How to Decorate Cars After a Wedding

It's a tradition for the newly married couple to leave the reception early and have a grand exit. If they'll be driving their own car, one fun thing to do is secretly decorate their car so that when they go to leave it is covered with loving messages that identify them as a newlywed couple. It will put a smile on your newly married friend or family member's face.

Instructions

1 Write on the windshield and windows with a bottle of white shoe polish, preferably one with a nice tip like a marker. Write messages such as "Just married," "Newlyweds," "Ball and Chain" or the date of the wedding.
2 Clean out some empty cans like those that hold canned vegetables. Drill one hold near the top in each can. Cut one 2-foot long piece of ribbon for each can. Thread a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie a triple knot. Repeat for all the cans. Four or five cans is best. Tie the other end of the each ribbon onto the rear bumper of the car. If you can't tie it onto the bumper then tie all the ends of the ribbons together in a single large double knot. Take a piece of mounting tape and peel off one side of the protective covering. Stick it onto the bumper and press down to secure. Peel off the other side and stick the ribbon clump knot to the adhesive. Hold down for several seconds to ensure it sticks. A good mounting adhesive will be able to hold the weight of the cans and withstand the motion of them bouncing on the street.
3 Cut 20 2-foot long pieces of white streamers. Take five and hold them all together in a bunch. Take one end and tie it in a knot around a car handle. Repeat with all of the handles.
4 Hang a wedding flag from the antenna. It may clip on or it might slide over the antenna through a small vertical hole in the fabric.
5 Inside the car sprinkle flower petals and spray a romantic body spray.

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How to Attach the Wedding Ribbon on the Car

Car decorations are a traditional way to mark the car of a newlywed couple. Members of the wedding party or other close friends usually decorate the wedding car with ribbons, empty tin cans and writing to announce the wedding for all to see. Attaching ribbon to the car takes just a few minutes. Once the ribbon is in place, it will remain intact until it is removed.

Instructions

1 Unravel the ribbon if it is spun on a spool. Straighten the ribbon so it lays flat. You may need to set books on the ribbon overnight to flatten it.
2 Open the driver and passenger side doors. Pass the ribbon through either side and out toward the front of the car. Close both doors.
3 Pull the ribbon across the front hood. Thread both ends of the ribbon through the front hood ornament or car mascot, if applicable. If your car does not have a hood ornament, just pull the ribbon across the front hood to the front bumper.
4 Tie a bow in the same way that you would tie a pair of shoe laces. Keep the ribbon snug as you pull both sides into a bow. Make sure the ribbon does not cover the front license plate. It will rest on the front bumper.
5 Secure the ribbon running across the hood of the car and the bow resting on the bumper using adhesive pads from a car wedding ribbon kit. These adhesive pads are specially designed to temporarily bond to the hood of your car without causing damage.
6 Reach under the ribbon and set each pad in place. Sweep your hand over the ribbon and gently press down to fasten the ribbon to the pad. Continue along the hood and down the front bumper; add enough pads to secure the bow.

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How to Correctly Address Wedding Invitation Envelopes

The etiquette of addressing formal invitation envelopes can leave you scratching your head. When you're inviting a single mom or a family where not everyone has the same last name, the formal address gets tricky. Don't fret about making an etiquette faux pas. Just educate yourself on the proper titles, and your wedding invitations will make the invitee smile.

Instructions

1 Address an invitation to a a female guest that is single and not married, with Ms. in front of her first and last name. For example, "Ms. Sally Brown."
2 Use Mrs. in front of the guest's first and last name if it is a female guest who is divorced but still uses her married name. For example, "Mrs. Sally Rose." You can also use Ms. in this instance. Use whichever courtesy title you think the recipient would prefer.
3 Address an envelope to a female guest that is divorced and now uses her maiden name, with the same address you would use for a single female, for example, "Ms. Sally Brown."
4 Use Mr. in front of an unmarried male guest's first and last name. For example, "Mr. Bobby Rose."
5 Address the envelope of the invitation to a married couple using the same last name with "Mr. and Mrs." in front of the first and last name of the husband. For example, "Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Rose."
6 For a married couple where the wife kept her maiden name, you would address it as "Mrs. Sally Brown & Mr. Bobby Rose."
7 Send an invitation to an an unmarried couple that does not live with each other only to the more intimate friend. Address her as a single female, "Ms. Sally Brown."
8 Inviting an unmarried couple that lives with each other, means you address the invitation to both as single people, but you would do so alphabetically by last name. So, in the case of Sally and Bobby, it would be "Ms. Sally Brown & Mr. Bobby Rose."
9 If you have a same gender couple, address them alphabetically by their last names. For example, "Ms. Sally Brown & Ms. Susan Smith."
10 Do not include children under 18 on the outside envelope. Children over the age of 18 should be sent their own wedding invitation, even if you are already sending one to their parents and they live at home with them.

