TresSugar

Awkward! Cut From the Wedding Guest List!

TresSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Beware. Bad behavior can get you cut from a wedding guest list. At least it happened to a friend of mine last year.

The bride in question was throwing an engagement party. Without any warning, my friend pulled a no show. The bride later found out that instead of going to the long-planned party, she spent the day with a new crush! And the bride was particularly hurt because my friend (also her good friend) never even followed up to apologize.

So when it came time to send the official invitations, the flaky friend didn't get one in the mail. Since the wedding, the two have remained friendly, but more distant than before.

If a friend seemed flippant about your wedding festivities would you bump her from the guest list and invite someone else who hadn't been so disrespectful? Or do you think the bride overreacted?

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Do Tell: Where Would You Hold a Destination Wedding?

TresSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

I'm heading to Paris later this year to be a bridesmaid in my good friend's wedding. Anywhere they chose was bound to be a faraway destination for many guests, considering she's from Chicago, her fiancé is from Australia, and they live together in England. They chose Paris for the wedding, since they got engaged there, and well, it's très romantique!

While a destination wedding can be inconvenient for guests, and extra planning for the bride and groom, it's also a great way to mix your wedding celebration with travel. Since it's hard to get hundreds of people to attend, a destination wedding can also be more intimate than traditional hometown weddings.

If you were going to organize a destination wedding, where would it be?

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5 Wedding Traditions and What They Mean

DearSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Something borrowed, something blue, and something . . . . totally bizarre. Don't you sometimes wonder where our weirder wedding traditions come from? From throwing rice to wearing blue, lots of things happen at weddings that I've never totally understood. Mental Floss has a fun list of eight weird origins of wedding traditions. Here are five of my favorite back stories from MF's list of bizarre traditions.

Brides wearing white. Apparently, it wasn't until Queen Victoria donned a white gown that this virginal shade became the wedding-dress color of choice. Before that, a bride was merely expected to dress in her finest finery.
Dads giving the bride away. The tradition of fathers walking daughters down the aisle actually goes back to the days when dads used female offspring as bartering tools to pay off debts or make peace.

Three more fun facts, so read more.

Tossing the bouquet. This one is hilarious: In the past, newlyweds would just sneak off to a separate room after the ceremony to consummate their union, and the wedding guests would crowd outside the door. The bride tossing her bouquet started as a way to divert guests' attention.
Saving the top of the wedding cake. Some couples save the top of their wedding cake to eat on their one-year anniversary. But the original reason people saved part of the sweet treat was so that it could be served at the first baby's christening.
Throwing rice as the couple leaves. Initially, this tradition wasn't limited to rice; guests could also opt for oats and corn. Either way, the sentiment is the same: showering the newly married couple with good fortune and fertility.

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Bride and Groom's First Dance Is Timeless!

GiggleSugar — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:00:00 -0700

It's become trendy for the newly married couple to forgo a sappy love song during the wedding reception and bust out a high-energy choreographed routine instead. I thought no one could top the couple who raunched up the dance floor with their "ugh, double-up, ugh, ugh" to Sir Mix-a-Lot, but watch the duo below. They took a cue from the wildly viral Evolution of Dance and did it all. There was even some Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-do action up in there. Enjoy!

The Big Day Week in Review

DearSugar — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0700

If you missed any of the big day coverage this past week, just check out my recap below!

If you've been wondering what the maid of honor should be doing on the big day, then check out my list of MOH responsibilities to get the low down.
Most weddings wouldn't be complete without something going wrong, but do you know of any truly terrible wedding disasters?
Even if the wedding isn't flawless that doesn't mean it's not perfect, so what's most memorable from your big day?
Share your thoughts on the old wedding traditions - tossing a garter belt and wedding night sex - and the more contemporary twists, like letting a friend officiate the ceremony!
Is it OK to ask to bring a date to someone's wedding?
Some couples are brave enough to bust out all the crazy moves at their wedding, but what song did you and your husband dance to?
Are you superstitious? Do you think it's actually bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony?
Wedding day jitters are perfectly normal, but that doesn't make them any easier to deal with, so check out some tips for combating cold feet.
Her fiance's father is a terrible speaker, but does No Speech Please Paula have the right to ask him not to speak at the wedding?
Where do you stand: Should the bride and groom make a grand exit?
Don't forget to take a glance at part four in our wedding timeline series to see all you should be doing two to four months before the wedding.

