I guarantee that this question will come up during your wedding planning discussions at some point. Here are some of the arguments I’ve heard in response to this question over the years…
“The wedding day belongs to the bride. She’s been dreaming of this day all her life so she should have the last word on everything” - a bride
“These kids have crazy ideas about what they want at their wedding. Most of the guests are friends of mine and my husband’s and I don’t want to be embarassed by tacky decoration or non conventional ideas” - a mother-in-law
“I am footing the bill at the end of the day so if I want “x” type of music at the wedding – then that is what we’re gonna have”- a father-in-law.
“My fiance and her mother seem to have taken over everything and they don’t even care what my opinion is. I just want to have a good time at my wedding but they haven’t taken my friends into account at all.”- a groom
So whose side are you on?
The truth is that everyone above has a valid argument. A wedding is a celebration for two families and the creation of a new one. It is a day that should be fun and happy for everyone involved so it is important to pick your battles and to take some time to step back and look at things objectively before stamping your feet and insisting on your way.
Try to understand where people are coming from. For example, if your parents are demanding something just because “everyone does it”, ask them if that is what they did when they got married. Just because something is fashionable today and everyone seems to be doing it, doesn’t mean its the only option you have and it doesn’t mean that people will frown upon your decisions.
Make sure you take into account who your wedding guests are going to be. You are spending a lot of money on what is essentially one party so you want everyone to leave happy. Try to include something for everyone so that the older guests have a good time and the younger guests can “express themselves” freely.
Most likely each person will feel strongly about one or two particular issues so you can always try to negotiate between each other. Just make sure that you don’t end up with a mix-and-match style wedding that just ends up confusing everyone!
Alternatively, there are other options you can take a look at if it’s proving impossible to figure things out with everyone. As a couple you can offer to pay for the wedding (or parts of it) yourselves. You can decide to hold separate events for the parents’ friends and your friends or you can decide to only invite your friends
Although they have perhaps been considered tacky… ice sculptures are making a comeback! I would suggest keeping them away from the buffet to avoid the cliche buffet centerpiece.
You see it really depends on what the sculpture is ‘of’. You can make it abstract and modern, sweet and romatic (classic swan sculpture), or shine a light on a sphere of ice to create ambiance.
My personal favourite is this sculpted ice bucket for the champagne – functional AND cool to look at!
Ήρθε η μέρα,
που η νύφη κι ο γαμπρός θα βάλουν βέρα,
έλα και σου ‘χουμε φυλάξει μπομπονιέρα
και μη νομίζεις πως στιγμή θα βαρεθείς.
Γαμήλιο πάρτυ,
και έχω μια πρόσκληση για σένα ορίστε πάρτη
και για να μη χαθούμε μέσα έχει χάρτη,
γιατί δε θέλω να μου ταλαιπωρηθείς
(μου ‘δωσε λάθος οδηγίες)
Θέλω να ‘σε κει,
ό,τι κι αν συμβεί,
Θέλω να ‘σε κει,
ό,τι κι αν συμβεί.
Ήρθε η ώρα,
που θ’ανεβείς της εκκλησιάς την ανηφόρα
και η ζωή σου μονομιάς θα αλλάξει τώρα
και προσοχή το νυφικό μη λερωθεί.
Γαμήλιο πάρτυ
και στην εντέλεια τα’χουν όλα κανονίσει
και μήνες τώρα τα’χουν προγραμματίσει,
έτσι ώστε τίποτα στραβό να μη συμβεί
Θέλω να ‘σε κει,
ό,τι κι αν συμβεί,
Θέλω να ‘σε κει,
ό,τι κι αν συμβεί.
(θα σε σκίσω αλήτη)
Θέλω να ‘σε κει,
ό,τι κι αν συμβεί,(x3)
Θέλω να ‘σε κει.
Each of these deals with the wedding theme in its own different way. Although any guy will tell you that this is a classic “chick flick list”, I definitely believe there’s a lot more to get out of these films than just a good time watching movies with your girlfriends.
In the movie industry’s attempt to mimic life (after all that’s what they do right?) they’ve incorporated a great deal of real wedding “issues” to keep people interested and so there’s something in there for everyone.
Are you planning a wedding on a strict budget?
Is your best friend trying to steal your fiance?
Is you mother in law causing problems for the two of you or trying to take over the wedding?
Does your fiance have an annoying female friend that seems to rub you the wrong way without actually having “done” anything?
Is your father getting all sappy about the fact that you are getting married?
Have you invested so much of your time and energy as your friend’s bride’s maid that you feel its about time someone repaid you the favour?
Never thought it would happen to you?
Have you been after the wrong person all along?
Did you always believe that marriage wasn’t for you?
Do you feel that your friend is copying your wedding ideas?
Have you been dreaming of your wedding since you were old enough to tell the difference between a wedding dress and a nightie?
Are you perhaps getting too wrapped up in the wedding planning, so much so that you are neglecting your relationship?
Are you paying attention to every minute detail and trying to ensure that nothing… absolutely NOTHING will go wrong on the big day? (haha good luck with that!)
Is there a teeny tiny voice inside your head that is telling you “What the hell am I doing? Is this marriage thing really gonna work for us?”
I could go on and on, but if any of the above questions grabbed your attention… I highly recommend a movie night! I’m not saying you will find the answers in the DVD case, but you might get some great ideas out of it!
Sugar coated almonds are taken to the church to be handed out to the guests attending the wedding once the ceremony is over. They are taken in the silver tray along with the stefana, the wedding bands and the marriage license.
Greek (Cypriot) tradition says that they should be wrapped in bundles of 3 as the odd number symbolizes the fact that the couple cannot be divided. They also symbolize the bitter-sweetness of the couple’s future life together. The almond also represents fertility and the sugar coating is traditionally white to symbolize purity. It is interesting to note that Italian tradition says that the almonds should be in bundles of 5 to represent health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.
Other traditions say that the koufetta should only be offered to the single women who are attending the wedding. They are then supposed to put the koufetta under their pillow and when they go to sleep that night they will dream of the man they are going to marry.
Feel free to email me at admin@koufetta.com if you have any questions, need an unbiased opinion, or if you just want to vent about your wedding planning!
