So much has happened since the last time I wrote. We bought our house, moved in, and had my bridal shower. There was so much going on all the time that I had forgotten to write about it! I guess that is what happens with life! Can't plan too much as Life does what it wants!
So my shower was wonderful! I got to see so many people that I love and care about. I was so happy and thankful for everyone coming out that day to see me. I brought home some AMAZING gifts, and although I do not have a lot of space in the kitchen to store things, miraculously everything fit into one cabinet or another. That is not to say that is where those items will permanently be, but for now, everything is put away!
So the home buying process was fantastic. It was great signing the papers and finally getting the keys to our new home. We have done a few things to the home already. Mostly just washing walls and painting. We are working on our main living room first. We painted the ceiling and the walls and are putting up replacement molding above the wainscoting as the previous owners had dogs who clearly were part beaver! Once that is done we'll move our new couch and TV into the room to start making it our living room. We are trying to work on one room at a time. It seems to be a good approach but I wish it was happening faster! I wish I was the Geanie and I could cross my arms and nod my head/blink and the house would be done to perfection! Oh what a dream!
We bought a new fridge, washer, dryer, dining room table, and couch for the house so far. Also tools and a ride-on mower for Steve with a trailer. Seeing as how we have tons of house manure on the side yard, we need a trailer to move it! Good thing it does not stink!
Well. Not sure what the plan is for today. Maybe more painting or maybe a day of lounging around. We'll see what Life has to say about that!
Trials and tribulations of planning, paying for, and completing your own wedding! And maybe a few bumps that life has to throw in for good measure!!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Hair and Makeup!!
I am sooooooo excited. I went for my hair and make-up trial this past Saturday. It began at 12:45pm and ended around 2. She did not use any product in my hair and it was a "rough" trial. We did not use anything but a hair tie and bobby pins, which was nice to know. I was so excited with how it turned out.
I had told her that I really wanted something low and to the left. I am not sure why I want it there, but I just feel like that is where it is supposed to be and what would look best with my dress, so we went with it!
So... I had purposely planned to get my hair and makeup trial done this past weekend because Steve was not going to be able to come to the Vineyard for my brother, Aaron's wedding, and I didn't want him to see it. Well, Steve decided to surprise me by coming down for the night and staying through until Saturday afternoon; which meant he had to take me to my appointment. I was a little nervous about him seeing me all gussied up, but he won't remember, so that helped me get through it!
So a girl I went to high school with is doing my hair, Liz. I was never close with her in high school, not even sure if we ever spoke in high school now that I think of it. Anyway, she works at the salon my friend Diana (also my MOH) works at, so I figured I would go there. Let me say I am soooo glad that I did, because I loved it!
So, Steve came in when I was getting my make-up done. I am not one to wear a lot of make-up, so getting it done was slightly strange to me. I really wanted to make sure that my make-up was subtle and not over the top. I really like browns and golds and was so happy when those were the colors her brush headed towards. I have to say that when I looked in the mirror when she was done I was pleasantly surprised, and Steve told me that I was as" pretty as a princess." I just could not wait for our wedding day to come around when he told me that!
So when we got home I asked Steve to take pictures of it all for me. The first round of photoes I was smiling and happy because I thought he was taking pictures.... He wasn't! He thought he would be funny by taking a close up picture of my eyes, each of my ears, and a single curl. When he showed me the photos I ran out of the room crying. I was sooo pissed. I just wanted normal pictures and he couldn't do it right. So when he actually took the photos, I am not smiling at all. I was still pissed that I had to have the pictures taken again. So that is why I look like I want to claw his eyes out with the side shots!!
I had told her that I really wanted something low and to the left. I am not sure why I want it there, but I just feel like that is where it is supposed to be and what would look best with my dress, so we went with it!
So... I had purposely planned to get my hair and makeup trial done this past weekend because Steve was not going to be able to come to the Vineyard for my brother, Aaron's wedding, and I didn't want him to see it. Well, Steve decided to surprise me by coming down for the night and staying through until Saturday afternoon; which meant he had to take me to my appointment. I was a little nervous about him seeing me all gussied up, but he won't remember, so that helped me get through it!
So a girl I went to high school with is doing my hair, Liz. I was never close with her in high school, not even sure if we ever spoke in high school now that I think of it. Anyway, she works at the salon my friend Diana (also my MOH) works at, so I figured I would go there. Let me say I am soooo glad that I did, because I loved it!
So, Steve came in when I was getting my make-up done. I am not one to wear a lot of make-up, so getting it done was slightly strange to me. I really wanted to make sure that my make-up was subtle and not over the top. I really like browns and golds and was so happy when those were the colors her brush headed towards. I have to say that when I looked in the mirror when she was done I was pleasantly surprised, and Steve told me that I was as" pretty as a princess." I just could not wait for our wedding day to come around when he told me that!
So when we got home I asked Steve to take pictures of it all for me. The first round of photoes I was smiling and happy because I thought he was taking pictures.... He wasn't! He thought he would be funny by taking a close up picture of my eyes, each of my ears, and a single curl. When he showed me the photos I ran out of the room crying. I was sooo pissed. I just wanted normal pictures and he couldn't do it right. So when he actually took the photos, I am not smiling at all. I was still pissed that I had to have the pictures taken again. So that is why I look like I want to claw his eyes out with the side shots!!
See what I mean about clawing his eyes out?!!! I was MAD! :) |
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! |
About 3/4 around there was a slight smile :-) |
It will clearly be neater at the wedding, but for a rough trial, I think it looked fabulous! |
So I was still mad, but not as much as before... see the slight cocky smile! I love that I look like me, but only nicer! |
Very subtle but still me underneath the makeup. |
Again, all the wispies will be gone for the wedding, but you get the idea! |
I just love it! |
So serious! But when I smile one eye opens bigger than the other and it drives me nuts! So no smile makes even eyes! |
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Wedding Superstitions
I have been thinking about wedding superstitions lately, as I was listing my something old, something new, etc. What are some wedding superstitions or some of you may call them "traditions" that you are doing at your wedding? I was looking on Google and found a list from The Knot of 50 wedding superstitions. Any of them relate to you? If so which ones?
2. The English believe a spider found in a wedding dress means good luck. Yikes!
3. In English tradition, Wednesday is considered the "best day" to marry, although Monday is for wealth and Tuesday is for health.
4. The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below.
5. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Funny -- it's the most popular day of the week to marry!
6. Ancient Romans studied pig entrails to determine the luckiest time to marry.
7. Rain on your wedding day is actually considered good luck, according to Hindu tradition!
8. For good luck, Egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding day. Ouch!
9. Middle Eastern brides paint henna on their hands and feet to protect themselves from the evil eye. Find out about Muslim wedding rituals.
10. Peas are thrown at Czech newlyweds instead of rice.
11. A Swedish bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin from her mother in each shoe to ensure that she'll never do without. Learn more about Swedish wedding traditions.
12. A Finnish bride traditionally went door-to-door collecting gifts in a pillowcase, accompanied by an older married man who represented long marriage.
13. Moroccan women take a milk bath to purify themselves before their wedding ceremony. See more Moroccan wedding customs.
