Behind the Mute Button: February 2009

Wedding Dresses Style

When shopping for your wedding dress, you should first consider which gown style you prefer. When selecting your wedding gown style, consider the silhouette, sleeves, neckline, bodice and train. Following is guide to the basic terminology of popular wedding gown styles.

The Silhouette

* A-line - The A-line or princess dress has no marked waist and the vertical seams flow from the shoulders down to a flared skirt, creating a "A" shape.
* Ball Gowns - These gowns normally quite formal, reminding you of Cinderella. The bodice is fitted with a very full skirt.
* Empire - Empire gowns have a raised waistline that starts right under the bust, flowing to a slim (but not body-hugging) skirt.
* Mermaid - As the name indicates, the mermaid dress is contoured against the body then the gown flows out beginning around the knees. This is the sexiest of the styles.
* Sheath - The sheath or column dress has a slim shape that follows close to the line of the body. The straight design is form-fitting and doesn't allow for many body flaws.

The Sleeves

* 3/4 sleeves - end between the elbow and wrist.
* Bell - long sleeves, flare out toward the wrist creating a bell shape.
* Cap - rounded sleeves, just covering shoulders.
* Fitted point - long, fitted sleeves that come to a point over the hand.
* Juliet - long, fitted sleeves with puffy shoulders.
* Long sleeves - long sleeves that are normally form-fitting.
* Off-the-shoulder Sleeves - cover the upper part of the arm but leave the tops of shoulders exposed.
* Poet - long sleeves, fitted to the elbow then flared.
* Pouf - short sleeves, gathered to create a poufy look.
* Short sleeves - about the length of T-shirt sleeves.
* Sleeveless - strapless with no sleeves.
* Spaghetti straps - thin spaghetti straps with no sleeves.

The Neckline

* Bateau - close to straight across from the tip of the shoulder. Gives plenty of coverage.
* Halter - wraps around the back of the neck to create deep armholes. Often also a backless style, which is very sexy.
* High - covers most of the neck. Creates a formal, somewhat stiff look.
* Jewel - similar to that of a T-shirt. Creates a bustier look.
* Off-The-Shoulder - as the name indicates, the top of the shoulders are bare. Showcases your collarbone and shoulders.
* Portrait - a very wide scoop from the tip of one shoulder to the tip of the other.
* Scoop - classic U-shaped neckline. Can be cut low for a more sexy look.
* Square - squared neckline, often associated with empire gowns.
* Strapless - normally straight across. Not recommended for women with small busts.
* Sweetheart - shaped like the top half of a heart. Emphasizes the cleavage.
* V-Neck - dips in the front into a V-shape. Can be very deep.

The Bodice
The bodice refers to the portion of the dress between the neckline and skirt.

* Corset - a form fitting bodice with boning and lace-up closures.
* Halter - sleeveless bodice that wraps around you neck, normally backless.
* Midriff - fits very closely around the mid-section, accentuating your waist.
* Surplice - sections of fabric cross wrap in the front or back.
* Tank - sleeveless with wide armholes like tank top.

The Train

* Sweep - 8" to 12" in length, just a few inches longer than the gown.
* Court - extends about 3 feet from the waist.
* Chapel - extends about 4 feet from the waist.
* Cathedral - extends about 6 to 9 feet from the waist.
* Royal - extends more than 9 feet from the waist.

The Veil

* Birdcage - falls right below the chin, usually attached to a headpiece.
* Flyaway - ends at the shoulder.
* Blusher - worn over your face, about 28" long.
* Elbow Length - ends at the elbow or waist.
* Fingertip - ends at the finger tips or just below the waist.
* Ballet - ends at the ankles.
* Chapel - ends slightly longer than dress length.
* Cathedral - 9 feet or longer.

source : http://id.88db.com/id/Knowledge/Knowledge_Detail.page?kid=10212

Wedding gowns come in multiple styles and fabrics, and you should choose one that represents both the ceremony style (formal, semi-formal, or informal) as well as your personal tastes.

Traditional wedding gown styles include Ball Gown, Empire, Basque, and A-Line. A Ball gown resembles "Cinderella's" dress with a big poofy skirt. The Empire has a high waist (cropped just under the bust line) with a flared skirt. The Basque comes in both the "U" or the "V" shape, with the waist just below the natural waistline. And, the A-Line resembles the shape of an "A," slimmer up top and widening as you go further down.

