WEDDINGS – LET THE PLANNING BEGIN!

Congratulations! You are engaged. Now, it’s time for one of the most fulfilling and complex experiences – planning the wedding. There’s a myriad of social and familial obligations and traditions, from which family contacts the other after news of the engagement to who stands where in the receiving line. With so much to learn in so little time, we highly recommend that you purchase a book and wedding planner. We like “Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette” and “Bride’s Book of Etiquette”. Another great resource is www.ourmarriage.com.

While you are searching for just the right book, we want to give you a glimpse of who is responsible for what:

Bride

• Wedding Ring for Groom
• Wedding Gift for Groom
• Bridesmaid Gifts
• Bridesmaid Luncheon
• Accommodations for out-of town guests

Groom

• Wedding Ring for Bride
• Wedding Gift for Bride
• Groomsmen/Usher Gifts
• Bride's Bouquet
• Mother's Corsages
• Groom's Boutonniere
• Groomsmen/Usher Boutonnieres
• Marriage License
• Clergyman/Officiate Fee
• Gloves/Ties/Ascots for Attendants
• Limousine Service
• Honeymoon

Bride’s Family

• Wedding Gown, Headpiece & Accessories
• Bridesmaid Bouquets
• Grandmother Corsages
• Ceremony/Reception Flowers
• Altar Baskets/Arches
• Canopy/Carpet
• Kneeling Bench/Candelabras
• Rented Items for Wedding
• Rented Items for Reception
• Invitations/Announcements
• Wedding Programs
• Napkins/Matches/Printed Items
• Church Fee
• Musician/Soloist
• Reception Hall Fee
• Catered Reception/Professional Services
• Wedding Photography
• Video Photography
• Orchestra/Band/DJ
• Wedding Cake
• Wedding Favors
• Rice Bags
• Wedding Breakfast
• Bridal Brunch
• Father of Bride Formal Wear

Groom’s Family

• Groom's Cake
• Rehearsal Dinner
• Father of Groom Formal Wear

Bridesmaids

• Bridesmaid's Gowns
• Bridal Shower
• Bachelorette party

Maid or Matron of Honor

• Maid or Matron of Honor Gown

Best Man/Groomsmen

• Bachelor Party
• Formal Wear

SHOWER GAMES AND ACTIVITIES

There are a myriad of games and activities to choose from. In addition to traditional games – ranging from bridal bingo to word scrambles – there are unique and memorable games and activities you may want to consider.

Recipe Cards

To give a gift that offers love and help in the kitchen, buy the bride an elegant recipe card box with beautiful blank recipe cards. When you mail the bridal shower invitations, include the blank recipe card and ask the guest to write down one of their favorite recipes. At the shower, you can gather the cards.

Wedding Quilt

Of the many activities that you can choose from, this one – although labor intensive – is a thoughtful and memorable activity that will result in a treasured keepsake. At the shower, provide quilt squares to each guest. Ask guests to decorate their squares and sign their names. Choose a theme, such as love and provide fabric pens, ribbon, fabric glue, buttons etc. If you don’t have time at the shower, you can also provide the squares as part of the bridal shower invitation, and ask that squares be returned at the shower. Before the wedding, hire someone to put the quilt together. You can tie in the wedding colors with the bordering fabric.

A Colorful Quiz

Before the shower, ask the groom questions about himself and record his answers. At the shower, ask the bride to predict what he said. Sample questions include: What is his favorite meal? What is his favorite musical group? What was his first job? A variation of this quiz is to work with the bride to prepare a quiz that focuses on the bride’s and groom’s courtship. Questions may include: How did the bride and groom meet? What was the first thing he said to her? When did they have their first kiss? How did he propose? Answers can be multiple choices. Sometimes, thinking up colorful incorrect answers is as fun as the real answer!

Two Truths and a Lie

Each guest introduces herself, and tells the group three things about herself – two are true, one is a lie. Once guests have had an opportunity to mingle and get to know one another, ask them to tell the group what they believe the lie to be.

Memory Book

Have a supply of quality papers, pens and paints. Ask guests to write and illustrate either their favorite memory of the bride, their best marital advice or a poem. After the gifts are opened, ask each guest to read or explain their project, then have the maid of honor gather the pages into an elegant memory book.

Door Prize

When the guests first arrive have them fill out a piece of paper with their wedding date or, if they are single, their birthday. The person with the date closest to the bride's wedding date wins the prize.

