Wedding Etiquette for the Parents of the Bride and Groom

Two words: In-laws; for both the bride and groom. As you plan to tie the knot and share your entire lives with one another, keep in mind that your families will be intertwining, which means you both will be having a new set of parents (sometimes two new sets)!  InsideWeddings gave great advice on how to approach and include your parents and new in-laws up to big day! Reaching each other: Woohoo! You’ve announced your engagement to your families and friends, but now what?  Traditionally, the groom’s mother would call the bride’s family to arrange a get together and celebrate.  Nowadays, your announcement is much more important that who does what; you’re getting married!  So it could be the groom’s family, the bride’s family, or as a couple you and your groom can invite both side’s of the family to a gathering where everyone can meet, congratulate, and welcome you and yours to the family!

Money Matters:  Financials are always a very personal and sensitive subject, so proceed with caution. Traditionally the bride’s parents paid for  majority if not all of the day of wedding day arrangements and the décor as well as the engagement party.  Traditionally the groom’s parent’s paid for everything that leads to the wedding day with a few additional décor costs "(the rehearsal dinner, the bride’s engagement and wedding rings, the marriage license, and officiant fee, and the flowers)."

Today, wedding expenses and finances are divided up in any way that best fits everyone’s budget. It important though to give everyone notice prior to discussing the finances of your wedding. As the bride, who wants only the best for your big day, keep in mind that they are supporting you and you may need to compromise with some of their wishes.  Never expect someone to financially support your big day, be grateful for those who can and those who can't, either way you will be with the ones you love.

Lines of Communication: After your parents meet your future in-laws, encourage them to communicate directly with one another! This will make planning and coordinating with both sides of the family much more simple and fewer questions for you to answer!

Proper Attire: Your mom and mother in law will of course want to look fabulous on your big day. Traditionally the mother of the groom will ask the mother of the bride what she plans to wear, giving her the option to choose first. Regardless, your mothers should wear their personal preferences; but colors and styles that complement one another, and the wedding colors are always a plus!

Roles on the Big Day: On the day of the wedding, your parent's and the groom's parents should act as hosts throughout the day. They should all be included within the procession at the ceremony and greet guests at the reception. Your parents and in laws should also prepare to give a toast as well (usually father of the groom at the rehearsal dinner and father of the bride at the reception).  This will be a very happy day for them as well, so be sure they enjoy, have some bubbly, and celebrate with all the guests.

20 Questions To Personalize Your Big Day

We found a great article with 20 great questions to help personalize your wedding in the current edition of  Martha Stewart Weddings magazine by Editorial Director, Darcy Miller. She shares 20 questions to ask yourself to help gather up inspiration ideas in making your day your very own and only.  Darcy says, "Simply sit down with your fiance and write your responses, and you'll soon see that they paint a picture of your ideal celebration."  Check them out below and let us know if you are using any of these questions to help make your personal to you and your fiancé!   Follow Darcy miller on twitter @darcymiller for more wedding tips!

