Jun 23, 2011
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Mention Father of the Bride and images of Steve Martin come to mind, but not everyone can deal with stress and pressure by making us laugh…
The Father of the Bride is a role that can be left out during the wedding planning process (except to keep up with all the payments). He is expected to be experienced enough to cope with his nerves and expected to be strong enough to cope with his emotions. Giving your daughter away can be a very difficult and bittersweet moment. We thought we would help.
Take a moment and if you know someone in this role, pass on our advice!
1. Getting Over The Nerves
Nerves about the ceremony, speeches and toasts can be overwhelming. Don’t worry all of these nervous can be settled with a little preparation. Make sure and make it to the rehearsal that way the only thing to worry about during the ceremony is giving away “Daddy’s little girl”. Also make sure to write and practice your speech well before your daughter’s big day. A little preparation can go a long way when it comes to easing nerves.
2. Prepare for Your Speeches
Preparing your speeches in full before hand is the best thing you can do to ease your nerves, don’t wing it! For more tips on how to write a great speech take a look at MW’s “Cheers Worthy Toast” post. The Father of the Bride sets the tempo, welcomes his guests, new members of the family and speaks about his daughter while trying to not embarrass her! Remember…Practice makes perfect!
3. Plan Your Advice
One of the most important tasks of the Father of the Bride is to pass on advice to the couple. This advice can be in a toast, in passing, or in a letter. Make sure to prepare what advice you would like to give the couple, many couples will remember what advice you gave them for years to come. Remember what you’ve learned throughout your years and share it with them!
4. Be Ready for the Emotions
Men sometimes try and hide their emotions from the rest of the world. Make sure and take some time with your daughter before the wedding to talk about what she means to you. Many Father of the Brides believe that they will come up with the perfect thing to say when the time comes but never do. By doing this you can remorse for never getting the chance to tell your daughter how you feel or be overwhelmed by emotions during the ceremony.
Jun 8, 2011
We thought this new bridesmaid dress website, Weddington Way, would be a perfect follow-up to our post on floral frocks. More often than not, when planning a destination wedding, your closest gals and BFF’s are not down the street or even in the same area code. This can make selecting bridesmaids dresses more of a logistical nightmare rather than one of the fun details of the wedding.
Weddington Way is a new web site that is dedicated to bringing together brides and their bridesmaids – no matter the distance. At Weddington Way, you and your bridesmaids can connect, shop and share the perfect dresses without complicated travel and multiple dress appointments.
This shopping site is the brainchild of a former buyer of Bloomingdales who noticed a need for better online resources for brides-to-be and their bridal parties. This will simplify the way brides shop for the bridesmaid dress. Anyone, a bride (or a bridesmaid) can register on the site for free and then invite the rest of the party to join her. Your personal bridal party page allows you to custom write messages to your bridal party through out the selection process.
Shop: There’s a hand-selected collection of dresses from top designers. You can filter your search by style, theme, color, price and more.
Compare: You can mark certain dresses as your favorites and share them with your bridal party. A drag and drop feature allows you to see your potential dress lineup.
Share: You can select styles and share opinions on the shared social page between your entire bridal party.
Track: As a bride, you can see how your bridesmaids rank different dresses and track their ordering activity. This way, it’s easy to stay on top of the process with very little direct communication.
Weddington Way also allows you to virtually see a chosen bridesmaid dress in different styles. If a bride was leaning towards one color but not sure the perfect cut for everyone, then this will allow each bridesmaid to select the style that flatters her the best. Or the bridesmaids can select the dresses that they like and would compliment their curves the best, and the bride can choose which style(s) she prefers. Genius!
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May 13, 2011
Monograms have been the oldest form of identification in the world – always omnipresent for royalty, but now it seems everyone is taking pride in their initials or initials to be… How to show these off in ways that best suit you and your style of wedding?
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Ways To Rock Your Monogram
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Ideas are endless here.
In the Ceremony you can make your mark on your aisle/aisle runner, your program, bouquet wrap, altar decor, chair backs, ring bearer pillow, flower girl baskets…
In the Reception you can showcase your initials on pillows, your menu, your napkins, your cake topper, the dance floor, personalized signs, centerpiece vases, linen decor/runners, gift bags or actually create letters out of flowers or wood. These are just a few!
