Carrie Underwood Gets Engaged
Carrie Underwood got some great Christmas presents this year, but her favorite gift was a flawless yellow diamond engagement ring from Mike Fisher. I think you all know what Santa left under the tree for me this year a fiance! Woo hoo!, the singer wrote on her fan club site. Fisher proposed to Underwood at his Ottawa home earlier this month. The couple haven’t set a date yet but have said they would like to get married next summer.
Everybody Sing “Here Comes the Bride”
Maybe it’s better to just live in a blissful state of engagement happiness, and not ponder the meanings behind all the pomp and circumstance but if you really want to know, here’s the history behind the song we’ve known all our lives as the wedding march.
Photo by Profinish Design
Get ready for a shocker: “Here Comes the Bride” was not written for weddings.
In 1848, Richard Wagner wrote the “Bridal Chorus” for a bedroom scene for his opera Lohengrin, produced in 1850. In the scene, servants undress a newly married couple, Elsa and Lohengrin, while a chorus sings the majestic march. In 1858, Princess Victoria of England, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, selected Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” as the music for her walk down the isle to marry Prince Frederick William of Prussia. Soon after, British brides began copying the royal couple, creating a new tradition.
From the book Contrary to Popular Belief
Santa Visits Engaged Wedding Library!
We had a fun surprise at Engaged on Saturday when we had visit from Santa! (Honestly, it really was a surprise!) We felt very honored that he would take time out of his busy schedule to come to Engaged! He told us that he was planning a very special event (renewing vows with Mrs. Claus perhaps?) and heard Engaged was the place to find what he needed.
We chatted and joked about all kinds of things while he looked through the vendor portfolios – he was a very jolly fellow indeed and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
Merry Christmas to you all!
The Perfect Gift!
Are you the kind of person who likes to give personal, meaningful gifts? Have you been wishing there was a way to give your bridesmaids something that was the same for each, yet somehow unique for each at the same time? We have found the perfect answer to this search! Adorable, double-sided photo charms from Pick Up Sticks are now in stock at Engaged Wedding Library. With 14 different designs to choose from, you can pick the perfect one for each bridesmaid! Queens, Love, Friends, Sister, and more. Plus a “make your own” that you can insert your own photo or art. You can give them as is, or add a chain or keyring. Each comes in an organza drawstring bag, ready for gift giving – for any occasion!
Double-sided photo charms at Engaged Wedding Library
Add Some Fun with Custom Jones Soda Labels
If you are planning a fun, casual celebration as any part of your wedding, you can easily add a customized beverage label by using the Jones Soda web site. Simply choose from their assortment of brightly colored flavors to match your taste and event colors, upload your photo, and choose your caption and message. The soda can be served at the event, or used as favors.
myjones.com/weddings
BLADE – the men’s barber and spa for Sacramento area grooms!
Grooms want to look and feel their best for their wedding too, and BLADE Barber and Spa in Sacramento has the coolest place in town for grooms and their groomsmen to get lookin’ good for the Big Day and have some fun with the guys at the same time!
BLADE has a Bachelor Bash package that can be reserved for a week or two before the wedding. It’s a great way for the groom to get together with the groomsmen to go over wedding logistics, get cleaned up and have some fun. Guys can get a haircut, shave, man-icure, pedicure, or massage. They can also just hang out and play a game of pool! Complimentary continental breakfast, snacks, beer or other beverages are also included with this 2-hour private party. And get this… limousine service to and from BLADE is also included for the groom if you are within 30 miles (and only $25 to have the limo if you are 30 – 60 miles away)!
Ladies are always welcome at BLADE, and they also offer on-site hair and makeup services for the bride and bridesmaids for your wedding, and their makeup artist is accredited by Chanel and Bobbi Brown.
For more information on BLADE, visit their web site: bladebarberandspa.com, or give them a call at 916-447-1772. You can also view their portfolio at Engaged Wedding Library.
