New Bridal Trends

 This season’s bridal gowns are reflecting new looks that one fashion writer termed “More Kate and less Kim”.  Many gowns are reflecting more traditional looks and a bit of classic charm.

Gowns are showing more coverage.  Not necessarily Kate Middleton’s long sleeves, but cap sleeves are being shown along with illusion necklines for those brides who want more coverage than strapless gowns provide.

Longer veils are back in vogue after being absent for a period.  In a survey of brides 75% reported they plan to wear a veil with preferences for floor length or longer.

Many brides are selecting plainer gowns with less “bling” and focusing on fabulous accessories like jewelry and expensive shoes.  More and more brides are choosing colored shoes with blue a popular choice.

Some brides are including “costume changes” in their selection of the wedding gown.  One gown is chosen for the formal ceremony and either adaptations are made in that gown for the reception and dance or a second and more informal gown is worn for the reception.

We are also seeing bridesmaids in white thanks to Pippa.  All white weddings have been appearing in areas, but more brides are choosing the mono theme for spring and summer.

Brides continue to create a personalized wedding with signature color (s), monogrammed items, and motifs to set and reinforce the theme of the event.

What is your view of your ideal wedding gown?

Entertaining Tips

 

You’re married!  You've received new dinnerware.  You are planning your first dinner party.  Here are some tips for the big event.

How many people to invite?  A dinner party for six or eight is ideal.  A successful party depends on the right combination of people so think about personalities and individual interests before you invite the potential guests.

Choose the right table covering to complement your dinner plans.  Formal entertaining still calls for a linen tablecloth with matching napkins.  Informal entertaining lends itself to colorful cloths with either matching or contrasting napkins.  Many hostesses choose to use place mats – either alone or layered.

Adding a special centerpiece can reflect your personal style.  Just remember that:

• A centerpiece should never block a guest’s view.
• The size and shape should be in proportion to the size of the table.
• Flowers should not be so fragrant that they overpower the food.

Using candles at the table adds a romantic touch to the dinner.  Here are some expert tips on candle use.

• Ivory candles are the preferred choice for a classic table setting.
• If you keep your candles in the refrigerator they will burn evenly and slowly.
• All candles should be displayed with charred wicks and should be placed at least two or three inches apart to prevent melting into each other.
• If you forgot to extinguish the candles and some of the wax melted onto the tablecloth, you can remove the wax from a washable cloth by scraping off the excess wax and running boiling water through the fabric.

Following these tips for the first dinner party should help insure that you’ll feel more comfortable in your role as hostess and will be happy and eager to repeat the lovely evening you provided for your guests.

Wedding Etiquette - A Few Things You Should Not Do

As society changes, so do the social amenities that prevailed. But class is class and some things we see done in the name of the “princess bride’s wishes” remain in poor taste.

A bride once asked how she could let her guests know that she wanted all of them to dress in black or white or a combination of both. Her wedding theme was that of a black and white ball and she did not want it ruined by someone in a blue suit or a colorful print dress. The advice was– “You Can’t”! One does not tell people what to wear anymore than one would tell a hostess what kind of food to serve. The bride can control the dress of the wedding party, but that is all. She had heard the phrase, “It’s the bride’s day”, but had to learn that it did not mean everyone must bow to her wishes. Friends can spread the word but no demands must be made.

Then there was a bride who wanted 250 guests to attend her wedding ceremony but she planned to walk away from the ceremony and to save money, meet 45 of her favorite guests for a sit down diner at a restaurant. The advice to her was Don’t Do It! She was advised that it would be far better to serve light refreshments to all guests following the ceremony. This would give everyone a chance to extend their best wishes to the couple and socialize with others in attendance. If she wished to celebrate with a special group of friends, she should do it after the official reception. The guiding principle here is that a couple should never do anything to show preferences for one guest over another.

The same advice holds for brides who insist on adding corner copy to their wedding invitation that reads: Cash Gifts Preferred. Granted, more and more couples would prefer cash as a help for a down payment on a house for instance, but that does not mean it is ok to include on the invitation to the ceremony. That kind of news needs to be spread by word of mouth by the bride’s family and friends, or may be included in the website if one has been created. This kind of request is known in some circles as doing a “Kardashian”.

