Beat The Heat – Summer Wedding Weather Survival

Summer weddings are popular for a number of reasons:  the brilliant sunshine, the ready abundance of flowers and plants, and the overall sense of energy and vibrant life that comes with the season.  These sunny celebrations of love and eternity do present a seemingly inescapable fact of nature: the heat.   Not to be dissuaded; however, countless couples choose to tie the knot outdoors during the summer.

flamehead by Cayusa

Fear not!  Surviving the sweltering temperatures is easily accomplished for both the guests and the bride and groom.  Here are a few simple tips for keeping your cool:

1. If you’re invited to a summer fete, choose a light-colored outfit (avoiding white, of course).  The light colors will help reflect the sun’s rays and keep you cooler than dark colors.  Also, if you wear a dress, avoid long skirts.  Knee length or mid calf skirt will allow for the movement of air without smothering your legs.
2. If you have long hair (bride or guest), wearing your hair up will work wonders to keep your neck and shoulders cool and pleasantly un-sweaty.
3. Stay hydrated.  One of the number one dangers during any summertime celebration is dehydration.  Keep cool beverages on hand.  This can be especially important for the bride and groom, as she is likely to be weigh down under layers of a heavy wedding gown, while he’ll be sporting a fetching (but also heavy) tuxedo.
4. Try to stay in the shade.  Avoiding the direct sunlight can help keep you cool as well as avoiding sunburn.  Sunscreen is a must for outdoor ceremonies.  No one wants a blistering sunburn as their thank-you note for attending.

jasmined - sweaty guy photo

So don’t dread the long ceremony in the sun.  With proper planning and a little common sense, disaster can be avoided and you can cut loose and celebrate with the proper enthusiasm, without worrying about the heat.

Are You A Diva Bride?

photo by Corey Ann on Flickr

You’re ordering your wedding cake. It has five layers and you want the layers to be raspberry – lemon – raspberry – lemon – raspberry. The baker’s assistant writes it down switching it so it says lemon – raspberry – lemon……You do:

1. Politely point out the error before the baker pulls out the baking pans and gets to cooking.
2. Shriek “It’s raspberry then lemon!” and burst into tears.
3. Call your fiancé and make him explain it. He’s the negotiator.

You are trying on your wedding dress for a fitting. They need to fix the neckline. You:

1. Ask someone at the shop the status of fixing the neckline.
2. Throw your wedding veil in the air and run through the store saying, “They’ve damaged my dress!”
3. Tell your mother and let her talk to the store.

A bridesmaid is not getting the invitations ordered or her other duties done. You need to help get her organized – quick! You:

1. Have lunch with her and find out what is going on – help create a plan for her.
2. Cry on the phone to her that she is ruining your wedding and then cry to your other 5 bridesmaids about her for two hours.
3. Ask your future mother-in-law for advice and let her replace the bridesmaid with a cousin.

The caterer is asking for a second deposit. You’ve paid them but now they want even more. Your wedding is three weeks away and your fiancé is out-of-town. You:

1. Call the caterer and ask the reason for the additional deposit. Get the information in writing and understand why you need to pay them.
2. Leave work abruptly and go down in person to yell at the manager that he is “wrecking your day” and that he doesn’t understand. Cry on the way back to work and hire a new caterer.
3. Call your parents and in-laws and tell them you need a new caterer.

The band you’ve hired has an emergency and now can’t perform on your wedding. You’ve got to find a replacement – fast. You:

1. Put out the word to family and friends you need a referral to a great band.
2. Cuss out the band manager and tell him you’ll never forget how he tried to ruin your most important day.
3. Call your fiancé and let him decide what to do.

Okay, it’s time to tally up. How did you do?

All A’s: Regina Reasonable Bride – rational and practical, you’ve got it all under control
All B’s: Diana Diva Bride – get out of her way, she’s loud, proud and out of control!
All C’s: Beth Baby Girl Bride – time to grow up before you put on that wedding dress

Valentine’s Day Weddings – Should You Say “I Do” on a Popular Holiday?

Holiday themed weddings have been popular nearly as long as couples have been saying, “I Do!” With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many couples are preparing to wed on this very romantic and sweet day of the year. But should you choose a holiday as your wedding day. Let’s talk about the benefits or challenges of choosing Valentine’s Day – or another popular holiday as your wedding day.

image by riptheskull

The costs will often be higher on a holiday wedding day. Expect to pay a premium price for things like flowers, catering and event space for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Especially flowers will be quite expensive near Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. You’ll want to include these costs in your budget planning.

Holidays like Valentine’s Day are also an ideal time to find special things you’ll only find at one time of the year. Many manufacturers make things in time for the holidays knowing that they will be purchased by many. Your celebrating your wedding in addition means you can enjoy pink champagne or other romantic things that may be included with the holiday.

A holiday wedding can make it easy for everyone to come – as they have that time off from work or school. A wedding near a holiday can often make it easier for friends and family to come to your wedding as many holidays are days off from work or school. While Valentine’s Day is not a holiday we take off from work. New Year’s Eve and the 4^th of July are. Many of these holidays can be an ideal choice as you will know that family and friends can take the long weekend or part of the week to join your special celebration.

