2011 wedding supplement

Wedding supplement - March 2011

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a special wine

something old,something new

western “spirits”

receiving line demystified

sing a sweet tune

5 possible problems

step by step guide

ceremony, reception & contract considerations

and some advice

wedding day peace of mind - priceless

Plan thePerfect Wedding

2011

2 wedding supplement ~ march 15th - 28th, 2011

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Music is an integral part of both the

wedding ceremony and the reception.

Music often conveys emotions that are

difficult to put into words. Additionally,

songs and music help us to remember

certain key moments more easily.

That's why we often associate rites of

passage with the sound track of that

time in our lives.

Consider the following:

Can you picture the bride and her

attendants walking down the aisle

without any music? Many couples give

careful consideration to the reception

music and leave the ceremony music to

chance - not a good idea.

While traditionally brides enter to

"Here Comes the Bride," stricter houses

of worship may not allow this tune or

brides simply may prefer something

else. Just keep in mind the tempo and

length of the song so that it will match

the gait and size of the wedding party.

If your house of worship provides the

musician(s), arrange to sit down with

this individual to talk about styles.

Perhaps you can arrange to hear the

selections. Also arrange to have

payment or a tip provided for his or her

services.

You will likely have more wiggle

room with your choices at the

reception, depending on the venue.

Brides and grooms usually use live

performers or DJs who play pre-

recorded music. Some performers offer

a combination of both.

Consider the style of your wedding.

Will it be formal or informal?

Traditional or contemporary? Aim for

music that suits the style or theme of

the wedding.

When you are choosing music,

consider your tastes, but the tastes of

your guests as well. While you won't be

able to please each and every person,

the wider the range of music you have

available, the greater the chance of

people getting up to dance and enjoying

themselves.

Once you decide on your ceremony

and reception musicians, it's important

to sign a contract and work out

payment agreements. Having the

information in writing protects you in

case the musicians don't deliver what

was expected. Here are some points

that should be covered in the contracts.

* Price, deposit amount, additional

charges (travel, food requirements,

etc.) and overtime rates.

* The number of musicians who

will be attending and what instruments

they play, in the case of a wedding

band.

* Names of specific people you

want, such as DJ, lead vocalist, emcee,

and what compensation will be made if

these people are not available.

* Date and hours they'll be

working.

* Additional services, such as

dramatic lighting, dancers or party

favours.

* Number of breaks and how the

break time will be covered, such as with

recorded music.

* Style of dress or costumes.

* Specific music requests and list

of your wedding attendants so they'll

h a v e t h e r i g h t n a m e s i f

announcements are being made.

Be sure to ask friends, relatives and

others for musician recommendations.

When you attend weddings, take the

cards of performers you enjoyed.

Contact prospective performers early

on to ensure your wedding date is

available.

The Ceremony

The Reception

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3wedding supplement ~ march 15th - 28th, 2011

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3. The Testy Bridesmaid

The Problem: "I love my maid of honour,

but getting her in a dress that wasn't black

or covered every inch of her was a task. If

we found a colour or a print, she would tell

me that she didn't want to take attention

away from the bride.”

If one of your bridesmaids is a

little nervous about showing some skin or

wearing a bold colour, it's better to find her

an alternate option than to force her into

something she's not comfortable with. For

a modest maid of honour, make a strapless

dress more conservative by incorporating a

wrap, a fun cardigan or a vintage bolero

jacket in a complementing shade. Or play

up your colour palette in a subtler way with

jewellery or hair fascinators. Look at the

bright side - compromising now will give

you a little leverage when you serve as a

maid in her wedding.

The Advice:

1. The Wedding Know-It-All

The Problem: "My future sister-in-law is telling me I shouldn't wear a white

dress because it would be too harsh with my skin tone, wants to register for

gifts with me (as well as tell me what to register for) and is suggesting where

we honeymoon!”

When wedding suggestions cross the line from helpful to aggra-

vating, it's time to redirect that input so that you don't end up arguing over

something that might not seem so significant a few years down the line.

