Thursday, July 17, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
PLANNING YOUR SECOND WEDDING
Statistics state that 1.7 million Canadians marry twice. Brides getting married for the second time tend to be more mature (the average age is 39) and at a different stage in life than when they married for the first time. Many are firmly entrenched in their careers and may be juggling family responsibilities as well. Engaging a wedding consultant like Katherine Parris or planning an intimate wedding at the Toronto Wedding Chapel where everything will be taken care of for you makes good sense and is a cost effective way to have a care-free wedding.
The trend in second weddings is smaller and more intimate. The receptions feature cocktail parties and/or relaxed, simple dinner menus. It is also customary for the bride and groom to pay for the wedding themselves and the wedding invitations are issued from the bride and groom, and not their respective parents.
Although the rules of etiquette state that gifts are not mandatory for a second wedding, I don’t know of one person who has followed that rule. Since you have already set up house, trying to pick out the right gift can be an arduous task. Make it easy on your guests and set up a registry – it can be anything from a honeymoon registry to a registry at a home renovation store.
Bridal showers are not that common with second weddings but if your friends or family want to throw one for you, hopefully they will use a little imagination. I attended a bridal shower for a second wedding and in lieu of gifts everyone was asked to bring their favourite bottle of wine to help the bride and groom establish their wine cellar. It was a great idea.
The bottom line is that it is your special day and there are no rules. Instead of listening to advice, listen to your hearts.
The trend in second weddings is smaller and more intimate. The receptions feature cocktail parties and/or relaxed, simple dinner menus. It is also customary for the bride and groom to pay for the wedding themselves and the wedding invitations are issued from the bride and groom, and not their respective parents.
Although the rules of etiquette state that gifts are not mandatory for a second wedding, I don’t know of one person who has followed that rule. Since you have already set up house, trying to pick out the right gift can be an arduous task. Make it easy on your guests and set up a registry – it can be anything from a honeymoon registry to a registry at a home renovation store.
Bridal showers are not that common with second weddings but if your friends or family want to throw one for you, hopefully they will use a little imagination. I attended a bridal shower for a second wedding and in lieu of gifts everyone was asked to bring their favourite bottle of wine to help the bride and groom establish their wine cellar. It was a great idea.
The bottom line is that it is your special day and there are no rules. Instead of listening to advice, listen to your hearts.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO INCORPORATE CHILDREN INTO THE WEDDING
The wedding is the formal beginning of a new family. Incorporating your children into the wedding sends a very powerful message to them about how important they are to the wedding and to the family. Of course the ages and the personalities of the children will dictate their roles and level of participation. Younger children – between the ages of 3 and 7 – generally fare best as flower girls and ring bearers. Older, more mature children can fill the role of Maid of Honour, Best Man, bridesmaid, junior bridesmaid, usher – there is no rule and you can be as creative as you like in creating a role.
Here are a few ways that children can be incorporated into your wedding in addition to the traditional roles. They can:
- greet guests
- hand out wedding programs
- ask guests to sign the guest book
- hand out flowers to guests
- help guests find their seats
- lead the procession
- walk you down the aisle
- carry the bride’s train
- stand up with you
- receive a special gift during the ceremony
- speak during the ceremony – a special poem or thought
- participate in a candle lighting ceremony
- take candid photographs
- play a musical instrument or solo
- present wedding favours to the guests
Take the lead from your children and allow them to participate to the level that affords them the most comfort and the most pleasure. Great beginnings create a smooth road to happy endings.
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