Creative Wedding Planning: The Ceremony

Creative Wedding Ceremonies Wedding planning should involve some fun and creativity,...here is a uber fun article by, Lois Heckman, Celebrant from iMemoryfilms! Planning your wedding day is one of the most personal and cherished days of your life, your ceremony should be just as special. Every aspect of it, from readings to music to symbolism, should be a reflection of you and the bond that you share, making this day truly your own, rejoicing in everything that makes your union unique. You can express yourself among family and friends through a personalized ceremony. Additionally, when the ceremony is great, the tone is set for a wonderful celebration. Here are some ideas to make your ceremony unique: Tell your personal story . Share the story of how you met and why you fell in love. What were the first words you said to each other? Where was your first date? How did the proposal happen? What actions of the other say I love you? What does your partner do that always makes you laugh? Your celebrant can include these words in the introduction or elsewhere in the ceremony. Honor the Presenter. If one or both of you will be presented in marriage, take this time to reflect on what this relationship means to you. Have your Celebrant include words of homage, amusing stories, and thanks. Celebrate Your Heritage. Make a list of your respective ethnic, cultural or religious backgrounds. Research wedding rituals, poets and music from these traditions and create a distinctive blend of words and symbols. Honor both your backgrounds and the ceremony will reflect your unique partnership. Something New. Borrow freely from the rich wedding customs around the world. You don't need to belong to a particular culture or religion for its rituals to have meaning. Such rituals have been performed for hundreds or thousands of years because they resonate with universal truths about marriage. Interfaith Weddings. Over 25% of marriages are between partners of different faiths. A good officiant will help you honor each faith tradition in a way that pleases everyone. Involving Children & Stepchildren. When children are involved, your wedding reflects not only the joining of husband and wife, but the creation of a new family or stepfamily. There are many ways to reflect family unity in your ceremony. You may have found the perfect spot for your wedding ceremony, but are unsure of how to find a minister, rabbi, clergy, or other officiant. You can have a ceremony that reflects your values, and the joy of your wedding day, and a Celebrant may be the answer. Celebrants are people who are trained to officiate at, compose and perform the highest quality personalized ceremonies. I studied at the Celebrant USA Foundation in Montclair, NJ. and I officiate in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is a joy and pleasure to be able to provide couples with meaningful ceremonies in just some of the ways I have explained. I hope I have inspired you towards a creative approach to your wedding ceremony. - Lois Heckman ( www.LoisHeckman.com ) is a Certified Celebrant ( www.celebrantusa.org ) in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, and beyond. www.imemoryfilms.com info@imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 For more ideas, tips, and info on the prefect wedding, visit us at www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com. to book iMemoryfilms for your next event, please see us at www.imemoryfilms.com

iMemoryfilms Wedding Shower 101

Wedding Shower 101 Bridal wedding showers are one of many pre-wedding parties and are great fun. They are known as parties with a purpose. The purpose of a shower is to assist the couple in equipping their new home or for the bride to assemble a trousseau. Not only that, but they are a good excuse for the bride to get together with her friends and family to play hilarious games and to enjoy the food and wine. Here is some cool info from iMemoryfilms! Did you know that a trend has started for 'couples showers'? This is sometimes termed as the 'Jack' and 'Jill' shower where you shower both the bride and groom with gifts and good wishes. Either way, if you are having a traditional shower party for just the bride, or decide to have a couples shower, then the planning and the checklist will invariably be the same. Here is an outline of a wedding shower checklist to get you on your way to organizing a great shower party. Who should host the wedding shower? Traditionally the maid of honour tends to plan the shower party. But today, anything goes and it is perfectly acceptable for both family and friends to work together to organize, host and share the cost of the wedding shower. It doesn't really matter who actually hosts the party as long as it is planned well in advance and normally in consultation with the bride. If the shower is planned to be in someone's home, then it's always a good idea to choose the person with the largest home or garden. When to have your party Because of the busy schedule the bride and her family will have in the lead up to her wedding, it is best to hold the shower about four to six weeks before the wedding. A growing trend is that more wedding showers are no longer a surprise and statistics show that 4 out of 5 brides are employed, therefore it is necessary to include the bride in the planning when it comes to setting a date and time. A traditional 'girl-only' party could be a Sunday brunch, a midweek lunch or an afternoon tea garden party. Couples showers are best held on a weekend day or evening. The majority of people tend to work between 9-5 Monday-Friday, therefore a weekend is a safe bet in that most of the couples' friends and relatives can attend. If you are having a shower party with work colleagues, then the ideal time would be in your lunch hour or straight after work. Who to invite Apart from your family members, the host should invite people you know well whether it be friends, relatives or work colleagues. You don't want to invite too many people, as a large group tends to split off in small separate groups. You want everyone to interact with each other and be a manageable size for everybody to play the hilarious shower games and not feel left out. Taking all this into consideration, a comfortable shower should involve about 10-20 people. You don't necessarily need to buy expensive shower invitations. Another growing trend is that many brides are doing their wedding research on the Internet. The internet has opened up many 'cheaper' avenues and you can now get some great printable-wedding-shower-invitations. These invitations are customized with your own wording and design, and are printed directly from your own printer. What's your wedding shower Theme? As with the actual wedding, it is wise to choose a theme before sending out the invitations. The theme can then be used throughout the shower and incorporated in with the invitations, decorations, favors and refreshments. There are literally dozens of topics for a shower party theme. The most popular is the 'kitchen' theme as there are endless pieces of equipment and accessories you can buy for the kitchen. The host knows the bride well and will surely fit a theme around either what the bride and groom need, or their lifestyle. For example if the happy couple are both into health and fitness, then a fitness theme could be an option. One good idea for a couples shower is a wine tasting theme. This is ideal for a Saturday night party and I am sure the men will enjoy this one and easily get into the swing of things! Food, Favors and Games Food: It depends on the theme and location for which type of food to prepare. For example, if you are holding a 'wine tasting theme', then a finger buffet with crackers, nuts and other nibbles goes down well with wine. If you are holding a garden shower party, consider light finger food - cheeses, crackers, fresh fruit, mini-quiches, blueberry cream puffs, crab dip and a bacon, egg and cheese casserole and salads. Favors: Some people choose not to give shower favors. It really depends on where you live and if it is a tradition in your area or not. If you do, you don't have to go overboard with favors if you want to keep the expense down. Give something small and useful like a scented candle. Most people like scented candles and they are practical. A potpourri satchel is another welcome and practical idea. Games: Everyone should be included in the shower games. Shower party games are a great ice-breaker for people to get to know each other. Games can include bridal shower bingo as this is always a big hit as is 'what's in the bag (memory game). Trivia questions about the bride and groom or making a wedding dress with toilet paper are all fun games to be had. Thank You Cards: Normally a simple 'thank-you' was enough, but today, with showers being larger and guests busier, a personal note is the only way to make sure that sincere appreciation is expressed. iMemoryfilms Summary Bridal showers are meant to be fun. They do need a lot of planning and organization in advance, but they are worth it. The bride and groom receive practical gifts for their home, and shower party's are a great excuse to get together with friends and family to have one whale of a time! www.imemoryfilms.com 818.760.9490 info@imemoryfilms.com For more great wedding tips, info and ideas visit us at: www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com! Article is by Claire Bowes, successful freelance writer and owner of www.1st-for-greeting-cards.com

