You may have encountered these 5 wedding traditions, and perhaps you haven’t wanted to conform. The good news is, you don’t have to! Check out how these practices have evolved from tradition to myth.

Photo: Larissa Cleveland
Courtesy WeddingChannel.com

1. The bride has to wear a big white dress.
No you don’t, that is, unless you want to!  These days, brides are wearing all sorts of variations on their dresses, and your Las Vegas wedding is a great place to break tradition and wear something uniquely YOU.

2. The bride and groom can’t see each other before the wedding.
Ok, ok, we know that you know this one. But we have to reiterate this point, because some of the best and sweetest pictures, (i.e., not rushed) have been taken candidly before the ceremony and also with family.

3. Your ring has to be a giant, sparkling diamond.
Not everyone finds something special in a diamond. Vintage rings, precious gems and birthstones have all been wonderful and meaningful substitutes for your wedding jewelry. As long as it means something to you.

4. Vow renewals have to take place on a special anniversary.
Not so! Your vow renewal is something that you decide on as a couple. It can be as formal and structured as a second wedding, or done as casually as a surprise date night. Vegas vow renewals are a fun special way to remind yourselves of your special and unique love. Do what feels right!

5. You pay for this, they pay for that…
Tradition has dictated that the bride’s family pays for the wedding, and the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner, or something like that. These days, many couples pay for the wedding themselves, while extended family members often chip in wherever they can!

Need help planning your Vegas Wedding? Visit our website or call us today! 702-933-3464 or toll free (800) 823-4095!

Your dress is gorgeous, your hair and makeup are stunning, and your bouquet is truly lovely.  Your pictures are wonderful for capturing 2 dimensional memories, but what about saving your bouquet? We’ve compiled a list of ways you can make your bouquet last for years to come!

Keepsake Floral can even re-create your bouquet from photos!

1. Creating a custom monogram or a shadow box.
A process that typically occurs within 1-4 days of your wedding, this option is for brides who want to choose every detail of their bouquet preservation. Has your wedding already passed? They can also re-create your bouquet from pictures!
Check out Keepsake Floral here.

2. Rehydrated, then freeze-dried in a table top display

This process must also be done quickly after your wedding, but serves as the truest form of your bouquet. Fresh Picked Freeze Drieds lovingly re-hydrates your bouquet and then delicately freeze dries your flowers before placing them in a display box of your choice. The one pictured here costs under $400!

3. Press them yourself at home!
This blog tells you how to press your flowers yourself! You can then use them in scrapbooking, on cards or stationery, or even in frames!
Check out the detailed tutorial on Nest Candy.

Ilene, owner of the blog Come on, Ilene, shares how she created this ornament from her wedding flowers

4. Fill christmas ornaments with freeze dried petals

Of course, this option only allows you to enjoy your flowers for the duration of your holiday decorating, but it certainly is a beautiful and sentimental way to decorate your tree!  Come On, Ilene shares tips on how she created her ornament/memory capsule.

Haven’t picked your bouquet yet? Check out our Las Vegas Wedding Flowers!

If you’re planning an autumn wedding, congratulations! From changing leaves to milder temperatures to a few extra vacation days, fall is a special time even when you’re not planning your matrimonial bliss. But when you are planning an autumn ‘I do,’ you’re in luck — this season lends itself to some fun, beautiful, and even tasty wedding ideas! Here are our top ten:

1. Leaves: Talk about cheap decor! Take a quick road-trip to find a canyon filled with fallen autumn leaves. Use these in an arbor, on serving and guest tables, or even in flower arrangements.

2. Cream: Forget traditional “white.” Fall is the perfect time to select a beautiful cream or champagne-colored dress.

3. Pies! Who need a cake when autumn’s bounty can be stuffed into a variety of mouthwatering pies? Apple, peach, pear chutney?

4. Masquerade: With Halloween looming, what could be more fun or appropriate than a masquerade? Ask guests to arrive in gowns, masks and makeup!

5. Caramel apples: The quintessential autumn treat is the perfect guest favor or festive addition to the dessert table.

6. Squashed: Make your menu a festive event by showcasing autum’s favorite vegetables. Butternut squash soup or roasted pumpkin seed salad are yummy choices.

7. “Crisp” Accessories: When the days (and nights!) cool a bit, you have the option of accessorizing your wedding attire too! Pick a beautiful jacket or wrap to compliment your gown.

8. Barnyard stomp: During the fall season, a farm or barn-style wedding can be either casual or elegant. Find a site with rustic country appeal to backdrop your autumn decor.

9. Fall florals: Select flowers from fall’s beautiful spectrum. Dahlias and mums are both in season and offer rich color and rustic charm.

10. Spices: Keep your party spicy with fall’s best offerings. Select a spice cake or gingerbread cupcakes or layer spiced pinecones into table centerpieces. The scent (and taste!) will literally reek fall!

Planning a fall wedding? What special touches are you using?

If you’re planning a wedding, you’re probably all-too familiar with the many traditions and customs of American weddings. But don’t think that changing countries or cultures will give you a stress-free wedding. Cultures across the globe have special traditions and rituals for their weddings too — you might be happy to host an American wedding after all!

