By Suzy Powell

The white wedding can be very stressful as many brides feel compelled to follow tradition and etiquette. The good news is that you do not have to. Its a personal choice. Here is the low down.

When it comes to invitations, if you do not want to invite children then leave them off the invitations, and ask family and friends to pass the word on. As a wedding is a family gathering you may feel it important to invite each and every child you know.

If you have been married before then you may still wear white, however the brides parents would not be expected to pay. And in real life, in 2010, the old tradition of the brides parents paying for the wedding is no longer the norm.

The seating plan is another challenge. You will be happy to know that there are seating diagram maps all over the internet which you can browse down until you find the one for your family and friends.

One of the most important traditions for the bride is the wearing of a gown. She may also wear a veil and carry a bouquet of flowers. In the western world the bride usually wears something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

A bridegroom or grooms clothing on the day in the western world is a formal suit and servicemen may marry in their military uniform. A suit may be a morning suit for the ceremony followed by a tux in the evening.

The bridesmaids are members of the brides wedding party. Usually bridesmaids are young ladies and normally are close friends or sisters. Bridesmaids attend to the bride on the day of the wedding ceremony.

The head bridesmaid is known as the Matron of Honor if she is married or chief bridesmaid if she is unmarried. In the United Kingdom, the Maid of Honor originally referred to the female attendant of a queen. The Matron of Honor is the female equivalent of the best man.

The activities of the Matron of Honor may be as many or as varied as she allows the bride to ask of her. They usually include duties at the wedding ceremony, such as acting as an official witness to the marriage, organization of the wedding itself and the invitations, organize the hen party, also known as a bachelorette party.

Bridesmaids over the age of 18 may be legal witnesses who sign the marriage license after the ceremony. If there is a reception after the wedding, the maid of honor may be asked to offer a toast to the newlyweds.

A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. The term groomsman is more common in the United States, and usher is more common in the UK. Usually the bridegroom selects his closest friends and relatives and it is considered an honor. One of the groomsmen will be best man.

The best man has lots of duties to perform
1. Organizing the Stag Night or Bachelor party
2. Ensuring that the groom arrives on time to the wedding venue.
3. Issuing of buttonholes and Orders of Service.
4. Keeping wedding rings safe and secure and presenting them to the vicar when required at the service.
5. Witnessing the signing of the register.
6. Organization of the Groomsmen and Ushers.
7. Church fees paid on behalf of the groom.
8. Escorting the matron of honor or chief bridesmaid down the church aisle.
9. Arranging transport from the ceremony to the reception and sometimes decoration of the wedding car.
10. To make Best man toast at the reception.
11. Organizing clothing and changing areas for the bride and groom at reception and if required for honeymoon departure.
12. Arranging to have the wedding presents collected.
13. The old tradition of the first dance with the chief bridesmaid after the bride and groom have danced.

A flower girl is a participant in the procession. The flower girl walks in front of the bride during an entrance processional. She may spread flower petals on the floor before the bride or carry flowers.

If the bride and groom choose, they may have more than one flower girl, particularly if the bride has several young relatives and does not want to leave any of the girls out. This practice is more common at British royal weddings, or at Victorian-themed weddings.

The flower girls male equivalent is the page boy who is a young male attendant at the wedding ceremony. The page boy usually carries the brides train. A page is often seen at British royal weddings.

A ring bearer is not always selected. Usually the best man will carry the rings safely up the aisle. The ring bearer would carry a large satin pillow on which imitation rings are sewn, while the real wedding bands are kept in the safekeeping of the best man. If the real rings are used, they are secured with thread to prevent their accidental loss.

Ring bearers are usually between 4 and 10 years of age and may be male or female. If the couple have had children before marriage, then one of their own children may be the ring bearer.

It is traditional for the happy couple to show thanks and appreciation to the wedding party by presenting each person with a thank you gift. Parents of the bride and groom are usually given a gift also. Traditional gifts for the male party are pocket watches and tankards whilst the females are given trinket boxes, crystal or glass keepsakes.

Wedding gifts are even more special when they are personalized with the receiver’’s name, role, alongside date and location of wedding.

About The Author

Wedding thank you gifts including Flower girl gifts and Best Man gifts available with free personalization from http://www.blinkgifts.com/

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