Today we continue the topic started yesterday, regarding wedding etiquette, traditions and customs that stood the test of time and are still being practiced today, to the delight of the couple and guests alike.
Surely, there is no bride that hasn’t heard the rhyme that instructs her to wear “Something Old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in you shoe” – this last line is actually less known than the rest. None the less every bride I know certainly aims to follow this tradition, but few of them actually know what these items symbolize.
Wedding Etiquitte For Guests (Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com)
The “something old”, refers to her old life, that she is now leaving behind; while “something new” stands for the new hope she has as she enters her new one, along side her husband. By wearing a borrowed item – traditionally a garter – from a happily married woman the bride hopes that some of that woman’s good luck will be passed on to her. The “something blue” symbolizes her purity and faithful commitment to her man. And finally, that last line that kind of got left behind throughout time, probably due to it’s very uncomfortable nature, symbolized financial and spiritual wealth.
Wedding Etiquitte For Guests (Source: cdn.blisstree.com)
Another tradition that can not be left out of any wedding is the throwing of the bridal bouquet. This hardly needs any explanation, as Hollywood movies present this wedding moment so often, that by now everyone knows that the girl that catches the bride’s bouquet is next in line to be married. Unfortunately few people know that there’s a tradition with similar prognosis for the young men as well. At a certain point at the wedding, the garter, that the bride borrowed, comes off – usually with help from her groom; who then is to throw this item – just as the bride throws the bouquet – and whichever young man catches it, is said to get married within the next twelve months.
There are many other traditions of course, like the stealing of the bride, the throwing of confetti and rice, releasing doves and many more; so if you are a bride, I urge you to look these up and read about them, for besides finding many interesting facts, you’ll probably find ways to make your wedding more colorful and more entertaining for your guests.
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Although the proper way to behave at a wedding depends partly on the level of formality of the event and it’s setting, and naturally, the etiquette dictated by these, still, there are a few wedding traditions that got carried over time and are still being practiced today either due the symbolism they bear, or to the enjoyment of the guests.
Such a long standing tradition – dating back to roman times –, and strong symbolic value have the rings. The wedding rings are typically made of precious metals, traditionally of gold and is the visible sign of marital status (the presence of the ring on the finger / or the absence thereof ) pretty much all over the world. We often hear the preachers / ministers / priests at the wedding talk about how the unbroken circular band is the symbol of the eternal love and commitment of the couple to one another, and the enduring nature of marriage itself.
Etiquette Wedding Guests (Source: engagementrings-diamond.com)
Back in the old days, when the groom often times had to kidnap his beloved, he was in need of at least one very good friend, a “best man” to help protect the escape and possibly hold off unhappy relatives of the bride (usually a father or brothers) if the situation should arise; enabling the couple to reach the church safely. We still have today a best man, at weddings, although his role has changed considerably. Nowadays he holds the rings until they are required during the ceremony.
Etiquette Wedding Guests (Source: users.parismo.net)
The honeymoon itself is also related to the kidnapping of the bride. After the ceremony, it would not have been wise to stroll back into town, for often, as far as the bride’s family was concerned “till death do us part” was a realistic option for ending the marriage unsanctioned by them. Thus the newlyweds would go into hiding for a time and would spend their nights under the moon lit sky, in seclusion, drinking mead made from fermented honey.
As for traditions that were preserved over time and are carried out during weddings for the pure delight of the guests, these will be sampled in the next article, so make your way back to this site tomorrow as well and we’ll present you with a few ideas of how to entertain your guests during your wedding.
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After the insanity of the wedding planning is over, the big day has come and gone, the rush of it all subsided and the newly wed couple arrive home from their honeymoon with sparkly eyes and sunburned backs – who’s job was it to remember the sunscreen anyway? - they’ll probably pass on looking at the bills for now, instead they go for the guestbook.
Ideas For Wedding Guest Book (Source: scrapbook-crazy.com)
As they flip through the pages of that exquisite book – for which she paid way too much in his opinion – expecting poetic best wishes and words of wisdom for their new lives together, they may not be so thrilled to find remarks like: “You go girl!” or “Nice one mate! Can I borrow her?” and the like.
