20 Interesting Wedding Traditions And Superstitions

As I was watching Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici's wedding last Sunday with my friend, I mentioned how it looks like it's going to rain. She responded," I hope it does, that means good luck." I asked, "Really? I have never heard that before." She answered, "Yes! You should look it up and write about it on your blog." So sure enough I looked it up and am now blogging about it and other superstitions and traditions to make sure you have luck on your day!

A lot of these traditions and superstitions I found from theKnot.com as well as from Martha Stewart.

• 1. Rain on your wedding day is considered good luck according to Hindu tradition.
• 2. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Funny- it's the most popular day of the week to marry!
• 3. The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below.
• 4. In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlyweds' home as a symbol of fertility and luck.
• 5. Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart.
• 6. In the symbolic language of jewels, a sapphire in a wedding ring means marital happiness
• 7. A pearl engagement ring is said to be bad luck because its shape echoes that of a tear.
• 8. Aquamarine represents marital harmony and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.
• 9. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.
• 10. Brides carry or wear "something old" on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
• 11. The "something blue" in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.
• 12. In Egypt, the bride's family traditionally does all the cooking for a week after the wedding, so the couple can…relax.-Wish this was the case in America!
• 13. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake.
• 14. The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.
• 15. Seeing Each Other Before The Wedding-This superstition dates back to the time of arranged marriages, when people believed that if the couple saw each other before the ceremony, it would give them a chance to change their minds about the wedding. Today, however, many couples choose to meet up and even have portrait sessions before saying their "I dos."
• 16. Knives as Wedding Gifts-According to folklore, a knife signifies a broken relationship and is bad luck to give as a wedding gift. If knives are on your registry, just give the gift giver a penny. That way it's a purchase, not a gift.
• 17. A Spider On Your Wedding Dress-Finding an eight-legged creature on your gorgeous gown might seem like a wedding-day nightmare, but English lore claims that finding a spider in your wedding dress is a good omen.
• 18. Ringing Bells-Bells are traditionally chimed at Irish weddings to keep evil spirits away and to ensure a harmonious family life. Some Irish brides even carry small bells in their bouquets as a reminder of their sacred wedding vows, and they are a common gift for newlyweds.
• 19. Breaking Glass-In Italy, many newlyweds smash a vase or glass at their wedding, and they put a lot of muscle into it, too. The tradition says that however many pieces the glassware breaks into will symbolize how many years they'll be happily married. Some of you may remember this from the movie When In Rome when actress Kristen Bell can't break the glass at her sister's wedding. 
• 20. Crying on Your Wedding Day-It is supposed to be good luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day because it symbolizes that she has shed all her tears and will not have any to shed during her marriage. So go ahead and get teary-eyed. Just be sure to wear some waterproof mascara. 

Now you are all informed on where all these fun wedding traditions started and how to ensure you have good luck on your wedding day. 

Emily & Mike O'Bryant

So my dear brother-in-law and now sister-in-law recently were married two days after Christmas. It was crazy we flew out on Christmas Day. We rushed through opening presents to leave for the airport at two o'clock in the afternoon. Our flight was then delayed turning what was supposed to be a four hour trip into a six hour trip! It wasn't very fun to say the least, BUT it was worth it. We were welcomed by 70+ degree weather and what felt like summer. It made it hard to fathom that it was still Christmas day.

The wedding was at the Los Angeles LDS Temple. It was very special because my grandparents served a church mission there. I was able to go to the visitors center and see where they served and was able to think about them as they are have passed on. The Los Angeles Temple is GORGEOUS and huge! We found it's the second largest temple and would be the largest if the Salt Lake Temple's underground areas weren't accounted for.

Anyways, the ceremony was beautiful. Mike & Emily make a very handsome couple and it was a pleasure to be apart of it. They had their reception at the Sterling Hills Golf Club in Camarillo. I was asked to help set up and got a few pictures before everyone got there. They're obviously not professional- as I took them on my phone and you can see some boxes on the tables and signs not hung up but you get the idea :) As you can see their colors were mint green and navy blue with some accents of grey and cream. It all turned out very nice.

