Your Wedding Advice - StrictlyWeddings.com Blog

Wedding Bar Advice

When budgeting your bar and stocking your beverages, averaging the number of drinks per guest can be a bit of a gamble.  Your reception venue will offer advice, we’re sure, yet it doesn’t hurt to know a few things ahead of time as well.
 
Wine
There are 4.5 glasses to a bottle. For your reception figure 2 people will drink one bottle. These days you can buy equal amounts of red as you do of white. If you have leftovers some stores or vendors will allow you to return unopened bottles. Or if your venue is supplying they should be able to place it back into stock.

Beer
Select one regular and one light. Purchase one bottle of regular and one bottle of light beer per guest. Choose your favorite beers or choose beers that are universally popular.

Liquor
Plan on getting fifteen drinks from each 750ml bottle. These portions are generous but the last thing you want to have to do is run out in the middle of your event! For your basic full bar, you want Vodka, gin, rum (light and/or dark), tequila, triple sec and whiskey. 

Soft Drinks
We typically go with the usual cast of characters that everyone knows: Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite (add a few Dr Pepper products if you’re in the South). For a two-liter bottle, figure ten to twelve people per bottle. This assumes that your cups are not 20 ounces and that you’re serving other beverages besides just these.
 
Bottled Water
It’s good to have some on hand in case your guests need to hydrate after hitting the dance floor and keep extra on hand for the end of the evening when guests have had a bit of alcohol beforehand. With the plethora of water brands on the market look over your budget and figure out the brand that works best with your budget. Tip: Serve discount store brands in pitchers or from the back of the house but do not stock visibly on the bar.

Mixers
99% of the time everyone will ask for at least one of the following: Tonic, Soda, Cranberry, Orange, and Grapefruit Juice (with a full bar). Orange juice is a big mixer, but it isn’t cheap. Some lower end brands don’t taste great, so, don’t include it with the bar unless the budget requires it.

Garnish
Limes, lemons, olives, onions (with a full bar). But also take into consideration what you’re serving. If you’re pouring cosmopolitans, why not float a few frozen cranberries? Or top off your cocktails by rimming the glasses with sugar.

Ice
Figure 2 pounds per person for serving and chilling. Get it delivered an hour or so before the party begins (at least). Select either cubes or crushed and store extras in either a cool place or freezer. If the party is outside, plan on keeping in large coolers.

There is no exact science to stocking your bar. You’ve got to take into consideration how warm or cold it is outside (if you’re having an afternoon party in the summer, up your ice quantity.) Don’t forget to factor in your menu (if you’ll be eating steak, ease up on your white wine quantity). And be sure to figure in your friends’ and family’s preferences. If you know you’ve got a heavy drinking crowd who loves martinis, stock up on some extra vodka, olives and lime juice. Experience counts, so ask the experts and consult with your caterers to make the most educated calculations that you can. 

Looking for great advice? Contact one of our StrictlyWeddings.com event planners or catering partners.

A Dance To Last a Lifetime…

The moment has come when the bride and the groom take the dance floor … it’s definitely not the time to be awkward or self-conscious. Many couples take several dance classes just to get comfortable with each other or just to learn a single dance. Don’t wait until the last minute to learn your dance! 

StrictlyWeddings.com suggest you start 4 to 6 months before the wedding with your dance lessons.

Be patient when learning. Dancing is a great stress reliever, and a fun date night, so don’t put too much pressure on each other. Take your lessons in the right shoes. We suggest wearing shoes to your lessons that are similar to the ones you’ll be wearing on the big day.

Take at least one dance lesson a week and practice when possible. Everyone feels most comfortable with a private lesson, but the classes and parties will be closer to what the rest of your reception will be like.

Learning to dance for a wedding is a special gift that you and your spouse-to-be can give to each other. A couple who feels confident and poised when they dance together will ensure that their very first dance together as wife and husband will be a memory they will cherish forever.

Things you may want to know for your first lesson…

1. What kind of music will you have at the wedding?
2. Will a band or DJ play your first song?
3. Will you have Mother/Son, Father/Daughter or bridal party dances?
4. Will your honeymoon have dancing? (Latin/Tropical getaway, Cruise,etc.)
5. What is the size of the dance floor at your reception?
6. How many other weddings will you attend this year?

