Today’s couple wants to let their signature style shine at their wedding, making the event a reflection of their personalities and relationship. The wedding ceremony is the perfect time to add special touches that have meaning to you as a couple, as well as your families.
Both religious and cultural traditions have a great deal to contribute to your wedding plans. Within the confines of your church or synagogue’s traditions, there is likely to be room for you to add touches that will make the ceremony even more meaningful. Consider having ceremony hosts greet arriving guests at entrance doors. Choose one from each family to insure having someone who is likely to recognize many of the guests as they arrive. Instruct ushers to be cordial and make small talk with guests as they are seated. Many couples opt to let guests sit where they choose, and post a sign stating, "As we join our lives together, please pick a seat, not a side!" The unity candle is one of the most universal ceremonial touches in weddings. To make it even more meaningful, consider having both mothers come forward and light one of the two individual candles symbolizing the two families that are coming together in this wedding. After the mothers have lit those candles, then the bride and groom step forward and take those two lit candles and light the larger single pillar candle. In that moment, their two individual lights become one. You might also consider a sand ceremony, where the bride and groom pour their individual sand into a single glass container instead of lighting candles. As part of the ceremony, you may wish to observe a moment of silence for or a song played in memory of a loved one who isn’t there for your wedding. Some couples choose to have a small bouquet or single boutonniere placed on an empty chair to represent the presence of a departed loved one. If your wedding brings together children from previous relationships, consider giving rings or necklaces to the children of this new marriage. They could be birthstones or diamond chips and should all be similar. The symbolism of these rings for a new family is very powerful. As the ceremony ends, turn and face the audience and take a small pause as you begin the recessional. Stop and hug your parents and say thank you. Exit to special celebratory music. If you plan a receiving line at the ceremony site, include as many bridal party and family members as you like. It is helpful to have the last person in the line hand out directions to the reception if it is to be held at a different location. For more ways to make the ceremony shine as the central focus of the event, phone 761-6338 or email bridesshoppe@aol.com. We're always ready to share new ideas at The Bride's Shoppe! Thanks for reading! Michelle
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 One small way to make sure that guests remember how special your wedding was is to make sure that there are special gifts for guest to take home with them. With today’s interest in personalized weddings, make sure that whatever mementos you select carry your names and wedding date.
For a spring wedding consider packets of flower seeds in glassine envelopes with a message from you both that talks about growth and love. Ordinary mints can be transformed into special packets when wrapped in tulle and tied with ribbons matching your color scheme. Attach a message of thanks to each packet. Keep the ribbon ends long and place bunches of the packets in baskets for the guests to take come with them as they leave the reception. If tulle isn’t your thing, pack sugared almonds or mints or chocolates into small boxes. Personalize each box with a foil sticker bearing your names and wedding date and note of thanks. More and more couples are creating CDs of their favorite music and providing them for guests to take as they leave the reception. I know this is something I would really like to receive as a guest! If you are planning a photo booth at the reception, provide a small frame for each guest to use to take their photo home. Some couples prefer a dessert station to a formal wedding cake and instead provide each guest with a tiny individual cake – boxed and ready for each of them to take home. If yours is a destination wedding, an appropriate favor might be a luggage tag. An outdoor wedding may call for a small potted pine tree or a succulent plant depending on your location. Whatever you choose, take this opportunity to share your joy and thanks with those friends and relatives who have come together to help you celebrate your new life together. For more ideas, check out our boards at www.pinterest.com/thebridesshoppe You’re sure to find lots of inspiration! Thanks for reading! Michelle  I know we're only half way through 2013, but in the World of Bridal, 2014 is just around the corner! I already have my tickets booked for the National Bridal Market in Chicago, where we will choose all of next year's beautiful dresses for stock at The Bride's Shoppe. It's an exciting time! Designers have been busy creating next season's fabulous styles, and I love discovering all the new trends. I recently received a preview picture from Alfred Angelo, and thought I would share this gorgeous gown with you. It's a whole new definition of your "something blue" and I'm in love! This is sure to be on my list of favorites for Spring 2014 and I can't wait for it to arrive at our store! Are you engaged? What is YOUR something blue? Share it with me here! Thanks for reading! Michelle  Okay, for many of you, June is the harbinger of summer, a time to relax, go on vacation, garden, swing in the hammock and read bad Harlequin novels. But I own a bridal store, so June means LET THE CRAZINESS BEGIN!!!!!! Seriously, ladies, do you ALL have to get married in June? I'm not complaining....far from it! But it's a bit of an eye-opener when you go from a week with 6 weddings to a week with 24! So while the rest of you are sipping lemonade on the porch, think of us at The Bride's Shoppe, coming in early to work to press bridal gowns and staying late to hem bridesmaids dresses. And if you attend a wedding this summer, remember to tell the bride she is the most beautiful bride you have ever seen...because it's true!
Hello, my name is Michelle...and I'm addicted to Pinterest! To be more specific, I'm addicted to making Wedding Inspiration Boards on Pinterest! So far, I've found fabulous pictures for Lace and Shabby Chic Weddings, Red Weddings, Blush Pink, Pastels, Black & White, Country & Rustic Weddings, Coral Weddings, Cobalt Blue, Purple, Red & Black, All White Weddings, Citrus Lemon & Lime, Red, White & Blue Weddings, Lilac & Lavender, Cream & Neutral Weddings, Peacock Weddings, and even weddings with a beach theme...just to name a few! I even have a Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Board for all you princesses out there! If you haven't been on Pinterest, I highly recommend you check it out. You'll get great ideas for your wedding, and have fun making your own boards! Look for me under "The Bride's Shoppe" and start following my boards, or pick a few faves. I'm adding pins on a daily basis...the inspiration just keeps coming! Here's a few pictures to get you in the mood.... happy pinning! I thought I would send some spring wedding inspiration your way, featuring some great photos I pinned a few weeks ago! I love the soft lilacs and roses, which give off a vintage vibe. Romance is in the air, and what could be more romantic than a Spring Wedding? Tell me some of your wedding inspirations and I will post the best here! Thanks for reading! 
Some of you may not know that we carry Tony Bowls prom and evening dresses at The Bride's Shoppe. I discovered the line at National Bridal Market this year, and fell in love, love, love with Tony's distinct style and unique fashion! Normally when we see a line at market, we are helped by a sales person. But when I walked into the showroom, there was Tony! I had him all to myself for 2 hours, and he helped me select each and every dress for our store! He told me many stories about how he came up with the designs, why he put an embellishment in a certain place, etc. He was such a nice, down-to-earth guy! My favorite story was about my favorite dress (pictured below). Tony went to Europe and had dinner at the home (castle???) of couture designer, Versace. He loved Versace's dinner plates, so he took a picture of one. He added his special flair to the design by adding a wide cheetah border, and then had it made into a luxurious fabric! The result is this GORGEOUS golden gown! And guess what? After many months of waiting, the dress arrived in our store today! We will be keeping it in the back room, so if you want to see this work of art, just ask! Hmmmmm... now if I ordered it in my size, where could I wear it? Thanks for reading! M   Yours truly with Tony, in his showroom  Who knew a shower curtain could be so gorgeous? I saw this one at Bed, Bath & Beyond and knew I had to have it! Although it already had the feather boas and a few decorations, Dana blinged it out with all sorts of rhinestones and paraphanalia from the store and made it into a work of art! Look for our fabulous shower curtain sometime in the near future...it will be the backdrop in a French-inspired window display! |
Something Old,
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