Maryland Wedding Venues

Finding the perfect wedding venue is usually half the battle when you start planning your wedding. It can set the tone for the entire ceremony and the party afterward. This is why the choice is almost as pain staking as picking the perfect dress ( well… Maybe not that hard) but close. In Maryland there are plenty of beautiful places to exchange vows but which one will be right for you?

Tabrizi’s in Baltimore, MD

This venue has won the bride’s choice award for the years 2010 & 2011 , looking at it’s beautiful decor it’s not hard to see why. This locations features both indoor and outdoor venues to fit any couples lavish dreams. The mediterranean feel can give your guests the perfect exotic feel without straying to far away from home.

 The Morning side Inn of Fredrick, MD

This inn is a great Maryland retreat for any great couple and their families. This renovated barn dating back to the early 1900’s is a jewel for historic themed weddings. Weddings and receptions are the main events held at this location since 1995 when the inn opened.

Pier 5 Hotel in Baltimore, MD

A lovely venue right on Baltimore’s inner harbor, this location is sure to give any couple exactly what they want. Boasting that they don’t specialize in the “cookie cutter” wedding , this locale and their wedding reps are sure to give you exactly what you’re looking for.

La Fontaine Bleu in Glen Burnie, MD

This spectacular venue is by far my favorite of all the Maryland venues! I am calling this venue a favorite due to it’s highly customizable decor and cake designs, all of the many variations they offer will allow one couples wedding and reception to look entirely different from the next, even if they were in the same room. Their newly updated chapel gives off a cozy and comfortable feel so that the couple can and will feel close to each other and their guests while not being cramped and overcrowded.

Renditions Golf Course in Davidsonville, MD

If you’re a golf lover this is the venue for you. While the bride primps and presses herself on the day before and day of the wedding , the groom can spend his time golfing a few rounds with his best man and even the brides dad. The great “Groom for a day” package is sure to make any groom’s feet nice and warm. During your reception the guests can enjoy the amazing clubhouse overlooking the entire golf course.

No, choosing a venue isn’t easy but it can definitely be fun for you and your groom. ENJOY!!!

Gifts for the Groom

Just like close friends and family of the bride, it’s going to be a hard task to find gifts for the groom alone. The newly married couple will be receiving plenty of new gifts to solidify their union and merge their homes. However, people like to give them individual gifts as well.

A New Watch:

Chances are, the groom spent a large amount of money on upgrading the bride’s jewelry collection with her engagement ring. So why not help him upgrade his own jewelry collection with a new watch, after all, a man can never have too many.

Engraved Cufflinks:

Most of the times, a tux is accompanied by cheap plastic cufflinks or studs, neither of them befitting a stylish groom. Upgrade the grooms tux by giving him a great pair of cufflinks so that he can properly escort his new bride.

At Home Poker Set:

Not everyone can afford to jet set out to the nearest gambling powerhouses when they feel the need to spend time and gamble with friends. So do the groom a favor and get him an at home poker set so he can get together with friends while still staying close to home with his new bride.

New PJ’s:

Why should the bride be the only one oozing sex appeal on their wedding night?Help the groom look his best with a new pair of pajama’s so that the bride has just as much to feast her eyes upon during the honeymoon.

Grooming Kit:

The groom is a grown man now, help him remember that by giving him a grooming kit so that he can remember to take care of himself. Looking good for the bride should be priority more than just on their wedding day and honeymoon.

Happy Shopping. ENJOY!!!

 

 

Gifts for the Bride

Giving the Bride gifts can be a hard task for those closest to her. It can be hard to differentiate between things the newlyweds may need as a couple and the things that will relieve that Brides stress after the big day is all over. There a few simple things to remember when doing your shopping and you’ll be on your way to the perfect gift in no time.

Digital Camera:

During their Honeymoon the bride and groom are going to visit many beautiful destinations and will want to remember their first days as a married couple for their entire lives. What better way to remember these moments then by having a sleek camera to snap shots with while these two love birds are on the go!

Gift Certificates:

There’s no better gift then a gift certificate, this way you can assure that the bride gets exactly what she wants and you will know she’s happy with it. You can fund things like a trip to her favorite department store or clothing boutique. Giving certificates to a spa is also a great idea, but with the honeymoon and all of the pre-wedding festivities your bride may want something more than to be pampered.

Personalized Goods:

If the bride is indeed changing her name, she will enjoy getting items that reflect her new initials. Most registries don’t feature items that are personalized so if you do purchase both the bride and groom personalized gifts they will be unique.

Honeymoon Gifts:

If you know where the bride will be jetting off to after the wedding it will be great to get her items that are a necessity for the location. You can even include pointers on must see places while she is away. More than likely she’s been so stressed out about planning her wedding that she hasn’t had much time to plan for the trip afterward.

Honeymoon Lingerie:

Every bride can use some new lingerie, especially for the honeymoon. If you’re not exactly sure about what to get her bring someone along that will know , maybe her future husband? If your shy you can opt for a conservative lingerie option that will still be a big hit on the wedding night.

Happy Shopping. ENJOY!!!

