Bridal Party PARTY {brunch, luncheon, dinner}

Hi all - I'm terribly sorry we have been missing so much the past few months... I know I promised to be better about blogging and I've failed miserably at keeping up with that promise.  This summer has just been super busy and my focus has been elsewhere - which is no good!  I'm going to try really, really, really hard to get back up to blogging as much as I used to!

Anyway, happy Wedding Wednesday to you all!  I know that typically we do a real wedding, engagement session or bridal shower, but this week I wanted to mix it up a bit.  With that said, make sure to continue to check back for our Wedding Wednesday series because we've got some great real weddings coming up on the blog that you won't want to miss!  But for today's post, we want to talk to all you brides out there about one party you can host for your girls who are standing up for you on your big day.

One thing a bride must never forget when planning her big day is her girls and the time they are taking out of their lives to stand up for her on her big day.  Being a bridesmaid is usually a super fun experience, and honorable as your bride-to-be friend only chooses so many people to be by her side.  With that said, it can also be very expensive {with traveling, gifts, hotel stays, attire, jewelry, etc.} and time consuming {if there are multiple showers to attend, the bachelorette party, rehearsal dinners, weekend events, etc.}.

So, what can a bride do to show her appreciation for her bridesmaids - well, how about hosting an event in THEIR honor? What kind of event you ask?  I'm going to call it a bridal party PARTY {it's sometimes referred to a bridesmaid luncheon, but the event could be hosted any time of day}.

A bridal party PARTY is a way to get the bride and her bridesmaids together right before the wedding to thank them for everything they have done thus far in the planning process, and what they will be doing for on your wedding day.  It's also a great way for those 'maids who don't know each other very well, or who are from out-of-town, to get to know each other for the big day.

I know what some of you might be thinking - with the cost of everything else I'm paying for my wedding, how can I afford to host another party for my girls?  Well brides, this is definitely an extra cost you should be factoring into your budget early in the planning process.  However, if you're close to the big day and don't have much of a budget to throw something extravagant, don't fret.  Bridal luncheons don't have to be expensive... but they should show your appreciation to your bridal party.  Below are some of our favorite ideas, for every budget.


- Bridesmaid Brunch: Prepare some easy brunch foods and have your ladies come over for a couple hours to mingle.  Food items could include crepes, fresh fruit, mini cinnamon rolls, mini french toast, an egg bake, mimosas and lemonade.  The brunch can be as laid back or extravagant as you like - making it an excellent choice for brides  with any type of budget.  You can make the food yourself {especially if you're a fabulous cook!} or have the event catered in.

While this spread is for a baby shower brunch, the color scheme and food choices are PERFECT for a bridesmaid brunch!
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- Bridesmaid Luncheon or Dinner: Much like the brunch, a luncheon or dinner is a great choice for brides with any size budget.  The luncheon or dinner can be hosted at the brides home {or brides parents or in-laws to be} or at a favorite restaurant. The nice thing about hosting a luncheon or dinner rather than a brunch is the wider selection of food to serve.  Since you will have the event just days before you wedding, you can put together a menu for all of your girls to enjoy - mixing both healthy and not-so-healthy options.  Some of my favorite menu ideas include mini grilled cheese with tomato soup shooters, mini burgers, chicken and veggie kabobs, Caesar salad {or any type of salad} and fresh fruit and veggies.

Spruce up the dining room with a pretty table cloth, pretty china, vases and flowers
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- Bridesmaid Spa/Salon gathering:  This type of get-together might be for brides with a larger budget depending on how its held.  One option could be to take the bridesmaid to a local spa/salon and pay for mani/pedis and a little luncheon following.  Another option is to host a spa party at the brides home {or parents' home}.  Provide different items needed for a mani/pedi party at home {lotions and oils, toe separators, polish, top coat, etc} - you can also provide a light lunch and some mimosas for your guests to enjoy.

Create little goody bags for your guests {you could use some ideas above as part of your bridal favors - make custom totes and you're all set}
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So - there are some of our favorite ideas for a bridesmaid get together.   What fun things have you done for your bridesmaids {or as a bridesmaid} for a bridal party PARTY?  What gifts did you give or receive as a bridesmaid gift?

Wedding Wednesday: Song Selection Assistance

I've never had to plan a wedding of my own {hopefully that day will come soon}, so I can't exactly say that I've had trouble with picking out the music for my big day {the boy says he'll be choosing the music selection if/when our big day comes, we'll see how that works out!}.  I will admit, though, I'm a huge fan of music at any party - and the music selection for a wedding definitely requires more thought than say a 32nd birthday get together.

Although music is an important piece of your wedding to think of when it comes to your guests enjoyment, there's more to it than just making sure you choose the right DJ or band to rock your venue late into the night.  There are many musical choices needed for a traditional wedding.  First we'll start with your ceremony - you'll have to choose your prelude, processional, recessional and postlude.  Then there is the music for your reception -  your introduction, first dance, father & daughter dance, mother & son dance, cake cutter, bouquet toss, garter toss and the last dance.  Whew - did you know there would be so many??

The Knot threw together a list of songs that would be fitting choices for the type of wedding style you have centered your wedding around {or based on your musical tastes as a couple}.

