The songs played during the wedding reception are important and the song choice for the first dance deserves even more attention. However, I think the most important wedding song decision every couple makes is the decision about what song should be playing during the procession. This is the part of the ceremony where the bride appears and then walks down the aisle. The songs played before this song provide an atmosphere, but the song that propels the bride down the aisle sets the tone for the whole wedding.

Traditional

The traditional wedding march we are all familiar with hearing is actually the Wedding March from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The composer wrote the song for Shakespeare’s play in 1842. Five years later, it was used at a real wedding for the first time- but it didn’t become popular until Queen Victoria’s daughter (also named Victoria, and a huge Mendelssohn fan) used it at her own wedding in 1858.

Hippily Ever After

This song would be a beautiful wedding song for a garden wedding. I would choose to play an instrumental version for the procession and then have my hippie guitarist uncle perform and sing it during the ceremony too.

Fairytale Wedding

Brides who want to feel like a princess on their big day, can start the procession off with the Trumpet Voluntary (‘Prince of Denmark’s March) by Jeremiah Clarke. This is the song that was used during Lady Diana Spenser’s bridal procession. Another popular song to use for the entry of the bride is Wagner’s Bridal Chorus.

Endless Love

This song was very popular as a wedding song 25 years ago. It may be time for it to make a comeback.

Aisle Never Forget It

After much deliberation, I walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of this one- my niece actually played it on the piano- but I picked it because of the lyrics.

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If you watch the View, you know Sherry is organizing a choreographed wedding party dance for her big day. A choreographed dance during the reception, also called Rock the Reception, has become very popular with wedding couples over the last few years, thanks to their circulation through YouTube.

Weddings of course should be a time of celebration and joy, so it makes sense that dancing of some sort or another is involved in most cultures and religions. Generally, the dancing is reserved for after the ceremony – but here are some examples of entrance dances. The wedding procession is often very formal and reserved, but I think there is something wonderful about a wedding party and a bride so happy, that they are literally dancing down the aisle.

Here are the top 5 wedding entrance dances I’ve found online:

5. Elena and Simmy’s Awesome Wedding Entrance

I’ve only attended one Jewish wedding – and it was in a garden, but I had imagined the synagogue versions to be much more formal and very traditional. This video definitely proves me wrong – not only is there dancing, but even some gymnastics! Mazel tov, Elena and Simmy! Somethingjewish.co.uk is a great resource if you’re interested in reading more about Jewish wedding traditions.

4. Phil + Elinas Wedding Entrance Dance

At first Phil and Elinas’ wedding entrance dance is underwhelming, but I think that is the point- it’s worth watching the video to the 2 minute mark, when it starts to get fun.

3. Fun Wedding Dance Down The Aisle

I like this dance because of the way they incorporated the setting into their entrance dance. The wooden bridge is a perfect spot for dancing.

2. Wedding Dance UP the Aisle

What I like most about this video, is that the participants and guests of all ages are obviously enjoying themselves. The song choice is perfect, too.

1. JK Wedding Entrance Dance

The JK Wedding Entrance dance video was such a hit that the Today Show invited them down to recreate it live on air. You can see the Today Show recreation at YouTube as well.

If you’re engaged, are you considering dancing down the aisle instead of marching? It’s important that everyone is on board because you don’t want half-hearted dancing or disapproving faces from family members to spoil the moment for you. Discuss this during your engagement. What song would you use to dance down the aisle?

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It’s June – the most popular month for weddings. In honor of this exciting month, I thought I’d shake things up with some wedding-themed rock videos.

White Wedding

In White Wedding, Billy Idol sings about a woman he loves who is marrying someone else. The lyrics make it inappropriate for a wedding, yet this song continues to be popular at receptions and even ceremonies.

The song was originally released in 1982. It later appeared in the Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore hit ‘The Wedding Singer’ (Billy Idol also appeared in the movie as himself). (songfacts.com)

November Rain

Based on a short story called Without You by Del James, the original version of this song was 25 minutes long. At just under 9 minutes, the shortened version is the longest top 10 hit in history.

With lyrics like “we’ve been through this such a long time, just trying to kill the pain,” it may not be the best choice for your wedding song. Released in 1991, this video made many young women want a wedding dress like Stephanie Seymour’s (luckily most of us grew out of this before we actually got married).

Chapel of Love

Aren’t there any happy rock songs about weddings? I had to go back to the earliest days of rock and roll to think of one: Chapel of Love by the Dixie Cups is definitely happy. “Bells will ring, sun will shine, I’ll be his, and he’ll be mine, we’ll love until the end of time.”

Today I Met The Boy I’m Gonna Marry

Here’s another classic song about a wedding from Darlene Love.

