Advice

Dahhling, you must meet Dahlia!

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Meet the Dahlia.  With it’s depth and wide face it fills out arrangements and bouquets with character.  Coming in a range of rich saturated colors as well as variegated yellows and pinks, it’s a breath of fresh air in the standard wedding lineup.  And going by some of the meanings ascribed to the different colors, you couldn’t find a more appropriate flower to include in your celebration.

Variegated dahlia – “I think of you constantly”

White dahlia – “gratitude to parents”

(this one’s the kicker)

Yellow dahlia – “I’m happy you love me”

Dahlia in Sunshine

Orange with Pink Dahlia

Flowers Group 2

Summer Dahlias

Photos by Cindy See

My Little Etiquette Shop: Graceful handling of Gift Gaffes

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This is the gift table that my sister made.
If the invitation says "no gifts, please," bringing a gift anyway is not good form.

Today we’ll address a guest issue from the Bride’s perspective – but all you guests-to-be out there listen up!  Spare the bride and groom some trouble (see below) and play along.  On to the question.

Q:   Hi My Little Etiquette Shop,

We are going with “no gifts” at our wedding. In my experience some guests bring   gifts anyway, and those who don’t feel very uncomfortable. Can this be avoided?

-testing out of the gifted program

A:  Testy,

The short answer is no.  People bring gifts because they love you.  You cannot (nor would you want to) change that.  You can, however, plan to handle these items so as not to inspire guilt in those who have correctly followed the presence not presents protocol.  1) Do not have any tables near the front of the space that could be used for gifts.  2) Assign someone you trust, and that people know (college aged is ideal) to be outside the entrance to intercept possible packages. Make sure he/she has a boutonniere or corsage so that Aunt Eunice doesn’t think there’s a tuxedoed bandit in the parking lot of First Unitarian Church.  Have your helper bring things to an established (safe) place. Ta da!  No sign of gifts = no guilt.

Note to guests: “no gifts” = no gifts. It does not mean “Oh they don’t really mean that.”

Happy Fourth everyone!  Flowers are safer than fireworks, FYI.


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Matches? We don’t need no stinkin’ matches!

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The definition of Matchy-Matchy from Urban Dictionary is as follows:

Often used in fashion blogs. Used to describe an outfit that is too coordinated and consists of too many of the same types of colours, patterns, fabrics, accessories, designer pieces, thematic elements, etc. Can also be used in reference to interior design.

They don’t mention weddings specifically, but how many of us remember the eighties, when weddings were nothing BUT matchy-matchy? When the first thing brides did was select colors, and then proceed to order everything in those colors? We even remember a movie where the bride was asked by her reception venue what color to dye the mashed potatoes so that they’d match the bridesmaids’ dresses.  (Note- we are not linking to a page about said film because it was an artsy independent wedding movie so it broke the Big Studio Wedding Movie Happy Ending rule.  If you really want to see it anyway, google ‘Annabella Sciorra dyed potatoes’).
These days, people tend to choose a palette of colors they like that work well together, based around one favorite color. Basically that one is the one you’d have chosen if it were the eighties.  Then different elements of the wedding complement each other without all being the same exact color.

Check out The Perfect Palette: Palette Library for inspiration – or look at your own closet! A few colors you love will speak to you.  After all to look harmonious and pretty, the bridesmaids dresses don’t even have to match each other, let alone the mashed potatoes.

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Bridesmaids and a packet of rice from America’s Matchy Matchiest Wedding of the 20th Century: Luci Baines Johnson. If she could have, she’d have painted the pillars of the white house pink!