"Anna Maria Island (Florida) Wedding FAQ...
Yesterday we posted a wedding faq that was intended to be specific to Anna Maria Island.
Today we post a wedding faq that is not intended to be Anna Maria Island specific.
For a lot of you, this will be your first time walking down the Isle.
We don’t expect you to be the expert, which is why we created this directory in the first place.
We have searched online, talked to brides-to-be, and called some wedding planners to compile the following list of general (not anna maria island specific) wedding F.A.Q.’s:
Engagement:
Does the Engagement Ring have to be Diamond?
No. Actually, some women prefer colored stones like rubies or sapphires.
How much should I spend on an Engagement Ring?
A woman's engagement ring can be as expensive or inexpensive as is suitable to the finances and wishes of the couple.
Should I bring my fiancé to be with me to select an engagement ring? Or pick it out myself?
If you would like to surprise your fiancée with a ring, but also want to take her wishes into account, there are several alternatives available to you.
- Go shopping with her casually, to get an idea of what she likes, but make the final decision on your own.
- Make an agreement with the jeweler that you can return the ring you chose at full value for another ring if your fiancée wants to choose something else. Your fiancée will probably be hesitant to say she would rather have something other than what you picked out, so you will want to reassure her that you really do want her to pick the ring she likes best. You may also want to take her to the jeweler even if she says she doesn't want to go, to make sure she gets to see what the other choices are. This should be done very shortly after the proposal, before she has a chance to get overly attached to the ring you gave her.
- Get an inexpensive ring for the proposal, and explain that it is a place holder for a ring you'll select together.
Is it necessary to have a ring in order to propose?
Only if your prospective fiancée expects you to have one.
If you wish to have one, but cannot afford it, you might select an inexpensive ring or locket as a token.
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen:
When should I start choosing my Bridesmaids or Groomsmen?
It isn’t wise to select them more than a year before the wedding, as your selections could easily change.
Do my Groomsmen or Bridesmaids have to be of my own gender?
No, it is totally up to you and your fiancé.
Do I have to select one to be my Man of Honor or Maid of Honor?
It is totally fine to have no attendant of honor, and for all your Groomsmen and Bridesmaids to play an equal part in the ceremony.
What are some other roles I can assign to friends and family? Guest Book Attendant
- Responsibility for gift table
- Reading or Performing during the Ceremony
- Wedding-day Coordinator - someone to help make decisions and take care of things while you are getting ready
- Ceremony Coordinator
- Greeter
- Flower Girl
- Ring Barer
Wedding Attire:
How can I go about finding an inexpensive Wedding Dress?
You do have a few options for finding an inexpensive wedding dress: EBay
- Consignment Shops
- Advertisements in the Newspaper
- Discount Bridal Services
- Online stores and Auctions
- Making one yourself
- Using your Mothers or Grandmothers dress
- Borrowing a Friends dress
- Sample sales
Should the groom wear something different from the groomsmen?
Not generally. If you have the same suits for your Groomsman and the Groom, you can add specific alterations to the Grooms suit if you wish.
Do the bridesmaids all have to wear the same dress ?
No, it’s actually quite normal for the Bride to allow the Bridesmaids to select their own dresses in a certain color scheme
Who pays for the Flower Girls dress? What about the Bridesmaids dress?
The rules go, whoever is IN the wedding pays for their own attire. For the flower girl, her parents are responsible for purchasing her dress. This is a good thing to keep in mind when picking out the dresses.
People Issues:
My mother is driving me crazy. She wants to control every aspect of the wedding . What do I do?
If your mother is hosting (this often translates to paying for) the wedding, you aren't really on very firm ground to insist on doing things your way. The best you can do is try to convince your mother to do things your way. It is sometimes helpful to give your mother complete "creative control" over some aspects of the wedding.
If, on the other hand, you are hosting the wedding yourselves, then it is your party and you have every right to tell your mother in a polite way that you've decided to do things another way.
In this situation, it's important to remember that some mothers have very firm ideas of how they wanted their daughters to get married, and they may have looked forward to planning the wedding together with their daughters for many years.
Who should walk me down the aisle, my natural father or my step father?
This is a decision that you will have to make for yourself. If you are unable to decide between them you could ask them both to walk you down the isle.
My Parents are in the middle of a messy divorce, and both will not attend if the other does. What do I do?
You’re parents are supposed to support you during this huge time in your life, and should not force you to make such a big decision. Adults should be able to have minimal contact with each other, regardless of any situations they may be having together. Caving in to this pressure to choose between them is probably not a good idea. Invite them both, and if they are so childish, let them both not attend.
Of course you can assure them that you will make every effort to make sure they have as little contact with each other as possible.
Invitations:
What is the normal procedure for getting my Invitations done?
The two most popular ways of having your invitations done are hand-written or engraved. However, it is entirely up to you!
I don’t want any of my guests to bring their kids, how do I explain this on the invitations?
These days, it’s very normal to have a wedding without children in attendance. You can include this on the invitations for people not to bring children of a certain age.
This may restrict your guests, so it’s wise to provide child-care if you are going to go this route.
Wedding Showers:
Who should host my Wedding Shower?
Normally, anybody who isn’t the mother or the sister of the bride, usually one of the bridesmaids will take the responsibility.
It is important, when inviting people to a shower, to make sure only to invite people who are also going to be invited to the wedding. Remember, the purpose of a shower is to give gifts, and it is rude to expect someone to give a gift if they aren't important enough to be invited to the wedding.
If the people at work give me a shower, do I have to invite them to the wedding?
No. A work-related shower can be given by people and have guests who are not invited to the wedding. The same would be true of a shower given by members of a club the bride belongs to and other similar "special group" showers.
The Rehearsal Dinner:
What kind of rehearsal dinner is acceptable?
You can have anything ranging from pizza or a barbeque at someone's house all the way up to a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant where everyone gets to choose anything they want from the menu. Which you choose depends on your personality and your budget.
Who is invited to the rehearsal dinner?
Usually only those persons involved in the wedding and their spouses or partners. Many people are now choosing to invite also those out-of-town guests who have arrived by that time.
Who hosts the rehearsal dinner?
Traditionally, this is the responsibility of the groom's family.
Gifts (advise for the Bride and Groom):
Should I register for Gifts?
It makes life a lot easier after the wedding if you register for gifts. This also helps to ensure that you do not receive duplicates, or things that you have no use for.
However, no one should ever feel obligated to buy something that you have registered for, and if they select a different gift for you, it is not appropriate to criticize their choice of gift because it was not on your registry
What should I register for?
You can register for almost anything. Most people register for china, silver, crystal, and stainless, because it is traditional to receive a set of these things as wedding gifts. However, that does not mean you must register for these things, though you should be aware that some prospective gift-givers may be disappointed, because they wanted to give these things to you and can't do so if you haven't selected a pattern.
How will people find out about my registry?
People will find out about your registry in one of three ways:
- By asking someone, like your parents or members of the wedding party.
- By receiving a shower invitation, which might include information about where you are registered.
- By going to a store or website and checking to see if you are registered.
This "Anna Maria Island Wedding FAQ" has been provide by the good folks at www.AnnaMariaIslandWeddingDirectory.com.
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