14. In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlyweds' home as a symbol of fertility and luck.
16. About 70% of all brides sport the traditional diamond on the fourth finger of their left hand.
17. Priscilla Presley's engagement ring was a whopping 3 1/2-carat rock surrounded by a detachable row of smaller diamonds.
18. Diamonds set in gold or silver became popular as betrothal rings among wealthy Venetians toward the end of the fifteenth century.
19. In the symbolic language of jewels, a sapphire in a wedding ring means marital happiness.
20. A pearl engagement ring is said to be bad luck because its shape echoes that of a tear.
21. One of history's earliest engagement rings was given to Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VIII. She was two years old at the time.
22. Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the United States!
23. Snake rings dotted with ruby eyes were popular wedding bands in Victorian England -- the coils winding into a circle symbolized eternity.
24. Aquamarine represents marital harmony and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.
26. In Asia, wearing robes with embroidered cranes symbolizes fidelity for the length of a marriage.
27. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.
28. On her wedding day, Grace Kelly wore a dress with a bodice made from beautiful 125-year-old lace.
29. Of course, Jackie Kennedy's bridesmaids were far from frumpy. She chose pink silk faille and red satin gowns created by African-American designer Ann Lowe (also the creator of Jackie's dress).
30. In Japan, white was always the color of choice for bridal ensembles -- long before Queen Victoria popularized it in the Western world.
31. Most expensive wedding ever? The marriage of Sheik Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum's son to Princess Salama in Dubai in May 1981. The price tag? $44 million.
32. In Korea, brides don bright hues of red and yellow to take their vows.
33. Brides carry or wear "something old" on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
34. In Denmark, brides and grooms traditionally cross-dressed to confuse evil spirits!
35. The "something blue" in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.
37. In South Africa, the parents of both bride and groom traditionally carried fire from their hearths to light a new fire in the newlyweds' hearth.
38. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake.
39. The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.
40. Queen Victoria's wedding cake weighed a whopping 300 pounds.
41. Legend says single women will dream of their future husbands if they sleep with a slice of groom's cake under their pillows.
42. An old wives' tale: If the younger of two sisters marries first, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never landing a husband.
44. The Roman goddess Juno rules over marriage, the hearth, and childbirth, hence the popularity of June weddings.
45. Princess Victoria established the tradition of playing Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" during her wedding processional in 1858.
46. The bride stands to the groom's left during a Christian ceremony, because in bygone days the groom needed his right hand free to fight off other suitors.
47. On average, 7,000 couples marry each day in the United States.
48. Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve are the two busiest "marriage" days in Las Vegas -- elopement central!
49. The Catholic tradition of "posting the banns" to announce a marriage originated as a way to ensure the bride and groom were not related.
50. Stag parties were first held by ancient Spartan soldiers, who kissed their bachelor days goodbye with a raucous party.
Read more: Wedding Traditions & Superstitions: 50 Wedding Facts & Trivia - Wedding Planning - Wedding Customs - TheKnot.com http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-customs/articles/50-wedding-traditions-superstitions-facts-trivia.aspx#ixzz1HiB9WG5z
Traditionally, a variety of noisy tin cans or old shoes were tied to the back of the couple's carriage to scare away evil spirits.
~ Excessive noise such as bells, horns, cheers, and fireworks were also sounded to keep the evil spirits away.
~ Loyal friends of the couple would often play pranks on the newlyweds in the hope that any lurking evil spirits would leave the couple alone, since the couple had already been picked on.
Good Luck and Bad Luck
1. Hey, brides, tuck a sugar cube into your glove -- according to Greek culture, the sugar will sweeten your union.2. The English believe a spider found in a wedding dress means good luck. Yikes!
3. In English tradition, Wednesday is considered the "best day" to marry, although Monday is for wealth and Tuesday is for health.
4. The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below.
5. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Funny -- it's the most popular day of the week to marry!
6. Ancient Romans studied pig entrails to determine the luckiest time to marry.
7. Rain on your wedding day is actually considered good luck, according to Hindu tradition!
8. For good luck, Egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding day. Ouch!
9. Middle Eastern brides paint henna on their hands and feet to protect themselves from the evil eye. Find out about Muslim wedding rituals.
10. Peas are thrown at Czech newlyweds instead of rice.
11. A Swedish bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin from her mother in each shoe to ensure that she'll never do without. Learn more about Swedish wedding traditions.
12. A Finnish bride traditionally went door-to-door collecting gifts in a pillowcase, accompanied by an older married man who represented long marriage.
13. Moroccan women take a milk bath to purify themselves before their wedding ceremony. See more Moroccan wedding customs.
14. In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlyweds' home as a symbol of fertility and luck.
It's Got a Ring To It
15. Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart.16. About 70% of all brides sport the traditional diamond on the fourth finger of their left hand.
17. Priscilla Presley's engagement ring was a whopping 3 1/2-carat rock surrounded by a detachable row of smaller diamonds.
18. Diamonds set in gold or silver became popular as betrothal rings among wealthy Venetians toward the end of the fifteenth century.
19. In the symbolic language of jewels, a sapphire in a wedding ring means marital happiness.
20. A pearl engagement ring is said to be bad luck because its shape echoes that of a tear.
21. One of history's earliest engagement rings was given to Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VIII. She was two years old at the time.
22. Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the United States!
23. Snake rings dotted with ruby eyes were popular wedding bands in Victorian England -- the coils winding into a circle symbolized eternity.
24. Aquamarine represents marital harmony and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.
Fashionable Lore
25. Queen Victoria started the Western world's white wedding dress trend in 1840 -- before then, brides simply wore their best dress.26. In Asia, wearing robes with embroidered cranes symbolizes fidelity for the length of a marriage.
27. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.
28. On her wedding day, Grace Kelly wore a dress with a bodice made from beautiful 125-year-old lace.
29. Of course, Jackie Kennedy's bridesmaids were far from frumpy. She chose pink silk faille and red satin gowns created by African-American designer Ann Lowe (also the creator of Jackie's dress).
30. In Japan, white was always the color of choice for bridal ensembles -- long before Queen Victoria popularized it in the Western world.
31. Most expensive wedding ever? The marriage of Sheik Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum's son to Princess Salama in Dubai in May 1981. The price tag? $44 million.
32. In Korea, brides don bright hues of red and yellow to take their vows.
33. Brides carry or wear "something old" on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
34. In Denmark, brides and grooms traditionally cross-dressed to confuse evil spirits!
35. The "something blue" in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.
Food and Family
36. In Egypt, the bride's family traditionally does all the cooking for a week after the wedding, so the couple can…relax.37. In South Africa, the parents of both bride and groom traditionally carried fire from their hearths to light a new fire in the newlyweds' hearth.
38. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake.
39. The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.
40. Queen Victoria's wedding cake weighed a whopping 300 pounds.
41. Legend says single women will dream of their future husbands if they sleep with a slice of groom's cake under their pillows.
42. An old wives' tale: If the younger of two sisters marries first, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never landing a husband.
Show Off at a Cocktail Party
43. In many cultures around the world -- including Celtic, Hindu and Egyptian weddings -- the hands of a bride and groom are literally tied together to demonstrate the couple's commitment to each other and their new bond as a married couple (giving us the popular phrase "tying the knot").44. The Roman goddess Juno rules over marriage, the hearth, and childbirth, hence the popularity of June weddings.
