Winding Road Weddings

Outdoor weddings

2009-07-15T14:54:00.005-04:00

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor weddings. You can have it at the beach, by the lake, in the park or in the backyard of a house. When planning this type of wedding, don't forget to consider below :

* Wind and rain
Not to ruin your dreamy mood, but it's better to mention it before you plan further. I can't imagine anything worse than rain and wind ruining your make up and the table set up. Tent is your best bet to save the day.

* Insects
This one you will probably not have to deal with in beach weddings. Other than that, you do need to make sure mosquitos, bees, ants etc can not have their way to ruin your day

* Experience
Outdoor celebration is not everybody's cup of tea. You need to make sure your catering and decorator are experienced in it. This way they know how to prepare and do their job even in the least expected situation. Plus they can also give you tips and remind you about the little details you may not consider in the beginning.

* Contingency plan
Everyone involved in making your dream day should have contingency plan simply because the moment (yes this moment, your wedding day) won't come back. Everyone including the couple who are getting married. Having an outdoor wedding makes it even more important to have plan B. When you visit the place you will be having the wedding at, list all the 'what ifs' that come to mind. Then as soon as you have time, sit down and try to find solutions to these what ifs. It's convenient to do this prior to meeting with businesses. This way everyone gets the big picture and you will know what is possible to be accomplished and what is not, just enough information to make up your mind and book the service or product.

* Regulation
This is usually the first thing you will hear from the site owner or manager. Even if you are having it in your own backyard, there are regulations about noise and parking that you may need to consider. If nobody mentions it to you, do your best to find out anyway. Even better if you know someone who got married in the same place, they will be a good source of information.

Fun intended

2009-07-11T01:19:00.006-04:00

Here are some fun articles to read :

Luckiest summer wedding dates in 2009
Wedding colors by Zodiac
Wedding flowers by sign

You might even find these articles accurate to some degree. I love red, although when I was younger I love dark red and dark colors. Now I kind of like pink, peach, lighter colors so blood red it is. A downright Leo I never can resist red. Numerology isn't just some kind of prankster-messing-with-number thingy. It went back to the ancient times, much like astrology, i-ching alike. I have learned a bit about it many years ago and although I can hardly remember much, you might find it fascinating how numbers can explain our personality.

Now there are some movies you can watch when you take a break from the hassles of planning and preparing for the wedding. Here are my favourites, not in chronological order, I just go by memory :

27 Dresses
The Wedding Planner
Monster In-Law
Made of Honor

Father of the Bride
Meet the Parents
Shall We Dance

Haven't watched it yet but sure won't want to miss it : The Proposal

Links Exchange

2007-12-31T11:59:00.004-05:00

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Wedding Ideas
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Twelve month planner

2007-04-28T16:21:00.001-04:00

Month 12

Announce your engagement
Develop a guest list
Plan a wedding budget
Settle on wedding theme

Month 11

Choose wedding location and date
Ask for recommendations from friends and professional wedding services
Send announcements to family, friends and acquaintances

Month 10

Look for gowns and accesories
Hire caterer, photographer, videographer, florist and DJ

Month 9

Shop for gowns
Host bridal shower
Register

Month 8

Plan honeymoon
Plan out of town guest accomodations
Meet with priest, minister or rabbi

Month 7

Order wedding dress
Finalize guest list

Month 6

Order bridesmaid's dresses
Select shoes and undergarments
Order transportation services

Month 5

Select wedding favors
Order invitations and stationery

Month 4

Order tuxedos
Book honeymoon
Purchase gifts and favors

Month 3

Choose wedding rings
Finalize flowers
Plan menu
Mail invitations
Purchase trousseau
Hire a decorator

Month 2

Order cake
Attend showers
Write vows
Buy guest book
Change name on SSN or SIN, driver's license, bank account and credit cards

Month 1

Finalize ceremony plans
Finalize decoration details
Final dress fitting
Send shower thank you notes
Call invitees who haven't responded
Plan seating arrangements for reception

Week 3 to 1

Get marriage license
Meet hairstylist for hair arrangement and make up
Final meetings with caterer, clergy and florist

The list is modified from initial wedding planning tips by Wilton Wedding. Been there done that? Share us your stories and tips !

Budget worksheet

2007-04-28T15:50:00.001-04:00

Here is a list of expenses you can use to create your budget and compare to the actual expenses. Feel free to modify them according to your wedding requirements.

