7 Things Every Mother of The Bride Should Do

Some mothers of the bride are hyper involved in helping plan their daughter's wedding day, while other MOBs prefer to take a back seat. No matter which category your mom falls into, there are certain duties she is traditionally responsible for handling.

We consulted some top wedding planners to learn the ultimate mother-of-the-bride must-dos, plus asked them about some sweet nontraditional ways moms can lend a hand.

1. Shopping Support
Traditionally, mothers accompany their daughters in their search for a wedding dress, there to simply share in the joy and provide loving and honest feedback. Mom's far away? Email dress ideas back and forth or schedule a dress-shopping visit.

2. Researching Traditions and Finding Family Heirlooms
It typically falls on your mom to uncover religious or cultural traditions you — or your groom's family — might want to incorporate in the ceremony. She will also help you find the "something old" or "something borrowed," such as a stunning piece of jewelry that's been in your family for generations.

3. Go-To Contact
Your mom should be the one whose name you give to the caterers, florist, planners, entertainers, and venue to field questions and help coordinate. (Whew!) As celeb wedding planner Colin Cowie suggests, "Set your mom up for success with a list of creative contacts and a message book solely for your wedding day."

See More: Moms Gone Wild: Wedding Insiders Share Their Craziest Mother-of-the-Bride Stories

4. Playing Host 
From the moment guests begin to arrive in town through the end of the ceremony, the mother of the bride is the official hostess, helping each guest feel welcome. According to Diann Valentine, event maven who has planned weddings for Usher and Toni Braxton, "Receiving lines are not as customary, so making point to greet or visit with each guest is important." Additionally, Valentine suggests that the mother of the bride host a dinner party for the groom's family or an afternoon tea for just the ladies of both families. "This goes a long way to help them welcome her into their family with open arms."

5. Communicating Outfit Choice with Your Groom's Mom 
According to Colin Cowie, "Etiquette dictates that your mother follows your lead as to the color and formality of the dress she picks. The bride's mom buys her gown before the mother of the groom, and, once chosen, calls the groom's mother to describe her dress."

6. Day-of Dressing Assistance
"Helping the bride into her dress and placing the veil is, and will always remain, such a sweet, time-honored tradition," says Lynn Easton, owner of Easton Events in Charleston, SC, and Charlottesville, VA.

7. Second Dance
After you and your groom perform your first dance, then it's time for your mom and your dad (or whomever accompanies her), to take a spin. After all, your mom deserves her moment to shine, too!

No matter what, your mom will be there to help support you in whatever you need. There may be tension — between you and your mom or your family and your groom's — but it will pass. Emotions will be high, but your mom's there to be your rock — and your realist. Remember: She always has your best interests in mind.

5 Things That Stress Out Brides the Most and How to Deal

"Wedding planning was the most stress-free period of my life," said no bride ever. Putting on a huge event on top of everything else you've got going on is sure to feel overwhelming, even for the most organized person. But the best way to manage stress is to know what's likely to trigger it — and how to work through the problem. We asked three wedding planners to share some of the major common stressors they see and their advice on how not to let it get out of hand.

The budget
"The budget determines everything," says Katie Webb, owner of Intertwined Events. "You don't want to start off your marriage in debt so you need to take a realistic look at the numbers, see what can be done and then stick to it. Shop around until you find someone you are comfortable with and that can work within your budget. It's always tougher to stay within your limits, but you will be much happier at the end of the day not to land on the wrong financial foot."

Decision making paralysis
Couples have a ton of options at every stage of wedding planning, which is great for customizing their big day, but can also quickly become overwhelming. If you're find it difficult to narrow down your choices, planner Shannon Dexter of All You Need is Love Events recommends making a timeline of to-dos and then sticking to the decision-making schedule.

See more: Real Brides Share Their Biggest Piece of Wedding Day Advice

Trying too hard to please everyone
"Many couples value hospitality toward their guests over almost anything else — which is gracious and amazing, but has one flaw: you can't please everyone, especially in one whirlwind evening," says wedding planner Calder Clark. "Let go of the small stuff and focus on the big picture: your marriage, your future, and the fun party you'll have to fête it."

