Vineyards and Veils

Vineyards and Veils
By Jim and Della Bogaty, Owners Veramar Vineyard

With spectacular settings, plenty of space, and great wines to boot, vineyards offer a fresh alternative to traditional wedding locations. Many couples are enticed and thrilled by the prospect of a Vineyard wedding and you can’t get much closer to that dream than by having your wedding ceremony in Virginia Wine Country. What better way to say “I Do”? But before you send out the invitations, think about what it really takes to pull off a Vineyards and Veils wedding celebration.

If you have chosen a Vineyard for your celebration you have a rich reserve of ideas and creative touches just waiting to be unearthed. Wine has long symbolized generations, growth, harvest and celebration. Celebrate the power of the vines, generations of love coming to this very moment in time and the power of family, past and future. And, of course, the abundance of life!

Drawn by fine wine vintages and gorgeous views, Virginia’s betrothed trendsetters have begun flocking to local vineyards to stage their main events. Something of a secret just a few years ago, the increasingly reputable vineyards of Virginia are now booked through this year and into the next. Keep in mind that the vineyards are wineries first and wedding venues second: Most simply rent out their sites, recommend vendors, and allow brides to impose their own fantasies – though all require that if you do serve wine, you stick to theirs.

KEEP IN MIND:
• The degree of difficulty of having a wedding in a vineyard is low as long as the property offers parking, catering area, rest rooms, and an indoor or covered space. You do the fun stuff – choosing the food, flowers, tablecloths, and place settings.

• Vineyards are a very high style quotient; the ambience may vary from rustic Tuscan to sophisticated. Sun-splashed terraces, trellises as far as the eye can see, and stunning mountain or garden backdrops make for breathtaking photos.

• Understand that if the vineyard is in a residential area or it’s harvest season, you may be facing time restrictions, even blackout periods.

TIPS FOR PLANNING FOR YOUR VINEYARD CELEBRATION
• Decide if your wedding is going to be casual or formal; getting married in the vineyard can be either, but you should know which experience you want.

• Before finalizing your vineyard choice, check into your vineyard for Restrictions: Do you need a permit and VA ABC banquet license? Ask these and other questions before you proceed with the planning.

• Call again: Before invitations are ordered (3-4 months prior to your wedding) call the vineyard again to reconfirm rules, regulations, and schedule of activities.

• Have a back up plan: rain, wind, or an unexpected event scheduled at the same time can upset your plans. Ask your vineyard reception site if they have back-up plans.

• Also, try not to plan a vineyard wedding on a holiday weekend. It is often too busy, but not impossible.

• Be clear on the invitations: indicate your wedding site on your invitation. Make it clear to your guests that the ceremony takes place outside at a vineyard.

• Is the parking area sized correctly and/or hire a shuttle service for guest transportation.

DO’S & DONT’S
• DO: Be aware of special needs of older or disabled guests.
• DO: Consider using a pedi-cab to get these older or disabled guests from the parking lot.
• DO: Keep the decor simple…pre-decorated arches and aisle markers.
• DO: Hold off bringing out decor until 30 minutes prior.
• DO: Hire a Wedding Coordinator.
• DO: Think about golf umbrellas for shade (especially on hot days)
• DO: Have the photographer/videographer bring a wagon to carry their equipment.
• DO: Relax and enjoy every minute of this amazing day!
• DON’T: Keep guests waiting without seats in the sun. Start the ceremony on time.
• DON’T: Plan a ceremony longer than 20 minutes.

Earthy, romantic, passionate and relaxed, a vineyard wedding offers so many opportunities for guests and the bridal party to enjoy the entire day in style! Local vineyards are Virginia’s true hidden treasures offering tantalizing wines, some of which win numerous awards, with the beauty, power and natural elegance of the vines rolling gently over the hills.

Vines have long represented family and generations continuing on growing and evolving and of course, life getting better with age! Visit local vineyards online to plan a rich and beautiful Virginia wedding.

Cheers from VERAMAR VINEYARD!
905 Quarry Road
Berryville, VA 22611
PH: (540) 955-5510
FX: (540) 955-0404
http://www.veramar.com

For More Information about planning your wedding at Veramar Vineyards, click here to download their brochure

Wedding Planning on a Budget

Wedding Planning on a Budget

(ARA) – As a bride, once your Prince Charming has popped the question and placed the perfect princess cut on your left hand, the last thing you’re thinking about is a budget. You’ve fantasized about your perfect day since childhood and money was never an object. But how are you going to afford that?

While you don’t want to sacrifice your dream wedding, you also don’t want to demolish your savings. Fortunately, you can still have your cake and eat it too … without paying full price.
Here are some expert tips to stay budget-friendly for your big day.