“For on my hand a band of gold appeared before me, the band of gold I’d always dreamed I’d wear.”

“He smiled at me and then the music started playing, Here comes the bride when I walked through the door.” This line from the song inspired a line in the They Might Be Giants’s song Lucky Ball and Chain- reworded slightly to say ”There goes the bride as she walked out the door.” Another unhappy song about a wedding (or a marriage, anyways) but very catchy just the same.

Aren’t there any recent rock songs about weddings that are happy?

I couldn’t find any – if you know of one please share in the comment section below.

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Independent Wedding Fairs

independent [ɪndɪˈpɛndənt] adj

Free from control

Capable of acting for one’s self or on one’s own

Here is Elvis singing ‘My Way’ as the soundtrack for this article all about independent weddings…

In recent years the idea of an ‘independent’ wedding has become increasingly popular. Sometimes independent means that the couple is paying for the wedding by themselves (no parental or family help), sometimes it means the wedding is a crafty do-it-yourself or self-planned event.

Sometimes ‘independent’ means that a few things (or maybe everything) about the event is going to very different from a traditional wedding. Indie brides might wear a nontraditional wedding dress or select a non-traditional engagement ring or wedding ring.

Indie Wed

Last month’s Indie Wed in Chicago “cater[ed] to not only unconventional couples who are taking a more modern, edgy, or eco-friendly approach to their special day but also the more conservative couples who simply want to add some special touches.” The event featured”independent designers specializing in various wedding related fields including stationery, cakes & pastries, fashion, catering, floral design, photography and more.” Check out the video below (from 2010′s event) or their website (indieweb.com).

Indie Wed from I Do Films on Vimeo.

Something New

Minneapolis’ Something New wedding fair takes place on February 5th this year – check out independentwedding.com for more information. The event is offering mini-courses on the following topics: eco-friendly weddings, signature wedding drinks, invitations, selecting bridesmaid dresses and more. It is organized by the Independent Wedding Association, which prides itself in it’s strict criteria for membership- independent of the large wedding industry associations.

Indie I Do

By far the funnest looking wedding fair I’ve seen so far, the Indie I Do takes place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is described as an event that connects “independent artists with independent-minded consumers.” This year, exhibitors included HellCat Beauty (providing “stellar hair and make-up applications for ‘Bombshell Brides’ and the ‘Matrimonial Entourage’) and Memphis Mike’s barbecue catering.Visit the site indieido.com for more details.

If you know of any other alternatives to the typical wedding fair, please let me know in the comments below and I may feature the event in a future article. Also, are you planning an indie wedding? If so, what are you doing differently?

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WaterFALL in love

You can rent a waterfall to add some ambience to your reception, or you can go wild and rent a rock climbing wall with a waterfall obstacle from a company like the funones.com, based out of Chicago.

This more subdued version of a waterfall for your wedding could include your initials or the first names of the bride and groom (available at gigis-party-rentals.com, Florida).

Waterfall with logo or initials

Tropic Thunder

When it comes to wedding planning, you always have a choice: you can go for the understated or you can go ‘big.’ In this case, you can rent ferns or you can rent a giant palm tree (or several giant palm trees!). Plantman.com provides “extravagant jungle tropics rental to the San Francisco and Los Angeles Areas” for as low as $750. Imagine a nine foot waterfall, a pebble bottom lagoon, fern-filled jungle grottos, a 16′ palm tree, and lush moss-covered rocks with ivy”.

For Beach, er, or For Worse

If the sun and surf are your definition of wild times, consider bringing the beach inside for your reception.

Or, if you anticipate that your  wedding reception will be a walk on the wild side, rent a surf machine and your guests can ride the waves without even getting wet! (Deluxe Big Wave Surf Machine from bigfunuk.info.)

Elegant Ring or Wild Bling

Both extremes may appeal to you – the subdued elegant wedding or the crazy, fun wedding- but what is the best fit for you as a couple? This is a day that you will remember for the rest of your life and it should symbolize everything about you as a couple. Are you more likely to go out for a fancy meal on a date, or are you more likely to go bungee jumping? What are you interests? One great way to establish the tone for your wedding: look at the engagement ring. The groom-to-be (hopefully) put a lot of thought into the ring when he picked it out – and (also hopefully) the bride loves it.

If the engagement ring is an impressive, but simply-designed and elegant solitaire – an elegant and tasteful wedding is best for you.

If the ring is bold and beautiful like this yellow gold engagement ring with a flower and petal design along the top and sides, then you probably have already arranged for live tropical birds and a waterfall for your reception!

