding cake for the first time. She says, “The challenge of creating something totally new each time is her motivation.”
And, she loves working with brides. With the many colours, shapes and styles for wedding cakes, the variations are endless with enormous opportunity to be creative. The challenge of each new design is what she thrives on most.
Boutette is good at what she does and for her it’s as simple as that. You’ll find her in the kitchen, baking, icing and working for her brides. Her impressive cakes are works of art and the sky is the limit for her. She translates the bride’s fantasy into reality each and every weekend.
Like other busy bakers, Stephanie will take orders for any occasion from corporate to birthdays and in-between. Her works of edible art are like tiers of joy- extraordinary and distinctive.
For more information: www.getcake.ca
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