tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10352636120543768142024-03-12T22:17:52.452-04:00Bridal GartersBrandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272249629476413778noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-41253560518296723082013-04-04T12:50:00.002-04:002013-04-04T12:57:46.709-04:00A Lifetime of Anniversaries<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On a somewhat more personal note than I
usually write about, my Grandparents recently celebrated their 60<sup>th</sup>
wedding anniversary. This got me thinking about all their years of wedded bliss
and all the years Grandpa’s spent spoiling Grandma with beautiful gifts. So I
knew that 60 years was the Diamond Anniversary, but I wanted to know more. With
a little hunting, it was easy to track down a list of traditional gifts to
celebrate years of anniversaries:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1st Anniversary -
Paper<br />
2nd Anniversary - Cotton<br />
3rd Anniversary - Leather<br />
4th Anniversary - Linen<br />
5th Anniversary - Wood<br />
6th Anniversary - Iron<br />
7th Anniversary - Copper or Brass<br />
8th Anniversary - Bronze or Electrical Appliance<br />
9th Anniversary - Pottery<br />
10th Anniversary - Tin or Aluminium<br />
11th Anniversary - Steel<br />
12th Anniversary - Silk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">13th Anniversary -
Lace<br />
14th Anniversary - Ivory<br />
15th Anniversary - Crystal<br />
20th Anniversary - China<br />
25th Anniversary - Silver<br />
30th Anniversary - Pearls<br />
35th Anniversary - Coral or Jade<br />
40th Anniversary - Rubies or Garnets<br />
45th Anniversary - Sapphires<br />
50th Anniversary - Gold<br />
55th Anniversary - Emeralds<br />
60th Anniversary - Diamonds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I don't know exactly what happens after 60 years, but I figure if you make it to 61 and beyond, you've earned the right to make it up as you go. </span></div>
Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-52791386972207804312013-01-09T11:17:00.002-05:002013-01-09T11:17:52.465-05:00Bridal Show Season is Here!!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">….I apologize that this article is so huge, turns out I have
a lot of opinions on this stuff… Enjoy :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bridal Show Season is here!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bridal Shows can be extremely helpful for every aspect of
your wedding planning, but can be a little bit overwhelming for some Brides.
These are just some things you may want to keep in mind when choosing which
shows to attend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s better to attend shows in the area the wedding will be
held. You want local vendors for your wedding so you don’t get charged extra
fees for travelling suppliers. That said; if your wedding is very far from
where you live it may not be practical to go to a local show. Also, small towns
don’t often host bridal shows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Larger cities host larger shows! If you’re easily
overwhelmed or already have a lot of your wedding plans made, getting asked by
50 different bakers if you’d like a cake sample might not be fun. On the other
hand if you’re still in the beginning stages of planning, going to a very big
show can give you LOADS of ideas and get you thinking about what you like and
don’t like, or little things (like Garters!) that you might not have thought
of. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bridal Shows typically happen in the Fall and the Winter,
January and February being the most popular. Do your research and figure out
which shows you’d like to attend. Ask around to other people who have gone
about the quality of the shows (and the vendors) they will likely have an
opinion about their experience. Think about who you’d like to take to the show
with you. Sometimes an overly large group can be tricky to manage in a crowd
and can make your time there longer or not as well used as it could be. But of
course you probably don’t want to go alone. Think ahead of time about what
areas of planning you’ve already covered and which ones you need. If you
already have a DJ but you still don’t have a gown you’ll obviously want to
spend more time talking to the dress shops than the bands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">TAKE A PEN! (or two…or three…trust me on this)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you’ve decided on going to a show, check out their
website and the sites of some of the vendors who will be there. They often will
have coupons you can print out for discounts on either their services or the
admission to the show. Some shows offer free admission for the bride but not the entourage, some will give you half price if you register ahead of time or
if you bring a non-perishable food item. And some shows you can only get
tickets to in advance. Price of admission typically ranges $5-$25 per person
and depending on the venue parking might be extra. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Be prepared to be asked the same question A LOT! If you
haven’t set a date for your big day, telling people “spring” might prove to be
easier than saying “we’re not sure yet” and of course nobody’s going to hold
you to it if you change your mind. If there are vendors you’ve pretty much
decided on using already be sure to ask about discounts for booking at the show
or hang onto coupons you can get. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Speaking of stuff you’ll get asked, soooo many booths will
have a draw you can enter to win stuff so DO! Although, use your discretion and
enter draws for stuff you actually would want/need. If you’re snow white pale
and the very idea of being outside makes your skin pink maybe avoid the draw
for the tanning salon. Or if you’ve already got a deposit down on your Groom’s
tuxedo, don’t enter the draw for the tux shop, you likely won’t be able to get
your deposit back from the other place. It can be a good idea to print up some
labels ahead of time if you plan on entering a lot of these draws (or some
shows will do your stickers for you if you register ahead of time!) It will
save you a lot of writing and spelling your name and address to a lot of people.
