A wedding rehearsal is really not a rehearsal.........It is only a "walk-through" of what will happen during the ceremony.

It is not like a Broadway play or Hollywood movie, where everyone has to practice all their singing, dancing, acting, and stunt parts together.

If you have readers or musicians, they do not need to take up everyone's time by practicing at the rehearsal. If your readers feel they would like to practice, they should arrive a little early to practice their reading.

Most rehearsals take about 30 minutes or less. It should not take longer than the actual ceremony.
All your bridal party needs to know is when to walk in, where to stand (or sit), and when to walk out.

The purpose is to show people where they fit in so they will hopefully feel a little less stressed about their roles in the actual ceremony.

I really feel that a simple rehearsal or "Walk-Trough" is very important to put everyone's mind at ease and to make the parties involved feel a little more calm and confident.

Every wedding, I see so much cake wasted!! Some people just do not like cake! (Wish I was one of them...ha ha)!

I always suggest to my clients to order cake for less people (example: 200 guests, cake should serve 130 people) and then order pastries and/or cookies. Guests like to have the choice and it always looks great on the table along with an elaborate coffee/tea station...whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, chocolate shavings, etc.

Serving the cake as a dessert at each place setting just does not work! It takes 45 minutes to an hour for the cake to be cut, plated and served. By that time your guests are up dancing, visiting or getting a drink at the bar. Sometimes they never return to their table and never see the cake. It always works much better when the cake is displayed on a station.

We had a Spectacular vacation!!!! 12 days of PARADISE!!!! We swam with Sea Lions in the Dominican Republic, snorkeled with big blue parrot fish in Aruba and saw giant star fish, sea turtles and Manatees in Curacao and had a GREAT time at Margahritaville in Cozumel!!! (We are both big PARROT-HEADS!!!! I have every Jimmy Buffet song on my I-pod)!

We saw unbelievable sunsets that actually gave you chills!!! It was one of the best vacations I can remember!! We also got a lot of rest and met some wonderful people! The weather was in the 90's most days...we did sail through a tropical depression and it rained 2 days, but it didn't matter because we were on a beautiful ship in the middle of the Caribbean Sea!

It is always nice to come home, but reality hit when we hit got off the plane Sunday night to 38 degree temperatures!! ha ha I was ready to turn around and go back!!!!

I hope you enjoy some of my favorite pictures!!!

This was the view from our balcony on our January, 2008 trip....(Puerto Rico)


I will not be posting for awhile....I am leaving tomorrow for a 12 day Caribbean Cruise. Needless to say I CANNOT WAIT!!

This will be our 13th cruise!! Our first cruise was in 2000 and we became totally addicted!!! Cruises are such EASY vacations, it is all paid before you go, everything is done for you.........the food is great and the entertainment is always Top Notch.

We are leaving from NYC and visiting 5 islands......Dominican Republic, Aruba, Curaco,Belize and Roaton, Honduras. This is a repositioning cruise....we leave from NYC and end up in Miami.

The one thing I am looking forward to the most is our shore excursion in the Dominican Republic......we are going to swim with the Sea Lions!!!!!! You all know how much I love animals...This is going to be the highlight of our trip!

It has been a very busy wedding season, so the rest is very welcomed! :) My husband will not let me take my lap top.....which is probably a good thing!!!!! :)

I will be back on November 9th....I will post pictures and give you all of the glorious details! LOL

Place cards are usually on tented cards and displayed in a row....maybe with some rose petals around them..HOW BORING!!! Ha Ha

I encourage my clients to get creative....the place card table is usually the first thing guests see.

Pictured above are some ideas......below are some things to think about when you are thinking of place card ides.

1. Make sure your place cards are in alphabetical order not in table order...this will make it easier for your guests to find their card.

2. Use an easy to read font when printing your cards...if you are hand writing them, make sure they are legible.

3. display your cards in a manner that will enhance the general "look" of your reception.

