Flowers are the classic symbol of eternity in many religions, cultures, and traditions. So why don’t you try incorporating some flowers into your wedding theme? You can do this in any way, from great decorations, to amazing floral bouquets as the centerpieces at your table. The eternity symbolism in flowers is great because it represents the bond between you and your new spouse and the fact that you intend on being together forever without exception. Your guests will also truly appreciate these symbols with depth of meaning and they will have a really elegant effect on your wedding reception. In addition to all the classic ways you can use flowers in a wedding celebration, there are some really fantastic unique ideas that you can choose to portray in your party. For example, you can let your guests bring home their own special flowers in the form of a handy wedding favor. Wildflower wedding favors are ready to be planted and taken care of by your guests in their own homes. Help them to beautify your yard and remember your precious wedding all at the same time with these great ready to use wildflower plants.

Wildflower Heart:

Each heart is about two and a half inches wide so it is the perfect size for your guests to take home with them. To make it even more convenient, each heart comes with its own white envelope that you can even use as place holders at the tables. Also, you can make this more personal by adding your own messages inside each little envelope so that your guests will really know how much you care about them and the fact that they celebrated your wedding with you and support your new life together. Each Wildflowers Heart is available in five colors- white, pink, lavender, blue and light green, so you are sure to find a color that suits you.

Daisy Wildflower Favors:

This packet is in the shape of a daisy, which just adds another level of meaning to the flowers and compounds the whole message that “love grows”. Help your guests take this home and grow some beautiful flowers with love just as you and your new spouse are growing together. The notions that the symbolism implication are just so inspiring that your guests will always remember your wedding as an adorable display of your love for one another and the special people you chose to celebrate your bond with you.

Each Plantable Wildflowers Daisy-shaped favors come in one of five springtime colors: white, pink, lavender, blue and light green so you can pick a favorite color. The Plantable Daisy Wildflowers Favors are handmade and contain a selection of beautiful and decorative wildflowers seeds, so they can be planted for months of beautiful flowerbeds.

The Plantable Wildflowers Daisy Favors are available in a high quality cream-colored envelope so you can add a personalized thank you and slip the favors into the envelopes to use as place cards for your reception. Guests will be reminded each time they view the beautiful flowers, that “Love Grows.”

A good advice for making a wedding romantic and truly special is to make the ceremony debt-free and low-key as possible. Couples should save their money and not pay much attention to wedding advices features in magazines. Love is basically between the couple that will be getting married so its best they focus on each other.

A morning wedding followed by a luncheon reception is ideal, as it will give the couple enough time for their honeymoon, starting a new life and have enough energy to perform immediate post-wedding activities. Over 200 guests waiting at an expensive sit-down dinner will not add anything special to the romance.

A morning wedding will also help the couple save money and their eager energy and more than half a day to savor the moment of finally getting hitched.

Etiquette in a morning wedding

A morning wedding can be formal, semi-formal or informal. The bride can be outfitted with a short wedding dress or suit. In a formal morning wedding, the bride’s gown should touch the floor and veil fingertip or slightly below the middle knuckle of the mid finger. A fingertip veil becomes more attractive when it is used with an elbow length blusher. For a semi-formal morning wedding, the gloves and blusher veils are optional.

The groom’s attire is typically composed of a business, sportcoat or morning suit in accordance to the level of formality. In a semi-formal morning wedding, proper etiquette dictates that the groom can sport a dark stroller or suit without black or gray tails. In a formal wedding, a morning suit, which is composed of gray pinstripe trousers, ascot, gray vest and a cutaway coat, is suffice. The groom also has the option to wear a tuxedo if he wants to.

The groom and bride’s attire should complement each other. If the bride is wearing a casual short wedding dress, then the groom should wear a business suit or sportcoat instead of a tuxedo.

Regardless whether the wedding is during the morning or late in the evening, there is a certain etiquette that should be followed in the ceremony. <br><br>

- Bridesmaids and groomsmen should assist in the ceremonies if the morning wedding is not held strictly in private.

- The bridesmaids should not have dresses that is not too eye-catching but will match the wedding dress. In addition, they should be younger than the bride. The dresses can contain more ornaments and should consist of light, graceful fabric. Flowers should serve as the main decoration.

- The wedding dress should be simple but elegant and can be decorated with few ornaments or jewels that come from the parents or the bridegroom. The dress needs to have an attractive veil and garland.

- The bride needs to be assisted by her bridesmaids in wearing the wedding dress, receiving visitors and locate themselves at her left side. The first bridesmaid for easy access should keep the bouquet and gloves.

- The clergyman should be received by the groomsmen and led to the couple that will be married. They will also serve as assistants for the bridegroom, during the occasion.

- Guests should wear something light and fresh. A breezy dress or a light-colored suit would be appropriate. Those who are fond of hats are in luck in a morning wedding, as wearing one will complement the ease and energy of the ceremonies. Dark suits and dresses should be avoided.