Don’t forget to ask when the draw will take place, and if it’s just for this
show or for a number of shows in the area. Be sure to include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Bride and Grooms first and last names<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Wedding date and City of the event<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Phone number and address<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Email address***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*** This email address thing can be a bit tricky. You can
expect to receive emails from the vendors you give your email address to.
Although shows hosts are <u>very strict</u> about vendors sending you spam
mail. (If you find yourself getting too much mail from a show vendor I
recommend you email the show hosts about it) Don’t forget you can always
unsubscribe from these emails. A new trend right now is to have an email
address specifically for your wedding! Which is very cool and I’m sure very
handy, if you haven’t done this already, it might be something you want to do
before the shows and use this email address on stuff. Simple as
“CourtneymarriesAdam@gmail.com” and you can simply shut down the account after
the big day passes. Some online communities you might join i.e.
theweddingring.ca will provide you with an email address like this specifically
for this purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cake samples! …..Enough said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fashion shows happen at all of these things, keep your
program and write on it any dress shops you want to visit for dresses you see
in these shows. In a lot of cases they won’t allow you to photograph the
dresses in the shows so don’t depend on that to remember what you see. It also
doesn’t hurt to mention that some vendors (florists, bakers, decorators and
dress shops specifically) can be particular about taking pictures of things in
their booths so it’s best to ask permission before snapping away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Take a little bit of money with you. I’m not saying put down
a deposit on the spot for $2000 with a photographer or anything, but there
might be stuff there you feel like you need to have right then! It might not
even be something related to weddings, just as a for instance, last year I
bought myself a newspaper subscription at the show (that I regularly buy
anyway) for 75% off just because I bought it at the show, when they were there
asking people to put in engagement and wedding announcements. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Swag bags will have lots of useful stuff in them! You’ll
want to take another bag with you though because you WILL get handed a whoooole
lot of stuff. If you were tricky you could use one bag for stuff you actually
want to look at and another for stuff you take just to be polite. Look for
coupon codes or “bring this flyer in to save $$” kind of things on these
handouts and always check for the expiry date of the promotions. If you choose
to go with a vendor you saw at a show it doesn't hurt to mention that you saw
them there! It will make them happy and they might be willing to give a show
promo when you’re booking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep your options open. Most importantly you go
to these shows to see what’s available and to get ideas so don’t get bullied by
pushy vendors into committing to anything you’re unsure of. It’s fun more than
anything so take it all in as part of your Bridal experience just like a shower
or a stagette, sometimes it’s nice to be the centre of attention. </span></span>Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-43390470535677037172012-11-08T09:00:00.004-05:002012-11-08T09:00:58.156-05:00Something Old & Something New<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Something Old, Something New, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Something Borrowed, Something Blue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Something every Bride's heard a million times right, but what does this little poem have to do with getting married? Well tradition of course!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We wear Something Old to symbolize continuity with the Bride's family and the past. Something New to celebrate optimism and hope for the Bride's new beginnings. Something Borrowed usually from a happily married family member or friend who's luck will carry over to the newlyweds.The borrowed item also reminds the Bride that she can always count on her friends and family. Something Blue because blue has been recognized for centuries as a colour connected to weddings. Ancient Roman Brides wore blue to symbolize their love and modesty. Christianity often depicts the Virgin Mary in blue, so the colour is associated with purity. And before the late 19th century blue was a popular choice for wedding gowns, hence the saying "marry in blue, lover be true". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course this tradition is open to interpretation, no one ever said what shade of blue it had to be, or exactly how old the "old" item has to be. Lets just say that a little extra luck never hurt anyone. As for the last line of this poem "And a sixpence in her shoe" well I think we'll save that for another day.</span>Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-70369535865466182812012-10-22T15:14:00.000-04:002012-10-22T15:23:03.134-04:00Where does it all come from?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<header class="entry-header" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A guest post borrowed from my friend Tracy's Blog (Celebride). Enjoy!</span></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #e55564; font-family: Niconne, script; font-size: 32px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #e55564; font-family: Niconne, script; font-size: 32px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #e55564; font-family: Niconne, script; font-size: 32px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Where does it all come from?</h1>
<div class="entry-meta" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="sep" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">POSTED </span><span class="byline" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="sep" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BY </span><span class="author vcard" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="url fn n" href="http://celebride.wordpress.com/author/tracypiett/" rel="author" style="border: 0px; color: #462917; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="View all posts by tracypiett">TRACYPIETT</a></span></span></div>
<div class="comments-link" style="border: 0px; color: white; float: right; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; height: 27px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: -55px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 35px;">