45. Princess Victoria established the tradition of playing Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" during her wedding processional in 1858.
46. The bride stands to the groom's left during a Christian ceremony, because in bygone days the groom needed his right hand free to fight off other suitors.
47. On average, 7,000 couples marry each day in the United States.
48. Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve are the two busiest "marriage" days in Las Vegas -- elopement central!
49. The Catholic tradition of "posting the banns" to announce a marriage originated as a way to ensure the bride and groom were not related.
50. Stag parties were first held by ancient Spartan soldiers, who kissed their bachelor days goodbye with a raucous party.
Read more: Wedding Traditions & Superstitions: 50 Wedding Facts & Trivia - Wedding Planning - Wedding Customs - TheKnot.com http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-customs/articles/50-wedding-traditions-superstitions-facts-trivia.aspx#ixzz1HiB9WG5z
Good Luck~
On The Way to The Ceremony..
~ It is good luck for the bride to encounter a Lamb on her way to the church to get married.
~ It is good luck for the bride to encounter a Dove on her way to the church to get married; because Doves mate for live. A Dove symbolizes Love, peace, fidelity, prosperity and good luck. If a Dove is seen on your wedding day, a happy home is assured.
~ It is good luck for the bride to encounter a Frog on her way to the church to get married.
~ It is good luck for the bride to cross paths with a Black Cat on her way to the church to get married.
~ It is good fortune for the bride to see a policeman, clergyman, doctor or blind man on her way to the church.
~ If the bride sees a Rainbow on her way to the ceremony, it is a sign of good luck for the couple.
~ Sunshine on the way to the church is good luck.
~ Your marriage will be filled with good fortune if the groom happens upon a Pigeon, Wolf or Goat, on his way to the ceremony.
~ The groom should give a ~ Coin to the first person he sees on his way to the church for good luck.
The Wedding Day
~ It is the best of luck omen for the bride to find a Spider in her gown on her wedding day. (ick)
~ Tears from the bride or a child during the wedding service is considered lucky.
~ Snow on your wedding day is a sign of fertility and prosperity.
~ If you marry during the Full Moon, you will have good luck and good fortune.
~ An Open Umbrella (in Chinese culture, the umbrella is red) over the bride will protect her from evil.
~ Bad Luck
~ It is bad luck for the bride to meet up with a Lizard, Funeral Procession or a Pig on her way to the church.
~ It is bad luck for a man to encounter a Blind Person, Pregnant Woman, a Monk, or a Nun on his way to propose.
On The Way to The Ceremony..
~ It is good luck for the bride to encounter a Lamb on her way to the church to get married.
~ It is good luck for the bride to encounter a Dove on her way to the church to get married; because Doves mate for live. A Dove symbolizes Love, peace, fidelity, prosperity and good luck. If a Dove is seen on your wedding day, a happy home is assured.
~ It is good luck for the bride to encounter a Frog on her way to the church to get married.
~ It is good luck for the bride to cross paths with a Black Cat on her way to the church to get married.
~ It is good fortune for the bride to see a policeman, clergyman, doctor or blind man on her way to the church.
~ If the bride sees a Rainbow on her way to the ceremony, it is a sign of good luck for the couple.
~ Sunshine on the way to the church is good luck.
~ Your marriage will be filled with good fortune if the groom happens upon a Pigeon, Wolf or Goat, on his way to the ceremony.
~ The groom should give a ~ Coin to the first person he sees on his way to the church for good luck.
The Wedding Day
~ It is the best of luck omen for the bride to find a Spider in her gown on her wedding day. (ick)
~ Tears from the bride or a child during the wedding service is considered lucky.
~ Snow on your wedding day is a sign of fertility and prosperity.
~ If you marry during the Full Moon, you will have good luck and good fortune.
~ An Open Umbrella (in Chinese culture, the umbrella is red) over the bride will protect her from evil.
~ Bad Luck
~ It is bad luck for the bride to meet up with a Lizard, Funeral Procession or a Pig on her way to the church.
~ It is bad luck for a man to encounter a Blind Person, Pregnant Woman, a Monk, or a Nun on his way to propose.
Loud Noises and Decorating the Car
Scares Away Evil Spirits
~ Excessive noise such as bells, horns, cheers, and fireworks were also sounded to keep the evil spirits away.
~ Loyal friends of the couple would often play pranks on the newlyweds in the hope that any lurking evil spirits would leave the couple alone, since the couple had already been picked on.
"Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Sixpence in your Shoe".
This rhyme originated during Victorian times and is still commonly practiced for good luck.
Something Old
~ Traditionally, the "old" would have been the garter of a happily married woman, with the thought being that her good fortune would be passed down along with it.
~ The "old" also signifies the hope that the couple's friends will stay with them.
~ The "old" also symbolizes the bride's connection to her past - a sense of family, continuity and tradition.
Something New
~ Optimism and Hope for the future.
Something Borrowed
~ "Something "borrowed" is usually a much valued item from the bride's family or a dear friend.
~ Something "borrowed" also reminds the bride that family and friends will always be there for her.
~ If you "borrow" something from a happily married friend or family member it is a wish for your married life to mirror their happiness (So Choose Carefully!).
* Just remember - The borrowed item must be returned to ensure good fortune.
Something Blue
~ The Color Blue represents faithfulness, fidelity and constancy. It is also considered a lucky color in Ireland.
~ In early Biblical times, blue not white symbolized purity. Both the bride and groom usually wore a band of blue material around the bottom of their wedding attire, hence the wedding tradition of "something blue".
A Sixpence in Your Shoe
~ A sixpence is a symbol of good luck. (Can Be Substituted With A Dime)
~ A silver sixpence in the bride's shoe is to ensure wealth in the couple's life.
~ It also symbolizes the promise of a lifetime of joy, good health, happiness, and wedded bliss for the newlyweds.
~ In 17th century England, the sixpence was part of the bride's dowry gift to the groom.
The following information are lifted from www.weddings.co.uk
If, however, they saw nanny goats, pigeons or wolves these were good omens which would bring good fortune to the marriage.
The bride should not practice writing her new name before the wedding. This is thought to bring bad luck by tempting fate.
Marry in May and you'll live to rue the day
June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in because it is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage.
The Summer as a whole was considered a good time to marry and this is partly to do with the sun's association with fertility. In Scotland one popular custom was for the bride to "walk with the sun" to bring her good. She would walk from east to west on the south side of the church and then continue walking around the church three times.
Something new symbolizes the newlyweds' happy and prosperous future.
The something borrowed is often lent by the bride's family and is an item much valued by the family. The bride must return the item to ensure good luck.
The custom of the bride wearing something blue originated in ancient Israel where the bride wore a blue ribbon in her hair to represent fidelity.
The placing of a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure wealth in the couples married life. Today some brides substitute a penny in their shoe during the ceremony as silver sixpences are less common.
It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before until she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.
Some people choose the flowers at the wedding on the basis of their symbolic meaning. For example orange blossom has always been associated with weddings because it signifies purity and chastity.
Peonies are avoided by some as they represent shame; azaleas represent temperance: roses symbolize love and snowdrops represent hope.
A combination of red and white flowers is avoided by the superstitious because they stand for blood and bandages.
However, people from different regions may attach other meanings to the same flower. For example lilies symbolize majesty to some but are thought unlucky by others because of their association with death.
