Engagement Party

Chief Bridesmaid Speech

You know what... I was really stressed about giving a speech at the wedding. But my brother in-law shared this with me and it helped tremendously! www.weddingspeech4u.com is where I got a Professionally Written Speech for around $20 before the wedding. When I was done giving the speech, everyone applauded and it was a fantastic experience! My sister (the bride) actually started getting teary eyed towards the end. And afterwards, she gave me a hug and told me how special my speech was for her. It was definitely worth the $20

Is your best friend getting married? Have you been asked to stand best man at the wedding? Well with it goes the Best Man Wedding Toast and is the thought giving you butterflies? This article is for all the best men out there who are agonizing over the toast that has to be given. There are tips and guidelines to help you write a riveting best man wedding toast.

Weddings around the globe differ greatly from one another in terms of clothing, customs and ceremonies. The wedding toast originated in France when it was customary to drop a small piece of toast into the couples' glasses for a healthy life. The Best Man Wedding Toast probably originated in Anglo-Saxon times when the best man was more the bride's protector.

Being asked to stand best man is an honor and it is usually the groom's best friend who assumes this honor. There is some element of pressure in having to stand up before a large crowd and give a speech without making a right mess of things. In order to write a great toast you need to be patient and creative, and with a bit of effort you might just amaze yourself with the results.
You could always start out by putting down your thoughts on the groom whom you should know quite well if he is your best buddy. Then write down what you know of the bride. Write things like how you know them and for how long, describe them using the first five adjectives that come to mind, go on to talk about how they met and recall one or two humorous incidents that occurred during their courtship. Now you have the rough outline for your best man wedding toast.

Now its time to put it all together into a humorous yet entertaining speech; begin by introducing yourself and to get people's attention straight off tell a joke or a funny story. Go on to thank the people who are hosting the evening, usually the parents. If the bride and groom are the hosts then thank the people for coming to help the couple celebrate the joyous occasion.

At this stage you could relate the funny incidents about the couple or the groom and talk about how they met and your experiences with them through the relationship. Don't ramble because people get bored easily and don't tell stories that will humiliate either the bride or groom and certainly no talk about ex-partners.

Now move to your closing which should include a resounding cheer for the newly married couple. It is customary to raise your glass and propose a blessing and to wish the couple the very best for their new life together. In your nervousness don't forget to sip your own toast!

The internet is a great place to get ideas for writing humorous anecdotes that will hold people's attention while you are making your best man wedding toast. Use the guidelines in this coupled with some ideas from the internet to write a great toast and do the bride and groom proud on their special day.

To download your Wedding Speech Guide, visit the website link below for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Chief Bridesmaid Speech! What on earth do i say?!?
    I'm due to be chief bridemaid at a close friends wedding. She wants me to make a speech but I've never been to a wedding where the chief bridesmaid pipes up!
    Firstly, I'll have to lay off the drink, because one glass of wine and I'm a slurring wreck but mostly, what do i say? Do i talk about the fun we used to have? Do i talk about her relationship with her husband to be? Do i just thank people for coming? Any ideas most welcome, particuarly would like to know of any speech making bridesmaids out there!

    • ANSWER:
      You can say as little or as much as you like. There are no set rules to wedding speeches.

      Generally though you should thank anybody that has already toasted you (the Best Man will quite often have such a toast), and to thank any other bridesmaids/flowergirls for their help.

      You can certainly talk about the Bride's history and relationships etc. After all, the Best Man will have plenty to say about the Groom, so it's only fair to have your say.

      Don't feel you have to make it long or overly detailed. Something simple and from the heart will be much better.

  2. QUESTION:
    Speech help?
    My sister is getting married and i'm the chief bridesmaid. Got any tips or advise?

    • ANSWER:

  3. QUESTION:
    funny songs to introduce speakers at wedding...?
    Alright.. i am looking for ideas here..
    Funny Songs to introduce people at my wedding....

    introduction songs for the speeches
    1. my dad
    2. my partners mum
    3. best man
    4. chief bridesmaid
    5. groom
    6. bride

    Ok.. so if anyone is getting sick of my wedding music questions i can understand hehe i am driving myself nuts trying to put this whole thing together.. and your help is muchly appreciated...

    • ANSWER:
      I'm A Little Tea Pot?

      That exactly are "funny songs"?

      How About - We Are Family? Is that even the name of the song.. lol well you know what I am talking about!

  4. QUESTION:
    should i go to my friends wedding, am i right to be annoyed?
    my supposed best friend is getting married in april, and she asked me to be her chief bridesmaid, and her other best friend to be her bridesmaid. Recently she changed her mind about the big wedding and decided to do it on the cheap, so she has now decided to go up north and get married her and her fiance both agreed they could only bring one friend each, my friend decided to take her other friend and not me.
    I am a little offended and hurt as when she had her engagement party earlier this year i come up with the theme for her party. she also asked me to make her invitations, mix her music cd's (which kept me up for 3 nights) pick up her balloons and announce the speeches! on the night of her engagement party she had me running around setting tables and organizing the party lights, her other friend just showed up at the party drank and enjoyed herself!
    I feel that i have been totally used to organize her knees up and none of what i have done for her has been appreciated!
    she then wants me to travel an hour to a strange place for her wedding reception when she returns and i dont drive! am i right to be annoyed?
    and am i right not go to her reception?
    if i am right what reason should i give her for not going?
    i'm expecting a baby in july, and dont want to leave my baby behind for a night to go to a friends reception who doesn't even appreciate me.

    thanks to all who answer
    my problem isnt that im not going to the wedding as muuch as it is about her choosing the other friend when im the one whos done all this for her
    sorry, yes im having a baby this july and her weddings next april

    • ANSWER:
      So, she couldn't have the big wedding. Be a friend and go to her wedding. Having to cut back and not being able to include everyone that you like is enough trouble/stress as it is.

      You wanted to help her, so you did, but did you wanted something in return?

      One hour drive is not a hardship for a good friend. Maybe you are not as good of a friend as you think you are.

      Good luck


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Bridesmaid Badges

Mail

The earliest form of medieval armor -- mail (a.k.a. chain mail) -- traces its origins back to around 500 BC. The Celtic people developed this kind of armor -- iron rings woven together into a protective garment -- and the Roman Army later copied this engineering to protect its soldiers. In the early Medieval Ages, armor craftsmen added discs, plates, and groin caps to standard mail gear to protect vulnerable areas. Leather coats, kneecaps, underarm protectors (a.k.a. besagews), and skullcaps (such as early forms of the bassinet) all provided critical support for soldiers as well.

As the Middle Ages progressed, however, advanced new weapons -- like the crossbow, battle-axe, long bow, and mace -- gained popularity among warriors, making mail and even plated mail far less effective at defense.

Plate Armor

The full body suit of armor that is typically conjured up when one imagines King Arthur at the Round Table didnt come into being all at once; rather, it evolved over hundreds of years to meet the latest technological advances in weaponry. After the advent of such weapons as hand cannon and crossbows in the 1500s, warriors began adding plated armor to their battle gear, shielding more and more parts of their body with steel.

As early firearms made their way onto the battlefield, armored knights responded by adding yet more protection and plating. In a sense, the Middle Ages saw a kind of arms race; as weapon strength increased, so did armor strength. By the 18th century, the firepower had become so devastating that even heavy suits of tempered steel armor were no longer sufficient to protect infantrymen.

Armor for Horses

Knights provided a kind of armor called barding for their steeds. This metal plate protection served a dual purpose. On the one hand, it provided practical resistance against all manner of firearms, swords, axes, maces, and the like. On the other hand, it served an aesthetic purpose. Gilded barding announced a knights social position and served as a badge of ownership. Cavalry armor for the steeds included helmets, back plates, and central steel pieces.

Shields

The medieval soldiers shield armor likewise evolved over the course of the centuries to respond to developments in offensive weaponry. In the early Middle Ages, medieval warriors used wooden shields covered in leather (or other soft material). As advanced bows and weapons made their way onto the battlefield, however, soft shields proved ineffectual. Craftsmen began to incorporate iron and steel support in shield designs.

Shields also became status symbols, reflecting a given knights social position, family heraldry, and other key identifying aspects. Some aristocrats and artisans decorated their shields with elaborate designs, jewels, and other adornments. The shield evolved to be much more than just a functional piece of defensive equipment. It became a key social signifier of rank. Interestingly, as the aforementioned arms race between plate armor and offensive weapons built to its climax during the late Middle Ages, shields became less and less common -- simply because they became redundant (and also because they were expensive and heavy to carry around).

Offensive Uses of Medieval Armor

While most people today think of armored pieces like helmets, chain mail, shields, and plating to be purely defensive mechanisms, these items, in fact, were often used to devastating effect as aggressive weapons. Well-trained knights would wield heavy shields as battering rams, engaging in complex military ballet. True, knights had their fair share of purely aggressive weapons, such as battle hammers, swords (which could weigh in at well over 35 pounds), lances, and maces. However, on the medieval battlefields during hand-to-hand combat, anything could become a weapon. A helmet designed merely to shield against blows to the head could, for instance, suddenly be transformed into lethal projectile in close combat.

The aesthetics and functions of medieval armor suits, shields, and defensive weapons varied widely, not just from decade to decade, but also from region to region. Styles came and went relatively rapidly; military historians can speak volumes about the evolution of European cultures simply by looking at how specific defensive artifacts spread from group to group throughout the Middle Ages.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    are there any orange uk charity pin badges?
    im getting married and my colour theme is bright pink and orange (not my bridesmaids tho!) and we want to give pink breast cancer pins in little envelopes as wedding favours. i was wondering if there was a charity which made similar in an orange colour so i can alternate.

    • ANSWER:
      Wherever you see an Orange Ribbon, you see someone who fights for Democracy. This is the only information I could find
      www.robinwood.com/Democracy/Graphics/EGraphics

  2. QUESTION:
    Is it impolite to ask for the hens for money towards hen night accessories?
    Im cheif bridesmaid and the bride to be has decided to leave her fancy dress option up to me. Also were having a weekend away so i was thinking of putting together a party bag type thing with head bands, badges, sashes, glow sticks, etc. Now would it be wrong for me to ask the hens to pay a bit each for these bags so we all match and towards to brides fancy dress as i couldnt pay for it all myself!!!!!

    • ANSWER:
      not cheeky at all, just tell them that you have a good plan but everyone needs to do their part or if anyone has any other suggestions? but its not impolite.

  3. QUESTION:
    Hen night was ruined, please help me put it right?
    Saturday was my big sisters hen night. She asked me to be her chief bridesmaid and so I worked hard organising things for us to do. My sister is a teacher and she loves her job so I chose a school theme for her hen night and made her the 'henmistress' of the 'school of hen' (She loves walking and the countryside and she wanted to walk a mountain with her friends and then spend the night in a nearby bunk barn with drinks, music and general giggles. Not everyone's cup of tea i know but it would have been great for her)

    I made each person a sash to wear in my sisters favourite colour (green) and each sash had a 'type' on it like class clown, teachers pet, trendsetter, sicknote and so on. my sister had to assign each person a sash and they were all great sports who went along with it, i even designed a school crest that I put onto badges. The 'students' had to do a pop quiz on how well they knew the henmistress and there was mr and mrs teacher training for my sister. It was really well recieved and I spent hours on it all, even designing joke graduation certificates for everyone who came.

    We all got on really well except for two girls. they were sisters and they got so beyond drunk! They were picking fights and screaming at each other before crying and then they would start screaming again, it was embarrassing and everyone was totally appaulled by them. their noise and general bad attitudes meant that quite a large group of people were in bed early just because they were sick of listening to it! They went on until 3 am! My sister was gutted and it made me so angry, they ruined her night completely! One of them even insulted the owner of the bunk barn where we were staying!!!

    All her friends agreed that these girls had just destroyed it for her but they have all spent money going to this place and renting out the bunk barn and buying drinks for it as well as food and booking time off work, getting babysitters etc.

    Now I want to try and organise a 'school of hen reunion' so that I can give my sister the night she deserved before her wedding (the groom was furious, he spoke to me yesterday and has cancelled the invites for the wedding that he sent to them). I need to do it on a super cheap budget so that her friends can afford it and needless to say I will not invite the two who wrecked it for her.

    Has anyone got any ideas as to what we can do that will still be fun but will involve spending the least amount of money for the girls coming. I would reall appreciate any ideas or help.

    thanks
    Please can i have serious answers ONLY. It was really important to my sister and I don't appreciate people writng stupid answers about strippers, it's fine to think it but why bother writing stuff like that?

    • ANSWER:

  4. QUESTION:
    Hen night was ruined, please help me put it right? NO JOKERS?
    I know this is long winded but please help me out here. I already asked this question once and the majority of the answers were people writing stupid stuff about strippers so please serious answers only.

    Saturday was my big sisters hen night. She asked me to be her chief bridesmaid and so I worked hard organising things for us to do. My sister is a teacher and she loves her job so I chose a school theme for her hen night and made her the 'henmistress' of the 'school of hen' (She loves walking and the countryside and she wanted to walk a mountain with her friends and then spend the night in a nearby bunk barn with drinks, music and general giggles. Not everyone's cup of tea i know but it would have been great for her)

    I made each person a sash to wear in my sisters favourite colour (green) and each sash had a 'type' on it like class clown, teachers pet, trendsetter, sicknote and so on. my sister had to assign each person a sash and they were all great sports who went along with it, i even designed a school crest that I put onto badges. The 'students' had to do a pop quiz on how well they knew the henmistress and there was mr and mrs teacher training for my sister. It was really well recieved and I spent hours on it all, even designing joke graduation certificates for everyone who came.

    We all got on really well except for two girls. they were sisters and they got so beyond drunk! They were picking fights and screaming at each other before crying and then they would start screaming again, it was embarrassing and everyone was totally appaulled by them. their noise and general bad attitudes meant that quite a large group of people were in bed early just because they were sick of listening to it! They went on until 3 am! My sister was gutted and it made me so angry, they ruined her night completely! One of them even insulted the owner of the bunk barn where we were staying!!!

    All her friends agreed that these girls had just destroyed it for her but they have all spent money going to this place and renting out the bunk barn and buying drinks for it as well as food and booking time off work, getting babysitters etc.

    Now I want to try and organise a 'school of hen reunion' so that I can give my sister the night she deserved before her wedding (the groom was furious, he spoke to me yesterday and has cancelled the invites for the wedding that he sent to them). I need to do it on a super cheap budget so that her friends can afford it and needless to say I will not invite the two who wrecked it for her.

    Has anyone got any ideas as to what we can do that will still be fun but will involve spending the least amount of money for the girls coming. I would reall appreciate any ideas or help.

    thanks
    thanks, that was really helpful you USELES PIECE OF SHIT!
    thank you eye, finally someone with more than one brain cell! a good idea, i like it

    • ANSWER:
      How about a 'geography trip' where all the 'pupils' go on a field trip to local bars, wearing the same outfits and sashes they wore for the hen night?

  5. QUESTION:
    Do-over wedding attendance done right?
    Ever been invited to a second wedding ceremony (the couple is already married but wanted a do-over)? Ever attended? What are your thoughts and feelings?

    I'm so far against anything like this it's borderline insane on my part. However I was invited to the re-do of a wedding for my childhood neighbor whom I would consider like a sister to me. The big event was on Sunday and it was a shocker...

    The whole thing was done as a wedding. Bride in a gorgeous white gown, five bridesmaids in wine-colored gowns, two junior bridesmaids in gowns, two flower girls, two ring bearers. Limo, photographer, the works. Went to the salon for the hair, had a make-up artist come to the house. It was the epitome of "the whole nine yards."

    The couple has a young son. The couple's close family and friends were in the wedding (including the son). About 15 minutes into the ceremony, the son is screaming bloody murder because he can't go to his mother. A sister of the bride (jr. bridesmaid) takes the son out of the church. I follow, since it appears nobody else is going to. I ended up outside with the screaming son (no bottle, diapers, blanket, diaper bag) the entire ceremony. My husband protested me going because there must have been some plan set out for the kid, right? WRONG. I managed to walk him around and get him to sleep just as the ceremony ended. Fabulous. (Actually, not bad. I'd much rather be the babysitter than watch the fake wedding.)

    Now on to the reception. It's about a 45 minute drive from the church. I know have the "mom badge" of drool and boogers on the shoulder of my dress which I'd managed to carefully avoid with my own 5 month old (who was not invited because the wedding was "no kids"). I was told the reception would be open bar (a rarity where I live), so I had on me. Okay! It's now 7:00...time to party! We walk in to the reception hall and my husband goes to get a drink only to find no open bar. With only , that means I'm not drinking. (No big deal to me, actually.) At 7:45 I was sought out by the father of the bride to see if I wouldn't mind watching the son again, while they were doing pictures. Sure, no problem. Again I get him quiet and happy only to have the grandmother of the groom rip him out of my hands (quite literally!) at 8:30 and drag him in to the picture room because he was tired. (HUH?!?)

    So, dinner starts at 9:00 and ends at 10:00. Dance floor opens and the DJ proceeds to play three slow songs - one for the mother/son dance, one for the father/daughter, and one for an "anniversary" dance (that being the parents of the bride's anniversary, not the "all married couples come and dance"). Proceeds to play ALL what he refers to as "Jersey Shore" music until 11:30...when I finally had enough and left.

    ...Sorry for the novel! ;-)
    I did give a gift as I would never attend such an event with no present. I hadn't given anything when they did get married, so I gave it here.

    I "asked" this "question" because people had asked me for updates. I do find it odd how prevalent this practice is given so many people are against it. Why do you think that is? Does age have anything to do with it? This couple is quite young...

    • ANSWER:
      Yes!

      I went to one because it was very casual and they were basically laughing at themselves, not taking it too seriously, so while I disagreed with the whole redo, at least they weren't lying about it. I went to socialize, have fun. I didn't support their re-union, did not sign the guestbook and did not give a gift.

      I went to another re-enactment which we thought to be the real thing until afterwards the truth came out they had already been wed at an earlier date-not impressed! Unfortunately, we gave generously.

      And I'm possibly invited to another wedding redo this year. My fiance's cousin is planning two weddings. Well, one real, and one fake. They want to have a wedding with his family in our province and her family in their province and they haven't decided which one will be real yet or if they will even tell us?!? I figure they will do the real wedding with her family, so chances are I'm invited to the sham version *rolling my eyes*.

      What is wrong with people, eh? And Jersey Shore music to boot? Ugh...

  6. QUESTION:
    How do I plan a wedding that fits me and my fiance's two very different styles?
    My fiance and I have very different styles. I'm more of a contemporary hippie. I believe in peace and definitely love. (I wear a lot of peace signs...) But I'm also very attracted to the goth/alternative styles. In fact when I was younger I was classified as a "goth kid"

    My fiance is a mixture of punk and goth. He LOVES Marilyn Manson and NOFX. He used to dress in black bondage pants and black nail polish and what not. He now is very big into mohawks and punk bands. He wears a lot of skinny jeans and has a jean vest with studs and band badges on it.

    I love his style as well as mine. And I really want to incorporate our styles into a theme for our wedding. We already decided on tuxes (his all black; black shirt, vest, ties, everything. Groomsmen will have the same but with blue vests) and the bridesmaids will pick their own dresses, all in the same color.

    How do I do this. Help?

    • ANSWER:
      i think youre on the right track! i assume your colour is blue? let the bridesmaids compeletly pick their own dresses with the one rule that it has to be blue! this already gives a very quirky edge to everything

      decor... really reflect your taste, why nto have a little couple made for your cake, you can get them done from pictures of yourself nowadays, so you can have a little dude with the denim and mohecan and a little girl with hippy peace signs, cud be so cute and personal to you

      just be adventerous, dont be afraid to make bold statements afterall you seem a pretty bold couple!

      if youre unsure at what matches make a huge mood board, pin his taste and your taste and merge them together until you get something really cool

      hope this helps


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Bridesmaid Dresses Newcastle

If you're lucky enough to live in Massachusetts, you have been blessed with a wealth of resources for premier wedding ceremony and reception locations. These locations are fabulous, romantic, and historic. You are guaranteed to find a location that is perfect for you no matter if your ceremony is large or small. But, just in case, you were at a lose; here are some fabulous locations you may want to consider.

  1. Odyssey Cruises of Boston. Enjoy a truly unique wedding experience aboard a romantic cruise as you sail the bay with an intimate gathering of your closest friends and family. The offer wedding planning services through one of their consultants, as well, as amazing photo opportunity with beautiful backdrops and full service catering, so that your wedding is perfect from start to finish.
  2. The White Elephant is a beautiful hotel that sits along Nantucket Harbor. This gorgeous and historic waterfront hotel can accommodate small or large weddings; depending on what time of year you are planning your vows. They offer rooms to accommodate your guests, world-class cuisine, as well as, many other fantastic amenities.
  3. Boston Marriott Long Wharf is located in downtown Boston at the historic Long Wharf. This is a unique and beautiful place for both your ceremony and your reception. They have a wedding coordinator on staff, and will help you plan the perfect beginning and ending to your special day.
  4. Cranwell Resort, Spa, and Golf Club is a beautiful setting located in Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. The resort sits on top of a hill and has gorgeous views of historic Berkshires and they offer a AAA Four Diamond property perfect for your rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception. They also have a complimentary Bridal Suite that comes with every wedding they host.
  5. Independence Harbor is a beautiful, private estate that sits along the Assonet River. This is the perfect location for semi-large receptions and ceremonies and they offer a full-service wedding planning team that are available to help you plan you perfect day. The pictures alone are proof that this is a gorgeous location for any wedding.
  6. The Bradley Estate is a gorgeous Georgian-style mansion located in Canton, Massachusetts. They offer beautiful formal gardens and lawns that are perfect for any wedding ceremony, a bridal suite, and several rooms for dining that could accommodate a semi-large wedding and reception.
  7. Dr. Daniel Fisher House is a stately mansion located in Martha's Vineyard in Edgartown, Massachusetts. They can accommodate wedding sizes small or large and they do offer wedding coordination services. The house has a formal entrance with a winding staircase, a formal ballroom, and can seat a smaller, indoor ceremony quite comfortably.

As you can see there are many locations in Massachusetts, that are not only historic, but also beautiful locations for any wedding ceremony. If you are a bride who is getting married in Massachusetts, you should definitely check out a couple of these sites before you commit to any other ceremony location, you just might change your mind.


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Hire Bridesmaid Dresses

If you're the mother of the bride at an upcoming wedding, congratulations! You have a major part to play in supporting your daughter as she prepares for her big day. Being the mother of the bride (or M.O.B., as she is sometimes known these days!) is a role which calls for understanding, tact and diplomacy in many delicate areas, not least being the question of wedding attire. As well as helping your daughter to select her bridal gown, you have another tricky choice to make: finding your own mother of the bride dress.

As with most aspects of wedding planning, there are conventions that some couples wish to follow and others that they will prefer to ignore. But if you know what the 'rules' are, you'll be better able to decide when you want to break them! And in most cases, the principles governing mother of the bride gowns are designed to allow her due precedence -- without overshadowing the bride herself!

Choose an appropriate color

Many people feel that mother of the bride dresses should not be white or black. In the first case, of course, it's because white is traditionally the color reserved for the bride. The second rule harks back to a time when the bride's mother could signal her unhappiness at her daughter's marriage by wearing the color of mourning.

While such a gesture might be thought extreme in today's world, it is still frowned upon in some quarters for the M.O.B. to wear black -- perhaps simply because it might be considered bad luck. These days, however, what's appropriate is often dictated by the style of the wedding and the bride's preference -- and in an era when evening weddings are not unusual, black might be an acceptable choice.

Coordinate with the mother of the groom

While it's customary for the M.O.B. to choose her dress first, it's considerate as well as prudent to liaise with the groom's mother in matters of style and color. This will at least minimize the risk of both mothers turning up to the wedding in the same outfit!

Complement the dresses of the bride and bridesmaids

As a member of the wedding party, the eyes of the guests will be drawn to your outfit too. Plan well ahead with the bride to decide on an age-appropriate design and color to coordinate with their styles.

As part of the build-up such a joyous event as a wedding, choosing a mother of bride dress ought to be fun. And while finding exactly the right outfit may require a considerable expense of time, energy and shoe leather, it's a task that you can enjoy in the company of your daughter or a close friend or two, if you like. After all, the wedding will be partly your day too!

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    where can i hire my bridesmaid dresses?
    I want to hire my bridesmaid dresses for my wedding. I live in birmingham area. I have 5 bridesmaids, 4 adults and my daughter who will be 2 and a half when we get wed. Id like them all to match and wear a light pink colour :) any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      Davids or Alfred Angelo's

  2. QUESTION:
    where to hire (or buy) bridesmaid dresses - uk?
    does anyone know any good companies/shops for hiring bridesmaid dresses in the uk? (preferably in kent)

    or any good shops for buying nice bridesmaid dresses but at not too much cost (e.g. about £100 or lower)

    • ANSWER:
      Debenhams have a really good range of evening dresses which would make great bridesmaids dresses.

  3. QUESTION:
    Where can i hire bridesmaids dresses in Hobart, Tasmania?
    Im looking to hire my bridesmaids dresses for my wedding and cant find any where that will let me hire dresses?

    • ANSWER:
      Bridal Hire are much more extensive in Melbourne. I don't know about Melbourne. In recent times I have seen some really nice pre loved bridal and brides maids dresses in op shops. They are in good condition and worth considering for a look if you can't make it to a hire place. I am not trying to patronise you or your bridesmaids. These places usually try to sell class stuff these days. It is a viable option. You can always return the gear to them if you don't want it when you are finished.

      Here is one Bridal Hire place in Hobart
      http://directory.weddingcentral.com.au/tas/bridalretail.htm
      http://profile.weddingcentral.com.au/weddings/index.php?service=2285
      http://storrsformalsuithire.com.au/

      Bridesmaids Dresses
      http://bridesmaiddresses.i-do.com.au/hobart/

      I hope that you all have a lovely day and live happily ever after.

      Good Luck!!!
      Formal Hire
      http://formalhiresales.i-do.com.au/hobart/

      Cars and limousines
      http://www.bridesofaustralia.com/Wedding_Transport_Tas.html

      Reception and Accommodation
      http://www.oldwoolstore.com.au/conferences_events/weddings

      Photographers
      http://weddingphotography.i-do.com.au/hobart/

      Plan the perfect day - ideas even if you don't use their services
      http://www.wedding.auz.com/tas/

  4. QUESTION:
    i need to hire bridesmaids dresses in tyne and wear or county durham area?
    every place i seem to speak to only sell the dresses and i need hire places. the only one in the yellow pages advertising hire has closed down.
    tea: i dont get what you dont understand... i want to hire a bridesmaid's dress from near where i live i think thats explained

    • ANSWER:
      i dont know about tyne and wear but if you know whitley bay theres a place near there in blyth , nothumberland called tonia ann
      good luck!
      congrats

  5. QUESTION:
    Is it cheaper to hire bridesmaids dresses than what it would be to buy them or have them made?
    I have 5 bridesmaids. One is 25, others are 17, 14, 10 and 7. So I was thinking, as I was trying to save a lot of money, whether it would be a lot cheaper to hire all of the dresses rather than have them made or brought. Plus, it is the typ eof dress I know that will never be worn again, and I don't want to waste money. x

    • ANSWER:
      Hiring is cheaper

  6. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid dress hire adelaide?
    Adelaide South Australia, Any good places to hire nice bridesmaid & brides dresses here?

    • ANSWER:
      sweetheartbridalstudio.com.au

      They are the only place I have found that have hire options, although I haven't actually been there.

  7. QUESTION:
    Does anyone know of a bridesmaid dress hire shop in the Gt Yarmouth area?
    I have searched online and through yellow pages but no luck!

    • ANSWER:
      Not sure about bridesmaid dress, but for affordable bridesmaid jewelry, try http://www.glamforless.com/Jewelry.htm. They also offer bridal accessories as well.

  8. QUESTION:
    bridesmaid dresses to hire or buy on the wirral?

    • ANSWER:
      http://www.thebestof.co.uk/wirral/3023/1/1/the_best_of.aspx

  9. QUESTION:
    Do you know any places where you can hire multiple bridesmaids dresses in Melbourne?

    • ANSWER:
      I'm not sure about in Melbourne but you can definitely buy bridesmaid dresses online. Oftentimes, they are much cheaper too. However, be sure to allow time for delivery and tailoring once you get them. Good luck.

  10. QUESTION:
    does anyone no a bridesmaid dress hire in bedford?

    • ANSWER:
      Bedford in the UK?

  11. QUESTION:
    Where can I donate my bridesmaid dress?
    I have a bridesmaid dress, which is just going to be hung in the wardrobe forevermore. I have heard of charities that hire out old bridesmaid dresses as prom dresses for those who can't afford to buy a new prom dress. I can't find any of these companies on Google. Does anyone know who I can donate my dress to?
    I'm in the UK

    • ANSWER:
      a charity shop would probably take it, so you could donate it to them. I haven't heard of the charities you have been talking about, but i guess a charity shop would do the same job.

  12. QUESTION:
    Budget bridesmaid dresses?
    I am getting married next year and i am having problems finding bridesmaid dresses that are under £100 to buy. I My budget is £70 a dress whether to hire or to buy. I have looked on ebay but i need 4 dresses, hence the budget.
    Does anyone know where i can dresses for this amount the the U.K or even better Norfolk somewhere.
    Thank you.

    • ANSWER:
      I would suggest High Street too hun.

      Maybe go for Debenhams, they do some lovely dresses, or monsoon, or warehouse.

      Good luck hun!

  13. QUESTION:
    Does anyone know of any bridesmaids dress hire shops in Shropshire?

    • ANSWER:
      personally no

      I would suggest you:

      ask people who live in the area
      use a search engine
      use a telephone directory

  14. QUESTION:
    Where can I hire a formal dress (not a bridesmaid's dress) in Canberra?

    • ANSWER:
      Have a look in the town - im sure u can find something nice

  15. QUESTION:
    Lilic Bridesmaid dresses?
    I live in Norfolk and I am getting married next year and i wanted to know where i can get lilic bridesmaid dresses, i am having 4 bridesmaids and so i am on a budget of about £70 a dress. I would like to knwo if you can hire them from anywhere or is there just a high street shop that sells lovely dresses. They are all size 10 which i shandy so i wont need different size dresses. Any helpful suggestions appreciated.
    Thank you

    • ANSWER:
      Hey! Well you have a great budget of £70 per dress. They are all a good size and it will be easy to find dresses.

      I've found this dress on asos which has great delivery and amazing styles. I love this dress! http://www.asos.com/Tfnc/Tfnc-Silk-Layered-Beaded-Babydoll-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=344605&clr=Lilac&SearchQuery=lilac&sh=0

      I don't know if it's the shade you're after but this is a lovely little number http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos-Satin-Strap-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=315014&clr=Purple&SearchQuery=purple&sh=0

      Now i know its not the typical bridesmaid dress but it is a really lovely dress http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/invt/5130400026507

      Wonderful bridesmaid dresses http://www.confetti.co.uk/article/view/10078-7787-0-Rea_2008_Designer_showcase.do

      You may be totally against the idea of ebay, but think about the shops side of ebay, where these people choose to run their sites and businesses from ebay. There are some great dresses and this shop has lots of lilac dresses perfect for bridesmaids http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DEBUT-DEBENHAMS-LILAC-ROSE-BRIDESMAID-PROM-DRESS-10-12_W0QQitemZ220246761615QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15724QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

      Gorgeous dresses in lilac and this is a great company. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220253709705

      I hope i have helped you!!!! Have a beautiful wedding day! Your colour scheme seems lovely! Be a happy bride with your beautiful lovely in lilac bridesmaids by your side! xxxxx

  16. QUESTION:
    Has anyone ever hired bridesmaids dresses? if so what were the prices like?

    • ANSWER:
      I've never rented a bridesmaid dress but it does sound like budget is a concern of yours. If that's the case, I would recommend looking for dresses on Shiny Orb. It's a comparison shopping site for bridesmaid dresses and there are a ton of dresses that are quite affordable. If you choose a "wear-again" style (something that doesn't look like the traditional bridesmaid dress), then your bridesmaids will be able to wear it to other parties. That may make the cost feel more reasonable. Check out the price slider on Shiny Orb. Most of the vendors on that site will ship internationally, I believe. I'm not sure where you're located but it could work!

  17. QUESTION:
    Any ideas on a bridesmaid dress that looks good on most body types?
    I've hired a seamstress to make the bridesmaid dresses for our wedding, but she wants to know what style to make and I have no idea what will look good on everyone. I have six bridesmaids ranging from sizes 4 to 20.