Some of the more popular fabrics include satin, velvet, lace, tissue taffeta, chiffon, and linen. Satin is wonderful for fall and winter, but may be too hot and heavy for summer months, especially in warmer climates. Chiffon and linen, on the other hand, are great light summer fabrics. Lace and tissue taffeta are very popular for spring while the rich feel of velvet is appropriate for fall and winter.

Source : http://id.88db.com/id/Knowledge/Knowledge_Detail.page/Wedding/?kid=11371

Like the Chinese, Koreans also exchanged the "eight characters" or "four pillars" to determine if the match was suitable. When that process was over, a local fortune-teller was summoned to see if the couple could live harmoniously. Koreans call this kung-hap. This custom is still important among many older Korean Americans. As the old saying goes, straw sandals are useful only if they fit your feet.

The Engagement

Gifts are an important part of an engagement. Traditionally, gifts from the groom's side would be delivered on the eve of the wedding day. With faces blackened with dried squid's ink and in costume, friends of the groom would parade a box, or hahm, filled with gifts. As they approached the bride's house, they would chant, "Hahm for sale, buy a hahm." Her family would rush out to greet the gift-bearers, enticing them with money and food. These days, the families are likely to meet in a restaurant, but gifts--and lots of them--are a must. Some Korean American families can spend $30,000 to $40,000 on engagement gifts alone.

The Wedding Outfits

The two dresses worn by the bride were once the costume of the noble class. The simple lime-green wonsam and the more elaborate hwarrot, or "flower robe," are embroidered with flowers and butterflies. Underneath, she wears the hanbok, the doll-like traditional dress of Korea. On the bride's head is a black cap studded with gems. On her feet are white socks and embroidered shoes. Her makeup is simple, except for three red circles, yonji konji, the size of nickels. These circles, traditionally made of red peppers, but now often drawn on, are supposed to ward off evil spirits. The groom's faruotsu is also the dress of the nobility. It is made of dark green damask with auspicious symbols woven in gold. The headdress is the tall black cap of high-ranking officials made of silk. Traditional costumes can be rented in Korean dress shops or even some banquet halls starting around $150.

The Ceremony

Traditionally, the groom would give a live goose--a symbol of fidelity because it takes only one partner in its life--to his new mother-in-law as a sign of his faithfulness to her daughter. Today's Korean families substitute the live goose with a wooden one called a kirogi. The ceremony takes place around a table, or teresan, in an area set off by a screen with images of peonies. The highlight of the ceremony is the sharing of a special white wine called jung jong. Traditionally, this wine was poured into cups made from two halves of a gourd grown by the bride's mother. The bride and groom sip from their separate cups and then the wine is mixed together, poured once more into the gourd cups and sipped again. This is kunbere, the wedding vow. One ritual often seen at Korean American weddings is the peh beck ceremony. At this ceremony, usually only attended by family and close friends, the new wife offers her new in-laws gifts of dried dates and jujubes, symbols of children. They in turn offer her tea, a subtle but significant gift. At the ceremony's conclusion, they toss the dates and chestnuts at the bride, and she tries to catch them in her large skirt.

The Food

The Korean wedding banquet is called kook soo sang, the "noodle banquet," and can include a variety of dishes to suit the season. It begins with a toast of jung jong, a sort of Korean sake, downed quickly like a shot. The highlight is the meal's namesake, a noodle soup called kook soo. Wheat noodles are boiled and added to a clear beef broth, garnished with vegetables and eggs. Here, as in China, noodles are a wish for a long and happy life. Wedding desserts often include dok, a sticky rice cake that comes in a number of forms--sweetened, filled with bean paste, dotted with sesame seeds. Another popular dessert is yak shik, a sticky rice ball sweetened with brown sugar and speckled with chestnuts, jujubes, raisins and pine nuts, symbols of children.

Source : http://www.weddingsatwork.com/culture_customs_korean.shtml

If you are attending a wedding in Seoul in the near future, you should probably expect a very "modern" ceremony. The traditional Korean wedding ceremony is performed less frequently in today's society and it may be that the only place you can witness such an event is a folk museum. However, the traditional ceremony is worth an examination because very few rituals disappear completely from a society. They are modified and perhaps disguised, but beneath even the most contemporary of Korean weddings, traditional elements are still found.
Traditionally, since a wedding was as much about the joining of two families as it was about joining a couple, the services of a professional matchmaker may have been employed. This practice is dying out in favor of the "love match," but I know at least one woman who met her husband this way. During the Choson dynasty (1392-1910), the match would take place when a boy was quite young (the girl was typically a few years older than the bridegroom). After the match was made, an auspicious date would be chosen for the wedding.

