Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Go Out With A Bang: Ideas for Your Grand Exit

Get your guests in on the action and leave them laughing with a fun grand exit. As you depart for the first time as a married couple, there are numerous ways to celebrate the new marriage.

Classics 

For the traditional bride and groom, throwing classic items, such as rice, birdseed, and flowers, never goes out of style. The custom of throwing rice comes from ancient Roman times where it symbolized fertility and good fortune to the newlyweds. Throwing rice has fallen out of fashion due to a long-standing myth that rice harms birds. According to online myth debunkers, such as snopes.com, rice actually will not hurt our feathered friends.  But it does have its drawbacks.  It's messy and difficult to clean up, so many venues do not allow it to be thrown. (It also will get stuck in your fancy up-do, and your new hubby may spend the first moments of marital bliss picking rice out of your hair before photos!) Plus, it's super slippery, and can be a hazard to guests that may be walking on it after the grand departure.  So, as beautiful and safe alternatives to this now long-standing American tradition, many modern brides throw seeds, dried lavender, rose petals, sprinkles or leaves to spread good luck.


Rice


Photo by Caroline Eller
 The grand exit from my own wedding where guests threw petals!

Autumn Leaves
Unique Twists 

For the dare-devil bride and groom, your grand exit can be a showstopper by incorporating the theme of your wedding or something special to your relationship.

mini beach balls
Paper Airplanes (from my super fun airplane-themed wedding)
Silly String
No Cleanup 

If you want to keep things clean or your venue has restrictions on what can be thrown, try some of these options that require little or no cleanup.

Bubbles (from my lovely Art Institute wedding)
Glow Sticks
Balloons
Sparklers
Other fun options can include bells, signs, or wands. Your selected style of grand exit may depend on timing. You'll need to decide whether to make your special departure from the ceremony while it's still light out or at the end of the reception for some night-time photos. Whatever you decide to do, putting a personal touch on any item is simple. Make small bags or arrange items in baskets to showcase as guests exit. So get creative, have fun, and go out with a bang!

What are you doing for the big exit? Tell us below…

Friday, June 15, 2012

What To Do With The Dress After The Big Day

You searched and searched for your dream dress, and now your big day has come and gone. You are almost as in love with your new husband as you are with your wedding gown. (Okay, maybe it's the other way around.) While you plan to keep him on display for years to come, what will you do with that perfect dress?

For most brides, the decision is easy. They have their dress cleaned, preserved, and pack it away; perhaps in hopes that someday their own daughter might say “I do” in that very dress. But there are many other ideas to showcase that ever important dress.

For brides who have a bit less sentimental attachment to their dress, a great option is to sell the dress or even donate it. Brides Against Breast Cancer accepts gown donations that they then sell to raise money to support breast cancer patients. Passing on your dress to another bride not only helps bring their wedding dreams to life, but also contributes to a good cause.

For the daring bride, a trash the dress photo session can be a fun way to have a last hurrah with your dress.

Photo by Daniel Szysz

From Dress Safari
 You can showcase your dress in other meaningful ways after wedding day. Do you hope that one day your daughter will walk down the aisle in your gown, but your dress happens to be a little more bold than timeless?


Dress your daughter up in your wedding gown while she is still young for a beautiful photo. You'll always have the cherished memory of her wearing your gown and it will be an amazing display on her own wedding day.

Your gown can also become a family heirloom. Have a baptismal dress made from the fabric of your dress. Or use the fabric as a covering on your wedding album.


What will you do with your dress after the Big Day? Tell us below....