HEARTBEAT BLOG

Hi again,

Here’s something that might help you when trying to figure out how you want venue decorated. Let me tell you “It helped me a lot “!

Brides are choosing centerpieces that are in the same color tones, but are different sizes. This gives the reception tables a more interesting look and a less coordinated feel. Unique vase fillers include glass marbles, sea glass shells, acrylic ice, water absorbing crystals/beads, and fresh fruit such as lemons and limes.
Faux rose petals, diamond confetti and shells/starfish remain the most popular confetti. Also, flowering vines or individually cut flowers are placed directly on table linens. Reception chairs are decorated with either tulle, fabric overlays, floral swags and/or ribbons. Other popular decorating items include Chinese lanterns, garlands and balloons. Disposable cameras, placed on each table, allow guests to capture candid moments.

Hi again!,

The following trends have been compiled from hundreds of sources in both North America and Europe to guide your selections and inform you of the vast array of options available.

Wedding Dresses
Romantic dresses in floor-length styles remain popular for 2009. Brides today choose dresses with flowing, soft fabrics, ruffled hems, satin sashes (at the waist), and delicate floral details. Most dress silhouettes are refined and include the delicate overlaying of fabrics such as chiffon, tulle and lace. Gowns with crystal and cubic zirconia embelished bodices are very popular at the moment.
The modified A-line skirt also remains prominent on the fashion runways although many designers have included a few ball gowns in their lines as well. Strapless gowns are perennial favorites, but this year has brought back the one-shoulder dress for brides who want an ethereal, goddess feel to their look. In the US, we are continuing to see color in wedding dresses which have been popular for some time internationally. Champagne, pink, platinum are the most popular choices.

Wedding Accessories
Shorter trains and veils are popular as are pretty wraps and shawls. For colder weather, brides choose wraps of faux-fur, velvet, heavy satin, or pashmina. Light weight fabrics, including organza, lace, tulle, and chiffon make perfect wraps for the Spring and Summer bride and reduce sun exposure on bare arms and shoulders. 
Pearls, rhinestones, and crystals remain the top jewelry choice for necklace. Crystal  brooches are also a popular accent for wearing on the dress, in the hair or on the bouquet handle.

Wedding Hair Styles
There are no clear trend in hair styles, although wearing the hair in long romantic waves or loosely pulled back are popular choices for brides with long hair. Hair ornaments such as hairpins, brooches, and hair vines made with crystals, pearls, rhinestones, and/ or silk flowers are also popular.
Beautiful tiaras made with either rinestones, crystals, or pearls have been a trend for many seasons and seem to be getting smaller as more crystal- embellished dress styles take center stage. Some brides are placing their veils directly on their hair or using a single silk flower for a simple, classic look.

Wedding Colors
Fall/ Winter
     fuchsia
     purple
     turquoise
     slate blue
     taupe
     lavender

Spring/ Summer
     aqua
     platinum
     rose pink
     pale yellow
     champagne
     sage green

Wedding Bouquets
Ninety five percent of wedding bouquets are hand-tied, where the flowers are gathered together and the stems are wrapped in a wide satin ribbon. Brides wanting more glamorous bouquets choose beads, brooches, jewel pins, pearls, crystals/ rhinestone picks, and monogrammed ribbon to dress up plain ribbon-wrapped stems and blooms. With the continuing popularity of the beach and garden themes, brides wanting a more rustic and natural look to their bouquet add elements such as shells/starfish, feathers, berries, and pinecones.
The rose continues to be the most popular and elegant bouquet flower. Lilies, peonies, hydrangeas, tulips and orchids represent the trendier choices. Arrangements with a just-picked and looser casual look have replaced the more tightly-bound bouquet shapes of previous seasons. Vivid flowers will continue in popularity.
More and more mothers are carrying small posies instead of wearing the traditional corsage.
Silk flowers are also popular for their versatility and life-like apperance.

Hi again,

Remember the days when people consulted a list to help them find anniversary gifts for their married friends and family members? And if you were married, you had a pretty good idea of what was coming, so you did not have to worry about purchasing household necessities yourself. Well, those days are still here- sort of- as there is a modern anniversary gift list. However, you won’t find paper and cotton on the new list like you did on the old, and no one wants iron or pottery anymore.
Our society is more affluent, and the new anniversary gift list reflects that. Besides, with the divorce rate climbing, the accomplishment of staying together even for ten years now warrants diamond jewelry (although the diamonds are probably not very big . Here is the new list, along with some reminders of how it used to be in a simpler and poorer time.

Anniversary NEW/OLD

1st. Clock/ Paper

2nd. China/ Cotton

3rd. Crystal or Glass/ Leather

4th. Small Appliances/ Fruit or Flowers

5th. Silverware/ Wood

6th. Wood/ Candy or Iron

7th. Desk Sets/ Wool or Copper

8th. Linens/ Bronze or Pottery

9th. Leather/ Willow

10. Diamond Jewelry/ Tin or Aluminum

11th. Fashion Jewelry/ Steel

12th. Pearls/ Silk or Linen

13th. Textiles or Furs/ Lace

14th. Gold Jewelry/ Ivory

15th. Watches/ Crystal

20th. Platinum/ China

25th. Silver/ Silver

30th. Diamond/ Pearl

35th. Jade/ Coral

40th. Ruby/ Ruby

45th. Sapphire/ Sapphire

50th. Gold/ Gold

55th. Emerald/ Emerald

60th. Diamond/ Diamond

Decades ago, the first few anniversaries were times for the couple to receive items that were considered useful for stocking a house and starting out in life. Our society starts out with so much more, and the luxuries that we expect have resulted in more expensive gifts, earlier in the marriage. Notice how many times diamond shows up? Three times. Perhaps it means that you get a bigger diamond each time.

By Jean Marquit
January 09, 2006

Hey again bloggers,

Vow renewals are the perfect way to reaffirm your love. It’s a marriage trend that’s sweeping Hollywood– Madonna and Guy Ritchie renewed their vows at their Ashocombe country estate in Wiltshire, England. Robert De Niro and his wife said “I do” again at their Ulster County farm in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Recommiting to your partner with vow renewal ceremonies large and small is increasing in poulartity, so if you’ve got some questions about how to commemorate your years together, we’ve got the answers.

Why Renew?
To celebrate. Perhaps you’ve made it to 10, 25, or 50 years togetherand you want the world to know that you’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. Maybe you want to reaffirm your commitment to each other after a rough period in your relationship. There’s no wrong reason to renew. Just think about the timing–don’t do it the same year you get married, unless you’ve had a small, faraway ceremony and want to make your vows public upon your return.\

Who Hosts?
Mnay couples host their own renewals, and some have their children do the honors. Here’s a trend we really like: The couples closest friend, perhaps the original Maid of Honor and Best Man, host the event. And don’t feel like you have to find a secular event hall or outdoor space to hold the ceremony– many traditional halls of worship make wonderful, meaningful venues. Since a vow renewal is not a legally binding ceremony, you can have whomever you want to officiate– a clergyperson, a close friend, a relative, or even your children.

What Happens?
The basic premise is to exchange vows, just as you did the first time around. You can either recite the sane words you spoke back then, or compose new ones to mark this special occasion and how you feel now. After the vows you’ll exchange rings. Either engrave your original bands with something new (perhaps the date of your vow renewal or a cute sentiment like “I Love You, Part II”) or purchase new rings expressly for the reaffirmation– there’s never a bad time to upgrade jewelry! Children, close relatives, and special friends can do readings, and you can have meaningful music playing, just as you would at a wedding ceremony.

How to Celebrate?
Once the vows are spoken, the rings are swapped, and the happy couple makes their way back down the aisle, it’s time to party. Anything goes with this fete, from intimate family barbecue to a large, sit- down affair as lavish as any traditional wedding reception. Plan for dancing, a cake, and lots of toasts. Bring your original wedding album to share with you guests ( if you just eloped recently, bring some recent shots), as well as family photos taken throughout the years of your marriage. Be sure to hire a photographer to capture the event on film– in 20 more years you may want to renew your renewal! 

