TIPS & ADVICE
MOH—Male of Honor?
What happens if your best friend is a guy and you want him to be your maid of honor? A question inspired by the movie Made of Honor starring Patrick Dempsey, if you want the "other man" in your life to hold the honorary position of MOH here are a few tips:
- Opt for a boutonnière to replace the bouquet. The boutonnière can match the color of fellow bridesmaids’ dresses as well as his tie and vest or cummerbund.
- For the ceremony, you could have your male maid of honor escort another bridesmaid or walk solo down the aisle. Or he could begin the ceremony at the front with the groom if he feels more comfortable doing so.
Advantage to having a male MOH? More pockets—for the rings, tissues, tube of lip gloss, etc.
To Tip or Not to Tip—That is the Question
Okay, so you’ve already maxed out your credit card to pay your vendors, but it’s still polite to show your appreciation for the services they have provided.
Although tipping is optional, it’s still a good idea when it, comes to those who helped make your wedding day a special affair. Be sure to check with your vendors to confirm that tipping is allowed—often times, gratuity is included in the bill.
This task should be the responsibility of your wedding coordinator—if you hired one—or the best man—if you did not. Tips should be in cash, placed in sealed envelopes ready to hand out.
Suggested vendors to tip and the proper percentage can vary, but here is our short list:
- Limousine Driver: 10–15% of total limousine bill
- Wait Staff: 15% of the total catering bill
- Bartenders: 10% of the total liquor bill
- DJ: If the DJ is an employee of the company then $50–100; if the DJ is the owner then tipping is optional.
Seating Divorced Parents
If you are a child of divorced parents (and half of us are) and are worried about seating arrangements for your head table, try these approaches:
Option 1: Eliminate the head table and instead have a table for two set up in the middle of the reception area. This popular alternative allows you and your new hubby to be surrounded by family and friends and won’t have to feel guilty about neglecting those at the head table while visiting with other guests. Plus, you can seat your parents separately amongst their family and friends eliminating the awkwardness that might come from seating them together at a head table.
Option 2: If you’re not willing to give up the idea of a head table, then allow your parents a place of honor by assigning them their own tables and guests. While you can enjoy your wedding party at the head table your parents can enjoy their family and friends at separate tables.
Make sure seating arrangements are planned well in advance to avoid confusion.
Themed Wedding
While the notion of a themed wedding my seem exciting and fun, not everyone will be thrilled with the idea of dressing up as a Lord of the Rings character and you can’t require your guests to attend in costume. So, you’ll want to make sure to indicate on your invitations that themed attire is optional. (You’ll also want to inform them if you’ll be serving themed foods as well.)
Since you can play up or down the kinds of costumes your attendants will don, you need to make it a group decision so that everyone feels comfortable. Allow them to have input into what they will be wearing; it’s important for them to enjoy their costume. Remember the point of a themed wedding is to have a little fun while showcasing your unique sense of humor and style.