While the majority of today’s brides are intent on having a wedding that reflects their unique tastes and personalities, the one place they may run into opposition is the place chosen for the ceremony. Unless you are having the ceremony in your own backyard, the chances are excellent that whatever site you have chosen, there will be “guidelines” that you must observe.
Commercial establishments will offer suggestions for what works best in their experience, but are generally more flexible in their attempts to accommodate your unique requests. Public parks and spaces have general operating rules that you must follow. Courthouses and other government buildings have hours and policies that all must adhere to. But churches also have wedding policies that must be followed. Each church will have its own procedures, but in general, expect these policies or at least versions of them:

1. Typically a church will not allow permanently attached furniture to be moved. You may not like the pew arrangement but you will be expected to work with it. If Kate and William can, so can you.
2. No tacks or nails can be driven into the woodwork nor can anything be used to deface it.
3. Saucers and/or mats must be placed under all floral arrangements or greenery that rest on the floor.
4. All arrangements for music, ceremony input and decorations must be submitted in advance and are subject to the approval of the priest, minister, rabbi or church wedding coordinator.
5. Floral arrangements or candles that must be taped to the pew ends are likely to be forbidden.
6. A church may require that its organist be utilized.
7. A church may require that no pictures be taken during the ceremony. Your photographer needs to know this in advance.
8. Common sense says that no trash be left behind in the building so you should appoint a dressing room assistant who makes sure that all bags and related apparel items are removed.
If you have not been provided with a set of guidelines for the venue you have chosen for your ceremony, be sure to ask for clarification.
We are here to help you with all of the details surrounding your wedding.

Where did you get married? Were there any unusual requests?

Because the reception is usually the single largest expense in any wedding, lots has been written about it. Much of the lore of receptions represents an historical or traditional flavor.But times have changed. The economy is different. The bride and groom are different and the focus on the reception as the celebratory segment of a wedding event has changed somewhat.
One assumes that the commitment to another person inherent in the engagement process, is binding. However, like the Crystal Harris plan to marry Hugh Hefner, it is always subject to change. Crystal canceled her wedding plans two days before the event. One can only assume that there were sufficient funds available to cover lost deposits and to issue
guest list wide notes of cancellation. But assuming that the wedding and reception went on as planned, these modern notes of advice would have been well received.
1. Leave the reception before your guests. It used to be the “rule”. The wedding couple changed into their “traveling clothes” and left the reception to begin their honeymoon. Today’s couples have challenged that tradition and are frequently the last to leave their reception. In some cases, it becomes a waiting game. No one is sure who should leave when, so no one does. One can speculate about the reason for this need to be the last to leave the party, but it can prove
awkward. Be gracious and leave before your quests begin to nod off at their tables. It was a super party, but someone has to leave.
2. Whatever your budget for the reception, DO IT WELL! If you don’t have the money for a sit down dinner, switch to a buffet. Don’t skimp. Do what you can afford to do beautifully. Switch days, switch times, switch venues – do
whatever gives you the most beautiful ceremony and reception within your budget. Don’t try to reach a level that you cannot afford. Skimping always shows.
3. Let your focus at the reception be on your guests. This is a huge party/celebration you are hosting. And hosting means that the focus is on the guests. The first rule of entertaining guests is to consider their time and attention. That
means: cut down the time between the ceremony and the reception. Don’t make them wait several hours between events. If the lag time is two hours, that is too much. Also, work hard to have the venues for the reception and the ceremony close together. Be considerate of your guests and don’t make them drive an hour or more to get from one event to another.
4. Cut down the guest list. You don’t need to have the area’s largest reception. Invite only those people who matter to you both. Surveys have shown that after several years, couples look at their wedding photos and are amazed by the number of guests that they cannot name. To a person, those couples regret having invited people who really don’t matter to their important event.

5. If you have changed your mind and don’t want to go through with the wedding, cancel it earlier rather than later. Don’t pull as Crystal Harris and cancel the wedding to Hugh Hefner two days before the event. Remember the focus on
others. The bride isn’t the only star of the day. The groom is a significant player as well. If you two have doubts, work them out or agree to disagree and be gracious hosts.
For advice on other issues that can complicate a wedding, see one of our experienced Bel Fiore consultants who have seen it all at least once. They can be your best source for answers.

Flower Girl Dresses are BACK and there are even MORE  adorably cute styles to choose from!

We recommend ordering their dresses 4-6 weeks before the wedding, to help eliminate sizing errors.

Most dresses available in White and Ivory, with many color accents (or customize her dress with your own ribbons and flower accents!).

We’re looking forward to seeing more little ones in our pretty mini dresses!

Any ideas for customizing flower girl dresses?

And we mean beautiful inside as well as outside. The ideal bride-to-be is a charming, glowing, happy individual who sees the world through the traditional rose- colored glasses.

Unfortunately, the actions of some of her “sisters”, who may have earned the 21st century media title of “Bridezilla”, tarnish that view of a bride. There is even a TV show of the same name that features brides at their worst.

We want our brides to be happy, plan the wedding of their dreams, but we also want them to be the focus of warm thoughts from relatives and guests who see her at her very best – gracious and focused on others. The best bride is one who does not focus on herself only but who shares her happiness with family and friends. We have to believe that no one wants to be referred to as “Bridezilla”. How embarrassing is that?

Here area some areas and behaviors for you – the bride to be – to avoid if you don’t want to wear the reptilian title.

