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Article By Marianna Barbrey
Photography by 33 Park
Attendant Gifts
The best attendant gifts are functional but personal — and you can accomplish both with monogramming. For a winter wedding, monogrammed pashminas are functional keepsakes that look great in pictures. For a destination wedding at the beach, a monogrammed towel won’t be lost and will stay helpful hroughout the weekend and the rest of the season. Other ideas include monogrammed picture frames, jewelry boxes, tote bags (for the wedding weekend) and stationery.
Cakes / Deserts
Ask most people what their favorite dessert is, and many will say ice cream. Well, why shouldn’t a bride and groom have their favorite dessert at their wedding? The ice cream (or gelato) bar can be a fun favorites for fall. Light and airy laser-cut chiffon and organza is on the rise in bridal gowns and attendant dresses. Alternative to the traditional cake, the ice cream can come from a favorite local parlor, and you can personalize your toppings (throw in cookies or brownies for an extra touch). Catering After dinner is served and the cake has been cut, the dancing and revelry begins. But all of that partying can work up an appetite — which is why weddings are perfect for late-night snacking. A second, more laid-back phase of food service might include sliders, mini pizzas, hot dogs or even tacos. Serve in to-go containers and let guests take their late-night treat back home.
China or Place seting (Registry)
As the selection of available china grows bigger and bigger, it can be difficult to stick with just one pattern. A quick solution is to get a simple dinner plate, and register for fun salad plates. This way, you can work from a traditional base and accessorize as your tastes change over the years. (You can also register for seasonal salad plates to make your table more festive during the holidays.)
Dresses/SHOES
Light and airy laser-cut chiffon and organza is on the rise in bridal gowns and attendant dresses. Chelsea Clinton, for instance, wore a voluminous Vera Wang organza laser-cut gown for her late July nuptials to Marc Mezvinsky. Laser-cutting provides a precision that’s almost impossible to replicate by hand-cutting. But don’t step on her blue wedding shoes! Brides these days are increasingly using their shoes as their traditional “something blue.” They can be anything from simple baby-blue ballet flats to four-inch indigo pumps. This way, a bride can discreetly wear something fun and personal on her wedding day.
Engagement Rings / Jewelry
Some couples are opting for non-traditional engagement rings, ones that don’t necessarily feature a diamond as the center stone. Taking cues from the British royal family, the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne and Princess Diana, some brides are going with different precious gemstones, such as sapphires or rubies, for their color, uniqueness and sentimentality.
Entertainment
Sometimes the most exciting entertainment at a wedding can be something that the couple knows nothing about. Bringing a special guest to a reception is a fun way for parents to surprise the newlyweds and delight guests. Such a guest might be a sports mascot cutting in on the first dance, a gospel choir greeting guests at the church or even a surprise singer who pops in for one special song for the bride and groom.
Flowers
These days, trends in flowers aren’t about color but texture: Brides are choosing more monochromatic schemes with flowers of varying textures. Cage-net veils can offer a fresh look with a vintage flair. Monochromatic floral schemes with varying textures can be a simple but appealing option. (Combinations, for instance, might include green hydrangeas with green hypericum berries and bear grass.) The contrasts of soft petals against geometric lines make the arrangement simple but appealing.
Hair
A popular alternative to the traditional veil, cage-net veils can offer a fresh look with a vintage flair. Cage-net veils are constructed of diamond-shaped netting or tulle and cover just a portion of the bride’s face. They may be secured with a modified brooch, flower or feather fascinator and, once removed, still give hair a beautiful vintage look.
Honeymoon
Planning a trip can be a tiring and tedious process at any time of year, but in the midst of planning a wedding, it can be positively overwhelming. A simple, traditional solution is to use a travel agent. Tell your agent what you want to spend and where you’re interested in going, and let them take it from there. Ease the pre-wedding headache of sorting through piles of brochures and web sites and allow a professional to plan your trip for you. As a plus, this can save you money — not to mention the headache of dealing with reservations, avoiding scams and finding time to relax.
Make-Up
The blushing bride is back! Many brides are opting out of the dark, tanned look of seasons past and choosing to go with a more natural appearance. These days, eye colors are more neutral, and airbrushed makeup can make skin look flawless. (Also, a lighter lip color looks great and won’t rub off on the groom after that first kiss.)
Mothers’ Gifts
In Victorian times, elegant women carried tussie mussies, which were small b
ouquets of herbs wrapped around a fragrant flower to fend off offending odors in city streets. Today, beautiful sterling silver tussie mussie holders can make a wonderful gift for mothers to carry during the ceremony (in lieu of a corsage) and can be monogrammed or engraved with the date to become a beautiful keepsake.
Photography
Some brides, once the wedding is over, are opting for an alternative bridal shoot called “trash the dress,” in which the idea is to get as dirty as possible. Some venues for a “trash the dress” shoot might include a beach, farm or art studio. But wherever it happens, it’s a great opportunity for the bride to be shot in her dress doing something she loves — while blowing off stress from the big day. Rentals The most sought-after rental item these days is lounge furniture. More brides and grooms want their wedding to have a sophisticated club atmosphere, and rental companies can provide couches, ottomans and coffee tables in vast assortments of colors and shapes to create a lounge area with any theme in any setting.
Tuxedo
Unless your time and setting require a black-tie affair, tuxedos these days are simply an option, not a requirement. More grooms are opting for suits with custom ties that match the bridesmaids’ dresses, or, for outdoor weddings, khaki or seersucker suits. A tuxedo-free wedding will be no less elegant — and it’ll add comfort for the wedding party.
Venue
While the country club and banquet hall will always be popular wedding spots, many brides and grooms are choosing to get married at family homes. Moreover, a family farm or beach house can provide the perfect setting for an intimate and personal ceremony. Renting tents and even restrooms can make almost any space accommodating.
Wedding Gifts
Purchasing a gift from a wedding registry is always a no-fail gift option, but some presents, though they might not appear in the registry, will never fail to delight. Personal items — such as a small oil painting of the couple’s first home or the church they were married in — or a matted, framed copy of the invitation can be a special gift the couple will treasure forever. |
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