What is the dress code for all the events?
For the bridal shower, please dress in a business casual level of attire- nice pants (yes, jeans are ok but preferably without rips) or slacks, blouses, dresses, or skirts. Whatever you feel best in!
For the rehearsal dinner, please come in similar style clothing. No jeans this time please!
For the wedding, please wear your most formal attire that you feel comfortable in- from cocktail to black tie, with anything in between! Whatever makes you feel the most beautiful.
For the BBQ, casual attire. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts and flipflops are all more than welcome.
My kids aren't invited to the wedding, what do I do now?
While we absolutely love your kiddos, and would love to have them with us for this big day, it just isn't feasible. Children are welcome to come to the ceremony so long as they are respectful and quiet or you can leave immediately without disturbing anyone when they get fussy. The bride and groom will have reliable babysitters from the bride's yacht club (some kids that she used to babysit or helped coach back in the day!) available to watch your kids for the evening (starting around 3-3:30 PM) so that you can come and enjoy the wedding. Though the kiddos can't come for the wedding, we would LOVE to have your kids join us the next day at the Metedeconk River Yacht Club for the Family and Friends BBQ!
What can I do while I wait between the ceremony and the reception?
There are a couple of bars within walking distance of the venue. Parking for the venue is valet, so park your car and head over to the Patio Bar (right next door to the venue), take a stroll along the boardwalk or inlet, or check out historic Bay Head before heading to the venue!
What should I expect at the wedding ceremony?
We are blending two families and two traditions, so there are bound to be a couple of new things that everyone gets to experience (see the traditions question below). The ceremony is a traditional Roman Catholic mass. Don't worry about knowing all the words to the prayers and hymns, just make sure to stand, sit, and kneel with the rest of the guests. We will make sure that the priest knows to add additional cues for those unfamiliar with a Catholic mass. The mass will be held in English, but there may be some Russian in personal vows between the bride and groom or in a prayer to the families.
What are some different Wedding Traditions?
The bride and groom are so excited to share with you all the traditions from both our cultures! To try and incorporate both traditions and cultures, we have a couple listed below that we think everyone would like to know about and be involved with!
* When the bride and groom enter, they will make a toast to all their friends and family at the beginning of the celebration to open dinner hour. This will be in both Russian and English for all guests to be able to enjoy a toast from both the bride and groom for all their love to everyone with them on that day.
* The bride will call all single women to the dance floor and toss her bouquet. Whoever catches it, traditionally, is said to be the next one that will be married.
* The bride is Polish and it is tradition to have a minute polka dance! A polka will come on and everyone who wants to dance with the bride or groom will have a chance as the song plays. The bride and groom are passed from one partner to the next to try and dance with everyone present that would like to dance with them!
* At American/Catholic weddings, it is tradition to clink on your glass and get as many guests as possible to join, so that the bride and groom will kiss, usually no longer that 20-30 seconds. At Russian weddings, it is tradition to chant 'Gor'ka!', and the bride and groom kiss for as long as the chant goes for (please keep it 30 seconds or less though).
