Dear Divas,

We are getting married at the end of 2009.  Since more than half of our guests are coming from out of town – some as far away as Australia, we want to make sure we have some time to spend with them before and after the wedding.  The other half of our guests are primarily local family and friends.  After inviting all of the people you care about to the wedding, is it okay to only plan pre- and post-wedding events for a select group of people?  Is it okay to exclude some and invite others?

Baffled Bride

Dear Baffled Bride,

When it comes to weddings with a large amount of out of town guests, it is completely normal to have pre- and post-wedding activities to entertain them while they’re in town.  It’s also fine to to invite only certain people to these activities, as long as you have defined guidelines for who those people are.  For example, it is totally acceptable to invite only out of town guests to your events, and to leave the local people out.  This is done regularly for weddings and most guests will completely understand that your goal is to entertain the people who do not live there and have to stay in hotels, pay for travel, etc.

If, however, you decide to invite some local people and some not, you may end up hurting feelings or causing resentment between guests.  Since your wedding is meant to be a celebration of a joyful time, this is definitely not something you’ll want to do!  Just make sure that your events either include everyone, just out of towners, just bridal party, etc.  If you decide you want some local people, etiquette states there really is no choice but to invite them all.  You may also want to mix events; for example, have one event that includes everyone and then have a collection of smaller events only for your out of town guests.  This way, everyone will feel included in something!

Good luck!

So much attention is given to wedding planning during your engagement, that another important event is often pushed to the wayside until the last minute–the Rehearsal Dinner.  This dinner is special because it gives the engaged couple and their families a way to say thank you to all of those that are involved in the wedding.  To help make your Rehearsal Dinner every bit as fun and unique as your wedding, check out some of these links:

-iVillage offers some great ideas for unique rehearsal dinner locations and themes, many with money-saving tips!

-You probably already have your wedding gown picked out, but what about your rehearsal dinner outfit?!  You’ll still be front and center and will want to look great.  The Wedding Channel offers some great tips on the bride’s rehearsal dinner outfit.

-DearSugar offers a quick overview of Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette to clear up any questions you may have before planning the event.

-Although I fear them selling out before I am able to get one, I still have to pass on this amazing dress designer’s website.  Holly Stalder’s dresses will ensure that you shine at your rehearsal dinner.

-Last but most certainly not least, be sure you have an invitation that well represents both your personal style and the style of your rehearsal.  Wedding Paper Divas offers a wide range of designs…here is one of my favorites!

Used for practical purposes in Medieval times, chandeliers have taken on a whole new meaning as a popular decorative piece. Most recently, as Diva blogger Lea has previously mentioned, chandeliers have also invaded the wedding scene and has become in its own right a sole wedding theme. Not only decorating and adding glamour and beauty to historical mansions like my wedding site seen in the picture below, but chandeliers are now being moved outdoors for a look that is simply to die for.

Chandeliers bring a feeling of grandiosity and luxury to any room and because of this they are also finding its way onto wedding stationery. If you love the look of chandeliers and want to add this to your wedding, take a look at Wedding Paper Divas’s glamorous Chandelier Rehearsal Dinner Invitations in Almond. They can be easily made into Wedding Invitations.