Bay Area Wedding Reviews, Wedding Interviews, Wedding Tips, Wedding Lists

Adding the Personal Touch to Your Wedding

2010-02-14T12:53:55-07:00

A perfect wedding isn’t only beautiful, it’s personal. It’s got carefully selected details that are meaningful to you and your fiancé. Here are some very simple wedding tips to add your own subtle, unique touches to your wedding ceremony and wedding reception:

•Write your own wedding vows. It doesn’t have to read like poetry; the important thing is that it comes from your own heart. Print it out on an index card and keep it handy during the ceremony.

•Compile a CD with songs that symbolize your relationship or how it evolved. Play this during your wedding reception or even burn a copy and distribute as souvenirs (this may be illegal depending on what country you are in). Insert a small piece of paper explaining why you chose those songs.

•Instead of tossing your bouquet, present it to your mother (or a dear friend or mentor) during your reception. You can also have an additional bouquet made for your groom to present his mother at the same time.

•Guests often have free time on their hands during their reception. In the center of the table, place several pens and small pieces of paper in a pretty basket. Ask them to write their wishes, prayers, or advice for you and your fiancé. Compile in a scrapbook.

•Most wedding reception programs revolve around the couple: friends give speeches. Do something for the guests. Make a video of you and your fiancé talking about the people who’ve taught you what true love means. Mention friends who’ve demonstrated real loyalty, or family members who made great sacrifices for you. Intersperse your video with their photos. This is your chance to say thank you to all of them.

•If you have a close friend or family member who passed away, make him or her part of the occasion by inserting a small photo in your bouquet, or lighting a tribute candle at the church ceremony.

•If you have ethnic roots, incorporate a marriage ritual from your culture into your ceremony or perform it during your wedding reception. Have your fusion wedding DJ play music during dinner or cocktail hour incorporating those roots.

•Wear an heirloom. For example, you can use your grandmother’s veil, or wear a locket that belongs to your mother. This is an excellent way of creating a sense of continuity between generations, celebrating your own family even as you go on to begin your own.

•Prepare an audio-video presentation that will be played during the last dance of the bride with the father. This can be just a simple montage of childhood photos. A guaranteed tear-jerker!

•If you have kids, help them feel like they’re part of the new family by asking them to stand next to you as you say your vows.

•Add little elements that say something about your relationship as a couple. For example, if you’re giving away picture frames, insert a poem that you wrote or a copy of your wedding vows. If you met at a beach (and would rather not have a beach-themed wedding) incorporate shells into your table centerpiece.

Click for other Bay Area San Jose wedding tips.

Your Wedding Dance

2009-09-28T08:33:03-07:00

One of the greatest things about your bay area wedding is that it is your celebration. You are the king or queen of the occasion so you get the crown and you get the first dance. It is your moment in time to get down and boogie.

By tradition, you will be doing a "two-step". On the whole, that means pick and choose a song that you can move back and forth to and take two steps so you can move around the floor. This can be actually sweet, but if truth were told... you can do that at any old time.

If you even have the most miniscule ability to dance and you are eager to have a bit of a enjoyable time, find out how you can learn to dance to one very exclusive number. Take some dance lessons if you think you will need them. Show off your skills and move to the music. Once you have your wedding song chosen you will be in a much better position to figure out what kind of dance you can do to it for your first dance.

With so many people watching Dancing with the Stars, ballroom isquickly becoming more and more a part of Bay Area wedding receptions.

If you have only ever done modern dances, you will find that ballroom dancing is, beyond doubt, a combination of a multitude of skills from the both of you. You will need to work with your partner's strong points and grab hold of the tempo as one. It may, perhaps, take a lot of rehearsals so that you move about well and to appear stunning as you dance together. After all, dancing should be striking to look at as well as fun to perform.

Out of most ballroom dances, the waltz, is preferred most at weddings. The waltz is enjoyable and simple to become skilled at. You will also find it easy to dance the waltz in your wedding dress. Traditional music selections include the Skater's Waltz or the Blue Danube Waltz.

If you wish to use more contemporary music, variations have been made of a fairly large number of songs as well, which may consist of your most wanted love song. For example, "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Moon River" are just two of the songs used today.

The Foxtrot is one more well-appreciated dances for weddings. Couples can sway quickly to the melody of "Cheek to Cheek" or more slowly to "Someone to Watch Over Me". The foxtrot is a much more energetic dance compared to the waltz but it retains that same romantic and dreamy feel.

Of course if you, in reality, dance nicely with each other, don't be timid about it. Why not go for the performance of a tango and warm up the floor. Make the dance floor sizzle! Many other latin dances have become much more popular lately.

Whatever dance you opt for, just have fun and enjoy yourself. Let yourselves be Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire for your song and enjoy your first dance to the hilt. Practice a lot and keep your San Jose wedding dress in mind. Get the wedding celebration started the right way...with you having a great time.

