How to Create a Tasteful Memorial at Your Wedding

A wedding is a beautiful ceremony celebrating the union of two people, but it’s also so much more than that. A marriage brings together two families. This is why it is so important to honor your deceased family members in some way to celebrate the part they've played in bringing you to this moment.

 

Recently, couples have set aside a small part of their ceremony to light a candle. Typically, this candle has the names of the departed persons and a short verse. While this brief memorial service is beautiful and appreciated, it is also a solemn break from what is otherwise a joyous day. Your guests who are not family or who did not know the people you are remembering can often feel interrupted or confused, simply because they don’t feel the same way about your family members as you do.

 

Other Memorial Options

 

There are many other ways to remember these special people without causing any kind of break in your ceremony or reception.

 

• Place a single rose in the bride’s bouquet that is a different color from the rest. This is more
  

  

  effective if the bouquet is only one or two colors, because the memorial rose will stand out from the rest.
• Attach a picture of the deceased to the bride’s bouquet in the form of a memorial buckle. If other bridesmaids are related, they can each have a picture of someone.
• Write a short statement in the wedding program (typically seen placed on the back or at the end of program):

  “Today we would like to remember our lost loved ones who cannot be here with us to celebrate. 

  First name, relationship to bride/groom 

  Gone but not forgotten”

• Reserve a seat for each deceased family member by placing a single rose and a name card on the chair.
• At the reception, set up a small table with pictures of each person you want to remember, a short poem, and a candle. In this situation, a battery-operated candle may be better than a wax candle, since you won’t be able to watch the open flame during your reception.

 

If you are having a small wedding with family members making up the majority of the guest list, you might want to stick to the memorial candle tradition, since it will mean more to the guests. If you decide you want some sort of memorial service at your wedding, choose to do something that will be meaningful to you, your partner, and the loved ones you are honoring. Your guests, whether they know the deceased or not, will appreciate a small but significant memorial display more than an extravagant presentation.  For other ways to incorporate memorials into your wedding, come check us out here.

 

 

Image Credits: Memorial candle holder, Memory bouquet charms, Memorial table setting, Memorial ladder

 

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes for My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as creates multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.

Difficult Engagement Situations and How to Deal with Them

You may expect everything to go smoothly while you are engaged, and it will for the most part. You and your fiancé will be blissfully in love. Unfortunately, you’ll also get a lot of unwanted questions, suggestions, and criticism from everyone in your life. Here’s how to deal with some of them.

 

1. I’m going to be in the wedding party, right?

 

This assumption could come from almost anyone you know: your younger, too-cool-for-you brother or your roommate from your freshman year of college. The first thing for you to remember is to not let anyone pressure you. It’s your wedding, so you make all the decisions. If the question persists, it is best to try and let the person down easy from the beginning.  Don't drag it out longer than necessary.  Tell them you are taking your time with the decision and that you are considering a small bridal party.  You can also consider including that person in a different way in your wedding.  Such as, making them a reader at your ceremony or an usher.  Your friends and family don’t have to be in the bridal party in order to play an important role!

 

2. Let me help with the wedding planning!

 

This statement can be a huge relief when it comes from someone close to you, but you will hear it often from people you don’t know very well. It’s fine to accept help from anyone who offers, but be sure that they are trustworthy and will actually follow through with their offers.  Also, any helpers will need to know your expectations for the wedding and tell them that you get the final say in any and every decision. Don’t hesitate to say no if the planning takes a turn you don’t want it to.  It is very easy for wedding ideas to spin out of control when there are too many opinions in the mix.  Be firm on this one.  Your helpers will actually thank your ability to delegate in the end.

 

3. The traditions you start with your fiancé now will stay that way forever.

 

Getting married means combining ones lives for better or worse.  Living arrangements are simply something many couples don't consider.  This goes from the big, extended family traditions to smaller things like who does which chore. Choosing between families for holidays can be a difficult decision, but you can always alternate by year. This year, go to his family’s Thanksgiving dinner and her family’s Christmas party. Next year, switch. If you are able to, consider going to both families’ parties. Another option is to host your own holiday meal so both families can come together to celebrate.

As for smaller traditions that you set, don’t fret! Try making a chore calendar for you and your partner to follow in the beginning.  Eventually, you both will get used to each other's habits and which one of you prefers the dishes over the laundry. More importantly, though, you’ll need to learn to just go with it. Your lives will change as the years go by. You’ll become a team and be able to deal with situations like this together.

4. The wedding is all about the bride, right?

Throughout your engagement, your friends and family are going to be making a huge fuss over you as the bride.  Between the wedding dress, the color palette, and the decorations, people are going to be looking at you because let's face it, the wedding is all about the bride right?  Well, no.  This is simply just not true.

A wedding is about the bride and groom coming together in love as one. The day is just as important and significant for the groom as it is for the bride. Be sure to make your fiancé feel included in any way you possibly can.  Put together a special date night before the big day to relieve wedding planning stresses.  Consider putting together a little just because gift to let him know you are thinking of him.  Include him in the planning by letting him choose the wedding party gifts, the flavor of the cake, and the guest favors.

Your wedding is about you and your spouse starting a new life together. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and there’s a good chance it won’t be the perfect day either of you want, but it will be beautiful and special and that’s all that you really need.

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes for My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as creates multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.

