What's one of the major mistakes couples make when planning their wedding reception?  Forgetting their guests at their wedding reception.  Sure, nearly everyone remembers the guest list, the seating chart, the champagne toast, etc., but we're talking about something more fundamental.  Planners at the reception halls call it "bride worship", and it's the overriding notion that "this day is all about me".  That's very true, your guests are coming to celebrate your new union.  But they are your guests, and it's your responsibility to plan for their comfort.  Sometimes it means not choosing your favorite dish as the main course, but something more guests are likely to enjoy.  If you're having having your reception in a location that doesn't have many (such as outdoors or a private home), will there be enough bathrooms, changing stations, or places to relax?  Do any of your dishes contain allergans, such as peanuts, that might send a guest to the hospital?

Couples who haven't planned a dinner party are more likely to overlook some of this.  We're not talking about a "come over, hang out, and we'll order some pizza" party, but one where you plan and prepare the meals and entertainment.  If you haven't planned a party like this, it might make a good dry-run for your reception to do so.  Perhaps have both sets of parents over at one house, and the both of you pland and prepare the meals.

In the end, it is your day--a celebration of you--but it is also your responsbility to ensure the comfort of those who celebrate with you.  Congratulations, and have fun!

Today’s Wall Street Journal has a special Journal Report on Love & Money.  The cover story is “Nine questions partners should ask each other before getting married”.  If you can still get a copy of the Journal, and you’re getting married this year, definitely check this article out.  If you have a subscription to the online version, you can find the full article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114288450388303200.html?mod=OHP2MP.  Some of the questions (and reasons to ask them) include:

2. How do you use debt?

Once you know how much debt your partner-to-be has, take the next step and find out what type of debt. There's a big difference between $30,000 in school loans and $30,000 of credit-card debt.

So ask each other: Do you amass debt in the present, figuring you'll earn more money later in life and can pay it off then? Do you abhor debt and refuse to own a credit card? Either approach could cause marital strife if your partner isn't on the same page.

4. Do we need a prenup?

This is, potentially, the most explosive question. The very utterance of "prenuptial agreement" can send one partner into paroxysms of fury, since a prenup often implies mistrust or a lack of faith in the relationship's survival.

Of course, there could be a situation where one partner legitimately wants to shelter certain assets for a special-needs sibling, or maybe kids from a previous marriage. In many cases, a spouse who expects to give up a career would do well to have a prenup; in case of a divorce, it could help him or her recoup the retirement nest egg that would have accumulated in a company 401(k) plan.

5. What are your financial aspirations?

This is the fun talk.

This is about your individual and combined hopes and dreams: the college you want your kids to attend; the lake house you want to buy; the trips you want to take; the classic Corvette you want to restore. Saving enough to retire early to open a bistro or flower shop or to do pro bono work for a nonprofit.

You may never attain all your dreams, and that's fine. This conversation, instead, aims to help you articulate your priorities and talk about how you'll ultimately fund those priorities together. This shows where common ground already exists, and where you need to start looking for it.

As part of the online version, there is a free podcast publicly available: “Jeff Opdyke discusses what happens when one spouse in a married couple earns more than the other and the stress it can cause”.  Listen at http://podcast.mktw.net/wsj/audio/20060324/pod-wsjopdyke/pod-wsjopdyke.mp3 (this podcast may be available for a limited time).

Money is perhaps the most difficult topic to discuss when in a relationship, but money strife is one of the leading causes of divorce.  Discussing money is tough to do, but doing so could help build a stronger foundation for your relationship.

The unity candle is probably the best known symbol for a couple’s joining in marriage.  In a recent wedding that had a St. Patrick’s Day theme, our couple rang a porcelain bell (shown below) as part of their ceremony to signify their union.  As the program explained:

Ringing of the bell is a custom that is performed as part of this wedding ceremony.  The bell has been blessed and presented to the bride and groom by the pastor.  It is to be rung while they lovingly think of each other and of their future.  The tinkling sound is always to remind the couple of their wedding vows and conjure up joyous memories of their wedding day.

We weren’t around when the tradition started, but we have a sneaking suspicion the ringing of a wedding bell during the ceremony may have led to the the tradition of reception guests clinking their stemware with silverware or ringing small bells for the bride and groom to kiss.  If you’re interested in small bells for your reception, you’ll find them at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/detail.asp?product_id=1971.

Our couple met two years ago at a St. Pattick’s Day party, hosted by mutual friends.  They re-met a year ago at a party hosted by the same friends, and began dating.  They were married yesterday, and the reception was imbued with a St.Patrick’s Day theme.

Since both have travelled to the Emerald Isle, they decided to name their tables after some of their favorite cities.  Instead of seating cards, our couple made shamrock lollipops, and directed guests to their proper tables with labels on the lollipops.

