Where Shall We Celebrate?

You may have the perfect place in mind. It may be your favorite restaurant with the absolutely delicious food. Maybe it’s the most popular place in town. Could it be the biggest structure in the city with the absolutely fantastic view?

Some things to keep in mind if you’re still looking for the perfect venue:

• Is it available on your preferred day? A really popular venue for weddings usually has to be booked months in advance to be sure of getting the place.
• How will they charge you for the use of their venue? Do you rent the room on a per hour basis or is the cost of the room waived if you order food from their in-house catering service? How many hours will you be able to use the venue at the fee they quote you? Is there a charge in excess of say, 3 hours?
• Do they have an in-house catering service? No problem if this place is a restaurant you specifically chose for their food. If not, you may end up having to find a caterer of your own.
• If the food will be handled by the property owners as well, check if they have a corkage fee if you bring in additional beverages and wines. Since the cakes are usually created by special bakeshops, will they charge you for the cake slicing?
• An often overlooked item is the temperature control of the place. Make sure that the venue has proper ventilation, sufficient fans or air-conditioning. The only thing that should be roasting at your event is the food.
• Parking is something you should check as well. This convenience is of primary importance to your guests who will drive. Valet service would be a plus.

Don’t forget to get all their quotations, as well as the final agreement in writing. You want to be protected in cases they don’t deliver what you asked for. This will be the only way that you can prove if they met their promises or not.

Runaway Train

She looked absolutely beautiful as she walked down the aisle. She absolutely glowed with happiness. She looked like royalty as she walked towards the groom with her train flowing behind her.
As the ceremony progressed, it was the photographer who would fuss over the bride’s train. He would adjust it as the bride moved so that it would look great for the pictures. He even held it for her when she had to negotiate the steps for the wedding pictures.

Ladies, a couple of things you should know about having a train on your dress:

• It is heavier than it looks so you may need assistance if you want it to flow behind you all the time
• It does not move smoothly by itself and is bound to catch on objects without your supervision

Actually, the task of making sure that your train falls or flows properly goes to your maid or matron of honor, unless you have page boys. Think of her as your personal assistant on this day. She should anticipate that you won’t be able to reach back and fix it yourself, and therefore, keep an eye on it.

There is also a proper way to carry a train. Never, never bunch it up - oh what an unpleasant sight! If you can’t detach it and don’t plan to change outfits, here are some ways to handle your extension:

• Have your pageboys or chief bridesmaid or groom carry it around while you mingle (very tiring work).
• Have your designer put a loop on the side of the train that you can slip onto your fingers. That will help you gather it in to better maneuver during your reception.
• Ask your maid or matron of honor to help you gather it so that you can carry it over your arm. The best way to do this is for her to pick up the end of the train in the middle (so the end is draped in half, then she’ll bring the folded train forward and drape it over your arm. The train will now flow down the dress then curve up and under to your arm.

Mic Test…1,2,3

One item that you may not think about but is really important to your reception: a great host. Just imagine, your guests arrive at your party but you’re rather busy attending to everyone that you don’t really have time to chat and mingle like you would in a regular get together. Your host or hostess for the night will need to get the party jumpstarted on your behalf and keep the party fun and flowing so that everyone, including yourself, enjoys the event.

You have the option to hire a professional to host your event. The great thing about this is that, this gentleman or lady is very familiar with handling events and are used to dealing with crowds and strangers. If you give them a clear program to follow, they can liven up your party and help you make the transition between each activity smooth.
Of course, you may prefer to have a member of the family or your closest friend host the event for you. One advantage to this may be that he or she knows almost everyone at your wedding and can easily get them to participate. The disadvantage, if they are nervous you’ll get a lot of dead air on the microphone and some garbled speech.

If you do go for a professional, check that you like their style. Ask if you can observe them at work if they are hosting another event. Check if you like their sense of humor as well. Keep in mind that you need someone who knows when the jokes are getting too risque or bawdy and are beginning to offend your guests.

You also don’t want to end up with someone who just wants to hit on your female guests. You’re looking for someone who can be both dignified, charming and an absolute source of excitement and control to face your family and friends this important day. It’s very important that they dress appropriately, and speak articulately and eloquently on your behalf. After all, they are representing you for this major event.

The Shutterbug

Every wedding deserves to be captured for posterity in print. Your pictures aren’t just any images. They are souvenirs, heirlooms for your descendants to look at and exclaim over. So it makes sense to get a photgrapher who will really bring out the best images of your special event. Here are some things you should check when looking for the photographer for your wedding:

• His previous work must appeal to you. Put yourself in the place of the people in the images in his sample albums. Are these how you’d like your pictures to look?
• Confirm if he will be the photographer at your wedding himself or if he will assign someone else. Some shops have many photographers in their stable. You need to see the work of the person who will actually be handling your event.
• Promptness is a very important trait in wedding photographers. Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event. His being late will make a difference in your album.
• His attitude and appearance will also be important. You are looking for someone who can make the transition shots very smoothly, has good crowd control and who looks presentable and aceptable at your event. The last thing you need are offended friends and relatives on your wedding day.
• You can’t argue that some people have a great eye and timing. You need someone who can capture the soul of your nuptials, not someone who will make you al look like you’re posing for high school class picture.
• Cost is the last item on your list. Once you’ve found the photographer you like, best find out if your budget can accommodate his fee. Keep in mind that the higher his skills, the higher also will be the fees.

Designer Wedding Gowns

White silk, lace, embroidery, petticoats…what does your dream gown look like? Have you found the person who will make it for you?

When you ask around, the first name that usually comes up is Vera Wang. This creative and talented artist often went with her mother to fashion shows in Paris. She got frustrated with the lack of fashion in bridal wear and decided to create her own shop. Today she is the hottest name in this industry, dressing such glamorous ladies for their nuptials as Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Williams and Sharon Stone.

Another name to watch out for in bridal fashion is Monique Lhuillier. This lady always wanted to be a fashion designer. She attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising but didn’t go into designing wedding gowns until after she designed her own wedding dress that she decided to get into this business. Today she designs gowns for such celebrities as Britney Spears, Christine Baumgartner (wife of Kevin Costner), Natalie Imbruglia and Charlotte Ross.

Now, you may be saying to yourself that you can’t afford the price tag of these designers. You may be surprised. While it’s true that to ask these designers to make a gown specifically would be expensive, you can get their designs off the rack, so to speak in places like Saks Fifth Avenue and Nieman Marcus. You can also check out the online stores for wedding gowns made by these wonderful designers.

Quite a number of brides don’t wish to waste their gowns, sitting in their closets, just mouldering. That would be a shame. Their generosity, your find, an absolute treasure. Check out the bargains to be had from purchasing used wedding gowns created by these very same designers. They are absolutely beautiful and can make you feel asolutely glamorous on your wedding day without breaking your bank.

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