5 Ways to Greet Your Guests In Style

Greet your guests with an unexpected surprise as they arrive at your ceremony or reception. A small special touch will go a long way! You want your guests to feel comfortable, welcomed, and appreciated, so add a special touch that they will remember!

Greet them with a cocktail or mocktail. If you're having an outdoor summer wedding, set up a cute table with mason jars of iced lemonade and straws. If you're having a more elegant indoor affair, greet them with a white gloved server and a silver tray of champagne flutes containing a special champagne cocktail created specifically for your wedding.

 

Photo by Steven Mastroianni

Provide interactive entertainment. Photo and video booths make for great entertainment and give your guests something to do during your cocktail hour. You can incorporate your guest book with the photo booth, so when guests arrive they can take a photo and put in the book as they sign. You can even provide props that go with the theme of your wedding! A caricature artist is always a great form of entertainment. Even those who don't want their own photo drawn enjoy watching the artist draw others. A strolling magician is another great idea to keep guests of all ages entertained. 

 Photo by Boothographers

Have games and icebreakers available. It usually happens that there are guests at the wedding who don't know everyone, so create a fun game of ice breaker questions about your and your groom-to-be that will get your guests talking. It will be an entertaining conversation starter! Games like cornhole and horseshoes are great for outdoor events. You can also provide a few casino games, whether it's renting a roulette table or simply putting dice on the cocktail tables.

Photo from RootWeddings.com

Hire live musicians. Whether you have a harpist or a string trio for your ceremony, or a jazz trio for your cocktail hour, live musicians create a festive ambiance for your wedding. We've had tropical themed weddings with steel drummers, trumpet fanfare as guests arrive, and even bagpipers! Make it different than the normal unnoticeable background music and your guests will be sure to take notice.

Photo by Amy Nixon Events

Provide a "sugar rush" to get the party started. Candy stations and buffets are very popular with children and adults alike! The candy buffet can be designed in your wedding colors to add to the decor of the room, and providing take home bags for the guests will create an interactive favor station for everyone to participate in. Provide scoops and tongs, label each different candy with a sign , and get creative with the setup using jars, bowls and vases.....your guests will enjoy the pre-party boost!

Photo by Amy Nixon Events

Newly Engaged? First 10 Things You Should Do...

Lately I've seen lists all over the internet advising brides-to-be and grooms-to-be where and how they should start on the road to planning their wedding. Unfortunately, most of them are not posted by professional planners, and they're just not quite on point..... it kills me to see such bad advice! There is a definite order in which you should tackle getting started, at least from a professional wedding planner's point of view. Here's my take on the first 10 things you should handle when you begin planning your wedding:

Engagement photo by EM's Event Photography

1. Pick a wedding date. All details of your wedding planning will revolve around the date you choose, and that will be the first question any venue, vendor or guest will ask.

2. Hire a wedding planner. Not everyone will decide to do this, but if you're thinking about it then it's best to start with a planner from the beginning. Half of my clients begin the process by themselves and somewhere along the way they decide to enlist some help. At that point we're usually trying to stretch a dime because they are already over budget. A wedding planner can help you with everything on this list to get you started, including help you set a realistic budget....and then continue helping all the way through the wedding day. They will help you to avoid any planning mistakes or over-spending along the way. If you don't choose to have a planner help you with all the planning, at least book a consult with a professional planner to get you started on your way. You wouldn't buy a home or invest in the stock market without consulting a professional first, so make sure you treat your wedding just as importantly as other major life expenditures. We offer a package designed specifically for getting you started to plan on your own {DIY Bride's Planning Package}. Then, if you decide somewhere down the road that you do in fact want the full package, we apply the cost of the DIY package to your full package. You can see the details of the packages at www.amynixon.com.

