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Tag: wedding ceremony tips

  • Ways to Honor Your Dad at Your Wedding

    Ways to Honor Your Dad at Your Wedding

    Your wedding day is a great opportunity to give recognition to those who gave you unconditional love and support along your journey, from your first steps as a toddler to your ceremony. On the day you say “I do,” consider these ways to honor your dad at your Wedding. These tips from our friends at  brides.com will create special moments for your father, stepfather or father figure. Aside from having them walk you down the aisle. You wouldn’t be who you are today without them.

    A Special Dance

    Most weddings have the traditional father-daughter dance but you can take it a step further. If dad is not much of a dancer you can possibly spend some quality time together by attending dance lessons prior to the special dance. Either to learn to dance a little better or maybe even surprise everyone with a choreographed routine. Or you can surprise him with a sentimental song you both have a connection to.

    A Daddy-Daughter First Look

    First looks with your soon-to-be spouses have become a popular way to share a special moment together privately prior to walking down the aisle. So why not consider having a separate first look with your dad? He’ll probably be nervous pacing the halls waiting to see his little girl all dolled up for her big day anyway. By setting aside a few minutes for a pre ceremony moment with him you’ll not only create a memory that will last a lifetime, but it’s also a great photo op!

    An Unexpected Shout-Out

    Many times fathers of the bride will read a speech at the rehearsal dinner or a welcome speech at the wedding itself sharing memories and words of wisdom to his little girl. You can change it up a bit by instead giving him a special shout-out. You and your fiancé may want to take a moment to thank all of your parents, or anyone who made your special day possible and memorable just a minute or two of time to verbalize your love and appreciation could mean the world to him and the other parents.

    A Photo Surprise

    This may take just a little bit of planning, but it’s a fun and creative way to make dad feel special after the wedding. Coordinating with your photographer, create a sign or prop that says something sentimental like “I’ll always be your little girl”, “I loved you first”, or even something short like ”Thanks, Dad!” You can possibly pose  with your dad and while he is not looking you can hold the sign up. Like this when your photos come in he is given the sweetest surprise picture he will cherish forever.

    Ask Dad to Officiate

    What an honor to be asked to officiate your daughters wedding. It may take some preparation to become qualified but you can get ordained in a few minutes online. He would probably consider it the ultimate compliment to be asked to be the person who makes your marriage real. Dad will have the opportunity to share loving words and special moments with your guests while making your union official. You can work with dad to create the a special & personal ceremony. You will give him the honor to be a very special part of your wedding day.

    Something Borrowed from Dad

    Typically brides will borrow an item from their mom or a past bride to count as their something borrowed. But what father wouldn’t feel special if, you asked him to help out. Maybe you’d like to borrow one of dad’s handkerchiefs, or sew a cut-out heart from one of his old dress shirts into the lining of your dress. Or you can add a borrowed cufflink into the wrapped stem of your bridal bouquet. Think outside of the box, and there’s plenty of cute ways to incorporate your dad into the tradition.

  • Thoughtful Ways to Thank Your Parents

    Thoughtful Ways to Thank Your Parents

    Parents usually play a major part in the lives of brides & grooms. They’ve been with you through all the major milestones in your life. From high school & college graduations, birthdays, major life events, etc. It only feels right to thank them for helping couples get to this major milestone: their wedding day. Take this opportunity to remind them that they, no matter what, they will always be important to part of your life. Here are some suggestions for Thoughtful Ways to Thank Your Parents from BridalGuide.com.

    Special Message

    • On your wedding day you’ll be showered with gifts and special gestures all day.  Take this opportunity to give back to those closest to you. An embroidered handkerchief with a special message is a touching and useful gift. A special piece of jewelry, such as an engraved necklace, watch, or cufflinks is touching as well.

    Meaningful Token

    • Incorporate part of your mother’s gown, veil, or jewelry into your bouquet handle or gown. Attach or wear a meaningful token such as miniature-sized version of their wedding photo.

    Mini Display

    • If you don’t like the idea of cutting up your mother’s wedding gown, then you can put it on display. Create a mini display by showcasing your mother’s gown, grandmother’s gown, or any other special ladies’ dresses. This is a great way to decorate the walk up to the ceremony area.

    Great Picture

    • Parents love a great picture with their child your wedding is a great opportunity. When compiling your picture list for your photographer, ask them to take pictures with them to pay respect to Mom and Dad. Some ideas are a picture of you holding your parents’ wedding photos. Another would be a “first look” with Dad and a “last hug” with Mom before you tie the knot.

    Special Song

    • If you don’t have a song that’s special to the two of you, pay tribute to your parents by using their wedding song for your first dance. If you prefer to use another song, you could always play their wedding song later in the evening and dedicate it to them. Either way, it will be such a special tribute to them.