    • ANSWER:
      I was just in a wedding, and we were tall to short, fat to skinny, and we wore a top/skirt combo from Alfred Angelo that looked good on everyone. It was simple--the top was a sleeveless shirt with a neckline like a t-shirt (called?) and the body was kind of fitted so it accentuated a feminine shape (this did look good on teh heavier women). The skirt was floor length and kind of loose, but not too voluminous...the other girls commented they liked the fact they were covered, and it was comfortable to wear all day.

      As a larger woman, please no strapless or spaghetti straps. Remember, a woman who feels good about herself in the dress will both have a better time and take better pictures!

  18. QUESTION:
    I was thinking of starting my own business how much would it cost me ?
    Would like to do wedding dress hire with mother of the bride and bridesmaid dresses too tiaras ect but how do I go about it ? And how much will it cost ?

    • ANSWER:
      You are the only one that can figure that out. Go to http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html and download the Excel template for estimating startup costs.

  19. QUESTION:
    What about white bridesmaid dresses with Black sashes?
    I can't choose wedding colours because I don't know what colour my Fiances Kilt will include its a bit too early because we will be hiring there isn't a tartan associated with the surname either as far as I know. I thought about having white dresses with a black sash and then when I finally know the colours I can buy flowers in the kilt colours to tie it all together... I could always replace the sash colours once I know.

    I also would definately consider black bridesmaid dresses with really bright cheerful flowers etc but I don't want to offend guests. I personally think black is smart/classy i don't want it to look gothic would just be manicured nails,bright flowers maybe bright shoes.

    I need suggestions in tying bridesmaid dresses to kilts/continuing with wedding preparations without knowing the kilt colours! Should I just pick colours and hope they match?

    Or would a black and white theme be really cool? and it will be broken up a bit with the tartans and no I don't mind other girls wearing white!
    Of course it's the man thats important!! thats a bit of a stupid comment. Shall I just sit around and hope someone plans my wedding for me then?? Im simply making choices and asking for advice/suggestions along the way.
    I'm not a mean person but you are entitled to believe what you wish. Yes I am sitting but I am planning my wedding I don't think that comment was as clever as you hoped.
    This isn't about insults and trying to make anyone look bad, I just asked for some suggestions and you really put me down for it thers nothing more important to the man, but if I didn't make plans for the wedding I wouldn't have the joy of marrying him! So there wasn't really a need to belittle my question to big yourself up.
    nothing more important than the man**
    I was shocked you implied that I thought the man wasn't the most important thing im not insulting anyone at all :) .I can't stop you calling me ugly although I feel it's quite unkind, the question wasnt about what im going to wear either. I actually appreciate the input of a lot of yahooers! I cant insult you at all because i don't know you so I wish you every success :)

    • ANSWER:
      black and white would be a cool theme because then you would have fun little pops of color from the tartan, and maybe you could sprinkle a few tartan colored flowers in each of the bridesmaids boquets?

      ive been to a couple weddings where the bridesmaids wore black. i think its quite classy. it will only look goth if you pick a gothic styled dress for them

  20. QUESTION:
    How to ask one of my bridesmaids to hire a babysitter to watch her while we get ready until the reception?
    Her son always misbehaves until she yells at him or spanks him. I wish I would have thought it through before I asked her to be in the wedding. I am no "bridezilla" but he is the last thing I want to deal with while I am getting ready and/or trying to take pictures at the church. She brought him when we picked out my dress and he ran around the shop touching all the mirrors and making so much noise, it was so embarrassing

    • ANSWER:
      How old is the little boy? I would use something like "I don't feel it is appropriate for a little boy to be around grown women getting dressed" or "We will have hot curling irons and such in the room and I would prefer that no children be in there...I would hate to have an injury on the big day"

      Best of luck and Congrats!!

  21. QUESTION:
    Help with wedding preparations?
    Hi! My boyfriend propsed yesterday!

    I need some help - I have several Questions :)

    How did you choose a wedding date?

    What theme did youhave for your wedding?

    What kind of ceremony did you have?

    Was there a small or large reception?

    What kind of budget did you have?

    Ddi you buy or hire your dress/ bridesmaid dresses/ grooms outfit

    How many people did you have at your bridal table? Did you have a bridal table?

    I have no idea where to begin!!!!

    Thanks :)

    J
    x

    • ANSWER:
      Congratulations! Firstly, slow down - preparations take a lot of time (min 1 year I would say) so you have plenty of time to decide what you want. Do exactly what you are doing and ask around what other people did, look at magazines and read about other people's weddings and decide what is for you. Don't be hamstrung by tradition - some of the best weddings ive been to have very personal touches - no-one remembers the traditional bits as much.

      We decided on an outdoors ceremony on the beach as although we go to church we liked the idea of a more casual outdoorsy wedding - this was great in the end as it definitely made it a 'celebration' and everyone was so much more relaxed. We spend money on a good photographer who took us off for a 2 hour photo shoot - we enjoyed this part of the day the most, just fooling around with our witnesses on the beach and can't wait to see the photos.
      I spent 00 on my wedding dress. Bought the groom pants and a white shirt which he wore untucked and he will wear both again. We made our own cake and an arty family friend did the flowers - both looked professional - I would not spend money on these things.
      One of the things we wanted was a fantastic meal so we booked an amazing beachside room at a local hotel and the food was out of this world - wished I could have eaten more on the night. This is definitely something that people remember. We didnt have a bridal table - we only had 40 people at our wedding so we chose 6 of our friends to sit at our table with us. If we had any theme it would have been 'beachside relaxed'. I didn't want a colour theme but one kind of emerged into pale yellow and silver. If you have an amazing venue you don't need much decoration - white mixed flowers are fine and look amazing. We chose the date because it was close to our anniversary and was convenient for people who need to travel.

      Good luck and remember not to feverishly follow all the traditions - make it your own!

  22. QUESTION:
    Bridal hire business?
    I am considering opening a bridal hire shop in my local area and wondered how many brides to be might use this service if the price was reasonable? I would also be hiring bridesmaids gowns, evening and prom wear and all accessories. Would you hire your wedding dress if it was modern and good quality?
    UK answers only please, the US is very different in its approach. I can alter gowns myself and have lots of experience in this area. What about a hire shop that specialises in bridesmaid dresses instead of bridal wear?

    • ANSWER:
      Do you mean a rental? Below is a link to may answer to someone looking for a place like that in Saint Louis, Missouri...

  23. QUESTION:
    what to do about bridesmaid regret?
    Recently i decided to go ahead and ask the girls i want to be in my wedding to be my bridesmaids... everything was going well until we went bridesmaid dress shopping saturday. I decided ahead of time that i would be nice and let them pick out dresses as long as they fit certian requirements (right color, floor length, and they all had to be the same material. because personally i wouldnt want to wear a dress i wasnt comfortable in.) I overheard my friend telling my sister and future sister in law to pull all of the clearance dresses to try on because she wasnt about to spend more than . of course none of these dresses were exactly attractive.... (thats why they were on clearance). After they had tried on these dresses they acted like they were done shopping until i pulled some dresses of my own selection and told them i wanted them to try them on. During the whole visit my "friend" was domineering and practically took over. Needless to say we left without dresses. After that fiasco of an appointment I decided to chooses 5 dresses they could pick from at the next appointment instead of free reign. My friend emails me and starts talking about pairing them with jackets blah blah blah and about finding comparable dresses at other stores ... um who is the bride again? I feel really bad for even saying this, but i'm also going to have to hire a hair dresser/ make up artist for the girls because this girl trys to look tan by using foundation 5 shades too dark and it is always a streaky mess
    I just think it's completely rude and now i'm starting to wish i hadn't even asked her to be a part of my wedding.
    what do i do?

    • ANSWER:
      You can't boot someone from your wedding unless they have done something totally egregious--like sleep with the groom. This girl is merely being annoying.

      You to need to take back control from her. Ignore any emails from her that detail her dress requirements. Let her know when the next appointment is, but don't discuss the dress with her. If she is whiny at the next appointment, you can take her aside and say something like, "Mary, I can tell you aren't happy with the dress we picked. I understand if you don't want to wear it and would rather just be a guest at the wedding." That way if she decides to bail on you, it is her choice.

      About the makeup issue--you knew her makeup was a mess when you asked her and it didn't bother you then. Just let it go. Her makeup choices don't reflect on you.

  24. QUESTION:
    i am opening a bridal hire shop can you suggest a name for it ,?
    i am opeing this shop in my new home and want a catchy name, i will be hiring brides dresses, hats necklaces, bridesmaids etc

    • ANSWER:
      "New, Old, Borrowed & Blue"

  25. QUESTION:
    Dilemma about being a bridesmaid and money issues?
    My friend asked me to be a bridesmaid but was concerned that she wouldn't be able to afford the dress etc, I agreed to pay for my outfit and was really excited until my friend started going on about money. She claims she has no money and is struggling to save the money required for the wedding, but in the meantime has redecorated the upstairs of her house and had a new 50" TV.
    Then when we went to look at bridesmaid dresses, she was looking in the £100-£150 price range which along with the shoes, wedding present, hotel stay and hen night, I can't afford. She then said that they were booking New York as the honeymoon so they could go on a big spending spree.
    Her fiance asked my boyfriend to be an usher and told him he wanted all the groomsmen in matching suits, but can't afford to pay for this and wants my boyfriend to which is about £80.00 to hire. He forgot a conversation he had with my boyfriend though where he told him his work was really good at the minute and had made £1000.00 in one week!
    Please could you advise what would be the best thing to do in this situation? It is making things very awkward when they plead poverty one minute and then flash the cash the next.

    • ANSWER:
      If you can't afford it, then tell her you can't. Any reasonable person will understand.

      However, I wouldn't bring up their finances because that's really none of your business, and (unless you are their accountant) you really don't know exactly what their financial situation is. I'm sure you wouldn't want her scrutinizing your finances if you told her you couldn't afford to be a bridesmaid.

  26. QUESTION:
    Is it too late to hire a wedding planner?
    I have only 2 and a half months left for my wedding and now wish i would have gotten a wedding planner from the beginning. Is it too late to hire one now?

    The main thing i need is table center pieces, church decorations, gifts, and flower bouquets. I'm so busy with work that i've only been able to devote like a day a week to doing anything. And now i have so much to do beyond the main stuff like bridesmaid dresses, my fiance's ring, and getting the invitations out (which i ordered and Fiance hates them). Plus he is working 6 days to pay for this wedding so he is not available much.

    Neither one of us have parents, so my friends and family said they will help but have yet to step up and pitch in or either too busy on days i'm available. So i was wondering if it is too late of date to hire someone or should i just scramble to do the rest. So far i have not been making great decisions such as the invitations, the reception place (kind of too far away from the church and where everyone is staying). And now I am doubting myself on my dress selection. I'm getting nervous cause my Fiance loves very nice things and he does not feel like i'm delivering and he wants to take over even though he doesn't have the time.

    Thanks for advice!

    • ANSWER:
      Here is an excellent site with some wonderful options for you. It will definitely help you. Have a look.

      http://www.thunderwave-events.com/2009/09/wedding-planners.html

  27. QUESTION:
    how much to rent a wedding dress in essex romford way also any suggestions on places?
    Hi can anyone help ??

    I am looking to hire my wedding dress and Bridesmaids however dont know of any places in Essex Romford Way that do this and how much it costs? Can anyone Help

    • ANSWER:
      you can try some of the places listed on this site. some of them say they hire wedding clothes. http://www.promdress.co.uk/dresses/counties/Essex.htm

  28. QUESTION:
    best place to look to cheap wedding stuff?
    me and my other half are getting married in march 2012, we are on a really really tight budget... i have been looking at lightinabox.com for my dress. been looking mostly on gumtree for other things, just going to hire council hall and just get married in reg office, still need to find my dress, my shoes, my auntie is doing my hair and make-up....

    need to get bridesmaids dress. hire kilts etc....

    any advice would be great thanks x

    • ANSWER:
      www.lightinthebox.com is a good choice. That's were I got mine and it turned out really nice.

      Dollar stores are good for little things, decorations, plates, cups etc. Doing stuff yourself is good too, craft stores for veils, bouquets etc. :)

      Good luck!

      PS - I agree with the one girl, planning ahead is good, but be careful, when you buy stuff so early, half the time you don't use it, and then you can't return it. :(

  29. QUESTION:
    I'm Getting Married!!! Help....!?
    The date is Feb 16th 2008, (yeah, 5 weeks away, I know) Here's what we've already sorted:

    Venue
    Marriage Licence
    Registra
    Bishop
    Reception
    Caterer
    Photographer
    Viedographer
    Invitations sent out
    collected RSVPs
    Bridesmaid dresses
    Suit hire
    flowers
    cake
    Bride/Groom gifts for each other
    Order of Service
    Music
    Wedding Rehersal
    Guest Book/Pen
    Decorations
    Tables/runners/centre pieces
    Hair oppointment
    Rings are bought
    Honeymoon booked
    Car sorted
    Favours
    Dress, shoes, viel, jewlerry, something old/blue/borrowed/new

    Anything else I'm missing? I'm begining to get super nervous about it all. (I'm very excited too though)

    Anyone got any advice for the wedding AND the wedding night? (We've both waited to have sex on our wedding night - and that's the truth)

    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      You have entertainment for the reception?
      About the wedding night. My wife and I both waited for our wedding night. My advice is take it slow and gentle. It will be a new and wonderful experience. You will have plenty of other nights to learn about each other! We have just celebrated our 36th anniversary. God bless you on your Wedding day and grant you a good life together. Hope this helps.

  30. QUESTION:
    £20,000 for a wedding?
    According to my local rag a wedding will cost £20,000. This includes:

    Reception: £10,000 (how many people are being invited?)
    Wedding dress: £2,000 (surely you can hire one)
    Bridesmaids dresses: 4 x £300 (surely one is enough!)
    Hair and makeup for the bride: £600 (Whatt will she look like in the morning!)
    Shoes for bride and bridesmaids: £600 (surely they have enough to choose from!)
    Kilt or suit hire: £300 (I can hire a kilt for £50)
    Gifts for wedding party: £500 (they should be giving the bride and groom presents!)
    Flowers for the church,wedding party and reception: £2,000 (how much?)
    Vintage tiara hire: £200 (I thought you could buy one for that price!)
    Classic car hire: £1,500 (what's wrong with a taxi?)
    Handmade favours on tables: £300 (now I'm completely lost!)
    Photos and video: £2,000 (anyone got a camera phone?)
    The scary thing is that this doesn't include essentials like a honeymoon or wedding rings!!!

    • ANSWER:
      Jim do you know how much beer and Bacardi that could buy? we'll just live in sin. xx

  31. QUESTION:
    bridesmaid dress brochure?
    does anyone know where i can get one sent out to the house?
    also suit hire catalogues,
    i need things i can look at offline and everything i find is online only!
    aghhhhhhh! makeslife difficult!
    also tiara companys who can send out brochure to home!

    thanks for your help guys!

    • ANSWER:
      If you have five minutes online go to a site of dresses you like such as Jim Hjelm or something. There is a little area where you can request a catalog and they'll send them to you. Usually it's free too. Most companies do this so if you have a preference check for that on their site.

      Men's Warehouse will also send catalogs or if you're in a time crunch you can go by a store and pick one up or have someone else swing by for you.

  32. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid issue ? in laws getting involved.?
    Well i am getting married in 7 months time to my high school sweetheart some may say, we have been together for over 6 years (since we were both 16). Now my family and his family are polar opposites, my family is very welcoming and friendly his family are very closed, they are not mean in any way they just have never had an interest in me and my partners relationship, and to be honest i haven't even met all of his family, when in the first 8 months of mine and his relationship he had met all of my family.

    Now my issue is with my partners little cousin, now from the get go i have always wanted my 2 younger cousins (aged 17 and 13) to be my only bridesmaids, because we have always been more like sisters than anything else, they always looked up to me and i always was there for them if they needed my help or advice. Now my partners aunt got annoyed by this because she thought if my cousins were in the bridal party why couldn't her daughter. Now i have only met the child a a maximum of about 9 times in our 6 year relationship, and honestly she is a bit of a spoilt brat. I love children, but this little girl is extremely irritating.
    However after months of talk and arguments i caved and said fine i will let her be a bridesmaid. Now the problems are getting worse. I have already decided on the dresses, they are pale pink strapless floor length dresses with a little white sash which ties in a bow at the back and the white trails down the full length of the dress, Now since the dresses are in adult sizes i have already arranged all my bridesmaids to come with me to a seamstress who has agreed to alter the dresses so they fit each girl perfectly. But oh no my partners aunt has an issue with the dress being strapless, i understand her argument but honestly i hate it when the bridesmaids have different styled dresses, it's just a pet peeve of mine. Also she knew about the design of the dress before i agreed to let her child become a bridesmaid. I kindly told her that yes it might not fit right when it arrives but i have hired someone to alter the dress so it fits her perfectly so nothing will be loose etc. But she still b*tches about this issue behind my back.
    She also has an issue with the colour of the dresses because her daughter doesn't suit pink, and again i politely told her that
    1, she knew of the colour scheme before she made a point of getting her daughter to be a bridesmaid, and 2 its my damn wedding and i don't care if her little princess doesn't suit pink she will have to suck it up and deal with it (i didn't phrase it that way but i was close)

    And i don't know what to do anymore, im am seriously close to just saying to her, that i have changed my mind her daughter can no longer be a bridesmaid and send her dress back, its causing so many arguments and i am seriously getting down because of it, if its not the dress itself its the colour, if its not that my partners aunt will find something else wrong with my selection of clothing. And it's driving me insane, my partner has never been close to ANY of his aunts or cousins hence why we didn't include her in the first place.
    Its just this is already creating a rift between me and his family and i don't want to join a family who hates me by the end of it. But another issue is i don't want to have to say you can't be a bridesmaid anymore because her mother has already made a big deal of it to her and it will probably upset her and although im not the girls number one fan i don't want to hurt her.

    Can anyone give me any advice on how to deal with this and still keep some of his family liking me afterwards.

    P.S do not suggest having her as a flower girl, i live in the UK and over here flower girls are typically girls aged under 4-5, the oldest flower girl i have ever seen (and i have been to many a wedding, benefit of a large extended family) was 4. Also bridesmaids over here are usually under 20, the only weddings i have ever seen with older bridesmaids were because the bride and grooms family had no younger 'candidates' so to speak.

    thank you for any help you can give me because im seriously stressed by this. (sorry if its hard to read or bad grammar im just so annoyed right now)
    sorry with the big question, i just wanted the whole story there so you can get the whole picture not just little bits.
    lili, one i do have an anxiety disorder hence why i need some help dealing with this because its driving me into overdrive, and 2, i have already put my foot down about the different dresses, i HATE different bridesmaids dresses, and i know a strapless dress isn't too great for a child (i pointed this out as part of my argument against having her as a bridesmaid) but the aunt knew about it before she made a huge deal about getting her daughter in the bridal party.
    seamstress, that's a great idea, since my wedding is not in a hot season (especially living in England lol) i was planning on getting all my bridesmaids to wear little shawls or shrugs (little white ones) when they are outside, i have just emailed my partners aunt and asked her if she would be more ok with it if her daughter wore one of those for the whole thing if necessary, i just hope she goes for it :)

    • ANSWER:
      Just tell the aunt that it is your wedding and that you didn't want her to be a bridesmaid in the first place. So she either accepts your choice of dress or drop out of being part of the bridal party. Then the choice is hers. You can say that the same thing has been said to the other bridesmaids too.

  33. QUESTION:
    Are there any websites where one can find wedding items for someone on a budget?
    I mean like things to decorate, bridesmaid dresses, pretty much everything to pull a wedding together without hiring a wedding planner.

    • ANSWER:
      Diane Warner's book, 'How to have a big wedding on a small budget' has some GREAT ideas. The book retails for about . See if you can get it at your library, half.com or at a halfprice book store.

      http://www.michaels.com/art/online/static?page=wedding
      http://www.hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/small.htm

      If you aren't particularly good with your hands, inlist the help from family & friends. You doing the 'leg-work' will save you a bundle.

      http://www.wedcraft.com/
      http://www.save-on-crafts.com/
      http://www.todays-weddings.com/crafts.php

  34. QUESTION:
    Should bridesmaids and groomsmen pay for their own outfits?
    I have heard conflicting opinions on this one. I have been a bridesmaid once myself and my dress was paid for. My husband was asked to be an usher and asked to pay for his suit (which was only a hire suit, so he couldn't keep it).

    What is the accepted etiquette here? Surely if it is your wedding, and you want your wedding party to look a certain way, shouldn't you foot the bill for this? Or don't have bridesmaids etc if you can't afford to kit them out.

    What are your thoughts and experiences on this?
    When I was a bridesmaid, my outfit was hired too, so I didn't keep it.

    Could you also state whether you are in the UK or US (I am UK), as there seems to be a different etiquette.

    • ANSWER:
      This depends on where 'here' is. If here is the US, it's usually expected that the bridesmaids and groomsmen purchase/rent their own outfits. If here is Britain, the bride and groom are expected to pay. I'm not certain what the custom is in other countries.

      And while it's expected that bridesmaids, etc. in the US will pay for their own wedding attire, it's never incorrect for the happy couple to choose to pay for all or part of those outfits if their budget allows and their preference dictates it.

      Experiences? I've been a bridesmaid three times and spent the money each time on whatever I was asked to. I was happy to do it, especially since all three brides were very conscious of their attendants' purse strings. Each time, there were also shoes to be bought, but two of the brides let us choose our own shoes within a style range and the third chose very inexpensive shoes. One bride gave the jewelry she wanted us to wear as her gift to us for participating in her wedding. The other two didn't care what jewelry we did or didn't wear.

      Me? I handed my bridesmaids a pattern and basic fabric (yes, they paid, but it was about for both and only one of them didn't sew well on her own...and one of her best friends was a professional seamstress) and told them to trim the outfits any way they pleased and wear whatever flat shoes they liked. I provided each with a tartan arisaide, since that was a fairly specialized item that could get pricey and I happened to have several readily at my disposal that I either owned or could borrow. A couple of them borrowed brooches from me, as well, for their arisaides.

      They looked great, were able to express a bit of their own personalities even though the base outfits were the same, and didn't have to break the bank to do it.

      Another thing that's become popular in the last couple years is for brides to tell bridesmaids 'wear a dress in x color' and leave it to them to choose what the specific dress is and how much it costs them. They can then choose to go to the most exclusive boutique in town or the local thrift/consignment place or anything in between to find the dress they'll wear. I kind of like that idea.

      One word of caution on simply letting everyone choose anything they want: I attended a wedding once where the bride told her three bridesmaids to wear anything - and I mean ANYTHING - they pleased. One wore a cute spinach green sundress and flat, white shoes. The second looked great in something that looked like one of Stevie Nicks' stage costumes, all velvet and chiffon in shades of ruby and rose pink. A bit chaotic, so far, but both looked very nice and quite festive. Unfortunately, the maid of honor was the bride's sister who thought the whole thing was a total farce, and she chose to express her feelings by wearing a slinky black jumpsuit with dozens of decorative zippers with a pair of four-inch black spike heels. It was the eighties. Random zippers were a big thing. But her choice to wear black and to wear something that belonged in a disco rather than at a wedding was really a rather crude performance.

      If you have someone in your party you aren't absolutely certain can dress themselves appropriately for any reason at all, do give guidelines at absolute minimum. And if you want to pay for their dresses, be my guest. It's certainly a generous gesture in some places, and absolutely expected in others. I can't think of anywhere it would be considered wrong or bad...though there may be some place on Earth where that's the case.

  35. QUESTION:
    i live in sydney Aus. in the bankstown area can anyone advise me of some good formal wear shops?
    i am more looking for bridesmaid dresses and mens ware if there is anywhere that people have gone that is cheap and still nice and even hire places if someone could let me know that would be great

    • ANSWER:
      Sorry I live in Melbourne.........sorry can't help.

  36. QUESTION:
    What is a good asking price for making and designing dresses for a wedding party?
    I'm a fashion designer and a woman hired me to design and make the dresses for the bridesmaids and the flower girls(she already chose the designs out of my sketchbook that she liked). There are going to be eight dresses in all and I'm going to buy all the material and things I need myself since the owner of the fabric store knows me and always gives me a discount. But anyway she keeps asking me how much it's going to cost but the thing is I'm not sure what to charge since this is my first paying job as a designer and I don't want to ask for too much or she'll go elsewhere but I know if I charge too little I'll be cheating myself. So I was wondering did anyone here know what a good price to set for this that's not too much or too little?

    • ANSWER:
      I am a professional seamstress who also designs custom made wedding gowns and formal wear for women. Assuming you have made garments from the pattern making stage to the construction to the final fittings and hemming, you should have a good idea how long it takes to make a custom gown. Custom design work takes more time and energy than following a ready made pattern and since you will be making eight patterns, there is substantial time and labor before you even thread a needle. Since you "designed" the sketches on paper, you need to go through each and every step in your mind from measuring each girl, to making the pattern, to fittings and sewing to determine how much time it is going to take you to complete a dress from start to finish. I have no idea of the details here, so it is impossible for me to even guesstimate what you should charge. Figure out the hours it will take you and decide what your hourly rate is. That should give you a fair price for your time and efforts.

      To be fair to the clients, you should tell them EXACTLY how much the dress will cost, breaking down materials and labor. Get deposits from everyone to cover all of the materials and half the labor to have the balance due at the final fitting. This protects your cash flow from shelling out all the cash for the materials up front.

      Have detailed contracts with EACH person who is paying you. Not one contract with the bride, unless she is paying for everything. Have contracts ready the day you do the body measurements and have those individual measurements on the contract. This protects you in the event of weight gain or weight loss.

      This sounds like your first job and it is a big job to make 8 dresses, so allow yourself PLENTY of time as fittings for all those girls will take time, particularly if they live out of town or further away.

      I have never done a custom design for less than 5.00, not including materials. I will tell you that it is better to get what you are worth than to drop your price to get a job that you make zero money on. Do not give your talents away or get paid so little that it is not even worth it. That is very unprofessional and counter productive.

  37. QUESTION:
    what was your wedding budget? if low how did you do it?
    we're getting married in march 2012 and will be lucky to have £2k to spend on our wedding so have been budgeting as much as possible this is what i am looking at atm but trying to see if i can get more for my money??? anyone got any ideas??? (we're getting married in Glasgow as we live there)

    Wedding venue (reg office) = £170
    REception venue (council hall) = £170
    Flowers (artificial flowers, 1 bride, 1 b/m, 1 flower girl, 3 buttonhole) = £60
    self buffet (80-100 ppl) = £300
    cake (getting friend to make or m&s) = £100
    entertainment (DJ from 6/7pm - midnight) = £150
    car hire (two taxi's 5mins up the road) = £50
    My dress (currently from lightinabox.com) = £150
    shoes = £20
    Lingerie = £10
    Hire his outfit = £60
    hire best mans outfit = £60
    bridesmaid dress = £30
    Flower girls dress = £20
    pageboys kilts = £100
    Hair & Make-up (for me, flower girl & b/m done by auntie) = £20
    Invitations, save the date, thank you cards, place cards etc = £60 (doing myself)
    photographer = £150
    Wedding Rings = £50

    total current budget £1,690

    • ANSWER:
      My husband and I had a truly beautiful yet very simplistic registry wedding! We had far far less than £2000 to play with but still managed to pull it off by being sensible and keeping our feet firmly on the ground. - We'd seen many of our friends spend crazy amounts of money, for what we thought ended up being extra stressful due to the money, and not because of the big occasion.

      Here's a basic rundown of what we spent (if my memory is correct):

      Dress = £60 (Dress £50 from Monsoon & £10 for frills added by Mother in Law)
      Shoes = £10 (from Dune on sale, yipee)
      Husband suit = £210 (can't believe he spent 4 times as much as my dress, tut tut)
      Bridesmaids dresses= £80 (£40 each from Warehouse)
      Crystal jewellery = £30 (from my still very favourite shop http://www.seasonsonline.co.uk)
      Rings = £150 (simple 9ct platinum jobs from http://www.fraserhart.co.uk/)
      Flowers = £30 (from local florist - shop around for this one...and surprisingly, remember to haggle)
      Buffet & disco room at 'middle of the road' pub/restaurant= £150 (what a bargain, the food was lovely)
      Wedding photos= FREE (done by best man & wife who have their own business)
      Car hire = FREE (Best mans Fathers business - Ok, so we've been a little lucky here)

      TOTAL= £720

      You might be skeptical but I can only promise you it was a FAB day! We went to a local country hotel for the honeymoon, then onto Edinburgh, and this wa paid for courteous of the Mother in Law. The funny thing is that the guests were all asked to give Argos gift vouchers (don't know why we chose Argos), and we scooped around £500 meaning that in theory the wedding only cost £200. - Bargain!

  38. QUESTION:
    OUR BUDGET...is it realistic?
    Dress(found it already-bargain) £110
    Bridesmaid dresses/flower girls (one adult 2-under 7s) £150
    Suit hire for 5 i was estimating £200
    Flowers £150 (my flowers, one for older bridemaid)
    Cake(we know some one) £200
    Decorations(already sorted) £50

    ceremony room plus registrar £500
    wedding breakfast £1000
    Reception £700

    Rings £200

    (photographer and dj provided by parents)

    is there anything else obviously apart from hair n make up etc

    thank u
    xx

    • ANSWER:
      Sounds like you. have it all covered. No transport needed because you are getting married in the same venue as the reception.

      I bought a 3 tier wedding cake, 2 layers fruit and 1 layer sponge for £115 from M&S, other stores eg waitrose, tesco also sell wedding cakes and have some good pictures on their websites. This might be cheaper and easier than going with someone you know.

      You just need to work out what you are doing about booze for the reception and the evening.

      Good luck

  39. QUESTION:
    Some wedding questions?
    We have found the following venue which we both love

    http://www.staugustines.uk.com/Home.php

    It is so appealing to be able to have an open air wedding in the summer and then a chapel blessing before our evening reception all in the same place. We are planning on a mid-week wedding to cut down on price and in the summer holidays so our family with children won't have any problems, and of course giving everyone plenty of notice. The prices are reduced up to 33% for a week day wedding.

    We will ask my cousin and auntie to bake our wedding cake and we have access to a mercedes for transport.

    Any ideas on prices for flowers, photographers, bridesmaids dresses (will have 3), suit hire and dj in te UK?

    Also would it be ok to say children only for the chapel blessing and evening reception rather than the ceremony and wedding breakfast as well? my cousins kids are a nightmare and I don't want them running wild and screaming all day long lol!

    • ANSWER:
      About the photographer i suggest you to take a look to these photographers portfolio:

      http://www.joannedunn.it/

      You will not regret it :)

  40. QUESTION:
    What have I missed with my planning so far?
    Im about 5 months into planning my wedding...I still have 13 months to go but im trying to stay on top of things and be organised!

    So far I have:
    booked the church
    booked the reception
    put a deposit on my dress
    put a deposit on my adult bridesmaid dresses
    consulted a dressmaker to make the childrens bridesmaid dresses
    got a quote on chair covers
    got a quote for invites
    bought the wedding rings
    bought the toasting glasses, ring cushion and guest book.
    paid for the suit hire of all the men in the wedding party

    I am focussing o securing everything for our date and then paying it all off. Is this a good thing to do? Ive found that aside from the big things, there are so many little things to consider and buy.
    How is everyone elses planning going?

    What else do I need to do that I might have forgotten? I know I still need to sort out cars, flowers, and cake.

    • ANSWER:
      Save The Date Cards (if you're using them and aren't considering them in with the invites)

      Church and Reception Decorations

      Ceremony Musicians (if not included in church reservation)

      Hair/Makeup appointment/stylist for you, your BMs, and your mom and FMIL.

      Photographer and Videographer

      Food for reception (If not included in the venue)

      Engagement photos (If you want them. Most photogs include this in their package, or you can go to sears.)

      Attendant gifts. (An easy idea- I'm covering my BMs hairstyles and jewelry, and my FH is covering the guys tux/shoe rentals.)

      I think that's about it...lol... Congrats. I'm one month behind you!! (We've been engaged a little longer though...lol. The only thing I've got to do is reserve the reception hall, which I can't do until one year before, and buy stuff.)

  41. QUESTION:
    help with low budget for our beautiful wedding?
    Well, my fiance and I are getting married at the Orcutt Ranch in Westhills about 20 minutes from Los Angeles and are looking for some help.
    We are on a tight budget (want to do dinner for around per person) and will have around 150 guests that are travelling from all over.
    I know this might seem cheap but we are trying to do our best to still have a beautiful wedding but not start our lives together with all this wedding debt like so many people do.
    I totally believe this is possible.
    I am not sure if we could find a catering company that would provide food for that low? Or a restaurant?
    We were thinking of finding a restaurant that would be able to provide all that food, mostly with a chicken entree but we will also offer a vegan option as well for just a few people (the vegan option we have covered)
    Then we were thinking of renting the large buffet containers that keep the food warm and hire 5 people to set up the food, serve it as a buffet style and clean up afterwards.