4. Be creative....

There are lots of websites that will give you ideas... a site I recommend often is: http://www.beau-coup.com/placecardholders.htm

This morning we went to my daughter and
son-in-laws house for breakfast. We walked in to the wonderful aroma of pancakes, sausage and fresh coffee.....however.....there were no babies running to the door excited to see us.......I guess those days are long gone!! My oldest grandson Ryan (17) was at his girlfriend's house for breakfast with her family, the middle one...Joel....(15) was off to a Bills game with a bunch of his friends. He was picked up in hummer limo...no competition for his grandparents!! The youngest one Matt...(13) was home.....but he was very engrossed in video games! :)

After breakfast, I was able to convince Matt to come with me to Powers Farm market to go through the teepees and buy cider and doughnuts....Steve, (my husband) was going to stay at our daughter's to watch football..so....Matt and I also planned to go to a movie!!

On the way to the "Pumpkin Patch" we listened to music and talked. I realized that my babies were all young men now, and I had to enjoy them in a different way!

When the kids were little our "grandma" days were a weekly event......now they don't occur as often ..... but they are even more special!!

More and more the trend is leaning towards outdoor ceremonies . (I had 6 this summer!!)

They are casual, relaxed and there is nothing more beautiful if it is a warm sunny day with a cool breeze!!

WHAT IF IT RAINS ????? WHAT IF IT IS HOT AND STICKY ????? DO YOU HAVE A PLAN B ?????

Below are some tips for you to follow to help make your outdoor ceremony everything you dreamed it would be.

SELECTING THE TIME: You should consider the month of your wedding when selecting the time for your ceremony.

~SPRING OR FALL: Spring or fall: The middle of the afternoon is a good choice when
the sun is the warmest.
~ SUMMER: Late afternoon or early evening works best when the sun is beginning to set
and not blazing on your guests.

PLAN B: Weather can be VERY unpredictable, you never know when a thunderstorm or windstorm may blow in. Make sure there is an inside location available a your site that you can use in case of bad weather. If thee is not, you should rent a tent

What will you do if it rains? The ideal outdoor wedding location has an indoor location waiting just in case.

Many brides and grooms opt to have their ceremony outside and reception inside. In a pinch, the tables can be moved to the back of the room during the ceremony.

A tent is another option, but only for light to moderate rain storms. A heavy rain will soak the ground underneath, leaving guests with soggy and muddy shoes. Make sure any tent you rent is sturdy so it won't flip over, and that it has thick and weighted sides.

MAKE YOUR GUESTS COMFORTABLE: Take a few steps to ensure your guests comfort at an outdoor ceremony:
~ Have large tubs of ice water available as your guests arrive or have your usher hand out bottled water as they seat your guests.
~ Print your programs on fans.
~ Check the weather report the week of the wedding and if the forecast is HOT, rent some fans!
~ If you are not having a tent, have a basket of sunscreen available. Some guests may not realize that they will be out in the sun and not be prepared.

PREPARE FOR THE WIND: Not only do you have to think of the rain and the blazing sun, DON'T FORGET THE WIND!!!

If you are having a unity ceremony, consider a sand ceremony or wine ceremony instead of the traditional Lighting of the Unity Candle. If you must have a candle, make sure you have it in glass, but even then, remember you have to light a match or torch to light the candle and that may be difficult.

Tell your hairstylist that you'll be having an outdoor wedding so she/he can plan a style accordingly..

SOUND SYSTEM: Look into renting a sound system with clip mikes for the bride, groom and officiant. Your DJ or band may be able to easily arrange this for you.

DECORATIONS: One of the bonuses of an outdoor wedding is the natural beauty around you. Work with that, not against it.

If you have an idea in your mind for decorations, make sure you select a site that will support your ideas.

Visit the site a week before your wedding to make sure the grass is mown, the ground raked, and the flowers have bloomed. If your wedding is at a public park, you may want to ask the groomsmen to do this the morning of your ceremony. If it's been an especially cold season, you may need to supplement the flowers with some potted bulbs from a florist. Other decorations you may want to consider include an arch or trellis to focus the ceremony and frame the bride and groom as they say their vows.

MUSICIANS: Strings or a harp are great instruments of an outdoor wedding, but remember, Instruments do not like the hot sun…make sure there is a shady spot under a big tree or arrange for a canopy for the musicians to sit under.

DON’T INVITE PESTS: Ask the management of your ceremony site if they spray for pests. If they don’t, be sure to provide citronella candles or a bug zapper so that your guests won't spend the whole ceremony swatting at the air.

PERMITS: Don't forget to contact your city parks department or other local government to get a permit for an outdoor wedding. Be sure to ask about rules concerning trash removal, candle or torch lighting, and pre-wedding photography.