August 2007 - Posts
Greetings!
Throughout my experience as a blogger, I am finding that I am a bit random when it comes to posting my thoughts, and/or helpful ideas. And today is no exception. The topic is "Aisle Runners."
I was scared to death that my heels would get stuck in the runner as I ever so gracefully float down the aisle towards my soon-to-be husband, causing me to stumble or fall. I know....with all of the other things I could worry about, or was worried about this is really silly. I am pretty sure many a bride worries about that long walk and how she will eventually arrive at the alter, and let's not forget that some women in your Bridal Party may be experiencing the same paranoia. It is kind of like a runway model walking the catwalk and twisting her ankle in her 5 inch stilletto heels.
So I feel obligated to share a couple of tips about the aisle runner. Should you even use an aisle runner? White aisle runners were traditionally used so that the bride did not dirty her white dress on the unpaved street of years past. These days, this is not much of an issue. A common problem that couples find when they choose to use an aisle runner indoors is that they can't secure it well. As a result it gets stretched and bunched up in various places, which is probably not the finishing touch that you want to add to your beautiful wedding photos. Keep this in mind should you decide to use one. You may be more inclined to use one if your service will take place outside. If that's the case, be sure that the runner is backed by plywood or something solid, or else the women's heels will go through the runner and into the grass and dirt beneath. Even then, be sure it is secured exceptionally well, to ensure that it won't bunch up or catch in the breeze.
There you have it, my thoughts on the aisle runner. Now you can go forth and walk with confidence down that aisle!
Until my next random blog...take care and enjoy the ride.
Lee
Greetings!
As always, my hope is that you are in a great place as you continue or begin your wedding planning.
In remembering my "process" I remember our meeting with the Priest who we hoped would "marry" us. Not having grown up in the faith of my soon to be husband, it was important for the Priest and myself to be comfortable with each other. I was so moved by his understanding and acceptance of me as well as his honest questions. Those questions pertained to life...not faith. He made us face certain inevitabilities like acquiring each others debt, Yikes!
All to often young people marry without considering what financial baggage they bring to the table (student loans, credit card debt, car payments, etc.) and how they are going to manage it or where each person stands on having kids -if any to how many. It is important not to wait until months or years after the wedding to have this conversation . Lay it out on the table.
I encourage you to have "the conversation" now. This is the time to be on the same page...even if you don't agree in the beginning. Compromise is a very important tool in a successful marriage now is as good a time as any to start using it. You never know, you may learn an awful lot about your partner during this discussion. Read this article for questions you may want to ask your soon-to-be betrothed http://www.wednet.com/articles/homeresponsibilities.aspx and be prepared to share your thoughts and feelings about the issues in this article as well.
I am still learning things about my husband....12 years later, this is a good thing.
What do you think? Are you ready to initiate the conversation? Do you think it is an important thing to do? Let us know?
Until next time...Live, Laugh, Love!
Lee
When I needed a much needed distraction from deadlines, deposits and decision making, I found myself listening to the radio for lyrical inspiration. For me, deciding on my wedding music was very important. I wanted all of the traditional dances (i.e. 1st and last dance, Mother/Son dance, Father/Daughter dance, Bridal Party dance, etc.) to have meaning for everyone.
Back in the day....that would be 12 years ago...I didn't have access to resources such as www.wednet.com where I could turn for ideas and information while I was planning my wedding. Had I known about Wednet I most certainly would have read about reception music and other wedding songs as well as a plethora of other wedding related tidbits and advice. Had I known about Wednet I would have listened to and fallen in love with "This Ring, " by Tony Carter. Tony originally wrote this song for his brother's wedding, but was inspired by what he would want to say to his own bride (he was single at the time). You can read the story behind the song and listen to a snippet on our website at http://www.wednet.com/articles/tcartermusic.aspx.
Another beautiful song, which was written by a mother for her son, is "I'll Always Be Your Mother," by Lynn Leonti. This song celebrates the Mother/Son relationship while blessing his marriage and the new chapter in her son's life. This song resonates with me as I am the mother of two sons...who knows I may find myself dancing to this song in the future...the very distant future. You can hear a bit of the song and read about the inspiration behind it at http://www.wednet.com/articles/mother_son_wedding_song.aspx.
