Second weddings don’t have to be one thing or another. This is a difficult concept for some people to grasp because they’ve been raised to believe that second weddings are shameful. When you believe that two people marrying after one or both of them has been divorced is wrong, then of course you’ll find fault with the bride who wears white to her second wedding or the groom who creates a wedding registry for his second wedding. The fact is, though, that the etiquette rules for a second wedding in the present day are pretty much exactly the same rules as for a first wedding!

That said, some brides and grooms who are marrying for the second or third or whatever time because of divorce or due to the death of a spouse want to keep things low key. Maybe they had their big fairy tale wedding already and don’t feel the need to have a big, showy fete. Perhaps they’re simply low key folks and aren’t comfortable being the center of attention. The thing to remember is that these people do not constitute a benchmark when it comes to second weddings. If you are marrying again, for whatever reason, don’t assume that your second wedding has to live up to someone else’s standards.

Making a second wedding meaningful in its own right is a matter of making it a personal as possible. It is common for brides and grooms with children to include them somehow in their second weddings. This can be done by inviting them to be in the wedding party or asking them to take on some responsibility in the wedding ceremony, like a reading or usher duties. Smaller children can be flower girls or help cut the cake. Including children in a second wedding is a nice way to help solidify the new familial relationship that is being created via the marriage — in cases where a child doesn’t feel close to their parent’s spouse-to-be, participating in the wedding can help them grow closer.

While “dos” abound when it comes to planning a second wedding, there are only a few “don’ts” that apply specifically to planning a second wedding. Don’t try to outdo your first wedding simply to overshadow the memory of that affair or make an ex-spouse jealous. Have the second wedding that’s right for you at this particular time in your life. If you can afford a truly grand affair and really do want one, then by all means go a little crazy! But if you’re not quite as well off as you once were, don’t go into debt just to make a point.

The other main “don’t” is don’t invite ex-spouses to a second wedding unless everyone (and we mean everyone) is on really good terms with one another. That means not only you and your intended, but also your parents and friends. If you adore your ex but your parents absolutely hate him, not inviting your ex may be the diplomatic thing to do. As terrible as it may seem to exclude your ex when they were and may still be an important part of your life, if there is the potential for real discord celebrate with them later.

(Photo by Beyond Forgetting)

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Wedding Reception Entertainment

iShare Spots is the perfect wedding reception entertainment solution for your wedding. iShare Spots allows you to share special memories with your wedding guests. Standing almost 7 feet tall, it’s a dazzling alternative to the old “projector and screen multi-media presentation.” Visit their website to see it in action.

Crazy for Weddings

Convenient online shopping for wedding favors, wedding cake toppers, and all types of bridal accessories is just a click away at Crazy for Weddings (.com). You will find some really special and fun things for the bride and groom at Crazy for Weddings. Take a look at our "Just Married" signs that will help you decorate a car, or find the perfect wedding gift to personalize and give to a bride and groom on their special day.

Wedding Contract Advice from The Wedding Professor

Known across the matrimonial world as The Wedding Professor, Richard Cadieux has been a certified wedding consultant since 2002 and has lent his expertise at more than 500 weddings. Most brides-to-be have little to no experience negotiating contracts, which means much of what is promised to them by wedding vendors never gets put into writing. Consequently, those brides-to-be risk not only being taken advantage of, but also being left without any legal recourse. But The Wedding Professor’s new eBook changes all that and puts the power of negotiation into the hands of brides and grooms, who are the customer and who, in most cases, are making quite significant investments. If you’re a bride or groom looking for wedding contract advice, and think it’s a smart idea to protect yourself and your money, visit his blog today.

Second weddings… the TeamWED gals decided to have a little brainstorming session about second weddings, also known as encore weddings, and these are some of the words that popped into our heads:

• Bridal suit
• Small wedding
• No gifts please
• Eloping
• Family wedding
• Older brides
• Simple ceremony
• Casual reception

And so on and so forth. Basically the second wedding we envisioned in our heads was small, casual, bland, and frankly, dull as dirt. Brides and grooms who want their second weddings to be understated affairs are one thing, but brides and grooms who feel pressured into having a tiny wedding because they’ve been married before are quite another. Society definitely pressured encore brides and encore grooms to keep things low key when they say their “I dos,” lest they be accused of flaunting their inability to succeed at marriage the first time around.

