Bridal Buzz

Thanks to Jason Traub from Elixir Entertainment for answering this week’s reader question:

My fiance and I are hosting many out-of-town guests that don’t know us as a “couple.” How do we help our guests get to know us during our wedding weekend?

A pre-wedding interview is a great way for guests to get to know a couple. Here’s what I like to do with this common situation. We take the future bride and groom to a park, restaurant, or other sentimental spot and talk about the upcoming wedding, their relationship, and their story as a couple. We catch it all on video. We then edit this pre-wedding interview footage along with childhood photos and existing footage to create a really great rehearsal dinner montage. We can also use the additional footage for the wedding video. It’s always a hit with the guests and a great way to start of the wedding weekend, especially if guests don’t really know the bride or groom all that well. The videos capture the bride and groom’s personalities and the story of the couple.

Thank you notes from local Etsy shop OhLouiseDesigns.

Thanks to contemporary etiquette expert Bren Underwood from Must Bring Buns for answering this week’s reader question:

I’m having an extremely large wedding – 600 guests – and so we’re anticipating quite a few gifts. Do I still need to write thank you notes for every gift or is a verbal thank you acceptable?

My darling bride, yes, you need to write thank you notes for every gift that you receive, even if that means 600 thank you notes. All of these wonderful friends and family will thoughtfully choose gorgeous gifts for you, and thank you notes represent the perfect way to show your gratitude. Feeling overwhelmed and blue about having too many merci beaucoups? Here are some quick tips to guide you through wedding thank you notes:

• Pen the notes as you receive each gift, that way you’re not frantically writing them all at once.
• Enlist the help of your hubby, and divide the thank you notes between the two of you. As they say, many hands make for light work!
• Create a spreadsheet of the gifts and thank you’s that you’ve sent so you can keep track of your notes. This will help you to feel more organized and also ensure you don’t forget to send any notes (or send duplicates).
• Treat yourself to monogrammed stationary and a beautiful pen. It will make thank you note writing all the more special!

Food presentation by Culinary Art Catering.

Thanks to Rebecca Wood, wedding sales manager for Culinary Art Catering, for answering this week’s reader question.

My favorite food is Tex-Mex. My fiance’s is Italian. How do we incorporate such different tastes to make a menu that speaks to both of us?

There are a variety of ways to tackle this common dilemma! Here at Culinary Art, we see different cultures and palates coming together all the time. The first thing that I would suggest is really focusing on why each of you likes what you like! Is it the heartiness of the pasta? Or the fresh flavors of Tex Mex? Once you’ve narrowed down why each of you likes each food type, it should be easier to compromise on your reception menu.

You can always try to create a fusion menu but in some cases, like this one, it would be pretty difficult to fuse the drastically different flavors and styles. Another option is compromising by having a Mexican-themed cocktail hour (or even rehearsal dinner) and an Italian-themed main course. Another option is opting for food stations and/or mini plate stations representative of both cultures.

Late night snacks are another great way to sneak personality into your menu! The beauty of a late night snack is that it doesn’t always pair with another food. It can be anything! And late night snacks are often a couple’s favorite foods, and a great way to finish off the night!

Wedding invitations designed for a family-only ceremony.

Thank you to Vicki Peterson from Paper & Chocolate for answering this week’s reader question:

I’m having a family-only ceremony, but I’m inviting more people to the reception. How do I word and organize my invitation suite for this situation?

Your primary invitation is prepared for the reception and is sent to all the guests.  A smaller, but matching, ceremony card, with all the significant information, is enclosed for those guests who are invited to the ceremony.

The sample wording for the ceremony card might be:

The honour of your presence is requested

at the marriage ceremony

Saturday, the fourth of May

at six o’clock

United Methodist Church

Dallas

Photo by Timecut Photography.

Thanks to event planner Julie Painter from Dallas Girl Friday for answering this week’s reader question:

How can I honor loved ones who are no longer with us at our upcoming wedding?

