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father of the bride part 2

Once you give your blessing--- the next question is--- What now??

What exactly is your role in the wedding planning process??

Are you just supposed to help pay the bills???

Traditionally, it is the bride’s parents that pay for the wedding, and the grooms parents who pay for the dress rehearsal dinner & the honeymoon. But boy oh boy have times changed : ) While it is still expected that the father of the bride help pay for the wedding, now and days the bride and groom are paying a significant chunk as well. So, you can take a breather.

While every father wants the best for his little girl, one key thing for fathers to talk about with their daughters is the wedding BUDGET!

If you want an easy way to plan, check out Wedding Wire’s free wedding budget program online

But more often than not, that look that you get from your daughter when you know she really wants something… still get’s you every time~

Remember this classic scene from Father of the Bride

Annie: What? What's that face? George: It's nothing. Annie: Oh, this is going cost you more money. George: No. It's just... I know I'll remember this moment, for the rest of my life.

Dads while you can be involved as much as you want --or sometimes allowed :)-- more than anything your daughter needs your moral support. Someone's got to keep their calm during this process, and more often than not- it's you.

It’s true… your daughter's wedding day is a special moment and is meant to be embraced…

When that day arrives your nerves may heighten as you see friends and family arrive from all over. There is nothing wrong with getting a little teary eyed… you know, as you take her arm and walk her down the isle, or as you wisp her away for your father daughter dance.

And lastly, you get to stand before your friends and family, with that speech in your hand, or written on your heart-- as you proudly boast about your baby being all grown up, with a new man in her life.

Pic Credits: Stuart Miles, Vichie81

Father of the Bride part 1

And now for the Daddys out there~

From the moment you have a daughter—there is a possibility that one day, you’re going to have to give your little baby away at the altar. For some dads, that’s not something you even want to think about… until that day eventually roles around and reality sets in. “Mr. So & so, I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage…” Dun dun dun dun…

Recently one of our co-workers just had a baby girl. Sophia Love. (Ladies, this is your cue… “awwww…”) When asked how he felt about that day finally arriving he said~ “I think I’m going to be OK- as long as he’s a good guy… I don’t see it being a problem. As long as he makes her happy… he doesn’t have to be wealthy or well educated…these things are nice too, but they are secondary.”

Another co-worker, when asked about his little girl getting married someday answered, “ I don’t want to think about it…or I try not to… I want her to find someone she loves, and likes to be together with. Someone who will respect her, love her… and return the love that she gives”.

One father who recently was asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage—caught a little off guard responded—“You know marriage is forever right”? ; )

Pic Credits: photostock, photostock

Note to self: What items not to forget on the day of your wedding~

Brides & Bridesmaids~ There is always something that you'll be wishing you had~

You've got to check out this article from Swatchbook Weddings!! Take a look at their list of 21 essential items to take with you on your wedding day!!

http://swatchbookweddings.com/21-items-wedding-day-emergency-kit

Tissues~ a must. And they serve multiple purposes. I might add a cell phone charger~ for brides & bridesmaids. Phones are of course, quite essential these days!! Oh Yea... and SUNGLASSES/Flip-flops for those with summer weddings.

From what I've experienced, I've found this list to be really accurate!!

Flying Solo at a Wedding??

… dun dun dun~ oh come on… it’s really not that bad.

Rather than moping, why not make the best out of it?

Introducing~ a Party within a Party~ gather around now, let me tell you more of what I mean :)

So you’ve received your friend’s wedding invitation in the mail~ and with that your RSVP card.

What exactly do you write in the “____ guests attending box” ?

Especially if it says that two seats have been reserved for you?

Think about it this way~

Let’s go back to High School Prom for a moment shall we?

While yes, it is traditional for a guy to ask a girl out as his date to prom… and for couples to go with other couples in a limousine, out to dinner etc. all in a little couple posse… leaving all the single people feeling miserable that they were not “Prom worthy”… (I realize this may be re-hashing some old wounds right now)… but hold on- there is an alternative!

These days it is not uncommon for ‘all the single ladies’, and all the single gents to get in a group… and go together as friends… not just as solo units.

Now let’s apply that to weddings…

Firstly, prior to the wedding, are there any other people that you know of that are also flying solo? Well, gather those ducks together and make a flying V... keep it classy (and eco-friendly), and go to the wedding as singles in style… together… and of course leave together in style as well. It’s like a progressive party. Or a Party within a Party.

It will most defiantly be less awkward this way.

