All About Toasting… Tips for You!

Who: It’s now common for people other than the best man to speak – fathers, the groom, the maid of honor.  But don’t leave things to chance; the couple should decide ahead of time who will speak and in what order.

What:  Toasts should always be positive – and clean – and end with a wish for the couple’s happiness.  Toast givers can start by mentioning their connection to the couple, but should keep the focus to the bride and groom, not on themselves.  Customization is key: An anecdote about the just-marrieds is a plus, as is suggesting why they’re perfect for each other.

When:  A captive audience is a receptive audience.  2 good times: as the first course is being served, or right after the first dance.  Be sure to give toast givers a heads-up, so they’re not at the bar when it’s showtime.

Where:  The toast giver can leave his seat and head for the microphone to make his big speech, or he can simply stand at his table and begin speaking.

How:  Anything over 3 minutes will have guests’ eyes glazing over, so toast givers should keep it short.

*What should the bride and groom do during a toast?

Since the toast is being made in your honor, remain seated when everyone else rises.  Maintain eye contact with the toast-giver as a morale booster and so guests will follow your cue.  When everyone takes a sip at the end, the two of you should wait a minute before joining in, to avoid looking as though you’re drinking to yourselves.

Check out our selection of Personalized Champagne Flutes to toast to your happiness!  Keep them for years to come!

Happy Planning!  Cheers!

Meghan

Thanks to “Brides” for the help toasting!

10 Tips For Writing Thank-You Notes

1. Divvy up the writing.  Use a divide-and-conquer strategy:  Each of you should plan to pen your own notes to your respective relatives and close friends.

2.  Don’t wait.  Prompt equals polite: Gifts received before the wedding should be acknowledged within 2 weeks; for those that come after, send notes within one month.

3.  Got  cash?  Keep it classy.  Thank the sender for her “generous gift,” and mention your plans for it.  (We’re putting it toward a car).  Never, ever mention the amount.

4.  Otherwise, be specific.  As with cash, explain how you plan to use the present.  (We can’t wait to serve Rob’s famous melon cosmos in our new martini glasses.”)

5.  Never say a gift arrived broken.  If an item arrives damaged, notify the store immediately; it can probably be replaced without involving the giver.

6.  Stick to stationary.  None of the following should replace a mailed paper note: a phone call, email, text, IM shout-out, Facebook status update, or tweet.

7.  Get personal.  Tell the giver that you’re excited to see her at the wedding, or, if it happened already, that you enjoyed spending time with her on your big day.

8.  Give groups their due.  Did your gang pitch in to buy a couch?  Write each person their own note, acknowledging how lucky you are to have such fab friends.

9.  Skip the photos.  Cards with wedding pics are cute, but the images can really hold up the process.  Send notes (that match your theme, perhaps) now; send photos later.

10.  Don’t sign jointly.  Whoever writes the note should sign the note, but feel free to use language like “Josh and I adore the crepe pan.”

Thank you “Brides” for these tips!

Check out the hot new flower trends for 2010!

Props as Centerpieces

Re-think the term, reception centerpiece and incorporate decorative accessories (like the kind you would use to spruce up a coffee table, kitchen shelf, or fireplace mantle) into your centerpieces. Sparkly spheres, brilliant mercury glass pieces, or even a retro scale topped with fruit and flowers like this one can become the focal point of your tables.

Black Accents Are Back

We’re talking little black lacquer flower vases, black pillows in the lounge area, black glassware. To keep it from looking too dark, choose a deep jewel tone like deep blue, purple, or even red. It’ll give your reception that timelessly chic, formal, time-for-cocktails-and-fun feel.

Fabric-Wrapped Vases

Forget about stressing over dahlias versus delphiniums and put the focus on your vases by wrapping them in eye-catching fabrics to give them a textured look and feel. To keep the look clean (not messy), choose flowers in the same color like this all-white table here.

From-the-House Reception Decor

You know those chairs you saw at IKEA that you thought would really perk up the living room? Or that great vanity mirror and table you spotted at the flea market this summer? Those can become amazing pieces at your wedding to truly make it one-of-a-kind.

Great Gatsby Garden Decor

Button up a backyard or garden wedding with silver mint julep vases; pretty white garden urns and pedestals, and plenty of little silver cocktail hour trays. Small flower arrangements on crisp cocktail tables will set the scene for an event Jay Gatsby would be proud of.

An Eclectic Mix of Monochromatic Vases

Like the mix and matched, wildflower, outdoor wedding aesthetic? Choose a monochromatic mix of vases in all different shapes and sizes for your tables filled with colorful flowers for a more streamlined pulled-together look.

White Bouquets with Attention-Grabbing Wraps

Let your bouquet wrap shine by choosing all-white flowers. Then personalize it by asking your florist to wrap the stems with beads, sequins, pretty pins, shells, crocheted lace, or even twine are just a few ideas.

