We drove up to Philly after work on Friday and chilled at my Mom and Dad’s.  I was asked [by a very bad liar of a MOH, Lynda] to go to the Please Touch Museum, because her “health insurance gave free memberships…” Yeah. Ok. Whatever. So I knew something was up. In preparation for this event, I slept in, did my hair, and made myself a “bride” t-shirt to wear.

Lynda picked us up and we took the el to center city. After emerging to 11th and Market, Lynda blindfolded me and had Chris lead me around the whole freaking city! Chris forgot to tell me when there was a curb, I almost tripped! They even lead me inside a hotel with revolving doors! Not so easy when you’re blindfolded! Eventually we stopped walking. I had shifted my blindfold so I could see the ground and wouldn’t trip again and I even asked my 2 1/2 year old niece (who’s our flower girl) where we were going, since her MOH mother had told her, “Disney World!” Good. Teach your daughter to lie. (HAHAHA! Just kidding!)

Then they lead me into a building, up into an elevator (by then I sort of knew where we were) and then I heard giggling and my sister helped me up some stairs (ok, now I felt completely lost!). I saw bright flashes and then Lynda took my blindfold off and they all yelled “SURPRISE!” We were at Lucky Strike in center city!

My bridal party was [mostly] there, as were some very close friends. I was so surprised! Later, my new-found friends, Tim and Grace Ewing  arrived and she took some excellent photos!

We bowled and had a great time, then we all headed into taxis (hailed by Rachel, the sister who lives in Israel!) and went t0 a Malaysian restaurant named Penang.

Overall, it was a lot of fun!

As Steve and I plan our wedding, I’m learning that there are many family traditions that make up a wedding that often times, guests aren’t privy to knowing.  Its caused me to take a step back and really think about what intimate traditions we may want to incorporate into our big day.  For example, when my maternal grandparents were married in 1949, my grandmother carried a little, white Holy Bible down the aisle.  When my parents were married in 1976, my mom carried that same bible.  Its been in three additional wedding ceremonies – including my grandparent’s vow renewal on their 50th wedding anniversary.  I am very honored to be able to carry it with me in June – it makes me feel connected to my grandmother, who passed away a number of years ago.  I think that it also strengthens family ties because I know that I will not be the last bride to carry it towards her groom.  It gives me a sense of family history – past and future.

My dad once made the comment that he couldn’t believe that I wasn’t wearing my mother’s wedding dress.  I can be very sentimental but the truth is my mom was 18 when she married my dad.  I don’t think that my left leg would fit in her gown.  But - I will use her six-pence, honoring that age-old poem that we all know by heart.

 ”Something old, Something new; Something borrowed, something blue; and a silver six-pence in her shoe.”

Like my grandmother’s Holy Bible, I can see, and hope, that maybe my niece, or any children that Steve and I may have, will someday continue the tradition.

And the final tradition, a new tradition, that I would like to start involves my parent’s cake knife.  Their silver knife was engraved with their names and wedding date.  My mom offered it up to me to use and I’m currently in the process of finding an engraver who will add my and Steve’s name.  At some point, I hope that knife becomes so engraved with names, that it loses all of its reflective surfaces.

A wedding is a blending of two families so I’ve asked Steve if his family has any personal wedding tradition.  All I got was a quizzical, furloughed look – typical guy.  So family-to-be, if you can think of anything that we should be incorporating, please let me know!

Putting on items of brightly colored clothing, dancing to songs that could make you wiggle in your sleep and burning about 1,000 calories while not even feeling like you’re working out? Sounds too good to be true, right? Well ladies, Zumba is where it’s at!

The Zumba fad started in the early 90’s when founder, Beto Perez, showed up to instruct an aerobics class and forgot his music. He quickly ran out to his car and grabbed his favorite Latin music tape and made up his whole aerobics class right on the spot. Needless to say, the class LOVED it and Zumba was born.

I am sure you have all heard of Zumba or have secretly wanted to try it and I say GO FOR IT! Zumba is the most fun I have ever had exercising and could easily be your tool to getting in shape for your big day. It’s perfect for brides that want to get out some wedding stress, enhance your shape for your wedding, or just have some good old fashioned fun! There is no professional dance experience needed and the atmosphere of the classes are supportive, friendly, upbeat  and sassy! You will walk out of your first Zumba class feeling rejuvinated and motivated and maybe wanting a cheeseburger (go ahead you just burned close to 1,000 calories!).