On the other hand it’s understandable how most everyone is daunted by that blank, white page as that ominous book , being passed from table to table finally reaches us. How do you distill years of friendship into a meager sentence or two? The very idea could scare any writer!
Here are a few ideas for your consideration, in case you find yourself in the position of having to write in a wedding guest book:
- Go for honesty – although not too much of it! You can even try to think of this ahead of time, in the comfort of your home, without the added pressure of the moment having at your disposal a wide variety of sources to inspire you: books, songs, the internet! Just think of what honest sentiment can you express – that, if you’re a guy, you’d probably never say to your friend in person. But consider this: sincerity also has an added bonus; as that little book gets passed around among the guests, all the single ladies will see what you wrote, and will be wondering who is the author of those beautiful words
Ideas For Wedding Guest Book (Source: weddingpartyguest.com)
- Lie if you must – you may be convinced that your best friend just married barbie from hell, this doesn’t mean however that you should put it quite like that. Instead you could just simply write “Congratulations! I wish I could find someone that fills me with as much happiness and she brings to you!”
Whichever route you choose, there’s one cardinal rule: make sure you’re still sober when you write! Otherwise, at best, nobody will be able to read what you wrote; and in worst case, everyone will be able to read what you wrote.
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No matter how casual a wedding is, a wedding is a wedding. This means that one needs to dress according to the importance of the event. So, the wedding is an important event for the couple and no matter what they decide to do for their wedding, you, as a guest, need to rise up to the situation. So, if they are planning a colored themed wedding, dress alike; if they are planning a backyard wedding, do not forget to dress comfortably.
So, you might be asking yourselves by now what is to dress accordingly? This can be answered only if you answer this question: What kind of wedding is the one you are attending? Because, if you know exactly what kind of wedding you are going to attend, you are going to know what kind of dress for wedding guest is fitter.
Dress For Wedding Guest (Source: chasinglouboutin.com)
For example, if the wedding is held during the day, in a hotel, you need to find a nice dress or suit that is business like. Do not forget the hat that matches your suit and do not forget to wear your nice jewelry that will give your attire a festive look.
If, on the contrary, the wedding is held in a less formal setting, you can wear a nice short sleeved dress that will be comfortable. Knee length dresses are some of the most appropriate for these types of weddings, but you can also wear a form fitted one. Blouses and skirts in light colors are also acceptable.
Dress For Wedding Guest (Source: bargainist.com)
For men, dressing according to this type of event means to wear a suite in a light color, but maybe not the vest. For a more casual wedding a nice jacket, comfortable shoes and a nice pair of slacks are also appropriate. However, do not wear the jeans during a wedding. Leave them for the other parties and try to look elegant at any kind of wedding.
If the wedding is formal and at night, then you need to be more elegant, so a female guest can wear a cocktail or a long dress, while the black suit and the tie should not be left home for the men. So, if you want to be appropriately dressed as a wedding guest, try to be decent and remember: a wedding is important to the couple getting married.
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You have planned the wedding in a great venue, somewhere in a place where you have always dreamed of. It is not far from your own home, it is quite near, but since not all of your guests are from the city, you need to make all those who come from far away feel welcomed at your wedding.
When asking guests from out of town to come at your wedding, and they come, you know they did some efforts to attend this event, to be there with you, so you want to thank them appropriately. To do that, you made them some gifts, so in every room they will find a basket of fruit, a cold beverage and maps of the city, with the tourist attraction circled on them.
Thank You Cards (Source: wpd-images-cdn.tp-global.net)
However, you want to thank them even more, in words. So, you are thinking of ways of doing it. A simple way of thanking them is to write them some thank you cards. You can buy some very nice ones and put them in the gift basket, telling them how much you appreciate them being there. Be sincere and it will be nice.
We know we traveled a lot: we, Rachel and Ron, to soon become husband and wife, and you, our dear friends/ relatives/ etc, to be part of this end of one travel and beginning of a new one, together. For this, we thank you and invite you to share with us the joy of this beautiful day during the ceremony and reception.
