HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-02-04, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1987.
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Sensitivity key
to happy
bridesmaids
Accompanyingthe more than
2.5 million brides expected to walk
down aisles all over North America
this year will be more than 10
million bridesmaids. And while the
days of worrying about always
being a bridesmaid and never a
bride have passed, being a wed
ding attendant still carries its share
of anxiety.
According to Bride’s Magazine,
today’s bridesmaids share some
complaints and concerns that have
worried attendants since the ad
vent of the modern wedding party.
Perhaps the most frequent
heard complaint is that the brides
maids didn’t like the dresses the
bride chose for them. Color, style
and price of the gowns chosen all
came in for criticism from the
women who wore them.
Although it’s hard for the bride
to please everyone, Bride’s Maga
zine suggests that brides take their
maid or matron-of-honor shopping
with them to narrow down the
choices to about three styles.
Be sure the dresses you choose
Hatter your attendants. Full skirts
and blouson tops arc classic styles
that look good on a variety of
Figures. You may even want to look
at two-piece outfits or shorter
styles (hat can be worn again.
Once you've made the prelimi
nary selection, schedule a time
when the rest of the women in the
wedding party can come to the
bridal shop and vote on the final
selection.
Be considerate of your atten
dants’ budgets. Costs can add up
when you consider that it's usual
for attendants to pay for their own
outfits, including shoes, accessor
ies and maybe even an extra dress
for the rehearsal dinner. Add that
to the cost of wedding and shower
gifts, as well as transportation,
lodging and meals for attendants
from out of town.
You may want to enlist friends
and relatives to offer your atten
dants a place to stay. Or let your
bridesmaids select their own
shoes, perhaps even we ara pair
they already own. If you can, offer
to provide all meals.
Another problem encountered
by bridesmaids centres around an
uncertainty of exactly what their
duties are. Give your bridesmaids
a chance to practice walking down
the aisle with you. Make sure they
know where to stand during
different segments of the cere
mony. Allow them to rehearse and
feel comfortable with anything
they may be required to read
during the ceremony. Practice
passing the bouquet to your
attendant.
Before the wedding, ask them
for help if you need it, in choosing
your dress, addressing invitations
and welcoming out-of-town
guests. Remember, though, that
bridesmaids, as well as brides, are
busy with the details of their own
lives. Don’t expect a total commit
ment to planning your wedding.
Finally, try to find time to spend
with your bridesmaids. They’re
friends and relatives who, it’s
assumed, will continue to be close
to you after the wedding ceremony
is but a fond memory. Many
bridesmaids complain that the
bride was soengrossed in her plans
and parties that she wasn’t
interested in them anymore.
Sensitivity is the key to handling
many aspects of planning your
wedding. Brides should be sensi
tive to the fact that even an
impending marriage doesn’t allow
one to ride roughshod over her
friends.
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'Second time' showers
can be fun too
Wedding showers are given for
all brides these days, whether
they’re getting married for the
first, second or even third time.
Gone are the days when a
remarriage was kept very simple
and hush-hush. Now it's consider
ed a joyful new beginning.
If you’ve been invited to a
“second time’’ shower, you may
be wondering if there isn’t some
difference. The original purpose of
a shower was to outfit a bride with
everything she’d need to set up a
new household. But what do you
give a woman who is older and who
probably has all the essentials?
A former marriage doesn’t
guarantee that a bride will have
everything she needs to furnish a
home now.
Styles change, and the bride’s
lifestyle probably has changed.
Years ago she may have hoped for
beer mugs to pass around with
pizza; now she might want crystal
stemware for more formal enter
taining. Her former husband
might have taken a share of their
possessions. Or many of her
original items might simply have
worn out or been broken. Towels,
sheets and glasses almost always
are appreciated gifts.
If you want to give a traditional
present, it’s a good idea to find out
ifthebridehassignedupatany
wedding gift registries. The bridal
consultant there will be able to tell
you exactly what service pieces
your friend hopes to add to her
flatware or which kitchen appli
ances she’s lacking.
Ifyoudon’twantto stick with the
classics, you should view a second
time shower as the perfect oppor
tunity to use your imagination.
Think a little more frivolous and
a little more personal. Depending
on the bride’s tastes and interests,
consider something like a gourmet
coffeemaker that comes with its
own grinder or a professional
copper fish poacher, something
high tech such as a talking clock or a
computer program that will help
newlyweds pay their bills and
balance their checkbooks in state-
of-the-art fashion, a colourful quilt
or wall hanging, a silver teapot or
American stoneware.
Galbraith
Gifts
in Clinton
Has a very unique
line of gifts, which
would suit the bride
& groom, and
attendants.
A wide selection of
gifts at prices to
suit every budget
Come Take A
Look!
Rattenbury St. E.
CLINTON
482-3841
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