The groom often chooses a flower for his buttonhole which also occurs in the bride's bouquet. This is a vestige of the time when a Knight would wear his Lady's colours to display his love.
Seeing a chimney sweep on the way to a wedding is though to bring good luck and it is still possible to hire one to attend wedding ceremonies. Other good luck omens when seen on the way to the ceremony include lambs, toads, spiders, black cats and rainbows.
Seeing an open grave, a pig, a lizard, or hearing a cockerel crow after dawn are all thought to be omens of bad luck. Monks and nuns are also a bad omen. This may be because the are associated with poverty and chastity. They are also though to signal a dependence on charity by the newlyweds.
Bad weather on the way to the wedding is thought to be an omen of an unhappy marriage, although in some cultures rain is considered a good omen. Cloudy skies and wind are believed to cause stormy marriages. Snow on the other hand is associated with fertility and wealth.
Before the use of paper confetti the married couple were showered with flowers, petals, rice or grains. This was to bestow prosperity and fertility on the couple.
The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet shoulder, described below, was originally performed by her throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.
A parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Again the one who catches it will be the next to marry.
He must also arrange for the groom to carry a small mascot or charm in his pocket on the wedding day.
When the best man is paying the church minister's fee he should pay him an odd sum to bring luck to the couple.
In Scotland the custom was for a woman with milk in her breasts to prepare the marital bed to encourage fertility in the newlyweds.
In Ireland a laying hen was tied to the bed on the first honeymoon night in the hope that some of its fertility would be passed on to the couple. Eating a double yolked egg was also thought to bring fertility.
This rhyme originated during Victorian times and is still commonly practiced for good luck.
Something Old
~ Traditionally, the "old" would have been the garter of a happily married woman, with the thought being that her good fortune would be passed down along with it.
~ The "old" also signifies the hope that the couple's friends will stay with them.
~ The "old" also symbolizes the bride's connection to her past - a sense of family, continuity and tradition.
Something New
~ Optimism and Hope for the future.
Something Borrowed
~ "Something "borrowed" is usually a much valued item from the bride's family or a dear friend.
~ Something "borrowed" also reminds the bride that family and friends will always be there for her.
~ If you "borrow" something from a happily married friend or family member it is a wish for your married life to mirror their happiness (So Choose Carefully!).
* Just remember - The borrowed item must be returned to ensure good fortune.
Something Blue
~ The Color Blue represents faithfulness, fidelity and constancy. It is also considered a lucky color in Ireland.
~ In early Biblical times, blue not white symbolized purity. Both the bride and groom usually wore a band of blue material around the bottom of their wedding attire, hence the wedding tradition of "something blue".
A Sixpence in Your Shoe
~ A sixpence is a symbol of good luck. (Can Be Substituted With A Dime)
~ A silver sixpence in the bride's shoe is to ensure wealth in the couple's life.
~ It also symbolizes the promise of a lifetime of joy, good health, happiness, and wedded bliss for the newlyweds.
~ In 17th century England, the sixpence was part of the bride's dowry gift to the groom.
The following information are lifted from www.weddings.co.uk
- PROPOSAL
If, however, they saw nanny goats, pigeons or wolves these were good omens which would bring good fortune to the marriage.
- SURNAMES
To change the name and not the letter
Is to change for the worst and not the better
The bride should not practice writing her new name before the wedding. This is thought to bring bad luck by tempting fate.
- CHOOSING THE DAY
Monday for wealth
Tuesday for health
Wednesday the best day of all
Thursday for losses
Friday for crosses
Saturday for no luck at all
Advice on which month to marry in is given by the following rhyme:
Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.
Marry in May and you'll live to rue the day
May has been considered an unlucky month to marry in for a number of reasons. In Pagan times the start of summer was when the festival of Beltane was celebrated with outdoor orgies (what?). This was therefore thought to be an unsuitable time to start married life. In Roman times the Feast of the Dead and the festival of the goddess of chastity both occurred in May. The advice was taken more seriously in Victorian times than it is today. In most Churches the end of April was a busy time for weddings as couples wanted to avoid being married in May. Queen Victoria is thought to have forbidden her children from marrying in May.
Marry in Lent, live to repent
Lent was thought an inappropriate time for a wedding as this was a time of abstinence.June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in because it is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage.
The Summer as a whole was considered a good time to marry and this is partly to do with the sun's association with fertility. In Scotland one popular custom was for the bride to "walk with the sun" to bring her good. She would walk from east to west on the south side of the church and then continue walking around the church three times.
- SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW ...
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in your shoe
The rhyme originated in Victorian times although some of customs referred in it are much older.
The something old represents the couples friends who will hopefully remain close during the marriage. Traditionally this was old garter which given to the bride by a happily married woman in the hope that her happiness in marriage would be passed on to the new bride.Something new symbolizes the newlyweds' happy and prosperous future.
The something borrowed is often lent by the bride's family and is an item much valued by the family. The bride must return the item to ensure good luck.
The custom of the bride wearing something blue originated in ancient Israel where the bride wore a blue ribbon in her hair to represent fidelity.
The placing of a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure wealth in the couples married life. Today some brides substitute a penny in their shoe during the ceremony as silver sixpences are less common.
- THE WEDDING DRESS
It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before until she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.
- WEDDING DRESS COLOuR
Married in White, you have chosen right,
Married in Blue, your love will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Brown, you will live in town,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Pink, your spirit will sink,
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back.
A green dress is thought to be unlucky unless the bride is Irish. The old expression that a woman has a 'green gown' was used to imply promiscuity, the green staining being due to rolling in grassy fields. (LOL.)
- THE VEIL
- FLOWERS
Some people choose the flowers at the wedding on the basis of their symbolic meaning. For example orange blossom has always been associated with weddings because it signifies purity and chastity.
Peonies are avoided by some as they represent shame; azaleas represent temperance: roses symbolize love and snowdrops represent hope.
A combination of red and white flowers is avoided by the superstitious because they stand for blood and bandages.
However, people from different regions may attach other meanings to the same flower. For example lilies symbolize majesty to some but are thought unlucky by others because of their association with death.
The groom often chooses a flower for his buttonhole which also occurs in the bride's bouquet. This is a vestige of the time when a Knight would wear his Lady's colours to display his love.
- ON THE WAY TO THE WEDDING
Seeing a chimney sweep on the way to a wedding is though to bring good luck and it is still possible to hire one to attend wedding ceremonies. Other good luck omens when seen on the way to the ceremony include lambs, toads, spiders, black cats and rainbows.
Seeing an open grave, a pig, a lizard, or hearing a cockerel crow after dawn are all thought to be omens of bad luck. Monks and nuns are also a bad omen. This may be because the are associated with poverty and chastity. They are also though to signal a dependence on charity by the newlyweds.
Bad weather on the way to the wedding is thought to be an omen of an unhappy marriage, although in some cultures rain is considered a good omen. Cloudy skies and wind are believed to cause stormy marriages. Snow on the other hand is associated with fertility and wealth.
- BRIDESMAIDS
- THE WEDDING CAKE
- CONFETTI
Before the use of paper confetti the married couple were showered with flowers, petals, rice or grains. This was to bestow prosperity and fertility on the couple.