 To find a Zumba class near you, visit www.zumba.com and get shakin!

So, how do you decide? Do you base it on your relationship to the couple? How much money you make? The salary of the couple?

Your Salary Range (Individual/Family) – At the end of the day you have to give what you and your family can afford. But bear in mind that there is also a perception of what that might be so take a look at some of the other factors to help make this decision. The ‘average’ amount given an a Baltimore wedding according to our survey falls between $150 and $250, but if all you can afford is $50 then don’t stress just give!

What’s your relationship to the Bride or Groom? – Typically if you’re close to the couple you give a little more and while the average is between $150 and $250 many close friends or family members that have the means will give up to $1000.

Are you part of the Bridal Party? – Okay, there are typically two schools of thought when it comes to expectations here. Some brides do not expect a gift from anyone in the bridal party since in many cases bridesmaids might be spending a small fortune on dresses, travel, and hosting pre-wedding festivities. On the flip side, some bridal party members feel as though they want to give an ‘extra nice’ gift since they’re so close to the couple.

Will you be bringing a Guest? – If you’re planning on bringing a guest, a good rule of thumb is to put a little extra in the proverbial envelope.

Did you have to travel? – If you traveled a long way to attend the wedding (or perhaps it’s a destination wedding) a gift is often not expected or at the very least a smaller gift wouldn’t be questioned. The couple will be sensitive to the fact that you’ve made the effort and spent the money to celebrate with them.

How many weddings will you be attending this year? – Don’t forget to take this into consideration. If you’re attending several weddings in one season be sure to budget appropriately. Another tip… most groups with a close-knit entourage tend to give the same amount for each couple that is getting married. Just a tip as you may not want one couple to feel less valued than another.

Cash vs. The Registry – Contributing cash versus using a traditional wedding registry is another great option that allows you to control the amount spent. If you’ve ever been stuck browsing a registry where the only thing left is an overpriced toaster, you can appreciate the convenience that cash provides. But it’s usually a good idea to check the registry to see what’s available.

There you have it. You make the decision based on what works for you and your wallet. When in doubt follow Aesop’s famous words of wisdom: “No act of kindness, however small, is never wasted. “

This is something that should be thought about early on—something that’s easy to forget when making the original guest list and can be a huge budget buster come invitation time when you realize you forgot to factor in 30 extra Xcrazyamountofmoney per plate. Luckily for us, Clay and I developed a formula early on with which we (and our guests) are both comfortable. I think that since etiquette on this varies so vastly, the plus one issue is best settled based on the couple’s guest list. Since so many people on our list are young and single, if we went with the idea of everyone over 18 bringing a guest, there would likely be over 350 people in attendance… no can do! After much discussion, the rule that we decided to stick with is pretty basic. Regardless of any other factors, we are inviting a plus one if you are:<a href=”http://blog.partyspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/plus_one.png”><img class=”alignright size-full wp-image-4532″ src=”http://blog.partyspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/plus_one.png” alt=”" width=”278″ height=”236″ /></a>
<ol>
<li>married (obviously!)</li>
<li>engaged</li>
<li>in a long-term relationship with someone we have met</li>
<li>a floater—a friend who wouldn’t know anyone else at the wedding</li>
</ol>
I have been to seven weddings. The only two times that Clay and I were not invited as a couple (which were prior to our engagement) were when my family was invited as a unit. Regardless of the fact that I am in my twenties and we were indeed living together, there was no plus one. From both a guest perspective and a bride standpoint, this makes sense to me. In both cases, the couple had never met Clay, which as the inviter, is something that I consider very important. I had a wonderful time at both weddings and I actually loved that it was something special that my family got to do together—weddings are hugely about family and this certainly drove that idea home.

<a href=”http://blog.partyspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dance-floor2.jpg”><img class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-4535″ src=”http://blog.partyspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dance-floor2-300×199.jpg” alt=”" width=”300″ height=”199″ /></a> We took this concept and it applied it to our guest list; if your whole family is invited, then the “kids” (unless engaged or married) aren’t invited with a plus one. Along the same lines, if we’re inviting an entire group of friends, ie the Ursinus College rugby team circa 2002-2009… this is also the case. For our friends who will know some but not many and are single, we just asked them their preference. It hadn’t originally occurred to us that these are our friends; if they’re invited to our wedding, we should feel comfortable enough to ask them such a simple question! It was a relief—so much better than guessing what they would prefer. And while I’m unsure what my thoughts would have been during my single days, surprisingly enough, even the friends of mine who won’t know many (or any!) other guests at the wedding are happily intending to attend alone. With nearly one third of our invitees single males under the age of 30, I think most of my girlfriends flying solo is wonderful news for our dance floor!

