Secrets You Can Use For A Memorable Wedding Reception

Secrets You Can Use For A Memorable Wedding Reception

If you went to a party that someone invited you to, then what’s going to make you remember it more versus the other parties that you’ve been to?  Is it going to be the food? Yes, good food can help, but a party is more likely to be remembered for having bad food versus good food. Good food is expected. Is it going to be having good music? What’s good music? What might be considered good music to some might be considered mediocre for others.

Memorable Chicago Wedding Reception
No, what’s likely going to make you remember a party that you’ve gone to is the total quality of the experience. This means feeling included in what’s taking place as much as reasonably possible. It also means being able to experience the other attendees so it becomes a true social event. Well it works the same way with wedding receptions.

You want people to remember yours for sure. Odds are if you’re having a wedding and have decided to invite certain people, then these people are going go eventually be going to other weddings as well. We’re not saying it’s a competition or anything, but you want your wedding reception to be special. There are a few simple secrets you can utilize in order to make this happen. Let’s take a look.

Put your guests around people you know they’ll be comfortable with

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What You Should Look For In A Good Marriage Celebrant

What You Should Look For In A Good Marriage Celebrant

If you’ve never heard of a marriage celebrant before, then don’t worry.  It can be a little confusing at first, but the best way to explain what a marriage celebrant is would be someone who is able to perform at and officiate different formal ceremonies.

The majority of the time they’ll be observed at weddings, but they’re also able to carry out ceremonies such as the following:

  • Vow renewals
  • Baby naming’s
  • Funeral rites

marriage celebrant chicago

Celebrants also aren’t members of the clergy such as priests would be. Priests are bound by the customs of their faith while celebrants have more versatility in terms of what they can do. They can put together a wedding according to whatever requirements a couple wants, work within various themes and different concepts.

How do you find a good one though, because not all wedding celebrants are created equal? Well there are a few general guidelines you can follow.

Getting to know you and your partner

Firstly, you don’t want someone who isn’t going to take the time to get to know not only you, but also your marriage partner. You would want them to take the time to understand your entire relationship if possible and how it arrived at the point it is now.

Understanding laws and contributing

A good celebrant needs to be aware of the various regulations and laws concerning what they do as it relates to the country they’re in. Any resources or interjections they could add in order to help your cause would also be appreciated.

A willingness to listen

No matter how experienced a celebrant might be, you wouldn’t want them to come off like they were trying to dominate any exchange you had with them. You’d need someone who was open to listening to you and learning about any ideas you have. You’d want someone who isn’t rigid, who radiates reassurance, can relate to you in certain ways and above all else is authentic. Read more

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Fascinating Wedding Traditions From Around the World

Fascinating Wedding Traditions From Around the World

There are many different wedding traditions people adhere to in the United States.
Most of these are well known. You have the bride tossing up her bouquet to a hopeful bridesmaid who believes if she catches it, then bride tossing up her bouquetshe’ll be the one to get married next.
You have the something new, borrowed and blue traditions, which is all about creating good luck.

A lot of these traditions are still used and looked at as being fun, so much so that even a lot of couples that aren’t so big on tradition will decide to engage in them.
However, Americans aren’t the only people who have wedding traditions or customs they believe are important.

Here we’re going to take a look at some wedding customs from around the world. Some of these are innocent, while others are a little confusing, others might come off as very strange.
The one thing they all share is that they mean well and serve to wish well onto the couple. So let’s get started.

 

China

Men who consider catching the women of their dreams a successful hunt might appreciate this one. In some parts of Chin the groom takes the head off of an arrow and proceeds to shoot at his bride to be numerous times. After it’s over he gathers the arrows and breaks them up while the ceremony is taking place. It’s believed that when this is done that the love will endure forever.

 

France

If you like eating chocolate and drinking champagne after your wedding reception, then you’re in luck. Oh, one thing, you have to consume it out of a toilet bowl. We don’t know if this is designed to be a glorified haze, but the belief is that it serves as a bonding experience for the couple, something to give them strength right before the wedding night.