 

 

 

 

Mexican Wedding Destination

With miles of sunny white beach ,amazing sunsets ,and a vast array of ceremony locations Mexico has become an amazing place to marry.

Destination weddings in Mexico cater to all budgets and are diverse with beautiful resorts, stunning beaches and traditional Mexican fiestas. The most popular destinations for a Mexico wedding are Riviera Maya, Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and Cozumel, each exhibiting a uniqueness that differentiates them from one another and draws couples to their shores. The stunning Riviera Maya dates back to 2500 BC and bleeds Mayan culture and mythology, while Cancun is said to have the most spectacular beaches in the world.

No matter your chosen location to marry, attire for weddings in Mexico can be as lavish or as simple as you desire. You can elect to wear Mexican outfits that are culturally invigorating, don a tuxedo or soft, silky wedding gown, or go bare-foot in a light-weight beach dress. As you exchange wedding vows, the choice is entirely yours and you may dress as informal or formal as you like.

Once the formalities are taken care of you can then enjoy your beautiful Mexican getaway for your honeymoon.

Whats better than that?

Wedding tunes for your walk

The wedding processional is the grand entrance that every bride dreams about, it’s the moment when every head turns and all eyes are on the bride as she makes her way down the aisle. Having the right wedding processional music can make the moment even more memorable for you as you walk towards you soon to be husband. Usually a slow, romantic and uplifting piece of music works well for the entrance of the bridesmaids and their very elegant bride.

“I Do Cherish You” is a country song that sounds sweet even if you’re not a country music fan ,Mark Wills sings this song.

Nick Lachey  wrote and sang “This I Swear” for ex Jessica Simpson ,a very pretty song.

“Marry Me” by Train is an acoustic guitar ballad poignant in it’s simplicity.It’s been a favorite at many weddings this year.

“Back At One” by Brian McKnight is a nice R&B addition to the wedding song repertoire. If you want to walk to an original vocal version rather than an instrumental rendition, this is a nice mellow alternative.

“What A Wonderful World” is a transcendent feel-good song about life; perhaps it’s not the strongest as a wedding processional, but a great prelude or reception song.

Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” may seem a bit on the silly side for some but once you give the words a good listen you’ll understand.

“Only Hope” is a piano ballad from Mandy Moore, originally recorded (as far as I know) by the band Switchfoot .

“Grow Old With Me” is a vintage song from Mary Chapin Carpenter, its  reflective and thoughtful.

 

There are thousands of songs for you to choose from and whatever song you choose will ultimately reflect your personalities as a couple, choose wisely. ENJOY!!!

African~American Wedding traditions

The joy of marriage can only be explained by experience, but your guests can join in on your union and watch as the two of you profess your love for one another. A vital part of many wedding ceremonies are the traditions they may or may not include for some cultures your wedding may not be complete or built to last without them. In the African-American community there are plenty of old sayings ,traditions , and tricks we use on a daily basis, but there are also some wedding traditions that are a must.

Jumping the Broom:

Jumping the broom, is a custom that has its roots in Africa to symbolize the beginning of making a home together.It took on a deeper meaning when during the days of slavery in the America , African-American couples were not legally permitted to marry. As a public announcement and a statement of their love and commitment, a man and woman jumped over a broom pronouncing their entrance into matrimony. Today, African-American couples tend to include this custom in their wedding ceremony.

Cowrie Shells:

Some African-American brides wear cowrie shell necklaces or decorate their attire with cowrie shells they are believed to encourage fertility.

Tasting the Four Elements:

A little known and less practiced African-American wedding tradition, require that the bride and groom taste: lemon representing the sour, vinegar representing the bitter, cayenne pepper representing the hot, and honey representing the sweet and delicious times of marriage. This ritual dramatizes the traditional promise to love “for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health”.

        In every single tradition , no matter the culture there is a way to share and spread the love that the two of you feel for each other. Just remember to pick a few traditions and not too many is that’s an option, you don’t want your guests to become overwhelmed with things that are going on. Keep in mind it is easy to become confused if your traditions aren’t common place.

ENJOY!!!

Thanksgiving Wedding Ideas

Thanksgiving is a great time to catch up with family and friends while enjoying plenty of great food and laughter. Why not add an extra special meaning to the holiday with your wedding? A thanksgiving wedding can seem like a challenging task because it is right before or during the holiday season. However, it can be a lot easier if you remember a few key things.

Invites and Wedding stationary:

      Remember to send out your save the date cards well ahead of time. This is especially important due to the fact that your wedding will be on or around the holiday weekend.

You can decorate your stationery with things like beautiful fall leaves and colors. This gives your guests a clue on the environment they should expect on the day of your wedding. They can also tie your entire theme together with things like your place and escort cards, menu’s , and ceremony programs.

Wedding flowers and Decor:

         Your overall decor should reflect the thanksgiving theme of your wedding. This means no overly gaudy centerpieces that feature flowers and trinkets that are not in season. Instead , go with hollowed out pumpkins or cornucopia as your centerpiece. Decorate your table with faux fall leaves, rustic trinkets, and warm pumpkin scented candles if you’d like. This gives your settings the warm and personal feel that a family usually has at the table on thanksgiving.