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

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Dear Poll: Is Sex Mandatory on Your Wedding Night?

DearSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700

It used to be that having sex on your wedding night was the official culmination of becoming man and wife. For many people this remains true, but for others, wedding-night sex, while important, just doesn’t hold the same meaning. Some couples are so beat from the big day that all they really want to do is crawl into bed, cuddle, and fall right to sleep. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with taking that night off, but many disagree. So tell me, do you think sex is mandatory on your wedding night?

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

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Do Tell: What Song Did You Dance to at Your Wedding?

DearSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Songs like "At Last," "Unforgettable," and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" are popular first-dance songs at weddings, and while I'm all for using a traditional love song as the first dance, I think stepping it up a notch is also a fun way to kick off the celebration. Though I don't think I'd have the nerve to do something like the couple below, I would be the first one on my feet rooting them on! So in the spirit of wedding season, do tell: What song did you dance to at your wedding?

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

A Do or a Don't: Garter Belts

DearSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0700

The garter-belt toss is a particular wedding tradition that though still in use, hasn’t stood the test of time quite like the bouquet toss and the white dress. I’ve never seen a garter-belt toss that didn’t somehow feel awkward or forced, but I imagine if it's done tastefully, it can be cute. I'm a traditional girl, but still, there’s something weird about watching the bride lift her skirt in front of her closest family and friends! But what do you think? Are garter belts classic or just plain crass?

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

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Do Tell: Would You Let a Friend Officiate Your Wedding?

DearSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0700

While even the most contemporary weddings can be fairly standard, it’s the personal touches that make a wedding really special. One new trend that I've noticed in many of the weddings I've been to recently is using a friend as the officiator of the ceremony.

At first it seemed strange, but now I happen to love the idea of having someone especially close to the bride and groom standing with them while they make their vows official. While this certainly doesn’t work for all couples, it can be a great way to make a ceremony totally unique if you're willing to try something different. So ladies, do tell, would you let a friend officiate your wedding?

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

Bella Pictures

You Asked: I Don't Want His Dad Speaking at Our Wedding

DearSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

My fiancé and I are getting married in August, but we're having some issues in regards to toasts and speeches at the reception. Currently, my fiancé's father is planning on speaking. Neither my fiancé or I ever asked him to do so, he's just decided it's what he wants since he's paying for a majority of the wedding.

To make matters worse, we never would have asked him because he's terribly awkward and is known to tell inappropriate family stories. He's long winded, too! I'm terrified that he's going to go on for an hour and completely humiliate us. My fiancé would prefer we just take our chances, rather than tell his dad "no," but I just can't bear the idea of him talking. How can we compromise on this?

- No Speech Please Paula

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear No Speech Please Paula,

This is a very difficult situation, and I don't blame you for being worried. I've seen many weddings where a painfully long or uncomfortably told speech put a damper on the dinner. As far as tradition and etiquette are concerned, if the father of the groom is contributing in the wedding then he is usually expected to offer a thank you to the guests and some words of encouragement to the bride and groom. Instead of asking him not to speak, which will surely be offensive, I think it might be better to come up with some other solutions.

Discuss some of the anecdotal stories he can use that are funny but not embarrassing, and ask to hear his speech beforehand. If he wants it to be a surprise, tell him that the wedding planner needs a copy of it in order to set aside the proper amount of time at the reception. You can also have your fiancé's mother join him in the toast. If they give it together she'll be able to watch for time and steer him in the right direction should he stray from his speech.

As for the worst-case scenario, ask the best man or another trusted family member to jump in if things get too uncomfortable. Even if he is completely awkward, do keep in mind that as long as his heart is in the right place everything will turn out fine. You'd be surprised how easily an embarrassing story can become an endearing one when it's told at wedding.

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.com.

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