Guest post from April Masini of AskApril.com

When guests ask you if they can bring their children, who weren’t named on the invitation, it’s best if you have already discussed this scenario with your fiance and whoever else you’re planning your wedding with, and have come up with a policy on children ahead of time! If you haven’t, tell the person asking that you’re going to discuss it with your fiance and get back to them within the week with an answer. Here’s what you … Read More

David’s Bridal reached out to us after the Kim & Kanye wedding to share some excellent insights into wedding trends based on their recent survey.

#UnpluggedWedding

Just as many predicted Kim and Kanye’s wedding guests kept photos from the actual wedding ceremony and reception close to the vest. The media-savvy couple made sure there were strict social media rules in place at the wedding so that no important photos were leaked by their guests.

This embodies the trend of brides wanting to take control … Read More

Guest Post By April Masini of AskApril.com

Most people have a wedding budget — and a vision for their wedding that falls outside that budget. So, rather than invite 200 guests to a wine and cheese reception in the yard, many brides prefer 75 guests at a hotel reception, or 10 guests at an island destination event. Not everybody is going to make the guest list cut. Feelings will be hurt, and relationships challenged, but there are ways to handle the cuts, that are kind, … Read More

I meet with thousands of brides and their mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom annually. It’s always so touching and emotional to see the tear come rolling down moms face when the bride “says yes.” Although Kleinfeld does not sell evening wear, I identified bridal gowns that would be appropriate for mother-of –the bride or mother-of-the groom gowns. Most of these gowns are available from the designer in other colors. Can you see your mom in one of these gowns?

Lanvin pantsuit:  … Read More

It is your special day. Guess what? It is mom’s special day, too! It isn’t just the bride who’s nervous about how she looks on her wedding day. Mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom also have wedding day jitters. Weddings aren’t just about the bride and groom-they’re a public display of the tastes and values of the entire family. How can you help Mom with her wedding day anxiety so she can look and feel her best?

1. Don’t let Mom … Read More

Wedding guest lists can be very drama-heavy when you can’t invite everyone you want. As the mother of the bride or mother of the groom, one of your least glamorous and least pleasant responsibilities may be to tell friends and family members why they aren’t invited to your child’s wedding.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do this. We’ve been on both sides: having to communicate the uncomfortable news as well as being hurt by friends after hearing we … Read More

In a recent post we discussed today’s high cost of weddings in the US, which now average over $27,000. What about the costs for wedding guests and bridesmaids? Are weddings becoming expensive for them, too? They are. We were shocked to learn in a CNN.com report that a bridesmaid typically spends over $1,600 per wedding, including the cost of the bridesmaid dress, accessories, travel to the wedding, engagement gift, bridal shower gift, and wedding gift.

What if you are guest but not in the bridal … Read More

We’ve all been inundated with articles, TV shows, Netflix movies, and magazines that discuss the benefits of organic food as well as gluten-free food for individuals with celiac disease. These concerns about food are also affecting weddings. We spoke about this topic with Jonathan Pratt, who owns many successful restaurants, including Peter Pratt’s Inn in Yorktown, New York. The Inn is fast becoming a popular venue for country-style food-centered weddings.

Jon has been creating organic farm-to-table meals for the past 30 years at … Read More

It is more than common today if not even the “new normal” for weddings to involve step parents.  According to a 2011 Pew Research Report on Step Families, over 43% of adult individuals have a step relationship (step parent, step sibling or step child).  This translates into over 95 million people in the U.S.  I had firsthand experience with this as my husband’s parents were divorced, and his father had re-married.

There are many etiquette articles on the Web and etiquette books that provide … Read More