I didn't get any pictures of the couples first dance, nor the father-daughter and mother-son dance unfortunately, but they did have that and have a video of them playing in the background.

The nice thing about paying for a good venue is not having to worry about the take-down of the whole thing. All we had to do was clean up all the decorations that we brought. We didn't have to worry about the linens or the leftover food because it was all provided.

Congrats Mike & Emily couldn't be more happy for you guys!

4 Hair & Makeup Trends For 2014

Here is what 2014 is forecasting for the hottest wedding makeup and hairstyle trends:

1. Boho Braids: Wedding braids have been talked about for a while now but they are going to be HUGE for 2014. Braids are not just a casual hairstyle anymore they are becoming more glamorous and dressy. Brides are going to be feeling a lot different about braids this year whether it's a simple braid or a bunch of small braids put into an up-do.  

2. Cat-Eyes: Cat-eye makeup has been fashionable for a while now and has become quite popular amongst brides. It gives brides a retro look and classic look while looking AMAZING in photos.

3. Pretty Pink Lips: Notice-me-berry and baby-pink lips are a 2014 spring look for this year. Pink is going to be the statement look for brides. These colors aren't as bold as the red and go perfectly with all flowers, themes and tones. The nude lip is also trendy and stunning and will give a more simple, natural look for brides.

4. Hair Pieces: The vintage hairpieces have been loved by brides. They are a bit limited as to matching with your dress, theme and style but they are becoming more and more recognized and trendy for all brides. I personally love them and think they are very romantic and elegant.

Yay for hair and makeup trends for 2014 :)

Bridesmaids Gifts

As a bridesmaid you help and do a lot for the bride and for the wedding. As a bride you should definitely be thinking about what you are going to give each of your bridesmaids. It doesn't have to be big but it should be meaningful and show your appreciation for all their help. As a bridesmaid you do do a lot and it's nice to know that the bride appreciates what you do. Depending on your budget you should set a small amount of money aside to use for bridesmaids gifts and maybe the groom wants to do so something small for his groomsmen as well.

Most brides have their bridesmaids buy their own dresses. The bridesmaids help plan the showers, and help with all the wedding day festivities prior to and during the actual day. I had a good friend tell me that she was a bridesmaid in another wedding where she was in charge of all the wedding favors. She made over 300 sugar cookies for her friend's wedding which took over six hours! Now I would say that is above and beyond a bridesmaids duties. Being a bridesmaid takes time, money etc. and so as a bride respect your bridesmaids and get them something. They didn't have to be a bridesmaids you asked them and they accepted because they love you. Now depending how much the dress and shoes they had to buy you should make sure you give them a good gift for that. If you bought their outfits, shoes etc. then you can probably get by with getting them something smaller like some lotion, a giftcard, jewelry etc. The possibilities are endless! So don't worry about what to get them. Remember it's the thought that counts! It's nice to write them a nice letter of appreciation as well. 

No matter what your budget it is PLEASE do them a favor and get them something, or they might just not like you anymore and never talk to you again ;) haha. Just kidding (kinda). 

Here are some cute ideas for bridesmaids gifts...

10 Ways She Trimmed $21,000 Off Her Wedding Budget

Myself and every other wedding planner will tell you the most important way to save money on a wedding is to PRIORITIZE. Decide what is most important to you and your fiancé before you start spending money. My husband is an avid reader of Lifehacker.com and in his reading he found an interesting article on how a bride saved $21,000 on her wedding budget. He immediately thought of me and sent it to me thinking I could refer to it. I thought it was an excellent article so I would like to share it with my brides.

The two most important things to this bride, Jane, was a live band and a pretty dress; she could care less about the programs and escort cards. Jane was able to always find a way to get everything she needed for less than full price. Whether than meant negotiating with a vendor, waiting for a sale, or using "rewards" points she ended up saving $21,484.00!

