The Fresh Face of the Spring Wedding

So, you've already been proposed to this Valentine's or even before then, and now you are planning a beautiful Spring/Summer wedding. Here are some tips and ideas to make the going a little easier and help you get started planning the wedding of your dreams.

What to wear

For the Bride:

Dress: As the bride you have to remember that you are probably going to be doing the most walking, running around and fretting/sweating on your big day. In addition to the warmer spring weather and sometimes even the sticky humid spring weather, it might be best to pick a dress that is going to let you move and breathe. While White is still the traditional color, other colors such as Yellow, light Blues and Pinks and even Crèmes are also good color choices. Aside from color and comfort, choices as to what design and embellishments the gown has are up to you. To get some ideas on popular dress designs you can visit these sites to get you started:

http://www.illuna-fashion.com/bridal-dresses-2006.html

http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Gallery_of_Wedding_Dress_Pictures

http://weddings.theknot.com/odb/themes/gowns/designerView.aspx?id=14723&type=4&HPpos=5a&HPdate=20070209

As for your shoes, just make sure you're going to be comfortable in them if you're planning on having along ceremony and remember that you can always purchase a second pair specifically for the reception so that your feet won't be sore by the end of the night.

For the Groom:

Tuxedos: With spring being a time of new life and color, consider perhaps having your groom dress in a light colored garment accented with bits of color to match the wedding. A colored kerchief or even a subtly colored shirt under the jacket can make a striking impression. When it comes to styles, be aware that there isn't just one. Styles of tuxes these days can range from the traditional to an old New York Pauper style theme and everything in between. For outdoor or beach wedding, a casual atmosphere can be attained by letting the groom wear and loose fitting top and a pair of tan or crème colored linen pants. A lot of the wardrobe is going to depend on the weather if your affair is outdoors so do the best you can to pick items for you and your wedding party that are going to be versatile enough to keep them a little warmer if necessary with perhaps the addition of shrugs for the ladies and perhaps a lightweight blazer for the groom and his men.

For your Bridesmaids:

Dresses: Sometimes harder than picking out your own dress is picking out a dress style and color that every woman is going to be happy wearing and look good in. With spring weddings usually being a little more casual than a fall or winter wedding, it might be good to invest in separates for you bridesmaids. Separates are dress pieces of the same line, fabric, and color; however they come in different styles and lengths to accommodate each woman of your line. For example, even though all gowns are the same color, a thinner woman may consider a one piece while a heavier set woman or woman with a larger bust and small frame, may consider getting the separates to accommodate her.

Aside from having the trouble of situating each woman with her own gown, you could just as well decide to keep everyone the same and pay for the tailoring to make each woman comfortable in her own dress. Here are some websites with matching gowns, just to offer a few ideas:

Take a look at this slideshow from TheKnot.com to get a few ideas for this year:

http://weddings.theknot.com/odb/themes/gowns/designerView.aspx?id=14914&type=4

As far as colors, it is usually seen that the colors of the bridesmaids is the color of the wedding and in a spring wedding you have to consider if that shade of green is going to look as well on your ladies as it does on the table dressings. However this is not always the case. Dressing your women in a color to accompany the theme of the wedding is also a good idea if you are 'married' to a specific color but you know it may not look great on your maids.

The Maid of Honor also raises another issue. If you decide to have one, it is important to let everyone know that she is your Maid of Honor, perhaps by adding a noticeable accessory to her gown that none of the other ladies have, or perhaps having her dress is similar in color however different in design to differentiate between your bridesmaids, and your Maid of Honor.

For your Groomsmen:

In my experience the groomsmen have always worn similar outfits to that of the groom. Mostly it is decided as what looks most pleasing to the eye when they are standing next to your bridesmaids.

Where to get married:

Almost as important as what to wear and who will be involved in your big day, is where you're going to get married. It's hard to plan a wedding without having a place to be wed. Following, are some ideas for indoor and outdoor weddings and their good and bad points.

Traditional Indoor Weddings:

The traditional indoor wedding can take place in a church or other location where weather is not going to affect much other than what setting to put the air conditioner on.

Places like churches are often very busy in the spring so if you are planning a spring wedding, be sure to book the church you want to be wed at well in advance and be sure of the date. Most churches that are booked well do not allow much room for date reconsiderations.

Another popular indoor wedding location is country clubs. Whether you are a part of the club or not, for a fee you can often rent their large halls or covered areas to host your wedding ceremony. This is also a good choice because you can also host the reception in the same area, sometimes with a discount since you had the ceremony there as well. Jump online to view a list of country clubs in your area or the area you're planning to be wed to see which of them offers additional options such as scenic views, or perhaps if they are used to weddings they can help you set up or decorate.

The Outdoor Wedding:

Nothing is prettier in the spring than an outdoor wedding. However most of the time, they are subject to the weather so it is also good to perhaps have a backup plan such as, investing in large canopies or covered shelters in case of an unexpected rain shower or cold breeze.

Outsides of churches are a common sight during the spring if the church is lucky enough to have a large common ground that's big enough to accommodate your wedding crowd. Also, consider looking into cabins in your state parks and recreational centers. Most of the cabins vary in size and can be rented for a few hours or the whole evening to accommodate the wedding and the reception. That way if you decide to take the ceremony outside, inclement weather will not stop you from simply packing up and moving indoors where you can stay high and dry. Also look for features like small kitchenettes and bathrooms in the large cabins.