Thank You Cards (Source: photos.weddingbycolor-nocookie.com)
This could be a longer thank you note for your out of town guests, but if you think this is not enough, you can also write them a nice thank you letter they will find in their rooms. Here, you can be as long as you want, you can personalize the letter according to the guest’s personality and you can include more than a thank you. You can include dates, hours and locations of the ceremony, rehearsals and any other event you are planning before the wedding.
Dear guest, we, the ones whose event you are going to make more beautiful by being here, thank you from our hearts that soon will beat as one, and invite you to let your good wishes fall upon us at the beginning of a new journey in life.
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Planning a wedding requires time and being a well organized person. At the same time, it means you know exactly what you want and how to do everything. So it may be that you will do everything by yourself or you will hire a wedding coordinator. However, you need not forget about your guests. They are important to your wedding and making them feel welcomed and good at your wedding is part of the planning.
Sometimes, it happens that you do not need too much to satisfy a guest at your wedding. But sometimes, it may be that you need to give them everything they are used to see at such an event. And many of them are still waiting for the moment to sign your guest book, although there are many who are frightened about it, not knowing what to write.
Small Wedding Guest Book (Source: icestandard.org)
But, since you are taking your guests into consideration, you are considering of helping them with the wedding guest book as well. So, you are thinking of buying just a small wedding guest book, so that it will offer the guests with the necessary information they need to fill in.
A small wedding guest book is very nice to have. Its small size makes it fine, elegant and exquisite, while its covers will demand some very nice and subtle decorations, if any. But it can still feature the name of the couple to get married and their wedding date. Some others may have just a nice ribbon attached or a little bit of color, to make it less simple.
Small Wedding Guest Book (Source: mybridesmaid.com)
You can either buy a wedding guest book or make one. If you chose to do it yourself, then you should choose A4 paper to cut in half in order to obtain the size you want and then choose some very nice plain covers that you can trim as you would like, and so that it will match the theme.
Inside, the small wedding guest books are going to offer space for your guests to fill in their names and addresses and a small corner in which to write their best wishes for you. So, as you can see, the small guest book will do the exact thing it has to do: gather the information from your guests for you to be able to send your thanks.
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People are attracted to the ideas of travelling in time, either in the past or in the future. And many of them would like to have souvenirs from those times. Since until now no travel could be made into the future, the past seems to be more reachable, since we can go there when we visit museums, when we read books or watch movies on television. It is true that not all things are as they used t, but at least you can have a glimpse of all of them.
So it is that because of this virtual travelling in time, couples may choose to theme their weddings vintage. They love the 50’s or the 70’s, some may even go further in time and choose a 30’s theme, but they do want t travel in time on their wedding day and do it. So they choose everything in that particular style, from invitations and decorations to wedding guest books.
Vintage Wedding Guest Book (Source: img0.etsystatic.com)
Wedding guest books that look much the same as they used to look like are of many kinds and they can be either purchased or handmade. It is true that you need time and creativity to do such a book, but it may be kind of nice to sit at the table, with a candle in front of you and take sheet of paper which you will slightly burn on the margins for a vintage look.
However, vintage is also elegant and vintage wedding guest books that can be bought look so exquisite that you fell in love with them at first site. They can be personalized, they can be ordered and they can be bought as such. But no matter how you choose them, you have plenty of models to choose from. You can find some very nice ones, that look like real old books, here, and some more unique ones here.
Vintage Wedding Guest Book (Source: english-wedding.com)
Still, no matter what you choose, a handmade book that you can make yourself or a vintage wedding guest book that you can purchase, I am sure that it will make your guests try to do their best to come up with some of the most beautiful hand writings and wishes for you, since these books are really inspiring.
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You want to try this new – or not that new – trend at weddings, namely having a slideshow during your wedding? You want it to be something really nice, to entertain your guests, to be exciting and fun. However, not all guests like looking at these shows, so maybe you should consider making a presentation that will run over and over again on a screen during the wedding reception.
But, if you are really decided to do it, then you should take into consideration a few things. First of all, keep it short. Do not bore your guests with pictures of the two of you from the moment you were born to this day on. Indeed, select pictures from your childhood and youth, but not too many. Then, select a song and not more, something really entertaining, something that will be fit to the occasion.
