Pets In Your Wedding

            Pets are such a part of our family, that we cannot imagine celebrating with out them. They can play a part in your wedding, but require a bit of planning beforehand making sure both pets and people are all happy.  There are a lot of ways to involve your “family member” as a member of the wedding party, or just honored guest.

            If you are thinking about including your pet in your wedding, research your venue to see if pets are even allowed. Some venues, pets are just not appropriate as in houses of worship or fancy hotel ballrooms and may not be a viable option at all for wedding day. Even if your venue does allow pets, consider the personality of your pet. Loud music, large crowds, and unfamiliar people may all be upsetting and overwhelming. Animals that do not deal well with these conditions may not be the right guests to have at your wedding.

            Decide who will watch your pet at all times, if you do make the choice to have a pet at your wedding. A bride and groom will be too busy with many distractions to give undivided attention and a professional pet sitter may be needed. To look (and smell) their best, the pet will need to be taken to the groomer just before the event. Choose an appropriate pet wardrobe, as there is a world of wedding attire including bejeweled and bedazzled collars, leashes, bows and ties. Above all, make sure your pet is comfortable and safe with their new attire and don’t make them wear it any longer than necessary.

            If you cannot have your favorite pet at your wedding ceremony or reception, there are other ways to incorporate them into your event.  Talk to your photographer and find a location where pets will be accepted for a photo-shoot. An engagement photo with a pet may be top priority and the photos can be displayed at your reception for your guests to enjoy. By including a pet in an engagement photo-shoot, it involves fewer people, and a much less stressful environment for all.

            If your guests are animal lovers like you, give out pet friendly favors. An apple for horses, birdseed for the birds, or dog biscuit treats let your guests share in the joy with their own special loves.  My favorite - in lieu of handout favors, make a gift donation to an animal rescue organization …with a picture of your love in the display.

            Pets play an important role in our lives, and may be included in your big day if carefully considered.  After all, Love is a four-legged word!   

The Guest Book

The Guest Book

            Instead of pen and paper guest book, think about a way to personalize your guest’s signature for keeping and remembering who attended your wedding. If you ask your mother, she will probably tell you that she had a guest book and pen as everyone who entered the church foyer signed his or her name. After the wedding the guest book was most likely never opened again and placed in a drawer for safe keeping. Oh my, how tradition has changed!

            The custom of having guests sign around a framed photo has been around forever. Pictures from an engagement session that are made into a book with pages for guests to sign create an interesting keepsake. A fun twist on that is to snap a Polaroid picture of each guest, secure it in a blank book and have them write a short note to the bride and groom.

            Of course it does not have to be a Guest “Book” at all…maybe it is a boat oar for guests to sign if you love the water. Smooth stones displayed in a vase to be used as a décor piece in your new home will have both meaning and memories. Set up a vintage typewriter and allow guests to type words of advice to the bride and groom. How much fun will it be to read through all of the typed notes after the wedding? 

Smooth stones are easy to sign with a felt tip pen.

 A favorite guestbook lately has been to have guests sign fabric squares with a permanent marker. Someone who loves you very much may then make the squares into a quilt!

A log slice becomes a keepsake when sanded extra smooth and signed with a felt tip pen.

Monogram Wedding Quilt Signature Guest Book by WaterPenny on Etsy,

            Search and find a guestbook that fits your personality. A football fan groom asked for a non-traditional guest book by bringing a football and sign:  “In lieu of a traditional guest book please leave your autograph on THE FOOTBALL to remind us of your celebrated presence here today.”  An English teacher chose her favorite book, Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and asked guests to sign a page. An airplane pilot groom asked guests to sign a vintage wooden propeller.   

            Check on line stores for a large monogram letter and have your guests sign. Later, the initial may serve as a sentimental piece of décor in your new home.  Or check the Dollar store for an oval white platter. Guests sign with a permanent marker. After it is baked in the oven, the signatures are permanent. Propped up on an easel, the platter is a most memorable décor item for your new home. 

            After the wedding, let your guest book be a part of your new home and not found tucked away in a drawer!

The Smell and Taste of Fall

A friend just recently shared with me, that when she got out of her car at our wedding venue, she could smell the bonfire....Love!!!  That is the nice thing about being in the country in the fall...the smell and warmth of a bonfire.

Traditionally Chrysanthemums are the most popular choice for fall. Bring a whole 8-inch pot indoors and celebrate the season with the vast selection of warm toasty colors. Find an old enamel saucepan to set the flowerpot inside. If there is extra room, add a few colorful pansies. Fill in any showing space at the top with sheet moss.

My favorite thing to do in the fall is to take a “gathering” walk through our woods. The canvas of colors is bright flame of yellow, crimson and orange. I return with a handful of colorful leaves, berries and top-heavy grasses. Some I bring indoors and display in a tall crystal vase yet, they make a beautiful arrangement to leave by my back door in an old watering can. For an indoor centerpiece, a hollowed out pumpkin with a mason jar inside to hold water can hold colorful leaves and bright yellow mums.  A bit of bittersweet woven in the arrangement or honeysuckle vines curling give added interest. Let a few leaves fall onto the table.

