Maybe it's because I'm already married.  Maybe it's because I'm feeling nastolgic for warmer weather.  Or maybe it's because they're so darn pretty, but lately I can't keep from day dreaming about wedding altars!  Indoors, outdoors, or somewhere in between - altars have come a long way in creativity and beauty!  Check out all these fun and totally "doable" altars.  Do you think any of these would work for your own wedding? 

Beautiful draped frabric...

Creative uplighting...

Monocromatic branches...

Woodland fantasy...

Gorgeous draped florals...

A beautiful structure...

Overarching branches and moss...

A decorated tree...

Asymetrical nature...

A lumineria-lit pathway...

These are all so romantic!  They make me want to get married again and again!  Which is your favorite?  Which could you recreate or reinvent to fit your own wedding?? 

Whew!  As the time is winding down towards our wedding, I am starting to feel the weight of my to-do list.  My major problem is that I keep adding unnecessary things to my to do list such as “make pinwheels for the kiddies”.  While I hope to get to the pinwheels (post coming soon), there are other things that just must get done and get done soon.

The above program is a from Etsy shop MTK Designs

One of those line items is that I need to create our programs.  Originally, I didn’t think that we were going to have programs, but then I thought of all the good reasons why programs are helpful…

1)       A keepsake not only for the bride and groom but also for the parents.

2)      It gives adults a rundown of what’s going to happen next and how many things have to happen before they can run over to the bar.  J

3)      It gives kids paper to draw on if they get bored.  Let’s face it…kids get bored, and programs are made of paper. 

4)      If it’s hot, the program serves as a fan.

5)      You can make the program fit into your wedding theme.

6)      If you and/or your fiancé do not especially care for the spotlight, it gives your guest something else to stare at rather than at you. 

So when I came to the conclusion that we’d be making programs, I thought to myself that at least I’d get to play around with the design and fonts and such.  I’m kind of a fontaholic.  I probably have at least five hundred fonts on my computer, and I’m always adding more.  You can get many for free at sites such as Dafont.com, which is where I found all the fonts for our invitations, programs, table numbers, etc. 

Anyhoo, once I had in mind the design and the fonts that I wanted to include, I became stuck.   What exactly goes into a program?  What do you have to have?  What is optional?  How should it be organized?  Here’s what I’ve gathered:

Things you might include: 

1)       There might be some sort of cover or title area where the full name of the couple, date, location, and maybe a monogram or design can be included.

2)      Generally speaking, the ceremony starts the wedding, and so the events of the ceremony should be listed next, possibly including: the prelude, seating of any important family members, vocal/music selections, processional, entrance of the bride, call to worship, statement of intent, prayer, scriptures/readings, charge to the couple, exchange of vows, exchange of rings, pronouncement of marriage, special parts of the ceremony (i.e. unity candle), blessing of the marriage, presentation of the couple, recessional, postlude, and a line inviting the guests to the reception. 

3)      A listing of the wedding party including:  your officiate, parents, grandparents, bridesmaids, flower girls, groomsmen, ring bearers, musicians, bell ringers, attendants, hosts/hostesses and possibly your wedding director and/or coordinator.  You may want to also list the relationship of your wedding party members to the couple. 

4)      A thank you to those who have helped or contributed to make your wedding day possible.

5)      Directions to the reception site.

6)      A dedication.

7)      Your new address.

8)      Special poems/scriptures/lyrics.

9)      Notes of interest.

10)   Explanations of special ceremonies.

11)   A brief story of how the couple met.

What you may NOT want to include:

1)       Generally, those who are paid vendors at a wedding are not thanked in a program, however, you may feel differently and can do as you please if you feel the need to thank people.

2)      Please do not mention anything about gifts, money trees, etc.  Not nice.

3)      Too much embellishment.  This is where I have problems as I love embellishments!  But keeping your program simple is probably a good idea.  Sigh…

4)      Keep away from hard to read ink colors especially if you are in a darker area.

My big mistake so far in this project is that I started to create our program before we’ve even settled on details for the ceremony.  So this weekend’s absolutely to do activity is to pick music and finalize the ceremony wording.  Then, I’ll keep strong and carry on with my fonts.  And embellishments.  I can’t help myself.  J

By the way!  A fantastic resource if you’re not sure about what to do for a program can be found on Martha Stewart’s Wedding site. 

Today, my fiance and I had a very important conversation.  It was our first chance to sit down with our minister to discuss our wedding ceremony.  Our minister just happens to be my uncle, my father's only brother, and a wonderful person.  Asking my uncle to marry us was the first decision that we made as an engaged couple, and it just came naturally as deciding that I'd be wearing white and that we wanted a fall wedding.  We didn't even have to think about it.  Until now...

My fiance and I live together, and we do not attend a church.  I would describe us as "good people" but that doesn't tell a whole lot about our faith.  I knew that my uncle is certainly religious, and I was concerned that a lack of formal religion in our lives would be an issue.  In a way, I was kind of dreading this first sit down conversation with my uncle in the role of our minister.  

Today was a family reunion in Des Moines, so our big conversation with my uncle was drawing nearer.  After everyone ate three helpings of everything, and after my fiance and I lost miserably at Washers, it was time to face the music and have a most important discussion with my uncle about our ceremony.  

An hour later after the meeting was over, I felt so relieved and silly for being nervous about this event.  My fiance smiled and shook my uncle's hand, and I gave them both a big hug.  We are good.  We are great!

In a nutshell, we had a fantastic and realistic discussion about where we stand in our faith, formal or not, how we deal with challenges and triumphs as a couple, and overall advice that my uncle had for us as his first blessing of our upcoming wedding.  As a minister, he did encourage us to consider pursuing a more "regular" relationship with The Man Upstairs, but beyond that, we were never made to feel like we were doing something wrong or that my uncle was less than thrilled to be marrying us.  Rather, he is elated and honored that we asked him!  

I am curious, readers, how your first face to face conversation with your minister/judge/friend/whomever went.  Was this someone you've known for a long time?  Did/do you feel comfortable with this person?  Did/do you feel that you need to change things in your relationship based upon the conversations you've had with this person?  

I know that everyone faces a different scenerio when getting married, but I think I have to thank my lucky stars that we have a supportive and loving person to start our married life.  I wish that for all of you as well!

If you haven't seen this amazing wedding video yet, you are missing out!  Watch this, and just try not to get up and dance.  Just try...

Are any of you Quad City couples planning on a special dance at the ceremony or reception?  We'd love to hear about it!