One of the most common questions I have received from brides lately is the use of monograms and the etiquette rules of when to use what and when.  So let me shed some insight and hope you find it helpful too.

Q: Whose name/initial goes first?

A:Ladies always come first! The woman’s name/initial always comes first on a monogram because the man’s first name/initial should never be separated from his last name/initial.

Q: When can we start using our married monogram?

Simple rules:

Before the wedding ceremony: It’s a big no-no to use your married monogram before you’re actually married. So that means using a monogram with your new last name or intial on save-the-dates, invitations, thank you notes, etc. is taboo. Instead, use a monogram that has just your first initials or first names.

During the wedding ceremony: This is still a gray area for some, but I say if you want to use your married monogram, go for it! The married monogram is a visual symbol of two people joining as one… so I personally feel the wedding ceremony is a perfect time to begin using your new monogram on anything from aisle runners, unity candles, programs, etc.

After the wedding ceremony: Anything goes! Use your married monogram on anything you wish- the reception is a complete green light to display your new married monogram proudly be it on a table runner, menus, the cake, the dance floor, anything your little heart desires!

SO there you have it!  The Ps & Qs of monograms!

Who isnt wild about their iPad?  I now cant live without mine, so I thought “this is way too cool” when setting up any bar!  Making a signature drink can save you money and time…… yup, having that signature drink allows your bartender to serve up that first drink faster, which makes your guests happy too!

There’s nothing better than arriving at a wedding reception and being greeted with a refreshing cocktail. But finding the perfect signature cocktail for your wedding sounds easier than it is. How do you make it original and personal at the same time? We’ve got a solution: Martha Stewart’s new iPad Cocktails App. Use it for weddings, bridal showers, engagement parties, even a Friday night!

The App features a roulette-style recipe finder, letting you pick your cocktail by taste and liquor preferences. There are even “how-to” videos and detailed instructions.

Not serving alcohol at your event? The app has Mocktails, too. (why do they refer to them as Dry counties anyway?)

Downloading is easy,  the hard part, which one will you make?

1. Find the front.

   Most bouquets have a “front.” If you find a brooch, bow, or other decoration on the stem, or if your bouquet has any cascading elements, this will be easy to determine. If your bouquet is the basic  hand-tied type, you’ll need to rotate it until you find the part that looks best. The “best” side will be the most full and symmetrical, like this:

   
   Keep this part facing out, particularly during the ceremony and for formal photographs. If you don’t, your bouquet may look like this:

It’s just not as nice.

2. Grasp (or cradle) it gracefully.

1. For a nosegay or cascading handheld bouquet (most bouquets)…

   Use one hand to gently grasp the bouquet at the base of the blossoms near the top of the stems. Never, ever with white knuckles like this:

   
   …and certainly not like this ridiculousness (I don’t care how long or short the stems are!):

   
   …and save these interlocked fingers for prayer and hand-holding:

   
   
   

For a single rose…

The best way to carry a single rose is probably to simply hold the stem in your fingertips a few inches from the blossom. Think that looks weird? You’re right. Don’t make your bridesmaids carry a single rose.

For a single calla lily…

The sleek nature of the calla lily lends itself to being cradled along the arm, the way Miss America would carry a bouquet.

3. Keep it low.

Not this low:

And, unless instructed by the photographer, your bouquet should never be held at your neck…

…or chest…

Instead, think of keeping your thumb near your belly button – your forearms will hit your pelvis, like this:

Remember that a bouquet is a very feminine accessory. Doing this is or letting your bouquet hit your knees is only okay if you’re trying to pose for a sassy photo:

Many women will choose to be escorted down the aisle. I’ll save the speech on how to properly take a gentleman’s arm for another post, but for now, let’s review how to handle a bouquet and an escort.

It’s not like this. This says you’re clueless about what to do with your new bride accessory:

It’s not like this, unless you’re partial to square dancing:

Instead, hold your bouquet with your forearm at your pelvis and take your escort’s arm like this:

REMEMBER: in most cases,you will be walking on the left side of your escort (they walk on the right- this makes you close to your escort’s heart!!) Hold the bouquet accordingly.

Wish you had the luxury of TWO dresses for your wedding? There are options and you don’t need to be royalty to have two distinct looks at your wedding.

What makes the Two in One gown so much fun is the great reveal as the bride and groom enter their reception for the first time. The traditional bride from the ceremony will be replaced with a sassy bride who is ready to hit the dance floor! Make the most of the change by also changing your accessories and possibly your hairstyle. Swap out the classic pearl bridal jewelry for a stack of Swarovski crystal bracelets. Slip into a fabulous pair of jeweled high heels with crystal embellishments to complement your Swarovski crystal bracelets and earrings. You may even wish to literally let your hair down; ask your stylist about creating an updo which is designed to be released after the ceremony.

All in all, the convertible wedding gown has a lot of potential. They are not yet widely available, but a few designers are starting to offer them in their collections (I first learned of them when I saw a David Tutera breakaway gown on “My Fair Wedding”). If you are looking for a bridal gown that offers two looks for the price of one, the convertible gown might be exactly what you desire.