Family members "helping" 
"Family dynamics can sometimes be the one of the biggest stressors during the wedding planning process. "You might find that your parents or in-laws want to 'lend a hand' or somehow get involved with planning," says Dexter. "If that's causing some unneeded stress, try finding a small task for them to do."

Ready, Set, Smile: 5 Picture- Perfect Makeup Hacks

The day you get married you'll be debuting a beauty look that, thanks to your wedding photos, will remain an indelible part of your history for, um, forever! Looking fab in your big-day photos isn't just about striking the right pose, it's also dependent on the makeup you wear (and don't wear). Here, celebrity makeup artist Ramy Gafni shares his top beauty tips to looking like amazing in your wedding portraits.

Lighten that hand.
Contrary to popular belief, more is not better when it comes to bridal makeup, says Gafni. The most important thing is to create an even canvas so any imperfections won't be emphasized in photos. "The type of foundation that works best depends on the individual and her complexion," he says.

Matte is your friend.
Shimmery products have a tendency to reflect back in flash photography. Steer clear of an illuminating foundation and instead, use a highlighter strategically — high on the cheekbones, under the brows, or on the collarbone. "Matte eye shadows are the most flattering on film, but if you're set on wearing a shimmery shadow, test it out in photos first," says Gafni.

See more: The 5 Beauty Products That Every Bride Needs on Her Wedding Day

Contour like you mean it.
"Getting those cheekbones to stand out, particularly in black and white, is all about the art of contouring," says Gafni. The easiest technique is to suck in your cheeks and apply a powder along the hollows. Add a highlighter on top of the cheekbones, and then sweep your blush to the apples of the cheeks blending upward toward your ears. "Flash photography can wash you out, so choose a blush that's saturated enough to look good under flash without seeming like too much blush in person," says Gafni.

So fresh and so clean.
An outdoor wedding boasts the truest lighting, but all that honestly means every little nook and cranny on your face will show. "Keep your makeup natural," says Gafni. Opt for neutral eye shadow shades like taupe and champagne, and a lighter blush in pale pink or apricot; anything darker will seem too harsh.

Empower your brows.
If there's one feature that frames your face more than any other, it's your eyebrows. Have them shaped by a pro six months before your wedding and then again a week to a day before. Enhance the shape and fill in any gaps with a wax-based pen.

6 Things Every Bride Forgets to Do on Her Wedding Day

No matter what type of calming pre-wedding rituals a bride does before her wedding, the day itself is often a flurry of excitement and nerves. However, a perfect wedding day doesn't just materialize if you don't take the time to slow down and appreciate it. Here are six things every bride forgets to do on her wedding day.

1. Breathe
Unless you want to be remembered by your friends and fiancé as a frantic bride, it's absolutely essential to take a breather at select moments during the day.

2. Appreciate the Moment
It can be easy to get lost in the minutiae during your wedding day, but remember to enjoy and appreciate your walk down the aisle, wedding vows, first dance, and cake cutting. These are moments you will wish to remember, and if you miss them due to an argument with your caterer or disappointment at a relative's absence, you'll miss the chance to relish the details of your wedding that make it truly special.

3. Take a Snack Break
Chatting with friends and family may be one of the highlights of any wedding, but it is impossible to hold a conversation when your only meal of the day was a spoonful of yogurt at breakfast. Place your groom and maid of honor on snack duty so you remember to eat periodically throughout the day.

See More: 50 Mistakes Every Bride Makes

4. Remember What the Day Is About
In the midst of dancing, dining, and drinking, it can be incredibly simple to forget that your wedding day is about your marriage and partnership with your husband.

5. Spend Time with Your Parents
As momentous a day as a wedding is for a newlywed couple, the event is equally pivotal for the bride and groom's parents. Take a moment to acknowledge their support and love.

6. Take Some Time for Yourself
A bride is surrounded by her bridesmaids, family, new husband, and guests during her nuptials, but a moment alone is an important facet of any wedding. If you feel as though you need the time to mentally prepare for your vows or take a peek at your wedding venue solo before your ceremony commences, do so; after all, your wedding marks the first time in your life when you'll be subsequently part of a pair.

Jewels & Bryan Photo Booth Wedding Pic

What a blast! Never a dull moment at The Brighton for a Guyanese-Trinidadian wedding. It was great to see Jewels and Bryan tie the knot and having so much fun with all their guests. Hope you enjoy sharing your photos.

