Uncategorized | Just Imagine Love: Weddings & Ceremonies Blog

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

To Hug or Not to Hug

Posted in Uncategorized on June 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Wedding celebrations are hug central. At a wedding you can witness every type of hug: from the fleeting squeeze of a young child to the long embrace of those who are seeing each other for the first time in years.

And it’s led me to think about all the different social situations throughout a day that call for a hug.

I don’t consider myself to be a casual hugger. Some people love to hug at the very first introduction – offering their ‘heart space’ and the ‘we are all one’ philosophy. I think that works well for some and I applaud that way of living. It’s just not me.

In the same way that saying “I love you” is a significant act for me, when I hug, I mean it. I might feel resentful at the social pressure to hug those I don’t really know or care for (and then of course that resentment is usually followed by guilt at not just acquiescing).

Not to mention the inconvenient or awkward hug. Like when I have my arms full of books or groceries and the hugger wants to dive in for a full-body.

If I’m not feelin’ it, that means either the hugger is out of integrity, or I am.

So, what to do in this socially awkward situation? I’ve attempted to aggressively extend my hand to ward off the hug, and yet I always find myself in the awkward embrace. Apparently their resolve wins out over mine. (This question might best be put to Larry David, king of awkward social situations.)

A friend of mine, blessedly, appreciated my philosophy, saying, “your personal space is all you have left really, and you shouldn’t have to apologize for whom you allow to enter it.”

I greatly appreciate other non-huggers. I have a feeling that when they give a hug, they really mean it, too.

In a few days I’m headed to Los Angeles to experience a hug from Amma, the Indian “hugging saint” who is currently touring the US. [www.amma.org]

I first became aware of Amma nearly 15 years ago watching the Lonely Planet travel show, as my favorite intrepid traveler and narrator, Justine Shapiro, stood in line for hours for an Amma hug. I’ve wanted that experience ever since – and now the opportunity finally arrives.

So, given that Amma is a total stranger to me, perhaps I am being a bit of a hypocrite. But the fact that she is a professional hugger I believe makes her the exception to my hug rules.

At the very least I will most likely experience the best hug of my life. Beyond that, who knows: I might become a convert of the no-boundaries hugger.

Wikipedia: HUG

Depending on culture, context and relationship, a hug can indicate familiarity, love, affection or friendship. . . . One person may hug another as an indication of support, comfort, and consolation. A hug can be a demonstration of affection and emotional warmth, sometimes arising out of joy or happiness at meeting someone. Sometimes, hugs are a romantic exchange.

Read Full Post »

Wedding Guest Seating Simplified

Posted in Uncategorized on February 27, 2011| Leave a Comment »

With all of the details, décor and planning of your wedding, one of the most challenging aspects can come down to the seemingly simple assignment of a seat for every guest.

Chair covers & linen by Sweet Ribbon Events

Mapping out the guest seating at your reception can be a daunting task for even the most organized bride. So much is wrapped up in the layout, from the simple decision of how many chairs per table, to gracefully negotiating the most delicate of family dynamics.

There are many high-tech programs to create and manipulate the room layout and seating diagram, but for those of you who are kinesthetic and work best in a hands-on mode, the Paper Plate trick is a must-do to handle this challenging task.

Master Consultant Barbara Wallace (author of the newly published Beautiful Bride from Every Angle) delivered this simple but effective technique at the monthly Association of Bridal Consultants San Diego meeting held this month at the stunning Carlsbad Sheraton.

1. Create a sticky or label for each guests.

2. Using one paper plate to represent each guest table, stick the labels around the perimeter of the paper plate.

3. Then arrange the paper plates according to where they will sit next to each other in the room, eg. around the dance floor.

4. As the rsvps come pouring in, you can finalize the “plates” and the positioning in the room. Last-minute changes are easily accommodated by simply switching the labels around.

*This works better than simply drawing the tables on a poster board and writing names in with pencil as after just a few takes your palate can be covered in smudge and eraser marks.

*Be sure you cross-reference the labels with the master guest list to ensure every guest has a label.

