wedding

Family Holiday Advice from My Little Flower Shop, Palm Springs florist

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You know those movies about wacky families that really love reach other under all the craziness? Well, Julia Louis Dreyfuss may not be cooking your High Holiday brisket, and Jane Lynch may not be sorting the sweet potato casserole recipes that will end up on your Thanksgiving table, but the sweet families on the silver screen aren’t that different from yours.

Here’s how I know.  One of the men who invented the entertainment industry as we know it, Louis B. Mayer, was the son of a scrap metal dealer who became the most powerful man in Hollywood. Mayer would tell people his birthday was the Fourth of July because he was fiercely patriotic. He wanted America to be all marching bands, fireworks and apple pie. So that’s what he put in the movies. He created the images we all associate with our culture and our country.

English: Apple pie.
English: Apple pie. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These days, filmmakers continue to put their dreams and ideals on screen, but in a more modern way.  We see their crazy families, but with softer edges, a lot of humor and a sympathetic eye. And there’s frequently a happy ending.  With some good dialogue, could that be your Aunt Phyllis instead of Shirley MacLaine? Can you soften the lens this holiday season to see your family more as human beings who love you and less like a clown car full of confused commuters? I bet you can. Remember, Louis B. Mayer created his own reality. Think more apple pie, less fireworks.

Fairy Tale Wedding Hero: Beauty And The Beast’s Lumiere

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Lumiere is my hero.  Yep- the singing candlestick. Lumiere’s big number is “Be Our Guest,” an ode to making guests comfortable.

English: Belle, Cogsworth, Chip, and Lumiere
English: Belle, Cogsworth, Chip, and Lumiere (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A wedding is, at heart, for the guests– a fact lost on some brides who want to fulfill their own desires, and assume everyone will go with the flow. The truth is, if the only two people having fun are the bride and groom, that’s a sad state of affairs. You want people to be happy for you, and have a great time! Step number one is keeping them happy, so keep your guests in mind when you are planning. Two easy things to consider:

Where

The number one way to irritate your wedding guests is by getting married at an inconvenient location. Now, a destination wedding is one thing. But if you’re staying local, and asking 250 people to join you at the Chapel of Saint Wilhemina of Small Parking Lots  in the Middle of Nowhere National Park, you’re going to have a few cranky customers. A good litmus test: if it’s going to take most guests longer to drive to your ceremony site than to experience the ceremony itself, you might want to look for a different location.

When

Of course your wedding date has to work for you and your family.  But perhaps your Maid of Honor is Jewish – if the date you’re considering falls on Passover, you may want to call and check if that’s a problem.  Also look out for other big family events – if your Aunt and Uncle’s 50th Wedding Anniversary falls close to your date, it’s polite to check if they have something planned.  Last, look out for other weddings, friends or family.  There are enough dates to go around, no need to step on cousin MacKenzie’s special day.

If you consider these things at the outset, you’ll have a happier crowd in the end.  That Lumiere, he really sheds light on how to treat guests! If your tea-pot starts talking, listen up.

Be well, and love well.

Dinah

Don’t Blame It On The Rain! Have A Plan For Bad Weather On Your Wedding Day.

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As Hurricane Isaac heads towards Tampa, site of the Republican National Convention, I feel a little empathy for the event planners in charge of the countless parties in the works for next week. There’s no way of knowing what the conditions will be – a little sprinkling? Gale force winds? Regardless, they have to have a plan. Rental companies from all over the South must be sending tents that direction.

Although your wedding may be a bit smaller in scale than a national political party convention, you’ve got to think ahead. A rain plan is a must. No matter what time of year it is, you just can’t tell when the skies are going to open up.  The weather has gotten bizarre all over the country (the Republicans won’t admit it, but people who believe in things like evolution have done studies and it has to do with global warming).

English: Hurricane Isaac
English: Hurricane Isaac (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even here in Palm Springs with our  notoriously perfect weather, I was relieved to have options on our wedding day when – guess what? It started to rain.  The universe smiled on us, and we had a perfect evening by the time the ceremony rolled around, but if we had to move indoors, the Hotel Zoso was prepared.

So when deciding on a venue, ask about a rain option.  If they shrug their shoulders, shrug yours and move along.  Risking it is just that – a risk.  If you take that chance and everyone gets soaked, you can’t blame it on the rain.

Be well, and love well.

Dinah

FL readers, stay safe, and dry!  Good luck to any planners involved with the convention!