Menu’s and Favors:

         The menu is always an important part of the reception, your guests are always excited to see what will be served. Depending on the specific date of your big day you may want to omit a few thanksgiving favorites. If you are getting married the weekend after thanksgiving you may want to omit turkey from your menu. It is not because your guests won’t like it, but because they have probably had enough by the time the weekend rolls around.

Outside of your cake you will need some tasty desserts and favors to appease your guests, and you of course. Sweet potato pie’s are always a great fall treat and you can also try something new and have a barista at your reception serving up warm fall inspired drinks and treats. Serving up candy apples as a favor is probably the sweetest thing you could do for your guests, everyone loves this timeless treat and it does wonder for any sweet tooth.

 

No matter what season you choose to marry in, it is always important to tie your wedding to the season. This is the best way to get the most out of your day without the atmosphere clashing with your dream wedding.

ENJOY!!!

Honeymoon at Sea

Vacations are nice, but none can compare to the romance and pure joy derived from a honeymoon. A honeymoon at sea is even greater because it’s so easy to plan and you get to see a variety of places for the cost of one trip. Most cruise lines and airlines may offer you little perks if you tell them it’s your honeymoon. For example , your cruise line may get you into that coveted dinner for two at the late dinner and your airline may put you on the standby list for a business class upgrade.

Though we all love free extras you shouldn’t expect any cruise line to bend over backward for you. After all you’re probably not the only honeymooners on the ship. But even then you can purchase specific packages from your cruise line to assure that you and your spouse enjoy the vacation.

Disney cruise line has a great “romantic escapes at sea” package. No you don’t have to be a newlywed in order to book this package but it’s certainly appropriate. You will receive a one hour couples massage , and fresh flowers in your cabin.

Carnival cruise lines gives all newlyweds a wedding cake at dinner on their first night. You can also arrange for the crew to decorate your room with a “congratulations” banner, balloons , and a cake. You can also pre-order a dozen red roses so that they are waiting in your cabin when you arrive. You can also look into the “high seas honeymoon” package which offers all of the perfect tourist trappings ( visors, cameras, T-shirts etc.) and discounted drinks.

Norwegian cruise lines host many honeymooners , so giving away costly freebies isn’t a common occurence. However, you can book one of four packages including the “deluxe celebration” package. This package consists of champagne and strawberries, a couples massage , a body wrap for her , breakfast in bed and in-cabin tea service ( which you’d get anyway), a bridge tour , a framed portrait , and dinner for two in the bistro with wine.

Royal Caribbean cruise lines offer a “classic romance” package. With this package you get a bottle of sparkling wine and canapes for two , pre-dinner canapes and after dinner sweets on the first night, and an 8×10 portrait in a silver plated frame. You can also upgrade to the “grand romance package” , that gets you Veuve clicquot and canapes, flowers, two woven robes, pre-dinner canapes and after dinner sweets on two nights, as well as the framed 8×10 photo.

There are many sea excursions for you and your honey to choose from. Once you’ve narrowed down where you’d like to go and the packages you would enjoy the most you can then discuss pricing.Remember booking early is always cheaper.

ENJOY!!!

Bridesmaids dresses in beautiful fall colors

             Fall can provide a beautiful backdrop for your wedding as well as a robust range of rich colors for you to choose from when making decisions for your wedding. Though it’s not the most popular of seasons, you can find a way to make this fall or the next your own by incorporating as much of it into your fall wedding as possible(without over doing it of course).

Brown:

This earth tone color is both rich and warm, and it brings about the thought of bare tree branches and crisp leaves underfoot. Brown is also flexible, as its wide variety of shades can complement any skin tone.

Green:

Green is also a great choice for your fall wedding because you can pick from many different shades of the color in order to bring the outdoors inside on your big day.

Burgundy:

Burgundy is a vital color to any fall back drop, there for it is crucial to your wedding plans. This rich shade of red is the perfect image of fall and all of its richness and comfort.

Orange:

Orange is another vital color to the fall back drop. The warmth of this color reminds you that winter hasn’t dried up all of summers beauty just yet. How perfect would that reminder be as a part of your wedding day?

 Fall colors are by far the most beautiful and rich when incorporated into any wedding.A combination of some of these colors have the ability to add an extra pop to our wedding decor.

ENJOY!!!

Finding Something Blue

         Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

             There have been plenty of time’s where we have seen a bride interpret these words in the same traditional fashion ;the handkerchief is old, the dress is new, the earrings are borrowed and  the garter is blue.But being that it is your wedding it is your turn to spin those words to your own liking.

            We aren’t really sure why the blue garter is a must , but we do know it’s still popular for the modern wedding. While a lacy blue garter is a valid option , there are a few other alternatives to choose from.

How about a pair of pretty blue shoes for the bride?

Or the bride may choose to wear a special set of blue sapphire jewelry?

Beautiful blue flowers can be a beautiful addition to the bride’s ensemble.

And if you’re interested in a little bit of drama then a pretty blue fascinator will surely fit the bill.

Though there are a few alternatives listed the possibilities are endless.Your “something blue” can be fashionable or personal, either way it is your’s. ENJOY!!!