"I Have To Do WHAT?" Weddings Don't Have to be Boring.

Okay, for those of you who have spent your lives dreaming of caterers in tuxedos, formal black and white dinners and all the elegance of a full cinderella wedding - this post may not be for you! This post is for all the brides out there who hate the idea of a formal, same as all the others, wedding. Who said a wedding had to be that way?

Many brides today are under the impression that things like the meal, the dress, the size of the wedding, the cake, etc are all set in stone based on what is ‘exceptable”. The truth is, more and more brides are thumbing their noses at the “traditional” wedding frills, and doing things in a new, unique way!

Here are some examples of brides doing things their own way:

1. Not so formal reception - A couple getting married were the kind who loved to camp, loved the outdoors, and spent all their free time playing sports. The idea of a staunch, formal dinner and dance was not their idea of “celebrating”. So, they opted for a beautiful outdoor wedding followed by a catered bar-b-que and a baseball tournament! (Yes, the bride played in her dress, lol - and it wasn’t a small dress)

2. At a wedding earlier this year, the bride disliked flowers very much. So, instead of flowers, she used candles as her decor and candle lanterns as the “bouquets” for the wedding party! The only flowers were in the bride’s own bouquet!

3. Another couple I read about had a traditional dinner because their parents requested it, but decided against a dance. Instead, after the dinner, they rented out a bowling alley for a bowling tournament - tuxes and all!

Here are a few things that most bride’s think must be included:

- A Reception: Most bride’s believe that they are required to put on a reception. This is not true. Traditionally, the reception was a party the family put on in the couples honor to celebrate the marriage and was not the couples responsibility. Today, many many couples choose to put on their own, which is perfectly acceptable. But there are some couples who find the idea of a reception, as traditionally done, to be very boring and out of character. If you are one of those people, don’t worry! Spend some time think about what sort of celebration would be most meaningful to you, and then incorporate that into your wedding day!

- A Wedding Cake: No, you don’t HAVE to have a wedding cake unless you want one!

- The Wedding Party: For legal purposes, you have to have 2 witnesses (generally the best man and maid of honor) and an officiate or justice of the peace. All other members of the wedding party are optional and should only be filled if you personally want them to be. Don’t have any children in your life - don’t stress about finding some connected child just to have a flower girl or ring bearer! And by the way the wedding party can be anyone you wish, including friends, sisters, mothers, aunts, even your grandma, if that’s what you want!

- Alcohol: There is NO rules saying you have to serve alcohol at your wedding. There are many people who for personal or religious reasons, do not drink. If you are one of those people, don’t feel pressured to have alcohol involved!

- Flowers and Decorations: There is not a single decoration item that is a MUST. If you don’t like flowers, don’t use flowers. If you don’t like candles, don’t have candles! If you hate ivy and tulle, leave it out! There is nothing wrong with using your own creative mind to come up with unique and original decorating ideas.

- Guest Book: Many brides have already decided that the traditional guest book is not for them, and that is perfectly fine! There is no reason why you have to have any type of guest book at all - but if you want to have a record of the guests and their wishes - there are many other ways it can be done as well.

- The Wedding Dress: It doesn’t have to be white, it doesn’t have to be poofy, it doesn’t even HAVE to be a dress!!! If you are having an informal wedding and hate dresses, wear a suit. It’s your wedding after all, you should be comfortable! Of course, if you love the poof DO IT, cause you only get to wear a dress like that a few times in your life. Friends of my family are avid motorbikers, for their wedding he wore a black leather jacket and black leather chaps over his best jeans and she wore all white leathers: vest, pants, jacket.

There are more, but those are the areas that came to mind. In the end, there is only very few things that are a MUST for a wedding:
- a bride and a groom
- an officiate or justice of the peace
- 2 witnesses
- a marriage certificate, a pen and the required wedding vows
Everything else is there to help celebrate the vows and the signing of that paper - so what better way to do that then with activities that have meaning to you rather then activities you dread?
Found at Dream Budget Weddings

Father - Daughter Dance Songs

Need a great song for a father daughter dance? Here are some traditional and unusual choices. Want to bring tears to the eyes of all the guests at your wedding reception? Find a sentimental song for the father daughter dance. This dance traditionally follows the bride and groom's romantic first dance together and is often followed by a mother-son dance. But what song should you play for a father-daughter dance? The problem is, there aren't all that many songs written about fathers and daughters. Here are some traditional and unusual choices for you to consider.

1) Songs About Fathers and Daughters or Parents and Children. Some of these songs are used frequently, so they might be a little cliche or sappy.. However, weddings are all about tradition and sentimentality, so if you love one of these songs, don't worry about if others have used this song before.

Trace Adkins-- And Then They Do
Bob Carlisle-- Butterfly Kisses
Kenny Chesney-- There Goes My Life
Marc Cohn-- The Things We've Handed Down
Holly Dunn-- Daddy's Hands
Fiddler on the Roof Soundtrack-- Sunrise, Sunset
Amy Grant--- Father's Eyes
Carole King-- Child of Mine
Billy Joel-- Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)
Elton John-- Blessed
Elton John-- Circle of Life
Al Martino-- Daddy's Little Girl
John Mayers-- Daughters
Martina McBride-- In My Daughter's Eyes
Joni Mitchell-- Circle Game
Paul Simon-- Father and Daughter
Red Sovine-- Daddy's Girl

2) Songs About Admiration, Heroism, and Thanks. The father-daughter song is all about honoring the special relationship between these two people. Songs that say, "You're my hero and you mean so much to me," are appropriate and sweet. Here are some suggestions.

