When brides and grooms start looking for wedding venues, too often their eyes are bigger than their wallets and they fall in love with the beautiful atmosphere of the place and sign a contract before they've considered more sensible issues.  Before you plan the entire
event around this beautiful atmosphere some decisions must be made first.  The basic questions of the date and time are important as some times of the year are more expensive than others.  Besides that the more important questions include the number of guests to accommodate as well as other services and products needed to accommodate the event such as caterers and D.J.  Once you know these things, and you have a few wedding venues in mind that fit that budget and size, then it's time to start asking questions!  The questions listed below are essential to couples when selecting this venue as the venue of the wedding no matter if both ceremony and reception in one place or multiple venues can consume almost 35% to 40% of wedding budget.  

1.  What is the rental fee?  What exactly does it include?
2.  What is maximum capacity?  For a seated dinner?  Buffet? 
      Hors d’oeuvre?
3.   Do I have to share with another wedding?  
4.   How many hours does rental cover?  Overtime charge?  
5.    Are there any site restrictions?  Any price discounts for certain   
       time periods or days of the week?
6.    Do you have a piano?  Other musical instruments on the 
       premises?  Is there an additional charge?
7.    Any regulations concerning décor, flowers or photography?
8.    Do you have air conditioning and or adequate heating?
9.    Do you have in-house catering? Preferred list?  Can I bring 
      a caterer of my choosing?  Alcohol restrictions?
10.  Liability Insurance
11.  Enclosed adequate kitchen facilities?  Charge for use?
12.  Can site be used for ceremony?
13.  Is there a dance floor?  Is dancing allowed?  Where?
14.  Any additional charges for required services?  Security guards, 
      parking attendants, doorman, valet parking?
15.  What is the deposit and refund procedure?
16.  Adequate parking for guests?  Will they be charged to park?  
      How much?
17.  Are there rooms available where we can change into wedding   
       attire?  Going away clothes?
18.  Do you have a microphone?
19.  Can we review staging, lighting and other video needs?
20.  Is there a place for guest to wait our arrival from ceremony? 
       Can hors d’oeuvres and or drinks be served there?
21.  Where is the best place to set up receiving line?
22.  What is the name of the banquet manager?  Will he or she 
       be there on that day?  If not who will be in charge?
23.  Is security deposit required?  How much? When can expect a  
       refund?
24.  Do you provide tables? What kind? Chairs?
25.  Do you have a floorplan available for sketching layout?  Where
       the gift table, bride's table and cake table will go?
26.  Are table skirts and or covers available? Colors?
27.  What colors are the facility?

Ever wonder why wedding dresses traditionally are white?  Why is rice thrown upon the exit of the lovely couple into their new life together? What is the importance of something old, new, borrowed and blue?  While our newly engaged brides are thumbing through volumes of Bride Magazine and clicking through Efavormart.com creating their unique style we roamed Wikipedia, History.com and all things in wedding history  to give our Elite brides something to think about on the way down nuptial lane.  For example, a favorite tradition of television newlyweds is for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold of their new home. The reason? It's bad luck for a bride to trip upon entering the couple's home for the first time. Her husband carries her so no chance of it exists.

Old, New, Borrowed &
 Blue
A popular wedding rhyme that has been used since the Victorian
times.  Something old represents the bond to the bride’s family and her old life.  Something new represents the couple’s new life together and their hope for a happy life& success.  Something borrowed from a happily married woman it is thought to bring similar happiness to the bride.  Something blue represents fidelity and constancy 

White Bridal
Dresses
Wearing white also dates back to the Victorian Era when Queen Victoria decided to forgo the royal tradition to wear a silver gown, choosing to wear white instead.  Prior to that, brides wore their best dress rather than a special wedding gown.  White also symbolizes purity and virginity and was once thought to ward off evil spirits

Throwing Rice

The ancient tradition of showering the couple with rice is slowly going by the wayside.  Rice is considered a life giving seed and is thought that by throwing it on the couple they will be blessed with fertility and a house full of children.  Many churches and reception halls no longer allow rice so alternatives are blowing bubbles and sparklers are growing in popularity


 

Sharing the first piece of
wedding cake

Sharing the first piece is a tradition that began with the Romans.  They believed that eating the wedding cake together created a special bond between the couple.  But the ingredients are important as well.  The wheat used to bake the cake was symbolic of fertility and it was believed that the cake’s sweetness would bring sweetness to all areas of the couple’s new life.  As for the
tradition of the bride and groom smashing the cake in other’s face……it is anyone’s guess where that one began!!


 

You May Kiss the
Bride

The kiss that concludes the wedding ceremony is more than just a tender moment, it’s said to represent the couple joining their souls.  In Roman times, the kiss sealed the couple’s agreement to join in a lifelong commitment.

Boutonnieres

The traditional groom’s boutonniere originated in medieval times when a
knight wore his lady’s colors through flowers as a statement of his
love.

Bouquets

Flowers and bouquets have been used for ages in weddings. 
Adorning the bride with flowers is said to bring good luck and good
health, and the various meanings of different flowers allow the bride to express
her feelings for the groom.  Orange blossoms, pictured above, signify purity, daisies represent loyalty, and violets convey modesty
and red roses signify love

Ring Finger

Of all the fingers on a hand, how is it that the wedding rings end up on the third finger of the left hand?  This tradition has two origins.  Ancient Egypt or 17th
century Europe.   The Egyptians believed the vein of love ran directly from the ring finger to the
heart, therefore the ring was placed to signify eternal love. 
In 17th century Europe, grooms would slide the ring part way up the bride’s thumb, index finger and idle finger as the priest