The Wedding Breakfast

If the bride appears during breakfast proper etiquette dictates that she sits beside her husband at the center table, while the father and mother occupy the top to bottom and greets the guests coming in. Once the cake has been cut and every one has eaten, which include offering a toast to the new couple and giving acknowledgements, the bride and groom meet with their friends and eventually exit from the ceremony.

The newly-married couple can start in their wedding journey at around two or three o’clock, while the rest of the guests and family member depart from the reception area shortly after.

An elegant small wedding is one of the most beautiful weddings that can be organized. The budget is not too high, the attendees are all relaxed and will likely have a good time and nuances such as children running around and making noise will be avoided. A wedding without too much frills makes sure that the love between the couple is the focus of the ceremony.

Etiquette in a small wedding

ATTIRE: Guests are only advised to wear clothes comfortable to them. A dress from a closet selection, a white one or even a sundress is appropriate for a small wedding. A bridesmaid can wear a white dress or even a pantsuit. The groom can go for khakis, or even jeans paired with a shirt and a sport coat.

SETTING: A small wedding can be held in a community center, a local park or even your parents’ backyard. Holding ceremonies in a unique location such as a rooftop, a barn, an art gallery can clearly speak about the personalities of the couple.

INVITATIONS: Invitations in a small wedding can be handwritten on handmade paper. Send them like writing a note to a close friend. It is important to note that attendees should be in casual attire.

FLOWERS: Simple bulbs such as hyacinths or tulips can serve as alternatives for floral flower arrangements. Using these will generate huge savings for the couple. Gerber diaries inserted in a flat container filled with wheat grass can serve as an attractive centerpiece.

MENU: The menu of a small wedding can be very diverse. A party can be set a few months before the wedding and the guests can be asked to bring their favorite recipes. The couple can choose their favorites and use them as wedding food. It is also good to acknowledge whose recipe it is by putting a label in front of every dish. Besides a party, a barbeque or picnic fare can be held.

REGISTRY: Common retail stores such as Sears or Target can be used as gift registries. Couples can specify what they want to receive in order to avoid the usual gift of expensive China that will likely collect dust in a cabinet.

Costs, costs, costs

Tradition dictates that the bride’s parents are responsible for paying off the wedding regardless if it is small or big. However, expenses have become an issue due to the challenging times. The etiquette in requesting for money is by gathering both families and discussing how to share in the wedding expenses, as the couple will unlikely have enough to cover all of their needs.

The budget will be a major basis on what type of wedding will be held. The couple needs to meet with everyone who will be attending. However, the couple cannot force their parents to shell out money that is not available.

Couples can make various compromises if their budget falls short. For example, less expensive rings can be used. A more expensive replacement can be acquired in the future. Some couples do not even have wedding rings at all. Those living in a nice climate can have the reception at home and hire catering services. To help control costs, a butler can be tasked to pass around hors d’ oeuvres and refreshments.

The parents of the groom traditionally pay for the following items:

Boutonnieres for groom’s attendants

The bride’s bouquet

Officiate fee or donation

Rehearsal Dinner

Lodging and transportation expenses of the rabbi or minister

Corsages for every family member

Transportation of the Groom and Best Man going to the wedding

Giving tips is a nice way of rewarding those that have given good service but it is not a requirement. A tip given to a minister can be seen as a gift for marrying the couple. Tips can be given to servers, drivers and musicians but still, this is not a requirement.

The etiquette in service fees

Couples should make sure that they are comfortable with the people that are helping in the wedding whether it is the wedding experts, the photographer and even the florists. They should share the same vision on how the wedding should come out and not merely focus on how much money will spent.

A couple may receive possibly the lowest price but if the rendered service does not meet what was promised, the value is useless, even if it is a small wedding.

Thanks to educated Victorians with their lustrous names, intelligence and writing abilities, they have passed on to us what a mannered person should do in all social situations. In the 1870′s to 1880′s there were at more than sixty (60) etiquette books that were published of which includes Victorian wedding etiquette. These Victorian wedding etiquettes became popular before and are still popular in these days.

Victorian wedding etiquette focuses on manners, culture and dress before, during and after the wedding ceremony and reception. Victorians also have etiquette rules on courtship and engagement.

– Victorian Wedding Etiquette on Marriage Ceremony

For Victorians, the marriage ceremony varies with the fortunes, desires and wishes of the wedding parties. According to Victorian Wedding Etiquette, a bride and couple may have a very lavish and expensive wedding if they can afford it or they can have a small gathering of closest family and friends celebrating the wedding with them.

As to the form of right, Victorians have no specific directions as to how the wedding rite should be done, but they should follow rules of their churches of the proper wedding rite.

Victorians who are to be married by their ministers, wedding etiquette calls them to study the form or proper wedding rite of their particular church. For Victorians who will be married in a Methodist church should study Book of Discipline. Episcopalian Victorians, on the other hand should read the Book of Common Prayer. Catholic Victorians are invoked to know the basic Ritual in a Catholic Wedding Celebration.

In Victorian wedding etiquette, couples must do wedding rehearsals. The rehearsal of the ceremony is always made in private. Victorians believe that with this way, the bride and groom and the wedding parties could understand better the necessary forms and rites.