For more ideas for wild weddings, check out this series:

Wet and Wild

Welcome to the Jungle

Wild Flowers

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It’s been a year since we addressed the topic of Mother of the Bride style here at mybigfatenagement, so here are some great looks for anytime of year (I thought I’d pick a look for each season since MOB’s like to plan ahead). This week we will feature MOB fashions for Winter and Spring. Next time, we will look at Summer and Fall…

For more MOB stories, please check out our previous feature, ‘Mob Stories: Mother of the Bride,’ which includes tips, etiquette, and dresses.

Winter

If you can get past the young model wearing this dress, you will see that it is a very good mother of the bride or mother of the groom dress. The lacy long sleeved top is attractive and many women like to keep their arms covered after they reach a certain age (to conceal wrinkles, tattoos, or ‘bingo wings’). The shade of purple below would like nice with some blues or greens (even a pale blue or forest green would like nice with this purple). (Bouquet from 4everflorals.com.)

Spring

This cute suit from Jones New York would work well for a Spring (or a Fall actually) wedding. This color would be a nice fit if the bridesmaids are wearing pink or light green dresses. (Button from buttonemporium.com, bouquet from beyondblossoms.com).

Whatever the season and the wedding colors, it is important to communicate with the bride and any other MOBs involved. This is the best guarantee that you will fit in to the wedding photos, get along with y0ur new family members, and feel comfortable during this important event. Be flexible – there is always a shade that will look good on you that works with the wedding colors. In most cases, it is not appropriate to wear the exact same color as the bride or the bridesmaids (unless the bride want you to, of course). Darker or subdued shades are best (stay away from bright colors or, worse, bright prints).

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Spring has been celebrated all over the world, in all types of religions – as far back as you can imagine. When the sun starts shining, the ground under our feet heats up, and the new tender greenery pokes through – it’s hard NOT to get all warm and fuzzy. If that’s not enough to cheer you up, you also have really cute little baby animals like chicks and lambs.

Here are some ideas for how to celebrate your wedding the old-fashioned way (and by old-fashioned, I mean pre-medieval!)

Handfasting

Handfasting is a wedding rite that originates from a pagan ritual, but is being used in weddings based in all sorts of faiths and by people of all different lifestyles. Handfasting is a great way to bond a blended family together, because all members of the new family forged by the wedding can participate. Check out handfasting.info for more information, as well as examples of wording for ceremonies that include handfasting.

Symbols

Oak Leaves

Oak leaves are a symbol for longevity – so the entwined oak leaves that hold two mouth-blown (and therefore completely unique) glass horns are the perfect way for the bride and groom to share a toast (mayhemltd.com). The oak tree was particularly important to the Celts,who felt that all trees were sacred.

Horns

The drinking chalices above are also horn-shaped. The horns are also an important symbol – the most famous Celtic animal symbol is the horned (antlered) stag. The stag is a symbol for sexuality and fertility.

Celtic Design

Celtic knots date back to almost 500 AD: there is the lover’s knot, the triple knot (Triquetra), and the Triscele.There are many ways to incorporate the Celtic scrollwork or Celtic knots into your wedding, including your wedding band.

Clothing

There are beautiful dresses available now that this type of wedding has become more popular. Rivendelbridal.com has a large selection, here is one example of a dress perfect for a pagan princess, or elven queen: it is called the Celtic Star.

Trees

Trees were sacred to the Celts so an outdoor wedding would be very appropriate if you are going to be influenced by this theme.

Here is a video full of imagery that might inspire you to arrange your own mystical wedding.

Language

This bronze pendant spells GRA, ‘love’, in the Celtric tree alphabet called Ogham. This pendant from celteshop.com would be an interesting and thoughtul gift for members of the wedding party.

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Attention: Brides to Be – Boxing Day is just a few days away!

Many stores now hold Boxing Day sales for a week. Online stores also have sales. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up on all of the things you will need for your wedding. Get a jump start on your wedding planning and save money.

Tips for Wedding Shopping on Boxing Day

Prepared to Shop?

Taking advantage of Boxing Day to ease your wedding budget makes sense as long as you already have a clear idea of what your wedding will be like. It doesn’t matter how far off your wedding is, you can start shopping if your wedding party has been selected and you know the size of your guest list.

It is also a fantastic time to shop for wedding rings – you can buy some beautiful wedding bands and engagement rings for reasonable prices at this time of  year. While you’re out there shopping, don’t forget to watch for gifts for your wedding party as well!

Wedding Colors

The more flexible you are, the more you save. If you are willing to select your colors based on what is available at a low price, you will save more money. If your wedding colors are popular then there will be more choices available to you, at lower prices.

Wedding Theme

Select your wedding theme from the wedding supplies available and you will save money.

