What does your wedding day mean to you?

What does your wedding day mean to you?  It might sound like a silly question. But ask yourself, what does it mean to you? What is the most important part of your wedding day? I'm reluctant to say that I often see couples misguided or completely lose focus on "what" their wedding means to them.

There a many different wedding traditions and customs depending on what part of the world you visit. Some cultures view the wedding ceremony as an exchange of goods. Whereas the bride is actually bartered for goods to her family.  Other cultures hold no formal ceremony at all and legalize their marriage in civil court.

In our modern day western civilization the wedding day symbolizes the union of two people who are freely choosing to be married and who declare their love publicly and join their lives in matrimony.  It's truly a joyous occasion that involves dedication and loyalty between those two people to arrive at the point in their lives where they want to commit to spend the rest of their lives with each other.  To build a family, to stand together to face the world and to enjoy the fruits of an exquisite marriage.

Relationships are one of the most difficult and rewarding emotional investments we can make as humans.  There must be compromise, understanding and patience.  Once you find your love and you both realize you want to make that walk down the aisle it's an amazing accomplishment.  Your wedding day is a celebration of that love and of that accomplishment. 

Weddings simply defined are a public acknowledgment of a love.  The reception is the celebration of that love and union.  Your wedding day should be a depiction of your personalities and of your unique relationship. However, do not lose focus of what is important.  It's easy to forget what your wedding day is symbolizing and get swept away choosing colors, food, keepsakes, bridesmaids and more. These things are very important in customizing your wedding day to be a reflection of your lives together but they shouldn't be your number one priority or distract you from why you are getting married after all.

Below are a few tips to help you in your journey of planning your wedding.  A wedding that will show your guests and family "what" your wedding day means to you. 

1. Infuse Personality - Don't settle for what every one else likes or what worked at other weddings you've been to. Your wedding is a celebration of your relationship. Infuse it with ideas that are a great reflection of your interesting personalities. For example, do you support the go green movement? Perhaps run that theme through to your reception with natural plant centerpieces. Are you an advocate for abused animals? Some shelters and donation programs offer cards you can provide on your keepsake items that indicate how your guests can make contributions to your charity.

2. Personalize your ceremony - Your family and friends attend your celebration because they love and support you and your fiance.  It's always special when couples personalize their wedding vows and ceremony.  Take the time to read through many versions of ceremonies, readings, poems etc. Incorporate what you find that seems to mirror your belief system and priorities.  You want your guests to understand and be a part of your ceremony and you do that by sharing your personal style.  Another nice touch is to splash your ceremony with a short paragraph or simple sentence or two that precisely describes your dynamic. Don't be afraid to start your ceremony with a chuckle or humor.

3. Stay within your budget - There are many costs associated with organizing and producing a wedding.  Many of which can be a surprise.  I always recommend couples use a budget analyzer or a spreadsheet.  Calculate what your budget is for each section and as you procure those items document your actual cost.  This is a great way to ensure you are staying on budget in each key area.  The last thing you want to do is start your married life thousands of dollars in debt.  By creating a workable budget and making yourself accountable for it you are sure to stay on course.  This is also a great exercise that will prepare you and your love for married life. 

4.  Be Courteous - The old saying stands true, even on your wedding day, a good host puts her guest's needs front and center.  Yes, it is your wedding day. However, guests tend to travel long distances and spend substantial amounts of money to be present on your day as well as offer gifts.  While planning your wedding try to remember the comfort of your guests.  If you are planning an outdoor wedding, is there shade for your guests? Water? Fans? Bug spray?  Generally folks will arrive 30 minutes prior to start time, which means they will be outside during that time and an additional hour or so for the ceremony and pictures.  Keep their comfort in mind, after all, they are there to support you and your marriage.

There are many fine details and generalized decisions that need to be made when planning your wedding but if you stay focused on the most important factor of all, your relationship, and learn to laugh off the little things you will create and produce a memorable event that will last a lifetime for you and your guests.

Planning an outdoor wedding in Florida?

I've held many phone conferences with bride's to be from out of State who are interested in speaking their words of commitment on the white sandy shorelines of Florida's Gulf Coast.  I've answered concerns ranging from the best time for a sunset wedding to the threat of Hurricanes.  These are wonderful things to be concerned with when planning your destination wedding however many overlook another very important factor.  The heat!

From the end of May through August our average day temperature is approximately 90-92 degrees.  That is not considering the humidity either. It feels much hotter with the humidity.  South Florida has a tropical climate with long summers full of high temperatures and humidity. 

The best times to be considered for your wedding day are in the mornings no later than 11am or in the evenings about 2 hours before sunset.  The temperatures and humidity tend to be lower and more comfortable for your guests as well as your bridal party who are fully dressed.

If you do choose to hold your marriage ceremony in the peak hours of the summer please consider these safety precautions and tips:

1. Arrive on time to start your ceremony.  Guests will be sitting in the sun on the beach or other outdoor venue at least 20-30 minutes prior to your ceremony start time so their exposure is much longer. This can be hazardous for young children and the elderly.

2. Provide bottled water or other refreshments for your guests.

3. Hydrate yourself while getting ready.  This will ensure you are hydrated during the ceremony and reduce the risk of heat exhaustion.

4. If you must stand in the outside elements for long durations, do not lock your knees. It prevents proper blood flow and can result in fainting. I've witnessed grooms fall ill due to the excitement and heat.  They tend to lock their knees while waiting at the alter.

These are just a few helpful tips that may be of use if you are planning an outdoor wedding.  If the heat is taken into consideration and planned for your event is sure to kick off flawlessly.