The duties of a bridal party reflect the importance of the formation of the party itself. Bridesmaids, groomsmen and others involved have their own responsibilities that must be completed during the memorable event. Knowing about some of the different traditional duties of a bridal party makes it easier for you to plan your own wedding.

Best Man

The best man is the male counterpart to the maid of honor in a bridal party. He assists the groom in choosing his tux and other essentials, and he also traditionally plans and hosts the bachelor party. Most importantly, he acts as a witness to the event and must sign the wedding certificate as such.

The best man in a bridal party can be the groom’s best friend, brother, father or other close male acquaintance. After the wedding takes place, the best man is responsible for gathering single men around the bride for the traditional “garter toss,” and he makes a toast to the couple during the reception.

Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids are the group of close female friends or family members that the bride chooses to assist her in wedding activities. The duties are delegated evenly among the women and vary based upon the style of the wedding taking place. Traditionally, however, these duties include helping the bride prepare and get ready for the wedding, planning the bachelorette party and bridal shower, and assisting in arranging decorations and table settings for the event as needed.

Groomsmen

Groomsmen serve as a sort of entourage for the groom and best man of the wedding. They are the male counterparts to the bridesmaids in the bridal party and have similar duties. They assist the best man in planning the bachelor party, help set up the wedding if needed by unloading and loading materials, and mingling with guests during the affair. They also help the best man decorate the car that carries the bride and groom to their honeymoon.

Maid of Honor

The maid of honor, sometimes referred to as matron of honor, is the closest cohort of the bride in the wedding party. She assists in the more intimate and finer details of preparing for the wedding and helps the bride gather women for the bouquet-tossing event following the ceremony. With the best man, she signs the wedding certificate as a witness to the union. She coordinates the wedding shower or bachelorette party with the bridesmaids.

Miscellaneous

Ushers, flower girls, hostesses for guests to sign the wedding book and ring-bearers are other vital parts of a traditional wedding.

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Event planning expert Fred Puglia will present a comprehensive, four-session series for wedding planners, brides, vendors, or anyone involved in planning a wedding of any size. The wedding workshop takes place each Monday and Tuesday, from Feb. 21 through March 1, 2011. Classes are held at Lincoln Land Community College in Trutter Center, 5250 Shepherd Road, starting at 5:30 p.m. till 9 p.m. each evening.

Getting married and planning a major event can present unexpected challenges for many couples. Without careful planning, nerves can fray at a time when the bride and groom anticipate a perfect day. Puglia, is an event planning pro accustomed to dealing with such issues on a regular basis. In this series of classes, Puglia will discuss the full spectrum of details involved in planning a wedding. The workshop agenda covers everything from wedding locations to wedding logistics and more.

Wedding budget concerns are also key, but Puglia says dream weddings can still come true. Whether the bride and groom are planning a wedding on a budget that is small or extravagant, participants will learn how to manage the details and turn their wedding dreams into reality.

“A wedding is the social event of all social events,” said Puglia. “The bride and her family’s personality really are shown in everything that takes place. Big budget or little budget does not matter. It is how tastefully you put the festivities together.”

Wedding planners who participate in the classes will receive helpful handouts and wedding checklists to simplify and streamline the event planning process. The series will address many areas of interest, from the invitations to the ceremony to the reception, plus other often-overlooked aspects of a wedding.

Wedding Planners can Gain Business and Other Tips from an Expert

Puglia is the owner of Perfect Impressions, one of the largest full-service event planning and entertainment agencies in America. His organization contracts celebrity entertainment, and plans and manages local, regional, and national events and attractions. Puglia brings more than 35 years of special event planning expertise to the class.

Wedding planning workshop attendees will learn about varying customs and proper protocol. Participants will also discuss important details, such as matters regarding religious or cultural etiquette.

Brides and other participants will also learn about the business side of planning a wedding. This will include arrangements for contracts and agreements with vendors, such as florists, photographers, hotels, caterers, and entertainment professionals. Puglia will also discuss dispute resolution and other business and contractual issues that may arise when planning a wedding.

Wedding Planners and Others, from Ministers to Moms, are Encouraged to Attend

Wedding planners of all ages and areas of expertise will find the workshop helpful in avoiding potential problems and creating a memorable event that is as stress-free as possible.

“It would behoove mothers of future brides, as well as the bride, to attend the workshop to experience an in-depth review of wedding planning,” said Puglia. “The class is also designed for ministers, suppliers of wedding services, and virtually anyone who would get involved in making the big day a reality.”

Participants will earn a certificate for completing the course and will have a head start toward bringing their vision to life.

The registration fee for the Wedding Planning workshop is $149. The LLCC course code is CEW 113-50. To register, interested participants may call , for on-line registration. Additional information is available from Jay Kitterman, hospitality programs director, at

While pregnancy can be a very special moment in any woman’s life, it can be complicated when one of your bridesmaids is pregnant at the time of your wedding. If this is the case, it is important to look for maternity bridesmaid dresses. Most brides will generally want to choose a dress that coordinates with the rest of the bridal party. Here are some suggestions.

Popular Bridal Stores That Sell Maternity Bridesmaid Dresses

David’s Bridal, which is one of the most well-known bridal stores, offers a wide array of bridesmaid dresses which are appropriate for pregnant women. The store offers a wide array of choices and colors, making it easier to coordinate the dress with the rest of the bridal party.

