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Día de los Muertos

Today (November 2nd) marks the Day of the Dead (or Día de los Muertos), a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Mexican Americans. Though it's often associated with Halloween because of the time of year, the two holidays really aren't connected.

The Día de los Muertos holiday focuses on the gathering of family and friends to pray for a remember loved ones who have died. Since weddings are the ultimate form of family, feast, and celebration, it's no surprise that Día de los Muertos details often make their way into weddings this time of year. Here's some swoon-worthy inspiration!

 

[1&2 by Jose Villa via Inspired By This, 3 Antognoli, 4 Dana Grant Photography, 5-9 via Etsy]

Tradition Tidbits: DIY Ketubah

It's been awhile since we've featured a tradition tidbit, so today we're shedding some light on the Jewish tradition of the Ketubah signing. The Ketubah is the Hebrew marriage contract that dates back to ancient times, but is still utilized in Jewish weddings today. In fact, once the Katubah is signed in a Jewish wedding, the marriage is consecrated and the ceremony that follows (with all the invited guests) is purely for tradition and celebration.The Ketubah is usually printed in some creative, artistic way to serve as a beautiful keepsake to the bride and groom.

We love the idea of creating your own Ketubah to serve as an heirloom and constant reminder of your wedding day. New Ketubah is great resource for designing your own, featuring all sorts of DIY ideas and templates.

We love the clean lines and modern feel of this rubber stamp Ketubah...

A pretty background paper and classic frame make for more of a statement piece...

By downloading the free Ketubah design kit, the options are endless!

Are you making your own Ketubah, or any other important piece for your wedding ceremony?

[Photo credits: 1 Source, 2&3 New Ketubah]

Aisle Style Through The Years

As with most areas of fashion, bridal gown trends have come and gone over the years. One of our fabulous part-time staff members, Jasmine, works full time for the Smithsonian Institution, so we thought we'd bring her in to give us a little history lesson on how bridal gowns of the past have influenced some of today's styles!

As seen in this illustration taken from Godey’s Lady’s Book, (call it the Glamour magazine of the late 19th century), a cinched waist and tiers made for a lovely bride! Judd Waddell embraces this timeless effect in a beautiful gown full of asymmetrical tiers and an elegant, ruched bodice.

These cute bridesmaid headbands circa 1927 have come back into the bridal world in a dazzling way. For instance, this Erin Cole headband looks great as a hairpiece or fun beaded belt.

Jacqueline Bouvier donned a lovely, off-the-shoulder gown for her wedding to John F. Kennedy in 1953. This timeless look from designer Augusta Jones accents a brides' tiny waist and beautiful shoulders.

This pattern from 1963 shows a gown with a full, flowing train that appears to be floating off the dress, and this modern day Ulla-Maija gown features a detachable satin train-- perfect for a bride who wants drama for the ceremony, but a lighter dress for the party!

This Albert Capraro gown from the 1980's shows off a cinched waist and large floral embellishments. This magnificent Amsale gown updates the look with a tightly rouched bodice and handmade taffeta flowers.

Thanks so much to Jasmine for taking us on a tour of bridal gowns through time! It's so fun to look back at fashion from the past and relate it to the stunning gowns of today.

Tradition Tidbit: Ring Warming

Although the focus of a wedding is to celebrate the union of two people, it's nice to acknowledge how much their friends and family have helped form this bond. Many couples have started to use the tradition of ring warming during their wedding ceremony-- sending the wedding bands through the guests, eventually making their way up to to couple in time for the vows. Guests can take a moment to say a silent blessing over the rings, or at smaller weddings can share their blessings out loud.

[Photo credits: 1 Project Wedding, 2 Off Beat Bride, 3 Flickr]

Tradition Tidbit: Handfasting

With so much emphasis on planning the reception (because let's face it-- who doesn't love a great party?), the details of the wedding ceremony are often overlooked or left to the last minute. When you think about it, though, the ceremony is the part that holds the true significance of the wedding day: the actual marriage! This is why we've decided to regularly provide you with "tradition tidbits," which will give you a bit of insight on how to incorporate fun and meaningful rituals into your wedding ceremony. 

Handfasting allows you to really “tie the knot!” This Celtic tradition started in early modern Europe and in addition to being used in weddings or betrothals, it was also common in business transactions to symbolize an agreement. It is also commonly used in Hindu ceremonies.  The tying of the couple's hands symbolizes being bound through life, and a short reading (like the one below) usually accompanies the tradition:

"Two entwined in love, bound by commitment and fear, sadness and joy, by hardship and victory, anger and reconciliation, all of which brings strength to this union. Hold tight to one another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows.  Remember that it is not this physical cord, but what it represents, that keeps you together."

You can use any decorative cord, ribbon, meaningful fabric, or scarf for the handfasting ceremony. Or, as a fun way to involve your guests, consider asking them to each bring a small length of ribbon and have them all joined together, symbolizing the support of friends and family in your new marriage.

[Photo credits: 1 Source, 2&3 Weddingbee]