For your Attire, personalized jewelry is at the top as well as lounge wear for your wedding party, personalized hangers for you, tote bags or any garment – nothing is off limits!
A very popular look in Tahoe is the woodland look but we love to jazz this up (or down) depending on the taste of our bride. Softening the wood look with fabric and flowers is a sure hit but also unexpected elements also from nature like berries or gemstones work too. If gemstones aren’t in the budget, some great inexpensive crystals can give an unforgettable effect too. Some of our favorite woodland finds from Etsy artist BraggingBags:
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Some of our favorite monogram looks from our past Merrily Wed weddings:
Photos courtesy of: clockwise from top – Jay Reilly Photography, Catherine Hall Studios and Zorn Photography.
Photos courtesy of: Kendall Price Photography, Jennifer Baciocco Photography and Kendall Price Photography.
Express yourself! There are many websites that create custom wedding monograms and logos for you. If you are more of a DIY type, there is even a whole blog spot dedicated to helping you create your custom monogram. It gives you a step-by-step tutorial: weddingmonograms.blogspot.
Apr 14, 2011
Looking for a little organic inspiration to make your wedding a stand out? Whether aesthetically or symbolically, here are our top six herbs you might like to use.
For countless years herbs have had symbolic meanings ranging from healing powers to calming nerves to lifting one’s spirits. Brides have historically carried them in their bouquets and in their bridal crowns for many different reasons. Some for texture, some for smell and some for the meaning they will bestow.
Below are some of the most commonly used wedding herbs and the symbolism behind each. Incorporating an herb or two into your bouquet or centerpiece adds a textural element as well as a modern organic look. Other uses include accessorizing your appetizer platters, tablescape, signature drink… use your imagination!
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Some of our Favorites:
Rosemary
Rosemary is the herb of remembrance. This is why it is so commonly used at weddings, so every guest will remember the special day. Rosemary was used for weddings by Ancient Greek brides in their bridal crowns. Today rosemary can adorn a boutonniere, a place setting, be given as a guest favor or add texture to a floral arrangement.
Marjoram
Marjoram is the Greek symbol of joy and happiness. Marjoram also represents goodwill as the couple starts their new life. Marjoram was also used by Ancient Greek brides in their bridal crowns. This green herb can add subtle interest to many flower combinations and most wouldn’t even know what it is.
Lavender
Lavender is the herb of devotion. Lavender is used in wedding bouquets for symbol of devotion as well as the signature aroma of the herb. Lavender has a soothing smell that can help calm the bride’s nerves. Lavender is probably the most popular herb of today and has been used in countless weddings in many different ways.
Thyme
Thyme is the symbol of strength and courage. For courage brides tuck thyme into their bouquet and tie it with white ribbon. Thyme was also tucked into knights armor before battle to give them strength and courage. This herb makes a perfect accompaniment to amaranthus as a dangling addition to your florals.
Sage
Sage is the herb of long life, good health, and domestic sweetness. If sage and garlic are both carried by a bride it was believed to give her great wisdom as well as goodness. For the modern day, sage is a nice addition to centerpieces and serving platters. Depending on the variety, like prairie sage, there is a beautiful blue-green shade to use.
Dill
Dill is the herb of lust. It was believed that a bride would only lust for her husband if she carried dill in her bouquet. Dill was especially commonly used when the couple was to ‘consummate’ their marriage directly after (- that might be dating it a little!) Besides its meaning, dill can add a soft texture to your bouquet too. Not surprising that dill was named 2010 Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association.
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Maybe one or two of these herbs can add that organic and natural touch to your wedding!
Mar 1, 2011
Having a few nerves about looking and feeling your best on your wedding day? Or interested in stepping up your current workout with some pro fitness tips? Do I have something special for you!
I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to chat and catch up with one of my former brides – the super busy, gorgeous and talented Karen Mullarkey – IFBB pro figure competitor. Think of Mr. Universe, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, competitions for the level she competes at.
Karen shares some fabulous fitness and diet tips with us – just like having your own online personal trainer! Read up and buckle down for your own bridal boot camp to tone your arms and upper body and your veil will be the only thing swaying in the breeze…
How did you achieve your current position as an IFBB Pro?
