Lighting your Centerpieces:

Place a battery operated votive inside glass ornaments that have a hole in the back hung from fishing wire or ribbon. These ornaments can be hung from your centerpieces such as a tree like centerpiece or made into their own chandelier and hung throughout the room.

Tips on: Seating your Guests

If you have a small, informal reception, you may not feel you need a seating plan. However, for large numbers, or a sit down meal, both you and your guests may benefit from a seating chart. The wedding meal may last for 2-3 hours and is a significant part of the day. If your guests are sitting with people they get along with, it will make a big difference to their overall enjoyment of the day!

The traditional head table:
Groomsmen-bridesmaid-Best Man-Bride-Groom-Maid of Honor-groomsmen-bridesmaid
While the traditional head table is still favored by most, alternatives are often being used such as including parents and clergy. Some are even including partners of the bridal party which works nice if you are using a Sweetheart table.

Seating tables with just one family group will let them relax, but it will not do much to encourage mingling. However, a table where no one knows anyone else might be a bit daunting for most people. Try and arrange a mix on each table-so everyone knows a few people. By thinking about guests' ages and interests you can make sure that each table is likely to get on and have fun!

Where to sit singles can also create a dilemma. On one hand you might try out a little match-making, but on the other, this could be rather uncomfortable and awkward for your guests. Certainly avoid a 'Singles Table'.

We have all been to weddings that we attended without an escort, knowing only the bride or a few members of the family and were either seated at the 'singles table' or seating was a free for all. What memory of the wedding did you leave with?
By seating your guests appropriately they can see that you took the time on your special day to think of them to make sure they enjoyed themselves. It is little details like this that go a long way to your guests and will ensure that everyone will remember your wedding with warm thoughts.

Wedding facts/Trivia for 2007 taken fromPeople Magazine July 2007 Issue

Stats of the Union:
Average cost of a Wedding: $27, 690
Average length of an Engagement: 17 Months
Average age of a Groom: 27
Number of Weddings in the U.S. in 2006: 2,155,000

Texas is estimated to play host to the most weddings this year: 191, 072
North Dakoda will have the fewest with 4,192

The longest wedding dress train measured 3,949.8 feet and was worn in Caudry France, on Aug. 5, 2006

Around 116,000 weddings take place in Las Vegas each year

The average number of wedding guests is 167

Average price of an engagement ring: $2,100

Average price of a wedding band: $650

Average number of weddings taking place in the U.S. every day: 5,904

The World's most expensive nuptials on record: $60,000,000
That's how much Billionaire Lakshmi paid for his daughter Vanisha's 2004 wedding.

The most expensive wedding dress on record was laced with 150 Carats of Diamonds. It was created by dressmaker Renee Strauss and jeweler Martin Katz. To date it remains unsold.

Your Budget

Agree on a vision: Sit down with your fiancé and agree on the month, size, formality, and style of your wedding.
Put together your guest list: The number of invitees will determine the size and cost of your event. Create a Guest list in Excell. This spreadheet will allow you to track invitations sent and R.S.V.P's recieved, gifts recieved, and Thank You's sent
Decide on a budget: Agree on how much you're willing to spend and find out if family members are willing to contribute. Create a Spreadsheet in Excell or use a free spreadsheet tool which can be found on many wedding plannning websites. These tools can be customized as not all weddings are the same. Revies the spreadsheet and keep the items you feel you will need. Delete the items from the list that are not needed and add those that are. You can use this tool everytime you recieve a quote, make a deposit or a payment. It will allow you to track the items you have purchased, those yet to be purchased and your overall balance. Be sure to leave 10% of your budget as a cushion on all your expenses and for the bottom line. You are bound to under estimate and over estimate some costs. Treat it as an initial purchase so that it is deducted from your budget immediately. Don't forget to add sales tax and gratuity where appropriate. **The key to watching your bottom line is to make sure you record every purchase, quote, deposit and payment, either by check or credit card. Slacking off in this department is a good way to overspend.
Create a planning notebook: Tear out clippings and print online photos of everything you like, and save them in a binder by category. Take this notebook on every shopping outing you go on it will be easier to tell your florist what you like and do not like if you have pictures to show him/her. Save pictures of gowns, hairstyles, flowers, decorations, cakes, anything for your wedding that you will be looking to purchase.
Also in your notebook should be a copy of all your vendor contracts, a master sheet of your vendor names and phone numbers. Be sure to get cell numbers/pager numbers, an incase of emergency name and numbers (as some vendors will make their deliveries on Saturday and then be done for the day.) The name and number of the person who will be directly responsible for helping you.
Keep a copy of your budget spreadsheet in your notebook. While out shopping you will know your exact allowance for items such as favors at a quick glance.
A list of those in your wedding party with addresses and phone numbers. It is a good idea too to have their measurments (that have been taken by a seamstress or tailor) in case they are needed.