Honoring a lost loved one can be a huge struggle with couples. It can be difficult to strike the right balance between acknowledging your loved one and fostering a joyous mood for your happy occasion. Your goal should be to recognize that special person without casting a melancholy mood over your celebration. You have to find your personal comfort level, but if you’re planning a public tribute we recommend informing others who were close to the deceased ahead of time so that they’re not caught off guard.

Jump for nine ways to honor loved ones.

Wolfgang Puck's selection of passed appetizers.

Thanks to Wendy Timson, Catering Sales Director of Wolfgang Puck Catering, for answering this week’s reader question:

We’d like a seated dinner at our wedding reception, but we still want to incorporate passed options throughout the night. Can we have both?

You can often create the traditional feel of a seated dinner, while modernizing it with a twist.  Start the reception with passed hors ‘doeuvres, then move into the dining room and have all your guests take their seats.Start with a first course served at the table, and during this time do all the formal toasts while everyone is seated and focused. Then kick off the dancing and get everyone up and socializing. Now start serving small plates, which are smaller servings of all your favorite things. The guests can choose to sit back at their tables to enjoy, or just stand and enjoy a few bites. From a small serving of macaroni and cheese, to a fantastic spring dish like tortilla crusted tuna, caramelized grapefruit with poblano avocado puree, you can mix traditional favorites and unique items. Balancing the formal first course with the modern passed small plates gives your guests the best of both worlds.

For more advice, follow us after the jump.

Each Wednesday we post a wedding-related question on BridalBuzz. We flip through our little black book of experts and call on one of them to answer. It’s the perfect marriage of resources. (See what I did there?)

Did you know we call on our devoted readers to ask the questions? Nothing is off-limits. From “taboo” subjects like money, budgets, and tipping to etiquette conundrums, we find the answers for you. Don’t know the difference between a peony and a petunia? Curious about how to accessorize your darling dream dress? All ya gotta do is ask. Leave a comment or email me: ryan.conner@dmagazine.com.

Non-traditional dessert spread from the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of D Weddings.

Thanks to Kelli Duffy, designer at Cake Carousel, for answering this week’s reader question:

What are same ways I can incorporate wedding cake in my reception without having the traditional tiered cake?

There are several ways to include dessert at your wedding without a traditional tiered cake. Many brides choose the cupcake cake with a six-inch cake on top of the stand. This way your guests each have their own cupcake and there is no need to cut cake. Another popular dessert alternative is cake balls and cake pops. You can personalize these with your initials and wedding colors. They can be displayed on a decorative tiered stand.

Balloon send-off at a wedding at Barton Creek Resort & Spa

Thanks to Anna Leeker, director of catering at Barton Creek Resort & Spa for answering this week’s reader question:

I am planning a destination wedding for my upcoming nuptials. How can I make sure my guests are as comfortable in a city that is not their home?

It’s the thoughtful attention to detail–for example, welcome bags filled with local favorites in addition to essentials such as bottled water and snacks–that will help your guests feel as comfortable as possible while away from home. Compile an information packet with relevant information for your wedding weekend: the weekend’s itinerary; weather forecast; recommended attire for each event; a list of suggested activities like a golf outing for the guys or a spa day for the girls; and directions to the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception and any other planned events.

Prearranged transportation and group discounts for nearby activities will make your guests feel like they’re being taken care of all weekend long. Most importantly, remind your guests how happy and appreciative you are that they are there to share in your special day!

Thank you to Josh Madans from Suite 206 for answering this week’s reader question:

I am renting a room for my reception that has an industrial feel. Do you have any recommendations for how to achieve a cozier look with rented furniture?

When working in a modern venue we suggest using residential or upholstered furniture to soften up the environment. Pictured is a seating arrangement from a recent wedding we designed at the Dallas Museum of Art. As you can see, the plush furniture serves as a nice contrast to the stark, clean lines of the museum. To get the look we used the round velvet greige tete a tete seating piece with the silver tripod side table. The polished aluminum frame compliments the modern industrial feel of the space and is a perfect place for guests to rest their drinks. We added the coco sheer silver pillows as a decorative accent to create a cozy seating atmosphere. Finally, the shiny silver damask fabric on the Courtney ottoman is luxurious and soft creating a relaxing lounge atmosphere.