3. Decide on a budget. Once you have a date (and hopefully a planner) then you should decide on your budget. Do the responsible thing and set your budget first. You shouldn't create a guest list, you shouldn't book a venue, you shouldn't buy a dress, you shouldn't do anything until you know how much you can spend on it. Makes sense, right? I've seen too many couples set an unrealistic budget (either too high or too low) and then get stuck halfway through because the things they want cost much more than they anticipated, or they miscalculated their budget and don't have as much as they thought they did. Avoid putting yourself in this situation by figuring out how much you can spend before you start spending it.

4. Create a preliminary guest list. You'll need to know how many guests you want to invite in order to book a venue. I've seen it too many times.... a bride falls in love with this quaint, beautiful tiny little venue, but her parents want to invite 300 people to the wedding. Can't happen! You should at least have an approximate idea of how many people you'll be inviting before you can look for a venue with the ability to accommodate everyone.

5. Choose your colors, theme, decor ideas.... Once you know how much you can spend, then you can start the fun part of looking thorough all those millions of wedding photos online and gathering your ideas for all those amazing decor ideas. Some start with this right away, and of course that's fine....you're excited to be engaged and you jump right in with the fun stuff! (Tip: check out Pinterest site for tons of amazing decor ideas, and start your own pin boards to save your finds: www.pinterest.com/amynixonevents)

6. Book your venue and/or caterer. Once you know how much you can spend and how you want your wedding to look, you should book your wedding location before you continue with any other plans or bookings. Some venues can book up to a year in advance, so make sure to put a deposit down for the place you fall in love with before someone else does! The venue and catering are generally the majority of your budget, so it should definitely be decided on first. This way, you know what you have leftover in the budget for filling in the details. Most venues have their own on-site caterer, or a list of preferred caterers who can work in their facility, so choosing your venue and choosing your caterer generally go hand in hand.

7. Go out and find your dress! This is what we're all waiting for anyway...the DRESS! You can bump this up to #4 or #5 if it's very important to you, because for some weddings it sets the tone for the entire wedding decor and can also be a determining factor in selecting a venue. (For instance, one of our brides dreamed of having a huge ballgown, and the perfect one for a great price. Then, she discovered the aisle at the ceremony location she wanted wasn't quite wide enough for she and her father to walk together. The dress was more important to her in the end, so she chose a different ceremony location).

8. Create an online wedding website. With technology at the forefront in today's culture, having a centralized online location for all your wedding information is extremely convenient. You can introduce your wedding party, share photos of you and your groom-to-be, share directions and maps to your church and/or reception location, and most importantly you can share your gift registry information. It is not proper etiquette to include registry cards in your invitations, so this is the perfect place to share that information with your guests. You can also choose to accept guest's RSVP's online through your wedding website. There are tons of free options for wedding websites out there, as well as some that charge a fee, so take a look around and choose one that fits all the information you want to share with your guests.

9. Interview and book your photographer / Take your engagement photos. Find a photographer you love who is within your budget and put a deposit down. Most only do one wedding per day/weekend (unless they have an entire staff of photographers) and they can book up to a year in advance, so it's important to grab the one you love before someone else does. The everlasting reminder of your wedding day is your photos, so it's very important to make sure you choose someone whose work you love. One of the first things you'll want to do is get your engagement photos, and you'll probably get the best price by booking the same photographer for engagement and wedding. Some of the photographers I work with offer the engagement session for free with your wedding day booking. Not to mention, doing an engagement session with your photographer before the wedding will allow you to get to know each other and you'll be more comfortable on wedding day after having already worked with them. Don't forget to use those awesome engagement photos on your wedding website!

10. Decide on and book your entertainment. Entertainment can make your event one-of-a-kind. After your venue/catering and your photographer, entertainment is probably your next most expensive vendor to book, and most important from your guest's stand point. Keep in mind, entertainment can cover a wide range of vendors; you can choose to have a live band for your reception, or the less expensive option of choosing a DJ. You can choose to have ceremony musicians and/or cocktail hour musicians play for part of the event. You can book other entertainment for your guests such as caricature artists, magicians, themed performers, flash mobs, interactive entertainment such as photo booths or candy stations. Whatever entertainment you decide to have, make sure to keep your guests enjoyment at the forefront when you're planning!