1. Where did you meet?

2. Where did you go as kids (summer camp, family trips, studies abroad)?

3. What did you do on your first date?

4. Where was your first vacation together?

5. What time of year do you love most?

6. What colors do you gravitate toward?

7. Are you obsessed with a certain flower?

8. What family heirloom would you cherish carrying on your day?

9. What song lyric or poem moves you most?

10. Do you have a pet?

11. What's the bar where everybody knows your names?

12. Do you play a sport or root for a team?

13. What's your go-to food?

14. If you could eat at only one restaurant, which would you pick?

15. What guilty pleasure do you share?

16. What are your hobbies, or do you collect anything?

17. How would you describe your dream date night?

18. What are your nicknames?

19. Do you have a desert-island book or a favorite quote?

20. What's your No. 1 film?

Vendor Spotlight: Luminaire Images

I'm so excited to highlight my friends Molly and Matt from Luminaire Images!  They are such a fun husband and wife team and make their clients feel so comfortable in front of the camera! See their interview below to get to know them a little bit better and be sure to check out their website!
  • Cat or Dog? Both! I have had the pleasure of owning both cats AND dogs! Currently I get my “pet fix” via my pet rabbit Butters, and by volunteering as a photographer once a month at the OC Humane Society, which gives the shelter pets more exposure and good publicity photos.
  • Twilight or Harry Potter? Harry Potter. Who doesn’t love that Luna Lovegood?! I just photographed a Harry Potter-themed holiday party this past weekend too. That was totally fun, I wore a Hogwarts sweater, scarf, & tie and everything!
  • Mac or PC? Mac all the way, baby.
  • Sweet or Salty? Both, but I think my “sweet tooth” is bigger than my “salty tooth”!
  • Beer or Wine? I enjoy both. Beer in the summer, and wine any ol’ time.
  • Mountains or Beach? What a question to ask someone who lives five minutes from the Pacific Ocean!
  • Neat or Messy? Neat. Unless it’s my desk. For the life of me, I cannot seem to keep my desk tidy for more than ten minutes.
  • What is the last book you read? The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It’s cute in the same way early Tim Burton movies are “cute.”
  • Most embarrassing moment? I have to confess that I am a little embarrassed that I just admitted to recently reading a Young Adult novel. Even if it was by Neil Gaiman.
  • Favorite sports team? The only sports I typically watch are international soccer tournaments. I love watching Brazil play for their technique, and African nations for their amazing speed. I also cheer the home team (U.S.), of course!
  • What was the last movie you went to see? Hugo. It had a lot of references to film history which I really enjoyed. I’m a total cinephile.
  • Who would play you in a movie? I have been told that there is a resemblance between Rachel McAdams (Morning Glory) and myself, but if resemblance wasn’t relevant, then I have no idea. I’ve never thought about that!
  • What is your favorite drink? My favorite “adult beverage” right now is vanilla vodka with ginger ale. So delicious. You have to try it. I also like tea--I have a cuppa every morning.
  • What is in your refrigerator right now? Fixin’s for food...what else!
  • What’s your favorite place to eat? I loooooove sushi. My favorite local sushi joint right now is Matsu, on Beach Blvd & Talbert in Huntington Beach. Best sushi of all time that I have EVER eaten was at Morimoto Restaurant in Napa, CA.
  • What TV reality show or game show would you go on? I am not much of a fan of reality TV or game shows, but I think it would be awesome to participate in an episode of “Globe Trekker” or something like that. I love traveling, destination weddings are among some of our favorite events to photograph.
  • How many pairs of shoes do you own? I think I only own maybe fifteen pairs or so, which I don’t think is THAT many. My husband Matt, who only owns like...four pairs of shoes, gives me such grief for it! I have a penchant for sneakers and comfy slip-ons.
  • Where did you grow up? All over Southern California, but mostly the Huntington Beach area.
  • Where have you gone to school? I attended Chapman University, where I studied filmmaking. Much of what I learned in that major I have since applied to photography as well, such as production development and execution, and image composition.
  • One of your favorite wedding moments? One wedding I photographed this past year was that of a bride who believed she was past “marrying age” and would never find anyone, and a groom who uses crutches due to a severe genetic arthritis disability and believed he’d never find anyone either. I think nothing short of “magic” can describe their connection and how in love they are. We arranged for a “First Look” (when they are “revealed” to each other before the ceremony on the wedding day), and the reactions in the photos really sum up their beautiful, inspiring relationship.
  • What is your advice to people planning a wedding? I highly recommend making a list that prioritizes everything involved in your wedding planning, and then hiring professionals in the order of that list. So, if the top three most important aspects of your wedding to you are, for example, your venue, your planner, and your photographer, then secure those three things first. Using this method, if your budget starts to really pinch by the time you reach the bottom of the list, it doesn’t matter so much because everything at the bottom was never very important to you anyway.
  • What is your best marriage advice? I am a fan of the Three C’s: Crystal Clear Communication! Tell your partner how you feel when you’re angry, sad, affectionate, etc. Do NOT wait, and do NOT leave your partner guessing, because if he or she happens to guess wrong then you’ll have an even bigger problem on your hands!
  • Anything else we should know? Yes! Now through January 30th, we’re happy to offer anyone looking for a wedding photography services a 10% rate reduction if they mention that they found us through this interview! You can e-mail us to tell us about your big day and any inspirations you have for your photography.