Congratulations guys. It was fun working with you. We wish you a lifetime of happiness. To see all Bryan & Jewels, guest Photo Booth wedding pics go to our Facebook page. 
www.facebook.com/powerpackimages

How to entertain wedding guests

Obviously lush flowers and a gorgeous venue are some of the elements of a beautiful wedding, but picture-perfect décor doesn't ensure an epic party. Score a 10 out of 10 for overall experience by following these simple yet effective tips that will have your guests talking about your wedding for years to come.

1. Ask for Song Requests
To ensure everyone is having a great time and dancing the night away, have your guests request a song via the invitation response, recommends Key Largo wedding planner Lynn D'Ascanio of Dasignerevents.com. "Give this list of songs to your DJ, along with the name of the person who requested each song. That way, if the dance floor starts to thin out, the DJ can play songs off of the request list." This pretty much guarantees that the person who requested the song will get up and dance and encourage others to do so as well.

2. Don't Let Your Friends and Family Talk Forever
"Many fun events have been driven into the ground by deathly long speeches," points out Lynn Jawitz, owner of Florisan Wedding and Event Design in NYC. To keep the party popping, ask your speech givers to keep their toasts short and sweet.

3. Remember to Thank Your Guests
Speaking of speeches, it's important to let your guests knows how much you personally appreciate them coming. "It's hard to believe how often this simple step is overlooked," notes Jawitz. "Bite the bullet, make a speech (keep it short, of course) and just genuinely thank your guests for dropping their lives that day to share it with you."

4. And Keep Them in the Know
According to D'Ascanio, the best weddings are the ones that are organized and follow a timeline. "When the events of the day unfold in a timely manner, and the bridal party and guests alike are not left standing around wondering what's next or where they should go or what they should be doing, the entire day seems flawless."

5. Add in an Element of Surprise
Who doesn't love a special surprise at a wedding? "You could hire a group of singers or dancers disguised as wait staff to break out into song or dance during dinner," suggests D'Ascanio. Or you and the groom could perform a practiced dance routine yourselves for the first dance, offers Greg Jenkins, founder of Bravo Productions. "A 'wow' factor can be memorable and will ensure your guests have a blast."

See More: 5 Things Every Bride Should Remember — From a Serial Wedding Guest's Point of View

6. Opt for a Short Ceremony
If possible, try to keep your ceremony simple and short in length. "A long, drawn-out ceremony takes away that guest energy level at the onset, and sometimes it cannot be recovered for the reception," warns Jenkins.

7. Give Birthday Shout Outs
Does your BFF have a birthday on the same day as your big day? Or is it his parents' anniversary too? "Have your MC acknowledge any birthdays and/or anniversaries with a dedicated song during the reception," advises Daniela Grafman, wedding & special events coordinator at Vision Entertainment Group LLC. People love attention. Plus, it's just a sweet gesture.

8. Hire a Great Band or DJ
After all, they can, in fact, make or break a party. Florida wedding planner Aviva Samuels of Kiss The Planner, recommends looking for a high energy performer, while being careful not to choose an annoying personality to be your MC. "Great vocals, great dance moves and great spunk will have everyone up on their feet until it's time to go home. Seamless song transitions and the ability to read the crowd when they want to hear more of the same sound or a desire to switch to a different sound is where a DJ's talent also comes into play."

9. Provide Transportation
If you're hosting a destination wedding or your wedding is in a remote location, be sure to provide transportation for guests from their hotel to your wedding and back, says Lauren Randolph, founder of My Hotel Wedding. "This way people don't have to worry about driving home drunk, which guarantees that they can party harder."

10. Allow Your Guests Plenty of Free Time
This is particularly important if you have a destination wedding or a bunch of guests in from out of town, says professional wedding planner Sandy Malone of Weddings in Vieques. "Back to back activities after a long trip will run them into the ground. Let them have some time and space to explore and they'll be refreshed and excited at all of your events." We concur.

Real - Life wedding crasher stories

While some people crash weddings for the free food and drinks, others just want to join the party and share a quick dance. And hey, we can't blame 'em; weddings are fun! These stories are living proof that wedding crashers not only exist, but that unlike in the popular 2005 film Wedding Crashers, they aren't always there simply to hook up.