Unique Decoration Item!

Wonderful Graffiti is very thin pieces of matte vinyl that look "printed" when applied to most smooth surfaces. Just tape the transfer paper into place, burnish it down and peel it away. Only the individual letters and graphic elements remain. Wonderful Graffiti removes quickly, and won't harm underlying surfaces. For a fee of $25.00 they will do your own favorite saying, design around your monogram, etc.
Use them on church and reception doors, dressing room doors, restroom mirrors, dance floors, bare walls and limosines.
The places you will find to place these are endless. http://www.wonderfulgraffitiwedding.com

(Below are just a few samples of some of their sayings.)
*Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects. Always trusts. Always hopes. Always perseveres.Corinthians 13:4-7

*Hand in hand we will grow into the promise of tomorrow, taking with us the enchantment of this day.

*flowers radiate from the couple's names at the center of the dance floor.

*Your names, wedding date and time

*Thank You
Our day is happier because you're here.
(your names)

Neat Color Wheel Tool



Brides.com offers a neat Color Wheel Tool if you are undecided about what colors you want to use for your wedding or for finding colors that complement the color you have chosen, say Pink, this is a neat tool to find 2 complementing colors.

Spin their Color Wheel and you will find 3 colors that complement each other in either an Organic, Haronious or Dramatic way. Sample color combinations you will find are as follows:
Organic: Brown + Pink + Pearl
Pink + Cream + Wheat
Brown + Robin's Egg + Gold

Harmonious: Robin's Egg + Tourqoise + Aqua
Green + Aqua + Robin's Egg
Orange + Gold + Butter

Dramatic: Magenta + Orange + Gold
Lime + Pink + Butter
Orange + Midnight Blue + Butter

Yummy Fall Desserts!


Brioche Berry Puddings
(For 4 individual puddings ; inspired but adapted from an idea by Julie Le Clerc)You need:
4 slices of stale homemade brioche
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fine sugar
4 Tbsp heavy cream
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Berries
Steps:
Cut the brioches slices in long sticks and divide them between the molds lined with parchment paper (1 slice per mold, I used popover molds but you can use tall muffin molds).
Add a few berries, fresh or frozen.
Melt the butter and pour 1 Tbsp per mold.
Whip all other ingredients together in a bowl — eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla and cream — and divide between the four molds.
Let the puddings rest for 20 to 30 min.
Preheat your oven at 330 F.
Place in the oven to cook for 25 to 30 min.
Remove and serve preferably lukewarm (but cooled is also good) .

Love the idea of little brown paper wrapped cupcakes for a wedding. You can wrap them in any color paper to acent your wedding colors. To view them on her site go to: http://www.latartinegourmande.com

A twist on the traditional boutonniere

Instead of flowers pinned to the lapel, a pocket square boutonniere features several small flowers and is worn in the pocket of the jacket, much like a pocket square handkerchief. The pocket squares are made on a card, which is easily slipped into the breast pocket of the suit or tuxedo. ( In some cases, the pocket will still be sewn shut. Ask the tux shop to make sure the pockets are cut open.)

Your Engagement Ring and it's fit

Does your engagement ring spin or flop to the side of your hand? Does it Drive you nuts? Did you add those sizing balls only to find out that they are uncomfortable? Here is a great alternative that I have found.... http://www.fingermate.com

For your Wedding Website or e-mail

Free Wedding Countdown Timers
Create your free wedding countdown clock, which you can embed in e-mail, use in your forum signature, or add to your wedding webiste. Choose from a number of different designs, completely free from When Is My Wedding.


For a different style of countdowns, have a look at Daisy Path's free wedding announcements. Instead of a countdown, these are more of a timeline to your wedding day. You choose from several different timeline styles (such as the sunflower below), one of three markers , then add some text and even a small image of your own. These also can be used in e-mail, or forum sigs, etc.

Fall Wedding Ideas:

*Pick warm colors to decorate theceremony and reception venues. Decorations in any of these shades are great suggestions: Burnt sienna, red, orange, and mustard. A modern fall color scheme is chocolate brown with light blue accents. However, all the fall colors compliment each other, so it is also very easy to mix all the colors of the season without going overboard or have color overload.