I earned my IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilders) pro card in July of 2007. I began competing in figure as an amateur in 2004. I did my first 2 local shows here in Arizona and qualified by placing third and second to compete at the National level. I spent 2.5 years traveling the country, competing at the National level and consistently placing in the top 6. Finally in July of 2007, I earned my IFBB pro card in New York City by placing second in my class. That was one of the happiest days of my life because all of those years of hard work and sacrifice had finally paid off. Needless to say, we had a great time in the city that night:)
What is it like competing on a stage?
Competing on stage is a pure adrenaline rush! I still get a little nervous stepping on stage in 5 inch heels, but I think I am more taken over by adrenaline. There is something to be said for strutting around on stage showing off your hours of time spent in the gym not to mention, all the sacrifice I had made with my diet. When I step on stage, I make it a point to show off my hard work. I tell my clients who are prepping for a show that it is all about ATTITUDE. If you are not confident, it will show!
What motivates you on days that you just don’t feel like working out?
I actually have a trainer, Ernie Villegas, who has been training me for the past 7 years. Yes, trainers need trainers too! It helps because I have an appointment with him 5 days a week to weight train, so I have to be there. For those of you that are looking to get back into the gym, you should definitely consider hiring a trainer so you are forced to show up. Trainers don’t like it when our clients cancel, plus we are going to push you much harder than you will push yourself!
What are your Top Exercises for brides so they can look and feel fabulous in their wedding dresses?
I have trained several gals that wanted to get into shape before the BIG DAY! They all wanted to drop weight and to tone their upper bodies. Here are a few exercises that work great to tone your arms, back and shoulders……
1) Dips
2) Dumbbell Bicep Curls
3) Tricep Pushdowns
4) Lat Pull Downs
5) Seated Rows
6) Cable Curls
7) Overhead Tricep Extensions
8) Dumbbell Shoulder Press
9) Dumbbell Side Laterals
10) Dumbbell Front Raises
Try doing each exercise for a total of 3 sets for 15 repetitions. Don’t forget to combine your workout program with cardio and clean eating. Diet is 80%!
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What is your favorite snack that fills the void so you don’t feel like cheating on your diet?
My favorite snack is a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter and 2 rice cakes. Nut butters are loaded with “good” fats and will keep you full longer. Rice cakes are packed with complex carbs and a touch of sweetness!
As a bride, what was your favorite thing about planning your wedding?
As a bride, I really enjoyed putting all of the colors together. Thank the lord I found Merrily, because she was able to help me put it all together. My husband is Scottish and wanted to wear his family tartan (kilt). I complemented the colors of the kilt with wine colored bridesmaids dresses. I have to say the guys in their kilts and the gals in their gorgeous dresses made for amazing pictures. It was certainly overwhelming in the beginning, but Merrily guided me through it.
What memory or moment on your wedding day still makes you giggle?
My favorite memory was pushing a piece of cake in my husbands face. Ladies, don’t be afraid to go for it…..it made for some amazing pics. Yes, he did get me back and it was certainly worth the laugh!
If you could pass on one last piece of advice to a bride, what would it be?
My advice would be to hire a wedding coordinator that knows her stuff. I found Merrily by chance by doing a google search for wedding coordinators in the Tahoe area. Out of all the ones I had contacted, she was the very 1st to call me back. That showed me that she was on top of her game and reliable, not to mention our personalities clicked immediately. She was able to take so much stress off my back throughout the process. I did not have a care in the world come our wedding day because I knew she had it handled.
What is next for Karen Mullarkey?
Funny you should ask! I just announced that I am leaving the IFBB and crossing over into another federation as a pro. I am now a WBFF (World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation) pro and will competing in my 1st competition with them in Quebec, Canada this April. I am currently dieting for my competition and hitting the gym hard.
I am also working very hard at my fitness modeling career. My goal this year is to land my very 1st cover. It would be a dream come true to grace the cover of Oxygen Magazine in the near future…..only time will tell.
Lastly, I am working hard at building my personal training business “No Mullarkey” Personal Training! I absolutely love working with my clients and helping them reach their full fitness potential. It is so neat to watch my clients self-esteem increase and their body fat decrease! If you don’t live in the Scottsdale, AZ area, I also do virtual training as well and you can find more info at www.karenmullarkey.com. I would love to help you ladies get ready for your BIG DAY!
Remember…..”No Excuses and that’s No Mullarkey”!
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Thanks Karen! Don’t know about you, but I sure am motivated to hit the weights!