By Anja Winikka
www.theknot.com

Hi again bloggers!

• Is it okay to have a wedding cake at my vow renewal reception?
• Is it wrong to want a bridal shower?
• My husband and I have been married for about one year and are renewing our vows next spring. Since I never had a bachelorette party the first time around, I really want to have one this time. How do I ask my Honor Attendant to put this together?

These are just a few of the questions we receive everday concerning vow renewal ceremonies. Couples want to renew their wedding vows for a variety of reasons, yet most want to have a better understanding of the proper etiquette. Wedding vow renewals can be divided into these three areas: before, during, and after the ceremony (the party). The following is a guide to the appropriate etiquette for each of these phases.

Vow Renewals are not second weddings.
Unless somewhere along the way to happily ever after you and your spouse divorced and are now remarrying, this is not a second wedding. This is, however, an opportunity to reaffirm your marriage vows and love of one another, or perhaps a chance to have your marriage blessed by the church.

Bachelor/bachelorette parties?
These parties are typically thought of as your “last night out as a single person”, so, as tempting as it may sound, the fact is that the last hurrah ship sailed a long time ago. You are a married couple.

Shower with love, not with gifts. 
Traditionally, the bridal shower is a time when friends and family can shower the bride with items  she will need to begin her married life. A shower is also an event to help make guests feel as if they are a part of the wedding planning process. Again, you are already married and have a home set up. When it comes to vow renewals, encourage friends and family to shower you with love and support, rather than gifts.

Bundle your love in a bouquet.
Flowers are perfect for most occasions, and your reafirmation ceremony is no exception. Put together you bouquet with care and consideration, so that it reflects your love for one another.

Reaffirmation rings are often part of the ceremony.
While some couples have a real connection to their wedding rings, others view the vow renewal ceremony as an opportunity to exchange new rings. Whatever you chose, be sure to discuss this sensitive issue thoroughly with your spouse.

AFTER the Vow Renewal Ceremony (RECEPTION or PARTY)
Couples often have numerous quations about the party that follows their vow renewal ceremony. Can it be a giant bash? Can the party have traditional wedding reception components? While the reception (party) can be similar to a wedding reception, there should be notable differences.

Use a receiving line for large gatherings.
All of your guests should be acquainted with you, but for large gatherings it is helpful to form a receiving line so you may introduce your children or other family members to your guests. Because you are the host, you will be the first in line.

The traditional reception dances will be different.
The father/daughter dance just doesn’t seem right, does it? After all, the wife has been living with her husband for some time. So, while you may not to include all those traditional dances as part of your reception, you could still dance a couple’s first dance which will signify the first dance of the next phaseof their life together. You might also consider inventing some of your own dances. For instance, you could call all couples to the dance floor who have been married for ten years or more.

Not so much a wedding cake as an ‘anniversary’ type cake.
The reaffirmation cake is sometimes recreated from the couple’s wedding including the topper. However, this should be more of an anniversary type cake. So, including writing on the cake would be appropriate.

Toast away!
Toasts are a great way to celebrate the couple in this new phase of their life. Of course, for a reaffirmation ceremonyor vow renewal, the toasts should reflect upon the couple’s continued love, not upon the couple finding each other (as it is for the wedding reception). Keep in mind, though, that there is no best man toast because there is no best man. The wife already married her best man.

Toss out the garter and bouquet toss.
You’re not alone if you find these traditions more than just silly for a married couple. Would you believe that both of these customs began as a way to keep wedding guests from tearing the brides clothes?! It was viewed as good luck to snatch a piece of her clothing. Perhaps you can create a new tradition of your own, instead.

Whatever you chose to include in your wedding vow renewal ceremony, use good, common sense. Consider your guests opinions about your event and ask yourself why you are hosting it in the first place. If you consider everything, you’ll probably avoid any major etiquette faux pas. So, enjoy yourself and each other and create an affair to remember.

