Do You Need To Have A Wedding Receiving Line?

Wedding etiquette can be a very complex issue! Where do you seat step-parents? How do you honor a loved one? How do you insure you greet all your guests? Well, as for the last question, have you considered a receiving line?  A receiving line could be the answer if you consider these tips: 

·Consider how well you know your guests. Many brides and grooms have long guests lists that include distant family, old acquaintances, and friends of parents. If you don't know all of your guests well enough to have an in-depth conversation with them, having a receiving line is a very polite way of allowing your guests to congratulate you. It is also a great way to meet the guests whom you haven’t met yet!

· In general, if you have more than 100 guests, seriously consider a receiving line. Some people would advise you to simply pass by each guest’s table and say, “hello” if you have a lot of guests. However, the easiest way to deal with this remains having a receiving line. Instead of having to make the rounds all evening, the guests come to you!

· Make sure you know who really has to be in the receiving line and who doesn’t. For instance, you may want to include your mom and dad in the receiving line, particularly if several guests are friends of theirs, and/or they are hosting the wedding. But you probably don't need to include bridesmaids and groomsmen. Instead let them mingle among the guests and make sure the event is flowing smoothly.

Whether or not to have a receiving line may be a complicated choice, but where to purchase your wedding gown from is easy: Suzanne’s Bridal Boutique! Our Gilbert, AZ boutique holds some of the world’s best designer collections – and regardless of what you may be looking for, you will definitely find it here. Contact us today and find out more about the stunning wedding gowns in our boutique! 

Father of the Bride's Role in Wedding

Weddings are not just about the bride and the groom. In fact, they are very much about every single person invited and about the most beautiful values of our society as well: love, commitment and friendship.

The bride’s parents and the groom’s parents are all equally important for a wedding and they will have a very well-established role there. From helping the bride plan the wedding to receiving the guests, there are a lot of attributions that fall into their hands.

The father of the bride will most likely be just as nervous as his daughter. Although it sometimes feels that men (fathers and grooms) don’t get to involved in  weddings, the truth is that they too have a very well-established role. What is the role the father of the bride has to bear for his daughter’s Big Day? Here are some of the things he will be happy to do:

• Walk her down the aisle. Traditionally, the father walks his daughter down the aisle. This is  very emotional and beautiful and it is very symbolic for the huge step the bride is making: a step into a new life together with the man she loves.
• Receive the guests. Generally speaking, fathers are not necessarily included in the receiving line. However, if the bride (and groom) decide to include the fathers, both of them will receive guests.
• Dance with his daughter. Again, this is usually a very touching moment and it’s quite likely that at least a few tears will be shed throughout the dance. The moment a father realizes his little girl has truly grown up can be very emotional!

If you are searching for an elegant tuxedo for the “father of the bride” role, come and check out  Suzanne’s Bridal Boutique. We hold an impressive collection of beautiful tuxedoes meant to suit a large variety of men!

Photo source: flickr.com/ Deni Williams

Who Pays for Bridesmaid Dresses?

Whether you have two or twenty bridesmaids, they’ll each need to get a dress for your big day. One thing many brides wonder about is whether they have to pay for all the dresses, or if the bridesmaids themselves will pay for the dresses.

There isn’t a set rule about who pays, but in general the bridesmaids will pay for their own dresses. Of course, if you have the wedding budget for these dresses, too, your bridesmaids probably won’t object to you paying!

Because you’re asking for them to pay for the dresses, you should allow them some input on the style and price. If you think that a bridesmaid will have problems paying for her dress, you can discuss this privately and work out a solution, such as paying in installments, or splitting the cost between you.

Allowing your bridal party to choose their own dresses can also be a great solution. They can find something that suits their body type and their budget.

For more tips about choosing bridesmaid dresses, get in touch with us or come by our Gilbert bridal boutique today!