 

French Polynesia

In certain parts of French Polynesia such as the Marquesas when the wedding ceremony is over the family of the bride will lie down on the floor side-by-side. After this the bride and groom walk over them as if they were a rug.  Can you say ouch? This tradition is in good faith and is designed to offer love and support to the newly married couple. Read more

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Things You Never knew About Wedding Reception Music

Things You Never knew About Wedding Reception Music

The music that gets played at your wedding reception might not seem like a big deal at first. As long as there are a few slow songs both you and your partner like, then everything should be good right? You’ll add a few faster songs later in order to get guests up and dancing, but besides from this you won’t really pay this any additional thought.

wedding reception music tips

 

Here’s the thing though, wedding reception music should be given a lot more consideration than what most people give it. It’s easy to get caught up in the other aspects of a wedding, but the music that gets played during your reception is critical. We’re not going to focus on that here entirely. What we instead want to focus on are certain things regarding wedding reception music most people aren’t aware of.

Why is this important? Well it’s going to help you to not only be more informed, but you’ll hopefully have more of an understanding as to how to go about doing things.

The right music can lead to great picture taking opportunities

Your photographer is in charge of taking the right pictures at the right time. Well when you’re dancing at your wedding reception, they’ll have to be especially good at what they do. The wrong wedding reception music can make things difficult though.

Odds are that the couple has certain songs that they vibe to and when they play, then everything else and everyone else around them is forgotten. It’s a great opportunity to capture a picture of the couple that’s going to capture the true essence of the relationship. This goes for the first dance as well as later on when more upbeat music is being played. Read more

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8 Top Honeymoon Destinations In 2019/2020

8 Top Honeymoon Destinations In 2019/2020

When you get married you’re going to have a lot of firsts as husband and wife. One of those firsts would be your honeymoon. Honeymoons often get overlooked because people spend so much time and energy on putting together a wedding. A honeymoon is important though, especially a good one because you’re only going to get one shot at it.

You can think of it as just another trip if you’d like, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s a chance for you and your spouse to bond as husband and wife and start out your marriage on the right foot. So what you want is something big, exciting and memorable.

Well if this is what you want, then you might want to consider one of these 8 top wedding destinations. Yes, some of them can be a little pricey, but the experience you can have will certainly make it all worth it.

 

Patagonia, South America HoneymoonPatagonia, South America

  • Positioned deep in South America covering Argentina and Chile
  • Considered to be one of the more unique areas in South America, with lots to offer such as snowcapped mountains, various glaciers as well as lakes
  • A perfect place for those looking for adventure and thrills and at the same time a unique honeymoon experience

 

Japan HoneymoonJapan

  • Japan is loaded with tons of natural wonder, history, rich culture and amazing opportunities to experience world class dining
  • Lots of ancient structures for newlywed coupled to look at while at the same time being able to explore some of the more modernized areas of the city
  • Japan offers a wealth of different hiking options and walking options for those couples who want to enjoy more of the outdoors Japan Honeymoon
  • Unique businesses exist such as cat cafes, plus there are very attractive coastlines for couples to enjoy
  • Japan has no shortage of unique hotels, some modernized and some more unconventional for those couples who are open to taking some risks

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The Deep Meaning behind An Orthodox Jewish Wedding

The Deep Meaning behind An Orthodox Jewish Wedding

There are many cultures around the world where getting married is a vastly different experience than what the typical American has come to expect. Different cultures focus on tradition and various other important aspects. Some of these may be rooted in religion while others are rooted in superstition. At times it might be that the activities taking place at certain weddings are a combination of cultural and superstitious aspects.

Orthodox Jewish weddings are certainly not your common wedding experience. There are several different things to expect with orthodox Jewish wedding ceremonies. First, these weddings are centered around adhering to the Torah in every aspect. As a result the traditions taken part in will be different from what could be expected at other non-orthodox Jewish weddings.

Second, orthodox Jewish weddings aren’t as liberal as what you might find with the other forms of Jewish weddings such as conservative Jewish weddings or reformed Jewish weddings.  There’s a deep meaning behind these types of weddings, but there’s more than one meaning.