Fall Colors Make a Great Background
Christopher Kight Photographers
Top 10 Things to Avoid in a Wedding Speech
10. Speaking with your mouth full: When it’s about your turn to deliver your wedding speech, you should avoid chewing gum or eating. Remember what your mother told you when you were younger stop talking with your mouth full. Same thing applies to giving your wedding speech. You should speak clearly so that everyone can understand your message.
9. Anything too negative: Some light-hearted banter about the pitfalls of marriage is fine, but if you labor the point, people might start to think you really mean it.
8. Anything that involves “in-jokes”: If you think that half your audience won’t understand the meaning behind any witty double-entendres you plan to put in your speech, leave them out.
7. Anything crude or on a sensitive subject: Graphic sex, religion, or politics have no place in your speech – you are bound to offend someone in the room.
6. Anything too short: Even if you are crippled with shyness, standing up and mumbling “Thanks” just isn’t good enough.
5. Anything too long: You may think what you’ve written is hugely witty, but speak for much longer than ten minutes and you risk losing the attention of your audience.
4. Anything depressing: It is appropriate to mention absent friends and relatives, but keep the tone light. Going into lots of heart-rendering detail about a dead mother/father/friend is not suitable for a wedding.
3. Profanity: You should prepare a wedding speech that is free from profanity. Remember, the wedding is a family event. There are many children present on the occasion so better avoid cursing or saying any profane words that could ruin the event.
2. Anything too gushing: Don’t get carried away using overly flowery language that will embarrass everyone, most of all you!
And the number one thing to avoid in a wedding speech is…
1. Anything too personal: This is not the time to be sharing family secrets or stories about ex-girlfriends/boyfriends/wives/husbands!
From the Shelves of Engaged Wedding Library
from the book Wedding Speeches & Toasts
The most pervasive of traditions – where did that “something old, something new” come from?
This most well known phrase comes from an old English poem:
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe
A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English, and many sources say that it began in the Victorian era.
Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. The custom is that if she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy.
Something old symbolizes continuity with the bride’s family and the past.
Something new means optimism and hope for the bride’s new life ahead.
Something borrowed is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.
Something blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, “Marry in blue, lover be true.”
And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride’s shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.
January Wedding Planning Seminar at Engaged
The first of the free monthly wedding planning seminars at Engaged will be held on Saturday, January 23, 10:30 – 11:30 am at Engaged Wedding Library. To attend the seminar, you must pre-register on the Events page at EngagedSacramento.com.
This seminar will include two topics: Wedding Planning from A to Z and Photography Know-How. A free Limo Package will be given away to one lucky attendee, and there will also be:
- Cake tasting from Babycakes Bakery
- Caterer tasting from 2 Hens Catering
- Live music by Jingles by Julie and Ron Davis of SacDJ
- Limousines from The Mix Master Pro
- And more!
Here is some additional information on the seminar topics and presenters.
WEDDING PLANNING FROM A TO Z
Topics to be covered:
- Planning timeline: What to plan, and when
- Getting and staying organized in your planning process
- What do wedding planners do?
- Who is responsible for different parts of the celebratory events?
- Wedding traditions and customs
Presented by Linda Boyko of White Orchid Events
Linda is a certified wedding consultant who has been planning and executing events for 16 years. She is committed to providing unsurpassed service to her clients. She has a reputation for integrity and imagination, and takes personal responsibility for creating successful events.
PHOTOGRAPHY KNOW-HOW
Topics to be covered:
- What is modern wedding photography?, the evolution of wedding photography, and the definition of photojournalism
- Photography as a collaboration: How to easily communicate your desires to ensure that your photographer understands what YOU like and want in your wedding photography
- What is professional photography?
- How to find your perfect photographer: What you really need to ask in the interview
- Discounts – ask for them, and when to expect one
Presented by Chris Kight of Christopher Kight Photographers
Chris owns a leading wedding photography studio in the Sacramento area, with 150 to 200 weddings done per year. He has been an award winning photographer for 25 years, adjunct college professor teaching wedding and portrait photography since 1994, past president of Professional Photographers of Sacramento Valley, “Photographic Craftsman” degree from Professional Photographers of America, and personally has photographed over 1400 weddings in a 25 year career!