Hope these tips are helpful for you! :)

5 Unique Alternatives to the Candy Buffet

Candy stations and dessert buffets have been very popular over the past few years at our weddings and events. They add an element of color to the space while acting as an interactive element for your guests. They also act as a take home favor for both adults and children at your event. It's almost guaranteed these days that you'll see some sort of candy station or dessert buffet when you go to a wedding reception. It's a great idea, but put a unique spin on it to make yours different!

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S'mores Station

S'mores are a wonderful treat for summertime weddings! You can pre-package the graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows and display them for your guests with a sign letting them know about the fire pit outside. Or, you can create an indoor s'mores station with candles. Mix up the marshmallow flavors (regular, tropical, strawberry, lime, chocolate, etc...), and offer different varieties of mini-chocolate bars (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate with peanuts, chocolate with sea salt, etc...)

intimateweddings.com

southernweddings.com

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Candy Apple Station

Autumn is the perfect time for a candy or caramel apple station! Start with trays of apples on sticks. You can use all one type of apple, mini apples, or have different varieties and colors to choose from. Offer various dips such as chocolate, caramel, and traditional candy apple, and of course make sure to have nuts, sprinkles and candy to top them off! Provide take-home bags in case they don't want to eat it right away.

vtspiceoflife.com

maddycakesmuse.blogspot.com

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Doughnut Station

What better way to treat your guests later in the evening than a doughnut station? Provide several varieties of doughnuts. You can also include dips or toppings like chocolate sauce, strawberry jam, bavarian cream and lemon curd. You can also include sprinkles, nuts, coconut shavings, candy bits, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Coffee or hot chocolate can also be served with the doughnuts!

Party Frosting

True Photography

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Ice Cream Station

 Perfect for a warm summer wedding and reminiscent of childhood! Offer a variety of ice creams and all the works; bananas for banana splits, hot fudge for hot fudge sundaes, whipped cream and cherries for the top, strawberry sauce, butterscotch topping, chocolate chips, crumbled cookies, M&M's or other chopped candies, chopped nuts, brownie chunks, and even root beer or Coke for floats!

enamoreventsblog.com

stressawaybridalshop.com

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Cookies & Milk Station

What a great send off or "goodnight gift" for your guests! You can use all home made cookies, or a combination of home made and store bought. Pair them with jars or mini cartons of regular milk, strawberry milk and chocolate milk, and you have the perfect sweet treat for the end of the night!

wolfgangpuck.com

intimateweddings.com

detailbydetailevents.blogspot.com

 

How to Write Escort Cards and Place Cards

This may be one of the most common mistakes I hear on a regular basis, so I thought I'd dedicate a blog post to explaining the difference between escort cards and place cards, and the proper way to address your guests on each card.

While most people just refer to all name cards as "place cards", there is a distinct difference between the two. It's important to know the difference when you're ordering for your wedding, especially if you're ordering online!

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Escort Cards are generally at the entrance to the reception or at cocktail hour. These are very important, as they welcome your guests and tell them where to be seated. If this isn't done in an organized fashion, the guests can become frustrated immediately upon arriving at your reception, and that's the last thing you want!

Guests names on the front of the escort card, assigned table numbers on the inside.

Moulin Rouge themed wedding in Sandusky, OH

(Note: These are informally addressed escort cards that don't include titles.)

Escort cards by Amy Nixon Events

Photo by Trejo Photography

Formally, these cards should say the guests name and what table they are seated at. "Mr. & Mrs. John Smith, Table 12" or "Dr. Tom Jones, Table 2". If small children are attending, they should be included on the card "Mr. & Mrs. John Smith and Family",  and any children over 10 should have their own card with their own name.