 

An Unplugged Wedding

            It seems that everyone who attends a wedding these days has a cell phone in their hand, pocket or purse. Decide before your wedding day if you would like to address the issue of everyone taking his or her own pictures of your wedding day. For some, it is quite all right to do so, and for others it is a thorn in their side. After all, a bride usually pays hard earned money for a professional photographer to capture all the special moments, without cousin Ethyl standing up with her cell phone in the middle of a tearful “I do”. 

             For me, the best solution is to totally let the professionals handle the ceremony and guests soak up all the emotional vows, as they are encouraged to put down their phones. They can then laugh, clap, and dab a tear as they become emotionally involved in the most important part of the day. This can be accomplished several ways. You might have your officiate speak to the fact at the beginning of the ceremony that the couple respectfully requests that all cell phones and cameras be turned off. (The paid professional photographer will love that for they won’t have to dodge interference.) When the officiate makes the announcement, people seem to take serious note.

            You might also put a note in the program as you encourage guests to  “unplug, turn off, and tune in to the moment” of your wedding ceremony. Although many churches do not have camera policies, more and more couples are drifting toward an unplugged wedding and ask guests to turn off their devices. A professional photographer once told me, “One thing there is absolutely nothing I can do to combat is a flash from a guest photographer’s camera.” A program note might include something to the fact,

“The bride and groom have asked that you share in their wedding ceremony fully and not through the lens of a camera or cell phone.”

            At the reception perhaps is a different story….a chalkboard sign with “Share your photos on Intagram with  #masonandnicole” will let guests know you are encouraging the sharing of photos. Graciousness and hospitality are what the south is all about, so add a bit of tech etiquette, as there are mannerly ways of letting guests know your thoughts on an Unplugged Wedding.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

                                                                                         Ecclesiastes 3:1

Engagement Photos

Southern Engagement Photos at Magnolia Hill 

 Fall is one of the most beautiful times to take a moment and get those memorable engagement photos. I wanted to share with you some of the love we have here at Magnolia Hill. From casual to formal, they are all most memorable. There is just something magical as you look back years later on those photos of "The Engagement". I think it wise to step back and enjoy every minute of the beginning process of planning a life together....especially here at Magnolia Hill !

  Leading up to your wedding you might choose to have an engagement session which just gives you the chance to have engagement pictures taken of your and your fiance and gives you the chance to work with your wedding photographer before the wedding day.

Here are some of my favorite Engagement photos at Magnolia Hill...

We were honored  to be a part of a heartfelt moment...

Whatever stage of life you and your sweetheart are in, make sure you’re capturing these memories!

Persimmon Tree Predictions

It is that time of year again, and I went out to our back pasture to check out a favorite element of fall. There are several Persimmon trees on our property, and I LOVE to eat them and crack open the seed. The Old Farmers Almanac ( and my 92 year old daddy) used to say what kind of winter we would have. In each seed will be a knife, spoon, or fork. So far 99% of my seeds have been spoons, but here is a knife I think.

If the kernel is spoon-shaped, lots of heavy, wet snow will fall. Spoon = shovel!
If it is fork-shaped, you can expect powdery, light snow and a mild winter.
If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect to be "cut" by icy, cutting winds.


The fruit begins to ripen every October and is delicious. They fall from tree as they ripen especially on a windy day. Our horses love them too, as well as the deer and racoons. The ground underneath the tree is trampled every morning as we can tell it was a busy night when they are ripe in the fall.

Two "spoons" and one "knife" in this persimmon

99% of our persimmons have had spoons. 

 

 

 

 

Delilah foraging for Persimmons that have dropped to the ground.

 Looks like we better get out the snow shovels...I will let ya'll know if I find a fork!

Glass Slippers

  Glass Slippers

For your dream wedding, comfortable shoes are a must.

            Christian Louboutin says, “Shoes are just a pedestal. What interest me is the power of the woman who wears them.”  And this could never be more true than on wedding day. Shoes are one of the most important elements of wedding day.

            Actually you should pick your shoes before you start your dress fitting.  Your seamstress will mark the proper length so bring the shoes you are going to wear to your fitting. Decide do you want heels or flats, for both can be stylish, but one will definitely be more comfortable.  

            If you are used to wearing heels, go ahead and wear them on wedding day. But if heels are not your common “go to” item in your closet then the most swoon-worthy pair of shoes can not put a smile on your face if your feet are “killing” you. If you are using an outdoor venue, then think about the walk…especially if the ground is wet. Wedges seem to be a popular choice for outdoor weddings.  You might think about flats or even ballet style slippers for the ultimate comfort shoe.  

            If you do decide to go with the six-inch heels, wear them prior to the wedding so you can get used to walking in them. Break them in by gently wearing them especially when you have your portrait.  Bottom line, wear a pair of shoes that are easy to walk in and do not hurt your feet. Remember too, you have a night of dancing ahead of you too!

            Think about the color of your shoes, but don’t limit yourself to just white. Perhaps the shoes are your “something blue”.  You might want a bit of color and any shoe color can be worn. And of course a popular trend is to wear western boots under a beautiful wedding gown.  An easy choice if you are used to wearing boots for they are always comfortable.

            Even with the most comfortable shoes, bring a second pair that you can change into and let your feet rest. Enjoy every minute with your prince charming and glass slippers on wedding day. 

 

Tradtionally, the higher the hem, the lower the heel....these bridesmaids here have it perfect.