Gift ideas for the Groom

Photo Credit: Amy & Jordan Photography

It is traditional for the bride to give the groom a gift on the wedding day. Although the wedding rings that the couple exchanges can be considered gifts, many brides choose to honor their groom with an additional gift that suits his personality. The idea of the bride and groom exchanging gifts is beginning to fade as many couples who spend a great deal of money on their wedding or honeymoon may decide that there is no need to exchange gifts in addition to the wedding and honeymoon. If you do decide to honor your groom with a gift on your wedding day, it is more important to choose an item that he is sure to enjoy than it is to spend a great deal of money on the gift. It is also important to discuss budget constraints prior to purchasing gifts for each other.  A wedding is already a financial strain on most couples and it is important to realize that your love for each other is enough and that you don't have to exchange gifts on your wedding day if you don't wish to do so.
One great gift idea for the bride to give to the groom is a homemade photo album. The bride may wish to collect pictures of them as a couple from the day they met until now and arrange them artistically in a photo album as a souvenir of their relationship. Although the groom may have already seen the pictures in the album at one point or another, arranging them in a new way gives the illusion that they are new because it lets the groom view the pictures in a new way. This gift idea is ideal if the groom is the nostalgic type.
Another popular gift idea for the bride to give the groom is tickets to a sporting event for him and his best friend. This is a truly thoughtful and selfless gift that lets the groom know that you understand his interests and that you want to assure him that you will not try to minimize his relationships with his friends. If your groom is a sports fan, he is sure to enjoy this thoughtful gift.
Any item that relates to a specific hobby that the groom enjoys is a great idea for a wedding gift for the bride to give to the groom. This is a popular choice because giving a gift that relates to one of his hobbies demonstrates that you understand his likes and that you want him to continue to engage in activities that he enjoys.
Another creative gift idea that a bride may choose to honor her groom with is a short video depicting their relationship together. If the couple used their video recorder often, the bride would be able to edit the video into a concise video and possibly even set the video to music. This creative gift idea gives the groom an easy way to look back into the past and remember the good times that the two of you have had together.
An MP3 player loaded with downloads of the grooms favorite songs or songs that have a special meaning to the bride and the groom as a couple is another suitable gift for a bride to give to the groom on their wedding day. This is a gift that is sure to be appreciated by the man who enjoys gadgets as well as music. It is also significant because the ability to select songs that your groom will enjoy shows how well you truly know him.
Although the tradition of the bride and groom exchanging gifts on their wedding day is beginning to fade, many couples still wish to honor this tradition. Many couples spend so much money on their wedding and reception that they feel as though they cannot afford the additional expense of buying gifts for each other. While it may be true that the couple cannot afford one more extravagant gift it is also true that a truly thoughtful gift for the groom does not have to be overly expensive. If the couple is partaking in this tradition it is advisable that they exchange gifts that truly reflect the personality of their spouse.

June Wedding Flower of the Month: Rose

Rose is the birth flower for the month of June. The rose has many different meanings depending on the color of the rose. I did a blog post a few years back about different the meanings of the rose you can read about it here.

I would have to say the rose is one of the most recoginized and desired flowers by men,women and children all over the world!

The rose is available year round in a variety of colors making it one of the favorite flower choices of Brides and Grooms alike. Roses can be moderate to expensive when talking about cost because there are so many different varieties and colors to choose from most clients can always find a the perfect rose for their budget.

The above photograph was apart of a styled shoot that I designed along with my good friend Kim of Something Floral to see more of the amazing shoot read about it  on Brenda's Wedding Blog.

We are so proud to announce that for the second year in a row Lisa Smith Owner and Lead Planner of Gabbi Grace Events has been awarded the distinguished title of Detroit's 2013 Top Wedding Planner she also received Detroit's 2013 Top  Event Designer as well as the Top Event Designer in Michigan! We would like to thank all of our clients for their continued support and The Wedding Industry Experts for these very distinguished Awards!