    Something Borrowed

    • If you’re having trouble selecting a cake topper, re-use the one from your parents’ wedding. It’s a great way to add a little something borrowed to your dessert tables. 

     

    All of the above are touching and thoughtful ways to thank your parents that they’ll most probably love.  But don’t forget that a simple handwritten thank-you note goes a long way and will always hold a special place in their hearts. 

  • Some Wedding Ceremony Etiquette Tips

    Some Wedding Ceremony Etiquette Tips

    We found Some Wedding Ceremony Etiquette Tips from our friends at Brides.com that seemed very helpful. These tips will take the stress out of your ceremony, take a look.

    Taking A Break

    • Taking a pre-reception break between the wedding ceremony and reception is a good idea so you can take your formal pictures and still mingle I your cocktail hour. But keep in mind your guests may be sitting around twiddling their thumbs if a “short” break means hours. Try to keep the break to under an hour & possibly invite guests to a hospitality suite either at the hotel or the venue, where they can grab a light refreshment. If everything is happening at the same location, considering extending cocktail hour so that guests can mix and mingle while you take a breather. With a little longer event, you’ll get to enjoy it too.

    Avoiding Drama

    • Couples are avoiding drama by having a small wedding party. Even though it’s a great way to honor your friends and family, it’s not the only way. The wedding party has morphed into the VIPs of the day who are also helping the to-be-weds. But that brings a lot of drama, commitment, & expenses to those you ask and sometimes it’s easier not to pick and choose among your best buds. Just keep in mind that you will need two witnesses for your marriage license, usually the maid of honor & best man—so be sure to give two guests a heads up that they have an important job to do after the ceremony recessional.

    Include Your Pets

    • Many couples are choosing to include their dog or pets in the wedding ceremony.  Besides dogs, couples have included cats, llamas, and even turtles to help their owners say “I do”. But, you should check a few items before doing so. If the ceremony takes place in a religious institution, consult the officiant to make sure it’s ok to have a pup/pet present. You need to be honest with yourself about how your dog/pet will react to large crowds. Will your pet sit quietly during the ceremony or start barking, run off to find the appetizers or possibly have an accident on your train. If you think they will react reasonably include them and designate a dog/pet attendant to escort them down the aisle and hold the leash during the ceremony. Keep a treat on hand to keep them calm.

    Wedding Ceremony Etiquette Tips

    • As we suggest some wedding ceremony etiquette tips here is another idea. Many brides have best/close friends that are guys and/or gay and are including them in their bridal party. You can include them as a man of honor or a “bridesman” and have him participate in all the same activities as the ladies. The same goes for grooms who want to include their close lady friends as “best woman” or “groomslady.” Definitely include them and have a good time with it.

    Not So Traditional

    • Some brides don’t ever normally wear dresses and sort of feel pressured to wear a gown on their wedding day. In this day and age, brides are following the not so traditional current trends so they can let go of the expectation of having to wear the traditional wedding dress. Designers are taking into consideration that it’s not just all about strapless lace ball gowns and are designing elegant pantsuits and jumpsuits for sale at local bridal salons and online. Brides are even custom designing their own bride in pants wedding dress. Search and you’ll find the perfect pair of wedding gown dress pants.

    Personalize Songs

    • Brides are shying away from walking down the aisle to a classical song such as Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’. They are picking their favorite pop songs instead. Outside of religious institutions who have a list of specific, approved songs you must choose from, it’s fair game. Whether it be your favorite song or artist, brides are choosing to personalize songs for their wedding processional & recessional songs. The only etiquette requirement is to make sure the lyrics are appropriate for all ages. You may want to consider the instrumental versions which avoids any questionable words or have a string quartet play arrangements of popular music.
  • writing your wedding vows

    Writing Your Special Wedding Vows

    Tips on Writing Your Special Wedding Vows

    Exchanging vows during your wedding ceremony is one of the most intimate and nerve racking moments of your life. Standing in front of the person you love & making that life long commitment in front of all your guests can be overwhelming. Here are some tips on writing your special wedding vows we found at brides.com It’s a moment of laughs, tears, and a request for tissues so that your mascara won’t run and stain your veil.
    -You don’t have to make your vows perfect, just speak to your spouse. Right from the heart in your own words as if it’s just the both of you.
    -Don’t make your vows all mushy. You can add some humor about the both of you to get your guests laughing.
    -Keep your vows under 2-3 minutes. That’s just enough time to keep your guests’ attention. It’s also long enough time to say and express your feelings without rambling or being repetitious.
    -Don’t wait till last minute to write your vows. Give yourself time to brainstorm on what you’d like to say. If you wait for the night before your wedding you may be overwhelmed. When you are a bundle of nerves you won’t seem to string together a sentence.
    -Skip clichés, instead use specific details of your relationship with your spouse. Make it very personalized and geared towards sharing your passion, commitment, and connection. Writing your special wedding vows makes the ceremony all about your relationship. Isn’t that what all of this is about?
  • Wedding Ceremony Tips from Dash of Class Platinum Entertainment

    Wedding Ceremony mistakes to avoid to achieve great pictures.