Check out this dress from David’s Bridal

Simple elegance that you can TOTALLY dress up! Add some bling with a gorgeous belt! Add some color with a sash!

THEN, when it is time to party the night away, look what you can do……………

Add an elegant flower and a fun “fascinator” (you know, one of those fun headpieces that were EVERYWHERE during the royal wedding) and you have an outfit fit for a princess (and a party girl who can dance the night away!)  Now on to the shoes………..

As social media becomes even more integrated to our daily lives the rules of etiquette are a bit unclear on the parts that are acceptable. Weddings are the one place that can put the etiquette rules to question. This is a day you want to share with the world but we all know that a “status update” can be a complete distraction from the event (come on, you know you don’t pay attention to ANYTHING when typing your update or tweet!!!)

So how can you use Social Media and still maintain the decorum of proper etiquette?

1. Before the wedding

Many times your wedding party has never been introduced to each other. This can make for an awkward situation as the wedding festivities begin. Facebook “groups” can be a perfect platform for your party! Introducing wedding attendees online before the big day can help you avoid any day-of awkwardness. This will give people the chance to break the ice and virtually get to know a little about everyone else.

2. The Ceremony is off-limits

We’ve all seen the video where the couple updates their facebook relationship status on the alter. Sure it was funny the first time but……. The wedding ceremony should be off limits. This is a scared ceremony that should be respected (just as marriage is to be respected!) My advice, leave your phone in the dressing room (with the ringer off!!!!) I say to my couples, everybody you need today is here, so the phone wont be ringing!

3. Make it a tweet-fest reception

All tweeters know the power of a # – Hashtag. You can create a custom hashtag for your wedding day. Make it something fun and easy to remember. This will make all tweets from your day easy to find later on and helps to create a feeling of celebration for your guests.

Getting the word out to your guests can be FUN! Instead of putting disposable cameras around, make signs with the hashtag for your event and encourage your guests to send you their well wishes, touching moments and snap shots. These are moments that otherwise would have been missed.

Instead of a guestbook appoint a “Tweeter In Charge” and create a wishing station. You can post well wishes, photos and a whole host of things! All for the bride and groom to experience later. You can also choose to read a few wishes and tweets during your toasts. What a fun way to get your guests involved (once again, our OMG wedding tips TOTALLY apply here!!!)

4. Set Up a Social Media Station

The way of the guestbook is fading fast. We are always looking for the next “thing” in registering the thoughts of your guests! But how can you mix tradition with modern? How about a “Social Action Station.” A “social action station” is a place where those who want to connect or comment online can do so, without forcing the issue onto the uninterested.

Set up a station with a laptop, a webcam, projector and screen. Encourage guests to come by, and leave their mark however they want- a facebook post on the “event wall”, tweet their well wishes and watch others’ tweets scroll over the screen. Any form of social media can be used, as long as you have the expert to set it up!

This can also work for photos, as well as text-based communications. A live stream of photos from the event can be a fun way to engage people and encouraging sharing.

5. Live Stream for Those Who Can’t Make It

Thanks to the wonders of modern tech, nowadays you can share your special moments with people who can’t make it in person. Ustream is one such site that can help you share your ceremony with those well-wishing from afar.

“Live weddings give our users an opportunity to experience Ustream in a completely new way. It’s very exciting to see our broadcasters offer unfiltered access to the best moments of their lives. That’s one of the many reasons we’re here,” says Ustream’s Tony Riggins. “The use of Ustream to share (publicly or privately) your day live online for friends and family that cannot make it to your ceremony is especially useful for those having destination weddings. If Great Grandmother cannot make it, she can still virtually attend and share in your joy,” Howard says.

And don’t think this means you’re spilling private moments all over the web; there are ways to make this a private process, Stevens points out:

“If you have loved ones who are unable to attend the wedding, collaborate with your videographer on showing a live feed of the ceremony via Ustream or another online video streaming service. You can make these password protected if you’d like, so that you can share your joy only with people you know and not random Internet strangers.”

Brides all over have streamed some of their special day to far-flung elderly relatives, and even got them involved in the speeches:

6. Don’t Forget to Enjoy the Moment

You only get one wedding day — if things go as planned, anyway — so don’t waste any precious moments you could be interacting with real-life people. Rest assured anyone who is following your day online will certainly understand your priorities. Changing a Facebook status from engaged to married just after the vows is a growing trend, but don’t miss taking in those moments with the people actually there with you. Put down the phone and enjoy the company of those who came to celebrate with you

“When you’re one of the major participants, you need to unplug for the day and focus on the people who are actually there with you.

7. After The Big Day

Finding the best way to summarize your wedding day: Set them up in advance and you will have everything in place for your wedding day!

• Facebook Event
  
• Flickr- Have your guests upload their photos to a custom and private flickr page (set up in advance!)
  
• Blurb -With Blurb, you’ll find all the tools you need to make your own photo book
• Party On by Get Married- PartyOn! finds your guests’ photos, videos and posts from across the web and gathers them all into one simple, fun place.