    We have a company we can rent tables and chair from for cheap.

    We did the invitations ourselves since my fiance is a comic book artist and made the most original and amazing invites.

    One of our friends has bakes wedding cakes in the past and is doing our cake so that will save us a lot.

    We have about 5 people coming that are professional photographers and who will take photos for us.

    We just need to cover the food really and find an officiant that isn't 0.

    Since I am a fashion designer, I am making the bridesmaid dresses.

    My parents are buying my dress.

    The bar has to be rented from their vendor.

    The cake is one large cake and then smaller versions of the cake below it so we do not need the cake to be cut for all our guests. We would like the staff we hire to do this as well, just walk around and hand out the little cakes to everyone.

    We really want to have an amazing day with our friends and family without having to spend a huge amount. I know there are many people out there in the same boat and I would appreciate any help.

    We also need plates, cutlery and glasses, we will more likely do the elegant plastic look so we can throw them out after and not have to wash them.

    We are basically open to any suggestions and advice. We know it is possible. We have a lot of things covered but really need to figure out the best option for food. We do want a dinner, not just appetizers.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

    • ANSWER:
      First, you need to get the cost of what it would be to rent the buffet containers and also to hire 5 people to set up, serve, and clean up. From a quick look online, I see that most warmer rentals can go for /piece and up. If you use only 3, you're price could be nearly 0. You can probably figure that most servers will run around /hour. At 5 servers for 3 hours, you're spending 0. Total cost- 0

      At dontdodishes.com, plastic plates are 0 to fit your party of 150, but you will need two plates per person (one for food and one for the cake), so you're looking at 0. Flatware will cost you nearly 0 for fork, knife, spoon @2/person..just in case. And for glasses @ 1/person. Plus misc. pieces for serving the food. Total cost - 0

      You could use The Ranch Catering Company, as they are only 30 minutes away. They have "family meals" for less than /piece. Maybe you could talk them into catering your event for that price. Also, you could ask them if you could "rent" tableware from them for a flat fee. Say maybe 0? And if it's served buffet style, you will not need as many servers. Maybe 2-3. If you are paying a gratuity fee, this should go to pay the servers. They may have a delivery charge.

      Total cost 0, and you have quality plates and flatware to eat with. This saves 0 as well as not having to clean and return buffet warmers, handle LARGE quantities of trash, or worry about food serving sizes. PLUS, 5% of The Ranch food fee goes to children through World Vision.

      I know this sounds crazy, you should ask the company to "sponsor" your wedding..or at least partially, and in return you can give them advertisement at your wedding. Nothing tacky. You could simply say, "Ladies and Gentleman, we would like to bring your attention to the fact that The Ranch has catered or event today. We are telling you this, because we are proud to have aided them in fighting world hunger. 5% of every sale goes to the children of World Vision. Please help us in this quest by using The Ranch for all your catering needs. Big round of applause for all their charitable work!"

      At least OFFER this to the business. You may be surprised!

      When you're dealing with the open bar at your wedding location, make sure to note if there are any guests under 21. There's no reason to pay bar the same bar prices for those people. Barter for a reduced amount. Also, I see that they offer a "value package" that serves beer and wine. Go with this over liquor. It saves you tons of $$ and keeps guests from getting too carried away! See if the bar has stemware for use. They may charge a fee, but it's typically cheaper than renting it.

      OH! And as for the officiant... do you have someone in your life that has made a big impact on you two, as a couple? Someone who introduced you? A favorite relative? Why not have THEM as your officiant? They can legally perform your ceremony if they become an ordained minister! They can do this for free at Themonastery.org. Some places charge, so beware. Not only does it save you 0, but it's very unique. You can even act like the officiant didn't show up on your wedding day, and ask the crowd if anyone can marry you two. Your officiant can then take over..to the applause of the wedding guests. It's memorable, at least!! :)

      Total cost saved for your event? 00 up

      Good luck!

  42. QUESTION:
    BRIDES - how do you feel about wedding consultants?
    Brides -
    I just got married August 30th, 2008. I LOVED planning my wedding and have helped people in the past plan their weddings. I LOVE making all the little decisions you need to make and looking at all the options to see which one best fits your dream.
    There were MANY compliments of my wedding and how everything was coordinated so beautifully and how every little detail was really touched upon. this gave me such a GREAT satisfaction.

    My question to you is....
    Would you go to someone just for their opinion? Kind of like a consultant...but not as much. There would be no contract. It's not a "planner" service...
    Just someone you can take all your ideas, magazine cut outs, websites, samples etc to and throw them all out there and get someones outside, unbiased opinion on? Or have that someone take what you are showing them and come up with a new idea that you might like.

    It would also be someone you could hire..again...no contracts.. just one-time-consultations.. (unless you wantneed to come back for more opinions)... to come shopping with you. like for invites, bridesmaid dresses, tux'es, bridal gowns, favors. i can also go to craft stores w you and help you put your ideas together etc etc.

    so, it would be 0visit. again...no strings attached. no contracts and if you want or need to come back again..it would be at a discount for repeat customers. or if you want to arrange to have a certain # of visits..maybe we can work out a package.

    i can also specialize in organizing the Bride. a newly engaged bride who is so overwhelmed...and just needs direction, a binder, a checklist and some help deciding on priorities....

    please, let me know you thoughts...
    would you hire someone on a per-diam basis to have a fresh opinion?

    Good Luck and Congrats!!
    It's also for the bride who can't afford to pay a consultant or a planner bc they usually are 10-15% of what you buy for your wedding. Average wedding is ,000 - ,000. Charging 10% is another 00 - 00 to pay someone...which is a lot of extra $. You can have another photographer package with that $!!!!

    this way, at 0 per visit.. you can keep your consultation costs down
    Another thought...take that Bride that had envisions of sitting down with her whole bridal party anf family helping her make decisions and put things together...

    and then it turns out that her bridal party is not like that. people aren't as available as much as she wants them to be. everyone is busy in their own lives. i know you will say...then they aren't true friends and she shouldn't have picked them for bridesmaids... but you all know the truth in the end... people change and people sometimes turn out to be different when you really need them.
    this way, you have someone you can turn to and get opinions and help.. and it will lessen the anger at the bridal party..

    again..it's not "event planning" ...
    it's more "the second opinion.."

    • ANSWER:
      we didn't use a planner but i think that it worked for us because we are very organized people. i'm not an impulse shopper, i like to watch my pennies, etc. however having said that it would have been really nice to have someone i could go to and get some unbiased opinions on a few different things.
      so if i were to do it all again i would hire you in an instant! and i know many of our friends would do the same! you've got a good idea, get some sound business advice and go for it girl!

  43. QUESTION:
    Please help-do you think my boyfriend and i will be able to get married next summer? questions about money,etc?
    hi-my boyfriend and i have been together for 5 1/2 years and want to get married after i graduate from college, this summer in july or august. we have a little money saved up and just want to get married at a church and have a really nice reception.

    we'll prob be paying for most of it (gifts of course will help a little), but my boyfriend doesn't have a family and my parents don't have any money. i guess my questions are
    -is it too late to start planning?
    -how much does it generally cost to have a decent wedding (reception and all)?
    -how much time should i put aside to invest in planning my wedding (i still have 1 semester left in college!)?
    -in general, is this doable, can we do it?
    -wedding planner necessary? they cost so much.
    -whats the deal with bridesmaid dresses and grooms' tux...do we have to pay for that all? i heard that the modern way of doing this now is that they each pay to rent their own tux or gown?
    -engagement party/bridal shower? how does this work...i have acouple close close girlfriends, but i don't know if either of them will take the initiative to put one on for me...in that case, do we just throw it ourselves or possibly ask my parents to do it?
    -where can i buy a cheap wedding dress? wedding cake?
    -any other general advice?

    we want to invite 100 ppl if not a little more or a little less. we want to have a dj (prob not a band?), a nice cake, and favors. etc...my boyfriend initially wanted to hire a wedding planner but i don't think we can afford it.

    thanks so much, i'd appreciate any help!!!

    • ANSWER:
      NIX on the planner, sign in on theknot.com to help keep you organized, you can do this yourself not really rocket science.
      Cheap gown- lightinthebox.com or landybridal.com for maids dresses too.
      maids and groomsmen pay for their own apparel
      invitations annsbridalbargains.com seal and sends cheaper printing and postage(these end up in trash, why spend a mint)
      To save money use church for both ceremony and reception
      skip the engagement party and favors
      your bridesmaids give you the shower, usually coordinated by the maid of honor, parents do not and certainly not you.
      need to know what type of reception you are planning, full seated catered dinner(expensive, 28-125 per plate per person), a seated dinner you do with help of family and friends,usually served buffet style about 6-10 per person), cocktail/tea reception(can put together yourself using party trays of meats, seafood, cheese, fruit, breads from grocery/deli 6-12 pp), or dessert reception( with a little effort you can do this yourself by ordering the sweets and setting it up yourself, or if you and a family member make the sweets you can do this too, varies with the choice of desserts) You can get nice cakes from costco,sams club or the grocery store at a reasonable price. Bakery cakes can run 200-600 dollars or more.
      If you use silk flowers (csilkc.com) they are very reasonable and this group sells them in sets. If you use live flowers you can get these fairly inexpensively from costco.com pre-made or you can do them yourself see afloral.com for how to video then AmericanFloralDistributors.com, Rosesource.com, growersbox.com, globalrose.com to purchase your flowers in bulk or if you don't have need of a ton of flowers use those from the grocery store. Use grocery flowers to practice and see if you want to do them or not.
      you can save money on Dj if money tight by doing your own CD"S by downloading
      Food service stuff from webrestaurant.com for reasonally priced polycarbonates by the case of 168, looks like china and silver but disposable(about /case) they also have paper cloths that look and handle like linen. Hope this gives you some ideas. Our wedding all DIY flowers,decor,food coming in at slightly less than 5000 for 150 and that includes honeymoon(3 nights-4 days skiing at Grandfather Mountain)

      favors are not required and usually remain on the tables when folks leave, put this money elsewhere

  44. QUESTION:
    can I organise a wedding in 2 months?
    My wonderful mother in law (to be) has cancer and we have just been told the chemo isnt working. We have decided to bring our wedding forward as we want to be sure everyone we love is there and well. We have a very tight budget but I can get a date for a reasonably priced venue on 27th november. I have a dress although it needs to be taken in. The price of the wedding includes the ceromony, sit down meal and disco/DJ in a nice hotel. I can hire kilts locally (we are from scotland, uk) If we are getting ready at the hotel then we dont have to get cars. I will source decor and bouquets from ebay....and the bridesmaid dresses. Favours I am just going to get each guest a lottery ticket in a personalised envelope. I need to get rings....photographer is a friend...is there anything I have forgotton? Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      I'm so sorry to hear about your mother in law. Bless you for bumping up your wedding so she can be there and share it with you.

      Your list looks good to me. I would be wary of e-bay though, try local craft stores and florists for flowers. The last thing you want to do on a tight budget and time line is to spend money on something and then get scammed, or have something not delivered in time. Bridesmaids dresses you can get from any department store, don't feel they have to be specifically "bridesmaids" dresses. You just want them to match--if you order them from a department store, they will, and you won't have to worry about paying extra because it's a "bridesmaids" dress. :) Do make an appointment to have your gown fitted asap. I work as a bridal consultant, and sometimes it can take a few fittings to get the fit just right, and that's with a few weeks in between each appointment. The process can take up to 6 weeks, which puts you into the beginning of November.

      God bless you and your hubby's family during this time.

  45. QUESTION:
    What do I need for a wedding?
    Here is a list of what I can remember that I need to get organised-
    Grooms suit
    Dress
    Rings
    Church (booked)
    Reception centre hire (booked)
    Caterer (booked)
    Bar tab
    Flowers (ordered)
    Photographer (booked)
    Honeymoon (semi-booked)
    Cars
    Bridesmaids dresses
    Groomsmens suits
    Favors
    Chair covers
    Centrepieces
    Gifts for bridal party
    Bride hair and make-up
    Hotel for wedding night

    What have I forgotten..what else do we need to spend money on?
    and while you are here i ask something else.
    Do we need to decorate the church? I don't want to because it seems like an extra un-needed cost.
    How could I forget the cake

    • ANSWER:
      It looks like you have most of it but dont forget the music!!!!!!
      You might also consider having bubbles for after the ceremony & booklets for your guests to follow throughout the ceremony & to take with them....oh & tissues ;o)
      Dont forget shoes ;o)
      Cake & a cake knife.
      Guest book/pen.
      Treasure chest.
      Name cards for the reception.
      Jewellery for you & the bridesmaids.
      Thats about all I can think of for now :o )

      You dont have to decorate the church but some people have sashes or bows on the sides of the pews & a few bouquets of flowers. The church might even offer this to you, ask them what is included in the price. Your right, they arnt really needed ;o)

  46. QUESTION:
    Hiring Wedding cars question?
    Hi how soon should you book wedding cars? My daughter is getting married in May next year ,and we have booked the venue, the photographer, the harpist, the Church ,orderd a cake ,bought bridesmaid dresses,my suit and the list goes on ,the only thing i haven't ordered yet are the invitation's .Do you think that i am being unreasonable wanting my future Son in law to order wedding cars?

    • ANSWER:
      The earlier the better really - as others have pointed out, there's a risk that you won't be able to get what you want if you don't - or at least that you'll need to book from a firm further afield (upping the cost!)

      The link below provides a good guide and suggested dates for booking the various parts of your wedding.

      Good luck!

  47. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid in a wedding tomorrow and my face broke out? HELP:/?
    Im a brides maid in my cousins wedding and she picked out gorg. dresses for us all, she hired a proffesional hair stylist, and i couldnt wait for her wedding. Now my face broke out in a bunch of pimples and i look disgusting. I have no idea what happened I wash my face every night and keep my hair off my face when i sleep but idk how i broke out?!? Please tell me some home remedies to calm my breakout for tomorrow. Oh and I just ran out of my favorite concealer and dont have any time whatsoever to run out and ge more so please dont suggest me buying any new makeup products. And i dont have any sensitive skin so harsh products are okay!

    • ANSWER:

  48. QUESTION:
    Does the bride gets to say how the m of the bride and m of the groom have to dress as part of the ?
    Wedding Party? It didn't even cross my mind to tell my mom or my groom's mom how to dress, what color etc. I din't think I'd get a say on other than bridesmaids dresses and even then I pretty much let them pick.

    I just have a co-wrker here who's getting married and is terrible upset because her mother in law picked a different color than she told her and is complaining that the pictures aren't going to look right etc. I think that's overboard, don't you?

    I mean I feel like telling her why don't you just hire models to your wedding that way the pictures will look just perfect with perfect people on them, on the right colors, etc...
    This girl is considering un-inviting the mother in law to HER wedding (what about the groom???) or asking her for extra money to pay the photographer to change the color of her dress in every picture!!!

    • ANSWER:
      Oh, good. I was afraid you were asking permission to be horrid and dictatorial.

      I hope that groom wises up and calls the whole thing off before marrying a control-freak who thinks she has the right to dress everyone she knows, including her soon-to-be-mother-in-law.

      Jeez.

      No, the idea that brides get to force everyone to wear horrible costumes, and control everything is not proper ettiquette, even if it is common these days.

      As you say, she should hire models and actors and such, and leave her relatives alone.

      I'm glad to hear you're actually letting people dress themselves.

      I read a lot of Miss Manners, and she traces all the ugliness to Father of the Bride (the original movie, with Spencer Tracy). Before the generation that watched that movie when young, everyone dressed themselves.

      Ugh! And those horrid things so many brides force their friends to wear! Yeesh!

      There's no reason for all the attendents to be identically dressed, and certainly no reason for color-matching among all the wedding party.

      A wedding should NOT be "Queen for a Day" but a celebration of a big milestone, where the hosts are, well, hosts for the celebration.

      Hosts design the event with the intention of showing their guests a good time; NOT with the idea that everything revolves around THEM.

      Getting married is itself special. One needn't turn the whole thing into a "I'm GODDESS! Fear and bow before ME!"

      Fortunately, none of this is your problem (I mean, the "runaway with herself bride"). Just smile and nod, and let her alienate everyone in her life.

  49. QUESTION:
    I'm finding it impossible to choose the right person to be my bridesmaid, what do I do?
    I'm in my 30's. Friends have come and gone, some I've let go of due to them being hurtful.
    I am too busy to a social life, and don't really have an interest in handing around with girls as I spend most of my time either busy running my own business, or with my fiance.
    I'm finding myself delaying making a wedding date because I can't think of anybody I feel comfortable enough with to pick for the role. I have a long bridal dress with a train that needs to be lifted up.
    I've got a good long term friend but she has mental health issues and can't be relyed on. She tried to pull out of the last role she had in a wedding doing the music. My other friend I'm in touch with declined because she has a long term injury in her back that prevents her from being able to stand up for over 30 mins. I have a female cousin, but she thinks she is better than me and makes me feel uncomfortable.
    The only peope I can think of are my students of piano. There are a few I could choose but they are 16 and under. Is there a legal age for a bridesmaid? I need help with the train on the dress.
    Is there such a thing as hiring a bridemaid? I have male friends, but that seems a bit strangeI feel so stupid that I don't have more people I could ask.
    .

    • ANSWER:
      I'm not going to have a bridal party or bridesmaids or groomsmen at my wedding. Think outside the box. It's YOUR day, do you really want to share it with someone not very special to you, just for apperances? My suggestion is pick a cute little venue and not invite the whole world. Keep it affordable and personal, and maybe have a little veranda or some type of set up where it's just you and your husband standing up there during the ceremony. Invite friends or family members to make speeches if you'd like. Play around with the seating and make every guest feel equal and that its all about you two. Weddings don't have to be traditional, they should fit you!

  50. QUESTION:
    Do you think I was as stupid as I feel?
    I'm going to be a bridesmaid on Saturday, and Monday gone I got my outfit dropped off, which included a pair of earrings. I just assumed they hadn't realised I'd never had my ears pierced, but if they were going to go to the effort and expense of buying all the bridesmaids matching earrings, socks, shoes, hair ribbons etc as well as hiring dresses with the same lace pattern as the bride then I was damned well going to wear them.

    Yesterday I went to Claire's and explained that I wanted my ears pierced but I would need to change them on Saturday and why. The girl said they system they use uses a gun to pierce with earrings, and that they would have to stay in for 6 weeks. She went on to recommend I go to the tattooist as they have a body piercing clinic and might be able to offer me some advice.

    The girl there said that they have some 'bioplast labrets' which they usually use for lip piercings because they don't chip teeth, similar but not identical to these http://www.bodyjewelleryshop.com/online_store/bioplast_labret_stud_heart_blue_9071782.cfm . She said she could modify them by extending the holes the jewel pushes into right the way through the discs which would go behind my ears, and I'd be able to put normal earrings through these holes so changing them wouldn't cause damage or interrupt them healing. I would have to call back a couple of hours later to get them pierced so she could re-sterilize them after modifying them, then I'd go back first thing on the Saturday morning, before getting ready for the wedding, so she could check them and switch the earrings. If all was fine, I'd be able to take the bridesmaid earrings out and replace the jewel myself.

    A couple of hours after getting them pierced I was sitting at home when I got a phone call, they had sent me the wrong outfit, Michelle - one of the other bridesmaids had realised when she got a pair of clipons and they wanted to know when was a good time to come round and swap parcels. I explained that I'd just had my ears pierced and had small plastic tubes put in the holes so I would be able to change into the earrings on Saturday, so now they are going to buy another pair of earrings for Michelle.

    I feel stupid for not checking, very stupid, and I feel guilty now that they are going to buy ANOTHER pair of rather expensive earrings for Michelle. Do you think the jeweller might offer a refund or store credit for the clip-ons? I know for hygeine reasons you can't normally return earrings, but do you think they will make an exception for clip-ons?

    • ANSWER:
      Sweetie.. you did them a huge favor and let me tell you, very few people would be willing to do what you did for one wedding... You're not stupid for not checking, you didn't want to offend them by saying oooh.. yeah... i don't have holes in my ears for this...

      Yes, its a bit of an inconvenience that now they have to go buy another pair, but you were doing what you thought was right. You didn't want to offend them, and you went and spent your own money getting your ears done for them.

      its noones fault what happened, don't feel stupid at ALL... you're fine.


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Highstreet Bridesmaid Dresses

Nowadays brides are increasingly prefering the online platform for purchasing affordable wedding dresses. Well the reason for this is simple. By purchasing bridal gowns online you save valuable time that can be used for planning other important things for the wedding. Moreover, the online shops have a huge collection of elaborate and discounted wedding gowns for all types of figures and in different styles.

But for purchasing the right bridal gowns online, it is very important to provide the proper measurements before ordering a gown. As far as bridal gowns are concerned it must fit the body perfectly and enhance the figure of the bride. An ill-fitted wedding gown can make you feel uncomfortable and spoil your mood. Here are some tips to help you come up with the right measurement.

1) Firstly, ask your friend or family member to take your measurements. At any cost, avoid taking the measurements yourself as it is not possible to take the right measurements on your own. Also remember that wedding dress sizes are different from normal size charts.

2) While taking the measurements you must be dressed in a well-fitted bra and underwear. Preferably, wear the undergarments you plan to wear with your bridal gown.

3) Use a cloth tape measure to take the measurements. And in case you don't have one use a string to measure around the body and a ruler to measure the string.

4) To take the measurement of your busts, stand straight with your heels together. Now measure the bust line with the help of measuring tape by covering the widest part of your back and the fullest part of your chest. Keep a thumb in the inner side of the tape and note down the measurement in a piece of paper.

5) For taking the waist measurement stand with your stomach at its natural position. Put the tape at the waistline from where you usually wear your jeans or trousers and measure the size by keeping a thumb on the inner side of the tape. Or to find your waist, bend to one side and the deepest wrinkle you find is your waist. Keep the tape loose for getting the right measurement.

6) For taking the measurements of your hips, stand in a relaxed posture with your heels together. For a sheath dress, position the tape around the fullest part of your bottom and for an A-line dress, around the fullest part of your hip.

7) The measurement for the length of the bridal dress must be taken from the hollow of the neck just above the collarbone to the length that you would like the hem of the dress to fall. If you are planning to wear heels with the wedding dress add 5'' extra to the length of the dress.

Once the measurements have been taken, check them with the size chart provided by the online shops selling discounted wedding gowns. These size charts would tell how measurements are mapped to the designer sizes.

And don't panic if the measurements taken by you are not there in the chart. Bridal gowns available online usually are not custom made to exact measurements and can be easily altered to your size before the gown is delivered to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid dress! need help urgent, please answer my question!?
    Hi everyone :)
    I'm 20 years old, 5ft1in, size6/8 and have brown hair, brown eyes and light skin.
    My friend has asked me to be the bridesmaid at her wedding, which is on saturday the 21st of february so a little short notice. It's going to be a really informal ceremony for family and close friends at the registry Office and all she has asked is that i wear a red dress, maybe with white accesories. i asked if she preferred any style in particular but she said she doesn't mind as long as im happy with it and it is red. it's been really hard to find a suitable dress as most are either too tight, short and revealing, too long for my small figure, or too expensive.
    Im thinking of buying the outfit on the links, please let me know what you think! any suggestions or links would be helpfull, UK shops only, and not too expensive as I'm a poor uni student.
    10 points for best answer!
    Thank you
    xox

    http://www.boohoo.com/FashionClothing/index.php?id=AZZ95019
    http://www.newlook.co.uk/1588936/158893612/ProductDetails.aspx
    http://www.newlook.co.uk/1567114/156711410/ProductDetails.aspx

    ps: i have looked at all the highstreet shops and websites i could think of including asos, topshop, etc

    thanks
    xox

    • ANSWER:
      That looks cute for a wedding but as a bridesmaid I might just wear the dress but ask the bride first make sure she is happy!!!

  2. QUESTION:
    Bordeaux red for my bridesmaids?
    I am wanting Bordeaux/Claret red for my bridesmaid dresses next year fr my wedding and i am wanting to know really if the colours will be out next year at all (for anyone that may know), but this is not for popular reason at all, i just love the colours and my partner has choosen these colours too. We also cant find any dresses that are under £100. I have looked in all the highstreet shops but i cannot find anything that i like.
    Thank you
    Again, i am not wanting to know if the colour is in fashion at all, i am wanting to know if they are in as i cannot find them colours anywhere at the mo as my partner and i want these colours.
    Any helpful info would be great, thank you.
    Bordeaux red and Claret red are such gorgeous colours (although basically the same). And i am hoping that i can find these colours soon.

    • ANSWER:
      Its your day... who cares what colours are in our out of fashion!
      As for dresses, have you tried TK Max?

  3. QUESTION:
    Similar dress for bridesmaids?
    I found the bridesmaid dress that all of them like and that i like but looking at our budget it'll be a bit of a stretch buying it.
    But its the only one that they all would wear and that i like too.

    http://www.dreambridaldress.com/2007/bridesmaid/07bm050.jpg

    So i have to find a similar one that isnt as expensive!!
    Its about £90 or 5 dont care where its from as long as its as cheap as i can get it.

    Please give me links or pictures =]
    Thank you in advance! =]

    Highstreet shops too please. Even if theres something similar in primark i dont care - as long as its cheap and looks ok please =]
    Im buying the dresses and they pay for it after =]

    • ANSWER:
      ok I am not sure if you can find the same but I found some at

      http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/Collection/bridesmaids.asp

      check these out!


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Bridesmaid Shoes Children

Being fashionable is not only restricted to wearing contemporary and modish clothing but it is something beyond that. Ranging from shoes to caps, handbags to sun glasses, every single accessory makes you look absolutely audacious and dauntless.

When talking about the accessories, women shoes are the main attraction that cannot go unnoticed. Specially, young women are more fetish for stylish foot wears. Any ostentatious piece of sandals, stilettos or shoes will make you look opulently seditious. Moccasins, Oshos, Flip flops, Mojaris, Kolhapuris and Nagras -are some of the types that are very much in demand, these days.

The luxuriantly vibrant and exotic Rajasthan offers wide variety of colourful embroidered and handmade crafts. Streets filled with humble people, picturesque sites, palaces of cultural heritage, indigenous artists performing folk dances in every nook and corner of the city, warm hospitality and above all the vibrant and colourful traditional dresses, fills Rajasthan with significant panache and finesse. Not only dresses but the traditionally hand made jootis named Mojaris catches every tourist's attraction.

Interestingly, these foot wear are handcrafted items made by the locals. Indigenous artisans put in diligent labor to make and embroider these Mojaris. They are popularly known all over India as they are made up of vegetable tanned leather that is organic in nature. Mojaris are originaly from Jodhpur and are among one of the forte of Rajasthani Handicrafts.

These ethnic Mojaris are hand embroidered and goes well with traditional as well as western outfits of women. No doubt they look apt and elegant on men too.

So, what are you waiting for ? Go and pick one of these gorgeous embroidered Mojaris for yoourself and enjoy the exquisite pleasure of unique women shoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    which shoes with these bridesmaid dresses? (pic links inside)?
    My wedding is in August.
    My colors are black and ivory.
    Here's a pic of the bridesmaid dresses: http://imgur.com/fKgR1.jpg
    My MOH's is full length and the others are around knee length or a little longer.

    Here are two shoes I was looking at:
    http://fashionbug.lanebryant.com/contrast-strap-sandals/p60436/index.pro

    http://fashionbug.lanebryant.com/sale/view-all/braided-strap-heels/5198c16113p60567/index.pro?Mcatn=View+All&Mcatpn=Sale&Mcatg=category_root&Mcatp=cat_5198%401&Mcat=16113%401

    I sort of think the second shoe looks more "formal" and would go with the dress better but one of the girls is plus size and i think the heels would hurt her feet, what do you think? She is about a 30/32 in womens.

    (Yes, i tried calling her today to see her preference and thoughts but she "had company" and didn't want to talk. rude. so now im asking you all what you think! thanks!)
    Also..if there's any other shoe out there that is affordable that you think would look better please feel free to post the links. I need them to be super affordable because all the girls have children and all i hear about is their budget. I've already gotten them gifts so i won't be buying their shoes.
    thanks eskimo. I actually don't think i can use the flip flop ones now that i look into it because they only come up to size large and i think the one girl would need XL. Any other suggestions or links are appreciated.

    • ANSWER:
      the braided strap ones =)
      looks more formal!

  2. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid shoe help... again!?
    I'm fairly shoe-dumb. I'll be in an evening wedding the beginning of august. The dresses are dark blue (like lapis or navy) and short (just above the knee). Some of the other girls are wearing gold or silver shoes, but the bride has no preference - some girls are wearing light blue. Is it okay to wear black shoes? I have shoes that look like the love-child of these two...
    http://z.about.com/d/petite/1/0/g/7/-/-/salmahayekshoes.jpg
    http://i2.iofferphoto.com/img/item/107/418/747/46X6.jpg

    I thought they'd be fine, but someone said that you can't wear black shoes to a summer wedding. Is this true? Should I find more appropriate ones?
    I'm not choosing between the two- my shoes I have look like a combination of those two. I'm glad you haven't heard of the black in summer thing :) I hate gold shoes, too!

    • ANSWER:
      I wore black shoes in a wedding once (bridesmaid)... never heard the "no black" rule... however...! I personally don't like to wear black with dark blue, well just depending on how dark you're talking. If something is so dark it almost looks black, I try to not wear black with it.

      I think black, silver, or light blue all would look great (not gold, yuck!) however if you're the only one wearing black, you might want to consider going with something lighter just so everyone's feet look "similar"...

      I think the shoes you have are very cute though, if they are a combination of the two pics. xoxox

  3. QUESTION:
    How much say does a bride have over her bridesmaids?
    My sister is getting married and has been demanding a lot of things from all the bridesmaids. My wife is one of the bridesmaids and she is losing patience with my sister. I am not sure if my sister's actions are normal wedding etiquette and am thinking of confronting her on how inappropriate she has been acting. The following are all that she has demanded:

    1) She wants all the girls to have their chests lifted, but she does not like the look of pads or strapless bras, so she is demanding that they all buy expensive corsets.

    2) She is requiring them to have their dresses hemmed by her seamstress instead of letting them choose one that is closer to their homes and more affordable.

    3) She required them all to buy a black shoe that she picked out even though they all already own black shoes that are similar to this style.

    4) She is requiring them to all do their hair the same way.

    5) She is having multiple bridal showers and at first told them they did not have to go to all of them, but is now telling them to go to all of them if they are available.

    6) She is holding onto all of the dresses and insists on being present when the dress is tailored so she can make sure it suits her standards. This has caused a lot of problems because of conflicting schedules and the distance of her seamstress.

    7) She is having a mandatory bridesmaid luncheon and she is not allowing children even though she admitted it would be a huge inconvenience for some of the women.

    8) She is insisting that her bachelorette party be the day before her fiance's bachelor party. The problem is that her party is a sleep over and his party starts at 6am so everyone that has kids will have to find someone to watch their kids in the early morning.

    9) The wedding starts at 4pm, but she's requiring the bridesmaids and their daughters to have breakfast with her early in the morning and spend the whole day, away from their families, with just her.

    So could someone please tell me if this is normal and acceptable behavior for a bride?

    • ANSWER:
      1) She can ask but she cant force them to buy something. Find a cheaper one that does the same job.

      2) She can ask but again cant force it. A closer seamstress or a cheaper on as longa s the work is jsut as good.

      3) that she can ask since she wants them all in the same

      4) that she can do

      5) if they are availalbe is fair! Just dont be avaialable!

      6) She cant make them do that and if they paid for the dresses she has no right

      7) That is general but it has to work with everyone schedule

      8) Not fair! Especially if there are a lot of kids involved

      9) Not fair with kids again. The getting ready together part is normal but you cant demad it all

      For a wedding a bride can insist on attire but cant force anyone to buy anything. but the bridemaids need to be out spoken when something is too much or cant be done!

  4. QUESTION:
    Who pays for the bridesmaid dress?
    My sister has asked me to be her bridesmaid at her wedding next year. Her and her partner live together and both have well paid jobs. I on the other hand work part time as I have two small children. She has told me I will have to pay for my dress shoes hair and make up! Is this right? I was in total shock when she told me. Im not tight but don't feel its my responsibility to fork out. Is this normal should I be insulted or just tell her to find some other mug to be bridesmaid who's willing to pay for her dress?

    • ANSWER:
      Hi Glitter!

      I've just read an answer that says it seems to vary between the UK and USA whether a bridesmaid pays for a dress or not.

      I'm from the UK. I've never known any bridesmaid ever having to pay for their own dress. If a bride wants 1 or 10 bridesmaids - this cost must be incorporated into the overall budget of the wedding. I'm really shocked, like yourself, that someone (even your sister) would ask you to pay for the dress!!