Some of these meaning might carry more weight than others, but all of them are very important and are followed to very strictly. We’ll start with one of the most important meanings.The Deep Meaning behind An Orthodox Jewish Wedding

Not meeting  the bride (Kallah) from a week up to the wedding

The groom, who is called the Chattan, isn’t allowed to meet the bride right up to a week before the wedding, but the reason for this is centered around creating feelings of new and fresh love on the actual wedding day. Depending on just how orthodox the couple is they may not be able to meet each other at all throughout the entire time they’re engaged. This is significant because engagements tend to last for a period of 6 months, but sometimes can last for almost a year.

Showing a certain level of seriousness and dedication on both sides (Kabbalat Panim)

With Orthodox Jewish weddings they begin with what’s called a Kabbalat Panim reception. Different receptions are held for the women and the men. At these receptions the groom will meet with his guests and properly greet them. The guests will make toasts to him and sing. The bride (Kallah) will sit on what looks like a throne while meeting with her guests. Certain refreshments will be offered at these receptions as well.

The moms of both the Kallah as well as the Chattan will shatter a plate during this time. One of the main reasons for this tradition is for each side to show how important the commitment is. Think about it. You can completely put back together a broken plate right? So the same would apply to a relationship that gets broken.

This Jewish wedding tradition is also to show the idea that the kallah is expected to be modest and her modesty will bring blessing into her new home. Read more

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Wedding Invitations Your Guests Will Never Forget

Wedding Invitations Your Guests Will Never Forget

Wedding Invitations Your Guests Will Never ForgetThe wedding invitations you use are more than just something inviting people to come and watch you tie the knot. Wedding invitations are also about sending a message to people who are going to see them. They’re about offering up what could be considered a unique perspective of the life you and your partner are about to share together.

As simple as these might see, the communication ability they have can’t be denied. You want to create a lasting impression, something guests will never forget and will not want to forget. What do you think is going to be the effect if your wedding invitations are bland or overly basic?

Guests will assume that bland or overly basic invitations are going to be representative of what will be a bland or overly basic wedding. So what you want to do is spruce things up and add some excitement to the mix. Invitations that are fun and exciting are precursors of what’s going to be experienced on the actual big day.

So the question is what can you do in order to make your wedding invitations not just appear appealing, but also to make them have a special air about them. Well there are all sorts of options.

Something as simple as having a monogram on your invitations can make them memorable for example. Maybe having the initials of you and your partner on them, but intertwined in a way that makes them look like one symbol. Icons can also work. The key is going to be for you to not be shy about taking a different road from what’s usual and safe.

You’ll want to take measures to set your invitations apart in a way that the personal touch you inject into them will be hard to not notice.

Now, the best way to create a “wow” factor with your friends and family would be to focus on sending them invitations that they won’t want to discard. The invitations should be something that they’ll have a desire to save. They’ll consider it a keepsake.

One really effective idea you can try is having an artist you and your partner would select to create a personalized logo on the invitation. You’d want the logo to have an artist’s rendition of both you and your partner. Now some might consider this to be too much, but it will certainly be something that friends and family would be talking about for a long time to come and in a good way. Read more

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Your Ringbearer Security Briefcase Has Just Arrived

Your Ringbearer Security Briefcase Has Just Arrived

 

Your Ringbearer Security Briefcase Has Just ArrivedMost brides don’t worry too much about the ringbearer at their wedding. Their job is fairly simple and it doesn’t require much planning.  The fairly simple part can be what leads to boredom on the part of the ringbearer, who is typically a small boy.

The majority of brides understand where the tradition of the ringbearer originates from. A young boy carries the rings on a pillow while walking down the aisle before presenting it to the couple. Believe it or not this custom goes as far back as the Ancient Egyptians.

The trend started in Victorian England and has now become custom in various cultures throughout the world.  Ringbearer might be the official designation now, but ringbearers were referred to as pageboy’s way back in England. Their role used to be more load heavy as well. They were responsible for carrying the bride’s train, along with a book of prayer on top of carrying the rings.

