Etiquette Dilemma- Unasking an attendant

It’s unfortunate that weddings so often bring out the worst in people — and not just the bride and groom, but sometimes their friends and families, too. Hopefully when you selected your wedding party, you included good friends. I don’t just mean friends that you are close with, but friends who will be supportive throughout your wedding and marriage process.   

But what happens when one of your friends surprises you and starts using your wedding to create drama? Six months ago, you were best buddies, and so this person is part of your wedding party, but now you dread every moment that you have to spend with this “friend.” Can you kick him or her out of the wedding party?

First you need honestly evaluate the situation. For instance, maybe you’re upset with a bridesmaid because she doesn’t want to come dress shopping with you or do wedding planning things together. This is a complaint a lot of brides have about their bridesmaids, but is this really something worth fighting about?

Maybe you two just have different interpretations of what it means to be a bridesmaid. She thinks it means she wears the dress you pick out and stands at the altar with you, but you think it means all that plus dedicating every weekend for a year to planning your wedding. If you really feel this way, you’re being a bridezilla and you need to knock it off. But maybe the problem is somewhere in the middle, and it’s just a misunderstanding. Perhaps she agreed to be your bridesmaid because she’s a friend and wants to be supportive, but just doesn’t enjoy all that wedding stuff. Don’t force it on her. Accept that she’s not going to be a big help in the planning because it’s just not her thing.

But what if there truly is real drama? It’s not a misunderstanding — she’s being catty and unreasonable. Now what? Once you’ve examined and ruled out the possibility that you’re driving your friends to this type of behavior by being unreasonable yourself, now you have a legitimate reason to remove an attendant from the party. But how?

It is considered bad form to “unask” someone, but if they’re really making your life miserable, you shouldn’t put up with that. If you’ve grown to hate her over the course of the wedding planning, the feeling is probably mutual, and she’ll be relieved to step out of the wedding. Just sit down and have an honest, but not accusatory, talk with her. Be gentle and kind, even if she is not. Take the high road as much as possible. Say something like “I can tell you really aren’t happy, and it’s making me unhappy, so I’d like you to step down from the wedding party. I hope you’ll still attend the wedding as a guest.” 
                                                                                          bridesmaids
She’s probably already spent some money to be your bridesmaid, so give her that money back. Don’t just offer to repay her — that puts her in the awkward position of billing you. Just give her a check, and tell her to please let you know if you’ve miscalculated. This is only fair. Even if she’s been a total pain, she’s spent money to do a job you’re now firing her from, so you must reimburse her.

If you do decide to “fire” an attendant, know that you are likely ending your friendship. If you really don’t want to risk that, then you’ll need to turn the other cheek and just plan around the problem, remembering to keep your expectations low for this person.

Have you ever wanted to ask an attendant to step down? How did you handle it?

Bachelor Parties Grow Up

bachelor-party-with-girlIf you’re the type of bride that dreads the bachelor party, that stereotypically sleazy celebration of a man’s last night of “freedom,” you need not worry anymore – the bachelor party is changing Thanks to today’s older, richer and more experienced bachelors the blurry boozefests of the past are being replaced with elaborate destination vacations more conducive to male bonding than to cramming a lifetime of … well … experience in one night.
                                                                                              bachelor-party-deep-sea-fishing
Sounds good, right?

Don’t get me wrong – the evenings of strippers and booze are not entirely disappearing (we’re talking about men here) – but a trip to a strip club is rarely the main event at these parties. Instead, male bonding happens while friends golf, go deep-sea fishing or skiing together and why shouldn’t it? With time and money at a premium most people see these events as mini-vacations and some grooms are even hiring event planners – effectively putting as much effort into their parties as the brides tend to put into the wedding.

 bachelor-party-racing                                                                                              bachelor-party-rafting                                                                                             

Bridesmaid Basics

She asked you to be in her wedding, and now you’re wondering what the job entails.  The good news is that you don’t have to be an etiquette guru or event diva to play this role perfectly.  You simply need to be your most fun and supportive self and handle a few basic tasks.  Nail your job with poise and grace with this cheat sheet of essential bridesmaid to-dos. 

Basic Bridesmaid Duties   

Bridesmaid Dos

1. Buy your bridesmaid dress, shoes, and any other accessories. 

2. Provide emotional support for the bride throughout her engagement, especially during the often stress-filled final weeks.

3. Offer to help the bride with planning tasks.  Try to volunteer for specific duties, like scouting for bridesmaids’ dresses or stuffing invites.