So, sit down, relax, listen and enjoy.
Take care!
Lee
A wedding is truly a multi-faceted event!!! What other event in your life involves two entire families (maybe including some relevatives you haven't seen for years!), potentially hundreds of friends and a carefully orchestrated plan bringing together the services and products from many different wedding vendors - all on one day? Oh, and a ton of money to be spent (averaging around $26,000 these days). At the end of the day, if the wedding day passes even roughly to plan then there's more to celebrate than the joyous union itself!
If you think dealing with family and friends as the wedding day approaches is a bit of a minefield, consider that you will get involved with more vendors for your wedding planning than for any other single event in your life. These include such challenges as choosing the location of the wedding (even a church has to pay the bills and will expect some payment), transportation, the reception venue, musical entertainment, catering, gifts, invitations, the dress, photographer, videographer - the list is long.
For some of the vendors you'll find certain well established industry "practices". Most are there to help you but best be prepared. To that end, WedNet has a series of articles that arm you with the right set of questions. Check out "Choosing Your Wedding Photographer" and "Don't Forget These Photos" when thinking about your photographer. Likewise, "Your Wedding Vidoeographer" and "What To Ask The Videographer" help you find the right company to record those everlasting video memories. As usual, take a look at our WedTopic Pages for more ideas.
So, once you know the right questions, how do you start the hunt for your wedding vendors? Simple. At WedNet we've structured our database (which is comprised of thousands of wedding vendors) into categories and locations. So, let's say you are looking for a videographer in California. Just navigate to our California wedding vendors page, select Videography and you'll find our California Videographers page (where applicable you'll find the city name after the vendor). Now THAT'S easy!
Browse around WedNet - you'll find it a great resources for preparing the right questions to ask a wedding vendor as well as finding that vendor through our database.
Colors. Style. Font. Stock. Envelopes. And don't forget wording, inviting children, gifts or money.
Like you need all these things to worry about in addition to everything else. Well, we offer some relief for your wedding invitations stress. A few helpful articles to read below. A full list can be found here.
Budget conscious: http://www.wednet.com/articles/DoingWeddingInvitationsWithABudgetInMind.aspx
Who to invite: http://www.wednet.com/articles/ShouldYouInviteEveryoneToYourWedding.aspx
Creative ideas: http://www.wednet.com/articles/CreativeIdeasForWeddingInvitations.aspx
Ready to create your own custom wedding invitations online? WedNet has partnered with Wedding Paper Divas Invitations to help you there, too. Check it out!
If you have your own ideas or tips for other brides, let them know at the WedNet blog.
One of the best things about planning a wedding is sharing the engagement story. For many of us, the engagement kicked off the wedding planning festivities.
With all of the stress you may, or may not, be experiencing...let's get back to the basics. Put yourself in a happy place and remember why you are doing what you are doing.
My husband caught me so completely off guard. Long story very short....I walked into my apartment to see him at the stove preparing a lobster dinner (he had never done such a thing)...no clue. He then sent me into the family room (he moved my kitchen table and chairs into this room) where he set up a candle lit dinner - with a rose and everything ...no clue. He poured me a glass of champagne...no clue. He acted all sorts of nervous, unlike himself...no clue. He got up, went to his jacket, paced back and forth...yep - no clue. He then got down on one knee...okay, started getting a clue. I was in such shock. Next thing I knew I was up the next morning at 4:30 a.m. planning my WEDDING!
Half of the fun of getting engaged is telling the story (okay, maybe 1/4 of the fun). Let me hear it, maybe you will find your story on this blog! Contact me.....now! Please?
Until next time....keep on keepin' on.
Lee
I'll admit it - I did the stare! The first stare was a completely blank stare but even the second was pretty devoid of understanding! To what stare do I refer? It's the one that the Best Man has when he's asked to act in that role.
I've been honoured to be asked twice - once for my brother and once for a good friend I met at university (come to think of it, my brother would have seen a completely different stare if he had asked anyone else other than his big brother!). The Best Man role is an important one, not just because of the honour of being asked but also because of the responsibility.