Wine Cork Escort Cards for a Vineyard Wedding at Mon Ami Winery in Port Clinton, OH

Escort Cards by Amy Nixon Events

Photo by Terra Sol Studio

It's best to sort and display these alphabetically by last name (not by table). This way, the guests can easily find their names and spend less time in line at the table searching. Names should be addressed formally, same as the invitation. Include titles such as Dr., Mr. & Mrs, and military rankings (Colonel, Captain, Major, etc.. - military titles should never be abbreviated when addressing formally).

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Place Cards are at each place setting at each dining table. The place card at the table can be less formal if you wish, but titles should still be used. Each card has a guest's name, and that designates which seat the guest should sit at. Place cards can also contain a marker of some sort to let the catering staff know which dinner to serve to that guest (vegetarian, chicken, beef, etc...).

Moulin Rouge themed wedding in Sandusky, OH

Hand Folded Eiffel Tower Place Cards by Amy Nixon Events

Photo by Trejo Photography

Standard Tent Cards with Meal Markers for a 

Tented Tropical Wedding at Catawba Island Club in Port Clinton, OH

(These show markers for the catering staff signifying 

whether the guests meal should be beef, fish or vegetarian.)

5 Ways to Save on Your Wedding Budget

5 Ways to Save on your Wedding Budget!

 Wedding Ceremony at Severance Hall in Cleveland, Ohio

Photo by EM's Event Photography

Everyone's on a tight budget these days, but skimping in the wrong places could lead to bigger problems in the long run! Take our advice and use these tips to save on 5 areas of your wedding:

1. Choose and use flowers wisely - Peonies may be your absolute favorite, but they're not available all year and very expensive to get at certain times. Consult with your florist on making less costly replacements for flowers that may not be in season. Another great idea to stretch your flower budget that we often suggest to our floral clients is re-using ceremony flowers at the reception. Your pew bows can decorate the buffet table, your alter arrangements can decorate the entrance to the reception or highlight your head table, and your bouquets can double as head table centerpieces or cake table decor. Your florist should even be able to move these for you (there may be a small added expense for the move, but it will still be less than ordering all those extra flowers!)

2. Choose a venue where you can have your ceremony and reception - By having all of your festivities for the day in one location, you can cut down drastically on the cost of transportation for you and your wedding party. No shuttles, no round trips, no waiting in the parking lot....this will add quite a handful back into your budget!

3. Choose a favor that doubles as entertainment or decor - I'm a big fan of killing two birds with one stone, and this is the perfect opportunity. A photo booth with a take home photo for the guests, or a caricature artist to draw the guests are both great options. A candy station (or cookie station, or mini dessert station) with take-home bags for your guests acts as an interactive entertainment feature, plus it gives them a sweet treat they can take home!

4. Choose DIY projects wisely - If you're a crafty type of bride, there are a few things you may be able to DIY to save yourself some money. If you're not, don't try! It can end up costing more and causing more headaches than it's worth! Hand made invitations always add a sweet touch of your own personality, and when done correctly they can cost much less that professionally printed invites with all the required inclusions. Favors are another thing you can DIY. Your guests will love a personal gift from you, like home baked cookies wrapped in pretty fabric and tied with a bow, or

5. Cut down on the guest list - This may be the hardest to do, but it will save you the most money in the long run. For every name you cross of the list you're saving a meal, a seat, a favor, a place card. Remove 8-10 names and you cut out an entire table of meals and beverages, a centerpiece, a linen, 8-10 favors, 8-10 escort and/or place cards, plus other items associated with each guest. In short, trimming some names from the guest list will save you in ALL areas of your wedding at once. It may be the most painful cut to make, but it will be the biggest budget saver of all!

Something Blue

Add some blue bling with "I Do" rhinestone stickers for the soles of your shoes.
You could also use your initials or your wedding date!

Photo Credit: Etsy

Wear a blue bird cage veil for a dramatic accent.