Thanks to The Knot for this article.

New color combinations, straight from “Brides” Magazine:

Mango & Turquoise

Blush & Taupe

Gold, Light Blue, & Pewter

Get creative!  Whatever you want, goes!

Check out Bel Fiore’s hundreds of Bridesmaid Dresses in a huge selection of colors!

The Knot polled hundreds of wedding beauty experts for their top tips to offer brides.  Here are their favorites:

1. Don’t drink wine or eat dark-colored foods like berries.

Unless you want to capture a stained smile in your wedding photos, you should avoid foods that can tint your pearly whites. To get ‘em extra pearly, invest in a professional teeth-whitening service. On a strict budget? “Crest Whitestrips work magic!” says Melissa Roshan of Make-Up by Melissa Roshan in Columbus, Ohio. “Start any whitening regime about one month before the wedding.”

2. Don’t tan.

Not only are you putting yourself at risk of skin damage, but getting too dark a tan can look unnatural in wedding photos. Especially if it’s a spray tan gone wrong.

3. Don’t get your first-ever bikini wax just before your wedding.

If you plan to wax your bikini line, begin the process at least three months beforehand — or face the consequences. “Waxing that area becomes less painful each time, and you’ll avoid major pain, swelling, and irritation on your wedding night,” says Houston makeup artist Jen Marine.

4. Don’t change your birth control, skin-care program, washing detergent, etc., less than six weeks before the wedding.

Sure, that fabric softener might be on sale, but that new rash you get from it? Hardly a sweet deal. “You don’t want to introduce new products because you don’t know how your skin will react,” says Los Angeles-based makeup artist Elle Leary.

5. Don’t get a facial, get your brows waxed, or cut or color your hair two days or less before your wedding.

“Get these services done a week or so beforehand,” says Atlanta-based makeup artist Raney O’Keefe (Bel Fiore’s pal!). “Then you have plenty of time to remedy any ‘oopsie-daisies’ that may happen!”

6. Don’t ingest excess sodium the week before the wedding.

That means no salty foods, sauces, dressings, or salty deli meats. Instead, choose low- or no-sodium everything starting at least seven days before the wedding. “Sodium holds 50 times its weight in water, so you can shed two to five pounds the week before the wedding just by doing this!” says Liz DiAlto of Fit, Healthy and Beautiful in New York City.

7. Don’t flat-iron your hair before a trial or on your big day.

That cute, flat-ironed hairstyle you had for your rehearsal dinner is going to wreak havoc on the curly look you’re planning for your ceremony. “If you’re aiming for soft, romantic curls on your wedding day, you need to have fresh hair,” says Samara Binder of Bridal Beauty Chicago. “That means if you flat-iron your hair the night before, make sure to wash it out!”

8. Don’t sit around in your bra the morning of your wedding.

Makeup artist and hair stylist Nicole Francavilla, of Beauty by Nicole in Orange County, New York, says this is the best way to avoid those unsightly pink indents on your back and shoulders (especially if you’re wearing a strapless dress!).

9. Don’t skimp on water!

Double up on your water intake for at least one month prior to the wedding to keep your skin clear and glowing. You should also limit the toasting at your prewedding parties. “During the rehearsal dinner, try to switch back and forth between alcohol and a glass of water,” says makeup artist Adriana Fontes of Adriana Fontes Makeup Design in Chandler, Arizona.

10. Don’t forget your beauty emergency kit.

Trust us — and hair and makeup expert Megan Garmers (MG Hair and Makeup, MGHairAndMakeup.com) — when we say this will be a lifesaver. Include different sized safety pins, double-sided sticky tape, a small sewing kit, a small pair of scissors, a bleach pen, bobby pins, hair spray, blotting papers, gum or mints, a razor, deodorant, Band-Aids, a small packs of tissue, nail polish remover, clear nail polish, an emery board, a nail clipper, makeup remover wipes, tampons, and anything else you think you might need. “Be prepared for what can go wrong so it doesn’t ruin your day,” Garmers says.

11. Don’t forget to touch up!

It’s okay to be a little high-maintenance — bring a touch-up bag and actually use the products at the reception.

12. Don’t cry off all your beautiful makeup!

Tears will happen, so it’s important to know how to weep correctly. “Hold a tissue in each hand. Then press the tissues in the tear duct and let the tears run into the tissue — and keep changing the tissue,” says Catherine Sullivan of Fresh Face Chicago. “This keeps you from rubbing your face and eyes and ruining your beautiful face.”