Once the match has been made, it is time for the bridegroom to demonstrate that he and his family are worthy of the bride's family in the form of wedding gifts and a marriage letter (proposal). The bridegroom sends ha-am, a special box in which valuables such as gold, jewelry (an engagement ring, for instance) and wedding silks are held, to the bride's home. This box is to arrive by the evening before the wedding, and is usually delivered in a boisterous fashion by friends of the bridegroom. As the friends approach the bride's family home, they begin to shout, "Buy the ha-am! Buy the ha-am!" If everything is acceptable, the father of the bride accepts the box and pays the bridegroom for it. Of course, this is often a playful ritual today, but in the past, haggling over a wedding price could be very serious business.

Although now weddings will take place in a church or other more public location, traditionally, the wedding took place in the bride's home. Before the ceremony, the groom travels to the bride's house amongst a parade-like atmosphere (ch'inyoung). He brings with him the "wild goose father" who offers a goose (a wooden one today, although it used to be a live one) to the bride's mother (jeonanrye). The goose symbolizes an eternal bond, for geese mate for life.

Source : http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/korean_culture/34311

In Korea, the marriage between a man and woman represents the joining of two families, rather than the joining of two individuals. As such, the event was often called Taerye (Great Ritual), and people from all over participated. Steeped in traditional Confucian values, the ceremonies and events surrounding the actual marriage were long and elaborate, from the pairing of the couple to the rituals performed after the ceremony.

Professional matchmakers paired up likely candidates for marriage, with the new couple often meeting for the first time at their wedding! The families considered many factors in the decision, consuting with fortune tellers for predictions about the couple's future life together. During the Chosun period, people married in their early teens, with the girl often being several years older than the boy.

The groom usually traveled to the house of the bride for the ceremony, then stayed there for 3 days before taking his new bride to his family's home. The actual ceremony involved many small rituals, with many bows and symbolic gestures. The participants were expected to control their emotions and remain somber.

Although Koreans have kept several aspects of the traditional ceremony, most modern ceremonies resemble Western marriage ceremonies more than traditional Korean ones. However, many folk villages and museums across the country regularly perform ceremonies to keep the traditions alive.

Source : http://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/marriage/marriage.cfm

Wedding car is an important aspect of the wedding ceremony. There are various ways you can decorate your wedding car. Nowadays innovative and creative ideas can be seen in wedding car decorations. Simple car décor with fresh flowers are all time favorites. In case of vidaai the bridal car should be decorated with fresh flowers. If the car is of white color than you can use flowers like red roses or any bright color flowers, as it will look bright and colorful. Today car decor is given a lot of attenti

on as people has become more fashion conscious and realized the importance of having a completely coordinated and organized wedding celebration. Today lots of attention is paid to minute details to make a memorable wedding ceremony. Nowadays weddings are theme based so the theme or color scheme used is coordinated with all aspects of the wedding. For example if red and yellow are color schemes used on wedding cards, gift wrapping, mandap decor etc. than you can decorate your car with the same color drapes or flowers. Fresh flowers if used can be arranged as bouquets and placed aesthetically or you can put bunch of flowers with netted cloth or satins. Among the other options you can opt for are artificial flowers with satin, organza or netted clothes or else you can try dried flowers. Not only flowers there are other accessories like satin ribbons, zari doris, colorful threads, bows, mirror artifacts, hangings, tissue, net and bandhani drapes. Balloon décor is also in trend nowadays. You can decorate your car with colorful heart shaped balloons and net. Balloons give an unconventional look to the décor. For this car decoration florists are available who are specialized in this kind of wedding car décor. You can give them the assignment. You can give your own innovative ideas and he will do those changes accordingly. Customized car décor arrangements are available as per car model even artificial garlands are also available. You can decorate your car with those artificial flowers. These ready made accessories are easy to fix and takes very less time. The cost of the decoration varies depending on the designs and material used.

Source : http://weddings.iloveindia.com/wedding-preparations/post-wedding-preparation/car-decor.html

Car wedding decorations are generally out of your control, since wedding car decorations are generally done by the bridal party and out of your view. For your "Just Married" car decorations, consider designating someone you trust to do a classy job. Consider recommending the use of some of the following car wedding decorations to produce a well-decorated car for your getaway.

When decorating, consider using a classic flower garland as part of the wedding car decorations. If the wedding is upscale, your guests may be shocked by flying streamers and shoe-polish signs painted on the car. Flower garlands are easily attached, and can be secured by tucking the ends under the car's trunk lid. Flowers by themselves will work, too. Many stores offer affordable silk flowers that can be fastened to the back, sides, or front of the car. Bundles of flowers make a car look elegant and are perfect for "Just Married" car decorations for a spring or summer affair.