<a href="http://celebride.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/where-does-it-all-come-from/#respond" style="border: 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 35px; z-index: 90;" title="Comment on Where does it all come from?"><span class="no-reply" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">0</span></a></div>
</header><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="entry-content" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">In the past two years, I have been to approximately fifteen weddings. It </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">wasn't</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> until last summer that I figured out what an impact they (and everything related to them) have slowly but surely come front and centre in my social outings.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">I love weddings- I really do. What could be better than watching two people you know and love dearly stand in front of friends and family and promise to commit themselves to each other for life? There is nothing so romantic. </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">(And of course, the best part is watching the groom see the bride for the first time that day and realizing how lucky he is to marry the most beautiful woman- well, he probably already knows it but still… Best. Moment. Ever.)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">However, with all this socializing and enjoyment of the special day between two people you know, comes the expense of it. No, I am not complaining, I am simply reinforcing a point. Having experienced this now for a couple of years, I think I would advise most 20-something year olds to start up a savings account for the monster expense we call “wedding”.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Let’s start basic… If you’re invited to a wedding, you are obviously going to buy a gift. In this day and age, in my demographic, you can expect that to be between $150 and $200 per couple. I know some other cities and cultures where this would sound cheap, but I am speaking from personal experience.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Okay, gift is covered. Now, how close are you to the bride and groom? You can also expect to be invited to a bridal shower ($50), so while you’re shopping for that gift you might as well buy the wedding gift and save yourself some time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Are you in the wedding? That opens a new can of worms.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Hair ($50)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Makeup ($25)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Nails ($30)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Outfit (anywhere from $100 – $300)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Shoes ($70)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Jewelry($50)</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Bachelor/bachelorette parties- is it a one-night thing or a weekend away? This could range between $100 – $1500</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">…and depending where the wedding is, you might have to pay for accommodations ($200) or gas to drive there and back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">This is all in consideration of </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">one</i><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> wedding. And it all happens within approximately six months of each other.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Also, where I come from, there’s these things called </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">Buck n’ Does</i><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> or </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">Stag n’ Does, Jack n’ Jills,</i><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> etc. etc. Yep, where I come from, we find weddings to be a community thing- </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">everyone</i><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> would like to help out the bride and groom and send them into marriage smiling. </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">Buck n Doe</i><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> season usually starts in the spring and goes into May or June, and can expect one every weekend. So, that’s paying $10 for admission, and maybe six drink tickets for $20 (thank goodness I’m a girl- my fiancé’s expenses are much higher). Every. Single. Weekend.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">All I am saying is, when you look at your bank account and wonder where all of your money has gone, think back to May- when that </span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">Buck n’ Doe</i><span style="color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;"> season started and count your way up to October. When you look at it in lump sum, as I just did, you might be astonished. I think it’s better to be ignorant in this area.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">And then one day, you decide to get married and begin a whole new savings account… Where am I supposed to be finding this money?! </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Yep, us in our 20s, we sure love to celebrate marriage!</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-style: inherit; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-style: inherit;">Thanks to Tracy for letting us borrow her thoughts , I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her between now and her big day! :)</span></div>
</div>
Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-73730233056222945432012-10-15T15:32:00.000-04:002012-10-15T15:33:48.991-04:00Wedding Guest Faux Pas.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A wedding can easily become the social event of the season so
if you're lucky enough to be invited to share in a couple’s Big Day here are
our Top Five Rules of what NOT to do as a guest at someone’s wedding:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Send out a late RSVP - </span></b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are dates on these
things for a reason people, it’s so the Bride and Groom will have lots of time
to sit down and tackle the dreaded task of designing a seating chart. Try to do
them the courtesy of letting them know whether you're coming or not in a timely
manner.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bring an uninvited “Plus-One”</span></b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> - </span> The invitation will be addressed (that’s how
it got to you in the first place) if you are married it will say To: Mr. &
Mrs., if you are not it may say To: Your name and Guest. And if you don’t mark that you're bringing a
date then don't bring a date. Going back to the seating chart thing it can give
both the bride and the caterer headache.
