Personal Table Seating

priority seating, we recommend using themes for your wedding tables rather than numbers. Here are a few of our favorites:

+ Numbers – random numbers that are special to the two of you. Distance you lived from one another, first date, ages, etc.

+ Places – places you’ve been together, or dream of going.

+ Hobbies – representing passions one or both of you have (ex. Golfers-19th Hole/Fairway or Skiers-Gondola/KT22)

+ Songs – names of songs memorable for you both.

+ Location – relevant to your location (ex. Lake Tahoe-Emerald Bay/Sand Harbor)

Wedding Toasts

groom share stories and memories, as well as good wishes. Toasts should be short and sweet, kind words with emotional moments and lots of laughs!

Traditionally the order:

Father of the Bride
+ The father of bride usually thanks the guests for being part of the celebrations; he welcomes his son-in-law to the family and speaks briefly about his daughter.

The Groom
+ Will thank his father-in-law and then thank his own parents for their help today and throughout his life. He thanks his wife for marrying him and he toasts the bridal party.

The Best Man
+ Should entertain the guests, be funny and emotional all at the same time.

The Maid of Honor
+ She should toast the bride and groom and the guests.

The Guests
+Some may choose to toast. This is your preference and is managed by the DJ or Master of Ceremonies. Often times opening the toasting provides memorable and special comments toward the bride and groom, however timing may become an issue.

Don’t assume that these folks know they are supposed to speak, so ask them in advance. Review the toasting list with your MC and discuss Guests speaking; having a time allotment for toasting helps him/her dictate when toasting is over.

Prior to the wedding day, the bride and the groom each write the ultimate love letter to each other. A testament showcasing the reasons they are marrying, special memories from the relationship, the special moments they fell in love, the proposal, plans for your future, etc. Whatever is written, the bride and groom must not read each others’ letters.
The day of the wedding, the couple locks their sealed love letters in a box with memorabilia

The Love Letter Ceremony

or keepsakes they have chosen. The letters are placed in the box and nailed shut during the ceremony, usually by the Mothers or Officiant.

The box may be opened in only two instances. First, if there is a time in your marriage where you feel that you are in danger of not saving your marriage, then you both as a couple open up the box. The theory is that those letters would bring you back to the day you were married and give you an understanding that the love you share is much stronger than the problem that exists at the time you opened the box. Secondly, the box is to be opened in celebration of your 10th Wedding Anniversary. This too will allow you to rekindle that special love that you had prior to your wedding day.

Remember it’s the thought that counts so there are no rules as to how much you should spend, but keep a couple things in mind:

1. What will your budget allow?
2. How much are they spending to be a part of your wedding? (Dress, Makeup, Travel, etc)

These gifts are usually presented at the rehearsal dinner, a place where you can toast and thank your special ladies. Depending on the gift you may need to provide them sooner than the night before the wedding, the Bridal Shower or Luncheon may be appropriate.

With so many options, here’s a list of some of our favorites:

+ Pamper them with a Spa Gift Certificate
+ Reminisce your favorite memories with a personalized Frame
+ Bedazzle their bridesmaid dresses with matching Jewelry
+ Spruce up their bouquet with a personalized Charm

It is important for the bride and groom to thoroughly search for the photographer that best fits their preferences regarding style and technique, product offerings, extent of services, and price.  The couple should meet with and interview potential photographers to get a feel for their work and to ensure that both parties will enjoy working with one another.

To get the most out of wedding photography, the couple should first let the photographer know their expectations.  For example, it may be very important to one couple to do pictures with extended family, while another couple may only want pictures with both sets of parents.  Or, one couple may choose to take pictures together before the ceremony, whereas another may not want to see one another before the bride walks down the aisle.  Second, the couple should ask their photographer about any suggestions that he or she may have.  The photographer may prefer to shoot at a certain time of day, many have a set of poses already in mind, or may wish only to capture candid moments of the bride and groom’s interactions.

The bottom line is that the couple and photographer should both communicate their expectations to one another to ensure a picture perfect experience for all!

Wedding Invitations - Setting the Tone for Your Day

presence at and details of the bride and groom’s celebration, but they also give an impression of the big event.

The formality of the wedding should be reflected by the invitation, helping guests know what to wear and what type of gathering to expect.  For a black tie affair with a plated dinner, select an elegant invitation with detailed font.  For an afternoon picnic on the beach, try a simpler format with splashes of color.  Most important, make sure that all of the information that guests should know upon arrival is available on the invitation.  Listed below are some inclusions to consider.

Important Invitation Inclusions:
-Bride and groom’s names
-Wedding date
-Ceremony location and address
-Ceremony time
-Whether or not a reception will follow and where
-RSVP card with pre-addressed and pre-stamped return envelope
-Wedding colors (incorporated throughout the invitation)

Optional Items:
-Registry information
-Directions to the ceremony site
-Type of refreshments that will be served

The groomsmen were supposed to pick up the groom’s parents on their way to the venue for pre-ceremony pictures, but got caught up at lunch and forgot.  Now, everything is 30 minutes behind schedule…

The bridesmaids have had a little too much to drink in celebrating their best friend’s nuptials.  They carpooled over to the reception site, but no one has been assigned “DD”…

The wedding festivities are coming to a close and the bride and groom are ready to head to their hotel, but the only car that’s not stuffed to the brim with gifts is grandma’s old station wagon…

And now, take a deep breath because these mishaps are totally avoidable if proper

Wedding Transportation

transportation planning is pursued.  Reserving transportation for important wedding attendants and guests is a crucial step in the wedding planning process.  Doing so ensures that arrivals to the wedding are on time and departures home are safe.  Transportation services also offer other incentives that guarantee that a good time is had by all.  The bride and groom are able to leave their wedding and arrive at their hotel in style, nervous parents are able to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere complete with a glass of champagne, and the wedding party is able to get the party started by celebrating together on the ride over.

Arranging for transportation for the bride and groom, their families, and the wedding party is customary, but many companies will be happy to offer their services for wedding guests as well.  After all, who doesn’t feel like royalty after riding in a beautiful limo?

Some helpful tips for both the bride and groom to keep in mind when trying on formal wear are these:

1. Be open minded
-be willing to try on all different styles to figure out what looks and feels best

2. Bring a friend or family member
-having a trusted loved one present is a great idea because they’ll provide an honest opinion…just don’t invite the whole gang (too much from the peanut gallery may cause indecision)

3. Budget wisely
-expenses add up quickly when it comes to fancy attire, so outlining a budget for each      item (i.e. dress, veil, shoes, tie, vest, cuff links, etc.) will definitely prevent breaking the      bank

4. Bring in the theme
-try to reflect the wedding theme through the attire (For example, for a beach wedding, a short dress or white linen suit would work great. Or, for a winter wedding, consider        wearing a soft cashmere shawl or wool-lined suit to keep warm.)

Although a ceremony rehearsal is not required, most on-site coordinators or even personal

Wedding Flowers

planners, will want to run through the order of events so that all members of the wedding party are on the same page.  The rehearsal does not typically last as long as the actual ceremony will, but serves as a shorthand version of how the next day is supposed to flow.  The bride and groom’s family usually attend the rehearsal, in addition to the wedding party, so that they are familiar with their assigned seating and any ceremony roles that they may hold, such as participating in the processional, or escorting the bride or groom.

Following most ceremony rehearsals is a dinner party.  The groom’s family typically hosts this gathering, and the guest list usually consists of the bride’s family, the groom’s family, and the wedding party.  However, some couples have also invited close family friends, or those that have traveled a long way to attend the wedding, to the rehearsal dinner as well.

Rehearsal dinners can be held at a restaurant, a banquet hall, or a home.  The decision is most often left to the groom’s family, or other hosting party.  Regardless of the location of the rehearsal dinner, it is important for the host to consider the bride and groom’s preference since it is a time to celebrate and toast their upcoming union.

Today, brides and grooms are presented with a few more choices regarding how they

PicBox Photo Booth

would like to remember who attended their wedding…among these is the photo album, in which guests place a picture that was taken of them at the wedding, whether with an old-school Polaroid camera or using a trendy PhotoBooth.

Another choice is to frame a large print of the bride and groom, with a thick border, on which guests can write their names and congratulations.  The framed print can then be hung in the newlyweds’ home as an illustration of how special their wedding truly was for them and their guests alike.

A third option is to create a digital guestbook.  Upon arrival to the reception, guests will be asked to deliver a message to the bride and groom on camera!  This option, although requiring a bit of spontaneity and a willing video camera man or woman, offers the couple a chance to see their guests’ excitement and hear their words of encouragement firsthand.

So, which option will you and your fiancé choose?  There’s nothing wrong with sticking to tradition, but trying something new can definitely be fun too!

Reno Photo Booth Company

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