Let's Talk Chairs...

If it is in your budget, consider renting chairs. Oftentimes, your venue will offer their own chairs (see first photo above). Note the "lovely" burgundy and silver plastic chair, especially with the white and lavender napkins. Tasteful, isn't it? The picture on the bottom takes advantage of the dark brown ballroom (sometimes chivary, sometimes opera) chairs. The cost ranges from $5 to $10 a piece, and the variation in price sometimes has to do with the cushion color. The additional rental may be cost prohibitive, but consider the alternative and weigh your options.

www.theknot.com

There are tons of wedding websites out there. I like this one because of its versatility. Although it lends itself to the modern/contemporary look, you can find plenty of the traditional done for today. This is not your mom's wedding website, it's for the here and now. Check it out.

Choosing your wedding date

Yes, this is your special day...

Yes, it is all about you (and maybe even your groom)...

Yes, it is important for all attention to be focused on you...

BUT

please take the people attending your wedding into consideration. It is one thing to hold your wedding on a 3-day weekend for less family-oriented holidays, such as Labor Day or Memorial Day. However, if you choose days like Christmas and Thanksgiving, take into account that guests will be choosing your event over family traditions. Also, when selecting a date for your wedding, consider the fact that holidays are more expensive and busier for travelers. If you are having a destination wedding, or are having many guests come in from out of town, try to stay away from any dates that will cause your guests to pay more for attending. Examples: Thanksgiving weekend, New Years weddings, Spring Break in any warm destination (Florida, Central America, etc).

Let me throw another kink into this scenario: religious observances. Although you cannot possibly account for all of the various religious groups that can be within your guest list, you know who is coming to your wedding (at least you should). If you have a large group of Jewish guests, stay away from September-October weddings due to High Holidays. If you have a large Christian contingent, make sure you are noting Easter, Good Friday, etc. when selecting your wedding date. Are many Muslim attendees coming to your wedding? Do you know when Ramadan will be, so that your guests would be able to enjoy your wedding?

If you do choose holiday dates, be considerate of your guests. Perhaps your rehearsal dinner can be a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Maybe you can schedule a group attendance to church or a mosque.

Rain Drops Are Falling On My Head...

You can control many things for your future wedding: your dress, the venue, the food, the guest list... one thing you cannot control is the weather. So, be prepared.

Is your ceremony outdoors?

What about your reception?

Do you have smokers in your guest list, that will need to step outside?

Now that you have planned everything, all you can do is hope and have a few things ready:

- DON'T PANIC. And, as my mom always says, if it rains on your wedding day, it is a sign of good luck.

- Tell guests on your invitation if there is a portion of the day or evening that is to take place outside. This put the responsibility on them to be prepared. (It should also set off bells in their minds to skip the stilettos, which will inevitably dig into the grass outside)

- Make sure you have some umbrellas handy for the bridal party.

- Have some extra hair products and make-up handy in case you get caught in a down pour and need touch ups.

- Have a change of shoes available, even if it is to go from car to reception hall, so that your sparkly white (or ivory) footwear does not get muddied.

Inflatable Penis Necklace - JUST SAY NO!

It is time for the rite of passage known as the Bachelorette Party. Please make sure whoever is planning this soirée knows what you do/do not want. Do you want to be embarrassed in public by wearing a ridiculous veil, carrying around a 5ft tall penis? Do you want to have a stripper? Do you want to get plastered and forget what happened? Do you want to play silly games that would require you to kiss strangers, be groped by drunk guys at a bar or tell humiliating accounts of your past sexual escapades? Do you want to have a ladies night out? or a ladies night in? Do you want a nice dinner or pub fare?

The answers to some of these questions will vary. Make sure your bridal party and you are on the same page.

Contemporary Table

I think this is one of my favorites. This contemporary look is definitely not for everyone. It does not have the "warm" feel of a traditional wedding table. The clean lines, and chic decor are an acquired taste. If you choose to go this route, keep in mind the minimal detailing. There is not too much glitz here, it is white with a green accent.

Also, note the rectangular table changes the look of your room. A rectangular table creates corners. And is not as conducive for social interaction - since the people at opposite ends would need to yell at each other to be heard.

Lovely, simple, table setting

This table is lovely. It is simple. The floral is not over done, and see-through enough to make it comfortable. Also, there are not too many flowers which decreases cost. Try to go minimal with your table because once you add guests, food and beverages, there will be alot going on.