So… you don’t know of anyone that you can ride with, and or you didn’t have time to get people together…. and now you’re at the wedding…alone. #awkward.

Oftentimes, there is what’s referred to as a “singles table”… pretty self explanatory—it’s the table where all of the people who RSVP'd as “ 1 guest attending” get placed.

Or, worst case scenario you’re the one that gets “#thatawkwardseatingassignment” at a table of couples… now that’s always fun :)

But hey… don’t let your seat bother you. In the end it’s not really that important. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Ask yourself these questions:

1) Am I here to celebrate my friend/family member that is getting married?

2) Do I want to have a good time?

3) Do I know anyone else in attendance that is also single?

4) What are they doing? Where are they sitting?

Now then—even if some of the answers are no… quit moping and get yourself up out of your seat! You are a valuable person and guest at this party… and you have something to offer.

Strike up a conversation... introduce yourself to someone… or zero in on others that are also flying solo … (NOTE: they’re probably the ones that are on their cell phones, sending a text, on facebook… or standing around the hors d'oeuvres/ fondue table rather awkwardly and most likely full…) Don’t ask me how I know this.

Make some friends… get them together… hit the dance floor… and you’d be surprised at how fast the tone of your wedding experience will change. Less awkwardness, and way more fun.

And… you never know… maybe the next wedding you attend you won’t be the one getting pulled onto the dance floor for the bouquet toss as ‘all the single ladies’ is being played… or maybe you won’t be that guy flying Nike-air style to grab the garter.

While I would not recommend making your primary goal for attending the wedding to change your relationship status on facebook… hey… it happens.

Quick FAQ’s for Brides in regards to our Free Wedding Invitations!

FAQ’s for Brides

1) Does this promotion cost me anything?

Nothing whatsoever- we're covering all the costs.

2) How far in advance should I order my free wedding invitations?

Our policy requires that you submit your order at least 70 days prior to your wedding.

3) How far in advance do I need to send them out to my guests?

Ideally, invitations should go out six weeks before the wedding - that gives guests plenty of time to clear their schedules for the day and make travel arrangements if they are out-of-towners. It also lets you make the RSVP date a little earlier -- say three weeks before the wedding date -- so you can get a final head count and start making a seating chart.

*Our invitation system is automated. Please be sure that all of the correct information is filled in and the spelling double checked*

We’re already in the 5th month of 2012!

Our free wedding invitations are quite the hit! Today is print day, and I just went down to see what was happening~ orders continue to roll in.

Here’s a little bit of what brides have been saying~

"They are beautiful! I sent them out and everyone said they couldn’t believe they were free. Very good quality!" Katie Welch Statesville, North Carolina

“I like them, I just got them. They're beautiful... everything was perfect.They arrived right on time. I’m super-excited!"

-Tomeka Baltimore, M

“I was doing a lot of searches for linen table cloths, and somehow PartyPOP popped up. I was like, no.. they’re not free..

But when I signed up they didn’t ask for a debit card or for me to pay a dollar.... I didn’t even have to sign up for a membership . It really was free! The invitations were nice, real nice. They even came with an envelope. When you’re planning a wedding you’re already spending a lot of money. I was going to go to Davids Bridal, but when I found out about the free wedding invitations that PartyPOP was giving away.. I decided to try them. I’ve used the site for many things. I’m planning an out of town wedding, so it’s nice that I can look up vendors in different areas. You have all the major cities in the USA.. and it’s not only a wedding planning website, but you can also find vendors for birthday parties etc. You have lots of great ideas and tips... I’ve told a lot of people about it!”

Courtney Singleton Dallas, TX Getting married June 23rd in Arkansas

In case you haven’t heard~ for the whole of 2012 we’ve been giving away FREE fully designed & printed wedding invitations… even shipping is on us. And every design has a matching wedding website where your guests can read your story, find out wedding details & RSVP.

Basically~ it’s an offer you can’t resist : )

What if your Dad can't walk you down the aisle?

by Kristen Vestal

So the big day is approaching, everything from linens to flowers are set in place. You’re fighting cold feet…The only thing missing is the father of the bride. Maybe your father can’t be there due to a divorce, death, or maybe because he simply isn’t in the picture. There are plenty of options available to you!

My first piece of advice is…don’t fill the part just to fill it. At this point many brides feel obligated to choose someone “appropriate” to fill the part. If you choose to have someone walk down the aisle with you – choose someone special. Many walk down with their husband to be, a brother, a close family friend, and others even choose a mother or grandmother.

