"Best Friend" & "Best Man" -- Synonymous or Apples to Oranges ?

Happy 15th and I hope all of you enjoyed your Valentine`s Days ! It`s my 2nd most favorite day of the entire year, and I think of each of you as my Valentine`s . I`m very appreciative of the love that you bring to my life by supporting my blog and my passions, and your support is what makes coming back twice a month so worthwhile :)

Now, for the juicy topic ! MALES, word on the street is that while you`d never publicize it, you do actually read my blogposts . Some of my male sources exposed this secret and since this is the case, I figured I`d start showing the male audience more love in 2012 . So, guys, this post is for you !

When it comes to selecting the wedding party, it isn`t just the Bride-to-Be who gets to have the fun -- the Groom-to-Be needs to handpick men to stand proudly beside him on his wedding day ! On a serious note, what does it all mean ? And most for the key player on the Groom`s wing, the Best Man --

Are "Best Friend" & "Best Man" synonymous ?
-OR-
Is it more like comparing apples to oranges ?

Truthfully, your best friend CAN fill the shoes of being your Best Man, but ONLY IF he understands and is able to fulfill the responsibilities that come along with the title/position !

_DUTiES/RESPONSiBiLiTiES OF THE BEST MAN:

* Be the POiNT OF CONTACT for the rest of your groomsmen !
-- He should be dependable, reliable, timely, and organized, for he is the primary person responsible for making sure all of your men are on time, on task, and on point for ALL wedding-related events ! "ALL" means wedding-related events activities before and on wedding day .

* Give a TOAST at your wedding reception !

* KEEP TRACK OF THE RiNGS !
-- He should be prepared to guard them with his life . This is a HUGE responsibility, which is another reason why the person you choose must be dependable, reliable, timely, and organized .

* BE SUPPORTiVE on wedding day !
-- In addition to providing emotional support, the Best Man should also be prepared to pitch in on wedding day to keep everything running smoothly and keep the Groom`s nerves under control ! Your Best Man should be prepared to pitch in and help answer phone calls, run last-minute errands (if necessary), and keep an eye on your alcohol consumption ;)

* Assist with the COLLECTiON AND TRANSPORT OF WEDDiNG GiFTS !
-- When the reception ends and the party is over, the last thing the newlyweds are going to be thinking about is wrangling up all their gifts and transporting them back to the hotel/designated home . The Best Man should stay behind and help the family pack up all the gifts for the Bride and Groom .

* Spearhead the planning of THE BACHELOR PARTY, DUH !
-- Being a Best Man takes a lot of dedication, but it can`t be all work and no play ! Make sure the Groom-to-Be has a fun night out, BUT keep it classy . No Bride wants a hungover or injured Groom waiting for them at the end of the aisle !

All of your groomsmen need to be responsible, dependable, and willing to pitch in at any given time for whatever you may need, but your Best Man needs to be the BEST candidate of these traits to be the key player you deserve . If your Best Friend embodies all of the qualities that a Best Mn should have, then ask him to be your right-hand man . However, if he is NOT the best choice, it doesn`t mean that your friendship means anything less or that you don`t have love for him, but it`s okay to be selfish if it means that doing so will make your wedding day the best possible day it can be .

So,
CHOOSE WiSELY ! ;)

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See you on March 1st and I hope you enjoy the rest of your February days !

Until then, please comment or Formspring me ! Mwahhh (:

>> http://www.formspring.me/SequinSoirees

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Formspring Q&A Corner: Hi Alana, Love your website!! Question... should the wedding take place where the bride lives or the groom?

Q: Hi Alana, Love your website!! Question... should the wedding take place where the bride lives or the groom?

A: Hello there and thank you so much for the sweet compliment :)

I appreciate your great question regarding whether the Bride or the Groom determines the location for the wedding ceremony. Traditionally, it is the BRIDE who determines the wedding location and also, the Church/Chapel is located in the Bride`s hometown. I actually blogged about this in greater detail in August 2011 in a post entitled, "Going to the Chapel -- But Yours, Mine, or Ours?"

http://sequinsoirees.blogspot.com/2011/08/going-to-chapel-but-yours-mine-or-ours.html

In a nutshell, I suggested that while a tradition is in place, there is room for tweaking or "remixing" this wedding piece. If the Bride and Groom are from different hometowns, especially two hometowns that can present a logistical-nightmare when planning, I would instead look to see where the majority of your guests are commuting from, and try to find a favorable halfway point.