Let our experienced TriniWeddings consultants help you solve puzzles and questions as they arise in the course of your planning needs.

Sharing the News of Your Pending Marriage

            

Inviting friends and family members to share your happiness over your pending marriage is a wonderful and exciting part of being engaged.  And one of the most important decisions you’ll make is the selection of all parts of your paper trousseau.  Our experienced consultants are your best source for ideas, information and advice on these key decisions.

• You should plan to order all of the items you’ll need at one time to insure that all pieces coordinate.  TriniWeddings consultants can help you develop the list of various paper items you will need, so make an appointment to talk with our specialists about those needs as you begin the search for the perfect wedding papers.

• If you are planning to invite out of town guests or if your wedding is planned for a holiday weekend, it is very wise to send Save the Date cards.  These are usually sent out four – six months prior to the wedding date.  But a word of caution:  Be sure that those guests who receive Save the Date cards remain on your invitation list.   That means that you must have the number of guests planned for the wedding and reception firmly in mind when you place the invitation order.

• Because invitations offer guests a preview of the formality and tone of the wedding, a great deal of thought should go into their selection.  Formal wording should be used for formal weddings.  Individuality can be expressed by choosing unique sizes, textures, colors, overlays and/or ribbon trims

• Programs, while optional, are very nice to have for guests as they describe the ceremony and the identity of the participants.

• Thank you notes should be ordered at this time as well.  There are several options for incorporating the names of the couple on these notes.

• Plan to send your invitations six – twelve weeks before the event.

TriniWeddings will be delighted to assist with advice and guidance in all your paper trousseau selections.

IDEAS FOR CENTERPIECES

Brides frequently ask us about centerpieces for their wedding reception.

The list of options is long and varied but these are some of the most often used by brides.

If your florist is providing centerpieces for your reception, work closely with him/her to be sure that the theme or color thread you have chosen for your wedding continues to the reception area. We have seen weddings where one theme dominates the ceremony and another is chosen for the reception. If the two are complimentary, it is soothing. If the choices are worlds apart, it can be jarring to move from one to another. Complimentary themes are comfortable.

If you are handling reception centerpieces on your own, here are some ideas to keep in mind

A centerpiece should never block a guest’s view.

If color has been a theme for your wedding celebration – introduced in the invitations and save the date cards – it should continue through the reception and any next day celebrations you plan.

For informal centerpieces arrange flowers to have a “just picked” look. Use wild flowers or branches of seasonal flowers for an unusual impact.

Formal centerpieces are usually symmetrical in either a triangular, circular or rectangular shape.

Flowers may be used as a centerpiece and/or casually placed at each place setting.

• Create a still life with fruits, flowers and vines arranged on a lovely tray.

Pitchers – used singly or in groups, make attractive containers.

Pretty baskets filled with blooming plants and tucked in with moss work well.

Arrange several crystal candlesticks on a mirror as a centerpiece. Insert candles in your color theme or use creamy white. Just remember that they should be tall enough to be above eye level or low enough so that the flame will not be annoying.

Also grouped on a mirror, consider using wine glasses each with a flower afloat. 

If the facility can handle it, some centerpieces can be hung above the tables in special baskets.

Remember that the size and shape of a centerpiece should be in proportion to the table and flowers should never be so fragrant that they overpower the food served.

Contact Triniweddings for more centerpieces ideas.

WEDDING TIPS– Reception Trends

Reflecting both economic issues and generational trends, we are seeing some shifts in the wedding sites being chosen, the foods served and the size of the wedding itself.  We meet with brides who are asking for ideas for their “smaller but tasteful” weddings.

These are some of the key ideas brides are embracing as they plan receptions.

