HONEYMOON IN THE OWNER'S SUITE!

My MR and I have enjoyed going on cruises together. We like that the boat is constantly moving, the scenery is ever changing, and there is just something so peaceful about being out on the open sea.

In the past we have travelled with Carnival Cruise Lines and have had excellent experiences. We typically book a standard suite with a balcony on as high of a deck as we can find. We love being able to step outside when we arrive in the ports and look out in the islands or sitting on the balcony in the evenings as we head back out to sea and watching the twinkling of the islands lights at dusk.

For our honeymoon we decided to kick it up a notch and booked the Owner's Suite on the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas. It was really important to us to leave the Sunday morning after the wedding and it was one of the few ships setting sail on a Sunday.

We are super excited about the room! The balcony is three times larger than the regular balcony and has room for two loungers and a four person table. One of the features of the Owner's Suite that I am looking forward to is that they will bring any of the full dinner menu items from the restaurants to your room. Now, MR and I enjoy going to dinner when we cruise, but I am so excited to sit on our balcony and have dinner one night as we leave port.

We are 18 days away and I will be sue to upload some video and share the experience when we return!

The Ceremony: Wightman Chapel

I had planned the perfect day; it was easy, convenient and logistically flawless. Until we realized that our guest list was out growing our venue. Our space could hold up to 125 for the ceremony and 200 for the reception. Because we had hoped to have both the ceremony and reception in the same location we were limited to 125. We finally came to terms with the fact that we would need to find a new ceremony location and set out on a search. Well, as it happened, my future MIL was on it! She was an event planner for the Tennessee Trail Lawyers and knows all the good spots and how to find the right people to talk to. She was able to learn that one of Nashville's prime wedding ceremony locations was amazingly available ON OUR DATE due to another couple cancelling. So I can now say we have booked the insanely beautiful Wightman Chapel at Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville. Originally a center for missionaries and teachers it has now been transformed into a non-denominational campus for spiritual retreat and hosted Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1957.

Wedding Program Ideas

A program is to serve as a guide for your guests and can multi-task to do some explaining so that you don't have to! Here you will introduce you wedding party, family, and officiants to your guest who may not know everyone and inform your guest of what is going on during your ceremony. Here you can also add background information and explanations of customs for diverse or multi-ethnic celebrations.

One idea that I really like, in lieu of paper, is to have an announcement board with the program on it. Don't  plan on this route being a money saver as I would think this to be moderately pricey. Consider it to be a green alternative to paper programs rather than a less expensive option. This board was created by Lindsey Cox at Letters and Light Co. Check out her and her awesome photography.

http://www.lettersandlightco.com

http://emmalinebride.com/ceremony/infographic-wedding-program/

Design by: http://www.bisforbrown.com

What your program should absolutely include:

• An introduction of time, place and occasion {The Wedding of Jenny and Brian, October 17, 2015, Pinehust, North Carolina}
• The names of the wedding party and if you like their relationship {Susannah- cousin of the bride}
• The names of speakers and officiants
• Printed readings
• Musical Selections {any explanation is there is specific sentimental value}
• Explanations of customs, or religious rituals that guests may be unfamiliar with. This is especially critical at multi-ethnic or multi-religious ceremonies and helps the guests to feel involved and understand what is going on

You may also include special thank you and remembrances of those not able to be with you.

Welcome Baskets For Wedding Guests

http://askmissa.com/2012/03/05/wedding-guest-welcome-baskets-a-thoughtful-touch/

One wedding idea I love is that of a welcome basket with an itinerary for the weekend, especially for out of town guests! This lets guests know that you are appreciative and grateful for their arrival and tells them what to expect, where to be, and when. Another nice touch I saw at one venue in Asheville, North Carolina {http://www.bohemianhotelasheville.com} was that the bar will deliver a beer to the guests room after check-in. This is a great idea for the groom's men's welcome and would add an extra touch if you went with a local brew!

https://atyoursideplanning.wordpress.com/tag/wedding-guests-welcome-baskets/

Design your welcome baskets and then deliver them to the hotel for staff to put in guests rooms prior to their arrival. You could do a set of baskets for your maids, grooms, and guests or you can do a standard basket but add a unique item for each group. For maids you might add cute emory boards and bobby pins or pink champagne. Grooms could be given a cigar or matching cufflinks. Here are some items to include in your basket:


1. Two bottles of water. Sure, there is likely a vending mating down the hall, but how relieved is the guest that returns home from dancing and drinking the night away at your reception to bottled water.

