Weddings at Harbor Court Hotel

The InterContinental Harbor Court Hotel in downtown Baltimore is featuring

Complimentary "Honeymoon on Us" gift card good for $500-$2,000 towards your Honeymoon.  Good at any InterContinental Hotel & Resort for weddings booked in 2009.


Special Value Dates


Friday, Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Weddings
January - August 2009 or November - December 4, 2009
select up to 4 of the following upgrades


Saturday Evening Weddings
January - August 2009 or November - December 4, 2009
select up to 3 of the following upgrades


For any wedding date January - April 1, 2010
select up to 4 of the following upgrades


Choice of Upgrades
Complimentary Bridal Party Tea for up to 10 guests
Discounted Self-Parking of $6 per car
10% off your Rehearsal Dinner pricing
10% off your Post-Wedding Brunch pricing
Bridal Suite at 1/2 off for the evening before the wedding
Complimentary Snack in the Bridal Suite while you're getting ready
Complimentary White chair-covers
Discount coupons for Sunday breakfast for overnight guests
One additional Complimentary Room for the guest of your choice

*upgrades may not be duplicated

InterContinental Harbor Court Hotel
550 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

Call Meghan Sharkey 410.347.9724 for more details and information!

Dancin Dancin Dancin!

Last night was the premier of Dancing with the Stars.  Between DWTS, So You Think You Can Dance, and Rock the Reception - there's a lot of first dance inspiration out there.

Joy Marie Photography

If you're looking to jazz up your first dance and steer away from the "high school sway" then you have some options.

Option 1:  Go all the way and come up with a full routine.  You'll need to have your song selected and work with a dance instructor.

Option 2:  Take lessons with a dance instructor to get comfortable.  You'll have a few moves in your back pockets and give it a little dazzle.  This eliminates the stress of a full routine.

Option 3:  Just go for it and enjoy yourself.  You're married - who cares?

Option 4:  Save the choreographed dance for later in the night like Christina's friends Brooke and Dan did with their version of the YMCA.  That one even had sparklers at the end.

To Band or To DJ - that is the question.

Brides Magazine recently published an article on choosing the music for your reception. It is often a difficult decision between a DJ and a band. Of course there are pros and cons to each option - you just need to decide what the most important elements are for your reception. For either option you want to choose a DJ or a Band that you feel confident in and that is going to do a great job during your reception.

Reasons to book a DJ:
*He's more affordable
*Will play any song you want
*Can work in small spaces without a lot of equipment
*Keeps music going during the entire party with no lull
*Is trained to choreography the reception and make announcements


Reasons to book a band:

*They make a more dramatic presentation, with musicians, vocalists, and all those instruments.
*Have unique personalities
*Their infectious energy can get people on the dance floor
*Guests who don't dance will still enjoy watching the show

image from Arthur Remanjon

Remember!

Remember to assign someone the chore of taking home all of your gifts and wedding items after the wedding.

It should be a large, cleaned out vehicle that will be driven to a safe location. It should not be a vehicle that is staying overnight at a hotel, because there will be gifts inside and that's an invitation for a break-in.

If you will have a large amount of items after the wedding (candles, flowers, containers, etc.) then you may want to assign two vehicles to this task.

Everything must leave the wedding reception location that evening - so it's best to make the process smooth and easy.

image from Picasa

Where Do We Sit?

The rsvp's are in.  Now, it's time to figure out where to sit everyone.  It's not an easy task, but it can be done successfully.  Just be patient!

The number one question we're asked?  Where do we sit - the bride and groom?  There are a few good answers - here they are:

1.  At a regular sized guest table.

You may choose to sit with a few members of your bridal party.  It's usually best if you place the parents at other tables to spread out the hosts and give more people a table with some VIP's.  In this instance, you can sit with some bridal party and their dates.  Spread the rest of the bridal throughout the reception area.

2. At a bridal party table.

This isn't the large bridal party of yesteryear.  It's a large table that the entire bridal party and their dates are seated around.  The key word here is around.  Seats are placed around the entire table and usually requires a larger rented table.  A standard banquet table is 30 inches wide and not wide enough for two place settings.

3.  At a sweetheart table.

This is a table just for the two of you.  Usually this table is a 36 inch round table and is placed near the dance floor.  Just try not to leave each other while seated at the table, it can get lonely.

Questions: Answered.

Peggy Post answers etiquette questions for InStyleWeddings.com.  We stumbled across this question and answer, which our brides often ask.

"Q.  It's three weeks before the wedding and several guests still haven't RSVP'd! What should we do?

 A. The first obligation anyone has upon receiving a wedding invitation is to respond immediately, regardless of whether he or she can attend. At this late date you really have no choice but to telephone the would-be guests and ask whether they plan on coming.(Your fiancé, mother, future mother-in-law and some of your attendants can help you make the calls.) To ease the awkward nature of these conversations, be friendly and say something like, "Aunt Jenny, it's Sara. I hope you received our wedding invitation. We need to give our final numbers to the caterer this week, and I haven't received your response card, so I'm calling to ask if you and Uncle John plan on coming. We hope you're able to join us!" Just state your case matter-of-factly without laying blame. (Occasionally invitations and response cards are lost in the mail.) Whatever led to the lapse, your gracious manner will set a positive tone for the wedding."

Thanks Peggy!

Escort Cards vs Place Cards

Escort Cards and Place Cards - which is which?

Escort Cards:  Usually arranged on a table in alphabetical order outside of the ballroom or dinner area.  Escort cards have the name of the couple and to which table they have been assigned.

Place Cards:  Are at each place setting either at the top of the charger plate or inscribed on each menu card.  They direct guests to their individual place at the table.

Make sense?

Guest Books for Dummies

Love the idea of a guest book, but want to make it fun and memorable?

Try this idea from GuestBookStore.com

We love this idea because it takes off all of the pressure off your guests to write the perfect wedding day message.  They have a starting point and it's sure to make for some fun notes and advice.  They can even design the books to make room for a Polaroid photo of guests.

GuestBookStore even has designs for Wedding Showers, Baby Showers, and Birthdays!

Welcome!

It is traditional to begin the reception with a welcome from the host of the wedding.  In most cases, this is the father of the bride or father of the groom.  Be mindful that a welcome is not a toast, the toast is given by the best man.

Here are a few tips to make the welcome speech picture perfect.

1.  The bride and groom should stand with the father at the top of the dance floor.  It is a great photo and a show of respect.  The mother should stand with the father and may also speak if she wishes.

2.  The welcome should include a few key points:

*Welcome to the wedding and gratitude for guests making the journey

*Acknowledge any guests celebrating an anniversary or birthday on the wedding or if Father's Day or Mother's Day is the following day

*Mention any grandparents who are in attendance

*Mention the groom and how happy you are to have him as part of the family

*Mention the bride and share a growing-up memory

*Acknowledge the groom's family and welcome them as part of your extended family

*Acknowledge and commend the wedding planning efforts of the bride's mother and/or bride

*Introduce the next speaker: either the best man or the person giving the dinner blessing.

Crazy Straws!

Need something to perfectly accent your signature drink?

How about a crazy straw?

ForYourParty.com