best man

Revamp The Bridal Party

Today, gender roles in weddings have become much more relaxed. Gone are the days of having to have either gender in any specific roles.

If you want a woman as your ‘best man,’ then there’s no rule to say you cannot go for it. Similarly when it comes to the bridesmaids there’s been a move toward including grandmothers in the bridal party too. Or if the couple getting married has children, why not ask them to step in to some of the key roles, such as the ‘best man?’

This goes for the walk up the aisle too. While it’s traditional to have the father walk the bride up the aisle, this might not be something that is right for every family for a number of reasons, so don’t be afraid to change it up.

The main thing to keep in mind is that, you need to do what suits your family best and with same sex marriage now finally legalised in Ireland for the last couple of years, there’s a very real sense that now more than ever that traditional roles no longer apply.

So remember, there’s no need to stick to any set or traditional lines of convention and while in the past that might have been harder to pull off, thankfully today there is more openness and inclusivity than ever before.

Here’s some ideas to get you thinking. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.

 

The Best Person

Some grooms may have a close friend who is female, or an aunt or a sister who they’d be more comfortable with filling the role of the ‘best man.’  And there’s no reason why that cannot be the case. Just be sure that your partner-to-be is also happy with the choice.

 

Kids Filling Roles

These days many couples already have children before they decide to tie the knot. So why not have them get involved in the key roles of the day. It will make them feel included and special and it’s something they will always remember too.  From the best man to a maid of honour or even escorting mum down the aisle, there’s lots of ways to get your children involved.

 

Get Grandparents Involved

Not all couples are lucky enough to have their grandparents around when they get married. So many of those how do, can often be very close to them and realise how special it is to have them be a part of their wedding day. So why not get them involved in the bridal party? Be it your granny as a bridesmaid or your granddad as your best man, it’s a lovely tribute and something you will both always remember.

 

The Walk Up the Aisle

Recently the world watched as Meghan Markle tied the knot with Britain’s Prince Harry. She walked up the first half of the aisle by herself and was then joined by her husband-to-be’s father Prince Charles who escorted her up the second half of the walk. Gone are the days when the father has to do the walk up the aisle. These days it’s all about what suits the couple and the family best. Sometimes a father and step father might share the role, sometimes a mother will do the walk, sometimes both parents will walk on either side, or sometimes a bride will want to walk alone. Chose what is right for you and your family situation.

 

Images via Pinterest 

Ways To Dress Up The Wedding Car

There’s nothing like the excitement of seeing a wedding car all dressed up with the happy couple inside. It’s a universally happy sight that tends to make everyone smile. While many of us will be familiar with the sight of ‘just married signs’ and vintage cans hanging out of the wedding car as the couple make their getaway from American movies and TV, the tradition of adding adornments to the wedding car is one that is interpreted in different ways pretty much all over the world.

No matter what mode of transport you’ll be donning for your wedding day, adding your own embellishments is a really nice touch to make it feel a little more personalised to you both as a couple. Normally it’s a job for the best man and chief bridesmaid to get to work on, but there’s no harm in giving them a few pointers in advance, especially if they have a mischievous side and you don’t want to be met with shaving foam all over the car!

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day planning or décor, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

Flowers
You don’t have to opt for fresh flowers, synthetic flowers will look just as good and probably last better as the car drives along in any case. Try and match the flowers to the mode of transport, so if it’s a hippy style Volkswagen Beetle Van, then think of Hawaiian or tropical style flowers to match. Pom poms also work really well and these can be strung over the car too for a really stand out look

 

Cans
Vintage style tin cans look stunning, especially if the car is a classic and you’re going for the whole retro feel. Do bear in mind there could be sparks from the metal cans, so also consider using plastic bottles instead. Pom poms also work well as a subsite for cans or bottles.

 

Ribbons
Ribbons are a bit of a classic and look great teamed with flowers. Think of stringing the ribbon over the bonnet of the car and arranging some bows too. Also consider using streamers, bunting or crepe paper, for a slightly different sort of look. Ribbons can also work really well as a trailing feature instead of cans or bottles.

Balloons
Go for the big impact with balloons! Look for different colours, sizes and shapes, hearts for example, or you could go all out and fill the car with balloons too!

 

Signs
From ‘just married’ to ‘they lived happily ever after,’ there’s plenty of fab messages to put on the back of the wedding car. Think about using some custom made message boards or stickers which you can find in a variety of online shops for a reasonable price. Bunting with Mr & Mrs/ Mr & Mr / Mrs & Mrs etc. on it is also a nice touch. Or why not go old school with chalk or shaving foam? The latter is a wee bit messy so approach with caution!

 

Groomsman Gifts

It can often be the bridesmaids who get most of the attention when it comes to tokens of thanks, but them groomsmen and best man are just as much a part of the wedding day as the ladies and indeed if it’s groom marrying groom, there’s even more groomsmen to think about.

It’s a lovely gesture to give your best man and groomsmen just something small to say thank you for all their help and support in the run up to your big day, which you may have been planning for months or indeed years. Also don’t forget these people tend to be your closest friends and family so you’ve shared a lot over the years and this is the perfect time to think about a really thoughtful gift, they’ll really appreciate.

If you’d like to chat about this or any aspect of your wedding day décor or planning, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

Jewellery
Nothing says special like jewellery and you don’t have to spend a fortune to pick up some really thoughtful pieces that will mean a great deal to your best man and groomsmen. Think about watches, antique style pocket watches, cufflinks, tie clips or even money clips or pens.

Personalised
Personalising your gift is a wonderful idea. It means each time he uses it, he’ll hopefully think of the wedding day and all the fun he had in the run up and on the day itself. Thankfully these days practically anything can be personalised, so don’t limit yourself, but some nice suggestions are; hipflasks, toolboxes, leather toiletry bags with initials, wallets with each man’s name, the wedding date or initials on them.

 

Accessories
If you and your groomsmen are a dapper group, then definitely think about investing in some really smart accessories for the big day. Think socks, boxers, bowties and handkerchiefs. Also why not consider some designer shades to match, retro style braces, flat caps or even shoes? And if they can wear them again after the wedding then it’s an even bigger bonus!

Funny Gifts
Finally remember to have some fun with these gifts too and reflect all the great times you’ve had together and your common interests, so if could mean superhero, movie or sport style cufflinks, funny printed t-shirts, mini hangover kits in personalised boxes or even special glasses with some of their favourite tipple packaged in a survival box. The list is endless.

 

Images via Pinterest