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Attendants' duties

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Attendants’ duties

What your bridal party members should bring to your wedding

Be sure to choose attendants who will be there throughout the planning, right up until the last gift is opened. You should also choose attendants who will not try to impose their own opinions and desires.

MAID OR MATRON OR HONOR
The bride’s maid of honor is primarily her right-hand during the planning stages. Her responsibilities include arranging the bridal shower, keeping records of all gifts given to the couple, serving as the witness for the couple’s marriage license, assisting the other bridesmaids, standing directly next to the bride at the alter to assist her in any way the bride should need, and helping the bride throughout her wedding day.

BRIDESMAIDS
Bridesmaids are typically the bride’s closest female friends and relatives. They assist in all pre-wedding festivities, they help design and assemble party favors and reception decor, introduce themselves to guests at the reception and play the role of host during the cocktail hour, help the maid of honor with anything the bride may need before or during her wedding day.

FLOWER GIRL
Much like the ring bearer, flower girls are typically young children, whether relatives or family friends. It is the flower girls’ duty to walk down the aisle before the bride, tossing paper or fresh flower petals down the aisle.

BEST MAN
The best man is traditionally the groom’s closest friend or brother. He serves as the groom’s right-hand man and problem-solver before and during his wedding. His duties include assisting the groom, making sure the groom is on time for photos and for the ceremony, ensuring that guests are properly ushered to their seats, giving toasts at the rehearsal dinner and at the wedding reception (typically his wedding day toast will be to the bride), and securing the rings, the marriage license, the honeymoon tickets, and the couple’s transportation.

USHERS
Ushers are involved in all ceremony festivities. They are meant to greet guests at the ceremony, ask which family they represent, and seat them on the proper side according to their affiliation. The bride’s family and friends sit in the left pews, while the groom’s family and friends sit on the right.

RING BEARER
Most couples ask a young relative or a family friend’s son to act as the ring bearer. His duty is to walk down the aisle carrying the couple’s rings (or a substitute) secured to a satin pillow.

Sharing your good news

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Sharing your good news

Announcing your engagement

The most important announcement will be to your parents, and this should be made in person, with both you and your fiancé present.

It’s entirely up to you when you tell your friends and family members about your engagement. Some couples choose to make the announcement immediately, while others like to
spend a few days sharing their excitement together before the madness ensues.

You and your partner should make the announcement to your parents first, preferably in person. If a personal visit is not possible, you should find time to call your loved ones individually to share the good news. For all of your other guests, it is perfectly acceptable to make a mass announcement via text message, email, Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter.

The most traditional and prestigious way to inform the world of your engagement is through an engagement announcement in your local newspaper(s). Most newspapers take two to four weeks to print engagement announcements, so be sure to make the arrangements ahead of time. Your newspaper office should have a form to complete, supplying you with all of the necessary questions for your article.

If you’d like to include a photograph, a black and white photo is preferred, although some publishers will accept color photos for an additional charge. The picture can be a head-toshoulder photo or a three-quarter length shot. Most couples choose a photo that shows them together, but you could also choose a photo of just the bride-to-be. Each newspaper has different photo requirements, so you should contact your local
paper for all the right information.

After the wedding has taken place, or even after you’ve returned from your honeymoon, you should place your wedding announcement. The information will be much the same as the engagement announcement, except it should include when and where the wedding took place, both parents’ names, the officiant’s name, the names of bridal party members, and the names of honored guests. Include a formal picture from your wedding. Follow up with a phone call to the newspaper to confirm the receipt of your announcement and photograph.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, PHONE NUMBERS OF
MANY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS ARE LISTED BELOW.
Sharing your good news
Announcing your engagement
Bellissima Photography
BEACON NEWS, AURORA ....................................630.844.5811
BOLINGBROOK SUN .............................................630.355.8011
CHICAGO SUN TIMES ........................................... 312.321.2345
CHICAGO TRIBUNE ............................................... 312.222.4049
THE COURIER NEWS, ELGIN .................................847.888.7914
THE DAILY HERALD.................................................847.427.4495
DOWNERS GROVE SUN ........................................630.355.8011
FOX VALLEY VILLAGES/60504 .............................630.801.5453
GLEN ELLYN SUN ..................................................630.355.8011
THE HERALD NEWS, JOLIET .................................815.729.6111
KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE ................ 630.232.9255 EXT. 321
LAKELAND NEWSPAPERS ..................... 847.223.8161 EXT. 142
LISLE SUN ..............................................................630.355.8011
NAPERVILLE SUN ..................................................630.355.8011
THE NEWS SUN, WAUKEGAN ...............................847.249.7249
NORTHWEST HERALD ...........................................815.459.4122
PLAINFIELD SUN ................................................... 815.439.4387
REPORTER PROGRESS & LIFE NEWSPAPERS ...630.969.0885
WHEATON SUN ......................................................