Traditional Centerpiece

- The florals are too low in this scenario. Guests will be distracted and be unable to see their friends across the table.
- This table is set for 8 people. Usually, a table this size will have 10 people at it (less expensive for table rentals, linens, centerpieces; also, takes up less space). The bread plates are too large.
- Lastly, please see my note about "vagina napkins."

www.uglydress.com

For your entertainment, check out this website. It is a not-so-subtle reminder of the cruelty of bridezillas in making their bridal party look as bad as possible.

A Very Busy Reception Hall

There is aLOT going on here. A few things to think about. The florals are a good height: above your guests' head. The "hanging florals" should be high enough to be out of reach of any votives you may be using on your table. Since the venue comes with its own carpeting, the use of lighting is a good idea if you can afford it. And the view? simply stunning.

Vagina Napkins

Allow me to introduce the "Vagina Napkin." If you have any control over your napkin fold at your reception, please beg and plead that the function hall comes up with something that does not look like a Georgia O'Keeffe watercolor of female genitalia.

Bridal Party - Bridesmaids

What is a bridesmaid?

Your bridesmaid is the person that you would like next to you as you take one of the most important steps in your life. She should be a close friend or family member of you or your groom. She is NOT your slave, pincushion or pseudo party planner.

What are the jobs of the bridesmaid?

- Helping to direct flow for the guests, in case there are stragglers
- Encouraging your guests to sign a guest book, if you choose to have one
- Assist you with various tasks, some of which may be unpleasant (think about it: have you figured out how you are going to use the bathroom in your dress?)
- Dance all the silly dances that the MC/DJ/Band play. Things like the ethnic dances,
Macarena, YMCA... well, you get the picture
- NOT to be your personal wedding coordinator
- NOT to yell at your vendors if you are unhappy
- NOT to be your photographer or videographer
- NOT to be the time keeper and keep everyone on schedule

How to select your bridesmaid's dresses?
- No matter what happens, the bride is always the most beautiful person in the room. There is no need to put your bridesmaids into an atrocious dresses that they have to pay for in the hopes of making them look worse, and you look better. Remember, these are people you love.

- Unless you have a cookie cutter bridal party, chances are your closest friends are not all the same shape, size and height. There are very few dress styles that can fit everyone. So, please do not try to stuff your plus sized or busty bridesmaid into a tight, strapless number that she will spend the rest of the evening pulling up. There are not enough Spanx in the world for that.

- Select a designer, a fabric and a color, then let your bridesmaids select dresses that fit them.

Selecting Your Wedding Colors

You have imagined your wedding since you were young. You envision the Tiffany Blue and chocolate brown adorning each corner of the reception area. Or your ivory and silver combination for invitations, flowers and napkins. And then you pick your venue... the banquet hall, country club, cultural facility or restaurant. You enter the room to be filled with your guests and find the red, green and brown floral pattern on the carpet, matched only by the stripes on the walls.

If you are choosing to select linens for the tables that are not the standard white, try to select a color to complement your venue. This may force you outside of your chosen colors. But Tiffany Blue on 20 table tops, with red/green/brown on the floor and walls?

Flowers

You have planned all the other details, now it is time for the centerpieces that will adorn your guests' tables. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

- Select flowers that are lovely, but only slightly fragrant. No one wants to come in to a reception hall and be hit with a fragrance similar to that of a freshly mopped floor.

- Your centerpieces should complement the rest of the room; they do not need to match exactly, but rather enhance the setting. This should include the colors on the walls, carpets, chairs, linen, etc.

- The height of your floral must not be intrusive on the table. Your guests should be able to talk over the centerpiece if it is short, or under it if it is tall.

- If you plan on using votive candles, please ensure that no part of your florals are within scorching distance. No one wants to use their water glass to put out a fire.

Favors, yes? or no?

In my house, I have a shelf that I have affectionately titled "the shelf where wedding favors go to die." It holds the various "aren't these cute" place card holders and other useless trinkets that I have received at weddings.

When planning your wedding, consider putting the $1 to $4.50 per piece funds towards something more important for your guests... like an open bar. As precious as you believe the "two peas in a pod" salt and pepper shaker sets are, they have very little practical use and will, more than likely, end up on the a hidden drawer or bottom shelf of a bookcase.

Unless you own stock in "personalizeyourownminiphotoalbums.com", just say no.