2. Ibuprofen {see #1}. Consider it an adult first aid kit. With some water and motion guests will be less likely to skip your farewell brunch!

3. A map of the area with shopping and dining suggestions. If there are any restaurants, parks, or other locations particularly sentimental to you and your sweetie you can denote them on the map with a heart shaped sticker. "This is where we had our first dinner date.", "This is the park John proposed in. Great photo op by the fountain!" This gives guests something to do while you are busy with rehearsal dinners and the morning of.

4. A sample of local libations. For example, if you are from Kentucky, what a nice touch to add some small bottles from distilleries located along the Bourbon Trail! {http://kybourbontrail.com}. Some states have great wines. If you aren't serving alcohol you could include a local drink or something your region is known for. A Carolina wedding might have a can of Cheerwine or Georgia might have Coca-Cola.

http://www.buildabasket.com/knob-creek-straight-bourbon-whiskey-gift-crate.html

5. A small snack. Almonds, peanuts, a granola bar. Something for guests to snack on while they wait for their +1 to get beautiful!

6. An itinerary. 

Guests want to know what is going on, where to be, and when. A simple card can tip guests off to:

• Friday evening happy hour for out of town guests {time and location}
• Time for shuttle transport to and from venues {times and location}
• Time and location for farewell brunch
• Times and locations of any other activities you may have planned for your guests. For out of town guests perhaps you have lined up tour times at a local art gallery, a trip to a local farmer's market, or another morning activity to showcase your location.

Images from: http://limoncello-style.blogspot.com/2011/04/unchosen-one.html

Can I Invite My Ex To My Wedding?

The answer to this question is a resounding, "No." No, you most certainly may not! Exes and weddings just shouldn't happen. It makes about as much sense as screen doors on a submarine, y'all! Sure you might be on "good terms" and great "friends" {Notice how I use quotes? Because that is how others view the relationship} It makes minds wander and the very last mind you want wandering to those corners of the hypothetical universe is your soon to be betrothed. Regardless of whether or not your beloved approves the invitation, it is best to err on the side of caution. Be considerate of peoples feelings. It can make for hurt feelings, even if they don't surface for months or years. When a relationship has ended it is best to go your separate ways and there is no circumstance where attending a former flames nuptials is a good idea. One or both parties involved might be perceived  as still clinging to what once was or having hopes for something that might be.

Avoid! Avoid! Avoid!

Can I Bring My Children To A Wedding?

This is a fairly well known protocol to follow but, sadly, some people are not familiar.

If a couple has chosen to invite children to their celebration they will include the names of the children on the invitation. If your children's names are not included

Who Pays For the Bridesmaids Accommodations?

This won't be a long post.

You do. Traditionally, the bridesmaids pay for all of their travels costs, but the host {bride, groom, parents, whomever} pays for their accommodations.

The way I see it, they are coming there to support you; to help you dress, help you walk, help you pee for goodness sake's. They have paid for their dresses, been to numerous gatherings to celebrate YOU, given you gifts, and geez, if you are asking them to be a bridesmaids they probably also nursed you back to life after break ups, put you to bed after a girls night, guided you through your many life decisions that ultimately landed you in this fortunate position to be marrying the love of your life. Pay for their hotel room.

Enough said.

Who Do I Thank For an Unclaimed Gift?

Almost always, at a large function full of gift-bearing guests, someone is bound to forget o leave a card with their gift, leaving their hostess scratching their head wondering whom to thank. DILEMA!! Whom do you thank for an orphaned gift? One handy fix for this puzzle is to sen dan ambiguous card to all of your attendees once your detailed thank yous have been completed.

Examples:

Gift With Card

Mr. and Mrs. Robinson,
       Thank you so much for your gift of linens and towels. They are heavenly to the touch and we will thoroughly enjoy them. We are so grateful that you were able to attend our wedding and help us celebrate such a special day.

Sincerely,
    Beth and Joe Thompson


For a gift without a card you might say:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Robinson,
       Thank you so much for joining us at our wedding and helping us celebrate such a special day. It meant so much to us that you were able to come dance the night away with us.

Sincerely,
     Beth and Joe Thompson


With the second note, should the Robinson's receive your note and see that you do not specifically mention their linens and towels, they might try to recall whether or not they left a card. At least if they have received some form of correspondence from you, they might feel more comfortable to call and ask if you knew the linens were from them. That way you can identify the gifted and send a second thank you specifically for the gift.

