1. For table decorations at the reception put a wedding photo of other people, such as parents, grandparents, members of the family, wedding party and/or friends. Make a nice centerpiece by placing them in frames on round tables with a single rose in a vase in the middle. Another nice touch is to get a piece of advise from each couple and put it in the corner of their photo or on the table in front of the photo.
2. Have each of the fathers do a blessing for the new couple during the ceremony. This is a nice way to get them involved, and adds a very important aspect to the ceremony.
3. Have the guests sign a mat around a photo instead of the traditional “guest book”. This can be an engagement photo or a photo of a pre-wedding photo session.
4. For a variation on the tradition of throwing rice at the couple, have someone hand out little bottles of bubbles to the guests. Or hand out little bells for the same idea. Or why not combine the two by passing out both! Have the guests either do bubbles or bells and that way you have both music and not as many bubbles to run through to get to your limo, horse carriage or other transportation.
5. Have a memory book passed around at the reception and have the guests write down a memory of either the bride or the groom.
6. Pass out packets of wild flower seeds for the guests to plant in honor of the new beginning the couple is starting. As they watch them bloom, they will be reminded of the couple’s new life together.
7. Have a butterfly release at your reception. Just make sure it is at the correct time of year because they recommend that it be at least 70 degrees when you release them.
8. Instead of the traditional Bridal Registries at department stores, register your wedding at stores that offer alternatives to china, such as: Home Depot, Pier One, REI (sporting goods), or Bed, Bath and Beyond. Check with your local wedding vendors for bridal registries. We know of photographers, videographers and others who offer this service.
9. Pass out small candy bars such as “Kit Kat” bars at your reception for party favors. The twist is that you can have custom wrappers made for the bars that can include your engagement pictures and/or tidbits of information about the two of you.
10. Have a surprise wedding. This is a great idea for second weddings, where you don’t want to be as formal or traditional. The groom invites people with the idea that he is throwing a surprise party for the bride. Then when all the guests have arrived, they are the one who are surprised when they are seated in rows and the bride comes down the aisle. Groom’s Please Note: in this scenario, the bride and groom are both surprising their guests. We do not recommend this if you are trying to surprise the prospective bride as well.
1. You can’t have black as one of your colors.
2. You have to ask all the people who ever asked you to be in their wedding in yours.
3. Don’t start planning too soon.
4. You must wear white.
5. The bride and her family must pay for the entire wedding.
6. You can’t put that on your invitations!
7. You have to wait until the oldest is married first.
8. Just let an inexperienced or barely experienced friend handle your__________.
9. The groom’s opinions don’t matter, this is “your” wedding.
10. You must use every piece of advice you find in this book!
1. It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.
2. If you catch the bouquet and then drop it you will be the last and not the first to marry.
3. The bride will one day have $1,000 for every drop of rain that falls on her dress
4. The flock of nearly identically clad men and women is supposed to confuse evil spirits so they can’t pick out the bride and groom.
5. It’s good luck to be kissed by a chimney sweep on your wedding day.
6. In order for the couple to be healthy and wealthy , the groom must drink a champagne toast from the bride’s shoe at the reception.
7. Some people say that if the bride keeps a piece of her wedding cake, her husband will always be faithful.
8. It’s lucky to pay the person who performs the wedding ceremony an odd sum of money.
9. If you lose your wedding ring, bury a dishrag. When it has rotted away, you will find the ring.
10. It’s lucky for a hen to walk into the reception and cackle.
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