Archive for Ceremony

When it comes to choosing a wedding photographer, there are considerations that are extremely important. After all, you want these pictures to be unforgettable and to last for a lifetime.

Here are some points to consider when searching for a photographer:

How experienced is the photographer? Does he photograph weddings in his free time for extra money or does the person do it as a full time job?

It is important that you communicate to the photographer what your “photographic style” is, and then see if hers matches yours (or if you can find a middle ground). When it comes to photography there are many styles. What is yours? Some examples include classic, candid, formal, and so on. Some couples like the authentic and traditional look of black and white pictures and might want to have a series of these taken along with the more modern looking color photos.

Some photographers work alone while others work with other photographers. Make sure that the individual whom you hire to photograph your wedding is the person who will indeed be doing the work. Arrange a face-to-face meeting and request to see samples of the photographer’s work.

The personality of the photographer is important. Can the two of you get along and communicate effectively?

Following closely on the personality of the photographer is the person’s appearance. Is the photographer well groomed? How does he plan to dress the day of the wedding?

What does the photographer charge for her services? While price should not be the only factor in your decision making process, it is still significant. Just as you comparison shop in other areas of your life, it is smart to shop around and find different rates for photographers before you settle on the one you wish to hire.

What will the delivery rate be for the proofs for your pictures? What about your wedding album, bridal portraits, etc.?

Does the photographer offer a package deal or is everything separate?

What does the contract consist of? Read through it thoroughly before you sign on the dotted line. If you do not understand something, ask about it before signing.

Find out everything you need to about deposits, payments and the cancellation policy. Leave no stone unturned.

Ask the photographer for references, and then take the time to talk to others about him.

Let us continue our look at a variety of wedding customs and traditions passed down from one generation to another.

Throwing Rice

Rice is a symbol of fertility. In years gone by, a newly married couple had grain, rice or nuts tossed on them as they left their wedding reception. Showering the couple with rich was meant as a way to shower them with blessing for a happy marriage and lots of children. In Asia the throwing of rice symbolized a “full pantry”.

Today the throwing of rice is meant for the blessings of prosperity, happiness and long life. Although traditionally rice was thrown, today it is often not.

Wedding Party

It was the belief of the ancient Romans that jealous demons meant to do harm to the soon-to-be-married couple. The wedding party, consisting of groomsmen and bridesmaids, was created in order to protect the couple. All of the members of the wedding party dressed in a manner similar to the bride and groom in order to confuse the demons. The demons, therefore, were unable to figure out which two people were getting married.

Tossing of the Garter

The garter toss of today comes from an old British ritual that was known as “flinging the stocking”. After a couple got married, the guests would make their way into the couple’s bedroom and take a stocking. The guest would then throw the stocking. The first guest that was able to hit the bride or the groom on the nose with the stocking was believed to be the next person who would get married.

Honeymoon

In years gone by, brides were captured by their grooms and then held hostage until their families made the decision to end the search. A close friend of the groom (which is how the tradition of the best man began) was given the job of keeping the bride’s family at bay in order for the couple to make their escape. The word “honeymoon” refers to the time that follows the capture. The newlyweds would hide for a period of 30 days (which equaled one full moon) and drink something called mead. Mead was a drink that was made from fermented honey and water. It is still used in many areas to toast newlyweds in modern society.

Threshold

The Romans carried their brides over the threshold in order that the demons would be unable to trip her and ruin her special day.

Decorating your wedding reception when money is in short supply does not have to be a problem if you put to use some very simple suggestions.

Greenery

You can never have too much greenery at your reception. Decorate the reception area with swags of greenery with a few fresh flowers mixed in and/or some tiny white lights. Another excellent way to give greenery some glam is to mix it with tulle.

Tulle

Speaking of tulle, this item is inexpensive, comes in a variety of shades and can be used in a variety of manners at a wedding reception. Tulle is romantic no matter how it is displayed. Drape tulle along staircases, across doorways or archways, along balconies and fireplaces. Create tulle bows and tie them around table legs and chairs.