And…also don’t be embarrassed to walk down the aisle alone. You shine bright girl! I heard about a wedding where the bride wanted to honor her deceased father so she placed a beautiful picture of them at the front of the church. I think that this is a great idea and will bring comfort to all who love and miss him. Lastly, I would recommend that the person that walks you down the aisle give a speech and in it honor your dad’s life!

No matter what your circumstance, or your decision, remember that you're walking down to aisle to the man you're going to spend the rest of your life with. So take a deep breath- and glide down that aisle like the princess you are!

Mother of the Bride Twitterview PART 2

So what is the premise of the TV show that you are working on--Mother of the Bride?

@theCalmBride Mother of the Bride is a wedding series that will follow mothers of bride/groom during their quest to find the perfect dress!

Can you tell us a bit more? :) hehe.. I know you have limited characters

@theCalmBride Teaming up w TCarolyn,a Houston staple when it comes to special occasion dresses.In the business for over 20 yrs

@theCalmBride We're shining a light on mothers, pairing them with dress specialists to help them look their best on their child's big day!

@themotb Wonderful! That's something that is often overlooked :)

@theCalmBride If it wasn't for the beautiful, talented and strong mothers out there, there would be no brides, grooms, weddings...

@themotb And usually-- I've found, Mothers of Brides are usually scrambling last minute to find their dress :)

@theCalmBride I KNOW! The bride comes first, obvs but we love our moms so why not make them feel&look just as special! Give back to mothers!

@themotb That's great!!

So you're having a casting call for your TV show Mother of the Bride~ Is that correct??

@theCalmBride We are currently casting for Houston finest MOBs&MOGs in Houston area. So far,had fantastic women apply.Exciting

How much longer will you be casting for??

@theCalmBride Mothers can apply at http://www.dressformom.com or email us at [email protected]

@theCalmBride Our casting will close July 20th and we start shooting our first set of women at the end of this month!

Are there any requirements that you are looking for when casting??

@theCalmBride Mothers: share the news, apply for yourself &we'll have a great time during this exciting period of your child's life!

@theCalmBride Women should be fun, personable and want to share their experience on camera! Really, all is welcome :)

@themotb Wonderful!! I really look forward to seeing the final product!!

Is there a premier date??

@theCalmBride We do not have a set premier date but it will be sometime during the Spring/Summer 2013. We look forward to sharing the show!

@themotb Wonderful!!! Well keep us all posted :) Love to share when it comes out!

@themotb Eva, Thank you so much for sharing today with us!!

Our first #twitterview was a hoot. Thank you to the sweet and talented women at @theCalmBride for the past hour of FUN!

@themotb What a blast!!! It was so so much fun!! I really enjoyed it!

So there you have it! Our first PartyPOP twitterview~ hopefully there will be more to come!! Hope you all enjoyed it~ and next up-- we're addressing Dad's~ the Father's of the Bride.

How Can Mothers of the Bride Stay Calm? ~Twitterview with The Calm Bride & Eva, Producer of the up & coming TV show~ Mother of the Bride

I was tweeting away & in the middle of writing this bridal party blog series when I met Eva, @evafilomena, the producer of an up & coming TV show Mother of the Bride @themotb. To be honest, at this stage, I almost forgot to address the Mother & Father of the Bride & Groom as being a part of the bridal party. They're often overlooked... yet play such a critical role- so I decided to strike up a little twitterview to help encourage Mother's of the Bride to stay calm, and to hear what Eva's up to.

I was actually quite surprised later that day, when Kathy Ireland so graciously followed theCalmBride and said~

"Thank you for helping Brides" #NOW

kathy ireland ‏ @kathyireland

@theCalmBride@ThePeakOnAir@ashleymadams88@evafilomena

So here's to both Mothers and Brides... Mother of the Bride Twitterview PART 1 ! ENJOY :)

Sitting with a cup of coffee, ready to answer away with@theCalmBride

@themotb Good morning.. or afternoon?? hehe

@theCalmBride Smack right in the middle, the afternoon...but coffee flows around here all day :)

@themotb :) Wonderful!! So I'm here at the moment with Eva, a producer from the up & coming TV show Mother of the Bride

@theCalmBride Hello! It's Eva ( @evafilomena ) excited producer of the new series Mother of the Bride! Good morning to you :)

So often we talk about brides, but today we're talking to all you Mom's out there with daughters getting married ! @themotb

@theCalmBride Yes! Our show will shine a light on the OTHER most important women of the day, the mothers of the brides and grooms!

