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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Wedding Fashions and Trends

Wedding Fashion & Design Trends
Compliments of Carol Beaugard, Affairs of Distinction

Now that you're engaged it's time to create your dream wedding. As you begin planning all the details for your wedding are you hoping to have an affair that will capture some of the most beautiful new fashion trends? Do you want your wedding to be wonderfully unique with thrilling new details? Carol Beaugard, president of Affairs of Distinction, an event planning company headquartered in Montclair, NJ, wants to share some of the hottest trends forecast by industry experts so your celebration can be truly exceptional. A few major example sites are:


puma roma http://www.become.com/puma-roma
backpack purses http://www.become.com/backpack-purse
purse handles http://www.become.com/dritz-purse-handles


Europe and the media are reporting some major trends for the upcoming year. New, richer color schemes are predicted; vintage accents will increasingly be seen; events will reflect more international and ethnic elements; global awareness will spawn more organic and charitable selections; destination events are on the rise and budgets are increasing.


Let's first talk about color. In Europe brides are boldly choosing deep, rich colors for not only their bridesmaids dresses but also for their bridal gowns. Here in the United States, Ms. Beaugard predicts that American brides will stay true to the traditional white wedding gown but will pick up the new color palettes with smart accent details. 


We'll continue to see sashes, ribbons, and embroidered detailing in beautiful colors and brides will pull these bolder color choices into their selections for linens, stationery, additional décor and even the wedding cake.


The trend that brides in the U.S. will embrace will be gowns that feature multi-layers of fabric, including tinted mutli-layered voile and chiffon that will suggest beautiful seasonal colors mingled with a white silhouette. The effect will be a breathtaking blend of both color and white purity. Chic brides will also turn to colored crinoline underskirts and accent colors featured on the soles of their bridal shoes.


The hottest color for next season is purple so expect to see everything ranging from pale lavender to deep eggplant reigning supreme. Seasonal colors will include: for Winter ­ black, plum and navy; for Spring ­ latte, coral and lavender; for Summer ­ mauve, sage and turquoise and for Fall ­ emerald, burgundy and chocolate. Another important trend will be the use of floral patterns and geometric shapes for fabrics and materials and a heavy emphasis on shiny metallics.


Vintage is in and we'll see vintage influences harkening back to the glory days of Hollywood and beyond. Romance is everywhere seen in more halter necklines, capelet sleeves, light and airy styles, strapless gowns, plunging necklines, antique lace, satin ribbons for straps, ruffles, tea-length dresses in Spring and Summer, diamond or rhinestone accessories, open-toed stilettos and dangling earrings.


There is also a move toward embracing more ethnic and international looks. The East is creating a hunger for the Bollywood look so expect to see an increased use of hand beading and sari looks and ethnic choices in catered food. We'll see more Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine featured on menus presented on tables featuring linens in bolder, brighter colors or patterns. Menu items will be colorful and more diverse and even wedding cakes will show lots of vivid color in frosting hues, flowers and fruit. 


Other catering trends will include miniature portions, side dishes and geometrically shaped fare. You can also expect to see increased interest in interactive cooking stations. The vintage influence will lead to more personalization and Ms. Beaugard predicts that brides will draw more personal touches into their experience by using old family recipes, nostalgic favors and more signature drinks. 


Beaugard also forecasts that custom-designed wedding logos will replace monograms, which are quickly becoming passé. Branding on pillows, cups, napkins, furniture, ice and more will continue to advance the personalization of the event.


Today's bride and groom is also much more educated and globally aware. This raised awareness and concern for the environment is leading to the heightened use of organic produce and materials. Many couples are also applying this sensibility by using their wedding as a way to give back to the community through the selection of charitable donations to relief efforts in lieu of traditional favors.


Room décor and design will also reflect more updated looks. Couples and event designers will increasingly move away from traditional white décor and will rather utilize bolder, richer colors for rentals with retro-design concepts set in alternative spaces, such as rectangular and square tables accented by multiple centerpieces.


Many couples are fortunate enough to enjoy bigger budgets to make their weddings truly unique, featuring hi-tech lighting, videos, projections on walls, ceilings, floor and décor for a grand mood and fluid feeling. Far-away relatives and friends unable to attend an affairm can now view the event through the use of podcasting over the Internet, which can offer worldwide access to an event. Bigger budgets also allow couples to enhance their affairs by showcasing more live bands, higher end talent and specialty entertainment, including performers, staging games and virtual reality entertainment.


Finally, Beaugard is noting an increased interest in destination weddings. Over the last decade there has been a 400% increase in destination events and more couples are realizing that they can create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for family and friends at a destination at a cost which comparable or less expensive than having a grand affair held regionally.


View our most recent website post on upcoming Wedding Trends.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Wedding Ettiqutte

Wedding Budget Etiquette - Who Pays for What?

If you are like me then you have always heard the myth about the brides family paying for this and the grooms family paying for that, but I was never truly sure about what was what. So I found this article on www.elegala.com

I figured that it should clear the air and hopefully prove to be a valuable resource in the future.

