Sedona has been added

The Sedona Wedding page has been added to WedAlert. So if you are planning a Sedona Arizona wedding, visit it at http://www.wedalert.com/local_wedding_services/arizona/sedona.asp.

Whether you are local to the area, or planning a destination wedding, Sedona couldn't be a more romantic setting for your wedding ceremony and reception.

Difficult Invitation Wording Situations Part 2

This is a follow up to our last posting about difficult wedding invitation wording situations:

There can be more situations that create difficult-to-word situations. Because weddings are so diverse and so personal to any couple, you are bound to encounter invitation situations that are hard to address in writing. As couples want to say the right thing without offending anyone, we wanted to bring you solutions to your most-asked questions.

As tradition states that the party who is hosting the wedding should do the inviting on a wedding invitation. Traditionally, this would be the bride’s parents. However, what happens if the groom’s parents are hosting or if the bride does not have parents. There are two ways to remedy this wording problem. If the groom’s parents are hosting the wedding, then you can use wording similar to this:

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McDonald
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Elise Brennan
to their son
Jason Harold McDonald

Another way is to word the invitation so that the couple is hosting their own wedding. See the example below.

The honour of your presence
is requested
at the marriage of
Ms. Valerie Atwood
and
Mr. John Thomas

Some couples also struggle with invitation wording when they want to let their guests know that children are not allowed. Many times, couples will have printed, “Adults Only,” or “Adults Only Reception.” According to etiquette, this is not correct. If you do not want children, simply do not invite them. Another option is to have a family member or close friend spread the word.

What if you want to provide registry information to your guests? It is not traditionally acceptable to provide gift registry information on your wedding invitation. However, more and more couples are turning to the internet and establishing their own wedding webpage. Your wedding website can include information about how you met your fiancé, the proposal, the wedding party and even your gift registry. Travel and accommodation information can also be included on your wedding webpage, along with local attractions. More and more couples are using their wedding webpage so that their guests can obtain registry information and much more.

Situations may seem difficult when trying to explain them formally, on a wedding invitation. The best advice to remember is to say on your wedding invitations what you are comfortable with, and use etiquette to guide you along. If you say what is best for you and your fiancé on your wedding invitations, you can’t go wrong!

Difficult Invitation Wording Situations Part 1

Difficult Wording Situations Part 1 -The correct way to address sticky wording situations

When we use the word “traditional,” it refers to a general term of what etiquette rules apply to any given situation. In modern society, the term “traditional” is not as straightforward as it used to be, especially when you look at family situations. The traditional rules of etiquette usually do not cover difficult situations, so when it is time to word your wedding invitation, you may encounter situations that may be difficult to say on your invitation. There are ways to word these situations so that no one feels uncomfortable, but the most important thing to remember is to use wording that you feel comfortable with.

One of the most commonly asked questions is regarding how to word wedding invitations when the bride or groom’s parents are divorced. Here are some examples of divorced parents as the hosts of the wedding:

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Andrews
And
Mr. James Bryan
Request the honor of your presence
At the marriage of their daughter

Here is another example if the parents are divorced but have not remarried:

Mr. Allan Cummings
And
Ms. Olivia Abbott
Request the honor of your presence
At the marriage of their daughter

The same principal applies if the groom’s parents are divorced. See the below wording for an example:

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Abrams
Request the honor of your presence
At the marriage of their daughter
Jessica Ann Abrams
To
Brian Matthew Cuthbert
Son of Mr. Adam Lyons
And Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Geller

Another difficult wording situation that you may encounter is if one of the bride or groom’s parents is deceased. In many cases, it is appropriate for the living parent to host the wedding, please see below for an example.

Mrs. Robert Barber
Requests the honor of your presence
At the marriage of her daughter

In certain instances, the bride or groom wishes to mention the deceased parent on the wedding invitation. It is perfectly acceptable to do this by stating “the late” before the deceased’s name. The only thing to avoid is to make is sound as though the deceased parent is doing the inviting. Here an acceptable example.

Sarah Alice Thelen
Daughter of Mr. Oliver Thelen and the late Mrs. Thelen
And
Bradley John Johnson
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Johnson
Request the honor of your presence

Because every family situation is different, feel free to customize these wordings as you see appropriate. The most important thing is for you to feel comfortable with the wording, as well as be appropriate.

Congratulations to the Honeymoon Giveaway Winner!!

Congratulations!!!

Tanya Darby of Florida - You and your Fiancé are the lucky winners of our Hawaiian Giveaway, drawn on April 1, 2007.

WedAlert's next drawing for a Honeymoon Giveaway is on October 1, 2007. So Register now.