So let's begin today's twitterview with this question~

WHAT IS THE MOTHER'S ROLE WHEN IT COMES TO WEDDING PLANNING?

@theCalmBride Her role? SUPER HERO... everything from supporting their child, selecting "THE DRESS", helping w plans & keeping them calm!

WHAT ARE WAYS THAT A #MOTB CAN HELP HER DAUGHTER STAY CALM THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING PLANNING PROCESS?

@theCalmBride It's important to let your child make decisions for themselves but also help keep them on track & offer realist suggestions.

@themotb That's great :) With that being said,

HOW CAN MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS BEST AVOID CONFLICT DURING THE WEDDING PLANNING PROCESS?

@theCalmBride At the end of the day, it’s not the #MOTB wedding so support, laughter & time away from wedding planning will be most effective.

@theCalmBride Tempers will flare no matter what during planning process, it’s part of the mother daughter relationship ...

@theCalmBride but with that said, a wedding is joyful and full of love. The planning process should be the same!

@themotb Very true :) So, both mothers & daughters can be quite emotional during this time--

HOW CAN MOTHERS OF THE BRIDE STAY CALM?

@theCalmBride Mothers:how supportive were your mom when you were planning? If they had you frazzled, make an effort to not w your daughter!

ANY ADVICE AS FAR AS HOW MOTHERS CAN SUPPORT THEIR DAUGHTERS WITHOUT BEING CONTROLLING?

@theCalmBride You will always be your daughters mother,the one women she leans on for advice w no judgement. Be her rock,remain calm& breathe

@theCalmBride Mothers, offer your experience&taste but ultimately, remember its your child's big day! Focus on creating memories,not tension!

@themotb WONDERFUL ADVICE!!!! Thank you!!

**STAY TUNED FOR PART 2**

A little more about the up & coming TV show Mother of the Bride

Mother of the Bride

Your daughter’s getting married!! For some it may seem like you have waited a lifetime, and for others, it’s a shocker… you can’t believe how fast life has flown by. Your little baby is soon to have a family of her own.

With the ring on her finger, and the man standing at her side… it is officially time for the wedding planning to begin!

But what exactly is your role… and what is not your role?? It’s really easy for conflict to arise between mothers and daughters when these roles are not defined.

--- Communication. Communication. Communication.

So brides, you need to communicate to your mom your needs and expectations. She will most likely appreciate being assigned some sort of role, so trust her. But it is up to you what you want her to help with, and how much you want her to be involved in the wedding planning process.

Your mom can help you brainstorm your guest list, and even better, you can ask her to collect the RSVP’s and keep track of who’s coming. That’s a start :) She can help design the table settings, cut ribbon for the invitations or help you decide on flower arrangements ~ really whatever you need... and whatever she is willing to help with.

Inviting your mom to go wedding dress shopping with you is not only traditional, but can also be comforting. Be sure to bring along the box of tissues…there will most likely be tears involved. It is important to understand that both of you will most likely be really emotional!! There are many decisions to be made whilst wedding planning, and the last thing you want to do is nit pick, and get in a fight.

---- Avoiding conflict.

One of my co-workers said she didn’t experience any conflict with her mom while planning her wedding. She said overall, “I wasn’t that tense about it… it may be difficult because some people have specific thoughts about their wedding, but it wasn’t that way for me”.

Conflict can definitely arise when both mother and daughter have opposing opinions of what the wedding should look like. The mother of the bride wants the ring bearer carrying a pillow, while the bride to be prefers to have him walk down with a sign reading, ‘here comes the bride’. The mother of the bride insists that Great Uncle Harry & his girlfriend are invited to the wedding, but her daughter claims she’s never met Great Uncle Harry before, and would prefer that her friend from college replace him on the guest list.

Mom’s- remember, you’re playing the supporting role. “In the end, it is the bride who has to decide. Oftentimes, the Mother has already had her wedding…not to be mean. Let your daughter come up with ideas, and then you can gently add to them with suggestions. And- don’t leave the groom out!!”

P.S. ~ You also have your own dress shopping to do ;)

the Best man

Today, as with the Maid of Honor, the Groom chooses one guy… possibly a brother or a best friend…to be his right hand man throughout his wedding. This guy, the “Best Man”, helps organize the bachelor party… supports his friend on the day of the wedding…and is most known for his speech at the reception. The funniest speech I ever heard, was when a guy went onto Google… searched for Best Man speeches, printed one out… and read straight off of the paper at the reception…then eventually added a few of his own words as well.