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How to Create a Wedding Registry at Target

Wedding planning is one of the most exciting times in a persons life--and one of the most hectic. If you are planning to invite guests to your engagement party, bridal shower or wedding, your guests will want to know where you are registered so they can purchase gifts for the occasion. This is where a wedding registry comes into play. Registries can be set up at nearly any retail location. A good rule of thumb for any engaged couple is to register at 3 to 6 retail locations. The stores should range from low to high end to accommodate each guest's gift purchasing ability.

A great mid-range store is Target. Target stores carry a large inventory of reasonably priced home goods and have many locations throughout the United States. Target even allows you to create a registry online for added convenience.

Instructions

1 Compile a list of items that you need or want. Wedding registries typically consist of household items such as bed linens, bath towels, kitchen utensils, furniture, and other household goods or decorations. If you cannot come up with a list off the top of your head, you can go to a Target store or to their website and browse items that are available.
2 Choose your method of registry. Your registry can be set up at a Target store or online at their website. If you decide to start your registry in a physical store, you can always add items to your registry list online and vice versa.
3 To set up your registry in a physical store, locate a Target near you. When you enter the store, go to the customer service counter located at the front of the store and explain that you would like to set up a wedding registry. The customer service representative will ask you a few questions such as your name and contact information. You will then be given a scan gun to be used for adding items to your registry. When you find an item that you would like to add to your list, point the scan gun at the bar code on the item. The scanner should make a beeping sound to indicate that the item has been added to your registry list. When you have finished adding items to your list, return the scan gun to the customer service desk and receive a print out of your list.
4 To set up your registry online, go to www.Target.com. At the top of the page you will see a link for "Gift Registries + Lists." Click on this link and it will give you the option to set up your wedding registry through an application called "Club Wedd." You will need to create an account by filing in your name, contact information and creating a user name and password for the account. After your account is enabled you will be allowed to add items to your registry by clicking the "add item to registry" option next to each item in Target's online inventory. Once an item is added to your registry it will be available for your guests to purchase online or by requesting a copy of your registry at any Target store nationwide.

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Planning an Atheist Wedding

For atheist couples, a wedding doesn't have to end with a visit to the local courthouse. Just because you don't want God involved in your union, doesn't mean that you can't celebrate your wedding in front of your family and friends. There are many options open to couples who wish to hold a non-religious wedding ceremony.

Instructions

1 Select an officiant of your ceremony. An officiant can be a judge, lawyer, Justice of the Peace, or even a non-denominational minister that will promise to keep God out of the ceremony.
2 Decide where you would like to hold your wedding ceremony. There are many options available that don't include the tradition church or chapel. Hold your ceremony on the beach, in your back yard or in a community center. The sky is the limit when it comes to location.
3 Focus the wedding's theme around your personal views, instead of a set philosophy or institution. An atheist wedding ceremony should demonstrate the hopes, goals, aspirations and dreams of the bride and groom, taking into account the uniqueness of their relationship.
4 Choose the "Gathering Words" of your ceremony. Many traditional, Christian weddings begin with the words, "We are gathered together under God," however the atheist option could be something like, "We are gathered together in love," or the like. The opening words can be a statement, or something more personal and unique, like a poem or song.
5 Write your wedding vows. Regardless of what you decide to add to or eliminate from your wedding ceremony, it is important that you include vows, because without them, the marriage is not legal. You can keep your vows as simple as the traditional "I do's," or write your own, personal declarations for one another.
6 Exchange a symbol of your new, legal relationship. Many atheists choose to eliminate the traditional exchange of rings, however you might consider other symbols of your love, such as bracelets, charms, or necklaces. If you choose not to exchange gifts, you might consider the symbolic tying of the wrists, which represents the union, drink wine from the same bottle, or simply light a candle together.
7 End your atheist wedding ceremony with an acknowledgment of the union. These words do not need to be the traditional, "I now pronounce you man and wife," but may be anything that your imagination can dream up.

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Calculating Alcohol Drinks for a Wedding

Once the bride and groom have said "I do," wedding guests look forward to an evening of food and drink. Calculating the amount of alcohol needed to ensure a sufficient supply throughout the reception is a challenging proposition. Purchasing too much can put a big dent in the budget, but running out during the festivities may make you look cheap.

