{La Good Ideas - Bouquet & Garter Toss}

Ah the bouquet and garter toss...  Love it?  Hate it?  Either way, we won't judge.  But for those on the fence, here are some unique twists on this old standby.

Photo by the ever fabulous Tim Eng

From personal experience, as a single lady, I always detested going out into the fray to catch the bouquet. And my how I would have been mortified to have some random single dude put a garter up my leg if I accidentally caught the bouquet!  However, as a bride, I really wanted to hurl some flowers at my single friends, hoping to chuck some happiness their way.  So, I chose to do the bouquet toss.  We chose some very tongue in cheek music for the event - Move B***** by Ludacris (censored), to be exact.  My groom & I followed tradition and did our tosses, but, that's where we stopped playing by the rules.  Instead of having the single lady who caught the bouquet sit down to be "gartered" by the single man, we had them switch roles.  That was our little way of avoiding any mortification & having a good laugh.

Natalie & Luis opted for yet another variation on the bouquet/garter toss at their May 7th reception. Let's take a look, shall we? 

{Following photos by the talented Mr. Richard B. Flores.}

Traditional bouquet toss...

Let's blindfold the single gentleman "to make things interesting".

Unbeknown to the single gentleman, things are definitely going to be interesting. 

The garter went higher & higher...

Until the single gentleman figured out that something just didn't seem right...

A good time and a good laugh was had by all.  

Regardless of whether you decide to have a bouquet/garter toss or not, it's important to not be afraid to add some levity and humor to your big day!  It's the party of your lives, right? So, enjoy it! 

Cheers!
LaVERE

{La Advice - RSVPs}

You’ve mailed your invitations and are patiently waiting for the RSVP cards to start arriving…  They slowly start to trickle in, and then, suddenly, one arrives with no return address.  You open the card and inside is totally illegible or blank, but you don’t panic.  You simply flip the card over and there on the back ever so inconspicuously is a little number.  With one quick check of your numbered guest list, you instantly know who the mystery guest is. 

We cannot tell you how useful it is to number the back of your RSVP cards.  You can buy an invisible ink (blacklight) pen, you can faintly write a teensy weensy number in pencil in the corner, or you can put a small sticker on the back of each card.  Whichever route you choose, the few moments you spend numbering the RSVP cards can save a lot of headache down the road.  

Cheers!

LaVERE

{La Advice - Kids}

Whether they are scattering rose petals down the aisle or carry the rings, little ones will surely add a touch of tenderness to your ceremony. If your wedding party includes young flower girls and ring bearers, it's helpful to express to them the importance of their role, and rehearse with them in advance (to minimize the pressure on the day). 

If the child's parents are members of your bridal party, we suggest that you ask their parents to arrange for someone that the child knows to remain at the back of the ceremony site, keeping the child calm before it is his/her turn to walk down the aisle.  That person may also need to be responsible for entertaining the child during the ceremony.   

At the reception, to make them feel an integral part of the event, maybe you could share a dance with them.

In those instances when other children are also part of your attending guests, it’d be best that an area is created for them at the venue. It will keep them occupied and allow their parents and other adult guests to enjoy the party without a worry.

If it’s possible, hire a caregiver/nanny to keep an eye on and assist them. Never ask one of the wedding guests to do this, unless they volunteer first.

A good way to entertain them is to make goody bags containing age appropriate materials i.e. coloring books, crayons or travel size board games.

Make sure that your caterer will provide a kids’ menu that is more accessible than the adult menu.  There aren't many 4-year-olds that will eat prime rib... and hungry kids are cranky kids.  

Lastly, remember that having children be part of your day means there's only so much you can control. Their personality and cuteness will surely be what everyone will remember. 

Cheers!
LaVERE 

{La Advice - Wedding Dress}

It may sound silly, but here's a very big reminder to do something small & simple.

When you try on your wedding gown, please make sure that you can sit down, raise your arms, bend over, shake, shimmy and do the hokey pokey with comfort and ease.  On your wedding day, you do not want to attempt to hug someone and find out that your dress is not suited to raising your arms up.  You'll also want to be able to sit at some point during the festivities, and trust us, there's only so much a little sewing kit can handle.  And lastly, "the girls" should stay inside your dress until the end of the night - when it's just the newlyweds in the room!

Cheers!
LaVERE