Want to save a little money on your wedding?  How about making your own ring bearer’s pillow?   It is not as hard as it sounds even if you are not the craftiest person around.  The easiest way to go about it is to first find a form in the size you want the pillow to be.  Pillow forms are basically already made pillows that need to have covers made for them.  They can either be pieces of foam cut to whatever shape and size you choose, or they may actually be a small pillow that you just want to change to look like a ring bearer’s pillow.  If you are a little more adept with a sewing machine, you can also just make your pillowcase and fill it with fiberfill.

Once you have decided on a shape and size, you need to choose a material you like.  This is a perfect time to customize another aspect of your wedding.  Ring bearer’s pillows do not just need to be white on white.  You may choose to make it any color that fits the theme of your wedding.  If the bide has chosen an ivory color wedding dress, then you may choose to make the pillow with ivory colored material.  Have a white dress that has a red sash?  Make the pillow white with red ribbons to tie the rings in place.  Anything you choose is perfectly acceptable for your wedding.

After you have chosen shape, size and material, you need to give some thought to what you want the finished pillow to look like.  Do you want a smooth pillow?  Maybe you want something with a more gathered look.  Here are a couple of ideas.

Smooth pillow – Say your pillow is going to be a 12-inch square pillow.  Cut your material 13 inches square.  Put right sides of the material together, pin in place, and then sew three of the four sides with a ¼ inch seam allowance.  Leave one side open to insert your pillow form into.  After inserting the pillow form, fold down a ¼ in seam allowance on both sides of the open end of fabric.  Carefully sew up the open edge with a simple whipstitch.  This pillow will be smooth on both sides.  You can now decorate the pillow any way you choose.  Add ribbons, flowers, lace, buttons, or anything else you may choose.  If you are very good at sewing, you can add some cording around the outside edge of the pillow.

Gathered look – This look can be a little faster to put together easily because you do not need to be as careful with the fabric.  With the gathered look you need to measure your fabric larger than the pillow’s intended finished size.  Cut the fabric with pinking shears on all four sides.  Place pillow form in the middle and start gathering the fabric around the form.  Start with opposite corners and bring them together over the center of the pillow.  Next, add in the other two corners.  When all four corners are together in the center of the pillow, pull in the edges so that you are pulling the fabric tight around the pillow.  When the fabric is tight around the form you can secure it with a rubber band.  Make sure that the rubber band is as tight as you can get it to keep the pillow from coming apart.  Take your pinking shears and trim off any fabric that you feel sticks out too far.  Make sure you do not trim it too short or it will come loose from the rubber band.  Cover the band with some ribbon and add any other decorations you like.  One good thing about this type of pillow cover is that it can be temporary.  You can always undo the pillow covering after the wedding.

Be as creative as you like for your ring bearer’s pillow.  You are only limited by your imagination.

The very sight of cute little girls walking with beautiful blower baskets in their hands and sprinkling flowers for the bride to walk on during the wedding ceremony is definitely a treat to the eyes. While the little members of the family look too cute in their dress on the wedding day, their overall appearance is all the more enhanced with beautifully decorated flower girl baskets in their hands. While there are numerous stores selling flower girl baskets, many prefer to make it at home to give it their personal touch, and also match it perfectly with the wedding theme. If you too are planning to make the flower girl baskets for your wedding at home and are looking for some unique ideas, this article will help you out.

If you yourself make the flower girl baskets, the cute little flower girls will be all the more excited to walk down the passage sprinkling flowers for you and flaunting their baskets, which you have specially made for them. While planning to make the flower girl baskets yourself, different ideas may pop up on your mind. However, while finalizing a design and style, make sure it not only looks elegant, but is also easy and comfortable for the little girls to carry it. At the end of all you must never forget that, it will be these little girls who have to carry and use the flower girl baskets, and if they are not comfortable with these, they might really get upset.

While planning to make the flower girl baskets yourself, the very first thing that you need to do is pick up baskets that are of proper size and shape. These should not be bigger than something that the little girls would manage to carry easily. However, these should have enough space for the flowers. Next, you should select the items to decorate the baskets very carefully. These should add an elegant look to the basket, without making it bulky or difficult to carry.

One of the best ideas to decorate the flower girl baskets is to use colorful ribbons. The entire basket can be covered with ribbons. However, while doing so, make sure things do not become complicated and fussy, which can make the little girls go through a hard time while carrying them. Also, avoid using slippery ribbons on the handle of the basket, as it will make them difficult to carry.

