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Wedding Ideas Newsletter, Issue #002
September 02, 2009

In this Issue:

Learn more about - Share Your Wedding Stories and Tips - Our Newest Feature at Wedding Ideas!

Choosing Your Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

Tips For Dressing The Flower Girl

Why You Need A Wedding Website

As well as our featured wedding vendor, featured product and a coupon for another popular wedding store!


Share Your Wedding Stories and Tips




We are very excited to announce a new part of our site where we allow our guests to share their own wedding stories, tips, ideas and thoughts on wedding planning and other wedding subjects.


Please go to Share Your Story Now in order to create your own pages for everyone to read - or to read or comment on what other people have said!

Currently we have pages for you to comment on these subjects:

Wedding Planning
(Black and White) Wedding Cakes
Gothic Wedding Dresses
Short Wedding Dresses
Beach Casual Wedding Dresses
Destination Wedding Dresses

Please go there and share your thoughts today!


If you are interested in talking about other subjects on the site please use the contact page to leave me suggestions!

Choosing Your Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue




We have all grown up with the wedding poem, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." But did you know the next line is "And a silver sixpence in her shoe"? A sixpence is a British silver coin minted from 1551 to 1967.

All these items - old, new, borrowed, blue and a sixpence are supposed to be tokens of good luck for a happy marriage. And knowing that, don't you want to follow this nice tradition and enhance your own wedded "luck"?


Old
Something old has to do with the bride's family continuing on and on; from the past and present into the future. It can also mean you are leaving your old life and joining your husband in a new life together.


  • A lace handkerchief from your grandmother that you can carry tucked in with your bouquet up the aisle. It will come in handy if you become joyfully teary.

  • An old piece of jewelry from your mother or grandmother. For example, you could wear an old wedding band on your other hand, or wear her brooch.

  • Use your parent's cake topper on your wedding cake.

  • Wear your mother's wedding dress or veil.




New
Something new represents hope and an optimistic outlook for the bride's new life with her husband.

  • Many of the items you are wearing are probably new - your wedding-gown, your veil, your shoes.

  • Wear new silky undergarments.

  • Purchase jewelry just to go with your wedding gown.

  • Get a new charm bracelet with charms that represent all that you and your fiance have experienced together so far. Then you can add to it over the years and you'll always remember where it came from.




Borrowed
Something borrowed should be something loaned from a happily married person - family or friend. They are loaning you the item with good wishes for your own happy marriage. It also reminds you that you can depend on them in the future.


  • Ride to the wedding in your grandfather's antique roadster.

  • Wear a garter that your best friend wore.

  • Borrow your mother's pearl necklace.

  • Use the hairpins your sister used in her wedding hairdo.




Blue
Something blue has a variety of meanings, but the color blue has been associated with weddings through the ages. Blue represents the Virgin Mary and virginity, staying true to your loved one, constancy, and modesty.


  • Jewelry set with sapphires.

  • A blue garter.

  • Pale blue undergarments.

  • One blue flower in your wedding bouquet.

  • For fun, paint your toenails blue.






As far as the sixpence, it means a blessing for prosperity and future wealth.


  • Tuck a symbolic coin into your shoe.

  • Slip the coin into your purse.

  • Or put it in the shoes you will wear upon leaving the reception.




Some items may fit into a couple different categories and that's perfectly fine. They should still bring you luck. Here's an example that could cover the first four categories: wear an old, borrowed, blue garter and tie a miniature picture frame to it with a new picture of you and your beloved.


Tips for Dressing the Flower Girl




Most weddings have a flower girl, but in the hustle and bustle, it can be hard to remember that you need to plan what she'll wear and what she'll do. If you're a bride, the choice of a flower girl can be difficult. After all, you may have many little girls in your family who would like to be involved in the wedding. Once you know who will be your flower girl, you'll need to decide what she's going to wear .


One thing that many people forget when dressing the flower girl is that she's not a little doll or wedding accessory. Brides and mothers of the flower girl can both fall into the trap of trying to make their little darling look perfect, but not taking her comfort or interests into account. The result is an uncomfortable, unhappy little girl. So, when you're figuring out what she'll wear, remember to think about what it was like when you were little. Consider asking her opinion on dresses and styles - she probably has some preferences.


Most brides will want the flower girl's dress to match the wedding's theme and colors, and some may even want to choose a miniature version of the bride's dress. If you're thinking this way, remember to take the differences in a child's body into account - a ballgown style may look fine, but a grown up sheath will look a little strange.


Keep prices low, and consult with the flower girl's parents to make sure that the cost of the chosen dress is acceptable. Also, if you're purchasing in advance, be sure you take into account the fact that she's going to grow. That could mean choosing a dress that's a little too big and altering it if she doesn't grow to fit it. That's smarter than ending up with a dress that's too small.