Assign specific tasks to keep her busy but still involved, like helping you con-

firm orders with vendors or assembling favours.

The Advice:

4. The Over-Eager Wedding Guest

The Problem: "A woman my mother works

with wants to do my ceremony music and a

customer of my mother's always volun-

teers to help and acts like she is family. I

hardly know her!”

You know that expression

about too many cooks in the kitchen? Meet

its wedding equivalent. Having a lot of peo-

ple offer to help you plan sounds like a

blessing, but when assistance comes from

left field, it can feel like more of a hin-

drance. If you feel like someone's eager-

ness is a bit more than you need, let her

know how grateful you are for the offer, but

that you're in great shape, planning-wise,

and that if anything comes up that she

could help with, you'll be sure to call.

The Advice:

2. The Doesn't-Know-Her-Place Wedding Guest

The Problem: "One of our guests keeps insisting that we invite

everyone on her 'party guest list' to our destination wedding - I

even found an open invite on her MySpace page!"

Some wedding guests take it upon themselves to

suggest a few invitees and then some guests invite everyone on

the Internet. Unless you want Tom from MySpace raising a

glass to toast your union, make sure it's clear that there's only

one guest list for your wedding. Luckily, rationalizing a small

guest list is a lot easier when you have a destination wedding -

just explain that you're having an intimate wedding with close

friends and family only (she should feel honoured that she's

one of them!)

The Advice:

5. The Children-Or-Bust Wedding Guest

The Problem: "My husband-to-be has a

niece and nephew (both under five) and

his sister, her husband and his parents

said they would refuse to come if the chil-

dren aren't allowed."

A lot of couples choose not to

invite kids to their wedding, but if you risk

a boycott by some VIPs, find a way to

soothe the situation. Offer to hire a

babysitter and set up a private area with

games, colouring books and a few comfy

pillows for little ones to crash on if the

reception runs past their bedtimes. Your

relatives might even offer to chip in once

they see how accommodating you're

being, but if they don't, the extra expense

will be worth bypassing the drama of a

fight with your new family.

The Advice:

Wedding IssuesWedding Issues5 Possible Problems And Some Advice

See your

as you always

pictured it

Wedding Day

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4 5wedding supplement ~ march 15th - 28th, 2011 wedding supplement ~ march 15th - 28th, 2011

403-652-3990317 Macleod Tr. SW

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Twelve months before the Wedding

Nine months before the Wedding

Six months before the Wedding

Three months before the Wedding

Six to eight weeks before the Wedding

10 - 14 Days before the Wedding

One week before the Wedding

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Get yourself a binder with paper and dividing tabs.

Discuss with your fiancé and his/her families, plus

your own, to determine a budget.

Decide on your wedding theme e.g. Christmas, Fall,

Snowflakes, Black and White, etc.

Select a wedding date with your fiancé and families.

Decide on your wedding attendants.

Book a ceremony and reception location(s).

Book your professional wedding photographer, florist,

caterer, videographer, and DJ or wedding musicians.

Make an appointment with your officiant. For most

religious ceremonies, you may be required to attend pre-

wedding counseling. For civil ceremonies, your officiant

may require a meeting to discuss your wedding

ceremony.

Wedding gown shopping and first fittings should be

looked after at this time.

Shop for your wedding accessories, wedding veil or head

piece and wedding shoes.

Begin preparation of the

guest list. Be sure to

include both sides of the

family as guest lists are

often a contentious

issue. It will take time to

decide on long lost

cousins, work friends,

neighbours, etc.

Decide on gift registry

locations and register.

Begin your search for

your honeymoon

location. If you are

getting married during a peak holiday season such as

Christmas, you may need to book your honeymoon up to

nine months in advance.

You need to meet with the wedding professionals who

will assist you on your special day. The menu should be

mapped out with your catering company, a review of

requested wedding photos with your photographer,

flower choices with your florist, a discussion with your

videographer on the amount of footage and locations for

videos and your preference for music with your DJ or

wedding musicians.

Limousines and/or other wedding transportation should

be booked. Wedding carriages or winter horse drawn

sleighs should be booked and pricing confirmed.

