Smooching in front of everyone you know at the altar is considerably less comfortable than making our on the couch. Here’s how to avoid classic wedding PDA pitfalls.


Smile at each other, many forget because they are still nervous.

Tenderly hold one another closer than a junior-high slow dance when you were in junior high, but farther apart than a junior-high slow dance today.

Gaze into each other’s eyes; do not look at the guests, even from the corner of your eyes.

Close your eyes lean in and make contact. Strive for the proper tongue balance in the kiss. Let people know tongue is involved without people knowing you wanted them to know tongue is involved.

Find the right duration on the kiss. Your two enemies are the
impersonal peck and the long slobber (there may be kids in the crowd). Studies show that four seconds is optimal.

Slowly pull apart, smile and keep your eyes fixed on each other for a moment. Then turn towards the audience. Let the applause dissipate. Now look

Exchanging marriage vows you’ve personally composed is a nice way to make your ceremony even more meaningful. But unless you come up with the heartfelt messages in Hallmark cards for a living, you’ll benefit from following these two tips:

Don’t worry about a little plagiarism. Rely on poems, song lyrics, movie quotes and lines from literature.

Do have a close friend look over both sets of vows to ensure their length and tone is similar. (Nothing worse than hearing one person pours his or her heart out and the other recaps)

Question
We’re not Jewish, but we love the significance and look of a huppah. Can we still use one at the ceremony?

Answer
Just call it a canopy instead of a huppah, and of course you can have one. Wedding canopies are especially popular for outdoor ceremonies, where they can help define the altar area. According to Jewish wedding custom, four attendants hold or stand by the poles, and a prayer shawl is draped over the top. Obviously, you’d omit these specific elements, but feel free to get creative with other details and embellishments.

Question
My mom is happy I’m getting married, but sad because she says we won’t be as close as we are now. Will marriage actually change our relationship that much?

Answer
Maybe, growing up creates a fundamental shift in the parent-child relationship. A parent goes from being the numero uno cheerleader and nurturer involved in your day-to-day life. For some parents this can be a difficult transition. Tell your mom how much you love her and that you want to make sure she continues to be an important part of your life. Set up lunch dates, or if she’s far away, phone dates. You’ll both look forward to get-togethers and may find your conversations becoming even deeper as you address the ups and downs of the married life.

Question
How do I refer to the groom’s stepfather on the invitation? He’s not a host, but his wife my future mother-in-law is pushing for it.


Answer
Tradition holds that the brides parents are the hosts, regardless of who pays for the wedding and only their names are listed on the invite along with yours of course. But nowadays more and more couples are including the groom’s family on the invitations, too. In that case yours would read “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Jane Smith to James Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Martin. If you want to acknowledge the groom’s father, add “and Mr. Dean Jones” on a separate line under his mom’s line. You may want to order an oversize card to fit it all in.

Question
We're on a tight budget. Do we need to invite my sister’s boyfriend to the wedding rehearsal dinner? They’ve been together only three months.

Answer
The significant other of every person attending the rehearsal either the spouse, fiancé, or anyone in a serious relationship should be invited to the dinner. There’s no hard and fast rule regarding length of the relationship. But if your sister considers herself part of a couple, her man should get the green light and be invited.

How to get a professional look at home

Apply Volatizing Mousse to towel dried hair, then flip hair forward and blow-dry with a flat, wide brush.

Curl hair in sections with a 1” curling iron, then brush through to loosen. Spritz with a light-hold spray.

Section Hair from Crown to just above temples in a v-gather into a ponytail, then secure with elastic, making sure to pull the hair only halfway through to create a loop.

Take sections of hair from over both ears and gather into a second ponytail below the crown, finishing as in step #3

Gather remaining hair at nape of neck and repeat as above

Pin all loops to base of neck, spay into place

Question: How much time do we have to send our thank you notes for our wedding gifts ? My fiancé thinks its six months, but I believe its sooner than that. Who’s right?

Answer: You are correct, wedding gifts thank-yous should be sent within three months of the wedding date, so be sure to acknowledge immediately any presents you receive before then. That way, you won’t be overwhelmed after the wedding. And if you both share the writing duties, you’ll get them out in no time.

Question: My sister is turning in to a bridesmaidzilla . She’s insisting I invite fiver of her friends even though I don’t know them, and that I pay for her hair and makeup. My budget is limited, but should I try to appease her to keep the peace?

Answer: No!! There is obviously something more going on here, and I have a slight feeling that nothing you will do will make her happy. You are not obligated to invite five people you don’t know to your wedding, nor should you pay for her hair and makeup if you can’t afford it. She needs to be reminded that this is your wedding, not hers. She may resent all of the attention you’re getting or even that you’re getting married and she’s not.

My best advice would be to ask her to join you for lunch, dinner or a day of shopping. Don’t talk about your wedding plans initially. Ask whets going on with her life and what she’s been up to. Keep the conversation just all about her, don’t let her know that you’re hurt by her behavior hoping she would be happy for you and she would be your biggest supporter. Remind her that her day will come, too, and when it does you’ll be right there for her. She should respect that you are on a budget. Ask her if there is something troubling her and what you can do to help. Hopefully if you reach our to her in a kind, loving way she will respond accordingly.

Putting an original spin on party drinks is one of the best ways to set your wedding reception apart. A drink that’s new to guests becomes a conversation piece and something memorable.

Dress up your drinks. When it comes to cocktails, small touches can make a huge impact.

You can serve colored liquor that matches your wedding décor. Give your guests a pretty place to rest their drinks with decorative coasters. Serve with style, mix things up at the cocktail hour by offering drink from a punch bowl or a pitcher.



Top Cocktails Tips

Offer a variety
Buy strategically
Bolster with bubbly
Personalize the potables
Prep ahead