Pamper the Princess

The flower girl role is so important in a wedding for a young lady and this role will be one that she will remember for a lifetime because after all, it is her time to be a little princess and shine in the wedding ceremony.

The typical age for a flower girl is approximately 3 years and 8 years of age, so be prepared that the flower girl will be nervous in her ceremony role. It is the bride’s job to make the flower girl comfortable in her role, so be sure to connect with the parents and find out what makes the flower girl smile or happy so this can be a stress-free process. If the flower girl feels overwhelmed during the wedding rehearsal, brides do have the option to pair up the flower girl with another flower girl to give her reassurance and confidence, but prepare for an extra flower girl in advance. One of the bridesmaids could also help her by walking down the aisle with her to make her feel comfortable, but remember children are not perfect, so flexibility is a key to make the wedding successful.

Brides should also take some time aside to have a spa pampering day with the flower girl and her mother. Schedule an appointment for an up do, make up, and nails. Afterward, schedule a lunch at her favorite place or a nice restaurant where she will feel important. She will feel like the princess she is and this might help the flower girl by connecting with the brides so they are best buddies. Other ways during the luncheon a bride can connect with their flower girls in the wedding process is to catalog shop, select flowers, choose the flower girl dress and shoes.

After the spa and during the luncheon, the bride can talk to the flower girl (if she is old enough) and discuss her responsibilities and checklist. Brides get creative and find a template or create a document in Word that is just made for the flower girl duties. Here are the highlights for the flower girl duties:

• Bridal Shower: Flower girls attend the bridal shower
• Wedding Ceremony: Flower girl attends the wedding ceremony rehearsal
• Wedding Ceremony: Flower girl walks in front of the bride at the wedding ceremony
• Wedding Ceremony: Flower girl duties would consist of scattering rose petals along the bridal bath, wrapped candies, or confetti (optional items to carry include pomanders bouquet or kissing ball).
• Wedding Ceremony: Flower girl is photographed with the wedding party.
• Wedding Ceremony: Flower girl dances with ring bearer.

Brides, be sure to thank the flower girl with an appreciation gift to acknowledge her wedding role in the wedding ceremony. Typical gifts would include any personalized item such as a jewelry box, bracelet, or scrapbook. This gift should be a memorable gift and a gift from the heart, so the flower girl will reflect fondly upon, as she gets older in life.

Free Wedding Budget and Contracts Template

Couples want to know what are the basic pieces of information that should be written in legal binding wedding contracts, so we have provided a list of guidelines that each contract should contain.  Here is a neat little wedding budget and contract check list that any bride can utilize for their wedding and an additional one from Vertex 42 with an itemized list at http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/wedding-budget.html.

Postcard Guestbook

Most couples purchase a guestbook for wedding guests to sign at the wedding ceremony, but a new wedding trend that is popping up is the postcard guestbook. Couples decorate a special table at the wedding ceremony where pens, postcards, and a wish box should be set up for the wedding guests to write special wedding wishes on vintage postcards. At the end of the evening, either the parents or the matron of honor collects the postcards. When the couple arrives back from the honeymoon either the parents or the matron of honor can mail the postcards throughout the year to the bride and groom. The couple will have fond memories of their wedding and enjoy reading the wedding wishes from the wedding guests.

Honeymoon Moola

Many couples are feeling the financial pinch right down to their pocketbooks when planning their wedding, which leaves them with literally with no money for left for booking the honeymoon. This is the time for couples to collaborate regarding what items you already have in each home. Start by using this free wedding template for merging couples items together for their Wedding Gift Registry Checklist.

After couples have gone through their gift registry, discuss what is important to each other when it comes to what couples want as far as gifts. Does the wedding couple want gifts or do they want a lifetime full of awesome memories by using websites to contribute to a couple’s wedding honeymoon fund? Most wedding couples are now saying they want money to contribute to their honeymoon fund.

Here are some great websites for couples to suggest to wedding guest for honeymoon contribution:

• My Registry
• Honeymoon Fund
• Honeymoon Wishes

After registering on one of the aforementioned websites, couples need to discuss the wedding information for wedding guests. Please do not put honeymoon contributions on your wedding invitations because it is just downright tacky. Instead, use wedding verbiage, such as, "Wedding Guests, please visit our wedding website for detailed wedding information”. This is the place where couples should include things such as wedding party information, photo galleries, wedding events, accommodations, attractions, rsvp, wedding music, honeymoon funds, wedding vendors, wedding videos, wedding guestbook, contact information, and wedding registries.

Upon the return from the wonderful honeymoon, then couples can review their free wedding gift registry checklist and review the list. If there is money left over, this is the time where couples can go on that shopping spree for the items on the list to purchase for their home.