The winner of the next honeymoon giveaway will have the choice of the following:

All Inclusive Vacation at The Casa Del Mar in La Romanna in the Dominican Republic with a minimum 6 Day / 5 night stay; OR

The Coco Kreole in St Lucia with a minimum 6 Day / 5 night stay.

The Honeymoon Giveaway is sponsored by EBTS travel planning.

Contest terms

Second Wedding? Yes, You Can – Tips for the Encore Bride

Are you getting remarried? If you are planning your second wedding celebration then read this article by Jean Neuhart a Professional Bridal Consultant, and the owner of Weddings From The Heart.

Yes, You Can – Tips for the Encore Bride

If you are like many brides, this may not be your first wedding. So you’re probably wondering "what am I allowed to have at my wedding?" Guess what? There’s good news. You can have your wedding any way you want! This day is for you and your fiancé and the celebration of the love you have for each other. Don’t let anything in the past put a damper on the excitement of this new and wonderful relationship you share, or get in the way of having the celebration you really want.

With the minor exception of two things - a veil and orange blossoms, which both symbolize virginity - there is nothing you should avoid having at your wedding. Yes, you can wear white - it is the color of celebration. Your bridal party can be as large or as small as you want. You can register for gifts. If your attendants or someone else wants to throw a bridal shower for you, let them. You can also have a bachelorette party.

Think about your previous wedding for a moment, and consider the following:
1. Do you want to do everything in a new way?
2. Did you feel overwhelmed by the size of your last ceremony?
3. Did the style of your first wedding reflect your tastes, regardless of its outcome?
4. Do you want to find a special role for your children?
5. Are you still close to your in-laws, ex-spouse?
6. Would you feel more comfortable with a civil ceremony?

Honestly answering these questions can help guide you in your wedding planning.

Don’t concern yourself with any party-poopers who are wondering why in the world you’re planning a wedding anyway. The love and commitment you and your fiancé have for each other deserves celebrating. Why not shout it from the roof tops with a dream wedding? And if they don’t get it, then that’s their problem, not yours.

Most of all, celebrate your love and have fun.

So you just got engaged...what now?

Happy New Year! Congratulations are in order for all those who got engaged over the holidays. Traditionally, many people "pop the question" between Christmas and New Year's Day. For all those who are beginning the task of planning your wedding here are a few tips and tools from WedAlert.

First, sit down with your fiance and go over the budget. The more detailed you can be, and the more you adhere to your budget plan, the less stress you will encounter. We have put together a Wedding Budget Checklist that you can print out for help creating your own plan. When creating your budget, you may want to consider the traditional wedding expense breakdown to find out "Who Pays for What".

Secondly, wedding planning follows a logical timeline. You cannot book the essential vendors such as a photographer, or wedding band until you have secured the wedding date and reception location. WedAlert offers a twelve month wedding planning calendar to help you with your upcoming marriage plans.

Third, begin to look for essential wedding professionals. The internet has made this task much easier than in the past, since you can compare vendors online from the comfort of your home, in your own time, and without travel. However, once you have narrowed down your selections, it is strongly suggested that you meet the vendors "face to face", and that you view personally all the items and services to be used in your wedding celebration. Start with using the WedAlert Reception Site Locator to search our database of Banquet Halls, Catering Halls, Mansions, Yachts, Hotels, Reception Halls, Country Clubs, Lofts, Museums, Restaurants, Gardens, and other unique spaces. Once you have booked your date search our directory to find all the essential local and national wedding professionals.

Fourth, focus on the details. Find the perfect gown, decide on favors, toasting glasses and other items to use at your ceremony or wedding reception. WedAlert offers another checklist to help you with purchasing all your wedding necessities. You may also want to find the perfect songs to walk down the aisle to, use for your first dance, or any of your parent or other specialty dances. Find over 1,400 wedding song samples in the WedAlert wedding music library.

Lastly, maintain a good attitude, remain positive, and have a sense of humor.

WedAlert also has the following tools and recommended articles to help you plan your upcoming event:

• Bridal Gowns and Bridesmaids Dresses
• Bridal Registry List
• Schedules of Bridal Shows in your area
• Honeymoon Ideas and Suggested Itineraries
• An online wedding consultant - Ask Mikki
• The Top Ten Planning Tips
• 5 Steps to a Fit Wedding Day
• Wedding Photography Check List
• Marriage Laws

Good luck, have fun, and best wishes on your upcoming wedding from all of us at WedAlert.

Minnesota has been added

The Minnesota Wedding page has been added to WedAlert. Visit it at http://www.wedalert.com/local_wedding_services/minnesota/

Minnesota Weddings

WedAlert is adding a page specific to Minnesota, so if you are a wedding professional who works in the state of Minnesota, from the Twin Cities Area of Minneapolis - St. Paul, or from any of the other regions of Minnesota, be sure to add your listing here.