Holiday Weddings & Receptions

Many brides & grooms love to plan a 

Thanksgiving or a Hanukah or a Christmas & New Years Holiday Wedding

Why not??? The temples, churches, synagogues and reception rooms are often pre-decorated, this saves you some money and gives you an automatic theme and decor. Sometimes you may consider a similar menu.  I've known some delightful friends who threw a Winter Holiday party and surprised their guests with their officiant performing a ceremony. What Fun!!!

The holidays offer a warm, cozy feeling and creative styles with use of vintage ornaments or modern chic ideas.  Here are some timeless tips.

• If you are planning on your venue to have their holiday flowers out as part of your decor, you need to ask their delivery dates and set up.... prior to scheduling your wedding day.
• Rustic barns nor outdoor venues... do not work as well for this time of year. With the exception of tropical areas of the world.
• Consider taking snow wedding photos if you are being married in snow country.
• Once you have your event location, know where the thermostat is.
• Often churches and religious locations have dress requirements. Know these concerns prior to purchasing your gown.
• New Years Eve may be a higher price on vendors and services for your event. 
• Winter wedding dresses may require a shawl or one of the great cape styles available to keep you warm.  

We invite you to find your wedding venues, party services and honeymoon suites worldwide on WeddingLinks.com

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Happy Holidays!!
From Judith & Staff at J.R. Publications

WeddingLinks.co     HoneymoonLinks.co    Shop4WeddingDresses.com   BridalShowInfo.com

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Top-10 Honeymoon Regions & Tips On Planning Honeymoon Travel

Most of us have ideas on where we would like to go for our honeymoon. Surprisingly the USA offers you several of these popular and romantic areas. Find a list below for ten of the most romantic areas in the world. I would like to help you understand some timing and travel issues people deal with first.

Love to have your input on YOUR favorites. - You will find hundreds of great honeymoon locations on WeddingLinks.co  and interesting articles and links to contests & travel businesses, resorts and great links on honeymoons at  HoneymoonLinks.co

A quiet shoreline in the Caribbean, Hawaii or Tahiti -  Photo by JR Moore

Honeymoon Articles, & TIPS from http://www.honeymoonlinks.co
1. Do some reading on the region you are going to. Look up on the internet the safety precautions for the region. Some places are not very safe to vacation in.
2. Find out if you will need passport or Travel Visas.
3. Find out if you need medical shots (immunizations) for the region or country.
4. Snow Ski or Tropical....Always bring sun block, hats and for tropical - mosquito repellents.
5. Bring a small medical kit with antibiotic cream.
6. Bring your medications in their own bottles. Count out enough for 2-3 days more (in case flights are canceled or delayed). Rarely happens.

Visit The Wine Regions of The World or Sonoma & Napa Ca. -. Photo by JR Moore

Great Favorites  For Honeymoons
1. Hawaii Islandans
2. Tahiti Islands
3. Belize
4. East Coast Costa Rica

Go To Venice & Europe - Photo by JR Moore

5. Venice, Florence & Rome
6. Island off of Thailand (Phuket)
7  USA - Niagara Falls
8. USA - Sonoma & Napa Wine Country
9. USA - Sedona & Grand Canyon, Ar
10 USA.- Yosemite Valley
11.USA - Lake Tahoe

 Take a honeymoon cruise - to different parts of the world. -  Photo by JR Moore

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What's NEW With The Fall Trends

With so many fun ideas for weddings and receptions on the horizon this fall, it is no wonder, decision making is tough for brides-to-be.

If you are looking for the 2014 trends in wedding dresses please see our videos on the Shop4WeddingDresses.com.  Great tips on shopping for dresses, and inspiring ideas for gowns. From simple wedding dresses to sexy lace and amazing plus sizes too.

It is important Your Wedding Dress Says YOU and is appropriate to the style event

you have chosen - rustic chic, luxury, beach, outdoor, church...etc

Photo by DUPhotography.com

WeddingLinks.co has some of the most popular Bridal Shops with longevity and good reviews in each area of the USA and some cities throughout the world.  The Shope4WeddingDresses  give you direct links to our designer Gown & Tuxedo Gallery go directly to wedding dress designer houses - showing their latest designs for Brides & Grooms, Bridesmaids, Flower Girls and the Mothers of the brides and grooms.  Wedding attire - whether suits or tux is very important to the guys.