It is always good to use limited items to decorate the flower girl baskets as the more number of decorative you will use, the fussier it will become. Also, you should select the material to decorate the handle of the basket very carefully. It is best to wrap the handle with silk or attach a pearl handle, so that the basket looks elegant and at the same time is easy to carry.

Another very important thing that you should keep in mind while making your flower girl baskets is that, the basket after completion should be durable and sturdy, so that even if the little girls drop them by mistake, these should not be dented or damaged.

This article has been written by an expert associated with WeddingMuseum.com, a company providing wedding gifts for today’s weddings.

You just started planning your fairy tale wedding and you would like nothing more than to include all your close family and friends on your special day, but you‘re not sure how. Here’s a quick overview of each member of the wedding party, their roles and some of their duties.

Maid of Honor (or Matron of Honor)

The maid of honor’s role is to assist the bride on her wedding day — to lend her support, be reassuring, alleviate some stress and to even be a shoulder to cry on. She’s usually the bride’s sister or her best friend. The maid of honor will usually host the bridal shower and organize the bachelorette party. She can also assist the bride during the wedding planning process by accompanying her to various appointments (dress, cake, venue, etc). She’s also in charge of coordinating all the bridesmaids on the day of the wedding — making sure everyone is on time.

Another one of her duty can be to help the bride get dressed for the wedding as well as helping the bride manage her train, veil and bouquet during the entire day. She will hold the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony. The maid of honor can act as a legal witness for the bride by signing the marriage license after the wedding ceremony. She can also make a toast to the happy couple at the reception — usually following the best man‘s toast.

Best Man

The best man is usually the groom’s brother or his best friend. His duties are similar to the maid of honor’s duties. He will lend his moral support to the groom during what is sure to be a nerve-wracking day, but he can also help out with some of the wedding planning tasks, such as organizing the bachelor party or decorating the newlyweds‘ car. He’s also in charge of coordinating all the groomsmen for the day.

During the ceremony, the best man can be in charge of carrying the rings for safekeeping in his pocket. The best man can also act as a legal witness for the groom by signing the marriage license after the wedding ceremony. At the reception, the best man usually is the first one to make a speech and toast the happy couple.

Bridesmaids

The bridesmaids’ role is to assist the bride on her wedding day and in the months prior to the big day. The bridesmaids can help the bride, or the maid of honor, keep track of wedding gifts or RSVP responses. They can also help the maid of honor organize the bridal shower and the bachelorette party. They can help keep an eye out for the ring bearer and flower girl before the ceremony.

Groomsmen

Groomsmen are usually close friends or family members that hold a special place in the groom‘s life. On the wedding day, they will escort the bridesmaids down the aisle, and they can also act as ushers before the ceremony starts. They will also help the best man plan the bachelor party or decorate the newlyweds‘ car.

Flower Girl

The role of the flower girl is to walk down the aisle carrying a small basket full of petals and look cute as a button in the process. If your ceremony venue doesn’t let you drop fresh flower petals down the aisle, the flower girl could also carry a small bouquet or pomander down the aisle. Another idea would be for the flower girl to carry a flowered wand with ribbons.

Ring Bearer

The role of the ring bearer is to carry the rings down the aisle. Usually the rings are securely attached to a nicely decorated pillow. The ring bearer and the flower girl can also walk down the aisle together. If you’re not comfortable with having the real rings on the pillow, you can use fake rings for the ring bearer to carry, and give the real thing to the best man for safekeeping.

Ushers

The role of the ushers is to help seat your guests, answer general questions, hand out ceremony programs or wedding booklets, and help with the aisle runner. Ushers can be family members (brothers, cousins or brother-in-laws) or friends of the couple. They usually wear the same attire — tuxedos or suits — as the groomsmen

Pages

The role of the pages is to help the bride walk down the aisle by carrying her cathedral or royal length train for her. Pages are usually a little older than the ring bearers.

About the Author: Nadine Elliott, freelance writer for WeddingMuseum.com.