I believe that the most important element to consider while figuring out the mess that is plus ones is this: know your guest list. If you’re inviting your entire sorority and most of them are unmarried—plenty of fun can be had making the wedding into a girls’ night out. If you’re not sure of how close friendships have remained or if someone is dying to nudge her boyfriend to propose by getting him to a great wedding, just <em>ask</em>. Our guests who we gave this courtesy to were incredibly grateful—and our bottom line has always been that we want all the people we love in attendance… and we want them happy!

Speaking of happy, I’ll end with a final note to the single ladies coming to our wedding: kudos to you and your confident selves… and know this—you are going to be even hotter commodities than usual come June 9^th ; ).

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Originally from Central Iowa, Chef Jacki’s passion for supporting local farms began early on. As a Baltimore wedding caterer, she notes, “Patchwork Catering is a natural extension of my commitment to build relationships with clients, the community and the environment.” Patchwork, she notes, is also approved vendor of the book, Green Bride Guide – required reading if this is the direction your wedding will take.

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Jacki’s husband, Chef Tom Campbell, is a Towson native. They decided to move to Baltimore after a family visit and jointly have a combined 30 years’ experience working in top industry kitchens including four-star, fine-dining celebrity chef restaurants in Las Vegas.

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You will find this Baltimore wedding caterer working at some if the most unique venues in the city, including Irvine Nature Center, Howard Peter Rawlings Conservatory and The Maryland Zoo.  

A signature cocktail seems to be one of the hottest trends on the wedding market these days. It is a way for the bride and groom to create a one of a kind drink, share their favorite drink, or extend their wedding theme. These drinks can be alcoholic or non and are always a hit with wedding guests!

This unique drink adds a little “oomph” to the cocktail hour or reception and also can be a great budget friendly idea; rather than have an open bar, serve your guests beer and wine, champagne for the toast, and then one special cocktail! If you are planning to have a signature drink, discuss this idea with your wedding caterer/liquor provider and they will be fully able to assist you in making your special cocktail the day of.  Make sure to name the drink something sassy and add a festive sign announcing it from the bar! Here are some tasty wedding cocktail recipes for all seasons:

Cranberry Spiced Sparkler

8 fresh cranberries 1 tsp. Pumpkin spice Agave nectar *

Splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 oz.

Champagne or sparkling wine

Directions: In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle the cranberries, agave nectar, and lemon juice. Then add ice and the champagne or sparkling wine and gently fold. Strain out into a champagne flute. Top off with an extra splash of wine.

*Garnish with 3 floating cranberries

*To make pumpkin spice agave nectar, simply combine 1 cup agave nectar with 2 tsp store bought pumpkin pie spice (comes ground), and stir.

Blueberry Julep

2 oz organic vodka 1/2 oz blueberry liqueur 1/2 oz simple syrup ½ oz blueberry purée Splash of sparkling wine

*Garnish with mint

*Top with puree and mix with a spoon. Top with champagne and garnish with mint.

 Grasshopper Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup half-and-half

2 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup crème de menthe, or to taste 2 tablespoons crème de cacao, or to taste

*Whipped cream and shaved bittersweet chocolate for garnish.

Ecco Fredo

 Muddle a slice of watermelon with one teaspoon of sugar

Add 1oz. of pineapple juice

Add 2.5 oz. of Ecco Domani’s Pinot Grigio

 *Garnish with a thin slice of watermelon

Where did all of that time go!? When we became engaged, September seemed like so far away. And now I just have six months and change before the Big Day. Uhhhhh. Time to get my butt in gear. And I mean that. Now that Dirk and I have most of the big items checked off of the list, I need to start focusing on my personal well-being before the wedding. Every bride wants to look her absolute best on her wedding day, and I am certainly no exception. Do I have some things that I would like to improve? I do. (see what I did there?)

Somehow, I have lost all my motivation to work out. I used to run a lot more, and would go to the gym or yoga class several times a week. You would think that having to put on a wedding dress would be the ultimate motivation for me, but somehow, it’s not.  I keep on thinking “oh, no PROBLEM. The wedding is so far away! If I work out too early, it will be too hard to maintain!” This is straight-up crazy talk from a lazy woman.