Here are the 10 ways she saved:

1. Don't Be Overly Accommodating. Her wedding was originally supposed to be on a Friday night and after she signed the contract the venue coordinator later called to tell her that she had accidentally double-booked her date. Jane didn't say that was okay, instead she said firmly, that she was disappointed and might take her business somewhere else. The venue coordinator then said that she would give her a Saturday evening wedding for a Friday evening price which saved Jane $11,450 less than it would have cost. Wedding vendors juggle at least four brides a weekend and errors aren't that uncommon. So if your vendor makes a mistake remember that you have leverage. Don't throw a tantrum, but don't be a pushover either.

2. Borrow Instead Of Buy. Before you purchase something think back to all the weddings you have been to recently, and think if there was a past bride that wore or used an item that you would want to use and borrow. Jane loved her sister-in-law's veil and so she borrowed it from her, and that saved her $50.

3. Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate. After Jane booked her venue, the next biggest priority was hiring musicians. She and her fiancé wanted a live band but she knew they charged a ton for a Saturday night. She told the bandleader how much she would love them to perform, but that the price was steep, and asked if there was anyway they could cut it down a little. They immediately slashed the price by $2,500.  Jane said she would think about it and get back to them. A few days later she called and asked again if that's the best price they could give. They said they could drop it another $2,500 if they paid in cash, and they would throw in a cocktail hour duo for free. That saved Jane another $800. Negotiating isn't always easy and can be scary because you don't want to annoy the vendor and make them not want to work with you, but it can be worth it. Bottom line: Never accept a vendor's first price without trying to negotiate.

4. Work With Your Venue. The wedding business is filled with partnerships. Venues always refer brides to certain vendors. Always ask the venue if there is a list of "preferred vendors." There is always a good chance you'll get a good deal that way. By using Jane's venue's preferred hair and makeup team her total cost of the package for her and her bridesmaids was $200 cheaper than normal.

5. Call On Talented Friends. One of Jane's and her fiancés friends is an ordained minister. They decided to ask him if he would marry them. Of course he accepted, and he didn't charge them. For their appreciation, they gave him a $250 gift, and still saved $250. They have some other friends who are musically inclined and offered to play music for free during their ceremony. They also gave them gifts and still saved $750.

6. Shop Around. When you are choosing a vendor always do your research. The more websites you visit, calls you make, and meetings you set up the more you will know when negotiating prices. Jane visited two florists and liked Florist A better than Florist B, but her price was $1,100 higher. She emailed Florist A and told her she would really love to work with her but she got an estimate from another florist that was $1,100 less. Florist A got back to her and matched her price. Jane got the florist she wanted for the same price!

7. Wait For Sales. The earlier you plan the more deals you will find because you will be able to wait for sales. Jane and her fiancé knew what bridal party gifts they wanted to buy for their bridal party way in advance, so they waited to purchase them. They were on TheKnot.com so they signed up for their newsletter. When December came around they got an e-mail about their "Year-end clearance Sale!" It saved them $120. She was also patient about her wedding shoes. She found some that were $215 from Bloomingdales but got them for $150 because of the big holiday sales that are around Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.

8. Pay Attention To The Fine Print. When planning a wedding you read and keep track of dozens of contracts that happen to be long and detailed. It is easy to skim through them quickly without really knowing what you are signing. Resist that urge, and analyze it to make you sure understand the agreement. Most places give you a copy of what you are signing but if they don't be sure to photocopy it in case you need to refer to it at a later time. Jane's vendor told her that it would cost an additional $180 to use two colors for invitations. She thought that sounded different from what the vendor originally told her so she went back and checked her contract. Sure enough the vendor was wrong. She pointed it out to the vendor and they corrected the error. Had she not spoken up she would have been charged extra.

9. Use Rewards Points. Since her fiancé is a Hilton Honors member they were able to use 160,000 rewards points to get a free hotel room for two nights for their honeymoon to Hawaii. That saved them $800. Remember to think about frequent flyer miles and credit card rewards points as well when making Honeymoon plans.