How to choose your bay area wedding DJ

2009-09-22T00:13:48-07:00

Depending on what type of bay area wedding reception you will be having, you may be in need of a disc jockey (DJ) so that your guests can dance. Just like you would for a bay area wedding photographer, you are going to want to do some research and find the Silicon Valley wedding DJ that will make your reception fun and easy.

Ask friends and family - Friends and family who have had a Bay Area wedding will give you an honest opinion of the wedding DJ that they have used, so talking to them is the first step that you should take.

If you have been to their San Jose weddings personally, you will have had a first hand experience in viewing how their wedding DJ operated. But there may have been things that you weren't aware of that happened, so it's always a good idea to ask them even if you were there.

Do interviews - Talk to a few bay area wedding disc jockeys and tell them when your wedding is. Let them know what kind of music you want, and what your special dance songs are going to be. This will ensure that they have time to get everything they need before the big day if they don't already have it.

You want to be sure that the person you choose for your wedding DJ is personable and will ensure that everyone at your wedding reception has a good time. They should have a lot of personality and be able to get people dancing. Again, be sure that you let them know exactly what kind of music you want, so that they can be prepared.

Here's a link to a video showing what you should expect from a wedding DJ during your reception.

Ten Must Have Gift Ideas For The Bay Area Wedding Party

2009-09-07T12:14:48-07:00

It's traditional for the bride to give the groom a gift on their bay area wedding day. Although the exchanging of wedding rings can be considered a giving of gifts, many brides choose to honor their groom with an additional gift that suits his personality.

The tradition of the bride and groom exchanging gifts is beginning to fade. Many couples who spend a great deal of money on their wedding or honeymoon may decide that there is no need to exchange gifts in addition to their San Jose wedding and their honeymoon. If you do decide, as a bride, to honor your groom with a gift on your wedding day, then, "Yay!". It is more important to choose an gift he will enjoy than it is to spend a great deal of money on a gift he may not.

A photo album complete with a picture of you and the bridesmaid(s) or the entire bay area wedding party can be another unique gift idea for the bridesmaid(s). You can buy photo albums with the date of your wedding engraved on the front cover and start the photo album with a picture of you and the bridesmaid(s). This is a wonderful gift idea because the bridesmaid(s) can place her/their photos from the wedding day in the album and will always have a precious souvenir from your bay area wedding day.

Gift certificates to a spa or a salon also make unique gift ideas for your bridesmaid(s). Your bridesmaid(s) most likely have spent a great deal of time and energy on helping you plan your bay area wedding and wedding reception. The week prior to your San Jose wedding was also especially hectic with a great deal of last minute details to attend to and errands to run. While you will have your honeymoon to relax and renew your energy on your bridesmaid(s) do/does not have this luxury so honor her/them by presenting her/them with a gift certificate to a spa or salon. You are giving them the gift or being pampered and the gift of relaxation.

A few more unique gift ideas for your bridesmaids gifts include handcrafted or homemade gifts. For example, you could put together a CD of some of your bridesmaids' favorite songs. You could make the CD's different for each bridesmaid and include a photo of you and her on the cover and include a heartfelt poem on the inside of the CD cover. You could also create a scrapbook for each of your bridesmaids. You could either make the scrapbook a memory of your entire friendship together and include photos and other items from your various adventures throughout the years or if you plan ahead and take many photos documenting your wedding preparations, you could create scrapbooks as a remembrance of the San Jose wedding planning that you shared.

Any item that relates to a specific hobby that the groom enjoys is a great idea for a bay area wedding gift for the bride to give to the groom. This is a popular choice because giving a gift that relates to one of his hobbies demonstrates that you understand his likes and that you want him to continue to engage in activities that he enjoys.

Another unique gift idea for a bride to give to her bridesmaids is a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Assisting in your wedding preparations was probably extremely stressful and time consuming for the bridesmaids and they certainly deserve a night on the town and the opportunity to not have to cook for a night. This simple gift lets your bridesmaids know that you appreciate their efforts and that you want to thank them for all that they have done to support you.

Unique gift ideas for the bridesmaids can also stem from you bay area wedding theme. For example if you are having a beach themed wedding you might want to give your bridesmaids a gift of a tote bag, a beach towel and a novel to enjoy on the beach. This unique gift idea ensures that your bridesmaids will remember your wedding fondly the next time they are at the beach.

Although the tradition of the bride and groom exchanging gifts on their wedding day is beginning to fade, many couples still wish to honor this tradition. Many couples spend so much money on their wedding and reception that they feel as though they cannot afford the additional expense of buying gifts for each other. While it may be true that the couple cannot afford one more extravagant gift it is also true that a truly thoughtful gift for the groom does not have to be overly expensive. If the couple is partaking in this tradition it is advisable that they exchange gifts that truly reflect the personality of their spouse.