The ringbearers attire was distinct as they would sport a white lace collar along with a sash. These days they wear a tuxedo just like the groom and his groomsmen.

So why are we giving you this short history lesson? Well we feel the role of the ringbearer is in need of a change in order to make it more fun. The ringbearer will become bored with the process because their role is so limited.

One way to protect against this is to make things more exciting for the ringbearer and these days one of the most popular trends is that of “RingBearer Security”.

Ringbearer Security is more of a character than a serious designation. It’s meant for them to have fun with it and feel more engaged with the wedding than just waiting for their moment. Read more

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Preserving The Wow Factor Of Your Wedding Dress Before, During And After The Event

Preserving The Wow Factor Of  Your Wedding Dress Before, During And After The Event

Let’s say that you get through your big day with no serious staining issues. You still want to take measures to preserve your wedding dress right? Well there’s several ways to go about doing this.

The first thing you want to do is hang your wedding dress by loops within it that are attached to strong side seams, not weak shoulder seams, which would lead to stretching or sagging.

Preserving your wedding dress after the big day

Preserving your wedding dress wow factor before and after the big day

Next, when it comes to how you’ll store your dress after the wedding be sure it won’t be within plastic bags or even vacuum sealed plastic wrapped containers. The reason for this is because plastic gives off certain fumes that can cause yellowing and it can also lock in moisture, which can cause instances of mildew.

Right after your wedding we would recommend that you take measures to have your dress professionally cleaned right away. You would prefer someone who specializes in cleaning and preservation. Taking action immediately after a wedding will ensure protection from staining or discoloration issues.

After you’ve taken proper precautions with your wedding dress after you’re through wearing it, now you’ll need to store it in the right way. The key to preservation here is to store the dress in a place that has a steady and consistent temperature. Putting the dress in a place like the attic or the basement just won’t work, because the temperature of these types of environments varies dramatically depending on what the weather is outside.

We’re assuming you want to keep your wedding dress in good condition so that you can have a chance to pass it down one day. If you follow these methods outlined above, then this won’t be a problem. The dress will remain in good condition for a long time to come and can be worn again in the future.

Now in order to have an easier time preserving your dress it would make sense to know how to treat it beforehand right? Follow these steps and you’ll find that preservation after the actual big day becomes a whole lot easier. Read more

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Never Again a Bridesmaid

Never Again a Bridesmaid

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride does not even begin to describe me. I have planned more weddings for friends in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois; I have lost count of them. I have somehow developed a reputation as the go to girl for wedding planning among my circle of friends. Truth be told, I kind of have it down to a science. Pick a theme and a color palette and you are off. From wedding flowers to the perfect wedding band, I have the whole thing wired. You want creative? I am your girl. Traditional is more your style? Look no further; I know just what to do. I grew very fond of my track record of beautifully planned weddings that went off flawlessly.

chicago bridesmaids

Then it happened, I finally met the guy, my own prince charming. What was even more amazing is that he asked me to marry him and I said yes. It was finally happening for me, I was going to be the bride and wear the pretty white dress and carry the best flowers. Of course my wedding would be perfect – after all, I had successfully planned so many weddings – some for true ‘bridezilla’s’ – that planning my own would be a snap. I bought a binder, a bunch of bridal magazines and set down to work.

 

That is where the trouble began. Each time I found a bridal gown or wedding cake I liked, I would realize I had used something similar in someone else’s wedding. I began to obsess about making my wedding unique. I could not use any of the DJ’s in town – they would play the same reception music that was played at all the wedding I had planned. My wedding reception venue could not be the same as anyone else’s. Even picking my dress became an ordeal as I realized just how similar bride’s dresses really are.

 

I could not believe it – I had turned into Bridzilla myself. My wedding plans were going nowhere – I had not even chosen my bridesmaids, let alone by bridesmaids’ dresses. How could I have sunk so low? I did not know what to do; I finally asked seven friends who I had helped plan particularly flawless weddings, for help. Read more

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