Ashanti-- Thank You
Mariah Carey-- Hero
Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole-- Unforgettable
Celine Dion-- Because You Loved Me
Natalie Grant-- I'll Always Be Your Baby
Josh Groban-- You Raise Me Up
Bette Midler-- Wind Beneath My Wings
Kenny Rogers-- You Decorated My Life

3) Songs About Saying Goodbye. This may be especially appropriate if the bride is young or if the bride and groom are about to move a fair distance away. Songs that say, "This is goodbye, but not forever,' or "I'll always be with you," will draw a few tears. Try these out:

Dido-- Here With Me
Amy Grant-- I Will Remember You
Faith Hill-- There You'll Be
Ben E. King-- Stand By Me
Madonna-- I'll Remember
Simon and Garfunkel-- Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Simple Minds-- Don't You Forget About Me
Carrie Underwood-- Whenever You Remember
James Taylor-- You've Got a Friend
Lee Ann Wolmak-- I Hope You Dance
Heartland -- I Loved Her First

First Dance Song Ideas

Wedding love songs are an unforgettable part of the reception for many brides and grooms. The first dance song is usually the one that stands out, as do the songs used in the father-daughter and mother-son dances.

Need some ideas for romantic wedding songs? Here's a list of ideas that reflect a wide range of tastes, so pick a few that suit you best.

Classic Love Songs. These are the sweet, special love songs that most of your guests will probably know. They're not too sappy, but definitely have that first dance wedding feel.

• Aerosmith-- I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
• The Bangles-- Eternal Flame
• The Beatles-- And I Love Her
• Tony Bennett-- The Way You Look Tonight
• Bon Jovi-- I'll Be There for You
• Toni Braxton-- Breathe Again
• Belinda Carlyle-- Circles in the Sand
• Chicago-- You're the Inspiration
• Celine Dion-- The Power of Love
• Nat King Cole-- When I Fall in Love
• Gloria Estefan-- Live for Loving You
• Peter Gabriel-- In Your Eyes
• Faith Hill-- Breathe
• Foreigner-- Waiting for a Girl Like You
• Etta James-- At Last
• Elton John-- Can You Feel the Love Tonight?
• Elton John-- Your Song
• Michael Penn-- No Myth
• The Police-- Every Breath You Take
• Elvis Presley-- I Can't Help Falling In Love With You
• Elvis Presley-- My Wish Came True
• REO Speedwagon-- Can't Fight This Feeling
• Lionel Richie-- Hello
• Lionel Richie-- Truly
• Seal-- Kiss From a Rose
• Simon and Garfunkel-- Bridge Over Troubled Waters
• Percy Sledge-- When a Man Loves a Woman
• Rod Stewart-- Have I Told You Lately?
• U2-- All I Want is You
• Shania Twain-- From This Moment On
• Shania Twain-- Forever and For Always
• Luther Vandross-- Always and Forever
• Stevie Wonder-- I Just Called to Say I Love You
• Trisha Yearwood- How Do I Live

Popular Love Songs. These are more contemporary songs that have been on the charts for the last few years. If you're a younger couple, why not choose one of the songs you grew up with?

• Aaliyah-- One in a Million
• Ashanti-- Only U
• Natasha Beddingfield-- These Words
• Beyonce-- Crazy in Love
• Mariah Carey-- We Belong Together
• Vanessa Carlton-- A Thousand Miles
• Kelly Clarkson-- A Moment Like This
• Coldplay-- Yellow
• Nelly Furtado-- Childhood Dreams
• Hoobastank-- The Reason
• Lil' Romeo-- My Cinderella
• No Doubt-- Underneath it All
• Oasis-- Wonderwall
• Ja Rule-- Put it On Me
• Usher-- U Got it Bad
• Usher and Alisha Keys-- My Boo

Love Songs With a Little Edge. If you're not the typical couple and want a song that's a little different, here are some edgier and alternative love songs to consider.

• Church-- Under the Milky Way
• The Cure-- Lovesong
• Depeche Mode-- Strangelove
• The Doors-- Light My Fire
• Fastball-- The Way
• Guns N' Roses-- Sweet Child O' Mine
• Billy Idol-- White Wedding
• Nine Inch Nails-- Closer
• REM-- At My Most Beautiful
• Tupac Shakur-- Unconditional Love
• Bruce Springsteen-- Dancing in the Dark
• Whitesnake-- Is This Love?

Extra Cheesy Love Songs. If you want to go all out sappy, here are some perfect love songs for the job. Hey, it's a wedding! If you like sappy music, this is the place for it.

• Air Supply-- Even the Nights
• Debby Boone-- You Light Up My Life
• The Carpenters-- Close to You
• The Carpenters-- We've Only Just Begun
• Celine Dion-- My Heart Will Go On
• Whitney Houston-- I Will Always Love You
• Journey-- Open Arms
• Barry Manilow-- Can't Smile Without You
• Bette Midler-- The Wind Beneath My Wings
• Olivia Newton John-- Hopelessly Devoted to You
• Diana Ross & Lionel Richie-- Endless Love
• Sonny & Cher-- I Got You Babe
• Styx-- Babe I Love You