More Than "I do"

Weddings and Special Events

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Dessert Bar. 😄 #morethanido

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Christmas centerpieces using old christmas stuff. You don't need to spend anything. Just be creative. #Christmas2016 #christmas #centerpieces #becreative #morethanido (at Richmond Baptist Church)

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With the lovely bride and dashing groom plus our wonderful event stylist! #justinlovescarmen

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All the elements are in place. #justinlovescarmen #wedding #morethanido #bride

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Ready for this afternoon's wedding #justinlovescarmen #wedding #bride (at Richmond Baptist Church)

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Lovely flowers for a wedding tomorrow! #wedding #flowers

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Guest Etiquette

You have received an invitation to the wedding of a good friend or family member. Consider it an honor to be selected to help those close to you celebrate a wonderful part of their lives.

Once you have sent an RSVP with a positive response, you become an official guest at this party.  You will no doubt bring an appropriate gift, but did you realize that another gift you give to the couple is the knowledge of how to be a good guest and the wisdom to use that knowledge.

Here is a check list of do's and don'ts that you can use to insure that your behavior will fit the occasion and not be a reason for the couple to grimace on their anniversary.

DO

·         Send back your RSVP in a timely manner.

·         Arrive at the wedding at least 15-20 minutes before the ceremony is to begin.

·         If you are unavoidably delayed, stay standing in the back of the church.

·         Keep your phone on silent.

·         Dress appropriately.

·         Have fun dancing at the reception but do not call attention to yourself or partner.

·         Respect your host's choices even if they aren't what you would choose.

·         Send your gift to the bride or the couple at least a week prior to the event.

DON'T

·         Change your mind about attending once the RSVP is sent.  Don't cancel and they decide to show up anyway.

·         Sit in the front rows.  They are reserved for family.

·         Text or tweet during the ceremony.  Don't take and send photos of the bride before she does.

·         Wear jeans or sweats unless specifically requested by the couple.

·         Get in the way of the professional photographer hired to capture the moments of the wedding.

·         Trash talk the couple's choices.

·         Don't take ceremony or reception photos without the couple's approval.

photo by: weddingbells.ca

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Long Term Couples Renewing Vows

While weddings remain our primary focus, we are finding more couples planning to celebrate renewing their wedding vows.  Whether the couple is celebrating milestone weddings of 10, 20 or 25 years together, we think it is a wonderful event and have plenty of ideas to help couples plan that special day.

This ceremony is popular with couples who may have eloped or were married in a no frills civil ceremony.  The official term is "reaffirming" wedding vows.  The gathering may be just family or it may be a celebration for friends and family alike.  It may be held in a church or your home or a garden or a hotel or restaurant.  It is a time for celebrating the life you have made together.

Guests are invited with small informal notes or personal phone calls if the ceremony is to be low key.  A larger celebration may include printed invitations that include ceremony and luncheon, brunch or dinner invitations.  It is still considered inappropriate to print "no gifts" on the invitations should you decide to send them.  Count on word of mouth or your website to let friends know your wish for no gifts.  Gifts are not expected for the vows renewal celebration, however some guests will continue to do so.  Accept any gifts graciously and do acknowledge them with a hand written thank you note.

Couples may choose to repeat the vows they spoke on their wedding day (if they can remember them) or they may wish to write new ones that reflect how their love has grown and matured over the years.  If the renewal is to take place in a church, the officiant will be able to help with the ceremony design.

Dressing up for the event is important and symbolic.  We can help you with the selection that will meet with your plans for the event.  We also have good ideas to help you plan the special day and create more memories.

Photo by: imagnaly.com

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Don’t be an Ungrateful newlyweds

Reminder to the bride and groom. Practice a good wedding etiquette please. 

- Never ever ASK for money from your guests. Remember that you are inviting these people to share a special occasion. Do not take advantage of it. But if you think you really need the monetary gifts, have a family member or a close friend "spread the word" that as a newly wed, giving you monetary gift is the best option. Please do not mention it on your invitation as well.

- Whatever gift you received, be thankful for it. It's the thought that counts. Most often, guests will give you gifts because it's all they can afford and you should be ALWAYS be thankful for it. If a guest wasn't able to give you anything, still send them a thank you card saying you appreciate his/her presence in sharing your special day. Guests are not obligated to give you gifts.