Master Consultant Barbara Wallace

Unique linens and chair covers at the Association of Bridal Consultants meeting were supplied by Sweet Ribbon Events / http://www.sweetribbonevents.com

Florals by Colely decorated the tables / http://www.sdflowersbycoley.com

Photos by Azul Productions / http://www.azulproductions.com

Read Full Post »

“Why Not?” Wednesdays

Posted in Goddess Bride, Uncategorized, tagged cake cutting, first dance, marriage, wedding officiant, wedding planning, weddings on November 24, 2010| Leave a Comment »

A call to Brides and Grooms,

As a wedding planner and officiant, I am always quick to point out that I am in the Celebration business, not the marriage business. Even so, with the recent statistics that close to 40% of Americans believe the institution of marriage is doomed, this definitely could have an effect on weddings.

According to a recent AP article, about 39 percent of Americans said marriage was becoming obsolete. These statistics about this institution that we have held so dear, that in many ways is the cornerstone of our society, could seem quite daunting and disheartening.

And yet, it gives me hope. What an opportunity to revisit one of the most important structures of our American society! This is an exciting time to embrace the idea of shifting the concept of marriage to better accommodate people’s ever-changing, ever-complicated lives and increasingly diverse beliefs about how they want to be in this world. Sometimes when people don’t fit into a perceived mold or stereotype, they believe their way of living isn’t as valued. I believe any time someone takes a new look at tradition, it should be celebrated.

I was drawn to, and continue to enjoy being a part of, the wedding industry because I believe that celebration is so important. We do not celebrate enough. We do not celebrate love enough.

Weddings are an opportunity to be with, in one location, on one day, all the love that you have created for yourself, in the faces of family, friends, colleagues. It is a forum from which you can look back at all the love and support you have received from friends and family to get you to this place, with this partner.

It is an opportunity to set the stage and tone for the marriage that you would like to create; that you are creating.

High divorce rate and low optimism for the state of marriage is not a reason to stop celebrating love. It is an opportunity to have a new viewpoint about marriage. Sometimes things have to be taken apart to allow for something even better to come along. And a new concept of the institution of marriage offers an amazing opportunity to revisit the state of weddings.

Why do People Love Weddings? Probably for as many reasons as there are wedding guests. They love this singular moment of celebration for celebration’s sake.

And they DO love tradition: it offers a focal point for them to reference, such as What will the dress look like? How elaborate is the cake? Will the bride & groom have a special first dance? Who will catch the bouquet? These are time-honored traditions that help people to celebrate in a familiar framework.

At the same time, do those traditions reflect your true personality and vision? Why not re-create those same traditions, with a twist? Or change them up completely?

For example, instead of a first dance, why not invite EVERYONE onto the dance floor to dance with you.

Instead of a cake-cutting, what if you created a tower of cupcakes, or mini-wedding cakes for each guest table. Or simply offered a donut station instead for that sweet savory after the meal.

Why not invite guests to paint a picture of what love means to them, to replace the guest book?

In my book, the only rule for a successful wedding is Loving Intention.

As a Bride and Groom you are faced with so many questions when planning your wedding:

What is the etiquette for this situation?

What is popular in weddings right now?

What should we do if . . . ?

As a successful coordinator planning weddings for more than 8 years, my job is to formulate solutions for all of your questions, problems, and challenges.

We handle all the details and planning, giving you the space to get creative you’re your vision. Now that you have expert guidance, I invite you to revisit your celebration with Loving Intention.

Using past structures as a reference point is always a good idea when you are first starting out on the planning journey; sort of like using a template or blue print. Let’s go beyond that – what would you truly like to celebrate with your wedding?

Gratitude for everyone in your life?

Enthusiasm for what lays ahead?

Simply a moment to witness love?

I believe the best celebrations include a balance of honoring the love between the bride and the groom, and creating opportunities for participation for all of your guests. Don’t be intimidated by opinion and tradition.

When you attend a wedding, what is the most important experience for you? I’ve witnessed guests let their guard down at weddings in ways they might not ever do in any other social situation:

They dance their hearts out, even those who say they don’t dance.

They take the first step toward mending a family wound.

They express their deepest emotions to each other in a room full of people.

Weddings have evolved over the ages and continue to do so. In the last few years we have seen couples perform highly choreographed first dances to express their own unique personalities as well as entertain their guests, moving away from the standard sedate waltz and incorporating their favorite hiphop or Top40 songs, as they break from the mold and let loose.

If marriage as we know it is evolving in this century, even in this decade, what can we create with wedding celebrations, and how will you participate in that evolution?

Just Imagine . . .

Read Full Post »