4. Help plan, cohost, and pay for the bridal shower and bachelorette party

5. Attend the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner

6. Attend as many other pre-wedding parties as your schedule will allow

7. Be prepared to arrange for your own transportation to and from the wedding, and pay for your accommodations.  Don’t expect the bride to reserve and fund your room and ride.

8. Purchase or go in on group gifts.  In addition to a wedding present, you will most likely give gifts at the engagement party, bridal shower, and bachelorette festivities.

9. At the shower, help record gifts so the couple can write thank-yous. 

10. Be prepared to give a toast (or roast) at the rehearsal dinner or wedding. Although this technically falls on the maid-of-honor’s shoulders, bridesmaids can also do the honors.  Your may want to prepare a group speech or poem to take the pressure of an individual speaker.                     

11. Be there for the bride on the wedding day. Of course you should have a good time, but don’t sneak off on your own in case the bride needs you.

12. Help the bride get ready before the wedding, and offer to hold on to her makeup bag for touch ups throughout the day. 

13. Help bustle the bride’s dress before the reception
14. Stand in the receiving line at the bride’s request.

15. Take on back-up hostess duties at the reception if necessary – introducing guests, helping them to their tables, or directing them to the bar. 

16. Instigate a packed dance floor at the reception – the guests will take cues from the wedding party

17. Above all – be a good friend!

And now for the bridesmaid don’ts:

1. Don’t show up late – for anything.

2. Don’t barrage the bride with tons of last minute questions – if possible point any questions or concerns to the maid/matron-of-honor or another bridesmaid.

3. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself by drinking too much.  This is a wedding/rehearsal dinner/luncheon – not a fraternity keggar (however, cutting loose at the bachelorette bash is just fine!)

4. And finally, try not to complain about the style of bridesmaid dress the bride chooses (even if you hate it). 

Do YOU Need Premarital Non-religious Counseling?

The Census Bureau predicts that about 50% of first-time brides and grooms will divorce-so how do you avoid it? It’s easy if you put as much time and effort into planning your marriage as you do in planning your wedding.

Non-religious premarital counseling actually cuts the divorce rate for participants. and besides, it’s fun! It’s our opinion that it should be a prerequisite of marriage just like a license.

Let’s face it, no matter how much you love that SO or fiancé, there are things about them that may get under your skin. And if a wedding is in your future, it means that you should have no doubts when it comes to your intended’s character or habits. Maybe one of you likes too many glasses of the bubbly, for example, or maybe one of you smokes. Maybe one wants kids, the other doesn’t. But whatever the issue, the time to resolve it is NOW! Not after the honeymoon is over or in divorce court.

PAIRS (Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills) is the program that can help you build a strong relationship. Internationally accepted as the most comprehensive “how to” program on sustaining intimacy in relationships, you’ll learn innovative communication skills and receive the necessary tools to enable you to understand each other’s emotions. To put it bluntly: It will help you stay married. www.pairs.com

 

 

 

 

Why Bridesmaids Match

bridesmaids-dressesSo you’re shopping for bridesmaids dresses and you’re wondering whose brilliant idea it was to have them ALL MATCH because where are you going to find a dress that your sister and your fiance’s sister and your best friend wedding-party-in-red-dressesfrom grade school and your college roommate ALL like? Plus the fact that the sister-in-law is pregnant and the other girls wear everything from a size two to a size twelve.

It’s an interesting story, actually.

Most wedding customs have their roots in superstition, primarily about evil spirits who will curse the couple on their wedding day. In small villages, the bride would often walk to the church, with her friends; in order to ward off evil spirits — or jealous exes — the bride’s sisters and friends would dress like the bride and veil their faces. The groom’s friends did the same, for the same reasons. And thus began the custom of the members of the wedding party dressing alike.
                                                   different-dresses-for-wedding-party1      
Moral: Unless you are afraid of being nabbed on the way to the church, your bridesmaids do NOT have to match. They will all thank you for it, trust me.

9 Creative Ideas for Wedding Flowers

These unique and modern ideas for wedding flowers that are sure to inspire your own creations…

Your wedding flowers offer ample opportunity to stretch your creative muscles and add a bit of originality to your wedding day, so don’t be afraid to design a floral scheme that bucks tradition.  This list of our favorite ideas for bridal bouquets, centerpieces, colors and other decorations is a great place to start designing a memorable decor scheme.