Instructions

Finalize the Reception Logistics

1 Determine the number of people expected to attend the wedding reception before embarking on any calculations. Include the bridal party in the final count, but omit any wedding guests under the age of 21, the legal drinking age in the United States, and any guests who you know do not drink alcohol.
2 Assess the overall demographics of the attendees. In a demographically diverse group, expect roughly 50% beer consumers, 30% wine drinkers and 20% who prefer cocktails. If your guests are predominantly young men, expect a higher beer consumption. A predominantly female audience may consume more wine and wine coolers.
3 Finalize the wedding reception itinerary, particularly the duration of pre-dinner cocktails and post-dinner dancing, and list the type of drinks you will serve during each portion of the reception. Some people prefer an open bar serving beer, wine and spirits throughout the entire reception, while others may choose to limit the types of drinks served. It is acceptable to limit pre-dinner cocktails to wine, champagne, punch or a special signature drink chosen by the bride and groom. While this may not change the amount of alcohol you must buy, it is crucial in determining how much of each type of beverage you must purchase. It is very common to serve only wine and champagne during the meal, with a full bar open for the post-dinner festivities.

Determine Specific Beverage Needs

4 Estimate roughly one drink per person for each hour that you plan on serving drinks at the reception. If you expect your wedding reception to last for four hours and you have invited 100 guests, estimate a total of 400 drinks.
5 Use the ratio of beer, wine and spirits that you determined while reviewing the guest list to calculate the amount of each type of beverage. If you expect your guests to consume 400 drinks at the wedding reception in total, that translates to 200 beers, 120 glasses of wine and 80 cocktails using the standard 50/30/20 ratio.
6 Calculate necessary champagne for toasting separately, using one 4 oz. glass per person. Many of the guests who are otherwise beer, wine or cocktail drinkers will sip the champagne during the toast to be polite, but will probably not consume the entire glass.

Calculate Total Alcohol Needed

7 Use standard per-drink consumption measures to determine the amount of alcohol you will need for your reception: 1 to 2 oz. of alcohol for each cocktail, 4 oz. for each glass of wine and 8 to 12 oz. for each beer, depending on the size of the glass, bottle or can.
8 Calculate beer needs based on whether you want to serve beer on tap or in bottles or cans. For a total of 200 servings of beer, purchase a half keg for beer on tap or 33 cases of 12-pack bottles or cans.
9 Calculate wine based on one 750 ml bottle providing roughly five glasses of wine. For 120 glasses of wine, purchase 24 bottles, which is the equivalent of two cases.
10 Calculate spirits based on 1.5 oz. per drink to ensure a sufficient supply. Although a standard cocktail contains 1 oz. of alcohol, spillage and incorrect measurements may happen unless you have professionals tending bar. Since a standard 750 ml bottle will make 18 cocktails, you will need the equivalent of 4.5 bottles of liquor.
11 Calculate champagne based on six glasses per bottle. For 100 flutes of champagne, purchase 17 750 ml bottles.

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Tips on How to Perform a Wedding as a Notary

For a notary public, being asked to officiate at a wedding ceremony is a great honor and responsibility. Only three states currently allow notaries to officiate at wedding ceremonies. If you're a notary from Florida, Maine or South Carolina, you're legally qualified to solemnize a marriage. Even if this is your first time performing a wedding ceremony, you can help create a perfect wedding day by planning ahead, educating yourself and consulting with the couple.

Instructions

1 Consult with the couple. Make sure that all legal requirements are met. The couple needs to obtain a marriage license and present you with the completed forms before the ceremony. Check that the license is valid and that both partners have identification. Talk with the couple and ascertain any personalized goals for the wedding ceremony. If the couple write their own vows, you might want to read the vows beforehand.
2 Practice your role beforehand. You should finalize your speaking parts and have a hard copy available. You don't need to memorize your part of the ceremony but practice until you feel confident. Even if the ceremony is small, meet with the couple before the ceremony and practice the entire ceremony once or twice. This will ensure a smoother process on the actual day.
3 Open the ceremony with an introduction. During the wedding ceremony, it's standard to open with the phrase: Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in matrimony." Make adjustments according to the individual ceremony. If it's a very small or nonreligious ceremony, this opening may be unsuitable.
4 Guide the couple in exchanging vows and rings. You can use a standard script or personalized vows. The vows must reflect the legal commitment that the couple is making. Ask the bride and groom individually if they agree to the responsibilities and obligations of marriage. After each one answers "I do," the couple can recite more personal vows directly to each other. Ask the couple to place the wedding rings on each other's fingers.
5 Pronounce the couple married. You might say: By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the state of Florida (or Maine or South Carolina), I now pronounce you husband and wife." Alter this according to the individual ceremony.
6 File the marriage certificate. After the wedding, submit the certificate to the town clerk. Typically you have seven to 15 days. You should sign the certificate as the officiant and include all required information. The certificate should be signed in front of two witnesses. As a notary, you do not officially count as a witness.
7 Record the marriage. As a notary, you are required to keep a record of all wedding ceremonies you perform. Include the date, names of the bride and groom and the location of the ceremony.