"Our wedding was crashed by the wedding party from the venue across the street! Lesson number one of wedding crashing should be to not show up in very obvious bridal party attire from another wedding. I decided to have some fun with them, and since I had already changed into my little white dress, they didn't realize I was the bride. After a few minutes of asking them to tell me some funny stories about their good friend the bride, I let them know that their charade was up and that they should kindly finish their drinks and move along. Their faces dropped when they found out I was the bride, and they hustled out of there as quickly as they could.

"I knew everyone at my wedding, so when I noticed a middle-aged couple on the dance floor midway through I knew we had crashers. I was actually kind of happy though, what fun! I went over to them immediately and nicely introduced myself. They were a bit abashed and explained that they had gotten married at our venue 30 years ago to the day. They were back celebrating their anniversary, saw our wedding and popped in for a dance.

"My sister got married at a giant amphitheater, but it also has a separate building for weddings. On that particular day there was a Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker concert going on, so you can imagine what type of crowd that show attracted. As if hearing the music in the background wasn't annoying enough, I realized that these sweaty drunk idiots kept sneaking into the venue and using our bathroom! I ran into the ladies room and even saw them using all of her bathroom basket supplies! Same story in the men's room. To say that I raised hell is a definite understatement.

"When my husband and I were having our wedding reception, we were dancing in a conga line that I was leading and my husband leaned over to me and laughed, 'I dare you to go into another wedding'. So I did. I led our bridal party conga line down the steps from our room and up the steps to another reception. At first I wasn't sure how this would be received because the other wedding looked at me like I was crazy, but then the bride of the other wedding joined our conga line and together we brought back their whole bridal party to our wedding. My friends and family still tell this story and laugh hilariously about it. The only sad part is the videographer left before he got it on video.

"The night before a wedding I was planning, my husband and I escorted a very drunk (and very married) cousin of the groom back to her hotel room early. After I tucked her in, she escaped and went to the hotel bar and made new friends. She invited one of them to the wedding the following day. This particular man was already known as "Weird Pat" on the island. When I saw him arrive my head almost exploded. I explained that a verbal invite from a drunken wedding guest at a bar didn't constitute an official invitation and he couldn't stay. He protested until my husband pointed out that his 'date' was standing with her 300-pound linebacker husband taking family photos and that hubby would probably be none-too-pleased to learn of Pat's presence at the wedding. He left, and for the past seven years has been referred to as 'Wedding Crasher Pat' instead of 'Weird Pat'.

"About halfway through my wedding I noticed a man in his late 40s/early 50s dressed in a brown western style suit wearing a bolo tie. Each time I would catch a glimpse of him, he'd have a new drink in his hand. He even caught my garter! I couldn't believe the guts this guy had. My dad, who is usually pretty mild mannered, walked up to him very quickly and snatched the garter out of his hands, and then pushed him. This was a Marine Corps wedding so when the Marines saw my dad pushing someone in the middle of the dance floor, one of them yelled, 'F-i-g-h-t!' I never saw a man run so fast in a suit.

What do you think: Would you kick a crasher out of your wedding, or would it depend on the situation?

Classic Photo Booths

Classic Photo Booths
Want a great way to capture candid and FUN shots of your party guests? Still gaining in popularity, classic Photobooths are finding their way into more & more weddings and other special events. One of the hottest party trends out there, they're popping up everywhere from wedding receptions to galas and parties. They serve as both entertainment and historian, serving up fun to guests while recording the event's memorable moments!

Photobooths have captured the world's imagination for generations. Photobooths helped send memories to families and friends during wartime and throughout the fifities and sixties - often found on boardwalks, amusement parks, county fairs and country stores. Whether in old-fashioned black & white or color, the excitement of 4 flash, 4 pose photography is still all about fun!

If your budget allows, you can rent one of these booths for your reception. Just like the kind you'd find at an arcade, guests can pile in for cool strips of black-and-white (or color) shots. And some photobooths will print extras, so you can scrapbook the photos of your guests along with their hand-written 'best wishes'.

Photobooths create immediate fun and snapshots of life for future generations; a simple tug of the curtain and you're immortalized forever! Photobooths are reliable, and produce quality that lasts for generations.