Think about fabric types when you choose the dress for your flower girl, too. Since the dress is going to be worn by a child, you'll want something that's soft against the skin, doesn't wrinkle, tear or stain easily, and which still looks dressy. Styles should be easy to put on and take off, with secure fasteners and nothing to trip over. Older flower girls can wear styles that are a little more complex, but young ones should definitely be in clothing that can stand up to a little abuse. If your flower girl is still too young to walk, consider having her pulled in a small decorated cart or wagon by one of the bridesmaids.


Shoes and accessories are important, too. Dressy flats that are comfortable to walk in are the best choice, and they should be suited to the surroundings. More formal shoes can be worn in a church, but outdoor weddings call for something a little more practical.


A simple hair ribbon or headdress will tie things together. Don't go too far with hairstyles and accessories, since little girls may have trouble with them and they might not last. Remember that you're dealing with a child, and dressing the flower girl will be a whole lot easier.

Why You Need A Wedding Web Site




When you are planning your wedding, there are so many details to take care of that, at times, you might think it would be easier to just elope some quiet night and get it over with. One solution to that dilemma is to create a wedding site so you can share all the details about your wedding with your friends and family.


Remember that, when you are planning your wedding, you will be dealing with both your friends and family and your fiancé's. That's hundreds of phone calls and just as many mailings with maps, reservations, travel information and just answering general questions.


A time-saving wedding website will allow you to keep your entire guest list up to date with your details, even if they change, without spending hours on the phone or half your life in the post office. You can post pictures of both you and your fiancé, share the important moments in your courtship and make it easy for your out-of-town guests to become part of your wedding excitement.


To start with, include a note or card in your wedding invitation telling everyone about your website and what they will find on there. Be sure to include the specific link, URL, so they can find it. If you mention in your invitation that your guests can RSVP online, you will be surprised by the number who take advantage of that email option.


Think of it as "Wedding Central" and include maps of your city, lists of local attractions for those arriving early, travel information, motel/hotel locations and rates. If you are having a large number of out-of-town guests, you might want to negotiate a group rate at a local hotel. If you do, be sure to post that information in a prominent place on your website.


It would be helpful to include directions to your house, the church and the reception for those arriving by car. If your guests are coming from different points on the globe, just write one set for each and post it, including major highways and landmarks. It eliminates the time spent telling each one how to find you.


Another benefit of a wedding website will be a solution to the inevitable wedding gift questions. You can have a link to your gift registry or a list of suggestions. The registry makes sending gifts easy as many will ship it for them and gift wrap it too.


Family members will love being able to look at photos of each of you and posting stories of how you two met, what activities you like to do together and what your hopes for the future are. Realize that one whole side of your wedding party might not know you or your fiancé. Your stories, photos and biographies will make everyone closer to both of you.


Be sure to post wedding and reception pictures and honeymoon pictures when you return from your trip. Families and friends will appreciate being included in your happiness.


Another website attraction would be including a guest book to let your guests leave happy comments for both of you.


There are many wedding website services online that make this process easy for you. Essentially, it is just filling out forms on their website and selecting the design template you want. The rest is taken care of for you.


While the two of you might be the ones getting married, the wedding and all the events and excitement around it is a family and friends activity. Their happiness springs from yours and they definitely want to be part of it, particularly those who cannot attend.


Have you started shopping for your wedding yet? If you need some places to shop we have some suggestions.


We have our own wedding store which offers thousands of items to choose from, so check it out and bookmark it for later:


Wedding Store

If you are looking for more reading material to help you plan your wedding, check this out:

Wedding Books and Magazines



Here is our featured wedding vendor of the month:







Shelly George is a designer that has a little of just about everything - including the wedding bag. She also offers wedding shoes, dresses, purses and dresses for your bridesmaids and flower girl.



Here is our featured product of the month:


Colored pearls in any shade you choose appear to float across her childlike neck. Matching pearl stud earrings complete a set fit for a mini princess. The necklace includes an extender chain for a perfect fit and the pierced earrings measure .25". You choose silver or gold findings. Not sure which pearl color will be best? Order our pearl sampler to get a perfect match.



When you are shopping for the flower girl's dress - you can not forget her jewelry!



And finally, for those of us wishing to save some money here is a coupon for you. Visit Bridal Party Tees - a darling store which celebrates your engagement by selling clothing just for you and your wedding party - and enter the coupon code BPTCJ8 in at checkout and receive $32.00 off and free shipping on an order of $200.00 or more. This deal is good until 12/31/09!





I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. As always good look with planning your wedding and contact me if there is anything I can help you with!
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