Time to Face the Music…err Crowd

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The last wedding ceremony I attended was beautiful. The church was dimly lit by candles and the aisle pews were covered in flowers. I didn’t have an aisle seat but enjoyed the ambiance nonetheless. As the bride made her way down the aisle with her father, I caught a glimpse of her smile through her lace shroud.

Once she reached the altar, I began staring at buttons on the back of her gown and contemplated counting them during the ceremony. Then, the most unusual thing happened…the bride and the groom moved away from each other at equal speed and distance. They each walked past the minister and then turned around to face their guests. The minister put his back to the pews as he performed the ceremony.

I have to admit I was a little taken back when this happened but it instantly piqued my interest in the ceremony. Not only could I hear everything that was being said, I could actually see the bride and groom as they exchanged their wedding vows and I actually felt more connected to event.

Later, after the wedding, I decided to do some more research on this topic and I discovered this is a growing trend for wedding ceremonies. More and more brides and grooms are opting to face their guests in an effort to make the ceremony more personalized.

I can understand how the thought of doing this might be more nerve racking for some brides or grooms, but the truth is once you’re exchanging vows, you’re not focusing on anything but your partner...everything else just fades out of focus.

Speaking from experience, I enjoyed the wedding ceremony a lot more because I was able to see my friend’s expressions as they made their promises to each other; I hope this is a trend that catches on.

What do you think? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this trend!

Fireworks on a Budget

Last week I wrote about having a fireworks display at your wedding. Fireworks are definitely a spectacular way to celebrate your wedding; unfortunately, not many couples have it in their budget for a large fireworks display. Never fear! The Virtual Bridesmaid is to the rescue! (Ta da!... can I have a cape?)

If you want the experience of having fireworks at your wedding but need a more cost effective solution, here are a few options:

1) Have an Indoor Display
Another option to a larger outdoor fireworks display is an indoor display. Indoor fireworks displays typically involve hiring pyro-technician professionals. They can create displays out of a main centerpiece (like an ice sculpture) or smaller displays on table centerpieces.

2) Have a Set Piece Display
A set piece display is an exhibit that a fireworks company puts together for you. Typically, the “set pieces” are arragned into letters that spell out a message such as “Congratulations”, “Best of Luck”, “Love”, “Bruce & Kathy” or they can be shaped to look like an object such as a heart, doves, or a wedding cake.

3) Use Sparklers
You can use sparklers in a number of ways:

Bridal Party
· Your bridesmaids can carry them down the isle
· Your bridesmaids and groomsmen can hold them as you enter the reception site
· Your bridesmaids and groomsmen can hold them during a group dance

Guests
· Your guests can hold them and form a line as you leave the ceremony site
· Your guests can hold them as you enter the reception site
· Your guests can hold them as they form a circle around you for your first dance
· Your guests can hold them as you depart the reception site

Other Options
· Wedding favors
· Placed in the wedding cake
· Placed in wedding cupcakes
· Centerpiece display
· Large sparklers can be put in the ground to line the driveway/path when you leave the reception site

Sparklers are considered novelties and can be ordered online and shipped anywhere nationwide. If you plan on using sparklers, please make sure that they are legal in your county. I've located a few websites that offer more information on wedding sparklers:

https://www.sparklersonline.com/
http://www.sparklingceremony.com/
http://www.buysparklers.com/

I hope this topic has sparked some creative ideas for you! ;)

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Celebrate Your Wedding with a Bang!

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Since today is July 4th, it feels appropriate to discuss another growing trend in weddings – having a fireworks display. If you have the money in your budget, fireworks displays are a fun and dramatic way to celebrate your wedding day.

Following a few things you should know about this growing trend:

The Timing
You can have a fireworks display shortly after your wedding ceremony, just after you arrive to the reception location, as an intermission to dinner, or to conclude the evening.

The Location
The best place for a fireworks display is an open space such as a field, over a body of water, or over a golf course. No matter where you chose to have the display, the display should not be over a heavily populated area.

The Cost
It’s not cheap. You can expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the type of pyrotechnics used, duration of the display, licensing or facility fees, and clean up costs. Make sure you spend the money to hire professional pyro-technicians for the job - this isn't an area you want to trim costs.

The Laws
Fireworks laws vary from state to state (and even from town to town in some jurisdictions). A great resource is the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) http://www.americanpyro.com -their website has a comprehensive directory of all U.S. states and their laws.

Next, check with the town or city hall where you plan on having the display for detailed information on local laws.

Get Permission
Even after knowing the laws, don’t assume that it’s okay for you to have the display – make sure that you have written permission from local authorities and property owners.

The Clean Up
You will probably be required to clean up the debris after your fireworks display. A simple and easy solution to clean up is to ensure it is included in the cost of the display.

Where to Find Vendors
Naturally, the first place I’d look is http://www.Viddia.com. If you can’t any local fireworks vendors on viddia.com, contact me and I’ll be happy to do some research for you and add them to the Viddia community.

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day! I'll be back on Monday with more tips and trends!

Interactive Wedding Decisions

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In the past three years alone, internet usage has increased from 4.4 million in 2005(1) to over 1.4 billion users in 2008(2). With so many people on the internet, personal wedding websites are almost a "must have" for many brides – they’re a great way to set the mood for the wedding, include more people in the planning stages, and to communicate important news and updates to friends and family.

Recently, a new trend is emerging for wedding websites: including guests in wedding decisions.