Wedding Slide Show (Source: wedding-slideshow-studio.com)
Another step in ding a nice slideshow is to use a program that will make your show look professional and personal. You could try a PowerPoint presentation, as you can do whatever you want there, with pictures and words and effects, but for a more professional look, try using windows movie maker or vegas video. Or, if you do want something even greater for your wedding, you could try talking to your videographer.
If you talk to them, then you will have not just a slideshow of the two of you, but of the wedding guests as well. Wedding guest slideshows are done on the site, with pictures taken from the wedding, right that day. Your photographer will take pictures of the wedding and then, during his break, he will load some of the best pictures onto his laptop and transform them into a slideshow to be projected on the wide screen you have at the venue.
Wedding Slide Show (Source: bkthedj.com)
But, if you still don’t think this is what you have in mind, if you have time and just a few guests at the wedding, you can make a wedding guest slideshow that will be personal and fun at the same time. Either you will collect all the pictures that you have with you and your guests at the wedding and put them in a slideshow, or you can ask them to send their favorite photo of them via e-mail. And then, the show can go on.
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Guests invited to weddings, after choosing the gift from the registry list, will think only about one thing only: what to wear at the event. So, they will begin to gather as much information as they can on the venue, so as to make sure they will dress accordingly. Not only this, but women especially will make sure they will know everything about the wedding venue, so as to make sure they wear the appropriate shoes.
When choosing the shoes for the wedding, as a guest, women will take into consideration the following: the formality of the event, the time of day, the outfit they wear and the time they will spend at the wedding, the amount of hours they will spend wearing the same pair of shoes. And they will think about this for one reason only: to feel comfortable at the wedding.
Shoes For Wedding Female Wedding Guests (Source: theshoedish.com)
However, one thing I think will never change is that women will always wear high heeled shoes. They are elegant, they are exquisite and they make the female guest at the wedding look stunning in her attire. However, high heels are sometimes not very comfortable, especially if your shoes are new or if you are not comfortable in them. So, make sure you walk in your shoes a few times before the wedding.
Maybe the only types of wedding where you can skip the high heeled shoes and you may go in sandals, some very nice ones, of course, are the beach weddings or those court yard weddings where you simply cannot walk on the grass in heels. But, if you are invited to this kind of weddings or if you are invited to a western wedding, why not go for some western boots?
Shoes For Wedding Female Wedding Guests (Source: lovesgift.files.wordpress.com)
I know that many women will think that black shoes are those which are the most appropriate. However, if you look back at the royal wedding, and you can see some photos here, you will see that the shoes you can wear at a wedding have the color of your outfit. Or, if you are go to a wedding where the theme is fighting against a certain disease, and the symbol color of that is red or pink or white, then you can definitely wear the shoes in that color.
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Weddings are becoming less and less formal; however there is one thing that will never change: the decency and respect you need to show at a wedding both as the bride and groom and as a guest. And you should show these by complying with a few rules, which are the minimum required for everybody at the wedding to feel good and comfortable.
First of all, you should decide if you want to accept the invitation at a wedding and respond as soon as possible, as the bride and groom are relying on a budget and they need to know how many people will attend their wedding. Moreover they need to set the places at the tables, so they really need to know who will come at this event. From the moment you accepted the invitation you need to behave as a wedding guest. So, disregarding what you see in movies or read in books, there are a few rules to consider.
Wedding Guest (Source: media.onsugar.com)
The first step: carefully read the invitation. If it is intended just for you, this means not to bring a date at the wedding. If it writes the kind of wedding it is, you need to dress accordingly. If words such as lunch, cocktail or black tie do not appear on the invite, then there are a few other things to look at to know what to wear: the time of the wedding and the place of the wedding. So, for a day time wedding you can wear either a business suit or a very comfortable dress, while for an evening wedding you need to be very elegant.
Then, you will think about the present. As the good wedding guest that you are, you will send the gift before the wedding or after the wedding, at their house, but you do not come with the gift on the wedding day, as there will be no space for it.
Wedding Guest (Source: groomsadvice.com)
And thirdly, you will want to be that wedding guest who will behave accordingly, mingling around, saying the best words at the wedding. Do some research in advanced, wait for the wedding party to say their wishes and then see if you can make a toast. But try to always be with a smile on your face and ready to have a good time at the wedding.
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