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Understanding a Wedding Registry

Choosing a Registry

Gift giving has long been a wedding tradition and serves to extend goodwill to the newly married couple. Wedding registries exist to simplify a couple's wish list and to make shopping more convenient for wedding guests. The risk of receiving unwanted or duplicate gifts is greatly reduced when wedding registries are properly used. Several factors, including a couple's collective style and family budget, help determine which store selection is most appropriate. For example, while some couples lean towards formal, expensive merchandise, others opt for casual, inexpensive pieces. Couples may survey stores in-person, online and though catalogs to pinpoint suitable options. Couples pay special attention to registry incentives such as gifts and product coupons. A couple may choose several registries to accommodate friends and family members in different physical locations or financial situations. Online registries are becoming an increasingly popular option.

Making Selections

Prospective couples establish accounts with chosen wedding registries. Although the process can vary between wedding registries, certain aspects remain consistent. Couples scour a chosen store's offerings to find items that they would like to receive as gifts. The couple then adds each item to a "wish list," with the hopes of receiving them as wedding presents. Couples choose items in many ways, including accompanied store walk-thrus, catalog viewing and online options. Although couples have the option of submitting a completed list within minutes of account setup, the ability to edit selections is usually extended. Couples add, replace and delete items to build the list that best fits their collective vision.

Purchasing Gifts

The wedding couple informs guests of the registry details. This is done with either a formal or an informal approach. For example, some couples give guests official registry cards complete with store locations, while others simply let guests know by email or even word-of-mouth communication. The guests then attempt to fulfill the couple's wishes by visiting the gift registry. Guests may also decide whether to complete gift buying in person or online. Guests use the couple's last name to access the official wedding registry list. If a guest chooses to shop online, he accesses the correct registry list by choosing the couple's last name. During an in-person store visit, the wedding guest can ask for associate assistance or complete the registry look-up at computerized registry stations. The wedding registry list provides a summary of activity, including whether an item has been purchased.

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How to Pin a Wedding Dress Train

Brides often pin or bustle the train of their wedding dress after the ceremony and before the reception begins. Typically, a bride pins up the train on the dress to make it easier to walk and dance throughout the reception. The most common way to bustle the dress is in an overbustle, which pulls the train up and pins it to a higher point on the dress.

Instructions

1 Hang your wedding dress on the hangar. Spread the train out to resemble how it will look when you are wearing it.
2 Identify the center point of the train from left to right and the center point from top to bottom.
3 Push a straight pin through the center point of the train and pick the train up, bringing it to the waist area of the dress. Pin the train to the dress to see how it looks. If the waist area is too high, unpin the dress from the waist and try pinning it to another point on the dress, such as the point where the dress of the skirt ends and the train begins. Since each dress and train are different, continue to move the train around until it is in a position that looks how you want it to look on the day of your wedding.
4 Sew the eye part of the hook on the part of the dress you want to hook the train, and also sew the hook on the train. For longer or fuller trains, you should and may need to attach more than one eye and hook. If this is the case, sew one on each side of the center part of the train, approximately 1 inch apart from each other.

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Learn About Word Wedding Invitations for Money Gifts

Traditionally, wedding gifts are given to a couple so that they can set up their new home together and prepare to raise a family. In modern times, however, many couples are older when they get married and do not need household items, while others pay for their own wedding and would prefer financial help over physical gifts. If you would prefer your guests to give cash as a wedding gift, you must go about making that request very carefully.

No Wording is the Best Wording

Many etiquette experts advise couples not to mention gifts or gift registries at all on their wedding invitations. This includes traditional gift registries as well as requests for monetary gifts. If you refrain from mentioning gifts on your invitation, be sure to tell your parents, your bridal party and other people that are very close to you that you would prefer money to physical gifts. Your guests will likely ask one of these people what you would like as a wedding gift and will be told of your preference.

Presentation Preferred

If you want to buck tradition and simply state that you would like monetary gifts on your invitation, add the phrase "presentation preferred." This is a polite way of saying "we'd prefer cash as gifts." Alternately, you could add something like "In lieu of gifts, the bride and groom would appreciate donations towards their honeymoon," or something similar. This kind of phrasing is not appropriate for an overly formal invitation, but will work on a more casual style of invitation.

Use Your Wedding Website

If you want to directly ask for money as gifts, you do not have to do so on the formal wedding invitation. Many couples now set up wedding websites that include details like directions to the wedding website and meal options that don't fit on the paper invitations. You can include a section on your wedding website explaining that you would prefer cash gifts. Simply include the URL of your site at the bottom of your paper invitation to direct guests to the website.

Register for Money

There are online services that allow couples to set up a registry to help them pay for portions of their honeymoon, a down payment on a home or just straight-up cash. This way guests don't have to hand you a check at the wedding, but can simply contribute to a lump sum. Again, it is considered gauche to mention the registry directly on your invitation, so either let those close to you spread the word or list the registry information on your wedding website.

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