Also if you have children and their names aren't on the invitation don’t
bring them. Hire a babysitter and enjoy your night off ;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wear White </span></b>- This is a huge pet peeve of mine, a guest
wearing white to a wedding is not acceptable. The Bride wears white. You don’t.
It’s that simple. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Skip the Ceremony and go to the Reception</span></b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> – First of all that’s really rude, secondly ceremonies are typically 15
minutes to max an hour long, you really can't sit still for that long? Pretty
soon you'll be wining and dining on the Bride and Groom’s dime anyway so do
them the favor of attending the ceremony you'll be celebrating afterward. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Going nuts on an Open Bar </span></b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">– You're there to
party, we get that, but going way overboard on the open bar isn't cool. You're
going to end up being “that guy” totally plastered and grinding on the Groom’s
Granny and yelling ‘”shots, shots, shots, shots” along with LMFAO. If the
videographer manages to miss this, there’s no way somebody’s smart phone won’t
be uploading it to Facebook a few minutes later, so even if you're so drunk you
won't remember, there will be proof following you around for years to come. I’d like to add to this one that if you order
a drink, enjoy it</span>. The Bride and Groom are paying for every shot poured and beer
cracked so don't be wasteful. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-75791536984973180682012-09-11T12:57:00.003-04:002012-09-11T12:58:39.750-04:00It’s Bridezilllllllllllaaaaa!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No Bride-to-Be wants to be tagged as a Bridezilla, but
certain behavior can earn even the most well- mannered Bride this unbecoming
title. The term “Bridezilla” was first used by the Boston Globe Newspaper back
in June of 1995 in an article describing overbearing, perfectionist, and
difficult to deal with Brides-to-Be. Chances are if you think you might be a
Bridezilla then you probably are, but just in case you’re unsure, check our
list of common incidents that can have your friends and family fleeing from
your path. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Talking about the
wedding non-stop!</b> Yes, getting married is very exciting and stressful and it’s
great for a bride to plan with enthusiasm but keep in mind the world is still
turning outside of wedding –land. There will a time and a place for chat about
roses vs. dahlias, and 3 tiers or 4, but try to remember to ask your friends
about the happenings in their lives too and don’t always let the conversation
veer back to your big day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Spending yourselves
(or your parents) into the Poorhouse! </b>It’s
perfectly natural to want the best of the best for your big day but going
seriously over-budget to achieve it is serious Bridezilla behavior. Even worse,
your Mom and Dad shouldn’t have to remortgage their house for their baby girl
to have $100 per plate meals and crystal candelabras. Expecting this of them is
not practical and newlywed bliss will certainly be strained by wedding debt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Failing to spend time
with the Fiancé! </b>When wedding planning and vendor meetings take precedence
over spending time with your fiancé, it can set a poor course for the future
marriage and stress out the current relationship. You love each other, that’s why you’re doing this in the first place, take
time to do un-wedding related things or decide on “No-Wedding-Wednesdays” (or
something) when no wedding talk is allowed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fighting with Friends
and Family! </b>Weddings aren’t just a stressful time for Brides and Grooms,
but can also take a toll on friends and family surrounding the couple. Parents
and friends WILL have an opinion about a lot of your plans, and if you don’t
want to hear that they don’t agree with yours then don’t ask. Now is not the
time to fight with your mom about the seating arrangement or centerpieces. Or
with your best friend about whether or not she gets bangs before your wedding.
These little details aren’t worth getting worked up over, keep your eye on the
prize and focus on the grand scheme of things. Unwillingness to compromise can
get you Bridezilla status quickly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Expecting
Preferential Treatment! </b>Quick to point the Bridezilla finger can be your
wedding vendors. Brides and Grooms that are rude to or think they deserve
something extra from these industry professionals will find they’re doing more
harm than good. Couples should remember that florists, bakers, seamstresses, musicians
and photographers work very hard in their lines of work and often with couples
who are emotional and feeling the stress of spending large amounts of money.
