When a bride and groom face a wedding day without a loved one, such as a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend who has passed away, it’s a lovely tradition to create a floral tribute arrangement in their memory. In the past, brides and grooms have handled the tribute by printing in their programs that all of the floral arrangements are in memory of (departed loved ones), but now they’re taking the time to arrange for a separate, unmistakable floral tribute arrangement.

A wedding ceremony program serves many different, important purposes in contemporary ceremonies: it is a guide to the order of the ceremony; it is a place to list the members of the bridal party; it is a way to explain any special rituals or customs in the ceremony to your guests; it is a vehicle for the bride and groom to express their thank-yous and acknowledgements; and it is a beautiful keepsake for couples to put in a scrapbook or their wedding album as one way to always remember their ceremony.

When thinking about your wedding ceremony, keep in mind the way that the music you choose for before, during and after your nuptials has the power to set the mood and convey the emotions that you would like your loved ones to experience at your ceremony. Music evokes feeling in a universal way that connects people and helps to build a shared experience.

One of the ways that any couple can make their wedding ceremony feel unique and meaningful is to write and read their own vows. But what if you want to write your own wedding vows but never earned A’s in English class and aren’t sure how to put your thoughts down on paper? Not to worry. With a few simple steps, anyone can bring out the writer within and craft evocative vows in one’s own true voice.

In years gone by, a church wedding was considered the only proper wedding and a “courthouse” wedding was more often than not seen as a last resort for eloping couples or for those people who were thrown out of a church. But times have changed, and it has become a perfectly acceptable choice to go with a civil over religious ceremony, especially for those couples without a strong religious or cultural identification.

Planning an at-home ceremony and reception saves you a ton of time – you don’t have to deal with finding an ‘available’ date at both a ceremony site and a reception site. Your home (or the home of a relative, should they offer their beach house, mountain home, or gorgeous estate) is available on the big day. You’ll also avoid the kinds of restrictions and requirements that many official wedding sites have: for instance, at some churches, you’re not allowed to take flash photography, and the site might actually restrict the kind of music or readings you can include in your ceremony. At some reception sites, they might have rules about not staking tents into their grounds for an outdoor reception. At your home, you’re the boss. You make your own rules.

Mazel Tov! If you are planning a Jewish wedding, you have several important factors connected to your ceremony to consider. The following list can help you to create a meaningful Jewish wedding.

   Having an outdoor wedding ceremony can be beautiful; however it can present challenges as well. To find the perfect location, consider city and state parks, bed and breakfasts, botanical gardens, wineries, museums, hotels, and historic homes. Consider the following things as you compare locations.

The ceremony is the most important part of your wedding day. During the ceremony you will recite vows to one another that will legally bind you as husband and wife. Ceremonies vary in length and complexity. If you are a member of a church, you may be required to have a ceremony prescribed by the church. Other churches allow the bride and groom to have much in-put into the planning of the ceremony. If you are not having a church wedding, you have total control of the ceremony planning

He proposed; you accepted. Now, as you begin planning your wedding, the thought of a beach wedding at sunset seems most appealing. However, having a wedding on a beach presents some unique challenges. The following tips will help you as you begin your planning.