For the couple hosting an Indie style wedding, here are some suggestions:

Ceremony Recessional:
"Hello Sunshine" - Super Furry Animals
"Love and Some Verses" - Iron and Wine

Reception Entrance:
"La La Love You" - the Pixies
"Baby I'm Yours" - the Arctic Monkeys

First Dance:
"First Day of My Life" - Bright Eyes
"Question" - Old 97's

Father-Daughter Dance:
"Gracie" - Ben Folds
"Flood of Sunshine" - the Posies

Mother-Son Dance:
"Opened My Eyes" - Straw Dogs
"Only You" - Joshua Radin

Cake Cutting: 
"Tonight is Forever" - Acid House Kings
"Love It All" - The Kooks

Bouquet Toss:
"Give a Little Love" - Rilo Kiley
"Miss Magnolia" - Matt Costa

Last Dance:
"You Are the Best Thing" - Ray LaMontagne
"December Night" - Laura Warshauer


For couples planning an "all American" wedding, here are some selections for you:

Ceremony Recessional:
"All You Need is Love" - The Beatles
"City of Blinding Lights" - U2

Reception Entrance:
"Stay" - Dave Matthews Band
"Rock'n Me" - Steve Miller Band

First Dance:
"If I Should Fall Behind" - Bruce Springstein
"My Best Friend" Tim McGraw

Father-Daughter Dance:
"Just the Way You Are" - Billy Joel
"Father and Daughter" - Paul Simon

Mother-Son Dance:
"Learning to Fly" - Tom Petty
"Kind and Generous" - Natalie Merchant

Cake Cutting:
"Brown Sugar" - The Rolling Stones
"Love You Madly" - Cake

Bouquet Toss:
"Just Like Heaven" - The Cure
"P.Y.T. {Pretty Young Thing" - Michael Jackson

Last Dance:
"Celebration" - Kool and the Gang
"Love Shack" - The B-52s



Lastly, for those couples planning a trendy wedding, check out these music choices:

Ceremony Recessional:
"Something Coming Over" - O.A.R.
"No One" - Alicia Keys

Reception Entrance:
"If it's Lovin' That You Want" - Rihanna
"Love Like This" - Natasha Bedingfield

First Dance:
"I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz
"Bubbly" Colbie Caillat

Father-Daughter Dance:
"This is My Now" - Jordan Sparks
"Daughter" - Loudon Wainwright III

Mother-Son Dance:
"Blackbird" - Sarah McLachlan
"Viva la Vida" - Coldplay

Cake Cutting:
"Candyman" - Christina Aguilera
"Green Light" - John Legend

Bouquet Toss:
"Single Ladies {Put a Ring on It" - Beyonce
"Womanizer" - Britney Spears

Last Dance:
"Let it Rock" - Kevin Rudolf
"Just Dance" - Lady Gaga



Did you find some new ideas from this list?  The Knot provides an abundance of music ideas for both your ceremony and reception, so be sure to check it out here.

What songs did you play for the various activities for your wedding?  Would you say your music choices matched the style/theme of your wedding?  If so, was that your plan??  We'd love to hear how you came up with your musical selections!

Wedding Wednesday: Tips for the Bridal Party

So your friend just asked you to be a part of her big and special day, one of the most important days of her life... her wedding.  Now what?

The job of a bridesmaid doesn't just consist of throwing and attending her bridal showers and bachelorette party, standing around for lots of photos and partying the night away at the wedding, it means you're there for whatever the bride needs.  Weddings are a lot of work, and a lot of stress, and as a bridesmaid you're committing to help the bride stay as calm and stress free as possible, which includes before the big day, and during!

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Read on for some tips from Erin of The Not Wedding, as featured on Every Last Detail.

The Week of:

- Assist with any loose ends, whether it's finishing the welcome bags, favors or decorating the reception hall.  Be helpful and do it all with a smile!

- At the Rehearsal Dinner, make sure the bride is able to mix and mingle with all of her guests, but make sure she isn't drinking too much and that she gets into bed at a reasonable hour!

- The night before the wedding, make sure she's relaxed and calm enough to get some sleep - try playing some cards, watching a movie, or enjoying an activity that's a stress reliever for her!


The Day of:

- Just as you did the night before, make sure the bride is calm and relaxed.  If there's any issues that arise during the day, be there to help out.

- Make sure she has her overnight bags packed, make-up case ready for touch-ups and a change of shoes for later in the evening.

- Prior to the party getting started at the reception, help the bride bustle her dress.

- Help the bride and groom out by getting their drinks for them - they will have a ton of people to greet and thank, so any trips to the bar you can eliminate will be totally helpful!

- If you have time, take photos throughout the day and night... even though they'll have photos from their photographer, it's always nice to see some "behind the scenes" photos of their guests enjoying their time.

- As the reception wraps up and the couple are heading to their hotel room (or wherever their post-wedding reception may be), stick around to help the family tear down the reception venue, pack up cars, make sure wedding accessories and gifts make it to where they need to be.


After the Wedding:

- If the bride and groom are hosting a gift opening brunch/lunch, be sure to attend and help with any final obligations (be the person to write down which gifts were from which guest, help them carry their gifts to the car, see them off to their honeymoon).

- If able, offer them a ride to the airport for their honeymoon, or offer to pick them up from the airport.


Did you know there was so much that went into being a bridesmaid?  I certainly didn't in the weddings I've been a bridesmaid in!  Head over to Every Last Detail to read more tips for bridesmaids, and be sure to check out all the other wedding inspiration she has to offer (especially Tuesday's for her Tuesday Tips series!).