Including Kids in Your Bay Area Wedding

2009-09-04T16:26:58-07:00

Not all brides and grooms in San Jose want to exclude children from their wedding. Many are happy to welcome children into their Bay Area wedding both as members of their wedding party and as guests at their wedding reception.

Having children at a Bay Area wedding, however, poses a myriad of problems. Do you leave the children to their own devices and hope they behave and don't get in the way? Do you provide a room with childcare so they are "present" but not too much under foot? Perhaps the best solution is a simple mix of both, with a smattering of fun built in.

First of all, if children are invited to the wedding reception, take into consideration the ages of the children. Babies will have to stay with mom and/or dad, for a variety of reasons. So planning to have all the children in another room might not be feasible. But if the children are toddlers up to about age 12, you can provide a separate room for them with childcare and a make a number of activities available to them.

If the children will be in a separate room at the wedding reception, you can provide a coloring table, perhaps a TV with an appropriate movie ready to roll, and some board games. That could probably be enough for the duration of the wedding reception. Be aware of a few things: there should be a ratio of at least 1 adult for every 5 children if the children are toddlers, or 1 adult to every 10 children if the kids are older. Don't expect the kids to take up the activities on their own, but rather tell the childcare provider to get the kids involved in the activities by doing them him or herself.

What if the children will be part of the reception festivities? What activities can be geared specifically to children at the reception? There are plenty of things you can do, really. You can certainly plan a coloring table at the back of the reception hall or room. There, you can provide loads of paper, coloring books, markers and crayons. Paints are not recommended, for obvious reasons, and moms will thank you if you remember to supply the kids with washable markers and crayons only.

The art table can be more than just coloring, however. Buy a huge bag of pipe cleaners. Kids can amuse themselves for long periods of time, making animals, odd figures and the like. Make sure you have at least 20 or more pipe cleaners for each child, however, as children can go through these quickly. Think about "clean" clay, the new products that don't stick to anything and don't leave a trace on furniture. With a few different colors, kids can create a variety of figures, faces or forms.

Many brides like to plan more formally for their small guests. There are several options if this is the route you want to take. One popular option is to have paid entertainment on hand just for the children. This can take place in a separate room or toward the back of the reception room or hall if it's large and the guest list is big. You can hire a clown or a balloon artist. You can have someone braid the children's hair and provide temporary tattoos. If there is a separate room available, you can even hire a children's musician to come and entertain the kids. The options are endless.

If no plans are made for the children, but they arrive at the wedding expecting entertainment, you'll have to make some plans. One option is a "child only" dance, which allows only the children on the dance floor. This is not only cute to watch, and could be entertaining as well, but it will bring a smile to the face of every grandma and grandpa present.

Bay Area Wedding Dance Floor Activities

2009-09-04T16:21:45-07:00

Dancing is an essential component at most Bay Area wedding receptionsWe look forward to the couple's "first dance" and the bride's special dance with her father. It's also a place to get loose and funky, if you're a guest or a member of your wedding party.

But what if your wedding planners decided to add some fun and surprise to the dance floor by adding fun activities there? This doesn't mean a rousing version of the "Bunny Hop", which, while maybe essential, is hardly unique.

There are, however, many fun games and activities you can add to your dance floor activities that are sure to be a hit.

Try a fun game of the "chicken dance". Ok, so that doesn't sound too original. But if most of your guests are just sitting at their tables, watching a few brave couples dancing, or just finishing their meals, you might want to get everyone up and having fun. Try this game.

The DJ announces a number. Everyone looks under his or her chair, where there is a number. Depending on the number of guests at the wedding, there might be only numbers "1" and "2" or more, up to 5.

So, say the Bay Area DJ announces number "4". Each person checks under their chair to see what their number is. These numbers can be written simply on a piece of masking tape and affixed to the underside of the chairs when the reception is being set up. Each "4" in this scenario will head to the dance floor to do the chicken dance with the other "4s". Not only does this get people out of their chairs and on to the dance floor, they get to know other wedding reception guests they might not otherwise know.

One Bay Area dance floor activity that's gaining popularity is to bring in a dance teacher for the wedding reception. As a kind of pre-dance activity, the teacher will quickly walk people through their paces on the dance floor, perhaps teaching a bit of the waltz or, for something completely different, a little bit of the tango, before the music officially begins and dancing commences.

Having a dance teacher do a bit of teaching not only livens up the reception right from the start, but it gets people out on the dance floor who might otherwise be too self-conscious normally to get out there and let it all hang out. And practically speaking, it will likely make the wedding guests feel more confident in their skills before the "official" dancing begins.

Another fun activity to get everyone on the dance floor, including even the most reticent, is something you can refer to as the "snowball" dance. This is a good way to jumpstart the dancing at the beginning of the evening.