Photo Credit: I Do Inspiration

A peek of blue crinoline underneath your dress...
 
Photo Credit: Intimate Weddings



Embroider your names, wedding date, or other special message
on the inside your wedding dress.

Photo Credit: Maxim Photo Studio

A fabulous pair of blue shoes is always the perfect touch!

Photo Credit: Danielle Luc Photography

Creative Wedding Ideas for 2012

Shake up the usual with some unique and different ideas incorporated into your wedding!

1. Incorporate Color Into YourAttire

"Consider asking your seamstress to sew your favorite colorful fabric to your wedding dress' crinoline petticoat; as you walk down the aisle, everyone will catch glimpses of your favorite color beneath your long white gown"  Preston Bailey.

Photo Credit: The Blushing Blogger

"If your heart is set on going for color, try a hue you love, one that looks divine with your hair color and skin tone. Don't match your makeup to the dress; it could end up looking silly and less sophisticated. Do match your shoes and maybe your lingerie." - Colin Cowie.

Photo Credit: Danielle Luc Photography

2. Photo Entertainment

Photo booths, backdrops and photo props are all the rage at weddings. The photos make a great favor for the guests to take home, and everyone has a great time choosing costumes and props and posing for the camera. Use a wide variety of large photo frames, hats, glasses, and other costume accessories. You can even use erasable signs such as chalkboards or dry-erase boards so guests can write their own messages.

Locally, try a company such as ShutterBooth, SoundProof Entertainment or BCR Studios.

Photo Credit: EM's Event Photography

3. Mix & Match

Rather than the same old traditional single centerpiece, mix it up with various vases and flowers in various shades of one color. You can mix and match any size with no rhyme or reason, so it's a great project for DIY brides!

Photo Credit: Amy Nixon Events

 Photo Credit: EM's Event Photography

4. Miniaturize

Mini's are all the rage! Anything in mini form will do...desserts, appetizers, beverages, favors...

Photo Credit: marthastewart.com

Photo Credit: The Bridal Suite

5. Food Trucks

"Old-fashioned ice cream trucks, crème brûlée trucks or even bacon trucks offer a fun addition to the end of the night or the after party" Sasha Souza. 

Local Cleveland food trucks can come to your wedding or event! Check out a list of the local trucks here: http://www.cleveland.com/food-trucks

Planning Tips :: Venue Coordinator vs. Wedding Planner/Coordinator

Unfortunately I hear this a lot, and I'd like to open the floor to other planners, venues and vendors for commentary here. I think it's a huge misconception among brides. "I don't need to hire a wedding planner or day-of coordinator because my venue has an onsite coordinator".

Photo by Becky's Photography

It's true the venue may provide someone to oversee and coordinate your event, but that doesn't mean you should nix a wedding planner or day-of coordinator. Both are equally important, and both do completely different jobs. Some venues can have more than one reception going at a time, and the onsite coordinator might be overseeing multiple events. Most of the time after dinner is served, their portion of the evening is done and you might not see them again. Another issue you might run into is having a different coordinator at your event than the one you spent all your time planning with. Turnover is high in the industry, and it's definitely possible that could happen (been there, dealt with that, several times.)

The biggest difference is that the venue coordinator is there to handle anything with regards to the venue. A wedding planner is there to handle anything pertaining to you and your wedding, both ceremony and reception. The duties will overlap a bit in some areas, but for the most part they will do different jobs. For example, an onsite coordinator won't run home for you if you forgot the ring bearer pillow, or track down a missing limo, or take back tuxedo rentals after the wedding.



