TresSugar

Andy Dick Was TomKat's Wedding Planner?

GiggleSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:02:00 -0700

Who was responsible for TomKat's wedding arrangements? Andy "Pressure Is My Middle Name" Dick, of course! He's no ordinary wedding planner, but more of a "matrimagician" and for that reason, Tom "Galactic Space God" Cruise hired him to plan an out of this world occasion. Luckily, Andy snorts enough airplane glue to send him beyond the moon and back, so he didn't disappoint. Or did he?

What to Bring to an Engagement Party

TresSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:30:00 -0700

xlarger" height="400" width="266">So you got invited to an engagement party. Fun! But what should you bring?

First things first: you are almost never required to bring a present to an engagement party. In fact, bringing something too extravagant could be considered poor taste. The couple will get plenty of gifts at the wedding, so you don't want to overdo it at the more informal gathering.

But, if you're like me, you probably want to share your excitement for the couple by offering them a thoughtful gift. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Lighten up: Depending on the couple's sense of humor they may get a chuckle out of a book like Honeymooners Forever: Twelve Step Marriage Survival Guide.
DIY: You could team up with friends to make a photo memory book of good times shared among the couple and your group of friends. Or you could put together a book of well-wishes from the guests and present it to the couple.
Keep it simple: a nice bottle of wine or a fancy box of chocolates shows that you're in the mood to celebrate.
Stick with the planning theme: Planning a Wedding to Remember: The Perfect Wedding Planner would be thoughtful and useful.
Be sincere: A heartfelt card might make the best gift of all.

Source

You Asked: She Invited Her Family to My Wedding!

DearSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

My fiancé and I are pulling together our wedding on our own with no help from a wedding planner and minimal financial help from our families. We are trying to keep our guest list reasonable so that we can stick to our budget. This has proven to be difficult since we both have large extended families, so we've had to pick and choose who we're inviting. So imagine my surprise when my fiancé's brother's wife called me to insist that her parents (who I've never met) be invited to the wedding to care for her 2-year-old child. It would be one thing if she was a direct family member, but they are a few degrees removed. To add insult to injury, my fiancé's brother's wife is already bringing a nanny, which makes her request even more outlandish.

When she first asked me about this, she did ask, however as I told her about our budgeting concerns, she became increasingly adamant, and ending up basically instructing me to invite them. Since we are paying for 90 percent of this wedding, I feel like I should be able to just say no, but I don't want to start off my marriage on the wrong foot, this is part of his family after all. I'm really told but most of all astounded by her query. Do you have any advice?
- Broke Bride Brooke

To see DearSugar's answer read more.

Dear Broke Bride Brooke,

First and foremost, I must commend you and your fiancé for planning and hosting your wedding alone, I know that's not an easy task. Since you're sticking to a pretty tight budget here, I completely understand how you'd feel taken aback by this woman's request. Like you, I'd think having a nanny there to help care for her child would be more than enough, so something tells me there's more to her wanting her parents there. The etiquette for inviting quests is all very circumstantial, but at the end of the day, it's your wedding, not hers, so the choice is ultimately up to you and your fiancé.

Of course, starting off your marriage on the right foot is important, as is not burning any bridges, but it's even more important to not go into debt all because of one night - remember, it's about the marriage, not the wedding. So with that said, I'd talk it over with your fiancé, tell him how you feel and if you both see eye to eye, I advise you to say no to her. Now if your fiancé feels that it's important to have them there, unfortunately you're going to have to extend the invite - while this is your special day, it's his, too. I think we can agree that this was a pretty presumptuous request, but you should not, by any means, feel badly for saying no if that's the decision you make. I hope I was of some help, and good luck.

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

Source

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.

Source

Do Tell: What's the Worst Wedding Planning Disaster You've Ever Heard?

DearSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Once the save the date cards are out, it's time to plan, plan, plan! As we all know, it takes a small army to plan a big wedding, as well as patience and staying power. But with so many cooks in the kitchen, it's just a matter of time before something goes awry. Even if you're one of the lucky ones who has a wedding planner to help with the details, mistakes can still happen and important details can slip through the cracks. So ladies, what's the worst wedding planning disaster story you've ever heard? Perhaps the invitations were printed for the wrong date or the officiate never showed - whatever your story is, do tell, because we'd love to hear it!

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

Source

Growing Trend? Divorce Announcements

DearSugar — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:00:01 -0700

We've all received engagement announcements and save the date cards for weddings, but have you ever gotten a divorce email? A recent article in Salon suggests that mass emails announcing divorces could be a trend, while other couples are breaking the news via MySpace and Facebook pages.

Some women are even hosting "divorce parties," sort of like anti-showers, where friends help recent divorcées celebrate their new futures. While some of this is tongue-and-cheek, other examples are very serious. For all the juicy details, read more

Nora Zelevansky, the author of the Salon story, writes:

Recently, my boyfriend Andrew opened a mass e-mail from his friend George, with the generic subject heading: "Please Read." Expecting a forward about the latest dangerous cold medicine or recalled cat food, Andrew was shocked when confronted instead with a deeply impersonal divorce announcement. Having left his fabulous 30-something wife for a younger woman, George expressed sadness about the relationship's dissolution and (to undisclosed recipients) sincere gratitude for years of camaraderie. ...

Andrew and I unwittingly bore witness - along with a larger anonymous group - to this relationship's public demise, just as we had watched our friends seal their bond from a pew at their wedding years before.

The article goes on to quote Jill Conner Browne, author of The Sweet Potato Queens' Wedding Planner/Divorce Guide, who says: "Sending out divorce announcements is tacky, but it's funny tacky, so it's a good thing." But sending a mass email rather than a personal note, she says, is just plain tacky.

I'm inclined to agree: After a breakup, I like to email or call my friends individually to explain the news. What do you think about mass emailed divorce announcements?

Source

GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: Pinupsweetheart

GiggleSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:00:07 -0700

Pinupsweetheart is a prolific commenter on GiggleSugar. She loves mermaids, art and laughing. Sounds about right to us! Be sure to check her gallery of images at the end of the interview.

GS: What’s your motto?
PSH: "I am just saying..."

GS: Where are you from?
PSH: Southern Cal - now living in Phoenix AZ.

GS: What do you do?
PSH: Project Coordinator and Wedding Planner.

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?
PSH: Silly and kinda goofy in a sweet way.

GS: What’s your favorite GiggleSugar post?
PSH: I love the WTF?! posts! They crack me up and I always pass them along to my friends and co-workers more than any other Sugar post.

GS: Who are your favorite comedians?
PSH: I love Robin Williams and Sarah Silverman. I would love to have dinner with him and just listen. I know I would have to change my undies from laughing. As for female comedians I don't really have any.

GS: What's your favorite movie?
PSH: Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?

PSH: A funny romantic comedy. I think the life I have with my boyfriend is constant laughter and silliness. There is never a dull moment!

GS: Do you look like someone famous?
PSH: People say I look like Sandra Bullock or Neve Cambell.

PSH Free-For-All: I think people need to laugh more. Everyone takes everything too seriously in life. If we laugh just a little more, I think the world would improve ten-fold.

Thanks, Pinupsweetheart!

View 5 Photos ›

(Pinup looking like her name, Sandra Bullock, Neve Campbell, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman)

Source