From Favors to Food: Common Bridesmaid Duties Let’s assume you’re here because one of your closest friends just asked you to be in her upcoming wedding. Exciting, right? Sure, the nuptials may be months away, but you still have a few bridesmaid duties you’ll be called upon to do. Depending on the bride, she may or may not ask that much of you. On the other hand, she could have a long list of bridesmaids’ responsibilities just waiting for you to complete. In order to be prepared for the strain, hammering out some kind of a timeline and responsibility list well in advance is always a good move. As the day approaches, the jittery bride-to-be may get a little stressed and hard to reach. Here are some typical bridesmaid’s responsibilities that may be asked of you. A Bridesmaid’s Responsibilities

1. Buy the dress: One of the primary bridesmaid duties is footing the bill for the dress you’ll wear. Hopefully, the bride will have chosen something that fits within everyone’s budget. However, you’ll want to purchase your dress in advance in case it needs alteration work or something similar.
   Occasionally, some brides choose one style of dress – not an ideal situation for bridesmaids with different body types. Embellish your dress with a cute jacket if sleeveless doesn’t suit you or wear body-shaping undergarments for dresses that are too tight or too short.
2. Assemble favors: The bride may ask your help with putting together or dreaming up the favors. These kinds of bridesmaid duties are a great project for all the girls to help with! Based on the wedding’s theme or colors, you can come prepared with some ideas in mind and share them with the group. If it’s more of a project night, bring some goodies like cookies, wine, or popcorn for the group to enjoy while you assemble.
3. Organize gifts on the wedding day: Ideally, each bridesmaid should have unique bridesmaid duties on the day of the wedding. As part of the other thousands of bridesmaid’s responsibilities that have to get done, the bride may ask you to organize the gifts as they are placed on the table and perhaps direct guests to sign the guest book or answer questions about the night’s festivities and the venue’s facilities.
4. Greet guests on the wedding day: Similar to the above task, a bridesmaid or two should stand guard at the front entrance, smiling and greeting guests as they enter. They should also coordinate these efforts with the groomsmen, who will then usher each new arrival to their table at the church, venue, or reception.
5. Arrive early or on time: In order to keep up with everything that’s going on that day, make sure to arrive when the bride asks you to. It’s obvious it’s going to be a long day, but if you’re rushing to the ceremony or reception with ten minutes to spare, someone else will have picked up the slack and performed your bridesmaid duties alone.
6. Carry the bride’s essentials: Managing the bride’s essentials is one of the most important bridesmaid duties. One of the bridesmaids should keep track of all the bride’s essentials. The maid of honor ideally attends to her train while she walks around, perhaps even arranging it for pictures. The other bridesmaids should have tissues on hand, extra makeup, safety pins, and whatever else will keep the bride looking flawless throughout the wedding day.
7. Offer direction to wait staff at the reception venue: It’s a given that everyone will be running around to make sure the reception flows smoothly. Part of the bridesmaids’ responsibilities should include directing the wait staff in regards to table placement, the cake, the food (whether it be buffet or sit down), drinks, and any protocol. Make sure signs clearly delineate who sits at which table. Verify that the speakers aren’t too close to any one table.
8. Collaborate with the other bridesmaids: The night before, create a game plan with the other bridesmaids to ensure you are all on the same page as far as each bridesmaid’s responsibilities. Assign roles and duties so that everything goes off without a hitch during the actual ceremony and reception.
9. Ensure the bride’s dress is ready to go: Someone will need to be in charge of making sure the dress is pressed, fresh, and ready to go. If it needs alteration work, take it and pick it up. If it needs to be dry cleaned, make a stop at the dry cleaners as well!
10. Provide moral support: Offering a shoulder to cry on or some friendly words will go a lot farther than you could think – and is often more valued than perhaps any of the other bridesmaid duties. She is stressed and tired of planning day after day – being a friend is the most important thing.

Carrying Out Bridesmaid’s Responsibilities with a Smile Sure, all these bridesmaid duties may be a lot of work and a little stressful to boot. Just remember that the bride decided to honor you with the responsibility of standing up for her at her wedding day. Cherish your bridesmaid’s responsibilities and take lots of pictures! About the Author Cherie Johnson is the founder and owner of Creative Wedding Favors, the premier site for unique special occasion and wedding favors. Her wedding ideas have also benefited readers of many websites, including Women Of, Wedding Lenox, and The Wedding Guide. Before establishing the company in 2006, she was a professional wedding photographer, chronicling all the special moments of the nuptials and ceremony. Search for favors for your next event by visiting www.CreativeWeddingFavors.com

China has been the gateway for various kinds of goods and accessories, be it anything related to technology or related to culture. China is also known for its quality and cheap products. When it comes to the flower girl dresses, custom made flower girl dresses from china are very pretty and not too much expensive and are made according to your choice and style.