I was going to Zumba class every week with my friend Jessica. I call Zumba ‘Flailing About’ because that’s essentially what I was doing in each class. The instructor actually started laughing at me in the last class because of how ridiculously uncoordinated I am. Apparently, my brain cannot process touching my arm to opposite leg. No matter how hard I tried, it was always right leg, right arm. The “opposite limb” dance moves elude me. I actually managed to make it happen once during class, and I was beaming with pride as if I had just won a Gold Medal in Zumba. It’s probably best for everyone (and my pride) if I move on to some other workout regimen.

fact.

But desperate times require desperate measures. I have swung the pendulum in the opposite direction and have committed myself to start P90x. This exercise program is not for the faint of heart, and I am completely dreading it. I did 14 days of it a few years ago and but then I lost interest. I think I heard cocktails calling my name, dropped those weights, and ran to the nearest Happy Hour. Anyway, I forced nicely asked Jessica to join me in this crusade. She has agreed to come to my house every night after work for 90 days so we can whip ourselves into shape. Thank you, Jess!

I don’t have the best track record with keeping resolutions and promises (remember my New Years’ post?) but I absolutely have to focus and get myself motivated.  Perhaps sharing my struggle on this blog will shame me into working very hard – at least for the next 90 days! For my own sanity (and for my seamstress’s), let’s hope so.

When Is It?

Even though most people have their rehearsal dinner the evening before the wedding, immediately following the ceremony run-through, you can have it whenever you want.

Who Pays?

Traditionally, the groom’s parents plan and pay for the rehearsal dinner. These days, however, many couples shell out for the shindig themselves or ask both sets of parents to share the cost.

Who’s Invited?

Your rehearsal dinner must, must, must include: all members of the wedding party (and their spouses or dates); parents of flower girls or ring bearers in the wedding, if the little ones are invited; all parents, stepparents and grandparents of the bride and groom, plus siblings who are not in the wedding party (and their spouses or significant others); and often the officiate and his or her spouse. Out-of-town guests should also be invited, but if you prefer to keep the gathering more intimate, schedule an event for them at another location. You could have a welcome reception at a restaurant or at the hotel where they’re staying, or informal cocktails at the home of a relative or close friend.

How Formal Should The Dinner Be?

The degree of formality is at the discretion of the hosts, but it should never exceed the formality (or lavishness) of the actual wedding. Whatever the rehearsal dinner’s style, it’s always courteous to send invitations after you’ve received wedding RSVPs. They needn’t be fancy—you can find fill-in-the-blank ones at stationery stores or make them on your computer at home.

Where Do We Have It?

You might have the rehearsal dinner at a restaurant, preferably with an attractive private room; in someone’s backyard (for a cookout!); or even at a clam shack or pizza parlor for a super casual affair. Be creative, because, really, anything goes as long as you and your guests are relaxed, comfortable and having a good time. If you want to find the ideal place to have your rehearsal dinner, check out Partyspace.com

Although special, having a fur ball in the wedding can get a little complicated so,  here are a few factors to bear in mind and some special ways to celebrate your four-legged other significant other:

The Serious Stuff – There are a few non-negotiables. Is there a place for your animal to rest comfortably if they need a break from the action? Is your venue pet friendly?  Be sure to give your site coordinator, planner and all of your vendors a heads-up if you intend to bring your pet.

Is your pet a good citizen? Be completely honest with yourself here.  Biters, jumpers, nervous nellies and scratchers should stay at home.

Will your pet enjoy the party? A dog who freaks out during thunderstorms will probably not enjoy crowd noise and music, but if your pet is easygoing and social then they should be fine.  When you are interviewing talent ask about their experience with pets and parties and if they have any tips for you.

Consider your guests: If you’re inviting small children, or people with asthma or allergies incorporating your pets may be less than inviting. People with allergies often ask about pets before going to someone’s house so that they can bring along medicine. But, no one would think to ask if pets were present before going to a wedding.

The Silly Stuff - Tell your photographer that your pet will be at the wedding and make sure that there are plenty of pictures to document their presence.

Dress up your pet-  Everyone else will look their best and so should your animal.  Make sure that they are well groomed.  If your dog hates clothes then choose a cute new collar or harness instead of the canine tux.

 Have an Exit Strategy- Assign a family member that is not in the Wedding Party with a plan if your pet is not cooperating or gets nervous.  Cute pictures and lots of Ahhhh’s aside you do not want to subject your pet to undue stress.. or your guests for that matter.

Maybe just maybe, you will get a “woof” when you say I DO!