One of the most popular ideas for the spring is to get married on the beach. However while planning keep in mind that if you want a beach wedding that the temperature near the water is going to be lower than that inland, and you may want to advise your guests to bring light jackets or shrugs just incase of a breeze. Also, when planning a beach wedding take into consideration your attire. A long dress that will drag in the sand and get caught in the small shore waves probably isn't desirable if you've spent a lot of money on the dress or if it has been inherited. There are some companies now who make dresses specifically for beach weddings and from what I have seen can cost far, far less than the traditional wedding gown. Also, be sure that you will be able to reserve or close off your section of the beach and that you don't plan on a 'spring break' wedding to be crashed by young children with their families and college kids on vacation.

SEATING YOUR GUESTS:

When it comes to the ceremony seating arrangements can differ depending on the type of wedding you plan on having.

For indoor weddings in churches pews are the obvious answer, but, for indoor weddings that are in perhaps a country club or large recreation hall, seating can become a task. Be sure to ask and see if the place you are having your wedding might be able to rent you their stock of chairs for your event, and then you can decorate them with ribbons and bows or flowers if you like before the ceremony. If you have the resources, consider purchasing chairs to match the ceremony and place a small gift of thanks for attendance in each one, or a special name card can be attached to the backs of them if you are planning on a ceremony seating arrangement.

Outdoors once again gives you a few different options as far as seating. Consider long benches instead of chairs if your ceremony is going to be short enough, or even consider something out of the ordinary, like stools or lounge beach chairs.

After the ceremony: Your Reception

Now that the beautiful ceremony is over, it is time to have even more fun. It's usually in between the end of the ceremony and the reception that the wedding party pictures are taken with close friends and family. It is truly up to you to research and hire a photographer who takes photos which exhibit qualities that you want to keep in your album.

Once you've had your photos taken you can take an hour or two to yourselves to get re-dressed in more comfortable clothing or even if your going to remain in your wedding gown and tux, this is a good time to relax for a few and gather yourselves before the reception ceremony. If you had a small family oriented wedding then you can expect this to be the only time some of your guests will have seen you in your wedding gown an the groom in his tux so also take this into consideration if you are thinking about changing out of your earlier attires.

Besides deciding what to wear, where you have your reception is a decision that is going to take more planning than just where you want to eat. It also depends on the number of guests your going to have, an what places are available for the date of your wedding. Once again, since spring weddings are extremely popular it would be best to book the place of your choice a few months ahead, even if you can't give exact numbers as to how many people are going to attend, you can give estimates; for example, between 150 and 200 people or however many you have sent out invitations for.

As far as dining goes, in the spring it is a good choice to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables along with the main courses you'll be serving. A popular main course is oftentimes beautifully marinated pork tenderloin, or even fresh pasta dishes are great for a spring dinner. Salads are almost a must to showcase the tasteful colors that the season's gardens have produced.

If you decide to have a reception where the food is family made as opposed to catered or at a restaurant, take the time to pick out foods and recipes that you know that your family will enjoy or even consider asking older relatives some of the foods that your family is known for making well and use these to put together a dinner menu.

If you hire a caterer or decide to have the reception at a restaurant make sure to set up a food tasting at least a month before your wedding to make sure that the foods you choose for your menu taste how you would like them to. Feel free to make comments on the food and if you would prefer to have it cook or taste a bit different or even presented in a specific manner. The chef or caterer should have no problem tweaking the meals to make your day perfect. This can be especially important if part of your family is subject to food allergies. Also if you're planning on a restaurant, it may be in your interest to invest in an 'open bar' policy for the older guests. That way the guests can drink what they like with their meal and you simply pay for the tab at the end of the night. This can be ideal if you're afraid of running out of drinks.

During dinner is when most of your toasts and speeches will be held, therefore, once the eating is over, it is usually time for cake and dancing. This means you can either choose live music or hire a DJ. Whichever one you decide on is up to you and relies more on the type of wedding you're having. For example if you're having a modern stylish wedding, it might suit you to invest in live music that plays old Sinatra songs or songs from a time that symbolized romance.

If you decide to get a DJ make sure it's someone you can trust to play the songs on your list, and, be sure you do make a list. This can be one of the more daunting tasks seeing as how you don't necessarily have to pick every music selection; a majority of the songs the DJ will play are going to be similar in style to the ones you have chosen, even if they aren't necessarily your favorites. If picking a DJ it is sometimes good to go with the recommendation of a friend whose already had one for her wedding, or even if you know someone who would be willing to do it for you, such as a friend who Deejays.

Either of these options is also suited to outdoor weddings.

After the reception it is up to you whether or not to have a 'friends only' sort of after party. In my experience I have seen parties like this held at bars that the friends frequent, outdoor pool parties or even small hotel room parties. However, it is most likely by the end of the night you will be bushed and ready to sleep for the next three days!

If you are interested in more tips such as, gifts and accessories to accommodate your wedding, have a look at my other article "10 Gift Ideas for a Golden Wedding".