*Add a unique detail to your ceremony substitute dried leaves for petals in your flower girl's basket. If fall foliage isn't abundant when you wed, you can order pressed leaves online (from drynature.com). Line a pint-size basket with a cotton fabric. Using scissors, cut a large round of fabric and a slit on opposite sides to accommodate the handles, then place in basket. Wrap silk ribbon around, and tie in a bow.

*For something really cute and unique, find or rent an old-fashioned flower cart and use it for your gifts.

*You can use pumpkins carved with the names of the couple as table centerpieces. White or blue natural pumpkins will add an elegant and unique touch. Autumn colored candles or votives tied with ribbons in harvest colors also make great fall centerpieces. (Remember to use unscented candles at indoor events. Fall is a popular time for allergies. Scents will make allergies even worse.)


*Add cinnamon sticks and cloves to the wedding punch or drinks for a simple fall touch!

*Hollow out a white pumpkin, encrust it with jewels and pearlized glitter; fill it with dip for crackers. You can also add these jewel encrusted pumpkins to centerpieces and fill with candles.(Make cuts in the sides for extra candle light glow.)

Look to the season for inspiration! I am sure you will be amazed at what you can incorporate into your wedding day.

Are you tired of the same old wedding format?

There are no hard fast rules as to what order the day should follow.

Let your wedding day be as unique as you are!



*Play with the placement of the expected moments!

Fore example, don't schedule the ceremony first. When guests arrive, there will be a cocktail hour, a sitdown dinner and then the ceremony. Serve desert and then start the dancing. (While the party is now in full swing and guests are busy dancing, you can quietly slip away with your photographer to take pictures and then rejoin your guests)





*Making your first dance memorable

Hold your first dance during the middle of the cocktail hour. The music can change suddenly, and as you and your groom walk forward, the floor will open up. Your guests will discover that this is not going to be like every other wedding they have been to.s

Place Card and Favor in One!

I love place cards. It’s a chance to add another punch of color to your table and express some creativity at the same time.

A place card holder and bud vase all in one. Eight different designs and colors to choose from and double sided printing means you can pick and choose and alternate to your heart’s content!

It's a place card and favor in one! http://www.blumebuds.com

Think of your Guests First!!


Though your wedding day represents a day of love between yourself and your groom and it is thought of as "your day to be the princess and center of attention...." Where would you be without your guests? To truely share this day with your guests and to show them that they are thought of on this your wedding day follow these tips....


For your out of town Guests...


Call your local Chanmer of Commerce for the city in which the wedding and reeption are being held. You can send them mailing lables of your out of town guests and they will send packets about the town your wedding is being held in. Your guests can make note of places of interest they would like to see while they are in town. A mini vacation/wedding in one!


Think of your guests first. Think about what the weather will likely be at the time of day and month of the year of your outdoor wedding. Check the farmer’s almanac for conditions that could be expected. If it’s hot, don’t leave your guests melting in the sun. Rent a tent to shade your event.

Can everybody hear? When you picture your dream wedding at the beach, you’re probably not hearing the roaring of the waves, the rushing wind, or the local kids running and screaming around you. Look into renting a sound system with clip mikes for the bride, groom and officiant. Your DJ or band may be able to easily arrange this for you. (apply this to any site...)

Share details. Don’t be afraid to share information and assistance to your out-of-town guests about travel plans, hotel accommodations, and seasonal weather. Offer your guests a courteous mention about appropriate dress to each wedding event you are having. This means your wedding party, too. Let your party know what to wear to the rehearsal dinner and any other wedding weekend events. Well-informed guests are happy guests.

What's missing from most Weddings? A Toast from the Bride and Groom. Think about it from your guests' perspective: They're surrounded by people they do not know, and then they never hear from the people they're celebrating. You want them to feel glad they're there for you!

Cake Ideas.... A Nice Surprise for your Groom

Grooms’ cakes are popular . The groom’s cake is a secondary, usually more whimsical cake, often themed around the groom’s interests. In the South, it traditionally was chocolate or red velvet, cake designers say. In the movie “Steel Magnolias,” the red velvet groom’s cake was shaped like an armadillo.

For the 'Wedding Cake'...
To view a huge variety of cake pictures, I highly recommend that you sign up for CakeChannel's gallery of picture of wedding cakes, which features more than 1,300 different wedding cake designs.

DIY Save the Date Ideas...