Propose a budget:
Discussing finances is never easy, but it’s an essential conversation before planning your wedding. Traditionally, the bride’s family provides a significant financial contribution, so find out what type of funding you might be receiving from this source. However, more and more couples are going it alone these days, so work with your fiance to establish a budget and decide how much each of you can afford to contribute. Decide together what’s worth splurging on and where you can save. If a designer dress is a must, consider hiring a D.J. or loading up an iPod instead of a 10-piece band. Don’t forget that communication is key — stay open, honest and committed to your budget.

Commit to research:
Since you’re planning your wedding on a budget, you might find that a wedding planner is an expense you can’t afford. Instead of hiring outside help, make a list or find a wedding checklist of everything you need to purchase and arrange before your big day. Once you have established exactly what you want, research, research, research. Never buy an item or hire a vendor without doing your homework. Make sure to check out user reviews and read vendor profiles online. A great resource for researching vendors is OneWed.com where you can browse thousands of vendor ratings and reviews from brides across the country. The site has the largest local vendor database available so you can find the all of the services you need in your “I do” destination.

Be a Cyber-bride:
It’s a little known fact that everything found in brick and mortar stores can be bought online, often for less. Lucky for the budgeting bride, online couponing sites are available to provide coupon codes for a number of online merchants. Just go to Google and type in a retailer name and coupon code for a list of resources. Deals range from deep discounts to free shipping — saving you major cash. Think bridesmaids gifts, rehearsal dinner dress, thank-you notes, party favors, table decorations and much more.

Spread the love:
Once you’ve said “I do,” cut the cake and tossed the bouquet, it’s off to the honeymoon. And since everyone loves newlyweds, take advantage of your newly married status for vacation perks and fun freebies. Start by calling your hotel in advance and letting them know you’ll be coming for your honeymoon — they might be motivated to upgrade your room or throw in a romantic surprise. Don’t forget to share your good news at airline counters, restaurants and any other trip destinations. More often than not, you’ll receive special treatment in the spirit of celebration … and after planning a wedding, you deserve it!

For more information about wedding budget planning, visit www.OneWed.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Maid of Honor? Be Prepared

Maid of Honor? Be Prepared

(ARA) – The role of the maid of honor can turn into a dress rehearsal for the day when it is your turn to be the bride. The bride’s maid of honor typically has a very close personal relationship with the bride and often serves as confidant and advisor on a variety of issues. Preparations can include selecting wedding colors; choosing the bridesmaid dresses, the caterer and flowers;  identifying a location for the wedding and the reception; and hosting a bridal shower.

This position of honor can be loaded with a lot of work and responsibility as well as a lot of fun. Typical maid-of-honor duties often include shopping with the bride, arranging transportation for the bridal party, communicating plans and responsibilities to the bridal party, selecting and sending out wedding invitations, ensuring the bridal party gets to rehearsals on time, helping during the rehearsal dinner and other events and making sure the reception runs smoothly.

“Deciding to marry is a big step and preparing for a wedding is an extremely stressful process,” says Dr. Douglas Whiteside, director of the Argosy University Seattle Psychology Center. “The bride needs reliable and trusted people around her to help make decisions and transact business. Therefore, the role of the maid of honor is critical in helping the bride cope with the demands of planning a wedding and preparing for a new life.”

She also has official duties such as signing the marriage license along with the best man and participating in the first dance with the best man, holding the groom’s ring during the ceremony, holding the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony and toasting the newlyweds during the reception. Then there are the tender tasks of helping to prepare the bride just before her grand march down the aisle by fixing her hair, adjusting the veil and wiping tears to avoid smudging makeup, along with the tedious task of helping to keep track of the wedding gifts and money cards.

Lest we forget, the toughest task for the maid of honor is the unofficial duty of keeping the bride calm, being a sounding board for the bride and offering thoughtful opinions when major decisions are being made. There is also the responsibility of keeping the bride calm the day of the wedding when nerves and anxiety will be at their peak. Screaming at the caterer, banquet hall attendant or church clerk over a forgotten detail can raise the stress level of the bride and those around her prior to the wedding. This can take the mood of this festive occasion in a wrong direction.

Assisting the bride through this delicate and stressful process also means looking out for her emotional well-being. The maid of honor often tells jokes to make the bride laugh and help reduce her stress level, and makes sure the bride eats healthy meals to keep her nourished and balanced. On top of all that, the best maid of honor must be a good listener in order to provide the necessary emotional support the bride needs leading up to and the day of the wedding, as she prepares for the start of her new life.

Courtesy of ARAcontent