Carolyn Burke STL Blog

Whether you want a classic wedding or something more edgy and modern, you don’t HAVE to follow the “standard” wedding rules or silly superstitions. It’s YOUR day, forget the traditional wedding rules and do it your way! Here are some of the most common “wedding myths” and how to rise above them. Take control and have the wedding of your dreams! It’s “Bad Luck” To See Each Other Before the Ceremony This dates back to pre-arranged marriages where bride and groom didn’t even MEET before the wedding. Lots of couples are opting out of this tradition and taking advantage of “first look” photos, a rising trend in modern day weddings. This gives the photographer a better chance to capture that “magical moment” when the couple sees each other for the first time in their wedding ensemble. It can also give family and close friends an intimate moment with the couple and more chances for photo ops, thus saving time between the ceremony and the reception. For small and intimate weddin...

I am starting to see CARNATION flowers come back into the scene in bouquets and corsages. Hurray !! Carnation + Rose Bridal Bouquet I had never seen carnations grouped together before without any other flowers to steal their thunder. They were always used as a filler and almost always paired with baby’s breath. Who knew that they had such power in numbers? Not only do they look fabulous ‘en masse’, they’re inexpensive, hearty and they last a long time. What more could one ask from such a sweet and humble flower? To stretch the budget and give today's brides the lush, full look they desire, I recommend mixing roses with carnations.  Be sure to have the carnations FLUFFED OUT by hand to realize the flower's true fullness potential.  In fact, so popular are these humble blooms, roses are being bred to look more like carnations! Check out IntimateWeddings.com for more ideas and convincing.

When selecting your bouquet, be aware of the size and weight of the flowers.  If your ceremony is long, holding a large, heavy bouquet can be difficult. Here's what happened to one bride: Halfway through her Catholic ceremony , the weight of her bouquet took a toll on her arms and throughout the wedding video you can see her arms and her flowers shaking because of the weight! Also, your Maid/Matron of Honor holds TWO bouquets during part or most of the ceremony while the rings and vows are exchanged and other rituals that the couple chooses. Will The Flowers Hold Up? Be sure to talk with your florist about the timetable for your wedding day and where and when you'll be taking photographs. For instance, if you are taking pictures several hours before the ceremony and taking them outside in the middle of the summer... you'll want to choose flowers that can stand up to the heat and wind and still look beautiful all the way through to the ceremony and reception. To...

It may seem an easy decision choosing whether to have silk or real flowers for your wedding is more difficult than it appears.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages - it's just a matter of deciding which of those attributes works best for your wedding.  Ultimately choosing silk or real flowers comes down to cost, durability, appearance and convenience.  To help make the decision easier here are the advantages of both silk and real flowers. Can you tell the difference ?? Silk Flower Advantages:   Look fresh all day long (won’t wilt or turn brown) Last forever (make a great keepsake) Less expensive than real flowers Non-allergenic Can be received weeks ahead of the wedding Don’t attract insects Don’t need to be refrigerated Can be easily transported Always in season (large, readily available variety) Lighter to carry than real flowers Real Flower Advantages:  The heavenly scent Exquisite detail  Soft and delicate to t...

I am not sure if I like this or not.....Variation of the bouquet and garter toss Bouquet Toss The Tossing of the Bouquet and Garter -  This is usually done towards the middle or even the end of the reception.  A variation on the traditional tosses is gaining popularity.  In this variation the DJ will ask all married couples to get on the dance floor.  He will then ask all of those married less than a day to leave.  This will usually get a few laughs.  The bride can then sit in a chair set next to the dance floor while the groom removes her garter.  As the song plays the DJ asks couples who have been married longer and longer to leave the floor.  He may say couples married less than one year then five and ten etc… .  It is best that your DJ or MC know in advance how long the couple that has been married the longest has been married.  You also want to make sure that couple gets on the floor even if seated.  When there is one co...