Here's how the "snowball" dance works. The wedding party, bride and groom included, will head to the dance floor for a fun dance. The music for this dance should be fast, something with a disco beat or a fast song that most people have at least a passing familiarity with. After a bit of wedding party dancing, the music stops. The female members of the wedding party move into the crowd and bring back one male each. The male members of the wedding party do the same, but they bring in female guests. The dancing then begins again. This is repeated until all the guests are dancing. It's truly a snowball effect!

Bridesmaids Dresses For Your Bay Area Wedding

2009-08-18T15:47:25-07:00

One of the biggest conflicts that happen when it comes to a Bay Area wedding is the one between a bride and her bridesmaids over the bridesmaids' dresses. To help brides with this problem, here are some tips on selecting bridesmaids' dresses.

Color: This is one thing that the bride should be able to choose. But when you are choosing your bridesmaids' wedding ceremony color, take into consideration your bridesmaids' coloring. Have a base color, but be willing to compromise on the shade. The other thing that some brides do is to have a rainbow color wedding.

Style: This is something that your bridesmaids should be allowed to help with in deciding. Try not to choose a style that is to garish or frilly. The best type of dress is the one that they can wear again to another formal dinner.

Remember, these dresses are dresses that your bridesmaids will be paying for, and they should be able to enjoy wearing them. So take that into consideration and choose a style and color that will make all your ladies happy.

You want to choose a style that will look good on all of your bridesmaids and that enhances their best features. When your bridesmaids wear the dresses that they like and they know they look good in, things will be a lot less stressful for everyone.

If you aren't sure what type of dress will work for everyone, talk to people at the bridal shops and they will assist you.

The American Wedding

2009-08-16T00:51:27-07:00

Living in the United States makes us feel free - free to do anything, to live, to love, from traditions. While this is true, there are still many practices done during wedding that renders this memorable event with a distinct American touch. Here are some:

Starting from the engagement, Americans can think of many unique ways to personalize their wedding. As there really isn't any engagement tradition, the more unique the marriage proposal is done, the better.

For most wedding preparations, the engaged couple visits their parents to inform them of their recent engagement.

At times, the engaged couple hosts an engagement party. The engagement party costs less than a wedding reception since most of the time, the menu will only include cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Therefore, if the couple is on a tight budget, they can just invite more guests to the engagement party if they plan to limit the number of guests during the wedding.

Most wedding preparations have a bridal shower given by the maid of honor and the bridesmaids. The groom may also have a bachelor party the night before the wedding but he has to be careful not to drink too much.

Wedding invitations should include response cards to quickly inform the couple whether the person has accepted or declined the invitation. The wedding invitations should also be sent within four to six weeks before the event.

Usually, there is a rehearsal dinner in which the wedding party and guests came from far places to be present at the wedding attend. It was practiced that the groom's parents pay for this dinner.

A bridal luncheon may be hosted for the bride's attendants during the wedding day. However, time constraints may not permit this to be part of the schedule for the wedding day. Likewise, the groom may also host a groom's dinner for his groomsmen.

Interestingly, even if the couple is not very religious, they still prefer a religious ceremony. However, this may pose a problem since in America people of different faiths and religious backgrounds get married.

Even if there are few people who believe in bad luck, some couples still make sure that the groom does not see his bride until she starts waking on the aisle.

It is still practiced that the groom and his groomsmen enter the church through a side door. The bride will then walk down the aisle with her father. In some cases when both her father and stepfather brought up the bride, she may ask them both to escort her.

During a formal reception, there is usually a bridal table where the couple and the attendants sit. Also, food and drinks should be served as the guests appear at the reception.

Before, gift giving used to depend on what the guest will feel useful for the couple. Now, it is better to register for gifts so the guests will know what to bring that the couple will need.

Upon receiving an engagement or wedding gift, it is better to send a thank you note apart from saying "thank you" to the giver. This should be sent within two weeks upon receipt of the gift. Make a personalized thank you note, instead of using an impersonal generic thank you note.

These are just some American practices during weddings. Whether one chooses to this or prefers to have a very different wedding, what's more important is that American's still believe in the wedding vow, "For better or worse, 'til death do us part."

Choosing a Wedding Gown For Your Bay Area Wedding

2009-08-09T16:47:42-07:00

One of the first things that comes to mind when your Bay Area wedding is being planned is the bride’s wedding gown, but there are so many wedding gowns available. How do you choose the one that is right for you?

There are a few things you can think about when you are looking for wedding gowns. These will help you to pick but the wedding gown that is right for you.

Time of year -

The fist thing to take into consideration is what time of year you will be getting married. This will help you to decide on what type of cloth, the length of your sleeves, and the length of your gown.

Your body type -

There are a couple of types of gowns that will work for all body types but you want to be sure that your gown makes you look the best that you can. A person at the bridal shop can help you select the dress that is right for you.

Your own style -

Think about what kinds of dresses you like, and that will also help you to find a good wedding dress. No matter if they are plain or fancy, every gown is beautiful.

It’s always a great idea to take your mother or another female relative or friend to help you choose your gown. It’s a great bonding experience and it’s always a good idea to have a second set of eyes.

Make Your Bay Area Wedding Unique

2009-08-08T23:35:20-07:00

A perfect wedding isn’t only beautiful, it’s personal. It’s got carefully selected details that are meaningful to you and your fiancé. Here are some very simple ways to add your own subtle, unique touches to your ceremony and reception:

•Write your own Bay Area wedding vows. It doesn’t have to read like poetry; the important thing is that it comes from your own heart. Print it out on an index card and keep it handy during the ceremony.
•Compile a CD with songs that symbolize your relationship or how it evolved. Play this during your reception or even burn a copy and distribute as souvenirs. Insert a small piece of paper explaining why you chose those songs.
•Instead of tossing your bouquet, present it to your mother (or a dear friend or mentor) during your reception. You can also have an additional bouquet made for your groom to present his mother at the same time.
•Guests often have free time on their hands during their wedding reception. In the center of the table, place several pens and small pieces of paper in a pretty basket. Ask them to write their wishes, prayers, or advice for you and your fiancé. Compile in a scrapbook.
•Most Bay Area wedding reception programs revolve around the couple: friends give speeches. Do something for the guests. Make a video of you and your fiancé talking about the people who’ve taught you what true love means. Mention friends who’ve demonstrated real loyalty, or family members who made great sacrifices for you. Intersperse your video with their photos. This is your chance to say thank you to all of them.
•If you have a close friend or family member who passed away, make him or her part of the occasion by inserting a small photo in your bouquet, or lighting a tribute candle at the church ceremony.
•If you have ethnic roots, incorporate a marriage ritual from your culture into your wedding ceremony or perform it during your wedding reception.
•Wear an heirloom. For example, you can use your grandmother’s veil, or wear a locket that belongs to your mother. This is an excellent way of creating a sense of continuity between generations, celebrating your own family even as you go on to begin your own.
•Prepare an audio-video presentation that will be played during the last dance of the bride with the father. This can be just a simple montage of childhood photos. A guaranteed tear-jerker!
•If you have kids, help them feel like they’re part of the new family by asking them to stand next to you as you say your vows.
•Add little elements that say something about your relationship as a couple. For example, if you’re giving away picture frames, insert a poem that you wrote or a copy of your wedding vows. If you met at a beach (and would rather not have a beach-themed wedding) incorporate shells into your table centerpiece.

A Fairlytale Wedding

2009-08-07T23:39:04-07:00

        The girl had always wanted her fairytale wedding, as a child in the By Area she and her sisters had talked about it often. The future husband riding up on his white horse, her arriving at the church in a carriage, the honeymoon in a castle in England, these were all details of her dream wedding. The white gown for her walk down the isle in, her little sister as the brides-maid and her older sister as the maid of honor, it all described the wedding of her dreams. The wedding would be held in the biggest church in the Bay Area, with hundreds of guests invited to celebrate with them, they even discussed the invitations they would send out. Every detail was often discussed by the little girls as they grew into young women.

        Working as often as possible when growing up, she saved towards the day when her fairytale wedding could come true. Every spare penny she earned went into saving for this special day. She was determined to make it happen, and worked towards her wedding dream.

        They met while riding the trails outside of town, his horse of course was white. There was an immediate attraction and she knew he was the one she would spend the rest of her life with. They spent the rest of the day together. Riding around and just talking. Later that day he asked if she would like to have dinner with him the next evening, she accepted and their romance began.

        He was as much of a romantic as she, constantly sending her flowers. They spoke everyday and spent as much time together as possible. Their love grew, and the young woman was excited about the prospect of their life together and when he asked her to marry him, she happily said yes.

        The wedding was planned for early June and was to be held in the biggest church in town. Everything she had talked about with her sisters when they were young, became a reality on her wedding day.

As the ceremony ended, the bride and groom made their way out of the church and there was something she had not planned. The groom had purchased thousands of beautiful white butterflies and they were being released as they made their exit from the church. It was like a cloud of soft feathery wings, and the perfect end to her fairytale wedding!

Choosing a DJ for Your Bay Area Wedding

2009-08-06T18:23:12-07:00

Depending on what type of Bay Area wedding reception you will be having, you may be in need of a DJ so that your guests can dance to great music. Same as with a wedding photographer, you are going to want to do some research and find the DJ that will make your reception fun and go as smoothly as possible.

Ask friends and family who have had a Bay Area wedding will give you an honest opinion of the DJ that they have used, so talking to them is the first step that you should take.

If you have been to their Bay Area weddings personally, you will have had first hand experience. But there may have been things that you weren’t aware of that happened, so it’s always a good idea to ask them even if you were there.