If you are ordering wedding invitations and/or save the

date cards and wedding announcements, you need to

decide on a provider. If you are making your own

wedding invitations and other wedding stationery, you

should choose a wedding invitation kit template

package. Announcements should be sent out to those

friends and family who you have not included in the

ceremony.

Honeymoon trip should be booked and final budget

plans for the honeymoon confirmed.

Bridesmaids and Flower Girl dresses should be decided

upon and ordered.

Start shopping for wedding rings.

Guest list needs to be finalized by you and your fiancé

and BOTH families. We can't emphasize enough that you

need to have the blessing of all concerned when it comes

to the guest list.

Final decisions and ordering of wedding rings.

Visit hairstylist for a consultation and have your first

wedding day hair run through.

Make wedding day appointment with hairstylist. Don't

forget to include your bridesmaids if they are having

their hair professionally styled for your wedding.

Research and review requirements for blood tests.

Research, review and book hotel rooms for out of town

guests who may require accommodation.

Follow up on your wedding gown and confirmation of

delivery dates for your gown and those of your

attendants.

Attend your first wedding gown fitting including all

accessories and shoes.

Prepare your wedding invitation kit templates for

printing, including the Thank You cards.

If you have ordered your invites from a commercial

business, be sure they are ready for you.

Address and mail the wedding invitations.

Shop for and purchase any wedding gifts for your fiancé,

attendants, parents and grandparents.

Attend your final dress fitting including wedding

accessories.

Spend time wearing your wedding shoes so that you are

not crippled before the wedding dance starts.

Test a spray on tan if you plan to tan for your wedding.

Make final decisions on your wedding hair style and any

hair colour changes should be made.

Pick up your wedding rings from your jewellery shop.

Print out your personalized Thank You cards from your

wedding invitation kit templates or purchase generic

Thank You cards.

Send any Thank You cards for wedding or shower gifts

received over the past weeks.

Confirm with your caterer with one final review of the

menu.

Confirm with your officiant the venue and time of

ceremony.

Confirm with your photographer, florist, videographer,

DJ and/or wedding band.

Confirm your honeymoon reservation and any special

requests for the wedding night.

Address any wedding announcements, stamp and set in

preparation of mailing on your wedding day.

Final visit to your hairstylist to review any last minute

concerns or changes.

Attend any last minute parties or bridal showers in your

honour.

Write any Thank You cards for gifts received at these

functions.

Give the caterer your final number of guests expected to

attend.

Bridesmaids and Flower Girl confirmation of the time

they are expected to

arrive.

Purchase travel

insurance for the

honeymoon if you are

leaving the country.

Purchase travelers'

cheques for the

honeymoon holiday.

Double check to be

sure that travelers'

cheques are accepted

and easily cashed at

your final destination.

How to plan a wedding - a Step-by-step guide: Wedding Day Peace of Mind - Priceless!

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Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.

Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.

Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.

If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

Monday for wealthTuesday for health

Wednesday the best day of allThursday for lossesFriday for crosses

Saturday for no luck at all

Superstitions

Believe it or not, there were also superstitionson the day and month that a couple wed on

BoutonnièreIt was the knights of yore who

gave us the Western European

tradition of the groom wearing

a single flower. It was

customary for a knight to wear

a f lower or a colorful

handkerchief belonging to

their lady fair when they

entered a tournament. The

tradition later evolved to the

groom wearing a flower from

his bride's wedding bouquet.

The white wedding gownwas not a symbol of purity,

but rather a symbol of joy.

What wedding today would

be complete without the

white wedding gown? Prior

to the 16 th century ,

h o w e v e r , t h i s m o s t

i m p o r t a n t W e s t e r n

E u r o p e a n W e d d i n g

tradition was not common.

It wasn't until Ann of

Brittany popularized the

white wedding dress in 1499

that the tradition became

part of Western European

wedding culture.