May Wedding Flower of the Month: Lily of the Valley

Photo Credit: Michelle Rago

Lily of the Valley is the birth flower of May the meaning of Lily of the Valley: Sweetness, return to happiness, delicacy and chastity it is also know as the "May flower" or "the Ladder to Heaven".  In the Bible the Lily of the Valley was mentioned 15 times most often in the song of Solomon it is also said to be the tears that the Virgin Mary wept at the Cross of Christ.

The Lily of the Valley is available year round and it quite expensive it has a very fragrant scent and comes in white and in a very rare pink the Lily of the Valley is not a recommend flower to carry as a wedding bouquet it is best used as a filler or accent flower.

Today the Lily of the Valley is also know as the flower used in the bouquet that Kate Middleton carried in her wedding bouquet when she married Prince William but before Kate Middleton carried them they were carried in the bouquet of my all time favorite bride and in my opinion the most beautiful bride ever and whom I named my little one after "Grace" Kelly also known as Princess Grace the American Princess.

I'm so excited the leaves have emerged from the soil and every year I look forward to seeing these flowers bloom in my flower bed hopefully any day now ... Here is a hint if you plant in your flower garden keep in mind that the Lily of the Valley is an invasive plant and will overtake other flowers and should be planted in containers or along a barrier. 

April Wedding Flower of the Month : Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea is the birth flower of April.

The meaning of Sweet Pea: Lasting Pleasure. The Sweet Pea is available January through August and is available in a range of colors from white, to intense pink and purples the soft scent and delicate Butterfly shaped appearance makes it a favorite among the very feminine and girly girl Brides. The Sweet Pea ranges in price from moderate to expensive.

Photo Source: Bollea

Photo Source: W-Wedding Flowers

Pass the Smelling Salts please...

Photo Credit: ABC

As a Wedding Planner it is my goal to make sure that every thing runs smoothly at my clients weddings and events; however one of my biggest fears came true not once but twice so far during my career as a wedding planner. We double check lists, confirm vendors  finalize the smallest and slightest details but one can never predict when someone will faint!

When someone faints it causes an immediate reaction from the the bridal party, the guests, and almost every one in attendance as a planner it's your job to keep everyone calm and things running  as smoothly as possible.

Here are a few tips that I have used to help me remain in control of the situation.

1. Through out the planning process always remind your clients the importance of remaining stress-free.
2. Remind the clients and the bridal party to stay hydrated.
3. The day of the wedding constantly remind the Bridal Party to EAT! It  doesn't have to be a five course meal but they do need to eat something light and nutritious
4. Before each member of the Bridal Party walks down the aisle I always whisper "don't lock your knees" Why you ask? Well if you stand for a long the heart has trouble generating enough pressure to pump blood all the way to the feet and then push it all the way  back up to the heart. Instead, the heart relies on the squeezing action of muscles in the legs to push blood back up the legs.When people stand with their knees "locked" they let the knee joint bend backward which immobilizes all the muscles in the legs. Blood can't return from the legs so blood pressure in the brain drops and the brains takes a little nap. Keeping your knees bent even slightly causes you to constantly flex your leg muscles to keep balance. This pumps the blood and prevents fainting and blackouts.

So follow these four tips and hopefully you won't be the one saying "Pass the Smelling Salt PLEASE!

January Wedding Flower of the Month: Carnation

The Carnation is the birth flower of those born in January.

The meaning of the Carnation: Feminine love, pure strong love admiration, gratitude and unfading beauty. It is described as a hardy flower with a clove-like scent. The Carnation is available year around in an array of hues and colors as brilliant and beautiful this flower is some are amazed at it's low cost which is a plus for a bride on a budget or a bride that is not looking to break the bank on her wedding day flowers!

Photo Credit : Eddie Ross

Photo  Credit: Eddie Ross

 Visit:  Eddie Ross for super cute DIY tutorials for these two above designs.