– Victorian Wedding Etiquette General Rules

Victorians have general rules in wedding etiquette. They are interesting to learn and to note especially if you are planning to have a Victorina wedding theme.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen are expected to assist in the preparation of the wedding and even during the wedding especially if the wedding is not private. Wealthy Victorians held weddings for public and with many guests that were expected to attend (even from nearby towns), the hired help won’t be able to accommodate the guests.

Although this seems funny nowadays, but Victorian wedding etiquette is clear on this matter: bridesmaids should be younger, yes you read it right, younger than the bride. If you have an older sister who you love you dearly, you won’t be able to make her a bridesmaid if you were born during the time of the Victorians.

Victorian wedding etiquette on bridesmaids clothing is also peculiar. Bridesmaids should wear dresses that look like that of the bride. It was believed before (even before the time of the Victorians) that a devil is on the loose everytime there is a wedding. This devil is tasked to kidnap the bride, take her away from her groom, and take her virginity from her. So, bridesmaids are selected, those that look like the bride, younger or of her age, and must dress the way she dresses so as to confuse the devil who should be taken.

The material for bridesmaids wedding dresses are usually light and flowing fabric that allows graceful gait, and must have lots of ornament. Dresses should not be necessarily expensive.

The bridesmaids should assist the bride (thus the name brides’ MAID) in dressing her, receiving company, holding her things, etc. They should stand at the brides left side, with the first bridesmaid or the maid of honor holding the gloves and bouquet.

As for the groomsmen, he should receive the clergyman and present to him the couple to be married. The first groomsman or the best man should stand upon the right side of the groom during the ceremony.

Victorian wedding etiquette has not been changed much. They are still the basic wedding etiquette that we have today. We can follow Victorian wedding etiquette’s general rule as is without looking or making ourselves outrageous. Some of victorian wedding etiquette are just bent a bit, such as a wedding dress, to accommodate the wishes and desires of the bride or the groom or of a relative special to the hearts of the couple.

Dealing with divorced parent in a wedding can be tricky and complicated. While coping with the situation will be stressful particularly for the brides, having a beautiful wedding despite having divorced parents is never impossible.

Divorced parents of the bride or groom should participate in the wedding ceremony. In addition, they also to the rehearsal dinner even if they will likely act horribly. Not inviting the parents will create more trouble. The parents may or may not have to host the rehearsal dinner, which is supposedly one of the most relaxing portions of the wedding process.

Indicating in an Invitation

-    The name of the mother is the first written then followed by the father. The word “AND” cannot be used between the names.

-    The names of the mother and stepfather can be written in the invitation if the father has not been involved in the life of the bride or groom since she/he was a baby.

-    The individuals whose names are appearing on the invites do not have to be always the ones paying for the wedding despite popular belief.  

Sharing in costs

The couple should consider opening a checking account that will solely contain expenses for the wedding. The divorced parents should be asked on how much they can contribute. It is advisable to ask a check for a lump sum that will be deposited to the wedding account in order to make the money easily accessible whenever it is needed.

Seating arrangement

If the divorced parents are not speaking with each other, it is advisable that the two should be seated apart from the each other. One of them might be attending with someone the other parent cannot be comfortable with. Etiquette dictates that mother and stepfather occupy the first row, while father and stepmother sit on the second row.

However, the divorced parents can be seated with each other if they are on good terms but will likely have to stay in different areas during the reception.

No families are the same, as each has different problems and scenarios that affect relationships. Communication is the most important way to keep relationships strong. The couple have a responsibility of keeping the divorced informed about the progress of the wedding and they should also be given a chance to contribute. Never compare the behaviour of one parent to another, as this could result in conflict.

A wedding ceremony follows certain etiquette in order to make the occasion flow seamlessly.

-    In a semi-private wedding, bridesmaids and groomsmen should perform certain responsibilities in assisting the bride and groom.

-    The bridesmaids should obviously be younger than the bride and their outfils should complement each other. The dresses of the bridesmaids can include more ornaments and composed of light and graceful fabric. Flowers should serve as the main decoration.

-    The wedding gown should be very simple but can be combined with few jewels or ornaments coming from the parents or groom. The most attractive part of the dress should be the garland and veil.

-    The bridesmaids should help the bride in wearing the wedding gown and attending to guests. Bridemaids should position themselves at the bride’s left side during the ceremony. The first bridesmaid should be responsible in keeping the bouquet and gloves.

-    Bridesmaids can be positioned from the tallest to the shortest from the couple in order to be symmetrical. A bridesmaid and groomsman with similar height can be paired with each other.

-    The groomsmen are assigned to receive the clergyman and then lead him to the couple. They should be positioned groom’s right side during the wedding ceremony.

Ceremony in Church

The bride enters from the left side walking with her father followed by her bridesmaids. The groom enters the room from the right and is followed by his groomsmen. The parents come from behind the entourage, while the attendants can stand from either side.

The glove of the bride does not need to be snug, as it will be taken off later in the ceremony. In addition, the ring should be placed where the groom can easily see it to avoid delaying the ceremony.