Losing 'Bridezilla' to find your inner 'Bridecess'

Yes we made it up, but ‘Bridecess’ is our new favourite word!

... February is upon us and it has prompted our thoughts turn to wedding trends and ideas for 2013.

Now this may be somewhat controversial given the society we live in, our love of good drama and the popularity of some TV shows, but it is our belief (The Wedding Gurus) that

‘Bridezilla’ is well and truly OUT!

Being a bride has always carried with it a certain elegance and beauty that those of us who have not been lucky enough to walk down the aisle can only dream of experiencing.

We imagine ourselves moving graciously down the flower adorned aisle or pathway to join our handsome waiting groom as all our guests and loved ones look on in awe and shed a tear in response to the heart warming exchange between the man and his soon to be bride - the love of his life.

With this in mind, how then did it ever become fashionable to transform into what we know as 'Bridezilla'?

The word itself brings to mind a horrific picture: A bride in a huge flouncy dress screaming and frothing at the mouth as others try desperately to tame and calm her outbursts. Is it really ever pleasant to have people see us this way on what should be our time to really shine?

Lets be real. Do you honestly want to be seen as an out of control, screaming, nasty bride to be, so feared by not only your bridesmaids, but also your friends and family that by the time the big day arrives they would much rather suffocate you than be part of your special day?

Or do you want to aspire to the persona of someone like Princess Kate Middleton who showed courtesy and good manners to all those around her and pulled it all off with such elegance and class?

We want to convince every one of you to aspire to be a gorgeous and glowing bride, one that is calm, in control and who leaves every person in the room thinking what a perfect choice the groom has made.

Let the single ladies wish they were you and the single men wish they had found you first. Let the elderly people comment on your manners and decorum, while the married women wish they had been so gracious on their wedding day. Let your parents burst with pride at what a great job they have done and your in-laws feel grateful for the daughter they are gaining. Let your bridesmaids feel excited and priveledged to have such a great friend and to have had an absolutely fabulous time helping you with this wedding. But most of all ,let your groom feel that he is absolutely the luckiest man alive to be the one standing beside you.

So......ditch that old Bridezilla (its so 2012) and find your inner Bridecess. Your friends, family, bridesmaids and soon to be husband will all thank you for it.


We’ve put together a few ways that we think you can achieve the true title of ‘Bridecess’

1. Accept the fact that things will go wrong, they always do but it is the way you react to it that will determine whether it complete ruins your wedding or is remembered as merely a road bump on the way to a perfect day.

2. Surround yourself with loving and supportive people who will be there to help you and remind you of the real meaning of the day.

3. Be organised, plan and work out every detail so that nothing can pop up and stress you out.

4. Scheduling 'you' time that does not involve wedding planning and is relaxing and uplifting.

5. Throw out all the old sayings you have heard –
"You cant please them all so just please yourself",
"You can pick your friends but you cant pick your relatives".
“Weddings are as stressful as a death in the family"
All of these statements carry some degree of truth, but if you approach wedding planning in this negative frame of mind you will feel nothing but stress and anxiety. Of course you have to think about your guests and wedding party, it’s primarily your day but they are all playing a part and deserve to enjoy it too.

6. Lastly but most importantly don’t forget that you are a couple and this is supposed to be the happiest day of both of your lives. Imagine how it feels to be a groom about to marry his true love only to see her go from being his princess to a total out of control train wreck.

Do you want your tantrums, tears and bad behaviour to be etched in the memories of your guests when they recall your wedding day or do want them to be using you as their example when they begin planning their day?

The Wedding Gurus
xxx

Week 21: Silent Flower Ritual

Welcome to week 21 of our "52 traditions/rituals in 52 weeks".

The silent flower ritual is one of the simplest and most basic rituals that may be included in a wedding ceremony, but it’s significance and emotional depth are long remembered.

The silent flower ritual brings significance to the roles of the mothers on this special day, that may otherwise go unspoken and to all that they have contributed in the lives of the couple present. In nurturing, loving and caring for each of them and in being there to share this special day with them.