- SHOES
The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet shoulder, described below, was originally performed by her throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.
- BOUQUET
A parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Again the one who catches it will be the next to marry.
- CROSSING THE THRESHOLD
- THE BEST MAN
He must also arrange for the groom to carry a small mascot or charm in his pocket on the wedding day.
When the best man is paying the church minister's fee he should pay him an odd sum to bring luck to the couple.
- THE HONEYMOON
In Scotland the custom was for a woman with milk in her breasts to prepare the marital bed to encourage fertility in the newlyweds.
In Ireland a laying hen was tied to the bed on the first honeymoon night in the hope that some of its fertility would be passed on to the couple. Eating a double yolked egg was also thought to bring fertility.
2011 Wedding Trends?? Trendy or Trashy?
I have been looking over wedding blogs and articles to see what kinds of trends were predicted for 2011. I am not sure if I agree with everything, but some of them don't sound "way off". What do you think? These are some of the many trends that I have found. Do you agree, disagree, or maybe you are indifferent? What are your predictions for 2012? Di you think the economy will boom and more will be done at weddings? Ir do you think that the world is going to end in October of 2012, and people will make a mad rush for a quick ceremony towards the beginning of the year?
Here are a bunch of sites that I found that all have trends for 2011.
What do you say we start a trend list for 2012??
Here are a bunch of sites that I found that all have trends for 2011.
What do you say we start a trend list for 2012??
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Changing it all over
So, today began the change!! Steve and I finally headed to the bank and now have a joint checking account! I feel like we are married already. Now that we will be buying a house and having home bills, it just makes sense to have a joint checking account where all of the bills are paid from. I am only on the checking account so his savings accounts are still strictly his, and I will keep one savings account at my bank. The main reason I am keeping my bank is because it is the only one that is on the Vineyard and off-island. This way, we can use the ATM without surcharges and what not when we head to the island. It just made sense to keep one.
Well that is it for now! Everything with the house is going as scheduled, and in 3 weeks from tomorrow, we close on the house! YIPEE!!
Well that is it for now! Everything with the house is going as scheduled, and in 3 weeks from tomorrow, we close on the house! YIPEE!!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Off Topic - Our House
So, the process has begun to get the new house. It is crazy to think that we are currently under contract to purchase a place to live; a place we could potentially raise our family in. I still cannot believe what has happened in the past 2 weeks!
So, catch-up, we out in an offer on a house on last Wednesday the 9th of March. By Friday the 11th, the sellers had accepted and we became under contract to purchase a house. On Monday the 14th we had our home inspection. Mike went through the house from top to bottom and only a few things came back that we may need to fix in the future. A few things were like, move any plants at least 18-24" from the house so that it does not attract bugs to the house or cause a rot situation. There was an electrical box outside that needs a new cover as the old one snapped off. There were a few things in the electrical panel that we need to address with an electrician. There are a couple of circuits that are doubled up that we need to have looked at and fixed. The electrical panel is 100amps and while that is sufficient, most houses built now have a 200 amp electrical panel. We may have to upgrade that in the future. Also, there is not a proper circuit in the electrical panel for the pool pump, so again, that is something we'll have to address.
We also had a Radon test done and a water quality and quantity test, as we have a private well. The water quantity was more than sufficient. However, the water quality test failed. The sellers have agreed to fix the water problem and have hired the home inspector to come back and retest the water once they have the system shocked to kill any bacteria in the well.
We are still waiting for the Radon test to come back as there was important data missing so the test could not be completed. The inspector forgot to write in some pertinent information before submitting the canisters for testing. The date the canisters were picked up and the amount of hours spent in the basement were not listed on the paperwork, so the lab would not test the sample until that information was complete. The home inspector emailed us and said that he has called the lab to verify the information so the test can be completed.
Our agent, Michelle, who has been so amazing, has told us that the sellers have ordered the title V to be completed soon. She also advised us that we should be hearing from the bank lawyers either Monday or Tuesday to sign the purchase and sales agreement, which we will have to bring another deposit check.
We also had an appraisal on Friday. Because we are using a federal loan program, we have to have the home appraised to make sure that the amount we are paying from the house is in line with what the house is worth. If the house appraised for $210,000 and we were paying $235,000 we'd have to come up with the difference because they will only pay for the value of the house. If the appraisal comes in over the price we are paying, than the loan process will move forward. Michelle advised that some appraisers will say exactly what the house is valued at while others will simple say that the value is enough to be covered by the loan. She explained that some people may run to the bank and take out a line of equity against the house for the difference, and they really do not encourage that. Michelle told us she was informed that the loan was all set, meaning that the house was appraised for more than we are paying, which is exciting!
So, we were trying to think of what to do with the two-story barn. I said that in 5-10 years we could make it a guest house, Steve does not want to do that. He thinks it would make a great "Man-Town".... UM NO! Who knows what we are going to do with. I would like to finish the space and use it for a living space, but he is not sure what we wants. He thinks that if we make it a guest house that we would be having guests. I told it it would be for those very few and infrequent times we have people come to stay. That way they can have their own space to stay and we would not be bothered by them; he didn't like my idea!
Oh well! We have plenty of time to change things around. April 15th will be here faster than we know, which is closing day! We are so excited it is beyond words!
Oh, finally on Century21.com they have the house as "Sale Pending" which made me very happy!!!
So, catch-up, we out in an offer on a house on last Wednesday the 9th of March. By Friday the 11th, the sellers had accepted and we became under contract to purchase a house. On Monday the 14th we had our home inspection. Mike went through the house from top to bottom and only a few things came back that we may need to fix in the future. A few things were like, move any plants at least 18-24" from the house so that it does not attract bugs to the house or cause a rot situation. There was an electrical box outside that needs a new cover as the old one snapped off. There were a few things in the electrical panel that we need to address with an electrician. There are a couple of circuits that are doubled up that we need to have looked at and fixed. The electrical panel is 100amps and while that is sufficient, most houses built now have a 200 amp electrical panel. We may have to upgrade that in the future. Also, there is not a proper circuit in the electrical panel for the pool pump, so again, that is something we'll have to address.
We also had a Radon test done and a water quality and quantity test, as we have a private well. The water quantity was more than sufficient. However, the water quality test failed. The sellers have agreed to fix the water problem and have hired the home inspector to come back and retest the water once they have the system shocked to kill any bacteria in the well.
We are still waiting for the Radon test to come back as there was important data missing so the test could not be completed. The inspector forgot to write in some pertinent information before submitting the canisters for testing. The date the canisters were picked up and the amount of hours spent in the basement were not listed on the paperwork, so the lab would not test the sample until that information was complete. The home inspector emailed us and said that he has called the lab to verify the information so the test can be completed.
Our agent, Michelle, who has been so amazing, has told us that the sellers have ordered the title V to be completed soon. She also advised us that we should be hearing from the bank lawyers either Monday or Tuesday to sign the purchase and sales agreement, which we will have to bring another deposit check.
