Picking an Officiant

One of the most overlooked decisions in a wedding is picking the Officiant. People just assume they have to pick whoever the church gives them or that the location will suggest a person. But I think a lot of us have the experience of attending a wedding where the Officiant was either a little too out there or a major mood killer. I think that taking the time to pick someone that matches you and your grooms personal style can have an unforgettable impact on the wedding.

But where to start?

1. Do you want to have a religious ceremony?
   There are a lot of religious leaders that will not participate in outdoor ceremonies because it's against what they believe in, this is especially true for Catholics. Make sure that you really talk it over with your partner. Take into account your parents because if you just spring on them that you aren't having a traditional church wedding, they may be really hurt. Keep them in the loop too.
   
2. Check out who is in your area
   WeddingMinisters.com is a great starting tool to help you figure out just who is in your area and what your choices are. Make a list of the a few in your area and ask them when you can come see them.
   
3. Start the Interviews
   Make a list of 3-5 Officiants and go to interview them. You are really meeting them to gauge their temperament to make sure they are the right fit for your wedding. You are really hiring them to do a good job, so be a good boss and hire a good person. Some great questions to ask are: Will you be able to write your own vows? We come from different religious backgrounds, can you still marry us? How many ceremonies have you performed before? How long have you been doing this? How much of the wedding can we customize?
   

Look at your Officiant like the director of your wedding ceremony, you and the groom are the writers and actors along with your wedding party. Work together to make sure you can have your perfect day.

Happy interviewing!
--The Southside Bride

Irish Weddings

There are many ways to give a wedding an Irish touch from a little piece of jewelry to an all out traditional celebration. My advice is to pick and choose the traditions that mean the most to you and your partner because having a traditional ceremony simply to say you are really will just cause headaches in the future.

The Ring-Claddagh

(from http://www.thecountiesofireland.com)

The claddagh ring is known across the world as an Irish symbol of love, but few know the meaning behind the symbol or how to properly. The ring is composed of a heart being held by a pair of hands. The heart is also wearing a crown. The heart represents the wearers love and when worn with the point pointing out on the right hand the hands seem to be pushing love out to the world. This position tends to mean that the wearer is single. When worn on the right hand with the point in, it means that the person is in a relationship. When the ring is moved to the left hand, point out means engaged and point in means married. The crown on the ring stands for God, and it is thought that when you wear the ring pointed in the crown is on the outside sealing and protecting the heart.


The Dress-A little Something Blue

(from: http://img.alibaba.com/)

Before white, blue was the color of purity. A lot of Irish brides will work in a blue sash or pendant to represent this. Brides in blue used to walk to the church with their groom and people would recognize the marriage colors and throw everything from rice to pots and pans to bring luck to their journey.

The Flowers-Lavender or Belles of Ireland

(from gardenflowers.com)

Depending on your color scheme, both lavender and green belles are popular at Irish weddings. Lavender stands for loyalty, love and devotion. Also Irish brides tend to wear these flowers in their hair or a flowered headpiece. The Belles of Ireland are great for a green wedding but tend to be a bit expensive, so mixing them with other flowers would be best.

Traditions- Hand Fasting and Bells

(from: http://weddingbycolor.com/)

Two popular Irish traditions include the binding of the bride and grooms hands and the blessing of the matriomnal bell. The hands are bound by various colored cords that have various meaning. It is a physical and visual symbol of the bonds on marriage being created. The bell is blessed during the ceremony and placed in the newlyweds Home to reprsent their wedding vows. It is also said that during a fight the bride or groom can choose to ring the bell and the topic is dropped for the day. But it is only used in serious occasions.

I hope you're wedding and lives together are lucky!
--The Southside Bride

Locations driving you Loco?

There are a lot of brides of there that would be happy having their reception in their backyard just as long as they have the people they love around them (and that perfect dress on of course!). Picking a reception site for these brides can be really difficult because it really isn't a priority despite it being one of the biggest parts of the wedding. I'm going to expand on two favorite places for these brides.

Restaurants

(from http://www.palermos95th.com/)

Restaurants are great locations for small and medium weddings receptions because usually they have amazing deals on the location and food. There is Palermos 95th here on the southside that offers a great meal and bar package and has plenty of parking available for guests in the back.

Banquet Halls

(from:http://gardenchaletbanquet.net/)

Put your location into google maps, type banquets and you will find a countless number of places that might fit your needs. Or if you really just want a one stop wedding a lot of banquet halls hold wedding ceremonies too for a fee (between $200-$600) which includes chair rentals and more. This is personally my favorite because it rolls everything into one. Just make sure you have the minimum amount of people!
My top three picks here on the southside of Chicago are Candlelight banquets, Royal Palace Banquets, and  Garden Chalet Banquet because they might not be perfect on the outside but the inside and their packages are amazing!

--The Southside Bride

Reception Checklist

Let's go through all the information you will need to find the perfect reception place for you! Feel free to copy and fillout this list to bring with while you are looking at places

Your Information

• The date of the wedding:                         
• The number of people invited:                        
• The number of tables you will need (usually, 1 head table + 10-12 people per table):            
• The amount of your budget dedicated to the reception:                      

The Locations Information

• The name and address of the place:                                                                                      
• The person you are talking to:                                                                                               
• Catering Options:                                                                                                               
• Price per plate:                                                                                                          
• Alcohol:
• Open Bar                                                                                                                                                                     
• Beer and Wine Bar                                                                                                    
• Champagne/corking fees?                                                                                                           
• Cake:
• Provided?                                                                                                                  
• Cutting fees                                                                                                               
• Tables
• table/chair costs                                                                                                                                      
• linens included?                                                                                                          
• centerpieces included?                                                                                                
• Tent Rentals
• or tent availably if it rains?                                                                                          
• Music and Dancing options:                                                                                                
• Timing
• When can people come and decorate?                                                                        
• What time can my catering company come?                                                                
• What time will dinner be served?                                                                                 
• What time does the place close?                                                                                   
• Deposit cost                                                                                                                                                                                  
• Final count needed by:                                                                                                         
• Any other specials offered?