*Items you will need: Bride and Groom/4 pages of Card Stock/Camera Booth at the mall
*Directions: On the cards write 1. Save 2. The 3. Date 4. (write the date of your wedding)
*Bride and groom enter the photo booth and hold up a sign during each of the photos being taken so that the sequence reads: Save The Date (date). You may smile/Kiss for your different poses.....
*After session is complete, take your photo to a copy shop and copy on the photo quality copier the number of Save-The-Dates you will need to send to your guests.

DIY Seating Card Ideas...

Wreath of greenery
*A 24 inch wreath will hold about 60 leaf cards
*Items you will need: Wreath made of greenery, Boxwood is nice. Sturdy craft paper, pinking scisors of your choice for the leaf edging, leaf template, floral wire, paper glue, sturdy craft paper in the same color or a color that will complement leaf paper, floral wire, wire cutters, craft scisors
*Directions:
Cut leafs out for each guest/couple
On coordinating paper print guest/guests names and table numbers
*Assemble:
Glue name/names to each leaf placing floral wire piece between each lable and leaf. Attach to Wreath.

Carnation Bed....

Display tented place cards on a bed of carnations.
1 block takes about 2 dozen carnations and will hold approximately 4-5 name cards.
*Items you will need:
Carnations, floral foam blocks, sharp knife, rimmed cookie sheets, water, carnations, tented place cards, printer/write your own/or have them calligraphed.
*Assembly:
Cut each floral foam piece in half so that you have 2 pieces of the same 'origional' length.
Place floral foam in cookie sheets with sides as you will be adding water. (Be sure each floral foam brick is soaked)
Cut carnation stems so that when they are inserted into the foam only the heads are visible. (each foam brick will take approx 2 dozen flowers as you do not want any holes)
On the tented place cards: Write each guest/couples names on the front and the table number on the inside.
(You could also use the smaller one sided/one piece cards that lay flat, but the tented cards look a little nicer...)
Items you will need:

Honoring loved ones...

A nice touch at the wedding is to set up a table with flowers on it and a votive candle, and a frame on the table with the following wording, “A place for those who are always in our hearts!” This is a nice way to honor loved ones who have passed away-friends and family.

Neat Ideas: Favors

The party favor is a small box that can be filled by your guests with a variety of candies, so they can choose their favorites. You could have the candy in your wedding colors. You could use candy that is inexpensive such as M & M's or you could go with something elegant like Godiva Chocolate. You can add to the candy collection childhood favorites and flavored popcorn. The list is endless. I think young guests to your wedding would especially love this.

Another perfect idea for a modern wedding favor is a DVD copy of the couple’s favorite songs, and they can have their wedding picture printed on the DVD cover.

Using Disposable Cameras on your reception Tables:

Attach to each camera a "Photo" Challenge. Each table is given a specific type of image to capture. i.e. Table One may have: 1. Bride and Groom during their 1st dance
2. Bride and groom cutting the cake
3. Children dancing
4. all guests at table
5. Bride and her Mother sharing a moment
6. As you desire
Table Two may have: 1. Bride and Groom kissing
2. All guests at table
3. bridal party dancing
4. a quiet moment between the Bride and Groom
5. Groom and his mother sharing a moment
6. As you desire
You get the idea....Each table has an assignment of "Must" haves and photos they can choose on their own to take.
This activity will facilitate mingling and it also provides an ingenious way to ensure that the cameras are put to good use.

Fall Favor Ideas:

Caramel Apples are easy to dress up for a fun autumn treat.

To make enough caramel for 8 apples, unwrap 2-14 ounce pkg vanilla caramels; melt in small saucepan over low heat with 2 TBSP of water; stir frequently. Dip apple in hot caramel and spoon caramel over the apple. Cool 30 minutes on Buttered foil. Top as desired before completely cooled(10 minutes or so)



1. Red Cinnamon Candies

2. Peanuts, salted or honey roasted

3. White Chocolate, Milk or Dark (melted) or a mixture of 2 of these

4. Banana chips, drizzle of smooth peanut butter

5. Chopped pecans (toasted), shaved coconut (toasted)

6. Apple pie spice or Chili powder (dusting)

7. Toffee chocolate bar (crushed/or other)

8. Granola cereal, candy coated milk chocolate pieces

9. Orange zest (coarsely shredded) drizzle of honey

10. Your own concoction!



Wrap in clear cellophane wrappers, tie with ribbon.