Quiche Lorraine

A great luncheon idea is Quiche Lorraine with Strawberry Walnut Salad, French bread and Petit Fours Mini Cakes for desert.

• 1 prepared pie shell
• 6 oz of slab bacon, rind removed and cut into julienne strips
• 4 eggs
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 2/3 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350. To make the filling sauté the bacon in a little oil, drain on paper towels and set aside. Whisk three of the eggs with the nutmeg and some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix in the cream and strain through a sieve. Place in the refrigerator.

Beat the remaining egg and brush over the base of the pie shell. Place in oven for 7 minutes to seal the base and prevent it from absorbing too much moisture from the filling. Sprinkle the base with the bacon and cheese, and then pour in the egg and cream mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is set and well colored. Serve hot.

Strawberry Walnut Salad

• Use spinach, agrula or mixed greens (16 oz.)
• Clean and cut 1 cup fresh strawberries in quarters
• ½ cup glazed walnuts slightly crushed
• Poppy seed dressing

Mix lettuce, strawberries and walnuts and dressing

Toss and serve very cold

Petit Fours Mini Cakes

• Rose, Leaf Green Icing Colors
• White Ready – To- Use Decorator Icing
• Yellow cake mix

Bake and cool 1 ½ in. high cake in sheet pan. Position cakes on cooking grid over waxed paper. Heat canned icing in microwave at defrost setting for 20 – 30 seconds, stir. Tint a portion of icing rose. Pour icing in center of cake, spreading the edges with a spatula so that the icing covers sides and let dry.

Fill a decorating bag using a small dot tip with unheated decorator icing. Pipe dots on cake sides. Fill decorating bag using a rose tip with rose or white icing to create rose. Fill decorating bag using a tip that can create a leaf with green decorator icing and pipe leaves around the rose on top.

Flatten small candy cups and position a petit four on each.

We are pleased to announce that Holly Bayliss is the winner of the $100.00 gift certificate from the San Diego Bridal Bazaar January 20, 2008

ADULT AND CHILDREN’S TEA PARTIES

To some, the idea of hosting a tea party is daunting. If you’ve never participated in a tea, thoughts of the British, blue haired ladies and royalty may come to mind. Taking tea is in fact a custom made popular by the Anna the Duchess of Bedford in the early 1800s.

Since its inception, teatime is an honored tradition of refinement and elegance perfect for many occasions. Easier to give than a dinner party, children’s tea, high tea, afternoon tea and wedding tea are just some of the many themes suitable for your next celebration.

Regardless of the type of tea you’d like to give, understanding the differences is important. Generally teas are given in mid-afternoon, with light fare. Traditionally, an afternoon tea is a “light tea” in the afternoon while high tea is a “full tea” closer to dinnertime and includes a heartier meal.

Little Girl’s Tea

No matter the occasion, every little girl must have at least one tea party! Whether for a birthday or just because, a tea party offers children a chance to dress up, and enjoy the memory-making tradition.

To make a little girl’s tea party especially memorable, ask the kids to dress up. They can either come dressed in their mother's dresses, hats, gloves, jewelry and heels, or the host can provide an assortment of outfits. To find inexpensive fun dresses, check local thrift stores. Prom dresses, Victorian attire, floppy hats, long strands of beads and boas to the list of items to look for.

Once the kids are dressed up, be sure to have a photo session! Take pictures in black & white as well as color. Have the kids pose in all sorts of positions, both inside and out.

After the photo session, the kids can put on a fashion show! They can each take turns modeling their clothes, telling everyone what piece they are wearing is their favorite and a little bit about themselves.

Once the kids have spent some energy, it’s time to relax for the tea party! Little girls can have their dolls join them! If the dolls get tired, the girls can put them down for naptime in another room. Remember, you don’t have to serve tea. If you do, look up a vanilla tea recipe and be sure to use decaffeinated. Alternatives include juice, punch and hot apple cider.

If the party is for a birthday, and the girls like dolls, consider asking the girls to bring a baby doll for a gift exchange. Each little girl takes home a new doll!

When the party is over, consider sending a photo of the little girls in a thank you note.

Ladies’ Tea

Once the date and time for your ladies’ tea party is set, consider your invitees. Select a group of ladies that will get along well together. For an intimate affair – and if this is your first tea party – keep the group manageable, invite six to ten ladies. A smaller group works well because it gives everyone a chance to contribute, and fits nicely around a table.