China flower girl dress factory runners and suppliers are very profound throughout the world. By making use of chiffon, satin and taffeta, these custom-made flower girl dresses are made on the order and of definite size. China is a huge market for the custom-made flower girl dresses. All these dresses are made according to the size and choice of the person who is buying. It will take around a month to design, manufacture and place the custom made flower girl dress from china to reach the buyer.

Before making a flower girl dress, the designers carefully take the measurement of the bust, waist, hips and length so that it could satisfy the purchaser. These dresses are made in such a way that the shoulders don’t look as if they are leaning forward. Custom flower girl dresses provide adequate size, which will fit you. Custom made flower girl dresses from china can be ordered from email by just sending your correct size, colour, style and other details on the list. Basically the type of cloth used for making custom flower girl dresses in china is imported from Taiwan. There are also some dresses, which use best quality of silk and other dress material to give you and your gown a new look.

Though the colour chart is mention on the site of purchase, still the actual colour of the real dress may vary from that of the photographs. The suppliers and the manufactures feel obliged in serving their customers. Although these custom made flower girl dresses are made on the order and after having all the details from the buyer, still the condition of return or exchange can occur due to any reason. Even if the return of the dress is made, they have to accept it with a smile for the satisfaction of their customers. But on credit is issued over the goods and items, which got damaged due to the negligence during the transport and shipping.

But there is no compromise over the quality of the custom flower girl dresses from china. Designers provide best of the designs and efforts, use best quality of cloth and other accessories to beautify the dress and do classic embroidery over them. Such an antique and finished work surely gives grace to your body. Custom flower girl dresses gives you an opportunity to enrich your lifestyle and provides you a chance to try something specially made for you direct from the makers of flower girl dresses of china. So get your young girl dressed up in the most impressive outfit, which could fit to her body by customizing her flower dress.

About the Author: Alice Hana is the SEO of MICWeddingdresses.com, which provide discount wedding dresses online.

So, you’re daughter is getting married and you’re about to find out just what goes into making her perfect wedding day.

Of course, almost all the decisions will be hers, but she’ll probably need some motherly advice and wisdom along the way.

Here’s just a few of the items that you’ll be helping her with:

Wedding Invitations – compiling the list of wedding guests, for both the bride and groom, and sending out invitations

Choosing Her Gown – she may or may not want your help with this, if she has sisters or close friends

Flowers & Centerpieces – this is where your experience may be most useful, in helping to choose appropriate flowers and plan arrangements

Who Pays for What – you, and her father, are usually expected to pick up the majority of wedding expenses.

On The Day – you’ll probably be a whirl of activity, picking up flowers & corsages, visiting the hair salon, helping the bride with her hair and dress, as well as those all-important final touches

So, that’s all very well and, as a mother, you’ll probably feel delighted and privileged to help your daughter in preparing for her special day. But what about you?

Mums often forget that they’ll also be a focus of attention as mother of the bride, so it’s important to consider your own preparations and plan in some stress-free time for yourself too.

Here’s a few tips to help keep the stress levels down and the enjoyment levels at maximum :

Choosing Your Outfit – don’t leave this enjoyable task to the last minute, instead go shopping with a friend and take time to get the perfect style for you.

Delegate – if you have good friends who can help, don’t be afraid to ask them. After all, you’ll some day have the opportunity to return the favor.

Chat or Blog – it can really help to share the load if you can spend time talking through your anxieties with a friend. Or why not start a blog of your experiences leading up to the day, at least that way, when your wedding florist cancels in the week before the wedding, you’ll have somewhere to share it and get some helpful tips. It can also help you regain a sense of humor, when you’re sharing a story with others.

Pamper Yourself – book in regular facials in the months leading up to the wedding. In the week before the actual wedding day, book in for a pedicure and manicure, as well as a relaxing massage and facial – by this time, you’ll be needing some stress-busting techniques and will appreciate the pampering!

One of the hardest moments for any mom, is to see her little girl leave for her honeymoon, even though this is, of course, also a very happy occasion. Why not plan something special for yourself to do in the week after the wedding, perhaps a short break or holiday, a treat out with friends and family, so that you can not only have a well earned break, but begin to focus on building your life after months spend planning a wedding.

Best wishes for a wonderful day for both you and your daughter!

About the Author: Jen Carter so enjoyed being the mother of the groom at her sons wedding, that she started a website to help both the mothers of the bride and groom understand their role in the days leading up to the big day.