Photo Booth Rentals

Are you looking for a touch of class & excitement for your next event? This summer, we are introducing our Photo Booth Rental Service. We at POWERPACK IMAGES, PAMCYR iBooth, are proud to offer the most stylish, state-of-the-art, photo booth on the market. Unlimited photos,USB flashdrive of all images, external slideshow of event pictures, on-site Facebook photo upload & more. Available from June 15, 2013. Book now & receive 10% off. 
Please contact me for more details. 

Children in your Wedding Ceremony

I came across this article in a magazine and thought I'd share it with you all... Here is a few tips to help with the little ones...




Every couple wants their wedding ceremony to run smoothly, from the dress rehearsal to their vows, but one aspect of the wedding will always remain unpredictable…children!

Many couples have relatives and friends with children who are cute as a button, or maybe even children of their own. Typically these children become flower girls and ring bearers which make a charming addition to any wedding party. However, their adorable ways can turn into antics fast without proper planning. If you are planning on having children in your bridal party, the following are a few tips to make sure that your pint-size guests meet your expectations. 

A child loves to be the center of attention but today is not the day. In order to make them feel special take a few moments to show your appreciation. Before the ceremony, take a few pictures with them, tell them how cute they look, and give them a special gift just as you would the rest of your wedding party.

For those ceremonies not taking place in the morning, make sure your flower girl and ring bearer take a nap. No one wants a cranky child. Other pre-ceremony musts are using the restroom (to avoid any “I have to go” dances), a light snack to avoid hunger, a double check of clothing for stains, go over directions, and give praise. Give them confidence and reinsurance so they do not freeze when all eyes are looking at them walking down the aisle. 

Prevent children from being uncomfortable by providing a snack before and after the wedding ceremony. Choose snacks that will not make a mess nor stain clothing; crackers, string-cheese, and sugar cookies, and small bottles of water, are a good choice. Package treats in coordinating bags, embellished with ribbons and personalized name tags. Prepare treats for more than just your flower girl and ring bearer; other young children (if invited) will also become antsy sitting through the ceremony. Designate a parent or older child to pass out the treat bags. 

Even though the flower girl and ring bearer are part of the bridal party, they may not be the most patient when standing during the vow exchange. Let them sit in the front row during the ceremony. Make sure that their parent or grandparent can motion them to take a seat beside them. Then let them rejoin the party during the processional. Also make sure that the child’s parent or another family member is prepared to scoop up the child if a tantrum breaks out. It is not the most ideal situation but knowing that someone is prepared well give you peace of mind. 

Another widely accepted tip is to have fake rings attached to the pillow for the ring bearer to carry. Depending on the age of the child, younger children have a tendency to drop and loose things. Give the real rings to the best man and maid of honor. 

After the ceremony can be the most important time to give the children notice. This is a time of celebration when all the attention turns to the bride and groom. Children can sometimes become confused on what to do next. Give them a hug, thank them, and let them know that you will see them later if you have decided that children will be allowed at your reception. If so, save them a dance! 

Hopefully these tips help you start brainstorming on what to expect and how to be prepared for your younger wedding party guests.

By Kayla Sweitzer - Today's Bride Magazine and Shows



Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read our blog.

Brian & Matilda's Wedding

I had the pleasure of capturing Brian & Matilda's wedding in the Dominican Republic on July 4. Here are a few pictures of them getting ready as well as their photo session.

Joanna & Sebastian

Just a few pics of Joanna & Sebastian Wedding.

Toronto, ON
June 30, 2012

Lisa & Jim

I did a wonderful couple's wedding video, Jim & Lisa.

Just wanted to share an email that I had received from Lisa earlier this week.

This is the reason that I do videos.  I enjoy knowing  that I can help couples preserve one of the most memorable moments in one's life.

Here is Lisa's email:

We have received everything and watched almost all of the footage, sometimes twice!  We are so impressed with your work.  We had no idea what to expect, and you left us speechless.  There were many tears by many people watching your videos.  I cannot speak your praises enough, and I will be sure to pass your info along to anyone in need of a videographer. 

Thank you so much!

