I’m not a Revolutionary War era bride, but I played one at a re-enactment.

funny wedding photos - Their Love Was Revolutionary
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Talk about a theme wedding…phew!  This apparently was a couple who met at Revolutionary War reenactment events.  They had their regular wedding, and then they, um, reenacted it at the reenactment.

So the question is, where is the line between, “oh I loved the touches that made things feel French” and “I am forever scarred: The Sound of Music played and she worked the whole nun-to-bride arc into her walk down the aisle, expecting us to yodel.”

The answer is: Less Is More. if at any point you say to yourself or your little sister “is this too much?” then it probably is.

In a wonderful charming movie we love, L.A. Story, MariLu Henner’s character, a corporate gift specialist, offers this style tip if you feel something’s hinky with an outfit.  Stand with your back to the mirror, and turn around quickly. The first accessory or item that catches your eye is the one you should take off.  Nine times out of ten, you’ll mutter “I knew that,” and take it off.

The point of the story is, you already know what’s right for your celebration.  You already know what’s too much , like the re-enactors, who cleverly had their modern era wedding for the friends who would be forever scarred by all the tri-cornered hats, and then reenacted with their reenactment buddies.  What a wonderful thing: planning sensitive to all involved, and that met the desires of the bride and groom.  Why it’s practically… revolutionary.

Being the ‘Loud and Obnoxious’ Person and Not Knowing It

Wedding Guests 2
Image by mdhfc via Flickr

Over at Mom vs. Career, we found a blogger with admirable self awareness. Don’t you wish certain guests at your events had this ‘lightbulb moment’ before picking up their escort cards?

Planners, what are your best tips for wrangling the L&O guest?

Being the ‘Loud and Obnoxious’ Person and Not Knowing It August 24, 2011

So, I think I’m ‘that girl.’ The one who is loud and obnoxious. I noticed this during a meeting yesterday. I laughed a lot and loudly. My voice raised in volume while I was telling a story. I over-exaggerated with my inflection.The weird thing is that I don’t do that all the time. It’s usually only when I feel comfortable with certain groups of people. I guess that’s good, but I wonder how those groups of people view me when I am loud and obnoxious?I’ve never asked anyone. I just had this mini-revelation yesterday, so I haven’t had a chance to take a survey. Up to this point, it’s not something I’ve been able to control. It comes out naturally in certain settings. Maybe I should be thankful that I feel so comfortable with certain people. However, I wonder if sometimes I go too far.”

via Being the ‘Loud and Obnoxious’ Person and Not Knowing It.

My Little Etiquette Shop: Should a Bride play Bob Barker if the Price Isn’t Right?

Money. Whether you’re on team “Root of All Evils” or  more in the “Can’t Buy Love but Sure is Nice” camp, it is a source of worry for brides, grooms, and their families. This is a really good question – read on.
Q:  I went shopping with my sister for her wedding dress. When paying, she asked if it was the “best price” and if they could add any free accessories or alterations to “sweeten the deal.”  Then she did the same with the caterer.  She was politely declined, but it all made me quite uncomfortable. Is she leaving people whose help she needs with a bad taste in their mouths?

Wedding Budget Stress

A:  In theory, I get her thinking. So much in today’s marketplace is “on sale” or dicounted, so why not try and negotiate? You are correct though, that some vendors see that as a bit nervvy. Don’t worry about the rapport, as a Hospitality Sage once said, “until somebody throws something, any and all bride behavior comes with the territory.”
There’s a simple way to avoid having to bring Monte Hall on appointments, and to stay in your financial comfort zone: Be upfront with vendors about your budget. If they know the parameters, they can adjust their thinking accordingly and remove the need for any “wheeling and dealing.” They can also suggest  packages or specials they have. If you’re working with the A-TEAM of wedding professionals here in the Coachella Valley, all of us know how to take what you’ve got and turn it into “beautiful.”
With wedding businesses, keep this in mind about pricing. What we want is to provide a stable source of a reliable, high-quality service, in our case, beautiful flowers and flawless event design/coordination. When a bride signs with us, we’ve made a commitment to stay where we are, and do our best work for another year. If we discounted too deeply, we’d be unable to keep the promises we make. And keeping our word is important – especially when it means so much to our brides. We work with all types of budgets – and all our weddings, (and parties, corporate events, showers, bar/bat mitzvahs…) are beautiful.

bride and groom in gazebo
Have a great weekend!