Things an On-Site Coordinator will provide:

• Menu planning and tasting
• Provide a list of recommended vendors who have worked in the venue before
• Assist with a room diagram and suggest setup options, and possibly create a reception timeline
• Oversee the setup of the event (tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, flatware, etc...)
• Oversee the catering staff and make sure dinner is correct and served on time
• Set out favors, escort cards or place cards you dropped off (ask first, because some don't include this)
• Line you up outside the reception and help you with your entrance (ask first, because some don't include this)

 Things a Wedding Planner or Day-Of Coordinator will provide:

• A master timeline of the entire day to share with everyone involved in the wedding
• Set up and/or pick up any of your personal items
• Review all vendor contracts and ensure they are carried out accordingly on wedding day
• Double check important details; wedding bands, marriage certificate, guestbook & pen,etc...
• Handle vendor issues; cake issues, late limo, etc...
• Direct and assist your guests at the ceremony and reception
• Emergency kit available throughout the day for aspirin, tape, pins, clear nail polish, band aids, scissors, thread & needle, hairspray, mints, etc...
• Cue musicians, ceremony processional, reception grand entrance
• Offer etiquette advice 
• Pin boutonnieres and corsages
• Make a trip home for something you forgot, or to the store for something you need
• Handle any special needs of the bridal party and family
• Setup and direct a ceremony rehearsal (if necessary and not provided by a church)
• Assist with ceremony details; handing out programs & bubbles, rolling the aisle runner, etc...
• And much, much more....

It seems lately I've heard this statement from brides more than in the past. They say venues are telling them there's no need to hire a wedding planner or coordinator. I also hear that some venues are charging the bride & groom an extra fee if they bring in any outside planner or coordinator, and a few just outright ban it. Isn't that a little over the top? To ban a bride from enlisting extra help for what is surely one of the most important days of her life? I think maybe the venues should be educated or informed about what we do differently, and why we're an asset instead of a hurdle. I welcome your thoughts on the topic...

Planning Tips :: Cutting the Guest List

I always tell my wedding clients that cutting people from the guest list is the best and fastest way to trim down your wedding budget. It's not the easiest thing to do, but it's the only way to save on the budget without sacrificing quality or compromising your vision of your wedding day. Sure, you can cut the videographer and save a few bucks. Or, you could cut 8 people from the guest list and save that plus some (think about the cost: 8 meals, bar service for 8 people, 8 favors, 8 slices of cake, and an entire table with a centerpiece, linen, napkins, china, chairs, candles, place cards, etc... See how it adds up so much faster that way, rather than giving the axe to the videographer or ceremony string quartet that you always wanted?

Next comes the daunting task of choosing which people make the cut. Thanks to Brides Magazine and their handy dandy flow chart, this will help to streamline the process of deciding who stays and who goes.

Wedding Dress & Alteration Questions Answered

Answers to frequently asked wedding dress and alteration questions by Laura from A Bride's Design. Photos by EM's Event Photography.

1. When should I get my dress altered?

About two months prior to your wedding date is best. This period of time is perfect for 2-3 fittings, and at this point weight fluctuation is minimal so the bride avoids a re-alteration.

2. Should I leave my dress in the dress bag or let it breathe?

It is best to leave the dress in its bag in a dark room until a few days before the wedding. After your final fitting, when the dress has been pressed, it should be hung up outside of the bag so it doesn't wrinkle and crease.

3. Should I order a size bigger than my normal dress size?

No. Every size chart runs differently. It is best to purchase based on your measurements. If there are inconsistencies, you should generally choose the dress that fits your largest measurement. However, this depends somewhat on the style of gown. An a-line dress for instance, is more forgiving in the hips. Therefore if your hip measurement doesn't exactly correspond, the dress will likely still fit if the other measurements are true to size.

See the full post at A Bride's Design

See Laura's designs at LauraLynnCollection.com

8 Wedding Rules That Can Be Broken

Good to know!

Couples are personalizing their nuptials more and more, and as budgets become stricter, a lot of the old etiquette is being pushed aside. From who pays for the reception to how long afterward you can send a gift, find out which wedding rules are being bent, and which ones can be broken.