Something oldsomething newsomething borrowedsomething blue

And finally it is time for the groom to carry his new bride across the thresholdAnd finally, what wedding tradition would be complete without the groom carrying his new bride over the threshold of their home? This

Western European tradition began with two beliefs. The first one was that if the bride were to trip or stumble as she entered her new home (as she

crossed her new threshold for the first time) bad luck would plague the marriage. The second belief was that evil spirits inhabited the threshold of a

new couple's home and that if the bride stepped on the threshold the evil spirits would enter through her feet and the marriage would be doomed. The

romantic answer, of course, was for the groom to carry his new bride across the threshold.

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Best Man

7wedding supplement ~ march 15th - 28th, 2011

Phone: (403) 933-4503

Fax: (403) 933-4501

Phone For Appointment

Tues - Sat 8am - 5:30pm

119 Centre Avenue W.

Black Diamond

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Accredited ProfessionalPhotographer

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Established 1976

403-652-3610High River

Liquor Licences [email protected]

Special orders also possible

We have a great selection of fine Wines and Spirits

208 Main Street, Turner Valley

For your Wedding or that Special Occasioncall Sarah at 403-933-2722 or 403-619-5477

We are able to help you select and organizeyour refreshment needs

Are you stuck in a

wine “rut?” Do you wander

around the wine racks in

your local liquor store look-

ing at every bottle, occa-

sionally thinking “I wonder

what that one tastes like?”

or “that one looks interest-

ing,” but in the end you

always grab that same

familiar label?

Maybe it's a comfort

thing; you know exactly

what you are getting every

time you open the bottle.

Perhaps you just really

love the taste and no mat-

ter how many times you

enjoy a glass, it never

seems to get old. Then

again, you could be just

like the majority of the pop-

ulation and have a fear of

change. Whether it's

twelve, twenty or thirty dol-

lars, no one likes to pay for

a product and not know if

they are going to love it or

end up dumping it down

the kitchen sink.

I can help; my name is

Sarah Harrold from Valley

Cold Beer and Liquor in

Turner Valley. My plan is

to showcase some of the

many wonderful wines out

there and to help you

break out of your “wine

comfort zone.” After all, if

you never try anything

new, you will really be miss-

ing out on some wonderful

wines. Please keep an

open mind; wine is a per-

sonal preference, but there

are many products to

choose from.

My first wine to show-

case is the 2008 Lucky

Horseshoe Merlot from

Hayes Ranch, located in

Livermore in the North

Central Coast region of Cal-

ifornia. This area of Cali-

fornia has warm days, cool

nights and a long growing

season, which develops

ripe, round, fruit flavours.

Produced by the Wente

Family Estates and repre-

sented by Simmer Fine

Wine & Spirits Inc, Lucky

Horseshoe has a varietal

content of 85% Merlot,

15% Petite Sirah and an

alcohol content of 13.5%.

This Merlot has exciting

hints of spice and berries,

which exhibits aromas of

plum, bramble and a hint

of herbaceousness. With

medium tannins and a

smooth, long, fruity finish

on the palate, this is defi-

nitely a delightful wine!

This Merlot will be

best paired with roast beef,

tenderloin, pork, any

pasta with a meat sauce or

hard cheeses. Personally, I

prefer to enjoy a glass on

its own, surrounded by

friends. Priced below six-

teen dollars, I highly rec-

ommend the Lucky Horse-

shoe Merlot.

Visit us on our website

at www.valleyliquor.ca or

email [email protected]

for more information on

the upcoming in store tast-

ing and specials for this

wine.

Please enjoy responsi-

bly. Don't drink and drive.

A California Wine With A Western Spirit

Valley Vinesby Sarah Harrold


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What they say about weddings is true:It'll all be over before you know it. Sothen how can you ensure you'll get thechance to talk to each and every guestbefore the bell tolls? Enter the receivingline - the most formal and efficient linedance you'll ever do. Here's how to con-nect with your company and give guestsyour most heartfelt greetings and grati-tude.

