The 10 I Do's

I was a bridesmaid this past weekend for my long-time friend’s wedding.  This was of course why I had attempted to take on the spray tan machine last week!  I’m guessing the developers knew that uncoordinated people such as myself would be dying to use their product and thus developed the spray tan to wear off fairly easily.  Luckily I no longer resembled an orange after a few days.  My co-workers, family, and Mr. Centner had some great laughs on my behalf though!

The wedding got me thinking about weddings – imagine that! The uniqueness of each wedding never ceases to amaze me.  At the heart of every wedding is the same goal - to allow the guests a peak into the couple's relationship and to celebrate the day that legally and spiritually binds them together.  However, the way each couple attempts this is always very unique.  Here are my favorite ideas from the weddings I've had the pleasure of attending (including my own).

My Favorite Wedding Touches

1. Video or Photo Montage - I LOVE seeing baby pictures and the story of what brought the couple together.  I've seen photo montages before but this past wedding was my first experience with an actual video.  The bride and groom talked about the qualities they loved in each other and recorded a message to the other to be heard for the first time on the wedding day.  With the drama and wedding issues of the day, it was a great reminder of why we were all there celebrating!

2. The Dollar Dance!  - Yes, it's old, not that original, and maybe Ms. Mannors would say it's tacky but I think it's a wonderful way for the guests to get some one-on-one time with the bride or groom during the rushed day and it provides some much needed extra money for the honeymoon.  It’s always interesting to see who’s willing to pay to dance with the couple!

3. Hand made invitations - Nothing makes me happier than opening an invitation that was created and pieced together by the happy couple.  My wonderful bridesmaids helped me with the invitations and Mr. Centner and I sealed them all with a melted wax seal.  Now, to be fair I should mention that not all guest received their invitation with the seal still intact but hey, we tried!

4. Meaningful Ceremonies - The goal of a wedding is to celebrate in the union of the couple in front of their friends, family, and God.  Therefore, I believe that the ceremony should also have creative touches from the couple and should reflect the seriousness of the union.  This may be a little harder depending on the person performing the ceremony, but I've been to some beautiful ceremonies.  I absolutely love when couples write their own vows.  We choose a couple readings that were very meaningful to us and asked my father and Mr. Centner's mother to read them.  We did a sand ceremony which symbolized our life together while still maintain our own individuality.  We wrote our own vows and also repeated the traditional vows.  I loved that we were able to share our own thoughts while also saying the words that our parents and grandparents had said for their own weddings.

5. Amazing Cakes - It's amazing what can be done with some fondant by a very skilled baker!  It’s almost too hard to imagine eating the cake because it’s so beautiful.  Don’t worry though, I’ve never actually passed up a piece of cake because it’s too pretty!   It's so hard to pick one flavor of cake that the weddings I've attended lately have a different kind of cake for each layer which I think is an amazing idea.  The only thing better than cake is more varieties of cake!

6. A non-traditional wedding party - Couples now have junior bridesmaids, an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen, and even dogs as ring bearers.  We had a Man of Honor.  Yes, a MAN of Honor.  I wanted my best friend standing next to me. He's been an amazing friend and I didn't think it was right to have him on my husband's side because he was MY friend first!  Yes, I do understand that last statement makes it sound like I'm in preschool fighting over my best friend, but that's how I felt!  Some people thought it was weird, some thought it was cool, but all that mattered was how I felt.  And I loved it!

7. Both parents walking the bride down the aisle - One of my good friends did this and I did as well.  A wedding is a joyous occasion, and for the parents it's an official sign that their little girl or boy has grown up.  My mother is an amazing woman and I would not be the person I am today without her.  Because of that I thought it was only fitting for her to give me away as well.  Plus, I was hoping she'd actually cry during the ceremony and I thought giving me away might push her towards tears faster.  Love you mom!

8. Something Unique - I've been to a wedding that was....standard.  Everything was done the way it should be.  The day went well but it lacked something: lacked personality, uniqueness, and excitement.  I've also been to other weddings that had something unique that set them apart.   One wedding featured the groom as the DJ.  He loaded up his Ipod with some great songs, set it to shuffle, and danced with his beautiful bride and guests.  Another wedding had a nacho bar - far from typical wedding food but it was such a hit!  I've even heard of couples having photo booths for their guests. 

9. Heartfelt toasts from the bride/groom - Yes, toasts can get annoying when the microphone seems to be passed to everyone in the room; however I love when the bride and groom acknowledge the guests, family, and wedding party's investment in the day.  Who doesn't love to be thanked and appreciated! 

10. FUN! -  It's amazing how stressful weddings can be!  We've all known or heard of bridezillas that believe their day is only about them. The best weddings are those where the bride and groom enjoy themselves, spend time with their guests, and work in wonderful, unexpected touches throughout the day, such as a $100 bill on the guest's chair.  Ok, so the $100 thing has never happened, but I would LOVE to experience that the next time I'm a wedding guest!