• Stop talking about the wedding non- stop. It is good that you have enthusiasm for the upcoming nuptials, but not everyone on the planet is focused on your big day.Get some perspective and realize as one guest stated, “The world is still turning outside of the bride’s wedding realm.” Your wedding is our focus, but not everyone shares that focus.

• Realize that a “me first” attitude is unbecoming. People wish you well and want you to be happy, but it is unrealistic to expect everyone within your circle of family and friends will drop everything to focus on your wedding. That is why you have us. We will provide that focus. We help our brides to avoid being a diva and remind them to treat friends and family with care and concern.

• Avoid going well over your budget. Experts say that “ spending excessively to achieve what is perceived as perfection is bridezilla behavior.” Let our experienced consultants help you manage your budget and produce a glorious wedding within those constraints.

• Don’t expect preferential treatment. One cannot be rude to vendors and expect the best service. If you have hired a professional to provide a service at your wedding, respect their skill and expertise and treat them as the professional they are.

• Don’t ignore family, friends and fiancée. No plans or details are worth ignoring the most important people in your life. That’s why you have us. Let Bel Fiore‘s certified consultants worry about the details. You spend time with the ones you love.

We spend time with our brides helping them create the wedding of their dreams. There are a myriad of decisions to be made and many areas that require discussion and then decision. Over the years we have learned that too many couples avoid having one of the most important discussions – a talk about financial matters that impact their lives together beyond the marriage celebration itself..

Some couples can/do talk about all aspects of marriage but balk when the subject of money arises. They discuss children, where to live, dreams for the future and career moves. But for many, their conversations about money focus on the wedding itself and then STOP. We encourage our brides to go further and spend time discussing life finances and figure out if they as a couple are at least on the same page.

In an article in the STAR TRIBUNE on June 12,2011, Kara McGuire wrote, “ Planning a wedding presents a natural opportunity to discuss everything from income and debt, to budgeting and establishing priorities. However, a recent survey from Country Financial shows that about half of couples don’t talk about handling the family finances before marriage. And money is a major point of disagreement for most couples, married or not.”

We encourage our brides to pause and assess their life goals and their financial situation. They need to enter into this marriage with honesty and clarity. If they can’t manage the discussion without embarrassment or honesty, we encourage them to consult a financial adviser to help guide the discussion.

We can help our brides create a beautiful wedding within their budgets. But we want our brides to “live happily ever after” and part of that scenario is getting their future financial house in order.

Your first engagement gift is likely to be your ring although a ring isn’t necessary to be engaged. Diamonds remain the stone of choice for most brides to be, but other precious and semiprecious stones are considered appropriate.

When the budget is limited, many brides forgo an engagement ring and choose instead a wedding ring that may be plain or elaborate. Some couples choose a ring that will serve as both the engagement and the wedding ring.

Engagement rings don’t have to be new either. The groom to be may choose to honor his bride with a family heirloom ring or have family stones reset into a style of the bride’s choosing.

An old custom that is being revived is giving the groom an engagement gift. It certainly is not necessary but many brides are choosing to give their groom a personal gift like a special watch, a signet ring or leather bound edition of a favorite book.

In addition to your ring – or in place of it – your finance’ may give you a gift of your choice. It is usually something personal like earring, pearls, jewelry case, rather than practical like clothes, a car or money.

Gifts from family and friends are not expected at engagements, although persons very close to the couple may choose to surprise them with household or trousseau items. Whatever you get, be sure to respond promptly and in writing even if you said thank you in person when you opened the gift.

The engagement is like opening day of a very special and festive season. For more ideas, talk with one of our experienced consultants.

Check out Bel Fiore’s newest addition(s)… Our very own Belt Bar!

We’ve just added BRAND NEW styles of belts and sashes and had to share them!  Customize them with different colors, brooches, and flowers to make them even more perfect for your dress!

Make your appointment today to see our collection of bridal gowns and add any of these uniquely beautiful accessories to your gown!

Already have a dress?  The belts and sashes are available separately!

We get questions about showers! Most everyone knows stories about how and why they started, but are not sure about the best way to handle 21st century changes – especially in light of more flexible advice.

A question that we are frequently asked is about “mandatory” shower gifts. If one is invited to a bridal shower and plans to attend, yes – a gift is in order. Shower gifts are usually smaller and more personal than wedding gifts. However, if you cannot attend, a gift is not required or expected.

If one is also invited to the wedding but cannot attend, the giving of a gift is optional. We say “optional” because the norms around this are changing. Traditionally, if one was invited to a wedding but could not attend, a gift was not necessarily expected. If the couples were close friends and/or relatives, a gift was usually sent anyway. But today, some experts are suggesting that a gift be sent even if the bride and groom are only casual friends of the invitees. Emily Post experts now state, “You traditionally respond to a wedding invitation with a gift whether or not you are able to attend…”

For more help with questions about “how to” do stop in and let our experienced consultants assist you.

Bel Fiore Bridal is so proud to announce that our FIRST EVER wedding dress giveaway was a success! We gave away many wedding dresses to so many deserving brides. We enjoyed meeting each & every one of them & hearing their stories. We are so honored to be a part of their special day.

We could not believe that so many brides, braved the cold & the first one even arrived at 4 AM!!!

Here’s a photo of one of our lucky brides, Kara & me!

Click here to check out our facebook page for lots more photos of our crazy, fun & exciting day!

Here’s the original post regarding the Brides Across America event & our spot on the local news.

Stay tuned for announcements regarding our next event!