When writing a thank you note for gifts it is not sufficient to simply say, "Thank you for your gift." it is much more thoughtful to make a remark about the gift itself. "We love looking at the beautiful China and can not wait to use it when guests come over!" That way the guest knows that you saw their gift.

When Should I Formally Announce My Engagement?

For so many, the first impulse we have once the ring has been placed on our finger, is to construct the perfect engagement status update. We've all seen them...

"Jimmy must have liked it.....CAUSE HE PUT A RING ON IT!!!!!"


But before you tell the world of your exciting news, stop to think about if you have told those you are closest to and think about how they will feel to see your announcement on Facebook or other social media rather than from you and your love. Manners aren't about following rules to a T, they are about being considerate of other's feelings. Your parents, close friends, grandparents, aunts and uncles, would probably like hear the new from you themselves. Once you have taken the time to think about who you should inform in person, feel free to update your social media sites.

Also to note, depending on where you live, one might also run a formal announcement in the local paper. This should also be done once families have been notified, a date has been set, and the couple is ready to move forward with wedding preparations. I don't think it is in good taste to run an announcment if there are no eminent intentions of moving forward.

Should I Have A Pampered Chef Bridal Shower?

I personally feel that Pampered Chef bridal showers are the ultimate ruse. Guest are being invited to come to a gathering, bring a gift, and then asked {outright or subliminally} to spend additional money, some of which gets turned into profit for the hostess! A shower should be thrown out of love and generosity toward the bride with her best intentions in mind and for a hostess to financially gain off of her guests is deceitful and a sham. If the bride is in need or want of kitchenware she will have the opportunity to register for such items. Even in lieu of a proper registry, a for profit bridal shower is never an acceptable option.

It makes the bride look acquisitive and the hostess worse!

Avoid! Avoid! Avoid!

How Many Bridal Showers Can I Have?

It is customary for a bride to be thrown a shower hosted by someone other than the bride's immediate family, particularly the mother of the bride, in effort not to appear greedy. The bridal shower is generally thrown by either the matron of honer or the brides maids, though this is not a requirement of the role. That said, it has become more acceptable for a family of the bride to host, usually due to logistics. Often times when a bride who has moved away from her childhood home and will be hosting friends from across the country {and sometimes from around the world}, her main ties to her hometown may be her family. Thus, it may make sense for a family member to host.

Does a bride need to accept every invitation to have a party thrown in her honor? When multiple people offer to throw a shower for the bride, she should graciously accept their desire to entertain, but guests should not be repeatedly invited to all of the showers taking place. The wedding party, close friends, and family may be invited to all of the gatherings but should only be expected to bring a gift to the first shower they attend. If the bride feels that multiple showers appears gratuitous and she feels uneasy about appearing eager for gifts, the hostess can note "no gifts, please" on their invitation.

It is important to remember that the shower is to be a small gathering to honor the bride and an ostentatious celebration. There will be plenty of time for that at the wedding reception.

When planning a guest list, do ensure that all of your guests are invited to the wedding as well, as anyone not invited to the wedding should not be invited to the shower. The only known exception to this rule is when co-workers decide to throw a shower for the bride in understanding that they cannot all be invited to the wedding itself but would still like to show their enthusiasm for the upcoming nuptials.

Can I Ask Guests to Donate Money Towards Our Honeymoon?

With growing frequency couple are staring to ask for financial contributions towards their honeymoon in lieu of {or, "gasp", in addition to} wedding gifts. While Anna Post, daughter of Emily Post, gives the green light on this practice, I disagree.

I disagree with this practice because the honeymoon is part of the wedding process. You would no more ask a guest to pay for your centerpieces than you should your honeymoon. If a couple is prepared to step in the adult world by entering into marriage, they should be able to fund the nuptials and the traditions that are involved.

In many cases couples are marrying later in life, years after college graduation, and have the benefit of a somewhat established career and stability. These adults should not be asking other adults to pay for their honeymoon; just as they would not ask them to pay for their DJ or catering.

If you would prefer to have more cash gifts, rather than another toaster oven, limit the items you register for. In lieu of coffee makers many guests will simply write a check. But at least that way you are not outright asking for money. If you end up receiving enough to cover your honeymoon, then great! But remember, as an adult entering into marriage, you should not be planning a trip you cannot afford nor should you ask others to foot the bill.