Dos and Don’ts for Planning a 2011 Wedding
Whether you are just getting started planning a winter wedding or putting the finishing touches on your summer celebration, there are some great tips that can help you along the way. Be sure that you are on the right track by checking out these dos and don’ts for planning a 2011 wedding.
Do: Choose a Theme or Motif Around Which to Plan. Having a general direction will help you make all of your key wedding decisions. If you were planning a Roaring ’20s wedding, you could choose vintage style chandelier earrings for your bridesmaid jewelry gifts and set up your cocktail hour to resemble a Jazz Age speakeasy. Or perhaps an enchanted forest theme is more your style. Then you would know to choose reception decorations in woodsy shades of green and brown. There is no need to slavishly follow a theme, just use it as a springboard for the overall style of your wedding.
Don’t: Bore Guests With Your Dinner Menu. Food has become a big deal at weddings, and woe to the bride who serves the standard beef or dried out chicken for dinner. People expect to find interesting and delicious food at a wedding reception these days. That could range from culinary masterpieces created by an innovative chef to tasty down home comfort food to authentic regional dishes. The food doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to be creative and crowd pleasing.
Do: Add Personal Touches to Your Ceremony. Your wedding ceremony will be far more meaningful and memorable if you incorporate special details from your life into it. Perhaps your grandfather is a minister who can officiate the service. Or maybe you would like to carry a bouquet which is a replica of your mother’s wedding flowers. Another idea is to decorate the aisle with a custom made aisle runner, complete with your wedding motif or monogram. If you are being married in a place with a fireplace, display silver framed family photos on the mantel – whether it is your home or just the fireplace at an inn or country club.
Don’t: Dress Your Bridesmaids Like Clones. Weddings are all about personal expression these days, and that even includes the bridesmaids. There is nothing that says that your wedding party needs to dress exactly alike or even wear the same color dress. It’s nice if the group of bridesmaids looks cohesive and is dressed in a similar style (classic, eclectic, modern, etc.), but they should be allowed to show off their individual style as well. The bride can show that she appreciates each of her friends as an individual by selecting different bridesmaid jewelry gifts suited to the taste of each woman.
Do: Accept Imperfection. If the trend towards homespun wedding details has shown us anything, it is that a wedding does not have to be perfect or completely polished to be beautiful. Some of the warmest and most memorable weddings are relaxed affairs that put a greater emphasis on entertaining friends and family rather than on cold perfection. So plan the wedding that you desire, but don’t get caught up in trying to make each and every detail “perfect”.