Car wedding decorations don't need to be as exquisite as those for the rest of your wedding. So if you are looking for something fun, crepe-paper or metallic streamers in your wedding colors are a good addition.

Having a Christmastime wedding? Why not tie on some red ribbons and a wreath with a "Just Married" sign. These will add a warm touch and bring romance to the holiday season for all who see you passing by.

Signs are a must. Unless something tells the world why your car looks like a party explosion, people will miss the point of your car wedding decorations. Whether you use washable paints or actually tack on a sign, make sure your message is plainly visible. Don't discount the idea of decals to be used as part of your wedding car decorations. These easily removable must haves are a hit with car rental companies, many of which specify what can or cannot be placed on the car.

Think ribbon for car wedding decorations. Ribbon is an elegant and affordable option that can tie in your car to your wedding theme. You could choose a fun hot pink for a summer wedding, or a warm cream color for a more upscale wedding. Nylon ribbon may be right for a laid back affair, or you might consider sheer organza ribbon if your wedding will be on the formal side. You can either drape the ribbon around the car or tie bows with it. Many craft stores have ready made bows for sale.

Some companies make actual car wedding decorations available in kits. These usually include letters that can be removed from the car without hurting the paint. Make sure that the person in charge of your wedding car decorations has such a kit, complete with scissors, tape, twist-ties, clear twine, and removable decals (in case the sign won't hold up or it is raining). The last thing you want is for an inked sign to bleed on your car.

Car wedding decorations can be a beautiful addition to your wedding theme. Follow these useful wedding car decoration tips and you are sure to drive off to your reception in style.

Source : http://www.weddingclipart.com/guide/wedding-receptions/reception-decorations/car-wedding-decorations.html

Christmas wedding ceremonies often tend to use religious themes and appropriately so. Carols for the music and holly, ivy and berries for church decoration can be teamed up with wide and tall red pillar candles for a soft romantic look that won't let your friends forget that they are invited to a wedding party and not a Christmas party. Here are some more simple ideas and tips that will help you to make your Christmas wedding decorations more memorable and economical:

For a soft glow, wrap white Christmas lights in white tulle.
If you cannot make the wires disappear completely, cover them with golden; silver and metallic white ribbons to give them a Christmas look too.
You can either use colored wedding lights that suit your wedding colors or white elegant lights that suit all themes and decoration styles.
You can decorate your walls by arranging strands of white silk poinsettias in swags or arranging exotic flowers with gold-tipped centers as topiaries or table centerpieces.
Wreaths in various styles, colors and adornments can be used to decorate walls while Christmas candles can be used as mesmerizing table centerpieces for the wedding ceremonies either along or with evergreens or flowers.
Christmas wedding decorations can use sheer fabric or netting as table covers and fruit in clear glass bowl centerpieces.
For party favors, you can use little Christmas ornaments.
Another idea for table centerpiece for a Christmas wedding ceremony is to display beautiful magical small Christmas trees adorned with miniature glass ornaments, ribbons, berries and baubles.
Stir the young hearts by hanging mistletoe strategically throughout your wedding ceremony decorations and see the romantic kissing couples enjoy.
Fake snow, pearl sprays and sheer fabric can make your Christmas wedding decor look quite romantic.

Source : http://festivals.iloveindia.com/christmas/christmas-weddings/christmas-decoration-ceremony.html

The Ceremony Decor

I've been looking more and more at actual ceremony decor. We will be getting married in the courtyard of the hotel, and it is somewhat of a blank canvas. Included in our "site fee" are the white folding chairs in the picture at the bottom of this post. They are very pretty on their own, but I love the look of this little doo-dad below. I'm not sure I would use just our names, but perhaps a monogram and a quote or a few different quotes and just spread them out randomly throughout the chairs.

A picture of them all together...

Examples of Quotes I might use:

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. ~Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally
Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Come, let's be a comfortable couple and take care of each other! How glad we shall be, that we have somebody we are fond of always, to talk to and sit with. ~Charles Dickens
Grow old with me! The best is yet to be. ~Robert Browning
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,The more I have, both are infinite.~William Shakespeare

Wouldn't the chairs look pretty with white paper, a copper border, and navy ribbon?

So this is the actual courtyard where we will be gettin' hitched.

And in the evening...