• They are trimming the guest list.  After creating a rough draft of all the possible guests, and multiplying that number by the caterer/reception venue chef’s estimate per person costs, couples are balancing the guest list with their budgets.
• Budget conscious brides are selecting other days and times than Saturday evening.  By selecting a morning or afternoon wedding and reception, there can be up to a 25% reduction in reception costs for food and beverages.  If the couple were to select another evening other than Saturday, the savings can be approximately 10%.
• We are also seeing a change in foods served at evening weddings.  We are seeing trends toward smaller portions.  More couples are choosing to serve passed hors d’oeuvres and appetizers instead of a sit down dinner.  Couples are choosing finger foods – foods to eat while walking around and talking. 
• While couples will still have a wedding cake for pictures, it tends to be much smaller than those previously ordered.  In place of the large wedding cake, they are serving cupcakes, cake bites, cake pops on sticks and push cakes – all part of the “finger food” trend.
• In some areas, dessert “stations” remain popular additions to the centerpiece wedding cake.  Brides have chosen cheesecake stations, chocolate stations, pie stations and sundae/frozen yogurt stations and ice cream sandwiches along with various toppings.

Contact TriniWeddings and talk with one of our experienced consultants who can give you many more ideas to create the wedding that is smaller, more intimate and more reflective of your life style.

Wedding Tip -Guest Dilemmas

In spite of all the media attention on weddings big and small, there are still awkward “I’m not sure how to handle this” moments for guests. There are many variations in the “new”wedding traditions. They vary by region, by ethnicity and by what TV show the bride is watching. The “rules” that applied to earlier weddings have been relaxed and while it is good news for the brides and grooms, it can be tougher on guests. Stop in and see us for answers to the simplest conundrum and advice on the most complicated social question.

The driving force for this is the desire to “be the best possible guest” at the wedding to which you have been invited. The “rules” used to be simpler and clearer. These days there is "individuality", which enables the couple to have the wedding of their dreams – unique as it could be and sometimes leaves guests in a nether world of “what does this mean”?

1. How do I know if my “partner” or “significant other” is included in the invitation that is addressed to me?

If you are close friends with the bride or the couple, expect the invitation to be addressed to you on the outer envelope, and on the inner envelope expect to see your name +guest (or your partner’s name). If it is a contemporary invitation that has no inner envelope, you’ll need to check the reply card for clues. If the invitation is addressed to you only and the reply card says, “I will attend or I won’t attend” no guest is included. If the reply card has room for a guest, it will have a line that says “# attending ________”. You send back the reply with a #2 on that line and you have just experienced the now famous “plus one” rule.

2. If I am a friend of the bride and guest at her wedding, to whom do I address the check? I don’t have time to search out the various wedding registries and live by the adage that “when in doubt, send cash”?

You will find “experts” who tell you that you should make the check out to the groom. You will find “experts” who tell you to make the check out to the couple. We advise to make the check out to the bride using both her maiden and new name (depending on her decision about new last names). After all, you are wishing her well in her new life.

3. I received an invitation to the wedding of a school friend. I can’t attend but want to send a gift, even though the “rules” of etiquette say this is not necessary. Should I send it before the wedding to the bride (my friend) or after the wedding to the couple?

If the bride is your friend, send the gift with a personal note explaining why you can’t attend but including your very best wishes for a long and happy married life. If the groom is your friend, send the gift to the couple via the bride’s home address. Again, explain why you can’t be there in person but assuring each of your good wishes and congratulations. Depending on your relationship to the groom, a personal call to him may be in order.

4. I am not sure of how much to give if my gift choice is a check. How do I know what is appropriate?

If you have the time and know where the bride is registered, go look at the selection list and get a sense of how much is the average gift choice. Send that in lieu of the actual gift. If you are planning to attend the wedding and reception the unwritten rule is that you pay for the cost of your dinner plus a gift as well. Guess at what the dinner will cost per person and toss in something extra. Please know that this “rule” is ignored by many consultants who tell you to “go with your heart”. That advice may work for some but others require a more constant guideline. We think the cost of one dinner plus extra is a good one.

5. If the invitation did not specify the degree of formality of this wedding. What should I wear?

Very formal weddings often specify “black tie required” or “black tie preferred” on the invitation. Absent this indicator, you are “free” to dress appropriately for this event. One assumes good taste (minimum nudity or skin showing), and color choice. Once black and/or white were considered in poor taste. Now, one only needs to be concerned with one issue if you wear white – don’t in any way be seen as competing with the bride. In other words, you can wear white – just don’t look like a bridal competitor. You can wear black – just so you are not seen as jilted lover morning her loss.

In these situations and others, call a TriniWeddings experienced consultant about the right way to be the perfect guest.