fig
16 *
'MIW
0,,r1 ■■
/
fi0
1;jA
4,
09 cn.ed. c91 Special 9-
cy. cspecia ce.sian,
19)a/st
crowd of bachelors. Bob laughed so
hard champagne shot out of his nose.
He said he couldn't wait for our wed-
ding. Help me. - Horrified
Dear Horrified,
My goodness. Are you sure your
friend's wedding wasn't being taped
for an episode of "America's Tackiest
Home Videos"?
While one might hope that anoth-
er's social graces would reach a higher
standard during an occasion such as
one's wedding, one may be hoping for,
well, too much.
"Some people are choosing not to
follow some of these traditions," Clark
says. "My feeling is, if you're going to
do it, do it with some respect."
Make the
wedding
your own.
Usually worn in blue on white,
symbols of fidelity and purity, the
garter is now nothing but a leftover
since the advent of pantyhose. Histor-
ically, it's a custom that has not
improved much with age. In more
randy times, the garter was snatched
from the bride's leg and worn as a
prize. Today, the removal of this inti-
mate item can still make brides blush
when grooms are encouraged to per-
form the custom accompanied by
bump and grind music.
Clark advises prudence. "If you
choose this tradition, do it tastefully,"
she says. "When it gets tasteless, it's
not appropriate at a wedding."
Dear Ms. Matrimony,
My wedding is next month and the
best man seems to be practicing vulgar
limericks instead of writing a wedding
toast. What can I do to avoid burned
toast? - Burned Toast
Dear Burned Toast,
Hire a hit man for the best man?
No, I suppose not. But, honey, you
are in danger of being roasted instead
of toasted at your reception.
You may long to hear a simple
proverb, such as "The heart that loves
is forever young," or even a bit of
poetry, like "Grow old with me, the
best is yet to be." But instead you end
up with "There once was a gal from
Nantucket." Bummer.
"The toast should focus on won-
derful memories and good luck for the
couple," Clark says. She suggests giv-
ing the best man a book of toasts or
writing letters or poems to each other
that you would read aloud at toast
time. Try Wedding Toasts and Speeches
— Finding the Perfect Words, by Jo
Packham (Sterling/Chapelle). It's
loaded with quotes and speeches that
are full of wisdom, humor and corn-
fort.
Or, Toasts, by Paul Dickson
(Crown). It boasts more than 1,500
toasts and blessings that are both
funny and sentimental for all occa-
sions.
Dear Ms. Matrimony,
My sweetheart and I have promised
each other we won't smash cake on
each other's faces at our wedding
reception. But now my bridesmaids
are trying to convince me otherwise.
What's a girl to do? - Tempted
Dear Tempted,
Your wedding cake, symbolic of
prosperity and fertility (again with the
fertility!), is the first thing you and
your spouse will share as a new cou-
ple. Your first bite should remind you
of the sweetness of the life you will be
sharing. If you want to spoil that, go
ahead. It's your call.
Again, Clark encourages couples to
educate themselves about the custom.
"Get back to the meaning of the tradi-
tion," she says. "You're united now
and sharing what life has to offer."
Finally, Clark reminds couples that
they shouldn't feel bad about which
traditions they choose to honor and
which they choose to leave out.
"There's nothing set in stone. Come
up with some traditions of your own.
"Look to your heritage and incor-
porate something meaningful," she
says. "It's your day."
For help understanding the history
behind wedding customs, try A Bride's
Book of Wedding Traditions, by Arlene
Hamilton Stewart (Hearst Books), full
of suggestions for filling your wedding
with meaningful traditions and cus-
toms that span cultures and centuries.
And the Bride's Little Book of Customs
and Keepsakes, by the editors of Bride's
magazine (Clarkson Potter), provides
useful background and makes a nice
gift. 0
For Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings or Any Special
Occasion...We Have Years of Experience
to Make Your Event a Success.
Featuring Our In-Home Service
to Discuss All Of Your Party
Rental and Floral Needs.
&wet/ 3,0iti,th
Laurel Park Place • Livonia
(734) 464-3330
(800) 767-9037
Near the AMC Theatres
04
liii
.i . .,
AAP/1W
F
0
P ART Y
Quality In•House Printing
Native fulkiimeArt Staff
V Embroidery/ transfers ettert andNumbers..:.
✓
(248) 477-TEES
1- Shirts . Boxer Shorts Sweats Laps Muss Water Wiles Etc,...
3/20
TW§
C6: