Wedding Organizers & Cultural Wedding Trivia
Inspiration Boards & Books
With all the options available today for planning a wedding, making decisions on all the details, such as flowers, gowns and favors, can be overwhelming and difficult. Some brides say their weddings would have been easier, and possibly better, if they had been more efficiently organized because of the numerous details involved in planning. I’m a big fan of inspiration boards and books, or wedding workbooks. They can help you organize all of the details and ideas for your wedding.
Once you have an inspiration board or a wedding organizer, start collecting pictures of gowns, flower arrangements and even decorated reception halls that appeal to you. Categorize them so that all related items are on one board or page together – it will keep your ideas focused. From there you will most likely see a pattern in the things you like (colors, styles of dresses, size of bouquets, etc.). Then narrow down your selections, leading to easier decision-making. Keep your inspiration boards/books nearby so you can reflect on them often, but not too often that you confuse yourself even more.
Inspiration boards are meant to be fluid – change out pictures and ideas if you see something you like better. Just be careful, if you’re indecisive (like I can be sometimes), this will only prolong and make decision-making much more difficult. The goal of the boards and books is three-fold: To keep you organized, to help you make selections and most importantly to help ensure all of your elements flow together harmoniously. You probably don’t want to end up with country-western themed decorations in a modern reception hall or so many shades of blue that everything ends up looking mismatched.
If you’re a tactile person, I suggest going to Target or Sam Flax (art store on Colonial/SR 50 Orlando) and picking up a fun notebook or large corkboard. There are a number of stores and websites that carry wedding planning organizers. When choosing a professional wedding book, make sure it features a budgeting section, which some don’t.
If you’re on the go, an electronic version might work better. There are several websites that allow you to build inspiration boards via the web: http://www.theknot.com/Inspiration-Boards/gallery http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-planning/wedding-inspiration-boards.html http://www.dessy.com/styleboard/ Inspiration boards/books can also serve as nice mementos or keepsakes after the wedding. Enjoy every minute of your planning; it goes by very quickly!
Fun Wedding Trivia
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If you’re hosting a multicultural or destination-themed wedding, here are some fun facts about wedding traditions in other countries. If you have any other unique traditions or rituals you would like to add to our list, please email us at editor@orlwedding.com. We’d love to hear from you or about your wedding story!
– In what country is the bride-to-be painted in pure white from head to toe? Japan. This is done to show the bride’s maiden status to the gods.
– What color is custom for an Israeli bride to wear with her wedding dress? Blue. The bride wears a blue ribbon to symbolize her fidelity.
– How many bands does a new bride in Sweden wear on her wedding day? Three. Engagement ring, wedding ring, ring for motherhood.
– In what country did the bride wearing a white wedding gown originate? France. It started several hundred years ago.
– What has long been the flower of choice for brides getting married in Spain? Orange Blossom. They believe that since orange tree produces fruit and blossoms at the same time its flowers represent happiness and fulfillment.
– In what country does the mother of the groom and father of the bride escort the couple down the aisle and stand next to them during the ceremony? Argentina. Bridesmaids and groomsmen are not a part of a traditional wedding in Argentina.
– What’s placed on top of a wedding cake in Bermuda? A tiny sapling. After the wedding, the newlyweds plant the young tree and watch it grow as their marriage grows.
*Trivia courtesy of FunTrivia.com