10. DIY It. Instead of asking a professional company to print her ceremony programs and reception cards Jane printed them herself. This saved her $175 for the cards and $400 for the programs. You can also find DIY wedding decorations, jewelry, food etc. It is easy to get sucked into the wedding spending whirlpool. In the end vendors just want your money they don't truly care about making everlasting memories.

Remember to focus on what's really important: that you and her sweetheart are getting married and starting a new life together. Try and cut back where you can so you can save for a new home together like Jane and her husband were able to do. For more ways to save go back and read my other post titled: Wedding Budget 101.

Wedding Day Emergency Kit

How many times do you go on a trip and forget something that you wish you had? That happens to me ALL the time and my husband can attest to that. Your wedding day is not one of those times you want or can forget something. So here is a list of must-haves to pack before your day so your day will run as smooth as possible, hopefully without any hiccups). This list was compiled from my own list, as well as StyleMePretty, MarthaStewartWeddings and TheKnot 

If I were planning your wedding which ( I should be) :) I would have most of these items for you as part of your wedding planning package. I will let you know the things you will need to have before your big day.

Brides:

• Lipstick/gloss
• Bobby pins
• Hairspray
• Water bottle
• Makeup
• Breath mints
• Nylons (Extra pair)
• Clear nail polish (for ripped nylons for you, bridesmaids etc.)
• Pain reliever
• Tide To-Go pen
• Razor
• Toothbrush/paste/floss/mouthwash
• Hand Sanitizer
• Tampons
• Chapstick
• Bandaids
• Kleenex
• Deodorant
• Tweezers
• Lotion
• Make up remover
• Q-Tips
• Small mirror
• Spare underwear (just in case)
• Earring backs
• Heel protectors for walking in grass in heels
• Chalk (for stain disguise)
• Dryer sheets (to fix static)
• Lint roller
• Eye drops
• Corsage pins
• Mini sewing kit (needles, thread, buttons, safety pins)
• Hem tape
• Lighter (for ribbon or hem that starts to fray)
• Small scissors
• Smelling salts (in case someone faints)
• Straws (for brides drinks so she doesn't mess up lipstick)
• Brush/comb
• Perfume
• Nail file
• Krazy glue
• Blister treatment
• Granola bar (you never know when you're going to get hungry)
• Nail clippers
• Pens
• Antacid
• Nail polish in the shade you are wearing

This is pretty much everything you may or may not need. You can never be too prepared.

Designing Your Layout

I am currently planning a wedding for my friend. She was so thankful I had mentioned to her the importance of designing a layout of the reception. i.e., where you want the chairs, tables, decorations, etc. She had also told me that her venue was asking for a layout down the road so they could help set up and get tables and chairs where they need to be so she was thankful I had mentioned it to her now. Her wedding is still a little over three months away but since I'm in Oregon and she is in St. George its even more important we are ahead of the game.

I recommend all brides start designing the layout of their reception four months prior to their big day so they can figure out how many decorations, and table cloths amongst many other things you will need. The layout should not only include tables, chairs, which decoration, centerpiece and flowers go where, but a detailed map of the venue. You will want to decide what door you want guests to come through, and which rooms you will be using on the day. You also need to know where all the outlets are so if you have lights and music you can plan out where it's all going to be plugged in and that will determine which tables go where.

If you are going to have a formal dinner then you need to strategically place where the head table is going to be so all the tables can see you. Remember the head table needs to be rectangular- you don't want guests looking at your back all night and guests don't want to! Have your immediate family sitting at the table closest to you. A lot of people forget about this and in the end only a select few tables can see them. You also can decide what guests you want at each table at this point as well. Remember not to over-cram the tables. Don't ever put more than 10 guests at each table.

Designing your layout is critical so that your reception setup will run as smooth as possible, and those helping will know what to do so they can get it done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Make your layout look very nice. This can take a while so take your time and don't rush this or it may reflect in the appearance and layout of your reception.