As I stated in my aforementioned blogpost,

"Following "loving, honoring, and cherishing", the first lesson in a happy marriage is COMPROMISE. As a following suggestion, if the Bride`s opinion weighs more heavily in the decision for selecting the wedding venue, perhaps the Groom`s opinion could be the louder voice in selecting the reception location? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Dare to be different and make your decisions based on a day reflective of what your wedding is truly celebrating -- two lives becoming one -- in whatever ways that means to you!"

I hope this has been helpful and I hope you`ll read my post :) Have a wonderful week and a Happy Valentine`s Day!

--

Sincerely,
Alana
Sequin Soirees
Owner | Event Coordinator | Blogger <3
http://www.SequinSoirees.blogspot.com | SequinSoirees@gmail.com

Ask me anything weddings, special events, decor, && do-it-yourself design elements !!

Wedding Dresses_ Buy vs. RENT ?

How are we in February already?! Unbelievable, but it`s great to be back here with you :) My sincerest apologies for missing my post on January 15th, loves. On Friday, January 13th, I began my relocation from Washington, DC to Northern Virginia, and it was a terrible weekend of sorts! Absolutely everything that could`ve gone wrong did go wrong, and NOW I am a firm believer that Friday the 13th`s are all bad/cursed :( Through all of the madness, I didn`t have my act together by Sunday the 15th, but your girl is back! Now, on to the juice!

Have you ever been watching TV or reading a magazine and come across an ad for something you felt was so entirely simple, it was ridiculous to even think it would be a successful business venture -- but surprisingly, it catches on exponentially? Well, I`m not so sure if the idea I`m about to present to you will cause a similar tidal wave of popularity, but it is one I definitely feel is worth mentioning:

Wedding gowns --
FOR *RENT* !

Yes loves, I said WEDDiNG GOWNS FOR RENT .

The iconic wedding gown is often said to be THE most important dress of a lifetime, and for many Brides, the gown is the first wedding purchase they make to get it all into perspective. Wedding gowns come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and *PRiCE POiNTS*.

To some, the idea of renting a Bridal gown is absolutely preposterous. To others, they may welcome the idea, as renting may provide them an opportunity to wear an expensive dream gown for a price that is more comfortable for their budget! As a planner, it is my job to remain biased, but I can definitely see strong arguments for both sides.

To determine if renting is the right option for you, you first need to weigh which aspects of a wedding gown are most important for what you`re looking for. If cost is a major factor, renting could be great for you. However, if you are more concerned with wanting to be the first and the last to wear the dress you marry in, renting probably isn`t the right route.

Here are some pros and cons to renting wedding gowns instead of purchasing them:

*_PROS:*

• Renting a gown is bound to be MORE BUDGET and pocket FRiENDLY !
  -- By spending less on the gown, you have more money within your budget to spend on other things, like flowers!
• Renting a gown provides you with the opportunity to wear a lavish designer gown and look like a million bucks -- without paying it !
• Renting a gown still gives you the "Say Yes to the Dress" consultation feel with the same quality products -- for LESS !
• Renting a gown is a great option for your bridesmaids too,
  especially if you can find multiples of the style you`re looking for !

*_CONS:*

• Renting a gown means that you won`t be the first or the last to wear it
  -- But who cares?! Every wedding is different. Even if someone rents the same gown as you do, the odds of them jazzing it up with identical accessories are slim to none. Besides, she`s not YOU! Strut your stuff, girl :)

• Renting a gown means that you won`t get to keep it after your special day to pass along to a family member or a special friend.
  -- But think of all the fun you had on your special day, and think of how many other Brides can afford their dream "I Do`s" because of your selfless gesture. It`s like your gown is the gift that keeps on giving! Even though you may not know the individual it`s being rented by, you are still paying it forward.

^^ Did you like how I turned the negatives into positives, too?

Renting a wedding gown is definitely controversial, but it`s YOUR day and YOUR opportunity to make your day whatever you and your significant other want it to be.
Besides, no one will even know you rented your dress -- unless you tell them! ;-)

After reading, how do you feel about wedding dress rentals?
Please tell me here!

_Survey:

http://fs23.formsite.com/SequinSoirees/form2/index.html

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Intrigued?
Check out some of these cool wedding dress rental sites below:

• One Night Affair: Designer Gown Rentals
• Alexandria`s Formal Gown Rentals
• Unforgettable Rentals
• Fairy Godmother Gown Rentals

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See you on February 15th and I wish you all a lovely Valentine`s Day !

Until then, please comment or Formspring me ! Mwahhh (:

>> http://www.formspring.me/SequinSoirees

& JOiN MY FACEBOOK FAN PAGE !

>> https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sequin-Soirees/145262928914846

♥