We also had an appraisal on Friday. Because we are using a federal loan program, we have to have the home appraised to make sure that the amount we are paying from the house is in line with what the house is worth. If the house appraised for $210,000 and we were paying $235,000 we'd have to come up with the difference because they will only pay for the value of the house. If the appraisal comes in over the price we are paying, than the loan process will move forward. Michelle advised that some appraisers will say exactly what the house is valued at while others will simple say that the value is enough to be covered by the loan. She explained that some people may run to the bank and take out a line of equity against the house for the difference, and they really do not encourage that. Michelle told us she was informed that the loan was all set, meaning that the house was appraised for more than we are paying, which is exciting!
So, we were trying to think of what to do with the two-story barn. I said that in 5-10 years we could make it a guest house, Steve does not want to do that. He thinks it would make a great "Man-Town".... UM NO! Who knows what we are going to do with. I would like to finish the space and use it for a living space, but he is not sure what we wants. He thinks that if we make it a guest house that we would be having guests. I told it it would be for those very few and infrequent times we have people come to stay. That way they can have their own space to stay and we would not be bothered by them; he didn't like my idea!
Oh well! We have plenty of time to change things around. April 15th will be here faster than we know, which is closing day! We are so excited it is beyond words!
Oh, finally on Century21.com they have the house as "Sale Pending" which made me very happy!!!
Wedding Party Responsibilities
Get a Grip on Bridal Party Responsibilities!
Who Does What?
Who Does What?
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Saturday, March 12, 2011
We Bought A House!!
Who would have thought, that less than 2 weeks into the house hunting process, that we would have fallen in love with a house? We certainly didn't! Over the past 2 weeks we have seen only 8 houses; the last of which is the one we are now under contract for. We have seen small houses, and split-levels, foreclosures, and short-sales. We didn't "love" any of the ones we had previously seen.
We liked one foreclosure that priced well below our range. The only thing with that is it would have needed updating. Not to say that there were major issues with the house, but by spending well below our budget we may have come in over budget once all of the changes and upgrades were complete. We have thought about that house, but it was a smaller house. It did have a HUGE 2 car garage and a GIANT room above the garage. But the only way to get into that room was from a staircase outside, or through a bedroom window! We would have had to add a door or another staircase in the garage to access that room. The kitchen needed rearranging, the carpets all needed to be ripped up. The upstairs bathroom needed massive updates, and the basement had a small puddle of water when were down there. These are all things that, if we bought the house and fixed, could have brought us well above the price we paid for our new home!
We had seen some houses that had no power or heat so we could see our breaths while walking around in it. That house in particular was nice, but we had found that we did not like split-level houses. We had seen a total of 3 splits and decided we did not car for them. The bedrooms are all tiny. They all share one bathroom. And we lose half of our living space in the basement because of a garage. It is really like having a 1 1/2 sized ranch home. With split-levels, the living space is pretty much maxed out at what is there. There is not a whole lot more you can do for adding on that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg!
So the house we are now under contract for is AMAZING! It is 2 floors, with a basement, so I guess 3 floors. It has 1825 sq feet and a yard that is 1.38 acres. It has 3 bedrooms which are ALL enormous. Even the smallest bedroom is big! As mentioned before, that was one of our main concerns about a split-level house, but not a concern with this one! It has 1 1/2 baths, and the 1/2 bath could be converted into a full bath if we ever decided to move the laundry area from the 1st floor to the basement. We have a 2 story barn out back and a shed. The home also has a pool and a pellet stove in the living room.
As soon as we walked into the house, it felt like a home! We saw it on Tuesday. We went back for a second look on Wednesday and made an offer. They accepted on Friday, and we close April 15th, which is 34 days from today.
I just cannot believe we found "our" house so quickly, but I am incredibly thankful that we did! It is perfect timing to buy a house and close in April and have the wedding in September. I am so lucky to be living the life I do.
Now, obviously, these are the listing pictures, so once we move in you have to imagine the place completely empty! It will be so much fun to put our stuff into this house and make it a home!
We liked one foreclosure that priced well below our range. The only thing with that is it would have needed updating. Not to say that there were major issues with the house, but by spending well below our budget we may have come in over budget once all of the changes and upgrades were complete. We have thought about that house, but it was a smaller house. It did have a HUGE 2 car garage and a GIANT room above the garage. But the only way to get into that room was from a staircase outside, or through a bedroom window! We would have had to add a door or another staircase in the garage to access that room. The kitchen needed rearranging, the carpets all needed to be ripped up. The upstairs bathroom needed massive updates, and the basement had a small puddle of water when were down there. These are all things that, if we bought the house and fixed, could have brought us well above the price we paid for our new home!
We had seen some houses that had no power or heat so we could see our breaths while walking around in it. That house in particular was nice, but we had found that we did not like split-level houses. We had seen a total of 3 splits and decided we did not car for them. The bedrooms are all tiny. They all share one bathroom. And we lose half of our living space in the basement because of a garage. It is really like having a 1 1/2 sized ranch home. With split-levels, the living space is pretty much maxed out at what is there. There is not a whole lot more you can do for adding on that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg!
So the house we are now under contract for is AMAZING! It is 2 floors, with a basement, so I guess 3 floors. It has 1825 sq feet and a yard that is 1.38 acres. It has 3 bedrooms which are ALL enormous. Even the smallest bedroom is big! As mentioned before, that was one of our main concerns about a split-level house, but not a concern with this one! It has 1 1/2 baths, and the 1/2 bath could be converted into a full bath if we ever decided to move the laundry area from the 1st floor to the basement. We have a 2 story barn out back and a shed. The home also has a pool and a pellet stove in the living room.
As soon as we walked into the house, it felt like a home! We saw it on Tuesday. We went back for a second look on Wednesday and made an offer. They accepted on Friday, and we close April 15th, which is 34 days from today.
I just cannot believe we found "our" house so quickly, but I am incredibly thankful that we did! It is perfect timing to buy a house and close in April and have the wedding in September. I am so lucky to be living the life I do.
Now, obviously, these are the listing pictures, so once we move in you have to imagine the place completely empty! It will be so much fun to put our stuff into this house and make it a home!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
What to do about tipping??
This tid bit about tipping is from: http://www.frugalbride.com/tipping.html
I'll bet I know exactly what's going through your mind right this very instant. TIPPING, WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY!?! Yes, we know, you've already paid an absolute fortune for those vendors and now you have to shell out some more. Sorry.
Here are the general rules for tipping. Although it is generally thought to be a voluntary thing (I'd like to know who said that), there are still areas of your wedding that require tipping, but you can still use your discretion. Firstly, you may want to find out from your vendors if tipping is allowed. There are several vendors, caterers for example, that include the wages of their staff in their price. They sometimes discourage tipping. (Bet you hope to hear that a lot!) And some vendors will add gratuities to their bills. Be sure not to double tip.
If you are using a wedding coordinator, they should be responsible for delivering the tips and payments to the related vendors. If not, then it should be your best man. If you don't feel comfortable asking the best man, ask one of the fathers. All tips should be calculated and prepared in separate envelopes ahead of time, thereby making it much easier for the individual responsible to deliver the tips.
FB TIPS ON TIPPING:
Altar boys or girls - $10-15.00 each
Limousine Drivers – 10-15% of the limousine bill, given at the end of the evening. See "FB Tip" above.
Valet Parking Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per car, prearrange this amount with the supervisor based on an estimate of how many cars will be arriving and a sign should be posted to guests that the gratuity has been taken care of.