Whether it’s something as simple asking guests to help find the perfect song for their first dance or as involved as leaving all wedding decision to the guests, more and more brides are opting to making their weddings interactive.

Personally, I can’t really imagine any bride who would let Uncle Vern pick out her wedding colors or bridal gown. If such a laid back bride exists, I say more power to her! It would certainly be a fun experiment to witness. In reality, I think most brides have an overall vision of what they want for their wedding but are bogged down with some of the details and may need a little feedback.

Whether it’s to brainstorm new ideas or help make a final decision, a few of the following would be fun topics to gain feedback on:

· First dance song
· Dance music
· Appetizer choices
· Entrée choices
· Cake flavor
· Bar options
· Wedding transportation
· Wedding favor options

And for the more adventurous (or indecisive), here are some ideas:
· Honeymoon location
· Ceremony music
· Wedding colors
· Flowers
· Gown style
· Ceremony location
· Reception location
· Wedding invitations

Keep in mind, just because you ask for someone’s opinion doesn’t mean you have to follow their advice; but, by making even a few of your wedding decisions interactive, you are allowing your guest to feel more involved in your day and isn't that worth a few crying clown centerpieces?


Okay...maybe not, but you get the idea. Let me know if you decide to make some of your decisions interactive and how it turns out. I suspect your guests will love it and you'll get a few great ideas in the process.



1. Bill St. Arnaud, “Global Internet Population Estimated at 300 Million,” 21 July 2000,
<http://mail.canarie.ca/MLISTS/news2000/0056.html> (03 July 2008).

2. Miniwatts Marketing Group, “World Internet Users March 2008,” 1 July 2008,
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm> (03 July 2008).

Virtual Bridesmaid Checking In

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Bridesmaids are a vital part of the wedding party – we help the bride plan and prepare; we comfort and console her; we are her ladies in waiting and party pals; and at the wedding we’re hostesses and disco queens.

I did a quick search on bridesmaid’s duties and here’s a partial list of what I found:

· Wedding site scout
· Confidant
· Shop for favors, invitations, flowers, decorations
· If the groom-to-be is unavailable, go with the bride to register for wedding gifts
· Assist in finding the bridesmaid gown and accessories
· Help address and assemble wedding invitations
· Help with seating arrangements
· Cheerleader
· Pay for your own bridesmaid’s dress. (Yes, even if you hate it.)
· Help plan and coordinate bridal showers and bachelorette party
· Plan and coordinate bridesmaid luncheons with the bride
· Plan and attend group dress shopping trips and fittings
· Help wrap and tag guest favors
· Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
· Help decorate ceremony and reception locations, if necessary
· Help communicate information to bridal shower and guests wedding
· Assist the bride in getting into her dress and makeup
· Stand in the receiving (optional)
· Help decorate getaway car, if necessary
· Dance with all groomsmen
· Dance with guests
· Help load gifts into car

Keep in mind, that isn’t an exhaustive list – that’s just a sampling of some of the duties!

The purpose of this blog is to find and research wedding trends and, upon request, do some research for brides in need!

Having been a bridesmaid, a bride, a party planner, and a lover of weddings, I have had my fair share of experience with the role of a bridesmaid and I’m excited to offer my experience and services as your virtual bridesmaid.

Who Needs a Movie?

Fred and Sharon do movies. Fred and Sharon will do a movie for you. They can put it on a DVD or even send it over the internet.



(Edit: Apparently some of you didn't get the joke. There's a vast discrepency between the quality of work amongst people claiming to be videographers. Make sure you hire a professional videographer and request to see samples of their work or else your wedding video may end up looking like this one).

Viddia Sponsors Artistic Achievement Awards

Viddia was proud to be a category sponsor the 2008 Artistic Achievement Awards which were presented at the 4Ever Group's "Video 08" summit in Orlando, Fl.

Congratulations to the Diamond Award winner in the Wedding Post-Ceremony: Still Motion

View all of the winning entries.

Thriller! Wedding Dance

We see a lot of wacky stuff in wedding videos over here at Viddia.com, but after watching this one we were compelled to share.

It looks like Amy & Robert got their whole wedding party to learn the choreography to Michael Jackson's Thriller dance and the results are hilarious. Great job, guys! We kind of wonder how long it took for everyone to get the dance down, but one thing is for sure--this was a wedding none of the guests will ever forget!

Thanks to CMV Productions for doing a superb job of capturing the moment and submitting the video to us.

Wedding Video Catches Wedding Crasher

We keep telling you how important a wedding video can be in capturing your special day. Now we have proof!

An Idaho wedding crasher is charged with helping herself to more than just a piece of cake. A home video of Sciara and Charles Dougherty was taken at their wedding in Rigby, Idaho. While the unsuspecting bride and groom enjoyed their first dance, an uninvited guest was captured in the background trying to blend in.

Kim Cooper reportedly introduced herself to friends and family and even helped decorate the bridal car. It wasn't until the newlyweds discovered dozens of gift cards and envelopes with cash missing that they considered the uninvited guest a suspect. "We said, 'What if she took them?' Then we thought, "No, nobody would do something like that, that was our day, that's all about us," said Sciara Dougherty. Cooper was caught cashing in the gift cards at various stores. She's charged with burglary.

Link to original story

A Wedding Video Worth Going to Jail For?

O.J. Simpson has made headlines again as he was recently arrested over the weekend and held without Bond for allegedly attempting to steal back memorabilia which "includes the wedding video from Simpson’s first marriage".

See! We told you wedding videos were important!