    Here are some ideas and tips that will help those special moments at your ceremony with minimal interference.


    -Keep the bridal suite or bedroom where you are getting ready free of clutter. Clutter can slip into the background of the perfect picture moment and make it unusable for albums or frames. Cleaning up once your photographer arrives can also cut into valuable shooting time. So make sure beds are made and clear backgrounds ahead of time.


    -Have your officiant and entertainment announce to your guests to limit cell phone use during the ceremony. Also be conscious of not interfering with your professional photographers photo opportunities. During the ceremony your professional photographers are trying to capture your processional and recessional. Knowing about these Wedding Ceremony mistakes to avoid to achieve great pictures will really help. It is hard to get that perfect picture with having arms with cell phones reaching into the aisle. Unless it’s a close friend or family member, ask your officiant to step aside on your first kiss at the end of the ceremony. Doing this will ensure it’s just the happy couple in this special moment.

    -At the reception, your guests sometimes are stepping right in front of your professional photographer. Trying to get that perfect picture on their cell phone of your grand entrance or first dance can block the opportunity for your professional photographer. So once again, a quick announcement of limited or discrete cell phone use will help your photographer capture those special moments at the ceremony and reception with minimal interference.

  • Dash of Class PLATINUM Ceremony Music Ideas

    Choosing the right music for your Wedding Ceremony

    After all, you want to begin your marriage in the best setting. 
Whether your ceremony is taking place at your venue or on the beach,
the right music will help create your wedding’s atmosphere and style.
    Select ceremony music that suits you and your style! 
Ask yourself, “Do I want my wedding to be formal and traditional or more casual and modern?” Before you start choosing specific wedding ceremony songs, think about both the type of ceremony you are hosting. Also think of the venue and where it will take place. If you are hosting a traditional ceremony in a house of worship, you may only be able to play certain songs or religious music. But if your wedding is held in another location, you have a lot more flexibility. 

Also, think about who will be performing your wedding ceremony music. Are you having live musicians or a DJ? Your music pros can be very helpful when it comes to selecting the specific songs during parts of the ceremony. To help make this process easier, think about other weddings you’ve attended where you’ve liked the music. Try asking the couple about where they found their song selections. We found a great place to listen to different ideas for ceremony music on Wedding Wire. From the prelude to the recessional, you’ll need the right music to make it your own.

    Prelude Songs 


    The prelude music will play while guests are entering and taking their seats. This music aims to welcome the guests to your wedding ceremony, and sets your personal tone for the rest of it. We recommend choosing tunes by your favorite artists and find acoustic or string versions. Groups like Vitamin String Quartet or The Piano Guys have covered these songs with a romantic and upbeat feel. We suggest a medley of these songs to last about 20 to 30 minutes as your guests arrive and settle in.

    Wedding Party Processional Songs 


    This is the music that is played while the wedding party walks down the aisle. Our suggestion is a song that has a rhythm that matches a natural walking pace. Two of our favorites: “Canon in D” by Piano Guys or “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Vitamin String Quartet.

    Bride’s Processional Songs 

    After the wedding party has taken their places, there is a brief pause before the bride’s entrance. Traditionally, all of the guests stand up and a new song is played. You can go in a variety of directions with the bridal processional, from something grand and traditional to a song that’s sweet and lively. We have recently played “Perfect” by Vitamin String Quartet (covering Ed Sheeran’s hit) or “A Thousand Years” by The Piano Guys (a beautiful rendition of Christina Perri’s song).

    Interlude Songs

    While you don’t have to have interlude music during your ceremony, it adds a unique touch to a Candle Lighting or Sand Ceremony. Interludes can also be a great way to include a friend or relative with musical talent who can perform during your ceremony.

    
Recessional Songs

    You are married, and it’s time to kiss! The recessional song should be very upbeat and joyful to help lead into the celebration to follow. You can even be a little cheeky and humorous at this point. Some recessional songs we have suggested to our couples include: “Beautiful Day” by U2, “Story Of My Life” by Piano Guys (a cover of One Directions song) or “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles.

    Microphone For Your Officiant

    Preparing your vows is a beautiful touch, but if your guests can’t hear them it puts a damper on the ceremony. It is important that there is a microphone present for your officiant as he or she performs your ceremony. It makes such a difference that your guests can hear all the beautiful words that make your ceremony personal and special.