Take care,

Lisa

This is the link to our Facebook page.  Please take the time to check it out to see our latest video postings

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Powerpack-Images-Videography/53337776506

Fun Ideas for Announcing Your Engagement

Mail Announcements
The traditional way to announce that you have just been engaged is to mail letters or cards to family and friends. You can buy ready-made engagement cards on stationery stores. But the better way of course is to make a personalized letter or card so that the recipient can feel how important he or she is to the couple.
To save you money, and effort, use this also as a save-the-date card. Now, if you are techie and you do not want to consume too much paper, electronic mailed announcements can be the ideal option for you. Just bear in mind that you should only send out mail announcements to people you intend to invite on your wedding day.

Publish in Local Newspaper
Another customary way of announcing an engagement is by having a published announcement in the local newspaper. First, you have to call up the newspaper staff to inquire about guidelines, fees, deadlines or rules about announcements. Ask if you can send in photographs, graphic designs, and your own words. Typically, a newspaper engagement announcement includes information about the two of you such as educational background, professional credentials, and parents’ names. Wedding date is not usually included to avoid gatecrashers or home burglaries.

Throw a Party
For those who love to party, the most fun way to announce the news is to throw a wonderful bash consisting of family and friends. To add to the fun factor, do not tell anyone that you and your future spouse are engaged so that it would be a surprise. Instead, let them think that it is just a regular gathering. Do not forget that you should only invite to the party those whom you are going to invite at the wedding so that you do not offend anybody.

Make a Wedding Website
The Internet is a great venue for announcing your engagement. It is accessible, easy-to-do, and simple! You do not have to be a techno-savvy to pull this one off. Many wedding websites offer guides and templates on how to create personal wedding websites as well as user-friendly website building tools that you can use to inform family and friends about the upcoming wedding and keep them updated with the latest details.

Give Away Announcement Gifts
This is not a common practice but if you want to make your engagement extra special, you can consider sending little gifts that would come with the engagement announcement. For example, you can give away small potted plants with a tag line that says, “You have seen how our love has bloomed so we want to share with you the news that we are getting married soon!” You can also send a set of decorative ribbons that recipients can use for wrapping gifts. To give it a fun creative twist, tie one of the ribbons into a knot and scribble on that ribbon something like, “We are tying the knot!”

There are various traditional and creative ways you can use to let people know that you are getting married. At the end of the day, it depends on your and your partner’s choice on how you are going to announce your engagement. Whatever way you choose to do it, you can expect surprised and happy reactions from people closest to you.

7 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Planner before Hiring

It has been a while since my last post. I have recently come across an article and thought it might be of interest to both my readers and clients:

Before giving a thumbs-up to a particular wedding coordinator, make sure that you ask these very important questions first.

1/ How long have you been a wedding coordinator?
Experience is very important when hiring a coordinator because after all, experience is the best teacher. Ask the planner how many clients she has had in the past, ask her to cite their names and to describe the wedding preparations and planning she did for her other clients. It is important to get the list of her past clients so you can check with them how the wedding planner really works and if her clients are satisfied with her performance.

2/ What type of formal training have you had?
Aside from experience, of course, it would also help if a wedding planner has undergone formal trainings on wedding planning. You should also inquire if she is affiliated with any wedding planner associations and event trade organizations such as ABC, June Wedding, ACPWC, AFWPI, or ISES.

3/ What is your style when it comes to planning?
Ask the wedding planner to describe to you in full detail how she coordinates weddings, how she organizes tasks, and how she ensures that everything goes smoothly.

4/ How do you handle problems?
Give hypothetical situations that would be problematic for the wedding planner. One example would be “How would you handle it if at the last minute you find out that the flowers for the church did not arrive?”
If she refuses to answer saying that this will never happen then the wedding planner is probably not prepared to face such predicaments. You will be better off with someone who would offer a solution and then assure you that nothing of that kind would happen to your wedding.

5/ How much do you charge for wedding planning service?
Obviously, you need to know this detail so you can determine if you can afford the service of this wedding planner.

6/ What is your set of criteria for recommending vendors and suppliers?
It is not a good sign if a wedding planner just picks out any vendor or supplier that she finds on Google. It is a must that a wedding planner chooses only highly reliable and competent suppliers that will not give problems to you on your wedding day.

