The OurWeddingDay Blog

While the blogosphere and news outlets continue to wait with baited breath for details of Chelsea Clinton's wedding, let's remember other First Daughter weddings.

Illustration dated June 6, 1874: "The Wedding At The White House," celebrating the wedding of Ulysses S. Grant's daughter, Nellie.

Lyndon Johnson's daughter Luci and Patrick Nugent, as they leave the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Luci's sister Lynda, accompanied by the groom's father holds the bridal gown train

Newlyweds Marine Corps Capt. Charles S. Robb and Lynda Bird Johnson (Lyndon's other daughter) pose with their parents at the White House in Washington. Standing from left to right are, first lady Lady Bird Johnson, President Lyndon B. Johnson, the bride-groom, James S. Robb and Mrs. Robb.

Richard Nixon applauds as his daughter Tricia and her husband Edward Finch Cox, cut a giant wedding cake at the White House June 12, 1971.

In this handout image provided by the White House, President George W. Bush and Jenna Bush pose for a photographer prior to her wedding to Henry Hager at Prairie Chapel Ranch May 10, 2008 near Crawford, Texas. (via The Huffington Post)

Everyone likes a discount, and your wedding day is no exception. Once you start adding up the costs and meeting vendors, you might be tempted to do some serious haggling yourself.

There’s nothing wrong with trying to get something at a cheaper rate than expected, as long as you’re not asking for something unreasonable, or willing to hear the word “no.”

“If you are in a bind, feel free to ask a vendor if you can work out a deal,” says Danielle Bobish of Curtain Up Events in New York City. “You have to respect the fact that they need their money, so don’t insult them.” Bobish says there may be things you haven’t thought of, like a different night for a site you love, or a smaller dinner from a caterer you want to work with.

“There are often cheaper alternatives that you haven’t thought of,” she says. “And the only way to find out is to talk to the vendor, or talk to other vendors.”

You should always comparison shop, and search for good bargains. However, a person’s final price needs to be honored, and you’re the one who always has the option to pick someone else.

“If you can barter, that’s fine,” says Bobish. “For instance, if you find out a planner needs a web site and you’re a techie, it doesn’t hurt to offer an exchange. However, it’s very important that you don’t overstep your bounds. Ultimately, if you can’t afford it, think cheaper.”

The last thing you want on your wedding day is to feel like the people working for you are unhappy, or working for too little. And by all means, never take something for a discount in exchange for advertisement. There is nothing worse than seeing “Courtesy of Joe’s Liquor” on the place cards.

Wedding toasts are one of your reception’s most exciting traditions. While the rules are not set in stone, in general, the Best Man toasts first, followed by the Maid or Matron of Honor, then the Parents of the Bride, and, optionally, the Parents of the Groom. After everyone is finished, the couple should give their thanks to the crowd.

If your parents are hosting the affair, it’s not required that the grooms’ parents speak, and if it’s going to be the source of contention, it’s smarter to avoid it. “It’s really up to you as a couple,” says Danielle Bobish of Curtain Up Events in New York City. “Sometimes just your dad speaks and Mom stands by his side.”

In today’s world, more couples are paying for weddings themselves. When that’s the case, you are perfectly entitled to give one toast together, and leave it at that. Bobish suggests that you wait until everyone is seated before you start the toasts, and to spread them out. “If you’re having a three-course meal, the Best Man and Maid of Honor can toast during the first course, and so on.”

If you’re worried about excessive toasts, or uncalled-for announcements, tell the band leader or DJ. They are under no requirement to hand the microphone over to anyone, let alone a drunken reveler. Should that happen, allow the person to speak for a few minutes then have someone graciously take the microphone from him.

Advise your guests to keep toasts to a minimum of five minutes, and tell them to rehearse. Nerves creep up when you least expect it. It’s perfectly fine to write the toast on a note card. While it’s fine to make jokes during a toast, anything raunchy should be left to a more appropriate occasion, such as a bachelor party. This is your wedding celebration, not your wedding roast.

Professional wedding photographer Max Wanger got married himself recently -- and his wedding pictures are as gorgeous as you'd expect. (via A Cup Of Joe)

You want gorgeous wedding pictures too?  Check out advice on hiring your wedding photographer here, and search for great local photographers in your area here.

Elysa Ross is a celebrity makeup artist & paramedical Aesthetician who has been perfecting bridal makeup & skincare for over fifteen years.  Check back next week for more beautiful bride tidbits and advice and add anotherlook weddings to your Facebook favorites for more wedding advice.

Bridal beauty and skincare may seem overwhelming.  With so many products, a plethora of wedding websites, and countless makeup mavens offering advice, dissecting what is appropriate for you may seem daunting.  But without over-simplifying, less is usually more.

The easiest approach is to choose what your primary concern is and get products that address this matter.  Kits or coordinating products by the same manufacturer are key.  Mixing products from different lines can be a recipe for additional skincare problems, because co-mingling various products translates into blending different ingredients.  Just as mixing certain chemicals together may cause a combustible reaction-integrating skincare products that may work brilliantly by themselves with something else can cause an adverse effect.

