Wedding

Articles for future Brides. 

What To Say When Greeting Your Wedding Guests 

 Does the idea of coming up with clever banter throughout your wedding day, as you speak to guest after guest after guest, make you nervous? Even the most outgoing personality can be at a loss for words when you take into consideration the emotions running high and a large number of people in the crowd.

 If it’s any comfort, keep in mind the fact that your guests aren’t expecting to have extensive, one-on-one conversations with you on your wedding day. Instead, most guests are eager to congratulate you on your new marriage, tell you how great you look, and offer good wishes.

 During your receiving line – if you choose to have one – the line will likely move quickly, giving you time to briefly greet each guest as they congratulate you. The reception, however, will give you plenty of opportunities to mingle with your guests. Don’t hide from them or spend every moment with your new spouse. Remember this is your event, you are the hostess, and the guests are here to honor you. In return, they deserve to have your attention for at least part of the evening.

 Conversations with guests on your wedding day will give you the chance to finally meet your new spouse’s friends and relatives for the first time. Your new spouse and in-laws will be delighted to introduce you to out-of-town family and friends. Take this opportunity to introduce them to your family and friends, as well.

You’ll probably hear comments such as:  

·         “You look beautiful / fabulous / lovely.”

·         “I’m Jenn. I don’t think we’ve met before.”

·         “Everything went so smoothly.”

·         “Congratulations!”

·         “What a beautiful ceremony.”

·         “I’m Stephanie’s second cousin once removed.”

 Make an effort to speak to every guest, even if it means moving from table to table during the reception. Be ready with simple statements including:

·         “Thank you so much for coming.”

·         “We’re so glad you made it.”

·         “It means so much to us for you to be here.”

·         “Have you met my new husband, Jeffrey?”

·         “So nice to see you.”

·         “You know my parents, Mike and Carol, don’t you? Mom, Dad, this is Libby.”

·         “We’re so honored that you’re here and hope you have a fabulous time.”

Avoid questions that might lead to long conversations with the chronic complainers in your life. You know who I’m talking about. Don’t ask how her flight was or if she likes the hotel unless you’re ready to hear about the horrible turbulence or how she’s stayed at much better hotels.  

Flowers For Your Wedding Day:  Fresh or Silk?

For some brides, there is no question. It’s fresh flowers or no flowers at all.

But for those who might still be considering which way to go, there are definitely pros and cons for real flowers vs. silk.

SCENT

For some brides, nothing comes close to enjoying all of her senses being heightened on her wedding day, and that can include the dreamy scents wafting from her bouquet. Real flowers, of course, carry their own unique scents which isn’t the case with silk flowers. However, there are special scents available to add to silk flowers, so if you really want to go the silk route, that might be something to think about.

PRICE & QUALITY 

Just because they’re imitation it doesn’t mean silk flowers will be less expensive than their real counterparts. In fact, some companies now manufacture faux flowers so realistic that it’s difficult to notice that they aren’t fresh.

Silk flowers can run the gamut from cheap and poorly made, to inexpensive with good quality, to high-price with high quality. You’re in luck if you’re able to find top-notch, lifelike silk flowers at a sale price, and some hobby stores frequently run coupons in their weekly advertisements.

If you have your heart set on out-of-season or more expensive fresh flowers, a little investigating will tell you whether you could actually save money by choosing silk. Out-of-season fresh flowers typically have the power to dramatically increase your floral bill, since it costs more for your florist have them shipped.

D I Y

Taking care of some of your wedding chores on your own could possibly save you some money and if you are a do-it-yourself type of bride and plan on creating your own bouquets, you might consider using silk flowers. That way, you’ve got the luxury of time on your side. Buy your silk flowers and put the bouquets together in the weeks leading up to your wedding. Set up an area in your home so you can enjoy the challenge of creating the bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces.

Or, if you prefer to use real flowers in your do-it-yourself bouquets, take a hint from the French. Brides in France often visit a flower market the day of the wedding, grabbing stems that they like, and then tie a bow around the stems to create bouquets with a fresh, just-picked look.

This isn’t difficult to do if there is a wholesale flower company in your area or you know of a great source to find stems. Depending on the size of your wedding party and the number of bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces you need, it might be wise to enlist the help of your bridesmaids and borrow coolers from friends and relatives to keep the flowers as fresh as possible before the ceremony and reception.

Another option is to order flowers online from one of the reputable companies who will ship the flowers to you.

If you’re a fan of the hand-tied, casual bouquets that are so popular right now, you should be able to play with the stems until you’re satisfied with the look.

MAINTENANCE

Silk flowers won’t wilt, which is something to consider if you would like to use flowers known for being fragile, if you live in a hot climate, or if you will get married outside.

Silk flowers are a bit more convenient because they’re lighter to transport to the ceremony and to the reception site. A lighter bouquet can be a blessing if you prefer larger bouquets as the weight of a real bouquet might become uncomfortable during the ceremony, especially to your maid of honor who is holding her own bouquet and the bride’s.

Also, you won’t need to worry about keeping silk flowers in water prior to show time, which is a common concern when using real floral.

Whether you choose live or lifelike, your wedding and reception will be beautiful with the right floral touches.

How to Make a Smooth Transition From the Church to the Reception Hall

With the sacredness of the ceremony out of the way, the reception is the place where guests want to walk in and say, “Wow! Now we’re going to have fun. It’s time to celebrate!”

If you’re staying at the church for a while to finish taking photographs, don’t forget about your guests. They are already on the way to your reception site.

Considering the fact that guests tend to arrive for the wedding 30 minutes early, by the time the ceremony is over, they’ve invested quite a bit of time. Many have also traveled a distance to be there. Don’t rush through your photos before heading to the reception, but do be respectful of your guests.

Your coordinator, the reception site staff, or your attendants can help make sure the reception site’s tables are set up and the decorations are in place early the day of the wedding or the night before. Be sure to find out what time the band or DJ needs to set up, and make arrangements for someone to be there to let them in. If you’re using an off-site caterer and baker, you’ll need to make arrangements for someone to let them in as well, with plenty of time to set things up.

While they’re waiting for your grand entrance, your guests will be happy with light appetizers. Keep your guests there, having fun and satisfied. You don’t want guests thinking, “Well, I’m starving so I’m leaving.”

A coordinator can take care of the guests and prevent an awkward transition from ceremony to reception.  If you don’t have a coordinator, appoint someone to make sure that when people arrive at the reception, the music is playing, the bar is ready, the hors d'oeuvres are being served, and there is some sort of organization to it so people don’t arrive only to stand around waiting for the bride and groom to get there.

What’s the most important part of a reception? The visual impact is what people will remember.

Be creative with touches like lights, floating flowers or candles as centerpieces. Fresh flowers, candlelight and music add so much to a wedding, and they add ambiance to the reception site.

Another way to add ambiance is to rent a chocolate fountain. If the chocolate fountain is there, you’ve got a great party.  The chocolate fountain earns points for being visually appealing and also tops another important aspect of the reception – cuisine. 

Food is one reason people come to a wedding, so don’t disappoint them.

There are lots of choices when it comes to food for your reception. Sit-down dinners tend to be most expensive since your caterer will need to hire more servers. Appetizers can be a less expensive choice, but not if they’re being served at meal time. Guests tend to fill up on them, making your per person price higher. When it comes to choosing between a buffet or hors d'oeuvres reception, it all depends on what you would like to serve. Often, a buffet can be the same price or less expensive than ordering finger foods.

To keep your guests happy, make plans to cut and serve the cake in a timely manner. Guests of all ages don’t want to leave before they enjoy a piece.