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http://www.peterbruceweddingphotography.com/
There are lots of things to think about when brides plan their wedding. In the rush they tend to forget about taking care of themselves on the day of their wedding. A number of simple but practical tips to help pave the way to truly enjoying your day.
| Expenses | % of total budget | Your estimate | What you actually spent |
| Ceremony Location fee, officiant fee, marriage license, musician's fees, ring pillows | 3% | ______ | ______ |
| Reception Reception Site, Food, Drinks, Rentals, Cake, Favors | 48% | ______ | ______ |
| Attire Dress, Headpiece/veil, undergarments and hosiery, shoes, accessories, jewelry, hair and makeup, Groom's Tuxedo or Suit, shoes, bow tie, cuff links, studs, suspenders | 10% | ______ | ______ |
| Rings His and her rings, engraving | 3% | ______ | ______ |
| Flowers Ceremony, bride's bouquet, maid-of-honor and bridesmaid bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, centerpieces, flower-girl basket | 8% | ______ | ______ |
| Music Ceremony Musicians, Band and/or DJ, cocktail hour musicians, sound system rental | 8% | ______ | ______ |
| Photography Photographer and Videographer's fees, albums, additional prints, disposable cameras for candids | 12% | ______ | ______ |
| Transportation Transportation for wedding party, guest shuttle and/or parking attendants | 2% | ______ | ______ |
| Stationery Invitations, response cards, thank you notes, postage, calligraphy, guest book | 3% | ______ | ______ |
| Gifts Bridesmaid and groomsmen, parents, welcome baskets for out-of-town guests. |
As you’re planning your wedding you may be caught up in the smallest of details. There are a lot of things to know and to keep up with. Let’s see how much you really know. Today’s Wedding Trivia Question is...
How many servings are in a bottle of Champagne?
a. Isn’t a bottle a serving?
b. Five servings
c. Servings? Pass the bottle and let everyone have a sip!
Answer... A fifth of Champagne will fill five Champagne flutes.
While we’re on the subject, do you know the tradition of clicking wine glasses and where it came from? As with many of our food traditions, the clinking of glasses traces its root to the health and safety of the drinker. In this case, it goes back to the tendency of nobles to kill each other off by poisoning their food!
Wine was very commonly drunk during medieval days because it was one of the only safe liquids available. Water was often polluted, and milk was both useful for other things and thought to be for children only. As the wine was often full of sediment, a poison was easily introduced into it.
To prove that his wine was safe, the host would pour a bit of his guest’s wine into his own glass and drink it first, to prove it was safe. If the guest trusted his host, however, he would merely clink his flagon against that of his host’s when his host offered his cup for the sample. The ‘clink’ (or perhaps ‘clunk’ back then, since wood or metal was more common for drinking vessels) was a sign of trust and honesty. Later, as metal and glass became more common, the chiming noise also brought a festive feel to events, and brought to mind the ’safe’ feeling of church bells
Few hotels are given any kind of special recognition, so the fact that the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa is one of the few in the East Bay to get a Four Diamond Award should tell you something right there. Namely, that they maintain an impeccable standard of comfort, ambiance and service. With its distinctive architecture—dormers, shuttered French windows, and peaked roofline—this local landmark looks like a French chateau. Behind its high walls, European charm abounds in lovely courtyards, a variety of event spaces, and a luxurious full-service health spa.
Just by walking around the hotel, you’re struck by how its design and décor make you feel welcome. In the atrium-like lobby, sunlight streams in through windows 60 feet overhead, illuminating the sweeping oak staircase and white marble floor. On cool days, the couches in front of the oversize fireplace are the obvious place to relax. The warmth of wood is everywhere—even in the intricate inlaid floors in front of the elevators.
Step outside into the sunny Fountain Courtyard, and you quickly realize how idyllic this spot is for a ceremony or champagne reception. Enclosed by the golden walls of the hotel, the space becomes an Old World plaza with a trickling limestone fountain in its center, ringed by potted rose bushes, manicured trees and flowers.
From the Fountain Courtyard, it’s a short walk inside to the Independence Ballroom where larger receptions and parties are held. The coffered ceiling is outfitted with handmade crystal chandeliers and spot lighting, which can be adjusted to create any mood.
Smaller ceremonies take place upstairs in the Wishing Well Courtyard. Named for the rose-entwined stone wishing well in its center, this petite patio is also embraced by the hotel’s walls. As you gaze up at the shuttered windows, wrought-iron balconies and clinging ivy, you once again feel like you’re in the middle of a French countryside inn. That European flavor carries over into the nearby George Washington Room, a more intimate reception space. Here, the Early American/French décor features gilt-framed mirrors, marble-topped consoles and a deep green carpet set off by fleur de lis border designs.
