How Wedding Traditions Came To Be - Spirit Lores

Ever wonder why you do what you do at a wedding? Wonder no more! These traditions are in honor of Halloween.

Flower Girl - In Britain, couples traditionally walked to the village church preceded by flower girls strewing the path with rose petals to ward off evil spirits.

Bridesmaids - They were there to confuse the evil spirits of which girl was the bride.

Bouquet: This was made of strong herbs like thyme and garlic, which were meant to frighten away evil spirits. [And to cover the stench emitting from people who had not bathed recently!]

Wedding Ring: According to some historians, the first recorded marriage rings date back to the days when early man tied plaited circlets around the Bride's wrists and ankles to keep her spirit from running away.

Aisle Runner: Used to ward off evil spirits who might linger on the ground. [Later used just to make sure the Bride's dress stayed clean.]

- More traditions to come -

Honeymoon Trauma

I know of a couple that had recently bought their tickets to go to the beautiful Jamaica for their honeymoon. The woman called just 48 hours before to cancel the trip because her husband's passport was DENIED! Luckily, we made sure that they had travel insurance and so they will be able to reschedule a trip for a later time.

Although the reason for the denial wasn't said, there are a few common reasons passport applications are denied:

1. All of the required materials weren't submitted.

- A Completed Application

You can complete it online through the State Department's web site, or print and complete it by hand.

- Two Types of Identification, with Copies of Each

One proving U.S. citizenship

-Previously issued U.S. Passport, Certified birth certificate, Naturalization certificate, or Certificate of citizenship.

And one current I.D.

-Previously issued U.S. passport, Naturalization certificate, Valid driver's license, Current Government ID, or Current Military ID.

- One Passport Photo

Your photos should be in color, identical, and taken within the past 6 months. They should be 2" x 2" with a full-face, front view (head should measure between 1" and 1 3/8"), and a plain white or off-white background.

*Most Post Offices can take these for you for an additional fee.

- Payment for Applicable Fees

Adult first time - $110 with an acceptance fee of $25

Minor (under 16) - $80 with an acceptance fee of $25

Passport card - add $15 for minors, $30 for adults

Adult renewal - $110

2. You have outstanding child support.

-More than $5,000 in payments

3. You have an outstanding felony or criminal warrant

(not including parking tickets or civil infractions).

-Not all convictions prohibit international travel - contact your probation officer first.

That being said, if you are good to go, know that routine passport processing takes at least 4-6 weeks from the time you submit your application. [If you have to renew your passport, do it far in advance of the expiration date.]

Now that you know all this, you can avoid honeymoon trauma and can go on your luxurious get-away without any passport problems.

*Even considering the possibility of an international honeymoon, it does not hurt to send your application 6 months ahead. Remember that passports are good for 10 years and we should all be ready at any time to escape to the Carribbean.

Why Have A Destination Wedding

Why not celebrate your love in a dream location! A destination wedding allows you to travel

somewhere fabulous while enjoying a relaxing vacation; this is nice for guests who have

to travel anyways to your not so exciting hometown. Share your love in paradise or

go to the country you originated from. Whatever you choose, it will be a time to remember.

There are tons of pros to this as well. If you decide on a destination wedding there’s

less family drama. One set of parents wants the wedding to be held in a cathedral

and the other set wants it in their backyard. The event should be about the two people

getting married – they shouldn’t have to worry about the kind of wedding their family wants!

Destination weddings are also cost effective. The couple can fly to the resort, get married,

and stay for their honeymoon for a few thousand dollars. Having a wedding reception with

100 guests could cost about $20,000!

Also, you can do whatever you want! Think of what reflects your personality as a couple.

Would you like to have an African experience or a beach ceremony? Do you want to wear

a sundress or shorts? Dream it up!

At a typical wedding, you're on the run, meeting and greeting. Destination weddings are

vacation time. How often do you have the opportunity to spend quality playtime with close

family and friends? This is your opportunity.