How to hire vendors

Magical Moments Photography

How to hire vendors

Finding the best

With hundreds of capable, talented vendors in Chicago competing for your business, how do you go about finding the right vendors for your wedding?

LET THE PROS HANDLE IT You may want to consider hiring a wedding consultant. Wedding coordinators will be able to find the best vendors for your wedding according to your style and your budget. They can help you negotiate rates and contracts with your vendors and your venue so that you can get the best values, and they will make sure that all of your vendors are set for the big day.

CHICAGO'S BEST REFERRAL GUIDE Hundreds of amazing vendors are part of our referral network. Just keep flipping through our magazine and visit our website at www.WeddingGuideChicago.com to find some of the best pros in the business for all your wedding needs.

BRIDAL SHOW Be sure to visit bridal shows in your area. Check out Bridal Expo Chicago for information on the most reputable vendors in the Chicago-land area. You may also want to look into bridal walks and vendor showcases; many are developed by industry professionals and specifically designed to help brides find the best wedding suppliers. Friends & family Get referrals and ideas from all of your recently married friends. You can even get e-ferrals from blog sites and wedding chat rooms.

HIRING YOUR VENDORS Choose the vendors you feel most comfortable with, vendors that best suit your personal style. You will be spending a good chunk of time with some of these people, so you should trust them. A good vendor should listen to your ideas and offer suggestions that will enhance your wedding day vision. You’re hiring your vendors to create your dream wedding, not theirs, so don’t feel guilty if you dislike some of their ideas. Choose a minimum of three vendors for each category (e.g., 3 photographers, 3 bakers, etc.) and set up appointments with each. Continue narrowing your selections. You may find this process tedious and time consuming, but your big day is the most important day of your life! Remember, wedding planning is a marathon, not a sprint. Check references and read through contracts completely before signing with any vendor. Visit your top choices a few times to establish a rapport with each of your wedding suppliers, and make sure they meet your needs long after the contract is signed.

Handling day - of mishaps

George Street Photo &Video

Handling day - of mishaps

How to servive wedding day snags

Purchase a notebook with a pocket folder and write everything in it so you always have allcrucial information at your fingertips. Don’t forget to put Wedding Guide in the pocket!

Let’s face it, no matter how many emails you send to your bridesmaids, no matter how many calls you make to your vendors, no matter how many wedding planners you hire to orchestrate your big day, things can still go awry at the last minute. Your ring-bearer might run screaming down the aisle. Your officiant might say the wrong names. Your band might get food poisoning the night before. There may be a wardrobe malfunction 15 minutes before the ceremony. A bar mitzvah cake might get delivered instead.

Point being, things may not go exactly according to plan, but it’s still your big day, and you can still make the most of it, even if it isn’t “perfect.” If day-of mishaps do occur, the best thing you can do is laugh about it. If you really think about it, marrying the love of your life should take precedence over eating the perfect cake. In most cases, no one will know the difference if last minute alterations
need to be made.

Our editor’s favorite book for surviving nearly any wedding catastrophe is The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven, Sarah Jordan and David Borgenicht. In it you’ll find solutions for missing rings,runaway toasts, bouquet allergies, dress mishaps, and so much more. Be prepared for non-stop laughter and an arsenal of ideas to help you get through some of the worst crises. The book is available at amazon.com and local bookstores.

As you think of all the possible things that could solve your wedding day emergencies, put them in a basket. Your personal attendant or maid of honor will need this “Bridal Crisis Kit”.

BRIDAL CRISIS KIT
1. Double sided clear fabric tape, scissors
2. Non-perishable, easy to eat protein(almonds)
3. Small water bottles with straws
3. Anti-static spray and spot remover
4. Mirror, brush, comb, hair spray, bobby-pins, safety pins, straight pins
5. Container of small hard candy for maintaining blood sugar levels
6. Clear deodorant, talcum powder, facial tissues, sanitary items
7. Extra make-up, baby wipes
8. Teeth cleaning strips, mints or breath spray
9. Pain relievers, chewable antihistimine, blister bandaids
10. Full size sewing kit with thread to match formal wear and all gowns.
11. Cell phone list of vendors & contracts for photographer, videographer, florist, caterer, limousine service, musicians, etc.
12. Lint roller for groomsmen
13. Money for last minute errands and tips
14. No sew adhesive velcro strips
15. Disposable ice packs for pulse points
16. Umbrella!

The Road to Happily Everafter

First and foremost, even more important than the actual wedding event itself is your marriage and pledge to each other.

It is normal to stress about planning your once-in-a-lifetime wedding—after all you've been dreaming about this day for years—it's also important to keep everything in perspective and remember what truly is most important. The wedding event is one special moment in your life, a marriage lasts the rest of your lifetime—filled with many more special moments.

Wedding rings are probably the most romantic symbols of wedding unity that there are.

From the sparkling promise of everlasting love engagement rings evoke, to the unending circle of eternal commitment that a wedding band is reflective of, these pieces of jewelry are also among some of the oldest and most traditional parts of wedding culture and history.