Take the so-called stag-night. Depending on the "culture" of the wedding - and the groom in particular - these range from a great night out with a group of friends (albeit with a full expectation that some gentle form of embarrassment for the groom is on the cards) to an evening that pushes every possible boundary. The danger, of course, is that the more extreme version goes way over the line. Now THAT is a perfect example of where the best Best Man should know and appreciate his role. The stag night offers the possibility of great memories for all involved but if things get out of hand those memories could be of the worse type. The Best Man is often the ringleader. It is important he gets the balance right.
It's common to see the principle reponsibilities of the Best Man as arranging the aforementioned evening-with-the-boys and delivering a great Best Man's speech. But there is so much more he can do as the wedding day draws closer. There are four main responsibilities and these are covered in our "Best Man Checklist" article. With those responsibilities in mind, there are many little details the Best Man can handle - everything from ensuring the groom actually gets to the wedding (transport) to working with a DJ to make sure things are on track. Check the article for more.
And then there is that Best Man speech. Again, a sense of balance is important here. Yes, it's true that there is an expectation that someone, somewhere is going to have a joke at the grooms expense - the Best Man speech is as good a time as any! But if those jokes go over a line or even offend then the Best Man needs to think about who the speech is for - is he perhaps thinking more about himself and how he comes across. Done right, the Best Man speech gets a few laughs and when he sits down leaves the audience with a collective smile on its face. They know a little more about the groom and are assured that the bride has made a great choice for the man to live with for the rest of her life.
And don't overstretch with the jokes. It irkes me that my brother can walk into a room, tell a joke and have everyone cracking up - while I get a few "whatever" comments whenever I tell a joke! Some do it well, some don't. If you are like me, know the limits of your joke-telling skills. Keep the humour light and reasonably safe. There's not much worse than a Best Man who thinks he's the answer to late night comedy - and falls flat.
To the groom, the Best Man is a vital "supporter". He's shared a lot in the past (that's why he is the Best Man) and now he's sharing his wedding day. There are few deeper honours.
Oh, and as a groom I was honoured to return the favor to my brother a few years later. He made me proud...
Hello Ladies!
Let's talk about your girls! These are the women you respect, love, depend upon, or - perhaps are required to have in your wedding party. Regardless of the history, by virtue of accepting your request to be in your bridal party and all of the responsibilities that it entails, they are imparting their support to you.
Women are creatures of support and nurturing...it is what makes us so invaluable in our society. During the course of your wedding planning, your bridal party can be your source of support and nurturance, especially if it is lacking elsewhere. Here is an excerpt from an e-mail I recently recieved:
"All of us girls..
Old and young...
Near and far...
Hold special memories of good times we've shared.
We've had our share of hard times when our friends were there to make us feel betterWe've shared... our hearts, our time ,our secrets, our fears,
our hopes, and our dreams. "
If this can be a source of positive reinforcement or a way for you to convey your appreciation to your "GIRLS" I hope it gives you pause for thought. It is easy to get lost in the "administration" of wedding planning, but there is such an opportunity to express appreciation to those whom you love throughout the process, an life in general.
Enjoy yourself, enjoy your partner, your family and your friends!
Until next time.....take care.
Lee
It's not unusual to consider the bride to be the star of the show at a wedding. She will indeed shine on the day and that beautiful dress - whatever shade of white! - will live long in the memory. But where would she be without her soulmate and partner, the groom? And if you are the lucky chap, you have a lot on your plate as you approach your wedding day.
Take, for example, one of the more memorable aspects of the grooms day, the speech. Times are a-changing and today it is not at all uncommon for the bride to deliver her own speech. But traditionally, the groom does his thing on behalf of him-and-her. Done right, it can be one of the highlights of the reception (actually, done wrong it can also be quite memorable!!). For some tips, check out our "Nailing the grooms speech" article. By the way, we have a WedTopic page specifically focused on speeches.
Some say the groom has the "leftmost brain" of the two. True or false, many a groom will benefit from a little structure to wedding planning. Take a look at our grooms checklist to get started. Consider your partnership with the best man to be a quiet balance against all the "feminine influence". But it's really about thinking about the whole process holistically - and planning your wedding like a man!
Have some comments or thoughts on the role of the groom in wedding planning? Just contact us...
