Wedding Invitations

More on what to do with the kids during Christmas break so you can plan the wedding…

Many kids these days don’t get enough sunlight and exercise. They tend to spend too much “screen” time being inactive. Science is actually showing us that sunlight and exercise are two vital components for happy healthy kids. So   assuming the weather is decent and the kids are dressed appropriately, send the munchkins outside to burn off their energy and get the sunshine they need for strong bones. I’ve found with my son, the more he’s inside cooped up, the more he drives me crazy. Perhaps yours are the same. If there’s snow, they can build snowmen, snow forts, go sledding, etc. If you’re real lucky, you live in a place where it’s cold enough to have a skating rink in your own backyard. For the snow free states, there’s always rollerblading, the park and all those other warm weather activities.

The other day I mentioned that depending on the activity, you may have to take a time out for a short period of time to get the kids underway. If playing it right, you can find a way to make an outing an extended interest for the kids.  For example, if you take them to the planetarium, that will peak their interest in that subject. If your budget allows, buy something with that subject in mind that will keep them entertained for a while. There are even wonderful websites with all kinds of free downloadable activities that the kids can do. www.NASA.gov is a great resource for that. So it will require some planning ahead and a little time out for you, but then you’ve set the stage for some “kid occupied time”. 

Have a wonderful day and thanks for joining us in our wedding etiquette blog.

In yesterday’s wedding etiquette blog I promised I would give you some ideas for activities the kids can do during Christmas break, so you can get the wedding plans done.

Kids are very creative and come up with their own fun ideas, but once in a while they need a little help thinking of something to do. One of my friends actually made a list of “approved” activities for her kids to do. It served as a reminder for both her and the kids. It also saved her sanity.

In light of the season to be generous and giving, you can also encourage them to volunteer. Perhaps there’s a neighbor that needs help with some yard work or help shoveling snow from their driveway.  There were some kids I knew a few years back who decided to surprise their neighbors by waking up at the crack of dawn and shoveling their driveway before the neighbor woke up and went to work. Each snowy morning the kids chose a different neighbor to surprise. For a while, people referred to the kids as “the mystery elves”, until they were found out.

If the weather is awful and you’re absolutely stuck for something to do with the kids and you’re tempted to set them in front of the TV….
There are actually some really good, non-boring, educational shows for kids of all ages. It might not be a bad idea to review a TV schedule first and make a list of approved shows and their times. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow for more suggestions.

Many people don’t want a winter wedding in the colder climates due to the discomfort of the bitter cold. They would rather wait for warm weather. But I am here to say Christmas is such a romantic time of the year to have a wedding.

In Salt Lake City, temple square is famous for its Christmas lights, nativity and the overall Christmas feel. Many a times on visits, I have seen newlyweds still in their wedding attire, cozy and circling the square on a horse drawn carriage ride at night, with all the beautiful Christmas lights lighting the way.  It’s these special moments that make Christmas weddings so special.

There are so many ways you can creatively create a beautiful Christmas themed wedding invitation. However you design your Christmas wedding invitation, make sure they can distinguish it’s a wedding invitation vs a Christmas card.

There are so many beautiful colors combinations that make the perfect Christmas color schemes.
 
- gentle blue and silver
- gold and white (or cream)
- typical red, white and green
- white and silver, etc.

You can even consider decorating your Christmas wedding with poinsettias, mistletoe and evergreen boughs. Remember to ask your florist for ideas in regards to these. Natural may be more expensive but they set the feel and smell of Christmas.

If you’re lucky, the church or reception hall is already decorated for Christmas. ;0)

Thanks for reading today’s wedding etiquette blog.

In today’s wedding etiquette blog, I would like to continue on with some thoughts from yesterday.

 Another feeling that swept over me while listening to some gentle Christmas music was “thank goodness for Christmas”. The overwhelming warm feeling that came over me, made me realized it’s a yearly refresher for me. It reminds me of why we have Christmas in the first place. It also reminds me of my family and my friends. It brings back the warm fuzzy feelings that always seemed to be there regardless of our struggles. If feel if it weren’t for Christmas, I feel would get caught up in every day life and forget those things. Christmas kind of gives us a time out….a break…a moment to reflect and remember.

 Thank heavens too for the events that make Christmas so special.
Regardless of our social status, financial situation or religious beliefs, there always seems to be something for everyone to do. You just have to look for it. This is especially true in the Northern Hemisphere of North America where we’ve got lots of beautiful cold and snow for skating, snowball fights, snow forts, snowmen, sledding, sleigh rides, etc.

 If you find yourself getting caught up in the stress of wedding planning and/or Christmas, it’s time to just sit down and re-think some things. What can you do to make it all special for you again? What can you do to NOT make it about stress?

 Join us tomorrow for another beautiful day.

The other day I was doing dishes listening to Christmas music. Next thing I knew, I was in a different place in my mind and the dishes were done. I couldn’t even remember doing all those dishes. There really is a powerful magic in music, especially Christmas music. It took me back to a place of happy memories and thankful thoughts.

I remembered back into my childhood days of a winter Christmas wedding celebration I saw, when I wondered into the ballroom of a magnificent hotel.  It was better than the princess wedding many girls dream of. From the outside, this hotel looked like a castle nestled between mountains, surrounded by enormous evergreen trees, with a fresh blanket of sparkling snow on everything. On the inside, the ballroom was just as pretty as the one on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, except this ballroom was decorated with authentic fresh Christmas decorations, making it look that much more magical. The giant fresh cut Christmas tree and the gorgeous fresh evergreen boughs gave that room such an amazing scent, that it was forever embedded in my mind as “the smell of Christmas”.

I was observing all this from an overlooking balcony. From my angle, the bride looked like a The Snow Princess in her beautiful white gown that seemed to flow in slow motion as her groom twirled her to the Christmas music playing in the background.  It was truly a magical experience.

If you have a Christmas wedding, I hope yours is just as magical.

Thank you for joining us in today’s wedding etiquette section.