By Rebecca Black
www.idotaketwo.com

Hi Bloggers,

I recently came across an online guide that talked about the why, where, and when to renew wedding vows.  I thought it would be pretty useful for us who don’t have a clue on where to start with wedding renewals.

The Why, Where, When To Renew Wedding Vows Guide
by Rev. Susanna Stefanachi Macomb, interfaith minister
www.idotaketwo.com

A renewal of wedding vows ceremony can be a meaningful, touching, revivifying ceremony for you and your children, family and friends. As a married couple, it is a time to pause and reflect on where you have been and where you are going. It is also a wonderful example to set for your children and grandchildren. Can you imagine a more beautiful scene than children watching their parents joining hands and hearts as they affirm the magnitude and strength of their enduring love? What greater life/love lesson? I often say at these ceremonies: ” True love does not wither and die. It merely ripens.” Afterwards many couples comment as to how surprisingly romanitic it all felt!

Vow renewal ceremonies can be as creative and personal as you want them to be. Walk down the aisle to classical music and walk out to “your song”. Let the cover of your invitation feature your grandchild’s favorite drawing of Grandma and Pop Pop or even your first wedding portrait. Play your original wedding videoat you reception. Buy new wedding bands for the occasion and have them specially engraved. Your ceremony should be less formal than a wedding- more casual and fun. It can completely reflect the two of you.

Significant anniversaries are especially appropriate times for renewing your commitment and love. I have conducted vow renewals for couples married as little as ten years and as much as fifty years.

Some couples choose to renew their vows after a particularly difficult crisis in their lives, say for example, the overcoming of a serious illness or a period of estrangement. They want to make it new again! Others simply want to reaffirm the tremendous love that has matured and deepened with the passing of years.

Vow renewals are usually conducted by clergy since they are generally more spiritual and not official in nature. However, if you have a warm hearted friend who is a judge or a ship’s captain– that could work nicely as well. Unlike weddings, no legal paper is needed for a vow renewal. The ceremony can be conducted in churches, chapels, temples, banquet facilities, on yachts, out doors or in the privacy of  a couples home- with a room full of guest or in an intimate setting with just the couple. Consider reaffirming your vows in some far off, exotic destination! The couples themselves host the celebration because it is so very personal. It is a decision that only you as a couple can make. There are no shot gun vow renewals!

A couple can end their vows with a poem, for example, this verse by James Weldon Johnson:
         “The world for me, and all the world can hold is circled in your arms, for me there lies within the lights and shadows of your eyes the only beauty that is never old.”

Vow Renewal Sample Vows
Mnisters may state the following “Declaration of Intent” before the couple takes the standard wedding vows:
” When you first joined hands and hearts 40 years ago, you did not know where life would take you. You promised to love, honor and cherish one another through all things. Life has surely brought you both wonderful blessings and difficult tribulations. Therefore, you have fulfilled your promise. And God is smiling! So, as you come here today to reaffirm your wedding vows and as you reflect back over all the years as husband and wife, do you now reaffirm the vows you took 40 years ago? If so, repeat after me. (insert personal vows)

Wedding Vow Renewal Sample Vows

• “Once before, I have stood with you before family and friends; once again, I take your hand as my partner. (name), I take you this day, and for all days, as my husband/wife.”
• ” I am proud to marry you on this day. I promise to wipe away your tears with my laughter and your pain with my caring and compassion. We will wipe clean the old canvases of our lives and let God, with His amazing artistic talent, fill them with new colors, harmony and beauty. I give myself to you completely, and I promise to love you always, from this day forth.”
• ” I believe in this marriage more strongly than ever. (Name), it is with joy born of experience and trust that I commit myself once again to be your husband/wife.”
• I, (name), give to you, (name), a new promise, and yet not so new; a new husband/wife, and yet not so new; and a new affirmation of love from the heart that has loved you for (_) years and will love you for as many more as God allows.