Once the guests are assembled and the groom and celebrant are waiting for the bride, the entrance music begins and the bride enters carrying her bouquet with 2 loose long stem flowers. As she approaches her groom on her father’s (or whoever is escorting her) arm, she lets go of him and walks silently over to her soon to be mother in law and hands her one of the flowers, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She then walks over to her own mother handing her a flower also and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

No words are said during the ritual and the bride then returns to her escort’s arm and continues to her groom.

The ritual, though silent, is very meaningful and brings a tear to the eyes of guests and of course the mothers.  It is a truly wonderful way of honouring the mothers role in the lives of the couple and their importance on this day. The mothers are always very pleased, particularly when they are not aware that it is going to take place.

The Wedding Gurus

xxx

For other ways to include your mums please see our post "What about the Mothers?"

Week 12 - Libation Ceremony

Welcome to week 12 in our ’52 Rituals/Traditions in 52 Weeks’

This week we have decided to look at ‘libation’ in ceremony and how you can use it to create an interesting and heart felt ceremony.

Some traditions or rituals are not unique to just one culture and are in fact practised in many cultures throughout the world. These rituals are often similar in nature, but may have different relevance or meaning depending on who is practising them. This is certainly true for libation rituals.

The libation ritual is a traditional part of ceremony practised by the Greeks, Romans, Africans and Burmese Buddhists to name only a few. The term ‘libation’ actually means ‘the pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual’ and this liquid may be any number of things, again dependant upon who is performing it.

In some African cultures, an essential part of any ceremony is the pouring of libation. Sometimes water, but most often a traditional wine is used for the pouring which it is believed shows recognition and thanks to their ancestors and the Gods. A prayer calling all to attend and participate is given by an elder who through this tradition invokes both ancestors and Gods to be present.

The Ancient Romans were also big believers in the use of libation rituals in ceremony, usually consisting of wine and perfumed oil, it was considered an act of great worship.

These days we still see libation rituals used in ceremony and also in showing recognition to those no longer with us. If you live in the United States you may have heard of the term ‘tipping a forty to their memory’ which involves tipping a small amount of liquid (usually liquor) from the glass before drinking, paying respect to and in memory of those no longer with us.

If you are looking for a simple, easy ritual to use in your wedding ceremony that doesn’t cost anything and allows you to word it specifically to recognise something, then a libation ritual is a fabulous idea.

You could ask the head of either of your families,-a grandmother or grandfather, the celebrant or anyone you wish - to lead the ritual and say a few words as to the sentiment of the ritual.

An example of this may be where a loved one has passed away or unable to be present and you are looking for a way to acknowledge those unable to be with you. A libation is a simple, yet powerful way to pay your respect and honour their significance.

The Wedding Gurus

xxx

Ben and Daphne - Part 2

Welcome to The Wedding of Ben and Daphne Part 2!
Part 1 was definitely amazing, but we believe that the best is definitely yet to come.
From the gorgeous traditional church with its flower laden pews and extravagant arrangements the setting was nothing less than breathtaking. Daphne's mum and grandmother walked down the aisle before her and her bridesmaids and she was glowing as she entered the church on her fathers arm. Although marrying in a Catholic Church, the couple chose not to have any music in keeping with Daphne's Greek background where music in the church ceremony is not common.
So get yourself a coffee and don't forget to grab a note pad and pen to take down details of perfect ideas for your own wedding and take a journey with Ben and Daphne through the memories of their perfect day. We hope you enjoy it. xxx

 

The Church

Daphne's gorgeous mum and Yia Yia

and on the arm of her proud dad

Ben's mum who passed away some years ago was beautifully honoured with a place at the bridal altar

The Photography

The Sclapsti family

The Crowhurst family

This is one of our favourite shots - Truly beautiful

At Semaphore - Adelaide, SA

 The Reception

The reception was held at John DiFede Reception Centre, Adelaide, SA

Flowers were a huge part of the day and the arrangements were spectacular

The candy buffet was an absolute hit and the all white theme was set off perfectly with just a hint of colour throughout

Wow......is about the only word we could think of to describe this moment!

 And they lived happily ever after....

THE END