POSSIBLE FIRST DANCES

• Can You Feel the Love Tonight
• How Sweet it is to be Loved by you
• Crazy for You
• Don’t Know Much
• Fascination
• Fly Me to the Moon
• When a Man Loves a Woman
• Here and Now
• I Just Called to Say I Love You
• I Get a Kick Out of You
• I’ll Always Love You
• I’ve Got You Under My Skin My Girl
• Night & Day
• Our Love is Here to Stay
• Smooth
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• Stand By Me
• Unforgettable

P.S. If you’re in the Dallas area and looking for a dancing lessons, visit The Dance Centers of Fort Worth and Mid Cities. 

Photography courtesy of Larry Sengbush Photography

Tips for Writing a Perfect Valentine’s Day Love Letter

• Get a beautiful and romantic sheet of paper, preferably of high quality. (Get plenty of sheets for those mistakes or rewrites that may occur)
• Write the letter when you are in a good mood.
• Clear your mind of any distractions and focus on your beloved. (You may keep his/her photograph in front of you to set the mood.)
• Play your favorite music if it inspires you.
• On a rough sheet of paper jot down the unique qualities in your beloved and your plans for the future with him/her.
• Always hand write the letter to give it a more personal touch.
• Write with a fountain pen instead of ball pen, as it appears more elegant (and won’t smear as bad). Your beloved may preserve this letter for years so make sure it looks as beautiful years after.
• Pay special attention to the opening and closing of the letter to leave a greater impact.
• Personalize the love letter depending on the stage of relationship you are at present.
• Write from your heart in simple sentences and in an easy to understand language.
• Avoid underlining the words and do not use all caps as it looks like you are yelling.
• In the body of the love letter you may write the special qualities of your beloved. Ideally emotional, physical and spiritual qualities in a person should be highlighted to make the recipient feel loved.
• You may share your hopes and dreams for the future along with your partner.
• Be truthful in your letter and avoid making promises you will not be able to keep and cause a feeling of distrust in your beloved.
• One page is an ideal length for a love letter. You may write more if you are comfortable with your partner but don’t make it too long.
• Avoid mentioning anyone else in your love letter. Just talk about your beloved and yourself.
• Give a high-impact closing to your love letter in a way that it sums up your feelings in a beautiful way. For instance, “I will love you always,” “Loving you forever,” “My heart is yours,” are considered to be a romantic closing for a letter.
• Always sign the love letter. You can use a “pet” name to provide more intimacy (just know that this could be a nickname your children may see as well)
• Go through the letter one or two times to check if you have conveyed your feelings effectively.
• Use thesaurus to choose perfect words for your feelings.
• Check for spelling and grammatical errors as this kind of errors convey carelessness.
• To add more style, you may stick a small photograph of yours to the top of the love letter. This will make your beloved view the photograph and reflect on you with fondness as he/she admires the content of the letter.
• Spray a fragrant perfume on the letter.
• Select a special stamp from the post office.
• Drop the letter in the mailbox and wait for the response. Or hand deliver it (especially if you’re just a few days away from Valentine’s Day).

Groom’s Gift to the Bride

One of the loveliest wedding traditions involves the special gifts that the bride and groom exchange before the wedding. The wedding gifts are usually presented either the night before the wedding in person, or by sending it to where the bride or groom is getting ready right before the ceremony. The latter is particularly common in the case of the groom’s gift to his bride. Of course the options are endless, but the right gift should be personal, romantic, and timeless. That is why the most popular gift for the bride is jewelry; not only is it all three of those things, but the perfect piece will also take her breath away.

(If you have a down-to-earth girl, there are still an array of gift ideas that are not jewerly, but that’s another blog!)

Choosing wedding jewelry to present as a gift can be difficult. It is important that the groom understands that the bride may not wear the piece he has given her during the marriage ceremony. (Gentlemen, please do not be offended by this!) What men often do not realize is that most brides will already have their wedding jewelry planned by this point. Whether she will be wearing a family heirloom or new bridal jewelry that she has carefully selected to coordinate with her gown, it is likely that the bride has already purchased or borrowed all of her accessories.

