Wedding Tactics

One the latest and hottest trends in wedding photography is the coffee table album. A coffee table album is a wedding album, with a twist. I think people got tired of the traditional wedding album with a certain predetermined number of photo sides and photographers came up with an alternative.

Personally, I think we are going to get one of these coffee table albums. I have a tendency to hold tight on my expensive personal items and I can see myself paying a lot for an album, wrapping it in a felt bag and packing it away in a fireproof lockbox. Unfortunately with this scenario, no one will ever look at it, including me, and then really, what’s the point of paying a few hundred dollars for an album?

Now, safe-keeping is a great idea. But … I want to look at my album, and I want my kids* to be able to look at my album, and my family and neighbors and maybe even the mailman, if he stops by to drop off a package. I am a little torn between preserving it for posterity, but at the same time, I save a lot of things for posterity. I want my album to be on display for everyone to see, admire, and relive the moments of my wedding.

The coffee table albums feature a style of photography called photojournalism. It is the opposite of the posed, traditional shots. It is a nice modern twist and because of the way the pictures are blended into each other, it seems like you get a better display of the whole wedding and because the photojournalistic style captures more candid emotion, the album ends up looking less staged.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against the staged, group photos. BELIEVE me … I have a whole list of them planned. But, I also can’t wait to see all the candid shots from my wedding day. I really like when photos capture un-staged, unplanned, emotion, because, those are the “real” moments.

If you are interested, ask your photographer about these new “coffee table” albums. You can choose from a variety of covers, metal, fabric, etc … and the inside pages have different templates, some more modern than others.

I’m just choosing not to think about the fact that this awesome album is a slight “upgrade” of at least three hundred dollars. But really, totally not thinking about that right now.

*the hypothetical “some-day” kids….

I just sat down to do my Trends on Tuesday research and decided on the VEIL as a topic. I typed in veil trends on Google, just to get myself started and wouldn’t you know, VEIL TRENDS is its own website! So I will use them as an example of the variety and stylistic trends found among veils this season.

Veils come short, medium and long in length and I will elaborate more on the names and intricacies of each style later in this post. Short veils are commonly called elbow length, medium is called just that, and long veils hang to your knees or even longer and are part of a train. Some veils have a separate layer of lace, called a blusher, which is designed to hang in front of your face at some point in the wedding ceremony. When and who covers and uncovers you is subject to ethnic and religious tradition as well as personal choice.

Some brides opt NOT to have a veil, and instead, choose from about seven million accessories. Accessories range from little hair clips that sparkle or have pearls on them, to feathers, little lace caps, crowns and tiaras. The possibilities are truly endless. And sometimes, downright hideous*.

The shortest veils, called a flyaway hit just above your shoulder and are best suited for day-weddings, wedding suits and simple sleek gowns. They are short and flirty and just a tad of a veil, perfect for the bride who really doesn’t want to get lost in lace.

Elbow and fingertip length are just as they sound. These lengths are most common because they are easy to find and very versatile. They are dressy and go with most gowns and wedding ceremony styles. It is generally considered more appropriate for evening weddings to have a longer veil.

(Ya’ll know I hate being all “it is usually considered more appropriate�? … because I think wedding style decisions are intensely personal and rooted deeply in affordability and personal desire, so please forgive me for using this often angering terminology)

It is also very common these days to see a veil worn out of the back of the head, sort of emerging like a raging stream from the updo itself. While it might seem a little weird, personally, I think it is a style common right now because there is a movement from definitely having a veil to not typically having a veil. So the veil is sort of an afterthought, and more importantly, not in the bride’s face.

The choice to wear a veil or not is very personal and totally up to the bride. Or, in some cases, the bride and her mother or mother and mother-in-law. Some brides have less personal say in each matter.

Waltz, chapel and cathedral length are veils that extend below your knees, and up to three or more feet behind you. A cathedral veil is really only practical in a setting where you have a long aisle to walk down and you should be sure to have at least one attendant to monitor your veil as you enter and exit the ceremony.

This is just a lot of veil!

* An example of the hideous. This one reminds me of what the mother wore in the movie BeetleJuice.

It’s 2007 gals! If you are planning a wedding for later this year, keep reading for some highlights of the latest trends.

Cakes! Weddings are still having cakes, however, it is becoming much more common to add some personal touches and make the cake more reflective of your personalities.

You might see cake toppers made out of tin and silver in the shape of a big initial. You might also see some comical cake toppers as couples are using this as an opportunity to express some humor and individuality. They also come interracial and multi-ethnic.

Jewish couple cake topper.

Guy who won’t stop talking about golf cake topper.

Colors … You might start seeing a deep chocolate brown used more and more in table linens and background coloring especially when it is complimented with pink and blue.
The brown is very rich and regal looking!

In Europe, the dresses are hardly white anymore! More and more the wedding gowns are turning up in a variety of colors. So, if you were wondering if you needed to wear white … looks like you are in luck! You might find yourself wearing a dress that is a bit more sheath-like in fit with a sleeker, simpler look.

My reception is going to have round tables of eight, BAH. But, for 2007, you might start seeing larger square tables which are also excellent for promoting conversation among your guests. Be sure to ask your venue or your wedding coordinator what the options are for table shape and size.

Happy New Year!

Trends on Tuesday is here to discuss all the up and coming 2007 trends for wedding planning, wedding style, favors and gifts.

One my favorite trends for ‘07 is the emerging “kindness” that is talked about at Super Weddings. Angelina Jolie was recently quoted saying she wanted her wedding dress for her upcoming wedding to Brad Pitt to be purchased from Goodwill so that the proceeds will go to charity.

I think this is a great idea, however, the dress isn’t going to cost that much, so lets hope she throws in a few hundred extra, at least. But also! Angelina!! I have an extra dress, if you read this, let’s talk. I am only a few sizes larger than you, but I’m sure it can be altered. Helping my blog is serious charity!

WeddingChannel.com allows you to set up links to your registries so that when people visit your registry through a link on their site, a donation is made to a charity you have designated. I chose the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, just a personal choice because my Grandmother died from Lymphoma and my father is a survivor. Some couples are even choosing to have donations made in their name, instead of getting gifts. This is very popular among older couples, who have furnished homes, but want their wedding to have a deeper meaning.

Nina Callaway at About.com has a list that totally hits the nail on the head. She KNOWS what gift trends brides are really raving about these days. I know I would love anything on that list, hint hint. On her list are spa gift certificates, photo albums of the wedding planning process and the bridal shower, information about her new in-laws so she can be an informed member of her new family, a book that will make her laugh, and of course, a good ‘ole stand-by, lingerie.

A wedding website in the UK says that piped icing, sushi and low centerpieces have been traded for painted icing, mini roast beef and floral sculptures. And, fruit fountains are hotter than chocolate fountains. ‘Ya know, if your thing is following trends to the nth degree.

I’ve never been one to follow trends too closely; it took me two full seasons of capri pants being back in style before I would even honor the notion of wearing them. I now own no less than seven pairs of “short pants”.

If you are here looking for ideas for your own wedding or a friend’s or you are reading to be entertained; weddings in 2007 will be fun, creative, and more personal. Try to break away from tradition and be more original. Don’t feel you must follow a script, unless of course, you want to!

Formal weddings are back, ladies! I very much regret to be the one who has to inform you of this.

2007 is featuring a return to more formal wedding ceremonies and receptions. The only people more thrilled than Miss. Manners are the local tuxedo and formalwear rental stores. Couples are planning much more elegant receptions and parties than ever before.

To accompany these high-end weddings, brides are ensuring that their guests are entertained and awed at every moment, beginning with her walk down the aisle. For most of the ceremony, the bride is facing away from her audience. Therefore, expect to start seeing a lot of beading detail on the back of wedding gowns.

It is very important to remember that while I’m reporting this fancied-up wedding trend, it isn’t something I’m necessarily in favor of seeing. I, personally, think that too many weddings these days focus way too much on the superficial aspects; centerpieces, huge bridal parties, fancy food. The reality is that a wedding is a party, a type of celebration. There is only so much time for planning a wedding during your engagement. You can use this time to stress about the favors and cake decorations, or, you can get the wedding planned, and work on building your marriage.

{stepping OFF of soapbox}

However, a fancy party is a fun party! If a couple wants to have a black-tie affair, I say, go for it! Your wedding needs to be what you want it to be. Just keep in mind, that asking your guests to purchase new clothes and rent tuxedos will cut into the amounts they spend your gifts. Here I go, preaching my mode of moderation, yet again.

I encourage all brides who want an over-the-top looking wedding to consider and investigate all sorts of cost-cutting options. Price out silk flowers and use them in your ceremony so you can splurge on fresh flowers for your reception where guests will be sitting closer to the flowers. If you want the food to be a real dynamic but are worried about cost, consider skipping a cocktail hour and moving right from ceremony to reception where you can serve several plated courses of fancy, high-scale foods.

The options are endless… I will explore some more in depth and provide you with some handy tips … tomorrow.