Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I Do, Take Two!

Almost 50% of marriages today involve someone who has been married before. Therefore, whether this is your second or fifth marriage, it is your wedding day and a brand new start. While some brides may wonder if they should or should not walk down the aisle in a white dress, others may second-guess a church wedding. No matter what you choose, the end result should be the same—having the wedding of your dreams!

The Etiquette of a Second-Time Bride
The number one goal—enjoy yourself! While this may not be your first wedding, this is your first wedding to this person. The main focus is you and your love. Quit worrying about what is right and wrong. The wedding world has changed so much to where you have fewer less do’s and should do’s and more freedom. Yes, the old rule of thumb is you can’t wear white, but now-a-days, your wedding dress—even for the second time—should reflect you, your personality and fashion-sense. If that means white, so be it!
The second goal, if it applies, should be to involve the children—yours, his, or both. Depending on their age, this could mean having them play a part in the wedding as a flower girl, ring bearer, junior bridesmaid, groomsman, maid of honor, etc. Another common idea is to also involve the children in the taking of the vows. Instead of having a vow as husband and wife to honor and love each other in sickness and in health until they day you die, a family vow should also take place. This can be as simple as stating that you will love and honor you stepchildren as if they were your own.

To Register or Not to Register?
Yes! Register! It is your wedding! If you have a second child, you register for baby items again—why not for a second wedding? The people you invite and who come to your wedding are going to want to give you a gift. So you already have your pots and pans. Do you and your fiancĂ© enjoy camping? Then register for camping equipment. Or, if there is nothing really you want or need, register for a honeymoon. There are now sites that help you, such as travelersjoy.com and honeyfund.com, which allow wedding guests to help contribute to the cost of the honeymoon.
Bottom line, whether you are a second-time or first-time bride, all that matters is that this is a joyful celebration of new beginnings, an occasion to celebrate with your friends and family, and a second chance for you to get your happily ever after.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

thank you for being so supportive of 2nd marriages. some of us just didn't get it right the first time around. i wasn't going to register at first, but then my friends pointed out that they wanted to get us something anyways, and it would be better for everyone if we would just tell them what would mean the most. i agree with you that honeymoon registries are a great idea, but you missed the one we are using, and i think it's a really great site, so thought you'd like to know. it's called depositagift.com we're using deposit a gift for our wedding website too, as well as to register for some new furniture. it's awesome because you can register for anything. thanks again for being so supportive.