Hot Pink Brides did a poll from Brides to Be to find out what order brides chose their wedding vendors. It was fascinating – I was shocked with the results.

1) Wedding Dress & Attire

2) Venue for Ceremony

3) Venue for Reception

4) Photography

5) Catering (If it was NOT included with venue)

6) DJ

7) Wedding Cake

8 ) Flowers

9) Videographer

10) Officiate (if not including by church venue)

11) Ceremony Music (if not provided by DJ like a harpist or guitarist)

12) Coordinator

13) Grooms Cake

14) Lighting and Favors

15) Transportation (Limo services)

I am not surprised that the dress was chosen first, as that is what most girls dream about. But I am really surprised that coordination was so low because it is SO important to have a good planner/coordinator.

There are elements of traditional weddings that you inevitably love.  Perhaps its a certain song sung in church or synagogue.  Maybe it’s the father-daughter dance.  Then there are traditions that you could take or leave — for me it was the garter toss.  Keep in mind that incorporating these traditions, and how they’re incorporated, is entirely up to you.  Just because every wedding you’ve been to has had a first dance doesn’t mean that you have to.  The best method to determine the inclusion of certain traditions is to ask yourself “Why?”  Why should we include this tradition? Does it mean anything to us?  Do we want to alter it in some way to be more relevant?  Rather than accepting every typical part of the wedding at face value, question each element and ask if it fits your vision and style as a couple.

I’ve been meaning to blog about this wedding for a while!  My friends Marni & Matt were actually married in June!  OK, so I am a little behind.  But I’ve kept it on my radar, because I wanted to share the fabulous touches that Marni planned in her wedding that just made it so… her!

First, I just want to show you a beautiful Picture of Marni with her bridesmaids.  This picture just exudes classiness.  True Marni.

Matt & Marni were married in Florida on a beautiful day!  For the ceremony, Marni stayed in all white — dress & shoes.

Then, after she was wed, Marni sassed it up a bit by changing into hot pink shoes!  Anyone who knows Marni knows her love of pink (I didn’t realize kitchen appliances actually came in Pink until I went to Marni’s one evening for a dinner party…)

But the creativity doesn’t end there — perhaps one of my favorite moments of this wedding was that Marni & her bridesmaids changed into red dresses (as a surprise) for the last dance — Lady in Red.

There were soooo many great details to this wedding, including the PINK LIMO (outside & inside) and the pink M&M’s (for Matt & Marni).  We can tell that this Lady in Red and her dapper man truly wed in style! 

all photos from Kenzie Shores Photography

After dating my boyfriend (now husband) for 3 months or so, I went with him to his cousin’s wedding, and of course met the ENTIRE family. While waiting for the bride to make her way to the aisle, my future mother-in-law said, “I don’t even know why girls wear white these days. It means nothing.” I had no idea what to say. I think I laughed it off. A plethora of thoughts crossed my mind: is she serious? does she think this bride is unpure? Is she hinting that she thinks I am unpure? I then sat, watching a beautiful couple tie their vows, while I silently wondered what the heck does this mean?!? That got me thinking of wedding superstitions and their genesis. If the white dress traditionally is meant to symbolize purity, where do all of the other wedding traditions get their roots? I did a little digging, and here’s what I found out {my real-life items listed after the description}.

• Something Old: The bride is supposed to wear something old as a sign that even though the wedding symbolizes a new beginning, the couple is not forsaking their friends and family even as they step into a new life together {my deceased paternal grandmother’s pearls were draped on my wedding bouquet}.
• Something New: The bride should wear/have something new to show a symbolic reference to the new life she is embarking upon, which will bring her health, happiness, and success {practically everything I was wearing was new}.
• Something Borrowed: The bride and her family reaffirm their love & affection with each other with this tradition. By borrowing from her family (or close friends), the bride shows she is close to them, and by returning what she borrowed, she wishes them luck {my maternal grandmother’s rose pin tucked into my bouquet}.
• Something Blue: Wearing something blue is meant to be a throwback to ancient times when the color represented fidelity and consistency. The bride is thus reinforcing her commitment, symbolically, to the groom {Blue Sapphire ring — lucky me, my hubby gave it to me as a wedding gift}.
• The groom’s bout matches the bridal bouquet: By the groom wearing a flower from the bridal bouquet, he is showing that his bride is his lady and declaring his love for her. This is from an old custom when knights roamed England and wore their ladies’ colors to show their love for them {my groom wore a burgandy callalily which matched my bouquet}.

and finally…. the white wedding gown has 2 stories of its creation

• White wedding gowns: 1) White is the color that represents purity, to show that the bride is a virgin. A bride is never supposed to wear green since that is the color that shows “loose morals” — women who rolled around in the grass with various men would get green grass stains on her dress. 2) In the olden days, white linens were very costly. Women didn’t tend to wear white dresses because they would often get ruined very quickly and thus would have to be thrown away, resulting in a waste of money. So, by wearing a white gown, the bride’s family was declaring that they come from high society and can afford a dress to only be worn once {ivory is also an accepted color and much more common these days — and was worn by yours truly}.

Any other traditions I left out? Feel free to let me know!

Someone fed this girl one too many drinks. Remember, ladies — at ALL weddings, you MUST stay classy! You do not want to be this girl… or have that girl at your wedding!

For some reason, I don’t think they’re very good friends anymore…

Spruce up the cocktail hour with flavors of the season like peppermint, butterscotch, and cranberry. Try a peppermint-infused martini garnished with mini candy canes for a decidedly December wedding. Or try a cranberry cosmopolitan garnished with tiny dried cranberries. For a drink that’s sophisticated yet unique, serve pear champagne cocktails garnished with frozen pear wedges or mint sprigs.

Also, a winter cocktail hour calls for warm, comforting drinks. You really can’t go wrong with hot chocolate and warm apple cider, but it’s your wedding — why not take every opportunity (drinks included) to add an element of surprise?

What’s Hot Now: Serve up white hot chocolate in small espresso cups and eggnog in small punch glasses for your guests as they arrive. At the bar, offer saketinis (Japanese rice wine and sweet-flavored vodka) in glasses rimmed with sugar crystals.

When you’re selecting your cocktail hour hors d’oeuvres, choose flavors that mesh well with your signature drink. You might love mini quesadillas, but sipping a peppermint martini at the same time could leave an odd aftertaste.

Like your cocktails, opt for savory winter bites infused with seasonal foods and flavors, such as rosemary, almond, and warm cheeses. Try a menu of mini shortbread tarts, cheddar herb rolls, and white chocolate pretzels. Or go for spinach-cheese phyllo triangles, sausage-stuffed mushrooms, and crackers topped with a walnut-date spread. Talk to your caterer about making sure the hors d’oeuvres match the libations, and let seasonal ingredients be your guide.

advice from The Knot.

After much research on vendors, I would recommend Partybooths. They are nationwide, professional, and a good value!