13. Don’t forget your makeup artist or hair stylist!

Trust us, they want to see how beautiful you looked! “Remember to send at least one picture to your makeup artist,” says Stephanie McKenzie of Stephanie M. Make-Up in the DC metro area. “Doing so enables your makeup artist to build a fantastic portfolio and, more importantly, your beauty will be showcased for all to see.”

We love photos of our Blushing Brides, too!  If you haven’t sent your’s in yet, you can email them to info@belfiorebridal.com. 

Thanks again to The Knot for their tips.   Happy Planning!

Should you invite children to your wedding? We get this question very often and so I wanted to share our response…

More and more of our brides want to include children on the guest list. Sometimes the couple has children of their own and other times they have family and friends with children that they don’t want to leave out.

As a mother myself, I can tell you that there are a few things to remember when inviting children to the wedding particularly if they are younger than the age of ten.

1. Sitting still and quiet during a wedding ceremony is nearly impossible.http://blog.belfiorebridal.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

2. Sitting still and quiet during a five hour wedding reception is definitely impossible

3. The more the parents want to talk to the friends, the more attention the children need.

4. And finally, the dance floor is a great place to run around and burn off energy.

With that in mind, couples ask usall the time how to entertain the children.

Here are a couple of great ideas for entertaining kids at your wedding:

* Create a play area for them. Put in a low table covered with butcher paper and stock with crayons so they can work together to create a mural. Make sure to have extra paper for those artists who like to work solo.

* Serve them food they will enjoy. My little ones love to choose what they eat, so I think a kids’ buffet is a fun idea that will keep the group entertained for a while. If you don’t have enough children attending to warrant a buffet, serve them a plated meal of kid-friendly food.

* Put up a children’s bar. Stock a children’s bar with soda, water and mixers to make Shirley Temples. It will make the kids feel special and it will keep them from crowding the adult bar.

* At some point in the evening, ask your entertainment to play kid-friendly music It doesn’t have to be for long, but the kids will have a blast if they have the opportunity to dance to some music that they recognize. You will also get some amazing photographs and video!

* If you have the budget, bring in some special entertainment. Caricature artists, face painters, and balloon artists are a small sample of the fun entertainment you can bring in for the children at your wedding. A few of my clients have done a separate room with supervised Wii tournaments, kid’s DJ, movies and more!

What are your ideas? Or what have you done to entertain children at your wedding?

Step off tight tendrils and “princess wedding” talk. We’ve got new cheese-free wedding ideas for your day right here.

Cheese-Free Wedding Favor: The Hangover Helper Kit

What’s in it? The usual suspects: Tylenol, sleeping mask, water, and vitamins. You could also add crackers, vitamin water, towelettes, and mints. Package it up pretty like they did here, and hand them out at the after-party. Your guests will thank you in the morning. Check out other cheese-free wedding favors on our website.

Cheese-Free Bachelorette Party: The Un-Vegas Trip

If Las Vegas is your thing, by all means grab your ladies and make it happen. But don’t force it. There are a gazillion other hip bachelorette party-ready cities in the US. Plan a trip to sunny Santa Monica, Miami, or Santa Fe. Spend the days sitting poolside, riding bikes, and exploring — then, you know, hit the town. Most importantly, have fun!

Cheese-Free Registry: Glassware With a Hint of Color

So maybe you already have your fair share of white dinner plates. But that’s no reason not to register for dishes. Perk up the old cabinets by adding colorful glassware to the registry. It’s an easy way to take the table up a notch without having to register for repeats.

Cheese-Free Bridesmaids: Unique Hair Accessories

Sure, have your bridesmaids wear their own black dress, choose a different neckline, or even vary the dress shade — all good ideas. But if you really want them to shine, ask them to wear their favorite hair accessory (think feather headbands, flower pins, and sparkly hair sticks). Or have Bel Fiore’s own J&K Designs custom create individual headpieces for each of your unique bridesmaids.

Cheese-Free Photography Idea: A “Day-After” Shoot

On the wedding day, you’re going to want to be hanging out with your people as much as possible — not off taking personal shots the entire time. If you’re on a particularly strict day-of schedule (and even if you’re not), see about scheduling a day-after (or even a week-after) photo session to get some cute shots of the two of you (yep, a second chance to wear that amazing dress). Also a great opportunity to participate in a “Trash the Dress” photo shoot and involve your groom as well. Stay tuned for upcoming “Trash the Dress” specials at Bel Fiore.

Cheese-Free Boutonnieres: Made of Feathers and Buttons

These little creations are anything but typical — but if that describes your wedding style, then in get in on this idea and give one to every groomsmen.

Cheese-Free Groom’s Cake: Rice Krispies Treat Cake

Speaking of the guys, groom’s cakes have come a long way. So if something like, oh say, Rice Krispies Treats used to be one of his faves as a kid, see about creating a large version as the groom’s cake.