      In my experience, the dress, and any additional costs for being a bridesmaid, is incurred by the wedding couple. The bridesmaid (along with ushers and other helpers in the wedding) also get a little gift to say thank you for their help. In return, the maids should be there to assist and support the bride during the planning and wedding day itself.

      But ultimately, this doesn't solve your problem of having to afford a dress. Perhaps approach you sister and tell her how much you are looking forward to being a bridesmaid - that you'd love to help and support her for the wedding. Explain that it's going to be such a big financial burden for you, that you are honoured and want to be her bridesmaid very much, but you're unable to afford it.

      If you're in the UK, tell her that bridesmaids don't pay for their dresses (but nicely and sensitively). If you're in the US or elsewhere and culturally maids usually pay, explain that you understand their financial burden at the moment, but is it possible to share the cost in some way? I don't know how reasonable your sister usually is, (but stay calm if she gets a bit uppity or upset) and stress how important it is for you to be there for HER. How can, between the two of you, come to some agreement that makes you both happy.

      All the best, hope it gets sorted and you enjoy the big day.

      Best of luck!

      Karen

  5. QUESTION:
    What are my responsibilities as a bridesmaid?
    I am curious because one of my friends is getting married Sept 2009 and she asked me to be a bridesmaid. Of course I said yes and even went with her to pick out her wedding dress since the maid of honor was being a real pain. Now what do I do now? Of course I am doing my best to be supportive and I am buying my own dress, shoes, jewelry, hair, makeup etc. What are my other obligations? I am asking because she calls literally 6 times a day or more... and now she wants to have the wedding in a neighboring town, granted this is about a half hour drive but now she wants to spend the night in a major college town. She said to me well we can all get one hotel room and split the bill.... um... its a half hour away... and the last thing I want to do is dish out more money especially when its not that far and I have two small children at home! What do I do? Also she is hell bent on having the reception at an outdoor location with NO seating...she doesn't want to pay the rental bill... and she hasn't even stopped to think what if it rains... I know this is her day but how do I put it to her nicely that her day could be ruined if she doesn't think about some of these things? As a final note her fiance called off her wedding last summer a week before the wedding, what if I am stuck with a dress shoes etc I cant return? HELP!

    • ANSWER:
      I would invite her out to lunch and say I wanted some time for us to have a quiet private talk. State some concerns make statements like I feel I think. For instance I wanted to know if you have made a definate decison about having the wedding in whatever town cause I need to make plans for absorbing additional cost of hotel room babysitter etc.. also being a bridesmaid is an honor being a maid of honor is a privlege that it seems to me like your choice for a maid of honor should be someone that can be their for you I wouldnt allow her to bombard me with calls and request

  6. QUESTION:
    Wedding On a budget.. Any ideas? Melbourne Australia?
    Hi, We are getting married in 12 months and would like a simple elegant wedding on a budget. roughly 00, less if possible but up to 00 is acceptable :)

    A bit about us :) We live in Melbourne Australia

    We have 3 beautiful children aged between 2 and 5, We have been together 6 years and been engaged for 3. We would like to have a beautiful, but simple wedding on a budget. Neither of us like to spend on ourselves, rather on the children.
    Though we would still rather a proper wedding as oppose to a registry wedding.

    It will either be in February next year (has meaning to us, as i know its one of the dearer months )

    We will only be having 40 guests and ourselves and 5 children (our 3 and 2 flower girls)

    I have already got my dress (well 2 actually, depending on where we get married, one is beachy one more formal) they were both bargains, brand new and both for 0 :D
    I have the flower girl dresses (each)
    i need 27 invites and am having them hand made inc. invite, details of ceremony and reception,wishing well card, rsvp, envelopes for invite and return rsvp and hand written addresses for .95 each. Plus postage costs i have estimated at just over .. so 5 for hand made invites :)

    I want a 2 tier cake with a ribbon around each tier and a personalised cake topper i am having made that is estimated at a bit over 0 (not mentioning its a wedding cake as its so simple.

    I bought my bridesmaid shoes on sale from 9.95 down to yep !! The other day. I LOVE bargains and they are perfect for what i want!

    Ok that's all i have done/know so far. If you have any ideas or suggestions please let me know, especially for receptions on a budget or great ideas, i would love to hear them.

    Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      First, let me say you are a bargain shopper. Those are great deals!

      Since you are thinking about having a wedding in February, you could use the "Lover's Theme" for your wedding. You could save a lot of money by giving small chocolate hearts as favors or heart shaped photo frames. Or you could even give a small, hand-made book of love poems.

      To decorate, use plenty of candlelight for a romantic touch.

      It depends upon your venue, of course, but a buffet is always cheaper than a regular sit down meal. If your wedding is in the morning, you could have a brunch and serve fruit, pasta salad, green salad, and finger foods. If you wedding is later in the day, serve hors d'oeuvre.

      Alcohol is a huge expense at weddings. Buy it yourself or just serve only wine and beer. You can always have a champagne toast - serving a cheaper brand of champagne.

      I know you will have a wonderful, memorable time! Good luck with your wedding planning and your new life.

  7. QUESTION:
    bridesmaid situation , help?
    ok so i have a friend , shes a great friend , i had not asked her to be in my wedding party since she is a single mother and doesn't get child support. i took her with me to go dress shopping and while we were there she was like "lets go look at bridesmaids dresses since we are here i can find what im going to wear" so she basically asked to be a bridesmaid. i didn't ask because she cant afford a dress and shoes and i cant afford to pay for her. what do i do >? when it comes time to order dresses do i just hope she doesn't have the money to do it?
    good points , i was just worried for her financially is all. but shes a big girl, and i did want her there so , i guess she well figure it out
    i know being a bm is nothing to do with who has the most money, i didnt ask the others based on their income. im not a monster

    • ANSWER:
      If you want her to be a bridesmaid then just ask her. Let her know up front what she will be expected to pay for and that if she cant' afford it you completely understand and still want her to come to the wedding.
      Who knows, she might have money saved up.

  8. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid drama?
    I'm getting married in a week and my bridesmaid just called and said she can't come to the wedding! During the whole planning process she seemed happy with everything. I knew she couldn't afford the dress so I paid for it. When she called earlier she was VERY upset and said she couldn't come because she couldn't find anyone to watch her child. I offered to find and pay for a sitter for both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. I also offered to pay for shoes since she was saying they were all too expensive. She was so upset...I just kept saying "what can I do to help?" I gently let her know that I would lose a lot of money and that everything had already been planned and paid for and that I really wanted her there, then she said "nevermind I'll just deal with it" and hung up! I don't understand what's going on! Everything seemed fine when I talked to her a couple days ago and we've been friends since childhood. I really need to know if she'll be in the wedding ASAP. What should I do?
    Christine: Funny you should mention it! When we were dress shopping she didn't like the way her back looked in the dress so I bought her some spanx! I DID buy her underwear...but we didn't have time to look for shoes.

    • ANSWER:
      Wow - that is horrible. But I have to give you big kudos for how you have handled everything thus far. You are being an entirely gracious bride (& friend).

      I don't know why but for some reason it sounds like there is something else going on with your friend; is she by chance involved in drugs or some other illegal activity? She sounds like she is desperate and embarrassed to tell you what is really going on.

      The childcare thing sounds like it was just a cover up to try and get out of the wedding - maybe she's embarrassed that you've already paid for everything and she's in some kind of financial predicament that she doesn't even have money for a wedding present, or gas money, or undergarments and she doesn't want to have to keep saying to you "I can't afford it" as no one wants someone else to have to pay for their undies!

      When someone is that financially strapped, they can become like an animal trapped in a corner and it sounds like she is just at the breaking point.

      While I think that you have really done a great job talking with her and not flipping out (which I'm pretty sure most brides would do a week before their wedding!), I would give her a call back and say "I don't know what is going on with you, but you are my friend and I love you and want to help you. Please tell me what I can do for you because you are one of my oldest and dearest friends and I want you to be there for my special day." I'll bet that you would rather give her 0 to ease her stress (if that's what it's about) and tell her to not worry about a wedding present and just show up and be your friend as opposed to scrambling around to find a replacement.

      In the long run, if she ends up flaking on your day, it will forever affect your friendship and friends from childhood aren't exactly replaceable, so I think it's great that you've been cutting her some extra slack.

      Can you please post what the outcome was on this? I'm very interested as to what her issue is and how it will all work out.

      Best of luck to you!

      Ok, you really are the ideal bride and friend! She would be a fool to not make this right with you...keep us posted!

  9. QUESTION:
    Anyone been a bridesmaid? Or paid for their bridesmaids?
    I am a bridesmaid for my friend early next year. As her and her fiance are celibate christians, they still pay a lot of money out on two houses and all that goes with that. So, she has asked us to pay for it all ourselves.
    I have paid for a 0 dress and a 0 pair of shoes so far (these were the full prices as she didn't offer to help us out). There will also be a bridal shower, an engagement party, hens night, and then the wedding. They want money for gifts so they can buy a house, so I'm not going to be able to help them out too much in that department.
    Now she says she might not be able to help with the cost of hair and make up on the day.
    Two years ago I had a small but flash wedding when I married my husband, and I asked no one to do anything for me. We paid for everything!
    We have a mortgage, two cars, and a child, so I thought it was understood that we are not made of money.
    What is the tradition and do I say anything? I want her to have what she wants!

    • ANSWER:
      I agree with everyone on the fact that bridesmaids pay for there own. However, just because the bride and groom want money for a house, doesn't mean you have to give them a large sum of money. They should be happy with any generosity they receive. Buy something nice they can use in their house instead.

  10. QUESTION:
    Mother in law hell and grandchildren?
    Called me by his ex girlfriends name, went on about a girls name and how nice it was and who happened to be another ex girlfriend of his. Told me about numerous 1 night stands and how she would often find stilleto shoes outside his bedroom door. Ruined my wedding plans by moaning about everything. Moaned that I wanted one of the bridesmads at my mum and dada house on the morning of the wedding for picture so she never came (she was a child bridesmaid). Saw me and my husband crying out eyes out the night before our wedding and then went out for a meal with her family whilst I spent the night trying to de puff my eyes for my big day. Called some of my cousins names pikey and they are children. Then decided to not turn up to my graduation ceromony. When I fell pregnant I was extremely unwell with hyperemisis which is excessive sickness and failed to do anything to assist. I was in bed for 10 weeks and sick till my twins arrived.  I was then told that I was putting my twins at risk of going into a coma by breastfeeding them as they were not being fed enough milk. She saw me drag myself from a sofa to make her a cup of tea after I had just had a csection. I was then put in hospital with an internal bleed and she attempted to take the twins home with her 70 miles from me when all I wanted was to see them. She then made it hell by trying to wake my twins up when I was trying to get them into a routine she used to speak loudly and pull blankets off of them. She announced that I was giving my daughter colic with that 'breast stuff' and informed me that she never thought I was the one for her son. She then came to their christening and left early and cried when I gave my mum some flowers as it embarrassed her in front of her friends that she didn't get any grrrr. One of my twins didn't take to a bottle so she took one out of my bag which was my other twins expressed milk and tried force feeding her. They have just had their first birthday and she came didn't say a word to me but slagged me off to my friends. Oh and on their 1st christmas I was moaned at for only spending 4 hours at their house that's not including the 2 hours journey there and Back and the fact I had just come out of hospital. And to top it off I made it quite clear I was buying their first Xmas outfits. Something I was really looking forward to after my time being in hospital and guess what yep she brought them outfits! I don't want anything to do with her. She never rings me to find out how her only grandchildren are but wants all the glory. My husband doesn't seem to get it. I have never had anyone like this in my life and I don't want her near me. She has turned my father in law against me and basically told him a pack of lies. Am I being wrong denying her access to my precious babies!? Please advise honestly what would you do? there is so much more I can tell you but think I've wrote enough. 
    Hi thanks for the input. I apologise at the lack of paragraphs but I was just reeling it off my mind vi agree that maybe some things are forgivable but this is only a sample of her actions. My husband does support me but is a typical man and ignores things.

    I gave never disliked someone as much as her and when she does the smallest thing now my back goes up. It's so difficult.

    • ANSWER:
      WOW... where the hell is your husband in all this?!?! you are HIS immediate family and he should be DEFENDING YOU!!!!!!!! I cannot believe what this evil crazy woman is doing to you... its just that, UNBELIEVABLE!! And you know who i blame it all on... your half ass husband (sorry). It is his job to defend and protect his wife, and put her before his mother, that is when his loyalty shifted to YOU the day he got married.

      If our husbands and us all let our mother in laws run loose, god knows where we'd all end up! With a loaded gun or in the looney bin LOL!! seriously!!! My MIL was super crazy in the beginning (before we got married), but my husband laid down BOUNDARIES (*which is SUPER important in your situation) and basically said, this is the way you will treat and respect my wife and i - she is as much family as i am. basically, if she didnt respect me then he wouldn't have a bar of it - it would be goodbye for good!

      you basically need to have a serious talk with your husband and lay down some rules - they need to come from BOTH of you, as a team. dealing with MILs is like dealing with a child - you need to approach this together and stand strong. i didnt say it was going to be easy, its not, as it should have been done years ago!!!! What needs to be put straight to this woman is that if she doesnt step up and respect you as an adult and family member then she wont be spoken to by EITHER of you. He needs to show that his loyalty is with YOU, bcause until then she will stay caught up in this never ending spiral of control and manipulation. I just cannot believe that your husband can say that he loves you and lets you get treated like this??? i am just so shocked. if my husband was to allow that to happen to be,, id be telling him to cut the cord and grow some balls or im outta here!!! he has sex with you, not his mother!!

      WOW you really have a lot of work to do, but take it from me, it isn't impossible. my MIL has (almost) transformed, and yes it did take a year or 2 of cutting them out of our lives to realise that we are not children and we make our own decisions of who we have in our lives based on the way we treat them, whether we are born to them or not. you come through your parents not from them, and that gives them NO RIGHT to treat you badly!!! stand up for yourself girl and STOP this nonsense now!!!

      and i believe that if this woman truly respected and loved her son, then she would treat his wife with respect, no matter what.

  11. QUESTION:
    the wedding i want is causing family arguments, :( ?
    i come from quite a large family, and my older sister has a partner but will never marry and has 4children, my younger sister is single and has 2children. when i got engaged my older sister asked if her children could be bridesmaids because they would never get the chance to be one, our mum said its the thing to do and i agreed, my sisters offered to pay for everything that i wanted. , and because my older sisters children were bridesmaids my younger sisters also had to be bridesmaids. my younger sister assumed that she was to a bridesmaid, which meant i had to have my older sister too. they all said they would pay for there own stuff, so me and my partner said that they could be involved.
    i have a daughter (she will be 2a week after the wedding) and my best friend who i wanted as chief bridesmaid. out of 10 bridesmaids i got 2 choose 2, the others i had no choice...
    the problem came when we started looking at dresses, i was met with the response that the would not pay more the £10 per person for dresses, which was a night mare, as i am having a church wedding i new what i wanted. and the most expensive dress was £32.50 (still rather cheap for new dresses) then they refused to pay for dresses, then they argued about they wanted there hair like this, when i had picked styles out (i was paying for a hair dresser) my sister was saying there children did not like the dresses me and my partner had picked yet when i gave my nieces a selection to chose from they picked the dress i liked. evan down to what shoes they were wearing etc. they refused to turn up for dress fittings with our seamstress (yet something else i was paying for) just didn't bother turning up, no phone calls or texts. when trying 2arrange a date for my youngest sister to come away shopping for a new dress for one of her children (the first dress was to big) she refused to come because she wanted money to go shopping, evan though we explained it was again us buying the new dress, and not a shopping trip as such, she just refused to listened to me. and ignored me, in the end, we have payed for everything for them so that they would get the dresses we want, we hoped it would be the end of it, but the arguments have continued. one sister has invited her friends who i don't know or like, knowing that we have struggled to get our own family and friends in. my mother just keeps saying let them have what they want, which i find unfair was its mine and my partners day. my friend has been amazing and just told me what i want goes. my partner has said that he does not want them to be bridesmaids because of how much they are upsetting us.
    my partner works incredibly hard, and we have saved up for our wedding, with no help from anyone else. i have done everything by my self, with no help other then my chief bridesmaid doing some typing for me. i picked my dress, shoes etc within a day. so i can not be called For been picky because i know what i want.
    my father has said to do what i want, which atm is to fire my sisters. i have done nothing but crying over this. i would of loved to of had my friends, to me it is a honor been a bridesmaids, but i feel like im been used by my sisters. im just stuck and need some advice,,,
    sorry for how long this is, iv got 13weeks left till my big day.
    we booked the wedding in October 2010, but we had been engaged since 2008 and had been saving up for our wedding, so it was not like iv just demanded money from them straight away.
    thank you for all that you are saying.but if i got rid of my bridesmaids, it would cause up most amount of argument, and as i have bought every thing, dresses, shoes, flowers, hair pieces etc, i can not evan follow the wear what i want. if i told my sisters not 2be bridesmaids they would spite the children who are innocent in all this. my sisters are definitely after the 'centre stage' so to speak.

    • ANSWER:
      You need to sit this family down...just the adults and tell them that this wedding is yours. That you were willing to allow them to be a part of YOUR BIG DAY. That all their grumbling and complaints are getting to you and making you an emotional wreak. They need to know that all their not showing up for fittings and the seamstress, not cooperating for other things and their opinions are making it that much harder for you to do anything. You need to let them know THAT THEY ARE NOT PAYING FOR THIS WEDDING YOU ARE. They also need to know that you can and will change out the wedding party just to make it easier on you. This is your day. You have been planning it for a few years and want to have a good day. Your parents are not helping giving so much different advice. You need to let them know in no uncertain terms that the things you are doing are what you want and if they want center stage then they need to plan their own weddings.

      What you should have done at the beginning when all these sisters and kids wanted in on the wedding was to sit with your man and decide who was going to do what. Make a list and if you had to make copies to give to family. In that list you would have certain tasks for them to do. And If they did not like it then you could say, that they did not have to do those tasks as there were others more than happy to do it. You could put in the number of bridesmaids you wanted, you could have put in the styles of clothing, hair, and jewelry and flowers you wanted. You could put in the whole reception thing too. Giving out the jobs would ease some of your problem. Also put in the dates that the fittings and such take place and tell them if they can not keep their end of it up they can not be in the wedding party...and ten bridesmaids is a bit much and expensive. I only had one.

      You should not have to bow down to their demands because that is all they are doing. I am sorry if it will hurt the kids feelings in this but if their parents are so adamant about things then they need to learn it is your wedding not theirs.

      My daughter is going to do this list and assign people what she thinks is the best task for them. If they do not like it then they do not have to do it and she will find someone else. She has a step mom who thinks she is going to run the whole thing. That woman has another think coming. But that is another story and my daughter is not getting married yet but she is thinking on how she will handle it all.

      Good Luck!

  12. QUESTION:
    Help im a bridesmaid!!?
    the wedding is in a week and the bride has told me to chose the shoes to wear with the dress but i cannot try the dress on as it is a 100 miles away with the bride.

    silly.. i no ...

    The dress was made the same as the flower girls who is 10 years younger than me i dont want to look like a child.............

    the dress was also made floor length without heels....... soo cant wear heels or can i ??

    please help...

    any ideas to make the dress look older.....x
    so if you think flats wat kind would go with a long dress??.....

    i was thinking maybe flat point not shure though .....???

    • ANSWER:
      If the dress was hemmed to wear with flats, I'd recommend wearing flats.

      The good news is that flats are extremely fashionable just now and there are lots of gorgeous, sophisticated-looking ones on the market. You're not going to be limited to childish-looking Mary Janes. Head on down to your local mall. With the end of summer sales going on right now, chances are you can find something lovely at an excellent price.

      How you carry yourself and how you do your hair and makeup will make a big difference, too, in looking adult. Don't worry too much about looking like a child, though. Just concentrate on supporting the bride and behaving responsibly. Nobody will mistake you for a child if you act like an adult.

      So relax, have fun. And be thankful you won't have a sore back and feet at the end of the evening from wearing unfamiliar high heels!

  13. QUESTION:
    Should I boot a bridesmaid?
    I have been having problems with my cousin from the get go. She never went to help pick out dresses. We went without her and now she is mad because she doesn't like it. She had a problem with the solid white shoe i wanted them to wear, Her daughter is supposed to be a flower girl and I said any dress as long as it is plain white. She wants color. I said I was gonna take them and let them pick a massage or a facial for their gift and have a girls spa day. she complained about that. Now we are having problems that don't have to do with the wedding but I can't take her anymore. She has committed to watching my children for an hour and a half 3 days a week until I get off work. I pay her to do this. She has forgot them 3 times and today I had to leave work early again. She is un reliable and I can't deal with her stressing me out anymore. Is it unreasonable to kick her out of the wedding party? I can't rely on her. If I kick her out she wont speak to me anymore and it will probably cause a family ordeal but why should I have to deal with this. I've already made arrangements for after school care so I don't have to rely on her for that. Has anyone else had this issue or a similar one?
    If I didn't want to be a bridemaid I would simply say, "No". Not torment the person by stressing them out!

    • ANSWER:
      You shouldn't be stressing over a bridesmaid!! They should be honored to be standing in your wedding.. If they had problems, they should just shut up or talk to you in a more mature way....

      I have been having bridesmaid problems for the longest time... Finally some of them have finally calmed down... But, my bff of 12 years is no longer standing in my wedding... And it kills me, but she made the choice for herself.

      If your cousin is as unreliable as you say, I would definitely consider the boot..... Why not sit down and talk to her? Ask her if she really wants to stand? Because, you, as a BRIDE, cannot take her nonsense. Explain how much stress you are already under, and see what she says/how she reacts.

      You need to get to the bottom on why she is reacting the way she is, even with babysitting your kids!! :)
      Bridesmaids shouldn't be in control on what YOU want... And her complaining isn't making it any easier....

  14. QUESTION:
    What to do about sister's wedding? (Long story!)?
    Ok, My younger sister is getting married this August. I am the maitron of honor, my 3 year old daughter is the flower girl. our mom died in a car accident when she was 14, I was 20. She is now 22. Anyways, I am a mother of 2 children, a 3yr old, and a 6 month old. I also live about 2 hours from her, and 2 hours from where our dad and step-mom live. I am a stay-at-home mom.

    She has big aspirations for her wedding! So far, I need to purchase my bridesmaid gown and shoes (140.00 for dress, and shopping clearance for shoes if possible), the flower girl dress and sash (5.00- NOT the cheapest one by ANY means!) I have shoes she can wear. I am also trying the best I can to help with her shower- my stepmom is helping a lot too! But, I can't afford to make trips back and fourth, and she called me asking if i could come up to help her address invites! I'm not taking 2 small kids on a 2 hour trip to fill out invites for an afternoon! Well, she wasn't too happy i didn't help. Whatever. She has also asked for me to plan her bachelorette party, where she wants to "party"! I had a lot of ideas that would be at a good half-way town so everyone she wanted could attend, but she didn't like my ideas- i even suggested a cabin with mani-pedi's and such, a little pricier, but still affordable for college girls and such. (and me!) No, she want's to go bar hopping, or clubbing. (Which I don't do but whatever). Now she's suggesting we all take a weekend trip to CHICAGO! I told her she was nuts and no one could afford that! (me either!) but she said she's going to look into prices.. chicago is about 250 miles away. she won't listen to me! She wants what she wants, and it's not cheap! In fact, it's down right expensive! And she's a college girl, how can she expect all this? Also, she doesn't understand that I'm a mother first, and I want to support her and help her out any way that i can, but she's not being sensitive to what i can reasonably do and afford! I offered to buy the invites, but since she was impatient and i wasn't able to drop everything and come up to help (she asked me 3 days prior) she went ahead and bought them. (Fine I guess since i don't have hardly ANY extra $$).

    I am getting so frustrated and irritated with her! She is DEFINATELY a bridezilla, but at the same time, i feel it is my duty to be there to help since mom isn't, but at the same time, my dad and step-mom are helping out a lot! Should I just plain say no, and let someone else plan and fund her bachelorette party, help minimally with the shower, show up to the wedding and be done? Or am I being selfish and using too many excuses to not help out? honestly, if her taste wasn't so expensive (in her eyes it isn't) I could handle it better, but between MY dress and acessories, my daughter's dress and accessories, gas for traveling, stamps, invites, bachelorette party, and misc. traveling expenses, all on top of raising 2 kids, paying the mortgage, utilities, doctor bills (my daughter had recent surgery, and i had wisdom teeth pulled) and other expenses... how much can one bride reasonably expect from her big sister/ maitron of honor?? I JUST HAD A BABY 6 MONTHS AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Arrg, ok, so this is a big long rant, but i really need some outside opinions and advice! Please help! Thank you so much!!!
    oh, and she told me the reason she picked me as her matron of honor was the fact that I was reliable- her friends aren't dependable to do things to help her out. So this kinds makes me feel bad...
    Katelyn, I totally get the compromising, I have honestly tried that! I bought my dress, (she INSISTED it had to be ordered by the end of march.. well I have it now) and I asked her to pick out a cheaper flower girl dress- she wouldn't. I offered 4-5 different ideas for bachelorette, from her town, to the town their moving to, a town near me, my dad's town.... a cabin south of where she will be moving to.... she's told me no to all the ideas!!! I wish she would compromise with ME a little! I really have tried!!!! I've even been so nice to her, and not gotten upset once!
    Dr. too F*n Cool: Good points, and yes I know Daddy can take the girls, but he has events he does on the weekends sometimes, and even though we have sitters possibly availiable, it was moreso the last minute thing that gets me. if things were planned a week or more ahead of time (like I'm off work next weekend, how about we get together and do wedding suff? instead of well, I got friday off, (calls on wednesday) can you meet me at dad's and we can fill out invites?

    • ANSWER:
      Firstly I would have said, sure I'd be happy to help address the invites, but since I've got kids and you don't, you will have to come to me.

      On the shower and bachelorette party, that is thrown by the bridal party, the bride is not to plan it! If she insists on Chicago- you can't make it, as you already told her. I'd give her a choice, look you want a bachelorette party, these are your options, otherwise you don't get one.

      No you are not being selfish, you have a family and that takes priority. Maybe someday she will get it when she's totally self sufficient, but honestly it sounds like she is a bit selfish and immature.

  15. QUESTION:
    Why is my sister raising her son to be effeminate?
    My sister, the eldest of 4 of us siblings, is married with a 13 yr old girl, a 10 yr old girl and a 5 yr old boy. Their home was full of girly toys and lots of pink before the boy came along. Mum and Dad are both quite intelligent and well read. The children regularly come out with intellectual facts and all seem to be fairly bright and one of the habits of the parents is to explain the ins and outs of things, how things work from engines to credit cards, often the explanations and answers to their questions are a little beyond their years but this is their way.
    My sister had a lifetime relationship with a gay man, her best friend until about 4 or 5 years ago when they parted ways over a bad business deal - she chose to stand by her husband - the friend accused the husband of a bad deal. So, this friend was a huge part of my sisters life and they spent their years boosting each others egos to the point where I often wondered how her husband put up with it but this friend was in the picture long before they got married and was my sisters "chief bridesmaid" in the guise of her husbands bestman. His absence from her life is/was very great and the older children missed him terribly.
    So, to get to the point - my sister is raising her son to be very effeminate. All of his toys are monster high dolls, he obsesses over them, he has pink everything, he loves lady ga ga and is allowed to entertain himself on the internet watching her videos, it's almost like my siter is encouraging him to be a girl or girly. He chooses pink glitter shoes and is allowed to get them, She paints his toe nails and finger nails pink/purple/red since he got his school holidays for the summer. He has no boy toys and will not look at them if you buy him any. I must add that I have no problem with Gay people and have many friends who are but I question why she is doing this when in today's society he will most likely get beaten up or bullied because he is so girly. They dont live in the countryside, isolated they live in a huge sprawling suburb where i think he will end up singled out because his mum thought it was funny and cute that he likes girls things. He now has begun to perform classic camp movements in the mirror to himself, like the classic waving of hands you see comics do when they impersonate campness. Various members of the family regularly say "nail varnish is for girls" or "those dolls are for girls you should play with boys toys". Perhaps this child is naturally effeminate but i think he is seeking attention from his mother and this is the only way he gets it! She works and the children have had many child minders over the years, she spends very little time just sitting with them, she does the evening meal but then it's always on to some activity or on the internet, in all my years of being her sister, she never sits on the sofa and watches tv with them or plays around joking with them she is always busy doing other stuff when all they want is her time. I've already gone on too long, there is a multitude of issues with his Mum, my sister but this one seems to standout because i feel the child will end up very unhappy and will come back and ask his mother why hse made these choices for him to be a girl when he is a boy. Any opinions?
    I haven't confronted her ever on the subject as I know her, she would rebel and go and buy him a massive barbie doll house! That's the type she is, she's a very difficult and complex person so I know there would be a huge fight if I mentioned my concerns and the child would end up even more girlified. I dont understand how his Dad has also allowed this to happen. We all have our issues and problems/faults but this is getting ridiculous. I just wanted to put it out there and see peoples reactions.

    • ANSWER:
      I think you should consider how you would feel if someone judged how you were raising your children. The reality is that your sisters children are bright and healthy, what more should you ask for? It's time to concentrate on being a good auntie, not a judge of your sisters parenting skills.

  16. QUESTION:
    when is enough.....enough?
    I have a friend getting married in a few months, her hen night is nearing and as a bridesmaid, its my job to plan the event. the evening was a plan which included a majority of her friends and other guests she asked to be invited- however, prior to these plans, our original plans included an activity in the evening many found to expensive, and therefore we only had a couple confirmed...the wedding party and I got together to discuss the situation and all decided that we would re-vamp the hens night event so have it include more guests.....

    our bride found out, and sent us a very disheartening, upsetting, and flat out rude note, after her fiance to be called other party members to discuss the situation (which was the bride was stomping her feet and crying that she was unhappy about the hens day events).. the bride has gone ahead without asking or telling us (we just found out) to re schedule her event as originally planned, including only the wedding party if no one chooses to attend
    I must say the wedding itself (destination) has set my family back over 0+ dollars and there is still more to come, the bridal shower was over and above 0 from my pocket and our dress,shoes make up and hair, nails etc.. are well over 0
    I am definitely tapped out

    prior to this uproar, we received emails telling us our jewelry must be pre approved by her, our nails must be done in a certain colour, our dates will not have there dinner paid for at the rehearsal (again destination in the middle of no where) and many many more items that had to be out of our pocket but had to be seen by her for approval
    at her bridal shower, she left and called us to say we had to pick up the dog crap in the back yard and to scoop out HER cat box
    Ive spent countless hours helping her with wedding crafts (well into the were hours, many many many times) and above all, due to being out of town and her NOT allowing children at the wedding, I am forced to stopped nursing and begin weening my daughter (which is causing my daughter and I some emotional pain)

    when is enough enough?
    the attitude we got today from the bride to be after sitting her down (and we were confrontational) is greatly insulting, Im so hurt. I don't even know where i would begin explaining that I am so done, I definitely don't want to send her an email back as I think they can be mis read and cause more problems, but I don't even know where to start

    we werent being confrontational* typo
    we werent being confrontational* typo
    I feel the need to explain, I am far from a bad mother- I give 110% of myself to my daughter, and she is bottle fed with formula for the greater part of her day, I supplement nursing, and admittingly, the issue lies more so with me. my daughters almost 9 months and in the last 6-8 weeks has begun self weaning, I am just devastated and emotional at the possibily of returning after 2 days to a baby who will no longer want to nurse (forever)
    i may have potrayed the issue to be greater the it was, but as you can probably tell- that bond and attachment only I as her mother share with her is slipping through my fingers and coming to my end and I wont ever get that back :(

    • ANSWER:
      "It's her wedding and perhaps YOU should have realized the commitment involved before accepting the responsibility...can't believe you would accept this posistion if breast feeding was that important to you. Sounds like everybody jumped in without much communication beforehand. You sure are in a pickle now...I think you should have a chat with bride to be then take out a loan as lesson learned!"

      Read through everything the troll above posted and do exactly the opposite. The responsibility of the bridesmaid is this: to show up to the wedding to be in the wedding party. That's it. These other things are contrived by the media to boost those current Bridezilla wedding type shows in which mouthy trash abuse and mistreat others. Of course, it's all scripted.

      It's time you tell her what is what. If she gets mad and screams, who cares? She's already shown herself as not much of a friend. Move on. Tell her what you will do at this point and do no more. The jewelry (which she should pay for anyway) does not have to be approved, the nail color will be what you have chosen. The idea that you would even choose to wean your daughter for this farce is just freaking weird. Stop.it.now.