9 Creative Ideas for Wedding Flowers

Play with Shape
Arrangements with a just-picked, unstructured look are replacing the tightly-bound bouquet and centerpiece shapes of previous seasons.  Ensure a modern, not messy, look by choosing the right flowers.  Hearty blooms like lilies, orchids, and amaranthus work well in looser arrangements because of feather-bouquetthe sleek shape of the individual blooms. Also consider incorporating non-floral elements like feathers, berries, and crystals to add interest and depth.

Get Into Navy
Sophisticated and classic navy is one of the hottest colors on the 2009 wedding palette, and many brides are daring to think beyond basic baby blue by incorporating the darker shade into their floral schemes. Naturally navy flowers may be hard to come by, but there are some options that are a close match:  deep blue violets, thistles, and hydrangea are available in various shades of blue and indigo, while roses are a versatile bloom that can be dyed any color – including navy blue.  Pair these bold navy blooms with white or ivory for a classic look, or yellow for a bright burst of color.

Think Beyond the Vase
Options abound beyond the basic floral vase for holding your flowers.  Consider instead mixing and matching clusters of unique containers like wood buckets, mason jars, cans, pitchers, antique urns and uniquely shaped vases to add interest and reflect your wedding theme. Some ideas: Fill watering bouquet-in-pailcans with wild flowers for a garden fete, or use apothecary jars filled with sand and sea glass to complement to a waterfront wedding.

Lighten Up
Candles, always a popular choice for centerpieces, are becoming even more popular as a budget and eco-friendly enhancement to traditional floral centerpieces.  Ample candlelight lends the day a romantic, organic feel, while the natural resource saves electricity and drapes the setting with an intimate glow.  Another way to enhance your arrangements with lighting and really make your centerpieces pop is through a technique called pinspotting.  This advanced light design shines tiny beams of light from the ceiling to illuminate the center of each arrangement.  candle-centerpiece

Get Stoned
Say good-bye to light pastels and muted shades, and seek inspiration from the baubles on your ears and wrist. Rich gemstone colors like amethyst, turquoise, and amber are hot on this year’s wedding color palette.  Accent these rich colors with soft sandy tones or grays instead of chocolate brown (so last year!)

Go Green
Going green is easy when it comes to wedding flowers.  Consult Mother Nature for inspiration and bring the outdoors in. Natural objects like stones, leaves, pinecones, even twigs can add an organic aesthetic to your reception décor.  Place in rustic containers or scatter amongst pillar candles for added ambiance. grass-and-candle-centerpiece

Make it Personal
Further seeking to personalize their weddings, brides are using their wedding flowers to call out specific interests by incorporating unique items into bouquets and centerpieces and creating a conversation piece for guests.  For instance, book worms can use intricately piled leather-bound books in place of floral centerpieces, and wine lovers can use wine bottles and decanters as centerpiece holders.                                                          book-centerpiece

Tie it Together                                                 
The hand-tied bouquet continues its reign as the most popular bouquet style as brides opt for a tailored and natural look to their wedding flowers. A fresh brooch-imagebunch of flowers gathered and wrapped in a wide satin ribbon presents the look of simple elegance, but brides wishing to up the glam of this otherwise simple look can embellish the bouquet with brooches, pins, and crystal picks.

Lose the Corsage                                                     corsage-picture1
Some brides are forgoing corsages and instead having the moms carry nosegays or tussy mussys down the aisle.  Besides the fact that corsages tend to conjure up memories of proms gone bad, there’s practical reason for this trend because it saves the dress – often made from fragile fabric – from pulling and tearing from the weight of the corsage.

 

 

Brides Against Breast Cancer Tampa VIP Night

Last Night was the Vip Night for Brides Against Breast Cancer. This was the first time doing that along with the regular sale. As the attendees ( brides plus guests)arrived to the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel they walked the pink carpet( supplied by Grand Events) to registration table to check-in. There they had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for $1.00. We were drawing during the event for a Free Wedding Dress ( valued up to $ 350.00 or they could use the discount off of a higher priced dress) and also a 4 day 3 night trip to Coconut Bay Resort ( all inclusive) in St. Lucia.

They were also treated to a free bridal publication from The Perfect Wedding Guide. As the guests left the Vip night , they were also given a goody bag supplied by Get Married with some goodies inside from various vendors.