Cheese-Free Hairstyle: Pinned-Back Waves

Soft waves give this hairstyle a fun, flirty, natural look with an “I’m-not-going-to-freak-out-about-my-hair” kind of vibe.

Cheese-Free Guest Book: The Mad Libs Guest Book

Get guests exicited about signing the guest book for once (not wondering whether you’re ever going to read it) with a Mad Libs-style guest book. Throw them into a scrapbook after the wedding for a fun keepsake.

Cheese-Free Wedding Cake: Laser-Printed Wedding Cakes

Notice, we’re not suggesting that laser-printed photos splashed across a royal icing wedding cake is cute (you know the kind where your favorite uncle ends up eating the piece of cake featuring your ear). This is different — it’s a cake printed with your all-time favorite quote or the line from the poem he read you when he proposed.

Cheese-Free Transportation: A Vintage Car

It’s all for the photo op anyway, so get the coolest car you can find (rent it or borrow it from a friend) in an amazing color, and make it a flashy getaway.

Cheese-Free Wedding Song: “I Gotta Feeling”

What better way to let your guests know that you’re wedding is going to be a good time than to tell them with a song? Ah, like one of the Black Eyed Peas’ latest. We’re pretty sure you’re familiar, but just in case, you can listen to it here.

Thanks to The Knot for this great article

If you’re a creative bride, chances are you plan on tackling some of your wedding tasks yourself.  The key is to keep up with your timeline!

Here is a little advice about what you can expect to handle and what you should leave to the pros.

DIY:

1. Invites.  You can do these months in advance before your planning timeline runs short.  Get your own crafty materials locally or design your perfect invite online.

2. Programs.   Complete these a few weeks before the date, once you’ve set up your timeline and finalized all the details.  Eliminate errors by waiting until closer to the date.

3.  Non-Living Decor.  Want to build your own huppoh or a centerpiece with particular objects?  Go for it.  Just get it done early and make sure your planner and florists can work around your creation.

LEAVE IT TO THE PROS:

1.  Photography.  Anyone you know well enough to take pictures for free should be included in your photos.

2.  Catering.  Grandma may make an awesome dish, but can make a batch for 300 and keep it warm and fresh?

3.  Cake.  Baking is chemistry.  There’s more to it than just the icing on the cake!

4.  Flowers.  How do you kill something and keep it alive at the same time?  Stumped?  Hire a florist!

Happy Planning!

Thanks to Savannah Weddings  for a few of these tips.

The flowers we pick for our Weddings based off of likes and dislikes may have a deeper meaning:

Written by the Editors of Real Simple, “There is a language of flowers — whether you or anyone  at your wedding is fluent in this language is another question.  Here, some of the meanings ascribed in North America to popular blooms”:

Amaranthus: Constancy and fidelity

Amaryllis: Pride, pastoral beauty

Anemone: Abandonment, forsakenness, sincerity, fragility

Chrysanthemum: Happiness and long life

Chrysanthemum (White): Truth

Chrysanthemum (Yellow): Secret admirer

Chrysanthemum (Red): Love

Daffodil (a.k.a. Narcissus): Respect and good fortune, chivalry, unrequited love

Daisy: Innocence, loyal love, purity

Forget-Me-Not: Faithful love and memory, true love

Iris: Faith and wisdom, inspiration

Ivy: Fidelity, wedded love, affection

Lilac: First love

Lily: Purity and sweetness

Lily of the Valley: Renewed happiness and humility

Orchid: Love and beauty

Peony: Happiness and prosperity

Rose (Red): Love and desire

Rose (White): Purity and innocence

Sweet Pea: Departure

Tulip: True love

Violet: Modesty

Zinnia: Thoughts of friends, thoughts of absent friends

Flower Photos Courtesy of 50Flowers.com

8 Wedding Dress Tips from The Pros:

“Try on several dress styles: Your dream gown may be different from what you originally had in mind.”

“To diffuse any make up stains, blot your dress with white talcum.”

“Pick a gown in a color that compliments your complexion: If you have dark or olice skin, a White gown will sparkle and shine.  If you’re fair, consider Ivory.”

“Bring 2 pairs of shoes: one for the ceremony, the other to put in the reception site’s feezer.  Whe your feet start hurting, slip on the second pair to feel instantly refreshed – trust me!

“To get creases out of your dress, take it out of its bag and hang it up several days before the wedding, with a clean drop cloth underneath.”

“Get a proper last fitting for your gown.  Many brides lose or gain weight until right before the wedding.”

“Bring toupee tape, safety pins, and needle and thread in case you need to make emergency alterations.  And don’t forget to wear Band-Aids to protect your heels from a night of dancing in new shoes.”

“Have your bridal salon teach your maid of honor the art of bustling – one less thing for you to worry about.”

Thanks to “Brides” for the tips.