Choosing the drinks!
April 21, 2009
Most people know that there’s a whole process for figuring out the food and catering at the wedding – mostly taste tests. One of the food-related areas that does NOT require taste testing (unless you’d like?) is selecting the alcohol for the wedding.
photo from The Wedding Lens
There are a few ways that the couple can go: wine, wine & beer, hard alcohol, or no alcohol. And any combination thereabouts. Oh! And the champagne!
If your venue provides options, then you can weigh the taste + cost value yourself. Obviously you have to work within your budget — and it is unlikely that a venue that already provides wines will have bad ones available as options. If the venue does not provide the alcohol, and you have a favorite wine, beer or hard alcohol that you want to have (and it’s within your budget) – go for it!
If you are at a loss about where to start, I have a few suggestions:
Selecing the wine & champagne: Go to a wine shop in your area. Many times the people who work there are very knowledgeable and can give you tips on what you might want, given what you are having as food and what your budget is. And sometimes you can get a discount that way!
Note on champagne: “Champagne” is only from France, and therefore expensive. There are sparkling wines from California that are equivalent to champagne — but from California, instead of France. Those are a bit cheaper since they’re not imported.
Selecting the beer: Local wine shops may also sell beer, but they might not be able to help you with what works best. Since people don’t think about paring beer with food, you should go with what you like and what you can afford. If you don’t know anything about beer, you should ask your friends and family members who might be more knowledgeable.
Selecting the hard alcohol: Usually people have preferences about what kinds of hard alcohol they like — rum, vodka, tequila, scotch. Perhaps start with a list of the ones you prefer and the brands you prefer and then cut from the list until it is within your price range. (Incidentally, one blog says that selecing the booze is a great way to get the groom involved in the planning because he’s naturally going to have preferences!
Mother Wearing A Dress to Match the Color Scheme?
April 2, 2009
The Wedding Lens Blog receives questions from our readers on a regular basis — including in our Wedding Questions forum. Usually I try to sum up the question in different words, but I think this question needs to be in its own words:
“I will be attending my step daughter’s wedding in 6 weeks & I have not been given any details of bridal colours, MOB & MOG have NOT yet decided what they are wearing hoping to find something off the rack. I found & bought a long simple blue gown & left a message for the bride if this was ok as time is running out & I did want the mothers to have first choice of colour & well I need to wear something! She never said no but she never said yes, apparently her bridal party will all be purachasing their own gowns? What should I do – stick to what I bought & wear it or am I suppose to wait until the day before the wedding when I finally get everyone’s colours & hope I find something? HELP!”
photo from The Wedding Lens (not the reader!)
In reading about the attire for the mother of the bride and mother of the groom, there are a few “rules” — all of which are subject to the personalities of the people getting married. In my humble opinion, I do not think it matters whether you’re the mom or the step-mom.
- Talk to the bride about whatever her expectations are.
- Do not dress more formally than the bridesmaids.
- Try not to clash with the color scheme; pick neutral colors. (You do get to pick your own color!)
- Do not wear white or ivory or black — unless the bride is OK with it!
So, in this situation where the reader tried to talk to the bride (and the wedding is only 6 weeks away!) I think she’s doing the best she can. Blue is the perfect color! Regardless of the color scheme that the bride eventually chooses (if she has one?) it is unlikely that blue will clash. It is also unlikely that blue will make the guest stand out — something else you want to avoid!
My only warning: if you hear from the bride and she nixes the dress, give her some slack for the late notice. I’m sure she’s stressed and would otherwise have been more gracious in her response time.