A receiving line is the best opportunityto greet each guest individually andthank him or her for coming to your wed-ding. And if you're having more than 50guests, it's considered proper etiquette.The line also guarantees your guests aminute of face-to-face time with you, achance to hug, kiss and congratulateyou both, and to say things like "The cere-mony was lovely." If you rely instead onthe more casual greet-them-as-you-see-them approach, you may spend thewhole party in a tailspin, ducking out ofconversations to say hello to people youhaven't greeted yet, and inevitably you'llend up missing someone.

Generally the receiving line is formedimmediately following the ceremony orat the beginning of the reception. You'llwant to take spatial constraints into con-sideration when choosing where to lineup so that family and bridal party mem-bers aren't standing on top of each otherand guests have room to move in asmooth, orderly procession (which inturn makes the line go faster so you canall get on to the party). Proper ventilationis also crucial to avoid sweaty brows andswooning bridesmaids. The most com-monly used ceremony site areas includethe hallway or vestibule at the head ofthe aisle, outside the entry doors, downthe front steps or on the front porch. Atyour reception site the options are many,depending on the party space: considerthe cocktail lounge, the lobby, just out-side the doors leading into the mainroom or the reception room itself, per-haps on the dance floor. Ultimately, picka spot where you and your guests canstand comfortably for the duration.

Traditionally, the bride's parents, ashosts, head the receiving line and arefirst to greet guests, followed by the brideand groom and then the groom's par-ents. Many lines we've seen also includethe entire bridal party (if there's room)and sometimes even grandparents (ifthey're able). Today, however, with morecouples contributing to or paying fortheir own weddings, the lines haveblurred (so to speak). The couple maywish to stand alone, especially if themajority of guests are their friends orthey may stand with just the moms whilethe dads circulate among and welcomethe crowd during the cocktail hour.

This may be one of the stickier situa-

tions you'll encounter when orchestrat-ing the big day and the resolution oftendepends on the relationships betweenthe relevant parties. If your parents aredivorced, they should not stand next toone another in line - even if they are shar-ing hosting duties - as this gives theimpression that they are still a couple.Instead, place Mom on one side of youand the groom, then the groom's par-ents, then Dad. If this arrangement does-n't sit well, consider placing another fam-ily member or an honour attendantbetween them. And what about steppar-ents? Should you include them too?That depends: Do you have a good rela-tionship with them? Is your mom/dadcapable of sharing this duty with yourstep mom/dad with civility and grace?You should strive to make everyone feelas comfortable as possible. If thisarrangement gets the green light, simplyhave your father stand with his new wife,and your mother with her new husband.This way guests will understand the rela-tionships.

The receiving line is where your host-ing duties as the bride and groom kickoff. It'll no doubt be a whirlwind of faces,but as much as possible you shouldintroduce your new spouse and your par-ents to all the guests they have not yetmet. First names and the guests' rela-tionships to you should suffice. Likewiseall guests should take it upon them-selves to offer this same information asintroduction to attendants and familymembers whom they've never met asthey proceed down the line; simplyshake hands, offer congratulations andkeep moving. The bride and groom needonly accept everyone's hugs, kisses andbest wishes and thank them for coming.It's that simple. And yes, you'll end upwith a lot of lipstick on your cheeks, butfear not - you're allowed to make a bath-room pit stop before heading to theparty.

As is common nowadays, traditionssuch as the receiving line are ultimatelyopen to interpretation. Depending on thesize of your guest list, you may opt togreet guests in other ways. One couplewe know personally dismissed guestsfrom their seats right after the ceremony,one row at a time (although we wouldn'trecommend this for gatherings of morethan 150 people, or if guests have toremain seated - and suffer - through hotsun, rain, strong winds or other inclem-ent conditions). If you have fewer than50 guests, you might decide to turn cock-tail hour into the meet-and-greet oppor-tunity instead of a formal receiving line.Whatever you choose, the basic tenetsstill apply: Greet each of your guests inturn and thank them for joining you onthis joyful occasion.

- The Knot

Why Have One?

When and Where?

Who Stands in it?

Divorced and Remarried Parents

Introductions All Around

Variations on a Theme

Receiving Line: Etiquette, Options & Tips

2011 wedding supplement

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