After checking in, they were treated to glasses of wine & pink champagne along with a Mashed Potato Bar, fruit and cheese display,bacon wrapped scallops & and a Cappuccino and Expresso Bar….( Cafe A La Carte ) During the “cocktail hour ” they were also able to bid on Silent Auction items like hotel stays, wedding cakes & Flowers , plus a signed Martha Stewart Book.

One of the new additions to our gown sale this year was the Groom’s Lounge. The entire lounge set-up was supplied by Grand Events. Big thank to Grand Events, there lounge was a great success in the groom’s eyes and also for the kids in attendance.

After the cocktail hour the brides were let into the Ballroom to the main area and were greeted by ABC Members that were there to volunteer. The Brides were then treated to a suprise. Holly from Studio 10 was there to greet the guests and we had a very Special Guest with her… Cassiday…

Cassiday is sufferering with Breast Cancer and had asked the Making Memories Foundation for a wedding dress for her and a dress for her daughter. The Man that stood by her during this breast cancer treatment process has asked Cassiday to marry him. Cassiday arrived by Rolls Royce ( supplied by Ambassador Limousine) with her daughter and Fiance to the sale thinking she was picking out a dress. We suprised her with the help of fellow ABC ( Association of Bridal Consultants)Members a complete wedding including location for her. When Holly started reading off the different vendors and they came up and presented her with certificates for the wedding on March 30th, 2009 . Tears we filled in her eyes and her groom to be was speechless.

After the “Wish ” for Cassiday… Holly drew the tickets for the free dress and also for the trip and the Brides eagerly were anticpating being allowed to shop for the dress of their dreams nefore the public the next day. Once, Holly asked the volunteers to let go of the chain , the brides hurriedly grabbed dresses and were off to the fitting room …

It was an amazing night and we raised $ 14,000 on the VIP night … We are so excited for next years sale and can hardly wait! Will keep you updated on the date for next year and also the location!

Below is a list of the Kind and Generous ABC members that donated to Cassiday for her Dream wedding!                                                                                                                                

Sacino's donating the Groom's Formalwear for wedding

Sacino's donating the Groom's Formalwear for wedding

     

Mike & Dave donating their video services to Cassiday

Mike & Dave donating their video services to Cassiday

Location: Safety Harbor Resort and Spa                                            

Tina and Katie from Safety Harbor presenting to Cassiday

Tina and Katie from Safety Harbor presenting to Cassiday

Photographer: Brian C Idocks Photographics

Videographer : Artistic Media

Music : Creative Productions

Minister: Virginia  Bishop – Loving Unity

Flowers: Apple Blossoms Floral Design                                                                        

 Tux:Sacino’s                                                                                                                                                                             

Rev.Virginia Bishop donating her officiating services

Rev.Virginia Bishop donating her officiating services

                                           

Scott Darhower donating flowers for Cassiday's wedding

Scott Darhower donating flowers for Cassiday's wedding

                                                                                           

Brian Idocks hugging Cassiday after giving her photography for wedding

Brian Idocks hugging Cassiday after giving her photography for wedding

Below are the pictures provided by Marley from Beautiful Wedding Photography for you to enjoy. Marley was present for the entire sale and was shooting complimentary photos of each of the Bride’s as they found their dream dress.. Thanks Marley for your time each year and the amazing photos you so graciously donate…

Brides Against Breast Cancer – Tampa Set-up

On Thursday, March 5th, 2009 we arrived at the Howard Johnson’s Plaza Hotel to begin set-up for the Brides Against Breast Cancer Gown Sale. The pictures below are from Britt McAllister , who was helping with set-up also and was so kind as to catch a few photos of all of us getting ready for the Vip night tonight. Marley Lindley from Beautiful Wedding Photography will be sending us photos from the Vip night tonight along with pictures of Cassiday. Cassiday is being granted her wish tonight… Story to Follow tomorrow about that! Enjoy photos below of: Brian, Derrica, Angela, Krissy, Tammy, Ken, Kenia, Amany, Britt, Judy, Veronica,Jeff, and the Fox 13 news reporter. Special Shout out to the Santee Crew also – Barb, Peter, Hildegard, Don, Betty and the 2 dogs Sparky and Madison..

Vendor Video Testimonials

Glenn from A Reel Wedding was kind enough to put together a promotional Video for us. We also want to say a big thank you to all of the vendors that were so kind with their words. Yes we love you all !!!!!

Navy and Copper Inspiration Board

navy-and-copper-weddingNavy and Copper Wedding Inspiration Board…

Stay tuned for the actual wedding photos in the next  few months. Looking forward to their wedding!

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