Authentic Laos Wedding Attire

Learn about ethnic weddings and find traditional wedding dresses for many areas of the world.
Enjoy our partner websites to assist in gaining knowledge on wedding planning and finding expert wedding services in your area or destination locations.


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Fun With the Rustic Chic Trends

Finding that local barn is one concern for the trend toward rustic chic we are seeing. We have visited barns that make a better backdrop, than trying to involve your wedding inside.  Others are amazing, with lights, band stands, totally cleaned up from animal aromas and now perfect for your guests. Going beyond the venue, you can use the rustic chic a number of ways:  Select a vintage heirloom engagement ring. Find a Vintage wedding dress, use a barbeque caterer and suits instead of tuxedos for the men.

Your rehearsal dinner, wedding reception tables and various parties leading up to can include these settings, ideas for favors, fun and funky vases for your flowers, etc.  If this is where you are going, dive in and enjoy it. You will find some Victorian venues have barns and rustic backdrops along with farms, gardens and outdoor

Sometimes you can achieve it all with barns and vineyards.

Outdoor wedding with barn backdrop

Photo by DUPhotography.com

Fun lamps made from funky bottles & jars

Several great ideas by REVE

Notice the garden mixed bouquets and table box decor

Note the quilt.

Use of sunflowers and brown paper bags with favors

Find your barn and garden settings on WeddingLinks.co - Search for your region in California, USA and Worldwide countries.  Mobile and PC access.

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Music For Your Wedding Ceremony & Reception

Photo by; DUPhotography.com 

Couples have a way of saying, “I will cut costs in some areas and spend my funds on what we believe to be the things we want most on our wedding day.”  Good for you!!! This is the best way to have the wedding of your dreams.  Many of the couples set great music as a priority. It is part of their heart and soul and it would not be a wedding without it.  Here are a few great pointers regarding this: 

Many of the musicians’ websites have a list and sometimes you can listen to them play or watch their YouTube videos. WeddingLinks.comhttp://www.weddinglinks.com has a list of traditional musical pieces often played at wedding ceremonies from classical, show tunes and pop artists selections to country rock favorites. Popular instruments for ceremonies are; harps, violins, trumpets, mariachi, piano, flute and guitar are all great mood setters. We see soloist, quartets, audiences singing and choirs. Disc jockeys can play all of those chosen.  When working with a soloist or musician it is important to get the music to them a month ahead if they do not have the piece in their file.

For the Ceremony there are five areas where couples specifically ask for music.  Those pieces chosen will set the mood of your ceremony for your guests. 

1. Several numbers as guests are seated
2. Walking the groom’s mother down the aisle.
3. Solo after the groomsmen appear or after both mothers are seated
4. The bride & bridesmaid processional toward the ceremony
5. The recessional as Mr. & Mrs.

For Receptions, the music is considered in five parts:

1. Soft ballads and low level sound so people can talk and visit while eating.
2. The second part is for the newly wed’s first dance
3. The third, is key to getting father - daughter, mother - son up on the floor
4. Then the wedding party up to dance and bring others onto the dance floor
5. Finally bring the guests up to dance – Sometimes these are group-style dances like the Merungue, Hava Nagila, Congo Line, YMCA and some of the newer fun dances. Talk this over with the entertainer you have booked.

Tip:
While your favorite style might be hard rock or Caribbean steel bands, you will find your guest dwindling in the room - as the older set will begin to leave (who may also love to dance, but not to that specific music).  For best results in keeping your wedding guests longer, ask your DJ or band to mix it up with songs from a few generations.


Announcement:  Enjoy our new website Shop4WeddingDresses.com.  A great place to look at the newest looks in gowns created by International Designers for brides, grooms, bridesmaids, mothers and children – plus beach styles, glamour, classic and traditional gowns. Relax, and review the styles before you spend time in the shops trying on gowns.