Organic or holistic skincare is a wonderful approach.  These products are usually not chemically based and are therefore good for sensitive, unbalanced, or normal skins.   A trip to a vitamin store will typically yield fabulous products that will nurture, protect, and rejuvenate bridal skins.

-Elysa

One of the most exciting aspects of marrying into another cultural heritage is picking and choosing different wedding traditions. If your background is German, or if your fiancé is, check out some popular customs that you can re-create or modify for your own wedding.

Party Hardy!
If you’ve ever spent much time around German families, you know that they love the nightlife. Weddings are no exception. German weddings traditionally lasted three days, in part because you are required to have a civil ceremony, even if you have a religious one. While the days do not have to be consecutive, the second day is something called a Polterabend (“the evening with lots of porcelain”). Guests bring dishes and actually smash them, as a symbol of good luck.

Kidnapping of the Bride
This tradition has a long history of both fun and havoc. Basically, the night before the wedding, the guests “kidnap” the bride, and the groom has to rescue her. She usually ends up at a bar with the wedding party, and the groom usually has to pay the tab. It’s a lot of fun, if it ends fairly early and doesn’t turn into a night of debauchery. Also, you don’t want to make the groom suffer too long before he’s given his fiancé.

Fright Night
On the first night of the wedding, it’s common for friends to hide loud objects in the newlywed’s room, loosening the headboard, even sticking alarm clocks around the room. It’s a great practical joke, but should you wish to indulge, let your friends know when enough is enough.

On a more serious note, since the bride and groom are typically married by the time they have the religious ceremony, it is common for them to walk down the aisle together. The first dance is typically a waltz. In a nod to our modern age, it’s common for everyone to pitch in for the wedding, not just the father of the bride.

German couples often wear their bands on their right hand, and they don’t purchase rings. It’s a sweet custom if you want to do something a little different, and the rings can be identical. On a related note, German weddings often don’t include a bridesmaids and groomsmen—the guests are “witnesses.

Looking for more culturally specific wedding planning advice?

• Catholic Wedding Planning
• Baptist Wedding Planning
• Muslim Wedding Planning
• Buddhist Wedding Planning
• Jewish Wedding Traditions
• Protestant Wedding Traditions
• Chinese Wedding Traditions
• Thai Wedding Traditions
• Italian Wedding Traditions
• Mexican Wedding Planning
• Irish Wedding Traditions
• Japanese Wedding Traditions
• Global Wedding Traditions
• International Reception Rituals

One woman certainly feels like it makes her crazy... and she's not even engaged yet!

She writes, "I've never been the type of girl you would really describe as girly - except for one thing: I'm obsessed with weddings. Please don't tell my boyfriend."

The article details how she and a friend of hers enjoy creating fantasy weddings in incredible detail, and how she finds the whole thing a lot of fun and slightly embarrassing.  Read it here.

Has planning your wedding made you "crazy" in all sorts of ways you'd never have imagined?

Check out this New York Times article by Bruce Feiler, Married, but Sleeping Alone:

"Nearly one in four American couples sleep in separate bedrooms or beds, the National Sleep Foundation reported in a 2005 survey. Recent studies in England and Japan have found similar results. And the National Association of Home Builders says it expects 60 percent of custom homes to have dual master bedrooms by 2015."

We've discussed sleeping in separate beds before.  A couple times, even!  Not to mention separate bedrooms and even separate houses!  Different married couples have different personalities and needs, and find happiness in different ways, right?

But the balance between personal space and keeping marital romance alive can be tricky, as Feiler is quick to point out and call for an embracing of bediquette:

"We need a campaign. One of those national initiatives politicians are always calling for. "The War on Bed Divorce," call it, or "Brush Up on Your Bediquette." Thirty-five years after "Save the Whales," it's time for "Save the Sheets."

But is it Bediquette Vs. Separate Beds?  Is it one or the other?  Can enjoying separate beds actually increase romance for some couples?

Justin Price is an award-winning photographer in Los Angeles with over 10 years experience throughout the country. Through his own photography company, Priceless Images Photography, as well as with other major wedding studios, he's photographed approx. 500 weddings, as well as shooting extensively in the fields of fashion and high art.  Now he shares his advice on getting your vendors to work best together, exclusively with OurWeddingDay:

Don’t get caught in the middle! Photography is a must at every wedding, not every bride hires a videographer.

So if you're planning on hiring a videogreapher make sure you let your photographer know.  It may not seem like a big deal to you but each vendor needs to coordinate and make sure they are not getting in each other’s way.

During the ceremony the photographer and videographer need to coordinate where each of them will be so they are not in each others shot, or missing a shot of the bride.  At the reception they have to make sure they are not shooting across from each other into each other’s lenses.

You shouldn’t have to stress yourself out making sure they are coordinated, so just give each of them the other’s contact info before your wedding day so they can discuss a game plan.

A misunderstanding or miscommunication could adversely affect your wedding day and that is the last thing you want.  At the end of the day, with the right photographer and videographer you will amazing memories captured through photos and video that will recount the happiest day of your life for years to come, so choose wisely.

-Justin from Priceless Images Photography

Check out this great wedding reception menu! (via A Cup of Joe)

It's a part of of a DIY wedding paper goods project, using stamps and a white pen.  So charming!

Check out more DIY wedding ideas here!