Some guests may find a Valentine’s Day – or other holiday themed wedding a challenge. The holidays are a time when people often make special plans. If family or friends have made plans of their own they may sometimes be hard to change. Of course a wedding is something special you just don’t want to miss. Simply keep in mind that with a holiday themed wedding you’ll want to use Save the Date cards way in advance to let guests know you are using a special holiday date – to be sure they reserve this date for your wedding instead of for other plans.

You’ll always have a “fun” wedding anniversary. When your wedding anniversary is Valentine’s Day, this day becomes even more romantic and special for the two of you as a couple. Just imagine how wonderful it will be celebrating big anniversaries like your 10^th, 25^th or 50^th wedding anniversary and Valentine’s Day on the same day. Very exciting and also romantic as well. Every restaurant in town will be offering special meals and treats. There will always be lots of fun and romantic things to do over the Valentine’s Day weekend that you can do to celebrate your anniversary.

Winter Weddings – Why Not?

photo by Evandro Miquelito

You might not want to go this extreme with a winter wedding, but you also might not want to wait until spring or summer to tie the knot.  There are a lot of cool things (pun TOTALLY intended) that you can do for a winter wedding that you can’t for a wedding in warmer months, so go for it!

Two Words:  Snow Globes

photo by graftedno1

You can have snow globes as a part of your centerpiece decorations, you can have snow globes as wedding favors, or you can have really nice, high-end snow globes as your attendant gifts.  Everybody loves a nice snow globe!

Excuse to Go Formal

photo by madmolecule

Since you know the reception will be indoors, why not make your wedding a black tie affair?  You don’t have to spend a fortune on the food and drink, but it gives everyone a great excuse to don their finery and look their absolute best.  Plus, how gorgeous will your photos be?

Food and Drink

photo by photo kitten

A summer reception means that extra sweet, extra warm, and extra decadent is a little over-the-top.  Use this winter wedding as an excuse to break out the bisque, serve the cheesecake, and serve up some belly-warming holiday spirits.  Two great ones to try?  How about eggnog?  A classic holiday drink, it’s got a creamy, nutmeggy taste and if you put spiced rum or bourbon in it you’ll have your guests feeling all warm and cozy.  Another great?  How about a Peppermint Martini with a candy cane rim?  Garnish with a mini-candy cane and you’ll have tasty AND pretty cocktails.

Have a wintertime wedding to rival any fairy tale.  And make sure you send us some pictures!

The Meaning of Flowers

There are many factors to consider in choosing flowers for your wedding.    Of course you have to consider your budget, your colors, how well the flowers you choose will work with the décor of your venue, and whether or not the fragrance (or lack of fragrance) is pleasing.  All those things are important, but also important is the sentiment, or meaning behind your flower of choice.

photo by bcballard

One of the most popular wedding flowers is the calla lily.  The calla lily is available year-round in the United States, and has a larger variety for bouquets, centerpieces, and venue decoration, as well as a smaller variety for nosegays and boutonnières.   Calla lilies (also known as Zantedeschia) are native to Africa, and come in many colors.  The meaning attached to the calla lily is “magnificent beauty”, or “royalty.”  Legends about lilies in general say that the lily came from Hera’s body itself, and that upon her birth Venus was so jealous of the lily’s beauty that she “caused a huge and monstrous pistil” to sully the interior of the flower.  The calla lily is a classic wedding flower, and one that looks beautiful with almost any theme.

photo by Randy Son of Robert

Another popular wedding flower is the rose.  A fragrant and beautiful flower, roses come in many different varieties.  The main type of rose used today is a Hybrid Tea Rose, which was cultivated around 1867.  Stories of roses in history, however, date back much further.  Roses are mentioned in Homer, Virgil (so back circa 2000 BC or earlier), and Nero was crazy about roses (so 202 AD).  Don’t let that give you a bad impression, as roses have been written about by brilliant poets, and have been the traditional gift of Valentines and Men Who Are In The Doghouse.  The rose is said to have different meaning depending on the color.  A red rose means “passionate love”, while a pink rose means only “friendship.”   A white rose means “purity,” while a yellow rose means “zealous.”

photo by Tony the Misfit

Daisies are a non-fragrant but very popular flower to use at weddings.  The most commonly used type of daisy is the “bellis perennis”, or common daisy.  The word daisy actually comes from the words “day’s” and “eye,” or, as Chaucer called it, “eye of the day.”  This is because it closes up completely at night and opens back up to show it’s “eye” during the day.  Daisies are a cheerful flower.  It is said that daisies mean “innocence.”

photo by ginnerobot

Daffodils are a beautiful early springtime flower with a very subtle fragrance and can have a vibrant yellow color, an orange center and white petals, and several other color combinations.  It is said that daffodils mean “chivalry,” and legend has it that the daffodil first appeared during The Last Supper.  Legends or no, the daffodil makes a striking, fresh, and happy impression on a wedding landscape, and also looks beautiful in bouquets or on lapels.

photo by Jun Acullador

Carnations are a great “filler flower,” as well as a great bouquet flower.  The legendary origins of carnations date back even further than daffodils, though not as far back as roses or lilies.  Carnations are like roses in that the color of carnation dictates the supposed meaning.  A pink carnation stands for “gratitude,” while a white carnation stands for “remembrance.”

Choosing the flowers for your wedding can be one of the most enjoyable parts of wedding planning, and seeing your venue decorated, holding your bouquet, and appreciating the fruits of your planning labors