Jewelry
• Engagement rings
• Wedding bands
• Bride's jewelry

Church/ ceremony
• Instrumentalist / vocalist
• Church / ceremony fee
• Gift to ministry/ priest/ rabbi

Flowers
• At Church
• Reception hall
• Bride, Bridesmaid, mother of bride
• Groom, Bestmen, Usher, mother of groom

Attire
• Wedding gown, tiara & veil
• Shoes
• Tuxedos
• Trousseau
• Clothes for rehearsal dinner or luncheon

Invitations
• Wording and printing
• Materials, ink and accesories (do it yourself)
• Postage costs

Photography
• Prints
• Videography
• Formal portraits

Transportation
• Limousine services
• Extra gratuities (if applicable)

Reception
• Food & Bar
• Caterer
• Hall / hotel rental
• Wedding cake
• DJ and MC
• Decoration that hall provides
• Professional decorator and rental fees
• Extra gratuities

Gifts
• Favors for attendants
• Best men
• Bridesmaids
• Ushers
• Parents of bride and groom

Hotel
• Wedding night
• Out of town guests

Parties
• Bridal luncheon or dinner
• Rehearsal dinner
• Bridal shower
• Bachelor party

Honeymoon
• Air travel
• Accomodation and food
• Things to do
• Transportation

The list is modified from initial list of expenses by Wilton Wedding. Been there done that? Share us your stories and tips !

Wedding theme

2007-04-24T16:58:00.001-04:00

Not sure which wedding theme to pick? Here are some tips on choosing your wedding theme :

1. Pick your favorite color or his or both

2. Pick your favorite flowers, for example Roses.
Then among so many colors that roses come in, combine the most subtle and the most dramatic ones, they will look perfect for decoration and in pictures.

3. Pick colors of the season when the wedding is held or when you or your beloved was born
Winter colors are white, silver, midnight blue, dark green, burgundy, dark red, hunter green
and other christmas colors
Fall colours are burgundy, deep orange, dark brown, sage green, midnight black and ivory
Spring and summer colors are aquamarine, pink, peach, turquoise, celery green, gold, yellow, red, lavender, ocean blue, strawberry, lilac, cinnamon and any pastel colors

4. Pick your favorite activity together

If both of you love travelling to foreign countries, you can pick an exotic theme for your decoration including centrepieces, table or chair decoration and cake toppers among many others.
For example: Moroccan style chair covers and hurricane lamp centrepieces. If you are a big fan of Cinderella movies, you can choose to have a Fairytale wedding complete with fairytale style accesories, glass castle cake topper and glass castle centrepiece.
If you two love to spend time together at the beach, beach wedding theme will be perfect. Seashells favors, seashell candle holders, seashell cake toppers, ocean blue table cloth - you name it!

5. Pick flowers of the month when you or your beloved was born or when the wedding is held

January - Snowdrop, Carnation
February - Primrose, Violet
March - Jonquil, Daffodil
April - Daisy, Sweetpea
May - Hawthorn, Lily of the Valley
June - Honeysuckle, Rose
July - Water Lily, Orchid
August - Poppy, Gladiol
September - Aster, Morning Glory
October - Calendula, Cosmos
November - Narcissus, Crysanthemum
December - Poinsettia, Holly

If your favorite flowers are not flowers of the month it might be difficult to find them unless you are flexible enough to use artificials. Roses are pretty common to use in weddings, so it might be easier to get life roses instead. Feel free to combine your favorite flowers with the flowers of the month whenever they are available.

6. Pick among various wedding theme collection accesories,
whichever you like best, and apply the theme to the overall decoration.
For this you can visit my shop and click on each link to view various collections available.

7. Pick the most suitable theme for the reception hall

If the most dominant colors of the room are navy blue and gold it's not a bad idea
to pick these colors as your theme.
If the hall is dominated with white or ivory, you can pick darker colors as your theme since these colors will look contrast with the pale background in the picture.
If you happen to rent an old house with mostly wooden furnitures and grey stone background, pick white, silvery or bright colors to brighten the way the room looks.
If it's a new house with fireplace and brand new mahony furnitures, it might be a good idea to pick ivory or pastel colors as your theme since it will soften the dark colors just enough.
Garden or outdoor tent will be perfect for spring wedding, it leaves a lot of room for colorful decoration ideas.

8. If all else fails, get plenty of magazines or view wedding pictures online and pick the best that you'd like to make your own theme. You can also visit my shop for more ideas.
Just to save you from doing your own research, here's information about meaning of flowers associated with birth months and wedding:
Aster or the Star - Variety, elegance, daintiness
Calendula - Grief, jealousy
Cosmos - Modesty
Chrysanthemum - Cheerfulness, optimism, rest, truth
Carnation - Fascination, distinction, divine love
Daisy - Innocence, loyal love, I'll never tell, purity
Dandelion - Faithfulness, happiness
Daffodil - Regard, rebirth, new beginnings, unrequited love, you're the only one
Forget me not - True love, hope, remembrance, memories
Fern - Sincerity, magic, fascination, confidence
Gladiol - Strength of character, remembrance, infatuation, splendid beauty

