Warner - Diane Warners complete guide to a traditional wedding: everything you need to create your perfect day: time-tested toasts, ceremonies, and etiquette

Everything You Need to Create Your Perfect Day:
Time-Tested Toasts, Vows, Ceremonies, and Etiquette

By Diane Warner

Copyright 2014 by Diane Warner

All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International Copyright Conventions. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, The Career Press.

D IANE W ARNERS C OMPLETE G UIDE TO A T RADITIONAL W EDDING
T YPESET BY D IANA G HAZZAWI
Cover design by Joanna Williams
Printed in the U.S.A.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Warner, Diane.

Diane Warners complete guide to a traditional wedding : everything you need to create your perfect day : time-tested toasts, vows, ceremo-nies, and etiquette / by Diane Warner. -- 1 Edition.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60163-297-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-60163-494-8 (ebook : alk. paper)

1. Weddings--United States--Planning. 2. Consumer education--United States. I. Title. II. Title: Complete guide to a traditional wedding.

HQ745.W3673 2013

392.5--dc23

2013035452

I would like to dedicate this book to my family:
my husband, Jack;
my children, Darren, and his wife, Lisa,
and Lynn, and her husband, Ron;
and my four amazing grandchildren,
Caleb, Renee, Jeffrey, and Lyndi.

My sincere thanks to my agent, Jeff Herman, and the editorial staff at Career Press, including Adam Schwartz, Michael Pye, and Kirsten Dalley, and a special thanks to Diana Ghazzawi. Also, I would like to thank all the brides and grooms who so generously shared their stories, as well as the wedding professionals who offered their advice and expertise. Thank you, all.

Part 1
Youre Engaged! Now What?

Part 2
The Wedding Ceremony

Part 3
The Wedding Reception

Part 4
After the Wedding

Part 5
Problem Solving

We live in an uncertain world filled with financial challenges and pressure from every side. This has caused engaged couples to return to one reassuring certainty that still exists: a traditional wedding ceremony, yet personalized with their own special touches, resulting in a day uniquely their own. Their goal is to avoid a cookie-cutter wedding with all its predictable elements by creating a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that is meaningful, poignant, and memorable.

As you read through this book, highlight ideas that appeal to you. Youll find that in addition to traditional touches, Ive included the latest trends, such as including pets in your ceremony and reception, Dads giving-away words, and destination weddings.

Enjoy the journey as you plan your special day.

Congratulations! Youre engaged! What a happy time for you!

So, lets talk about what happens next.

I recommend that both of you take a little time to dream before making any concrete plans. Dont make decisions until you have a vision of what your wedding should look like.

Close your eyes. What do you see? A vast cathedral with stained glass windows? An ivy-covered brick chapel? An outdoor wedding on a hillside overlooking a sandy beach?

Who do you want in attendance? As many guests as possible? Or a small, intimate group of close friends and family members?

What type of ceremony do you envision? Religious? Civil? Formal? Informal?

Your choices are important because they will dictate the rest of your wedding plans, including the style and length of your bridal gown, the size of your wedding party, and the quantity and type of food served at the reception.

Youll feel like youre jumping onto a moving train as youre faced with dozens of decisions and activities. Youre in for quite a ride. But dont worryitll all be worth it when your feet touch down at your honeymoon destination. I promise.

Now that youre aboard, take a deep breath and get ready to plan your wedding. You cant plan everything at once, so lets take a look at your initial concerns, which are:

Announcing your engagement.

Setting your wedding date.

Establishing your wedding budget.

Creating your personal wedding Website.

Choosing the members of your wedding party.

Compiling your guest list.

Establishing your gift registries.

Setting up a prenuptial agreement, if desired.

Creating a to-do list.

Once your family members have been told about your engagement, youre ready to let the rest of the world in on your good news. The first step is to make the announcement on your favorite social networking site, through word of mouth with friends and coworkers, or at an announcement party, which is similar to an engagement party except that it includes a surprise announcement.

A formal announcement is accomplished by submitting your information to your local newspaper. Call the newspaper to find out what advance notice they require. Society editors usually need a month to six weeks before the announcement is printed. The announcement usually includes:

Names, hometowns, and educational backgrounds of the bride and groom.

Names of the brides parents, grandparents, and attendants.

Date, time, and place of the ceremony.

Where the couple will be honeymooning.

Where they will reside after the honeymoon.

Although diamond rings are the most popular (75 percent of engaged women wear a diamond), other gemsfor example, a ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, or pearlare equally beautiful, just as official, and often less expensive. Even Princess Kate wore a sapphire engagement ring. Another less expensive option is to convert a family heirloom ring into an engagement ring by providing a modern setting for the stone. Or, if your bride has her heart set on a one-carat diamond ring, which isnt within your budget at the moment, purchase the same exact ring with a cubic zirconia stone instead. Then, when youre financially able, have the ring re-set with a genuine diamondperhaps on your first wedding anniversary. This little trick is more popular than you would think. The cubic zirconia, if kept sparkling clean, will appear to be a diamond for all practical purposes. Of course, this delicious scheme will remain a secret between you and your brideno need to breathe a word about it to