  17. QUESTION:
    I wrote a poem for my mom (not for mothers day), but just to express myself more thoroughly?
    thoughts or advice much appreciated!

    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.

    • ANSWER:
      wow, that was totally amazing!

  18. QUESTION:
    have a poem about my overbearing mom who i love- what do you think?
    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.
    she knows how i feel, she just cant help herself from commenting on my life bc it bothers her so much.
    ive talked through this with her but nothing has helped, so after a fight over me playing basketball with guys last night- i just stayed up and wrote this...

    • ANSWER:
      I love it - give it to her by all means, it may explain a lot to her.

      But, we have our own path to follow, and it matters not what others believe about us. I believe you and your Mum made a deal together before you reincarnated that you would be like you are, she would be like she is. The point of the exercise may well have been a request from you for her to give you the opportunity to demonstrate unconditional LOVE for her in the face of this opposition from her.

      She offered to be who she is in this life for you because she LOVES you so much.

      Don't waste the opportunity she is giving you to show the Universe who you are - as that is what it is - an opportunity.

      LOVE, Peace and Light to all,
      peacefromken.

  19. QUESTION:
    My mom loves me, but wishes i was more girly, so i wrote a poem..any advice- much appreciated. not for mo day?
    wenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.
    I

    • ANSWER:
      I know how that feels. My parents wanted me to be more girly too .. I was always one of the boys.. My dad even asked me once if I was a lesbian . There's nothin' wrong with being a lesbian at all, but I'm not one so I was like wtf dad?! Anyways, don't worry about it so much... be who you are, who you feel comfortable being. I'm more girly now than I was back in high school, but I don't think that's important. What's important is how you can make a difference in this world, living in harmony with nature and others.

  20. QUESTION:
    I decided to write my mom a poem based on our recent disagreements- any advice is much appreciated! thanks!.?
    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished I was different, and more like you,
    Married off with children, even if I’m a bit blue.

    So I don’t share what’s important to me,
    Because I know I’m not who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe?
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes?
    If my only wedding is in a bridesmaid dress,
    Or if I never hold my own baby, would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And you let 26 years pass, without another blink.

    • ANSWER:
      i want to be a person like tht too, constantly traveling all over the world. theres a certain beauty in being a loner......u can do whatever u wanna do and not get stuck being a housewife w/ responsibilities.......u'll get to see stuff other people don't see in their lifetime.........my mom wnts me to be a girly girl, wearing long earrings and putting makeup on.......but im not like that im a tough black belt:) ....its my choice. anywaz i think ur poem is great

  21. QUESTION:
    i wrote my mom a poem (not for mothers day)?
    any advice or comments much appreciated :)

    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.

    • ANSWER:
      I LIKE it!
      Have you ever heard the expression...."Mothers know".... Believe me, "Mothers ALWAYS Know"!
      Mothers know more than 'we' think...I'm 'ASSUMING' you're 'coming out' to Her in the Poem!
      If I'm wrong, I'm TRULY SORRY if I made you feel uncomfortable, it just the way you 'almost' emphasized...as in "You NEVER will change"!
      "So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
      But its because I’m not, who you want me to be."
      "If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
      If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
      If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
      Or never hold my own baby,
      would you think any less?" <<<

  22. QUESTION:
    what do you think of my poem?
    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.

    • ANSWER:
      To me it almost sounds like its written about the feeling of a parent through the child’s eyes… Not having what society says is the perfect daughter…married with 2.5 children and the house with the white picket fence etc.

      Or a parent accepting a child / adult for what they are (sexual preference). Or what they have become or chosen in life. I may be totally wrong but it does have a very good story line in my opinion. I think it is very good and could be used for many different things.. Great job.

  23. QUESTION:
    Is it ok to not give a huge present for a wedding in this situation?
    Is it ok to not give a huge present for a wedding in this situation?
    Ok, so Im a bridesmaid for a friend, Not a great friend, we only meet 4 yrs a go. Heres the deal.

    I dont have a job, and I have a 10 month old child, I only live on what my husband is making, so I had to buy a dress for the wedding for 0,

    then for the bridal shower its gonna be at a fancy restaurant so its gonna cost me another 90 dollars for that.

    plus I have to buy shoes, fix my hair, nails, all so I have to be in her wedding, so this is what I got her for her shower and wedding

    19.99 glasses set from Beth bath and beyond for the shower that she registered for plus the extra 90 dollars that I have to put up for her shower party.

    then for her wedding I got her a bed comforter that she registered for that cost 59.99, I wanted to get her something cheaper but I didnt, could I, Should i?

    I have NO MONEY!

    what is appropriate and what is not?

    • ANSWER:
      That is a totally fine present for the shower and the wedding, more than enough for a person without a job! If you think you have overspent, take it back, and get something cheaper.
      Truly, if the bride, who I presume knows you are unemployed, expects more, than she is a
      Bridezilla for whom there is no hope.
      There is no rule that says you must choose something off the registry, that is supposed to be only for suggestions.

      Sneaky trick: take the nicest present to the shower, and skip the wedding present. Everyone at the shower will see the present, and only the bride will know you did not get a wedding present, and only after the wedding. Anyway, you have a year to buy something. Maybe later in the year you will have a job, or more money, and can get her something. And if you wish, you can tell her that her present is delayed due to budget concerns.

      Or, think of something to get her that costs little money. a set of cute recipe cards with recipes that you have gotten from your relatives for their tried and true best dishes. If she drinks, a bottle of wine to go with the glasses. Or some appropriate booze to match the size of them. Or a nest of spring form pans from Walmart, at last check .99, and a tried and true recipe for cheesecake. Or a cake pan with a plastic lid, and recipes for cake and frosting. Or a lasagna pan, with noodles, a small Durkee oregano spice, and a recipe.

      And I am offering an unsolicited opinion, but whoever thought up that shower bash is a whoever/whatever they are 'zilla of the highest order. Shame on them! the shower is supposed to be all about the presents, not having steak and lobster at Spago!

      I'm so sorry for your troubles, maybe somebody's idea here will help.

  24. QUESTION:
    survey- loong surveyy?
    1. Song that always makes you sad?:
    2. Last thing you bought?:
    3. Last person you argued with?:
    4. Do you put Butter before putting the jelly on?:
    5. One of your stuffed animals' names as a kid?:
    6. Did you ever own at one time a Nysnc Cd?:
    7. Favorite day of the week?:
    8. Favorite Sundae topping?:
    9. Did you take Piano lessons?:
    10. Most frequent song played?:
    11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?:
    12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?:
    13. Date someone older or younger?:
    14. One place you could travel right now?:
    15. Do you use umbrellas?:
    16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?:
    17. Favorite Cheese?:
    18. Disturbed or My Chemical Romance?:
    19. Do you prefer Blondes or Brunettes?:
    20. Best job you ever had?:
    21. did you go to your high school prom?:
    22. perfect time to wake up?:
    23. perfect time to go to bed?:
    24. do you use your queen right away in chess? ..:
    25. Ever been in a car accident?:
    26. closer to mom or dad...or neither?:
    27. what age is this exciting life over for you?:
    28. what decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager?:
    29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned?:
    30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high schoo:
    31. Were you in track and field?:
    32. Were you ever in a school talent show?:
    33. Have you ever written in a library book?:
    34. Allergic to?:
    35. Favorite fruit?:
    36. Have you watched sex and the city?:
    37. Baseball hat or toque?:
    38. Do you shampoo first in the shower or soap?:
    39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?:
    40. Pen or pencil?:
    41. Have you ever gambled at a casino?:
    42. Have you thrown up on a plane?:
    43. Have you thrown up in a car?:
    44. Have you thrown up at work?:
    45. Do you scream on roller coasters?:
    46. Who was your first prom date?:
    47. Who was your first roommate?:
    48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time?:
    49. What was your first job?:
    50. What was your first car?:
    51. When did you go to your first funeral?:
    52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?:
    53. Who was your first grade teacher?:
    54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?:
    55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?:
    56. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends with them?:
    57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parent's house?:
    58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?:
    59. Who's wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsme:
    60. What is the first thing you do in the morning?:
    61. What was the first concert you attended?:
    62. First tattoo or piercing?:
    63. First celebrity crush?:
    About you!
    Name:
    Birthday:
    Birthplace:
    Current location:
    Eye color:
    Hair color:
    Hieght:
    Places lived:
    Tattoos:
    Do you Smoke/Drink:
    Number of piercings:
    Favorites
    Drink:
    Food:
    Color:
    Number:
    Season:
    Movie:
    Cologne:
    College:
    Pro Team:
    Sport:
    Music:
    Holiday:
    Dog:
    Have I Ever
    Been arrested:
    Been in love:
    Been in a fight:
    Been to another country:
    Been in an emergency situation:
    Met someone famous:
    Relationships
    Are you in a relationship:
    Two important aspects of a relationship:
    What do you find to be most difficult about relationships:
    Looks or personality:
    Are you Romantic:
    Dinner/wine or movie/popcorn:
    Kids
    Do you have kids:
    if not, how many do you want:
    Do you believe in hitting your child:
    Do you think you will be a good parent:
    Do you want to have more girls or boys or an equal amount:
    Other questions
    Right or left handed:
    three things you cant live w/o:
    Middle name:
    If you could be anywhere right now where would you be:
    speak a different language:
    Can you cook:
    Ever heartbroken:
    Parents still married:
    Do you go out alot:
    Life's Quote
    "Never settle for less than what you deserve":
    *Star if you like it:)

    • ANSWER:
      1. Song that always makes you sad?:
      ♥"Because of you" by Kelly Clrakson
      2. Last thing you bought?:
      ♥Popsicles and Hot Cheetos
      3. Last person you argued with?:
      ♥My mom :]
      4. Do you put Butter before putting the jelly on?:
      ♥Yes, it's yummier that way :]
      5. One of your stuffed animals' names as a kid?:
      ♥Perdi. But I have over 60 of them and each had a name. I forgot most by now :[
      6. Did you ever own at one time a Nysnc Cd?:
      ♥Nope.
      7. Favorite day of the week?:
      ♥Friday
      8. Favorite Sundae topping?:
      ♥Chocolate fudge.
      9. Did you take Piano lessons?:
      ♥Yes, during my senior year in High School. I didn't learn much :[
      10. Most frequent song played?:
      ♥Any from Taylor Swift :]
      11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?:
      ♥Hannah Montana
      12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?:
      ♥Basketball
      13. Date someone older or younger?:
      ♥Older.
      14. One place you could travel right now?:
      ♥No where, really.
      15. Do you use umbrellas?:
      ♥ I don't have one, but it rarely rains here :]
      16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?:
      ♥No, I'm from the US.
      17. Favorite Cheese?:
      ♥Mozzarella.
      18. Disturbed or My Chemical Romance?:
      ♥MCR, but because I haven't heard Disturbed.
      19. Do you prefer Blondes or Brunettes?:
      ♥I'm a brunett, so yeah :]
      20. Best job you ever had?:
      ♥Never had a job.
      21. did you go to your high school prom?:
      ♥No.
      22. perfect time to wake up?:
      ♥10 AM
      23. perfect time to go to bed?:
      ♥1 AM
      24. do you use your queen right away in chess? ..:
      ♥I don't play chess.
      25. Ever been in a car accident?:
      ♥Yes.
      26. closer to mom or dad...or neither?:
      ♥Mom.
      27. what age is this exciting life over for you?:
      ♥What?
      28. what decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager?:
      ♥80s or 70s
      29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned?:
      ♥Black flats
      30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high schoo:
      ♥Yes, pretty much everything. I graduated last year :]
      31. Were you in track and field?:
      ♥No.
      32. Were you ever in a school talent show?:
      ♥Yes, I danced with a bunch of other girls in my class. I think we were in 4th grade.
      33. Have you ever written in a library book?:
      ♥No.
      34. Allergic to?:
      ♥Honey
      35. Favorite fruit?:
      ♥Apples and mangoes
      36. Have you watched sex and the city?:
      ♥Yes, many times. It's my favorite show and I have all the seasons, plus I watch the re-runs late at night :]
      37. Baseball hat or toque?:
      ♥Neither
      38. Do you shampoo first in the shower or soap?:
      ♥Shampoo
      39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?:
      ♥Sometimes wet it with warm water.
      40. Pen or pencil?:
      ♥Pen
      41. Have you ever gambled at a casino?:
      ♥No
      42. Have you thrown up on a plane?:
      ♥No
      43. Have you thrown up in a car?:
      ♥Yes
      44. Have you thrown up at work?:
      ♥No
      45. Do you scream on roller coasters?:
      ♥Never bene on one, but I probably would scream...
      46. Who was your first prom date?:
      ♥No one.
      47. Who was your first roommate?:
      ♥No one yet.
      48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time?:
      ♥Never been drunk. But I always drink Tequila with my grandma.
      49. What was your first job?:
      ♥Never had one...
      50. What was your first car?:
      ♥1997 Hyundai Accent. I don't have it anymore because my dad bought it in Canada and they couldn'nt import it :[
      51. When did you go to your first funeral?:
      ♥I was in 3rd or 4th grade. Some girl at my school passed away.
      52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?:
      ♥I don't feel like I have a hometown. I've lived in 6 different cities. NowI'm living in the city I was born in :]
      53. Who was your first grade teacher?:
      ♥I think her first name was Chayito. It was in Mexico.
      54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?:
      ♥To Argentina. We lived there for about a year.
      55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?:
      ♥Haven't done that.
      56. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends with them?:
      ♥Her name is Karla. No, I moved away.
      57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parent's house?:
      ♥Haven't left.
      58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?:
      ♥I talk to my dog :]
      59. Who's wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsme:
      ♥I hel my aunt's dress tail (or whatever you call that) when I was about 4. I think that's the only time I've participated in a wedding.
      60. What is the first thing you do in the morning?:
      ♥Hit the snooze button.
      61. What was the first concert you attended?:
      ♥Not one yet.
      62. First tattoo or piercing?:
      ♥None
      63. First celebrity crush?:
      ♥Can't remember, haha! :]

      About you!
      Name:
      ♥Ana
      Birthday:
      ♥August 29
      Birthplace:
      ♥Texas
      Current location:
      ♥Texas
      Eye color:
      ♥Brown
      Hair color:
      ♥Brown
      Hieght:
      ♥5' 3"
      Places lived:
      ♥4 cities in Mexico, 1city in Argentina, 1 city in the US.
      Tattoos:
      ♥None.
      Do you Smoke/Drink:
      ♥No/No
      Number of piercings:
      ♥2, in my ears for earring :]

      Favorites
      Drink:
      ♥Grape Kool Aid
      Food:
      ♥Soy ceviche
      Color:
      ♥Hot pink
      Number:
      ♥28
      Season:
      ♥Fall
      Movie:
      ♥Legally Blonde
      Cologne:
      ♥None
      College:
      ♥None in particular.
      Pro Team:
      ♥None
      Sport:
      ♥None
      Music:
      ♥Pop/rock
      Holiday:
      ♥Christmas
      Dog:
      ♥Max, haha :]

      Have I Ever
      Been arrested:
      ♥No
      Been in love:
      ♥Yes
      Been in a fight:
      ♥No
      Been to another country:
      ♥Yes
      Been in an emergency situation:
      ♥No
      Met someone famous:
      ♥No
      Relationships
      ♥Yes
      Are you in a relationship:
      ♥No
      Two important aspects of a relationship:
      ♥Love and trust
      What do you find to be most difficult about relationships:
      ♥Trust
      Looks or personality:
      ♥Personality
      Are you Romantic:
      ♥Not much
      Dinner/wine or movie/popcorn:
      ♥Movie/popcorn

      Kids
      Do you have kids:
      ♥No
      if not, how many do you want:
      ♥None, or two
      Do you believe in hitting your child:
      ♥Only if necessary
      Do you think you will be a good parent:
      ♥No
      Do you want to have more girls or boys or an equal amount:
      ♥Equal

      Other questions
      Right or left handed:
      ♥Right
      three things you cant live w/o:
      ♥Internet, Max, Mom
      Middle name:
      ♥Georgina
      If you could be anywhere right now where would you be:
      ♥No where, really.
      speak a different language:
      ♥Yes, Spanish
      Can you cook:
      ♥A little
      Ever heartbroken:
      ♥Yes
      Parents still married:
      ♥Yes, but they're kinda separated.
      Do you go out alot:
      ♥No

      Life's Quote
      "Never settle for less than what you deserve":
      ♥Cute :]

      This was entertaining :]

  25. QUESTION:
    BUK the Goat on a Goat day out criticism please?
    On the Village green
    a jamboree their will be,
    Awedding ceremony
    for all the Village to see
    The Marquee on the Grass
    was an overwhelming sight
    the guests all dressed in their beat
    AND THE BAND PLAYS ON
    old Billy Goat Buk on the Village green
    wanted to be apart of this sane
    So he said one , two Buk-le my shoe
    And tried to eat the bridesmaids feet
    AND THE BAND PLAYS ON
    The best man stud in nerves stead
    his speech held high above his head
    but old Billy Goat Buk had not been fed
    AND THE BAND PLAYS ON
    The children stand all around
    To see the Bride in her gown
    Then Bride and Groom stand hand in hand
    Jigging and dancing to the band
    Then Billy Goat Buk , ate the music note's
    AND THE BAND PLAYS ON
    No one seemed very hungry there
    but Billy Goat Buk he did stare
    (AT THE BAND)
    then silences struck
    like a burned out flam
    Bill'y Goat Buk ate the band that day
    And now time has long since past
    their has never been another
    Wedding on that Village green
    I wonder what happened to the
    Bride and Groom
    I wouldent like to say
    Cos Bill'y Goat Buk
    Is looking my way

    Take that ......lol Any spelling wrong YES
    this poem is for those who have wit to understand it''
    all the energy in this poem is in fun ,, not SARCASM .... IT seems to me you would rather have words of fury and despair , than just some FUN for all to share ......AS you see the poem has no powerfull words , and is not meant to hurt I'm very sorry Buk you no how I like your poetry . BY

    PS, OK So sometimes I have occasional outbursts I'm not prefect

    • ANSWER:
      Wow!. I am honored to be mentioned in your mistake-riddled poetic!

  26. QUESTION:
    Kids at a wedding??? Cameras too!?
    I just wanted to take a poll as to who is planning on having kids at their wedding and who is not.

    I also will say that I think it's RUDE to not include family in such a joyous occasion and this includes children. The key to having kids at a wedding is to simply keep them busy. We made goody bags for all the kids who came to our wedding (except for 2 infants), in total it was 23 goody bags. They included a bunch of crafts and an activity book we downloaded for free off the internet along with a box of crayons. But, the best thing we did was give every child ages 4+ a camera and a scavenger hunt list. The kids, as well as their parents were so into it. It really made the kids feel like they were a special part of the wedding. We put things on the list such as: take a picture of the bride's hair, a centerpiece, the bride's shoe, your parents dancing, somebody making a silly face, somebody under a table, your meal before you eat it, the groom and his mom, the bride's something blue (mine was appropriate), one of the bridesmaids, the parents of the groom, the parents of the bride,etc. EVERY camera was returned! My mother had all the film developed into double prints and sent one copy to the child who took them, and if they completed their scavenger hunt list, they got a prize! She mailed them a gift certificate for an ice cream sundae. Believe it or not, some of the pictures came out really awesome. My only regret about it is that I didn't put on the directions to make sure you use a flash, but with the technology of computers, we were able to fix most of the pictures!

    As for the infants, I didn't hear a single cry. There were 2 babies under a year old at my wedding. I strategically sat the couples with infants close to exits, just in case the child started acting up. Not only were the infants well behaved, but all the children were as well! They were all so into their scavenger hunts, they didn't have time to do much else!

    My wedding was a HUGE success and I wouldn't have had it any other way! Having all of my little cousins there meant the world to me.
    I don't have children of my own, but I view weddings as the unity of 2 people AND THEIR FAMILIES. I just feel its wrong to discriminate against family members because of age. In the end, it is the couple's decision. People do have a right to exclude family members, but the couple also should realize that people also have a right to be upset by this.

    In old times it was required to have children attend weddings, which is where the modern ring bearer and flower girl ideas come from. Because people did not keep records of marriages, as they got older, they needed the children who attended their wedding years before to vouch for them to say they are in fact married.

    • ANSWER:
      i agree with u 100% kids are make the wedding a proper wedding. i mean seriously each family has at least 1 child, so it would be unfair if they came but no other kids are allowed.

  27. QUESTION:
    i need a romantic / chick flick movie :/ ?
    i've already seen
    Made Of Honor
    Sydney White
    Bride Wars
    The Perfect Man
    The Nanny Diaries
    No Reservations
    Because I Said So
    What A Girl Wants
    It's A Boy Girl Thing
    The Wedding Date
    Ice Princess
    Monster-In-Law
    13 Going On 30
    Just My Luck
    Chasing Liberty
    27 Dresses
    When In Rome
    Life As We Know It
    The Notebook
    A Walk To Remember
    Dear John
    The Last Song
    How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
    P.S. I Love You
    The Ugly Truth
    Maid In Manhattan
    Catch And Release
    Monster-In-Law
    First Daughter
    Sydney White
    10 Things I Hate About You
    Ella Enchanted
    The Wedding Planner
    Save The Last Dance
    She's The Man
    John Tucker Must Die
    Freedom Writers
    You've Got Mail
    While You Were Sleeping
    Two Weeks Notice
    Pride & Prejudice
    The Proposal
    Prom
    Monte Carlo
    Bad Teacher
    Bridesmaids
    Easy A
    Knight & Day
    Letters To Juliet
    The Back Up Plan
    A cinderella story
    Material Girls
    Raise Your Voice
    The Perfect Man
    Freaky Friday
    the devil wears prada
    the princess diaries
    princess diaries 2
    the prince and me
    Step Up
    the lake house
    sweet november
    just wright
    knocked up
    win a date with tad hamilton
    miss congeniality
    mamma mia
    legally blonde
    sweet home alabama
    mean girls
    wild child
    aquamarine
    confessions of a shopaholic
    penelope
    she's all that
    love wrecked
    what women want
    my fake fiancee
    the holiday
    in her shoes
    what happens in vegas
    keith
    enchanted

    I know its a long list but just wondering if there are any more chick flicks preferably in the 2000s (not in the 80s or early 90s, late 90s i'll accept)
    PLEASEEEE !

    • ANSWER:
      remember me
      the art of getting by
      its kind of a funny story
      crazy stupid love
      beastly
      monte carlo
      she's out of my league
      the ugly truth
      picture this
      youth in revolt
      definitely, maybe
      flipped
      ghosts of girlfriends past
      when in rome
      sorry if i listed something u already watched
      :)

  28. QUESTION:
    Sort've long wrong but what do you think about this?
    Okay so my sister is getting married in May and my other 2 sisters and i are bridesmaids. Well the problem is she recently started cheating this past month. So she been taking to this guy (who lives with his girlfriend and child)she only told me and i didn't say anything because its not my business. So she takes him to our other sisters house and our other sister gets hella mad and tells her to leave she's not bringing any other guy in to our house unless its our brother in law. Then this past saturday we all went out and took the kids skating then when we got home we start drinking and while her husband and two friends to the store to get some more beer. He was walking out and getting in to the car and see my sister with other man parked right next to them. He grabbed my sister by her hair and threw her in the car. Then we where at the house and he took my sister home grabbed some close and came back with the beer. He was under the table crying his head off it was so sad. He was trying to fight everyone the cops were called and stood with him because he was in so much pain. We are all disappointed with her. My dad even said if your going to be doing this he's not going to walk her down the isle. This man does everything for her she dont let him go anywhere because shes so jealous, she has 4 kids from her ex and they disrespect him when she aint around and he puts up with it. He's really is a good guy. My sister dont even care when we all go out or are just doing something together she leaves to go see him and it bothers us so much but she acts like nothing is wrong. It's sicking. So we honestly think this wedding at going to happen. The girls all went to get fitted and we all paid for our dress and shoes. Today the guys are all getting fitted. So my question is what can we do to put some since in her head and tell her what she is doing aint right? Also if this wedding dont happen can she be responsible to pay us back for the money we spend for this wedding?
    Oh and me and my sisters are starting to plan her bachelorette party thats going to be big. Were just stressing because this is costing us and we dont even know id this wedding is going to happen.

    • ANSWER:
      What's wrong with this picture? I'm sorry but you have a slutty sister. The family needs to come together and tell her to straighten her act or you will tell her fiance which will kill the wedding. He needs to be told any way. What if it was you getting married and the man you were marrying was cheating on you and everyone new about it except you. How would you feel when you found out? The wedding needs to be called off and stop the outflow of money. You probably will not get back what you have spent already. If your sisters want to go forward with the marriage then they are giving tacit approval of their sister's behavior and that makes them no better than she.r

  29. QUESTION:
    Would it be okay to get my brother this as an attendant gift?
    I am the youngest of 4 children. I have 2 older sisters and an older brother. I'm the baby of the family by a lot. My brother is 8 years older, sisters are 9 & 13 years older.
    My sisters are both my Matrons of Honor in my wedding and in addition to getting the attendant gift that the rest of the bridesmaids will be receiving, I will be giving them a Precious Moments figurine with a little sister (blonde just like me) having her shoe tied by her older sister.
    http://www.collectiblestoday.com/ct/product/prdid-700363001.jsp?Precious+Moments+sisters/_prod/_&endeca=true&abbr=pm#

    My brother is a groomsman, and will be getting a groomsman gift like all the other groomsman from my FH, but I'd really like to get him a little something in addition just to say thank you for being there for me all these years, etc. I found this PM figure that is perfect--little girl on her brother's shoulders. Reminds me of when I was growing up. I know that usually PM are given to women. But I think my brother would appreciate the sentiment. Afterall, I am his little sister. I don't know. What do you guys think?

    http://www.crystalcorner.com/images/730165.jpg
    Well, I'm not just getting it because it's cute. I'd be getting it because it's a little girl with her big brother and it's appropriate. I'm just wondering if people think it's strange to buy a guy a PM?
    Well the majority of PM figures are actually made for adults...that's why there are so many to do with weddings, engagement, mother, sisters, grandmother, etc.
    I don't think a 5 year old would appreciate a breakable figure that they can't play with.

    • ANSWER:
      It really depends on your brother's taste and personality. If he is the sensitive, sentimental type then this would be fine. If not, then maybe something that fits his interests or hobbies would be a better choice.

  30. QUESTION:
    i need a ROMANTIC / CHICK FLICK kinda movie PLEASE !?
    ive ran out of chick flicks to watch, if you could suggest some good ones preferably made between late 90s till now,
    ive seen:

    Made Of Honor
    Sydney White
    Bride Wars
    The Perfect Man
    The Nanny Diaries
    No Reservations
    Because I Said So
    What A Girl Wants
    It's A Boy Girl Thing
    The Wedding Date
    Ice Princess
    Monster-In-Law
    13 Going On 30
    Just My Luck
    Chasing Liberty
    27 Dresses
    When In Rome
    Life As We Know It
    The Notebook (ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS ONE <33)
    A Walk To Remember
    Dear John
    The Last Song
    How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
    P.S. I Love You
    The Ugly Truth
    Maid In Manhattan
    Catch And Release
    Monster-In-Law
    First Daughter
    Sydney White
    10 Things I Hate About You
    Ella Enchanted
    The Wedding Planner
    Save The Last Dance
    She's The Man
    John Tucker Must Die
    Freedom Writers
    You've Got Mail
    While You Were Sleeping
    Two Weeks Notice
    Pride & Prejudice
    The Proposal
    Prom
    Monte Carlo
    Bad Teacher
    Bridesmaids
    Easy A
    Knight & Day
    Letters To Juliet
    The Back Up Plan
    A cinderella story
    Material Girls
    Raise Your Voice
    The Perfect Man
    Freaky Friday
    the devil wears prada
    the princess diaries
    princess diaries 2
    the prince and me
    Step Up
    the lake house
    sweet november
    just wright
    knocked up
    win a date with tad hamilton
    miss congeniality
    mamma mia
    legally blonde
    sweet home alabama
    mean girls
    wild child
    aquamarine
    confessions of a shopaholic
    penelope
    she's all that
    love wrecked
    what women want
    my fake fiancee
    the holiday
    in her shoes
    what happens in vegas
    keith
    enchanted
    50 first dates
    17 again
    lizzie maguire
    when in rome (olsen twins)
    New york minute
    angus thongs and perfect snogging
    definitely maybe
    he's just not that into you
    ever after

    PLEASE+THANKYOU :)

    • ANSWER:
      Cora unashamed (2000)
      If only (2004)
      The ultimate gift (2006)
      Bella (2006)
      Northanger Abbey (2007)
      Downton Abbey (2010)

  31. QUESTION:
    have a poem about my overbearing mom who i love- what do you think?
    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.

    • ANSWER:
      I like it, but I wouldn't give it to your mom. It would hurt her feelings. Just knowing yourself that you have come to terms with this seems like it should be enough to you.

  32. QUESTION:
    have a poem about my overbearing mom who i love- what do you think?
    Twenty six years, pass in a blink,
    I became a different woman than you’d like to think.

    I know your embarrassed, to hear my stories,
    the games, wins and losses, and all those glories.
    I know you hate when people ask,
    No boyfriend or child, so you’re forced to use a mask,
    And pretend your ok, with the child you raised,
    The one you always loved and constantly praised.
    Just wished was different, and more like yourself,
    Married off with children, filling pictures on your shelf.

    So I’m sorry I don’t share, what’s important to me,
    But its because I’m not, who you want me to be.
    Listening, writing and constantly learning,
    Traveling the world, and never yearning,
    To be true to myself and doing what’s right,
    Despite your words, and constant fight.
    To continue living through inspiration,
    New conversation and deep contemplation.
    The things that I love cannot be bought,
    It’s the unconditional love that is constantly sought.

    So how much do I mean to you
    If my foot is in the wrong type of shoe,
    If I’m the only girl playing on the team of guys,
    If I don’t wear the shadow on my eyes,
    If I only wear the bridesmaid dress,
    Or never hold my own baby,
    would you think any less?

    How much do I mean to you
    If what I’m telling you is all true.
    If what makes me smile is not what you think,
    And 26 years pass, without another blink.

    • ANSWER:
      It's great. You put a lot of your emotions into it, and that's what makes a poem meaningful and enjoyable to read. Also, the way you used rhyming was perfect, and not too overwhelming.

  33. QUESTION:
    Is it ok to not give a huge present for a wedding in this situation?
    Ok, so Im a bridesmaid for a friend, Not a great friend, we only meet 4 yrs a go. Heres the deal.

    I dont have a job, and I have a 10 month old child, I only live on what my husband is making, so I had to buy a dress for the wedding for 0,

    then for the bridal shower its gonna be at a fancy restaurant so its gonna cost me another 90 dollars for that.

    plus I have to buy shoes, fix my hair, nails, all so I have to be in her wedding, so this is what I got her for her shower and wedding

    19.99 glasses set from Beth bath and beyond for the shower that she registered for plus the extra 90 dollars that I have to put up for her shower party.

    then for her wedding I got her a bed comforter that she registered for that cost 59.99, I wanted to get her something cheaper but I didnt, could I, Should i?

    I have NO MONEY!

    what is appropriate and what is not?

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, it is certainly OK not to give a huge present for a wedding in your situation. I think you have already done plenty, and, frankly, with your bridesmaid expenses and the fact that you are pitching in such a chunk for the bridal shower, I'm not sure that I wouldn't have purchased a smaller wedding present.

      I have given Target gift cards for .00....with a note saying that I was sure that there were probably a million "odds and ends" that they would need while setting up house and hoped that the gift card would give them a little start on something they wanted, but hadn't registered for. That would be my main recommendation to you.

      It sounds as though the wedding is a fairly large one, and not as though they aren't probably going to get a heap of treasure from plenty other people who AREN'T chunking over 0 into a bridal shower/shower gift.

      Return the plus gift you bought and get the .00 gift certificate instead.

      Your friend knows very well that your funds are limited, and someone has surely already told her what all of you are chunking in for the shower. She knows how much the dresses are, and is more than aware of the other expenses regarding the outfit you have to wear. If her feelings are "hurt" that you can't throw even more money into a wedding present, then she isn't much of a friend.


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Tigerlily Bridesmaid Dresses

Tiger lily wedding invitations are very striking and can be used in several different wedding themes and styles. The tiger lily itself is a striking flower, grown from the west coast of British Columbia in Canada through to the southern parts of the United States. In addition the Tiger Lily is often grown in China, Japan, Guam and Korea. The flower is often seen in beautiful Asian paintings, murals and scrolls and continues to be a favorite flower of artists from around the world.