Wait staff - If the tip is not on the contract already, 15% of the total catering bill is tipped. Wait staff do the hardest physical labour on your wedding day.
Bartenders - 10% of the total liquor bill, presented to the head bartender or divided equally among the total number of bartenders who worked the full evening. Make sure that a tip hasn't been added to your contract already.
Restroom and/or Coatroom Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per guest, prearranged again based on the number of guests.
Makeup artist or Hair Stylists - You don't have to tip them if they come to you. If you go to the salon, then you should tip them 15%. Why you ask, well the salon makes the money, not the individual. If you have received a good job, and you would tip normally, then go ahead.
DJ - If your DJ owns the company then the tip is optional but if the DJ is an employee $50-100.00. If you have 2 DJs (DJ & MC), give each person $50.00 in separate envelopes. When your guests rave about your reception later, it's the DJ that had everything to do with the fun.
OPTIONAL TIPPING (amounts reflect optional tips)
Business Owners - You don’t have to tip the owner of a business, unless you feel that they have gone beyond the call of duty and you want to give them a token of your appreciation.
Ceremony or Reception Musicians - $5-10/hr per person, in one lump sum given to the person in charge.
Banquet or catering manager - doesn’t need to be tipped unless they’ve thrown in extras or saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill. The tip would be between $50-$100.
Photographer and Videographer - If these vendors own the company, then the tip is optional. If they are employees $50.00 goes to the main photographer and he/she can give a split to the assistant.
Officiant - To tip them is to trivialize their profession and extremely bad etiquette. Generally you pay your fee and that's it. If you wish to make a financial contribution to the church, you can do that separately.
Florist - You don't need to tip the florist for making your arrangements but you can tip them an extra $5.00 per delivery location (3 locations=$15.00) or $10-20.00 per staff member in one lump sum, for set-up and delivery.
Wedding Cake Baker - You don't have to tip for the baking of the cake but if you are at your reception venue at time of delivery and set-up = $10.00
Wedding Coordinator or Room Manager- This is the person managing the reception venues staff and facility the night of your wedding = $50.00
Your Wedding Coordinator - If this vendor owns the company, then the tip is optional. If they are an employee = $50.00
Your Wedding Planner - This person has planned your wedding from start to finish. An appropriate tip would be 10% of their total commission or bill.
This should give you some guidelines on tipping etiquette. Tipping etiquette is different in different provinces, cities and towns. Please be sure to add this to your budget. The amounts above are only examples and are not written in stone.
This is from theknot.com:
When you're already dipping deep into your (or your parents') savings for so many wedding expenses, shelling out gratuities on top of that can be hard to handle. Well, rest easy: unless a service charge is spelled out in your contract, you're never obligated to tip anyone.
However you can't ignore the fact that some vendors will expect a gratuity, which forces tipping to be considered on a case-by-case scenario. Some general rules: Don't tip business owners, only tip their employees (however, you can/should tip an owner when the service exceeds expectations); tip vendors who offer exceptional service; thank-you notes are always appreciated; and assign the responsibility to a trusted deputy such as your wedding planner, a parent, or the best man. For a breakdown of what's customary for each vendor, read on.
Protocol: Optional
The $tandard: Up to $500, or a nice gift
When to Tip: The bride should hand off the envelope at the end of the reception, or, she should send a thank-you note with photos or a check after the honeymoon.
Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: 15 - 25 percent, depending upon the quality of service
When to Tip: At the end of your service
Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: $5 - $10 per person
When to Tip: Drop off cash envelopes the day before the wedding to the catering manager so the person accepting deliveries can turn the tip.
Protocol: Expected (depending on officiant)
The $tandard: Donate $500+ to the church or synagogue, or, for a nondenominational officiant, an optional tip of $50 - $100
When to Tip: Most ceremony fees are required prior to the wedding. Otherwise, have the best man pass the cash envelope at the rehearsal dinner if the officiant is in attendance.
Protocol: Optional
The $tandard: $15 - $20 per musician
When to Tip: At the end of the ceremony.
Protocol: Unnecessary, unless the photographer is not the studio owner.
The $tandard: $50 - $200 per vendor
When to Tip: At the end of the reception.
Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: 15 - 20 percent of the food and drink fee (based on labor, not the cost), or $200 - $300 for the maitre d'.
When to Tip: If it's covered in the contract, the final bill is typically due before the reception. Otherwise, have the father of the bride or best man hand the envelope to the maitre d' at the end of the reception since you will need to know the final tab to calculate the percentage.
Protocol: Optional, based on contract
The $tandard: $20 - $25 per bartender or waiter; $1 per guest for coat room and parking attendants; $1 per car
When to Tip: Although tips are traditionally passed out at the end of the event, you could alternately distribute them at the beginning of the evening, to encourage all the workers to give you great service.
Protocol: Optional, yet preferred
The $tandard: $20 - $25 per musician; $50 - $150 for DJs
When to Tip: At the end of the reception, by the best man.
Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: 15 - 20 percent of the total bill
When to Tip: At the end of the night or after the last ride. If you used a separate company for the guest buses, designate a bus captain to hand the driver a tip, otherwise, this duty falls to the best man.
I'll bet I know exactly what's going through your mind right this very instant. TIPPING, WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY!?! Yes, we know, you've already paid an absolute fortune for those vendors and now you have to shell out some more. Sorry.
Here are the general rules for tipping. Although it is generally thought to be a voluntary thing (I'd like to know who said that), there are still areas of your wedding that require tipping, but you can still use your discretion. Firstly, you may want to find out from your vendors if tipping is allowed. There are several vendors, caterers for example, that include the wages of their staff in their price. They sometimes discourage tipping. (Bet you hope to hear that a lot!) And some vendors will add gratuities to their bills. Be sure not to double tip.
If you are using a wedding coordinator, they should be responsible for delivering the tips and payments to the related vendors. If not, then it should be your best man. If you don't feel comfortable asking the best man, ask one of the fathers. All tips should be calculated and prepared in separate envelopes ahead of time, thereby making it much easier for the individual responsible to deliver the tips.
FB TIPS ON TIPPING:
- All tips should be given in cash. If the person serving you is an employee of the company, their tip should be in a separate envelope.
- No one/single person should get more then $150.00. For example: Let’s say your limo bus is $2000.00. 10 or 15% of that total is 200 or 300 dollars, not necessary.
- Tips should be given just before your vendor leaves. That way you can judge how much to give, according to the job they did for you.
- All vendors would love a thank you card. It is a great reminder of happy clients and let's face it, it'll help them book future clients.
- Giving vendors a favour/bomboniere is totally up to the couple and how many they can spare.
Altar boys or girls - $10-15.00 each
Limousine Drivers – 10-15% of the limousine bill, given at the end of the evening. See "FB Tip" above.
Valet Parking Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per car, prearrange this amount with the supervisor based on an estimate of how many cars will be arriving and a sign should be posted to guests that the gratuity has been taken care of.
Wait staff - If the tip is not on the contract already, 15% of the total catering bill is tipped. Wait staff do the hardest physical labour on your wedding day.
Bartenders - 10% of the total liquor bill, presented to the head bartender or divided equally among the total number of bartenders who worked the full evening. Make sure that a tip hasn't been added to your contract already.
Restroom and/or Coatroom Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per guest, prearranged again based on the number of guests.