This is not to say that a groom should not give his bride-to-be a fabulous piece of jewelry as a wedding gift! If you would be very disappointed not to see that special necklace or pair of earrings adorning your bride as she walks down the aisle, there are some things that you can do.

• Drop hints to your fiancee that she is not to purchase any wedding jewelry. You may think that this will ruin the surprise, but believe me, your bride will love the anticipation of waiting to receive your very special gift. 
• Enlist her mother or a bridesmaid to help you select the wedding jewelry. That way, you can be sure that the necklace, earrings, or bracelet will be perfect with the bride’s gown.

If you prefer to keep the wedding gift a complete surprise, there are a couple of other ways that you can present it to your bride.

• Give it to her the day before the wedding. As she is getting dressed for the rehearsal dinner, take a moment to give her that tiny little box. That way she can wear your gift to the rehearsal dinner even if it does not work for the day of the wedding. 
• Another fabulous idea would be to have the gift sent to her right before the ceremony with a note saying how excited you are to see her wear the jewelry on your honeymoon.

The wedding gifts that a bride and groom give one another will always be remembered. It is a great way for the groom to show the bride how much he looks forward to starting their life together. A piece of wedding jewelry is something that the bride will love for years after the wedding, as it will always remind her of the romance of that very special day.

Visit one of our wonderful StrictlyWeddings.com Jewelry Partners for your gift.

Destination Weddings – Bridesmaid Considerations

Showing appreciation to your wedding party is a must, especially when they are willing to travel hundreds if not thousands of miles to bear with you.

1. Go easy on the extra expenses — two hundred dollar heels or a designer gown is simply unnecessary and unreasonable for a bridesmaid who’s so giving of her time and finances. If asking your wedding party to travel for your union, be flexible on the actual attire for the day. Consider allowing each lady to choose her own attire, with your approval of course. Or plan a shopping day when you arrive at your destination to find the perfect dresses. A lightweight sundress for the beach is the perfect compliment for the day or a chic vintage cocktail dress would be perfect when marrying in Europe. No matter what, get creative on ways to cut costs for your attendants’ attire.
2. A Spa Day Guys and Dolls — whether it’s golfing for the guys or a full on pamper fest for the ladies, treat your attendants to a day of bonding and relaxation in your destination of choice. After all, it’s their vacation too.
3. Please don’t expect those extra’s — don’t put added stress on your bridal party for extras like an over-the-top bachelorette party in Vegas or a lavish bridal shower. Let them off easy by hinting that simple get-togethers will do for any pre-wedding celebrations and demand no gifts from attendants who are already dishing out lots of cash.
4. Upgrades a winner with all — if your budget allows, consider contacting the hotel where your attendants are staying and upgrade their rooms. Whether you give them an ocean view or complimentary breakfast in bed every morning, they will definitely feel your love and appreciation.
5. Welcome them with Grace and Style — definitely consider gift baskets for your bridal party, if for no one else. Fill it with all the goodies they will need throughout their stay. When going tropical, give them sunblock, lip balm, after sun lotion, waterproof cameras and other treats that will get them beach ready. If heading off to wintery climes, a lush scarf, hot cocoa with marshmallows and extra thick socks are perfect.
6. Let’s Spoil the Family — if your attendants are traveling with their spouses or children, be sure to do something extra special for the family. In Hawaii, set up lei making classes for the kids, while sending your attendants and significant others off for duo massages. In Mexico, set up a private dinner in seaside cabanas for each couple.
7. Make it effortless — whatever happens, make the travel plans for your wedding party as easy as possible. Have your wedding planner or travel agent do all of the footwork, researching the best accommodations and fun activities each attendant might enjoy. Also, don’t forget to provide an itinerary for each member of your bridal party so they can be plan for their trip accordingly.
8. Down time a must — when planning the week’s celebrations, don’t forget to allow each attendant some down time. Give them the opportunity to explore the location on their own and partake in activities that you may not have incorporated into the week’s events.

No matter what, showing care and consideration for each person in your out-of-town wedding party will help you create the memories that will last a lifetime, not just for you, but for them as well.

StrictlyWeddings.com Destination Wedding Partners

Photographs Courtesty of Larry Sengbush, Photography