Wedding invitations that include the tiger lily can be used for a wide range of invitation styles and types. One of the more popular tiger lily wedding invitations includes a larger picture of one of the deep orange to pink blossoms on the front of the invitation and smaller tiger lilies decorating the inside. Since the flower is so striking in appearance it is not at all overly feminine, plus it is ideal for using in boutonnieres, bouquets and even in floral centerpieces at the wedding. This use of the durable yet gorgeous flower is a great way to tie together the colors in the wedding party, the invitation as well as the floral arrangements. Keep in mind that different varieties or species of tiger lilies have different colors from a light pinky-red right through to a vibrant yellow and orange, so there is a wonderful opportunity for using the flowers as the center focus of the arrangements.

A spring or garden theme is also ideally suited to the Tiger Lily wedding invitations. The colors again make it a good match, plus the yellows and oranges are going to naturally match with other flowers such as daffodils, tulips, chrysanthemums and even lovely white, yellow or orange to salmon colored roses. As mentioned above these are also ideal cut flowers and will stand up well to outdoor centerpieces. Bringing in the theme of the Tiger Lily invitation to the place settings, linens, place cards and even the thank you cards is a terrific way to continue the theme throughout the whole ceremony and reception. Since the colors are so basic yet varied, it does make choosing complimentary colors much easier and gives you a wide range of options.

One thing to consider when selecting a particular floral arrangement on a wedding invitation is to coordinate the color of the font to highlight both the font and the decorations. Since the Tiger Lily is so vivid in color, selecting a bright font or even a very rich dark font will accomplish this goal. Even a gold font will shine and add depth to the invitation, giving a rich and luxurious look. Different font colors and styles will also either make the invitation look more casual, as for a garden or outdoor wedding, or more formal for a traditional wedding style.

Consider having all your invitations, be they tiger lily or another style, custom printed to include the guests' names and all relevant information. While this may be slightly more expensive, it really does add to the polished and elegant appearance of the invitations. Choose a font that is easy to read, not one that is so stylized that there is a possibility the information may not be clearly understood. A good way to test this is to have someone read the information typed out that is not aware of what the invitation says. If he or she can read it with no difficulties, it is a good choice. If they have to ask you what something says you may need to adjust the size or the font type. Sometimes darkening or lightening the color can also help, just be sure to test this out before ordering the full number of invitations.


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High Street Bridesmaid

Whether or not you keep your business open at night, the side facing the street will need to be lit. If you have a small or large building, you will still need to find commercial street lighting to brighten your facade. Besides the many different styles and types of commercial street lighting there are also as many pieces of hardware and accessories to gather before you begin installation.

Due to the public nature of streets and roadways, anytime you install something along them, such as lifestyle commercial street lighting poles, you will need to get permission from the authorities. This will require proper planning and procurement of local municipal codes and forms. It might be best to consult with a local electrician to verify the exact procedure to take when cutting through the red tape at city hall before you dig your first post hole. It will be likely that you will have to submit job specifications such as the size and brightness of the area lights, as well as their number and style. These decisions should be made before the first paper is filed. It will make the process of gaining permission that much smoother. The last thing that you will want will be a citation because you forgot to submit the correct paperwork for your commercial lifestyle double street lighting poles. City codes vary so it will be best to inquire at your city hall, or with local contractors who frequently have to undergo this procedure themselves.

Once you have gained permission to install your commercial street lighting, you will need to consider how to mount the light poles. More information about how to choose the correct pole for your street lights can be found from the manufacturer. If you are using steel or concrete light poles, there are three main ways which this can be done. The easiest and most common is an embedment. This requires sinking the pole into a gravel lined hole. A simple embedding of your light poles will enable you to quickly mount several poles without additional steps. The other types of pole mounting accessories are base plate and anchor bolts. With base plate, you use a pre-poured concrete foundation for the pole, while direct burial work well at ground level, as they enable the pole to be built up higher than ground level. The type of mounting for your commercial street lighting will dictate the length of street light pole you need. For embedment, for example, the length of the pole will be how high you want the light to be above the ground, plus 10% of that, plus an additional two feet. This assures that you will have enough of the pole in the ground to ensure its stability.

After installing the poles, you need to install the lights. Keep in mind your climate. Extremely cold places, where temperatures might reach below zero can have an effect on the performance of all types of lamps, except incandescent. You will need to have the proper ballast in your commercial street lighting to offset this effect. Energy efficient bulbs such as fluorescents are good options to save on electric bills. They also last longer, requiring less service to change the bulbs. You could choose halogens, fluorescents, metal halides, or high pressure sodium lights. Each of these has its own characteristics, so it is best to ask an expert if you are not sure which is best for your needs.

Installing commercial street lighting on wood poles can be simple, just be certain that you follow all the local laws in the requirements for your street lights. Keeping city hall happy can make your project that much easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    which high street stores sell bridesmaid dresses?

    • ANSWER:
      Macys and for bridesmaid jewelry, try http://www.glamforless.com/bridesmaid-jewelry.htm

  2. QUESTION:
    tell me where i can find some high street/reasonably priced bridesmaid dress for 2 girls aged 10&12
    i dint want them to be too babyish looking for something quite fashionable and trendy, no preference on colours yet open to all ideas!

    • ANSWER:
      I got mine from www.jewlz.co.uk they were beautiful. Sorry, think the site is now www.jewlzbridal.co.uk

      BHS and Debenhams do good ranges too.

  3. QUESTION:
    What are the average prices for Dessy bridesmaid dresses?
    I'm planning my wedding on a budget, and it was recommended that I look at high street stores for my bridesmaid dresses. However, I actually think most of these are quite expensive (circa £135) and I can't find the colour I want. I've had a look on the Dessy website and they have a great range of colours, but of course no prices!

    • ANSWER:
      dessy do great dresses, the number of diamonds signifies how expensive the dress. With companies like that you wont get cheap dresses, I think they start at £100. Look at hiring the dresses, especially if you are looking at the type of dresses that wont ever be worn again. look for your local bridal stores and ask if they hire, a lot more are starting to hire because of the credit crunch. I am hiring all my adult bridesmaid dresses for £75 each or I could have bought the very same dress for £250...big saving!

  4. QUESTION:
    Which high street shops in the UK sell flower girl dresses?
    Or young bridesmaid dresses or similar party dresses please.

    • ANSWER:
      I would highly recommend High Street shops such as BHS and Debenhams, they sell a lovely selection of flowergirl dresses. They both have a large selection of different styles all available in different ages, in different colours and at affordable prices. Monsoon, M&S and John Lewis also sell flowergirl dresses too

      Below I have included the links to their websites:

      Debenhams - http://www.debenhams.com/kids/occasionwear#catalogId=10001&lid=//productsuniverse/en_GB/product_online%3DY/categories%3C%7Bproductsuniverse_18662%7D/categories%3C%7Bproductsuniverse_18662_18383%7D/categories%3C%7Bproductsuniverse_18662_18383_65021_ms%7D&ps=default&storeId=10001

      BHS -
      http://www.bhs.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/bhsstore/91598/1/1

      Monsoon -
      http://www.monsoon.co.uk/girl-3-13-years/flower-girl/icat/girlbridesmaid/&bklist=icat,5,shop,children,bridal,girlbridesmaid

      M&S -
      http://www.marksandspencer.com/Young-Girls-Special-Occasions-Kids/b/358349031?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1PCMWJKY18A4G0FSM5CF&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=358346031&pf_rd

      John Lewis -
      http://www.johnlewis.com/Baby+and+Child/Girlswear/Bridesmaids'+Dresses/Bridesmaids'+Dresses/7399/ProductCategory.aspx

  5. QUESTION:
    Where can I fing cheap bridesmaid dresses?
    Hi,

    I have been looking for bridesmaid dresses and have found that in most bridal wear shops the dresses are far too expensive for our wedding budget. I know exactly what style and colour I want my bridesmaid to wear but am finding it difficult to find any in high street stores or bridal wear shops that aren't too expensive.

    I want sunflower yellow full length dresses, HAS ANYONE SEEN ANY??

    Please Help!!!

    Meesha x

    • ANSWER:
      Nordstrom Rack is a good place, also check if your area has a BCBG Final Cut store, it's an amazing outlet where dresses that were normally expensive are pretty much all under , some are or less. Also check here. There's others for pretty cheap too.http://www.promlee.com/wedding-wholesalers-column-halter-floor-length-chiffon-bridesmaid-evening-dress-00200720002402-p-20237.html
      Hope I helped some!

  6. QUESTION:
    Where (in England) do good bridesmaid dresses for young adults?
    I am looking for bridesmaid dresses for my bridesmaids. They are 10 and 13 and I'm finding it very hard as the childrens dresses tend to be for very little flower girls and the adult ones are too big... I am hoping to go to a high street store for these like BHS or Monsoon... any advice?
    I live in the Manchester area.
    thank youuuuu!

    • ANSWER:
      try this...
      http://www.therosedress.com/dresses-gowns-united-kingdom-uk.html

  7. QUESTION:
    I'm looking for a good online uk shop that sells cheap bridesmaid dresses or fancy longer dresses?
    I am going to a wedding in October and have to wear a long dress. I have tried all the high street shops for maxi dresses etc so looking for less popular websites people have came across. Thanks

    • ANSWER:

  8. QUESTION:
    Could I save money on bridesmaids dresses if I used a dressmaker instead of buying from a bridal shop?
    I'm going to have 6 bridesmaids and would like to spend around £70-£90 per dress. I don't want to buy non-bridemaids dresses from the high street. I'm not sure what a dressmaker would charge for a simple bridesmaid dress.

    • ANSWER:
      I checked into this at first. I checked with the only 2 seamstresses I could find, although I'm sure there's more in my city. I sent an email to both, containing a picture of a very straight forward, simple dress I had found on the Alfred Angelo website. I was also hoping to get it for cheaper. On the site it was about 5. The first one replied she could do that for me, and I'd be looking at 0-0 per dress. The other said she could do them for 0-0 per dress. I decided to keep looking at less expensive dresses, that were more in my price range that I could order. Part of what I liked about having them sewn was that each dress would fit each girl properly, but I think it will be cheaper to order the dresses and just get them altered. So my advice is, definitely check around before you do decide to go with a dressmaker.

  9. QUESTION:
    Lilic Bridesmaid dresses?
    I live in Norfolk and I am getting married next year and i wanted to know where i can get lilic bridesmaid dresses, i am having 4 bridesmaids and so i am on a budget of about £70 a dress. I would like to knwo if you can hire them from anywhere or is there just a high street shop that sells lovely dresses. They are all size 10 which i shandy so i wont need different size dresses. Any helpful suggestions appreciated.
    Thank you

    • ANSWER:
      Hey! Well you have a great budget of £70 per dress. They are all a good size and it will be easy to find dresses.

      I've found this dress on asos which has great delivery and amazing styles. I love this dress! http://www.asos.com/Tfnc/Tfnc-Silk-Layered-Beaded-Babydoll-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=344605&clr=Lilac&SearchQuery=lilac&sh=0

      I don't know if it's the shade you're after but this is a lovely little number http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos-Satin-Strap-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=315014&clr=Purple&SearchQuery=purple&sh=0

      Now i know its not the typical bridesmaid dress but it is a really lovely dress http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/invt/5130400026507

      Wonderful bridesmaid dresses http://www.confetti.co.uk/article/view/10078-7787-0-Rea_2008_Designer_showcase.do

      You may be totally against the idea of ebay, but think about the shops side of ebay, where these people choose to run their sites and businesses from ebay. There are some great dresses and this shop has lots of lilac dresses perfect for bridesmaids http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DEBUT-DEBENHAMS-LILAC-ROSE-BRIDESMAID-PROM-DRESS-10-12_W0QQitemZ220246761615QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15724QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

      Gorgeous dresses in lilac and this is a great company. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220253709705

      I hope i have helped you!!!! Have a beautiful wedding day! Your colour scheme seems lovely! Be a happy bride with your beautiful lovely in lilac bridesmaids by your side! xxxxx

  10. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid dress help....?
    Hey all, am searching for my 4 bridesmaid dresses, and the cheapest I have found is £90 each, but the only problem I have with this is that I am paying for them all, and lets face it- total cost will be around £400 which is £400 just sitting in a closet somewhere gathering dust because they can't really wear them again! Have searched all major high street shops online etc, but still have not found a reasonably priced day/evening wear light blue dress, any suggestions welcome, thanks xx
    Thank you guys for all of your help! shall take it all in to account, but think in UK it is almost expected that the Bride pays for pretty much everything, I was however going to ask them to pay for their shoes/accessories etc though.

    • ANSWER:
      Here we have a David's Bridal. They have very reasonable priced bridesmaid dresses in all kinds of colors. Alot of these dresses, I think, could very easily be worn again...depending on how formal your wedding will be. They also have bridesmaid separates where you can mix and match tops and skirts. Separates could easily be re-worn again.

      Here is the link: http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category_-49998974?cm_sp_o=mbfwCjCnivi%20m5ybET%20J5pzfwCjCPV1V%20ebwc%20-kk
      On the menu to the left, you can browse by color or separates.

      It is nice that you are purchasing the dresses. But it seems kind of odd to me? It's customary for the bridesmaids to purchase their own. Like a wedding gift for you, for the honor of being asked to be in your bridal party. They are there to stand for you on your big day. What are you going to do with 4 used bridesmaid dresses? Really though, it's the very least your friends/bridesmaids can do other than just showing up on the day of the wedding and indulging themselves at the reception. Hopefully, they at least offer to purchase their dress. It just doesn't seem right somehow that the burden of paying for the bridesmaid dresses be stuck on you. I hope this did not sound rude.

  11. QUESTION:
    Who is the best person to find to make a bespoke bridesmaid dress? (UK/Yorkshire based question)?
    Hi All,
    I wanted to look into getting some specific dresses made for the bridesmaids at my wedding, but I'm not sure who the best person to ask is. I have a few ideas about the actual design, which I've drawn up, and I thought I'd go to someone with the design, buy material and see if they could do it. But who would I go to?

    Would I go to a seamstress? Or would it need to be an actual 'fashion designer'? Or are there people in the middle - "dressmakers" perhaps?

    I'd love to hear from someone, and perhaps get some advice on whether this is a ridiculously expensive way of doing it, and actually maybe I should just send them to the high street.

    Cheers,
    P
    THANKS - did a couple sketches, went to the market in leeds to a place called MIMS COUTURE - I'd recommend her she's brilliant

    • ANSWER:
      Just do the sketches and take them along somewhere like this:

      www.touchhalifax.com/business/list/bid/3083672

  12. QUESTION:
    Where can I get a ball gown?
    I was wanting something for our year thirteen ball. Basically a bit like a bridesmaid dress. I was hoping to pay around £100 for it and would like a high street shop so i can try it on etc

    • ANSWER:
      Debenhams has beautiful ball gowns. Also you can try Monsoon.

  13. QUESTION:
    Where's the best place to find classy bridesmaids dresses on a budget? (<£100)?
    I'm having four bridesmaids and my parents have a tight budget on their dresses. I'd like some chic cocktail dresses; where should I start looking on the high street? Also would you buy all matching shoes for them?
    Does lightinthebox.com deliver to the UK? Had a quick look at the site, looks good.

    • ANSWER:
      try www.lightinthebox.com

      i give this out to everyone on here who asks similar questions, because they are great! we have had 2 dresses from them now (one for my wedding meal and one for my mum to wear to the wedding) theyhave some gorgeous ones and you will deffo find one under £200, even under £100! all i would say is take your bridesmaids measurements and use the custom measure tool they are spot on!

      as for shoes i would say doyou have more than 1 colour in your theme? i have blue and silver so i had blue dresses, silver sashes and silver shoes, i dontt hink you should have shoes the same as the dress, if you only have one colour try silver/gold something neutral

      good luck hope i helped

  14. QUESTION:
    Beautiful Maid of Honour dress for a fuller figure?
    Hi girls, hope you can help, Im getting married next year hand have 4 bridesmaids aged from 10-17, and a my best friend from school as my maid of honour.

    My maid of honour is in her early 30's, really pretty with a fine full figure - Im not sure about sizes and things but Id guess a UK size 22 or above maybe which could take us out of the high street stores?

    I would really like to find bridesmaid dresses that match (thinking champange colour as the girls are all light skinned)
    but really want my MOH to look beautiful and feel comfortable in what she's wearing), and also have the teen girls in a fashionable style so all the girls match a theme?

    Does anyone know of a good shop that sells bridesmaid dresses for teens up to plus sizes, in the UK midlands thats reasonably priced?

    • ANSWER:
      That's really fat. I think you're going to have problems finding anything.

  15. QUESTION:
    Help - can't find affordable bridesmaids dresses, Portsmouth UK?
    Hi there - I am getting married in 2.5 months and need to get bridesmaids dresses (2 ladies, one 9 year old, one 7 year old and one 1 year old).
    This is not wedding season so the shops I was counting on have no off the peg bridal, and the xmas party dresses are flying out the shops - I can't find all the sizes that I need. I am not even trying to match them all - just keep them similar, ie all blue or all white and gold and so on.

    Does any one have any tips, where can I look?

    Plus I have the world's smallest budget so am going to have to find these in high street stores, not posh wedding shops.

    Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Who says the dresses have to match? I think matching dresses is silly now. Plus, the bridesmaids rarely wear the dresses again. I think you should pick a color (black, navy, beige) and ask everyone to go out and purchase a long/street length (you decide the length) dress for themselves. Then, they will all wear the same color but will have clothes they like. Bridesmaids in the U.S. buy their own gowns anyway.

  16. QUESTION:
    need yellow or white maxi dresses?
    can anyone help me i need 8 yellow or whit maxi dresses in size 8,10/12/14 and 22 for my bridesmaids. i would like to pay under 40 pound and not to much shipping, i have tried all the high street shops and all the catalogues any ideas people thanks.

    • ANSWER:

  17. QUESTION:
    HELP !!! Who knows where to get cheap gold heels (shoes) ?
    My sisters wedding is this Saturday i only have tomorrow to get all the late shopping done and i'm a bridesmaid but i need gold shoe's (heels). Where can i get some from locally like high street shops because i'm like only going to wear it once and never use it again maybe give it anyways

    Help guys much appreciated :D

    • ANSWER:
      Depends which country you live in

  18. QUESTION:
    Sister in Law Troubles?
    Im getting married in July (cant wait!) but there is a big BUT the dreaded sister in law, back in 2003 she got married in the caribbean and was divorced in 6 mths (bearing in mind she was 21 at the time) I was her bridesmaid, & what she said went as it was her day. Now its my turn she seems to be out doing me in everything, couple of examples, Im having my make up & hair done by a Makeup/Hair Artist but can only afford to have my bridesmaids hair done, so she said "oh well i'll get my own make up artist to do my makeup", the bridesmaid dresses i cant afford to pay £250.00 per dress so we had a look in a high street shop for some and she immediately hated the dress i picked out & said "oh that wont be any good for my figure I want everyone to look at me"!! (even though shes a size 10!?!), even on my hen party she wants the attention shes bought herself a tiara to stand out from everyone else! Ive tried talking to her but she just doenst listen! Is this normal???
    Thanks for the advice girls! Some good things to think about before I take the next plan of action! Though im going to have a word with my fiance about her and get him to talk to her and see if that helps at all as big brother might get her to realise what shes doing!?! Thanks again girls! x

    • ANSWER:
      If shes always been 'spoilt' in her life then it is definately normal.

      Talk to your hubby-to-be he might get through to her. Failing that leave it a little while but do everything YOUR way and if she doesn't like then tell her tough. Your wedding, your day and she can go blow it elsewhere. Don't let someone like that screw you over when you deserve to be happy.

      ;) I'm lucky - brother-out-of-laws only atm :P (not married, too young lol)

  19. QUESTION:
    would it be ok to do these things to save money on my wedding?
    ok so i know i might some bad comments about this but it is my wedding after all

    1) i come from a big family who i know all want 2 help so i was thinkin that instead of a sit down meal which i know alot of my family would not eat that i could just av a buffet which me n my family could perpare (am gettin married in after noon so this is no problem 4 me 2 do along with help)

    2) instead of payin over the odds for a car 4 me go 2 the church in , could i use my father as it white n would look nice (my dad has offered as he is givin me away )

    3) i have seen the prom dress styles of dresses on the high street which i really think my bridesmaids would like as they would be able 2 use them after my wedding ,but i don't no if that ok cause i don't want them thinkin am being mean & not getting them a proper dress

    please please,please help me as don't want go ahead with any of the ideas n 4 people 2 think am not thinkin of them as the people will at my wedding are important 2 me
    it not prom dresses it's jus what u call the style of dress i have been lookin at , it like the dresses u would get in like new look, etc
    i will be paying 4 my bridesmaids dresses as i think it unfair 2 ask my 16 year old sister n my aunt (for my young cousins dress) to pay for it

    plus the idea of my family helping came from 2 of my family so i would not have 2 pay caters as that is what i use 2 work at myself
    this is the style of dress i was lookin at for my brides maids as ther is alot like this on the high st at moment
    http://media.onsugar.com/files/ons1/281/2817629/07_2009/f8/50s-style-prom-dresses-5.jpg
    ok , i do know to write but write alot of stuff in short terms so maybe you should get a update on short terms/text writing , and if yor are going to be cheeky don't bother answerin my question you dick

    • ANSWER:
      definitely--it's your wedding and you can do what you want :o )

      i have a friend whose brother did the catering (of course, he's a professional chef, but...) my sis-in-law made my cake--prettiest cake i've ever seen...

      i went to and from the church in my regular car...i didn't even consider paying for a limo...

      my mom bought a "regular" dress (2 piece) for my matron of honor (my SIL) as a birthday present...i was the only person wearing formal dress (a real wedding dress bought at jc penny outlet for 5.) my husband bought a regular suit which he still has (and only wears to funerals)

      what's important is your husband and you--nobody's going to think badly about you for using your good sense and the talents available to you! Enjoy your wedding without worrying about going into enormous debt :o )

  20. QUESTION:
    Good sites or shops for large bust sizes (30gg or 30h Strapless Bra)?
    Hi,

    I am looking for a strapless plunge (low cut) bra size 30gg or 30h for an upcoming wedding I am attending. Need it urgently but can't find any shops that cater for my size. I have looked online and looked around high street stores also. I have been to Bravissimo but the bra I tried is not low enough for the dress I am wearing.

    For those who may say wear something else: that will be a little hard considering I am a bridesmaid and we all are wearing the same thing.

    Need suggestions asap.

    Thanks in advance for any helpful comments.

    • ANSWER:
      Unfortunately you're not going to have much luck and Bravissmo would have been your best bet. There is only one strapless bra -- the Panache Evie - that goes up to an H, but that's it. The rest all stop at GG (and I don't like the Panache Evie - it gives weird shape, and it's not very low at all).

      The Panache Porcelain strapless bra only goes up to a G, but it's somewhat plungey - perhaps you could try a 32G in that one? Not ideal, but maybe worth a try? You can get it through Bravissimo.

      Another option (again, not ideal) is trying the Freya deco bra in a 30GG and folding down the straps. It's very low/plungey and gives fantastic, smooth shape under clothing. It's my favourite bra. They are bringing out a strapless version but not until November.

  21. QUESTION:
    Which of these for my wedding dress?
    I'm getting married in little over a year and I've been looking for a plain dress - so difficult these days! So I turned to the high street...

    I've been considering these two choices - http://www.coast-stores.com/ALLURE-MAXI-DRESS//-/fcp-product/2224675103 or http://www.coast-stores.com/SAVANNAH-D/S-MAXI-DRESS/Dresses---view-all/coast/fcp-product/2143397304
    I'm swaying further towards the 2nd one, esp as the bridesmaids will be in the 1st one in pink... what do you guys think?

    Is it wrong to not have a dress made? I just hate the idea of being measured and being all frothy and excited to some miserable dress maker. I'm too practical to be ott about my own wedding :]

    So I'm purely looking for opinions on my choices, and whether you guys and gals have anything to add?!

    Ta :]
    xxxxxx
    Oh btw if you want to know, it's a traditional church wedding and sit down wedding breakfast with the boys in grey mourning suit and top hats, if you want any more info to help with your advice, please ask :]
    xxxx

    • ANSWER:
      They are both really nice but I gotta say I prefer the second one. It is absolutely gorgeous! There is no need to have a dress made if you love that one, even if it doesn't fit properly you could have it altered. Happy planning!

  22. QUESTION:
    I need to know if theres a ghost following me.?
    My name is Jennifer and I'm 21 years old,and this is really happening to me. Okay, I think I have a ghost following me, or trying to tell me something. I really dont know. I'm going to tell you whats happening to me, and can someone please explain this to me. It started 3 weeks ago. My cat was awkwardly standing with its mouth open and staring into a corner in my room I tried doing everything to get my cats attention and she wouldnt move or flinch. Then I was walking down a hallway in my house and something flew past my head I heard a "ding" at the end of my hallway looked under the radiator and found a pen cap like the pen cap flew past my head and landed there. Then I was in the kitchen and my dog started growling this awful nasty growl that I've never heard my dog do that before. I looked and he was staring at the dark at the end of my hallway. Then I had a dream that I was in a friends wedding as a bridesmaid and spilled a drink all over my dress and ruined it, I looked it up online and it said that means someone will die, well 2 days later a girl I went to high school with (we weren't friends) shot herself in the head,I didnt think much of it until what happened to me last night. I was walking home from my friends house down the street and started feeling really shakey,nervous and cold. as I approached my house I felt a strong (very strong I feel like I need to emphasize on that) wind behind me and I fell fowards onto my concrete stairs and have gashes up and down my legs. I'm getting nervous that whatever it is isnt happy with me. A few thoughts ran through my mind like maybe my deceased grandfather is disappointed in my recent decisions, or something is trying to tell me something. I've looked everywhere and read just about everything but nothing is helping me identify what exactly is going on. Quite frankly I'm not one to ever admit when im scared but im nearly petrified and don't want to see whats going to happen next. This is seriously happening to me I can't stress that enough. I need someone real, who truly knows whats going on to contact me at this email. jenniferr0424@yahoo.com. Thank you.
    hahahaah thanks guys. I knew I was going fuckin crazy..
    oh and I dont believe in any religon.. so sorry to the chris dude..

    • ANSWER:
      To answer your question, without even reading the details (THATS HOW GREAT I AM!), i can 100% surely say that no ghost is following you.

  23. QUESTION:
    Bacholarette Party and Bridal Shower?
    Okay so last night my MOH told me all about the parties I am having this afternoon and they are nothing like we had discussed. I wanted the shower to be simple and inexpensive my mother offered her house(large open rooms also lots of parking) SHe even asked what kind of food i would enjoy to eat ( I picked simple easy to make enxepensive dishes to make) My mother and the other bridesmaids mothers offered to do all the cooking.

    Okay she informs me that my ideas were not what she picture a shower being she wanted something more elegant so she got the food catered.( Okay her choice more money for all the girls though). Then I found out she was having it at her mothers house which is significantly smaller and there is no parking on her street and the closest parking is two block away at are old high School did i mention it is going to rain tomorrow.

    The Bach party follows after the shower She got a limo. I told her to only get a limo if everyone can chip in and that she shouldn't put the burdden on her self because I have done that and know how much it sucks and i didnt want to put anyone else through that. Basicly for my Bach party I suggested we just go out on the town and hit a few bars.

    Problem one She only got the limo for four hrs -- okay this might not be a problem but we live 1/2 hr away from bars and she promised everyone who was coming that the limo would drop them all off at there homes so ther goes another hour so that gives us 2 1/1 hrs to be out and will be done by ten.

    I think this sounds awful but Truthfully she didn't have to do anything at all so I am really greatful she did something.

    Anyway after the long rant is what are some ways or techniques to keep my cool and just remind myself how nice something is rather than nothing?? Thanks
    yeah I totally understand it is to late to change anything but I am scared the nasty me will pop out sheould I try to keep my disitance between her also when guest start complaining about the long walk and logging gifts should I apologize loud enough for her to hera or keep it DL
    Yeah well my moms just pissed she ordered chicken marsala which is one of the wedding entrees and my mom thinks its bs shes trying to out do the wedding

    • ANSWER:

  24. QUESTION:
    Bacholorette Party and Bridal Shower?
    Okay so last night my MOH told me all about the parties I am having tomorrow and they are nothing like we had discussed. I wanted the shower to be simple and inexpensive my mother offered her house(large open rooms also lots of parking) SHe even asked what kind of food i would enjoy to eat ( I picked simple easy to make enxepensive dishes to make) My mother and the other bridesmaids mothers offered to do all the cooking.

    Okay she informs me that my ideas were not what she picture a shower being she wanted something more elegant so she got the food catered.( Okay her choice more money for all the girls though). Then I found out she was having it at her mothers house which is significantly smaller and there is no parking on her street and the closest parking is two block away at are old high School did i mention it is going to rain tomorrow.

    The Bach party follows after the shower She got a limo. I told her to only get a limo if everyone can chip in and that she shouldn't put the burdden on her self because I have done that and know how much it sucks and i didnt want to put anyone else through that. Basicly for my Bach party I suggested we just go out on the town and hit a few bars.

    Problem one She only got the limo for four hrs -- okay this might not be a problem but we live 1/2 hr away from bars and she promised everyone who was coming that the limo would drop them all off at there homes so ther goes another hour so that gives us 2 1/1 hrs to be out and will be done by ten.

    I think this sounds awful but Truthfully she didn't have to do anything at all so I am really greatful she did something.

    Anyway after the long rant is what are some ways or techniques to keep my cool and just remind myself how nice something is rather than nothing?? Thanks

    • ANSWER:

  25. QUESTION:
    i have writer's block! please help?
    this is what i have so far of the novel i'm writing. yes, it's long, but please take the time to read it! i have no idea where to take the story from here.

    THE JOURNAL

    Erica Murphy

    Summary: Chelsea Burgins expected a normal commute to work that Thursday morning. The usual pushy, hurried businessmen and women rushing to be on time for those eight-o-clock meetings, taxis and buses speeding through the busy New York streets, traffic lights every block all added to her frustration of working in the city. Little did she know that what she would find aboard the bus would change her life forever.

    Foreword: There was nothing set in stone, and Chelsea was completely sure of nothing. She felt as though she had known this man her whole life, but knew that in reality she had no idea who he was, where he was, or what he looked like. She had found a random red journal on the bus, and planned on turning it into the police station, but thought that it may be somewhat pointless. She knew they had more important things to worry about than a stupid journal. If it was a hundred thousand dollars that she turned in, they might care more, but all it was to them was a stupid journal that none of their precious time should be wasted on. And that’s the part that killed her. It wasn’t just some lame ratty old journal. This book held the words that she had breathed in for the past three weeks. This book changed her life, and made her see the world in a completely different light. Chelsea wanted to tell Taylor about the journal, but deep down she knew that her best friend, too, would consider it to be a dumb idea. She doesn’t even know the guy, for god’s sake! But for some reason, he meant the world to her. And now what could she do but sit there, read it, and hope that she could somehow find out who it was that wrote these beautiful words on the paper that she held in her hands at this moment. He whoever he is, was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and there was no way she could just let him fade from her life. He had shown her what a true, honest man was like. She wouldn’t have to search through a bunch of scum bags to find the perfect man anymore. Here he was, his words right there in her hands. She had no idea what she was doing or why she was doing it. The only thing she was certain of was, she was in love with him, and she needed to find him.

    Chapter One

    They were both so beautiful, they way that they looked at each other, intoxicated simply just by the sight of the other, holding hands that soon would be joined forever. But for some reason, standing there staring up at them, it killed Chelsea. She was so happy that her best friend, Taylor Chastain (soon to be Taylor O’Neil) was finally standing up on that altar. The true love that radiated from their bodies drowned Chelsea Burgins in pain. She had known Taylor her whole life, and when they were young, they always dreamed of the men they would marry and the beautiful weddings they would have. And there she was, in the ugliest bridesmaid dress she had ever laid eyes on, holding Taylor’s bouquet of a carefully placed arrangement of white and red roses. Looking up at her best friend in her lovely white dress, embroidered with a wonderful array of flowers, her veil flowing down past her lower back, with baby’s breath weaved inside her hair, and long train covering the entire four steps up to the altar, she couldn’t help but hate her. Not just hate, but despise her. Granted, she was very excited for Taylor on her big day, marrying the man of her dreams, but Chelsea just wondered where in the hell her prince charming was. She had always been prettier than Taylor, she heard it everyday since elementary school, but somehow none of the abnormally athletically gifted boys in High School or the unbelievably handsome, rich entrepreneurs of New York had ever been good enough for her. They had all loved her with all of their hearts, but she could never find it in her heart to love them back. There was always something wrong, whether it was that they were offered too many full ride scholarships, had too many expensive cars, or had too much money, there was nothing that made her feel the need to love them. They were all such good men, honest citizens and goal- oriented, but they weren’t what she wanted. She had come from a long line of beautiful women and lots of money, so naturally she only dated men of the same class. Why did she never find what she needed? Why did Taylor get to find the perfect man before she did? They were both 24 years old, and Chelsea knew it was time to find someone to settle down with, but she couldn’t. And this wedding was making her sick to her stomach. She literally felt so nauseous she thought that she just might hurl up last night’s lonely spaghetti dinner all over Taylor’s beautifully handmade dress. Why was it that love made her feel so empty and weak? She was in a park that was completely packed with p

    • ANSWER:
      its good so far, I am sure you will think of something, maybe you just need to take a short break.

