weddings

The Garter Toss

The tossing of a bride’s wedding garter has become a feature of many wedding reception celebrations, and originates back to the 14^th Century. Around Europe it was believed that having a piece of the bride’s clothing was thought to bring good luck.

Garters are articles of clothing made from heavy cloth or ribbon. In the olden days the garter was worn just below the knee, where the leg is most slender, to prevent a woman’s stocking from sliding. Nowadays they are worn above the knee for fashion.

Historically the garter represents purity of the bride. The groom would remove the garter as a symbol that he now had the right to his bride’s virginity. Today a garter represents one of the most intimate pieces of apparel that the bride can reserve for her groom.

These days the bride wears two garters, one for her keepsake and the other to be thrown at the ceremony. Before the throw of the garter the bride first throws her bouquet to her single female guests. Then the groom seats his bride on a chair in the middle of the dance floor and removes the garter from the bride’s leg, sometimes he does it with his teeth, but it’s more appropriately done with his hands.

After the garter has been removed, the groom throws it to his single male guests. According to superstition, the male who catches the garter and the female who catches the bouquet are next to be married in the next 12 months.

The keepsake garter is saved for only the groom to see on their wedding night!

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Heather,

Flower Girls

The flower girl(s) is known for being one of the most adorable elements of the entire processional, and makes her(s) debut right before the bride. Having a flower girl is not mandatory; however, it is a great way to make your favorite little cutie feel special. Flower girls are usually members of the Bride or Groom’s extended family, but may also be daughters of close friends too.

The flower girl walks down the aisle tossing petals before the bride. Her dress resembles that of the bride, and will be similar in color to the bridesmaids. Here is a description of her role and some tips to help make her job laid-back and stress-free:

The adorable little girl that you choose to be your flower girl is usually aged between three and eight. She follows the ring bearer and traditionally holds a wicker basket full of petals. It is not uncommon now for her to hold a smaller bouquet, candies or confetti.
I love the idea of having two flower girls so that they can progress together, side by side. Accompanying one another will give them additional self-assurance and allow them to have fun together.
If possible, arrange to have the flower girl attend the bridal shower so they will identify faces prior to the wedding. Seeing friendly, familiar faces on the big day will help to comfort any nervousness.
It is vital to inform the flower girl(s) in advance of the importance of her role. The parents should follow up with multiple rehearsals.
Seat the flower girl’s parents toward the front of the ceremony so she can focus on them and be encouraged by their smiles of encouragement. The very young flower girl should sit with her parents after she walks. If your ceremony is short your flower girl(s) may stand with the bridal party at the altar.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Heather,

Cake Pops

Several people have asked me my thoughts on the perfect wedding favor and the first thing that comes to my mind is cake pops! Cake pops swept the internet like a tidal wave last year and are probably one of the most delicious treats I have tried!

The reason I say these are one of my favorite favors is because not only are they simply scrumptious and impossible to resist, but you can design them to match any wedding theme or style.

Cake pops are basically smushed balls of cake with frosting, dipped in chocolate and decorated with some kind of confection…who wouldn’t like this?!

Cake is never going to be a healthy item on our diet so thank goodness for these bite sized goodies! Cake pops are a delicacy that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone, and are the perfect send off for the ride home! When choosing your wedding favors you want to consider your guest list, and discover something that suits all!

These flawless cake pops below were made by my talented sister, Laura!

Heather,

Spring 2014 Color Palette

Color news! Pantone have recently revealed their spring 2014 color report and I cannot wait to see what types of trends this brings to the wedding industry! Designers have combined soft pastels with brights to generate a vibrant equilibrium!

Spring marks the start of our very busy wedding season so keep an eye out for our go-to spring color palette!

“This season, consumers are looking for a state of thoughtful, emotional and artistic equilibrium,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “While this need for stability is reflected in the composition of the palette, the inherent versatility of the individual colors allows for experimentation with new looks and color combinations.”

For over 20 years, Pantone have examined the designers of New York Fashion Week to bring you the season’s most central color trends.

Keep your eyes open for these beauties this season!

Photo Credit: Pantone.com

Heather,

Your Wedding Emergency Toolkit

As I get closer and closer to my first official debut, I thought I would take the time to create an emergency checklist for all of those frantic planners out there! There is nothing worse than lining up your bridal party right before the processional and having to deal with a button falling off of a jacket, or a piece of hair that fell loose. I think it’s important to always be prepared for the worst, to save you desperately looking for something at crunch time!

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Here are some things that you should always carry with you at the wedding:

Tape
Scissors
Lighter
Sewing kit
Band-Aids
Lint roller
Super glue
Hair ties
Hair clips
Bobby pins
Hair spray
Sun screen
Lotion
Gum
Sanitizer
Phone charger
Chap stick
Lip gloss
Nail file
Dust rag
Windex
Tampons
Advil
Hair brush
Nail polish remover
Deodorant

Heather,

The Role of the Ring Bearer

Ring bearers may be the most sweetest and charming, aww-inducing part of the processional, yet it’s not to be forgotten their huge responsibility! Right before the bride walks down the aisle, the ring bearer(s) will make their debut. A ring bearer is usually a boy aged 4-8 years old and can be from either side of the bride or grooms family.

The ring bearer is one of the last to walk down the aisle, and will carry the rings (usually tied to a pillow or box). Some couples choose not to give the ring bearer the real rings as at 6 years-old they tend to be a little boisterous and rough, so usually the rings are fake. However, if you do choose to let your little rascal hold the actual rings, make sure you give them to him right before his unveiling to prevent him from losing them.

Whoever you chose for your special day, make sure you include your ring bearer at your rehearsal so he gets plenty of practice beforehand.

What they wear

Here are an assortment of styles for these cute little dudes:

Heather,

Cake Toppers!

Cutting the cake is one of the delightful highlights at any wedding, and the cake will be featured in heaps of photographs! Cake toppers are an easy and fun accessory to add to your cake to make it look marvelous! There are tons of different varieties to choose from: simple, extravagant, wooden, wire, ribbon, metallic etc.! Cake toppers can help personalize your cake to make it unique, you may be asking yourself what is the perfect cake topper for you and your groom, have fun and think about what represents your styles and tastes!

Here are some of my favorites: