Delicious Summer Wedding Dinner Ideas

The food that you serve at your wedding will be something your guests remember for years to come. In order to ensure they are only good memories, you have to know which dishes is the best choice for a summertime wedding as they call for a very different menu than a wintertime wedding would.

Whether your wedding is being held indoors or outdoors the meal should start with a caprese salad. The colors and flavors that are in this salad make it perfect for a summer wedding. Not only will it look appealing on your guests dinner plates, they will start the meal with fresh vegetables and cheese, making it a healthy choice as well. The main course should include a delicate fish such as halibut. This fish is often served at weddings because it is affordable for most couples.

When setting the menu for your summer wedding don’t rule out soup. If you choose an indoor wedding venue in the summer, the air conditioning will usually be set to a very low temperature and the warm soup might be a treat for your chilly and hungry guests. There are many recipes that call for serving the soup cold and this can be a refreshing treat for your guests on a hot day. Some examples of cold soups that will enhance your big day include melon, cucumber, avocado and even gazpacho soup.

Though formal sit down dinners have been the traditional choice for wedding receptions, an increasing number of couples are choosing to serve a buffet instead. This allows you to have much more creativity when planning your wedding day menu.

One of the most popular choices for a wedding buffet is stations where your guests can put together their own customized taco or other similar food. You can also set up a similar station with fruits and vegetables. A wedding buffet is often the best choice for a large guest list, especially if you are inviting picky eaters to your wedding.

Barbecue stations are also a popular choice for summertime weddings. You can offer a variety of fried chicken and ribs as well as complimentary side dishes such as macaroni and cheese or corn on the cob.

For a fancier buffet you can set up a seafood table where guests can pick and choose from delicacies such as mussels, shrimp, oysters, cold lobster salad and more. By providing sauces and dips for your guests to choose from you are decreasing the likelihood that the food you serve at your wedding will go to waste.

To put a new twist on the food served consider striking a deal with a local food truck for your wedding to offer a particular type of cuisine. Regardless of the type of cuisine you desire it is likely possible to find a food truck that serves it. This idea works best for outdoor weddings. You may even choose to have multiple food trucks at your wedding reception in order to feed everyone without anyone having to stand in line for too long.

You can and should be as creative as possible when it comes to choosing what you are going to serve your hungry wedding guests.

Should You Bring Your Dog to Your Wedding?

They say dog is a man’s best friend and if you want yours at your wedding you may be debating whether or not that is a good idea. The truth is that it depends on several things about your wedding day and those who will be sharing it with you.

The first thing to consider is that your wedding venue may not allow dogs on the premises. Even if your dog is well trained and you follow the practices of responsible dog ownership, it is best to contact your venue if you are thinking about bringing your dog so you can find out in advance whether or not they are welcome. If they are, be ready to discuss any rules or limitations with them pertaining to your dog being there. At the very least, most venues that do allow dogs insist you keep them on a leash the whole time they are on the property.

Another thing to consider is your dog’s personality. If he or she gets scared, skittish or dangerous when other people are around you will likely want to avoid including them in your wedding. Depending on the breed of dog you have an upset or scared dog can hurt your guests and may even hurt themselves.

You should also take into consideration the guests you are inviting to your wedding, as well as those who are members of the wedding party. If any of them has an allergy to dogs it is best to determine if that can be dealt with on your wedding day. While some people who are allergic to dogs can take an OTC medication and be fine, others may have a severe allergic reaction, putting a damper on your wedding for them as well as for you.

The flowers you have at your wedding are something else you need to think about if you want your dog to be there. Certain flowers such as poinsettias are poison to dogs, so if you are using this flower it is better to leave your dog out of the nuptials.

Having a dog at your wedding is a big responsibility, but having a dog at your wedding can be a big help, too. Someone has to commit to keeping the dog with them for the duration of the ceremony. While you may want your dog to walk down the aisle acting as an alternate ring bearer, someone will need to watch the dog for the remainder of the ceremony and then will need to take him or her home before arriving for the reception.

Small breeds of dogs and older dogs often have problems controlling their bladder or bowels. Consider what would happen if your dog makes a mess on the floor during your wedding or at any time while he or she is there. Unless you are sure they can and will hold it, you may want to nix the idea of including them in your wedding.

These are all the things that need to be taken into consideration before you decide if having your dog at your wedding is the right decision for you.

Should You Have A Spring Wedding?

When choosing your wedding date, how likely are you to choose one in the spring? Many couples prefer getting married during this season than during any other. There are some questions you can ask yourself to determine whether or not you would like to get married in the spring. Your answers to these questions will point you in the right direction.

How do you feel about pastel colored bridesmaid dresses? While some brides think they are too plain others know that their bridesmaids may prefer pastel colors to harsher colors. When your bridesmaids were pastel, each can choose her own color and the wedding party will still look coordinated. While pastel colors are frowned upon for summer, winter and fall weddings, they are popular for spring weddings.

Do you believe in the idea of re-birth? If you do, spring is the ideal season for you to get married in. The season is traditionally associated with renewals and re-births and for many couples it feels like the perfect time to make the transition from engaged to married.

Is an outdoor wedding venue something that appeals to you? Outdoor weddings are usually the most comfortable for your attendants and guests because the temperatures tend to avoid one extreme or the other. No couple wants their guests to be overheated or freezing cold during their wedding.

How do you feel about having flowers included in your celebration? Many types of flowers are in bloom during spring, making them more affordable and easier to obtain than they are the rest of the year. One popular choice among spring brides is cherry blossoms.

Do your friends and family have summer or winter vacations planned? Jet setting friends and family may find them traveling during these seasons and unable to attend your wedding as a result. Fewer people make plans for travel during the spring and with very few holidays you will have your choice of convenient dates.

Are you and your partner culinary superstars? If so, or even if you simply want to support local grocers and farmers, a spring time wedding provides you with the perfect excuse to incorporate the freshest, most healthy selection of fruits and vegetables to use when serving your guests. Farmers markets can be an excellent source of local produce.

Do you have your heart set on a popular wedding venue for your spring wedding? Summer is the most common season to get married in, so if you are eye a particular venue for your wedding chances are it may already be booked solid through the summer months. The rush to get married is usually slower in the spring, making it the ideal time to get married for your choice of venues.

These are the questions to ask yourself if you are contemplating whether or not you want to get married in the spring. In most cases, the more of these questions you answer yes to the more likely it is that a spring time wedding is ideal.

Eco Friendly Alternatives to Traditional Wedding Items

Since so many traditional wedding items use up the world’s resources you may be looking for eco-friendly alternatives. There are many items that you include in your wedding while helping preserve natural resources.

One of the biggest resource wasters associated with a wedding are the invitations, save-the-date and RSVP cards. You can avoid this by purchasing invitations and cards that are made from recycled paper. Look for items that can be printed using soy based ink. Alternatively, if you don’t have your heart set on paper invitations or wedding announcements you can send them out digitally.

Flowers may be a staple at most couples’ weddings, but this can become wasteful when the flowers are simply thrown away at the end of the day. If you use flowers in your centerpieces you can offer to let a few of your guests take home the flowers from the table. As far as the baskets of flowers that make up your wedding day décor, it can be a nice gesture, and an environmentally friendly one, to donate those wedding flowers to a hospital or nursing home once your wedding is over. For your own bouquet you can have the flowers preserved and keep them as a cherished memento.

Feeding everyone is a huge part of any wedding, but there is often food leftover. Sending your guests home with the leftovers can be a great way to send them a little extra thank you and will avoid food being thrown away. If you prefer, give the leftover food to a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

To combine your wedding cake and your guest favors without having any waste, consider using a tower of decorated cupcakes in place of the traditional wedding cake. Not only does this save you money on favors, a tower of cupcakes will likely cost much less than a wedding cake would. Ask the bakery you order from if your cupcakes will arrive in boxes made from recycled cardboard. If you have your heart set on a wedding cake, you can still make it eco-friendly by requesting that the cake topper be edible flowers made from sugar or fruit.

Guest favors don’t have to be wasteful and they don’t have to be wedding cupcakes if that is not something that interests you. Other eco-friendly ideas for your guest favors include candied apples, homemade treats or even your own signature soda.

Confetti is a very popular item found at most weddings, but if it’s made from plastic or foil it can be terrible for the environment. Instead, choose alternatives to confetti that are safe for the environment like birdseed or rice to have all the benefits of confetti without any of the factors that can harm Mother Earth.

To leave your wedding in style, without harming the earth, you can have your guests’ toss 100% biodegradable fake snow. It looks like real snow but will immediately dissolve the first time it rains after your wedding day. Biodegradable rice is also an item commonly tossed at eco-friendly weddings. Birdseed also works well because your guests will have fun sending you off and when everyone is gone, the birds will swoop down and have a feast.

With the rising cost of most items associated with the typical wedding, more couples are choosing eco-friendly alternatives.

Putting Together a Timeline for Your Wedding Day

You want your wedding day to go as smoothly as possible and one way to make that happen is to have a timeline put together in advance. This will help everyone involved in the wedding stay on track and collaborate on the sequence of events for the day.

When putting together a wedding day timeline it is important to build in enough time for tasks such as hair and makeup. The larger your bridal party is the more you need two or more makeup artists/hair stylists to make the process go as quickly as possible. Many wedding ceremonies have started late because the bridal party wasn't ready on time. Building in enough time for everyone's hair and makeup to be done is a crucial step in helping your wedding day flow smoothly.

Your wedding day timeline should take into account the time of day you want the ceremony to begin. Whatever time you put on your invitations expect that your guests will arrive approximately 30 minutes before then. It is important that any photos scheduled to be taken before the ceremony should be finished by the time guests begin arriving. You will also want to ensure that music will be playing when guests get to your venue and that they will be able to get into it. Also consider the fact that while the majority of your guests are likely to arrive before the scheduled start time, inevitably there will be at least one or more guests who arrive at the venue late. This should be kept in mind when putting together your wedding day timeline. Most weddings start anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Scheduling your cocktail hour and sit down dinner is also important. The cocktail hour is especially important if guests won't have to travel between venues to attend your ceremony and reception. Even if they do have to travel, you will need to know the approximate time it takes to get from the ceremony site to the reception site. You can then choose when to have your cocktail hour begin.

Sit down dinners are typically served to guests within 15 to 30 minutes after the cocktail hour officially ends. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour for your guests to eat and enjoy their meals. Any toasts that are to be made during the reception should be made while guests have their dinner plates in front of them.

After the dinner has ended and dancing has begun it is typical to give your guests one hour until the wedding cake is cut, which usually signifies that the reception is coming to an end. Within that hour you should schedule your garter and bouquet toss if they are to be included in your reception.

Once guests have left your reception venue you will need to plan on approximately one hour for the breaking down of your venue. Keep this in mind when tasking wedding party members with cleanup.

Planning the Ultimate Fairy Tale Wedding

Most little girls enjoy being read fairy tales and when they grow up they want nothing more than a fairy tale wedding. This is a wedding like no other and one many little girls look forward to their whole lives. If you are planning one you will need to tackle the most important aspect of the planning process.

You can’t have the ultimate fairy tale wedding without a castle to get married in. While this is an ambitious undertaking it is not impossible to achieve. Though it is likely you don’t have the means to rent an actual castle, you can search for a wedding venue that has just as much magic to you. This could be anything from a beautiful park to a sprawling country club to a five star luxury hotel. Only you can decide what your ultimate vision for your wedding is, but having a castle of some sort is a very important aspect of any fairy tale wedding; even if it’s just made out of cardboard.

When you have acquired the venue of your dreams you will want to search for the dress of your dreams. For a fairy tale wedding you may not even want to limit yourself to the traditional white dress. A soft pink or rose wedding dress would likely make you look and feel like you just stepped out of a fairytale.

Planning for a fairy tale themed wedding gives you many options in décor, food, drinks and entertainment. You may choose to make your wedding simply feel like a fairy tale or may take inspiration from actual fairy tales from your childhood, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or Cinderella.

For a proper fairy tale wedding, consult with a local bartender and request that they create a signature cocktail for your wedding. They may be able to create a cocktail that will compliment your theme. This can also be a way to save money; many couples have a signature cocktail created for their wedding to avoid offering a full bar while still providing guests with adult drinks.

The way you arrive for your wedding is something that you and your guests will always remember. Though getting married at a castle is too ambitious for most people, you may be able to arrange to arrive at your wedding venue via a horse drawn carriage. You may also wish to leave your wedding the same way you arrived. This will only add to the fairy tale feel of your wedding.

Another way to bring the theme into your wedding is to rent a photo booth for the reception. You can find one that allows you to change the background whenever you want. Acquiring just the right backgrounds can turn pictures from your wedding into more meaningful reminders of the day and of what it means. It also allows your guests to enjoy themselves and get lost in the theme.

Creating a fairy tale wedding is something any couple can do if they put their minds to it. The magic of your favorite fairy tale will only enhance your wedding day.

Traditional Wedding Foods from Around the World

If you don’t count the multi-tiered cake, there aren’t many foods associated with a traditional North American wedding. Usually you have a choice of chicken or steak and some dinner rolls and call it good. So when you’re planning your festivities, feel free to borrow some of these delicious traditional wedding foods from around the globe. Whether you’re planning your rehearsal dinner or want something interesting for the main course at your wedding, these delicious options are sure to get your guests talking.

Germany: Hochzeitssuppe

This traditional German soup is a simple clear broth with miniature meatballs and vegetables. Though it looks like a pretty straightforward dish, some traditional recipes call for it to cook for five hours, but there are recipes that rein that in to a more manageable 90 minutes. The trick is to prepare each part of the soup separately, and then combine it into bowls right before it’s to be served. That way the meatballs and vegetables don’t fall apart like they would if they were boiled with the broth.

China: Whole Peking Duck

Imagine lifting the lid off your serving dish at your wedding banquet and finding a whole rusted duck, complete with head and feet! It’s a traditional wedding dish in China, and thought it may seem strange, the dish has a lot of symbolism associated with it. The fully intact duck symbolizes the completeness of married life, and the meat is red, which is a color associated with good luck. Even the choice of animal is symbolic: ducks mate for life, so they make a good culinary mascot for the wedding day.

Brazil: Casadinhos

At weddings in Brazil, guests are served individually wrapped sandwich cookies called casadinhos, which means “married” in Portuguese. They’re soft cookies sandwiched around marmalade or cream, then tied up in paper and string tied in a bow. The little wrapped packages are called “bem casados,” meaning “well married,” and symbolize the joining together of the bride and groom. These make great appetizers for your wedding reception or even a late night snack.

Mexico: Birria

The traditional dish at many Mexican weddings is birria, a stew made with goat meat, which is rumored to be an aphrodisiac. It can also be made with beef, pork, or even iguana, depending on what’s handy. It’s traditionally prepared by baking the meat in a clay pot for hours under burning coals. If you’re not into digging a pit in the backyard to make the dish, there’s a recipe that you can make in your own oven.

Sweden: Prinsesstårta

If you’ve ever been to the cafeteria at Ikea, you’ve seen a miniature version of the Princess Cake served at Swiss weddings. It’s a dome-shaped confection made of layers of cake with filling between, covered with a marzipan seal. It’s traditionally colored a bright spring green to be the highlight of a festive reception.

Granted, there are plenty of delicious North American offerings for a wedding reception. You can go with comfort food, like mac ‘n’ cheese and burgers, or haute cuisine like filet mignon. But if you’re feeling a little adventurous planning your reception menu, consider including one of these global delicacies. After all, what sounds more exciting: “chicken or fish” or “birria or hochzeitsuppe?”

Choosing a Wedding Handbag

The handbag you carry on your wedding day should only be big enough for the few things you will need. For most women this means purchasing a new handbag for their wedding day.

The first step in choosing your wedding handbag is to find one you are comfortable with. A clutch is the typical choice, but many women avoid this type of handbag because it doesn’t usually come with a strap, and holding the clutch all day can become cumbersome. If you must have a clutch, try to find one that has an optional shoulder or wrist strap that can be attached and detached at will.

Depending on your priorities it may be important to you to have your wedding handbag match your shoes. Since most brides wear white shoes, this can be easy to do. However, in the event that you want colored shoes, consider purchasing both shoes and a handbag that can be dyed the same color. Note that you will need your handbag and shoes to have the same texture if you want everything to match.

Not all brides insist on having their shoes and their bag match, so if you really want to make a splash on your wedding day the color of your handbag can be a contrast to the color of your shoes or any other part of your outfit. A sheen or metallic bag can add some more excitement to your wedding dress.

If a plain colored bag isn’t your style, considering purchasing a wedding day handbag in a floral pattern. This is especially common among brides getting married during the summer or in a tropical location.

An out of the box idea for your wedding day handbag is a hard case box clutch. This has become a very trendy bag to carry whether it is your wedding day or not. Softer material isn’t good for a wedding handbag because the items in the bag will likely make it look overloaded and bulky. Using a handbag with a hard case on the outside is the best way to make your wedding day more elegant. Straw clutches are also becoming a popular choice and can be used as a wedding day handbag if you choose.

For a timeless classic, you can’t go wrong with a handbag adorned with pearls, either real or fake. Any Mother of Pearl handbag makes it one that will enhance how you feel about yourself on your wedding day. It is also an investment in your future as you will likely be able to hand that bag down to your daughter, daughter in law or granddaughter someday.

Beaded and embroidered bags are also a great choice for a wedding handbag. Since most evening bags are beaded and embroidered it is the perfect choice for a nighttime wedding and reception.

As long as your wedding handbag is a help and not a hindrance on your big day, choosing the one you want is a personal decision to make. Style is everything at your wedding, so focus on finding a look that matches the rest of your dress and accessories and you should be in business.

Nighttime Wedding Ceremonies

Having your wedding ceremony at night can be a beautiful way to celebrate your love, but it comes along with its own set of unique challenges. In order to pull it off without too much hassle, you’ll need to make sure that you have the proper lighting throughout the ceremony venue to avoid any tripping hazards or confusion amongst your guests. Additionally, the decorations and other accessories that you choose for your wedding will be much different than those selected for a normal indoor or daytime wedding ceremony. Here are a few fun ideas to help you make the most of your nighttime wedding.

Party Lanterns

First off, you’ll need basic lighting for your venue. You don’t want it too bright by using halogens or other bright light sources, but you also want your guests to be able to see where they are going and who they are talking to at your reception. Consider buying some LED party lanterns that create the perfect amount of light and ambiance to make your nighttime wedding a glowing success.

LED Balloons

Balloons have been a staple wedding decoration since they were invented, but most of the time they are easy to see because the wedding is either held indoors or during the day. For nighttime weddings, consider using different colored LED balloons throughout the venue to add some accents and highlight certain areas. You won’t need too many to get the desired look; just enough to make the venue look more exciting and fun.

Wedding Sparklers

Though they are very popular for indoor use because they don’t create any smoke while they burn, by far the best way to use sparklers at your wedding is to use them outdoors when it is as dark as possible. Using sparklers at a nighttime wedding will yield some of the coolest pictures in your scrapbook; especially if you use them to draw hearts or words in the air! Best of all, they are pretty much the cheapest wedding favor you can buy.

Sky Lanterns

Lastly, there is nothing more romantic than a coordinated release of sky lanterns at the end of your wedding ceremony to solidify your union and signify that the reception is about to begin. During the day, most people use the white colored lanterns because they are easy to see against a blue sky backdrop. However, at a nighttime wedding, you can choose color sky lanterns instead because the illumination from inside each one will create a colorful and dazzling display as they fade into the distance over the course of several minutes.

Embracing the darkness of night for your wedding can quickly turn an ordinary event into a timeless classic that you’ll remember for a lifetime. Just remember that shopping for decorations and accessories for your nighttime wedding is vastly different than shopping for an indoor wedding, and that lighting should always be one of your primary concerns.

Top 3 Wedding Films of All Time

When you’re planning your wedding, there’s nothing like watching a wedding movie to give you some inspiration; or sometimes just add a bit of levity to a situation! Wedding planning takes a long time and can be very stressful, and movies are notoriously a great way to unwind and relax. However, over the years there have been a lot of terrible movies made in every niche, and wedding movies are no exception. The problem has become even worse over the last few years with movies going straight to DVD, streaming, or digital download because movie standards have precipitously fallen as a result. So, without further ado, here are 3 wedding movies that are considered all-time classics and will always be a great choice no matter what the circumstances happen to be.

Bride Wars

Starring two of the most loveable Hollywood leading ladies; Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway, this movie knows how to cheer you up regardless of what wedding planning woes you’re facing. The plot consists of two best friends who are planning weddings at the same venue and, through a series of circumstances, have the same date booked. I won’t spoil the entire plot, but the “war” that follows between them is hilarious to say the least, and it will make you smile even if you are going through a very rough patch during your wedding planning.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

An all-time classic that never disappoints, this one will make you laugh and cry at different times during the film. Incredibly heart-warming, My Big Fat Greek Wedding celebrates all that is wonderful about love and family while always embracing your heritage. This is always my go-to movies for friends who need a little sappy joy in their lives.

Wedding Crashers

Okay, so it’s not really a movie about your wedding and it could possibly get you thinking about hiring security guards for your reception, but you just have to love this movie! Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are a classic duo in comedy, but in my opinion they never did it better than they did in Wedding Crashers. Just take my word for it: watch the movie, laugh your butt off, and go to bed with a big smile on your face.

Great Quotes for your Wedding Vows

It’s becoming more and more popular to replace the traditional wedding vows with some heart-felt promises from one partner to the other. Most couples are writing their own vows, for better or for worse (ha!). If you find yourself at a loss for words when you’re thinking about those vows, consider these quotes for inspiration. You can include one in your vows--they’re nice and brief--or just let them be a guide to show how you can talk about love in an honest, sincere, but not overly-sentimental way.

“To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with,” --Mark Twain

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” —When Harry Met Sally

It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. — Rita Rudner

Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” —Franklin P. Jones

“To find someone who will love you for no reason, and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness.” —Robert Brault

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” —Mignon McLaughlin

“I have a paperback heart, dog-eared and creased by the world,
the color is faded and the spine is worn,
but I’m glad to see it’s finally in good hands.”--Unknown Author

“You don’t marry the person you can live with … you marry the person you can’t live without.” —Unknown Author

“Remember, we all stumble; every one of us. That is why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.” —Emily Kimbrough

“Love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself.” --Andre Breton

“Love is a game that two can play and both win.” --Eva Gabor

“Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real love to be silly.” --Rose Franken

“I love you not only for who you are, but for who I am when I am with you”--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“I love you. I am at rest with you. I have come home.” --Dorothy L. Sayers

“Immature love says: ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says ‘I need you because I love you.’” --Erich Fromme

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking together in the same direction.” --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“When you like someone, you like them in spite of their faults.
When you love someone, you love them with their faults.”--Elizabeth Cameron

“Do you want to know how great my love is? Count the waves.” --Unknown Author

“You may only be one person to the world
But you may also be the world to one person.”--Unknown Author

Whether you’re an expert wordsmith or need help putting together a sentence, these quotes can provide a jumping-off point for a heartfelt set of vows. Just keep it sincere, simple, and honest, and you’ll do fine.

Some Honest Wedding Advice

For the purposes of this article, let’s say that we get plenty of email from people who are planning a wedding, seeking our sage advice on everything from selecting music to tactfully telling someone they’re not invited. Most of the time, we just ignore those emails, because we don’t usually do an advice column. But now we’ve finally taken pity on the actual real people who totally sent in these questions, and decided to print our very first wedding advice column. Read on to get told.

Q: Can I have my female friend be my best man? How does that work?
Absolutely! You can have a best woman/lady/girl if the mood strikes you, just as you can certainly have a Man of Honor if you’d like to. If the bro who’s been there for you through thick and thin is actually a sis, you shouldn’t hesitate putting her on the groomsmen side of the wedding party. We’ve seen Best Women dress in the same tuxedo the groomsmen are wearing, dress like the bridesmaids but stand on the groom’s side, or just wear a stylish dress that matches the wedding colors. But yes, definitely go for it.

Q: Can I wear white even if I don’t “deserve to?”
Who exactly is going to be checking whether or not you “deserve” to? Honestly, this is a tradition that just doesn’t have any place in a 2015 wedding. If you’ve slept with no one or everyone, it shouldn’t be anyone’s business but your own. So go ahead and wear white. Wear yellow. Wear red! You do you.

Q: Do I HAVE to invite kids to my wedding?
Well, of course not. It’s your wedding; you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Grandma and Grandpa would slow the reception party down? Don’t invite them! Little sister’s a better dancer than you and makes you look bad on the dance floor? Don’t invite her! Don’t like kids? Leave them off the guest list! It’s your day.

On the other hand, though, it’s also a day for your friends and relatives to gather around you and celebrate you. Are there people on your guest list who would have trouble getting child care, but that you would definitely miss if they didn’t show? If the answer’s yes, then you might have to overcome your fear of children and have the little tykes attend. If your budget allows, just hire a babysitting service to take care of the kids while the adults get down. It’s your day--but do not overlook the other people, too.

Q: Do I HAVE to do a bouquet or garter toss?
Oh, heavens no; especially not the garter toss. Plenty of brides are opting out of both of these antiquated traditions. There’s just something about throwing flowers so single women can make a mad scramble to pick them up that seems demeaning, somehow. And while we all can agree that the groom should take the bride’s clothes off on the wedding night, he doesn’t have to get a head start at the reception. We say pack up both of those old traditions and replace them with something everyone can enjoy, like more time to hit the open bar.

We hope you enjoyed the first installment of our advice column. We’ll be back with another after we’ve had time to collect another vast and totally real selection of email messages from readers like you.

7 Great First Dance Songs

Your first kiss as a married couple is definitely the defining moment of the wedding ceremony. But for the reception, the big deal is the first dance with your freshly-minted spouse. If there’s a song that means a lot to the two of you, definitely go with that (unless it’s Nikki Minaj’s “Anaconda.” Don’t want to shock Aunt Gertie). But if you find yourself looking for that perfect first dance song, here are seven to consider:

“If I Ain’t Got You,” Alicia Keys

This song has it all--lovey-dovey lyrics, a bouncy piano line, and some serious soul when the chorus kicks in. It has more of a groove to it than most ballads, so there can be some twirling if you’re into it.

Sample lyric: “Some people want it all, but I don’t want nothing at all / if it ain’t you baby / if I ain’t got you baby.”

“Let’s Stay Together,” Al Green

There’s no denying the knock-down drag-out soul of Rev. Al Green, and the lyrics are a great match for kicking off a marriage. Just be aware that this one might fill up the dance floor; it’s got an undeniable get-up-and-sway beat.

Sample lyric: “Let’s stay together, lovin’ you whether times are good or bad, happy or sad.”

“Forever and Ever, Amen” Randy Travis

Lest you think we’re overly partial to soul ballads, here’s a lovely little two-steppin’ ditty from the peak of 90’s country. It’s a little bit corny, but not overly so, and there’s some genuine emotion in there.

Sample lyric: “They say time takes its toll on a body / makes a young girl’s brown hair turn gray / but I don’t care, I ain’t in love with your hair / if it all fell out, I’d love you anyway.”

“The Luckiest,” Ben Folds

If you want to make sure there’s not a dry eye in the house for your first dance, this quirky piano-driven ballad is definitely a tear-jerker. Nobody does plaintive like Ben Folds, and this one’s a doozy.

Sample lyric: “Where was I before the day I first saw your lovely face / Now I see it every day / And I know that I am the luckiest.”

“You Might Think,” the Cars

If you’d rather hop and bop instead of sway for your first dance, this bubbly 80’s new wave track is a great pick. It’s got sugary-sweet synthesizers, slightly nerdy lyrics, and a cool little breakdown in the middle.

Sample lyrics: “You might think it’s foolish, or maybe it’s untrue / you might think I’m crazy, but all I want is you.”

“Fly Me to the Moon,” Tony Bennett

Most couples who go for a crooner to start the reception go with Frank Sinatra and “The Way You Look Tonight.” But we’ve always been partial to this one--it simply soars, and by the last chorus your guests will be ready to get up and join you.

Lyrics: “Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more / you are all I long for, all I worship and adore.”

“The Things We Said Today,” the Beatles

This song has a lovely dark, introspective tone. It makes for a nice pause to catch your breath before diving into your crazy reception dance party. And the lyrics couldn’t be more appropriate for a wedding.

“Someday, when we’re dreaming / deep in love, not a lot to say/ then we will remember the things we said today.”

Whether you want your first dance to be a romantic slow dance, sexy slow jam, or party-starting up-tempo number, one of these seven songs is sure to kick off your marriage right.

Four Romantic books for Pre-Wedding Inspiration

As you prepare for your wedding, take some time to immerse yourself in romance and really get into the spirit of your upcoming nuptials. Reading thoughts on love from the great writers of the ages is a wonderful way to get into the mindset. Here are a few of the most wonderful works about love that we know; complete with an excerpt to get you started.

The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Little Prince is a lovely and strange little book, with plenty of astute observations about youth, old age, humanity, and the nature of imagination and creativity. There are plenty of enlightening thoughts about love in the mix as well.

Excerpt:

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

Brontë’s titular heroine suffers much throughout the course of her novel, but by the end she finds comfort in the arms of the only man she ever truly loved: the dark and brooding Rochester. By the end of the novel, the two have been happily married for ten years.

Excerpt:

“I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.”

Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternak

It’s difficult to sum up Pasternak’s sprawling epic--just a summary of the events involved could run over a thousand words. But central to the plot is Dr. Zhivago’s love for Lara, a spark that burns when they first meet, and drives them to be together when they meet again years later.

Excerpt:

““They loved each other, not driven by necessity, by the "blaze of passion" often falsely ascribed to love. They loved each other because everything around them willed it, the trees and the clouds and the sky over their heads and the earth under their feet.”

Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

There is plenty of loss and yearning in Love in the Time of Cholera; it’s composed mainly of the main character’s aching after the woman he loves but can never be with. He waits fifty years to be with her, until finally they have a chance to find happiness together. Make sure you keep the tissues handy when you get to the final chapter.

Excerpt:

“Together they had overcome the daily incomprehension, the instantaneous hatred, the reciprocal nastiness, and fabulous flashes of glory in the conjugal conspiracy. It was time when they both loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity. Life would still present them with other moral trials, of course, but that no longer mattered: they were on the other shore.”

4 Great TV Wedding Episodes

On the night before your wedding, as you’re fighting the last of the pre-nuptial jitters and trying to sleep, you’ll want something to take your mind off the big day to come. That’s when it’s time to watch some classic wedding episodes of your favorite TV shows. TV weddings tend to be the climax to years’ worth of build-up, and they frequently feature ceremonies where everything goes wrong but it turns out alright in the end. Which is a good thing to keep in mind as your ceremony starts--no matter how many little things go awry during your wedding, it can end up being as romantic as these.

Lily and Marshall, How I Met Your Mother (Se02Ep21)

Marshall and Lily are the steadfast, in-it-for-the-long-haul couple on How I Met Your Mother. It’s surprising it took them two full seasons to get to the altar. When they do finally hold their nuptials, their storybook wedding plan goes south pretty quickly: Marshall has a freak-out and shaves a patch of his hair; the florist doesn’t show; the photographer is replaced by a camera phone. Despite all the setbacks, Lily and Marshall manage to have both the small intimate wedding and the grandiose ceremony they each wanted.

Phoebe and Mike, Friends (Se10Ep12)

We always knew that Phoebe’s wedding to the equally quirky Mike would never be anything but unconventional. This episode doesn’t skimp on the whimsy--prevented from getting to their wedding venue by a blizzard, Phoebe and Mike end up celebrating their nuptials on the sidewalk in front of Central Perk, with a dog for a groomsman and Joey standing in for the officiant. It’s off-kilter and strange, but sweet--much like Phoebe herself.

Alex and Izzie/Meredith and Derek, Grey’s Anatomy (Se5Ep21)

Grey’s anatomy gives us two romantic tales for the price of one: terminally ill Izzie is planning Meredith and Derek’s wedding to be the fairy-tale extravaganza she always wanted, while Meredith and Derek secretly conspire to have Izzie walk down the aisle with Alex. While Izzie and Alex get their elaborate wedding, Derek and Meredith exchange vows on Post-It notes. Everyone gets what they want--at least temporarily--which is rare for Grey’s Anatomy’s usual melodrama.

Turk and Carla, Scrubs, (Se03Ep22)

Fans of Scrubs always knew that Turk would get married--but they had assumed it would be to J.D., his “bro-mantic” partner of three seasons. But Turk and J.D. were not to be--their friendship transcends a mere marriage--instead, Turk walked down the aisle with girlfriend Carla. This episode is memorable for having the groom completely miss the wedding, because he’s doing an appendectomy and complications with the procedure make him late to the church. Fortunately, his patient is a priest, and marries Turk and Carla after the reception and before the honeymoon.

There are plenty of other great wedding episodes out there if you’re still feeling those jitters after these four. Every show from Boy Meets World to Sex and the City to Full House feature weddings to make you laugh, cry, and be glad that yours is likely to go far more smoothly than its televised counterparts.