Ideas – What Brides to Be Should Buy on Boxing Day

Wedding Time Capsule

A wedding time capsule is a great way to collect memories of your special day and then revisit them on an anniversary. You can order this time capsule at giftsnideas.com. Couponcodes4u says they are offering 15% all orders after Christmas (sale ends December 30).

Wedding Dress

Many bridal shops have Christmas and Boxing Day sales – this is the perfect time to get your dress! For example, if you buy your dress from bridalsbay.com during their boxing day sale, you can get dresses up to 75% off their list price. Check local stores in your city for big sales, too.

bridalsbay.com

Wedding Stationery

Everything at Mujka.ca is 50% off for Boxing Day – a site that sells templates you can buy to create your own wedding stationery (the invitation, rsvp card, thanks you card, reception card). A very reasonably-priced way to jump start your DIY wedding project!

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New Years Eve isn’t very far away – time to think about your resolutions. If you’re engaged, New Years Eve is the perfect catalyst for a relaxed and optimistic conversation about your future, so here are some New Years Resolutions For Your Marriage.

Hold Hands and Dream Big

Engaged couples spend a lot of time looking forward to their wedding and spending the rest of their lives together. This New Years Eve, make the following resolutions to help keep your marrriage happy.

1. Always Kiss Each Other Good Bye

Whether you’re on your way to work in the morning, or just stepping out to pick up some milk- take a moment to go over and say goodbye to your partner and give them a kiss.

2. Don’t Expect Perfection

Let’s face it, sometimes your Prince is going resemble a Frog; and sometimes your Princess is going to seem more like the Evil Queen… No matter how head over heels you are right now, it’s wise to keep in mind you are not actually marrying a perfect person. Marriage is not all or nothing – it’s success can’t be based on unreal expectations or ultimatums. A long marriage is based on mutual understanding, respect, and forgiveness. Truthfully, sometimes your mate will annoy the heck out of you! So just remember you don’t have to like him or her all the time, you just have to love them.

3. Promise To Support Each Other

bbc.co.uk

I’m not talking about financial support – although, sometimes this also comes into play. Most basically, I mean that when your partner talks about something he or she is passionate about – you actually listen. It doesn’t cost you a thing and the effect it has on your ‘other half’ and your life together is priceless. Also, if he or she wants to (take piano lessons, join a hockey team, enter a haiku contest, ride her bike across the country) you do what it takes to make it happen (watch the kids, put money aside, round up  all of your friends) and then when it happens you’re in the first row, cheering him or her on.

Did I miss anything?

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This week we feature some crafty Halloween wedding ideas for the DIY or budget-conscious wedding plans.

For more Halloween Wedding ideas, please refer back to my articles “Halloween Wedding Tips Part 1: Scary Spots” for a list of spooky locations for weddings and “Halloween Wedding Tips Part 2” for some cake ideas, a cool ice sculpture, and some great video clips.

.

Decorations

Candy-filled Ornaments

You can hang on branches, cluster them together to make a focal point above the dance floor or head table, or use them to spookify an existing chandelier. Instructions and supplies at the Michael’s website.

michael's.com

Halloween Wreaths

Use a grapevine base or spray-paint a holly or evergreen wreath black (or another creepy color). Use a glue gun and floral wire to attach decorations. Here are some examples – you can hang them up or use them as the base for table centerpieces.

ishouldbenapping.com

Banners

Cut out letters from Halloween paper (look for pads of mixed designs for scrapbooking or Halloween wrapping paper). Use letters of different styles and sizes and stick two one or two colors, or use a multicolor paper and stick to simple lettering. String the letters on twine or eyelash yarn.

knittingyarnmarket.com

Pumpkins

Use pumpkins as lanterns rather than lights or candle holders – they can be used as centerpieces or any where in the room. Consider painting pumpkins gold and silver for a look that works with a formal evening reception. You can also carve your names into pumpkins, the date, or even your faces if you’re very talented!

countryliving.com

Eat Drink and Be Scary

Creepy Cocktails

The Black Shadow

This drink is sort of green and cloudy -just what every ghoul wants for her wedding toasts! You can get the recipe at in-the-spirit.co.uk.

www.in-the-spirit.co.uk

Bloodshot Eyeball Drink Garnish

Check out the garnish on this cocktail from the geniuses at Finlandia. To make ice “eyeballs,” peel radishes, leaving thin streaks of red skin on to represent blood vessels. Using the tip of the vegetable peeler, or a small knife, carefully scoop out a small hole in each radish, roughly the size of an olive. Stuff a green olive, pimiento side out, in each hole. Impale the eyeballs on a suitable stir stick (like the pitchfork one below). You can also turn the eyeballs into ice cubes: place one radish eyeball in each section of an empty ice cube tray. Pare the radishes down a bit to fit, if necessary. Fill the tray with water and freeze overnight.

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