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Destination Wedding List of Restaurants & Fun Things To Do

Create a LIST of fun things to do when hosting a wedding at a popular destination.

We see more and more couples and their families and friends plan a destination wine country wedding. The following areas are enjoyable, filled with amazing venues for weddings, wine tasting and exploring the wine regions in Sonoma County and Napa County. They offer great hotels and resorts, excellent restaurants and  multiple things to do while visiting -- along with award winning wines.  The wedding venues are amazing, ranging from barns, Victorians, gardens, inspiring beach settings and mountain tops. The wine country of California exists in most of the counties and multiple regions throughout the USA. Couples often prepare a list of enjoyable things to do for their guests, lodging and great area restaurants.

Please add your favorites to the blog for the Sonoma wine country region. Enjoy our list for your day trip, romantic get-away or honeymooning in the area.

Recently Healdsburg, California was named as one of the best places to live.  Needless to say, this small city is a happening place in the heart of the Sonoma wine country that was recently named #2 in favorite wedding destinations and one of the top 10 honeymoon areas of the USA. The wineries are in every direction, tucked into hillsides and valleys.

In northern Sonoma County, the lovely town of Healdsburg is also a favorite wedding destination with a variety of locations for inspiring weddings. The Villa Chanticleer is a historic park setting with well kept inside venues and very beautiful in April and May with the wisteria, and gazebo garden in bloom through fall.

We enjoyed a Healdsburg walking tour with Lori Moore.

Near Healdsburg Square, you will find excellent dining is available for lunch and dinner at Taverena Sofhia. A great idea for Wedding Showers, Rehearsal dinners and relaxed dining with their Greek and Mediterranean-style dishes and fine wine list.

Madrona Manor by Dennis Urbiztondo

Looking for a magnificent Victorian for your wedding, fine dining, or romantic stay, you find it all with the
Madrona Manor.  We found the Francis Ford Coppola's swim resort a unique experience and their restaurant and museum most enjoyable.  And you will not want to miss the exciting Greek Food menu for lunch and dinner at Sofia's Taverina in Healdsburg.

You will find an Alexander Valley casino, excellent gardens at Ferre Carrano, variety of gold medal wineries and some of the best shopping and top chefs in the world at local restaurants in Sonoma County.

Review our Pinterest Board for other great ideas.  I love Sonoma Wine Country and
I love Napa Wine Country.

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Planning A Sonoma or Napa Wine Country Wedding

At least 25 to 35% of the brides we meet at our bridal show booths do not have their wedding venues and are seeking unique venues, beach wedding sites, gardens, barns, tops of hotels and wine country wedding venues. Others are looking for beautiful places to honeymoon.   

 Photo by DUPhotography.com

Love your input on where you are taking your wedding & reception; city, event site name and if you found it - how?

We rarely spotlight exact cities or region. We find one region stands out for brides-to-be and their families.  The Sonoma and Napa wine country, (just an hours drive north of  San Francisco) offers couples a huge variety of wineries, gardens and unique barn and Victorian backdrops for their celebrations.  Vineyard views, plus being named one of the top ten honeymoon areas in the USA, the wine region stands out as the 3rd most popular destination wedding area in the US.  

WeddingLinks.com/Sonoma     WeddingLinks.com/Napa    and   WeddingLinks.com/Mendocino     offers you the largest variety of wine country wedding sites and honeymoon hotels in  Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino. We also preview our wedding and reception services - making certain they have been in business five years or more and have good reviews.

When you want vineyard venues in other areas of California or other states and countries
go to WeddingLinks.com and use the Global Search.

                                                        Engagement Photo in the Vineyards by DUPhotography.com

I thought I would include links to my Pinterest Boards giving you an insight to the beautiful settings,  fun things your guests can experience and enjoy while visiting these popular wine regions.http://pinterest.com/judithrmoore/love-sonoma-wine-country

http://pinterest.com/judithrmoore/love-napa-wine-country

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#sonomawedding, #napawedding, #winecountry