Learn which side of the family is typically responsible for which wedding costs and the tradtional wedding budget etiquette. Tradition states that the bride’s parents are responsible for fronting the bill for the wedding reception; these days, the bride’s parents, groom’s parents, and the couple themselves all contribute to the wedding pool.  That said, it helps to come to the budgeting table prepped with the traditional list of which side pays for what.  These conventional “rules” can then be adjusted according to your financial situations:

Wedding Costs Paid by the Bride and/or Bride’s Parents:




  • Ceremony rental fee
  • Bride’s dress and accessories
  • Ceremony flowers and décor
  • Bouquets for bridesmaids and flower girl
  • Photography and videography
  • Engagement party
  • Bridesmaids’ luncheon
  • All vendor services for reception, including food, beverages, décor, and entertainment
  • Groom’s ring
  • Invitations and stationery
  • Transportation for bridal party to and from ceremony and reception

Wedding Costs Paid by the Groom and/or Groom’s Parents:


  • Marriage license and officiant’s fee
  • Groom’s attire
  • Bride’s bouquet, boutonnieres for ushers, and corsages for mothers and grandmothers
  • Honeymoon Travel
  • Rehearsal dinner
  • Bachelors’ dinner
  • Both of the bride’s rings

Costs Incurred by the Wedding Attendants:



This article is sponsored by Flower Gallery


 

10 Things to do after the wedding

Reality is starting to set in now. You have just returned from your Honeymoon and life is starting to move on. For some reason you are not quite ready to let go of that special wedding spirit. Well I have good news it is not over. Here are some etiquette tips for after the wedding.



1. Send flowers to all the parents. Even if you paid for the wedding yourself, sending a bouquet to both sets of parents is a great way to let them know how grateful you are for their support in the lead-up to the big day. 


2. Have a post – Wedding brunch. Not only will it give you an opportunity to thank and farewell all those guests who traveled far and wide to come to your wedding, it's also perfect for catching up on any gossip, stories and tales of shame from the night before.




3.
Plan a romantic dinner for two. Once the wedding has come and gone, it's easy to slip into life as usual. However, scheduling a special dinner exactly one month after your wedding (it's your first lunar-versary, after all!) will give the two of you a chance to reflect on how it feels to be Mr and Mrs. Try to organise for it to be at a place that means something to the both of you – where he proposed, where you had your first date or even the reception venue. That way it's guaranteed to be a romantic affair.



4.
Preserve your wedding dress. It's important to have this done as soon as possible, so if you're going on a honeymoon ask someone to take it to the cleaners for you. Selling a dress you're likely to never wear again may make good financial sense, but, who knows, maybe one day you'll have a daughter who'll want to wear it on her own wedding day (sigh).

5. Change your name. Everyone might be calling you "Mrs Jones" with a grin and a wink, but just being       married doesn't officially change your name. If your doing the name changing thing, it's important to notify the relevant authorities as quickly as possible, try and get the most important ones out of the way first include: Driver licence, car registration, passport, bank accounts, Medicare and employment records.


6.    Write and send out thank-you cards. These can hang our your head like an unfinished assignment in high school, so  the sooner you get them out of the way, the better. Make sure that you write something personal about the gift on each card, no matter how brief. Also remember that pre-printed cards are a big no no and email thank yous are the height of bad manners!



 
7.   Have an official "Bridesmaid Day". Let's face it, the last few months have been all about you, you, you. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it could be time you gave a little back to the girls who were there for you. It's likely you've been so caught up in wedding fever that you've missed quite a bit of your girlfriend's lives. On Bridesmaid's Day, make it your mission to let them talk about themselves as much as they want. It's the least you can do!


8.   Make your photo choices now. Selecting your wedding pictures will bring all the emotions of the day flooding back, but often there are so many to choose from, that trying to decide which ones you really love can be a bit daunting. Make the task less overwhelming by inviting a close friend, your parents or in-laws around to help. It's easy to think you "need" every shot, but keep your budget in mind and try and stick to it.



9.  Send you picture to the newspaper. Yeah, it's cheesy, but, hey, you have to admit that you'd secretly love to see your wedding pic staring at you from the paper as you eat your Sunday brekky. Check out your local paper's wedding page for details of what they need. (If anyone asks, you can always blame it on your mom).


10.   Make a wedding memento box. This is a great way to store all the little bits and pieces from you wedding that don't fit into an album. The obvious things to include would be invitations, pressed flowers from your bouquet and menus, but you could also put in your wedding ideas scrapbook, a CD of the songs played during the ceremony and reception, typed transcripts of your speeches. You'll be amazed at how your list of things to do the day before your wedding, scrawled on the back of a napkin, will bring tears to your eyes in a few years time.




 Information taken from "Wedding Links
http://www.weddinglinks.com.au/news266/10-Things-To-Do-After-Your-Wedding/


 Article sponsored by Asheville Florist The Flower Gallery