Do interviews and talk to a few DJ's and tell them when your Bay Area wedding is. Let them know what kind of
music you want, and what your special dance songs are. This will ensure that they have time to get it before the big day if they don’t already have it.

You want to be sure that the person you choose as your DJ is personable and will ensure that everyone has a good time. They should have a lot of personality and be able to get people dancing. Be sure that you let them know exactly what kind of music you want at your Bay Area wedding, so that they are prepared.

Bay Area Beach Weddings

2009-08-05T14:19:06-07:00

Beach weddings are very popular today. Couples would rather say their wedding vows beside the rolling ocean rather than at a church alter more and more frequently now days. It isn’t hard to see why.

There isn’t a more romantic place on earth than the seashore at sunset with the big round orange sun just above the horizon making the ocean glow with the its last rays. A gentle ocean breeze slightly lifting the bride's veil and gently tousling the groom's hair as they stand barefooted in the sand repeating their sacred wedding vows is as about as romantic as it can get.

There are a great many advantages to having a beach wedding. The most obvious being that it will cost a lot less. Another plus is there aren’t any rules about beach weddings so whatever you choose to do is ‘proper’. The guests don't have to sit in chairs or pews and can actually participate in the ceremony if you want them to.

Where there are pros there are always cons. It’s a rule, I think. You have to take the good with the bad and that is very true with beach weddings.

Beach weddings are highly dependent upon the mood of our dear 'Mother Nature' and she has been known to throw tantrums at the most inopportune times, such as your wedding day. It’s a good idea to always have an alternative wedding site arranged just in case things don't go as planned.

Candles and candle ceremonies are a bad idea for beach weddings. Those gentle ocean breezes aren’t conducive to keeping candles burning. Not even in coves that are better protected. Candles are very romantic but you will have to choose between having your wedding on the beach or having candle ceremonies included in your wedding.

Also, remember that there are bugs on the beach. Go prepared and don’t forget to provide chairs that won’t sink into the sand for your elderly guests.

Second Wedding Etiquette

2009-08-04T16:34:07-07:00

        Wedding tradition and etiquette says that second weddings should be simple and casual versus a formal and extravagant to do. However, the number of second or encore wedding ceremonies is growing more and more each year. The simpler wedding ceremonies are created to celebrate two people who want to be a in a marriage with new partners.

        The biggest concern in planning your second Bay Area wedding is announcing it to your children. They should always be the first to be informed about your decision to remarry, since the marriage will combine already-established families. You can expect your children to be stressed by your decision and they will probably need a certain amount of time to accept the situation. Both of your parents should be the next to be informed and then the respective ex’s. The ex-wife or ex-husband should make an effort to reassure the children about their roles in the new family. Engagement rings from the past should not be worn anymore based on second wedding etiquette. All signs of previous relationships should be taken away once planning for the wedding and announcements are made. A second marriage can be announced informally such as advertising it in the newspaper, making e-mails and phone calls. Under second wedding etiquette, the couple does not have to host an engagement party but a small get together is appropriate to announce the special news.

        Just about anybody can attend your second wedding. However, in observance of second wedding etiquette you probably should not invite exes or their families as to avoid awkwardness, even if you all get along well. If you do invite them, it is only as a courtesy and they should politely decline the invitation. The bride and groom should calculate a realistic budget for the wedding. This is a rare chance to again have the wedding of your dreams, it could be elegant, extravagant and intimate.

        Second weddings are normally made in civil ceremonies but they can also be done as a religious ceremony. There are many ways to make the ceremony feel intimate and special. Writing your own vows is common among second weddings and there are many books on the subject. The children can be assigned to do an important part of the ceremony in order to foster unity and show acceptance. They can escort you while walking the aisle, read passages from the bible or serve as attendants in the event. The closest family members and friends of the new couple can walk down the aisle if that is what you want.

        Bridal showers for encore brides are normally but this need to adhere with second wedding etiquette rules.

- Only guests should be invited
- Club, Office and school showers can also be done and can be attende by other not on the official guest list. However, those that attended the bride’s first wedding should not participate.

        Guest should make they register. Some guests will have the uncontrollable urge to give something even if the couple does not want gifts. It’s also acceptable for encore couples to sign in the gift registry.

Wedding Gift Ideas for Second Marriages
Gift certificates—restaurants, spas, stores
DVD player and DVDs
Charity Donatios
Coffee maker, pasta maker, cook books

        The reception of a second wedding may be extravagant or simple depending on the taste of the couple. The bride and gross will be first at the line and followed by their children. The traditional garter and bridal bouquet toss are optional.

Not Necessary In A Second Marriage

Rehearsal Dinner
Attendants
Accompanying the bride down the aisle
Procession

Advisable
- Make a gift registry even if you don’t want gifts.
- The children should have responsibilities in the ceremony.
- Customize and personalize the wedding and reception.