Wedding Blog from Forever I Do's by Kim

Dear Brides and Grooms,
Congratulation's on your engagement and your upcoming nuptials. This blog will feature DIY items for your wedding, tips, tricks, and a Q&A section on everything from planning to wedding etiquette.

(For the Q&A please send your questions to my e-mail listed below. If you have any further questions you can also visit my website)

Happy Planning!
Kimberly Weber, Wedding Planner/Owner
Forever I Do's by Kim
foreveridos@yahoo.com
http://www.foreveridos.com/
888.433.1478



Tuesday September 18, 2007


Neat Ideas:


*Instead of a Quest Book:
Instead of having the traditional guestbook, she is giving out postcards to guests. Guests will each receive a postcard from the St. Simons area and will write an endearing message to the couple. The postcards will be mailed to the couple after the wedding.

*Polaroid Photo Favors
As each single guest or couple arrives at the reception, take their picture using a Polaroid camera; then, attach each photo to a designated tree at the reception, along with a loving note from the bride and groom thanking the guests for sharing their day, etc. As the guests leave, ask them to search the tree for their photos which they may keep as a remembrance of the day.
Supplies: Polaroid Camera's and film (enough for all singles and couple's/families), parchment paper/or other for your notes, that are done prior to the big event.

*Decorating For a Fall Wedding
Collect apple baskets, tin pails, and old Mason jars to use as vases and candle holders. (if ceremony outdoors: hang tin pails filled with flowers, on every other 1st chair down the isle.)


*Cake Presentation
If you plan on having a cake that is going to be the "center" of attention you may want to have a Fairmount Cake Presentation. (An especially dramatic presentation where the cake is kept hidden until the very last minute. Finally the lights are lowered and the music fades and everyone quiets in anticipation of the presentation. Then, as the cake is wheeled out into the middle of the room, it is spotlighted as the music plays "Here Comes the Bride"/or other. At this point everyone gathers around the cake and proceeds to "ooh" and "aah" as the bride and groom cut the cake.



Tips:


*Champagne Toast
A bottle of Champagne has about 25 ounces. That 25 ounces will fill about 6 generous glasses or 8 smaller glasses. At 1 small glass per guest, and 200 guests, you would need 25 bottles.
*To cut down on costs you may want to serve a less expensive sparkling wine, such as a
spumante.
*Another way to economize is to serve a champagne punch instead where 1 bottle can
stretch to serve about 13 guests.

*A Toast from the Bride and Groom
It is a nice touch for the Bride and Groom to thank their guests for spending the day with them, on this, their wedding day. (Your guests will enjoy and thank you for thinking of them on such a special day.)


*Ceremony Seating: Who sits where
*Elderly guests should be seated in the front
* The first 4-5 rows may be reserved for immediate and extended family and other special guests by tying ribbons at the end of those rows.(If you are having an isle runner, for instance hand painted, be sure to have guests enter from the opposite side and block all isle rows and entrance off with ribbon)
*Immediate family is seated just before the ceremony begins. Siblings (if they are not in the wedding party) should be seated before your grandparents and great-grandparents. Begin seating with the grooms side.
*If you have step-relatives, make sure ushers know who they are. Step-relatives should be escorted to their seats before the relatives.
*If the bride or grooms parents are divorced, seat the parent who primarily raised the bride or groom in the front row along with his/her spouse, and seat the other parent and his/her spouse in the 3rd row. (Note: Discuss this in advance to avoid an awkward moment. They all could sit in the front row or the 1st and 2nd row depending on the family dynamics.....)
*The brides mother is always seated last at a Christian ceremony; the groom's mother is seated just before her. (In a Jewish Ceremony, parents stand under the Huppah with the couple.) The seating of the MOB signals that the ceremony is about to begin.
*Brothers of the Bride & Groom usually seat their mothers; the head usher can take on this job if the brothers are in the wedding party, or a brother can seat his mother and then take his place with the other groomsmen.
**Guests in Wheelchairs or on crutches should sit at the end of the aisles.









For the Groom:


*How to tie a Bow Tie
1. Put the tie around your neck so that end A(on your left) is longer than end B.
2. Cross end A over the top of B
3. Pull end A up and behind end B
4. Create a loop(and half of the Bow) with end B
5. Bring A to hang in front of the loop you just formed
6. Hold everything in place, pulling end A behind the tie from below, then folding it in half to create the other side of the bow. Poke this loop through the space behind loop B.

Done! If it looks bedraggled, adjust the tie by tugging the ends and straightening the center knot. If it looks awful, try again.