Hunter Valley Weddings: Your Easy-Peasy Guide to Wedding Words

Hunter Valley Weddings: Your Easy-Peasy Guide to Wedding Words

Okay, so wedding planning? It's awesome, but man, all the terms can get super confusing. Like, what's a "tablescape" anyway? Don't stress! We've put together a simple list of all the wedding words you'll probably hear, so you can walk into those meetings feeling like a pro. Let's get you ready to say "I do" without a dictionary!

GETTING ENGAGED

• Engagement Photos: Basically, pics of you and your partner being cute and in love. Great for getting comfy with your photographer too!

• Fiancé/Fiancée: That's your soon-to-be husband (fiancé) or wife (fiancée).

• Wedding Hashtag: A unique tag for your wedding so everyone's social media posts are in one place. Super handy!

• Wedding Registry: Where you list all the awesome gifts you'd love to get.

• Wedding Website: Your online hub for all wedding info. Think of it as your digital info centre for guests.

WEDDING PLANNING STUFF

Design Vibes

• Mood Board: A visual collage of your wedding style. Think colors, textures, and anything that inspires you.

• Palette: The colors you're using for your wedding. Easy way to say your wedding colour scheme.

The Nitty-Gritty

• Run Sheet (or Runsheet): The timeline for your wedding day. Like, who does what and when.

• Shot List: A list of all the photos you want your photographer to take.

• Full Planning: When you hire someone to do everything for your wedding.

• Partial Planning: Help with the last-minute stuff, like the month before the wedding.

• Wedding Coordinator: Someone who makes sure everything runs smoothly on the day.

• Rain Plan: Your backup plan if the weather goes a bit crazy.

• Room Flip: Changing a room from one setup to another, like from ceremony to reception.

• Venue Walkthrough: Checking out a venue before you book it.

• Venue Coordinator: The person at the venue who helps with your wedding there.

• Vendor Meal: Food for the people working at your wedding, like the band or photographer.

• In-House: When a venue offers its own services, like catering.

• Golden Hour: That magic time before sunset when the light is perfect for photos.

• Hard-Stop: The time you have to be out of the venue.

Wedding Styles

• Destination Wedding: A wedding somewhere far away!

• Elopement: A super small, intimate wedding.

• Intimate Wedding: A smaller wedding, usually under 75 guests.

• Micro Wedding: An even smaller wedding, under 50 guests.

What to Wear

• Tuxedo: A fancy suit for the guys.

• Waistcoat: A vest worn under a jacket.

• Cumberbund: A fancy waistband.

• Cufflinks: Those stylish shirt fasteners.

• Appliqué: Fancy details on a dress, like lace or beads.

• Grosgrain Ribbon: A ribbed fabric often used for belts.

• Wedding Veil: The head covering the bride wears.

• Silhouette: The shape of a wedding dress.

• Godets: Extra fabric to make a dress flare out.

Your Wedding Crew

• Officiant (or Celebrant): The person who marries you!

• Best Man: The groom's right-hand guy.

• Groomsman: The guys in the groom's party.

• Ring Bearer: The kiddo who carries the rings.

• Maid/Matron of Honor: The bride's main helper.

• Bridesmaid: The ladies in the bride's party.

• Flower Girl: The cute kid who throws petals.

• Attendants: Anyone in your wedding party.

• Usher: Someone who shows guests to their seats.

Guests and Details

• Guest List: The people you're inviting.

• Seating Plan (or Chart): Where everyone sits at the reception.

• Plus One: Letting someone bring a date.

• Welcome Bag: Gifts for out-of-town guests.

• Room Block: Reserving a bunch of hotel rooms for your guests.

• Save-The-Date: A heads-up before the official invite.

• Invitation Suite: All the pieces that come with your invites.

• Wedding Stationery: Matching paper goods, like thank-you cards.

• Letterpress: A fancy printing style.

• Vellum: A see-through paper.

• Escort Card: Tells people their table number.

• Place Card: Tells people their table and seat.

• Wedding Program: A guide to the ceremony.

Flowers, Cake, and Decor

• Boutonniére (or Boutineer): A flower for the guys' lapels.

• Corsage: Flowers worn on a dress or wrist.

• Bouquet: The bride's flowers.

• Nosegay: A small bunch of flowers.

• Garland: A string of flowers.

• Pomander: A ball of flowers.

• Flower Wall: A wall covered in flowers.

• Buttercream/Fondant/Ganache/Royal Icing: Different types of cake icing.

• Naked Cake: A cake with minimal frosting.

• Cutting Cake/Sheet Cake: The fancy cake for photos vs. the cake for everyone.

• Centerpiece/Tablescape: Decorations for the tables.

• Charger/Place Setting: Fancy plates and cutlery.

• Candelabra/Taper Candle/Tealight Candle: Different types of candles.

• Gobos Lighting: Projected patterns of light.

Parties and Events

• Engagement Party: A celebration of your engagement.

• Bachelor/Bachelorette Party: The pre-wedding parties.

• Rehearsal Dinner: Dinner after the wedding rehearsal.

The Ceremony and Reception

• First Look/First Touch: Seeing each other before the ceremony.

• Prelude/Processional/Vows/Recessional: The parts of the ceremony.

• Cocktail Hour: Drinks and snacks after the ceremony.

• Corkage Fee: A charge for bringing your own drinks.

• Open Bar/Signature Cocktail: Drinks at the reception.

• Feasting Style/Plated Sit-Down Dinner/Canape/Crudite: Different ways to serve food.

• Grand Entrance/Head Table/Sweetheart Table/Send-Off: Reception highlights.

Easy Planning Tips:

• Just ask questions! Everyone's happy to help.

• Do some online research.

• Don't assume anything, double check!

Have fun planning your awesome Hunter Valley wedding!