The Unity Sand Ceremony is a meaningful and  unique visualization of the joining  and blending of two lives. It is a great alternative to the traditional Unity Candle Ceremony; especially to those who are perhaps getting married outside.

Many Brides and Grooms choose to involve their family, by giving various colors of sand to different family members to create a one-of -a kind symbol of unity of the entire family.

By incorporating this great element  into your wedding ceremony, you’ll be sure to create memories to last a lifetime!

The wedding cake is one of the most important elements of the wedding ceremony, after the bride’s dress, of course!  What began humbly as an ancient  tradition symbolizing  the bride’s fertility; wedding cakes have taken a life of their own, and  grown into a sugar extravaganza with thousands of endless possibilities!

Wedding toppers are a wonderful way to express your personality and style on your cake! No longer are there just the traditional Bride and Groom standing side by side;  there are a wide variety of toppers including sports themed, ethnic and monogrammed letters that have all made their way to the top of wedding cakes everywhere!

Choosing to use flowers in lieu of cake toppers has been a very celebrated alternative, that can turn a plain cake into something spectacular. Popular ways to incorporate flowers on your wedding cake include placing flowers in between the layers of your cake, or simply decorating the cake table with petals. Check out a wide variety of cake toppers here.

In the meantime, we’re noticing some trends with this year’s weddings. We’ll post these from time to time for your own ideas. If you’re curious or would like more information, call us! Our first feature is loose, free-flowing handties… (see photo).

Want to preserve your flowers after the ceremony? Check out Keepsake Floral. You’ll have the actual flowers that you carry on your wedding day displayed within a piece of artwork that you select…and will enjoy for decades!

Here’s several sites with thorough galleries of hairstyle examples:

http://www.brides.com/beauty/hairstyles

http://hairstyles.free-beauty-tips.com/wedding_hairstyles.html

http://weddinghairstylegallery.com/main.php

http://www.weddinghairstyles.org/

Brides.com offers a useful timeline for your wedding hairstyle, posted below. You can explore further at their site: http://www.brides.com/beauty/hairstyles/guide/checklist/

From Brides. com:

Advantages:

- You’ll be more likely to remember your anniversary each year
- If it’s a holiday where your families usually come together (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter), all of your families will likely attend your ceremony when they come for the traditional holiday
- You’ll have the day off from work every year for the holiday and your anniversary (if you marry on a nationally recognized day)
- Everyone is generally festive in the holiday mood, adding to the gala of your wedding

Disadvantages:

- You’ll need to make reservations 6 months-1 year earlier than other dates, as places will fill up much more quickly on holidays
- Courts will charge an extra $150 on 12 holidays & won’t open at all for 9 holidays + a lot of times vendors charge additional fees for holidays such as New Years, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving & Christmas.
- People are in the mood for the holiday, and maybe not so much for your wedding
- If a destination wedding, flights are often more expensive during holiday times
- Your anniversary may be overshadowed by the traditions of the holiday
-  Everyone is generally festive in the holiday mood, adding to the gala of your wedding (see above)…or more stressed due to the holiday hustle & bustle.
- If doing a beach wedding the beaches are a lot more crowded (just like weekends).

Holiday Ideas

New Year’s Day Wedding
Start a fresh year with your new life together! Consider marrying at midnight as the year turns over. Often New Year’s weddings are more formal in dress, with lots of confetti throwing, sequins, cocktail dresses, sparklers, fireworks and noise blowers

Christmas Wedding
Exchange vows with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree behind you, decorated in the colors of your wedding. Wedding gifts can be wrapped like Christmas gifts. The bouquets can be poinsettas, with warm cider, cookies and eggnog served afterward.

Valentine’s Day Wedding
By far the most popular wedding holiday. Send wedding invitations on Valentine’s Day cards; decorate with heart-shaped doilies. Use candy hearts with traditional messages on them to decorate the table(s). Have small heart-shaped boxes of chocolates instead of cake for your guests.

The island is about a 45-minute boat ride from St. Thomas. You can ride the ferry, or set up a day trip with any of the local sailing and powerboat rental companies. Jost Van Dyke is a popular getaway for locals and tourists alike, year-round.

Jost Van Dyke is an island of pristine coral sand, making its beaches among the best in the Caribbean. And it’s  so quiet, chances are you won’t see another soul on the beach. But you can always find a shady spot at one of the friendly beach side bars to sit and sip a cool drink or lounge in the hammocks.

Local hot spots include Soggy Dollar Bar, Sydney’s, Corsair’s, and Foxy’s, to name a few. You can also find shopping around each of these places. You can check out accommodations and stay a night or two, enjoying its beaches and even venturing to the neighbor island of Tortola, BVI.  Sea Crest Inn, the Pink House, and White Bay Villas are among some of the villa and hotels, or you can find info from BritishVirginIslands.com.

We decided to reserve the larger boat, and it turned out wonderfully. I would recommend the bigger sailboat because it had so many perks. Even a slide! The crew took us to a remote place where we could swim and snorkel for a while.

The only thing I would do differently is plan to have more food prepared. The food went quickly–anytime you add water and sports, people get hungry! I didn’t think of that. Plan ahead with more than you think you need if you are planning an excursion. I would also arrange transportation from the catamaran when you arrive back at the dock.