One thing you may not know is that the Best Man used to stand next to the bride during the ceremony to keep her safe. (I didn’t realize how much the bride’s life was a stake back then)… she was one precious commodity…and I say…still is! Sometimes however, the Groom would get jealous when he noticed his Best Man standing a little too close to his Bride… and today…he now stands in between the two.

And of course today, the guys standing next to the Groom at the wedding alter are known as his Groomsmen. Primarily there for moral support… but I’m sure if something happened to the bride, they’d be on the job. Right guys? ;)

Groomsmen

This is especially interesting… and I’ll admit quite comical!

Fellas~ do you know what you were initially brought on board to do??

To escort the bride. Yep. Back in Anglo Saxon days, the ‘good ole days’… you were once coined “Brides Knights”. How do you like that for a name huh?? It speaks of chivalry…manliness and honor. Your role was to protect the bride, her dowry, and to get her safely from point A to point B. Later on you became known as “Bridesmen”… and at one stage you were even bandits. Sounds like every little boys dream : )

In some cases, when the bride’s family was not especially happy with the man she was betrothed to…the grooms friends would help him as he kidnapped his bride. These men would fight off the crowds as the groom went in and quickly escaped with his bride safely in his arms. How romantic right?

The Origin of the Bridal Party

From My Best Friend’s Wedding, to 21 Dresses, and now with the latest Oscar nominated box office hit Bridesmaids, more attention has been focused on the women standing next to the bride on her wedding day. But just where exactly did this tradition of having bridal party come from?

Bridesmaids

The term bridesmaid is actually quite literal. It dates back as early as 1552 and described a maiden (a female who was single & a virgin) that attended to the brides needs. Today, it is up to the bride to choose who she wants in her bridal party. Typically bridesmaids are close friends or a family that the she desires to accompany her on her special day. Amongst these women, she then picks one (sometimes even two) to be her Maid of Honor—the brides sidekick. While all bridesmaids usually have some sort of role assigned to them, this individual organizes the bridal shower, bachelorette party, and assists the bride in the wedding planning process. She is especially valued on the day of the wedding…as it is her task to ensure that the bride has everything she needs, that her make-up is touched up, that she has some help if she needs to go potty, and to give a speech at the reception. Typically, if she is not married~ the bride attempts to aim for her on the dance floor when she tosses her bouquet; and if she is married, she gets the special title of “Matron of Honor”.

Meghan Nicole Photography

http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Wedding_Party_History

http://www.brideandgroom.com/wedding-articles/wedding-traditions-2.asp

Wedding Rings in Other Countries

It is fascinating how wedding traditions change from country to country. In Croatia for instance, it’s customary for women to wear their engagement ring on their right middle finger, and then to place it on their left ring finger once married. In other parts of Eastern Europe as well as Germany, Holland, Norway and even in some Latin American countries it is common practice for brides to wear their wedding ring on their right hand.

In India, it is customary for brides to wear their wedding band on their toe! Ahhh… so that’s the purpose of a toe ring : )

What a beautiful thing… that more than the type of ring, or which finger it is placed on, it is the purpose behind the ring that truly matters. The wedding ring is an outward reminder of the choice that a couple makes in their hearts to spend the rest of their lives together.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080309171455AAjzBJY

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/wedding-ring-finger.html

Photo from http://www.clothedmuch.com/2011/09/lets-talk-rings-and-fingers.html

When did Men Begin to Wear Wedding Bands?

While there was a push by the jewelry industry in the 1920’s for men to wear engagement rings, it was fairly unsuccessful. It wasn’t until after the Great Depression that it became a common practice for men to wear wedding bands. Up until that point, only 15% of couples exchanged rings within their wedding ceremony. From the 1940’s on, it became the norm and we can all attest to that!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_ring

Why do we wear our wedding rings on the "ring finger" of our left hand?

Good question. Well, the story goes, the forth finger from our thumb on our left hand was coined our “ring finger” because the ancient Egyptians & Romans believed it was a direct connection from our hand to our heart. The vena amori , or vein of love, was said to be a major blood vessel that ran from the left finger to the heart… thus representing the couples affection for one another. This theory was later disproven by the medical community but the tradition still remains.

Meghan Nicole Photography

http://www.newsletter.kaijewels.com/ring-finger-meaning-kj-01.htm

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