Alfred Angelo is another popular bridal store to check out. It generally offers several maternity bridesmaid dresses. Like David’s Bridal, Alfred Angelo also offers a fairly large selection of colors and styles which can easily be coordinated with many of the other bridesmaid dresses that the store sells.

Another fairly popular store is Eden Bridals. The dress styles are somewhat limited for women in the bridal party who are pregnant. However, the maternity bridesmaid dresses can be coordinated with other dresses of the same color which are sold here.

Other Stores That Sell Bridesmaid Dresses for Pregnant Women

Keep in mind that almost every bridal store offers maternity sizes for your bridal party. It is simply about finding the style which is the most suitable option for your bridal party, and this cannot always be found at a popular bridal store. Be sure to take these lesser-known designers and bridal stores into consideration as well:

• Bari Jay
• Bill Levkoff
• Jasmine Bridal
• Jordan Bridal
• Venus Bridals

Also keep in mind that it is always ideal to check out local bridal shops. Not only do some offer custom designs, they may also offer maternity bridesmaid dresses from other popular designers.

Department Stores May Sell Maternity Bridesmaid Dresses

If you are looking for the perfect bridesmaid dress for someone who is pregnant in your bridal party, it is important not to rule out department stores. JCPenney and Macy’s are just two department stores that you can consider. One of these designs may also offer maternity bridesmaid dress sizes. It is also important to keep in mind that these stores may sell a dress in a solid color, such as black or red, which may be easily coordinated with the rest of your bridal party.

Finding bridesmaid dresses for pregnant women can be somewhat challenging, especially if you already have an idea in mind for your bridal party. That said, there are plenty of beautiful options out there to choose from. It is easy to find one that can be easily coordinated with the dress your other bridesmaids will be wearing.

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You can ask almost any married guy, picking out an engagement ring can be quite a process. They learn all about the 4 C’s (Clarity, Color, Cut, and Carat Weight.) but if they haven’t gone ring shopping with their future fiancé they might not know what style of ring she likes. We compiled 6 tips for guys who want to pop the question with the perfect ring.

Look at her current style of jewelry

Does she wear white gold or silver all the time? If so they she probably won’t want a ring that’s made of yellow gold.

Ask her best friend

This is one of the most important things you can do. Typically your fiancé’s best friend will have a good idea of the type of jewelry she likes. Take her shopping with you before you decide on the final ring; just make sure she doesn’t let the cat of the bag before you pop the question.

Talk to her family

Her parents may have a family heirloom that your fiancé’ has always wanted made into a ring. This could also help save a lot of money if you don’t have to buy a diamond and it would have priceless sentimental value.

Make the most of your budget

You don’t have to spend two months of your salary to find the perfect engagement ring. If the diamond is on the small side you can find a beautiful setting that will accentuate it. You can also consider not using a diamond as the center stone, sapphires come in many colors and are a great alternative. Lastly, used engagement rings are a terrific way to get the biggest bang for your buck. Most gently used engagement rings are discounted by 25%-70% off!

Check out some of our gorgeous discounted engagement rings.

Snag one of her rings

If you have no idea what size your fiancé’s finger is, don’t try to guess. Simply take a ring out of her jewelry box and use it as your starting point. The ring will probably still need to be resized a bit so make sure that band you choose is resizeable.

Take the easy way out

If you still have no idea what type of ring she’d like, take the easy way out. Just buy a simple solitaire and then shop for the setting together after you’ve finally popped the question.

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The dress is a gorgeous strapless gown in pearl silk organza with scattered chantilly lace appliques on narrow A-line skirt. Accents of crystal and pearls on the empire bodice, give the dress some added sparkle! Ivory charmeuse sash at the waist and matching bolero included, so that you can have two looks on your wedding day. It’s simply stunning and a great deal! Click here to view the full listing.

Vote for next dress of the week! It takes just a second to vote, click on the designer names below and hit the ‘Like’ button on the dress listing page. Vote for one or as many as you like. Here are the dress nominees:

Vote for next dress of the week! It takes just a second to vote, click on the designer names below and hit the ‘Like’ button on the dress listing page. Vote for one or as many as you like. Drum roll please…here are the dress nominees

Storkie Express Inc provides high quality, affordable custom printed wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations, save the date cards wedding thank you cards and much more. Storkie is dedicated to providing a unique technology platform, enabling robust and easy personalization. In addition to a fabulous selection of contemporary designs, Storkie Express Inc. also has beautiful classic options, featuring thermography, foil printing, embossed elements, shimmer cardstock, and a lot more!

Planning any major event soon? Storkie Express is giving away a $50 gift card to one of our BravoBride fans. All you have to do is “Like” the BravoBride Facebook page and add a quick post saying “Enter Me” on our wall. Receive a double entry by “Liking” the Storkie Express Facebook page as well; be sure to let us know you “Liked” their page on our wall too. All entries must be submitted by March 19th and a winner will be announced March 21st. Thanks for Liking, and good luck to all!

P.S. If you already “Like” BravoBride on Facebook just post on our wall that you would like to be entered in the giveaway.

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