China: Having trouble picking out your wedding dress? Try picking out three! In modern Chinese weddings, brides wear a total of three dresses. The first is a traditional Chinese qipao or cheongsam, a slim-fitting embroidered dress usually colored red. The second dress is a white dress not unlike western wedding dresses. The third dress is a gown or cocktail dress of the bride’s choosing. That’s a whole wardrobe for one wedding!

India: Think your pre-wedding makeup application is time-consuming? Well, if you were the bride in a traditional Indian wedding, you’d be spending hours applying menhdi, intricate traditional designs applied to the hands and feet using henna. The designs can take hours to apply, and several more hours to dry while the henna stains the skin.

United Kingdom: You might get a different type of bachelorette party if you chose the same bridesmaids as many English brides. In the United Kingdom, it’s traditional to select very young girls as bridesmaids. In fact, Princess Diana selected bridesmaids as young as 5, and Kate Middleton brought two three-year olds down the aisle as hers.

Southern Africa: In a traditional Zulu wedding, it’s customary for the groom’s family to slaughter a cow in order to welcome the new bride to their family. The slaughtering is part of the actual ceremony, and the new bride then places money inside the cow’s stomach to symbolize her joining the family.

Russia: Think your family is harsh? In Russia, grooms are required to “work” for their bride. Prior to the wedding, the groom asks what he can do to win his love. The family will require gifts, favors, and pure entertainment; some grooms are made to sing, dance, or perform to win their love. Your groom is luckier than he thought!

Are you integrating any culturally significant traditions into your wedding? We want to hear about them below!

You thought that planning a wedding was time-consuming, then you realized that you also have to plan the night before! But don’t worry; that rehearsal dinner doesn’t have to be a thorn in your side if you know how to go about it. 702 Weddings has the scoop on who should come, who should speak, and all the other details that go into a perfect and fabulous rehearsal dinner.

Who should be invited? 

Good news: this one is entirely up to you. The size of your rehearsal dinner is up to you. If you want an intimate affair including just the immediate family of the bride and groom, or a more elaborate affair including friends and relatives, it’s entirely up to you. Traditionally, those who are participating in the actual ceremony (bridesmaids, ushers, flower girls, etc.) are invited — thus why it’s called a “rehearsal!”

Who pays?

Traditionally, the groom or the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner, since the bride’s family traditionally covers most of the wedding and reception. However, these days, may couples are paying for their own weddings or families are splitting costs equally, so there’s a bit of leeway in regard to who foots the rehearsal dinner bill.

Do I need to toast?

Traditionally, rehearsal dinners include several toasts, but depending on the attendees and the level of formality, toasts may not be appropriate. If nothing else, the bride and groom should be sure to speak briefly to thank everyone for joining them (especially some are coming from out of town). Chances are, your close family and friends will end up saying a few words, so be prepared for some gracious thank-you’s.

Does my rehearsal dinner need to be in the same theme as my ceremony/reception?

Not necessarily. More formal dinners will likely correspond with the wedding theme, colors, flowers, etc., but many couples prefer to do something much more casual for their rehearsal dinner so that friends and family can socialize in a more relaxed atmosphere. Whether you’re renting out a banquet hall or hosting a party in a bowling alley, anything goes!

What about invitations?

If your dinner is quite formal, invitations would be appropriate, especially for those who are traveling. It’s appropriate to insert a small card into your wedding invitation to invite a few of your guests to the rehearsal dinner. For more casual dinners, word of mouth or phone calls work fine.

Did you have a spectacular rehearsal dinner? Tell us about it below!

When you think of weddings, what’s the first thing that pops in your mind? Well, besides cake. Let’s be serious; cake pops in our minds no matter what we’re thinking about.

If you said flowers, you’re thinking like us! Flowers are often the focal point of a wedding, and can set the tone for the whole event.

No matter what you decide to do – lush greenery for an outdoor wedding, all white with lilies and hydrangeas, or bright-colored gerbera daisies – be sure you know how many flowers you really need to plan for your wedding.

Don’t worry; we’ve broken it all down for you.

First consider your wedding party. You’ll need the following:

Bride bouquet

Throwaway bouquet

Groom’s boutonniere

Maid Of Honor bouquet

Bridesmaids’ bouquets

Flower Girl baskets

Best man boutonniere

Groomsmen boutonnieres

Ushers’ boutonnieres

Ring bearer boutonniere

If you’ll be including performers at the wedding, plan for the following:

Reader boutonniere

Singer/performer boutonniere

And don’t forget your family:

Mother of bride corsage

Mother of groom corsage

Grandmothers’ corsages

Grandfathers’ boutonniers

You’ll also want to use flowers to set the tone of the ceremony and reception:

Altar arrangements

Pew arrangements

Main entrance arrangements

Head table centerpiece

Small table centerpieces

Cake table flowers

Cake flowers (if applicable)

Guest book flowers

Gift table arrangement

Chair flowers (if applicable)

Archway flowers (if applicable)

If you’re having a rehearsal dinner, don’t forget to tie in your floral scheme with beautiful table centerpieces.

Depending on your budget, you can go with fresh or silk flowers. Fresh flowers make an unforgettable statement, but silk or freeze-dried arrangements can be a more economical option and also allow you to make your preparations beforehand.

Are you smelling roses yet? Do you have a creative idea for your wedding florals? We’d love to hear how flowers helped you beautify your nuptials.