"Green" Weddings 101

For those looking to make their wedding much "greener",..heres some info from,

Kristin Ciccolella of WedAlert
www.wedalert.com


Green is becoming the new white when it comes to weddings. Eco-chic weddings are becoming increasingly popular among couples.

Here are some tips when planning an eco-friendly green wedding, which incorporates ecologically and socially responsible products and services.

* Location: The first element to set the tone is the location. Environmentally aware pairs are opting for botanical gardens over ballrooms. Many couples are having their nuptials on untouched terrain, for example nature preserves, the beach, parks or their own backyards.

* Keep it local: Whenever possible, use local resources for your wedding. In addition to saving on transportation, you’ll be supporting small businesses and your local economy.

* Bridal gowns: Wear natural fibers like organically grown cotton, silk and hemp, which are becoming increasingly popular. If you are having a dress designed, make sure that it doesn’t contain any synthetic materials or chemical dyes. Many brides to be are also turning to vintage dresses or pre-worn wedding gowns from their family members which also adds a hint of nostalgia.

* Invitations: Use recycled or tree free paper for your invitations.

* Catering: When choosing your caterer, find one who specializes in organic ingredients. Vegetarian and vegan diets are popular for many reasons including health, ethical and environmental concerns. Speak to your caterer to discuss and create an interesting and delicious menu sans meat, dairy and processed sugars. For example, an interesting and delectable entrée would be herb-roasted seitan with grilled artichokes, Mediterranean grilled vegetables with balsamic glaze and wasabi mashed potatoes. Support local farms orchards and vineyards by buying your produce and wine there. The demand for ecologically responsible and healthy food is a growing trend overall in the catering field. Choose organic wine which is made from grapes and grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals which damage soil and water. There are many organic wine vineyards to choose from.

* Wedding cake: Find a baker that will make a cake with organic, natural and fair trade ingredients. Be sure to serve fair trade coffee!

* Transportation: Show up in style, Get chauffeured in eco-chic hybrid limousines or opt for the old fashioned horse and buggy.

* After the ceremony: Have guests toss freeze dried flower petals or ecofetti (biodegradable confetti). Eco friendly Birdseed or biodegradable rice is also popular.

* Flowers: Find a local florist who recycles everything they use from the flowers and foliage. Use potted living plants as centerpieces for the tables instead of cut floral arrangements. Select arrangements that can be replanted, and invite your guests to take them home to replant.

* Favors: Organic chocolates make great gifts with a personalized note printed on recycled paper. Jars filled with organic jams, jellies or honey. Handmade soaps or candles are a nice touch as well.

* Candles: Use soy candles, its romantic and energy efficient. They are cleaner and longer burning than regular candles.

* Photography: When choosing a photographer, make sure you chose a photographer that works in digital format. Digital photos are easier to share and much more environmentally friendly. No harmful chemicals, film or wasted paper. If you are set on film photography, there are less toxic developing methods, discuss this option with your photographer.

* Honeymoon: When planning your honeymoon, consider the rainforest in Costa Rica or an amazing adventurous escape at an eco friendly holistic luxurious spa in Africa or Fiji.

By Kristin Ciccolella
WedAlert Corp.
www.wedalert.com


www.imemoryfilms.com

818.760.9490

info@imemoryfilms.com


Visit our website at, www.imemoryfilms.com,..and for more info, wedding tips & ideas, visit us at: www.imemoryfilms.wodpress.com