Please Avoid
- Doing the same things in like your first wedding.
- Wearing a similar wedding dress.
- Marry in the exact spot of your first wedding.
- Use old rings from a past marriage.
- Criticizing former spouses

Optional

- Showers
- Engagement Party
- Announcement in the newspaper
- Rehearsal Dinner
- A laving wedding with attendants
- Parents walking down the aisle
- A different color for the wedding dress instead of white

Your Bay Area Wedding's Most Important Little Girl

2009-08-03T17:38:43-07:00

The excitement and enthusiasm that a little flower girl expends can wear an adult out fast, during the extended process of planning a wedding, their excitement can even get to the most patient of people!

You chose the flower girl because she always acted like a little angel, polite, considerate and always clean. With her perky curls, and big, beautiful eyes she even looked the part. All the ladies helping you plan the wedding felt it would be a real plus not to have to worry about her getting dirty just before she walks down the isle.

She practiced her walk, and they told her that on the day of the wedding she would be expected to carry a basket of flower petals, and sprinkle them in front of the bride for her to walk down. The little flower girl was thrilled at the idea asking so many questions, it nearly drove anyone who tried to keep up with her crazy.

She was taken to buy a new dress, shoes, and all the other wonderfully beautiful things a little flower girl gets to wear when she's in a wedding. She felt so much like one of the adults, and wanted to her best job in giving the bride flower petals to walk on.

On the day of your wedding, she dressed in her beautiful clothes, put on her new shoes, and with flowers in her hair your little flower girl patiently waited to do her part. Just before they started the wedding ceremony she was handed a woven basket full of beautiful flower petals to sprinkle down the isle. As she took her first step, she took out a handful of flower petals and threw them down, it was beautiful and she was thrilled, she continued this until she was almost at the alter and ran out of petals. What to do now? She soon decided that she must have put too many down somewhere else along her exciting walk and so going back, she began to gather them up. Shortly she returned back to the alter with a job complete and a proud smile on her face. Behind her there were beautiful petals for the bride to walk on right up to the alter.

Why Get a Bay Area Wedding Planner?

2009-07-27T01:47:46-07:00

For couples, their wedding day is the most fantastic and exciting event of their lives. It's the time when they finally make their vows to love each other, no matter what, forever.

On the other hand, planning the wedding can be their most stressful experience because there are so many things that the couple needs to consider:

First of all, there’s the date of the couple's wedding day that they must consider. Unless they already have picked one out, it's something that needs a lot of thought and careful planning. Aside from that, other things like the venue, number of guests, even the handing out of the invitations needs to be in the equation.

Crazy, right? Good thing we have wedding planners. Wedding planners are a God send for couples who simply want to focus on the ceremony and leave all the hassle of planning to somebody else. Preferably one who can do the job better than they can.

Why get a wedding planner? It’s because they will have the right connections and the ability to pull the right strings to turn the new couple’s plans into a reality.
For one, they have connections with suppliers who can give huge discounts which spells a lot of savings for the couple. More than the connections, though, they also have the experience to turn a catastrophic wedding into a wonderfully memorable one. They already know what will and will not work and so a wedding planner's insights would also be very valuable.

For couples who want a smooth sailing wedding, without the hassle of planning, a wedding planner is indeed a very important must.

Wedding Plan Checklist

2009-07-24T15:57:59-07:00

Using a wedding plan checklist will help make your big day an easy and happy day.

There are so many details concerning a Bay Area wedding that it is necessary to use a wedding checklist to be sure you don't forget anything important that may ruin your wedding ceremony or wedding reception.

If you plan carefully using a wedding plan checklist, chances are your special day will be a wonderful and joyous experience. Your list can be tailored for your specific needs, wants, and desires. Relieving you of the inevitable stress of the impending event as the day gets closer.

If at all possible, 6 to 12 months before the wedding day your checklist should include the actual wedding date and time, lining up a florist, a caterer, a photographer, and, of course, a DJ. You will need to reserve the church and a location for the reception as well.

Your wedding plan checklist needs to include many other important details such as; choosing who will be in the wedding party and ordering the invitations. You need to pick out a wedding gown, the wedding attendant's dresses and the attire for the groom and groomsmen. And, most importantly, the wedding rings.

All of the above are the biggest, most important things that you should arrange for as early as possible.

On your wedding checklist be sure to put reminders for details that will be happening closer to the date.Some of those could be: ordering your wedding cake and flowers, sending out the invitations, final fittings for everyone's wedding attire, etc.. You also can have a reminder to place a wedding announcement in your local paper.

There are a few other things that need to be in your wedding plan checklist as well. Deciding on music for the wedding, a guest book, printed wedding napkins, wedding ceremony thank you cards, wedding reception favors, wedding decorations and a limo service from the wedding ceremony location to the reception.

About one month to six weeks before your big day you should go over your wedding plan checklist to make positively sure you haven't forgotten anything.

