Be Gracious

One of the perks of being a bride {besides marrying Prince Charming}? The presents, of course!

Remember, always send a handwritten thank you note for each gift you receive. Thank-you note should be written within two to three weeks of receiving a gift - six to eight weeks at the very most. Make sure to mention the gift and how you will be using it.


Image via Tumblr.

What the World Needs ...

"What the world needs is a return to sweetness and decency."

- Roman Holiday

Images via Tumblr, Style, Martha Stewart.

The Gift Guide: The Social Butterfly

What's a party without that special gal that knows how to strike up a conversation with anyone and make sure everyone feels invited and comfortable!

To thank her for all her social graces, how about finding that perfect frock for her to don to her many social functions from who else but those pretty butterflies at Thread Social?

Images via Thread Social.

Into the Woods We Go

What is it about this season that makes us fall in love all over again? Is it the cozy feelings you get when snuggling up to your loved one by the fireside? Or perhaps it's the simple act of holding hands as you and Prince strolling down a woodsy bend with the foliage quietly keeping you two company?

The leaves may fall, and the colors may fade, but those warm and fuzzy feelings in your heart will remain. And with leaves, acorns, wood and owls in fragrant soap form, you can now take fall's beauty home with you!

If you prefer to capture the brilliant colors of fall look no further than Uptown Soap, which provides an array of hues to remake foliage in your bathroom. Something more subdued? Gianna Rose carries a line of Thanksgiving inspired soaps that are sure to please!

So spread the warmth of the season with a little gift that will freshen up the spirit!

Images via O Magazine and Gianna Rose.

Resolutions and Guest Relations

We're a few days from 2009, but that doesn't mean we can't start making a few etiquette resolutions for what will most likely be a busy social whirl of weddings to attend to in the coming year.

For the Bride

I can pretty much sum up the golden rule of etiquette for the Bride to be: don't be a Bridezilla! Yes you are special, but that doesn't entitle you to boss around your friends and family like they are your servants. I shudder at the horrors!

For the Guests
Here are a few tidbits on courtesy and thoughtfulness that will prevent you from making any social faux pas and have the bride and groom grateful to have you there.

Respond in a timely manner: give the bride and groom one less thing to worry about by RSVP as soon as possible. The couple have a lot to plan (seating arrangements, catering, seats, tables, etc) and can't do anything until they know how many guests will be in attendance.

Get there early: weddings are not the time and place to be fashionably late, especially at the ceremony. I would be so upset with myself if I were to miss my dear friends saying their vows. After all, you're not there just to drink the alcohol and eat their food!

The Ceremony: leave the pictures to the professionals and avoid disrupting the ceremony by not taking any pictures of the ceremony with a flash camera.

The gift of giving: if you are invited to a wedding, but cannot attend, it is still customary to send a gift. Also, the couple's registry should have a mailing address to ship to so they don't have to worry about taking care of any packages at the end of the night. And if you wait until the very last minute, don't worry, you still have a year to send a gift.

One isn't always a lonely number: most couples will specify if you are allowed to bring a guest by including your name and guest on the addressed invitation. If not, do not assume you can bring a guest or call the bride or groom if it is okay to bring a guest. Receptions, especially, can be a costly affair, but don't worry - I went to a wedding without a +1 and sat with a delightful group of people. Think of the opportunities to meet new people and getting to know the special people in the bride and groom's life.

Everything in Moderation: no one ever wants to be know as that guest so keep your alcohol intake to a minimum. Yes, the open bar is tempting, but the embarrassment and not to mention rudeness should dissuade you from any undesirable behavior.

Image via Fete.

What Would Audrey Do?

When I find myself in a sticky social situation, I ask myself, "What would Audrey do?"

I feel in today's society we are becoming progressively more tolerant of what is deemed to be crass behavior and allowing others to comport themselves in unladylike behavior. Do you cringe like I do when I hear a curse word out of an otherwise lovely lady?

Weddings, it seems, allows us to go back to the genteel mannerisms of yesterday, when courtesy and graciousness rule the day. But why stop at the wedding? Why not take those lessons throughout our entire lives?

Here's a few books that I do hope you will be able to peruse through before the big day and beyond because it doesn't matter if you are a most beautiful bride in the world if the inside doesn't sparkle as well.

Emily Post's Etiquette, Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette, and A Guide to Elegance

So curl up with your a cup of hot tea, your best reading pearls and enjoy a weekend read for a lifetime of practice. After all, there's nothing old fashioned about having good manners!

Images via amazon.com.