Makeup artist or Hair Stylists - You don't have to tip them if they come to you. If you go to the salon, then you should tip them 15%. Why you ask, well the salon makes the money, not the individual. If you have received a good job, and you would tip normally, then go ahead.
DJ - If your DJ owns the company then the tip is optional but if the DJ is an employee $50-100.00. If you have 2 DJs (DJ & MC), give each person $50.00 in separate envelopes. When your guests rave about your reception later, it's the DJ that had everything to do with the fun.
OPTIONAL TIPPING (amounts reflect optional tips)
Business Owners - You don’t have to tip the owner of a business, unless you feel that they have gone beyond the call of duty and you want to give them a token of your appreciation.
Ceremony or Reception Musicians - $5-10/hr per person, in one lump sum given to the person in charge.
Banquet or catering manager - doesn’t need to be tipped unless they’ve thrown in extras or saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill. The tip would be between $50-$100.
Photographer and Videographer - If these vendors own the company, then the tip is optional. If they are employees $50.00 goes to the main photographer and he/she can give a split to the assistant.
Officiant - To tip them is to trivialize their profession and extremely bad etiquette. Generally you pay your fee and that's it. If you wish to make a financial contribution to the church, you can do that separately.
Florist - You don't need to tip the florist for making your arrangements but you can tip them an extra $5.00 per delivery location (3 locations=$15.00) or $10-20.00 per staff member in one lump sum, for set-up and delivery.
Wedding Cake Baker - You don't have to tip for the baking of the cake but if you are at your reception venue at time of delivery and set-up = $10.00
Wedding Coordinator or Room Manager- This is the person managing the reception venues staff and facility the night of your wedding = $50.00
Your Wedding Coordinator - If this vendor owns the company, then the tip is optional. If they are an employee = $50.00
Your Wedding Planner - This person has planned your wedding from start to finish. An appropriate tip would be 10% of their total commission or bill.
This should give you some guidelines on tipping etiquette. Tipping etiquette is different in different provinces, cities and towns. Please be sure to add this to your budget. The amounts above are only examples and are not written in stone.
This is from theknot.com:
When you're already dipping deep into your (or your parents') savings for so many wedding expenses, shelling out gratuities on top of that can be hard to handle. Well, rest easy: unless a service charge is spelled out in your contract, you're never obligated to tip anyone.
However you can't ignore the fact that some vendors will expect a gratuity, which forces tipping to be considered on a case-by-case scenario. Some general rules: Don't tip business owners, only tip their employees (however, you can/should tip an owner when the service exceeds expectations); tip vendors who offer exceptional service; thank-you notes are always appreciated; and assign the responsibility to a trusted deputy such as your wedding planner, a parent, or the best man. For a breakdown of what's customary for each vendor, read on.
Wedding Planner
Wedding planners won't likely expect anything; however, if yours did a great job you can always offer a token of your appreciation. (Note: Non-monetary thank-yous like professional photos of the wedding for the planner's portfolio can go a long way too.) Approximately 50 percent of couples do tip their planners -- typically those with more opulent weddings.Protocol: Optional
The $tandard: Up to $500, or a nice gift
When to Tip: The bride should hand off the envelope at the end of the reception, or, she should send a thank-you note with photos or a check after the honeymoon.
Wedding Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist
This is one area where a gratuity is definitely expected. Tip between 15 - 20 percent just as you would in a hair salon, and consider giving a little extra if there's a crisis, like one of your bridesmaids has a meltdown over her updo and it requires a redo at the last minute.Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: 15 - 25 percent, depending upon the quality of service
When to Tip: At the end of your service
Wedding Delivery and Set-up Staff
Slip a few dollars to anyone delivering important items to the site (wedding cake, flowers, or sound system). And if a lot of gear needs to be brought in and set up (tents, chairs, or port-a-potties), the workers deserve a tip too.Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: $5 - $10 per person
When to Tip: Drop off cash envelopes the day before the wedding to the catering manager so the person accepting deliveries can turn the tip.
Wedding Ceremony Officiant
If your officiant is affiliated with a church or synagogue, you're often expected to make a donation to that institution. If you're a member you'll probably want to give a larger amount than if you're not. However, if you're getting married there and they're charging you to use the space, feel free to give a smaller amount. If you're using a nondenominational officiant, no tip is required because they will charge you for their time.Protocol: Expected (depending on officiant)
The $tandard: Donate $500+ to the church or synagogue, or, for a nondenominational officiant, an optional tip of $50 - $100
When to Tip: Most ceremony fees are required prior to the wedding. Otherwise, have the best man pass the cash envelope at the rehearsal dinner if the officiant is in attendance.
Wedding Ceremony Musicians
If you worked with a mini orchestra to come up with the perfect score for your service (and they pulled it off flawlessly), consider showing some monetary thanks for their talent. However, you probably don't have to tip the solo church organist who was required to play.Protocol: Optional
The $tandard: $15 - $20 per musician
When to Tip: At the end of the ceremony.
Wedding Photographer/Videographer
You're not expected to give your shutterbugs any dough beyond their normal fees. Yet if the wedding photographer or videographer doesn't own the studio, consider tipping each person (or give a certain amount with a thank-you note to disperse to staff).Protocol: Unnecessary, unless the photographer is not the studio owner.
The $tandard: $50 - $200 per vendor
When to Tip: At the end of the reception.
Wedding Reception Staff
This type of staff includes the on-site coordinator, maitre d', and banquet manager. A service charge (typically 2 percent) is almost always built in to the food and drink fee, so check your contract. If the gratuity is not included, tip as follows.Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: 15 - 20 percent of the food and drink fee (based on labor, not the cost), or $200 - $300 for the maitre d'.
When to Tip: If it's covered in the contract, the final bill is typically due before the reception. Otherwise, have the father of the bride or best man hand the envelope to the maitre d' at the end of the reception since you will need to know the final tab to calculate the percentage.
Wedding Reception Attendants
When it comes to bartenders, waitstaff, parking, bathroom, and coat-room attendants the rules of tipping are dictated by your contract. If the service fee is included, consider doling out extra only if the service was exceptional. If it's not included, ask ahead of time how many attendants will be working your wedding and calculate on a per person basis.Protocol: Optional, based on contract
The $tandard: $20 - $25 per bartender or waiter; $1 per guest for coat room and parking attendants; $1 per car
When to Tip: Although tips are traditionally passed out at the end of the event, you could alternately distribute them at the beginning of the evening, to encourage all the workers to give you great service.
Wedding Reception Band or DJ
Whether you hire 12-piece swing band or grooving to a DJ, tipping musicians is completely optional. (Depending on the quality of the job and how willing they were to follow your ideal playlist!) And don't forget about any sound technicians they bring with them.Protocol: Optional, yet preferred
The $tandard: $20 - $25 per musician; $50 - $150 for DJs
When to Tip: At the end of the reception, by the best man.
Wedding Transportation
Again, check your contract, as gratuity is usually included. If it isn't, plan to tip provided they show up on time and don't get lost!Protocol: Expected
The $tandard: 15 - 20 percent of the total bill
When to Tip: At the end of the night or after the last ride. If you used a separate company for the guest buses, designate a bus captain to hand the driver a tip, otherwise, this duty falls to the best man.
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