There are, I'm sure, many more things than those listed above that you will need to put on your personal wedding plan checklist that are specific to your wedding, but the above will give you an idea of the many things you will need to include.

If you can afford it, the top thing on your wedding plan checklist should be hiring a Wedding Planner to help you plan your special day. He or she will be able to take a lot of stresses of wedding plans off of you and your family and allow you to relax and enjoy the process and the actual wedding day.

Unique Wedding Gifts For Bride

2009-05-30T14:07:39-07:00

Here's an idea for some very custom wedding gifts for the Bride or Groom or perhaps for your bridesmaids or groomsmen for being in your wedding.

ByBecca has hand painted wine glasses and even beer glasses. They're located in New Jersey, but ship anywhere. They have a special cleaning and preparation process before painting the designs. Then after sitting for 24 hours they are baked to a hard finish, which is supposed to be hard enough to go through the dishwasher in the top rack, although they recommend hand washing.

There are some nice stock designs which you can adapt to your purpose or they will do complete custom jobs if you ask. (I think they should do a design for a beer mug with my DJ logo on it and just send it to me - Don't you?)

Their glasswaremakes a unique gift for any occasion. Including, housewarming andhostess gifts, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving,Easter, but I think especially for wedding thank you gifts for your Bridesmaids or Groomsmen.

http://www.bybecca.com/for-the-bride.html

Unusual Wedding Ceremony Customs

2009-04-27T15:15:56-07:00

Nearly every culture participates in marriage one way or the other!

If you're making your wedding plans, your ceremony or marriage doesn't have to be like this. Whether you plan an unique wedding or something more traditional, remember that traditions are different for each.

Polygamy, commonly known to most people, involves multiples wives for the same man. Most people don’t know there are also cultures where they practice Polyandry; you got it ladies, more than one husband! Regardless of the culture, there are some pretty strange wedding customs out there!

Here are just a couple of the simpler ones:

In Tanzania, the Hadza people have a straightforward approach, after the family goes to bed, the lady invites the gentleman in, if the family finds him there in the morning, you got it, they are married, no trouble, no hassle; just straightforward, get it done!
In French Polynesia, specifically the Gambier Islands, believe it or not they have shortened it even more! The couples dance together and for each other, disappear into the surrounding bushes for 30 minutes and they are married.

You guessed it, there was a reason why I said just a couple simple ones, the rest get increasingly more complicated!

In Tanzania, the weddings of the Chagga people are extremely complicated, it all begins (but does not end,) with an extended series of parties, rituals and feasts, in which there is so much drinking that no one is really sure when the ceremony happens, and they probably don’t care!

While western-style wedding are becoming more popular, there are still odd, unusual and distinct local customs, which are still practiced.

Edo brides of Benin get a cash bonus from mom if they are virginal on the wedding night.
A cow is slaughtered in a traditional Madagascar ceremony, and the guests all drink the blood.
The priest in a Bali ceremony files the teeth of the bride and groom.
South African families of the bride and groom take turns singing insulting songs to each other.
The bride in Burkina Faso is welcomed into her new village by having milk spit on her.
In Marquesasian weddings, which are still colorful, the relatives of the bride lay face down in a row, while the bride and groom make their exit over their prone bodies!

Now that is memorable! Strange? Maybe for us.

Your Wedding Reception Food

2009-04-24T15:57:10-07:00

Wedding tip for wedding reception food

People often remember the food when they go to a wedding reception, whether it’s good or bad. Something to consider when you are choosing your wedding reception menu is your guests.

Yes, it’s your wedding but you are spending a lot of money so you want people to like what is being served.

Here are some wedding tips so that people enjoy your reception food.

Give them a choice
It’s always a good idea to offer your guests a choice on what they would like to eat for your wedding reception People may have food allergies, so this way they can choose what they would like to eat. Two choices is enough.

Keep it simple
Just because it’s not something fancy, it doesn’t meant that it won’t be good. If they are faced with something that they aren’t sure what it is, they may be reluctant to eat it so don’t go for things that people can’t identify.

Keep it clean
Everyone at your wedding reception is going to be wearing their best clothes. You want to stay away from food that is very messy or could cause stains that will be hard to remove.

Remember, you are going to be wearing a white dress. The last thing you will want is to have something
spill on it that may ruin it, or will be very noticeable. Make it your wedding plan to not have spaghetti!

Think about what you have had in the past at wedding receptions, and what you liked or didn’t like about
them. That will help you plan your own wedding reception menu.

Budget Minded
To be good and memorable, does not have to mean expensive. It's a good way to limit your costs, so you can spend your wedding budget where it makes the most amount of bang for your buck (usually your photographer and your DJ). Pick vegetarian meals or vegetable platters for cocktail hour. It's healthier and less expensive. Usually buffet is more expensive than plated food, but check with the venue and the caterer. Also for dessert consider mini desserts instead of full wedding cake.