Wedding Dress | Wedding Ideas

We found out today that we have been included in the Top 10 Wedding Planner Blogs by the Online University Reviews in the US. Sitting alongside the likes of Martha Stewart Weddings The Bride's Guide and The Bride's Cafe, we are in pretty amazing company. This is a really interesting article that includes many great blogs and website links to help in the planning of your wedding. We feel a bit special being included, thanks Suzane for letting us know.

by Jane Cameron

Love, love, loving every single detail from this Niagara wedding. Beyond picture perfect. See more from the wedding here.

Each of the members of your wedding party has specific responsibilities to perform at the wedding. All members of the wedding party, including children, should be present at the wedding rehearsal. However, the children do not have to attend the rehearsal dinner. If they are invited to the dinner, their parents should be invited also. All adult members of the wedding party and their spouses should be invited to the rehearsal dinner. If someone in the party is engaged or seriously involved, their fiancé or significant other can be invited as well.

All members of the wedding party should be present when the wedding pictures are taken. This may be either before or after the ceremony, or both.

Following are the general duties of the individual members of the wedding party. The bride and groom may ask their attendants to assist in other ways as well, depending on the situation.

Responsibilities of: The Maid of Honor/Matron of Honor

When accepting the honor of being the bride's primary attendant, the maid/matron of honor should be prepared to pay for her dress and shoes, unless the bride indicates otherwise. She may also need to pay for her own transportation and lodging if she is coming from out of town.

If the maid/matron of honor lives near the bride, she should take an active role in helping the bride plan the wedding, including helping make decorations and decorating the wedding and/or reception sites. It is also appropriate for the maid/matron of honor to host a bridal shower if she chooses to do so, but it is not required. If the female attendants' dresses are rented, the maid/matron of honor may be asked to pick them up the day before the wedding and return them after the wedding. The maid/matron of honor should be well acquainted with the details of the wedding plans so that she can handle any last-minute problems that occur. In order to fully understand the plans, she may want to attend at least one of the bride's meetings with the wedding coordinator. She should also work closely with the best man at the rehearsal and on the wedding day to see that everything goes smoothly.

On the day of the wedding, the maid/matron of honor will be expected to do the following:

After the wedding, the maid/matron of honor should assist in clean-up and removal of decorations. She should collect and return any rented dresses or other items, and do anything else that the bride might request. 

By Glenna Tooman

So one of your close friends, relitives or just your brother's fiance comes up to you and says "I'm getting married! Will you be my bridesmaid?" Immediately you say yes.

Two weeks later you and the rest of the bridal party are shopping and looking at $300 dresses, $150 shoes, $100 hair-do's and the rest of the works. Suddenly you are thinking how on earth will I afford all of this stuff.

Luckily you have scored an easy bride, she knows exactly what she wants and isn't fussed about how much it will cost whether it's a lot of a little. Here are some easy suggestions that would work wonders on your budget..
1. Dont pay full price one week if it will be on sale the next!...

Many people make the mistake of buying at the wrong times of the month. Remember, stores are always having sales so maybe it would be best to wait that extra week and get those perfect shoes when they are on the 30% odiscount table. Also, instead of spending all the money in one go remember that most stores do accept lay-by's, so lay-by the shoes and gradually pay them of, and then you will still be able to eat the week later.
2.It doesn't have to break the bank....

Many people forget that you can get clothing that looks exactly the same as your Chanel and Prada from those budget stores like Target and K-mart. This means that you really need to make sure you have checked all stores before you come to a decision on what to buy. If you have a flexible bride then she wont mind buying your shoes from a department store or a factory outlet. Most bridesmaids will only wear their dresses or shoes once or twice so dont go o buy Lisa Ho if your not going to wear it again.

3. Shop Around...

Remember to shop around. It happens often that you wil walk into a store that sells one thing for $60 and then you walk next door and they are selling it for $10. So dont settle for big well known stores, go to a couple of the little independant stores and check out their range because you are more than likely to find what you are looking for and it will cost you half the price than if you were to go somewhere else.
4. Haggle...

It is vital to let your bride know what is to be expected of her financially. Traditionally the bridesmaid is expected to pay for her own dress and if located some distance away her travel fare. Alternatively you could offer to help pay for part of the dress or fare as a gift to say ‘Thank You’ for her help.
5. Friends with benefits...

Lastly if you have a friend who does nails, hair, make-up etc. don't be afraid to suggest this to the bride because it means you could save yourself up to $60 per bridesmaid on just their hair and make-up..

Finally remember that being a bridesmaid is a lot of fun and it is an all round great experience so dont let the pressure make you stress out. Just get out there and have some fun and remember to help the bride.

by Lauren

Gifts given by the bride and groom are certainly part of the wedding tradition. But who makes up the group fortunate enough to receive a gift from the bride and groom? Members of the wedding party top that list. That includes everybody: best man, maid of honour, matron, bridesmaids, ushers, groomsmen, junior bridesmaids, flower girls, and ring bearers. It's also a nice gesture for the bride to give a gift to the groom and vice versa, although this is not mandatory. Nowadays, the bride and groom also include each set of parents on the gift giving list. Also, it's definitely a nice gesture to give a gift to any other person who did something special during the occasion. Sometimes someone will be asked to do a special reading at the ceremony, or to step in for the bride's father and walk the bride down the aisle and these individuals should be acknowledged.

Why give gifts to members of the wedding party?
The purpose of these wedding gifts is to show your appreciation, not break your wedding budget. A gift that has been specially picked out shows you put thought and consideration into the gift. Including a personalized note with the gift thanks the person for whatever role he or she played and it is certainly a nice touch when having the gift engraved with the wedding date and couple's names or initials. To help with thank you letters, keep a note of what each person's role so you know exactly what to say when it comes to writing.

Prepare the gifts several weeks in advance. Make sure you have the gifts purchased about 4 weeks prior to the wedding date. That gives you enough time to have them engraved and to create your personalized messages. To help the gifts make an even greater impression on the recipient, take special care in wrapping them. Use fancy wrapping paper and elaborate bows using colours that complement the wedding colours. The best time to give your gifts is during the rehearsal dinner, as it's intimate, and the people to whom you're giving the gifts should all be present.

Here are some gift ideas to help you get started? First, check your wedding budget to see how much you have allocated to this category. You've likely spent quite a bit of your money by this stage, so it's important to take a realistic look. Brides typically give each member of the bridal party a piece of jewellery or a hair clip that the bride would like her to wear on the wedding day. Other gift ideas include bud vases, picture frames, bath oils, a collectible item or a gift basket. The men in the wedding party like to receive engraved pens, pocket watches, cigars, business card holders, a clock for their desk, or key chains. For the parents, a professional wedding photo in an engraved frame is perfect as is a personalized letter detailing your appreciation. For each other, anything that conveys your love and devotion is ideal.

by Bridget Mwape