7/ Can you work within my budget?
You have to hire a resourceful and creative wedding planner who can work within your budget and not insist you on spending more than what you can afford.
Your wedding planner would play a significant role in your special day. For this reason, you have to ensure that you pick the right one who will help make this day something that you will forever treasure. Otherwise, you might as well just do the whole planning yourself. That is better than to hire someone inefficient that would only ruin your big day.




Seasonal Flowers for your Winter Wedding

Favorite Winter Wedding Flowers
Holly, the flower that resonates the Christmas season, is the perfect bloom to use for Christmas winter weddings. Amaryllis, a winter flower available in red and white, is also one of the most popular flowers for winters.


DAFFODILS

Anemone, which looks like a star, comes in colors blue, red, pink or white. This bloom is usually in season during the first part of the winter. Yellow daffodils usually bloom around January to June and blue forget-me-nots are of course blue, these are the favorite choice for fairy or Jack Frost themed winter weddings.
Aside from these flowers, the list of winter wedding flowers is endless. It includes ivy, freesia, magnolia, carnations, snowball mums, gardenias, stargazer, Casablanca, calla lilies, chrysanthemums, hydrangea, daisies, and poinsettias.
If you do not like the typical flowers used for winter weddings, why not go the unusual ones? Jasmine, which many people do not consider a winter flower, is actually a beautiful winter blossom you can use to add zest to your special day.
In addition to this, you can also make use of the exotic Anigozanthos, more popularly known as kangaroo paw that is grown in Australia. This bloom is available in pale pink, lime green, yellow, or rich dark red, so you can expect striking contrast if you are going to use these flowers.


CALLA LILIES WITH IRIS

Nerine is another pretty flower choice that is not commonly used for weddings. It is a delicate flower with pink petals that can add unique touch to this special affair. Other unusual choices on winter wedding flowers are cosmos, tulips, waxflower, ranunculus, and bells of Ireland.
Winter Wedding Accents
After you have picked the flowers to use for your winter, you would probably want to throw in some seasonal accents to make the blooms even more beautiful. Holly leaves, berries, pomegranates, evergreen braches, pinecones, ivy leaves, fir branches, Christmas ornaments, snowflake embellishments, ribbons, mistletoe, eucalyptus, baby’s breath, and wheat stems are just few of the many options you have for winter wedding accessories.
Color Palette Options
White is the dominant color as this is the backdrop of a winter scene. Meanwhile, the colors you can use to liven up the setting are red, burgundy, silver and forest greens. Most of the winter wedding flowers and accessories come in these shades. Now, if you want the celebration to have a modern feel, you can also make use of blues and purples.
Winter wedding flowers add a touch of warmth, traces of color, and classy beauty to your big day. It does not matter if you are going to have a small intimate gathering or a huge extravagant one, winter wedding flowers will still play a role in making your wedding event special and memorable.

Article posted on Bridezilla Times

History of the veil

This morning I came across an article in the local newspaper 24 hours. I just had to share it with our readers.
I figured it would be nice for brides to know the history of the veil they so proudly wear.





Before veils were popular women would wear their hair down as a symbol of their purity & virginity.

It was considered bad luck for the groom to see his bride before their wedding, which is why the bride wore a veil.

Women in ancient Rome wore bright red veils called flammeum on their wedding day, in order to protect themselves from evil spirits; while brides in ancient Greece opted for yellow.

The lifting of the veil at the end of the wedding ceremony was an ancient ritual that symbolized the groom taking possession of his bride.

In ancient Judaism, the lifting of the bride's veil was done just before the couple consummated their marriage.

Among the nomadic Tuareg of West Africa, women do not wear a wedding veil, but men do.

Veils were often used in arranged marriages so that the groom would be unable to see his bride until after the wedding, thus ensuring he wouldn't change his mind.

Britain's Queen Victoria popularized the use of veils in 1840 during her marriage to Albert. At that time the veil was seen as a symbol of modesty and submission.

In the past, veils were worn from head to foot and the thicker the veil the more traditional the implication of wearing it.

If a bride lifted her veil before the groom it was a show of independence.

Veils became popular in North America after Nelly Curtis wore a veil at her wedding to George Washington's aid, Major Lawrence Lewis.

According to the story, Major Lewis saw his bride to be standing behind a filmy curtain and commented on how beautiful she looked. As a result, Nelly decided to veil herself for the wedding.

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