To set the tone, pick an area of your tea party that’s comfortable and elegant. If the weather allows and your garden is starting to bloom, consider hosting the party in our outdoor living area. The more elegant, the better. Use a quality linen tablecloth and pressed cloth napkins. Choose a tasteful, colorful flower arrangement.

When you select the food, remember light fare is usually appropriate. Other than teaspoons, no cutlery should be required at tea. All sandwiches and sweets should be dainty finger-food. Try chicken salad, egg, watercress or cucumber sandwiches. Make sure they are cut into quarters or, for added effect, you can cut them with a glass or cookie cutters.

Cranberry Orange Scones

• 4 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Grated orange peel from 1 orange
• 1 cup butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup milk
• ½ - ¾ cup fresh cranberries (can substitute with frozen)

Combine dry ingredients plus grated orange peel; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl, whisk eggs, orange juice and milk, (save a couple of tablespoons to brush tops of scones before baking.)

Stir into flour mixture, combining until dough is moist. If it is too sticky to handle, add a bit more flour. Mix in the cranberries. Turn dough onto floured work surface; knead a few turns. Divide dough into two balls; pat each into a circle.

Cut 6 scones (wedges) from each. Brush with reserved egg mixture. Put on greased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep checking until they are golden brown.

Optional glaze: ½ cup confectioners’ sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon orange juice and drizzle over cooled scones.

Tea Party Etiquette

The rules of etiquette apply to both children and adults. Keep in mind that, with children, many of the more in-depth rules won’t apply – just the basics. Also, with children, the most important thing is that they enjoy themselves and the company.

So that you are more comfortable with taking tea, we’ve compiled some basic information and rules of etiquette.

A proper invitation not only communicates the time and place, but also for what the guest should prepare. For instance, if the tea is in your garden, the invitation may ask you to bring a hat.

During full tea, three courses are served such as scones, tea sandwiches, and sweets. Light tea will have just scones and sweets.

Jam or curds is usually placed on the scone and then topped off with a dollop of clotted cream. Simply spoon a small amount of jam or curds onto your plate, as well as some of the clotted cream.

The hostess should be mingling and entertaining her guests while some special friends share the duties of pourer. Depending on party size, one or two guests to act as pourers. No one person should pour for more than 30 minutes.

Smaller teas and children’s teas are usually given at a table. Larger teas are typically served buffet style, and guests may sit or stand.

For teas at a table, the napkins can be placed on the plate or to the left side. At a buffet, they are placed near the cutlery.

Never blot or wipe your lipstick with a linen or cloth napkin. Lipstick stains rarely come out in the wash.

As a guest, if the tea is at a table, remember to unfold and place the napkin in you lap. If you have to leave the table, the napkin should be picked up by the middle and placed in your chair. Never place the used napkin on the table until the tea is over.

If you’d like to, use two teapots – one pot of very strong tea, and one pot of hot water. You or the pourer asks guests how he or she would like their tea - strong, medium, or weak. Then you mix the water with the tea to get the right solution.

At smaller teas, once everybody is seated, the hostess pours the tea and always ensures that each guest's cup is full. The hostess then offers milk (never cream, since it is too heavy for tea), sugar or lemon. Lemon is best served in thin slices that can be floated in the cup.

Milk and lemon must never be added to the same cup, since citrus instantly spoils the milk.

When stirring your tea, be careful not to clink your spoon against the cup. Gently swish the spoon back and forth without touching the sides of the cup.

If the tea is hot, do not blow on the tea. Leave your teacup on the table to cool.

When through stirring, remove the spoon and place it on the saucer behind the teacup and to the right of the handle.

When standing and drinking tea, you can hold the cup and saucer near your chest, then take the teacup off the saucer and bring it to your mouth. If you are sitting and drinking tea, leave the saucer on the table.

Hold your teacup by its handle, using a bent index finger and thumb to pinch the handle. Unlike the grasp used with a coffee mug, you never want to ring your finger through the handle. Do not stick your pinky out when drinking tea. Just hold the teacup normally.

If all the courses are laid out on the table, eat them in this order: first the scones or muffins; then the tiny sandwiches, and last the sweets.

It is okay to eat most items with your fingers at a tea party. If something is has a runny filling, then use a fork.

Take bites of the tiny sandwiches. Never stuff the whole thing in their mouth, even though it's small.

If tea is served buffet style, never put dirty dishes or napkins back on the tea table.

The hostess signals the end of the tea party by placing her napkin on the table. At this time, guests do the same.