If water is your thing instead of first dances and formality, then this activity is perfect for you! As you noticed, the emphasis was on the actual ceremony (2 hours on the beach!) and our adventurous spirit! We had a blast and would not change a thing…except maybe jumping off that boat in my dress then leaving it there! Carrying that thing around was more than a hassle. Hah! In closing, go with the bigger boat, more food, and order more waterproof cameras on the boat!”

…From one of our brides, Amber Speakman. If you would like more information to plan your own sailing excursion, let us know! We can help you prepare with all you need and suggest details to suit your party.

With each of these, you can be more formal with the greeting “Dear Mr./Mrs. Jones…”, or casual, “Dear Mary…”, and customize the ending to suit the tone.

A thank you card to a close friend or relative:

Dear Aunt Bee and Uncle Tom,
Thank you so much for the gorgeous lace tablecloth! It is beautiful. We were both incredibly touched that you gave us this family heirloom. It was wonderful, as always, to see you at the wedding – I especially loved dancing with Uncle Joe. I can’t wait to catch up on your news and share pictures from our ceremony.

With love,

Your name

A thank you card to someone you don’t know very well

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,

Thank you for the lovely vase that you sent Josie and me as a wedding present. I’m certain we will enjoy it for many years to come. It was great to finally get to meet you at our wedding. We really appreciate that you were able to join our happy day and share with our families.

Sincerely yours,

Your Name

A thank you card when you’ve received cash or a gift certificate

Use the thank you card to tell the givers how you used it. For example:

Dear Mark and Terry,

Gary and I wanted to say thank you so much for the check you sent us for our wedding. We have been saving for a new couch and this will help us toward that purchase. We truly appreciate it and look forward to having you come over to enjoy it with us.

Best wishes,

Your Name

A thank you card for an item off of your registry

Dear Jack,

I am writing to thank you for the book you so kindly sent for a wedding gift. John and I will use it to plan future travels. A book is a great gift that can be useful for years to come.

Thanks again,

Your Name

A thank you card for a donation to a charity

Dear Kevin,

Thank you for your thoughtful wedding gift to Doctors Without Borders in our names. As you know, this charity is very dear to both Todd and I; they do such wonderful work for people the world over. We can’t imagine a more wonderful present than a donation to this cause.

With best wishes,

Your Name

A thank you card when you don’t like the gift

Dear Mrs. Baker,

Thank you for the wedding present of the velvet painting of chickens playing poker. It is certainly a unique gift; you are always so thoughtful and generous. It was so nice of you to join us at our wedding, and Christine and I hope to see you soon.

With love,

Your Name

A thank you card for someone who sent a gift but wasn’t at the wedding

Dear Mr. Bernstein,

Thank you so much for the silver plated thingamajig you sent Brad and me as a wedding gift. It was so thoughtful of you! I’m so sorry that you couldn’t attend the wedding – it was wonderful and went just as planned. I’d love to get together soon so you can see the pictures!

Best,

Your Name

…Hopefully this will give you a few ideas and help when you’re stumped and staring at a blank thank you card.

You may consider day sails: generally  6-7 hour sails to neighboring islands, offering excursions as well as stops for snorkels, relaxing on remote beaches, lunching at beachfront dives. Trips to St. John and it’s National Park beaches, BVI’s Jost Van Dyke and other smaller, secluded islands are offered. Quality snorkel gear and beverages are included in the day trip sails.

Half-day sails to St. John, the BVIs or fabulous snorkel locations may suit your crowd better. Vibrant coral reefs are easily accessible, with an abundance of colorful tropical fish and marine life. Quality snorkel gear, instruction, and a guided snorkel tour are provided. Drinks are included, and often a luncheon may be served.

Sunset cocktail sails or dinner sails offer a breath-taking opportunity for you and your mate, or for the whole wedding party. With drinks and the setting sun on the ocean horizon, you’ll experience moments of perfection.

Sunday brunch sails are fun for the whole group. You can start your day with a lovely ride and meal before heading to afternoon or evening activities.

Customized charters are available for you and your partner to go wherever your heart desires. Try sailing around remote islands, to famous snorkel spots, to the BVIs for lunch…whatever your fancy.

Sports and adventure loves may be interested in watersports sail tours. These trips offer kayaking, parasailing and waverunner snorkel tours. Try something new with a guide and top industry equipment! Another way to create great, unique memories during your wedding celebration.

We’re happy to give you ideas, a selection of trips to choose from, or recommend sails for you and your party. Let us provide you with information and make arrangements for you…you say “I do”, we do the rest!

A Day at the Spa: enjoyable for everyone, this will make you and your bridesmaids feel great before your wedding ceremony. An added touch is a gift basket filled with spa products.

Bathrobes: a unique and comfortable gift, you can personalize with your wedding colors and monogrammed initials. Add slippers and lotion as an extra.

Professional Makeup: both fun and useful, having professional makeup artist sessions will allow you and your bridesmaids to look lovely and have time to relax and chat before the ceremony.

Jewelry: still one of the most popular gifts, a beautiful bracelet or necklace can be great for your bridesmaids. A special feature could be personalizing with an engraved note or initials.

Sample Bag: this gift takes some planning–but can be economical and fun. Spa supply stores, dental offices, perfume and makeup counters all keep samples in stock. Filling a unique bag for each bridesmaid with lotions, eyeshadow, mints, snacks, a sew kit and dental floss can make a splendid gift.

At the end of the day, it’s not how much money is in your gift as it is the choice of one. Choose something from the heart and have fun with it.