I am also looking at aisle runners. I've seen everything from simple white to crazy patterns, but I like the look of a white runner with a simple design about 3/4 of the way up the aisle. Maybe a monogram that will match the back of the chairs, or we might just go simple with the the first initial of *R*'s last name.

I'm not a big fan of throwing the date on there, but I like the general idea of this runner.

I've found a few websites that show me how I can make my own aisle runner for about half of the price I could purchase one for. Of course this assumes that I have some sort of artistic talent and/or patience in order to finish such a task...

I'm still debating the whole thing. A part of me is torn on the entire aisle-runner debate.

I just reached a new low. I'm having an internal struggle over aisle runners. Cry for me.

Then you have the great Monogram Debate of 2009.

The marketing major in me looks at this whole monogramming trend as an attempt to brand and market yourselves as a couple. That you and your loved one are a 'product' that fits into some perfect little mold. That people will see your monogram and think, "Now THERES a couple that has their act together. They must really love each other because the first letters of their name look so pretty when you set them right next to each other"!

Then there is the evil, girly, bridal side of me that says, "But it's soooo pretty! And monograms mean we're a real married couple! And everyone else has a monogram so I need one too or else people won't really believe that we're getting married"!

http://changeisconsistent.blogspot.com/2009/01/ceremony-decor.html

Traditional pew decorations have an appealing stateliness about them, but that doesn't mean you can't loosen things up a bit. One idea drawn from the wedding of Donald Trump and Melania Knauss: Let garlands spill onto the floor, which gives a look of abundance but doesn't compete with the bride for guests' attention. Says N.Y.C. event designer Preston Bailey, who made these arrangements by sewing together heads of hardy dendrobium orchids, "It was important not to create anything that distracted from Melania or her dress. The garlands were low enough to enhance the décor without overwhelming it."

Source : http://www.instyleweddings.com/weddings/gallery/0,,20171450,00.html

The Kremp online Wedding Gallery contains photos of our bridal bouquets, wedding flowers, wedding corsages and floral ceremony and reception decorations. Some of these photos have been taken by our own bridal flower consultants, while others have been graciously provided by proud brides.

At Kremp Florist, we offer a wide range of wedding flowers, designs, floral arrangements, bridal bouquets, centerpieces, corsages, nosegays, cake decorations and more. Our professional wedding consultants and wedding designers carefully arrange the freshest flowers and foliage to create beautiful and elegant bouquets and displays for your special day.

Source : http://www.kremp.com/w-Ceremony-Decorations-6/

Weddings From Above offers a ceremony decorating service to our customers including alter draperies, large flower arrangements, pew decorations, aisle draperies, and much more. Download our *2009 Decoration Package Pricing. Please contact us for more decorating ideas. Click here* for pictures of our reception decoration.
Paradise Banquet Hall, Vaughan

A line of red rose balls accented with ivory drapings accompanied the bride down her aisle.

Angus Glen Golf Club, Markham

For this wedding, we provided altar draperies, signing table arrangment and two floor arrangments. Arrangements were made of roses, hydrangeas, snapdragons and assorted fillers and green in a range of pink shades.

We also provided the aisle draperies, aisle runner and pew decorations made of different shades of roses and ivy.

A different style of altar draperies was done for this wedding at the Angus Glen Golf Club. Mini bouquets of roses were added to the altar to finish the draping. Two large arrangement of roses, hydrangea and curly willow were set to frame the altar and a signing table arrangement was made with a variety of green orchids and roses.

Halton Region Museum, Halton


To dress up a history barn, ivory drapings were added to the arbour accented with vibrant red gerbera arrangements.

Yum Kwang Presbyterian Church, Markham

Aisle was decorated with pews made of green hydrangea and finished with a satin panel backing for a simple and elegant feeling. Braided cords were used to close off this aisle.

Two large arrangments of roses, hydrangea and curly willow was set on the stage with a matching signing table arrangement. Signing table was also covered with a satin panel to match the aisle decoration.

Same church, same type of flowers, a completely different feeling was created.

Scarborough SDA Church, Scarborough

This aisle was decorated with blue hydrangea pews and closed with tulle drapery.

Blessed Trinity Parish, Toronto

Two large arrangments of roses, hydrangea and snapdragon was set on urn and pedestal in a red and white themed wedding. A matching signing table was added to complete the altar decoration.

St Michael the Archangel, Belleville


Markham Chinese Baptist Church, Markham


St Agnes Catholic Church, Markham


Da Vinci Banquet Hall, Woodbridge


Markham Museum, Markham
Source : http://www.weddingsfromabove.ca/ourCeremony.html