- At the end of the day, your guests are still your family and friends that you have spent time building a relationship with. You better think twice before sending a nasty message criticizing them about their gift. You don't want to leave your guests with a bad memory to last a lifetime on the day that celebrates the new chapter in your life.

https://ca.style.yahoo.com/post/144191830220/newlyweds-spark-outrage-for-emailing-to-say

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Why Do I Need a Day of Wedding Coordinator?

Because you will have the peace of mind that results from knowing that all of the myriad details you have worked so hard to put in place will happen as you planned.

Many brides-to-be hire a wedding planner to assist with all the aspects of the wedding from the beginning of planning. Some want to do that themselves, but want the security of having a coordinator in place on the big day so they can relax ans be a guest at their own wedding.

How does it work? It usually starts with an in depth consultation with the bride at least 3 or 4 weeks before the wedding. From that meeting, the consultant/coordinator will assemble a detailed timeline for the wedding day and work to ensure that everything comes together just as you imagined it. It is helpful to know that some venues have a requirement that the couple hire a planner or at minimum, a coordinator for the day.

What do you get? The peace of mind knowing that all the details will come together just as you planned. If a last minute problem occurs a professional is there to handle it. You and your groom remain as gracious hosts rather than “frazzled, last-minute problem solvers.” You will be able to truly enjoy every moment of your big day.

Most wedding coordinators will cover the following:

     ♥  Put together the wedding day timeline and distribute to all vendors.

     ♥  Coordinate all the wedding professionals hired by the bride and groom.

     ♥  Conduct / attend the wedding rehearsal.

And on the big day, the coordinator will handle all day of activities like: assist with bride and wedding party dressing, photo schedules, insure flowers are delivered and placed appropriately, guide wedding party through processional and recessional. Coordinate with caterer, check place setting, favors, cake placement, cue master of ceremonies or music, collect personal items, coordinate gift collection and security. As one consultant said: “We are usually the last person to leave.”

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Control room is finally ready! Who says we can't multitask? #morethanido #weddings #weddingplanner #events

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A "true professional" is always striving to become "more professional" - always eager to learn and develop great expertise. @morethanido #wordsofwisdom #weddings #morethanido #weddingplanner #wordsofwisdomfromtheexperts

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Check out our display at Vancity Blundell branch from November 3 to 16 2015. #vancity #morethanido #weddings #event

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The Little Party AFTER Big Party

Weddings are a big deal!  They are important milestones and deserve to be celebrated in the best style you can manage (or afford).  The ceremony is the most important, followed by the reception for one's family and friends who have joined the couple to celebrate their union.  But a newer/smaller celebration has joined the mix - the AFTER PARTY which is held to continue the celebration with those closest to the new couple.  In other words, it is known as "let the good times roll".

Because so much time and effort and planning has gone into the wedding event, more and more couples are electing to plan and hold smaller and more intimate parties after their guests have headed home.  Usually included in these events are both sets of parents (if they are still in party mode), members of the wedding party and a few close friends of the couple.  Keeping the party going - albeit at a slower pace - works for many couples today.  If that appeals to you, here are some ideas for your party after the big party.

* Be sure to let family and those close friends you plan to invite about your after party so they can plan accordingly.  You could include a special card in the formal invitation which informs a select few of your plans or you can send a separate invitation to the party. However, a word of warning.  Be sure to let the after party invitees know that this is "exclusive" so they don't spread the word.

* If your reception is in a hotel and you are staying there, the natural gathering spot is your suite of rooms or a smaller party room in the facility.  Make those arrangements when you are booking the reception, and order the snacks and beverages you plan to serve.

*Maybe there is a small, intimate jazz club or a 24 hour breakfast spot that may be favorites.  Make arrangements in advance with the manager and specify a likely time of arrival so that your party will be welcomed and there will be room for them.  

*Arrange for special foods and refreshments that are different from what was served at the reception.

*This is a perfect time to relive the ceremony and reception by looking at photos that everyone has on their iPhones.  Believe it or not, but there are lots of things happening at a reception that the bride and groom will have missed.  Their presence is pretty well orchestrated throughout the ceremony and reception/dinner/dance.  Now is their time to share in all the fun little things that happened of which they were unaware.