Hello Again;
I hope this blog finds you in good spirits as you navigate your way to the blessed event.
As busy as you are, or will be, planning your perfect wedding, I think it is important to take time every now and then to remember why you are where you are right now. So, take a moment and remember the first time you and your partner said those three magical words..."I Love You."
It is amazing how clear it is for me, like it was yesterday - I know, how cliche - even though it was 16 years ago! Ugh, age comes upon us quickly. I may not remember on which field my son's baseball game is being played, but I can vividly remember the night my man said..."I love you too."
Yep, I opened my big mouth first, even after I swore to myself I wouldn't say it before him. What can I say - the moment was right. Of course, I should tell the man of my dreams I love him when my face was swollen like a blowfish from having my wisdom teeth pulled...I was lookin' gooooood (NOT). I was moved by something more than vanity, and in that moment he chose to open up and tell me he loved me too. Did I forget to mention we were sitting on the beach under a bazillion stars (of course my back was to him...so I could save face if I didn't get the answer I wanted....that would be a big fat swollen face.)
In the midst of the chaos and the drama of wedding planning take time to reflect upon the road that brought you to the here and now. We all love a great love story, feel free to share yours with me.
Until next time, take some time to take care of yourself and, as always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
To round out our team at WedNet.com, let me introduce myself, too. I'm David Power and have been involved with WedNet for a little over a year now. While my primary role is that of advertising and marketing, all of us including me, wear a variety of hats. I also help Lee with content, and assist Mark with brainstorming ideas of a more technical nature. We have a lot of fun, and more importantly, think we bring quite a bit of helpful information to brides and grooms.
I am fortunate to be married to a wonderful and beautiful gal by the name of Doreen. We were married nearly 20 years ago in the Seattle area. Our ceremony was private with our families, but we let loose at our reception at the Tyee Yacht club on Lake Washington. We have two active and growing boys that we affectionately refer to as Thing One and Thing Two.
My personal thanks to all of the brides and grooms that visit our site every day. We hope you find something to ease the stress of this incredible time in your lives. And my thanks, too, to the thousands of wedding vendors that have chosen WedNet.com to list and advertise with. May our success translate to your success.
Thanks for visiting! Browse around our site, let us know your thoughts, and enjoy!
"Thinking about your wedding? So are we!"
David (Advertising and Marketing Manager)
You would never know from our demographics that a wedding is for the bride and the groom! Upwards of 90% of our visitors are brides-to-be. Now, we're not into stereotypes but it seems that the old notion of the bride doing most of the wedding planning is at least supported by what we see. And we're happy to focus a good deal of articles on the women of the day. But, gents, fear not - we are pretty confident brides will find WedNet a great resource but we focus on the men too. For example, you'll find "WedRoles" pages for the Groom. as well as for the Best Man.
Why do I mention this? Well, by way of introduction, really. I am Mark Williams, the founder of WedNet. And how time flies! Technically, WedNet first went online in 1994. Now THAT is early for a web site focused on wedding planning. In fact, we believe we were possibly the first web site in the world dedicated to wedding planning.
The WedNet story is a family story. My late father, Brian, was a wedding videographer in England for the last 23 years of his life. My Mum (or Mom, for my American friends!) continues to sell wedding invitations today. Together, they created the Guild of Professional Wedding Services. Over Christmas 1993, I was visiting my family for the first time since moving to the San Francisco area with my dear wife, Jeanine. We got chatting about this wacky new thing called "the Internet" and I wanted an excuse to create a web site, since I was in the computer field. By the end of the discussion, we'd joined Mum and Dad's interest in weddings with my interest in technology - and WedNet was born. By February 1994 the site was up and running. And - although Dad has moved on to a better place - WedNet continues and we're proud of how we've helped brides and grooms over the years (in fact, we feel we have something to give back, hence our WedNet Giving campaign).
For a little context with WedNet's "subject matter", Jeanine and I exchanged vows in a church in my home town of Keynsham, between Bristol and Bath in England (parts of that church date back to the 1300's - we do history rather well in England!). We had our honeymoon in the Caribbean - a week in St Lucia and two weeks on a yacht in the Grenadines (just Jeanine and I, with a captain and a cook). We can't afford stuff like that any more. We have two girls now!
