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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2012-03-01, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012. Performed by your Local Commissioners *Location and Time Of Your Choice” www.ontariomarriagecommissioners.com For information: Huron-Kinloss Township Office 519-395-3735 www.huronkinloss.com Wingham Golf And Curling Club 40292 Jamestown Rd., Wingham ~ 519-357-2179 ~ Weddings ~ Anniversaries ~ Meetings ~ Surprise Parties ~ Ladies’ Nights ~ Catering ~ and more... Banquet facilities for all your needs You’re always welcome at M itch ell’s C ountr y B ed & B r eakf a s t Wheelchair accessible, reasonable rates 71 Thomas St. E., Brussels 519-887-6697 We welcome guests to our home. Three rooms ~ ensuite. Experience a full country breakfast. Open year ‘round - Reservations Preferred 2012 Wedding ShowcaseKeep bridal party couples together at receptionMS –Weddings are filled withmany emotions: happiness, excite-ment and anticipation, to name a few. With all of the positive emo- tions a wedding may drum up, in the mix there may be a few negative ones, including feelings of being overwhelmed at all the details that need to be completed on a deadline. One aspect of wedding planning that tends to send people into panic is wedding reception seating arrangements. The thought of having 200 friends and family members together under one roof – and then attempting to seat them next to anacceptable group of people -- cancause some couples to hyperventi- late. Every family has its ups and downs, and there are certain people who get along well and a few who clash. Ensuring that a wedding is memorable for all the right reasons (and not for the brawl at table three) is why seating arrangements are so important. Many couples can use a little advice when seating guests, while others would love another per- son to handle the seating arrange- ments for them.Here are some guidelines for set-ting up reception seating arrange- ments. • Place yourselves, as well as the bridal party, at a separate table that is in a prime location in the room. Be sure to allow the spouses or dates of bridal party members at the same table so couples remain togeth- er. • Some couples choose to seat both sets of parents at one table together – the parents’ table. Grandparents may also be seated at this table, depend- ing on the number of people eachtable can accommodate.• If children under the age of seven are invited, they should be seated with their parents. Children between ages seven and 14 can be seated at a separate kids’ table. • Be mindful of guests with dis- abilities or mobility issues. Seat them close to the door, bathrooms or food station. • Instead of separating the bride and the groom’s family to separate sides, intermingle the tables to pro- mote conversation. • Consider arranging guests by common interests at each table, seat-ing business associates or parents’friends together. • Take into consideration people who have relationship rifts and try to seat them separately. But don’t stress about this too much because it won’t be possible to accommodate every- one. • It’s not unheard of to let guests seat themselves. This takes the pres- sure of finding a seat for everyone off of you as a couple and enables you to think about the other tasks at hand. This can take place at a buffet wedding or a smaller affair. MS –Couples often fret over what to serve their guests at the reception, and rightfully so. Reception costs can comprise a majority of the wed- ding-day budget. When spending $100 or more per guest, you want to ensure you’re getting what you paid for and that guests enjoy what they’re eating. Filet mignon may be a good choice, but steak tartare is probably best avoided. Find out which foods to avoid serving your wedding guests. • Exotic cuisine: You may be a risk taker when it comes to cuisine, but others may not share your zeal for exotic foods. Now is not the time to introduce guests to the wild and wacky. If you’ve seen an exotic dish on The Food Network or The Travel Channel, give it a try another time. • Anything on fire: Why risk an accident for a spectacle? Baked alas- ka, cherries jubilee, apples flambe... these are foods that might provide a show, but the cost of that show may not be worth it in the end. • Raw food: Clams on the half- shell or sushi-grade tuna may seem like good ideas, but keep in mind that it is hard to ensure quality when feeding 200 people at the same time. Foods that require special refrigera- tion or immediate service for fresh- ness are best left for other occasions. Don’t risk food poisoning on a room full of people unless you want your wedding to be remembered for stomach cramps. • A long, sit-down meal: Two or three courses is fine, but if guests have to sit through a never-ending parade of courses, that limits their ability to mingle and have a good time. • Anything too elaborate: The faster servers can get food out to guests the better. • Fast food:This is your wedding and you want the food to fit with the scale of the day. A formal wedding generally includes a formal meal. Although it may be alright to include some fast food inspired dishes at the cocktail buffet, steer clear of burgers and fries for the main meal. • Themed food:Don’t dye that baked potato purple because you want the wedding to be a plum- coloured affair. Also, it’s best to avoid themed food, unless it is part of a cultural wedding or can be pulled off with class. It’s much easi- er to pass off crepes and croissants for a Parisian wedding than giant turkey legs and tankards of ale for a Renaissance-themed one. • No food at all: Whether your wedding is small or grand in scale, guests will expect some sort of food. Be sure to have some hors d’oeuvres or some well-placed pickings for guests to grab while mingling. After all, they will need something to pro- vide the energy to mingle and dance, and food can help buffer the effects of too many cocktails. What not to serve your guests MS –Many brides-to-be look for- ward to the day when they visit a bridal salon and are able to try on gowns for the first time. There are certain tips that can make the day go much more smoothly and potentially reduce the amount of time it may take to find the perfect gown. • Wear a supportive, well con- structed strapless bra or corset in your correct size. If you will be wearing a petticoat, also have the right size available. • Go without face makeup when trying on gowns so they remain clean. • Try to wear your hair similar to the style you have in mind for your wedding. • Note that the size of the wedding gown you will wear is typically one to two sizes larger than your day-to- day clothes. Proper measurements can be matched to designers’ size charts. • It’s best to limit the number of people with whom you shop to one or two trusted friends or family members. An entourage can be con- fusing. • It’s always better to order a slightly larger gown and leave room for alterations if you are between sizes. Tips for gown ﬁttings The beginnings of forever... Mary Robinson “Providing top quality life-like plants with friendly personal service” Home • Office • Giftware • Weddings Perth Line 86, #6672 4 miles west of ListowelTel:/Fax: 519-291-4183 Hours: Wed. - Fri. 10 am - 5:30 pmSat. 9 am - 4 pm e-mail: theplantmaster@hotmail.ca www.theplantmaster.ca