Still Overwhelmed by the Cost of your Wedding?

Still overwhelmed by the cost of your wedding? Are you battling between having a beautiful reception or an exciting honeymoon? When you hear the words “wedding reception” do you think of a sit down, filet mignon dinner by candlelight? Well, you don’t have to! Brunches are the new and growing trend that will keep your reception affordable yet still elegant.

-There are several advantages to having your wedding reception as a brunch:

1. Lower Cost. The rental fees, food and vendors are generally less expensive because you aren’t doing it during a prime time. Also, a wedding vendor could possibly do another wedding that day, so the couple may be able to negotiate special pricing.

2. Availability. If the wedding venue is a popular one, you might have a better chance finding an opening earlier in the day. Venues that book fast usually have brunch slots open, especially since this trend is more recent and still gaining popularity.

3. Less drinking. If you are having a buffet brunch reception chances are your guests won’t drink as much as they would at an evening reception, which saves a lot of money as well. If you choose to serve alcohol, wine and champagne are all that is necessary, but many also might serve mimosas or Bloody Marys. Or skip the alcohol altogether and serve juice and coffee!

4. Shorter. Brunch wedding receptions are usually shorter than an evening reception. This helps if you don’t want a long, drawn out evening event, which saves you lots of energy. It gives you more time relaxing with each other or with family and friends later that day.

5. Better Honeymoon. By saving all that money on a nice brunch reception, you can now go on that honeymoon you’ve always wanted.

-Food Ideas – Balance breakfast with lunch:

Hors d'oeuvres: Cheese and crackers, veggies, fruits, and crab and artichoke dip.

Breakfast: French toast, eggs Florentine, Belgium waffles, pancakes, corn beef and hash, assorted bagels, muffins, and croissants, and omelets to order.

Lunch: Carving station with prime rib, ham or turkey, smoked or glazed salmon, vegetable salad, pasta salad, and potato salad.

Dessert: Parfaits, cookies, brownies, or still your beautiful wedding cake.

Sarah, Jason, & Irene

While homes were being evacuated, basements were being flooded, and trees were blocking roadways, Sarah and Jason were engaging in their wedding day. Hurricane Irene struck the Capital District with great intensity on Sunday, August 28^th. Who would have thought that such a disaster would come upon Upstate NY? I’m sure the happy couple didn’t think so when planning their wedding for August 2011.

Many times when disaster strikes, people are ready to fuss and complain. But why bother? There’s nothing you can do about it; don’t worry about the things you have no control over! It makes no sense and it won’t get you anywhere.

Sarah and Jason’s attitude made a huge difference in not only the enjoyment and memories of their wedding but also that of their guest’s. They knew they couldn’t change the horrible weather, so they changed the way they thought about it. Many of their family and friends stayed in a hotel close to the location where the ceremony and reception would be – The Appel Inn. The couple told them that they would get married in the hotel lobby if they had to; they weren’t going to let a hurricane stop them from becoming husband and wife.

They didn’t have to do that however. Most of Sarah and Jason’s guests traveled the stormy and windy roads to the Appel Inn. The cute couple had a thankful attitude that their loved ones could share in the special day with them, even if the conditions weren’t the greatest.

Every one had tons of fun! Sarah and her bridesmaids even got to enjoy a photo shoot in their cute rain boots that they bought for the occasion.

Remember that whatever month you choose for your wedding, there could be a case of some bad weather. Make sure you have a back up plan for your day. Here are some ideas:

1. Reserve an indoor location near your outdoor venue in case of unbearable weather.

2. Rent a tent to make sure guests are protected from wind, rain, or even the hot sun.

3. Provide umbrellas for your guests.

4. Secure decorations using weights, tacks, or wires if the wind is strong that day.

And the most important plan for your wedding day is to embrace and enjoy whatever the weather brings you. Sarah and Jason did exactly that. They weren’t upset over what they didn’t have, a nice summer’s day, because it would have been a waste of what they did have – their love for each other.

A good motto to remember: Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.