To that, we say “Excuse me?!” Putting aside the fact that some encore brides and encore grooms are widows or widowers, this isn’t the 1950s anymore. A huge number of people now believe that it’s healthier to leave a bad marriage than to stay trapped in it to avoid nasty comments from judgmental people. So assuming for a moment that there’s nothing wrong with marrying a second (or third or whatever) time, why does one’s encore wedding have to be a staid and quiet occasion?

Answer: It doesn’t. There’s absolutely no reason in the world that a second-time bride has to wear an understated bridal suit instead of a big beautiful wedding gown. She can even, contrary to the old advice, wear white if she really wants to. The notion that wearing white was reserved for virgins went out the window a long, looooong time ago. And second-time brides and second-time grooms can plan a big blowout wedding if they really want to since they can frequently afford it, what with being older and more established in their careers.

We say that anything goes, within the realms of good taste of course. You may get a few disapproving comments from select friends or relatives, especially those in the older crowd who grew up with different ideas about how divorced women and men behave, but don’t let the opinions of what is certainly a minority keep you from having the wedding you really want. This goes double or triple for those second-time brides and second-time grooms who are marrying people who have never before been married. It wouldn’t be at all nice to deny them the traditional nuptial experience just because their first ever wedding happens to be your encore wedding. Be as fabulous as you want to be!

But do keep one thing in mind when planning an encore wedding! Try to be just a tad conscientious when drawing up your guest list. While you may be good friends with your ex or tremendously tight with your former in-laws, your intended (or their family) may not relish the idea of having to shake hands with people from your “past life” in the receiving line. Plus, as close as you are with your ex, they can feel a tad uncomfortable — let’s call it wistful — watching you pledge your undying fidelity to the new love of your life.

Good luck, and congrats to all the second-time brides!

Wedding Jewelry

Visit USABRIDE.COM for an incredible selection of wedding jewelry, wedding accessories, bridal headbands, wedding veils, and now bridesmaids dresses at the best prices you’ll find on the Internet.

Best Price on Sandals All-inclusive Honeymoons

Get the guaranteed best prices on Sandals all-inclusive or best price on Beaches all-inclusive luxury honeymoons from Paradise Getaways! No one can beat their prices – not even the big Internet travel sites! Sandals is offering some of the best prices on honeymoon and destination wedding packages right now. Call Tami Santini, destination wedding planning expert, today at (877) 686-0397 or visit Getaways in Paradise online.

Wedding Reception Entertainment

iShare Spots is the perfect wedding reception entertainment solution for your wedding. iShare Spots allows you to share special memories with your wedding guests. Standing almost 7 feet tall, it’s a dazzling alternative to the old “projector and screen multi-media presentation.” Visit their website to see it in action.

Crazy for Weddings

Convenient online shopping for wedding favors, wedding cake toppers, and all types of bridal accessories is just a click away at Crazy for Weddings (.com). You will find some really special and fun things for the bride and groom at Crazy for Weddings. Take a look at our "Just Married" signs that will help you decorate a car, or find the perfect wedding gift to personalize and give to a bride and groom on their special day.

Wedding Contract Advice from The Wedding Professor

Known across the matrimonial world as The Wedding Professor, Richard Cadieux has been a certified wedding consultant since 2002 and has lent his expertise at more than 500 weddings. Most brides-to-be have little to no experience negotiating contracts, which means much of what is promised to them by wedding vendors never gets put into writing. Consequently, those brides-to-be risk not only being taken advantage of, but also being left without any legal recourse. But The Wedding Professor’s new eBook changes all that and puts the power of negotiation into the hands of brides and grooms, who are the customer and who, in most cases, are making quite significant investments. If you’re a bride or groom looking for wedding contract advice, and think it’s a smart idea to protect yourself and your money, visit his blog today.