A wonderful Lafayette Park amenity is their European Day Spa,brides can enjoy this the day before the wedding. In addition to providing an appealing selection of face and body treatments, the Spa features a fitness pavilion, a pool and poolside café, an outdoor fireplace and a Jacuzzi. The bride and her attendants will not be able to pass up an opportunity to indulge here before and even after (why not!) the Big Day. Everyone staying overnight will appreciate the nicely appointed rooms, many of which have their own wood-burning fireplaces. The hotel also offers a complimentary premium room for the honeymoon couple, and special rates for wedding guests.
We hope you enjoy the photo from the weddings we have done there, let us know
Best Peter Bruce Photo & team bELLE
A friend got married and I, being the best man, decided a humorous practical joke was in order. One of the duties of the best man is to make arrangements for the pick up and return of the groom's tuxedo.
After final fitting, rent an extra coat jacket that is either three or four sizes smaller or larger than the groom's. Explain to the tux shop what you're up to. Pick up the groom's fitted coat, switch with the extra rented coat, and deliver to the groom only when it becomes time to actually get dressed.
The friend of mine wore a 42 long, but the one I provided was a 38 short. Talk about some serious fun! Don't reveal that you know anything as long as possible.
Someone once took a large black ink marker and wrote "Help" on the bottom of the groom's left shoe and "Me" on the bottom of the right shoe. So when he knelt down for his vows, the entire congregation saw it. Of course, this will only work if he must kneel with back to congregation (i.e. Catholic wedding). Make sure you get it so that it is readable with the shoes side by side, left to right, toes toward the floor. Do this far enough in advance so that the paint is dry before the groom wears the shoes to avoid damaging carpets.
Besides "Help Me", other possible message to write on the soles are (with varying degrees of cruelness): Left Shoe (I'm With) Right Shoe (Stupid [pointing arrowhead]); Left Shoe (Quick, Call 911!) Right Shoe (Never Mind, I'm Doomed!)
A groom buys the engagement ring at a jewelry store. As the groom enters the room, we "have been talking about" the news that says the jewelry store he just went to is being investigated for selling plastic diamonds to unknowledgeable customers. This didn't work too well but maybe if you have better actors in your group it would.
Another on that I have seen pulled is to have someone speak out at the time the minister asks, "If anyone has good reason why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."
They had a pregnant lady stand up and say, "Oh, never mind! I'll just call my lawyer!" It rattled the groom's mother so much that she fainted.
At the rehearsal dinner for my boss' daughter and son-in-law-to-be, a loud eight-months pregnant teenage girl suddenly appeared at the back of the room screaming ten minutes worth of curses that would befall the groom if he didn't marry the pregnant girl like he promised. It was set up by the boss' wife, and I am told that the groom very nearly burst into tears protesting his innocence.
A groom's friends decided to throw his bachelor party the day before the wedding, and as often happens on these occasions, by the end of the evening, everyone was completely drunk, and none more so than the guest of honor, who promptly passed out in a corner of the room.
When he woke up, he found himself sitting in an airline seat with no wallet or money or anything on him except a one way ticket to San Francisco. He was worried sick until he finally arrived at San Francisco from New Jersey, where he found a ticket at the courtesy counter back to New Jersey. It seems that one of his prospective in-laws worked for an airline and had some comp airfare to use.
The groom got back to New Jersey barely four hours before the ceremony, and was barely able to stay awake long enough to say "I do".
During the wedding ceremony, when the minister/preacher/priest comes to the part about, "If anyone has any reason why these two people should not marry, speak up now or forever hold your peace..." have this four-to-six year old boy running up the aisle yelling, "Daddy, daddy." I understand from a friend who played this joke on a relative that it took almost an hour to get the wedding started again.
Obtain access to their getaway car. Fill with balloons. A few extra helium balloons in the trunk with their luggage is a nice touch.
If you can get access to their luggage after they have packed, add styra foam peanuts in whatever nooks and crannies are left.
Jack up the car, put blocks under the axle, then lower the car onto the blocks. When the newlyweds try to make their getaway, watch them rev...and rev...and rev.
The best man at my friends wedding rigged the horn to sound every time the brake was pressed, they drove half way down the road until they realized what was going on and had to return to fix it.
For a small fee, you can get an agency to have a pregnant "ex-girlfriend" appear at the service, in a wedding gown, claiming the groom-to-be the father of her child and demanding *she* should be the one to be married. The one I saw even had a bunch of dead flowers with her!