Our WedNet "family" has expanded now. Mum still helps out (maintaining our extensive WedNet Vendor Database) and Jeanine is active too. And we have others involved (like Lee who "owns" our blog) and you will hear from them soon. We're not some huge, venture capital-backed corporation with an agenda of serving shareholders. Our "agenda" is helping folks plan their wedding - plain and simple. So, you'll hear from Lee most often on the blog, bringing that feminine view that, well, isn't a strength for me!. But there are a few others involved and we hope you'll find we present a balanced and very broad set of articles / features to help you plan your own big day.
As Lee mentioned in her blog yesterday, we're eager to hear from you. In fact, I have my own question for the guys - what do YOU look for in a wedding planning site? Do we address your needs with our articles and what's missing? We're pretty nimble so let us know - feel to contact us.
Thanks for reading!
Mark
Greetings from the wonderful world of wedding planning! I thought I would take a moment to acquaint you with our informative website. At www.wednet.com you will find enlightening articles addressing every detail in the wedding planning process, and then some. Our site is really focused around three important aspects of your wedding - who you are (your role, such the brude, groom, best man, etc), what you want to know (a topic) and when you are getting married.
Some of our most popular "wedtopics" include; Music; Invitations; Gifts; Bridal Accessories; The Rehearsal; ...the list goes on and on. Under each wedtopic are several relevant articles. For example, one of the most viewed articles is about wedding songs http://www.wednet.com/articles/songs.aspx and can be found under the Music wedtopic.
We also highlight various wedding roles, appropriately categorized under "wedroles" such as "The Bride" ;"The Groom";"Bridesmaids"; and "The Best Man" As with the wedtopics, there are several articles under each wedrole relative to their perspective roles in your wedding.
In addition; we offer an expansive national wedding vendor directory allowing you to get a better sense of a variety of vendors services before contacting them for more information.
I encourage you to visit www.wednet.com frequently as we are always adding new content and features. We are always interested in your feedback. Interested in something that is not on our website? We want to hear from you so contact us and let us know what is on your mind.
Until next time....take care!
Lee
Lee’s words on weddings
Greetings! Welcome to my blog, sounds like something out of Star Trek. My name is Lee and I am rather new to the blogging community. I am very excited to be a part of the WedNet team and look forward to learning about our visitors and their experiences, the good, the not so good, and the ugly. And let’s face it folks, planning a wedding can be a very stressful time.
If I can bring one aspect to this experience for you all it is HUMOR! I try anyway. This is supposed to be one of the most wonderful experiences in a couple’s life, but sometimes one can lose track of oneself in the process, so we are here to help prevent that, with wedding tips, support and a few chuckles along the way.
Let me back up and tell you a little bit about myself. I ventured on the wild wedding ride almost 12 years ago (man that makes me feel old, I still feel like I am the 24 year old who walked down the aisle to my teary eyed soon-to-be betrothed – he denies it to this day, but I have a picture). Ever the impatient one, we decided to get married in the fall of the same year…hmmm, that gave me 7 months to plan the wedding of my dreams, brilliant.
Long story short, WE pulled it off. When I say we, I mean, my mom, my step-mom, my mother-in-law and our friends. One of the hardest things for me to do was to ask for help, it still is – but I am getting better (12 years later). The thing to remember is most people who care about you want to help, it gives them a sense of purpose and a good feeling knowing that they are making a positive difference in this life altering experience, and it can bring them closer to you. This is not to say that the planning process went off without any emotional hitches, I don't think I have enough cyber space to get into all of that (kidding?) but I will in bits and pieces in the future…gotta keep you coming back for more.
Every wedding is special and unique. The experience leading up to the blessed event is blissful for some and ...not so much for others. My hope is that through the tips offered on WedNet.com and the quality wedding related websites on our site we can, in some small...or large, way assist you in planning one of the most wonderful days of your life.
So, here we are. I want this to be a place where you can feel free to ask questions, share your experiences, and share your story. We all have something to offer and we can all learn from each other.
Feel free to contact me with your story, questions or comments? Perhaps you have a blog topic for me? Feel free to contact me through our contact page.
Until next time…take care of yourself and enjoy the ride.