Fortunately, lollipops (sugar or chocoalte) are very easy to make, and molds are available in almost every imaginable theme.  Your local bake shop will have a decent selection, and can probably provide you with recipes to use.

Today's USA Today has an article about bridal fashion, but not the usual dresses.  Instead, more designers are including pantsuits in their collections, and more brides are wearing pants on their wedding day:

Telegraphing a vibe that's either sophisticated or sexy, casual or chic, trouser suits have turned up on the bridal runways of Richard Tyler, Saison Blanche and Pronovias. And non-bridal designers are offering suits that could translate into altar attire, such as the icy silk pantsuit unveiled two weeks ago at Rochas' Paris fashion show.

Read the full article at http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2006-03-13-wedding-pants_x.htm.

Mini calla lily bouquets are always popular at a wedding show, but especially when we use the Black Schwarzwalder variety.  Their deep purple color looks almost black when fresh (the color lightens toward purple as the flowers age), and is striking.  Our bouquet was a simple hand-tied arrangement held together with a small wrap of silver ribbon and black-headed pins.

The long stems of mini calla lilies make for a sleek, elegant bouquet, and also allow us to make some very contemporary centerpieces.  In the second photo below, we've used the same Schwarzwalder mini calla lilies with bear grass and curly willow in an elliptical vase, for a very modern look.

Dear Polly,

We would like to personally thank you for doing such a beautiful job with the flowers for our wedding.  They totally exceeded our expectations and were the talk of the wedding.  Thank you for all you did to make our day perfect!

Thank you,

E. & M. W.

Warner Press is the leading printer of inspirational wedding programs, and their programs are some of the best selling items we carry.  Here are some of the most common questions we are asked about these programs, and our answers:

Q: How large is the paper?
A: All wedding programs are 8.5” x 11”, the size of a standard sheet of printer paper.

Q: How thick is the paper?
A: For standard and chapel-fold programs, the paper is slightly heavier than standard printer paper.  Standard printer paper is 20# bond; these papers are 24#-28# bond, so they are slightly thicker and have a better feel to them.  Tea length programs are printed on a slightly thicker paper that has a linen texture to it.

Q: Can I print these on my inkjet/laser printer?
A: Yes, absolutely!  All of these papers can pass through a home laser or inkjet printer just fine, as well as copy machines.  Because the tea-length program paper has a slight texture to it, we recommend using a laser printer or copier, rather than an inkjet printer.

Q: What is the difference between the standard programs, chapel fold, and tea-length?
A: All of the papers are the same length, the difference is the way the programs are folded.  All the programs are designed to be printed in landscape (wide) orientation.  Standard programs are folded in half, so they open like a book.  Chapel fold programs are folded into three panels, two of which are the same width and one is much wider, so the program opens kind of like the doors to a church (we talk about the folding in our blog post at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,595dfb21-2cf0-49e0-b15c-1d2207481786.aspx).  Tea length programs are also folded into three panels, two of which are the same width and one ism uch narrower.  This narrower panel is sometimes perfortaed so it can be removed by the guest and used as a book mark or kept in a memory book.  We talk a little more about tea-length programs in our blog post at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,906f5645-058c-4bac-b89c-5e7888df4a0d.aspx.

Q: How many programs come in a pack?
A: There are 100 programs per pack.

Q: Can I order 150 programs?  Can I have a sample sent to me?
A: Unfortunately, no.  We receive the programs from Warner Press in sealed packages, and we don’t split packages.  If you’re close by, you can see the programs in our store any time we’re open.

Q: Can I get the program printed in the colors of my wedding?
A: No, these programs come as they are.  When you print the wording, you can use ink color to match your wedding, but the designs cannot be changed.

Q: How long does shipping take?  How much does shipping cost?
A: Most orders are shipped in 1–2 business days after they are placed, and are shipped USPS Priority Mail, DHL or UPS.  When your order ships, you’ll receive an e-mail from the carrier with tracking information.  During the busy wedding season, popular designs may be sold out, and may take a week to be replenished.  Also, if you ordered other accessories with personalization (such as server sets or flutes), your order may take up to a week to ship while these items are personalized.  We have a full breakdown of shipping rates and time-in-transit at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/shipping.asp.  We recommend ordering your programs several weeks before your wedding to allow for any shipping delays and to give you time to print and fold the programs.  We will let you know if there is a delay in shipping your order; you are not charged until your order ships.

Q: Do you have any templates for printing these programs?
A: Yes, click the links below to download the proper template; when prompted, choose to SAVE the template:

• template for standard programs
• template for chapel fold programs
• template for tea length programs

 You can view our full selection of Warner Press wedding programs at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamCat=24.