Lighting

Lighting lends itself to setting a particular mood, so bear this in mind when you decide upon the proper lighting for your wedding reception. Think intimate, think romance and think love and joy. Take small white lights and place them within swags of greenery. They can look fantastic practically anywhere you place them. In particular, they look great alongside a staircase or above a door. You also can take white lights and wrap them around small trees and bushes in a Christmas tree type of fashion.

Flower Arrangements

It is not necessary to hire a floral expert to make flower arrangements for your reception. You can make your own centerpieces for tables with a collection of different kinds of fresh cut flowers. You can buy elegant, inexpensive vases to grace the center of each table. One or two flowers can easily stand alone in vases and look beautiful. Flowers to use include lilacs, lilies, roses, tulips, carnations and daffodils.

Floral Centerpiece

The centerpiece you have for the head table does not have to be huge and it does not have to include just flowers. Design a centerpiece that is small, elegant and inviting. Some suggestions for items you could use to make it look as beautiful and eye-catching include mirror plates, ribbons and candles. Make sure you are careful using candles, however. You do not want the centerpiece to go up in flames at your reception!

When it comes to deciding upon the wedding favors that are most appropriate for your wedding, bear in mind both the mood of your wedding as well as the style. Are you having a formal wedding or will it be more casual and relaxed? Is there a theme to your wedding or not?

A theme can be an excellent starting point for your favors. If it is a beach theme, then wedding favors that celebrate that theme would be fitting, such as a small token of appreciation wrapped inside of a small seashell. Let your surroundings and the ambiance of the setting for your wedding determine what type of wedding favors would be best for your guests.

The average couple spends two to three percent of their wedding budget on wedding favors. It is important to know what type of budget you have to work with and from there come up with an approximation of how many guests will be attending the reception. Once you know these things you can then figure out how much money you can afford to spend on wedding favors.

Another important consideration is the colors for your wedding. A color scheme is an important aspect of most weddings. If your color scheme is pink, you might choose to decorate your reception in a variety of shades of pink, everything from light pink to darker shades of pink. You can use the color pink for your flowers and for your decorations and to beautify the tables at your reception as well as the entryway. Even the bathrooms can get a boost from the color pink. On the other hand you might decide to stick with only one shade of pink if you are a more traditional and classic type of couple.

The options for wedding favors are many. Explore your options. It is always nice to personalize each wedding favor with a tag that gives the name of the couple and the date of the wedding. Some suggestions for wedding favor themes include home décor, nautical, western, holiday, bath and body, food and garden.

Who says you need to have lots of money to have a beautiful wedding ceremony? If you are planning a church wedding but do not have the budget that you wish you had, read on for some suggestions for how to make the wedding as elegant as can be:

1. Stand in the church and look towards the front. Where is your attention focused on? Now think like your guests. The altar is where the guests will be concentrating because this is where the vows will be exchanged. It is essential that your hard-earned money be well spent. The flowers and decorations you choose to adorn the altar should be given top priority.

2. Hurricane lamps are a lovely choice for a fall or winter wedding. There are plenty of styles from which to choose and these lamps are relatively inexpensive. Choose glass hurricane lamps or brass lamps and decorate them in whatever way is most befitting for the ceremony!

3. Use tall candelabras at the church ceremony. Accent them with plenty of greenery. If you shop around, you will find lots of options when it comes to styles and designs. Your white candles will look very elegant and stunning in the candelabras, as they will lend themselves to making the church look more wondrous.

4. Some brides like to decorate every pew in the church. If you can find decorations that are within your budget to does this, then go ahead. If not, then here is a suggestion – consider decorating every second or third pew. Be as creative as you like. Standard options include bows, ribbons and greenery (and the hurricane lamps mentioned in number two).

5. Decide where your money would be most wisely spent. This often depends on the size of the church and how many guests you are expecting. You might want to forego decorating the pews and instead have flowers or candelabras at the entrance to the church and on the altar.

6. Before you buy decorations find out if the church has decorations that you can borrow for your wedding ceremony.

7. Real flowers are lovely but expensive. Therefore, you should keep flowers to a minimum. If you use real flowers, then have someone transport the flowers from the ceremony to the reception. Another option is to buy real looking artificial flowers.