Tasty Thanksgiving Food Inspiration

Fall is a season full of inspiration, and we love to see some of the fabulous ideas that people have dreamed up to impress holiday guests! Traditional foods arranged into shapes that are often associated with the fall season will be sure to please at any Thanksgiving get-together. We have collected all types of ideas for you just in time for Thanksgiving. Fashion your food into turkey, cornucopia, acorn and pumpkin shapes to put a fun twist on classic holiday foods. From fresh vegetables and warm baked breads to yummy cheese balls and delectable deserts, we hope you enjoy our collection of Tasty Thanksgiving Food Inspiration.

Image Credits:  Pine Cone Cheese Ball, Turkey Shaped Baked Bread, Mini Caramel 'Apple' Grapes, Acorn Donut Holes, Turkey Cupcakes, Pumpkin Pie Slice Cookies, 'Pumpkin' Rolls, Turkey Veggie Tray, Pumpkin Pops, Hershey Kiss and Nutter Butter Acorns, Turkey Shaped Apple Tart, Breadstick Cornucopia, Turkey Rice Crispie Treat Pops, Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Turkey, Turkey Cheese Ball

Flaunt Your Wedding Fur

Wearing fur, whether faux or real, is sweeping the fashion world.  No longer seen on just winter brides, fur is being donned by vintage brides and by those simply looking to add a lux feel to their bridal attire.

How you wear your fur on your wedding day is a direct reflection of your style, the time of year, and the theme of your wedding.  Are you getting married in the winter?  Then you may want to opt for a warm fur bolero or coat.  Both which have sleeves to keep your arms toasty in the weather.   For a more vintage look, choose shorter wraps, collars, or capes. On the flip side you can also go big with a vintage theme and don one of your grandma's mink coats.  Don't forget color! Stay classic with white or ivory colored fur or go natural by showcasing more browns and tans.  For the fashion forward bride, choose a faux-fur that has been died a vibrant color to complement the theme of your wedding.

Whatever your style, this trend is just making me giddy with delight.  I love the expensive look that a fur accessory brings to an outfit.  I for one think this trend should be here to stay.

 

 

Image Credits: Camel fur coat, Tan fur bolero, White fur bolero, Gray fur collar, Fur vest, Brown fur coat, Wedding party in fur, Eggplant fur scarf, Gray fur wrap, Natural fur cape, Fur bolero in fall, Fox fur wrap, Cream wrap, White fur cape

 

 

 

A web designer, photographer, mother, wife, lover of the outdoors and all things crafty, Allison is the marketing director for and regular contributor to My Wedding Reception Ideas where you can find more helpful wedding tips, advice and ideas from Allison and other wedding experts.

Winter Wedding Menu Ideas

Between the warmth of indoor heating, a roaring fireplace, and winter apparel, sometimes your typical catered wedding menu can leave guests feeling tired and sluggish.  Making kicking off their shoes and dancing the night away the last thing on their mind.  To keep the party going at your winter wedding, you’ll want food that warms your guests without being so heavy that eating wears them out.

Main Dishes

This means you’ll need to skip the greasy and fried foods which are prone to making you feel sluggish.  Keep your menu items high in protein and low in fat.  Think steak, chicken, fish, and veggies or try appetizer-sized dishes instead of large courses.  If comfort food is a must at your winter wedding, make it miniature! Serving bite sized portions is adorable and will allow guest to fill up on other less heavy alternatives.

Also, remember you still want most of your items served hot to keep guests warm and cozy in the winter chill.  A broth based soup and salad bar is a sometimes a better option than a heavy meat or side dish because it will fill your guests up without producing after-dinner sleepiness.

Drinks

A must-have at your winter drink table is hot chocolate. Put candy canes, marshmallows, and other toppings in small dishes next to the cups so people can make their own cocoa creations.  Serve glasses of baileys or milk with coffee ice cubes in them.  Warm apple cider and eggnog are also seasonal favorites.  Consider setting out tea with honey, coffee, or a hot toddy station for a lightweight option that will give guests a pick me up.

If you have one, a Keurig machine would work well for this sort of a set-up. You’ll need hot chocolate, coffee, and tea K-cups with extra pitchers of water to refill the machine. You can put all of your toppings and add-ins on the table next to it.

Dessert Bar

Don’t go easy on the chocolate or the food dye, here. Chocolate-covered anything screams winter party and red and green will make your dessert table look festive for a holiday wedding. If you’re trying to avoid a Christmas theme like the plague, stick with browns, blues, or deep/icy purples with silver or gold accents.

A soft pretzel station or roasted chestnut station is a cute twist on traditional dessert bar ideas.  Candied almonds, or any kind of nut, are great for guests to snack on because they’ll get energy from the sugar and protein from the nuts, so they’ll be on the dance floor in no time!

Favors and Guest Gifts

A great favor for a winter wedding menu is a cup of hot chocolate or coffee with a donut hole to-go. Especially if the reception ends late or if your guests have a long drive, they’ll need a pick-me-up to get home and are sure to appreciate the gesture.  Be sure and include personalized to-go cups or cup cozies to let guests know to take one with them.  (more cup ideas here)

Along the same lines, a pre-mixed hot chocolate kit packaged in a mug or mason jar would make an adorable take home gift idea.  Pine tree saplings, tree ornaments, and personalized throw blankets or mittens are cute favors as well and will ensure your guests have something to help them remember your wedding in the upcoming months, rather than just that night.

Image Credits:  Hot chocolate bar, Wedding menu sign, Mini pot-pies, Kale soup, Grilled cheese and tomato soup, Hot chocolate bar, Milk and coffee cubes, Hot toddy station, Chocolate candy buffet

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes for My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as creates multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.