When the groom asks the best man for the ring, he turns and nervously says he doesn't have it, who then turns to the next groomsman and asks the same question, and so on until the last person turns and grabs a giant box of Cracker Jacks that contained the wedding ring.
The whole church was rolling as the best man and his co-horts had the last laugh. It was truely classic.
At a friend's wedding, the bridal party filled their car with balloons--all filled with laughing gas. They put them everywhere, under seats, in the glove box, etc. They popped the balloons, and everyone was relaxed and laughing. But balloons were popping all during the trip of their honeymoon. They said they enjoyed the trick.
We hope you had fun with this
Cheers Peter Bruce Photo & team bELLE
Destination Wedding Website
. . .
You’ve made the big and great decision to do a destination wedding, you want Peter Bruce photo to come and shoot it, and you now face the task of making sure that people from around the globe meet up in one location for your special day. Meanwhile, you want to be free to enjoy one of the most joyous events of your life. Admittedly, it can be a difficult balance to strike, but there is help. A well designed wedding website can facilitate good communication, something any wedding planner will tell you is a critical ingredient to ensuring the success of and simplifying the planning for your destination wedding. Your guests need to know all the necessary information about your wedding so they know where to go and how to get there. At the same time, feedback from your guests can give you the information you need to plan an event everyone will enjoy. An informative and interactive wedding website can help open the lines of communication between you and your guests and thus make the event more enjoyable for everyone.
To get the full benefits from your destination wedding website, you’ll need to take what are some common features in wedding websites and adapt them to accommodate the special needs presented by your destination wedding. Here are some features to look for and some tips on how to use them to their full potential.
An online RSVP can be a handy tool for any destination wedding; for a destination wedding, however, it can really be put to work. A creatively designed RSVP gives your guests a convenient way to give you their vital information as well as their input on your wedding plans (if you want it!). In addition to asking for the typical information, you might consider additional entries such as flight information and arrival date, hotel where the guests would like to stay, any special requests they might have for activities and anything else pertinent to your wedding plans. Arrange to have the results sent to your wedding email address and you’ll have all this useful information stored away in one place for future reference.
Since it’s likely that some can not make it to your wedding, two common website features take on an even greater importance for your wedding website. First, a guest book allows all your friends and family to send well wishes across the miles. Their messages can be sent to your email and/or posted on the site for all to enjoy. After the wedding, these messages can be saved and treasured as part of your wedding memories. Second, having links to your online gift registries provides your friends and family a quick and convenient way to send gifts whether they can make it to the wedding or not. Obviously, this is a deal for them and for you!
Last but certainly not least come the critical information pages that provide the meat and potatoes of your site. Some important things to detail for your guests include local information such as maps and directions; local information (airports, ground transportation, etc.); restaurants and local activities to keep them well fed and entertained; local weather links and wedding specifics. In providing this information on your site you will have created a handy reference for your guests and a simple way for you and your family to avoid having to repeat information. Be sure to include any other information or deals you’ve arranged for your guests such as airline deals, hotel deals, rental car arrangements, and anything that you feel would be of use to your wedding guests. If you’re planning pre and post-wedding activities a wedding itinerary may also be a useful edition to your site.
Finally, let’s take a look at some good tips for making the most of your wedding website. If possible, it’s best to announce your web address with your “save the date” cards. This gets your web address to everyone who needs it and clues your guests in on your plans to communicate with them via your site. By no means does this mean that you have to have your website completed by that time. Having at least one working page with a welcome message and a note on the how you plan to use the site is sufficient. The important factor is that your guests know to check your site for updates and changes . This alone can save you hours of phone calls and other correspondence. You might even consider creating a mailing list for guests who would like to be contacted via email when your site is updated. This point leads us to our final necessity for a successful destination wedding website: flexibility, and lots of it! Since wedding plans evolve over time, you will need a website designer that is willing to update your site as information comes in and as it changes. Make sure you understand your designer’s policies before committing to any one company. A cheaper site may not end up so cheap after you’ve made 8 changes at $15 per update. You might consider making an advance agreement for a certain number of updates at a price you’ve agreed upon in advance.
Ready to start simplifying your destination wedding with a wedding website? Yes or no, you’ll do well to remember the cardinal rule of weddings if things get too overwhelming, too involved, or just plain too much, you can always elope! Rest assured that no matter how you choose to wed your website won’t be wasted. Should you cut the guest list to two, you can always use your site to display your photos and tell everyone about the wedding they missed!
We hope this helps with your get away wedding, please let us know
Best Peter Bruce & team bELLE