Adding even more animosity to the situation could result in less-than-perfect
results on your wedding day. You should be able to trust that they’ve been in
every situation before and they know what they’re doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some tips to avoid the Bridezilla Meltdown:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Set a budget and stick to it, shop around to
suppliers and discuss extra costs before committing to get the most bang for
your buck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Take time for yourself between appointments and
dress fittings and viewings to just relax, otherwise something really minor
could end up setting you off or too much stress could cause you to get sick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Resist the temptation to control every little
thing. Focus on the most important tasks and delegate smaller items as much as
you can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Remember at the end of all of this you’re going
to be married and that goal should be at the top of every list.</span> <o:p></o:p></div>
Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-80639969495434193282012-08-21T11:12:00.000-04:002012-08-21T11:20:22.482-04:00A Brief History (of Bridal Under-things)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Believe it or not, bridal garters are one of the longest
surviving wedding traditions! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dating all the way back to the 15oo’s in France
and England, where wedding guests would wait outside the bridal bed
chamber for the groom to toss the garter
or stockings. The lucky one who caught the bride’s under-things was granted
good luck and was supposed to be married in the next year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It wasn’t always this simple though, in the 1700’s the
tradition changed into a rather rough charging of the bride when the wedding
guests decided any piece of the bride’s ensemble was good enough! This often
resulted in the bride being trampled and her gown torn to shreds. Let’s just be
thankful this isn’t happening at weddings anymore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For a while there in the 1900’s brides would wear stockings
with long ribbons on them and at the reception the ribbon would be cut into
tiny pieces and passed out to the guests for good luck. This then changed into
handing out pre-cut ribbons, scarves, gloves and other objects and the
tradition of wedding favours was born.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pretty strange stuff if you ask me, and this is just the
highlights! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Nowadays the tradition dictates that the groom will remove
the garter from the bride’s leg at the reception and toss it to all the single
men. The man that catches it will place
it on the lucky lady that caught the bouquet and she will be the next to be married,
he higher he puts it, the longer her marriage will last. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Brides and Grooms have been altering this tradition to suit
their personal style for as long as it’s been around and it will continue to
change over the years. One thing that
seems to have lasted though is the use of the garter as “something blue” and
this can be as simple as blue ribbon, or blue lining. Depending on the couple
the ceremony or removing the garter can be wild and outrageous, or understated
and quick.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The main thing to remember is that yes, it’s a silly
tradition but everybody does it and it was never intended to embarrass anyone.
It might seem weird for your new husband to be digging around in your dress
while your parents are present, but 25 years ago, they were doing the same
thing! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course it might not have been removed to the music from the Mission
Impossible movies but that’s another story, and it probably still ended up on
someone’s head. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*it should be noted that this is my interpretation using information gathered from a variety of sources.*</span></div>
Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035263612054376814.post-45999108655311475602012-08-01T22:33:00.000-04:002012-08-01T22:33:00.866-04:00BridalGarters 2.0<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I get asked all the time why I make garters. And the question that almost always follows "why" is "only garters?" Pretty much only garters, sometimes other stuff, but for the most part that's it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The answer to the why is not as glamorous as I'd like to think. The truth is I fell into it by accident, I made one for a co-worker as a silly joke and it kind of just caught on. Of course it's not quite that simple, see I've worked in bridal for years. Both as a consultant, and as a seamstress and while working as a consultant I thought it would be cute to make a garter for one of our girls. (Who happened to have a little bit of a thing for zebra print.) Looking back now that garter I made her really wasn't very nice...Sorry Julie! But it was good for a little laugh at work, and on her wedding day when the groom saw it, and I'd like to think it holds some sentimental value for her. After I told that story to a few friends I got asked to make a couple more. And then a couple more, and they started to get nicer, and more elaborate. When it got to the point past friends, and friends of friends asking me I realized this must be something not available to brides! Little did I know garters would, quite quickly, take over my house, and my time, and my life? Go figure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I don't want to give away the whole story in the first ever blog entry but here I am, 20 months later and girls are still asking me to make them! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway...I hope everyone likes my new website! Major re-vamp would probably be an understatement. Total overhaul is more accurate, and it took a really long time and a whole lot of patience from my designer but I'm very, very happy it's here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Bree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Breehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740343942395833087noreply@blogger.com0