Gardenia - lovely, secret love, joy, sweet love, good luck
Holly - Foresight, defense, domestic happiness, enchantment
Hawthorn - marriage, childbirth, wedding flowers in ancient Greek
Honeysuckle - Bonds of love
Ivy - Fidelity, wedded love, friendship, affection, marriage
Jonquil - Sympathy , love me, affection returned, desire.
Lily of the Valley - Return of happiness, purity of heart, sweetness, humility, happiness
Lavender - Devotion
Magnolia - Dignity, love of nature, nobility
Morning Glory - Loves you
Myrtle - Love, marriage symbol in hebrew
Mistletoe - Kiss me, affection
Moss - Maternal love, charity
Narcissus - Egotism, conceit, self love, self admiration, formality, stay as sweet as you are
Orchid - Rare beauty, love, refinement, beautiful lady, mature charm, beauty, long life
Poppy - Eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination
Primrose - I can't live without you.
Peony - happy life, happy marriage, good health, prosperity
Poinsettia - Christmas star, hope, celebration
Rose - Love, passion, perfection.
Snowdrop - purity, hope, maid of february, church flowers
Stephanotis - Happiness in marriage, desire to travel
Sweetpea - Lasting pleasure, blissful pleasure, I think of you
Tulip - Perfect lover, happiness in love
Violet - Modesty, faithfulness, innocence, understated beauty
Waterlily - Purity of heart
White Lily - Purity, modesty, virginity

In the end it is your wedding and it is your day to remember. You might end up with romantic, humorous, conbination of the above or just a simple wedding at home - it all depends on how both of you feel and how flexible your budget is. For more flower meanings, click here

Been there done that? Leave us a comment ! Share us your stories, pictures, links - anything you'd like to share!

Invitations Etcetera

2007-03-09T18:40:00.004-05:00

Invitations are usually mailed out between sixteen to twelve weeks prior to the wedding. If your invitees are located abroad where it may take longer for postal service to reach them, then it is better to mail the invitations out earlier just in case. Finalize the dates, time and place and other information you would like the invitees to know, at least sixteen weeks prior to the wedding. This way you can send out the invitations on time and you can switch your attention to other things in your wedding plans.

Announcements are sent to those who are not invited or unable to be invited due to budget restrain etc. but you wish to inform them about your wedding. You can attach your wedding picture on them, this way announcements can also act as keepsakes for the recipients.

Response Cards are sent together with the invitations and used by the invitees to indicate whether they would attend the wedding or not and if they would, the amount of attendants coming with them. If you do not wish to send response cards, you can conveniently provide your contact info at the bottom part of the invitations, this way the invitees will still be able to reach you.

Reception Cards are used to indicate time and place of the reception along with any other information e.g. beverage type (alcoholic or non alcoholic), flow of the reception, direction to reception place or even the menu.

Informal Cards can be used for many types of elegant correspondence e.g. invitations for your engagement party, to your first dinner party at home etc. If you need the recipient’s response, your contact info can be conveniently included at the bottom part of the card.

What about practical people with no special situations?? Well in that case, you can use All in One type that contains Invitation and Response card. The Invitations will include time and place for ceremony and reception. You can purchase stationery from Weddingstar, Wilton Wedding or perhaps regular craft stores, and have directions or other important information printed on it.Make a list, review it again and again. Be truthful to yourself and consider your budget wisely.

Feel free to share your tips and links to wedding planning if you have any.

Wedding Songs

2007-03-08T02:31:00.021-05:00

I hope you find love songs below appropriate for your wedding or at least to dance the night away! For instrumental music, Kenny G or David Foster for sure is my all time favourite.

Fan of Italian artist? You can't go wrong with Luciano Pavarotti's Ave Maria or Andrea Bocelli's songs.

Peter Gabriel
The Book of Love

John Berry
Your Love amazes me

Santa Esmeralda
You're My Everything

Michael Bolton
Since I fell for you

Jason Donovan
Sealed with A Kiss

Shania Twain
You've Got A Way
From this moment on
You're still the one
Forever and for always

Bryan Adams
When You Love someone
Have you ever really loved a woman
Everything I do I do it for you
All for Love

Edwin McCain
I could not ask for more

Norah Jones
Come Away with me
The Nearness of You

Celine Dion
My Heart will go on
Because You loved me
The Colour of My Love
I Knew I loved you
Have you ever been in Love

Whitney Houston
I believe in You and Me
Run to You

Anne Murray
You needed me

Righteous Brothers
Unchained Melody

Paul McCartney
Till there was You

Eric Clapton
Wonderful Tonight

Lionel Richie
Truly

Collin Raye
And I love You so

Christina Aguilera
I turn to You

All 4 One
I swear

Savage Garden
I knew I loved You
Truly Madly Deeply

Sade
No ordinary Love
Paradise
Kiss of Live
Your love is King

Diana Krall
The Look of Love

Maywood
I'm in love for the very first time

Southern Sons
You Were There

Etta James
At Last

Joshua Kadison
Beautiful in my eyes

Wet Wet Wet
Love is All Around

Bette Middler
The Rose

Air Supply
Two Less Lonely people in the world
The One that You Love

Barry Manilow
Can't smile without you

Extreme
More than Words

Reo Speedwagon
Can't Fight this Feeling

Debby Boone
You Light Up My Life

Helen Reddy
You're My World

If you have your own song, by all means have it sung at the wedding or perhaps sing it together at the reception. It's your day so why not make the most of it? First of all, the song means so much for both you and the experience of singing it together will create unforgettable memories you'd be proud to share with your children, especially when recorded on tapes!

Again feel free to share your wedding song ideas and stories behind them! Also, provide links to your personal wedding site if you have any.