  26. QUESTION:
    For bridesmaids, who would they be if I have no friends?
    My boyfriend and I have been in the most amazing relationship for a while now, and we're pretty sure we will marry each other sometime within the next 2 years.

    So me, just being a girl, I have been thinking about it lately and a miserable thought has occurred. Last night I dreamt of the big day... except the bridesmaids in the dream were randomly selected off the streets! I woke up realizing how there was truth in my dream because I have no girlfriends anymore!! My best friends from high school got into drugs so I had excluded myself from them and left on bad terms. :(

    Picking family members isn't gonna happen either because I'm the oldest daughter and granddaughter... my cousins and siblings are all children.

    I'm sure it would appear odd to the guests to not have any bridesmaids because I'm not weird or anything.. I got voted best dressed in high school and am considered pretty haha I just think it would seem strange to not have any girls there with me, while my man has all his really good bros up there with him. :/
    What the heck does a girl do in this kind of situation?!
    Thanks for the quick responses.
    It does get very lonely without friends occasionally. I'm terrible at meeting new people, kind of shy, and I guess the fact that I don't go clubbing doesn't help either haha. I would be ok with having my cousins be the bridesmaids, except I'm not close to them at all because I never see them.
    I'm considering contacting the 4 best friends I ever had growing up and in high school and asking if they would be open to being the bmaids... because realistically I don't see myself making new friends that would live up to all the good memories of my old friends... I feel like that would be the most special and meaningful, though I hope it is not out of line of me to ask. Other than that, the newspaper idea is a great one!!

    • ANSWER:
      Then you don't have bridesmaids. There is nothing weird about it, and it's a far more sensible solution than hiring bridesmaids off the street or asking ex-girlfriends who are quite possibly on drugs to fill in. You know bridesmaids aren't mandatory, right? If you have to struggle to fill the dresses, then you;re better off not to have them at all.

  27. QUESTION:
    Beautiful Maid of Honour dress for a fuller figure?
    Hi girls, hope you can help, Im getting married next year and have 4 bridesmaids aged from 10-17, and my best friend from school as my maid of honour.

    My maid of honour is in her early 30's, really pretty with a fine full figure - Im not sure about sizes and things but Id guess a UK size 22 or above maybe which could take us out of the high street stores?

    I would really like to find bridesmaid dresses that match (thinking champange colour as the girls are all light skinned)
    but really want my MOH to look beautiful and feel comfortable in what she's wearing), and also have the teen girls in a fashionable style so all the girls match a theme?

    Does anyone know of a good shop that sells bridesmaid dresses for teens up to plus sizes, in the UK midlands thats reasonably priced?

    • ANSWER:
      Firstly, wingsof_... should be reported for abuse. What a nasty, evil and small minded thing to say.

      Secondly, some store do stock a limited number of dresses in Plus sizes on the high street but, as it is coming to the end of the "season" fashion-wise it could be tough to get wat you want from these and you may have to go online or to specialist stores. Just remember to choose apropriate to her figure (I'm sure you will given what you have said about wanting her to look and feel beautiful.)

      http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Body-Shape-and-Bridesmaid-Dresses&id=2486198

      I found this for you, it's not in the Midlands but could give you an idea or two...or do mail order...
      http://www.plussizebridal.co.uk/plus-size/plus-size-bridesmaids.html

      And also, you could kit your younger girls out at BHS and save a bit of money (they have some lovely Champagne colour dresses and 2 piece sets.
      http://www.bhs.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/bhsstore/111639/1/1

      Another tip for you MOH is to try a little shapewear under her clothes. There is a Trinny and Susannah product available at Debenhams that promises to improve the figure and reduce the measurements by one dress size (22 would become 20). Or look here for other options
      http://www.themagicknickershop.co.uk/
      I'm wearing a "Slimming tube" under my wedding dress for a better fit and, having tried it on, found it surprisingly comfy.

      Good luck, I'm sure you will all look gorgeous!


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Bridesmaid Gifts Unusual

Each of us is dreaming for a perfect wedding, but since there's no such thing as perfect, we tend to make the plan as careful and special as it can get. A wedding will not be a wedding if there's no gifts. Gifts symbolize so many things. There are some wedding gifts that symbolize passion and romance, while others symbolize fidelity and faithfulness. Gift-giving is one way of sharing something that can help commemorate the very special event.

If you are invited to a family member's or friend's wedding any time soon and you are thinking what wedding gift would be nice to offer, keep in mind that a wedding may come once in a lifetime only so putting extra thought and effort on the gifts will really make a good sense. With that in mind, you may look for unique wedding gifts. The tricky part, however, is that unique gifts are quite difficult to find. Luckily, almost all of us has Internet access at home or work, which we can use when searching for the things we need for various occasions.

For getting some best unique wedding gifts, you can easily find what your are looking for by simply surfing the Internet. There are so many websites nowadays that offer a wide variety of wedding gifts to choose from. Aside from unique ideas, you can also purchase inexpensive wedding gifts online as there are a number of online dealers and distributors that offer various quality wedding gifts at reasonable prices. However before placing your order, you have to be careful on the overall security of shopping online. Take time to compare product and prices, and know the reputation of the e-store or online dealer you are buying the gifts from. Read feedbacks or comments from their customers on their sites. The good comments they have, the more reliable they are. Or you can simply ask for recommendations from friends and relatives, as they may have experienced buying wedding gifts on some trusted web stores.

If you are looking for some most unique options of wedding gifts to choose from, consider consider photo quilts and pillows, or anything that has a photo of the bride and groom. These are among the most popular unique wedding gifts these days and can easily be purchased in many online stores. Generally speaking, customizing makes any item unique. From the cheapest item to the most expensive ones, if you will consider personalizing them, rest assured they turn into unique gifts.

Lastly, when are opting for unique wedding gifts, make sure that they are related to the bride and groom. Create an idea on your present that shows you really thought of them. Personalized your wedding gift as much as possible. Personalized wedding supplies and gifts that include the names or initials, and wedding date of the couple can do wonders in the entire celebration. These personalized items, including other wedding accessories and bridal supplies are widely available on many web-based stores at different prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    My friend wants to give gifts to her bridesmaids as a thank you and appreciation. Any suggestions?
    This would be for 4 women and want to spend around - for each. Something that is nice and distinctive/unusual.

    • ANSWER:
      I bought mine a necklace to wear at the wedding (as a bonus, then their jewelery matched)

  2. QUESTION:
    Bridal Shower Family Feud Survey - Need 100 Responses?
    1 Name a popular place the bride and groom register for gifts
    2 What part of the wedding does the groom most look forward to?
    3 What part of the wedding does the bride most look forward to?
    4 What is the most popular appliance given as a bridal shower/wedding gift?
    5 What is the most popular color for a bridesmaids dress?
    6 Besides the rose, what is the most popular wedding flower?
    7 Name a popular honeymoon destination
    8 Name a popular wedding song
    9 How many bridesmaids are typically in a wedding?
    10 Besides a church, name a popular place to get married.
    11 Name something the couple does at the wedding ceremony
    12 How long is the average engagement?
    13 Name a household chore men like to do the least
    14 What part of pre-married life do couples miss the most?
    15 What is the most useless/unusual wedding gift you ever received?
    16 What do married couples fight about the most?
    17 Name a phrase that begins with the word "Wedding"
    More to follow.
    18 How many weeks before the wedding should invitations be sent out?
    19 Name the most popular wedding cake flavor.
    20 Most popular meal served at the reception.
    21 Most popular month for a wedding.
    22 How long should you know someone before getting married?
    23 What should a bride have with her for luck on her wedding day?
    24 How much does the average wedding cost?
    25 How long after getting married should a couple wait before starting a family?

    Please post your response below. Please don't read other people's responses before posting yours. I am doing this for a bridal shower, but need to survey 100 people first. Thanks for your help!

    • ANSWER:
      1-Linens & Things
      2-Honeymoon
      3-Walking down the ailse
      4-Toaster
      5-Pink
      6-Tulip
      7-Aruba
      8-Can I have this dance
      9-6
      10-Park
      11-Kiss
      12-1 year
      13-clean bath
      14-Privacy
      15-Fondue pot
      16-Money
      17-Wedding day jitters
      18-12 weeks
      19-Lemon with Raspberry filling
      20-Prime rib
      21-June
      22-3 years
      23-something old, new, borrowed, and blue
      24-10,000.
      25-5 years


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Young Bridesmaid Gifts

In the good old days choosing a wedding gift was a fairly simple. Since most couples were young and just starting their lives together wedding gifts were chosen to help them furnish the home they were be sharing. Since both parties were usually going from their family home to a home of their own they needed everything to set up housekeeping so the choice of a wedding gift was almost limitless. You could choose a toaster or another small appliance, gift a gift of towels, artwork, or anything else to decorate their home or apartment.

Today, marriage isn't just for the young couple starting out. There are many middle aged and older individuals who have been married and divorced or widowed, or single professionals who are older. These couples already have their own completely furnished homes and have little need for the basic housekeeping appliances that once made the choice of a wedding gift so simple.

So how do you choose an appropriate wedding gift for those couples who seemingly have everything they need?

Check the Gift Registry

Many couples both young and not so young sign up at a stores gift registry choosing gifts that they would like to receive as wedding presents. This can prove useful when you are not sure exactly what wedding gift to choose for the happy couple. Many wedding invitations today come with a note telling you what store or stores the couple is registered with so that you can go and view which gifts they are anxious to receive.

Give a Gift Certificate

Gift certificates always make wonderful gifts as they let the newly married couple choose a wedding gift of their own choice. For those of you who want to give a more unusual gift you can give a gift certificate to a particular event such as seasonal tickets to the symphony, opera or other event the couple may enjoy attending as a couple.

Pitch in on the Honeymoon

Many older retired couples who choose to marry are on a limited income and may not be able to afford a honeymoon. Pitching in with others to give the couple a weekend away to celebrate their marriage can make a wonderful and surprising wedding gift. This may also be true of a young couple who is just starting out and can't really afford a proper honeymoon.

Give the Gift of Money

Money always makes a good gift and comes in handy for the new couple to use however they please whether it is to purchase something they particular want, use on their honeymoon, or simply put into a savings account for the future.

The age and financial status of couples getting married may have changed somewhat over the last few decades but, the desire to give a gift that the couple will appreciate and like remains the same. Choosing a wedding gift is your way of joining in the celebration of the couples love for one another.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    what would be a great gift for a young bridesmaid?
    i have 3 young bridesmaids(age 5-8) and i want to get them something different but special. also something not too expensive. any good ideas out there??

    • ANSWER:
      instead of them having bouqets they could carry small cane baskets ( maybe painted to match dresses) with a small stuffed toy - each could have something different
      another option would be a small handbag with a pretty handkerchief & some lip gloss /hair slides in it & possibly a single flower/corsage pinned to the side of the bag.
      Most young girls like hand-bags & """ lipsticks"""'
      even a drawstring bag that matches their dresses

  2. QUESTION:
    Where can I buy faerie gifts online?
    The youngest of my bridesmaids (my cousin) is really into faeries and things of that nature. I'd love to get her something with a faerie or faerie art as one of her bridesmaid gifts. However, I am having trouble finding anything! I have seen a flask with a fairy on it, but shes only 15 years old. Can anyone help?

    • ANSWER:
      Google Magicalomaha

  3. QUESTION:
    I am getting married in just under 10 weeks, who are we supposed to buy gifts for?
    we have one for the best man already! but who else? i was thinking of maybe a necklace for my bridesmaid and a teddy for my young bridesmaid! do i buy for anyone else? thanks
    i have favours for everyone attending the wedding!
    IAN B lol =)

    • ANSWER:
      Generally a bouquet of flowers for the two mums, wee gifts for the best man &bridesmaid, stuff the rest, you've forked out enough already.
      good luck

  4. QUESTION:
    Wedding party gifts...please help!!!!?
    Hey, I am getting married in October and I need some good ideas for groomsmen gifts, and bridesmaid gifts. All over 21 years of age. I have 3 younger cousins as bridesmaids also 10-14 years old. Then I have a flowergirl who is turning 8 and one that is 2 and 1/2. And the 2 ring bearers. I have no idea what to get any of them!!! Please help me with ideas for all of them. I am really bad at this kind of stuff.
    Thanks!!!! :)

    • ANSWER:
      Well, My daughter only has 1 MOH and 1 bridesmaid and has decided on a Kate Spade silver compact (mirror) for them. THe groomsmen's gifts haven't been decided, yet.

  5. QUESTION:
    What's an appropriate amount to spend on attendant gifts?
    I'm browsing around for attendant gifts for my December wedding and I'm not sure how much is the right amount to spend. What are good gifts to give? Where can I get them? Has to be something that would work for younger and older bridesmaids...I've got a 21 and 22 year old but also my husband-to-be's 12-year-old sister. I would like to get them all the same thing. I've already purchased a necklace and earring set for the ceremony for each of them but would like to get them something that's not ceremony-related as well. Any suggestions? All help is welcome!

    • ANSWER:
      My wedding is December too! but next December.

      I would agree that I don't think you need to get all the girls the same thing. The 12 year old is not going to enjoy the same things as a 22 year old. What to get them all depends on your budget. My budget is about per girl. I'm planning on getting them coach wristlets along with something that fits their personalities (one girl is getting an ipod mini, another is getting all this wine stuff). Get them something that they're going to use instead of something that's going to sit in their rooms.

  6. QUESTION:
    What kinda gifts do u get your wedding party?
    I have 4 bridesmaids 3 flower girls 4 groomsmen one ring bearer. The youngest groomsmen is 15 and bridesmaid is 20 and we don't know what to get them right budget now cuz I just got laid off and our wedding is nov. 11 2011 so in a few months please help

    • ANSWER:
      You really need to sit down and figure out how much you plan to spend on your wedding party gifts.
      Try looking at these gifts. Really nice personalized gifts and affordable.

      http://youtu.be/FeXCvkY9wqs

      Good Luck. Remember, if money is that tight, you really don't have to get your wedding party gifts. (except probably the children). It is only a tradition to give a gift to them. They will certainly understand especially since you lost your job.

      Good Luck:)

  7. QUESTION:
    what should a bridesmaid get a bride for her bridal shower?
    there are 2 bridesmaid in the wedding my 16 and my sis 13 and when were have gone to bridal showers in the past the bridesmaid usually give the bride a big gift. but since its just the 2 of us and we are young we don't know what do give. any creative ideas? or should we just stick to the registery

    • ANSWER:
      I'd look at something you can do yourself. For example, taking her invite and buying a double frame. Pressing some of the flowers she will have in her bouquet (especially if she's using roses) and framing them around her invite.

      One of my favorite gifts is an embroidered afghan. You could buy a polar fleece and get it embroidered with her initial. I ordered one for my sister's wedding from Lillian Vernon. They have a lot of personalized gifts.

      Take pictures of the bride and groom together and go get a calendar made for them for the next year. Make ornaments. Salt ornaments can be made to smell like cinnamon. Usually newlyweds never have ornaments for their first tree so the first year it's just covered in candy canes. Someone gave a bunch of them to my husband and I for our wedding and I thought it was the sweetest thing.

      A newlywed basket. Several people for showers like to get the bride candles with this poem about burn the purple candles when you find out you are pregnant with your first child. See if you can find that on the internet b/c that's a very sweet and easy gift to afford. Another idea is to provide meals. Place a few boxes of mac n cheese, some pasta with some sauce, a box of taco ingredients. That would be really cute.

      Find out what someone else is getting and go with that. For example, my mother in law got me a fire pit for Christmas. It would have been cute if someone young got a cord of wood to go with it or a poker. If someone is getting her a Mr Tea, you could get her the tea bags.

      For my sister's showers, I got her the "new" things she needed. A luggage tag with a K on it (her new initial) for her honeymoon luggage. An OPI nail polish in "Going to the Chapel" pink. OPI has such cute names. For my shower someone gave me The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. Everyone got a huge laugh out of it. A bag with 5 or 6 items would be awesome. Think about what she might need for her honeymoon. TSA complient travel items. Is it a long flight? Travel pillow. Snorkel gear is about -30 at Dick's sporting goods if they are going to the Caribbean.

      Definitely go with creative!

  8. QUESTION:
    What would you like to receive as a bridesmaids gift?
    I am currently putting together ideas for attendant gifts for my May 23rd wedding. I have 7 attendants- all are fairly young between 16-21 as they are the siblings and cousins of my fiance and myself. I am trying to figure out attendant gifts that are something a bit more special than an engraved keychain or matchy matchy costume jewelry for the day.I'm trying to keep cost around a person. What would you like to receive as a gift? What are you planning on giving?
    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      I am thinking of seeing if I cant get them a designer purse, that matches there style. As woman we LOVE purses, your attendants are at the age that style does matter, what about a gift certificate to get their hair done?
      A tanning gift certificate?
      A designer wallet, purse.
      What do they like? Are they into make up? What about getting them a make up bag with some Mac cosmetics?

  9. QUESTION:
    What are some unique, *useable* bridesmaids gifts?
    I am getting married in December and have been browsing gifts for my bridesmaids. I've been to websites that offer them, but I'm not really interested in what they have to offer. As I look at them I wonder what something would be that I myself would want and use, and none of them really pass that test. It seems they all suggest monogrammed beach bags, flasks, picture frames, cheap(ish) looking jewelry and jewelry boxes. Those kind of all struck me as things my aunts used to give me for Christmas when I was younger that I never used.
    The other problem is the variety of the bridesmaids. One of them is particularly wealthy, so I don't know how interested she would be in a monogrammed tote when she has a closet full of LV and D&G. I think it's a little tacky to get them flasks, and I don't see any of them wearing the jewelry the sites offer.
    I want to get them all (besides the maid of honor) basically uniform gifts, because I don't want an unsaid issue of one girl liking someone else's gift more than another.
    Basically what I'm saying is: these girls have done a LOT already in helping me plan and have been so open and warm about their inclusion in the bridal party, and I want to give them something that will make them truly know how appreciative I am. On the other hand, I can't afford to go out and get all 5 girls something fancy from Tiffany & Co. or something like that, and I know they're not expecting anything close to that anyway. They're all still young (20-24) and unfortunately the dresses we decided on aren't something they would be able to wear elsewhere, so again, I want something they'll enjoy, appreciate and use.
    I plan on personalizing it with a "thank you" letter to each of them, but for now I'm looking for "gifts." I love these girls and want to do something really nice for them. Ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      I'm seriously considering getting my bridesmaids pashminas. I'm like you and don't want cheap crap that they won't use again.

  10. QUESTION:
    ideas for gifts to bridesmaids?
    I'm wanting to get ideas on good gifts for my bridesmaids, as well as my candlelighters who are my two younger cousins. I'm thinking a piece of jewelry that comes with a nice keepsake box, but I know there has to be other things out there. I'd like to make it as personal or personalized as possible, with maybe an engraved message etc. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      I got my bridesmaids gifts at things remembered, they have a good selection! GOOD LUCK!

  11. QUESTION:
    what are good gifts to get my bridesmaids?
    I have a few things to put in a bag for them and I am getting them jewlery since my Fiance works at a jewlery store! But I am not sure what to get them. I have my 2 best friends, 2 younger sisters (14 & 15) and my Fiances sister to buy for so I was looking for great cheap ideas since there are so many of them. And do i have to have a special gift for the MOH?

    • ANSWER:
      What about make-up?
      You can go to this website. Nordstrom's just bought this brand, so they are selling all of their products right now so they can redesign it. All make up is .00 each. You could get each of them eyeshadow, lipstick and bronzer/blush for .00 - easy! http://www.eyeslipsface.com/shop.asp
      If you put in this discount code it gives you .50 off your first .00 purchase: Carolina
      My friend sent this to me and I already bought a bunch of stuff. For a .00 I could resist! So - maybe they would like something like that.
      If not makeup maybe some lotion, bath salts/oils, perfume, etc.
      I hope it helps! Good luck! ♥

  12. QUESTION:
    Wedding Party Gifts?
    I'm getting married in September. The groomsmen will all recieve the traditional "whiskey flask" as thier gift and the bridesmaids will get a necklace and earings. I have several other party members to get gifts for. I found great Tiffany knockoff bracelets for all of the young ladies, it's the YOUNG MEN i need gift ideas for. The boys in the wedding are aged 7-11. I want to get them something meaningful but inexpensive.... who's got an idea?

    • ANSWER:
      I think at ages 7-11, the best gift is something they can DO. Like amusement park day passes or tickets to a baseball game or the movies or for the 7-year-olds, the zoo. While at that age, they know that the day is special, I don't think they would appreciate something that would commemorate the day.

      But if you wanted to get them something physical, what about a cute little pocket square or hankerchief with their initials on it? They could use it whenever they dress up for a fancy event. You could even get them baseball hats for their favorite teams.

      Hope this helps! I love the other gifts! Enjoy your big day!

  13. QUESTION:
    Does an 18 year old bridesmaid need to give a wedding gift to her cousin?
    Her parents are giving a gift that is "from the family" (she has younger siblings too)..so does she have to give her own gift also?

    • ANSWER:
      I think she should yeah. She is 18, probably has a job or some sort of income by now, I mean, I had a job by the time I was 16! Is this different in the USA? She has been asked the priviledge of being someone's bridesmaid, so I think that she should give a present. Even if its only tiny, it is the thought that counts. Like a photo frame or something!

      What's with the thumbs down?? I was a bridesmaid when I was 16/17 and I got the bride and the groom something to say thank you for asking me!

  14. QUESTION:
    Gifts for children in the bridal party?
    I am getting my bridesmaids jewerly as a "thank you" gift.
    Our guestbook attendant is a young lady of 12, and our flower girl is 3 years old. What are appropiate gifts for the guestbook attendant and flower girl?

    • ANSWER:
      gift cards. get them a gift card to a popular children's.teenage shop. kids are hard to buy for at that age, let them pick it out for themselves.

  15. QUESTION:
    Groomsmen and Best-Man Gifts?
    We're finalizing all of our wedding details and my fiancee has all her bridesmaids gifts...which reminded me that I haven't bought my groomsmen or my best-man anything yet. I was thinking the standard engraved flask or zippo is good - and classic - but maybe a little too cliche? I need to find something for them soon. I have one who is 13, one that is 15, 16, 18 and my best man is mid 20's like me. SO the zippo and especially the flask doesn't work for all the under 18's, and probably not for the 18 YO either... SO I have MAYBE one done, but what should I get the younger ones?

    • ANSWER:

  16. QUESTION:
    Wedding Gift Ideas from bridesmaid to bride?
    I've been asked to be a bridesmaid for my stepsister's wedding in September, and I am looking for ideas for a wedding gift for the happy couple. They're young (mid to late twenties).
    Please bear in mind that I'm 17 so I'm on a bit of a tight budget (I will be starting university only a few weeks after the wedding, so I'll need all the money I can get!!)
    Also, I live in the UK, as I know traditions are a bit different for different countries.
    Also, they love the USA and have a wide range of USA style decorations in their house, so I'm thinking of possibly something less traditional.

    • ANSWER:
      Getting the happy couple something to remember the day by is always popular as it gives them something to look back on. Check out the "Wedding" section on Engraved Gift Ideas (www.engravedgiftideas.com) for some ideas around the £20-£30 mark.

  17. QUESTION:
    Will 10 and 12-year old junior bridesmaids appreciate a Coach wristlet?
    I'm getting my bridesmaids Coach hot pink satin wristlets as their gift. I have two junior bridesmaid/flower girls ages 10 and 12 (young for age). Do you think they'd like the same gift?

    • ANSWER:
      I think they will appreciate it more than the older bridesmaids, they will be so excited to take it too school and a wrist -let is a perfect every day purse for someone that young!

  18. QUESTION:
    Unique bridesmaids, flower girl and ring bearer gifts and groom!!?
    I am looking for unique gift ideas for my wedding party my main problem is that they are all truly unique and I want to give them a gift that is unique but also somewhat traditional.
    MOH- Mother of 2 one on the way; well to do
    BM 1 - Mother of 2; not very well off
    BM 2 - Young, just bought a house, single - first time in wedding
    BM 3 - Young, in college, living at home- first time in wedding

    Flower girl - 2 yrs., my only niece right now
    Ring bearers - 3 and 4 yrs old; nephews; interested in different things.

    Now for the hardest part the groom. He doesn't want me to spend money on him b/c we are building a house and will be putting a lot into that, but I really want him to have something that will last forever!
    If you need more details let me know.
    I'm looking to spend approx but will go up to

    • ANSWER:
      I htink if you truly want to make them uniqeu this is a question only you can answer because we dont know them.

      But I will take a stab at a few of them.
      MOH: get a printed book of photos of you and the groom as kids, while dating and of your wedding printed in a photo book (kodak makes nice ones for about )

      BM1: Spa certificate, as a mother of two and not being well off most likely she doesnt get a chance to pamper herself much

      BM2: A nice framed picture of you and her that she can display in her new home

      BM3: A interesting purse or accesory that reminds you of her

      Flower Girl: At 2 its hard to say but maybe a box of dress up clothes from the disney store, little girls love dress up

      Ring Bearers: Each likes different things and we dont know what those things are, get them each a toy that represents what they like toy truck, soccer ball, paint sets whatever

      Groom: Depends on how much you want to spend. Engraved cufflinks with your wedding date, a boudior photo session (he will definaltey like that), this may sounds strange but if he is a nature lover get him a baby tree that you can plant at your new home and every year you can see it grow...

  19. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaid required to buy gift?
    I'm a bridesmaid in my good friends wedding and she is having 2 bridal showers...
    The Bridal party is throwing one "a personal shower" with alot of her young friends! So the 4 of us are spending the money to throw this shower for the bride!

    The 2nd one is being thrown by a family friend "a bridal shower tea" very proper...
    Well am I supposed to buy a gift for the bride and groom at the "bridal shower tea" , or just a wedding gift?

    • ANSWER:
      Usually if your pitching in to throw the shower that is enough. You don't actually have to purchase a gift to.

  20. QUESTION:
    Attendants Gifts?
    I have 2 Bridesmaids and 2 Groomsmen and my fiance and I are totally stuck for ideas for attendants gifts! They are all fairly young, so cufflinks aren't really the guys' style??? Any nice ideas (that aren't too expensive like GPS Systems?)

    • ANSWER:
      for the girls get a necklace that match the colors of their dress. The guys well get like shaveing kits

  21. QUESTION:
    Bridesmaids gift idea?
    I have three bridesmaids.. my older sister, my younger sister, and my soon to be sister in law.

    Their ages are 30, 19, and 28.

    I have been struggling with an idea for bridesmaid gifts because they are all very different. I thought about mix and match gifts with a central theme (like monogramming) but saw these mirrors and thought that this might work for everyone.

    What do you think...

    http://www.girlytwirly.com/morosimico.html

    I mean, everyone can use a mirror right? Even if you just throw it in your purse and only use it when you get something in you eye or teeth :)

    Opinions?
    I just found this one and I think I like it better..

    http://www.grandinroad.com/jump.jsp?itemID=13158&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1,2,474,577,&iProductID=13158&k=XX31649
    I thought about jewelry, but my little sister doesn't wear jewelry so it would be a waste on her.
    Just to let everyone know.. I gave all Thumb Ups.. I don't know who went through and gave TD's.

    • ANSWER:
      I think that is a good choice....everyone can use it.

      There is nothing worse than getting a bridesmaid gift that you will never use because it isn't your style, but this mirror is good for all types of people.

  22. QUESTION:
    Step parents and gifts!!!?
    My partners parents split up when he was very young. His dad remarried but was always around and they have a good relationship. His mum remarried when he was 15(he is 32 now) to his now step dad. They will all be sat on the top table at the wedding and i am planning on giving gifts to mothers and fathers along with bridesmaids and groomsmen. What do i do about the step mum and step dad? Do i give them the same gifts as the other mums and dads or do they get something smaller or nothing at all?

    • ANSWER:
      I think couple's gifts are a safe way to go.

      But if you want something special for mom and dad, it's okay to give step dad and step mom something on their own. I wouldn't leave them out though.

      I wouldn't give them something obviously smaller, but would be careful to make things look as equal as possible. Yes, they are not his birth parents, and didn't raise him, but how you guys treat the step parents is more a sign of respect for those birth parents.

      Compare it to your first Christmas. If any of your parents spend tons on money on one of you and give the other a token gift because you're the "in-law" it is going to cause negative feelings. Just be gracious and you won't have anything to regret.

  23. QUESTION:
    Other ways I can incorporate my 3 young cousins in my wedding besides jr B.M. Too old for flower girls.?
    2 of my cousins are gonna be 14 and one of them is around 10

    I love them so much and I was in there parents wedding so I wanna pass the torch, but I'm not sure I like the jr. bridesmaid thing.

    P.S. I'm not really religious so passing out gifts is not an option
    Getting the goblet for my husband and I to drink out of at the ceremony I'm pretty sure it's called, retrieving the gifts...?

    • ANSWER:
      They could help at the gift table, help seat people, hand out programs,pass out the cake at the reception. Therre are many things they can do.

  24. QUESTION:
    Original gifts for the parents?
    I dont want what is very common to do with the engraved picture frames & things like that. I'd like to do something original & I have no idea what to do! I know that I'm making both sets of parents thank you cards & including a promise of a photo album filled with our professional wedding pictures later. But I'd like to give them something at the rehearsal dinner, not just the card & a promise of something later, you know?
    For my matron-of-honor I'm putting together a spa basket with candles, tea, mug, bath salt, scrub, loofah, slippers, etc. Plus a thank you card.
    For the bridesmaids, who are my nieces and young (12 yrs, & 13 yrs old but who look much older! haha) I'm getting those white canvas totes that say "Bridesmaid" on them & filling them with pretty hair pins & other knick knacks.
    But I'm stuck on the parents! Any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:

  25. QUESTION:
    argh i have 3 adult bridesmaids and 8 flowergirls what do i buy them for gifts?
    hey guys :D i was just wondering about some ideas to give the girls for a gift on our wedding day. my bridesmaids r S-J is 27, laura is 24, debbie is 22 then my flower girls r steph who's 14, nadia is 12, Leighann is 12, suzanne is 11, olivia 10, samantha is 9, saffron will be 7, rachel will be 6, i will also have 3 pageboys one will be 3 and the twins will be 2 and a half,

    its so hard to find a gift they can all have the same i was thinking of jewellery the older girls who r really girly, then maybe a mug with the girls names on them filled with sweets with a bridesmaids teddy for the younger girls but not a clue about the boys, any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      11-14 should be jr brides maides not flowergirls sorry thay are to big

      i would get everyone robes or even houseshoes. for the reception to dance in

      you can do jewlery for all the older girls and take the youger kids to a toy store give them 20 dollars each and let them have fun

      or get each guest a charm for a necklas or something

  26. QUESTION:
    What should I get my bridesmaids as a gift?
    I have three bridesmaids and no maid of honor. I have three really good friends and did not want to offend anyone by selecting only one as the maid of honor. Two of them are ok with this, one is not. I am not changing my mind on the subject, but I would like to get them all something special to show them appreciation. BM#1, is a new mom and we are very similar, she is slightly younger than me. BM#2, is a lot younger than I am, she brings out my crazy fun side. BM#3, is the same age as I am, she is more reserved.
    Any ideas? Please help!
    I am loving the answers so far, but I would like something more specific, be creative please.

    • ANSWER:
      a spa package for the day of the wedding everyone wants to be relaxed you can even get them gloves for the wedding or earrings necklace or even bracelet as a gift

  27. QUESTION:
    What should I buy my maid of honor and bridesmaid?
    My maid-of-honor and bridesmaid are two of my good friends. They are both younger then myself, I'm 25 and they're 21. I'm getting lost when I think of what to buy them for their gifts because they're not really contributing to it. My wedding is next month and I have pretty much only needed them to decide on their dresses. I had to plan my own bachelorette party only because we don't see each other too much with myself having to work 40 hours a week and them being full time students and working. So pretty much they are coming to my wedding to stand by my side and share my special day. I wanted to spend around 0 for each of them but now, I'm thinking close to for each. Maybe a beauty basket for both? What would I put in it?
    I feel I do need to buy them something because they bought their own dresses-what do you think? and should I spend a little more. The dresses were each .