Photo by: bridebox.com

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Bridal Showers

Bridal showers have a long tradition.  They are parties with a purpose!  They are given to help the couple outfit their new home or assemble a trousseau. It is a vestige of the age-old dowry, or wealth which a woman brought to her marriage.  It is generally given by women who are good friends of the bride-to-be, sometimes by a relative or most often by the honor attendant or bridesmaids. They may be given by relative of the groom's family and are a nice way for the bride-to-be to meet members of her new family.

While at one time showers were given to help the new couple furnish necessities, today's showers are given around a variety of themes.

·         Kitchen showers are probably the most popular because of the wide range of items that nearly every couple can use.  One variation on the kitchen theme asks each guest to bring a favorite recipe along with one item needed for its preparation (e.g., a flour sifter with a cake recipe).  Many hostesses sent out uniform recipe cards in advance so they can be assembled in an easy to use box or notebook.

·         For an around-the-clock shower, each guest is assigned an hour of the day and then brings a gift to match along with a note explaining why that gift was chosen.  There are many possibilities:  an alarm clock, coffee mugs, newspaper or magazine subscriptions, a casserole dish for dinner, a bottle of wine for the cocktail hour, comfy slippers for evening lounging.

·         A service shower is perfect for the couple that seems to have everything. Guests pledge a way to help in the future - a catered dinner for two, an offer to paint the living room of the house they're redecorating, Saturday morning yard work, a weekend at a guest's lake cabin.

·         An office shower could be perfect for the woman with a busy career: a leather-bound weekly planner for the home, engraved stationery, attache' case, books, gift certificate for a Kindle, a week's worth of dinners for two prepared, frozen and clearly marked.

·         Women only showers are naturals for lingerie, sewing accessories, closet and/or drawer organizers, gift certificates for beauty salon or masseuse services.

·         Couples showers suggest his-and-her tools for household maintenance, plants, wines/liquors, sporting goods and games.

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What if the wedding is cancelled?

No one wants to ever talk about the possibility of a wedding being canceled, but for a variety of reasons it can - and does - happen.  There are guidelines we can share with brides to handle this difficult time in as pleasant and civil manner as possible. 

Everyone involved finds planning a joyful occasion but no one ever plans to cancel or postpone that event.  Our experienced consultants can ease the stress and guide your moves to handle the situation with dispatch.

If a formal wedding is postponed or canceled after the invitations have gone out, all invited guests must be notified as soon as possible.  When time permits, this is best done with printed cards, rush-ordered from your stationer.  Here are some samples:

·         If there has been a death in the family, the card would read:

                                   Mrs. George Franklin Davis

                                   regrets that the death of

                                            Mr. Davis

                             obliges her to recall the invitations

                                to the wedding of her daughter

                                Saturday, the second of April

An invitation recalled in this manner just indicates that the wedding will not take place as originally planned.  It may take place as a small family ceremony since a large wedding may be considered inappropriate.  The couple may wear their formal attire but they will usually have honor attendants only.

If a wedding is postponed and a new date is set, new invitations may be sent out with this copy:

                             Mr. and Mrs. Douglas John Smith

                    announce that the marriage of their daughter

                                          Carolyn Jane

                                                to

                                  Edward Patrick Murphy

                               has been postponed from

                               Saturday, the 11th of May

                                              until

                               Saturday, the 25th of May

                                     at four o'clock

                            Grace Presbyterian Church

                                      Pleasantville

  ·         If the wedding is canceled, invitations need to be recalled promptly with an engraved or printed card which reads:

                        Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Benjamin Clark

               announce that the marriage of their daughter

                                    Eileen Marie

                                          to

                             Harold Robert Smith

                               will not take place.

  If time is short, invitations may be recalled by personal notes or phone calls.  Notes should be patterned after these formats and signed by the person issuing the invitations.   Phone calls should be made in the name of the bride's parents.  Reasons other than death or illness in the family are not usually mentioned.

 ·         What do I do with the gifts I have received?

When a wedding is merely postponed, send an announcement to all the guests, keeping the presents you've already received.  When a wedding is canceled, however, every gift - even those that have been monogrammed - must go back to the person who sent it.  A note expressing gratitude and explaining that the wedding will not take place should accompany the gift, but you do not need to give a reason for the cancellation.

Photo by: dailymail.co.uk