Wedding Party Guide

If you are planning your wedding, then one of the biggest questions in your mind is likely going to be your choice of wedding venue. The place where you are to be married and perhaps another place where you will celebrate often cause brides and grooms the most headaches. So to help you get started here are a few things to consider.

First, your venue should be accessible to all your guests. If you have guests flying over or traveling over, then you must have a venue that is near to airports or other transport links. This will minimize travel time and your guests will appreciate your forethought.

Secondly, think about how many people you are inviting. Your chosen venue must not be too large or too small for your guests. Consider your possible seating arrangements as the chances are not all of your guests will know each other. Try to maximize their enjoyment and comfort by avoiding situations for example, where an adult has to sit with a group of teenagers that they might not identify with.

After you have addressed the two questions above, there are a few more points you want to consider before committing to a venue. How much money do you have? If you don’t have much, then you have to be creative. You can get a venue at your college, a restaurant, or theater. Setting up your wedding at your old college or a theater will ensure that you have a sound system already in place, thus cutting costs. When you setup your wedding at a restaurant, you will save money because you don’t have to worry about the wedding reception. Find creative ways to get the venue of your dreams without blowing all of your savings in one go.

In a celebration like this, alcohol is a natural part of the occasion. So make sure that the place of your wedding party and reception each have a liquor license. With that said, never allow your guests to drink and drive so make sure you have adequate hotel and taxi services in the area.

If your guests will be bringing their cars, you also need to have adequate parking. And lastly, you must not forget that your wedding venue should have adequate bathroom facilities for both men and women.

It will take a lot of patience and planning before you can agree on your dream venue. Don’t lose hope and keep on looking at various places until you find it. Who knows, you might stumble upon a place that is a real hidden gem.

Historical Source of Traditions Regarding Weddings

Every culture has its traditions.  American culture is no exception and regarding tradition, nothing is more traditional that the wedding ceremony.  Of course, we as a culture are more diverse than ever before, and the actual marriage ceremony is often very different from one service to another service.  However, there are some traditions that are observed from one wedding to another which are a part of our culture.  One such tradition regarding weddings is the bridal shower.

Bridal Showers

This custom actually dates to medieval England.  In London and other major city areas, the night before the wedding, a feast would be held in which the bride would brew ale and sell it to the invited guests at very high prices.  This was referred to as the Bride Ale and is on possible source for the term bridal.  The money collected was to provide the prospective bride with a dowry.

Regarding dowries, these were sums of money that were to be paid to the family of the groom to compensate them for the “loss” of their son.  The first historical reference to a “Bridal Shower” can be found in the June 4th 1904 issue of the Grand Rapids Michigan Even Press in which the writer says “And may derive from the custom in Victorian times for the presents to be put inside a parasol, which when opened would “shower” the bride-to-be with gifts.”

The Toast

There is much historical argument regarding the origin of this tradition, but you would have to attend many weddings before you would attend one in which the best man does not deliver a speech, laden with quotes and stories regarding the groom.  Traditionally this humorous and uplifting speech is intended to give the Bride the “real story” on her prospective husband.  Of course, there is occasionally a toast to the broad, which is accompanied with wise quotes about love from the groom or the bride’s father.

The Reception

The tradition most likely goes all the way back to the beginning of the wedding itself.  The various details regarding the celebration are very different from culture to culture but always include a variety of speeches and traditional dances.  This is generally a feast and in some cultures can last days!  There are practices that involve gifts of money, gold, and other valuable items to start the couple’s life with.  Regarding the honeymoon, this term may come from a French term “lune de meil” [lit. "Month of honey"], referring to a one-month supply of Mead (an alcoholic beverage made from honey) that was given to the happy couple to allow them to be happy and left alone for one month. Talk about a wedding party!