Photo by: EM Event Photography

Cake by: About the Cake

 

1. The bride's family doesn't always pay.

Tradition has always dictated that the bride's family pays for the wedding and the groom's family pays for the honeymoon. But because of the recent recession, that's not necessarily the case anymore. "Oftentimes the actual funding for the wedding, the expenses, are taken care of by a slew of people as opposed to only the bride's family," says Lizzie Post, spokeswoman for the Emily Post Institute and great-great-granddaughter of etiquette expert Emily Post. "You want to honor the tradition by allowing the bride's family to take the reins if they want to, but the groom's family should honor the new custom by offering.” 

 

2. Your wedding party can include all ages and genders.

A male maid of honor, a female best man, grandma as the flower girl—your wedding party is just that, yours; there should be no restrictions. "Platonic friendships nowadays are crossing the gender barrier, so it's not a problem at all if the bride would like a gentleman standing up at her side; she's more than welcome to," Post says. "And even the couple's family [can be included]. There are people who ask their mother to be the matron of honor or ask their grandmother to participate. So it's nice to see that's opened up a lot and people are embracing it."

3. Guests no longer have a full year to buy a gift.

Unfortunately this one might mean a few of us are in trouble! Unlike in years past, you no longer have up to a full year from the wedding to buy the bride and groom a gift. The appropriate time line is now "three months, so it definitely is something you want to try to get done as soon as possible," Post says. "Your friends would be thrilled if a year later you sent them a gift; it's never too late. But three months gives you enough time, especially now with the ability to just click on an online registry."

 

4. You can decline to be in the wedding party.

You've been in five weddings this year, and with the cost of the dresses, travel and gifts, you're broke. So if another dear friend asks you to join their wedding party, it's more than OK to politely decline. Just explain why in a heartfelt way. "Many modern brides really understand with the travel and distance [usually involved], but it's all in how you do it," Post says. "Say, 'I love you so much and I want to be there to support you, but right now being a bridesmaid is not something I can commit to. Is there another way I can help you on your big day? I know it's so important to show you how much I love you.' Make the bride know you do want to commit to it, but you can't."

 

5. It's acceptable to ask for gift cards or cash.

Nowadays, with family and friends living across the country and at various stages in their lives, it's definitely acceptable for a bride and groom to ask for gift cards or cash. "It's a great way to make it convenient for the guests and easy on them. I don't think it's tacky," Post says. Whereas you can ask for gift cards on your registry, as far as cash, just be polite about it. "You usually want to spread it by word of mouth. You definitely don't want to put 'cash only' on your website and you never put it on your invitation," Post adds.

 

6. The groom can see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony.

Superstition has it that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride dressed in white before she walks down the aisle. But a lot of couples are kicking this to the curb for some alone time and a better photo op beforehand. "If the bride and groom are very traditional, they won't see each other before the ceremony. But photographers will encourage it because the bride's makeup is fresh and her hair is done so they can get a lot more photos done before the ceremony," says Elizabeth Todd, wedding coordinator at Blackstone Country Club in Peoria, Arizona. "Afterward, they can take a few family shots and enjoy the cocktail hour."

 

7. Men can take or leave the wedding ring.

Depending on where you grew up, there was probably a pretty clear norm regarding whether or not husbands wore a wedding ring. But nowadays it's really up to the groom—as long as his bride is fine with his decision. "I think it's totally a personal choice. I know some people choose to tattoo the ring on their finger," Post says. "It's a new option."

 

8. You don't have to do a wedding cake for dessert.

Maybe Cupcake Wars is responsible for this one—more and more often, modern couples are eschewing the traditional multi-tiered wedding cake and opting for cupcakes, or sometimes a dessert bar. "It's fun for the bride and groom to switch things up for dessert because not everyone likes wedding cake. It's also more fun for little kids; it’s easy to eat, less messy," Todd says. "[The bride and groom will] just do a smaller cake to cut for pictures and then after that's over, guests know they can go ahead and dig into the dessert bar."

See the full article online: Woman's Day