    • ANSWER:
      The beauty basket sounds like a good idea. Include:
      -- a makeup bag in the color of their dresses
      -- a gel eye mask
      -- a few makeup essentials (lip gloss, eyeliner, and mascara)
      -- small bottles of hand lotion (you can get them for about at Bath and Body Works)
      -- small bottles of hand sanitizer (you can get matching scented at Bath and Body Works for )
      -- makeup brushes/applicators
      -- hairbows/hair clips/bobby pins
      -- hairspray

      You could also do an "at home spa" basket, which would be a cute idea. Include:
      -- bath salts
      -- a bag of fake rose petals
      -- tea candles
      -- a bag of gourmet tea or coffee
      -- chocolate or peppermint (or their favorite candy)
      -- a gel eye mask
      -- bubble bath
      -- a bathrobe and slippers
      -- a white, fluffy towel

  28. QUESTION:
    Groomsmen gifts....?
    Ive been trying to think of some nice groomsmen gifts that aren't that expensive. I asked my fiancee' and brother and they have NO CLUE about wedding ettique (their answers were things like a video game for each guy- thumbs down). HOWEVER, I have a really young (early to mid twenties) gang so no, they WOULD NOT like a stupid engraved money clip or golf tee or something dumb like the things Ive seen online.
    For my Bridesmaids Im going to do a spa party and take funny pics of them getting facials and frame them. But I need something equally special for the guys. They wouldn't like a massage.... or would they?
    HELP!!!!
    Oh and, no the bridesmaids spa party isn't going to cost that much. Im friends with a girl who works a t a massage parlor and she's already said she'd give me a great deal!
    VIDEO GAMES ARE ARE EXPENSIVE! They cost about -60 bucks FOR ONE! We have 8 men to buy for!
    My bro and fiancee said that being stupid! They said a buncha other things joking around too that I wouldn't dare repeat! That was just one of the few that I can repeat on here.
    NOTHING ENGRAVED PLEASE!

    • ANSWER:
      we got our groomsmen movie tickets. they were on the young side so we did not want to get them engraved stuff either. so i would suggest movie tickets, everyone likes going there. :P sorry, i am not a guy so i do not know of anything "special" to get them, but i think they would like this.

  29. QUESTION:
    perfect brides maids gifts?
    my wedding is a long way off, (13 months) but im an obsessive planner
    I have almost everything set already...venue, centerpieces, cake, dj, photography, limo, bouquets, boutonnieres, caterer, colors.

    my brides maids still haven't even picked out gowns still and im thinking about their gifts already!
    (I want them to wait a few months for the gowns, people change sizes quickly and my one of my bridesmaids just had a baby last month)

    I only have 1 maid of honor and two brides maids The thing is, they are all young and have very different styles. My maid of honor is my sister who is going to be 26, my bridesmaids are both going to be 18.
    I want to give them all the same things and something youthful that they will remember and can keep.

    no spa things or activity things, my sisters both live far away and my other brides maid doesn't even know them

    • ANSWER:
      ok, if they have very differant styles, why are you so set on giving them the same things?

      find one unifying thing you can get for all of them. a picture frame, a personalized handkercheif, whatever you can think of. then get them each something that caters to their personalitys. if one of your bridesmaids likes to travel, get her some cool reusable luggage tags, or a nice passport cover or something. if one of them is into music, get her a whole stack of cd's she has been eyeing, or concert tickets or something. and so on

  30. QUESTION:
    Gifts for junior bridal party?
    I got all of the bridesmaids small canvas totes with their names on them, but I want to fill them with things they can use beyond the wedding (I am also giving them the jewelry to wear for the wedding-don't consider it a gift since I want them to wear it). I have two junior bm's ages 11 and 13. What can I put in their totes?

    Second, my fiance got the guys alcohol related items which again, an 11 and 14 y/o can not use (technically, I know). What is a good gift for the younger guys?

    Please no jewelry answers, since I already have that covered. Also, we are doing a spa day for part of the bachlorette party.

    That being said... any suggestions? Wedding isn't until October, but trying to get things done be4 I don't have time to :)
    Thanks for any help!!
    Great ideas for the girls. Any more for the little guys?

    Thanks again to everyone for all of your great ideas!
    As nice as cuff links and money clips are... an 11 and 14 y/o don't really need them. Anything else?

    • ANSWER:
      I was in the same situation! For the younger boys we got a gift certificate to a local baseball card shop. They loved it! We wanted to get them a ticket to see their fave team play but that didn't work out.

      For the two girls we bought them a few bath and body works stuff but also the the older one I bought movie passes to her fave. movie theater. For the younger one, Well she was always wanting to spend time with me sense we live in different states.

      So, I made up alittle "Certificate of Completion" and told her she had to wait till after the wedding to get her gift. (It was similar to a reward certificate you'd get in school) I told her she can trade this in at anytime for a night out with her aunt! She loved it and started to cry! It was so special!

      I didn't want to just do the normal stuff for them! Good luck... Contact me if you need more ideas!

  31. QUESTION:
    HELP! Need to buy attendant gifts by Thursday!!!?
    I'm getting married this friday and have not been able to buy gifts for my attendants yet due to money constraints. I will be buying the gifts the day before the wedding so I can not buy anything online. Does anyone have any suggestions for nice gifts I can buy for each person? 1 best man, 1 maid of honor, 3 groomsmen, 3 bridesmaids, 1 flower princess (older), 1 ring bearer (younger)

    • ANSWER:
      Get to Things Remembered as soon as you possibly can. Or, just pick out some simple necklaces for the girls, flasks for the guys. No one says these things have to be monogrammed.

      If money is really tight, then maybe pick out a really nice case of wine and wrap each one in some nice fabric. The kids will probably like anything that you get them.

      I did monogrammed stadium blankets for my bridesmaids (we all used to go to college football games together) and monogrammed beer steins for the guys (hubby's drinking buddies + my brother).

  32. QUESTION:
    Should I address this with my bridesmaid(s)?
    I just got married on August 7. I am 22 years old, so i'm not sure that the reasoning for a lot of this IS because i'm younger, so i'm just throwing that out.

    Issue #1: I am a bit offended of some things that occured at me and my husband's wedding. The first being that, during the dancing part of the reception one of my bridesmaids came up to me and introduced me to her parents. The issue? Her parent's were NOT invited. I find this to be extremely rude, as I have never even met the people in my life! The part that irks me the most is that we offered free beer during our reception and these parents were drinking it.

    Issue #2: Two of my bridesmaids did not get us a gift. By gift, I mean not even a card. This makes me extremely offended and I don't even know what to do about it. Or if I should. Is this normal?

    Should these issues even be addressed? They are really getting under my skin, even weeks after the wedding because of the inproper etiquette.

    • ANSWER:
      First of all, anyone that's just gonna sit there and tell you you're a jerk and not even help aren't worth your time. You're asking for opinions here on how to handle it, not if you're a jerk or not so I would like to apologize on all of their behalf's.

      The second issue...blow it off. I do believe they could have at least given you a card. It cost like...a buck at the most? I don't know. I'm sure even if they were having to pay for their dresses and stuff it's the least they could have done. I'm sure they could have had a little wiggle room for a card. The reason you should ignore it is it's just going to start drama. They are going to think you are acting stupid and it will just turn into fights. Was it inconsiderate not to get you a card? Absolutely. There's really nothing you can do though.

      As for the first issue. I definitely think you should bring that one up, but do it as calmly as possible. This bridesmaid was likely irked by the fact you didn't invite their parents. While I'll admit it would have been a nice gesture to invite them, I can understand why you wouldn't want complete strangers at your wedding. Especially since you're feeding everyone and what not...and you might have limitations on how many people you can have and etc.
      Now they weren't invited and you have your reasons, whatever they may be. It's you're wedding, so you decide the rules. So for one of your bridesmaids to basically bring their parents to your wedding (and introducing them? It kind of makes it sound like she was trying to shove it in your face) when they weren't invited is extremely rude. Now if you invited all the other bridesmaids parents, I can see where she'd be irked and then you probably should have extended out and invitation and maybe tried to get to know them at least once before the wedding. However this was not the case. And it was rude for her parents to crash the wedding. Then drink the beer. That's insanely impolite. And I think she owes you an apology.
      Make sure you bring that subject up very calmly, and just say you feel kind of upset that she would do something like that on your wedding day of all days. Maybe she'll explain her side of things and you guys can get everything all figured out. Just do it calmly so we aren't starting WWIII :)
      Hope I helped, good luck, and congratulations on you're wedding :)

  33. QUESTION:
    do i have to give a wedding present?
    I asked a similar question before but the circumstances kind of changed. About 8 mos ago I got married and the only things i made my friends pay for was the flight (i gave them hotel, food, transportation, didnt make them buy bridesmaid dresses, and discouraged gifts as we are all young an poor). My old friend didnt come because she said she couldnt afford it (but she told me she gets paid well so I just think she chose not to spend the money)...but i gave her 8 mos notice to save for the flight...She didnt get me a gift or a card or anything. I decided to go to her wedding (I felt bad b/c no other friends of hers will be attending), paid alot of money for the flight, and she is making me buy a bridesmaid dress (that there is no way I can alter and wear again as its very bridesmaidy) which, with alterations will come to 200$. The point is, my husband is all pissy about the money (especially that she refused my suggestion of a dress that can be worn again) and doesnt want to get her a gift, i kind of dont want to either...what do you think?
    P.S. sorry for long post
    when i asked her if she was registered, she said no, she only wants cash --- so i cant get her a cheap present

    • ANSWER:
      I think you being a part of her wedding and the expense you have to put up front to do it is present enough.

      Sure two wrongs do not make it right. But your expenses to be a part of her wedding are far more than you ever expected of her and she chose to to be a part of yours.

      Friendships, real friendships withstand petty stuff like thsi and the question of whether or not you gave a present never comes up, or should.

      If it becomes a big issue then consider letting her know you have had things come up that prevent you from being a part of it, regretfully.

      Your heart has to be there for you to want to be a part of it.

      It is incredibly distasteful of her to ask for cash in place of gifts. She seems like a shallow type of person or she would have been by your side when you got married.

  34. QUESTION:
    Am I the only one who thinks this is terribly rude?
    There is a young woman is having a commitment ceremony with her partner later this month. This same woman was also a bridesmaid in the wedding of a mutual friend of ours. She went to both phases of the bachelorette party (taking the bride out, and the party at the house later) and did not contribute any money to cover costs. The rest of us has to cover her portion as she was "strapped for cash". She then attended the wedding and did not buy a gift for the couple.

    Now she has planned a ceremony for herself at 530pm on a weekday (so it's free) and a "buy-your-own" reception dinner at a local restaurant. Not to mention that she has registered at several upscale home stores for gifts.

    Long story short, is it inappropriate to mention these details to her? Or just boycott the ceremony in general? Or should everyone just shut up and let bygones be bygones?
    Some of the answers have mentioned that maybe she is actually poor and/or maybe she didn't understand she needed to contribute to the bachelorette/wedding events she attended.

    First,she always seems to have plenty of money for clubbing, which she does at least twice a week. Also, it was agreed a few months prior to the bachelorette party that we would all pitch in at least something. Later on, a few of us agreed that she may not have been able to pitch in equally as she works in retail, but that any contribution at all would have been nice. Instead she just "dodged" those of us involved for a few months afterward until she thought we probably had forgotten about it.
    Note: Many of you seem to think that even posing this question is childish. That's quite possible. I guess the real question is, how long do you allow someone to take advantage of you and/or your friends before you do something?

    • ANSWER:
      I had my wedding a year ago, so I know that it costs a lot more than you initially expect. There are many many details, and it can be overwhelming to someone with a low income and no one to pitch in. Most people have family that helps to cover the cost.
      So, if you value this friendship (you don't really say so, but even if she is a part of your group - you probably want to stay cool with everyone else... so...) Remember that this is an important time in her life, and she is surely doing the best she can with her resources. So go to the ceremony, pay for your meal at the 'reception' (think of it as a night out with friends - you don't expect them to pay for you in that situation right?) and bring a card with your best wishes and a positive attitude so that your friend has some good memories.

  35. QUESTION:
    Do you give a gift at a wedding if you are in the wedding party?
    Ok..my sis is getting married..but its turning into a mess...first..aside from buying our own bridesmaid dresses(which is normal) she has picked out dresses she wants us to buy for the youngest girls in the family..who arent even in the wedding..we are alittle bothered by this because they are pricey and the girls arent in the wedding..is it wrong for us to refuse? None of the partys dresses are the same so why do the little kids have to match? My main question is about gifts...everyone but the bride and groom seem to be coming up with money for things and its getting expensive..some of the rest of the fam is complaining..they havent had to pay for much..but anyways..we are going to have a shower for her..and my hubby is disagreeing with me on gifts...I am under the impression that I still buy a gift for the shower and give a gift at the wedding...a handful of people have said the wedding party does buy them a gift...but I always have..what should I do here?
    I guess its just getting to be a money issue but also theres an attitude of it being her wedding so its gonna be her way...we are all splitting costs of the shower because she doesnt have a maid of honor...but like I said...its starting to become an issue with the attire...meaning..aside from my dress..I still need shoes..hair and nails done, but now dress for littles daughter, shoes..etc, shoes for daughter in wedding, hair for her done, etc....Im not trying to be cheap here..just trying to keep peace with everyone....thanks for your help in advance...

    • ANSWER:
      You have two questions here. First the dresses for the younger girls:

      MUTINY! While attendants are responsible for the cost of their wedding attire unless the bride and groom choose to cover all or part of that cost, NOBODY in the wedding party is responsible for paying for outfits for guests to wear, and that's what these girls are: guests. If it's important to the bride to have certain guests wear the same outfits, then she needs to pony up and pay for it...but the mothers would be well within their rights to refuse such a 'gift.'

      As to a gift, that's actually up to you. According to etiquette, gifts may not be required of anyone at a wedding. They are traditional, they are welcome, they are never in bad taste, and they are usually expected from everyone including the bridal attendants, but they are not absolutely required.

      So the question becomes how much do you want to be friends with your sister when this is over? If you want to start a family feud, by all means exercise your right not to bring a gift. Unfortunately, while I completely understand your husband's frustration and have flat-out told you that you are within your rights not to give her anything at all, I wouldn't advise you to do this. It's likely to lead to family fallout for a long time and make you look like the bad guy to a lot of people. After all, what horrible sort of bridesmaid doesn't give her own sister a wedding gift?

      I would advise giving something for both the shower and the wedding...but you can always stick to something fairly inexpensive and/or creative rather than something on the high end of the registry.

      Sometimes it's possible to actually vent your feelings just a little bit without being impolite, too. Some years ago, I was friends with two other girls. We'd been best buddies since we were small children and remained close as adults.

      The first one to get married complete cut us from the moment she had that engagement ring on her finger. Not only were we not asked to be in the wedding party, we could barely get her to speak a word to us. She made it very clear to both of us that she didn't want us in her life anymore...but invited us both to the wedding.

      Since we were both on a budget, we decided to go in together on a gift. Lo and behold, she had registered for a trash can! We got her that and some towels. It was our way of saying we felt like we'd been treated like garbage...but she had registered for the trash can, so it was also a practical and wanted gift in honor of the friendship we'd once shared.

      If your sister isn't big on picking up on symbolism, you may be able to come up with a gift she'll enjoy and relieve your feelings at the same time.

  36. QUESTION:
    Soon to be sister in-law expecting 3rd child, good gift for her????
    Experienced Mother's????

    My fiance's sister in law, whom is also my bridesmaid is expecting her 3rd baby, she is 3 weeks pregnant. I would like to get her something to show our support and congrats. She has been through rough times recently.

    She has two younger children so she has you know, all the neccessary items such as blankets, cribs, strollers, etc.

    I really am looking for a unique, useful gift. Even something just for the expecting momma:)

    Thanks in Advance for all your answers.
    Websites where I can buy online would be great too:)

    • ANSWER:
      For the baby I'd get a new baby book or something like a baby's ring that they will have forever. For her I'd do a gift certificate to Bath and Body Works so that she can get everything she'd like to have for her bath and she can smell nice. Sounds odd but I really appreciated getting these things because then I could pick out what I liked (there is so much to choose from) and I could take a hot bath at midnight if I wanted to. Nice pajamas that are practical for a girl who has just given birth is nice to have especially when you have to get up at night again and might not have a chance to shower or change clothes right away in the morning due to schedules.

  37. QUESTION:
    Gifts for bridal party, and other special people?
    My two younger brothers (10 and 14) are in my September wedding. My fiance and I don't want to give them some silly trinket that they won't use, and arn't at the age for. I know that they really want an XBOX 360 though, would that be appropriate?

    For my flower girl, I wanted to get her jewelry, (pearl earings and pearl bracelet) but also wanted to put together a girly lil basket thing with toys that she would like, is that ok?

    For my maid of honour and bridesmaids, I'm stuck. I wanted to get their jewelry, but I would also like to get them something else. I've already given them engraved things with their names for birthdays etc, so that's not gonna work.

    Also, my aunt is making my flower girl dress, it's absolutely gorgeous btw, :P ... I'd like to get her something special, jewelry is out of the question though, she's got tons, more expensive than I could ever buy her anyways. Just something sweet, something to say thank you. Any ideas would be terrific.

    Thanks!! :)

    • ANSWER:
      If you get your brothers a 360, I want to be able to see them kiss your feet! That's extremely generous. Your idea for the flower girl is great. When my son was a ring bearer he was given a huge Tonka!
      I got my bridesmaids silver heart lockets, so they could wear them for the wedding.
      For your aunt, a spa gift certificate, maybe. Or a gift basket.

  38. QUESTION:
    Scrapbook as a wedding gift, and obtaining photos?
    I was thinking of making a scrapbook as a wedding gift to her and her fiancee. However, I have almost no pictures of either of them since I'm really not a shutterbug. I will be one of her bridesmaids...would it be against etiquette or is it ok for me to ask the bride and groom's families for pictures of both of them while they were younger (through the years kind of thing...), as well as friends? Keep in mind that I haven't met their families. I love to personalize things, which is why I wanted to try my hand at scrapbooking.

    • ANSWER:
      I think it's a wonderful idea - and I wish you the best of luck with it!

      It's ok to ask the family about photos - you can also ask the other bridesmaids and friends for photos, too.

      Don't be totally surprised if the families aren't really forthcoming with photos, though. Some people just aren't organized enough to find photos when you will need them by.

      Some other folks aren't really trustful about giving people they don't know very well family photos - they may be worried about the only copy of a photo getting lost. You should offer to have them reprinted so that you will have a copy and you can return the original photos to the family members (or friends). Any photo developing place can scan the originals into a computer and print out really excellant copies for you. That way you can cut the photos and play around with them as much as you want, too. And if you have the photo place put the photos on a disc you can always have another copy reprinted if you cut one and decide later that you don't like the crop. Of course, if you have a good printer/scanner at home you can do all this yourself.

      Good luck - you sound like a great friend - and will be an awesome bridesmaid!

  39. QUESTION:
    Should I give my brother and his fiance a wedding gift even though my parents gave them some?
    They're getting married on Saturday, so should I give them a gift even though I'm just his younger sister? And does it matter that I'm also a bridesmaid?

    • ANSWER:
      Yes you should still get them a gift of some sort even if its just a in a card. Most likely they want the cash anyways due to the exspenses in the wedding. I don't know how young you are I guess depending on your age and your ability to get a gift I don't think they would be angry if you didn't get them anything. I'm sure there happy you are in the wedding.

  40. QUESTION:
    Do you think a Victoria's Secret gift card would be an appropriate wedding gift?
    I'm a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding and after the engagement gift, wedding shower gift, and bachelorette party gift I feel I have exhausted using the registry for gifts. My friend's fiance expressed to me that my friend is afraid of sexy lingerie and would like me to help break her phobia of Victoria's Secret, so I thought it was a cute idea to give them a 0 gift card to VS for the wedding. I know it's more appropriate to give a registry gift or cash as a wedding gift, but I thought it was a cute personal joke-y type gift. I should add that we're fairly young and I feel silly giving them just plain money as a gift. Your thoughts?
    This is a gift that would be mailed (like all other wedding gifts should be) so no one but the bride and groom would see it... Also I'm aware that utlimatly this is my choice, so if you don't have anything constructive to say or are just looking for points you are really of no help to me so please don't answer if that's the case. Thanks!
    I guess I should add that the reason I don't want to give them money is because I'm in grad school and the couple thinks I and should be using my money for that. On top of that the bride already feels terrible about the amount I've had to spend on travel and throwing the other parties and gifts...

    • ANSWER:
      This would be SO incredibly, shockingly inappropriate under the circumstances.

      It is not your job to tell her what she should be wearing for her husband. It comes across as if you and the husband are ganging up on her and guilting her into wearing sexy clothing, as if his right to be sexually aroused were more important than her right to control her own body.

      Given that she doesn't like sexy lingerie (and I bet she isn't "afraid" of it - I suspect it probably gives her rashes and boils and the like), I can't see it coming across in any other way, especially from a third party. If I had declared I didn't like sexy lingerie and someone gave me this, I would be hurt.

      A cheque is a much more appropriate gift under the circumstances. If he wants her to wear sexy lingerie, let HIM do the work of explaining it to her: don't you put her in the situation where she feels she's being ganged up on over it.

  41. QUESTION:
    what will i buy for my sisters wedding?
    my sister is getting married and my 2 sisters and i are bridesmaids so we are getting her something between us!!!!!i am the youngest as i am only 13.but we have always been close so when shes getting ready i want to talk to her in private and give her the gift!the only problem is what will i get her!!!!?!please help!it has to be a nice gift11please help xxx

    • ANSWER:

  42. QUESTION:
    Bridal shower non-alcoholic games needed for Sunday.?
    This is a Princess themed shower. We are making a special Bridal Tiara and veil along with a princess Wand. We will be taking her bows from gifts and making a "bouquet" out of them.There will be older women along with young ones. This is not the time to bring out the sex toys! Got any ideas cuz' her bridesmaid is having a hard time coming up with games that aren't "stupid". C'mon brides and help the Mom of the bride save the day!!

    • ANSWER:
      Here some cute ideas that were at the bridal shower i recently went to!
      simply buy a bunch of those mardi gras beads for each one of your guests and give them one as they walk in, throughout the day they cannot say, the brides name, the grooms name, or the word 'wedding' if they caught saying it, they will lose their mardi gras necklace! at the end of the day whoever has stolen the most beads and now has numerous necklaces around their neck will get a little door prize!

      also- word scrambles are cute, having all the words be accosicated with a wedding! whoever unscrambles the most wins!

      or simply 'bride and groom trivia' where you ask certain questions like, favorite food, color, school subject etc.

  43. QUESTION:
    Gift Ideas for Bridal Party and Parents?
    We are getting married in March and are looking at different ideas as gifts for out Bridal Party and parents. We, as well as our Bridal Party are young. Only two people in our wedding are 21, therefore, flask and such are out of the question. We would like to do something a little more catered to each person.

    MOH: Very girly, married, colorful (likes all colors, esp purple)
    Bridesmaid 1: Dark/Gothic personality, yet playful at the same time, loves WOW and other video games, has a baby

    BM: Criminal Justice Major, wants to be a cop, loves humorous things
    Groomsman 1: Graduating high school this year, plays football, loves humorous things

    Mom: doesn't like material things, I gave her a spa package already this past xmas...
    Dad: loves fishing (got him a fishing charter for xmas...) and recently into hunting

    The big challenge is to keep each gift under .00, with the exception of Mom.

    Thanks.

    • ANSWER:

  44. QUESTION:
    gift ideas for bridesmaids?
    Hello! I am having 3 bridal attendants - my sister and 2 cousins. They are all in their 20s and younger than me. None of them are really into jewelry or very "girlie" things so as a gift I'm thinking of getting them personalized tote bags (nice ones) with little gifts inside - so far I have DVDs of a wedding themed comedy and a framed photo of the 4 of us laughing at my bridal shower. Any suggestions for additional little gifts? Things that are fun and useful and will fit in a tote bag. Thanks for your help!
    Thank you all for your answers!!

    • ANSWER:
      Maybe giftcard for coffee or lunch. Even a coupon for freetime with you after the wedding, b/c they might feel left out a bit after you get married. I like the gifts you have so far. Maybe a cd with music from when you were younger, to bring back memories.

  45. QUESTION:
    Gift ideas for my bridesmaids?
    My younger sister and my 2 nieces are going to be my bridesmaids. I want to thank them by giving them something special each. Jewerly is out of the question because they're all very picky.

    Any other ideas? If it'll help, my sister is 31 and my nieces are 14 and 18. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Gift certificates from Victoria's Secret. Not just nighties. They have an excellent line of mists, lotions and body wash in same fragrances and multiple scents. They also have a higher brand perfumes, colognes; but, also have cute undies, make up bags, etc. I think this would be appropriate for all, the 14 year old is old enough to get into the mists, and body wash--the mists are very soft and feminine and she will love getting the "name". That signature shopping bag says "WOW".

  46. QUESTION:
    A few bridal shower questions?
    Hello! I'm a bridesmaid, throwing a shower for my preggo sister in law (the bride). I know it's not good etiquitte for family to host the shower, and there are two other women in the wedding party but they won't be able to help with or even, possibly, attend a party because "their personal lives are more important right now". So anyways! I'm young and haven't done this before and I've got a few questions!

    1. Because of the bride's working schedule, we are having the shower at 5:00pm. I can't afford to feed everyone supper though, so what foods can I serve that would be appropriate?

    2. What are some of the funnest bridal shower games you've ever participated in? (i can find a tonne online, but I'd rather draw from other people's experience as much as possible!)

    3. What is an apporopriate amount to spend on a shower gift? (I am fairly broke but I don't want to be too cheap!)

    4. What is the normal schedule of a bridal shower?

    5. What to do other than food, games, and gifts?
    I would make it for 7 if I could, but I can't! How does various "platters" sound? meat + cheese, fruit, veggies + dip, mini sandwiches, etc? It's on a sunday, and many people eat dinner at 7-ish during weekdays where I'm from, so I thought that having appetizers and cake would be okay?

    • ANSWER:
      If I were you, I would try to have kind of a 'drop in' shower. Since people get off work at different times, they may be fine stopping for a few minutes on the way home, dropping off the gift, hugging the bride, getting a bite of cake, then going on their way. Some may have to grab kids from daycare, or even bring them along to the shower. I would state that the shower is from 5-7. (Some people will be coming in late due to work) I would have a place for them to 'sign-in' (ask the bride about this, she may have a wedding keepsake album for the guests to sign,) Then, place the gifts on a table, offer them refreshments, and chat for a few minutes. At 5:30, I would have the bride open the gifts she has received so far. (she could open the gifts from latecomers as she gets them...) Then, the guests will be free to leave, or stay for a while longer. This will be important if you are inviting alot of people to a small house.
      I would serve cake or cupcakes, nuts, mints, cheap-to-make finger sandwiches and punch and coffee. If you feel funny about only serving a small amount at that time of day, make a notation at the bottom of the invitation, such as *light refreshments will be served*.
      I honestly don't care for games at a shower. It puts people on too much of a schedule and they are not free to come and go at their own times. At this time of day, I think that may be important. Just my opinion, though. I would do something like ask them to bring their favorite recipe, them put them all in a book for her. You could ask for the recipe on the invitation. Then, toward the end of the shower, the bride could read off the names of the recipes she got. You could have little printed games, such as "How many words can you make from 'Susie and Joe Smith.' Or make some word searche puzzles from a site like discovery school.
      As for a shower gift from you, give whatever you can afford. Something personalized is always special. what about a bible with their names engraved? Or a book of romantic poetry?
      These things are just my opinion and it will give you something ot think about. Here is a site I found that may help you, and it includes a schedule for a wedding shower. It has other ideas, too: http://www.dibdabdoo.com/relationships/bridalshowerqaa.htm

  47. QUESTION:
    niece of bride?
    my aunt may be getting married soon and i was wonderin a couple of things i am 14 and is that too young to be a junior bridesmaid? i know its too old to be a flower girl but also there are 3 people that will probably be the bridesmaids so 5 those three and me and my sister (16) too many? also what is an appropriate gift to give her? we are really close so i feel i need to get her something
    i know u dont ASK to be in the wedding party i was just wondering what to expect

    • ANSWER:
      I think you should let her decide who will be in her own wedding and what roles they will play.
      Talk to your mother about getting her a gift. I'm sure your family will give a gift from the family to your aunt.

  48. QUESTION:
    PLEASE HELP :) I'm throwing a bachelorette party/wedding shower?
    My friend is coming in for 3 days in November, and she's getting married in May. I'm going to be a bridesmaid, and I feel like I have to take charge of helping with things since her bridesmaid is younger (18yrs)

    So she's coming in from Colorado (I live in Kentucky)

    Any ideas/games for what I could do?

    I need it to be low cost

    There will be about 10 girls all together, I'm just going to get people to come with a wedding gift

    We can't go to a place and get alcohol served b/c of the age differences, I'm thinking it will be on the patio of a bread&bagel shop we have in town

    Any ideas are very appreciated! I've never done anything like this before

    I want trashy and fun ideas, I don't want it to be super "showery"

    Thanks in advance!
    I'm sorry, I meant her maid of honor is younger..

    • ANSWER:
      Hi, Ok, the bridal shower is for the bride. So they can bring her gifts and bring a wedding gift for the couple at the wedding. Usually people bring her special things that she could dress sexy in for her wedding night or other things for her like gift baskets with personal things, etc. Anything is fine! If they are going to need a taoster then give her one.

      I wouldn't say bring a wedding gift. Because you might short change her. Most people I think know to bring a gift to a shower anyway. Most know it's a gift for the bride. they gift for the couple is taken to the wedding or reception if they are having one.

      Having it at theBread&Bagel shop is fine too. Make a cake or buy a little cake at the supermarket or bakery. get some balloons!

      I am sorry I don't have any trashy ideas and never been to a trashy shower.

  49. QUESTION:
    What wedding roles can I give to my sisters/friends?
    I have a serious dilemma I need some help with! I am getting married and I don't know who to pick for my bridal party and what positions I could give to my two younger sisters and those couple friends who won't be my bridesmaids.
    I have 7 REALLY close friends that I have always hung out with (since High School and I am in college right now) but 7 bridesmaids (including the MOH) seems like A LOT. Also, my fiance can't think of 7 groomsman to match. I really only want 5, but I want to give the other 2 girls a role in the wedding. Maybe a female usher? I'm not sure of what they do besides seat people.

    Also, I really want my 2 sisters to take part in my wedding in a special way, they are ages 16 & 18. I thought of maybe they could read a special verse or two from the bible? I don't want to give them a role like 'guest book watcher' or 'gift taker'.. I want them to feel included. No junior bridesmaids though.
    PLEASE HELP, ANY AND ALL ADVICE WILL BE APPRECIATED!
    Added info: they are my stepsisters, we aren't REALLY close but we are close like sisters would be I guess..

    • ANSWER:
      They could be your official dressers that way they get to hang out and do all the fun stuff but are not in the wedding party per say. They could also be ushers and greeters at your reception line. That is really a hard one.

      As for your sisters I like the idea of having them read a verse or maybe even a poem. Maybe have them give a toast after your best man instead of you maid of honor.

      All I can say is make your wedding the way YOU want it, no the way everyone thinks it should be. You will be much happier in the long run. Mix it up. Make it fun.

  50. QUESTION:
    Wedding gift from bridesmaids? Do you still have to buy $$ gift even after you buy dress, shoes, parties, etc.
    I am in a not so close friends wedding. I have only know her for about a year. She is 11 years younger than I am so other than our jobs we do not have much in common. After her wedding she plans on leaving the company so I do ot even think I will see her much after that... I just know how these things go. It is reality no matter how much you like the person. Your life goes in a diffrent direction. I was hesitant to even agree to be in the wedding because we are tight on cash and it is a huge financial commitment anyway. I don't mind stretching for someone I have known all my life or even for a few years. After having spent over 0 on parties, dress for wedding (won't wear again regardless of what the bride thinks) I now have to spend more money on the bachelorrette party because she wants a destination party. I am starting to resent all of this b/c it means I am having to cut back on things for my family in order to do this. I don't want to come off as cheap so I havn't said anything

    • ANSWER:
      why don't you buy her a nice picture frame or a dinner gift card??? it would be something small, but still thoughful.
      you need to give her something -even if it is small. everyone who attends the wedding (including the bridal party) is supposed to give a gift that atleast covers the cost of their meal....

      umm here is a cool frame you could get her (if you still have the invitation)

      http://www.personalizationmall.com/Personalized-Wedding-Invitation-Glass-Picture-Frame-p1394.prod?sdest=dept&sdestid=1145&storeid=7&categoryid=1145


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