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TEIN RTS" - -- "A Family Tradition for 127 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 16, 1993 - 15 You're engaged, and sudden- ly everyone has advice for you - your mother, his mother, friends and relatives, perhaps even grandparents. They all mean well, but as a bride of the nineties, you have the freedom to do things your way. Accord- ing to Bride's magazine, en- gaged couples of just a genera- tion ago followed a much stricter code of wedding "rules" than do brides and grooms now. Today, you can choose to follow the traditions that mean most Your own unique wedding Today's savvy husband and wife-to-be will not have to learn the hard way when it comes to planning their wedding. They've heard many horror sto- ries from married friends and relatives who made wedding blunders, and know what to avoid. One of the most tragic mis- takes engaged couples make is letting the bride take over all the wedding plans. After all, it is their wedding, not just hers. The end result of this scenario is a stressed out bride who feels resentful towards her groom, and a groom who feels like a guest at his own wedding. As husband and wife they will share everything, so the best place to start is sharing in the wedding arrangements. This approach makes the wedding more special and satisfying for both of them. Another fatal error young couples make is letting their parents dictate what the wed- ding day should be like. Although many of these fami- lies have good intentions, their requests come off as demands and cause a lot of hard feelings for all involved, especially the bride and groom. The wedding day is a symbol of a couple's love, and it should be a day unique and special to both of them. They don't have to make anyone happy but each other. Even if the bride's moth- er thinks the wedding should take place at her hometown church, and the groom's mother wants to sing as they say their vows, the couple must remem- ber that they're the ones getting married and they shouldn't let family members re-design their dream wedding. Whether it's the couple's de- gire to say their vows while jumping out of an airplane, or on a sunset cruise, it's totally up to them. Today's couples realize this, and are enjoying that spe- cial day more than ever. to you, and tailor the rules to suit your style. Here, some customs updated for the new decade: The Proposal Then: The groom asked the bride's father for her hand. Now: The couple decides to marry, and the proposal may be dramatic - a diamond in a cham- pagne glass, the words, "Will you marry me?" flashed across a stadium scoreboard. News of the engagement is faxed to fam- ily and friends. The Invitations Then: Invitations were for- mal, engraved, and issued by the bride's parents. Now: Invitations reflect the spirit of the celebration. They may be etched on glass, printed on hand-painted cards, collaged from memorabilia .of the couple's courtship, lettered on scrolls. Wording has changed, too, for parents who have re- married, or couples who are hosting their own ceremonies. ---------------- perros | Se TI25 50% off Royal Albert & Paragon Spc. Place Settings. In-stock only. With purchase of matching wedding bands, receive a complimentary engraved wedding knife. We offer gifts for all members of the bridal party & great shower gift ideas. PENTLAND JEWELLERS 174 QUEEN ST., PORT PERRY 985-7641 PORT PERRY ROYAL SETTINGS 985-9492 Port Perry 985-7771 or Sunderland (705) 357-2211 The Bride Then: The bride's full time job was to work on wedding details with her mother. Now: Career minded brides don't let weddin lanning dis- rupt their jobs. Weekends and lunch hours are prime planning time. And according to Bride's magazine, an increasing num- ber of professional brides-to-be hire a wedding consultant to handle the specifics. The Groom Then: All that was expected of him was to show up on the wed- ding day. Now: He takes part in plan- ning his wedding, interviewing photographers; bands and helping select the wedding menu. The Shower Then: Women gathered for an afternoon to shower the bride with household items, linen, lingerie. Now: Showers may be held screening Engaging ways in the past and present for the couple, and at night. Gift themes revolve around the couple's interests, such as "Handy Couple" (tools, sewing machine, furniture kits); "That's Entertainment" (VCRs, CDs, popcorn maker); "His & Her Fitness" (running gear, ex- ercise bike, workout videos). The Site Then: Couples planned to marry in a church, synagogue, hotel, or at home. Now: The trend is toward cer- emonial sites which evoke a sense of history or possess spe- cial appeal - an elegant Victori- an mansion, a museum, or a spacious loft, for example. oT The Cake Then: The bride's cake was a white, tierred confection with white frosting, and a plastic bride and groom on top. Now: Cakes are creative works, decorated expressly to complement the wedding theme. Flavors are for sophisti- cated palates - spice, carrot, cheesecake, lemon, orange, chocolate 'mocha, -and some. times all of them at once, with a different flavor for each tier. To top it off, couples choose some- thing special: a pair of crystal swans, a miniature flower basg- ket, Mickey and Minnie figu- rines, or a custom-made bride and groom painted to resemble themselves. All occasion cakes & pastries ~ showers ~ rehearsal parties ~ receptions etc. Come see Angie DeJong's award winning, "Cinderella, Prince Charming & the Pumpkin Coach" otally edie) | 30 Years Experience in Wedding Cake Excellence 985-2172 a Tg rg dN ee. Pg ng eg