An all-inclusive at a hotel The flower girl: When the family of the or groom, or a miniature bride! perhaps both, have to travel a long way for Even though the bride’s gown must always have a strong influence on the flower girl’s the occasion, a wedding in the charming outfit, designers make a real effort to allow these little girls plenty of freedom in their surroundings of a hotel is an ideal solu- movements while giving them all the pleasure of being a princess for the day. tion. It presents a wonderful opportunity to provide accommodation for the guests, It is true, of course, that children’s fashions are often modelled after those of adults. to prolong the pleasure or just to simplify The younger members of the bridal procession are no exception to this rule. Many the organization before, during and after details, such as the cut and the fabrics, are borrowed from the bride’s apparel. This the event. said, however, many elements of the flower girl’s are often drawn from fantasy, making it very “little girlish”. A wedding at a hotel can help avoid a lot of worries. The bride and groom only have This is why two styles of dress compete for the flower girl’s favour: the dress with a to meet with one person who will coordi- low waistline highlighted by a wide silk sash and the frothy dress with straps and nate everything from the room, to the flowery patterns. To allow children younger than seven to be comfortable and more caterer, the decorations, the lodging and likely to keep their on for longer than an hour or so, crinolines and stiff sometimes even the entertainment. Even fabrics have been discarded. Dresses made the organization of the wedding ceremony from satin elastiss or white cotton covered and the photographs is simplified: many with organza are very popular, while polyester hotel establishments have perfect loca- fabrics are gaining ground. These fabrics are tions at their disposal, such as flower gar- resistant, don’t crease and dry quickly... dens, terraces, a stretch of water, a golf perfect for a frolic after the ceremony! course or an adjoining, intimate room. For the meal there are catering professionals The bride-to-be would probably benefit from a who can also provide all the necessary visit to a dress studio where a dress can be cus- equipment: easels, screens, internet hook- Reputable hotels offer all-inclusive solutions tom made for the little girl in the same fabric up... always useful for the recounting of for the most beautiful day of your life. as the bridal gown. Indeed, the appearance of anecdotes and souvenir videos. the bridal procession will be beautifully days. A friendly golf tournament could be enhanced if the flower girl’s outfit resembles This choice will also be appreciated by organized the day before, followed by a that of the bride, with the exception of the lace. your guests as the logistics are so much festive barbecue. On the big day, no one easier... no driving from place to place and would be late for the ceremony and the everyone spoilt rotten! At the request of wedding night will be perfect in the hon- What every bride would want… a visit to a dress the bride and groom, at least those of you eymoon suite. The following day, every- studio where the flower girl’s dress can be who want a really lavish reception, it’s one could gather for a final get-together custom made in perfect harmony with the tastes and colours of the bride. (Photo Zora l’Huppée) possible to organize an event lasting three around the breakfast table.

Children at : It’s all in the details! Deciding on the seating arrangements is one of the most complex steps in the planning of a survival guide a . It requires patience, intuition and diplomacy. Who sits where? This depends on etiquette and several other considerations. For all those and grooms who are rate party for the younger generations, already parents, the idea of inviting very with a different menu and special enter- First of all, the positioning of the tables in the room must be thought of. For example, tables young children to their wedding can be tainment and activities. This option how- in a U-shape are ideal for a buffet as guests are at liberty to move around their table as they something of a headache, even more so ever calls for a good deal of planning, a wish. However, for a sit-down affair, the guests are obliged to stay seated for long periods when all the children get together on the generous budget and a certain amount of of time. In this case they should always be able to see the bride and groom. For this reason big day. With all the excitement, the situ- preparation. But if this scenario appeals a single rectangular table is becoming very popular, especially for intimate weddings of less ation can quickly get out of control, but to you, why not ask someone you have than 50 people. Another variation which can be interesting is an oval table large enough to don’t panic because there are solutions! confidence in to become an animator for seat all the guests together. the occasion? If you decide to go this This situation can be tackled in two dif- route it would be preferable to reserve an As far as the head table is concerned, etiquette still dictates the configuration of the table ferent ways. On the one hand you could area dedicated to all the children and to plan. In keeping with tradition, this table is often still placed lengthwise at the front of choose the option of organizing a sepa- hire a magician. This surprise is a guar- the room. Some kind of backdrop is placed behind the table to frame the bridal couple, anteed success with children. the focal point of the evening. And who will sit at the head table? The bride and groom and their relatives: You could also organize things in a com- even with recon- pletely different way and integrate the chil- stituted families, dren into the celebrations. Children need this tradition still to feel they are useful, to feel they are part remains the norm. of the grown-up world. To do this, they However, take care could give a helping hand when it’s time to to separate remar- serve the cocktails or the wine. Once the ried parents with dancing has started, they could be given brothers or sisters the task of going around the tables asking in order to ensure the guests to write down their favourite a smooth flow to songs on a piece of paper which the chil- the evening. dren would then give to the DJ. In other words, it doesn’t need much imagination for them to be very helpful.

The organization Children need to feel they are useful, of the room and to feel they are part of the grown-up world. the tables requires a lot of thought. NOTICE: When a photo credit is given in this supplement, the credited photo cannot be used for any purpose other than what it is intended for; e.g. the photo cannot be used in an ad for your client. TOOLBOX, January-February 2010, Page 47