Carolyn Burke STL Blog

Ceremony Trends • The wedding ceremony is becoming a place where couples are choosing to express themselves through their personal style. Today, 72% of ceremonies are held at a non-religious location and 37% of couples have a friend or family member be the officiant their wedding. St Louis Wedding Ceremony • Today, most ceremonies mix a bit of the old with the new. In fact, 1 in 3 couples create their own vows to add a personal touch and 22% incorporate special traditions and customs related to race or religion. • While over 80% of brides are still being escorted down the aisle by their father, 55% of couples choose to have themselves and the wedding party walk down the aisle to non-traditional music. Escort the Bride Down the Aisle Yes or No? • Although it’s customary not to see your partner before the ceremony, more couples are opting for a first look. Wedding First Look In fact, 43% of couples prefer to see each other before the ceremony to take pictures and ...

The perfect father-daughter wedding song should have all the right elements: sweet and sentimental, yet also easy to dance to. Below are a few of the most tried-and-true songs to dance to with Dad.  It's even more challenging if your taste in music doesn't line up with dad's. To find a song that makes you both happy and shows the importance of your relationship. Below are top 20 from TheKnot. 1. "A Song for My Daughter" by Ray Allaire 2. "Always Be Your Baby" by Natalie Grant 3. "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle 4. "Daddy" by Beyoncé 5. "Daddy Dance With Me" by Krystal Keith 6. "Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn 7. "Daddy's Little Girl" Michael Bublé 8. "Daughters" by John Mayer 9. "Dream" by Priscilla Ahn 10. "Father and Daughter" by Paul Simon 11. "Forever" by The Beach Boys 12. "God Gave Me You" by Blake Shelton 13. "God O...

Who knew planning a wedding would be akin to staging a major Broadway production? To help out with your co-directorial debut, I have prepared a cross-section of the wedding day cast of characters. (Keep in mind that most roles can be played by either gender, and by as many people as you want.) This is actually a really long post in five parts. So enjoy . . . Father of the Bride In traditional wedding circles, this guy fronts most of the cash -- that's no small feat. In addition, brides' dads have picked up additional to-dos along the way. Dad's chores might include airport duty, coordinating maps/directions to the wedding site, scouting potential locations, doling out tips to wedding day staff, and a variety of toasting and hosting tasks. The best part being the escort to the bride as she walks down the aisle. Father of the Groom He used to get away with fading into the woodwork, but nowadays he's suited up for action. In terms of cost contribution...

Who knew planning a wedding would be akin to staging a major Broadway production? To help out with your co-directorial debut, I have prepared a cross-section of the wedding day cast of characters. (Keep in mind that most roles can be played by either gender, and by as many people as you want.) This is actually a really long post in five parts. So enjoy . . . The Best Man Best Man/Attendant This guy (and rarely gals) acts as groom's valet (personal aide and advisor) through all stages of wedding planning. He's a fashion consultant, bachelor-party master of ceremonies, and commander-in-chief of the groomsmen brigade. His duties include (but aren't limited to): getting the groom to the ceremony on time; giving the officiant his/her fee after the ceremony; signing the couple's marriage license as a witness; and holding the bride's ring at the altar. He also is famous for his toasting skills at the reception. Maid/Matron/Man of Honor Whether she's b...