The Groomsmen’s Organized Checklist

Despite some possible financial constraint, the role of groomsman is a worthy honor given out to only a few individuals at most weddings. Groomsmen come from all walks of life and reflect the many stages of the groom’s life: childhood, college, and more.

The role of groomsman is much more involved than simply renting a tux and making a toast at the rehearsal dinner. You’ll be much like the groom’s fixer and troubleshooter from the night of the bachelor party to the wedding reception. You’ll get a cool gift as an honorarium, too.

Here’s a timeline to get you prepared for all your groomsman duties:

Six months before the wedding

• Start browsing tuxedos catalogs and retailers, keeping the groom’s specifications in mind.
• Begin an exercise routine if necessary, to get yourself in shape for the tuxedo.
  

Five months before

• Have a tailor measure you for the tuxedo. Make final reservations to keep the tux for the whole of the wedding festivities.
• Begin browsing hotel and airfare bargains if you’re traveling out of town.

Four months before

• Finalize travel plans.
• Request time off work, if necessary.  The ideal trip is four days one day to fly in, two days for rehearsal and ceremony & reception, and then to fly out on the fourth day.

Three months before

• Make arrangements for care of pets, housestitters, et cetera for the time you’ll be away.
• Begin browsing for a wedding gift.

Two months before

• Purchase the wedding gift. If you’re traveling via air, don’t select a gift with heavy metal or lead crystal content. You’ll likely get jammed up at the security checkpoints.

One month before

• Double check travel arrangements.
• Enjoy the bachelor party.
• Draft the toast you’ll give during the rehearsal party.
• Arrange for transportation to and from your hometown airport; finalize transportation details in the destination city.
  

The week before the ceremony

• Pack everything you’ll need for the trip (Don’t forget to bring a suit for the rehearsal dinner.)
• Call the groom and check for any last-minute details.

Day of arrival

• Check into hotel and join in on the wedding festivities.
• Coordinate details and tasks with the best man and/or wedding planner.

Upon returning home

• Return tuxedo to rental store.
• Send thank you note for the groomsman gift.

Author:  Michael Kabel is the senior writer for My Wedding Favors.  My Wedding Favors proudly features a complete selection of groomsman gifts and bridesmaids gifts, as well as unique wedding favors, elegant and personalized wedding favors, and wedding favors to fit many styles and themes. Visit us online at www.myweddingfavors.com.

Picking a Flower Girl

Is the role of the flower girl purely ceremonial? Sure it is! She’s an important part of an important ceremony, and the latest member of a long and proud wedding tradition.

What does the flower girl do?

The flower girl carries a basket of flowers down the aisle, ahead of the maid of honor and escorted by the ring bearer. As she goes, she’ll strew flowers, blow bubbles, or just look pretty for the guests. Upon reaching the aisle, she returns to sit with her parents in the front rows.

Who can be a flower girl?

Tradition calls for a girl between the ages of four and eight to serve as flower girl. This goes back to ancient custom, when the flower girl was required to be a virgin. Today, the part has become a means of including a favorite niece, cousin, or even daughter into the event.

For very large or very formal weddings, it’s also acceptable to have more than one flower girl.

What should the flower girl wear?

Flower girls’ ideal attire is something to complement or match the bridesmaids. Wedding etiquette suggests the bride pay for the flower girl dress, though this is not a hard and fast regulation.

Little girls grow up fast, especially during the flower girl years, so any dress fitting should take place as soon as reasonably possible to the wedding date.

How much should the flower girl participate?

The flower girl should be treated as a full-fledged member of the wedding party. This means inviting her to the rehearsal dinner and bridal shower, and also to the fittings for gowns.

It’s also very important she attend all the rehearsals. In fact, time permitting you should schedule extra rehearsal time to help her get ready for the big performance. The ring bearer should attend these rehearsals, too, so the two can get used to working with one another.

Who else can help the flower girl?

Wedding experts recommend choosing a buddy from among the bridesmaids, someone who won’t mind looking after the flower girl before the ceremony. This buddy can help the flower girl through any last minute stage fright and offer praise once the ceremony concludes.

Author:  Michael Kabel is the senior writer for My Wedding Favors.  My Wedding Favors offers a complete selection of gifts and keepsakes for the flower girl in your wedding party. We also offer flower themed wedding favors, elegant seed packet wedding favors, and even bridesmaid, groomsmen, and ring bearer gifts, too. Visit us at www.myweddingfavors.com.